bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Method Transfer Evaluation for Digital Derivative Spectrophotometry Through its Resolution Parameter Comparison of Different Computer Programs
Authors: Homšek Ana , Marković Bojan , Bogavac-Stanojević Nataša , Vladimirov Sote , Karljiković-Rajić Katarina
Published: March 2020

The application assessment of different programs was performed with equivalence tests for method transfer pro second-order derivative spectrophotometry. The digital second-order derivative spectra were calculated on different instruments; GBC Scientific Equipment Cintra 20 (Cintral v.2.6 and Spectral v.1.70 software programs) and Thermo Scientific Evolution 300 (VISIONPro software) were analyzed using the amplitude A/B ratio (A = 2D265,263; B = 2D263,261). Amplitude A/B ratio is the resolution parameter for derivative spectrophotometry prescribed in European Pharmacopoeia. The obtained values for A/B ratio were either very similar or significantly different among programs: 0.669 (Cintral v.2.6), 0.549 (Spectral v.1.70), 0.556 (medium indirect VISIONPro), 0.557 (one-step Savitzky–Golay 7 VISIONPro), 0.689 (two-step Savitzky–Golay 7 VISIONPro). Method transfer was possible between Spectral v.1.70 and VISIONPro (medium indirect and one-step Savitzky–Golay 7), but the values obtained in Cintral v.2.6 were not comparable to the other programs. The absorbance data exported from both instruments were additionally calculated in OriginPro8 which provided almost the same mean A/B values (0.627 Cintral v.2.6; 0.624 VISIONPro), confirming that the two instruments recorded the same zero-order spectra. The calculation of resolution parameter could be used for verification of program comparison, which would enable transfer between sender and receiver laboratory. The accordance between program algorithms was confirmed when acceptable differences for values of resolution parameter (A/B ratios) were achieved.
Effects of surfactants on mechanical and thermal properties of soy-based polyurethane foams
Authors: Dhaliwal Gurjot S , Anandan Sudharshan , Bose Mousumi , Chandrashekhara K , Nam Paul
Published: March 2020

Polyurethane foams are widely used for insulation applications due to their high insulation properties as compared to conventional materials such as extruded polystyrene foam and mineral wool. In this study, soy-based polyurethane foams were prepared using five different surfactants while keeping other components such as soy-based polyol, diisocyanate, catalyst, and blowing agent (water) constant. Prepared samples were tested for mechanical and thermal properties to evaluate the effect of different surfactants used in varying quantities. The morphology of the foam samples was observed using a scanning electron microscope. Seventeen fold reduction in the cell size was observed with an increase in the amount of surfactant from 0.5 to 5.0 g. Samples with higher amounts of surfactant also exhibited a higher number of closed cells. Better thermal insulation was observed for samples with 2.0 and 5.0 g of surfactant as compared to samples with 0.5 g of surfactant. A similar trend was observed in the mechanical strength, moisture absorbance, and density of the fabricated foam samples.
Bovine Bone Promotes Osseous Protection via Osteoclast Activation
Authors: Klein Y. , Shani-Kdoshim S. , Maimon A. , Fleissig O. , Levin-Talmor O. , Meirow Y. , Garber-Berkstein J. , Leibovich A. , Stabholz A. , Chaushu S. , Polak D.
Published: March 2020

The current study aimed at investigating the long-term biological mechanisms governing bone regeneration in osseous defects filled with bovine bone (BB). Tooth extraction sockets were filled with BB or left unfilled for natural healing in a C57BL/6 mouse alveolar regeneration bone model ( n = 12). Seven weeks later, the alveolar bone samples were analyzed histologically with hematoxylin/eosin and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase staining. A separate group ( n = 10) was used for RNA sequencing. Osteoclast inhibition was induced by zoledronic acid (ZA) administration at 2 wk postextraction in a third group ( n = 28) for examination of osseous changes and cellular functions with micro–computed tomography and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, respectively. Histological and radiological osseous healing was observed in both BB-filled and normal-healing sockets. However, BB regenerated bone showed significant robust expression of genes associated with bone homeostasis and osteoclasts’ function. Osteoclasts’ inhibition in BB-filled sockets led to decreased bone resorption markers and reduced bone formation to a greater extent than that observed in osteoclasts’ inhibition with natural healing. BB displays long-term biologically active properties, despite a naive osseous histological appearance. These include activation of osteoclasts, which in turn promotes osseous remodeling and maturation of ossified bone.
Governing resilient cities for planetary flourishing in the Asia-Pacific
Authors: Miller Michelle Ann , Douglass Mike , Rigg Jonathan
Published: March 2020

For the first time in 2019, the Asia-Pacific became a majority urban region. The unprecedented pace and magnitude of urbanisation across Asia and the Pacific has exposed tens of millions of urban residents to heightened risks and vulnerabilities associated with the expanding ecological footprint of urban energy, food and water demands and the increasingly severe effects of global climate change. This special issue directs attention toward the challenges, innovations and examples of best practice in environmental governance for urban resilience in the Asia-Pacific region. Our understanding of urban resilience is tied to the concept of planetary flourishing that links the health and well-being of urban populations with sustainability behaviours that promote regeneration of the biosphere while redistributing environmental risks and benefits in more socially inclusive and equitable ways.
Applying the Passivhaus standard to a terraced house in a hot and humid tropical climate – Evaluation of comfort and energy performance
Authors: Sigalingging Roy Candra , Chow David , Sharples Steve
Published: March 2020

In a hot and humid tropical climate, natural ventilation brings high levels of moisture into dwellings that, together with occupant activity, can result in very elevated internal relative humidity levels. Coupling these high relative humidities with high internal air temperatures creates occupant thermal discomfort, which is typically ameliorated in the tropics using energy-intensive air conditioning systems. This paper has investigated the potential benefits for thermal comfort and energy usage of applying the German Passivhaus standard to tropical dwellings. By creating a super insulated and air-tight envelope, the Passivhaus standard reduces fabric heat transfer, controls air infiltration and provides low-energy comfort. Applying this approach to a tropical terraced house might be effective but could, potentially, have an adverse impact on mechanical cooling demand. This study took an actual terraced property in Jakarta, Indonesia and thermally modelled its performance as insulation and airtightness levels were incrementally improved up to the Passivhaus standard. Field measurements in the dwelling of air temperature and relative humidity were used to validate the thermal model of the existing house. The validated model then tested the feasibility of meeting the Passivhaus energy standard for cooling in the modified tropical house. Simulation allowed the effects of air conditioning (AC) and dehumidifiers on thermal comfort and cooling loads to be investigated. The research develop the Passivhaus building model that had the floor insulation removed to let the ground floor act as a thermal sink and potentially provide radiant cooling. Analysis revealed that the building’s predicted air temperatures were affected in a beneficial way by having the Passivhaus without floor insulation.

Practical application: Cooling in hot and humid tropical region is an energy-intensive approach. Design approaches that can bring comfort and save energy for the occupant are essential. The success of Passivhaus standard in mild climate might be transferable to bring comfort in tropical housing. Best practice can be developed by analysing the Passivhaus building performance in hot and humid tropical region.
Renting Valuable Assets: Knowledge and Value Production in Academic Science
Authors: Pinel Clémence
Published: March 2020

This paper explores what it takes for research laboratories to produce valuable knowledge in academic institutions marked by the coexistence of multiple evaluative frameworks. Drawing upon ethnographic fieldwork carried out in two UK-based epigenetics research laboratories, I examine the set of practices through which research groups intertwine knowledge production with the making of scientific, health, and wealth value. This includes building and maintaining a portfolio of valuable resources, such as expertise, scientific credibility, or data, and turning these resources into assets by carefully organizing and managing their value. Laboratories then put these assets to productive use within and outside their labs toward the creation or extraction of value. I identify two models for producing value within academic science: a commodity-based model whereby laboratories mobilize their assets to produce results, which can be converted into publications for the accumulation of credibility capital, and a rentier model of accumulation whereby laboratories own valuable assets, which they rent out to others outside their lab against revenue. Following recent developments in Science and Technology Studies on value production in the bioeconomy, I argue that the concepts of asset and rent are essential analytical tools for getting to grips with the origins of value within academic science.
The politico-commercial nexus and its implications for television industries in Bangladesh and South Asia
Authors: Rahman Anis
Published: March 2020

Over the past decade, television has proven its political, economic, and cultural worth as the most influential mass media in South Asia. Taking Bangladesh as a vantage point, the article shows how informal political and economic affiliations have become crucial factors for media development in South Asia. Particularly, the article dissects the ownership structures and the formal and informal politics of licensing private television by Bangladeshi governments between 1995 and 2019 in contesting India’s regional media hegemony with harnessing a powerful indigenous ‘politico-commercial nexus’. Based on field-based research, this study reveals multiple areas of political struggle, regional contestation, and democratic deficits in the television industry. The findings widen our understanding beyond the bureaucratic processes of media regulation, revealing the deeper problem of unipolar political preconditioning and the increasingly authoritarian nature of the state vis-à-vis the ownership of media and its diminishing prospects for voicing plural and contending political perspectives.
Classroom Behavior of Students With or At Risk of EBD: Student Gender Affects Teacher Ratings But Not Direct Observations
Authors: Sheaffer Amanda W. , Majeika Caitlyn E. , Gilmour Allison F. , Wehby Joseph H.
Published: March 2020

As the field moves toward adaptive and individualized behavior intervention, it is important to identify and consider relevant student characteristics as potential levers (i.e., critical factors) for improving intervention effectiveness. Motivated by previous findings suggesting that behavioral profiles and teachers’ perceptions of students with problem behavior vary by student gender, we evaluated gender differences in teacher ratings and direct observations of classroom problem behavior for elementary students with or at risk of emotional and behavioral disorder (EBD; N = 352). We found significant gender differences for teacher ratings of problem behavior, social skills, and academic competence. However, we did not find significant differences between male and female students on direct observation measures of behavior or reading skills. These findings provide evidence suggesting that student gender may be a critical factor in addressing classroom problem behavior. Future work in this area will help guide researchers and practitioners in considering how student gender and related teachers’ perceptions may inform intervention selection and implementation for students with or at risk of EBD.
Voicing the system: How formerly fostered adults make meaning of the U.S. foster care system
Authors: Thomas Lindsey J. , Scharp Kristina M.
Published: March 2020

The U.S. foster care system aims to provide care to children who are unable to live safely with their families of origin. Yet, fostered youth endure negative experiences before, during, and after foster care. This study investigates tensions between stated goals and experiences of foster care, from the perspective of (formerly) fostered youth. Framed by relational dialectics theory, contrapuntal analysis of 32 narrative interviews revealed two discourses that construct meaning of the foster care system: (1) Discourse of System as (a Necessary) Good aligned with stated goals, constructing the system as helpful and (2) Discourse of System as Harmful (but Necessary) competed with assumptions that foster care is helpful, constructing the system as broken. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Development and validation of a scale to assess the attitude of healthcare professionals toward persons with disability
Authors: Yi You Gyoung , Lee Jeong-Eun , Lee Seung Hee , Lee Jin Yong , Kwon Yong Jin , Shin Hyung-Ik
Published: March 2020

Objective:

This study aimed to develop and validate an instrument that measures the attitudes of healthcare professionals toward persons with disabilities.

Design:

The Delphi survey consensus method was used to compose a preliminary questionnaire for survey. Then, healthcare professionals responded to the questionnaire online, and the results were used for psychometric analysis.

Setting:

Three tertiary hospitals.

Subjects:

A total of 993 healthcare professionals.

Interventions:

Not applicable.

Main measures:

Attitudes of healthcare professionals toward persons with disabilities.

Results:

A 28-item preliminary questionnaire was initially developed after a two-round Delphi survey with 16 experts. Through an online survey, the final 20 items were categorized as follows: behaviors in clinical situation, knowledge and skills, emotional response, and responsibility of healthcare professionals. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for the total score was 0.890 and varied between 0.856 and 0.892 in the four subdomains. The newly developed tool showed an acceptable model fit. Healthcare professionals who participated in an education module showed higher scores in behavior and knowledge/skills subdomains than those who did not, whereas participants who had clinical experience with persons with disabilities demonstrated higher scores in emotional response and knowledge/skills subdomains.

Conclusions:

We developed a scale to measure the attitudes toward persons with disabilities of healthcare professionals. The scale demonstrated a sensitivity to measure a difference by participation in an education module or clinical experience with persons with disabilities.
A single administration of ‘microbial’ D-alanine to healthy volunteers augments reaction to negative emotions: A comparison with D-serine
Authors: Capitão Liliana P , Forsyth Jessica , Thomaidou Mia A , Condon Mark D , Harmer Catherine J , Burnet Philip WJ
Published: March 2020

Background:

Activation of the glutamate N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor with its co-agonist D-serine has been shown to improve subjective mood in healthy volunteers. D-alanine is another potent N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor co-agonist which arises from the natural breakdown of host gut microbes, and is predominantly sequestered in the pituitary. This may suggest that D-alanine influences the neuroendocrine stress response which may then impact on emotion.

Aims:

The current study explored the effects of D-serine and D-alanine on emotional processing, cognition and the levels of the stress hormone cortisol in healthy volunteers.

Methods:

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled randomised study, participants ( n=63) received a single oral dose of either D-serine, D-alanine (60 mg/kg) or placebo and then performed the Emotional Test Battery and N-back task (two hours post-administration) and provided saliva samples at fixed intervals.

Results:

Subjects administered with D-alanine were faster at identifying facial expressions of fear, surprise and anger, and at categorising negative self-referential words. Participants on D-alanine also showed a trend to recall more words than placebo in a memory task. D-serine did not have any meaningful effects in any of the tasks. Neither amino acid had a significant effect on salivary cortisol or working memory.

Conclusion:

This study is the first to suggest that D-alanine can modulate emotional cognitive processing after a single dose. The lack of findings for D-serine nevertheless contrasts a previous study, emphasising a need for further investigation to clarify discrepancies. A better understanding of the physiological actions of D-amino acids would be beneficial in evaluating their therapeutic potential.
How Ideological Divides Serve to Limit Bureaucratic Autonomy: A Case Study of the BLM
Authors: Malay Joshua , Fairholm Matthew R.
Published: March 2020

The main question this article seeks to address is how the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) bureaucratic autonomy is affected by deep ideological divides over public lands management policy. Daniel Carpenter’s theory of bureaucratic autonomy serves to provide the definition and method for evaluating the research question. The case study identifies that the bureaucratic autonomy afforded the BLM is intrinsically bound to interest group politics. There exists little room for initiative not supported by specific interests. Actions required by the multiple use mandate, but not supported by interests, will be suppressed. But, of greater interest in understanding the BLM, once support shifts for an initiative, all previous action is undone or at least mitigated to a point of inconsequence. Hence, limited bureaucratic autonomy is afforded either way, as the multiple use requirement will not satisfy all parties and does not allow the BLM to ignore other potential uses of the public lands.
Rediscovering the cash nexus, again: Subsumption and the labour–capital relation in platform work
Authors: Joyce Simon
Published: March 2020

This article proposes a re-theorisation of the main social relations of platform work, based on two concepts drawn from Marx: subsumption of labour and the cash nexus. Platform work research to date is heavily empirical in character, with little theoretical development. As a result, the social relations of platform work are treated descriptively, using ad hoc or common-sense categories, or platforms’ own terminology. This under-theorisation leads to over-estimation of platform work’s novelty, decentring of capital in accounts of its development, incipient technological determinism and problematic generalisation from emergent trends. In place of the commonly assumed ‘triangle’ of platform work relations, this article argues that platform work is best understood in terms of an emerging labour–capital relation, which establishes a cash nexus between platform and worker as a result of a process of subsumption. This re-theorisation, in turn, helps to understand the rapid emergence of platform worker organisation and resistance, and the similarity of its demands with worker resistance in other, more established areas of paid work under capitalist relations of production.
Altered regional cerebral blood flow and hypothalamic connectivity immediately prior to a migraine headache
Authors: Meylakh Noemi , Marciszewski Kasia K , Di Pietro Flavia , Macefield Vaughan G , Macey Paul M , Henderson Luke A
Published: March 2020

Background

There is evidence of altered resting hypothalamic activity patterns and connectivity prior to a migraine, however it remains unknown if these changes are driven by changes in overall hypothalamic activity levels. If they are, it would corroborate the idea that changes in hypothalamic function result in alteration in brainstem pain processing sensitivity, which either triggers a migraine headache itself or allows an external trigger to initiate a migraine headache. We hypothesise that hypothalamic activity increases immediately prior to a migraine headache and this is accompanied by altered functional connectivity to pain processing sites in the brainstem.

Methods

In 34 migraineurs and 26 healthy controls, we collected a series comprising 108 pseudo-continuous arterial spin labelling images and 180 gradient-echo echo planar resting-state functional magnetic resonance volumes to measure resting regional cerebral blood flow and functional connectivity respectively. Images were pre-processed and analysed using custom SPM12 and Matlab software.

Results

Our results reflect that immediately prior to a migraine headache, resting regional cerebral blood flow decreases in the lateral hypothalamus. In addition, resting functional connectivity strength decreased between the lateral hypothalamus and important regions of the pain processing pathway, such as the midbrain periaqueductal gray, dorsal pons, rostral ventromedial medulla and cingulate cortex, only during this critical period before a migraine headache.

Conclusion

These data suggest altered hypothalamic function and connectivity in the period immediately prior to a migraine headache and supports the hypothesis that the hypothalamus is involved in migraine initiation.
Importance of Automobile Mode Share in Understanding the Full Impact of Urban Form on Work-Based Vehicle Distance Traveled
Authors: Xi Yang (Luna) , Allen Jeff , Miller Eric J. , Farber Steven , Keel Robert
Published: March 2020

Vehicle kilometers traveled (VKT) has been widely used in regional planning as a key sustainability performance indicator. Many regional growth plans for reducing work trip VKT have been proposed, with a focus on land use development in employment centers. Despite the potential impact of urban form on the reduction of VKT, the fundamentals of how this takes place remain unclear. This study analyzes the relationship between urban form, VKT, and mode shares by examining office commuting patterns in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) through a structural equation modeling approach. The model supports the substantial impact of urban form on the reduction of VKT; however, it indicates that such an impact is made mostly through shifting modes, rather than directly on reduced travel distances. This model is then used to evaluate critically a regional growth plan for the GTHA, finding that strategies focusing solely on increasing land use densities in employment centers are not likely to reduce regional VKT significantly without also easing commuting auto dependency. Thus, it is recommended that more sustainable travel alternatives for workers in employment centers should be provided to achieve a sufficient reduction in VKT.
Ankle and Lower Leg Injuries in Professional Baseball Players
Authors: Lucasti Christopher J. , Dworkin Myles , Warrender William J. , Winters Brian , Cohen Steven , Ciccotti Michael , Pedowitz David
Published: March 2020

Background:

Ankle and lower leg injuries are very common in sports, and numerous studies have discussed their diagnosis and management. Our study differs in that we report lower leg injuries in professional baseball players spanning the 2011-2016 seasons by utilizing a comprehensive injury surveillance system developed by Major League Baseball (MLB).

Purpose:

To determine the injury characteristics of ankle and lower leg injuries in professional baseball players during the 2011-2016 seasons by utilizing the MLB injury surveillance system.

Study Design:

Descriptive epidemiology study.

Methods:

Our study is a descriptive epidemiological evaluation through a retrospective review of injury data from the MLB Health and Injury Tracking System (HITS) since its implementation in 2010. We included any professional baseball player (MLB and Minor League Baseball [MiLB]) who was identified as having an ankle or lower leg injury between January 1, 2011, and February 28, 2017.

Results:

Over the study period, there were a total of 4756 injuries, of which 763 (16%) occurred in MLB players and 3993 (84%) occurred in MiLB players. The mean number of days missed for all players was 27.8 ± 141.4 days, with a median of 3 days. From 2011 through 2016, it was estimated that there were 414,912 athlete exposures (AEs) in MLB and 1,796,607 AEs in MiLB. Of the 4756 injuries recorded, 550 (12%) took place during the MLB regular season, and 3320 (70%) took place during the MiLB regular season. Injuries in MLB players, however, were 1.7 times more likely to require surgery ( P < .001). Additionally, rates of injury to the lower leg were stratified by position, with infield players experiencing injuries at a 1.6 times greater rate than any other position ( P < .001).

Conclusion:

In conclusion, this is the only epidemiological study to focus primarily on ankle and lower leg injuries in professional baseball players, utilizing an injury surveillance system developed by MLB.
Activity Measures in Pediatric Athletes: A Comparison of the Hospital for Special Surgery Pediatric Functional Activity Brief Scale and Tegner Activity Level Scale
Authors: Wagner K. John , Sabatino Meagan J. , Zynda Aaron J. , Gans Catherine V. , Chung Jane S. , Miller Shane M. , Wilson Philip L. , Ellis Henry B.
Published: March 2020

Background:

In young athletes, patient-reported activity level is frequently used to determine return to the same level of sport after treatment.

Purpose:

To evaluate the validity and score distributions of the Hospital for Special Surgery Pediatric Functional Activity Brief Scale (HSS Pedi-FABS) compared with the Tegner Activity Level Scale (Tegner) in pediatric athletes.

Study Design:

Cohort study (Diagnosis); Level of evidence, 2.

Methods:

A retrospective review of 517 consecutive youth athletes who came to a sports medicine specialty clinic for a knee evaluation was performed. Patients completed the HSS Pedi-FABS, Tegner, and a sports participation survey before evaluation. Scores were compared with reported hours, days, and weeks of participation in sports as well as level of competition. Floor or ceiling effects were identified, and finally, the means and distributions of scores in the 8 most common primary sports were analyzed.

Results:

A total of 398 participants (54.0% female) with an average age of 14.5 years (range, 10.0-18.8 years) were included in the study. The HSS Pedi-FABS demonstrated correlations with hours per week ( r = 0.302; P < .001), days per week ( r = 0.278; P < .001), and weeks per year ( r = 0.136; P = .014) playing a primary sport. The Tegner only demonstrated a correlation with days per week ( r = 0.211; P = .001). Additionally, club/select-level athletes scored higher than junior high/high school–level athletes on the HSS Pedi-FABS (23.8 vs 21.0; P = .004), but no difference was observed with the Tegner. No floor or ceiling effect was observed for the HSS Pedi-FABS, but a ceiling effect was present for the Tegner (32.8%). The HSS Pedi-FABS demonstrated a varied score distribution between the 8 most common primary sports ( P < .001), with soccer players scoring the highest, on average (23.5).

Conclusion:

The HSS Pedi-FABS, compared with the Tegner, demonstrated more correlations with an athlete’s participation in sport with no floor or ceiling effect and had a wide distribution of scores even among same-sport athletes. The HSS Pedi-FABS may be a more valuable activity measure than the Tegner in pediatric athletes.
A 3-Dimensional Bioprinted Scaffold With Human Umbilical Cord Blood–Mesenchymal Stem Cells Improves Regeneration of Chronic Full-Thickness Rotator Cuff Tear in a Rabbit Model
Authors: Rak Kwon Dong , Jung Seungman , Jang Jinah , Park Gi-Young , Suk Moon Yong , Lee Sang Chul
Published: March 2020

Background:

Chronic full-thickness rotator cuff tears (FTRCTs) represent a major clinical concern because they show highly compromised healing capacity.

Purpose:

To evaluate the efficacy of using a 3-dimensional (3D) bioprinted scaffold with human umbilical cord blood (hUCB)–mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) for regeneration of chronic FTRCTs in a rabbit model.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

A total of 32 rabbits were randomly assigned to 4 treatment groups (n = 8 per group) at 6 weeks after a 5-mm FTRCT was created on the supraspinatus tendon. Group 1 (G1-SAL) was transplanted with normal saline. Group 2 (G2-MSC) was transplanted with hUCB-MSCs (0.2 mL, 1 × 106) into FTRCTs. Group 3 (G3-3D) was transplanted with a 3D bioprinted construct without MSCs, and group 4 (G4-3D+MSC) was transplanted with a 3D bioprinted construct containing hUCB-MSCs (0.2 mL, 1 × 106 cells) into FTRCTs. All 32 rabbits were euthanized at 4 weeks after treatment. Examination of gross morphologic changes and histologic results was performed on all rabbits after sacrifice. Motion analysis was also performed before and after treatment.

Results:

In G4-3D+MSC, newly regenerated collagen type 1 fibers, walking distance, fast walking time, and mean walking speed were greater than those in G2-MSC based on histochemical and motion analyses. In addition, when compared with G3-3D, G4-3D+MSC showed more prominent regenerated tendon fibers and better parameters of motion analysis. However, there was no significant difference in gross tear size among G2-MSC, G3-3D, and G4-3D+MSC, although these groups showed significant decreases in tear size as compared with the control group (G1-SAL).

Conclusion:

Findings of this study show that a tissue engineering strategy based on a 3D bioprinted scaffold filled with hUCB-MSCs can improve the microenvironment for regenerative processes of FTRCT without any surgical repair.

Clinical Relevance:

In the case of rotator cuff tear, the cell loss of the external MSCs can be increased by exposure to synovial fluid. Therefore, a 3D bioprinted scaffold in combination with MSCs without surgical repair may be effective in increasing cell retention in FTRCT.
Assessment of Meniscal Healing Status by Magnetic Resonance Imaging T2 Mapping After Meniscal Repair
Authors: Yamasaki Shinya , Hashimoto Yusuke , Nishida Yohei , Teraoka Takanori , Terai Shozaburo , Takigami Junsei , Nakamura Hiroaki
Published: March 2020

Background:

Although the sensitivity and specificity of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the diagnosis of primary meniscal tears are high, these values are lower for the assessment of healing status of repaired menisci.

Purpose:

To compare the accuracy of MRI T2 mapping and conventional MRI in assessing meniscal healing after repair.

Study Design:

Cohort study (diagnosis); Level of evidence, 2.

Methods:

Patients who underwent meniscal repair with concurrent anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction between 2012 and 2016 and had a follow-up second-look arthroscopy were enrolled. The patients were divided into healed and incompletely/not healed groups based on the second-look arthroscopy findings. For the repaired menisci, the following were compared between the groups, (1) Stoller and Crues classification on conventional MRI with a proton density-weighted fat-saturated sequence and (2) the remaining colored meniscal tear line on T2 mapping coincident with the high signal line showing the primary tear on conventional MRI were compared. The change of T2 relaxation time (ΔT2) of the colored meniscal tear line pre- to postoperatively was compared between the groups. The mean T2 relaxation time of the whole area of the postoperative meniscus at each slice was also compared with that of control menisci to assess the whole quality of the repaired meniscus.

Results:

A total of 26 menisci from 24 knees were assessed (16 healed menisci, 10 incompletely/not healed menisci). According to the Crues classification on conventional MRI, 8 of 16 healed menisci and 3 of 10 incompletely/not healed menisci improved from grade 3 to 2, with there being no significant difference between the groups ( P = .43). However, the colored meniscal tear line remained in only 3 of the 16 healed menisci as compared with 9 of the 10 incompletely/not healed menisci, and the presence of this colored line allowed differentiation between healed menisci and incompletely/not healed menisci (sensitivity, 81.3%; specificity, 90.0%; odds ratio, 39.0; P = .001). The mean (SD) ΔT2 was −31.1 ± 3.2 and −19.9 ± 4.4 ms in the healed and incompletely/not healed groups, respectively ( P < .001). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed a cutoff ΔT2 value of −22.3 ms for separation of meniscal healing ( P < .001). The T2 relaxation times of the whole area of the repaired menisci were 31.7 ± 3.4 and 32.8 ± 3.8 ms in the healed and incompletely/unhealed groups, respectively ( P = .69), with these values being significantly longer than the 26.9 ± 2.2 ms in the controls ( P < .001).

Conclusion:

MRI T2 mapping allowed the differentiation of healing status after meniscal repair, with high sensitivity and specificity as compared with conventional MRI.
Adiposity Markers as Predictors of 11-Year Decline in Maximal Walking Speed in Late Midlife
Authors: Wennman Heini , Jerome Gerald J. , Simonsick Eleanor M. , Sainio Päivi , Valkeinen Heli , Borodulin Katja , Stenholm Sari
Published: March 2020

Background: Obesity is linked to poorer physical functioning in older adults, but impact of excess adiposity on loss of functional capacity in late midlife is unclear. This study examined associations between adiposity markers and 11-year change in maximal walking speed, a sensitive indicator of physical functioning, among adults aged 55 to 69 years. Method: Maximal walking speed over 6.1 m was assessed in 2000 and 2011 among Finnish men ( n = 409) and women ( n = 498) from the prospective Health 2000 Survey. Body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference were assessed in 2000. Generalized estimating equation models estimated changes in maximal walking speed by BMI and waist circumference, stratified by sex. Results: BMI greater than 30 kg/m2 was associated with accelerated decline in maximal walking speed particularly in women. Associations with waist circumference were nonsignificant. Conclusion: Late midlife obesity may speed up the decline in functional capacity as measured by maximal walking speed, especially in women.
An eco-friendly epoxy polymer binder for the treatment of Tunisian harbor sediments: Laboratory investigations for beneficial reuse
Authors: Zouch Afef , Mamindy-Pajany Yannick , Ennahal Ilyas , Abriak Nor-Edine , Ksibi Mohamed
Published: March 2020

The management of dredged sediments poses serious environmental and economic problems because of their geochemical properties and in particular their pollutant content. In this research, marine sediments from Tunisian harbors were collected to study their beneficial reuse as construction materials using an eco-friendly polymer binder. Experimental investigations include the determination of physicochemical, mineralogical, and environmental parameters of sediments from the Sidi Mansour and Sidi Youssef areas in Tunisia. Prismatic mortar samples (4 × 4 × 16 cm) were prepared at laboratory scale using normalized sand and epoxy resin. Then their composition was modified by including a sediment fraction in the substitution of sand at rates ranging from 10 to 50% in dry mass. After a 7-day curing period, mortar samples were submitted to mechanical, physicochemical, and environmental analyses. Mortar samples including sediment fractions displayed lower strength than sand mortar used as control. This result is explained by the increase of porosity values in the mortar samples when sediment samples were incorporated. A positive relationship between porosity and compressive strength values was evidenced, suggesting that the compactness of granular skeleton could play an important role in the preparation of materials. From an environmental point of view, the mortar samples containing sediment fractions showed relatively low leaching levels, which confirms their suitability for the manufacturing of construction materials.
Changes in Approach to Solid Organ Injury: What the Radiologist Needs to Know
Authors: O’Neill Siobhán B. , Hamid Saira , Nicolaou Savvas , Qamar Sadia R.
Published: March 2020

This review aims to examine the challenges facing radiologists interpreting trauma computed tomography (CT) images in this era of a changing approach to management of solid organ trauma. After reviewing the pearls and pitfalls of CT imaging protocols for detection of traumatic solid organ injuries, we describe the key changes in the 2018 American Association for the Surgery of Trauma Organ Injury Scales for liver, spleen, and kidney and their implications for management strategies. We then focus on the important imaging findings in observed in patients who undergo nonoperative management and patients who are imaged post damage control surgery.
When Public Recognition Inhibits Prosocial Behavior: The Case of Charitable Giving
Authors: Denis Etienne , Pecheux Claude , Warlop Luk
Published: March 2020

Commonly regarded as an important driver of donation behavior, public recognition also can reduce donations. With three studies, this research manipulates whether donors receive public, private, imposed, or optional forms of recognition; the results show that the influence of recognition on the decision to donate is moderated by donors’ need for social approval. Whereas public recognition improves charitable giving among people with higher need for approval, imposing recognition reduces donations among people with lower need, suggesting a potential crowding-out effect on prior motives (Study 1). This penalty for public recognition disappears when the public recognition is optional (Study 2). When public recognition is saliently imposed (not requested), donation likelihood increases, suggesting that donors’ potential concerns about observers’ suspicion of their true motives is reduced (Study 3). This research highlights conditions in which public recognition encourages charitable giving and paves the way for further research on social dimensions of generosity.
Linear Transfer Functions Extraction for a Power Generation Three-Shaft Gas Turbine Based on Actual Specifications
Authors: Mehrpanahi Abdollah , Payganeh Gholamhassan , Arbabtafti Mohammadreza
Published: March 2020

The design and testing of various types of controllers require accurate and reliable transfer functions that are compatible with the performance condition of the system. In this paper, the linear and the nonlinear methods have been utilized for extracting the transfer functions for a three-shaft industrial gas turbine. The main variables are the fuel input and environment temperature, while the main outputs are the LPT exhaust gas temperature and the generated power. According to the nonlinear structure of the system and the input variation intervals, the quasi-amplitude-modulated pseudo random binary sequence signals have been utilized for generating input parameters. Finally, the results extracted from the selected methods were compared to the outputs of real performance data under loading and unloading conditions. Based on the comparison between the accuracies obtained by the results, the auto-regressive moving average with eXogenous, try and error transfer function and linearized Hammerstein model methods are proposed, respectively. The outcome of using the controller indicated higher compatibility from transfer functions as compared to the reference dynamic model.
Calprotectin (S100A8/S100A9)-induced cytotoxicity and apoptosis in human gastric cancer AGS cells: Alteration in expression levels of Bax, Bcl-2, and ERK2
Authors: Shabani F , Mahdavi M , Imani M , Hosseinpour-Feizi MA , Gheibi N
Published: March 2020

Calprotectin is a heterodimeric EF-hand Ca2+ binding protein that is typically released by infiltrating polymorphonuclear leukocytes and macrophages. This protein is a key player linking inflammation and cancer. Due to the increased levels of calprotectin in different inflammatory diseases and cancer, it is considered as a marker for diagnostic purposes. In this study, we evaluated the mechanism of cell viability and apoptotic-inducing effects of recombinant human calprotectin (rhS100A8/S100A9) on the gastric adenocarcinoma (AGS), the most common type of gastric cancer cell line. AGS cells were exposed to the different concentrations (5–100 μg/ml) of calprotectin for 24, 48, and 72 h, and cell viability was assessed through 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. Apoptotic-inducing effects of calprotectin were evaluated by sub-G1 cell cycle assay and Annexin V/propidium iodide double staining. Furthermore, real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis were performed to evaluate the mechanism of action of calprotectin. Our findings indicated that calprotectin inhibits growth and viability of AGS cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner. The half-maximal inhibitory concentration values were measured as 85.77, 79.14, and 65.39 μg/ml for 24, 48, and 72 h, respectively. Additionally, we found that calprotectin downregulated the expression of antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2 and upregulated proapoptotic protein Bax in a time- and concentration-dependent fashion. Calprotectin also slightly upregulated the expression of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 2 (ERK2), while it significantly decreased the levels of phospho-ERK in a time-dependent manner. Overall, these findings indicated that calprotectin has cytotoxicity and apoptosis-inducing effects on AGS cell lines in high concentration by modulating Bax/Bcl-2 expression ratio accompanied by inhibition of ERK activation.
Safety Evaluation of Human Cord-Lining Epithelial Stem Cells Transplantation for Liver Regeneration in a Porcine Model
Authors: Lim Raymond Hon Giat , Liew Justin Xuan Kai , Wee Aileen , Masilamani Jeyakumar , Chang Stephen Kin Yong , Phan Toan Thang
Published: March 2020

We investigated the safety of using umbilical cord-lining stem cells for liver regeneration and tested a novel method for stem cell delivery. Stem cells are known by their ability to repair damaged tissues and have the potential to be used as regenerative therapies. The umbilical cord’s outer lining membrane is known to be a promising source of multipotent stem cells and can be cultivated in an epithelial cell growth medium to produce cell populations which possess the properties of both epithelial cells and embryonic stem cells—termed cord-lining epithelial cells (CLEC). Hepatocytes are epithelial cells of the liver and their proliferation upon injury is the main mechanism in restoring the liver. Earlier studies conducted showed CLEC can be differentiated into functioning hepatocyte-like cells (HLC) and can survive in immunologically competent specimens. In this study, we chose a porcine model to investigate CLEC as a treatment modality for liver failure. We selected 16 immune competent Yorkshire-Dutch Landrace pigs, with a mean weight of 40.5 kg, for this study. We performed a 50% hepatectomy to simulate the liver insufficient disease model. After the surgery, four pigs were transplanted with a saline scaffold while seven pigs were transplanted with a HLC scaffold. Five pigs died on the surgical table and were omitted from the study analysis. This study addressed the safety of transplanting human CLEC in a large animal model. The transplant interfaces were evaluated and no signs of cellular rejection were observed in both groups.
The Look East Policy/Act East Policy-driven Development Model in Northeast India
Authors: Barua Taz (Tonmoy)
Published: March 2020

Under the Look East Policy (LEP)/Act East Policy (AEP), connectivity constructions, development of transport routes, and related industrial and trade infrastructures have sought to rescue the Indian North Eastern Region from the trap of a security paradox that was said to have limited availability of developmental opportunities in Northeast India. Adoption of the LEP came in the foreground of economic reforms in India in the early 1990s. The LEP identified Northeast India as throughway for trade expansion and joint economic growth in India–Southeast Asia region. For facilitating the objectives of expansion and growth, the LEP/AEP has sought to build a network of infrastructure for the sake of connectivity in the region. Due to this focus on infrastructure constructions, the LEP/AEP has advanced an economic development model that prioritizes creating physical infrastructures over social development. This article looks at the chartering of this development model and the contestations it faces from people in the region. For different social groups, the LEP/AEP has come to be seen as a developmental imposition that risks making the Northeast region a mere regional trade and logistics transit hub
Acute human orthopneumovirus infection in a captive white-handed gibbon
Authors: Sojka Peter A. , Ploog Christina L. , Garner Michael M. , Kiupel Matti , Kuypers Jane , Huynh Thanhthao
Published: March 2020

We report herein a fatal case of acute human orthopneumovirus (formerly respiratory syncytial virus) infection in a captive white-handed gibbon ( Hylobates lar). Other members of the housing group had mild respiratory signs. Gross examination revealed bilateral pulmonary congestion and froth in the bronchi. Microscopically, the lungs had lymphocytic, neutrophilic infiltration of the interstitium and alveolar walls. There was necrosis of terminal bronchiolar epithelium and terminal bronchioles, and surrounding alveoli contained necrotic and exfoliated epithelial cells admixed with histiocytes and syncytial cells. Additional lesions included nonsuppurative meningoencephalitis, and epidermal hyperkeratosis and hyperplasia with syncytial cell formation. PCR screening for 12 human respiratory viruses was positive for orthopneumovirus in multiple tissues, including lung, and immunohistochemical staining for human orthopneumovirus detected viral antigen within bronchial epithelial cells. IHC and PCR for measles virus on preserved sections were negative. White-handed gibbons have not been previously reported as hosts for human orthopneumovirus, an important respiratory pathogen of both primates and humans.
Yoga as a Complementary and Alternative Therapy in Children with Hematologic and Oncologic Disease
Authors: Fukuhara Julia S. , O’Haver Judith , Proudfoot James A. , Spies Jeanie M. , Kuo Dennis J.
Published: March 2020

A diagnosis of a hematologic or oncologic disease in a child can be stressful for the patient and the family. Yoga as an intervention has been reported to decrease stress in adults diagnosed with chronic disorders but few studies have been reported with children and their families. A convenience sample of patients diagnosed with cancer or a blood disorder (ages 7-17 years) and their caregivers was selected to participate in a single bedside yoga class. Participants were surveyed pre and post yoga with the Spielberger State Trait Anxiety Scale. Children were also surveyed pre and post yoga with the Wong-Baker Faces Pain Scale. Children had a significant decrease in pain post yoga but no change in anxiety. Adolescents and parents had a significant decrease in anxiety post yoga intervention.