bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
PAR2 (Protease-Activated Receptor 2) Deficiency Attenuates Atherosclerosis in Mice
Authors: Jones Shannon M. , Mann Adrien , Conrad Kelsey , Saum Keith , Hall David E. , McKinney Lisa M. , Robbins Nathan , Thompson Joel , Peairs Abigail D. , Camerer Eric , Rayner Katey J. , Tranter Michael , Mackman Nigel , Owens A. Phillip
Published: March 2018

Objective—

PAR2 (protease-activated receptor 2)-dependent signaling results in augmented inflammation and has been implicated in the pathogenesis of several autoimmune conditions. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of PAR2 deficiency on the development of atherosclerosis.

Approach and Results—

PAR2 mRNA and protein expression is increased in human carotid artery and mouse aortic arch atheroma versus control carotid and aortic arch arteries, respectively. To determine the effect of PAR2 deficiency on atherosclerosis, male and female low-density lipoprotein receptor–deficient (
Ldlr
−/−
) mice (8–12 weeks old) that were
Par2
+/+
or
Par2
−/−
were fed a fat- and cholesterol-enriched diet for 12 or 24 weeks. PAR2 deficiency attenuated atherosclerosis in the aortic sinus and aortic root after 12 and 24 weeks. PAR2 deficiency did not alter total plasma cholesterol concentrations or lipoprotein distributions. Bone marrow transplantation showed that PAR2 on nonhematopoietic cells contributed to atherosclerosis. PAR2 deficiency significantly attenuated levels of the chemokines
Ccl2
and
Cxcl1
in the circulation and macrophage content in atherosclerotic lesions. Mechanistic studies using isolated primary vascular smooth muscle cells showed that PAR2 deficiency is associated with reduced
Ccl2
and
Cxcl1
mRNA expression and protein release into the supernatant resulting in less monocyte migration.

Conclusions—

Our results indicate that PAR2 deficiency is associated with attenuation of atherosclerosis and may reduce lesion progression by blunting
Ccl2
- and
Cxcl1
-induced monocyte infiltration.
Deficiency of Dab2 (Disabled Homolog 2) in Myeloid Cells Exacerbates Inflammation in Liver and Atherosclerotic Plaques in LDLR (Low-Density Lipoprotein Receptor)-Null Mice—Brief Report
Authors: Adamson Samantha E. , Polanowska-Grabowska Renata , Marqueen Kathryn , Griffiths Rachael , Angdisen Jerry , Breevoort Sarah R. , Schulman Ira G. , Leitinger Norbert
Published: March 2018

Objective—

Inflammatory macrophages promote the development of atherosclerosis. We have identified the adaptor protein Dab2 (disabled homolog 2) as a regulator of phenotypic polarization in macrophages. The absence of Dab2 in myeloid cells promotes an inflammatory phenotype, but the impact of myeloid Dab2 deficiency on atherosclerosis has not been shown.

Approach and Results—

To determine the role of myeloid Dab2 in atherosclerosis, Ldlr
−/−
mice were reconstituted with either Dab2-positive or Dab2-deficient bone marrow and fed a western diet. Consistent with our previous finding that Dab2 inhibits NFκB (nuclear factor κ-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells) signaling in macrophages, Ldlr
−/−
mice reconstituted with Dab2-deficient bone marrow had increased systemic inflammation as evidenced by increased serum IL-6 (interleukin-6) levels and increased inflammatory cytokine expression levels in liver. Serum lipid levels were significantly lower in Ldlr
−/−
mice reconstituted with Dab2-deficient bone marrow, and further examination of livers from these mice revealed drastically increased inflammatory tissue damage and massive infiltration of immune cells. Surprisingly, the atherosclerotic lesion burden in Ldlr
−/−
mice reconstituted with Dab2-deficient bone marrow was decreased compared with Ldlr
−/−
mice reconstituted with wild-type bone marrow. Further analysis of aortic root sections revealed increased macrophage content and evidence of increased apoptosis in lesions from Ldlr
−/−
mice reconstituted with Dab2-deficient bone marrow but no difference in collagen or α-smooth muscle actin content.

Conclusions—

Dab2 deficiency in myeloid cells promotes inflammation in livers and atherosclerotic plaques in a mouse model of atherosclerosis. Nevertheless, decreased serum lipids as a result of massive inflammatory liver damage may preclude an appreciable increase in atherosclerotic lesion burden in mice reconstituted with Dab2-deficient bone marrow.
LAL (Lysosomal Acid Lipase) Promotes Reverse Cholesterol Transport In Vitro and In Vivo
Authors: Bowden Kristin L. , Dubland Joshua A. , Chan Teddy , Xu You-Hai , Grabowski Gregory A. , Du Hong , Francis Gordon A.
Published: March 2018

Objective—

To explore the role of LAL (lysosomal acid lipase) in macrophage cholesterol efflux and whole-body reverse cholesterol transport.

Approach and Results—

Immortalized peritoneal macrophages from lal
−/−
mice showed reduced expression of ABCA1 (ATP-binding cassette transporter A1) and ABCG1 (ATP-binding cassette transporter G1), reduced production of the regulatory oxysterol 27-hydroxycholesterol, and impaired suppression of cholesterol synthesis on exposure to acetylated low-density lipoprotein when compared with lal
+/+
macrophages. LAL-deficient mice also showed reduced hepatic ABCG5 (ATP-binding cassette transporter G5) and ABCG8 (ATP-binding cassette transporter G8) expression compared with lal
+/+
mice. LAL-deficient macrophages loaded with [
3
H]-cholesteryl oleate-labeled acetylated low-density lipoprotein showed impaired efflux of released [
3
H]-cholesterol to apoA-I (apolipoprotein A-I), with normalization of [
3
H]-cholesteryl ester levels and partial correction of ABCA1 expression and cholesterol efflux to apoA-I when treated with exogenous rhLAL (recombinant human LAL protein). LAL-deficient mice injected intraperitoneally with lal
−/−
macrophages cholesterol loaded and labeled in the same way exhibited only 1.55±0.35% total injected [
3
H]-cholesterol counts appearing in the feces for 48 h (n=30), compared with 5.38±0.92% in lal
+/+
mice injected with labeled lal
+/+
macrophages (n=27),
P
<0.001. To mimic the therapeutic condition of delivery of supplemental LAL in vivo, injection of labeled lal
−/−
macrophages into lal
+/+
mice resulted in a significant increase in reverse cholesterol transport (2.60±0.46% of
3
H-cholesterol counts in feces at 48 hours [n=19];
P
<0.001 when compared with injection into lal
−/−
mice).

Conclusions—

These results indicate a critical role for LAL in promoting both macrophage and whole-body reverse cholesterol transport and the ability of supplemental LAL to be taken up and correct reverse cholesterol transport in vivo.
“A Good Martha?” Female Leadership and Domestic Life in Radical Pietistic Communities
Authors: Bouldin Elizabeth
Published: March 2018

Radical pietistic and renewal movements gave rise to a diverse number of communities throughout northern Europe starting in the late seventeenth century. Many groups practiced a conventicle-style piety, in which they held religious services in private settings such as houses. A distinctive feature of these semi-sequestered communities was the extent to which women took on active roles, sometimes to the point of leading and directing their fellow believers. Focusing on the Netherlandish mystic Antoinette Bourignon and the English Philadelphian Jane Lead, this article examines how these women adapted their religious, social, and domestic activity to meet the functions and demands of community leadership. It argues that Bourignon and Lead redefined and troubled the boundaries between their religious and domestic lives as they sought to practice an individual piety while also transforming private houses into sites of active communal religious life.
Sustaining “the Household of Faith”: Female Hospitality in the Early Transatlantic Quaker Community
Authors: Pullin Naomi
Published: March 2018

Women occupied a central place in seventeenth- and eighteenth-century transatlantic Quakerism. They acted as prophets, missionaries, authors and spiritual leaders of their communities. Recent scholarship has offered important insights into the unparalleled public roles available to women within the early Quaker community. But little is known about the networks of hospitality that developed across the British Atlantic that made itinerant missionary service possible. The generosity of countless female Quakers to unknown “Friends” remains an underexplored aspect of early Quaker history. Using printed spiritual testimonies and correspondence exchanged between Quaker missionaries and their female hosts, this article shows how ministers were “sustained” during their travels. Active religious service did not have to equate to ministerial work, and networks of female hospitality provided an important accompaniment to the national and transatlantic Quaker mission.
Parentage determination of cuttlefish (Sepiella japonica) based on microsatellite DNA markers
Authors: Guo Baoying , Guan Ao , Qi Pengzhi , Lv Zhenming , Wu Changwen , Xu Kaida , Ping Hongling , Shi Huilai
Published: March 2018

Microsatellite markers have been used for more than ten years to elucidate parentage relationships in aquaculture species. This study aimed to assess the feasibility of utilizing microsatellite markers for parentage determination in cuttlefish (Sepiella japonica) using simulations and real data analysis. We developed a panel of eight microsatellite markers in our lab. These markers were highly polymorphic with a mean of 10.1 alleles and an average expected heterozygosity value of 0.809. Using five simple sequence repeat markers, an allele frequency data-based simulation indicated that the combined exclusion probability values would be over 99%, whereas the rate of assignment success for the real data set was 91.8%. Mismatches caused by null alleles and scoring errors at microsatellite loci were the major reasons for the discrepancies between the simulations and real data analysis. We concluded that microsatellite markers can be used as a powerful tool to evaluate the effectiveness of enhancement and release programs for S. japonica.
Antennal ultrastructure of Leptidea Billberg, 1820 (Pieridae: Dismorphiinae: Leptideini) and its taxonomic implications
Authors: LLORENTE-BOUSQUETS JORGE , CASTRO-GERARDINO DIANA JIMENA
Published: March 2018

We present the results of the first examination and comparative analysis of the ultrastructure of the antennae in seven species of Leptidea Billberg, 1820 (Pieridae). The results add further support to the hypothesis that the subfamily Dismorphiinae is composed of the tribes Leptideini and Dismorphiini. We summarize the results in a table and discuss the ultrastructure similarities and differences between the two tribes. Following a previously proposed framework, we trace the progression of character states and discuss the significance of the results in the context of varying phylogenetic hypotheses for Leptidea, with special emphasis on biogeography. We include a brief description of the terms we employ to described the main characters and types of sensilla of the antennal club of Leptidea. Remarkable antennal sexual dimorphism is noted in L. gigantea.
First records of Dentridactylinae (Orthoptera: Tridactylidae) from Colombia, with description of two new species of Dentridactylus Günther
Authors: BAENA-BEJARANO NATHALIE , HEADS SAM W.
Published: March 2018

Two new species of Dentridactylus Günther (Orthoptera: Tridactylidae) are described and illustrated: Dentridactylus quadratus sp. nov. and Dentridactylus truncatus sp. nov. The new species represent the first record of the subfamily Dentridactylinae from Colombia and the second record for the Americas. Both come from the south of the country and are readily separated from congeners by their larger body size; D. quadratus sp. nov. is further delimited by the quadrate outline of the epiproct, and D. truncatus sp. nov. by the epiproct with lateral lobes and lateral margin of epiproct not indented. Keys for the identification of species in the Americas are provided.
Titanogryllus n. gen., the largest Gryllinae cricket from the Neotropical Region with three new species from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest (Orthoptera, Grylloidea, Gryllidae)
Authors: JAISWARA RANJANA , SOUZA-DIAS PEDRO G. B. , DE CAMPOS LUCAS DENADAI , REDÜ DARLAN R. , DE MELLO FRANCISCO DE A. G. , DESUTTER-GRANDCOLAS LAURE
Published: March 2018

Titanogryllus, a new genus and three new species T. salgado n. gen. n. sp., T. oxossi n. gen. n. sp., and T. oxente n. gen. n. sp. from subfamily Gryllinae (Grylloidea, Gryllidae) are described from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. This genus is characterized by its very large size, and establishes a new record for the largest known cricket from Neotropical Region. The new taxa are characterized by their external morphology and male and female genitalia.
Five new species of Ytu Reichardt (Coleoptera: Myxophaga: Torridincolidae) and new records from Brazil
Authors: SAMPAIO BRUNNO HENRIQUE LANZELLOTTI , FERREIRA-JR NELSON
Published: March 2018

The genus Ytu Reichardt is the most diverse within Torridincolidae, currently with 19 species. Five new species are described herein, four of them from various localities in the southeast of Brazil (type localities in parentheses): Ytu hermes sp. nov. (Brazil, Espírito Santo, Dores do Rio Preto, Pedra Menina, Parque Nacional do Caparaó, Cachoeira Sete Pilões); Ytu hypnos sp. nov. (Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, São Fidelis, Serra Bela Joana); Ytu nyx sp. nov. (Brazil, Espírito Santo, Dores do Rio Preto, Pedra Menina, Parque Nacional do Caparaó, Rio São Domingos, Cachoeira do Aurélio); Ytu thanatos sp. nov. (Brazil, Espírito Santo, Castelo, Parque Estadual do Forno Grande). The other new species, Ytu coeus sp. nov. (Brazil, Espírito Santo, Dores do Rio Preto, Pedra Menina, Parque Nacional do Caparaó, nascente do Rio São Domingos) is described from Brazilian States of Espírito Santo and Ceará, the latter being the first record of this genus in northeastern Brazil. Illustrations of habitus and important diagnostic characters are provided. The new species are compared to other similar species of the genus. New records of some other species of Ytu are presented.
Five new species of Utetes Foerster (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Opiinae) from NW China
Authors: TAN JIANG-LI , VAN ACHTERBERG CORNELIS , ZHANG RUO-NAN , WU JIA-XUAN
Published: March 2018

Five new species of the genus Utetes Foerster, 1863 (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Opiinae) are reported from Shaanxi and Ningxia provinces (NW China). The new species (U. aharmus sp. n., U. elongisulcus sp. n., U. karsius sp. n., U. stenotus sp. n. and U. subrosae sp. n.) are keyed and fully illustrated. Opiognathus pratensis (Weng & Chen, 2005) comb. n., Apo-desmia punctata (Chen & Weng, 2005) comb. n. and Phaedrotoma saltator (Telenga, 1950) comb. n. are new combinations.
Podonomus amarali n. sp., a new species of the albinervis group (Diptera: Chironomidae: Podonominae) from Atlantic Forest, southern Brazil
Authors: PINHO LUIZ CARLOS , SHIMABUKURO ERIKA MAYUMI
Published: March 2018

Podonomus amarali sp. n. is described from male, female, larva and pupa collected in the Brazilian Atlantic Highlands. The new species belongs to the albinervis group, which comprises eight Andean species.
Two new Brazilian species of Neapion Alonso-Zarazaga, 1990 subgenus Neotropion Alonso-Zarazaga, 1990 with a key to South American species (Brentidae: Apioninae)
Authors: DE SOUSA WESLEY OLIVEIRA , RIBEIRO-COSTA CIBELE STRAMARE
Published: March 2018

Two new Brazilian species of the genus Neapion Alonso-Zarazaga, 1990 subgenus Neotropion Alonso-Zarazaga, 1990 (Brentidae: Apioninae) are described and illustrated: Neapion (Neotropion) marquesae sp. n. (Type locality: Brazil, Mato Grosso) and Neapion (Neotropion) diringsi sp. n. (Type locality: Brazil, Amazonas).  Neapion (Neotropion) marquesae sp. n.  has dense, thin vestiture and raised areas on the elytra (recorded for the first time to the South American Apioninae); Neapion (Neotropion) diringsi sp. n. differs by the sparse vestiture and absence of raised areas. In addition to these characters, the vestiture color pattern and male genitalia characters such as the form of penis, length of the ‘tuning-fork’ shaped sclerite in the internal sac (the largest found in Apioninae) and the form of the tegminal plate are fundamental for the diagnosis of species of this subgenus. We also provide a key to the species of South American Neapion (Neotropion).
New Mesomantispinae (Insecta: Neuroptera: Mantispidae) from the Jurassic of Karatau, Kazakhstan
Authors: JEPSON JAMES E. , KHRAMOV ALEXANDER V. , OHL MICHAEL
Published: March 2018

Two new genera and species, and one indeterminate genera and species of fossil Mantispidae, Mesomantispinae are described from the Upper Jurassic of Karatau, Kazakhstan: Longicollum benmaddoxi gen. et sp. nov., Ovalofemora abbottae gen. et sp. nov., and Mesomantispinae sp. et gen. indet. Karataumantispa monstruosa is removed from the genus Karataumantispa and placed in the new genus Ovalofemora gen. nov. due to its different foreleg morphology (stout coxae, trochanter, and oval shaped femur), in addition to differences in wing venation. These taxa are all placed within the subfamily Mesomantispinae. An updated key to the genera of Mesomantispinae is given.
A Functional Response Metric for the Temperature Sensitivity of Tropical Ecosystems
Authors: Keppel-Aleks Gretchen , Basile Samantha J. , Hoffman Forrest M.
Published: March 2018

Earth system models (ESMs) simulate a large spread in carbon cycle feedbacks to climate change, particularly in their prediction of cumulative changes in terrestrial carbon storage. Evaluating the performance of ESMs against observations and assessing the likelihood of long-term climate predictions are crucial for model development. Here, we assessed the use of atmospheric growth rate variations to evaluate the sensitivity of tropical ecosystem carbon fluxes to interannual temperature variations. We found that the temperature sensitivity of the observed growth rate depended on the time scales over which atmospheric observations were averaged. The temperature sensitivity of the growth rate during Northern Hemisphere winter is most directly related to the tropical carbon flux sensitivity since winter variations in Northern Hemisphere carbon fluxes are relatively small. This metric can be used to test the fidelity of interactions between the physical climate system and terrestrial ecosystems within ESMs, which is especially important since the short-term relationship between ecosystem fluxes and temperature stress may be related to the long-term feedbacks between ecosystems and climate. If the interannual temperature sensitivity is used to constrain long-term temperature responses, the inferred sensitivity may be biased by 20%, unless the seasonality of the relationship between the observed growth rate and tropical fluxes is taken into account. These results suggest that atmospheric data can be used directly to evaluate regional land fluxes from ESMs, but underscore that the interaction between the time scales for land surface processes and those for atmospheric processes must be considered.
On Typhoon Track Deflections near the East Coast of Taiwan
Authors: Hsu Li-Huan , Su Shih-Hao , Fovell Robert G. , Kuo Hung-Chi
Published: March 2018

Typhoons with “deflection tracks” (DTs) within a 200-km distance of the mountainous island of Taiwan are examined. We analyze 84 landfalling typhoons that compose 49 DT cases turning to the left-hand side, including 18 with very large deflection angles (DA > 20°) and another 7 having looped tracks (LTs). Most of the large DA and LT cases are “northern landfall” type, reaching Taiwan’s east coast poleward of 24°N and originally possessing relatively slow translation speeds (~4 m s−1). Their average translation speeds, however, increase by 50% in the 3 h prior to landfall. The WRF Model is used to simulate DT cases, and potential vorticity (PV) tendency diagnosis is used to interpret the contributions of the horizontal advection (HA), vertical advection (VA), and diabatic heating (DH) terms. The northern landfall tropical cyclones (TCs) possess significant cross-mountain flow to the south of the storm near the coast, resulting in vorticity stretching (the VA effect) and subsidence warming. The subsidence suppresses storm convection and produces heating asymmetries (the DH effect) that can induce significant southwestward deflections. The cross-mountain VA and DH effects are weaker for the “southern landfall” storms. The results explain well the observed increase of translation speed prior to landfall in DT cases and show that the HA effect, in general, does not contribute to the track deflection. Our results highlight the impact of topography on TC track by the vorticity stretching effect and by asymmetric diabatic heating.
Responsibility Voids and Cooperation
Authors: Duijf Hein
Published: March 2018

Do responsibility voids exist? That is, are there situations in which the group is collectively morally responsible for some outcome although no member can be held individually morally responsible for it? To answer these questions, I draw a distinction between competitive and cooperative decision contexts based on the team-reasoning account of cooperation. Accordingly, I provide a reasoning-based analysis of cooperation, competition, moral responsibility, and, last, potential responsibility voids. I then argue that competitive decision contexts are free of responsibility voids. The conditions for the existence of responsibility voids in cooperative decision contexts depend on the type of uncertainty the group faces, either external or coordination uncertainty.
The effects of psychological maladjustments on predicting developmental trajectories of academic burnout
Authors: Lee Min Young , Lee Sang Min
Published: March 2018

We identified developmental trajectories of academic burnout related to psychological maladjustments (i.e., compulsion and depression) in 7th and 8th grade Korean adolescents.

This is vital because it facilitates early awareness of burnout trends and related psychological maladjustments, which might influence mental health problems, thus promoting proactive prevention and intervention before deterioration. We utilized four-wave longitudinal data from 415 adolescents who completed the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey and Symptom Check List-47. Data were analysed using growth mixture modeling. The results indicated that developmental trajectories of academic burnout can be characterized by three linear trajectories, ‘moderate-maintain’ ( N = 213, 51.33%) which is related to depression, ‘low-deteriorated’ ( N = 15, 3.61%) which is related to compulsion, and ‘well-adjusted’ ( N = 158, 38.07%) which is related to no maladjustment symptoms. This longitudinal study promotes understanding of middle school students who may experience academic burnout and can facilitate early interventions for academic burnout.
Social Classes of Intelligence, Economic Growth and Technological Achievement: Robust Regression and Outlier Detection
Authors: Burhan Nik Ahmad Sufian , Razak Razli Che , Ibrahim Saifuzzaman , Selamat Muhamad Rosli , Rosli Muhamad Ridhwan
Published: March 2018

A previous study has shown that the intellectual class, which is represented by the 95th percentile intelligence quotient (IQ) at a normal distribution, displayed the strongest impact upon economic growth. Meanwhile, those with average ability (50th percentile IQ) exhibited the second strongest impact, and followed by the non-intellectual class (5th percentile IQ). In addition, the researchers discovered that only the intellectual class was significant for technological progress. As such, this article re-analysed the dataset employed in prior study via robust regression. As a result, after eliminating several outliers, the levels of IQ for the intellectual class and the average ability group displayed equal impacts on economic growth, and the impacts were larger than that of non-intellectual. Furthermore, the IQ of the average ability group was significant for technological achievement, although not as strong as the intellectual class. Besides, the number of professional researchers employed in the research and development (R&D) sector did not reflect similar paramount effects as the impact of the average ability IQ in generating technological development. Thus, based on the conclusions drawn, this study suggests that the R&D sector should employ professionals who possess not only high academic qualifications, but also exceptional levels of cognitive skills, especially to spark new innovations.

JEL: J24, O31, O47, Z13
Neoliberal disruption and neoliberalism’s afterlife in Latin America: What is left of post-neoliberalism?
Authors: Grugel Jean , Riggirozzi Pia
Published: March 2018

The rejection of neoliberalism in Latin America at the time of the new millennium led to a wave of ‘post-neoliberal’ governments that sought to renegotiate the relationship between state and market and pioneer new forms of inclusive welfare. These governments attempted to implement a new economic model that bore some similarities to social democracy, alongside greater emphasis on recognition and identity politics. As this period gradually closes, we ask what accounts for the difficulties of institutionalising redistributive Leftist governance in Latin America. In so doing, we draw attention to the embeddedness of the idea of neoliberal governance, globally and regionally. Whilst the weaknesses of the Latin American Left are real, the return of neoliberalism reflects the fact it is still status quo governance everywhere.
Transportation Planning for Connected Autonomous Vehicles: How It All Fits Together
Authors: Cottam Bobby J.
Published: March 2018

As connected and autonomous vehicle (CAV) technology continues to evolve and rapidly develop new capabilities, it is becoming increasingly important for transportation planners to consider the effects that these vehicles will have on the transportation network. It is evident that this trend has already started; over 60% of long-range transportation plans in the largest urban areas now include some discussion of CAVs, up from just 6% in 2015. There are also numerous CAV pilot programs currently underway that entail testing vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) interaction in both isolated and real-world environments. In this review of the current assessments for CAV impacts, two primary trends are identified. First, there is a great deal of uncertainty that is not being explicitly considered and properly accounted for in the transportation-network planning process. Second, the predictions that are being made are not considering potential policy or planning actions that could shape or affect the impacts of CAVs. This paper provides a picture of how ongoing CAV research interacts with current transportation planning practices by examining how the methods, the ranges of predictions, and the different sources of uncertainty in each method impact the planning process and potential system outcomes. Finally, it will identify best practices from decision analysis to help plan the best possible future transportation networks.
Pathology of cigarettes on the reproductive system and ameliorative effects of alpha lipoic acid: A rat model study
Authors: Asci Halil , Erol Onur , Ellidag Hamit Yasar , Tola Esra Nur , Savran Mehtap , Ozmen Ozlem
Published: March 2018

Cigarette smoking (CS) has some detrimental effects that occur via oxidative stress (OS). The aim of this work was to demonstrate the pathological and immunohistochemical effects of CS and the protective effects of a strong antioxidant alpha lipoic acid (ALA) on CS-induced genital system changes in a rat model. Twenty-eight female rats were randomly allocated to three groups as control, CS-exposed, and CS-exposed and ALA-treated. Reproductive tract organs were collected for biochemical and pathological examinations. In the CS group, OS markers increased in the tissues of both the ovary and fallopian tubes. Decreased follicle numbers in the ovary, marked cilial loss in the fallopian tubes, and pathologic changes in the uterus were observed in the CS group. Positive calcitonin gene–related peptide (CGRP), caspase 3α, hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) immunoreactions were observed in uterine tissues and HIF-1α immunoreactions in tubal and uterine epithelial cells of the CS group. ALA reversed all these findings effectively. CS has negative effects on the female reproductive system via HIF-1α in tuba uterina and HIF-1α, HIF-2α, TNF-α, caspase 3, and CGRP in the uterus, and ALA could protect against the negative effects of CS on the female reproductive system.
Impact of chromium and boron compounds on the reproductive function in rats
Authors: Marat Iztleuov , Arstan Mamyrbayev , Galymzhan Yeleuov , Timur Jarkenov , Yerbolat Iztleuov , Almasbek Yeleuov
Published: March 2018

The purpose of this research is to study the process of mutagenesis and the reproductive function in male rats under separate and combined exposure to chromium and boron compounds. The experiment was conducted on two groups of animals. The first group was used to assess the ability of potassium dichromate and boric acid to induce mutation in germ and somatic cells under isolated and combined administration with the use of the dominant lethal mutations test and the micronuclei test in the polychromatophilic erythrocytes of the bone marrow. The second group was used to test the combined and separate effect of the compounds under consideration on the reproductive function of male rats during the spermatogenesis cycle. When used in specific doses, boron compounds are a promising means of preventing and correcting chromium-induced effects in chromium production facility workers and people who live in ecologically adverse regions.
Industry involvement in curriculum development
Authors: Thapa Brijesh
Published: March 2018

Tourism and hospitality management education is relatively new in Nepal, with only four major public universities offering a bachelor’s degree programme. The curriculum is generally focused on managerial training and has a business orientation. In addition, the curriculum development process in Nepal follows a standard content-based method whereby individual faculty members are assigned to develop courses based on their expertise. This process does not permit input and/or engagement from industry stakeholders, which, given the applied nature of the tourism and hospitality discipline, is a major limitation. Recently, there have been growing interactions, especially by private institutions, to develop linkages with industry with respect to internships and job placement; however, an active role in curriculum input and development is non-existent in the country. This article presents a case study of industry involvement in tourism and hospitality management curriculum development in Nepal. The author outlines the background of the partnership, the process and the final curriculum product. This project is the first case of industry involvement in curriculum development in Nepal and has significance for other such partnerships in the country.
Effects of a flow mode transition on natural convection heat transfer in a heat tracing enclosure
Authors: Ho CJ , Sou GN , Lai CM
Published: March 2018

This paper presents a numerical study of transient buoyancy-induced fluid flow and heat transfer between two horizontal, differentially heated pipelines inside a circular, air-filled enclosure. Numerical simulations based on the finite difference method were conducted to investigate the flow mode transition of the buoyant airflow and its effects on the heat transfer characteristics of the pipelines. The results indicate that the fluid flow complexity and the heat transfer of air between the pipelines are strongly affected by the Rayleigh number. When Ra = 6 × 105 and 1.2 × 106, both the flow field and the temperature distribution exhibit periodic variations with different patterns. The former ( Ra = 6 × 105) is a complete alteration of the flow direction from clockwise to counterclockwise, whereas the latter is a variation in the flow field strength that varies between strong and weak. The latter has a lower variation frequency than that of the former.
The unsteady aerodynamics of floating wind turbine under platform pitch motion
Authors: Shen Xin , Hu Ping , Chen Jinge , Zhu Xiaocheng , Du Zhaohui
Published: March 2018

The aerodynamic performance of floating platform wind turbines is much more complex than fixed-base wind turbines because of the flexibility of the floating platform. Due to the extra six degrees-of-freedom of the floating platform, the inflow of the wind turbine rotors is highly influenced by the motions of the floating platform. It is therefore of interest to study the unsteady aerodynamics of the wind turbine rotors involved with the interaction of the floating platform induced motions. In the present work, a lifting surface method with a free wake model is developed for analysis of the unsteady aerodynamics of wind turbines. The aerodynamic performance of the NREL 5 MW floating wind turbine under the prescribed floating platform pitch motion is studied. The unsteady aerodynamic loads, the transient of wind turbine states, and the instability of the wind turbine wakes are discussed in detail.
Social class, the elite hockey player career and educational paths
Authors: Moret Orlan , Ohl Fabien
Published: March 2018

This paper focuses on how engaging in hockey as an elite athlete influences educational paths. It relies on qualitative and quantitative methods, including interviews with 36 ice hockey players in Switzerland and 605 respondents who completed a questionnaire. We argue that a strong family belief in sport capital predisposes athletes to leave school early, for both the lower- and upper-middle classes. For families with more economic capital, leaving school is a strategy for maintaining or improving social positioning; for lower-middle-class families, it is driven more by the individual opportunities provided by sporting talent. Regardless of class, players with families that are more sensitive to scholastic culture favour schooling as a resource for athletes’ transition to another professional career. However, the over-valorization of sport capital does not have the same consequences for both classes. Players with fewer social resources, who believe that the social capital related to sport will enable their transition, are more at risk than those who have families that can support them owing to their economic and cultural resources. In addition, the recent globalization of hockey seems to further increase inequalities and to weaken the strength of local networks. Finally, the results suggest paying more attention to both beliefs and contexts, as well as the Weberian influence on Bourdieu’s research, when studying the role of the various forms of capital in decision-making concerning education.
Concordance between physiological arousal and emotion expression during fear in young children with autism spectrum disorders
Authors: Zantinge Gemma , van Rijn Sophie , Stockmann Lex , Swaab Hanna
Published: March 2018

This study aimed to measure emotional expression and physiological arousal in response to fear in 21 children with autism spectrum disorders (43–75 months) and 45 typically developing children (41–81 months). Expressions of facial and bodily fear and heart rate arousal were simultaneously measured in response to a remote controlled robot (Laboratory Temperament Assessment Battery). Heart rate analyses revealed a main effect of task from baseline to fear ( p < 0.001, [Formula: see text]), no interaction effect and no effect for group. In addition, children with autism spectrum disorder showed intact facial and bodily expressions of fearful affect compared to typically developing children. With regard to the relationship between expression and arousal, the results provided evidence for concordance between expression and arousal in typically developing children ( r = 0.45, n = 45, p < 0.01). For children with autism spectrum disorder, no significant correlation was found ( r = 0.20, n = 21, p = 0.38). A moderation analysis revealed no significant interaction between expression and arousal for children with and without autism spectrum disorder ( F(1, 62) = 1.23, p = 0.27, [Formula: see text]), which might be the result of limited power. The current results give reason to further study concordance between expression and arousal in early autism spectrum disorder. Discordance might significantly impact social functioning and is an important topic in light of both early identification and treatment.
GAMLSS: A distributional regression approach
Authors: Stasinopoulos Mikis D , Rigby Robert A , Bastiani Fernanda De
Published: March 2018

Abstract:

A tutorial of the generalized additive models for location, scale and shape (GAMLSS) is given here using two examples. GAMLSS is a general framework for performing regression analysis where not only the location (e.g., the mean) of the distribution but also the scale and shape of the distribution can be modelled by explanatory variables.
Two-Year Outcomes of the Nellix EndoVascular Aneurysm Sealing System for Treatment of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms
Authors: Zoethout Aleksandra C. , Boersen Johannes T. , Heyligers Jan M. M. , de Vries Jean-Paul P. M. , Zeebregts Clark J. A. M. , Reijnen Michel M. P. J.
Published: March 2018

Purpose: To analyze the 2-year outcomes of endovascular aneurysm sealing (EVAS) according to 2 versions of the instructions for use (IFU). Methods: A retrospective study was conducted involving 355 consecutive patients treated with the first-generation EVAS device from April 2013 to December 31, 2015, at 3 high-volume centers. Out of 355 patients treated with EVAS, 264 were elective asymptomatic infrarenal EVAS procedures suitable for analysis. In this cohort, 168 (63.3%) patients were treated within the IFU 2013 criteria; of these 48 (18.2%) were in compliance with the revised IFU 2016 version. Results: Overall technical success was 98.2% (165/168) in the IFU 2013 group and 97.9% (47/48) in the IFU 2016 subgroup (p=0.428). The 2-year freedom from reintervention estimates were 89.7% (IFU 2013) and 95.7% (IFU 2016), with significantly more reinterventions in the first 45 cases (p=0.005). The stenosis/occlusion estimates were 6.5% (IFU 2013) and 4.2% (IFU 2016; p=0.705). Nine (5.4%) endoleaks (8 type Ia and 1 type Ib) were observed within the IFU 2013 cohort; 3 (2.1%) were in the IFU 2016 subgroup (p=0.583). Migration ≥10 mm or ≥5 mm requiring intervention was reported in 12 (7.1%) patients in the IFU 2013 cohort but none within the IFU 2016 subgroup. Ten (6.0%) patients demonstrated aneurysm growth in the IFU 2013 cohort, of which 2 (4.2%) were in the IFU 2016 subgroup. Overall survival and freedom from aneurysm-related death estimates at 2 years were 90.9% and 97.6% in the IFU 2013 cohort (IFU 2016: 95.5% and 100.0%). The prevalence of complications seemed lower within IFU 2016 without significant differences. Conclusion: This study shows acceptable 2-year results of EVAS used within the IFU, without significant differences between the 2 IFU versions, though longer follow-up is indicated. The refined IFU significantly reduced the applicability of the technique.
A Systematic Review of Caregiver-Implemented Mealtime Interventions for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Diaz Julie , Cosbey Joanna
Published: March 2018

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) frequently have difficult mealtimes. A systematic review analyzed current evidence relevant to occupational therapy (OT) and mealtime interventions (a) for children with ASD, (b) occurring in the natural contexts, and (c) with parents/caregivers as interventionists. Database search identified 13 relevant articles. Each article was reviewed for practicality of implementation through a modified Feasibility, Appropriateness, Meaningfulness and Effectiveness (FAME) scale and for quality of research design using three measures specifically designed for single-case experimental design research. The majority of articles reviewed demonstrated rigorous research design with strong evidence for the effectiveness of caregiver-implemented interventions. Six intervention techniques were identified, with all studies using a reinforcement strategy and at least one other technique. This review identifies evidence-based practices for OTs to support children with ASD and their families within the natural co-occupation of mealtimes. Effective techniques and recommendations for practice are included.
“Twig-like” cerebral vessels are not pathognomonic for ACTA A2 mutations: A case report
Authors: Nagarajan Krishnan , Swamiappan Elango , Anbazhagan Sathiaprabhu , Dalal Ashwin , Adithan Subathra , Krings Timo
Published: March 2018

ACTA2 mutations are recently described genetically defined abnormalities of blood vessels in various organs of the body with specific abnormalities in cerebral vessels in the form of straightening of all cerebral arteries (“twig-like” pattern), stenosis/occlusions, proximal dilatation, and absent “moyamoya” type of collaterals. We describe a one-and-a half year-old girl child who presented with mild motor developmental delay and on neuroimaging showed septo-preoptic holoprosencephaly, diffuse radial polymicrogyria, and pontine hypoplasia along with magnetic resonance angiographic features suggestive of ACTA2 mutation type of cerebral vessels. However, genetic studies revealed no evidence of ACTA2 mutation, indicating that the “twig-like” pattern may not only be a pathognomonic feature of ACTA2 mutations.
Fatigue damage analysis and life prediction of e-clip in railway fasteners based on ABAQUS and FE-SAFE
Authors: Hong Xiao , Xiao Guo , Haoyu Wang , Xing Ling , Sixing Wu
Published: March 2018

This article used a combined solution of ABAQUS and FE-SAFE to evaluate the performance and predict the fatigue life of the e-clip (a widely used e-clip in the railway system) under cyclic loading. With the proposed methods, the fatigue life analysis of the e-clip has been performed under 12 working conditions. The results show that the inside of the rear arch has the shortest fatigue life and it is therefore the most critical part, which is proved by the field observation. Another conclusion is that the insertion depth of the rear arch into the cast shoulder (short of the insertion depth) and the clip deflection are two of the most important parameters to the fatigue life. The mismatch of the two parameters may cause e-clip fractures. Finally, after optimization of the fatigue life analysis and energy analysis for the e-clip, it is suggested for the installation of e-clips that the clip deflection should be within 10–12 mm and the gap from rear arch to cast shoulder should be within 3–9 mm.
Simulation of meshing characteristics of harmonic reducer and experimental verification
Authors: Ma Jianfeng , Li Chao , Luo Yingchao , Cui Lingli
Published: March 2018

This article studies the causes of the time-varying stiffness of harmonic drive gear and the number of meshing teeth and the meshing length under different torques. Multi-pair tooth meshing characterizes the operating process of the harmonic gear reducer. However, the change of the number of meshing pairs is still not clear. Therefore, the mechanism of the time-varying stiffness of harmonic drive gear was studied using both the theoretical approach and simulation method, and the mathematical model of the time-varying stiffness of harmonic gear reducer was established. Moreover, a method for calculating the torque under different stiffness values was proposed. The relationship between varying torque and time-varying stiffness was established by the number of meshing teeth pairs. The established time-varying stiffness model and the proposed method are feasible, and the effectiveness was proved through experimental research. This study provides theoretical support for the analysis of load distribution in the flexible wheel by the stress–strain loads and related problems.
A new measurement-while-drilling system based on inertial technology
Authors: Song Hua , Huang Huiyin , Zhang Junxiang , Qu Di
Published: March 2018

With the rapid development of trenchless technology, measurement-while-drilling systems draw extensive attention. At present, measurement-while-drilling systems are generally based on magnetic surveying technology or single-accelerometer measurement. In that case, the accuracies of these measurement-while-drilling systems are limited. In this article, a new measurement-while-drilling system with redundant accelerometers based on inertial technology is presented to improve the measuring performance of attitude, especially the measuring accuracy of roll. To reflect the influence of electromagnetic interference, the credibility estimation could be got by comparing the same attitude angles from the accelerometer and magnetometer. The calculation algorithm and experimental data are given in this article. Compared with traditional measurement-while-drilling systems, this new measurement-while-drilling system obtains better anti-disturbance property, higher measuring accuracy, and more reliable calculated results.
Integrating multiple adaptation results by utilization of support vector regression in case-based mechanical product design
Authors: Qi Jin
Published: March 2018

Case adaptation is crucial for a good and reasonable case-based design which is a common method in computer-aided design, because the solution of old case is not always the exact answer for the encountered new designing problem. Recently, a statistical feature-oriented adaptation method in the principle of k-nearest neighbors has been employed widely in case-based design because of its easily understandable mechanism for designers, but its adaptation accuracy is relatively low compared with knowledge-intensive method. This article presents a new method by integrating with multiple adaptation values from statistical feature-oriented adaptation methods to improve the adaptation accuracy. First, two simple statistical feature-oriented adaptation methods including mean and median approaches and other four statistical feature-oriented adaptation methods based on Euclidean distance, Manhattan distance, Gaussian transformation, and gray coefficient are used as individual statistical feature-oriented adaptation mode in this article, and each statistical feature-oriented adaptation method generates pre-adapting value under k-nearest neighbor. Then, support vector regression is utilized to make a combined adaptation which takes pre-adapting values as its inputs, and the new multiple statistical feature-oriented adaptation method integration based on support vector regression is named as MSFA-SVR. Furthermore, to validate the feasibility and superiority of MSFA-SVR, it was applied to the power transformer design and was compared with the classical statistical feature-oriented adaptation methods. Empirical comparison results indicated that MSFA-SVR achieves the better adaptation performance under k-nearest neighbor than other statistical feature-oriented adaptation methods in terms of adaptation accuracy.