bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigation of the effect of column stacked corrugated boxes on load bridging using partial four‐way stringer class wooden pallets
Authors: Clayton Anthony Page , Horvath Laszlo , Bouldin John , Gething Brad
Published: June 2019

Pallets are the foundation of the global packaging supply chain. They provide a way to store and transport products in an efficient manner. The load capacity of pallets greatly depends on the type of packages carried by the pallet; however, current pallet design methods do not consider the effect of packages on the load carrying capacity of the pallet. This results in excessive use of materials which reduces the sustainability of unit loads, drives costs up, and creates potential safety issues. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of corrugated box size and headspace on pallet deflection and stress distribution on the top of the pallet as a function of pallet stiffness across multiple pallet support conditions. Data analysis identified that box size had a significant effect on the deflection of the pallet. This effect was only significant for warehouse racking across the width and length support conditions. As much as a 53% reduction in pallet deflection was observed for high stiffness pallets supporting corrugated boxes with 25.4‐mm headspace when the size was increased from small to large. The redistribution of vertical compression stresses towards the supports as a function of the increasing box size was observed. The increased concentration of compression stresses on top of the supports and the resulting lower pallet deflection could significantly increase the actual load carrying capacity of some pallet designs. The effect of box headspace was significant in some scenarios but inconsistent; thus, more investigation with a larger sample size is recommended.
LDPE/PET laminated films modified with FeO(OH) × H2O, Fe2O3, and ascorbic acid to develop oxygen scavenging system for food packaging
Authors: Wołosiak‐Hnat Agnieszka , Zych Krzysztof , Mężyńska Monika , Kifonidis Andrzej , Dajworski Maksymilian , Lisiecki Sławomir , Bartkowiak Artur
Published: June 2019

The iron compounds (iron(III) oxide‐hydroxide monohydrate FeO(OH) × H2O, iron(III) oxide Fe2O3, and ascorbic acid) were used as oxygen scavengers modifiers in laminating of polymer films. This oxygen‐scavenging system was coated on preselected films (low density polyethylene [LDPE] and polyethylene terephthalate [PET]) from which the laminates were formed. It presents the new form of composite material packaging that has the function of oxygen scavenging, which could be suitable for food packaging. The scope of the research included studies of morphology of oxygen scavengers by scanning electron microscope and their average particle size distribution measure by particle size analyzer, the effect of type, and concentration of these substances on viscosity of adhesive and seal strength of laminates.

The Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) of laminates was also performed to observe the potential interaction of functional groups of polyurethane adhesives with oxygen scavenger components. The most important ability of the developed system for oxygen scavenging was confirmed by measuring oxygen concentration (% vol) in a headspace with the prepared laminates. The concentrations of selected oxygen scavengers (4‐6 wt%) and their combinations were studied. The most effective oxygen scavenger system integrated within the PE/PET composite film consists of 6 wt% ascorbic acid and 1 wt% FeO(OH) × H2O, where the oxygen concentration of 1.0 vol% (±0.20 vol%) was obtained after 15 days of storage. It was found that in this system the oxygen scavenging reaction occurs through ascorbate oxidation to dehydroascorbic acid, which is catalyzed by reduction of Fe3+ to Fe2+ ions.
New observer‐based controller design for LPV stochastic systems with multiplicative noise
Authors: Ku Cheung‐Chieh , Chen Guan‐Wei
Published: June 2019

This paper addresses an observer‐based control problem of Linear Parameter Varying (LPV) stochastic systems. Based on the modeling approaches, the LPV stochastic systems can be represented by a set of linear systems with multiplicative noise term. To solve the observer‐based control problem, a less conservative stability criterion is developed via the chosen Parameter‐Dependent Lyapunov Function (PDLF). In the PDLF, none element in the positive definite matrix is required as zero. Besides, an Extended Projection Lemma is proposed to convert the derived sufficient conditions into Linear Matrix Inequality (LMI) form. According to the derived LMI conditions, all feasible solutions can be found by convex optimization algorithm at a single step. Based on those feasible solutions, an observer‐based Gain‐Scheduled (GS) controller can be established to guarantee the asymptotical stability of the closed‐loop system in the sense of mean square. Finally, two numerical examples are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness and applicability of the proposed method.
Li2TiO3:Mn4+ Deep‐Red Phosphor for the Lifetime‐Based Luminescence Thermometry
Authors: Dramićanin Miroslav D. , Milićević Bojana , Đorđević Vesna , Ristić Zoran , Zhou Jianbang , Milivojević Dušan , Papan Jelena , Brik Mikhail G. , Ma Chong‐Geng , Srivastava Alok M. , Wu Mingmei
Published: June 2019

Luminescence of monoclinic lithium metatitanate (Li2TiO3) powders activated with different quantities of Mn4+ is studied in detail. Its strong deep‐red emission arising from the Mn4+ 2Eg → 4A2g spin forbidden transition is centered at around 688 nm and is suitable for luminescence thermometry. Structural and electron paramagnetic resonance analyses show that Mn4+ ions are equally distributed in two almost identical Ti4+ sites in which they are octahedrally coordinated by six oxygen ions. Calculations based on the exchange charge model of the crystal field provided values of Racah parameters (B=760 cm−1, C= 2993 cm−1), crystal‐field splitting Dq= 2043 cm−1, and the nephelauxetic parameter β1=0.9775. The maximal quantum efficiency of 24.1% at room temperature is found for 0.126% Mn4+ concentration. Temperature quenching of emission occurs by a cross‐over via 4T2 excited state of the Mn4+ ions with T1/2=262 K and is quite favorable for the application in the lifetime‐based luminescence thermometry since relative changes in emission decay values are exceptionally‐large (around 3.21% at room temperature). We derived theoretical expressions for the temperature dependence of the absolute and relative sensitivities and discuss the influence of host material properties on lifetime sensitivities.
Cracking behavior of steel fiber‐reinforced concrete members subjected to pure tension
Authors: Di Carlo Fabio , Spagnuolo Simone
Published: June 2019

This paper discusses an experimental investigation on the tension stiffening effect on reinforcing bars embedded in plain concrete and steel fiber‐reinforced concrete ties. The experimental campaign, carried out in the Laboratory of the University of Rome Tor Vergata, involved 10 specimens with a square cross‐section of 150 mm × 150 mm and a length of 3,000 mm, with a 3,700‐mm‐long conventional reinforcing bar embedded in the middle of the cross‐section. The cracking behavior of the element was investigated varying the main parameters, such as the fiber volume, the maximum aggregate size, and the diameter of the steel reinforcement. The outcomes of the performed tests have shown the effectiveness of steel fiber‐reinforced concrete in controlling the crack pattern of reinforced concrete structures. Furthermore, the obtained results represent a useful reference point for improving provisions given by standards for tension stiffening, crack spacing, and crack opening for steel fiber‐reinforced concrete members.
Three‐dimensional modeling of the distribution and orientation of steel fibers during the flow of self‐compacting concrete
Authors: Bi Jihong , Zhao Yun , Guan Jian , Huo Linying , Qiao Haoyue , Yuan Linlin
Published: June 2019

Steel fibers may be added to self‐compacting concrete (SCC) to improve its mechanical performance; however, such improvement is subject to a number of conditions, an important one of which is the distribution and orientation of the fibers. The objective of this study is to propose a new method capable of predicting the variation of the distribution and orientation of steel fibers immersed in the SCC during flow. The flow of the steel fiber reinforced SCC is simulated by a computational fluid dynamics software, in which the volume of fluid method is used to track the free surface of concrete. On the basis of the velocity field of concrete obtained by the software, the motion of steel fibers is calculated by solving the rigid body dynamics equation. To validate the proposed method, a casting process of a concrete beam with steel fibers is simulated. The effectiveness of the numerical simulation is confirmed by a comparison with the experimental results. Meanwhile, the variation of fiber orientation during the flow of SCC is discussed by analyzing the fiber orientation factor.
From experimental evidence to mechanical modeling and design expressions: The Critical Shear Crack Theory for shear design
Authors: Muttoni Aurelio , Fernández Ruiz Miguel
Published: June 2019

Many research efforts have so far been devoted to the topic of shear design of members without transverse reinforcement since the first development in structural concrete. This has allowed a number of significant advances in the understanding of the phenomenon, which is currently acknowledged to depend upon a number of shear‐transfer actions in cracked concrete such as aggregate interlocking related to crack opening and sliding, the residual tensile strength of concrete after cracking, dowelling of the reinforcement and the inclination of the compression chord. In the last years, independent teams of researchers have confirmed this by means of detailed measurements on tests performed with Digital Image Correlation and by integrating constitutive laws governing the transfer of shear. In agreement to the observed physical reality, clear and scientifically based theories have been developed allowing researchers to reproduce the shear response in a realistic manner and to perform more accurate predictions on the strength of members. One of these theories, grounded on experimental facts and supported by mechanical modeling, is the Critical Shear Crack Theory (CSCT). In this paper, the fundamentals of the theory are reviewed, linking them to the experimental response of beams in shear. Based upon these fundamentals, a general physical‐mechanical model is presented to implement the CSCT basic ideas. On the basis of these results, the aptness of defining a criterion to assess failures in shear is justified, which can be formulated in a simplified manner and is suitable for design. The aim of this criterion is to lead to consistent design expressions, sufficiently simple to be used in practice. It is particularly interesting that the mechanical basis of the model allows natural reproduction of physical phenomena, such as size and reinforcement strain effects, that can be assessed in an accurate manner considering the nonlinear response of a potentially cracked reinforced concrete member. This approach is consistent with the underlying physics and is significantly more general than approaches followed in the past, where empirical formulas were corrected with a size effect term to account for this phenomenon (imposing an effect on a formula which is not necessarily consistent or valid outside its ranges of calibration). Based on the evidence reviewed, this article replies in a scientific, detailed, and transparent manner to a number of criticisms by A. A. Dönmez and Z. P. Bažant on the assumptions of the CSCT.
Third graders' use of writing to facilitate learning of engineering concepts
Authors: Gillespie Rouse Amy , Rouse Rob
Published: June 2019

Incorporating engineering instruction into the elementary curriculum is not without challenges. Traditionally, researchers investigated using engineering design to promote students learning science concepts. More recently, researchers have conducted qualitative investigations to measure students' learning of engineering concepts after engaging in engineering design. In this study, we extended work on elementary engineering instruction by implementing an integrated engineering and writing unit with 58 third‐grade students. Using stratified random assignment based on pre‐intervention engineering vocabulary assessment scores, we assigned students to treatment (n= 28) or comparison (n= 30). During a 10‐day unit, all students participated in design challenges, emulated the practices of actual engineers, and used writing to support and document their learning, as they designed and authored their own five‐page pop‐up books. Students in the treatment condition participated in additional writing during 8 of the 10 unit lessons. During this time, they responded to journal prompts related to lesson objectives. At the same time, students in the comparison condition participated in small‐group discussions during which they discussed journal prompts orally. We found that all students made statistically significant gains from pre‐ to posttest on an engineering vocabulary assessment; total words written, number of different engineering concepts used, and depth of understanding of engineering concepts in a written essay response; and number of different engineering concepts used in an oral interview response, regardless of their incoming writing skills and regardless of whether they participated in additional writing or small‐group discussion of lesson objectives. This study is the first to quantitatively document the effectiveness of a combined elementary engineering and writing intervention for promoting students' learning of engineering concepts in multiple ways (rote recall, written representation, and oral representation). We argue that literacy, particularly writing, provides an effective and feasible method for incorporating engineering instruction into the elementary curriculum.
Pat1 RNA‐binding proteins: Multitasking shuttling proteins
Authors: Vindry Caroline , Weil Dominique , Standart Nancy
Published: June 2019

Post‐transcriptional regulation of gene expression is largely achieved at the level of splicing in the nucleus, and translation and mRNA decay in the cytosol. While the regulation may be global, through the direct inhibition of central factors, such as the spliceosome, translation initiation factors and mRNA decay enzymes, in many instances transcripts bearing specific sequences or particular features are regulated by RNA‐binding factors which mobilize or impede recruitment of these machineries. This review focuses on the Pat1 family of RNA‐binding proteins, conserved from yeast to man, that enhance the removal of the 5′ cap by the decapping enzyme Dcp1/2, leading to mRNA decay and also have roles in translational repression. Like Dcp1/2, other decapping coactivators, including DDX6 and Edc3, and translational repressor proteins, Pat1 proteins are enriched in cytoplasmic P‐bodies, which have a principal role in mRNA storage. They also concentrate in nuclear Cajal‐bodies and splicing speckles and in man, impact splice site choice in some pre‐mRNAs. Pivotal to these functions is the association of Pat1 proteins with distinct heptameric Lsm complexes: the cytosolic Pat1/Lsm1‐7 complex mediates mRNA decay and the nuclear Pat1/Lsm2‐8 complex alternative splicing. This dual role of human Pat1b illustrates the power of paralogous complexes to impact distinct processes in separate compartments. The review highlights our recent findings that Pat1b mediates the decay of AU‐rich mRNAs, which are particularly enriched in P‐bodies, unlike the decapping activator DDX6, which acts on GC‐rich mRNAs, that tend to be excluded from P‐bodies, and discuss the implications for mRNA decay pathways.

This article is categorized under:

RNA Turnover and Surveillance > Regulation of RNA Stability

RNRNA Processing > Splicing Regulation/Alternative Splicing

Translation > Translation Regulation
Protein kinase R and its cellular regulators in cancer: An active player or a surveillant?
Authors: Lee Yong Sun , Kunkeaw Nawapol , Lee Yeon‐Su
Published: June 2019

Protein kinase R (PKR), originally known as an antiviral protein, senses various stresses as well as pathogen‐driven double‐stranded RNAs. Thereby activated PKR provokes diverse downstream events, including eIF2α phosphorylation and nuclear factor kappa‐light‐chain‐enhancer of activated B cells activation. Consequently, PKR induces apoptosis and inflammation, both of which are highly important in cancer as much as its original antiviral role. Therefore, cellular proteins and RNAs should tightly control PKR activity. PKR and its regulators are often dysregulated in cancer and it is undoubted that such dysregulation contributes to tumorigenesis. However, PKR's precise role in cancer is still in debate, due to incomprehensible and even contradictory data. In this review, we introduce important cellular PKR regulators and discuss about their roles in cancer. Among them, we pay particular attention to nc886, a PKR repressor noncoding RNA that has been identified relatively recently, because its expression pattern in cancer can explain interesting yet obscure oncologic aspects of PKR. Based on nc886 and its regulation of PKR, we have proposed a tumor surveillance model, which reconciles contradictory data about PKR in cancer.

This article is categorized under:

Regulatory RNAs/RNAi/Riboswitches > Regulatory RNAs

RNA Interactions with Proteins and Other Molecules > Protein–RNA Interactions: Functional Implications
g factor of the [(1s)2(2s)22p]2P3/2 state of middle‐Z boronlike ions
Authors: Agababaev V. A. , Glazov D. A. , Volotka A. V. , Zinenko D. V. , Shabaev V. M. , Plunien G.
Published: June 2019

Theoretical g‐factor calculations for the first excited 2P3/2 state of boronlike ions in the range Z=10–20 are presented and compared with the previously published values. The first‐order interelectronic‐interaction contribution is evaluated within the rigorous quantum electrodynamics (QED) approach in the effective screening potential. The second‐order contribution is considered within the Breit approximation. The QED and nuclear recoil corrections are also taken into account.
Measuring the atmospheric neutrino oscillation parameters and constraining the 3+1 neutrino model with ten years of ANTARES data
Authors:   The ANTARES collaboration, Albert A. , André M. , Anghinolfi M. , Anton G. , Ardid M. , Aubert J.-J. , Aublin J. , Avgitas T. , Baret B. , Barrios-Martí J. , Basa S. , Belhorma B. , Bertin V. , Biagi S. , Bormuth R. , Boumaaza J. , Bourret S. , Bouwhuis M. C. , Brânzas H. , Bruijn R. , Brunner J. , Busto J. , Capone A. , Caramete L. , Carr J. , Celli S. , Chabab M. , Cherkaoui El Moursli R. , Chiarusi T. , Circella M. , Coleiro A. , Colomer M. , Coniglione R. , Costantini H. , Coyle P. , Creusot A. , Díaz A. F. , Deschamps A. , Distefano C. , Di Palma I. , Domi A. , Donà R. , Donzaud C. , Dornic D. , Drouhin D. , Eberl T. , El Bojaddaini I. , El Khayati N. , Elsässer D. , Enzenhöfer A. , Ettahiri A. , Fassi F. , Fermani P. , Ferrara G. , Fusco L. , Gay P. , Glotin H. , Gozzini R. , Grégoire T. , Gracia Ruiz R. , Graf K. , Hallmann S. , van Haren H. , Heijboer A. J. , Hello Y. , Hernández-Rey J. J. , Hößl J. , Hofestädt J. , Illuminati G. , James C. W. , de Jong M. , Jongen M. , Kadler M. , Kalekin O. , Katz U. , Khan-Chowdhury N. R. , Kouchner A. , Kreter M. , Kreykenbohm I. , Kulikovskiy V. , Lachaud C. , Lahmann R. , Le Breton R. , Lefèvre D. , Leonora E. , Levi G. , Lincetto M. , Lotze M. , Loucatos S. , Maggi G. , Marcelin M. , Margiotta A. , Marinelli A. , Martínez-Mora J. A. , Mele R. , Melis K. , Migliozzi P. , Moussa A. , Navas S. , Nezri E. , Nielsen C. , Nuñez A. , Organokov M. , Păvălas G. E. , Pellegrino C. , Perrin-Terrin M. , Piattelli P. , Popa V. , Pradier T. , Quinn L. , Racca C. , Randazzo N. , Riccobene G. , Sánchez-Losa A. , Salah-Eddine A. , Salvadori I. , Samtleben D. F. E. , Sanguineti M. , Sapienza P. , Schüssler F. , Spurio M. , Stolarczyk Th. , Taiuti M. , Tayalati Y. , Thakore T. , Trovato A. , Vallage B. , Van Elewyck V. , Versari F. , Viola S. , Vivolo D. , Wilms J. , Zaborov D. , Zornoza J. D. , Zúñiga J.
Published: June 2019

Abstract

The ANTARES neutrino telescope has an energy threshold of a few tens of GeV. This allows to study the phenomenon of atmospheric muon neutrino disappearance due to neutrino oscillations. In a similar way, constraints on the 3+1 neutrino model, which foresees the existence of one sterile neutrino, can be inferred. Using data collected by the ANTARES neutrino telescope from 2007 to 2016, a new measurement of Δm
32
2
and θ
23 has been performed — which is consistent with world best-fit values — and constraints on the 3+1 neutrino model have been derived.
The decay h → Zγ in the Standard-Model Effective Field Theory
Authors: Dedes Athanasios , Suxho Kristaq , Trifyllis Lampros
Published: June 2019

Abstract

We calculate the S-matrix element for the Higgs boson decay to a Z-boson and a photon, h → Zγ, at one-loop in the Standard-Model Effective Field Theory (SMEFT) framework and in linear R

ξ
-gauges. Our SMEFT expansion includes all relevant operators up to dimension-6 considered in Warsaw basis without resorting to any flavour or CP- conservation assumptions. Within this approximation there are 23 dimension-6 operators affecting the amplitude, not including flavour and hermitian conjugation. The result for the on-shell h → Zγ amplitude is gauge invariant, renormalisation-scale invariant and gauge-fixing parameter independent. The calculated ratio of the SMEFT versus the SM expectation for the h → Zγ decay width is then written in a semi-numerical form which is useful for further comparisons with related processes. For example, the h → Zγ amplitude contains 16 operators in common with the h → γγ amplitude and one can draw useful results about its feasibility at current and future LHC data.
Extensive colectomy in colorectal cancer and hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer – long-term results
Authors: Santos Marisa D. , Silva Cláudio , Oliveira João , Brandão Pedro , Sampaio Mónica , Silva Ana Cristina , Rocha Anabela , Matos Eduarda , Marcos-Pinto Ricardo
Published: June 2019

Background Colorectal cancer survival is better in hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer patients than in sporadic colorectal cancer patients and even for hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer with colorectal cancer is not consensual that extensive colectomy is preferable to partial colectomy. This study analyzes and compares the long-term results of these two groups of patients submitted to curative subtotal colectomy or total colectomy.

Methods Between 2002 and 2018, 68 patients with colorectal cancer without familial adenomatous polyposis were submitted to a total or subtotal colectomy in a single tertiary center. The patients were divided in two groups: hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer patients (with Amsterdam criteria) and sporadic colorectal cancer patients (the others). The presence of Amsterdam criteria for hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer and germline mutation for mismatch repair genes was confirmed by clinical records. Results and survival were analyzed following surgery.

Results We obtained a sporadic colorectal cancer group with 31 patients and a hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer group with 37 patients. The two groups differ in age but not in gender, tumor stage or surgical morbidity. The overall survival and disease-free survival were good in both groups but even better for hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer group with statistical significance when comparing the two groups.

Conclusion Total or subtotal colectomy for colorectal cancer provides a good survival. These surgical procedures should be considered the first option for colorectal cancer in young hereditary non polyposis colorectal cancer patients. In those cases, they provide good long-term results, avoiding the risk of metachronous colorectal cancer and the surveillance is restricted only to the remaining need for rectum.
Perianal Paget's disease
Authors: Cassol Ornella Sari , Pastorello Júlia , Oliveira Bruna de , Lenhardt Lucas Henrique , Montagna Suéllen , Pietrobelli Vanessa Locatelli
Published: June 2019

Paget's disease most commonly affects the breast. Extramammary involvement is rare, and the most commonly affected sites are the vulva, anus, perianal region, and axilla. The disease may progress to invasive adenocarcinoma or synchronous cancers. Due to the lack of distinctive features and nonspecific presenting symptoms, Paget's disease may be misdiagnosed as other conditions, thus delaying the correct diagnosis. We report a case of extramammary Paget's disease in the perianal region that initially presented as an irregular, circumferential, scaling lesion with eczematous eruptions. Immunology and immunohistochemistry confirmed the diagnosis. Although surgery is the standard treatment, the patient opted for pelvic radiotherapy associated with radiosensitizing chemotherapy.
The Attribution Problem and Cyber Armed Attacks
Authors: Finlay Lorraine , Payne Christian
Published: June 2019

In late 2018, the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security suggested that “cyber-attacks now exceed the risk of physical attacks.” Yet the law has not kept pace with this reality. In particular, identifying who is responsible for a cyberattack makes it difficult to regulate this conduct. A state often cannot practically respond to a threat unless it knows from where the threat emanates and potentially who is responsible. Attribution of cyber conduct is critical from a legal perspective because the unlawful act must be attributable to another state for state responsibility to be engaged.
Emergency department point-of-care ultrasound diagnosis of submacular hemorrhage presenting as painless loss of vision
Authors: Odom Mitchell , Herrman Nicholas W.C. , Huang Robert , Fung Christopher , Theyyunni Nikhil , Cover Michael
Published: June 2019

Ocular complaints prompt a significant number of emergency department (ED) visits, and they can range from benign to sight-threatening. Detailed fundoscopic examination is difficult, even for experienced providers. Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is increasingly utilized in the ED for numerous applications, including ocular evaluation. We present a case in which ocular POCUS was used to diagnose a submacular hemorrhage in a patient who presented with acute painless loss of vision. Ocular POCUS can be readily employed to assess for myriad clinically significant pathologies.
The Court of Justice of the European Union’s Mutual Trust Journey in EU Criminal Law: From a Presumption to (Room for) Rebuttal
Authors: Willems Auke
Published: June 2019

More than any other EU institution, the Court of Justice of the European Union has upheld the presumption of mutual trust in EU criminal law cooperation. Surprisingly though, despite mutual trust’s centrality in the Court’s jurisprudence, it has long not qualified nor properly elaborated the notion of trust, but rather held on to its presumed existence based on a high level of fundamental rights protection throughout the Union. This article will assess the important role of the Court in establishing, upholding and ultimately qualifying the trust presumption in the EU criminal justice context. Along the lines of a number of key cases, the narrative of a strong defence of (the presumption of) mutual trust appears, but also of an evolution toward more room for rebuttal in recent cases. This signals the increased weight given to fundamental rights protection in the EU’s Area of Freedom, Security and Justice.
The effect of body mass index on the risk of surgical site infection
Authors: Meijs Anouk P. , Koek Mayke B.G. , Vos Margreet C. , Geerlings Suzanne E. , Vogely H. Charles , de Greeff Sabine C.
Published: June 2019

Objective:

Obesity is considered a risk factor for surgical site infection (SSI). We quantified impact of body mass index (BMI) on the risk of SSI for a variety of surgical procedures.

Methods:

We included 2012–2017 data from the Dutch national surveillance network PREZIES on a selection of frequently performed surgical procedures across different specialties. Patients were stratified into 5 categories: underweight (BMI, <18.5 kg/m2), normal weight (BMI, 18.5–25), overweight (BMI, 25–30), obese (BMI, 30–40) and morbidly obese (BMI, ≥40). Multilevel log binomial regression analyses were performed to assess the effect of BMI category on the risk of superficial, deep (including organ-space) and total SSI.

Results:

Of the 387,919 included patients (ranging from 2,616 for laparoscopic appendectomy to 119,834 for total hip prosthesis), 3,676 (1%) were underweight, 116,778 (30%) had normal weight, 154,339 (40%) were overweight, 104,288 (27%) had obesity, and 8,838 (2%) were morbidly obese. A trend of increasing risk of SSI when BMI increased from normal to morbidly obese was observed for almost all surgery types. The increase was most profound in surgeries with clean wounds, with relative risks for morbidly obese patients ranging up to 7.8 (95% CI, 6.0–10.2) for deep SSI in total hip prosthesis. In chest and abdominal surgeries, the impact was larger for superficial SSI than for deep SSI.

Conclusions:

The results of our research provide evidence for the need of preventive programs targeting SSI in overweight and obese patients, as well as for the prevention of obesity in the general population.
Association between meeting core elements for inpatient antimicrobial stewardship and antibiotic utilization
Authors: Bernard Shaina R. , Kuper Kristi M. , Lee Kimberly B. , Stevens Michael P. , Hohmann Samuel F. , Nguyen Natalie , Pakyz Amy L.
Published: June 2019

We used multivariable analyses to assess whether meeting core elements was associated with antibiotic utilization. Compliance with 7 elements versus not doing so was associated with higher use of broad-spectrum agents for community-acquired infections [days of therapy per 1,000 patient days: 155 (39) vs 133 (29), P = .02] and anti-methicillin-resistant S. aureus agents [days of therapy per 1,000 patient days: 145 (37) vs 124 (30), P = .03].
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are still harmful and ineffective. Responses to the comments by Hieronymus et al.
Authors: Katakam Kiran Kumar , Sethi Naqash Javaid , Jakobsen Janus Christian , Gluud Christian
Published: June 2019

In this response, we address point by point the additional issues raised by Hieronymus et al. in their second round of critique of our systematic review on selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors for major depression. We repulse that we are biased or mistaken in any major ways. We acknowledge that we missed a few small, mostly unpublished trials, and we made a few minor errors in our systematic review. However, these omissions and errors neither have any impact on our overall results nor on our conclusions. The critique by Hieronymus et al. seems to raise questions about their understanding of the systematic review process, and, on several occasions, they wrongly claimed that we made errors. Our analyses should be impartial and free from any biases or prejudices as we do not have any obligation to support the interests of sponsors or other groups.
Esketamine and rapastinel, but not imipramine, have antidepressant-like effect in a treatment-resistant animal model of depression
Authors: Pereira Vitor Silva , Joca Sâmia R.L. , Harvey Brian H. , Elfving Betina , Wegener Gregers
Published: June 2019

Objectives:

Treatment-resistance to antidepressants is a major problem in the pharmacotherapy of major depressive disorder (MDD). Unfortunately, only a few animal models are suitable for studying treatment-resistant depression, among them repeated treatment with Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) appears to be useful to mimic treatment-resistance to monoaminergic antidepressants. Therefore, the present work aimed to investigate the effectiveness of s-ketamine and rapastinel (formerly GLYX13), modulators of the glutamatergic N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor in ACTH-treated animals.

Methods:

Naïve male Sprague Dawley rats were subjected to repeated subcutaneous injections with ACTH (100 µg/0.1 ml/rat/day) for 14 days and drug treatment on the test day (open field and forced swim test) with imipramine, s-ketamine or rapastinel. In addition, assessment of plasma levels of corticosterone and ACTH was carried out.

Results:

We found that rats repeatedly treated with ACTH for 14 days responded to single injections with s-ketamine (15 mg/kg) and rapastinel (10 mg/kg), but failed to respond to imipramine (15 mg/kg). In the plasma, the levels of corticosterone and ACTH were increased after 14 days of daily treatment with ACTH, independently of the treatment.

Conclusion:

The present data confirm development of a resistance to treatment following chronic ACTH administration. In addition, the study confirms the possible effectiveness of s-ketamine and rapastinel as treatment options in treatment-resistant depression. Moreover, it highlights the importance of the glutamatergic system in the neurobiology of depression. Further studies are necessary to evaluate how repeated treatment with ACTH leads to a depressed condition resistant to monoaminergic antidepressants.
Grass habitat analysis and phytolith-based quantitative reconstruction of Asian monsoon climate change in the sand-loess transitional zone, northern China
Authors: Wang Hanlin , Lu Huayu , Zhang Hongyan , Yi Shuangwen , Gu Yao , Liang Chenghong
Published: June 2019

We investigated climate niches of grasses at regional scales and quantitatively reconstruct Asian monsoon precipitation at the sand-loess transitional zone in northern China. Our results provide direct evidence that certain grass lineages have been specialized in specific habitats: Pooideae grasses stand out and occupy a much cooler environment than all other subfamilies; Pooideae, Aristidoideae, and Chloridoieae occupy dry environments. Pooideae grasses occupy the coldest and driest environments compared to all other subfamilies, with a mean annual temperature (MAT) and precipitation (MAP) of ~13.6 to ~15.3°C and 224 to ~1674 mm, respectively, at a regional scale. We built a database for grasses and their corresponding climate parameters. Based on this database, past climate parameters at the margin of the Asian summer monsoon since ~70 ka were quantitatively reconstructed by phytolith assemblages. They show that this area was dominated by cold- and dry-adapted grasses since ~70 ka with a MAT and MAP of ~3.3 to ~11.0 °C and ~442 to ~900 mm, respectively, generally consistent with the results of phytolith-based transfer function reconstructions and with the results of previous nearby pollen-based quantitative reconstructions. With the improvement of the species-climate and ecosystem dataset, our database-based method is a promising quantitative reconstruction approach to past climatic change in the monsoon region.
UHP metamorphism recorded by coesite-bearing metapelite in the East Kunlun Orogen (NW China)
Authors: Bi Hengzhe , Song Shuguang , Yang Liming , Allen Mark B. , Qi Shengsheng , Su Li
Published: June 2019

The East Kunlun Orogen (EKO) is the NW part of the Central China Orogenic Belt, which records the evolutionary history of the Proto- and Palaeo-Tethys Oceans from the Cambrian to the Triassic. An Early Palaeozoic eclogite belt has been recognized in recent years, which extends discontinuously for ∼500 km as three eclogite-bearing terranes. In this study, we report an integrated study of zircon grains from mica-schists accompanying the eclogites, in terms of mineral inclusions, U–Pb age systematics andP–Tconditions. The presence of coesite is identified, as inclusions within the metamorphic domain of zircons, which provides unambiguous evidence for subducted terrigenous clastic rocks of the Proto-Tethys Ocean exhumed from coesite-forming depths. U–Pb dating of the metamorphic zircons yields a concordia age of 426.5 ± 0.88 Ma, which is likely to be the time of ultrahigh-pressure metamorphism in the Kehete terrane.P–Tcalculations suggest that metapelite may have experienced a clockwiseP–Tpath with peakP/Tconditions of 685 ± 41 °C and >28 kbar, and equilibrated at 482–566 °C and 5.6–8.9 kbar during subsequent exhumation. The high-pressure – ultrahigh-pressure (HP-UHP) metamorphic belt within the EKO may have formed by collision between the Qaidam Block and the South Kunlun Block, as a consequence of the closure of the Proto-Tethys Ocean.
Revealing What Is Dear: The Post-Earthquake Iconization of the Dharahara, Kathmandu
Authors: Hutt Michael
Published: June 2019

On April 25, 2015, central Nepal was struck by a magnitude 7.8 earthquake that killed over 9,000 people and displaced 2.8 million. The image of the Dharahara, a nineteenth-century minaret that collapsed during the quake, quickly became for many Nepalis an iconic representation not only of the disaster but also of a national determination to recover and rebuild. Drawing upon media and literary discourse in the Nepali language, this article asks why the Dharahara tower, rather than the country's severely damaged World Heritage sites, loomed so large in the Nepali imagination in the immediate aftermath of the April 2015 earthquake, and why it became a rallying point for a resurgence of Nepali hill nationalism.
Is economic inequality in family planning in India associated with the private sector?
Authors: Kumar Abhishek , Jain Anrudh K. , Aruldas Kumudha , Mozumdar Arupendra , Shukla Ankita , Acharya Rajib , Ram Faujdar , Saggurti Niranjan
Published: June 2019

This study examined the pattern of economic disparity in the modern contraceptive prevalence rate (mCPR) among women receiving contraceptives from the public and private health sectors in India, using data from all four rounds of the National Family Health Survey conducted between 1992–93 and 2015–16. The mCPR was measured for currently married women aged 15–49 years. A concentration index was calculated and a pooled binary logistic regression analysis conducted to assess economic disparity (by household wealth quintiles) in modern contraceptive use between the public and private health sectors. The analyses were stratified by rural–urban place of residence. The results indicated that mCPR had increased in India over time. However, in 2015–16 only half of women – 48% (33% from the public sector, 12% from the private sector, 3% from other sources) – were using any modern contraceptive in India. Over time, the economic disparity in modern contraceptive use reduced across both public and private health sectors. However, the extent of the disparity was greater when women obtained the services from the private sector: the value of the concentration index for mCPR was 0.429 when obtained from the private sector and 0.133 when from the public sector in 2015–16. Multivariate analysis confirmed a similar pattern of the economic disparity across public and private sectors. Economic disparity in the mCPR has reduced considerably in India. While the economic disparity in 2015–16 was minimal among those accessing contraceptives from the public sector, it continued to exist among those receiving services from the private sector. While taking appropriate steps to plan and monitor private sector services for family planning, continued and increased engagement of public providers in the family planning programme in India is required to further reduce the economic disparity among those accessing contraceptive services from the private sector.
Chain effects in Kurpian
Authors: RUBACH JERZY
Published: June 2019

This article considers chain effects in Kurpian. It is observed that initialitriggersj-Insertion. The inserted [j] induces a lowering process, whereby /i/ changes into [e] or [ə], depending on the context. This change destroys the original trigger ofj-Insertion, making the process opaque, as injënteres[jəntɛrɛs] ‘interest’, which exhibits the following chain:i → ji → jə. I argue that chain effects cannot be modeled in Standard Optimality Theory, including its auxiliary theories: Max Feature theory, Sympathy theory and Candidate Chains theory. Consequently, chain effects constitute evidence for derivational levels envisaged by Derivational Optimality Theory. In particularj-Insertion must take place before /i/ is turned into [e] or [ə] because these vowels cannot trigger glide insertion.
Depth alone is an inappropriate proxy for physiological change in the mesophotic coralAgaricia lamarcki
Authors: Laverick Jack H. , Green Tamara K. , Burdett Heidi L. , Newton Jason , Rogers Alex D.
Published: June 2019

The physiology of mesophotic Scleractinia varies with depth in response to environmental change. Previous research has documented trends in heterotrophy and photosynthesis with depth, but has not addressed between-site variation for a single species. Environmental differences between sites at a local scale and heterogeneous microhabitats, because of irradiance and food availability, are likely important factors when explaining the occurrence and physiology of Scleractinia. Here, 108 colonies ofAgaricia lamarckiwere sampled from two locations off the coast of Utila, Honduras, distributed evenly down the observed 50 m depth range of the species. We found that depth alone was not sufficient to fully explain physiological variation. Pulse Amplitude-Modulation fluorometry and stable isotope analyses revealed that trends in photochemical and heterotrophic activity with depth varied markedly between sites. Our isotope analyses do not support an obligate link between photosynthetic activity and heterotrophic subsidy with increasing depth. We found thatA. lamarckicolonies at the bottom of the species depth range can be physiologically similar to those nearer the surface. As a potential explanation, we hypothesize sites with high topographical complexity, and therefore varied microhabitats, may provide more physiological niches distributed across a larger depth range. Varied microhabitats with depth may reduce the dominance of depth as a physiological determinant. Thus,A. lamarckimay ‘avoid’ changes in environment with depth, by instead existing in a subset of favourable niches. Our observations correlate with site-specific depth ranges, advocating for linking physiology and abiotic profiles when defining the distribution of mesophotic taxa.
Molecular data infers the involvement of a marine aurantiactinomyxon in the life cycle of the myxosporean parasite Paramyxidium giardi (Cnidaria, Myxozoa)
Authors: Rocha S. , Alves Â. , Antunes C. , Azevedo C. , Casal G.
Published: June 2019

An aurantiactinomyxon type is described from the marine naidid Tubificoides pseudogaster (Dahl, 1960), collected from the lower estuary of a Northern Portuguese River. This type constitutes the first of its collective group to be reported from Portugal, and only the fourth described from a marine oligochaete worldwide. Extensive morphological comparisons of new aurantiactinomyxon isolates to all known types without available molecular data are proposed to be unnecessary, given the artificiality of the usage of morphological criteria for actinosporean differentiation and the apparent strict host specificity of the group. Recognition of naidid oligochaetes as the hosts of choice for marine types of aurantiactinomyxon and other collective groups, suggests that the family Naididae played a preponderant role in the myxosporean colonization of estuarine communities. Molecular analyses of the type in study further infer its involvement in the life cycle of Paramyxidium giardi (Cépède, 1906) Freeman and Kristmundsson, 2018, a species that infects the kidney of European eel Anguilla anguilla (Linnaeus, 1758) and that has been reported globally, including from Portuguese waters. The low intraspecific difference registered in relation to Icelandic isolates of P. giardi (0.6%) is hypothesized to result from the emergence of genotypically different subspecies due to geographic isolation.
Adjective forms and functions in British English child-directed speech
Authors: DAVIES Catherine , LINGWOOD Jamie , ARUNACHALAM Sudha
Published: June 2019

Adjectives are essential for describing and differentiating concepts. However, they have a protracted development relative to other word classes. Here we measure three- and four-year-olds’ exposure to adjectives across a range of interactive and socioeconomic contexts to: (i) measure the syntactic, semantic, and pragmatic variability of adjectives in child-directed speech (CDS); and (ii) investigate how features of the input might scaffold adjective acquisition. In our novel corpus of UK English, adjectives occurred more frequently in prenominal than in postnominal (predicative) syntactic frames, though postnominal frames were more frequent for less-familiar adjectives. They occurred much more frequently with a descriptive than a contrastive function, especially for less-familiar adjectives. Our findings present a partial mismatch between the forms of adjectives found in real-world CDS and those forms that have been shown to be more useful for learning. We discuss implications for models of adjective acquisition and for clinical practice.
Constructivism about Intertheoretic Comparisons
Authors: Riedener Stefan
Published: June 2019

Many people think that if you're uncertain about which moral theory is correct, you ought to maximize the expected choice-worthiness of your actions. This idea presupposes that the strengths of our moral reasons are comparable across theories – for instance, that our reasons to create new people, according to total utilitarianism, can be stronger than our reasons to benefit an existing person, according to a person-affecting view. But how can we make sense of such comparisons? In this article, I introduce a constructivist account of intertheoretic comparisons. On this account, such comparisons don't hold independently of facts about morally uncertain agents. They're simply the result of an ideal deliberation in terms of certain epistemic norms about what you ought to do in light of your uncertainty. If I'm right, this account is metaphysically more parsimonious than some existing proposals, and yet has plausible and strong implications.
Social network isolation mediates associations between risky symptoms and substance use in the high school transition
Authors: Hussong Andrea M. , Ennett Susan T. , McNeish Daniel M. , Cole Veronica T. , Gottfredson Nisha C. , Rothenberg W. Andrew , Faris Robert W.
Published: June 2019

The current study examined whether social status and social integration, two related but distinct indicators of an adolescent's standing within a peer network, mediate the association between risky symptoms (depressive symptoms and deviant behavior) and substance use across adolescence. The sample of 6,776 adolescents participated in up to seven waves of data collection spanning 6th to 12th grades. Scores indexing social status and integration were derived from a social network analysis of six schools and subsequent psychometric modeling. Results of latent growth models showed that social integration and status mediated the relation between risky symptoms and substance use and that risky symptoms mediated the relation between social standing and substance use during the high school transition. Before this transition, pathways involving deviant behavior led to high social integration and status and in turn to substance use. After this transition, both deviant behavior and depressive symptoms led to low social integration and status and in turn greater substance use. These findings suggest that the high school transition is a risky time for substance use related to the interplay of increases in depressive symptoms and deviant behavior on the one hand and decreases in social status and integration on the other.