bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Inverted Quasi‐Spherical Droplets on Polydopamine–TiO2 Substrates for Enhancing Gene Delivery
Authors: Kim Seung‐Hyun , Lee Mihyun , Cho Mira , Kim Il‐Sun , Park Kook In , Lee Haeshin , Jang Jae‐Hyung
Published: August 2017

Devising efficient gene delivery systems is crucial to enhancing the therapeutic efficacy of gene–cell therapy approaches. Herein, inverted quasi‐spherical (iQS) droplet systems, which enhance gene delivery efficiencies by reducing the path lengths of gene vectors, mediating motions of vectors at early stages, and raising the contact frequencies of vectors with cells, are developed by adopting the principle of 3D hanging‐drop cell culture. Micrometer‐sized polydopamine (pDA) holes are created on superhydrophobic titanium isopropoxide (TiO2)‐coated substrates by physical scraping; droplets are loaded on the pDA holes, and inversion of the substrate generates iQS droplets with large contact angles. Both human neural stem cells (hNSCs) and adeno‐associated viral vectors are simultaneously incorporated into the iQS droplets to assess gene delivery efficiencies. The steep angles of iQS droplets and enhanced cell/vector contact frequencies facilitate the viral association with hNSCs and enhancing cell–cell interactions, thereby significantly promoting gene delivery efficiencies. Even with reduced viral quantities/exposure times and cell numbers, the iQS droplet systems elicit sufficient gene expression (i.e., interleukin‐10). The ability of the iQS droplet systems to maximize beneficial gene delivery effects with minimal materials (e.g., medium, cells, and vectors) should enable their extensive use as a platform for preparing genetically stimulated cellular therapeutics.
Human Remains and Funerary Rites in the Phoenician Necropolis of Motya (Sicily)
Authors: Lauria G. , Sconzo P. , Falsone G. , Sineo L.
Published: August 2017

The aim of this paper is to examine the fresh evidence retrieved in the early cemetery or ‘archaic necropolis’ (eighth to sixth century bc) on the island of Motya, one of the main Phoenician colonies in the Mediterranean. Because of its integrity and the large number of finds, the cemetery has been considered one of the most relevant sites for the study of early burial customs in the West.

The absence of anthropological data, completely neglected in the past, was a major shortcoming of previous research. This failing is now being rectified by a new project of fieldwork and excavation undertaken on the island by a team from Palermo University.

This report provides a close examination of the human remains from a group of 32 graves discovered during three seasons (2013–2015) in a combined archaeological and taphonomic perspective and contributes to shed light on the funerary practices of the Phoenicians in Sicily. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Skeletal Material from the Cemetery of the 19th Century Copenhagen Hospital for the Poor: Autopsies, Surgical Training and Anatomical Specimens
Authors: Flies M. J. , Winther S. D. , Lynnerup N.
Published: August 2017

The skeletal material of 299 individual skeletons was recovered from 78 graves in central Copenhagen in 2006. The graves were part of a temporary cemetery serving the Copenhagen Hospital for the Poor in the period 1842–1858. It is known that the hospital supplied cadavers for teaching and dissection. Fifty‐two skeletons and bones were found to have cut marks and saw marks, indicative of post mortem surgical interventions: dissection, autopsy, anatomical specimens and surgical practice. The material was closely examined for healing at the sawn edges and signs of diseases. It was attempted to differentiate the surgical procedures from one another and give an overview of the material and historical context. We were mostly unable to attach a specific post mortem surgical procedure to the skeletal elements; however, we present some cases that most likely represent a specific surgical intervention. An excavation of similarly processed bone material from London Hospital from the same time period was used as the main reference material. The skeletal material described here offers a view upon the medical development, teaching and training amongst surgeons and anatomists in mid‐19th century. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Fabrication of Poly(styrene‐co‐maleic anhydride)@Ag Spheres with High Surface Charge Intensity and their Self‐Assembly into Photonic Crystal Films
Authors: Bi Jiajie , Fan Genrui , Wu Suli , Su Xin , Xia Hongbo , Zhang Shu‐Fen
Published: August 2017

Herein, we developed a method to prepare monodisperse poly(styrene‐co‐maleic anhydride)@Ag (PSMA@Ag) core–shell microspheres with high surface charge intensity by using an in situ reduction method. In this method, ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid tetrasodium salt (Na4EDTA) was used as a reducing agent to promote the growth of Ag, and at the same time endowed the PSMA@Ag spheres with a surface charge. The monodispersity of PSMA and PSMA@Ag and the ordered array of the photonic crystal films were characterized by using SEM. The formation of Ag nanoparticles was confirmed by using TEM, HR‐TEM, and XRD characterizations. Due to the existence of surface charges, the obtained PSMA@Ag microspheres easily self‐assembled to form photonic crystal structures. In addition, the surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) activity of the PSMA@Ag photonic crystal films was evaluated by detecting the signal from Raman probe molecules, 4‐aminothiophenol (4‐ATP). The PSMA@Ag photonic crystal films exhibited a high SERS effect, a low detection limit of up to 10−8 for 4‐ATP, good uniformity, and reproducibility.
Changes in the use of erythropoiesis‐stimulating agents (ESAs) and red blood cell transfusion in patients with cancer amidst regulatory and reimbursement changes
Authors: Gawade Prasad L. , Berlin Jesse A. , Henry David H. , Tomita Dianne , Brooks Barry D. , Franklin Janet , Bradbury Brian D. , Critchlow Cathy W.
Published: August 2017

Purpose

Evaluate changes in use of erythropoiesis‐stimulating agents (ESAs) and red blood cell transfusion in cancer patients receiving myelosuppressive chemotherapy following regulatory and reimbursement actions.

Methods

Calendar year patient cohorts (2005‐2013) with breast, colorectal, lung, multiple myeloma, non‐Hodgkin lymphoma, ovarian, or prostate cancer and receiving myelosuppressive chemotherapy were identified within the Marketscan database. Incidence of ESA treatment and transfusion were estimated in each year, as was median number of ESA administrations. Clinical characteristics associated with ESA administration and transfusions were evaluated by using multivariable logistic regression. Additionally, annual new ESA user cohorts within the Oncology Services Comprehensive Electronic Records database (2011‐2014) were examined to assess hemoglobin levels at ESA initiation.

Results

Across all tumor types, ESA use decreased substantially (breast cancer: 53.7 to 3.2%; lung cancer: 66.0 to 13.3%, non‐Hodgkin lymphoma: 39.8 to 3.8%), transfusion use increased (2 to 5.5%, 5.5 to 18.2%, and 4.5 to 9.1%, respectively), and median number of ESA administrations declined. Across all tumor types, proportion of patients initiating an ESA with hemoglobin >10 g/dL was <10% from 2011 onward. In recent years, cancer patients who are older, female, and have chronic kidney disease or moderate or severe liver disease were most likely to receive ESAs.

Conclusion

Subsequent to important regulatory and reimbursement ESA‐related actions, total ESA exposure among cancer patients receiving myelosuppressive chemotherapy declined substantially. Today, fewer patients receive ESA therapy, and among those treated, more are initiated at hemoglobin levels <10 g/dL and are exposed for a shorter duration, consistent with current product labeling.
Formation of p‐n Junction in a‐Se Thin Film and Its Application to High Sensitivity Photodetector Driven by Diamond Cold Cathode
Authors: Masuzawa Tomoaki , Ohata Akinori , John Joshua D. , Saito Ichitaro , Yamada Takatoshi , Chua Daniel H. C. , Neo Yoichiro , Mimura Hidenori , Okano Ken
Published: August 2017

In this study, photoconductor made of amorphous selenium (a‐Se) is studied to improve a sensitivity of vacuum‐tube type photodetectors. An electrochemical process was applied to a‐Se films to form a p‐n structure within the film. The formation of p‐n structure was confirmed by time‐of‐flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy as well as its electronic property. The a‐Se film was then combined into a prototype photodetector, and enhancement of sensitivity was evaluated in terms of nominal quantum efficiency and signal‐to‐noise ratio. The results showed that the formation of a p‐n junction within a‐Se film increased the sensitivity of the photodetector, especially at relatively low operation voltages.
MPCVD Diamond Lateral Growth Through Microterraces to Reduce Threading Dislocations Density
Authors: Lloret Fernando , Gutierrez Marina , Araujo Daniel , Eon David , Bustarret Etienne
Published: August 2017

Diamond lateral growth is a useful technique to assess 3D architectures of devices. The requirement of the overgrowth on etched substrates has been observed to have additional benefit in the crystallinity of the diamond. The surface roughness is enhanced and threading dislocation density is reduced as a consequence of the lateral growth on patterned substrates. Under these premises, this contribution presents a study of defects and terrace coalescences for the lateral growth on a trenched surface substrates with different trench widths. The latter was achieved on 100‐oriented HPHT diamond substrates grown by MPCVD and using very thin‐doped layers to mark the growth plane every 100 nm. The results showed high density of threading dislocations that were gathered to the centre of the coalescence. These threading dislocations, as well as planar defects, were investigated using transmission electron microscopy. The mechanism of those defects generation and the better conditions to achieve defect‐free areas are discussed.
Acylated Iridoids and Rhamnopyranoses from Premna odorata (Lamiaceae) as Novel Mesenchymal–Epithelial Transition Factor Receptor Inhibitors for the Control of Breast Cancer
Authors: Elmaidomy Abeer H. , Mohyeldin Mohamed M. , Ibrahim Mostafa M. , Hassan Hossam M. , Amin Elham , Rateb Mostafa E. , Hetta Mona H. , El Sayed Khalid A.
Published: August 2017

Phytochemical investigation of Premna odorata Blanco, Lamiaceae, leaves afforded three new acylated iridoid glycosides 1–3 and two new acylated rhamnopyranoses 9 and 10, in addition to ten known compounds. The structures of the new compounds were confirmed using extensive 1D and 2D NMR analysis. Molecular modeling study suggested the potential of the acylated rhamnopyranoses to bind at the c‐Met kinase domain. Cell‐free Z′‐LYTE™ assay testing revealed the good c‐Met phosphorylation inhibitory activity of 9, followed by 8, and 10, with IC50 values of 2.5, 6.9, and 12.7 μM, respectively. The (3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) cell proliferation assay testing against the human c‐Met expressing highly invasive MDA‐MB‐231 suggested compound 9 as the most active with IC50 value of 13.3 μM. Testing of compound 9 against multiple phenotypic breast cancer cell lines including MCF‐7, BT‐474 cells, and MDA‐MB‐468 proved enhanced activity against the highly c‐Met expressing triple‐negative breast cancer cell lines. Acylated rhamnopyranoses are potential novel c‐Met inhibitors appropriate for future optimizations to control c‐Met‐dependent breast malignancies. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Apoptotic Effect of Astragalin in Melanoma Skin Cancers via Activation of Caspases and Inhibition of Sry‐related HMg‐Box Gene 10
Authors: You Ok Heui , Shin Eun Ah , Lee Hyemin , Kim Ju‐Ha , Sim Deok Yong , Kim Jung Hyo , Kim Younghwan , Khil Jae‐Ho , Baek Nam‐In , Kim Sung‐Hoon
Published: August 2017

Though Astragalin (kaempferol‐3‐glucoside) contained in Paeonia lactiflora and other plants was known to have anti‐oxidant, antiinflammatory, and anti‐tumor activity, the anti‐tumor mechanism of Astragalin has never been reported in melanomas until now. Thus, in the present study, the underlying apoptotic mechanism of Astragalin isolated from Aceriphyllum rossii was elucidated in A375P and SK‐MEL‐2 melanoma cells. Astragalin exerted cytotoxicity in A375P and SK‐MEL‐2 cells in a concentration‐dependent manner. Also, Astragalin significantly increased the number of TdT‐mediated dUTP nick end labeling positive cells and sub‐G1 population as a feature of apoptosis in A375P and SK‐MEL‐2 cells compared with untreated control. Consistently, western blotting revealed that Astragalin activated caspase 9/3 and Bax, cleaved poly (ADP‐ribose) polymerase, and attenuated the expression of cyclin D1, Mcl‐1, and Sry‐related HMg‐Box gene 10 (SOX10) in A375P and SK‐MEL‐2 cells. Of note, ectopic expression of SOX10 reduced the apoptotic ability of Astragalin to inhibit proliferation, cleave poly (ADP‐ribose) polymerase, and caspase 3 in A375P and SK‐MEL‐2 melanoma cells. Overall, our findings provide evidence that Astragalin induces apoptosis in A375P and SK‐MEL‐2 melanoma cells via activation of caspase9/3 and inhibition of SOX10 signaling. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An automated skills assessment framework for laparoscopic training tasks
Authors: Sgouros Nicholas P. , Loukas Constantinos , Koufi Vassiliki , Troupis Theodore G. , Georgiou Evangelos
Published: August 2017

Background

Various sensors and methods are used for evaluating trainees' skills in laparoscopic procedures. These methods are usually task‐specific and involve high costs or advanced setups.

Methods

In this paper, we propose a novel manoeuver representation feature space (MRFS) constructed by tracking the vanishing points of the edges of the graspers on the video sequence frames, acquired by the standard box trainer camera. This study aims to provide task‐agnostic classification of trainees in experts and novices using a single MRFS over two basic laparoscopic tasks.

Results

The system achieves an average of 96% correct classification ratio (CCR) when no information on the performed task is available and >98% CCR when the task is known, outperforming a recently proposed video‐based technique by >13%.

Conclusions

Robustness, extensibility and accurate task‐agnostic classification between novices and experts is achieved by utilizing advanced computer vision techniques and derived features from a novel MRFS.
Iterative learning control for output‐constrained nonlinear systems with input quantization and actuator faults
Authors: Jin Xu
Published: August 2017

In this work, we propose a novel iterative learning control algorithm to deal with a class of nonlinear systems with system output constraint requirements and quantization effects on the system control input. Actuator faults have also been considered, which include multiplicative, additive, and stuck actuator faults. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported work in the iterative learning control literature to deal with quantization effects for the control input of nonlinear systems under the effects of actuator faults and system output constraints. Under the proposed scheme, using backstepping design and composite energy function approaches in the analysis, we show that uniform convergence of the state tracking errors can be guaranteed over the iteration domain, and the constraint requirement on the system output will not be violated at all time. In the end, a simulation study on a single‐link robot model is presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme.
A Nanophotonic Structure Containing Living Photosynthetic Bacteria
Authors: Coles David , Flatten Lucas C. , Sydney Thomas , Hounslow Emily , Saikin Semion K. , Aspuru‐Guzik Alán , Vedral Vlatko , Tang Joseph Kuo‐Hsiang , Taylor Robert A. , Smith Jason M. , Lidzey David G.
Published: August 2017

Photosynthetic organisms rely on a series of self‐assembled nanostructures with tuned electronic energy levels in order to transport energy from where it is collected by photon absorption, to reaction centers where the energy is used to drive chemical reactions. In the photosynthetic bacteriaChlorobaculum tepidum, a member of the green sulfur bacteria family, light is absorbed by large antenna complexes called chlorosomes to create an exciton. The exciton is transferred to a protein baseplate attached to the chlorosome, before migrating through the Fenna–Matthews–Olson complex to the reaction center. Here, it is shown that by placing livingChlorobaculum tepidumbacteria within a photonic microcavity, the strong exciton–photon coupling regime between a confined cavity mode and exciton states of the chlorosome can be accessed, whereby a coherent exchange of energy between the bacteria and cavity mode results in the formation of polariton states. The polaritons have energy distinct from that of the exciton which can be tuned by modifying the energy of the optical modes of the microcavity. It is believed that this is the first demonstration of the modification of energy levels within living biological systems using a photonic structure.
A determinant‐free method to simulate the parameters of large Gaussian fields
Authors: Ellam Louis , Strathmann Heiko , Girolami Mark , Murray Iain
Published: August 2017

We propose a determinant‐free approach for simulation‐based Bayesian inference in high‐dimensional Gaussian models. We introduce auxiliary variables with covariance equal to the inverse covariance of the model. The joint probability of the auxiliary model can be computed without evaluating determinants, which are often hard to compute in high dimensions. We develop a Markov chain Monte Carlo sampling scheme for the auxiliary model that requires no more than the application of inverse‐matrix‐square‐roots and the solution of linear systems. These operations can be performed at large scales with rational approximations. We provide an empirical study on both synthetic and real‐world data for sparse Gaussian processes and for large‐scale Gaussian Markov random fields. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Targeted gene replacement at the URA3 locus of the basidiomycetous yeast Pseudozyma antarctica and its transformation using lithium acetate treatment
Authors: Yarimizu Tohru , Shimoi Hitoshi , Sameshima‐Yamashita Yuka , Morita Tomotake , Koike Hideaki , Watanabe Takashi , Kitamoto Hiroko
Published: August 2017

The basidiomycetous yeast Pseudozyma antarctica is a remarkable producer of industrially valuable enzymes and extracellular glycolipids. In this study, we developed a method for targeted gene replacement in P. antarctica. In addition, transformation conditions were optimized using lithium acetate, single‐stranded carrier DNA and polyethylene glycol (lithium acetate treatment), generally used for ascomycetous yeast transformation. In the rice‐derived P. antarctica strain GB‐4(0), PaURA3, a homologue of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae orotidine‐5′‐phosphate decarboxylase gene (URA3), was selected as the target locus. A disruption cassette was constructed by linking the nouseothricine resistance gene (natMX4) to homologous DNA fragments of PaURA3, then electroporated into the strain GB‐4(0). We obtained strain PGB015 as one of the PaURA3 disruptants (Paura3Δ::natMX4). Then the PCR‐amplified PaURA3 fragment was introduced into PGB015, and growth of transformant colonies but not background colonies was observed on selective media lacking uracil. The complementation of uracil‐auxotrophy in PGB015 by introduction of PaURA3 was also performed using lithium acetate treatment, which resulted in a transformation efficiency of 985 CFU/6.8 μg DNA and a gene‐targeting ratio of two among 30 transformants. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Just Like in Their Home Country? A Multinational Perspective on Living Arrangements of Older Immigrants in the United States
Authors: Gubernskaya Zoya , Tang Zequn
Published: August 2017

Older immigrants are more likely to share residence with their adult children and other family members than are U.S.-born older adults. Because socioeconomic factors only partially explain these differences and direct measures of cultural preferences are seldom available, the persistently high rates of intergenerational coresidence among the older foreign-born are often interpreted as driven by cultural preferences and/or a lack of assimilation. To challenge this interpretation, this study investigates the extent to which older immigrants’ living arrangements deviate from those of older adults in their home countries. The analysis combines data on immigrants from the 2008–2012 American Community Survey (ACS) with census data from three major immigrant-sending countries: Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Vietnam. Despite persistent differences from U.S.-born whites, coresidence in later life is significantly less common than in the sending countries among the older foreign-born who migrated as young adults, and especially among those who migrated as children. The older foreign-born who migrated after age 50, however, are more likely to coreside and less likely to live independently than the older adults in their home countries. The similarity of these patterns across the three immigrant subgroups suggests that the unusually high coresidence among late-life immigrants is driven by U.S. family reunification policy and not simply by cultural influences.
Effects of different antihypertensive medication groups on cognitive function in older patients: A systematic review
Authors: Stuhec M. , Keuschler J. , Serra-Mestres J. , Isetta M.
Published: August 2017

Background:

Chronic hypertension has been associated with an increased risk of cognitive decline. Although a link between hypertension and cognitive decline has been established, there is less evidence supported by systematic reviews. The main aim was to compare different antihypertensive drug groups in relation to their effect on cognition in older patients without established dementia using a systematic review.

Method:

A systematic search in Medline and Embase through to January 2017 was used to identify randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) studying the impact of different antihypertensives on cognition in older patients without dementia. Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs), angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE-Is), beta-blockers (BBs), diuretics, and calcium channel blockers (CCBs) were included in this review.

Results:

The systematic search identified 358 studies. The full text of 31 RCTs was reviewed and a total of 15 RCTs were included in the review. Most studies reported an improvement in episodic memory in patients treated with ARBs versus placebo or other types of antihypertensive drugs. No study showed an improvement in cognition in patients who received diuretics, BBs, or CCBs. Heterogeneity was high in most trials (predominantly in the blinding of participants and investigators).

Conclusion:

This review suggests that ARBs can improve cognitive functions in the elderly, especially episodic memory. ACE-Is, diuretics, BBs and CCBs did not seem to improve cognitive function in the elderly but were similarly effective in blood pressure lowering as ARBs.
Laser performance upgrade for precise ICF experiment in SG-Ⅲ laser facility
Authors: Zheng Wanguo , Wei Xiaofeng , Zhu Qihua , Jing Feng , Hu Dongxia , Yuan Xiaodong , Dai Wanjun , Zhou Wei , Wang Fang , Xu Dangpeng , Xie Xudong , Feng Bin , Peng Zhitao , Guo Liangfu , Chen Yuanbin , Zhang Xiongjun , Liu Lanqin , Lin Donghui , Dang Zhao , Xiang Yong , Zhang Rui , Wang Fang , Jia Huaiting , Deng Xuewei
Published: August 2017

The SG-Ⅲ laser facility (SG-Ⅲ) is the largest laser driver for inertial confinement fusion (ICF) researches in China, which has 48 beamlines and can deliver 180 kJ ultraviolet laser energy in 3 ns. In order to meet the requirements of precise physics experiments, some new functionalities need to be added to SG-Ⅲ and some intrinsic laser performances need upgrade. So at the end of SG-Ⅲ's engineering construction, the 2-year laser performance upgrade project started. This paper will introduce the newly added functionalities and the latest laser performance of SG-Ⅲ. With these function extensions and performance upgrade, SG-Ⅲ is now fully prepared for precise ICF experiments and solidly paves the way towards fusion ignition.
Innovating Development Strategies in Africa
Authors: Signé Landry
Published: August 2017

During the second half of the twentieth century, African states shifted away from state-led development strategies, and are now moving towards a strategy of regional economic integration. In this book, Landry Signé explores the key drivers of African policy and economic transformation, proposing a preeminent explanation of policy innovations in Africa through the examination of postcolonial strategies for economic development. Scholars and practitioners in fields as varied as development studies, political science and public policy, economics, sociology and African studies will benefit from Signé's unprecedented comparative analysis, including detailed cases from the often understudied Francophone Africa. First studying why, how and when institutional or policy change occurs in Africa, Signé explores the role of international, regional and national actors in making African economic development strategies from 1960 to date, highlighting the economic transformations of the twenty-first century.
CONSEQUENTIALITY BELIEFS AND CONSUMER VALUATION OF EXTRINSIC ATTRIBUTES IN BEEF
Authors: LI XIAOGU , JENSEN KIMBERLY L. , LAMBERT DAYTON M. , CLARK CHRISTOPHER D.
Published: August 2017

This study measures willingness to pay (WTP) for extrinsic attributes (Angus, local, DNA traceable, raised carbon friendly, and humanely treated cattle) in steak and ground beef using choice-based experiments from a national consumer survey. Belief that survey responses could have consequences on beef products offered by the steak and ground beef industry is investigated, as well as its effect on attribute WTP. For most attributes, belief in consequentiality increases WTP. Results suggest that although consequentiality believers tend to place greater importance on certain food industry issues, they are less certain about the attribute's provision actually effecting change in the industry.
MINIMALITY AND MUTATION-EQUIVALENCE OF POLYGONS
Authors: KASPRZYK ALEXANDER , NILL BENJAMIN , PRINCE THOMAS
Published: August 2017

We introduce a concept of minimality for Fano polygons. We show that, up to mutation, there are only finitely many Fano polygons with given singularity content, and give an algorithm to determine representatives for all mutation-equivalence classes of such polygons. This is a key step in a program to classify orbifold del Pezzo surfaces using mirror symmetry. As an application, we classify all Fano polygons such that the corresponding toric surface is qG-deformation-equivalent to either (i) a smooth surface; or (ii) a surface with only singularities of type$1/3(1,1)$.
Household water insecurity, missed schooling, and the mediating role of caregiver depression in rural Uganda
Authors: Cooper-Vince C. E. , Kakuhikire B. , Vorechovska D. , McDonough A. Q. , Perkins J. , Venkataramani A. S. , Mushavi R. C. , Baguma C. , Ashaba S. , Bangsberg D. R. , Tsai A. C.
Published: August 2017

Background

School attendance rates in sub-Saharan Africa are among the lowest worldwide, placing children at heightened risk for poor educational and economic outcomes. One understudied risk factor for missed schooling is household water insecurity, which is linked to depression among women and may increase children's water-fetching burden at the expense of educational activities, particularly among children of depressed caregivers. In this study conducted in rural Uganda, we assessed the association between household water insecurity and child school participation and the mediating pathways behind these associations.

Method

We conducted a population-based, cross-sectional study of female household heads (N = 257) and their children ages 5–17 (N = 551) in the rural regions surrounding the town of Mbarara, in southwestern Uganda. We used multivariable linear regressions to estimate the association between water insecurity and missed schooling. We then assessed the extent to which the association was mediated by caregiver depression.

Results

Among children, water insecurity had a statistically significant association with the number of missed school days (a standard deviation increase in water insecurity resulted in 0.30 more missed school days in the last week). The estimated association was partially mediated by caregiver depression. When stratified by sex, this mediating pathway remained significant for boys, but not among girls.

Conclusions

Water insecurity is a risk factor for missed schooling among children in rural Uganda. Caregiver depression partially mediated this relationship. Also addressing caregiver mental health in water insecure families may more fully address the needs of sub-Saharan African families and promote educational participation among youth.
A Model to Predict Central-Line–Associated Bloodstream Infection Among Patients With Peripherally Inserted Central Catheters: The MPC Score
Authors: Herc Erica , Patel Payal , Washer Laraine L. , Conlon Anna , Flanders Scott A. , Chopra Vineet
Published: August 2017

BACKGROUND

Peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) are associated with central-line–associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs). However, no tools to predict risk of PICC-CLABSI have been developed.

OBJECTIVE

To operationalize or prioritize CLABSI risk factors when making decisions regarding the use of PICCs using a risk model to estimate an individual’s risk of PICC-CLABSI prior to device placement.

METHODS

Using data from the Michigan Hospital Medicine Safety consortium, patients that experienced PICC-CLABSI between January 2013 and October 2016 were identified. A Cox proportional hazards model with robust sandwich standard error estimates was then used to identify factors associated with PICC-CLABSI. Based on regression coefficients, points were assigned to each predictor and summed for each patient to create the Michigan PICC-CLABSI (MPC) score. The predictive performance of the score was assessed using time-dependent area-under-the-curve (AUC) values.

RESULTS

Of 23,088 patients that received PICCs during the study period, 249 patients (1.1%) developed a CLABSI. Significant risk factors associated with PICC-CLABSI included hematological cancer (3 points), CLABSI within 3 months of PICC insertion (2 points), multilumen PICC (2 points), solid cancers with ongoing chemotherapy (2 points), receipt of total parenteral nutrition (TPN) through the PICC (1 point), and presence of another central venous catheter (CVC) at the time of PICC placement (1 point). The MPC score was significantly associated with risk of CLABSI (P<.0001). For every point increase, the hazard ratio of CLABSI increased by 1.63 (95% confidence interval, 1.56–1.71). The area under the receiver-operating-characteristics curve was 0.67 to 0.77 for PICC dwell times of 6 to 40 days, which indicates good model calibration.

CONCLUSION

The MPC score offers a novel way to inform decisions regarding PICC use, surveillance of high-risk cohorts, and utility of blood cultures when PICC-CLABSI is suspected. Future studies validating the score are necessary.

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol2017;38:1155–1166
A nonlinear dynamic model for unsteady separated flow control and its mechanism analysis
Authors: Huang Guoping , Lu Weiyu , Zhu Jianfeng , Fu Xin , Wang Jinchun
Published: August 2017

In the analysis of the interaction between external periodic excitation and unsteady separated flow in controlling the flow separation, a new nonlinear approximate model has been established. This model is used to describe the typical chaotic and coherent characteristics of a separated flow such as small- or large-scale vortices, the injection, and the dissipation of the kinetic energy based on a simulation of a simplified cross-direction motion of free shear flows. This study presents an appropriate treatment to simulate the external periodic excitation and uses the maximum Lyapunov exponent to evaluate the degree of flow ordering in the different control states. The results of the nonlinear model are compared with experimental and numerical results, showing that the nonlinear model could be used to effectively explain the behaviours of chaotic flows and investigate the rules for controlling separated flows. In addition, as shown in the nonlinear approximate model, the self-synchronization of unsteady flow separation and periodic excitation has been analysed. Initially, the research provided an explanation of the self-synchronization mechanism, which cites that the effects of the separated flow control are independent of the phase difference between the periodic excitation and the unsteady flow. The characteristics of unsteady separated flow control have also been presented in this model, where the corresponding large eddy simulation (LES) was used for separated flows in a curved diffuser. The proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) method was used to analyse the difference between separated vortical structures with or without periodic excitation. The results showed that the model and the simulation had the same mechanism of flow control as for the separated flows. The periodic excitation transforms the original chaotic flow into a relatively ordered flow and decreases the magnitude of the chaotic unstable vortices, rather than completely eliminating the vortices, while flow mixing is reduced, inducing less energy loss.
Intrinsic features of flow past three square prisms in side-by-side arrangement
Authors: Zheng Qinmin , Alam Md. Mahbub
Published: August 2017

An investigation on the flow around three side-by-side square prisms can provide a better understanding of complicated flow physics associated with multiple, closely spaced structures in which more than one gap flow is involved. In this paper, the flow around three side-by-side square prisms at a Reynolds number$Re=150$is studied systematically at$L/W=1.1{-}9.0$, where$L$is the prism centre-to-centre spacing and$W$is the prism width. Five distinct flow structures and their ranges are identified, viz. base-bleed flow ($L/W<1.4$), flip-flopping flow$(1.4<L/W<2.1)$, symmetrically biased beat flow$(2.1<L/W<2.6)$, non-biased beat flow$(2.6<L/W<7.25)$and weak interaction flow$(7.25<L/W<9.0)$. Physical aspects of each flow regime, such as vortex structures, vortex dynamics, gap-flow behaviours, shedding frequencies and fluid forces, are discussed in detail. A secondary (beat) frequency other than the Strouhal frequency (primary frequency) is observed in the symmetrically biased and non-biased beat flows, associated with the beat-like modulation in$C_{L}$-peak or amplitude, where$C_{L}$is the lift force coefficient. Here we reveal the generic and intrinsic origin of the secondary frequency, establishing its connections with the phase lag between the two shear-layer sheddings from the two sides of a gap. When the two sheddings are in phase, no viscous force acts at the interface (i.e. at the centreline of the gap) of the two sheddings, resulting in the largest fluctuations in streamwise momentum, streamwise velocity and pressure; the maximum$C_{L}$amplitude thus features the in-phase shedding. Conversely, when the two sheddings are antiphase, a viscous force exists at the interface of the two sheddings and restricts the momentum fluctuation through the gap, yielding a minimum$C_{L}$amplitude. When the phase relationship between the two sheddings changes from in phase to antiphase, the extra viscous force acting at the interface becomes larger and causes the$C_{L}$amplitude to change from a maximum to a minimum.
Scaling of separated shear layers: an investigation of mass entrainment
Authors: Stella Francesco , Mazellier Nicolas , Kourta Azeddine
Published: August 2017

We report an experimental investigation of the separating/reattaching flow over a descending ramp with a $25^{\circ }$ expansion angle. Emphasis is given to mass entrainment through the boundaries of the separated shear layer emanating from the upper edge of the ramp. For this purpose, the turbulent/non-turbulent interface and the separation line inferred from image-based analysis are used respectively to mark the upper and lower bounds of the separated shear layer. The main objective of this study is to identify the physical parameters that scale the development of the separated shear layer, by giving a specific emphasis to the investigation of mass entrainment. Our results emphasise the multiscale nature of mass entrainment through the separated shear layer. The recirculation length $L_{R}$, step height $h$ and free-stream velocity $U_{\infty }$ are the dominant scales that organise the separated flow (and related large-scale quantities as pressure distribution or shear layer growth rate) and set mean mass fluxes. However, local viscous mechanisms seem to be responsible for most of local mass entrainment. Furthermore, it is shown that large-scale mass entrainment is driven by incoming boundary layer properties, since $L_{R}$ scales with $Re_{\unicode[STIX]{x1D703}}$, and in particular by its turbulent state. Surprisingly, the relationships evidenced in this study suggest that these dependencies are established over a large distance upstream of separation and that they might also extend to small scales, at which viscous entrainment is dominant. If confirmed by additional studies, our findings would open new perspectives for designing effective separation control systems.
Finite-amplitude gravity waves in the atmosphere: travelling wave solutions
Authors: Schlutow Mark , Klein R. , Achatz U.
Published: August 2017

Wentzel–Kramers–Brillouin theory was employed by Grimshaw (Geophys. Fluid Dyn., vol. 6, 1974, pp. 131–148) and Achatz et al. (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 210, 2010, pp. 120–147) to derive modulation equations for non-hydrostatic internal gravity wave packets in the atmosphere. This theory allows for wave packet envelopes with vertical extent comparable to the pressure scale height and for large wave amplitudes with wave-induced mean-flow speeds comparable to the local fluctuation velocities. Two classes of exact travelling wave solutions to these nonlinear modulation equations are derived here. The first class involves horizontally propagating wave packets superimposed over rather general background states. In a co-moving frame of reference, examples from this class have a structure akin to stationary mountain lee waves. Numerical simulations corroborate the existence of nearby travelling wave solutions under the pseudo-incompressible model and reveal better than expected convergence with respect to the asymptotic expansion parameter. Travelling wave solutions of the second class also feature a vertical component of their group velocity but exist under isothermal background stratification only. These waves include an interesting nonlinear wave–mean-flow interaction process: a horizontally periodic wave packet propagates vertically while draining energy from the mean wind aloft. In the process it decelerates the lower-level wind. It is shown that the modulation equations apply equally to hydrostatic waves in the limit of large horizontal wavelengths. Aside from these results of direct physical interest, the new nonlinear travelling wave solutions provide a firm basis for subsequent studies of nonlinear internal wave instability and for the design of subtle test cases for numerical flow solvers.
Axisymmetric buoyant–thermocapillary flow in sessile and hanging droplets
Authors: Masoudi Saeed , Kuhlmann Hendrik C.
Published: August 2017

The steady axisymmetric incompressible flow in a droplet sitting on or hanging from a flat plate is calculated numerically. In the limit of large mean surface tension the liquid–gas interface is spherical which allows the use of boundary-fitted toroidal coordinates. The flow is driven by thermocapillary and buoyant forces induced by a linear variation of the ambient temperature normal to the perfectly conducting wall. We present benchmark-quality results for the streamfunction and temperature fields, varying the contact angle, the thermocapillary Reynolds number, the Prandtl number, the Grashof number and the interfacial heat-transfer coefficient including the latent heat of evaporation. Scaling laws for the strength of the flow are provided for asymptotically large Marangoni numbers.
Ground squirrels (Rodentia, Sciuridae) of the late Cenozoic Meade Basin sequence: diversity and paleoecological implications
Authors: Goodwin H. Thomas , Martin Robert A.
Published: August 2017

The Meade Basin, SW Kansas, yields a rich vertebrate fossil record from the late Cenozoic. Here, we review fossil ground squirrels (Sciuridae) from the region as a contribution to the broader Meade Basin Rodent Project. We recognize 14 species in seven genera: two species of giant ground squirrels (PaenemarmotaHibbard and Schultz, 1948) from the early Pliocene, and at least 12 species in six extant genera (AmmospermophilusMerriam, 1892;OtospermophilusBrandt, 1844;IctidomysAllen, 1877;PoliocitellusHowell, 1938;UrocitellusObolenskij, 1927;CynomysRafinesque, 1817) from the Pliocene–Pleistocene sequence, including the first regional records ofAmmospermophilus. Based on dental morphology and the ecology of modern congeners, we interpret faunal change through the sequence as primarily reflecting a shift from a Pliocene assemblage of “southwestern” taxa with granivorous/omnivorous diets (relatively low-crowned, transversely narrow cheek teeth) in warm and at least occasionally dry shrub or shrub-steppe habitats (Ammospermophilus,Otospermophilus,Ictidomys meadensis[Hibbard, 1941a]), to a Pleistocene temperate assemblage of grazing taxa that either exhibited relatively high-crowned, transversely wider cheek teeth (Urocitellus,Cynomys,Ictidomys tridecemlineatus[Mitchill, 1821]) or were otherwise dependent on grassland habitats (Poliocitellus). The early Pleistocene Borchers assemblage was transitional in this regard, heralding a “revolution” observed as well with other clades in the Meade Basin rodent community. This interpretation is broadly congruent with evidence of Pliocene climatic change and the staged development of regional grasslands, with the modern proportion of C3/C4plants established in the Meade Basin during the early Pleistocene.
Evaluating the accuracy of biodiversity changes through geologic times: from simulation to solution
Authors: Gibert Corentin , Escarguel Gilles
Published: August 2017

Estimating biodiversity and its variations through geologic time is a notoriously difficult task, due to several taphonomic and methodological effects that make the reconstructed signal potentially distinct from the unknown, original one. Through a simulation approach, we examine the effect of a major, surprisingly still understudied, source of potential disturbance: the effect of time discretization through biochronological construction, which generates spurious coexistences of taxa within discrete time intervals (i.e., biozones), and thus potentially makes continuous- and discrete-time biodiversity curves very different. Focusing on the taxonomic-richness dimension of biodiversity (including estimates of origination and extinction rates), our approach relies on generation of random continuous-time richness curves, which are then time-discretized to estimate the noise generated by this manipulation. A broad spectrum of data-set parameters (including average taxon longevity and biozone duration, total number of taxa, and simulated time interval) is evaluated through sensitivity analysis. We show that the deteriorating effect of time discretization on the richness signal depends highly on such parameters, most particularly on average biozone duration and taxonomic longevity because of their direct relationship with the number of false coexistences generated by time discretization. With several worst-case but realistic parameter combinations (e.g., when relatively short-lived taxa are analyzed in a long-ranging biozone framework), the original and time-discretized richness curves can ultimately show a very weak to zero correlation, making these two time series independent. Based on these simulation results, we propose a simple algorithm allowing the back-transformation of a discrete-time taxonomic-richness data set, as customarily constructed by paleontologists, into a continuous-time data set. We show that the reconstructed richness curve obtained this way fits the original signal much more closely, even when the parameter combination of the original data set is particularly adverse to an effective time-discretized reconstruction.
The Last Laugh: African Audience Responses to Colonial Health Propaganda Films
Authors: Newell Stephanie
Published: August 2017

Focusing on the complexity of local spectators’ responses to the simple ideological formulae of colonial health and hygiene films, this article asks about the ways in which the presence of local aesthetic tastes and values represented a vital third space of mediation alongside film content and filmmakers’ “authorial” objectives in the much-studied media archives on public health and hygiene in colonial Africa. The article argues that a host of cognitive failures is encapsulated in colonial officials’ reports on the laughter of African audiences between the late 1920s and early 1950s. In attributing African laughter to unrefined “native” cruelty, colonial officials precluded the possibility of a politics of ridicule among audiences, among many other aesthetic and social practices affecting spectators’ reactions to films.
Colonial Legitimization-Legibility Linkages and the Politics of Identity in Algeria and Morocco
Authors: Wyrtzen Jonathan
Published: August 2017

Scholarship on the modern state’s symbolic and social infrastructural power typically correlates high state capacity to practices of standardization, homogenization, and integration. Less attention has focused on how this power can be directed towards differentiation and heterogenization, as amply demonstrated in the case of empire. This article develops a framework for analyzing how infrastructural power is employed by modern colonial states and how it impacts society. It argues that formal legitimization structures defined for colonial subunits influence legibility practices enacted within them—what is named and counted and how it is named and counted—and that these legitimization-legibility linkages are significant because they politicize particular boundaries of collective identity in lasting ways within the subjugated society. This model is used to analyze variation within French North Africa between a colony-type linkage in Algeria and a protectorate-type linkage in Morocco, and account for the divergent identity politics and claims-making strategies that emerged within these units. The conclusion considers the broader comparative implications of legitimization-legibility combinations in formerly colonized political units.
The Social Question and State Formation in British Africa
Authors: Veit Alex , Schlichte Klaus , Karadag Roy
Published: August 2017

The paper explores governmental perceptions and reactions to “social questions” in British colonial Africa, c. 1880-1950. By comparing three different political entities, Egypt, South Africa and Uganda, we find that authorities across cases have been acutely aware of potentially destabilising social change. Some social problems actually resulted from colonial projects themselves, giving rise to rather contradictory interpretations and policies. However, the intensity of political reactions to social questions varied widely, ranging from a largely passive approach in Egypt to the introduction of modern welfare in South Africa. We argue that perceptions and responses to social dislocation had a long-term impact on patterns of state formation and social policy development.