bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
ЗНАЧЕННЯ ЕНДОТЕЛІНУ У ПЕРЕБІГУ ПОЗАЛІКАРНЯНОЇ ПНЕВМОНІЇ У ДІТЕЙ
Authors: Chornomydz I. B. , Kosovska T. M. , Kosovska V. O.
Published: September 2018

В останні роки все більше уваги приділяють ролі порушень мікроциркуляції та ендотеліальній дисфункції у патогенезі багатьох захворювань, зокрема і пневмонії. Не вивченою на сьогодні є роль ендотеліну, як маркера ушкодження ендотелію судин, у розвитку пневмонії у дітей.Мета дослідження – вивчити роль ендотеліну-1 у перебігу позалікарняної пневмонії у дітей та встановити зв'язок рівня цього медіатора у крові з тяжкістю перебігу пневмонії та розвитком ускладнень.Матеріал і методи. Обстежено 96 дітей віком від 6 до 14 років, хворих на гостру позалікарняну пневмонію різної тяжкості. Рівень ендотеліну-1 у крові визначали імуноферментним методом з використанням набору реактивів «R&D», США. Дослідження проводили до та після проведеного лікування.Результати. Встановлено достовірне зростання вмісту ендотеліну-1 у крові дітей, хворих на позалікарняну пневмонію середньої тяжкості, та при тяжкому перебігу захворювання. Рівень цього показника збільшується при зростанні тяжкості патологічного процесу, при цьому рівень ендотеліну перед лікуванням перевищує показники здорових осіб приблизно в 4 рази при пневмонії середньої тяжкості та у 6 разів – при тяжкій. Після лікування у крові утримуються високі показники рівня ендотеліну, що може призвести до порушень мікроциркуляції, гіпоксії та збільшує ризик хронізації патологічного процесу. Встановлено, що високі показники ендотеліну-1 у крові можуть призвести до збільшення ризику розвитку тяжких гнійних ускладнень позалікарняної пневмонії.Висновки. У дітей, хворих на позалікарняну пневмонію, встановлено зростання у крові рівня ендотеліну-1. При зростанні тяжкості перебігу захворювання пропорційно зростає і рівень ендотеліну у крові. Підвищення рівня ендотеліну-1 у крові може свідчити про ймовірний розвиток тяжких гнійних ускладнень позалікарняної пневмонії. Після лікування позалікарняної пневмонії у дітей залишається підвищений вміст ендотеліну у крові, що може стати причиною хронізації патологічного процесу в легенях.
Antonio Candido e as letras, na Fapesp
Authors: Dimas Antonio
Published: September 2018

A Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (Fapesp) foi criada, por lei, em outubro de 1960 e implantada em maio de 1962, sob o governo Carvalho Pinto. Sua função principal é a de estimular, amparar e defender a política científica do estado de São Paulo realizada nos mais diversos setores de produção do conhecimento dentro do território paulista. Originária da preocupação acadêmica de engenheiros, médicos e biólogos dedicados à pesquisa, a Fapesp desenvolveu-se de modo rápido e eficaz e, pouco tempo depois de sua criação, acolheu a inserção das letras em seu repertório, onde já figuravam as ciências sociais e a história. Neste artigo, relata-se como se operou essa inserção graças ao empenho de Antonio Candido, da FFCL-USP
Synergistic Interaction Between Zinc and Reactive Oxygen Species Amplifies Ischemic Brain Injury in Rats
Authors: Zhao Yongmei , Yan Feng , Yin Jie , Pan Rong , Shi Wenjuan , Qi Zhifeng , Fang Yalan , Huang Yuyou , Li Sen , Luo Yumin , Ji Xunming , Liu Ke Jian
Published: September 2018

Background and Purpose—

Although intracellular zinc accumulation has been shown to contribute to neuronal death after cerebral ischemia, the mechanism by which zinc keeps on accumulating to cause severe brain damage remains unclear. Herein the dynamic cause-effect relationships between zinc accumulation and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production during cerebral ischemia/reperfusion are investigated.

Methods—

Rats were treated with zinc chelator, ROS scavenger, mitochondria-targeted ROS inhibitor, or NADPH oxidase inhibitor during a 90-minute middle cerebral artery occlusion. Cytosolic labile zinc, ROS level, cerebral infarct volume, and neurological functions were assessed after ischemia/reperfusion.

Results—

Zinc and ROS were colocalized in neurons, leading to neuronal apoptotic death. Chelating zinc reduced ROS production at 6 and 24 hours after reperfusion, whereas eliminating ROS reduced zinc accumulation only at 24 hours. Furthermore, suppression of mitochondrial ROS production reduced the total ROS level and brain damage at 6 hours after reperfusion but did not change zinc accumulation, indicating that ROS is produced mainly from mitochondria during early reperfusion and the initial zinc release is upstream of ROS generation after ischemia. Suppression of NADPH oxidase decreased ROS generation, zinc accumulation, and brain damage only at 24 hours after reperfusion, indicating that the majority of ROS is produced by NADPH oxidase at later reperfusion time.

Conclusions—

This study provides the direct evidence that there exists a positive feedback loop between zinc accumulation and NADPH oxidase–induced ROS production, which greatly amplifies the damaging effects of both. These findings reveal that different ROS-generating source contributes to ischemia-generated ROS at different time, underscoring the critical importance of spatial and temporal factors in the interaction between ROS and zinc accumulation, and the consequent brain injury, after cerebral ischemia/reperfusion.
Wall Shear Stress and T1 Contrast Ratio Are Associated With Embolic Signals During Carotid Exposure in Endarterectomy
Authors: Oshida Sotaro , Mori Futoshi , Sasaki Makoto , Sato Yuiko , Kobayshi Masakazu , Yoshida Kenji , Fujiwara Shunrou , Ogasawara Kuniaki
Published: September 2018

Background and Purpose—

The frictional force because of blood flow may dislodge masses present on the surface of a plaque. Such frictional force is calculated as wall shear stress (WSS) using computational fluid dynamics. The aims of the present study were to determine whether, in addition to carotid plaque intensity on T1-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, WSS calculated using computational fluid dynamics analysis for carotid arteries is associated with development of an embolism during exposure of carotid arteries during carotid endarterectomy.

Methods—

One hundred patients with internal carotid artery stenosis (≥70%) underwent carotid plaque imaging with MR, and 54 patients with a vulnerable plaque (intraplaque hemorrhage or lipid/necrotic core) displayed as a high-intensity lesion underwent additional cervical 3-dimensional MR angiography. The maximum value of WSS within the most severe stenotic segment of the internal carotid artery was calculated using MR angiography. Transcranial Doppler monitoring of microembolic signals (MES) in the ipsilateral middle cerebral artery was performed during carotid endarterectomy.

Results—

Although none of the 46 patients with a nonvulnerable carotid plaque had MES during exposure of carotid arteries, 24 of the 54 patients with a vulnerable carotid plaque (44%) had MES. Logistic regression analysis showed that higher plaque intensity (
P
=0.0107) and higher WSS (
P
=0.0029) were significantly associated with the development of MES. When both cutoff points of plaque intensity and WSS in the receiver operating characteristic curves for predicting development of MES were combined, specificity (from 63% to 93%) and positive predictive value (from 66% to 90%) became greater than those for plaque intensity alone.

Conclusions—

In addition to carotid plaque intensity on T1-weighted MR imaging, WSS calculated using computational fluid dynamics analysis for carotid arteries is associated with development of an embolism during exposure of carotid arteries during carotid endarterectomy.
The Politics and Poetics of Madness in Ḥasan Blāsim’s The Madman of Freedom Square
Authors: Al-Masri Khaled
Published: September 2018

Iraqi writer Ḥasan Blāsim’s debut collection of short stories, Majnūn sāḥat al-ḥurriyyah (The Madman of Freedom Square), is centrally concerned with states and expressions of madness arising from the traumatic violence that consumed Iraq during, between, and after the first and second Gulf wars. The experiences of refugees and their search for asylum are frequently highlighted. Focusing on select stories, this article identifies and explores four types of madness in Blāsim’s fiction: contained madness, a structural dichotomy between madness and sanity that is established through a nested narrative structure in which a fantastical inner story is framed and retold by an apparently reliable external narrator; madness of the body, in which a traumatized character experiences a transformation, or disintegration, of his human form; gendered madness, in which madness is a response to patriarchal violence and oppression; and destabilizing madness, a subversion of contained madness in which the boundaries between sanity and madness, reality and fantasy, become indistinguishable. Drawing on theories of literary madness advanced by Shoshana Felman and others, the article argues that Blāsim’s iterations of madness and trauma serve to expand reality, rather than distort it, ultimately depicting the horror of wartime Iraq and the lives of its refugees in a way that rational storytelling simply cannot capture.
Extratropical Cyclogenesis Changes in Connection with Tropospheric ENSO Teleconnections to the North Atlantic: Role of Stationary and Transient Waves
Authors: Schemm Sebastian , Rivière Gwendal , Ciasto Laura M. , Li Camille
Published: September 2018

This study investigates mechanisms for changes in wintertime extratropical cyclogenesis over North America and the North Atlantic during different phases of El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO). Insights into the relationship between the ENSO–North Atlantic teleconnection and the cyclogenesis changes are provided by diagnosing the relative roles of stationary wave propagation and transient eddies in setting cyclogenesis-conducive large-scale circulation anomalies. During La Niña winters, Rocky Mountain and Greenland cyclogenesis are enhanced, while Gulf Stream cyclogenesis is reduced. Diagnostics suggest that stationary waves of tropical origin work in tandem with transient eddies to amplify the ridge over the northeastern Pacific, establishing background flow anomalies that favor Rocky Mountain cyclogenesis; downstream, more transient eddies with an anticyclonic tilt push the North Atlantic jet poleward, favoring cyclogenesis near Greenland, while contributions from stationary waves are small. During central Pacific El Niño winters, the cyclogenesis situation is essentially the opposite: Rocky Mountain and Greenland cyclogenesis are reduced, while Gulf Stream cyclogenesis is enhanced. The analyses are consistent with stationary waves and transient eddies acting to weaken the climatological ridge over the northeastern Pacific, creating a more zonal Pacific jet; downstream, transient eddies with a cyclonic tilt push the North Atlantic jet equatorward, favoring Gulf Stream cyclogenesis. Anomalies in cyclogenesis frequencies, and the relative roles of transient and stationary waves, during eastern Pacific El Niño winters are associated with larger uncertainties.
The Affordable Care Act and the Growth of Involuntary Part-Time Employment
Authors: Even William E. , Macpherson David A.
Published: September 2018

This study tests whether the employer mandate under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) increased involuntary part-time (IPT) employment. Using data from the Current Population Survey between 1994 and 2015, the authors find that IPT employment in 2015 exceeded predictions based on economic conditions and the structure of the labor market. Of greater importance, using difference-in-difference methods, they find that the increase in the probability of IPT employment since passage of the ACA was greater in occupations with a larger share of workers affected by the mandate. The authors’ estimates suggest that approximately 700,000 additional workers without a college degree are in IPT employment as a result of the ACA employer mandate.
Improved mechanical properties of aligned multi-walled carbon nanotube/thermoplastic polyimide composites by hot stretching
Authors: Nam Tran H , Goto Ken , Kamei Toshiki , Shimamura Yoshinobu , Inoue Yoku , Kobayashi Satoshi , Ogihara Shinji
Published: September 2018

High heat resistance composites based on thermoplastic polyimide resin and aligned multi-walled carbon nanotube sheets have been developed using hot-melt processing method with a vacuum-assisted system. The horizontally aligned carbon nanotube sheets were produced from vertically aligned carbon nanotube arrays using drawing and press-winding techniques. Effects of processing conditions, carbon nanotube contents, and hot stretching on the mechanical properties of the composites were examined. The aligned carbon nanotube/thermoplastic polyimide composites were fabricated successfully at a temperature of 410℃ under 2 MPa pressure. The surface morphologies of the composites showed high alignment and dense packing of carbon nanotubes, and a good impregnation of the thermoplastic polyimide matrix into the aligned carbon nanotube sheets. The best mechanical properties of the aligned carbon nanotube/thermoplastic polyimide composites were achieved at the carbon nanotube volume fraction of about 50% in this study. Hot stretching of the aligned carbon nanotube/thermoplastic polyimide composites at the temperatures above the glass transition temperature and below the melting temperature improved the mechanical properties of the composites considerably.
Dynamic crack propagation from a circular defect in a unidirectional carbon fiber reinforced plastic composite
Authors: Nie Yizhou , Parab Niranjan D , Chu Jou-Mei , Kim Garam , Sun Tao , Fezzaa Kamel , Sterkenburg Ronald , Chen Weinong W
Published: September 2018

A single-ply unidirectional IM7/8552 carbon fiber reinforced plastic composite with artificially introduced circular defects is subjected to dynamic tensile loading using a modified Kolsky tension bar. A high-speed X-ray phase contrast imaging method is integrated with the Kolsky bar setup to record the crack initiation from the defects and subsequent propagation in the material in real time during the tensile loading. The tensile loading was applied either in longitudinal (0° to fibers) or transverse (90° to fibers) direction of the specimens. Shear failure of the matrix and axial splitting along the loading/fiber direction were observed in longitudinal specimens to initiate from the edge of the artificial circular defects. Debonding of fiber and matrix was observed in transverse specimens, which initiated from the top and bottom edge of the hole. The dynamic tensile loading history during the crack propagation was recorded using a piezoelectric load cell and synchronized with the observed damage and failure processes.
An integrated design of self-care textile wearables: exploration of thermal-stimuli effects and drug delivery function
Authors: Wai Cheung Tin , Yang Chenxiao , Li Li
Published: September 2018

Fiber technology has become increasingly essential in various industries, such as the fashion clothing, medical, cosmetic and upholstery industries. It can be used to overcome some existing challenges of textile–skin interaction in response to medical functions. This research aims to study the thermal-stimuli effects and biological performances of drug delivery textiles so as to develop a personal self-care textile that is wearable for a wide range of adaptive medical treatments.

The proposed study is interdisciplinary and focuses on the following: (1) developing a long-term continuous self-care drug delivery textile wearable for patients by using different textile materials and structure layering; (2) examining the loading capability of synthetic staple crimped hollow fibers in the assembly of the non-woven structure; (3) comparing the drug loading performance between direct infiltration with magnetic stirring and vacuum loading; (4) observing the thermal distribution of the thermal-stimuli drug delivery textile layers. Designing a specially made textile wearable for breast cancer patients (i.e. a bra for females and a sweatshirt/pullover for males) is a conceptual example of the proposed self-care textile wearable. Silver-coated conductive yarns were fabricated into hollow fiber-based non-woven fabrics for thermal stimulation. Significant drug delivery through the non-wovens was shown by the anti-breast cancer analysis. Drugs in different phases, liquid and crystal solid, could be carried by the lumens of the hollow fibers. If the proposed study is successfully commercialized, it will be a great technological breakthrough in preparing a future generation of drug delivery medical textiles. A variety of medical applications can hence be provided and it could also be an alternative for topical healthcare.
The influence of carbon fiber diameter and content on the dielectric properties of wet-laid nonwoven fabric
Authors: Wang Hao , Long Jin , Wang Yi , Liang Yun , Hu Jian , jiang haiyang
Published: September 2018

A new kind of wet-laid nonwoven fabric, which has great potential to be applied as a wave absorbing material, has been prepared using paper making methods, using blends of short carbon fibers (CFs) and aramid fibers. The dielectric properties and the electromagnetic wave absorbing performance of the new wet-laid nonwoven fabric have been tested at a frequency of 10 GHz to study the influence of the diameter along with the CFs. It was found that the composites with finer CFs tend to have lesser resistance when set at the same CF content. The microwave-absorbing performances of the composites were observed by complex permittivity and reflection loss. These results indicate that the wet-laid nonwoven fabrics can be used as an effective, lightweight, microwave-absorbing material, which can have a highly flexible dielectric property.
Silanized silica compatibilization of NBR/gelatin blends for the production of green rubber products
Authors: Gill Yasir Qayyum , Irfan Muhammad Shafiq , Saeed Farhan , Nadeem Muhammad , Ehsan Hira
Published: September 2018

In this study, acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (NBR)–gelatin blends were prepared by conventional melt blending process at 40°C processing temperature and 50 r min−1 rotor speed in a Brabender-Plasticorder. Gelatin loading was varied from 10 to 50 phr. The extent of reinforcement was more prominent at 30 phr gelatin loading without compatibilization. Up to 30 phr gelatin loading, the tensile strength, abrasion resistance, and morphological properties of blends increased. After 30 phr gelatin loading, the toughness and abrasion resistance declined for samples containing 40 and 50 phr gelatin. However, cross-link density and hardness kept on increasing beyond 30 phr loading. At optimum loading of 30 phr of gelatin, 3, 3.5, and 4 phr of nano-silanized silica was added as a compatibilizer for further improvement in properties. After compatibilization of 30 phr gelatin sample with 4 phr of nano-silanized silica, the extent of reinforcement in terms of tensile strength was improved from 8.97 to 9.92 MPa.
The Presentation of Ethics in Undergraduate Psychology Syllabi
Authors: You Di , Ruiz Ana , Warchal Judith
Published: September 2018

To identify where ethics is presented to undergraduate psychology students, this study reviewed a national sample of 706 syllabi for required mandatory psychology courses. The results indicated that 6 syllabi were designated as ethics courses and 65 syllabi did not mention ethics at all. Even though 641 syllabi mentioned ethics, the most frequent listing was under course policies, usually as a standard statement (e.g., academic honesty and plagiarism) required by many institutions. Our recommendation is that ethics should be intentionally included in the learning goals/objectives/outcomes with a corresponding assessment (assignments) in all syllabi in addition to policy statements.
A study of linear PMSM driven ropeless elevators
Authors: So Albert , Chan WL
Published: September 2018

In recent years, buildings have become taller and wider. The conventional approach of one roped elevator car per hoistway seems increasingly impractical. The idea of ropeless elevators using linear motors was proposed more than 30 years ago, but it was merely treated as wishful thinking by the industry at that time due to lots of safety concerns. And discussion by the industry has mainly been qualitative in nature. In recent years, an international manufacturer announced the development of a prototype and the world's first installation may probably be open to public before the end of 2018. So far, academic studies have mainly focused on the study of linear motors with generic applications, while this paper focuses on the performance of the motor drive from an elevator's point of view. In this paper, we investigate the mechanism of the drive, and the linear permanent magnet synchronous motor and, by discretizing the equations of the full mathematical model, we fine tune the parameters and design suitable controllers. We evaluate its performance by computer simulation, based on the necessary kinematics of a real elevator, so as to arrive at some design guidelines. Finally, the most critical safety concern, i.e. free fall during a total power failure, is quantitatively studied by short circuiting all motor windings. Methods to achieve a reasonably constant and low descending speed, have been studied with parameters estimated analytically, and are verified by simulation. For the sake of illustrating the concept as an initial trial, simplified circuit models, controllers and sensors are all assumed as being ideal. It is hoped that this paper will stimulate the research interest of both the academic world and the industry, while the inclusion of more losses, armature reactions, and imperfections, etc., could be tackled in a further study.

Practical application: The application of one roped elevator car in taller and wider buildings seems increasingly impractical. This paper considers the analysis of the application of ropeless elevators using linear motors focusing on the performance of the motor drive from an elevator's point of view. A basic mathematical framework is developed to study and design the controllers and drive of a multi-car elevator system by using linear permanent magnet synchronous motors with emphasis on the elevator performance as a whole system. The paper is aimed at stimulating research interest to drive the appropriate analysis and application of linear permanent magnet synchronous motor driven ropeless elevators.
Dimensions of Body-Awareness and Depressed Mood and Anxiety
Authors: Solano López Ana Laura , Moore Shirley
Published: September 2018

Interoception, the multidimensional ability to sense the physiological condition of the body, is a key mechanism in emotional processing. However, the relationships between interoceptive dimensions and depressed mood and anxiety have not been widely studied. The aim of this secondary analysis, correlational and cross-sectional study, was to determine the relationships among interoceptive accuracy, interoceptive sensibility, depressed mood, and anxiety in adults with hypertension. The sample consisted of 76 adults, predominately African American women. Correlational analysis showed that most participants had low levels of interoceptive accuracy and relatively high levels of interoceptive sensibility. Interoceptive sensibility was negatively associated with depressed mood and anxiety. Interoceptive accuracy and interoceptive sensibility were not associated between each other. Further examination of the dimensions of interoception is needed to better understand the mechanisms by which it is associated with emotions that are known to have an influence on health behaviors and quality of life.
Optimal Information Collection Policies in a Markov Decision Process Framework
Authors: Cipriano Lauren E. , Goldhaber-Fiebert Jeremy D. , Liu Shan , Weber Thomas A.
Published: September 2018

Background. The cost-effectiveness and value of additional information about a health technology or program may change over time because of trends affecting patient cohorts and/or the intervention. Delaying information collection even for parameters that do not change over time may be optimal. Methods. We present a stochastic dynamic programming approach to simultaneously identify the optimal intervention and information collection policies. We use our framework to evaluate birth cohort hepatitis C virus (HCV) screening. We focus on how the presence of a time-varying parameter (HCV prevalence) affects the optimal information collection policy for a parameter assumed constant across birth cohorts: liver fibrosis stage distribution for screen-detected diagnosis at age 50. Results. We prove that it may be optimal to delay information collection until a time when the information more immediately affects decision making. For the example of HCV screening, given initial beliefs, the optimal policy (at 2010) was to continue screening and collect information about the distribution of liver fibrosis at screen-detected diagnosis in 12 years, increasing the expected incremental net monetary benefit (INMB) by $169.5 million compared to current guidelines. Conclusions. The option to delay information collection until the information is sufficiently likely to influence decisions can increase efficiency. A dynamic programming framework enables an assessment of the marginal value of information and determines the optimal policy, including when and how much information to collect.
The Americanisation of C. L. R. James
Authors: Scott Jonathan
Published: September 2018

The writings of the Black Marxist-Leninist thinker and activist C. L. R. James are now widely known and studied, although most of his long career was passed in obscurity. His two most influential books, The Black Jacobins (1938) and Beyond a Boundary (1963) now have a global impact. But his work did not begin to receive wide recognition until the 1980s and 1990s. And it is the nature of that recognition, and the ends to which his work has been put in the US academy, that this article explores. In critiquing a wide range of influential theoretical approaches to James’ work, the author relates current interpretations of it to the wider political and cultural climate engendered by neoliberalism, with its emphasis on the individual not as a historical agent, but as primarily concerned with self-fashioning and cultural identity. In the process, the article demonstrates how the political activist thrust of James’ analyses and work, and its concerns with imperialism and resistance, has been set aside as part of the corporate world’s continuing appropriation of the ‘alternative and adversarial culture of the 1960s’.
Worsening Knee Osteoarthritis Features on Magnetic Resonance Imaging 1 to 5 Years After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction
Authors: Patterson Brooke E. , Culvenor Adam G. , Barton Christian J. , Guermazi Ali , Stefanik Joshua J. , Morris Hayden G. , Whitehead Timothy S. , Crossley Kay M.
Published: September 2018

Background:

An anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is a well-established risk factor for the long-term development of radiographic osteoarthritis (OA). However, little is known about the early degenerative changes (ie, <5 years after injury) of individual joint features (ie, cartilage, bone marrow), which may be reversible and responsive to interventions.

Purpose:

To describe early degenerative changes between 1 and 5 years after ACL reconstruction (ACLR) on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and explore participant characteristics associated with these changes.

Study Design:

Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

Seventy-eight participants (48 men; median age, 32 years; median body mass index [BMI], 26 kg/m2) underwent 3.0-T MRI at 1 and 5 years after primary hamstring autograft ACLR. Early tibiofemoral and patellofemoral OA features were assessed with the MRI Osteoarthritis Knee Score. The primary outcome was worsening (ie, incident or progressive) cartilage defects, bone marrow lesions (BMLs), osteophytes, and meniscal lesions. Logistic regression with generalized estimating equations evaluated participant characteristics associated with worsening features.

Results:

Worsening of cartilage defects in any compartment occurred in 40 (51%) participants. Specifically, worsening in the patellofemoral and medial and lateral tibiofemoral compartments was present in 34 (44%), 8 (10%), and 10 (13%) participants, respectively. Worsening patellofemoral and medial and lateral tibiofemoral BMLs (14 [18%], 5 [6%], and 10 [13%], respectively) and osteophytes (7 [9%], 8 [10%], and 6 [8%], respectively) were less prevalent, while 17 (22%) displayed deteriorating meniscal lesions. Worsening of at least 1 MRI-detected OA feature, in either the patellofemoral or tibiofemoral compartment, occurred in 53 (68%) participants. Radiographic OA in any compartment was evident in 5 (6%) and 16 (21%) participants at 1 and 5 years, respectively. A high BMI (>25 kg/m2) was consistently associated with elevated odds (between 2- and 5-fold) of worsening patellofemoral and tibiofemoral OA features.

Conclusion:

High rates of degenerative changes occur in the first 5 years after ACLR, particularly the development and progression of patellofemoral cartilage defects. Older patients with a higher BMI may be at particular risk and should be educated about this risk.
Clinical Outcomes of Multifocal Osteochondral Allograft Transplantation of the Knee: An Analysis of Overlapping Grafts and Multifocal Lesions
Authors: Cotter Eric J. , Hannon Charles P. , Christian David R. , Wang Kevin C. , Lansdown Drew A. , Waterman Brian R. , Frank Rachel M. , Cole Brian J.
Published: September 2018

Background:

There is a paucity of literature regarding the outcomes of adjacent-plug osteochondral allograft transplantation (OCA) for irregular or ovoid lesions and multifocal OCA for multicompartmental, focal lesions.

Purpose:

To quantify the survival of multiplug OCA for larger, high-grade chondral lesions with the “snowman” technique versus that of multicompartmental or bipolar OCA.

Study Design:

Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods:

All patients who underwent primary, multiplug OCA for large unicondylar, multicompartmental (eg, bipolar patellofemoral and condylar, bicondylar), or bipolar chondral defects (ie, patellofemoral) with a minimum 2-year follow-up by a single surgeon from April 1, 2003, to April 1, 2015, were analyzed. Failure was defined as revision OCA, conversion to arthroplasty, or gross appearance of graft degeneration on second-look arthroscopic surgery.

Results:

Twenty-six patients (28 knees) were identified, with 22 patients (24 knees; 50% female; mean age, 31.9 ± 9.1 years) having at least 2-year clinical follow-up (85.7%). Nine patients (9 knees) underwent isolated, condylar OCA with the snowman technique and had a mean follow-up of 7.4 ± 3.6 years (range, 1.38-11.14 years), while 13 additional patients (15 knees) underwent multifocal OCA and had a mean follow-up of 6.4 ± 3.9 years (range, 2.07-12.38 years). Reoperations were common, with 44.4% (n = 4) of the snowman group and 20.0% (n = 3) of the multifocal group undergoing at least 1 reoperation. There were 3 failures (33.3%) in the snowman group at a mean 7.7 ± 5.5 years and 1 failure (6.7%) in the multifocal group at 4.5 ± 0.0 years, with all undergoing secondary total knee arthroplasty. Patients who underwent snowman OCA demonstrated significant postoperative improvement in the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) pain subscore and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) overall score ( P < .05 for both). Patients who underwent multifocal OCA demonstrated significant improvement in the International Knee Documentation Committee score; KOOS symptoms, activities of daily living, sport, and quality of life subscores; WOMAC stiffness, function, and overall subscores; and 12-Item Short Form Health Survey physical component summary score ( P < .05 for all).

Conclusion:

Patients who underwent unicondylar, multiplug OCA using the snowman technique demonstrated inferior clinical outcomes, higher reoperation rates, and greater failure rates than those who underwent isolated single-graft transplantation. By contrast, multifocal OCA may be a viable knee preservation technique for young, active patients with multicompartmental chondral disease, leading to improved clinical outcomes and low reoperation and failure rates at midterm follow-up.
URPE at UC Berkeley: The Activities, Protests, and Legacy of the Economics Students and URPE’s Once Largest Chapter
Authors: Kim Marlene
Published: September 2018

Students at UC Berkeley helped found the Union for Radical Political Economic (URPE) in 1968. The Berkeley chapter of URPE worked with economic students to successfully press that a radical economist be hired, which also resulted in a political economy field concentration. URPE at Berkeley provided a supportive community for graduate students, and intellectual stimulation and support for students who were interested in non-neoclassical training and research. URPE with other students provided study groups and taught political economy courses to undergraduates. Although this chapter of URPE no longer exists, its legacy is a more plural department that is more representative, thanks to former economics graduate students who attended this university.
A preliminary multidisciplinary design procedure for tactical missiles
Authors: Khalil Mostafa , Hashish Anwer , Abdalla Hamed M
Published: September 2018

During missile system development, multidisciplinary design procedure is iteratively implemented based on the missile objective and target nature including internal ballistic, warhead function, and airframe configuration. By applying missile preliminary design, a good estimation for different design parameters can be obtained which will be useful through further detail design process. The aim of this paper is to build a preliminary design procedure for an unguided tactical missile that uses single-stage solid propellant motor to deliver a defined payload mass to a desired ground range. Based on data of available similar mature missile systems, two empirical formulas are developed to serve in the initial sizing of the missile with consideration of slenderness ratio, warhead mass, and desired ground range. Two different design concepts are implemented for tubular and star grains with different propellant compositions and chamber filling coefficients while the body-alone airframe configuration is adopted. The results demonstrate the capability of the proposed design procedure in defining the detailed design parameters. The impact of changing the propellant compositions and chamber filling coefficients on the obtained ground range is also explored.
The challenges of transdisciplinary knowledge production: from unilocal to comparative research
Authors: Simon David , Palmer Henrietta , Riise Jan , Smit Warren , Valencia Sandra
Published: September 2018

This reflective paper surveys the lessons learnt and challenges faced by the Mistra Urban Futures (MUF) research centre and its research platforms in Sweden, the UK, South Africa and Kenya in developing and deploying different forms of transdisciplinary co-production of knowledge. Considerable experience with a distinctive portfolio of such methods has been gained and reflective evaluation is now under way. While it is important to understand the local context within which each method has evolved, we seek to explain the potential for adaptation in diverse contexts so that such knowledge co-production methods can be more widely utilized. Furthermore, the current phase of MUF’s work is undertaking innovative comparative transdisciplinary co-production research across its research platforms. Since the specific local projects differ, systematic thematic comparison requires great care and methodological rigour. Transdisciplinary co-production is inherently complex, time consuming and often unpredictable in terms of outcomes, and these challenges are intensified when it is undertaken comparatively.
Sensitivity analysis of three-wheel vehicle’s suspension parameters influencing ride behavior
Authors: Sharma Rakesh Chandmal , Sharma Sunil Kumar
Published: September 2018

In this article coupled vertical–lateral 9 degree-of-freedom model of a three-wheel vehicle formulated using Lagrangian dynamics is presented in order to determine its vertical and lateral ride. The model is justified by correlating the power spectral density vertical and lateral acceleration results determined from analysis with the same obtained from experimental measurements. The ride comfort of the vehicle is evaluated on the basis of ISO 2631-1 criteria. The sensitivity of vehicle suspension parameters on vertical and lateral ride behavior is analyzed, and it is noticed that rear-suspension damping coefficient, front-tire stiffness, rear-tire stiffness, front-tire damping coefficient, and rear-tire damping coefficient are critical parameters for vertical power spectral density acceleration. Rear-suspension stiffness, rear-suspension damping coefficient, front-tire stiffness, and rear-tire stiffness are critical parameters for lateral power spectral density acceleration.
Fourier-transform near infrared spectroscopy and chemometrics for discrimination of cold-pressed oils and determination of their chemical parameters
Authors: Gliszczyńska-Świgło Anna , Jajor Żaneta , Kmiecik Dominik
Published: September 2018

Principal component analysis was performed to discriminate commercial cold-pressed cosmetic oils based on their Fourier-transform near infrared spectroscopy spectra and chemical parameters such as the composition of fatty acids, content of tocopherols, total carotenoids, polyphenols, and chlorophylls, as well as calculated oxidizability and iodine values. It was found that the oils analyzed differed significantly in the chemical composition. The level of total unsaturated fatty acids ranged from 74.0 to 93.4%. The content of carotenoids in oils ranged from 3.1 to 197.1 mg/kg, total chlorophylls from 0.04 to 46.3 mg/kg, and total phenolics from 36 to 596 mg/kg. The oils tested differed also in the content of tocopherols (from 11 to 3836 mg/kg). Principal component analysis based on Fourier-transform near infrared spectroscopy spectra revealed a different pattern of discrimination of the oils compared to principal component analysis based on the chemical parameters. However, using partial least squares regression, good correlations were found between Fourier-transform near infrared spectroscopy spectra and the contribution of linoleic acid (18:2), monounsaturated fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, unsaturated fatty acids, calculated oxidizability, or calculated iodine values. Good models with coefficients of determination not lower than 0.989 and with low root-mean-square error for cross-validation were obtained when the range from 4800 to 4500 cm−1 was applied. Values of residual predictive deviation for these models were higher than 3.0 indicating very good prediction accuracy. The models obtained were successfully used to predict these parameters for new selected oils.
The Effects of Gamma Irradiation on Medical Grade Poly(Methyl Methacrylate)
Authors: Barton Stephen J. , Foot Peter J. S. , Tate Philip C. Miller , Kishi Mariko , Ghatora Baljit
Published: September 2018

Within developing countries the most cost-effective polymer used in the fabrication of rigid intraocular lenses (IOLs) is poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), for which gamma irradiation is increasingly being used as the preferred method of sterilisation. Medical grade PMMA samples sterilised using a dose of 29kGy of gamma irradiation, were immersed in a simulated aqueous humour solution (SAHS) (pH 7.4, 35 °C), and periodically removed to assess changes in their thermal and structural properties with respect to control samples. Triple-detection gel permeation chromatography indicated that substantial chain scission had occurred during gamma irradiation, an adverse effect that also resulted in a small increase in the rate of diffusion of the SAHS into the PMMA. The diffusion coefficient of SAHS into the gamma-sterilised PMMA was 2.7 ± 0.6 × 10−12 m2s−1, and that for the control samples was 2.0 ± 0.5 × 10−12 m2 s−1. Thermomechanical analysis revealed a decreasing Tg with time for samples incubated in SAHS, showing that the solution caused plasticisation irrespective of irradiation; however, the γ-sterilised PMMA had a Tg 7 °C lower than the control PMMA, which indicates the effect of the γ-irradiation on the rigidity of the polymer.
Effect of Alkali Treatment on Physical Properties of Bio-Based Composites
Authors: Williams T. , Hosur M. , Vaidya U. , Jeelani S.
Published: September 2018

In the present study, bast kenaf natural fibres were alkali-treated to determine the effect of treatment on the physical properties of natural fibre-reinforced biocomposites. Both unsaturated polyesters and bio-polyester resins were used as matrices. Other resin systems were studied as well, including a resin made with low VOC, fatty acid-derived reactive diluents. After all the biocomposites had been fabricated via compression moulding, it was observed that the incorporation of alkali-treated fibres in the biocomposites decreased the flexural and thermo-mechanical properties of the biocomposites. It was also observed that mercerizing the kenaf aided in reducing the moisture absorption by 30% and increasing the compressive strength by ∼30% compared to that of the untreated biocomposites. The property changes were believed to be the result of crystallinity changes in the kenaf as a result of the treatment.
Impact of Linkage Group in Comb-Like Polymer on Dispersion Properties of Cement Pastes
Authors: Qiao Min , Ran Qianping , Liu Jiaping
Published: September 2018

The present study aimed to develop a full understanding of the effects of the linkage group type in comb-like polymers on dispersion and dispersion retention of concentrated cement pastes. Two comb-like copolymer dispersants with ester and ether linkage groups were produced. The effects of the linkage group type in the comb-like polymers on the adsorption, dispersion, dispersion retention of the concentrated cement suspensions were investigated systematically. The mechanism of dispersion retention was investigated using isothermal calorimetry measurements and structure stability analysis. The retention of dispersion had a close relationship with the hydration of cement and hydrolysis of side chains.
Properties of Hyaluronan/Pva-Sbq Composite Films Processed by Casting
Authors: Xu Jing , Bai Huiyu , Wang Miao , Xia Wenshui , Liu Xiaoya
Published: September 2018

In this report, a novel hyaluronan/PVA-SbQ composite film was prepared by casting method. The miscibility and morphology of the films were investigated by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The surface hydrophobicity and the thermal properties of the composite films were examined by contact angle (CA) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), respectively. The results showed strong hydrogen bonding interactions and molecular miscibility between the two polymers. A dimerization reaction of SbQ pendant groups in PVA-SbQ chains induced by UV led to the crosslinking of the composite film. The film displayed enhanced tensile strength and slightly weakened elongation at break after being photo-crosslinked. Such film may be a promising material for food or drug packaging applications.
Nanoflake Patterning of Self-Assembled Multilayer Films
Authors: Tang Qunwei , He Benlin , Chu Lei
Published: September 2018

Nanopatterning has attracted much attention because of its growing use in designing nanoelectronic and optoelectronic devices. Development of a facile route to nanopatterning is a persistent goal in nanotechnology. Originating from positively charged polyethyleneimine (PEI) and negatively charged poly(4-styrenesulfonate) (PSS), we successfully designed separable nanoflake patterning using layer-by-layer self-assembly technique by sequential adsorption of PEI and PSS. The morphology and size of the nanopatterning can be controlled by adjusting the number of bilayers in the film. Electrochemical measurements reveal that the (PEI/PSS) nanoflakes have good electroactivity and permeability for the electrolytes undergoing redox reaction. By controlling the distribution of surface charges on substrates, nanopatterning can be facilely achieved by self-assembly method.
Effect of Graphite and Carbon Black Fillers on the Processability, Electrical Conductivity and Mechanical Properties of Polypropylene-Based Bipolar Plates
Authors: Király Anett , Ronkay Ferenc
Published: September 2018

This study investigates the hybrid effect between graphite and carbon black in a polypropylene (PP) matrix, based on optical microscopy. PP sheets filled with various types of carbon black and graphite were prepared, and the effects of fillers on the flowability, electrical conductivity and mechanical properties were investigated. The effects of three kinds of carbon black with different specific surface areas (65, 770, 1400 m2/g) on the increase of conductivity in the polypropylene (PP) matrix were compared. The best performance was observed when the carbon black with the highest specific surface was used; therefore it was used for preparing the hybrid-filled (graphite – carbon black) materials by melt blending. Optical microscopic studies proved that the carbon black exerted not only a direct but also an indirect influence on the conductivity and on the mechanical properties of the hybrid composites, as it influenced the distribution of graphite significantly. At lower graphite contents the material became more flexible because of the better dispersion of graphite, but at higher carbon black contents the stiffness increased significantly.
Polystyrene-Organoclay Nanocomposites Prepared via In-Situ Emulsion Polymerization
Authors: Mocan M. , Uyanık N.
Published: September 2018

In this study, polystyrene-clay nanocomposites (PSNC's) were prepared via in-situ bulk and in-situ emulsion polymerization. The effect of organoclay and the architecture of surfactant were investigated. For the investigation of the effect of surfactant, organoclays were synthesized containing clay modifiers having different structures. Trimethylhexadecyl ammonium chloride, dimethylbenzylhexadecyl ammonium chloride and dimethylbenzyl(4-vinyl) hexadecyl ammonium chloride, which is synthesized in laboratory, modified clays were synthesized. Pristine polystyrene (PS) was synthesized by bulk and emulsion polymerization for comparison, and PSNC's containing 3 wt.% organoclays were prepared by both these polymerization methods.

Structural analysis of synthesized surfactant was identified by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectrometer. The interlayer spacing of silicate layers and the morphology of samples were examined by using the X-ray Diffraction (XRD) Spectrometer and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) images, respectively. Thermal properties of nanocomposites were determined by Thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) and Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC). It is observed that organoclays and PS were compatible to each other and each organoclay could form a nanocomposite structure with PS. PSNC's exhibited better properties than pristine PS. Nanocomposites prepared by in-situ emulsion polymerization resulted with better thermal properties and higher interlayer distances than that prepared by in-situ bulk polymerization. In order to improve some properties of PS such as thermal stability, preparation of PSNC's by in-situ emulsion polymerization has been suggested.