bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The role of the dementia specialist nurse in acute care: a scoping review
Authors: Griffiths Peter , Bridges Jackie , Sheldon Helen , Thompson Rachel
Published: December 2014

Aims and objectives

To identify the potential benefits of dementia specialist nursing and to inform the implementation of roles to support people with dementia during hospital admission.

Background

Extended stays and adverse events mean that hospital admissions are costly for people with dementia, and patient experiences and outcomes can be poor. Specialist nurses have been identified as having potential to enhance care quality, reduce excess stays and reduce costs, but the evidence base for dementia specialist nurse roles has not previously been synthesised.

Design

Scoping review.

Data sources

Cochrane Library, Campbell Collaboration, Clinical Evidence, Evidence‐Based Medicine, York Centre for Reviews and Dissemination, PubMed, Medline, CINAHL and PsycInfo databases and internet searches and personal libraries/expert consultation to identify grey literature.

Methods

Initial scoping searches were used to inform more focused systematic searches. Studies directly evaluating dementia nurse specialist roles or giving evidence of effectiveness of interventions/services that could be delivered by them to improve core outcomes were identified by one reviewer and verified by a second reviewer.

Results

While direct evidence for the effectiveness of these roles is lacking, a number of areas were identified in which a nurse specialist role could make a contribution, including preventing adverse events and improving patient experiences and outcomes. There is a considerable body of evidence for the effectiveness of these interventions although the volume of evidence for specific interventions is not always significant.

Conclusions

The evidence indicates that a skilled dementia specialist nurse, undertaking a clearly defined role, and working directly with people with dementia and their carers for a significant proportion of the time, could benefit people with dementia in hospitals and their family carers.

Relevance to clinical practice

Clear guidance for the development and implementation of dementia specialist nurse roles in acute hospital settings.
HOW NURSES' ATTITUDES AND ACTIONS CAN INFLUENCE SHARED CARE
Authors: Davison Ian , Cooke Sandra
Published: December 2014

Background

Patients with long‐term conditions may benefit from involvement in decision‐making and the management of their condition. This requires nurses to have a training role, which may conflict with their traditional identity as nurses.

Aim

To explore the differences in attitudes and behaviours of ‘carer’ and ‘trainer’ nurses to patients taking increasing responsibility and control of their own care on long‐term haemodialysis wards.

Design

Qualitative comparison of different nursing styles.

Methods

Semi‐structured interviews were undertaken with 30 patients and 44 nurses between September and November 2012. Participants were recruited from seven haemodialysis units in the UK. Data were analysed thematically using codes derived from theories associated with the research questions.

Findings

‘Carer’ nurses give bite‐sized chunks of information to their patients about diet and medication. Treatment decisions are made with minimal patient discussion and all aspects of dialysis are performed by staff. Nurses who are most like trainers encourage patients to have a broader understanding of their condition and genuinely involve patients in decisions. Such nurses are happy to encourage appropriate patients to self‐dialyse.

Conclusion

Initiatives to enable patients with chronic illnesses to look after themselves have the potential to empower patients, aid recovery and save money. However, such initiatives can create tension between the carer identity of nurses and their role as trainers. To encourage haemodialysis patients to dialyse themselves, nurses need to: educate for broad understanding and empowerment; participate in patient‐led decision‐making about diet and lifestyle; and encourage shared decision‐making for medication and dialysis.
Psychotherapy Utilization Among Rural and Urban Veterans From 2007 to 2010
Authors: Mott Juliette M. , Grubbs Kathleen M. , Sansgiry Shubhada , Fortney John C. , Cully Jeffrey A.
Published: December 2014

Purpose

This study evaluated change in rural and urban veterans’ psychotherapy use during a period of widespread effort within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) to engage rural veterans in mental health care.

Methods

National VHA administrative databases were queried for patients receiving a new diagnosis of depression, anxiety, or posttraumatic stress disorder in fiscal years (FY) 2007 and 2010. Using the US Department of Agriculture Rural‐Urban Continuum Codes, we identified urban (FY 2007: n = 192,347; FY 2010: n = 231,471) and rural (FY 2007: n = 72,923; FY 2010: n = 81,905) veterans. Veterans’ psychotherapy use during the 12 months following diagnosis was assessed.

Findings

From FY 2007 to 2010, the proportion of veterans receiving any psychotherapy increased from 17% to 22% for rural veterans and 24% to 28% for urban veterans. Rural veterans were less likely to receive psychotherapy across both fiscal years; however, the magnitude of this disparity decreased significantly from 2007 (odds ratio [OR] = 1.51) to 2010 (OR = 1.41). Similarly, although urban veterans received more psychotherapy sessions, urban‐rural disparities in the receipt of 8 or more psychotherapy sessions decreased over the study period (2007: OR = 2.32; 2010: OR = 1.69).

Conclusions

Rural and urban veterans are increasingly making use of psychotherapy, and rural‐urban gaps in psychotherapy use are shrinking. These improvements suggest that recent VHA efforts to engage rural veterans in care have been successful at reducing differences between rural and urban veterans with respect to access and engagement in psychotherapy.
Re‐Visiting Sylvia Townsend Warner
Authors: Plock Vike Martina , Murray Alex
Published: December 2014

Sylvia Townsend Warner was born in 1893 in Harrow and died in Dorset in 1978. Her writing career was both productive and diverse, spanning poems, short stories, novels, music reviews, a biography, translations of Proust, and a guide to Somerset. But this list, impressive as it is, does not do justice to the idiosyncrasy and heterogeneity of her work. While she is well known mostly for the seven novels she published, those works are all radically different in style and content. Indeed, Townsend Warner's singularity has, it could be argued, made it difficult to place her in the various fields and sub‐fields of 20th‐century literary studies. She shares as many similarities as differences with the high modernists who dominated the literary landscape of the interwar period. Likewise she fits, yet also resists, the more recent formulations of intermodernist and middlebrow scholarship that have attempted to interrogate and expand the horizons of mid‐20th century literature.
Sylvia Townsend Warner Scholarship 1978–2013: An Annotated Bibliography with Introduction
Authors: Montefiore Janet
Published: December 2014

This bibliography lists all the writings by and on Sylvia Townsend Warner in Britain and the USA published since her death in 1978. Because no comprehensive critical account of her work has yet appeared, there is a need to cover her own work and its critical reception. Posthumous editions of Sylvia Townsend Warner's work have revealed a brilliant and many‐sided oeuvre that includes poetry, short stories, memoir, biography and translations, but critics have mainly focused on her early novels and late fairy stories, a bias which this twofold bibliography aims to redress by including both editorial and critical work.
‘My Mother Won the War’: Patriotism and the First World War in Sylvia Townsend Warner's Scenes of Childhood (1981)
Authors: Hopkins Chris
Published: December 2014

This essay discusses the subversive treatment of the First World War and patriotism in four of Sylvia Townsend Warner's neglected New Yorker short stories from the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s, later collected in Scenes of Childhood and Other Stories (1981).
Routine bacterial screening of platelet concentrates by flow cytometry and its impact on product safety and supply
Authors: Müller B. , Walther‐Wenke G. , Kalus M. , Alt T. , Bux J. , Zeiler T. , Schottstedt V.
Published: December 2014

Background and Objectives

Bacterial contamination represents the major infectious hazard associated with transfusion of platelet concentrates (PCs). As bacterial screening of PCs is not mandatory in Germany, the BactiFlow flow cytometry test has been introduced as a rapid detection method to increase product safety.

Materials and Methods

During a period of 25 months, a total of 34 631 PCs (26 411 pooled and 8220 apheresis‐derived PCs) were tested at the end of day 3 of their shelf life using the BactiFlow system. PCs initially reactive in BactiFlow testing and expired PCs not reactive in BactiFlow on day 3 were also investigated by the BacT/ALERT system and by microbiological cultivation in order to identify the contaminating bacterial species and to confirm reactive BactiFlow results.

Results

Two hundred and twenty‐eight PCs (0·7%) had an initially reactive result, 24 of them remained reactive in a second test run. Out of these reproducible reactive BactiFlow results, 12 could not be verified by parallel BacT/ALERT culturing, resulting in a confirmed false‐positive rate of 0·03%. The bacterial species were identified as S. aureus, S. epidermidis, S. dysgalactiae ssp. equisimilis and B. cereus. In 10 out of 9017 expired PCs (0·11%), a confirmed‐positive result was obtained in the BacT/ALERT system which had a negative result in the BactiFlow system.

Conclusion

Testing of PCs by BactiFlow was successfully implemented in our blood donation service and proved sufficient as a rapid and reliable screening method. False reactive results are in an acceptable range since the transfusion of 12 bacterially contaminated PCs was prevented.
Febrile non‐haemolytic transfusion reaction occurrence and potential risk factors among the U.S. elderly transfused in the inpatient setting, as recorded in Medicare databases during 2011–2012
Authors: Menis M. , Forshee R. A. , Anderson S. A. , McKean S. , Gondalia R. , Warnock R. , Johnson C. , Mintz P. D. , Worrall C. M. , Kelman J. A. , Izurieta H. S.
Published: December 2014

Background and Objectives

Febrile non‐haemolytic transfusion reaction (FNHTR) is an acute transfusion complication resulting in fever, chills and/or rigours. Study's objective was to assess FNHTR occurrence and potential risk factors among inpatient U.S. elderly Medicare beneficiaries, ages 65 and older, during 2011–2012.

Materials and Methods

Our retrospective claims‐based study utilized large Medicare administrative databases. FNHTR was ascertained via ICD‐9‐CM diagnosis code, and transfusions were identified by recorded procedure and revenue centre codes. The study ascertained FNHTR rates among the inpatient elderly overall and by age, gender, race, blood components and units transfused. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to assess potential risk factors.

Results

Among 4 336 338 inpatient transfusion stays for elderly during 2011–2012, 2517 had FNHTR diagnosis recorded, an overall rate of 58·0 per 100 000 stays. FNHTR rates (per 100 000 stays) varied by age, gender, number of units and blood components transfused. FNHTR rates were substantially higher for RBCs‐ and platelets‐containing transfusions as compared to plasma only. Significantly higher odds of FNHTR were identified with greater number of units transfused (P < 0·01), for females vs. males (OR = 1·15, 95% CI 1·04–1·27), and with 1‐year histories of transfusion (OR = 1·25, 95% CI 1·10–1·42), lymphoma (OR = 1·22, 95% CI 1·02–1·46), leukaemia (OR = 1·90, 95% CI 1·56–2·31) and other diseases.

Conclusions

Our study shows increased FNHTR occurrence among elderly with greater number of units and with RBCs‐ and platelets‐containing transfusions, suggesting need to evaluate effectiveness of prestorage leucoreduction in elderly. The study also suggests importance of prior recipient alloimmunization and underlying health conditions in the development of FNHTR.
Prospect Theory-based Real Options Analysis for Noncommercial Assets
Authors: Knight Joshua T. , Singer David J.
Published: December 2014

When an engineering system has the ability to change or adapt based on a future choice, then flexibility can become an important component of that system’s total value. However, evaluating noncommercial flexible systems, like those in the defense sector, presents many challenges because of their dynamic nature. Designers intuitively understand the importance of flexibility to hedge against uncertainties. In the naval domain, however, they often do not have the tools needed for analysis. Thus, decisions often rely on engineering experience. As the dynamic nature of missions and new technological opportunities push the limits of current experience, a more rigorous approach is needed. This paper describes a novel framework for evaluating flexibility in noncommercial engineering systems called prospect theory-based real options analysis (PB-ROA). While this research is motivated by the unique needs of the U.S. Navy ship design community, the framework abstracts the principles of real options analysis to suit noncommercial assets that do not generate cash flows. One contribution of PB-ROA is a systematic method for adjusting agent decisions according to their risk tolerances. The paper demonstrates how the potential for loss can dramatically affect decision making through a simplified case study of a multimission variant of a theoretical high-speed connector vessel.
Parametric Lattice Study of a Graphite-Moderated Molten Salt Reactor
Authors: Hombourger Boris A. , Křepel Jiří , Mikityuk Konstantin , Pautz Andreas
Published: December 2014

Molten salt reactors (MSRs) are promising advanced nuclear reactors for closure of the fuel cycle. This paper discusses the core design of graphite-moderated MSRs, thanks to a parametric study of the fuel and moderator lattice. The study is conducted at equilibrium of the thorium-uranium fuel cycle for several fuel channel radius and moderator block size combinations. The equilibrium composition for each studied configuration is derived with the help of an in-house MATLAB code, EQL0D, which uses the Serpent 2 Monte Carlo neutronics code for the calculation of reaction rates. The results include excess reactivity at equilibrium, mirroring the breeding gain, and the actinide vector composition for each configuration. Moreover, the occurence of an optimum of the excess reactivity per percent uranium-233 was observed. The investigations showed that it is systematically seen at an interchannel distance equal to the neutron slowing-down length in graphite for each configuration and does not depend on the salt channel radius beyond a certain size, which is given by the thermal fission rate reaching the levels of the fast fission rate. In this way, an exotic energy and spatial distribution of the neutrons are attained. The investigations highlight the potential attractiveness, from a neutronics/fuel cycle point of view, of both large fuel channels and moderators with a shorter neutron slowing-down length.
Flow Characteristics of Gerotor Pumps With Novel Variable Clearance Designs
Authors: Hsieh Chiu-Fan
Published: December 2014

Although gerotor pumps are used in a wide range of industrial applications, higher work pressure causes shock or collision among pump components, which leads to large stress fluctuations and shortened pump life expectancy. This paper therefore proposes a novel variable clearance design that diminishes such component collisions. After a geometric mathematical model is constructed of variable clearance rotors, a fluid analysis model is developed based on a relief groove design. Applying the model to two fixed clearance and three variable clearance designs demonstrates the effects of various fixed clearance sizes on gerotor pump performance and identifies the differences between fixed and variable clearance designs. The results support the feasibility of the proposed design: the appropriate variable clearance designs maintain robust flow characteristics and effectively reduce shock and collision among pump components, thereby reducing stress level, increasing stability, and extending the life expectancy of the gerotor pumps.
Dynamics Analysis of Spatial Multibody System With Spherical Joint Wear
Authors: Wang Gengxiang , Liu Hongzhao , Deng Peisheng
Published: December 2014

The influence of the spherical joint with clearance caused by wear on the dynamics performance of spatial multibody system is predicted based on the Archard's wear model and equations of motion of multibody systems. First, the function of contact deformation and load acting on the spherical joint with clearance is derived based on the improved Winkler elastic foundation model and Hertz quadratic pressure distribution assumption. On this basis, considering the influence of clearance size and wear state on the contact stiffness between spherical joint elements, an improved contact force model is proposed by Lankarani–Nikravesh contact force model and improved stiffness coefficient that is the slope of the function of contact deformation and load. Second, due to the complexity for that wear impacts on the surface topography of contact bodies, an approximate calculation method of contact area with respect to the clearance spherical joint is provided for simplifying the computational process of contact pressure in the Archard's wear model. Subsequently, the contact pressure between contact bodies is calculated by the improved contact force model and approximate contact area (ICFM–ACA), which is verified via finite element method (FEM). Moreover, the dynamics model of spatial four bar mechanism considering spherical joint with clearance caused by wear is formulated using equations of motion of multibody systems. Finally, the wear depth of spherical joint with clearance is predicted via two different kinds of contact pressure based on the Archard's wear model (one is from the ICFM–ACA and the other is from FEM), respectively. The numerical simulation results show that the improved contact force model and proposed approximate contact area are correctness and validity for predicting wear in the spherical joint with clearance. Simultaneously, the effect of the spherical joint with clearance caused by wear on the dynamics performance of spatial four bar mechanism is analyzed.
Solving Nonlinear Fractional Integro-Differential Equations of Volterra Type Using Novel Mathematical Matrices
Authors: Mirzaee Farshid , Bimesl Saeed , Tohidi Emran
Published: December 2014

In this paper, the operational matrix of Euler functions for fractional derivative of order β in the Caputo sense is derived. Via this matrix, we develop an efficient collocation method for solving nonlinear fractional Volterra integro-differential equations. Illustrative examples are given to demonstrate the validity and applicability of the proposed method, and the comparisons are made with the existing results.
The Role of the Orthogonal Helicoid in the Generation of the Tooth Flanks of Involute-Gear Pairs With Skew Axes
Authors: Figliolini Giorgio , Stachel Hellmuth , Angeles Jorge
Published: December 2014

Camus' concept of auxiliary surface (AS) is extended to the case of involute gears with skew axes. In the case at hand, we show that the AS is an orthogonal helicoid whose axis (a) lies in the cylindroid and (b) is normal to the instant screw axis of one gear with respect to its meshing counterpart; in general, the helicoid axis is skew with respect to the latter. According to the spatial version of Camus' Theorem, any line or surface attached to the AS, in particular any line L of AS itself, can be chosen to generate a pair of conjugate flanks with line contact. While the pair of conjugate flanks is geometrically feasible, as they always share a line of contact and the tangent plane at each point of this line, they even have the same curvature, G2-continuity, when L coincides with the instant screw axis (ISA). This means that the two surfaces penetrate each other, at the same common line. The outcome is that the surfaces are not realizable as tooth flanks. Nevertheless, this is a fundamental step toward the synthesis of the flanks of involute gears with skew axes. In fact, the above-mentioned interpenetration between the tooth flanks can be avoided by choosing a smooth surface attached to the AS, instead of a line of the AS itself, which can give, in particular, the spatial version of octoidal bevel gears, when a planar surface is chosen.
On the mechanism of improvement of field emission properties of carbon-coated field emitters
Authors: Higuchi Toshiharu , Sasaki Masahiro , Horie Shota , Yamada Yoichi , Matsumoto Shuji , Fukuda Shigeki
Published: December 2014

To clarify the origin of the superior field emission characteristics of carbon-coated emitters, the authors investigated the field enhancement and the work function of model systems calculated by numerical simulations. They propose that the field enhancement is due to the triple junctions, which are distributed on the surface of the carbon film consisting of sp3 (diamond-like) insulating and sp2 (graphite-like) conducting nanometer-sized grains. The electric field around the triple junction is one order of magnitude higher than at other places. Based on ab initio density functional theory calculations, the authors found that (1) the work functions of diamond and graphite dramatically decrease down to 3–3.6 eV upon hydrogen termination, and (2) the effective work functions of these models decrease to 2–2.5 eV by applying an external electric field of 2.57 × 107 V/cm. They also estimated the field emission current from the potential distribution and the local density of states under the external electric field applied. As a result, the authors found that hydrogen termination significantly increases the field emission current. The results suggest that the triple junction and hydrogen termination are promising candidates as the mechanism of improving the emission of the carbon-coated emitters.
Multi-sensory landscape assessment: The contribution of acoustic perception to landscape evaluation
Authors: Gan Yonghong , Luo Tao , Breitung Werner , Kang Jian , Zhang Tianhai
Published: December 2014

In this paper, the contribution of visual and acoustic preference to multi-sensory landscape evaluation was quantitatively compared. The real landscapes were treated as dual-sensory ambiance and separated into visual landscape and soundscape. Both were evaluated by 63 respondents in laboratory conditions. The analysis of the relationship between respondent's visual and acoustic preference as well as their respective contribution to landscape preference showed that (1) some common attributes are universally identified in assessing visual, aural and audio-visual preference, such as naturalness or degree of human disturbance; (2) with acoustic and visual preferences as variables, a multi-variate linear regression model can satisfactorily predict landscape preference (R2 = 0.740), while the coefficients of determination for a unitary linear regression model were 0.345 and 0.720 for visual and acoustic preference as predicting factors, respectively; (3) acoustic preference played a much more important role in landscape evaluation than visual preference in this study (the former is about 4.5 times of the latter), which strongly suggests a rethinking of the role of soundscape in environment perception research and landscape planning practice.
Dependence of ablative ability of high-intensity focused ultrasound cavitation-based histotripsy on mechanical properties of agar
Authors: Xu Jin , Bigelow Timothy A. , Davis Gabriel , Avendano Alex , Shrotriya Pranav , Bergler Kevin , Hu Zhong
Published: December 2014

Cavitation-based histotripsy uses high-intensity focused ultrasound at low duty factor to create bubble clouds inside tissue to liquefy a region, and provides better fidelity to planned lesion coordinates and the ability to perform real-time monitoring. The goal of this study was to identify the most important mechanical properties for predicting lesion dimensions, among these three: Young's modulus, bending strength, and fracture toughness. Lesions were generated inside tissue-mimicking agar, and correlations were examined between the mechanical properties and the lesion dimensions, quantified by lesion volume and by the width and length of the equivalent bubble cluster. Histotripsy was applied to agar samples with varied properties. A cuboid of 4.5 mm width (lateral to focal plane) and 6 mm depth (along beam axis) was scanned in a raster pattern with respective step sizes of 0.75 and 3 mm. The exposure at each treatment location was either 15, 30, or 60 s. Results showed that only Young's modulus influenced histotripsy's ablative ability and was significantly correlated with lesion volume and bubble cluster dimensions. The other two properties had negligible effects on lesion formation. Also, exposure time differentially affected the width and depth of the bubble cluster volume.
Discrimination of partial from whole ultrasonic vocalizations using a go/no-go task in mice
Authors: Holfoth David P. , Neilans Erikson G. , Dent Micheal L.
Published: December 2014

Mice are a commonly used model in hearing research, yet little is known about how they perceive conspecific ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs). Humans and birds can distinguish partial versions of a communication signal, and discrimination is superior when the beginning of the signal is present compared to the end of the signal. Since these effects occur in both humans and birds, it was hypothesized that mice would display similar facilitative effects with the initial portions of their USVs. Laboratory mice were tested on a discrimination task using operant conditioning procedures. The mice were required to discriminate incomplete versions of a USV target from a repeating background containing the whole USV. The results showed that the mice had difficulty discriminating incomplete USVs from whole USVs, especially when the beginning of the USVs were presented. This finding suggests that the mice perceive the initial portions of a USV as more similar to the whole USV than the latter parts of the USV, similar to results from humans and birds.
Re-examining the upper limit of temporal pitch
Authors: Macherey Olivier , Carlyon Robert P.
Published: December 2014

Five normally hearing listeners pitch-ranked harmonic complexes of different fundamental frequencies (F0s) filtered in three different frequency regions. Harmonics were summed either in sine, alternating sine-cosine (ALT), or pulse-spreading (PSHC) phase. The envelopes of ALT and PSHC complexes repeated at rates of 2F0 and 4F0. Pitch corresponded to those rates at low F0s, but, as F0 increased, there was a range of F0s over which pitch remained constant or dropped. Gammatone-filterbank simulations showed that, as F0 increased and the number of harmonics interacting in a filter dropped, the output of that filter switched from repeating at 2F0 or 4F0 to repeating at F0. A model incorporating this phenomenon accounted well for the data, except for complexes filtered into the highest frequency region (7800–10 800 Hz). To account for the data in that region it was necessary to assume either that auditory filters at very high frequencies are sharper than traditionally believed, and/or that the auditory system applies smaller weights to filters whose outputs repeat at high rates. The results also provide evidence on the highest pitch that can be derived from purely temporal cues, and corroborate recent reports that a complex pitch can be derived from very-high-frequency resolved harmonics.
Investigation of objective measures for intelligibility prediction of noise-reduced speech for Chinese, Japanese, and English
Authors: Li Junfeng , Xia Risheng , Ying Dongwen , Yan Yonghong , Akagi Masato
Published: December 2014

Many objective measures have been reported to predict speech intelligibility in noise, most of which were designed and evaluated with English speech corpora. Given the different perceptual cues used by native listeners of different languages, examining whether there is any language effect when the same objective measure is used to predict speech intelligibility in different languages is of great interest, particularly when non-linear noise-reduction processing is involved. In the present study, an extensive evaluation is taken of objective measures for speech intelligibility prediction of noisy speech processed by noise-reduction algorithms in Chinese, Japanese, and English. Of all the objective measures tested, the short-time objective intelligibility (STOI) measure produced the most accurate results in speech intelligibility prediction for Chinese, while the normalized covariance metric (NCM) and middle-level coherence speech intelligibility index (CSIIm) incorporating the signal-dependent band-importance functions (BIFs) produced the most accurate results for Japanese and English, respectively. The objective measures that performed best in predicting the effect of non-linear noise-reduction processing in speech intelligibility were found to be the BIF-modified NCM measure for Chinese, the STOI measure for Japanese, and the BIF-modified CSIIm measure for English. Most of the objective measures examined performed differently even under the same conditions for different languages.
Analytical coupled vibroacoustic modeling of membrane-type acoustic metamaterials: Plate model
Authors: Chen Yangyang , Huang Guoliang , Zhou Xiaoming , Hu Gengkai , Sun Chin-Teh
Published: December 2014

By considering the elastic membrane's dissipation, the membrane-type acoustic metamaterial (MAM) has been demonstrated to be a super absorber for low-frequency sound. In the paper, a theoretical vibroacoustic plate model is developed to reveal the sound energy absorption mechanism within the MAM under a plane normal incidence. Based on the plate model in conjunction with the point matching method, the in-plane strain energy of the membrane due to the resonant and antiresonant motion of the attached masses can be accurately captured by solving the coupled vibroacoustic integrodifferential equation. The sound absorption ability of the MAM is quantitatively determined, which is also in good agreement with the prediction from the finite element method. In particular, microstructure effects including eccentricity of the attached masses, the depth, thickness, and loss factor of the membrane on sound absorption peak values are discussed.
The effective air absorption coefficient for predicting reverberation time in full octave bands
Authors: Wenmaekers R. H. C. , Hak C. C. J. M. , Hornikx M. C. J.
Published: December 2014

A substantial amount of research has been devoted to producing a calculation model for air absorption for pure tones. However, most statistical and geometrical room acoustic prediction models calculate the reverberation time in full octave bands in accordance with ISO 3382-1 (International Organization for Standardization, 2009). So far, the available methods that allow calculation of air absorption in octave bands have not been investigated for room acoustic applications. In this paper, the effect of air absorption on octave band reverberation time calculations is investigated based on calculations. It is found that the approximation method, as described in the standard ANSI S1.26 (American National Standards Institute, 1995), fails to estimate accurate decay curves for full octave bands. In this paper, a method is used to calculate the energy decay curve in rooms based on a summation of pure tones within the band. From this decay curve, which is found to be slightly concave upwards, T20 and T30 can be determined. For different conditions, an effective intensity attenuation coefficient mB;eff for the full octave bands has been calculated. This mB;eff can be used for reverberation time calculations, if results are to be compared with T20 or T30 measurements. Also, guidelines are given for the air absorption correction of decay curves, measured in a scale model.
Effects of Intermittent Lower-Body Negative Pressure on Recovery After Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage
Authors: Fonda Borut , Sarabon Nejc
Published: December 2014

It has been reported in practice that the application of lower-body negative pressure (LBNP) to elite athletes during periods of intense training can help aid recovery.

Purpose:

To examine the effects of LBNP on biochemical, pain, and performance parameters during a 5-d recovery period after a damaging plyometric-exercise bout.

Design:

Randomized controlled study.

Methods:

24 healthy young female adults were randomly allocated into 2 groups. Before and 1, 24, 48, and 96 h after the damaging exercise for hamstrings (50 drop jumps and 50 leg curls), participants underwent a series of tests (blood samples, pain sensation, countermovement jump, maximal isometric torque production, maximal explosive isometric torque production, and 10-m sprint). After the damaging exercise, the experimental group was exposed to intermittent LBNP therapy daily for 60 min.

Results:

There was a statistically significant interaction (P < .05) between the experimental and control groups for maximal strength, explosive strength, pain sensation, and vertical jumps (maximal power and force). No statistically significant interaction was present for the biochemical markers, jump height, and 100-m sprint.

Conclusions:

LBNP therapy could improve recovery by limiting the loss in muscle strength and power and limiting the presence of pain.
The Role of Distance in Examining the Association Between Active Commuting to School and Students’ Weight Status
Authors: DeWeese Robin , Ohri-Vachaspati Punam
Published: December 2014

Background:

Active commuting to school (ACS) increases students’ daily physical activity, but associations between student weight and ACS are inconsistent. Few studies examining ACS and weight account for distance commuted. This study examines the association between students’ weight status and ACS, taking into account distance to school.

Methods:

In 2009–10 a random digit-dial household survey conducted in low-income minority cities collected information about ACS for 1 randomly selected school-going student per household. Parents provided measured heights and weights. Distance commuted was obtained using geocoded home and school addresses. Multivariate regression analyses assessed associations of ACS and distance commuted with weight status.

Results:

36.6% of students were overweight/obese; 47.2% engaged in ACS. Distance walked/biked to school was associated with 7% lower odds of overweight/obesity (OR = 0.93, 95% CI: 0.88– 0.99). Without distance commuted in the model, ACS was not associated with students’ weight status. Compared with no ACS, ACS greater than a half-mile was associated with 65% lower odds of a student being overweight/obese (OR = 0.35, 95% CI: 0.16– 0.78); ACS less than a half-mile was not.

Conclusions:

ACS is significantly inversely associated with overweight/obesity among students who commute beyond a one-half mile threshold.
Dominance hierarchy arising from the evolution of a complex small RNA regulatory network
Authors: Durand Eléonore , Méheust Raphaël , Soucaze Marion , Goubet Pauline M. , Gallina Sophie , Poux Céline , Fobis-Loisy Isabelle , Guillon Eline , Gaude Thierry , Sarazin Alexis , Figeac Martin , Prat Elisa , Marande William , Bergès Hélène , Vekemans Xavier , Billiard Sylvain , Castric Vincent
Published: December 2014

The prevention of fertilization through self-pollination (or pollination by a close relative) in the Brassicaceae plant family is determined by the genotype of the plant at the self-incompatibility locus (
S
locus). The many alleles at this locus exhibit a dominance hierarchy that determines which of the two allelic specificities of a heterozygous genotype is expressed at the phenotypic level. Here, we uncover the evolution of how at least 17 small RNA (sRNA)–producing loci and their multiple target sites collectively control the dominance hierarchy among alleles within the gene controlling the pollen
S
-locus phenotype in a self-incompatible
Arabidopsis
species. Selection has created a dynamic repertoire of sRNA-target interactions by jointly acting on sRNA genes and their target sites, which has resulted in a complex system of regulation among alleles.
The shocking predatory strike of the electric eel
Authors: Catania Kenneth
Published: December 2014

Electric eels can incapacitate prey with an electric discharge, but the mechanism of the eel’s attack is unknown. Through a series of experiments, I show that eel high-voltage discharges can activate prey motor neurons, and hence muscles, allowing eels to remotely control their target. Eels prevent escape in free-swimming prey using high-frequency volleys to induce immobilizing whole-body muscle contraction (tetanus). Further, when prey are hidden, eels can emit periodic volleys of two or three discharges that cause massive involuntary twitch, revealing the prey’s location and eliciting the full, tetanus-inducing volley. The temporal patterns of eel electrical discharges resemble motor neuron activity that induces fast muscle contraction, suggesting that eel high-voltage volleys have been selected to most efficiently induce involuntary muscle contraction in nearby animals.
Predictive a priori pressure-dependent kinetics
Authors: Jasper Ahren W. , Pelzer Kenley M. , Miller James A. , Kamarchik Eugene , Harding Lawrence B. , Klippenstein Stephen J.
Published: December 2014

The ability to predict the pressure dependence of chemical reaction rates would be a great boon to kinetic modeling of processes such as combustion and atmospheric chemistry. This pressure dependence is intimately related to the rate of collision-induced transitions in energy
E
and angular momentum
J
. We present a scheme for predicting this pressure dependence based on coupling trajectory-based determinations of moments of the
E,J
-resolved collisional transfer rates with the two-dimensional master equation. This completely a priori procedure provides a means for proceeding beyond the empiricism of prior work. The requisite microcanonical dissociation rates are obtained from ab initio transition state theory. Predictions for the CH
4
= CH
3
+ H and C
2
H
3
= C
2
H
2
+ H reaction systems are in excellent agreement with experiment.
Satellites track heritage loss across Syria and Iraq
Authors: Lawler Andrew
Published: December 2014

Vandalism, looting, and collateral damage erase history.
How ice shelves melt
Authors: Gille Sarah
Published: December 2014

Warming of the water that flows under Antarctic ice shelves is key to their melting

[Also see Report by

Schmidtko
et al.

]
Calculating the pressure dependence of chemical reactions
Authors: Pilling Michael J
Published: December 2014

A priori calculations can accurately predict rates of methane formation from radicals

[Also see Report by

Jasper
et al.

]
Death to the losers
Authors: Morata Ginés , Ballesteros-Arias Luna
Published: December 2014

Cell competition is linked to innate immunity mechanisms to eliminate unwanted cells and maintain healthy tissue

[Also see Research Article by

Meyer
et al.

]
Flow Cytometry Analysis Using Sysmex UF-1000i Classifies Uropathogens Based on Bacterial, Leukocyte, and Erythrocyte Counts in Urine Specimens among Patients with Urinary Tract Infections
Authors: Monsen Tor , Rydén Patrik
Published: December 2014

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the second most common bacterial infection. Urine culture is the gold standard for diagnosis, but new techniques, such as flow cytometry analysis (FCA), have been introduced. The aim of the present study was to evaluate FCA characteristics regarding bacteriuria, leukocyturia, and erythrocyturia in relation to cultured uropathogens in specimens from patients with a suspected UTI. We also wanted to evaluate whether the FCA characteristics can identify uropathogens prior to culture. From a prospective study, 1,587 consecutive urine specimens underwent FCA prior to culture during January and February 2012. Outpatients and inpatients (79.6% and 19.4%, respectively) were included, of whom women represented 67.5%. In total, 620 specimens yielded growth, of whichEscherichia colirepresented 65%,Enterococcusspp. 8%,Klebsiellaspp. 7%, andStaphylococcusspp. 5%. For the uropathogens, the outcome of FCA was compared against the results for specimens withE. coliand those with a negative culture.E. colihad high bacterial (median, 17,914/μl), leukocyte (median, 348/μl), and erythrocyte (median, 23/μl) counts. With the exception ofKlebsiellaspp., the majority of the uropathogens had considerable or significantly lower bacterial counts than that ofE. coli. High leukocyte counts were found in specimens withStaphylococcus aureus,Proteus mirabilis,Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and group C streptococci. Elevated erythrocyte counts were found forP. vulgaris,P. aeruginosa, and group C streptococci, as well as forStaphylococcus saprophyticus. In essence, FCA adds new information about the bacterial, leukocyte, and erythrocyte counts in urine specimens for different uropathogens. Based on FCA characteristics, uropathogens can be classified and identified prior to culture.E. coliandKlebsiellaspp. have similar FCA characteristics.
Regulatory T Cells Resist Virus Infection-Induced Apoptosis
Authors: Che Jenny W. , Kraft Anke R. M. , Selin Liisa K. , Welsh Raymond M.
Published: December 2014

Regulatory T (Treg) cells are important in the maintenance of self-tolerance, and the depletion of Treg cells correlates with autoimmune development. It has been shown that type I interferon (IFN) responses induced early in the infection of mice can drive memory (CD44hi) CD8 and CD4 T cells into apoptosis, and we questioned here whether the apoptosis of CD44-expressing Treg cells might be involved in the infection-associated autoimmune development. Instead, we found that Treg cells were much more resistant to apoptosis than CD44hi CD8 and CD4 T cells at days 2 to 3 after lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus infection, when type I IFN levels are high. The infection caused a downregulation of the interleukin-7 (IL-7) receptor, needed for survival of conventional T cells, while increasing on Treg cells the expression of the high-affinity IL-2 receptor, needed for STAT5-dependent survival of Treg cells. The stably maintained Treg cells early during infection may explain the relatively low incidence of autoimmune manifestations among infected patients.

IMPORTANCEAutoimmune diseases are controlled in part by regulatory T cells (Treg) and are thought to sometimes be initiated by viral infections. We tested the hypothesis that Treg may die off at early stages of infection, when virus-induced factors kill other lymphocyte types. Instead, we found that Treg resisted this cell death, perhaps reducing the tendency of viral infections to cause immune dysfunction and induce autoimmunity.
Live-Attenuated Measles Virus Vaccine Targets Dendritic Cells and Macrophages in Muscle of Nonhuman Primates
Authors: Rennick Linda J. , de Vries Rory D. , Carsillo Thomas J. , Lemon Ken , van Amerongen Geert , Ludlow Martin , Nguyen D. Tien , Yüksel Selma , Verburgh R. Joyce , Haddock Paula , McQuaid Stephen , Duprex W. Paul , de Swart Rik L.
Published: December 2014

Although live-attenuated measles virus (MV) vaccines have been used successfully for over 50 years, the target cells that sustain virus replication
in vivo
are still unknown. We generated a reverse genetics system for the live-attenuated MV vaccine strain Edmonston-Zagreb (EZ), allowing recovery of recombinant (r)MV
EZ
. Three recombinant viruses were generated that contained the open reading frame encoding enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) within an additional transcriptional unit (ATU) at various positions within the genome. rMV
EZ
EGFP(1), rMV
EZ
EGFP(3), and rMV
EZ
EGFP(6) contained the ATU upstream of the N gene, following the P gene, and following the H gene, respectively. The viruses were compared
in vitro
by growth curves, which indicated that rMV
EZ
EGFP(1) was overattenuated. Intratracheal infection of cynomolgus macaques with these recombinant viruses revealed differences in immunogenicity. rMV
EZ
EGFP(1) and rMV
EZ
EGFP(6) did not induce satisfactory serum antibody responses, whereas both
in vitro
and
in vivo
rMV
EZ
EGFP(3) was functionally equivalent to the commercial MV
EZ
-containing vaccine. Intramuscular vaccination of macaques with rMV
EZ
EGFP(3) resulted in the identification of EGFP
+
cells in the muscle at days 3, 5, and 7 postvaccination. Phenotypic characterization of these cells demonstrated that muscle cells were not infected and that dendritic cells and macrophages were the predominant target cells of live-attenuated MV.

IMPORTANCE
Even though MV strain Edmonston-Zagreb has long been used as a live-attenuated vaccine (LAV) to protect against measles, nothing is known about the primary cells in which the virus replicates
in vivo
. This is vital information given the push to move toward needle-free routes of vaccination, since vaccine virus replication is essential for vaccination efficacy. We have generated a number of recombinant MV strains expressing enhanced green fluorescent protein. The virus that best mimicked the nonrecombinant vaccine virus was formulated according to protocols for production of commercial vaccine virus batches, and was subsequently used to assess viral tropism in nonhuman primates. The virus primarily replicated in professional antigen-presenting cells, which may explain why this LAV is so immunogenic and efficacious.
TRIM5α Restriction Affects Clinical Outcome and Disease Progression in Simian Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Rhesus Macaques
Authors: Wu Fan , Ourmanov Ilnour , Riddick Nadeene , Matsuda Kenta , Whitted Sonya , Plishka Ronald J. , Buckler-White Alicia , Starost Matthew F. , Hirsch Vanessa M.
Published: December 2014

Tripartite motif-containing protein 5α (TRIM5α) is considered to be a potential target for cell-based gene modification therapy against human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection. In the present study, we used a relevant rhesus macaque model of infection with simian immunodeficiency virus from sooty mangabey (SIVsm) to evaluate the effect of TRIM5α restriction on clinical outcome. For macaques expressing a restrictive TRIM5 genotype, the disease outcomes of those infected with the wild-type TRIM-sensitive SIVsm strain and those infected with a virus with escape mutations in the capsid were compared. We found that TRIM5α restriction significantly delayed disease progression and improved the survival rate of SIV-infected macaques, supporting the feasibility of exploiting TRIM5α as a target for gene therapy against HIV-1. Furthermore, we also found that preservation of memory CD4 T cells was associated with protection by TRIM5α restriction, suggesting memory CD4 T cells or their progenitor cells as an ideal target for gene modification. Despite the significant effect of TRIM5α restriction on survival, SIV escape from TRIM5α restriction was also observed; therefore, this may not be an effective stand-alone strategy and may require combination with other targets.

IMPORTANCE
Recent studies suggest that it may be feasible not only to suppress viral replication with antiviral drugs but also potentially to eliminate or “cure” human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. One approach being explored is the use of gene therapy to introduce genes that can restrict HIV replication, including a restrictive version of the host factor TRIM5α. TRIM5 was identified as a factor that restricts HIV replication in macaque cells. The rhesus gene is polymorphic, and some alleles are restrictive for primary SIVsm isolates, although escape mutations arise late in infection. Introduction of these escape mutations into the parental virus conferred resistance to TRIM5 on macaques. The present study evaluated these animals for long-term outcomes and found that TRIM5α restriction significantly delayed disease progression and improved the survival rate of SIV-infected macaques, suggesting that this could be a valid gene therapy approach that could be adapted for HIV.