bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Family Health Strategy associated with increased dental visitation among preschool children in Brazil
Authors: Feldens Carlos Alberto , Fortuna Mixianni Justo , Kramer Paulo Floriani , Ardenghi Thiago Machado , Vítolo Márcia Regina , Chaffee Benjamin W.
Published: September 2018

Background

Early‐life dental service utilization could improve child dental health.

Aim

Identify contextual, socioeconomic, and child characteristics associated with dental visitation by age 3 years.

Design

Within a Brazilian birth cohort (N = 435), multivariable regression models were fitted to identify independent predictors of having made a dental visit at age 3 years. Contextual variables considered included health center type (Traditional vs. Family Health Strategy, which perform home visits) and composition of oral health teams at the heath center where mothers accessed prenatal care.

Results

Dental visitation was positively associated with Family Health Strategy health centers (36% vs. 23%) and with higher maternal education and family social class. Visitation was lowest among families served by a health center without a dentist, but number of dentists and oral health team composition were not associated with visitation among facilities with ≥1 dentists. Dental visitation was not statistically significantly associated with caries experience but was higher if parents reported worse oral health‐related quality of life. The vast majority of dental decay remained untreated.

Conclusions

Dental visits were underutilized, and socioeconomic inequalities were evident. Dental visitation was more common when mothers received prenatal care at Family Health Strategy health centers, suggesting a possible oral health benefit.
Maximising lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) production with fixed‐length recovery intervals after defoliation in mild winter environments
Authors: Clark Stephen Gary , Mitchell Meredith L. , Nie Zhongnan , Burnett Vivienne F. , Butler Kym L. , Zollinger Reto P. , Seymour Greg R.
Published: September 2018

Lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) is an important temperate legume for livestock production systems. Lucerne requires a recovery period after a defoliation event so that taproot energy and nutrient stores can be replenished. A field experiment examined the effects of recovery period management following defoliation, on lucerne herbage production and nutritive value at two contrasting sites in Victoria, Australia. Sites were established at Rutherglen and Hamilton, using established SARDI Seven lucerne stands. Treatments were short recovery (SR; plots cut at 21‐day intervals), long recovery (LR; plots cut at 42‐day intervals), new shoots (NS; plots cut when new shoots from the crown were at least 2 cm long) and new shoots + flowering (NSF; as for NS but plots were left to grow to reach late flowering from late summer to mid‐autumn). At each defoliation, measurements were made of phenology, dry matter production and herbage nutrient concentrations (neutral detergent fibre, crude protein, metabolisable energy and water‐soluble carbohydrate %). Persistence was measured at approximately 6‐month intervals. At both sites, lucerne persisted equally well in all treatments although SR showed some decline at Hamilton at the final measurement. LR led to a more productive pasture (in terms of cumulative dry matter, neutral detergent fibre, crude protein, metabolisable energy and water‐soluble carbohydrate %) than the three other treatments. The results indicate that phenological management systems that allow lucerne to replenish reserves through late summer and autumn are unnecessary in mild winter environments.
Effectiveness and safety of cold versus hot snare polypectomy: A meta‐analysis
Authors: Qu Junyan , Jian Haixu , Li Lixiang , Zhang Yan , Feng Bingcheng , Li Zhen , Zuo Xiuli
Published: September 2018

Background and Aim

Removal of neoplastic polyps is important for colorectal cancer prevention. The primary aim was to compare the complete resection rate of diminutive (≤ 5 mm) or small colorectal polyps (6–10 mm) using cold snare polypectomy (CSP) versus hot snare polypectomy (HSP).

Methods

To April 2018, databases of Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Web of Science were searched for randomized controlled trials comparing CSP and HSP for diminutive or small colorectal polypectomy. Two authors independently assessed trial quality and extracted data. We contacted study authors for additional information. We used the Mantel–Haenszel method for binary endpoints and inverse variance method for continuous outcomes. Subgroup analysis was conducted to explore sources of heterogeneity.

Results

Twelve trials involving 2481 patients and 4535 polyps were analyzed. Regarding complete resection rate, there was no statistical significance between CSP and HSP (odds ratio [OR] 0.86, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.60–1.24). CSP shows more immediate bleeding cases than HSP in per‐lesion analysis while no statistical significance in bleeding needing treatment (OR 1.99, 95% CI 0.59–6.75). In terms of all adverse events, both per‐lesion and per‐patient analysis revealed no difference (OR 1.49, 95% CI 0.87–2.56 and 0.57, 0.11–2.97, respectively). As far as post‐polypectomy bleeding is concerned, there was also no statistical significance between CSP and HSP. Regarding procedure time, CSP was superior to HSP (standard mean difference −1.04, 95% CI −1.22 to −0.87).

Conclusions

Cold snare polypectomy is a safe, efficient, and effective polypectomy technique for diminutive or small colorectal polyps.
Burden of hepatitis C virus infection in India: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Goel Amit , Seguy Nicole , Aggarwal Rakesh
Published: September 2018

Background and Aim

Burden of hepatitis C in India is not known. We therefore conducted a systematic review of the available data on anti‐hepatitis C virus (HCV) seroprevalence in the Indian population.

Methods

We searched several publication databases for English language papers that reported data on anti‐HCV seroprevalence from India and also identified other unpublished sources of such data. Data on groups likely to represent seroprevalence in general population and in selected high‐risk groups were extracted and subjected to meta‐analysis.

Results

Of the 3995 published papers and 94 additional data sources identified, 327 were selected; these provided 414 anti‐HCV seroprevalence data points. Pooled anti‐HCV seroprevalence rates in community‐based studies, blood donors, and pregnant women were 0.85% (95% confidence interval: 0.00–3.98%), 0.44% (0.40–0.49), and 0.88% (0.21–1.90), respectively. Among groups considered at high risk of HCV, pooled anti‐HCV seroprevalence rates were as follows: people living with HIV (40 studies from 17 states: 3.51% [2.43–4.76]), persons on maintenance hemodialysis (37, 13; 19.23% [13.52–25.65]), people who inject drugs (46, 14; 44.71% [37.50–52.03]), multi‐transfused persons (38, 12; 24.06% [20.00–28.36]), persons with sexually transmitted diseases (7, 5; 4.10% [0.98–9.04]), and those with high‐risk sex behavior (6, 5; 4.06% [1.79–7.10]).

Conclusions

Community‐based data on HCV seroprevalence in India were limited. Large amount of data on blood donors and pregnant women were identified, with pooled anti‐HCV seroprevalence rates of 0.44% and 0.88%, respectively. Among high‐risk groups, anti‐HCV prevalence was higher among people living with HIV, those with sexually transmitted diseases, high‐risk sex behavior or injection drug use, and those receiving hemodialysis or frequent transfusions.
The relationship between motor abilities and quality of life in children with severe multiple disabilities
Authors: Mensch S. M. , Echteld M. A. , Lemmens R. , Oppewal A. , Evenhuis H. M. , Rameckers E. A. A.
Published: September 2018

Background

This study aimed to determine the relationship between motor abilities and quality of life in children with severe multiple disabilities.

Methods

In this cross‐sectional study, motor abilities of 29 children (mean age 9.8 years; 45% girls) with severe multiple disabilities [IQ < 25; Gross Motor Function Motor Classification System level V] were measured with the MOtor eVAluation in Kids with Intellectual and Complex disabilities (Movakic) questionnaire (completed by the child's physical therapist). Quality of life was measured with the Quality of Life‐Profound Multiple Disabilities (QoL‐PMD) questionnaire (completed by the child's parents).

Results

A significantly moderate to high correlation was found between the total scores on the Movakic and the QoL‐PMD (r = 0.40, P = 0.03), indicating that higher scores in motor abilities are associated with a higher level of quality of life. Furthermore, significantly moderate to high correlations were found between the total score on the Movakic and the dimension Physical Well‐Being, Development and Activities of the Qol‐PMD. In multiple linear regression models, all significant bivariate relationships between the Movakic total scores and QoL‐PMD dimensions remained significant after controlling for the Gross Motor Function Motor Classification System level.

Conclusions

In these children with severe multiple disabilities, motor abilities (as measured by Movakic) are moderately related to quality of life (as measured by the QoL‐PMD).
Histological analysis of 41 dentigerous cysts in a paediatric population
Authors: Huang Gwendolyn , Moore Lynette , Logan Richard M. , Gue Sumant
Published: September 2018

Background

Dentigerous cysts are usually of developmental nature but may be of inflammatory origin especially in paediatric populations. It is important to understand the histological features of dentigerous cysts to enable accurate diagnosis. The aim of this study is to present epidemiological, clinical features and histopathological features of dentigerous cysts seen in a paediatric tertiary referral hospital.

Method

The medical, radiographic and histopathology records of the Department of Pathology, Women's and Children's Hospital, Adelaide, Australia, during January 1998 to December 2013 were reviewed for patients with dentigerous cysts. All cases were re‐examined by a specialist oral pathologist, consultant paediatric pathologist and paediatric dentistry registrar.

Results

Forty‐one cases of dentigerous cysts were found. Patients in the permanent dentition were most frequently affected. Male predilection was observed (male:female 2.42:1). The posterior mandible was the most frequently affected region (63.42%) although maxillary canines were the teeth most commonly associated with dentigerous cysts (29.27%). The majority of cases were incidental findings. Squamous epithelium showing pseudoepitheliomatous hyperplasia (46%) was frequently observed and was significantly present with thicker epithelium (P < 0.0001) and an acute and chronic inflammatory infiltrate (P < 0.001). Inflammatory infiltrate was seen in 75.6% of cases.

Conclusions

The current study provides increased knowledge of the histological features of dentigerous cysts in a large retrospective series of paediatric patients and provides further evidence regarding the frequency of inflammatory dentigerous cysts.
Determining the anatomical origin of canine hepatic masses by CT
Authors: Lamb C. R. , Steel R. , Lipscomb V. J.
Published: September 2018

Objectives

To identify CT features of canine hepatic masses that could be used to determine their divisional or lobar origin.

Materials and Methods

Preoperative, postcontrast CT images of 57 surgically resected hepatic masses were reviewed with respect to their size, position relative to the midline, gallbladder and portal vein, nearest recognisable hepatic lobar vein or portal vein and point of contact with the diaphragm and displacement of adjacent organs.

Results

The most prevalent histological diagnoses were hepatocellular carcinoma (n=26; 46%) and adenoma (n=10; 18%). Based on surgical assessment, it was observed that masses originated in the left hepatic division in 30 (53%) instances, central division in seven (12%) and right division in 20 (35%). All masses to the left of midline were left divisional, but only 18/30 (60%) masses to the right of midline were right divisional. Most (26/31; 84%) masses to the left of the gallbladder were left divisional and 84% (16/19) masses to the right of the gallbladder were right divisional. Half (10/20; 50%) of the right‐divisional masses were medial, lateral or dorsal to the portal vein, but all other hepatic masses were ventral to the portal vein. A hepatic lobar vein or portal vein branch adjacent to the mass was observed in 53 (93%) instances; this feature correlated with surgical assessment of the affected division in 53 (93%) hepatic masses and the affected lobe in 32 (56%).

Clinical Significance

Combining CT features of hepatic masses appears to be an accurate method for determining their divisional or lobar origin.
Demographic inference in barn swallows using whole‐genome data shows signal for bottleneck and subspecies differentiation during the Holocene
Authors: Smith Chris C. R. , Flaxman Samuel M. , Scordato Elizabeth S. C. , Kane Nolan C. , Hund Amanda K. , Sheta Basma M. , Safran Rebecca J.
Published: September 2018

Accounting for historical demographic features is vital for many types of evolutionary inferences, including the estimation of divergence times between closely related populations. In barn swallow,Hirundo rustica, inferring historical population sizes and subspecies divergence times can shed light on the recent co‐evolution of this species with humans. Pairwise sequentially Markovian coalescent uncovered population growth beginning on the order of one million years ago—which may reflect the radiation of the broaderHirundogenus—and a more recent population decline. Additionally, we used approximate Bayesian computation to evaluate hypotheses about recent timescale barn swallow demography, including population growth due to human commensalism, and a potential founder event associated with the onset of nesting on human structures. We found signal for a bottleneck event approximately 7,700 years ago, near the time that humans began building substantial structures, although there was considerable uncertainty associated with this estimate. Subspecies differentiation and subsequent growth occurred after the bottleneck in the best‐supported model, an order of magnitude more recently than previous estimates in this system. We also compared results obtained from whole‐genome sequencing versus reduced representation sequencing, finding many similar results despite substantial allelic dropout in the reduced representation data, which may have affected estimates of some parameters. This study presents the first genetic evidence of a potential barn swallow founder effect and subspecies divergence coinciding with the Holocene, which is an important step in analysing the biogeographical history of a well‐known human commensal species.
Loss of receptor interacting protein kinases 3 and caspase‐8 augments intrinsic apoptosis in tubular epithelial cell and promote kidney ischaemia‐reperfusion injury
Authors: Sung Baekjun , Su Ye , Jiang Jifu , Mcleod Patrick , Liu Weihua , Haig Aaron , Green Douglas R , Zhang Zhu‐Xu , Jevnikar Anthony M
Published: September 2018

Background

Ischaemia‐reperfusion injury (IRI) is associated with programmed cell death that promotes inflammation and organ dysfunction. Necroptosis is mediated by members of receptor interacting protein kinases (RIPK1/3). Inhibition of RIPK1/3 provides a pro‐survival benefit in kidney IRI. Caspase‐8 initiates apoptosis and contributes to IRI. We studied whether inhibiting both RIPK3 and caspase‐8 would provide an additional benefit in kidney IRI.

Methods

A clamp was applied to the left kidney pedicle for 45 min followed by right kidney nephrectomy. Kidney and serum from wild type, RIPK3−/−, and RIPK3−/− caspase‐8−/− double knockout (DKO) mice were collected post‐IRI for assessment of injury. Tubular epithelial cells (TEC) isolated from wild type, RIPK3−/−, and DKO mice were treated with interferons‐γ and interleukin‐1β to induce apoptotic death.

Results

Kidney IRI of DKO mice did not show improvement over RIPK3−/− mice. We have found that DKO triggered ‘intrinsic’ apoptosis in TEC in response to interleukin‐1β and interferons‐γ. Up‐regulation of the B‐cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl‐2)‐associated death promoter, the Bcl‐2‐homologous antagonist killer and Bcl‐2‐associated X protein and enhanced activation of caspase‐3 and 9 were found in DKO TEC. TEC infected with Murine cytomegalovirus that encodes multiple cell death inhibitors resist to death.

Conclusion

We show that the deletion of both RIPK3 and caspase‐8 does not provide additive benefit in IRI or TEC death and may enhance injury by up‐regulation of intrinsic apoptosis. This suggests blocking multiple death pathways may be required for the prevention of kidney IRI clinically.
Nursing professionalization and welfare state policies: A critical review of structural factors influencing the development of nursing and the nursing workforce
Authors: Gunn Virginia , Muntaner Carles , Villeneuve Michael , Chung Haejoo , Gea‐Sanchez Montserrat
Published: September 2018

Nursing professionalization is both ongoing and global, being significant not only for the nursing workforce but also for patients and healthcare systems. For this reason, it is important to have an in‐depth understanding of this process and the factors that could affect it. This literature review utilizes a welfare state approach to examine macrolevel structural determinants of nursing professionalization, addressing a previously identified gap in this literature, and synthesizes research on the relevance of studying nursing professionalization. The use of a welfare state framework facilitates the understanding that the wider social, economic, and political system exercises significant power over the distribution of resources in a society, providing a glimpse into the complex politics of health and health care. The findings shed light on structural factors outside of nursing, such as country‐level education, health, labor market, and gender policies that could impact the process of professionalization and thus could be utilized to strengthen nursing through facilitating increased professionalization levels. Addressing gender inequalities and other structural determinants of nursing professionalization could contribute to achieving health equity and could benefit health systems through enhanced availability, skill‐level, and sustainability of nursing human resources, improved and efficient access to care, improved patient outcomes, and cost savings.
Determinants of age at first reproduction and lifetime breeding success revealed by full paternity assignment in a male ungulate
Authors: Markussen Stine S. , Herfindal Ivar , Loison Anne , Solberg Erling J. , Haanes Hallvard , Røed Knut H. , Heim Morten , Sæther Bernt‐Erik
Published: September 2018

Age at first reproduction is an important determinant of individual variation in reproductive success in ungulates, but few studies have examined its relationship with later fitness‐related traits in males. We used a long‐term individual based study of a harvested moose population to quantify the individual reproductive performance and survival of males, as well as to examine the determinants of age at first reproduction and consequences of age at first reproduction on lifetime breeding success. The probability that a male successfully reproduced at the age of two was negatively related to the mean age of adult males in the population, but the relationship weakened with increasing population size. Large antlers and large body mass relative to other males in the population increased the number of calves sired at their first successful mating season. In addition, those that successfully reproduced as two year‐olds were more likely to sire calves the next year, making them more productive at a given age compared to those that first reproduced at the age of three or older. We emphasize the importance for males to start reproducing as soon as possible in a harvested population to gain lifetime fitness benefits, as surviving the hunt is a major determinant of reproductive success in this population. We found no costs of early reproduction in males, hence leading to high individual heterogeneity in male reproductive performance. The apparent lack of reproductive costs could partly be explained by the age distribution in the population, individual variation in early‐life body mass and antler size, and differences in probabilities of being hunted of successful and unsuccessful males.
Aspects in Dual‐Aspect Monism and Panpsychism: A Rejoinder to Benovsky
Authors: Bihan Baptiste Le
Published: September 2018

Neutral monism aims at solving the hard problem of consciousness by positing entities that are neither mental nor physical. Benovsky has recently argued for the slightly different account that, rather than being neutral, natural entities are both mental and physical by having different aspects, and then argued in favour of an anti‐realist interpretation of those aspects. In this essay, operating under the assumption of dual‐aspect monism, I argue to the contrary in favour of a realist interpretation of these aspects by showing that the anti‐realist interpretation collapses into neutral monism and that the realist interpretation is an interesting alternative. I close with a discussion of the realist interpretation of the aspects and its relation with panpsychism.
Emotion Dysregulation and Military Suicidality Since 2001: A Review of the Literature
Authors: Stanley Elizabeth A. , Larsen Kelsey L.
Published: September 2018

Policy makers and researchers have worked to explain the perplexing rise in U.S. military suicides since 2001, with little progress in explaining this widespread phenomenon. This article synthesizes several literatures to highlight the role of emotion dysregulation in military suicidality. After considering advances in suicidal ideation‐to‐action frameworks and the factors that contribute to the prevalence of emotion dysregulation in the modern U.S. military, it explores how military service provides for two distinct circumstances in which such emotion dysregulation may facilitate the transition from suicidal ideation to behavior. The first circumstance is high distress tolerance, wherein the effects of disproportionately high rates of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) among service‐members may increase vulnerability to suicidal behavior. The second circumstance is preexisting acquired capability with lethal means paired with executive functioning degradation. Empirically associated with military environments, such degradation may undermine the effectiveness of top‐down emotion regulation strategies—thereby allowing acquired familiarity with lethal means to assist the transition from suicidal ideation to action. Thus, emotion dysregulation’s unique relationship with the U.S. military may help to explain the powerful correlation between service and suicide since 2001—suggesting that enhancing emotion regulation skills may present a key leverage point for effectively addressing the issue.
Residential Location and Psychological Distance in Americans’ Risk Views and Behavioral Intentions Regarding Zika Virus
Authors: Johnson Branden B.
Published: September 2018

Two 2017 experiments with a U.S. national opportunity sample tested effects of location, psychological distance (PD), and exposure to location‐related information on Americans’ Zika risk views and behavioral intentions. Location—distance from mosquito transmission of the virus in Florida and Texas; residence within states with 100+ Zika infections; residence within potential mosquito vector ranges—had small, inconsistent effects. Hazard proximity weakly enhanced personal risk judgments and concern about Zika transmission locally. It also increased psychological proximity, and intentions of mosquito control, avoiding travel to Zika‐infected areas, and practicing safe sex. PD—particularly social and geographical distance, followed by temporal distance, with few effects for uncertainty—modestly and inconsistently decreased risk views and intentions. Exposure to location‐related information from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website—naming states with 100+ Zika cases; maps of potential mosquito vector habitat—increased risk views and psychological closeness, but not intentions; maps had slightly stronger if inconsistent effects versus prevalence information. Structural equation modeling (SEM) of a location > PD > risk views > intention path explained modest variance in intentions. This varied in degree and kind (e.g., which location measures were significant) across behaviors, and between pre‐ and postinformation exposure analyses. These results suggest need for both theoretical and measurement advances regarding effects of location and PD on risk views and behavior. PD mediates location effects on risk views. Online background information, like that used here, will not enhance protective behavior without explicitly focused communication and perhaps higher objective risk.
Recovery from acute lung injury can be regulated via modulation of regulatory T cells and Th17 cells
Authors: Wang Linlin , Wang Xiaocen , Tong Lin , Wang Jian , Dou Maosen , Ji Shimeng , Bi Jing , Chen Cuicui , Yang Dong , He Hong , Bai Chunxue , Zhou Jian , Song Yuanlin
Published: September 2018

Acute lung injury (ALI) is a severe inflammatory disease, for which no specific treatment exists. The decreased ratio of regulatory T cells (CD4+CD25+FoxP3 Tregs) and Th17 cells is implicated in ALI and inflammation. We here investigated whether maintaining the balance of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+Tregs and Th17 cells can alleviate lung injury. For CD4+CD25+FoxP3 Treg depletion, 200 μg of an anti‐CD25 antibody was administered intraperitoneally per mouse on days −3 and −1 before lipopolysaccharide (LPS) instillation. And 150 μg of TGF‐β was administered intraperitoneally per mouse on day 0 after LPS instillation. To down‐regulate of Th17 cells, 200 μg per mouse of isotype, IL‐17 or IL‐22 antibodies were injected intraperitoneally into mice at days 0 after LPS instillation. We detected lung morphology; lung wet‐to‐dry weight ratio; protein concentration, the count of total cells, neutrophils and macrophages, and cytokines in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). And we also evaluated the percentage of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+Tregs in lung, and Th17 cells in lung. CD4+CD25+Foxp3+Tregs depletion via anti‐CD25 treatment or TGF‐β neutralization delayed recovery of ALI. The prolonged inflammation was mainly dominated by neutrophils, macrophages and Th17 cells. Furthermore, inhibition of Th17 cells via monoclonal antibodies against IL‐17 and IL‐22 alleviated ALI inflammation by inhibiting the recruitment of neutrophils and macrophages, increasing the number of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+Tregs. Our findings support a critical role for CD4+CD25+Foxp3+Tregs in regulating from ALI pathophysiology, and a potential therapeutic role for the inhibition of Th17 cells in ALI treatment. These findings provide a rationale for treating patients with ALI by modulating CD4+CD25+Foxp3+Tregs and Th17 cells.
An evaluation of veterinary allergen extract content and resultant canine intradermal threshold concentrations
Authors: Abrams Stephanie B. , Brock Guy N. , Palettas Marilly , Bolner Michelle L. , Moore‐Sowers Tricia , Plunkett Greg A. , Cole Lynette K. , Diaz Sandra F. , Lorch Gwendolen
Published: September 2018

Background

Limited information is available for dogs on threshold concentrations (TCs), and the protein composition of common allergenic extracts produced by different manufacturers.

Hypothesis/Objectives

To characterize the protein heterogeneity of tree, grass, weed and mite allergens from different lots of allergenic extracts, and to determine intradermal TCs for healthy dogs using extracts from two manufacturers.

Animals

Twenty five privately owned, clinically healthy dogs and ten purpose‐bred beagle dogs.

Methods and materials

Protein concentration and heterogeneity of 11 allergens from two manufacturers were evaluated using a Bradford‐style assay and SDS‐PAGE. Intradermal testing was performed with 11 allergens from each company at four dilutions. Immediate reactions were subjectively scored (0 to 4+), and objectively measured (mm) and their percentage concordance evaluated. Model‐based TCs were determined by fitting positive reactions (≥2+) at 15 min to generalized estimating equations.

Results

Allergen extract protein quantity and composition varied within and between manufacturers despite sharing the same PNU/mL values. Model‐based TCs of one weed, five trees, two grasses and a house dust mite were determined for extracts from Manufacturer 1 (M1), and for extracts of three weeds, three trees and two grasses from Manufacturer 2 (M2). Receiver operating characteristic curve analyses determined a percentage concordance of the objective and subjective measurements of 77.3% for M1 and 75% for M2 allergens.

Conclusions and clinical importance

Veterinary allergen extracts labelled as the same species and PNU/mL are not standardized; they show heterogeneity in composition and potency within and between manufacturers. Variability in extract content may require adjustment of intradermal testing concentrations.
Investigating the Effect of Soil Type and Moisture on the Performance of a Ground Source Heat Pump System Used for a Greenhouse in Iran
Authors: Bigdelou Pedram , Pourfayaz Fathollah , Noorollahi Younes
Published: September 2018

We investigate the effect of soil type and moisture on the operation of a ground source heat pump (GSHP) system in supplying the energy needs of a greenhouse in Karaj, Alborz province, Iran, in terms of the required length of ground heat exchanger, the working hours, the electricity consumption, as well as the coefficient of performance (COP) of heat pumps. In order to predict the capacity of heat pumps, we use the numerical heat transfer model of Noorollahi et al. (2016, “Numerical Modeling and Economic Analysis of a Ground Source Heat Pump for Supplying Energy for a Greenhouse in Alborz Province, Iran,” J. Cleaner Prod., 131, pp. 145–154) in which the governing equations of heat transfer in the ground heat exchanger are numerically solved through a novel finite difference method. Thermal properties of various soil types, namely sandy soil, sand, silty loam, and silty clay, with three different levels of moisture content referred to as dry, damp, and saturated, are considered as the main inputs for the computer code. The simulations indicate that when moisture is increased from dampness to saturation, the annual working hours of heat pumps decrease by 1.1%, 5.1%, 6.1%, and 4.6%, and their annual electricity consumption is reduced by 2.2%, 10.6%, 12.6%, and 9.7% for sandy soil, sand, silty loam, and silty clay, respectively. Moreover, the average COP of heat pumps increase by 0.9%, 4.0%, 5.2%, and 3.7% in heating mode and 2.4%, 13.0%, 16.5%, and 11.7% in cooling mode for the mentioned soils, respectively.
Thermal
Optimization Analysis and Performance Enhancement of Sequential Bundle of Vortex Tubes for Drilling
Engineering Cooling Process
Authors: Bazgir Adib
Published: September 2018

The vortex tube is a mechanical device with no moving parts that can separate a compressed gas into a hot and a cold stream. Pressurized gas is injected tangentially into a swirl chamber and accelerated to a high rate of rotation. This gas motion creates a cold core and a hot shell. In certain engineering applications such as gas drilling, the use of a high flow-rate air with high pressure and low temperature can improve process efficiency. In these applications, demand for the cold air stream as high as 40 kg/s is not uncommon. In this paper, the use of a vortex tube bundle for generating this large flow-rate of the cold air stream is proposed and evaluated, using numerical simulations. A single commercially available vortex tube can only produce a cold air stream up to 0.008 kg/s. Thus, it will take 5000 such vortex tubes to reach the required flow rate of 40 kg/s. Space limitation, as well as assembly difficulty, makes such an approach unrealistic. The objective of this work is to design a custom-made vortex tube so that a minimum number of such tubes can be used to meet the performance requirement posted by these applications. In this study, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is used to analyze the flow field, temperature field, and pressure field, and to optimize the vortex tube parameters so that a specific set of desired output can be achieved to meet the application requirements.
A Control Design Approach for TITO Systems Using Measured Data
Authors: Khadraoui Sofiane , Fareh Raouf , Nounou Hazem N. , Nounou Mohamed N.
Published: September 2018

This paper deals with the design of fixed-structure controllers for two-input two-output (TITO) systems using frequency-domain data. In standard control approaches, a plant model is first derived, then a suitable controller is designed to meet some user-specified performance specifications. Basically, there are two common ways for obtaining mathematical models: white-box modeling and black-box modeling. In both approaches, it is difficult to obtain a simple and accurate model that completely describes the system dynamics. As a result, errors associated with the plant modeling may result in degradation of the desired closed-loop performance. Moreover, the intermediate step of plant modeling introduced for the controller design is a time-consuming task. Hence, the concept of data-based control design is introduced as a possible alternative to model-based approaches. This promising methodology allows us to avoid the under-modeling problem and to significantly reduce the time and workload for the user. Most existing data-based control approaches are developed for single-input single-output (SISO) systems. Nevertheless, a large class of real systems involve several manipulated and output variables. To this end, we attempt here to develop an approach to design controllers for TITO systems using frequency-domain data. In such a method, a set of frequency-domain data is utilized to find an adequate decoupler and to tune a diagonal controller that meets some desired closed-loop performance measures. Two simulation examples are presented to illustrate and demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed method.
Pressure Distributions Below Brush Seals at Varying Operating Conditions
Authors: Schur Fabian , Friedrichs Jens , Flegler Johan , Georgakis Christos , Polklas Thomas
Published: September 2018

The influences of different manufacturing methods and design parameters of brush seals and their complex interactions with the flow through the bristle pack complicate the modeling of the flow through brush seals. While radial pressure distributions along the backing plate and the leakage behaviour of various brush seal designs are published, experimental data on axial pressure distributions on the surface of the shaft is insufficient. In order to gain a better understanding of the phenomena associated with the flow through brush seals, the axial pressure distributions in the sealing gap below six different brush seals are measured on a cold air test rig at rotational speeds up to 3000rpm and pressure differences across the seals up to 500kPa with an axial resolution of 0.2mm. By investigating a welded and five different clamped brush seals, the influence of two different designs on the flow through the bristles is shown. For the clamped brush seals the design of the front and backing plate is varied. Moreover, the effects of bristle diameter and three different axial inclinations of the bristle pack on the axial pressure distribution are presented. Therefore, the effects of the major design aspects on axial pressure distributions at the interface between brush seals and rotor are examined and the results are supported by optical measurements taken on the rotating and a stationary test rig.
Design and Validation of a Pre-Swirl System in the Newly Developing Gas Turbine for Power Generation
Authors: Kim Donghwa , Lee Hyungyu , Lee Jungsoo , Cho Jinsoo
Published: September 2018

To supply cooling air which delivered from turbine stationary parts to the rotational parts, pre-swirl system have been widely used in gas turbines with various shapes and types. The key functions of pre-swirl system is to provide turbine cooling temperature lower than pre-swirl system inlet within required pressure drop target. In modern gas turbine system, pre-swirl system is a key component in the turbine cooling system because first rotor entering flow qualities were defined by pre-swirl system. Especially most of modern blade cooling system were required adequate coolant pressure level to meet film cooling conditions and also need to keep lower level of temperature condition to improve cooling effectiveness in their cooling circuit.

To meet the design target, cooling system designer should built effective pre-swirl system by increase swirl ratio within required pressure margin. When the design results of pre-swirler system was satisfied initial design requirements, designer should select best pre-swirler system based on its discharge coefficient characteristics. To verify analytic methodologies, to compare main design parameters of this research and former studies which reference data already validated analytically and experimentally.

To find best pre-swirl nozzles shape, total 15 kinds of airfoil was selected for detail investigation. Best available was selected by pre-swirl performance comparing. Also shape optimization was applied to improve pre-swirl performance within minor geometrical changes within mechanical integration limit.

To verify inlet duct system effects, the effect of the inlet duct shape was added on to verify desired pre-swirl system. To find the best model, case study was conducted by CFD approaches to increase the discharge coefficient and the adiabatic effectiveness of the pre-swirl system.

New pre-swirl test rig was construct to verify pre-swirl characteristics and to find best pre-swirl nozzles shape. Discharge coefficients of the tested data was relatively higher than 3-D CFD results due to the pre-swirl inlet conditions was relatively fair in test rig compared with real gas turbine conditions.
Effects of Coolant Feed Direction on Additively Manufactured Film Cooling Holes
Authors: Stimpson Curtis K. , Snyder Jacob C. , Thole Karen A. , Mongillo Dominic
Published: September 2018

Gas turbine components subjected to high temperatures can benefit from improved designs enabled by metal additive manufacturing with nickel alloys. Previous studies have shown that the impact on fluid flow and heat transfer resulting from surface roughness of additively manufactured parts is significant; these impacts must be understood to design turbine components successfully for additive manufacturing. This study improves understanding of these impacts by examining the discharge coefficient and the effect of the coolant delivery direction on the performance of additively manufactured shaped film cooling holes. To accomplish this, five test coupons containing a row of baseline shaped film cooling holes were made from a high temperature nickel alloy using a laser powder bed fusion process. Flow and pressure drop measurements across the holes were collected to determine the discharge coefficient from the film cooling holes. Temperature measurements were collected to assess the overall effectiveness of the coupon surface as well as the cooling enhancement due to film cooling. The Biot number of the coupon wall was matched to a value one might find in a turbine engine to ensure this data is relevant. It was discovered that the flow experienced greater aerodynamic losses in film cooling holes with greater relative roughness, which resulted in a decreased discharge coefficient. The effectiveness measurements showed that the film cooling performance is better when coolant is fed in a co-flow configuration compared to a counter-flow configuration.
PJA1 Coordinates with the SMC5/6 Complex To Restrict DNA Viruses and Episomal Genes in an Interferon-Independent Manner
Authors: Xu Wei , Ma Chunqiang , Zhang Qi , Zhao Rong , Hu Dan , Zhang Xuewu , Chen Junbo , Liu Fang , Wu Kailang , Liu Yingle , Wu Jianguo
Published: September 2018

DNA viruses, including hepatitis B virus and herpes simplex virus, induce a series of immune responses in the host and lead to human public health concerns worldwide. In addition to cytokines in the cytoplasm, restriction of viral DNA in the nucleus is an important approach of host immunity. However, the mechanism of foreign DNA recognition and restriction in the cell nucleus is largely unknown. This work demonstrates that an important cellular factor (PJA1) suppresses DNA viruses and transfected plasmids independent of type I and II interferon (IFN) pathways. Instead, PJA1 interacts with the chromosome maintenance complex (SMC5/6), facilitates the complex to recognize and bind viral and episomal DNAs, and recruits DNA topoisomerases to restrict the foreign molecules. These results reveal a distinct mechanism underlying the silencing of viral and episomal invaders in the cell nuclei and suggest that PJA1 acts as a potential agent to prevent infectious and inflammatory diseases.
Optical solitons with quadratic–cubic nonlinearity and fractional temporal evolution
Authors: Tariq Kalim U. , Younis Muhammad , Rezazadeh Hadi , Rizvi S. T. R. , Osman M. S.
Published: September 2018

The paper studies the single and combined optical solitons in the physical model of telecommunication system that describes the dynamics of optical solitons with quadratic–cubic nonlinearity in the mitigate internet bottleneck. This fractional temporal evolution is considerd with the coefficients of self-steeping, group velocity, inter-model and nonlinear dispersions. The extended Fan sub-equation method is used to investigate the families of single optical solitons (bright, dark and singular) for the different values of parameters.
A dialética da amamentação e do desmame na constituição psíquica da criança autista
Authors: Schneider Ciomara , Tafuri Maria Izabel
Published: September 2018

Neste artigo, discutem-se as incidências da amamentação e do desmame na constituição subjetiva do sujeito. Analisa-se também o aparecimento de uma compulsão de ingerir substâncias não alimentares em uma criança autista após o desmame. Utilizase a teoria de Klein e Lacan, compartilhando semelhanças e diferenças na constituição psíquica inicial. Conclui-se que compulsões podem aparecer como uma forma de expressar a angústia do bebê frente à perda dos objetos primordiais da organização psíquica em um tempoprecoce, mas não apenas ligadas à amamentação. Entende-se que os recursos psíquicos da criança tendem a construir defesas de repetição diante da angústia de separação.
A molecular phylogenetic hypothesis for the Asian agamid lizard genus Phrynocephalus reveals discrete biogeographic clades implicated by plate tectonics
Authors: MACEY J. ROBERT , SCHULTE JAMES A. II , ANANJEVA NATALIA B. , DYKE ERIK T. VAN , WANG YUEZHAO , ORLOV NIKOLAI , SHAFIEI SOHEILA , ROBINSON MICHAEL D. , DUJSEBAYEVA TATJANA , FREUND GABRIEL S. , FISCHER CLAYTON M. , LIU DAVID , PAPENFUSS THEODORE J.
Published: September 2018

Phylogenetic relationships of the agamid lizard genus Phrynocephalus are described in the context of plate tectonics. A near comprehensive taxon sampling reports three data sets: (1) mitochondrial DNA from ND1 to COI (3’ end of ND1, tRNAGln, tRNAIle, tRNAMet, ND2, tRNATrp, tRNAAla, tRNAAsn, tRNACys, tRNATyr, and the 5’ end of COI) with 1761 aligned positional sites (1595 included, 839 informative), (2) nuclear RAG-1 DNA with 2760 aligned positional sites (342 informative), and (3) 25 informative allozyme loci with 213 alleles (107 informative when coded as presence/absence). It is hypothesized that Phrynocephalus phyletic patterns and speciation reflect fault lines of ancient plates now in Asia rejuvenated by the more recent Indian and Arabian plate collisions. Molecular estimates of lineage splits are highly congruent with geologic dates from the literature.  A southern origin for the genus in Southwest Asia is resolved in phylogenetic estimates and a northern origin is statistically rejected. On the basis of monophyly and molecular evidence several taxa previously recognized as subspecies are recognized as species: P. hongyuanensis, P. sogdianus, and P. strauchi as “Current Status”; Phrynocephalus bannikovi, Phrynocephalus longicaudatus, Phrynocephalus turcomanus, and Phrynocephalus vindumi are formally “New Status”. Phylogenetic evaluation indicates a soft substrate habitat of sand for the shared ancestor of modern Phrynocephalus. Size diversity maximally overlaps in the Caspian Basin and northwestern Iranian Plateau. The greatest species numbers of six in sympatry and regional allopatry are found in the southern Caspian Basin and southern Helmand Basin, both from numerous phylogenetic lineages in close proximity attributed to tectonic induced events.
American Asteraceae-feeding Astrotischeria species with a highly modified, three-lobed valva in the male genitalia (Lepidoptera, Tischeriidae)
Authors: STONIS JONAS R. , DIŠKUS ARŪNAS , FILHO FERNANDO CARVALHO , LEWIS OWEN T.
Published: September 2018

We review eleven Astrotischeria Puplesis & Diškus (Lepidoptera: Tischeriidae) species which possess a novel character for the Tischeriidae family: a highly modified valva of the male genitalia with one ventral and two dorsal lobes (or processes). The species are distributed in the Americas, including the USA, Caribbean (St. Thomas), Central America (Belize, Guatemala and Honduras), and South America (Ecuador, Bolivia, and Brazil). Species for which the biology has been studied are associated with host plants from Asteroidea of the Asteraceae family. The following seven species are described as new: Astrotischeria trilobata Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov., A. amazonica Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov., A. maya Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov., A. selvica Diškus, Carvalho-Filho & Stonis, sp. nov., A. casila Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov., A. onae Diškus & Stonis, sp. nov., and A. furcata Stonis & Diškus, sp. nov. A new informal species unit, the A. trilobata group, is designated for diagnostic purposes despite some doubts about monophyly of the group. Astrotischeria longeciliata (Frey & Boll) is synonymized here with the North American A. helianthi (Frey & Boll), a species not belonging to the A. trilobata group, syn. nov. For the first time, a method of rearing of adults from mining larvae, specifically adopted for Tischeriidae, is detailed. All species treated in the paper are illustrated with photographs or drawings of the adults, male genitalia, and, if available, the female genitalia, leaf mines and habitats. A distribution map for the species of the A. trilobata group and a scheme of the trophic relationships of the global Tischeriidae fauna are also provided.