bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Functional analysis of eight chitinase genes in rice stem borer and their potential application in pest control
Authors: Zhao X. , Situ G. , He K. , Xiao H. , Su C. , Li F.
Published: July 2018

Insect chitinases participate in numerous physiological processes such as nutrition, parasitism, morphogenesis and immunity. These properties make chitinases good targets for pest control. Rice striped stem borer (SSB), Chilo suppressalis Walker, is one of the most destructive pests of rice causing huge yield losses. In our previous work, we reported the identification of 12 SSB chitinase (CsCht) genes, and studied the functions of CsCht1 to 4. Here, we have extended our study to investigate the expression patterns and functions of CsCht5 to 12. All eight chitinase genes displayed distinct temporospatial expression profiles. We looked at the effect of knocking down each gene at the developmental stage where highest expression was observed. Knocking down CsCht5, CsCht6 and CsCht8 resulted in high mortality and delayed development. Although silencing CsCht7, CsCht9, CsCht10, CsCht11 and CsCht12 had no apparent effect on development, knocking down CsCht10 in SSB individuals that were simultaneously treated with Beauveria bassiana (Bb84) led to higher mortality rates and quicker death, suggesting CsCht10 has an essential role in protecting SSB from exogenous microorganisms. In summary, we elucidated the functions of eight SSB chitinase genes and found that CsCht10 could be a good candidate for pest control.
Advanced‐country policies and emerging‐market currencies: The impact of US tapering on India's rupee
Authors: Medvedev Denis , Rama Martin , Ikeda Yuki
Published: July 2018

The global financial crisis and its aftermath triggered extraordinary policy responses in advanced countries. Their impacts—from asset price bubbles to currency depreciations—have often been felt in the developing world, and the same can be expected from their undoing. India's experience around the Fed's ‘taper talk’ announcement of 2013 offers insights which could be relevant for other countries as quantitative easing programmes wind down and monetary policy is ‘normalized’. This paper estimates the contribution of external and domestic factors to long‐run trends and short‐term fluctuations in the value of the Indian rupee around the 2013 depreciation episode using a rich dynamic model that controls for a large number of exchange‐rate determinants. The paper finds that a global surprise factor, more than domestic vulnerabilities, was the main driver of the large rupee depreciation in the summer of 2013.
Are Bank Mergers Good News for Shareholders? The Effect of Bank Mergers on Shareholder Value in Japan
Authors: Montgomery Heather , Takahashi Yuki
Published: July 2018

This study investigates the effects of bank mergers on the welfare of affiliated client firms. The findings demonstrate that, in general, bank mergers increase the welfare of client firms. However, there are significant differences in the impact of a bank merger on client firms across different merger, bank, and firm characteristics. Client firms of banks involved in mega‐mergers do not enjoy an increase in welfare. Client firms of undercapitalized banks in fact suffer significant welfare losses. In the long‐run, weak “zombie” firms also in many cases experience welfare losses following the announcement of a merger by their main bank.
Integral Organizational Wellness™: An evidence‐based model of socially inspired well‐being
Authors: Bennett Joel B.
Published: July 2018

Evidence indicates that our relationships with coworkers and supervisors significantly influence our health and well‐being. The field of workplace health promotion—historically and currently—either ignores or fails to leverage insights from this evidence. In ways similar to individuals who look for a “magic pill” or diet to fix a health problem, employers also seek quick, external answers to health problems in their workforce. The current paper describes the development of an integral model to guide employers, researchers, and consultants in health promotion efforts. The paper is divided into three parts, from a broad perspective (Part 1) to the development of the model (Part 2) to providing specific empirical examples of the model in action (Part 3). Part 1 explains why integrative efforts are necessary and how they can work. Part 2 describes features of the model and shows how they are currently being utilized by employers but without integration. Part 3 reviews empirical interventions developed by my colleagues and I over the past 20 years. These are designed to impact one of five leverage points in work settings: leadership development; team training; well‐being champions; climate assessments and surveys; and linking employee assistance (EAP) and wellness services.
PERK, mTORC1 and eEF2 interplay during long term potentiation
Authors: Bevilaqua Lia R. M. , Cammarota Martín
Published: July 2018

This Editorial highlights a study by Zimmermann and coworkers in the current issue of Journal of Neurochemistry. The authors' link suppression of PKR‐like endoplasmatic reticulum kinase (PERK) activity to eukaryotic elongation factor 2 (eEF2) dephosphorylation and mTORC1‐independent high‐frequency stimulation (HFS)‐induced long‐term potentiation (LTP) in acute hippocampal slices from PERK forebrain conditional knockout mice. The results suggest that functional interaction between the signaling pathways controlling different phases of the mRNA translation process is necessary for long‐term plasticity in the hippocampus.

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Spirituality, Humor, and Resilience After Natural and Technological Disasters
Authors: Cherry Katie E. , Sampson Laura , Galea Sandro , Marks Loren D. , Stanko Katie E. , Nezat Pamela F. , Baudoin Kayla H.
Published: July 2018

Purpose

Multiple exposures to disaster are associated with high levels of stress and with long‐term consequences for survivors. However, little is known about coping and resilience in multiple disaster contexts. In this study, we focused on spiritual and secular coping resources and the roles they may play in postdisaster resilience.

Methods

Participants were noncoastal and coastal residents exposed to the 2005 Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Psychosocial predictors of central interest were (a) spiritual support and (b) use of coping through humor, and both were hypothesized to be associated with resilience. Covariates included group, gender, education, income, social engagement, charitable work done for others, and lifetime trauma.

Findings

Logistic regression analyses confirmed that spiritual support (odds ratio [OR] = 1.11, p ≤ .01) and use of coping through humor (OR = 1.17, p ≤ .01) were independently and positively associated with resilience. Disruption in charitable work done for others in a typical year before the hurricanes (OR = 0.49, p ≤ .05) and income of less than $2,000 per month were negatively associated with resilience (OR = 0.47, p ≤ .05).

Conclusions

These data show that spirituality, humor, disruptions in charitable work, and low income were all independently associated with resilience in the years after consecutive disasters.

Clinical Relevance

Experiencing one or more disasters can create chronic psychosocial stress in an individual, which is associated with long‐term health effects such as inflammation and weakened immune function. Recognizing which coping resources bolster resilience rather than harm is important for improving quality of life in disaster victims.
REGIONAL INTEGRATION AND POVERTY: A REVIEW OF THE TRANSMISSION CHANNELS AND THE EVIDENCE
Authors: Martuscelli Antonio , Gasiorek Michael
Published: July 2018

While there is an extensive literature on the impact of regional trading agreements on trade and capital flows, as well as on the relationship between international trade, growth, and poverty there is comparatively little treatment of the possible linkages between regional integration and poverty. We analyze the channels through which regional integration could impact on poverty, and then review the existing evidence on the impact of regional integration on poverty. We focus on two key characteristics that make any regional integration process different from unilateral and multilateral liberalization: first, the asymmetric nature of the liberalization process; second, the scope or ambition of the regional liberalization being undertaken and the nature of the institutional arrangements that are put into place to manage the process of regional integration. We also distinguish between short, medium, and long run effects on poverty of regional integration processes. There is some direct evidence explicitly linking regional integration and poverty, but in good part the shedding of the light depends on an indirect literature on trade, FDI, migration, and inequality.
Post‐partum duration of satisfaction with childbirth
Authors: Turkmen Sahruh , Tjernström Maja , Dahmoun Marju , Bolin Marie
Published: July 2018

Aim

Satisfaction with childbirth has become increasingly important among healthcare providers. We evaluated whether satisfaction levels change with time (up to 3 months after delivery).

Methods

A prospective study of nulliparous women was designed to evaluate their levels of satisfaction with childbirth and care during birth in the maternity unit of a county hospital in Sundsvall, Sweden. Patient satisfaction with birth and health care was measured twice, during the first week after birth and 3 months later, with the Childbirth Experience Questionnaire (CEQ). Maternal and labor information were collected with a form filled in by the patients and completed with information from the patients’ records.

Results

A total of 78 primiparous women participated in the study and answered the questionnaire in the first week after labor, and 63 of them completed the study by answering the same questionnaire 3 months after delivery. The total CEQ score did not change after 3 months, but the scores for the subscales ‘professional support’ and ‘participation’ decreased 3 months after labor (P = 0.008 and P = 0.001, respectively). A visual analogue scale predicted the total CEQ scores at both 1 week (P < 0.001) and 3 months (P = 0.003).

Conclusion

Our results indicate that satisfaction with labor and birth among primiparous women was unchanged 3 months after labor.
Tobias Smollett and the work of writing
Authors: Jones Richard J.
Published: July 2018

This essay offers an overview of the state of Smollett Studies today. It is also an argument about what makes Tobias Smollett interesting. It therefore seeks to avoid the value judgments about “English literature” that have dogged Smollett's reputation (ever since “English literature” was invented) and restore him to the “work of writing” in which he was engaged. The essay thus provides an account of the wide‐ranging nature of his work in order to balance a previous critical emphasis on his novels. It includes some views of his role as a translator, historian, critic, editor, and, perhaps more provocatively, “hack.” Recent studies in eighteenth‐century print culture and the (Scottish) Enlightenment point the way to a new Smollett, at work within a messier history of writing.
Only the tip of the Iceberg? Role of ATP7B‐exon skipping in Wilson disease
Authors: Rupp Christian , Weiss Karl Heinz
Published: July 2018

See Article on Page 1504
A new probabilistic approach to estimating marine gastropod densities from baited traps
Authors: Coston‐Guarini Jennifer , Guarini Jean‐Marc , Boehm Frederike Ricarda , Kerkhove Thomas R. H. , Rivera Frances C. , Erzini Karim , Charles François , Deprez Tim , Chauvaud Laurent
Published: July 2018

A new probabilistic approach is proposed to assess muricid species population abundances at scales relevant to both Ancient and Modern coastal fisheries. Motivated by the long‐term goal of reconstructing the dynamics of exploited murex populations during Antiquity, the objective was to estimate the population density of the banded dye‐murex, Hexaplex trunculus (Linnaeus, 1758) from successive captures with baited traps, using a method similar to the technique employed in the Mediterranean purple dye industry. The stochastic model developed simulates cumulative captures while accounting for high variability. It was calibrated with data acquired during a field trapping experiment (Crete Island, Greece). Traps’ catchability and Effective Area of Attraction (EAA) were estimated using the individual speed and behavioural response towards bait from laboratory experiments. Average density of H. trunculus was estimated as 2.2 ± 1.4 SE individuals per square metre, with no significant differences between seagrass and rocky habitats. The clearing time of successive capture experiments averaged 84 ± 6 SE hr. Clearing ca. 0.4 ha of subtidal area would be necessary to produce ca. 1.0 g of pure Tyrian purple pigment. The method described is generalizable to making population abundance estimates for similar groups, such as whelks, in modern fisheries.
Spatial correlation of native and engineered cartilage components at micron resolution
Authors: Karchner James P. , Querido William , Kandel Shital , Pleshko Nancy
Published: July 2018

Tissue engineering (TE) approaches are being widely investigated for repair of focal defects in articular cartilage. However, the amount and/or type of extracellular matrix (ECM) produced in engineered constructs does not always correlate with the resultant mechanical properties. This could be related to the specifics of ECM distribution throughout the construct. Here, we present data on the amount and distribution of the primary components of native and engineered cartilage (i.e., collagen, proteoglycan (PG), and water) using Fourier transform infrared imaging spectroscopy (FT‐IRIS). These data permit visualization of matrix and water at 25 μm resolution throughout the tissues, and subsequent colocalization of these components using image processing methods. Native and engineered cartilage were cryosectioned at 80 μm for evaluation by FT‐IRIS in the mid‐infrared (MIR) and near‐infrared (NIR) regions. PG distribution correlated strongly with water in native and engineered cartilage, supporting the binding of water to PG in both tissues. In addition, NIR‐derived matrix peaks correlated significantly with MIR‐derived collagen peaks, confirming the interpretation that these absorbances arise primarily from collagen and not PG. The combined use of MIR and NIR permits assessment of ECM and water spatial distribution at the micron level, which may aid in improved development of TE techniques.
The rationale and design of the SMART CRT trial
Authors: Gold Michael R. , Auricchio Angelo , Leclercq Christophe , Lowy Jonathan , Rials Seth J. , Shoda Morio , Tomassoni Gery , Yong Patrick , Wold Nicholas , Ellenbogen Kenneth A.
Published: July 2018

Aims

The SMART CRT study will assess the efficacy of an atrioventricular optimization algorithm to improve reverse remodeling among patients undergoing cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) in the presence of interventricular electrical delay.

Methods and results

The SMART CRT study is a global, multicenter, prospective, randomized study of patients undergoing CRT implantation. The primary endpoint of this trial is response rate to CRT, defined as decrease in left ventricular end‐systolic volume (LVESV) ≥15% at 6 months compared to preimplant baseline. Additional prespecified analyses are: (1) clinical composite endpoint combining all‐cause mortality, heart failure events, New York Heart Association class, and Quality of Life (using a patient global assessment instrument); (2) the individual components of the clinical composite endpoint; (3) 6‐minute walk distance; (4) Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire; (5) LVESV as a continuous variable; and (6) absolute left‐ventricular ejection fraction. Subjects with intraventricular delay ≥ 70 ms measured between the right ventricular and left ventricular pacing leads will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio to have either an AV Delay and pacing chamber determined by SmartDelay™ or a Fixed AV Delay of 120 ms with biventricular pacing. Enrollment of an estimated 726 of subjects from up to 100 centers worldwide is planned to achieve 436 randomized subjects and 370 complete data sets required to power the primary endpoint.

Conclusions

This trial will provide important data regarding the importance of AV Delay programming in patients with prolonged interventricular delay at the pacing sites.
The promise and perils of industry‐funded science
Authors: Holman Bennett , Elliott Kevin C.
Published: July 2018

Private companies provide by far the most funding for scientific research and development. Nevertheless, relatively little attention has been paid to the dynamics of industry‐funded research by philosophers of science. This paper addresses this gap by providing an overview of the major strengths and weaknesses of industry research funding, together with the existing recommendations for addressing the weaknesses. It is designed to provide a starting point for future philosophical work that explores the features of industry‐funded research, avenues for addressing concerns, and strategies for making research funded by the private sector as fruitful as possible.
Coumarin‐based Fluorescent Probes for Selectively Targeting and Imaging the Endoplasmic Reticulum in Mammalian Cells
Authors: Wijesooriya Chamari S. , Nieszala Megan , Stafford Alex , Zimmerman Jake R. , Smith Emily A.
Published: July 2018

Developing improved fluorescent probes for imaging the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is necessary for structure‐activity studies of this dynamic organelle. Two coumarin‐based compounds with sulfonamide side groups were synthesized and characterized as ER‐targeting probes. Their selectivity to target the ER in HeLa and GM07373 mammalian cells was shown with co‐localization experiments using commercially available probes that localize in the ER, mitochondria, or lysozymes. The hydrophobicity of the coumarin‐based probes was comparable to known probes that partition into the ER membrane. Their cytotoxicity in mammalian cells was low with IC50 values that range from 205 to 252 μm. The fluorescent quantum yields of the coumarin‐based probes when excited with 400 nm light were 0.60, and they have a much narrower emission spectrum (from 435 to 525 nm in methanol) than that of the only commercially available ER probe that is exited with 400 nm light (ER‐Tracker™ Blue‐White DPX). Thus, the coumarin‐based probes are more useful for multicolor imaging with yellow and red emitting fluorophores. In addition to the above benefits, ER labeling was achieved with the coumarin‐based probes in both live cells and fixed cells, revealing their versatility for a wide range of cellular imaging applications.
Early automatic hyperarousal in response to neutral novel auditory stimuli among trauma‐exposed individuals with and without PTSD: An ERP study
Authors: Zukerman Gil , Fostick Leah , Ben‐Itzchak Ester
Published: July 2018

ERP studies have associated posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with enhanced P3 amplitudes in response to trauma‐related stimuli, along with reduced amplitudes in the context of neutral (trauma‐unrelated) stimuli. Additionally, a bias toward trauma‐related stimuli is also observed among trauma‐exposed participants not meeting criteria for PTSD, suggesting that trauma exposure itself, and not only the severity of posttraumatic stress (PTS), is a critical factor in information processing changes. However, previous examination of the response of trauma‐exposed (PTSD and non‐PTSD) participants to novel, neutral stimuli has produced conflicting findings. The current study examined ERPs in response to a novelty oddball paradigm comprised of neutral distractor sounds. Participants were 16 individuals with PTSD, 21 trauma‐exposed individuals without PTSD, and 12 nontraumatized controls. Detailed trauma histories and PTS symptoms were collected. A significant effect of group on early ERPs was observed, showing an increase in the N1‐P2 complex peak amplitude among the PTSD group, relative to controls. Among the entire sample, significant positive correlations were observed between PTS symptom severity, as well as trauma history, and early N1‐P2 complex peak amplitudes, in response to novel stimuli. Furthermore, trauma‐exposed participants with no PTS symptoms exhibited larger N1 amplitudes compared to participants with no trauma history. No trauma‐related alterations in later ERP components were observed. These results suggest that trauma exposure may lead to hyperarousal at early processing levels, even in response to neutral novel stimuli. The findings concur with the neurocircuitry model that associates PTSD with hyperresponsivity of the amygdala.
Experimental and methodological factors affecting test‐retest reliability of amygdala BOLD responses
Authors: Lois Giannis , Kirsch Peter , Sandner Magdalena , Plichta Michael M. , Wessa Michèle
Published: July 2018

Previous studies reported poor to fair test‐retest reliability of amygdala BOLD responses to emotional stimuli. However, these findings are very heterogeneous across and within studies. The present study sought to systematically examine experimental and methodological factors that contribute to this heterogeneity. Forty‐six young subjects were scanned twice with a mean test‐retest interval of 7 weeks. We compared amygdala reliability across three tasks: A face‐matching task, passive viewing of emotional faces, and passive viewing of emotional scenes. We also explored whether extraction of physiological noise can affect the stability of amygdala responses. We assessed test‐retest reliability of amygdala mean amplitudes at the individual level and spatial repeatability (i.e., stability of the spatial distribution of activation) of the amygdala BOLD signal at the group and individual level. All three tasks evoked robust amygdala activation at the group level. At the individual level, amygdala spatial repeatability was poor during passive viewing of scenes and faces and fair or close to fair in the face‐matching task. On the other hand, reliability of amygdala mean responses was very poor in the face‐matching task while it was significantly higher during passive viewing of faces and scenes. Physiological noise correction changed reliability rates but not uniformly across the three tasks. The current work suggests that the presence of a concurrent task during emotion processing affects amygdala reliability. The dissociation between spatial repeatability and reliability of mean amplitudes highlights the importance of taking into account both measures for a multidimensional assessment of the reliability of BOLD responses.
Assessment of the cerebral pressure‐flow relationship using psychological stress to manipulate blood pressure
Authors: Brindle Ryan C. , Ginty Annie T. , Whittaker Anna C. , Carroll Douglas , Lucas Samuel J. E.
Published: July 2018

Recent evidence indicates that cerebral autoregulation (CA) might be more pressure passive than previously thought. That is, cerebral blood flow, traditionally thought to be regulated independently of prevailing mean arterial pressure (MAP), might fluctuate, to some extent, as a function of MAP. However, due to limitations associated with experimental usage of pharmaceuticals to manipulate MAP and inconsistent control of arterial carbon dioxide, questions remain regarding the MAP‐cerebral blood flow relationship, especially during typical daily activities that alter MAP. Therefore, the current study aimed to assess CA using a nonpharmacological acute psychological stress task to augment MAP, while at the same time controlling for end‐tidal carbon dioxide (PETCO2). Twenty‐five healthy young adults completed a stressful task while continuous measures of MAP, middle cerebral artery blood flow velocity (MCAv), and PETCO2 were recorded. Slope values obtained from hierarchical linear regression were used to assess the strength of the MAP‐MCAv relationship and control for PETCO2. The stress task significantly increased MAP (p < 0.001) and MCAv (p < 0.001), and decreased PETCO2 (p = 0.05). For every 10 mmHg task‐induced increase in MAP, MCAv increased by ≈3.5%; task‐induced changes in PETCO2 did not appreciably change the MAP‐MCAv relationship. Greater task‐induced MAP responses were significantly related to decreased MAP‐MCAv slope values, consistent with CA. These data support the hypothesis that CA is more pressure passive than previously thought and provide initial evidence indicating that a pressure‐passive MAP‐MCAv relationship may play a role in the observed associations between MAP stress responses, stroke, and cerebrovascular disease.
The Correlated Pseudomarginal Method
Authors: Deligiannidis George , Doucet Arnaud , Pitt Michael K.
Published: July 2018

The pseudomarginal algorithm is a Metropolis–Hastings-type scheme which samples asymptotically from a target probability density when we can only estimate unbiasedly an unnormalized version of it. In a Bayesian context, it is a state of the art posterior simulation technique when the likelihood function is intractable but can be estimated unbiasedly by using Monte Carlo samples. However, for the performance of this scheme not to degrade as the number T of data points increases, it is typically necessary for the number N of Monte Carlo samples to be proportional to T to control the relative variance of the likelihood ratio estimator appearing in the acceptance probability of this algorithm. The correlated pseudomarginal method is a modification of the pseudomarginal method using a likelihood ratio estimator computed by using two correlated likelihood estimators. For random-effects models, we show under regularity conditions that the parameters of this scheme can be selected such that the relative variance of this likelihood ratio estimator is controlled when N increases sublinearly with T and we provide guidelines on how to optimize the algorithm on the basis of a non-standard weak convergence analysis. The efficiency of computations for Bayesian inference relative to the pseudomarginal method empirically increases with T and exceeds two orders of magnitude in some examples.
HIV‐1 drug resistance testing at second‐line regimen failure in Arua, Uganda: avoiding unnecessary switch to an empiric third‐line
Authors: Fily F. , Ayikobua E. , Ssemwanga D. , Nicholas S. , Kaleebu P. , Delaugerre C. , Pasquier E. , Amoros Quiles I. , Balkan S. , Schramm B.
Published: July 2018

Objectives

The number of patients on second‐line antiretroviral therapy is growing, but data on HIV drug resistance patterns at failure in resource‐constrained settings are scarce. We aimed to describe drug resistance and investigate the factors associated with extensive resistance to nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTI), in patients failing second‐line therapy in the HIV outpatient clinic at Arua Regional Referral Hospital, Uganda.

Methods

We included patients who failed on second‐line therapy (two consecutive viral loads ≥1000 copies/mm3 by SAMBA‐1 point‐of‐care test) and who had a drug resistance test performed between September 2014 and March 2017. Logistic regression was used to investigate factors associated with NRTI genotypic sensitivity score (GSS) ≤1.

Results

Seventy‐eight patients were included: 42% female, median age 31 years and median time of 29 months on second‐line therapy. Among 70 cases with drug resistance test results, predominant subtypes were A (47%) and D (40%); 18.5% had ≥1 major protease inhibitor mutation; 82.8% had ≥1 NRTI mutation and 38.5% had extensive NRTI resistance (NRTI GSS ≤1). A nadir CD4 count ≤100/ml was associated with NRTI GSS ≤1 (OR 4.2, 95% CI [1.3–15.1]). Thirty (42.8%) patients were switched to third‐line therapy, composed of integrase inhibitor and protease inhibitor (60% darunavir/r) +/− NRTI. A follow‐up viral load was available for 19 third‐line patients at 12 months: 84.2% were undetectable.

Conclusions

Our study highlights the need for access to drug resistance tests to avoid unnecessary switches to third‐line therapy, but also for access to third‐line drugs, in particular integrase inhibitors. Low nadir CD4 count might be an indicator of third‐line drug requirement for patients failing second‐line therapy.
Cost‐effectiveness analysis of a multi‐dimensional intervention to reduce inappropriate antibiotic prescribing for children with upper respiratory tract infections in China
Authors: Zhang Zhitong , Dawkins Bryony , Hicks Joseph P. , Walley John D. , Hulme Claire , Elsey Helen , Deng Simin , Lin Mei , Zeng Jun , Wei Xiaolin
Published: July 2018

Background

We developed a multifaceted intervention to reduce antibiotic prescription rate for children with upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) among primary care doctors in township hospitals in China. The intervention achieved a 29% (95% CI 16–42) absolute risk reduction in antibiotic prescribing. This study was to assess the cost‐effectiveness of our intervention at reducing antibiotic prescribing in rural primary care facilities as measured by the intervention's effect on the antibiotic prescription rates for childhood URTIs.

Methods

We took a healthcare provider perspective, measuring costs of consultation (time cost of doctor), prescription monitoring process and peer‐review meetings (time cost of participants) and medication costs. Costs on provider side were collected through a bespoke questionnaire from all 25 township hospitals in December 2016, while medication costs were collected prospectively in the trial. Incremental cost‐effectiveness ratios were calculated by dividing the mean difference in cost of the two trial arms by the mean difference in antibiotic prescribing rate.

Results

This showed an incremental cost of $0.03 per percentage point reduction in antibiotic prescribing. In addition to this incremental cost, the cost of implementing the intervention, including training and materials delivered by township hospitals, was $390.65 (SD $145.68) per healthcare facility.

Conclusions

This study shows that a multifaceted intervention programme, when embedded into routine practice, is very cost‐effective at reducing antibiotic prescribing in primary care facilities and has the potential of scale up in similar resource limited settings.
Conjugate Heat Transfer Analysis of a Rectangular Cooling Channel With 45-Deg Ribs
Authors: Zhu Jiangnan , Gao Tieyu , Li Jun , Li Gojun , Gong Jianying
Published: July 2018

A conjugate heat transfer simulation of air in a rectangular cooling channel with 45-deg ribs is presented in this paper. The test channel length is 400mm and the ratio of width to height is 1. The hydraulic diameter of the channel is 40mm and the thickness of channel wall is 3mm. The rib height is 1.9mm and the distance between nearby ribs is 19mm. The flow field and the temperature field in the solid channel are obtained by using ANSYS CFX. An energy source is added in the solid domain to simulate the Low-Voltage High-Current heating method in the experiment. The GGI method is adopted for the mesh connection between the fluid domain and solid domain. The SST turbulence model and automatic wall function in ANSYS CFX are used to simulate the flow and heat transfer in near-wall region. The numerical results show great agreement with the experimental data. The temperature distribution on the channel outer wall is shown and analyzed. The Nusselt number field on the channel wall is shown and illustrated by the flow field shown by the Vortex Core Technology. There are four secondary flow vortex cores between ribs in near wall region and a strong secondary flow can be seen in main flow region. The angled ribs leads to the unbalanced temperature and Nusselt number field on the outer wall and the inner wall of the channel respectively. The distribution law of the Nusselt number on inner wall is not similar with the one of temperature on the outer wall. But the overall distribution of outer wall temperature field is more homogeneous compared with that of the inner wall Nusselt number. Some recommendations for optimization are given based on the flow field and Nusselt number distribution.
Design Optimization of Axial-Flow Pump Blades Based on iSIGHT
Authors: Shi Lijian , Tang Fangping , Xie Rongsheng , Qi Lilong , Yang Zhengdong
Published: July 2018

This paper research the influence of cascade dense degree and airfoil placed angle on hydralic performance of axial flow pump blades. Which combines the numerical optimization technology with the advanced CFD simulation technique, replaces designers’ experience by mathematical models for controlling of the blade design direction. Finally, a platform for of the optimization design of axial-flow pump blades is built in this paper. The platform which based on the multidisciplinary optimization software iSIGHT is to design and optimize the axial flow blades. The automatic optimization design platform for axial-flow blade was established, in which the parameterization modeling, mesh, flow computation and numerical optimization are combined together. The use of the numerical simulation software CFD for disciplinary analysis improved the reliability and accuracy of the results of the prediction model. Found the approximate geometric design parameters of the design conditions based on numerical simulation, and the technology of numerical optimization was used for constrained optimized analysis based on these parameters. Optimized impeller efficiency improved about 0.7% while satisfying the constraint condition, shows that the optimization method for axial flow blade base on iSIGHT platform is effective and feasible. Meanwhile, the optimization method can greatly shorten the design cycle, reduce design cost optimization.
Numerical Simulations of Growth and Collapse of a Bubble Between Two Parallel Walls
Authors: Seki Hiroki , Fujita Keisuke , Ogasawara Toshiyuki , Takahira Hiroyuki
Published: July 2018

In liquid mercury target systems for high-intense pulsed-spallation neutron sources, the material damage of the vessel wall caused by the cavitation bubble collapse is an important issue to be overcome. One remedy is to install a narrow channel for mercury flows. In such a situation, it is important to clarify the dynamics of the growth and collapse of bubbles in a narrow channel and to predict the damage of the channel walls by the bubble collapse. In the present study, therefore, the growth and collapse of bubbles between two parallel walls are investigated by using two kinds of numerical methods: one is the boundary element method (BEM) and the other is the ghost fluid method (GFM). Main concern in the present study is the bubble dynamics when the equilibrium bubble diameter at its maximum volume, deq=2Req, is larger than the channel height between two walls, h; in this case, the bubble shape is not spherical when it grows between two walls. The present results show that the bubble shape at the maximum volume is much dependent on η=h/Req). In the case of η=1.57, the bubble becomes an ellipsoidal shape at its maximum volume, and when η=0.94, the bubble becomes a flattened hourglass shape. When the ellipsoidal bubble collapses, the bubble splits into two parts leading to the liquid jet impact on nearer walls. On the other hand, the bubble with the flattened hourglass shape collapses neutrally at the middle of the walls without translational motion of its main body. The impulsive pressure on the wall observed in the neutral collapse is lower than that in the case of the splitting bubble.
Application of Multi-Process Cavitation Model for Cavitating Flow in Cold Water and in Liquid Nitrogen Around a Hydrofoil
Authors: Tsuda Shin-ichi , Watanabe Satoshi
Published: July 2018

As one of the improvements of the conventional cavitation models, a new cavitation model named “Multi-Process Cavitation Model”, which takes various elementary processes in cavitation such as bubble expansion/shrinkage with bubble-bubble interaction, evaporation/condensation, inception/collapse, coalescence and break-up into account, has been recently constructed. In this paper, we validated this cavitation model with a CFD solver around a hydrofoil of NACA0015 in cold water, together with the validation around a hydrofoil of NACA16-012 in liquid nitrogen as one of the cryogenic fluids. As a result, in the case of cold water, the prediction accuracy of the lift coefficient was improved compared with some typical conventional models. It was confirmed that one of the reasons why the present model improves the prediction accuracy of the lift coefficient is we take apparent “inception delay” into account based on the typical size distribution of pre-existing bubble nuclei. On the other hand, in the case of liquid nitrogen, the temperature decrease due to thermodynamic effect was predicted at least qualitatively, but its quantitative accuracy was not ensured. Related to the fair prediction in the case of liquid nitrogen, one of the problems in the application of the present cavitation model would be that the typical size distribution of bubble nuclei in inception has not been understood experimentally and theoretically in the case of cryogenic fluids, and more appropriate modeling of the inception in cryogenic fluids is one of the important near future works.
3D Volume-of-Fluid (VOF) Based Simulation of Water Impact Problem Using Navier-Stokes Computations
Authors: Nguyen Van-Tu , Park Warn-Gyu
Published: July 2018

In this paper, a three-dimensional (3D) numerical investigation of dam-break and water entry problems with emphasis on the water impact loading is presented. Flow fields of incompressible viscous fluids are solved using unsteady Navier-Stokes equations (NS). Pseudo-time derivatives are introduced into the equations to improve computational efficiency. The interface between two phases is tracked using a volume-of-fluid (VOF) interface tracking algorithm developed in a generalized curvilinear coordinate system. The accuracy and capability of the numerical model for free surface flow simulations are demonstrated by using experiments of the dam-break flow over a horizontal dry bed. The water impact problem has been analyzed by free falling water entry of a hemisphere and a cone. Comparisons between the obtained solutions, the experimental data and the results of other numerical simulations in the literature are presented exhibiting good agreement.
Wells Turbines With 3-Dimensional Blades: The Performance Under Unsteady Flow Conditions
Authors: Takao Manabu , Takasaki Katsuya , Tsunematsu Tomohiro , Ashraful Alam Miah Md. , Setoguchi Toshiaki
Published: July 2018

The effect of the 3-dimentional (3D) blade on the turbine characteristics of Wells turbines for wave energy conversion has been investigated numerically by a quasi-steady analysis under unsteady flow conditions in this study in order to improve the peak mean efficiency characteristics. The aim of use of the 3D blade is to prevent flow separation on the suction surface near the tip. The chord length is constant in the radius and the blade profile changes gradually from the mean radius to the tip. The proposed blade profiles in the study are NACA0015 from the hub to mean radius and NACA0025 at the tip. The performance of the Wells turbine with 3D blades has been compared with those of the original Wells turbine, i.e., the turbine with 2-dimentional blades. As a result, it was concluded that although the peak mean efficiency of a Wells turbine can be improved by the use of the proposed 3D blade, its blade does not overcome the stall characteristic.
Effect of Reynolds Number on Coalescence of Droplets in Creeping Flow Through a Tube
Authors: Muraoka Masahiro , Kumagai Yuuki , Yatagawa Yuuta , Ueno Ichiro
Published: July 2018

The coalescence of droplets in creeping flow through a tube was experimentally examined. The coalescence time of two droplets and the diameter of the clearance area between the droplets were measured. The experimentally measured coalescence times were compared with those determined by semi-theoretical formulas and generally good agreement was observed between the two. The effect of the Reynolds number of the creeping flow on the coalescence of the droplets was also investigated.
An Experimental Study on the Heating Process With a Premixed Tubular Flame
Authors: Hu Jie , Shi Baolu , Shimokuri Daisuke , Ishizuka Satoru
Published: July 2018

In this study, the effects of swirl intensity on the heating process of a gas stream, which is introduced into an inner hot gas region of a swirling tubular flame, have been investigated. In order to obtain fundamental knowledge on the heating system with a tubular flame, a burner with variable swirl intensities has been made and the effects of the swirl number on the flame characteristics and the temperature fields have been experimentally investigated. In addition, using a PIV system, the flow fields are visualized in detail under combustion conditions as well as under cold flow conditions to discuss the heating process in detail. Main results obtained are (1) The tubular flame can be established for a wide range in the equivalence ratio and the flow rate of the combustible mixture. Even when a cold air stream is introduced into the tubular flame, the flame is stable and the air stream is heated gradually along the axis of the burner. (2) The temperature rise on the axis of the burner is slow for the swirl numbers 0.35 and 0.7, whereas it is fast for the swirl number of 1.4. (3) Detailed flow visualization under combustion conditions has shown that, in contrast to cold flow conditions, the central air stream is laminarized due to the axial gas expansion of the burned gas, which suggests that the enhancement of the heating rate with an increase of the swirl number can be explained mainly through an increase of the heat transfer area between the two streams induced by the rotational motion of the swirl burner.
PIV Measurement of Carbon Dioxide Gas-Liquid Two-Phase Nozzle Flow
Authors: Ueno Satoshi , Tsuru Wakana , Kinoue Yoichi , Shiomi Norimasa , Setoguchi Toshiaki
Published: July 2018

As a refrigerant used for a refrigeration cycle, carbon dioxide (CO2) is regarded. In the case that CO2 is used as a refrigerant, a gas-liquid two-phase flow ejector is very important. The gas-liquid two-phase flow ejector consists of a driving flow nozzle, a suction chamber, a mixing section and a diffuser. It is important for optimally designing the driving flow nozzle of the two-phase flow ejector to make clear the acceleration characteristics of the high speed gas-liquid two-phase flow. However, there is only a few study examples to evaluate the acceleration performance reasonably. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to measure the acceleration characteristics and temperature distribution in the CO2 gas-liquid two-phase flow nozzle of the CO2 two-phase flow ejector by experiment. In the experiment, CO2 is blown down through the convergent-divergent nozzle and is discharged into the atmosphere. Visualization of the nozzle flow has been carried out by Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV). Temperature measurement has been carried out by thermocouples. Obtained velocity distribution of gas-liquid two-phase flow nozzle have been considered as the droplets velocity. By the experiment, these velocity distributions in parts of the nozzle and these temperature distributions in the nozzle are obtained. Therefore, the flow acceleration in the nozzle divergent part is clarified by the experimental work.
PIV-PLIF Experiment on Modification of Turbulent Scalar Diffusion Near the Wall by Uniform Blowing
Authors: Sugioka Hideaki , Fu Zaiguo , Tsukahara Takahiro , Kawaguchi Yasuo
Published: July 2018

The transfer phenomena of wall turbulence are associated with the quasi ordered vortex structures, which are developed from small scale vortices near the wall. How to change the turbulent motion and turbulent transfer by modifying the condition of near wall is important for academic and industrial applications in the control of mass and heat transfers. In this study, we examined experimentally the effect on changing mass transfer in channel turbulence by uniform blowing from a porous wall. We used PIV/PLIF simultaneous measurement by mixing fluorescent dye into blown fluids to observe the spatial evolution of mass transfer in turbulence and analyzed flow fields from the view point of turbulence statistics. It was found that blowing enhanced fluctuation of disturbance and along with it, the coefficients of skin friction and mass transfer rate were increased. On the other hand, the isotropy of turbulence and turbulent Schmidt number were almost not changed. We concluded that there are universality in redistribution of turbulence energy and similar relationship between momentum and mass transfer.
Effect of Deflected Inflow on Flows in a Strongly-Curved 90 Degree Elbow
Authors: Iwamoto Yukiharu , Kusuzaki Ryo , Sogo Motosuke , Yasuda Kazunori , Yamano Hidemasa , Tanaka Masaaki
Published: July 2018

Wall pressure measurements and flow visualization were conducted for a 90 degree elbow with an axis curvature radius the same as its inner diameter (125 mm, Rc/D = 1). Reynolds numbers 320,000 and 500,000, based on the inner diameter and bulk velocity, were examined. A deflected inflow, having an almost constant velocity slope, was introduced in the present study. The velocity at the inside was 20% faster than the bulk velocity in the plane one diameter upstream of the elbow inlet.

Ensemble averaged pressure distributions showed that no difference of normalized pressure could be found in cases of Reynolds numbers of 320,000 and 500,000. Comparisons with a uniform inlet flow case [1] proved that a low-pressure region at the intrados of the elbow was weakened and that a high-pressure region outside strengthened in the deflected inflow case. The present case had a characteristic pressure distribution that the pressure downstream of the elbow increased at the inside until two diameters downstream from the elbow exit. Flow visualization concluded that the corresponding pressure increase was caused by a collision of a strengthened secondary flow convected from the extrados.

The unsteady pressure distribution in the present case showed that a circumferential extent of a strongly fluctuating region in the inside and downstream of the elbow decreased, comparing with the uniform inlet flow case.[1] Power spectral density functions of pressures exhibited that the fluctuation having the Strouhal number (based on the inner diameter and bulk velocity) of 0.6 existed in the downstream region of the elbow, which is 0.1 larger than that of the uniform inflow case.
Restructuring Capability of Non-Fractal Aggregate in Simple Shear Flow
Authors: Lieu Uyen Tu , Harada Shusaku
Published: July 2018

We have performed numerical simulation to investigate the restructuring capability of an isolated non-fractal aggregate in simple shear flow. The change in structure of aggregate having different initial packing properties is numerically examined by a Lagrangian approach. Stokesian dynamics is employed as a rigorous method for the calculation of the hydrodynamic interaction, while the inter-particle interaction is estimated by Van der Waals potential. Simulation results show that under the effect of the rotational component and the extensional component of shear flow, the aggregate simultaneously rotates and changes its outer shape and inner connectivity, then it reaches stable state. Correspondingly, the coordination number varies periodically with the rotation and then approaches a stable value different from the initial one. During the progress toward stable state, the relation between coordination number and volume fraction is independent of shear condition but related to the most compact structure that the aggregate is possible to obtain by restructuring. Such behaviors are observed for different aggregates whose initial structure varies from loose to dense. Moreover, at the stable state, the stable structure is strongly dependent on the applied shear stress and the most compact structure rather than the initial configuration.