bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Smear Microscopy for Diagnosis of Pulmonary Tuberculosis in Eastern Sudan
Authors: Shuaib Yassir A. , Khalil Eltahir A. G. , Schaible Ulrich E. , Wieler Lothar H. , Bakheit Mohammed A. M. , Mohamed-Noor Saad E. , Abdalla Mohamed A. , Homolka Susanne , Andres Sönke , Hillemann Doris , Lonnroth Knut , Richter Elvira , Niemann Stefan , Kranzer Katharina
Published: June 2018

Background. In Sudan, tuberculosis diagnosis largely relies on clinical symptoms and smear microscopy as in many other low- and middle-income countries. The aim of this study was to investigate the positive predictive value of a positive sputum smear in patients investigated for pulmonary tuberculosis in Eastern Sudan. Methods. Two sputum samples from patients presenting with symptoms suggestive of tuberculosis were investigated using direct Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN) staining and light microscopy between June to October 2014 and January to July 2016. If one of the samples was smear positive, both samples were pooled, stored at −20°C, and sent to the National Reference Laboratory (NRL), Germany. Following decontamination, samples underwent repeat microscopy and culture. Culture negative/contaminated samples were investigated using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results. A total of 383 samples were investigated. Repeat microscopy categorized 123 (32.1%) as negative, among which 31 were culture positive. This increased to 80 when PCR and culture results were considered together. A total of 196 samples were culture positive, of which 171 (87.3%), 14 (7.1%), and 11 (5.6%) were M. tuberculosis, M. intracellulare, and mixed species. Overall, 15.6% (57/365) of the samples had no evidence of M. tuberculosis, resulting in a positive predictive value of 84.4%. Conclusions. There was a discordance between the results of smear microscopy performed at local laboratories in the Sudan and at the NRL, Germany; besides, a considerable number of samples had no evidence of M. tuberculosis. Improved quality control for smear microscopy and more specific diagnostics are crucial to avoid possible overtreatment.
Voltage-Controllable Guided Propagation in Nematic Liquid Crystals
Authors: Yao Hsin-Yu , Yeh Shang-Min
Published: June 2018

Voltage-controllable guided channels are formed in a planar nematic liquid crystals cell. The director of liquid crystals can be aligned by applying external voltage, which results in a difference of the refractive index between two adjacent channels; therefore, the incidence beam can be coupled from one channel to another. First, we discussed the propagation of the beam and the self-focusing in a single channel; then we discussed the propagation of the beam and the coupling effect in the two channels. The results showed that the propagation of the beam can be selected in each channel by applying voltages in the two individual electrode channels.
The Precoder Design with Covariance Feedback for Simultaneous Information and Energy Transmission Systems
Authors: Zhou Wen , Deng Dan , Xia Junjuan , Shao Ziyun
Published: June 2018

We consider the optimal precoder design with the assumption that the transmitter only has channel covariance information, for the multi‐input multi‐output (MIMO) information and energy transmission system. The objective of the system design is to maximize the average system information rate, meanwhile meeting the minimum energy requirement of the energy receiver. Following this objective, we formulate the problem as a semidefinite programming (SDP) and further transform it into a dual problem. Two methods are proposed to solve this problem: the first method decomposes the transmission covariance as a product of precoders so that the constrained optimization becomes an unconstrained one, whereas the second method derives the structure of the optimal transmission covariance analytically. Both methods are proved to be convergent and their overheads and complexity are also analyzed. The achievable rate‐energy (R‐E) regions for the proposed methods are presented in the simulation. Under various system settings, the superiority of the proposed methods is shown by comparing with a few existing transmission schemes.
Preparation of Soy‐Based Adhesive Enhanced by Waterborne Polyurethane: Optimization by Response Surface Methodology
Authors: Wang Yong , Deng Layun , Fan Youhua
Published: June 2018

Response surface methodology was used to optimize the preparation conditions of soy‐based adhesives (SBAs) in this work. The parameters such as the effects and interactions of waterborne polyurethane (WPU) addition level (X1), temperature (X2), and time (X3) on wet shear strength (Y) were investigated. The regression model for SBA preparation was significant (p = 0.0034 < 0.05). The coefficient of determination (R2) of this model was to be 0.9256. According to the results, WPU addition level (X1) had a significant influence on the wet shear strength, whereas reaction temperature (X2) and reaction time (X3) were not significant. The optimal preparation conditions of SBA were 12 wt.% WPU addition level for 101 min at 76°C. Under the optimal conditions, the wet shear strength was 1.07 ± 0.08 MPa, which was in good agreement with the model predicted value. An analysis of FTIR spectra of WPU, soy flour, and soy‐based adhesive further confirmed the validity of the model.
Total Hip Lithiasis: A Rare Sequelae of Spilled Gallstones
Authors: Tyagi Vineet , Wiznia Daniel H. , Wyllie Adrian K. , Keggi Kristaps J.
Published: June 2018

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a surgical treatment for acute cholecystitis or symptomatic cholelithiasis. One potential complication, the spillage of gallstones into the peritoneal cavity, can form a nidus for infection and may be associated with hepatic, retroperitoneal, thoracic, and abdominal wall abscesses. We report a case of a patient presenting with a right iliopsoas abscess and an infected right hip prosthesis status postlaparoscopic cholecystectomy. A CT demonstrated that the acetabular shell was overmedialized and perforated through the medial wall. The patient was taken to the operating room for explantation of components. A collection of gallstones was identified deep to the acetabulum during the explantation. The case highlights the importance of avoiding overmedialization of the acetabular component, which can provide a direct route for infection into the hip joint.
Adipocyte-Derived Lipids Mediate Melanoma Progression via FATP Proteins
Authors: Zhang Maomao , Di Martino Julie S. , Bowman Robert L. , Campbell Nathaniel R. , Baksh Sanjeethan C. , Simon-Vermot Theresa , Kim Isabella S. , Haldeman Pearce , Mondal Chandrani , Yong-Gonzales Vladimir , Abu-Akeel Mohsen , Merghoub Taha , Jones Drew R. , Zhu Xiphias Ge , Arora Arshi , Ariyan Charlotte E. , Birsoy Kivanç , Wolchok Jedd D. , Panageas Katherine S. , Hollmann Travis , Bravo-Cordero Jose Javier , White Richard M.
Published: June 2018

Advanced, metastatic melanomas frequently grow in subcutaneous tissues and portend a poor prognosis. Though subcutaneous tissues are largely composed of adipocytes, the mechanisms by which adipocytes influence melanoma are poorly understood. Using in vitro and in vivo models, we find that adipocytes increase proliferation and invasion of adjacent melanoma cells. Additionally, adipocytes directly transfer lipids to melanoma cells, which alters tumor cell metabolism. Adipocyte-derived lipids are transferred to melanoma cells through the FATP/SLC27A family of lipid transporters expressed on the tumor cell surface. Among the six FATP/SLC27A family members, melanomas significantly overexpress FATP1/SLC27A1. Melanocyte-specific FATP1 expression cooperates with BRAFV600E in transgenic zebrafish to accelerate melanoma development, an effect that is similarly seen in mouse xenograft studies. Pharmacologic blockade of FATPs with the small-molecule inhibitor Lipofermata abrogates lipid transport into melanoma cells and reduces melanoma growth and invasion. These data demonstrate that stromal adipocytes can drive melanoma progression through FATP lipid transporters and represent a new target aimed at interrupting adipocyte–melanoma cross-talk.

Significance: We demonstrate that stromal adipocytes are donors of lipids that mediate melanoma progression. Adipocyte-derived lipids are taken up by FATP proteins that are aberrantly expressed in melanoma. Inhibition of FATPs decreases melanoma lipid uptake, invasion, and growth. We provide a mechanism for how stromal adipocytes drive tumor progression and demonstrate a novel microenvironmental therapeutic target. Cancer Discov; 8(8); 1006–25. ©2018 AACR.

This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 899
Real-time Genomic Characterization of Advanced Pancreatic Cancer to Enable Precision Medicine
Authors: Aguirre Andrew J. , Nowak Jonathan A. , Camarda Nicholas D. , Moffitt Richard A. , Ghazani Arezou A. , Hazar-Rethinam Mehlika , Raghavan Srivatsan , Kim Jaegil , Brais Lauren K. , Ragon Dorisanne , Welch Marisa W. , Reilly Emma , McCabe Devin , Marini Lori , Anderka Kristin , Helvie Karla , Oliver Nelly , Babic Ana , Da Silva Annacarolina , Nadres Brandon , Van Seventer Emily E. , Shahzade Heather A. , St. Pierre Joseph P. , Burke Kelly P. , Clancy Thomas , Cleary James M. , Doyle Leona A. , Jajoo Kunal , McCleary Nadine J. , Meyerhardt Jeffrey A. , Murphy Janet E. , Ng Kimmie , Patel Anuj K. , Perez Kimberly , Rosenthal Michael H. , Rubinson Douglas A. , Ryou Marvin , Shapiro Geoffrey I. , Sicinska Ewa , Silverman Stuart G. , Nagy Rebecca J. , Lanman Richard B. , Knoerzer Deborah , Welsch Dean J. , Yurgelun Matthew B. , Fuchs Charles S. , Garraway Levi A. , Getz Gad , Hornick Jason L. , Johnson Bruce E. , Kulke Matthew H. , Mayer Robert J. , Miller Jeffrey W. , Shyn Paul B. , Tuveson David A. , Wagle Nikhil , Yeh Jen Jen , Hahn William C. , Corcoran Ryan B. , Carter Scott L. , Wolpin Brian M.
Published: June 2018

Clinically relevant subtypes exist for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), but molecular characterization is not yet standard in clinical care. We implemented a biopsy protocol to perform time-sensitive whole-exome sequencing and RNA sequencing for patients with advanced PDAC. Therapeutically relevant genomic alterations were identified in 48% (34/71) and pathogenic/likely pathogenic germline alterations in 18% (13/71) of patients. Overall, 30% (21/71) of enrolled patients experienced a change in clinical management as a result of genomic data. Twenty-six patients had germline and/or somatic alterations in DNA-damage repair genes, and 5 additional patients had mutational signatures of homologous recombination deficiency but no identified causal genomic alteration. Two patients had oncogenic in-frame BRAF deletions, and we report the first clinical evidence that this alteration confers sensitivity to MAPK pathway inhibition. Moreover, we identified tumor/stroma gene expression signatures with clinical relevance. Collectively, these data demonstrate the feasibility and value of real-time genomic characterization of advanced PDAC.

Significance: Molecular analyses of metastatic PDAC tumors are challenging due to the heterogeneous cellular composition of biopsy specimens and rapid progression of the disease. Using an integrated multidisciplinary biopsy program, we demonstrate that real-time genomic characterization of advanced PDAC can identify clinically relevant alterations that inform management of this difficult disease. Cancer Discov; 8(9); 1096–111. ©2018 AACR.

See related commentary by Collisson, p. 1062.

This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 1047
Guidelines for Diagnosis and Treatment of Primary Liver Cancer in China (2017 Edition)
Authors: Zhou Jian , Sun Hui-Chuan , Wang Zheng , Cong Wen-Ming  , Wang Jian-Hua , Zeng Meng-Su , Yang Jia-Mei , Bie Ping , Liu Lian-Xin , Wen Tian-Fu , Han Guo-Hong , Wang Mao-Qiang , Liu Rui-Bao , Lu Li-Gong , Ren Zheng-Gang , Chen Min-Shan , Zeng Zhao-Chong , Liang Ping , Liang Chang-Hong , Chen Min , Yan Fu-Hua , Wang Wen-Ping , Ji Yuan , Cheng Wen-Wu , Dai Chao-Liu , Jia Wei-Dong , Li Ya-Ming , Li Ye-Xiong , Liang Jun , Liu Tian-Shu , Lv Guo-Yue , Mao Yi-Lei , Ren Wei-Xin , Shi Hong-Cheng , Wang Wen-Tao , Wang Xiao-Ying , Xing Bao-Cai , Xu Jian-Ming , Yang Jian-Yong , Yang Ye-Fa , Ye Sheng-Long , Yin Zheng-Yu , Zhang Bo-Heng , Zhang Shui-Jun , Zhou Wei-Ping , Zhu Ji-Ye , Liu Rong , Shi Ying-Hong , Xiao Yong-Sheng , Dai Zhi , Teng Gao-Jun , Cai Jian-Qiang , Wang Wei-Lin , Dong Jia-Hong , Li Qiang , Shen Feng , Qin Shu-Kui , Fan Jia
Published: June 2018

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) (about 85–90% of primary liver cancer) is particularly prevalent in China because of the high prevalence of chronic hepatitis B infection. HCC is the fourth most common malignancy and the third leading cause of tumor-related deaths in China. It poses a significant threat to the life and health of Chinese people. Summary: This guideline presents official recommendations of the National Health and Family Planning Commission of the People’s Republic of China on the surveillance, diagnosis, staging, and treatment of HCC occurring in China. The guideline was written by more than 50 experts in the field of HCC in China (including liver surgeons, medical oncologists, hepatologists, interventional radiologists, and diagnostic radiologists) on the basis of recent evidence and expert opinions, balance of benefits and harms, cost-benefit strategies, and other clinical considerations. Key Messages: The guideline presents the Chinese staging system, and recommendations regarding patients with HCC in China to ensure optimum patient outcomes.
Chest Drain Fall-Out Rate According to Suturing Practices: A Retrospective Direct Comparison
Authors: Asciak Rachelle , Addala Dinesh , Karimjee Juzer , Rana Maaz Suhail , Tsikrika Stamatoula  , Hassan Maged Fayed , Mercer Rachel Mary , Hallifax Robert John , Wrightson John Matthew , Psallidas Ioannis , Benamore Rachel , Rahman Najib Mahboob
Published: June 2018

Background: Chest drains often become displaced and require replacement, adding unnecessary risks to patients. Simple measures such as suturing of the drain may reduce fall-out rates; however, there is no direct data to demonstrate this and no standardized recommended practice that is evidence based. Objectives: The study aimed to analyze the rate of chest drain fall out according to suturing practice. Methods: Retrospective analysis of all chest drain insertions (radiology and pleural teams) in 2015–2016. Details of chest drain fall out were collected from patient electronic records. Drain “fall out” was pre-hoc defined as the drain tip becoming dislodged outside the pleural cavity unintentionally before a clinical decision was taken to remove the drain. Results: A total of 369 chest drains were inserted: sutured (n = 106, 28.7%; 44 male [41.5%], median age 74 [interquartile range (IQR) 21] years), and unsutured (n = 263, 71.3%; 139 male [52.9%], median age 68 [IQR 21] years). Of the sutured drains, 7 (6.6%) fell out after a mean of 3.3 days (SD 2.6) compared to 39 (14.8%; p = 0.04) unsutured drains falling out after a mean of 2.7 days (SD 2.0; p = 0.8). Conclusions: Within the limits of this retrospective analysis, these results ­suggest that suturing of drains is associated with lower fall-out rates.
Pseudolymphomatous Reaction to Red Tattoo Pigment
Authors: Saulite Ieva , Pekar-Lukacs Agnes , Kerl Katrin , Cozzio Antonio , Hoetzenecker Wolfram , Guenova Emmanuella
Published: June 2018

Decorative tattooing is a procedure in which exogenous pigment and/or dye is introduced into the dermis with the aim of creating a permanent skin decoration. The increasing prevalence of tattooed individuals leads to more reported tattoo-related complications. Pseudolymphomatous reaction is a benign reactive proliferation of lymphocytes that may uncommonly occur secondary to tattooing. We describe the clinical, histological, and molecular aspects of a pseudolymphomatous reaction to red tattoo pigment.
Widely Spread Unilateral Inflammatory Linear Verrucous Epidermal Nevus (ILVEN)
Authors: Tanita Kayo , Fujimura Taku , Sato Yota , Lyu Chunbing , Aiba Setsuya
Published: June 2018

Inflammatory linear verrucous epidermal nevus (ILVEN) is an epidermal nevus that clinically and histologically mimics linear psoriasis. The pathogenesis of psoriasis has been widely investigated, with recent studies focusing especially on targeting proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-17A, TNFα, IL-23, and IL-12, while little is known about ILVEN. Since the treatment for ILVEN varies widely from the administration of topical ointment for psoriasis to invasive methods such as carbon dioxide gas laser, the differential diagnosis between ILVEN and psoriasis is necessary. In this report, we describe a case of widely spread unilateral ILVEN that clinically and histologically mimicked psoriasis vulgaris and could be diagnosed by immunohistochemical staining focused on the IL-36γ/IL-17A axis.
Proton Therapy for Primary Breast Cancer
Authors: Hug Eugen B.
Published: June 2018

Proton therapy reduces the integral dose received by normal tissues due to its physical properties of dose deposition in the Bragg peak. In a small but significant percentage of patients requiring adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) for left-sided breast cancer, photon-based RT can lead to cardiac complications during long-term follow-up. The risk of cardiac complications is correlated with the dose to the coronary arteries and to the general ‘mean heart dose'. Dosimetric comparison analysis has identified advantages of proton therapy in accomplishing sparing of the heart with increasing target complexity while permitting uncompromised target coverage of the chest wall ± breast plus draining lymphatics. Early clinical data indicate good clinical tolerance to proton therapy without unexpected complications. Several clinical trials are presently ongoing to prospectively confirm a clinical benefit and to identify the subgroup of patients benefitting most from proton therapy for breast cancer.
Relationship between Paronychia and Drug Concentrations of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors
Authors: Masago Katsuhiro , Irie Kei , Fujita Shiro , Imamichi Fumiko , Okada Yutaka , Katakami Nobuyuki , Fukushima Shoji , Yatabe Yasushi
Published: June 2018

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the site of paronychia in patients with non-small cell lung cancer harboring an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene activating mutation who were treated with EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR TKIs). Patients and Methods: The study included 55 patients with non-small-cell lung cancer who were treated with an EGFR TKIs. Resulting all toxicities were graded using the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 4.0 system. Drug concentrations were determined with use of a quantum triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer and dried blood spots testing. Results: Paronychia most commonly occurred in the thumb and the big toe. There was no correlation between the severity of paronychia and the drug concentration of each EGFR TKI at the site of paronychia. The mean penetration rates of the drug from plasma to the tip of the finger and toe were 74.1% (erlotinib), 82.2% (gefitinib), and 99.9% (afatinib). Conclusions: High concentrations of an EGFR TKI at the affected site did not play a role in the onset mechanism of paronychia. Therefore, educating patients about ways to avoid compression may be a better approach to managing this adverse event than reducing the dose of the EGFR-TKI or stopping treatment.
Leading the Faithful: Religious Authority in the Contemporary Middle East
Authors: Kamrava Mehran
Published: June 2018

The post-2011 Middle East has witnessed an increasing politicization of religious authority across the Middle East and among almost all faith communities. Unfolding political and social developments, along with steadily shifting posture and functions of the state vis-à-vis the various religious communities has propelled religious leaders into the role of their communities’ political protectors as well as chief liaisons with state leaders and institutions. This has occurred simultaneous with a diffusion of authority within majoritarian religious communities (in both Sunni and Shiʿa majority societies), along with an inverse centralization of religious authority among minority communities such as the Zaydis, the Maronites, and Chaldians.
Legal Status of the Precautionary Principle in International Fisheries Law and Its Application in the Marine Fisheries Regime of Bangladesh
Authors: Al Arif Abdullah
Published: June 2018

There are endless debates on the status of the precautionary principle in the realm of international environmental law. The confusion often occurs on the use of phrases that express the concept of precaution, such as precautionary principle, precautionary approach and precautionary measures. The precautionary principle was incorporated in major international fisheries instruments amid all of these debates and confusions. This article seeks to examine the status of the precautionary principle in international fisheries law. This article also surveys the legislative and regulatory frameworks for exploitation, conservation and management of marine fisheries in Bangladesh to find the application of the precautionary principle in the marine fisheries regime of Bangladesh. The study reveals that the application of the precautionary principle is almost absent in the marine fisheries management frameworks in Bangladesh and calls for incorporation of the same for conservation of marine fisheries and marine biodiversity.
Material deprivation in the EU: A multi-level analysis on the influence of decommodification and defamilisation policies
Authors: Israel Sabine , Spannagel Dorothee
Published: June 2018

The central aim of this paper is identifying the existing political leeway for the reduction of deprivation levels in Europe. The links between household and individual characteristics and risks of material deprivation have been abundantly researched, but what are the political institutions that modify and possibly buffer these odds? Welfare state differences have been portrayed in depth but their association with social outcomes such as deprivation is less clear. By identifying the impact of decommodification and defamilisation policies on deprivation exposure, we seek to fill this gap. Our results, based on European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions 2012 to 2013 cross-sectional micro data, reveal that social programmes that cover large segments of the population and follow a needs-based approach are linked to lower odds of being materially deprived. A significant number of European cross-country differences in deprivation rates can thus be traced back to varying levels of social assistance, as well as to differences in the provision of public healthcare. Defamilisation policies are, despite increased risks for (single parent) families, not yet addressing the problem of low living standards successfully. An extension of childcare services, however, seems promising for lowering deprivation among families, particularly in countries with high levels of involuntary part-time work.
Corporatizing security through champions, condos and credentials
Authors: Lippert Randy K , Walby Kevin
Published: June 2018

This paper argues that corporatization of security is distinct from related phenomena including commodification, privatization, and marketization. Corporatization refers to the spread of the corporate form and therefore to organization and governance, not ownership, and as corporatization expands in the security domain it raises troubling issues due to its secretive and undemocratic features. Corporatization’s conceptual purchase and these issues are shown through exploration of emergent security arrangements in three under-researched, disparate realms with growing global presence: public police sponsorship, private residential urban security, and public corporate security. These revealing realms of security corporatization are established and enhanced by specific techniques and organizational forms, including champions, condominiums, and credentials, respectively. The paper concludes with discussion of implications of corporatization of security for scholarly methods of inquiry and critique as well as for increasing accountability.
It Is Not a Cohort Thing: Interrogating the Relationship Between Age, Cohort, and Support for the Environment
Authors: Johnson Erik W. , Schwadel Philip
Published: June 2018

Cohort replacement is one widely implicated, but seldom studied, mechanism of long-term change in public opinion toward environmental protection. A key difficulty in extant research has been empirically distinguishing cohort effects from those of age. Applying recent methodological advances in age–period–cohort models, we examine the disaggregated effects of age, time period, and birth cohort on changes in Americans’ support of federal spending for environmental protection between 1973 and 2016. Results suggest that cohort replacement provides little explanatory power. Instead, we find large age effects, with the young more likely to be pro-environmental in their views, and substantial changes across time periods (but not steady rising support). These results suggest that there is no inexorable march toward greater environmentalism as younger cohorts with greater environmental awareness replace older ones, and highlight the relative lack of explicit theorizing about the relationship between age and the environment.
Carmelo Bene and the gap in the actor’s gesture
Authors: Vittori Giulia
Published: June 2018

When Italian actor, director, and writer Carmelo Bene conceived Lorenzaccio (1986), under the same title he created a philosophical tale and a performance about Lorenzino De’ Medici. In these works, Bene offers a provocative reflection on the relation existing between the presentness of the act and the historiographical attempt to account for it, once it has passed and been deemed historical action. Questioning representation as a tool of historiography and an instrument of psychological investigation of the subject’s intention, Bene places the act within the domain of performance and removes it from the domain of history. Hence, he shifts his focus from the historical action to the performatic experience embedded in the actor’s gesture. In this article, the author shows how Bene offers a theatre as philosophy in performance, where the actor contributes to understanding the intellectual reach of the act of performing and seizes its potential in critiquing humanist models of subjectivity and history.
Experimental study on drilling of jute fiber reinforced polymer composites
Authors: Rezghi Maleki Hadi , Hamedi Mohsen , Kubouchi Masatoshi , Arao Yoshihiko
Published: June 2018

The use of natural fiber composites is growing at a fast rate in terms of industrial applications due to their eco-friendly, recyclable, renewable nature, and low density/costs. Recently, jute fiber is being used as a reinforcement material in the development of natural fiber reinforced plastics for engineering applications. Drilling is an essential machining operation that is frequently performed for making of holes in composite structures to facilitate assembly of several components into a complex part. The literature reviews indicate that only a few of research articles investigated drilling of natural fiber reinforced composites. Hence, in the present research, drilling of woven jute fiber reinforced polymer composites has been examined. This study aimed at evaluation of cutting parameters and drill bit types effect on thrust force, delamination size, and surface roughness in the jute fiber reinforced polymer composites drilling using an experimental design based on full factorial technique. The percentage contribution of the cutting parameters and drill bit types were determined through the analysis of variance. The optimal setting of these parameters was found through observation. The experimental results indicated that the most significant effect was the drill bit type influencing both delamination factor and surface roughness.
Fabrication of super-hydrophobic cotton fabric by low-pressure plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition
Authors: Xu Liyun , Deng Jiawen , Guo Ying , Wang Wei , Zhang Ruiyun , Yu Jianyong
Published: June 2018

In this paper, a super-hydrophobic cotton fabric was fabricated by low-pressure plasma-enhanced chemical vapor enhanced deposition (LP-PECVD) with lauryl methacrylate (LMA) as the functional monomer. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscope (AFM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were used to analyze the changes of surface morphology and chemical composition of the cotton fabrics surface, respectively. A randomly wrinkled morphology was exhibited by SEM and AFM. The combination of the low surface energy film of LMA and micro-nano-scale structure resulted in the super-hydrophobicity of modified cotton fabrics. The reactive species in LMA/Ar plasma were studied by optical emission spectroscopy, and based on the results of the test, the reaction principle in the plasma reaction chamber was discussed. It was proved that the LMA film is polymerized by chemical bonds on the surface of cotton fibers. The water repellency, washing stability, water-vapor transmission, air permeability and tensile property of fabrics were also discussed. We found that a washing-stable and breathable super-hydrophobic cotton fabric can be achieved after treatment without decreasing the tensile property.
Circulation and flow: Immanent metaphors in the financial debates of Northern Song China (960–1127 CE)
Authors: de Pee Christian
Published: June 2018

The Song Empire (960–1279 CE) had a larger population, a higher agricultural output, a more efficient infrastructure, and a more extensive monetary system than any previous empire in Chinese history. As local jurisdictions during the eleventh century became entangled in empire-wide economic relations and trans-regional commercial litigation, imperial officials sought to reduce the bewildering movement of people, goods, and money to an immanent cosmic pattern. They reasoned that because money and commerce brought to imperial subjects the goods they required to survive, money and commerce must be beneficent, and because they were beneficent, they must conform to the immanent pattern of the moral cosmos, as did everything else that was enduringly sustaining of life and wellbeing. And because money and commerce conformed to the moral cosmos, officials attempted to understand their workings by analogy with other phenomena that sustained human life, such as the flow of water and the circulation of vital essences through the human body. During the 1030s and 1040s, officials and scholars believed that knowledge of the cosmic pattern lay within their grasp, and that this knowledge would allow them to align culture with nature, and the present with hallowed antiquity. By the 1080s, however, this intellectual optimism had been defeated by irreconcilable disagreements about financial and economic policy. The failure of the attempt to understand finance by natural analogy draws attention to the underlying ideological insistence on moral learning as the basis for political power, and to the very limited range of economic discourse that has been preserved in eleventh-century texts.
Making Sense of Heterogeneity in the Influence of Childhood Abuse, Mental Health, and Drug Use on Women’s Offending Pathways
Authors: Broidy Lisa , Payne Jason , Piquero Alex R.
Published: June 2018

Building from the developmental and life course literature and the feminist pathways literature, we aim to detail when and how exposure to abuse in childhood shapes female offending trajectories. Using data from 470 female offenders in Australia, our analyses assess whether internalizing symptoms and drug use help explain the link between early abuse and later offending among females. We then examine whether these links are most acute for females who onset early and evidence chronic involvement in offending. In support of the feminist pathways model, we find evidence for a pathway from early abuse to internalizing symptoms to drug use and then offending. In addition, and in line with the life course literature, we also find important differences in how these risks unfold across women, depending particularly on age of onset and offending chronicity. We reflect on the implications of our findings for theory and intervention with respect to female offending.
A Zero-Inflated Box-Cox Normal Unipolar Item Response Model for Measuring Constructs of Psychopathology
Authors: Magnus Brooke E. , Liu Yang
Published: June 2018

This research introduces a latent class item response theory (IRT) approach for modeling item response data from zero-inflated, positively skewed, and arguably unipolar constructs of psychopathology. As motivating data, the authors use 4,925 responses to the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), a nine Likert-type item depression screener that inquires about a variety of depressive symptoms. First, Lucke’s log-logistic unipolar item response model is extended to accommodate polytomous responses. Then, a nontrivial proportion of individuals who do not endorse any of the symptoms are accounted for by including a nonpathological class that represents those who may be absent on or at some floor level of the latent variable that is being measured by the PHQ-9. To enhance flexibility, a Box-Cox normal distribution is used to empirically determine a transformation parameter that can help characterize the degree of skewness in the latent variable density. A model comparison approach is used to test the necessity of the features of the proposed model. Results suggest that (a) the Box-Cox normal transformation provides empirical support for using a log-normal population density, and (b) model fit substantially improves when a nonpathological latent class is included. The parameter estimates from the latent class IRT model are used to interpret the psychometric properties of the PHQ-9, and a method of computing IRT scale scores that reflect unipolar constructs is described, focusing on how these scores may be used in clinical contexts.
Topic-based hierarchical Bayesian linear regression models for niche items recommendation
Authors: Liu Yezheng , Xiong Qiang , Sun Jianshan , Jiang Yuanchun , Silva Thushari , Ling Haifeng
Published: June 2018

A vital research concern for a personalised recommender system is to target items in the long tail. Studies have shown that sales of the e-commerce platform possess a long-tail character, and niche items in the long tail are challenging to be involved in the recommendation list. Since niche items are defined by the niche market, which is a small market segment, traditional recommendation algorithms focused more on popular items promotion and they do not apply to the niche market. In this article, we aim to find the best users for each niche item and proposed a topic-based hierarchical Bayesian linear regression model for niche item recommendation. We first identify niche items and build niche item subgroups based on descriptive information of items. Moreover, we learn a hierarchical Bayesian linear regression model for each niche item subgroup. Finally, we predict the relevance between users and niche items to provide recommendations. We perform a series of validation experiments on Yahoo Movies dataset and compare the performance of our approach with a set of representative baseline recommender algorithms. The result demonstrates the superior performance of our recommendation approach for niche items.
Piano teacher education in Finland and Germany: Targeted competencies and respective learning environments of two cases
Authors: Abankwa Julia , Mikkilä-Erdmann Mirjamaija
Published: June 2018

The investigation of targeted competencies and respective learning environments in two cases of piano teacher education aimed to identify themes for higher music education programme development. Application of the model of six instrumental/vocal music teacher roles resulted in the conceptual understanding of these roles in four permeable spheres of activity: artistic individuality; pedagogical interaction; professional reflection; and contextual communication. Findings indicate that the targeted competencies were similar in both cases, and were found congruent with the role descriptions of the model, while the provided respective learning environments presented notable differences. Through the comparison of these differences several issues emerged that propose themes for discussion in piano teacher education development. Programme developers should consider to facilitate accessibility of teacher qualification and education, to increase, enhance and broaden practical experiences for student teachers, and to promote closer cooperation and intensified exchange with working life, that is, local professionals and institutions.
Parents as victims of property crime committed by their adult children with drug problems
Authors: Johnson Björn , Richert Torkel , Svensson Bengt
Published: June 2018

Parents who are subjected to crime by adult children with drug problems have been neglected in victimological research. We have examined how common it is for parents to fall victim to theft and burglary committed by their children and how the risk varies depending on the parents’ and children’s circumstances. A self-report questionnaire on victimisation was distributed to parents of adult children with drug problems ( n = 687). The data were collected by means of a postal survey sent to members of the Swedish organisation Parents Against Drugs (Föräldraföreningen mot narkotika) ( n=411) and through an online questionnaire that was disseminated on social media and among treatment facilities and other support associations for family members ( n=276). Half (50.7%) of the parents declared that they had at one point or another been victims of theft or burglary committed by their children. The level was higher among older parents, among those whose children had more severe drug problems and among parents of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Of the respondents, 9.9% had been exposed to property crime during the past year. The level was higher among parents of children who were currently taking drugs, among parents of younger children and among parents whose children were living at home. Parents of adult children with drug problems run a high risk of being subjected to property crime by their children. The risk appears to be mostly related to the children’s drug problems and certain other circumstances pertaining to the children. Further research is needed on the extent and nature of this type of crime and about risk prevention for the parents.
Anaplastic lymphoma kinase-negative uterine inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor containing the ETV6-NTRK3 fusion gene: a case report
Authors: Takahashi Akimasa , Kurosawa Manabu , Uemura Mao , Kitazawa Jun , Hayashi Yoshihiko
Published: June 2018

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors (IMTs) are neoplasms with low malignant potential, and the most common tumor in the lung and orbit. Their occurrence in the uterus is rare. Approximately 50% of IMT patients have anaplastic lymphoma kinase gene ( ALK) rearrangements. Recent studies described novel fusions involving ROS1, platelet-derived growth factor receptor beta ( PDGFR-β), and ETS translocation variant ( ETV6) genes in a subset of ALK-negative patients. We report a 44-year-old woman with anemia and uterine IMT. Ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a myxoid degenerative myoma-like mass, 7.4 cm in maximum diameter, on the left uterine side wall. Hysterectomy was performed as a definitive treatment. Microscopic examination revealed spindle cell proliferation with numerous lymphocytes and plasma cells. Immunohistochemically, the spindle cells were negative for ALK-1, desmin, and smooth muscle actin. The pathological diagnosis was IMT arising from the uterus. Fluorescence in situ hybridization demonstrated an ETV6–neurotrophic tyrosine kinase, receptor, type 3 gene ( NTRK3) translocation but no ALK, ROS1, or PDGFR-β translocations. Lung and abdomen computed tomography at 31 months postoperatively revealed no disease recurrence. This association of an ETV6–NTRK3 fusion oncogene with an ALK-negative uterine IMT increases our understanding of this neoplasm, which may help the development of specific therapies.
Hydraulic-pneumatic flywheel configurations for controlling the inertia of a wind turbine rotor
Authors: Hippel Sebastian , Jauch Clemens , Ritschel Uwe
Published: June 2018

In this article, a methodology is presented for the design of a hydraulic-pneumatic flywheel integrated in a wind turbine rotor. The flywheel enables wind turbines to contribute to power system inertia and it can be used for mitigating loads on the wind turbine. The methodology is applied to the geometry of an existing blade design of a 5-MW wind turbine, but is valid for any arbitrary rotor blade. Several flywheel configurations are derived causing an increase in rotor inertia of the 5-MW wind turbine by 15%, but differ in the position, dimensions and masses of the hydraulic components. These parameters determine the total mass of the hydraulic-pneumatic flywheel, and hence the impact on the mechanical loads on the wind turbine. As a result, a weight-optimized configuration for a flywheel integrated in a wind turbine rotor is derived.
Topiramate is more effective than acetazolamide at lowering intracranial pressure
Authors: Scotton William J , Botfield Hannah F , Westgate Connar SJ , Mitchell James L , Yiangou Andreas , Uldall Maria S , Jensen Rigmor H , Sinclair Alex J
Published: June 2018

Background

The management of idiopathic intracranial hypertension focuses on reducing intracranial pressure to preserve vision and reduce headaches. There is sparse evidence to support the use of some of the drugs commonly used to manage idiopathic intracranial hypertension, therefore we propose to evaluate the efficacy of these drugs at lowering intracranial pressure in healthy rats.

Methods

We measured intracranial pressure in female rats before and after subcutaneous administration of acetazolamide, topiramate, furosemide, amiloride and octreotide at clinical doses (equivalent to a single human dose) and high doses (equivalent to a human daily dose). In addition, we measured intracranial pressure after oral administration of acetazolamide and topiramate.

Results

At clinical and high doses, subcutaneous administration of topiramate lowered intracranial pressure by 32% ( p = 0.0009) and 21% ( p = 0.015) respectively. There was no significant reduction in intracranial pressure noted with acetazolamide, furosemide, amiloride or octreotide at any dose. Oral administration of topiramate significantly lowered intracranial pressure by 22% ( p = 0.018), compared to 5% reduction with acetazolamide ( p = >0.999).

Conclusion

Our in vivo studies demonstrated that both subcutaneous and oral administration of topiramate significantly lowers intracranial pressure. Other drugs tested, including acetazolamide, did not significantly reduce intracranial pressure. Future clinical trials evaluating the efficacy and side effects of topiramate in idiopathic intracranial hypertension patients would be of interest.
Large eddy simulation in a rotary blood pump: Viscous shear stress computation and comparison with unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes simulation
Authors: Torner Benjamin , Konnigk Lucas , Hallier Sebastian , Kumar Jitendra , Witte Matthias , Wurm Frank-Hendrik
Published: June 2018

Purpose:

Numerical flow analysis (computational fluid dynamics) in combination with the prediction of blood damage is an important procedure to investigate the hemocompatibility of a blood pump, since blood trauma due to shear stresses remains a problem in these devices. Today, the numerical damage prediction is conducted using unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes simulations. Investigations with large eddy simulations are rarely being performed for blood pumps. Hence, the aim of the study is to examine the viscous shear stresses of a large eddy simulation in a blood pump and compare the results with an unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes simulation.

Methods:

The simulations were carried out at two operation points of a blood pump. The flow was simulated on a 100M element mesh for the large eddy simulation and a 20M element mesh for the unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes simulation. As a first step, the large eddy simulation was verified by analyzing internal dissipative losses within the pump. Then, the pump characteristics and mean and turbulent viscous shear stresses were compared between the two simulation methods.

Results:

The verification showed that the large eddy simulation is able to reproduce the significant portion of dissipative losses, which is a global indication that the equivalent viscous shear stresses are adequately resolved. The comparison with the unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes simulation revealed that the hydraulic parameters were in agreement, but differences for the shear stresses were found.

Conclusion:

The results show the potential of the large eddy simulation as a high-quality comparative case to check the suitability of a chosen Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes setup and turbulence model. Furthermore, the results lead to suggest that large eddy simulations are superior to unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes simulations when instantaneous stresses are applied for the blood damage prediction.
Art, violence and memory in Taiwan
Authors: Harrison Mark
Published: June 2018

Taiwan is a liminal site of modernity in Asia. It is a modern exemplar as a liberal democracy with a developed economy, but is mostly unrecognized as a nation-state in the international system. In its liminality, however, it traces contours of modern power and their epistemological expression. This paper presents an account of Taiwan as an object of knowledge and representation in instances of scholarship and policy, Taiwanese politics, urban development and art, arguing that the narratives through which Taiwan is understood embed a lived experience as Taiwanese under forms of epistemological domination. The paper then explores Taiwanese responses of co-option and resistance in alternative sites of knowledge, and it concludes that the critical unexamined force in Taiwan’s experience of modernity is violence.
Algorithmic culture and the colonization of life-worlds
Authors: Gilbert Andrew Simon
Published: June 2018

This article explores some of the concerns which are being raised about algorithms with recourse to Habermas’s theory of communicative action. The intention is not to undertake an empirical examination of ‘algorithms’ or their consequences but to connect critical theory to some contemporary concerns regarding digital cultures. Habermas’s ‘colonization of life-worlds’ thesis gives theoretical expression to two different trends which underlie many current criticisms of the insidious influence of digital algorithms: the privatization of communication, and the particularization of knowledge and experience. Habermas’s social theory therefore offers a useful framework for exploring some of the normative and political problems that are attributed to ‘algorithmic culture’ and ‘big data’.
Remembering communism
Authors: el-Ojeili Chamsy
Published: June 2018

Expressions of a current “Marx renaissance”, the three books under review in this article raise crucial questions about memory, knowledge, and power for a new global Left. Traverso’s reflections on Left future-oriented memory, Favilli’s history of Italian Marxism, and Bourrinet’s work on the Dutch and German communist Left explore a variety of “forms of Marxism”. Most centrally, the three works raise still vital questions around Marxism and religion, science and utopia, knowledge and power, nation and globality.