bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
HIV Infection-Associated Frailty: The Solution for Now Is Antiretroviral Drugs: A Perspective
Authors: Klotz Stephen A. , Bradley Nicole , Smith Shannon , Ahmad Nafees
Published: February 2019

This Perspective article provides a new view of frailty as it relates to HIV-1 infection. We discuss new findings and where our research is going.
Clinical Predictors for Optimal Forward Elevation in Primary Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty
Authors: Sollaccio David R , King Joseph J , Struk Aimee , Farmer Kevin W , Wright Thomas W
Published: February 2019

Background

Few studies in the literature analyze clinical factors associated with superoptimal and suboptimal forward elevation in primary reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA). We investigate the functional outcome stratified by shoulder elevation 12 months after primary RTSA and its correlation with selected clinical patient factors.

Methods

We analyzed prospectively collected data within a comprehensive surgical database on patients who had undergone primary RTSA between June 2004 and June 2013. Two hundred eighty-six shoulders were stratified into 2 groups: group I for shoulders that had achieved at least 145° of active forward elevation 12 months postoperatively (90th percentile of active forward elevation, 29 shoulders) and group II for shoulders that never achieved at least 90° of active forward elevation 12 months postoperatively (10th percentile of active forward elevation, 28 shoulders). Statistical analysis associated independent clinical variables with postoperative motion using univariate analysis followed by logistic regression.

Results

Active shoulder elevation of at least 90° was achieved 12 months postoperatively in 259 subjects (90%). Upon comparison with group II (<90° elevation), subjects in group I (≥145° elevation) were found to have improved postoperative active elevation and relatively younger age, lower American Society of Anesthesiologists score, increased preoperative active elevation, increased shoulder strength, increased passive elevation, decreased elevation lag, increased active and passive external rotation, and improved validated outcome scores. When assessing significant preoperative variables, the only independent predictor of improved postoperative forward elevation was preoperative active forward elevation.

Conclusion

These findings illuminate significant factors in the ability to achieve functional active shoulder elevation after primary RTSA. They may help surgeons appropriately counsel patients about anticipated functional prognosis following primary RTSA.
Mitochondria in the maintenance of hematopoietic stem cells: new perspectives and opportunities
Authors: Filippi Marie-Dominique , Ghaffari Saghi
Published: February 2019

The hematopoietic system produces new blood cells throughout life. Mature blood cells all derived from a pool of rare long-lived hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) that are mostly quiescent but occasionally divide and self-renew to maintain the stem cell pool and to insure the continuous replenishment of blood cells. Mitochondria have recently emerged as critical not only for HSC differentiation and commitment but also for HSC homeostasis. Mitochondria are dynamic organelles that orchestrate a number of fundamental metabolic and signaling processes, producing most of the cellular energy via oxidative phosphorylation. HSCs have a relatively high amount of mitochondria that are mostly inactive. Here, we review recent advances in our understanding of the role of mitochondria in HSC homeostasis and discuss, among other topics, how mitochondrial dynamism and quality control might be implicated in HSC fate, self-renewal, and regenerative potential.
Eltrombopag maintains human hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells under inflammatory conditions mediated by IFN-γ
Authors: Alvarado Luigi J. , Huntsman Heather D. , Cheng Hai , Townsley Danielle M. , Winkler Thomas , Feng Xingmin , Dunbar Cynthia E. , Young Neal S. , Larochelle Andre
Published: February 2019

The proinflammatory cytokine interferon-γ (IFN-γ) has been implicated in human hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell (HSPC) depletion in immune-mediated bone marrow failure syndromes. We show that IFN-γ specifically prevents full engagement of thrombopoietin (TPO), a primary positive regulator of HSPC survival, to its receptor (c-MPL) via steric occlusion of the low-affinity binding site, contributing to perturbation of TPO-induced signaling pathways and decreased survival of human HSPCs. Eltrombopag, a synthetic small molecule mimetic of TPO that interacts with c-MPL at a position distinct from the extracellular binding site of TPO, bypasses this inhibition, providing an explanation for its clinical activity in bone marrow failure, despite already elevated endogenous TPO levels. Thus, IFN-γ–mediated perturbation of TPO:c-MPL complex formation and the resulting inhibition of a critical pathway of growth factor cell signaling may represent a general mechanism by which IFN-γ impairs the function of human HSPCs. This understanding could have broad therapeutic implications for various disorders of chronic inflammation.
FoPA: identifying perturbed signaling pathways in clinical conditions using formal methods
Authors: Mansoori Fatemeh , Rahgozar Maseud , Kavousi Kaveh
Published: February 2019

Background

Accurate identification of perturbed signaling pathways based on differentially expressed genes between sample groups is one of the key factors in the understanding of diseases and druggable targets. Most pathway analysis methods prioritize impacted signaling pathways by incorporating pathway topology using simple graph-based models. Despite their relative success, these models are limited in describing all types of dependencies and interactions that exist in biological pathways.

Results

In this work, we propose a new approach based on the formal modeling of signaling pathways. Signaling pathways are formally modeled, and then model checking tools are applied to find the likelihood of perturbation for each pathway in a given condition. By adopting formal methods, various complex interactions among biological parts are modeled, which can contribute to reducing the false-positive rate of the proposed approach. We have developed a tool named Formal model checking based pathway analysis (FoPA) based on this approach. FoPA is compared with three well-known pathway analysis methods: PADOG, CePa, and SPIA on the benchmark of 36 GEO datasets from various diseases by applying the target pathway technique. This validation technique eliminates the need for possibly biased human assessments of results. In the cases that, there is no apriori knowledge of all relevant pathways, simulated false inputs (permuted class labels and decoy pathways) are chosen as a set of negative controls to test the false positive rate of the methods. Finally, to further evaluate the efficiency of FoPA, it is applied to a list of autism-related genes.

Conclusions

The results obtained by the target pathway technique demonstrate that FoPA is able to prioritize target pathways as well as PADOG but better than CePa and SPIA. Also, the false-positive rate of finding significant pathways using FoPA is lower than other compared methods. Also, FoPA can detect more consistent relevant pathways than other methods. The results of FoPA on autism-related genes highlight the role of “Renin-angiotensin system” pathway. This pathway has been supposed to have a pivotal role in some neurodegenerative diseases, while little attention has been paid to its impact on autism development so far.
An audio attention computational model based on information entropy of two channels and exponential moving average
Authors: Liu Yu , Zhang Cong , Hang Bo , Wang Song , Chao Han-Chieh
Published: February 2019

The main down-top attention model usually uses some characteristics of audio signal to extract the auditory saliency map at present. But existing audio attention computational model based image saliency mostly doesn’t consider the continuity and attenuation mechanism of the human brain on paying attention to some occurred events in our real environment. To address these issues, we propose a model based on information entropy of two channels and exponential moving average (EMA) to simulate the processing of sound signals from the basilar membrane to the cochlear nucleus, and get the local information entropy of image and audio channel, finally we use the relevant EMA methods to calculate the auditory attention map. Some experimental results on artificial audio signal and real-world audio signal belonging to a public corpus show that the proposed model not only can detect the attention event, but also reflect the mechanism of human brain, and the experimental results of talk show in real environment are better.
Costume evolution during the development of romantic relationships and its impact on the positions of power in the Star Wars prequel and original trilogies
Authors: King Mary C. , Ridgway Jessica L.
Published: February 2019

This study explored the costume evolution of the Star Wars film characters Padme Amidala and Leia Organa as romantic relationships were introduced and progressed and how this impacted their positions of power. The study aimed to investigate how female characters have their position of power minimized through the use of costume as their involvement in romantic relationships evolves throughout the films. Objectification theory was used as a theoretical framework under which the study was carried out. The researchers utilized a qualitative content analysis of the audio and visual content of the first six Star Wars films. The results indicated that both characters were objectified through costume. Before romantic relationships were introduced, both women were acknowledged for their positions of power which were emphasized by their costumes. It was observed that as both women progressed in their romantic relationships, their perceived power decreased, and an increase of objectification through greater skin exposure occurred.
Headquarters as hardware and software
Authors: Sharer Kevin
Published: February 2019

The article proposes a framework for thinking about the role and elements of a corporate headquarters. The concept is that headquarters is both a physical place with implications for the culture and work processes of the firm and a set of processes and strategies that define how the work actually gets done and the employees and leadership groups interact. The main thesis of the piece is that to properly design and operate headquarters that these elements of both hardware and software of headquarters must be designed and operated together.
Nonsplit complex-frequency-shifted perfectly matched layer combined with symplectic methods for solving second-order seismic wave equations — Part 2: Wavefield simulations
Authors: Ma Xiao , Yang Dinghui , He Xijun , Huang Xueyuan , Song Jiaxing
Published: February 2019

The perfectly matched layer (PML) is an efficient artificial boundary condition that has been routinely implemented in seismic wave modeling. However, the effective combination of PML with symplectic numerical schemes for solving seismic wave equations has rarely been studied. In a companion paper, we have developed a complex-frequency-shifted convolutional PML (CPML) with a nonconstant compression grid parameter for solving the time-domain second-order seismic wave equation. Subsequently, we combine this CPML with two classes of symplectic methods to formulate symplectic partitioned Runge-Kutta (SPRK) + CPML and nearly analytic SPRK (NSPRK) + CPML, both of which are properly synchronized. To further investigate their validity, the two algorithms are then applied to acoustic and elastic wave simulations in typical geologic models, including a heterogeneous acoustic model, several isotropic and orthotropic elastic models, and an isotropic elastic model with a free-surface boundary. Relevant numerical results demonstrate the effectiveness of our CPML and combination algorithms. Specifically, the numerical accuracy and stability of the CPML that we develop are greatly improved compared with the classic split-field PML. Moreover, the final model with the free-surface boundary condition indicates that the nonconstant grid-compression parameter can eliminate the unstable modes at the free surface in the PML domain. The (N)SPRK + CPML that we propose is prospective for future application in other complex models and wave-equation-based migration and inversion.
mHealth Interventions for Exercise and Risk Factor Modification in Cardiovascular Disease
Authors: Maddison Ralph , Rawstorn Jonathan C. , Shariful Islam Sheikh Mohammed , Ball Kylie , Tighe Sarah , Gant Nicholas , Whittaker Robyn M. , Chow Clara K.
Published: February 2019

Exercise and lifestyle risk factor management are critical for the secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease but are poorly adhered to. Mobile health interventions could enhance engagement; however, a one-size intervention approach cannot meet the needs of all people. We hypothesize a unifying digital platform that enables choice from a suite of evidence-based programs will enhance access, delivery, and engagement.
Recommendations on the Use of Ultrasound Guidance for Adult Abdominal Paracentesis: A Position Statement of the Society of Hospital Medicine
Authors: Cho Joel , Jensen Trevor P. , Reierson Kreegan , Mathews Benji K. , Bhagra Anjali , Franco‐Sadud Ricardo , Grikis Loretta , Mader Michael , Dancel Ria , Lucas Brian P. ,   Society of Hospital Medicine Point‐of‐care Ultrasound Task Force, Soni Nilam J.
Published: February 2019

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

We recommend that ultrasound guidance should be used for paracentesis to reduce the risk of serious complications, the most common being bleeding.

We recommend that ultrasound guidance should be used to avoid attempting paracentesis in patients with an insufficient volume of intraperitoneal free fluid to drain.

We recommend that ultrasound guidance should be used with paracentesis to improve the success rates of the overall procedure.

We recommend that ultrasound should be used to assess the volume and location of intraperitoneal free fluid to guide clinical decision making of where paracentesis can be safely performed.

We recommend that ultrasound should be used to identify a needle insertion site based on size of the fluid collection, thickness of the abdominal wall, and proximity to abdominal organs.

We recommend that the needle insertion site should be evaluated using color flow Doppler ultrasound to identify and avoid abdominal wall blood vessels along the anticipated needle trajectory.

We recommend that a needle insertion site should be evaluated in multiple planes to ensure clearance from underlying abdominal organs and detect any abdominal wall blood vessels along the anticipated needle trajectory.

We recommend that a needle insertion site should be marked with ultrasound immediately before performing the procedure, and the patient should remain in the same position between marking the site and performing the procedure.

We recommend that using real‐time ultrasound guidance for paracentesis should be considered when the fluid collection is small or difficult to access.

We recommend that dedicated training sessions, including didactics, supervised practice on patients, and simulation‐based practice, should be used to teach novices how to perform ultrasound‐guided paracentesis.

We recommend that simulation‐based practice should be used, when available, to facilitate acquisition of the required knowledge and skills to perform ultrasound‐ guided paracentesis.

We recommend that competence in performing ultrasound‐guided paracentesis should be demonstrated prior to independently performing the procedure on patients.
5 ways to explore… Tarpaulins
Authors: Mountain Julie
Published: February 2019

If you don't already have a tarp collection at your setting, perhaps these ideas will tempt you, says Julie Mountain
En Route
Authors: Davy Annie
Published: February 2019

Being outdoors offers unique and plentiful opportunities to build our own and children's resilience, explains Annie Davy
Distinguishing Drug from Disease by Use of the Hydrashift 2/4 Daratumumab Assay
Authors: Thoren Katie L , Pianko Matthew J , Maakaroun Youssef , Landgren C Ola , Ramanathan Lakshmi V
Published: February 2019

Background

Daratumumab, a monoclonal antibody used to treat relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma, can interfere with protein electrophoresis and immunofixation assays. False-positive immunofixation results due to daratumumab can cause uncertainty regarding the status of a patient's disease and lead to potential misclassification of their response to therapy. The Hydrashift 2/4 Daratumumab assay (Sebia) was recently cleared by the Food and Drug Administration for resolving daratumumab interference on immunofixation. Here, we evaluate the performance of the Hydrashift assay in multiple myeloma patients receiving treatment with daratumumab-based regimens.

Methods

Waste serum samples from multiple myeloma patients (n = 40) receiving daratumumab were analyzed by standard immunofixation and the Hydrashift assay. Results from these tests were compared and were evaluated along with pretreatment serum protein electrophoresis and immunofixation results, if available.

Results

The Hydrashift assay shifted the migration of daratumumab in patient samples. In 27 cases, the patient's M protein was distinguishable from daratumumab by standard immunofixation. In these cases, the Hydrashift assay confirmed that the IgGκ band was daratumumab and helped identify the presence of treatment-related oligoclonal bands. There were 11 instances in which the patient's IgGκ M protein comigrated with daratumumab. In all 11 cases, the Hydrashift assay confirmed the presence of residual M protein. Finally, in 2 patients whose pretreatment immunofixation results were not available, the Hydrashift assay confirmed that the IgGκ band visible on immunofixation was due to daratumumab alone.

Conclusions

The Hydrashift 2/4 Daratumumab assay is a useful tool to clarify the source of an IgGκ band on immunofixation and allow a patient's M protein to be viewed without interference.
Effect of structured teaching guidelines on patient's knowledge, practice, and self-efficacy regarding colostomy care
Authors: El-Sayead Shrief Sheren , Mokhtar Mokhtar Islam
Published: February 2019

Background: nurses are primarily health professional who is engaged in the management of colostomized individuals who go through different physical and psychosocial transformations.Aim: to evaluate the effect of applying structured teaching guidelines on patient's knowledge, practice, and self-efficacy regarding colostomy care.Hypothesis: application of structured teaching guidelines will have a positive impact on patient's knowledge, practice, and self-efficacy regarding colostomy care. Design: pre-post analytic study.Setting: the study was carried out in the surgical department, and outpatient clinic at Beni-Suef University hospital and Aswan oncology Hospital.Sample: A total number of 50 adult patients, both sex, conscious, having a permanent colostomyTools: four tools were utilized in this study; Tool I: A structured interview questionnaire sheet which comprised two parts: Part I: Personal characteristics of the studied patients, Part II: Patients` knowledge about colostomy care; Tool II: Patient's Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale; Tool III: An observation checklist (pre/post /follow â€“ up assessment) and Tool IV: The structured teaching Guidelines.Results: There was a statistically significant distinction between both the study and control group regarding patient's knowledge, practice, and self-efficacy regarding colostomy care.Conclusion: Application of the structured teaching guidelines had a positive impact on patient's knowledge, practice and self-efficacy regarding colostomy care with an obvious statistically significant distinction between pre and post-intervention.Recommendations: Replication of the same study on larger probability sample at different geographical locations for data generalizability, and distribution of the booklet for patients with a colostomy to improve their outcomes.Â Â
Solutions of vectorial Hamilton–Jacobi equations are rank-one absolute minimisers in
L
∞
L^{\infty}
Authors: Katzourakis Nikos
Published: February 2019

Given the supremal functional

E
∞

⁢

(
u
,

Ω
′

)

=

ess

⁢
sup

Ω
′

⁡
H

⁢

(
⋅
,

D
⁢
u

)

{E_{\infty}(u,\Omega^{\prime})=\operatornamewithlimits{ess\,sup}_{\Omega^{%
\prime}}H(\,\cdot\,,\mathrm{D}u)}

, defined on

W
loc

1
,
∞

⁢

(
Ω
,

ℝ
N

)

{W^{1,\infty}_{\mathrm{loc}}(\Omega,\mathbb{R}^{N})}

, with

Ω
′

⋐
Ω
⊆

ℝ
n

{\Omega^{\prime}\Subset\Omega\subseteq\mathbb{R}^{n}}

, we identify a class of vectorial rank-one absolute minimisers by proving a statement slightly stronger than the next claim: vectorial solutions of the Hamilton–Jacobi equation

H
⁢

(
⋅
,

D
⁢
u

)

=
c

{H(\,\cdot\,,\mathrm{D}u)=c}

are rank-one absolute minimisers if they are

C
1

{C^{1}}

.
Our minimality notion is a generalisation of the classical

L
∞

{L^{\infty}}

variational principle of Aronsson to the vector case, and emerged in earlier work of the author. The assumptions are minimal, requiring only continuity and rank-one convexity of the level sets.
Road projections as a new and intuitively understandable human-machine interface
Authors: Budanow Marina , Neumann Cornelius
Published: February 2019

Various sensors in nowadays cars are already used to assist the driver or to inform him through several display technologies. However, some information cannot properly be displayed through conventional systems. This article shows the development of an assistance system through projections on the road beginning from human perception and interpretation of different symbols. The results of a simulator study are displayed, where test subjects had to state how they intended to react when seeing certain symbols on the road and how they interpreted these signs. As most promising symbols for all possible actions, two parallel lines were used in a further dynamic field study. The outcome of this study is presented and discussed. Having additional information about the car width displayed on the road, drivers managed challenging situations better without being distracted. Projections on the road showed a big potential of being used in broad traffic as assistance systems.
Explaining Electoral Change in the 2018 US Midterm Elections: The Three Components of Electoral Mandates
Authors: Campbell James E.
Published: February 2019

Why did the American electorate elect a solid majority of Republicans to the House in 2016 and then 2 years later replace it with a solid majority of Democrats? This article revives the idea of an electoral mandate and applies it to the 2016 and 2018 elections. It proposes a trinity of partisan attitudes serving as the components of electoral mandates: performance, values, and leadership. The election of President Trump in 2016 depended on a mix of performance evaluations (a weak economy) favoring the Republicans and leadership evaluations (Trump’s behavior difficulties) muted by value considerations (conservative anger at being unrepresented and the necessity of a choice between Trump and Clinton). These offsetting partisan attitudes made the election close enough that a small number of votes in key states decided the electoral vote outcome. In 2018, performance evaluations again favored Republicans, but now because they presided over a stronger economy. Evaluations of Trump’s leadership remained negative. The interaction of values with these leadership assessments now favored Democrats. As the out-party, polarized liberals were motivated by anti-Trump anger. Never-Trump conservatives who had drifted back to vote Republican at the end of the 2016 campaign did not feel that same pressure without the presidency being at stake. About two-thirds of voters in 2018 said their vote was about Trump. Republicans lost to Democrats among these voters by 16 percentage points. Republicans delivered on their 2016 mandate to boost the economy, but had failed to provide leadership that many Americans could feel comfortable with.
Controllable biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles using actinobacterial strains
Authors: Wypij Magdalena , Świecimska Magdalena , Dahm Hanna , Rai Mahendra , Golinska Patrycja
Published: February 2019

We report the effect of various parameters, namely substrate concentration, time, pH and temperature, on the biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) by using the extract of actinobacterial strains, which were isolated from the sediments of Lonar Crater Lake in India. It was found that the formation of AgNPs and its morphology depended on synthesis conditions. Visual observation of the reaction mixture, ultraviolet-vis spectroscopic analysis and mass of synthesized AgNPs indicated that 25°C, pH 7 and 3 days of incubation time were optimal for its efficient synthesis. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis revealed aggregation and irregular shape of AgNPs both at acidic pH and below 25°C. It was found that alkaline pH and temperature higher than optimal fostered the formation of nanoparticle aggregates. Based on the obtained results, it was concluded that the efficiency of biological synthesis by using actinobacteria as well as the size and shape of fabricated nanoparticles can be manipulated by controlled conditions of synthesis process. The use of desired nanoparticles increases its potential for medical applications.
Analysis of pH dose-dependent growth of sulfate-reducing bacteria
Authors: Kushkevych Ivan , Dordević Dani , Vítězová Monika
Published: February 2019

Lower intraluminal colonic pH is an indication for the development of inflammatory bowel disease including active ulcerative colitis. Involvement of intestinal sulfate-reducing bacteria in decreasing bowel pH by the production of H2S and acetate as well as their sensitivity has never been reported before. The study of the relative pH and survival of Desulfovibrio piger Vib-7 by monitoring sulfate reduction parameters was the aim of this work. Monitoring was done through the measurement of bacterial growth (biomass), dissimilatory sulfate reduction parameters: sulfate consumption, lactate oxidation, hydrogen sulfide and acetate production. According to our results, we observed that lower pH (<5) significantly inhibited D. piger Vib-7 growth. This inhibition was also noticed when alkaline media (>9 pH) was used, though the reduction was not at the rate as in media with pH of 4. The research indicates that the growth of D. piger Vib-7 is inhibited at pH of 4 which is not as low as the pH found in people with severely developed inflammatory bowel diseases such as ulcerative colitis. Certainly the interaction (synergistic effect) between both hydrogen sulfide and acetate accumulation can also play an important etiological role in the development of bowel inflammation in humans and animals.
Die neuen Transparenzvorschriften für Stimmrechtsberater
Authors: Schockenhoff Martin , Nußbaum Anton
Published: February 2019

Stimmrechtsberater haben sich, aus den USA kommend, in den letzten Jahren auch in Deutschland und anderen europäischen Ländern etabliert. Zu ihren Kunden gehören insbesondere Finanzinvestoren und institutionelle Anleger mit breitem Aktienportfolio. Stimmrechtsberater können die Präsenz in Hauptversammlungen, die Qualität des Stimmverhaltens sowie die Vorhersehbarkeit von Abstimmungsergebnissen erhöhen, aber ihre Tätigkeit birgt auch Risiken: Mangelnde Transparenz, Interessenkonflikte, teilweise auch qualitative Defizite. Verbindliche regulatorische Vorgaben für Stimmrechtsberater existieren bislang nicht. Aufgrund der 2. Aktionärsrechte-Richtlinie sind die nationalen Gesetzgeber nunmehr verpflichtet, Transparenzpflichten für Stimmrechtsberater in nationales Recht umzusetzen. Dahinter steht das Konzept, durch Offenlegung der Arbeitsweise und etwaiger Interessenkonflikte die geschilderten Risiken zu reduzieren, ohne den Nutzen der Stimmrechtsberater für den Markt und die Marktbeteiligten zu gefährden. Mit dem ARRUG II soll dieses Konzept umgesetzt werden.
First integrals and exact solutions of some compartmental disease models
Authors: Haq Burhan Ul , Naeem Imran
Published: February 2019

The notions of artificial Hamiltonian (partial Hamiltonian) and partial Hamiltonian operators are used to derive the first integrals for the first order systems of ordinary differential equations (ODEs) in epidemiology, which need not be derived from standard Hamiltonian approaches. We show that every system of first order ODEs can be cast into artificial Hamiltonian system

q
˙

=

∂
H

∂
p

$\dot{q}=\frac{{\partial H}}{{\partial p}}$

,

p
˙

=

−

∂
H

∂
q

+

Γ

(
t
,
q
,
p
)

$\dot{p}=-\frac{{\partial H}}{{\partial q}}+\Gamma(t,\;q,\;p)$

(see [1]). Moreover, the second order equations and the system of second order ODEs can be written in the form of artificial Hamiltonian system. Then, the partial Hamiltonian approach is employed to derive the first integrals for systems under consideration. These first integrals are then utilized to find the exact solutions of models from the epidemiology for a distinct class of population. For physical insights, the solution curves of the closed-form expressions obtained are interpreted in order for readers understand the disease dynamics in a much deeper way. The effects of various pertinent parameters on the prognosis of the disease are observed and discussed briefly.
Advances in Electrochemical Techniques for Corrosion Monitoring and Laboratory Corrosion Measurements
Authors: Papavinasam Sankara , Rebak Raul B. , Yang Lietai , Berke Neal S.
Published: February 2019

Description

You’ll get 20 peer-reviewed papers on recent advances in electrochemical techniques to monitor and measure corrosion both in the field and in the laboratory. The papers were presented at a symposium sponsored by ASTM International Committee G01 on Corrosion of Metals that took place in November 2017.

Corrosion experts from Argentina, China, Canada, India, Italy, and the United States came together at the two-day symposium to celebrate the legacy of corrosion expert, longtime G01 member, and former chairman of the ASTM Board of Directors Dr. Robert Baboian and present papers on new state-of-the-art techniques.

Topics include
Development and Use of ASTM Standard G5
Authors: Hack Harvey P.
Published: February 2019

The author first discusses the life of Dr. Robert Baboian, a leader within the corrosion and electrochemical field; a contributor to ASTM G5, Standard Reference Test Method for Making Potentiodynamic Anodic Polarization Measurements; a leader within ASTM International, NACE International (formerly the National Association of Corrosion Engineers), the International Organization for Standards, and the Electrochemical Society; a world-renowned corrosion researcher and promoter; the recipient of many awards in his field; and a good friend to many in the corrosion field throughout the world. The author then discusses the importance and history of the development of ASTM G5, a seminal work of ASTM Committee G01 on Corrosion of Metals. Finally, the apparatus, test procedure, and acceptance criteria for this standard are summarized.
Validation of Coated Infrastructure Examination by Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy
Authors: Merten Bobbi Jo E. , Walsh Michael T. , Torrey Jessica D.
Published: February 2019

Field electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurement allows researchers and facility owners to examine protective coatings on existing infrastructure. Few other nondestructive coating inspection methods provide quantitative information, and none are as comprehensive. EIS measures the total resistance to water and ion permeation for the in-service coating, which indicates the degree of corrosion protection. A desired application of these results is to maximize coating service life and improve maintenance planning at facilities with valuable coated infrastructure. EIS evaluation of naturally aged coatings also offers the opportunity to advance coating service life prediction studies. Despite advances in hardware portability and progress in method development, however, field EIS testing and application to coating maintenance decision-making remain limited. The absence of a standardized procedure for conducting a field EIS survey and analyzing its results is a barrier to further implementation. This paper evaluates the repeatability of EIS measurements through an experimental design performed on coated infrastructure. The assessed structures varied from high-to-low protective impedance values, and the service environments were atmospheric and constant immersion. All coatings were approaching the end of their service life. The tests demonstrate outcomes for many of the variables encountered when executing the proposed field method, including coating type, thickness, age, and exposure conditions. The results show good repeatability for specimens, but variation occurs in the values obtained from one specimen to the next. The paper also considers EIS test method parameters, including applied frequency range and number of data points collected, as well as the practical challenges of performing field EIS testing. The discussion proposes the best practices realized through these studies, such as the use of a two-cell setup and the illustration of results via probability plots. Final thoughts highlight the future work necessary to advance standardization and implementation of field EIS testing.
Study on the Repassivation Behavior of Steels Using Electrochemical Test Methods
Authors: He Liang , Wu Gaoxiang , Singh Preet M.
Published: February 2019

Passive film stability is very important for the reliable use of many alloys in a given environment. Passive film should also be able to repair or regrow upon damage to provide a reliable protection to alloys. Breakdown and repassivation behavior of passive film plays an important role in localized corrosion of engineering alloys. This paper aims to give a general review of the electrochemical methods used to study the repassivation behavior of alloys and to present two different film removal methods used for repassivation study—namely the scratch test and the electrochemical film-reduction methods. The film reduction method was conducted using carbon steel A569 in borate buffer solution (pH = 8.4) to study the effects of retained plastic strain on the repassivation kinetics of carbon steels. Plastic strain was found to improve the initial repassivation kinetics of carbon steel. The scratch tests were performed on a duplex stainless steel UNS S32003 in both chloride (Cl−) and thiosulfate plus chloride (S2O32−+ Cl−) solutions. Addition of S2O32− slows down the repassivation of UNS S32003. Repassivation kinetics of the separated single ferrite phase of UNS S32003 were slower than those of the bulk material.
Fatigue Crack Growth Behavior of a Mn-Ni-Cr Steel in 3.5 % NaCl Medium and Its Modeling
Authors: Sampath Dhinakaran , Prakash Raghu V.
Published: February 2019

Understanding the fatigue crack growth behavior of marine steel at low frequencies in a corrosive environment under cathodic protection is essential for the design and prognosis of offshore structures. Experimental results demonstrate that the corrosion fatigue crack growth rate increases with a decrease in frequency, and this behavior can be mitigated by reducing the corrosion rates with the application of a cathodic potential. Knowledge of an optimum cathodic protection potential for corrosion fatigue crack growth without entering the domain of hydrogen-assisted cracking potentials is vital. To that end, the corrosion processes within the enclave of a stationary crack and a pulsating fatigue crack under different crack mouth potentials are elucidated through modeling of mass transport of electrolytic species and electrode reactions. Effect of crack tip strain enhanced electrochemical reaction rates on electrochemical parameters such as pH, potential, and corrosion current density at the crack tip is evaluated. The corrosion current density at the crack tip is reduced significantly when the applied crack mouth potential is changed from −550 to −1,050 mV SCE for both stationary and pulsating cracks. In the case of strain-enhanced corrosion processes, the corrosion current density is increased significantly when compared with the equivalent model without considering the straining effects. However, the corrosion current density is the same for the applied crack mouth potential below −900 mV SCE. The crack solution becomes alkaline as the crack tip pH increases with a decrease in cathodic potential. This result agrees with the experimental observation of the minimum corrosion fatigue crack growth rate of a steel in sodium chloride solution at around −900 and −950 mV SCE.
Different Inhibitory Interneuron Cell Classes Make Distinct Contributions to Visual Contrast Perception
Authors: Cone Jackson J. , Scantlen Megan D. , Histed Mark H. , Maunsell John H. R.
Published: February 2019

While recent work has revealed how different inhibitory interneurons influence responses of cortical neurons to sensory stimuli, little is known about their distinct contributions to sensory perception. Here, we optogenetically activated different genetically defined interneurons [parvalbumin (PV), somatostatin (SST), vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)] in visual cortex (V1) of mice working at threshold in a contrast increment detection task. The visual stimulus was paired with optogenetic stimulation to assess how enhancing V1 inhibitory neuron activity during visual processing altered task performance. PV or SST activation impaired, while VIP stimulation improved, contrast increment detection. The impairment produced by PV or SST activation persisted over several weeks of testing. In contrast, mice learned to reliably detect VIP activation in the absence of any natural visual stimulus. Thus, different inhibitory signals make distinct contributions to visual contrast perception.
LDB1 Is Required for the Early Development of the Dorsal Telencephalon and the Thalamus
Authors: Kinare Veena , Pal Suranjana , Tole Shubha
Published: February 2019

LIM domain binding protein 1 (LDB1) is a protein cofactor that participates in several multiprotein complexes with transcription factors that regulate mouse forebrain development. SinceLdb1null mutants display early embryonic lethality, we used a conditional knockout strategy to examine the role of LDB1 in early forebrain development using multiple Cre lines. Loss ofLdb1from E8.75 using Foxg1Cre caused a disruption of midline boundary structures in the dorsal telencephalon. While this Cre line gave the expected pattern of recombination of the floxedLdb1locus, unexpectedly, standard Cre lines that act from embryonic day (E)10.5 (Emx1Cre) and E11.5 (NesCre) did not show efficient or complete recombination in the dorsal telencephalon by E12.5. Intriguingly, this effect was specific to theLdb1floxed allele, since three other lines including floxed Ai9 and mTmG reporters, and a floxedLhx2line, each displayed the expected spatial patterns of recombination. Furthermore, the incomplete recombination of the floxedLdb1locus using NesCre was limited to the dorsal telencephalon, while the ventral telencephalon and the diencephalon displayed the expected loss ofLdb1. This permitted us to examine the requirement for LDB1 in the development of the thalamus in a context wherein the cortex continued to expressLdb1. We report that the somatosensory VB nucleus is profoundly shrunken upon loss of LDB1. Our findings highlight the unusual nature of theLdb1locus in terms of recombination efficiency, and also report a novel role for LDB1 during the development of the thalamus.
High-Density Linkage Map and QTLs for Growth in Snapper (Chrysophrys auratus)
Authors: Ashton David T , Ritchie Peter A , Wellenreuther Maren
Published: February 2019

Characterizing the genetic variation underlying phenotypic traits is a central objective in biological research. This research has been hampered in the past by the limited genomic resources available for most non-model species. However, recent advances in sequencing technologies and related genotyping methods are rapidly changing this. Here we report the use of genome-wide SNP data from the ecologically and commercially important marine fish species Chrysophrys auratus (snapper) to 1) construct the first linkage map for this species, 2) scan for growth QTL, and 3) search for putative candidate genes in the surrounding QTL regions. The newly constructed linkage map contained ∼11K SNP markers and is one of the densest maps to date in the fish family Sparidae. Comparisons with genome scaffolds of the recently assembled snapper genome indicated that marker placement was mostly consistent between the scaffolds and linkage map (R = 0.7), but that at fine scales (< 5 cM) some precision limitations occurred. Of the 24 linkage groups, which likely reflect the 24 chromosomes of this species, three were found to contain QTL with genome-wide significance for growth-related traits. A scan of 13 candidate growth genes located the growth hormone, myogenin, and parvalbumin genes within 5.3, 9.6, and 25.0 cM of these QTL, respectively. The linkage map and QTL found in this study will advance the investigation of genome structure and aquaculture breeding efforts in this and related species.
Fabrication of Novel (Biopolymer Blend-Lead Oxide Nanoparticles) Nanocomposites: Structural and Optical Properties for Low-Cost Nuclear Radiation Shielding
Authors: Hashim A. , Al-Attiyah K.H.H. , Obaid S. F.
Published: February 2019

Low-cost polymer nanocomposites prepared for the nuclear radiation shielding have highly linear attenuation coefficients, light weight, and elastic, good mechanical, optical, and dielectric properties. The carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC)–polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) polymeric blend is prepared with concentrations: 60 wt.% CMC and 40 wt.% PVP. The lead oxide nanoparticles are added to the CMC–PVP blend with different concentrations: 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 wt.%. The structural and optical properties of (CMC–PVP–PbO2) nanocomposites are studied. The results show that the absorbance of the (CMC–PVP) blend increases and the energy band gap decreases, as the concentration of PbO2 nanoparticles increases. The optical constants of the (CMC–PVP) blend increase with the concentration of lead oxide nanoparticles. The (CMC–PVP–PbO2) nanocomposites have highly linear attenuation coefficients for gamma radiation.
Panstrongylus diasi Pinto & Lent, 1946 (Hemiptera, Reduviidae, Triatominae): first record in Mato Grosso, Brazil
Authors: Martins Mirian Francisca , Moraes Sinara Cristina de , Takashi Obara Marcos , Galvão Cleber
Published: February 2019

Panstrongylus diasi Pinto & Lent, 1946, previously known from throught the Brazilian center-west, is reported for the first time in Mato Grosso state, Brazil. We found 3 specimens, 1 of them from an urban area of Barra do Garças. The new record of P. diasi is important for the understanding of the epidemiology of Chagas disease, mainly because this species is found naturally infected with Trypanosoma cruzi (Chagas, 1909). Studies on the ecology, biogeography, and vector–host/parasite interactions of P. diasi are essential.
Lives of Writing
Authors: Bazerman Charles
Published: February 2019

Studying development of writing across the lifespan contains many challenges, but research is now emerging, starting to fill in a dynamic picture of trajectories of development.  The study is necessarily complex, multidisciplinary, and collaborative. This special issue contributes to this emerging research focus.
Od prawdy sądu do prawdy egzystencji
Authors: Tischner Józef
Published: February 2019

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Ujęcie kategorii u Nicolai Hartmanna
Authors: Kijowski Ryszard
Published: February 2019

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Teoria duchowości duszy ludzkiej w ujęciu św. Tomasza z Akwinu. Próba jej dalszego rozwinięcia
Authors: Kłósak Kazimierz
Published: February 2019

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Zagadnienie możliwości filozoficznej argumentacji za początkiem czasowym wszechświata w oparciu o teorię jego ekspansji
Authors: Życiński Józef
Published: February 2019

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Prymat papieski w ujęciu I i II Soboru Watykańskiego
Authors: Kubiś Adam
Published: February 2019

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Współczesna antropologia prawosławna
Authors: Hryniewicz Wacław
Published: February 2019

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Sieć seminariów duchownych ob. tac. w okresie niewoli narodowej (1772/95–1918)
Authors: Kumor Bolesław
Published: February 2019

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Chrystocentryzm w „Sądzie ostatecznym” Michała Anioła
Authors: Przybyszewski Bolesław
Published: February 2019

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Wypowiedź wstępna w czasie dyskusji nad „Osobą i Czynem” w Katolickim Uniwersytecie Lubelskim dnia 16 grudnia 1970 r.
Authors: Wojtyła Karol
Published: February 2019

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Książka kardynała Karola Wojtyły monografią osoby jako podmiotu moralności
Authors: Krąpiec Albert
Published: February 2019

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Metafizyka i fenomenologia osoby ludzkiej. Pytania wywołane przez „Osobę i Czyn”
Authors: Kalinowski Jerzy
Published: February 2019

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Koncepcja antropologii filozoficznej w ujęciu kardynała Karola Wojtyły (próba odczytania w oparciu o studium „Osoba i Czyn”)
Authors: Jaworski Marian
Published: February 2019

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Antropologia w ujęciu Kardynała Karola Wojtyły (na podstawie książki „Osoba i Czyn”, Kraków 1969)
Authors: Forycki Roman
Published: February 2019

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Hermeneutyka czynu oraz nowy model świadomości
Authors: Grygiel Stanisław
Published: February 2019

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Jedność duchowo-cielesna człowieka w książce „Osoba i Czyn”
Authors: Wojciechowski Tadeusz
Published: February 2019

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Refleksje duszpasterskie
Authors: Stroba Jerzy
Published: February 2019

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Nowa interpretacja dogmatów – jako przedmiot sympozjum
Authors: Różycki Ignacy
Published: February 2019

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Rozumienie – dziejowość – prawda
Authors: Tischner Józef
Published: February 2019

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Tradycja jako norma bliska: nowa interpretacja dogmatycznych orzeczeń trydenckich w sprawie grzechu pierworodnego
Authors: Różycki Ignacy
Published: February 2019

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Chrystus w śledztwie Sanhedrynu
Authors: Smereka Władysław
Published: February 2019

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Relacja miłości Boga do miłości bliźniego w tradycji biblijnej (próba syntezy)
Authors: Chmiel Jerzy
Published: February 2019

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Teologiczna pewność norm etycznych w encyklice „Humanae vitae”
Authors: Różycki Ignacy
Published: February 2019

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Z poszukiwań archiwalnych za warsztatami malarskiej szkoły krakowsko-sądeckiej
Authors: Przybyszewski Bolesław
Published: February 2019

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Zagadnienie możliwości filozoficznego poznania przyrody
Authors: Kłósak Kazimierz
Published: February 2019

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Zagadnienie integracji teologii moralnej
Authors: Inlender Bogusław
Published: February 2019

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Przepisy prawne o podmiocie chrztu do V wieku
Authors: Waliczek Kazimierz
Published: February 2019

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Udział biskupów polskich w I Soborze Watykańskim
Authors: Kumor Bolesław
Published: February 2019

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Ks. Jan Fijałek. Historyk Kościoła polskiego
Authors: Vetulani Adam
Published: February 2019

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Kapłaństwo Chrystusa w aspekcie jedności dwu Testamentów (studium nad komentarzami św. Tomasza z Akwinu do Listów św. Pawła)
Authors: Świerzawski Wacław
Published: February 2019

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Problem celów małżeństwa
Authors: Skrzydlewski Władysław
Published: February 2019

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Lektura naukowa św. Jana Kantego (na marginesie rękopisu 325 Biblioteki Jagiellońskiej)
Authors: Zawadzki Roman Maria
Published: February 2019

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Eschatologiczne posłannictwo Ducha Parakleta
Authors: Jankowski Augustyn
Published: February 2019

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Nad nieomylnością Kościoła
Authors: Kubiś Adam
Published: February 2019

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Nauki przyrodnicze a filozofia
Authors: Kłósak Kazimierz
Published: February 2019

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Zagadnienie aczasowego charakteru wszechświata w ujęciu teorii kosmologicznych
Authors: Życiński Józef
Published: February 2019

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Duch Święty a Eucharystia. Próba uzasadnienia więzi metodami teologii biblijnej
Authors: Jankowski Augustyn
Published: February 2019

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Powołanie ludzi świeckich w świetle wypowiedzi II Soboru Watykańskiego
Authors: Pylak Bolesław
Published: February 2019

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Triplex sententia conformis w prawie dekretałów
Authors: Pieronek Tadeusz
Published: February 2019

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Przestrzeń obcowania z drugim
Authors: Tischner Józef
Published: February 2019

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„Dotykalne” i „Góra Syjon”. Właściwa treść przeciwstawienia w Hbr 12, 18–24
Authors: Jelonek Tomasz
Published: February 2019

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L’inspiration biblique chez saint Justin
Authors: Chmiel Jerzy
Published: February 2019

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