bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
New Carlia fusca complex lizards (Reptilia: Squamata: Scincidae) from New Guinea, Papua-Indonesia
Authors: ZUG GEORGE R. , ALLISON ALLEN
Published: April 2019

Recent rapid-assessment surveys in western New Guinea have provided well-documented voucher specimens that show greater speciation within the Carlia fusca complex in this area than indicated by the examination of older museum specimens. Variation in the morphometric and scalation traits of these new species does not differ greatly from other fusca complex species. This result was anticipated owing to the overall low level of variation in these morphological features in the fusca complex. Regionalization of distinct color patterns and abrupt shifts from one pattern to another indicate the existence of a distinct species along much of the southern coast from the Eilanden River basin to Etna Bay and another species from the northern coast of the Bomberai Peninsula. The variation and distribution of fusca complex species are examined for populations in the southern and western “mainland” Papua-Indonesia.
The issid genus Gelastyrella Yang (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea: Issidae) from China
Authors: RAN HONG-FAN , LIANG AI-PING
Published: April 2019

The Oriental planthopper genus Gelastyrella Yang is reviewed. Two new species, G.. hainanensis Ran et Liang, sp. nov. (China: Hainan) and G.. yunnanensis Ran et Liang, sp. nov. (China: Yunnan), are described and illustrated. A key to the species of the genus is provided.
A new wobbegong shark, Orectolobus hutchinsi n. sp. (Orectolobiformes: Orectolobidae) from southwestern Australia
Authors: LAST PETER R. , CHIDLOW JUSTIN A. , COMPAGNO LEONARD J.V.
Published: April 2019

Orectolobus hutchinsi n. sp.. is a moderate-sized wobbegong shark found in shallow continental shelf habitats off Western Australia. It occurs from Coral Bay (near North West Cape) south to Groper Bluff (west of Bremer Bay) in depths of 9–106 m where it is caught as by-catch of local gillnet, longline, rock lobster and recreational fisheries. It is sympatric with two other commercial wobbegong species, Orectolobus maculatus and O. ornatus, but differs from these and other IndoPacific species in having the combination of a few unbranched dermal lobes, relatively tall dorsal fins, no warty tubercles on the back of adults, and dark brown corrugated saddles without white spots and blotches. Some details of its biology are also provided.
Fasciolariidae (Gastropoda: Neogastropoda) of French Guiana and nearby regions, with descriptions of two new species and comments on marine zoogeography of northeastern South America
Authors: LYONS WILLIAM G. , SNYDER MARTIN AVERY
Published: April 2019

The fasciolariid fauna from two expeditions to French Guiana is examined and augmented with published records and material of other collections from the Guianas and northeastern Brazil. Twelve species of Fasciolaria and Aurantilaria (Fasciolariinae), Aristofusus, Lyonsifusus and Fusinus s.l. (Fusininae), and Lamellilatirus and Polygona (Peristerniinae) are reported and discussed. Nine species are represented in expedition collections, and reports of three other species are evaluated. Two morphologically distinct species of Lamellilatirus are described as new; type localities of both are off French Guiana, 114–118 m. Ten Guianan fasciolariids range variously northward to Caribbean South America and the Lesser Antilles and southward to Ceará, Brazil; one other extends into the northern Caribbean, and one extends southward to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Weakened Potential Vorticity Barrier Linked to Recent Winter Arctic Sea Ice Loss and Midlatitude Cold Extremes
Authors: Luo Dehai , Chen Xiaodan , Overland James , Simmonds Ian , Wu Yutian , Zhang Pengfei
Published: April 2019

A winter Eurasian cooling trend and a large decline of winter sea ice concentration (SIC) in the Barents–Kara Seas (BKS) are striking features of recent climate changes. The question arises as to what extent these phenomena are related. A mechanism is presented that establishes a link between recent winter SIC decline and midlatitude cold extremes. Such potential weather linkages are mediated by whether there is a weak north–south gradient of background tropospheric potential vorticity (PV). A strong background PV gradient, which usually occurs in North Atlantic and Pacific Ocean midlatitudes, acts as a barrier that inhibits atmospheric blocking and southward cold air intrusion. Conversely, atmospheric blocking is more persistent in weakened PV gradient regions over Eurasia, Greenland, and northwestern North America because of weakened energy dispersion and intensified nonlinearity. The small climatological PV gradients over mid- to high-latitude Eurasia have become weaker in recent decades as BKS air temperatures show positive trends due to SIC loss, and this has led to more persistent high-latitude Ural-region blocking. These factors contribute to increased cold winter trend in East Asia. It is found, however, that in years when the winter PV gradient is small the East Asian cold extremes can even occur in the absence of large negative SIC anomalies. Thus, the magnitude of background PV gradient is an important controller of Arctic–midlatitude weather linkages, but it plays no role if Ural blocking is not present. Thus, the “PV barrier” concept presents a critical insight into the mechanism producing cold Eurasian extremes and is hypothesized to set up such Arctic–midlatitude linkages in other locations.
Role of Stochastic Atmospheric Forcing from the South and North Pacific in Tropical Pacific Decadal Variability
Authors: Sun Tianyi , Okumura Yuko M.
Published: April 2019

Stochastic variability of internal atmospheric modes, known as teleconnection patterns, drives large-scale patterns of low-frequency SST variability in the extratropics. To investigate how the decadal component of this stochastically driven variability in the South and North Pacific affects the tropical Pacific and contributes to the observed basinwide pattern of decadal variability, a suite of climate model experiments was conducted. In these experiments, the models are forced with constant surface heat flux anomalies associated with the decadal component of the dominant atmospheric modes, particularly the Pacific–South American (PSA) and North Pacific Oscillation (NPO) patterns. Both the PSA and NPO modes induce basinwide SST anomalies in the tropical Pacific and beyond that resemble the observed interdecadal Pacific oscillation. The subtropical SST anomalies forced by the PSA and NPO modes propagate to the equatorial Pacific mainly through the wind–evaporation–SST feedback. This atmospheric bridge is stronger from the South Pacific than the North Pacific due to the northward displacement of the intertropical convergence zone and the associated northward advection of momentum anomalies. The equatorial ocean dynamics is also more strongly influenced by atmospheric circulation changes induced by the PSA mode than the NPO mode. In the PSA experiment, persistent and zonally coherent wind stress curl anomalies over the South Pacific affect the zonal mean depth of the equatorial thermocline and weaken the equatorial SST anomalies resulting from the atmospheric bridge. This oceanic adjustment serves as a delayed negative feedback and may be important for setting the time scales of tropical Pacific decadal variability.
An Evaluation of Simulated Precipitation Characteristics during OLYMPEX
Authors: Conrick Robert , Mass Clifford F.
Published: April 2019

The OLYMPEX field campaign, which took place around the Olympic Mountains of Washington State during winter 2015/16, provided data for evaluating the simulated microphysics and precipitation over and near that barrier. Using OLYMPEX observations, this paper assesses precipitation and associated microphysics in the WRF-ARW model over the U.S. Pacific Northwest. Model precipitation from the University of Washington real-time WRF forecast system during the OLYMPEX field program (November 2015–February 2016) and an extended period (2008–18) showed persistent underprediction of precipitation, reaching 100 mm yr−1 over the windward side of the coastal terrain. Increasing horizontal resolution does not substantially reduce this underprediction. Evaluating surface disdrometer observations during the 2015/16 OLYMPEX winter, it was found that the operational University of Washington WRF modeling system using Thompson microphysics poorly simulated the rain drop size distribution over a windward coastal valley. Although liquid water content was represented realistically, drop diameters were overpredicted, and, consequently, the rain drop distribution intercept parameter was underpredicted. During two heavy precipitation periods, WRF realistically simulated environmental conditions, including wind speed, thermodynamic structures, integrated moisture transport, and melting levels. Several microphysical parameterization schemes were tested in addition to the Thompson scheme, with each exhibiting similar biases for these two events. We show that the parameterization of aerosols over the coastal Northwest offered only minor improvement.
Some New Aspects of the Joint Effect of Rotation and Topography on Internal Solitary Waves
Authors: Ostrovsky Lev A. , Helfrich Karl R.
Published: April 2019

Using a recently developed asymptotic theory of internal solitary wave propagation over a sloping bottom in a rotating ocean, some new qualitative and quantitative features of this process are analyzed for internal waves in a two-layer ocean. The interplay between different singularities—terminal damping due to radiation and disappearing quadratic nonlinearity, and reaching an “internal beach” (e.g., zero lower-layer depth)—is discussed. Examples of the adiabatic evolution of a single solitary wave over a uniformly sloping bottom under realistic conditions are considered in more detail and compared with numerical solutions of the variable-coefficient, rotation-modified Korteweg–de Vries (rKdV) equation.
Processes Associated with Convection Initiation in the North American Mesoscale Forecast System, Version 3 (NAMv3)
Authors: Colbert Michael , Stensrud David J. , Markowski Paul M. , Richardson Yvette P.
Published: April 2019

In support of the Next Generation Global Prediction System (NGGPS) project, processes leading to convection initiation in the North American Mesoscale Forecast System, version 3 (NAMv3) are explored. Two severe weather outbreaks—occurring over the southeastern United States on 28 April 2014 and the central Great Plains on 6 May 2015—are forecast retrospectively using the NAMv3 CONUS (4 km) and Fire Weather (1.33 km) nests, each with 5-min output. Points of convection initiation are identified, and patterns leading to convection initiation in the model forecasts are determined. Results indicate that in the 30 min preceding convection initiation at a grid point, upward motion at low levels of the atmosphere enables a parcel to rise to its level of free convection, above which it is accelerated by the buoyancy force. A moist absolutely unstable layer (MAUL) typically is produced at the top of the updraft. However, when strong updrafts are collocated with large vertical gradients of potential temperature and moisture, noisy vertical profiles of temperature, moisture, and hydrometeor concentration develop beneath the rising MAUL. The noisy profiles found in this study are qualitatively similar to those that resulted in NAMv3 failures during simulations of Hurricane Joaquin in 2015. The CM1 cloud model is used to reproduce these noisy profiles, and results indicate that the noise can be mitigated by including explicit vertical diffusion in the model. Left unchecked, the noisy profiles are shown to impact convective storm features such as cold pools, precipitation, updraft helicity intensity and tracks, and the initiation of spurious convection.
The Closer, the Better? Untangling Scientist–Practitioner Engagement, Interaction, and Knowledge Use
Authors: Lemos Maria Carmen , Wolske Kimberly S. , Rasmussen Laura V. , Arnott James C. , Kalcic Margaret , Kirchhoff Christine J.
Published: April 2019

Scholarship on climate information use has focused significantly on engagement with practitioners as a means to enhance knowledge use. In principle, working with practitioners to incorporate their knowledge and priorities into the research process should improve information uptake by enhancing accessibility and improving users’ perceptions of how well information meets their decision needs, including knowledge credibility, understandability, and fit. Such interactive approaches, however, can entail high costs for participants, especially in terms of financial, human, and time resources. Given the likely need to scale up engagement as demand for climate information increases, it is important to examine whether and to what extent personal interaction is always a necessary condition for increasing information use. In this article, we report the results from two experimental studies using students as subjects to assess how three types of interaction (in-person meeting, live webinar, and self-guided instruction) affect different aspects of climate information usability. Our findings show that while in-person interaction is effective in enhancing understanding of climate knowledge, in-person interaction may not always be necessary, depending on the kinds of information involved and outcomes desired.
High concentration of plasma methoxytyramine: dopamine-producing tumour or Parkinson’s disease therapy?
Authors: Chtioui Haithem , Sadowski Samira M , Winzeler Bettina , Tschopp Oliver , Grouzmann Eric , Abid Karim
Published: April 2019

Background

Levodopa (L-DOPA) provided to patients with Parkinson’s disease causes an increase in dopamine and methoxytyramine blood concentration which may lead to erroneous diagnosis of dopamine-producing tumours based on a plasma fractionated metanephrines and methoxytyramine assay. Considering that oral L-DOPA is mainly transformed in the gut wall into dopamine and methoxytyramine, we hypothesize that patients treated with L-DOPA produce predominantly sulphated methoxytyramine, whereas dopamine-producing tumours, devoid of sulfotransferase, will secrete free methoxytyramine. These metabolic differences may allow for discrimination between the two groups of patients through methoxytyramine plasma concentration.

Methods

We retrospectively investigated a cohort of 16 patients with a dopamine-secreting pheochromocytoma or paraganglioma and 22 patients treated for Parkinson’s disease to see whether the metabolic ratio of free and sulphated methoxytyramine differs.

Results

Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis indicates an absolute separation between the two groups when using a cut-off of free/total methoxytyramine (sum of free and sulphated methoxytyramine) ratio of 0.0059, corresponding to a free methoxytyramine fraction of 0.59% ( P < 0.0001, AUC 1.0 indicating 100% sensitivity and specificity).

Conclusion

Dopamine secreted by tumours and exogenous dopamine (from Parkinson’s disease treatment) follow different metabolic pathways. We observed that free/total methoxytyramine ratio may be a useful tool in distinguishing between patients with a dopamine-secreting tumour from patients treated with L-DOPA when clinical information is incomplete or lacking.
Exploring Individual Differences and Building Complexity in Wayfinding: The Case of the Seattle Central Library
Authors: Kuliga Saskia F. , Nelligan Benjamin , Dalton Ruth C. , Marchette Steven , Shelton Amy L. , Carlson Laura , Hölscher Christoph
Published: April 2019

This article focuses on the interactions between individual differences and building characteristics that may occur during multilevel wayfinding. Using the Seattle Central Library as our test case, we defined a series of within-floor and between-floor wayfinding tasks based on different building analyses of this uniquely designed structure. Tracking our 59 participants while they completed assigned tasks on-site, we examined their wayfinding performance across tasks and in relation to a variety of individual differences measures and wayfinding strategies. Both individual differences and spatial configuration, as well as the organization of the physical space, were related to the wayfinding challenges inherent to this library. We also found wayfinding differences based on other, nonspatial features, such as semantic expectations about destinations. Together, these results indicate that researchers and building planners must consider the interactions among building, human, and task characteristics in a more nuanced fashion.
Socioeconomic Determinants of Food Insecurity among Zambian Households: Evidence from a National Household Survey
Authors: Bulawayo Maio , Ndulo Manenga , Sichone Justin
Published: April 2019

Meal frequency is an important indicator of food security and nutritional status. Defining food insecurity as a household’s inability to consume at least three meals a day, this study uses a logit model to investigate the socioeconomic determinants of food insecurity among Zambian households. Primary data from the 2010 Living Conditions Monitoring Survey data set developed by the Central Statistical Office were used. The 2010 Living Conditions Monitoring Survey used a nationally representative sample of about 20,000 households. This study found that urban households, households with higher income, and households with younger, more educated and male heads were more likely to be food-secure. Therefore, there is need to accelerate investments in formal education, narrow the rural–urban socioeconomic divide, and reduce gender inequities through deliberate policies to increase women’s access to and control over economic resources such as land.
Opportunity Cost Overestimation
Authors: Weiss Liad , Kivetz Ran
Published: April 2019

Consumers often fail to utilize desirable offers they had originally selected and planned to use and thus later regret missing out on them. This failure to follow through induces an opportunity cost. In contrast to prior research findings that opportunity costs tend to be underestimated, the authors propose that in situations where the need to choose arises from external rather than internal constraints, opportunity costs may actually be overestimated. Consumers view choice constraints as external when the necessity to trade off one option for another relates to extraneous resource limitations (e.g., whenever time, budget, or space constraints necessitate choosing between two desirable offers). Conversely, consumers perceive choice constraints as internal when that trade-off is “built-in” (e.g., when a marketing incentive requires choosing between two desirable offers). Five studies demonstrate that choosing on the basis of an external constraint induces consumers to imagine ways in which they can utilize all of the competing options in the choice set. Consequently, consumers feel that by failing to utilize their chosen option, they simultaneously miss out on all options (although in actuality they could have realized only one of those options). Consistent with this conceptualization, only consumers who want to use all of the choice set options simultaneously demonstrate opportunity cost overestimation.
Religious Diversity in the Workplace: The Case for Alternative Dispute Resolution
Authors: Rouméas Élise
Published: April 2019

The workplace is a focal point for debates about religion and public life. This article examines the question of religion at work, and how to fairly resolve the conflicts it generates. Specifically, it advocates for the use of alternative dispute resolution to address these conflicts. Alternative dispute resolution refers to a set of dispute processing methods, mainly arbitration and mediation. Unlike litigation, these procedures rely on the consent and cooperation of the parties involved. I argue that alternative dispute resolution is best conceived of as a desirable complement to the rule of law rather than a cheaper alternative. It conveys a distinctive approach to procedural fairness, which is attentive to individual circumstances, and it frames the relationship between disputants in a cooperative way. Alternative dispute resolution is thus a valuable tool for the accommodation of religious diversity in the professional world.
Rebekah Redux: The View from Jubilees
Authors: Zucker David J.
Published: April 2019

Based on her actions as depicted in Genesis 27, events often characterized as the “theft of the blessing,” the enduring memory most readers have of biblical Rebekah is that of a manipulative, scheming woman who undermines her husband's wishes. The Early Extra-biblical Book of Jubilees presents a very different figure, one that rights, and rewrites Rebekah's reputation. In Jubilees, Rebekah has a much more prominent and positive role. This article addresses the presentation of Rebekah in Jubilees and compares and contrasts her portrayal there with the way that she is featured in Genesis.
Shakespeare’s myriad-minded stage: Propositional spaces of cultural hybridity
Authors: Drábek Pavel
Published: April 2019

The concept of hybridity is profoundly ingrained in logocentric epistemologies that assert such cultural constructs as the unity of a text, authorship, ownership or an identity of sorts. This article aims at hybridity that takes place in the act of the audience’s perception and understanding of the play. On the example of Shakespeare’s plays, I address the question of (1) truth value and fiction in performance, (2) the propositionality of the stage and (3) the shift in performance as an oral medium from logocentric textuality to human interaction as social act.
Being gifted in Turkey: Educational and social experiences of high-ability students
Authors: Mammadov Sakhavat
Published: April 2019

This phenomenological study explored the educational and social experiences of eight gifted middle school students from Turkey. Data were collected from in-depth semi-structured interviews. The findings indicated that boredom and teacher ineffectiveness were among the most common problems that the participant students faced at school. The students also complained about the high-stakes tests that they believed were more anxiety-provoking than their worth. The students reported experiencing high levels of stress and burnout. The findings revealed that having high ability was not a handicap for developing good social relationships, but being labeled as gifted may lead to some negative outcomes based solely on the stigmatization. The overall findings suggested that the parents of these students were aware of their child’s unique needs. However, not all parents knew how to effectively respond to these needs.
Do democratic revolutions ‘activate’ participants? The case of Tunisia
Authors: Doherty David , Schraeder Peter J , Dobbs Kirstie L
Published: April 2019

The democratic transition in Tunisia and free and fair elections that followed offer a unique opportunity to assess whether the experience of participating in successful political efforts translates into subsequent political participation. We consider whether participation in a democratic revolution is associated with greater rates of participation in nascent ‘normal’ democratic processes. Leveraging data from two surveys fielded in the wake of the revolution and the Constituent Assembly elections that followed, we find scant evidence of a relationship between protest participation and subsequent turnout. We also consider the possibility that young – presumably more impressionable – Tunisians were more likely to be ‘activated’ by protest participation. However, our findings run directly counter to this expectation. Our findings show that the socializing effects of monumental historical events can be strikingly circumscribed.
Pulmonary arterial hypertension outcomes upon endothelin-1 receptor antagonist switch to macitentan
Authors: Tynan Timothy , Hird Kathryn , Hannon Tara , Gabbay Eli
Published: April 2019

Objectives

To assess whether switching patients with suboptimally controlled pulmonary arterial hypertension from bosentan or ambrisentan to macitentan would improve six-minute walk test (6MWT) distance and World Health Organization functional class.

Methods

This was a retrospective cohort analysis of 37 patients from a single center. Patients were separated into three heterogeneous treatment groups and followed for 18 months: switch group (n = 14): patients switched to macitentan from bosentan/ambrisentan; added group (n = 11): patients who began macitentan as de novo therapy (n = 5) or who added macitentan to an existing sildenafil regimen (n = 6); and control group (n = 12): patients for whom sildenafil and/or bosentan/ambrisentan therapy was unchanged.

Results

Mortality was observed in two patients (one each, switch and added groups). Patients in the control group had one hospital admission and 100% survival. There was significant improvement in functional class for the switch and added groups. Statistically significant improvement was observed in 6MWT distance in the added group alone. Overall, 92% of patients continued macitentan throughout the study.

Conclusion

Macitentan was well tolerated. For bosentan/ambrisentan-treated patients with suboptimally controlled pulmonary arterial hypertension, switching to macitentan may facilitate an improvement in functional class.
Estimating habitat extent and carbon loss from an eroded northern blanket bog using UAV derived imagery and topography
Authors: Scholefield Paul , Morton Dan , McShane Gareth , Carrasco Luis , Whitfield Mike G , Rowland Clare , Rose Rob , Wood Claire , Tebbs Emma , Dodd Beverly , Monteith Don
Published: April 2019

Peatlands are important reserves of terrestrial carbon and biodiversity, and given that many peatlands across the UK and Europe exist in a degraded state, their conservation is a major area of concern and a focus of considerable research. Aerial surveys are valuable tools for habitat mapping and conservation and provide useful insights into their condition. We investigate how SfM photogrammetry-derived topography and habitat classes may be used to construct an estimate of carbon loss from erosion features in a remote blanket bog habitat. An autonomous, unmanned, aerial, fixed-wing remote sensing platform (Quest UAV 300™) collected imagery over Moor House, in the Upper Teesdale National Nature Reserve, a site with a high degree of peatland erosion. The images were used to generate point clouds into orthomosaics and digital surface models using SfM photogrammetry techniques, georeferenced and subsequently used to classify vegetation and peatland features. A classification of peatbog feature types was developed using a random forest classification model trained on field survey data and applied to UAV-captured products including the orthomosaic, digital surface model and derived surfaces such as topographic index, slope and aspect maps. Using the area classified as eroded peat and the derived digital surface model, we estimated a loss of 438 tonnes of carbon from a single gully. The UAV system was relatively straightforward to deploy in such a remote and unimproved area. SfM photogrammetry, imagery and random forest modelling obtained classification accuracies of between 42% and 100%, and was able to discern between bare peat, saturated bog and sphagnum habitats. This paper shows what can be achieved with low-cost UAVs equipped with consumer grade camera equipment and relatively straightforward ground control, and demonstrates their potential for the carbon and peatland conservation research community.
Rediscovery of the Great Architect’s Bridge: Mimar Sinan Bridge, Istanbul, Turkey
Authors: Bezgin Niyazi Özgür
Published: April 2019

A bridge is an important element of transportation which improves the accessibility of a location. Before the Industrial Revolution, stone masonry arch construction was the preferred method of construction of bridges with the longest spans and the highest durability. Multiple arches provided the solution when a single arch was insufficient to provide the required span. Bridge design required thorough consideration of the seismicity, geology, hydrology, bathymetry, and topography of the particular region, along with considerations of the functional and architectural design requirements of the bridge. This paper introduces for the first time a new concept of an “intermittent-bridge” and presents a technical inquiry into historical design considerations and contemporary protective and maintenance efforts for a sixteenth-century, multi-arch masonry intermittent-bridge built in Istanbul during the epoch of the Ottoman empire by the chief imperial architect, or mimar, Sinan.
Developing a Crash Warning System for the Bike Lane Area at Intersections with Connected Vehicle Technology
Authors: Wu Yina , Abdel-Aty Mohamed , Zheng Ou , Cai Qing , Yue Lishengsa
Published: April 2019

A common type of bike lane at intersections is between the through lane and the right lane. With such design, right-turning drivers need to cross the bike lane to merge into the right lane, which could cause conflicts with bicycles on the keyhole bike lane. This study aims to develop a warning system for drivers to avoid vehicle–bicycle crashes in the bike lane area under a connected vehicle environment. To propose a reasonable warning system, 118 right-turning vehicle trajectories were collected by an unmanned aerial vehicle. Drivers’ right-turning behaviors are investigated based on the trajectory data. Then, a vehicle–bicycle crash warning algorithm is proposed to calculate the post-encroachment time (PET) under different situations. By comparing the threshold value and the PET value, potential vehicle–bicycle crash locations in the bike lane area could be identified. The proposed algorithm is designed to be displayed on front windshields with an augmented reality display. The results suggested that the proposed algorithm could provide high prediction accuracy. Moreover, vehicle speed, vehicle location, bicycle speed, and bicycle location were found to have significant impact on the locations of dangerous areas. It is expected that the proposed warning system could be used to identify the dangerous areas and deliver warning information for right-turning drivers when they are approaching an intersection. The warning system could help drivers be more prepared for the upcoming right-turning maneuver, and thus improve traffic safety for both drivers and cyclists at intersections.
Measuring the Effectiveness of Vehicle Inspection Regulations in Different States of the U.S.
Authors: Das Subasish , Geedipally Srinivas R. , Dixon Karen , Sun Xiaoduan , Ma Chaolun
Published: April 2019

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) guideline on state motor vehicle inspection programs recommends that states should maintain a vehicle safety inspection program to reduce the crash outcomes from the number of vehicles with existing or potential conditions. Some states have started to terminate the vehicle safety inspection program because of insufficient effectiveness measures, budget constraints, and modern safer automobiles. Despite the consensus that these periodic inspection programs improve vehicle condition and improve safety, research remains inconclusive about the effect of safety inspection programs on crash outcomes. There is little recent research on the relationship between vehicle safety inspection programs and whether these programs reduce crash rates or crash severities. According to the 2011–2016 Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) data, nearly 2.6% of fatal crashes happened as a result of the vehicle’s pre-existing manufacturing defects. NHTSA’s vehicle complaint database incorporates more than 1.4 million complaint reports. These reports contain extended information on vehicle-related disruptions. Around 5% of these reports involve some level of injury or fatalities. This study used these two databases to determine the effectiveness of vehicle inspection regulation programs in different states of the U.S. A statistical significance test was performed to determine the effectiveness of the vehicle safety inspection programs based on the states with and without safety inspection in place. This study concludes that there is a need for vehicle safety inspections to be continued for the reduction of vehicle complaints.
Modeling Transitional States of Drivers Yielding Right-Of-Way to Pedestrians at Signalized Midblock Crosswalks using a Hazard-Based Multistate Model
Authors: Kutela Boniphace , Teng Hualiang
Published: April 2019

This study presents an analysis of transitional states of drivers yielding right-of-way to pedestrians at signalized midblock crosswalks. The study utilizes data from twenty signalized midblock crosswalks located in Las Vegas, Nevada, equipped with traffic control signals (TCSs), pedestrians hybrid beacons (PHBs), circular flashing beacons (CFBs), circular rapid flashing beacons (CRFBs), and rectangular rapid flashing beacons (RRFBs). It applies both descriptive analysis and multistate models to explore the variations in transition durations and factors associated with the states’ transition of drivers yielding right-of-way, namely non-yield, multiple-threats, and full yield. The study found that RRFBs are the signal types that have a high frequency of multiple-threats state. The duration to reach full yield varies between 0 s and 318 s; the duration of non-yield to multiple-threats varies between 1 s and 105 s; whereas multiple-threats to full yield duration varies between 1 s and 38 s. The multistate model results show that only the signal type factor has a clear pattern. For this factor, the RRFBs showed low hazard ratios for all three transitions, when compared with CFBs and CRFBs. In various ways, the states’ transition durations were also associated with the number of cross stages, number of lanes, vehicle density, incoming vehicle speeds, annual average daily traffic, and number of pedestrians crossing, as well as their crossing positions. The developed model can be used by engineers and planners to evaluate factors affecting the effectiveness of the crosswalk treatments.
Inadequate Zinc Intake in India: Past, Present, and Future
Authors: Smith Matthew R. , DeFries Ruth , Chhatre Ashwini , Ghosh-Jerath Suparna , Myers Samuel S.
Published: April 2019

Background:

India has made important strides in reducing nutritional deficiencies over the past several decades. However, for micronutrients such as zinc, previous studies have suggested a worsening situation, contrary to most other dietary indicators. Adding to this burden, higher carbon dioxide (CO2) levels of 550 ppm, projected to potentially occur within decades, could reduce the zinc content of many staple crops.

Objective:

To assess the historical prevalence of inadequate zinc intake, as well as to estimate the future prevalence attributable to rising CO2.

Methods:

Seven household food consumption surveys between 1983 and 2012 were used to calculate total dietary zinc, phytate, and absorbable zinc intakes and to assess the prevalence of historic inadequacy in zinc intake. The added nutritional effect of elevated CO2 on zinc intake is then modeled.

Results:

Prevalence of inadequate absorbable zinc intake has increased from 17.1% (15.3%-19.0%) in 1983 to 24.6% (22.3%-27.1%) in 2011-12, corresponding to an additional 82 million people consuming inadequate zinc than would have otherwise if 1983 rates had persisted. These increases in inadequacy have been driven by a relatively constant zinc intake being increasingly insufficient to meet a 5% growth in zinc requirements due to the aging of the population. Reaching 550 ppm CO2 by 2050 could potentially increase the prevalence of inadequate zinc intake by another 3.9 percentage points (2.1-5.8), corresponding to 65 million additional people having inadequate zinc intake.

Conclusions:

The persistently worsening trend for zinc—opposite most other measures of human nutrition—shows that it may pose an ongoing risk unless addressed.
The role of dynamic response parameters in damage prediction
Authors: Zai Behzad Ahmed , Khan MA , Khan Kamran A , Mansoor Asif , Shah Aqueel , Shahzad Majid
Published: April 2019

This article presents a literature review of published methods for damage identification and prediction in mechanical structures. It discusses ways which can identify and predict structural damage from dynamic response parameters such as natural frequencies, mode shapes, and vibration amplitudes. There are many structural applications in which dynamic loads are coupled with thermal loads. Hence, a review on those methods, which have discussed structural damage under coupled loads, is also presented. Structural health monitoring with other techniques such as elastic wave propagation, wavelet transform, modal parameter, and artificial intelligence are also discussed. The published research is critically analyzed and the role of dynamic response parameters in structural health monitoring is discussed. The conclusion highlights the research gaps and future research direction.
Wheel–rail low adhesion issues and its effect on wheel–rail material damage at high speed under different interfacial contaminations
Authors: Wu Bing , An Boyang , Wen Zefeng , Wang Wenjian , Wu Tao
Published: April 2019

The objective of this paper is to ascertain the wheel–rail low adhesion mechanism using a high-speed wheel–rail rolling contact test rig under different interfacial contaminations. Based on the experimental results, a numerical method was proposed to investigate the wheel–rail wear and rolling contact fatigue due to low adhesion issues. The experimental results indicated that the wheel–rail low adhesion phenomena can happen under interfacial liquid contaminations, especially at high-speed running condition. Preliminary numerical investigations showed that the low adhesion condition can easily lead to sliding hence serious wear, especially at the speed between 160 km/h and 200 km/h. The temperature rise within the contact patch can be significantly more severe once wheel and rail are in full slip, causing rolling contact fatigue due to material softening.
Blood coagulation dynamic testing sensor based on electromagnetic vibration
Authors: Wang Zhe , Yu Yuan-hua , Yu Zhan-jiang , Chen Qi-meng
Published: April 2019

Rapid detection techniques and methods of blood coagulation have attracted wide attention in academia and the business community in the presence of the increased demands for rapid assessment (point-of-care testing) of patients from surgery, intensive care unit, and other departments. The differential equation of vibration system composed of elastic support and electromagnetic induction devices was set up using the principle of damping vibration and establishing the dynamics model; meanwhile, the harmonic response analysis and vibration fatigue coupling analysis were carried out, the analysis results were optimized, and the experimental device of the electromagnetic induction testing sensor was established. In addition, the experimental device with blood coagulation reagent was assorted to establish the standard point-of-care testing rapid blood coagulation detection curve, and to compare the testing curve with that of the imported point-of-care testing blood coagulation instrument. The results showed that the first-order natural frequency of the designed sensor was 102.35 Hz, the correlation between the designed sensor and the imported equipment was 0.996, and the testing repeatability of the designed sensor could reach 0.002. Therefore, the designed blood coagulation testing sensor based on electromagnetic induction had the characteristics of favorable elasticity and anti-fatigue, which could meet the accuracy requirements of clinical detection. Taken together, this study could provide the core technology for developing the point-of-care testing instrument for blood coagulation dynamic testing.
Ursolic acid modulates MMPs, collagen-I, α-SMA, and TGF-β expression in isoproterenol-induced myocardial infarction in rats
Authors: Radhiga T , Senthil S , Sundaresan A , Pugalendi KV
Published: April 2019

In the present study, the modulatory effect of ursolic acid (UA) on cardiac fibrosis and mitochondrial and lysosomal enzymes activity in isoproterenol-induced myocardial infarction (MI) in rats were examined. Isoproterenol hydrochloride (ISO; 85 mg/kg body weight) was administered subcutaneously for first two consecutive days. ISO-induced MI in rats significantly decreased the activities of mitochondrial tricarboxylic acid cycle enzymes and respiratory chain enzymes while increased the activities of lysosomal glycohydrolases and cathepsins. The expression of matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2), MMP-9, collagen type I, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) were upregulated in ISO-induced MI in rats. UA administration to rats showed increased activities of mitochondrial tricarboxylic acid cycle enzymes and respiratory chain enzymes and decreased activities of lysosomal glycohydrolases and cathepsins in ISO-induced rats. Furthermore, expression of MMP-2, MMP-9, collagen type I, α-SMA, and TGF-β downregulated in UA-administered rats. Thus, our results demonstrate that UA has an anti-fibrotic effect and attenuates the mitochondrial and lysosomal dysfunction in ISO-induced MI in rats.
Beclin 1, LC3, and p62 expression in paraquat-induced pulmonary fibrosis
Authors: Xu G , Wang X , Yu H , Wang C , Liu Y , Zhao R , Zhang G
Published: April 2019

Paraquat (PQ) is a highly toxic herbicide to humans. Pulmonary fibrosis is one of the most typical features of PQ poisoning, which develops from several days to weeks after ingestion. However, the mechanism of fibrosis is still unclear. In this study, we aimed to determine expressions of autophagy-related markers Beclin 1, microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 (LC3), and p62 in PQ-poisoned lungs and to explore the role of autophagy in pulmonary fibrosis induced by PQ. We detected markers of lung fibrosis and expressions of autophagy-related protein in the specimens from eight fatal cases of PQ poisoning by hematoxylin and eosin staining, Masson’s trichrome staining, and immunohistochemistry. Based on the staining results of lung fibrosis, these cases were divided into two groups, fibrosis and non-fibrosis groups. The correlation between autophagy protein expressions and pulmonary fibrosis was examined. The results demonstrated that the autophagy-related proteins were significantly expressed in fibrosis group compared with the non-fibrosis group. There was a significantly positive correlation between these protein expressions and severity of lung fibrosis. In conclusion, autophagy dysfunction may be involved in lung fibrogenesis caused by PQ poisoning. This may be a promising clue for understanding the molecular mechanism underlying PQ-induced lung fibrosis and provide evidence for treating fibrosis by regulating the level of autophagy.
Evaluation of amalgam-related retinal neurotoxicity with optical coherence tomography findings
Authors: Bilak Ş , Önderci M , Şimşek A
Published: April 2019

Purpose:

To evaluate the neurotoxic effect of amalgam dental fillings on plasma mercury (Hg) levels and retino-choroidal layers measured by spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT).

Materials/Methods:

Study participants included 56 cases with amalgam dental fillings and 44 healthy controls. All participants were examined in terms of detailed ophthalmic examination, oral examination, and body mass index (BMI). The measurement of retinal layers and choroid was performed using SD-OCT. Venous blood samples were collected and blood Hg levels were measured using cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometric analysis. Correlations between SD-OCT measurement results and blood Hg levels were analyzed.

Results:

There were no differences between groups in terms of age, sex, or BMI. The mean blood Hg level was 2.76 ± 1.21 µg/L in the amalgam group and 2.06 ± 1.15 µg/L in the control group ( p = 0.04). The Hg/BMI ratio was 0.12 ± 0.06 kg/m2 in the amalgam group and 0.09 ± 0.05 kg/m2 in the control group ( p = 0.01). Reduced volumes of ganglion cell layer and inner plexiform layer were observed in the amalgam group when compared with the control group ( p < 0.05).

Conclusion:

Amalgam dental fillings can cause retinal neurotoxicity. SD-OCT can be useful for evaluating amalgam-related retinal neurotoxicity.
Alleviation of trigeminal neuropathic pain by electroacupuncture: the role of hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated channel protein expression in the Gasserian ganglion
Authors: Yang Liuyue , Ding Weihua , You Zerong , Yang Jinsheng , Shen Shiqian , Doheny Jason T , Chen Lucy , Li Ruhui , Mao Jianren
Published: April 2019

Introduction:

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on trigeminal neuropathic pain in rats and explore the potential mechanism underlying the putative therapeutic effect of EA.

Methods:

Trigeminal neuropathic pain behavior was induced in rats by unilateral chronic constriction injury of the distal infraorbital nerve (dIoN-CCI). EA was administered at ST2 ( Sibai) and Jiachengjiang. A total of 60 Sprague Dawley rats were divided into the following four groups ( n = 15 per group) to examine the behavioral outcomes after surgery and/or EA treatment: sham (no ligation); dIoN-CCI (received isoflurane only, without EA treatment); dIoN-CCI+EA-7d (received EA treatment for 7 days); and dIoN-CCI+EA-14d (received EA treatment for 14 days). Both evoked and spontaneous nociceptive behaviors were measured. Of these, 12 rats ( n = 4 from sham, dIoN-CCI, and dIoN-CCI+EA-14d groups, respectively) were used to analyze protein expression of hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) channel in the Gasserian ganglion (GG) by immunohistochemistry.

Results:

dIoN-CCI rats exhibited mechanical allodynia and increased face-grooming activity that lasted at least 35 days. EA treatment reduced mechanical allodynia and face-grooming in dIoN-CCI rats. Overall, 14 days of EA treatment produced a prolonged anti-nociceptive effect as compared to 7-day EA treatment. The counts of HCN1 and HCN2 immunopositive puncta were increased in the ipsilateral GG in dIoN-CCI rats and were reduced by 14 days of EA treatment.

Discussion:

EA treatment relieved trigeminal neuropathic pain in dIoN-CCI rats, and this effect was dependent on the duration of EA treatment. The downregulation of HCN expression may contribute to the anti-nociceptive effect of EA in this rat model of trigeminal neuropathic pain.
Pan-Cytokeratin Positive Fibroblastic Osteosarcoma of Jaw: An Extremely Rare Entity in a Pediatric Patient
Authors: Urs Aadithya B , Kumar Priya , Augustine Jeyaseelan , Sharma Pankaj , Narayan Bhaskar
Published: April 2019

Osteosarcoma (OS) of jaws is a rare entity characterized by malignant osteoid formation and is most commonly seen in third to fourth decade of life. Here, we present a rare and intriguing case of a 14-year-old pediatric patient, who reported with a chief complaint of swelling in the left maxilla, which was rapidly increasing in size. Both cytokeratin AE1/3 and vimentin-positive spindled cells were seen arranged in storiform pattern with minimal areas of osteoid formation on histopathologic examination. The diagnosis of fibroblastic OS was confirmed by fluorescent in situ hybridization after excluding monomorphic synovial sarcoma. The patient underwent segmental resection of left maxilla and is on close follow-up. A PubMed search revealed that only 5 pediatric cases of fibroblastic OS have been published since 1991. Here, we highlight the diagnostic challenges encountered in reaching the histopathologic diagnosis.