bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
“Esa paz blanca, esa paz de muerte”: Peacetime, Wartime, and Black Impossible Chronos in Postconflict Colombia
Authors: Alves Jaime Amparo
Published: August 2019

El 24 de agosto de 2016, el presidente colombiano Juan Manuel Santos anunció el final formal de la larga guerra de cincuenta años con la guerrilla de las FARC, ya que el grupo acordó deponer las armas y participar en las elecciones generales de 2018 como un partido político. El acuerdo de paz fue recibido con una mezcla de emoción y escepticismo. Desde entonces, casi seiscientos activistas han sido asesinados, la violencia homicida contra la juventud urbana sigue alta y el prospecto de paz positiva en los territorios negros e indígenas es en el mejor de los casos esquivo. En este artículo, me pregunto: ¿cómo entender la transición a la paz como supuestamente un momento mágico cuando lostiempos‐de‐guerray tiempos‐de‐paz son experimentados como evento a‐temporal acuerdo a la alteridad racial de los sujetos? ¿Pueden los marcos normativo de conflicto / pos‐conflicto y paz / guerra, explicar la trans‐historicidad de la experiencia negra en sociedades de la diáspora africana? [afro‐pesimismo, violencia racial, construcción de paz, paz liberal, protesto negro]
Gay, Lesbian, and Heterosexual Couples About to Begin Couples Therapy: An Online Relationship Assessment of 40,681 Couples
Authors: Gottman John M. , Gottman Julie S. , Cole Carrie , Preciado Marisa
Published: August 2019

We currently have little idea of precisely who goes for couples therapy. This is a report of the results of a validated online assessment of relationship and individual functioning based on 39,251 heterosexual, 1,022 lesbian, and 438 gay couples about to begin couples therapy. Using validated and reliable questionnaires of relationship and individual functioning, this report presents and compares, for each sexual‐orientation, the percentage of couples, pre‐therapy, who are coping with a variety of relationship problems. To test for the replicability of results, the sample was divided randomly into two subsamples and statistical tests were performed on each sample. Couples initiating therapy suffer from greater distress and many more co‐morbidities than has been presumed in previous literature, and same‐sex couples present a particular set of both strengths and challenges compared to heterosexual couples. Gay‐male and lesbian couples were very different on trust and monogamy, as were heterosexual and lesbian couples. Based on this epidemiologically sized sample, the challenge to our field may be to create interventions with much larger effect sizes than we currently have.
Identifying the Key Elements of Racially Concordant Care in a Freestanding Birth Center
Authors: Karbeah J'Mag , Hardeman Rachel , Almanza Jennifer , Kozhimannil Katy B.
Published: August 2019

Introduction

There is empirical evidence that the quality of interpersonal care patients receive varies dramatically along racial and ethnic lines, with African American people often reporting much lower quality of care than their white counterparts. Improving the interpersonal relationship between clinicians and patients has been identified as one way to improve quality of care. Specifically, research has identified that patients feel more satisfied with the care that they receive from clinicians with whom they share a racial identity. However, little is known about how clinicians provide racially concordant care. The goal of this analysis was to identify the key components of high‐quality care that were most salient for African American birthworkers providing perinatal care to African American patients.

Methods

We conducted semistructured interviews (30 to 90 minutes) with clinicians (N = 10; midwives, student midwives, and doulas) who either worked at or worked closely with an African American‐owned birth center in North Minneapolis, Minnesota. We used inductive coding methods to analyze data and to identify key themes.

Results

Providing racially concordant perinatal care to African American birthing individuals required clinicians to acknowledge and center the sociocultural realities and experiences of their patients. Four key themes emerged in our analysis. The first overarching theme identified was the need to acknowledge how cultural identity of patients is fundamental to the clinical encounter. The second theme that emerged was a commitment to racial justice. The third and fourth themes were agency and cultural humility, which highlight the reciprocal nature of the clinician‐patient relationship.

Discussion

The most salient aspect of the care that birthworkers of color provide is their culturally centered approach. This approach and all subsequent themes suggest that achieving birth equity for pregnant African American people starts by acknowledging and honoring their sociocultural experiences.
Allocation trade‐offs impact organ size and muscle architecture in an invasive population of Xenopus laevis in Western France
Authors: Padilla Pablo , Courant Julien , Herrel Anthony
Published: August 2019

Invasive species are a global scourge and often negatively impact native species. Understanding the expansion and dispersal limits of these species is essential. As previous studies have demonstrated increased locomotor performance for populations at the edge of the range of expanding populations, studies of locomotion including the anatomical and physiological traits underlying dispersal capacity are of interest. We focus here on an invasive population of Xenopus laevis introduced in France nearly forty years ago. Previous studies have demonstrated differences in mobility between populations from the centre and the edge of the invasive range, with individuals from the range edge possessing a higher endurance capacity. We test here whether range‐edge frogs show anatomical differences in organs or muscles underlying these observed differences of performance. We dissected 10 males and 10 females from central and range‐edge sites (40 animals in total) and measured the mass of their organs and the mass, the length, and the physiological cross‐sectional area (PCSA) of 28 hind limb muscles. Our results show anatomical differences with individuals from the range edge possessing heavier, longer and more forceful muscles. Moreover, females from the range edge had a heavier heart but lighter stomach than those of the centre of the range. Future studies comparing the morphology between native and invasive populations in other regions or for other species will be especially insightful to better understand the possible adaptive changes in invasive populations and the limits on dispersal capacity.
Comparative analysis of the shape and size of the middle ear cavity of turtles reveals no correlation with habitat ecology
Authors: Foth Christian , Evers Serjoscha W. , Joyce Walter G. , Volpato Virginie S. , Benson Roger B. J.
Published: August 2019

The middle ear of turtles differs from other reptiles in being separated into two distinct compartments. Several ideas have been proposed as to why the middle ear is compartmentalized in turtles, most suggesting a relationship with underwater hearing. Extant turtle species span fully marine to strictly terrestrial habitats, and ecomorphological hypotheses of turtle hearing predict that this should correlate with variation in the structure of the middle ear due to differences in the fluid properties of water and air. We investigate the shape and size of the air‐filled middle ear cavity of 56 extant turtles using 3D data and phylogenetic comparative analysis to test for correlations between habitat preferences and the shape and size of the middle ear cavity. Only weak correlations are found between middle ear cavity size and ecology, with aquatic taxa having proportionally smaller cavity volumes. The middle ear cavity of turtles exhibits high shape diversity among species, but we found no relationship between this shape variation and ecology. Surprisingly, the estimated acoustic transformer ratio, a key functional parameter of impedance‐matching ears in vertebrates, also shows no relation to habitat preferences (aquatic/terrestrial) in turtles. We suggest that middle ear cavity shape may be controlled by factors unrelated to hearing, such as the spatial demands of surrounding cranial structures. A review of the fossil record suggests that the modern turtle ear evolved during the Early to Middle Jurassic in stem turtles broadly adapted to freshwater and terrestrial settings. This, combined with our finding that evolutionary transitions between habitats caused only weak evolutionary changes in middle ear structure, suggests that tympanic hearing in turtles evolved as a compromise between subaerial and underwater hearing.
“The enchantment of property”: Arthur Young, enclosure, and the cottage economy in England, 1770–1840
Authors: Handy Jim
Published: August 2019

English agricultural practice changed dramatically in the late 18th and early 19th centuries as enclosure, the dominance of commercial short‐term leases for tenant farmers, and the proletarianization of the agricultural labour force completed what has been called an agricultural revolution. A less often noted aspect of this change was what was called “a war on cottages” and cottage gardens. The Board of Agriculture and Arthur Young were important cheerleaders for this process. Yet many of the most prominent members of the Board of Agriculture made impassioned appeals for the provision of land for English cottagers as a way to reduce poverty and stressed that cottagers produced remarkable returns from their small farms. Arthur Young became the most vocal proponent of land for cottagers. This article suggests that their appeals for land for cottagers were limited by both farmers' desire for easily controlled labour and misplaced concerns about the supposed inevitability of the poverty inherent in very small farms.
Comparison of survival outcomes in optimally and maximally cytoreduced stage IIIC ovarian high‐grade serous carcinoma: Women with only peritoneal tumor burden versus women with both peritoneal and lymphogenous dissemination
Authors: Selcuk Ilker , Meydanli Mehmet M. , Yalcin Ibrahim , Gungorduk Kemal , Akgol Sedat , Çelik Husnu , Ayhan Ali
Published: August 2019

Aim

The aim of this study was to analyze the survival outcomes of stage IIIC ovarian high‐grade serous carcinoma (HGSC) patients with both peritoneal and lymphatic dissemination (IP+/RP+) who had undergone maximal or optimal cytoreduction followed by intravenous carboplatin/paclitaxel chemotherapy compared to those women with stage IIIC ovarian HGSC with only peritoneal involvement (IP+/RP−) who were treated similarly.

Methods

We performed a retrospective, multicenter study with the participation of five gynecological cancer centers. First, the stage IIIC ovarian HGSC patients were classified into optimally or maximally debulked cohorts. Then, in each cohort, the patients were divided into two groups; the IP+/RP− group included those women with transcoelomic spreading outside the pelvis with no nodal disease, and the IP+/RP+ group included those patients with transcoelomic dissemination outside the pelvis in addition to a positive nodal status. The survival outcomes were compared between the two groups in each cohort.

Results

A total of 405 ovarian HGSC patients were analyzed. In the optimally debulked cohort (n = 257), the progression‐free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) medians for the IP+/RP− group (n = 69) were 24 and 57 months, respectively, compared to 21 and 58 months, respectively, for the IP+/RP+ group (n = 188) (P = 0.78 and P = 0.40, respectively). In the maximally debulked cohort (n = 148), the PFS and OS medians for the IP+/RP− group (n = 55) were 35 and 63 months, respectively, compared to 25 and 51 months, respectively, for the IP+/RP+ group (n = 93) (P = 0.49 and P = 0.31, respectively).

Conclusion

Our findings indicated no survival differences between the IP+/RP− and the IP+/RP+ groups.
Feeling Is Believing? Evidence From Earthquake Shaking Experience and Insurance Demand
Authors: Lin Xiao
Published: August 2019

This article investigates how a particular type of personal experience—“no‐loss” experience with minor earthquakes—affects financial decisions such as insurance purchases. We find a small temporary increase in insurance demand in areas that experience a shaking with moderate intensity, or multiple shakings with light intensity. An analysis of Google Trends data confirms an immediate increase in interest in insurance though not in seismic retrofit. These findings extend the applicability of the availability bias and hot‐hand fallacy to a broader context: financial decisions may be motivated by not only loss experience, but also recent no‐loss experience, as people may extrapolate their “feeling” to something worse. However, such experience does not motivate long‐term behavioral change.
Group identification with (incomplete) preferences
Authors: Cho Wonki Jo , Saporiti Alejandro
Published: August 2019

We consider the problem of identifying members of a group based on individual opinions. Since agents do not have preferences in the model, properties of rules that concern preferences (e.g., strategy‐proofness and efficiency) have not been studied in the literature. We fill this gap by working with a class of incomplete preferences derived directly from opinions. Our main result characterizes a new family of group identification rules, called voting‐by‐equitable‐committees rules, using two well‐known properties: strategy‐proofness and equal treatment of equals. Our family contains as a special case the consent rules (Samet & Schmeidler. J. Econ. Theory, 110 (2003), pp. 213–233), which are symmetric and embody various degrees of liberalism and democracy; and it also includes dictatorial and oligarchic rules that value agents’ opinions differently. In the presence of strategy‐proofness, efficiency turns out to be equivalent to non‐degeneracy (i.e., any agent may potentially be included or excluded from the group). This implies that a rule satisfies strategy‐proofness, efficiency, and equal treatment of equals if, and only if, it is a non‐degenerate voting‐by‐equitable‐committees rule.
Tying the politicians’ hands: The optimal limits to representative democracy
Authors: Laussel Didier , Van Long Ngo
Published: August 2019

The citizen candidate models of democracy assume that politicians have their own preferences that are not fully revealed at the time of elections. We study the optimal delegation problem which arises between the median voter (the writer of the constitution) and the (future) incumbent politician under the assumption that not only the state of the world but also the politician's type (preferred policy) are the policy‐maker's private information. We show that it is optimal to tie the hands of the politician by imposing both a policy floor and a policy cap and delegating him/her the policy choice only in between the cap and the floor. The delegation interval is shown to be the smaller the greater is the uncertainty about the politician's type. These results are also applicable to settings outside the specific problem that our model addresses.
Chrysophanol: a review of its pharmacology, toxicity and pharmacokinetics
Authors: Xie Long , Tang Hailong , Song Jiawen , Long Jiaying , Zhang Linlin , Li Xiaofang
Published: August 2019

Objective

Chrysophanol is a natural anthraquinone, also known as chrysophanic acid and 1,8-dihydroxy-3-methyl-anthraquinone. It has been widely used in the food and pharmaceutical fields. This review is intended to provide a comprehensive overview of the pharmacology, toxicity and pharmacokinetic researches of chrysophanol.

Key finding

Information on chrysophanol was collected from the Internet database PubMed, Elsevier, ResearchGate, Web of Science, Wiley Online Library and Europe PM using a combination of keywords including ‘pharmacology’, ‘toxicology’ and ‘pharmacokinetics’. The literature we collected included from January 2010 to June 2019. Chrysophanol has a wide spectrum of pharmacological effects, including anticancer, antioxidation, neuroprotection, antibacterial and antiviral, and regulating blood lipids. However, chrysophanol has obvious hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity, and pharmacokinetics indicate that the use of chrysophanol in combination with other drugs can reduce toxicity and enhance efficacy.

Chrysophanol can be used in many diseases. Future research directions include how the concentration of chrysophanol affects pharmacological effects and toxicity; the mechanism of synergy between chrysophanol and other drugs.
Morphine contributed to the deterioration of cancer via miR-543/MARCKS/FcγR-mediated phagocytosis pathway
Authors: Luo Jianghui , Chen Yiding , Xu Yiquan , Tang Miaomiao , Zhang Xudong
Published: August 2019

Objectives

It has been confirmed that morphine was detrimental to patients with cancers. Hence, we aimed to reveal a certain mechanism of morphine in cancer development.

Methods

Microarray and GSEA analysis were utilized to seek for differently expressed genes and pathway.

Key findings

Bioinformatics analysis identified that downregulation of MARCKS and upregulation of miR-543 in samples treated with morphine. FcγR-mediated phagocytosis pathway was illustrated to be upregulated in the control. PANC-1 and DU145 cell viability was increased but apoptosis was declined as morphine concentration went up from 10−8 to 10−6 mol/l. On the other curve, the viability was reduced and apoptosis was elevated from 10−6 to 10−5 mol/l. The expression of miR-543 ran the same trend as cell viability. Assays in vivo and in vitro validated that miR-543 facilitated cell viability, tumour growth, levels of CA199 and PSA, whereas inhibited apoptosis. MARCKS could target and inhibit miR-543 expression, which exhibited an opposite effect on cancer progression. MiR-543 blocked but MARCKS activated FcγR-mediated phagocytosis pathway.

Conclusions

Morphine at 10−6 mol/l could benefit miR-543 expression to inhibit MARCKS expression, consequently, blocking FcγR-mediated phagocytosis pathway, which contributed to the cancer progression in vitro and in vivo.
Continuous and pulse‐feeding application of multispecies probiotic bacteria in whiteleg shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei
Authors: Kesselring Jutta C. , Gruber Christina , Standen Benedict , Wein Silvia
Published: August 2019

Probiotic bacteria are known to support the gut health of shrimp and thereby improve performance and production efficiency. Among other factors, the timing of probiotic application is of importance. Thus, this experiment (12‐week feeding trial followed by intramuscular Vibrio challenge) aimed to compare the effects of a multispecies probiotic feed supplement (AquaStar® Growout, 3 g/kg feed) in a continuous application with three different alternating application protocols on growth performance and immune parameters in whiteleg shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei. Juvenile shrimp were stocked in a recirculating aquaculture system at a density of 15 shrimp/100 L and were fed an appropriate commercial diet throughout the whole trial. Tanks were randomly assigned to the treatments, and shrimp were fed one of the following five experimental treatments: T1: no probiotics (control), T2: probiotics continuously, T3: alternating 1 week probiotics, 1 week control, T4: alternating 2 weeks probiotics, 2 weeks control, or T5: alternating 2 weeks probiotics, 1 week control. While any AquaStar® Growout application significantly improved growth performance, only continuous application delayed mortality after the Vibrio challenge. Results suggest that the beneficial effects were most pronounced when AquaStar® Growout was fed either continuously or according to the T5 treatment.
Optimizing Second Language Practice in the Classroom: Perspectives from Cognitive Psychology
Authors: SUZUKI YUICHI , NAKATA TATSUYA , DEKEYSER ROBERT
Published: August 2019

This introduction to the special issue provides an overview of the role of practice in a second language (L2) from both pedagogical and theoretical perspectives. The following 5 areas of research are identified for studying L2 practice from cognitive psychology perspectives: (a) the type of practice (retrieval practice, corrective feedback, modality), (b) distribution of practice, (c) schedule of practice (blocking and interleaving effects), (d) individual difference factors (aptitude–treatment interaction), and (e) effects of practice on learning trajectories and outcomes. This special issue sets a research agenda toward better understanding the learning processes and resulting knowledge through practice. That research can inform teachers about how they can optimize L2 teaching and learning for a variety of learners across different classroom contexts.
Microphthalmia and linear skin defects syndrome: Precise diagnosis guides prognosis
Authors: Satcher Kerrie G. , Maegawa Gustavo H. B. , Schoch Jennifer J.
Published: August 2019

Microphthalmia and linear skin defects syndrome (MLS) is a rare X‐linked dominant disorder characterized by microphthalmia and linear atrophic plaques of the face and neck. The diagnosis of MLS can be challenging secondary to both its rarity and to clinical overlap with Goltz syndrome. Whereas the skin lesions of MLS are more likely to improve in appearance with age, the lesions of Goltz are typically persistent.
Clinical efficacy of photodynamic therapy and laser irradiation as an adjunct to open flap debridement in the treatment of chronic periodontitis: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Akram Zohaib , Shafqat Syed Saad , Niaz Muhammad Omar , Raza Anam , Naseem Mustafa
Published: August 2019

Background

The aim of this systematic review and meta‐analyses was to assess the quality of evidence and efficacy of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) and laser irradiation (LI) as an adjunct to open flap debridement (OFD) in the treatment of chronic periodontitis.

Methods

Electronic searches were conducted in databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and Cochrane Oral Health Group Trials Register databases) up to March 2019. Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) comparing clinical efficacy of either aPDT and/or LI, placebo, or no treatment were included. Primary outcomes included clinical attachment level (CAL), while secondary outcomes were reduction in probing depth (PD) and gingival recession (GR) depth. The weighted mean differences (WMD) of outcomes and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for each variable were calculated using random effect model.

Results

Six RCTs were included. For aPDT studies, the overall mean difference for CAL gain (WMD = −0.61, 95% CI = −1.22 to −0.016, P = .044) and PD reduction (WMD = −1.79, 95% CI = −3.44 to −0.14, P = .034) was significant between aPDT and OFD groups at follow‐up. No significant overall mean difference was observed for GR depth (WMD = 0.02, 95% CI = −0.75 to 0.79, P = .95). For LI studies, none of the clinical periodontal parameters including CAL gain (WMD = 0.23, 95% CI = −0.09 to 0.55, P = .159, Figure 3A), PD reduction (WMD = 0.31, 95% CI = −0.67 to 1.31, P = .52, Figure 3B) and GR depth (WMD = −0.34, 95% CI = −2.47 to 1.78, P = .74, Figure 3C) were found to be significant between LI and OFD groups at follow‐up.

Conclusion

With the limited data available, only aPDT as an adjunct to OFD showed superior results for clinical periodontal parameters compared to OFD alone in the treatment of chronic periodontitis. Further RCTs are warranted in order to obtain robust conclusions with regard to laser therapy.
‘Womanhood and weakness’: Elizabeth I, James I and propaganda strategy
Authors: Shorland Sophie
Published: August 2019

Exploring popular early modern associations between ‘womanhood and weakness’, this article explores Elizabeth’s engagement with gender as a propaganda strategy, using her speeches as examples of public engagement that stretch well beyond their original audience. Rather than framing womanhood and weakness as an issue to be overcome, in adopting a discourse‐based propaganda strategy, Elizabeth used gender to her own advantage in three ways. Firstly, she used the female subject position to claim humility while deliberately controlling public discussion of certain issues, particularly the fraught subject of succession. Secondly, this subject position of humility enabled Elizabeth to frame herself as God’s instrument, performing His desires rather than her own. Such authority is much more difficult to question than any earthly ruler’s commands. Third and finally, Elizabeth used the posture of ‘womanhood and weakness’ to excuse an unpopularly defensive foreign policy, in contrast to the aggressive policy a man in her position must apparently have undertaken. This in turn created a propaganda problem for her successor James I, who largely continued Elizabeth’s foreign policies and so did not fulfil this phantom version of a male leader created by the Queen’s propaganda.
Rapid review: next generation of cord blood banks; transplantation and beyond
Authors: Querol Sergio , Samarkanova Dinara
Published: August 2019

KEY IDEAS

Cord blood (CB) is a medicinal product of human origin with unique cellular properties such as the presence of multipotent stem cells, naive immune cells, and fetal blood components.

CB transplantation provides high rate of donor chimerism, and a good balance of graft‐versus‐host (GVH) and graft‐versus‐leukemia (GVL) effects.

Use of CB for transplantation has decreased in recent years as haplo‐identical stem cell transplants have achieved similar short‐term clinical outcomes. For most patients, however, the optimal stem cell source remains unclear.

CB inventories can be used as a starting material to develop new cellular medicines, and units with low cellular content can be converted to produce blood components like platelet‐rich plasma and red blood cell (RBC) units for special indications.
Cost‐effectiveness comparison of routine transfusion with restrictive and liberal transfusion strategies for surgical patients in China
Authors: Yu Xiaochu , Wang Zixing , Wang Yipeng , Huang Yuguang , Xin Shijie , Sun Hong , Zhang Xu , Wang Yaolei , Han Wei , Xue Fang , Wang Lei , Hu Yaoda , Xu Mei , Li Li , He Jiqun , Jiang Jingmei
Published: August 2019

Background and Objectives

A health industry standard recommending restrictive transfusion is to be in effect in China in April 2019. We aim to explore its potential economic and clinical impacts among surgical patients.

Materials and Methods

A decision tree model was applied to compare cost‐effectiveness of current routine transfusion in China, a restrictive (transfusion at Hb < 8 g/dl or ischaemic symptoms) and a liberal (transfusion at Hb < 10 g/dl) strategy. Parameters were estimated from empirical data of 25 227 surgical inpatients aged ≥30 years in a multicenter study and supplemented by meta‐analysis when necessary. Results are shown for cardio‐cerebral‐vascular (CCV) surgery and non‐CCV (orthopaedics, general, thoracic) surgery separately.

Results

Per 10 000 patients in routine, restrictive, liberal transfusion scenarios, total spending (transfusion and length of stay related) was 7·67, 7·58 and 9·39 million CNY (1 CNY × 0.157 = 1 US dollar) for CCV surgery and 6·35, 6·70 and 8·09 million CNY for non‐CCV surgery; infectious and severe complications numbered 354, 290, and 290 (CCV) and 315, 286, and 330 (non‐CCV), respectively. Acceptability curves showed high probabilities for restrictive strategy to be cost‐effective across a wide range of willingness‐to‐pay values. Such findings were mostly consistent in sensitivity and subgroup analyses except for patients with cardiac problems.

Conclusion

We showed strong rationale, succeeding previous findings only in cardiac or joint procedures, to comply with the new standard as restrictive transfusion has high potential to save blood, secure safety, and is cost‐effective for a wide spectrum of surgical patients. Experiences should be further summarized to pave the way towards individualized transfusion.
Review of whole blood use in trauma
Authors: Madden Kathleen M. , Raval Jay S.
Published: August 2019

Traumatic haemorrhage is the leading cause of preventable death in both military and civilian settings. Haemostatic resuscitation with red cells, plasma, and platelets helps to address the problems caused by haemorrhagic shock and coagulopathy associated with trauma to improve survival. Whole blood (WB) is once again the primary recommended resuscitative blood product to be transfused in the military setting, and successes here have led to renewed interest in WB use in civilian trauma. This review provides a brief history of WB in trauma, highlights recent WB use, and discusses current considerations with transfusing WB.
Prevalence and specificity of anti‐HLA antibodies in Indian patients – single‐centre data!
Authors: Mishra Vikash C. , Chandra Dinesh , Singh Parvind , Deshpande Trupti , Dorwal Pranav , Raina Vimarsh
Published: August 2019

Background and Objectives

Timely detection of human leucocyte antigen (HLA) antibodies plays a key part in transplant outcome. Conventionally, several cell‐based assays are available for detection of HLA antibodies upgrading to virtual crossmatch in which single‐antigen bead (SAB) assay is widely used for characterization of pre‐formed HLA donor‐specific antibodies (DSAs). The main objective here is to find the prevalence and specificity of anti‐HLA antibodies in Indian population using Luminex single‐antigen (LSA) bead assay.

Materials and Methods

A total of 179 patients are included in the study for analysing anti‐HLA antibodies by Luminex bead assays that comprise a panel of beads coated with purified HLA antigens (both class I and class II).

Results

HLA‐A*24:02, HLA‐A*02:02, HLA‐B*15:02 and HLA‐B*27:08 and HLA‐C*07:01, HLA‐C*07:02 and HLA‐C*06:02 are frequently identified HLA antibodies against class I, whereas HLA‐DRB1*09:01, HLA‐DRB3*01:01, HLA‐DQA1*01:02, HLA‐DQB1*06:04, HLA‐DQA1*05:01, HLA‐DQB1*03:01, HLA‐DPA1*02:01, HLA‐DPB1*14:01, HLA‐DPA1*01:03 and HLA‐DPB1*18:01 are most common anti‐HLA antibodies against class II.

Conclusions

To conclude, this study helps to select the population‐specific best possible donor and hence improve transplant outcome to decrease risk of antibody‐mediated rejection.
Influence of fascicle strain and corticospinal excitability during eccentric contractions on force loss
Authors: Doguet Valentin , Nosaka Kazunori , Guével Arnaud , Ishimura Kazuhiro , Guilhem Gaël , Jubeau Marc
Published: August 2019

New Findings

What is the central question of this study?

Do neural and/or mechanical factors determine the extent of muscle damage induced by eccentric contractions?

What is the main finding and its importance?

The extent of muscle damage induced by eccentric contractions is related to both mechanical strain and corticospinal excitability measured at long muscle lengths during eccentric contractions.

In this study, we investigated whether the mechanical and neural characteristics of maximal voluntary eccentric contractions would determine the extent of change in postexercise maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVC) torque and muscle soreness. Eleven men performed 10 sets of 15 isokinetic (45 deg s−1) maximal voluntary eccentric knee extensions. Knee‐extension torque and vastus lateralis fascicle length were assessed at sets 1, 5 and 9. Vastus lateralis motor evoked potential, maximal M wave (MEP/M) and the cortical silent period (CSP) were measured at 75 and 100 deg of knee flexion (0 deg = full extension) during contractions and were normalized to MEP/M (MEP/Mecc/iso) and CSP (CSPecc/iso) recorded during isometric MVC at each angle. The MVC torque and muscle soreness of the knee extensors were assessed before, 24, 48 and 96 h after the eccentric contractions. The extent of relative decrease in MVC torque at 24 h postexercise (r2 = 0.38) and peak muscle soreness (r2 = 0.69) were correlated (P < 0.05) with MEP/Mecc/iso measured at 100 deg, but not at 75 deg. The average torque on the descending limb of the torque–angle relationship (r2 = 0.16), fascicle elongation (r2 = 0.18) and CSPecc/iso at both 75 (r2 = 0.00) and 100 deg (r2 = 0.02) were not significantly correlated with the relative decrease in MVC torque. The relative decrease in MVC torque was best predicted by a combination of mean torque on the descending limb, fascicle elongation and MEP/Mecc/iso (R2 = 0.93). It is concluded that the extent of muscle damage based on the reduction in MVC torque is determined by mechanical strain and corticospinal excitability at long muscle lengths during maximal voluntary eccentric contractions.
Al/MWCNT Composite Layer Deposition on Aluminum Alloy Substrate by Selective Laser Melting and Flame Spray
Authors: Ardila-Rodríguez Laura Angélica , Medeiros Bruno Bellini , de Oliveira Aline Capella , Travessa Dilermando Nagle
Published: August 2019

This study compares two processing routes, selective laser melting (SLM) and flame spray (FS) to fabricate an Al/MWCNT composite layer over an aluminum alloy 6013 (AA6013) substrate. The final surface and cross section morphologies were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and optical microscopy (OM). The effect of these processing routes on the multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) was evaluated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy (RS). Finally, the mechanical properties were evaluated by Vickers microhardness. The Raman bands corresponding to carbon were identified in the spectrum of both samples processed by SLM and FS. However, the Al4C3 formation was also identified in the latter. The Vickers microhardness results show an increase in the hardness values of the FS and SLM processed coatings of 44% and 9%, respectively, when compared with the AA6013 substrate.
Dynamics Modeling-Based Optimization of Process Parameters in Face Milling of Workpieces With Discontinuous Surfaces
Authors: Li Guilong , Du Shichang , Huang Delin , Zhao Chen , Deng Yafei
Published: August 2019

Face milling is widely used in machining processes, aimed at providing workpieces with high surface quality. The chatter generated in face milling could lead to tremendous damage to machine tools, poor machined surface quality, and loss of processing efficiency. Most related researches have been focused on the modeling of spindle dynamics and discretization algorithms for chatter prediction. However, few published articles have taken the geometric characteristics of workpieces into consideration, especially for workpieces with discontinuous surfaces in face milling, which leads to poor accuracy of chatter prediction as well as the waste of processing efficiency. To overcome this shortage, a novel dynamic model for the face milling process is built in this paper, considering the cutting insert engagement based on the geometric characteristics of the workpieces and the tool path. The stability lobe diagrams (SLDs) applicable to workpieces with discontinuous surfaces are constructed. A process parameter optimization model is developed to maximize the chatter-free processing efficiency of the face milling process. The sensitivity analysis is utilized to simplify the objective function, and the genetic algorithm is employed to solve the optimization model. The proposed approach is validated by an experimental case study of an engine block, improving the chatter-free material removal rate by 53.3% in comparison to the classic approach.
A Study of Enhanced Heat and Mass Transfer From Variable Height Fin Array Undergoing Natural Convection
Authors: Dasgupta Debayan , Pathak Kankan Kishore , Giri Asis
Published: August 2019

A numerical study is performed on simultaneous heat and mass transfer from a shrouded vertical nonisothermal variable height fin array, representing dehumidification process under natural convection. Fluid properties are treated as uniform, and the fluid is assigned to comply with Boussinesq approximation to include the effect of density variation with temperature and concentration. Semi-implicit method for the pressure linked equations revised (SIMPLER) algorithm is adopted to resolve pressure and velocity coupling. A detailed parametric investigation of fin spacing, variable fin height, and fin tip to shroud clearance for a range of thermal and mass Grashof number is undertaken. Results indicate that in case of smaller fin spacing, involving fin length of 0.3 m, coefficients of sensible and latent heat transfer increase with the decreasing variable height (H1*) of fin and become maximum at H1*=0.5, for all thermal and mass Grashof numbers considered presently. Further, total heat transfer analysis on a particular base length due to sensible heat shows a maximum of 24.4% enhancement, whereas same due to the latent heat shows a maximum of 25.8% enhancement, depending on the values of clearance. Induced velocities also increase with the decreasing variable height of fin (H1*), which influences the heat and mass transport. The output parameters of this analysis, like induced velocities and overall Nusselt numbers due to the sensible and latent heat, are correlated with the governing parameters. The correlation coefficients are found to be in a range from 0.97 to 0.99.
Research on the Discrete Algorithm of Tooth Surface for a Curve-Face Gear
Authors: Cai Zhiqin , Lin Chao
Published: August 2019

The curve-face gear pair is a new type of face gear pair with a variable transmission ratio. Concerning the complexity of its tooth surface, based on the coordinate transformation principle and the spatial meshing theory, a discrete algorithm of this tooth surface was proposed. The determination rule of the limiting points on the tooth surface was analyzed by introducing the generating method and tooth surface characteristics of this gear tooth. Through the corresponding limiting angles and the distribution law of the contact line, the gear tooth surface was discretized, and the theoretical data points of the tooth surface were obtained. The variations in gear tooth surface in a meshing cycle and under different parameters were analyzed. By comparing the virtual tooth model and the corresponding rolling experiment, the correctness of the tooth surface discrete algorithm of the curve-face gear was verified.
Kinematic Reliability Analysis of Robotic Manipulator
Authors: Zhang Dequan , Han Xu
Published: August 2019

Kinematic reliability of robotic manipulators is the linchpin for restraining the positional errors within acceptable limits. This work develops an efficient reliability analysis method to account for random dimensions and joint angles of robotic mechanisms. It aims to proficiently predict the kinematic reliability of robotic manipulators. The kinematic reliability is defined by the probability that the actual position of an end-effector falls into a specified tolerance sphere, which is centered at the target position. The motion error is indicated by a compound function of independent standard normal variables constructed by three co-dependent coordinates of the end-effector. The saddle point approximation is then applied to compute the kinematic reliability. Exemplification demonstrates satisfactory accuracy and efficiency of the proposed method due to the construction and the saddle point since random simulation is spared.
A Study of the Strain Response of Stainless Steel 304 to Extreme Uniform Instantaneous Explosion Pressure Loads
Authors: Thomas Geraint O. , Oakley Gwyn L.
Published: August 2019

The paper describes a new configuration using a gaseous detonation explosive blast source suitable for the studies of the instantaneous uniform pressure loading and mechanical response of materials. The capabilities of the configuration are illustrated by a preliminary series of experiments of the dynamic loading of clamped circular plates of 304 grade stainless steel with thicknesses ranging from 9.5 mm to 0.5 mm. The mechanical responses of the plates were monitored using strain gauges placed across the plate radius together with physical measurements of any permanent residual displacement of the center of the plate. The residual central deformations were analyzed using a well-established correlation involving nondimensional pressure load impulse. No universal correlation for the present data was found, but linear relationships for changes in two experimental parameters were identified, suggesting that the existing correlations have some deficiencies when applied to stainless steel 304.
Micro Deep Drawability of the Superplastic Zn–22Al Alloy at a High Strain Rate and Room Temperature
Authors: Çetin Mehmet Emin , Cora Ömer Necati , Sofuoğlu Hasan
Published: August 2019

This study aimed to investigate the micro deep drawability of the Zn–22Al alloy at room temperature in which it shows superplastic properties. To this goal, first the two-step equal channel angular extrusion (ECAE) process was carried out to obtain an ultra-fine-grained structure (UFG). Upon achieving the grain size of 200 nm, the formability of the alloy at room temperature and at a high strain rate was investigated both experimentally and numerically. Micro deep drawing experiments were performed at different deep drawing ratios (1.66, 1.84, 2.0, and 2.25) and for different sheet thicknesses (0.2, 0.4, and 0.6 mm). The finite element model of the micro deep drawing was also established to assess and compare the thickness variation in deep drawn parts. Results showed that the superplastic Zn–22Al alloy has a great potential in microforming applications. It was also noted that the limiting drawing ratio can be obtained as high as 2.25 in the room temperature condition.
Concentration Distribution of Photosensitive Liquid in a Droplet Under Ultraviolet Light
Authors: Li Tianyi , Kar Aravinda , Kumar Ranganathan
Published: August 2019

A semi-analytical solution for the concentration of photosensitive suspension is developed in a hemispherical droplet illuminated with ultraviolet (UV) laser. A biharmonic equation in stream function is analytically solved using toroidal coordinates, which is used to solve the transport equation for concentration. Flow pattern and photosensitive material concentration are affected by the peak location of the UV light intensity, which corresponds to the surface tension profile. When the laser beam is moved from the droplet center to its edge, a rotationally symmetric flow pattern changes from a single counter clockwise circulation to a circulation pair and finally to a single clockwise circulation. This modulation in the orientation of circulation modifies the concentration distribution of the photosensitive material. The distribution depends on both diffusion from the droplet surface and the Marangoni convection. The region beneath the droplet surface away from the UV light intensity peak has low concentration, while the region near the downward dividing streamline has the highest concentration. When the UV light peak reaches the droplet edge, the concentration is high everywhere in the droplet.
Parametric Vibration and Numerical Validation of Axially Moving Viscoelastic Beams With Internal Resonance, Time and Spatial Dependent Tension, and Tension Dependent Speed
Authors: Tang You-Qi , Ma Zhao-Guang , Liu Shuang , Zhang Lan-Yi
Published: August 2019

In this paper, the idea of an axially moving time-dependent beam model is briefly introduced. The nonlinear response of an axially moving beam is investigated. The effects of a time and spatial dependent tension depending on the external forces at the boundary and a tension dependent speed are highlighted, which gives a new model to study the parametric vibration of axially moving structures. This paper focuses on simultaneous resonant cases that are the principal parametric resonance of first mode and internal resonance of the first two modes. In general, the method of multiple scales can study nonlinear vibration of axially moving structures with homogeneous boundary conditions. Taking Kelvin viscoelastic constitutive relation into account, the inhomogeneous boundary conditions make the solvability conditions fail, which is also one of the highlights of this paper. In order to resolve this problem, the technique of the modified solvability conditions is employed. The influence of some parameters, such as material’s viscoelastic coefficients, viscous damping coefficients, and the axial tension fluctuation amplitudes, on the steady-state vibration responses is demonstrated by some numerical examples. Furthermore, the approximate analytical results are verified by using the differential quadrature method (DQM).
Evaluation of Energy and Power Flow in a Nonlinear Energy Sink Attached to a Linear Primary Oscillator
Authors: Silva Christian E. , Maghareh Amin , Tao Hongcheng , Dyke Shirley J. , Gibert James
Published: August 2019

The objective of this study is to develop a novel methodology to assess the energy flow between a nonlinear energy sink (NES) and the primary system it is attached to in terms of energy orientation, which is directly related to the sign of the power present on the primary system. To extend the work done in previous studies, which have focused primarily on the analytical treatment, characterization, and performance evaluation of NES as passive nonlinear dampers for structures under different types of excitations, this study incorporates a methodology for determining whether energy is entering or leaving a primary oscillator when interacting with an NES, by means of considering the power flow of the primary oscillator. Several current measures for evaluating the effectiveness of the NES at extracting and dissipating energy irreversibly are considered through numerical simulations of systems with different damping cases of the NES. Each case provides a different dissipation scenario in the combined system, which is subjected to different types of base excitation signals such as impulse and seismic records. The methodology is further validated experimentally using a two degrees-of-freedom system with an NES attached to the second mass. Comparisons of the modeled responses versus the measured responses are provided for several physical damping realization scenarios in the NES.
Distributed sources as a cause of abrupt amplitude decrease in cubic distortion-product otoacoustic emissions at high stimulus intensities
Authors: Vencovský Václav , Vetešník Aleš , Dalhoff Ernst , Gummer Anthony W.
Published: August 2019

The amplitudes of distortion-product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) may abruptly decrease even though the stimulus level is relatively high. These notches observed in the DPOAE input/output functions or distortion-product grams have been hypothesized to be due to destructive interference between wavelets generated by distributed sources of the nonlinear-distortion component of DPOAEs. In this paper, simulations with a smooth cochlear model and its analytical solution support the hypothesis that destructive interference between individual wavelets may lead to the amplitude notches and explain the cause for onset and offset amplitude overshoots in the DPOAE signal measured for intensity pairs in the notches.
Metal oxide semiconductor nanomembrane–based soft unnoticeable multifunctional electronics for wearable human-machine interfaces
Authors: Sim Kyoseung , Rao Zhoulyu , Zou Zhanan , Ershad Faheem , Lei Jianming , Thukral Anish , Chen Jie , Huang Qing-An , Xiao Jianliang , Yu Cunjiang
Published: August 2019

Interactive human-machine interfaces are developed using ultrathin, stretchable, multifunctional metal oxide electronics.
Hydrophobic nanostructured wood membrane for thermally efficient distillation
Authors: Hou Dianxun , Li Tian , Chen Xi , He Shuaiming , Dai Jiaqi , Mofid Sohrab A. , Hou Deyin , Iddya Arpita , Jassby David , Yang Ronggui , Hu Liangbing , Ren Zhiyong Jason
Published: August 2019

Derived from whole wood without structural change, the nanowood membrane provides a new material for efficient water desalination.
Application of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles in tumor-associated bone segmental defect
Authors: Zhang Kun , Zhou Yong , Xiao Cong , Zhao Wanlu , Wu Hongfeng , Tang Jiaoqing , Li Zhongtao , Yu Sen , Li Xiangfeng , Min Li , Yu Zhentao , Wang Gang , Wang Lin , Zhang Kai , Yang Xiao , Zhu Xiangdong , Tu Chongqi , Zhang Xingdong
Published: August 2019

We developed an implant combined with both antitumor and bone regeneration functions.