bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Precision investment casting: A state of art review and future trends
Authors: Singh Sunpreet , Singh Rupinder
Published: October 2015

Investment casting process is known to its capability of producing clear net shape, high-dimensional accuracy and intricate design. Consistent research effort has been made by various researchers with an objective to explore the world of investment casting. Literature review revealed the effect of processing parameters on output parameters of cast specimen. This article highlights the advancements made and proposed at each step of investment casting and its hybridization with other process. Besides, investment casting has always been known to manufacture parts such as weapons, jewellery item, idols and statues of god and goddess since 3000 BC; this article reviews the present applications and trends in combination of rapid prototyping technique as integrated investment casting to serve in medical science. Advancements in shell moulding with incorporation of fibre and polymer, development of alternative feedstock filament to fused deposition modelling are duly discussed. The aim of this review article is to present state of art review of investment casting since 3200 BC. This article is organized as follows: in section ‘Introduction’, introduction to investment casting steps is given along with researches undertaken at each step; in section ‘Rapid prototyping technique’, background is given on the concept of rapid prototyping technique by examining the various approaches taken in the literature for defining rapid prototyping technique; section ‘Biomedical applications of RPT’ presents the medicine or biomedical applications of investment casting and rapid prototyping technique; section ‘Future trends’ provides some perspectives on future research and section ‘Conclusion’ closes the article by offering conclusions.
Comparative analysis between efficiency grouping and efficacy grouping in cell formation using the firefly metaheuristic algorithm
Authors: Izquierdo Rafael Crespo , Lorini Flávio José , Gomes Herbert Martins
Published: October 2015

Industrial environments can use several layout setups according to their convenience based on item diversity, ways of production and market demand. This work focuses on design of manufacturing cell formation. A well-known type of production layout in industrial engineering that allows meeting a diversity of production requirements and operational flexibility is the cellular manufacturing. Among the various techniques and approaches applied to manufacturing cell formation, this article uses the firefly metaheuristic algorithm as an optimization engine. Such modern stochastic optimization algorithm can tackle non-convex, non-smooth, non-continuous and non-differentiate objective cost functions making them gradient independent and suitable to manage such problems. The adopted methodology relies on comparing the obtained efficiency and efficacy (clustering) parameters in the cell formation layout with several well-established benchmark examples found in the literature. The results show that the use of efficacy parameter is desirable if the focus relies on clustering manufacturing cell formation, however, the use of efficiency parameter can also lead to useful and cost-effective layouts at the expense of cell clustering. Some of the results also indicate improvements in the efficacy parameter relative to the benchmarked examples with a slightly enhanced layout formation that proves and justifies the suitability for the firefly metaheuristic algorithm.
Characterizing isoclinic matrices and the Cayley factorization
Authors: Hunt Matthew , Mullineux Glen , Cripps Robert J , Cross Ben
Published: October 2015

Quaternions, particularly the double and dual forms, are important for the representation rotations and more general rigid-body motions. The Cayley factorization allows a real orthogonal 4 × 4 matrix to be expressed as the product of two isoclinic matrices and this is a key part of the underlying theory and a useful tool in applications. An isoclinic matrix is defined in terms of its representation of a rotation in four-dimensional space. This paper looks at characterizing such a matrix as the sum of a skew symmetric matrix and a scalar multiple of the identity whose product with its own transpose is diagonal. This removes the need to deal with its geometric properties and provides a means for showing the existence of the Cayley factorization.
Experimental investigation and analytical modelling for forming of circular-clamped plates by using gases mixture detonation
Authors: Babaei Hashem , Mirzababaie Mostofi Tohid , Alitavoli Majid
Published: October 2015

This paper describes the experimental setup of combustion chamber, and the shock loads resultant of gases mixture detonation. The results of experiments performed with fully clamped circular steel plates subjected to detonation of acetylene (C2H2)–oxygen (O2) in various volume ratio and different initial pressure. The energy of deformation of plates is determined by measuring pressure of explosion chamber after detonation and the results presented in terms of central deflection of the plates. Also, in this paper, theoretical modelling is presented to predict the midpoint deflection versus impulsive loading by assuming a zero Bessel function shape of the deformed circular plate. This approach is developed based on energy method for plastic material behaviour, and since the shock wave energy is equal to the deformation energy. The strain energy of the plate can be calculated by using the initial shock load energy imparted to the circular plate. The results of this model have good agreement with the experimental values. Moreover, it has been shown that the obtained model has much less error compared with those previously proposed in the literature.
Acquired epidermodysplasia verruciformis in an HIV-positive patient
Authors: Lau Carmen , Acharya Sashi , Arumainayagam Joseph T , Kasparis Christos , Dhesi I
Published: October 2015

Epidermodysplasia verruciformis (EV) is a rare dermatological manifestation of the human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, which causes distinctive skin lesions in sun-exposed areas. Both inherited and acquired forms exist. Immunocompromised individuals, such as HIV patients, are at risk of acquired EV. EV poses challenges in its management and variable responses are seen in different individuals. In addition, EV carries a significant risk of skin malignancy with certain HPV types that require skin surveillance. A case of acquired EV in a HIV-positive patient is presented in this report.
From life writing to thing writing: François Bon’s Autobiographie des objets
Authors: Blackhurst Alice
Published: October 2015

This article considers François Bon’s Autobiographie des objets in the wake of recent turns towards the object in philosophy and anthropology, and in the context of ‘thing theory’ within literary studies. It asks to what extent such strains of thought, organised around the object, are compatible with autobiography’s generic privileging of a writing subject, but suggests that the meeting of these two arenas foregrounds the increased ubiquity of object-oriented ontologies and material approaches in all realms of the humanities. In François Bon’s text, the pull of the subject remains nonetheless strong, speaking to the challenge of this shift. Ambiguously suspended, indeed, between object impassivity and subjective bias, this friction indicates, I will suggest, that such a novel ‘pact’ between autobiography and the inanimate object realm is precarious, and perhaps ultimately unsustainable.
Neoliberalism, Agriculture and Farmer Stories: Voices of Farmers from the Margins of India
Authors: Rastogi Rahul , Dutta Mohan J.
Published: October 2015

Agriculture in India is in a state of crisis. Policy changes adopted by the Indian government in the last two decades seek to commercialize agriculture and integrate domestic agriculture into the world markets. These changes brought about by the Indian government follow a neoliberal impetus. As a result, farmers in India are facing novel situations that have given rise to problems at multiple levels. This study seeks to understand sense-making of agriculture and problems related to it, as engaged in by the farmers of rural Uttar Pradesh (India). The study situates the meaning of agriculture as articulated by farmers within the culture–structure–agency matrix.
Negotiating Diet in Networks
Authors: Knutsen Ingrid Ruud , Foss I. Christina , Todorova Elka , Roukova Poli , Kennedy Anne , Portillo Mari Carmen , Regaira Elena , Serrano-Gil Manuel , Lionis Christos , Angelaki Agapi , Rogers Anne
Published: October 2015

Food and diet are central aspects of diabetes self-management but the relevance of social networks for the way people are supported in their management of type 2 diabetes is often under-acknowledged. In this article, we aimed to explore the coalescences between these two phenomena among people with type 2 diabetes to increase knowledge of interactions within social network related to daily diet. The article is based on 125 qualitative interviews with individuals with type 2 diabetes from five European countries. Based on assumptions that people with chronic illnesses reshape relationships through negotiation, we analyzed negotiations of food at different levels of network. The respondents’ reflections indicate that there are complex negotiations that influence self-management and food, including support, knowledge, and relationships within families; attention and openness in social situations; and the premises and norms of society.
Shared Illness and Social Support Within Two HIV-Affected African American Communities
Authors: Mosack Katie E. , Stevens Patricia E. , Brouwer Amanda M. , Wendorf Angela R.
Published: October 2015

A key source of resiliency within HIV-affected African American communities is informal social support. Data from dyadic conversations and focus groups were used to address the following research question: What are HIV-positive African Americans’ social support experiences within their informal social networks in response to HIV-related problems? Circumstances that exacerbated HIV-related problems included others’ fear of contagion, reticence to be involved, judgment and rejection, and disregard for privacy. Support from HIV-negative others buffered the impact of problems when others communicate interest, take the initiative to help, or make a long-term investment in their success. Support from other HIV-positive persons was helpful given the shared connection because of HIV, the opportunity to commiserate about what is mutually understood, and the fight for mutual survival. Based on these findings, we offer suggestions for future research and social network interventions aimed at bolstering connections between HIV-positive peers, reducing stigma, and improving family support.
Hospital-Level Factors Related to 30-Day Readmission Rates
Authors: Campione Joanne R. , Smith Scott A. , Mardon Russell E.
Published: October 2015

This study investigates the relationship between inpatient quality of care as measured by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) patient safety indicator (PSI) composite and all-cause, hospital-wide, 30-day readmission rates. Discharge data from 4 statewide databases were analyzed. Linear, repeated-measures regressions were performed to predict hospital-level 30-day readmission rates. The mean readmission rate was 12.9%, and the mean PSI composite ratio was 0.95 among 524 hospitals with 2592 observations. In the hospital-level analysis, the risk-adjusted AHRQ PSI composite was not significantly associated with hospital 30-day readmission rate after controlling for hospital-level characteristics, patient case mix, and sociodemographics. Inpatient quality of care appears to have less influence on hospital readmission rates than do clinical and socioeconomic factors. However, these results suggest that a patient safety composite measure that includes postdischarge complications would provide more information to assist hospitals and communities in understanding the association between quality of care and readmission rates.
Perceptions of Incapacitated Heterosexual Sexual Assault
Authors: Maurer Trent W.
Published: October 2015

This investigation explored college students’ victim-blaming behaviors in perceptions of incapacitated rape. Participants received a vignette about a man who had sexual intercourse with a woman who had lost consciousness due to alcohol, with the conditions varied across the vignettes: the relationship between the parties, the alcohol use of the man, and the post-assault sleeping arrangements. Results revealed that when the man was a stranger, participants attributed less responsibility for the incident to him, but were more likely to label the incident as “rape.” Neither the alcohol use of the man nor the post-assault sleeping arrangements significantly influenced participants’ perceptions.
Cluster Randomized Trial of a Church-Based Peer Counselor and Tailored Newsletter Intervention to Promote Colorectal Cancer Screening and Physical Activity Among Older African Americans
Authors: Leone Lucia A. , Allicock Marlyn , Pignone Michael P. , Walsh Joan F. , Johnson La-Shell , Armstrong-Brown Janelle , Carr Carol C. , Langford Aisha , Ni Andy , Resnicow Ken , Campbell Marci K.
Published: October 2015

Action Through Churches in Time to Save Lives (ACTS) of Wellness was a cluster randomized controlled trial developed to promote colorectal cancer screening and physical activity (PA) within urban African American churches. Churches were recruited from North Carolina ( n = 12) and Michigan ( n = 7) and were randomized to intervention ( n = 10) or comparison ( n = 9). Intervention participants received three mailed tailored newsletters addressing colorectal cancer screening and PA behaviors over approximately 6 months. Individuals who were not up-to-date for screening at baseline could also receive motivational calls from a peer counselor. The main outcomes were up-to-date colorectal cancer screening and Metabolic Equivalency Task (MET)-hours/week of moderate–vigorous PA. Multivariate analyses examined changes in the main outcomes controlling for church cluster, gender, marital status, weight, and baseline values. Baseline screening was high in both intervention (75.9%, n = 374) and comparison groups (73.7%, n = 338). Screening increased at follow-up: +6.4 and +4.7 percentage points for intervention and comparison, respectively ( p = .25). Baseline MET-hours/week of PA was 7.8 (95% confidence interval [6.8, 8.7]) for intervention and 8.7 (95% confidence interval [7.6, 9.8]) for the comparison group. There were no significant changes ( p = .15) in PA for intervention (−0.30 MET-hours/week) compared with the comparison (−0.05 MET-hours/week). Among intervention participants, PA increased more for those who participated in church exercise programs, and screening improved more for those who spoke with a peer counselor or recalled the newsletters. Overall, the intervention did not improve PA or screening in an urban church population. These findings support previous research indicating that structured PA opportunities are necessary to promote change in PA and churches need more support to initiate effective peer counselor programs.
Anxiety in high-functioning autism: A pilot study of experience sampling using a mobile platform
Authors: Hare Dougal Julian , Gracey Carolyn , Wood Christopher
Published: October 2015

Anxiety and stress are everyday issues for many people with high-functioning autism, and while cognitive-behavioural therapy is the treatment of choice for the management of anxiety, there are challenges in using it with people with high-functioning autism. This study used modified experience sampling techniques to examine everyday anxiety and stress in adults with high-functioning autism and to explore the feasibility of delivering real-time stress management techniques using a mobile platform. High levels of anxiety were found to be characterised by worry, confusing thoughts and being alone but was not associated with internal focus, imagery or rumination. Participants reported improved mood and less worry and anxious thinking in the active phase of the study. These results support previous studies indicating that people with high-functioning autism differ in their experience of anxiety and provided preliminary data on the feasibility of real-time stress management. The limitations of this approach are discussed together with considerations for future work in the area of developing clinical interventions on mobile platforms.
The idea and reality of an innovative school: From inventive design to established practice in a new school building
Authors: Sigurðardóttir Anna Kristín , Hjartarson Torfi
Published: October 2015

The physical environment in schools has in the literature of late been gaining recognition as a potential factor supporting educational change. This article draws a single case out of a research sample of 20 schools in Iceland to relate an inventive design process as the school was being developed and study the current state of established school practice. The main aim is to reveal educational ideas behind a relatively progressive school design and determine how they have turned out in everyday school life. Data include observations, surveys among staff members and interviews with both school leaders and teachers. The school was designed as an open plan building intended to enhance individualised learning and team teaching with strong ties to the wider community. A decade later, the original policy is still relatively firmly in place, in particular at the primary level, while teachers at the lower secondary level have been bending somewhat the initial design plan, leaning towards traditional teaching methods and more confined classroom layouts.
Influence of aramid fibers on the mechanical behavior of a hybrid carbon–aramid–reinforced epoxy composite
Authors: Pincheira Gonzalo , Canales Cristian , Medina Carlos , Fernández Eduardo , Flores Paulo
Published: October 2015

This article is focused on the study of the contribution of aramid fibers in a hybrid carbon–aramid fiber twill weave used to reinforce epoxy resin. To evaluate the influence of the aramid fibers, a comparative study between carbon and carbon–aramid woven–reinforced composites, considering the mechanical behavior of both materials under several loading conditions, is performed. The tests used in this study are meant to analyze the effect of aramid reinforcements on the composite stiffness, strength, impact, and fracture performance. Higher values of energy absorption and fracture toughness were exhibited by the carbon–aramid composite. The mechanical tests performed indicated that the aramid phase present in the hybrid carbon–aramid composite induced an important enhancement on the impact (37.9% in energy absorption) and fracture resistance (12.7% for fracture initiation and 43% for steady state regime), compared to small reductions on the material stiffness. In addition, the ultimate strain and the through thickness compression strength were favorably affected, with an increase up to 19.5% and 8.3%, respectively, by the presence of aramid fiber that presents a more ductile response with respect to the carbon reinforcement.
Member checking: A feminist participatory analysis of the use of preliminary results pamphlets in cross-cultural, cross-language research
Authors: Caretta Martina Angela
Published: October 2015

Participation and reflexivity have become buzzwords that are seldom discussed in terms of their practical employment. Against this backdrop, with a specific focus on geography, this article presents and analyzes the advantages and limitations of a methodological tool that seeks to enhance both reflexivity and participation. The tool was a pamphlet written in local languages that contained several pictures and summarized the data gathered in previous fieldwork sessions. This tool was used in a four-year research project on the gender division of labor in smallholder irrigation farming in Kenya and Tanzania. The pamphlet showed participants their contributions to the research process and offered them the opportunity to correct, improve and further discuss previously collected data. It not only ensured research validity but also allowed for a shift in the research power hierarchy. Finally, the pamphlet effectively created a space for inclusion, discussion and reciprocal learning, leading to collective reflexivity and catalytic validity by empowering participants and re-orienting the researcher.
Behind the digital curtain: Ethnography, football fan activism and social change
Authors: Numerato Dino
Published: October 2015

Football supporters worldwide organise protests, petitions, campaigns, workshops and congresses and are engaged in political lobbying. These expressions of supporters’ activism are nourished by both discontent with developments in football culture and an effort to change them. The aim of this methodologically driven article is to critically examine the role of digital ethnographies in exploring these processes. To reflexively explore the complex realities of recent transformations in football culture, this research study complemented offline data with online data. The use of digital data is discussed along the following dimensions: informational, representational, epistemological and relational. It is argued that the analytical dualism employed to critically discuss the relationship between online and offline spheres should be complemented with empirical duality to fully understand the role played by the digital sphere in social reality.
Hypoxia-inducible miR-152 suppresses the expression of WNT1 and ERBB3, and inhibits the proliferation of cervical cancer cells
Authors: Tang Xue-Lei , Lin Li , Song Li-Na , Tang Xue-Hong
Published: October 2015

Hypoxia has been a research focus in cancer because of its important role in maintaining tumor microenvironments. Previous studies have demonstrated that the expression of several miRNAs was altered under hypoxic conditions, suggesting their crucial roles in the development of cancer. In the present study, the expression of 22 miRNAs reported to be significantly upregulated in cervical cancer tissues was examined. We found that four of these miRNAs were upregulated in response to hypoxia in HeLa cervical cancer cells. MiR-152 was upregulated to the greatest extent and was also found to be upregulated by hypoxia in C33A cells and tumor, but not in non-tumor cervical tissues. Moreover, we found that hypoxia-inducible factor-1α regulated the expression of miR-152 in HeLa cells through a hypoxia-responsive element. A bioinformatic tool predicted that WNT1 and ERBB3 were target genes of miR-152. This was confirmed by dual luciferase assays and Western blots. Overexpression of miR-152 repressed WNT1 and ERBB3 expression and decreased proliferation of HeLa cells. Collectively, these data indicate an important role for miR-152 in regulating the hypoxic response of tumor cells.
Blockade of glucocorticoid receptors improves cutaneous wound healing in stressed mice
Authors: de Almeida Taís Fontoura , de Castro Pires Taiza , Monte-Alto-Costa Andréa
Published: October 2015

Stress is an important condition of modern life. The successful wound healing requires the execution of three major overlapping phases: inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling, and stress can disturb this process. Chronic stress impairs wound healing through the activation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis, and the glucocorticoids (GCs) hormones have been shown to delay wound closure. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a GC receptor antagonist (RU486) treatment on cutaneous healing in chronically stressed mice. Male mice were submitted to rotational stress, whereas control animals were not subjected to stress. Stressed and control animals were treated with RU486. A full-thickness excisional lesion was generated, and seven days later, lesions were recovered. The RU486 treatment improves wound healing since contraction takes place earlier in RU486-treated in comparison to non-treated mice, and the RU486 treatment also improves the angiogenesis in Stress+RU486 mice when compared to stressed animals. The Stress+RU486 group showed a decrease in inflammatory cell infiltration and in hypoxia-inducible factor-1α and inducible nitric oxide synthase expression; meanwhile, there was an increase in myofibroblasts quantity. In conclusion, blockade of GC receptors with RU486 partially ameliorates stress-impaired wound healing, suggesting that stress inhibits healing through more than one functional pathway.
Dialectical behaviour therapy in an inpatient unit for women with a learning disability
Authors: Roscoe Paula , Petalas Michael , Hastings Richard , Thomas Cathy
Published: October 2015

There is a general lack of self-report data from service users with an intellectual disability (ID) about their views of psychological interventions. This research explored the views and experiences of female inpatients, with a diagnosis of a personality disorder and an ID, about dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT). Semi-structured interviews were used with 10 women, recruited from two independent mental health hospitals. The interviews were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Participants showed varying levels of understanding of DBT. Findings highlight the need for a standardized approach with a suitably adapted structure and curriculum to meet the needs of inpatients with an ID. Factors such as the therapeutic relationship were identified as playing a role in participants’ motivation, engagement and participation in DBT.
Oesophageal achalasia presents with acute stridor in the Emergency Department
Authors: Tomlinson Judith H , Shah Sneh V , Vizcaychipi Marcela P
Published: October 2015

Oesophageal achalasia is a condition of unknown aetiology that most commonly presents with dysphagia, oesophageal regurgitation or chest pain. A case is described of an 88-year-old lady who presented to the Emergency Department with acute stridor as the initial presentation of oesophageal achalasia. Key steps in management included prompt involvement of an appropriate multi-disciplinary team, control of the compromised airway and early decompression of the mega oesophagus. Our report particularly highlights the diagnostic challenges faced by clinicians dealing with this medical emergency. We recommend that a diagnosis of achalasia should be considered as part of the differential diagnosis in a patient who presents with acute stridor.
Defining postoperative stability in children with radial polydactyly
Authors: Engelhardt T. O. , Djedovic G. , Pedross F. , Piza-Katzer H.
Published: October 2015

There is little fundamental data on paediatric metacarpophalangeal joint instability in radial polydactyly following surgical reconstruction. We evaluated 27 thumbs in a healthy paediatric population (Group A: eight girls and 19 boys with a mean age of 9.7 years (range 2.7–14.2)) and 12 thumbs following Wassel-IV reconstruction (Group B: eight girls and four boys with a mean age at follow-up of 10.6 years (range 2.7–13.2)). Metacarpophalangeal joint radial deviation, ulnar deviation on stress testing, interphalangeal joint and metacarpophalangeal joint alignment on posterior-anterior radiographs were measured and scored according to parameters defining joint instability. The aim of our study was to provide fundamental data on thumb metacarpophalangeal joint mobility patterns and alignment for further postoperative evaluations in children. The average ulnar deviation and radial deviation on stress testing of the healthy (Group A) metacarpophalangeal joints was 25° (10°–45°) and 30° (10°–55°), respectively. In the operated (Group B) thumbs, the ulnar deviation and radial deviation was greater at 35° (10°–55°) and 30° (10°–70°). Ulnar deviation (UD) of the proximal phalanx at the metacarpophalangeal joint on posterior-anterior radiographs was a mean of 10° (range −10°–30°) in Group B; this was significantly greater than in Group A at a mean of 5° (range −5–20°) ( p = 0.029). The mean radial alignment of the interphalangeal joint (distal phalanx relative to the proximal phalanx) was significantly higher in Group B (15°) than Group A (0°) ( p = 0.221). In the literature on radial polydactyly, cut off values defining metacarpophalangeal joint instability in children range from 5° to 20°. According to our results, high but physiological metacarpophalangeal joint mobility of the thumb needs to be taken into consideration when evaluating children following reconstruction. Ulnar or radial deviation greater than 30°, in combination with the lack of a definite end point on metacarpophalangeal joint stress testing, may be regarded as unstable. Based on our study on healthy paediatric and reconstructed thumbs, comparison of joint stability with the healthy contralateral hand is recommended in order to define pathological instability.

Level of Evidence: II.
Accuracy of CT angiography in detection of blood supply dominance of posterior cerebral artery in patients with posterior communicating artery aneurysm
Authors: Ahmed Osama , Kalakoti Piyush , Menger Richard , Brown Benjamin , Zhang Shihao , Guthikonda Bharat , Cuellar Hugo
Published: October 2015

Background and purpose

The use of computed tomography angiography (CTA) as the sole vascular imaging study for preoperative planning for clipping of aneurysms is well described in the literature. CTA is widely available, provides quick acquisition, has low morbidity, and low cost. In this study, we describe the accuracy of CTA in determining the blood supply dominance in comparison to standard digital subtraction angiography.

Materials and methods

Sixty-six patients, with both CTAs and angiograms, were reviewed by two independent neuroradiologists. The posterior cerebral artery was determined to have dominant supply from the posterior communicating artery if it was of similar size to the P2 segment and the P1 segment was smaller by approximately 50%. If the posterior communicating artery and P1 segment were the same size, it was considered to have a dual supply. If P1 and P2 segments were the same caliber and the posterior communicating artery was smaller by 50%, it was deemed to have posterior circulation dominance.

Results

Based on the findings of our reviewers, CTA had a sensitivity and specificity of 69% and 96%, respectively, in predicting the presence of a fetal PCA. The positive predictive value was found to be 82% while a negative predictive value was estimated as 93%. A small-caliber P1 segment and large-caliber posterior communicating artery led to inaccurate interpretations of the CTAs.

Conclusion

This study shows that one cannot accurately predict blood supply dominance of the posterior cerebral artery. Knowledge of the blood flow dominance is essential when clipping a posterior communicating artery aneurysm to avoid compromise in posterior circulation.
Design, synthesis, and anti-HIV-1 activity of 1-substituted 3-(3,5-dimethylbenzyl)triazine derivatives
Authors: Sakakibara Norikazu , Balboni Gianfranco , Congiu Cenzo , Onnis Valentina , Demizu Yosuke , Misawa Takashi , Kurihara Masaaki , Kato Yoshihisa , Maruyama Tokumi , Toyama Masaaki , Okamoto Mika , Baba Masanori
Published: October 2015

Background

The reverse transcriptase (RT) of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is an attractive target for the development of drugs used in the treatment of HIV-1 infection and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). We have continued the search for novel anti-HIV-1 agents using the structure–activity relationships of the successful 1,3-disubstituted and 1,3,6-trisubstituted uracil-type HIV-1 RT inhibitors.

Methods

A series of new triazine analogs were synthesized using an established method. The anti-HIV-1 activities of these compounds were determined based on the inhibition of virus-induced cytopathogenicity in MT-4 cells. The cytotoxicity of the compounds was evaluated by assessing the viability of mock-infected cells.

Results

Some of the compounds showed good-to-moderate activities against HIV-1, with half-maximal effective concentrations (EC50) in the submicromolar range. In particular, a dihydro-1-(4-aminobenzyl)triazine analog showed satisfactory anti-HIV-1 activity with an EC50 of 0.110 µM and a selectivity index (SI) of 909. Furthermore, molecular modeling analyses were performed to explore the major interactions between HIV-1 RT and potent inhibitors. These results may be important for further development of this class of compounds as anti-HIV-1 agents.

Conclusion

The satisfactory anti-HIV-1 activity of triazine analogs may serve as the basis for further investigations of the behavior of this class of compounds against drug-resistant mutants.
Techniques of religion-making in Sweden: The case of the Missionary Church of Kopimism
Authors: Nilsson Per-Erik , Enkvist Victoria
Published: October 2015

This article is an analysis of the recognition of the Missionary Church of Kopimism as a faith community by the Swedish state. The analysis draws on post-Foucaultian writings on governmentality and seeks to understand what kind of normative and proscriptive understandings of “religion” guide the process. The authors argue that the recognition reveals fundamental aspects of the Swedish state’s performative role in the recognition of faith communities which challenges any unreflective classification of it as “secular.”
Organizational Justice as Predictor of Activity of the Position, Achieving Result, and Developing further Potential
Authors: Rana Geeta , Rastogi Renu , Garg Pooja
Published: October 2015

The management discourse has increasingly focused on the performance of the organizations to meet the challenges of global competition. The performance can be enhanced when organizations tend to restructure the process and policies through increased managerial effectiveness. The relationship between organizational justice and managerial effectiveness in terms of activities of the position, achieving the results, and developing further potential has received very little attention in the literature. An initiative has been taken to study organizational justice as predictor of managerial effectiveness, with a viewpoint to sustain efficient managers and performance as the upcoming generation of managers have a desire for greater justice for greater meaning and personal development from their work, and would prefer to call their work enjoyable and socially useful, along with the fulfillment of personal and professional aspirations with increased effectiveness. This is a survey-based empirical study of 300 managers based in India. A stepwise multiple regression analysis was conducted to find out the results. The results reveal that the distribution of rewards, organizational policies and procedures, and interpersonal treatment determine the positive behavior patterns, along with emotional and cognitive balances, for perceiving the job as a calling and enjoying it.
Online and Offline Marketing Strategies by Indian Colleges and Universities: A Comparative Analysis of Students’ Perception
Authors: Vyas Chaitanya , Sharma Ritu
Published: October 2015

Marketing strategies globally are passing through an evolution stage with the intervention of social media. It is imperative to explore the shift in the Indian education industry, which is dominated by techno-savvy consumers who are equipped with quick access to information available through both online and offline communication media. The focus of this study is to investigate comparative preference of source of information in the process of decision-making for choice of admissions in colleges and universities in India. Findings of responses from 255 students recently admitted to first year undergraduate programs evidently reveal the emerging role of online marketing techniques. The study reveals that the role of offline marketing techniques is significant and integral in the process of decision-making in the choice for college/university admission.
Severe, Disfiguring, Pityriasis Rubra Pilaris in a Woman in the Dominican Republic
Authors: Lerebours-Nadal Leonel , Beck-Sague Consuelo M. , Parker Douglas , Gosman Amanda , Saavedra Arturo , Engel Kristy , Dean Andrew G.
Published: October 2015

Pityriasis rubra pilaris (PRP) is a poorly understood dermatologic condition usually accompanied by keratoderma and intense erythroderma with islands of unaffected skin. The PRP categories include HIV-associated PRP VI. A 23-year-old HIV-infected, dark-skinned woman in the Dominican Republic developed an extremely severe, disfiguring process characterized first by a dry scaly rash involving her face, trunk, and extremities with hyperpigmentation and islands of spared skin and minimal erythroderma, followed by alopecia and development of a thick horny layer on the scalp and face. The condition, histologically proven to be PRP, was accompanied by fever, wasting, and decline in CD4 count. Initiation of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) was followed by rapid and sustained resolution of PRP. Nine years after ART initiation, she remains well, with viral suppression and immune recovery, without PRP recurrence but with sparse hair regrowth and facial scarring. In some dark-skinned patients, severe PRP may not feature characteristic erythroderma but will respond to combination ART.
Anti–miR-148a regulates platelet FcγRIIA signaling and decreases thrombosis in vivo in mice
Authors: Zhou Yuhang , Abraham Shaji , Andre Pierrette , Edelstein Leonard C. , Shaw Chad A. , Dangelmaier Carol A. , Tsygankov Alexander Y. , Kunapuli Satya P. , Bray Paul F. , McKenzie Steven E.
Published: October 2015

Key Points

TULA-2 negatively regulates platelet FcγRIIA signaling by dephosphorylating Syk. miR-148a targets TULA-2 and inhibition of miR-148a decreases FcγRIIA-mediated platelet activation and thrombosis in vivo.
Cryptic diversity in Hipposideros commersoni sensu stricto (Chiroptera: Hipposideridae) in the western portion of Madagascar
Authors: Rakotoarivelo Andrinajoro R. , Willows-Munro Sandi , Schoeman M. Corrie , Lamb Jennifer M. , Goodman Steven M.
Published: October 2015

Background

The Commerson’s leaf-nosed bat, Hipposideros commersoni sensu stricto, is endemic to Madagascar and is relatively common in the western portion of the island, where it is found in areas, including forested zones, from sea level to 1325 m. A previous study on morphological patterns of geographic variation within the species highlighted the presence of two distinct morphotypes; larger individuals in the north portion of the island and smaller individuals in the south. The main aim of this study was to use a combination of craniodental morphology and molecular data (mitochondrial and nuclear) to test previous hypotheses based on morphology and clarify the evolutionary history of the species group.

Methods

We sequenced mitochondrial and nuclear genes from Hipposideros commersoni obtained from the western portion of Madagascar, and compared them with other African species as outgroups. We analyzed the sequence data using Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian phylogenetic inference. Divergence dates were estimated using Bayesian molecular clock approach. Variation in craniodental variables was also assessed from sequenced individuals.

Results

The molecular analyses suggest that H. commersoni is not monophyletic, with strong support for the presence of several independently evolving lineages. Two individuals amongst those sequenced from Isalo (south central) and Itampolo (southwest) form a separate clade (Clade A), distinct from other H. commersoni, and sister to continental African H. vittatus and H. gigas. Within the H. commersoni clade, the molecular data support two geographically distributed clades; one from the south (Clade B) and the other from the north (Clade C), which diverged approximately 3.38 million years ago. Morphometric data were consistent with the molecular analyses, suggesting a north–south break within H. commersoni. However, at some localities, animals from both clades occurred in sympatry and these individuals could not be differentiated based on external and craniodental measurements.

Conclusions

Using a combination of molecular and morphological characters, this study presents evidence of cryptic diversity in H. commersoni on Madagascar. Further fine-scale phylogeographic studies are needed to fully resolve the systematics of H. commersoni. This study highlights the utility of the combined approach in employing both morphological and molecular data to provide insights into the evolutionary history of Malagasy population currently assigned to H. commersoni.
The effects of a 2-h trial of high-flow oxygen by nasal cannula versus Venturi mask in immunocompromised patients with hypoxemic acute respiratory failure: a multicenter randomized trial
Authors: Lemiale Virginie , Mokart Djamel , Mayaux Julien , Lambert Jérôme , Rabbat Antoine , Demoule Alexandre , Azoulay Elie
Published: October 2015

Introduction

In immunocompromised patients, acute respiratory failure (ARF) is associated with high mortality, particularly when invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) is required. In patients with severe hypoxemia, high-flow nasal oxygen (HFNO) therapy has been used as an alternative to delivery of oxygen via a Venturi mask. Our objective in the present study was to compare HFNO and Venturi mask oxygen in immunocompromised patients with ARF.

Methods

We conducted a multicenter, parallel-group randomized controlled trial in four intensive care units. Inclusion criteria were hypoxemic ARF and immunosuppression, defined as at least one of the following: solid or hematological malignancy, steroid or other immunosuppressant drug therapy, and HIV infection. Exclusion criteria were hypercapnia, previous IMV, and immediate need for IMV or noninvasive ventilation (NIV). Patients were randomized to 2 h of HFNO or Venturi mask oxygen.

Results

The primary endpoint was a need for IMV or NIV during the 2-h oxygen therapy period. Secondary endpoints were comfort, dyspnea, and thirst, as assessed hourly using a 0–10 visual analogue scale. We randomized 100 consecutive patients, including 84 with malignancies, to HFNO (n = 52) or Venturi mask oxygen (n = 48). During the 2-h study treatment period, 12 patients required IMV or NIV, and we found no significant difference between the two groups (15 % with HFNO and 8 % with the Venturi mask, P = 0.36). None of the secondary endpoints differed significantly between the two groups.

Conclusions

In immunocompromised patients with hypoxemic ARF, a 2-h trial with HFNO improved neither mechanical ventilatory assistance nor patient comfort compared with oxygen delivered via a Venturi mask. However, the study was underpowered because of the low event rate and the one-sided hypothesis.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02424773. Registered 20 April 2015.
Azimuthally dependent kinematic properties of orthorhombic media
Authors: Stovas Alexey
Published: October 2015

An orthorhombic velocity model covers anisotropy and vertical/horizontal heterogeneity in the uniform 3D framework. It is important to define the azimuthal dependence of kinematic parameters of this model in the phase and group domains. I have derived equations for azimuthal dependent anellipticity in orthorhombic media and a simple equation to link the group and phase azimuths at zero horizontal slowness projection (zero offset). I found that the orthorhombic media cannot be treated as azimuthally dependent transversely isotropic media. To define the effective kinematic properties from a multilayered orthorhombic medium is a nontrivial task, and I have developed an approximate least-squares solution for that problem. Numerical examples with the orthorhombic model and its special cases (a transversely isotropic model with vertical and horizontal symmetry axes and an elliptical isotropic model) were used to illustrate the effect of the individual orientation of symmetry planes on the effective kinematic properties.
Stripping very low frequency communication signals with minimum shift keying encoding from streamed time-domain electromagnetic data
Authors: Macnae James
Published: October 2015

The objective of this research is to eliminate very low frequency (VLF) communication signals with frequencies in the range of 15–25 kHz from streamed time-domain electromagnetic data. The frequency-domain approach of notch filtering or bandwidth limitation is unsatisfactory when early delay-time data are required in a time-domain system. United States military VLF transmitters presently communicate [Formula: see text] using minimum shift keying modulation, and it is possible to derive the encrypted bitstream from the data sampled at typical geophysical streaming rates. The method involves convolving the data with waveforms of frequency different by one-quarter of the bit rate above and below the carrier frequency and using the difference between the convolutions to predict the transmitted bits. The transmitted signal is then exactly recreated from the decoded bits, and the predicted signal at the receiver is subtracted from the data stream. It is possible to predict bit rates and encoding methods from other military transmitters through data analysis and again subtract the predicted signals from the streamed data. This procedure reduces the variance of data, implying that unwanted VLF signals have been reduced by a factor of three to nine in stations thousands of kilometers from a VLF transmitter. Much larger signal/noise improvements are predicted for stations within a few hundred kilometers of the VLF source. Lower degrees of improvement are noted from Indian and Chinese transmitters, which appear to have different encoding and modulation methods.
Development of Generalized Fragility Functions for Seismically Induced Content Disruption
Authors: Guzman Pujols Jean C. , Ryan Keri L.
Published: October 2015

This paper reports on the evaluation of the response of unanchored building contents in two separate shaking experiments, with the goal of developing simplified seismic fragility functions to be used for content disruption. The content response was evaluated collectively, by defining qualitative categorical ratings of overall content disruption based on observation of specific behaviors, such as sliding, toppling, rolling, or falling. Next, these disruption ratings were correlated to demand parameters, such as peak floor acceleration and peak floor velocity. Fragility functions were developed by combining two alternative implementations of the bounding demand data method. Among the demand parameters evaluated, peak floor velocity is shown to be a consistent indicator of disruption when comparing results from the two independent data sets. Vertical acceleration is shown to also influence the demand intensities that trigger disruption.
Assessing Integrated Earthquake Risk in OpenQuake with an Application to Mainland Portugal
Authors: Burton Christopher G. , Silva Vitor
Published: October 2015

At the forefront of the risk assessment sciences is the development of standards, data, and tools for the assessment of earthquake risk. Countries such as Portugal have been targets of extensive earthquake risk assessments to communicate damage potential and to improve methodologies. Few studies, however, have gone beyond the estimation of direct physical impacts by integrating estimates of physical risk (i.e., human or economic losses) with quantified metrics of socioeconomic characteristics of populations. The purpose of this paper is to describe an end-to-end assessment of earthquake risk for mainland Portugal that accounts for physical and social attributes using the Global Earthquake Model's (GEM) suite of risk assessment tools. The results indicate that the potential adverse effects from earthquakes in Portugal are related to interacting conditions, some conditional on geography, some due to the characteristics of the building stock, and some having to do with the social characteristics of populations.