bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Future of Multilateral Ecumenical Dialogue
Authors: Heller Dagmar
Published: July 2019

This article offers an overview of work undertaken in multilateral ecumenical dialogue, as it has been conducted at the international level by the commission on Faith and Order of the World Council of Churches (WCC), to clarify the issues discussed in this dialogue and the methods used. In particular, the article analyzes the statements on unity made at various WCC assemblies. While they demonstrate a certain continuity regarding the key points of church unity they identify, they clearly mark a shift in the overall understanding of how unity is conceived. The second part of the article examines the current ecumenical situation and its importance for this dialogue, to show how Faith and Order has responded and what further progress in multilateral dialogue might look like.
The Peace Work and Witness of the Churches in the German Democratic Republic and the World Disorder of the 21st Century
Authors: Garstecki Joachim
Published: July 2019

This article is an edited translation of an address given in Erfurt, Germany, on 12 May 2019, to celebrate the 90th birthday of Heino Falcke, dean (provost) of Erfurt from 1973 until his retirement in 1994. Falcke, who was also a member of the working group on Church and Society of the World Council of Churches, played a central role in developing the theological and ethical response of Protestant churches in the German Democratic Republic (GDR) to the threats to peace in a nuclear age. This was expressed in the “renunciation of the spirt, logic, and practice of deterrence.” This article seeks to set out the insights from the peace work and witness of the churches in the GDR against the background of the “world disorder of the 21st century.”
Differentiated Consensus as a Means of Correcting Unilateral Ecclesiological Developments?
Authors: Legrand Hervé
Published: July 2019

The methodology of “differentiated consensus,” which was used to arrive at the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification between Lutherans and Catholics in 1999, has led to more progress in 40 years than in the previous five centuries, through reinterpreting certain formulations that were seemingly incompatible, and allowing correction of those doctrinal developments that are unilaterally self‐referential and that reach far back in history. To assess the progress made, this article examines the type of doctrinal consensus originally required by the Catholic Church, so as to understand what is new about differentiated consensus and its potential for correcting unilateral doctrinal developments.
Fuzzy‐description logic for supporting the rehabilitation of the elderly
Authors: Moya Alejandro , Navarro Elena , Jaén Javier , González Pascual
Published: July 2019

According to the latest statistics, the proportion of the elderly (+65) is increasing and is expected to double within the European Union in a period of 50 years. This ageing is due to the improvement of quality of life and advances in medicine in the last decades. Gerontechnology is receiving a great deal of attention as a way of providing the elderly with sustainable products, environments, and services combining gerontology and technology. One of the most important aspects to consider by gerontechnology is the mobility/rehabilitation technologies, because there is an important relationship between mobility and the elderly's quality of life. Telerehabilitation systems have emerged to allow the elderly to perform their rehabilitation exercises remotely. However, in many cases, the proposed systems assist neither the patients nor the experts about the progress of the rehabilitation. To address this problem, we propose in this paper, a fuzzy‐semantic system for evaluating patient's physical state during the rehabilitation process based on well‐known standard for patients' evaluation. Moreover, a tool called FINE has been developed that facilitates the evaluation be accomplished in a semi‐automatic way first asking patients to carry out a set of standard tests and then inferencing their state by means of a fuzzy‐semantic approach using the data captured during the rehabilitation tasks.
The curious under‐representation of women impact case leaders: Can we disengender inequality regimes?
Authors: Davies Julie , Yarrow Emily , Syed Jawad
Published: July 2019

Universities are increasingly expected to demonstrate the wider societal impacts of academic research. Yet women management scholars were disproportionately under‐represented in leading impact cases in the UK's REF (Research Excellence Framework) 2014. An analysis of 395 REF impact cases for business and management studies with an identifiable lead author revealed that only 25 per cent were led by women, of which 54 per cent were sole authored. Based on 12 in‐depth interviews with women impact case writers, we use Acker's inequality regimes framework to understand invisible and socially constructed gendering of the UK's policy that is designed to evaluate research impact. In a knowledge‐intensive workplace dominated by men, the shape and degree of gendered bases of inequality, systemic practices, processes and controls result in sub‐optimal talent management and gendered knowledge. We call for university leaders to be proactive in addressing barriers that fail to support or recognize women's leadership of research impact.
Mary Wollstonecraft on Motherhood and Political Participation: An Overlooked Insight into Women's Subordination
Authors: Williams Valerie
Published: July 2019

Scholars consider Mary Wollstonecraft an early feminist political theorist for two reasons: (1) her explicit commitment to educational equality, and (2) her implicit suggestion that the private‐sphere role of motherhood holds political import. My reading of Wollstonecraft's A Vindication of the Rights of Womanuses Wollstonecraft's works and draws upon recent claims made by Sandrine Bergès inThe Social and Political Philosophy of Mary Wollstonecraft to connect these points: educated women are better at performing motherly duties and, therefore, of greater benefit to society. Although many scholars have read Wollstonecraft's arguments for educational equality as a starting point for greater equality, Bergès does not. In this article, I further Bergès's claims and argue that Wollstonecraft's project is limited and likely to reinforce inequality between the sexes. Specifically, I show that Wollstonecraft's educational reforms incentivize women to become nothing more than highly educated housewives. In the process of fulfilling their social and political duty to instill public spirit and private virtue in future citizens, women are re‐entrenched in domestic affairs instead of being freed for public pursuits. This realization, I contend, should cause us to be wary of panaceas for women's subordination that rest on increasing their education.
Factors influencing mentors’ learning from mentoring relationships: insights from a serial mediation study in India
Authors: Rekha K. N. , Ganesh M. P.
Published: July 2019

The primary objective of the present study is to understand mentoring relationships in Indian organizations from the mentors’ perspective. In particular, the study examines whether the learning goal orientation of a mentor can significantly influence the mentoring process and outcomes for the mentor in a mentoring relationship. Two hundred and thirty‐six participants were selected using purposive sampling. Data were gathered using standardized questionnaires. Mediating effects were investigated using the PROCESS model by Hayes, Introduction to Mediation, Moderation, and Conditional Process Analysis: A Regression Based Approach. The results indicate high levels of support for several hypotheses examining the direct effects of learning goal orientation on willingness to engage by the mentor, mentoring functions provided and mentor outcomes (personal learning and self enhancement). The overall findings of the study suggest that mentors are not only ‘providers’ but also ‘receivers of learning’. Limitations and directions for future research are also discussed in the paper.
Service user, whānau and peer support workers’ perceptions of advance directives for mental health
Authors: Thom Katey , Lenagh‐Glue Jessie , O'Brien Anthony John , Potiki Johnnie , Casey Heather , Dawson John , Glue Paul
Published: July 2019

Advance directives allow users of mental health services to make statements for their future care. In New Zealand, use of advance directives is supported by the Health and Disability Commissioner and was identified in the 2012 Blueprint as a key mechanism for service users to advocate for responses they find most helpful. This study used a qualitative descriptive methodology involving focus groups to explore the perceptions of service users, whānau and peer support workers concerning advance directives. Thematic analysis revealed certain belief patterns about what should or could be included in an advance directive, and about how and with whom one should be created. It revealed generally positive perceptions about how they can uphold service users’ right to have preferences considered, to plan flexibly around dynamic needs, and about their value and utility. We conclude that advance directives can support services users’ expressions of their preferences for care, but they need to be supported by clinicians if they are to realize this potential. Our findings can also inform service provision in New Zealand, and the planned reform of mental health legislation.
Strategic imperatives, power and subsidiary performance: the transfer of human resource management practices in multinational companies operating in Poland's post‐socialist banking industry
Authors: Geary John , Hunek Ilona
Published: July 2019

We examine the extent to which institutional influences account for the transfer of performance management systems in two foreign‐owned banks, one German the other Irish, in Poland. While we find they were important, more important were the joint effects arising from the subsidiaries' times‐of‐acquisition, their pre‐acquisition economic health, the international experience of the MNCs' management, headquarters‐generated strategic imperatives and the political dynamics that ensued between corporate and local management.
Because you're worth it? Determinants of Vice Chancellor pay in the UK
Authors: Walker James , Greve Peder , Wood Geoff , Miskell Peter
Published: July 2019

Wage inequality has increased across most developed nations; this has been manifested in a wide range of organisations and sectors, with implications for well‐being and sustainability; within UK universities, this has become increasingly visible. There is increasing pressure on universities to deliver social and economic impact in an increasingly market‐driven and metric‐driven environment. In the UK context, increasing financial pressure has led to both an escalation of student fees and constrained wage growth for faculty. In contrast, most Vice Chancellors have secured substantive pay packages raising concerns that regulatory failures may be contributing to the rise. We show that Vice Chancellors use their internal power within organisations to extract a disproportionate amount of the value created by the institution. However, we encountered much diversity according to the quality of governance, highlighting the extent to which not only contextual but also internal dynamics drive wage inequality.
Differences in assigning probabilities to coastal inundation hazard estimators: Event versus response approaches
Authors: Sanuy Marc , Jiménez Jose A. , Ortego Maria I. , Toimil Alexandra
Published: July 2019

Coastal flood risk assessment requires a reliable estimation of the frequency of inundation hazards, that is, characterising the hazard magnitude and assigning a probability of occurrence. In this work we analyse the uncertainty introduced in the assessment associated to the method to assign the probability of occurrence to coastal flood hazards. To this end we have compared the use of two general methods, the response and the event approaches. Different procedures are used to characterise coastal inundation hazards depending on the analysis scale and data availability. Thus, a range of possibilities has been analysed, from simple estimators such as run‐up to modelled flood‐prone areas. The analysis has been performed for all wave and water level conditions around the Spanish coast. The results show that the differences between the methods are location‐dependent, and thus, determined by the exposure to wave and water level conditions. When using the event approach, the run‐up or total water level (with good correlation between waves and surge) distributions reasonably approximate those of the response approach with low associated uncertainty. When the assessment aims to output overtopping discharges or inundation maps, observed differences suggest that the event approach would produce misleading conclusions in inundation‐related coastal management and decision‐making.
Unravelling the anthropogenic pathways of phosphorus in the food production and consumption system of Bangladesh through the lens of substance flow analysis
Authors: Roy Bidhan Bhuson , Biswas Chowdhury Rubel , Baroi Amit Robert , Rahman Shupa , Powers Stephen M. , Milne Nick , Sujauddin Mohammad
Published: July 2019

Phosphorus (P) is central to food production. Current understanding about the global phosphorus system is dominated by studies in wealthier nations where soil fertility, fertilizer supply chains, and agronomic tracking have long been established. In contrast, developing nations are experiencing major agricultural transitions and the associated phosphorus flows remain a significant knowledge gap. We compiled and analyzed several years of recent agricultural datasets for Bangladesh, currently the eighth most populous nation, using substance flow analysis for phosphorus. From 2000 to 2016, rice production increased by >50% and remained the dominant crop with remarkably higher phosphorus flow (49.96 kt in 2016) than all other crops. Phosphorus content of livestock products in 2016 exceeded 6.00 kt, more than double in the year 2000, driven primarily by phosphorus in milk and secondarily in meat/eggs. These agricultural changes coincided with a doubling of national phosphorus fertilizer consumption since 2000, a fourfold increase since the global food crisis (2009), and a pronounced rise in the phosphorus import dependency ratio, which was the highest among all countries compared. In turn, during 2010s fertilizer phosphorus use exceeded phosphorus as food + feed production leading to soil phosphorus accumulation, and loss as burned manure became one of the largest phosphorus flows in the entire system, equivalent to half of fertilizer use. This dramatic reconfiguration of the Bangladesh phosphorus system illustrates an important case of agricultural expansion and intensification that is still playing out, with similar situations occurring in developing nations where population growth rates are high, and access to commercial fertilizers has risen.
Personalized medicine and back–allogeneic exosomes for cancer immunotherapy
Authors: Samuel M. , Gabrielsson S.
Published: July 2019

Extracellular vesicles, especially exosomes, have been explored for cancer immunotherapy. The initial studies made use of autologous B‐cell or dendritic cell‐derived exosomes, with the idea that MHC–peptide complexes on the exosomal surface would stimulate an MHC‐restricted cancer‐specific immune response. This was also verified in mouse systems, whilst the effects in human clinical systems were more modest. Several studies have explored the mechanisms for exosomal T‐cell activation, and a picture emerges where the antigen‐presenting cells, possibly both B cells and dendritic cells of the recipient, are needed to induce a potent T‐cell response to exosomes. Therefore, the exosomes function more as an adjuvant‐like delivery system of antigens, and we need to further understand the exact components that trigger the most broad and potent immune responses. Here, we describe the grounds for using allogeneic exosomes for cancer therapy, something that would greatly improve the feasibility of new exosome‐based immunotherapeutic approaches to cure cancer.
The Impact of State Firearm Laws on Homicide Rates in Suburban and Rural Areas Compared to Large Cities in the United States, 1991‐2016
Authors: Siegel Michael , Solomon Benjamin , Knopov Anita , Rothman Emily F. , Cronin Shea W. , Xuan Ziming , Hemenway David
Published: July 2019

Purpose

This article aims to examine whether state firearm laws impact homicide rates differently in suburban and rural areas compared to large cities in the United States.

Methods

We analyzed serial, cross‐sectional data for the 26‐year period 1991‐2016 using a panel design. We examined the relationship between 6 specific state firearm laws and homicide rates in large cities (those with greater than 100,000 people in 1990) and in all geographic areas outside of these cities. Using a city‐level fixed effects negative binomial regression, we modeled the number of homicides as a function of state firearm laws, while controlling for time fixed effects and time‐varying state‐ and city‐level sociodemographic factors.

Findings

Two policies—universal background checks and “may issue” laws that required a heightened showing of suitability for concealed carry—were associated with lower firearm homicide rates in large cities but were not associated with firearm homicide rates in suburban and rural areas. In contrast, laws that prohibited gun possession by people convicted of a violent misdemeanor were associated with lower firearm homicide rates in suburban and rural areas, but were not associated with firearm homicide rates in large cities. Permit requirements were associated with lower firearm homicide rates in both large cities and suburban and rural areas.

Conclusions

This article provides the first evidence that state firearm laws may have a differential impact on firearm homicide rates in suburban and rural areas compared to urban areas in the United States.
Autochthonous probiotic bacteria modulate intestinal microbiota of Pirarucu, Arapaima gigas
Authors: do Vale Pereira Gabriella , Pereira Scheila Anelise , Soares Arno , Mouriño Jose Luiz Pedreira , Merrifield Daniel
Published: July 2019

This study aimed to investigate the ability of two probiotic strains (Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis and Enterococcus faecium) to colonize Arapaima gigas intestines and their competence in modulating gut microbiota, morphology, and immunological status. A total of 135 A. gigas (58.86 ± 10.25 g) were divided into three treatments: (a) fish fed a diet containing L. lactis subsp. lactis at 1 × 108 CFU−1, (b) fish fed a diet containing E. faecium at 1 × 108 CFU−1, and (c) fish fed a diet nonsupplemented with probiotic. After 21 days, 12 fish per treatment were sampled. Blood and posterior intestine were sampled for further analysis. High‐throughput sequencing results demonstrated that the relative abundance of Cetobacterium genus was high in all treatments. The number of thrombocytes increased in both groups fed the probiotic, and eosinophils were higher in fish fed E. faecium. Serum antimicrobial activity of fish fed L. lactis subsp. lactis was higher when compared with the other two treatments. In conclusion, both strains could populate the intestinal mucosa of A. gigas and could be used as probiotics in pirarucu production as they can influence hematoimmunological parameters and decrease the abundance of pathogenic bacteria in the gut of pirarucu within 21 days of feeding.
The forest and the heath: Defining the human in medieval romance
Authors: Derosier Joseph
Published: July 2019

This article examines the thirteenth‐century romance Perlesvaus as a biopolitical fantasy and specifically examines one episode in which the Crucifixion is staged with animal actors coded as Christ and Jews. This episode frames the forest surrounding the event as a liminal space, as a biopolitical space of exception that surrounds the clearing or heath where miracles happen and produce biblical truth in Arthurian Britain. The anonymous author places Jews at this frontier, both constitutive of the New Law/civilization and its greatest menace. From this episode emerges a biopolitical narrative that responds to geopolitical crisis in the medieval Francophone world while affirming the violence of the Crusades and anti‐Semitic logic. As this romance is often dismissed for its messy, violent, and confusing narrative and theology, this article contests that its racialized fantasy of the Crucifixion performance shows Perlesvaus to be in line with contemporary values of the Church rather than at the margins. Instead of reading this romance as abhorrent, we explore how romance uses marvels and miracles to assert a certain biopolitical ideology. Biopolitics thus emerges as having a medieval past in fantasy writing, rooted in pre‐modern categories of race, religion, and the human.
Platonic Personal Immortality
Authors: Reed Doug
Published: July 2019

I argue that Plato distinguishes between personal immortality and immortality of the soul. I begin by criticizing the consensus view that Plato identifies the person and the soul. I then turn to the issue of immortality. By considering passages fromSymposiumandTimaeus, I make the case that Plato thinks that while the soul is immortal by nature, if a person is going to be immortal, they must become so. Finally, I argue that Plato has a psychological continuity approach to personal identity. Thus, for Plato, a person becomes immortal by avoiding reincarnation and securing for themselves psychological continuity forever.
Upping the Ex Ante Problem for Reliabilism
Authors: Frise Matthew
Published: July 2019

Process reliabilism is a theory about ex post justification, the justification of a doxastic attitude one has, such as belief. It says roughly that a justified belief is a belief formed by a reliable process. It is not a theory about ex ante justification, one's justification for having a particular attitude toward a proposition, an attitude one might lack. But many reliabilists supplement their theory such that it explains ex ante justification in terms of reliable processes. In this paper, I argue that the main way reliabilists supplement their theory fails. In the absence of an alternative, reliabilism does not account for ex ante justification.
Dieulafoy lesions and PHACE syndrome
Authors: Kieswetter Lukas , Walters Thomas D. , Lara‐Corrales Irene , Carcao Manuel D. , Ngan Bo , Pope Elena
Published: July 2019

Dieulafoy's lesion (DL) is a small gastrointestinal (GI) mucosal erosion due to an abnormally large caliber and persistent submucosal arteriole. Typically occurring in adults, they are an extremely rare cause of GI bleeding in pediatrics. We report a case of multiple jejunal DLs in a 9‐year‐old girl with posterior fossa brain malformations, hemangiomas, arterial lesions, cardiac abnormalities, eye abnormalities (PHACE) syndrome, and the first described use of rapamycin in the treatment of pediatric DLs.
Effect of physiological factors on the flight ability of Calliptamus italicus L
Authors: Cao Kai‐li , Mai Ji‐wei , Liu Qiong , Dou Jie , Wen Qiu‐Zhong , Chen Xiao , Xiao Hong‐wei , Jashenko Roman , Ji Rong
Published: July 2019

Calliptamus italicus L. is a major migratory pest that often causes serious agricultural losses in the desert/semi‐desert steppe of Central Asia. The present study aims to understand the physiological factors that affect migration of C. italicus by examining the relationships between flight capacity, energy accumulation, ovarian development and Juvenile hormone (JH) titre. The results show that flight capacity decreases with age, being greatest among 2‐day‐old males and lowest among 13‐day‐old locusts. There is no significant correlation between energy accumulation and flight capacity, although JH titre is negatively correlated with flight capacity. Energy accumulation and flight capacity first increases then decreases in 1–13‐day‐old females. Glycogen accumulation is significantly correlated with flight speed, and triglyceride accumulation is significantly correlated with flight distance, duration and speed. Changes in JH titre in 1–13‐day‐old females show double titre peaks, which are negatively correlated with flight capacity. Seven‐day‐old C. italicus have the highest glycogen and triglyceride accumulation, greatest flight capacity, grade II ovarian development and lowest JH titre. By contrast, 13‐day‐old C. italicus have the lowest triglyceride accumulation, lowest flight capacity, grade IV ovarian development and lowest JH titre. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that there is a trade‐off between ovarian development and flight capacity of C. italicus.
The association between muscular power from childhood to adulthood and adult measures of glucose homeostasis
Authors: Fraser Brooklyn J. , Blizzard Leigh , Schmidt Michael D. , Dwyer Terence , Venn Alison J. , Magnussen Costan G.
Published: July 2019

This study aimed to assess whether the longitudinal association between childhood muscular fitness and adult measures of glucose homeostasis persist despite changes in muscular fitness across the life course. This prospective longitudinal study included 586 participants who had their muscular power (standing long jump distance), cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), and waist circumference measured as children (aged 9, 12, 15 years) and again 20 years later as adults. In adulthood, these participants also provided a fasting blood sample which was tested for glucose and insulin. Glucose homeostasis measures including insulin resistance (HOMA2‐IR) and beta cell function (HOMA2‐β) were estimated. Child and adult muscular power levels were separated into thirds, and tracking groups (persistently low, decreasing, persistently moderate, increasing, and persistently high) were created. Sex‐stratified multivariable linear regression models were used to examine the association between muscular power tracking groups and adult measures of glucose homeostasis. Compared with males with persistently high muscular power, males with increasing and persistently low muscular power had higher fasting insulin (increasing: β = 1.12 mU/L, P = .04; persistently low: β = 2.12 mU/L, P = .001) and HOMA2‐β (increasing: β = 8.50%, P = .03; persistently low: β = 11.27%, P = .01) independent of CRF and males with persistently low muscular power had greater fasting insulin (β = 1.22 mU/L, P = .02) and HOMA2‐IR (β = 0.14, P = .02) independent of waist circumference. Non‐significant associations were present for females. For males, maintaining persistently high muscular power between childhood and adulthood could lead to a healthier adult glucose homeostasis profile.
Problems and challenges: development of blood transfusion services in Mainland China within the context of health‐care system reform
Authors: Chen J. , Ou‐Yang J. , Xie G. , Liang H. , Fan Y. , Gao R. , Li S. , Rong X. , He B. , Bei C. , Fu Y.
Published: July 2019

Objective

To evaluate the development of blood transfusion services in Mainland China within the context of health‐care system reform.

Background

China launched a health‐care reform program in 2009 to redistribute health‐care resources, which are currently over‐concentrated in well‐developed cities. A geographically equitable blood transfusion service is key to achieving this goal.

Methods

Based on the national survey of blood establishments in July 2015, total blood collection, whole‐blood donations per 1000 population and the supply and demand relationship were analysed at the administrative region level. Areas at different developmental levels were compared in terms of total blood collection and human resources.

Results

In 2014, Mainland China's 31 provinces showed wide variation, with total blood collection in blood facilities ranging from about 1000 units to over 600 000 units (each 200 mL), and the whole‐blood donation rate per 1000 population, ranging from 1·48 to 17·09. 69% of the country's total collection, was concentrated in 29 provincial capitals, and 31% was in 311 non‐capital cities. Of 97 personnel with doctorates, 74 worked in 32 provincial blood establishments, whereas the remaining 23 worked at the other 318 blood stations. In most provinces, per permanent resident donation was within 2–4 mL, and blood volume per inpatient was 10–35 mL regardless of the development of the transfusion service.

Conclusion

In 2014, China had an imbalanced development and insufficient access to blood transfusion services. This service must be redeployed at the national level to facilitate health‐care reform in China.
Pseudo‐mechanistic Explanations in Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience
Authors: Hommel Bernhard
Published: July 2019

Few articles in psychology and cognitive neuroscience do without the promise to get into the “mechanisms underlying” particular psychological phenomena. And yet the progress in our mechanistic understanding of human cognition and behavior must be considered disappointing: Most “explanations” merely classify the phenomenon under investigation as falling into a broader category of (not any better understood) phenomena, specify the context conditions under which the phenomenon is likely to occur, or specify a particular kind of neural activity (such as the activation of a particular brain area) that is correlated with the phenomenon. None of these meets the criteria of a truly mechanistic explanation, which needs to account for phenomena in terms of “a structure performing a function in virtue of its component parts, component operations, and their organization” (Bechtel, 2006). This contribution characterizes the problem and some of its implications and discusses possible solutions.
Distribution of Historic Market Data – Implied and Realized Volatility
Authors: Moghaddam M. Dashti , Liu Zhiyuan , Serota R. A.
Published: July 2019

We undertake a systematic comparison between implied volatility, as represented by VIX (new methodology) and VXO (old methodology) and realized volatility. We do not find substantial difference in accuracy between VIX and VXO. We compare visually and statistically the distributions of realized and implied variance (volatility squared) and study the distribution of their ratio. The ratio distributions are studied both for the known realized variance (for the current month) and for the predicted realized variance (for the following month). We show that the ratio of the two is best fitted by a Beta Prime distribution, whose shape parameters depend strongly on which of the two months is used.
Tilting-Pad Journal Bearing Subjected to Fuzzy Type-2 Uncertain Parameters
Authors: Lara-Molina F. A. , Cavalini A. A. , Steffen V. , Cabrera N. V.
Published: July 2019

This paper evaluates the effects of uncertainties on the load capacity of a four-pad tilting-pad journal bearing, in which the pad radius, oil viscosity, and radial clearance are considered as uncertain information. The hydrodynamic supporting forces at the bearing pads are obtained by solving the Reynolds equation. In this case, the uncertain parameters are modeled as fuzzy type-2 variables. Fuzzy type-2 sets have been widely used due to their ability to model higher orders of uncertainties as compared with the fuzzy type-1 approach. They allow for inaccurate knowledge to be included in the membership functions used to describe the uncertain parameters. In the present contribution, the so-called α-level optimization was associated with the fuzzy type-2 technique for uncertainty analysis purposes. A sensitivity analysis was also carried out as an additional assessment of the considered uncertain parameters. The numerical results allowed to understand how the uncertain parameters affect the bearing supporting forces for three shaft speeds, namely, 3000, 9000, and 15,000 rpm. It was demonstrated that the effect of the uncertain parameters on the supporting forces increases according to the shaft speed. Additionally, the load capacity revealed to be more sensitive to variations on the oil viscosity and radial clearance than to the pad radius concerning the adopted uncertain interval. Consequently, the obtained results can provide suitable information for the design, manufacturing, and maintenance of tilting-pad journal bearings.
Extended Modal Reduction for On-Board Rotor With Multifrequency Parametric Excitation
Authors: Briend Yvon , Dakel Mzaki , Chatelet Eric , Andrianoely Marie-Ange , Dufour Regis , Baudin Sophie
Published: July 2019

A new reduction method is proposed to investigate the behavior stability of rotor-bearing systems subject to a multifrequency rotational motion of their base. Combining the modal analysis and the construction of specific dynamic Ritz vectors, this method is able to deal with complex rotordynamics characteristics such as nonproportional damping, nonself-adjoint matrices, or time-varying parametric coefficients. This paper focuses first on assessing the accuracy and efficiency of the reduction method by computing time history and spectral responses of full and reduced models due to multifrequency base excitations. Its main potential is then highlighted in the parametric stability analysis through Floquet theory. The proposed numerical examples are composed with academic and industrial rotors, both modeled with one-dimensional Timoshenko beam finite element and supported by hydrodynamic journal bearings.
Experimental Measurement of the Flexural Spectrum of a Vibrating Beam Above the Critical Frequency
Authors: Calleja-Ángel J. , Torres-Guzmán J. C. , Arriaga J. , Díaz-de-Anda A.
Published: July 2019

In this paper, we report the bending spectrum measured experimentally on oscillating beams with free extremes in a frequency range below and above the cutoff or critical frequency. The experimental setup used to obtain the bending spectrum consisted of a novel and selective method to excite mainly bending modes, as well as an identification process in which oscillation modes other than bending were discarded. For the first time, we identified bending modes above the cutoff frequency for square and circular cross-sectional beams and a good agreement is obtained when the measured frequencies are compared with the predictions of the Timoshenko beam theory (TBT) and those numerically obtained from the elasticity theory by using a three-dimensional finite element method (FEM) calculation. Higher frequency values at which TBT should cease to be valid were not achieved in the experiments. Instead, our experimental results show that TBT remains valid above the cutoff frequency, with an error smaller than 6%.
Locating structural changes in a multiple scattering domain with an irregular shape
Authors: Xue Qi , Larose Eric , Moreau Ludovic
Published: July 2019

Locadiff is a method for imaging local structural changes in a random, heterogeneous medium. It relies on the combination of a forward model to calculate the sensitivity kernel of the source–receiver pairs, with an inversion method to determine the position of the changes. So far, the sensitivity kernel has been evaluated based on an analytical solution of the diffusion equation, which lacks the flexibility to handle problems where the domain has boundaries with an irregular shape. Moreover, the accuracy of the previous inversion method, based on linear algebra tools, was very sensitive to the values of the inversion parameters. This paper introduces a more generic approach to solve both these issues. The first problem is tackled by the implementation of a numerical method as an alternative for solving the diffusion equation. The second problem is tackled by the introduction of enhanced optimization algorithms to improve the stability of the inversion. This improved version of Locadiff is validated via both numerical examples and experimental data from an actual civil engineering problem.
The effects of age and pitch level on electroglottographic measures during sustained phonation
Authors: Ning Li-Hsin
Published: July 2019

The aim of the present study was to use electroglottography (EGG) to explore the effects of age and pitch level on sustained vowel phonation. Thirty female individuals (10 young, 10 middle-aged, and 10 older speakers) without voice disorders or training in singing participated in this study. Eight EGG parameters were measured during sustained vowel production with a high, mid, or low pitch: fundamental frequency, contact quotient, contacting-time quotient, decontacting-time quotient, speed quotient with a midslope criterion (SQ-mid), jitter, shimmer, and the harmonics-to-noise ratio. Age was found to be a significant factor in fundamental frequency, contact quotient, contacting-time quotient, decontacting-time quotient, and SQ-mid. With increasing age, the mean fundamental frequency decreased while the contact quotient increased. The middle-aged and older speakers had more asymmetrical vocal fold vibratory patterns than the young speakers. As for pitch level, the high pitch had a significantly less decontacting-time quotient and greater SQ-mid than low and mid pitches. The lack of significant interaction between age and pitch level indicates that the effects of age and pitch level could be additive. Finally, the discriminant analyses show that contact quotient is an important factor in predicting the age of a voice.
Determinants of Attendance in Major League Soccer
Authors: Bradbury John Charles
Published: July 2019

This study examines the determinants of Major League Soccer team attendance during the league’s recent era of growth. The estimates indicated that regular-season on-field performance is positively associated with attendance, but the returns to success are diminishing. The estimates identified positive novelty effects for newer teams and soccer-specific stadiums, but not for stadium age. Income and attendance were positively correlated, which indicates that Major League Soccer matches are a normal good. The population size, Hispanic share of the population, presence of other major-league franchises, and number of designated players on a team did not appear to be strong determinants of seasonal attendance.
Ceftazidime-Avibactam as Salvage Therapy for Infections Caused by
Enterobacteriales
Coresistant to Carbapenems and Polymyxins
Authors: Guimarães Thaís , Nouér Simone A. , Martins Roberta C. R. , Perdigão Neto Lauro V. , Martins Willames M. B. S. , Narciso Barbosa Ana Clara , Ferreira Adriana L. P. , Costa Silvia F. , Gales Ana C.
Published: July 2019

In this article, we report a case series of patients with infections caused by
Enterobacteriales
coresistant to carbapenems and polymyxins who were treated with ceftazidime/avibactam (CAZ-AVI) salvage therapy on a compassionate-use protocol.
Coordinated Regulation of the Size and Number of Polyhydroxybutyrate Granules by Core and Accessory Phasins in the Facultative Microsymbiont Sinorhizobium fredii NGR234
Authors: Sun Yan-Wei , Li Yan , Hu Yue , Chen Wen-Xin , Tian Chang-Fu
Published: July 2019

Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) granules are a store of carbon and energy in bacteria and archaea and play an important role in stress adaptation. Recent studies have highlighted distinct roles of several granule-associated proteins (GAPs) in regulating the size, number, and localization of PHB granules in free-living bacteria, though our knowledge of the role of GAPs in bacteria associated with plants is still limited. Here we report distinct roles of core and accessory phasins associated with PHB granules of
Sinorhizobium fredii
NGR234, a broad-host-range microsymbiont of diverse legumes. Core phasins PhaP2 and PhaP1 are conserved major phasins in free-living cells. PhaP2 and accessory phasin PhaP3, encoded by an auxiliary gene on the symbiosis plasmid, are major phasins in nitrogen-fixing bacteroids in cowpea nodules. GAPs and metabolic profiles can vary in different
phaP
mutants. Contrasting symbiotic performances between mutants lacking PHB synthases, depolymerase, or phasins were revealed.
Xyleborus volvulus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae): Biology and Fungal Associates
Authors: Cruz Luisa F. , Menocal Octavio , Mantilla Julio , Ibarra-Juarez Luis A. , Carrillo Daniel
Published: July 2019

Ambrosia beetles cultivate fungi in tunnels bored into weakened host trees. This obligate interaction is required for their survival as beetles feed on these symbiotic fungi, and the fungi benefit from transportation by the beetles.
Xyleborus volvulus
carries many nonpathogenic symbionts; however, recently the acquisition of
Raffaelea lauricola
(the causal agent of a lethal vascular disease of lauraceous trees) by this beetle has altered its status from wood degrader to potential pest in avocado. We conducted a study to understand the relationship of this beetle and its fungal associates. Our results show that
X. volvulus
has a multipartite flexible association with different
Raffaelea
species. The lack of fidelity in the mutualistic association may explain the acquisition of
R. lauricola
. Knowing the beetle biology and its mutualistic interactions furthers an understanding of the beetle’s role as a potential vector and in disease transmission.
A Molecular Biology Tool Kit for the Phototrophic Firmicute Heliobacterium modesticaldum
Authors: Baker Patricia L. , Orf Gregory S. , Khan Zahid , Espinoza Levi , Leung Sabrina , Kevershan Kimberly , Redding Kevin E.
Published: July 2019

Heliobacteria are anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria with the simplest known photosynthetic apparatus. They are unique in using bacteriochlorophyllgas their main pigment and lacking a peripheral antenna system. Until now, research on this organism has been hampered by the lack of a genetic transformation system. Without such a system, gene knockouts, site-directed mutations, and gene expression studies cannot be performed to help us further understand or manipulate the organism. Here we report the genetic transformation of a heliobacterium, which should enable future genetic studies in this unique phototrophic organism.
Clinical Laboratory Tests Used To Aid in Diagnosis of Human Prion Disease
Authors: Connor Allyson , Wang Han , Appleby Brian S. , Rhoads Daniel D.
Published: July 2019

Prion diseases are a group of rapidly progressive and always fatal neurodegenerative disorders caused by misfolded prion protein in the brain. Although autopsy remains the gold-standard diagnostic tool, antemortem laboratory testing can be performed to aid in the diagnosis of prion disease. This review is meant to help laboratory directors and physicians in their interpretation of test results.
Hsp90 Chaperones Bluetongue Virus Proteins and Prevents Proteasomal Degradation
Authors: Mohl Bjorn-Patrick , Roy Polly
Published: July 2019

Protein chaperones are instrumental for maintaining protein homeostasis, enabling correct protein folding and organization; prominent members include heat shock proteins 70 and 90. Virus infections place a large burden on this homeostasis. Identifying and understanding the underlying mechanisms that facilitate Bluetongue virus replication and spread through the usurpation of host factors is of primary importance for the development of intervention strategies. Our data identify and show that heat shock protein 90, but not heat shock protein 70, stabilizes bluetongue virus proteins, safeguarding them from proteasomal degradation.
TRIM69 Inhibits Vesicular Stomatitis Indiana Virus
Authors: Rihn Suzannah J. , Aziz Muhamad Afiq , Stewart Douglas G. , Hughes Joseph , Turnbull Matthew L. , Varela Mariana , Sugrue Elena , Herd Christie S. , Stanifer Megan , Sinkins Steven P. , Palmarini Massimo , Wilson Sam J.
Published: July 2019

Vesicular stomatitis Indiana virus (VSIV) is a veterinary pathogen that is also used as a backbone for many oncolytic and vaccine strategies. In natural and therapeutic settings, viral infections like VSIV are sensed by the host, and as a result the host cells make proteins that can protect them from viruses. In the case of VSIV, these antiviral proteins constrain viral replication and protect most healthy tissues from virus infection. In order to understand how VSIV causes disease and how healthy tissues are protected from VSIV-based therapies, it is crucial that we identify the proteins that inhibit VSIV. Here, we show that TRIM69 is an antiviral defense that can potently and specifically block VSIV infection.
In Silico
Modeling of Biofilm Formation by Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae
In Vivo
Authors: Brown Jonathan R. , Jurcisek Joseph , Lakhani Vinal , Snedden Ali , Ray William C. , Mokrzan Elaine M. , Bakaletz Lauren O. , Das Jayajit
Published: July 2019

Multiple respiratory illnesses are associated with formation of biofilms within the human airway by NTHI. However, a substantial amount of our understanding of the mechanisms that underlie NTHI biofilm formation is obtained from
in vitro
studies. Our
in silico
model that describes biofilm formation by NTHI within the middle ears of
Chinchilla lanigera
will help isolate processes potentially responsible for the differences between the morphologies of biofilms formed
in vivo
versus those formed
in vitro
. Thus, the
in silico
model can be used to glean mechanisms that underlie biofilm formation
in vivo
and connect those mechanisms to those obtained from
in vitro
experiments. The
in silico
model developed here can be extended to investigate potential roles of specific host responses (e.g., mucociliary clearance) on NTHI biofilm formation
in vivo
. The developed computational tools can also be used to analyze and describe biofilm formation by other bacterial species
in vivo
.
Plasticity in the Human Gut Microbiome Defies Evolutionary Constraints
Authors: Gomez Andres , Sharma Ashok Kumar , Mallott Elizabeth K. , Petrzelkova Klara J. , Jost Robinson Carolyn A. , Yeoman Carl J. , Carbonero Franck , Pafco Barbora , Rothman Jessica M. , Ulanov Alexander , Vlckova Klara , Amato Katherine R. , Schnorr Stephanie L. , Dominy Nathaniel J. , Modry David , Todd Angelique , Torralba Manolito , Nelson Karen E. , Burns Michael B. , Blekhman Ran , Remis Melissa , Stumpf Rebecca M. , Wilson Brenda A. , Gaskins H. Rex , Garber Paul A. , White Bryan A. , Leigh Steven R.
Published: July 2019

The results of this study indicate a discordance between gut microbiome composition and evolutionary history in primates, calling into question previous notions about host genetic control of the primate gut microbiome. Microbiome similarities between humans consuming nonindustrialized diets and monkeys characterized by subsisting on eclectic, omnivorous diets also raise questions about the ecological and nutritional drivers shaping the human gut microbiome. Moreover, a more detailed understanding of the factors associated with gut microbiome plasticity in primates offers a framework to understand why humans following industrialized lifestyles have deviated from states thought to reflect human evolutionary history. The results also provide perspectives for developing therapeutic dietary manipulations that can reset configurations of the gut microbiome to potentially improve human health.