bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A systematic review of living kidney donor enhanced recovery after surgery
Authors: Byrne Matthew H. V. , Mehmood Ahmed , Summers Dominic M. , Hosgood Sarah A. , Nicholson Michael L.
Published: June 2021

Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) reduces complications and shortens hospital stay without increasing readmission or mortality. However, its role in living donor nephrectomy (LDN) has not yet been defined. Medline, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Central were searched prior to 08/01/21 for all randomized controlled and cohort studies comparing ERAS to standard of care in LDN. The study was registered on PROSPERO (CRD: CRD42019141706). One thousand, three hundred seventy‐seven patients were identified from 14 studies (698 patients with ERAS and 679 patients without). There were considerable differences in the protocols used, and compliance with general ERAS recommendations was poor. Meta‐analysis of laparoscopic procedures (including hand‐ and robot‐assisted) revealed that duration of stay was significantly reduced by 0.98 days with ERAS (95% CI = 0.36–1.60, P = .002) and opiate requirement by 32.4 mg (95% CI = 1.1–63.7, P = .04). There was no significant difference n readmission rates or complications. Quality of evidence was low to moderate assessed using the GRADE tool. This review suggests there is a positive benefit of ERAS in laparoscopic LDN. However, there was considerable variation in ERAS protocols used, and the quality of evidence was low; as such, a guideline for ERAS in LDN should be developed and validated.
Quantifying potential effect of 2019 fires on national parks and vegetation in South‐East Queensland
Authors: Smith Isabella , Velasquez Eleanor , Pickering Catherine
Published: June 2021

Fire is a major type of ecological disturbance shaping plant communities and species distributions. Fires in the spring and summer of 2019/2020 in Australia burnt large areas where this type of disturbance was rare in the past, including in the South‐East Queensland region. To assess the potential impacts of these fires, online GIS data layers were used to map where the fires occurred and which protected areas, plant communities and threatened plants were likely burnt. Based on clustering of Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite sensor fire points, 3% (240,000 ha) of the region may have burnt including 107,606 ha of National Parks, sections of 18 Broad Vegetation Groups and 74 Regional Ecosystems and potential habitat of 74 threatened plant species. This included 16% of wet open forests and 13% of rainforests. The results provide preliminary insights into the potential scale of the fires and impact on biodiversity from mapping based on online data, but we also that more detailed mapping including of fire intensity and perimeter combined with ground truthing and ongoing monitoring would be required to better understand changes in fire regimes in the region.
Comparative evaluation of efficacy and patient‐reported outcome measures of oral hygiene instruction methods for calibrated interdental brush
Authors: Subramanya Ashwin P , Prabhuji M. L. V.
Published: June 2021

Objectives

To compare the efficacy and patient‐reported outcome measures of oral hygiene instruction methods for calibrated interdental brush.

Materials and Methods

A total of 60 participants, with 30 each in control and test group, participated in the study. Clinical examination included gingival index, full mouth bleeding scores and approximal plaque index. Supragingival scaling was performed. Interdental access probe was used to assess the size of interdental brush and corresponding interdental brush were given to the participants. For the control group, oral hygiene instructions were given through demonstration with model and video. For the test group, oral hygiene instructions were given through ‘Touch‐to‐Teach’ method. At 4‐week follow‐up, oral hygiene instructions were repeated to respective groups. After 3 months, clinical examination was done and exit survey on patient‐reported outcome measures was administered. Statistical analysis was done.

Results

Intergroup comparison of gingival index, full mouth bleeding index and approximal plaque index showed statistically significant difference between test and control group. ‘Touch‐to‐Teach’ method of oral hygiene instruction was found to be ‘Good’. Acceptance of interdental brush was regarded to be ‘Good’.

Conclusion

Within limitations of the study, Touch‐to‐Teach method of oral hygiene instruction method was found to be effective and more acceptable and participants used the interdental brush regularly.
International Council for Standardisation in Haematology (ICSH) recommendations for collection of blood samples for coagulation testing
Authors: Kitchen Steve , Adcock Dorothy M. , Dauer Ray , Kristoffersen Ann‐Helen , Lippi Giuseppe , Mackie Ian , Marlar Richard A. , Nair Sukesh
Published: June 2021

This guidance document has been prepared on behalf of the International Council for Standardisation in Haematology (ICSH). The aim of the document is to provide guidance and recommendations for collection of blood samples for coagulation tests in clinical laboratories throughout the world. The following processes will be covered: ordering tests, sample collection tube and anticoagulant, patient preparation, sample collection device, venous stasis before sample collection, order of draw when different sample types need to be collected, sample labelling, blood‐to‐anticoagulant ratio (tube filling) and influence of haematocrit. The following areas are excluded from this document, but are included in an associated ICSH document addressing processing of samples for coagulation tests in clinical laboratories: sample transport and primary tube sample stability; centrifugation; interfering substances including haemolysis, icterus and lipaemia; secondary aliquots—transport and storage; and preanalytical variables for platelet function testing. The recommendations are based on published data in peer‐reviewed literature and expert opinion.
Recombination frequencies of human leukocyte antigen loci in hematological malignancies among Turkish population
Authors: Kekik Cigdem , Temurhan Sonay , Ogret Yeliz , Akgul Sebahat Usta , Hayriye Senturk Ciftci , Besisik Sevgi Kalayoglu , Oguz Fatma Savran
Published: June 2021

Introduction

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a treatment option with growing performance for leukaemia, aplastic anaemia and genetic disorders. The frequency of MHC (Major Histocompatibility Complex) gene locus recombination is increased at loci close to the telomeres and in the female gender. The aim of the present study is to document the recombination events by pedigree diagrams with the primary goal to determine the frequency of recombination in a different ethnic population from mostly reported studies.

Methods

Altogether 9545 allogeneic HSCT recipients and their family‐based potential donors (n:36231) were included in this retrospective study.

Results

Recombinations were determined in 118 (F/M:50/68) out of 9545 families enrolled on the study. These were present in 40 of the patients and 78 of healthy donors. The frequency of recombinations was 0.42% and 0.22%, in patients and donors, respectively. Of the 118 recombinations, 60 were detected in A locus (13 inpatients), 14 in B locus (3 inpatients) and 42 in DR locus (22 inpatients). In our study, due to recombinations in HLA (Human Leukocyte Antigen)‐A,‐B,–DR loci, we found that some patient‐donor pairs became 6/5 matched instead of 6/6 (n:45), eliminating the allogeneic HSCT possibility for the patients from the full‐matched siblings.

Conclusion

To our knowledge, this is the first study reporting the recombination frequencies in HLA loci among Turkish population and thus, providing informative data to the clinicians regarding the cross‐over possibilities in Turkish patients with haematological malignancies.
Optimal pricing strategy for a service provider in the presence of repetitive usage
Authors: Cao Ping , Zhou Wenli , Wu Jie
Published: June 2021

Pay‐per‐use (PPU) pricing and long‐term contract (LTC) pricing are widely adopted in access service industries. PPU pricing charges a fee for each service requirement, while LTC pricing allows consumers to subscribe to an unlimited use of the services in a given period. This study aims to reveal the link between consumers' choice and these two types of pricing schemes to determine the optimal pricing strategy for a service provider (SP). We propose a model with consumer usage that follows a compound Poisson process to analyze consumers' choice and calculate the expected revenue of the SP. Our analysis shows that covering the entire market is always optimal for the SP. Moreover, the SP should set the PPU fee high, and adopt the LTC scheme in the presence of the PPU scheme. If the SP is patient enough, then adopting both schemes will bring more revenue than only adopting the LTC scheme.
Who Votes Without Identification? Using Individual‐Level Administrative Data to Measure the Burden of Strict Voter Identification Laws
Authors: Henninger Phoebe , Meredith Marc , Morse Michael
Published: June 2021

Legal disputes over laws that require certain forms of identification (ID) to vote mostly focus on the burden placed on people who do not possess ID. We contend that this singular focus ignores the burden imposed on people who do possess ID, but nonetheless cannot access it when voting. To measure this alternative conception of burden, we focus on Michigan, which allows anyone who lacks access to ID to vote after signing an affidavit. A sample of affidavits filed in the 2016 presidential election from a random set of precincts reveals that about 0.45 percent of voters lacked access to ID. Consistent with our broader conception of the burden of voter ID laws, nearly all voters who filed an affidavit were previously issued a still‐active state ID. Importantly, we show minority voters were about five times more likely to lack access to ID than white voters. We also present survey evidence suggesting that people who live in states where voters are asked to show ID, as in Michigan, are more likely to incorrectly believe that access to ID is required to vote than are people who live in states that do not ask voters to show ID.
Clinical outcomes of modifying hypertension treatment intensity in older adults treated to low blood pressure
Authors: Aubert Carole E. , Ha Jin‐Kyung , Kim Hyungjin Myra , Rodondi Nicolas , Kerr Eve A. , Hofer Timothy P. , Min Lillian
Published: June 2021

Background/objectives

Hypertension treatment reduces cardiovascular events. However, uncertainty remains about benefits and harms of deintensification or further intensification of antihypertensive medication when systolic blood pressure (SBP) is tightly controlled in older multimorbid patients, because of their frequent exclusion in trials. We assessed the association of hypertension treatment deintensification or intensification with clinical outcomes in older adults with tightly controlled SBP.

Design

Longitudinal cohort study (2011–2013) with 9‐month follow‐up.

Setting

U.S.‐nationwide primary care Veterans Health Administration healthcare system.

Participants

Veterans aged 65 and older with baseline SBP <130 mmHg and ≥1 antihypertensive medication during ≥2 consecutive visits (N = 228,753).

Exposure

Deintensification or intensification, compared with stable treatment.

Main outcomes and measures

Cardiovascular events, syncope, or fall injury, as composite and distinct outcomes, within 9 months after exposure. Adjusted logistic regression and inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW, sensitivity analysis).

Results

Among 228,753 patients (mean age 75 [SD 7.5] years), the composite outcome occurred in 11,982/93,793 (12.8%) patients with stable treatment, 14,768/72,672 (20.3%) with deintensification, and 11,821/62,288 (19.0%) with intensification. Adjusted absolute outcome risk (95% confidence interval) was higher for deintensification (18.3% [18.1%–18.6%]) and intensification (18.7% [18.4%–19.0%]), compared with stable treatment (14.8% [14.6%–15.0%]), p < 0.001 for both effects in the multivariable model). Deintensification was associated with fewer cardiovascular events than intensification. At baseline SBP <95 mmHg, cardiovascular event risk was similar for deintensification and stable treatment, and fall risk lower for deintensification than intensification. IPTW yielded similar results. Mean follow‐up SBP was 124.1 mmHg for stable treatment, 125.1 mmHg after deintensification (p < 0.001), and 124.0 mmHg after intensification (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Antihypertensive treatment deintensification in older patients with tightly controlled SBP was associated with worse outcomes than continuing same treatment intensity. Given higher mortality among patients with treatment modification, confounding by indication may not have been fully corrected by advanced statistical methods for observational data analysis.
Phase equilibria and microstructural constraints on the high‐T building of the Kohistan island arc: The Jijal garnet granulites, northern Pakistan
Authors: George Freya R. , Waters Dave J. , Gough Simon J. , Searle Michael P. , Forshaw Jacob B.
Published: June 2021

The Kohistan island arc represents a >50 km thick and completely exposed Late Cretaceous–Eocene Neo‐Tethyan island arc sequence between the Indian and Eurasian plates in the western Himalaya. At the base of the Kohistan Arc, the Jijal Complex exposes a continuous sequence from ultramafic upper mantle rocks to mafic rocks of the lower crust across the Moho transition zone. In the shallower mafic section of the Jijal Complex, widespread garnet–clinopyroxene gabbros are uniform in assemblage but show a spectrum of microstructural variation involving two distinguishable styles of garnet growth. Uncertainty surrounds the genetic origin of these equilibria across the sequence which have been variably proposed to derive either from (a) dehydration melting of amphibole‐bearing precursor rocks, (b) subsolidus recrystallization of gabbronorite, or (c) primary magmatic crystallization. Owing to extensive high‐T re‐equilibration, compositional records of magmatic precursors and the pre‐peak evolution across the complex have been erased. However, quantitative textural analysis evidences a progressively increasing departure from microstructural randomness from deep to shallow levels of the upper Jijal Complex. This is interpreted to reflect the increased propensity for shallow garnet–clinopyroxene gabbros to have been derived from solid‐state recrystallization of a cumulate gabbronorite precursor, resulting in the development of coronitic garnet microstructures. In the deepest portions of the mafic sequence, both cumulate textures and thermodynamic modelling attest to the basal levels of the Kohistan arc crust at ~10–14 kbar crystallizing primary magmatic garnet and clinopyroxene from low H2O (<6 wt%) basaltic–andesitic melts. Granulite facies metamorphism and re‐equilibration across the whole upper Jijal Complex—shown via phase equilibrium modelling to be associated with over‐accretion in the mid‐arc crust and a pressure increase of 2–3 kbar to 850–1,050℃ and 11–14 kbar—was followed by a period of approximately isobaric cooling across ~200℃ and amphibolitization. Compositions of low‐volume leucosome‐hosted garnet indicate melting occurred prior to, or during, this re‐equilibration period and melt reintegration simulations suggest that dehydration melting of amphibole‐bearing precursors played only a minor role in the genesis of the Jijal garnet–clinopyroxene gabbros. By combining field relationships, petrological and textural analysis, interpretations of mineral compositions, and phase equilibrium modelling, we therefore provide detailed constraints on crustal thickening and the thermal evolution of the lowermost arc crust.
Assessment of tomato‐based thick fluid diet for patients with dysphagia using a simple and cheap test
Authors: Maieves Helayne Aparecida , Teixeira Gerson Lopes
Published: June 2021

Swallowing difficulty, also known as dysphagia, is a health condition that can be managed by different approaches, such as changing the viscosity of fluid foods with thickener agents. Tomato‐based beverages such as “gazpacho” and “salmorejo” are common foods much appreciated by the populations that adopt a Mediterranean diet, mainly in Spain. These beverages usually present a low viscosity, challenging to include in diets for dysphagia patients. Thus, this work aimed at evaluating the flow properties of tomato‐based beverages with or without the addition of thickener agents (based on maltodextrin or gum) using a simple and cheap method proposed by the International Dysphagia Diet Standardization Initiative (IDDSI) to verify the suitability of using those products in a diet of patients with dysphagia. The study also evaluated the differences in using BD‐type syringes on the test. Results indicated that the type of thickener significantly (p < .05) affects the samples' flow properties, enhancing their rheological behavior. The type of syringe can also affect the results, as they present different Luer slip tips. The results revealed that tomato‐based beverages may have their properties improved simply by using low amounts of thickener agents (1.2–3.0 g 200 ml−1) and that the IDDSI test can be an alternative, cheap and straightforward method for evaluating these types of foods in hospital environments. Including tomato‐based beverages in the diet of patients with dysphagia may present many benefits as these products have a rich nutritional composition (fiber) in addition to biocompounds such as lycopene and phenolic compounds.
CaADIP1‐dependent CaADIK1‐kinase activation is required for abscisic acid signalling and drought stress response in Capsicum annuum
Authors: Jeong Soongon , Lim Chae Woo , Lee Sung Chul
Published: June 2021

Induction of the abscisic acid (ABA) signalling network is associated with various stress conditions, including cold, high salinity and drought. As core ABA signalling components, group A type 2C protein phosphatases (PP2Cs) interact with and inhibit snf1‐related protein kinase2s.

Here, we isolated and characterised the pepper mitogen‐activated protein kinase kinase kinase CaADIK1, which interacts with the group A PP2C CaADIP1. CaADIK1 transcripts were induced by abiotic stresses, and CaADIK1 localised in the nucleus and cytoplasm. We verified that CaADIP1 inhibits the autokinase activity of CaADIK1; moreover, the kinase activity of CaADIK1 is enhanced by drought stress.

We performed genetic analysis using CaADIK1‐silenced pepper and CaADIK1‐overexpressing (OX) Arabidopsis plants. CaADIK1‐silenced pepper plants showed drought‐sensitive phenotypes, whereas CaADIK1‐OX Arabidopsis plants showed ABA‐sensitive and drought‐tolerant phenotypes. In CaADIK1K32N‐OX Arabidopsis plants mutated at the ATP‐binding site, the ABA‐insensitive and drought‐sensitive phenotypes were restored.

Taken together, our findings show that CaADIK1 positively regulates the ABA‐dependent drought stress response and is inhibited by CaADIP1.
From Stage to Page and Back Again: Remediating Petrushka in Early Soviet Children's Culture
Authors: BARKER MEGHANNE
Published: June 2021

Early Soviet children's book authors and puppet theaters remediated the figure of Petrushka. As such, the prankster puppet traversed boundaries between book and stage. Books about mischievous Petrushka and friends invited children to create homemade puppet shows, encouraging children to manipulate and animate objects around them. Beginning in 1930, meanwhile, a new Theater of the Children's Book used puppetry to mobilize children into novel engagements with books. The figure of Petrushka, traversing between theater booth and children's book, brought elements of one medium into the other. I argue that such transmedial projects called attention to each, raising metapragmatic awareness about them, in line with efforts among culture‐makers to make children active in the creation, manipulation, and animation of their material surroundings. At the same time, slippage between figures of Petrushka and child suggest uncertainty regarding whether energies of both should be celebrated, tamed, or effectively harnessed for proper Soviet ends. Incorporating literature from media studies, theater studies, and historical examinations of early Soviet children's culture, this article considers these transmedial projects as part of a larger endeavor within early Soviet children's literature of moving a medium into the children's book–and moving the children's book into new contexts. These projects raised awareness regarding the puppet as an object of manipulation, while suggesting that the child could be puppet‐like, as well.
THE RE‐DISCOVERY OF CONTEMPLATION THROUGH SCIENCE
Authors: McLeish Tom
Published: June 2021

Some of the early‐modern changes in the social framing of science, while often believed to be essential, are shown to be contingent. They contribute to the flawed public narrative around science today, and especially to the misconceptions around science and religion. Four are examined in detail, each of which contributes to the demise of the contemplative stance that science both requires and offers. They are: (1) a turn from an immersed subject to the pretense of a pure objectivity, (2) a turn from imagination as a legitimate pathway to knowledge, (3) a turn from shared and participative science to a restricted professionalism, and (4) an overprosaic reading of the metaphor of the “Book of Nature.” All four, but especially the imperative to consider reading nature as poetry, and a deeper examination of the entanglements between poetry and theoretical science, draw unavoidably on theological ideas, and contribute to a developing “theology of science.”
Teaching in Higher Education: Theories, Realities and Future Controversies
Authors: Toka Katerina R. , Gioti Labrina
Published: June 2021

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the field of University Pedagogy and specifically the relationship between theory (learning theories university teachers adopt) and practice (actual teaching) in Higher Education Institutions. To this end, we conducted a mixed methodology research (triangulation) by implicating both the students and the university teachers of post graduate programs of the former Alexander Technological Educational Institute–ATEI-of Thessaloniki (current International Hellenic University-IHU). The data collection methods were:7 semi-structured interviews with the teaching staff, student questionnaires (n=98) and non-participatory observation. Results show that teachers’ views about learning and teaching are consistent mostly with person-centered humanistic learning theories and cognitive constructivism. Learning is viewed as a dynamic process revolving around students and their needs. Their student-centered approach and the theories they embrace are consistent with their teaching practice to a satisfactory degree (role, climate, teacher-student relationship, objectives, connection to reality). However, an issue detected is the relatively limited use of the most active teaching techniques.
Devices measuring transepidermal water loss of the skin: a systematic review protocol of measurement properties
Authors: Klotz Tanja , Maddern Guy , Caplash Yugesh , Wagstaff Marcus
Published: June 2021

Objective:

The objective of this review is to examine the reliability and measurement error of devices that measure transepidermal water loss.

Introduction:

Transepidermal water loss is a physiological property of skin that increases when the epidermis is damaged. It is, therefore, a commonly utilized measure of skin barrier integrity. Devices measuring transepidermal water loss are available as open, semi-open, or closed chamber. Studies that examine the similarities and differences between transepidermal water loss measurement devices are available. However, there has not been a systematic review to comprehensively collate and critique these studies. The aim of this review will be to synthesize the data from these studies to aid in selection and use of transepidermal water loss measurement devices in clinical practice or research.

Inclusion criteria:

Studies examining the reliability and/or measurement error of transepidermal water loss measurement devices will be included. Studies that examine a single device to demonstrate how different handling affects measurements will also be included. Studies that only report on measurement of transepidermal water loss outcomes without examination of reliability and/or measurement error will be excluded.

Methods:

The search strategy will aim to locate published and unpublished studies. Databases to be searched will include PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, and Web of Science, utilizing identified keywords and limited to studies in English. Gray literature sources will be searched to identify any unpublished documents. Study selection will adhere to the inclusion criteria and then be assessed by two reviewers for methodological quality utilizing COSMIN (COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health status Measurement INstruments) guidelines and risk of bias tools. Extracted data will be presented in a narrative synthesis and as tables and figures to aid data presentation.
Advanced Enterprise Asset Management Systems: Improve Predictive Maintenance and Asset Performance by Leveraging Industry 4.0 and the Internet of Things (IoT)
Authors: Bhanji Sandeep , Shotz Howard , Tadanki Sravani , Miloudi Youssef , Warren Patrick
Published: June 2021

Advanced Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) is an approach through which an organization’s assets are systematically and proactively managed throughout their lifecycle — from installation through disposition. The objective of EAM is to prolong the service life and maximize utilization of the assets via adoption of leading-edge standards, practices, and technology. Organizations that implement advanced EAM benefit from reduced operating expenses (OPEX), reduced capital replacement expenses (CAPEX), increased uptime, and overall higher quality asset capability within their portfolio.

Successful EAM leverages ISO55000 & IAM 2.0 standards to implement predictive, proactive and reliability centered maintenance best practices.

Implementing an EAM provides leading edge technology to the rail industry to track and audit maintenance work using mobility tools, heads-up virtual reality displays, augmented reality expertise and the Internet of Things (IoT); combined with artificial intelligence and machine learning to bolster predictive maintenance and simulate asset performance based on different scenarios.

EAM will evolve rapidly following the world’s rapid transformation into the IoT over the next decade. As rail and transit assets become outfitted with interconnected intelligent sensors whose outputs are collected via active and passive devices, real-time data is available for EAM to track, plan and upgrade assets.

As systems are modernized, EAM will leverage the IoT revolution to provide critical information to operations in planning railway management scenarios, including predictive maintenance functionality and edge analytics.
Battery Electric Locomotives & Battery Tenders: Operational & Infrastructure Challenges to Widespread Adoption
Authors: Iden Michael E.
Published: June 2021

The potential use of large storage batteries to provide onboard propulsion energy for freight railroads is gaining significant attention. Even though at least 126 Battery Electric Locomotives have been tested, built and operated in the U.S. since 1920, diesel-electric locomotives remain dominant. Several new Battery Electric Locomotives (BELs) are entering operation in the U.S., Brazil and Germany, including a 2.4 MWh experimental BEL for over-the-road service and a 2.4 MWh BEL for switching service. An alternative approach is the use of Battery Tenders (BTs) to provide supplemental power to modified AC diesel-electric locomotives (the Tender supplements or temporarily replaces the carbon-emitting diesel engine power plant). Any significant shift from diesel-electric to battery propulsion by freight railroads will be as complex and disruptive as their conversion from steam to diesel-electric locomotives between 1940 and 1960. Commercial adoption of battery propulsion is not readily guaranteed, and several barriers to use must be overcome. This paper identifies and investigates some of those barriers.
A Statistical Approach to Evaluating Wheel-Rail Contact Dynamics
Authors: Hosseini Sayedmohammad , Hosseinian Ahangarnejad Arash , Radmehr Ahmad , Tajaddini Ali , Ahmadian Mehdi
Published: June 2021

This paper provides a statistical analysis of the effects of wheel load, angle of attack (AoA), and creepage on longitudinal traction force at the wheel-rail contact using experimental data collected on the Virginia Tech-Federal Railroad Administration (VT-FRA) Roller Rig. The VT-FRA Roller Rig is a unique piece of equipment designed and built with the specific goal of evaluating the wheel-rail contact mechanics and dynamics with a high degree of precision.

Longitudinal traction forces are of great importance to the railroad industry since they provide the motive power needed to move a train. Various experiments are conducted in different settings to study the relationship between the aforementioned variables and the longitudinal traction force. The test data is split into “training” and “testing” sets, and the training sets (a total of four) are used to entertain statistical models in a standard parametric regression framework. The study carefully assesses whether the assumptions of the classical linear regression model hold by studying the empirical histogram and the normal Q-Q plot of the residuals.

In the case of non-linearities, different transformations are applied to the explanatory variable to find the closest functional form that captures the relationship between the response and the explanatory variables. The developed models are then compared with their non-parametric counterparts such as natural cubic splines in terms of goodness of fit, and prediction error on the testing set. The study develops regression models that are able to accurately explain the relationship between longitudinal traction and creepage and AoA. The models are intended to be used for predicting traction under various operating conditions.
A Prognostics and Health Management (PHM) System for Electromechanical Braking (EMB) Systems in Trains
Authors: Weng Jingjing , Tian Chun , Wu Mengling , Ma Tianhe
Published: June 2021

Electromechanical brake (EMB) is a novel braking mode for railway trains. The reliability of the braking system is important for railway system safety. According to the RAMS (Reliability, Availability, Maintainability and Safety) requirements for railway applications, the key issues of prognostics and health management (PHM) for EMB systems are discussed at first. Consequently, the dominant tasks of the PHM system are confirmed, containing the battery State-of-Charge (SOC) and State-of-Health (SOH) estimation, electric components condition monitor, and mechanical crack prediction. Then the critical failure modes of the EMB system and their failure mechanisms are analyzed. Based on the above analysis, a PHM system developed for EMB systems and its working flow are introduced. The vehicle operation parameters, the brake control commands, and the sensor signals are inputs of the PHM system. These inputs are processed and gathered as health indicators. Then the PHM system adopts the physical model or the hybrid algorithms to track the failure mode and components. Finally, the PHM system locates the health stage of the EMB system. The primary health indicators for EMB systems are the braking distance and emergency battery capacity. And the health indicators for components are mapped with the corresponding failure modes. The estimation for the battery SOC and SOH is established based on the test results of battery properties. The model-based and data-driven hybrid method is utilized to detect the crack growth of mechanical components and the degradation in electric properties. The PHM system is useful for condition-based maintenance. And it is meaningful for the reliability and safety improvement of the EMB systems.
Aluminum Stainless Steel Conductor Technology: Current Adoption by North American Transit Authorities
Authors: Forman Keith
Published: June 2021

Since the early years of railway electrification, 3rd rail conductors have evolved from steel to aluminum/steel composite to aluminum/stainless steel composition. Aluminum stainless steel (ALSS) conductors are currently in use in approximately 75% of the nearly 20,000 km of 3rd rail systems worldwide and continue to gain acceptance by North American transit authorities.

Electrical efficiency improvement with ALSS ranges from 1.6 to 2.5 times that of steel aluminum and steel rails. At 33% of the weight of steel rail and 60% of aluminum-steel composite rail, ALSS offers considerable costs-savings in freight, handling, and installation. Though electrical efficiency and light weight are among the more widely known benefits of ALSS 3rd rail, durability has significantly improved since the introduction of ALSS technology in the late 20th Century.

The implementation of signaling technologies such as CBTC has enabled increased train throughput; however the lack of necessary available power (voltage) to support these headways can be a limiting factor to capacity improvements. Upgrading legacy 3rd rail to ALSS is a cost-effective means of increasing available power with minimal disruption. Drop-in replacement profiles of ALSS 3rd rail have been developed for several common legacy profiles to include 150lb steel and 85C, facilitating replacement of existing 3rd rail.

This paper examines the technical and economic aspects of aluminum/stainless steel 3rd rail and its adoption by several North American transit authorities. The author explains the characteristics, benefits and limitations of aluminum stainless steel 3rd rail with comparisons to legacy steel and steel-aluminum power rails.
WFUMB position paper. Incidental findings of the salivary glands
Authors: Bialek Ewa J. , Lim Adrian , Dong Yi , Fodor Daniela , Gritzmann Norbert , Dietrich Christoph F.
Published: June 2021

A salivary incidentaloma (SI) stands for any focal salivary lesion, independent of size, discovered by any imaging method including ultrasonography (US), computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), multimodal positron emis-sion tomography (PET) combined with CT or MRI, or X-ray imaging, performed for another reason, in the absence of known salivary glands’ disease. The article presents a detailed analysis of salivary gland diseases with the emphasis on neoplasms. It describes frequency of SIs found on imaging, their prevalence, epidemiology and clinical significance. The probability of malignancy or malignant transformation of a SI, its imaging features, recommended treatment, management and follow-up, as well as ethical issues, psychological burden, informed decision making, economical consequences and costs are discussed. The general prevalence of SIs is low, but is dramatically increasing over time, and may rise significantly in selected groups of oncologic patients. SIs most frequently turn out to be benign primary neoplasms or pseudotumors, including intraparenchymal lymph nodes. SIs detected by other imaging methods should be subsequently assessed with US. Solid SIs demand ultrasound guided fine-needle aspiration cytology (US-FNAC). Neoplasms should undergo surgery. Post-operative US follow-up is man-datory for malignant tumors and recommended for benign neoplasms.
Generation of chemiluminescence by human neutrophils exposed to soluble stimuli of oxidative metabolism
Authors: Westrick M A , Shirley P S , DeChatelet L R
Published: June 2021

The detection of chemiluminescence of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes activated by the nonparticulate stimulus phorbol myristate acetate required the presence of suitable substrate, such as protein or luminol, in the reaction medium. This substrate requirement was met by the addition of human serum or various proteins, such as bovine serum albumin, lysozyme, egg albumin, or immunoglobulin, to the reaction vial. Luminol, a chemiluminescent compound, could substitute for protein and markedly enhanced chemiluminescence by phorbol myristate acetate-induced and concanavalin A-induced polymorphonuclear leukocytes. From this work, it appears likely that soluble stimuli activate the polymorphonuclear leukocytes, but this activation, as measured by chemiluminescence, is not detectable in the absence of a secondary interaction with suitable components in the medium.
Comparison of muramyl dipeptide, trehalose dimycolate, and dimethyl dioctadecyl ammonium bromide as adjuvants in Brucella abortus 45/20 vaccines
Authors: Woodard L F , Toone N M , McLaughlin C A
Published: June 2021

The capacity of trehalose dimycolate (TDM), muramyl dipeptide (MDP), and dimethyl dioctadecyl ammonium bromide (DDA)--alone or in combination--to potentiate the immunogenicity of killed Brucella abortus 45/20 bacteria was studied in guinea pigs. Bacterins that contained TDM in oil droplet emulsion were as effective in the prevention of brucellosis as those emulsified in Freund complete adjuvant, wereas bacterins that contained a combination of TDM and MDP were most effective. Vaccinal emulsions of bacteria and MDP were ineffective in the prevention of splenic infections. Likewise, DDA was unable to potentiate acquired resistance to Brucella. Addition of DDA to 1% oil emulsions of bacteria, TDM, and MDP eliminated protection. Adjuvants without bacteria were not able to nonspecifically protect animals from infection, although TDM was able to significantly reduce the numbers of splenic Brucella. A positive correlation (P < 0.0001) between splenic infection and splenic weight was found.
Cell-mediated immunity to herpes simplex virus: specificity of cytotoxic T cells
Authors: Lawman M J , Courtney R J , Eberle R , Schaffer P A , O'Hara M K , Rouse B T
Published: June 2021

This communication deals with the question of which of the viral antigens constitutes the targets for cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) generated against herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1). The approach used was, first, to compare cytotoxicity of CTL against target cells infected with virus in the presence of tunicamycin and 2-deoxy-D-glucose, which are known to inhibit glycoprotein synthesis, and second, to compare cytotoxicity of CTL against target cells infected with wild-type HSV-1 with that against target cells infected with a temperature-sensitive mutant of HSV-1 which, at the nonpermissive temperature, exhibits diminished glycoprotein synthesis. The results show that glycoprotein expression is required for the demonstration of cytotoxic activity of CTL. The level of cytotoxicity against the temperature-sensitive HSV-1 target at the nonpermissive temperature was reduced and correlated with the level of expression of the major envelope glycoprotein region (VP123; molecular weight = 123,000) at the target cell surface as measured serologically by antibody binding studies. The results were interpreted to indicate that HSV-1-induced glycoproteins are the target antigens for anti-HSV CTL and that the principal viral antigens recognized by the CTL may be glycoproteins of the VP123 region.
Effects of treatment with muramyl dipeptide and certain of its analogs on resistance to Listeria monocytogenes in mice
Authors: Humphres R C , Henika P R , Ferraresi R W , Krahenbuhl J L
Published: June 2021

Studies were carried out to determine whether treatment of mice with the synthetic adjuvant muramyl dipeptide (MDP) afforded any resistance to infection with Listeria monocytogenes. Regardless of the timing, dose, or route of administration, there was no evidence that treatment with either MDP or two of its analogs (des-MDP or MDP-D-D) induced any resistance to listeria infection in BALB/c, CBA/J, or C57BL/6J mice. In contrast, pretreatment with MDP induced marked protection to infection with Streptococcus pneumoniae (type III).
Interaction of Alveolar Macrophages with
Nocardia asteroides
: Immunological Enhancement of Phagocytosis, Phagosome-Lysosome Fusion, and Microbicidal Activity
Authors: Davis-Scibienski Carole , Beaman Blaine L.
Published: June 2021

Normal and specifically activated rabbit alveolar macrophages were infected in vitro with
Nocardia asteroides
GUH-2. In the presence of serum from normal rabbits, no significant differences were noted between normal and activated alveolar macrophages with respect to phagocytosis, incidence of phagosomelysosome fusion, or nocardicidal activity. However, all of these macrophage functions were enhanced by various immunological components. Serum from immunized rabbits enhanced phagocytosis of nocardial cells by activated macrophages, and there was an additional increase in phagocytosis observed when alveolar lining material was present. Complement had no effect on the ability of the macrophages to phagocytize nocardial cells. The greatest percentage of organisms phagocytized was observed when specifically primed lymph node cells, alveolar lining material, and serum from immunized rabbits were present in the incubation medium.
N. asteroides
GUH-2 inhibited phagosome-lysosome fusion in normal macrophages in the presence of serum from normal rabbits. However, addition of serum from immunized rabbits or the addition of specifically primed lymphocytes increased the amount of phagosome-lysosome fusion, whereas complement had no effect on this fusion process. Nocardial viability was not reduced when either normal or activated macrophages were infected with bacteria in the presence of normal serum, immune serum, or alveolar lining material. However, specifically activated macrophages incubated with primed lymph node cells obtained from immunized rabbits were able to both decrease the number of viable organisms recovered and to increase the incidence and extent of bacterial cell damage. The greatest number of organisms were killed by specifically activated macrophages when the bacterial cells were incubated with primed lymph node cells suspended in immune serum and alveolar lining material. These results indicate that activated macrophages alone are not sufficient to kill ingested
N. asteroides
GUH-2 and that specifically primed lymphocytes are important in host resistance to nocardial infections.
Morphology and ultrastructure of oral strains of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans and Haemophilus aphrophilus
Authors: Holt S C , Tanner A C , Socransky S S
Published: June 2021

Selected human oral and nonoral strains of the genera Actinobacillus and Haemophilus were examined by transmission and scanning electron microscopy. The strains examined were morphologically identical to recognized Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Haemophilus aphrophilus, and Haemophilus paraphrophilus. By transmission electron microscopy, the cells were typically gram negative in morphology, with several strains possessing some extracellular ruthenium red-staining polymeric material. Numerous vesicular structures, morphologically identical to lipopolysaccharide vesicles, were seen to originate from and be continuous with the surface of the outer membrane. Large numbers of these vesicles were also found in the external environment. Scanning electron microscopic observations revealed that both actinobacilli and haemophili possessed surface projections and an amorphous surface material which connected and covered adjacent cells.
Linkage of heat-stable enterotoxin activity and ampicillin resistance in a plasmid isolated from an Escherichia coli strain of human origin
Authors: Stieglitz H , Fonseca R , Olarte J , Kupersztoch-Portnoy Y M
Published: June 2021

In an Escherichia coli strain of human origin, ampicillin resistance and heat-stable enterotoxin activity were shown by EcoRI restriction endonuclease and genetic analysis to be in an 80-megadalton plasmid.
Antigenic similarity of toxins produced by Clostridium botulinum type C and D strains
Authors: Oguma K , Syuto B , Iida H , Kubo S
Published: June 2021

Antisera against purified type C1 toxin of Clostridium botulinum and its heavy-chain component cross-neutralized type D toxin. Antisera against partially purified type D toxin cross-neutralized type C1 toxin. From the latter serum, a component which neutralized only type D toxin and a component which equally neutralized both C1 and D toxins were obtained. We concluded that the cross-neutralization was not due to the fact that type C and D strains produce both C1 and D toxins but rather to the fact that the toxins have an antigen(s) common to their molecules. The results of the agar gel-double-diffusion test also supported this conclusion.
Examination of Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells and Sera from Thai Adults Naturally Infected with Malaria in Assays of Blastogenic Responsiveness to Mitogenic Lectins and Allogeneic Cell Surface Antigens
Authors: MacDermott Richard P. , Wells Robert A. , Zolyomi Sandor , Pavanand Kathchrinnee , Phisphumvidhi Pirom , Permpanich Barnyen , Gilbreath Michael
Published: June 2021

We have previously observed that Thai adults who are infected with malaria have a loss of peripheral blood T cells, and that patient sera contain lymphocytotoxic antibodies. In the present study, we examined peripheral blood mononuclear cells from Thai adults naturally infected with
Plasmodium falciparum
and
Plasmodium vivax
for the capacity to undergo blastogenesis in response to phytohemagglutinin, concanavalin A, pokeweed mitogen, and allogeneic cell surface antigens in a one-way mixed leukocyte reaction. In addition, sera from actively infected patients were examined with regard to suppressive capabilities toward normal lymphocyte blastogenesis by using the same assays. We found that patient mononuclear cells exhibited normal reactivity to phytohemagglutinin, concanavalin A, and pokeweed mitogen when compared with controls. However, peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients had a decreased stimulatory capacity in the allogeneic mixed leukocyte reaction, and
P. vivax
, but not
P. falciparum
, lymphocytes exhibited decreased responsiveness in the mixed leukocyte reaction. Furthermore, sera from patients with active malaria induced decreased responsiveness by normal mononuclear cells to phytohemagglutinin and concanavalin A, but not pokeweed mitogen; pooled
P. falciparum
sera caused decreased responsiveness to allogeneic cell surface antigens in the mixed leukocyte reaction. These studies indicate that despite the lost of circulating T cells during the course of infection with malaria, blastogenic responsiveness remains intact, and that sera from patients with malaria are capable of exerting negative immunoregulatory effects.