bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Systemic inflammatory response syndrome in acute‐on‐chronic liver failure: Relevance of ‘golden window’: A prospective study
Authors: Choudhury Ashok , Kumar Manoj , Sharma Barjesh C , Maiwall Rakhi , Pamecha Viniyendra , Moreau Richard , Chawla Yogesh K , Duseja Ajay , Mahtab Mamun , Rahman Salimur , Hamid Saeed S , Butt Amna S , Jafri Wasim , Tan Seok Siam , Devarbhavi Harshad , Amarapurkar Deepak , Ning Qin , Eapen C E , Goel Ashish , Kim Dong J , Ghazinyan Hasmik , Shiha Gamal , Lee Guan H , Abbas Zaigham , Payawal Diana A , Dokmeci A Kadir , Yuen Man‐Fung , Lesmana Laurentius A , Sood Ajit , Chan Albert , Lau George K , Jia Ji Dong , Duan Zhongping , Yu Chen , Yokosuka Osamu , Jain Priyanka , Bhadoria Ajeet S , Kumar Guresh , Sarin Shiv K ,   for the APASL ACLF working party
Published: April 2017

Background and Aim

Systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) is an early marker of sepsis and ongoing inflammation and has been reported in large proportion of acute‐on‐chronic liver failure (ACLF) patients. Whether sepsis is the cause or the result of liver failure is unclear and is vital to know. To address this, the study investigated the course and outcome of ACLF patients without SIRS/sepsis.

Methods

Consecutive ACLF patients were monitored for the development of SIRS/sepsis and associated complications and followed till 90 days, liver transplant or death.

Results

Of 561 patients, 201 (35.8%) had no SIRS and 360 (64.2%) had SIRS with or without infection. New onset SIRS and sepsis developed in 74.6% and 8% respectively in a median of 7 (range 4–15) days, at a rate of 11% per day. The cumulative incidence of new SIRS was 29%, 92.8%, and 100% by days 4, 7, and 15. Liver failure, that is, bilirubin > 12 mg/dL (odds ratio [OR] = 2.5 [95% confidence interval {CI} = 1.05–6.19], P = 0.04) at days 0 and 4, and renal failure at day 4 (OR = 6.74 [95%CI = 1.50–13.29], P = 0.01), independently predicted new onset SIRS. Absence of SIRS in the first week was associated with reduced incidence of organ failure (20% vs 39.4%, P = 0.003), as was the 28‐day (17.6% vs 36%, P = 0.02) and 90‐day (27.5% vs 51%,P = 0.002) mortality. The 90‐day mortality was 61.6% in the total cohort and that for those having no SIRS and SIRS at presentation were 42.8% and 65%, respectively (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Liver failure predicts the development of SIRS. New onset SIRS in the first week is an important determinant of early sepsis, organ failure, and survival. Prompt interventions in this ‘golden window’ before development of sepsis may improve the outcome of ACLF.
Components of Comprehensive and Effective Transitional Care
Authors: Naylor Mary D. , Shaid Elizabeth C. , Carpenter Deborah , Gass Brianna , Levine Carol , Li Jing , Malley Ann , McCauley Kathleen , Nguyen Huong Q. , Watson Heather , Brock Jane , Mittman Brian , Jack Brian , Mitchell Suzanne , Callicoatte Becky , Schall John , Williams Mark V.
Published: April 2017

Transitional care (TC) has received widespread attention from researchers, health system leaders, clinicians, and policy makers as they attempt to improve health outcomes and reduce preventable hospital readmissions, yet little is known about the critical elements of effective TC and how they relate to patients’ and caregivers’ needs and experiences. To address this gap, the Patient‐Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) funded a national study, Achieving patient‐centered Care and optimized Health In care transitions by Evaluating the Value of Evidence (Project ACHIEVE). A primary aim of the study is the identification of TC components that yield desired patient and caregiver outcomes. Project ACHIEVE established a multistakeholder workgroup to recommend essential TC components for vulnerable Medicare beneficiaries. Guided by a review of published evidence, the workgroup identified and defined a preliminary set of components and then analyzed how well the set aligned with real‐world patients' and caregivers' experiences. Through this process, the workgroup identified eight TC components: patient engagement, caregiver engagement, complexity and medication management, patient education, caregiver education, patients' and caregivers' well‐being, care continuity, and accountability. Although the degree of attention given to each component will vary based on the specific needs of patients and caregivers, workgroup members agree that health systems need to address all components to ensure optimal TC for all Medicare beneficiaries.
Off‐Label Prescribing of Second‐Generation Antipsychotics to Elderly Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Dementia
Authors: Semla Todd P. , Lee Austin , Gurrera Ronald , Bajor Laura , Li Mingfei , Miller Donald R. , Smith Eric G. , Wang Chao , Wan Yun , Kazis Lewis E. , Bauer Mark S.
Published: April 2017

Objectives

To determine whether elderly veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and dementia are more likely to be prescribed second‐generation antipsychotics (SGAs) than those with PTSD alone.

Design

National serial cross‐sectional study.

Setting

Veterans Health Affairs inpatient and outpatient settings.

Participants

Veterans aged 65 and older with PTSD (excluding schizophrenia or bipolar disorder) with or without concomitant dementia who received care from the Veterans Health Administration between 2003 and 2010 were identified using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, codes (N = 93,068; 11.1% with dementia).

Measurements

Trends in SGA prescribing and odds of being prescribed an SGA were determined using a multivariable logistic regression model adjusted for clinical, sociodemographic, and geographic covariates.

Results

Between 2004 and 2009, SGA prescribing declined annually from 7.0% to 5.1% of elderly veterans with PTSD without dementia and 13.2% to 8.9% in those with dementia; findings over time consistently indicated that veterans with PTSD and dementia had at least twice the odds of being prescribed an SGA as those without PTSD (odds ratios 2.03 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.82–2.26) to 2.33 (95% CI = 2.10–2.58).

Conclusion

Although the prescribing of SGAs to elderly veterans with PTSD has decreased, prescribing an SGA to those with dementia remained consistently higher than for those with PTSD alone and is problematic given the high prevalence of medical comorbidities in this aging population coupled with the lack of compelling evidence for effectiveness of SGAs in individuals with dementia.
WHY IS THERE A LACK OF EVIDENCE ON KNOWLEDGE SPILLOVERS FROM FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT?
Authors: Rojec Matija , Knell Mark
Published: April 2017

Empirical analyses of knowledge spillovers from foreign direct investment (FDI) offer mixed results; they find positive, neutral and negative FDI spillover effects. This lack of evidence mainly comes from the results of firm‐level panel data analysis. This is important since this approach seems to be the most appropriate for estimating FDI spillovers. The paper takes a look at recent substantive and methodological developments in FDI spillover analysis, which have brought some more optimistic results with regard to FDI spillovers, and can help in further development in this field. The main substantive development relates to the introduction of a broad variety of sources of firm heterogeneity (foreign affiliates as well as local firms) in the analysis. Others include differentiation between vertical (inter‐industry) and horizontal (intra‐industry) spillovers, and host country absorptive capacity for knowledge spillovers. Methodological developments relate to distinguishing between technological/knowledge and productivity spillovers, improvement of modelling and estimation methods, and an increased amount and quality of data.
Working women in the city and urban wage growth in the United States
Authors: Weinstein Amanda L.
Published: April 2017

Although the female labor force participation rate of women has been steadily rising in the United States, there is substantial variation across cities. Previous cross‐county studies find that gender inequality in employment reduces economic efficiency hindering growth. This result is examined in a regional context, across metropolitan areas in the United States. Throughout multiple model formulations including instrumental variables approaches, higher initial female labor force participation rates are positively related to subsequent wage growth in metropolitan areas between 1980 and 2010. Specifically, every 10 percent increase in female labor force participation rates is associated with an increase in real wages of nearly 5 percent.
Impact of sleep inertia on visual selective attention for rare targets and the influence of chronotype
Authors: Ritchie Hannah K. , Burke Tina M. , Dear Tristan B. , Mchill Andrew W. , Axelsson John , Wright Kenneth P.
Published: April 2017

Sleep inertia is affected by circadian phase, with worse performance upon awakening from sleep during the biological night than biological day. Visual search/selective visual attention performance is known to be sensitive to sleep inertia and circadian phase. Individual differences exist in the circadian timing of habitual wake time, which may contribute to individual differences in sleep inertia. Because later chronotypes awaken at an earlier circadian phase, we hypothesized that later chronotypes would have worse visual search performance during sleep inertia than earlier chronotypes if awakened at habitual wake time. We analysed performance from 18 healthy participants [five females (22.1 ± 3.7 years; mean ± SD)] at ~1, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 60 min following electroencephalogram‐verified awakening from an 8 h in‐laboratory sleep opportunity. Cognitive throughput and reaction times of correct responses were impaired by sleep inertia and took ~10–30 min to improve after awakening. Regardless whether chronotype was defined by dim light melatonin onset or mid‐sleep clock hour on free days, derived from the Munich ChronoType Questionnaire, the duration of sleep inertia for cognitive throughput and reaction times was longer for later chronotypes (n = 7) compared with earlier chronotypes (n = 7). Specifically, performance for earlier chronotypes showed significant improvement within ~10–20 min after awakening, whereas performance for later chronotypes took ~30 min or longer to show significant improvement (P < 0.05). Findings have implications for decision making immediately upon awakening from sleep, and are consistent with circadian theory suggesting that sleep inertia contributes to longer‐lasting impairments in morning performance in later chronotypes.
TRIPS and disclosure of clinical information: An intellectual property perspective on data sharing
Authors: Spina Alì Gabriele
Published: April 2017

Health scholars, lawyers, and social activists have greatly emphasized the social benefits of disclosure of clinical reports, that is, dossiers of drugs trials submitted to medical agencies in support of pharmaceutical authorizations. On their side, medical authorities are reluctant to divulge regulatory documents because they fear that they might contain commercial trade secrets of drug applicants. In these regards, the Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property (TRIPS) prohibits trials disclosure except “where necessary to protect the public” or “unless steps are taken to ensure that the data are protected against unfair commercial use.” This paper delves into the complicacies of the TRIPS discipline to clarify the limits imposed by the treaty on medical agencies, and it goes on to suggest meaningful ways of complying with the TRIPS obligations while retaining most of the benefits associated with trials disclosure.
Motor Intentions: How Intentions and Motor Representations Come Together
Authors: Brozzo Chiara
Published: April 2017

What are the most detailed descriptions under which subjects intend to perform bodily actions? According to Pacherie (2006), these descriptions may be found by looking into motor representations—action representations in the brain that determine the movements to be performed. Specifically, for any motor representation guiding an action, its subject has anM‐intentionrepresenting that action in as much detail. I show that some M‐intentions breach the constraints that intentions should meet. I then identify a set of intentions—motor intentions—that represent actions in as much detail as some motor representations while meeting the constraints that intentions should meet.
Life‐Cycle Consumption and Children: Evidence from a Structural Estimation
Authors: Jørgensen Thomas H.
Published: April 2017

I estimate by maximum likelihood a dynamic model of optimal intertemporal allocation of consumption in the presence of children using high‐quality Danish longitudinal data. The number and age of all children can affect the marginal utility of consumption while income uncertainty, credit constraints and postretirement motives also influence household behaviour. While I estimate that children have a surprisingly small effect on the marginal utility of non‐durable consumption, data simulated from the estimated model replicates similar correlations between log consumption growth and changing household composition as found in the Danish data and typically found in UK and US data. To reconcile the results with existing studies, I illustrate how ignoring precautionary motives increases the estimated importance of children. The results indicate that precautionary motives might play a larger role than children in explaining the observed consumption age profile.
On the Simulation of Two‐dimensional Electronic Spectroscopy of Indole‐containing Peptides
Authors: Giussani Angelo , Marcheselli Jacopo , Mukamel Shaul , Garavelli Marco , Nenov Artur
Published: April 2017

A benchmark study of low‐cost multiconfigurational CASSCF/CASPT2 schemes for computing the electronic structure of indole is presented. This facilitates the simulation of near‐ultraviolet (UV) pump visible (VIS) probe (i.e. two‐color) two‐dimensional electronic spectra (2DES) of homo‐ and hetero‐aggregates as well as for processing of multiple snapshots from molecular dynamics simulations. Fingerprint excited‐state absorption signatures of indole are identified in a broad spectral window between 10 and 25 k cm−1. The 18–24 k cm−1 spectral window which has no absorption of the monomer and noninteracting aggregates is ideally suited to embed charge‐transfer signatures in stacked aggregates. The small peptide Trp‐cage, containing a tryptophan and a tyrosine amino acids, having indole and phenol as side chains, respectively, serves to prove the concept. Clear charge‐transfer signatures are found in the proposed spectral window for an interchromophore distance of 5 Å making near‐UV pump VIS probe 2DES a suitable technique for resolving closely packed aggregates. We demonstrate that 2DES utilizing ultra‐short pulses has the potential to resolve the nature of the spectroscopically resolved electronic states and that the line shapes of the excited‐state absorption signals can be correlated to the polarity of the relevant states.
Laurencia majuscula var. elegans (Rhodophyta, Rhodomelaceae) is reinstated to specific rank as L. elegans
Authors: Metti Yola
Published: April 2017

Laurencia majuscula has recently been determined to be conspecific with Laurencia dendroidea. To determine the correct taxonomic placement of its only non‐typical variety, L. majuscula var. elegans, mitochondrial COI‐5P and chloroplast rbcL gene sequences were analyzed and its phylogenetic position was inferred. Laurencia majuscula var. elegans consistently formed a well‐supported clade distinctly separate from the L. dendroidea clade. Molecular analyses revealed that L. majuscula var. elegans generally shows two distinct forms; a long‐branched form, and a compact form. Often the compact form has been identified as a different species based on morphology alone. Included in these analyses were topotype sequences of two species with which L. majuscula var. elegans is most often misidentified; Laurencia nidifica and Laurencia mcdermidiae. Laurencia nidifica formed a well‐supported clade separate from L. majuscula var. elegans. Laurencia mcdermidiae, however, formed a well‐defined clade sister to the L. majuscula var. elegans clade. Morphological comparisons were also made. It is concluded that L. majuscula var. elegans is morphologically distinct from L. dendroidea, L. nidifica, and L. mcdermidiae. It is proposed that L. majuscula var. elegans be reinstated to species level as L. elegans.
Effect of smoking on resting‐state functional connectivity in smokers: An fMRI study
Authors: Zhou Shuang , Xiao Dan , Peng Peng , Wang Shuang‐Kun , Liu Zhao , Qin Hai‐Yan , Li Sheng‐Shu , Wang Chen
Published: April 2017

ABSTRACT

Background and objective

Smoking is a leading cause of death in the world. Aberrant brain function has been repeatedly linked to tobacco smoking. However, little is known about insula‐based resting‐state functional connectivity (rsFC) in non‐deprived tobacco‐dependent smokers. This study characterized the correlation between insula‐based rsFC and tobacco dependence severity in non‐deprived smokers.

Methods

A total of 37 male smokers and 37 age‐matched male non‐smokers completed resting‐state functional MRI (fMRI) scans. The insula‐based rsFC differences between smokers and controls were investigated and the correlation between insula‐based rsFC and FTND (Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence) scores were then assessed.

Results

Compared with controls, smokers showed significantly lower rsFC between orbitofrontal cortex, superior frontal gyrus, temporal lobe and insula. The rsFC between orbitofrontal cortex, temporal lobe, inferior parietal cortex, occipital lobe and insula was positively correlated with FTND. However, the rsFC between anterior cingulate cortex and insula was negatively correlated with FTND.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest differences in brain functional connectivity between smokers and non‐smokers. This study sheds new insights into the neural mechanisms of tobacco dependence.
Estimating the Probability of Human Error by Incorporating Component Failure Data from User‐Induced Defects in the Development of Complex Electrical Systems
Authors: Majewicz Peter J. , Blessner Paul , Olson Bill , Blackburn Timothy
Published: April 2017

This article proposes a methodology for incorporating electrical component failure data into the human error assessment and reduction technique (HEART) for estimating human error probabilities (HEPs). The existing HEART method contains factors known as error‐producing conditions (EPCs) that adjust a generic HEP to a more specific situation being assessed. The selection and proportioning of these EPCs are at the discretion of an assessor, and are therefore subject to the assessor's experience and potential bias. This dependence on expert opinion is prevalent in similar HEP assessment techniques used in numerous industrial areas. The proposed method incorporates factors based on observed trends in electrical component failures to produce a revised HEP that can trigger risk mitigation actions more effectively based on the presence of component categories or other hazardous conditions that have a history of failure due to human error. The data used for the additional factors are a result of an analysis of failures of electronic components experienced during system integration and testing at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. The analysis includes the determination of root failure mechanisms and trend analysis. The major causes of these defects were attributed to electrostatic damage, electrical overstress, mechanical overstress, or thermal overstress. These factors representing user‐induced defects are quantified and incorporated into specific hardware factors based on the system's electrical parts list. This proposed methodology is demonstrated with an example comparing the original HEART method and the proposed modified technique.
Hamstring‐to‐quadriceps fatigue ratio offers new and different muscle function information than the conventional non‐fatigued ratio
Authors: Pinto M. D. , Blazevich A. J. , Andersen L. L. , Mil‐Homens P. , Pinto R. S.
Published: April 2017

Commonly used injury risk prediction tests such as the hamstring‐to‐quadriceps (H:Q) strength ratio appear to be poor predictors of non‐contact injury. However, these tests are typically performed in a non‐fatigued state, despite accumulated fatigue being an important risk factor for both hamstring strain (HS) and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries in professional soccer players. After the effect of different H:Q calculation methods were compared and contrasted, the influence of neuromuscular fatigue on the H:Q strength ratio and the association between fatigued and non‐fatigued ratio scores were examined. Thirty‐five professional soccer players performed a 30‐repetition isokinetic fatigue test protocol. Peak knee joint moments were computed for each repetition, and the H:Q conventional ratio (H:QCR) was calculated using several different, previously published, methods. Knee extensor and flexor moments were statistically decreased by the sixth repetition and continued to decrease until the end of the protocol. However, the H:Q ratio was statistically decreased at the end of the test due to a significant reduction in knee flexor moment (correlation between change in knee flexor moment and change in H:Q, r≈.80; P<.01). Moreover, H:Q measured in fatigue (ie, H:QFatigue) at the end of the test was greater than H:QCR (1.25‐1.38 vs 0.70, P<.01), these variables were weakly correlated (r=.39, P=.02), and subject rankings within the cohort based on H:QCR and H:QFatigue were different (rs=0.25, P=.15). The present data suggest that H:Q ratio measurement during a fatiguing test (H:QFatigue) provides different outcomes to the traditional H:QCR. The observed significant hamstring fatigue and the difference, and weak correlation, between H:QCR and H:QFatigue indicate that useful information might be obtained with respect to the prediction of HS and ACL injury risk. The potential predictive value of H:QFatigue warrants validation in future prospective trials.
Full‐length sequences of 2 HLA‐B alleles, B*48:03:01 and B*48:04:01, confirmed by cloning and sequencing
Authors: Li Z. , Zou H.‐Y.
Published: April 2017

Full‐length sequences of
HLA‐B*48:03:01 and B*48:04:01, confirmed by cloning and sequencing in Chinese donors.
Who Moves Into what Kinds of Neighbourhoods: Spatial Sorting and Integration
Authors: Clark William A.V.
Published: April 2017

This paper asks the question – who moves into what kinds of neighbourhoods and what kind of residential sorting is occurring in the ethnically diverse metropolitan region of Los Angeles. The study examines residential selections across a typology of neighbourhood types in the Los Angeles metropolitan region using residential mobility data from the Los Angeles Family and Neighborhood Survey (LAFANS). Similar to recent work in the UK and Canadian contexts, ethnic groups demonstrate moderately strong relationships between their socio‐economic statuses and their neighbourhood contexts. Both behaviour, that is, actual moves and preferences, are consistent with a tendency to increased mixing and declining segregation in the residential mosaic. In particular, the expressed residential preferences and the choices of these households provide an explanatory context for the overall decline in segregation.
Scarification in sub‐Saharan Africa: social skin, remedy and medical import
Authors: Garve Roland , Garve Miriam , Türp Jens C. , Fobil Julius N. , Meyer Christian G.
Published: April 2017

Various forms of body modification may be observed in sub‐Saharan Africa. Hypotheses and theories of scarification and tribal marking in sub‐Saharan Africa are described, plus the procedure of scarification, examples from several African countries, assumed effects in prevention and treatment of diseases, and the medical risks resulting from unsterile manipulation.
Alternatively activated macrophages derived from THP‐1 cells promote the fibrogenic activities of human dermal fibroblasts
Authors: Zhu Zhensen , Ding Jie , Ma Zengshuan , Iwashina Takashi , Tredget Edward E.
Published: April 2017

Macrophages play a key role in the wound healing process and can be divided into classically activated macrophages (M1) and alternatively activated macrophages (M2). Fibroblasts maintain the physical integrity of connective tissue, participate in wound closure as well as produce and remodel extracellular matrix. Macrophages have a close relationship with fibroblasts by increasing the production of matrix metalloproteinase‐1 (MMP‐1) for faster wound closure and remodeling and myofibroblast differentiation from fibroblasts. In this study, resting state (M0), M1 and M2 macrophages differentiated from the human monocytic THP‐1 cell line were used to co‐culture with human dermal fibroblasts (HDF) for 48, 96 and 144 hours to investigate the effect of macrophages subsets on the fibrogenic activity of fibroblasts. The differentiation and polarization from THP‐1 cells to M0, M1 and M2 macrophages were characterized by flow cytometry and cell cycle analysis. Cell sorting was performed to purify M0 and M2 macrophages. Cell proliferation, collagen synthesis, myofibroblast formation, gene expression of anti‐fibrotic and pro‐fibrotic factors, MMP‐1 activity, and cytokine concentration were investigated. Results showed differentiation of M0 and polarization of M1 and M2 macrophages. M2 macrophages promoted the fibrogenic activities of co‐cultured HDF by facilitating cell proliferation, increasing the collagen content, alpha‐smooth muscle actin expressed cells, expression of the pro‐fibrotic genes and concentration of M2 macrophage related factors, as well as decreasing the expression of the anti‐fibrotic genes and MMP‐1 activity. These findings reinforce the pro‐fibrotic role of M2 macrophages, suggesting therapeutic strategies in fibrotic diseases should target M2 macrophages in the future.
Improved regeneration and de novo bone formation in a diabetic zebrafish model treated with paricalcitol and cinacalcet
Authors: Carvalho Filipe R. , Fernandes Ana R. , Cancela M. Leonor , Gavaia Paulo J.
Published: April 2017

Bone changes related to diabetes have been well stablished, but few strategies have been developed to prevent this growing health problem. In our work, we propose to investigate the effects of calcitriol as well as of a vitamin D analog (paricalcitol) and a calcimimetic (cinacalcet), in fin regeneration and de novo mineralization in a zebrafish model of diabetes. Following exposure of diabetic transgenic Tg(ins:nfsb‐mCherry) zebrafish to calcitriol, paricalcitol and cinacalcet, caudal fins were amputated to assess their effects on tissue regeneration. Caudal fin mineralized and regenerated areas were quantified by in vivo alizarin red staining. Quantitative real‐time PCR was performed using RNA from the vertebral column. Diabetic fish treated with cinacalcet and paricalcitol presented increased regenerated and mineralized areas when compared with non‐treated diabetic group, while no significant increase was observed in non‐diabetic fish treated with both drugs. Gene expression analysis showed an up‐regulation for runt‐related transcription factor 2b (runx2b), bone gamma‐carboxyglutamic acid‐containing protein (bglap), insulin a (insa) and insulin b (insb) and a trend of increase for sp7 transcription factor (sp7) in diabetic groups treated with cinacalcet and paricalcitol. Expression of insra and vdra was up‐regulated in both diabetic and nondiabetic fish treated with cinacalcet. In nondiabetic fish treated with paricalcitol and cinacalcet a similar increase in gene expression could be observed but not so pronounced. The increased mineralization and regeneration in diabetic zebrafish treated with cinacalcet and paricalcitol can be explained by increased osteoblastic differentiation and increased insulin expression indicating pro‐osteogenic potential of both drugs.
Impoliteness and Thematic Variation in Spanish Television Interviews
Authors: Peña Ester Brenes , Rodríguez Catalina Fuentes
Published: April 2017

This paper analyses Spanish television interviews and presents a contrast between the impolite argumentative strategies employed by the interviewer to attack the image of the interviewee in interviews with politicians and celebrities. It aims to demonstrate how the topic addressed and the subtype of interview influence the strategies employed and degree of impoliteness shown by the interviewer. The analysis of our corpus has shown that the current television interview differs from the traditional format of this genre in a number of respects. Impoliteness is used in Spanish interviews in order to attract the audience and to build the journalist’s face in political interviews as participants in ideological confrontation. Nevertheless, the detailed study of the impoliteness strategies employed by the interviewer has shown that the modification of features largely depends on the subtype examined. We observed in television celebrity interviews a wider range of strategies of verbal impoliteness, which are absent from political interviews. This explains why a variationist perspective has been adopted in the analysis of verbal impoliteness.
External Air Flow Over a Pickup Truck: CFD Modeling and Investigation
Authors: Kruepke Scott , Kumpaty Subha
Published: April 2017

Pickup trucks offer operators the advantage of towing payload capacity, but at higher operating costs in terms of fuel usage. Some of the increased fuel usage can be attributed to the shape of the truck, which is not aerodynamically advantageous, especially when compared to the other vehicles. This analysis reviews the air flow patterns around a truck during highway travel and uses computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling to analyze the best method to predict drag coefficient for the truck. This paper investigates the various mesh features available and the physics models that can be used to approximate the fluid flow, determining the significance of each numerical method. The results indicated that a polyhedral mesh with an incompressible fluid assumption, solved using a segregated flow solver and Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes k-ε equations provided a suitable balance between accuracy and computational investment when compared to other turbulence models or physics modeling solvers. Further, the analysis investigated the impact on drag of driving the truck with the bed tailgate in the raised, closed position versus driving with the bed tailgate lowered in the open position. The findings actually show that the truck drag coefficient is reduced by about 3% when the truck is operated with the tailgate in the lowered, open position.
An Approach to Teaching the Finite Element Method That Uses Best Practice Techniques From Industry
Authors: Sracic Michael W.
Published: April 2017

Finite element analysis has become an essential part of the formal design process since it can be used to verify the functionality and life of design components in their loading environments. For large engineering firms with numerous analysts that have varying years of experience, it can be challenging to ensure that analysis results are accurate and free of modeling errors. A finite element analysis checklist (FEA Checklist) can be used as a desktop tool to provide an auditing procedure that each analyst has to follow to prove to both supervisors and, more importantly, customers that the finite element models were created and solved correctly such that the results can be trusted.

In this work, an approach to teaching an introduction to the finite element method for undergraduates is proposed. The proposed course structure includes lectures for theoretical development, where the theory is developed using familiar undergraduate mechanics and mathematics concepts, and a computational practicum, where the practicum uses approaches based on industry finite element analysis techniques.

In the computational practicum, students are tasked with using a finite element analysis checklist to complete all of their analysis projects. During a recent offering of the course, the students were anonymously surveyed regarding the utility of the finite element analysis checklist. 100% of the students agreed that the checklist provided a useful tool to help them understand and execute the finite element method, and nearly half of them agreed strongly.
Heat Pump Interactive Computer Complementary Learning Tool
Authors: Polanco Geanette
Published: April 2017

Currently teaching challenges involve incorporation of new technologies or approaches to address teaching/learning process of students more attracted to technology than before. Additionally, the possibility of having student trough internet demands the use of new technological techniques in order to deliver required concepts in a successful way, especially in those cases where a practical application is involved. This work presents a computer model of the “Heat pump system” equipment located at UiT, The Artic University of Norway - Campus Narvik. This system contains the typical elements in a refrigeration system as a compressor, an evaporator, a condenser, an expansion valve, two filters and a visor. The working fluid inside the refrigerant system is Chlorodifluoromethane (CHClF2) frequently known as refrigerant R22, meanwhile the contraflow fluid in the heat exchanger is water. Golden factor of having experimental facility is the fact that the phenomenon will occur as it is, without any theoretical considerations or assumptions. So, when merging both technology and actual equipment, concepts and definitions can be demonstrated by experimental activities and also the models frequently used can be compared to the actual parameters behaviour. For instance, relation between thermodynamics properties and the mechanical variables as compressor power can be described based on the functioning of the equipment, but the realistic application of isentropic functioning of the compressor can be contrasted against the actual compressor performance, or the isobaric assumption on the heat exchanger can be compared against the heat exchanger working at particular conditions. Refrigeration cycle theoretical computer model can be built based on pressure values before and after the compressor as well as the temperatures at key points, however, actual system will have a complete set of parameter values at different location. Comparing both theoretical and actual cycles on pressure-temperature graph, efficiency of the model can be obtained in an interactive way. In this way, teaching activities will cover the necessary development of analytical thinking about the applicability of different models in different engineering application trough out a refrigeration case. Moreover computer model technique also introduces the possibility of expansion the range of possible refrigerant fluids, which can be tested without compromise the safety of the students when the materials or fluids involved could be considered as hazardous. The presented computer model includes the use of computational tool called PRODE® to calculate the properties of the flow. As result, an interactive computer model was developed as an extra help within the teaching/learning process.
Comparing Transparent Devices to Current Educational Methods for Enhancing Comprehension of Product Functionality
Authors: Pedersen Ariana , Salmon John L.
Published: April 2017

Mechanical dissection has become a popular method for introducing engineering students to design. However, there are many factors preventing mechanical dissection from becoming widespread. We propose an alternative to mechanical dissection focused on functionality. Transparent devices are modified devices that allow students to inspect the internal components while it is operating. To test the effectiveness of transparent devices, we compared a diagram to a dissected and a transparent device. The devices were presented to university students. After being allowed to inspect an opaque device and supplementary material, students were asked how the device functions and their confidence level. They were scored based on how correct their answers were. We found that both dissected and transparent devices were more effective in increasing comprehension and confidence than the diagram. There was little difference between dissected and transparent devices. The transparent device did produce a better correlation between correctness and confidence.
Assigning Students Teacher’s Role: A Student-Centered Approach in Computer-Aided Design Education
Authors: Peng Xiaobo , Yuan Tianyun , Nadeem Uzair , Ketsetzi Antonia , Yalvac Bugrahan , Eseryel Deniz , Eyupoglu T. Fulya , Cui Suxia
Published: April 2017

This paper presents the preliminary work of implementing the learning by teaching approach, a student-centered pedagogy, in the Computer-Aided Design (CAD) education. Following an experimental study design, students were grouped into control section and experimental section. In the control section, students received the traditional instructor-centered instruction. In the experimental section, students were assigned into small groups and taught the course content to their peers during the class meeting. The students’ learning outcomes were evaluated, such as life-long learning skill, engineering attitude, and CAD modeling skills using NX. A CAD modeling test was used at the end of semester to assess the students’ CAD modeling skills. The engineering attitude survey and the life-long learning scale were conducted at the beginning and the end of semester. The statistical analyses were performed to examine the impact of activities. The results revealed that the students’ engineering attitude was significantly improved. In addition, experimental group students completed an exit survey that collected their feedback on the teaching activities.
Melt ejection from copper target in air in the presence of magnetic field using nanosecond pulsed laser ablation
Authors: Singh Khwairakpam Shantakumar , Sharma Ashwini Kumar
Published: April 2017

The authors report on the study of the crater generated using a nanosecond laser on a copper target in air in the presence of uniform and nonuniform magnetic fields. The analysis of particles deposited inside and around the crater revealed that the generation of large particles (≥0.68 μm) is due to the melt ejection and instability in the liquid layer. The presence of a nonuniform magnetic field causes an additional drift to molten liquid which in turn increases the Kelvin–Helmholtz instability. The percentage of large particles increased due to the enhancement in the Kelvin–Helmholtz instability and mass ejection. The intensity of copper atomic transitions was enhanced in the presence of a uniform magnetic field compared to a nonuniform magnetic field. This is more likely due to an increase in melt ejected mass in the plasma in the presence of a nonuniform magnetic field which may scatter or absorb laser light which in turn decreases laser–matter interaction. The energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy showed the deposited particles are Cu2O. In the presence of a nonuniform magnetic field, the intensity of Raman Cu2O was enhanced, which is attributed to an increase in the number of Cu2O particles.
Experimental validation of acoustic intensity bandwidth extension by phase unwrapping
Authors: Gee Kent L. , Neilsen Tracianne B. , Sommerfeldt Scott D. , Akamine Masahito , Okamoto Koji
Published: April 2017

The phase and amplitude gradient estimator (PAGE) method for active acoustic intensity uses pairwise microphone transfer functions to obtain the phase gradient, which improves the calculation bandwidth over the traditional weighted quadspectral method. Additionally, for broadband sources, the PAGE theory indicates that the transfer function phase can be unwrapped to further extend the usable frequency range to beyond the spatial Nyquist frequency. Here, two experiments demonstrate intensity bandwidth extension by more than an order of magnitude using phase unwrapping. First, plane-wave tube results show accurate one-dimensional intensity calculations with the microphones separated by five wavelengths, 30 times the traditional limit. Second, two-dimensional measurements of a laboratory-scale jet with a four-microphone probe yield physically reasonable calculations at frequencies 15 times the traditional limit.
Potato Virus Y HCPro Suppression of Antiviral Silencing in Nicotiana benthamiana Plants Correlates with Its Ability To Bind
In Vivo
to 21- and 22-Nucleotide Small RNAs of Viral Sequence
Authors: del Toro Francisco J. , Donaire Livia , Aguilar Emmanuel , Chung Bong-Nam , Tenllado Francisco , Canto Tomás
Published: April 2017

We have investigated short and small RNAs (sRNAs) that were bound to a biologically active hexahistidine-tagged
Potato virus Y
(PVY) HCPro suppressor of silencing, expressed from a heterologous virus vector in
Nicotiana benthamiana
plants, and purified under nondenaturing conditions. We found that RNAs in purified preparations were differentially enriched in 21-nucleotide (nt) and, to a much lesser extent, 22-nt sRNAs of viral sequences (viral sRNAs [vsRNAs]) compared to those found in a control plant protein background bound to nickel resin in the absence of HCPro or in a purified HCPro alanine substitution mutant (HCPro mutB) control that lacked suppressor-of-silencing activity. In both controls, sRNAs were composed almost entirely of molecules of plant sequence, indicating that the resin-bound protein background had no affinity for vsRNAs and also that HCPro mutB failed to bind to vsRNAs. Therefore, PVY HCPro suppressor activity correlated with its ability to bind to 21- and 22-nt vsRNAs. HCPro constituted at least 54% of the total protein content in purified preparations, and we were able to calculate its contribution to the 21- and the 22-nt pools of sRNAs present in the purified samples and its binding strength relative to the background. We also found that in the 21-nt vsRNAs of the HCPro preparation, 5′-terminal adenines were overrepresented relative to the controls, but this was not observed in vsRNAs of other sizes or of plant sequences.

IMPORTANCE
It was previously shown that HCPro can bind to long RNAs and small RNAs (sRNAs)
in vitro
and, in the case of
Turnip mosaic virus
HCPro, also
in vivo
in arabidopsis AGO2-deficient plants. Our data show that PVY HCPro binds
in vivo
to sRNAs during infection in wild-type
Nicotiana benthamiana
plants when expressed from a heterologous virus vector. Using a suppression-of-silencing-deficient HCPro mutant that can accumulate in this host when expressed from a virus vector, we also show that sRNA binding correlates with silencing suppression activity. We demonstrate that HCPro binds at least to sRNAs with viral sequences of 21 nucleotides (nt) and, to a much lesser extent, of 22 nt, which were are also differentially enriched in 5′-end adenines relative to the purified controls. Together, our results support the physical binding of HCPro to vsRNAs of 21 and 22 nt as a means to interfere with antiviral silencing.
Walleye recruitment success is less resilient to warming water temperatures in lakes with abundant largemouth bass populations
Authors: Hansen Gretchen J.A. , Midway Stephen R. , Wagner Tyler
Published: April 2017

Lakes respond heterogeneously to climate, with implications for fisheries management. We analyzed walleye (Sander vitreus) recruitment to age-0 in 359 lakes in Wisconsin, USA, to (i) quantify the relationship between annual water temperature degree days (DD) and walleye recruitment success and (ii) identify the influence of lake characteristics — area, conductivity, largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) catch rates, and mean DD — on this relationship. The relationship between walleye recruitment and annual DD varied among lakes and was not distinguishable from zero overall (posterior mean = −0.11, 90% CI = −0.34, 0.15). DD effects on recruitment were negative in 198 lakes (55%) and positive in 161 (45%). The effect of annual DD was most negative in lakes with high largemouth bass densities, and, on average, the probability of recruitment was highest in large lakes with low largemouth bass densities. Conductivity and mean DD influenced neither recruitment nor the effect of annual DD. Walleye recruitment was most resilient to warming in lakes with few largemouth bass, suggesting that the effects of climate change depend on lake-specific food-web and habitat contexts.
Structural and thermomechanical properties of the zinc-blende AlX (X = P, As, Sb) compounds
Authors: Ha Vu Thi Thanh , Hung Vu Van , Hanh Pham Thi Minh , Nguyen Viet Tuyen , Hieu Ho Khac
Published: April 2017

The structural and thermomechanical properties of zinc-blende aluminum class of III–V compounds have been studied based on the statistical moment method (SMM) in quantum statistical mechanics. Within the SMM scheme, we derived the analytical expressions of the nearest-neighbor distance, thermal expansion coefficient, atomic mean-square displacement and elastic moduli (Young’s modulus, bulk modulus and shear modulus). Numerical calculations have been performed for zinc-blende AlX (X = As, P, Sb) at ambient conditions up to the temperature of 1000 K. Our results are in good and reasonable agreements with earlier measurements and can provide useful references for future experimental and theoretical works. This research presents a systematic approach to investigate the thermodynamic and mechanical properties of materials.
Entropy evolution of a damped harmonic oscillator driven by quasimonochromatic noise and external periodic force
Authors: Qin Jie , Ning Lijuan
Published: April 2017

This paper addresses the entropy evolution of a damped harmonic oscillator driven by quasimonochromatic noise (QMN). Due to QMN is distinct from white noise, so this paper studied the effect of QMN noise on the upper bound of time derivative of entropy for a damped harmonic oscillator. Through the comparison of probability density function (PDF) and the upper bound for the time derivative of entropy, we find that the entropy evolution is also a useful tool to describe the system dynamic behavior. Then we discuss the interplay of the parameters of QMN, damping constant, the frequency of oscillator and external periodic force and their effects on the upper bound for the rate of entropy change. Finally, some beneficial conclusions are obtained.
Reliability challenge of ESD protection: From planner SOI MOSFET to SOI FinFET
Authors: Jiang Yibo , Bi Hui , Dong Liangwei , Li Qinglong
Published: April 2017

Implementation of Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) protection in Silicon on Insulator (SOI) technology is a challenge because of the inherent properties of poor heat conductor and heat trapping. In this paper, a novel device as ESD clamp is proposed as Fix-Base SOI FinFET clamp which addresses the troublesome problem of floating base. Moreover, its manufacturing process is compatible to the normal SOI process flow well. Finally, a detailed discussion including current density and thermal distribution are presented with the technique of 3D TCAD simulation.
40 Gbaud binary phase shift keying signal modulation using a substrate removed silicon modulator
Authors: Li Miaofeng , Xiao Xi , Yang Qi , Yu Shaohua
Published: April 2017

Substrate removing technique is proposed in silicon Mach–Zehnder modulator (MZM) to improve the electro-optic bandwidth. Based on this technique, a silicon MZM with 3 dB electro-optical bandwidth of 55 GHz is achieved at 5 V reverse bias for the first time. The V[Formula: see text] L of the modulator is 1.3 V[Formula: see text]cm with an on-chip insertion loss of 5.4 dB. The substrate removing technique reduces the electrode transmission loss, achieves the electro-optical group index matching and realizes 50 [Formula: see text] impedance matching, simultaneously. In this work, we experimentally demonstrate BPSK modulation based on this modulator at the baud rate up to 56 Gb/s.