bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Knowledge, wisdom, and the brain
The Neuroscientist Who Lost Her Mind
: My Tale of Madness and Recovery
Barbara K. Lipska with Elaine McArdle
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2018. 208 pp.
Authors: Hayden Adam
Published: March 2018

A neuroscientist's battle with brain cancer prompts a personal reflection on identity and the disease process
From rock-stable to reactive phosphorus
Authors: Protasiewicz John D.
Published: March 2018

A low-temperature route converts phosphate into an anion useful in chemical synthesis
A radical advance for conducting polymers
Authors: Lutkenhaus Jodie
Published: March 2018

Organic radical polymers can have much higher electrical conductivities than anticipated
Chemotherapy with Phage Lysins Reduces Pneumococcal Colonization of the Respiratory Tract
Authors: Corsini Bruno , Díez-Martínez Roberto , Aguinagalde Leire , González-Camacho Fernando , García-Fernández Esther , Letrado Patricia , García Pedro , Yuste Jose
Published: March 2018

Bacteriophage-borne lytic enzymes, also named lysins or enzybiotics, are efficient agents for the killing of bacterial pathogens. The colonization of the respiratory tract by
Streptococcus pneumoniae
is a prerequisite for the establishment of the infection process. Hence, we have evaluated the antibacterial activities of three different lysins against pneumococcal colonization using human nasopharyngeal and lung epithelial cells as well as a mouse model of nasopharyngeal colonization. The lysins tested were the wild-type Cpl-1, the engineered Cpl-7S, and the chimera Cpl-711. Moreover, we included amoxicillin as a comparator antibiotic. Human epithelial cells were infected with three different multidrug-resistant clinical isolates of
S. pneumoniae
followed by a single dose of the corresponding lysin. The antimicrobial activities of these lysins were also evaluated using a mouse nasopharyngeal carriage model. The exposure of the infected epithelial cells to Cpl-7S did not result in the killing of any of the pneumococcal strains investigated. However, the treatment with Cpl-1 or Cpl-711 increased the killing of
S. pneumoniae
organisms adhered to both types of human epithelial cells, with Cpl-711 being more effective than Cpl-1, at subinhibitory concentrations. In addition, a treatment with amoxicillin had no effect on reducing the carrier state, whereas mice treated by the intranasal route with Cpl-711 showed significantly reduced nasopharyngeal colonization, with no detection of bacterial load in 20 to 40% of the mice. This study indicates that Cpl-1 and Cpl-711 lysins might be promising antimicrobial candidates for therapy against pneumococcal colonization.
Survival in Patients with Candida glabrata Bloodstream Infection Is Associated with Fluconazole Dose
Authors: Eschenauer Gregory A. , Carver Peggy L. , Patel Twisha S. , Lin Shu-Wen , Klinker Kenneth P. , Pai Manjunath P. , Lam Simon W.
Published: March 2018

Robust pharmacodynamic indices that align fluconazole dose or exposure with outcomes in invasive candidiasis due to
Candida glabrata
remain elusive. The purpose of this retrospective multicenter study was to evaluate a cohort of 127 patients with
C. glabrata
fungemia treated with fluconazole, using adjusted analyses to identify risk factors for 28-day death. No significant correlations were found between fluconazole area under the curve (AUC), AUC/MIC ratio, or MIC and survival. In multivariate logistic regression analyses, however, higher average fluconazole dose (odds ratio [OR], 1.006 [95% confidence interval [CI], 1.001 to 1.010];
P
= 0.008), average fluconazole dose of ≥400 mg (OR, 3.965 [95% CI, 1.509 to 10.418];
P
= 0.005), and higher fluconazole dose on day 1 of therapy (OR, 1.007 [95% CI, 1.002 to 1.011];
P
= 0.002) were found to be independent predictors of 28-day survival. Additionally, the presence of a central venous catheter at the time of infection was found to be a significant risk factor for death. In conclusion, we found fluconazole dose to be an independent predictor of 28-day survival for patients with
C. glabrata
fungemia, with doses of ≥400 mg/day being associated with 28-day survival rates approaching 90%. These data indicate the use and efficacy of fluconazole in the treatment of this serious infection. Aggressive dosing appears to be necessary when fluconazole is used for the treatment of
C. glabrata
fungemia, irrespective of MIC.
Evaluation of Fluorescence Microsphere Immunoassay for Detection of Antibodies to Rift Valley Fever Virus Nucleocapsid Protein and Glycoproteins
Authors: Ragan I. K. , Davis A. S. , McVey D. S. , Richt J. A. , Rowland R. R. , Wilson W. C.
Published: March 2018

Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) is a mosquito-borne, zoonotic virus that infects ruminants, including cattle, sheep, goats, camels, and buffalo. Multiplexing diagnostic assays that can simultaneously detect antibodies against multiple RVFV antigens offer a high-throughput test for disease surveillance and vaccine evaluations. We describe the improvement and evaluation of a previously developed fluorescence microsphere immunoassay (FMIA) for the detection of IgG and IgM antibodies against the RVFV glycoprotein (Gn) and the immunogenic nucleocapsid protein (Np). Well-characterized vaccinated and experimentally infected ruminant sera were used for the evaluation of the assay. Recombinant viral proteins were produced and then coupled to polystyrene magnetic beads for analysis using the Luminex MAGPIX system with xMAP technology. The FMIA was performed in parallel with virus neutralization tests. Our results revealed the highest median fluorescence intensity (MFI) values for the detection of IgG antibodies against RVFV Np, indicating that this antigen would be a good candidate for a screening assay. The Np and Gn targets could differentiate infected animals from animals vaccinated with a candidate subunit vaccine formulation based on the RVFV Gn and Gc proteins. The results presented in this report demonstrate that FMIA provides a rapid and robust serological diagnostic tool for the detection of antibodies against RVFV. The targets developed in this assay provide the basis for the development of a companion diagnostic test for an RVFV Gn/Gc subunit vaccine that is capable of differentiating infected from vaccinated animals (DIVA), as well as a multiplex serodiagnostic assay that can simultaneously screen for several ruminant diseases.
Muscular Diagnostics and the Feasibility of Microsystem Acupuncture as a Potential Adjunct in the Treatment of Painful Temporomandibular Disorders: Results of a Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Simma Irmgard , Simma Leopold , Fleckenstein Johannes
Published: March 2018

Aims

To investigate the effect of microsystem acupuncture on painful temporomandibular disorders (TMD).

Methods

We retrospectively analysed 887 treatments in 407 TMD-patients (mean age 45±1.5 years), who received microsystem acupuncture (mouth, scalp or fingers) with a focus on oral acupuncture. All patients systematically underwent palpation of specific muscular tender points and their pain rating was assessed on a four-point Likert scale (no pain to strong pain) before and after treatment. In 42 cases, the pain intensity was determined using a visual analogue scale (0–100 mm). As the data were normally distributed, analysis was performed with unpaired t-tests.

Results

The pterygoid muscles were most painful to palpation, with the lateral pterygoid rated moderate to strong by 76% of patients and the medial pterygoid by 48% of patients. The palpation of microsystem acupuncture points revealed the strongest sensitivity (moderate or strong pain) of the oral retromolar points at the upper jaw (83%). After treatment, the pain intensity of all tender points had significantly decreased (P<0.001). The proportion of moderate to strong pain ratings was below 3% at most tender points. Overall pain intensity of the subjects (n=42) before treatment was 55.5±19.7 mm on the VAS scale and was significantly reduced to 29.6±20.9 mm (P<0.001) post-treatment.

Conclusions

This analysis suggests microsystem acupuncture could reduce the pain intensity of TMD in the short term. Considering the increased local muscular tenderness, further investigations regarding the key role of myofascial trigger points in the occurrence of TMDs are warranted and could lead to new comprehensive treatment strategies.
What have we learned about exfoliation syndrome since its discovery by John Lindberg 100 years ago?
Authors: Nazarali Samir , Damji Faraz , Damji Karim F
Published: March 2018

Exfoliation syndrome (XFS) is a systemic disease with significant ocular manifestations, including glaucoma and cataract. The disease impacts close to 70 million people globally and is now recognised as the most common identifiable cause of open-angle glaucoma. Since the discovery of XFS 100 years ago by Dr John G. Lindberg, there has been considerable advancement in understanding its pathogenesis and resulting clinical implications. The purpose of this paper is to summarise information regarding the epidemiology, pathophysiology, ocular manifestations and systemic associations of XFS with the objective of sharing clinical pearls to assist in early detection and enhanced management of patients.
Early OCT angiography changes of type 1 CNV in exudative AMD treated with anti-VEGF
Authors: Pilotto Elisabetta , Frizziero Luisa , Daniele Anna Rita , Convento Enrica , Longhin Evelyn , Guidolin Francesca , Parrozzani Raffaele , Cavarzeran Fabiano , Midena Edoardo
Published: March 2018

Aims

To investigate, with optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA), short-term changes of type 1 choroidal neovascularisation (CNV), secondary to exudative age-related macular degeneration, after anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) treatment.

Methods

Patients affected by type 1 CNV treated with intravitreal anti-VEGF were consecutively enrolled. All patients underwent OCTA examination before and 48 hours after anti-VEGF treatment. Quantitative and qualitative vascular and morphological macular changes were evaluated.

Results

Sixteen eyes were included (11 treated with aflibercept and 5 with ranibizumab). Both CNV mean area and pigment epithelium detachment significantly reduced (p=0.0004 and p=0.0007, respectively) after treatment. Cystoid macular oedema (four eyes) decreased in all cases. Neuroretinal detachment (13 eyes) decreased in 85% of cases (11 eyes). Fine CNV vessels density decreased in 75% (12 eyes), whereas larger CNV vessels density remained stable in 66.7% (10 eyes), choroidal flow void signal (7 eyes at baseline) increased in 42.9% (3 eyes) of them and remained stable in 57.1% (4 eyes). Interoperator reproducibility for OCT examination was good for all measurements (intraclass correlation coefficient>0.65).

Conclusion

Early remodelling of type 1 CNV network after treatment may be non-invasively and reproducibly analysed by means of OCTA. Choroidal perfusion impairment, choroidal flow void signal, surrounding CNV may change during treatment.
Baseline choroidal thickness as a short-term predictor of visual acuity improvement following antivascular endothelial growth factor therapy in branch retinal vein occlusion
Authors: Rayess Nadim , Rahimy Ehsan , Ying Gui-Shuang , Pefkianaki Maria , Franklin Jason , Regillo Carl D , Ho Allen C , Hsu Jason
Published: March 2018

Purpose

To evaluate the association between subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) and branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) eyes treated with antivascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) therapy.

Methods

Retrospective cohort study of treatment naïve BRVO eyes treated with 3 monthly anti-VEGF injections. All patients received enhanced depth imaging spectral-domain optical coherence tomography scans to determine SFCT and central macular thickness (CMT). Baseline predictors (particularly SFCT) for functional response (best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) gain ≥2 lines) were assessed at 3 months using univariate and multivariate analyses.

Results

Forty eyes from 39 patients were included. Mean baseline SFCT was higher in functional responders (240.4±73.1 µm), compared with both non-responders (193.3±63.6 µm; p=0.036) and their corresponding fellow eye (202.2±67.1 µm; p=0.022). A higher baseline SFCT (for every 100 µm increase in SFCT) was found to be a positive predictor for functional response (regression coefficient: 1.1; p=0.03) on univariate analysis but not multivariate analysis. A worse baseline BCVA (for every 0.1 logMAR increase) was a positive predictor for visual improvement with an adjusted OR of 1.30 (95% CI 1.03 to 1.63; p=0.0009) on multivariate analysis.

Conclusions

Patients with BRVO with a worse initial BCVA are most likely to achieve visual improvement following anti-VEGF therapy. Additionally, baseline SFCT may also help predict which patients with BRVO have favourable visual outcomes. Patients with an initial choroidal thickness thicker than their fellow eye are more likely to have short-term visual improvement following treatment.
Prevalence of potentially inappropriate prescribing in a subpopulation of older European clinical trial participants: a cross-sectional study
Authors: O Riordan David , Aubert Carole Elodie , Walsh Kieran A , Van Dorland Anette , Rodondi Nicolas , Du Puy Robert S , Poortvliet Rosalinde K E , Gussekloo Jacobijn , Sinnott Carol , Byrne Stephen , Galvin Rose , Jukema J Wouter , Mooijaart Simon P , Baumgartner Christine , McCarthy Vera , Walsh Elaine K , Collet Tinh-Hai , Dekkers Olaf M , Blum Manuel R , Kearney Patricia M
Published: March 2018

Objectives

To estimate and compare the prevalence and type of potentially inappropriate prescribing (PIP) and potential prescribing omissions (PPOs) among community-dwelling older adults (≥65 years) enrolled to a clinical trial in three European countries.

Design

A secondary analysis of the Thyroid Hormone Replacement for Subclinical Hypothyroidism Trial dataset.

Participants

A subset of 48/80 PIP and 22/34 PPOs indicators from the Screening Tool of Older Persons Prescriptions/Screening Tool to Alert doctors to Right Treatment (STOPP/START) V2 criteria were applied to prescribed medication data for 532/737 trial participants in Ireland, Switzerland and the Netherlands.

Results

The overall prevalence of PIP was lower in the Irish participants (8.7%) compared with the Swiss (16.7%) and Dutch (12.5%) participants (P=0.15) and was not statistically significant. The overall prevalence of PPOs was approximately one-quarter in the Swiss (25.3%) and Dutch (24%) participants and lower in the Irish (14%) participants (P=0.04) and the difference was statistically significant. The hypnotic Z-drugs were the most frequent PIP in Irish participants, (3.5%, n=4), while it was non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug and oral anticoagulant combination, sulfonylureas with a long duration of action, and benzodiazepines (all 4.3%, n=7) in Swiss, and benzodiazepines (7.1%, n=18) in Dutch participants. The most frequent PPOs in Irish participants were vitamin D and calcium in osteoporosis (3.5%, n=4). In the Swiss and Dutch participants, they were bone antiresorptive/anabolic therapy in osteoporosis (9.9%, n=16, 8.6%, n=22) respectively. The odds of any PIP after adjusting for age, sex, multimorbidity and polypharmacy were (adjusted OR (aOR)) 3.04 (95% CI 1.33 to 6.95, P<0.01) for Swiss participants and aOR 1.74 (95% CI 0.79 to 3.85, P=0.17) for Dutch participants compared with Irish participants. The odds of any PPOs were aOR 2.48 (95% CI 1.27 to 4.85, P<0.01) for Swiss participants and aOR 2.10 (95% CI 1.11 to 3.96, P=0.02) for Dutch participants compared with Irish participants.

Conclusions

This study has estimated and compared the prevalence and type of PIP and PPOs among this cohort of community-dwelling older people. It demonstrated a significant difference in the prevalence of PPOs between the three populations. Further research is urgently needed into the impact of system level factors as this has important implications for patient safety, healthcare provision and economic costs.
Seroprevalence of antibodies against varicella zoster virus and rubella virus among newly recruited expatriate healthcare workers: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Shady Ibrahim
Published: March 2018

Objectives

To assess the state of immunity to varicella zoster virus (VZV) and rubella virus (RV) among newly recruited healthcare workers (HCWs) in Kuwait before they begin work, and to determine whether there are differences in the prevalence of seronegativity according to nationality, gender, age group and occupation group.

Setting

This cross-sectional study involved analysis of blood samples from workers newly recruited to the Kuwaiti healthcare system.

Participants

All new non- national HCWs recruited during the study period (n=1540).

Intervention

Enzyme-linked immunoassays for VZV-specific and RV-specific IgG were performed.

Results

Among HCWs, 81.9% and 93.5% were immune to VZV and RV, respectively. Male seronegativity was higher than that of females for both viruses. Regarding VZV, the majority of seronegative individuals were Indians (23.5%), followed by Somalis (12.5), Filipinos (6.5) and Egyptians (5.4%); the between-group differences were significant for all groups. The age groups 20–30 and 30–40 years were most likely to be seronegative, with prevalences of 18.2% and 18.9%, respectively. VZV seronegativity was most common among nurses (21.1%) and least common among physicians (9.2%), and the difference was significant. In addition, RV seronegativity was most frequent among Somalis (12.5%) and lowest among Indians (5.3%); other nationalities (Egyptian, Filipino and others) ranged between 9.1% and 9.6%. Seronegative individuals were most frequently in the younger age group (<20 years old) (17.5%), followed by the >40 years old group (10.4%). RV seronegativity was highest among nurses (6.9%) and lowest among physicians (5.2%).

Conclusion

The prevalence of seronegativity is highest among Indians for VZV and Somalis for RV, and HCWs aged 20–40 years for VZV and <20 years for RV. For both viruses, the seronegativity rate was highest for male HCWs, and for nurses compared with other HCWs, with physicians having the lowest prevalence of both viruses.
Can a midwife-led continuity model improve maternal services in a low-resource setting? A non-randomised cluster intervention study in Palestine
Authors: Mortensen Berit , Lukasse Mirjam , Diep Lien My , Lieng Marit , Abu-Awad Amal , Suleiman Munjid , Fosse Erik
Published: March 2018

Objectives

To improve maternal health services in rural areas, the Palestinian Ministry of Health launched a midwife-led continuity model in the West Bank in 2013. Midwives were deployed weekly from governmental hospitals to provide antenatal and postnatal care in rural clinics. We studied the intervention’s impact on use and quality indicators of maternal services after 2 years’ experience.

Design

A non-randomised intervention design was chosen. The study was based on registry data only available at cluster level, 2 years before (2011and2012) and 2 years after (2014and2015) the intervention.

Setting

All 53 primary healthcare clinics in Nablus and Jericho regions were stratified for inclusion.

Primary and secondary outcomes

Primary outcome was number of antenatal visits. Important secondary outcomes were number of referrals to specialist care and number of postnatal home visits. Differences in changes within the two groups before and after the intervention were compared by using mixed effect models.

Results

14 intervention clinics and 25 control clinics were included. Number of antenatal visits increased by 1.16 per woman in the intervention clinics, while declined by 0.39 in the control clinics, giving a statistically significant difference in change of 1.55 visits (95% CI 0.90 to 2.21). A statistically significant difference in number of referrals was observed between the groups, giving a ratio of rate ratios of 3.65 (2.78–4.78) as number of referrals increased by a rate ratio of 3.87 in the intervention group, while in the control the rate ratio was only 1.06.

Home visits increased substantially in the intervention group but decreased in the control group, giving a ratio of RR 97.65 (45.20 - 210.96)

Conclusion

The Palestinian midwife-led continuity model improved use and some quality indicators of maternal services. More research should be done to investigate if the model influenced individual health outcomes and satisfaction with care.

Trial registration number

NCT03145571; Results.
Self-management interventions for adults with chronic kidney disease: a scoping review
Authors: Donald Maoliosa , Kahlon Bhavneet Kaur , Beanlands Heather , Straus Sharon , Ronksley Paul , Herrington Gwen , Tong Allison , Grill Allan , Waldvogel Blair , Large Chantel A , Large Claire L , Harwood Lori , Novak Marta , James Matthew T , Elliott Meghan , Fernandez Nicolas , Brimble Scott , Samuel Susan , Hemmelgarn Brenda R
Published: March 2018

Objective

To systematically identify and describe self-management interventions for adult patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Setting

Community-based.

Participants

Adults with CKD stages 1–5 (not requiring kidney replacement therapy).

Interventions

Self-management strategies for adults with CKD.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

Using a scoping review, electronic databases and grey literature were searched in October 2016 to identify self-management interventions for adults with CKD stages 1–5 (not requiring kidney replacement therapy). Randomised controlled trials (RCTs), non-RCTs, qualitative and mixed method studies were included and study selection and data extraction were independently performed by two reviewers. Outcomes included behaviours, cognitions, physiological measures, symptoms, health status and healthcare.

Results

Fifty studies (19 RCTs, 7 quasi-experimental, 5 observational, 13 pre-post intervention, 1 mixed method and 5 qualitative) reporting 45 interventions were included. The most common intervention topic was diet/nutrition and interventions were regularly delivered face to face. Interventions were administered by a variety of providers, with nursing professionals the most common health professional group. Cognitions (ie, changes in general CKD knowledge, perceived self-management and motivation) were the most frequently reported outcome domain that showed improvement. Less than 1% of the interventions were co-developed with patients and 20% were based on a theory or framework.

Conclusions

There was a wide range of self-management interventions with considerable variability in outcomes for adults with CKD. Major gaps in the literature include lack of patient engagement in the design of the interventions, with the majority of interventions not applying a behavioural change theory to inform their development. This work highlights the need to involve patients to co-developed and evaluate a self-management intervention based on sound theories and clinical evidence.
Role of CHA2DS2-VASc score in predicting new-onset atrial fibrillation in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus with and without hyperosmolar hyperglycaemic state: real-world data from a nationwide cohort
Authors: Hu Wei-Syun , Lin Cheng-Li
Published: March 2018

Purpose

The objective of the current study was to explore the role of CHA2DS2-VASc score in predicting incidence of atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). Furthermore, the use of the CHA2DS2-VASc score for stratifying new-onset AF risk in patients with DM and with/without hyperosmolar hyperglycaemic state (HHS) was also compared.

Methods

The study subjects were identified from Longitudinal Health Insurance Database provided by the National Health Research Institutes. The patients with DM were divided into two groups based on a history of HHS or not. The predictive ability of CHA2DS2-VASc score for stratifying new-onset AF risk in the two groups was calculated using the area under the curve of receiver-operating characteristic (AUROC).

Results

The present study involved a total of 69 530 patients with type 2 DM. Among them, 1558 patients had a history of HHS, whereas 67 972 patients did not. The AUROC of the CHA2DS2-VASc score as a predictor of incident AF in patients with DM and with/without HHS was 0.67 (95% CI 0.59 to 0.75) and 0.71 (95% CI 0.70 to 0.72), respectively.

Conclusions

To conclude, we reported for the first time on the assessment of CHA2DS2-VASc score for incident AF risk discrimination in patients with type 2 DM. We further found that the predictive ability of the CHA2DS2-VASc score was attenuated in patients with type 2 DM and with HHS in comparison with those without HHS.
Factor VIIa administration in traumatic brain injury: an AAST-MITC propensity score analysis
Authors: Lombardo Sarah , Millar D , Jurkovich Gregory J , Coimbra Raul , Nirula Ram
Published: March 2018

Background

Recombinant factor VIIa (rFVIIa) has been used off-label as an adjunct in the reversal of warfarin therapy and management of hemorrhage after trauma. Only a handful of these reports are rigorous studies, from which results regarding safety and effectiveness have been mixed. There remains no clear consensus as to the role of rFVIIa in traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Methods

Eleven level 1 trauma centers provided clinical data and head CT scans of patients with a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of ≤13 and radiographic evidence of TBI. A propensity score (PS) to receive rFVIIa in those surviving ≥2 days was calculated for each patient based on patient demographics, comorbidities, physiology, Injury Severity Score, admission GCS score, and treatment center. Patients receiving rFVIIa within 24 hours of admission were matched to patients who did not receive rFVIIa for outcomes assessment. Subgroup analysis evaluated patients with primary head injury with PS matching.

Results

There were 4284 patient observations; 129 received rFVIIa. Groups were comparable after matching. No differences in mortality or morbidity were found. Improvement in GCS score from admission to discharge was less among those receiving rFVIIa (5.5 vs. 2.4; P value 0.001); however, there was no difference in average GCS score at discharge. No significant differences in outcomes were identified in patients with isolated TBI receiving rFVIIa.

Discussion

rFVIIa in early management of TBI is not associated with a decreased risk of mortality or morbidity, and may negatively impact recovery and functional status at discharge in the severely injured patient with polytrauma.

Level of evidence

Level III.

Study type

Therapeutic/care management.
The effects of priming exercise on the V̇O2 slow component and the time-course of muscle fatigue during very-heavy-intensity exercise in humans
Authors: do Nascimento Salvador Paulo Cesar , Souza Kristopher Mendes de , De Lucas Ricardo Dantas , Guglielmo Luiz Guilherme Antonacci , Denadai Benedito Sérgio
Published: March 2018

We hypothesized that prior exercise would attenuate the muscle fatigue accompanied by oxygen uptake slow-component (V̇O2SC) behavior during a subsequent very-heavy (VH)-intensity cycling exercise. Thirteen healthy male subjects performed tests to determine the critical power (CP) and the fixed amount of work above CP ([Formula: see text]) and performed 6 square-wave bouts until 3 or 8 min, each at a work rate set to deplete 70% [Formula: see text] in 8 min, with a maximal isokinetic effort before and after the conditions without (VHCON) and with prior exercise (VHEXP), to measure the cycling peak torque decrement. The V̇O2SC magnitude at 3 min (VHCON = 0.280 ± 0.234, VHEXP = 0.116 ± 0.109 L·min−1; p = 0.04) and the V̇O2SC trajectory were significantly lower for VHEXP (VHCON = 0.108 ± 0.042, VHEXP = 0.063 ± 0.031 L·min−2; p < 0.01), leading to a V̇O2SC magnitude at the eighth minute that was significantly lower than VHCON (VHCON = 0.626 ± 0.296 L·min−1, VHEXP = 0.337 ± 0.179; p < 0.01). Conversely, peak torque progressively decreased from pre-exercise to 3 min (Δtorque = 21.5 ± 7.7 vs. 19.6 ± 9.2 Nm) and to 8 min (Δtorque = 29.4 ± 15.8 vs. 27.5 ± 12.0 Nm) at VHCON and VHEXP, respectively, without significant differences between conditions. Regardless of the condition, there was a significant relationship between Δtorque and the V̇O2SC (R2: VHCON = 0.23, VHEXP = 0.25; p = 0.01). Considering that “priming” effects on the V̇O2SC were not accompanied by the muscle force behavior, these findings do not support the hypothesis of a “causal” relationship between the time-course of muscle fatigue and V̇O2SC.
Beetroot-based gel supplementation improves handgrip strength and forearm muscle O2 saturation but not exercise tolerance and blood volume in jiu-jitsu athletes
Authors: de Oliveira Gustavo Vieira , Nascimento Luiz Alberto Diniz do , Volino-Souza Mônica , Mesquita Jacilene de Souza , Alvares Thiago Silveira
Published: March 2018

The ergogenic effect of beetroot on the exercise performance of trained cyclists, runners, kayakers, and swimmers has been demonstrated. However, whether or not beetroot supplementation presents a beneficial effect on the exercise performance of jiu-jitsu athletes remains inconclusive. Therefore, the present study assessed the effect of beetroot-based gel (BG) supplementation on maximal voluntary contraction (MVC), exercise time until fatigue (ETF), muscle O2 saturation (SmO2), blood volume (tHb), and plasma nitrate and lactate in response to handgrip isotonic exercise (HIE) in jiu-jitsu athletes. In a randomized, crossover, double-blind design, 12 jiu-jitsu athletes performed 3 sets of HIE at 40% of the MVC until fatigue after 8 days (the eighth dose was offered 120 min previous exercise) of BG supplementation or a nitrate-depleted gel (PLA), and forearm SmO2 and tHb were continuously monitored by using near-infrared spectroscopy. Blood samples were taken before, immediately after exercise, and 20 min after exercise recovery in the PLA and BG conditions. MVC was evaluated at baseline and 20 min after HIE. There was a significant reduction in ΔMVC decline after HIE in the BG condition. Forearm SmO2 during exercise recovery was significantly greater only after BG supplementation. No significant difference in ETF and tHb were observed between both BG and PLA in response to HIE. Plasma nitrate increased only after BG, whereas the exercise-induced increase in plasma lactate was significantly lower in BG when compared with PLA. In conclusion, BG supplementation may be a good nutritional strategy to improve forearm SmO2 and prevent force decline in response to exercise in jiu-jitsu athletes.
Lateral resistance of pipes and strip anchors buried in dense sand
Authors: Roy Kshama , Hawlader Bipul , Kenny Shawn , Moore Ian
Published: March 2018

The response of buried pipes and vertical strip anchors in dense sand under lateral loading is compared based on finite-element (FE) modeling. Incorporating strain-softening behaviour of dense sand, the progressive development of shear bands and the mobilization of friction and dilation angles along the shear bands are examined, which can explain the variation of peak and post-peak resistances for anchors and pipes. The normalized peak resistance increases with embedment ratio and remains almost constant at large burial depths. When the height of an anchor is equal to the diameter of the pipe, the anchor gives approximately 10% higher peak resistance than that of the pipe. The transition from the shallow to deep failure mechanisms occurs at a larger embedment ratio for anchors than pipes. A simplified method is proposed to estimate the lateral resistance at the peak and also after softening at large displacements.
Complex Dynamics in a Triopoly Game with Multiple Delays in the Competition of Green Product Level
Authors: Si Fengshan , Ma Junhai
Published: March 2018

Research on the output game behavior of oligopoly has greatly advanced in recent years. But many unknowns remain, particularly the influence of consumers’ willingness to buy green products on the oligopoly output game. This paper constructs a triopoly output game model with multiple delays in the competition of green products. The influence of the parameters on the stability and complexity of the system is studied by analyzing the existence and local asymptotic stability of the equilibrium point. It is found that the system loses stability and increases complexity if delay parameters exceed a certain range. In the unstable or chaotic game market, the decisions of oligopoly will be counterproductive. It is also observed that the influence of weight and output adjustment speed on the firm itself is obviously stronger than the influence of other firms. In addition, it is important that weight and output adjustment speed cannot increase indefinitely, otherwise it will bring unnecessary losses to the firm. Finally, chaos control is realized by using the variable feedback control method. The research results of this paper can provide a reference for decision-making for the output of the game of oligopoly.
Synchronization of Coupled FitzHugh–Nagumo Neurons Using Self-Feedback Time Delay
Authors: Fan Denggui , Song Xinle , Liao Fucheng
Published: March 2018

Many neurological diseases are characterized by abnormally synchronous oscillations of neuronal populations. However, how the neurons can synchronize with each other is still not fully understood, which may have potentially hampered the understanding and diagnosis for these dynamical diseases. In this paper, the self-feedback time delay (SFTD) and adaptive control theory are employed to control the onset of synchronization in the coupled FitzHugh–Nagumo (FHN) neurons. It is found that the larger SFTD can induce the complete synchronization of coupled neuronal system. Further investigation reveals that the reinforcing SFTD can significantly postpone the synchronization onsets. In addition, for the case that synchronization cannot be achieved by adjusting SFTD, the parameter estimation update laws and adaptive controller with respect to SFTD of coupled system are investigated to deduce the sufficient condition for complete synchronization. Simulations are also provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed methods. In particular, we observed the fascinating dynamical synchronization transitions, such as chaotic synchronization and bursting synchronization transitions, as well as the transition from anti-synchronization to complete synchronization.
Effect of Porosity on Flexural Vibration of CNT-Reinforced Cylindrical Shells in Thermal Environment Using GDQM
Authors: Safarpour Hamed , Mohammadi Kianoosh , Ghadiri Majid , Barooti Mohammad M.
Published: March 2018

This article investigates the flexural vibration of temperature-dependent and carbon nanotube-reinforced (CNTR) cylindrical shells made of functionally graded (FG) porous materials under various kinds of thermal loadings. The equivalent material properties of the cylindrical shell of concern are estimated using the rule of mixture. Both the cases of uniform distribution (UD) and FG distribution patterns of reinforcements are considered. Thermo-mechanical properties of the cylindrical shell are supposed to vary through the thickness and are estimated using the modified power-law rule, by which the porosities with even and uneven types are approximated. As the porosities occur inside the FG materials during the manufacturing process, it is necessary to consider their impact on the vibration behavior of shells. The present study is featured by consideration of different types of porosities in various CNT reinforcements under various boundary conditions in a single model. The governing equations and boundary conditions are developed using Hamilton's principle and solved by the generalized differential quadrature method. The accuracy of the present results is verified by comparison with existing ones and those by Navier's method. The results show that the length to radius ratio and temperature, as well as CNT reinforcement, porosity, thermal loading, and boundary conditions, play an important role on the natural frequency of the cylindrical shell of concern in thermal environment.
Feasibility Study of Prestress Force Prediction for Concrete Beams Using Second-Order Deflections
Authors: Bonopera Marco , Chang Kuo-Chun , Chen Chun-Chung , Sung Yu-Chi , Tullini Nerio
Published: March 2018

The safety and sustainability of prestressed concrete bridges can be improved with accurate prestress loss prediction. Considerable loss of the prestress force may imply damages hidden in the bridge. In this study, a prestress force identification method was implemented for concrete beams. Based on the Euler–Bernoulli beam theory, the procedure estimates the prestress force by using one or a set of static displacements measured along the member axis. The implementation of this procedure requires information regarding the flexural rigidity of the beam. The deflected shape of a post-tensioned concrete beam, subjected to an additional vertical load, was measured in a short term in several laboratory experiments. The accuracy of the deflection measurements provided favorable prestress force estimates. In particular, the “compression-softening” theory was validated for uncracked post-tensioned concrete beams.
A New Decision Making Approach for Supplier Selection: Hesitant Fuzzy Axiomatic Design
Authors: Ayhan Mustafa Batuhan
Published: March 2018

This paper deals with the hesitancy in decision making. Since the decision makers generally doubt to evaluate the alternatives and the criteria in hesitant situations, the existing methods do not satisfy them. Therefore, hesitant versions of Fuzzy-AHP (HF-AHP) and Fuzzy Axiomatic Design (HF-AD) are introduced in this paper. HF-AHP lets the decision makers to use hesitant fuzzy linguistic terms while performing the pairwise comparisons when they are indecisive. HF-AD is used to define the system and design ranges of the items in a hesitant situation. In addition, a case study is revealed as a numerical example in which the best supplier is selected among six alternatives regarding five criteria. In that case study, both weighted and unweighted versions of HF-AD are used. In the weighted version, HF-AHP is used to determine the weights of the criteria. Furthermore, sensitivity analysis is performed to check the robustness of the decision. Moreover, these proposed techniques are compared with non-hesitant versions. According to the results, the decision makers feel more confident with the hesitant versions. Hence, the primary contributions of this study are to develop HF-AD and HF-AHP which are helpful for the decision makers to express their preferences in hesitant situations.
Fluid–Solid Interaction Analysis on Iliac Bifurcation Artery: A Numerical Study
Authors: Luo Ke , Jiang Wentao , Yu Chen , Tian Xiaobao , Zhou Zhihong , Ding Yuan
Published: March 2018

Atherosclerosis, which is commonly seen at regions with low wall shear stress (WSS) level in bifurcations, is a kind of fibro-fatty plaque accumulated on arterial walls. Aortic and iliac bifurcations have the highest proportion of patients among all atherosclerosis cases, thus it is necessary to numerically analyze the flow distribution and predict plaque positions in these bifurcations. Furthermore, using fluid–solid interaction (FSI) method could obtain a more exact flow pattern in arteries. In this study, a patient-specific model of aortic and iliac bifurcations was simulated with both FSI and rigid-wall cases. We analyzed the vessel deformation, WSS and flow distribution of this model. Computed tomography (CT) angiography was used in our study to create patient-specific model of aorto-iliac arteries. Real material properties and pulsatile fluid boundary conditions were applied in solid and fluid zones, respectively. We performed FSI and ordinary computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations with AYSYS 15.0 software (ANSYS Inc., Canonsburg, PA), and compared the diameter change, WSS and flow field between these two results. The diameter change between systolic phase and diastolic phase is 8–9% on abdominal aorta, and 3% on external and internal iliac arteries. The compliance of vessels corresponds to in-vivo observations. At peak systolic phase, the average WSS obtained in FSI simulation is 10% lower than in rigid-wall result, area of low-WSS region ([Formula: see text]) also increases by 78%. Wall deformation has a greater impact on WSS of those vessels with larger diameter, but hardly changes the shear level in smaller branches. Our result also shows that iliac bifurcations reveal more complicated secondary flow in systolic phase, comparing to other vessels, and stenosed iliac artery has more severe secondary flow than healthy artery. We obtained a feasible method for hemodynamic FSI research. The material parameters, boundary conditions and mesh could be used for further simulations, while the WSS and flow distribution may support clinical diagnosis and treatment. We concluded that compliance is a must-consider factor for simulating an accurate wall shear stress, because the vessel deformation in FSI simulation will significantly change the distribution of low-WSS zones. Moreover, more complicated secondary flow is detected in iliac arteries because it may interact between bifurcations. Stenosis in artery may also have a blocking effect on downstream blood flow.
Two epochs of eclogite metamorphism link ‘cold’ oceanic subduction and ‘hot’ continental subduction, the North Qaidam UHP belt, NW China
Authors: Song Shuguang , Niu Yaoling , Zhang Guibin , Zhang Lifei
Published: March 2018

Eclogites in the high-pressure (HP) and ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) belts record subduction-zone processes; exhumed eclogites of seafloor protoliths record low-temperature (mostly <600°C), high-pressure and ‘wet’ environments: that is, relatively ‘cold’ subduction with highly hydrous minerals such as lawsonite. In contrast, eclogites formed by the continental subduction record relatively ‘hot’ (
T
> 650°C) and ‘dry’ ultrahigh-pressure metamorphic (UHPM) conditions with syncollisional magmatism. Here, we investigate some eclogites from two ophiolite sequences that intercalated in the North Qaidam UHPM belt, which is genetically associated with continental subduction/collision. The observations of lawsonite pseudomorphs in garnets, garnet compositional zoning, mineral and fluid inclusions in zircons, and zircons with distinct trace-element patterns and U–Pb ages all suggest that these eclogites represent two exhumation episodes of subduction-zone metamorphic rocks: the early ‘cold’ and ‘wet’ lawsonite eclogite and the late ‘hot’ and ‘dry’ UHP kyanite eclogite. The early lawsonite-bearing eclogite gives metamorphic ages of 470–445 Ma and the later kysnite-bearing eclogite gives metamorphic ages of 438–420 Ma, with a time gap of
c.
7–10 myr. This gap may represent the timescale for transition from oceanic subduction and continental subduction to depths greater than 100 km. We conclude that evolution from oceanic subduction to continental collision and subduction was a continuous process.

In addition, we find that titanium contents in zircons have a positive correlation with U contents. Ti-in-zircon thermometry is likely to be invalid or limited for low-temperature eclogites.
The metamorphic evolution and tectonic significance of the Sumdo HP–UHP metamorphic terrane, central-south Lhasa Block, Tibet
Authors: Zhang Cong , Bader Thomas , van Roermund Herman , Yang Jingsui , Shen Tingting , Qiu Tian , Li Peng
Published: March 2018

The Lhasa terrane, forming one of the main tectonic components of the Himalayan–Tibetan orogen, has received a lot of attention as it records multiple episodes of plate spreading, subduction and collision within the realm of the Paleo-Tethys Ocean. A review of the mineralogical, petrological, geochemical and geochronological data of eclogites, associated blueschists and garnet-bearing mica schists from the Sumdo high- and ultrahigh-pressure metamorphic (HP/UHP) complex in the central/southern part of the Lhasa terrane, is present here so that the origin and tectono-metamorphic evolution of this important suture can be deduced. By re-evaluating the original published
P
–
T
conditions for the metamorphic rocks of the Sumdo Complex, we consider that the Sumdo Complex has experienced low temperature HP/UHP metamorphic conditions, characteristic of fast subduction (and exhumation) in a typical oceanic subduction zone setting. The original wide spread in the maximal peak
P
–
T
conditions could be reduced in size due to thus far unknown inconsistencies in the usage of applied geothermobarometric techniques. The remaining spread in the maximal
P
–
T
conditions (
c.
200°C/10 kbar) of the HP/UHP regions can be explained by a mechanism that the rocks from individual tectonic slices were subducted to different depths and followed by juxtaposition on their way back to the surface. A re-consideration of the isotopic ages of eclogites from the Sumdo Complex demonstrates that the opening of the Paleo-Tethys Ocean, located in between the two major components of the Lhasa terrane, was initiated prior to
c.
280 Ma and the eclogite facies metamorphism is likely to be of late Permian (
c.
260 Ma) to early Triassic age (245–225 Ma), recording different ages of subduction from individual slices of the oceanic crust. The closure of the Paleo-Tethys Ocean resulted, no earlier than 210 Ma, in the final collision between the northern and southern Lhasa blocks. This final collision event may have been triggered by the initial subduction of the Bangong–Nujiang Tethys Ocean in the north.
Performance Evaluation of WebRTC-based Video Conferencing
Authors: Jansen Bart , Goodwin Timothy , Gupta Varun , Kuipers Fernando , Zussman Gil
Published: March 2018

WebRTC has quickly become popular as a video conferencing platform, partly due to the fact that many browsers support it. WebRTC utilizes the Google Congestion Control (GCC) algorithm to provide congestion control for realtime communications over UDP. The performance during a WebRTC call may be influenced by several factors, including the underlyingWebRTC implementation, the device and network characteristics, and the network topology. In this paper, we perform a thorough performance evaluation of WebRTC both in emulated synthetic network conditions as well as in real wired and wireless networks. Our evaluation shows that WebRTC streams have a slightly higher priority than TCP flows when competing with cross traffic. In general, while in several of the considered scenarios WebRTC performed as expected, we observed important cases where there is room for improvement. These include the wireless domain and the newly added support for the video codecs VP9 and H.264 that does not perform as expected.
Incentivized Information Fusion with Social Sensors
Authors: Bhatt Sujay , Krishnamurthy Vikram
Published: March 2018

This paper deals with the problem of incentivized information fusion, where a controller seeks to infer an unknown parameter by incentivizing a network of social sensors to reveal the information. The social sensors gather information on the parameter after interacting with other social sensors, to optimize a local utility function. We are interested in finding incentive rules that are easy to compute and implement. In particular, we give sufficient conditions on the model parameters under which the optimal rule for the controller is provably a threshold decision rule, i.e, don't incentivize when the estimate (of the parameter) is below a certain level and incentivize otherwise. We will further provide a complete sample path characterization of the optimal incentive rule, i.e, the nature (average trend) of the optimal incentive sequence resulting from the controller employing the optimal threshold rule. We show that the optimal incentive sequence is a sub-martingale, i.e, the optimal incentives increase on average over time.