bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The effect of negative capacitance in varistor structure on the basis of its models with voltage drop on the intergranular interlayer
Authors: Tonkoshkur Alexander Sergeevich , Ivanchenko Alexander Vladimirovich
Published: November 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is modeling the effect of negative capacitance in the capacitance-voltage characteristic of the intergranular potential barrier of varistor structure.

Design/methodology/approach

– The modeling of the capacitance-voltage characteristic of the intergranular barrier in metal oxide varistor ceramics is based on the development of the algorithm. It includes all the known mechanisms of electrotransfer in a wide range of voltages and currents, and also takes into account the voltage drop on the intergranular interlayer of intergranular potential barrier.

Findings

– The models and algorithms for calculating the capacitance-voltage characteristics of a single intergranular potential barrier with the use of the most established understanding used at the interpretation of the nonlinear conductivity intergranular barrier are developed. The results of the capacitance-voltage characteristics modeling correspond to the existing understanding of the electrical properties on the ac current varistor ceramics are based on zinc oxide. The model allows to predict the behavior of varistors on the alternating current (voltage).

Originality/value

– It is established that the recharge of the surface localized states occurs when a voltage is applied to the varistor structure, it can lead to a relaxation decrease in the width of the potential barrier overcome by tunneling electrons in the field emission from the conduction band of the one crystallite in the conduction band of the other crystallite and thus to the current backlog of applied voltage on the phase (i.e. the expression of the negative capacitance effect).
A framework for sustainable waste management: challenges and opportunities
Authors: Elsaid Sarah , Aghezzaf El-Houssaine
Published: November 2015

Purpose

– This purpose of this paper is concerned with the issue of designing and operating a sustainable waste management system, in rapidly growing urban areas. Some existing models for waste management and the extent to which they could be applied in a specific environment – Cairo for example – are discussed. An integrated framework which can serve as a basis for the development of a sustainable waste management system is proposed. Sustainability of the system, opportunities and challenges, material re-use and recycling, composting, incineration and energy production and land-filling are examined. Relevant waste management and cost sub-models inherent to the system are discussed. In addition, some other environmental and social aspects are also debated. The main focus of this paper is to provide some insights into the design of a more effective and integrated sustainable waste management system applicable for developing economies.

Design/methodology/approach

– An in-depth analysis is carried out for the existing models and approaches for waste management. This has led to the development of a framework which can be implemented.

Findings

– A comprehensive conceptual framework for a waste management system is developed. The major inputs and expected outputs are clearly identified.

Originality/value

– A comprehensive and complete system for waste management is proposed. This system can be operationalized and implemented with a view of sustainability.
Producer diversity enhances consumer stability in a benthic marine community
Authors: Ramus Aaron P. , Long Zachary T.
Published: November 2015

The diversity of many communities is changing due to local extinctions and invasions. Understanding the consequences of these changes is vital to their successful conservation, yet few studies have experimentally investigated how producer diversity affects the stability of higher trophic levels. Here, we show that producer diversity, when manipulated as the only independent variable in the presence of natural top‐down forces, increases the stability of consumer abundance, biomass and diversity in a benthic marine community.

Using four macroalgal species (Codium fragile, Gracilaria tikvahiae, Gracilaria vermiculophylla and Gymnogongrus griffithsiae), we manipulated producer diversity (identity and richness) in a substitutive design to create seven treatments. Our treatments included four monocultures, two 3‐species mixtures that differed only by including either the native or invasive Gracilaria and the complete four‐species mixture. We followed the week‐to‐week dynamics of producer and consumer communities in each treatment concurrently for 12 weeks and quantified their temporal stability.

We found that higher producer diversity increased the stability of a diverse, productive consumer community. Producer biomass production did not affect consumer production or diversity, suggesting that producer diversity was solely responsible for driving the mechanisms underlying the observed multitrophic diversity–stability relationships. Taken together, our results indicate that higher producer diversity directly increased consumer diversity by increasing overyielding and decreasing the temporal variance of this response variable and that this increased consumer diversity enhanced consumer stability via increased asynchrony among consumers.

Synthesis. Our results suggest that the effects of producer diversity propagate upwards to maintain diversity and productivity at higher trophic levels, and thereby enhance the overall stability of food webs.
What is the role of individual accountability in patient safety? A multi‐site ethnographic study
Authors: Aveling Emma‐Louise , Parker Michael , Dixon‐Woods Mary
Published: November 2015

An enduring debate concerns how responsibility for patient safety should be distributed between organisational systems and individual professionals. Though rule‐based, calculus‐like approaches intended to support a ‘just culture’ have become popular, they perpetuate an asocial and atomised account. In this article, we use insights from practice theory – which sees organisational phenomena as accomplished in everyday actions, with individual agency and structural conditions as a mutually constitutive, dynamic duality – along with contributions from the political science and ethics literature as a starting point for analysis. Presenting ethnographic data from five hospitals, three in one high‐income country and two in low‐income countries, we offer an empirically informed, normative rethinking of the role of personal accountability, identifying the collective nature of the healthcare enterprise and the extent to which patient safety depends on contributions from many hands. We show that moral responsibility for actions and behaviours is an irreducible element of professional practice, but that individuals are not somehow ‘outside’ and separate from ‘systems’: they create, modify and are subject to the social forces that are an inescapable feature of any organisational system; each element acts on the other. Our work illustrates starkly the structuring effects of the broader institutional and socioeconomic context on opportunities to ‘be good’. These findings imply that one of the key responsibilities of organisations and wider institutions in relation to patient safety is the fostering of the conditions of moral community.
Infections and interaction rituals in the organisation: clinician accounts of speaking up or remaining silent in the face of threats to patient safety
Authors: Szymczak Julia E.
Published: November 2015

Clinician silence in the face of known threats to patient safety is a source of growing concern. Current explanations for the difficulties clinicians have of speaking up are conceptualised at the individual or organisational level, with little attention paid to the space between – the interaction context. Drawing on 103 interviews with clinicians at one hospital in the United States this article examines how clinicians talk about speaking up or not in the face of breaches in infection prevention technique. Accounts are analysed using a microsociological lens as stories of interaction, through which respondents appeal to situational and organisational realities of medical work that serve to justify speaking up or remaining silent. Analysis of these accounts reveals three influences on the decision to speak up, shaped by background conditions in the organisation; mutual focus of attention, interactional path dependence and the presence of an audience. These findings suggest that the decision to speak up in a clinical setting is dynamic, highly context‐dependent, embedded in the interaction rituals that suffuse everyday work and constrained by organisational dynamics. This article develops a more sophisticated and distinctly sociological understanding of the reasons why speaking up in healthcare is so difficult.
Persistent post‐surgical pain and signs of nerve injury: the Tromsø Study
Authors: Johansen A. , Schirmer H. , Nielsen C. S. , Stubhaug A.
Published: November 2015

Background

The contribution of nerve lesions and neuropathic pain to persistent post‐surgical pain (PPSP) is poorly established. The aim of this study was to assess the association between PPSP and symptoms and signs of possible nerve injury in an unselected surgical sample.

Methods

Eighty‐one individuals with and without persistent pain after surgical procedures, were recruited from a cross‐sectional study. Follow‐up examination with questionnaires and quantitative sensory testing was performed 15–32 months later (21–64 months after surgery).

Results

The median rating of maximum pain intensity among individuals with PPSP decreased from numerical rating scale 4/10 at baseline to 2/10 at follow‐up, but considerable changes occurred in both directions. Individuals with PPSP at follow‐up were significantly more likely to self‐report sensory abnormalities than those without PPSP; however, results from sensory testing did not differ significantly between the groups. Self‐report of sensory disturbances at the site of surgery was associated with increased warm detection thresholds and tactile pain thresholds. Among individuals with PPSP, 61% had positive findings on sensory testing, suggesting probable neuropathic pain.

Conclusion

In this study, associations between self‐reported symptoms and PPSP were stronger than associations between self‐reported symptoms and results of psychophysical tests. Fluctuations in pain intensity together with wide ranges for normal variability in sensory functions, hampers detection of significant group differences. Methodological aspects of quantitative sensory testing applied in a mixed clinical sample are discussed.
Different gene expressions between cattle and yak provide insights into high‐altitude adaptation
Authors: Wang K. , Yang Y. , Wang L. , Ma T. , Shang H. , Ding L. , Han J. , Qiu Q.
Published: November 2015

DNAsequence variation has been widely reported as the genetic basis for adaptation, in both humans and other animals, to the hypoxic environment experienced at high altitudes. However, little is known about the patterns of gene expression underlying such hypoxic adaptations. In this study, we examined the differences in the transcriptomes of four organs (heart, kidney, liver and lung) between yak and cattle, a pair of closely related species distributed at high and low altitudes respectively. Of the four organs examined, heart shows the greatest differentiation between the two species in terms of gene expression profiles. Detailed analyses demonstrated that some genes associated with the oxygen supply system and the defense systems that respond to threats of hypoxia are differentially expressed. In addition, genes with significantly differentiated patterns of expression in all organs exhibited an unexpected uniformity of regulation along with an elevated frequency of nonsynonymous substitutions. This co‐evolution of protein sequences and gene expression patterns is likely to be correlated with the optimization of the yak metabolic system to resist hypoxia.
Regional Interactions between California and the Southwest: The Western Edge of the North American Continental System
Authors: Smith Erin M. , Fauvelle Mikael
Published: November 2015

The first few centuries of the second millennium saw drastic changes in Coastal California and the American Southwest. In both areas, systems of internal trade intensified, and social systems sped down a path of increasing complexity. Following Peter Peregrine and Stephen Lekson (2006, 2012), we do not believe that these neighboring developments were purely coincidental. Rather, we see California and the Southwest as components in a continental‐wide interaction system spanning both North and Central America. We argue that prehistoric interaction between the two regions was regular and sustained and that economic or political developments in one area are likely to have had important implications in the other. Specifically, we outline archaeological and ethnohistoric evidence for the trade of goods between the two areas, with shell beads and asphaltum moving east from coastal California in exchange for Southwestern ceramics and textiles. Rather than seeing each area as a case study in autochthonous social development, we argue that a regional synthesis of economic interactions and connectivity will build toward a better understanding of social changes in both regions. [world systems theory, trade and exchange, North America]
Plasma cholesterol is related to menstrual status in adolescent girls with eating disorders and weight loss
Authors: Swenne Ingemar
Published: November 2015

Aim

This study examined the relationship between plasma cholesterol and circulating triiodothyronine and oestradiol in 561 adolescent girls aged 11–17 with eating disorders.

Methods

Plasma total cholesterol, high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, serum triodothyronine and oestradiol were measured at assessment, and historical weight data were obtained from growth charts provided by the school health services. Cholesterol levels were related to weight change, menstrual status and serum hormones.

Results

Plasma total cholesterol levels of >5.0 mmol/L were found in 38% of the 77 girls who were premenarcheal, 32% of the 199 with secondary amenorrhoea and 17% of those who were still menstruating. These cholesterol levels were inversely related to serum oestradiol and triiodothyronine concentrations, but not weight change, in amenorrhoic girls and were positively related to body mass index and inversely related to weight loss and serum triiodothyronine in girls who were still menstruating.

Conclusion

Increased plasma total cholesterol was related to amenorrhoea in adolescent girls with eating disorders and weight loss. Oestrogens appeared to mediate the effect of starvation on cholesterol, most effectively in premenarcheal girls. Re‐establishing menstruation is an important goal in the treatment of eating disorders, to avoid dyslipidaemia and the risk of future cardiovascular disease.
Remission and platelet responses with romiplostim in primary immune thrombocytopenia: final results from a phase 2 study
Authors: Newland Adrian , Godeau Bertrand , Priego Victor , Viallard Jean‐Francois , López Fernández María F. , Orejudos Amelia , Eisen Melissa
Published: November 2015

In anecdotal reports, some patients with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) maintained platelet counts after discontinuing romiplostim. Here, we examined rates of platelet response (≥50 × 109/l), remission, splenectomy and adverse events in patients with primary ITP duration ≤6 months who were treated with romiplostim for ≤12 months. The starting dose of romiplostim was 1 μg/kg; concomitant and rescue treatments were permitted to maintain platelet counts. Patients with platelet counts ≥50 × 109/l at the end of 12 months entered a dose taper in which the romiplostim dose was decreased as long as platelet counts were maintained. Remission (platelet count ≥50 × 109/l for 24 consecutive weeks with no ITP treatments) was evaluated in patients once romiplostim was discontinued. Over the 12 months, a high response rate (>90%) was observed. Platelet response occurred quickly (median, ~2 weeks) and was observed for a cumulative median of 11 months. Remission was observed in 24 patients (32%); there were no significantly predictors of remission. Most (20/24) patients had remission start before the forced taper. No new safety signals were identified. Thus, in patients with early‐stage ITP, romiplostim was well tolerated and induced rapid responses, with remission occurring in approximately one‐third of patients (NCT01143038, Amgen 20080435).
The influence of mothers' and fathers' sensitivity in the first year of life on children's cognitive outcomes at 18 and 36 months
Authors: Malmberg L.–E. , Lewis S. , West A. , Murray E. , Sylva K. , Stein A.
Published: November 2015

Background

There has been increasing interest in the relative effects of mothers' and fathers' interactions with their infants on later development. However to date there has been little work on children's cognitive outcomes.

Methods

We examined the relative influence of fathers' and mothers' sensitivity during interactions with their children at the end of the child's first year (10–12 months, n = 97), on child general cognitive development at 18 months and language at 36 months.

Results

Both parents' sensitivity was associated with cognitive and language outcomes in univariate analyses. Mothers' sensitivity, however, appeared to be associated with family socio‐demographic factors to a greater extent that fathers' sensitivity. Using path modelling the effect of paternal sensitivity on general cognitive development at 18 months and language at 36 months was significantly greater than the effect of maternal sensitivity, when controlling for socio‐demographic background. In relation to language at 36 months, there was some evidence that sensitivity of one parent buffered the effect of lower sensitivity of the other parent.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that parental sensitivity can play an important role in children's cognitive and language development, and that higher sensitivity of one parent can compensate for the lower sensitivity of the other parent. Replication of these findings, however, is required in larger samples.
Using zebrafish in systems toxicology for developmental toxicity testing
Authors: Nishimura Yuhei , Inoue Atsuto , Sasagawa Shota , Koiwa Junko , Kawaguchi Koki , Kawase Reiko , Maruyama Toru , Kim Soonih , Tanaka Toshio
Published: November 2015

With the high cost and the long‐term assessment of developmental toxicity testing in mammals, the vertebrate zebrafish has become a useful alternative model organism for high‐throughput developmental toxicity testing. Zebrafish is also very favorable for the 3R perspective in toxicology; however, the methodologies used by research groups vary greatly, posing considerable challenges to integrative analysis. In this review, we discuss zebrafish developmental toxicity testing, focusing on the methods of chemical exposure, the assessment of morphological abnormalities, housing conditions and their effects on the production of healthy embryos, and future directions. Zebrafish as a systems toxicology model has the potential to elucidate developmental toxicity pathways, and to provide a sound basis for human health risk assessments.
Maternal protein restriction that does not have an influence on the birthweight of the offspring induces morphological changes in kidneys reminiscent of phenotypes exhibited by intrauterine growth retardation rats
Authors: Yuasa Ko , Kondo Tomohiro , Nagai Hiroaki , Mino Masaki , Takeshita Ai , Okada Toshiya
Published: November 2015

Severe restriction of maternal protein intake to 6–8% protein diet results in intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR), low birthweight and high risk of metabolic syndrome in the adult life of the offspring. However, little information is available on the effects of maternal protein restriction on offspring under the conditions that does not have an influence on their birthweight of the offspring,. In the present study, pregnant rats were kept on a diet consisting of either 9% (low‐protein, Lp rats) or 18% (normal‐protein, Np rats) protein by weight/volume/etc. After birth, both Lp and Np rats were kept on a diet containing 18% protein. Neonatal body weight was significantly lower in Lp rats compared to Np rats from 4 days to 5weeks after birth. While glomerular number per unit volume (1 mm3) of the kidney (Nv) was comparable between Lp and Np rats 4 weeks after birth, the Nv was significantly decreased in Lp rats at 20 weeks after birth. Four and 20 weeks after birth, glomerular sclerosis index, interstitial fibrosis score, and ratio of ED1‐positive cell ratio were all significantly higher in Lp compared to Np rats. Transforming growth factor‐β1‐positive cells were observed in the distal tubules in the kidney of 4‐ and 20‐week‐old Lp rats kidneys, but not in those of age‐matched Np rats. Altogether, these findings revealed that maternal protein restriction that does not have an influence on the birthweight of the offspring, induces similar changes as those seen in the kidneys of IUGR neonates.
Sensitization to reactive diluents and hardeners in epoxy resin systems. IVDK data 2002–2011. Part II: concomitant reactions
Authors: Geier Johannes , Lessmann Holger , Hillen Uwe , Skudlik Christoph , Jappe Uta
Published: November 2015

Background

Beside the basic resins, reactive diluents and hardeners are important sensitizers in epoxy resin systems (ERSs). Because of chemical similarities, immunological cross‐reactivity may occur.

Objectives

To analyse concomitant reactivity among reactive diluents and hardeners in the patients concerned, as one integral part of a research project on the sensitizing capacity of ERSs (FP‐0324).

Methods

A retrospective analysis of data from the Information Network of Departments of Dermatology (IVDK), 2002–2011, was performed.

Results

There was close concomitant reactivity to 1,6‐hexanediol diglycidyl ether and 1,4‐butanediol diglycidyl ether (1,4‐BDDGE), and to phenyl glycidyl ether (PGE) and cresyl glycidyl ether (CGE), whereas reactions to p‐tert‐butylphenyl glycidyl ether occurred more independently from those to PGE and CGE. Concomitant reactions to butyl glycidyl ether and 1,4‐BDDGE may point to a common allergenic compound derived from the metabolism of 1,4‐BDDGE. Among the structurally more diverse group of hardeners, there was no evidence of immunological cross‐reactions.

Conclusions

More detailed knowledge of cross‐reactivity among ERS components facilitates the interpretation of patch test results and will allow safer ERSs to be composed in the future.
Conservation Organizations Need to Consider Adaptive Capacity: Why Local Input Matters
Authors: Mcleod Elizabeth , Szuster Brian , Hinkel Jochen , Tompkins Emma L. , Marshall Nadine , Downing Thomas , Wongbusarakum Supin , Patwardhan Anand , Hamza Mo , Anderson Cheryl , Bharwani Sukaina , Hansen Lara , Rubinoff Pamela
Published: November 2015

Conservation organizations are increasingly applying adaptive capacity assessments in response to escalating climate change impacts. These assessments are essential to identify climate risks to ecosystems, prioritize management interventions, maximize the effectiveness of conservation actions, and ensure conservation resources are allocated appropriately. Despite an extensive literature on the topic, there is little agreement on the most relevant factors needed to support local scale initiatives, and additional guidance is needed to clarify how adaptive capacity should be assessed. This article discusses why adaptive capacity assessment represents a critical tool supporting conservation planning and management. It also evaluates key factors guiding conservation NGOs conducting these assessments in tropical island communities, and explores alternative priorities based on input from academic experts and key local stakeholders. Our results demonstrate that important differences exist between local stakeholders and nonlocal academic experts on key factors affecting adaptation and coping mechanisms. The exclusion of local community input affects the validity of adaptive capacity assessment findings, and has significant implications for the prioritization and effectiveness of conservation strategies and funding allocation.
Bimanual motor coordination controlled by cooperative interactions in intrinsic and extrinsic coordinates
Authors: Sakurada Takeshi , Ito Koji , Gomi Hiroaki
Published: November 2015

Although strong motor coordination in intrinsic muscle coordinates has frequently been reported for bimanual movements, coordination in extrinsic visual coordinates is also crucial in various bimanual tasks. To explore the bimanual coordination mechanisms in terms of the frame of reference, here we characterized implicit bilateral interactions in visuomotor tasks. Visual perturbations (finger‐cursor gain change) were applied while participants performed a rhythmic tracking task with both index fingers under an in‐phase or anti‐phase relationship in extrinsic coordinates. When they corrected the right finger's amplitude, the left finger's amplitude unintentionally also changed [motor interference (MI)], despite the instruction to keep its amplitude constant. Notably, we observed two specificities: one was large MI and low relative‐phase variability (PV) under the intrinsic in‐phase condition, and the other was large MI and high PV under the extrinsic in‐phase condition. Additionally, using a multiple‐interaction model, we successfully decomposed MI into intrinsic components caused by motor correction and extrinsic components caused by visual‐cursor mismatch of the right finger's movements. This analysis revealed that the central nervous system facilitates MI by combining intrinsic and extrinsic components in the condition with in‐phases in both intrinsic and extrinsic coordinates, and that under‐additivity of the effects is explained by the brain's preference for the intrinsic interaction over extrinsic interaction. In contrast, the PV was significantly correlated with the intrinsic component, suggesting that the intrinsic interaction dominantly contributed to bimanual movement stabilization. The inconsistent features of MI and PV suggest that the central nervous system regulates multiple levels of bilateral interactions for various bimanual tasks.
The role of SLC2A1 mutations in myoclonic astatic epilepsy and absence epilepsy, and the estimated frequency of GLUT1 deficiency syndrome
Authors: Larsen Jan , Johannesen Katrine Marie , Ek Jakob , Tang Shan , Marini Carla , Blichfeldt Susanne , Kibæk Maria , von Spiczak Sarah , Weckhuysen Sarah , Frangu Mimoza , Neubauer Bernd Axel , Uldall Peter , Striano Pasquale , Zara Federico ,   MAE working group of the EuroEPINOMICS RES Consortium, Kleiss Rebecca , Simpson Michael , Muhle Hiltrud , Nikanorova Marina , Jepsen Birgit , Tommerup Niels , Stephani Ulrich , Guerrini Renzo , Duno Morten , Hjalgrim Helle , Pal Deb , Helbig Ingo , Møller Rikke Steensbjerre
Published: November 2015

The first mutations identified in SLC2A1, encoding the glucose transporter type 1 (GLUT1) protein of the blood–brain barrier, were associated with severe epileptic encephalopathy. Recently, dominant SLC2A1 mutations were found in rare autosomal dominant families with various forms of epilepsy including early onset absence epilepsy (EOAE), myoclonic astatic epilepsy (MAE), and genetic generalized epilepsy (GGE). Our study aimed to investigate the possible role of SLC2A1 in various forms of epilepsy including MAE and absence epilepsy with early onset. We also aimed to estimate the frequency of GLUT1 deficiency syndrome in the Danish population. One hundred twenty patients with MAE, 50 patients with absence epilepsy, and 37 patients with unselected epilepsies, intellectual disability (ID), and/or various movement disorders were screened for mutations in SLC2A1. Mutations in SLC2A1 were detected in 5 (10%) of 50 patients with absence epilepsy, and in one (2.7%) of 37 patient with unselected epilepsies, ID, and/or various movement disorders. None of the 120 MAE patients harbored SLC2A1 mutations. We estimated the frequency of SLC2A1 mutations in the Danish population to be approximately 1:83,000. Our study confirmed the role of SLC2A1 mutations in absence epilepsy with early onset. However, our study failed to support the notion that SLC2A1 aberrations are a cause of MAE without associated features such as movement disorders.
Efficacy and effects of various anti‐crib devices on behaviour and physiology of crib‐biting horses
Authors: Albright J. D. , Witte T. H. , Rohrbach B. W. , Reed A. , Houpt K. A.
Published: November 2015

Reasons for performing study

Crib‐biting is a common oral stereotypy. Although most treatments involve prevention, the efficacy of various anti‐crib devices, including surgically implanted gingival rings, has thus far not been empirically tested.

Objectives

Demonstrate the effect that 2 anti‐crib collars, muzzle and gingival rings have on crib‐biting, other maintenance behaviours, and cortisol levels in established crib‐biting horses.

Study design

Randomised, crossover clinical trial.

Methods

In Experiment I, 2 anti‐crib collars and a muzzle were used on 8 established crib‐biting horses; horses wore each of 3 devices for 7 days, with a 7‐day device‐free period between treatments. Horses were video recorded for 24 h at least 3 times each week prior to any device placement, and always the day after a device was removed. In Experiment II, gingival rings were used in 6 established crib‐biting horses; horses were video recorded for 3 days prior to ring implantation and the day after surgery until the rings became ineffective. Plasma cortisol levels were assessed every day during Experiment II and on Days 1, 3 and 5 of each week during Experiment I.

Results

All devices significantly reduced crib‐biting compared with control periods. There was no significant difference in crib‐bite reduction amongst devices in Experiment I, or between pre‐device periods and the first day the device was removed. The only increase in plasma cortisol occurred on the day of surgery in Experiment II.

Conclusions

Common anti‐crib devices are effective in reducing crib‐biting and significant distress was not evident from our findings. We did not find a post inhibitory rebound effect. Surgical rings were successful only temporarily and implantation was probably painful to the horses. Because stereotypies involve suboptimal environmental conditions, efforts should be made to improve husbandry factors previously shown to contribute to crib‐biting, and research into decreasing horses' motivation to crib‐bite should continue.
Recent developments in ultrasonic fatigue
Authors: Mayer H.
Published: November 2015

The recently increased interest in very high cycle fatigue properties of materials has led to extended use and further development of the ultrasonic fatigue testing technique. Specimens are stimulated to resonance vibrations at ultrasonic frequency, where the high frequency allows collecting lifetime data of up to 1010cycles and measuring crack propagation rates down to 10−12 m per cycle within reasonable testing times. New capabilities and methods of ultrasonic testing and outstanding results obtained since the year 1999 are reviewed. Ultrasonic tests at load ratios other than R = −1, variable amplitude tests, cyclic torsion tests and methods forin situobservation of fatigue damage are described. Advances in testing at very high temperatures or in corrosive environments and experiments with other than bulk metallic materials are summarized. Fundamental studies with copper and duplex steel became possible and allowed new insights into the process of very high cycle fatigue damage. Higher cyclic strength of mild steels measured at ultrasonic frequency because of plastic strain rate effects are described. High‐strength steels and high‐alloy steels are less prone to frequency influences. Environmental effects that can lead to prolonged lifetimes in some aluminium alloys and possible frequency effects in titanium and nickel and their alloys are reviewed.
The role of rotational thromboelastometry in assessment of haemostasis during pregnancy in women with factor XI deficiency
Authors: Davies J. , Harper A. , Kadir R. A.
Published: November 2015

Introduction

Women with factor XI (FXI) deficiency are at an increased risk of bleeding complications at delivery. Obstetric management is complicated by a lack of correlation between FXI level and bleeding risk.

Aim

The aims of this study were to assess the difference in rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM®) in parturient women with FXI deficiency compared to parturient and non‐parturient controls and to evaluate the usefulness of ROTEM® in assessing bleeding risk at delivery in women with FXI deficiency.

Methods

ROTEM® was performed on 60 women: 27 with FXI deficiency, 20 age‐matched parturient controls and 12 non‐parturient controls. Pregnancy outcomes and haemostatic cover was reviewed in 57 deliveries of women with FXI deficiency.

Results

Women with FXI deficiency had a longer clotting time (CT) and clot formation time (CFT) (P < 0.001), reduced alpha angle (P < 0.001) but no difference in MCF (P = 0.054) compared to parturient controls. Compared to non‐parturient controls, they had a longer CT (P < 0.001), but shorter CFT (P < 0.001), increased alpha angle (P < 0.001) and increased MCF (P = 0.005). ROTEM® was an additional helpful parameter in managing parturient women with FXI deficiency, reducing the need for factor administration.

Conclusion

ROTEM® demonstrated hypercoagulable changes during pregnancy in women with FXI deficiency. However, they took longer to clot compared to parturient controls, but had increased clot consolidation and clot strength compared to non‐parturient controls. ROTEM® is an additional test that is helpful to assess bleeding risk and provision of appropriate haemostatic cover at delivery.
Evaluation of apically extruded debris during root canal preparation in primary molar teeth using three different rotary systems and hand files
Authors: Topçuoğlu Gamze , Topçuoğlu Hüseyin Sinan , Akpek Firdevs
Published: November 2015

Aim

To assess the amount of debris extruded apically during root canal preparation using various nickel titanium instrumentation systems and hand files in primary molar teeth.

Design

Sixty extracted primary first mandibular molar human teeth were randomly assigned to four groups (n = 15 teeth for each group). The canals were then instrumented with the following instrument systems: Revo‐S, Mtwo, ProTaper Next, and hand files. Apically extruded debris during instrumentation was collected into pre‐weighed Eppendorf tubes. The Eppendorf tubes were then stored in an incubator at 70°C for 5 days. The weight of the dry extruded debris was established by subtracting the pre‐instrumentation and post‐instrumentation weight of the Eppendorf tubes for each group. The data were analyzed using one‐way analysis of variance (anova) and Tukey's post hoc tests.

Results

ProTaper Next files were associated with less apically extruded debris than the Mtwo, Revo‐S, and hand files (P < 0.05). Hand files extruded more debris than Mtwo and Revo‐S instruments (P < 0.05), but there was no significant difference found between the Mtwo and Revo‐S instruments (P > 0.05).

Conclusions

All instruments were associated with apical extrusion of debris. ProTaper Next files caused less debris extrusion compared to the other systems used.
Evaluation of low fluoride toothpaste using primary enamel and a validated pH‐cycling model
Authors: Velo Marilia Mattar de Amoêdo Campos , Tabchoury Cínthia Pereira Machado , Romão Dayse Andrade , Cury Jaime Aparecido
Published: November 2015

Aim

To develop and validate pH‐cycling model for primary enamel, which was then used to evaluate the anti‐caries potential of fluoride toothpastes.

Design

Human primary enamel slabs were subjected to pH‐cycling model for 10 days and maintained for 6 h in demineralizing solution and 18 h in remineralizing solution daily. Twice/day, the slabs were treated. To validate it, the treatments were water or solutions containing 62.5, 125, 250, and 375 μg F/mL. Commercial toothpastes containing no fluoride, 500, 1100, and 1450 μg F/g were evaluated. Demineralization was assessed by percentage of surface hardness loss (%SHL) and cross‐sectional hardness (ΔS). Fluoride dose–response effect was analysed by quadratic regression and the effects of toothpastes by Tukey's test.

Results

Dose–response effect was found between fluoride concentration and %SHL (R2 = 0.7047; P < 0.01) or ΔS (R2 = 0.4465; P < 0.01). %SHL and ΔS (mean ± SD) for the group treated with 500 μg F/g toothpaste was 36.6 ± 8.0 and 6298.5 ± 1221.3, respectively, which were significantly higher than those treated with 1100 (25.2 ± 8.7; 4565.7 ± 1122) and 1450 μg F/g (24.2 ± 5.2; 2339.1 ± 879.7) toothpastes.

Conclusion

The developed pH‐cycling model may be used to evaluate and compare the anti‐caries potential of toothpaste formulations with low fluoride concentration because it presents dose–response effects on the reduction of primary enamel demineralization.
A treatment algorithm to identify therapeutic approaches for leg ulcers in patients with sickle cell disease
Authors: Altman Igor A , Kleinfelder Raymond E , Quigley John G , Ennis William J , Minniti Caterina P
Published: November 2015

Sickle cell leg ulcers (SCLUs) are a common complication of sickle cell disease (SCD). Patients who develop ulcers appear to have a more severe haemolysis‐associated vasculopathy than individuals who do not develop them, and manifest other complications such as priapism and pulmonary hypertension. SCLUs are slow to heal and often recur, affecting both the emotional and physical well‐being of patients. Here we summarise what is known about the pathophysiology of SCLUs, describe available treatment options and propose a treatment algorithm.
Influence of Klotho gene polymorphisms on vascular gene expression and its relationship to cardiovascular disease
Authors: Donate‐Correa Javier , Martín‐Núñez Ernesto , Martínez‐Sanz Rafael , Muros‐de‐Fuentes Mercedes , Mora‐Fernández Carmen , Pérez‐Delgado Nayra , Navarro‐González Juan F.
Published: November 2015

Klotho protein has been associated with beneficial effects that contribute to the maintenance of cardiovascular health. Diverse studies suggest that alterations in the levels of this molecule may be associated with pathophysiological abnormalities that result in increased cardiovascular risk. The primary aim of this proof‐of‐concept study was to analyse the existence of a potential link between Klotho gene polymorphisms and the expression level of this gene in the vascular wall, and additionally with the incidence of cardiovascular disease and cardiovascular risk factors. Our results indicate that the variant G‐395A, located in the promoter region, influences Klotho gene vascular expression and is associated with the incidence of diabetes. Similarly, the exonic variant KL‐VS was associated with the incidence of atherosclerotic vascular disease and coronary artery disease. Moreover, vascular expression levels of Klotho were related with the incidence of diabetes mellitus and coronary artery disease. These findings, which need to be confirmed in larger studies, suggest a potential role of Klotho in the pathogenesis of vascular damage.
Luteolin alleviates post‐infarction cardiac dysfunction by up‐regulating autophagy through Mst1 inhibition
Authors: Hu Jianqiang , Man Wanrong , Shen Min , Zhang Mingming , Lin Jie , Wang Tingting , Duan Yu , Li Congye , Zhang Rongqing , Gao Erhe , Wang Haichang , Sun Dongdong
Published: November 2015

Myocardial infarction (MI), which is characterized by chamber dilation and LV dysfunction, is associated with substantially higher mortality. We investigated the effects and underlying mechanisms of Luteolin on post‐infarction cardiac dysfunction. Myocardial infarction was constructed by left anterior descending coronary artery ligation. In vitro, cultured neonatal cardiomyocytes subjected to simulated MI were used to probe mechanism. Luteolin significantly improved cardiac function, decreased cardiac enzyme and inflammatory cytokines release after MI. Enhanced autophagic flux as indicated by more autophagosomes puncta, less accumulation of aggresomes and P62 in the neonatal cardiomyocytes after hypoxia was observed in the Luteolin pre‐treatment group. Western blot analysis also demonstrated that Luteolin up‐regulated autophagy in the cardiomyocytes subjected to simulated MI injury. Furthermore, Luteolin increased mitochondrial membrane potential, adenosine triphosphate content, citrate synthase activity and complexes I/II/III/IV/V activities in the cardiomyocytes subjected to simulated MI injury. Interestingly, mammalian sterile 20‐like kinase 1 (Mst1) knockout abolished the protective effects of Luteolin administration. Luteolin enhances cardiac function, reduces cardiac enzyme and inflammatory markers release after MI. The protective effects of Luteolin are associated with up‐regulation of autophagy and improvement of mitochondrial biogenesis through Mst1 inhibition.
Temperature effects on hatching and viability of Juvenile Gill Lice,Salmincola californiensis
Authors: Vigil E M , Christianson K R , Lepak J M , Williams P J
Published: November 2015

Salmonids of the genusOncorhynchus, distributed throughout the Pacific Rim, can be infected by the gill lice speciesSalmincola californiensis(Dana, 1852), which makes them one of the most broadly distributed gill lice species. Despite their broad distribution and valuable obligate salmonid hosts, relatively little is known aboutS. californiensis. We evaluated effects of temperature on timing ofS. californiensishatching and survival of copepodids, and provide information on brood size and variability. Our results suggest that temperature was a primary driver of timing ofS. californiensishatching and post‐hatching survival. Prior to this study, the free‐swimming stage ofS. californiensiswas reported to survive approximately 2 days without a suitable host. We observed active copepodids 13 days after hatch with some individuals from most (>90%) viable egg sacs at all temperature treatments surviving ≥5 days. Our findings indicate that warmer temperatures could increase development rates of gill lice at certain life stages, potentially increasing fecundity. This information coupled with predictions that warmer water temperatures could intensify crowding of coldwater fishes, stress, and parasite transmission suggests that climate change could exacerbate negative effects ofS. californiensison ecologically and economically important salmonids.
Do European Firms Behave as if they Converge toward a Target Capital Structure?
Authors: Marinšek Denis , Pahor Marko , Mramor Dušan , Luštrik Roman
Published: November 2015

Utilizing a large sample of European firms, we demonstrate that firms behave as if they converge toward a target capital structure (“leveraging process”), defined by traditional trade‐off variables. Moreover, we find that such behavior is evident regardless of firm size and ownership structure. We compare the degree of convergence among different groups of firms and find that medium‐sized firms, firms from the new EU member states, and firms from Southern Europe exhibit a stronger “leveraging process” than the rest of the sampled firms. Our results also highlight that the economic crisis, which began in the late 2008, impacted the leveraging dynamics; however, the general pattern of convergence remained unchanged.
Effect of treatment temperature on the microstructure of asphalt binders: insights on the development of dispersed domains
Authors: MENAPACE I. , MASAD E. , BHASIN A.
Published: November 2015

This paper offers important insights on the development of the microstructure in asphalt binders as a function of the treatment temperature. Different treatment temperatures are useful to understand how dispersed domains form when different driving energies for the mobility of molecular species are provided. Small and flat dispersed domains, with average diameter between 0.02 and 0.70 μm, were detected on the surface of two binders at room temperature, and these domains were observed to grow with an increase in treatment temperature (up to over 2 μm). Bee‐like structures started to appear after treatment at or above 100°C. Moreover, the effect of the binder thickness on its microstructure at room temperature and at higher treatment temperatures was investigated and is discussed in this paper. At room temperature, the average size of the dispersed domains increased as the binder thickness decreased. A hypothesis that conciliates current theories on the origin and development of dispersed domains is proposed. Small dispersed domains (average diameter around 0.02 μm) are present in the bulk of the binder, whereas larger domains and bee‐like structures develop on the surface, following heat treatment or mechanical disturbance that reduces the film thickness. Molecular mobility and association are the key factors in the development of binder microstructure.
High‐quality imaging in environmental scanning electron microscopy – optimizing the pressure limiting system and the secondary electron detection of a commercially available ESEM
Authors: FITZEK H. , SCHROETTNER H. , WAGNER J. , HOFER F. , RATTENBERGER J.
Published: November 2015

In environmental scanning electron microscopy applications in the kPa regime are of increasing interest for the investigation of wet and biological samples, because neither sample preparation nor extensive cooling are necessary. Unfortunately, the applications are limited by poor image quality. In this work the image quality at high pressures of a FEI Quanta 600 (field emission gun) and a FEI Quanta 200 (thermionic gun) is greatly improved by optimizing the pressure limiting system and the secondary electron (SE) detection system. The scattering of the primary electron beam strongly increases with pressure and thus the image quality vanishes. The key to high‐image quality at high pressures is to reduce scattering as far as possible while maintaining ideal operation conditions for the SE‐detector. The amount of scattering is reduced by reducing both the additional stagnation gas thickness (aSGT) and the environmental distance (ED). A new aperture holder is presented that significantly reduces the aSGT while maintaining the same field‐of‐view (FOV) as the original design. With this aperture holder it is also possible to make the aSGT even smaller at the expense of a smaller FOV. A new blade‐shaped SE‐detector is presented yielding better image quality than usual flat SE‐detectors. The electrode of the new SE detector is positioned on the sample table, which allows the SE‐detector to operate at ideal conditions regardless of pressure and ED.