bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bilan et perspectives sur la situation des compositrices au Québec : vers un décloisonnement des identités*
Authors: Tremblay Vicky
Published: October 2019

Dans le domaine de la création musicale au Québec, les compositrices sont toujours moins nombreuses que les compositeurs. Si le métier de compositeur a du mal à être reconnu dans la société québécoise, les compositrices sont doublement marginalisées. Nombre d’entre elles témoignent des défis auxquels elles doivent faire face lorsqu’il est question de s’intégrer au milieu musical, et plusieurs musicologues ont tenté de mieux saisir — pour éventuellement résoudre — les problématiques particulières aux femmes dans le domaine de la composition.

Cet article présente une conjonction entre les recherches sur les compositrices québécoises et des ouvrages aux fondements de la musicologie féministe aux États-Unis. Il discute de certaines problématiques communes aux compositrices de musique occidentale de tradition classique, pour finalement observer la fluidité des pratiques de certaines compositrices québécoises, qui inscrivent leurs démarches de création en dehors des « binarismes ».

Au fil du temps, les femmes ont été marginalisées au sein des institutions dédiées à la musique de création. Ignorées par les critiques et rejetées par les programmes d’enseignement, elles ont longtemps été en réaction à cette marginalisation. Le rôle des institutions d’enseignement actuelles serait donc d’offrir un enseignement critique du canon musical tel qu’enseigné traditionnellement, pour mieux réintégrer ceux et celles qui en ont été rejetés.

Si une ouverture se crée depuis quelques années vers des pratiques plus fluides, un décloisonnement de l’identité de compositrice et de compositeur s’observe déjà chez certaines compositrices qui éloignent leurs pratiques des « binarismes », notamment avec Danielle Palardy Roger, Diane Labrosse et Joane Hétu — pionnières du courant actualiste —, mais aussi avec des compositrices telles que Nicole Lizée et Katia Makdissi-Warren.
A lipid-leakage model for Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Rudge Jonathan D
Published: October 2019

This paper describes a potential new explanation for Alzheimer’s disease (AD), referred to here as the lipid-leakage model. It proposes that AD is caused by the influx of lipids following the breakdown of the blood brain barrier (BBB). The model argues that a principle role of the BBB is to protect the brain from external lipid access. When the BBB is damaged, it allows a mass influx of (mainly albumin-bound) free fatty acids (FFAs) and lipid-rich lipoproteins to the brain, which in turn causes neurodegeneration, amyloidosis, tau tangles and other AD characteristics. The model also argues that, whilst β-amyloid causes neurodegeneration, as is widely argued, its principal role in the disease lies in damaging the BBB. It is the external lipids, entering as a consequence, that are the primary drivers of neurodegeneration in AD., especially FFAs, which induce oxidative stress, stimulate microglia-driven neuroinflammation, and inhibit neurogenesis. Simultaneously, the larger, more lipid-laden lipoproteins, characteristic of the external plasma but not the CNS, cause endosomal-lysosomal abnormalities, amyloidosis and the formation of tau tangles, all characteristic of AD. In most cases (certainly in late-onset, noninherited forms of the disease) amyloidosis and tau tangle formation are consequences of this external lipid invasion, and in many ways more symptomatic of the disease than causative. In support of this, it is argued that the pattern of damage caused by the influx of FFAs into the brain is likely to resemble the neurodegeneration seen in alcohol-related brain damage (ARBD), a disease that shows many similarities to AD, including the areas of the brain it affects. The fact that neurodegeneration is far more pronounced in AD than in ARBD most likely results from the greater heterogeneity of the lipid assault in AD compared with ethanol alone. The lipid-leakage model, described here, arguably provides the first cohesive, multi-factorial explanation of AD that best accounts for all currently known major risk factors, and credibly explains all AD-associated pathologies, including those, such as endosomal-lysosomal dysfunction and excessive lipid droplet formation, that have been too readily overlooked by other accounts of this disease.
Importance of starting time for defect analysis using positron annihilation lifetime measurements
Authors: Yamawaki Masato , Uesugi Naoya , Kobayashi Yoshinori
Published: October 2019

Conventional positron annihilation lifetime measurements have focused on determining the lifetime and relative intensity of each lifetime component deduced by multi-component analysis or the “mean” lifetime deduced by single-component analysis. So far, little attention has been paid towards the starting time (T
0) on the spectrum’s time axis. When analysing lifetime spectra with multiple components using an exponential function with a single-component, there is a difference between the experimental data and the fitted spectrum. Compensating for this difference causes a shift in the T
0 value in the fitted spectrum. This study examines the shifts in T
0 (ΔT
0) in positron lifetime spectrum analyses of metal samples with defects. We conducted simulations of trapping models and experiments with shot-peened stainless steel, verifying that ΔT
0 changed depending on the defect concentration even when almost all positrons were trapped (full trap). Therefore, we propose ΔT
0 as a new parameter for evaluating positron annihilation lifetime measurements.
Aspergillus terreus obtained from mangrove exhibits antagonistic activities against Pythium aphanidermatum-induced damping-off of cucumber
Authors: Al-Shibli Hanaa , Dobretsov Sergey , Al-Nabhani Abdulrahman , Maharachchikumbura Sajeewa S.N. , Rethinasamy Velazhahan , Al-Sadi Abdullah M.
Published: October 2019

A study was conducted to investigate the potential of Aspergillus terreus obtained from Avicennia marina mangrove roots in inhibiting Pythium aphanidermatum and damping-off disease of cucumber. Aspergillus terreus exhibited in vitro inhibition of Pythium aphanidermatum growth. Electron microscope examination revealed that the antagonistic fungal isolate resulted in shrinking and groves in Pythium hypha. When Aspergillus terreus culture filtrate was added to Pythium aphanidermatum, it resulted in a significant increase (by 73%) in electrolyte leakage from Pythium hypha compared to the control, as well as significant reduction (by 71%) in oospore production. The Aspergillus terreus culture was also found to produce a cellulase enzyme, which is suggested to be involved in the antagonism against Pythium aphanidermatum. Adding Aspergillus terreus to soil infested with Pythium aphanidermatum significantly reduced percent mortality in cucumber seedlings by 70%. Aspergillus terreus, when applied alone on cucumber seedlings, did not show any suppressive effects on cucumber growth (length and fresh and dry weight). This appears to be the first report of isolation from mangrove of Aspergillus terreus with antagonistic activity against Pythium aphanidermatum-induced damping-off of cucumber. The study indicates that fungal isolates obtained from marine environments may serve as potential biocontrol agents against some plant pathogens.
Spatio-temporal patterns of the oceanic conditions and nearshore marine community in the Mid-Atlantic Bight (New Jersey, USA)
Authors: Levesque Juan C.
Published: October 2019

Oceanic environmental conditions influence, shape, and control the geographical range, spatial distribution, abundance, and size composition of marine fauna. Water temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, depth, and sediment type influence select fish life-history characteristics and community structure. Marine communities are vulnerable to major changes in environmental conditions, but the response and severity depends on various biological or ecological factors, such as resilience to stress or adaptation. Researchers around the world have predicted and documented numerous alterations in fish communities caused by ongoing significant physicochemical shifts associated with natural and potentially unnatural sources, but published studies describing the historical conditions are lacking for most regions around the world, including the coastal waters off New Jersey. Given the need to understand these processes, a multifaceted investigation was undertaken to describe, evaluate, and compare the oceanic conditions and nearshore marine fauna community off New Jersey during 1988 through 2015. Findings showed the oceanic conditions varied over time and space. Mean surface water temperature increased significantly about 0.6 °C per decade, mean salinity decreased about 1.3 psu per decade, and dissolved oxygen increased 0.09 mg/l per decade. Over 20.4 million fish and invertebrates (1,338.3 mt) representing 214 (water temperature preference classified) species (not including unidentified species) were collected within 15 strata (areas: 12−26) off the coast of New Jersey from 1988 to 2015. Three marine fauna water temperature preference groups (coldwater-adapted, warmwater-adapted, and subtropic-adapted) were identified in the study area. The main coldwater-adapted species collected were longfin squid (Loligo pealei) (n = 2, 225, 975), Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) (n = 544, 032), and little skate (Leucoraja erinacea) (n = 316, 356), while Atlantic butterfish (Peprilus triacanthus) (n = 2, 873, 138), scup (Stenotomus chrysops) (n = 1, 318, 569), and northern searobin (Prionotus carolinus) (n = 503, 230) represented the warmwater-adapted group. Bay anchovy (Anchoa mitchilli) (n = 9, 227, 960), striped anchovy (Anchoa hepsetus) (n = 245, 214), and Atlantic moonfish (Vomer setapinnis) (n = 38, 691) denoted the subtropic-adapted group. Subtropic-adapted species were the most abundant and coldwater-adapted were the least abundant water temperature preference group. The estimated abundance of coldwater-adapted species declined, warmwater-adapted species slightly increased, and subtropic-adapted species decreased with time, which suggest the environmental conditions are influencing and thereby shifting the marine community.
Monitoring linear accelerators electron beam energy constancy with a 2D ionization chamber array and double‐wedge phantom
Authors: Gao Song , Chetvertkov Mikhail A. , Simon William E. , Sadeghi Amir , Balter Peter A.
Published: October 2019

Validate that a two‐dimensional (2D) ionization chamber array (ICA) combined with a double‐wedge plate (DWP) can track changes in electron beam energy well within 2.0 mms as recommended by TG‐142 for monthly quality assurance (QA). Electron beam profiles of 4–22 MeV were measured for a 25 × 25 cm2 cone using an ICA with a DWP placed on top of it along one diagonal axis. The relationship between the full width half maximum (FWHM) field size created by DWP energy degradation across the field and the depth of 50% dose in water (R50) is calibrated for a given ICA/DWP combination in beams of know energies (R50 values). Once this relationship is established, the ICA/DWP system will report the R50FWHM directly. We calibrated the ICA/DWP on a linear accelerator with energies of 6, 9, 12, 16, 20, and 22 MeV. The R50FWHM values of these beams and eight other beams with different R50 values were measured and compared with the R50 measured in water, that is, R50Water. Resolving changes of R50 up to 0.2 cm with ICA/DWP was tested by adding solid‐water to shift the energy and was verified with R50Water measurements. To check the long‐term reproducibility of ICA/DWP we measured R50FWHM on a monthly basis for a period of 3 yr. We proposed a universal calibration procedure considering the off‐axis corrections and compared calibrations and measurements on three types of linacs (Varian TrueBeam, Varian C‐series, and Elekta) with different nominal energies and R50 values. For all 38 beams on same type of linac with R50values over a range of 2–8.8 cm, the R50FWHM reported by the ICA/DWP system agreed with that measured in water within 0.01 ± 0.03 cm (mean ± 1σ) and maximum discrepancy of 0.07 cm. Long‐term reproducibility results show the ICA/DWP system to be within 0.04 cm of their baseline over 3 yr. With the universal calibration the maximum discrepancy between R50FWHM and R50Water for different types of linac reduced from 0.25 to 0.06 cm. Comparison of R50FWHM values and R50Water values and long‐term reproducibility of R50FWHM values indicates that the ICA/DWP can be used for monitoring of electron beam energy constancy well within TG‐142 recommended tolerance.
Nonradiative Recombination in Perovskite Solar Cells: The Role of Interfaces
Authors: Wolff Christian M. , Caprioglio Pietro , Stolterfoht Martin , Neher Dieter
Published: October 2019

Perovskite solar cells combine high carrier mobilities with long carrier lifetimes and high radiative efficiencies. Despite this, full devices suffer from significant nonradiative recombination losses, limiting their VOC to values well below the Shockley–Queisser limit. Here, recent advances in understanding nonradiative recombination in perovskite solar cells from picoseconds to steady state are presented, with an emphasis on the interfaces between the perovskite absorber and the charge transport layers. Quantification of the quasi‐Fermi level splitting in perovskite films with and without attached transport layers allows to identify the origin of nonradiative recombination, and to explain the VOC of operational devices. These measurements prove that in state‐of‐the‐art solar cells, nonradiative recombination at the interfaces between the perovskite and the transport layers is more important than processes in the bulk or at grain boundaries. Optical pump‐probe techniques give complementary access to the interfacial recombination pathways and provide quantitative information on transfer rates and recombination velocities. Promising optimization strategies are also highlighted, in particular in view of the role of energy level alignment and the importance of surface passivation. Recent record perovskite solar cells with low nonradiative losses are presented where interfacial recombination is effectively overcome—paving the way to the thermodynamic efficiency limit.
The Fundamental Mechanism Behind Colossal Permittivity in Oxides
Authors: Taylor Ned T. , Davies Francis H. , Davies Shane G. , Price Conor J. , Hepplestone Steven P.
Published: October 2019

Colossal permittivity materials exhibit extreme polarization in an applied electric field, providing applications in electronics and energy transmission. Understanding the atomic‐scale mechanism behind colossal permittivity remains a challenging task and is key to optimizing materials with this property. The fundamental mechanism of colossal permittivity is reported and, using CaCu3Ti4O12 as an example, it is attributed to the formation of an unusual metallic interface between the grain and grain boundary materials (CaCu3Ti4O12 and CuxO (x = 1, 2), respectively), not created by oxygen vacancies as is normally the case in oxide materials. This metallic layer around the grain forms confined shells of charge that pool on one side when under an applied field, which results in colossal permittivity. A route towards enhancing colossal permittivity is explained by means of manipulating the interface properties, as well as altering sample geometries. A methodology to artificially engineer colossal permittivity metamaterials is also shown.
Colloidal Single‐Layer Photocatalysts for Methanol‐Storable Solar H2 Fuel
Authors: Pang Yingping , Uddin Md Nasir , Chen Wei , Javaid Shaghraf , Barker Emily , Li Yunguo , Suvorova Alexandra , Saunders Martin , Yin Zongyou , Jia Guohua
Published: October 2019

Molecular surfactants are widely used to control low‐dimensional morphologies, including 2D nanomaterials in colloidal chemical synthesis, but it is still highly challenging to accurately control single‐layer growth for 2D materials. A scalable stacking‐hinderable strategy to not only enable exclusive single‐layer growth mode for transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) selectively sandwiched by surfactant molecules but also retain sandwiched single‐layer TMDs' photoredox activities is developed. The single‐layer growth mechanism is well explained by theoretical calculation. Three types of single‐layer TMDs, including MoS2, WS2, and ReS2, are successfully synthesized and demonstrated in solar H2 fuel production from hydrogen‐stored liquid carrier—methanol. Such H2 fuel production from single‐layer MoS2 nanosheets is COx‐free and reliably workable under room temperature and normal pressure with the generation rate reaching ≈617 µmole g−1 h−1 and excellent photoredox endurability. This strategy opens up the feasible avenue to develop methanol‐storable solar H2 fuel with facile chemical rebonding actualized by 2D single‐layer photocatalysts.
MoS2/TiO2 Hybrid Nanostructure‐Based Field‐Effect Transistor for Highly Sensitive, Selective, and Rapid Detection of Gram‐Positive Bacteria
Authors: Moudgil Akshay , Singh Sanjay , Mishra Nishant , Mishra Prashant , Das Samaresh
Published: October 2019

Field‐effect transistor (FET) biosensors based on hybrid nanostructures present unique advantages of high sensitivity, small size, excellent dynamic range, and compatibility with integrated circuits. In this work, the fabrication of highly sensitive and selective hybrid MoS2/TiO2 nanostructure‐based FET is demonstrated for the detection of Gram‐positive bacteria. The fabricated FET biosensors are efficiently capable of discriminating between Gram‐positive and Gram‐negative bacteria with a limit of detection 50 cfu mL−1. The biosensor exhibits a high sensitivity of 49.47 ± 1.7% for Staphylococcus aureus among eight different bacteria at a concentration of 102 cfu mL−1. The real time detection of bacteria with a response time of 22.19 s is achieved at concentrations as low as 50–100 cfu mL−1, suggesting rapid and low concentration detection of selective bacteria. The FET biosensor is also able to quantify bacteria in the physiological conditions as well as discriminate between live and dead bacteria. The unique hybrid nanostructure based FET with desirable biosensing properties presents the potential to screen the pathogenic bacteria. Live/dead monitoring of bacteria may help in deciding the course and dosage of the antibiotic treatment.
Cell isolation via spiral microfluidics and the secondary anchor targeted cell release system
Authors: Ansari Ali , Schultheis Kinsey , Patel Reema , Al‐Qadi Kareem I. , Chen Si , Jensen Cassandra R. , Schad Samantha R. , Weddell Jared C. , Vanka Surya P. , Imoukhuede P. I.
Published: October 2019

Precision medicine requires high throughput cell isolation and measurement that maintains physiology. Unfortunately, many techniques are slow or alter cell biomarkers cells. This necessitates new approaches, which we achieve by integrating affinity‐based cell isolation with spiral microfluidics. We characterize the device via computational simulations, predicting wall shear stress within an order of magnitude of arterial wall shear stress (~0.2 Pa). We identify that poly‐l‐lysine supplementation preserves cell geometry and improves cell release. We demonstrate preservation of angiogenic biomarker concentrations, measuring 1,000–2,000 vascular endothelial growth factor receptor‐1 per human umbilical vein endothelial cell, which is in line with the previously reported measurements. We attain 76.7 ± 9.0% release of captured cells by integrating thermophoresis and optimizing buffer residence time. Ultimately, we find that combining affinity‐based cell isolation (secondary anchor targeted cell release) with spiral microfluidics offers a fast, biomarker preserving approach needed to individualize medicine.
A primate with a Panda's thumb: The anatomy of the pseudothumb of Daubentonia madagascariensis
Authors: Hartstone‐Rose Adam , Dickinson Edwin , Boettcher Marissa L. , Herrel Anthony
Published: October 2019

Objectives

Accessory digits have evolved independently within several mammalian lineages. Most notable among these is the pseudothumb of the giant panda, which has long been considered one of the most extraordinary examples of contingent evolution. To date, no primate has been documented to possess such an adaptation. Here, we investigate the presence of this structure within the aye‐aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis), a species renowned for several other specialized morphological adaptations in the hand, including a morphologically unique third digit.

Materials and Methods

We combine physical dissection techniques with digital imaging processes across a sample of seven individuals (six adults and one immature individual) to describe and visualize the anatomy of the wrist and hand within the aye‐aye.

Results

A distinct pseudothumb, which consists of both a bony component (an expanded radial sesamoid) and a dense cartilaginous extension (the “prepollex”) was observed in all specimens. We demonstrate that this pseudodigit receives muscular attachments from three muscles, which collectively have the potential to enable abduction, adduction, and opposition. Finally, we demonstrate that the pseudothumb possesses its own distinct pad within the palm, complete with independent dermatoglyphs.

Discussion

Pseudothumbs have been suggested to improve palmar dexterity in taxa with overly ‐generalized first digits (e.g., pandas) and to widen the hand for digging (e.g., some fossorial moles), but the aye‐aye's pseudothumb represents what we believe is a heretofore unrecognized third functional role: its accessory digit compensates for overspecialization of its fingers for non‐gripping functions (in this case, the aye‐aye's unique “tap foraging” practices).
Federalism or devolution of power? Sri Lanka's perspectives
Authors: De Alwis Ranjanee
Published: October 2019

The concepts of decentralization and devolution are not new phenomena to Sri Lanka. Since Independence (1948), the processes of decentralization and devolution have taken place at a varying pace to address changes in local socio‐economic and political conditions. Nevertheless, effective decentralization, delegation, and devolution of political and administrative authority and responsibility have not yet evolved in Sri Lanka due to lack of political will and bureaucratic support, the dominance of central institutions, inadequate fiscal and human resources devolution, and political clientelism. In turn, lobbying groups and political leaders in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka continuously agitate for more powers through a federal system of government. This paper examines the federal system of government internationally with a focus on its implementation in the South Asia region. This paper argues that in a developing country context, federalism has not produced autonomous state governments and effective governance as expected by various lobbying groups.
Distribution‐free simultaneous tests for location–scale and Lehmann alternative in two‐sample problem
Authors: Kössler Wolfgang , Mukherjee Amitava
Published: October 2019

The paper deals with the classical two‐sample testing problem for the equality of two populations, one of the most fundamental problems in biomedical experiments and case–control studies. The most familiar alternatives are the difference in location parameters or the difference in scale parameters or in both the parameters of the population density. All the tests designed for classical location or scale or location–scale alternatives assume that there is no change in the shape of the distribution. Some authors also consider the Lehmann‐type alternative that addresses the change in shape. Two‐sample tests under Lehmann alternative assume that the location and scale parameters are invariant. In real life, when a shift in the distribution occurs, one or more of the location, scale, and shape parameters may change simultaneously. We refer to change of one or more of the three parameters as a versatile alternative. Noting the dearth of literature for the equality two populations against such versatile alternative, we introduce two distribution‐free tests based on the Euclidean and Mahalanobis distance. We obtain the asymptotic distributions of the two test statistics and study asymptotic power. We also discuss approximating p‐values of the proposed tests in real applications with small samples. We compare the power performance of the two tests with several popular existing distribution‐free tests against various fixed alternatives using Monte Carlo. We provide two illustrations based on biomedical experiments. Unlike existing tests which are suitable only in certain situations, proposed tests offer very good power in almost all types of shifts.
Forgotten Perfumery Plants – Part I: Balm of Judea
Authors: Bouville Anne‐Sophie , Erlich Guy , Azoulay Stéphane , Fernandez Xavier
Published: October 2019

Perfumes have always been products of great importance, mainly composed of natural, valuable and vegetal raw materials. Today, some of them have completely disappeared in perfumery, even though they are part of our cultural heritage and were commonly used in the past. Balm of Judea is one of the most noble, rare and fascinating ingredient long used in perfumery and medicine, that is missing today. After years of research, we collected a resin and an essential oil (steam distillation of fresh aerial parts) fromCommiphora gileadensis(L.) C.Chr. native from Saudi Arabia and cultivated in Israel. The aims of this study were to i) identify the main reasons of the loss of the balm of Judea, ii) characterize the volatile composition of the resin and the essential oil and iii) evaluate their olfactory profile and assess their biological activity. Eighty‐three compounds were identified in the resin, by a combination of GC‐MS and GC/FID techniques, using direct injection and HS‐SPME.α‐Pinene (24.0 %), sabinene (43.8 %),β‐pinene (6.3 %) and cymene (3.6 %) were the main identified compounds, giving an intense, terpenic and lemony smell to the resin. Anti‐inflammatory, wound‐healing and whitening activities were highlighted. Sabinene (22.7 %), terpinen‐4‐ol (18.7 %),α‐pinene (14.4 %) and cymene (13.6 %) were identified as the main components of the essential oil, giving a spicy, woody and lemony fragrance. Anti‐inflammatory and whitening activities were emphasized.
Distal C‐terminus of Cav1.2 is indispensable for the chondrogenic differentiation of rat dental pulp stem cells
Authors: Ju Yanqin , Ren Xudong , Zhao Shouliang
Published: October 2019

The α1 subunit (Cav1.2) of the L‐type calcium channel (LTCC), which is presently existing in both excitatory cells and non‐excitatory cells, is involved in the differentiation and proliferation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs), MSCs derived from dental pulp, exhibit multipotent characteristics similar to those of MSCs. The aim of the present study was to examine the contribution of Cav1.2 and its distal C‐terminus (DCT) to the commitment of rat DPSCs (rDPSCs) toward chondrocytes and adipocytes in vitro. The expression of Cav1.2 was obviously elevated in chondrogenic differentiation but did not differ significantly in adipogenic differentiation. The chondrogenic differentiation but not adipogenic of rDPSCs was inhibited by either blocking LTCC using nimodipine or knockdown of Cav1.2 via short hairpin RNA (shRNA). Overexpression of DCT rescued the inhibition by Cav1.2‐shRNA during chondrogenic differentiation, indicating that DCT is essential for the chondrogenic differentiation of rDPSCs. However, the protein level of DCT decreased after chondrogenic differentiation in wild‐type cells, and overexpression of DCT in rDPSCs inhibited the phenotype. These data suggest that DCT is indispensable for chondrogenic differentiation of rDPSCs but that superfluous DCT inhibits this process. Through the analysis of differentially expressed genes using RNA‐seq data, we speculated that the regulation of DCT might be mediated by the mitogen‐activated protein kinase/extracellular‐regulated kinase and c‐Jun N‐terminal kinase signaling pathways, or Chondromodulin‐1.
Dynamic Impedance Spectroscopy of Nickel Hexacyanoferrate Thin Films
Authors: Erinmwingbovo Collins , Koster Dominique , Brogioli Doriano , La Mantia Fabio
Published: October 2019

Invited for this month's cover picture is the Energy Storage and Conversion Systems’ Group of the University of Bremen (Germany). The cover picture shows the application of dynamic multi‐frequency analysis (DMFA) for studying the kinetics of nickel hexacyanoferrate thin film, which is unstable in its oxidized form. The image shows the two‐step intercalation mechanism for the deintercalation of univalent cations in nickel hexacyanoferrate thin film. Read the full text of the Article at 10.1002/celc.201900805.
Smart blood markers – how highlighters and cosmetics turn into forensic tools
Authors: Brezesinski Kirstin , Ducci Matthias
Published: October 2019

Im Beitrag wird die geschichtliche Entwicklung von Nachweismethoden zur Blutdetektion exemplarisch erörtert. Anschließend werden Schulexperimente vorgestellt, bei denen der Blutnachweis mit Reagenzien durchgeführt wird, die aus einem Textmarkerfarbstoff sowie einem Badezusatz hergestellt werden können.
Closed‐form solutions to SEP integrals over generalized fading distributions η−μ and κ−μ using approximate computing
Authors: Aggarwal Supriya
Published: October 2019

The fading channels often involve complex expressions, when it comes to computing the integrals required for performance evaluation of various digital modulation schemes. In this paper, usefulness of exponential‐based approximations to the Gaussian‐Q function in computing these integrals is discussed. We present generic symbol error probability (SEP) expressions over η−μ and κ−μ fading distributions, which can be tailored for any digital modulation technique using different approximations. The resulting expressions thus obtained comprise only elementary mathematical functions thereby avoiding complex evaluations of hypergeometric functions. We explore all the exponential‐based approximations proposed till date and conclude that apart from being mathematically simple, they also lead to accurate expressions for performance analysis of various digital modulation schemes.
Large‐scale experiments of the borehole instability on shale formation influenced by drill pipe rotation
Authors: Sun Yuanwei , Meng Meng , Dai Xiaodong , Cheng Yuanfang , Wang Yanli , Dong Shuxin , Hao Yongchao , Peng Guowei
Published: October 2019

Wellbore instability happens mostly in the shale formation. Early researches have studied thoroughly on the physicochemical and mechanical mechanism that causes instability. However, only a few works have considered the influence of field drilling operations, such as drill pipe rotation. In this paper, a true triaxial cell is used to simulate the downhole field situations, and a drill pipe rotation device is innovatively designed and implemented into the true triaxial cell. Using this facility, the influence of drill pipe rotation on shale instability has been performed. Different rotation speed, weight on bit, drilling fluid pressure, and microcracks on borehole have been considered. The enlargement of the wellbore is quantitatively plotted and compared. Results show that the drill pipe rotation contributes to a more enlargement of the wellbore, and a higher rotation speed causes a more severe collapse. The drill string weight on bit also contributes to the enlargement of the wellbore, with a larger weight on bit induces a larger diameter of the collapsed wellbore. Compared with the rotation speed and weight on bit, the influence of drilling fluid density is relatively less significant. However, the influence of microcracks caused by hitting of drilling tools is profound. For a cracked shale formation, the wellbore diameter can be enlarged for more than 40%. Then, the variation of borehole collapse with time and depth under drill pipe rotation influence is analyzed. In all of these four factors, the significant sequence is microcracks > weight on bit > rotation speed > drilling fluid pressure. In all the collapse phenomena, the collapse is more severe in the minimum horizontal stress direction. This is explained by the analysis of the stress distribution in the whole circumferential angle (360°) of the wellbore. Overall, this work fills the gap of the influence of drilling operations on wellbore instability.
Classification of the tight oil reservoir storage space in the Raoyang Sag of the Jizhong Depression in the Bohai Bay Basin, China
Authors: Chen Fangwen , Zheng Qiang , Lu Shuangfang , Ding Xue , Ju Yiwen , Zhao Hongqin
Published: October 2019

To improve the precision of predicting sweet spots in tight oil reservoirs, the classification of tight oil reservoir storage space is necessary. The tight oil reservoir in the lower submember of the first member of Shahejie Formation (Es1L) of the Raoyang Sag of the Jizhong Depression in the Bohai Bay Basin was selected as a case study for testing a new method of classifying tight oil reservoir storage space based on the results of porosity, permeability, and mercury intrusion porosimetry measurements. The pore‐throat size ranges were classified according to pore‐throat fractal characteristics and were divided into three groups: <100 nm, 100‐1000 nm, and >1000 nm. The oil‐bearing property of tight oil reservoir samples is closely related to the median and maximum pore‐throat radii. The inflection and intersection points in the trend lines of the pore volume percentages connected by different pore‐throat widths (<100 nm, 100‐1000 nm, and >1000 nm) vs the porosity and permeability values (which represent the relationship between the pore volume connectivity characteristics and porosity/permeability) were used as the basis for classifying the tight oil reservoir storage space. The tight oil reservoir storage space in the Es1L formation of the Raoyang Sag was divided into three categories, namely classes of III, II, and I. The porosity ranges of the three tight reservoir storage space classes are <5%, 5%‐8%, and 8%‐11%, respectively, and their permeability ranges are <0.04 mD, 0.04‐0.15 mD, and 0.15‐0.8 mD, respectively.
Stem cell derived oligodendrocytes to study myelin diseases
Authors: Chanoumidou Konstantina , Mozafari Sabah , Baron‐Van Evercooren Anne , Kuhlmann Tanja
Published: October 2019

Oligodendroglial pathology is central to de‐ and dysmyelinating, but also contributes to neurodegenerative and psychiatric diseases as well as brain injury. The understanding of oligodendroglial biology in health and disease has been significantly increased during recent years by experimental in vitro and in vivo preclinical studies as well as histological analyses of human tissue samples. However, for many of these diseases the underlying pathology is still not fully understood and treatment options are frequently lacking. This is at least partly caused by the limited access to human oligodendrocytes from patients to perform functional studies and drug screens. The induced pluripotent stem cell technology (iPSC) represents a possibility to circumvent this obstacle and paves new ways to study human disease and to develop new treatment options for so far incurable central nervous system (CNS) diseases. In this review, we summarize the differences between human and rodent oligodendrocytes, provide an overview of the different techniques to generate oligodendrocytes from human progenitor or stem cells and describe the results from studies using iPSC derived oligodendroglial lineage cells. Furthermore, we discuss future perspectives and challenges of the iPSC technology with respect to disease modeling, drug screen, and cell transplantation approaches.
Commissioning social care for people with dementia living at home: Findings from a national survey
Authors: Davies Sue , Hughes Jane , Ahmed Saima , Clarkson Paul , Challis David ,   Members of the HoSt‐D (Home Support in Dementia) Programme Management Group
Published: October 2019

Objective

To explore the complexities, circumstances, and range of services commissioned for people with dementia living at home.

Methods

A national survey was used to collect data from English local authorities in 2015. Commissioners of services for older adults were invited to complete a questionnaire. An exploratory cluster analysis of nominal data was conducted using a TwoStep procedure to identify distinct groups.

Results

A total of 122 authorities (83%) responded to the request. Four approaches to commissioning were identified, reflecting commissioning practices at the organisational, strategic, and individual service user levels. Commissioning at the service user level was most apparent. Bivariate analysis found that these configurations were not associated with the types of dementia specific services provided but were related to the number available. Authorities delivered a greater range of specialist services when joint commissioning between social care and health partners was undertaken. However, the joint commissioning of services was less observed in services specifically for people with dementia than in generic services for all older people. There was limited evidence that local circumstances (population configuration and deprivation levels) were associated with this approach to commissioning.

Conclusions

The significant role of health partners in the delivery of social care services to support older people living with dementia in their own homes is evident. As the population with dementia ages and physical health needs increase, how dementia specific services differ from and complement those services available to all older people warrants further investigation.
Accurate and robust segmentation of neuroanatomy in T1‐weighted MRI by combining spatial priors with deep convolutional neural networks
Authors: Novosad Philip , Fonov Vladimir , Collins D. Louis ,   Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative
Published: October 2019

Neuroanatomical segmentation in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain is a prerequisite for quantitative volume, thickness, and shape measurements, as well as an important intermediate step in many preprocessing pipelines. This work introduces a new highly accurate and versatile method based on 3D convolutional neural networks for the automatic segmentation of neuroanatomy in T1‐weighted MRI. In combination with a deep 3D fully convolutional architecture, efficient linear registration‐derived spatial priors are used to incorporate additional spatial context into the network. An aggressive data augmentation scheme using random elastic deformations is also used to regularize the networks, allowing for excellent performance even in cases where only limited labeled training data are available. Applied to hippocampus segmentation in an elderly population (mean Dice coefficient = 92.1%) and subcortical segmentation in a healthy adult population (mean Dice coefficient = 89.5%), we demonstrate new state‐of‐the‐art accuracies and a high robustness to outliers. Further validation on a multistructure segmentation task in a scan–rescan dataset demonstrates accuracy (mean Dice coefficient = 86.6%) similar to the scan–rescan reliability of expert manual segmentations (mean Dice coefficient = 86.9%), and improved reliability compared to both expert manual segmentations and automated segmentations using FIRST. Furthermore, our method maintains a highly competitive runtime performance (e.g., requiring only 10 s for left/right hippocampal segmentation in 1 × 1 × 1 mm3 MNI stereotaxic space), orders of magnitude faster than conventional multiatlas segmentation methods.
Unintended sunburn after sunscreen application: An exploratory study of sun protection
Authors: O'Hara Montana , Horsham Caitlin , Koh Uyen , Janda Monika
Published: October 2019

Issue addressed

This study explores the experiences of adults aged 18 years and older who received an unintended sunburn while wearing sunscreen and examines why the application of sunscreen as a sun protection measure did not work as intended.

Methods

Qualitative content analysis was conducted on 11 interviews with people living in Australia who had received an unintended sunburn. Data were collected from July 2017 to January 2018. Twelve participants took part in individual semi‐structured interviews either face‐to‐face or over the telephone, and 11 participants met the eligibility criteria and were included for analysis.

Results

The themes that emerged included experience of disbelief after sunburn; sunburn after water‐based activity; inaccurate sunscreen application; sunscreen acceptability and trust; discomfort in application, opportunistic sun exposure; aesthetically motivated behaviour; normative beliefs; and lack of awareness of recent sun safety campaigns.

Conclusion

Participants perceived themselves as well protected from sun exposure and were surprised they received a sunburn. We found that participants did not reapply sunscreen often enough, especially before and during water activities and overestimated the amount of time they could be safely exposed to the sun.

So what?

The findings of this study suggest a greater need for sun protection education on how to effectively use and apply sunscreen to avoid sunburn and skin cancer.

This study explores the experiences of adults aged 18 years and older who received an unintended sunburn while wearing sunscreen and examines why the application of sunscreen as a sun protection measure did not work as intended. Qualitative content analysis was conducted on 11 interviews with people living in Australia who had received an unintended sunburn.
Perioperative clinical pharmacy practice: Responsibilities and scope within the surgical care continuum
Authors: Patel Gourang P. , Hyland Sara J. , Birrer Kara L. , Wolfe Rachel C. , Lovely Jenna K. , Smith April N. , Dixon Russell L. , Johnson Eric G. , Gaviola Marian L. , Giancarelli Amanda , Vincent William R. , Richardson Carole , Parrish Richard H.
Published: October 2019

Current published guidelines for perioperative pharmacy services have limited information on the development and implementation of a robust clinical pharmacy program across the surgical continuum of care. This publication defines the responsibilities and scope of practice of the Perioperative Clinical Pharmacist (PCPh), supporting the PCPh as a critical member of the interprofessional surgical patient care team. Opportunities for pharmacist role integration into perioperative medication management processes are described along with published examples of successful PCPh practice models, including those with interventions targeted toward Enhanced Recovery Pathways (ERP). Recommended training and competencies for future and practicing perioperative pharmacists, in addition to considerations for precepting and scholarly activities, are also outlined. Finally, future developments in perioperative pharmacy practice are discussed, including technological advancements, improved predictive models, and expansion of collaborative practice agreements.
Assessment of YAP gene polymorphisms and arsenic interaction in Mexican women with breast cancer
Authors: Michel‐Ramirez Gladis , Recio‐Vega Rogelio , Lantz R. Clark , Gandolfi A. Jay , Olivas‐Calderon Edgar , Chau Binh T. , Amistadi Mary Kay
Published: October 2019

The identification of gene‐environment interactions related to breast cancer reveals the biological and molecular mechanisms underlying the disease and allows the distinction of women at high risk from women at lower risk, which could decrease the morbimortality of this neoplasm. The current study evaluated the association between polymorphisms rs1820453 and rs11225161 of the Yes‐associated protein (YAP) gene in women with breast cancer exposed to arsenic (As) through drinking water. In total, 182 women were assessed for the frequency of YAP rs1820453 and rs11225161 polymorphisms and As urinary levels. The results demonstrated a positive and significant association between breast cancer and smoking, type of drinking water, and levels of AsIII, AsV and inorganic As (iAs) but not the YAP gene polymorphisms evaluated. In conclusion, our data showed that the source of drinking water and AsV and iAs urinary levels increased the risk for breast cancer, but no interactions between YAP gene polymorphisms and As urinary levels were found.
Classification of pancreaticobiliary maljunction and its clinical features in adults
Authors: Yoshimoto Kensuke , Kamisawa Terumi , Kikuyama Masataka , Kuruma Sawako , Chiba Kazuro , Igarashi Yoshinori
Published: October 2019

Background

In pancreaticobiliary maljunction (PBM), reflux of pancreatic juice and bile produces various pathological conditions in the biliary tract and pancreas. Clinical features according to the classification of PBM by confluence between the distal bile duct and the main pancreatic duct proposed in 2015 were evaluated in children.

Methods

Clinical features and complicating diseases according to the PBM classification were evaluated in 168 adult PBM patients. Patency of Santorini duct and associated biliary carcinomas were evaluated in 123 patients.

Results

Similar to children, there were significant differences in age (P < 0.01) and type of common bile duct (P < 0.01) between the groups of the classification. Unlike in children, there was no significant difference in the incidence of abdominal pain and hyperamylasemia. There were 87 associated biliary carcinomas (79 gallbladder carcinomas and eight cholangiocarcinomas). PBM patients with a cudgel‐type Santorini duct, which is greater than 2 mm in diameter, did not develop biliary carcinomas, compared to 61.1% of those with other types of Santorini duct (P < 0.01).

Conclusions

Clinical features according to the PBM classification in adults were different from those in children. Although biliary carcinomas were frequently seen in adult PBM patients, none of those with a cudgel‐type Santorini duct developed biliary carcinoma.
Microbes mediate mitochondrial misinformation to misguide neutrophils
Authors: Karmakar Mausita , Dubyak George R
Published: October 2019

Discussion on LPS disruption of mitochondrial localization and autocrine purinergic signaling in neutrophil chemotaxis for control of E. coli infection.
Becoming a multinational desi: The entrepreneurial growth of Radico
Authors: Arora Soma , Patro Arpita
Published: October 2019

Entrepreneurial marketing enhances corporate performance by enabling a firm to agilely adapt its strategy to market trends. The hair‐care company Radico, which began as a small start‐up in India, used entrepreneurial marketing techniques to pursue growth outside its home market and became a multinational firm with Indian roots—a desi. An analysis of its key stages of growth shows how even a small company can raise brand awareness and expand in international markets.