bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
On the Identification of Sectional Deformation Modes of Thin-Walled Structures with Doubly Symmetric Cross-Sections Based on the Shell-Like Deformation
Authors: Zhang Lei , Ji Aimin , Zhu Weidong , Peng Liping
Published: December 2018

In this paper, a new approach is proposed to identify sectional deformation modes of the doubly symmetric thin-walled cross-section, which are to be employed in formulating a one-dimensional model of thin-walled structures. The approach considers the three-dimensional displacement field of the structure as the linear superposition of a set of sectional deformation modes. To retrieve these modes, the modal analysis of a thin-walled structure is carried out based on shell/plate theory, with the shell-like deformation shapes extracted. The components of classical modes are removed from these shapes based on a novel criterion, with residual deformation shapes left. By introducing benchmark points, these shapes are further classified into several deformation patterns, and within each pattern, higher-order deformation modes are derived by removing the components of identified ones. Considering the doubly symmetric cross-section, these modes are approximated with shape functions applying the interpolation method. The identified modes are finally used to deduce the governing equations of the thin-walled structure, applying Hamilton’s principle. Numerical examples are also presented to validate the accuracy and efficiency of the new model in reproducing three-dimensional behaviors of thin-walled structures.
Linearly Polarized UV Light-Induced Optical Anisotropy of PVA Films and Flexible Macrocycle Schiff Base Ni(II), Cu(II), Zn(II) Dinuclear Complexes
Authors: Takase Masahiro , Yagi Shiomi , Haraguchi Tomoyuki , Noor Shabana , Akitsu Takashiro
Published: December 2018

Three dinuclear metal complexes (comprised of six-coordinated nNi2L and five-coordinated nCu2L and nZn2L) were confirmed by means of elemental analysis, UV-vis and IR spectra, and single X-ray crystal structural analysis in a spectroscopic study. The stable structures of these nNi2L, nCu2L, and nZn2L complexes in poly(vinylalcohol) (PVA) films were analyzed using UV-vis spectra. The molecular orientation of hybrid PVA film materials after linearly polarized light irradiation was analyzed to obtain the polarized spectra and dichroic ratio. Among the three materials, nNi2L and nZn2L complexes indicated an increasing optical anisotropy that depended on the flexibility of the complexes. We have included a discussion on the formation of the pseudo-crystallographic symmetry of the components in a soft matter (PVA films).
A Fuzzy Logic Based Intelligent System for Measuring Customer Loyalty and Decision Making
Authors: Ghani Usman , Bajwa Imran Sarwar , Ashfaq Aimen
Published: December 2018

In this paper, an intelligent approach is presented to measure customers’ loyalty to a specific product and assist new customers regarding a product’s key features. Our approach uses an aggregated sentiment score of a set of reviews in a dataset and then uses a fuzzy logic model to measure customer’s loyalty to a product. Our approach uses a novel idea of measuring customer’s loyalty to a product and can assist a new customer to take a decision about a particular product considering its various features and reviews of previous customers. In this study, we use a large sized data set of online reviews of customers from Amazon.com to test the performance of the customer’s reviews. The proposed approach pre-processes the input text via tokenization, Lemmatization and removal of stop words and then applies fuzzy logic approach to take decisions. To find similarity and relevance to a topic, various libraries and API are used in this work such as SentiWordNet, Stanford Core NLP, etc. The approach utilized focuses on identifying polarity of the reviews that may be positive, negative and neutral. To find customer’s loyalty and help in decision making, the fuzzy logic approach is applied using a set of membership functions and rule-based system of fuzzy sets that classify data in various types of loyalty. The implementation of the approach provides high accuracy of 94% of correct loyalty to the e-commerce products that outperforms the previous approaches.
Evaluation of the Cortical Deformation Induced by Distal Cantilevers Supported by Extra-Short Implants: A Finite Elements Analysis Study
Authors: Fernández-Bodereau Enrique , Flores Viviana Yolanda , Delgado-Ruiz Rafael Arcesio , Aragoneses Juan Manuel , Calvo-Guirado José Luis
Published: December 2018

Background: The aim of the study was to analyze the distribution of stresses caused by an axial force in a three-dimensional model with the finite element method in the implant-supported fixed partial denture with distal overhang (PPFIVD) on short dental implants in the posterior edentulous maxilla. Methods: geometrical models of the maxilla with a bone remnant of 9 and 5 mm were created. Straumann SP® (Base, Switzerland) implants were placed in the premolar area. Two groups with subgroups were designed. Group A (GA): PPFIVD on two implants (GA1: 4.1 × 8 mm and GA2: 4.1 × 4 mm); Group B (GB): PPFIVD on the single implant (GB1: 4.1 × 8 mm and GB2: 4.1 × 4 mm). It was applied to a static force of 100 N to 30°. Results: PPFIVD on two implants reached the maximum tension in GA2 with respect to GA1; the difference was not significant in implants. In the maxilla GA2 was lower in relation to GA1; the difference was not significant. In PPFIVD over an implant, the stress was greater in GB2 with respect to GB1; the difference was significant in maxilla and implants. Peri-implant bone micro deformations and prosthesis-implant displacements were observed. Conclusions: PPFIVD over short splinted implants could be viable in the maxilla with reduced bone height, being an option when lifting the floor of the maxillary sinus. The rehabilitation with unitary implant (4 mm) did not provide adequate results. The dominant tensions evidenced bone micro-distortions with a displacement of the prosthesis-implant set. The real statement of this paper was to define that short splinted implants can be used in soft bone with high success rate in reducing bending forces.
Relation Theoretic (Θ,R) Contraction Results with Applications to Nonlinear Matrix Equations
Authors: Al-Sulami Hamed H. , Ahmad Jamshaid , Hussain Nawab , Latif Abdul
Published: December 2018

Using the concept of binary relation R , we initiate a notion of Θ R -contraction and obtain some fixed point results for such mappings in the setting of complete metric spaces. Furthermore, we establish some new results of fixed points of N-order. Consequently, we improve and generalize the corresponding known fixed point results. As an application of our main result, we provide the existence of a solution for a class of nonlinear matrix equations. A numerical example is also presented to illustrate the theoretical findings.
Degree Approximation-Based Fuzzy Partitioning Algorithm and Applications in Wheat Production Prediction
Authors: Jain Rachna , Jain Nikita , Kapania Shivani , Son Le Hoang
Published: December 2018

Recently, prediction modelling has become important in data analysis. In this paper, we propose a novel algorithm to analyze the past dataset of crop yields and predict future yields using regression-based approximation of time series fuzzy data. A framework-based algorithm, which we named DAbFP (data algorithm for degree approximation-based fuzzy partitioning), is proposed to forecast wheat yield production with fuzzy time series data. Specifically, time series data were fuzzified by the simple maximum-based generalized mean function. Different cases for prediction values were evaluated based on two-set interval-based partitioning to get accurate results. The novelty of the method lies in its ability to approximate a fuzzy relation for forecasting that provides lesser complexity and higher accuracy in linear, cubic, and quadratic order than the existing methods. A lesser complexity as compared to dynamic data approximation makes it easier to find the suitable de-fuzzification process and obtain accurate predicted values. The proposed algorithm is compared with the latest existing frameworks in terms of mean square error (MSE) and average forecasting error rate (AFER).
Pharmacological Targeting of Pore-Forming Toxins as Adjunctive Therapy for Invasive Bacterial Infection
Authors: Escajadillo Tamara , Nizet Victor
Published: December 2018

For many of the most important human bacterial infections, invasive disease severity is fueled by the cell damaging and pro-inflammatory effects of secreted pore-forming toxins (PFTs). Isogenic PFT-knockout mutants, e.g., Staphylococcus aureus lacking α-toxin or Streptococcus pneumoniae deficient in pneumolysin, show attenuation in animal infection models. This knowledge has inspired multi-model investigations of strategies to neutralize PFTs or counteract their toxicity as a novel pharmacological approach to ameliorate disease pathogenesis in clinical disease. Promising examples of small molecule, antibody or nanotherapeutic drug candidates that directly bind and neutralize PFTs, block their oligomerization or membrane receptor interactions, plug establishment membrane pores, or boost host cell resiliency to withstand PFT action have emerged. The present review highlights these new concepts, with a special focus on β-PFTs produced by leading invasive human Gram-positive bacterial pathogens. Such anti-virulence therapies could be applied as an adjunctive therapy to antibiotic-sensitive and -resistant strains alike, and further could be free of deleterious effects that deplete the normal microflora.
Biomarker of Aflatoxin Ingestion: 1H NMR-Based Plasma Metabolomics of Dairy Cows Fed Aflatoxin B1 with or without Sequestering Agents
Authors: Ogunade Ibukun , Jiang Yun , Adeyemi James , Oliveira Andre , Vyas Diwakar , Adesogan Adegbola
Published: December 2018

The study applied 1H NMR-based plasma metabolomics to identify candidate biomarkers of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) ingestion in dairy cows fed no sequestering agents and evaluate the effect of supplementing clay and/or a Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation product (SCFP) on such biomarkers. Eight lactating cows were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatments in a balanced 4 × 4 Latin square design with 2 squares. Treatments were: control, toxin (T; 1725 µg AFB1/head/day), T with clay (CL; 200 g/head/day), and CL with SCFP (CL + SCFP; 35 g of SCFP/head/day). Cows in T, CL, and CL + SCFP were dosed with AFB1 from d 26 to 30. The sequestering agents were top-dressed from d 1 to 33. On d 30 of each period, 15 mL of blood was taken from the coccygeal vessels and plasma samples were prepared by centrifugation. Compared to the control, T decreased plasma concentrations of alanine, acetic acid, leucine, arginine and valine. In contrast, T increased plasma ethanol concentration 3.56-fold compared to control. Treatment with CL tended to reduce sarcosine concentration, whereas treatment with CL + SCFP increased concentrations of mannose and 12 amino acids. Based on size of the area under the curve (AUC) of receiver operating characteristic and fold change (FC) analyses, ethanol was the most significantly altered metabolite in T (AUC = 0.88; FC = 3.56); hence, it was chosen as the candidate biomarker of aflatoxin ingestion in dairy cows fed no sequestering agent.
Precision Determination of αs from Lattice QCD
Authors: Dalla Brida Mattia
Published: December 2018

We present an overview of the recent lattice determination of the QCD coupling α s by the ALPHA Collaboration. The computation is based on the non-perturbative determination of the Λ-parameter of Nf = 3 QCD, and the perturbative matching of the Nf = 3 and Nf = 5 theories. The final result: α s ( m Z ) = 0.11852 ( 84 ) , reaches sub-percent accuracy.
Primordial Power Spectra from an Emergent Universe: Basic Results and Clarifications
Authors: Martineau Killian , Barrau Aurélien
Published: December 2018

Emergent cosmological models, together with the Big Bang and bouncing scenarios, are among the possible descriptions of the early Universe. This work aims at clarifying some general features of the primordial tensor power spectrum in this specific framework. In particular, some naive beliefs are corrected. Using a toy model, we investigate the conditions required to produce a scale-invariant spectrum and show to what extent this spectrum can exhibit local features sensitive to the details of the scale factor evolution near the transition time.
Strawberry Vein Banding Virus P6 Protein Is a Translation Trans-Activator and Its Activity Can be Suppressed by FveIF3g
Authors: Li Shuai , Hu Yahui , Jiang Lei , Rui Penghuan , Zhao Qingqing , Feng Jiying , Zuo Dengpan , Zhou Xueping , Jiang Tong
Published: December 2018

The strawberry vein banding virus (SVBV) open reading frame (ORF) VI encodes a P6 protein known as the RNA silencing suppressor. This protein is known to form inclusion like granules of various sizes and accumulate in both the nuclei and the cytoplasm of SVBV-infected plant cells. In this study, we have determined that the P6 protein is the only trans-activator (TAV) encoded by SVBV, and can efficiently trans-activate the translation of downstream gfp mRNA in a bicistron derived from the SVBV. Furthermore, the P6 protein can trans-activate the expression of different bicistrons expressed by different caulimovirus promoters. The P6 protein encoded by SVBV from an infectious clone can also trans-activate the expression of bicistron. Through protein-protein interaction assays, we determined that the P6 protein could interact with the cell translation initiation factor FveIF3g of Fragaria vesca and co-localize with it in the nuclei of Nicotiana benthamiana cells. This interaction reduced the formation of P6 granules in cells and its trans-activation activity on translation.
CD8+ T Cells Responding to the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Nucleocapsid Protein Delivered by Vaccinia Virus MVA in Mice
Authors: Veit Svenja , Jany Sylvia , Fux Robert , Sutter Gerd , Volz Asisa
Published: December 2018

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), a novel infectious agent causing severe respiratory disease and death in humans, was first described in 2012. Antibodies directed against the MERS-CoV spike (S) protein are thought to play a major role in controlling MERS-CoV infection and in mediating vaccine-induced protective immunity. In contrast, relatively little is known about the role of T cell responses and the antigenic targets of MERS-CoV that are recognized by CD8+ T cells. In this study, the highly conserved MERS-CoV nucleocapsid (N) protein served as a target immunogen to elicit MERS-CoV-specific cellular immune responses. Modified Vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA), a safety-tested strain of vaccinia virus for preclinical and clinical vaccine research, was used for generating MVA-MERS-N expressing recombinant N protein. Overlapping peptides spanning the whole MERS-CoV N polypeptide were used to identify major histocompatibility complex class I/II-restricted T cell responses in BALB/c mice immunized with MVA-MERS-N. We have identified a H2-d restricted decamer peptide epitope in the MERS-N protein with CD8+ T cell antigenicity. The identification of this epitope, and the availability of the MVA-MERS-N candidate vaccine, will help to evaluate MERS-N-specific immune responses and the potential immune correlates of vaccine-mediated protection in the appropriate murine models of MERS-CoV infection.
Chrysanthemum Stunt Viroid Resistance in Chrysanthemum
Authors: Nabeshima Tomoyuki , Matsushita Yosuke , Hosokawa Munetaka
Published: December 2018

Chrysanthemum stunt viroid (CSVd) is one of the most severe threats in Chrysanthemum morifolium production. Over the last decade, several studies have reported the natural occurrence of CSVd resistance in chrysanthemum germplasms. Such CSVd-resistant germplasms are desirable for the stable production of chrysanthemum plants. Current surveys include finding new resistant chrysanthemum cultivars, breeding, and revealing resistant mechanisms. We review the progress, from discovery to current status, of CSVd-resistance studies, while introducing information on the improvement of associated inoculation and diagnostic techniques.
“FAGOMA: Spanish Network of Bacteriophages and Transducer Elements”—V Meeting Report
Authors: Redrejo-Rodríguez Modesto , García Pilar
Published: December 2018

The Spanish Network of Bacteriophages and Transducer Elements (FAGOMA) was created to answer the need of Spanish scientists working on phages to exchange knowledge and find synergies. Seven years and five meetings later, the network has become a fruitful forum where groups working on distinct aspects of phage research (structural and molecular biology, diversity, gene transfer and evolution, virus–host interactions, clinical, biotechnological and industrial applications) present their work and find new avenues for collaboration. The network has recently increased its visibility and activity by getting in touch with the French Phage Network (Phages.fr) and with different national and international scientific institutions. Here, we present a summary of the fifth meeting of the FAGOMA network, held in October 2018 in Alcalá de Henares (Madrid), in which the participants shared some of their latest results and discussed future challenges of phage research.
The Amino-Terminal Region of Hepatitis E Virus ORF1 Containing a Methyltransferase (Met) and a Papain-Like Cysteine Protease (PCP) Domain Counteracts Type I Interferon Response
Authors: Bagdassarian Eugénie , Doceul Virginie , Pellerin Marie , Demange Antonin , Meyer Léa , Jouvenet Nolwenn , Pavio Nicole
Published: December 2018

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is responsible for large waterborne epidemics of hepatitis in endemic countries and is an emerging zoonotic pathogen worldwide. In endemic regions, HEV-1 or HEV-2 genotypes are frequently associated with fulminant hepatitis in pregnant women, while with zoonotic HEV (HEV-3 and HEV-4), chronic cases of hepatitis and severe neurological disorders are reported. Hence, it is important to characterize the interactions between HEV and its host. Here, we investigated the ability of the nonstructural polyprotein encoded by the first open reading frame (ORF1) of HEV to modulate the host early antiviral response and, in particular, the type I interferon (IFN-I) system. We found that the amino-terminal region of HEV-3 ORF1 (MetYPCP), containing a putative methyltransferase (Met) and a papain-like cysteine protease (PCP) functional domain, inhibited IFN-stimulated response element (ISRE) promoter activation and the expression of several IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs) in response to IFN-I. We showed that the MetYPCP domain interfered with the Janus kinase (JAK)/signal transducer and activator of the transcription protein (STAT) signalling pathway by inhibiting STAT1 nuclear translocation and phosphorylation after IFN-I treatment. In contrast, MetYPCP had no effect on STAT2 phosphorylation and a limited impact on the activation of the JAK/STAT pathway after IFN-II stimulation. This inhibitory function seemed to be genotype-dependent, as MetYPCP from HEV-1 had no significant effect on the JAK/STAT pathway. Overall, this study provides evidence that the predicted MetYPCP domain of HEV ORF1 antagonises STAT1 activation to modulate the IFN response.
Differentiation of Types of Visual Agnosia Using EEG
Authors: Haigh Sarah M. , Robinson Amanda K. , Grover Pulkit , Behrmann Marlene
Published: December 2018

Visual recognition deficits are the hallmark symptom of visual agnosia, a neuropsychological disorder typically associated with damage to the visual system. Most research into visual agnosia focuses on characterizing the deficits through detailed behavioral testing, and structural and functional brain scans are used to determine the spatial extent of any cortical damage. Although the hierarchical nature of the visual system leads to clear predictions about the temporal dynamics of cortical deficits, there has been little research on the use of neuroimaging methods with high temporal resolution to characterize the temporal profile of agnosia deficits. Here, we employed high-density electroencephalography (EEG) to investigate alterations in the temporal dynamics of the visual system in two individuals with visual agnosia. In the context of a steady state visual evoked potential paradigm (SSVEP), individuals viewed pattern-reversing checkerboards of differing spatial frequency, and we assessed the responses of the visual system in the frequency and temporal domain. JW, a patient with early visual cortex damage, showed impaired SSVEP response relative to a control group and to the second patient (SM) who had right temporal lobe damage. JW also showed lower decoding accuracy for early visual responses (around 100 ms). SM, whose lesion is more anterior in the visual system, showed good decoding accuracy initially but low decoding after 500 ms. Overall, EEG and multivariate decoding methods can yield important insights into the temporal dynamics of visual responses in individuals with visual agnosia.
Evaluating Future Flood Scenarios Using CMIP5 Climate Projections
Authors: Nyaupane Narayan , Thakur Balbhadra , Kalra Ajay , Ahmad Sajjad
Published: December 2018

Frequent flooding events in recent years have been linked with the changing climate. Comprehending flooding events and their risks is the first step in flood defense and can help to mitigate flood risk. Floodplain mapping is the first step towards flood risk analysis and management. Additionally, understanding the changing pattern of flooding events would help us to develop flood mitigation strategies for the future. This study analyzes the change in streamflow under different future carbon emission scenarios and evaluates the spatial extent of floodplain for future streamflow. The study will help facility managers, design engineers, and stakeholders to mitigate future flood risks. Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) forcing-generated Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 5 (CMIP5) streamflow data were utilized for the future streamflow analysis. The study was done on the Carson River near Carson City, an agricultural area in the desert of Nevada. Kolmogorov–Smirnov and Pearson Chi-square tests were utilized to obtain the best statistical distribution that represents the routed streamflow of the Carson River near Carson City. Altogether, 97 projections from 31 models with four emission scenarios were used to predict the future flood flow over 100 years using a best fit distribution. A delta change factor was used to predict future flows, and the flow routing was done with the Hydrologic Engineering Center’s River Analysis System (HEC-RAS) model to obtain a flood inundation map. A majority of the climate projections indicated an increase in the flood level 100 years into the future. The developed floodplain map for the future streamflow indicated a larger inundation area compared with the current Federal Emergency Management Agency’s flood inundation map, highlighting the importance of climate data in floodplain management studies.
Coevolution of Hydrological Cycle Components under Climate Change: The Case of the Garonne River in France
Authors: Grusson Youen , Anctil François , Sauvage Sabine , Sánchez Pérez José Miguel
Published: December 2018

Climate change is suspected to impact water circulation within the hydrological cycle at catchment scale. A SWAT model approach to assess the evolution of the many hydrological components of the Garonne catchment (Southern France) is deployed in this study. Performance over the calibration period (2000–2010) are satisfactory, with Nash–Sutcliffe ranging from 0.55 to 0.94 or R2 from 0.86 to 0.98. Similar performance values are obtained in validation (1962–2000). Water cycle is first analyzed based on past observed climatic data (1962–2010) to understand its variations and geographical spread. Comparison is then conducted against the different trends obtained from a climate ensemble over 2010–2050. Results show a strong impact on green water, such as a reduction of the soil water content (SWC) and a substantial increase in evapotranspiration (ET) in winter. In summer, however, some part of the watershed faces lower ET fluxes because of a lack of SWC to answer the evapotranspiratory demand, highlighting possible future deficits of green water stocks. Blue water fluxes are found significantly decreasing during summer, when in winter, discharge in the higher part of the watershed is found increasing because of a lower snow stock associated to an increase of liquid precipitation, benefiting surface runoff.
Uncertainty Analysis of Two Copula-Based Conditional Regional Design Flood Composition Methods: A Case Study of Huai River, China
Authors: Mou Shiyu , Shi Peng , Qu Simin , Ji Xiaomin , Zhao Lanlan , Feng Ying , Chen Chen , Dong Fengcheng
Published: December 2018

The issue of regional design flood composition should be considered when it comes to the analysis of multiple sections. However, the uncertainty accompanied in the process of regional design flood composition point identification is often overlooked in the literature. The purpose of this paper, therefore, is to uncover the sensibility of marginal distribution selection and the impact of sampling uncertainty caused by the limited records on two copula-based conditional regional design flood composition methods, i.e., the conditional expectation regional design flood composition (CEC) method and the conditional most likely regional design flood composition (CMLC) method, which are developed to derive the combinations of maximum 30-day flood volumes at the two sub-basins above Bengbu hydrological station for given univariate return periods. An experiment combing different marginal distributions was conducted to explore the former uncertainty source, while a conditional copula-based parametric bootstrapping (CC-PB) procedure together with five metrics (i.e., horizontal standard deviation, vertical standard deviation, area of 25%, 50%, 75% BCIs (bivariate confidence intervals)) were designed and employed subsequently to evaluate the latter uncertainty source. The results indicated that the CEC and CMLC point identification was closely bound up with the different combinations of univariate distributions in spite of the comparatively tiny difference of the fitting performances of seven candidate univariate distributions, and was greatly affected by the sampling uncertainty due to the limited observations, which should arouse critical attention. Both of the analyzed sources of uncertainty increased with the growing T (univariate return period). As for the comparison of the two proposed methods, it seemed that the uncertainty due to the marginal selection had a slight larger impact on the CEC scheme than the CMLC scheme; but in terms of sampling uncertainty, the CMLC method performed slightly stable for large floods, while when considering moderate and small floods, the CEC method performed better.
Rainfall Infiltration Modeling: A Review
Authors: Morbidelli Renato , Corradini Corrado , Saltalippi Carla , Flammini Alessia , Dari Jacopo , Govindaraju Rao S.
Published: December 2018

Infiltration of water into soil is a key process in various fields, including hydrology, hydraulic works, agriculture, and transport of pollutants. Depending upon rainfall and soil characteristics as well as from initial and very complex boundary conditions, an exhaustive understanding of infiltration and its mathematical representation can be challenging. During the last decades, significant research effort has been expended to enhance the seminal contributions of Green, Ampt, Horton, Philip, Brutsaert, Parlange and many other scientists. This review paper retraces some important milestones that led to the definition of basic mathematical models, both at the local and field scales. Some open problems, especially those involving the vertical and horizontal inhomogeneity of the soils, are explored. Finally, rainfall infiltration modeling over surfaces with significant slopes is also discussed.
Pilot Performance of Chemical Demulsifier on the Demulsification of Produced Water from Polymer/Surfactant Flooding in the Xinjiang Oilfield
Authors: Chen Dong , Li Feng , Gao Yingxin , Yang Min
Published: December 2018

Purification of produced water (PW) from polymer/surfactant flooding is a challenge for the petroleum industry due to the high emulsion stability. Demulsification using chemical demulsifiers has been expected to be an effective way to treat PW. In this paper, five cationic (branched quaternary ammonium chloride) and four nonionic (copolymer of propylene oxide and ethylene oxide) demulsifiers with different molecular weights were employed to test their respective demulsification performance in the treatment of PW from polymer/surfactant flooding. The cationic demulsifiers, in general, exhibited better performance than the nonionic ones and one cationic demulsifier (CP-1) exhibiting the best demulsification efficiency was further employed for a pilot experiment in the Xinjiang Oilfield. The oil content of PW could be successfully reduced from 128~7364 to less than 10 mg/L with a dosage of CP-1 for 350 mg/L and polyaluminum chloride (PAC, 30% w/w Al2O3) for 500 mg/L under ambient temperature (14~22 °C). At the same time, partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM) was removed from 176.9~177.1 to 2.8~3.9 mg/L while petroleum sulfonate was not removed too much (from 35.5~43.8 to 25.5~26.5 mg/L). The interfacial rheology analysis on simulated PW from HPAM/petroleum sulfonate flooding revealed that the addition of CP-1 led to a significant increase of the oil-water interfacial tension (from 7 to 15~20 mN/m) and zeta potential (from −32.5 to −19.7 mV). It was, thus, assumed that the decreased net charge on the dispersed oil droplets surface and weakened oil/water film due to the formation of complex between the cationic demulsifier and HPAM may have facilitated the destabilization of the emulsion. The result of this study is useful in better understanding the demulsification processes as well as selecting suitable demulsifiers in the treatment of PW from polymer/surfactant flooding.
Inaccurate diagnosis of COPD: the Welsh National COPD Audit
Authors: Fisk Marie , McMillan Viktoria , Brown James , Holzhauer-Barrie Juliana , Khan Muhammad S , Baxter Noel , Roberts C Michael
Published: December 2018

Background

The diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is confirmed with spirometry demonstrating persistent airflow obstruction.

Aim

To evaluate the clinical characteristics and management of patients in primary care on COPD registers with spirometry incompatible with COPD.

Design and setting

A primary care audit of Welsh COPD Read-Coded patient data from the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) COPD register in Wales.

Method

Patients on the QOF COPD register with incompatible spirometry (post-bronchodilator forced expiratory lung volume in 1 second/forced vital capacity [FEV1/FVC] ratio ≥0.70) were compared with those with compatible spirometry (FEV1/FVC <0.70).

Results

This audit included 63% of Welsh practices contributing 48 105 patients. Only 19% (n = 8957) of patients were post-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC Read-Coded and were included in this study. Of these, 75% (n = 6702) had compatible spirometry and 25% (n = 2255) did not. Patients with incompatible spirometry were more likely female (P = 0.009), never-smokers (P<0.001), had higher body mass index (P<0.001), and better mean FEV1 (P<0.001). Medical Research Council (MRC) breathlessness scores, exacerbation frequency, and asthma co-diagnosis were similar between groups. Patients in both groups were just as likely to receive inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) and long-acting beta-agonists (LABAs), but patients with incompatible spirometry were less likely to receive long-acting muscarinic antagonists (LAMAs) (P<0.001) or LABA/ICS (P = 0.002) combinations.

Conclusion

Patients on the COPD QOF register with spirometry incompatible with COPD are symptomatic and managed using significant resources. If quality of care and effective resource use are to be improved, focus must be given to correct diagnosis in this group.
Nausea and vomiting of pregnancy and resource implications: the NVP Impact Study
Authors: Gadsby Roger , Rawson Verity , Dziadulewicz Edward , Rousseau Ben , Collings Hannah
Published: December 2018

Background

Nausea and vomiting of pregnancy (NVP) is the most prevalent medical condition associated with pregnancy. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists published its first guidelines for management of NVP in 2016, although many current treatments are off label, with only one recently licensed treatment for NVP in the UK.

Aim

To identify the current practices for NVP management across the patient pathway, and estimate the economic burden to NHS services.

Design and setting

This was an observational, retrospective research study conducted in the Newcastle Gateshead Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) health economy area in England.

Method

Data were collected from GP practices, local hospital datasets, ambulance services (April 2013–March 2016), and the Hospital Episode Statistics dataset (2006–2016).

Results

Eight GP practices participated in the study. In all, 15.2% of the total pregnant population presented with NVP. Treatment varied significantly between GP practices, and 33.6% of women re-presented to their GP. There was an annual increase in women admitted to hospital for NVP symptoms, with increasing length of stay per admission. Almost half (44.6%) of the calls to 999/111 from women experiencing NVP symptoms resulted in an ambulance dispatch. The annual cost of NVP to this health economy was estimated to be £199 804, which crudely extrapolates to £25 758 731 at UK level. Due to underestimations of costs, the impact to the UK NHS could be up to £62 373 961.

Conclusion

There is considerable variation in current management practices for NVP outside of recently published guidelines, and this may result in substantial resource use and avoidable financial impact to the NHS.
Measuring the Information Search Behaviors of Adventure Sport Tourists
Authors: Hungenberg Eric , Ouyang Lei , Gray Dianna
Published: December 2018

Sport tourism organizations engage in the practice of developing marketing communication and editorial information with the belief that these types of sport- and tourism-related communications are an important element of the sport tourists' prepurchase decision process. However, understanding
the extent of its effectiveness requires an investigation into what communication mediums are preferred and from which source do they generally hold in highest regard. Thus, the purpose of this study was to first validate a survey instrument that provides a comprehensive means of measuring
the information search behaviors of sport tourists, and second, examine how experience associated with an event and tourism status may influence consumers' information source preferences. Data were collected by surveying participants competing in multiple adventure sport tourism events. Confirmatory
factor analysis validated a four-factor information source scale that illustrates sport tourism consumers' utilization of internet, interpersonal, print/media, and internal memory search methods. Findings revealed that adventure sport athletes, when lacking past experience with an event, will
favor information derived from social peer groups. However, when participants became more experienced they relied more heavily upon their memory. Cultural explanations underpinning these communicative tendencies are discussed and marketing implications are presented.
Extended Model of Sport Spectator Goal-directed Behavior: The Role of Event Prestige in Nonmajor Sport Events
Authors: Chiu Weisheng , Won Doyeon , Kim Seungmo
Published: December 2018

Although the importance of destinations' image has been explored in the extant literature, little is known about the influence of event prestige on spectators' intention to attend recurring sport events, especially in the case of nonmajor international events. Given the situation, the
current study incorporated spectators' perception of event prestige on the basis of the Model of Goal-directed Behavior (MGB) as a research framework to investigate their behavioral intention to attend nonmajor sport events. An on-site survey was conducted for spectators (N = 371) who
attended the 2016 William Jones Cup Tournament held in Taipei, Taiwan. The results revealed that attitude, subjective norm, positive anticipated emotion, negative anticipated emotion, and perceived behavioral control played significant roles in influencing spectators' desire to attend sport
events. Moreover, event prestige and desire have significant influences on spectators' intention. Theoretical and practical implications of the study results were discussed.
Fifty Shades of Socializing: Slosh and Munch Events in the Bdsm Community
Authors: Webster Craig , Klaserner Molly
Published: December 2018

All over the world, BDSM practitioners meet together in public, often in restaurants and bars. The socialization that happens at these events is a critical part of the BDSM lifestyle/community. However, no previous research has collected large quantities of data to learn about the event.
In this article, we look into BDSM practitioners and their experiences and attitudes towards the munch and variations on the munch. What we find in this international survey on munches, and other similar nonplay BDSM events, is that it seems to be the central social institution of the BDSM
lifestyle. Respondents report going to munches frequently and rate them highly as part of their lifestyle. The data also suggest that these events tend to be much less sexually charged and alcohol driven than many outsiders would expect them to be. In general, we see that these events seem
to not only be a critical institution for those in the BDSM lifestyle but also works as an important conduit to newcomers, enabling them to integrate quickly and well into the BDSM lifestyle in a safe public environment.
DOOR MEANINGS AND SYMBOLISM IN EUROPEAN TRADITION
Authors: Riaubienė Edita
Published: December 2018

The paper is focused on the main architectural element – the door. The aim of this analysis is to reveal the door functions and its relations to the meanings and also the rich symbolism of the doorway. The research is done in the European cultural space, analysing its beginnings (Ancient Egypt, Greek, and Roma) and Christian tradition. The door is an object of a double nature that performs two contrary functions – to connect and separate – and at the same time it belongs to different substances – space and partition. The isolating function of the door conditions its protective meaning, and the function of connecting spaces implicates the communicative meaning. The dualistic character of the door indicates a rather complicated and diverse symbolism. As the door is an umpire between different and even reverse characters, it points to the weak place of a partition that must be protected not only by physical, but also symbolical means. The analysis reveals that petition, offerings and red coloring are prevailing as a protective measure in the European culture. The door acts as the symbol of crossing a boundary, the place of great changes, and this is very expressive in the Christian tradition. The symbolism of transformation is of great importance in the monotheistic religion, where the aim – God - is identified with the door.

Durų reikšmės ir simbolika Europinėje tradicijoje

Santrauka

Remiantis architektūros sudėtinių dalių analizės principu dėmesys sutelkiamas ties pirminiu ir vienu iš svarbiausių architektūrinių elementų – durimis. Akcentuojamos glaudžios durų reikšminio lauko sąsajos su jų paskirtimi ir ypač gausi įėjimo vietos simbolika. Taikant chronologinį principą durų simbolika analizuojama Europos kultūrinėje terpėje, išskiriant Vakarų kultūros ištakas ir krikščioniškąją tradiciją. Durys yra dvejopos prigimties objektas, atliekantis dvi priešingas funkcijas – sujungimo bei atskyrimo – ir priklausantis dviem skirtingoms substancijoms – erdvei ir atitvarai. Izoliavimo paskirtis lemia apsauginę durų reikšmę, o erdvių sujungimo funkcija byloja apie jų komunikacinę reikšmę. Kaip architektūrinis elementas durys atlieka erdvės organizavimo ir informacijos teikimo paskirtį. Dualistinė durų prigimtis, leidžianti jungti ir skirti, lemia ypač turtingą ir sudėtingą jų simboliką. Durų buvimas tarpininku tarp priešingų charakteristikų erdvių implikuoja silpnąją atitvaros dalį, kurią reikia saugoti, stiprinti ne vien fizinėmis, bet ir simbolinėmis priemonėmis. Vakarų kultūrinėje tradicijoje tam daugiausia skiriamos maldos, aukos ir naudojamos raudonos spalvos apsauginės priemonės. Durims būdinga įveikimo, esminių pasikeitimų vyksmo vietos simbolika ryškiai skleidžiasi krikščioniškoje plotmėje. Transformacijos simbolika ypač reikšminga monoteistinės religijos tradicijoje, kur pati siekiamybė (Dievas) tapatinama su durimis.
Correlation of Leukocyte Subtypes, Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio, and Functional Outcome in Brain Metastasis
Authors: Ritarwan Kiking , Nasution Irina Keumala , Erwin Iswandi , Nerdy Nerdy
Published: December 2018

BACKGROUND: As the most cause of death in patients with solid extracranial malignancy, brain metastasis (BM) nowadays being studied extensively especially on how to find a reliable laboratory marker that can correlate with its clinical outcome. Leukocyte subtypes, primarily neutrophils and lymphocytes and its ratio known as Neutrophils-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR) have been known before its relationship with progressivity of BM from other solid tumours.
AIM: The objectives of this research to study the correlation of leukocyte subtypes, neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio & functional outcome in brain metastasis.
METHODS: The study subjects were recruited consecutively from the study population. Venous blood was taken 5 ml of venous blood samples done in the first day of admission on emergency department and neurology clinic of Neurology Department of Adam Malik General Hospital before any drug injections. Samples were kept in vacutainer tubes containing ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and sent to Department of Clinical Pathology laboratory of Adam Malik General Hospital, immediately centrifuged at 3100 rpm for 10 minutes in -20°C temperature and analysed using Sysmex XT-2000i. Functional outcome of the patient assessed using Karnofsky performance scale (KPS) in a cross-sectional manner with laboratory analysis.
RESULTS: We conduct a mean differences and correlational leukocytes and its subsets analysis of 72 BM patients resulting on significant positive correlation on lymphocyte percentage (r = 0.383, p = 0.001) and lymphocyte absolute (r = 0.265, p = 0.024), also significant negative correlation on neutrophils (r = -0.240, p = 0.042) and NLR (r = -0.432, p < 0.001) with Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS).
CONCLUSION: Increased lymphocyte absolute and lymphocyte percentage correlated significantly (p < 0.05) with better KPS, while elevated neutrophils percentage and increased NLR show significant correlation with worse outcome of BM patients.
Análise morfométrica dos afluentes principais da bacia hidrográfica do rio Uruguai e sua influência nas inundações na cidade de Itaqui, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil
Authors: Ogassawara Jéssica Fernanda , Bohn Gass Sidnei Luís
Published: December 2018

O presente trabalho teve como objetivo estudar as três regiões delimitadas ao longo da bacia (alto, médio e médio baixo) do rio Uruguai, aplicando os parâmetros morfométricos, analisando a declividade e altitude das distintas regiões, com intuito de identificar a influência das mesmas nas inundações que ocorrem na cidade de Itaqui, localizada no estado do Rio Grande do Sul. Aplicando os parâmetros morfométricos de compacidade, circularidade e forma nas 19 sub-bacias que compõe as três regiões do rio Uruguai, constatou-se que 18 destas sub-bacias possui pouca propensão a grandes enchentes. Através da curva hipsométrica e analisando a declividade do rio Uruguai, foi possível observar que as maiores altitudes se encontram na região do alto rio Uruguai com a predominância de um relevo ondulado, e as baixas altitudes, em relação ao nível do mar, se encontram no médio baixo rio Uruguai sendo que a classe de declividade com maior ocorrência desta região é o suave ondulado. Esses parâmetros possuem influência em relação à velocidade do escoamento superficial da bacia. Dessa maneira, foi possível constatar que as intensificações da ocorrência de inundações na cidade de Itaqui sucedem em função do represamento das águas tanto no rio Ibicuí, localizado a jusante da área urbana, quanto no próprio rio Uruguai, levando em consideração a declividade e a altitude da região.
Value of Color Doppler Ultrasound Assessment of Sacroiliac Joints in Patients with Inflammatory Low Back Pain
Authors: Rosa Javier E. , Ruta Santiago , Bravo Maximiliano , Pompermayer Luciano , Marin Josefina , Ferreyra-Garrot Leandro , García-Mónaco Ricardo , Soriano Enrique R.
Published: December 2018

Objective.

To evaluate the diagnostic value of color Doppler ultrasound (CDUS) for the detection of sacroiliitis, in patients with inflammatory back pain (IBP).

Methods.

Consecutive patients with IBP and suspected axial spondyloarthritis (SpA), but without a definitive diagnosis, were included. Consecutive patients with defined SpA and axial involvement were included as a control group. All patients underwent clinical evaluation, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and CDUS of sacroiliac joints (SIJ) within the same week. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) for the diagnosis of sacroiliitis by CDUS were calculated, using MRI as the gold standard.

Results.

There were 198 SIJ evaluated in 99 patients (36 with previous SpA). There were 61 men (61.6%), with a mean age of 39.8 years (SD 11.3) and median disease duration of 24 months (IQR 12–84). At the patient level, CDUS had a sensitivity of 63% (95% CI 48.7–75.7%) and a specificity of 89% (95% CI 76–96%). The PPV was 87.2% (95% CI 72.6–95.7%) and the NPV was 66.7% (95% CI 53.3–78.3%). At joint level, CDUS had a sensitivity of 60% (95% CI 49–70%) and a specificity of 93% (95% CI 88–98%). The PPV was 83% (95% CI 78–95%) and the NPV was 43% (95% CI 33–56%). The sensitivity of CDUS for the diagnosis of axial SpA was 54% (95% CI 36.6–71.2%), specificity was 82% (95% CI 63.1–93.9%), PPV was 79% (95% CI 57.8–92.9%), and NPV was 59% (95% CI 42.1–74.4%).

Conclusion.

CDUS showed adequate diagnostic properties for detection of sacroiliitis and is a useful tool in patients with IBP.
An Integrative Curriculum for Accelerated Nursing Education Programs
Authors: Schreier Ann M. , Peery Annette I. , McLean Cathy B.
Published: December 2018

The number of accelerated baccalaureate and direct-entry master's nursing programs being offered in the United States is increasing. These programs shorten the amount of time to educate entry-level nurses. This article describes one school's curriculum for a direct-entry master's nursing program. A faculty task force developed the curriculum and used the opportunity to change the educational paradigm from traditional pedagogical to a concept student-learning approach. The curriculum design, which integrates nursing content through a conceptual model, and an innovative clinical experience model are described. In addition, the article discusses the successes and challenges of the program encountered during the first 2 years of initiation of the curriculum.
Historiografía sobre la monodia y las procesiones litúrgicas en Aragón en la Baja Edad Media y su relación con los libros litúrgicos
Authors: Fernández David Andrés
Published: December 2018

Ante la dificultad que supondría realizar una reconstrucción de la historia de Aragón en la Baja Edad Media que comprendiera aspectos de la historia de la música, del libro litúrgico, de la liturgia y de los depósitos documentales durante los siglos XIV y XV y sus límites de transición, se propone una revisión historiográfica que incluya aspectos relacionados con el estudio de la monodia y las procesiones litúrgicas en Aragón en la Baja Edad Media en relación a los libros litúrgicos.