bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Vibration control of imbalanced Jeffcott rotor by virtual passive dynamic absorber with optimal parameter values
Authors: Heidari Hamidreza , Monjezi Behnam
Published: January 2018

Today, dynamic absorbers are widely used to control vibrations of the systems that are being excited by the harmonic forces. In this paper, the usage of the magnetic force as virtual dynamic absorber for vibration control in rotary systems is investigated. In order to examine this new method, two different types of passive dynamic absorber systems are applied to control imbalanced Jeffcott rotor vibrations. In the first type of the absorber system, damper is located between the absorber mass and the disk and in the second type, it is located between the absorber mass and the ground. Then, the optimal parameters of absorber system, stiffness and damping have been analytically achieved by using two fixed points theory. Moreover, for further reduction of the vibration amplitude, combined paths have been designed for rotor frequency response. Finally, in order to evaluate the obtained results, the experimental data of our virtual dynamic absorbers were compared with simulation results and it is found that the vibration amplitude of rotor was efficiently limited in this case. Furthermore, the second type of the absorber system with equal mass ratio to the first type of the absorber system was more efficient than the first one in reduction of the amplitude of vibrations. Our findings show that the second absorber transfer more force than the first one since the second absorber connects chasis of system with damper. Therefore, it is recommended to apply the first absorber after the first resonance.
Tool profile design for the mold for machining the bush of cone screw seawater hydraulic pump
Authors: Chen Yingchun , Wang Xinhua , Wang Yunkun , Zhang Tao , Zhao Yizhen
Published: January 2018

Design method of the tool profile for machining the mold was found to facilitate the casting or extrusion of the bush of cone screw seawater hydraulic pump within this paper. Mathematical expression of the theoretical tool profile was established, as well as equation of the contact line between mold and tool surface, based on meshing theory and coordinate transformation theory. As solving contact condition involves implicit functions and trigonometric functions, only with methods of numerical discretization analysis by using the fzero function to solve single-variable nonlinear equations, can the contact line trajectory and theoretical curve of tool profile be obtained quickly and accurately. The tool profile design for manufacturing the mold lays a foundation for the processing of pump bush.
Energy consumption in South African industry: A decomposition analysis using the LMDI approach
Authors: Olanrewaju Oludolapo A
Published: January 2018

Improving efficiency levels of energy consumption needs the appreciation of previous trends in the consumption of energy and the assessment of factors that have contributed to the changes in energy consumption. This study assessed the South African industrial energy consumption from 1970/1971 to 2015/2016. During 2015/2016, the industrial energy consumption increased by 794.39%. In addition, the decomposition analyses proved that the activity effect played a crucial part in the country’s industrial energy consumption increase. The results clearly showed that saving techniques and industrial policies have not impacted on the country’s industrial energy. In achieving energy conservation, it is important to enforce the policies formulated should the policies have not been well implemented. On the other hand, should formulated policies be implemented, then there is a need for revision of the existing policies.
Sexual dysfunction or sexual discipline? Sexuopharmaceutical use by men as prevention and proficiency
Authors: Gurevich Maria , Cormier Nicole , Leedham Usra , Brown-Bowers Amy
Published: January 2018

In the first decade following Viagra’s appearance, feminist and critical scholars documented the sexuopharmaceutical expansion of definitions of erectile dysfunction and its target consumer. As we approach Viagra’s 30th anniversary, while feminist scholarship on the medicalization of sexuality flourishes, the impact of erectile medication has received much less attention. This paper (re)casts a critical lens on popularized erectile medication sexual health messages in the context of current pharmaceutical marketing targeting users as neoliberal aspirational sexual subjects. Discourse analysis reveals that online advice about erectile medication use leverages the increased preoccupation with health risk assessment and prevention technologies to normalize erectile dysfunction as a risk for all men, irrespective of age and health status. Erectile dysfunction is presented as inevitable, pathological, and requiring vigilance and expert consultation; penile performance acts as a predictive health gauge. Erectile medication users are situated as model masculine subjects, (medically) augmenting sexual proficiency in romantic or sexually experimental contexts.
Efficacy and safety of anti-CD20 antibody rituximab for patients with refractory systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Iwata S , Saito K , Hirata S , Ohkubo N , Nakayamada S , Nakano K , Hanami K , Kubo S , Miyagawa I , Yoshikawa M , Miyazaki Y , Yoshinari H , Tanaka Y
Published: January 2018

Objective

We examined the efficacy and safety of rituximab in patients with refractory systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Methods

The study enrolled 63 SLE patients who were treated with rituximab between 2002 and 2015. The participants underwent a battery of tests before treatment and at one year. Treatment ranged from two to four times at 500 or 1000 mg.

Results

Baseline characteristics were males:females = 6:57, age 33.9 years, and disease duration 87.2 months. The primary endpoint: The rate of major clinical response (MCR) was 60% while the partial clinical response (PCR) was 25%. Thirty of 36 (83%) patients with lupus nephritis (WHO II: 2, III: 5, IV: 22, V: 4, IV+V: 2, not assessed: 1) and 22 of 24 patients (92%) with neuropsychiatric SLE, who could be followed at one year, showed changes from BILAG A or B score to C or D score at one year. Multivariate analysis identified high anti-dsDNA antibody and shorter disease duration as significant determinants of MCR at one year. Repeat examination was conducted at five years. Primary failure was recorded in 8.8% and secondary failure in 32.4% (time to relapse: 24.4 months). Rituximab was well tolerated although 65 adverse events, mostly infections, were recorded within one year.

Conclusion

Rituximab is potentially efficacious for the treatment of patients with refractory SLE.
Individuals living with lupus: findings from the LUPUS UK Members Survey 2014
Authors: Morgan C , Bland A R , Maker C , Dunnage J , Bruce I N
Published: January 2018

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex and unpredictable disease which varies greatly among patients and has a significant impact on an individual’s daily living and quality of life. A better understanding of the patients’ experiences with the disease is vital to the effective management of the disease. LUPUS UK, a national UK-registered charity supporting people with systemic and discoid lupus, conducted a UK-wide survey of individuals living with lupus in order to provide foundation information to support and identify gaps needing further research.

An anonymous survey was sent to 5660 LUPUS UK members in order to obtain demographic, diagnosis, symptom and treatment information. A total of 2527 surveys were returned by 2371 females (mean age 56.9 years, SD 13.6) and 156 males, (mean age 60.9 years, SD 15.7). Individuals reported a mean (SD) time to diagnosis from the first symptom of 6.4 (9.5) years, with 47% ( n = 1186) initially being given a different diagnosis prior to lupus. Fatigue/weakness (91%, n = 2299) and joint pain/swelling (77.4%, n = 1957) were the most common symptoms that interfere with daily activities, while 73% ( n = 1836) noted having some problems that make them unable to carry out their usual daily activities. Thirty-two per cent ( n = 806) were also seeking support beyond traditional pharmacological treatments, such as acupuncture and massage. This study highlights the range and frequency of symptoms difficult to live with on a daily basis and support areas needing further research to improve patients’ well-being.
Threshold Effect of Knowledge Accumulation between Innovation Path and Innovation Performance: New Evidence from China’s High-tech Industry
Authors: Chen Heng , Hou Jian , Chen Wei
Published: January 2018

In the process of transitioning from closed to open innovation, regions in developing countries need to understand how to choose the most effective path within the complex innovation system while considering their own innovation factors. Based on provincial panel data from China’s high-tech industry and the improved dynamic threshold model, we introduce the threshold of knowledge accumulation (KLA) into the non-linear mechanism between innovation paths and innovation performance to compare the dynamic threshold effect and its heterogeneity. This research provides interesting insights into innovation paths, showing that the relationship between the innovation path and innovation performance is significantly influenced by the threshold effect of KLA. As the level of KLA strengthens, its effects on each innovation path change. Overall, this article shows how KLA affects the relationship between the innovation path and innovation performance. The article concludes with a discussion of the implications of these insights for innovation management and policy.
Hand Hygiene and Tuberculosis Risk in Korea: An Ecological Association
Authors: Han Mi Ah
Published: January 2018

Hand hygiene is a basic but effective strategy against infectious disease. This study investigated an ecological association between hand hygiene and tuberculosis (TB) risk in Korea. Hand hygiene data were obtained from the 2015 Community Health Survey. Information on TB incidence and mortality in 2015 were obtained from the National Infectious Diseases Surveillance System and death monitoring database, respectively. In multiple linear regression analysis, frequent hand washing rates after using the restroom (B = −0.78, P = .037), after returning from the outdoors (B = −0.28, P = .049), and with soap or hand sanitizer (B = −0.54, P = .018) were negatively associated with TB incidence. TB mortality were associated with frequent hand washing rates after returning from the outdoors (B = −0.05, P = .035), and with soap or hand sanitizer (B = −0.10, P = .010), respectively. Hand washing was associated with lower TB incidence and mortality at the community level. These results could contribute to develop community-based health promotion strategies.
Occupational Health in Community Health Centers: Practitioner Challenges and Recommendations
Authors: Simmons Juliana M. , Liebman Amy K. , Sokas Rosemary K.
Published: January 2018

Primary care clinicians may be the only source of occupational healthcare for many low-wage, high-risk workers who experience disproportionate occupational hazards. The authors explored barriers to providing occupational healthcare and recommendations for overcoming these challenges. The team conducted six focus groups and eleven key-informant interviews in two community health centers and among clinicians, community health workers, and other personnel from similar settings. Clinicians reported not utilizing occupational information during clinical encounters and identified competing priorities, limited appointment time, and lack of training as key barriers. They cited workers’ compensation as a source of confusion and frustration. However, most participants recognized occupation as an important social determinant of health and expressed interest in additional training and resources. Participants agreed that referral mechanisms for occupational medicine specialists and worker centers and changes in quality performance measures and electronic health records would be useful and that workers’ compensation and immigration policies need reform.
Assessing Parenting Stress
Authors: Louie Ashley D. , Cromer Lisa D. , Berry Judy O.
Published: January 2018

Parenting stress is a cross-cultural concept and is impacted by specific family and life circumstances. Parenting stress is amplified by challenging life situations including poverty, single parenting, and parental separation, but parenting stress is counteracted by the inherent benefits of parenting including intrinsic feelings of warmth and love. The Parental Stress Scale (PSS) was created in 1995 to measure stress unique to parenting and captures both the joys and demands of parenting. The current study reviews two decades of research that incorporated the PSS. We present descriptive data from published studies that all used the same parenting stress measure and provide cross-study comparisons. The studies we review evidence diverse use of the PSS in eight countries and PSS translation into four languages. This review is intended to aid future researchers with interpretation of relative differences in descriptive statistics of parenting stress by providing descriptive data from different samples worldwide.
Appropriate Area for Operative Procedures Near Tibialis Anterior Tendon Insertion: A Cadaveric Study
Authors: Jarusriwanna Atthakorn , Chuckpaiwong Bavornrit
Published: January 2018

Background:

The tibialis anterior tendon has its insertion sites on both the medial and plantar surfaces of the medial cuneiform and the base of the first metatarsal. Operative procedures near those areas, especially at the first metatarsocuneiform joint, may disturb tendon insertions and cause irritation or functional impairment of the tendon.

Methods:

Tibialis anterior tendons and their insertion sites were dissected and examined from 46 cadaveric feet (19 female and 27 male cadavers, aged between 33 and 86 years, with a mean of 68.5 ± 14.3 years). The greatest lengths and widths of the tendon attachments on the bony surface of the medial cuneiform and base of the first metatarsal, on both the medial and plantar surfaces, were measured and analyzed. The measurement reliability was evaluated by using the intraclass correlation coefficient.

Results:

Most of the tibialis anterior tendon insertions were found to be longer at the medial cuneiform than at the base of the first metatarsal (mean, 8.3 and 5.4 mm; P < .001), but the widths were almost similar (mean, 11.0 and 10.4 mm; P = .079). When focusing on each bone, the widths of the tendon attachments on the medial and plantar surfaces of the medial cuneiform were equivalent (mean, 5.4 and 5.6 mm; P = .584). At the base of the first metatarsal, the tendon attachment on the plantar surface was found to be wider than on the medial surface (mean, 7.0 and 3.4 mm; P < .001).

Conclusion:

The widths of the tibialis anterior tendon insertions on the medial and plantar surfaces of the medial cuneiform were equal, as were the total widths of insertions on the medial cuneiform and on the base of the first metatarsal. However, the width of insertions on the medial surface of the first metatarsal was significantly smaller than on the plantar surface, and the total length of insertions at the medial cuneiform was longer than at the first metatarsal.

Clinical Relevance:

This study provides information about characteristics of the tibialis anterior tendon insertions, particularly details of the dimensions on each surface of the bones. This knowledge enables surgeons to minimize the risk of irritation or tendon injuries during operations near the base of the first metatarsal and medial cuneiform area.
Nonlinear vibrations of CFRP cables excited by periodic motions of supports in cable-stayed bridges
Authors: Mei Kuihua , Jin Guoqing , Sun Shengjiang
Published: January 2018

Owing to its excellent non-corrosiveness and fatigue resistance, a carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) stay cable is an ideal alternative to overcome corrosion and fatigue problems associated with the traditional steel cable. However, stay cables are prone to various oscillations under wind, rain, and traffic loading. The vibrations of CFRP stay cables excited by periodic motions of the girder and/or pylons were studied and compared with those of steel cables. A nonlinear dynamic model for in-plane and out-of-plane vibrations of stay cables was proposed. Particularly, the geometrical nonlinearity of the cables was considered in this model. On the basis of this model, numerical solutions were obtained for CFRP cables and steel cables with the same conditions. Furthermore, the effects of important parameters on vibrations were discussed. These parameters included cable tensions, excitation amplitudes, and damping ratios. Results demonstrate that small excitation amplitudes may lead to forced vibrations or parametric vibrations with substantial amplitudes when natural frequencies of the cables are approximately half or one time of excitation frequencies. The maximal vibration responses of CFRP cables are weaker than those of steel cables when their lengths are substantial. As static tensions of the cables decrease, the “beating” frequencies and the maximal amplitudes of the vibrations increase.
Changing BSN Students’ Stigma Toward Patients Who Use Alcohol and Opioids Through Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) Education and Training: A Pilot Study
Authors: Mahmoud Khadejah F. , Lindsay Dawn , Scolieri Britney B. , Hagle Holly , Puskar Kathryn R. , Mitchell Ann M.
Published: January 2018

BACKGROUND: Stigma associated with substance use is considered a barrier to implementing Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) and assisting patients to receive appropriate treatment. OBJECTIVES: To test the efficacy of SBIRT education and training in changing undergraduate nursing students’ attitudes about working with patients who have problems with alcohol and opioid use. DESIGN: A sample of 49 undergraduate nursing students were surveyed, using five subscales, at three time points. RESULTS: After a 15-week semester that included (a) SBIRT education and (b) weekly clinical experiences with patients who had alcohol use problems the undergraduate nursing students’ stigma decreased as measured by three of the five subscales. The students’ attitudes toward working with patients who had opioid use problems exhibited favorable change as measured by four of the five subscales. CONCLUSION: SBIRT education and training for undergraduate nursing students might help mitigate some of their stigma toward working with patients who have mild to moderate alcohol and opioid use problems.
Informal Caregivers’ Learning Experiences With Self-Management Support of Individuals Living With Bipolar Disorder: A Phenomenological Study
Authors: van den Heuvel Silvio , Goossens Peter , Terlouw Cees , Schoonhoven Lisette , van Achterberg Theo
Published: January 2018

BACKGROUND: The degree of informal caregiver involvement influences the self-management of individuals living with bipolar disorder (BD). OBJECTIVE: This article aims to provide a description of informal caregivers’ learning experiences in self-management support of BD in order to guide professionals in tailoring future psychosocial and psychoeducational interventions. DESIGN: In-depth open interviews with 10 informal caregivers of patients with BD who followed treatment in the context of specialized outpatient bipolar care were conducted. RESULTS: Four learning phases emerged from the phenomenological analysis describing the informal caregivers learning process: (1) understanding BD, (2) overcoming the dilemmas in self-management support for individuals living with BD, (3) dividing tasks and responsibilities, and (4) acquiring a personal definition of self-management support for individuals living with BD. CONCLUSION: By grasping the concept of BD, informal caregivers gradually learn how to overcome dilemmas resulting from living with someone with BD, and how to control the expression of emotions. They learn to reflect on the nature of conflicts and how to share the responsibilities of illness management with individuals living with BD and professionals. Mastering these skills eventually allows them to define and delimit their supporting informal caregiver role in the self-management of BD. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Our findings provide information regarding the educational needs of informal caregivers to tailor counseling, and psychosocial and psychoeducational interventions in specialized outpatient care for individuals living with BD.
Optimizing the performance of reactive molecular dynamics simulations for many-core architectures
Authors: Aktulga Hasan Metin , Knight Chris , Coffman Paul , O’Hearn Kurt A , Shan Tzu-Ray , Jiang Wei
Published: January 2018

Reactive molecular dynamics simulations are computationally demanding. Reaching spatial and temporal scales where interesting scientific phenomena can be observed requires efficient and scalable implementations on modern hardware. In this article, we focus on optimizing the performance of the widely used LAMMPS/ReaxC package for many-core architectures. As hybrid parallelism allows better leverage of the increasing on-node parallelism, we adopt thread parallelism in the construction of bonded and nonbonded lists and in the computation of complex ReaxFF interactions. To mitigate the I/O overheads due to large volumes of trajectory data produced and to save users the burden of post-processing, we also develop a novel in situ tool for molecular species analysis. We analyze the performance of the resulting ReaxC-OMP package on two different architectures: (i) Mira, an IBM Blue Gene/Q system and (ii) Cori-II, a Cray XC-40 sytem with Knights Landing processors. For Pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) systems of sizes ranging from 32 thousand to 16.6 million particles, we observe speedups in the range of 1.5–4.5×. We observe sustained performance improvements for up to 262,144 cores (1,048,576 processes) of Mira and a weak scaling efficiency of 91.5% in large simulations containing 16.6 million particles. The in situ molecular species analysis tool incurs only insignificant overheads across various system sizes and runs configurations.
The Complementarity of Frontline Service Employee Creativity and Attention to Detail in Service Delivery
Authors: Sok Phyra , Sok Keo Mony , Danaher Tracey S. , Danaher Peter J.
Published: January 2018

To deliver superior customer service, frontline service employees (FSEs) need to be creative while also being attentive to detail. However, achieving the right balance between these behaviors is difficult; too much focus on one to the detriment of the other can diminish service performance. Using data from two independent studies of microservice and small service firms, we examine the interplay of employee creativity and attention to detail in driving service performance. The results reveal that at high levels of attention to detail, greater creativity will increase service performance and vice versa. In contrast, at low levels of attention to detail, increasing employee creativity enhances service performance up to a point, after which it declines, and vice versa. Thus, increasing creativity when attention to detail is low or enhancing attention to detail when creativity is low is likely to be harmful to firms. Our findings suggest that managers should empower FSEs to be ambidextrous—they need to engage in high levels of both creativity and attention-to-detail behaviors–to enhance service performance. Firms should invest in training to increase FSEs’ ability to engage in these behaviors simultaneously and create an environment that enhances their self-confidence to do so.
Does HLA-B27 Status Influence Ankylosing Spondylitis Phenotype?
Authors: Akassou Amal , Bakri Youssef
Published: January 2018

The association of HLA-B27 with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) remains as one of the intriguing models that could exist between a molecule and human disease in medicine. Although it was reported in 1973, its contribution to AS and related spondyloarthritis continues to be a major challenge for scientific community. It is important to understand its etiopathogenic mechanism and its functions in these diseases. Although the diagnostic and prognostic roles of HLA-B27 in AS are still debated, there is an increasing interest for HLA-B27–based effects especially in HLA-B27(+) patients with AS. This review will focus in the examination of published reports regarding the influence of HLA-B27 status on the demographic and clinical features in AS, with specific interest to its role on AS severity.
An introduction to the microbiome and MS
Authors: Trott Sebastien , King Irah L
Published: January 2018

The human microbiota is composed of diverse forms of microorganisms that live on or in us and plays a crucial role in the health and development. Commensal species that reside in the intestine particularly influence host physiology at local and systemic levels. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a debilitating autoimmune disorder of the central nervous system for which there is currently no cure. While the cause of MS is unknown, there is a growing body of evidence suggesting that the microbiota can play both pathogenic and protective roles in disease progression. In this review, we provide a brief overview, based on both animal and clinical studies, of the current understanding by which the microbiota may influence MS and discuss opportunities for therapeutic intervention that may alleviate the symptoms associated with this debilitating neuroimmunological disease.
Effect of puberty on multiple sclerosis risk and course
Authors: Waubant Emmanuelle
Published: January 2018

Puberty occurs over several years and is a time of major sex hormone changes. These changes impact many physiological functions including immune system maturation. This review details the current understanding of the impact of puberty on the risk to develop multiple sclerosis (MS) and the age at which it occurs, as well as its effect on the risk of relapses.
A review of vitamin D supplementation as disease-modifying therapy
Authors: Shoemaker Thomas Jack , Mowry Ellen M
Published: January 2018

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS) and a major contributor to disability of young adults in western countries. MS prevalence is highest in areas with low vitamin D. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble compound with numerous physiologic responses, including immune regulation. An increasing volume of work suggests that lower levels of serum vitamin D are associated with an increased risk of MS and a more severe disease course. With the suggestion of a role in MS disease activity, increasing attention is being paid to the potential of using vitamin D as an add-on therapy to established MS disease-modifying therapies. Several preliminary studies have reported results which have shown some promise, but none has yet provided significant evidence of a clinically meaningful improvement. We review our recommendations for off-label supplementation in the context of these findings.
Digital political infographics: A rhetorical palette of an emergent genre
Authors: Amit-Danhi Eedan R , Shifman Limor
Published: January 2018

Information visualizations (“infographics”) have long been part of the production of knowledge, although the rise of digital media brought about a significant expansion in both their volume and their use for political purposes. This article provides a first overview and typology of the emergent genre we term “digital political infographics.” Informed by literature and theory about visualizations, political persuasion, interfaces, and digital sharing, we aimed to reveal the “data-politics” unique to this expression form. A grounded analysis of 200 politically oriented infographics on Twitter yielded a two-dimensional typology relating to the narrative strategies and the interfaces underpinning users’ engagement with data in this discursive format. An integrative evaluation revealed that digital political infographics are hybrid communicative forms, characterized by three influence trajectories between political persuasion, infographic conventions, and digital environments: “politicizing” infographic traits, “infographing” political tactics, and creating a new common ground, featuring a rhetoric of “tactile data experience.”
The cross-country measurement invariance of the Business Cultural Intelligence Quotient (BCIQ)
Authors: Velez-Calle Andres , Roman-Calderon Juan Pablo , Robledo-Ardila Cristina
Published: January 2018

Cultural intelligence (CQ) has been regarded as a key factor in international business success. A recently validated scale, the Business Cultural Intelligence Quotient (BCIQ), refines the CQ concept by applying it exclusively to the business context. The BCIQ aims at predicting long-term cross-cultural success using a combination of CQ factors, cognitive features, and measurable independent variables (Alon et al., 2016b). Using the multigroup exploratory factor analysis approach, we found low measurement invariance for the (BCIQ) instrument across eight countries (Austria, Chile, Colombia, Greece, Philippines, Poland, Spain, and Venezuela). Global knowledge was included as a covariate in the invariance test. We found that type of performance is related to some BCIQ dimensions in our multicountry sample of professionals. Our results provide additional evidence about the construct validity of the BCIQ and its appropriateness for cross-cultural applications. By knowing that the BCIQ is a reliable cross-cultural instrument for the measurement of CQ applied to the business context, managers can benefit by identifying the right individuals for international business assignments.
Fifty years of development of light measurement instrumentation
Authors: Bergen T , Young R
Published: January 2018

Instrumentation for photometry, radiometry and colorimetry has developed significantly over the past fifty years. New measurement techniques and types of detectors as well as miniaturisation of computers and electronic hardware have fundamentally changed both the size, design and complexity of instrumentation and the way that we go about our measurement work. There has also been a significant change in mindset as the increasing need for accountability for measurement results and recognition of the role of traceability and measurement uncertainty have become more pronounced. This paper summarises the state of photometric laboratories in the 1960s and list some of the key highlights in the development of instrumentation and measurement techniques since then. It is not intended as a strict chronological account of technological invention, but a reflection of how and when these technologies were adopted and adapted to light measurements, along with accompanying key papers published in Lighting Research and Technology and associated journals over that time.
Testing conscientious objection by the norm of medicine
Authors: Saad Toni C , Jackson Gregory
Published: January 2018

Debate persists over the place of conscience in medicine. Some argue for the complete exclusion of conscientious objection, while others claim an absolute right of refusal. This paper proposes that claims of conscientious objection can and should be permitted if they concern kinds of actions which fall outside of the normative standard of medicine, which is the pursuit of health. Medical practice which meets this criterion we call medicine qua medicine. If conscientious refusal concerns something consonant with the health-restoring aims of medicine, it entails a desertion of professional duty. If, however, it relates to something other than medicine qua medicine, it can rightly be refused. It thus becomes possible to test instances of conscientious objection to determine their validity, and thereby conserve both the principle of conscientious objection and define its scope. This test of conscience prevents arbitrary discrimination, and preserves doctors’ agency. It is a theoretical razor rooted in the practical reasoning of medicine whose operation will prompt, if nothing else, reflection on the goals of medicine.
Phosphorylation/de-phosphorylation in specific sites of tumor suppressor WWOX and control of distinct biological events
Authors: Huang Shenq-Shyang , Chang Nan-Shan
Published: January 2018

Abnormal differentiation and growth of hematopoietic stem cells cause the development of hematopoietic diseases and hematopoietic malignancies. However, the molecular events underlying leukemia development are not well understood. In our recent study, we have demonstrated that calcium ionophore and phorbol ester force the differentiation of T lymphoblastic leukemia. The event involves a newly identified IκBα/WWOX/ERK signaling, in which WWOX is Ser14 phosphorylated. Additional evidence also reveals that pS14-WWOX is involved in enhancing cancer progression and metastasis and facilitating neurodegeneration. In this mini-review, we update the current knowledge for the functional roles of WWOX under physiological and pathological settings, and provide new insights regarding pS14-WWOX in T leukemia cell maturation, and switching the anticancer pY33-WWOX to pS14-WWOX for cancer promotion and disease progression.

Impact statement

WWOX was originally designated as a tumor suppressor. However, human newborns deficient in WWOX do not spontaneously develop tumors. Activated WWOX with Tyr33 phosphorylation is present in normal tissues and organs. However, when pY33-WWOX is overly induced under stress conditions, it becomes apoptotic to eliminate damaged cells. Notably, WWOX with Ser14 phosphorylation is upregulated in the lesions of cancer, as well as in the brain hippocampus and cortex with Alzheimer’s disease. Suppression of pS14-WWOX by Zfra reduces cancer growth and mitigates Alzheimer’s disease progression, suggesting that pS14-WWOX facilitates disease progression. pS14-WWOX can be regarded as a marker of disease progression.
Endovascular treatment of acute and chronic isolated abdominal aortic dissection
Authors: Wang Dongqing , Ma Tao , Guo Daqiao , Xu Xin , Chen Bin , Jiang Junhao , Yang Jue , Shi Zhenyu , Zhu Ting , Shi Yun , Dong Zhihui , Fu Weiguo
Published: January 2018

Objective

To discuss the strategies and clinical outcomes of endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) for acute and chronic isolated abdominal aortic dissection (IAAD).

Methods

From January 2012 to June 2017, 33 patients with IAAD were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were classified into acute and chronic groups based on the time to EVAR from IAAD onset (acute: ≤90 days; chronic: >90 days). Patient demographics, clinical parameters, procedural factors, and clinical outcomes were evaluated and compared between the two groups.

Results

Among 33 patients, 21 were diagnosed with acute IAAD and 12 were diagnosed with chronic IAAD. All patients underwent EVAR, and no significant difference in EVAR-related procedural factors was observed between the two groups. The primary technical success rate in all patients was 100%. The overall survival rate in the chronic group was lower than that in the acute group, but the difference was not statistically significant ( P = 0.186). However, the reintervention-free survival rate in the chronic group was significantly lower than that in the acute group ( P = 0.039). Significant enlargement of the true lumen (TL) and regression of the false lumen (FL) and maximal aortic diameter were observed in all patients after EVAR ( P < 0.05). The mean diameter of the TL in the acute group increased significantly more than that in the chronic group (14 ± 3 mm vs. 11 ± 3 mm, P = 0.040). A significant difference was not observed in the regression of the FL ( P = 0.628) or maximal aortic diameter ( P = 0.319) between the two groups.

Conclusion

EVAR continues to be a safe therapeutic approach with a high technical success rate and favorable clinical outcomes. The clinical outcomes and aortic remodeling in the chronic group seem to be poorer than those in the acute group.
How depth estimation in light fields can benefit from super-resolution?
Authors: Zhao Mandan , Wu Gaochang , Liu Yebin , Hao Xiangyang
Published: January 2018

With the development of consumer light field cameras, the light field imaging has become an extensively used method for capturing the three-dimensional appearance of a scene. The depth estimation often requires a dense sampled light field in the angular domain or a high resolution in the spatial domain. However, there is an inherent trade-off between the angular and spatial resolutions of the light field. Recently, some studies for super-resolving the trade-off light field have been introduced. Rather than the conventional approaches that optimize the depth maps, these approaches focus on maximizing the quality of the super-resolved light field. In this article, we investigate how the depth estimation can benefit from these super-resolution methods. Specifically, we compare the qualities of the estimated depth using (a) the original sparse sampled light fields and the reconstructed dense sampled light fields, and (b) the original low-resolution light fields and the high-resolution light fields. Experiment results evaluate the enhanced depth maps using different super-resolution approaches.
Path planning for coal mine robot to avoid obstacle in gas distribution area
Authors: Ma Xiliang , Mao Ruiqing
Published: January 2018

As the explosion-proof safety level of coal mine robot has not yet reached the level of intrinsic safety “ia,” therefore, path planning methods for coal mine robot to avoid the dangerous area of gas are necessary. To avoid a secondary explosion when the coal mine robot passes through gas hazard zones, a path planning method is proposed, considering the gas concentration distributions. The path planning method is composed of two steps in total: the global path planning and the local path adjustment. First, the global working path for coal mine robot is planed based on the Dijkstra algorithm and the ant colony algorithm. Second, with consideration of the dynamic environment, when hazardous gas areas distribute over the planed working path again, local path adjustments are carried out with the help of a proposed local path adjustment method. Lastly, experiments are conducted in a roadway after accident, which verify the effectiveness of the proposed path planning method.
Thermal and hygric assessment of an inside-insulated brick wall: 2D critical experiment and computational analysis
Authors: Kočí Václav , Kočí Jan , Maděra Jiří , Pavlík Zbyšek , Gu Xianglin , Zhang Weiping , Černý Robert
Published: January 2018

A combined experimental-computational approach is used for the analysis of hygrothermal performance of a brick wall provided with interior thermal insulation system. A 2D laboratory experiment is performed to determine temperature and moisture fields in a characteristic segment of the envelope over a sufficiently long period including cold winter months. Then, a computational model of moisture and heat transport is developed, using an integral two-phase balance equation capable of distinguishing between the particular phases of water and an enthalpy-based heat balance equation. A 2D computational representation of the experiment is used for model calibration and identification of unknown parameters, resulting in a very good agreement of experimental and calculated fields, with R2 between 0.9687 and 0.9888. The calibrated model is subsequently used for a long-term hygrothermal assessment of the studied detail to demonstrate the functionality of the interior thermal insulation system, as well as the applicability of the developed model.
Inhibition of toll-like receptor 4 alleviates hyperalgesia induced by acute dural inflammation in experimental migraine
Authors: Su Min , Ran Ye , He Zizi , Zhang Mingjie , Hu Guanqun , Tang Wenjing , Zhao Dengfa , Yu Shengyuan
Published: January 2018

Objective

Although nociceptive sensitisation is an important pathophysiological process in migraine and migraine chronification, its underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), a pattern-recognition molecule, has a critical role in both neuropathic pain and morphine tolerance. The present study examined whether elements of the TLR4 pathway contribute to hyperalgesia induced by dural inflammation in rats.

Methods

A rat model of migraine was established by infusing a dural inflammatory soup. A group pretreated with TAK-242 was used to inhibit the activation of TLR4. The protein levels of TLR4 and its downstream molecules in the trigeminal pathway were examined by Western blot and immunofluorescence. The expression of activated microglia and astrocytes was also analysed. Levels of interleukin-1 beta, tumour necrosis factor-alpha, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Results

Acute inflammatory soup infusion induced time-dependent facial mechanical hyperalgesia, which was blocked by TAK-242 pretreatment. The inflammatory soup stimulus increased the production of TLR4 downstream molecules and interleukin-1 beta. Higher levels of microglia activation and brain-derived neurotrophic factor release were observed following the administration of the inflammatory soup but were alleviated by TAK-242.

Conclusions

These data suggest that the TLR4 signalling pathway promotes hyperalgesia induced by acute inflammatory soup delivery by stimulating the production of proinflammatory cytokines and activating microglia.
Migration, habitus and symbolic order: Reflecting on a multilingualism project at a German university
Authors: Arslan Emre
Published: January 2018

Most of the projects aimed at making migrants more successful in the context of higher education in Germany focus on programmes that introduce the rules and expectations of the university to students and try to change their habitus. This article discusses a multilingualism project conducted in a German university that strives to go beyond this perspective and influence not only the habitus of students, but also that of the university and its symbolic order. The sociology of Pierre Bourdieu provides valuable and powerful concepts, such as habitus, field, symbolic violence and cultural capital, for the analysis of the outcomes of the project. The article suggests that in order to reduce inequality in higher education and to improve outcomes for migrant students, the habitus of the university environment and its symbolic order of language must be changed along with the habitus of students.
Combination of immunotherapy with targeted therapies in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)
Authors: Moya-Horno Irene , Viteri Santiago , Karachaliou Niki , Rosell Rafael
Published: January 2018

Treatment for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has been significantly improved in recent years with the incorporation of drugs targeting antiangiogenesis and more specifically genomic alterations such as the EGFR mutations and ALK translocations. However, most patients invariably progress and die. The emergence of immune checkpoint inhibitors targeting the pathways involved in tumor-induced immunosuppression have redefined the management of the disease, achieving significant long-lasting responses with manageable safety profiles, regardless of histology. Still, response rates with immunotherapy are deemed suboptimal. Current efforts are focusing on new potential combination strategies with synergistic antitumor activity, using immune checkpoint blockade as a partner for targeted agents. Herein we discuss the available data on the combined use of immunotherapy, including PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4 inhibitors, with EGFR and ALK inhibitors and comment on the current status of immunotherapy plus antiangiogenic drugs for molecularly unselected advanced NSCLC.
Abiraterone acetate and prednisone in the pre- and post-docetaxel setting for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: a mono-institutional experience focused on cardiovascular events and their impact on clinical outcomes
Authors: Cavo Alessia , Rubagotti Alessandra , Zanardi Elisa , Fabbroni Chiara , Zinoli Linda , Di Meglio Antonio , Arboscello Eleonora , Bellodi Andrea , Spallarossa Paolo , Cattrini Carlo , Messina Carlo , Boccardo Francesco
Published: January 2018

Background:

The aim of this work was to to evaluate the incidence and risk factors of adverse events (AEs), focusing on cardiovascular events (CVEs) and hypokalemia, in patients treated with abiraterone acetate (AA) and prednisone (PDN) outside clinical trials, and their association with survival outcomes.

Methods:

This was a retrospective cohort study of 105 patients treated from 2011 to 2016. Incidence of AEs was descriptively summarized in the whole cohort and by subgroup (pre- versus post-docetaxel). Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models assessed factors associated with progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).

Results:

Overall, median PFS and OS were 14.9 and 24.6 months, respectively. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) ⩾ 10 ng/ml ( p = 0.007), Gleason Score >7 ( p = 0.008), Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (PS)1–2 ( p = 0.002), duration of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) ⩽ 43.2 months ( p = 0.01), and body mass index (BMI) > 25 ( p = 0.03) were associated with worse PFS; presence of pain ( p = 0.01), ECOG PS1–2 ( p = 0.004), duration of ADT ⩽ 43.2 ( p = 0.05), and BMI > 25 ( p = 0.042) were associated with worse OS. Incidence of CVEs was as follows: hypertension 17.1%, fluid retention 4.8%, cardiac disorders 8.6%. 16.2% of patients developed hypokalemia. Age ⩾ 75 years was associated with higher probability of cardiac disorders ( p = 0.001) and fluid retention ( p = 0.03). CVEs did not impact on PFS or OS. Hypokalemia was associated with better median OS ( p = 0.036). Similar associations were observed after stratification by subgroup.

Conclusions:

Median PFS and OS estimates and incidence of CVEs and hypokalemia in our series are consistent with those of pivotal trials of AA plus PDN, confirming the efficacy and safety of this regimen also in the real-world setting. Elderly patients have higher odds of developing/worsening CVEs. However, regardless of age, CVEs were not associated with worse outcomes. Treatment-related hypokalemia seemed to be associated with longer OS, albeit this finding needs confirmation within larger, prospective series.
Kitaoka’s Tomato: Two Simple Explanations Based on Information in the Stimulus
Authors: Shapiro Arthur , Hedjar Laysa , Dixon Erica , Kitaoka Akiyoshi
Published: January 2018

Kitaoka’s Tomato is a color illusion in which a semitransparent blue-green field is placed on top of a red object (a tomato). The tomato appears red even though the pixels would appear green if viewed in isolation. We show that this phenomenon can be explained by a high-pass filter and by histogram equalization. The results suggest that this illusion does not require complex inferences about color constancy; rather, the tomato’s red is available in the physical stimulus at the appropriate spatial scale and dynamic range.