bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
ЗМІНИ ПОКАЗНИКІВ ОКИСНОГО ГОМЕОСТАЗУ У ХВОРИХ НА КИСЛОТОЗАЛЕЖНІ ЗАХВОРЮВАННЯ ПРИ ЛІКУВАННІ
Authors: Ponomarenko L. A. , Lykholat O. A. , Ponomarenko О. A.
Published: November 2018

Вступ. Гастроезофагеальна рефлюксна хвороба (ГЕРХ) та пептична виразка (ПВ) дванадцятипалої кишки (ДПК), які належать до групи кислотозалежних захворювань (КЗЗ), залишаються найбільш розпов­сюдженими серед гастроентерологічної патології. Основним патогенетичним компонентом даних хвороб, що призводить до розвитку ускладнень та рецидивів, є оксидативний стрес. Натепер актуальним є пошук препаратів, здатних впливати на системи антиоксидантного захисту в пацієнтів із КЗЗ.

Мета дослідження – вивчити стан систем окисного гомеостазу в пацієнтів із кислотозалежними захворюваннями при лікуванні з використанням базових схем та включенні до базової терапії глутаргіну.

Методи дослідження. Обстежено 28 пацієнтів з ГЕРХ та 23 хворих на ГЕРХ, поєднану з ПВ ДПК. Залежно від терапевтичних схем кожну групу було поділено на 2 підгрупи: пацієнти, які отримували базове лікування, та хворі, до традиційних базових схем яких включали глутаргін. До початку лікування та після його закінчення в крові хворих визначали рівень ТБК-активних продуктів (ТБК-АП), активність супер­оксиддисмутази (СОД), каталази (Кат), глутатіонпероксидази (ГПО), глутатіонредуктази (ГР), вміст відновленого глутатіону (ВГ).

Результати й обговорення. Аналіз показників пацієнтів із КЗЗ після лікування свідчить про те, що включення глутаргіну до базової терапії в пацієнтів з ГЕРХ та хворих на ГЕРХ, поєднану з ПВ ДПК, призводило до достовірного зниження рівня ТБК-АП як у плазмі, так і в еритроцитах на тлі активації СОД, Кат, показників системи глутатіону. У хворих, які не одержували глутаргіну, дисбаланс у системі окисного гомеостазу не усувався. Фармакологічний ефект цього лікарського засобу пов’язаний з діючими компонентами, які входять до його складу, а саме L-аргініном і L-глутаматом. Антиоксидантні та мембраностабілізувальні властивості L-аргініну реалізуються через NО-регулювальну систему, L-глутамат активує синтез глутатіону.

Висновки. Використання традиційної базової терапії в пацієнтів із кислотозалежними захворюваннями не усуває проявів оксидативного стресу, про що свідчить відсутність достовірних змін показників ліпопероксидації та антиоксидантного захисту. Додавання глутаргіну до базового лікування пацієнтів із гастроезофагеальною рефлюксною хворобою та хворих на гастроезофагеальну рефлюксну хворобу в поєднанні з пептичною виразкою дванадцятипалої кишки дозволяє нівелювати в них депресію ферментативної антиоксидантної ланки, збільшити рівень відновленого глутатіону та нормалізувати показники процесів пероксидного окиснення ліпідів.
Taking Attention Out of Context: Frontopolar Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Abolishes the Formation of New Context Memories in Visual Search
Authors: Zinchenko Artyom , Conci Markus , Taylor Paul C. J. , Müller Hermann J. , Geyer Thomas
Published: November 2018

This study investigates the causal contribution of the left frontopolar cortex (FPC) to the processing of violated expectations from learned target–distractor spatial contingencies during visual search. The experiment consisted of two phases: learning and test. Participants searched for targets presented either among repeated or nonrepeated target–distractor configurations. Prior research showed that repeated encounters of identically arranged displays lead to memory about these arrays, which then can come to guide search (contextual cueing effect). The crucial manipulation was a change of the target location, in a nevertheless constant distractor layout, at the transition from learning to test. In addition to this change, we applied repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) over the left lateral FPC, over a posterior control site, or no rTMS at all (baseline; between-group manipulation) to see how FPC rTMS influences the ability of observers to adapt context-based memories acquired in the training phase. The learning phase showed expedited search in repeated relative to nonrepeated displays, with this context-based facilitation being comparable across all experimental groups. For the test phase, the recovery of cueing was critically dependent on the stimulation site: Although there was evidence of context adaptation toward the end of the experiment in the occipital and no-rTMS conditions, observers with FPC rTMS showed no evidence of relearning at all after target location changes. This finding shows that FPC plays an important role in the regulation of prediction errors in statistical context learning, thus contributing to an update of the spatial target–distractor contingencies after target position changes in learned spatial arrays.
Strobilomyces rubrobrunneus (Boletaceae), a new species with reddish brown scales from eastern China
Authors: HAN LI-HONG , HAO YAN-JIA , LIU CHAO , DAI DONG-QIN , ZHAO KUAN , TANG LI-ZHOU
Published: November 2018

A new species, Strobilomyces rubrobrunneus, is described from eastern China based on morphological and molecular evidence. Morphologically, this species is characterized by its tiny to small basidiomes, reddish-brown and more or less erect pyramidal scales, grayish black discoloration of the pileal context when bruised, reticulate spores and a subtropical distribution in a mixed forest of Fagaceae and Pinaceae. Our phylogenetic analyses based on four gene markers (rpb1, rpb2, tef1 and cox3) support its placement in Strobilomyces and its separation from other related species of this genus. Morphological illustrations and description are provided.
A new species and a new combination in Stelis (Orchidaceae: Pleurothallidinae) from Ecuador
Authors: ZAMBRANO ROMERO BOSCO JAVIER , SOLANO RODOLFO
Published: November 2018

A new orchid species in Stelis is described and illustrated. It was discovered in semi-deciduous montane forest in Southwestern Ecuador. The new species is named Stelis rostriformis. Information about its distribution, habitat, phenology, and conservation status is provided. The new taxon is a member of Crocodeilanthe, a group that has previously been considered as a different genus or as a subgenus of Pleurothallis, but the available evidence indicates that it turns out to be non-monophyletic. The new species is compared with other morphologically similar, such as S. batillacea, S. cyathiflora, S. galeata and S. gargantua. Additionally, Stelis sagittata is proposed as a new name for Pleurothallis jamesonii since the combination of it in Stelis proved be illegitimate because the earlier existence of Stelis jamesonii.
Notes on taxonomy and nomenclature of juno irises (Juno, Iridaceae)
Authors: CRESPO MANUEL B. , Martínez-Azorín MARIO , MAVRODIEV EVGENY V.
Published: November 2018

Juno (Iris subg. Scorpiris) is a distinct group of bulbous irises, widely diversified in central and southwestern Asia and the Caucasus with some representatives in the Mediterranean basin. It is a monophyletic group with remarkable morphological, biogeographical and molecular peculiarities, which is accepted here as an independent genus. In the present contribution, some taxonomic and nomenclatural issues are discussed, concerning several names of juno irises. As a result, ten new combinations are established (nine at specific rank and one at varietal rank), and the taxonomic relationships of some taxa are revisited. Types are indicated for all discussed names, of which one lectotype and two neotypes are designated here.
A review of the subfamily Eliminiinae (Cirripedia: Thoracica: Austrobalanidae), including a new genus, Protelminius nov., from the Oligocene of New Zealand
Authors: BUCKERIDGE JOHN S. , NEWMAN WILLIAM A.
Published: November 2018

The Elminiinae, comprising the four-plated taxa Elminius Leach, 1825 (one species), Austrominius Buckeridge, 1983 (six species), †Matellionius Buckeridge, 1983 (one species), a new Oligocene genus, †Protelminius (one species), plus the six-plated Hexaminius Foster, 1982a (two species), is reviewed and current geographic distributions of its species updated. While originally restricted to southern Australia, New Zealand and southernmost South America, one species, A. modestus (Darwin, 1854), was introduced to England during World War II and is now more widely distributed in Europe. The status of four questionable species of Austrominius, currently attributed to a restricted region within South Australia, is discussed. A re-evaluation of the subfamily’s morphology, triggered by recent phylogenetic studies, suggests it be removed from the lower Balanoidea and placed closest to the lower Tetraclitoidea, i.e. to a position envisaged for Elminius s.l. in Darwin (1854). The fossil record of the revised Austrobalanidae is re-evaluated in light of palaeogeography, indicating that the family may have originated during the Eocene in waters off what is now the Antarctic Peninsula.
Emotional Girls and Rational Boys: The Gendering of Violence Among Urban, African American Youth
Authors: Like Toya Z. , Cobbina Jennifer E.
Published: November 2018

Much scholarship has given primacy to neighborhood context and its effect on youth violence within disadvantaged communities. The structural features of these environments, including various forms of disadvantage such as extreme poverty, unemployment and family disruption, have resulted in cultural adaptations that embrace the use of violence and the construction of violent identities as a means of survival and protection especially among youth. We adhere to and contribute to this perspective by recognizing the contributions of the symbolic interaction approach that underscores the process by which these identities are constructed. Recent developments in this area have emphasized the intersecting inequalities of race, gender and class that shape individuals’ understandings of and perceptions of violence. We draw on these works and analyze in-depth interviews with 72 urban, African American adolescents to examine the process by which they perceive and negotiate violence (and thus construct violent identities) and we further consider whether these constructions of violence are gender-specific.
Implementation as a Dynamic Process: A Case Study of Teacher Sensemaking of a Cross-Content Area Vocabulary Intervention
Authors: Rimbey Michelle , Kucan Linda
Published: November 2018

This investigation examined how middle school teachers implemented Word Generation, a cross-content vocabulary intervention and how the program affected student learning of academic vocabulary words. Participants included four content area teachers and their sixth-grade students. Students received vocabulary instruction in their social studies, science, and math classes. Results of the posttests revealed that students showed positive differences in their learning as compared with a comparison school and maintained those differences on a delayed posttest. In addition, teachers’ sensemaking was influenced by factors related to knowledge and experiences, policy initiatives, and the social contexts in which they worked. This investigation reveals the complex nature of intervention implementation in schools.
Within-Seller and Buyer–Seller Network Structures and Key Account Profitability
Authors: Gupta Aditya , Kumar Alok , Grewal Rajdeep , Lilien Gary L.
Published: November 2018

In business-to-business (B2B) markets, the success of key account management (KAM) teams depends on how they are structured and how they handle customer relationships. The authors conceptualize relationships among selling team members as a within-seller (intrafirm) network and the relationships between selling team members and buyer representatives as a buyer–seller (interfirm) network. Drawing on both structural (buyer–seller density, within-seller density, and within-seller centralization) and functional (buyer–seller similar function ties and within-seller cross-functional ties) composition attributes of these networks, the authors examine how the interplay between these networks drives seller account profitability. Using data from 207 key account managers across B2B industries, the authors uncover a nuanced pattern of interplay across the two networks. Densities in the two networks are mutually substitutive, but density in the buyer–seller networks and centralization in the within-seller networks serve complementary roles. Cross-function ties in the within-seller network serve a complementary role too, but only in relation to similar function ties in the buyer–seller network. In contrast, within-seller centralization supports both network density and similar function ties in the buyer–seller network and, thus, emerges as a valuable KAM team characteristic. These findings suggest multiple ways for firms to align interfirm and intrafirm KAM networks to improve account profitability.
Routine HIV Screening as a Standard of Care: Implementing HIV Screening in General Medical Settings, 2013-2015
Authors: Roche Laura , Zepeda Saul , Harvey Blair , Reitan Karen A. , Taylor Raekiela D.
Published: November 2018

Objective:

We implemented routine HIV screening as part of the 4-year Care and Prevention in the United States Demonstration Project, whose aim was to reduce HIV/AIDS–related morbidity and mortality among racial/ethnic minority groups in the United States. We describe the capacity-building efforts to implement routine HIV screening and provide lessons learned and implications for practice.

Methods:

From January 2013 through September 2015, the Public Health Institute of Metropolitan Chicago (PHIMC) implemented routine HIV screening in 7 health care systems in Illinois by providing capacity-building assistance focused on systems and operational infrastructure, staff member skills and organizational structure, and clinic culture. Each site received funding to integrate routine HIV screening into the existing clinic flow, engage the entire health care team in the process, and transform the system and shift clinic culture to sustain HIV screening.

Results:

All 7 systems established policies and procedures to implement routine screening, 5 systems integrated HIV test ordering and documentation into their electronic health records, and 4 systems established a third-party billing and reimbursement process for testing. The 7 systems conducted a total of 49 285 tests and identified 160 people living with HIV. The number of tests increased by more than 40% each year.

Conclusions:

PHIMC identified the following practices for consideration when implementing routine HIV screening in general medical settings: create a culture that supports HIV screening, use champions in clinics, integrate HIV screening into clinic flow and electronic health records, and train clinic staff members on HIV messaging. Incorporating these practices can help other clinical settings build capacity to make routine HIV screening a standard of care.
Use of Social Network Strategy Among Young Black Men Who Have Sex With Men for HIV Testing, Linkage to Care, and Reengagement in Care, Tennessee, 2013-2016
Authors: McGoy Shanell L. , Pettit April C. , Morrison Melissa , Alexander Leah R. , Johnson Phadre , Williams Brandon , Banister Darion , Young Mary K. , Wester Carolyn , Rebeiro Peter F.
Published: November 2018

Objectives:

Tennessee was 1 of 8 states that received funding from the Care and Prevention in the United States Demonstration Project, which aimed to reduce HIV-related morbidity and mortality among racial/ethnic and sexual minority populations. The objective of this study was to describe implementation of a social network strategy (SNS) program, which leverages personal connections in social networks, to reach people with undiagnosed HIV infection for HIV testing. We targeted young black men who have sex with men (MSM) at 3 agencies in Memphis and Nashville, Tennessee, during 2013-2016.

Methods:

Specialists at the 3 agencies identified MSM with and without diagnosed HIV infection (ie, recruiters) who could recruit members from their social networks for HIV testing (ie, network associates). Both recruiters and network associates received OraQuick rapid and confirmatory HIV tests. We used χ2 and Fisher exact tests to assess differences in demographic characteristics, HIV testing, and care engagement status by agency.

Results:

Of 1752 people who were tested for HIV in the SNS program, 158 (9.0%) tested positive; of these, 80 (50.6%) were newly diagnosed with HIV. Forty-seven of the 78 (60.3%) people who were previously diagnosed with HIV were not in care in the previous 12 months; of these, 27 (57.4%) were reengaged in medical care. Of 80 people newly diagnosed with HIV, 44 (55.0%) were linked to care.

Conclusions:

The SNS program ascertained HIV status among a high-risk population in a heavily burdened region. Further program evaluation is needed to understand how to improve linkage to care among people with newly diagnosed HIV.
Cross-site Monitoring and Evaluation of the Care and Prevention in the United States Demonstration Project, 2012-2016: Selected Process and Short-term Outcomes
Authors: Mulatu Mesfin S. , Hoyte Tamika , Williams Kim M. , Taylor Raekiela D. , Painter Thomas , Spikes Pilgrim , Prather Cynthia , Jeffries William L. , Henny Kirk , Shabu Tanjina
Published: November 2018

Objective:

The Care and Prevention in the United States (CAPUS) Demonstration Project was a 4-year (2012-2016) cross-agency demonstration project that aimed to reduce HIV/AIDS-related morbidity and mortality among racial/ethnic minority groups in 8 states (Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia). Its goals were to increase the identification of undiagnosed HIV infections and optimize the linkage to, reengagement with, and retention in care and prevention services for people with HIV (PWH). We present descriptive findings to answer selected cross-site process and short-term outcome monitoring and evaluation questions.

Methods:

We answered a set of monitoring and evaluation questions by using data submitted by grantees. We used a descriptive qualitative method to identify key themes of activities implemented and summarized quantitative data to describe program outputs and outcomes.

Results:

Of 155 343 total HIV tests conducted by all grantees, 558 (0.36%) tests identified people with newly diagnosed HIV infection. Of 4952 PWH who were presumptively not in care, 1811 (36.6%) were confirmed as not in care through Data to Care programs. Navigation and other linkage, retention, and reengagement programs reached 10 382 people and linked to or reengaged with care 5425 of 7017 (77.3%) PWH who were never in care or who had dropped out of care. Programs offered capacity-building trainings to providers to improve cultural competency, developed social marketing and social media campaigns to destigmatize HIV testing and care, and expanded access to support services, such as transitional housing and vocational training.

Conclusions:

CAPUS grantees substantially expanded their capacity to deliver HIV-related services and reach racial/ethnic minority groups at risk for or living with HIV infection. Our findings demonstrate the feasibility of implementing novel and integrated programs that address social and structural barriers to HIV care and prevention.
Trends in Black–White Employment Gaps Since the Great Recession
Authors: Masterson Thomas
Published: November 2018

The Great Recession had a devastating impact on labor force participation and employment. This impact was not unlike other recessions, except in size. The recovery, however, has been unusual not so much for its sluggishness but for the unusual pattern of recovery in employment by race. The Black employment–population rate has increased since bottoming out in 2010 while the White employment–population rate has remained flat. We examine trends in labor force participation and employment by race, sex, and age and determine that the explanation is a combination of an aging White population and an increase in labor force participation among younger Black people. We estimate the likelihood of labor force participation and employment among young men and women to control for confounding factors, such as changes in educational characteristics. We then decompose the gaps among groups and the changes over time in labor force participation using an Oaxaca–Blinder-like technique for nonlinear estimations. We find that much smaller negative impacts of characteristics and greater returns to characteristics among young Black men and women than among young White men and women explain the observed trends.
From multi-utility to cross-utilities: The challenges of cross-sectoral entrepreneurial strategies in a German city
Authors: Florentin Daniel
Published: November 2018

In the water and energy sectors, projects geared towards new forms of cross-sectoral functioning have boomed in most European countries over the past decade, and have deeply transformed the ecology of urban services. These projects are often considered as an answer to a rising challenge affecting numerous traditional utilities: the unforeseen urban change relating to shifting (i.e. declining) demand patterns that are undermining traditional models of infrastructure management. The development of cross-sectoral strategies is considered a way both to tackle the attrition of traditional sources of revenue and to develop greener infrastructure systems by enhancing their efficiency level, often in line with low-carbon programmes implemented by national or local governments. The appeal lies in a fairly static perception of infrastructure management and technological change. Based on a detailed analysis of a traditional German local multi-utility and informed by a six-month internship within the company, the article deciphers the rationale of multi-sectoral practices, in particular the company’s transformation into a cross-utility that devised a common strategy for all its infrastructure networks and its ambiguities. Various facets of such ‘boundary work’ are analysed, focusing on organisational and financial aspects to reveal the new sites of tensions and negotiations between sectors, but also on the material component of these cross-sectoral projects through the case of one such nexus programme, a waste-to-energy programme. This programme embodies the potential contradictions between the call for reduced use of resources (i.e. the production of less waste) and the development of new urban technical systems relying primarily on those same resources.
‘Whatever you say, say nothing’: Teaching public administration in Northern Ireland
Authors: Knox Colin
Published: November 2018

This article is a contribution to a special issue of Teaching Public Administration, which offers teachers with many years’ experience the opportunity to reflect on changes over time. The context for this paper is teaching public administration in Northern Ireland, a region of the UK that has a sizeable public sector but a distinctive and unstable structure of governance. The paper begins by summarizing the pedagogic polemic in teaching public administration, how this played out in a devolved region of the UK that has witnessed political conflict, and the influence of this setting on the provision of higher education for public sector officials. It addresses how a regional university has sought to meet the seemingly parochial demands of its students with the wider demands for global outward-facing teaching and research.
Mobile layers of 2015 Copenhagen shooting: sounds, witnesses, and tweets @FEMENINNA
Authors: Betlemidze Mariam
Published: November 2018

The article examines the case of the terrorist attack on a free speech event hosted at Krudttønden café in Copenhagen on 14 February 2015, exactly at the time when Femen’s leading activist Inna Shevchenko was delivering her speech on the illusion of free speech in Europe. I focus on the intersections of sound, feminine vulnerability, mediatized support, and transformations of Femen activism network within layered and interlaced networks. Guided by the concept of Badiou’s event, the article offers the perspective of Shevchenko’s ‘evental’ activism, which stands out with its instantaneous switch from usual Femen-disapproving rhetoric to the rhetoric of support for Femen and its terrorist-attack survived leader in particular. The fact that Shevchenko not only witnessed and survived the attack but also became a popular spokesperson for the event and the issue of free expression signposts a major transformation of Femen activism and brings into the light larger cultural phenomenon. The article argues that the mediatized perception of intense and immediate fears helps level out of the smaller cultural and aesthetic differences at the expense of creating new ‘us versus them’ division accompanied by the discussions attempting to counteract it.
Theorizing media, communication and social change: towards a processual approach
Authors: Mihelj Sabina , Stanyer James
Published: November 2018

Debates about the role of media and communication in social change are central to our discipline, yet advances in this field are hampered by disciplinary fragmentation, a lack of shared conceptual language and limited understanding of long-term shifts in the field. To address this, we first develop a typology that distinguishes between approaches that foreground the role of media and communication as an agent of change, and approaches that treat media and communication as an environment for change. We then use this typology to identify key trends in the field since 1951, including the sharp downturn in work focusing on economic aspects of change after 1985, the decline of grand narratives of social change since 2000 and the parallel return to media effects. We conclude by outlining the key traits of a processual approach to social change, which has the capacity to offer the basis for shared language in the field. This language can enable us to think of media, communication and social change across its varied temporal and social planes, and link together the processes involved in the reproduction of status quo with fundamental changes to social order.
Estimating Returns to College Attainment: Comparing Survey and State Administrative Data–Based Estimates
Authors: Scott-Clayton Judith , Wen Qiao
Published: November 2018

Background:

The increasing availability of massive administrative data sets linking postsecondary enrollees with postcollege earnings records has stimulated a wealth of new research on the returns to college and has accelerated state and federal efforts to hold institutions accountable for students’ labor market outcomes. Many of these new research and policy efforts rely on state databases limited to postsecondary enrollees who work in the same state postcollege, with limited information regarding family background and precollege ability.

Objectives:

In this article, we use recent waves of data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 to provide new, nationally representative, nonexperimental estimates of the returns to degrees, as well as to assess the possible limitations of single-state, administrative data–based estimates.

Research design:

To do this, we explore the sensitivity of estimated returns to college, by testing different sample restrictions, inclusion of different sets of covariates, and alternative ways of treating out-of-state earnings to approximate the real-world limitations of state administrative databases.

Results:

We find that failure to control for measures of student ability leads to upward bias, while limiting the sample to college enrollees only leads to an understatement of degree returns. On net, these two biases roughly balance out, suggesting that administrative data–based estimates may reasonably approximate true returns.

Conclusions:

We conclude with a discussion of the relative advantages and disadvantages of survey versus administrative data for estimating returns to college as well as implications for research and policy efforts based upon single-state administrative databases.
Comparing Outcomes of the Standard Technique of Endoscopic DCR with Its Modifications: A Retrospective Analysis
Authors: Kumar Subodh , Mishra Awadhesh Kumar , Sethi Ashwani , Mallick Ajay , Maggon Nidhi , Sharma Harikesh , Gupta Anandita
Published: November 2018

Objective

To compare the outcomes of various techniques of endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR).

Study Design

Retrospective case record analysis.

Settings

Tertiary care referral center.

Subject and Methods

Retrospective analysis of case records was carried out pertaining to the period from January 1996 to September 2017 with respect to patients who had undergone endoscopic DCR with either the standard technique or one of its modifications. Case notes showing well‐documented preoperative evaluation, operative details, postoperative assessment, and minimum 6‐month follow‐up were considered. The outcomes were measured on the basis of patients’ postoperative symptoms, clinical examination, and sac‐syringing results.

Results

A total of 423 patients were included in the study. Of these, 169 underwent standard endoscopic DCR; 87, endoscopic DCR with stent; 19, endoscopic DCR with mitomycin C; 62, powered DCR; 29, laser‐assisted DCR; and 57, balloon DCR. There was no statistically significant difference in success rates, recurrences, or complications of various techniques at 3 or 6 months. Mean operating time was lowest for balloon DCR (mean ± SD, 27.1 ± 3.1 minutes), followed by standard endoscopic DCR (38.2 ± 3.6 minutes; P =. 001).

Conclusion

Standard endoscopic DCR and its more sophisticated modifications were equally effective and safe in managing distal nasolacrimal drainage obstruction. Balloon DCR, followed by standard endoscopic DCR, was significantly faster than other techniques.
Perceived post-traumatic growth may not reflect actual positive change: A short-term prospective study of relationship dissolution
Authors: Owenz Meghan , Fowers Blaine J.
Published: November 2018

Romantic relationship breakups induce significant distress, which has prompted interest in the possibility of post-traumatic growth (PTG) following relationship dissolution. However, most studies have relied on retrospective self-reports of growth, raising questions about the actuality of growth following breakup. This prospective study assessed relationship quality prior to breakup, measured growth over time, included a comparison group that did not experience breakup, and tested rival hypotheses to assess PTG in comparison with positive reappraisal (PR). College students ( N = 599) in romantic relationships were recruited as participants and assessed at two time points approximately 10 weeks apart. The primary sample includes participants who experienced a relationship breakup ( N = 100). Results indicated that, following a breakup, participants reported a high degree of breakup distress and perceived growth. The pattern of results suggests that reports of perceived PTG may reflect PR processes, as evidenced by the correlation between optimism at Time 1 and perceived, but not actual, PTG at Time 2. Consistent with previous prospective research, but differing from much of the retrospective research, a measure of “actual growth” was unrelated to distress, perceived growth, or whether the individual experienced a breakup. The results corroborate research suggesting that retrospective reports of PTG may not reflect actual personal growth measured before and after a traumatic event. Results are discussed in terms of the circumstances in which PR or growth in relationship choices and behaviors may be most appropriate.
Powering a good society
Authors: Knight Barry
Published: November 2018

A recent study shows that current methods to reduce poverty are failing. A change of direction is needed, since traditional methods of job creation and social security are unlikely to work in the future. The answer lies not in a set of transactional policies that shift resources but in the development of transformational relationships that shift power. This article will describe the society people want. The research is based on social surveys, focus groups and participative research that include the views, among others, of minorities, migrants, children, community groups and organised groups of poor people in the UK. Findings suggest five principles for a good society: a decent standard of living, a sense of security, freedom to be creative, respectful relationships and a sustainable future for the next generation. The paper examines the role of people and organisations in communities organising from the bottom up to reshape their local economies and to build inclusive communities. This article is based on a five-year research programme by the Webb Memorial Trust asking three questions:

• What is a good society without poverty?

• How do we obtain that society?

• Who does what to implement a good society without poverty?
Predictive value of hematological parameters in testicular torsion: retrospective investigation of data from a high-volume tertiary care center
Authors: Yucel Cem , Ozlem Ilbey Yusuf
Published: November 2018

Objective

To investigate the use of hematological parameters in the differential diagnosis of testis torsion and epididymo-orchitis, and to determine the predictive value of these parameters in the diagnosis of testis torsion.

Methods

This study retrospectively reviewed the medical data of patients who presented to our institute with the complaint of acute scrotal pain. Eighty-five patients who had undergone orchiectomy or surgical detorsion due to testis torsion and 72 patients with epididymo-orchitis were included in the study. The control group comprised 78 healthy males. The groups were compared with respect to age, hematological parameters, neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), monocyte to eosinophil ratio (MER), and platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR).

Results

The monocyte count significantly differed between testis torsion and epididymo-orchitis, and was useful in the differential diagnosis. The mean neutrophil, platelet, and white blood cell counts, and the NLR, MER, and PLR values in the control group were significantly lower than those in the torsion and epididymo-orchitis groups.

Conclusion

The sensitivity and specificity of NLR in predicting testis torsion were as high as the sensitivity and specificity of doppler ultrasonography, suggesting the possible use of this parameter in the diagnosis of testis torsion.
Association of Helicobacter pylori infection with gastroesophageal reflux disease
Authors: Jie Wu , Qinghong Xu , Zhitao Chen
Published: November 2018

Objective

Many studies have shown that Helicobacter pylori ( Hp) is negatively correlated with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Moreover, some studies deny that eradication of Hp increases the incidence of GERD. Therefore, we investigated the association of Hp infection with GERD.

Methods

In this retrospective analysis, patients with peptic ulcers were used as a blank control group. We used logistic regression to analyze the relationship between Hp infection and GERD. We analyzed 953 patients with peptic ulcers, 180 patients with both peptic ulcers and GERD, and 298 patients with GERD.

Results

Among the patients with GERD, 75.6% (136/180) and 36.2% (108/298) of those with and without peptic ulcers, respectively, had Hp infection, and the difference was statistically significant. Among patients with peptic ulcers, 75.6% (136/180) and 67.4% (642/953) of those with and without GERD, respectively, had Hp infection. The incidence of GERD in patients with Hp-positive and -negative peptic ulcers was 17.5% (136/778) and 12.4% (44/355), respectively. These differences were also statistically significant.

Conclusion

In the analysis of patients with GERD, the prevalence of Hp infection was higher among patients with than without peptic ulcers.
The real value of experiential learning project through contest in engineering design course: A descriptive study of students' perspective
Authors: Van Hanh Nguyen
Published: November 2018

In the engineering design course, the experiential learning project is an effective approach to teach students about hands-on experiments as an engineer. However, the factor for motivation that was lacking in these projects was competition amongst student teams. We had incorporated project-based activities and engineering design competitions that would motivate the interest of engineering students. A theoretical model of creating the value in experiential learning project through contest was developed and applied at the Hung Yen University of Technology and Education. So, what was the real value of experiential learning project through a contest in engineering design course? This study used the questionnaire method with 107 students at the Hung Yen University of Technology and Education who participated in the ABU Robocon 2018 project. The new finding of this study provided some surprises: (1) the prize money of contest was not the major factor for the motivations in students' learning; (2) the attractiveness of a contest theme, more than one way of solving the problem and using high technology were the major factors that motivate students to learn; (3) the experiential learning project through contest had the greatest impact of development on the theoretical knowledge of engineering design, and the skills, experiences and abilities to use technologies, and the power of teamwork to make decisions.
L’impact de la globalisation sur les systèmes de don : le cas de la migration sénégalaise
Authors: Rémy Eric , Ndione Louis César
Published: November 2018

Résumé

Cet article traite de l’impact de la globalisation sur les systèmes de don en lien avec les flux migratoires. Il s’appuie sur une ethnographie multi-située de la migration traditionnelle des soninkés en France. Partant du travail séminal de Mauss, la mobilisation du registre oblatif nous permet de mettre en avant : 1/ l’encastrement du don dans un système de prestation totale ; 2/ la transformation des formes de don traditionnelles et l’émergence de nouvelles formes hybrides en lien avec une occidentalisation ; 3/ la résurgence de tensions identitaires en relation avec les manières de donner qui affectent les niveaux individuel et collectif.
Effect of nanofiller on fibre laser drilling quality of carbon fibre reinforced polymer composite laminates
Authors: Kumar Dhiraj , Singh Kalyan Kumar
Published: November 2018

Laser machining of carbon fibre reinforced polymer composites is a challenging task due to a significant difference between physical and thermal properties of the constituent materials, i.e. polymer matrix and carbon fibres. This results in extended heat-affected zone (HAZ), taper kerf and poor surface finishing. This paper focuses on an investigation, attempting to minimise the divergence in the decomposition temperature of carbon fibres and epoxy resin by adding multi-walled carbon nanotubes in polymer matrix as a secondary reinforcement. High thermal conductivity of multi-walled carbon nanotubes increases the thermal diffusivity of polymer matrix, which in turn reduces the matrix recession. In addition, laser power and scan speed was also considered as an input parameter and their influence on output responses such as HAZ, taper angle and surface roughness has been studied. To analyse the effect of multi-walled carbon nanotubes on the resultant thermal damage, an innovative technique, i.e. scanning acoustic microscopy was used. This technique provides a ply-by-ply damage analysis. C-scans of the top and bottom surface of the machined holes in the composite were also carried out. Further, micrographs of the holes were taken to analyse the quality of the holes using field-emission scanning electron microscope. The obtained results indicated that HAZ, taper angle and surface roughness of holes decreased by ∼30%, ∼47% and ∼43%, respectively, with 1.5 wt% multi-walled carbon nanotubes doped carbon fibre reinforced polymer laminates, when compared with the results obtained from experiments with neat carbon fibre reinforced polymer composite laminates.
Evaluating a distributed regenerative braking system for freight trains
Authors: Pyper Andreas , Heyns P Stephan
Published: November 2018

This paper presents an investigation on a distributed regenerative braking system for freight trains. The system, which involves installing regenerative braking units on the bogies of freight rail wagons, is proposed in a patent by Transnet SOC Ltd. The system allows for numerous regenerative braking systems to be installed on a single freight train in a distributed manner, which collectively function together to perform regenerative braking on the train to reduce the energy consumption of the train. The proposed system would, if implemented successfully, alleviate challenges and limitations with current regenerative braking systems on diesel-powered freight trains. The goal of the investigation is to determine whether the system is both technically and economically feasible. The proposed regenerative braking system is conceptualized in this study by first establishing the requirements of the system from in-service train data, followed by the development of the subsystems and major components based on existing technology. A physical system simulation model is subsequently developed to establish the energy savings performance of the system concepts for typical freight train routes. The results show that energy savings of between 10% and 24% can be realized. This demonstrates the technical feasibility of the proposed system. Next, the proposed system and the candidate concepts are evaluated in economic terms by means of a cost–benefit analysis. The decision criteria calculated in the cost–benefit analysis provide unanimous results as to which of the candidate concepts are economically feasible. It is shown that four of the candidate concepts, all utilizing the same transmission topology incorporating a continuously variable transmission with different flywheel configurations, are economically feasible. It is therefore concluded that the results of the cost–benefit analysis indicated that the proposed distributed regenerative braking system for freight trains is economically feasible and could deliver favorable financial returns if pursued.
Analysis of freight train collision risk in the United States
Authors: Turla Tejashree , Liu Xiang , Zhang Zhipeng
Published: November 2018

Rail transportation is pivotal for the national economy. Despite being rare, a train accident can potentially result in severe consequences, such as infrastructure damage costs, casualties, and environmental impacts. An understanding of accident frequency, severity, and risk is important for rail safety management. In the United States, extensive prior research has focused on risk analyses of train derailments and highway–rail grade crossing accidents. Relatively less work has been conducted regarding train collision risk. The US Federal Railroad Administration identifies various accident causes, among which the authors of this study have analyzed the major collision causes. For each major accident cause, the authors have analyzed its resultant collision frequency, severity (in terms of damage cost or casualties), and correspondingly the risk, which is the combination of the frequency and severity. The analysis was based on train collision data in the United States from 2001 to 2015. This analysis focuses on freight trains in the United States, due to their immense traffic exposure. On the temporal scale, collision rate (the number of collisions normalized by traffic exposure) has an approximately 5% annual reduction. In terms of collision cause, failures to obey signals, overspeeds, and violations of mainline operating rules accounted for more collisions than other causes. Two alternative risk measures, namely the expected consequence and conditional value at risk, were used to evaluate the freight train collision risk on main tracks, accounting for both the average and worst-case scenarios. This collision risk analysis methodology may provide the US Department of Transportation and railroad industry with information and decision support for identifying, evaluating, and implementing cost-effective risk mitigation strategies.
Wear of different materials for total hip replacement under adverse stop-dwell-start in vitro wear simulation conditions
Authors: Hadley Megan , Hardaker Catherine , Isaac Graham , Fisher John
Published: November 2018

Hip simulation is a common technique for pre-clinical evaluation of wear performance of total hip arthroplasty. Standard techniques replicate kinematics of walking patterns of a typical patient. Attention has focussed in developing simulations of other typical patient daily activities to improve accuracy of wear predictions. A method for simulating stop-dwell-start motion during patient walking and the effect on 36-mm metal-on-metal total hip arthroplasty was previously presented by the authors. This study sought to extend the previous work to look at the effect of these conditions on ceramic-on-ceramic, metal-on-polyethylene and ceramic-on-polyethylene bearings. Two stop-dwell-start protocols were used: one reproducing average patient movement patterns and one examining more severe conditions. For all materials tested, no significant increase in wear was observed under average stop-dwell-start conditions, suggesting the bearing types tested are robust to this type of activity. A significant increase in wear was observed for metal-on-metal, metal-on-polyethylene and ceramic-on-polyethylene bearings under severe stop-dwell-start conditions, this was attributed to depletion of lubricant in the bearing during the dwell period. A greater relative increase in wear was observed for metal-on-metal bearings compared with metal-on-polyethylene and ceramic-on-polyethylene bearings. This may be explained by the contributions of the different lubrication mechanisms in each bearing type. Wear of ceramic-on-ceramic was very low in all tests, suggesting normal measurement variation was masking any effect of the adverse conditions. It was not possible to determine any effect of the different activities. These results emphasise the importance of exploring adverse patient activity simulations. The increase in wear rate associated with an adverse activity such as seen in stop-dwell-start motion, has to be considered in the context of the frequency of the adverse activity cycle relative to other activities such as standard continuous walking, to determine the impact on the total wear in a given time period.
Halmyris: Geoarchaeology of a fluvial harbour on the Danube Delta (Dobrogea, Romania)
Authors: Giaime Matthieu , Magne Gwenaël , Bivolaru Alexandra , Gandouin Emmanuel , Marriner Nick , Morhange Christophe
Published: November 2018

In Northern Dobrogea, north of the Dunavăţ promontory, the Roman fortress of Halmyris was founded in the late 1st century AD on a Getic settlement dating to the middle of the 1st millennium BC, probably associated with a Greek emporium of the Classical and Hellenistic periods. At the time of the foundation of Halmyris, the Danube delta had already prograded several kilometres to the east leading to the progressive retreat of the sea and the formation of a deltaic plain characterised by numerous lakes and river channels. Here, we present the results of a multiproxy study combining sedimentology and palaeoecology to (1) understand the evolution of fluvial landscapes around Halmyris since ca. 8000 years BP and (2) identify the fluvial palaeoenvironments close to the city in Getic/Greek and Roman times, in order to locate and characterise the waterfront and the harbour. Our overriding objective was to improve understanding of human–environment relations in river delta settings. We demonstrate that Halmyris, protected by the Danubian floods due to its location on a palaeo-cliff top, had direct access to the river. A secondary channel of the Saint George, flowing north of the site, has been elucidated between the 7th century BC and the 7th century AD and could have been used as a natural harbour.