bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Synergistic bactericidal effects of pairs of photosensitizer molecules activated by ultraviolet A light against bacteria in plasma
Authors: Feyissa Qinati , Xu Fei , Ibrahim Zina , Li Ying , Xu Kevin L. , Guo Zihan , Ahmad Justen , Vostal Jaroslav G. 
Published: November 2020

AbstractBackgroundThe current approach to reducing bacterial contamination in blood transfusion products is through detection or pathogen reduction methods, some of which utilize ultraviolet (UV) light photosensitizers. A small number of photosensitizers are being used as single agents in combination with UV light, but their efficacy can be limited against some pathogens. Benzophenone (BP) and vitamins B1, B6, and K3 have been identified as effective UVA photosensitizers for inactivation of bacteria. We evaluated whether combining pairs of photosensitizers in this group would have synergistic bactericidal effects on Gram‐negative and Gram‐positive bacteria.Study Design and MethodsBacteria species of Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, and Klebsiella pneumoniae were mixed with 0 to 100 mM concentrations of photosensitizers and exposed to UVA irradiation at 18 J/cm2 to assess their bactericidal effects.ResultsSingle photosensitizers irradiated with UVA produced a range of bactericidal activity. When combined in pairs, all demonstrated some synergistic bactericidal effects with up to 4‐log reduction above the sum of activities of individual molecules in the pair against bacteria in plasma. Photosensitizer pairs with BP had the highest synergism across all bacteria. With vitamin K3 in the pair, synergism was evident for Gram‐positive but not for Gram‐negative bacteria. Vitamin B1 and vitamin B6 had the least synergism. These results indicate that a combination approach with multiple photosensitizers may extend effectiveness of pathogen reduction in plasma.ConclusionsCombining photosensitizers in pathogen reduction methods could improve bactericidal efficacy and lead to use of lower concentrations of photosensitizers to reduce toxicities and unwanted side effects.
Missed irradiation of cellular blood components for vulnerable patients: Insights from 10 years of SHOT data
Authors: Elliot Johnathon , Narayan Shruthi , Poles Debbi , Tuckley Victoria , Bolton‐Maggs Paula H. B. 
Published: November 2020

AbstractBackgroundIrradiation of cellular blood components is recommended for patients at risk of transfusion‐associated graft‐vs‐host disease (TA‐GvHD). Prestorage leucodepletion (LD) of blood components is standard in the UK since 1999.Study Design and MethodsAnalysis of 10 years' reports from UK national hemovigilance scheme, Serious Hazards of Transfusion (2010‐2019), where patients failed to receive irradiated components when indicated according to British Society for Haematology guidelines (2011).ResultsThere were 956 incidents of failure to receive irradiated components all due to errors. One hundred and seventy two incidents were excluded from analysis, 125 of 172 (72.7%) because of missing essential information. No cases of TA‐GvHD were reported in this cohort. The 784 patients received 2809 components (number unknown for 67 incidents). Most failures occurred in patients treated with purine analogues (365) or alemtuzumab (69), or with a history of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) (192). Together these make up 626 of 784 (79.9%). Poor communication is an important cause of errors.ConclusionLeucodepletion appears to reduce the risk for TA‐GvHD. None of 12 cases of TA‐GvHD reported to SHOT prior to introduction of LD occurred in patients with conditions recommended for irradiated components by current guidelines. Irradiation indefinitely for all stages of HL is not based on good evidence and is a difficult guideline to follow. Further research on long‐term immune function in HL is required. Variation between different national guidelines reflects the very limited evidence.
Altered phosphatidylinositol regulation of mutant inwardly rectifying K+Kir7.1 channels associated with inherited retinal degeneration disease
Authors: Vera Erwin , Cornejo Isabel , Niemeyer María Isabel , Sepúlveda Francisco V. , Cid L. Pablo 
Published: November 2020

Key pointsKir7.1 K+channel expressed in retinal pigment epithelium is mutated in inherited retinal degeneration diseases.We study Kir7.1 in heterologous expression to test the hypothesis that pathological R162 mutation to neutral amino acids results in loss of a crucial site that binds PI(4,5)P2.Although R162W mutation inactivates Kir7.1, changes to smaller volume (e.g. Gln) amino acids are tolerated or even enhance function (Ala or Cys).Chemical modification of Kir7.1‐R162C confirms that large residues of the size of Trp are incompatible with normal channel function even if positively charged.In addition to R162, K164 (and possibly K159) forms a binding site for the phosphoinositide and is essential for channel activity.R162 substitution with a large, neutral side chain like Trp exerts a dominant negative effect on Kir7.1 activity such that less than one fifth of the full activity is expected in a cell expressing the same amount of mutant and wild‐type channels.AbstractMutations in the Kir7.1 K+channel, highly expressed in retinal pigment epithelium, have been linked to inherited retinal degeneration diseases. Examples are mutations changing Arg 162 to Trp in snowflake vitreoretinal degeneration (SVD) and Gln in retinitis pigmentosa. R162 is believed to be part of a site that binds PI(4,5)P2and stabilises the open state. We have tested the hypothesis that R162 mutation to neutral amino acids will result in the loss of this crucial interaction to the detriment of channel function. Our findings indicate that although R612W mutation inactivates Kir7.1, changes to smaller volume (e.g. Gln) amino acids are tolerated or even enhance function (Ala or Cys). Cys chemical modification of Kir7.1‐R162C confirms that large residues of the size of Trp are incompatible with normal channel function even if positively charged. Experiments titrating the levels of plasma membrane PI(4,5)P2with voltage‐dependent phosphatase DrVSP reveal that, in addition to R162, K164 (and possibly K159) forms a binding site for the phosphoinositide and ensures channel activity. Finally, the use of a concatemeric approach shows that substitution of R162 with a large, neutral side chain mimicking a Trp residue exerts a dominant negative effect on Kir7.1 activity such that less than one fifth of the full activity is expected in heterozygous cells carrying the SVD mutation. Our results suggest that if mutations in the humanKCNJ13gene resulting in the neutralisation of R162 and Kir7.1 malfunction led to retinal degeneration diseases, their severity might depend on the nature of the side chain of the replacing amino acid.
Effect of Subsurface Microstructures on Adhesion of Highly Confined Elastic Films
Authors: Samri Manar , Kossa Attila , Hensel René 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
Polymer adhesive films sandwiched between two rigid solids are a common bonding strategy. The mechanics and consequently the adhesion of such geometrically confined films depend mainly on their thickness, Young's modulus, and the Poisson's ratio of the material. In this work, we explore the effect of a micropatterned subsurface embedded into the adhesive layer. We compare experiments with three-dimensional numerical simulations to evaluate the impact of the microstructure on the contact stiffness and effective modulus. The results are used to extend a previously proposed size scaling argument on adhesion from incompressible to slightly compressible films to account for the silicone used in our study with a Poisson's ratio of 0.495. In addition, interfacial stress distributions between the elastic film and the glass disc are obtained from plane strain simulations to evaluate characteristic adhesion failures such as edge cracks and cavitation. Overall, the micropatterned subsurface has a large impact on the contact stiffness, the interfacial stress distribution, and the detachment behavior; however, the adhesion performance is only slightly improved in comparison to a non-patterned subsurface.
A Design Strategy for Mushroom-Shaped Microfibrils With Optimized Dry Adhesion: Experiments and Finite Element Analyses
Authors: Zhang Xuan , Wang Yue , Hensel René , Arzt Eduard 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
Enhanced dry adhesion of micropatterned polymeric surfaces has been frequently demonstrated. Among the design parameters, the cap geometry plays an important role to improve their performance. In this study, we combined experiments on single polyurethane mushroom-shaped fibrils (with a stalk diameter of 80 µm and height of 125 µm) against flat glass, with numerical simulations implementing a cohesive zone. We found that the geometry of the mushroom cap strongly affects the interfacial crack behavior and the pull-off stress. The experimental and numerical results suggest that optimal adhesion was accompanied by the appearance of both edge and interior interfacial cracks during separation. Finite elemental analyses revealed the evolution of the interfacial stress distributions as a function of the cap thickness and confirmed the distinct detachment mechanisms. Furthermore, the effect of the stalk diameter and the Young's modulus on the adhesive force was established, resulting in an optimal design for mushroom-shaped fibrils.
Modeling Complex Contact Conditions and Their Effect on Blade Dynamics
Authors: Gastaldi Chiara , Gross Johann , Scheel Maren , Berruti Teresa M. , Krack Malte 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
Dry friction devices such as underplatform dampers are commonly included in turbine bladed disks designs to mitigate structural vibrations and avoid high cycle fatigue failures. The design of frictionally damped bladed disks requires adequate models to represent the friction contact. A widely used approach connects contact node pairs with normal and tangential springs and a Coulomb friction law. This simple model architecture is effective in capturing the softening behavior typically observed on frictionally damped structures subjected to increasing forcing levels. An unexpected hardening behavior was observed on the frequency response functions (FRFs) of a two-blades-plus-damper system tested by the authors in a controlled laboratory environment. The reason behind this unexpected behavior will be carefully analyzed and linked to the damper kinematics and to the dependence of contact elasticity on the contact pressure. The inadequacy of contact models with constant spring values will be discussed and alternatives will be proposed. The importance of being able to represent complex contact conditions in order to effectively predict the system dynamics is shown here using a laboratory demonstrator; however, its implications are relevant to any other case where large contact pressure variations are to be expected. The nonlinear steady-state simulations of the blades-plus-damper system will be carried out using an in-house code exploiting the multiharmonic balance method in combination with the alternating frequency time method.
Platform-Centered Reduction: A Process Capturing the Essentials for Blade-Damper Coupled Optimization
Authors: Gastaldi Chiara , Gola Muzio M. 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to develop an attractive tool for designers in the initial design phase of the damping of turbomachinery blades through dry friction underplatform dampers. The paper shows how, to this purpose, certain reasonable simplifications are introduced in the procedure and in the model, leaving the customary full high fidelity computations to the final design verification analysis. The key simplifications here considered are: the blade neck is modeled with Euler beam finite elements (FE) to speed up the updating of its dimensions during the optimization process; the contact forces exerted by the dampers on the blade platform are represented by the resultant forces and moments applied to a reference point on the platform, associated with its displacements and rotations; the airfoil, which is not modified during the coupled optimization of the damper, is obtained from a full three-dimensional (3D) FE model after a component mode synthesis (CMS) reduction. It is shown that the here proposed process captures the essentials of the nonlinear dynamics of the blade-damper problem without sacrificing in any way the accuracy of the results. This hybrid model is then employed in the process where the optimal match domains between the damper and the blade are searched for, by exploring the influence of blade neck thickness (flexibility) and damper mass. Such a purposely simplified process allows a clear identification of relationships between relevant blade features and response with a focus on fatigue life.
Aerodynamic Investigation of Guide Vane Configurations Downstream a Rotating Detonation Combustor
Authors: Asli Majid , Stathopoulos Panagiotis , Paschereit Christian Oliver 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
Any outlet restriction downstream of pressure gain combustion (PGC), such as turbine blades, affects its flow field and may cause additional thermodynamic losses. The unsteadiness in the form of pressure, temperature, and velocity vector fluctuations has a negative impact on the operation of conventional turbines. Additionally, experimental measurements and data acquisition present researchers with challenges that have to do mostly with the high temperature exhaust of PGC and the high frequency of its operation. Nevertheless, numerical simulations can provide important insights into PGC exhaust flow and its interaction with turbine blades. In this paper, a rotating detonation combustor (RDC) and a row of nozzle guide vanes have been modeled based on the data from literature and an available experimental setup. Unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (URANS) simulations were done for five guide vane configurations with different geometrical parameters to investigate the effect of solidity and blade type representing different outlet restrictions on the RDC exhaust flow. The results analyzed the connection between total pressure loss and the vanes solidity and thickness to chord ratio. It is observed that more than 57% of the upstream velocity angle fluctuation amplitude was damped by the vanes. Furthermore, the area reduction was found to be the significant driving factor for damping the velocity angle fluctuations, whether in the form of solidity or thickness on chord ratio increment. This RDC exhaust flow investigation is an important primary step from a turbomachinery standpoint, which provided details of blade behavior in such an unsteady flow field.
Human leucocyte antigen alleles confer susceptibility and progression to Graves’ ophthalmopathy in a Southern Chinese population
Authors: Huang Xiaosheng , Liu Guiqin , Mei Shaoyi , Cai Jiamin , Rao Jing , Tang Minzhong , Zhu Tianhui , Chen Wenchiew , Peng Shiming , Wang Yan , Ye Ye , Zhang Tong , Deng Zhihui , Zhao Jun 
Published: November 2020

PurposeTo evaluate the contributions of human leucocyte antigen (HLA) class I and II genes in the development of Graves’ ophthalmopathy (GO) in a Southern Chinese population.MethodsEight HLA loci were genotyped and analysed in 272 unrelated patients with Graves’ disease (GD) or the proptosis and myogenic phenotypes of GO, and 411 ethnically matched control subjects.ResultsThe allele frequencies of HLA-DRB1*16:02 and -DQB1*05:02 in the GD, proptosis and myogenic groups, HLA-B*38:02 and -DQA1*01:02 in the myogenic group were significantly higher than those in the control group, respectively (all corrected p values <0.05, OR >2.5). The haplotype frequencies of HLA-DRB1*16:02-DQA1*01:02-DQB1*05:02 and HLA-DRB1*16:02-DQA1*01:02-DQB1*05:02-DPA1*02:02-DPB1*05:01 in the proptosis and myogenic groups, and HLA-A*02:03-B*38:02-C*07:02 and HLA-A*02:03-B*38:02-C*07:02-DRB1*16:02-DQA1*01:02-DQB1*05:02-DPA1*02:02-DPB1*05:01 in the myogenic group were significantly higher than those in the control group respectively (all corrected p values <0.05, OR >2.5). The potential epitopes (‘FLGIFNTGL’ of TSHR, ‘IRHSHALVS’, ‘ILYIRTNAS’ and ‘FVFARTMPA’ of IGF-1R) were fitted exactly in the peptide-binding groove between HLA-DRA1-DRB1*16:02 heterodimer, and the epitopes (‘ILEITDNPY’ of THSR, ‘NYALVIFEM’ and ‘NYSFYVLDN’ of IGF-1R) were also fitted exactly in the peptide-binding groove between HLA-DQA1*01:02-DQB1*05:02 heterodimer.ConclusionsThe HLA-DRB1*16:02 and -DQB1*01:02 alleles might be risk factors for GD including the proptosis and myogenic phenotypes of GO. The alleles HLA-B*38:02, -DQA1*01:02, the HLA haplotypes consisting of HLA-B*38:02, -DRB1*16:02, -DQA1*01:02 and -DQB1*05:02 might be susceptibility risk factors for GO. Simultaneously, some epitopes of TSHR and IGF-1R tightly binding to groove of HLA-DRA1-DRB1*16:02 or HLA-DQA1*01:02-DQB1*05:02 heterodimers might provide some hints on presenting the pathological antigen in GO.
H-Coverings of Path-Amalgamated Ladders and Fans
Authors: Xiong Yijun , Wang Huajun , Umar Muhammad Awais , Chu Yu-Ming , Ali Basharat Rehman , Naseem Maria 
Published: November 2020

Let

G

be a connected, simple graph with finite vertices

v

and edges

e

. A family

G

1

,

G

2

,
…
,

G

p

⊂
G

of subgraphs such that for all

e
∈
E

,

e
∈

G

l

, for some

l
,

l
=
1,2
,
…
,
p

is an edge-covering of

G

. If

G

l

≅
ℍ

,

∀
l

, then

G

has an

ℍ

-covering. Graph

G

with

ℍ

-covering is an

a

d

,
d

-

ℍ

-antimagic if

ψ
:
V

G

∪
E

G

⟶

1,2
,
…
,
v
+
e

a bijection exists and the sum over all vertex-weights and edge-weights of

ℍ

forms a set

a

d

,

a

d

+
d
,
…
,

a

d

+

p
−
1

d

. The labeling

ψ

is super for

ψ

V

G

=

1,2,3
,
…
,
v

and graph

G

is

ℍ

-supermagic for

d
=
0

. This manuscript proves results about super

ℍ

-antimagic labeling of path amalgamation of ladders and fans for several differences.
Postcolonial Lithographies
Authors: Baishya Amit R. 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
This article explores how considerations of deep time—not just deep human histories, but inhuman ones as well—can help us re-evaluate postcolonial literary works in the wake of the Anthropocene. I focus on the representation of “lithic time” through a reading of the Martinican writer Patrick Chamoiseau’s novel Slave Old Man. Chamoiseau’s novel has had some traction in animal studies recently because of his conjoined portrayal of the mutual degradation and eventual enslavement of a human and a dog in a colonial plantation in Martinique. I argue, however, that a consideration of stones and lithic time in the novel facilitates a push beyond the located aspects of interspecies relationships and opens portals to contemplations of the inhuman dimensions of geohistorical time. This article looks at the inhuman temporal dimensions of stone in Chamoiseau’s novel, while simultaneously reflecting on how a deep time perspective can assist us in reconceptualizing postcolonial literary analytical strategies.
Anthropocene Temporality in Gaia Games
Authors: op de Beke Laura 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
This article explores the potential of a new generation of environmental god games, or Gaia games, to engage with the ambivalent dynamic of Anthropocene temporality, a concept modelled after Nicolas Mirzoeff’s notion of Anthropocene visuality. In particular, this article highlights a trope that has become popular in god games recently: the move from map-style interfaces to the use of whole Earth images and models. This trope signals an overt and growing—although as I shall point out, imperfect—engagement with planetarity: an emerging worldview that posits the planet as a world-ecology, one that imbeds both human and nonhuman forces while calling for a renewed attendance to the ethics and aesthetics of relationality. At the same time, this article also notes the perpetuation in Gaia games of generic tropes and conventions like the tech tree and expansionist gameplay. The notion of Anthropocene temporality that this article attempts to theorize helps us to think through the juxtaposition between ecological relationality and a continued desire for expansionism and progress, as both of these play out in videogames.
International Law as a Help or Hinderance to World Peace
Authors: Gilder Alexander 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
World Peace (And How We Can Achieve It) looks towards a future where there is increasingly optimistic engagement with the concept of peace. Bellamy assesses why the world is the way it is before making suggestions for how the world can achieve peace. Bellamy suggests world peace is achievable and in the final chapter constructs his articles for world peace. This review essay engages with several themes in the book looking at how the history of international law is framed by the author before assessing Bellamy’s arguments in relation to the state and international organisations. Lastly, the essay casts a legal eye over the author’s articles for world peace. The articles will be of particular interest to readers in international law as they are embedded in the existing systems and structures of the prevailing international system. However, the articles contain the important inclusion of individuals and the role they play in achieving world peace. World Peace allows international lawyers to think more deeply about peace and the points made in this essay raise some issues that may be further debated as scholars map the paths to peace.
The Effectiveness of Nortriptyline and Tolerability of Side Effects in Neurogenic Cough Patients
Authors: Song Sungjin A. , Choksawad Kanittha , Franco Ramon A. 
Published: November 2020

Objective: To determine the effectiveness of nortriptyline and tolerability of side effects in the treatment of neurogenic cough. Secondary goal is to evaluate the association between laryngeal asymmetry and clinical response to nortriptyline. Study Design: Retrospective case series. Materials and Methods: Consecutive patients diagnosed with neurogenic cough at a quaternary care specialty hospital from 2001 to 2020 were identified. Subjects <18 years old, not treated with nortriptyline, did not have a nasolaryngoscopic examination and were lost to follow-up were excluded. Charts were reviewed for demographic information, clinical history, nasolaryngoscopic findings, medication dosage, side effects, and follow-up time. Results: Forty-two patients met inclusion and exclusion criteria, 7 males and 35 females with an average age of 56.5 (±13.1) years. There were 26/36 (72.2%) responders and 10/36 (27.8%) non-responders; 6 patients stopped nortriptyline due to side effects and were not included in the response comparison. Laryngeal asymmetry was present in 36/42 (85.7%) patients. No factors related to laryngeal asymmetry were significantly different between responders and non-responders. Medication tolerance was observed in 3/42 (7.1%) patients. Side effects were reported in 16/42 (38.1%) patients. The most common side effects were sedation 9/42 (21.4%) and xerostomia 3/42 (7.1%). Conclusion: Nortriptyline is effective for treating neurogenic cough with 72% of patients reporting improvement in cough. Evidence of laryngeal asymmetry was not associated with better treatment response. Although 38% experienced side effects, the majority of patients continued nortriptyline despite side effects. Level of Evidence: 4