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Lifespan is reduced by approximately 15 years in individuals suffering from severe mental illnesses such as schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Contributing to this is an increased prevalence of metabolic syndrome, an assortment of factors that confer risk of diabetes type 2 and cardiovascular disease. Body Mass Index (BMI) is predictive of metabolic syndrome. Previous research indicates that the BMI of incarcerated individuals not suffering from a major mental disorder increase during incarceration, especially amongst females. However, information on the development of BMI during forensic psychiatric care is scarcer, and follow-up periods have been short. Thus, the authors extracted data from the Swedish National Forensic Psychiatric Register regarding the longitudinal development of BMI in 3389 individuals who received court mandated forensic psychiatric care in Sweden during 2009–2020. A significant increase in BMI by 1.1% per year was observed during the first four years of care. After this, changes were no longer significant. Factors associated with a larger increase in BMI were female gender, being prescribed antipsychotics, young age at admission, receiving outpatient care, and access to an external support person. There was an inverse association between BMI and symptom severity. Substantial heterogeneity was observed in longitudinal changes in individual BMI and in comparisons between individuals receiving care at different clinics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Updated international guideline recommendations for AN inpatient care rely on expert opinions/observational evidence and promote extended inpatient stays, warranting investigation using higher‐level ecological evidence. Methods: The study was conducted according to Guidelines for Accurate and Transparent Health Estimates Reporting (GATHER). Data encompassing 13,885 ED inpatients (5336 adolescents and 8549 adults) was retrieved from Swedish public health registries. Variables analyzed included (1) ED inpatient care opportunities, (2) unique number of ED inpatients and (3) mean length of ED‐related inpatient stays in age groups 15–19 and 20–88+, across 1998–2020. Results: Mean length of inpatient stays was inversely correlated to relapse to ED‐related inpatient care within the same year (p < 0.001, R‐squaredadj = 0.5216 and p < 0.00001, R‐squaredadj = 0.5090, in the 15–19 and 20–88+ age groups, respectively), independent of number of ED inpatients treated within a year in both age groups. Extending mean adolescent inpatient duration from 35 to 45 days was associated with a ∼30% reduction in the year‐wise relapse rate. Conclusions: Mean length of ED‐related inpatient treatment stays was associated with reduced relapses to inpatient care within the same year, which could be interpreted as support for recommendations to include a stabilization phase in inpatient ED treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the clowning element of a German version of Hamlet believed to date back to the time of Shakespeare. Der bestrafte Brudermord is noted as an adaptation of Shakespeare's tragedy which incorporates a lot more low comedy than any extant version of Hamlet and provides opportunity for contemplating the reason why Hamlet has no explicit clown character. The article focuses especially on a character appearing very briefly in the German play, a rustic buffoon called Jens, and his affinity with the rustics and comic servants of other Shakespeare plays and other Elizabethan plays. It is particularly asserted that this role shows signs of the involvement of the clown Will Kemp at some stage of the writing of Hamlet, or of touring continental Europe with an adaptation of it that puts the clowning element at the forefront. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we discuss residential staff in Sweden. Here, residential care is part of the municipal child welfare system, which covers services targeting juvenile delinquency as well as other residential care services. Children and young people placed in Swedish residential care have diverse needs, from mainly supportive needs to advanced behavioral problems, and the field consists of open and secure residential care units. There is limited knowledge about the staff working in residential care. This article helps to fill this knowledge gap by giving an overall picture of staff educational attainments, age and gender in Swedish residential care between the years of 2008–2020. To reason about staff qualifications, we use theoretical concepts from sociological theory on professions. Findings show that residential care in Sweden can be analyzed as a pre-professional field, dominated by staff with low levels of education. In addition, we show that the field is dominated by women – even if the proportion of men is higher than in other areas of social work – and that the majority of staff are between 30 and 64 years old. Some differences between open and secure residential care were found, the most notable concerning educational levels and gender. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A rise of violent incidents at secure units for adolescents has been reported by the Swedish National Board of Institutional Care. Meanwhile, research aiming to understand how staff manage violence seems to be lacking. By examining an in-depth narrative by one staff member, "Meral", this study aims to understand, on the one hand, how staff describe the violence they encounter in light of the context and situation, and on the other, how they describe their handling of violence from outside the immediate environment. Drawing on Georgakopoulou and Bamberg, identities are understood to be produced and performed within personal narratives from different positions in relation to one's surroundings. The study shows how Meral's professional identity is shaped and affected by violence. Of essential importance is the way Meral presents herself to herself: as "not afraid." A narrative interpretation is that fear does not fit within the framework of the professional identity for staff. A key element of placing essential responsibility on staff to manage violence is keeping lines of communication open, which could be made clearer in policy documents, training and supervision. Therefore, studies like this one could result in the development of communication strategies for staff. This is important because emotional rules can generate emotional cultures that in the long run can be destructive for both staff and young people. Only when the emotional rules are identified can staff develop strategies for dealing with the violent incidents that are part of their professional life in a qualified way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Secure units for adolescents are emotion-filled places for various reasons, yet previous studies have shown that fear seems to be an emotion which is difficult to deal with in these workplaces. This paper examines how secure unit staff describe their workday, focusing on fear. The analysis applies theories about emotional work as well as the concept of fear. The article builds on 53 semi-structured interviews with staff at three secure units for detained boys and girls run by the Swedish National Board of Institutional Care. The findings illustrate different ways in which staff handle emotions, such as fear, at these institutions. Results are discussed with respect to five themes: (a) the importance of control; (b) safety: not a regular workplace; (c) not my anxiety, but the young person's; (d) security: standing safe with coworkers; and (e) the ambiguous fear. The results show the importance of taking emotions seriously in daily work, as this renders visible how staff emotionally socialize into their organization. Due to a lack of education and professional identity among staff, the socialization process is highly relevant, as it is primarily perceptions of youth and coworkers that control and develop professionalization for staff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Around the middle of the nineteenth century, there arose a type of circus performer in England called 'Shakespearean clowns'. These clowns constituted a transitory figure between the age of Georgian pantomime clowns and the establishment of the typical circus clown in the later part of the century. One of the more neglected representatives of the genre was James Clement Boswell, who enjoyed a brief period of success in England before becoming a sensation in Paris during the 1850s. Although he was universally praised, his clowning also evoked bafflement. This article studies reviews of and periodical articles on Boswell in order to get a picture of his performances and clown persona, and of how critics perceived him and turned him into an example of the melancholy clown trope. The resistance that Boswell's act and persona offered to the writers, however, illustrates that he was part of a change in the figure of the clown from its early nineteenth century incarnation to the twentieth-century clown and comic. Boswell's clowning prefigures the irony and deadpan comedy that would become more prevalent in modern comedy. He is also illustrative of the increasing detachment of the clown figure from representations of a social reality, and the creation of the modern circus clown as an essentially unreal character that epitomizes a separate outlook on life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of the treatment of perpetrators of violence, psychodynamic discourse has often focused on individual aggression and other related emotions and mental phenomena, such as anger, rage, cruelty, sadism and brutality. Psychodynamic theory has been less explicit, however, about how to address an individual's actual violent acts within the psychotherapeutic setting. This article aims to address this gap. It illustrates how psychoanalytic theory – most notably through Winnicott, Fonagy and Glasser – can be used to inform thinking about, and interventions with, men who use violence against their children and partners, using a clinical case that describes psychotherapeutic work with a perpetrator of domestic violence. The article concludes that the psychotherapist's countertransference is an important tool in working with men who use violence, and highlights the importance of the therapist's capacity for impulse regulation, emotional understanding, and handling of his or her own aggression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on how one staff member at a therapeutic residential institution negotiates his work identity, exploring how he narrates a violent incident, the formation of work identity, and how the adolescent figures within these processes. Mishler argues that when speaking, we perform identity. As social actors, we select and organise language, telling stories that fit the audience, our intentions, and the occasion. The article is framed both theoretically and methodologically through the assumption that narrative is a fundamental human way of giving meaning to our experiences. Identities are understood as being produced and performed within personal narratives. Thus, in an interview situation, narratives provide an interactive space for personal subjectivities to be expressed and enacted. Drawing on Mishler, we find three essential 'turning points' that shape Alex's work identity: (1) the violent incident, (2) the adolescent's return to the ward, and (3) Alex's subsequent change of wards. We interpret Alex's narrative as a 'narrative of resistance' that may have practical day-to-day implications for the field of institutional care and help expand the staff's clinical toolbox. Further, Alex's narrative is a vital example of stories of violence, which can be incorporated into policy documents on violence management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dandyism was a spreading phenomenon in the cities of the late nineteenth century. Its more bourgeois and literary aspects are well researched, but it also influenced a number of youth subcultures that were seldom expressed in written or published forms except when journals and newspapers derided them. One of these was the character of the masher which emerged as a distinctly British variation during the middle of the century and was established as a form of popular dandy type in the 1880s. It is typical for a phenomenon like this to remain unexpressed, but a curious short-lived periodical entitled ‘The Masher’ was published in a few issues in 1883 during the height of the masher culture’s popularity. Through a study of the issues of this journal and the contents of its articles, this article aims at contemplating masher culture as a specific male subculture and testing the notion that this journal was a manifestation of it. Considering aspects of gender, performativity, dress and cultures of frivolity, the discussion centres around the self-irony and affectedness of the masher role, and its relation to other forms of more respectable dandyism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reflects on the role of the walking stick in the nineteenth-century city and explores the nature of the criticisms directed at it. The criticism and mocking of certain ways of holding the cane display the deep conflicts within the culture of urban strolling concerning how to take part in it, and who were allowed to do so. By identifying an irritation with canes, we see that there was a conflict between the purposeful culture of walking and the superficial culture of performativity and display, which forced Victorian men to be extremely careful of how their behaviour was perceived. By bringing the walking stick to the fore, the paper illustrates its role in a struggle between ostentation and sobriety and how its importance in cultures of both self-possession and flamboyance is indicative of aspects of the history of urban walking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Suicide attempts (SA) are associated with excess mortality of natural causes, putatively mediated in part by premature cellular senescence. Epigenetic age (EA) estimators of biological age have been previously demonstrated to strongly predict physiological dysregulation and mortality risk. Herein, we investigate if violent SA with high intent-to-die is predictive of epigenetics-derived estimates of biological aging. The genome-wide methylation pattern was measured using the Illumina Infinium Methylation EPIC BeadChip in whole blood of 88 suicide attempters. Subjects were stratified into two groups (low- [n = 58] and high-risk [n = 30]) based on SA method (violent or non-violent) and/or intent-to-die (high/low). Estimators of intrinsic and extrinsic EA acceleration, one marker optimized to predict physiological dysregulation (DNAmPhenoAge/AgeAccelPheno) and one marker optimized to predict lifespan (DNAmGrimAge/AgeAccelGrim) were investigated for associations to severity of SA, by univariate and multivariate analyses. The study was adequately powered to detect differences of 2.2 years in AgeAccelGrim in relation to SA severity. Baseline DNAmGrimAge exceeded chronological age by 7.3 years on average across all samples, conferring a mean of 24.6% increase in relation to actual age. EA acceleration markers did not differ between high-and low-risk suicide attempters. Thus, SA per se but not severity of SA is related to EA, implicating that excess non-suicidal mortality is unrelated to risk of suicide. Preventative healthcare efforts aimed at curtailing excess mortality after SA may benefit from acting equally powerful to recognize somatic comorbidities irrespective of the severity inherent in the act itself. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Civilians constitute 33-51% of victims in armed conflicts. Several reports on civilian injuries exist, but few have focused on injuries afflicting females. We analyzed routinely collected data on weapon-related injuries from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) hospital in northwestern Pakistan in order to define injury patterns and types of surgical treatment for females. Methods: A total of 3028 patient files (376 females) from consecutively admitted patients to the ICRC-hospital in Peshawar from February 2009 to May 2012 were included. Information regarding injury-mechanism, time since injury, vital parameters at admission, type of injury, treatment and basic outcome was extracted from the files and analyzed. Comparisons between gender and age-groups were done by cross-table analyses or nonparametric tests. Results: Females were younger than males (20 vs. 25 years), arrived sooner after injury (24 vs. 48 h) ( p < 0.001 for both) and were victims of bombs and missiles more frequently (64.4 vs. 54.6%) ( p < 0.001). Vital parameters such as systolic blood pressure (110 vs. 113 mmHg) and pulse rate (100 vs. 86) were more affected at admission ( p < 0.001 for both). Females were subjected to surgery (83.0 vs. 77.4%) ( p < 0.05) and were given blood transfusions more often (18.8 vs. 13.6%) ( p < 0.01). No differences in amputations or in-hospital mortality were found. Conclusions: Females treated at the ICRC-hospital in northwestern Pakistan are markedly affected by indiscriminate weapons such as bombs and missiles. Their average consumption of surgery is greater than for males, and this might be relevant in planning for staffing and facility needs in similar contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the concept ‘green approaches’ already used in aviation is applied to cargo transportation at sea. Instead of anchoring outside a port waiting for berth, ships can adjust their speed to arrive just in time for berthing. With improved incentives for reducing speed and shared information about berthing times, green approaches instead of anchoring can be a way to reduce fuel consumption and emissions without increasing the transit times of goods. The present study estimates the benefits to society as a whole for the EU ports in the Baltic Sea with Automatic Identification System data applying a new method using data collected in real time. Data consists of all anchored ships awaiting berth on 40 different occasions in 2015 and are subsequently extrapolated to a year. Fuel consumption by the individual ships, emissions and values are calculated from the detailed data with established models and estimates of unit values. The potential benefits are estimated at 27 million euros per year in the scenario where the near 15,000 anchorings by ships annually awaiting berth may instead start a green approach 12 h prior to arrival and may reduce speed by 25%, using the middle unit values for fuel and emissions. The methodology used in the paper can be applied to estimate the benefits of green approaches in other areas with anchored vessels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This roundtable article provides responses to the other contributions, emphasizing the need for connecting various research strands in Victorian Studies, and considering international aspects. The essay ends with a proposal to take inspiration from the method of microhistorical morphology, forcing the scholar to consider many different contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A gamma tomography instrument has been developed at the Halden Boiling Water Reactor (HBWR) in cooperation between the Institute for Energy Technology, Westinghouse (Sweden) and Uppsala University. The instrument is used to record the gamma radiation field surrounding complete fuel assemblies and consists of a shielded enclosure with fixtures to accurately position the fuel and detector relative to each other. A High Purity Germanium detector is used for acquiring high-resolution spectroscopic data, allowing for analysis of multiple gamma-ray peaks. Using the data extracted from the selected peaks, tomographic reconstruction algorithms are used to reproduce the corresponding spatial gamma-ray source distributions within the fuel assembly. With this method, rod-wise data can be can be deduced without the need to dismantle the fuel. In this work, the tomographic device has been experimentally benchmarked for non-destructive rod-wise determination of the Fission Gas Release (FGR) fraction. Measurements were performed on the fuel-stack and gas-plenum regions of a complete fuel assembly, and quantitative tomographic reconstructions of the measurement data were performed in order to determine the rod-wise ratio of 85 Kr in the gas plenum to 137 Cs in the fuel stack. The rod-wise ratio of 85 Kr/ 137 Cs was, in turn, used to calculate the rod-wise FGR fraction. In connection to the tomographic measurements, the fuel rods were also measured individually using gamma scanning in order to provide an experimental benchmark for the tomographic method. Fuel rods from two donor driver fuel assemblies were placed into a nine-rod HBWR driver fuel assembly configuration. In order to provide a challenging measurement object and thus an appropriate benchmark for the tomographic method, five rods were taken from an assembly with a burnup of 51 MWd/kgUO 2 , and four rods were from an assembly with a burnup of 26 MWd/kgUO 2 . At the time of the measurements, the nine rods had cooled for approximately 22 years. All fuel rods had operated at high linear heat rates (around 70 kW/m), thus leading to relatively high FGR fractions. Here, the FGR fraction was determined to be ~24% in the high-burnup rods, and ~17% in the low-burnup rods. The tomography measurement results were in good agreement with the results from individual rod scanning, demonstrating the feasibility of tomography for this application. The capability of tomography to assess individual fuel rods without the need to dismantle the assembly can be particularly valuable in cases of fuels that do not allow disassembly, such as experimental HBWR fuel fitted with extensive instrumentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article addresses the role of the ‘civilizing process’ in the historiography of the Victorian period. The author develops a critique of perspectives that deem the nineteenth century to be an era of discipline and self-restraint, arguing that these result from the hegemonic position of literary perspectives within Victorian Studies and their frequent reliance on Foucauldian-inspired techniques of discourse analysis. In response, he outlines and illustrates the potential for alternative research agendas and approaches that move away from representational sources in order that the Victorian period can be viewed in a new light. These include the study of vernacular photography, cultures of leisure, and the subcultures of groups where the importance of ‘nonverbal’ practices and the cultures inherent in bodily experiences are highlighted – forms of expression that reach beyond established discourse. It is argued that the failure of scholars of the Victorian period to consider this ‘nonverbal’ culture means that the theoretical frameworks of comprehension that currently characterize Victorian Studies are underdeveloped. The essay calls for Victorianists to broaden their theoretical perspectives, engage with new sources, and embrace new methodologies in order to enlarge our understanding of nineteenth-century culture. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background Bone density examination ( BDE) using preoperative cone beam computed tomography ( CBCT) might be used to predict primary implant stability in implant patients. Purpose The aim of the study was to validate a novel CBCT scanner in vitro with regard to BDE in preoperative scans and to analyze the in vivo correlation of CBCT scan results with primary implant stability measurements. Materials and Methods A CBCT scanner was validated in vitro with regard to spatial uniformity and linearity of CT numbers ( Hounsfield units, HU) by using a series of phantoms and plastic and hydroxyapatite specimens of various densities. Forty-nine patients (27 female and 22 male, mean age 55.6 ± 9.8) were scanned prior to and 1 to 6 months after the placement of 155 dental implants of different lengths and diameters. Mean and peak insertion torque ( IT) in Ncm were registered during implant placement. Resonance frequency analysis ( RFA) measurements in ISQ units were performed after placement. The second scan was used to export and superimpose the exact positions of bone and implants into the first scan. Virtual probes with the same length as the actual implant were automatically placed at the implant sites, and mean HU values were measured in a 1 mm-wide circular corridor from the tip of the threads and out. Results The in vitro validation showed high uniformity and linearity of CT numbers ( HU). The clinical study showed significant correlations between bone density and ISQ, mean IT, and peak IT, respectively. Conclusions The White Fox CBCT scanner measures bone density with high accuracy. There is a correlation between bone density and primary implant stability as assessed with IT and RFA measurements. The findings suggest that BDE may be used as an additional feature in treatment-planning software to estimate primary stability at predetermined implant sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel method for in situ profile measurements on rolling contact test specimens has been demonstrated. A chromatic confocal probe was integrated into a twin-disc machine and used for disc profile measurements during periodically interrupted wear tests. The arrangement allowed detailed studies on the progress of the wear during a test without the removal of discs from the tribometer. Data from the interrupted tests was compared with the results of continuous tests. Both types of tests were run with two grades of cast iron dicsc in lubricated contact with steel. The results of this new method were in good agreement with those of a conventional diamond stylus probe method applied before and after the tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Full-arch clearances of compromised teeth and placement of implant-supported prostheses is one solution for the prosthetic rehabilitation of partially dentate patients. Purpose To retrospectively evaluate treatment outcomes after full clearance, immediate placement, and early loading of full-arch fixed bridges. Materials and Methods Fifty-five patients subjected to full clearance and placement of 284 Neoss implants ( Bimodal™ and Proactive™, Neoss Ltd, Harrogate, UK) in 29 edentulous maxillae and 26 mandibles for early loading (1 to 3 days) of a provisional full-arch bridge were retrospectively evaluated after 1 to 6 years of loading. Osstell™ measurements ( Osstell AB, Göteborg, Sweden) were taken at placement and after 3 to 9 months when the provisional bridge was replaced with a permanent one. Marginal bone levels were measured in intraoral radiographs. Results All patients (100%) wore a fixed bridge at the time of finalizing the study. A total of 18 failures (6.3%) were encountered during the follow-up, giving an overall cumulative survival rate of 93.7%. All failures occurred in the maxilla (10.6%), and no implants were lost in the mandible. More Bimodal™ (9.0%) than Proactive™ (4.1%) implants failed. Failing implants showed a significantly lower mean primary stability than successful ones ( p = .015). Failed cases showed a significantly lower average ISQ for all implants ( p = .015) and a marked decrease to the second registration, while successful cases showed and maintained high ISQs. The average bone loss after 1 year was 0.8 ± 0.5 mm. Conclusions Full-arch clearance of severely diseased teeth followed by immediate placement of Neoss implants, early loading with provisional full-arch bridges, and subsequent permanent bridges is a possible treatment modality for partially dentate patients. Caution with this approach is recommended for the maxilla, as opposed to the mandible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypersexual disorder (HD) - a nonparaphilic sexual desire disorder with impulsivity component - was evaluated for inclusion as a diagnosis in the DSM-5 and the diagnosis compulsive sexual behavior disorder is included as an impulse control disorder in the ICD-11. Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)-axis hyperactivity is believed to affect cellular senescence and has been implicated in HD. No previous study investigated HD or HPA-axis dysregulation in relation to measures of epigenetic age (EA) acceleration. This study reports on a case-control study set-up from a well-characterized cohort, contrasting EA predictors in relation to 60 HD patients and 33 healthy volunteers (HV) and 19 mixed HD/HV exhibiting dexamethasone suppression test (DST) non-suppression to 73 mixed HD/HV DST controls. The genome-wide methylation pattern was measured in whole blood from 94 subjects using the Illumina Infinium Methylation EPIC BeadChip and preprocessed according to specialized protocols suitable for epigenetic age estimation. The online DNAm Age Calculator (https://dnamage.genetics.ucla.edu/) was implemented to retrieve various EA predictors, which were compared between the in-silico generated subgroups. Quality control analyses indicated strong correlations between the EA measure DNA methylation GrimAge (DNAm GrimAge – the EA clock most reliably associated with mortality risk) and chronological age in all sub-groups. The study was adequately powered to detect differences of 2.5 and 3.0 years in DNAm GrimAge minus age in relation to both HD and HPA-axis dysregulation, respectively. Baseline DNAm GrimAge exceeded chronological age by 2.8 years on average across all samples. No EA acceleration marker was associated with HD or DST suppression status (p > 0.05). EA acceleration markers shown to be strongly predictive of physiological dysregulation and mortality-risk, are not related to HD or DST non-suppression status (measured after 0.5 mg dexamethasone). The independency of HPA-axis dysregulation to EA acceleration does not support the biological relevance of this dosage-regimen when applied to patients with HD. These findings do not support the notion of accelerated cellular senescence in HD. Studies stratifying DST non-suppressors according to established dosage-regimens in somatic settings are needed to fully elucidate the putative contribution of HPA-axis dysregulation to EA. • EAA strongly predict physiological dysregulation and mortality risk. • Power to detect disparities between EA and age exceeding 2.5–3 years. • HD is not associated with any EAA predictor. • Suppression status post 0.5 mg Dexamethasone is independent of EAA. • Biological relevance of low-dose Dexamethasone regimens impugned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this paper, we report the global fuel energy consumption in heavy-duty road vehicles due to friction in engines, transmissions, tires, auxiliary equipment, and brakes. Four categories of vehicle, representing an average of the global fleet of heavy vehicles, were studied: single-unit trucks, truck and trailer combinations, city buses, and coaches. Friction losses in tribocontacts were estimated by drawing upon the literature on prevailing contact mechanics and lubrication mechanisms. Coefficients of friction in the tribocontacts were estimated based on available information in the literature for four cases: (1) the average vehicle in use today, (2) a vehicle with today׳s best commercial tribological technology, (3) a vehicle with today׳s most advanced technology based upon recent research and development, and (4) a vehicle with the best futuristic technology forecasted in the next 12 years. The following conclusions were reached: [•] In heavy duty vehicles, 33% of the fuel energy is used to overcome friction in the engine, transmission, tires, auxiliary equipment, and brakes. The parasitic frictional losses, with braking friction excluded, are 26% of the fuel energy. In total, 34% of the fuel energy is used to move the vehicle. [•] Worldwide, 180,000 million liters of fuel was used in 2012 to overcome friction in heavy duty vehicles. This equals 6.5millionTJ/a; hence, reduction in frictional losses can provide significant benefits in fuel economy. A reduction in friction results in a 2.5 times improvement in fuel economy, as exhaust and cooling losses are reduced as well. [•] Globally a single-unit truck uses on average 1500l of diesel fuel per year to overcome friction losses; a truck and trailer combination, 12,500l; a city bus, 12,700l; and a coach, 7100l. [•] By taking advantage of new technology for friction reduction in heavy duty vehicles, friction losses could be reduced by 14% in the short term (4 to 8 years) and by 37% in the long term (8 to 12 years). In the short term, this would annually equal worldwide savings of 105,000 million euros, 75,000 million liters of diesel fuel, and a CO2 emission reduction of 200 million tones. In the long term, the annual benefit would be 280,000 million euros, 200,000 million liters of fuel, and a CO2 emission reduction of 530 million tonnes. [•] Hybridization and electrification are expected to penetrate only certain niches of the heavy-duty vehicle sector. In the case of city buses and delivery trucks, hybridization can cut fuel consumption by 25% to 30%, but there is little to gain in the case of coaches and long-haul trucks. Downsizing the internal combustion engine and using recuperative braking energy can also reduce friction losses. [•] Electrification is best suited for city buses and delivery trucks. The energy used to overcome friction in electric vehicles is estimated to be less than half of that of conventional diesel vehicles. Potential new remedies to reduce friction in heavy duty vehicles include the use of advanced low-friction coatings and surface texturing technology on sliding, rolling, and reciprocating engine and transmission components, new low-viscosity and low-shear lubricants and additives, and new tire designs that reduce rolling friction. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The development of grammatical markers has been described from several theoretical perspectives over the last decade: Grammaticalization Theory (Hopper & Traugott 2003, Heine, Claudi & Hünnemeyer (1991), the Minimalist Program (Roberts & Roussou 2003, van Gelderen 2004), and Lexical-Functional Grammar (Vincent 2001), see also the overview in (Börjars & Vincent 2010). It has recently been addressed in Construction Grammar, where it is argued that a shift towards a constructional perspective on change may yield new insights into the workings of grammaticalization (Bergs & Diewald 2008, Hoffmann & Trousdale 2013, Traugott & Trousdale 2013). This paper should be taken as a contribution to a constructional view on grammaticalization. It is about the rise of the concessive subordinator fast(än) in the history of Swedish occurring in a construction or clause type called universal concessive conditional (Haspelmath & Köning 1998), in Swedish generaliserande bisats (SAG 1999). The Swedish fast, etymologically (and still productively) as an adjective in the meaning ‘steady’, ‘robust’ is used as an intensifier, ‘very’, ‘much’, in early Modern Swedish, eventually established as a concessive marker ‘even if’, ‘although’ in the 18th century. The conventionalization of a concessive inference is highly interesting and may be traced back to specific constructions in the 16th and 17th centuries. On the basis of an extensive corpus study, I analyze the critical contexts and discuss the development as constructional change rather than lexical change, arguing that a remapping between form and function takes place in concessive conditional constructions due to processes of inferencing and mismatch. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background New implant designs are continuously introduced to the market. It is important to evaluate and report on their clinical performance when used in everyday practice. Purpose The aim of the present study was to evaluate the clinical performance of a novel hydrophilic dental implant for 1 year. Materials and Methods A total of 49 patients previously treated with 102 hydrophilic dental implants ( Neoss Proactive, Neoss Ltd, Harrogate, UK) were retrospectively evaluated with regard to survival rate and marginal bone loss. Fifty-four implants were installed in maxillae and 48 in mandibles to replace single teeth ( n = 21), to support partial bridges ( n = 26), total maxillary bridges ( n = 2), or mandibular overdentures ( n = 2). The majority of patients ( n = 37) had implants placed in healed sites without any adjunctive procedures. In 12 patients, implants were immediately placed in extraction sockets or in conjunction with maxillary sinus floor augmentation. All implant sites had been classified according to the Lekholm and Zarb index. Baseline and 1-year intraoral radiographs were used to calculate marginal bone levels and bone loss. Implant stability quotient ( ISQ) measurements had been taken at placement and after 3 to 4 months of healing Results The implants became rapidly covered with blood at the first contact. One implant was lost, giving a cumulative survival rate ( CSR) of 99.0% after 1 year. The marginal bone loss amounted to 0.7 ± 0.6 mm with 3.5% of the implants showing more than 2 mm of bone loss and no implant more than 3 mm bone loss after 1 year. The primary stability was found to be 72.7 ± 7.5 ISQ, which slightly increased to 73.6 ± 7.2 ISQ ( NS) after 3 to 4 months of healing. The stability was significantly higher in the mandible than in the maxilla at placement and after healing. Conclusion In this limited clinical study, the use of a novel hydrophilic dental implant results in favorable short-term outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Scratch testing has been well applied towards the adhesion and failure testing of thin, hard ceramic coatings upon numerous different types of substrate materials. It is common that the test sample is scratched with a contact tip that will not easily deform, such as a Rockwell C diamond tip. Such tips are often not relevant to real, industrial cases, in which the materials of the two counter surfaces are both subjected to some degree of wear. The present paper describes the use of a scratch tester with a newly developed steel wire sample geometry replacing the conventional diamond tip, and the results of the effect of increasing load, loading rate and lubrication may have upon an industrially relevant nodular cast iron versus steel wire contact scenario. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

ABSTRACT Background: The presence of localized defects and/or small amounts of bone below the maxillary sinus is a common finding, which may compromise implant placement. There is therefore a need for predictable techniques for bone augmentation in such situations. Purpose: The study aims to clinically and histologically evaluate a porcine bone (PB) substitute used for augmentation of the alveolar crest or the maxillary sinus floor prior to or in conjunction with implant placement. Materials and Methods: Nineteen patients were treated with a porcine bone substitute and barrier membranes (OsteoBiol, Tecnoss Dental, Turin, Italy) for lateral bone augmentation (Group 1a) and healing of bone defects (Group 1b) or for augmentation of the maxillary sinus floor using either a replaceable (Group 2a) or an infractured bone window (Group 2b). A total of 34 implants (Neoss Ltd., Harrogate, UK) were placed in conjunction or 5 to 7 months after the procedure. Implants were followed with implant stability measurements at placement and abutment connection, and with intraoral radiographs at abutment connection and after at least 1 year of loading. A biopsy for histology and morphometry was taken at the first reentry operation. Results: All but one of the procedures was successful (94.7%) as one maxillary sinus procedure (Group 2a) resulted in insufficient bone for implant placement. One of the 34 implants failed, giving an implant survival rate of 97.1% after 1 year. Implant stability measurements showed a mean stability of 71.9 ± 7.7 implant stability quotient (ISQ) at placement, which significantly increased to 75.3 ± 6.8 ISQ at abutment connection ( p = .03). The average bone loss was 0.5 ± 0.7 mm during 1 year. Histology revealed new bone formation at the PB surface, which formed bridges between particles and between particles and preexisting bone. The presence of scalloped resorption lacunae and new osteons inside the particles indicated ongoing resorption/remodeling of the particles. The histomorphometric analyses showed that the total specimen area consisted of, in average, 56.5 ± 15.7% mineralized tissue of which 24.8 ± 13.9% of the total area was PB particles. Conclusion: This study showed good clinical results when using a PB substitute and barrier membranes for augmentation of the alveolar crest and maxillary sinus. Histology revealed bone condensation properties and indicated that the material can be resorbed with time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Background: The Neoss implant system has been available since 2004. Few studies documenting the clinical performance of this implant are available. Purpose: To study the stability and clinical/radiographic outcomes of Neoss implants 1 year of loading when using a two-stage protocol. Materials and Methods: Ninety (90) consecutive patients scheduled for implant treatment using a two-stage procedure were enrolled in a prospective follow-up study. A total of 218 implants (Neoss System, Bimodal surface, Neoss Ltd, Harrogate, UK) in diameters of 3.5, 4.0, and 4.5 mm and in lengths from 7 to 15 mm were placed to support 29 single tooth replacements, 53 partial bridges, 5 full bridges, and 10 overdentures in both jaws. Abutment connection was made after a healing period of 3-4 months. The patients were followed during 1 year of loading with clinical, radiographic, and resonance frequency analysis (Osstell Mentor™, Osstell AB, Gothenburg, Sweden) examinations. Prostheses were removed at the annual check-up for individual testing of implant stability. Results: Three implant failures were experienced, giving a survival rate of 98.6% after 1 year. A mean bone loss of 0.6 mm (SD 0.8) was observed after 1 year. There was a significant inverse correlation between implant diameter and marginal bone loss ( p < .003). The mean implant stability quotient levels were 73.7 (SD 7.6), 74.4 (SD 6.4), and 76.7 (SD 5.2) at placement, abutment connection, and first annual check-up, respectively. The stability had increased significantly from placement to 1 year ( p < .001) and from abutment to 1 year ( p < .0001). Implant stability was higher in the mandible than in the maxilla at all time points. There was a significant correlation between bone quality and stability at placement ( p < .0001) and abutment connection ( p < .001) but not after 1 year. Conclusions: The use of Neoss implants for prosthetic rehabilitation of consecutive edentate patients with different needs resulted in predictable clinical and radiographic outcomes after 1 year of loading. Implant stability measurements revealed a favorable bone tissue reaction to the implants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study presents calculations on the global fuel energy consumption used to overcome friction in passenger cars in terms of friction in the engine, transmission, tires, and brakes. Friction in tribocontacts was estimated according to prevailing contact mechanisms such as elastohydrodynamic, hydrodynamic, mixed, and boundary lubrication. Coefficients of friction in the tribocontacts were estimated based on available information in the literature on the average passenger car in use today, a car with today’s advanced commercial tribological technology, a car with today’s best advanced technology based upon recent research and development, and a car with the best technology forecasted in the next 10 years. The following conclusions were reached: [•] In passenger cars, one-third of the fuel energy is used to overcome friction in the engine, transmission, tires, and brakes. The direct frictional losses, with braking friction excluded, are 28% of the fuel energy. In total, 21.5% of the fuel energy is used to move the car. [•] Worldwide, 208,000 million liters of fuel (gasoline and diesel) was used in 2009 to overcome friction in passenger cars. This equals 360 million tonne oil equivalent per year (Mtoe/a) or 7.3millionTJ/a. Reductions in frictional losses will lead to a threefold improvement in fuel economy as it will reduce both the exhaust and cooling losses also at the same ratio. [•] Globally, one passenger car uses on average of 340l of fuel per year to overcome friction, which would cost 510 euros according to the average European gas price in 2011 and corresponds to an average driving distance of 13,000km/a. [•] By taking advantage of new technology for friction reduction in passenger cars, friction losses could be reduced by 18% in the short term (5–10 years) and by 61% in the long term (15–25 years). This would equal worldwide economic savings of 174,000 million euros and 576,000 million euros, respectively; fuel savings of 117,000 million and 385,000 million liters, respectively; and CO2 emission reduction of 290 million and 960 million tonnes, respectively. [•] The friction-related energy losses in an electric car are estimated to be only about half those of an internal combustion passenger car. Potential actions to reduce friction in passenger cars include the use of advanced coatings and surface texturing technology on engine and transmission components, new low-viscosity and low-shear lubricants and additives, and tire designs that reduce rolling friction. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The objective of this study was to identify possible changes in mRNA and protein expression of high-mobility group box protein 1 (HMGB1) and its suggested receptors – receptor for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE) and Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) and TLR4 – in human cervix during pregnancy, term and preterm labor. Cervical biopsies were taken from 58 women: 20 at preterm labor, 24 at term labor, 10 at term not in labor and 4 from non-pregnant women. Real-time RT-PCR was used to quantify mRNA expression, and immunohistochemistry and ELISA for protein analysis. HMGB1, RAGE, TLR2 and TLR4 proteins were localized and their mRNA expression was detected in the cervix. There was more extranuclear HMGB1 in the cervical epithelium and stroma in preterm and term labor compared to the term not in labor. TLR2 mRNA expression was upregulated 5-fold in term labor and 3-fold in preterm labor compared to term not in labor and non-pregnant controls. There was lower expression of TLR2 and TLR4 mRNAs in preterm labor compared to term. Lower mRNA expression of HMGB1 was found in the subgroup with preterm premature rupture of membranes than in the rest of the preterm group, where levels were significantly higher than in term labor. In conclusion, extranuclear expression of HMGB1 during labor suggests a possible role of HMGB1 during the process of cervical ripening. Changes in expression of mRNAs encoding HMGB1, TLR2 and TLR4 in preterm labor suggest differences in the mechanism of cervical ripening at preterm and term delivery. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Monolithic integration of an organic field-effect transistor (OFET) and an organic electrochromic display cell operating at around 1V is reported. This was achieved by utilising a common patterned layer of poly(styrenesulfonic acid) (PSSH). In the OFET, PSSH served as the electric double layer capacitors between the gate and the organic semiconductor channel. In the electrochromic pixel, PSSH was included as the electrolyte and transports protons from and to the electrochromic layer upon switching. The enhancement mode OFET enables a relatively faster updating speed, of the display cell, and provides a much simpler addressing and updating scheme as compared to smart pixels including a depletion mode electrochemical transistor. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: An experimental study was carried out to investigate the possibilities to use rolls made from Si3N4–TiN ceramic composite in hot rolling of steel. The results show that the wear of the ceramic material was lower than the wear of a reference cast iron. The results suggest that the Si3N4–TiN material is beneficial to use in a hot rolling process, on condition that the temperature of the work piece material is held sufficiently high. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The ability of bystanders to assess the intrinsic fighting ability of potential opponents with and without contest information was examined in an experimental study using rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss. Behavioural and heart rate responses were monitored for bystanders observing size-matched conspecifics before and after a staged contest with an opponent. The results suggest that bystanders can rapidly and accurately assess the intrinsic fighting ability/quality of a potential opponent. Within 10 s, bystanders increased their visual exposure towards opponents subsequently becoming subordinate and decreased their exposure towards opponents becoming dominant. Male bystanders showed higher visual exposure towards opponents than did females, regardless of the sex of the opponent. This immediate behavioural response was subsequently (24h after the first exposure) followed by elevated heart rate in bystanders exposed to dominant opponents, probably reflecting a physiological stress response. Apparently, bystanders used reliable size-independent cues allowing a rapid behavioural response. The delayed physiological response probably arises from the chemical cues associated with the presence of a dominant opponent, or a combination of initial visual cues and subsequent continuous exposure to chemical cues. The results suggest that bystanders are able to rapidly assess the intrinsic fighting ability of a similar-sized potential opponent without information about its contest success against other individuals. This ability can be utilised by bystanders to withdraw from costly contest with low winning probability. Thus, escalated conflicts may be less common in nature than previously suggested by laboratory studies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A set of cold-rolling experiments with ceramic rolls was carried out using facilities for the production of profiled steel wire. Based on the experiments, the strength of sintered silicon nitride was found sufficient for allowing cold-rolling of austenitic stainless steel wire. The wear rate of the silicon nitride rolls in the tests was low. Metal was transferred from the wire to the rolling tracks of the ceramic rolls. The surface texture of the rolls was reproduced on the rolled product. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Here we report polymer diodes based on a conjugated polymer host and a dispersed molecular switch. In this case, the molecular switch is a photochromic (PC) molecule that can be reversibly switched between low and high energy gap states, triggered by exposure to ultra-violet and visible light, respectively. While dispersed inside the conjugated polymer bulk and switched to its low energy gap state, the PC molecules act as traps for holes. Solid-state blends of this PC material and conjugated polymers have been demonstrated in diodes. The state of the PC molecule controls the current density versus voltage (JV) characteristics of the resulting diode. Both poly(2-methoxy-5(2′-ethylhexyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene) (MEH-PPV) and poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT) host materials have been studied. The two conjugated polymers resulted in differing JV switching characteristics. A more pronounced JV switch is observed with MEH-PPV than with P3HT. We postulate that the PC material, while switched to its low energy gap state, act as traps in both the conjugated polymers but at different trap depth energies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Experiments were conducted at the Äspö Hard Rock Laboratory in order to improve the understanding of radionuclide retention properties of fractured crystalline bedrock in the 10–100 m scale (TRUE Block Scale Project, jointly funded by ANDRA, ENRESA, Nirex, JNC, Posiva and SKB). A series of tracer experiments were performed using sorbing tracers in three different flow paths. The different flow paths had Euclidian lengths of 14, 17 and 33 m, respectively, and one to three water conducting structures. Four tests were performed using different cocktails made up of radioactive sorbing tracers (22,24Na+, 42K+, 47Ca2+, 85Sr2+, 83,86Rb+, 131,133Ba2+ and 134,137Cs+). For each tracer injection, the breakthrough of sorbing tracers was compared to the breakthrough of a conservative tracer, 82Br-, 131I-, HTO and 186ReO4-, respectively. In the two longer flow paths, no breakthrough of 83Rb+ and 137Cs+ was observed after 8 months of pumping. Selected tracer tests were subject to basic modelling in which a one-dimensional (1D) advection–dispersion model, including surface sorption, and an unlimited matrix diffusion were used for the interpretation of the results. The results of the modelling indicated that there is a slightly higher mass transfer into a highly porous material in the block-scale experiment compared with in situ experiments performed over shorter distances and significantly higher than what would have been expected from laboratory data obtained from studies of the interactions in nonaltered intact rock. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Focuses on the controversies in the surgical treatment of inflammatory bowel disease. Comparison of ileal pouch-anal anastomosis and ileorectal anastomosis in ulcerative colitis; Identification of pouch surgery in Crohn's disease and indeterminate colitis; Difference of colectomy and segmental resection in Crohn's colitis.

Studies the interaction of angiotensin (ANG) II and the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) system in vascular smooth muscle cells. Dose response for IGF-I stimulated DNA synthesis and for ANG II-stimulated DNA synthesis; Inhibition of IGF-I and ANG II-induced DNA and protein synthesis.

Studies the effects and interactions of angiotensin II (ANG II) and the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) system in cultured rat's aortic smooth muscle cells. Effects of DNA and protein synthesis; Gene expression of IGF-I, -receptor, IGF binding proteins (IGFBP) -2 and -4; Analysis of endogenous IGFBP-2 and -4 in the conditioned medium.

Informs about color invariant for knots and links. Various geometrical theorems dealing with the subject; Definitions; Proof with suitable examples.

We report on the polarizing electrochromic (EC) effect of a conjugated polymer. This has been achieved in a planar flexible electrochemical device cell comprised of a patterned stretch-aligned thin film of polyaniline and an electrolyte, all made on a polyethylene foil substrate. The resulting device exhibits polarized absorption characteristics, of a dichroic ratio of 4, that can be controlled by the voltage applied. Also, thin flexible EC polarizers have been realized by combining two stretch-aligned polyaniline films with orthogonal stretching direction. In the resulting EC polarizer the orientation of the polarized absorption can be switched between two orthogonal directions, depending on the voltage applied. © 2003 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines Bouveret's Syndrome as a cause of upper gastrointestinal bleeding and gastric retention. Identification of common sites of impaction; Description of related conditions; Rarity of intragastric gallstone as version of Bouveret's syndrome.

Postirradiation examination of nuclear fuel is routinely performed to characterize the important properties of current and future fuel. Gamma emission tomography is a proven noninvasive technique for this purpose. Among various measurement elements of the technique, a gamma-ray detector is an important element whose spectroscopic abilities and detection efficiency affect the overall results. Finding a combination of high detection efficiency and excellent energy resolution in a single detector is often a challenge. We have designed a novel planar segmented high-purity germanium detector that offers simultaneous measurement in six lines of sight with excellent energy resolution. The simultaneous detection ability enables faster data acquisition in a tomographic measurement, which may facilitate achieving higher spatial resolution. In this work, we have demonstrated the first use of the detector by performing a full tomographic measurement of mockup fuel rods. Two methods of detector data analysis were used to make spectra, and the images (tomograms) were reconstructed using the filtered back projection algorithm. The reconstructed images validate the successful use of the detector for tomographic measurement. The use of the detector for real fuel measurement is being planned and will be performed in the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Opinion. Argues that time will bring with it greater and greater advances in the development of new disease-modifying therapies for multiple sclerosis (MS). Evidence to suggest a genetic cause for MS; Disease-modifying therapies for MS; Question of what the future holds.

In this paper we present a set of image analysis techniques used for extraction of information from cross-sectional images of nuclear fuel assemblies, achieved from gamma emission tomography measurements. These techniques are based on template matching, an established method for identifying objects with known properties in images. We demonstrate a rod template matching algorithm for identification and counting of the fuel rods present in the image. This technique may be applicable in nuclear safeguards inspections, because of the potential of verifying the presence of all fuel rods, or potentially discovering any that are missing. We also demonstrate the accurate determination of the position of a fuel assembly, or parts of the assembly, within the imaged area. Accurate knowledge of the assembly position enables detailed modelling of the gamma transport through the fuel, which in turn is needed to make tomographic reconstructions quantifying the activity in each fuel rod with high precision. Using the full gamma energy spectrum, details about the location of different gamma-emitting isotopes within the fuel assembly can be extracted. We also demonstrate the capability to determine the position of supporting parts of the nuclear fuel assembly through their attenuating effect on the gamma rays emitted from the fuel. Altogether this enhances the capabilities of non-destructive nuclear fuel characterization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]