bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Protecting ingroup’s humanity: the role of gender and regional belonging (Proteger la humanidad del grupo: el papel del género y de la pertenencia regional)
Authors: Rodríguez-Torres Ramón , Rodríguez-Pérez Armando , Delgado Naira , Betancor Verónica , Delgado Elena
Published: December 2020

To test the differential effect of gender and regional belonging, we used a method based on the ingroup over-exclusion effect but taking into account both the gender of the participants and the stimuli. Two experiments were conducted to study the role of gender of participants in the categorization of ambiguous faces as humans or animals. According to the over-exclusion hypothesis, individuals protect their ingroup by excluding any individual who casts doubt on the humanity of the group. In our research, we took into account gender of participants and regional belonging, and the stimuli requiring assessment, including human, ape and ambiguous human/ape-like faces created through morphing procedure. Our results support the over-exclusion hypothesis, but only when participants do not share the same gender category with the target. Same-gender participants and stimuli annul the over-exclusion bias on the regional ingroup. These data are discussed in line with various theoretical hypotheses developed within the framework of the psychology of intergroup relations.
Development of elements of a 3D emergency evacuation simulation system
Authors: Tugarinov M A , Shulga I D , Yurchenko E A , Torgaev S N
Published: December 2020

The article presents the results of the development and practical implementation of the algorithm for the fire and smoke spreading for a 3D evacuation simulation system in case of indoor fire. Also, there is the algorithm of the character’s behaviour, which takes into account a large number of its physical and mental states. The algorithm of the character’s behaviour includes states in which one figure can help others and participate in the fire-fighting. The algorithms presented in the article will form the basis of the 3D modelling system with increased realism.
Energy efficient functionalization of graphene for tunable fluorescence
Authors: Sudhaparimala S , Usha R
Published: December 2020

Multifunctionality of Carbon-Based Nano Materials, Graphene in particular is gaining more relevance in their diversified applications. Today, the fabrication of luminescent graphene materials is significant for the field of bioimaging of healthy and malignant cells due to their biocompatible tunable fluorescence. In this aspect there is a need for a simple, energy efficient process for the introduction of hetero atoms of Oxygen and Sulphur into the graphene structure to explore the enhancement of fluorescence. The present study aims at the optimization of processing temperature and other experimental parameters for doping hetero atoms of Oxygen and Sulphur in the graphene structure for tuning their luminescence properties. The method involved hydrothermal carbonization of simple precursor of glucose at lower temperatures of 180°C and 220°C and alkaline pH followed by the analytical characterization of the product samples. The introduction of hetero atoms, the presence of sp2 Carbon, band gap energy, microstructure along with layer structureswere ascertained in the as-synthesized graphene samples. The influence of processing temperature, oxygen functionality and defect structures upon emission wavelength range of graphene in the visible region was well correlated. Ultimately, the study provided the fundamental aspects of fabricating graphene structures suitable for tunable fluorescence of graphene aimed at bio imaging technique.
Study on influence of Fe doping into ZnO film for ethanol sensing
Authors: Chaudhary D K , Ghimire R , Amatya S P , Shrestha S P , Joshi L P
Published: December 2020

In recent times, the importance of nanostructure of metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) as a gas sensing material is rising tremendously. Among various metal oxide semiconductors ZnO has potential to be used as a sensor for several toxic gases. In this work, we investigated the influence of Fe doping into ZnO to detect various concentrations of ethanol vapour. Pristine and Fe doped ZnO (Fe-ZnO) films were deposited on glass substrates using a spin coating technique wherein the concentration of Fe can be easily controlled. The crystallite size and surface morphology of ZnO samples were characterized by XRD, SEM and EDX techniques. The sensor performance in terms of gas response (R) of ZnO and Fe-ZnO gas sensors towards ethanol vapour were measured in the 100 to 300°C temperature range using DC electrical resistance. Fe doped ZnO samples showed enhancement in gas response due to increase in specific surface area originated from reducing grain size after doping. The 2% Fe-ZnO sample showed the good response of 40.9 for 400 ppm of ethanol vapour exposure at 260°C. This was found to be better than reported values for ZnO prepared by different methods.
Active dynamic damping of vibrations of a mechanical system with a finite number of degrees of freedom
Authors: Kuldashov N U , Ruzimov A , Teshaev M Kh , Almuratov Sh N , Rayimov D G
Published: December 2020

Increased machine efficiency, increased speeds of working bodies, reduced material consumption, increased load, the need to ensure reliable operation of equipment and safe working conditions are the main factors, that determine attention to vibration protection problems. This constitutes the current trend in the modern dynamics of machines. In this work, we propose a method for the dynamic synthesis of dynamic vibration dampers of a viscoelastic mechanical system having the structure of several (two) bodies elastically attached to the object. The aim of the work is to develop methods of mathematical and computer modeling of the processes of dynamics of active and passive vibration protection systems, as well as to increase the efficiency of using passive and active vibration protection of objects. When developing a system for protecting radio-electronic devices (RED) at resonant frequencies, elements of the theory of automatic control and mathematical modeling were used. An algorithm for generating feedback signals for the information-measuring system for active control of vibration-protective radio-electronic devices is proposed. A method is developed for numerically - analytical study of oscillatory processes of nonlinear mechanical systems consisting of spatial rigid bodies interconnected by massless viscoelastic elements.
Moving average method based air pollution monitoring system using IoT platform
Authors: Kumar Anumandla Kiran , Sri Lakshmi A , Janaki Nivas Rao P
Published: December 2020

Researches show that almost seven million people worldwide are dying due to air pollution every year. Data given by World Health Organization observed that 9 out of 10 people breathe the air that contains significant proportions of poisons. Monitoring helps in evaluating the degree of contamination corresponding to the surrounding air quality benchmarks. In this work, a IoT based air quality monitoring system is developed using Raspberry Pi Internet of Things (IoT) platform. A MQ135 sensor is used to detect gases like CO, Ammonia, Smoke, Alcohol, etc., and the corresponding data is processed using moving average method to avoid the redundant data samples, stored in a database to do further analysis and future predictions of the air pollutants. This will help future generations to take precautions and stay safe.
Design of control systems for ABC and speed control for autonomous vehicle
Authors: Vivek S , Varsha B , Tarun Vignesh S , Anirudh K , Peeyush K P
Published: December 2020

In this technological world automation is one of the prime domains to enhance upon. Automation of vehicles is a major domain in which top companies are working on. but designing and manufacturing of autonomous car changes the crux parts of a conventional vehicle which would be top dollar. For common people working in various industries dependent on automobile it is facile to develop the autonomous vehicle from pre-existing conventional vehicle. This paper focuses on developing a Control System for synchronized actuation of Accelerator, Brake and Clutch and speed control for preexisting conventional vehicle. A synchronized motion of Accelerator Break and Clutch pedal has been realized based on the Forward command, Break command. In order to achieve smooth and robust movement of pedals, PID controller is implemented. To achieve desired speed of the vehicle, PID is implemented based on RPM of rear wheel and position of Accelerator pedal.
An efficient and robust multi-user detection in IDMA system
Authors: Anto Theepak T , Aveline Sarah D , Ponmary Pushpa Latha D
Published: December 2020

Multi-user detection (MUD) is a popular method in wireless communication systems to enhance efficiency by together processing the signals received from all users. The complexity of MUD has been a great problem in practical scenario. Wiener (optimum) filter yields best estimate of the input signal from noisy observations. In this paper, using Wiener filtering, a less complex and robust MUD strategy is introduced in a new multiple access scheme called interleave-division multiple-access (IDMA) which supports MUD in a simple way. The proposed IDMA system helps in achieving lower bit error rate and manages multiple number of users easily when compared to other multiple access schemes.
Generation of Missing Words in Assamese text using N-gram based Model
Authors: Bhuyan M. P. , Sarma S. K.
Published: December 2020

It is very common to miss certain words when writing while listening to others. A similar problem can arise when typing on the computer. The automatic generation of missed words shall very much helpful for users by suggesting the required words. In this research work, missed words of the Assamese sentences are generated, at present, there is no such tool/method exists which can provide or generate the missed words in an Assamese sentence. N-gram based models like bigram and trigram are used to generate missed words. Using the bigram and trigram models a rank is calculated for each possible suggested words and the suggested word list is sorted according to this rank value in decreasing order. Finally, these suggested words can be used to fill the place of the missed Assamese words. Different levels of experiments are carried out and the present proposed system can correct the missed words at an accuracy ranging from 58% to 66%. The proposed model can precisely generate accurate five relevant suggestions for a sentence containing an average of six words with two missed words separated by three words.
Buckling analysis of laminated composites considering the effect of orthotropic material
Authors: Niyogi Samiksha B , Wankhade Rajan L , Gajbhiye Param D
Published: December 2020

In this work, the simplified forms of governing differential equations are employed to analyse the laminated composite plates subjected to buckling. Effect of orthotropic material via variation in the E1/E2 ratio on the buckling parameters is verified and corresponding results are provided. With the developments in the modern technology, composites have found a significant role in applications in aerospace industry. Under the compressive in-plane loads, the composites undergo buckling. Hence, it is crucial to observe and study the buckling characteristics of laminated composites with effect of material properties. We have obtained the results of the buckling loads of a laminated composite having a cross-ply lamination scheme of plates with simply supported and clamped boundary conditions. Effect of the orthotropic material on these parameters is studied via the present study.
A review on Electron Beam Welding process
Authors: Siddharth P N , Sathiya Narayanan C
Published: December 2020

Electron Beam Welding is an unconventional manufacturing technique widely used in the Aerospace and Defense industries mainly due to the Narrow Fusion Zone (FZ) generated as less metal is melted which leads to less distortion and less amount of heat, as opposed to the other welding processes such as TIG welding and Arc welding. As a result, the solidification of the Weld Joint is in several orders much higher. The Electron Beam Welding process is complex in nature and is controlled by large number of parameters. Parameters such as Accelerating Voltage (Ua), Beam Current (If), Depth of Penetration (H), Beam Focal Diameter (df0) and Welding Speed (v) are part of the Electron Beam Parameters, while Thermo-physical and Chemical properties of the Material and Workpiece Thickness are part of the Parameters influencing Welding Features. This paper also reviews various optimization methods applied by researchers and finally outlines the recommendations and future trends in Electron Beam Welding.
Implementation of enterprise solution for a poultry management system
Authors: Geetha D , Mulla Faraz Mueen , Jangali Satish G , Kulkarni Vinayak N , Gaitonde V N , Kotturshettar B B
Published: December 2020

In today’s competitive world staying ahead with their competitors and to satisfy the customer is not an easy task. Henceforth Poultry farms are scanning for better approaches to improve industry activities. The key reason for this examination is to find an appropriate method of doing the things. Managing the production loss from small or large scale industries is a difficult task. Industry considered here carry out all the industry processes manually. Non standard documentation was followed throughout the operations hence they rely on manual data processing which lead to data redundancy and time wastage. Increase in the Lead time and the production process time which give on to decrease in productivity and increase in errors and theoretical errors. This causes a great loss to the company. Their main focus is to standardize the operations and to increase the efficiency of the overall all processes. The objective is to study the discovery and value proposition phase of a poultry firm to implement enterprise management system in functional modules. The rise in Cloud based ERP system, however, gives small and medium business to Enterprise level operators access this important business management software, unlocking new operations and tools that weren’t readily existing before. Cloud-based software allows operators to access their ERP systems through any web browser.
Numerical investigation of vertical axis c-shaped Savonius wind turbine
Authors: Sonawane Chandrakant R , Sawant Rohan , Patel Kishan , Sonawala Rohan , Pawar Aditya , Agrawal Pravesh , Mathur Vidisha
Published: December 2020

In recent decades, the use of wind turbines has been successfully increasing in power generation. Various types of wind turbine configurations as well as possible blade geometries are been proposed and are still under development for extracting the maximum possible energy extraction. Vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) found to have enhanced adaptable physiognomies to the unsteady wind of urban terrains. These turbines can yield electricity from the wind of any direction with low-slung cut-in wind speed. These turbines are ominously quieter than the old-fashioned HAWTs, light-weight, and can be straightforwardly unified into buildings. Hence, the main idea of the present work to numerically evaluate the design performance of a C-shaped Savonius turbine for wind-energy conversion thus obtaining a higher output. During computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulations, 3 different symmetric and non-symmetric airfoils are examined. After authenticating the numerical procedure against experimental measurements, precise CFD simulations of the unsteady flow around an H-rotor Darrieus turbine have been carried out and presented here. Based on the various configuration of the H-rotor Darrieus turbine tested the DU-06-W-200 found to be capable of wind energy generation, particularly in urban areas.
Extended Drinfel’d algebras and non-Abelian duality
Authors: Sakatani Yuho
Published: December 2020

The Drinfel’d algebra provides a method to construct generalized parallelizable spaces and this allows us to study an extended $T$-duality, known as the Poisson–Lie $T$-duality. Recently, in order to find a generalized $U$-duality, an extended Drinfel’d algebra (ExDA), called the exceptional Drinfel’d algebra (EDA), was proposed and a natural extension of Abelian $U$-duality was studied both in the context of supergravity and membrane theory. In this paper, we clarify the general structure of ExDAs and show that an ExDA always gives a generalized parallelizable space, which may be regarded as a group manifold with generalized Nambu–Lie structures. We then discuss the non-Abelian duality that is based on a general ExDA. For a coboundary ExDA, this non-Abelian duality reduces to a generalized Yang–Baxter deformation and we find a general formula for the twist matrix. In order to study the non-Abelian $U$-duality, we particularly focus on the $E_{n(n)}$ EDA for $n\leq 8$ and study various aspects, both in terms of M-theory and type IIB theory.
Cardiac, Autonomic, and Cardiometabolic Impact of Exercise Training in Spinal Cord Injury
Authors: Vivodtzev Isabelle , Taylor J. Andrew
Published: December 2020

Introduction:

Direct and indirect effects of spinal cord injury lead to important cardiovascular (CV) complications that are further increased by years of injury and the process of “accelerated aging.” The present review examines the current evidence in the literature for the potential cardioprotective effect of exercise training in spinal cord injury.

Review Methods:

PubMed and Web of Science databases were screened for original studies investigating the effect of exercise-based interventions on aerobic capacity, cardiac structure/function, autonomic function, CV function, and/or cardiometabolic markers. We compared the effects in individuals <40 yr with time since injury <10 yr with those in older individuals (≥40 yr) with longer time since injury (≥10 yr), reasoning that the two can be considered individuals with low versus high CV risk factors.

Studies showed similar exercise effects in both groups (n = 31 in low CV risk factors vs n = 15 in high CV risk factors). The evidence does not support any effect of exercise training on autonomic function but does support an increased peripheral blood flow, improved left ventricular mass, higher peak cardiac output, greater lean body mass, better antioxidant capacity, and improved endothelial function. In addition, some evidence suggests that it can result in lower blood lipids, systemic inflammation (interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor α, and C-reactive protein), and arterial stiffness. Training intensity, volume, and frequency were key factors determining CV gains. Future studies with larger sample sizes, well-matched groups of subjects, and randomized controlled designs will be needed to determine whether high-intensity hybrid forms of training result in greater CV gains.
Study of Radiological Assessment Models for Contaminated Soil, Buildings, and Outdoor Surfaces: Overview, Comparison, Similarity with Chemical Models, Challenges, and Lessons Learned
Authors: Shubayr Nasser A.
Published: December 2020

A research project was conducted by the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Superfund remedial program to study radiological assessment models used for contaminated sites. Several models developed by regulatory agencies in different countries are studied to present overview and comparisons. These models are recommended by governmental agencies for radiological assessment of contaminated soil, inside buildings, and outdoor surfaces. The project also addressed the methodological consistency between the EPA and the United Kingdom Environment Agency (UK EA) for radiological and chemical assessment models. The main purpose of this project is to establish a common ground for cooperation between regulatory agencies by facilitating better understanding of each agency’s modeling approach and identifying the similarities and differences between these agencies. The project produced five reports that are published at the EPA’s website. This paper summarizes the content of each report and presents results of a survey distributed electronically following an EPA webinar about the research projects, including the familiarity of the respondents with these models. All findings were statistically analyzed.
Evaluation of Pediatric Forensic Cases Admitted to the Emergency Department in Turkey: A Retrospective Analysis
Authors: Yilmaz Gamze , Alemdar Dilek Küçük
Published: December 2020

Aim

The aim of this study was to determine retrospectively the demographic characteristics of forensic cases aged 0–18 years who were admitted to the emergency department.

Method

A total of 14,352 pediatric forensic cases aged 0–18 years, who were admitted to the emergency department of a hospital, were analyzed retrospectively in terms of the date of presentation, age, gender, and type of case.

Results

Among the pediatric cases presenting to the emergency department, 56% were due to falling, 19% were due to burns, 8.5% were due to poisoning, 7.4% were due to animal bites, 5.3% were due to traffic accidents, 3.4% were due to battery, and 0.4% were due to other phenomena (electric shock and sexual abuse). Examination of the distribution of cases in terms of age showed that falling (16.4%), burns (25.7%), and poisoning (28%) were more frequent in boys in the age group of 15–18 months and in girls in the age group of 0–12 months. Presenting to the emergency department because of sexual abuse was observed to be more frequent in girls in the age groups of 10–14 years (40%) and 15–18 years (26.7%).

Conclusion

The high rates of falling, burns, and poisoning cases among children observed in this study suggest that child neglect and abuse were high and reveal the necessity of the presence of forensic nurses in the emergency departments.
Readiness for and Response to Coronavirus Disease 2019 Among Pediatric Healthcare Providers: The Role of Simulation for Pandemics and Other Disasters*
Authors: Wagner Michael , Jaki Christina , Löllgen Ruth M. , Mileder Lukas , Eibensteiner Fabian , Ritschl Valentin , Steinbauer Philipp , Gottstein Maximilian , Abulebda Kamal , Calhoun Aaron , Gross Isabel T.
Published: December 2020

OBJECTIVES:

Early preparation for the training and education of healthcare providers, as well as the continuation or modification of routine medical education programs, is of great importance in times of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic or other public health emergencies. The goal of this study was to characterize these self-reported efforts by the pediatric simulation community.

DESIGN:

This was a global, multicenter survey developed via a Delphi process.

SETTING:

International survey study.

SUBJECTS:

The survey was sent to 555 individual members of the three largest international pediatric simulation societies (The International Pediatric Simulation Society, International Network for Simulation-based Pediatric Innovation, Research & Education, and Netzwerk Kindersimulation e.V.) between April 27, 2020, and May 18, 2020.

INTERVENTIONS:

None.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS:

Description of coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic simulation-based preparation activities of pediatric acute and critical care healthcare providers. The Delphi process included 20 content experts and required three rounds to reach consensus. The survey was completed by 234 participants (42.2%) from 19 countries. Preparation differed significantly between the geographic regions, with 79.3% of Anglo-American/Anglo-Saxon, 82.6% of Indian, and 47.1% of European participants initiating specifically coronavirus disease 2019-related simulation activities. Frequent modifications to existing simulation programs included the use of telesimulation and virtual reality training. Forty-nine percent of institutions discontinued noncoronavirus disease 2019-related simulation training.

CONCLUSIONS:

The swift incorporation of disease-specific sessions and the transition of standard education to virtual or hybrid simulation training modes occurred frequently. The approach used, however, depended heavily on local requirements, limitations, and circumstances. In particular, the use of telesimulation allowed education to continue while maintaining social distancing requirements.
MathFeature: Feature Extraction Package for Biological Sequences Based on Mathematical Descriptors
Authors: Bonidia Robson P. , Sanches Danilo S. , de Carvalho André C.P.L.F.
Published: December 2020

Machine learning algorithms have been very successfully applied to extract new and relevant knowledge from biological sequences. However, the predictive performance of these algorithms is largely affected by how the sequences are represented. Thereby, the main challenge is how to numerically represent a biological sequence in a numeric vector with an efficient mathematical expression. Several feature extraction techniques have been proposed for biological sequences, where most of them are available in feature extraction packages. However, there are relevant approaches that are not available in existing packages, techniques based on mathematical descriptors, e.g., Fourier, entropy, and graphs. Therefore, this paper presents a new package, named MathFeature, which implements mathematical descriptors able to extract relevant information from biological sequences. MathFeature provides 20 approaches based on several studies found in the literature, e.g., multiple numeric mappings, genomic signal processing, chaos game theory, entropy, and complex networks. MathFeature also allows the extraction of alternative features, complementing the existing packages.

Availability and implementation

MathFeature is freely available athttps://bonidia.github.io/MathFeature/orhttps://github.com/Bonidia/MathFeature

Contact

bonidia@usp.br,rpbonidia@gmail.com
X-ray dichroism in polyimide caused by non-resonant scattering
Authors: Schulze K. S. , Loetzsch R. , Rüffer R. , Uschmann I. , Röhlsberger R. , Paulus G. G.
Published: December 2020

Dichroism is one of the most important optical effects in both the visible and the X-ray range. Besides absorption, scattering can also contribute to dichroism. This paper demonstrates that, based on the example of polyimide, materials can show tiny dichroism even far from electronic resonances due to scattering. Although the effect is small, it can lead to a measurable polarization change and might have influence on highly sensitive polarimetric experiments.
Ab initio structure solution of proteins at atomic resolution using charge-flipping techniques and cloud computing
Authors: Coelho Alan A.
Published: December 2020

Large protein structures at atomic resolution can be solved in minutes using charge-flipping techniques operating on hundreds of virtual machines (computers) on the Amazon Web Services cloud-computing platform driven by the computer programs TOPAS or TOPAS-Academic at a small financial cost. The speed of operation has allowed charge-flipping techniques to be investigated and modified, leading to two strategies that can solve a large range of difficult protein structures at atomic resolution. Techniques include the use of space-group symmetry restraints on the electron density as well as increasing the intensity of a randomly chosen high-intensity electron-density peak. It is also shown that the use of symmetry restraints increases the chance of finding a solution for low-resolution data. Finally, a flipping strategy that negates `uranium atom solutions' has been developed for structures that exhibit such solutions during charge flipping.
Protecting silent identities of heritage from the ruining living identities in current and futuristic creative cities: the case of Egypt
Authors: Khalil Mohamed Hesham Madbouly
Published: December 2020

Purpose

With the increasing number of creative cities as well as the reported incidences of deterioration to physical heritage, this paper aims to protect silent identities of heritage from the ruining living identities of modern generations in current and futuristic creative cities.

Design/methodology/approach

The research aim is achieved through trait-related mixed methods, since the variances are not method-related, to answer three research questions. The first method was a survey questionnaire distributed to the creative architectural sector because it was the best sector to meet the identified criteria. It aimed to answer if the upperground layer in creative cities considers the underground layer's diversity as a main cause for heritage deterioration and for being a barrier to developing creative solutions. A hypothesis for the first question was tested through a t-test. The second method was to study cases of heritage in present and futuristic creative cities to answer if living identities threaten physical heritage of all ages at the same extent and if the same creativity concepts are applied to all heritage.

Findings

The underground layer's diversity identities were found as a major barrier to the creative architectural sector. The R-value indicated a negative relationship between heritage age and its condition. Cases witnessed different creative expressions, but cases within the same period faced similar concepts of expressed creativity. The proposed tree diagram is a framework that gives numerical guidelines for the interrelationship between every heritage age and creativity concept for novel and conscious creative practices at the upperground layer to solve the conflicts in creative cities.

Research limitations/implications

The selection of Egypt does not possess a limitation because methodological considerations required for generalising the findings to a broader area were met. Findings in this paper are applicable to all upperground creative sectors that seek to understand the underground layer's diversity. Results are useful for protecting heritage silent identities in all existing and futuristic creative cities in countries that have heritage, of any age, facing deterioration.

Originality/value

The research work in this paper is novel in thought and resolves a perpetual conflict between silent identities and expressive living identities in current and futuristic creative cities through the proposed numerical framework for the upperground creative layer to develop novel conscious solutions. This framework represents a novel synthesis that adds to the existing body of knowledge, as it resolves a critical problem highlighted in previous research studies.
Modern slavery in the criminal family firm: misrecognition and symbolic violence in recruitment and retention practices
Authors: Salmon Udeni
Published: December 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the nature of recruitment and retention practices in the criminal family firm and to provide theoretical explanation for the coercive nature of such practices.

Design/methodology/approach

The case study methodology uses 18 semi-structured interviews, court transcripts and press reports to investigate a landmark case of modern slavery in the UK.

Findings

The findings tentatively suggest that the trusting relationships typical of the legitimate family firm employers are replicated in a criminal business.

Research limitations/implications

The theoretical implications of the paper are that Bourdieu's concepts of symbolic violence and misrecognition can be used to explain the process of worker exploitation in the family firm. Such psychological tools of domination maintain power in a situation of forced labour and blur the boundaries between employer/offender and worker/victim. From the perspective of understanding forced labour, Bourdieu's concept of misrecognition provides a theoretical framework for understanding the “stickiness” of exploitative workplace practices.

Practical implications

The article suggests a non-economic explanation of why individuals choose to remain in poorly paid and exploitative labour, which will be of use to regulatory and enforcement bodies, seeking to understand the psychological and structural drivers of forced labour.

Originality/value

Despite press interest in modern slavery in family firms, such cases have been rarely analysed in family firm literature. The paper contributes to the limited explorations of criminality in family firm businesses.
Experiences of New Zealand registered nurses of Chinese ethnicity during the COVID‐19 pandemic
Authors: Song Jenny , McDonald Christine
Published: December 2020

Aims

This study aimed to investigate the experiences and challenges of New Zealand registered nurses of Chinese ethnicity who have been working during the COVID‐19 pandemic.

Background

New Zealand's nursing workforce is becoming increasingly multicultural as foreign nurses make up an essential part of the New Zealand health workforce. The ongoing COVID‐19 pandemic has highlighted the contributions that nurses have made in providing front‐line services to the public. However, little has been documented about challenges and experiences of this minority ethnic group—Chinese nurses—who have been working as registered nurses in New Zealand during the COVID‐19 pandemic.

Methods

This study used an anonymous online questionnaire and a thematic approach to establishing understandings of the experiences of New Zealand registered nurses of Chinese ethnicity in working through the COVID‐19 pandemic. A total of 51 Chinese nurses completed this survey. A self‐explanatory checklist for reporting results of Internet e‐surveys (CHERRIES) was used for the purpose of the quality of this online survey.

Results

The result showed that 47.06% participants (n = 24) reported negative experiences including racial discrimination, workplace bullying and judgement, while 52.94% (n = 27) participants reported positive working experiences including supports received in the workplace and positive recognition by the pubic in New Zealand.

Conclusion

Ethnic minority nurses are key assets to the New Zealand health system. It is important to understand their experiences and challenges, particularly during the COVID‐19 pandemic to make sure they are supported and protected from any physical and emotional injury.

Relevance to clinical practice

COVID‐19 has brought additional challenges and concerns to nurses who are working on the front line of health services. Having knowledge of nurses’ working experiences will help with their job satisfaction and has potential implications for the sustainability of the New Zealand nursing workforce and retention strategies to address nursing workforce shortages which is foreseeable in New Zealand.
Future Smart Food: Harnessing the potential of neglected and underutilized species for Zero Hunger
Authors: Li Xuan , Siddique Kadambot H.M.
Published: December 2020

Achieving Sustainable Development Goal 2: ‘Zero Hunger’—eradicating all forms of hunger and malnutrition—is a major challenge in many developing countries. To be successful, agriculture and food policies need to target both production and consumption. Conventional agri‐food systems in developing countries could become more sustainable through agricultural diversification. In Asia, over‐reliance on a few staple crops is a leading cause of low dietary diversity and persistent malnutrition. Promising neglected and underutilized species (NUS) that are nutrient dense, climate resilient, economically viable, and locally available or adaptable have been prioritized as Future Smart Food (FSF) and have a central role to play in the fight against hunger and malnutrition. An enabling environment for agriculture diversification with a food system approach—to promote sustainable production, processing and consumption of FSF—is essential for achieving Zero Hunger. This article (a) provides the context of hunger and malnutrition and highlights the features and gaps in current agriculture and food systems, (b) demonstrates the multidimensional benefits of FSF as an effective means to bridge production and nutrition gaps to address Zero Hunger and (c) offers a holistic food systems approach that promotes sustainable production, processing and consumption of FSF as a key element for achieving Zero Hunger.
Epidermal complexity in the theropod dinosaur Juravenator from the Upper Jurassic of Germany
Authors: Bell Phil R. , Hendrickx Christophe
Published: December 2020

Epidermal scales among modern reptiles are morphologically diverse and serve a variety of functions ranging from moisture balance to chemoreception. Despite being predominantly squamous‐skinned (scaly), the functional implications of this type of integument have never before been explored for a dinosaur. Re‐examination of the holotype of the theropod Juravenator starki (Kimmeridgian, Late Jurassic) reveals previously unseen diversity in its epidermal covering. In addition to the presence of short monofilaments on the dorsal and ventral parts of the tail, we identify distinctive scale patterns corresponding to discrete longitudinal bands of scutate, tuberculate and ornamented scales along the length of the tail. In modern squamous‐skinned amniotes, variation in scale architecture can be linked to functional differences between scale types. In Juravenator, distinctive circular nodes associated with the ornamented scales have recently been interpreted as integumentary sense organs. We also suggest that it is likely that the snake‐like scutate scales on the underside of the tail fulfilled a role related to mechanical protection rather than locomotory function. Whereas the literature on theropod epidermal structures has been dominated by discussions on the evolution and diversity of feathers, this study highlights the complexity of squamous integument in Juravenator, which is revealed as one of the most complex among known theropods. An exploration of the epidermal structures found in Juravenator and other non‐avian theropods reveals great complexity in the type and distribution of these structures across the clade, suggesting potential for the future inquiry into their taxonomic and biological importance.
Identification of SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid and Spike T-Cell Epitopes for Assessing T-Cell Immunity
Authors: Lee Eunok , Sandgren Kerrie , Duette Gabriel , Stylianou Vicki V. , Khanna Rajiv , Eden John-Sebastian , Blyth Emily , Gottlieb David , Cunningham Anthony L. , Palmer Sarah
Published: December 2020

The development of specific and validated immunologic tools is critical for understanding the level and duration of the cellular response induced by SARS-CoV-2 infection and/or vaccines against this novel coronavirus disease. To contribute to this effort, we employed an immunoinformatics analysis pipeline to define 57 SARS-CoV-2 immunogenic peptides within topologically important regions of the nucleocapsid (NC) and spike (S) proteins that will be effective for detecting cellular immune responses in 80 to 100% of the global population.
Inflammatory bowel disease in sub-Saharan Africa: a protocol of a prospective registry with a nested case–control study
Authors: Katsidzira Leolin , Mudombi Wisdom F , Makunike-Mutasa Rudo , Yilmaz Bahtiyar , Blank Annika , Rogler Gerhard , Macpherson Andrew , Vavricka Stephan , Gangaidzo Innocent , Misselwitz Benjamin
Published: December 2020

Introduction

The epidemiology of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in sub-Saharan Africa is poorly documented. We have started a registry to determine the burden, phenotype, risk factors, disease course and outcomes of IBD in Zimbabwe.

Methods and analysis

A prospective observational registry with a nested case–control study has been established at a tertiary hospital in Harare, Zimbabwe. The registry is recruiting confirmed IBD cases from the hospital, and other facilities throughout Zimbabwe. Demographic and clinical data are obtained at baseline, 6 months and annually. Two age and sex-matched non-IBD controls per case are recruited—a sibling or second-degree relative, and a randomly selected individual from the same neighbourhood. Cases and controls are interviewed for potential risk factors of IBD, and dietary intake using a food frequency questionnaire. Stool is collected for 16S rRNA-based microbiota profiling, and along with germline DNA from peripheral blood, is being biobanked. The estimated sample size is 86 cases and 172 controls, and the overall registry is anticipated to run for at least 5 years. Descriptive statistics will be used to describe the demographic and phenotypic characteristics of IBD, and incidence and prevalence will be estimated for Harare. Risk factors for IBD will be analysed using conditional logistic regression. For microbial analysis, alpha diversity and beta diversity will be compared between cases and controls, and between IBD phenotypes. Mann-Whitney U tests for alpha diversity and Adonis (Permutational Multivariate Analysis of Variance) for beta diversity will be computed.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethical approval has been obtained from the Parirenyatwa Hospital’s and University of Zimbabwe’s research ethics committee and the Medical Research Council of Zimbabwe. Findings will be discussed with patients, and the Zimbabwean Ministry of Health. Results will be presented at scientific meetings, published in peer reviewed journals, and on social media.

Trial registration number

NCT04178408.
Multimodal prehabilitation as strategy for reduction of postoperative complications after cardiac surgery: a randomised controlled trial protocol
Authors: Coca-Martinez Miquel , Lopez-Hernandez Antonio , Montane-Muntane Mar , Arguis Maria Jose , Gimeno-Santos Elena , Navarro-Ripoll Ricard , Perdomo Juan , Lopez-Baamonde Manuel , Rios Jose , Moises Jorge , Sanz de la Garza Maria , Sandoval Elena , Romano Barbara , Sebio Raquel , Dana Fernando , Martinez-Palli Graciela
Published: December 2020

Introduction

Prehabilitation programmes that combine exercise training, nutritional support and emotional reinforcement (multimodal prehabilitation) have demonstrated efficacy reducing postoperative complications in the context of abdominal surgery. However, such programmes have seldom been studied in cardiac surgery, one of the surgeries associated with higher postoperative morbidity and mortality. This trial will assess the feasibility and efficacy in terms of reduction of postoperative complications and cost-effectiveness of a multimodal prehabilitation programme comparing to the standard of care in cardiac surgical patients.

Methods and analysis

This is a single-centre, randomised, open-label, controlled trial with a 1:1 ratio. Consecutive 160 elective valve replacement and/or coronary revascularisation surgical patients will be randomised to either standard of care or 4–6 weeks of multimodal prehabilitation that will consist in (1) two times/week supervised endurance and strength exercise training sessions, (2) promotion of physical activity and healthy lifestyle, (3) respiratory physiotherapy, (4) nutrition counselling and supplementation if needed, and (5) weekly mindfulness sessions. Baseline, preoperative and 3-month postoperative data will be collected by an independent blinded evaluator. The primary outcome of this study will be the incidence of postoperative complications.

Ethics and dissemination

This study has been approved by the Ethics Committee of Clinical investigation of Hospital Clinic de Barcelona (HCB/2017/0708). The results will be disseminated in a peer-reviewed journal.

Trial registration number

NCT03466606.
The Irish dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) Health Informatics Prediction (HIP) for Osteoporosis Project
Authors: E Erjiang , Wang Tingyan , Yang Lan , Dempsey Mary , Brennan Attracta , Yu Ming , Chan Wing P. , Whelan Bryan , Silke Carmel , O'Sullivan Miriam , Rooney Bridie , McPartland Aoife , O’Malley Gráinne , Carey John J.
Published: December 2020

Purpose

The purpose of the Irish dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) Health Informatics Prediction (HIP) for Osteoporosis Project is to create a large retrospective cohort of adults in Ireland to examine the validity of DXA diagnostic classification, risk assessment tools and management strategies for osteoporosis and osteoporotic fractures for our population.

Participants

The cohort includes 36 590 men and women aged 4–104 years who had a DXA scan between January 2000 and November 2018 at one of 3 centres in the West of Ireland.

Findings to date

36 590 patients had at least 1 DXA scan, 6868 (18.77%) had 2 scans and 3823 (10.45%) had 3 or more scans. There are 364 unique medical disorders, 186 unique medications and 46 DXA variables identified and available for analysis. The cohort includes 10 349 (28.3%) individuals who underwent a screening DXA scan without a clear fracture risk factor (other than age), and 9947 (27.2%) with prevalent fractures at 1 of 44 skeletal sites.

Future plans

The Irish DXA HIP Project plans to assess current diagnostic classification and risk prediction algorithms for osteoporosis and fractures, identify the risk predictors for osteoporosis and develop novel, accurate and personalised risk prediction tools, by using the large multicentre longitudinal follow-up cohort. Furthermore, the dataset may be used to assess, and possibly support, multimorbidity management due to the large number of variables collected in this project.
Are the Danish stillbirth rates still record low? A nationwide ecological study
Authors: Lidegaard Øjvind , Krebs Lone , Petersen Olav Bennike Bjørn , Damm Nis Peter , Tabor A
Published: December 2020

Objectives

After introduction of a more proactive post-term induction practice, stillbirth rates have decreased substantially throughout the first decade of this century in Denmark. The aim was to follow up on induction and stillbirth rates in Denmark.

Design

Historical ecological study.

Participants

We included all delivering women in Denmark during the period 2007–2018.

Intervention

Induction rates from 41 weeks of gestation.

Main outcome measure

Stillbirth rates from 41+0 weeks.

Results

Of 739 570 delivered children, 179 734 (24.3%) were born from 41+0 weeks. The proportion of deliveries after 41 weeks which were induced increased from 25.4% in 2007 to 44.4% in 2012. From 2012 to 2015, the induction rates decreased from 44.4% to 39.4%. After 2015 rates were stable.

During the same period, stillbirth rates decreased from 1.30 in 2007/2008 to 0.38 per 1000 newborn in 2011/12; -54%. From 2012, however, the rates were doubled from 0.38 per 1000 in 2011/2012 to 0.74 per 1000 in 2015/2018; RR 1.97 (95% CI 1.02 to 3.81), p=0.033.

Changes in the included potential confounders cannot explain neither the substantial fall in stillbirth rates from 2007/2008 to 2011/2012, nor the doubling in stillbirth rates after 41 weeks since 2012.

During the whole study period, the cumulated risk of intrauterine foetal death increased from week 41+0 to 41+6 from 0.16 to 1.25 per 1000 ongoing pregnancies or 7.8 folds. Going beyond 42 weeks further increased the risk to 2.46 per 1000 ongoing pregnancies.

Conclusion

We found a consistent inverse correlation between the proportion of women with induction of labour after 41 weeks of gestation and the stillbirth rates during the same period and same gestational ages. This Danish update on post-term inductions and corresponding stillbirth rates thus confirm previous findings suggesting a causal link between these two parameters.