bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fully Automated Cardiac Assessment for Diagnostic and Prognostic Stratification Following Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Schuster Andreas , Lange Torben , Backhaus Sören J. , Strohmeyer Carolin , Boom Patricia C. , Matz Jonas , Kowallick Johannes T. , Lotz Joachim , Steinmetz Michael , Kutty Shelby , Bigalke Boris , Gutberlet Matthias , de Waha‐Thiele Suzanne , Desch Steffen , Hasenfuß Gerd , Thiele Holger , Stiermaier Thomas , Eitel Ingo
Published: September 2020

Background

Cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging is considered the reference methodology for cardiac morphology and function but requires manual postprocessing. Whether novel artificial intelligence–based automated analyses deliver similar information for risk stratification is unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate feasibility and prognostic implications of artificial intelligence–based, commercially available software analyses.

Methods and Results

Cardiovascular magnetic resonance data (n=1017 patients) from 2 myocardial infarction multicenter trials were included. Analyses of biventricular parameters including ejection fraction (EF) were manually and automatically assessed using conventional and artificial intelligence–based software. Obtained parameters entered regression analyses for prediction of major adverse cardiac events, defined as death, reinfarction, or congestive heart failure, within 1 year after the acute event. Both manual and uncorrected automated volumetric assessments showed similar impact on outcome in univariate analyses (left ventricular EF, manual: hazard ratio [HR], 0.93 [95% CI 0.91–0.95];
P
<0.001; automated: HR, 0.94 [95% CI, 0.92–0.96];
P
<0.001) and multivariable analyses (left ventricular EF, manual: HR, 0.95 [95% CI, 0.92–0.98];
P
=0.001; automated: HR, 0.95 [95% CI, 0.92–0.98];
P
=0.001). Manual correction of the automated contours did not lead to improved risk prediction (left ventricular EF, area under the curve: 0.67 automated versus 0.68 automated corrected;
P
=0.49). There was acceptable agreement (left ventricular EF: bias, 2.6%; 95% limits of agreement, −9.1% to 14.2%; intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.88 [95% CI, 0.77–0.93]) of manual and automated volumetric assessments.

Conclusions

User‐independent volumetric analyses performed by fully automated software are feasible, and results are equally predictive of major adverse cardiac events compared with conventional analyses in patients following myocardial infarction.

Registration

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
; Unique identifiers: NCT00712101 and NCT01612312.
Vascular Calcification as an Underrecognized Risk Factor for Frailty in 1783 Community‐Dwelling Elderly Individuals
Authors: Lee Szu‐Ying , Chao Chia‐Ter , Huang Jenq‐Wen , Huang Kuo‐Chin
Published: September 2020

Background

Vascular calcification (VC) is associated with high morbidity and mortality among older adults, a population that exhibits a higher tendency for developing frailty at the same time. Whether VC serves as a risk factor for the development of frailty in this population remains unclear.

Methods and Results

We analyzed a prospectively assembled cohort of community‐dwelling older adults between 2014 and 2017 (n=1783). Frailty and prefrailty were determined on the basis of the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures criteria, and VC was measured using semiquantitative aortic arch calcification (AAC) and abdominal aortic calcification scoring. We conducted multiple logistic regression with prefrailty or frailty as the dependent variable, incorporating sociodemographic profiles, comorbidities, medications, laboratory data, AAC status/severity, and other geriatric phenotypes. Among all participants, 327 (18.3%) exhibited either prefrailty (15.3%) or frailty (3.1%), and 648 (36.3%) exhibited AAC. After adjusting for multiple confounders, we found that AAC incidence was associated with a substantially higher probability of prefrailty or frailty (odds ratio [OR], 11.9; 95% CI, 7.9–15.4), with a dose‐responsive relationship (OR for older adults with AAC categories 1, 2, and 3 was 9.3, 13.6, and 52.5, respectively). Similar association was observed for older adults with abdominal aortic calcification (OR, 5.0; 95% CI, 1.3–19.5), and might be replicable in another cohort of patients with end‐stage renal disease.

Conclusions

Severity of VC exhibited a linear positive relationship with frailty in older adults. Our findings suggest that a prompt diagnosis and potential management of VC may assist in risk mitigation for patients with frailty.
Responses to a poached conspecific in wild forest elephants (Loxodonta africana cyclotis)
Authors: Stephan Claudia , Bahamboula Jess J.D. , Brncic Terry M.
Published: September 2020

The increased attention towards deceased conspecifics in various social animal species is one of the most intriguing conundrums in animal behaviour. The factors that might explain the observed behavioural variation amongst individuals remain nebulous. Here we analyse forest elephants’ (Loxodonta africana cyclotis) responses to a poached adult male conspecific, using remote camera trapping during a period of eight months. After completely avoiding the carcass site for over a week, females and males substantially differed in behavioural responses. Males consistently stayed longer around the remains, showed signs of increased arousal, interacted with the dead body, and twisted trunks with each other. Females, in contrast, were more passively explorative and preferred to visit the site without their dependent offspring. Findings show a previously unknown sexual-dimorphism in forest elephant behaviour towards a poached conspecific and raise the possibility that individuals might be able to infer further context-specific information about the event.
Morphological and molecular characterisation of Coslenchus persicus n. sp. (Nematoda: Tylenchidae) from Iran
Authors: Hosseinvand Manouchehr , Eskandari Ali , Ghaderi Reza
Published: September 2020

A new species of Coslenchus from north-western Iran is illustrated and described using morphological, morphometric and molecular data. Coslenchus persicus n. sp. is characterised by a medium-sized body of 694-810 μm, often 18 (seldom 20-22) longitudinal ridges excluding lateral field, head with four distinct annuli, stylet 9.6-10.8 μm long, pharyngeal basal bulb large and cylindrical, spermatheca offset and ovate, without sperm, vulval flaps extending for two annuli, 5-7 μm in length, tail striated with finely to bluntly rounded tip, 110-153 μm long and without males. The new species comes close to C. assamensis, C. diversus, C. japonicus, C. leiocephalus, C. maritus, C. multigyrus, C. paramaritus, C. pastor, and C. polonicus, but can be distinguished from all by differences in body length, stylet length and shape of basal bulb, post-vulval uterine sac, tail and certain morphometric data. Molecular data are provided for the characterisation of the new species using ribosomal genes (18S and 28S rRNA). In the 18S rRNA tree, the new species was placed in a clade including one isolate of Coslenchus sp. from Iran. In the reconstructed 28S rRNA phylogenetic tree, C. persicus n. sp. clustered with other known Coslenchus species.
Spatial genetic structure in the Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) meta-population from its core range in Italy
Authors: Buglione Maria , Petrelli Simona , Troiano Claudia , Notomista Tommaso , Petrella Antonio , De Riso Laura , Poerio Luigi , Cascini Vito , Bartolomei Remo , Fulgione Domenico
Published: September 2020

We characterized the genetic structure of the Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) meta-population living in the core of its Italian distribution range providing results from 191 fresh spraints, collected from 24 watercourses included in Southern Italy. Furthermore, according to ecological corridors and barriers, we discuss the likely ways of movement and possible evolutionary fate of these populations. We genotyped 136 samples using 11 Lut microsatellite nuclear markers amplified from faecal dna. Microsatellites were moderately variable (Ho = 0.45; He = 0.46), with a total number of alleles and average number of alleles per locus in the meta-population of 50 and 4.54, respectively. No significant heterozygosity excess was observed in meta-population suggesting no recent population bottlenecks. Bayesian clustering discriminated a sub-structuring of the meta-population in five putative clusters, indicating that local populations are genetically differentiated: three of these seem to be identifiable with geographically defined sub-populations (from the Cilento, Agri and Basento river basins). The fourth is represented by multiple sub-populations with admixed genotype, that include genotypes from the Lao, Sinni and Abatemaco river basins, living in a landscape with the higher environmental permeability. Landscape genetic analysis could provide evidence of an unexpected ecological corridor: the seacoast, highlighted, for the first time as a new way for the dispersion of the South-Italian otters. Deepening the knowledge of these perspectives is crucial to identify solid strategies aimed at the future health of the populations of the Italian otters, by restoring dispersal corridors and managing the watercourses.
How Neoliberalism Comes to Town: Policy Convergence, (Under)Development, and Jordanian Economics under King Abdullah
Authors: Powers Colin
Published: September 2020

This article explores the development strategies articulated and implemented in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan during the tenure of King Abdullah ii. It begins by establishing the consistency with which national planners have adopted ideas, recommendations, and ideological scripts initially authored by the international financial institutions (ifis). Having documented the endurance of Jordan’s “policy convergence”, it explains this outcome as a dialectical function of foreign interference and local agency. Demonstrating how the lines between the national, international, and transnational blur in constituting the contemporary Jordanian political economy, this case study in actually existing neoliberalism will provide a unique look at the actors, interests, ideas and processes at the heart of the country’s enduring underdevelopment.
“In the Name of the People?” Understanding the Role of Egypt’s Supreme Constitutional Court in Times of Political Crisis
Authors: Taha Noura Hamdan , Khalil Asem
Published: September 2020

Constitutional transformations frequently introduce and open up political spaces for new actors, as was shown during the so-called ‘Arab Spring’ when national movements emerged to demand the removal of long-established authoritarian regimes and instigated a series of institutional power struggles. Subsequent analysis of these events by academics has tended to overlook struggle conducted through and by legal institutions. This article directly addresses this oversight by considering the role of Egypt’s Supreme Constitutional Court (scc) in the 2011 uprisings, with specific attention to its influence on the country’s political transformation/s. It seeks to apply new analytical tools that will assist understanding of the position of judicial institutions in the Arab world, their institutional limits and expected functions. It demonstrates how this can be achieved through a closer analysis of the scc’s structure and the factors that shape its current role.
On null objects in Egyptian Arabic
Authors: Soltan Usama
Published: September 2020

This paper provides a descriptive account and a syntactic analysis of the grammatical distribution and properties of null objects (NOs) in Egyptian Arabic. In particular, it is shown that NOs cannot be analyzed as instances of null pro or as variables bound by a null topic operator. A Verb-Stranding VP-Ellipsis account is also shown to be empirically non-viable. Instead, I argue that NOs result from Argument Ellipsis (AE), an operation that targets arguments for deletion at PF. This AE analysis has several empirical advantages, including an account for (a) the different-entity interpretation of NOs, (b) the fact that PP and CP internal arguments can be null, (c) the availability of both strict identity and sloppy identity readings with null PPs and CPs, (d) the indefiniteness and inanimacy restrictions on the antecedents of NOs, and (e) the fact that subjects, as opposed to objects, cannot undergo AE. Following existing proposals in the generative literature on null arguments, I provide a minimalist implementation of the AE operation, whereby principles of φ-agreement, case licensing, the NP/DP distinction, and a notion of relativized phasehood, all conspire to determine when NOs occur and when they are disallowed in the language.
The genus Microhyla (Anura: Microhylidae) in Pakistan: species status and origins
Authors: JABLONSKI DANIEL , KHAN MUAZZAM ALI , MASROOR RAFAQAT
Published: September 2020

The territory of Pakistan has been influenced by biota from different geographic directions, and is divided zoogeographically into the Palearctic and Oriental regions (Khan 2006; Masroor 2012). This makes Pakistan one of the important territories in Eurasia in the understanding of past biodiversity dynamics. Well-known examples of Oriental elements among its amphibian fauna are observed in all four families of toads and frogs currently known from Pakistan: Bufonidae, Microhylidae, Megophryidae, and Dicroglossidae. In this short contribution, we focused on the species status and the origins of the genus Microhyla (Microhylidae), known from the north-eastern part (Punjab, Islamabad, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir; Masroor 2012) of the country. However, Sarkar (1984), also reported Microhyla from Bhuj in Gujarat, India, very close to the southern Pakistani province of Sindh. This genus has not yet been reported from the Palearctic region of the country and all currently known localities are from the Oriental parts of Pakistan (i.e. eastward of the Indus River). The genus is represented in the country by M. ornata (Duméril & Bibron, 1841), originally reported as Oxyglossus lima (Khan 1968). However, in view of the overall distribution and diversity of the genus based on genetic data (Garg et al. 2018, 2019; Gorin et al. 2020), it appears that populations from Pakistan could possibly have a different evolutionary history and be different taxon (see the currently scattered range of the genus between northern and western India and Pakistan; Fig. 1). Therefore, we tested this assumption using mitochondrial (mt) and nuclear (n) DNA data.
Madangella koumacensis, a new species of palaemonid shrimps (Decapoda: Palaemonidae) from New Caledonia
Authors: FROLOVÁ PAVLÍNA , ĎURIŠ ZDENĚK
Published: September 2020

A second species of the recently established genus Madangella Frolová & Ďuriš is described from New Caledonia. Although the single available specimen lacks both second pereiopods, the new species distinctly differs from the only other representative of the genus, M. altirostris Frolová & Ďuriš, 2018 from Papua New Guinea, and can be easily distinguished from the latter by the more elongate and distally tapering rostrum, two subterminal ventral rostral teeth, the carpus of the first pereiopod being subequal to the merus length, and the sixth pleomere being short and stout, distinctly less than 2 times longer than deep. The examined specimen was confirmed as representative of a species separate from M. altirostris also by molecular comparisons of the 16S rRNA and COI mtDNA gene markers. The genus Madangella thus currently consists of two southwestern Pacific species.
A review of different designs and control models of remotely operated underwater vehicle
Authors: He Ying , Wang Dao Bo , Ali Zain Anwar
Published: September 2020

This article reviews remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROUV) and its different types focusing on the control systems. This study offers a brief introduction of unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) together with ROUV. Underwater robots are designed to work as an alternative to humans because of a difficult and hazardous underwater environment. The applications and demand of marine robots are increasing with the passage of time. There are several research articles and publications available on these topics but, a complete review of old and recent research about this technology is still hard to find. This article also assesses some recently published research papers on underwater systems. It presents the comparison of different control systems and designs of underwater vehicles. There have been major developments in marine technology depending on the needs, applications and cost of different missions. Scientists design many remotely operated vehicles based on the educational or industrial purposes. This article is presented in order to help and assist the future researchers as a massive review of the field of remotely operated underwater vehicles and their possible future developments are presented.
Mental health implications of COVID-19 pandemic and its response in India
Authors: Roy Adrija , Singh Arvind Kumar , Mishra Shree , Chinnadurai Aravinda , Mitra Arun , Bakshi Ojaswini
Published: September 2020

Introduction:

Mental health concerns and treatment usually take a backseat when the limited resources are geared for pandemic containment. In this global humanitarian crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health issues have been reported from all over the world.

Objectives:

In this study, we attempt to review the prevailing mental health issues during the COVID-19 pandemic through global experiences, and reactive strategies established in mental health care with special reference to the Indian context. By performing a rapid synthesis of available evidence, we aim to propose a conceptual and recommendation framework for mental health issues during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods:

A search of the PubMed electronic database and google scholar were undertaken using the search terms ‘novel coronavirus’, ‘COVID-19’, ‘nCoV’, SARS-CoV-2, ‘mental health’, ‘psychiatry’, ‘psychology’, ‘anxiety’, ‘depression’ and ‘stress’ in various permutations and combinations. Published journals, magazines and newspaper articles, official webpages and independent websites of various institutions and non-government organizations, verified social media portals were compiled.

Results:

The major mental health issues reported were stress, anxiety, depression, insomnia, denial, anger and fear. Children and older people, frontline workers, people with existing mental health illnesses were among the vulnerable in this context. COVID-19 related suicides have also been increasingly common. Globally, measures have been taken to address mental health issues through the use of guidelines and intervention strategies. The role of social media has also been immense in this context. State-specific intervention strategies, telepsychiatry consultations, toll free number specific for psychological and behavioral issues have been issued by the Government of India.

Conclusion:

Keeping a positive approach, developing vulnerable-group-specific need-based interventions with proper risk communication strategies and keeping at par with the evolving epidemiology of COVID-19 would be instrumental in guiding the planning and prioritization of mental health care resources to serve the most vulnerable.
An Examination of Women’s Experiences with Reporting Sexual Victimization Behind Prison Walls
Authors: Surrell April , Johnson Ida M.
Published: September 2020

Women inmates in a southern women’s minimum security facility were interviewed to explore their perceptions of and experiences with reporting sexual victimization in the context of the post-PREA era. The interviewees identified stigma and gossip, officer camaraderie, and fear of retaliation as the dominant barriers to reporting and investigating incidents of sexual assault. The article concludes with recommendations to improve sexual assault training and education in women’s correctional institutions.﻿
Crashworthiness analysis of a multi-layered bi-directionally corrugated steel plates structure
Authors: Che Quanwei , Xu Ping , Li Zhixiang , Ma Wen , Yao Shuguang
Published: September 2020

This paper proposed a multi-layered bi-directionally corrugated plates structure (BCPS) for energy absorption. Quasi-static compression experiments and finite element method (FEM) were used to investigate the crushing performance of the multi-layered BCPS. The results showed that the multi-layered BCPS had very small initial peak crushing force, and the fluctuation of force was very small during the whole compression process. These characteristics made the multi-layered BCPS more advantageous in crashworthiness than traditional structures. It was also found that the crushing performance of the multi-layered BCPS was very sensitive to the geometrical parameters, such as the number of the cellular structures along the width nc, the number of plates nl, and the ratio of width of small square ws to width of big square wb of the pyramid cell η. Therefore, parameters optimization was carried out using the Multi-Objective Genetic Algorithm to find the best geometrical configuration of the structure. After optimization, the optimum parameters nc = 5, nl = 11 and η = 0.38 was obtained. The specific energy absorption increased by 143.76% compared with the initial configuration.
Selective norm promotion in international development assistance: the drivers of naming and shaming advocacy among European non-governmental development organisations
Authors: Szent-Iványi Balázs , Timofejevs Pēteris F
Published: September 2020

European non-governmental development organisations (NGDOs) have used naming and shaming extensively in their advocacy to push the EU and member state governments to implement international norms on foreign aid. The paper analyses the contents of NGDO advocacy publications, with the goal of gaining insight into how and why these organisations engage in naming and shaming. The exercise reveals that NGDOs are highly selective in the norms they promote through naming and shaming: they shame governments heavily for not implementing norms on aid quantity, but are less vocal on norms related to aid effectiveness. The paper shows that NGDOs strategically select norms in their naming shaming activities which have higher resonance with the public and are less costly to monitor, criteria which aid quantity norms fulfil. There is also some evidence that NGDOs promote increasing the quantity of aid because it would enhance their own access to donor funding.
Risk Assessment Overrides: Shuffling the Risk Deck Without Any Improvements in Prediction
Authors: Cohen Thomas H. , Lowenkamp Christopher T. , Bechtel Kristin , Flores Anthony W.
Published: September 2020

In the federal supervision system, officers have discretion to depart from the risk designations provided by the Post Conviction Risk Assessment (PCRA) instrument. This component of the risk classification process is referred to as the supervision override. While the rationale for allowing overrides is that actuarial scores cannot always capture an individual’s unique characteristics, there is relatively limited literature on the actual effects of overrides on an actuarial tool’s predictive efficacies. This study examines overrides in the federal system by assessing the extent to which risk levels are adjusted through overrides as well as the impact of overrides on the PCRA’s risk prediction effectiveness. Findings show that nearly all overrides lead to an upward risk reclassification, that overrides tend to place substantial numbers of persons under federal supervision (especially those convicted of sex offenses) into the highest supervision categories, and that overrides result in a deterioration of the PCRA’s risk prediction capacities.
Parametric control to permanent magnet synchronous motor via proportional plus integral feedback
Authors: Gu Da-Ke , Zhang Da-Wei , Liu Quan-Zhi
Published: September 2020

This study investigates a parametric approach to design the proportional-integral (PI) controller for a permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM). Based on the solutions of the generalized Sylvester equation, the generally parametric expressions of PI controller and right eigenvector matrix are obtained. By using the parametric approach, the closed-loop system is converted into a linear time-invariant system with an expected eigenstructure. Further, a numerical example is put forward to illustrate the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed parametric approach.
Ageism, Religiosity, and Wellbeing Among Older Adults: Evidence From the European Social Survey (ESS4)
Authors: Kim Harris Hyun-soo , Jung Jong Hyun
Published: September 2020

Research shows that ageism (systemic discrimination against people because of their age) significantly undermines physical and psychological wellbeing, particularly among older adults. Our aim is to contribute to the literature by investigating whether this negative association varies across national religious context. We estimate multilevel models by drawing on a subset of data (ages 55 and above) from the fourth round of the European Social Survey (2008/2009). We find that ageism is negatively related to measures of wellbeing (happiness, life satisfaction, self-rated health). More importantly, the relationship is less pronounced in countries with higher levels of religiosity. These findings suggest that the country’s religious environment serves as a buffer against deleterious health consequences of ageism for the older population. Our study thus provides additional evidence on ageism as a critical risk factor and sheds novel light on the moderating role of country-level religiosity as a protective factor.
The nomos of the freeport
Authors: Schwarzkopf Stefan , Backsell Jessica Inez
Published: September 2020

This article provides a genealogy of the freeport, which are tax-free warehouse facilities for collectors and investors to store artwork and other luxury collectibles in a way that exempts them from customs duties and taxes. The case of the freeport raises questions about the fate of art in neoliberal wealth management regimes, but also questions about the geopolitical and spatial nature of financialized capitalism. The article works with Carl Schmitt’s theory of the spatial framing of political–economic orders around the juxtaposition of land and sea and shows that freeports detach themselves from this oppositional logic. Further, we propose that a full understanding of the freeport as space–time arrangement needs to take recourse to a particular medieval theological concept, namely that of purgatory. Based on this interpretative framework, we argue that mobility-oriented sociological concepts are insufficient to grasp the nature of the freeport.
A Study of the Use of Micro-based Networks in British Schools
Authors: Pain-Lewins Helen
Published: September 2020

During the summer of 1987, a study was made of the use of Prestel and The Times Network for Schools (TTNS) as electronic communications systems in British schools. The results discussed here provide information on school use of networks and on the activities in schools where good practice has been identified.
Declarative Languages for Advanced Information Technologies
Authors: Kosky Anthony
Published: September 2020

In recent times there has been a great increase in interest in declarative programming languages, which are based on sound mathematical formalisms, independent of the machinery on which they are implemented. Such languages are easier to understand and debug, and have advantages with regard to program transformation and verification, and parallel implementation over conventional, imperative languages. In this essay I will discuss the various paradigms available for declarative programming, and also the object orientated programming paradigm, and put forward various ideas that I feel are of particular interest.
Appropriate Technology for Humans and Organizations
Authors: Clegg Chris
Published: September 2020

This paper introduces the idea of ‘Appropriate Technology’ and applies it to some of the choices organizations make when designing, implementing and managing information technology (IT). It questions whether companies make appropriate choices about the extent of technology, the allocation of system functions between humans and machines, the design of jobs and roles for humans, the design of supporting organizational structures, and the methods used during design and implementation. If inappropriate choices are made in these areas, problems of morale, motivation and system performance can occur. The objectives of the paper are to examine whether these ideas can help to identify and explain problems in the implementation of new technology, and to argue that social scientists have so far achieved relatively little in helping organizations to make more appropriate choices in these areas. The paper makes a number of propositions about new technology from a social science perspective, introduces what is meant by Appropriate Technology, uses manufacturing as an example of an environment within which new technologies are being implemented, and describes five key decision areas for managers. As a result, a new set of propositions is made, this time from the perspective of general management and engineering. The author draws on research and development experiences with a number of companies, and on work undertaken within the ESPRIT and Alvey programmes.
Integral, Implicitly Intelligent Systems
Authors: Ŝpigel Ivo
Published: September 2020

Artificial intelligence systems today suffer from problems that are widely acknowledged within the discipline: brittleness, inflexibility, the frame problem and others. These problems are due largely to insufficient methodological foresight in system design. In particular, reduction of a system into components and the explicit representation of knowledge (frames, rules etc) are misused. Research has begun at OZIR to investigate a different class of system: integral and implicitly intelligent. This paper explains the hypotheses involved and the direction of research.
Object-Oriented Application on Data Modelling and Knowledge Representation: A System Integration Approach
Authors: Lee Daniel T.
Published: September 2020

Traditional data modelling techniques of DSS and modern knowledge representation methodologies of ES are inconsistent. A new unifying model is needed for integrating the two systems into a unified whole. After a brief review of data modelling techniques and knowledge representation methodologies, the unifying model will be described and integrated systems will be used to exemplify the usefulness of the unifying model.
Internal Auditors and the Prevention and Detection of Computer Fraud
Authors: Marston Claire , Dixon Rob , Collier Paul
Published: September 2020

This study examines the involvement and attitudes of internal auditors to the prevention and detection of computer fraud. This approach differs from previous research which has concentrated on learning from frauds which have occurred. The main enquiry was by means of a questionnaire sent to members of the Institute of Internal Auditors. Verification and additional information was forthcoming by visiting some respondents.

Almost a fifth of internal audit departments reported that they had no specific responsibility for either prevention or detection of computer fraud. It was clear that where responsibility was acknowledged, it is generally on an informal basis or is self imposed.

Internal auditors reported that most reliance was placed on computer assisted tools and manual techniques like input/output reconciliation for detection of computer fraud. Few of the organisations surveyed had any laid down guidelines what to do in the case of a fraud discovery. Where guidelines did exist they called for dismissal and prosecution. In smaller firms, external auditors have a larger role in the prevention and detection of computer fraud than in larger firms.

Opinion on the prevention and detection of computer fraud included the view that as network systems become more common, so detection and prevention will become more difficult. In addition it was claimed that management did not appreciate the level of the threat. Internal auditors feel that they have a role to play, but highlighted the fact that there is a shortage of staff with the requisite skills.
A resource-aware approach to collaborative loop-closure detection with provable performance guarantees
Authors: Tian Yulun , Khosoussi Kasra , How Jonathan P
Published: September 2020

This paper presents resource-aware algorithms for distributed inter-robot loop-closure detection for applications such as collaborative simultaneous localization and mapping (CSLAM) and distributed image retrieval. In real-world scenarios, this process is resource-intensive as it involves exchanging many observations and geometrically verifying a large number of potential matches. This poses severe challenges for small-size and low-cost robots with various operational and resource constraints that limit, e.g., energy consumption, communication bandwidth, and computation capacity. This paper proposes a framework in which robots first exchange compact queries to identify a set of potential loop closures. We then seek to select a subset of potential inter-robot loop closures for geometric verification that maximizes a monotone submodular performance metric without exceeding budgets on computation (number of geometric verifications) and communication (amount of exchanged data for geometric verification). We demonstrate that this problem is, in general, NP-hard, and present efficient approximation algorithms with provable a priori performance guarantees. The proposed framework is extensively evaluated on real and synthetic datasets. A natural convex relaxation scheme is also presented to certify the near-optimal performance of the proposed framework a posteriori.
Improving Acute Treatment of Pediatric Primary Headache Disorders With a Novel Headache Treatment Center: Retrospective Review of Preliminary Outcomes
Authors: Esparham Anna , Boorigie Madeline , Ablatt Saniya , Connelly Mark , Bickel Jennifer
Published: September 2020

Objective:

To determine preliminary outcomes of targeted headache treatments provided at a novel outpatient acute care pediatric headache treatment center.

Background:

Limitations exist in acute management of pediatric headaches, including inadequate access to specialty headache therapies and headache specialists in acute settings, variable success of emergency room treatments, and omission of comfort measures. An outpatient acute headache care clinic (the “Headache Treatment Center”) was strategically initiated at a Midwestern pediatric academic hospital to provide acute and targeted headache therapies for children with active headaches.

Methods:

We conducted a retrospective chart review of 154 visits from September through November 2018 of patients ages 7-18 years visiting the Headache Treatment Center.

Results:

On average, headache intensity (measured on an 11-point pain numeric rating scale) decreased after interventions used in the Headache Treatment Center (mean change = 2.85 ± 2.81, P < .05, Cohen d = 1.01). Large effect sizes for reducing headache intensity were observed for pericranial, occipital/auriculotemporal, and occipital nerve blocks, Cohen d = 1.56, 1.64 and 1.02, respectively. Large effect sizes for reducing headache intensity also were observed for a transcutaneous supraorbital nerve stimulator device (Cefaly) (Cohen d = 1.02), acupuncture (Cohen d = 1.09), and intravenous migraine cocktails (Cohen d = 0.91-1.34).

Conclusion:

Targeted headache therapies to abort pediatric primary headaches as part of a novel headache clinic model may be beneficial for short-term management.
Outcome of Patients With Necrotizing Vasculitis Admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for Sepsis: Results of a Single-Centre Retrospective Analysis
Authors: Krasselt Marco , Baerwald Christoph , Petros Sirak , Seifert Olga
Published: September 2020

Introduction/Background:

Vasculitis patients have a high risk for infections that may require intensive care unit (ICU) treatment in case of resulting sepsis. Since data on sepsis mortality in this patient group is limited, the present study investigated the clinical characteristics and outcomes of vasculitis patients admitted to the ICU for sepsis.

Methods:

The medical records of all necrotizing vasculitis patients admitted to the ICU of a tertiary hospital for sepsis in a 13-year period have been reviewed. Mortality was calculated and multivariate logistic regression was used to determine independent risk factors for sepsis mortality. Moreover, the predictive power of common ICU scores was further evaluated.

Results:

The study included 34 patients with necrotizing vasculitis (mean age 69 ± 9.9 years, 35.3% females). 47.1% (n = 16) were treated with immunosuppressives (mostly cyclophosphamide, n = 35.3%) and 76.5% (n = 26) received glucocorticoids. Rituximab was used in 4 patients (11.8%).The in-hospital mortality of septic vasculitis patients was 41.2%. The Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score (p = 0.003) was independently associated with mortality in multivariate logistic regression. Acute Physiology And Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II), Simplified Acute Physiology Score II (SAPS II) and SOFA scores were good predictors of sepsis mortality in the investigated vasculitis patients (APACHE II AUC 0.73, p = 0.02; SAPS II AUC 0.81, p < 0.01; SOFA AUC 0.898, p < 0.0001).

Conclusions:

Sepsis mortality was high in vasculitis patients. SOFA was independently associated with mortality in a logistic regression model. SOFA and other well-established ICU scores were good mortality predictors.
Amniotic membrane allografts maintain key biological properties post SCCO2 and lyophilization processing
Authors: McDaniel Jennifer S , Wehmeyer Jennifer L , Cornell Lauren E , Johnson Anthony J , Zamora David O
Published: September 2020

Amniotic membrane (AM) has been shown to enhance corneal wound healing due to the abundance of growth factors, cytokines, and extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins inherent to the tissue. As such, AM has garnered widespread clinical utility as a biological dressing for a number of ophthalmic and soft tissue applications. The preparation, sterilization, and storage procedures used to manufacture AM grafts are extremely important for the conservation of inherent biological components within the membrane. Current processing techniques use harsh chemicals and sterilization agents that can compromise the fundamental wound healing properties of AM. Furthermore, commercially available cryopreserved AM products require specific storage conditions (e.g., ultra-low freezers) thereby limiting their clinical availability in austere environments. Supercritical carbon dioxide (SCCO2) technology allows for the sterilization of biological tissues without the resulting degradation of integral ECM proteins and other factors often seen with current tissue sterilization processes. With this study we demonstrate that lyophilized AM, sterilized using SCCO2, maintains similar biochemical properties and biocompatibility as that of commercially available AM products requiring specialized cold storage conditions.
The Removal of Children in Domestic Violence: Widening Service Provider Perspectives
Authors: Cramp Kelly Jane , Zufferey Carole
Published: September 2020

A range of service providers support mothers and children who are experiencing domestic violence (DV). However, research tends to focus on the role of service providers in child protection services and DV services. This potentially excludes valuable insights from a wider range of nongovernment service providers on the systemic issues that mothers experiencing DV and child separation may experience. This research explored the perspectives of 16 different nongovernment service providers about working with women who have had their children removed while experiencing DV. The study used an intersectional feminist approach that highlighted intersecting gendered and racialized power relations in service responses functioning to reinforce multiple dimensions of disadvantage. The study found that mother blame was a pervasive issue both within and outside of child protection services. Service providers described the challenges of navigating a system that revictimizes women, with particular impacts for Aboriginal and culturally diverse mothers. The findings reinforced the importance of preventing mother blame, holding perpetrators of DV more accountable, and improving collaboration across services and for more flexible responses to women living with violence.
Tofacitinib, the First Oral Janus Kinase Inhibitor Approved for Adult Ulcerative Colitis
Authors: Palasik Brittany N. , Wang Hongmei
Published: September 2020

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) characterized by chronic gastrointestinal inflammation. In most patients, the disease cycles through periods of remission and exacerbations. The complex etiology involves multiple factors including environmental, genetic, and immune causal elements. Janus Kinase (JAK) family is an essential component of a cytokine-signaling cascade partially responsible for the pathogenesis of UC. Treating UC presents difficulties despite various therapeutic options. Medications that block the JAK-signaling pathway can interfere with the inflammatory pathway of UC and possibly reduce symptoms and frequency of exacerbations. Tofacitinib is an oral pan-JAK inhibitor, primarily of JAK1 and JAK3, that was recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the chronic treatment of UC in 2018. The following review describes the newly approved Janus kinase inhibitor, tofacitinib, including its pharmacokinetic properties, efficacy and safety data, and potential place in therapy.
Development of a test method and experimental study on cable unwinding
Authors: Kang Ji-Heon , Kim Kun-Woo , Lee Jae-Wook , Cho Yong-Jae , Jang Jin-Seok
Published: September 2020

In addition to the textile industry, unwinding of cable or fiber is used in various fields such as electronics, communication, and guided weapons. The cable released from the package exhibit a complicated behavior, entailing a combination of rotational and translational motion. This causes problems such as entangling and fracture. Therefore, it is necessary to study boundary and adhesion conditions to prevent unwinding failure. In this study, an experimental device for the analysis of cable unwinding was developed, and unwinding behavior was analyzed experimentally under various unwinding conditions. The experimental device comprises a jig for high-speed camera measurements, control device, and cable unwinding device. Cable behavior was analyzed according to the unwinding velocity and the distance between the fiber package and the point where the fiber was released. In addition, unwinding behavior with respect of the tension acting on the cable was analyzed experimentally by applying the adhesive.
Linear amplification factor transport equation for stationary crossflow instabilities in supersonic boundary layers
Authors: Xu Jiakuan
Published: September 2020

Based on the database from linear stability theory (LST) analysis, a local amplification factor transport equation for stationary crossflow (CF) waves in low-speed boundary layers was developed in 2019. In this paper, the authors try to extend this transport equation to compressible boundary layers based on local flow variables. The similarity equations for compressible boundary layers are introduced to build the function relations between non-local variables and local flow parameters. Then, compressibility corrections are taken into account to modify the source term of the transport equation. Through verifications of different sweep angles, Reynolds numbers, angles of attack, Mach numbers, and different cross-section geometric shapes, the rationality and correctness of the new transport equation established in this paper are illustrated.
Book review: Christopher J. Berry, Adam Smith: A Very Short Introduction
Authors: Thomas Alex M.
Published: September 2020

Christopher J. Berry, Adam Smith: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2018, xx + 128 pp, ₹250. ISBN 978-0-198-78445-6 (paperback).
“Daughter-Only” Families in Selected High and Low Son Preference States in India: A Comparative Analysis
Authors: Sahoo Harihar , Nagarajan R.
Published: September 2020

The deep-rooted patriarchal norms and the culture of son preference in India played a central role for avoiding the birth of a girl child. This study attempts to understand the extent of acceptance of daughters in selected high and low son preference states of India by using data from District Level Household and Facility Survey (DLHS) 3 and 4. Understanding the characteristics of the couples who have stopped childbearing only with daughters provide insights about the prevailing norms on acceptance of daughters. The results revealed that, from DLHS 3 to 4, there is an increasing trend in the daughter preference in both high and low son preference states. The results of the study indicate that the acceptance of daughters is initially emerging among younger, educated, urban and richer couples. The gradual increase in acceptance of daughters reveals weakening of rigid patriarchal norms and son preference in the study states.
The Effect of Income Inequality on Happiness Inequality in India: A Recentered Influence Function Regression Estimation and Life Satisfaction Inequality Decomposition
Authors: Lakshmanasamy T. , Maya K.
Published: September 2020

It is now an accepted stylised fact that increase in happiness level in any country is not commensurate with growth in income, a puzzle known as Easterlin Paradox. This paper analyses the income-happiness relationship in India and tries to explain the flat happiness response to income change in terms of rising income inequality. Income growth propels inequality and so also inequality in well-being. Empirically the effects of income inequality, absolute income, relative income, rank position and social capital indices are analysed using World Value Survey data for 12 states of India over 24 years from 1990 to 2014. As the variation in the 10-point scale measure of life satisfaction level is narrow, an recentered influence function (RIF) regression of variance and Gini of life satisfaction are estimated. The life satisfaction inequality is decomposed into composition and coefficients effects using Blinder–Oaxaca (B–O) decomposition method. The estimated RIF coefficients reveal significant effects on life satisfaction inequality of various income measures and social capital indices. The B–O decomposition shows that the functional relationship between material aspirations and life satisfaction, contribute significantly to rising life satisfaction inequality relative to changes over time in happiness influencing factors. Reducing income inequality and improving trust, sociability, health, education and employment over time and space could reduce life satisfaction inequality and improve happiness level in India.