bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Attempt at Numerical Representation of Gas Explosion in a Large Panel Building
Authors: Kadela Marta , Cincio Andrzej , Fedorowicz Jan , Gerylo Robert
Published: September 2019

Analysis of the construction market in Poland and its trends in the recent years indicates a resurgence of prefabricated technology in residential construction. The main period of prefabrication development in Poland was in the 1970s. when it was referred to as large panel. According to a report by Building Research Institute, buildings constructed with large panels are characteristics for their high durability and any damage occurring in the buildings built using the technology can be divided into two groups. The first is damage similar to that occurring in traditional construction, such as damage to partition walls, roof covering or installations. The other is damage related to the prefabrication technology itself, i.e. the production of elements (material damage) and their assembly (damage at connections). Other potential threats include mining activity in the case of buildings located in mining areas and gas explosions related to the gas systems present in this type of building. This paper, therefore, attempts to recreate the process and consequences of an explosion in a closed room of a multi-family building using a numerical model. The simulations are based on: literature data (concerning calculating and applying explosion actions) and own experience in assessing the response of a concrete structure described using an elastic-plastic-damage (e-p-d) model. The result of the analyses included indication of areas directly affected by risk of loss of stability (with potential expansion of disaster area). The paper also presents the effect of “expulsion” of an external wall due to explosion. It was found that structure failure states obtained in the analyses are fully compatible in qualitative sense with observed real construction disasters caused by explosions. Real quantitative trustworthiness should result from laboratory tests of materials from which the buildings under analysis are built of.
Case Study: The Strengthening and Rehabilitation of a School Building with Poor Construction Quality
Authors: Sanassee Laksham , Seeboo Asish
Published: September 2019

Old infrastructure in most small islands developing states were built with poor construction quality leading to reduced concrete strength and load changes in these buildings are very common. Consequently, these structures have shown signs of premature damages and their service life remain elusive. This article deals with the inspection, assessment and strengthening of a reinforced concrete building, in Mauritius that is currently being used as a public school. The building was built in the year two thousands and is two storeys high. The establishment wants to add an additional storey on the existing building to increase student population. However, the building is showing signs of distress resulted from poor construction quality. The columns are misaligned on all three levels and the slab thickness is inadequate causing excessive vibration on the floors. The managements are not in favour of pulling down the existing building as they will have to abide by the new building regulations which will consequently decrease the allowable buildable area and will cause major disruption to the day to day activities. Therefore, the most feasible solution is to strengthen the load carrying capacity of members which have become structurally deficient over time to make the building safe and adopt to the addition of one storey above the existing building.
The Lost Streams of Ankara: A Case Study of Bentderesi
Authors: Kaymaz Isıl
Published: September 2019

This paper aims to provide a critical overview of the management of Ankara’s streams in the historical context of the city’s urbanization process and focuses on one particular example Bentderesi (Bent stream). Prior to Ankara’s declaration as a capital city and during the early periods of the young Republic of Turkey, the streams and creeks of the city were the significant destinations for public recreation and they were also used for freshwater supply and fishing. However, ironically, these streams had caused the most damage to their surroundings due to floods several times. For instance, in 1957, the flood along the Hatip Stream affected many areas along its bed, including Mamak, Saimekadın, Gülveren, Bentderesi, Dışkapı, Kazıkiçi vegetable gardens and Akköprü which led to many casualties and serious physical damage. At the same time, some of these streams had been highly polluted and literally had become open sewers. These all led to a drastic change in the urban landscape of Ankara; many streams and creeks were channelized and paved over. Bentderesi was one of them. Actually, Bentderesi (meaning barraged creek) is part of the Hatip Stream. It takes this name near the old settlement area, the Ankara Citadel. According to the literature, Bentderesi name comes from the dam structures on the creek built in Roman times. Unfortunately, the ruins had not been protected or conserved and are invisible today. Currently, vehicle traffic flows along “Bentderesi Street” which was built overtop the channelized river. Although the first plans for the newly established capital made use of Bentderesi and its surroundings as green spaces for leisure and ecological benefits, it became a slum area after it had been channelized. Today, Ankara is facing with water supply problems and the global climate change scenarios do not seem promising as well. Furthermore, there has been a rise in floods occurring in the urban fabric due to the increased impermeable paved surfaces overtop the creek and streams and their beds. Restoring and re-discovering the lost stream landscapes of the city would be a major, but at the same time an incredibly exciting challenge for Ankara and its urban landscape in terms of both ecological and social sustainability. In this regard, this paper will address to the conflicts between policies and the need for conservation of water surfaces of Ankara within the specific example of Bentderesi.
An Analysis Of Architectural (Full Design) Project Development Phases: From An Idea to The Construction Works
Authors: Profeanu Virgil
Published: September 2019

The paper presents a useful algorithm which can be applied in the development of a design and construction project, in order to reach a pertinent conclusion on investing or not in it. The algorithm describes the chronological process through which any investor should go through. Every step of this process implies additional costs and will be taken only if the algorithm indicates so. Firstly, the paper enlightens the main steps in developing a design and construction project financed through public resources. In this case, the process has a clear path due to the legislation in the field imposed in Romania. After that, it continues with defining the steps for a similar project but financed through private resources. This is a more complicated case because the private investor has fewer financial resources and in the opportunity stage, for the most part, he does not own the site for the future project. Therefore, a private investor has to pay more attention to every step taken in the investment decision, especially in the construction domain. The interest in studying these processes derived from my observations on my company’s clients’ needs when taking decisions related to design and construction projects. It is obvious that the standard business plan is not sufficient in developing such a project. In addition, these specific projects have different involvements from other types of projects that were taken into account when proposing the algorithm. Consequently, the algorithm from this paper was elaborated based on my personal experience in over 40 design and construction projects as an entrepreneur and on the literature review I carried out.
Cycling Mobility for a Green Micro-Economic Development of the Apennines Inlands
Authors: Di Ludovico Donato , D’Ovidio Gino , Santilli Debora
Published: September 2019

This paper refers to a research project on the cycling mobility micro-economic effects in the highland of Navelli located in the Apennines Inland of Abruzzo (Italy), one of the greenest Region in Europe (30% of its territory consists of parks and protected areas). The study proposes a green economic development model based on cycling tourism, territorial/architecture enhancement, built heritage recovery and micro entrepreneurial activities in the receptive field. To this purpose, a main cycling path is mostly realized through an ancient sheep track and associated with complementary cycle trail is designed. The study results are illustrated and discussed in terms of economic (costs, revenues income) social and environmental benefits.
Application of the Triangulated Irregular Network (TIN) Method in the Creation of Models of Historical Buildings
Authors: Pawlowicz Joanna A.
Published: September 2019

Renovation or modernization of a historical building involves creating its model. An accurate 3D representation of a building can be used e.g. to analyse the possibilities of renovating or recovering its damaged elements. This paper discusses examples of how helpful 3D laser scanning can be in creating models of historical buildings. This technology is of particular importance when it comes to representing decorative architectural details. To create a 3D image of a building using reverse engineering one must first gather on-site data by means of terrestrial laser scanning in the form of a point cloud. This paper describes the process of creating a model of a historical building by means of the TIN method using Leica’s Cyclone programme. The on-site measurements were taken using a ScanStation C10 scanner, also by Leica.
Air Purification in Highly-Urbanized Areas with Use TiO2: New Approach to Design the Urban Public Space to Benefit Human Condition
Authors: Januszkiewicz Krystyna , Kowalski Karol G.
Published: September 2019

This paper deal with the possibilities of architectural design to benefit human condition, which encompasses physical well-being, environmental quality of life in highly-urbanized areas. Nowadays, the urban pollution is rising on a global scale. The paper is focused on a new possibility to resolve the problem of air purification in big cities by advanced architectural design public use spaces in the urban environment. The first part of the paper depicts possible usage of Titanium dioxide (TiO2) technology - nanoparticles of TiO2, as a building materials component. These components are the latest findings in the field of nanomaterials development, and their effectiveness due to the usage of the photocatalysis, which depends on eliminating various atmospheric pollutants and especially clearing the atmosphere from nitrogen oxides. These components together with calcium carbonate to neutralize any acidic gasses that may be adsorbed. Photoactive construction materials are mainly activated under UV light irradiation. The second part presents the results of the research program Climate Change Adapted Architecture and Building Structures which has been conducted by Krystyna Januszkiewicz (the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture for a few years at West Pomeranian University of Technology (WPUT) in Szczecin. The presented designs were developed with co-operation, Magdalena Janus and Kamila Bogacz (Institute of Chemical and Environmental Engineering) as applications samples of titanium dioxide technology (photocatalytic active building materials) in the urban space. In conclusion, the paper emphasizes the usage of titanium technology, as a construction materials component such as concrete and gypsum or a component of active membrane fabrics opens a new way in architecture and structure designing in the urban public space. This is indispensable to improve citizens’ health and to clear the atmosphere from nitrogen oxides or the volatile organic compounds and serves also as the basis to newly-built communities.
Wind Tunnel Experiment for Pedestrian Wind Comfort in Sun Valley Campus
Authors: Othmani Marabout Lyna , Anton Anton
Published: September 2019

Various urban spaces around the world, were designed and built in respect with the design theories in order to satisfy different requests of users and inhabitants and to provide a quality urban spaces. The use of these spaces by the city citizen depends on many factors that influence their decision while choosing the urban space where to spend time. Among these factors, the comfort provided in any area is a crucial determinant that depend mainly on a wide range of climatic parameters such as air temperature, wind velocity, relative humidity, solar radiation etc. However, the impact of the micro-climates parameters on the user’s comfort in these open spaces has often been ignored and architects tend to pay more attention and consider the indoor comfort, but they may not consider the effect of their buildings on the outdoor environment, and pedestrian comfort. The article concerns an experimental study on the effects of the wind velocity on the pedestrian comfort and safety in a campus inside a bigger project called Laser Valley Land of Lights. With the purpose to provide a project with a complete harmony with the physical elements of the environment. Due to the fact that the interaction between the wind and the city buildings, create aerodynamic phenomena around building that impact directly the outdoor environment and make the study of the human outdoor comfort more complex. The study was carried out at the Aerodynamics and Wind Engineering Laboratory “Constantin Iamandi” (LAIV) from the Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest (UTCB). The project Laser Valley Land of Lights aims to implement the world’s most powerful laser, Extreme Light Infrastructure Nuclear Physics ELI NP Project. The campus under study won an international competition by providing an open research ecosystem taking into consideration that is based on green building and sustainable development. In this paper we describe the result obtained from the experiment performed in the TASL1-M Boundary Layer Wind Tunnel on the effects of the wind on the pedestrian comfort and the mitigation solution proposed for the critical and uncomfortable areas detected.
A Point Cloud as the Starting Database for Reconstruction of Architectural and Constructional Documentation of Rural Cottage with the Use of CAD Programs
Authors: Pawlowicz Joanna A. , Szafranko Elzbieta
Published: September 2019

Modern rural buildings have usually simple form and uncomplicated layout of the rooms. And there is no decorative elements and architectural details. It is different in the case of historic buildings. Their design is usually quite complex and rich in detail. In order to carry out repairs or reconstruction of such a building it is necessary to perform the design and cost estimate on the basis of the existing facility. In the case of old buildings, this can be problematic due to the lack of documentation. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct an inventory of the object and restoring its technical documentation. 3D laser scanning is an accurate and relatively fast method. With the use of engineering software, building or even the entire habitat can be projected and drawn out in the form of any of the sections and views. In addition, the resulting three-dimensional object model can facilitate the distribution of the various functions associated with agricultural production and housing in the facility.
Systemic integrated approach to evaluating the resource potential of a construction company as a bidder
Authors: Lapidus A.A. , Abramov I.L.
Published: September 2019

In the last few decades, the Russian construction market has seen competition grow fierce among contractors. All of the market players strive to surpass their competitors, while the clients face a serious task of organizing the bidding procedures in keeping with internal regulations and in line with the federal law on procurement. This paper suggests a mathematical model which uses the systemic integrated approach to evaluate the resource potential of a construction company participating in the procurement process. To this effect, research of international procurement experience has been conducted and its findings have enabled the authors to outline and assess the key factors shaping the behavior of the suggested model. As a result of the research, recommendations have been developed for an efficient systemic integrated evaluation of the resource potential of a construction company in order to improve the quality of procurement processes in the construction sector.
Passive Cooling in the System of a Heat Pump with a Vertical Ground Collector
Authors: Rabczak Slawomir , Proszak-Miasik Danuta
Published: September 2019

Heat pumps from more than ten years are known as an alternative source of thermal energy. They are primarily used for central heating and domestic hot water preparation. Next to the solar collectors, they are the cheapest and easiest way to save energy. But heat pump can also be used for cooling. Heat can spontaneously flow from a colder to a hotter body. Flows from a body with a higher temperature to a body with a lower temperature are commonly known as the second law of thermodynamics. The heat pump pulled out of cooler ambient heat which may be used for central heating or for domestic hot water. There are many types of cooling pumps. This depends mainly on the type of pump, and actually kind of heat source that can be used in two ways: as a heat receiving surface - or as a source of cooling for utilization. Knowing the general principle of operation of the pump, we can introduce innovative technologies that allow more devices to reduce the operating costs. In this solution, the heat pump installation, initially designed only for heating or, ultimately, also for cooling purposes, enables the use of a system that will be based on the part of the installation associated with the lower heat source, but not as a source of heat but as a source of coolness. This system is often referred to as “natural cooling” or as a passive cooling system. In such a system, during the production of chilled water, a significant reduction in production costs is obtained due to the lack of energy consumption for the drive of refrigeration compressors, and only the use of circulation pumps for the lower and upper circulation of the heat source. The disadvantage of this solution is the limitation resulting from the situation of close connections between ground temperature and chilled water temperature in the supply, which causes the limitation of its use for the period beyond the maximum peak demand for cold in the cooling season, i.e. most often at the highest outside temperatures. Thanks to the economical use of electricity, we can contribute to protect the environment.
Steel Beams and their Plastic Bending-share Resistance
Authors: Juhas Pavol , Juhasova Senitkova Ingrid
Published: September 2019

The theoretical analysis, experimental investigation and calculation of the plastic bending-shear resistance of the steel cross-section beams are presented within the paper. The original theoretical analysis of the plastic bending-shear resistance of the hybrid steel beams with the compact I cross-sections is also presented. They can have cross-sections combined from different steels, where flanges are forms of the higher strength steels and the web is from the middle steel. The theoretical calculations take into consideration the actual international standards for the design of the steel structures. The experimental program has comprised the tests of 24 simple rolled beams with IPE160 cross-section. The obtained experimental results are evaluated and compared with the corresponding theoretical results.
Pre-diagnostic leukocyte mitochondrial DNA copy number and colorectal cancer risk
Authors: Yang Keming , Li Xin , Forman Michele R , Monahan Patrick O , Graham Bret H , Joshi Amit , Song Mingyang , Hang Dong , Ogino Shuji , Giovannucci Edward L , De Vivo Immaculata , Chan Andrew T , Nan Hongmei
Published: September 2019

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is susceptible to oxidative stress and mutation. Few epidemiological studies have assessed the relationship between mtDNA copy number (mtDNAcn) and risk of colorectal cancer (CRC), with inconsistent findings. In this study, we examined the association between pre-diagnostic leukocyte mtDNAcn and CRC risk in a case–control study of 324 female cases and 658 matched controls nested within the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS). Relative mtDNAcn in peripheral blood leukocytes was measured by quantitative polymerase chain reaction-based assay. Conditional logistic regression models were applied to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for the association of interest. Results showed lower log-mtDNAcn was significantly associated with increased risk of CRC, in a dose-dependent relationship (P for trend < 0.0001). Compared to the fourth quartile, multivariable-adjusted OR [95% confidence interval (CI)] was 1.10 (0.69, 1.76) for the third quartile, 1.40 (0.89, 2.19) for the second quartile and 2.19 (1.43, 3.35) for the first quartile. In analysis by anatomic subsite of CRC, we found a significant inverse association for proximal colon cancer [lowest versus highest quartile, multivariable-adjusted OR (95% CI) = 3.31 (1.70, 6.45), P for trend = 0.0003]. Additionally, stratified analysis according to the follow-up time since blood collection showed that the inverse association between mtDNAcn and CRC remained significant among individuals with ≥ 5 years’ follow-up, and marginally significant among those with ≥ 10 years’ follow-up since mtDNAcn testing, suggesting that mtDNAcn may serve as a long-term predictor for risk of CRC. In conclusion, pre-diagnostic leukocyte mtDNAcn was inversely associated with CRC risk. Further basic experimental studies are needed to explore the underlying biological mechanisms linking mtDNAcn to CRC carcinogenesis.
Spatiotemporal Clustering of Multidrug-Resistant and Extensively Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis Is Associated With Human Immunodeficiency Virus Status and Drug-Susceptibility Patterns in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Authors: Wolf Allison , Padayatchi Nesri , Naidoo Kogieleum , Master Iqbal , Mathema Barun , O’Donnell Max R
Published: September 2019

Using an open-access spatiotemporal analytics program, we mapped spatiotemporal heterogeneity loci in tuberculosis (TB) cases (clusters) and dynamic changes, and characterized the drug-resistant TB clustering risk using routine microbiological data from KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The data may provide insight into transmission dynamics and support efficient deployment of public health resources.
Switching to Tenofovir Alafenamide in Elvitegravir-Based Regimens: Pharmacokinetics and Antiviral Activity in Cerebrospinal Fluid
Authors: Ma Qing , Ocque Andrew J , Morse Gene D , Sanders Chelsea , Burgi Alina , Little Susan J , Letendre Scott L
Published: September 2019

Background

Tenofovir alafenamide fumarate (TAF) co-formulated with elvitegravir (EVG; E), cobicistat (C), and emtricitabine (F), a recommended antiretroviral regimen, was evaluated for distribution and antiviral activity in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) as well as neurocognitive (NC) performance change in participants switching from E/C/F/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) to E/C/F/TAF.

Methods

This was a 24-week, single-arm, open-label study in treatment-experienced adults living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Nine participants switched from E/C/F/TDF (150/150/200/300 mg once daily) to E/C/F/TAF (150/150/200/10 mg once daily) at week 12. CSF and total plasma concentrations of EVG, TDF, TAF, tenofovir (TFV), and HIV RNA levels were measured at baseline and week 24. NC performance was estimated by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment.

Results

EVG concentrations in CSF and the CSF:plasma ratio remained stable (P = .203) over time. Following the switch, TFV concentrations in CSF and plasma declined (P = .004), although the TFV CSF:plasma ratio increased (P = .004). At week 24, median TAF plasma concentration was 11.05 ng/mL (range, 2.84–147.1 ng/mL) 2 hours postdose but was below assay sensitivity 6 hours after dosing. TAF was below assay sensitivity in all CSF specimens. HIV RNA was ≤40 copies/mL in all CSF and plasma specimens. Three participants (33%) had NC impairment at baseline and 2 (22%) remained impaired at week 24.

Conclusions

Switch to E/C/F/TAF was associated with reductions in TFV concentrations in CSF but stable EVG concentrations that exceeded the 50% inhibitory concentration for wild-type HIV, suggesting that EVG achieves therapeutic concentrations in the central nervous system. No virologic failure or significant NC changes were detected following the switch.

Clinical Trials Registration

NCT02251236.
Intrusion Detection Over Encrypted Network Data
Authors: Karaçay Leyli , Savaş Erkay , Alptekin Halit
Published: September 2019

Effective protection against cyber-attacks requires constant monitoring and analysis of system data in an IT infrastructure, such as log files and network packets, which may contain private and sensitive information. Security operation centers (SOC), which are established to detect, analyze and respond to cyber-security incidents, often utilize detection models either for known types of attacks or for anomaly and applies them to the system data for detection. SOC are also motivated to keep their models private to capitalize on the models that are their propriety expertise, and to protect their detection strategies against adversarial machine learning. In this paper, we develop a protocol for privately evaluating detection models on the system data, in which privacy of both the system data and detection models is protected and information leakage is either prevented altogether or quantifiably decreased. Our main approach is to provide an end-to-end encryption for the system data and detection models utilizing lattice-based cryptography that allows homomorphic operations over ciphertext. We employ recent data sets in our experiments which demonstrate that the proposed privacy-preserving intrusion detection system is feasible in terms of execution times and bandwidth requirements and reliable in terms of accuracy.
Use of echocardiography to stratify the risk of atrial fibrillation: comparison of left atrial and ventricular strain
Authors: Kawakami Hiroshi , Ramkumar Satish , Pathan Faraz , Wright Leah , Marwick Thomas H
Published: September 2019

Aims

Although both left atrial (LA) and ventricular (LV) dysfunction has been accepted as an important risk factor of atrial fibrillation (AF), usefulness of LA and LV strain has not been fully compared for prediction of AF. The aims of this study were to clarify the associations of both LA and LV strain with AF and to compare their predictive values in the risk stratification for AF.

Methods and results

We evaluated 531 consecutive patients (median age 67 years, 56% male), with no history of AF who underwent echocardiography after cryptogenic stroke. Standard echocardiographic parameters were measured, and speckle-tracking was used to measure LA (reservoir, pump, and conduit strain) and LV strain (global longitudinal strain, GLS). The baseline clinical and echocardiographic parameters of the patients who developed AF and those who did not were compared. Median 36 months of follow-up, 61 patients (11%) had newly diagnosed AF. LA pump strain and GLS were significantly and independently associated with AF and provided incremental predictive value over clinical and standard echocardiographic parameters. Areas under the receiver-operating curves for GLS (0.841) were comparable to LA pump (0.825) and reservoir (0.851) strain. However, predictive value of both strains was different between patients with and without LA enlargement at the time of transthoracic echocardiography screening. LA strain was more useful than LV strain in patients with normal LA volumes, while LV strain was more useful than LA strain in patients with abnormal LA volumes.

Conclusion

Both LA and LV strain are significantly and independently associated with AF and provide incremental predictive value over clinical and standard echocardiographic parameters. However, priorities of strain assessment are different depends on patients’ condition at the time of echocardiography.
The association between depression and type of treatments received for chronic low back pain
Authors: Zubatsky Max , Witthaus Matthew , Scherrer Jeffrey F , Salas Joanne , Gebauer Sarah , Burge Sandra , Schneider F David
Published: September 2019

Background

Depression is associated with receipt of opioids in non-cancer pain.

Objectives

To determine whether the receipt of opioid therapy modifies the relationship of depression and use of multiple non-opioid pain treatments.

Methods

Patients (n = 320) with chronic low back pain (CLBP) were recruited from family medicine clinics and completed questionnaires that measured use of home remedies, physical treatments requiring a provider and non-opioid medication treatments. A binary variable defined use (yes/no) of all three non-opioid treatment categories. Depression (yes/no) was measured with the PHQ-2. The use of opioids (yes/no) was determined by medical record abstraction. Unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression models, stratified on opioid use, estimated the association between depression and use of all three non-opioid treatments.

Results

Participants were mostly female (71.3%), non-white (57.5%) and 69.4% were aged 18 to 59 years. In adjusted analyses stratified by opioid use, depression was not significantly associated with using three non-opioid treatments (OR = 2.20; 95% CI = 0.80–6.07) among non-opioid users; but among opioid users, depression was significantly associated with using three non-opioid treatments (OR = 3.21; 95% CI: 1.14–8.99). These odds ratios were not significantly different between opioid users and non-users (P = 0.609).

Conclusion

There is modest evidence to conclude that patients with CLBP and comorbid depression, compared with those without depression, were more likely to try both opioid and non-opioid pain treatments. Non-response to other pain treatments may partly explain why depression is associated with greater prescription opioid use.
Toward spreadable entertainment-education: leveraging social influence in online networks
Authors: Lutkenhaus Roel O , Jansz Jeroen , Bouman Martine P A
Published: September 2019

Entertainment-education (EE) is a communication strategy that uses popular media to engage with audiences on prosocial topics such as health, social tolerance and sustainability. The purpose of EE serials on radio, television or the internet is to introduce new ideas, norms and practices by means of storytelling, as well as to offer points of engagement for audiences to talk about the themes raised by the intervention. However, in today’s media landscape, it has become increasingly difficult to captivate audiences as they have fragmented across channels and have started to create and circulate content themselves. The concept of spreadable media allows us to deal with fragmentation and user-generated content in productive ways, as it recognizes the role of autonomous audience members in shaping the flows of media content in the online networks that underlie today’s media landscape. In this article, we introduce spreadable EE: an innovative approach that builds on transmedia storytelling strategies to reach and captivate target audiences for a longer period of time, and that entails collaboration with online platforms, communities and social influencers to stimulate meaningful conversations. We enhance EE's theoretical, empirical and practical traditions with insights about how today’s audiences have come to engage with media and propose strategic approaches to create and evaluate spreadable EE.
Five-year follow-up of transvenous and epicardial left ventricular leads: experience with more than 1000 leads
Authors: Burger Heiko , Pecha Simon , Hakmi Samer , Opalka Bastian , Schoenburg Markus , Ziegelhoeffer Tibor
Published: September 2019

OBJECTIVES

Transvenous coronary sinus leads are considered to be the gold standard for cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). However, in patients with abnormal coronary vein anatomy, the epicardial leads can be an alternative. Data comparing durability and performance of these 2 lead types are limited. In order to provide clarity, we investigated patients receiving CRT system in our centre.

METHODS

One thousand and fifty-three consecutive patients scheduled for CRT implantation were retrospectively analysed. From these, 895 received transvenous coronary sinus and 158 epicardial left ventricular (LV) leads. Lead-specific as well as LV functional parameters have been evaluated in 60 months’ follow-up.

RESULTS

Technical characteristics (pacing threshold, impedance and sensing) of both lead types remained stable during the whole observation period. Whereas an early revision (<6 month) was noted in 5.4% of transvenous leads, no reintervention has been necessary for epicardial leads. During the 5-year observation period, a lead revisions rate of 10.2% for transvenous leads and 1.9% for epicardial leads were detected. Regarding CRT efficacy, excellent results were achieved for both electrode types. In both groups, a statistically significant reduction of New York Heart Association class (2.85–2.13 and 2.96–2.09), increase in left ventricular ejection fraction (24.6–32.6% and 27.2–34.6%), reduction of left ventricular end-systolic diameter/left ventricular end-diastolic diameter and reduction in degree of mitral valve insufficiency could be observed over the time.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data demonstrate safety and functional efficacy of both transvenous and epicardial leads. Moreover, in long-term follow-up, a commendable durability and performance were found for both lead types. Thus, epicardial leads represent a good alternative when transvenous implantation fails.
Prevalence of Viremic Hepatitis C Virus Infection by Age, Race/Ethnicity, and Birthplace and Disease Awareness Among Viremic Persons in the United States, 1999–2016
Authors: Zou Biyao , Yeo Yee Hui , Le Michael Huan , Henry Linda , Chang Ellen T , Lok Anna S , Cheung Ramsey , Nguyen Mindie H
Published: September 2019

Background

Athough curative therapy is now available for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in the United States, it is not clear whether all affected persons have been diagnosed and/or linked to care.

Methods

This cross-sectional study utilized data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999–2016) and included 46 465 nonincarcerated and noninstitutionalized participants.

Results

Viremic HCV prevalence decreased from 1.32% in 1999–2004 to 0.80% in 2011–2016, although most of the decrease occurred in US-born whites and blacks but not the foreign-born or those born after 1985. In 2011–2016, approximately 1.90 million US adults remained viremic with HCV, and 0.33 million were at higher risk for advanced fibrosis, but only 49.8% were aware of their HCV infection, with higher disease awareness in those with health insurance coverage and US-born persons.

Conclusions

The prevalence of viremic HCV has decreased in recent years among US born whites and blacks but not in other race/ethnicities and foreign-born persons and birth cohort born after 1985. Less than half of the viremic population was aware of having HCV infection. Improved HCV screening and linkage to care are needed, especially for the uninsured, foreign-born, birth cohort after 1985 and certain ethnic minorities.
Updates to and quality of clinical practice guidelines for high-priority diseases in Japan
Authors: Sasaki Sho , Imura Haruki , Sakai Kyoko , Goto Yoshihito , Kitazawa Kyoko , Neff Yukiko , Fujimoto Shuhei , Kaneyama Junji , Okumura Akiko , Takahashi Yoshimitsu , Nakayama Takeo
Published: September 2019

Purpose

To examine the update status of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for 24 main diseases in Japan, and to clarify the quality of and issues pertaining to the most recent versions of CPGs for each disease.

Data sources

CPGs were searched in two Japanese guideline databases.

Study selection

All relevant Japanese CPGs published between January 1999 and July 2016 were selected.

Data extraction

The developer and issue date were extracted for all target CPGs. The most recent CPGs were assessed using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation—II (AGREE II) instrument.

Results of data synthesis

Among 106 target CPGs, 24 most recent CPGs were subjected to assessment using the AGREE II instrument. CPGs for 11 diseases (46%) had a mean time interval for update of ≥5 years. Among the 24 CPGs subjected to AGREE II assessment, median domain scores were 74% for “Domain 1: Scope and Purpose,” 43% for “Domain 2: Stakeholder Involvement,” 46% for “Domain 3: Rigor of Development,” 69% for “Domain 4: Clarity of Presentation,” 24% for “Domain 5: Applicability” and 27% for “Domain 6: Editorial Independence.”

Conclusions

The systematic assessment of CPGs for 24 major diseases in Japan revealed a trend for a delay in timing of update for many CPGs. Moreover, the 24 most recent CPGs had low domain scores for domains 2, 3, 5 and 6. In the future, concrete measures will need to be considered in order to improve the quality of CPGs.
Horizontal Transmission of the Entomopathogenic Fungal Isolate INRS-242 of Beauveria bassiana (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae) in Emerald Ash Borer, Agrilus planipennis (Coleoptera: Buprestidae)
Authors: Srei Narin , Lavallée Robert , Guertin Claude
Published: September 2019

Emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire, is an invasive and destructive beetle that causes extensive damage to ash trees in North America. The entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana Vuillemin is considered as an effective biological control agent for EAB adult populations. Using an autodissemination device with a fungal isolate of B. bassiana, our research aims to investigate the possibility of horizontal transmission of the fungal disease from infected to uninfected EAB adults during mating. Results show that the efficiency of fungal transmission is significantly related to the sex of EAB carrying the fungal pathogen. EAB males are the promising vector to transmit mycosis to their partners during mating. Results strengthen the potential of the fungal autodissemination device as a powerful biological strategy to control EAB populations.
Beyond the Cold War: American Labor, Algeria’s Independence Struggle, and the Rise of the Third World (1954–62)
Authors: von Bülow Mathilde
Published: September 2019

During the late 1950s, trade unions came to be vital actors in the solidarity movements of the Global South, especially in pan-African initiatives. The case of the Union générale des travailleurs algériens (UGTA) is particularly illustrative of this development. Algeria’s long and brutal independence struggle was championed throughout the Afro-Asian bloc, and the UGTA became an important auxiliary in the bloc’s campaigns to secure that end. In this essay, the case of Algeria and the UGTA serves as a prism through which to study how some of the most powerful Western trade union federations of the day—especially the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO)—responded to the “subaltern” internationalisms engendered by decolonization and the “spirit of Bandung,” whether in the guise of positive neutrality or the project for pan-African unity. In this way, this essay sheds new light on the nature and role of labor internationalism in the context of the global Cold War. The case of Algeria is emblematic of the ways in which decolonization and the “spirit of Bandung” came to challenge traditional understandings of labor internationalism, whether as an identity or a practice. What is more, the case of Algeria allows us to reconceptualize AFL-CIO attitudes and designs vis-à-vis the decolonizing world. In highlighting American weakness when confronted by non-Western agency, this essay argues that the polarized view of the federation as an anticommunist crusader with an imperialist agenda is flawed.
The Saltol QTL-localized transcription factor OsGATA8 plays an important role in stress tolerance and seed development in Arabidopsis and rice
Authors: Nutan Kamlesh K , Singla-Pareek Sneh L , Pareek Ashwani
Published: September 2019

A multi-stress inducible, Saltol-QTL localized transcription factor OsGATA8 promotes leaf greening, photosynthetic efficiency, ion homeostasis, seed size, and grain yield, and is essential for abiotic stress tolerance in rice.
Overexpression of HMG-CoA synthase promotes Arabidopsis root growth and adversely affects glucosinolate biosynthesis
Authors: Liao Pan , Lung Shiu-Cheung , Chan Wai Lung , Bach Thomas J , Lo Clive , Chye Mee-Len
Published: September 2019

Inhibition of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase (HMGS) retarded root growth in Arabidopsis seedlings by reducing stigmasterol, auxin, and cytokinin levels. Differentially expressed proteins and metabolite changes revealed a relationship between HMGS and glucosinolate biosynthesis.
The resilience of perennial grasses under two climate scenarios is correlated with carbohydrate metabolism in meristems
Authors: Volaire Florence , Morvan-Bertrand Annette , Prud’homme Marie-Pascale , Benot Marie-Lise , Augusti Angela , Zwicke Marine , Roy Jacques , Landais Damien , Picon-Cochard Catherine
Published: September 2019

Extreme climatic events (ECEs) such as droughts and heat waves affect ecosystem functioning and species turnover. This study investigated the effect of elevated CO2 on species’ resilience to ECEs. Monoliths of intact soil and their plant communities from an upland grassland were exposed to 2050 climate scenarios with or without an ECE under ambient (390 ppm) or elevated (520 ppm) CO2. Ecophysiological traits of two perennial grasses (Dactylis glomerata and Holcus lanatus) were measured before, during, and after ECE. At similar soil water content, leaf elongation was greater under elevated CO2 for both species. The resilience of D. glomerata increased under enhanced CO2 (+60%) whereas H. lanatus mostly died during ECE. D. glomerata accumulated 30% more fructans, which were more highly polymerized, and 4-fold less sucrose than H. lanatus. The fructan concentration in leaf meristems was significantly increased under elevated CO2. Their relative abundance changed during the ECE, resulting in a more polymerized assemblage in H. lanatus and a more depolymerized assemblage in D. glomerata. The ratio of low degree of polymerization fructans to sucrose in leaf meristems was the best predictor of resilience across species. This study underlines the role of carbohydrate metabolism and the species-dependent effect of elevated CO2 on the resilience of grasses to ECE.
Another Pre-1592 Copy of the English Faust Book
Authors: Fehrenbach R J
Published: September 2019

A second copy of a pre-1592 edition of the English Faust Book, Marlowe’s source for Doctor Faustus, has been uncovered in a catalogue of books owned by a London apothecary. This catalogue, of which at least a quarter are books associated with an apothecary’s profession, was compiled by the owner himself, one Edward Barlow, and, most importantly, is firmly dated 17 November 1589/90. This discovery, made by Peter Murray Jones of King’s College, Cambridge, is the second appearance of that book prior to the publication of its only extant edition in 1592, providing confirmation that Marlowe could have written Faustus prior to 1592. But whenever Marlowe wrote his play, the medico-magical material he employed had its source in a work that a practising apothecary judged valuable enough to add to his other professional books. The complete record of Jones’s discovery is found in Volume IX of Private Libraries in Renaissance England, PLRE 263.157.
Spectrophotometric templates for core-collapse supernovae and their application in simulations of time-domain surveys
Authors: Vincenzi M , Sullivan M , Firth R E , Gutiérrez C P , Frohmaier C , Smith M , Angus C , Nichol R C
Published: September 2019

The design and analysis of time-domain sky surveys require the ability to simulate accurately realistic populations of core-collapse supernova (SN) events. We present a set of spectral time-series templates designed for this purpose, for both hydrogen-rich (Type II, IIn, and IIb) and stripped-envelope (Type Ib, Ic, and Ic-BL) core-collapse SNe. We use photometric and spectroscopic data for 67 core-collapse SNe from the literature, and for each generate a time-series spectral template. The techniques used to build the templates are fully data driven with no assumption of any parametric form or model for the light curves. The template-building code is open source, and can be applied to any transient for which well-sampled multiband photometry and multiple spectroscopic observations are available. We extend these spectral templates into the near-ultraviolet to λ ≃ 1600 Å using observer-frame ultraviolet photometry. We also provide a set of templates corrected for host galaxy dust extinction, and provide a set of luminosity functions that can be used with our spectral templates in simulations. We give an example of how these templates can be used by integrating them within the popular SN simulation package snana, and simulating core-collapse SNe in photometrically selected cosmological Type Ia SN samples, prone to contamination from core-collapse events.
Covariance matrices for galaxy cluster weak lensing: from virial regime to uncorrelated large-scale structure
Authors: Wu Hao-Yi , Weinberg David H , Salcedo Andrés N , Wibking Benjamin D , Zu Ying
Published: September 2019

Next-generation optical imaging surveys will revolutionize the observations of weak gravitational lensing by galaxy clusters and provide stringent constraints on growth of structure and cosmic acceleration. In these experiments, accurate modelling of covariance matrices of cluster weak lensing plays the key role in obtaining robust measurements of the mean mass of clusters and cosmological parameters. We use a combination of analytical calculations and high-resolution N-body simulations to derive accurate covariance matrices that span from the virial regime to linear scales of the cluster-matter cross-correlation. We validate this calculation using a public ray-tracing lensing simulation and provide a software package for calculating covariance matrices for a wide range of cluster and source sample choices. We discuss the relative importance of shape noise and density fluctuations, the impact of radial bin size, and the impact of off-diagonal elements. For a weak lensing source density ns = 10 arcmin−2, shape noise typically dominates the variance on comoving scales $r_{\rm p}\lesssim 5\ h^{-1} \, \rm Mpc$. However, for ns = 60 arcmin−2, potentially achievable with future weak lensing experiments, density fluctuations typically dominate the variance at $r_{\rm p}\gtrsim 1\ h^{-1} \, \rm Mpc$ and remain comparable to shape noise on smaller scales.