bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Application of COSO framework in whistle-blowing activities of public higher-learning institutions
Authors: Dangi Mohamad Ridhuan Mat , Nawawi Anuar , Salin Ahmad Saiful Azlin Puteh
Published: April 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to determine whether higher-learning institutions have sufficient internal controls to manage whistle-blowing or similar means when encountering repetitive complaints requiring similar corrective actions. This study attempts to classify complaints as per categories, criteria and components of the COSO framework using a checklist called self-assessment checklist of internal control kits so that complaint activities can be efficiently and effectively managed.

Design/methodology/approach

As a case study, one public university in Malaysia was selected, and 740 complaints were examined over a four-year period. Two methods of data collection, namely, document analysis and interviews, were used.

Findings

This study found no internal controls established to oversee the complaints that were received. Hence, repetitive complaints were received for similar areas and functions over a period. The application of COSO framework on complaints and whistle-blowing activities, however, led to more organised and visible problems; therefore, effective corrective and preventive action may be conducted.

Research limitations/implications

This study was conducted on only one organisation with several series of interviews and limited period of document analysis because of privacy and confidentiality of the information. Future research should collect and analyze data from a higher number of organisations with more respondents for interviews and a longer period for document analysis to obtain more accurate results.

Practical implications

This study provides further evidence on the suitability of COSO framework for different types of organisations, either public or private, and has been successfully adopted globally. It is effective not only to manage the operation and financial matters but also to manage complaints and whistle-blowing activities in organisations.

Originality/value

This study is original because it focuses on the current practices of internal control in government entities, particularly for organisations that operate as higher-learning institutions, which is scarce in the literature. In addition, this study analysed the drawbacks of internal control systems, especially in dealing with whistle-blower reports and complaints by referring to the list of complaints made by their stakeholders.
Budget institutions and government effectiveness
Authors: Dahan Momi , Strawczynski Michel
Published: April 2020

Purpose

Do budget institutions play a role in explaining why government effectiveness is higher in some advanced countries than in others?

Design/methodology/approach

Employing an original panel data set that covers four years (1991, 2003, 2007 and 2012), we find that budget centralization is associated with lower government effectiveness in OECD countries after accounting for a list of control variables, such as gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, government expenditure and country- and year-fixed effects.

Findings

We show that less-centralized countries display significantly better performance in health and infrastructure and a similar effectiveness in tax collections. The negative relationship between budget centralization and government effectiveness seems to manifest, especially at the execution stage of the budgeting process, but it is not significant at the formulation and legislation stages. These results survive a list of sensitivity tests.

Research limitations/implications

Our paper finds that centralization is associated with lower effectiveness in field areas like health and education. However, it has been previously shown that centralization improves fiscal responsibility. Thus, our findings point out to the need of achieving the right balance between fiscal responsibility and government effectiveness.

Practical implications

Results suggest that when governments at the national level are aiming at achieving effectiveness in field areas like health and education, they shall avoid excessive centralization at the execution stage of the budget.

Social implications

Effectiveness in the provision of public health, and education can be enhanced by giving more power to the field ministries at the execution stage of the budget preparation.

Originality/value

While decentralized budget power was proved at the local government level, this paper belongs to the small group of contributions that deal with this issue at the central government level.
Emerging paradigm for land records in India
Authors: Gupta Rashi , Shah Mona N. , Mandal Satya N.
Published: April 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to establish the importance of land records for urban development. The study focuses on how traditionally land records were managed and presently what are the important parameters impacting the land record management systems in India.

Design/methodology/approach

The framework adopted for the study was as follows: 1) literature study: aim to study the historical issues, to study global systems across the globe, various government reforms. 2) Present system of land management: to study the administrative, legal, economic issues, problems and potential in the present system. 3) Technology interventions: to study how technology can help to make the system more robust and trustworthy. 4) Conclusion: to study how the recommended technological measures will work and how to implement it in the system. Several pilot interviews were carried out to understand how the present system of land record management works in India, and important parameters were established through the pilot interviews of various stakeholders in the system.

Findings

The study brings out certain striking facts about the inefficiencies in the system since centuries, which are still being carried forward. Any reforms by the authorities have not been able to solve the issues and reduce the number of litigations because digitisation was only a step forward to replicate the wrong entries of records in digitised format. Thus, a paradigm shift in technology is required to bring a considerable change in the present management system.

Originality/value

Various studies worldwide have been done in several countries regarding land records, but all the studies are in piecemeal basis. Very less literature is available on the study that how land records effect large scale urban development projects. This study is an attempt to study impact of land records on urban development and to bring back transparency in the system to reduce the number of litigations on the most important ingredient of built environment, which is land.
Factors associated with consumer perception and conduct toward certified beef from Brazil
Authors: Brunoro Joana Resende Paglis , Lopes Marcos Aurélio , Demeu Fabiana Alves , Bruhn Fábio Raphael Pascoti , Rigueira Luciana Lana , Faria Peter Bitencourt , Rocha Christiane Maria Barcellos Magalhães da , Contini Enio , Pacheco Eline Oliveira , Maia Érica Mariz , Junqueira Lucio Violim
Published: April 2020

The aims of this study were to establish a relationship between consumers’ socioeconomic aspects, key meat attributes, and consumer perception and conduct toward traced beef in Brazil. The authors applied a structured form in 52 supermarkets in eight Brazilian cities, through interviews with 2.949 consumers, in 2012. Federal or state inspection stamp was the attribute that most influenced the consumers’ purchase decision (14.1%). Most of the interviewees (57.3%) had never heard about bovine traceability. Among those who had heard about bovine traceability, 63.2% would be willing to pay more for beef with certified origin. Consumers with higher education and income had a better knowledge about this type of certification, as well as older consumers, and therefore they would be willing to pay more for certified beef. This research suggests that educational level was the reason that most influenced Brazilian consumers during beef purchase.
The score test for the two‐sample occupancy model
Authors: Karavarsamis N. , Guillera‐Arroita G. , Huggins R.M. , Morgan B.J.T.
Published: April 2020

The score test statistic from the observed information is easy to compute numerically. Its large sample distribution under the null hypothesis is well known and is equivalent to that of the score test based on the expected information, the likelihood‐ratio test and the Wald test. However, several authors have noted that under the alternative hypothesis this no longer holds and in particular the score statistic from the observed information can take negative values. We extend the anthology on the score test to a problem of interest in ecology when studying species occurrence. This is the comparison of two zero‐inflated binomial random variables from two independent samples under imperfect detection. An analysis of eigenvalues associated with the score test in this setting assists in understanding why using the observed information matrix in the score test can be problematic. We demonstrate through a combination of simulations and theoretical analysis that the power of the score test calculated under the observed information decreases as the populations being compared become more dissimilar. In particular, the score test based on the observed information is inconsistent. Finally, we propose a modified rule that rejects the null hypothesis when the score statistic is computed using the observed information is negative or is larger than the usual chi‐square cut‐off. In simulations in our setting this has power that is comparable to the Wald and likelihood ratio tests and consistency is largely restored. Our new test is easy to use and inference is possible. Supplementary material for this article is available online as per journal instructions.
No association to sudden infant death syndrome detected by targeted amplicon sequencing of 24 genes
Authors: Ferrante Linda , Opdal Siri H. , Nygaard Vegard
Published: April 2020

Aim

The aim was to identify genetic variants associated with sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) that can cause disease or introduce vulnerability. Genes reported in a previous SIDS study to have altered messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) expression in SIDS were investigated.

Methods

Samples from 81 SIDS (56 male/28 female) with a median age of 4 months (range 0.75‐9 months) were analysed using Illumina TruSeq custom amplicon for 24 selected genes. Samples were collected from autopsy at Oslo university hospital from children whom died suddenly and unexpectedly from 1988 to 2006. The controls were the germline variation database, Norgene (no description of cases available).

Results

After filtering for rare variants, there were a total of 38 variants in the 81 SIDS cases and 462 variants in the 789 controls. After the filtration and curation steps, we found 36 rare variants. The overall occurrence of rare variants for all the SIDS samples was lower than for the Norgene population.

Conclusion

There was no association between rare variants in the included genes and SIDS. Although not statistically significant, two of the SIDS cases had a rare variant in the MyD88 gene: rs746651350, rs200424253.
Synthesis, biological activities, and docking study of novel chalcone‐pleuromutilin derivatives
Authors: Xie Chuan , Zhang Siyu , Zhang Wei , Wu Chunxia , Yong Can , Sun Yuhao , Zeng Zhengxing , Zhang Qian , Huang Zixin , Chen Tian , Zhang Yuanyuan
Published: April 2020

The issue of antibiotic resistance is becoming progressively serious these days, and the feasible solution to address it is to develop and discover novel antibiotics. The diterpene natural pleuromutilin is a prominent candidate for its special mode of action by inhibiting protein synthesis. In this study, a series of novel pleuromutilin derivatives with chalcone moiety was designed and synthesized, and their antibacterial activities were assessed in vitro. As suggested from the results, most of compounds exhibited potent activities against two methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) ATCC 33591 and 43300. The further modification of the chalcone structure, aza‐cyclic derivatives were afforded and then assessed, and potent activities against the tested strains were reported. The preliminary docking studies were conducted to explore the interactions between target molecules and binding site.
Using density surface models to estimate spatio‐temporal changes in population densities and trend
Authors: Camp Richard J. , Miller David L. , Thomas Len , Buckland Stephen T. , Kendall Steve J.
Published: April 2020

Precise measures of population abundance and trend are needed for species conservation; these are most difficult to obtain for rare and rapidly changing populations. We compare uncertainty in densities estimated from spatio–temporal models with that from standard design‐based methods. Spatio–temporal models allow us to target priority areas where, and at times when, a population may most benefit. Generalised additive models were fitted to a 31‐year time series of point‐transect surveys of an endangered Hawaiian forest bird, the Hawai‘i ‘ākepaLoxops coccineus. This allowed us to estimate bird densities over space and time. We used two methods to quantify uncertainty in density estimates from the spatio–temporal model: the delta method (which assumes independence between detection and distribution parameters) and a variance propagation method. With the delta method we observed a 52% decrease in the width of the design‐based 95% confidence interval (CI), while we observed a 37% decrease in CI width when propagating the variance. We mapped bird densities as they changed across space and time, allowing managers to evaluate management actions. Integrating detection function modelling with spatio–temporal modelling exploits survey data more efficiently by producing finer‐grained abundance estimates than are possible with design‐based methods as well as producing more precise abundance estimates. Model‐based approaches require switching from making assumptions about the survey design to assumptions about bird distribution. Such a switch warrants consideration. In this case the model‐based approach benefits conservation planning through improved management efficiency and reduced costs by taking into account both spatial shifts and temporal changes in population abundance and distribution.
Anti‐MDA5‐associated dermatomyositis
Authors: Gupta Rajiv , Kumar Sunil , Gow Peter , (Hsien‐Cheng) Chang Leon , Yen Linda
Published: April 2020

Anti‐MDA5‐associated dermatomyositis (MDA5‐associated DM) is an uncommon presentation of idiopathic inflammatory myositis, typically amyopathic, associated with rapidly progressive, treatment refractory interstitial lung disease and poor prognosis, particularly in patients with concomitant rapidly progressive interstitial lung disease (RP‐ILD). We report two cases of MDA5‐associated DM with fatal outcome in one of the patients, despite ‘aggressive triple therapy’ for RP‐ILD.
Targeting IRS‐1/mPGES‐1/NOX2 to inhibit the inflammatory response caused by insulin‐like growth factor‐I‐induced activation of NF‐κB and NLRP3 in cancer cells
Authors: Wang Chao , Li Shulin , Wang Yang , An Yanan , Shen Keshu , Wang Xuefei , Luan Wenjing , Ma Fangxue , Ni Lihui , Zhou Hong , Liu Mingyuan , Yu Lu
Published: April 2020

The levels of insulin‐like growth factor‐l (IGF‐1) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) are abnormally elevated in various tumour tissues, and IGF‐1 has been reported to be associated with the development and progression of inflammation in cancers. In this study, we found that IGF‐1 activated nuclear factor‐κB (NF‐κB) and NLRP3 inflammatory signalling via IRS‐1/mPGES‐1/NOX2‐regulated ROS. Additionally, in the B16‐F10 tumour‐bearing mouse model, the number of tumours, tumour growth, invasion of tissues and expression of proinflammatory factors in peripheral blood were significantly decreased by treatment with an inhibitor combination compared with those of the IGF‐1 group. Taken together, targeting IRS‐1/mPGES‐1/NOX2 to inhibit inflammation related to NF‐κB and NLRP3 is a potential strategy for controlling the development and progression of cancer.
Contact potential induced carrier localization in nanometer-thin Cu/Ru, Cu/Co, and Cu/Mo superlattices
Authors: Kim Jiyoon Jessica , Wang Gwo-Ching , Lu Toh-Ming , Kuan Tung-Sheng
Published: April 2020

In a metallic multilayer structure, interfacial scattering of carriers reduces the electrical conductance, but carrier localization at the interfaces can have equally significant effects. The authors have grown superlattices consisting of nanometer-thin, alternating Cu and transition metal layers (Cu/Ru, Cu/Co, and Cu/Mo) by magnetron sputtering and measured the electrical conductance of the superlattices in situ during the growth. They observed a sharp conductance drop at the start of each transition metal layer and a lower-than-expected conductance with the growth of each Cu layer, neither of which can be explained by carrier scattering mechanisms. They show that this abnormal conductance behavior can be attributed to the movement of Cu free carriers across the interfaces, creating a local dipole potential to equalize the Fermi levels of the Cu and transition metal layers. The measured conductance drop and deficit suggest that on average ∼1 carrier per Cu atom is localized at the Cu/Ru and Cu/Co interfaces, while only ∼0.4 carrier per Cu atom is localized at the Cu/Mo interface.
Tested by HIV and TB, South Africa confronts new pandemic
Authors: Nordling Linda
Published: April 2020

Infrastructure and tactics developed for existing epidemics could aid the coronavirus fight.
Thymic cancer in lynch syndrome: an unusual association
Authors: Pandey Deepali , Shepro David Scott
Published: April 2020

Lynch syndrome has been associated with predominantly colorectal, endometrial, and ovarian cancer. We report hereby an unusual case of thymic carcinoma in a patient with Lynch syndrome. A 45-year-old Caucasian woman with a personal history of Lynch syndrome (MLH1 heterozygous mutation) presented with dyspnea, chest pain, and dysphagia. CT chest showed a bulky anterior mediastinal mass, pulmonary nodules, and pericardial effusion. Lung biopsy demonstrated a poorly differentiated carcinoma with squamous features with extensive necrosis, favouring thymic origin. Genomic studies on the tumour revealed deficient mismatch repair status with a two-copy deletion of MLH1 at 3p22.2 and c-Kit mutation. She received carboplatin and paclitaxel, with initial clinical improvement, but then died within 3 months after diagnosis. This case highlights that thymic cancer may be one of the malignancies associated with Lynch syndrome, and MLH1 gene mutation may have a role in the pathogenesis of thymic cancer.
Justice: a key consideration in health policy and systems research ethics
Authors: Pratt Bridget , Wild Verina , Barasa Edwine , Kamuya Dorcas , Gilson Lucy , Hendl Tereza , Molyneux Sassy
Published: April 2020

Health policy and systems research (HPSR) is increasingly being funded and conducted worldwide. There are currently no specific guidelines or criteria for the ethical review and conduct of HPSR. Academic debates on HPSR ethics in the scholarly literature can inform the development of guidelines. Yet there is a deficiency of academic bioethics work relating tojusticein HPSR. This gap is especially problematic for a field like HPSR, which can entail studies that intervene in ways affecting the social and health system delivery structures of society. In this paper, we call for interpreting the principle of justice in a more expansive way in developing and reviewing HPSR studies (relative to biomedical research). The principle requires advancing health equity and social justice at population or systems levels. Drawing on the rich justice literature from political philosophy and public health ethics, we propose a set of essential justice considerations to uphold this principle. These considerations are relevant for research funders, researchers, research ethics committees, policymakers, community organisations and others who are active in the HPSR field.
Time protective effect of contact with a general practitioner and its association with diabetes-related hospitalisations: a cohort study using the 45 and Up Study data in Australia
Authors: Ha Ninh Thi , Harris Mark , Preen David , Moorin Rachael
Published: April 2020

Objectives

To evaluate the relationship between the proportion of time under the potentially protective effect of a general practitioner (GP) captured using the Cover Index and diabetes-related hospitalisation and length of stay (LOS).

Design

An observational cohort study over two 3-year time periods (2009/2010–2011/2012 as the baseline and 2012/2013–2014/2015 as the follow-up).

Setting

Linked self-report and administrative health service data at individual level from the 45 and Up Study in New South Wales, Australia.

Participants

A total of 21 965 individuals aged 45 years and older identified with diabetes before July 2009 were included in this study.

Main outcome measures

Diabetes-related hospitalisation, unplanned diabetes-related hospitalisation and LOS of diabetes-related hospitalisation and unplanned diabetes-related hospitalisation.

Methods

The average annual GP cover index over a 3-year period was calculated using information obtained from Australian Medicare and hospitalisation. The effect of exposure to different levels of the cover on the main outcomes was estimated using negative binomial models weighted for inverse probability of treatment weight to control for observed covariate imbalance at the baseline period.

Results

Perfect GP cover was observed among 53% of people with diabetes in the study cohort. Compared with perfect level of GP cover, having lower levels of GP cover including high (incidence rate ratio (IRR) 2.8, 95% CI 2.6 to 3.0), medium (IRR 3.2, 95% CI 2.7 to 3.8) and low (IRR 3.1, 95% CI 2.0 to 4.9) were significantly associated with higher number of diabetes-related hospitalisation. Similar association was observed between the different levels of GP cover and other outcomes including LOS for diabetes-related hospitalisation, unplanned diabetes-related hospitalisation and LOS for unplanned diabetes-related hospitalisation.

Conclusions

Measuring longitudinal continuity in terms of time under cover of GP care may offer opportunities to optimise the performance of primary healthcare and reduce secondary care costs in the management of diabetes.
Short-term PsychoEducation for Carers To Reduce Over Medication of people with intellectual disabilities (SPECTROM): study protocol
Authors: Deb Shoumitro , Limbu Bharati , Crawford Mike , Weaver Tim
Published: April 2020

Introduction

Psychotropic medications that are primarily licenced for the treatment of psychiatric disorders are used widely (32%–85%) among people with intellectual disabilities (ID) often for the management of problem (challenging) behaviour in the absence of a psychiatric disorder. Care staff play a pivotal role in the prescribing process. Currently, no staff training programme exists to address the issue of overprescribing of psychotropic medication in people with ID, thus highlighting an urgent need for developing a psychoeducational programme (PEP) specifically designed to address this issue. We propose to develop a PEP for care staff using the methodology described in the UK Medical Research Council guide for complex interventions.

Methods and analysis

The development of the PEP will involve (1) gathering information on available relevant training programmes, (2) running four focus groups with care staff and other professionals to establish the content and format of the PEP, and (3) organising a co-design event involving all relevant stakeholders to discuss the format of the PEP. A core project team will develop the PEP under guidance from the PEP Development Group which will consist of 10–12 relevant stakeholder representatives. Feedback from selected stakeholders on a draft PEP will allow us to refine the PEP before implementation. The PEP will have web-based modules supplemented by face to face training sessions. When the final draft is ready, we will field test the PEP on six to eight care staff from community care homes for people with ID. After completing the field test, we will run a focus group involving participants in the PEP to get feedback on the PEP.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethics approval for this study was waived by the UK Health Regulatory Authority as the study does not collect any patient related information and only include care staff outside the UK NHS. This will be the first ever such universally freely available PEP supported by training manual and slides.
Emergency medical services use and its association with acute ischaemic stroke evaluation and treatment in Singapore
Authors: Xu Hanzhang , Xian Ying , Woon Fung Peng , Bettger Janet Prvu , Laskowitz Daniel T , Ng Yih Yng , Ong Marcus Eng Hock , Matchar David Bruce , De Silva Deidre Anne
Published: April 2020

Background

Emergency medical services (EMS) is a critical link in the chain of stroke survival. We aimed to assess EMS use for stroke in Singapore, identify characteristics associated with EMS use and the association of EMS use with stroke evaluation and treatment.

Methods

The Singapore Stroke Registry combines nationwide EMS and public hospital data for stroke cases in Singapore. Multivariate regressions with the generalised estimating equations were performed to examine the association between EMS use and timely stroke evaluation and treatment.

Results

Of 3555 acute ischaemic patients with symptom onset within 24 hours admitted to all five public hospitals between 2015 and 2016, 68% arrived via EMS. Patients who used EMS were older, were less likely to be female, had higher stroke severity by National Institute of Health Stroke Scale and had a higher prevalence of atrial fibrillation or peripheral arterial disease. Patients transported by EMS were more likely to receive rapid evaluation (door-to-imaging time ≤25 min 34.3% vs 11.1%, OR=2.74 (95% CI 1.40 to 5.38)) and were more likely to receive intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (tPA, 22.8% vs 4.6%, OR=4.61 (95% CI 3.52 to 6.03)). Among patients treated with tPA, patients who arrived via EMS were more likely to receive timely treatment than self-transported patients (door-to-needle time ≤60 min 52.6% vs 29.4%, OR=2.58 (95% CI 1.35 to 4.92)).

Conclusions

EMS use is associated with timely stroke evaluation and treatment in Singapore. Seamless EMS-Hospital stroke pathways and targeted public campaigns to advocate for appropriate EMS use have the potential to improve acute stroke care.
Endoscopic cyst gastrostomy for traumatic pancreatic pseudocysts in children: a case series
Authors: Farr Bethany J , Fox Victor L , Mooney David P
Published: April 2020

Background

Pancreatic pseudocysts may develop after high-grade pancreatic injuries in children. Many resolve without intervention, and the management of symptomatic pseudocysts that persist remains controversial, with various open, percutaneous and laparoscopic approaches to intervention described. Successful endoscopic cyst gastrostomy has been reported in children with pancreatic pseudocysts of mixed etiology.

Methods

The trauma registry and electronic medical record of a level 1 pediatric trauma center were queried for children with a symptomatic pseudocyst following pancreatic trauma over a 12-year period, from 2008 to 2019.

Results

We describe a case series of five consecutive children with persistent symptomatic pancreatic pseudocysts following blunt abdominal trauma all successfully treated with endoscopic cyst gastrostomy.

Discussion

Endoscopic cyst gastrostomy appears to be safe and effective in the management of symptomatic pancreatic pseudocysts in children following pancreatic trauma.

Level of evidence

5 – retrospective case series.
Petrogenesis and tectonic implications of the Late Triassic Nangou granodiorite porphyry in the Eastern Kunlun Orogenic Belt, northern Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Yan Jiaming , Sun Fengyue , Qian Ye , Tian Nan , Yan Zhengping , Zhang Yongsheng , Yang Ximing
Published: April 2020

Triassic granitic magmatism is widespread in the Eastern Kunlun Orogenic Belt (EKOB), northern Tibetan Plateau. Some of the granitoids are characterized by high Sr and low Y contents, and consequently high Sr/Y ratios. These high Sr/Y-ratio granitoids are often interpreted as adakitic rocks, originating from the thickened continental lower crust. However, studies have shown that granitoids with high Sr/Y ratios may have formed via other geological processes. This paper reports U–Pb ages, geochemical and Sr–Nd–Hf isotopic data for newly discovered granodiorite porphyries in the Kunlun River area of the Eastern Kunlun Orogenic Belt, and discusses whether the EKOB experienced crustal thickening during the Triassic. The granodiorite porphyries crystallized at 205 Ma. They have some adakitic characteristics with SiO2 = 66.96–69.68 wt.%, Sr/Y ratios = 31–43, La/Yb = 26.9–57.9, Y = 8.47–11.3, Yb = 0.75–1.30, and MgO = 0.44–0.99 wt.%. However, the relatively flat heavy rare earth element patterns indicate that garnet was not the main residue in the magma source. In addition, combined with Nd–Hf isotopic data, these results indicate that the timing of the original generation of the crustal sources of the granodiorites should be Mesoproterozoic, with the involvement of older (Paleoproterozoic) components. The granodiorite porphyries were emplaced in a post-collisional environment after the northward subduction of Paleo-Tethyan oceanic lithosphere, and without thickening of the continental crust.
Complementary responses of stream fish and benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages to environmental drivers in a shale-gas development area
Authors: Lento Jennifer , Gray Michelle A. , Ferguson Allison J. , Curry R. Allen
Published: April 2020

Shale-gas production could impact freshwater quality through contamination of the physical and chemical habitat (e.g., fracturing fluids, untreated or treated effluent) or development-related impacts. Despite environmental concerns, information is lacking to support biomonitoring as a diagnostic tool to assess impacts of shale-gas production. We characterized water quality and biota in areas of high shale gas potential (Early Carboniferous bedrock in New Brunswick, Canada) and surrounding geologic areas, and we assessed patterns in benthic macroinvertebrate (BMI) and fish assemblages. Early Carboniferous stations differed primarily based on water chemistry, and BMI were associated with a gradient in conductivity and temperature across geologic classes. Concordance analysis indicated similar classification of stations by both organism groups, though fish were more related to turbidity and nutrients. Concordance among fish and BMI was strongest at high conductivity, Early Carboniferous stations. These results suggest that geology plays a strong role in driving abiotic habitats and biotic communities of streams, even at small spatial scales. Furthermore, they suggest BMI and fish can provide complementary information for biomonitoring in shale-gas development areas, with BMI responding to increased ion concentrations from surface water contamination, and fish responding to changes in nutrients and turbidity resulting from development.
Quantum Poker—a game for quantum computers suitable for benchmarking error mitigation techniques on NISQ devices
Authors: Fuchs Franz G. , Falch Vemund , Johnsen Christian
Published: April 2020

Quantum computers are on the verge of becoming a commercially available reality. They represent a paradigm shift in computing, with a steep learning gradient. The creation of games is a way to ease the transition for beginners. We present a game similar to the Poker variant Texas hold ’em with the intention to serve as an engaging pedagogical tool to learn the basics rules of quantum computing. The concepts of quantum states, quantum operations and measurement can be learned in a playful manner. The difference to the classical variant is that the community cards are replaced by a quantum register that is “randomly” initialized, and the cards for each player are replaced by quantum gates, randomly drawn from a set of available gates. Each player can create a quantum circuit with their cards, with the aim to maximize the number of 1’s that are measured in the computational basis. The basic concepts of superposition, entanglement and quantum gates are employed. We provide a proof-of-concept implementation using Qiskit (Aleksandrowicz et al. in An open-source framework for quantum computing, 2019). A comparison of the results for the created circuits using a simulator and IBM machines is conducted, showing that error rates on contemporary quantum computers are still very high. For the success of noisy intermediate scale quantum (NISQ) computers, improvements on the error rates and error mitigation techniques are necessary, even for simple circuits. We show that quantum error mitigation (QEM) techniques can be used to improve expectation values of observables on real quantum devices.
Seismic Behavior of Steel Moment Frames with Mechanical Hinge Beam-to-Column Connections
Authors: Peng Han , Ou Jinping , Schellenberg Andreas , Mckenna Frank , Mahin Stephen
Published: April 2020

This paper presents an investigation on the seismic behavior of steel moment frames with mechanical hinge beam-to-column connections. The connection uses a mechanical hinge to carry shear force and a pair of buckling-restrained steel plates bolted to the beam flange to transfer bending moment. The moment-rotation behavior of the connection was theoretically studied. A nonlinear numerical model for steel moment frames under strong earthquakes was developed and validated using a shaking table test of an 18-story steel moment frame at the E-Defense facility. Then, nonlinear static and time-history analyses were conducted to compare the seismic behavior of a conventional steel moment frame and three innovative steel frames equipped mechanical hinge connections in terms of roof displacement, base shear, inter-story drift ratio, and plastic hinge rotation.
TSCH Networks for Health IoT
Authors: Elsts Atis , Fafoutis Xenofon , Oikonomou George , Piechocki Robert , Craddock Ian
Published: April 2020

The emerging Internet of Things has the potential to solve major societal challenges associated with healthcare provision. Low-power wireless protocols for residential Health Internet of Things applications are characterized by high reliability requirements, the need for energy-efficient operation, and the need to operate robustly in diverse environments in the presence of external interference. We enhance and experimentally evaluate the Time-Slotted Channel Hopping protocol from the IEEE 802.15.4 standard to address these challenges. Our contributions are a new schedule and an adaptive channel selection mechanism to increase the performance of time-slotted channel hopping in this domain. Evaluation in a test house shows that the enhanced system is suitable for our e-Health application and compares favorably with state-of-the-art options. The schedule provides higher reliability compared with the minimal scheduling function from the IETF 6TiSCH Working Group and has a better energy-efficiency/reliability tradeoff than the Orchestra scheduler. Results from 29 long-term residential deployments confirm the suitability for the application and show that the system is able to adapt and avoid channels used by WiFi. In these uncontrolled environments, the system achieves 99.96% average reliability for networks that generate 7.5 packets per second on average.
Perceived-Value-driven Optimization of Energy Consumption in Smart Homes
Authors: Khamesi Atieh R. , Silvestri Simone , Baker D. A. , Paola Alessandra De
Published: April 2020

Residential energy consumption has been rising rapidly during the last few decades. Several research efforts have been made to reduce residential energy consumption, including demand response and smart residential environments. However, recent research has shown that these approaches may actually cause an increase in the overall consumption, due to the complex psychological processes that occur when human users interact with these energy management systems. In this article, using an interdisciplinary approach, we introduce a perceived-value driven framework for energy management in smart residential environments that considers how users perceive values of different appliances and how the use of some appliances are contingent on the use of others. We define a perceived-value user utility used as an Integer Linear Programming (ILP) problem. We show that the problem is NP-Hard and provide a heuristic method called COndensed DependencY (CODY). We validate our results using synthetic and real datasets, large-scale online experiments, and a real-field experiment at the Missouri University of Science and Technology Solar Village. Simulation results show that our approach achieves near optimal performance and significantly outperforms previously proposed solutions. Results from our online and real-field experiments also show that users largely prefer our solution compared to a previous approach.
Biosensor Based on New Delhi metal-β-Lactamase-1 for Electrochemical Determination of Penicillin in Milk
Authors: Xiu Yi , Luo Ruiping , Han Baoqing , Liu Lu , Wang Hongsu
Published: April 2020

There is an urgent need to develop convenient, rapid and sensitive detection methods to determine antibiotic residues in food. New Delhi metal-β-lactamase-1 (NDM-1) is aβ-lactamase enzyme that catalyzes removal of allβ-lactam antibiotics other than aztreonam via a spectral hydrolysis mechanism. In the present study, a new biosensor based on NDM-1 was designed and tested to detect penicillin antibiotics namely penicillin sodium (Pen G) and ampicillin sodium (AMP) without using any pH redox probe. The glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was modified by electro-polymerization of methylene blue (PMB), and the biosensor (NDM-1/PMB/GCE) was prepared by immobilizing NDM-1 enzyme with glutaraldehyde (GA). Penicillin was detected by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). This study seems to be one of the first kind to apply NDM-1 enzyme to detect antibiotic residues in food. It can be used repeatedly and can successfully detect penicillin in actual milk samples by spike recovery experiment.
Improvement in the Flux Uniformity of the Solar Dish Concentrator System through a Concave Quartz Window
Authors: Nie Du-zhong , Peng You-duo , Yan Jian , Mi Cheng-ji , Liu Yong-xiang , Tian Yong
Published: April 2020

A nonuniform and high-strength heat flux load would reduce the working efficiency, safety, and in-service life of a cavity receiver. Four types of concave quartz windows, including conical, spherical, sinusoidal, and hyperbolic tangent, were proposed to be used in the cylindrical cavity receiver of a solar dish concentrator system, which can improve the flux uniformity and reduce the peak concentration ratio of the receiver. For each concave quartz window, 36 structural schemes were offered. Based on the Monte Carlo ray-tracing method, the results showed that the nonuniformity coefficient of the receiver was 0.68 and the peak concentration ratio was 1320.21 by using a plane quartz window. At the same time, when the receiver is in the best optical performance, it is the receiver with sinusoidal, conical, spherical, and hyperbolic tangent quartz windows, respectively. The optical efficiency of the receiver with the above four types of quartz windows was basically the same as that of the receiver with the plane quartz window, but their nonuniformity coefficients were reduced to 0.31, 0.35, 0.36, and 0.39, respectively, and the peak concentration ratio was reduced to 806.82, 841.31, 853.23, and 875.89, respectively. Obviously, the concave quartz window was better than the plane quartz window in improving the flux uniformity. Finally, a further study on the sinusoidal quartz window scheme of all of the above optimal parameter schemes showed that when the installation position of the receiver relative to the dish concentrator was changed, the flux uniformity of the receiver could continue to improve. When the surface absorptivity of the receiver was reduced, the optical efficiency would be reduced. For the parabolic dish concentrator with different focal distance, the concave quartz window can also improve the uniformity of the flux distribution of the cylindrical cavity receiver.
Mapping BIM Uses for Risk Mitigation in International Construction Projects
Authors: Ganbat Tsenguun , Chong Heap-Yih , Liao Pin-Chao
Published: April 2020

International construction projects (ICPs) have become more popular in the current wave of globalization. The Building Information Model (BIM) has been adopted in ICPs. However, the utility of the BIM in ICPs for effective risk control remains unclear. This paper maps the relationship between ICP risks and BIM use to improve the adoption and selection of the BIM. The results show that the BIM can effectively facilitate communication management, mitigating risks engendered by language barriers among stakeholders, for instance, design errors. The BIM can also effectively mitigate risks caused by particular and temporal differences during the construction process. This research highlights internal/technical ICP risks that can be effectively mitigated by certain applications of the BIM; however, in contrast, external risks of ICPs cannot be mitigated by the BIM. However, some risks need to be addressed by new BIM functions. For example, regarding legal risks, laws and regulations of various countries can be included in the BIM information integration model to facilitate timely acquisition of legal provisions by project participants. This study complements prior risk‐management research, which typically focused on the BIM as an advanced tool by which to manage project risk, such as design errors, quality, and budget. Practically, the contractor and owner can select suitable BIM applications for different project objectives and risks in the pre‐project phase.
Fault Forecasting of a Machining Center Tool Magazine Based on Health Assessment
Authors: Li Guofa , Wang Yanbo , He Jialong , Hou Tianwei , Du Le , Hou Zhenhua
Published: April 2020

A tool magazine is one of the key functional components of machining centers with frequent faults. The reliability level of a tool magazine directly affects the reliability level of the machining center. After establishing a reliability test bench and a prognostic and health management system for a tool magazine, a novel fault-forecasting method for machining center tool magazines based on health assessment is proposed. First, the health status of each tool magazine subcomponent is determined using the grey clustering method. Second, the weight of each tool magazine subcomponent is determined using an entropy weight method. Third, the health status of the tool magazine is evaluated via fuzzy comprehensive evaluation. If the tool magazine exhibits an unhealthy status, then the subcomponent with the worst health status is selected for fault forecasting. In addition, standardized treatment, stationarity test, and differential processing are conducted separately on the raw performance indicator data of the worst subcomponent. Finally, the performance indicators of the worst subcomponent are forecasted with the constructed autoregressive moving average model. Using tool-falling failure as an example, the forecasted and experimental tool-pulling forces are compared and analyzed, and the prediction accuracy of the proposed method is verified.
Gum Arabic (Acacia Senegal) Augmented Total Antioxidant Capacity and Reduced C-Reactive Protein among Haemodialysis Patients in Phase II Trial
Authors: Ali Nour Elkhair , Kaddam Lamis AbdelGadir , Alkarib Suad Yousif , Kaballo Babikir Gabir , Khalid Sami Ahmed , Higawee Abdalazim , AbdElhabib Alaa , AlaaAldeen Alaa , Phillips Aled O. , Saeed Amal Mahmoud
Published: April 2020

Background. Oxidative processes might increase in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) according to the current literature. Oxidative stress (OS) is a risk factor of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular complications, which are major causes of mortality among ESRD patients. Haemodialysis (HD) is life-saving procedure, nevertheless it is an active chronic inflammatory status that could augment cardiovascular disease and increase mortality. Gum Arabic (GA) has been claimed to act as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent in experimental studies and clinical trials. Therefore, we assumed GA supplementation among haemodialysis patients would reduce oxidative stress and consequently reduce the state of chronic inflammatory activation associated with haemodialysis. Methods. Forty end-stage renal failure (ESRF) patients aged 18–80 years who were on regular haemodialysis in Arif Renal Center, Omdurman, Sudan, were recruited. All recruited patients met the inclusion criteria and signed informed consent prior to enrolment. The patients received 30 g/day of GA for 12 weeks. C-reactive protein (CRP) and complete blood count (CBC) were measured as baseline and monthly. Total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and oxidative stress marker malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were measured before and after GA intake. Ethical approval from the National Medicines and Poisons Board was obtained. Results. Gum Arabic significantly augmented total antioxidant capacity level (P<0.001) (95% CI, 0.408–0.625) and also attenuated oxidative marker MDA and C-reactive protein (P<0.001). Conclusions. GA has revealed potent antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties in haemodialysis patients. Oral digestion of GA (30 g/day) decreased oxidative stress and inflammatory markers among haemodialysis patients. Trial registration. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03214692, registered 11 July 2017 (prospective registration).
The Influence of Decentration on Higher-Order Aberrations in Artisan Aphakic Intraocular Lens Implantation Eyes
Authors: Miao Aizhu , Zhang Min , Chen Tianhui , Lu Yi
Published: April 2020

Purpose. To characterize the influence of decentration on higher-order aberrations of Artisan aphakic intraocular lens implantation eyes.Setting. Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Science, Eye and ENT Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China.Design. Retrospective case series.Methods. Twenty-three eyes of 18 patients were retrospectively examined. Location of the IOL was imaged using a slit-lamp, and decentration (the distance from the center of a pupil to the geometric center of the IOL) was measured using the AutoCAD 2007 software. Ocular and internal higher-order aberrations were measured using the wavefront analyzer KR-1W (Topcon) and their correlation with decentration were analyzed. Coma, spherical, 3rd-, 4th-order, trefoil, tetrafoil aberrations, ocular, and internal higher-order aberrations were calculated for a 4.0 mm pupil diameter.Results. The mean age of patients was 33.6 ± 21.4 years (ranging from 7 to 72 years). The mean follow-up period was 28.2 ± 10.5 months (ranging from 12 to 52 months). The mean postoperative best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 0.19 ± 0.19 logMAR (range −0.18–0.52). The mean decentration was 0.57 ± 0.28 mm (range 0.15–1.21 mm). There was no correlation between Artisan IOL decentration and ocular higher-order aberrations, internal higher-order aberrations, coma, spherical, 3rd-, 4th-order, trefoil, and tetrafoil aberrations, respectively. There was a positive correlation between Artisan IOL decentration and 2nd-astig aberrations when 2nd-astig aberrations were less than 0.1.Conclusions. The position of Artisan IOLs showed slight decentration and the amounts of decentration were not large enough to influence higher-order aberrations.