bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enkephalinase inhibitors, potential therapeutics for the future treatment of diarrhea predominant functional gastrointestinal disorders
Authors: Szymaszkiewicz Agata , Storr Martin , Fichna Jakub , Zielinska Marta
Published: December 2018

The endogenous opioid system (EOS) is considered being a crucial element involved in the pathophysiology of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) as it regulates gastrointestinal (GI) homeostasis through modulation of motility and water and ion secretion/absorption. Along with opioid receptors (ORs), the following components of EOS can be distinguished: 1. endogenous opioid peptides (EOPs), namely enkephalins, endorphins, endomorphins and dynorphins, and 2. peptidases, which regulate the metabolism (synthesis and degradation) of EOPs. Enkephalins, which are δ‐opioid receptors agonists, induce significant effects in the GI tract as they act as potent pro‐absorptive neurotransmitters. The action of enkephalins and other EOPs is limited, since EOPs are easily and rapidly inactivated by a natural metalloendopeptidase (enkephalinase/neprilysin) and aminopeptidase N. Studies show that the activity of EOPs can be enhanced by inhibition of these enzymes. In this review, we discuss the antidiarrheal and antinociceptive potential of enkephalinase inhibitors. Furthermore, our review is to answer the question whether enkephalinase inhibitors may be helpful in the future treatment of diarrhea predominant functional GI disorders.
The role of lip thickness in upper lip response to sagittal change of incisor position
Authors: Alkadhi Ruba M. , Finkelman Matthew D. , Trotman Carroll Ann , Kanavakis Georgios
Published: December 2018

Structured Abstract

Objectives

To investigate the association between upper lip thickness and the amount of upper lip repositioning upon retraction of maxillary incisors.

Setting and Sample Population

Pre‐ and post‐treatment lateral cephalograms of 101 patients were reviewed. All subjects were treated with fixed orthodontic appliances including extraction of two maxillary premolars. Only subjects without change in lip thickness between pre‐ and post‐treatment cephalograms were included.

Material and Methods

Digital software measurements for lip thickness, pre‐ and post‐treatment upper lip position were performed. Appropriate regression models were developed to explore the correlation between maxillary incisor retraction and lip retraction when controlling for lip thickness and other confounding factors. The level of statistical significance was set at 0.05 for all analyses.

Results

A significant correlation was found between change in maxillary incisor position following premolars extraction and change in upper lip position (r = 0.95, P < 0.001). The average ratio between maxillary incisor retraction and upper lip repositioning was 1.43:1. Upper lip thickness was not significantly associated with this ratio (r = 0.003, P > 0.05).

Conclusion

Although there is a highly significant correlation between maxillary incisor retraction and upper lip repositioning, lip thickness is not significantly associated with the amount of repositioning.
Discovery of genomic regions and candidate genes controlling shelling percentage using QTL‐seq approach in cultivated peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.)
Authors: Luo Huaiyong , Pandey Manish K. , Khan Aamir W. , Guo Jianbin , Wu Bei , Cai Yan , Huang Li , Zhou Xiaojing , Chen Yuning , Chen Weigang , Liu Nian , Lei Yong , Liao Boshou , Varshney Rajeev K. , Jiang Huifang
Published: December 2018

Cultivated peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is an important grain legume providing high‐quality cooking oil, rich proteins and other nutrients. Shelling percentage (SP) is the 2nd most important agronomic trait after pod yield and this trait significantly affects the economic value of peanut in the market. Deployment of diagnostic markers through genomics‐assisted breeding (GAB) can accelerate the process of developing improved varieties with enhanced SP. In this context, we deployed the QTL‐seq approach to identify genomic regions and candidate genes controlling SP in a recombinant inbred line population (Yuanza 9102 × Xuzhou 68‐4). Four libraries (two parents and two extreme bulks) were constructed and sequenced, generating 456.89–790.32 million reads and achieving 91.85%–93.18% genome coverage and 14.04–21.37 mean read depth. Comprehensive analysis of two sets of data (Yuanza 9102/two bulks and Xuzhou 68‐4/two bulks) using the QTL‐seq pipeline resulted in discovery of two overlapped genomic regions (2.75 Mb on A09 and 1.1 Mb on B02). Nine candidate genes affected by 10 SNPs with non‐synonymous effects or in UTRs were identified in these regions for SP. Cost‐effective KASP (Kompetitive Allele‐Specific PCR) markers were developed for one SNP from A09 and three SNPs from B02 chromosome. Genotyping of the mapping population with these newly developed KASP markers confirmed the major control and stable expressions of these genomic regions across five environments. The identified candidate genomic regions and genes for SP further provide opportunity for gene cloning and deployment of diagnostic markers in molecular breeding for achieving high SP in improved varieties.
Exporting, demand for skills and skill mismatch: Evidence from employers' hiring practices
Authors: Brenčič Vera , Pahor Marko
Published: December 2018

We exploit information from a classification of occupations to identify separately formal qualification requirements linked to a job and formal qualifications of a worker who filled the job for the universe of firms in Slovenia. We find that exporters were more likely to hire over‐qualified workers than they did prior to becoming exporters even though they did not change the qualification requirements of their vacancies. Firms were more likely to demand other skills (leadership, knowledge of foreign languages) once they began to export. These findings suggest that skill upgrading by exporters reflects differences in terms of skill demand as well as the way workers match to jobs. This distinction is blurred in existing studies on skill upgrading by exporters because these studies rely solely on the information about the qualifications of hired workers. Our findings are consistent with a framework in which firms become more productive and offer higher wages once they start to export, workers' qualifications and firms' productivity are complementary inputs, and search is costly.
Heat Transfer Enhancement in a Flat-Plate Solar Water Heater Through Longitudinal Vortex Generator
Authors: Silva F. A. S. , Salviano L. O.
Published: December 2018

The solar energy is a renewable source that has a great potential for conversion into thermal energy or for generation of electric power through photovoltaic panels in Brazil. Concerns about environmental impacts and the fossil resources scarcity have motivated the technological development of renewable alternatives to fill out the energy matrix. The flat-plate solar water heater is an equipment used for domestic or commercial applications to heat fluids, which can minimize the demand for electric energy and, consequently, decrease the electrical bill. However, the development of technologies to increase the conversion of solar energy into thermal energy remains a challenge in order to increase the efficiency of these devices. Thus, passive techniques to enhance heat transfer have been applied and those results seem to be promissory. Among them, delta-winglet longitudinal vortex generator (VG) is a consolidated passive technique currently applied on compact heat exchangers, although few works have been applied this technique on the solar water heater. By a computational fluid dynamics approach, in this work, we analyze the augmentation of heat transfer through delta-winglet longitudinal vortex generator inside a tube of a flat-plate solar water heater. For the Reynolds numbers 300, 600, and 900, the better ratio between the heat transfer and the pressure drop penalty is found for the attack angle of the delta-winglet of 30 deg, while the highest heat transfer was to the attack angle of 45 deg. Moreover, the first vortex generators showed significant impact only on the friction factor and could be eliminated of the solar water heater with no penalty to the heat transfer.
Regenerated Fiber Bragg Grating Sensing System for Ultrasonic Detection in a 900 °C Environment
Authors: Yu Feng-ming , Okabe Yoji
Published: December 2018

Heat-resistant composites, such as ceramic matrix composites and heat-resistant carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRPs), are expected to be used for aircraft engine parts. The development of reliable heat-resistant composite materials requires the use of nondestructive test techniques for evaluating the progression of damage during material testing at elevated temperatures. Furthermore, structural health monitoring (SHM) technologies that operate under harsh environments are expected to be realized for monitoring heat-resistant composite structures. To provide potential solutions for the establishment of such technologies, this research developed a heat-resistant ultrasonic sensor based on a regenerated fiber-optic Bragg grating (RFBG). First, we fabricated an RFBG by annealing a normal fiber-optic Bragg gratings (FBG) sensor. Because the RFBG exhibits high heat resistance at temperatures of 1000 °C, the sensor achieved stable ultrasonic detection at an elevated temperature. In addition, we attempted to use a π-phase-shifted FBG (PSFBG) as the seed grating to construct an ultrasonic sensor with enhanced performance. As a result, the regenerated phase-shifted fiber-optic Bragg grating (R(PS)FBG) sensor possessed a very short effective gauge length and achieved a broad frequency response to ultrasonic waves with frequencies greater than 1.5 MHz. The broadband detectability enables the R(PS)FBG sensor to acquire an accurate response to ultrasonic waves. Hence, we believe the regenerated Bragg grating-based ultrasonic sensors can contribute to establishing an effective nondestructive evaluation method for composite materials, thereby enabling a structural health monitoring system for a composite-made structure operating under extreme high-temperature environments.
Wear Resistance Improvement of Austenitic 316 L Steel by Microwave-Processed Composite Clads
Authors: Kaushal Sarbjeet , Singh Dilkaran , Gupta Dheeraj , Jain Vivek
Published: December 2018

Metal matrix composite (MMC) claddings can be effectively used in severe wear working conditions. The present work successfully develops the MMC clad of Ni + 10% WC8Co + Cr3C2-based material on SS-316 L substrate using cost-effective microwave hybrid heating (MHH) technique. The developed composite clads showed the refined microstructure with the existence of randomly dispersed reinforcement particles inside the Ni based matrix. The phase analysis study results of the clad region revealed the formation of various hard phases of Co3W3C4, Cr7Ni3, NiC, NiW, W2C, Fe6W6C, Fe7C3, FeNi3 during microwave heating. The hard phases present in the clad region contributed to the enhancement in the microhardness. The mean microhardness of the clad region was observed as 550 ± 40 HV. Further, composite clad exhibited excellent wear resistance than SS-316 L substrate under different tribological conditions.
Theoretical Upper and Lower Bounds of the Performance of an On-Off Damping Dynamic Vibration Absorber Attached to a Multi-Degree-of-Freedom System
Authors: Viet La Duc , Tra My Phan Thi
Published: December 2018

This paper reveals the theoretical (upper and lower) bounds of the performance of an on-off damping vibration absorber attached to an undamped multi-degrees-of-freedom (MDOF) system under harmonic excitation. The solution reduces to the maximization or minimization problem of a simple single-variable function. Among the class of on-off damping controller, which switches the damping level from high to low and back at fixed times every half period, the revealed solutions produce the highest and lowest amplitude–frequency curves. These curves are the good theoretical benchmarks to measure how good or bad an on-off damping controller is. To demonstrate the usefulness of the theoretical bound solutions, two versions of power flow-driven controller are introduced to produce the amplitude–frequency curves tracing the lowest-amplitude curve. A case study of a four-mass system is discussed.
Structure of von Willebrand factor A1 on polystyrene determined from experimental and calculated sum frequency generation spectra
Authors: Roeters Steven J. , Tronic Elaine H. , Baio Joe E. , Castner David G. , Weidner Tobias
Published: December 2018

The blood-clotting protein von Willebrand factor (vWF) can be activated by small molecules, high shear stress, and interactions with interfaces. It subsequently binds platelet receptor glycoprotein Ibα (GPIbα) at the surface of platelets, thereby playing a crucial role in blood clotting due to platelet activation, which is an important process to consider in the design of cardiovascular implants and biomaterials used in blood-contacting applications. The influence of surfaces on the activation and the molecular-level structure of surface-bound vWF is largely unknown. Recent studies have indicated that when bound to hydrophobic polystyrene (PS), the A1 domain of vWF remains accessible for GPIbα binding. However, the detailed secondary structure and exact orientation of vWF A1 at the PS surface is still unresolved. Here, the authors resolve these features by studying the system with sum-frequency generation (SFG) spectroscopy. The data are consistent with a scenario where vWF A1 maintains a native secondary structure when bound to PS. Comparison of experimental and calculated SFG spectra combined with previously reported time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry data suggests that A1 assumes an orientation with the GPIbα binding domain oriented away from the solid surface and exposed to the solution phase. This structural information will benefit future in vitro experiments with surface-adsorbed A1 domain and may have relevance for the design of novel blood-contacting biomaterials and wound-healing applications.
3D nanofabrication by volumetric deposition and controlled shrinkage of patterned scaffolds
Authors: Oran Daniel , Rodriques Samuel G. , Gao Ruixuan , Asano Shoh , Skylar-Scott Mark A. , Chen Fei , Tillberg Paul W. , Marblestone Adam H. , Boyden Edward S.
Published: December 2018

Shrinking problems in 3D printing

Although a range of materials can now be fabricated using additive manufacturing techniques, these usually involve assembly of a series of stacked layers, which restricts three-dimensional (3D) geometry. Oran
et al.
developed a method to print a range of materials, including metals and semiconductors, inside a gel scaffold (see the Perspective by Long and Williams). When the hydrogels were dehydrated, they shrunk 10-fold, which pushed the feature sizes down to the nanoscale.

Science
, this issue p.
1281
; see also p.
1244
Contrasting Patterns of Virus Protection and Functional Incompatibility Genes in Two ConspecificWolbachiaStrains fromDrosophila pandora
Authors: Asselin Angelique K. , Villegas-Ospina Simon , Hoffmann Ary A. , Brownlie Jeremy C. , Johnson Karyn N.
Published: December 2018

Wolbachiastrains are common endosymbionts in insects, with multiple strains often coexisting in the same species. The coexistence of multiple strains is poorly understood but may rely onWolbachiaorganisms having diverse phenotypic effects on their hosts. AsWolbachiais increasingly being developed as a tool to control disease transmission and suppress pest populations, it is important to understand the ways in which multipleWolbachiastrains persist in natural populations and how these might then be manipulated. We have therefore investigated viral protection and the molecular basis of cytoplasmic incompatibility in two coexistingWolbachiastrains with contrasting effects on host reproduction.
Using a Logic Model to Direct Backward Design of Curriculum
Authors: Loberti Aria Mia , Dewsbury Bryan M.
Published: December 2018

Contemporary approaches to STEM course design typically encourage the backward design of curricula. This is to say that the learning activities and assessments of the course are explicitly guided by the learning outcomes of the course. Less discussed is the fact that this paradigm is also used in nonacademic settings. From this perspective, drawing from the nonacademic world, we discuss the use of a logic model approach as a structured, orderly way to implement backward design. We use the design and implementation of an introductory biology class to illustrate how a logic model template helped frame our inclusive, Freirean approach to teaching and learning.
Staphylococcal Plasmids, Transposable and Integrative Elements
Authors: Firth Neville , Jensen Slade O. , Kwong Stephen M. , Skurray Ronald A. , Ramsay Joshua P.
Published: December 2018

Strains of
Staphylococcus aureus
, and to a lesser extent other staphylococcal species, are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. An important factor in the notoriety of these organisms stems from their frequent resistance to many antimicrobial agents used for chemotherapy. This review catalogues the variety of mobile genetic elements that have been identified in staphylococci, with a primary focus on those associated with the recruitment and spread of antimicrobial resistance genes. These include plasmids, transposable elements such as insertion sequences and transposons, and integrative elements including ICE and SCC elements. In concert, these diverse entities facilitate the intra- and inter-cellular gene mobility that enables horizontal genetic exchange, and have also been found to play additional roles in modulating gene expression and genome rearrangement.
Nonconventional Therapeutics against
Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Grunenwald Caroline M. , Bennett Monique R. , Skaar Eric P.
Published: December 2018

Staphylococcus aureus
is one of the most important human pathogens that is responsible for a variety of diseases ranging from skin and soft tissue infections to endocarditis and sepsis. In recent decades, the treatment of staphylococcal infections has become increasingly difficult as the prevalence of multi-drug resistant strains continues to rise. With increasing mortality rates and medical costs associated with drug resistant strains, there is an urgent need for alternative therapeutic options. Many innovative strategies for alternative drug development are being pursued, including disruption of biofilms, inhibition of virulence factor production, bacteriophage-derived antimicrobials, anti-staphylococcal vaccines, and light-based therapies. While many compounds and methods still need further study to determine their feasibility, some are quickly approaching clinical application and may be available in the near future.
Home use of breast milk fortifier to promote postdischarge growth and breast feeding in preterm infants: a quality improvement project
Authors: Marino Luise V , Fudge Carol , Pearson Freya , Johnson Mark John
Published: December 2018

To improve the postdischarge growth of exclusively breastfed preterm infants, born weighing ≤1.8 kg, by using breast milk fortifier (BMF) supplements postdischarge until 48 weeks’ gestational age. A quality improvement (QI) project involving plan–do–study–act (PDSA) cycles. A tertiary surgical neonatal unit. Preterm infants weighing ≤1.8 kg at birth. We completed four PDSA cycles to develop and improve an electronic patient information sheet to promote the use BMF beyond discharge. Safety, feasibility and attitudes of parents to home BMF were assessed using questionnaires. A retrospective audit (July 2015–September 2017) was completed investigating the effects of home BMF on growth up to 1 year of age. Change in SD scores for weight for age, length for age and head circumference of age at various time points compared with those at birth were calculated. Compared with baseline measurements (infants born October 2012–November 2013), the QI project resulted in improved growth (measured as the change in SD score from birth, cSDS) at discharge for weight (cSDS −0.7), head circumference (cSDS 0.4) and length (cSDS-0.8), and at 1 year for weight (cSDS 0.9) and length (cSDS 0.8). Home BMF appeared to be safe, and parents found its use acceptable. QI methods facilitated the successful integration of BMF into routine clinical care after discharge, improving the growth trajectory of exclusively breastfed preterm infants discharged home, as well as supporting breast feeding in this vulnerable population group.
Emergency Room Safer Transfer of Patients (ER-STOP): a quality improvement initiative at a community-based hospital to improve the safety of emergency room patient handovers
Authors: Norman Savannah , DeCicco Frank , Sampson Jennifer , Fraser Ian M
Published: December 2018

Objectives

Ensure early identification and timely management of patient deterioration as essential components of safe effective healthcare. Prompted by analyses of incident reports and deterioration events, a multicomponent organisational rescue from danger system was redesigned to decrease unexpected inpatient deterioration.

Design

Quality improvement before–after unblinded trial.

Setting

430-bed Canadian community teaching hospital.

Participants

All admitted adult medical–surgical patients in a before–after 12-month interventional study.

Intervention

Locally validated checklist (Modified Early Warning Score+urinary catheter in situ+nurse concern) with an intentional pause and explicit management options was deployed as a modification of an existing ward transfer of accountability fax report in the emergency department (ED).

Results

Following deployment of Emergency Room Safer Transfer of Patients (ER-STOP), the risk of an unexpected CCRT (critical care response team) response within 24 hours of admission from ED to adult medical and surgical wards was significantly decreased (OR 4.1, 95% CI 2.17 to 7.77). Mean (±SD) ED wait times (5.66±1.54vs 5.74±1.04 hours, p=0.30), intensive care unit admission rate (3.84%, n=233vs 4.61%, n=278, p=0.06) and cardiac care unit admission rate (9.51%, n=577vs 9.60%, n=579, p=0.198) were unchanged.

Conclusions

ER-STOP improvement was out of proportion to the predictive value of the checklist component suggesting that effectiveness of this low-cost sustainable tool was related to increased situational awareness, empowering a culture of patient safety and repurposing of an adjacent ED medical short-stay unit use. Local adaptation within existing processes is essential to successful safety outcomes.
Policy environment impacting the societal harm caused by alcohol in India: protocol for a scoping review
Authors: Schess Jaclyn , Jambhale Abhijeet , Bhatia Urvita , Velleman Richard , Nadkarni Abhijit
Published: December 2018

Introduction

The aim of this review is to provide the first consolidation of the policy environment surrounding alcohol-related societal harm in India giving researchers and policy-makers a clearer base for future reforms. This review is also an important adaptation on the scoping review method for policy reviews in low-resource settings that may serve as an example for other policy reviews in similar settings.

Methods and analysis

We will undertake a scoping review with policy relevant adaptations in order to map the alcohol-related policy environment in India. Following the six-step approach put forward by ArskeyandO’Malley and refined by Levac, we will first undertake an academic scoping search to identify relevant knowledge already existing in the literature about the policy environment in India. We will then use the knowledge that appears in this search iteratively, as is true to the scoping method, to develop a more targeted search of grey literature and Indian government websites for Indian policy documents. These documents will be analysed using qualitative methods to synthesise the current alcohol policy environment in India.

Ethics and dissemination

This study will only use already published information and therefore does not require an ethics review. We will circulate this protocol and the final report to policy researchers in similar settings who could make use of our adaptation of the scoping review method for a low-resource setting. We will also publish our findings in a peer-review journal.
Effect of a combined programme of dietary restriction and physical activity on the physical function and body composition of obese middle-aged and older adults with knee OA (DRPA): protocol for a feasibility study
Authors: Alrushud Asma S , Rushton Alison B , Bhogal Gurjit , Pressdee Fraser , Greig Carolyn A
Published: December 2018

Introduction

Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common chronic illness among older adults. Up to the submission date of this protocol, there are no published UK studies reporting the efficacy of a combined intervention programme of physical activity and dietary restriction on the musculoskeletal function of obese older adults with knee OA in spite of the clinical recommendation for exercise and diet for people with knee OA. The aim of this study is to assess the feasibility and acceptability of a combined dietary restriction and physical activity intervention programme and collect preliminary data.

Method and analysis

This single-arm intervention study is scheduled to begin in September 2017 and conclude in November 2018. It will take place at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital (ROH), Birmingham and the School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences (SportExR), University of Birmingham. Participants will receive a physiotherapy usual care programme for knee OA for 1 month, after which they will continue to exercise in their local gym/leisure facility for 3 months. Participants will also follow dietary restriction throughout the 4-month intervention. Mixed analysis techniques will be used to analyse the quantitative and qualitative outcome measures.

Ethics and dissemination

It is approved by ROH R&D Foundation Trust and the Health Research Authority. The Consort Guidelines and checklist will be reviewed prior to generating any publications for the trial to ensure they meet the standards required for submission to high-quality peer-reviewed journals.

Trial registration number

ISRCTN12906938.
Influence of external peer reviewer scores for funding applications on funding board decisions: a retrospective analysis of 1561 reviews
Authors: Sorrell Lexy , Mcardle Nicola , Becque Taeko , Payne Helen , Stuart Beth , Turner Sheila , Wyatt Jeremy C
Published: December 2018

Objectives

To evaluate the influence of external peer reviewer scores on the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) research funding board decisions by the number of reviewers and type of reviewer expertise.

Design

Retrospective analysis of external peer review scores for shortlisted full applications for funding (280 funding applications, 1236 individual reviewers, 1561 review scores).

Setting

Four applied health research funding programmes of NIHR, UK.

Main outcome measures

Board decision to fund or not fund research applications.

Results

The mean score of reviewers predicted funding decisions better than individual reviewer scores (area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve 0.75, 95% CI 0.69 to 0.81 compared with 0.62, CI 0.59 to 0.65). There was no substantial improvement in how accurately mean reviewer scores predicted funding decisions when the number of reviewers increased above 4 (area under ROC curve 0.75, CI 0.59 to 0.91 for four reviewers; 0.80, CI 0.67 to 0.92 for seven or more). Reviewers with differing expertise influenced the board’s decision equally, including public and patient reviewers (area under ROC curves from 0.57, CI 0.47 to 0.66 for health economists to 0.64, CI 0.57 to 0.70 for subject-matter experts). The areas under the ROC curves were quite low when using reviewers’ scores, confirming that boards do not rely solely on those scores alone to make their funding decisions, which are best predicted by the mean board score.

Conclusions

Boards value scores that originate from a diverse pool of reviewers. On the basis of independent reviewer score alone, there is no detectable benefit of using more than four reviewer scores in terms of their influence on board decisions, so to improve efficiency, it may be possible to avoid using larger numbers of reviewers. The funding decision is best predicted by the board score.
Development of a tool to assess beliefs about mythical causes of cancer: the Cancer Awareness Measure Mythical Causes Scale
Authors: Smith Samuel G , Beard Emma , McGowan Jennifer A , Fox Emma , Cook Chloe , Pal Radhika , Waller Jo , Shahab Lion
Published: December 2018

Objectives

We aimed to develop a reliable and valid measure to assess public beliefs in mythical causes of cancer: the Cancer Awareness Measure–MYthical Causes Scale (CAM-MYCS).

Design and setting

Cancer myth items were generated from a literature review, social media and interviews (n=16). The CAM-MYCS was prepared by reducing items using (a) an online sample (n=527) with exploratory factor analysis and (b) cancer experts with Delhpi methodology (n=13). To assess test–retest reliability and sensitivity to change, students (n=91) completed the CAM-MYCS at baseline and 1 week after exposure to information on lifestyle-related cancer causes or control information. Construct validity was tested by comparing CAM-MYCS scores between cancer experts (n=25) and students (n=91). Factor structure and internal reliability were investigated in a national sample (n=1993).

Results

Out of 42 items generated, 12 were retained based on factor loadings, prevalence of endorsement and expert consensus. CAM-MYCS scores improved (fewer myths endorsed) among students exposed to information on cancer causes compared with the control group (p<0.001) and showed high test–retest reliability (r=0.90, p<0.001). Cancer experts reported higher CAM-MYCS scores (fewer myths endorsed) than students (p<0.001). The factor structure of the CAM-MYCS was confirmed in the national sample and internal reliability was high (α=0.86). Inclusion of the CAM-MYCS alongside items assessing knowledge of actual cancer causes did not affect responses.

Conclusions

The CAM-MYCS tool is a reliable and valid tool assessing beliefs in mythical causes of cancer, and it can be used alongside items assessing known causes of cancer.
Qualitative exploration of sociocultural determinants of health inequities of Dalit population in Dhaka City, Bangladesh
Authors: Kabir Ashraful , Maitrot Mathilde Rose Louise , Ali Ahsan , Farhana Nadia , Criel Bart
Published: December 2018

Objectives

In recent years, Bangladesh has made remarkable advances in health outcomes; however, the benefits of these gains are unequally shared among citizens and population groups. Dalits (jaatsweepers), a marginalised traditional working community, have relatively poor access to healthcare services. This study sought to explore the sociopolitical and cultural factors associated with health inequalities among Dalits in an urban setting.

Design

An exploratory qualitative study design was adopted. Fourteen in-depth interviews, five focus group discussions and seven key informant interviews were conducted. The acquired data were analysed using an iterative approach which incorporated deductive and inductive methods in identifying codes and themes.

Settings

This study was conducted in two sweeper communities in Dhaka city.

Participants

Participants were Dalit men and women (in-depth interviews, mean age±SD 30±10; and focus group discussions), and the community leaders and non-governmental organisation workers (key informant interviews).

Results

The health status of members of these Dalit groups is determined by an array of social, economic and political factors. Dalits (untouchables) are typically considered to fall outside the caste-based social structure and existing vulnerabilities are embedded and reinforced by this identity. Dalits’ experience of precarious access to healthcare or poor healthcare is an important manifestation of these inequalities and has implications for the economic and social life of Dalit populations living together in geographically constrained spaces.

Conclusions

The provision of clinical healthcare services alone is insufficient to mitigate the negative effects of discriminations and to improve the health status of Dalits. A better understanding of the precise influences of sociocultural determinants of health inequalities is needed, together with the identification of the strategies and programmes needed to address these determinants with the aim of developing more inclusive health service delivery systems.
Comprehensive scoping review of health research using social media data
Authors: Taylor Joanna , Pagliari Claudia
Published: December 2018

Introduction

The rising popularity of social media, since their inception around 20 years ago, has been echoed in the growth of health-related research using data derived from them. This has created a demand for literature reviews to synthesise this emerging evidence base and inform future activities. Existing reviews tend to be narrow in scope, with limited consideration of the different types of data, analytical methods and ethical issues involved. There has also been a tendency for research to be siloed within different academic communities (eg, computer science, public health), hindering knowledge translation. To address these limitations, we will undertake a comprehensive scoping review, to systematically capture the broad corpus of published, health-related research based on social media data. Here, we present the review protocol and the pilot analyses used to inform it.

Methods

A version of Arksey and O’Malley’s five-stage scoping review framework will be followed: (1) identifying the research question; (2) identifying the relevant literature; (3) selecting the studies; (4) charting the data and (5) collating, summarising and reporting the results. To inform the search strategy, we developed an inclusive list of keyword combinations related to social media, health and relevant methodologies. The frequency and variability of terms were charted over time and cross referenced with significant events, such as the advent of Twitter. Five leading health, informatics, business and cross-disciplinary databases will be searched: PubMed, Scopus, Association of Computer Machinery, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts, alongside the Google search engine. There will be no restriction by date.

Ethics and dissemination

The review focuses on published research in the public domain therefore no ethics approval is required. The completed review will be submitted for publication to a peer-reviewed, interdisciplinary open access journal, and conferences on public health and digital research.
Association of postlunch napping duration and night-time sleep duration with cognitive impairment in Chinese elderly: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Lin Jun-Fen , Li Fu-Dong , Chen Xiao-Geng , He Fan , Zhai Yu-Jia , Pan Xiao-Qing , Wang Xin-Yi , Zhang Tao , Yu Min
Published: December 2018

Objective

To analyse the independent and combined associations of postlunch napping duration and night-time sleep duration with risk of cognitive impairment among Chinese elderly.

Design

A cross-sectional study.

Setting

We analysed the data from Zhejiang Ageing and Health Cohort, a population-based survey of seven counties located in Zhejiang province in eastern China.

Participants

10 740 participants aged 60 years or older were included in final analysis.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

Cognitive impairment was assessed through Mini-Mental State Examination. Data on sleep-related characteristics was collected in the behavioural habits section within the questionnaire.

Results

Relative to participants with 1–30 min of postlunch napping, those who did not nap and who napped longer had significantly higher risks for cognitive impairment. OR of cognitive impairment were 1.41 (95% CI 1.14 to 1.75) for participants with longer night-time sleep duration (≥9 hours), compared with those sleeping 7–8.9 hours. In addition, combined effects were further identified. Participants with both longer night-time sleep duration (≥9 hours) and longer postlunch napping duration (>60 min) (OR=2.01, 95% CI 1.30 to 3.13), as well as those with both longer night-time sleep duration (≥9 hours) and appropriate postlunch napping duration (1–30 min) (OR=2.01, 95% CI 1.20 to 3.38), showed significantly higher risk of cognitive impairment than those with sleeping 7–8 hours and napping 1–30 min. Meanwhile, a 34% increase in odds of cognitive impairment was observed in participants with both shorter night-time sleep duration (5–6.9 hours) and no napping.

Conclusion

Both postlunch napping duration and night-time sleep duration were independently and jointly associated with cognitive impairment, which needs verification in prospective studies.
Dexamethasone versus prednisone for children receiving asthma treatment in the paediatric inpatient population: protocol for a feasibility randomised controlled trial
Authors: Pound Catherine M , McDonald Jaime , Tang Ken , Seidman Gillian , Jetty Radha , Zaidi Sarah , Plint Amy C
Published: December 2018

Introduction

Asthma exacerbations are a leading cause of paediatric hospitalisations. Corticosteroids are key in the treatment of asthma exacerbations. Most current corticosteroids treatment regimens for children admitted with asthma exacerbation consist of a 5-day course of prednisone or prednisolone. However, these medications are associated with poor taste and significant vomiting, resulting in poor compliance with the treatment course. While some centres already use a short course of dexamethasone for treating children hospitalised with asthma, there is no evidence to support this practice in the inpatient population.

Methods and analysis

This single-site, pragmatic, feasibility randomised controlled trial will determine the feasibility of a non-inferiority trial, comparing two treatment regimens for children admitted to the hospital and receiving asthma treatment. Children 18 months to 17 years presenting to a Canadian tertiary care centre will be randomised to receive either a short course of dexamethasone or a longer course of prednisone/prednisolone once admitted to the inpatient units. The primary clinical outcome for this feasibility study will be readmission to hospital or repeat emergency department visits, or unplanned visits to primary healthcare providers for asthma symptoms within 4 weeks of hospital discharge. Feasibility outcomes will include recruitment and allocation success, compliance with study procedures, retention rate, and safety and tolerability of study medications. We plan on recruiting 51 children, and between-group comparisons of the clinical outcome will be conducted to gain insights on probable effect sizes.

Ethics and dissemination

Research Ethics Board approval has been obtained for this study. The results of this study will inform a multisite trial comparing prednisone/prednisolone to dexamethasone in inpatient asthma treatment, which will have the potential to improve the delivery of asthma care, by improving compliance with a mainstay of treatment. Results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications, organisations and meetings.

Trial registration number

NCT03133897; Pre-results.
The adsorption and diffusion theoretical investigations of H on LaFeO3(010) surface with an O vacancy
Authors: Fan Jiajia , Chen Yuhong , Wang Jing , Liu Tingting , Zhang Meiling , Yuan Lihua , Zhang Cairong
Published: December 2018

Based on the first-principles method of density functional theory and the transition state theory, the adsorption, occupancy and diffusion behaviors of H atoms in LaFeO3(010) surface with O vacancy are investigated. It is found that, for the LaFeO3(010) surface with O vacancy, the H atom prefers to adsorb on the O atom and also could adsorb on the Fe atom; the adsorption energy of H atom in the surface layer is the biggest, while the adsorption energy decreases with the H atom in-depth diffusion to the bulk; the diffusion of H atoms from the surface layer to the bulk phase is a process of progressive rotation around the O atom, and the stepwise diffusion is more likely to occur than the direct diffusion. If the H atom can cross the barrier and diffuse from the surface to the subsurface, it will be more likely to diffuse inward. The presence of O vacancy can reduce the barrier for H atoms diffusion from the surface to the subsurface, and then improve the diffusion properties of the LaFeO3(010) surface system.
Effect of sand-blasting on fatigue properties of 7N01 aluminum alloy
Authors: Qu Shali , Yu Min
Published: December 2018

Certain high-speed trains often suffer from the erosion of wind-drift sand during the serving period. The present paper simulated this sand-blasting process with consideration of sand-blasting pressure, angle, distance and sand particle size representing different natural conditions. Results show that the grit size has the greatest influence on roughness and residual stress of the 7N01 aluminum alloy based on the orthogonal test. The samples after low intensity sand-blasting (LISB) were characterized by micro-hardness, surface morphology and fatigue test. Results show that the surface of the blasted sample was severely impinged in form of extruded ridges crater-like morphology, representing different roughness values. The LISB causes a similar spoon shape residual stress distribution along the depth direction and it also increases the hardness of the surface zone. Finally, the residual compressive stress plays an important role in the improvement of the fatigue life, and the increase of roughness can seriously shorten the fatigue life.
EasyFont
Authors: Lian Zhouhui , Zhao Bo , Chen Xudong , Xiao Jianguo
Published: December 2018

Generating personal handwriting fonts with large amounts of characters is a boring and time-consuming task. For example, the official standard GB18030-2000 for commercial font products consists of 27,533 Chinese characters. Consistently and correctly writing out such huge amounts of characters is usually an impossible mission for ordinary people. To solve this problem, we propose a system,
EasyFont
, to automatically synthesize personal handwriting for all (e.g., Chinese) characters in the font library by learning style from a small number (as few as 1%) of carefully-selected samples written by an ordinary person. Major technical contributions of our system are twofold. First, we design an effective stroke extraction algorithm that constructs best-suited reference data from a trained font skeleton manifold and then establishes correspondence between target and reference characters via a non-rigid point set registration approach. Second, we develop a set of novel techniques to learn and recover users’ overall handwriting styles and detailed handwriting behaviors. Experiments including Turing tests with 97 participants demonstrate that the proposed system generates high-quality synthesis results, which are indistinguishable from original handwritings. Using our system, for the first time, the practical handwriting font library in a user’s personal style with arbitrarily large numbers of Chinese characters can be generated automatically. It can also be observed from our experiments that recently-popularized deep learning based end-to-end methods are not able to properly handle this task, which implies the necessity of expert knowledge and handcrafted rules for many applications.
The Role of Common Factors in Psychotherapy Outcomes
Authors: Cuijpers Pim , Reijnders Mirjam , Huibers Marcus J.H.
Published: December 2018

Psychotherapies may work through techniques that are specific to each therapy or through factors that all therapies have in common. Proponents of the common factors model often point to meta-analyses of comparative outcome studies that show all therapies have comparable effects. However, not all meta-analyses support the common factors model; the included studies often have several methodological problems; and there are alternative explanations for finding comparable outcomes. To date, research on the working mechanisms and mediators of therapies has always been correlational, and in order to establish that a mediator is indeed a causal factor in the recovery process of a patient, studies must show a temporal relationship between the mediator and an outcome, a dose–response association, evidence that no third variable causes changes in the mediator and the outcome, supportive experimental research, and have a strong theoretical framework. Currently, no common or specific factor meets these criteria and can be considered an empirically validated working mechanism. Therefore, it is still unknown whether therapies work through common or specific factors, or both.
One-Session Treatment of Specific Phobias in Children: Recent Developments and a Systematic Review
Authors: Davis Thompson E. , Ollendick Thomas H. , Öst Lars-Göran
Published: December 2018

One-Session Treatment is a well-established evidence-based treatment for specific phobias in youths that incorporates reinforcement, cognitive challenges, participant modeling, psychoeducation, and skills training into a single, massed session of graduated exposure. This review begins by briefly examining the phenomenology, etiology, epidemiology, and assessment of specific phobias and then pivots to a description of One-Session Treatment. We examine the use of One-Session Treatment with children and adolescents, briefly discussing its components and application, and subsequently review almost two decades of research supporting its efficacy. Finally, we propose future directions for research and practice.
Nocturnal ventricular repolarization lability predicts cardiovascular mortality in the Sleep Heart Health Study
Authors: Schmidt Martin , Baumert Mathias , Penzel Thomas , Malberg Hagen , Zaunseder Sebastian
Published: December 2018

The objective of the present study was to quantify repolarization lability and its association with sex, sleep stage, and cardiovascular mortality. We analyzed polysomnographic recordings of 2,263 participants enrolled in the Sleep Heart Health Study (SHHS-2). Beat-to-beat QT interval variability (QTV) was quantified for consecutive epochs of 5 min according to the dominant sleep stage [wakefulness, nonrapid eye movement stage 2 (NREM2), nonrapid eye movement stage 3 (NREM3), and rapid eye movement (REM)]. To explore the effect of sleep stage and apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) on QT interval parameters, we used a general linear mixed model and mixed ANOVA. The Cox proportional hazards model was used for cardiovascular disease (CVD) death prediction. Sex-related differences in T wave amplitude ( P < 0.001) resulted in artificial QTV differences. Hence, we corrected QTV parameters by T wave amplitude for further analysis. Sleep stages showed a significant effect ( P < 0.001) on QTV. QTV was decreased in deep sleep compared with wakefulness, was higher in REM than in NREM, and showed a distinct relation to AHI in all sleep stages. The T wave amplitude-corrected QTV index (cQTVi) in REM sleep was predictive of CVD death (hazard ratio: 2.067, 95% confidence interval: 1.105–3.867, P < 0.05) in a proportional hazards model. We demonstrated a significant impact of sleep stages on ventricular repolarization variability. Sex differences in QTV are due to differences in T wave amplitude, which should be corrected for. Independent characteristics of QTV measures to sleep stages and AHI showed different behaviors of heart rate variability and QTV expressed as cQTVi. cQTVi during REM sleep predicts CVD death.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY We demonstrate here, for the first time, a significant impact of sleep stages on ventricular repolarization variability, quantified as QT interval variability (QTV). We showed that QTV is increased in rapid eye movement sleep, reflective of high sympathetic drive, and predicts death from cardiovascular disease. Sex-related differences in QTV are shown to be owing to differences in T wave amplitude, which should be corrected for.