bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Satellite integrated heterogeneous architecture for professional health services
Authors: Ronga Luca Simone , Jayousi Sara , Aragno Cesare , Bagni Marco , Carniato Luca , Fongher Federica
Published: June 2017

The global availability, strong resiliency and bandwidth management capability of the satellite technology together with the need of ICT solutions for the provision of reliable e‐health services lead to the development of innovative technological mechanisms to be adopted in a comprehensive network resources management system for integrated professional medical services. A new paradigm of satellite telemedicine is proposed by the European Space Agency project, KosmoMed. Its aim is to design, develop, deploy and validate an ICT Professional Medical Platform for the delivery of innovative applications through an integrated satellite terrestrial network. To satisfy the end‐user requirements in terms of perceived quality, a distributed booking databases system for the network resource management has been developed. A user‐transparent system that automatically adapts the satellite bandwidth resources and activates the proper quality of service (QoS) strategies based on the requested service has been implemented. The overall system has been validated and an experimental campaign has been carried out. The fulfilment of the identified requirements is demonstrated by the QoS and quality of experience (QoE) results. This paper describes the solution proposed for the dynamic management of the bandwidth resources and provides an overview of the achieved results and lesson learnt.
‐constrained incentive Stackelberg games for discrete‐time stochastic systems with multiple followers
Authors: Ahmed Mostak , Mukaidani Hiroaki , Shima Tadashi
Published: June 2017

The authors discuss an incentive Stackelberg game with one leader and multiple non‐cooperative followers, for a class of discrete‐time stochastic systems with an external disturbance. In this game, the leader achieves a team‐optimal solution by attenuating the external disturbance under their constraint, whereas the followers adopt Nash equilibrium strategies according to the leader's incentive Stackelberg strategy set (declared in advance) while considering the worst‐case disturbance. Using our proposed method, we demonstrate that the incentive Stackelberg strategy set can be found by solving a set of matrix‐valued equations. Techniques are presented for both the finite‐ and infinite‐horizon cases. In addition, through an academic and a practical numerical examples, we verify the efficacy of the proposed method in providing the incentive Stackelberg strategy set.
Differential games, continuous Lyapunov functions, and stabilisation of non‐linear dynamical systems
Authors: L'Afflitto Andrea
Published: June 2017

In this study, the authors address the two‐player zero‐sum differential game problem for non‐linear dynamical systems with non‐linear‐non‐quadratic cost functions over the infinite time horizon. The pursuer's goal is to minimise the cost function and guarantee asymptotic stability of the closed‐loop system, whereas the evader's goal is to maximise the cost function. Closed‐loop asymptotic stability is certified by continuous Lyapunov functions that are viscosity solutions of the steady‐state Hamilton–Jacobi–Isaacs equation for the controlled system. Since it is difficult to find viscosity solutions of partial differential equations for numerous problems of practical interest, they extend an inverse optimality framework to provide explicit closed‐form solutions of differential game problems, which involve affine in the controls dynamical systems with quadratic cost functions and linear dynamical systems with Lagrangians in polynomial form. The authors' framework allows also to solve optimal robust control problems involving non‐linear dynamical systems with non‐linear‐non‐quadratic cost functionals and provides a generalisation of the mixed‐norm optimal robust control framework. Two numerical examples illustrate the applicability of theoretical results provided.
Optimal space vector pulse width modulation strategy of neutral point clamped three‐level inverter for output current ripple reduction
Authors: Chen Wei , Dai Wenkai , Wang Zhiqiang , Zhang Guozheng , Yan Yan , Xia Changliang
Published: June 2017

Based on the analysis of the space vector modulation strategies for three‐level inverters, the duration assignment of the two redundant switching states and the selection of different switching sequences can be considered as two degrees of freedom. The impacts of these two degrees of freedom on the quality of output current are evaluated by using the mathematical model of current ripple established in this study. Moreover, according to the principle of minimum rms value of output current ripple, the optimal assignment of the two redundant states and the optimal distribution of switching sequences are determined. Thus, the optimisation of the output current waveform is realised. The simulation and experimental results show that, for the proposed strategy, the total harmonic distortion (THD) of output current and the weighted THD of output voltage are both lower than that of the conventional strategies.
Distortionless space‐time adaptive processor based on MVDR beamformer for GNSS receiver
Authors: Dai Xinzhi , Nie Junwei , Chen Feiqiang , Ou Gang
Published: June 2017

The utilising of space‐time adaptive processing (STAP) can effectively enhance the globe navigation satellite system (GNSS) receivers’ performance in suppressing harsh, sustained interference. However, STAP may introduce significant biases and distortions on the cross‐correlation functions, which would deteriorate acquisition and tracking performance. To achieve high‐accuracy GNSS applications in challenging environments, these biases and distortions must be mitigated. A novel distortionless space‐time adaptive processor based on minimum variance disstortionless response (MVDR) beamformer is proposed. By combining the information of steering vector and constraining the taps number of tapped delay line to be odd, the proposed processor can maintain the linearity of space‐time filter response and it introduces no biases into the code and carrier phase measurements. The effectiveness of the proposed processor is demonstrated by theoretical analysis and simulations.
Angle estimation of a single‐axis rotation: a practical inertial‐measurement‐unit‐based method
Authors: Zheng Shuaiyong , Dong Hongxin , Zhang Ruifeng , Huang Zhigang , Wang Jiawu
Published: June 2017

A practical inertial‐measurement‐unit‐based method is proposed to measure the angle of a single‐axis rotation, where the axis rotation is invisible or inaccessible. The proposed method utilises the angular velocities of an inertial‐measurement unit (IMU) to compute the orientation of the rotating axis. An equation with respect to the unknown rotation angle is first developed due to that the attitude angles of IMU vary as the measured target rotates. An interpolation algorithm is proposed to solve the equation, and simulations are performed. Finally, with a turntable and an IMU, comparative experiments are conducted to validate the proposed method. Results demonstrate the robustness to initial noise and the effectiveness under different situations.The proposed method is practical because of its simple structure, flexible installation and applicability in complex environments. Another more contributions of this study are a feasible approach to measure the orientation of the rotating axis. This method solves the problem of complex and difficult installation of angle measuring equipment in specific environments. It is simple and suited for use in the real‐time calculation of angular displacement. It can be used to measure the rotation angle of rotating motors or the rotating axis of some equipment.
Position detection method of linear motor mover based on extended phase correlation algorithm
Authors: Wang Hui , Zhao Jing , Zhao Jiwen , Dong Fei , Pan Zhenbao , Feng Yinyi
Published: June 2017

This study aims to explain the real‐time and high‐precision requirements of linear motor mover position detection. A new sub‐pixel displacement estimation based on an extended phase correlation algorithm (PCA) is proposed and applied to measure the position of the linear motor mover. This extended PCA is on the basis of singular value decomposition (SVD), which is a novel application in position measurement of the linear motor mover. First, two adjacent stripe images are captured by a high‐speed camera installed in the linear motor. Second, an improved Hanning (flap‐top) window function is added to the input fence images to suppress the edge effect and spectral aliasing, before the discrete Fourier transform (DFT). Next, phase correlation matrix is acquired by PCA, and using SVD technique to calculate approximate rank‐one matrix for subsequent phase unwrapping. Then, weighted‐phase unwrap algorithm is applied to acquire the real horizontal phase data. Finally, least‐squares method is utilised to linearly fit the real phase data and to obtain sub‐pixel displacement of the linear motor mover. Experiments show that the detection accuracy is 1/100 pixel, and the position measurement of linear motor mover is fast and effective.
Modelling of synchronisation and energy performance of FBE‐ and LBE‐based standalone LTE‐U networks
Authors: Li Jiamin , Shan Hangguan , Huang Aiping , Yuan Jiantao , Cai Lin X.
Published: June 2017

Without the aid of licensed channel, deploying long‐term evolution (LTE) networks over unlicensed spectrum (named standalone LTE‐U networks) faces the difficulty of establishing and maintaining synchronisation between user equipments and base stations. In this work, considering the two modes of listen‐before‐talk‐based channel access scheme, frame‐based equipment (FBE) and load‐based equipment (LBE), the authors propose analytical frameworks to study the successful probability of synchronisation and the energy consumption of synchronisation in a standalone LTE‐U network. Specifically, for the LBE mode, the authors also propose a Lattice‐Poisson algorithm‐based approach to derive the distribution of the channel non‐occupancy period of a standalone LTE‐U network. Furthermore, the authors explore the impact of diverse protocol parameters of both FBE and LBE modes on the two studied performance metrics. Simulation results demonstrate the accuracy of the analysis, and shed some light on the selection of FBE and LBE for standalone LTE‐U networks, in terms of synchronisation, energy consumption, and throughput of standalone LTE‐U and Wi‐Fi networks.
Dual‐band global positioning system antenna fed by the proximity‐inset method
Authors: Chang The‐Nan , Lin Jyun‐Ming
Published: June 2017

A method to excite dual band for a microstrip antenna on a two‐layer substrate by combining the proximity feed and the inset feed in a simple way is presented. Both linearly polarised and circularly polarised (CP) dual‐band waves can be excited. The CP antenna consists of two stacked perturbed patches. If the lower patch were directly connected to the feed line, it is hard to form two bands. A single resonant frequency is found dependent on the size of the lower patch and is insensitive to the loading effect of the upper patch. The lower patch is inset coupled to the feed line. The authors found that two bands can easily be excited. To demonstrate the idea, a dual‐band global positioning system antenna is designed and tested. The achieved impedance bandwidths are 60 MHz centred at 1215 and 65 MHz centred at 1563 MHz. The 3 dB axial‐ratio bandwidths are 15 MHz centred at 1228 and 20 MHz centred at 1575 MHz.
A Loud, Raw and Brutal World: A Case of Ranunculus acris
Authors: Jacob Martin
Published: June 2017

The case of Ranunculus acris demonstrates the theme of the Ranunculaceae, the patient's feeling of a raw and harsh world. We see in this case a conflict in a person, where the personality of a child has to function in the world of adults, the ‘normal’ world, Iron Series with school, tasks and duties.
Call for a New Concept of Homeopathic Software—Dynamic Homeopathic Software
Authors: Tagori Yossi
Published: June 2017

This column is intended to stimulate discussion on the pages of LINKS and to share short formulated ideas and observations. Open is the keyword here: open to any subject; write with an open mind and an open heart; favour question marks over exclamation marks and be open to discussion.
Messages from the Rainforest Planta Milagrosa — Synadenium grantii The Wisdom of Living and Dying
Authors: Siefert Renate
Published: June 2017

A well-known remedy from the rainforest—Synadenium grantii from the family of Euphorbiaceae—reveals itself to us in its essence by resonant trituration. The medicine used by the shamanic healer Don Agustin in life-threatening crises arises in potentiated form also as a wise helper for someone who is faced with the question: Is the road leading back to life again, or should I say goodbye to this world? Clinical studies show impressively that ‘planta milagrosa’ the ‘miracle plant’, as it is also called, enables the soul in its innate wisdom to choose one of the two ways: the way back to a fulfilling life or the way to a reconciled dying full of light. With Synadenium grantii, the rainforest grants us a companion in our last days. It allows us to come home entirely into our own essence.
Early Markers of Angiogenesis and Ischemia during Bowel Conduit Neovascularization
Authors: Ciudad Pedro , Wong Alex , Lo Torto Federico , Li Yun-Fen , Chen Pei-Yu , Nguyen Doan-Minh , Chen Hung-Chi , Manrique Oscar
Published: June 2017

Background Bowel flaps are a good and reliable method to restore the continuity of the aerodigestive tract. Radiated fields, contaminated recipient sites, or depleted recipient vessels may increase the risk for ischemic injury after transfer. During ischemic events, we believe that bowel conduits with serosa have a delayed neovascularization process at its new recipient site.

We conducted an ischemia/reperfusion murine model to understand the difference among bowel conduits with and without serosa.

Materials and Methods Two groups of rats were compared: control group (jejunal conduit with serosa) and a target group (jejunal conduit without serosa). These conduits were harvested from the peritoneal cavity and transferred into a subcutaneous pocket. After 72 hours of transfer and pedicle ligation, histological changes related to ischemia/reperfusion were assessed. In addition, tissue markers of angiogenesis (CD34), ischemia (lactate dehydrogenase [LDH]), and inflammation (interleukin [IL]-1β and IL-6) were analyzed.

Results Two groups (n = 20) of male rats were analyzed. Histology showed intact jejunal mucosa in the target group. The control group showed decreased number of mucin, globet cells, decreased height, and fragmentation of villi with the absence of intestinal glands. Markers of angiogenesis (CD34) were higher in the target group. In addition, markers of ischemia (LDH) (p = 0.0045) and inflammation (IL-1b, p = 0.0008, and IL-6, p = 0.0008) were significantly lower in the target group as compared with the control group.

Conclusions In circumstances in which the recipient site does not offer an adequate and healthy bed or a vascular insult occurs, bowel flaps with less amount of serosa may be able to neovascularize faster thereby increasing its chances of survival.
Balloon-Assisted Transarterial Chemoembolization: A Nascent Strategy for the Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Kishore Sirish , Cheng Wayne , Smirniotopoulos John , Madoff David
Published: June 2017

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. The majority of newly diagnosed patients are not eligible for curative options, and thus, transarterial therapies such as transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) play a central role in prolonging survival for the majority of patients with liver-confined HCC. Recent developments in microcatheter technology have allowed for increasingly localized intratumoral administration of chemotherapeutic agents as a result of lower profile catheters and occlusion balloon-catheter systems. The purpose of this review is to describe the current state of balloon-assisted transarterial chemoembolization (B-TACE), a nascent transarterial locoregional therapeutic strategy for the treatment of HCC that may confer benefit over conventional TACE (cTACE) in selected patients.
Evaluation of Cases of Abdominal Wall Endometriosis at Universidade Estadual de Campinas in a period of 10 Years
Authors: Yela Daniela Angerame , Trigo Lucas , Benetti-Pinto Cristina Laguna
Published: June 2017

Purpose To determine the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of abdominal wall endometriosis (AWE), as well as the rate and recurrence factors for the disease.

Methods A retrospective study of 52 women with AWE was performed at Universidade Estadual de Campinas from 2004 to 2014. Of the 231 surgeries performed for the diagnosis of endometriosis, 52 women were found to have abdominal wall endometriosis (AWE). The frequencies, means and standard deviations of the clinical characteristics of these women were calculated, as well as the recurrence rate of AWE. To determine the risk factors for disease recurrence, Fisher's exact test was used.

Results The mean age of the patients was 30.71 ± 5.91 years. The main clinical manifestations were pain (98%) and sensation of a mass (36.5%). We observed that 94% of these women had undergone at least 1 cesarean section, and 73% had used medication for the postoperative control of endometriosis. The lesion was most commonly located in the cesarean section scar (65%). The recurrence rate of the disease was of 26.9%. All 14 women who had relapsed had surgical margins compromised in the previous surgery. There was no correlation between recurrent AWE and a previous cesarean section (p = 0.18), previous laparotomy (p = 0.11), previous laparoscopy (p = 0.12) and postoperative hormone therapy (p = 0.51).

Conclusion Women with previous cesarean sections with local pain or lumps should be investigated for AWE. The recurrence of AWE is high, especially when the first surgery is not appropriate and leaves compromised surgical margins.
Homöotherapie umweltbedingter seelischer Erkrankungen
Authors: Müller H.V.
Published: June 2017

Zunächst wird erörtert, wieso die heutige Zeit fürdie Entstehung von Gemütskrankheiten prädestiniert ist. Zu geringe seelische und körperliche Belastung, Müßiggang und übermäßige "Selbstbesinnung", die Lösung aus der Gemeinschaft, aber auch übermäßige Verantwortung spielen eine bedeutende Rolle. Anhand von 2 Beispielen wird gezeigt, wie durch eine richtige homöopathische Mittelwahl auch schwierige Gemütskrankheiten erfolgreich behandelt werden können.
Ge(001) surface cleaning methods for device integration
Authors: Ponath P. , Posadas A. B. , Demkov A. A.
Published: June 2017

In recent years, research on Ge nanodevices has experienced a renaissance, as Ge is being considered a possible high mobility channel material replacement for Si MOSFET devices. However, for reliable high performance devices, an atomically flat and perfectly clean Ge surface is of utmost importance. In this review, the existing methods for cleaning the Ge(001) surface are reviewed and compared for the first time. The review discusses three broad categories of cleaning techniques that have been successfully demonstrated to obtain a clean Ge surface. First, the use of ultraviolet light and/or oxygen plasma is discussed. Both techniques remove carbon contamination from the Ge surface and simultaneously form an oxide passivation layer. Second, in situ ion sputtering in combination with germanium regrowth, which can lead to extremely clean and well-ordered Ge surfaces, is discussed. Finally, various wet-etching recipes are summarized, with focus on hydrofluoric acid (HF), NH4OH, and HCl. Despite the success of HF for Si surface preparation, it is demonstrated that in the case of Ge, HF is outperformed by other chemicals with respect to surface roughness, carbon and oxide removal efficiency. It is shown that several cleaning methods can lead to a perfectly clean Ge surface, but only a few methods can be considered for actual device integration due to their effectiveness, simplicity, and scaling ability.
Ultrasound propagation in bond frustrated HgCr2S4 spinel in magnetic fields
Authors: Felea V. , Prodan L. , Stefanet E. , Cong P. T. , Zherlitsyn S. , Tsurkan V.
Published: June 2017

Ultrasound and magnetization studies of bond frustrated spinel HgCr2S4 are performed as a function of temperature in static magnetic fields. Beside the anharmonic effect, the sound velocity shows pronounced anomaly at the antiferromagnetic (AFM) transition at TN = 23 K with an additional significant increase of the order of 0.5% indicating a strong spin-lattice coupling. External magnetic fields enhance the ferromagnetic (FM) correlations and shift the anomalies to lower temperatures concomitantly with the reduction of the Néel temperature. The constructed H–T phase diagram beside the long-range AFM states reveals the state with induced FM order and regimes with short-range AFM and FM correlations as well.
Generation of droplets via oscillations of a tapered capillary tube filled with low-viscosity liquids
Authors: Mao Xinyu , Zhang Lei , Zhao Zhenhao , Lin Feng
Published: June 2017

Droplet formation via the oscillations of a tapered capillary tube is experimentally and numerically investigated using incompressible, low-viscosity Newtonian liquids. As in many other common methods of droplet generation, this technique features a transient flow that is directed out of a nozzle. However, due to the interactions of the oscillations, the tube, and the fluids, the flow rate upstream of the nozzle cannot be directly obtained. In this study, the motion of the tube is measured under the activation of a specific waveform, and the flow inside the tube and drop formation are further numerically studied using a non-inertial reference system in which the tube is stationary. The mechanism of ejection is quantitatively explained by analyzing the temporal variation in the velocity and pressure distributions inside the tube. The dynamics of drop formation, the drop velocity, and the drop radius are studied as functions of the dimensionless groups that govern the problem, including the Ohnesorge number Oh, the Weber number We, the gravitational Bond number G, and various length scale ratios. The results show that droplets are generated due to the inertia of the liquid and velocity amplification in the tapered section. By influencing the balance between the viscous effect and inertial effect of the liquid along the entire tube, the length scale ratios affect the evolution of the transient flow at the nozzle and eventually influence the drop radius and velocity. For liquids with viscosities close to that of pure water, the critical Reynolds number, at which a drop can be generated, linearly depends on the Z number (the reciprocal of Oh) at the nozzle.
The influence of the in-plane lattice constant on the superconducting transition temperature of FeSe0.7Te0.3 thin films
Authors: Yuan Feifei , Iida Kazumasa , Grinenko Vadim , Chekhonin Paul , Pukenas Aurimas , Skrotzki Werner , Sakoda Masahito , Naito Michio , Sala Alberto , Putti Marina , Yamashita Aichi , Takano Yoshihiko , Shi Zhixiang , Nielsch Kornelius , Hühne Ruben
Published: June 2017

Epitaxial Fe(Se,Te) thin films were prepared by pulsed laser deposition on (La0.18Sr0.82)(Al0.59Ta0.41)O3 (LSAT), CaF2-buffered LSAT and bare CaF2 substrates, which exhibit an almost identical in-plane lattice parameter. The composition of all Fe(Se,Te) films were determined to be FeSe0.7Te0.3 by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, irrespective of the substrate. Albeit the lattice parameters of all templates have comparable values, the in-plane lattice parameter of the FeSe0.7Te0.3 films varies significantly. We found that the superconducting transition temperature (Tc) of FeSe0.7Te0.3 thin films is strongly correlated with their a-axis lattice parameter. The highest Tc of over 19 K was observed for the film on bare CaF2 substrate, which is related to unexpectedly large in-plane compressive strain originating mostly from the thermal expansion mismatch between the FeSe0.7Te0.3 film and the substrate.
Entering the Translab
Authors: Alfer Alexa
Published: June 2017

Collaborative translation practices have been receiving increased scholarly attention in recent years and have also given rise to attempts to conceptualise translation as an inherently collaborative phenomenon. In a parallel movement, though to a lesser extent, research from disciplines with a stake in collaborative processes has utilised translational thinking to interrogate collaboration afresh, both conceptually and practically. This paper charts the development of these two strands of research and discusses its potential, as well as the pitfalls arising from an as yet insufficiently linked-up approach between the various disciplines involved. It proposes the blended concept of ‘translaboration’ as an experimental and essentially ‘third-space’ category capable of bringing translation and collaboration into open conceptual play with one another to explore and articulate connections, comparisons, and contact zones between translation and collaboration, and to reveal the conceptual potential inherent in aligning these two concepts in both theory and practice.
Decision-making in organisations as translaborational practice
Authors: Zehrer Christiane
Published: June 2017

Decision-making is said by researchers from many disciplines to be the outstanding characteristic of modern societies (Schimank 2005, 51–53). Yet, a decision’s consequences often seem inconceivable or even absurd to an uninvolved bystander. Sociologists call this phenomenon “decision-making under conditions of limited rationality” (Schimank 2005, 127ff.). Examples include parliamentarians passing a law ‘just’ to get it over and done with before an upcoming election; or a buyer under pressure to purchase ‘any machine tool as long as it costs under € 500,000’.

This article takes a closer look at such phenomena, utilizing an empirical, linguistic approach to decision-making and communication. It argues that the most desired options are often the hardest to convey, and the ideas that are realised are often those that are easily expressed and already well-established. This is underlined by previous findings that many institutional outcomes are shaped by momentary (instantaneous) necessities and opportunities (cf. Schimank, 2005, 27; Zehrer, 2014).

The article first gives an overview of previous studies on decision-making from different disciplines. It then sets out to explain in how far decision-making can be considered as ‘translaboration’, a new term introduced in 2015 by researchers from Westminster University in London (cf. Alfer, Cranfield, Kathrani, 2015). For the purposes of this article, the concept of ‘translaboration’ shall include first a tacit (from the addressees’ point of view) and non-deliberate (from the acting parties’ point of view) translation-like practice and, secondly, put special emphasis on the multimodal negotiation practice forming the basis of many organisational decisions. Examples from the economic world and politics will be used to demonstrate what the ‘translaboration’ concept means, and how a method rooted in it can reveal practices of organisational decision-making.
Translation as a metaphoric traveller across disciplines
Authors: Zwischenberger Cornelia
Published: June 2017

Translation, as a concept, may be regarded as a prototype of a ‘travelling concept’ as it has travelled to numerous disciplines in recent years. Therefore, a ‘translational turn’ was proclaimed for the humanities, cultural studies, and social sciences (cf.Bachmann-Medick 2007,2009).

Outside of translation studies, the use of the translation concept is not bound to “translation proper” (Jakobson 1959, 232) or to the way in which the concept is used and defined in translation studies. Consequently, ‘translation’ is usually used as a very broad metaphor in translation studies’ neighbouring disciplines and fields of research. This mobility shows the potential and high polysemantic value of the translation concept. What we are missing, however, is a ‘translaboration’ between translation studies and the various other disciplines that employ translation studies’ master concept.

The paper will illustrate the background of the translational turn and the rise of the notion of ‘cultural translation’ as well as the deployment of the translation category in organisation studies and sociology. It will thus limit itself to examples from cultural studies and the social sciences. The paper’s aim is to revise and dispel some of the misconceptions held against translation proper and the discipline of translation studies, thereby showing that translation studies has the conceptual and theoretical grounding to be the leading discipline for the unfolding of a translational turn outside its disciplinary borders. Furthermore, the paper will show the common ground for a translaboration from which both translation studies and its neighbouring disciplines could ultimately benefit.
Detection of faint broad emission lines in type 2 AGNs – III. On the MBH-σ⋆ relation of type 2 AGNs
Authors: Ricci F. , La Franca F. , Marconi A. , Onori F. , Shankar F. , Schneider R. , Sani E. , Bianchi S. , Bongiorno A. , Brusa M. , Fiore F. , Maiolino R. , Vignali C.
Published: June 2017

Type 2 active galactic nuclei (AGNs) represent the majority of the AGN population. However, due to the difficulties in measuring their black hole (BH) masses, it is still unknown whether they follow the same BH mass–host galaxy scaling relations valid for quiescent galaxies and type 1 AGNs. Here, we present the locus of type 2 AGNs having virial BH mass estimates in the MBH-σ⋆ plane. Our analysis shows that the BH masses of type 2 AGNs are ∼0.9 dex smaller than type 1 AGNs at σ⋆ ∼ 185 km s−1, regardless of the (early/late) AGN host galaxy morphology. Equivalently, type 2 AGN host galaxies have stellar velocity dispersions ∼0.2 dex higher than type 1 AGN hosts at MBH ∼ 107 M⊙.
The mass–metallicity relation of AKARI-FMOS infrared galaxies at z ∼ 0.88 in the AKARI North Ecliptic Pole Deep Survey Field
Authors: Oi Nagisa , Goto Tomotsugu , Malkan Matthew , Pearson Chris , Matsuhara Hideo
Published: June 2017

The mass, metallicity, and star formation rate (SFR) of a galaxy are crucial parameters in understanding galaxy formation and evolution. However, the relation between these parameters, (i.e., the fundamental relation) is still a matter of debate for luminous infrared (IR) galaxies, which carry a bulk of the SFR budget of the universe at z ∼ 1. We have investigated the relation among stellar mass, gas-phase oxygen abundance, and SFR of the Japanese infrared satellite AKARI-detected mid-IR galaxies at z ∼ 0.88 in the AKARI north ecliptic pole deep field. We observed ∼350 AKARI sources with Subaru/Fiber Multi Object Spectrograph near-IR spectrograph, and detected confirmed Hα emission lines from 25 galaxies and expected Hα emission lines from 44 galaxies. The SFRHα, IR of our sample is almost constant (〈SFRHα, IR〉 = ∼ 25 M⊙ yr − 1) over the stellar mass range of our sample. Compared with main-sequence (MS) galaxies at a similar redshift range (z ∼ 0.78), the average SFR of our detected sample is comparable for massive galaxies ( ∼ 1010.58 M⊙), while higher by ∼0.6 dex for less massive galaxies ( ∼ 1010.05 M⊙). We measure metallicities from the [N ii]/Hα emission line ratio. We find that the mass–metallicity relation of our individually measured sources agrees with that for optically-selected star-forming galaxies at z ∼ 0.1, while metallicities of stacked spectra agree with that of MS galaxies at z ∼ 0.78. Considering the high SFR of individually measured sources, the fundamental metallicity relation (FMR) of the IR galaxies is different from that at z ∼ 0.1. However, on the mass–metallicity plane, they are consistent with the MS galaxies, highlighting the higher SFR of the IR galaxies. This suggests that the evolutionary path of our infrared galaxies is different from that of MS galaxies. A possible physical interpretation includes that the star-formation activities of IR galaxies at z ∼ 0.88 in our sample are enhanced by interactions and/or mergers of galaxies, but the inflow of metal-poor gas is not yet induced, keeping the metallicity intact.
Trends in P Value, Confidence Interval, and Power Analysis Reporting in Health Professions Education Research Reports: A Systematic Appraisal
Authors: Abbott Eduardo F. , Serrano Valentina P. , Rethlefsen Melissa L. , Pandian T.K. , Naik Nimesh D. , West Colin P. , Pankratz V. Shane , Cook David A.
Published: June 2017

Purpose

To characterize reporting of P values, confidence intervals (CIs), and statistical power in health professions education research (HPER) through manual and computerized analysis of published research reports.

Method

The authors searched PubMed, Embase, and CINAHL in May 2016, for comparative research studies. For manual analysis of abstracts and main texts, they randomly sampled 250 HPER reports published in 1985, 1995, 2005, and 2015, and 100 biomedical research reports published in 1985 and 2015. Automated computerized analysis of abstracts included all HPER reports published 1970–2015.

Results

In the 2015 HPER sample, P values were reported in 69/100 abstracts and 94 main texts. CIs were reported in 6 abstracts and 22 main texts. Most P values (≥77%) were ≤.05. Across all years, 60/164 two-group HPER studies had ≥80% power to detect a between-group difference of 0.5 standard deviations. From 1985 to 2015, the proportion of HPER abstracts reporting a CI did not change significantly (odds ratio [OR] 2.87; 95% CI 1.04, 7.88) whereas that of main texts reporting a CI increased (OR 1.96; 95% CI 1.39, 2.78). Comparison with biomedical studies revealed similar reporting of P values, but more frequent use of CIs in biomedicine. Automated analysis of 56,440 HPER abstracts found 14,867 (26.3%) reporting a P value, 3,024 (5.4%) reporting a CI, and increased reporting of P values and CIs from 1970 to 2015.

Conclusions

P values are ubiquitous in HPER, CIs are rarely reported, and most studies are underpowered. Most reported P values would be considered statistically significant.
Identifying Gaps in the Performance of Pediatric Trainees Who Receive Marginal/Unsatisfactory Ratings
Authors: Li Su-Ting T. , Tancredi Daniel J. , Schwartz Alan , Guillot Ann , Burke Ann , Trimm R. Franklin , Guralnick Susan , Mahan John D. , Gifford Kimberly A.
Published: June 2017

Purpose

To perform a derivation study to determine in which subcompetencies marginal/unsatisfactory pediatric residents had the greatest deficits compared with their satisfactorily performing peers and which subcompetencies best discriminated between marginal/unsatisfactory and satisfactorily performing residents.

Method

Multi-institutional cohort study of all 21 milestones (rated on four or five levels) reported to the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, and global marginal/unsatisfactory versus satisfactory performance reported to the American Board of Pediatrics. Data were gathered in 2013–2014. For each level of training (postgraduate year [PGY] 1, 2, and 3), mean differences between milestone levels of residents with marginal/unsatisfactory and satisfactory performance adjusted for clustering by program and C-statistics (area under receiver operating characteristic curve) were calculated. A Bonferroni-corrected significance threshold of .0007963 was used to account for multiple comparisons.

Results

Milestone and overall performance evaluations for 1,704 pediatric residents in 41 programs were obtained. For PGY1s, two subcompetencies had almost a one-point difference in milestone levels between marginal/unsatisfactory and satisfactory trainees and outstanding discrimination (≥ 0.90): organize/prioritize (0.93; C-statistic: 0.91) and transfer of care (0.97; C-statistic: 0.90). The largest difference between marginal/unsatisfactory and satisfactory PGY2s was trustworthiness (0.78). The largest differences between marginal/unsatisfactory and satisfactory PGY3s were ethical behavior (1.17), incorporating feedback (1.03), and professionalization (0.96). For PGY2s and PGY3s, no subcompetencies had outstanding discrimination.

Conclusions

Marginal/unsatisfactory pediatric residents had different subcompetency gaps at different training levels. While PGY1s may have global deficits, senior residents may have different performance deficiencies requiring individualized counseling and targeted performance improvement plans.
Impact of Noise and Noise Reduction on Processing Effort: A Pupillometry Study
Authors: Wendt Dorothea , Hietkamp Renskje K. , Lunner Thomas
Published: June 2017

Objectives:

Speech perception in adverse listening situations can be exhausting. Hearing loss particularly affects processing demands, as it requires increased effort for successful speech perception in background noise. Signal processing in hearing aids and noise reduction (NR) schemes aim to counteract the effect of noise and reduce the effort required for speech recognition in adverse listening situations. The present study examined the benefit of NR schemes, applying a combination of a digital NR and directional microphones, for reducing the processing effort during speech recognition.

Design:

The effect of noise (intelligibility level) and different NR schemes on effort were evaluated by measuring the pupil dilation of listeners. In 2 different experiments, performance accuracy and peak pupil dilation (PPD) were measured in 24 listeners with hearing impairment while they performed a speech recognition task. The listeners were tested at 2 different signal to noise ratios corresponding to either the individual 50% correct (L50) or the 95% correct (L95) performance level in a 4-talker babble condition with and without the use of a NR scheme.

Results:

In experiment 1, the PPD differed in response to both changes in the speech intelligibility level (L50 versus L95) and NR scheme. The PPD increased with decreasing intelligibility, indicating higher processing effort under the L50 condition compared with the L95 condition. Moreover, the PPD decreased when the NR scheme was applied, suggesting that the processing effort was reduced. In experiment 2, 2 hearing aids using different NR schemes (fast-acting and slow-acting) were compared. Processing effort changed as indicated by the PPD depending on the hearing aids and therefore on the NR scheme. Larger PPDs were measured for the slow-acting NR scheme.

Conclusions:

The benefit of applying an NR scheme was demonstrated for both L50 and L95, that is, a situation at which the performance level was at a ceiling. This opens the opportunity for new means of evaluating hearing aids in situations in which traditional speech reception measures are shown not to be sensitive.
Vasomotor symptoms in women in Asia appear comparable with women in Western countries: a systematic review
Authors: Islam Rakibul M. , Bell Robin J. , Rizvi Farwa , Davis Susan R.
Published: June 2017

Objective:

There is a belief that menopausal symptoms, particularly vasomotor symptoms (VMS), are a Western phenomena and less likely to be experienced in women in Asian countries. This systematic review of the literature was undertaken to evaluate the prevalence of VMS in Asian countries.

Methods:

MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, SCOPUS, and Google scholar were searched systematically for relevant population-based prevalence studies published between 1981 and 2016. The included studies were assessed for risk of bias using a risk-of-bias tool developed explicitly for the systematic review of prevalence studies.

Results:

A total of 43 articles, comprising 31,945 women, were included. In South Asian and Middle Eastern countries, the prevalence of VMS in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women reported by studies that used random sampling and validated questionnaires was comparable with that reported for Western countries. The other Asian studies that used convenience-sampling procedures, irrespective of questionnaire validation, provided more disparate results. The reasons for the variation in reporting of prevalences of VMS in the included studies are likely to be a function of methodological issues, rather than ethnic, cultural, or socioeconomic differences. Most of the included studies had a medium-to-high risk of bias.

Conclusions:

The reported prevalences of VMS in Asia, particularly in South Asian and Middle Eastern countries, are consistent across studies that used random sampling and validated questionnaires, and are comparable with those in Western countries. Data from nationally representative studies that employ validated instruments are still needed in several Asian countries to ascertain the true prevalence of VMS.
Successful use of the Gellhorn pessary as a second-line pessary in women with advanced pelvic organ prolapse
Authors: Deng Mou , Ding Jing , Ai Fangfang , Zhu Lan
Published: June 2017

Objective:

The primary outcome of this study was the efficacy of the Gellhorn pessary in patients with advanced pelvic organ prolapse (POP) who failed to retain a ring with support pessary, and the secondary outcome is the related factors that influence its successful use.

Methods:

Between May 2015 and May 2016, women with POP quantification stage III to IV, who initially failed to place a ring with a support pessary, but were then successfully fitted with a Gellhorn pessary, were included. We performed independent-sample t tests, nonparametric tests, chi-square tests, and logistic regressions for data analysis.

Results:

A total of 82.3% (65/79) participants were successfully fitted with a Gellhorn pessary at the fitting. At 3 months, 46 participants continued to use the pessary, whereas 19 discontinued use, indicating a success rate of 70.8% (46/65). All the participants were satisfied with their pessary. More than half experienced mild complications such as vaginal erosion or discharge. The presence of predominant prolapse in the anterior wall may be an influential factor for successful pessary use (P < 0.01), whereas a higher body mass index or a history of prior hysterectomy or prolapse surgery was associated with discontinuation.

Conclusion:

For patients with advanced POP who failed to retain a ring with support pessary, the Gellhorn pessary can be offered as a second option. Body mass index, the presence of predominant anterior wall prolapse, and a previous hysterectomy or prolapse surgery may be potential factors influencing the outcomes of Gellhorn pessary use.
Combined data of intravaginal prasterone against vulvovaginal atrophy of menopause
Authors: Labrie Fernand , Archer David F. , Martel Céline , Vaillancourt Mario , Montesino Marlene
Published: June 2017

Objective:

To analyze the effects of intravaginal prasterone obtained in the three randomized clinical studies performed in postmenopausal women suffering from moderate to severe (MS) dyspareunia due to vulvovaginal atrophy (VVA).

Methods:

In three independent 12-week prospective, randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled clinical studies, the effect of daily intravaginal 0.50% (6.5 mg) prasterone was examined on four co-primary objectives in women having MS pain during sexual activity (dyspareunia), identified as their most bothersome symptom (MBS) of VVA at baseline.

Results:

In 436 women treated with 0.50% prasterone and 260 women who received placebo, an average 35.1% decrease over placebo in the percentage of parabasal cells (P < 0.0001), an average 7.7% increase in the percentage of superficial cells (P < 0.0001), and a mean 0.72 pH unit decrease in vaginal pH (P < 0.0001) were observed. The severity score of most bothersome symptom dyspareunia was decreased by a 0.46 unit (49%) (P < 0.0001 over placebo), whereas the severity score of MS vaginal dryness decreased by 0.31 unit (P < 0.0001 over placebo). A very positive evaluation was obtained on the acceptability of the technique of administration of the insert, whereas the male partners reported a very positive evaluation of the changes observed in their sexual partner.

Conclusion:

The efficacy data demonstrate highly positive effects on all the symptoms and signs of vulvovaginal atrophy with no significant drug-related side effects in line with the physiology of menopause and intracrinology.
Predicting green: really radical (plant) predictive processing
Authors: Calvo Paco , Friston Karl
Published: June 2017

In this article we account for the way plants respond to salient features of their environment under the free-energy principle for biological systems. Biological self-organization amounts to the minimization of surprise over time. We posit that any self-organizing system must embody a generative model whose predictions ensure that (expected) free energy is minimized through action. Plants respond in a fast, and yet coordinated manner, to environmental contingencies. They pro-actively sample their local environment to elicit information with an adaptive value. Our main thesis is that plant behaviour takes place by way of a process (active inference) that predicts the environmental sources of sensory stimulation. This principle, we argue, endows plants with a form of perception that underwrites purposeful, anticipatory behaviour. The aim of the article is to assess the prospects of a radical predictive processing story that would follow naturally from the free-energy principle for biological systems; an approach that may ultimately bear upon our understanding of life and cognition more broadly.
Host association and selection on salivary protein genes in bed bugs and related blood-feeding ectoparasites
Authors: Talbot Benoit , Balvín Ondřej , Vonhof Maarten J. , Broders Hugh G. , Fenton Brock , Keyghobadi Nusha
Published: June 2017

Reciprocal selective pressures can drive coevolutionary changes in parasites and hosts, and result in parasites that are highly specialized to their hosts. Selection and host co-adaptation are better understood in endoparasites than in ectoparasites, whose life cycles may be more loosely linked to that of their hosts. Blood-feeding ectoparasites use salivary proteins to prevent haemostasis in the host, and maximize energy intake. Here we looked for signals of selection in salivary protein genes of ectoparasite species from a single genus (Cimex) that associate with a range of hosts including mammals (bats and humans) and birds (swallows). We analysed two genes that code for salivary proteins that inhibit platelet aggregation and vasoconstriction and may directly affect the efficiency of blood feeding in these species. Significant positive selection was detected at five codons in one gene in all bat-associated species groups. Our results suggest association with bats, versus humans or swallows, has posed a selective pressure on the salivary apyrase gene in species ofCimex.
Role of growth rate on the orientational alignment ofEscherichia coliin a slit
Authors: Sheats Julian , Sclavi Bianca , Cosentino Lagomarsino Marco , Cicuta Pietro , Dorfman Kevin D.
Published: June 2017

We present experimental data on the nematic alignment ofEscherichia colibacteria confined in a slit, with an emphasis on the effect of growth rate and corresponding changes in cell aspect ratio. Global alignment with the channel walls arises from the combination of local nematic ordering of nearby cells, induced by cell division and the elongated shape of the cells, and the preferential orientation of cells proximate to the side walls of the slit. Decreasing the growth rate leads to a decrease in alignment with the walls, which is attributed primarily to effects of changing cell aspect ratio rather than changes in the variance in cell area. Decreasing confinement also reduces the degree of alignment by a similar amount as a decrease in the growth rate, but the distribution of the degree of alignment differs. The onset of alignment with the channel walls is coincident with the slits reaching their steady-state occupancy and connected to the re-orientation of locally aligned regions with respect to the walls during density fluctuations.