bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Jadesola Osiberu’s Isoken: A Filmic Postulation for Feminism
Authors: Nwachukwu Charles , Joel Onyebuchi Udochukwu
Published: May 2019

While other media of mass communication such as Television, Radio and Print have to contend, largely, with the expectations of informing, educating and entertaining, film ascends over all these to find a niche in “expressing”. Film, therefore, can set out for the singular purpose of expression. This study intends to analytically expose those indicators and determinants of feminism locked in within the film content of Isoken, a 2017 Nollywood movie produced and directed by Jadesola Osiberu. These components should lend evidence to the central argument in this paper that this particular film displays a strong tendency towards feminist sentiments.The Feminism Theory is, aptly, adopted to buttress the standpoint here. A theoretical study, it utilizes the qualitative research approach, relying on personal analysis and interpretation of the film. It found that a good number of elements exist within the film content to suggest that ISOKEN leans sufficiently towards feminism. These include Isoken's defiance of communal and family values, the predominantly female cast as well as the brazen usurpation of certain privileged roles that the Nigeria society had hitherto reserved for men, amongst others.The study concludes that both the scriptwriter and the director have succeeded in focusing on the female gender and putting forward female related issues. Wittingly or unwittingly, they have also ended up producing a film that is clearly within the sphere of feminism. Thus, this paper has added to the activity level in that particular aspect of knowledge, whilst also increasing available stock.
Coenzyme Q10 supplementation in traumatic brain injury: a scoping review protocol
Authors: Allan Kaylee , Hayes Kati , Thomas Matt , Barnard Katie
Published: May 2019

Objective:

The objective of this review is to map evidence on coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) use in traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Introduction:

Traumatic brain injury is an insult to the brain structure caused by external force and resulting in physiological disruption to brain function. Globally, 60% of all TBIs occur from road traffic accidents. In 2016, the World Health Organization reported that road traffic accidents were among the top 10 leading causes of death. Following the initial brain injury, a secondary injury can occur due primarily to a significant increase in production of free radicals causing oxidative stress, which can dictate the patient's ability to survive. Coenzyme Q10 is known to protect neuronal cells from oxidative stress; the mechanism for this has been examined in studies using rats. This review will examine what is known about CoQ10 in TBI and identify gaps in the literature, which may guide future research.

Inclusion criteria:

The review will include both human and animal subjects who have experienced a TBI in the acute/laboratory-controlled setting and where CoQ10 is supplemented. Animal studies will be included. The review will consider experimental and quasi-experimental study designs including randomized controlled trials, non-randomized controlled trials, before and after studies, and interrupted time-series studies. Studies published in English will be considered, with no date restriction.

Methods:

Searches will be conducted in the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL and trial registries. Data will be extracted and presented on details about the population, concept, context, study methods and key findings.
A molecular rheostat: Kv2.1 currents maintain or suppress repetitive firing in motoneurons
Authors: Romer Shannon H. , Deardorff Adam S. , Fyffe Robert E. W.
Published: May 2019

Key points

Kv2 currents maintain and regulate motoneuron (MN) repetitive firing properties.

Kv2.1 channel clustering properties are dynamic and respond to both high and low activity conditions.

The enzyme calcineurin regulates Kv2.1 ion channel declustering.

In patholophysiological conditions of high activity, Kv2.1 channels homeostatically reduce MN repetitive firing.

Modulation of Kv2.1 channel kinetics and clustering allows these channels to act in a variable way across a spectrum of MN activity states.

Kv2.1 channels are widely expressed in the central nervous system, including in spinal motoneurons (MNs) where they aggregate as distinct membrane clusters associated with highly regulated signalling ensembles at specific postsynaptic sites. Multiple roles for Kv2 channels have been proposed but the physiological role of Kv2.1 ion channels in mammalian spinal MNs is unknown. To determine the contribution of Kv2.1 channels to rat α‐motoneuron activity, the Kv2 inhibitor stromatoxin was used to block Kv2 currents in whole‐cell current clamp electrophysiological recordings in rat lumbar MNs. The results indicate that Kv2 currents permit shorter interspike intervals and higher repetitive firing rates, possibly by relieving Na+ channel inactivation, and thus contribute to maintenance of repetitive firing properties. We also demonstrate that Kv2.1 clustering properties in motoneurons are dynamic and respond to both high and low activity conditions. Furthermore, we show that the enzyme calcineurin regulates Kv2.1 ion channel clustering status. Finally, in a high activity state, Kv2.1 channels homeostatically reduce motoneuron repetitive firing. These results suggest that the activity‐dependent regulation of Kv2.1 channel kinetics allows these channels to modulate repetitive firing properties across a spectrum of motoneuron activity states.
CFD-Aided Design of a Transonic Aeroelastic Compressor Rig
Authors: Tian Simeng , Petrie-Repar Paul , Glodic Nenad , Sun Tianrui
Published: May 2019

This paper presents the results of computational fluid dynamics (CFD)-aided design calculations of a transonic linear cascade wind tunnel. The purpose of the wind tunnel is to generate data for the validation of numerical methods employed to calculate aerodynamic damping for forced response cases in transonic compressors. It is common for transonic wind tunnels to use transonic walls (perforated walls with controlled suction) to adjust the transonic flow in the experiment. Unfortunately, perforated walls are difficult to model in CFD simulations, and they complicate the validation process. One of the goals of the new tunnel is not to use perforated walls. The main difficulty in the design of a transonic linear cascade is achieving periodic flow for the central blades due to shock reflections from the side walls and the sensitivity of transonic flow to small changes in geometry. Other design constraints are the maximum available mass flow of 4.5 kg/s and the minimum required blade thickness of 2 mm for instrumentation. The purpose of the current CFD simulations is to determine the optimum geometry (sidewalls, tailboards, and throttle) of the tunnel with the goal of achieving near periodic flow conditions for the central blade channels at the similar condition in a typical transonic compressor.
Mode I and II Interlaminar Fracture in Laminated Composites: A Size Effect Study
Authors: Salviato Marco , Kirane Kedar , Bažant Zdeněk P. , Cusatis Gianluca
Published: May 2019

This work investigates the mode I and II interlaminar fracturing behavior of laminated composites and the related size effects. Fracture tests on geometrically scaled double cantilever beam (DCB) and end notch flexure (ENF) specimens were conducted. The results show a significant difference between the mode I and mode II fracturing behaviors. The strength of the DCB specimens scales according to the linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM), whereas ENF specimens show a different behavior. For ENF tests, small specimens exhibit a pronounced pseudoductility. In contrast, larger specimens behave in a more brittle way, with the size effect on nominal strength closer to that predicted by LEFM. This transition from quasi-ductile to brittle behavior is associated with the size of the fracture process zone (FPZ), which is not negligible compared with the specimen size. For the size range investigated in this study, the nonlinear effects of the FPZ can lead to an underestimation of the fracture energy by as much as 55%. Both the mode I and II test data can be captured very accurately by the Bažant’s type II size effect law (SEL).
Computational Modeling of Inertial Effects on Electromechanics of the Heart
Authors: Jaffery Ovais A. , Akhtar Imran , Imran Majeed S. M. , Zaidi Tahir
Published: May 2019

Computational modeling of cardiac function has gradually progressed during the past four decades and now beginning to translate toward clinical use as a noninvasive mean of optimizing cardiac treatment options. Recent experimental findings and numerical investigations have suggested an important role of mechanical and intrinsic properties of cardiac tissues in overall electromechanical dynamics of the heart. The inertial effects, which were usually neglected in earlier computational studies, have now been found to alter cardiac dynamics through stretch activated channels (SAC) and can lead to cardiac disorders under specific set of physiological conditions. Considering possible role of inertia in cardiac dynamics, we have modeled electromechanical activity of the heart with inertia terms for computing pressure volume relation and action potentials over a complete cardiac cycle. To this end, we use the continuum balance laws to capture physiological function of the human left ventricle (LV) on an idealized geometry and solve the resulting equations using a python-based finite element platform. For the same set of pressure boundary conditions, the finite element models for quasi-static (less inertia) and dynamic (with inertia terms) formulation yielded a difference of 4.2% end diastolic volume (EDV), 3.1% ejection fraction, and variations in fiber strain pattern. The mechano-electric transduction channels sensitive to small mechanical perturbations in combination with changes in electrical conductivity due to deformation caused quantitative variations over cardiac electrical activity up to 2.75–5% reduction in action potential duration (APD) at 50% repolarization (APD50) and 3.5–5.75% reduction at 90% repolarization (APD90). Catering the effect of inertia can help the research community to improve future computational models in investigating the electromechanics of the heart.
An Ohmic Heating Model Based on the Thermal Circuit Method: Case of Study for Parameter Determination
Authors: Chávez-Campos Gerardo Marx , del Carmen Téllez-Anguiano Adriana , Salazar-Torres Juan Alfonso , Vergara-Hernández Héctor Javier , Vazquez-Gómez Octavio
Published: May 2019

Currently, ohmic heating is a method with a wide potential as an alternative thermal process in the industry. However, the success of this method depends on the rate of the generated heat by the right material’s selection and its geometry. Due to its complexity, the heating systems are usually modeled by computational fluid dynamics (CFD) or finite element method (FEM). However, in this paper, an alternative model representation was used, and this model does not consider the temperature gradients and uses thermal resistance and capacitance as steady-state and transient analog parameters. The parameters are calculated using matlab considering the geometry, as well as the electrical and thermal properties of the material to heat. The proposed circuit is solved by applying the Laplace transform. Finally, the temperature performance of the model and the experimental system are compared with noncontrolled and controlled experiments.
Sound field reconstruction using inverse boundary element method and sparse regularization
Authors: Bi Chuan-Xing , Liu Yuan , Zhang Yong-Bin , Xu Liang
Published: May 2019

The inverse boundary element method (IBEM) is a powerful tool for realizing sound field reconstruction of sources with arbitrarily-shaped surfaces. In the conventional IBEM, the Tikhonov regularization is generally used and the number of sampling points is required to be larger than that of nodes on the boundary surface to guarantee to obtain a unique solution. Meanwhile, it requires that the minimum discretization interval on the boundary surface should be less than one-sixth wavelength to ensure to obtain enough calculation accuracy. Therefore, the number of sampling points may be dramatically large at high frequencies. In this paper, acoustic radiation modes, which are composed of the eigenvectors of the resistive impedance matrix, are used as the sparse basis of source surface velocities. Based on this sparse basis, sparse regularization is introduced into the IBEM. Compared to the Tikhonov regularization, the sparse regularization can provide a higher accuracy for the reconstruction of source surface velocities and can reduce the number of sampling points by taking advantage of the theory of compressive sensing. Both numerical simulation and experimental results demonstrate the superiority of the proposed method. Meanwhile, the effects of the number of sampling points and the signal-to-noise ratio on the reconstruction accuracy are analyzed numerically.
ACOUSTICAL STANDARDS NEWS
Authors: Mennigke Caryn , Struck Christopher J.
Published: May 2019

American National Standards (ANSI Standards) developed by Accredited Standards Committees S1, S2, S3, S3/SC 1, and S12 in the areas of acoustics, mechanical vibration and shock, bioacoustics, animal bioacoustics, and noise, respectively, are published by the Acoustical Society of America (ASA). In addition to these standards, ASA publishes a catalog of Acoustical American National Standards. To receive a copy of the latest Standards catalog, please contact asastds@acousticalsociety.org.

Comments are welcomed on all material in Acoustical Standards News

This Acoustical Standards News section in JASA, as well as the national catalog of Acoustical Standards and other information on the Standards Program of the Acoustical Society of America, are available via the ASA home page: http://acousticalsociety.org.
Vibro-acoustics response of a simplified glass window excited by the turbulent wake of a quarter-spherocylinder body
Authors: Yao Hua-Dong , Davidson Lars
Published: May 2019

Inside vehicle cabins, an important part of interior noise is generated from cabin window vibration. The vibration is stimulated by surface pressure fluctuations that are produced by exterior flows and flow-induced noise. To numerically investigate the cabin noise, both exterior flows and noise must be resolved in simulations. This requirement motivates us to utilize advanced computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and computational aeroacoustics (CAA) based on a quarter-spherocylinder body, which is a general model for vehicle mirrors. The blunt body is mounted upstream of a rectangular window of a cuboid cavity. The turbulent flow is simulated using compressible large eddy simulation, compressible detached eddy simulation, and incompressible detached eddy simulation (I-DES). The exterior noise is either predicted by coupling the I-DES with an acoustic wave modeling method, or directly solved using compressible CFD methods. Given surface pressure fluctuations on the window from the CFD and CAA methods, the window vibration and interior noise are simulated with a finite element method. The effects of compressibility, turbulence modeling methods, and grid topology (polyhedral and trimmed elements) are discussed. The computational efficiency of the numerical methods is addressed. The contributions of hydrodynamic and acoustic pressure fluctuations to the interior noise are clarified.
Ocean cycles sidelined in 20th century temperature record
Authors: Voosen Paul
Published: May 2019

Haze and greenhouse gases drove start-and-stop warming.
Ph.D. programs drop standardized exam
Authors: Langin Katie
Published: May 2019

Amid concerns about diversity and the test's utility, many are moving away from the GRE.
Imaging the electronic Wigner crystal in one dimension
Authors: Shapir I. , Hamo A. , Pecker S. , Moca C. P. , Legeza Ö. , Zarand G. , Ilani S.
Published: May 2019

Visualizing a tiny crystal

Electrons repel each other. When confined to a small space, electrons can form an ordered, crystalline state called the Wigner crystal. Observing this fragile crystal is tricky because it requires extreme conditions—low temperatures and densities—and very noninvasive probes. Shapir
et al.
created such conditions in a carbon nanotube, which housed the electrons, and a second nanotube that scanned the first nanotube, serving as a probe. The measured electronic densities were consistent with theoretical predictions for small Wigner crystals of up to six electrons in one dimension.

Science
, this issue p.
870
Oligogenic inheritance of a human heart disease involving a genetic modifier
Authors: Gifford Casey A. , Ranade Sanjeev S. , Samarakoon Ryan , Salunga Hazel T. , de Soysa T. Yvanka , Huang Yu , Zhou Ping , Elfenbein Aryé , Wyman Stacia K. , Bui Yen Kim , Cordes Metzler Kimberly R. , Ursell Philip , Ivey Kathryn N. , Srivastava Deepak
Published: May 2019

Three rights can make a wrong

Many diseases are thought to arise from co-inheritance of rare genetic variants that are benign on their own but harmful in combination. This hypothesis has been difficult to validate by functional experiments. Gifford
et al.
sequenced the genomes of two parents who were asymptomatic and their three children, all of whom had early-onset heart disease. They identified three likely culprit genetic variants, two in transcription factor genes linked to heart development and one in a gene encoding a muscle structural protein. When they introduced these three variants together into mice by gene editing, the mice developed heart disease resembling that seen in the children.

Science
, this issue p.
865
Cysteine-rich peptides promote interspecific genetic isolation in
Arabidopsis
Authors: Zhong Sheng , Liu Meiling , Wang Zhijuan , Huang Qingpei , Hou Saiying , Xu Yong-Chao , Ge Zengxiang , Song Zihan , Huang Jiaying , Qiu Xinyu , Shi Yihao , Xiao Junyu , Liu Pei , Guo Ya-Long , Dong Juan , Dresselhaus Thomas , Gu Hongya , Qu Li-Jia
Published: May 2019

Racing to fertilization

Pollen tubes, which carry plant sperm, need to grow from where they land in the flower to where the ovule is. Zhong
et al.
now show how pollen from related plant species race to reach the ovule first. One set of fast-evolving peptide signals is tuned to speed up growth of conspecific pollen tubes. A related set of evolutionarily ancient peptides is tuned to attract all pollen tubes. Thus, fertilization is more likely to happen through conspecific pollen tubes, but a fail-safe system encourages even the laggards to get where they need to go.

Science
, this issue p.
eaau9564
Promises and perils of the Paris Agreement
Authors: Lawrence Mark G. , Schäfer Stefan
Published: May 2019

A truly democratic global climate politics is needed
A call to climate action
Authors: Overpeck Jonathan T. , Conde Cecilia
Published: May 2019

The science is clear, students are striking, and publics around the globe are demanding a new level of leadership to tackle the climate crisis before it is too late. Climate extremes are inflicting serious economic losses on nations, and climate-driven issues such as sea-level rise, regional aridification, food shortages, disease spread, and massive biodiversity loss only promise ever-worsening costs. Progress has been too slow since 195 countries signed the 2015 Paris Agreement committing to hold the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above preindustrial levels. To prevent planetary climate disaster, we must all work to speed up bold initiatives that ensure a rapid exit from the era of fossil fuels, and drive carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere down to zero in a manner that benefits everyone on the planet, not just a few.
Reactive Oxygen Species Production Is a Major Factor Directing the Postantibiotic Effect of Fluoroquinolones in Streptococcus pneumoniae
Authors: García M. T. , Valenzuela M. V. , Ferrándiz M. J. , de la Campa A. G.
Published: May 2019

We studied the molecular mechanisms involved in the postantibiotic effect of the fluoroquinolones levofloxacin and moxifloxacin in
Streptococcus pneumoniae
. Wild-type strain R6 had postantibiotic effects of 2.05 ± 0.10 h (mean ± standard deviation [SD]) and 3.23 ± 0.45 h at 2.5× and 10× MIC of levofloxacin, respectively. Moxifloxacin exhibited lower effects of 0.87 ± 0.1 and 2.41 ± 0.29 h at 2.5× and 10× MIC, respectively.
A Chemical Genetics Screen Reveals Influence of p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase and Autophagy on Phagosome Development and Intracellular Replication of Brucella neotomae in Macrophages
Authors: Kang Yoon-Suk , Kirby James E.
Published: May 2019

Brucella
is an intracellular bacterial pathogen that causes chronic systemic infection in domesticated livestock and poses a zoonotic infectious risk to humans. The virulence of
Brucella
is critically dependent on its ability to replicate and survive within host macrophages.
Brucella
modulates host physiological pathways and cell biology in order to establish a productive intracellular replicative niche. Conversely, the host cell presumably activates pathways that limit infection.
Interactions between the Trimeric Autotransporter Adhesin EmaA and Collagen Revealed by Three-Dimensional Electron Tomography
Authors: Azari Fereshteh , Radermacher Michael , Mintz Keith P. , Ruiz Teresa
Published: May 2019

Bacterial adhesion is a crucial step for bacterial colonization and infection. In recent years, the number of antibiotic-resistant strains has dramatically increased; therefore, there is a need to search for novel antimicrobial agents. Thus, great efforts are being devoted to develop a clear understanding of the bacterial adhesion mechanism for preventing infections. In host/pathogen interactions, once repulsive forces are overcome, adhesins recognize and tightly bind to specific receptors on the host cell or tissue components. Here, we present the first 3D structure of the interaction between the collagen-binding adhesin EmaA and collagen, which is critical for the development of endocarditis in humans.
Novel Interactions between the Human T-Cell Leukemia Virus Type 1 Antisense Protein HBZ and the SWI/SNF Chromatin Remodeling Family: Implications for Viral Life Cycle
Authors: Alasiri Ahlam , Abboud Guerr Jorge , Hall William W. , Sheehy Noreen
Published: May 2019

The pathogenic potential of HTLV-1 is linked to the indispensable multifaceted functions of the viral regulatory proteins Tax and HBZ, encoded by the sense and antisense viral transcripts, respectively. The interaction between Tax and the SWI/SNF family of chromatin remodeling complexes has been associated with HTLV-1 transcriptional activation. To date, the relationship between the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling family and HBZ, the only viral protein that is consistently expressed in infected cells and ATL cells, has not been elucidated. Here, we have characterized the biological significance of the SWI/SNF family in regard to viral transcriptional repression by HBZ. This is important because it provides a better understanding of the function and role of HBZ in downregulating viral transcription and, hence, its contribution to viral latency and persistence
in vivo
, a process that may ultimately lead to the development of ATL.
Refractory pemphigus foliaceous treated with rituximab
Authors: Awdeh Fatima , Gilhooley Eimear , O Grady Ciara , Connolly Maureen
Published: May 2019

Autoimmune blistering diseases are rare but potentially life-threatening conditions. Pemphigus foliaceus is one of these conditions, characterised by superficial erosions of the skin without mucosal involvement. We report the case of a 57-year-old woman who presented with a 4-week history of rash affecting her scalp with associated hair loss. Clinical and histopathological findings were in keeping with pemphigus foliaceus. She was successfully treated with rituximab, a chimeric monoclonal antibody against CD20, leading to a transient depletion of B cells. After 5 months of follow-up, her rash had cleared, and her hair had completely regrown.
A case of leptospirosis with acute respiratory failure and acute kidney injury treated with simultaneous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and haemoperfusion
Authors: Chavez Joselito R , Danguilan Romina A , Arakama Melhatra I , Garcia Joann Kathleen Ginete , So Rizza , Chua Eric
Published: May 2019

A 47-year-old man with a recent history of wading in floodwaters presented with a 1-week history of cough, myalgia, conjunctival suffusion and decreasing urine output. The patient had uraemia, hypotension, leukocytosis, thrombocytopenia, elevated liver enzymes and oliguria. His condition quickly worsened with haemoptysis, and respiratory distress which subsequently required intubation and mechanical ventilation. Continuous renal replacement therapy was started together with haemoperfusion (HP). The patient initially required norepinephrine and this was discontinued after the first session of HP. He was referred for veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) due to severe hypoxia and pulmonary haemorrhage. Oxygenation and lung compliance improved, and serum creatinine levels continued to normalise with improved urine output. He was placed off ECMO, extubated and eventually discharged. Patient was diagnosed with severe leptospirosis, acute respiratory failure and acute kidney injury successfully treated with simultaneous ECMO and HP. Blood samples were positive forLeptospiraspp. DNA via PCR assay.
Diagnostic criteria for detection of retinal nerve fibre layer thickness and neuroretinal rim width abnormalities in glaucoma
Authors: Zheng Feihui , Yu Marco , Leung Christopher Kai-Shun
Published: May 2019

Background/aims

Although measurements of the Bruch’s membrane opening minimum rim width (BMO-MRW) and retinal nerve fibre layer thickness (RNFLT) with optical coherence tomography (OCT) have been widely adopted in the diagnostic evaluation of glaucoma, there is no consensus on the diagnostic criteria to define BMO-MRW and RNFLT abnormalities. This study investigated the sensitivities and specificities of different diagnostic criteria based on the OCT classification reports for detection of glaucoma.

Methods

340 eyes of 137 patients with glaucoma and 87 healthy individuals, all with axial length ≤26mm, had global and sectoral BMO-MRW and RNFLT measured with Spectralis OCT (Heidelberg Engineering). Six diagnostic criteria were examined: global measurement below the fifth or the first percentile; ≥1 sector measurement below the fifth or the first percentile; superotemporal and/or inferotemporal measurement below the fifth or the first percentile. The sensitivities and specificities of BMO-MRW/RNFLT assessment for detection of glaucoma (eyes with visual field (VF) defects) were compared.

Results

Among the six criteria examined, superotemporal and/or inferotemporal measurement below the fifth percentile showed the highest sensitivities and specificities for glaucoma detection. Abnormal superotemporal and/or inferotemporal RNFLT attained a higher sensitivity than abnormal superotemporal and/or inferotemporal BMO-MRW to detect mild glaucoma (mean VF MD: −3.32±1.59 dB) (97.9% and 88.4%, respectively, p=0.006), and glaucoma (mean VF MD: −9.36±8.31 dB) (98.4% and 93.6%, respectively, p=0.006), at the same specificity (96.1%).

Conclusions

Superotemporal and/or inferotemporal RNFLT/MRW below the fifth percentile yield the best diagnostic performance for glaucoma detection with RNFLT attains higher sensitivities than MRW at the same specificity in eyes without high myopia.
Impact of informational and relational continuity for people with palliative care needs: a mixed methods rapid review
Authors: Hudson Briony F , Best Sabine , Stone Patrick , Noble Thomas (Bill)
Published: May 2019

Objective

To identify and synthesise existing literature exploring the impact of relational and informational continuity of care on preferred place of death, hospital admissions and satisfaction for palliative care patients in qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods literature.

Design

A mixed methods rapid review.

Methods

PUBMED, PsychINFO, CINAHL were searched from June 2008 to June 2018 in order to identify original peer reviewed, primary qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods research exploring the impact of continuity of care for people receiving palliative care. Synthesis methods as outlined by the Cochrane Qualitative and Implementation Methods Group were applied to qualitative studies while meta-analyses for quantitative data were planned.

Outcomes

The impact of interventions designed to promote continuity of care for people receiving palliative care on the following outcomes was explored: achieving preferred place of death, satisfaction with care and avoidable hospital admissions.

Results

18 eligible papers were identified (11 qualitative, 6 quantitative and 1 mixed methods papers). In all, 1951 patients and 190 family caregivers were recruited across included studies. Meta-analyses were not possible due to heterogeneity in outcome measures and tools used. Two studies described positive impact on facilitating preferred place of death. Four described a reduction in avoidable hospital admissions. No negative impacts of interventions designed to promote continuity were reported. Patient satisfaction was not assessed in quantitative studies. Participants described a significant impact on their experiences as a result of the lack of informational and relational continuity.

Conclusions

This rapid review highlights the impact that continuity of care can have on the experiences of patients receiving palliative care. The evidence for the impact of continuity on place of death and hospital admissions is limited. Methods for enhancing, and recording continuity should be considered in the design and development of future healthcare interventions to support people receiving palliative care.
Factors of importance for reducing fatigue in persons with rheumatoid arthritis: a qualitative interview study
Authors: Feldthusen Caroline , Mannerkorpi Kaisa
Published: May 2019

Objective

Physical activity plays an important role in the treatment of persons with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and is the non-pharmacological intervention with the strongest evidence to reduce fatigue. However, physical activity can be challenging for persons who are fatigued. The aim of this study was to investigate factors of importance for reducing fatigue in persons with RA.

Design

This is a qualitative interview study based on semistructured, indepth individual interviews. Interviews were analysed using qualitative content analysis.

Participants

Participants were 12 people with RA recruited from a previous randomised controlled trial of a person-centred treatment model focusing on health-enhancing physical activity and daily balance to lessen fatigue in persons with RA.

Setting

Interviews were conducted in a hospital setting.

Results

The analysis resulted in one theme:an intellectual and embodied understanding that sustainable physical activity is important to handle fatigue. This included five categories describing barriers and facilitating factors for sustainable physical activity:mentally overcoming the fatigue in order to be active,making exercise easy,reaching for balance,receiving support to be physically activeanddealing with RA disease to be physically active.

Conclusion

The participants in this study expressed that physical activity was important in handling fatigue, but also that this insight could only come from personal experience. The use of a person-centred ethic in physiotherapy coaching for patients with fatigue appears to promote sustainable physical activity behaviours by facilitating patients’ resources to overcome barriers to physical activity.
Initial experience with the new ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer based liquid embolic agent Menox in the endovascular treatment of cerebral arteriovenous malformations
Authors: Sirakov Stanimir , Sirakov Alexander , Minkin Krasimir , Penkov Marin , Ninov Kristian , Hristov Hristo , Karakostov Vasil , Raychev Radoslav
Published: May 2019

Background and Purpose

Liquid embolic agents (LEAs) are the determinant tool for successful embolization of cranial arteriovenous shunts. There are few currently available LEAs. The aim of the study was to summarize our initial experience with a recently introduced non-adhesive ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH) copolymer based LEA (Menox 18) in the endovascular treatment of cerebral arteriovenous malformations.

Methods

From April 2018 to November 2018, 24 patients harboring cerebral arteriovenous malformations underwent endovascular embolization with Menox 18. Clinical features, angiographic results, procedural details, complications, and follow-up details were prospectively collected and retrospectively analyzed.

Results

Curative embolization in one endovascular session was achieved in 14/24 (58.3%) of the treated patients. Partial embolization was achieved in 10 patients (42.6%) in whom staged treatment with radiosurgery or microsurgical resection was planned. No mortality was recorded in our series. Clinical complications after embolization occurred in 1/24 (4.66%) patients. No technical complications were noted

Conclusions

Our pilot study suggests that the Menox embolization system offers similar technical and clinical results in comparison with the other currently available LEAs. Further studies with larger cohorts and long term follow-up data are needed to fully evaluate its efficacy
Are new workers at elevated risk for work injury? A systematic review
Authors: Breslin Frederick Curtis , Dollack Jocelyn , Mahood Quenby , Maas Esther T , Laberge Marie , Smith Peter M
Published: May 2019

Objective

To identify, appraise and synthesise studies that have examined the degree to which new workers are at an elevated risk of work-related acute injuries and musculoskeletal (MSK) injuries.

Method

We searched three relevant electronic databases for studies published between 1995 and early 2018. Fifty-one studies using multivariate analyses met our relevance and quality appraisal criteria. These studies examined two different work outcomes: acute injuries (eg, cuts, burns and falls) and MSK injuries (eg, repetitive strain).

Results

In four of six studies looking at acute work injuries, new workers were found to be at an elevated risk of injury (ie, moderate supportive evidence of new worker risk). In another six studies looking at MSK symptoms, injuries or disorders, evidence of an elevated risk among new workers was insufficient or limited.

Conclusions

Our review has potential implications for the prevention of work injuries, providing policy-makers and workplace parties with supportive evidence about the importance of prevention efforts focused on new workers, such as developing workplace policies that emphasise hazard exposure reduction, hazard awareness, hazard protection and worker empowerment.
Minimum important difference of the incremental shuttle walk test distance in patients with COPD
Authors: Evans Rachael A , Singh Sally J
Published: May 2019

We aimed to describe the minimum important difference (MID) of the incremental shuttle walk test (ISWT) in patients with COPD using both distribution and anchor-based methods. Two cohorts were used (n=613) with eligibility criteria of a clinical diagnosis of COPD, an FEV1/FVC <70% and an ISWT (after familiarisation) before and after a 7-week course of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR). The MID of the ISWT using the distribution method was 36.1 m. The area under the curve to discriminate between perceived ‘improvement’ and ‘no improvement’ after PR for a change in ISWT of 35 m was 0.66 (0.58–0.73). The MID of the ISWT is therefore between 35.0 and 36.1 m.
From glass boxes to social media engagement: an audit of tobacco retail marketing in Indonesia
Authors: Astuti Putu Ayu Swandewi , Kurniasari Ni Made Dian , Mulyawan Ketut Hari , Sebayang Susy K , Freeman Becky
Published: May 2019

Objective

To assess tobacco promotion intensity, retailer behaviours and tobacco company efforts to link retailer marketing to online channels.

Methods

We completed an audit of tobacco advertisements and promotions at 1000 randomly selected cigarette retailers in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia that included an observation checklist, digital photos and structured interviews with retailers. We then calculated the tobacco promotion index for each retailer and made comparisons based on store types. Next, we conducted a photo analysis from 100 randomly selected retailers to explore links to online channels and other promotional cues to engage young people.

Results

Mini-markets have both the highest total number of promotions and the highest indoor promotion index with a mean score of 5.1 and 3.7, respectively. Kiosks have the highest outdoor promotion index with a mean score of 1.6. Most of the retailers (98.9%) displayed cigarettes, more than half of kiosk retailers (54.8%) and mini-market retailers (56.3%) admitted selling cigarettes to young people, and 74% of kiosk retailers sell single stick cigarettes. We found links to online marketing, including two hashtags and a company website. Promotional materials also included youth-focused content such as English taglines, new products and small packs.

Conclusion

Tobacco companies in Indonesia have strategically differentiated their advertisements based on retailer type and have bridged conventional retailer marketing to online channels. Reforming Indonesian tobacco laws to include bans on single sticks and small pack sales, point-of-sale advertising, including displays, and enforcement of laws on sales to minors is urgently required.
Butting out: an analysis of support for measures to address tobacco product waste
Authors: Hoek Janet , Gendall Philip , Blank Mei-Ling , Robertson Lindsay , Marsh Louise
Published: May 2019

Background

Cigarette butts are ubiquitous litter items, causing major environmental damage and imposing significant clean-up costs. Tobacco companies frame smokers as both the cause of this problem and the source of its solution. However, an extended producer responsibility perspective challenges this view and holds tobacco companies to account for the full life cycle costs of tobacco product waste (TPW).

Methods

Using an online cross-sectional survey of 396 New Zealand smokers and 414 non-smokers, we estimated awareness of TPW, attribution of responsibility for TPW and support for interventions to reduce TPW. Descriptive analyses and logistic regression models examined associations between demographic attributes and smoking behaviours, and perceptions of TPW and potential solutions to this problem.

Results

Most respondents saw butt litter as toxic to the environment and held smokers primarily responsible for creating TPW. However, when knowledge of butt non-biodegradability increased, so too did the proportion holding tobacco companies responsible for TPW. Changes to product design, fines for littering and expanded smoke-free spaces were considered most likely to reduce TPW. Smokers and non-smokers held different views on measures to address TPW, with smokers favouring more educative approaches and non-smokers more restrictive policies.

Conclusions

Strategies to increase awareness of tobacco companies’ role in creating TPW could foster political support for producer responsibility measures that require the industry to manage TPW. Nevertheless, policy measures should continue to foster smoking cessation and decrease uptake, as reducing smoking prevalence presents the best long-term solution to addressing TPW.
Computed tomographic grading of middle ear disease in domestic rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculi)
Authors: Richardson Jenna , Longo Maurizio , Liuti Tiziana , Eatwell Kevin
Published: May 2019

Ear disease, involving the middle and external ear, is commonly reported in pet rabbits, with lop‐eared breeds predisposed. CT is the most reliable imaging modality for identifying otitis media (OM) in rabbits. This study aimed to develop a CT‐based grading scale to classify the severity of CT changes in rabbits with presumed OM. Three observers independently reviewed CT images of 36 rabbits with OM. For both OM and material within the external ear canal, a grade of I to IV was used, (I=mild, IV=severe disease) and the level of agreement between reviewers was statistically evaluated. The study demonstrated that grades from the three reviewers showed a strong level of interobserver agreement. Comparisons between clinical signs and CT grade were also evaluated. Rabbits with grade IV OM had a high grade of material in the external ear canal. A high proportion of rabbits (83 per cent) underwent CT scanning conscious, demonstrating that diagnostic quality CT images are achievable without the need for anaesthetic intervention, minimising patient risk. This novel CT‐based grading scale provides a methodology to correlate grade of disease with clinical signs, ear canal cytology, predisposing factors, treatment options and outcomes for rabbits with ear disease.
Validity of the molecular-dynamics-lattice-gas global equilibrium distribution function
Authors: Parsa M. Reza , Pachalieva Aleksandra , Wagner Alexander J.
Published: May 2019

The molecular-dynamics-lattice-gas (MDLG) method establishes a direct link between a lattice-gas method and the coarse-graining of a molecular dynamics (MD) approach. Due to its connection to MD, the MDLG rigorously recovers the hydrodynamics and allows to validate the behavior of the lattice-gas or lattice-Boltzmann methods directly without using the standard kinetic theory approach. In this paper, we show that the analytical definition of the equilibrium distribution function remains valid even for very high volume fractions.
Efficient space virtualization for the Hoshen–Kopelman algorithm
Authors: Kotwica M. , Gronek P. , Malarz K.
Published: May 2019

In this paper, the efficient space virtualisation for the Hoshen–Kopelman algorithm is presented. We observe minimal parallel overhead during computations, due to negligible communication costs. The proposed algorithm is applied for computation of random-site percolation thresholds for four dimensional simple cubic lattice with sites’ neighborhoods containing next–next–nearest neighbors (3NN). The obtained percolation thresholds are [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], where 2NN and NN stand for next–nearest neighbors and nearest neighbors, respectively.
Improved efficient queue resource reallocation strategy for traffic dynamics on scale-free networks
Authors: Ma Jinlong , Wang Huiling , Xu Xiangyang , Han Weizhan , Duan Congwen , Qi Zhaohui
Published: May 2019

In recent years, the transportation systems have to face the increasing challenges of congestion and inefficiency, and therefore the research on traffic dynamics of complex networks has become a significant area. When the total node capacity of the network is fixed, a reasonable queue resource reallocation strategy is effective in improving the network traffic capacity. In this paper, a new queue resource allocation method is proposed based on the betweenness centrality and the degree centrality of nodes. With the proposed strategy, the node queue length is allocated accurately to enhance the transport efficiency. Simulation results show that the proposed strategy can effectively improve the traffic capacity of the scale-free networks.
Train delay propagation under random interference on high-speed rail network
Authors: Feng Ziyan , Cao Chengxuan , Liu Yutong
Published: May 2019

To simulate passenger train movements on the high-speed rail network, this paper proposes a new dynamic model based on the discrete time method and provides some efficient control policies correspondingly. Besides that, an improved minimum safe headway in the moving-block system on the high-speed rail network is presented. Using the proposed method, the dynamic characteristics of railway traffic flow are analyzed under random interferences on the high-speed rail network. Then, some sensitivity analyses are implemented to investigate the propagation features of delays under different interferences. The results indicate that the proposed dynamic model and control policies for the passenger train movements on the high-speed rail network are effective and can be a fundamental research for subsequent research of delay propagation, rerouting and rescheduling problems.
A P system for hierarchical clustering
Authors: Guo Ping , Jiang Wenjie , Liu Yuchi
Published: May 2019

Membrane computing, also known as P system, is a distributed and parallel computation framework models. Hierarchical clustering is one of the most basic and widely applied clustering algorithms among all clustering algorithms. In this paper, the combination of membrane computing and hierarchical clustering algorithm is studied. A cell-like hierarchical clustering P system with priority evolution rules and promoters is designed by using the maximum parallelism of membrane computing. The feasibility and effectiveness of the designed P system are verified by the examples.
The average weighted receiving time with weight-dependent walk on a family of double-weighted polymer networks
Authors: Zhang Fei , Ye Dandan , Han Changling , Chen Wei , Zhang Yingze
Published: May 2019

In this paper, a family of the double-weighted polymer networks is introduced depending on the number of copies [Formula: see text] and two weight factors [Formula: see text]. The double-weights represent the selected weights and the consumed weights, respectively. Denote by [Formula: see text] the selected weight connecting the nodes [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], and denote by [Formula: see text] the consumed weight connecting the nodes [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]. Let [Formula: see text] be related to the weight factor [Formula: see text], and let [Formula: see text] be related to the weight factors [Formula: see text]. Assuming that the walker, at each step, starting from its current node, moves to any of its neighbors with probability proportional to the selected weight of edge linking them. The weighted time for two adjacency nodes is the consumed weight connecting the two nodes. The average weighted receiving time (AWRT) is defined on the double-weighted polymer networks. Our results show that in large network, the leading behaviors of AWRT for the double-weighted polymer networks follow distinct scalings, with the trapping efficiency associated with the network size [Formula: see text], the number of copies [Formula: see text], and two weight factors [Formula: see text]. We also found that the scalings of the AWRT with weight-dependent walk in double-weighted polymer networks is due to the use of the weight-dependent walk and the weighted time. The dominant reason is the range of each weight factor. To investigate the reason of the scalings, the AWRT for four cases are discussed.
Implementation of Low Supply Rail-to-Rail Differential Voltage Comparator on Flexible Hardware for a Flash ADC
Authors: Gupta Ashima , Singh Anil , Agarwal Alpana
Published: May 2019

A 4-bit flash ADC utilizing the advantage of digital-based differential voltage comparator is presented in this paper. This circuit has an advantage of digital circuit concept and can be easily migrated to lower technologies. Also, the digital circuits are less sensitive to the noise and device mismatches can be synthesized and auto place and route (P&R) using EDA tools. The design of the proposed comparator is based on the standard cells implementation. As the proof of concept this comparator is implemented on Xilinx Basys-3 Artix-7 FPGA kit. The prototype of complete 4-bit Flash ADC is designed in 180[Formula: see text]nm CMOS technology with 1.8[Formula: see text]V supply voltage. The measured values of ENOB, SNDR, SNR and SFDR are 3.6, 23.43[Formula: see text]dB, 25.2[Formula: see text]dB and 30.1[Formula: see text]dB, respectively at 33.20[Formula: see text]MHz input frequency and 200[Formula: see text]MHz clock frequency. The total power consumed by the 4-bit flash ADC is 2.14[Formula: see text]mW. The calculated value of DNL and INL is [Formula: see text] LSB and [Formula: see text] LSB respectively.