bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Two-Step Method for Obtaining Highly Pure Cas9 Nuclease for Genome Editing, Biophysical, and Structural Studies
Authors: Rajagopalan Nandhakishore , Kagale Sateesh , Bhowmik Pankaj , Song Halim
Published: May 2018

Cas9 is a site-specific RNA-guided endonuclease (RGEN) that can be used for precise genome editing in various cell types from multiple species. Ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes, which contains the Cas9 protein in complex with a guide RNA, are sufficient for the precise editing of genomes in various cells. This DNA-free method is more specific in editing the target sites and there is no integration of foreign DNA into the genome. Also, there are ongoing studies into the interactions of Cas9 protein with modified guide RNAs, as well as structure-activity studies of Cas9 protein and its variants. All these investigations require highly pure Cas9 protein. A single-step metal affinity enrichment yielding impure Cas9 is the most common method of purification described. This is sufficient for many gene editing applications of this protein. However, to obtain Cas9 of higher purity, which might be essential for biophysical characterization, chemical modifications, and structural investigations, laborious multi-step protocols are employed. Here, we describe a two-step Cas9 purification protocol that uses metal affinity enrichment followed by cation exchange chromatography. This simple method can yield a milligram of highly pure Cas9 protein per liter of culture in a single day.
The Philosophy of Ecology and Sustainability: New Logical and Informational Dimensions
Authors: Brenner Joseph E.
Published: May 2018

Ecology and sustainability are current narratives about the behavior of humans toward themselves and the environment. Ecology is defined as a science, and a philosophy of ecology has become a recognized domain of the philosophy of science. For some, sustainability is an accepted, important moral goal. In 2013, a Special Issue of the journal Sustainability dealt with many of the relevant issues. Unfortunately, the economic, ideological, and psychological barriers to ethical behavior and corresponding social action remain great as well as obvious. In this paper, I propose that a new, non-standard and non-propositional logic of real processes, Logic in Reality (LIR) grounded in physics applies to the science and philosophy of these narratives and helps to explicate them. Given the ecological role of organizations and institutions, reference is often made to organizational or institutional logics as guides to ecological practice. This paper suggests that these logics are either too abstract or too informal to have an impact in a conflictual world. Recognition of the suggested new, transdisciplinary logical dimension of ecological processes may provide credibility and support to new initiatives in ecology and its philosophy.
Short-Term Forecasting of Coastal Surface Currents Using High Frequency Radar Data and Artificial Neural Networks
Authors: Ren Lei , Hu Zhan , Hartnett Michael
Published: May 2018

Accurate and timely information of surface currents is crucial for various operations such as search and rescue, marine renewable energy extraction and oil spill treatment. Conventional approaches to study coastal surface currents are numerical models and observation platforms such as radars and satellites. However, both have limits. To efficiently obtain high accuracy short-term forecasting states of oceanic parameters of interest, a robust soft computing approach—Artificial Neural Networks (ANN)—was applied to predict surface currents in a tide- and wind-dominated coastal area. Hourly observed surface currents from a Coastal Ocean Dynamic Application Radar (CODAR) system, and tide and wind data from forecasting models were used to establish ANN models for Galway Bay area. One of the fastest algorithms, resilient back propagation, was used to adapt all weights and biases. This study focused on investigating the sensitivity of an ANN model to a series of different input datasets. Results indicate that correlation between ANN forecasts and observation was greater than 0.9 for both surface velocity components with one-hour lead time. Strong correlation ( ≥ 0.75) was obtained between predicted results and radar data for both surface velocity components with three-hour lead time at best. However, forecasting accuracy deteriorated rapidly with longer lead time. By comparison with previous data assimilation models, in this research, best performance was achieved from ANN model’s peak times of the tidally dominant surface velocity component. The forecasts presented in this research show clear improvements over previous attempts at short-term forecasting of wind- and tide-dominated currents using ANN.
Estimation of Grassland Canopy Height and Aboveground Biomass at the Quadrat Scale Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
Authors: Zhang Huifang , Sun Yi , Chang Li , Qin Yu , Chen Jianjun , Qin Yan , Du Jiaxing , Yi Shuhua , Wang Yingli
Published: May 2018

Aboveground biomass is a key indicator of a grassland ecosystem. Accurate estimation from remote sensing is important for understanding the response of grasslands to climate change and disturbance at a large scale. However, the precision of remote sensing inversion is limited by a lack in the ground truth and scale mismatch with satellite data. In this study, we first tried to establish a grassland aboveground biomass estimation model at 1 m2 quadrat scale by conducting synchronous experiments of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and field measurement in three different grassland ecosystems. Two flight modes (the new QUADRAT mode and the commonly used MOSAIC mode) were used to generate point clouds for further processing. Canopy height metrics of each quadrat were then calculated using the canopy height model (CHM). Correlation analysis showed that the mean of the canopy height model (CHM_mean) had a significant linear relationship with field height (R2 = 0.90, root mean square error (RMSE) = 19.79 cm, rRMSE = 16.5%, p < 0.001) and a logarithmic relationship with field aboveground biomass (R2 = 0.89, RMSE = 91.48 g/m2, rRMSE = 16.11%, p < 0.001). We concluded our study by conducting a preliminary application of estimation of the aboveground biomass at a plot scale by jointly using UAV and the constructed 1 m2 quadrat scale estimation model. Our results confirmed that UAV could be used to collect large quantities of ground truths and bridge the scales between ground truth and remote sensing pixels, which were helpful in improving the accuracy of remote sensing inversion of grassland aboveground biomass.
Achieving Sustainable Phosphorus Use in Food Systems through Circularisation
Authors: Withers Paul J. A. , Doody Donnacha G. , Sylvester-Bradley Roger
Published: May 2018

The notion of a phosphorus (P) circular economy provides the philosophy, framework, and opportunity to enable food production systems to become more efficient, sustainable, and resilient to a future P scarcity or sudden price shock. Whilst P recovery and recycling are central strategies for closing the P cycle, additional gains in environmental performance of food systems can be obtained by further minimising the amounts of P (a) introduced into the food system by lowering system P demand and (b) lost from the system by utilising legacy P stores in the landscape. This minimisation is an important cascading component of circularisation because it reduces the amounts of P circulating in the system, the amounts of P required to be recycled/recovered and the storage of unused P in the landscape, whilst maintaining agricultural output. The potential for circularisation and minimisation depends on regional differences in these P flow dynamics. We consider incremental and transformative management interventions towards P minimisation within circular economies, and how these might be tempered by the need to deliver a range of ecosystem services. These interventions move away from current production philosophies based on risk-averse, insurance-based farming, and current consumption patterns which have little regard for their environmental impact. We argue that a greater focus on P minimisation and circularisation should catalyse different actors and sectors in the food chain to embrace P sustainability and should empower future research needs to provide the confidence for them to do so without sacrificing future regional food security.
What Contributes to Regional Disparities of Energy Consumption in China? Evidence from Quantile Regression-Shapley Decomposition Approach
Authors: Dong Feng , Yu Bolin , Zhang Jixiong
Published: May 2018

Given the binding provincial goals of energy intensity reduction and total energy consumption control in China, the main purpose of this study is to analyze the regional disparities of energy consumption from the perspectives of energy consumption per capita (EP) and energy intensity (EI), as well as to propose differentiated energy conservation policies. In doing so, quantile regression and regression-based Shapley value decomposition are performed in the case of 30 provinces in China during 2000–2015. The results of quantile regression specify that the impact of each determinant on EP differs distinctly at different quantiles. Income has a positive effect on EP, conversely, industrial structure, population density and transportation infrastructure have negative effects on EP. Similarly, the effect of each influencing factor on EI presents distinct dynamic varying process at different quantiles. Industrial structure, FDI and technological progress have significantly negative effects on EI, while energy mix has a positive effect on EI. Furthermore, based on the results of median regression, the assessment of contributions of individual variables to regional disparities of energy consumption per capita and energy intensity (i.e., EPD and EID) is conducted by the Shapley value decomposition method. It is found that inequality in income level is the most important reason for EPD and its annual average contribution rate is 70%. In addition, differences in population density play an important role in explaining EPD, while the inequality in transportation infrastructure contributes little to EPD. By contrast, EID is mainly due to differences in technological progress, whose annual average contribution rate is up to 46%. Following technological progress, the inequalities of FDI and energy mix are also important factors accounting for EID. On the whole, the contribution of industrial structure or regional factors is always small. Then, this study explores the provincial energy-saving development path based on the actual conditions of all provinces.
Layout Optimization Model for the Production Planning of Precast Concrete Building Components
Authors: Wang Dong , Liu Guiwen , Li Kaijian , Wang Tongjing , Shrestha Asheem , Martek Igor , Tao Xiaobo
Published: May 2018

Precast concrete comprises the basic components of modular buildings. The efficiency of precast concrete building component production directly impacts the construction time and cost. In the processes of precast component production, mold setting has a significant influence on the production efficiency and cost, as well as reducing the resource consumption. However, the development of mold setting plans is left to the experience of production staff, with outcomes dependent on the quality of human skill and experience available. This can result in sub-optimal production efficiencies and resource wastage. Accordingly, in order to improve the efficiency of precast component production, this paper proposes an optimization model able to maximize the average utilization rate of pallets used during the molding process. The constraints considered were the order demand, the size of the pallet, layout methods, and the positional relationship of components. A heuristic algorithm was used to identify optimization solutions provided by the model. Through empirical analysis, and as exemplified in the case study, this research is significant in offering a prefabrication production planning model which improves pallet utilization rates, shortens component production time, reduces production costs, and improves the resource utilization. The results clearly demonstrate that the proposed method can facilitate the precast production plan providing strong practical implications for production planners.
Oxygen and Hydrogen Isotopes of Precipitation in a Rocky Mountainous Area of Beijing to Distinguish and Estimate Spring Recharge
Authors: Liu Ziqiang , Yu Xinxiao , Jia Guodong , Wang Dandan
Published: May 2018

Stable isotopes of oxygen and hydrogen were used to estimate seasonal contributions of precipitation to natural spring recharge in Beijing’s mountainous area. Isotopic compositions were shown to be more positive in the dry season and more negative in the wet season, due to the seasonal patterns in the amount of precipitation. The local meteoric water line (LMWL) was δ2H = 7.0 δ18O − 2.3 for the dry season and δ2H = 5.9 δ18O − 10.4 for the wet season. LMWL in the two seasons had a lower slope and intercept than the Global Meteoric Water Line (p < 0.01). The slope and intercept of the LMWL in the wet season were lower than that in the dry season because of the effect of precipitation amount during the wet season (p < 0.01). The mean precipitation effects of −15‰ and −2‰ per 100 mm change in the amount of precipitation for δ2H and δ18O, respectively, were obtained from the monthly total precipitation and its average isotopic value. The isotopic composition of precipitation decreased when precipitation duration increased. Little changes in the isotopic composition of the natural spring were found. By employing isotope conservation of mass, it could be derived that, on average, approximately 7.2% of the natural spring came from the dry season precipitation and the rest of 92.8% came from the wet season precipitation.
Development, Implementation (Pilot) and Evaluation of a Demand-Responsive Transport System
Authors: Brost Mascha , Klötzke Matthias , Kopp Gerhard , Deißer Oliver , Fraedrich Eva-Maria , Karnahl Katharina , Sippel Tim , Müller Alexander , Beyer Stefanie
Published: May 2018

This paper presents the partial results of the first phases of the BOOLEAN (Bürgerorientierte Optimierung der Leistungsfähigkeit, Effizienz und Attraktivität im Nahverkehr) research project. The demand-responsive transport and operating systems as well as virtual vehicle concepts are developed in a “real-world laboratory” in Schorndorf. The demand-responsive transport system is implemented as a part of the existing public transport system and will be tested for nine months. The paper focuses on the derivation of system requirements for the operating system and vehicle concepts. The virtual vehicle concepts developed within the project are specifically designed according to the needs of demand-responsive transport systems and are based on automation technologies and electric propulsion. An inter- and transdisciplinary approach integrates perspectives from the social, technical and computer sciences and various local stakeholders (operators, municipality, politics and citizens of a medium sized town in Southern Germany). Transformative processes are induced, supported and scrutinized during and beyond the pilot phase.
Holistic Testing Strategies for Electrified Vehicle Powertrains in Product Development Process
Authors: Akkaya Filiz , Klos Wolfgang , Schwämmle Timm , Haffke Gregor , Reuss Hans-Christian
Published: May 2018

In the field of powertrain engineering, longstanding knowledge was gained for testing conventional vehicle powertrains. The hitherto used test strategies here were more focused on the subsystems of the powertrain than on the powertrain as an integrated system. Through the electrification of the powertrain, the topology and the range of functions have changed. This leads to new challenges for the validation and requires not only adjustments of the test strategies for electric vehicle powertrains but establish and develop integrative tests for the powertrain as an integrated system in order to meet the increased complexity. This paper presents a method to develop a holistic test strategy for a hybrid and electrical vehicle powertrain. In order to avoid misunderstandings of the used terms, it is necessary to create a standard understanding of them. Therefore, a nomenclature is defined and described. Furthermore, a definition of a holistic test strategy is provided. The focus of this present study is on the powertrain and not on its single subsystems. Subsequently, the four steps of the method are introduced and the current results are presented. Finally, a new developed test element within the holistic test strategy is introduced. The findings of this study support the integrative testing for powertrains.
FORECASTING AIRCRAFT MILES FLOWN TIME SERIES USING A DEEP LEARNING-BASED HYBRID APPROACH
Authors: SINEGLAZOV Victor , CHUMACHENKO Olena , GORBATIUK Vladyslav
Published: May 2018

Neural network-based methods such as deep neural networks show great efficiency for a wide range of applications. In this paper, a deep learning-based hybrid approach to forecast the yearly revenue passenger kilometers time series of Australia’s major domestic airlines is proposed. The essence of the approach is to use a resilient error backpropagation algorithm with dropout for “tuning” the polynomial neural network, obtained as a result of a multi-layered GMDH algorithm. The article compares the performance of the suggested algorithm on the time series with other popular forecasting methods: deep belief network, multi-layered GMDH algorithm, Box-Jenkins method and the ANFIS model. The minimum reached MAE of the proposed algorithm was approximately 25% lower than the minimum MAE of the next best method – GMDH, thus indicating that the practical application of the algorithm can give good results compared with other well-known methods.
Exploring the Brighter-fatter Effect with the Hyper Suprime-Cam
Authors: Coulton William R. , Armstrong Robert , Smith Kendrick M. , Lupton Robert H. , Spergel David N.
Published: May 2018

The brighter-fatter effect has been postulated to arise due to the build up of a transverse electric field, produced as photocharges accumulate in the pixels’ potential wells. We investigate the brighter-fatter effect in the Hyper Suprime-Cam by examining flat fields and moments of stars. We observe deviations from the expected linear relation in the photon transfer curve (PTC), luminosity-dependent correlations between pixels in flat-field images, and a luminosity-dependent point-spread function (PSF) in stellar observations. Under the key assumptions of translation invariance and Maxwell’s equations in the quasi-static limit, we give a first-principles proof that the effect can be parameterized by a translationally invariant scalar kernel. We describe how this kernel can be estimated from flat fields and discuss how this kernel has been used to remove the brighter-fatter distortions in Hyper Suprime-Cam images. We find that our correction restores the expected linear relation in the PTCs and significantly reduces, but does not completely remove, the luminosity dependence of the PSF over a wide range of magnitudes.
Anuran species composition of Cancão Municipal Natural Park, Municipality of Serra do Navio, Amapá state, Brazil
Authors: Silva e Silva Yuri Breno , Costa-Campos Carlos Eduardo
Published: May 2018

In this study, the first survey of anuran species in the Cancão Municipal Natural Park is presented, a protected area of approximately 370 hectares of Amazonian forest located in the northwest center region of the state of Amapá, Brazil. The work was performed during the dry and rainy season, through active visual and auditory survey, totaling 216 man hours of sampling effort. Forty-nine species of anuran amphibians were recorded in the Cancão Municipal Natural Park, including three new records:Hyalinobatrachiumiaspidiense, Pristimantiscf.ockendeni, andScinaxgarbei. Three species,Hyalinobatrachiumiaspidiense,Ameeregapulchripecta, andAnomaloglossusbaeobatrachus, are listed as Data Deficient and one is listed as Vulnerable (Atelopushoogmoedi) according red lists of IUCN. The rarefaction curve cumulative species did not reach an asymptote, indicating that site has potential for species that have not yet been recorded. Nine species were represented by only one individual and were considered rare in the studied environments, eight species were defined as common, and the 32 remaining species were classified as having intermediary abundance. Our data indicated that Cancão Municipal Natural Park contains a considerable portion of the anurans species richness of Amapá state, turn the area into a place of great importance for the conservation of the anurans of the Eastern Amazon.
¿Hacia una mayor apertura cultural? Un análisis de la cobertura de artículos sobre música en la prensa de referencia de cinco países europeos (1960-2010)
Authors: Fernández Rodríguez Carlos J. , Heikkilä Riie , Purhonen Semi
Published: May 2018

Las jerarquías culturales varían a lo largo del tiempo y dependiendo del contexto. Aunque tradicionalmente han sido entendidas como un reflejo de las divisiones sociales (con las que se corresponderían, como en el famoso concepto de Bourdieu de los gustos homológicos), en las últimas décadas se ha planteado la evidencia de una apertura y de una ampliación del gusto legítimo tradicional. Si bien estos avances suelen estudiarse en relación con el consumo cultural directo, en esta discusión se ha prestado escasa atención a las instituciones que contribuyen a definir el “gusto legítimo”. En este artículo, se pretende cubrir este hueco mediante una mirada a la cobertura de noticias de música en periódicos europeos entre 1960 y 2010. La pregunta que se pretende responder es si, en el terreno de la música, la prensa de referencia habría experimentado un proceso de apertura cultural a lo largo del período mencionado
Percepción de la calidad de vida en prisión. La importancia de una buena organización y un trato digno
Authors: Rodríguez Menés Jorge , Larrauri Pijoan Elena , Güerri Ferrández Cristina
Published: May 2018

Estudios previos sobre la vida en los centros penitenciarios españoles han tendido a hablar de ‘la’ prisión como una institución con condiciones de encarcelamiento uniformes. Sin embargo, la literatura internacional sugiere que la privación de libertad puede experimentarse de forma muy distinta según el centro penitenciario donde se cumpla condena. Esta investigación analiza si existen distintos tipos de prisión en España, a qué factores son debidas dichas diferencias, cuáles son más relevantes y cuáles son sus implicaciones.

Con esta finalidad, hemos administrado el cuestionario Measuring Quality of Prison Life a quinientos presos en cuatro centros penitenciarios de Barcelona. Los resultados de nuestro estudio muestran que la calidad de vida difiere significativamente entre las prisiones analizadas. Estas diferencias, que conllevan importantes consecuencias para las personas presas, no obedecen en exclusiva al historial del interno, sino también, o sobre todo, a la organización del centro y al sistema de relaciones interpersonales existente.
Pobreza laboral en España. Un análisis dinámico
Authors: Tejero Pérez Aroa
Published: May 2018

Las relaciones entre el riesgo de pobreza y el empleo se han convertido en un problema de creciente interés en los últimos años. El grueso de la investigación disponible sobre este problema es de tipo transversal. El análisis dinámico de la pobreza laboral es particularmente interesante para la respuesta de varias cuestiones: ¿es el empleo suficiente para evitar la pobreza? ¿Es la pobreza laboral una situación temporal o permanente? En este trabajo se analiza la dinámica de la pobreza de los trabajadores en España; con el objetivo de conocer si las caídas en la pobreza laboral se producen solo temporalmente, si las personas caen varias veces en esta situación o si, de lo contrario, la pobreza laboral se configura como un fenómeno que produce atrapamiento y del cual es muy difícil salir. A su vez se pretende analizar los distintos perfiles de pobreza laboral en función de su duración.
Protección pública frente a la crisis. El caso de los varones de 51 a 64 años en España, 1976-2016
Authors: Miret-Gamundi Pau , Zueras Pilar
Published: May 2018

La respuesta del Estado a la crisis económica actual no ha sido la misma que la de los años ochenta y noventa. Entonces se hizo uso de la extensión extraordinaria de la prestación por desempleo y la prejubilación, en la actualidad (el Estado) busca extender al máximo la vida laboral a través de la restricción de ambas vías. Se utiliza la Encuesta de Población Activa en su versión trimestral entre 1976 y 2016, y la Muestra Continua de Vidas Laborales entre 2004 y 2015. Mediante regresión logística multinomial se observa que las variables clave que explican las diferencias en la participación laboral tienen que ver con el grupo socioeconómico de pertenencia y el papel de género masculino: cuanto mayor nivel de instrucción y mayor complejidad de la familia corresidente, mayor extensión de la vida laboral. Además, se comprueba que el papel protector del Estado se ha retraído desde 2014.
Narrativas del Despertar gitano. Innovación religiosa, liderazgos gitanos y políticas de identidad
Authors: Cantón-Delgado Manuela
Published: May 2018

El pueblo Rom es la minoría étnica más numerosa de Europa (10-12 millones). A partir de la década de 1950 empezaron a congregarse en iglesias pentecostales por todo el continente, extendiéndose y ganando estructura e influencia rápidamente, sobre todo en Francia y España. En este artículo se aportan nuevos datos para el análisis de un fenómeno étnico y religioso en proceso de rápido crecimiento, de origen norteamericano/afroamericano, que entre la población gitana española muestra sus propias peculiaridades: un movimiento autogestionado, en esencia ajeno a las convenciones del activismo Rom, a las políticas de identidad y a las políticas públicas de promoción de las minorías, dirigido por ministros gitanos y sustentado sobre una nueva narrativa integradora acerca del gitanismo primitivo con justificación bíblica.
Predictors of Nigeria's Premier University Undergraduate Students' Online Shopping Adoption
Authors: Opesade Adeola Omobola , Fabowale Omotola A.
Published: May 2018

Online shopping is one of the dividends of the Internet technology. Online shops give shoppers the privilege of getting some benefits that cannot be offered in a physical store. Despite this, many potential customers have not embraced the technology, due to varying factors. The present article adapts the Theory of Reasoned Action and Technology Acceptance Model to investigate factors affecting the adoption of online shopping by Nigerian undergraduate students, using the University of Ibadan as a case study. Employing the quantitative research approach with survey method, it was discovered that a perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness significantly influence students' attitude to online shopping. Attitude, trust and subjective norm were found to influence behavioural intention to adopt online shopping, which in turn affects students' adoption of online shopping.
An Evaluation of the Impact of Keyword Frequency on Keyword Prominence
Authors: Kivuti Edwin Mwosa
Published: May 2018

This article describes how search engine optimization(SEO) is becoming an increasing useful technique in online marketing as more people look to the internet to search for information. Search Engine Optimization enables web developers to develop web pages which have a high SERP rankings. A key technique in SEO is through improving the keyword prominence of keywords. In this research, keywords within web pages are extracted, and the correlation between the frequency of these words and their keyword prominence is evaluated. The findings of this research will provide a guideline to SEO practitioners, in that they will have a better understanding of the ratio of keywords they need in to add to web pages in relation to the rest of the content.
Frailty in Critical Care: Examining Implications for Clinical Practices
Authors: Gibson Jennifer A. , Crowe Sarah
Published: June 2018

Frailty is an aging-related, multisystem clinical state characterized by loss of physiological reserves and diminished capacity to withstand exposure to stressors. Frailty increases the risk of serious adverse outcomes, compared with that of nonfrail people of the same age. Adverse outcomes can be severe and may include procedural complications, delirium, significant functional decline and disability, prolonged hospital length of stay, extended recovery periods, and death. As older adults make up a continually growing proportion of hospitalized patients, critical care nurses need to understand how to recognize frailty and be familiar with related clinical practice implications. Such knowledge underpins effective organization and delivery of care strategies aimed at minimizing harm and maximizing positive outcomes for frail older adults. Drawing from recent literature, this article explores frailty and critical illness by discussing 2 dominant models of the concept. Using a clinical case study, links between frailty and critical care nursing practices are highlighted and clinical considerations are explored.
Resisting the hospice narrative in pursuit of quality of life
Authors: Tullis Jillian A. , Roscoe Lori A. , Dillon Patrick J.
Published: May 2018

The overall hospice philosophy is to provide care that enhances a dying person’s quality of life. Most individual’s quality of life is improved when they embrace hospice eligibility and reimbursement requirements, such as stopping burdensome and ineffective curative treatment, addressing pain and other symptoms, and seeking avenues for closure. However, this institutionalized prescription for enhancing quality of life at the end of life does not work for all patients. This article considers what happens when patients’ personal definitions of quality of life at the end of life resist the prevailing narrative of appropriate hospice care. Using a series of examples from more than 600 hours of participant observation, our findings reveal narratives of resistance that fall into three themes: i) patients and/or family members who deny the imminence of death despite an admission to hospice; ii) patients who request treatments usually defined as curative; and iii) patients who resist the organizational constraints imposed by the institutionalization of the hospice model of care. Analysis of these themes illustrates the subjective nature of quality of life at the end of life and the pressures of standardization that may accompany the growth and maturity of the hospice industry in the United States.
Patient-centered outcomes: a qualitative exploration of patient experience with electroencephalograms in the Emergency Department
Authors: Davis Christine S. , Beverly, MD Sandra K. , Hernandez-Nino Jackeline , Wyman Andrew J. , Asimos Andrew W.
Published: May 2018

The primary objective of this qualitative project was to understand the experience of patients who had first-time seizures and who did, and did not, have electroencephalograms (EEGs) performed in the Emergency Department (ED) as part of their initial evaluation, so as to refine the diagnostic and therapeutic approach to these patients and transform the standard of care for first-time seizures by focusing on outcomes as defined by patient experiences and expectations. In this paper, we show that, regardless of the diagnostic and therapeutic approach patients are given in the ED, patients and caregivers trust that health care providers will perform the standard of care consistent with the current medical practice for first-time seizures. However, performing EEGs in the ED and initiating appropriate anticonvulsant therapy for those patients who are at high risk for future seizures addresses patient needs by offering patients a sense of security and control over their medical condition and expediting appropriate follow up care, as long as clearly stated written diagnostic, treatment, and referral instructions are provided upon discharge.
A view into clinical practice guidelines: who uses them, who doesn’t and possibly, why
Authors: Munteanu Mihaela C. , Jordan Julie Choi
Published: May 2018

Medical professional societies each develop specific clinical practice guidelines (CPGs). Based on the best available evidence, CPGs are intended to control variability and optimize quality of care in clinical practice. Yet, healthcare providers often do not accept or adhere to guidelines, but their reasons are not fully understood. When providers opt to choose not to follow CPGs, unfavorable patient outcomes including unequal access to treatment become negative consequences. In this small qualitative study, we will explore what causes non-adherence to CPGs and what changes have been made to CPGs from when physicians completed their medical residencies to the present. We interviewed physicians from a variety of medical specialties to assess how these changes may influence guideline adherence as well as the consequences of not following them. We found that guidelines may not be followed in cases where patients have comorbidities that are not described in the guidelines or when physicians do not incorporate new evidence and technology advances into their practice. In some specialties, physicians can develop a poor reputation if they do not adhere to the CPGs, and managed care agencies may deny reimbursement for care they provided. To best serve the physician and the patient, we need to find ways to improve CPG adherence. Tactics such as improving the methodology of CPG formation, using information technology, and creating ways to change physician attitudes and behavior are all viable options.
Mandates of maternity at a science museum, from should to must
Authors: Lee David Haldane
Published: May 2018

A pregnancy exhibit at a science museum is an opportunity to research how medical advice is communicated and interpreted. This paper is about the Beginning of Life area of an exhibition called The Amazing You at the Tampa Museum of Science and Industry, where exhibits are prescriptive as well as descriptive. Expectant women are urged to deliver full-term, normal birthweight babies, by behaving according to prescribed medical norms. This study provides ethnographic descriptions of the exhibits, as well as insights from museum visitors who were interviewed. The exhibits, which emphasize fetal rights and maternal duties, are interpreted and critiqued by women visitors. As the exhibits climb towards greater realism (from euphemistic computer graphics to actual fetal specimens) visitors encounter assertions of fact that precede sometimes tacit directives to undergo a medicalized pregnancy. Exhibits are viewed from the perspective of speech act theory, presenting a new approach to health communication research. I argue that this science center exhibit tells people what to do, in addition to passing on information.
Editor’s Introduction
Authors: Bartesaghi Mariaelena
Published: May 2018

Not available.
Knotworking in an emergency response team: understanding team communication and process
Authors: Colvin Janet W.
Published: May 2018

Over the last 30 years, many studies have focused on responses to crisis in organizations. Crises can occur at any time of the day or night on a regular but unforeseen basis and are characterized by high consequences and short decision time. In healthcare, multidisciplinary crisis management or rapid response teams (RRT) have become more common. RRTs allow for a cross-sectional focus on patients’ needs and, thereby, prevent avoidable deaths or significant harm. This study uses Activity Theory and knotworking theory to examine how communication, multiple roles and power structures are negotiated in RRT’s in a large intermountain teaching hospital. Results from focus groups indicate a single-minded focus on training for system errors may miss important aspects. Knotworking theory is promising because it helps providers move beyond an understanding of teamwork to an understanding of how objectives can be shared and merged.
De-romanticising dialogue in collaborative health care research: a critical, reflexive approach to tensions in an action research project's initial phase
Authors: Phillips Louise , Olesen Birgitte Ravn , Scheffmann-Petersen Michael , Nordentoft Helle Merete
Published: May 2018

In the current socio-political conjuncture, collaborative, dialogic forms of knowledge production abound and are idealised as democratic and inclusive. The aim of the article is to contribute to the body of critical, reflexive analyses of collaborative research by analysing how complex dynamics of exclusion as well as inclusion create tensions in researchers’ attempts to establish collaborative relations in the initial phase of an action research project. The analysis applies a framework combining Bakhtinian dialogic communication theory and Foucauldian theory to explore inclusion and exclusion in the tensional interplay of multiple voices whereby certain voices dominate. Finally, the article offers a typology of ideal types of collaborative research relations that can be used in the initial research phase as a platform for reflexive discussion between researchers and potential collaborative partners about their respective understandings of collaboration and dialogue and corresponding expectations about the research process and results.
Training of workplace-based clinical trainers in family medicine, South Africa: Before-and-after evaluation
Authors: Mash Robert , Blitz Julia , Edwards Jill , Mowle Steve
Published: May 2018

Background: The training of family physicians is a relatively new phenomenon in the district health services of South Africa. There are concerns about the quality of clinical training and the low pass rate in the national examination.Aim: To assess the effect of a five-day course to train clinical trainers in family medicine on the participants’ subsequent capability in the workplace.Setting: Family physician clinical trainers from training programmes mainly in South Africa, but also from Ghana, Uganda, Kenya, Malawi and Botswana.Methods: A before-and-after study using self-reported change at 6 weeks (N = 18) and a 360-degree evaluation of clinical trainers by trainees after 3 months (N = 33). Quantitative data were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences, and qualitative data wereanalysed thematically.Results: Significant change (p < 0.05) was found at 6 weeks in terms of ensuring safe and effective patient care through training, establishing and maintaining an environment for learning, teaching and facilitating learning, enhancing learning through assessment, and supporting and monitoring educational progress. Family physicians reported that they were better at giving feedback, more aware of different learning styles, more facilitative and less authoritarian in their educational approach, more reflective and critical of their educational capabilities and more aware of principles in assessment. Despite this, the trainees did notreport any noticeable change in the trainers’ capability after 3 months.Conclusion: The results support a short-term improvement in the capability of clinical trainers following the course. This change needs to be supported by ongoing formative assessment and supportive visits, which are reported on elsewhere.
Operationalising Agency: A Personalized Approach to Public Health
Authors: Teeters Leah Anne , Singer-Gabella Marcy , Jones Ryan Seth , Escarfuller Juan , Heerman William J
Published: May 2018

Our work brings together theories and methodologies from public health and the learning sciences to develop a culturally relevant community-based intervention aimed at promoting healthy childhood development. We present our approach to personalising a community-based family intervention to prevent childhood obesity that aims to enhance participants’ agency. We argue that situating obesity within the individual’s multi-layered context not only provides a more robust understanding of the causes, but also generates sustainable options for promoting healthy lifestyles. Our findings emphasise the importance of a situated approach to learning that leverages social systems as a key resource for better navigating the environmental, material and ideational infrastructures that support healthy lifestyles.
Attending to others: how digital technologies direct young people's nightlife
Authors: Truong Jasmine
Published: May 2018

Abstract. It is a growing phenomenon that young people use mobile information and communication technologies during their nightlife. This article offers an empirical examination of how young people's nightlife is shaped by engagement with the mobile phone application WhatsApp. Drawing on Sara Ahmed's phenomenological concept of orientation, I examine how WhatsApp extends young people's nightlife and how young people become orientated therein. On the one hand, I show that nightlife acquires new boundaries and fixities that encourage young people to direct their attention towards missing social relations and absent nightlife places. On the other hand, I find that young people create new perceptions of how to inhabit and spend leisure time and space. I argue that digital technologies reorientate young people, which I suggest offers novel means of addressing young people's contemporary nightlife practices, places, spaces, and social relations.
A small volume multiplexed pumping system for automated, high
frequency water chemistry measurements in volume-limited
applications
Authors: Maxwell Bryan M. , Birgand François , Smith Brad , Aveni-Deforge Kyle
Published: May 2018

Abstract. An automated multiplexed pumping system (MPS) for high frequency water chemistry measurements at multiple locations was previously reported. This technology showed potential to increase spatial and temporal resolution of data and improve our understanding of biogeochemical processes in aquatic environments and at the land-water interface. The design of the previous system precludes its use in volume-limited applications where highly frequent measurements requiring large sample volume would significantly affect observed processes. A small volume MPS was designed to minimize sample volume while still providing high frequency data. The system was tested for cross contamination between multiple sources and two applications of the technology are reported. Cross contamination from multiple sources was shown to be negligible when using recommended procedures. Short-circuiting of flow in a bioreactor was directly observed using high frequency porewater sampling in a well network, and the small volume MPS showed high seasonal and spatial variability of nitrate removal in stream sediments, enhancing data collected from in situ mesocosms. The results show it is possible to obtain high frequency data in volume-limited applications. The technology is most promising for observing pore water solute dynamics and improving existing solute transport models for saturated or partially saturated soils and media.
Using modelled discharge to develop satellite-based river gauging: a case study for the Amazon Basin
Authors: Hou Jiawei , van Dijk Albert I. J. M. , Renzullo Luigi J. , Vertessy Robert A.
Published: May 2018

Abstract. River discharge measurements have proven invaluable to monitor the global water cycle, assess flood risk, and guide water resource management. However, there is a delay and overall decline in the availability of gauging data and stations are highly unevenly distributed globally. While not a substitute for river discharge measurement, remote sensing is a cost-effective technology to acquire information on river dynamics. The general approach has been to relate satellite observation to discharge measured in situ, which prevents its use for ungauged rivers. Alternatively, hydrological models are now available that can be used to estimate river discharge globally. While subject to greater errors and biases than measurements, model estimates of river discharge do expand the options for applying satellite-based discharge monitoring in ungauged rivers. Our aim was to test this approach. We used gridded surface water extent information from two sources: (1) Global Flood Detection System (GFDS) passive microwave data; and (2) MODIS optical data. The data were available for the common period of 2000–2014. The hydrological model used was the World-Wide Water (W3) model version 2, providing river discharge from 1980 to 2014. We designed and compared two methods to relate simulated storage and discharge to MODIS and GFDS surface water extent fraction for developing satellite gauging reaches (SGRs), and applied the best performing method to construct SGRs across the Amazon Basin. River discharge estimates from MODIS SGRs, GFDS SGRs, and the W3 model were evaluated with in situ river discharge measurements. The results showed SGRs can be successfully established over a large area using MODIS and GFDS water extent and modelled discharge, and used to estimate river discharge at both gauged and ungauged sites.
TECHNICAL ASPECTS RELATED TO THE APPLICATION OF SFM PHOTOGRAMMETRY IN HIGH MOUNTAIN
Authors: Scaioni M. , Crippa J. , Corti M. , Barazzetti L. , Fugazza D. , Azzoni R. , Cernuschi M. , Diolaiuti G. A.
Published: May 2018

Abstract. Structure-from-Motion (SfM) photogrammetry is a flexible and powerful tool to provide 3D point clouds describing the surface of objects. Due to the easy transportability and low-cost of necessary equipment with respect to laser scanning techniques, SfM photogrammetry has great potential to be applied in harsh high-mountain environment. Here point clouds and derived by-products (DEM’s, orthoimages, Virtual-Reality models) are needed to document surface morphology and to investigate dynamic processes such as landslides, avalanches, river and soil erosion, glacier retreat. On the other hand, from both the literature and the direct experience of the authors, there are some technical issues that still deserve thorough investigations. The paper would like to address some open problems and suggest solutions, in particular on regards of the photogrammetric network design, the strategy for georeferencing the final products, and for their comparison within time. The discussion is documented with some examples, mainly from surveying campaigns at the Forni Glacier in Italian Alps.
INTEGRATED SURVEY PROCEDURES FOR THE VIRTUAL READING AND FRUITION OF HISTORICAL BUILDINGS
Authors: Scandurra S. , Pulcrano M. , Cirillo V. , Campi M. , di Luggo A. , Zerlenga O.
Published: May 2018

Abstract. This paper presents the developments of research related to the integration of digital survey methodologies with reference to image-based and range-based technologies. Starting from the processing of point clouds, the data were processed for both the geometric interpretation of the space as well as production of three-dimensional models that describe the constitutive and morphological relationships. The subject of the study was the church of San Carlo all’Arena in Naples (Italy), with a HBIM model being produced that is semantically consistent with the real building. Starting from the data acquired, a visualization system was created for the virtual exploration of the building.
COLORIZING SENTINEL-1 SAR IMAGES USING A VARIATIONAL AUTOENCODER CONDITIONED ON SENTINEL-2 IMAGERY
Authors: Schmitt M. , Hughes L. H. , Körner M. , Zhu X. X.
Published: May 2018

Abstract. In this paper, we have shown an approach for the automatic colorization of SAR backscatter images, which are usually provided in the form of single-channel gray-scale imagery. Using a deep generative model proposed for the purpose of photograph colorization and a Lab-space-based SAR-optical image fusion formulation, we are able to predict artificial color SAR images, which disclose much more information to the human interpreter than the original SAR data. Future work will aim at further adaption of the employed procedure to our special case of multi-sensor remote sensing imagery. Furthermore, we will investigate if the low-level representations learned intrinsically by the deep network can be used for SAR image interpretation in an end-to-end manner.