bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Non-farm proprietorship employment by US metropolitan area
Authors: Debbage Keith Graham , Bowen Shaylee
Published: March 2018

Purpose

The entrepreneurial process is a result of an interaction between an individual entrepreneur and the surrounding entrepreneurial ecosystem. The purpose of this paper is to determine whether US metropolitan areas with disproportionately high shares of entrepreneurs are systematically linked to particular attributes of the entrepreneurial support system?

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, non-farm proprietorship (NFP) employment data from the US Bureau of Economic Analysis is used as a dependent variable proxy for entrepreneurship. NFP data are widely used in the entrepreneurship literature. Data on all independent variables were obtained from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey and the Bureau of Labor Statistics by metropolitan area and subject to a stepwise linear regression analysis.

Findings

The relative share of NFP employment by metropolitan area exhibited a strong positive relationship with percentage of employment in finance, insurance and real estate, median age, percentage of Hispanic population and median home value. It is argued that the combination of significant predictors captures both out-of-necessity self-employment (e.g. low-skilled Hispanic and aging populations) and a self-employment of opportunity (e.g. access to capital).

Practical implications

Public policies focused on nurturing entrepreneurial ecosystems must account for these divergent explanatory frameworks when attempting to encourage NFP employment.

Originality/value

The paper has an explicit spatial context that tends to be overlooked in the traditional entrepreneurship literature. The focus on out-of-necessity versus opportunity-based entrepreneurship, and how it is shaped by some key predictors at the metropolitan scale, is a relatively new angle.
Marriott Starwood merger: what did we learn from a financial standpoint?
Authors: Dogru Tarik , Erdogan Aysa , Kizildag Murat
Published: March 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to measure and observe stock market and investor reactions (benchmark adjusted cumulative abnormal returns (CARs)) to the announcement of Marriott’s acquisition of Starwood and related merger and acquisition (M&A) news and related activities over a two-year period.

Design/methodology/approach

Empirical models and quantifications were developed and tested through event study analysis to test the Marriot-Starwood M&A news and related activities and to observe the abnormal stock return patterns. Several data sources were employed including Factiva by Dow Jones,Wall Street Newspaper, CRSP/COMPUSTAT merged files, and ValueLine Research.

Findings

This paper provides financial insights and outcomes of pre-, during, and post-Marriot-Starwood merger. While equity returns to Starwood were mostly flat, Marriott experienced negative returns around the acquisition announcement and anytime a news article appears following the announcement. However, performance proxies showed that Marriott’s shareholders gained superior buy and hold returns following the acquisition in the long run.

Research limitations/implications

Short-term event study methodology might be less than perfect in examining the stock returns to acquisitions. Therefore, future research is encouraged to test and observe Marriot-Starwood merger using longer time periods with predictive analysis to check the further usability of the results.

Practical implications

The study’s findings practically signal that overreaction in the short term is followed by a correction with an improvement in returns and sales performance of Marriot. In the majority of the acquisitions, integration process is not planned until after the acquisition announcement or the deal completion.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the existing literature by demonstrating the financial issues, challenges, and outcomes of the biggest merger in the history of the global lodging industry.
Implications of integrating e-leisure constraints and means-end hierarchies of young people’s perceptions toward video-sharing websites
Authors: Lin Chin Feng , Fu Chen Su
Published: March 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is, based on leisure constraints and means-end theories, to identify the e-leisure constraints of using the video-sharing websites/apps; demonstrate how means-end theory can be used to reveal the differences between high- and low-leisure constraints in an e-leisure environment; and provide designers and marketers with valuable insights for developing e-leisure products and e-marketing strategies.

Design/methodology/approach

Both qualitative and quantitative approaches are employed to collect data. By eliminating three participants whose age range did not meet our criterion (15 to 24 years old), 57 one-on-one in-depth interviews were then content analyzed to design the survey questionnaire. A total of 514 valid samples were collected for hierarchical value map (HVM) construction.

Findings

By comparing the full HVM vs the e-leisure constraints HVM, the analytical results indicate that the importance of attributes, consequences and values for the young people using video-sharing websites/apps is quite different. “Unable to resume the video after leaving the screen,” “creating playlist,” “providing movies” and “location restrictions” are extremely important features that influence the willingness of such users with high e-leisure constraints to participate in e-leisure activities. By understanding the differences between these two HVMs, it is possible to provide marketers or designers with valuable insights for website/app design and marketing strategies.

Research limitations/implications

This study only focused on young people’s perceptions of video-sharing websites/apps, so the findings are limited to those aged between 15 and 24 years old. Since managers today are challenged to design effective strategies that can meet target users’ demands across different ages with different economic, social and sub-cultural groups, future research may consider gathering a wider age range of respondents in order to obtain more robust results.

Originality/value

This is the first paper integrating leisure constraints theory and means-end theory to understand young people’s cognitive structure of using video-sharing websites/apps, especially when they encounter e-leisure constraints.
Study of the accessibility of a sample of scientific electronic journal publishing platforms
Authors: Navarro-Molina Carolina , López-Gil Juan-Miguel , Aleixandre-Benavent Rafael , Valderrama-Zurián Juan-Carlos
Published: March 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the degree of accessibility of a set of electronic journals that are hosted on widely used online scientific journal publishing platforms and whose content quality has already been certified. Two studies were performed, in which the accessibility of the selected platforms was studied in 2011 and 2016.

Design/methodology/approach

The research was performed on publishing platforms than hosted more than 20 journals about human behaviour and factors that may influence it. The evaluation was carried out following the methodology described by the Web Accessibility Initiative in their Website Accessibility Conformance Evaluation Methodology.

Findings

The results show that, in spite of an improvement in accessibility, all the analysed electronic consultation platforms contain errors that could hinder their users’ access to their content. The incidence of errors found varies considerably among platforms. As the user interface of each platform analysed is common to all the online scientific electronic journals it hosts, the results obtained are valid for all other journals hosted on a given platform.

Research limitations/implications

Obtained results were valid in the date and time the websites were analysed. Changes made on the websites since then make that the results of an accessibility analysis would be different.

Practical implications

Analysed platforms would require taking steps to ensure their accessibility.

Social implications

Users with disabilities cannot use these platforms appropriately due to the accessibility problems found. The lack of web accessibility also has implications regarding visibility of published articles and common users.

Originality/value

This work offers a systematic analysis that includes manual accessibility evaluation, which has not been performed in scientific article publishing platforms to the extent presented in this paper. Articles found in the literature perform automatic analyses, which lack the depth of a manual one. Besides, when manual accessibility analysis is performed, usually the home page of a platform or journal alone is considered.
Fabrication and characterization of conductive poly(dimethylsiloxane)-carbon nanotube nanocomposites for potential microsensor applications
Authors: Akhtarian Shiva , Veladi Hadi , Mohammadi Aref Sajedeh
Published: March 2018

Purpose

The purpose of the study is to explore the potential possibility of using the conductive and piezoresistive nanocomposites that consist of insulating poly(dimethylsiloxane), a very popular silicone polymer, and the amazing properties of carbon nanotubes (CNT) in sensing applications. This nanocomposite is prepared by an optimized process to achieve a high-quality nanocomposite with uniform properties.

Design/methodology/approach

The optimized process achieved in this study to provide PDMS/CNT nanocomposite includes the appropriate use of ultrasonic bath, magnetic stirrer, molding and curing in certain circumstances that results in obtaining high-quality nanocomposite with uniform properties. Experiments to characterize the influence of some factors such as pressure, temperature and the impact of CNT’s concentration on the electrical properties of the prepared nanocomposite have been designed and carried out.

Findings

The obtained preparing method of this nanocomposite is found to have better homogeneity in comparison to other methods for CNT/PDMS nanocomposite. This nanocomposite has both desirable properties of the PDMS elastomer and the additional conductive CNT, and it can be used to create all-polymer systems. Furthermore, the conductivity values of these nanocomposites can be changed by varying some factors such as temperature and pressure, so that those can be used in temperature- and pressure-sensoring applications.

Originality/value

In the present research, a convenient, inexpensive and reproducible method for preparing CNT/PDMS nanocomposite was investigated. These nanocomposites with the unique properties of both PDMS elastomer and CNTs and also with high electrical conductivity, piezoresistive properties and temperature dependent resistivity can be used in different sensoring applications.
A review of routing protocols in internet of vehicles and their challenges
Authors: Senouci Oussama , Aliouat Zibouda , Harous Saad
Published: March 2018

Purpose

This paper is a review of a number routing protocols in the internet of vehicles (IoV). IoV emphasizes information interaction among humans, vehicles and a roadside unit (RSU), within which routing is one of the most important steps in IoV network.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, the authors have summarized different research data on routing protocols in the IoV. Several routing protocols for IoV have been proposed in the literature. Their classification is made according to some criteria such as topology-based, position-based, transmission strategy and network structure. This paper focuses on the transmission strategy criteria. There exist three types of protocols that are based on this strategy: unicast protocol, broadcast protocols and multicast protocols. This later type is classified into two subclasses: geocast and cluster-based protocols. The taxonomy of the transmission strategy is presented in this study. We discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each type with a general comparison between the five types.

Findings

The authors can deduce that many challenges are encountered when designing routing protocols for IoV.

Originality/value

A simple and well-explained presentation of the functioning of the IoV is provided with a comparison among each categories of protocols is well presented along with the advantages and disadvantages of each type. The authors examined the main problems encountered during the design of IoV routing protocol, such as the quick change of topology, the frequent disconnection, the big volume of data to be processed and stored in the IoV, and the problem of network fragmentation. This work explores, compares existing routing protocols in IoV and provides a critical analysis. For that, the authors extract the challenges and propose future perspectives for each categories of protocols.
Long‐term follow‐up comparison of two different bi‐layer dermal substitutes in tissue regeneration: Clinical outcomes and histological findings
Authors: De Angelis Barbara , Orlandi Fabrizio , Fernandes Lopes Morais D’Autilio Margarida , Scioli Maria G , Orlandi Augusto , Cervelli Valerio , Gentile Pietro
Published: March 2018

Double layer dermal substitute (DS) consist of a 3‐dimensional collagen structures and a superficial silicon layer that are positioned within the defect provide to promote tissue regeneration in skin wounds. DS often have unique physical characteristics due to differences in manufacturing techniques. The aim of this study is the clinical and histological comparison of Nevelia and Integra double layer DSs in patients with post‐traumatic injury wounds. Thirty patients with post‐traumatic wounds localised on the inferior limbs were randomised in 2 groups Nevelia or Integra, followed by autologous dermal epidermal graft (DEG). Clinical results were evaluated through the healing time; Manchester Scar Scale (MSS) and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) at 1, 2, and 3 weeks and after 1 and 3 years. Histological and immunohistochemical evaluation were performed at 0, 2, and 3 weeks. The difference in healing time between groups (P = .467, log‐rank test), pain and self‐estimation was not statistically significant after 35, 42, and 49 days and at 1‐year follow up. Histological data showed evident healing of wound after 2 weeks compared with preoperative with both DSs. At 3 weeks reepithelialisation and dermal regeneration were evident with both substitutes; however Nevelia showed early regenerative properties in terms of epidermal proliferation and dermal renewal compared with Integra. Nevelia showed also a more evident angiogenesis vs Integra evaluated as α‐SMA immunohistochemistry. Differences in the MSS score were statistically significant at 3 years follow up in favour of Nevelia group (P = .001). At long‐term follow up, Nevelia showed a better clinical outcome measured as MSS score vs Integra measured as MSS. Histological and immunohistochemistry data showed that Nevelia allows faster neoangiogenesis and tissue regeneration with neoformed tissue architecture closer to the physiology of the skin.
Modeling physical vapor deposition of energetic materials
Authors: Shirvan Koroush , Forrest Eric C.
Published: March 2018

Morphology and microstructure of organic explosive films formed using physical vapor deposition (PVD) processes strongly depends on local surface temperature during deposition. Currently, there is no accurate means of quantifying the local surface temperature during PVD processes in the deposition chambers. This work focuses on using a multiphysics computational fluid dynamics tool, STARCCM+, to simulate pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) deposition. The PETN vapor and solid phase were simulated using the volume of fluid method and its deposition in the vacuum chamber on spinning silicon wafers was modeled. The model also included the spinning copper cooling block where the wafers are placed along with the chiller operating with forced convection refrigerant. Implicit time-dependent simulations in two- and three-dimensional were performed to derive insights in the governing physics for PETN thin film formation. PETN is deposited at the rate of 14 nm/s at 142.9 °C on a wafer with an initial temperature of 22 °C. The deposition of PETN on the wafers was calculated at an assumed heat transfer coefficient (HTC) of 400 W/m2 K. This HTC proved to be the most sensitive parameter in determining the local surface temperature during deposition. Previous experimental work found noticeable microstructural changes with 0.5 mm fused silica wafers in place of silicon during the PETN deposition. This work showed that fused silica slows initial wafer cool down and results in ∼10 °C difference for the surface temperature at 500 μm PETN film thickness. It was also found that the deposition surface temperature is insensitive to the cooling power of the copper block due to the copper block's very large heat capacity and thermal conductivity relative to the heat input from the PVD process. Future work should incorporate the addition of local stress during PETN deposition. Based on simulation results, it is also recommended to investigate the impact of wafer surface energy on the PETN microstructure and morphology formation.
Use of the kurtosis statistic in an evaluation of the effects of noise and solvent exposures on the hearing thresholds of workers: An exploratory study
Authors: Fuente Adrian , Qiu Wei , Zhang Meibian , Xie Hongwei , Kardous Chucri A. , Campo Pierre , Morata Thais C.
Published: March 2018

The aim of this exploratory study was to examine whether the kurtosis metric can contribute to investigations of the effects of combined exposure to noise and solvents on human hearing thresholds. Twenty factory workers exposed to noise and solvents along with 20 workers of similar age exposed only to noise in eastern China were investigated using pure-tone audiometry (1000–8000 Hz). Exposure histories and shift-long noise recording files were obtained for each participant. The data were used in the calculation of the cumulative noise exposure (CNE) and CNE adjusted by the kurtosis metric for each participant. Passive samplers were used to measure solvent concentrations for each worker exposed to solvents over the full work shift. Results showed an interaction between noise exposure and solvents for the hearing threshold at 6000 Hz. This effect was observed only when the CNE level was adjusted by the kurtosis metric.
Oxygen isotopic evidence for accretion of Earth’s water before a high-energy Moon-forming giant impact
Authors: Greenwood Richard C. , Barrat Jean-Alix , Miller Martin F. , Anand Mahesh , Dauphas Nicolas , Franchi Ian A. , Sillard Patrick , Starkey Natalie A.
Published: March 2018

We show that the bulk of Earth’s water was delivered before the high-energy collision that led to the formation of the Moon.
Reconciling biodiversity and carbon stock conservation in an Afrotropical forest landscape
Authors: Van de Perre Frederik , Willig Michael R. , Presley Steven J. , Bapeamoni Andemwana Frank , Beeckman Hans , Boeckx Pascal , Cooleman Stijn , de Haan Myriam , De Kesel André , Dessein Steven , Grootaert Patrick , Huygens Dries , Janssens Steven B. , Kearsley Elizabeth , Kabeya Patrick Mutombo , Leponce Maurice , Van den Broeck Dries , Verbeeck Hans , Würsten Bart , Leirs Herwig , Verheyen Erik
Published: March 2018

Positive relationships between carbon storage and taxonomic diversity are not predominant at the local scale.
Bioinspired living structural color hydrogels
Authors: Fu Fanfan , Shang Luoran , Chen Zhuoyue , Yu Yunru , Zhao Yuanjin
Published: March 2018

Robotic objects and “heart-on-a-chip” platforms feature bioinspired structural color materials with autonomous regulation.
Exposure therapy with no exposure
Authors: Jones Rebecca M.
Published: March 2018

fMRI and patient feedback methods reduce fear responses by changing brain patterns without conscious awareness.
Efficacy of Human-Simulated Exposures of Ceftolozane-Tazobactam Alone and in Combination with Amikacin or Colistin against Multidrug-Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa in an
In Vitro
Pharmacodynamic Model
Authors: Rico Caballero Veronica , Almarzoky Abuhussain Safa , Kuti Joseph L. , Nicolau David P.
Published: March 2018

Combination therapy is an attractive option for the treatment of multidrug-resistant (MDR)
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
infections; however, limited data are available on combinations with ceftolozane-tazobactam (C-T). The
in vitro
pharmacodynamic chemostat model was employed to compare human-simulated exposures of C-T at 3 g every 8 h alone or in combination with amikacin at 25 mg/kg of body weight daily or colistin at 360 mg daily against four MDR
P. aeruginosa
isolates. C-T alone resulted in 24-h changes in the number of CFU of −0.02 ± 0.21, −1.81 ± 0.55, −1.44 ± 0.40, and +0.62 ± 0.05 log
10
CFU/ml against isolates with C-T MICs of 4, 4, 8, and 16 μg/ml, respectively. Amikacin and colistin monotherapy displayed various results. The addition of amikacin to C-T resulted in −2.00 ± 0.23 (
P
< 0.001, additive)-, −1.50 ± 0.83 (
P
= 0.687, indifferent)-, −2.84 ± 0.08 (
P
= 0.079, indifferent)-, and −2.67 ± 0.54 (
P
< 0.001, synergy)-log
10
CFU/ml reductions, respectively. The addition of colistin to C-T resulted in −3.02 ± 0.22 (
P
< 0.001, additive)-, −3.21 ± 0.24 (
P
> 0.05, indifferent)-, −4.6 ± 0.11 (
P
= 0.002, synergy)-, and −3.01 ± 0.28 (
P
< 0.001, synergy)-log
10
CFU/ml reductions, respectively, against the MDR
P. aeruginosa
isolates with these MICs. Greater overall reductions in bacterial burden, including additive or synergistic interactions at 24 h, with C-T plus amikacin or colistin were observed against 3 out of 4 MDR
P. aeruginosa
strains tested, particularly those strains that were intermediate or resistant to C-T. Further studies assessing combination regimens containing C-T against MDR
P. aeruginosa
are warranted.
Draft Genome Sequence of a Mycobacterium heckeshornense Clinical Isolate
Authors: Ustinova V. , Smirnova T. , Varlamov D. , Monakhova Y. , Larionova E. , Andreevskaya S. , Andrievskaya I. , Chernousova L. , Ergeshov A.
Published: March 2018

We report here the draft genome sequence of
Mycobacterium heckeshornense
, isolated from the sputum of a patient admitted to a tuberculosis hospital with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis.
Draft Genome Sequences of Two Novel Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica Strains Isolated from Low-Moisture Foods with Applications in Food Safety Research
Authors: Radford Devon R. , Leon-Velarde Carlos G. , Chen Shu , Hamidi Oskouei Amir M. , Balamurugan Sampathkumar
Published: March 2018

The genomes of two strains of
Salmonella enterica
subsp.
enterica
serovar Cubana and serovar Muenchen, isolated from dry hazelnuts and chia seeds, respectively, were sequenced using the Illumina MiSeq platform, assembled
de novo
using the overlap-layout-consensus method, and aligned to their respective most identical sequence genome scaffolds using MUMMER and BLAST searches.
Draft Genome Sequence of an NDM-1- and KPC-2-Coproducing Hypervirulent Carbapenem-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae Strain Isolated from Burn Wound Infections
Authors: Wei Dan-Dan , Wan La-Gen , Liu Yang
Published: March 2018

We report here the draft genome sequence of an NDM-1- and KPC-2-coproducing hypervirulent carbapenem-resistant
Klebsiella pneumoniae
strain, isolated from a 58-year-old male in the People’s Republic of China with a burn injury.
Draft Genome Sequence of Pseudomonas gingeri Strain LMG 5327, the Causative Agent of Ginger Blotch in Agaricus bisporus
Authors: Bahrami Tahereh , Zarvandi Samira , De Mot René , Gross Harald , Changi-Ashtiani Majid , Shahani Tina , Rokni-Zadeh Hassan
Published: March 2018

The draft genome sequence of
Pseudomonas gingeri
LMG 5327 (NCPPB 3146), the causative agent of ginger blotch in
Agaricus bisporus
, is reported. Together with another mushroom pathogen,
Pseudomonas agarici
, it belongs to a distinct phylogenomic group.
Whole-Genome Sequence of Acetobacter orientalis Strain FAN1, Isolated from Caucasian Yogurt
Authors: Nakashima Nobutaka , Tamura Tomohiro
Published: March 2018

In traditional Caucasian yogurt,
Acetobacter orientalis
bacteria play important roles in the fermentation of milk in concert with
Lactococcus
bacteria. In this study, an
A. orientalis
strain, FAN1, was newly isolated from commercially available Caucasian yogurt, and its whole-genome sequence was determined, identifying two circular DNAs.
Antibiotics and activity spaces: protocol of an exploratory study of behaviour, marginalisation and knowledge diffusion
Authors: Haenssgen Marco J , Charoenboon Nutcha , Zanello Giacomo , Mayxay Mayfong , Reed-Tsochas Felix , Jones Caroline O H , Kosaikanont Romyen , Praphattong Pollavat , Manohan Pathompong , Lubell Yoel , Newton Paul N , Keomany Sommay , Wertheim Heiman F L , Lienert Jeffrey , Xayavong Thipphaphone , Warapikuptanun Penporn , Khine Zaw Yuzana , U-Thong Patchapoom , Benjaroon Patipat , Sangkham Narinnira , Wibunjak Kanokporn , Chai-In Poowadon , Chailert Sirirat , Thavethanutthanawin Patthanan , Promsutt Krittanon , Thepkhamkong Amphayvone , Sithongdeng Nicksan , Keovilayvanh Maipheth , Khamsoukthavong Nid , Phanthasomchit Phaengnitta , Phanthavong Chanthasone , Boualaiseng Somsanith , Vongsavang Souksakhone , Greer Rachel C , Althaus Thomas , Nedsuwan Supalert , Intralawan Daranee , Wangrangsimakul Tri , Limmathurotsakul Direk , Ariana Proochista
Published: March 2018

Background

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health priority. Leading UK and global strategy papers to fight AMR recognise its social and behavioural dimensions, but current policy responses to improve the popular use of antimicrobials (eg, antibiotics) are limited to education and awareness-raising campaigns. In response to conceptual, methodological and empirical weaknesses of this approach, we study people’s antibiotic-related health behaviour through three research questions.

RQ1: What are the manifestations and determinants of problematic antibiotic use in patients’ healthcare-seeking pathways?

RQ2: Will people’s exposure to antibiotic awareness activities entail changed behaviours that diffuse or dissipate within a network of competing healthcare practices?

RQ3: Which proxy indicators facilitate the detection of problematic antibiotic behaviours across and within communities?

Methods

We apply an interdisciplinary analytical framework that draws on the public health, medical anthropology, sociology and development economics literature. Our research involves social surveys of treatment-seeking behaviour among rural dwellers in northern Thailand (Chiang Rai) and southern Lao PDR (Salavan). We sample approximately 4800 adults to produce district-level representative and social network data. Additional 60 cognitive interviews facilitate survey instrument development and data interpretation. Our survey data analysis techniques include event sequence analysis (RQ1), multilevel regression (RQ1–3), social network analysis (RQ2) and latent class analysis (RQ3).

Discussion

Social research in AMR is nascent, but our unprecedentedly detailed data on microlevel treatment-seeking behaviour can contribute an understanding of behaviour beyond awareness and free choice, highlighting, for example, decision-making constraints, problems of marginalisation and lacking access to healthcare and competing ideas about desirable behaviour.

Trial registration number

NCT03241316; Pre-results.
Hospital at Home care for older patients with cognitive impairment: a protocol for a randomised controlled feasibility trial
Authors: Pouw Maaike A , Calf Agneta H , van Munster Barbara C , ter Maaten Jan C , Smidt Nynke , de Rooij Sophia E
Published: March 2018

Introduction

An acute hospital admission is a stressful life event for older people, particularly for those with cognitive impairment. The hospitalisation is often complicated by hospital-associated geriatric syndromes, including delirium and functional loss, leading to functional decline and nursing home admission. Hospital at Home care aims to avoid hospitalisation-associated adverse outcomes in older patients with cognitive impairment by providing hospital care in the patient’s own environment.

Methods and analysis

This randomised, non-blinded feasibility trial aims to assess the feasibility of conducting a randomised controlled trial in terms of the recruitment, use and acceptability of Hospital at Home care for older patients with cognitive impairment. The quality of care will be evaluated and the advantages and disadvantages of the Hospital at Home care programme compared with usual hospital care. Eligible patients will be randomised either to Hospital at Home care in their own environment or usual hospital care. The intervention consists of hospital level care provided at patients’ homes, including visits from healthcare professionals, diagnostics (laboratory tests, blood cultures) and treatment. The control group will receive usual hospital care. Measurements will be conducted at baseline, during admission, at discharge and at 3 and 6 months after the baseline assessment.

Ethics and dissemination

Institutional ethics approval has been granted. The findings will be disseminated through public lectures, professional and scientific conferences, as well as peer-reviewed journal articles. The study findings will contribute to knowledge on the implementation of Hospital at Home care for older patients with cognitive disorders. The results will be used to inform and support strategies to deliver eligible care to older patients with cognitive impairment.

Trial registration number

NTR6581; Pre-results.
Novel selective medium for the isolation ofcorynebacterium kroppenstedtiifrom heavily colonised clinical specimens
Authors: Wong Sally Cheuk Ying , Poon Rosana W S , Foo Chuen-Hing , Ngan Antonio H Y , Tse Herman , Lam Vivian C M , Leung Tiffany H Y , Wong Chun-Pong , Cheng Vincent C C , Chen Jonathan H K , Yuen Kwok-Yung
Published: March 2018

Aims

Granulomatous mastitis due toCorynebacterium kroppenstedtiiis an increasingly recognised cause of an indolent and distressing mastitis in non-lactating females. This slow-growing lipophilic organism is not reliably isolated using routine culture methods. A novel selective culture medium (CKSM) is designed to optimise the isolation of this organism from clinical specimens.

Methods

CKSM contains 10% galactose and Tween 80 (10%) to enhance the growth ofC. kroppenstedtii, fosfomycin (100 µg/mL) to suppress the other bacteria, and differentiateC. kroppenstedtiifrom non-kroppenstedtiilipophilic corynebacteria by esculin hydrolysis. The medium was evaluated for its ability to support the growth ofC. kroppenstedtii, selection and differentiation ofC. kroppenstedtiifrom other bacteria in non-sterile clinical specimens.

Results

C. kroppenstedtiigrew as 1–2 mm colonies with black halo on CKSM within 72 hours of incubation, compared with barely visible pinpoint colonies on routine blood agars. During the four-month period of evaluation with 8896 respiratory specimens, 103 breast specimens, 1903 female genital tract specimens, 617 newborn surface swabs and 10 011 miscellaneous specimens, 186C. kroppenstedtiiwere isolated, including 127 (1.4%) respiratory and 59 (0.5%) miscellaneous specimens, 184 of them were found only on CKSM. Besides the three (2.9%) positive breast specimens, 27 (1.4%) high vaginal and endocervical swabs, and 11 (1.8%) surface swabs of newborns were positive forC. kroppenstedtii.

Conclusions

CKSM is a useful addition to routine agar media for the isolation ofC. kroppenstedtii,and will be helpful for studying the epidemiology and transmission of this unusualCorynebacteriumcausing granulomatous mastitis.
Comparative Efficiency and Power Assessment of Optical Photoconductive Material-Based Terahertz Sources for Wireless Communication Systems
Authors: Yazgan Ayhan , Jofre Lluis , Romeu Jordi
Published: March 2018

Terahertz band has recently attracted the attention of the communication society due to its huge bandwidth and very high-speed wireless communications capability. It has been utilized in a variety of disciplines including physics, biology and astronomy for years; and the main concerns have always been obtaining highly efficient and high-power terahertz sources. Today, these problems are still the most important issues in establishing an operable wireless terahertz communication link. In this paper, recent studies in the field of terahertz source design are investigated based on the terahertz output power and efficiency. Solid-state sources and optical sources were comparatively reviewed with optical photoconductive material (OPM)-based methods which are combined with the terahertz antennas in the design phase generally. For wireless communication, the most suitable frequencies are between 0.3[Formula: see text]THz and 1[Formula: see text]THz due to the attenuation profile of the atmosphere. For this reason, based on the recently published studies, it has been observed that OPM and resonant tunneling diode-based sources are the most promising terahertz sources in terms of efficiency and power. Key issues and the main problems of terahertz photoconductive antennas which are the base of OPM method were also discussed in this paper.
Normal and Jones surfaces of knots
Authors: Kalfagianni Efstratia , Lee Christine Ruey Shan
Published: March 2018

We describe a normal surface algorithm that decides whether a knot, with known degree of the colored Jones polynomial, satisfies the Strong Slope Conjecture. We also discuss possible simplifications of our algorithm and state related open questions. We establish a relation between the Jones period of a knot and the number of sheets of the surfaces that satisfy the Strong Slope Conjecture (Jones surfaces). We also present numerical and experimental evidence supporting a stronger such relation which we state as an open question.
Annihilation line from the galactic bulge due to action of low-mass flare stars
Authors: Bisnovatyi-Kogan Gennady , Pozanenko Alexei
Published: March 2018

We consider the low-mass flare stars which form the bulk of the population in the galactic bulge as a source of the positrons needed to form the observed narrow annihilation line from the galactic bulge. Estimates based on the observed flares in low-mass stars, together with observations of the annihilation line in solar flares, show that the rate of production of positrons in flares in the stars in the bulge may be sufficient to explain the formation of the narrow stationary annihilation line observed from the region of the galactic bulge.
The origin of HE and VHE gamma-ray flares from FSRQs
Authors: Gasparyan S. , Sahakyan N. , Chardonnet P.
Published: March 2018

The discovery of very-high-energy gamma-ray emission from Flat Spectrum Radio Quasars (FSRQs) by ground-based Cherenkov telescopes (HESS, MAGIC, VERITAS) provides a new view of blazar emission processes. The available data from multiwavelength observations of FSRQs, allow us to constrain the size (possibly also location) of the emitting region, magnetic field, electron energy distribution, etc., which are crucial for the understanding of the jet properties. We investigate the origin of emission from FSRQs (PKS 1510-089, PKS 1222+216 and 3C 279) by modeling the broadband spectral energy distribution in their quiescent and flaring states, using estimation of the parameter space that describes the underlying particle distribution responsible for the emission through the Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) technique.
RESPONSE TO ASCORBIC ACID ON POLYPYRROLE FILM MODIFIED BY COPPER PARTICLES
Authors: CHIKOUCHE I. , DEHCHAR C. , SAHARI A. , LOUCIF N.
Published: March 2018

In this work, a modified electrode of copper-polypyrrole (Cu-PPy) is elaborated by charging the polymer matrix by Cu particles. The response to ascorbic acid (AA) of this material was tested. The results show good performances. The results indicated a sensitive oxidation peak current of AA on the modified electrode. The success of this application led us to study the nucleation mechanism of copper on the PPy surface which permits to obtain this response. Nucleation and growth of electrodeposited copper onto PPy substrate have been studied in an aqueous solution of 0.01[Formula: see text]M CuCl2 and 1[Formula: see text]M KCl by means of electrochemical methods: cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry, and using atomic force microscopy (AFM). The model described by Scharifker and Hills was used to analyze current-time transients. According to this model, the nucleation and growth kinetics at the initial stages of deposition process involve an instantaneous nucleation followed by three-dimensional (3D) growth mechanism.
COMPARATIVE STUDY OF NON-LINEAR CONTROLLERS FOR THE REGULATION OF THE PARAPLEGIC KNEE MOVEMENT USING FUNCTIONAL ELECTRICAL STIMULATION
Authors: BENAHMED SAFIA , TADJINE MOHAMED , KERMIA OMAR
Published: March 2018

The non-idealities resulting from the excitation of the paraplegic quadriceps muscle by the functional electrical stimulation (FES) make the control problem challenging. Few works addressed the control of this highly non-linear behavior where the elaborated controllers are useless in the real world. To improve the controllers’ metrics available in the literature, we test others controllers which are the Double PID, the backstepping, the backstepping with an integral action and the super-twisting. For that, we first propose an in-depth study of the knee’s dynamic through which we explain the poorness of the paraplegic quadriceps response to the FES. As a result, we propose to control using derivative way instead of de-convolving approaches as proposed in the literature. Second, we implement the different controllers cited earlier. Finally, we compare the resulting metrics of each controller with those of literature and we conclude by identifying the best controller among the ones chosen in this study which presents a considerable improvement and advantages.
EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF NEEDLE INSERTION STRATEGIES OF SEED IMPLANTATION ARTICULATED ROBOT
Authors: LIANG YI , XU DEZHANG , WANG BUYUN , ZHANG YONGDE , XU YONG
Published: March 2018

This paper discusses several new mechanisms that may be used in prostate cancer seed implant robotics. Aiming at the limitation of human body structure space, and in order to improve robotic kinematic dexterity and execution efficiency. We have developed an articulated seed implantation robot with three-dimensional transrectal ultrasound navigation. It is noteworthy that the organization will produce displacement, deformation and needle tip deflection and other issues while needle inserting prostate. In order to improve positioning accuracy of robot to control the puncture needle, a piezoelectric vibration and rotation needle insertion device is designed and developed. Based on the evaluation experiment of vibration and rotation needle insertion, a high accuracy mixed needle insertion strategy is proposed and the corresponding control software is designed. Finally, the insertion force evaluation experiment is completed by mixed needle insertion strategy, and the experimental results validate the effectiveness of this method.
Singularities of axially symmetric time-like minimal submanifolds in Minkowski space
Authors: Wong Willie Wai Yeung
Published: March 2018

We prove that there does not exist global-in-time axisymmetric solutions to the time-like minimal submanifold system in Minkowski space. We further analyze the limiting geometry as the maximal time of existence is approached.
Uniform regularity for free-boundary Navier–Stokes equations with surface tension
Authors: Elgindi Tarek , Lee Donghyun
Published: March 2018

We study the zero-viscosity limit of free boundary Navier–Stokes equations with surface tension in unbounded domain thus extending the work of Masmoudi and Rousset [Uniform regularity and vanishing viscosity limit for the free surface Navier–Stokes equations, Arch. Ration. Mech. Anal. (2016), doi:10.1007/s00205-016-1036-5] to take surface tension into account. Due to the presence of boundary layers, we are unable to pass to the zero-viscosity limit in the usual Sobolev spaces. Indeed, as viscosity tends to zero, normal derivatives at the boundary should blow-up. To deal with this problem, we solve the free boundary problem in the so-called Sobolev co-normal spaces (after fixing the boundary via a coordinate transformation). We prove estimates which are uniform in the viscosity. And after inviscid limit process, we get the local existence of free-boundary Euler equation with surface tension. Our main idea is to use Dirichlet–Neumann operator and time-derivatives.
On the compactness of finite energy weak solutions to the quantum Navier–Stokes equations
Authors: Antonelli Paolo , Spirito Stefano
Published: March 2018

We consider the quantum Navier–Stokes (QNS) system in three space dimensions. We prove compactness of finite energy weak solutions for large initial data. The main novelties are that vacuum regions are included in the weak formulation and no extra terms, like damping or cold pressure, are considered in the equations in order to define the velocity field. Our argument uses an equivalent formulation of the system in terms of an effective velocity, in order to eliminate the third-order terms in the new system. This will allow to obtain the same compactness properties as for the Navier–Stokes equations with degenerate viscosity.
Thickness-Dependent Structural and Magnetic Study of Co/Si/Co Trilayers Grown by Ion Beam Sputtering
Authors: Kumar Anil , Brajpuriya Ranjeet , Singh Priti
Published: March 2018

The magnetic properties of the metal/semiconductor structure can be modulated by the semiconductor layer thickness and therefore in the present paper, a series of trilayers of ion beam sputtered Cobalt–Silicon–Cobalt (Co/Si/Co) were grown to study the interface characteristics and their connections with magnetic properties. The thickness of Co layer, [Formula: see text], is fixed to 3[Formula: see text]nm, while varying the thickness of Si sandwich layer, [Formula: see text], from 1.5[Formula: see text]nm to 4[Formula: see text]nm, respectively. Grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD), grazing incidence X-ray reflectivity (GIXRR), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Magneto-Optic Kerr Effect (MOKE) techniques were employed to study the crystal structure, surface and interface structure, morphology and magnetic characteristics of thin films. X-ray reflectivity measurements show substantial intermixing between the layers leading to trilayers of complicated structure at the interface during deposition. At [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]nm, whole Si layer is converted into silicide, whereas at higher spacer layer thickness ([Formula: see text]), in addition to silicide layer, an unreacted elemental layer of Si also remains in the spacer. A magneto-optical measurement reveals the presence of anti-ferromagnetic coupling in these samples and the strength of coupling between Co layers is found to be depended on [Formula: see text].
Response of catecholaminergic neurons in the mouse hindbrain to glucoprivic stimuli is astrocyte dependent
Authors: Rogers Richard C. , McDougal David H. , Ritter Sue , Qualls-Creekmore Emily , Hermann Gerlinda E.
Published: March 2018

Hindbrain catecholaminergic (CA) neurons are required for critical autonomic, endocrine, and behavioral counterregulatory responses (CRRs) to hypoglycemia. Recent studies suggest that CRR initiation depends on hindbrain astrocyte glucose sensors (McDougal DH, Hermann GE, Rogers RC. Front Neurosci 7: 249, 2013; Rogers RC, Ritter S, Hermann GE. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 310: R1102–R1108, 2016). To test the proposition that hindbrain CA responses to glucoprivation are astrocyte dependent, we utilized transgenic mice in which the calcium reporter construct (GCaMP5) was expressed selectively in tyrosine hydroxylase neurons (TH-GCaMP5). We conducted live cell calcium-imaging studies on tissue slices containing the nucleus of the solitary tract (NST) or the ventrolateral medulla, critical CRR initiation sites. Results show that TH-GCaMP5 neurons are robustly activated by a glucoprivic challenge and that this response is dependent on functional astrocytes. Pretreatment of hindbrain slices with fluorocitrate (an astrocytic metabolic suppressor) abolished TH-GCaMP5 neuronal responses to glucoprivation, but not to glutamate. Pharmacologic results suggest that the astrocytic connection with hindbrain CA neurons is purinergic via P2 receptors. Parallel imaging studies on hindbrain slices of NST from wild-type C57BL/6J mice, in which astrocytes and neurons were prelabeled with a calcium reporter dye and an astrocytic vital dye, show that both cell types are activated by glucoprivation but astrocytes responded significantly sooner than neurons. Pretreatment of these hindbrain slices with P2 antagonists abolished neuronal responses to glucoprivation without interruption of astrocyte responses; pretreatment with fluorocitrate eliminated both astrocytic and neuronal responses. These results support earlier work suggesting that the primary detection of glucoprivic signals by the hindbrain is mediated by astrocytes.
Meis1 is specifically upregulated in kidney myofibroblasts during aging and injury but is not required for kidney homeostasis or fibrotic response
Authors: Chang-Panesso Monica , Kadyrov Farid F. , Machado Flavia G. , Kumar Ashish , Humphreys Benjamin D.
Published: March 2018

The homeobox transcription factor Meis1 is required for mammalian development, and its overexpression plays a role in tumorigenesis, especially leukemia. Meis1 is known to be expressed in kidney stroma, but its function in kidney is undefined. We hypothesized that Meis1 may regulate stromal cell proliferation in kidney development and disease and tested the hypothesis using cell lineage tracing and cell-specific Meis1 deletion in development, aging, and fibrotic disease. We observed strong expression of Meis1 in platelet-derived growth factor receptor-β-positive pericytes and perivascular fibroblasts, both in adult mouse kidney and to a lesser degree in human kidney. Either bilateral ischemia-reperfusion injury or aging itself led to strong upregulation of Meis1 protein and mRNA in kidney myofibroblasts, and genetic lineage analysis confirmed that Meis1-positive cells proliferate as they differentiate into myofibroblasts after injury. Conditional deletion of Meis1 in all kidney stroma with two separate tamoxifen-inducible Cre recombinase drivers had no phenotype with the exception of consistent induction of the tubular injury marker kidney injury molecule-1 (Kim-1) only in Meis1 mutants. Further examination of Kim-1 expression revealed linkage disequilibrium of Kim-1 and Meis1, such that Meis1 mutants carried the longer BALB/c Kim-1 allele. Unexpectedly, we report that this Kim-1 allele is expressed at baseline in wild-type BALB/c mice, without any associated abnormalities, including long-term fibrosis, as predicted from the literature. We conclude that Meis1 is specifically expressed in stroma and myofibroblasts of mouse and human kidney, that it is not required for kidney development, disease, or aging, and that BALB/c mice unexpectedly express Kim-1 protein at baseline without other kidney abnormality.