bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Systematic Review of Medical Nutrition Therapy Guidelines for Liver Cirrhosis: Do We Agree?
Authors: Theodoridis Xenophon , Grammatikopoulou Maria G. , Petalidou Arianna , Kontonika Stamatia‐Maria , Potamianos Spyros P. , Bogdanos Dimitrios P.
Published: August 2019

Background

Nutrition can play a significant role in the management of liver cirrhosis and its complications. However, adherence to the clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) is essential for the practice of evidence‐based medicine and is considered as a health‐quality indicator.

Methods

A systematic search was conducted in scientific databases, and retrieved CPGs fulfilling the inclusion criteria were independently reviewed and appraised from 3 experienced researchers, based on the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II instrument.

Results

A total of 13 relevant CPGs were retrieved, published by 7 associations/societies, focusing on the nutrition management (enteral nutrition and/or parenteral nutrition) on cirrhosis, decompensated cirrhosis, liver transplantation, and cirrhosis‐related complications. Most CPGs scored low in the stakeholder, rigor of development, and applicability domains. Half of the CPGs recognized the need for counseling patients with cirrhosis on nutrition‐related issues. Small meals spread throughout the day, including a late‐night snack, were suggested, with protein intake ranging between 1.2 and 1.5 g/kg of body weight. In ascites, Na restriction recommendation appeared unanimous.

Conclusions

Several shortcomings and bias were recognized in cirrhosis‐related medical nutrition therapy CPGs, indicating the need of improving CPG methodology.
A numerical method for a nonlinear structured population model with an indefinite growth rate coupled with the environment
Authors: Ackleh Azmy S. , Miller Robert L.
Published: August 2019

A numerical method is developed for a general structured population model coupled with the environment dynamics over a bounded domain where the individual growth rate changes sign. Sign changes notably exhibit nonlocal dependence on the population density and environmental factors (e.g., resource availability and other habitat variables). This leads to a highly nonlinear PDE describing the time‐evolution of the population density coupled with a nonlinear‐nonlocal system of ODEs describing the environmental time‐dynamics. Stability of the finite‐difference numerical scheme and its convergence to the unique weak solution are proved. Numerical experiments are provided to demonstrate the performance of the finite difference scheme and to illustrate a range of biologically relevant potential applications.
Effect of an intervention to improve the prescription of antifungals in pediatric hematology‐oncology
Authors: Santiago‐García Begoña , Rincón‐López Elena María , Ponce Salas Beatriz , Aguilar de la Red Yurena , Garrido Colino Carmen , Martínez Fernández‐Llamazares Cecilia , Saavedra‐Lozano Jesús , Hernández‐Sampelayo Matos Teresa ,   the POPA Study Group
Published: August 2019

Background

The use of antifungals has expanded in pediatric hematology‐oncology, and the need to develop pediatric‐based surveillance and education activities is becoming crucial. The aims of this study were to evaluate the impact of a multidisciplinary protocol on the adequacy of antifungal prescription in a pediatric hematology‐oncology unit and to assess the effect of an educational intervention to improve the knowledge of prescribing pediatricians over time.

Methods

A multidisciplinary team established a protocol for the management of invasive fungal disease (IFD). The use of antifungals before (January 2012‐May 2013) and after the protocol (June 2013‐December 2015) was evaluated. Prescribing pediatricians attended a training course on IFD and were evaluated before 0, 6, and 12 months after the intervention.

Results

During the study period, antifungal agents were used in 185 episodes (56 children, 39.3% females), and were administered as prophylaxis (58.9%), empiric (34.6%), or targeted therapy (6.5%). Antifungal prescriptions were inadequate in 7% of the episodes, related to drug selection (53.8%), dosage (38.5%) and route of administration (7.7%). After protocol implementation, inadequate prescriptions decreased 9.9% (15.2% vs 5.3%; P = .04). Following the educational activity, the percentage of adequate responses to the questionnaire improved significantly compared to baseline, and persisted over time (19.7% improvement at 0 months [P < .0001]; 21.1% at 6 months [P < .0001]; 16.6% at 12 months [P = .002]).

Conclusions

The establishment of multidisciplinary protocols and education activities improved the quality of antifungal prescription and the knowledge of prescribers regarding antifungal therapy. Therefore, these activities may be important for the implementation of antifungal stewardship programs in pediatrics.
Perceptions of participating in family‐centered fertility research among adolescent and young adult males newly diagnosed with cancer: A qualitative study
Authors: Nahata Leena , Morgan Taylor L. , Lipak Keagan G. , Clark Olivia E. , Yeager Nicholas D. , O'Brien Sarah H. , Whiteside Stacy , Audino Anthony , Quinn Gwendolyn P. , Gerhardt Cynthia A.
Published: August 2019

Background

Over half of male childhood cancer survivors experience infertility after treatment, which is known to cause distress and impact future quality of life. Sperm banking rates remain low, and little is known about how adolescent and young adult (AYA) males and their families make fertility preservation (FP) decisions. This study examined AYA and parent perceptions of participating in a research study focused on testing a new FP decision tool at the time of cancer diagnosis.

Methods

Forty‐four participants (19 mothers, 11 fathers, 14 male AYAs 12–25 years old) from 20 families completed brief assessments at diagnosis and approximately one month later, including a qualitative interview exploring the impact of study participation. Verbatim transcripts were coded through thematic content analysis using the constant comparison method.

Results

Two major themes emerged: (1) a positive effect of participating in the study and (2) a neutral effect (no positive/negative effect of participation). Subthemes that emerged for participants who noted a positive effect included (a) participation prompted deeper thinking, (b) participation influenced family conversations, and (c) participation resulted in altruism/helping others. No participant reported a negative effect.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates that participation in family‐centered research focused on FP among AYA males, before treatment begins, is perceived as beneficial or neutral at the time of a new cancer diagnosis. These findings provide support for future family‐centered FP interventions for this population.
Outcomes for pediatric patients with osteosarcoma treated with palliative radiotherapy
Authors: Chen Emily L. , Yoo Christopher H. , Gutkin Paulina M. , Merriott David J. , Avedian Raffi S. , Steffner Robert J. , Spunt Sheri L. , Pribnow Allison K. , Million Lynn , Donaldson Sarah S. , Hiniker Susan M.
Published: August 2019

Background

Few studies have addressed the efficacy of palliative radiotherapy (RT) for pediatric osteosarcoma (OS), a disease generally considered to be radioresistant. We describe symptom relief, local control, and toxicity associated with palliative RT among children with OS.

Procedure

Patients diagnosed with OS at age 18 and under and treated with RT for palliation of symptomatic metastases or local recurrence at the primary site from 1997 to 2017 were included. We retrospectively reviewed details of RT, symptom improvement, local control, survival, and toxicity.

Results

Thirty‐two courses of palliative RT were given to 20 patients with symptomatic metastatic and/or locally recurrent primary disease. The median equivalent dose in 2 Gy fractions (EQD2) was 40.0 Gy (range, 20.0–60.4). The median number of fractions per course was 15 (range, 5–39). Symptom improvement occurred in 24 (75%) courses of RT at a median time of 15.5 days (range, 3–43). In nine courses (37.5%), symptoms recurred after a median duration of symptom relief of 140 days (range, 1–882). Higher EQD2 correlated with longer duration of response (r = 0.39, P = 0.0003). Imaging revealed local failure in 3 of 14 courses followed with surveillance imaging studies (21.4%). The median time to progression was 12.9 months (range, 4.4–21.8). The median follow‐up time following the first course of palliative RT was 17.5 months (range, 1.74–102.24), and median time to overall survival was 19.4 months. Toxicity was mild, with grade 2 toxicity occurring in one course (3.1%).

Conclusions

RT is an effective method of symptom palliation for patients with recurrent or metastatic OS, with higher delivered dose correlating with longer symptom relief and with little associated toxicity.
An effective method of processing immiscible polymer blends into strong fiber
Authors: Shi Jing , Fang Xudong , Maffe Adam P. , Yao Donggang
Published: August 2019

A unique methodology employing a “nearly co‐continuous morphology” for processing immiscible polymers into strong fiber is presented, and an immiscible polypropylene/polystyrene (PP/PS) blend is used as a model system to demonstrate the effectiveness of this methodology. The “nearly co‐continuous morphology” is easier to obtain than the fully co‐continuous structure, and yet, it provides an engineering solution to the production of strong fiber from an immiscible polymer blend. In addition, a process different from traditional melt spinning is used to prepare fiber with good mechanical properties. Traditional melt spinning involves large jet stretch and therefore introduces large interfacial orientation but little molecular orientation in polymer blends. To address this issue, the PP/PS blend is spun with nearly zero jet stretch and after solidification undergoes hot drawing at temperature close to the glass transition temperature of PS. This process sequence imparts a large degree of molecular orientation to the PP phase and produces a strong fiber. The proposed methodology can be extended to other blend systems and provides a potential route for directly recycling commingled polymer waste without preseparation or compatibilization. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 59:2052–2061, 2019. © 2019 Society of Plastics Engineers
Psychotic depression due to primary hyperparathyroidism
Authors: Waykar Vijayendra , Aziz Rafia , Eapen Dilip
Published: August 2019

Neuropsychiatric symptoms in primary hyperparathyroidism are varied and can be easily missed, particularly in elderly population. It is believed that psychopathology emerges after a prolonged period of subclinical hypercalcaemia. This case highlights the importance of baseline tests when assessing patients presenting with mental health symptoms, and the presence of high serum calcium should prompt psychiatrists to consider testing for levels of parathyroid hormone and vitamin D levels.
Clozapine‐induced hepatitis confirmed by rechallenge
Authors: Kanani Muhammad‐Kazim , Nandhra Harpal
Published: August 2019

Clozapine is an atypical antipsychotic that holds a unique role in the management of treatment‐resistant schizophrenia. Well known side‐effects include agranulocytosis and myocarditis but associated hepatic disorders are less familiar and listed under ‘rare or very rare’ by the British National Formulary.1 However, a transient elevation of transaminases has been estimated to affect up to 50% of patients treated with clozapine.2 This article describes a patient with minimally elevated LFTs who subsequently developed symptomatic hepatitis following the initiation of clozapine therapy.
New unitary metrics for dementia test accuracy studies
Authors: Larner Andrew J
Published: August 2019

Diagnostic test accuracy studies generally present results in terms of the sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values of the test being examined. Although these metrics are familiar, they may be difficult to interpret and apply to individual patients. This article briefly presents some new easily calculated unitary metrics and compares them for some commonly used cognitive screening instruments and neurological signs used to assess cognitive status, highlighting the underlying weakness or ‘fragility’ of these tests.
Species composition and plant traits: Characterization of the biogeomorphological succession within contrasting river corridors
Authors: Tabacchi Eric , González Eduardo , Corenblit Dov , Garófano‐Gómez Virginia , Planty‐Tabacchi Anne‐Marie , Steiger Johannes
Published: August 2019

Plant communities and dynamics can be characterized according to species composition or plant traits. Here, we used species composition and plant traits to compare their effectiveness in discriminating the biogeomorphological (involving reciprocal feedbacks between physical and biological processes) and ecological (mainly biologically driven) phases of the fluvial biogeomorphological succession (FBS) model. The comparison was done between two French rivers, the largely unchannelized lower Allier and the channelized middle Garonne. One reach representative of each river section was selected for the study. Within each river reach, we chose two contrasted study sites in terms of channel and floodplain dynamics: a reference site (least altered channel and floodplain dynamics) and an altered site (laterally stabilized by riprap and constrained). In the four study sites, we sampled vegetation in 402 plots of 4 m2. The 512 species identified in the plots were characterized in terms of plant traits (20) from a literature review. When comparing reaches in unconstrained ordinations and permutational multivariate analyses of variance, both species composition and plant traits led to a similar identification of the biogeomorphological and the ecological successional trajectories. Nevertheless, the trait approach was less influenced by local and regional bioclimatic, hydrogeomorphological, and anthropogenic settings and thus produced a more comprehensive and general classification of the biogeomorphological and ecological phases of the FBS model. A lower than expected contrast between the four sites was found, because neither species composition nor plant traits could entirely characterize distinct successional trajectories occurring in our reference or altered sites. Furthermore, our results contributed to a better understanding of the multiple successional trajectories that can occur in midlatitude river corridors. It also showed that relating plant traits to their effects on fluvial landform dynamics remains a core challenge in explaining succession including feedback mechanisms between hydrology, morphodynamics, and vegetation dynamics.
Space‐Confined Growth of Individual Wide Bandgap Single Crystal CsPbCl3 Microplatelet for Near‐Ultraviolet Photodetection
Authors: Gui Pengbin , Zhou Hai , Yao Fang , Song Zehao , Li Borui , Fang Guojia
Published: August 2019

Perovskite photodetectors (PDs) with tunable detection wavelength have attracted extensive attention due to the potential application in the field of imaging, machine vision, and artificial intelligence. Most of the perovskite PDs focus on I‐ or Br‐based materials due to their easy preparation techniques. However, their main photodetection capacity is situated in the visible region because of their narrower bandgap. Cl‐based wide bandgap perovskites, such as CsPbCl3, are scarcely reported because of the bad film quality of the spin‐coated Cl‐based perovskite, due to the poor solubility of the precursor. Therefore, ultraviolet detection using high‐quality full inorganic perovskite films, especially with high thermal stability of materials and devices, is still a big challenge. In this work, high‐quality single crystal CsPbCl3 microplatelets (MPs) synthesized by a simple space‐confined growth method at low temperature for near‐ultraviolet (NUV) PDs are reported. The single CsPbCl3 MP PDs demonstrate a decent response to NUV light with a high on/off ratio of 5.6 × 103 and a responsivity of 0.45 A W−1 at 5 V. In addition, the dark current is as low as pA level, leading to detectivity up to 1011 Jones. Moreover, PDs possess good stability and repeatability.
Variability management in safety‐critical systems design and dependability analysis
Authors: de Oliveira André Luiz , Braga Rosana , Masiero Paulo , Parker David , Papadopoulos Yiannis , Habli Ibrahim , Kelly Tim
Published: August 2019

Safety‐critical systems are of paramount importance for many application domains, where safety properties are a key driver to engineer critical aspects and avoid system failures. For the benefits of large‐scale reuse, software product lines (SPL) have been adopted in critical systems industry. However, the integration of safety analysis in the SPL development process is nontrivial. Also, the different usage contexts of safety‐critical systems complicates component fault modeling tasks and the identification of potential hazards. In this light, better methods become necessary to estimate the impact of dependability properties during Hazard Analysis and Risk Assessment. Existing methods incorporating the analysis of safety properties in SPL are limited as they do not include hazard analysis and component fault modeling. In this paper, we present the novel DEPendable Software Product Line Engineering (DEPendable‐SPLE) approach, which extends traditional SPL processes to support the reuse of safety assets. We also present a detailed analysis of the impact of product and context features on the SPL design, safety analysis, and safety requirements. We applied DEPendable‐SPLE to a realistic case study from the aerospace domain to illustrate how to model and reuse safety properties. DEPendable‐SPLE reduced the effort of safety analysis for certifying system variants.
A delta‐oriented approach to support the safe reuse of black‐box code rewriters
Authors: Benni Benjamin , Mosser Sébastien , Moha Naouel , Riveill Michel
Published: August 2019

Large‐scale corrective and perfective maintenance is often automated thanks to rewriting rules using tools such as Python2to3, Spoon, or Coccinelle. Such tools consider these rules as black‐boxes and compose multiple rules by chaining them: giving the output of a given rewriting rule as input to the next one. It is up to the developer to identify the right order (if it exists) among all the different rules to yield the right program. In this paper, we define a formal model compatible with the black‐box assumption that reifies the modifications (Δs) made by each rule. Leveraging these Δs, we propose a way to safely compose multiple rules when applied to the same program by (a) ensuring the isolated application of the different rules and (b) identifying unexpected behaviors that were silently ignored before. We assess this approach on two large‐scale case studies: (a) identifying conflicts in the Linux source‐code automated maintenance and (b) fixing energy antipatterns existing in Android applications available on GitHub.
Efficient Semitransparent CsPbI3 Quantum Dots Photovoltaics Using a Graphene Electrode
Authors: Tavakoli Mohammad Mahdi , Nasilowski Michel , Zhao Jiayuan , Bawendi Moungi G. , Kong Jing
Published: August 2019

Solution‐processed perovskite quantum dots (QDs) are promising candidates for fabrication of semitransparent and tandem solar cells due to the bandgap tunability. In this work, cesium lead triiodide (CsPbI3) QDs are synthesized with a stable cubic phase and efficient perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are fabricated using the ligand exchange technique. Monolayer graphene is grown by chemical vapor deposition technique and a dry process to transfer graphene on top of the device is developed. Based on this approach, an efficient inverted PSC is demonstrated with a high average visible transmittance (AVT). After optimization, PSCs based on silver and graphene electrodes with power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of 9.6% and 6.8% are achieved, respectively. Additionally, by tuning the thickness of the active layer, a PSC with PCE of 4.95% and AVT of 53% is demonstrated, indicating the potential of CsPbI3 QDs for the fabrication of semitransparent devices applicable in windows.
Analysis of the degradation of amyloid beta fibrils after separation via the combination of non‐denaturing agarose electrophoresis and Congo red dye staining
Authors: Kawano Risa , Nakanishi Ayaka , Zako Tamotsu , Shimazaki Youji
Published: August 2019

A combinational method for the separation and the degradation of amyloid‐β fibrils in the biological samples is developed to suppress the amyloid‐β fibrils content. The complexes of the Congo red dye and amyloid‐β fibrils migrate to the anode in a non‐denaturing agarose electrophoresis owing to its negative charge, thus separating the complex containing amyloid‐β fibrils from the human plasma proteins and the amyloid‐β monomer. The separated amyloid‐β fibrils exhibited birefringence under a polarizing microscope and immunoreactivity to the anti‐amyloid‐β antibody. The digestion of 0.23 nmol of the amyloid‐β fibrils using nattokinase at 37°C for 24 h increased with the amount of enzyme up to 9 pmol, beyond which the digestion was independent of the enzyme concentration. The digestion of 0.23 nmol of the amyloid‐β fibrils with 22.5 pmol of nattokinase at 37°C increased with time up to 6 h, following which, it became independent of time. The extraction of the separated amyloid‐β fibrils from the agarose gel accompanied the removal of major plasma proteins from the spiked plasma and amyloid‐β fibrils. The combination of the non‐denaturing agarose gel electrophoresis and the dye staining would be applicable to examine formation and degradation processes of amyloid‐β fibrils after their separation from the biological samples.
Indicator diagrams of oil free scroll vacuum pumps
Authors: Tyurin A. , Burmistrov A. , Salikeev S. , Raykov A. , Fomina M.
Published: August 2019

Experimental test unit for obtaining indicator diagrams of a scroll vacuum pump was developed. Indicator diagrams for different pump inlet pressures and different rotation speeds of the drive shaft were obtained. The obtained results are analyzed.
Auslegung und Fertigung von UHV‐Kammern
Authors: Tümmel Stephanie
Published: August 2019

Design and manufacturing of UHV chambers

The selection of materials, the finish of the surfaces, the design of the construction: What influence do these factors have in the area of ultra‐high vacuum? Which pumping power is actually required for the respective application? Why can it be difficult to achieve a suitable end pressure? The author gives an overview of the key points to be considered when designing and manufacturing chambers for the UHV. The article is not just about manufacturing, it also touches product safety and risk assessment issues.
Power production waste
Authors: Ye Junpei , Zubair Muhammad , Wang Siqi , Cai Yajing , Zhang Panyue
Published: August 2019

In this paper, the research literatures published in 2018 about power production waste generated from the coal‐fired power plants and nuclear power plants are reviewed. The wastes from coal‐fired plants include fly ash, flue gas desulfurization gypsum, spent selective catalytic reduction catalyst, hazardous trace elements, and the management, reuse, and disposal of these wastes are discussed. The treatment and disposal of wastes generated from nuclear power plants is also considered.

Practitioner points

Reuse and disposal of coal‐fired and nuclear power plant waste is discussed in this annual literature review.

Emission of hazardous trace elements from coal‐fired power plant is summarized.

Radiological contaminant removal and radionuclides waste disposal is essential for nuclear power plant.
Thermal effects
Authors: Wang Siqi , Zhou Zeyan , Li Fan , Ye Junpei , Cai Yajing , Zhang Panyue , Nabi Mohammad
Published: August 2019

This review focuses on the research literature published in 2018 relating to thermal effects in wastewater and solid waste treatment. This review is divided into the following sections: treatment of wastewater and sludge, removal and recovery of nitrogen and phosphorus, reduction and recovery of heavy metals, membrane technology, and treatment and disposal of solid wastes.

Practitioner points

Thermal effect plays an important role in the treatment of wastewater and sewage sludge.

Recovery of nitrogen and phosphorus from wastewater and sewage sludge offers an excellent feedstock for soil amendment.

Increase of treatment temperature facilitates removal and recovery of heavy metals from water and soil environment.
Korean Mathematics Education Meets Dutch Didactics
Authors: Lee Kyeong-Hwa , Chong YeongOk , Na GwiSoo , Park JinHyeong
Published: August 2019

Dutch didactics—in Korean mathematics education society often referred to as Realistic Mathematics Education (RME)—has become one of the major perspectives on mathematics education which have been widely discussed and applied by Korean mathematics educators and mathematics teachers to reform Korean mathematics education over the past 35 years. This chapter briefly depicts how RME has been introduced in both theoretical and practical viewpoints through doctoral and master’s theses as well as through journal articles and curriculum documents in Korea. It turns out that RME has provided integral and meaningful issues to be constantly discussed among Korean mathematics educators since its introduction in the 1980s. In conclusion, RME has contributed largely to activating and reshaping Korean mathematics education in multiple ways although several barriers to overcome or perspectives to modify have emerged due to Korea’s different social and educational backgrounds. Parts of these barriers as well as recognised benefits come to the fore through feedback and reflections from the teachers and students who experienced RME in Korean contexts, as described at the end of this chapter.
The Influence of Realistic Mathematics Education Outside the Netherlands—The Case of Puerto Rico
Authors: Hernández-Rodríguez Omar , López-Fernández Jorge , Quintero-Rivera Ana Helvia , Velázquez-Estrella Aileen
Published: August 2019

In this chapter, we describe the genesis and evolution of Realistic Mathematics Education (RME) in Puerto Rico, and analyse the aspects that allowed or deferred its influence on local mathematics education. RME was introduced in Puerto Rico thanks to a group of mathematics professors at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, who collaborated, first with staff from Wisconsin University and later more closely with a team of designers from the Freudenthal Institute. This was the beginning of a collaboration that lasted several years and accounted for the design and development of quality educational materials adapted to the Puerto Rican reality. The initial goal was to develop a curriculum for the elementary level, but it soon developed into a more comprehensive project Las Matemáticas en Contexto en Puerto Rico (MeC-PR) that included training for teachers and developers, implementation efforts, and research initiatives. RME in Puerto Rico went through interconnected, and sometimes overlapping, stages of design, training, implementation, and research. All of them left their mark in different areas such as educational practices, official documents, and research practices.
Intervening with Realistic Mathematics Education in England and the Cayman Islands—The Challenge of Clashing Educational Ideologies
Authors: Dickinson Paul , Eade Frank , Gough Steve , Hough Sue , Solomon Yvette
Published: August 2019

In this chapter, we discuss the issue of implementing Realistic Mathematics Education (RME) in the English education system over a number of years and education sectors. We also consider the experience of one of us in the Cayman Islands, a British overseas territory with an education system that is influenced by British tradition, but is distant from many of its politically driven accountability pressures and measures. We illustrate first the challenges of developing an RME approach which is operable within the English system, highlighting the issues of student expectation, dominant didactic practices and assessment, all of which influenced what we were able to do. Second, we describe the outcomes of interventions in England at early secondary school level (age 12–14, Key Stage 3) and at General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) level (normally age 15–16, Key Stage 4, but also available in post-16 education). Finally, Frank Eade describes his experience of building on our early work to develop an RME approach in the Cayman Islands. We conclude with a discussion of the lessons learned from these challenges. We argue that despite the problems we encountered there are reasons to remain optimistic about the potential of an RME approach in the English system.
From Tinkering to Practice—The Role of Teachers in the Application of Realistic Mathematics Education Principles in the United States
Authors: Webb David C. , Peck Frederick A.
Published: August 2019

The history of Realistic Mathematics Education (RME) in the United States has positioned teachers at the centre of innovation from its early years to present day. From the first proof-of-concept study at a high school in Milwaukee to localised professional development opportunities, the application and spread of RME is best characterised as a teacher-centred approach to principled reconsideration of how students learn mathematics. Such reconsideration of beliefs and conceptions is often motivated when teachers re-experience mathematics through the lens of progressive formalisation and related didactic approaches. Through a series of cases that articulate teacher interpretation and application of RME in U.S. classrooms, we highlight how teacher participation has led to greater exploration of student-centred practices. These efforts, while inspired and supported by professional development and curricula, have been inspired and sustained by teachers who provide colleagues a proof-of-concept in local contexts.
Low Achievers in Mathematics—Ideas from the Netherlands for Developing a Competence-Oriented View
Authors: Scherer Petra
Published: August 2019

Although in Germany a competence-oriented view on teaching and learning mathematics has been one of the guiding principles for primary mathematics since the early 1990s, this approach was not appreciated for low achievers or for students in special education. Research in special education mostly focused on diagnosis with regard to deficiencies and not considering individual thinking and interpretations of mathematical tasks and problems. Moreover, the usual teaching practice in special education could be characterised by learning step-by-step in a rather mechanistic and reproductive way. Influenced by research papers and encouraging classroom experiences with low-achieving students in the Netherlands, my research focused on the question to what extent competence-oriented diagnosis followed by an inquiry-based learning approach would be appropriate also for students with special needs, or especially for them. Instead of underestimating these students’ abilities, it seemed necessary to give them the opportunity to show what they are capable of, for example, by using more open problems that show the ideas students have in mind. In several projects and studies referring to different mathematical topics it could be shown that even low achievers benefited from a competence-oriented diagnosis and from an open approach and that these students were able to choose individual strategies, make use of structures and relations, find patterns and show creative and effective work.
Media and Power in Southeast Asia
Authors: George Cherian , Venkiteswaran Gayathry
Published: August 2019

This study of Southeast Asian media and politics explores issues of global relevance pertaining to journalism's relationship with political power. It argues that the development of free, independent, and plural media has been complicated by trends towards commercialisation, digital platforms, and identity-based politics. These forces interact with state power in complex ways, opening up political space and pluralising discourse, but without necessarily producing structural change. The Element has sections on the democratic transitions of Indonesia, Myanmar and Malaysia; authoritarian resilience in Singapore; media ownership patterns in non-communist Southeast Asia; intolerance in Indonesia and Myanmar; and digital disruptions in Vietnam and Malaysia.
Islam, pureté et modernité: Les « innovations blâmables » en débat au Maghreb, 1920-1950
Authors: Jomier Augustin
Published: August 2019

Résumés

Des années 1930 aux années 1950, le Mzab, région du Nord du Sahara algérien alors sous domination française, fut secoué par des polémiques autour de la consommation de produits européens : étaient-ils ou non licites ? Ces questions ont jusqu’à présent été envisagées comme une forme de résistance culturelle à la colonisation, ou comme le signe de la difficile adaptation de l’« islam » à la « modernité ». Des lettrés qui se voulaient « réformistes » auraient été les fers de lance de cette adaptation, par opposition à des « conservateurs » caricaturés comme arc-boutés à une tradition stérile. À partir du cas du Mzab et de sources liées à la normativité islamique, cet article, qui explore d’une façon inédite le rapport entre islam, modernité et colonisation, démontre que d’autres logiques étaient à l’œuvre : pour les acteurs, l’enjeu portait avant tout sur la pureté de leur communauté et les moyens de la préserver, dans un moment d’incertitude culturelle et politique. À l’aide des outils de la normativité islamique, partisans et adversaires de ces innovations façonnaient des images différentes de leur communauté et lui assignaient des limites distinctes. Faisant dialoguer sources coloniales et islamiques, historiographie des sociétés coloniales et islamologie, la démonstration remet en cause une lecture de l’histoire contemporaine de l’islam centrée sur les notions de modernité et de réforme, qui étaient essentiellement instrumentales dans ces débats. Elle fait aussi entendre la pluralité des rationalités à l’œuvre dans les sociétés colonisées du Maghreb, tranchant avec une historiographie d’ordinaire aveugle à leur complexité interne.
« Chassez le naturel… »: Les sciences sociales aux prises avec le déterminisme biologique (note critique)
Authors: Berlivet Luc
Published: August 2019

Résumés

L’objet de cette note critique est d’analyser les principaux apports de la recherche historique, et, dans une moindre mesure, sociologique et anthropologique, des dix dernières années dans trois domaines distincts mais imbriqués : l’histoire de l’eugénisme, de l’hérédité et de la notion biologique de race. Après avoir clarifié les relations existant entre ces différents objets trop souvent amalgamés, l’article s’emploie à comparer l’évolution de leurs champs de recherche respectifs, en distinguant ce qui relève de l’approfondissement de thèmes déjà abordés précédemment et ce qui participe de l’exploration de perspectives nouvelles. Des développements sont consacrés aux approfondissements historiographiques relatifs aux politiques eugénistes de stérilisation forcée, au rapport étroit qui a pu se nouer entre eugénisme et natalisme dans certains pays comme la France, ou encore à la généalogie de la catégorie de race et aux dispositifs d’objectivation de la diversité raciale. Le renouvellement profond des trois domaines de recherche au cours de la période considérée est analysé à travers deux dimensions complémentaires : l’élargissement notable de l’horizon géographique des enquêtes et la reproblématisation des objets scientifiques. Alors même que la focalisation des travaux antérieurs sur les expériences européennes et nord-américaines avait pu laisser croire que la biopolitique, l’eugénisme et le « racisme scientifique » étaient l’apanage des pays occidentaux, la multiplication récente de recherches portant sur l’Amérique latine, l’Asie et, dans une moindre mesure, le Moyen-Orient et l’Afrique, a définitivement invalidé cette vision réductrice. Parallèlement, une meilleure prise en compte des perspectives de genre, l’exploration des continuités historiques entre eugénisme et génétique médicale, ainsi que la réévaluation du rôle de la (bio)médecine dans les débats sur l’hérédité humaine et la notion de race ont profondément renouvelé les trois champs de recherche étudiés.
An Incomplete Revolution: Corporate Governance Challenges of the London Assurance Company and the Limitations of the Joint-Stock Form, 1720–1725
Authors: ALDOUS MICHAEL , CONDORELLI STEFANO
Published: August 2019

The London Assurance (LA) was incorporated in 1720, marking a significant innovation in the marine insurance industry. Contemporaries anticipated joint-stock firms such as the LA would rapidly outcompete private underwriters, yet this outcome did not occur. The success of the private underwriters has been ascribed to their organizational form. This paper reassesses these explanations and finds that, rather than an a priori worse business model, various corporate governance challenges limited the LA’s capacity to compete. This provides a more complete explanation for the relative failure of the joint-stock marine insurance companies and has implications for understanding the evolution of the corporate form in the eighteenth century.
SATO–TATE EQUIDISTRIBUTION OF CERTAIN FAMILIES OF ARTIN -FUNCTIONS
Authors: SHANKAR ARUL , SÖDERGREN ANDERS , TEMPLIER NICOLAS
Published: August 2019

We study various families of Artin$L$-functions attached to geometric parametrizations of number fields. In each case we find the Sato–Tate measure of the family and determine the symmetry type of the distribution of the low-lying zeros.
Recovering from the Ebola crisis: ‘Social Reconnection Groups’ in a rural Liberian community
Authors: Morelli M. , Cyrus G. , Weissbecker I. , Kpangbai J. , Mallow M. , Leichner A. , Ryan E. , Wener R. , Gao J. , Antigua J. , Levine A. C. , Feuchte F.
Published: August 2019

In 2014/2015, International Medical Corps (IMC) operated two Ebola Treatment Units (ETUs) in Liberia and three in Sierra Leone when the Ebola virus disease epidemic killed over 11,000 people across Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea. As Ebola cases declined in Liberia, IMC Psychosocial teams transitioned to working in communities highly affected by the epidemic. This article describes IMC's experience with developing and implementing a community-based mental health and psychosocial group intervention in a rural, severely affected Liberian town – Mawah – where 46 out of approximately 800 community members were infected, 39 of whom died. In this paper, we present how the group intervention, named ‘Social Reconnection Groups’, was developed and implemented. We then discuss intervention strengths, challenges, key lessons learnt and recommendations for how Social Reconnection Groups can be adapted for use in similar settings.
An online diagnosis technique for simultaneous measurement of the fundamental, second and third harmonics in one snapshot
Authors: Dong Xue , Pan Xingchen , Liu Cheng , Zhu Jianqiang
Published: August 2019

A three-wavelength coherent-modulation-imaging (CMI) technique is proposed to simultaneously measure the fundamental, second and third harmonics of a laser driver in one snapshot. Laser beams at three wavelengths (1053 nm, 526.5 nm and 351 nm) were simultaneously incident on a random phase plate to generate hybrid diffraction patterns, and a modified CMI algorithm was adopted to reconstruct the complex amplitude of each wavelength from one diffraction intensity frame. The validity of this proposed technique was verified using both numerical simulation and experimental analyses. Compared to commonly used measurement methods, this proposed method has several advantages, including a compact structure, convenient operation and high accuracy.
Calibration and verification of streaked optical pyrometer system used for laser-induced shock experiments
Authors: He Zhiyu , Jia Guo , Zhang Fan , Huang Xiuguang , Fang Zhiheng , Dong Jiaqing , Shu Hua , Ye Junjian , Xie Zhiyong , Tu Yuchun , Zhang Qili , Guo Erfu , Pei Wenbing , Fu Sizu
Published: August 2019

Although the streaked optical pyrometer (SOP) system has been widely adopted in shock temperature measurements, its reliability has always been of concern. Here, two calibrated Planckian radiators with different color temperatures were used to calibrate and verify the SOP system by comparing the two calibration standards using both multi-channel and single-channel methods. A high-color-temperature standard lamp and a multi-channel filter were specifically designed for the measurement system. To verify the reliability of the SOP system, the relative deviation between the measured data and the standard value of less than 5% was calibrated out, which demonstrates the reliability of the SOP system. Furthermore, a method to analyze the uncertainty and sensitivity of the SOP system is proposed. A series of laser-induced shock experiments were conducted at the ‘Shenguang-II’ laser facility to verify the reliability of the SOP system for temperature measurements at tens of thousands of kelvin. The measured temperature of the quartz in our experiments agreed fairly well with previous works, which serves as evidence for the reliability of the SOP system.
Outcomes of an electronic medical record (EMR)–driven intensive care unit (ICU)-antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) ward round: Assessing the “Five Moments of Antimicrobial Prescribing”
Authors: Devchand Misha , Stewardson Andrew J. , Urbancic Karen F. , Khumra Sharmila , Mahony Andrew A. , Walker Steven , Garrett Kent , Grayson M. Lindsay , Trubiano Jason A.
Published: August 2019

Objective:

The primary objective of this study was to examine the impact of an electronic medical record (EMR)–driven intensive care unit (ICU) antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) service on clinician compliance with face-to-face AMS recommendations. AMS recommendations were defined by an internally developed “5 Moments of Antimicrobial Prescribing” metric: (1) escalation, (2) de-escalation, (3) discontinuation, (4) switch, and (5) optimization. The secondary objectives included measuring the impact of this service on (1) antibiotic appropriateness, and (2) use of high-priority target antimicrobials.

Methods:

A prospective review was undertaken of the implementation and compliance with a new ICU-AMS service that utilized EMR data coupled with face-to-face recommendations. Additional patient data were collected when an AMS recommendation was made. The impact of the ICU-AMS round on antimicrobial appropriateness was evaluated using point-prevalence survey data.

Results:

For the 202 patients, 412 recommendations were made in accordance with the “5 Moments” metric. The most common recommendation made by the ICU-AMS team was moment 3 (discontinuation), which comprised 173 of 412 recommendations (42.0%), with an acceptance rate of 83.8% (145 of 173). Data collected for point-prevalence surveys showed an increase in prescribing appropriateness from 21 of 45 (46.7%) preintervention (October 2016) to 30 of 39 (76.9%) during the study period (September 2017).

Conclusions:

The integration of EMR with an ICU-AMS program allowed us to implement a new AMS service, which was associated with high clinician compliance with recommendations and improved antibiotic appropriateness. Our “5 Moments of Antimicrobial Prescribing” metric provides a framework for measuring AMS recommendation compliance.
Infection surveillance and prevention strategies to detect and prevent postaccess breast tissue expander infections
Authors: Sharara Sima L. , Saunders Heather M. , Fabre Valeria , Cosgrove Sara E. , Fellerman Donna P. , Rock Clare , Trexler Polly A. , Lewis Laura B. , Bernstein Meg G. , Manahan Michele A. , Sacks Justin M. , Rosson Gedge D. , Maragakis Lisa L.
Published: August 2019

No standardized surveillance criteria exist for surgical site infection after breast tissue expander (BTE) access. This report provides a framework for defining postaccess BTE infections and identifies contributing factors to infection during the expansion period. Implementing infection prevention guidelines for BTE access may reduce postaccess BTE infections.
On the scaling and topology of confined bluff-body flows
Authors: Ford C. L. , Winroth P. M.
Published: August 2019

An experimental study of bluff bodies in confinement is presented. Two Reynolds matched rigs (pipe diameters: $D=40~\text{mm}$ and $D=194~\text{mm}$) are used to derive a picture of the flow topology of the primary-shedding mode (Kármán vortex, mode-I). Confined bluff bodies create an additional spectral mode (mode-II). This is caused by the close coupling of the shedder blockage and the wall and is unique to the confined bluff-body problem. Under certain conditions, modes-I and II can interact, resulting in a lock-on, wherein the modes cease to exist at independent frequencies. The topological effects of mode interaction are demonstrated using flow visualisation. Furthermore, the scaling of mode-II is explored. The two experimental facilities span Reynolds numbers (based on the shedder diameter, $d$) $10^{4}<Re_{d}<10^{5}$ and bulk Mach numbers $0.02<M_{b}<0.4$. Bluff bodies with a constant blockage ratio ($d/D$), forebody shape and various splitter-plate lengths ($l$) and thicknesses ($t$) are used. Results indicate that the flow topology changes substantially between short ($ld$) tailed geometries. Surface flow visualisation indicates that the primary vortex becomes anchored on the tail when $l\gtrsim 3h$ ($2h=d-t$). This criterion prohibits the development of such a topology for short-tailed geometries. When mode interaction occurs, which it does exclusively in long-tailed cases, the tail-anchored vortex pattern is disrupted. The onset of mode-II occurs at approximately the same Reynolds number in both rigs, although the associated dimensionless frequency is principally a function of Mach number. Accordingly, mode interaction is avoided in the larger-scale rig, due to the increased separation of the modal frequencies.
The role of conspiracy mentality in denial of science and susceptibility to viral deception about science
Authors: Landrum Asheley R. , Olshansky Alex
Published: August 2019

Members of the public can disagree with scientists in at least two ways: people can reject well-established scientific theoriesandthey can believe fabricated, deceptive claims about science to be true. Scholars examining the reasons for these disagreements find that some individuals are more likely than others to diverge from scientists because of individual factors such as their science literacy, political ideology, and religiosity. This study builds on this literature by examining the role of conspiracy mentality in these two phenomena. Participants were recruited from a national online panel (N= 513) and in person from the first annual Flat Earth International Conference (N= 21). We found that conspiracy mentality and science literacy both play important roles in believing viral and deceptive claims about science, but evidence for the importance of conspiracy mentality in the rejection of science is much more mixed.
Discovering the Senate's Fundamental Nature: Moving beyond the Supreme Court's 2014 Opinion
Authors: O'Brien Gary William
Published: August 2019

In the 2014 reference, the Supreme Court sought to discover the Senate's “essential nature” in order to determine what reforms parliament could legislate unilaterally. Making use of a classification model found in comparative and historical studies, the Court concluded that the Senate was a “complementary legislative body of sober second thought.” This article re-examines the Court's narrow definition of the Senate's perceived role and presents evidence that its essential characteristics are direct continuations of various pre-Confederation design principles. Limiting a description of its architecture to a single model that eclipses all other roles the Senate may play shifts the debate on Senate reform, which in the recent past has laid emphasis on resolving the conflict among the models embedded in the upper chamber's essential characteristics. The article concludes by reviewing previous constitutional initiatives that aimed at bringing those models more in tune with modern Canada and by making suggestions about how reform proposals could better succeed.