bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A phase II, open-label study of durvalumab in combination with stereotactic body radiotherapy in androgen-intact patients with oligometastatic prostate cancer.
Authors: Porter Isobel , Eade Thomas , Kneebone Andrew , Hruby George , Mascall Sophie , Davis Alexander P. , Guminski Alexander David
Published: February 2020

TPS263

Background: With the introduction of Ga68-PSMA PET, a new cohort of androgen-intact men with oligometastatic prostate cancer (PCa) recurrence has been identified. These men have normal traditional imaging and a disease-free interval usually measured in years from their definitive treatment. Recent data supports the use of metastasis-directed stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) in oligometastatic PCa. Based on our institutional data in 57 patients treated with SBRT alone in the PSMA era, the median PSA progression free survival (PFS) is 11 months. Despite 100% local control, 80% relapsed by 18 months. Improving the PFS for these men is an important clinical need. Achieving this without the introduction of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) will likely improve quality of life and minimise the adverse consequences of androgen deprivation. Radiotherapy results in cell stress and release of damage associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) with activation of antigen presenting cells. This stimulates a tumour antigen specific T-cell response and abscopal effect which can be heightened with PD-(L)1 inhibition. Most PD-(L)1 inhibition trials in PCa are in men with a high burden of castrate resistant disease. However, data suggests the castrate state can impair host anti-tumour immune response. PD-(L)1 inhibition combined with SBRT in androgen-intact men may result in improved PFS compared with our historical cohort treated with SBRT alone. Methods: This is a non-randomized, open label, phase II study of durvalumab (1500 mg IV every 4 weeks) starting 1 month prior to SBRT in men with recurrent PCa not immediately requiring ADT and with Ga68-PSMA PET detected oligometastasis. SBRT will be delivered with 30Gy/3# to lymph nodes or 24Gy/2# to bone metastasis. Durvalumab will be continued to a maximum of 12 months. Primary outcomes will be freedom from biochemical failure and toxicity. Secondary objectives include biochemical response rate, magnitude of response, overall survival, time and response to subsequent treatments and quality of life. The study is recruiting at Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney with 18 of the planned 30 patients enrolled. Clinical trial information: ACTRN12619000097145.
Dosimetry of 177Lu-PSMA-617 for the treatment of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: A sub-study of the VISION trial.
Authors: Kurth Jens , Herrmann Ken , Eiber Matthias , Rahbar Kambiz , Heuschkel Martin , Lassmann Michael , Jentzen Walter , Chicco Daniela , Messmann Richard , Sartor A. Oliver , Morris Michael J. , Krause Bernd J.
Published: February 2020

TPS265

Background: Prostate-specific membrane antigen-617 labelled with lutetium-177 (177Lu-PSMA-617) is a promising treatment for patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) after treatment with taxane chemotherapy and a novel androgen axis inhibitor. The radiotherapeutic molecule has high PSMA binding affinity, prolonged tumor retention with a rapid kidney clearance, and high tumor-to-background ratio, delivering therapeutically relevant doses of radiation to prostate cancer lesions. A randomized, prospective phase 3 trial to assess the efficacy of 177Lu-PSMA-617 in patients with progressive PSMA-positive mCRPC is ongoing (VISION trial, NCT03511664). However, as with other targeted radionuclide treatment modalities, there may be a risk of radiotoxicity to normal organs. Therefore, estimation of absorbed doses in these organs in a representative manner within the framework of such a study is essential. Methods: As a substudy of the VISION trial, extensive intratherapeutic dosimetry will be performed in a group of 30 patients at four participating German sites. Patients will undergo planar whole-body scintigraphy scans and single-photon emission computed tomography/computerized tomography (SPECT/CT) scans of the upper and lower abdomen at approximately 2, 24, and 48 hours, and 7 days after administration, along with blood sampling and urine collection. SPECT/CT data will be quantitatively reconstructed and a standardized calibration procedure of the imaging and measurement equipment used (SPECT/CT, dose calibrator, well counter) will be performed at all sites according to European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM) and Medical International Radiation Dose (MIRD) guidelines [1]. Organ masses will be measured for each patient using CT imaging, if accessible. Absorbed doses for kidneys, liver, spleen, salivary and lacrimal glands, and bone marrow, as well as prostate cancer lesions, will be calculated for each patient following international guidelines [2,3]. References: [1] Ljungberg M et al. J Nucl Med 2016;57:151–62. [2] Siegel JA et al. J Nucl Med 1999;40:37S–61S. [3] Hindorf C et al. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2010;37:1238–50. Clinical trial information: NCT03511664.
MRI-targeted biopsies in prostate cancer screening and the value of its combination with blood-based risk-prediction: The randomized, diagnostic study STHLM3MRI.
Authors: Nordström Tobias , Discacciati Andrea , Jäderling Fredrik , Karlsson Stefan Gosta , Aly Markus , Gronberg Henrik , Eklund Martin
Published: February 2020

TPS378

Background: Blood-based biomarkers and magnetic resonance imaging followed by targeted biopsies have been suggested to improve detection of prostate cancer by increasing sensitivity to detect significant disease, decrease over-detection of low-risk cancers and avoid benign biopsies. The STHLM3-MRI projects aims to assess the value of combining blood-based risk prediction with bi-parametric MRI (bpMRI) in the prostate cancer diagnostic chain. Methods: The STHLM3MRI Main Study is a randomized, diagnostic study recruiting ≈10,000 Swedish men aged 50-74 for prostate cancer testing in a screen-by-invitation setting. The study design includes a first paired step (blood-test) followed by a randomized step (biopsy technique). Participants with elevated blood-test levels (PSA≥3ng/ml or Stockholm3 test≥11% risk of GG≥2 cancer) are recommended further work-up and randomized 2:3 to 12-core systematic biopsies (standard arm) or to bpMRI followed by MRI-targeted biopsies and systematic biopsies in men with PI-RADSv2 ≥3 lesions (experimental arm). Endpoints include number of detected prostate cancers, number of performed biopsy procedures and number of performed MRIs. The study is centralized to three biopsy sites, one radiology department and one pathology department. A data safety and monitoring board monitors study progress and participant safety. There are two pre-planned main analyses. First, we will report the first large randomized evidence comparing MRI-targeted biopsies and systematic biopsies for prostate cancer detection in a screen-by-invitation setting. Second, we will report a comparison of a diagnostic strategy including the Stockholm3 blood-test and MRI-targeted biopsies with standard practice using PSA and systematic biopsies. A third analysis will compare the use of the bloodtests PSA and Stockholm3 for risk-stratification of men undergoing MRI-targeted biopsy. 9 Oct 2019 the study had included 47% of planned participants (n = 4,701), aiming to close inclusion by March 2020 with first report during 2020. The study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03377881 and has regional ethical approval (2017-1280/31). Clinical trial information: NCT03377881.
PROTEUS: A randomized, double-blind, placebo (PBO)-controlled, phase III trial of apalutamide (APA) plus androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) versus PBO plus ADT prior to radical prostatectomy (RP) in patients with localized high-risk or locally advanced prostate cancer (PC).
Authors: Taplin Mary-Ellen , Gleave Martin , Evans Christopher P. , Efstathiou Eleni , Kantoff Philip W. , Ross Ashley , Shore Neal D. , Briganti Alberto , Hadaschik Boris A. , Heidenreich Axel , Rooney Oliver Brendan , Tian Shaozhou Ken , Wetherhold Lisa , Xu Weichun , Cheng Shinta , Brookman-May Sabine Doris , Lopez-Gitlitz Angela , Kibel Adam S.
Published: February 2020

TPS383

Background: Patients (pts) with localized high-risk PC have disease progression rates of ~50% after RP (Kane et al. J Urol. 2007). Neoadjuvant studies show that androgen blockade can improve local disease control at the time of RP (McKay et al. Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis. 2017; Taplin et al. JCO. 2014; Efstathiou et al. Eur Urol. 2019). This study will determine if treatment with APA + ADT before RP in pts with localized high-risk or locally advanced PC improves pathologic complete response (pCR) rate and if neoadjuvant and adjuvant peri-operative treatment with APA + ADT improves metastasis-free survival (MFS) compared with PBO + ADT. Methods: This international multicenter trial is enrolling candidates for RP with localized high-risk or locally advanced PC. Eligibility criteria: any combination of Gleason score (GS) 4 + 3 (= Grade Group [GG] 3) and GS 8 (4 + 4 or 5 + 3) from ≥ 6 systematic biopsy cores (SB) or targeted biopsy cores (TB) (with ≥ 1 core GS 8 [4 + 4 or 5 + 3] included); any combination of GS 4 + 3 (= GG 3) and GS 8 (4 + 4 or 5 + 3) from ≥ 3 SB or TB (with ≥ 1 core GS 8 [4 + 4 or 5 + 3]) included and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) ≥ 20 ng/mL; GS ≥ 9 (GG 5) in ≥ 1 SB or TB; or ≥ 2 SB or TB with continuous GS ≥ 8 (GG 4), each with ≥ 80% involvement. Stratification: GS (7 or ≥ 8), cN0 or N1, and region. Randomization: 1:1 to APA (240 mg) + ADT or PBO + ADT. Pts will receive 6 months neoadjuvant treatment and RP + 6 months adjuvant treatment. Dual primary end points: pCR rate (assessed by blinded independent central pathology review) and MFS (assessed by blinded independent central radiology review). Secondary end points: PSA-free survival and progression-free survival. Imaging with CT or MRI and bone scan at screening, after RP, and then every 6 months following biochemical failure until documented distant metastasis, or death. ~1500 pts will be enrolled globally over 3 years at 240 sites in 19 countries. An independent data monitoring committee is commissioned to review trial data. Clinical trial information: NCT03767244.
A phase II study assessing the safety and efficacy of ASP1650 in male patients with incurable platinum refractory germ cell tumors.
Authors: Adra Nabil , Vaughn David J. , Einhorn Lawrence , Hanna Nasser H. , Rosales Matt , Arozullah Ahsan , Feldman Darren R.
Published: February 2020

TPS424

Background: Testicular cancer (TC) is the most common solid malignancy in men aged 15-35 yrs; germ cell tumors (GCTs) account for 95% of TC. Claudin 6 (CLDN6) is a tight junction membrane protein whose expression in normal tissue is confined to embryonic cells but is frequently aberrantly expressed in GCTs. ASP1650 (also known as IMAB027) is a monoclonal antibody targeted against CLDN6 that can induce antibody-dependent cell-mediated and complement-dependent cytotoxicity in CLDN6-expressing cells and has demonstrated potent antitumor effects in preclinical models of TC. Methods: This phase 2 study with a safety run-in (NCT03760081) will enroll ≤46 male patients (pts) with advanced GCTs who have had prior cisplatin-based combination chemotherapy and ≥1 salvage regimen. In the safety run-in, an initial ASP1650 dose level will be evaluated in 3 pts. If tolerated, a new cohort of 3 pts will begin at the next dose level per the Bayesian Optimal Interval Design. A Dose Evaluation Committee will assess tolerability and determine maximum tolerated dose. Once the recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D) has been established, ≤34 pts will be enrolled in phase 2 and will receive ASP1650 in 2-week cycles for up to 12 cycles or until study discontinuation criteria is met. Phase 2 of the study will utilize a Simon’s 2-stage design to allow for early termination. In stage I, 13 pts, including pts from the RP2D cohort of the safety run-in, will be evaluated for response. If there is ≤1 response among these 13 pts, the study will be stopped, otherwise an additional 21 pts will be enrolled in stage II. Primary endpoints of the study include establishment of the RP2D and confirmation of overall response rate, as assessed by modified RECIST v1.1 response criteria (RECIST v1.1 + serum tumor markers [βhCG and AFP]). Secondary endpoints include the determination of safety/tolerability and pharmacokinetic profiles as well as other efficacy measures (eg, clinical benefit rate; progression-free survival; change in serum tumor biomarkers). Enrollment is currently ongoing; as of Sept 12, 2019, 6 pts have enrolled and 2 are still on active treatment. Clinical trial information: NCT03760081.
PIVOT-10: A phase II study of bempegaldesleukin (NKTR-214) in combination with nivolumab (NIVO) in cisplatin (cis) ineligible patients with previously untreated locally advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer (mUC).
Authors: Huddart Robert A. , Siefker-Radtke Arlene O. , Balar Arjun Vasant , Bilen Mehmet Asim , Powles Thomas , Bamias Aristotelis , Castellano Daniel , Khalil Maged F. , Van Der Heijden Michiel Simon , Koshkin Vadim S , Pook David William , Ozguroglu Mustafa , Santiago Linda , Saab Rabih , Li Pao-Chen , Tagliaferri Margit Cecile , Lin Wei , Tagliaferri Mary Ann , Loriot Yohann
Published: February 2020

TPS589

Background: Checkpoint inhibitors can achieve durable responses in cis-ineligible 1L mUC. However, use is restricted to patients whose tumors are PD-L1 high. Approximately 70% of cis-ineligible patients have tumors with low PD-L1 expression, leaving a significant proportion of 1L mUC patients in need of new treatment options. Bempegaldesleukin (BEMPEG; NKTR-214) is a CD122-preferential IL-2 pathway agonist designed to provide sustained signaling through the IL-2 βγ receptor. NIVO is an anti-PD-1 antibody that is approved for treatment in several types of cancers, including 2L mUC after treatment with a platinum agent. Early BEMPEG plus NIVO data in 1L mUC (cis-eligible and -ineligible) patients found an objective response rate (ORR) of 48% (13/27) in the efficacy evaluable population (defined as having undergone at least one post-baseline scan) and a CR rate of 19%, prompting this further exploration of BEMPEG plus NIVO in a phase 2 study (Siefker-Radke, 2019). Methods: This Phase 2 multi-national trial evaluates BEMPEG plus NIVO in previously untreated patients with cis-ineligible mUC. Eligibility also requires tumor tissue be analyzed by central laboratory to document PD-L1 status. Approximately 205 patients will be enrolled. BEMPEG (0.006 mg/kg) and NIVO (360 mg) are given intravenously (IV) on Day 1 of each 3-week cycle. The primary endpoint is ORR assessed per RECIST 1.1 by blinded independent central review (BICR) in patients with low PD-L1 expression (defined as Combined Positive Score [CPS] < 10). Secondary endpoints include ORR and duration of response in all treated patients, safety, and tolerability. Tumor and blood samples will be collected for biomarker analyses. Enrollment is ongoing. Clinical trial information: NCT03785925.
GEMINI: An open-label, single-arm, phase II trial of intraoperative gemcitabine intravesical instillation in patients undergoing radical nephroureterectomy for upper tract urothelial carcinoma.
Authors: Packiam Vignesh T. , Leibovich Bradley C. , Thompson R. Houston , Potretzke Aaron M. , Chow George K. , Tollefson Matthew K. , Schulte Phillip J. , Tyson Mark , Lyon Timothy D. , Boorjian Stephen A.
Published: February 2020

TPS594

Background: The standard treatment for upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) is radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) with bladder cuff resection. Subsequent intravesical recurrence is common and results in patient morbidity and increased healthcare cost. Level 1 evidence has demonstrated reduction of intravesical recurrence with instillation of intravesical Mitomycin C at 10 days following RNU. However, there has been limited adoption of Mitomycin C due to concerns for toxicity and logistics of postoperative drug delivery. Meanwhile, immediate intravesical gemcitabine has been shown to reduce intravesical recurrence following transurethral resection of bladder cancers without increasing toxicity compared to placebo. Moreover, small series have suggested improved efficacy of intraoperative intravesical chemotherapy for RNU. The purpose of the GEMINI trial, therefore, is to prospectively establish the safety and efficacy of intraoperative instillation of intravesical gemcitabine in patients undergoing RNU for UTUC. Methods: GEMINI is a multi-center open-label, single-arm, Phase II study that aims to enroll 90 patients with cTa-T4N0M0 UTUC. Patients receive intraoperative intravesical instillation of gemcitabine at the beginning of RNU, to be held in the bladder for at least 1 hour. The instilled drug will be drained prior to resection of the bladder cuff. Patients will undergo standard of care postoperative surveillance, including cystoscopy at 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months. The primary endpoint is 1-year intravesical recurrence-free survival. The historical event rate for no treatment is 30%, and we estimated a 40% relative reduction in event rate with gemcitabine. The study is powered to provide 80% power to detect this difference based on a one-sided exact test of proportions with alpha level 0.05. Secondary endpoints include time to recurrence and stratification of recurrence free survival by tumor grade, tumor stage, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, ureteral tumor location, and history of bladder cancer. Safety and adverse event endpoints will be evaluated. Complete accrual is expected within 3 years.
Utilization of Antineoplastic Agents and Medicare Spending in Elderly Patients With Extensive-Stage Small-Cell Lung Cancer Between 2001 and 2013
Authors: Shah Chintan , Hong Young-Rock , Bishnoi Rohit , Jones Dennie , Huo Jinhai
Published: February 2020

PURPOSE:

Some elderly patients (≥ 65 years old) with small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) do not receive chemotherapy likely because of fear of toxicity and uncertainty regarding benefits. Thus, we aimed to study real-world trends in utilization of antineoplastics over the years and predictors of utilization, survival, and Medicare expenditure in elderly patients with extensive-stage (ES) SCLC.

PATIENTS AND METHODS:

Using the linked SEER and Medicare database, we identified elderly patients with newly diagnosed ES-SCLC between 2001 and 2013. The Wald test was used to determine the significance of trends. Cox proportional hazards models were applied for survival analyses. We used SAS, version 9.4 (SAS Institute, Cary, NC).

RESULTS:

We identified 15,763 patients with newly diagnosed ES-SCLC. Approximately 6,838 patients (43.38%) received antineoplastics, and 8,925 patients (56.61%) received supportive care only. Every year since 2001, the percentage of patients receiving antineoplastics has decreased (45.8% v 36.6% in 2001 and 2013, respectively; Ptrend < .0001). Patients with advanced age ( P < .001), patients from high-poverty areas ( P < .001) or rural areas ( P = .005), patients with Charlson comorbidity index ≥ 3 ( P < .001), and non-Hispanic blacks ( P = .003) and Hispanics ( P = .001) were less likely to receive antineoplastics. Mean Medicare spending per patient decreased over the study period for patients treated with antineoplastics ($45,998 in 2001 and $35,053 in 2013; Ptrend < .001) and for those receiving supportive care only ($34,197 in 2001 and $25,265 in 2013; Ptrend < .001).

CONCLUSION:

Decreasing utilization of antineoplastics in elderly patients with ES-SCLC since 2001 could be partly secondary to higher comorbidities and physiologic age, leading to poor candidacy. Medicare expenditures decreased likely as a result of value-based treatment initiatives by the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services. However, expenditures are likely to increase with use of expensive novel agents.
Effective interactions in the sd and ρ shells
Authors: Varvitsiotis J. C. , Skouras L. D.
Published: February 2020

Using matrix-inversion techniques effective interactions for the sd and ρ shells are determined in the complete space 0hω + 2hω. The derived interactions are used to determine the spectra of A =18-20 and A=5-15 nuclei and compare them with experiment.
On the Foundations of Statistical Nuclear Physics
Authors: Syros C.
Published: February 2020

The density matric for the nucleus, the canonical ensemble in second quantized mechanical definition of the temperature have from Quantum Field Theory. The evolution conservative or dissipalive form and is ergodic.
The quality of patient preparation for exenterative surgery
Authors: Martin Rebecca , Hardy Katy , Kumar Pardeep
Published: February 2020

Total pelvic exenteration is a complex major operation involving the removal of all organs from the pelvis, which mandates diversion of both urine and faeces. The sequelae of surgery are undeniably life-altering. Carefully considered multidisciplinary, pre-operative preparation is essential to mitigate the psychological and physical stresses of such surgery. There are several areas of unmet need in cancer surgery, and these deficiencies are highlighted in procedures of this complexity. Multiple factors influence pre-operative preparation, including the quality, timing and format of patient information, as well as the patient's language needs and level of literacy. Surgical preparation should also include opportunities for prehabilitation, and therefore timing of information is crucial, particularly as these patients are usually undergoing intensive neo-adjuvant treatments, including chemo- and radiotherapy. Peer support is also considered important, although little is known about the benefits of peer relationships in major pelvic surgery. This article discusses how patients are prepared at the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust and highlights opportunities for further research, the aim of which is to improve outcomes and quality of life.
Acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding: endoscopic assessment and treatment
Authors: Patel Rajan , Mann Steven
Published: February 2020

Acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding (AUGIB) represents 10% of medical emergencies in the UK and is associated with a significant mortality risk. Mortality has remained steady over the past 2 decades, at approximately 10%, with over 4000 deaths per annum in the UK. Patients with significant bleeding present with symptoms of haematemesis, melaena or haematochezia (rapid transit of red blood through the GI tract). An assessment of haemodynamic stability along with adequate resuscitation is vital prior to performing safe endoscopy. The performance of prompt upper gastrointestinal endoscopy is then necessary, as it has diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic roles. Early identification of aetiology (variceal versus non-variceal bleeding) is important and directs endoscopic and medical treatment. An increasing number of endoscopic therapeutic options are now available.
The potential of the nursing profession to transform services
Authors: Forbes Lisa
Published: February 2020

The World Health Organization has designated 2020 as the International Year of the Nurse and Midwife. Lisa Forbes asks if the full potential of nursing as a profession has yet to be realised outside the traditional health environment
Reducing poverty and food insecurity in the UK
Authors: Moffat Polly
Published: February 2020

With child poverty increasing year on year, a recent House of Lords evidence session of the Select Committee on Food, Poverty, Health and Environment asked how healthy, sustainable food can be made accessible for the most vulnerable families
Development and conservative treatment of spinal deformities in cerebral palsy
Authors: Brunner Reinald
Published: February 2020

Incidence and cause

Cerebral palsy (CP) is characterized by poor motor control. The more severe the affection is, the more patients are prone to deformities. Patients with Gross Motor Function Classification System level V run an up to 90% risk for spinal deformities. These are caused by poor trunk control under load. Although trunk tone is impossible to assess it seems to be low in the majority of patients, leading to collapse under gravity. The constant malposition results in growth asymmetry which leads to fixation and deterioration of the deformity.

Brace treatment

Brace treatment has a poor reputation in respect to the final outcome. Conventional braces as constructed for other spinal deformities are indeed difficult for patients with CP as they cannot change position in the brace and do not tolerate pressure on the belly for reflux problems. Respecting these points improves the tolerance of braces but still the time of use is far from the necessary when the trunk is upright. Nevertheless, they can help to postpone surgery for scoliosis, but they are very inefficient for sagittal plane deformities.

Aim of treatment

The lack of trunk control further leads to an impairment of head control and upper extremity function. Providing stability improves these problems. Braces are superior to seating shells for both treating deformity and providing stability as they remain close to the skin and follow movements. Supports on seating shells in contrast are too far away for controlling the deformity and provide stability only if the patient doesn't move forward.
Anuari mèdic de Barcelona de l'any 1797.
Authors: SABATÉ i CASELLAS Ferran
Published: February 2020

MEDICAL DOCTORS YEARBOOK OF BARCELONA OF THE YEAR 1797: We transcribe what we consider a first yearbook of active medical doctors in the city of Barcelona of the year 1797. It allows us to know their names, address, category professional and professional positions held. It allows too to know the organization and functions of the Academy Medical-Practice of Barcelona at that time.
Diagnostics of Hybrid Water/Argon Thermal Plasma Jet with Water, Ethanol and Their Mixture Injection to Plasma
Authors: Hlina M. , Maslani A. , Medricky J. , Kotlan J. , Musalek R. , Hrabovsky M.
Published: February 2020

A plasma torch with the water/argon stabilization of an arc is characterized by extremely hot and high velocity plasma together with the relatively low flow rate of plasma, therefore, the torch might be properly used for plasma suspension spraying. Enthalpy probe and emission spectroscopy measurements were carried out at constant arc power with the combination of the injection of water, ethanol or their mixture to the plasma jet to diagnose the changes in temperature, heat flux and other characteristics.
Three-Dimensional Computations of Free-Burning Arcs and Their Surroundings
Authors: Lee W. , Lee J.
Published: February 2020

This paper is concerned with developing a capability to model free-burning high-intensity argon arcs and enhancing the accuracy of numerical results according to three-dimensional calculations. It was found that the computed temperatures along the axis between the cathode tip and the anode surface show good agreement with two different measured data. Although the LTE model can reasonably predict the overall arc voltage for free-burning arcs, it fails to account accurately what happens at the regions near electrodes.
Dominant Physicochemical Properties of SF6/N2 Thermal Plasmas with a Two-temperature Chemical Kinetic Model
Authors: Wang X. , Gao Q. , Zhong L. , Yang A. , Rong M.
Published: February 2020

It's increasingly clear that the existence of thermodynamic equilibrium is an exception rather than the role in SF6/N2 thermal plasmas. We intended to investigate the dominant physicochemical properties of SF6/N2 thermal plasmas at 4  atm from 12000 K to 1000 K with considering the thermal non-equilibrium. A two-temperature chemical kinetic model containing all the available reactions is developed. The temperature difference between the electron and the heavy species is defined as a function of the electron number density. The molar fractions of species are compared to the equilibrium composition predicted by Gibbs free energy minimization. By analyzing the main reactions in the generation and loss of a dominant species, the chemistry set is simplified and characterized by a few species and reactions. Then, the dominant physicochemical properties are captured and the computing time of complicated chemical kinetic model is dramatically shortened at the same time.
Tectono-stratigraphic correlations between Northern Evvoia, Skopelos and Alonnisos, and the postulated collision of the Pelagonian carbonate platform with the Paikon forearc basin (Pelagonian-Vardar zones, Internal Hellenides)
Authors: Scherreiks Rudolph , Boudagher-Fadel Marcelle
Published: February 2020

The Pelagonian stratigraphy of the study area consists of a Permo-Triassic basement and an Upper Triassic and Jurassic carbonate platform formation that had been overthrust by the Eohellenic ophiolite sheet during the Early Cretaceous. Intensive erosion, during the Cretaceous, removed most of the ophiolite and partly the Jurassic formation. It is hypothesised that uplift and erosion of eastern Pelagonia had been triggered by the break-off of the subducted oceanic leading edge of the Pelagonian plate.

An investigation of the rocks that succeed the erosional unconformity shows that they constitute a shear-zone-formation which is tectonically overlain by Cretaceous platform carbonates that characterise the Palouki series of Skopelos and Alonnisos. Geochemical analyses of the shear-zone rocks substantiate that they are of mid ocean ridge and island arc provenience.

Eastern Pelagonia collided with a Cretaceous carbonate platform, probably the Paikon-Paeonian forearc basin, as the Almopias ocean subducted beneath that island-arc-complex. The Cretaceous platform, together with a substrate of sheared-off ocean floor mélange, overthrust eastern Pelagonia as subduction continued, and the substrate was dynamically metamorphosed to cataclastic rocks, mylonite, phyllonite and interpreted pseudotachylite. This complex of Cretaceous platform rocks and a brittle-ductile shear-zone-substrate constitute the here named
Paikon-Palouki nappe which was emplaced during Early Palaeocene. The
Paikon-Palouki nappe did not reach Evvoia.

Seismic tomographic models of the Aegean region apparently depict images of two broken-off ocean-plate-slabs, interpreted as Almopias-lithosphere-slabs: the western Almopias slab began to sink during the Early Cretaceous, the eastern Almopias slab broke off and sank after the Paikon-Palouki nappe was emplaced in Early Palaeocene time.
Pattern functional dependencies for data cleaning
Authors: Qahtan Abdulhakim , Tang Nan , Ouzzani Mourad , Cao Yang , Stonebraker Michael
Published: February 2020

Patterns (or regex-based expressions) are widely used to constrain the format of a domain (or a column),
e.g.
, a Year column should contain only four digits, and thus a value like "1980-" might be a typo. Moreover, integrity constraints (ICs) defined over multiple columns, such as (conditional) functional dependencies and denial constraints,
e.g.
, a ZIP code uniquely determines a city in the UK, have been widely used in data cleaning. However, a promising, but not yet explored, direction is to combine regex- and IC-based theories to capture data dependencies involving partial attribute values. For example, in an employee ID such as"F-9-107", "F" is sufficient to determine the finance department.

Inspired by the above observation, we propose a novel class of ICs, called
pattern functional dependencies
(PFDs), to model fine-grained data dependencies gleaned from partial attribute values. These dependencies cannot be modeled using traditional ICs, such as (conditional) functional dependencies, which work on entire attribute values. We also present a set of axioms for the inference of PFDs, analogous to Armstrong's axioms for FDs, and study the complexity of consistency and implication analysis of PFDs. Moreover, we devise an effective algorithm to automatically discover PFDs even in the presence of errors in the data. Our extensive experiments on 15 real-world datasets show that our approach can effectively discover valid and useful PFDs over dirty data, which can then be used to detect data errors that are hard to capture by other types of ICs.
MDedup
Authors: Koumarelas loannis , Papenbrock Thorsten , Naumann Felix
Published: February 2020

Duplicate detection is an integral part of data cleaning and serves to identify multiple representations of same real-world entities in (relational) datasets. Existing duplicate detection approaches are effective, but they are also hard to parameterize or require a lot of pre-labeled training data. Both parameterization and pre-labeling are at least domain-specific if not dataset-specific, which is a problem if a new dataset needs to be cleaned.

For this reason, we propose a novel, rule-based and fully automatic duplicate detection approach that is based on
matching dependencies (MDs).
Our system uses automatically discovered MDs, various dataset features, and known gold standards to train a model that selects MDs as duplicate detection rules. Once trained, the model can select useful MDs for duplicate detection on any new dataset. To increase the generally low recall of MD-based data cleaning approaches, we propose an additional boosting step. Our experiments show that this approach reaches up to 94% F-measure and 100% precision on our evaluation datasets, which are good numbers considering that the system does not require domain or target data-specific configuration.
At first sight: robots’ subtle eye movement parameters affect human attentional engagement, spontaneous attunement and perceived human-likeness
Authors: Ghiglino Davide , Willemse Cesco , Tommaso Davide De , Bossi Francesco , Wykowska Agnieszka
Published: February 2020

Human-robot interaction research could benefit from knowing how various parameters of robotic eye movement control affect specific cognitive mechanisms of the user, such as attention or perception. In the present study, we systematically teased apart control parameters of Trajectory Time of robot eye movements (rTT) between two joint positions and Fixation Duration (rFD) on each of these positions of the iCub robot. We showed recordings of these behaviors to participants and asked them to rate each video on how human-like the robot’s behavior appeared. Additionally, we recorded participants’ eye movements to examine whether the different control parameters evoked different effects on cognition and attention. We found that slow but variable robot eye movements yielded relatively higher human-likeness ratings. On the other hand, the eye-tracking data suggest that the human range of rTT is most engaging and evoked spontaneous involvement in joint attention. The pattern observed in subjective ratings was paralleled only by one measure in the implicit objective metrics, namely the frequency of spontaneous attentional following. These findings provide significant clues for controller design to improve the interaction between humans and artificial agents.
Exploring the Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Health Care Experiences Among Men Who Have Sex With Men (MSM) Who Live in Rural Areas of the Midwest
Authors: Owens Christopher , Hubach Randolph D. , Williams Deana , Lester Jessica , Reece Michael , Dodge Brian
Published: February 2020

Most pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) research samples men who have sex with men (MSM) who live in metropolitan cities. There is a limited understanding of the PrEP experiences among rural MSM. Thirty-four semi-structured interviews were conducted to explore the PrEP health care experiences among 34 rural Midwestern MSM. Of the 34 participants, 23 obtained PrEP from their non–primary care provider (PCP). Three themes were present: (1) PrEP is unavailable in rural areas, (2) PrEP is inaccessible in rural areas due to PCPs being unwilling to prescribe PrEP, and (3) PrEP services are unamicable in rural areas due to stigmatizing attitudes and behaviors of PCPs. It is important to address PrEP care continuum factors in all settings; however, these factors are often exacerbated in rural areas due to social determinants. Without further research and programming, organizational and social determinants may contribute to lower rates of PrEP outcomes in rural areas.
On Some Special Property of The Farey Sequence
Authors: Ripan Saha
Published: February 2020

In this paper, some special property of the Farey sequence is discussed. We prove in each term of the Farey sequence, the sum of elements in the denominator is two times of the sum of elements in the numerator. We also prove that the Farey sequence contains a palindrome structure.
The Urgency of Holistic Education in Muhammadiyah Schools
Authors: Widodo Hendro , Sutrisno Sutrisno , Hanum Farida
Published: February 2020

This article focuses on the importance of implementing holistic education in Muhammadiyah schools. The essence of education is to develop the full potentials of humanity covering the potentials of cognitive, emotional, social, spiritual, creativity, and physical. The six potential humanities are a unity, which means a potential can be developed through another potential. Partial views of teachers on the potential of students have implications for non-intact practice of education in schools that make split personality on students. Muhammadiyah education as a part of the national education system is the mandate of the constitution to produce holistic man through education in Muhammadiyah schools. This article is based on research results at Muhammadyah Sleman Yogyakarta Elementary School.
On Using of a Mobile Learning in Teaching History at UIN Imam Bonjol Padang: A Research and Development Model
Authors: Nelwati Sasmi , Amelia Rezki
Published: February 2020

The study aims to develop a learning model through mobile learning in the Social Sciences Department of Tarbiyah Faculty of UIN Imam Bonjol Padang. This research is a developmental research. This research is aimed at developing a mobile learning model that is expected to be able to produce a product in the future. The product produced is in the learning development model through mobile learning in the Social Sciences Department of Tarbiyah Faculty of UIN Imam Bonjol Padang. Based on the results of the study, it was found that the development of learning models through mobile learning in the Social Sciences Department of History of the Faculty of Tarbiyah and Teacher Training at UIN Imam Bonjol Padang was effective in increasing students' interest in Social Sciences Department History and Development of practical learning models through mobile learning developed in Social Studies Department History of the Faculty of Tarbiyah and Teaching UIN Imam Bonjol Padang deserves to be developed in order to improve the quality and interest of students in the learning process.
Avaliação da qualidade de vida em diabéticos e/ou hipertensos usuários de um núcleo de apoio a saúde da família
Authors: Silva Marcella Mayara Sousa , Guerra Francisco Laerton Teixeira , Batista Marina Lira , Lopes Lidalvane Silva , De Abreu Samara Moura Barreto , Pinto Nilson Vieira
Published: February 2020

Este estudo teve como objetivo avaliar a qualidade de vida em diabéticos e/ou hipertensos acompanhados pelo Núcleo de Apoio a Saúde da Família de Canindé, Ceará. Trata-se de um estudo de corte transversal com análise qualiquantitativa. A amostra foi composta por 45 diabéticos e/ou hipertensos (24 ativos e 21 sedentários), de ambos os sexos, com idade média de 52,23(±11,25) anos. A qualidade de vida foi avaliada através de entrevista e a aplicação do questionário WHOQOL-ABREVIADO. Os dados qualitativos foram analisados de forma descritiva e interpretativa pela análise do conteúdo. Os dados quantitativos foram analisados no programa SPSS® for Windows 10, expressos como média e desvio padrão da média. O nível de significância estabelecido foi de p<0,05. Os resultados apontaram a melhora da qualidade de vida dos diabéticos e hipertensos ativos em comparação aos sedentários em todos os domínios avaliados, independente da doença ou de gênero. Estes resultados foram fortalecidos através dos depoimentos dos usuários ao reconhecer a redução de suas limitações físicas, o fortalecimento da autoestima e motivação, as relações interpessoais existentes e o ambiente saudável e acessível. Este estudo mostrou a importância da prática de exercícios físicos na melhora da qualidade de vida de seus usuários e da inserção do profissional de Educação Física dentro da equipe multiprofissional do Núcleo de Apoio a Saúde da Família, na perspectiva da integralidade do cuidado em saúde.
New twin-shear unified strength criterion
Authors: Liu X. , Liu E. , Song B. , Wang P.
Published: February 2020

In this paper, by modifying the relationship between shear stress τ and normal stress σ on the plane subjected to twin-shear (T-S) stresses and the adverse judgement conditions of T-S stresses combination, a new T-S unified strength criterion is proposed, which can reflect the mechanical properties of frozen soil under high confining pressure. All the existing classical T-S strength criteria are special cases of the new strength criterion and the strength variation rule of frozen mixed soil is verified and predicted by this new criterion. In general, the proposed criterion is of clear physical concept and wide prospect of application.
Can Micro-teaching, Teacher Feedback/Feedforward and Reflective Writing Enhance Pre-service Teachers’ Pedagogical Content Knowledge of Grammar in English as a Second Language?
Authors: Karlsson Monica
Published: February 2020

In the current study, 17 pre-service teachers at (upper) secondary school level studying English as a second language within the Swedish educational system were asked to give two mini-lessons each. Both focused on the teaching of grammar, a subarea towards which many teacher trainees have especially negative feelings. The aims were to explore the extent of the learners’ pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) and to investigate if, with the help of micro-teaching, teacher feedback/feedforward and reflective writing, their pedagogical content knowledge could be strengthened further, thus giving these pre-service teachers the boost they need to address grammatical issues in their future L2 classrooms. The findings show that the pre-service teachers’ PCK was low in connection with their first mini-lesson, but that with the scaffolding devices implemented it was enhanced, the subject knowledge component proving more easily consolidated than the pedagogical content component. As many as 15 of the 17 teacher trainees displayed positive scores on both components in their second mini-lesson, the learners who did the poorest in their first mini-lesson improving the most. Great individual differences were, however, also detected among the other learners.
Segregação urbana na cidade de Major Izidoro: o caso do Bairro de Fátima em comparação com o loteamento Terra do Leite
Authors: Santana Julliana Rocha , Farias Cláudio José Godoi Silva de , Oliveira Gabriel Cazuza dos Santos , Moraes Júnior Fúlvio Mácio Correia de , Silva Lara Fabian Cordeiro , Lopes Letícia Beatriz Silva , Oliveira Matteus Freitas de
Published: February 2020

RESUMO: O trabalho consistiu em avaliar a segregação urbana na cidade de Major Izidoro - Alagoas, analisando os casos do Bairro de Fátima e do loteamento Terra do Leite nas variações de suas paisagens urbanas marcadas pela segregação. O estudo foi embasado na metodologia de Silva et al (2017) e Oliveira et al (2017) que a partir de dados primários analisaram a atuação dos agentes produtores e a geração de áreas desiguais em cidades pequenas. A revisão de literatura nos ajudou a compreender as questões sociais e econômicas de ambos os bairros, além da sua formação, organização, desenvolvimento e a intervenção estatal através de obras e políticas públicas. Notamos que a cidade se fragmenta quando não se oportuniza uma gestão sustentável e inteligente gerando espaços de pouca democracia, paisagem marcadas por injustas e intensas diferenças além de fragilidade dos direitos sociais. Em suma, a cidade de Major Izidoro apresenta-se fragmentada e articulada, reflexo e condicionante social, isto é, os mesmos esquemas que imperam nas cidades grandes do mundo capitalista.

PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Desigualdades. Organização social. Intervenção Estatal.
Criptomoedas: apontamentos sob a ótica macroeconômica
Authors: Silva Fábio Correia da , Baro Andreia Rodrigues Ferreira , Soares Fany Pereira de Araújo
Published: February 2020

RESUMO Criptomoedas são moedas digitais descentralizadas que podem ter novas unidades geradas como recompensa pelo uso de capacidade computacional, representando assim, uma ruptura em relação ao modelo “tradicional” de moedas ao substituir a confiança existente nas mesmas devido a um ente regulador por um sistema eletrônico de pagamentos baseado em prova criptográfica. A expansão na adoção e volume de criptomoedas é uma tendência no contexto atual. Diante de tal panorama, e tendo em consideração o fato de serem descentralizadas, as criptomoedas poderiam trazer alguma instabilidade do ponto de vista da relação entre Estado e economia? Deste modo, o presente trabalho objetiva identificar em que medida o advento das criptomoedas e sua recente expansão podem interferir nas políticas e atividades econômicas. 

PALAVRAS CHAVE: Moedas virtuais, Economia, Regulação.
Tradicional feira livre de Arapiraca: análise do perfil socioeconômico e a atuação do poder público governamental
Authors: Santos Diego Monteiro dos
Published: February 2020

RESUMO: A presente pesquisa discute, sob a perspectiva da economia popular e políticas públicas, a percepção dos atores presentes na atividade feira livre, feirantes, consumidores e comerciantes do entorno. O objeto encontra-se no município de Arapiraca, situado no agreste alagoano, onde sua principal atividade é o comércio, reconhecimento adquirido por meio da histórica e tradicional feira livre de Arapiraca, realizada as segundas-feiras. É na feira livre que muitos encontram uma forma de obter emprego e renda para o sustento familiar e o Estado precisa promover condições para o desenvolvimento dessa atividade e consequentemente do cidadão que dela depende. Os objetivos centrais deste artigo foram: analisar os aspectos econômicos e sociais da feira livre bem como sua influência no comércio ao redor e identificar a presença/ausência do poder público na feira livre. A metodologia utilizada foi a pesquisa bibliográfica além da aplicação de questionários com feirantes, consumidores e comerciantes não identificados. No desenvolvimento constatamos que 59% dos feirantes possuem apenas o ensino fundamental incompleto, 28% residem em cidades circunvizinhas, 55% depende exclusivamente da feira como fonte de renda e 77% faturam até R$ 300,00 por feira. Dada a capacidade geradora de renda, a feira desempenha um papel sócio financeiro capaz de tirar famílias da extrema pobreza e que, por sua vez, o poder público não cumpre seu papel de promover o desenvolvimento dessa atividade.

PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Economia Popular, Feira-Livre, Políticas Públicas.