bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An exploration of the advantages of automated titration testing: low inter‐instrument variability and equivalent accuracy for ABO and non‐ABO antibody titres relative to tube testing
Authors: Adkins Brian D. , Arnold Egloff Shanna A. , Fahey‐Ahrndt Kayla , Kjell Andrea L. , Cohn Claudia S. , Young Pampee P.
Published: February 2020

Background and objectives

Obtaining IgM and IgG titres is important in numerous clinical situations, including solid‐organ transplant, obstetrics, and for testing of out‐of‐group plasma‐containing components. Tube method is the most prevalent testing modality, though it is both labour‐intensive and known for intra‐ and inter‐laboratory variability. The utility of automated gel testing as a method to improve both inter‐ and intra‐laboratory reproducibility is unknown.

Materials and methods

Two academic centres participated in a study evaluating automated gel titreing. Group O plasma samples were used to measure titres of antibodies against ABO (IgM) with buffered gel cards and 4 minor and minor red‐blood‐cell antigens (IgG) anti‐IgG gel cards. Multiple ORTHO VISION automated analyzers were used to assess inter‐instrument variation. A subset of ABO (IgM) samples were compared between laboratories to evaluate inter‐laboratory variability. Multiple samples were titred by tube and by automated gel technology to determine similarity of results.

Results

Testing demonstrated no significant difference between analysers or between sites when performing automated titrations (P ≥ 0·99). Non‐ABO IgG titres were evaluated and demonstrated little inter‐instrument variability. The IgM anti‐A and ‐B titres obtained by automated gel testing were neither consistently higher nor lower than tube titres. Greater than 90% of titre values were within one dilution.

Conclusion

Based on this study, our data suggest that titreing by automated gel testing is both highly reproducible (IgM and IgG) and does not differ significantly from manual tube testing results of direct agglutination (IgM).
Evaluation of the performance of an endoscopic 3‐mm electrothermal bipolar vessel sealing device intended for single use after multiple use‐and‐resterilization cycles
Authors: Quitzan Juliany Gomes , Singh Ameet , Beaufrere Hugues , Valverde Alexander , Lillie Brandon , Salahshoor Masoomeh , Bardelcik Alexander , Saleh Tarek M.
Published: February 2020

Objective

To evaluate the performance of an endoscopic 3‐mm electrothermal bipolar vessel sealing device (EBVS) intended for single use after multiple use‐and‐resterilization cycles.

Study design

Ex vivo study.

Sample population

Eight 3‐mm EBVS handpieces.

Methods

Handpieces were subjected to a maximum of 15 cycles of testing, including simulated surgery, sealing and burst pressure testing of porcine carotid arteries, reprocessing, and hydrogen peroxide plasma resterilization. Failure was defined as two sequential vascular seal leakage events occurring at <250 mm Hg. Histological evaluation, maximum external temperature of the jaws, sealing time, tissue adherence, jaw surface characterization, and mechanical deterioration were studied. Failure rate was analyzed by using a Kaplan–Meier curve. Linear and ordinal logistic mixed models were used to analyze sealing time, handpiece jaw temperature, and adherence score.

Results

Mean ± SD diameter of arteries was 3.22 ± 0.35 mm. Failure was observed starting at cycle 10 and going up to cycle 13 in 37.5% (3/8) of the handpieces. Tissue adherence increased after each cycle (P < .001). Maximum external temperature (79.8°C ± 13.9°C) and sealing time (1.8 ± 0.5 seconds) were not significantly different throughout cycles up to failure. A flatter surface and large scratches were observed microscopically throughout the jaw surface after repeated use and resterilization.

Conclusion

The 3‐mm EBVS handpiece evaluated in this study can be considered safe to use for up to nine reuse‐and‐resterilization cycles.

Clinical significance

These data provide the basis for establishing preliminary guidelines for the reuse and hydrogen peroxide plasma resterilization of an endoscopic 3‐mm EBVS handpiece.
Exercise and insulin‐like growth factor 1 supplementation improve angiogenesis and angiogenic cytokines in a rat model of diabetes‐induced neuropathy
Authors: Saboory Ehsan , Gholizadeh‐Ghaleh Aziz Shiva , Samadi Mahrokh , Biabanghard Abdolrahman , Chodari Leila
Published: February 2020

New Findings

What is the central question of this study?

Do changes in levels of angiogenesis‐related mediators [vascular endothelial growth factor‐A (VEGF‐A), thrombospondin‐1 (TSP‐1) and nuclear factor‐κB (NF‐κB)] in the sciatic nerve mediate diabetic neuropathy in the streptozotocin‐induced type 1 diabetic male rat? Can exercise and insulin‐like growth factor 1 (IGF‐I) treatment improve the diabetes‐related decrease in angiogenesis in sciatic nerve in these animals?

What is the main finding and its importance?

Levels of VEGF‐A, TSP‐1 and NF‐κB change in the sciatic nerve of diabetic rats and might mediate diabetic neuropathy. Treatment with IGF‐I and exercise could increase angiogenesis in the diabetic rats by increasing VEGF‐A and decreasing TSP‐1 and NF‐κB expression in the sciatic nerve.

Diabetic neuropathy is a severe complication of diabetes that affects 40–50% of diabetic people in the world. The aim of this study was to characterize alterations in angiogenesis and related molecular mediators in the sciatic nerve in diabetic conditions alone or in diabetes in combination with exercise and/or administration of insulin‐like growth factor 1 (IGF‐I). Forty male Wistar rats were assigned into one of five groups, namely control, diabetes, diabetes + exercise, diabetes + IGF‐I and diabetes + exercise + IGF‐I. Type 1 diabetes was induced by i.p. injection of streptozotocin (60 mg kg−1). After 30 days of treatment with exercise or IGF‐I alone or in combination, diabetic neuropathy was evaluated with a hotplate, glycated haemoglobin was measured, angiogenesis was determined by immunostaining for PECAM‐1/CD31, and expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor‐A (VEGF‐A), thrombospondin‐1 (TSP‐1) and nuclear factor‐κB (NF‐κB) were determined by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay.After 4 weeks, the diabetes group showed a significant decrease in capillary density and VEGF‐A levels, but a significant increase in glycated haemoglobin in blood, TSP‐1 and NF‐κB levels in the sciatic nerve compared with the control group, and these effects were ameliorated by exercise and IGF‐I. However, simultaneous treatment of diabetic rats with IGF‐I and exercise did not have any synergistic effects. These findings indicate that diabetes‐induced neuropathy may be associated, in part, with decreased angiogenesis mediated by overproduction of TSP‐1 and NF‐κB, in addition to reduced production of VEGF‐A. The findings also showed that exercise and IGF‐I can reduce neuropathy, followed by increased angiogenesis, by changes in TSP‐1, NF‐κB and VEGF‐A production levels.
Características del aprendizaje autónomo en estudiantes de Kinesiología de una Institución de Educación Superior de Buenos Aires
Authors: Canova Barrios Carlos Jesús , Pecker Luis Federico
Published: February 2020

Introducción: Las estrategias de trabajo autónomo cobran cada vez más relevancia en los niveles medio y superior de la educación, sobre todo con los cambios que actualmente se viven en el sistema educativo, que hacen hincapié en la autonomía y en la responsabilidad del alumno en la gestión de su aprendizaje. Objetivo: Identificar las características del aprendizaje autónomo en los estudiantes de kinesiología de una institución de educación superior de la ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina. Metodología: Estudio descriptivo, de corte transversal y con enfoque cuantitativo. Se implementó el Cuestionario de Estrategias de Trabajo Autónomo. Resultados: Muestra conformada por 95 estudiantes de la carrera de Licenciatura en Kinesiología y Fisiatría, de esta el 43 % era de sexo femenino, con edad promedio de 25,6 años (DE: 5,6). Se encontró un bajo uso de las estrategias de planificación y un amplio desarrollo de las de preparación de exámenes. Conclusión: Los estilos de aprendizaje pueden ser de gran ayuda para mejorar el rendimiento académico, y es necesario dentro de la gestión educativa considerar diagnosticar y conocer el estilo predilecto para adquirir y procesar la información por parte del estudiantado.
Elementos para abordar la necesidad de información de las familias en una unidad de cuidados intensivos
Authors: Boada Quijano Laura Carolina , Guáqueta Parada Sandra Rocío
Published: February 2020

Introducción: El cuidado del paciente crítico de forma holística debe incluir el abordaje de la familia, que experimenta necesidades específicas derivadas de la situación crítica, una de ellas la necesidad de información. El presente estudio establece los elementos que la enfermera debe tener en cuenta para abordar efectivamente la necesidad de información. Método: Revisión integrativa de la producción científica generada entre 2007 y 2016. Se incluyeron 23 artículos, por su aporte en la comprensión de los elementos para abordar la necesidad. Resultados: Se establecieron ategorías que denotan los elementos para el abordaje: características de la información, valoración e identificación de la necesidad de información, habilidades indispensables de la enfermera para abordar la necesidad de información, participación familiar en el cuidado para satisfacción de necesidad de información, condiciones para abordar la necesidad de información y tipo de información. Conclusiones: Estos elementos facilitarán el abordaje de la enfermera y contribuirán así a satisfacer la necesidad de información, mejorar la calidad de vida de los familiares y los estándares de calidad en la atención, además de contribuir a la formación académica de los profesionales con elementos basados en la evidencia científica.
Closed-Form Solution of Inverse Kinematics for a Minimally Invasive Surgical Robot Slave Manipulator Similar to Da Vinci Robot System
Authors: Wang Wenjie , Cao Yuting , Wang Xiaohua , Yu Lingtao
Published: February 2020

Closed-form solution inverse kinematics has a unique advantage in robot control; it is quite difficult to be obtained through traditional methods as no effective analytic method has been identified so far, when the robot's joint configuration does not conform to the “Pieper Criterion.” In this paper, a new modeling method named extended Denavit-Hartenberg (DH) method was presented for solving this problem. And the conditions of robots' configuration that conform to the method have been given for different joints combinations. The precise closed-form solution to a minimally invasive surgical robot slave manipulator was obtained through this new method. The correctness of the new method was verified through simulation analyses; this study enriched robot kinematic modeling and the closed-form solution to inverse kinematics of Da Vinci surgical robot, and will help to obtain a fast, accurate, and general method of closed-form solution for the same kind of robots and provide the precondition for robot control and trajectory planning.
Silver thin film deposited 3-dimensional gold nanorod arrays for plasmonic catalysis
Authors: Yilmaz Mehmet , Demirel Gokcen Birlik , Demirel Gokhan
Published: February 2020

Plasmonic metal nanoparticles are of great importance in heterogeneous catalysis applications including partial oxidations, dehydrogenations, and hydrocarbon reforming. Although utilization of such nanoparticulate metals seems to be a simple and cheap approach for catalysis, their low surface area, un-controlled aggregation, and limited recovery and recycling abilities prevent their further applications. Herein, to overcome these limitations, vertically aligned, highly ordered, and unidirectional 3-dimensional (3D) gold nanorod (AuNR) arrays were fabricated through an oblique angle vapor deposition method. The plasmonic features and catalytic efficiencies of 3D AuNR arrays were further improved by combining them with a thin layer of silver having varying thicknesses. The catalytic activity of fabricated samples was evaluated by the reduction of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol with NaBH4 in the absence and presence of laser illumination with different wavelengths. All the results indicate that the current Ag@AuNR substrates are expected to have a broad impact in a range of fields including plasmonic catalysis, sensing, and many others.
Acoustic signals in air and water generated by very shallow marine seismic sources: An experimental study
Authors: Wehner Daniel , Svensson U. Peter , Landrø Martin
Published: February 2020

When a marine seismic source, like an airgun, is fired close to the water surface the oscillating bubble interacts with the water–air interface. The main interest for seismic applications is how this effect impacts the acoustic signal propagating into the water. It is known that the sound transmission into air is abnormally strong when the sound source is very close to the sea surface relative to the emitted wavelength. Detailed insight into how the acoustic signal changes when the source depth is changed is useful in seismic data analysis and processing. Two experiments are conducted in a water tank with two different types of seismic sources. In experiment A the source is a small cavity that is sufficiently far away from the water–air interface so that it can be assumed that no interaction between the cavity and water surface occurs. In experiment B the source is a larger air bubble that is very close to the water–air interface, and hence interaction between the bubble and water surface occurs. The effects on the water surface, oscillating bubble, and emitted acoustic pressure into air are discussed. It is demonstrated that the moving surface contributes significantly to the acoustic signal measured in air.
Interaural recalibration of phonetic categories
Authors: Scott Mark
Published: February 2020

Recalibration is a learning process in which perceptual boundaries between speech-sounds adjust through exposure to a supplementary source of information. Using a dichotic-listening methodology, the experiments reported here establish interaural recalibration—in which an ambiguous speech sound in one ear is recalibrated on the basis of a clear sound presented to the other ear. This demonstrates a previously unknown form of recalibration and shows that location-specific recalibration occurs even when people are unaware of location differences between the sounds involved.
Closed-set speaker conditioned acoustic-to-articulatory inversion using bi-directional long short term memory network
Authors: Illa Aravind , Ghosh Prasanta Kumar
Published: February 2020

Estimating articulatory movements from speech acoustic representations is known as acoustic-to-articulatory inversion (AAI). In this work, a speaker conditioned AAI (SC AAI) is proposed using a bi-directional LSTM neural network, where training is performed by pooling acoustic-articulatory data from multiple speakers along with their corresponding speaker identity information. For this work, 7.24 h of multi-speaker acoustic-articulatory data are collected from 20 speakers speaking 460 English sentences. Experiments with 20 speakers indicate that the SC AAI model performs better than SD AAI model with an improvement of correlation coefficient by 0.036 (absolute) between the original and estimated articulatory movements.
Anechoic recordings of Italian opera played by orchestra, choir, and soloists
Authors: D'Orazio Dario
Published: February 2020

Auralisation-based research needs anechoic recordings. Where opera is concerned, anechoic material is limited to a few recordings. Using the approaches of previous recordings, the present work shows methods and results of a recording set focused on the Italian melodrama period. The chosen motifs come from scores of Donizetti, Verdi, and Puccini in order to consider the most performed composers and the peculiarities of their styles, which span from the early 19th century to the 20th century. Excerpts from three operas have been played by professional musicians and soloists with an array of twelve microphones in a damped room, which can be considered anechoic. The multi-track files of the recorded materials are freely available for academic purposes.
Early Return to Physical Activity After a Concussion: A Critically Appraised Topic
Authors: St Aubin Jessica , Volberding Jennifer , Duffy Jack
Published: February 2020

Clinical Question: How does early return to physical activity impact return-to-play recovery time in patients 5–30 years old after an acute concussion as compared to the current best practice of resting? Clinical Bottom Line: Based on the information gathered, there is moderate evidence to support the incorporation of light to moderate physical activity within 7 days after a concussion in order to decrease recovery time and symptoms.
Cryo-EM structures of undocked innexin-6 hemichannels in phospholipids
Authors: Burendei Batuujin , Shinozaki Ruriko , Watanabe Masakatsu , Terada Tohru , Tani Kazutoshi , Fujiyoshi Yoshinori , Oshima Atsunori
Published: February 2020

Cryo-EM structures of the undocked INX-6 hemichannels reveal a pore obstruction and N-terminal rearrangement in lipids.
Strong future increases in Arctic precipitation variability linked to poleward moisture transport
Authors: Bintanja R. , van der Wiel K. , van der Linden E. C. , Reusen J. , Bogerd L. , Krikken F. , Selten F. M.
Published: February 2020

Year-to-year fluctuations in Arctic precipitation will likely increase substantially in the (near) future.
Ultrasensitive and ultrathin phototransistors and photonic synapses using perovskite quantum dots grown from graphene lattice
Authors: Pradhan Basudev , Das Sonali , Li Jinxin , Chowdhury Farzana , Cherusseri Jayesh , Pandey Deepak , Dev Durjoy , Krishnaprasad Adithi , Barrios Elizabeth , Towers Andrew , Gesquiere Andre , Tetard Laurene , Roy Tania , Thomas Jayan
Published: February 2020

An extremely thin superstructure is developed for applications in phototransistors and neuromorphic computers.
On the glacial-interglacial variability of the Asian monsoon in speleothem δ
18
O records
Authors: Liu G. , Li X. , Chiang H.-W. , Cheng H. , Yuan S. , Chawchai S. , He S. , Lu Y. , Aung L. T. , Maung P. M. , Tun W. N. , Oo K. M. , Wang X.
Published: February 2020

Moisture transport pathway effect offsets glacial forcings, likely explaining a lack of G-IG variability in Chinese cave records.
Marked structural rearrangement of mannose 6-phosphate/IGF2 receptor at different pH environments
Authors: Wang Rong , Qi Xiaofeng , Schmiege Philip , Coutavas Elias , Li Xiaochun
Published: February 2020

Two cryo-EM structures of IGF2R at different pH values imply the mechanism for its ligand release in endocytic compartments.
A deep dive into the abyss
Authors: Jewitt David C.
Published: February 2020

The flyby of the Kuiper Belt object Arrokoth provides quick and tantalizing observations
Synergistic Activity of Clofazimine and Clarithromycin in an Aerosol Mouse Model of
Mycobacterium avium
Infection
Authors: Lanoix Jean-Philippe , Joseph Cédric , Peltier François , Castelain Sandrine , Andréjak Claire
Published: February 2020

Infections with nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) have a poor prognosis in patients with underlying respiratory diseases. Clofazimine (CFZ) showed both experimental and clinical promising results against clinically relevant NTM. However, there are no data on CFZ in combination with the current recommended treatment; therefore, we aimed to study its
in vivo
activity in an aerosol mouse model of
Mycobacterium avium
. In an aerosol infection BALB/c mouse model using
M. avium
strain Chester, we treated 58 mice with four combinations of rifampin (RIF) at 10 mg/kg, CFZ at 25 mg/kg, and clarithromycin (CLR) and ethambutol (EMB) at 100 mg/kg.
Novel Insights into the Classification of Staphylococcal β-Lactamases in Relation to the Cefazolin Inoculum Effect
Authors: Carvajal Lina P. , Rincon Sandra , Echeverri Aura M. , Porras Jessica , Rios Rafael , Ordoñez Karen M. , Seas Carlos , Gomez-Villegas Sara I. , Diaz Lorena , Arias Cesar A. , Reyes Jinnethe
Published: February 2020

Cefazolin has become a prominent therapy for methicillin-susceptible
Staphylococcus aureus
(MSSA) infections. However, an important concern is the cefazolin inoculum effect (CzIE), a phenomenon mediated by staphylococcal β-lactamases. Four variants of staphylococcal β-lactamases have been described based on serological methodologies and limited sequence information. Here, we sought to reassess the classification of staphylococcal β-lactamases and their correlation with the CzIE.
Development of a Novel and Rapid Antibody-Based Diagnostic for Chronic Staphylococcus aureus Infections Based on Biofilm Antigens
Authors: Harro Janette M. , Shirtliff Mark E. , Arnold William , Kofonow Jennifer M. , Dammling Chad , Achermann Yvonne , Brao Kristen , Parvizi Javad , Leid Jeff G.
Published: February 2020

Prosthetic joint infections are difficult to diagnose and treat due to biofilm formation by the causative pathogens. Pathogen identification relies on microbial culture that requires days to weeks, and in the case of chronic biofilm infections, lacks sensitivity. Diagnosis of infection is often delayed past the point of effective treatment such that only the removal of the implant is curative. Early diagnosis of an infection based on antibody detection might lead to less invasive, early interventions.
Community–clinic linkages: qualitative provider perspectives on partnering with community health representatives in Navajo Nation
Authors: Brown Christian , Lalla Amber , Curley Cameron , King Caroline , Muskett Olivia , Salt Shine , Ray Kathy , Begay Mae-Gilene , Nelson Adrianne Katrina , Shin Sonya
Published: February 2020

Objective

To understand providers’ opinions about the Community Outreach and Patient Empowerment (COPE) Project designed to strengthen Navajo Community Health Representative (CHR) outreach to individuals living with diabetes.

Design

This was a qualitative study nested within a larger evaluation of a programme intervention.

Setting

The study took place in Navajo Nation and evaluated a programme initiative designed to strengthen collaboration between CHRs and clinic-based healthcare providers and provide structured outreach to individuals living with diabetes in Navajo Nation. The CHR Programme is a formal community health worker programme that exists in most tribal healthcare systems across the USA.

Participants

Healthcare providers involved in the programme took part in one-on-one interviews.

Analysis

We used thematic analysis for this study. A team of three study staff used open-coding to create a codebook. Coded material were summarised and patterns were identified and tied into a narrative using concept mapping. The study design and instrument construction were guided by a Community Health Advisory Panel.

Results

A total of 13 interviews were completed. Providers acknowledged CHRs as an asset to the clinical team and were enthusiastic about the COPE coaching materials, mentioning they provided a consistent message to CHRs and the community. Providers that led COPE trainings with CHRs valued the face-to-face time and opportunity to build relationships. Providers (n=4) supported CHRs’ access to electronic health record to record patient visits and streamline referrals. Among their requests were having designated personnel to manage referrals with CHRs and a formal system to record modules CHRs have completed.

Conclusion

Providers participating in COPE activities valued the work of CHRs and endorsed further strengthening relationships and communication with CHRs. Healthcare programmes should consider systems changes to integrate community health workers into clinic-based teams.

Trial registration number

NCT03326206; Results.
Respect women, promote health and reduce stigma: ethical arguments for universal hepatitis C screening in pregnancy
Authors: Gross Marielle S , Ruth Alexandra R , Rasmussen Sonja A
Published: February 2020

In the USA, there are missed opportunities to diagnose hepatitis C virus (HCV) in pregnancy because screening is currently risk-stratified and thus primarily limited to individuals who disclose history of injection drug use or sexually transmitted infection risks. Over the past decade, the opioid epidemic has dramatically increased incidence of HCV and a feasible, well-tolerated cure was introduced. Considering these developments, recent evidence suggests universal HCV screening in pregnancy would be cost-effective and several professional organisations have called for updated national policy. Historically, universal screening has been financially disincentivised on the healthcare system level, particularly since new diagnoses may generate an obligation to provide expensive treatments to a population largely reliant on public health resources. Here, we provide ethical arguments supporting universal HCV screening in pregnancy grounded in obligations to respect for persons, beneficence and justice. First, universal prenatal HCV screening respects pregnant women as persons by promoting their long-term health outside of pregnancy. Additionally, universal screening would optimise health outcomes within current treatment guidelines and may support research on treatment during pregnancy. Finally, universal screening would avoid potential harms of risk-stratifying pregnant women by highly stigmatised substance use and sexual behaviours.
Design thinking in medical ethics education
Authors: Marcus David , Simone Amanda , Block Lauren
Published: February 2020

Background

Design thinking (DT) is a tool for generating and exploring ideas from multiple stakeholders. We used DT principles to introduce students to the ethical implications of organ transplantation. Students applied DT principles to propose solutions to maximise social justice in liver transplant allocation.

Methods

A 150 min interactive workshop was integrated into the longitudinal ethics curriculum. Following a group didactic on challenges of organ donation in the USA supplemented by patient stories, teams of students considered alternative solutions to optimise fairness of organ distribution and ethical implications of changing the current model. Facilitators led students through DT steps of empathy, defining the team’s point of view, ideating on potential solutions, prototyping a specific idea and testing the idea through oral presentation, with questions and answers by peers and faculty. The curriculum was evaluated with presurveys and postsurveys including quantitative and open-ended items.

Results

100 first year medical students participated. Before the session, 75.3% of students had no practical experience with DT. Following participation, students reported an increased understanding of the current liver transplant allocation system (p<0.01) and an increased appreciation of shortcomings of the current organ allocation system (p<0.01). After the session, 73.8% of students felt that DT could be used to approach complex health system problems.

Discussion

Students participating in a DT workshop displayed improved knowledge and attitudes toward organ transplantation and DT. In this pilot study, DT showed promise as a student-led approach emphasising collaboration and creativity in ethics curricula in medical education.
’Knowing everything and yet nothing about her’: medical students’ reflections on their experience of the dissection room
Authors: Kassam Christopher , Duschinsky Robbie , Brassett Cecilia , Barclay Stephen
Published: February 2020

Anatomy education by cadaveric dissection teaches medical students not only the formal curriculum in human anatomy, but also a ‘hidden curriculum’ whereby they learn the attitudes, identities and behaviours expected of doctors. While dissection has been investigated as a challenge to and training in emotional regulation, little attention has been paid hitherto to the forms of medical knowledge and identity which students encounter and develop in the dissection room. This study analyses a corpus of 119 tributes written by three consecutive cohorts of first-year medical students at a university to their cadaveric donors. We employ a Foucauldian discourse analysis methodology, seeking to elucidate the features of the subject position, the narrative ‘I’ or ‘we’ of the tributes, and the modes of knowledge which operate between that subject position and its object, the donor. We observe that students find themselves in a transitional state between personal and scientific modes of knowledge of the human, which correspond to different models of the subject position occupied by the student. While in many tributes these modes exist in an uneasy disjunction, others employ creative reflection to suggest new modes of knowledge and identity which may inform ethical practice.
Presence of pathogenic bacteria in faeces from dogs fed raw meat‐based diets or dry kibble
Authors: Runesvärd Ellinor , Wikström Camilla , Fernström Lise‐Lotte , Hansson Ingrid
Published: February 2020

Background

Feeding dogs with raw meat‐based diets (RMBD) has increased in popularity in recent years. Proponents claim that RMBD is more natural for dogs, because it is what their ancestors (wolves) eat. Opponents claim that RMBD is a health hazard to both humans and animals, with a risk of spreading zoonotic bacteria and resistant bacterial strains.

Methods

This cross‐sectional study investigated differences in bacteria shedding in faeces between dogs fed RMBD and dogs fed dry kibble. Faeces samples from 50 dogs from the same municipality were analysed for the presence of extended‐spectrum beta‐lactamases (ESBL)‐producing Escherichia coli, Campylobacter and Salmonella.

Results

For the 25 dogs fed RMBD, ESBL E coli was isolated from 13 faeces samples, Campylobacter from 12 and Salmonella from 1. For the 25 dogs fed dry kibble, ESBL‐producing E coli was isolated from one faeces sample and Campylobacter from four, while Salmonella was not detected.

Conclusion

There was thus a significant difference in excretion of zoonotic and resistant bacteria in faeces between dogs fed RMBD and dogs fed dry kibble. These results confirm that RMBD can pose a microbiological risk not only for dogs, but also for people handling RMBD and faeces from dogs.
Rearing and handling injuries in broiler chickens and risk factors for wing injuries during loading
Authors: Cockram Michael S. , Dulal Ketan Jung , Stryhn Henrik , Revie Crawford W.
Published: February 2020

Some injuries to broilers occur during rearing, but most injuries occur during handling before slaughter. Records provided by a processing plant for loads transported over a 19 mo period during 2009 and 2010 were examined. The median percentage of wing injuries per load was 5.7%, whereas injuries to the legs, breast, or shoulders were all less than 1% per load. Risk factors for wing injuries were examined by considering the data from each load by handling event (i.e., loads originating from the same producer on the same date). A multilevel model with three levels, producer (n = 86), handling event (n = 1694), and load (n = 4219), was fitted. The final model included weight, sex, season, catching team, time of day at which loading began, speed of loading, and an interaction between speed of loading and time of day. Factors that reduced the risk of wing injuries were loading lighter birds, loads containing only cockerels, and loading in the fall. The predicted percentage of wing injuries was relatively constant for slower loading speeds, but it was increased significantly when faster loading speeds were adopted during daytime (0700–1700). Identification of these risk factors can be used to adjust loading practices.
A rational bubble screen design approach for mitigation of underwater explosion near waterborne infrastructure
Authors: Bryson L. Sebastian , Smith Paul R. , Mahboub Kamyar C.
Published: February 2020

Underwater explosions pose a significant threat to waterborne infrastructure. The potential for damage to nearby infrastructure is dependent on parameters such as the peak incident pressure, energy flux density, radial standoff distance, and dynamic material strength and structural response. Bubble screens have been shown to be an effective means to attenuate specific shock wave characteristics such as the peak incident pressure and energy flux density to safe levels. This paper presents a comprehensive, rational design approach for protecting waterborne infrastructure using bubble screens. The paper presents an improved methodology to predict peak incident pressure and energy flux density produced by shock waves, which includes depth effects. In addition, the damage potential to various structural materials is established based on the equivalent dynamic loads and dynamic material strength. The results are compiled to form a step-by-step procedure for the design and implementation of a bubble screen system.
A note on rigidity of spacelike self-shrinkers
Authors: Luo Yong , Qiu Hongbing
Published: February 2020

By using the integral method, we prove a rigidity theorem for spacelike self-shrinkers in pseudo-Euclidean space under a minor growth condition in terms of the mean curvature and the second fundamental form, which generalizes Theorem 1.1 in [H. Q. Liu and Y. L. Xin, Some Results on Space-Like Self-Shrinkers, Acta Math. Sin. (Engl. Ser.) 32(1) (2016) 69–82].
A −4–4 V Input Common-Mode Range Bidirectional Current Shunt Monitor
Authors: Huang S. , Liu Peijun , Duan Quanzhen , Ding Yuemin , Meng Zhen
Published: February 2020

This study describes a novel bidirectional current shunt monitor (CSM) circuit operating at both positive and negative common-mode (CM) voltages. The proposed CSM circuit mainly consists of two comparators, three error amplifiers, several current-mirror transistors and a few resistors. One comparator is used to detect current flowing direction, and the other one is utilized to ensure good operation of CSM circuit with both positive and negative CM voltages. The proposed CSM circuit has been implemented in SMIC 0.18[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m standard CMOS process and its performances have been verified by simulations. The simulated results show that the proposed CSM circuit, at a supply voltage of 5[Formula: see text]V and with an input CM voltage range from [Formula: see text] to 4[Formula: see text]V, can sense a voltage difference of 4–40[Formula: see text]mV and keep a constant scaled gain of 100[Formula: see text]V/V. The gain error is less than 0.65% and the common-mode rejection ratio (CMRR) is higher than 130[Formula: see text]dB at 1[Formula: see text]kHz. Simulation results show that the output voltage of CSM circuit varies linearly with the CSM input sense voltage.
Edge Detection Based on Fuzzy Logic and Hybrid Types of Shannon Entropy
Authors: Moussa Mourad , El Ouni Hazar , Douik Ali
Published: February 2020

Edge is basically the symbol and reflection of partial image discreteness. It is one of the most commonly used operations in image processing and pattern recognition, it contains a wealth of internal information leading to strong interpretation of image. Resisting against noise, illumination and extracting appropriate features from an image is a great challenge in many computer vision applications. Indeed this topic participates to reduce the handled information and focuses on those related to existing objects. Efficient and accurate edge detection will lead to increase in the performance of many computer vision applications, including image segmentation, object-based image coding and image retrieval. Contour detection contributes to locate pixel sets which correspond to sudden intensities variation, these unstable properties of the given image commonly suggest to important events on going in the scene. In this paper, we present in the first time a novel and robust method for edge detection based on joint and conditional entropy when we highlight a Shannon theory, the second part of this paper is dedicated to decision making of edge pixels membership by intelligent method based on fuzzy logic tool.
NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF DILATION PATTERNS OF THE ASCENDING AORTA IN AORTOPATHIES
Authors: OLIVEIRA DIANA C. , LARANJO SÉRGIO , TIAGO JORGE , PINTO FÁTIMA F. , SEQUEIRA ADÉLIA
Published: February 2020

Aortic dilation is associated with congenital bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) disease, and its etiology is still not completely understood. The aim of this study is to provide further insight into aortic hemodynamics in a BAV population with different degrees of aortic dilation and regurgitation in comparison with a patient without pathology. A fluid–structure interaction (FSI) numerical approach is implemented regarding patient-specific geometries, where the aortic valves are defined by analytical orifices. Results show that, while the patient without pathology displays a typical hemodynamic behavior of flows in bends, BAV-related aortas present an accelerated flow along the outer aortic wall. Wall shear stress (WSS) overload in the outer curvature is observed, more marked in more dilated aortas. Moreover, helices in the ascending aorta are present in these patients, enhanced with greater dilation. These findings support the fact that hemodynamic factors play an important role in aortic dilation onset and development in BAV patients, caused by a prolonged exposure of the outer ascending aortic curvature to altered WSS. Besides, our results suggest that greater aortic regurgitation may be associated with abnormal WSS distributions in the ascending aorta during diastole, which can facilitate aortic root dilation.
Evolution of quantum coherence induced by band gaps and initial-state preparation measurements
Authors: Giraldi Filippo
Published: February 2020

The evolution of quantum coherence in a qubit is analyzed, over short and long times, in case the qubit interacts with a bosonic environment. The distribution of the frequency modes exhibits a low-frequency band gap. The initial conditions under study of the qubit and the bosonic environment are factorized or prepared with selective or nonselective measurements. The modulus of the coherence term of the reduced density matrix of the qubit evolves algebraically over short times and, due to the band gap, tends to the nonvanishing asymptotic value with damped oscillations. Depending on the measurement scheme, the nonselective preparation measurement can enhance quantum coherence or accelerate the decoherence process, over short times, according to dominant linear laws. Over long times, the nonselective preparation measurement produces the slowest-decaying envelope of the damped oscillations among the decoherence processes under study. Similar short- and long-time evolution is exhibited by the trace distance measure of two general states of the qubit.
Single-Cell Entropy to Quantify the Cellular Order Parameter from Single-Cell RNA-Seq Data
Authors: Liu Jingxin , Song You , Lei Jinzhi
Published: February 2020

The cell is the basic functional and biological unit of life, and a complex system that contains a huge number of molecular components. How can we quantify the macroscopic state of a cell from the microscopic information of these molecular components? This is a fundamental question to increase the understanding of the human body. The recent maturation of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) technologies has allowed researchers to gain information on the transcriptomes of individual cells. Although considerable progress has been made in terms of cell-type clustering over the past few years, there is no strong consensus about how to define a cell state from scRNA-seq data. Here, we present single-cell entropy (scEntropy) as an order parameter for cellular transcriptome profiles from scRNA-seq data. scEntropy is a straightforward parameter with which to define the intrinsic transcriptional state of a cell that can provide a quantity to measure the developmental process and to distinguish different cell types. The proposed scEntropy followed by Gaussian mixture model (scEGMM) provides a coherent method of cell-type classification that is simple, includes no parameters or clustering and is comparable to existing machine learning-based methods in benchmarking studies. The results of cell-type classification based on scEGMM are robust and easy to biologically interpret.
Modeling and simulation of twin-tube hydraulic shock absorber thermodynamic characteristics and sensitivity analysis of its influencing factors
Authors: Yu Yuewei , Zhao Leilei , Zhou Changcheng , Yang Lin
Published: February 2020

In order to find out the sensitivity of the thermophysical and structural parameters to the thermodynamic characteristics of twin-tube hydraulic shock absorbers, based on the bench test, a method for calculating the time-varying rate of the external work on the shock absorber oil is proposed. And then, a thermodynamic model of the twin-tube hydraulic shock absorber is established by using the basic thermodynamic principles. By analyzing the influence of each parameter on the thermodynamic characteristics of the shock absorber, it can be seen that, the radius of the working cylinder outer wall has the greatest influence on the temperature rise of the shock absorber, followed by the thermal conductivity of the oil, the height of the oil, the heat transfer length of the cylinder barrel, the radius of the oil storage cylinder outer wall, the emissivity of the oil storage cylinder outer wall, the height of the nitrogen, the thermal conductivity of the nitrogen, the specific heat capacity of the oil, the density of the oil, the thermal conductivity of the cylinder, and the mass of the working oil. The kinematic viscosity of the oil has the least influence on the temperature rise of the shock absorber. The research can provide an effective theoretical guidance and reference for the design of the twin-tube hydraulic shock absorber.
Installing Islamic banking windows in conventional bank: Effects on performance
Authors: Chenguel Mohamed Bechir , Derbali Abdelkader , Jouiro Meriem
Published: February 2020

Islamic finance products have become very common in financial transactions, and thus offer new business opportunities. The objective of our study was to investigate the effect of distributing Islamic banking products on the financial performance of commercial banks, over a period of seven years (2010–2017). We use a Correlation analysis to carry out the strength of the relationship between our dependent variable: bank performance variable: return on assets, and independent variables which are Islamic products. Studying the variables collected, we found evidence that there was a significant positive relationship between bank performance: return on asset and Murabaha, Mudaraba, although Ijara had a positive relationship with return on assets but not significant. We notice that all the available Islamic products in commercial banks used, had a positive significant relation with the exclusion of Ijara which had positive insignificant relationship. This implies that an increase in using Islamic banking products in commercial banks will lead to increase in conventional Banks performance.
Markov modulated jump-diffusions for currency options when regime switching risk is priced
Authors: Liu David
Published: February 2020

In the current literature, regime-switching risk is NOT priced in the Markov-modulated jump-diffusion models for currency options. We therefore develop a hidden Markov-modulated jump-diffusion model under the regime-switching economy where the regime-switching risk is priced. In the model, the dynamics of the spot foreign exchange rate captures both the rare events and the time-inhomogeneity in the fluctuating currency market. In particular, the rare events are described by a compound Poisson process with log-normal jump amplitude, and the time-varying rates are formulated by a continuous-time finite-state Markov chain. Unlike previous research, the proposed model can price regime-switching risk, in addition to diffusion risk and jump risk, based on the Esscher transform conditional on a single initial regime of economy. Numerical experiments are conducted and their results reveal that the impact of pricing regime-switching risk on the currency option prices does not seem significant in contradictory to the findings made by Siu and Yang [Siu, TK and H Yang (2009). Option Pricing When The Regime-Switching Risk is priced. Acta Mathematicae Applicatae Sinica, English Series, Vol. 25, No. 3, pp. 369–388].
"Revisiting information retrieval tasks with user behavior models" by Yiqun Liu and Jiaxin Mao with Martin Vesely as coordinator
Authors: Liu Yiqun , Mao Jiaxin
Published: February 2020

Analyzing and modeling user behavior in the Information Retrieval (IR) process is important for IR research. In this paper, we propose a new research schema in IR research. In this schema, we first investigate humans' cognitive process when completing a specific IR task and build cognitive models for that task. The findings in the investigation and the proposed cognitive models are then utilized to improve machines' performance in the IR task. Through this research schema, we revisit three IR tasks. In the first study, we carefully analyze users' clicking behavior in mobile search and propose a mobile click model to extract relevance feedback from the mobile search logs. In the second study, we conduct an eye-tracking study to investigate how human assessors read a document during relevance judgment task and adopt the findings in building a novel retrieval model that can better approximate humans' relevance judgment. In the last study, we conduct another eye-tracking study to investigate humans' reading behavior when completing the reading comprehension task. We build a prediction model for user attention and leverage the predicted attention signals to improve the machine reading comprehension model. By successfully adopting this research schema to three different IR tasks, we demonstrate its effectiveness and generalizability.
"Exploratory search: user behaviour and search engine adaptation" by Alan Medlar and Dorota Głowacka with Martin Vesely as coordinator
Authors: Medlar Alan , Głowacka Dorota
Published: February 2020

Exploratory searches are open-ended search tasks where users are learning, investigating or otherwise trying to acquire new knowledge. Exploratory search encapsulates many common search activities, such as conducting a scientific literature review or planning a vacation. However, few information retrieval systems are capable of distinguishing exploratory search from traditional lookup search and, therefore, cannot provide adaptive support for both scenarios. In this article, we briefly outline the behavioural differences between users performing exploratory search and lookup search, and describe how search engines can use this information to transparently tailor search results to support both types of search task.
Upcoming SIGWEB supported conferences
Authors: Samuel Hamman
Published: February 2020

The Special Interest Group on Hypertext and the Web, SIGWEB was created in 1989 to support the community participating in the annual ACM Hypertext Conference. Now in its third decade, SIGWEB has grown considerably and now sponsors seven annual conferences of different sizes and covering a wide range of topics. SIGWEB supports several specialized conferences, short courses, and workshops, as well as the Annual Hypertext Conference. SIGWEB sponsored conferences focus on timely topics in applied and computational hypertext and Web disciplines and provide a place for members and the entire applied Hypermedia and Web community to exchange ideas and to meet with and expand their network of colleagues. In this article, we provide a brief overview of SIGWEB sponsored conferences, in addition to events that are in cooperation with SIGWEB.
Edge computing societal privacy and security issues
Authors: Guynes Stephen , Parrish James , Vedder Richard
Published: February 2020

Edge computing involves pushing data storage, processing and analyzing to the edges of a network. It allows for actions to be taken at the point of processing. Edge computing is forcing change, and impacting society with its privacy and security issues, due to the way information is sent, is stored, and in the way, people react to the changes. This is due to the fact that data can be analyzed and reported in real time, so its outcomes are immediately actionable.