bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Inauthentic Devotion to the Eucharist in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus
Authors: Amaefule Adolphus Ekedimma
Published: March 2020

Catholics normally approach the Eucharist with great love and devotion. The paper looks at how, through the character, Papa, the reality of this love and devotion to the Eucharist is captured by the Nigerian writer, Chimamanda Adichie, in her novel, Purple Hibiscus. The novel reveals that while Papa, in various ways, shows great love and devotion to Christ in the Eucharist, his devotion remains inauthentic: it does not lead him to a love of this same Christ in his neighbour. The work, therefore, underscores not only the nexus between theology and creative literature, but also, in a special way, the social implications of the Eucharist.
Expression of retinoid receptors in hand eczema
Authors: Nada Hanan Rabea , Rashed Laila Ahmed , Elantably Dina Mahmoud Mustafa , El Sharkawy Dina Ahmed
Published: March 2020

Background

Hand eczema is the most common occupational skin disease. The etiology is multifactorial. Systemic alitretinoin, a pan‐retinoic receptor agonist, has proven efficacy in the treatment of recalcitrant chronic hand eczema; however, its precise mechanism of action in hand eczema is not fully understood.

Aims

Assessment of the level of expression of retinoid receptors (RAR and RXR) in the skin of patients with hand eczema in an attempt to explain their possible role in the pathogenesis of the disease.

Methods

Thirty patients with hand eczema and 30 age‐ and sex‐matched healthy controls were included. Full clinical examination was done, and tissue levels of retinoic acid receptor (RAR) and retinoid x receptor (RXR) were measured by quantitative real‐time PCR (qRT‐PCR).

Results

The levels of RAR and RXR expression were significantly downregulated in the patient group compared to the control group; (P < 0.001) for both. In addition, there was a statistically significant negative correlation between Osnabrück Hand Eczema Severity Index (OHSI) and the levels of RAR and RXR expression (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Deficient retinoid receptor expression has a primary role in the pathogenesis, clinical phenotype, and severity of hand eczema and sheds light on the mechanism of action of retinoids in the treatment of chronic hand eczema.
Paediatric clinical and social concerns identified by home visit nurses in the immediate postdischarge period
Authors: Tubbs‐Cooley Heather L. , Riddle Sarah W. , Gold Jennifer M. , Wade‐Murphy Susan , Auger Katherine A. , Statile Angela M. , Sucharew Heidi S. , Shah Samir S. , Simmons Jeffrey M. , Pickler Rita H. ,   H2O Study Group
Published: March 2020

Aim

To describe paediatric postdischarge concerns manifesting in the first 96 hr after hospital discharge.

Design

Analysis of nursing documentation generated as part of a randomized controlled trial evaluating the effect of a nurse home visit on healthcare re‐use.

Methods

We analysed home visit records of 651 children (age <18) hospitalized at a large Midwestern children's hospital in 2015 and 2016 who were enrolled in the trial. Registered nurses documented concerns in structured fields and free‐text notes in visit records. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize visit documentation. Free‐text visit notes were reviewed and exemplars illustrative of quantitative findings were selected.

Results

Overall, nurses documented at least one concern in 56% (N = 367) of visits. Most commonly, they documented concerns about medication safety (15% or 91 visits). Specifically, in 11% (N = 58) of visits nurses were concerned that caregivers lacked a full understanding of medications and in 8% (N = 49) of visits families did not have prescribed discharge medications. Pain was documented as present in 9% of all visits (N = 56). Nurses completed referrals to other providers/services in 12% of visits (N = 78), most frequently to primary care providers. In 13% of visits (N = 85) nurses documented concerns considered beyond the immediate scope of the visit related to social needs such as housing and transportation.

Conclusion

Inpatient and community nurses and physicians should be prepared to reconcile and manage discharge medications, assess families’ medication administration practices and anticipate social needs after paediatric discharge.

Impact

Little empirical data are available describing concerns manifesting immediately after paediatric hospital discharge.

Concerns about medication safety were most frequent followed by concerns related to housing and general safety.

The results are important for clinicians preparing children and families for discharge and for community clinicians caring for discharged children.
Prognostic impact of concurrent nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in patients with chronic hepatitis B‐related hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Yoon Jun Sik , Lee Hyo Young , Chung Sung Won , Kim Sun Woong , Chang Young , Lee Yun Bin , Cho Eun Ju , Lee Jeong‐Hoon , Yu Su Jong , Kim Haeryoung , Yoon Jung‐Hwan , Kim Yoon Jun
Published: March 2020

Background and Aim

As the prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is increasing globally, patients with both NAFLD and chronic hepatitis B (CHB)‐related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is also frequently found. This study aimed to investigate the clinical impact of concurrent NAFLD on the prognosis of patients with CHB‐related HCC.

Methods

Patients with CHB‐related HCC who underwent surgical resection were consecutively selected from August 2009 to December 2013. The association between histologically proven concurrent NAFLD and clinical outcomes were analyzed. Propensity score (PS) matching was adapted to adjust for baseline characteristics. We also investigated the presence of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) among patients with NAFLD and its association with clinical outcomes.

Results

Among 338 CHB‐related HCC patients selected, 196 patients (58.0%) were diagnosed with concurrent NAFLD. The median follow‐up duration was 74.9 months. The patients with NAFLD tended to have better recurrence‐free survival (RFS; log‐rank, P = 0.16) and had significantly better overall survival (OS; log‐rank, P = 0.004) than those without NAFLD. However, the survival benefit of the concurrent NAFLD was not significant in a multivariable Cox analysis (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.94; 95% confidence interval, 0.51–1.73, P = 0.84) or an analysis after PS matching (log‐rank, P = 0.57). Regarding the presence or absence of NASH, no differences in the RFS (log‐rank, P = 0.61) and OS (log‐rank, P = 0.26) were found.

Conclusions

Concurrent NAFLD was not associated with both RFS and OS in patients with CHB‐related HCC after adjusting for baseline characteristics. Moreover, NAFLD patients with NASH did not have significantly different clinical outcomes compared with NAFLD patients without NASH.
Using clinical quality databases to monitor the quality of fundamental care: Example with weight status after severe traumatic brain injury
Authors: Odgaard Lene , Aadal Lena , Eskildsen Marianne , Poulsen Ingrid
Published: March 2020

Aims and objectives

To determine weight status and risk of overweight up to 1 year after severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) as basis for defining nursing‐sensitive indicators of fundamental nutritional nursing care in a clinical quality database.

Background

Patients' nutritional needs are recognised as fundamental care during hospitalisation, but less attention has been given to nutritional status after discharge.

Design

Nationwide cohort study. The STROBE checklist was used to ensure reporting quality.

Methods

Data were retrieved from the Danish Head Trauma Database, a clinical quality database aiming at improving the quality of neurorehabilitation. Individuals aged ≥ 15 years with severe TBI 2011–2015 (N = 424) were included. Normal weight, underweight and overweight were described according to the body mass index (BMI) at admission to subacute rehabilitation, at discharge and at 1 year postinjury. The probability of transition between weight groups from admission to 1 year postinjury was calculated. Multivariable binominal regression analyses compared risk of overweight between age groups.

Results

The prevalence of underweight decreased from 13% at admission to 6% and 3% at discharge and 1 year postinjury, respectively. The prevalence of overweight was stable at 26%–27% at admission and discharge and increased to 44% at 1 year postinjury. Of the individuals not overweight at admission, 28% became overweight by 1 year postinjury. Overweight was significantly more prevalent in older compared to younger individuals. The risk of becoming overweight among those not overweight at admission did not differ between age groups.

Conclusion

Underweight individuals achieved normal weight during inpatient rehabilitation. By 1 year postinjury, individuals were increasingly overweight.

Relevance to clinical practice

Weight status has potential as nursing‐sensitive indicators that may be included in clinical quality databases to inform the organisational and policy level on the state of fundamental nutritional nursing care. The inclusion emphasise requested responsibilities of nursing care. This facilitates health economic attention and influences nursing professional execution.
White and Gray Matter Abnormalities in Manifest Huntington's Disease: Cross‐Sectional and Longitudinal Analysis
Authors: Sweidan Wafaa , Bao Fen , Bozorgzad Navid‐Seraji , George Edwin
Published: March 2020

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Early white matter (WM) changes and cortical atrophy in Huntington's disease (HD) are often evident before disease onset and extend through the brain during manifest stages. The trajectory of these brain abnormalities in symptomatic stages remains relatively unexplored. The aim of this study is to investigate how the pattern of WM and gray matter (GM) alterations progress over time.

METHODS

We investigated alterations in brain WM, cortical thickness, and subcortical structures using diffusion and structural magnetic resonance imaging, in manifest HD patients (n = 13) compared to age‐matched healthy controls (n = 11). Imaging and clinical data for the HD group were collected at follow‐up (7 months) to explore possible longitudinal changes.

RESULTS

Cross‐sectional analyses identified significant posterior cortical thinning (P < .05) and symmetric fractional anisotropy (FA) reduction (P < .01) in brain WM of HD group compared to HC. These changes were strongly correlated with impairment in motor symptoms and processing speed. Subcortical atrophy was significant in caudate, putamen, globus pallidus, and thalamus (P < .001). Regions of interest analysis revealed a significant reduction in FA of the corpus callosum (CC) (–2.19%, P < .05) upon follow‐up, whereas no significant cortical thinning and subcortical atrophy was found.

CONCLUSIONS

This study showed broad GM and WM abnormalities in manifest HD patients. Reductions in FA and cortical thinning correlated significantly with the disturbances of motor and cognitive processing that describe HD. Follow‐up assessment showed that the CC is compromised in the absence of detectable GM changes or motor decline, suggesting it plays an important role in disease progression.
Effects of Temperature and Nutrient Supply on Resource Allocation, Photosynthetic Strategy, and Metabolic Rates of Synechococcus sp.
Authors: Fernández‐González Cristina , Pérez‐Lorenzo María , Pratt Nicola , Moore C. Mark , Bibby Thomas S. , Marañón Emilio
Published: March 2020

Temperature and nutrient supply are key factors that control phytoplankton ecophysiology, but their role is commonly investigated in isolation. Their combined effect on resource allocation, photosynthetic strategy, and metabolism remains poorly understood. To characterize the photosynthetic strategy and resource allocation under different conditions, we analyzed the responses of a marine cyanobacterium (Synechococcus PCC 7002) to multiple combinations of temperature and nutrient supply. We measured the abundance of proteins involved in the dark (RuBisCO, rbcL) and light (Photosystem II, psbA) photosynthetic reactions, the content of chlorophyll a, carbon and nitrogen, and the rates of photosynthesis, respiration, and growth. We found that rbcL and psbA abundance increased with nutrient supply, whereas a temperature‐induced increase in psbA occurred only in nutrient‐replete treatments. Low temperature and abundant nutrients caused increased RuBisCO abundance, a pattern we observed also in natural phytoplankton assemblages across a wide latitudinal range. Photosynthesis and respiration increased with temperature only under nutrient‐sufficient conditions. These results suggest that nutrient supply exerts a stronger effect than temperature upon both photosynthetic protein abundance and metabolic rates in Synechococcus sp. and that the temperature effect on photosynthetic physiology and metabolism is nutrient dependent. The preferential resource allocation into the light instead of the dark reactions of photosynthesis as temperature rises is likely related to the different temperature dependence of dark‐reaction enzymatic rates versus photochemistry. These findings contribute to our understanding of the strategies for photosynthetic energy allocation in phytoplankton inhabiting contrasting environments.
The content of school textbooks in (nation) states and “stateless autonomies”: A comparison of Turkey and the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (Rojava)
Authors: Dinç Pinar
Published: March 2020

Highlighting the modernity of state institutions, Hobsbawm defines the nation as a modern territorial state (the nation‐state) and argues that nation and nationality cannot be discussed unless they refer to the nation‐state. Hobsbawm's conception of nations and nationality in the context of the nation‐state warrants readdress by comparing Westphalian models of states with subjects that do not attempt a territorial model but arguably still invest in the nation and a sense of nationality. This article compares the discourses of building nations and national identities fostered in the content of school textbooks in the Republic of Turkey—a modern, territorial nation‐state—and the Autonomous Administration of North and East of Syria (hereafter Rojava)—an alternative state system model established in the power vacuum proceeding Bashar al‐Assad regime withdrawal from expansive territory in northern Syria. In doing so, the article revisits the existing literature on the correlation between the content and political associations of school textbooks through a comparative analysis of primary school course materials in Turkey and Rojava, neighbouring and conflicting political entities that occupy contrasting domains of statehood and military capacity.
Floral scent evolution in the sectionPseudophrys: pollinator‐mediated selection or phylogenetic constraints?
Authors: Joffard N. , Arnal V. , Buatois B. , Schatz B. , Montgelard C.
Published: March 2020

Sexually deceptive orchid species from the Mediterranean genusOphrysusually interact with one or a few pollinator species by means of specific floral scents. In this study, we investigated the respective role of pollinator‐mediated selection and phylogenetic constraints in the evolution of floral scents in the sectionPseudophrys.

We built a phylogenetic tree of 19Pseudophrysspecies based on three nuclear loci; we gathered a dataset on their pollination interactions from the literature and from our own field data; and we extracted and analysed their floral scents using solid phase microextraction and gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry. We then quantified the phylogenetic signal carried by floral scents and investigated the link between plant–pollinator interactions and floral scent composition using phylogenetic comparative methods.

We confirmed the monophyly of the sectionPseudophrysand demonstrated the existence of three main clades within this section. We found that floral scent composition is affected by both phylogenetic relationships amongOphrysspecies and pollination interactions, with some compounds (especially fatty acid esters) carrying a significant phylogenetic signal and some (especially alkenes and alkadienes) generating dissimilarities between closely relatedPseudophryspollinated by different insects.

Our results show that in the sectionPseudophrys, floral scents are shaped both by pollinator‐mediated selection and by phylogenetic constraints, but that the relative importance of these two evolutionary forces differ among compound classes, probably reflecting distinct selective pressures imposed upon behaviourally active and non‐active compounds.
Total integrals of Ablowitz‐Segur solutions for the inhomogeneous Painlevé II equation
Authors: Kokocki Piotr
Published: March 2020

In this paper, we establish a formula determining the value of the Cauchy principal value integrals of the real and purely imaginary Ablowitz‐Segur solutions for the inhomogeneous second Painlevé equation. Our approach relies on the analysis of the corresponding Riemann‐Hilbert problem and the construction of an appropriate parametrix in a neighborhood of the origin. Obtained integral formulas are consistent with already known analogous results for the Ablowitz‐Segur solutions of the homogeneous Painlevé II equation.
Consumer foresight, customer data, and investment in targeting technology
Authors: Baye Irina , Sapi Geza
Published: March 2020

We analyze competing firms’ incentives to adopt a technology that allows making refined targeted offers to returning customers. Consumer foresight is crucial for firms’ decisions. Although our setup is symmetric, when consumers are myopic, the unique equilibrium is asymmetric in firms’ technology adoption decisions. Contrary to conventional wisdom, consumers may be better off being myopic than sophisticated. Light privacy policy may benefit consumers if it reduces the costs of handling customer data and avoids strict obligations on firms to inform consumers about data use, which would erode investment incentives into targeting technology.
Value‐based issues and policy change: Medical assistance in dying in four narratives
Authors: Burlone Nathalie
Published: March 2020

In 2014, Québec became the first province in Canada to allow medical assistance in dying (MAID) by adopting the Act Respecting End‐of‐Life Care. This was, and still is, an important policy change. It involves a singular and highly moral issue that generated debates spanning over a longer period than that specific to the law's development and adoption. Using French and English newspapers' renderings of these debates in Québec between 2005 and 2015, this study deconstructs MAID's journey in the province into four periods, each characterized by a specific narrative: flexible precaution, legal hypocrisy, accountability imperative, and ineluctable adaptation. These four narratives allow us to better understand MAID's framing process as they reveal the underlying rationales of three overarching frames covering the 2005–2015 period: the legal frame, the social progress frame, and the service provision frame.
Tracing the Networks of Past Societies in Palaeoenvironmental Research
Authors: Hall Tegan , Penny Dan
Published: March 2020

Historical societies reshaped their environment in various ways; by clearing forest, cultivating crops, mining, and modifying waterways. Evidence of these activities persists in palaeoenvironmental archives, which represent comprehensive histories of human activity in a landscape. Analysis of settlement networks across landscapes is another common approach to investigating how past societies operated, but these analyses rarely incorporate palaeoenvironmental data. Here, we combine these two data sources to examine past socio‐political relationships in a society that experienced disruption and transformation. Applying network analysis, and using settlement histories built from palaeoenvironmental proxies for occupation and land use, this paper reconstructs population dynamics at several key nodes (cities) within the Khmer kingdom of Southeast Asia, before and after the climate stress and political upheaval of the 14th–15th centuriesce. Our results reveal how the Khmer city network transformed across space and the nature of the relationships that existed within the network prior to its disruption.
Infants’ Goal Prediction for Simple Action Events: The Role of Experience and Agency Cues
Authors: Elsner Birgit , Adam Maurits
Published: March 2020

Looking times and gaze behavior indicate that infants can predict the goal state of an observed simple action event (e.g., object‐directed grasping) already in the first year of life. The present paper mainly focuses on infants’ predictive gaze‐shifts toward the goal of an ongoing action. For this, infants need to generate a forward model of the to‐be‐obtained goal state and to disengage their gaze from the moving agent at a time when information about the action event is still incomplete. By about 6 months of age, infants show goal‐predictive gaze‐shifts, but mainly for familiar actions that they can perform themselves (e.g., grasping) and for familiar agents (e.g., a human hand). Therefore, some theoretical models have highlighted close relations between infants’ ability for action‐goal prediction and their motor development and/or emerging action experience. Recent research indicates that infants can also predict action goals of familiar simple actions performed by non‐human agents (e.g., object‐directed grasping by a mechanical claw) when these agents display agency cues, such as self‐propelled movement, equifinality of goal approach, or production of a salient action effect. This paper provides a review on relevant findings and theoretical models, and proposes that the impacts of action experience and of agency cues can be explained from an action‐event perspective. In particular, infants’ goal‐predictive gaze‐shifts are seen as resulting from an interplay between bottom‐up processing of perceptual information and top‐down influences exerted by event schemata that store information about previously executed or observed actions.
The phylogeny of Nereididae (Annelida) based on mitochondrial genomes
Authors: Alves Paulo Ricardo , Halanych Kenneth M. , Santos Cinthya Simone Gomes
Published: March 2020

Nereididae comprises a diverse group of marine worms and is one of the most studied families in Annelida. However, phylogenetic relationships within the group are still poorly understood. Previous studies, based on morphological data, have disagreed on the membership of recognized subfamilies and, current taxonomy lacks sufficient phylogenetic underpinning. This study uses complete mitochondrial genome and transcriptome data to evaluate relationships within Nereididae and test currently employed subfamilies. Ancestral state reconstructions were performed to evaluate if morphological traits found in the pharynx, that is papillae and paragnaths, correspond with phylogenetic relationships based on mitochondrial data. Our results suggest that Nereidinae and Gymnonereidinae, as currently recognized, are not monophyletic groups. In general, molecular results suggest that morphological features used in nereidid taxonomy need re‐evaluation as they may be more evolutionary plastic than recognized. Ancestral state reconstruction suggests that papillae and paragnaths may have evolved early in the family and their presence, as currently employed in taxonomy, does not allow accurate diagnose of groups within Nereididae. In contrast, unique mitochondrial gene order defines at least one higher‐level clade within Nereididae.
Deep‐sea squat lobster biogeography (Munidopsidae: Leiogalathea) unveils Tethyan vicariance and evolutionary patterns shared by shallow‐water relatives
Authors: Rodríguez‐Flores Paula C. , Buckley David , Macpherson Enrique , Corbari Laure , Machordom Annie
Published: March 2020

The ecology, abundance and diversity of galatheoid squat lobsters make them an ideal group to study deep‐sea diversification processes. Here, we reconstructed the evolutionary and biogeographic history of Leiogalathea, a genus of circum‐tropical deep‐sea squat lobsters, in order to compare patterns and processes that have affected shallow‐water and deep‐sea squat lobster species. We first built a multilocus phylogeny and a calibrated species tree with a relaxed clock using StarBEAST2 to reconstruct evolutionary relationships and divergence times among Leiogalathea species. We used BioGeoBEARS and a DEC model, implemented in RevBayes, to reconstruct ancestral distribution ranges and the biogeographic history of the genus. Our results showed that Leiogalathea is monophyletic and comprises four main lineages; morphological homogeneity is common within and between clades, except in one; the reconstructed ancestral range of the genus is in the Atlantic and Indian oceans (Tethys). They also revealed the divergence of the Atlantic species around 25 million years ago (Ma), intense cladogenesis 15–25 Ma and low levels of speciation over the last 5 million years (Myr). The four Leiogalathea lineages showed similar patterns of speciation: allopatric speciation followed by range expansion and subsequent stasis. Leiogalathea started diversifying during the Oligocene, likely in the Tethyan. The Atlantic lineage then split from its Indo‐Pacific sister group due to vicariance driven by closure of the Tethys Seaway. The Atlantic lineage is less speciose compared with the Indo‐Pacific lineages, with the Tropical Southwestern Pacific being the current centre of diversity. Leiogalathea diversification coincided with cladogenetic peaks in shallow‐water genera, indicating that historical biogeographic events similarly shaped the diversification and distribution of both deep‐sea and shallow‐water squat lobsters.
Fast responses to stepping‐target displacements when walking
Authors: Zhang Yajie , Smeets Jeroen B. J. , Brenner Eli , Verschueren Sabine , Duysens Jacques
Published: March 2020

Key points

Goal‐directed arm movements can be adjusted at short latency to target shifts.

We tested whether similar adjustments are present during walking on a treadmill with shifting stepping targets.

Participants responded at short latency with an adequate gain to small shifts of the stepping targets.

Movements of the feet during walking are controlled in a similar way to goal‐directed arm movements if balance is not violated.

It is well‐known that goal‐directed hand movements can be adjusted to small changes in target location with a latency of about 100 ms. We tested whether people make similar fast adjustments when a target location for foot placement changes slightly as they walk over a flat surface. Participants walked at 3 km/h on a treadmill on which stepping stones were projected. The stones were 50 cm apart in the walking direction. Every 5–8 steps, a stepping stone was unexpectedly displaced by 2.5 cm in the medio‐lateral direction. The displacement took place during the first half of the swing phase. We found fast adjustments of the foot trajectory, with a latency of about 155 ms, initiated by changes in muscle activation 123 ms after the perturbation. The responses corrected for about 80% of the perturbation. We conclude that goal‐directed movements of the foot are controlled in a similar way to those of the hand, thus also giving very fast adjustments.
Propiedades psicométricas del Instrumento para evaluar capital psicológico en las Organizaciones Ipsicap-24
Authors: Delgado-Abella Leonor Emilia , Mañas Miguel Ángel
Published: March 2020

La literatura científica ha reportado resultados importantes sobre el papel del capital psicológico como antecedente, consecuente, mediador o moderador de variables del comportamiento organizacional. Partiendo de la necesidad de instrumentos de medida adecuados para cada población, el objetivo de esta investigación es presentar un análisis de las propiedades psicométricas del Ipsicap-24. En el estudio participaron tres muestras de trabajadores colombianos provenientes de organizaciones de varios sectores de la economía y caracterización sociodemográfica variada. Con datos de la primera muestra (N = 1517), dividida aleatoriamente en dos partes, se realizaron Análisis Factorial Exploratorio y Confirmatorio, así el Ipsicap original de 36 ítems dio origen al Ipsicap-24, conformado por cuatro escalas: esperanza (7 ítems), optimismo (7 ítems), resiliencia (6 ítems) y autoeficacia (4 ítems). Para obtener evidencia de validez convergente y divergente del Ipsicap-24, respectivamente, la segunda muestra (N = 428) respondió el Cuestionario Utrecht Work Engagement (UWES); y la tercera muestra (N = 105), el Cuestionario General de Salud (General Health Questionnaire, GHQ-28). Los resultados obtenidos aportan evidencia de consistencia interna y validez de constructo para el Ipsicap-24. Esta nueva herramienta permite la evaluación válida y confiable del capital psicológico en trabajadores colombianos.
Statistical Determination of Decision-Making Regions for Branching Paths: An Algorithm With a Wheelchair Assistance Application
Authors: Wolkowicz Kelilah L. , Leary Robert D. , Moore Jason Z. , Brennan Sean N.
Published: March 2020

Typically, mobile vehicles follow the same paths repeatedly, resulting in a common path bounded with some variance. These paths are often punctuated by branches into other paths based on decision-making in the area around the branch. This work applies a statistical methodology to determine decision-making regions for branching paths. An average path is defined in the proposed algorithm, as well as boundaries representing variances along the path. The boundaries along each branching path intersect near the decision point; these intersections in path variances are used to determine path-branching locations. The resulting analysis provides decision points that are robust to typical path conditions, such as two paths that may not clearly diverge at a specific location. Additionally, the methodology defines decision region radii that encompass statistical memberships of a location relative to the branching paths. To validate the proposed technique, an off-line implementation of the decision-making region algorithm is applied to previously classified wheelchair path subsets. Results show robust detection of decision regions that intuitively agree with user decision-making in real-world path following. For the experimental situation of this study, approximately 70% of path locations were outside of decision regions and thus could be navigated with a significant reduction in user inputs.
Operation and Performance of a Fluidized Bed Boiler Firing Municipal Refuse Derived Fuel in Ravenna, Italy
Authors: Murphy Michael L.
Published: March 2020

In early 1998, the City of Ravenna, Italy, commissioned a fluid bed boiler/waste-to-energy system to combust approximately 50,000 tonnes per year of processed municipal waste and generate electrical power. Much of the fuel preparation and processing equipment was already in place and the primary focus of this project was to implement an environmentally acceptable energy conversion process compatible with the 6.0 tonnes per hour of fuel being processed. The fluid bed boiler system being provided incorporates state of the art environmental controls for abatement of all pollutants, including products of incomplete combustion (PIC’s), NOx, acid gases, and particulates. The project delivers an average of 70,000 pounds per hour of steam to generate approximately 7 MW of electricity.
Using Flame Quenching to Reduce NOx Emissions and High Temperature Corrosion
Authors: Jaraha Allen
Published: March 2020

The most complex process in the combustion field is the waste-to-energy process. This is due to heterogeneous nature of the feeds, whose BTU value can vary substantially, in spite of the efforts expended by designers and operators to effectively mix the feed.

As a result, first pass temperatures (at some locations) can reach 1,800° to 1,900°F, promoting high temperature corrosion and erosion.

This paper will discuss flame quenching by means of injecting fine water droplets into the center of the flame (adiabatic region). This practice has the potential to reduce and control the furnace temperature (ten (10) gallons of water takes away 170,000 BTU). The potential benefits of flame quenching to be discussed will include the following:

• Increasing combustion gas turbulence by a sudden increase in water volume of 1,670 times (water to steam);

• Reductions in CO and VOCs due to better combustion gases mixing;

• Reductions in combustion velocities and tube erosion rate;

• Reductions in NOx by lowering flame temperature; and

• The generation of new revenues by utilizing moderately contaminated wastewater or groundwater contaminated from industrial sites.

Potential disadvantages of flame quenching to be discussed will include the following:

• Possible loss of revenue due to the loss of BTUs; and

• Development of slag due to large water droplet sizes or high water velocities.
Water Reclamation Practices at the Pinellas County (FL) Resource Recovery Facility
Authors: Robinson Joseph K. , Stasis Pete , Schwartz Mark
Published: March 2020

The Pinellas County Resource Recovery Facility (PCRRF) combusts 3,150 tons per day of municipal solid waste from Pinellas County, Florida and produces 75 megawatts (MW) of electrical generation capacity. The facility requires about 1.7 million gallons per day (MGD) of makeup water for the cooling tower and up to 200 thousand gallons per day of high-purity water for boiler makeup. The facility currently uses recovered storm water for cooling during summer months (rainy season) and treated municipal wastewater (“reclaimed water”) during the winter months (dry season). The facility currently uses potable water for boiler makeup and is planning to use reclaimed water in the future.

Use of reclaimed water for plant water demands is consistent with the philosophy of resource recovery. Reclaimed water, once considered a waste product, is now a valuable resource in water-short areas such as peninsular Florida. Pinellas County’s population of over 1 million people requires water for residential, commercial and industrial purposes. Use of reclaimed water for demands at the PCRRF minimizes the impact on limited freshwater resources and can also build support for the facility among the environmental community.

Reclaimed water also has economic benefits. Tampa Bay is experiencing ever-increasing potable water costs. Potable water prices are expected to outpace inflation for the next several years to fund capital improvements associated with the Tampa Bay water program. Reclaimed water is available during the winter season, and the PCRRF has the ability to procure it from two separate sources at competitive rates. During the summer months, the facility depends more on its storm water source. A lime softening pretreatment system processes the storm water prior to its use in the cooling towers.

Reclaimed water for boiler makeup will require membrane treatment followed by ion exchange. Microfiltration is being evaluated to remove bacteria-size particles and prevent fouling of the reverse osmosis membranes. Potable water will be used as a backup in the event of availability or quality problems with the reclaimed water supply.
Waste to Energy Plant Engineered Solutions
Authors: Mitchell Floyd L.
Published: March 2020

This paper has been prepared to encourage communication between plant operators who have developed “in plant’ solutions to various problems encountered in waste-to-energy plants. Solutions presented include reciprocating grate designs, dry ash chute designs, ash water reuse clarification system, ash extractor level controls, easy access doors, and water clarification systems. Each problem is presented with solution(s) for each of the problems. A contact is provided for each solution for additional information.
Distribution of the Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust Fund in the Realm of Municipal Politics
Authors: Merritt John A.
Published: March 2020

As part of the state’s restructuring and deregulation of the electric power industry, Massachusetts established the Renewable Energy Trust Fund (RETF) which earmarked approximately $50 million, collected as a surcharge on consumer electric utility bills, for distribution to municipalities that faced significant increased costs of MSW disposal because of required clean air retrofits to their Waste-to-Energy (WTE) facilities. The focus of this discussion will be upon the process, logistics and issues that evolved as that statutory benefit was implemented, including conflicts that led to the need for using a dispute resolution mechanism. Also included will be summary of issues that other states may want to address if considering similar provisions, in order to avoid some of the conflicts that arose during the Massachusetts process. For details on the Massachusetts program, see my paper presented last year at NAWTEC VIII, titled: Case Study – Electric Utility Restructuring – Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust Fund.
Research Trends and Recommendations for Physical Activity Interventions Among Children and Youth With Disabilities: A Review of Reviews
Authors: Lai Byron , Lee Eunbi , Wagatsuma Mayumi , Frey Georgia , Stanish Heidi , Jung Taeyou , Rimmer James H.
Published: March 2020

This scoping review synthesized reviews of physical activity (PA) interventions for children and youth with disabilities to highlight promising elements of effective interventions, research methodological limitations, and research priorities. Twenty studies were eligible and underwent three rounds of review by an expert panel. Rich and diverse PA programs derived potential short-term benefits toward health, function, and PA. Strategies to increase sample sizes included embedding programs in the community and using information communication technology to deliver exercise programs. Methodological limitations of interventions included a lack of generalizability, transferability, and scientific rigor. Three research priorities were identified: develop and report precision-based intervention strategies, identify strategies that promote both long-term and sustainable PA participation and outcomes, and develop scalable interventions and recruitment strategies. If addressed, these areas could enhance the impact of PA interventions for children and youth with disabilities.
Maximal Fully Tethered Swim Performance in Para Swimmers With Physical Impairment
Authors: Hogarth Luke , Burkett Brendan , Van de Vliet Peter , Payton Carl
Published: March 2020

The assessment of swimming propulsion should be a cornerstone of Paralympic swimming classification. However, current methods do not objectively account for this component. Purpose: To evaluate the swimming propulsion of swimmers with and without physical impairment using a 30-second maximal fully tethered freestyle swim test. Methods: Tethered forces were recorded during maximal fully tethered swimming in 80 competitive swimmers with (n = 70) and without (n = 10) physical impairment. The relationships between absolute and normalized tether forces and maximal freestyle swim speed were established using general additive models. Results: Para swimmers with physical impairment had lower absolute and normalized tether forces than able-bodied swimmers, and there were moderate positive correlations found between tether forces and sport class (τ = .52–.55, P < .001). There was a nonlinear relationship between tether force and maximal freestyle swim speed in the participant cohort (adjusted R2 = .78–.80, P < .001). Para swimmers with limb deficiency showed stronger relationships between tether force and maximal freestyle swim speed (adjusted R2 = .78–.82, P < .001) than did Para swimmers with hypertonia (adjusted R2 = .54–.73, P < .001) and impaired muscle power (adjusted R2 = .61–.70, P < .001). Conclusions: Physical impairments affect Para swimmers’ tether forces during maximal fully tethered freestyle swimming, explaining a significant proportion of their activity limitation. It is recommended that maximal fully tethered swimming be included in Paralympic swimming classification as an objective assessment of swimming propulsion.
Bacterial Proteasomes: Mechanistic and Functional Insights
Authors: Becker Samuel H. , Darwin K. Heran
Published: March 2020

Regulated proteolysis is essential for the normal physiology of all organisms. While all eukaryotes and archaea use proteasomes for protein degradation, only certain orders of bacteria have proteasomes, whose functions are likely as diverse as the species that use them. In this review, we discuss the most recent developments in the understanding of how proteins are targeted to proteasomes for degradation, including ATP-dependent and -independent mechanisms, and the roles of proteasome-dependent degradation in protein quality control and the regulation of cellular physiology. Furthermore, we explore newly established functions of proteasome system accessory factors that function independently of proteolysis.
Draft Genome Sequences of Two
Paenibacillus
Isolates from Goose and Chicken Gastrointestinal Material
Authors: Keshri Jitendra , Ramirez Rocio , Svendsen Molly K. , Keillor Haley R. , Moss Madeline L. , Jordan Haley J. , Smith Kristina M. , Ball Patrick N. , Seal Bruce S. , Berrang Mark E. , Oakley Brian B.
Published: March 2020

Here, we present the draft genome sequences of two
Paenibacillus
strains, An7 and USDA918EY, isolated from goose feces (Bend, OR, USA) and chicken ceca (Pomona, CA, USA), respectively. These data may assist with analyses of microorganisms associated with free-ranging and commercial avian species.
Genome Sequences of Three African Swine Fever Viruses of Genotypes I, III, and XXII from South Africa and Zambia, Isolated from
Ornithodoros
Soft Ticks
Authors: Ndlovu S. , Williamson A.-L. , Malesa R. , van Heerden J. , Boshoff C. I. , Bastos A. D. S. , Heath L. , Carulei O.
Published: March 2020

Here, we report the draft genome sequences of three African swine fever viruses isolated from
Ornithodoros
soft ticks. Isolates LIV 5/40 (Zambia), SPEC 57 (South Africa), and RSA/2/2008 (South Africa) belong to genotypes I, III, and XXII, respectively.
Identification and Whole-Genome Sequencing of a Monkeypox Virus Strain Isolated in Israel
Authors: Cohen-Gihon Inbar , Israeli Ofir , Shifman Ohad , Erez Noam , Melamed Sharon , Paran Nir , Beth-Din Adi , Zvi Anat
Published: March 2020

We report the whole-genome sequence of a monkeypox virus strain isolated in Israel. The strain was isolated in 2018 from a patient travelling back from West Africa. The virus was fully sequenced on the Illumina MiSeq and Oxford Nanopore Technologies MinION platforms.
Development and validation of an open-source software package for very low Earth orbit satellite simulation
Authors: Robson Christopher R.J. , Barczyk Martin , Lange Carlos F. , Carey Jason P.
Published: March 2020

The objective of this paper is to develop and experimentally validate an open-source software package in MATLAB/Simulink, named OrbSim, which can numerically simulate the trajectory and attitude of a satellite such as a CubeSat in very low Earth orbit (VLEO). The modeled disturbances acting on the satellite include aerodynamic, gravitational, solar radiation pressure, and magnetic forces and torques. OrbSim was first validated against AGI’s Systems Tool Kit (STK), an industry standard software package for simulating satellite orbital dynamics, by simulating orbital trajectories using different permutations of the disturbances being modeled by each package. OrbSim was found to perform on par with STK. A second validation involved predicting the orbital lifetime of an actual satellite, the Humanity Star, with OrbSim’s prediction being accurate to half a day of the true reentry time.
A comparative study of the $$S_1$$ and $$U_1$$ leptoquark effects in the light quark regime
Authors: Doršner Ilja , Fajfer Svjetlana , Patra Monalisa
Published: March 2020

We study the phenomenology of two leptoquarks, the Standard Model SU(2) singlets $$S_1$$S1 and $$U_1$$U1, with regard to the latest experimental data from the low-energy flavor physics measurements, LHC, and the IceCube neutrino experiment. We consider a scenario when scalar (vector) leptoquark $$S_1$$S1 ($$U_1$$U1) couples exclusively to the down quark and the neutrinos (charged leptons) of all flavors, where the leptoquark in question couples to the SM lepton doublets. The couplings of $$S_1$$S1 ($$U_1$$U1) to the up-type quarks and the charged leptons (neutrinos) are in turn uniquely determined via SU(2) symmetry. We find that the most important constraints on the leptoquark parameter space originate from flavor physics measurements, followed by the LHC search limits that take over the flavor physics ones in the large LQ mass regime. We furthermore show that $$S_1$$S1 ($$U_1$$U1) marginally improves (spoils) the fit of the current IceCube data with respect to the SM case within the region of parameter space that is otherwise consistent with various low-energy flavor physics measurements and the latest LHC input. Our study offers an up-to-date analysis for these two leptoquarks in view of the latest experimental data.
Defining lithic patterns within river-dominated delta deposits for geostatistical simulation
Authors: Willis Brian J. , Kalla Subhash , Sun Tao
Published: March 2020

Reservoir development forecasts depend on accurate descriptions of the spatial distribution of rock properties that impact subsurface fluid-flow pathways and volume connectivity. Reservoir models constructed using geostatistical methods combine analogous facies dimension data with sparse subsurface data to predict spatial variations in rock properties. This study uses a physics-based depositional process model to define realistic facies variations within a river-dominated delta deposit formed during multiple shoreline regressions and transgressions. Geostatistical models are conditioned to varying amounts of information extracted from the depositional model to examine how well they reproduce the facies patterns. Reservoir simulation is used to examine the impact of analogous dimension data and varying conditioning constraints on reservoir performance predictions of water displacing oil. The dimensions of surface depositional features underestimate the continuity of preserved facies patterns, proportional grids following major flooding surfaces allow significantly better predictions than uniform rectangular grids, and trend constraints are more important when defined facies correlation length is significantly less than well spacing. When geostatistical model parameters are poorly chosen, reservoir simulation of the resulting weakly-structured facies patterns overpredict recovery and water breakthrough time. It is demonstrated that process-based depositional models can be used to optimize geostatistical model construction methods and input parameters to reduce uncertainty of reservoir development assessments.