bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prevalence and patterns of multimorbidity among the elderly in China: a cross-sectional study using national survey data
Authors: Zhang Ran , Lu Yun , Shi Liuyan , Zhang Songlin , Chang Feng
Published: August 2019

Objectives

Examination of the prevalence and patterns of multimorbidity among the elderly in China.

Design

Cross-sectional study.

Setting

More than 10 000 households in 28 of the 34 provinces of mainland China.

Participants

11 707 Chinese adults aged 60 and over.

Primary outcome measures

Prevalence and patterns of multimorbidity among the participants. Relative risks were calculated to estimate the probability of up to 14 chronic conditions coexisting with each other. Observed-to-expected (O/E) ratios were used to analyse the patterns of multimorbidity.

Results

Multimorbidity was present in 43.6% of respondents from the sample population, with women having the greater prevalence compared with men. There were 804 different comorbidity combinations identified, including 76 dyad combinations and 169 triad combinations. The top 10 morbidity dyads and triads accounted for 69.01% and 47.05% of the total dyad and triad combinations observed, respectively. Among the 14 chronic conditions included in the study, asthma, stroke, heart attack and six other chronic conditions were the main components of multimorbidity due to their high relative risk ratios. The most frequently occurring clusters with higher O/E ratios were stroke along with emotional, nervous, or psychiatric problems; memory-related diseases together emotional, nervous, or psychiatric problems; and memory-related diseases and asthma accompanied by chronic lung diseases and asthma.

Conclusions

The results of this study highlight the high prevalence of multimorbidity in the elderly population in China. Further studies are required to understand the aetiology of multimorbidity, and future primary healthcare policies should be made while taking multimorbidity into consideration.
What components of smoking cessation care during pregnancy are implemented by health providers? A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Gould Gillian Sandra , Twyman Laura , Stevenson Leah , Gribbin Gabrielle R , Bonevski Billie , Palazzi Kerrin , Bar Zeev Yael
Published: August 2019

Background

Pregnancy is an opportunity for health providers to support women to stop smoking.

Objectives

Identify the pooled prevalence for health providers in providing components of smoking cessation care to women who smoke during pregnancy.

Design

A systematic review synthesising original articles that reported on (1) prevalence of health providers’ performing the 5As (‘Ask’, ‘Advise’, ‘Assess’, ‘Assist’, ‘Arrange’), prescribing nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and (2) factors associated with smoking cessation care.

Data sources

MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and PsycINFO databases searched using ‘smoking’, ‘pregnancy’ and ‘health provider practices’.

Eligibility criteria for selecting studies

Studies included any design except interventions (self-report, audit, observed consultations and women’s reports), in English, with no date restriction, up to June 2017.

Participants

Health providers of any profession.

Data extraction, appraisal and analysis

Data were extracted, then appraised with the Hawker tool. Meta-analyses pooled percentages for performing each of the 5As and prescribing NRT, using, for example, ‘often/always’ and ‘always/all’. Meta-regressions were performed of 5As for ‘often/always’.

Results

Of 3933 papers, 54 were included (n=29 225 participants): 33 for meta-analysis. Health providers included general practitioners, obstetricians, midwives and others from 10 countries. Pooled percentages of studies reporting practices ‘often/always’ were: ‘Ask’ (n=9) 91.6% (95% CI 88.2% to 95%); ‘Advise’ (n=7) 90% (95% CI 72.5% to 99.3%), ‘Assess’ (n=3) 79.2% (95% CI 76.5% to 81.8%), ‘Assist (cessation support)’ (n=5) 59.1% (95% CI 56% to 62.2%), ‘Arrange (referral)’ (n=6) 33.3% (95% CI 20.4% to 46.2%) and ‘prescribing NRT’ (n=6) 25.4% (95% CI 12.8% to 38%). Heterogeneity (I2) was 95.9%–99.1%. Meta-regressions for ‘Arrange’ were significant for year (p=0.013) and country (p=0.037).

Conclusions

Health providers ‘Ask’, ‘Advise’ and ‘Assess’ most pregnant women about smoking. ‘Assist’, ‘Arrange’ and ‘prescribing NRT’ are reported at lower rates: strategies to improve these should be considered.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42015029989.
Changing incidence of reported viral hepatitis in China from 2004 to 2016: an observational study
Authors: Zhang Mingyuan , Wu Ruihong , Xu Hongqin , Uhanova Julia , Gish Robert , Wen Xiaoyu , Jin Qinglong , Gerald Minuk Y , Nguyen M H , Gao Yanhang , Niu J
Published: August 2019

Objective

China’s national hepatitis burden is high. This study aims to provide a detailed national-level description of the reported incidence of viral hepatitis in China during 2004–2016.

Design

Observational study.

Setting

Data were obtained from China’s National Notifiable Disease Reporting System, and changing trends were estimated by joinpoint regression analysis.

Participants

In this system, 16 927 233 reported viral hepatitis cases occurring during 2004–2016 were identified.

Primary outcome measure

Incidence rates per 100 000 person-years and changing trends were calculated.

Results

There were 16 927 233 new cases of viral hepatitis reported in China from 2004 to 2016. Hepatitis B (HBV) (n=13 543 137, 80.00%) and hepatitis C (HCV) (n=1 844 882, 10.90%) accounted for >90% of the cases. The overall annual percent change (APC) in reported cases of viral hepatitis and HBV were 0.3%(95% CI −2.0 to 0.8, p=0.6) and −0.2% (95% CI −1.6 to 1.2, p=0.8), respectively, showing a stable trend. HBV rates were highest in the 20–29 year old age group and lowest in younger individuals, likely resulting from the universal HBV vaccination. The reported incidence of HCV and hepatitis E (HEV) showed increasing trends; the APCs were 14.5% (95% CI 13.1 to 15.9, p<0.05) and 4.7% (95% CI 2.8 to 6.7, p<0.05), respectively. The hepatitis A (HAV) reporting incidence decreased, and the APC was −13.1% (95% CI −15.1 to −11.0, p<0.05). There were marked differences in the reporting of hepatitis among provinces.

Conclusions

HBV continues to constitute the majority of viral hepatitis cases in China. Over the entire study period, the HBV reporting incidence was stable, the HCV and HEV incidence increased and the HAV incidence decreased. There were significant interprovincial disparities in the burden of viral hepatitis, with higher rates in economically less-developed areas. Vaccination is important for viral hepatitis prevention and control.
Competence of healthcare professionals in diagnosing and managing obstetric complications and conducting neonatal care: a clinical vignette-based assessment in district and subdistrict hospitals in northern Bangladesh
Authors: Khan Abdullah Nurus Salam , Karim Farhana , Chowdhury Mohiuddin Ahsanul Kabir , Zaka Nabila , Manu Alexander , Arifeen Shams El , Billah Sk Masum
Published: August 2019

Background

This study assesses the competency of maternal and neonatal health (MNH) professionals at district-level and subdistrict-level health facilities in northern Bangladesh in managing maternal and newborn complications using clinical vignettes. The study also examines whether the professional’s characteristics and provision of MNH services in health facilities influence their competencies.

Methods

134 MNH professionals in 15 government hospitals were interviewed during August and September 2016 using structured questionnaire with clinical vignettes on obstetric complications (antepartum haemorrhage and pre-eclampsia) and neonatal care (low birthweight and immediate newborn care). Summative scores were calculated for each vignette and median scores were compared across different individual-level and health facility-level attributes to examine their association with competency score. Kruskal-Wallis test was performed to identify the significance of association considering a p value<0.05 as statistically significant.

Results

The competency of MNH professionals was low. About 10% and 24% of the health professionals received ‘high’ scores (>75% of total) in maternal and neonatal vignettes, respectively. Medical doctors had higher competency than nurses and midwives (score=11 vs 8 out of 19, respectively; p=0.0002) for maternal vignettes, but similar competency for neonatal vignettes (score=30.3 vs 30.9 out of 50, respectively). Professionals working in health facilities with higher use of normal deliveries had better competency than their counterparts. Professionals had higher competency in newborn vignettes (significant) and maternal vignettes (statistically not significant) if they worked in health facilities that provided more specialised newborn care services and emergency obstetric care, respectively, in the last 6 months.

Conclusions

Despite the overall low competency of MNH professionals, exposure to a higher number of obstetric cases at the workplace was associated with their competency. Arrangement of periodic skill-based and drill-based in-service training for MNH professionals in high-use neighbouring health facilities could be a feasible intervention to improve their knowledge and skill in obstetric and neonatal care.
Measuring health-related quality of life in the general population and Roma communities in Romania: study protocol for two cross-sectional studies
Authors: Olariu Elena , Paveliu Marian Sorin , Baican Eugen , Oluboyede Yemi , Vale Luke , Niculescu-Aron Ileana Gabriela
Published: August 2019

Introduction

The importance of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is increasing and many healthcare authorities recommend the use of measures that account for both mortality and morbidity. This study will determine, for the first time in Romania, value sets for EuroQoL-five-dimensions-3-level (EQ-5D-3L) and EQ-5D-5L questionnaires and their population norms (study 1). It will also compare the HRQoL (measured with EQ-5D-5L) of Roma communities in Romania with that of the general population (study 2).

Methods and analysis

Cross-sectional studies of face-to-face interviews conducted in representative samples of the Romanian general population and Romanian Roma communities. 1614 non-institutionalised adults older than 18 years will be interviewed using a computer-assisted interview for study 1. Participants will complete EQ-5D-3L and 5L, 13 composite time trade-off tasks (cTTO), 7 discrete choice experiment questions (DCE) and sociodemographic questions. For study 2, 606 non-institutionalised self-identified Roma people older than 18 years will be interviewed using a pencil-and-paper interview. Participants will complete EQ-5D-5L and the same sociodemographic questions as for study 1. The 3L value set will be estimated using econometric models and the cTTO data. cTTO and DCE data will be used for the 5L value set. Population norms will be reported by age and gender. The ORs for reporting different levels of problems and the most common health states in the population will be estimated. For study 2, t-tests and analysis of variance will be used to explore differences between groups in HRQoL and for each EQ-5D.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethics approval was given by the National Bioethics Committee of Medicines and Medical Devices Romania and Newcastle University’s Research Ethics Committee. Results will be published in peer-reviewed journals, presented at scientific conferences and on the project’s website. The EQ-5D-5L anonymised datasets will be deposited in a centralised repository. Two public workshops with local authorities, physicians and patients’ associations will be held.
Should GPs have direct access to imaging for headache? A qualitative study of patients’ views in the UK
Authors: McKinlay Alison , Underwood Raphael , Wojewodka Gabriella , Mazumder Asif , Kilner Rachael , Ridsdale Leone
Published: August 2019

Objective

We aimed to describe patients’ views of a new referral pathway of general practitioner (GP) direct access to MRI, versus imaging after referral to a specialist.

Design

This qualitative study involved 20 semistructured interviews. Twenty patients (10 from each pathway) were purposively recruited and interviewed to describe their attitudes.

Setting

A neurology headache clinic and neuroradiology services from the boroughs of Southwark and Lambeth in South London, UK.

Participants

Twenty patients were involved in this study.

Results

Over half of the participants felt relieved once they received their scan results, while some remained uncertain about the underlying cause of their symptoms. Some participants described a long wait to see a specialist. Others described a long wait time to receive scan results, especially from their GP. Spontaneous reduction in headache symptoms occurred for some participants and for others, normal imaging results allowed them to focus more on symptom management.

Conclusion

Relief was reported especially when scan results had been explained clearly and without too much delay. Those with continuing pain focused on how to get relief from symptoms. Patient experience might be improved with clearer information from GPs about how patients can access results, standard reporting procedures and closer liaison between neuroradiology and GPs.
Contributions of prognostic factors to socioeconomic disparities in cancer survival: protocol for analysis of a cohort with linked data
Authors: Yu Xue Qin , Goldsbury David , Yap Sarsha , Yap Mei Ling , O'Connell Dianne L
Published: August 2019

Introduction

Socioeconomic disparities in cancer survival have been reported in many developed countries, including Australia. Although some international studies have investigated the determinants of these socioeconomic disparities, most previous Australian studies have been descriptive, as only limited relevant data are generally available. Here, we describe a protocol for a study to use data from a large-scale Australian cohort linked with several other health-related databases to investigate several groups of factors associated with socioeconomic disparities in cancer survival in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, and quantify their contributions to the survival disparities.

Methods and analysis

The Sax Institute’s 45 and Up Study participants completed a baseline questionnaire during 2006–2009. Those who were subsequently diagnosed with cancer of the colon, rectum, lung or female breast will be included. This study sample will be identified by linkage with NSW Cancer Registry data for 2006–2013, and their vital status will be determined by linking with cause of death records up to 31 December 2015. The study cohort will be divided into four groups based on each of the individual education level and an area-based socioeconomic measure. The treatment received will be obtained through linking with hospital records and Medicare and pharmaceutical claims data. Cox proportional hazards models will be fitted sequentially to estimate the percentage contributions to overall socioeconomic survival disparities of patient factors, tumour and diagnosis factors, and treatment variables.

Ethics and dissemination

This research is covered by ethical approval from the NSW Population and Health Services Research Ethics Committee. Results of the study will be disseminated to different interest groups and organisations through scientific conferences, social media and peer-reviewed articles.
Discrete choice experiment to evaluate preferences of patients with cystic fibrosis among alternative treatment-related health outcomes: a protocol
Authors: McLeod Charlie , Norman Richard , Schultz Andre , Mascaro Steven , Webb Steve , Snelling Tom
Published: August 2019

Introduction

Clinical decision-making is a complex process. Patient preference information regarding desirable health states should inform treatment and is critical to agreeing on goals of therapy. Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a common, inheritable multisystem disorder for which the major manifestation is progressive, chronic lung disease. Intermittent pulmonary exacerbations are a hallmark of disease and these drive lung damage that results in premature death. We suspect that clinicians make assumptions, most likely implicit assumptions, about outcomes that are desired by patients who are treated for pulmonary exacerbations. The aim of this study is to identify and quantify the preferences of patients with cystic fibrosis regarding treatment outcomes.

Methods and analysis

We will develop a discrete choice experiment (DCE) in collaboration with people with CF and their carers, and evaluate how patients make trade-offs between different aspects of health-related status when considering treatment options.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethics approval for all aspects of this study was granted by the Western Australia Child and Adolescent Health Service Human Research Ethics Committee [RGS903]. Weighted preference information from the DCE will be used to develop a multiattribute utility instrument as a measure of treatment success in the upcoming Bayesian Evidence-Adaptive Trial to optimise management of CF. Dissemination of results will also occur through peer-reviewed publications and presentations to relevant stakeholders and research networks.
Feasibility study assessing equitable delivery of newborn pulse oximetry screening in New Zealand’s midwifery-led maternity setting
Authors: Cloete Elza , Gentles Thomas L , Dixon Lesley A , Webster Dianne R , Agnew Joshua D , Davidkova Sarka , Alsweiler Jane M , Rogers Jenny , Bloomfield Frank H
Published: August 2019

Objectives

The aim of this study was to conduct New Zealand-specific research to inform the design of a pulse oximetry screening strategy that ensures equity of access for the New Zealand maternity population. Equity is an important consideration as the test has the potential to benefit some populations and socioeconomic groups more than others.

Setting

New Zealand has an ethnically diverse population and a midwifery-led maternity service. One quaternary hospital and urban primary birthing unit (Region A), two regional hospitals (Region B) and three regional primary birthing units (Region C) from three Health Boards in New Zealand’s North Island participated in a feasibility study of pulse oximetry screening. Home births in these regions were also included.

Participants

There were 27 172 infants that satisfied the inclusion criteria; 16 644 (61%) were screened. The following data were collected for all well newborn infants with a gestation age ≥35 weeks: date of birth, ethnicity, type of maternity care provider, deprivation index and screening status (yes/no). The study was conducted over a 2-year period from May 2016 to April 2018.

Results

Screening rates improved over time. Infants born in Region B (adjusted OR=0.75; 95% CI 0.67 to 0.83) and C (adjusted OR=0.29; 95% CI 0.27 to 0.32) were less likely to receive screening compared with those born in Region A. There were significant associations between screening rates and deprivation, ethnicity and maternity care provider. Lack of human and material resources prohibited universal access to screening.

Conclusion

A pulse oximetry screening programme that is sector-led is likely to perpetuate inequity. Screening programmes need to be designed so that resources are distributed in the way most likely to optimise health outcomes for infants born with cardiac anomalies.

Ethics approval

This study was approved by the Health and Disability Ethics Committees of New Zealand (15/NTA/168).
In-situ simulation-based intervention for enhancing teamwork in the emergency department
Authors: Sharara-Chami Rana , Lakissian Zavi , Farha Randa , Tamim Hani , Batley Nicholas
Published: August 2019

Simulation-based learning activities in the emergency department (ED) improve communication and teamwork and familiarise personnel with existing protocols. The authors’ objective was to develop standardised in-situ simulations and to assess their effects on team performance during simulated patient care. The study was a prospective, single-centre pre-in-situ and post-in-situ simulation-based intervention in the ED of an academic hospital between March 2017 and February 2018. Teams of three to five participants (n=46) were in two simulation interventions 2 weeks apart; each simulation was followed by debriefing with good judgement. The adapted Simulation Team Assessment Tool (STAT) Score was the primary measure for team performance. Skills are measured on a scale of 2–0 based on the complete and timely performance of tasks for a total (adapted) score of 171. Overall STAT scores improved significantly between simulations I (60.5 (28.3)) and II (81.1 (24.6)), p=029; notably in airway and teamwork domains, p=022 and p=023, respectively. A sub-analysis showed that participants performed significantly better when treating adult versus paediatric simulated patients (87.9 (20.1)), p=003, particularly in teamwork, p=01. The study yielded statistically significant improvement in clinical management, teamwork and resource management skills among ED personnel.
BET 2: Predicting the need for endotracheal intubation in poisoned patients
Authors: Buswell Luke , Hayes Alaistair , Baombe Janos
Published: August 2019

A short cut review of the literature was carried out to establish whether any risk factors would predict the need for endotracheal intubation in undifferentiated adult patients presenting with poisoning/overdose with unknown substance. Five papers presented the best evidence to answer the clinical question. The author, date and country of publication, patient group studied, study type, relevant outcomes, results and study weaknesses of these papers are tabulated. It is concluded that further robust studies of large cohorts are needed to answer this difficult question.
Efficacy of ustekinumab in biologic-naïve patients with psoriatic arthritis by prior treatment exposure and disease duration: data from PSUMMIT 1 and PSUMMIT 2
Authors: McInnes Iain B , Chakravarty Soumya D , Apaolaza Isabel , Kafka Shelly , Hsia Elizabeth C , You Yin , Kavanaugh Arthur
Published: August 2019

Objective

To evaluate the efficacy of ustekinumab by prior treatment exposure and disease duration in tumour necrosis factor inhibitor (TNF)-naïve patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in the PSUMMIT 1 and PSUMMIT 2 studies.

Methods

In the phase 3, randomised, placebo-controlled PSUMMIT 1 and PSUMMIT 2 studies, adults with active PsA for ≥6 months despite conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (csDMARDs) and/or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (PSUMMIT 1) or csDMARDs, NSAIDs and/or anti-TNF agents (PSUMMIT 2) were enrolled. Patients were randomised to subcutaneous injections of placebo, ustekinumab 45 mg or ustekinumab 90 mg at weeks 0 and 4 and every 12 weeks. Efficacy was assessed at week 24 using the American College of Rheumatology criteria and 28-joint count disease activity score using C reactive protein (DAS28-CRP); radiographical progression, enthesitis, and dactylitis were also assessed in this post hoc analysis.

Results

A total of 747 patients were included; all 747 were TNF-naïve, of which, 179 were methotrexate-naïve and TNF-naïve, and 146 were all csDMARD-naïve and TNF-naïve. At week 24, greater proportions of ustekinumab-treated patients had ≥20%/50%/70% improvement in American College of Rheumatology criteria (ACR20/ACR50/ACR70) responses, DAS28-CRP response and DAS28-CRP remission versus placebo in all three prior-treatment populations, with similar differences between treatment groups. Greater proportions of ustekinumab-treated patients also had complete resolution of enthesitis and dactylitis at week 24 across the three prior-treatment populations. Mean changes from baseline in total van der Heijde-Sharp Score at week 24 were generally smaller for ustekinumab-treated patients versus placebo but were statistically significant only in the full TNF-naïve population. Response rates for ACR20/ACR50/ACR70 were similar for TNF-naïve patients with PsA durations of <1 year, ≥1 to <3 years, and ≥3 years.

Conclusion

Ustekinumab-treated patients demonstrated greater clinical response at week 24 compared with placebo regardless of prior treatment exposure and PsA disease duration.
Owners’ perception of acquiring infections through raw pet food: a comprehensive internet‐based survey
Authors: Anturaniemi Johanna , Barrouin‐Melo Stella Maria , Zaldivar‐López Sara , Sinkko Hanna , Hielm‐Björkman Anna
Published: August 2019

There has been concerns related to the risk of bacterial contamination from raw pet food to humans, but research is still scarce. The purpose of this cross‐sectional study was to use a worldwide internet survey‐based data to evaluate the impact of raw pet foods on human health from the owners’ experience. From 16 475 households, 0.2 per cent (n=39) reported having had a transmission of pathogen from the raw pet food to a human family member during the time that raw feeding had been used in the household. Only in three of those households the same pathogen that was found in the human sample was analysed and confirmed also in the raw pet food (0.02 per cent of all data). Moreover, 0.1 per cent (n=24) reported suspecting that a disease could have been transmitted to a human from the pet food. Feeding salmon and turkey, using more than 50 per cent of the diet as raw foods and preparing the raw food in the same place and utensils as the family foods all had negative association with infections. Having 2 to 6 year‐old children living in the household was associated with more infections, although adults were the most frequently infected.
Oral group medication in pig production: characterising medicated feed and drinking water systems
Authors: Vandael Femke , Filippitzi Maria‐Eleni , Dewulf Jeroen , Daeseleire Els , Eeckhout Mia , Devreese Mathias , Croubels Siska
Published: August 2019

Despite common use of oral group medication in pig rearing, the homogeneity, stability and carry‐over of frequently used medicinal products in feed and drinking water are largely unknown. Therefore, a field study was performed on 52 Belgian pig farms, characterising preparation and administration of medicinal products via these systems, and farmers’ user experiences with medicated feed and medicated drinking water. The study showed that medicated drinking water is more commonly used than medicated feed, since 90.4 per cent of the farms sometimes use medicated drinking water and 69.2 per cent of the farms sometimes use medicated feed. The drinking water quality is evaluated at least once a year on only 30.7 per cent of the farms. Separate pipelines for medicated and non‐medicated circuits were not present in any of the farms using medicated feed and in 27.7 per cent of the farms using medicated drinking water. With drinking water medication, 63.5 per cent of the farmers reported encountering practical problems, often related to solubility issues and precipitation of the active compounds. In contrast, medicated feed is bought ready‐to‐use from the feed manufacturer in 68.2 per cent of the cases, thus reducing the number of practical problems experienced by the farmer. This study shows room for improvement of oral group treatment, developing appropriate pharmaceutical formulations for drinking water medication, quality control of drinking water, using separate pipeline circuits, and cleaning and disinfecting protocols.
Assessing the potential to mitigate climate-related expansion of largemouth bass populations using angler harvest
Authors: Sullivan Christopher J. , Isermann Daniel A. , Whitlock Kaitlin E. , Hansen Jonathan F.
Published: August 2019

Climate-related changes in fish communities can present new challenges for fishery managers who must address declines in cool- and cold-water sportfish while dealing with increased abundance of warm-water sportfish. We used largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) in Wisconsin lakes as model populations to determine whether angler harvest provides a realistic method for reducing abundance of a popular warm-water sportfish that has become more prevalent and has prompted management concerns around the globe. Model results indicate largemouth bass will be resilient to increased fishing mortality. Furthermore, high rates of voluntary catch-and-release occurring in most largemouth bass fisheries likely preclude fishing mortality rates required to reduce bass abundance at meaningful levels (≥25% reductions). Increasing fishing mortality in these scenarios may require more “stimulus” than merely providing anglers with greater harvest opportunities via less stringent harvest regulations. Angler harvest could result in populations dominated by small fish, a scenario that may be undesirable to anglers, but could provide ecological benefits in certain situations.
Effect of strain on the magnetism of Fe-doped MoTe2 monolayer
Authors: Zhang Murong , Wang Xiaojun , Wang Xin , Wang Ying , Wei Mingyan , Ni Mei-Yan
Published: August 2019

First-principles calculation has been performed to investigate the effect of strain on the magnetic moment of Fe-doped MoTe2 monolayer. Our results show that the Fe-doped MoTe2 monolayer is semiconductor with the magnetic moment of 2.037 [Formula: see text]. By analyzing the density of states, we find that the magnetic moment is mainly contributed by the Fe atom. When the biaxial strain is applied along the layer, the results show that the magnetic moment is almost unchanged when the compressive strain is under 5% and tensile strain is under 7%. However, as the strain increases, the magnetic moment decreases to almost zero with compressive strain larger than 7%, and the magnetic moment begins to increase with the tensile strain larger than 8%, which indicates the different effects of compressive strain and tensile strain on the magnetism of Fe-doped MoTe2.
Research on reflective three-output by packaged grating under second Bragg angle
Authors: Zhu Wenhua , Wang Bo , Gao Chenhao , Wen Kunhua , Meng Ziming , Nie Zhaogang , Wang Qu , Xing Xiangjun , Chen Li , Lei Liang , Zhou Jinyun
Published: August 2019

This paper designed a novel three-output reflective packaged grating. The optimized parameters such as the period and depth of the high-efficiency three-output grating with an incident wavelength of 1550 nm can be calculated by rigorous coupled-wave analysis (RCWA). According to the optimized result, the grating can diffract the incident light energy into three orders with an efficiency of nearly 33% under the premise of second Bragg angle incidence and the given duty ratio of 0.5. The diffraction efficiency of the packaged grating is improved compared to the surface-relief three-output grating under second Bragg angle incidence, especially for TE-polarized light.
Error bounds for approximations with deep ReLU neural networks in Ws,p norms
Authors: Gühring Ingo , Kutyniok Gitta , Petersen Philipp
Published: August 2019

We analyze to what extent deep Rectified Linear Unit (ReLU) neural networks can efficiently approximate Sobolev regular functions if the approximation error is measured with respect to weaker Sobolev norms. In this context, we first establish upper approximation bounds by ReLU neural networks for Sobolev regular functions by explicitly constructing the approximate ReLU neural networks. Then, we establish lower approximation bounds for the same type of function classes. A trade-off between the regularity used in the approximation norm and the complexity of the neural network can be observed in upper and lower bounds. Our results extend recent advances in the approximation theory of ReLU networks to the regime that is most relevant for applications in the numerical analysis of partial differential equations.
Experimental Investigation of Ejector-Assisted Vapor Compression System
Authors: Kumar Vikas , Sachdeva Gulshan
Published: August 2019

The performance of an ejector as an expansion device rather than the conventional expansion valve or capillary tube in a vapor compression system is experimentally analyzed. Experiments have been conducted using 28 ejectors of different dimensions at the same condenser and evaporator temperatures, and it has been observed that for utmost performance, an optimum area ratio of the ejector is required. One of the ejector geometry has been experimented further for a wide range of condenser and evaporator temperatures. The coefficient of performance is found to be enhanced by at least 10% in comparison to the conventional vapor compression system for the considered range of condenser and evaporator temperatures and the maximum improvement in COP obtained is 12.83% at 14.3∘C evaporator temperature and 32.4∘C condenser temperature with 17.9211 ejector area ratio. The refrigerant R134a has been used as the working substance.
DOES CHANGE IN ECONOMIC POLICY UNCERTAINTY AFFECT REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS (REITs)?
Authors: SADHWANI RANJEETA , OAD RAJPUT SURESH KUMAR , ALI-RIND ASAD , SULEMAN MUHAMMAD TAHIR
Published: August 2019

This study aims to find the impact of change in economic policy uncertainty (EPU) on the returns and volatilities of 11 CRSP Ziman value-weighted US real estate investment trusts (REITs) during 1985–2016. The results indicate that the change in EPU has a positive relationship with volatility and a negative one with the REITs returns. Among EPU components, news-based component has the major impact than the others. Change in economic policy uncertainty has a significant impact on the returns of all the indices except hybrid, healthcare and unclassified REITs after controlling for macroeconomic variables. Whereas, the volatility is mainly explained by its own past values and macroeconomic variables.
A Case Study of the Augmentation and Evaluation of Training Data for Deep Learning
Authors: Ding Junhua , Li Xinchuan , Kang Xiaojun , Gudivada Venkat N.
Published: August 2019

Deep learning has been widely used for extracting values from big data. As many other machine learning algorithms, deep learning requires significant training data. Experiments have shown both the volume and the quality of training data can significantly impact the effectiveness of the value extraction. In some cases, the volume of training data is not sufficiently large for effectively training a deep learning model. In other cases, the quality of training data is not high enough to achieve the optimal performance. Many approaches have been proposed for augmenting training data to mitigate the deficiency. However, whether the augmented data are “fit for purpose” of deep learning is still a question. A framework for comprehensively evaluating the effectiveness of the augmented data for deep learning is still not available. In this article, we first discuss a data augmentation approach for deep learning. The approach includes two components: the first one is to remove noisy data in a dataset using a machine learning based classification to improve its quality, and the second one is to increase the volume of the dataset for effectively training a deep learning model. To evaluate the quality of the augmented data in fidelity, variety, and veracity, a data quality evaluation framework is proposed. We demonstrated the effectiveness of the data augmentation approach and the data quality evaluation framework through studying an automated classification of biology cell images using deep learning. The experimental results clearly demonstrated the impact of the volume and quality of training data to the performance of deep learning and the importance of the data quality evaluation. The data augmentation approach and the data quality evaluation framework can be straightforwardly adapted for deep learning study in other domains.
Experience
Authors: Bosu Michael F. , Macdonell Stephen G.
Published: August 2019

Data is a cornerstone of empirical software engineering (ESE) research and practice. Data underpin numerous process and project management activities, including the estimation of development effort and the prediction of the likely location and severity of defects in code. Serious questions have been raised, however, over the quality of the data used in ESE. Data quality problems caused by noise, outliers, and incompleteness have been noted as being especially prevalent. Other quality issues, although also potentially important, have received less attention. In this study, we assess the quality of 13 datasets that have been used extensively in research on software effort estimation. The quality issues considered in this article draw on a taxonomy that we published previously based on a systematic mapping of data quality issues in ESE. Our contributions are as follows: (1) an evaluation of the “fitness for purpose” of these commonly used datasets and (2) an assessment of the utility of the taxonomy in terms of dataset benchmarking. We also propose a template that could be used to both improve the ESE data collection/submission process and to evaluate other such datasets, contributing to enhanced awareness of data quality issues in the ESE community and, in time, the availability and use of higher-quality datasets.
The Moser--Tardos Framework with Partial Resampling
Authors: Harris David G. , Srinivasan Aravind
Published: August 2019

The resampling algorithm of Moser and Tardos is a powerful approach to develop constructive versions of the Lovász Local Lemma. We generalize this to
partial
resampling: When a bad event holds, we resample an appropriately random
subset
of the variables that define this event rather than the entire set, as in Moser and Tardos. This is particularly useful when the bad events are determined by sums of random variables. This leads to several improved algorithmic applications in scheduling, graph transversals, packet routing, and so on. For instance, we settle a conjecture of Szabó and Tardos (2006) on graph transversals asymptotically and obtain improved approximation ratios for a packet routing problem of Leighton, Maggs, and Rao (1994).
A Systematic Investigation of Replications in Computing Education Research
Authors: Hao Qiang , Smith IV David H. , Iriumi Naitra , Tsikerdekis Michail , Ko Amy J.
Published: August 2019

As the societal demands for application and knowledge in computer science (CS) increase, CS student enrollment keeps growing rapidly around the world. By continuously improving the efficacy of computing education and providing guidelines for learning and teaching practice, computing education research plays a vital role in addressing both educational and societal challenges that emerge from the growth of CS students. Given the significant role of computing education research, it is important to ensure the reliability of studies in this field. The extent to which studies can be replicated in a field is one of the most important standards for reliability. Different fields have paid increasing attention to the replication rates of their studies, but the replication rate of computing education was never systematically studied. To fill this gap, this study investigated the replication rate of computing education between 2009 and 2018. We examined 2,269 published studies from three major conferences and two major journals in computing education, and found that the overall replication rate of computing education was 2.38%. This study demonstrated the need for more replication studies in computing education and discussed how to encourage replication studies through research initiatives and policy making.
Capillarity in Soft Porous Solids
Authors: Ha Jonghyun , Kim Ho-Young
Published: August 2019

Soft porous solids can change their shapes by absorbing liquids via capillarity. Such poro-elasto-capillary interactions can be seen in the wrinkling of paper, swelling of cellulose sponges, and morphing of resurrection plants. Here, we introduce physical principles relevant to the phenomena and survey recent advances in the understanding of swelling and shrinkage of bulk soft porous media due to wetting and drying. We then consider various morphing modes of porous sheets, which are induced by localized wetting and swelling of soft porous materials. We focus on physical insights with the aim of triggering novel experimental findings and promoting practical applications.
Late Migration of an Adjustable-Loop Cortical Suspension Device in Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction
Authors: Williams Brendan A. , Gil Jorge , Farmer Kevin W.
Published: August 2019

A unique case of late migration of an adjustable-loop femoral fixation button utilized during anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is presented. Imaging and physical examinations during the patient’s postoperative course were unremarkable for graft or hardware failure. Two years postoperatively, symptomatic hardware migration occurred requiring arthroscopic removal. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of late migration of an adjustable-loop femoral fixation button in ACL reconstruction. This case highlights that late loosening and migration of adjustable-loop femoral fixation devices in ACL reconstruction can occur despite demonstrated postoperative radiographic and clinical stability. Surgeons utilizing this fixation device should be aware of this potential complication to avoid delayed recognition and patient morbidity.
A Study on the Improvement of Structural Performance by Glass Fiber‐Reinforced Polyurea (GFRPU) Reinforcement
Authors: Song Jun-Hyeok , Lee Eun-Taik , Eun Hee-Chang
Published: August 2019

Polyurea has a high tensile strength, elongation, and the capability to absorb the energy generated by dynamic and impulsive blast loading. Glass fibers are a reinforcement material for repairing and retrofitting the concrete members. The polyurea provides ductility, and the fibers provide improved stiffness and strength to the composite system. Glass‐fiber reinforced polyurea (GFRPU) is a composite of polyurea and fibers and is applied as a reinforcement through a simple spraying method. GFRPU coating has a simple construction, and unlike existing strengthening methods such as fiber‐reinforced polymer (FRP) or a steel plate, it prevents a debonding from the concrete surface. Seven beams of one externally nonreinforced concrete beam and six concrete beams with and without a reinforcing bar are tested using the thickness of the spray and the number of coating faces. The applicability of GFRPU was investigated through the experiments, and the test results indicate that the GFRPU strengthening method is feasible for enhancing the load‐carrying capacity and flexural ductility.
Human Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Neural Lineages as In Vitro Models for Screening the Neuroprotective Properties of Lignosus rhinocerus (Cooke) Ryvarden
Authors: Yeo Yin , Tan Joash Ban Lee , Lim Lee Wei , Tan Kuan Onn , Heng Boon Chin , Lim Wei Ling
Published: August 2019

In the biomedical field, there is growing interest in using human stem cell-derived neurons as in vitro models for pharmacological and toxicological screening of bioactive compounds extracted from natural products. Lignosus rhinocerus (Tiger Milk Mushroom) is used by indigenous communities in Malaysia as a traditional medicine to treat various diseases. The sclerotium of L. rhinocerus has been reported to have medicinal properties, including various bioactivities such as neuritogenic, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer effects. This study aims to investigate the neuroprotective activities of L. rhinocerus sclerotial extracts. Human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived neural lineages exposed to the synthetic glucocorticoid, dexamethasone (DEX), were used as the in vitro models. Excess glucocorticoids have been shown to adversely affect fetal brain development and impair differentiation of neural progenitor cells. Screening of different L. rhinocerus sclerotial extracts and DEX on the hESC-derived neural lineages was conducted using cell viability and neurite outgrowth assays. The neuroprotective effects of L. rhinocerus sclerotial extracts against DEX were further evaluated using apoptosis assays and Western blot analysis. Hot aqueous and methanol extracts of L. rhinocerus sclerotium promoted neurite outgrowth of hESC-derived neural stem cells (NSCs) with negligible cytotoxicity. Treatment with DEX decreased viability of NSCs by inducing apoptosis. Coincubation of L. rhinocerus methanol extract with DEX attenuated the DEX-induced apoptosis and reduction in phospho-Akt (pAkt) level in NSCs. These results suggest the involvement of Akt signaling in the neuroprotection of L. rhinocerus methanol extract against DEX-induced apoptosis in NSCs. Methanol extract of L. rhinocerus sclerotium exhibited potential neuroprotective activities against DEX-induced toxicity in hESC-derived NSCs. This study thus validates the use of human stem cell-derived neural lineages as potential in vitro models for screening of natural products with neuroprotective properties.
Improvement of the Bonding Properties of Mineral Trioxide Aggregate by Elastin-Like Polypeptide Supplementation
Authors: Kim Hyun-Jung , Lee Donghyun , Cho Seungryong , Jang Ji-Hyun , Kim Sahng Gyoon , Kim Sun-Young
Published: August 2019

Introduction. Elastin-like polypeptide (ELP) supplementation was previously reported to enhance the physical properties of mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA). The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of ELP supplementation on the bonding properties of MTA to dentin. Methods. Two types of ELPs were synthesized and mixed with MTA in a 0.3 liquid/powder ratio. The push-out bond strength test and interfacial observation with scanning electron microscopy were performed for ELP-supplemented MTA. The porosity of MTA fillings in the cavity was observed with microcomputed tomography. The stickiness, flow rate, and contact angle were additionally measured for potential increased bonding properties. Results. ELP supplementation improved the bond strength of MTA to dentin. MTA supplemented by a specific ELP exhibited a less porous structure, higher stickiness, and higher flow rate. ELPs also decreased the contact angle to dentin. Conclusions. This research data verifies that ELP improves the bonding properties of MTA to a tooth structure. The sticky and highly flowable characteristics of ELP-supplemented MTA may provide intimate contact with dentin and supply a less porous cement structure, which might improve the bonding properties of MTA.
Parental Perception of Childhood Anaemia and Efficiency of Instrument Assisted Pallor Detection among Mothers in Southeast Nigeria: A Field Validation Study
Authors: Ughasoro Maduka Donatus , Madu Anazoeze Jude , Kela-Eke Iheoma Clara , Akubuilo Uzoamka
Published: August 2019

Background. Control of anemia can be achieved with early detection of pallor by parents at home. However, most parents lack the capacity to recognize pallor; thus most cases of anaemia are detected during hospital visit due to other symptoms. This study aimed to evaluate parental ability to detect pallor when aided with the anaemia screening tool.Methods. In the study information on the symptoms of illness and parental knowledge on anaemia. Their ability to detect anaemia aided with the Home-Base anaemia-screen tool (HB-Anae) was compared to the healthcare providers’ assessment of pallor. The haemoglobin estimation with the Hb-301 haemoglobinometer was used as the gold standard.Results. None of the children in their previous illnesses had paleness as a complaint. Few (20.8%) parents knew what anaemia meant. Only 18.3% knew sites on the body where pallor can be detected. Many (55.1%; 304/552) surveyed children were anaemic (Hb<11g/dl) based on HB 301. Majority (88.8%; 270/304) of the parents aided with the HB-Anae were able to detect pallor on the children who were anaemic compared to 95.1% (289/304) detected by healthcare workers unaided, and the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.25).Conclusion. There was poor knowledge on anaemia among parents. The ability of parents to detect anaemia could be improved with the simple HB-Anae screen tool.