bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Educating the next frontier of transfusionists: a transfusion camp pilot program for nurse practitioners
Authors: Shih Andrew W. , Morrison Douglas , Sekhon Amardeep S. , Lin Yulia , Chargé Sophie , Chipperfield Kate , Beaveridge Jennifer
Published: March 2020

BACKGROUND

Blood transfusion is common and potentially lifesaving but is associated with risk and overuse. Nurse practitioners (NPs) in multidisciplinary care teams are increasingly expanding their scope of practice to transfusion medicine (TM). Resources aimed at NPs are lacking, and little is known about NP TM knowledge. Thus, we developed a pilot TM curriculum for NP credentialing and assessed its impact.

METHODS

NP leads and TM directors adapted the successful Canadian Transfusion Camp for medical postgraduate trainees into a 3‐day curriculum for NPs. Two modalities were used to assess the pilot: 1) a participant demographics survey and needs assessment; and 2) the validated BEST‐TEST knowledge assessment exam administered before and after the course.

RESULTS

Of the 23 volunteer participants, the majority reported prescribing blood products within the last year, primarily red blood cells. Minimal opportunities to undertake continuing medical education in TM were identified. NPs often used preprinted order forms, consultation with physicians sharing care, or local fact sheets to guide transfusion; rather than TM physician consultation or guidelines.

Exam scores significantly improved after the course (before, 35.2% vs. after, 50.3%; p = 0.005), suggesting average initial knowledge being below medical postgraduate trainee‐level improving to postgraduate trainee level. Questions on appropriate transfusion triggers and correct recipient identification were most correctly answered; and responses to transfusion reaction questions required improvement.

CONCLUSIONS

Our needs assessment suggests that TM resources for NPs are relevant but lacking. Our initiative supports the generalizability, scalability, and effectiveness of the Transfusion Camp program. Further implementation, refinement, and future impact assessments are required.
A review of electroretinography waveforms and models and their application in the dog
Authors: Pasmanter Nathaniel , Petersen‐Jones Simon M.
Published: March 2020

Electroretinography (ERG) is a commonly used technique to study retinal function in both clinical and research ophthalmology. ERG responses can be divided into component waveforms, analysis of which can provide insight into the health and function of different types and populations of retinal cells. In dogs, ERG has been used in the characterization of normal retinal function, as well as the diagnosis of retinal diseases and measuring effects of treatment. While many components of the recorded waveform are similar across species, dogs have several notable features that should be differentiated from the responses in humans and other animals. Additionally, modifications of standard protocols, such as changing flash frequency and stimulus color, and mathematical models of ERG waveforms have been used in studies of human retinal function but have been infrequently applied to visual electrophysiology in dogs. This review provides an overview of the origins and applications of ERG in addition to potential avenues for further characterization of responses in the dog.
Start‐up strategy and bacterial community analysis of SNAD process for treating anaerobic digester liquor of swine wastewater (ADLSW) in a continuous‐flow biofilm reactor
Authors: Xin Xin , Liu Qin , Werner David , Lu Hang , Qin Jiawei
Published: March 2020

Simultaneous partial nitrification, anammox and denitrification (SNAD) process for treating anaerobic digester liquor of swine wastewater (ADLSW) was achieved successfully in a continuous ‐flow biofilm reactor by gradually increasing the influent ammonium (

) concentration whilst controlling the low dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration. After 180 days of operation, the average removal efficiencies of

, total nitrogen (TN) and COD were 61.59, 55.76 and 75.21% respectively. Also, the average conversion efficiency

of total effluent nitrite and nitrate production to ammonia consumption was kept at about 0.053 at the last stage (days 181‐218). Anaerolineaceae (26.92%), Candidatus Brocadia (3.96%), Candidatus‐Kuenenia (4.69%), Armatimonadetes‐norank (4.25%), Limnobacter (4.15%), Xanthomonadaceae (3.07%) and Ignavibacterium (2.87%) were the dominant genera in the SNAD system for treating ADLSW. The quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) results further confirmed that the co‐existence and enrichment of anammox bacteria, ammonium oxidising bacteria (AOB) and denitrifying bacteria (HB) in the bioreactor.
Progesterone decreases apnoea and reduces oxidative stress induced by chronic intermittent hypoxia in ovariectomized female rats
Authors: Joseph Vincent , Laouafa Sofien , Marcouiller François , Roussel Damien , Pialoux Vincent , Bairam Aida
Published: March 2020

New Findings

What is the central question of this study?

Does progesterone reduce the effect of chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) on arterial blood pressure, respiratory control and oxidative stress in the central nervous system in ovariectomized rats?

What is the main finding and its importance?

Progesterone does not prevent the elevation of arterial blood pressure in rats exposed to CIH, but normalizes respiratory control, and reduces cerebral oxidative stress. This study draws focus to a potential role of progesterone and the consequences of sleep apnoea in menopausal women.

We tested the hypothesis that progesterone (Prog) reduces the effect of chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) on arterial blood pressure, respiratory chemoreflexes and oxidative stress in the central nervous system. Ovariectomized female rats were implanted with osmotic pumps delivering vehicle (Veh) or Prog (4 mg kg−1 day−1). Two weeks following the surgery, rats were exposed to room air (Air) or CIH (7 days, 10% O2, 10 cycles h−1, 8 h day−1). We studied three groups: Veh–Air, Veh–CIH and Prog–CIH. After the CIH exposures, we measured the mean arterial pressure (MAP; tail cuff) and assessed the frequency of apnoeas at rest and ventilatory responses to hypoxia and hypercapnia (whole body plethysmography). The activities of the pro‐oxidant enzyme NADPH oxidase (NOX) and antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD; in mitochondrial and cytosolic fractions) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), as well as the concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA), a marker of lipid peroxidation, were measured in brain cortex and brainstem samples. CIH exposure increased the MAP, the frequency of apnoeas, and the respiratory frequency response to hypoxia and hypercapnia. Prog did not prevent the CIH‐induced elevation in MAP, but it reduced the CIH‐induced frequency of apnoeas and increased hypoxic and hypercapnic ventilatory responses. In the brain cortex, CIH increased NOX activity, and decreased the cytosolic and mitochondrial SOD activities. These effects were prevented by Prog. NOX activity was increased by CIH in the brainstem, and this was also blocked by Prog. The study draws focus to the links between ovarian hormones and the consequences of sleep apnoea in women.
Uranium and arsenic unregulated water issues on Navajo lands
Authors: Ingram Jani C. , Jones Lindsey , Credo Jonathan , Rock Tommy
Published: March 2020

The geologic profile of the western United States lends itself to naturally elevated levels of arsenic and uranium in the groundwater and can be aggravated by mining. The Navajo Nation, located in the American Southwest, is the largest contiguous Native American Nation and has over a 100-year legacy of hard rock mining. Concentrations of uranium and arsenic above drinking water standards in unregulated water sources pose various human-health risks to the Navajo Nation due to the lack of public water infrastructure that exists. Although high natural background concentrations may occur in some environments, anthropogenic contamination concerns are especially troublesome for the Navajo Nation, where past uranium mining activity and natural sources affect unregulated water supplies. Community engaged research on uranium and arsenic present in unregulated water wells in the western portion of the Navajo Nation has been a focus of the Ingram laboratory since 2003. These studies have provided important information, particularly for uranium and arsenic, to the communities and the Navajo tribal leaders.
Surface-anchored framework for generating RhD-epitope stealth red blood cells
Authors: Zhao Yueqi , Fan Mingjie , Chen Yanni , Liu Zhaoming , Shao Changyu , Jin Biao , Wang Xiaoyu , Hui Lanlan , Wang Shuaifei , Liao Zhaoping , Ling Daishun , Tang Ruikang , Wang Ben
Published: March 2020

A new method generates universal red blood cells for transfusion and requires no blood type match.
Massively parallel microwire arrays integrated with CMOS chips for neural recording
Authors: Obaid Abdulmalik , Hanna Mina-Elraheb , Wu Yu-Wei , Kollo Mihaly , Racz Romeo , Angle Matthew R. , Müller Jan , Brackbill Nora , Wray William , Franke Felix , Chichilnisky E. J. , Hierlemann Andreas , Ding Jun B. , Schaefer Andreas T. , Melosh Nicholas A.
Published: March 2020

Integrating camera chips into neural recording arrays provides a massively parallel brain-machine interface.
Lipidomics and RNA sequencing reveal a novel subpopulation of nanovesicle within extracellular matrix biomaterials
Authors: Hussey George S. , Pineda Molina Catalina , Cramer Madeline C. , Tyurina Yulia Y. , Tyurin Vladimir A. , Lee Yoojin C. , El-Mossier Salma O. , Murdock Mark H. , Timashev Peter S. , Kagan Valerian E. , Badylak Stephen F.
Published: March 2020

Matrix-bound nanovesicles (MBVs) are a novel subclass of extracellular vesicles.
Tracking Ca
2+
ATPase intermediates in real time by x-ray solution scattering
Authors: Ravishankar Harsha , Pedersen Martin Nors , Eklund Mattias , Sitsel Aljona , Li Chenge , Duelli Annette , Levantino Matteo , Wulff Michael , Barth Andreas , Olesen Claus , Nissen Poul , Andersson Magnus
Published: March 2020

We characterize thus-far elusive domain rearrangements of a calcium-transporting ATPase in the native membrane.
Microscopic pathways for stress relaxation in repulsive colloidal glasses
Authors: Dallari F. , Martinelli A. , Caporaletti F. , Sprung M. , Grübel G. , Monaco G.
Published: March 2020

How residual stresses in colloids generate directional and heterogeneous motions down to fundamental length scales.
Zscan4 binds nucleosomal microsatellite DNA and protects mouse two-cell embryos from DNA damage
Authors: Srinivasan Rajini , Nady Nataliya , Arora Neha , Hsieh Laura J. , Swigut Tomek , Narlikar Geeta J. , Wossidlo Mark , Wysocka Joanna
Published: March 2020

A developmentally regulated mechanism, mediated by a zinc finger protein Zscan4, protects genome integrity in early embryos.
Microbial Diversity in Deep-Subsurface Hot Brines of Northwest Poland: from Community Structure to Isolate Characteristics
Authors: Kalwasińska Agnieszka , Krawiec Arkadiusz , Deja-Sikora Edyta , Gołębiewski Marcin , Kosobucki Przemysław , Swiontek Brzezinska Maria , Walczak Maciej
Published: March 2020

Deep-subsurface aquifers, buried thousands of meters down the Earth’s crust, belong to the most underexplored microbial habitats. Although a few studies revealed the existence of microbial life at the depths, the knowledge about the microbial life in the deep hydrosphere is still scarce due to the limited access to such environments. Studying the subsurface microbiome provides unique information on microbial diversity, community structure, and geomicrobiological processes occurring under extreme conditions of the deep subsurface. Our study shows that low-diversity microbial assemblages in subsurface hot brines were dominated by the bacteria involved in biogeochemical cycles of sulfur and nitrogen. Based on genomic and physiological analyses, we found that theBacillus paralicheniformisisolate obtained from the brine under study differed from the mesophilic species in the presence of specific adaptations to harsh environmental conditions. We indicate that some lineages ofB. paralicheniformisare halothermophilic, which was not previously reported.
Commensal Bacteria Impact a Protozoan’s Integration into the Murine Gut Microbiota in a Dietary Nutrient-Dependent Manner
Authors: Wei Yanxia , Gao Jing , Kou Yanbo , Meng Liyuan , Zheng Xingping , Liang Ming , Sun Hongxiang , Liu Zhuanzhuan , Wang Yugang
Published: March 2020

Like commensal bacteria, commensal protozoa are an integral part of the vertebrate intestinal microbiome. How protozoa integrate into a commensal bacterium-enriched ecosystem remains poorly studied. Here, using the murine commensal
Tritrichomonas musculis
as a proof of concept, we studied potential factors involved in shaping the intestinal protozoal-bacterial community. Understanding the rules by which microbes form a multispecies community is crucial to prevent or correct microbial community dysfunctions in order to promote the host’s health or to treat diseases.
Prebiotics Inhibit Proteolysis by Gut Bacteria in a Host Diet-Dependent Manner: a Three-Stage Continuous
In Vitro
Gut Model Experiment
Authors: Wang Xuedan , Gibson Glenn R. , Sailer Manuela , Theis Stephan , Rastall Robert A.
Published: March 2020

Dietary protein levels are generally higher in Western populations than in the world average. We challenged three-stage continuous colonic model systems containing high protein levels and confirmed the production of potentially harmful metabolites from proteolysis, especially replicates of the transverse and distal colon. Fermentations of proteins with a prebiotic supplementation resulted in a change in the human gut microbiota and inhibited the production of some proteolytic metabolites. Moreover, we observed both bacterial and metabolic differences between fecal bacteria from omnivore donors and vegetarian donors. Proteins with prebiotic supplementation showed higher
Bacteroides
spp. and inhibited
Clostridium
cluster IX in omnivore models, while in vegetarian modes,
Clostridium
cluster IX was higher and
Bacteroides
spp. lower with high protein plus prebiotic supplementation. Synergy1 addition inhibited
p
-cresol production in vegetarian high
p
-cresol-producing models while the inhibitory effect was not seen in omnivore models.
Comparative Whole-Genome Phylogeny of Animal, Environmental, and Human Strains Confirms the Genogroup Organization and Diversity of the Stenotrophomonas maltophilia Complex
Authors: Mercier-Darty Mélanie , Royer Guilhem , Lamy Brigitte , Charron Chadly , Lemenand Olivier , Gomart Camille , Fourreau Frédéric , Madec Jean-Yves , Jumas-Bilak Estelle , Decousser Jean-Winoc
Published: March 2020

Given its naturally large antimicrobial resistance profile, the
Stenotrophomonas maltophilia
complex (Smc) is a set of emerging pathogens of immunosuppressed and cystic fibrosis patients. As it is group of environmental microorganisms, this adaptation to humans is an opportunity to understand the genetic and metabolic selective mechanisms involved in this process. The previously reported genomic organization was incomplete, as data from animal strains were underrepresented. We added the missing piece of the puzzle with whole-genome sequencing of 93 strains of animal origin. Beyond describing the phylogenetic organization, we confirmed the genetic diversity of the Smc, which could not be estimated through routine phenotype- or matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF)-based laboratory tests. Animals strains seem to play a key role in the diversity of Smc and could act as a reservoir for mobile resistance genes. Some genogroups seem to be associated with particular hosts; the genetic support of this association and the role of the determinants/corresponding genes need to be explored.
Discovery and Characterization of Thermoproteus Spherical Piliferous Virus 1: a Spherical Archaeal Virus Decorated with Unusual Filaments
Authors: Hartman Ross , Biewenga Lieuwe , Munson-McGee Jacob , Refai Mohammed , Boyd Eric S. , Bothner Brian , Lawrence C. Martin , Young Mark
Published: March 2020

High-temperature environments have proven to be an important source for the discovery of new archaeal viruses with unusual particle morphologies and gene content. Our isolation of Thermoproteus spherical piliferous virus 1 (TSPV1), with numerous filaments extending from the virion surface, expands our understanding of viral diversity and provides new insight into viral replication in high-temperature environments.
Validation of an algorithm to evaluate the appropriateness of outpatient antibiotic prescribing using big data of Chinese diagnosis text
Authors: Zhao Houyu , Bian Jiaming , Wei Li , Li Liuyi , Ying Yingqiu , Zhang Zeyu , Yao Xiaoying , Zhuo Lin , Cao Bin , Zhang Mei , Zhan Siyan
Published: March 2020

Objective

We aimed to evaluate the validity of an algorithm to classify diagnoses according to the appropriateness of outpatient antibiotic use in the context of Chinese free text.

Setting and participants

A random sample of 10 000 outpatient visits was selected between January and April 2018 from a national database for monitoring rational use of drugs, which included data from 194 secondary and tertiary hospitals in China.

Research design

Diagnoses for outpatient visits were classified as tier 1 if associated with at least one condition that ‘always’ justified antibiotic use; as tier 2 if associated with at least one condition that only ‘sometimes’ justified antibiotic use but no conditions that ‘always’ justified antibiotic use; or as tier 3 if associated with only conditions that never justified antibiotic use, using a tier-fashion method and regular expression (RE)-based algorithm.

Measures

Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of the classification algorithm, using classification made by chart review as the standard reference, were calculated.

Results

The sensitivities of the algorithm for classifying tier 1, tier 2 and tier 3 diagnoses were 98.2% (95% CI 96.4% to 99.3%), 98.4% (95% CI 97.6% to 99.1%) and 100.0% (95% CI 100.0% to 100.0%), respectively. The specificities were 100.0% (95% CI 100.0% to 100.0%), 100.0% (95% CI 99.9% to 100.0%) and 98.6% (95% CI 97.9% to 99.1%), respectively. The PPVs for classifying tier 1, tier 2 and tier 3 diagnoses were 100.0% (95% CI 99.1% to 100.0%), 99.7% (95% CI 99.2% to 99.9%) and 99.7% (95% CI 99.6% to 99.8%), respectively. The NPVs were 99.9% (95% CI 99.8% to 100.0%), 99.8% (95% CI 99.7% to 99.9%) and 100.0% (95% CI 99.8% to 100.0%), respectively.

Conclusions

The RE-based classification algorithm in the context of Chinese free text had sufficiently high validity for further evaluating the appropriateness of outpatient antibiotic prescribing.
Cardiac arrest after pulmonary aspiration in hospitalised patients: a national observational study
Authors: Albert Malin , Herlitz Johan , Rawshani Araz , Ringh Mattias , Claesson Andreas , Djärv Therese , Nordberg Per
Published: March 2020

Objective

To study characteristics and outcomes among patients with in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) due to pulmonary aspiration.

Design

A retrospective observational study based on data from the Swedish Registry of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (SRCR).

Setting

The SRCR is a nationwide quality registry that covers 96% of all Swedish hospitals. Participating hospitals vary in size from secondary hospitals to university hospitals.

Participants

The study included patients registered in the SRCR in the period 2008 to 2017. We compared patients with IHCA caused by pulmonary aspiration (n=127), to those with IHCA caused by respiratory failure of other causes (n=2197).

Primary and secondary outcome measures

Primary outcome was 30-day survival. Secondary outcome was sustained return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) defined as ROSC at the scene and admitted alive to the intensive care unit.

Results

In the aspiration group 80% of IHCA occurred on general wards, as compared with 63.6% in the respiratory failure group (p<0.001). Patients in the aspiration group were less likely to be monitored at the time of the arrest (18.5% vs 38%, p<0.001) and had a significantly lower rate of sustained ROSC (36.5% vs 51.6%, p=0.001). The unadjusted 30-day survival rate compared with the respiratory failure group was 7.9% versus 18.0%, p=0.024. In a propensity score analysis (including variables; year, age, gender, location of arrest, initial heart rhythm, ECG monitoring, witnessed collapse and a previous medical history of; cancer, myocardial infarction or heart failure) the OR for 30-day survival was 0.46 (95% CI 0.19 to 0.94).

Conclusions

In-hospital cardiac arrest preceded by pulmonary aspiration occurred more often on general wards among unmonitored patients. These patients had a lower 30-day survival rate compared with IHCA caused by respiratory failure of other causes.
Autopsy in suspected COVID-19 cases
Authors: Hanley Brian , Lucas Sebastian B , Youd Esther , Swift Benjamin , Osborn Michael
Published: March 2020

The severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-coronavirus-2 (CoV-2) outbreak in Wuhan, China has now spread to many countries across the world including the UK with an increasing death toll. This will inevitably lead to an increase in the number of suspected coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related deaths at autopsy. The Royal College of Pathologists has responded to this concern with the release of a briefing on autopsy practice relating to COVID-19. The following article is a summary and interpretation of these guidelines. It includes a description of hazard group 3 organisms, the category to which SARS-CoV-2 has been assigned, a brief description of what is currently known about the pathological and autopsy findings in COVID-19, a summary of the recommendations for conducting autopsies in suspected COVID-19 cases and the techniques for making the diagnosis at autopsy. It concludes by considering the clinicopathological correlation and notification of such cases.
Sodium sulfide on coal fly ash (Na2S/CFA) as a reagent for the synthesis of dithia[3.3]cyclophanes
Authors: MacKinnon Marc R. , Warren Ryan N. , Brake Simon , Zhang Baozhong , Wang Li , Bodwell Graham J.
Published: March 2020

The use of coal fly ash as a new support for a reagent for organic synthesis was investigated. Coal fly ash supported sodium sulfide was found to be an effective reagent for the synthesis of dithiacyclophanes, notably giving better results than alumina-supported sodium sulfide.
Age and size effects on first cone production among white spruce trees
Authors: Bronson Michael T.
Published: March 2020

The onset of lifetime reproduction is central to processes of plant adaptation and population changes. The relative contributions of size and age to the onset of reproduction are important to predicting that key event in individuals. To estimate respective size and age effects on first reproduction in a conifer, I observed white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) trees in forest stands in Alaska, United States, over ranges of cumulative growth rates. Age was estimated by counting annular growth rings, size was indicated by tree height, and reproductive status was indicated by seed cones. Multiple logistic regression showed the relative contributions of tree height and age, adjusted for each other, to statistical predictions of reproductive maturity. Trees selected for having little competition for light first produced cones at heights between 1 and 5 m with little additional effect of age. Tree height contributed approximately 50% to regression predictions of reproductive maturity. In contrast, tree age contributed ≤1.5% and bore little relation to reproductive maturity other than as a component of growth rate. This is among the first reports to partial the effect sizes of tree size and age on the commencement of lifetime reproduction in a conifer.
Effects of a centered conducting body on natural convection of a non-Newtonian fluid in a square enclosure with time-periodic temperature distribution
Authors: Ye Peixin , Li Dinggen , Yu Zihao , Zhang Haifeng
Published: March 2020

In this paper, a modified lattice Boltzmann model that incorporates the effect of heat capacity is adopted to study the effects of a centered conducting body on the natural convection of a non-Newtonian fluid in a square cavity with time-periodic temperature distribution. The effects of power-law index, Rayleigh number, heat capacity ratio, thermal conductivity ratio, body size, temperature pulsating period, and temperature pulsating amplitude on fluid flow and heat transfer are analyzed in detail. The results showed that the increase of Rayleigh number and thermal conductivity ratio as well as the decrease of power-law index can strengthen both transient and global heat transfer, while the increase of heat capacitance of the fluid to the solid wall can enhance the transient heat transfer and has little effect on the overall heat transfer. Furthermore, the increase of body size will reduce both the transient heat transfer ratio and the overall heat transfer ratio. In addition, the decrease of temperature pulsating period can enhance the transient heat transfer, but will slightly weaken the overall heat transfer. Finally, the results show that both the transient and overall heat transfer ratios increase with the increase of temperature pulsating amplitude.
Studies an analytic model of a spherically symmetric compact object in Einsteinian gravity
Authors: Errehymy Abdelghani , Daoud Mohammed
Published: March 2020

We propose a new compact stellar object model existing in a space filled with a distribution of anisotropic fluid matter for stellar configuration exposed to the hydrostatic equilibrium. An analytical solution was obtained using dark-energy (DE), which is characterized by a equation of state (EoS) of the type$$p=\gamma \rho - \rho $$p=γρ-ρcorresponding to the external Schwarzschild vacuum solution through a thin envelope. We have imposed a collective function based on an adjustable coefficient to solve the Einstein field equations (EFEs). We investigate the general physical characteristics of high-density astrophysical objects based on the required solutions, with the inside structure of the stellar objects, such as the energy conditions, stability analysis, mass function, surface redshift function, velocity of sound and compactness of stellar objects through theoretical expression as well as graphic plots. In terms of our results, the physical behavior of this model can be used to model ultra-compact objects.
PERCEPTION OR CAPABILITIES? AN EMPIRICAL INVESTIGATION OF THE FACTORS INFLUENCING THE ADOPTION OF SOCIAL MEDIA AND PUBLIC CLOUD IN GERMAN SMEs
Authors: HASSAN SOHAIB S. , REUTER CHRISTIAN , BZHALAVA LEVAN
Published: March 2020

Social media and public cloud computing (SM&PC) have emerged as important resources of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), but not all SMEs use SM&PC. The existing research predominantly focuses on the role of either the features of social media and cloud computing in relation to the perceptions of decision makers or the internal capabilities of organization concerning new innovation adoption. By integrating multidisciplinary literature, we, instead, argues that both the perception- and capability-related factors could play an important role in the adoption of new ICT technology, such as SM&PC. Therefore, we empirically investigated the decision maker’s perception-related and SME’s capability-related factors that may influence the adoption of SM&PC in SMEs in Germany. We used quantitative research methods to examine the proposed hypotheses on a sample of 2,404 SMEs from 17 industrial sectors. The results demonstrate that the decisions of German SMEs to engage in social media and cloud computing are not only influenced by the perceptions of SME owners about the usefulness, security aspects, and the implementation costs of SM&PC, but also by the internal capabilities of an SME, namely the innovativeness of an SME. The results and potential contributions of our research are discussed.
Price risk management by using dynamic hedging based on advanced Black–Scholes model
Authors: Lu Peili , Shen Jiaqi , Zhao Liheng , Qin Haoyang , Liu Xunzhi , Ye Zhongxing
Published: March 2020

Price Risk Management plays an important role in Commodity trading and corporate purchasing or Sales plan. Futures are used to hedge the price risk which is linear, while options are used for the nonlinear one. This paper proposes an evaluation method of dynamic hedging strategy for corporate hedging commodity price risk based on advanced Black–Scholes Model. By using the inverse replication method, we get the dynamic hedging strategy which uses futures to replicate options. Finally, we apply the dynamic hedging strategy for corporate purchases and sales to either lower purchase cost or maintain the sales price.
How Interaction Designers Use Tools to Manage Ideas
Authors: Inie Nanna , Dalsgaard Peter
Published: March 2020

This article presents a grounded theory analysis based on a qualitative study of professional interaction designers (n= 20) with a focus on how they use tools to manage design ideas. Idea management can be understood as a subcategory of the field personal information management, which includes the activities around the capture, organization, retrieval, and use of information. Idea management pertains to the management and use ofideas, a particular type of information, as part of creative activities. The article identifies tool-supported idea management strategies and needs of professional interaction designers, and discusses the context and consequences of these strategies. Based on our analysis, we identify a conceptual framework of 10 strategies which are supported by tools:saving, externalizing, advancing, exploring, archiving, clustering, extracting, browsing, verifying,andcollaborating. Finally, we discuss how this framework can be used to characterize and analyze existing and novel idea management tools.
The Unexpected Downside of Paying or Sending Messages to People to Make Them Walk
Authors: Cherubini Mauro , Villalobos-Zuñiga Gabriela , Boldi Marc-Olivier , Bonazzi Riccardo
Published: March 2020

People do not exercise as much and as regularly as they should. To support users in adopting healthy exercise routines, app designers integrate persuasive techniques in their apps. In this study, we focus on two of these techniques, i.e., offering
tangible rewards
and sending
motivational messages
to users. Past research has demonstrated the effects of these techniques in nudging recipients to increase their physical activity levels. However, the effect of these interventions on the
intrinsic motivation
of the participants has not yet been studied. We conducted a 10-month study involving 208 participants; this research consisted of a 3-month baseline (pre-phase), a 4-month experiment and a 3-month follow-up (post-phase). The participants were randomly assigned to one of the following three interventions: either they receive money ((i.) through a fixed incentive or (ii.) a lottery), or (iii.) informative messages. Their daily goal was to walk 10K steps. Through their smart phones, we recorded how many steps they walked every day. These interventions had no effect on the main outcome variable (i.e., the number of steps). However, the manipulations produced a detrimental effect on the intrinsic motivation of the participants, measured through a standardized questionnaire. This negative effect extended into the follow-up period. Our study reveals that tangible rewards and motivational messages decrease the intrinsic motivation of the participants, hence their connected physical activity. In our findings, we highlight the importance of intrinsic motivation in setting up healthy exercise routines that will be carried on autonomously by the participants after the period of the intervention. Finally, we present implications for the design of persuasive apps.
Algorithm 1004
Authors: Reizenstein Jeremy F. , Graham Benjamin
Published: March 2020

Iterated-integral signatures and log signatures are sequences calculated from a path that characterizes its shape. They originate from the work of K. T. Chen and have become important through Terry Lyons’s theory of differential equations driven by rough paths, which is an important developing area of stochastic analysis. They have applications in statistics and machine learning, where there can be a need to calculate finite parts of them quickly for many paths. We introduce the signature and the most basic information (displacement and signed areas) that it contains. We present algorithms for efficiently calculating these signatures. For log signatures this requires consideration of the structure of free Lie algebras. We benchmark the performance of the algorithms. The methods are implemented in C++ and released as a Python extension package, which also supports differentiation. In combination with a machine learning library (Tensorflow, PyTorch, or Theano), this allows end-to-end learning of neural networks involving signatures.
High-order Numerical Quadratures in a Tetrahedron with an Implicitly Defined Curved Interface
Authors: Cui Tao , Leng Wei , Liu Huaqing , Zhang Linbo , Zheng Weiying
Published: March 2020

Given a shape regular tetrahedron and a curved surface that is defined implicitly by a nonlinear level set function and divides the tetrahedron into two sub-domains, a general-purpose, robust, and high-order numerical algorithm is proposed in this article for computing both volume integrals in the sub-domains and surface integrals on their common boundary. The algorithm uses a direct approach that decomposes 3D volume integrals or 2D surface integrals into multiple 1D integrals and computes the 1D integrals with Gaussian quadratures. It only requires finding roots of univariate nonlinear functions in given intervals and evaluating the integrand, the level set function, and the gradient of the level set function at given points. It can achieve arbitrarily high accuracy by increasing the orders of Gaussian quadratures, and it does not need extra
a priori
knowledge about the integrand and the level set function. The code for the algorithm is freely available in the open-source finite element toolbox Parallel Hierarchical Grid (PHG) and can serve as a basic building block for implementing 3D high-order numerical algorithms involving implicit interfaces or boundaries.
The Landscape of Exascale Research
Authors: Heldens Stijn , Hijma Pieter , Werkhoven Ben Van , Maassen Jason , Belloum Adam S. Z. , Van Nieuwpoort Rob V.
Published: March 2020

The next generation of supercomputers will break the exascale barrier. Soon we will have systems capable of at least one quintillion (billion billion) floating-point operations per second (10
18
FLOPS). Tremendous amounts of work have been invested into identifying and overcoming the challenges of the exascale era. In this work, we present an overview of these efforts and provide insight into the important trends, developments, and exciting research opportunities in exascale computing. We use a three-stage approach in which we (1) discuss various exascale landmark studies, (2) use data-driven techniques to analyze the large collection of related literature, and (3) discuss eight research areas in depth based on influential articles. Overall, we observe that great advancements have been made in tackling the two primary exascale challenges: energy efficiency and fault tolerance. However, as we look forward, we still foresee two major concerns: the lack of suitable programming tools and the growing gap between processor performance and data bandwidth (i.e., memory, storage, networks). Although we will certainly reach exascale soon, without additional research, these issues could potentially limit the applicability of exascale computing.
Advances in security research in the Asiacrypt region
Authors: Phan Raphaël CW , Abe Masayuki , Batten Lynn , Cheon Jung Hee , Dawson Ed , Galbraith Steven , Guo Jian , Hui Lucas , Kim Kwangjo , Lai Xuejia , Lee Dong Hoon , Matsui Mitsuru , Matsumoto Tsutomu , Moriai Shiho , Nguyen Phong , Pei Dingyi , Phan Duong Hieu , Pieprzyk Josef , Wang Huaxiong , Wolfe Hank , Wong Duncan , Wu Tzong-Chen , Yang Bo-Yin , Yiu Siu-Ming , Yu Yu , Zhou Jianying
Published: March 2020

Members of the International Association for Cryptologic Research explore regional work and collaboration activities.
Multi-Label Active Learning Algorithms for Image Classification
Authors: Wu Jian , Sheng Victor S. , Zhang Jing , Li Hua , Dadakova Tetiana , Swisher Christine Leon , Cui Zhiming , Zhao Pengpeng
Published: March 2020

Image classification is a key task in image understanding, and multi-label image classification has become a popular topic in recent years. However, the success of multi-label image classification is closely related to the way of constructing a training set. As active learning aims to construct an effective training set through iteratively selecting the most informative examples to query labels from annotators, it was introduced into multi-label image classification. Accordingly, multi-label active learning is becoming an important research direction. In this work, we first review existing multi-label active learning algorithms for image classification. These algorithms can be categorized into two top groups from two aspects respectively: sampling and annotation. The most important component of multi-label active learning is to design an effective sampling strategy that actively selects the examples with the highest informativeness from an unlabeled data pool, according to various information measures. Thus, different informativeness measures are emphasized in this survey. Furthermore, this work also makes a deep investigation on existing challenging issues and future promises in multi-label active learning with a focus on four core aspects: example dimension, label dimension, annotation, and application extension.
Managing the hidden costs of coordination
Authors: Maguire Laura M. D.
Published: March 2020

Controlling coordination costs when multiple, distributed perspectives are essential.
Hyperbolic Embeddings for Near-Optimal Greedy Routing
Authors: Bläsius Thomas , Friedrich Tobias , Katzmann Maximilian , Krohmer Anton
Published: March 2020

Greedy routing computes paths between nodes in a network by successively moving to the neighbor closest to the target with respect to coordinates given by an embedding into some metric space. Its advantage is that only local information is used for routing decisions. We present different algorithms for generating graph embeddings into the hyperbolic plane that are well suited for greedy routing. In particular, our embeddings guarantee that greedy routing always succeeds in reaching the target, and we try to minimize the lengths of the resulting greedy paths.

We evaluate our algorithm on multiple generated and real-world networks. For networks that are generally assumed to have a hidden underlying hyperbolic geometry, such as the Internet graph [3], we achieve near-optimal results (i.e., the resulting greedy paths are only slightly longer than the corresponding shortest paths). In the case of the Internet graph, they are only 6% longer when using our best algorithm, which greatly improves upon the previous best known embedding, whose creation required substantial manual intervention.

In addition to measuring the stretch, we empirically evaluate our algorithms regarding the size of the coordinates of the resulting embeddings and observe how it impacts the success rate when coordinates are not represented with very high precision. Since numerical difficulties are a major issue when performing computations in the hyperbolic plane, we consider variations of our algorithm that improve the success rate when using coordinates with lower precision.
A bounded and envy-free cake cutting algorithm
Authors: Aziz Haris , Mackenzie Simon
Published: March 2020

We consider the well-studied cake cutting problem in which the goal is to find an envy-free allocation of a divisible resource based on queries from agents. The problem has received attention in mathematics, economics, and computer science. It has been a major open problem whether there exists a discrete and bounded envy-free protocol. We report on our algorithm that resolved the open problem.
Seasonality of Respiratory Viral Infections
Authors: Moriyama Miyu , Hugentobler Walter J. , Iwasaki Akiko
Published: March 2020

The seasonal cycle of respiratory viral diseases has been widely recognized for thousands of years, as annual epidemics of the common cold and influenza disease hit the human population like clockwork in the winter season in temperate regions. Moreover, epidemics caused by viruses such as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and the newly emerging SARS-CoV-2 occur during the winter months. The mechanisms underlying the seasonal nature of respiratory viral infections have been examined and debated for many years. The two major contributing factors are the changes in environmental parameters and human behavior. Studies have revealed the effect of temperature and humidity on respiratory virus stability and transmission rates. More recent research highlights the importance of the environmental factors, especially temperature and humidity, in modulating host intrinsic, innate, and adaptive immune responses to viral infections in the respiratory tract. Here we review evidence of how outdoor and indoor climates are linked to the seasonality of viral respiratory infections. We further discuss determinants of host response in the seasonality of respiratory viruses by highlighting recent studies in the field.
An Aesthetic Measurement Approach for Evaluating Product Appearance Design
Authors: Liu Peng , Wang Kun , Yang Kun , Chen Han , Zhao Anran , Xue Yiming , Zhou Liming
Published: March 2020

After completing the market positioning of products, catering for the functional and emotional needs of consumers is the key to achieve the success of product design. In the present study, the psychological theory is employed to screen the subjects and quantitatively evaluate the alternative design schemes to ensure the optimal design scheme. Then, an evaluation method of product appearance design based on eye tracking and aesthetic perception measurement is obtained. With the design of campus street lamp as an example, this paper evaluates the appearance design of products using emotional measurement and eye tracking technology. IAPS is used to screen out the participants who can represent the emotions and aesthetic experience of the public. Subsequently, the index system of aesthetic evaluation is established according to aesthetic theory, and the transformation relationship between aesthetic evaluation index and physiological eye movement index is determined. Finally, the eye tracking technology is used to evaluate the aesthetic feeling of each alternative, and the best design schemes are obtained. This study aims to explore a simple, practical, and low-cost product design evaluation method. As a hotspot in the research field of product design methodology, emotional design has broad prospects for application. Moreover, this paper also proposes a new direction for the development of emotional design research, which is based on quantitative analysis with the supplement of qualitative analysis.
Analysis of the Residual Deformation of Yingxian Wood Pagoda
Authors: Mi Xiaochen , Meng Xianjie , Yang Qingshan , Li Tieying , Wang Jinping
Published: March 2020

Cumulative damage and residual deformation of structural components of Yingxian Wood Pagoda over its existence have caused widespread concern. Because Yingxian Wood Pagoda is a very complex ancient wooden structure, previous studies on single‐storey and multistorey ancient structures are not very applicable. In this study, the deformation to the pagoda at the components, storey, and overall structure levels was monitored considering residual deformation, component cracking, and component connection conditions. The effects of different factors were preliminarily identified, including the structural weight, external impacts such as earthquakes and artillery shells, differences in moisture content according to sunlight exposure, and the prevailing wind direction. The study findings are useful in diagnosing the health and causes of deformation of unique buildings such as this in order to develop effective repair and restoration measures.
A New Iterative Algorithm for Pseudomonotone Equilibrium Problem and a Finite Family of Demicontractive Mappings
Authors: Ogbuisi F. U. , Isiogugu F. O.
Published: March 2020

In this paper, we introduce a new iterative method in a real Hilbert space for approximating a point in the solution set of a pseudomonotone equilibrium problem which is a common fixed point of a finite family of demicontractive mappings. Our result does not require that we impose the condition that the sum of the control sequences used in the finite convex combination is equal to 1. Furthermore, we state and prove a strong convergence result and give some numerical experiments to demonstrate the efficiency and applicability of our iterative method.
Temperature Forecasting via Convolutional Recurrent Neural Networks Based on Time-Series Data
Authors: Zhang Zao , Dong Yuan
Published: March 2020

Today, artificial intelligence and deep neural networks have been successfully used in many applications that have fundamentally changed people’s lives in many areas. However, very limited research has been done in the meteorology area, where meteorological forecasts still rely on simulations via extensive computing resources. In this paper, we propose an approach to using the neural network to forecast the future temperature according to the past temperature values. Specifically, we design a convolutional recurrent neural network (CRNN) model that is composed of convolution neural network (CNN) portion and recurrent neural network (RNN) portion. The model can learn the time correlation and space correlation of temperature changes from historical data through neural networks. To evaluate the proposed CRNN model, we use the daily temperature data of mainland China from 1952 to 2018 as training data. The results show that our model can predict future temperature with an error around 0.907°C.
Modelling the Periodic Outbreak of Measles in Mainland China
Authors: Xue Yuyi , Ruan Xiaoe , Xiao Yanni
Published: March 2020

In mainland China, measles infection reached the lowest level in 2012 but resurged again after that with a seasonally fluctuating pattern. To investigate the phenomenon of periodic outbreak and identify the crucial parameters that play in the transmission dynamics of measles, we formulate a mathematical model incorporating periodic transmission rate and asymptomatic infection with waning immunity. We define the basic reproduction number as the threshold value to govern whether measles infection dies out or not. Fitting the reported measles cases from 2013 to 2016 to our proposed model, we estimate the basic reproduction number R0 with immunization to be 1.0077. From numerical simulations, we conclude asymptomatic infection does not cause much new infections and the key parameters affecting the transmission of measles are vaccination rate, transmission rate, and recovery rate, which suggests the public to enhance vaccination and protection measures to reduce effective contacts between susceptible and infective individuals and treat infected individuals timely. To minimize the number of infected individuals at a minimal cost, we formulate an optimal control system to design optimal control strategies. Numerical simulations show the effectiveness of optimal control strategies and recommend us to implement the control strategies as soon as possible. In particular, enhancing vaccination is especially effective in lowering the initial outbreak and making disease recurrence less likely.