bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Extent of the association between self-rated health and place of birth: a cross-sectional study among people at high risk of developing pre-diabetes and diabetes in Sweden
Authors: Taloyan Marina , Amri Amina , Hjörleifsdottir Steiner Kristin , Lamian Fahimeh , Ostenson Claes-Goran , Salminen Helena
Published: December 2019

Objective

The first aim was to determine the extent of the relationship between place of birth and self-rated health (SRH) in primary healthcare patients born outside Sweden and those born in Sweden. The second aim was to investigate whether socioeconomic and lifestyle factors explained any differences.

Setting

Two academic primary healthcare centres in Stockholm County, Sweden.

Participants

825 patients at high risk of developing pre-diabetes and diabetes, aged 18–74 years, attending academic healthcare centres in areas with large numbers of immigrants, 56.8% born abroad and 43.2% born in Sweden. Patients with a diagnosis of diabetes were excluded. Inclusion criteria were based on previous research showing that people born in Middle Eastern and Asian countries who live in Sweden have a high prevalence of and risk for diabetes.

Outcome

SRH was dichotomised as optimal (very good/good) and suboptimal (fair/bad/very bad) and compared in those born outside Sweden and in Sweden.

Results

There was a statistically significant difference in the SRH of the two groups (p=0.008). Logistic regression analysis showed a crude OR for reduced SRH of 1.46 (95% CI 1.10 to 1.92) in patients born outside Sweden. After controlling for education, employment and marital status, the OR increased to 1.50 (95% CI 1.11 to 2.02). After controlling for physical activity and smoking, it decreased to 1.36 (95% CI 1.00 to 1.85).

Conclusion

Socioeconomic and lifestyle factors influenced SRH. It could therefore be useful for clinicians to consider these factors when providing care for patients born outside Sweden and resettled in areas with large numbers of immigrants.
Research priorities for the management of broken bones of the upper limb in people over 50: a UK priority setting partnership with the James Lind Alliance
Authors: Sheehan Warren J , Williams Mark A , Paskins Zoe , Costa Matthew L , Fernandez Miguel Antonio , Gould Jenny , Bell Philip , Baird Liz , Grant Richard , Ellis Patricia , White Catherine , Arnel Laura , Exell Lauren , Gwilym Stephen
Published: December 2019

Objective

To determine research priorities for the management of broken bones of the upper limb in people over 50, which represent the shared priorities of patients, their families, carers and healthcare professionals.

Design/setting

A national (UK) research priority setting partnership.

Participants

People aged 50 and over who have experienced a fracture of the upper limb, carers involved in their care, family and friends of patients, healthcare professionals involved in the treatment of these patients.

Methods

Using a multiphase methodology in partnership with the James Lind Alliance over 15 months (September 2017 to December 2018), a national scoping survey asked respondents to submit their research uncertainties. These were amalgamated into a smaller number of research questions. The existing evidence was searched to ensure that the questions had not already been answered. A second national survey asked respondents to prioritise the research questions. A final shortlist of 25 questions was taken to a multi-stakeholder workshop where a consensus was reached on the top 10 priorities.

Results

There were 1898 original uncertainties submitted by 328 respondents to the first survey. These original uncertainties were refined into 51 research questions of which 50 were judged to be true uncertainties following a review of the research evidence. There were 209 respondents to the second (interim prioritisation) survey. The top 10 priorities encompass a broad range of uncertainties in management and rehabilitation of upper limb fractures.

Conclusions

The top 10 UK research priorities highlight uncertainties in how we assess outcomes, provide information, achieve pain control, rationalise surgical intervention, optimise rehabilitation and provide psychological support. The breadth of these research areas highlights the value of this methodology. This work should help to steer research in this area for the next 5–10 years and the challenge for researchers now is to refine and deliver answers to these research priorities.
Characteristics of heart failure patients incurring high medical costs via matching specific health examination results and medical claim data: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Tamaki Yuya , Kazawa Kana , Watanabe Hirohito , Susanto Tantut , Moriyama Michiko
Published: December 2019

Objective

We describe the characteristics of patients with high medical costs by matching specific annual medical examination results and medical claim data. Clarifying the relationships between examination items and high medical costs allows the screening of high-risk persons.

Design

A cross-sectional study.

Subjects

Subjects were persons insured by national health insurance in Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture, from April 2016 to March 2017. To identify true heart failure (HF) patients, the disease name listed in the medical claim data was compared with drugs prescribed for HF, with extraction of only subjects whose comparative data matched.

Data collection and analysis

The specific health examination includes a questionnaire on areas such as lifestyle habits, anthropometry, blood pressure, blood tests and urine tests. The percentage of the total medical costs related to the medical care of subjects with HF was described using Pareto analysis. For specific health examination items, we compared the high-cost and low-cost groups. The normality and homoscedasticity of each variable was checked and Student’s t-tests and χ² tests were applied. Finally, multiple logistic regression analysis was used to detect factors in the health examination items related to high medical costs.

Results

Pareto analysis showed that 80% of all medical costs were paid by 30% of the HF patient population. The fees for cardiovascular surgery accounted for 54% of the total surgical cost, 64% of which included preventable diseases. Levels of creatinine (Cr) and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GTP) and a history of smoking were found to be related to high medical costs.

Conclusion

Analysis of specific health examination results for HF patients revealed the association between high medical costs, γ-GTP, Cr, and smoking. These results can thus serve as a reference for screening persons at high risk of HF and help prevent the exacerbation of HF.
How medical specialists experience the effects of a mindful leadership course on their leadership capabilities: a qualitative interview study in the Netherlands
Authors: Vreeling Kiki , Kersemaekers Wendy , Cillessen Linda , van Dierendonck Dirk , Speckens Anne
Published: December 2019

Objectives

Medical leaders are facing leadership challenges that ask for a leadership style that takes care of both themselves and their coworkers. Mindfulness may support this leadership style. We explored how a ‘Mindful leadership for medical specialists’ course affected medical specialists’ leadership.

Design

We conducted a qualitative study based on in-depth interviews. The grounded theory method was used to analyse the data.

Setting

A university medical centre in the Netherlands.

Participants

Seventeen medical specialists (six male) with an average age of 51 years (ranging from 40 to 66 years).

Interventions

The mindful leadership course consisted of 10-weekly 5-hour sessions that focused on cultivating mindfulness and compassion. In addition, sessions included didactic and interactional teaching about leadership theories.

Results

Four categories emerged from the data: (A) Self - Attitude: psychological attitude towards self, (B) Self - Behaviour: behaviour towards self, (C) Other - Attitude: psychological attitude towards others, and (D) Other - Behaviour: behaviour towards others. Themes were defined within these categories: awareness of self, open mind, insight and appreciation of self (A), emotional and cognitive self-regulation, letting go of unhelpful behaviour and developing helpful behaviour (B), differences in attitude to others such as awareness of (impact on) others, keeping an open mind about others, allowing difficult emotions associated with others, appreciating of others (C), and communicating more effectively, providing direction, empowering and caring for others (D).

Conclusions

The results help us understand the core elements of mindful leadership, both with respect to one’s psychological attitude and behaviour towards oneself and others. More research on mindful leadership and the effects on self and others is needed. Mindful leadership courses could be a valuable part of clinical training and might contribute to more sustainable healthcare organisations.
Associations between work satisfaction, engagement and 7-day patient mortality: a cross-sectional survey
Authors: Brubakk Kirsten , Svendsen Martin Veel , Hofoss Dag , Hansen Tonya Moen , Barach paul , Tjomsland Ole
Published: December 2019

Objective

This study examines the association between profession-specific work environments and the 7-day mortality of patients admitted to these units with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), stroke and hip fracture.

Design

A cross-sectional study combining patient mortality data extracted from the South-Eastern Norway Health Region, and the work environment scores at the hospital ward levels. A case-mix adjustment model was developed for the comparison between hospital wards.

Setting

Fifty-six patient wards in 20 hospitals administered by the South-Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority.

Participants

In total, 46 026 patients admitted to hospitals with AMI, stroke and hip fracture, and supported by 8800 survey responses from physicians, nurses and managers over a 3-year period (2010–2012).

Primary and secondary outcome measures

The primary outcome measures were the associations between the relative mortality rate for patients admitted with AMI, stroke and hip fractures and the profession-specific (ie, nurses, physicians, middle managers) mean scores on the 19 organisational factors in a validated cross sectional, staff survey conducted annually in Norway. The secondary outcome measures were the mean scores with SD on the organisational factors in the staff survey reported by each profession.

Results

The Nurse workload (beta 0.019 (95% CI0.009–0.028)) and middle manager engagement (beta 0.024 (95% CI0.010–0.037)) levels were associated with a case-mix adjusted 7-day patient mortality rates. There was no significant association between physician work environment scores and patient mortality rates.

Conclusion

7-day mortality rates in hospital wards were negatively correlated with the nurse workload and manager engagement levels. A deeper understanding of the relationships between patient outcomes, organisational structure and their underlying cultural barriers is needed because they may provide a better understanding of the harm and death risks for patients due to organisational characteristics.
Use of oral anticoagulants in older people with atrial fibrillation in UK general practice: protocol for a cohort study using the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) database
Authors: Mitchell Anneka , Welsh Tomas J , Watson Margaret C , Snowball Julia , McGrogan Anita
Published: December 2019

Introduction

Warfarin has frequently been underused in older people for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation (AF). Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) entered the UK market from 2008 and have been recommended as an alternative to warfarin. This study aimed to describe any changes in the prescribing of oral anticoagulants (OACs) to people aged ≥75 years in UK general practice before and after the introduction of DOACs, to examine differences in patient characteristics which may influence prescribers’ decisions regarding anticoagulation, to evaluate the time people stay on OACs and switching between OACs.

Methods and analysis

A retrospective cohort study design will be used. Patients with a diagnosis of AF will be identified from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD). The study period will run from 1 January 2003 to 27 December 2017. Patients enter the cohort at the latest date of the start of the study period, first AF diagnosis, 75th birthday or a year from when they started to contribute research standard data. Follow-up continues until they leave the practice, death, the date the practice stops contributing research standard data or the end of the study period (27 December 2017). Exposure to OACs will be defined as ≥1 prescription issued for an OAC of interest during the study period. Patients issued an OAC in the year preceding study entry will be defined as ‘prevalent users’. Patients starting on an OAC during the study period will be defined as ‘incident users’. Incidence and prevalence of OAC prescribing, patient demographics and characteristics will be described during three time periods: 2003–2007, 2008–2012 and 2013–2017. Persistence (defined as the time from initiation to discontinuation of medication) with and switching between different OACs will be described.

Ethics and dissemination

The protocol for this study was approved by the CPRD Independent Scientific Advisory Committee. The results will be disseminated in a peer-reviewed journal and at conferences.

Trial registration number

EUPAS29923.
Advance care planning for vulnerable older adults within an Accountable Care Organization: study protocol for the IMPACT randomised controlled trial
Authors: Gabbard Jennifer , Pajewski NM , Callahan Kathryn E , Dharod Ajay , Foley Kristie , Ferris Keren , Moses Adam , Grey Carl , Williamson Jeff
Published: December 2019

Introduction

Patients with multimorbidity plus additional impairments (eg, mobility limitations, disability, cognitive impairments or frailty) are at the highest risk for poor healthcare outcomes. Advanced care planning (ACP) provides patients and their surrogates the opportunity to discuss their goals, values and priorities for healthcare—particularly in the context of end-of-life care. ACP discussions promote more person-centred care; however, it is currently underused. There is a tremendous need for systematic, scalable approaches to individualised ACP that promotes patient and family engagement. Here we describe the study protocol for a randomised effectiveness trial of a nurse navigator and informatics intervention designed to improve the documentation and quality of ACP discussions.

Methods and analysis

This is a randomised, pragmatic, effectiveness trial; patients aged 65 years and older who have multimorbidity plus impairments in either physical function (eg, mobility limitations or disability) or cognition, and/or frailty within an affiliated Accountable Care Organization were eligible. The electronic health record was used to develop an automatic prescreening system for eligible patients (n=765) and participants were randomised in a 1:1 ratio to either the nurse navigator-led ACP pathway or usual care. Our primary outcomes are documentation of ACP discussions within the EHR along with the quality of ACP discussions. Secondary outcomes include a broad range of ACP actions (eg, usage of ACP billing codes, choosing a surrogate decision-maker and advance directive documentation). Outcomes will be measured over 12 months of follow-up.

Ethics and dissemination

This study has been approved by the appropriate Institutional Review Boards and is guided by input from patient and clinical advisory boards. The results of this study will inform a scalable solution to ACP discussions throughout our healthcare system and statewide.

Trials registration number

NCT03609658.
Multidimensional instruments with an integral approach to identify frailty in community-dwelling people: protocol for a systematic psychometric review
Authors: Zamora-Sánchez Juan José , Gea-Caballero Vicente , Julián-Rochina Iván , Jódar-Fernández Lina , Lumillo-Gutiérrez Iris , Sastre-Rus Meritxell , Urpí-Fernández Ana-María , Zabaleta-del-Olmo Edurne
Published: December 2019

Introduction

An increasing number of investigations highlight the complex nature of frailty; therefore, the use of multidimensional assessment instruments could be useful in clinical decision-making. Frail people are found mainly in the community setting which is why this is the ideal environment for early screening and intervention. For this purpose, it is necessary to have valid, time-effective and easy-to-use frailty assessment instruments. The aim of this review is to critically appraise, compare and summarise the quality of the measurement properties of all multidimensional instruments with an integral approach to identify frailty in community-dwelling people.

Methods and analysis

Medline, Psychological Information Database (PsycINFO) and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) will be searched from their inception dates. We will also conduct searches in databases of grey literature. No limits will be applied for language. A highly sensitive validated search filter will be used for finding studies on measurement properties. An additional search including the names of the instruments found in the initial search will also be undertaken. Studies aiming at the development of a measurement instrument, the evaluation of one or more measurement properties or the evaluation of its interpretability will be included. The instrument should have an integral approach (physical, psychological and social) and it should measure all three domains. The context of use should be a community setting. Two reviewers independently will screen the references and assess the risk of bias by consensus-based standards for the selection of health measurement instruments checklist. To assess the overall evidence for the measurement properties of the identified instruments, the results of the different studies, adjusted for their methodological quality, will be combined.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethical approval and patient consent are not required as this is a psychometric review based on published studies. The results of this review will be disseminated at conferences and published in an international peer-reviewed journal.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42019120212.
Implementation of prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) in South Africa: outcomes from a population-based birth cohort study in Paarl, Western Cape
Authors: Pellowski Jennifer , Wedderburn Catherine , Stadler Jacob A M , Barnett Whitney , Stein Dan , Myer Landon , Zar Heather J
Published: December 2019

Objectives

The coverage of prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) services in South Africa is variable. Identifying gaps in the implementation of these services is necessary to isolate steps needed to further reduce paediatric infections and eliminate transmission.

Setting

Two primary care clinics in Paarl, South Africa.

Participants

1225 pregnant women; inclusion criteria were 18 years or older, clinic attendance and remaining in area for at least 1 year.

Methods

Data were collected through the Drakenstein Child Health Study, a population-based birth cohort in a periurban area of the Western Cape, South Africa. A combination of clinic records, hospital records, national database searches and maternal self-report were collected during the study.

Results

Of the 1225 mothers enrolled in the cohort between 2012 and 2015, 260 (21%) were confirmed HIV infected antenatally and 1 mother tested positive in the postnatal period. Of those with documentation (n=250/260, 96%), the majority (99%) received antiretroviral prophylaxis or therapy (ART) before labour; however, there was a high rate of defaulting from ART noted during pregnancy (20%). All HIV-exposed infants with data received antiretroviral prophylaxis, 35% were exclusively breast fed until 6 weeks and 16% for 6 months. There were two cases of infant HIV infection (0.8%) who were initiated on ART but had complicated histories.

Conclusion

Despite the low transmission rate in this cohort, reaching elimination will require further work, and this study illustrates several areas to improve implementation of PMTCT services and reduce paediatric infections including retesting at-risk HIV-negative mothers through the duration of breast feeding, infant HIV testing at any admission in addition to routine testing and improved counselling to prevent defaulting from treatment. Better data surveillance systems are essential for determining the implementation of PMTCT guidelines.
Platelets and Platelet Extracellular Vesicles in Hemostasis and Sepsis
Authors: Kerris Elizabeth W J , Hoptay Claire , Calderon Thais , Freishtat Robert J
Published: December 2019

Platelets, cell fragments traditionally thought of as important only for hemostasis, substantially and dynamically contribute to the immune system's response to infection. In addition, there is increasing evidence that externally active platelet entities, including platelet granules and platelet extracellular vesicles (PEVs), play a role not only in hemostasis, but also in inflammatory actions previously ascribed to platelets themselves. Given the functions of platelets and PEVs during inflammation and infection, their role in sepsis is being investigated. Sepsis is a condition marked by the dysregulation of the body's normal activation of the immune system in response to a pathogen. The mechanisms for controlling infection locally become detrimental to the host if they are applied systemically. Similar to cells traditionally ascribed to the immune system, including neutrophils, lymphocytes, and macrophages, platelets are instrumental in helping a host clear an infection, but are also implicated in the uncontrolled amplification of the immune response that leads to sepsis. Clearly, the function of platelets is more complicated than its simple structure and primary role in hemostasis initially suggest. This review provides an overview of platelet and platelet extracellular vesicle structure and function, highlighting the complex role platelets and PEVs play in the body in the context of infection and sepsis.
Nonlinear Spiking Neural P Systems
Authors: Peng Hong , Lv Zeqiong , Li Bo , Luo Xiaohui , Wang Jun , Song Xiaoxiao , Wang Tao , Pérez-Jiménez Mario J. , Riscos-Núñez Agustín
Published: December 2019

This paper proposes a new variant of spiking neural P systems (in short, SNP systems), nonlinear spiking neural P systems (in short, NSNP systems). In NSNP systems, the state of each neuron is denoted by a real number, and a real configuration vector is used to characterize the state of the whole system. A new type of spiking rules, nonlinear spiking rules, is introduced to handle the neuron’s firing, where the consumed and generated amounts of spikes are often expressed by the nonlinear functions of the state of the neuron. NSNP systems are a class of distributed parallel and nondeterministic computing systems. The computational power of NSNP systems is discussed. Specifically, it is proved that NSNP systems as number-generating/accepting devices are Turing-universal. Moreover, we establish two small universal NSNP systems for function computing and number generator, containing 117 neurons and 164 neurons, respectively.
Mixing coproducts for theories with particle-dependent relativistic properties
Authors: Amelino-Camelia Giovanni , Palmisano Michelangelo , Ronco Michele , D’Amico Giacomo
Published: December 2019

We analyze a few illustrative examples of scenarios in which relativistic symmetries are deformed by Planck-scale effects in particle-type-dependent manner. The novel mathematical structures required by such scenarios are the mixing coproducts, which govern the (deformed) law of conservation of energy and momentum when particles with different relativistic properties interact. We also comment on the relevance of these findings for the recent proposals concerning the possibility that neutrinos might have relativistic properties which are different from those of photons and/or the possibility that composite particles might have relativistic properties which are different from those of fundamental ones.
Proper connection of power graphs of finite groups
Authors: Ma Xuanlong
Published: December 2019

Let [Formula: see text] be a finite group. The power graph of [Formula: see text] is the undirected graph whose vertex set is [Formula: see text], and two distinct vertices are adjacent if one is a power of the other. The reduced power graph of [Formula: see text] is the subgraph of the power graph of [Formula: see text] obtained by deleting all edges [Formula: see text] with [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are two distinct elements of [Formula: see text]. In this paper, we determine the proper connection number of the reduced power graph of [Formula: see text]. As an application, we also determine the proper connection number of the power graph of [Formula: see text].
Right serial skew Laurent series rings
Authors: Tuganbaev A. A.
Published: December 2019

Let [Formula: see text] be a ring and [Formula: see text] its automorphism. It is proved that the skew Laurent series ring [Formula: see text] is a right serial ring if and only if [Formula: see text] is a right serial right Artinian ring.
Preparation and electrical properties of gadolinium-doped strontium tungstate electrolyte for SOFC
Authors: Cheng Jihai , Wang Ming
Published: December 2019

Gadolinium-doped strontium tungstate (Sr[Formula: see text]GdxWO[Formula: see text]) powders were synthesized by the sol–gel auto-combustion method, and their electrical properties were investigated. The phase formation of Sr[Formula: see text]GdxWO[Formula: see text] powders was studied by the X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The characterization of microstructure was carried out on the sintered ceramic discs. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was used to estimate the electrical properties. The results displayed that these crystalline powders were scheelite-type tetragonal structures and demonstrated higher sinterability. The Sr[Formula: see text]GdxWO[Formula: see text] electrolyte ceramics with a relative density over 95% of the theoretical density were obtained after the sintering process. The electrical conductivities of Sr[Formula: see text]GdxWO[Formula: see text] increased significantly with increasing of doped-Gd[Formula: see text] content and reached [Formula: see text] S[Formula: see text]cm[Formula: see text] at 800∘C, when the doping amount was [Formula: see text]. At last, this study demonstrated that Sr[Formula: see text]GdxWO[Formula: see text] is an effective strategy to optimize middle or low-temperature SOFC.
Titanium and iron-modified delaminated muscovite as photocatalyst for enhanced degradation of Tetrabromobisphenol A by visible light
Authors: Touaa Nesrine Dalila , Bouberka Zohra , Gherdaoui Chems Eddine , Supiot Philippe , Roussel Pascal , Pierlot Christel , Maschke Ulrich
Published: December 2019

A new heterostructured titanium–iron-based material dispersed in alkaline muscovite (Ti–Fe–Mus) was synthesized by a typical impregnation process, and characterized by X-ray diffraction, adsorption/desorption of liquefied nitrogen and thermogravimetric/differential thermal analysis. This characterization suggests that the Ti–Fe–Mus system does not present sufficiently ordered silicate layers, but has a delaminated structure. The specific surface area and porosity have been significantly improved compared to the virgin muscovite, and the outer surface appears to be the dominant active surface. In particular, the Ti–Fe–Mus system was examined as a photocatalyst for the degradation of Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) selected as a model compound by visible light exposure. The Ti–Fe–Mus system showed excellent photocatalytic activity for TBBPA degradation and optimum catalyst concentration was found at 0.4[Formula: see text]g L[Formula: see text]. More than 60% by weight of parent TBBPA with an initial concentration of 300[Formula: see text]ppm were eliminated after 120[Formula: see text]min at [Formula: see text]. Acid conditions have resulted in a faster elimination compared to alkaline and neutral conditions. Based on these results, it has been shown that titanium and iron modified delaminated muscovite (Ti–Fe–Mus) have strong potential for application as a powerful photocatalyst for the elimination of persistent organic pollutants present in the environment.
Variable-step-size second-order-derivative multistep method for solving first-order ordinary differential equations in system simulation
Authors: Zhang Lei , Zhang Chaofeng , Liu Mengya
Published: December 2019

According to the relationship between truncation error and step size of two implicit second-order-derivative multistep formulas based on Hermite interpolation polynomial, a variable-order and variable-step-size numerical method for solving differential equations is designed. The stability properties of the formulas are discussed and the stability regions are analyzed. The deduced methods are applied to a simulation problem. The results show that the numerical method can satisfy calculation accuracy, reduce the number of calculation steps and accelerate calculation speed.
Deep Learning Compensation of Rotation Errors During Navigation Assistance for People with Visual Impairments or Blindness
Authors: Ahmetovic Dragan , Mascetti Sergio , Bernareggi Cristian , Guerreiro João , Oh Uran , Asakawa Chieko
Published: December 2019

Navigation assistive technologies are designed to support people with visual impairments during mobility. In particular, turn-by-turn navigation is commonly used to provide walk and turn instructions, without requiring any prior knowledge about the traversed environment. To ensure safe and reliable guidance, many research efforts focus on improving the localization accuracy of such instruments. However, even when the localization is accurate, imprecision in conveying guidance instructions to the user and in following the instructions can still lead to unrecoverable navigation errors. Even slight errors during rotations, amplified by the following frontal movement, can result in the user taking an incorrect and possibly dangerous path.

In this article, we analyze trajectories of indoor travels in four different environments, showing that rotation errors are frequent in state-of-art navigation assistance for people with visual impairments. Such errors, caused by the delay between the instruction to stop rotating and when the user actually stops, result in
over-rotation
. To compensate for over-rotation, we propose a technique to anticipate the stop instruction so that the user stops rotating closer to the target rotation. The technique predicts over-rotation using a deep learning model that takes into account the user’s current rotation speed, duration, and angle; the model is trained with a dataset of rotations performed by blind individuals. By analyzing existing datasets, we show that our approach outperforms a naive baseline that predicts over-rotation with a fixed value. Experiments with 11 blind participants also show that the proposed compensation method results in lower rotation errors (18.8° on average) compared to the non-compensated approach adopted in state-of-the-art solutions (30.1°).
Polyphenol-Rich Extracts of Traditional Culinary Spices and Herbs and Their Antibacterial Activity in Minced Beef
Authors: Akhtar Saeed , Waseem Muhammad , Ahmad Nazir , Ismail Tariq , Ahmad Zulfiqar , Manzoor Muhammad Faisal , Siddeeg Azhari
Published: December 2019

This study was conducted to elucidate minced beef stabilization properties of hydroalcoholic extracts of commonly used culinary spices from Pakistan against meat oxidative stress and microbial spoilage. Hydroalcoholic extracts of six selected spices, namely, onion, ginger, turmeric, coriander, fennel, and mint, were evaluated to inhibit microbial growth in minced beef under refrigerated storage (4°C) of nine days. Maximum phenolic concentration, i.e., 70.8 mg GAE/100 g, and free radical scavenging activity (75.9%) were anticipated by hydromethanolic extracts of ginger. The results propose that the addition of hydroalcoholic extracts of ginger and coriander @ 6.0% anticipate significantly (p<0.05) higher inhibitory effects against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. The results of this research conclude that the utilization of hydroalcoholic extracts may serve as a promising approach to preserve microbiological as well as the oxidative quality of minced beef and products of meat origin.
Acute Pulmonary Aspergillosis as a Severe Complication of Influenza, Pneumococcal Pneumonia, and Staphylococcus aureus Bacteremia in ICU
Authors: Seitz Tamara , Hoepler Wolfgang , Neuhold Stephanie , Wenisch Christoph
Published: December 2019

Background. Acute aspergillosis is a disease with dramatic progression and high mortality if not treated rapidly. However, diagnosing and treating is challenging, as the risk factors are not fully understood. Case Presentation. A fifty-three-year-old woman without any comorbidities was admitted to hospital due to high fever. Infections with influenza and pneumonia and Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia were diagnosed. The patient improved at first due to antimicrobial therapy; nine days after admission, her clinical condition deteriorated again, and she was transferred to ICU due to septic shock accompanied by respiratory failure, necessitating mechanical ventilation and high-dose catecholamine support. A CT scan showed a resolving inflammatory infiltrate bilateral caverns with markedly thickened walls. A culture from a bronchoalveolar lavage grew Aspergillus fumigatus. Galactomannan testing was positive in a bronchoalveolar lavage sample, and beta-D-glucan was positive in serum. Antifungal therapy with voriconazole and intermittent isavuconazole due to renal failure was performed, followed by a surgical resection of the caverns. Patient’s recovery was complicated by several severe bleeding episodes in the lungs. However, the patient showed full recovery and was discharged after 109 days in hospital. Conclusions. This case report highlights multiple complications of influenza and the difficulties of diagnosing and treating acute pulmonary aspergillosis. Furthermore, it stresses the importance for further studies to deepen the understanding about the association between influenza and aspergillosis and to shed further light on adequate therapy.
Research Progress on Stability of Slurry Wall Trench of Underground Diaphragm Wall and Design Method of Slurry Unit Weight
Authors: Lei Mingfeng , Liu Linghui , Lin Yuexiang , Shi Chenghua , Yang Weichao , Cao Chengyong , Liu Yao
Published: December 2019

This paper performs an extensive literature survey and example investigation on the stabilisation of slurry wall trenches during the construction of diaphragm wall panel trenches, and the failure modes of slurry wall trench instability, the stability theoretical analysis models and methods, the slurry formation and its protection mechanism, the influence of related factors on slurry wall trench stabilisation, and other related problems are summarized and analyzed emphatically. And then, based on the limit equilibrium analysis method, the mechanical models of the overall stability and local stability of the trench wall are established, respectively, and the design method of slurry unit weight is derived to ensure the stability of the trench wall. Furthermore, an example application shows that the established slurry unit weight design method is reliable. At last, this paper also proposes the focus and direction for follow‐up work, that is, to construct an accurate and effective theoretical analysis model of slurry wall trench instability considering the influence of multiple factors and the calculation method of the slurry cake and its mechanical or mathematical relationship with slurry quality.
Cord Leptin, C-Peptide and Insulin Levels in Large for Gestational Age Newborns in Sri Lanka
Authors: De Silva Mawanane Hewa Aruna Devapriya , Hewawasam Ruwani Punyakanthi , Iresha Mampitiya Arachchige Gayani
Published: December 2019

Background. Large for gestational age (LGA) infants are more prone to be obese and are at a higher risk of metabolic complications later in life. It is established that Asians have lower skeletal muscle mass and excess body fat for a given body mass index. Thus, objective of this study was to determine the relationship between leptin, insulin, C-peptide in cord blood on the birth weight of newborns and to determine whether these parameters are deviated from data already published from other populations. Methods. Umbilical cord blood was collected from 90 newborns (male 50, gestational age 38–42 weeks) which comprise of 43 LGA and 47 appropriate for gestational age (AGA) newborns. Serum leptin, insulin and C-peptide levels were measured and anthropometric parameters of the newborn and maternal characteristics were recorded. Results. Significantly higher (P<0.001) concentrations of leptin, insulin and C-peptide levels (12.670 ± 2.345 ng/mL, 18.725 ± 0.644 µIU/mL, 9.318 ± 0.772 ng/mL) were observed in the LGA group compared to AGA group (7.108 ± 0.906 ng/mL, 13.081 ± 0.428 µIU/mL, 5.439 ± 0.192 ng/mL) and all three parameters showed positive and significant correlations with anthropometric parameters of the newborn and maternal characteristics. Conclusion. Although increased leptin, insulin and C-peptide levels may be involved in insulin resistance, increased adiposity and macrosomia, they were not significantly deviated from published data from other populations. Other factors may contribute to higher fat mass found in Asian populations and finding this relationship during neonatal period is useful to predict risk factors for childhood obesity.
Performance of HPV16/18 in Triage of Cytological Atypical Squamous Cells of Undetermined Significance
Authors: Cao Xiaoqin , Liu Shuzheng , Jia Manman , Chen Hongmin , Zhao Dongmei , Dong Bing , Guo Zhen , Ren Lingyan , Zhang Shaokai , Sun Xibin
Published: December 2019

Context. Human papillomavirus (HPV) testing is widely used in cervical cancer screening in women; however, its efficiency in triaging women with atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US) needs to be validated. Objective. To evaluate the performance of HPV16/18 in the triage of women with ASC-US. Methods. Women presenting for routine cervical cancer screening had cervical specimens collected, with which both liquid-based cytology (LBC) and hrHPVs were examined; those with ASC-US cytology underwent colposcopy. HPV16/18 and 12 other types were tested with domestic hybridization capture and chemiluminescence signal amplification (DH3). Performance characteristics of HPV test (sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) for identification of cervical intraepithelium neoplasma (CIN) grade 2 or worse (CIN2+), and CIN grade 3 or worse (CIN3+)) were determined using standard statistical tests. Results. 317 women with ASC-US were eligible for the study. HrHPV prevalence was 15.77% (50/317); HPV16/18 prevalence was 3.61% (20/317). Sensitivity and specificity of HPV16/18 for detection of CIN 2+ were 64.71% and 97% and 64.29% and 96.37% for detection of CIN 3+, respectively. The positive predictive values (PPVs) and negative predictive values (NPVs) of HPV16/18 were 55.00% and 97.98% for CIN2+ and 45.00% and 98.32% for CIN3+, respectively. Conclusion. HPV16/18 can be considered as an effective method to triage women with ASC-US as its good clinical performance. Trial Registration. This trial is registered with Henan Cancer Hospital Medical Ethics Committee on July 5, 2016 (http://www.anti-cancer.com.cn), with registry no.: 2016037.
Risk Evaluation of Pyrolyzed Biochar from Multiple Wastes
Authors: Ndirangu Shem M. , Liu Yanyan , Xu Kai , Song Shaoxian
Published: December 2019

This paper aims at demonstrating the significance of biochar risk evaluation and reviewing risk evaluation from the aspects of pyrolysis process, feedstock, and sources of hazards in biochar and their potential effects and the methods used in risk evaluation. Feedstock properties and the resultant biochar produced at different pyrolysis process influence their chemical, physical, and structural properties, which are vital in understanding the functionality of biochar. Biochar use has been linked to some risks in soil application such as biochar being toxic, facilitating GHGs emission, suppression of the effectiveness of pesticides, and effects on soil microbes. These potential risks originate from feedstock, contaminated feedstock, and pyrolysis conditions that favor the creation of characteristics and functional groups of this nature. These toxic compounds formed pose a threat to human health through the food chain. Determination of toxicity levels is a first step in the risk management of toxic biochar. Various sorption methods of biochar utilized low-cost adsorbents, engineered surface functional groups, and nZVI modified biochars. The mechanisms of organic compound removal was through sorption, enhanced sorption, modified biochar, postpyrolysis thermal air oxidation and that of PFRs degradation was through activation, photoactive functional groups, magnetization, and hydrothermal synthesis. Emissions of GHGs in soils amended with biochar emanated through physical and biotic mediated mechanisms. BCNs have a significance in reducing the health quotient indices for PTEs risk contamination by suppressing cancer risk arising from consumption of contaminated food. The degree of environmental risk assessment of HM pollution in biomass and biochars has been determined by using potential ecological risk index and RAC while organic contaminant degradation by EPFRs was considered when assessing the environmental roles of biochar in regulating the fate of contaminants removal. The magnitude of technologies’ net benefit must be considered in relation to the associated risks.
Investigating the Sterile Neutrino Parameters with QLC in 3 + 1 Scenario
Authors: Sharma Gazal , Chauhan B. C.
Published: December 2019

In the scenario with four generation quarks and leptons and using a 3+1 neutrino model having one sterile and the three standard active neutrinos with a 4×4 unitary transformation matrix, UPMNS4, we perform a model-based analysis using the latest global data and determine bounds on the sterile neutrino parameters i.e., the neutrino mixing angles. Motivated by our previous results, where, in a quark-lepton complementarity (QLC) model we predicted the values of θ13PMNS=9−2+2° and θ23PMNS=40.60−0.3+0.1°. In the QLC model the nontrivial correlation between CKM4 and PMNS4 mixing matrix is given by the correlation matrix Vc4. Monte Carlo simulations are performed to estimate the texture of Vc4 followed by the calculation of PMNS4 using the equation, UPMNS4=UCKM4·ψ4−1·Vc4, where ψ4 is a diagonal phase matrix. The sterile neutrino mixing angles, θ14PMNS, θ24PMNS and θ34PMNS are assumed to be freely varying between 0−π/4 and obtained results which are consistent with the data available from various experiments, like NovA, MINOS, SuperK, Ice Cube-DeepCore. In further investigation, we analytically obtain approximately similar ranges for various neutrino mixing parameters Uμ42 and Uτ42.
Tour-Based Truck Demand Modeling with Entropy Maximization Using GPS Data
Authors: You Soyoung Iris , Ritchie Stephen G.
Published: December 2019

An approach is presented to determine the most likely tour distributions and model behavior for investigating drayage truck movements in a coastal region. This was done by implementing a revised form of entropy maximization based on truck tours to model and better understand drayage truck tour behavior at the San Pedro Bay Ports (SPBPs) complex in Southern California. The drayage trucks at the SPBPs have features that are distinct from other commercial trucks. The tour-based entropy maximization model proposed in this paper provides an opportunity to incorporate periodically updated GPS data collected in Southern California into a large-scale tour-based model. With the dataset, four models were estimated by cargo movement: (1) year-based, (2) low period, (3) medium period, and (4) high period models. The findings were consistent with the tour patterns varying by season and by cargo movement. Furthermore, the medium period, which represented relatively steady cargo movement, indicated a better MAPE (mean absolute percent error) than did other models. This proposed approach provides a significant advantage in that the most recent touring information obtained from advanced technologies could be directly applied to the tour-based model and subsequently used to assess various strategies.
A Proposed IoT-Enabled Smart Waste Bin Management System and Efficient Route Selection
Authors: Zeb Asim , Ali Qurban , Saleem Muhammad Qaiser , Awan Khalid Mahmood , Alowayr Ali Saeed , Uddin Jamal , Iqbal Saleem , Bashir Faisal
Published: December 2019

Internet of Things (IoT) is an emerging technology that offers promising solutions to modernize the traditional systems. It accords promising result in crystallizing smart cities, smart homes, smart industries, and smart environment. This article presents the smart waste management architecture for smart cities and efficient routing technique considering least delay for the architecture. In wireless sensor networks, end-to-end delay is one of the important Quality of Services (QoS) parameter to overcome delay in data communication. In this article, we consider end-to-end delay minimization in smart waste management application. The term “end-to-end delay” is defined as the total time taken by a single packet to reach the destination node. The proposed scheme considers the interference level, the length of the routing path, and the number of hops along the path. The simulation results show that the proposed scheme outperforms current schemes.
LncRNA MALAT1 Suppression Protects Endothelium against oxLDL-Induced Inflammation via Inhibiting Expression of MiR-181b Target Gene TOX
Authors: Wang Liuqing , Qi Yinliang , Wang Yi , Tang Haitao , Li Zhenzhen , Wang Yuan , Tang Songtao , Zhu Huaqing
Published: December 2019

Rare studies have been conducted to investigate the exact interactions between lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1), thymocyte selection-associated high mobility group box (TOX), and miRNAs in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis (AS). We aim to investigate the crosstalk between MALAT1 and TOX and evaluate whether the regulatory mechanism was associated with the miRNA network. AS tissues were collected to determine the level of MALAT1 expression in AS patients, together with determination of miR-181b expression. Cultured endothelial cells were utilized to analyze the expressions of MALAT1, miR-181b, and TOX in the presence of oxLDL. Luciferase activity assay was conducted to evaluate the potential target sites of miR-181b on MALAT1 and TOX. In this study, we demonstrated that MALAT1 was upregulated in patients with AS. MALAT1 silencing significantly downregulated the expression of the miR-181b target gene TOX via reversing the effect of miR181b. Importantly, positive modulation of miR181b and inhibition of MALAT1 and TOX significantly attenuated oxLDL-induced endothelial inflammation and oxidative stress. Moreover, the MAPK signal pathways in endothelial cells were also inhibited through regulation of above endogenous RNAs. In summary, MALAT1 suppression protects the endothelium from oxLDL-induced inflammation and oxidative stress in endothelial cells by upregulation of miR-181b and downregulation of TOX.