bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Session I: Corporate Purpose and Governance
Authors: Millstein Ira , Gordon Jeff , Gilson Ron , Mayer Colin , Bresnahan Kristin , Lipton Marty
Published: September 2019

In this first of five sessions of a recent Columbia Law School symposium devoted to discussion of his new book, Prosperity—and The Purpose of the Corporation, Oxford University's Colin Mayer begins by calling for a “radical reinterpretation” of the corporate mission. For all but the last 50 or so of its 2,000‐year history, the corporation has combined commercial activities with a public purpose. But since Milton Friedman's famous pronouncement in 1970 that the social goal of the corporation is to maximize its own profits, the gap between the social and private interests served by corporations appears to have grown ever wider, helping fuel the global outbreaks of populist protest and indictments of capitalism that fill today's media.

In Mayer's reinterpretation, the boards of all companies will produce and publish statements of corporate purpose that envision some greater social good than maximizing shareholder value. To that end, he urges companies to make continuous investments of their financial capital and other resources in developing other forms of corporate capital—human, social, and natural—and to account for such investments in the same way they now account for their investments in physical capital. Although the author appears to prefer that such changes be mandatory, enacted through new legislation and enforced by regulators and the courts, his main efforts are directed at persuading the largest institutional owners of corporations—many of whom are already favorably predisposed to ESG—to support these corporate initiatives.

Marty Lipton, after expressing enthusiasm about Mayer's proposals, suggests that mandating such changes is likely neither feasible nor desirable, but that attempts—like his own New Paradigm—to gain the acceptance and support of large shareholders is the most promising strategy. Ron Gilson, on the other hand, after voicing Lipton's skepticism about the enforceability of such statements of purpose, issues a number of warnings. One is about the political risks associated with ever more concentrated ownership of public companies in a world where populist distrust of all concentrations of wealth and power is clearly on the rise. But most troubling for the company themselves is the confusion such proposals could create for corporate boards whose responsibility is to limit two temptations facing corporate managements: short‐termism, or underinvestment in the corporate future to boost near‐term earnings (and presumably stock prices); and what Gilson calls hyperopia, or overinvestment designed to preserve growth (and management's jobs) at all costs.
Session III: Securities Law in Twenty‐First Century America: A Conversation with SEC Commissioner Robert Jackson
Authors: Jackson Robert J. , Coffee John C.
Published: September 2019

SEC Commissioner Robert Jackson comments on three major issues the Commission has been investigating: (1) the concentration of ownership among American stock exchanges; (2) the extent of common ownership of, and potential for undue influence over, U.S. corporations by large institutional shareholders; and (3) the role of corporate boards in promoting and protecting stakeholder interests as well as shareholder interests.

In the first of the three areas, Jackson argues that the ownership of 12 of the 13 U.S. stock exchanges by just three financial conglomerates suggests a competitiveness problem— one that, despite the significant reductions in trading costs during the last 15 years, should receive further investigation. To the concerns raised by the common and increasingly concentrated ownership of U.S. public companies by institutional shareholders, the Commissioner's main response is to note that whatever culpability corporate America is forced to assume for our large and growing environmental and social problems must be shared with the largest U.S. institutional shareholders, whose collective resources and influence confer a responsibility to help guide companies when responding to such problems. Finally, on the issue of stakeholder theory and ESG, Jackson insists that asking corporate boards to put the interests of all stakeholders on a par with their shareholders’ when making strategic business decisions would be a mistake. Besides creating a major accountability problem, the adoption of stakeholder theory in place of “the clear, single‐minded objective function of increasing long‐run shareholder value” would deprive boards of their principal guide “when making the difficult tradeoffs among stakeholders that effective oversight and management of public companies require.”
Session V: Macro Perspectives: Bigger Problems than Corporate Governance
Authors: Greenwald Bruce , Mitts Joshua , Phelps Edmund
Published: September 2019

Columbia Business School's well‐known authority on value‐based investing begins by attributing today's economic problems to a “global economic dislocation,” one that is rooted in the ongoing—and in Greenwald's view, inevitable—decline of manufacturing and displacement by services. Like the other example of dislocation in modern times, the Great Depression of the 1930s, the 2008 global financial crisis and protracted recession— still very much with us—are viewed as originating in the sharp decline of a major “sector” of the global economy. In the Depression of the ‘30s it was agriculture; in the recent financial crisis it was manufacturing. In both cases, technological advances and economy‐wide productivity increases led to huge increases in stock and financial asset prices—but also to sharp drops in the prices of farm and manufactured goods, and massive overcapacity and ruinous competition in both sectors.

According to the author, the working off of overcapacity in the agricultural sector was accomplished largely by the effect of World War II in moving huge numbers off the farm and into the mainly urban industrial sector at government expense. This labor force relocation, which occurred in all developed economies, was essential to a global economic transformation that for the next 50 years provided high productivity growth and greater equality of income and wealth.

More recently, however, the global economy has been confronted with the challenge of accomplishing a transition from manufacturing to services that will feature lower productivity growth and more inequality. Foreseeing a long, difficult process, Greenwald's biggest concern is that government intervention will distract businesses from making this transition effectively—which means continuing to operate as efficiently as possible, downsizing when necessary—and so make the problems worse. And while business focuses on preserving its own efficiency and value, Greenwald urges governments to look for more cost‐effective ways—for example, expanded use in the U.S. of the Earned Income Tax Credit—to cushion workers from the consequences. Nobel laureate Edmund Phelps, while agreeing with much of Greenwald's analysis, has a different explanation of the U.S. productivity dilemma. Innovation is viewed as the primary driver of the prosperity of the advanced economies. Higher income and wealth matter less than job satisfaction, participation, and an array of non‐material “modern values” that have somehow been lost and that, for Phelps, are the key to restoring economic growth and “mass flourishing.”
The Case for Maximizing Long‐Run Shareholder Value
Authors: Denis Diane
Published: September 2019

Criticism of the shareholder model of corporate governance stems in part from misunderstanding about what shareholder wealth maximization means for the other stakeholders of public companies. The corporate goal of shareholder wealth maximization does not imply that such stakeholders “do not matter.” Managers maximize shareholder value by maximizing the total expected cash flows available to distribute to all of their stakeholders. To maximize such cash flows, managers must provide their customers with desirable goods and services at attractive prices—which in turn requires that managers attract the employees, suppliers, and financial capital needed to conduct their businesses by providing each of these groups with market‐determined returns on their contributions to firm value. In this way, successful corporations benefit all of their stakeholders, and what is good for the corporation is generally good for society.

External forces such as the media and government exert considerable influence on corporate actions and, in so doing, they play a role in helping to limit negative corporate “externalities” such as pollution and climate change. But direct regulation of productive activities should be used sparingly, and subjected to ongoing cost‐benefit analysis. Government regulation replaces the collective decisions of a broad marketplace of stakeholders using their own resources to act in their own interests with decisions made by government officials with complicated incentives and using resources generated by others. More generally, government should seek to regulate corporate actions only in the limited situations in which there are no market solutions for reducing the effects of externalities. For example, government plays a critically important role in identifying and deterring corporate fraud, and in ensuring competition and a level playing field for companies and all their stakeholders.
A Tribute to Joel Stern
Authors: Stewart Bennett
Published: September 2019

The co‐founder of corporate finance consulting firm Stern Stewart and Co. pays tribute to Joel Stern, the well‐known popularizer of “modern corporate finance” and consultant to hundreds of companies worldwide who died on May 21, 2019. During a 45‐year career that spanned his graduation from the University of Chicago's School of Business in 1964, a 14‐year stint at the Chase Manhattan Bank, and the formation of Stern Stewart (and its successor, Stern Value Management), Stern traveled the world over, always eager to address and make converts among legions of corporate executives, board members, and MBA students. One key to his success was a passionate reverence for the academic scholars who developed modern finance. Joel's translation of the Miller‐Modigliani valuation model into a practical framework for evaluating corporate performance gained a following among a generation or two of corporate leaders, leading ultimately to the development of EVA, or Economic Value Added, a practical framework for value‐based financial management.
Beyond EVA
Authors: Milano Greg
Published: September 2019

A former partner of Stern Stewart begins by noting that the recent acquisition of EVA Dimensions by the well‐known proxy advisory firm Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) may be signaling a resurgence of EVA as a widely followed corporate performance measure. In announcing the acquisition, ISS said that it's considering incorporating the measure into its recommendations and pay‐for‐performance model.

While applauding this decision, the author also reflects on some of the shortcomings of EVA that ultimately prevented broader adoption of the measure after it was developed and popularized in the early 1990s. Chief among these obstacles to broader use is the measure's complexity, arising mainly from the array of adjustments to GAAP accounting. But even more important is EVA's potential for encouraging “short‐termism”—a potential the author attributes to EVA's front‐loading of the costs of owning assets, which causes EVA to be negative when assets are “new” and can discourage managers from investing in the business.

These shortcomings led the author and his colleagues to design an improved economic profit‐based performance measure when founding Fortuna Advisors in 2009. The measure, which is called “residual cash earnings,” or RCE, is like EVA in charging managers for the use of capital; but unlike EVA, it adds back depreciation and so the capital charge is “flat” (since now based on gross, or undepreciated, assets). And according to the author's latest research, RCE does a better job than EVA of relating to changes in TSR in all of the 20 (non‐financial) industries studied during the period 1999 through 2018.

The article closes by providing two other testaments to RCE's potential uses: (1) a demonstration that RCE does a far better job than EVA of explaining Amazon's remarkable share price appreciation over the last ten years; and (2) a brief case study of Varian Medical Systems that illustrates the benefits of designing and implementing a customized version of RCE as the centerpiece for business management. Perhaps the most visible change at Varian, after 18 months of using a measure the company calls “VVA” (for Varian Value Added), has been a sharp increase in the company's longer‐run investment (not to mention its share price) while holding management accountable for earning an adequate return on investors’ capital.
The role of microvesicles and its active molecules in regulating cellular biology
Authors: Lv YingMei , Tan Jin , Miao Yuyang , Zhang Qiang
Published: September 2019

Cell‐derived microvesicles are membrane vesicles produced by the outward budding of the plasma membrane and released by almost all types of cells. These have been considered as another mechanism of intercellular communication, because they carry active molecules, such as proteins, lipids and nucleic acids. Furthermore, these are present in circulating fluids, such as blood and urine, and are closely correlated to the progression of pathophysiological conditions in many diseases. Recent studies have revealed that microvesicles have a dual effect of damage and protection of receptor cells. However, the nature of the active molecules involved in this effect remains unclear. The present study mainly emphasized the mechanism of microvesicles and the active molecules mediating the different biological effects of receptor cells by affecting autophagy, apoptosis and inflammation pathways. The effective ways of blocking microvesicles and its active molecules in mediating cell damage when microvesicles exert harmful effects were also discussed.
Clinical performance of minimally invasive periodontal surgery in the treatment of infrabony defects: Systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Clementini Marco , Ambrosi Alessandro , Cicciarelli Valerio , De Risi Valeria , de Sanctis Massimo
Published: September 2019

Aim

To assess the effectiveness, in terms of clinical performance and patient perception, of minimally invasive periodontal surgeries (MIPSs), and to compare MIPSs to traditional surgery in the treatment of periodontal infrabony defects.

Materials and Methods

An electronic search and a manual search were carried out to identify studies investigating clinical (CAL, PPD, REC), radiographic (bone fill) and patient's centred (VAS) outcomes at least 6 months after MIPSs. A linear mixed‐effect model was used for meta‐analysis. Subgroup analyses were performed according to the study quality (RCT or case series). A meta‐analysis assessing differences in clinical parameters between MIPSs and traditional flaps was also performed.

Results

Meta‐analysis from the 18 included studies revealed a PPD reduction of 4.24 mm (95% CI = 3.79–4.69 mm), a CAL gain of 3.89 mm (95% CI = 3.42–4.35 mm), a REC increase of 0.44 mm (95% CI = 0.11–0.77 mm), a radiographic bone fill gain of 58.25% (95% CI = 42.30%–74.21%) and a VAS value of 1.16 (95% CI = 0.78–1.54). Based on 2 RCTs, MIPSs are more effective than traditional surgery for PPD reduction (0.93 mm, 95% CI = 1.71–0.15) and CAL gain (1 mm, 95% CI = 1.75–.24).

Conclusion

Minimally invasive periodontal surgeries may be considered for the treatment of periodontal infrabony defects. However, the real effect cannot be systematically evaluated due to the paucity of studies comparing MIPSs to traditional flap for periodontal reconstructive surgery.
#MagicResistance: Anti‐Trump Witchcraft as Register Circulation
Authors: Fine Julia C.
Published: September 2019

This article examines the phenomenon of anti‐Trump witchcraft, popularized by Michael Hughes’s viral 2017 ritual (“A Spell to Bind Donald Trump and All Those Who Abet Him”), as an instance of register circulation and ultimately register synthesis. Drawing on a digital ethnography of the #MagicResistance movement, including videotaped rituals and interviews with practitioners, the analysis finds that practitioners use the affordance of register incongruity in mediatized online contexts to publicly intertwine the language of American witchcraft with political stance‐taking, disseminating indexical links between witchcraft and leftist political orientations. Practitioners variously characterize the language of #MagicResistance rituals as a mismatch between or a synthesis of two registers, demonstrating that register (in)congruity is interactionally constructed rather than prediscursive. Furthermore, practitioners emphasize the cathartic and empowering effects of ritual practice, showing how register circulation—often analyzed at the macrosocial level—manifests in relation to microsocial agency and affect.
Immune response to chronic Toxocara canis infection in a mice model
Authors: Ruiz‐Manzano Rocío Alejandra , Hernández‐Cervantes Rosalía , Del Río‐Araiza Víctor Hugo , Palacios‐Arreola Margarita Isabel , Nava‐Castro Karen Elizabeth , Morales‐Montor Jorge
Published: September 2019

Aims

The zoonotic nematode Toxocara canis causes larva migrans syndrome that induces an immune response characterized by the production of antibodies and eosinophilia. A Th2 polarization has been associated with the infection, but there are still details of the cellular and humoral immune response that need to be described. Thus, the aim of this study was to describe the systemic host immune response to T canis chronic infection in a mouse model.

Methods and Results

BALB/c mice were inoculated once with 500 T canis embryonated eggs, per os. After 49 days, the amounts of larval found in brain and muscle tissues were statistically two and four times higher, respectively, than the amounts found in lung, liver, kidney or heart tissues. Splenic proportions of F4/80+ cells, as well as B, cytotoxic T and CD4+Foxp3+ lymphocytes, were statistically higher (P ≤ .05, P ≤ .01, P ≤ .001 and P ≤ .001, respectively) as compared with control mice. In lymph nodes, some of these proportions changed, with the exception of F4/80+ cells. IgG1 levels in infected mice sera were increased. IL‐4, IL‐10 and VEGF levels were statistically higher in spleen (P ≤ .05, all) and sera (P ≤ .01, P ≤ .05 and P ≤ .05, respectively) in the infected mice. Also, in infected animals, IL‐5 serum levels were increased (P ≤ .01).

Conclusion

These results suggest that T canis chronic infection in BALB/c mice results in a type 2 response with an incipient regulatory response.
Immune mechanisms in human and canine demodicosis: A review
Authors: Gazi Umut , Taylan‐Ozkan Aysegul , Mumcuoglu Kosta Y.
Published: September 2019

Demodex mites are saprophytic parasites of the mammalian skin, mostly found in or near pilosebaceous units of hairy regions. While they can be found in healthy humans and animals without causing any clinical manifestations, they were suggested to create pathogenic symptoms when they appear in high densities under favourable conditions (ie, demodicosis). Nevertheless, their role as the primary causative agent of the pathogenic conditions in humans is debated today. Canine demodicosis, which is highly prevalent in certain dog breeds, provides a valuable tool for studying the pathogenesis of human demodicosis. Canine and human demodicosis are caused by different Demodex species, and the clinical manifestations in former could be life‐threatening. Nevertheless, current literature suggests similar immune responses and immune evasion mechanisms in human and canine demodicosis; cellular immunity appeared to have a central role in protection against demodicosis, and Demodex mites were shown to influence both innate and adaptive immune response to escape immune attack. The aim of this review is to summarize the relevant literature on demodicosis obtained from studies conducted on both organisms, and draw the attention to the effect of mite‐associated factors (eg, microbiota) on the different clinical manifestations displayed during human and canine demodicosis.
Detection of Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato infection by using extracts derived from a protoscoleces G1 cell line
Authors: Maglioco Andrea , Gentile Jorge , Barbery Venturi Melisa S. , Jensen Oscar , Hernández Claudia , Gertiser María Laura , Poggio Verónica , Canziani Gabriela , Fuchs Alicia Graciela
Published: September 2019

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) can be diagnosed by means of several serological approaches, but their results vary among laboratories due to the molecular characteristics of the reference antigens used. Thus, this study aimed to address both the relevance of an EGPE cell line previously obtained from Echinococcus granulosus protoscoleces G1 and the complexity of the immune response by using two different in vitro growth stages as separate sources of parasite antigens. The serum reactivity was investigated by western blotting (WB) in 21 CE patients from an endemic area in a matched case‐control design and also in seven experimentally infected sheep and five healthy control sheep. EGPE‐antigen‐human serum sensitivity by WB was higher than that of hydatid fluid (HF) WB, ELISA and DD5 (P < .05, Chi‐square test). EGPE protein extract was immunogenic in mice and hyperimmune plasma reacted with HF proteins, and AgB2 expression was detected by molecular analysis. Proteins of 37 to 60 kDa were recognized by 95.24% of the CE patients’ sera but, with poor specificity. Statistically significant differences were found between serum protein extract recognition at 7 and 20 days of cell growth. The EGPE cell line is a laboratory source of antigens for improvement of CE serological diagnosis.
Turbulent Flame Shape Switching at Conditions Relevant for Gas Turbines
Authors: Langella Ivan , Heinze Johannes , Behrendt Thomas , Voigt Lena , Swaminathan Nedunchezhian , Zedda Marco
Published: September 2019

A numerical investigation is conducted to shed light on the reasons leading to different flame configurations in gas turbine (GT) combustion chambers of aeronautical interest. Large eddy simulations (LES) with a flamelet-based combustion closure are employed for this purpose to simulate the DLR-AT big optical single sector (BOSS) rig fitted with a Rolls-Royce developmental lean burn injector. The reacting flow field downstream this injector is sensitive to the intricate turbulent–combustion interaction and exhibits two different configurations: (i) a penetrating central jet leading to an M-shape lifted flame; or (ii) a diverging jet leading to a V-shaped flame. The LES results are validated using available BOSS rig measurements, and comparisons show the numerical approach used is consistent and works well. The turbulent–combustion interaction model terms and parameters are then varied systematically to assess the flame behavior. The influences observed are discussed from physical and modeling perspectives to develop physical understanding on the flame behavior in practical combustors for both scientific and design purposes.
A Study on the Leakage and Rotordynamic Coefficients of a Long-Smooth Seal With Laminar-Two-Phase, Mainly-Oil Mixtures
Authors: Zhang Min , Childs Dara W. , Tran Dung L. , Shrestha Hari
Published: September 2019

This paper conducts a comprehensive study on the effects of the presence of air in the oil on the leakage and rotordynamic coefficients of a long-smooth seal (inner diameter D = 89.306 mm, radial clearance Cr = 0.140 mm, and length-diameter ratio L/D = 0.65) under laminar-two-phase flow conditions. The mixture consists of air and silicone oil with inlet gas volume fraction (GVF) up to 10%. Tests are performed at inlet temperature Ti = 39.4 °C, exit pressure Pe = 6.9 bars, pressure drop PD = 31, and 37.9 bars, and rotor speed ω = 5, 7.5, and 10 krpm. The test seal is always concentric with the rotor, and no intentional fluid prerotation is provided at the seal inlet. The complex dynamic stiffness coefficients Hij of the test seal are measured and fitted by the frequency-independent direct stiffness K, cross-coupled stiffness k, direct damping C, cross-coupled damping c, direct virtual-mass M, and cross-coupled virtual-mass mq coefficients. Under laminar flow conditions, increasing inlet GVF has negligible effects on K, k, C, and effective damping Ceff, while it decreases c and M. These trends are correctly predicted by San Andrés's bulk-flow model with laminar flow friction formula. As inlet GVF increases, measured leakage flow rate m˙ increases slightly. In general, the predictions of K, k, C, c, Ceff, and m˙ are reasonably close to measurements.
A Study for Rotordynamic and Leakage Characteristics of a Long-Honeycomb Seal With Two-Phase, Mainly Air Mixtures
Authors: Zhang Min , Childs Dara W.
Published: September 2019

This paper investigates the impact of the oil (silicone oil PSF-5cSt) presence in the air on the leakage and rotordynamic characteristics of a long-honeycomb seal with length-to-diameter ratio L/D = 0.748 and diameter D = 114.656 mm. Tests are carried out with inlet pressure Pi = 70.7 bars, pressure ratio (PR) = 0.35 and 0.25, inlet liquid volume fraction (LVF) = 0%, 3.5%, and 7%, and shaft speed ω = 10, 15, and 20 krpm. During the tests, the seal is centered. Test results show that leakage mass flow rate m˙ increases (as expected) as inlet LVF increases. Increasing inlet LVF makes direct stiffness K increase more rapidly with increasing excitation frequency Ω. Increasing inlet LVF has a negligible effect on K at low Ω values, but increases K at high Ω values. The value of effective damping Ceff at about 0.5ω is an indicator to the system stability since an unstable centrifugal compressor rotor can precess at about 0.5ω. Increasing inlet LVF increases the value of Ceff at about 0.5ω, reducing the possibility of subsynchronous vibrations (SSVs) at about 0.5ω. San Andrés's model is used to produce predictions. The model assumes that the test fluid in the seal clearance is an isothermal-homogenous mixture. The model adequately predicts m˙, K, and the value of Ceff at about 0.5ω.
Numerical Investigation of Shape Effect on Microdroplet Evaporation
Authors: Shan Li , Shuai Shuai , Ma Binjian , Du Zichen , Dogruoz Baris , Agonafer Damena
Published: September 2019

As electronic devices continue to shrink in size and increase in functionality, effective thermal management has become a critical bottleneck that hinders continued advancement. Two-phase cooling technologies are of growing interest for electronics cooling due to their high heat removal capacity and small thermal resistance (<0.1 k cm2/W). One typical example of a two-phase cooling method is droplet evaporation, which can provide a high heat transfer coefficient with low superheat. While droplet evaporation has been studied extensively and used in many practical cooling applications (e.g.,, spray cooling), the relevant work has been confined to spherical droplets with axisymmetric geometries. A rationally designed evaporation platform that yields asymmetric meniscus droplets can potentially achieve larger meniscus curvatures, which gives rise to higher vapor concentration gradients along the contact line region, and therefore, yields higher evaporation rates. In this study, we develop a numerical model to investigate the evaporation behavior of asymmetrical microdroplets suspended on a porous micropillar structure. The equilibrium profiles and mass transport characteristics of droplets with circular, triangular, and square contact shapes are explored using the volume of fluid (VOF) method. The evaporative mass transport at the liquid–vapor interface is modeled using a simplified Schrage model. The results show highly nonuniform mass transport characteristics for asymmetrical microdroplets, where a higher local evaporation rate is observed near the locations where the meniscus has high curvature. This phenomenon is attributed to a higher local vapor concentration gradient that drives faster vapor diffusion at more curved regions, similar to a lightning rod exhibiting a strong electric field along a highly curved surface. By using contact line confinement to artificially tune the droplet into a more curved geometry, we find that the total evaporation rate from a triangular-based droplet is enhanced by 13% compared to a spherical droplet with the same perimeter and liquid–vapor interfacial area. Such a finding can guide the design and optimization of geometric features to improve evaporation in advanced microcooling devices.
Measurements and Modeling of the Movement Behavior of a Radial Adaptive Seal
Authors: Beermann Laura , Wilhelm Julius , Bauer Hans-Jörg
Published: September 2019

The radical change in the energy market with a raising share of renewable energy production leads to new operating cycles in turbo machinery. The machines must be optimized for frequent transient load cycles and part load utilization. New radial adaptive sealing concepts in the secondary air system can help to increase part load efficiency and achieve a long service life. These seals are pressure-activated and adapt their gap width during operation. The sealing concepts have to be analyzed in more detail to fully understand their operational behavior. In this paper, a model to understand and predict the movement of a radial adaptive seal called hydrostatic advanced low leakage (HALO) seal is presented. Experimental results of the gap width, leakage, and pressure distribution are used in combination with two-dimensional (2D) computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to obtain force distributions across the seal for static operation. These data are used to derive a model to predict the forces acting on the seal as well as the operational gap width, which is necessary for a reliable seal design.
Studies on Combustion Characteristics of Density by Density Analyzed Coal
Authors: Behera Dibyajyoti , Nandi Barun Kumar , Bhattacharya Sumantra
Published: September 2019

This work presents the effect of specific gravity of coal on its combustion characteristics. Coals with different specific gravity fractions represented by the arithmetic mean specific gravity (MSG) in the range of 1.35 to 2.0 were prepared by sink–float based density separation from run-of-mine (ROM) coal. The characterization of coal with different MSG was done using proximate, ultimate, and gross calorific value (GCV) analysis. Thermogravimetric analysis and differential thermogravimetry (TGA-DTG) studies of coals with different MSG were carried out in oxygen atmosphere to analyze their combustion characteristics. Various burning profile parameters (Ti, Tp, Tf, DTGmax) were assessed to identify the impacts of MSG of coals on their combustion characteristics. Further, different combustion indices (Di, Df, S, Hf) were evaluated to get the insights of combustion. Based on the experimental results, it was observed that, with an increase in coal MSG from 1.35 to 2.0, GCV decreased from 7426 to 3625 kcal/kg, Ti varied from 355 to 412 °C, Tp varied between 466 and 487 °C, and DTGmax decreased from 6.73 to 4.83 wt%/min. The result signifies that with an increase in MSG of coal, its combustion properties weaken. The activation energy for combustion varied between 93 and 119 kJ/mol. Based on the present analysis, it may be observed that lower MSG coals have enhanced combustion characteristics than higher MSG coals.
Coach Developers as ‘Facilitators of Learning’ in a Large-Scale Coach Education Programme: One Actor in a Complex System
Authors: Culver Diane M. , Werthner Penny , Trudel Pierre
Published: September 2019

The Canadian National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) redesigned its coaching education programmes to utilise a learner-centred, problem-based approach. The purpose of this paper is to document the design, delivery, and subjective assessment of this large-scale coach education programme through the perspectives of the different actors, with a special focus on the coach developers (CDs) as an essential and important group within the coach education system. A constructivist view of learning, supported by the work of Jennifer Moon on the impact of short courses and workshops, guided this work. Part 1 of the results provides an overview of the studies conducted on the revised NCCP. Part 2 examines the perspectives of 26 CDs concerning their training and experiences delivering the redesigned NCCP. Conclusions include the importance of considering the cognitive structures of the CDs and coach learners; issues related to covering the module content versus addressing coaches’ learning needs; ensuring adequate time for questions and reflection to enable deep learning; specific training for CDs to support post-workshop learning; and the importance of taking a systems approach to coach development that considers all the actors involved in a national programme being delivered at the provincial/territorial or sport organisational level.
Sport Policy Praxis: Examining How Canadian Sport Policy Practically Advances the Careers of Nascent Female Coaches
Authors: Krahn Alixandra N.
Published: September 2019

The issue of too few females coaching in high-performance Canadian sport contexts is well documented. There is extensive research and programing dedicated to addressing this issue; however, the number of women in high-performance coaching positions within Canada continues to decline. Mentorship is a best practice to advance women into competitive sport coaching roles, and a more recent finding suggests that sponsorship may also be necessary. In this article Canadian national/federal sport policies were analyzed in an effort to better understand how these Canadian sport policies inform and impact the mentorship and/or sponsorship of women coaches. The analysis of four federal government sport policy documents—Actively Engaged, the Canadian Sport Policy, the Coaching Association of Canada’s and the Sport Information Resource Center’s Equity and Access Policy—revealed that none of these pertinent policy documents make explicit reference to mentorship and/or sponsorship programing with the intent to advance more women into high-performance sport coaching positions. As such, the major argument of this study is that the Canadian sport policy sector needs to create policy documents that practically inform programing geared towards nascent female sport coaches and that the voices of female coaches who have been impacted by Canadian sport policies and programing alike, need to be incorporated into these policies.
Key Considerations for Advancing Women in Coaching
Authors: Banwell Jenessa , Kerr Gretchen , Stirling Ashley
Published: September 2019

Women remain underrepresented in the coaching domain across various levels of sport both in Canada and internationally. Despite the use of mentorship as a key strategy to support female coaches, little progress has been seen in achieving parity. At the same time, greater advances in gender equity have occurred in other non-sport sectors such as business, engineering, and medicine. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to learn from non-sport domains that have seen advances in gender equity to inform mentorship for women in coaching. A mixed-methods methodology was employed and consisted of distributing mentorship surveys to female coaches (n = 310) at various competitive levels, representing current (88%), former (12%), full-time (26%), part-time (74%), paid (54%), and unpaid (46%) coaching status. In addition, eight in-depth semi-structured interviews were also conducted with women in senior-level positions across various non-sport domains, including business (n = 1), media (n = 1), engineering (n = 2), higher education (n = 1), law (n = 1), and medicine (n = 2), regarding the role of mentorship in advancing women in their field. A descriptive and thematic analysis of the survey and interview data were conducted and findings are interpreted to suggest considerable variation in the characteristics of female coaches’ mentoring relationships, as well as the need to move beyond mentorship to sponsorship for advancing women in coaching. Recommendations for future research and advancing women in coaching are provided.
A Complete Genome Screening Program of Clinical Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Isolates Identifies the Origin and Progression of a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Outbreak
Authors: Sullivan Mitchell J. , Altman Deena R. , Chacko Kieran I. , Ciferri Brianne , Webster Elizabeth , Pak Theodore R. , Deikus Gintaras , Lewis-Sandari Martha , Khan Zenab , Beckford Colleen , Rendo Angela , Samaroo Flora , Sebra Robert , Karam-Howlin Ramona , Dingle Tanis , Hamula Camille , Bashir Ali , Schadt Eric , Patel Gopi , Wallach Frances , Kasarskis Andrew , Gibbs Kathleen , van Bakel Harm
Published: September 2019

Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of
Staphylococcus aureus
is increasingly used as part of infection prevention practices. In this study, we established a long-read technology-based WGS screening program of all first-episode methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA) blood infections at a major urban hospital.
Review of Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) in 16 countries in Central Asia and Europe: implications for primary healthcare in the era of universal health coverage
Authors: Carai Susanne , Kuttumuratova Aigul , Boderscova Larisa , Khachatryan Henrik , Lejnev Ivan , Monolbaev Kubanychbek , Uka Sami , Weber Martin
Published: September 2019

The Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) was introduced in Central Asia and Europe to address the absence of evidence-based guidelines, antibiotics misuse, polypharmacy and overhospitalisation. This study in 16 countries analyses status, strengths of and barriers to IMCI implementation and investigates how health systems affect the problems IMCI aims to address. 220 key informants were interviewed ranging from 5 to 37 per country (median 12). Data were analysed for arising themes and peer-reviewed. IMCI has not been fully used either as a strategy or as an algorithmic diagnostic and treatment decision tool. Inherent incentives include: economic factors taking precedence over evidence and the best interest of the child in treatment decisions; financing mechanisms and payment schemes incentivising unnecessary or prolonged hospitalisation; prescription of drugs other than IMCI drugs for revenue generation or because believed superior by doctors or parents; parents’ perception that the quality of care at the primary healthcare level is poor; preference for invasive treatment and medicalised care. Despite the long-standing recognition that supportive health systems are a requirement for IMCI implementation, efforts to address health system barriers have been limited. Making healthcare truly universal for children will require a shift towards health systems designed around and for children and away from systems centred on providers’ needs and parents’ expectations. Prerequisites will be sufficient remuneration, sound training, improved health literacy among parents, conducive laws and regulations and reimbursement systems with adequate checks and balances to ensure the best possible care.
Smoking and treatment outcomes of neovascular age-related macular degeneration over 12 months
Authors: Detaram Harshil Dharamdasani , Joachim Nichole , Liew Gerald , Vu Kim Van , Burlutsky George , Mitchell Paul , Gopinath Bamini
Published: September 2019

Background

To assess the association of smoking with age of onset of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD), visual acuity (VA), central macular thickness (CMT) and the presence of fluid in patients with nAMD.

Methods

547 patients with nAMD were recruited from a tertiary eye clinic during 2012–2015; of these, 490 patients were followed up 12 months later. Clinical diagnosis of nAMD was confirmed by a retinal specialist. Smoking was determined from self-reported history as never, past or current. Age of onset was defined as date of first recorded diagnosis of nAMD in either eye or date of first anti-vascular endothelial growth factor injection. CMT and presence of fluid were recorded from spectral-domain optical coherence tomography images. VA was recorded as number of letters read at 3 m.

Results

After multivariable adjustment, current smokers developed nAMD at an average 5.5 years younger age than never smokers and 4.4 years younger age than past smokers (p<0.0001 and p=0.0008, respectively). At baseline, adjusted mean CMT was significantly higher in current compared with past smokers (259.2 µm vs 231.9 µm, respectively, p=0.04). Current smokers versus never smokers had greater odds of presence of subretinal fluid at 12-month follow-up: multivariable-adjusted OR 1.99 (95% CI 1.09 to 3.67). Smoking status was not significantly associated with VA over 12 months.

Conclusions

Current smoking was associated with a younger age of nAMD onset and key treatment outcomes such as higher mean CMT and greater odds of subretinal fluid presence. These findings suggest that smoking cessation may benefit patients being treated for nAMD.
Frequent refresher training on newborn resuscitation and potential impact on perinatal outcome over time in a rural Tanzanian hospital: an observational study
Authors: Mduma Estomih , Kvaløy Jan Terje , Soreide Eldar , Svensen Erling , Mdoe Paschal , Perlman Jeffrey , Johnson Caroline , Kidanto Hussein Lessio , Ersdal Hege Langli
Published: September 2019

Objectives

Globally, perinatal mortality remains high, especially in sub-Saharan countries, mainly because of inadequate obstetric and newborn care. Helping Babies Breathe (HBB) resuscitation training as part of a continuous quality improvement (CQI) programme may improve outcomes. The aim of this study was to describe observed changes in perinatal survival during a 6-year period, while adjusting for relevant perinatal risk factors.

Setting

Delivery rooms and operating theatre in a rural referral hospital in northern-central Tanzania providing comprehensive obstetric and basic newborn care 24 hours a day. The hospital serves approximately 2 million people comprising low social-economic status.

Participants

All newborns (n=31 122) born in the hospital from February 2010 through January 2017; 4893 were born in the 1-year baseline period (February 2010 through January 2011), 26 229 in the following CQI period.

Interventions

The HBB CQI project, including frequent HBB training, was implemented from February 2011. This is a quality assessment analysis of prospectively collected observational data including patient, process and outcome measures of every delivery. Logistic regression modelling was used to construct risk-adjusted variable life adjusted display (VLAD) and cumulative sum (CUSUM) plots to monitor changes in perinatal survival (primary outcome).

Results

During the 6-year CQI period, the unadjusted number of extra lives saved according to the VLAD plot was 150 despite more women admitted with pregnancy and labour complications and more caesarean deliveries. After adjusting for these risk factors, the risk-adjusted VLAD plot indicated that an estimated 250 extra lives were saved. The risk-adjusted CUSUM plot confirmed a persistent and steady increase in perinatal survival.

Conclusions

The risk-adjusted statistical process control methods indicate significant improvement in perinatal survival after initiation of the HBB CQI project with continuous focus on newborn resuscitation training during the period, despite a concomitant increase in high-risk deliveries. Risk-adjusted VLAD and CUSUM are useful methods to quantify, illustrate and demonstrate persistent changes in outcome over time.
Knowledge towards human papilloma virus (HPV) infection and attitude towards its vaccine in the Kingdom of Bahrain: cross-sectional study
Authors: Husain Yusra , Alalwan Amal , Al- Musawi Zakeya , Abdulla Ghadeer , Hasan Khulood , Jassim Ghufran
Published: September 2019

Objectives

To determine the level of awareness of human papilloma virus (HPV) infection and to assess attitudes towards receiving the vaccine among men and women in Bahrain.

Design

A cross-sectional study. An interview-based questionnaire was used to measure HPV knowledge and attitude towards HPV vaccine.

Setting

Ten randomly selected primary health centres (PHCs) in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Participants

408 PHC attendees, including 268 women and 140 men aged 18–65 years. Only residents from Bahrain and English or Arabic speakers were invited to participate.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

Extent of awareness of HPV infection, acceptance of HPV vaccine and describing the results in association to gender, educational level and other demographics.

Results

A response rate of 91.4% was achieved, with a majority being female responders as opposed to male responders (65.7% vs 34.3%, respectively). Only 13.5% of the participants had heard of HPV, with female gender and employment in the health sector (p<0.001 for both) having a significant association with awareness of HPV. The majority of the participants (76%) were willing to take the vaccine if recommended, with 84.8% believing that both genders should be vaccinated. However, 48.5% were concerned about possible side effects from the vaccine and 83.6% wanted reassurance that the vaccine will protect against HPV. More than 90% of the participants agreed on the need for educating the community about the HPV infection.

Conclusion

Despite the limited knowledge about HPV infection among the study’s participants, there is a favourable attitude towards the HPV vaccine. These data can support the initiation of a nationwide HPV immunisation programme.
Keratoconus detection using deep learning of colour-coded maps with anterior segment optical coherence tomography: a diagnostic accuracy study
Authors: Kamiya Kazutaka , Ayatsuka Yuji , Kato Yudai , Fujimura Fusako , Takahashi Masahide , Shoji Nobuyuki , Mori Yosai , Miyata Kazunori
Published: September 2019

Objective

To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of keratoconus using deep learning of the colour-coded maps measured with the swept-source anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT).

Design

A diagnostic accuracy study.

Setting

A single-centre study.

Participants

A total of 304 keratoconic eyes (grade 1 (108 eyes), 2 (75 eyes), 3 (42 eyes) and 4 (79 eyes)) according to the Amsler-Krumeich classification, and 239 age-matched healthy eyes.

Main outcome measures

The diagnostic accuracy of keratoconus using deep learning of six colour-coded maps (anterior elevation, anterior curvature, posterior elevation, posterior curvature, total refractive power and pachymetry map).

Results

Deep learning of the arithmetical mean output data of these six maps showed an accuracy of 0.991 in discriminating between normal and keratoconic eyes. For single map analysis, posterior elevation map (0.993) showed the highest accuracy, followed by posterior curvature map (0.991), anterior elevation map (0.983), corneal pachymetry map (0.982), total refractive power map (0.978) and anterior curvature map (0.976), in discriminating between normal and keratoconic eyes. This deep learning also showed an accuracy of 0.874 in classifying the stage of the disease. Posterior curvature map (0.869) showed the highest accuracy, followed by corneal pachymetry map (0.845), anterior curvature map (0.836), total refractive power map (0.836), posterior elevation map (0.829) and anterior elevation map (0.820), in classifying the stage.

Conclusions

Deep learning using the colour-coded maps obtained by the AS-OCT effectively discriminates keratoconus from normal corneas, and furthermore classifies the grade of the disease. It is suggested that this will become an aid for improving the diagnostic accuracy of keratoconus in daily practice.

Clinical trial registration number

000034587.