bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Structural modeling of the Western Transverse Ranges: An imbricated thrust ramp architecture
Authors: Levy Y. , Rockwell T.K. , Shaw J.H. , Plesch A. , Driscoll N.W. , Perea H.
Published: November 2019

Active fold-and-thrust belts can potentially accommodate large-magnitude earthquakes, so understanding the structure in such regions has both societal and scientific importance. Recent studies have provided evidence for large earthquakes in the Western Transverse Ranges of California, USA. However, the diverse set of conflicting structural models for this region highlights the lack of understanding of the subsurface geometry of faults. A more robust structural model is required to assess the seismic hazard of the Western Transverse Ranges. Toward this goal, we developed a forward structural model using Trishear in MOVE® to match the first-order structure of the Western Transverse Ranges, as inferred from surface geology, subsurface well control, and seismic stratigraphy. We incorporated the full range of geologic observations, including vertical motions from uplifted fluvial and marine terraces, as constraints on our kinematic forward modeling. Using fault-related folding methods, we predicted the geometry and sense of slip of the major faults at depth, and we used these structures to model the evolution of the Western Transverse Ranges since the late Pliocene. The model predictions are in good agreement with the observed geology. Our results suggest that the Western Transverse Ranges comprises a southward-verging imbricate thrust system, with the dominant faults dipping as a ramp to the north and steepening as they shoal from ∼16°–30° at depth to ∼45°–60° near the surface. We estimate ∼21 km of total shortening since the Pliocene in the eastern part of the region, and a decrease of total shortening west of Santa Barbara down to 7 km near Point Conception. The potential surface area of the inferred deep thrust ramp is up to 6000 km2, which is of sufficient size to host the large earthquakes inferred from paleoseismic studies in this region.
Individualising care in severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia: a series of N-of-1 trials comparing transpyloric and gastric feeding
Authors: Jensen Erik A , Zhang Huayan , Feng Rui , Dysart Kevin , Nilan Kathleen , Munson David A , Kirpalani Haresh
Published: November 2019

Objective

Compare rates of hypoxaemia during transpyloric and gastric feedings in very preterm infants with severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

Design

N-of-1 multiple crossover trials with individual patient and pooled data analyses.

Setting

Level IV intensive care nursery.

Patients

Infants receiving positive airway pressure between 36 and 55 weeks postmenstrual age were enrolled between December 2014–July 2016.

Intervention

N-of-1 trial consisting of two blocks, each with a 4-day gastric and 4-day transpyloric feeding period assigned in random order.

Main outcome measures

The primary outcome was the frequency of daily intermittent hypoxaemic events (SpO2≤80% lasting 10–180 s). Secondary outcomes included the daily proportion of time with an SpO2≤80% and mean daily fraction of inspired oxygen.

Results

Of 15 infants, 13 completed the trial and 2 stopped early for transient worsening in respiratory status during gastric feedings. In the intention-to-treat analyses, transpyloric feedings resulted in increased rates of intermittent hypoxaemia in five infants, greater time per day in hypoxaemia in three infants and more supplemental oxygen use in three infants. One infant received more supplemental oxygen during gastric feedings. The remaining study outcomes were similar between the feeding routes in all other infants. Pooling all data, transpyloric feedings resulted in a higher frequency of intermittent hypoxaemic events (median 7.5/day (IQR 1–23.5) vs 3/day (1–11); adjusted incidence rate ratio 1.8, 95% CI 1.3 to 2.5) and a greater proportion of daily hypoxaemia time (median 0.8% (IQR 0.1–2.3) vs 0.4% (0.07–1.8); adjusted mean difference 1.6, 95% CI 1.1 to 2.5).

Conclusions

Transpyloric compared with gastric feedings modestly increased rates of hypoxaemia among study participants.

Trial registration number

NCT02142621
Telephone or internet delivered talking therapy can alleviate irritable bowel symptoms
Authors: Cook Rob , Davidson Peter , Martin Rosie
Published: November 2019

The study

Everitt H, Landau G, Little P. Therapist telephone-delivered CBT and web-based CBT compared with treatment as usual in refractory irritable bowel syndrome: the ACTIB three-arm RCT. Health Technol Assess 2019;23:1-154.

This project was funded by the NIHR Health Technology Assessment Programme (project number 11/69/02).

To read the full NIHR Signal, go to https://discover.dc.nihr.ac.uk/content/signal-000784/irritable-bowel-syndrome-helped-by-telephone-or-internet-cbt
Antimicrobial central venous catheters do not reduce infections in pre-term babies
Authors: Cook Rob , Fortescue-Webb Duncan , Martin Rosie
Published: November 2019

The study

Gilbert R, Brown M, Rainford N et al. Antimicrobial-impregnated central venous catheters for prevention of neonatal bloodstream infection (PREVAIL): an open-label, parallel-group, pragmatic, randomised controlled trial. Lancet Child Adolesc Health 2019;3:381-90.

The study was funded by the NIHR Health Technology Assessment programme (project number 12/167/02).

To read the full NIHR Signal, go to https://discover.dc.nihr.ac.uk/content/signal-000782/antimicrobial-central-venous-catheters-for-pre-term-babies-do-not-reduce-infections
Prevalence and correlates of alcohol and tobacco use among key populations in Togo in 2017: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Bitty-Anderson Alexandra Marie , Gbeasor-Komlanvi Fifonsi Adjidossi , Johnson Pascal , Sewu Essèboè K , Dagnra Claver A , Salou Mounerou , Blatome Tetouyaba J , Jaquet Antoine , Coffie Patrick Ahuatchi , Ekouevi Didier Koumavi
Published: November 2019

Objectives

The aim of this study was to estimate alcohol and tobacco use prevalence and their correlates among female sex workers (FSW), men who have sex with men (MSM) and drug users (DU) in Togo.

Design, setting and participants

A cross-sectional bio-behavioural study was conducted among 2115 MSM, FSW and DU in 2017 using a respondent-driven sampling method, in the eight biggest towns of Togo. Selection criteria for the MSM were being male and having had oral or anal intercourse with a man in the previous 12 months; for FSW, being a female and having exchanged sex for money in the previous 12 months; and for DU, consuming heroin, cocaine or hashish for MSM, FSW and DU, respectively. All participants had to be at least 18 years old and residing in the territory for the past 3 months.

Results

The prevalence of alcohol consumption, hazardous/harmful consumption and binge drinking was 64.8%, 38.4% and 45.5%, respectively. Current tobacco use was reported by 30.6% of participants and HIV prevalence was estimated at 12.5%. DU were more likely to engage in binge drinking compared with other key populations (adjusted odds ratio (aOR)=2.0; 95% CI 1.4 to 2.8; p=0.001). Participants who were identified as having hazardous/harmful alcohol consumption had almost three times the odds of tobacco consumption than those with no risky consumption (aOR=2.6; 95% CI 2.0 to 3.4; p=0.001). Hazardous/harmful alcohol consumption was three times more likely among participants with severe psychological distress compared with those with no psychological distress (aOR=3.3, 95% CI 2.2 to 5.1; p=0.001).

Conclusion

Findings from this study demonstrate the need for the integration of mental health and substance abuse reduction interventions into HIV prevention programme, particularly those geared towards key populations.
Mode of birth and long-term sexual health: a follow-up study of mothers in the Danish National Birth Cohort
Authors: Hjorth Sarah , Kirkegaard Helene , Olsen Jørn , Thornton Jim G , Nohr Ellen A
Published: November 2019

Objectives

To investigate the relation between mode of birth and women’s long-term sexual health.

Design

Maternal follow-up of the Danish National Birth Cohort (1996–2002) in 2013–2014 including questions on sexual health. Logistic regression was used to relate registry-based information about mode of birth and perineal tears with data on sexual problems.

Setting

Denmark.

Participants

Of 82 569 eligible mothers in the Danish National Birth Cohort, 43 639 (53%) completed the follow-up. Of these, 37 417 women had a partner, and answered at least one question on sexual health.

Main outcome measures

Self-reported sexual health.

Results

Participants were on average 44 years old, and 16 years after their first birth. The frequency of sexual problems among women with only spontaneous vaginal births, the reference group, was 37%. For women who only had caesarean sections, more problems were reported (OR 1.18; 95% CI 1.09 to 1.28). For women who had a spontaneous vaginal birth subsequent to a caesarean, and for women with only vaginal births who had experienced one or more instrumental vaginal births, the odds of sexual problems did not differ from women with only spontaneous vaginal births (OR 1.00; 95% CI 0.91 to 1.11) and (OR 1.01; 95% CI 0.95 to 1.08), respectively.

Conclusions

These findings indicate that caesarean section does not protect against long-term sexual problems. Rather, vaginal birth, even after caesarean section, was associated with fewer long-term sexual problems.
Self-identified barriers to rural mental health services in Iowa by older adults with multiple comorbidities: qualitative interview study
Authors: Pass Lauren Elizabeth , Kennelty Korey , Carter Barry L
Published: November 2019

Objectives

Individuals in rural areas face critical health disparities, including limited access to mental healthcare services and elevated burden of chronic illnesses. While disease outcomes are often worse in individuals who have both physical and mental comorbidities, few studies have examined rural, chronically-ill older adults’ experiences accessing mental health services. The aim of the study was to determine barriers to finding, receiving and adhering to mental health treatments in this population to inform future interventions delivering services.

Design

We conducted a qualitative study of barriers and facilitators to mental healthcare access. 19 interviews were analysed deductively for barriers using a modified version of Penchansky and Thomas’s theory of access as an analytical framework.

Setting

This study was conducted remotely using telephonic interviews. Patients were located in various rural Iowa towns and cities.

Participants

15 rural Iowan older adults with multiple physical comorbidities as well as anxiety and/or depression.

Results

We found that while patients in this study often felt that their mental health was important to address, they experienced multiple, but overlapping, barriers to services that delayed care or broke their continuity of receiving care, including limited knowledge of extant services and how to find them, difficulties obtaining referrals and unsatisfactory relationships with mental health service providers.

Conclusions

Our findings indicate that intervention across multiple domains of access is necessary for successful long-term management of mental health disorders for patients with multiple chronic comorbidities in Iowa.
Barriers to cervical cancer screening and acceptability of HPV self-testing: a cross-sectional comparison between ethnic groups in Southern Thailand
Authors: Gottschlich Anna , Nuntadusit Thanatta , Zarins Katie R , Hada Manila , Chooson Nareerat , Bilheem Surichai , Navakanitworakul Raphatphorn , Nittayaboon Kesara , Virani Shama , Rozek Laura , Sriplung Hutcha , Meza Rafael
Published: November 2019

Background

Cervical cancer rates are higher in low-resourced countries than high, partly due to lower rates of screening. Incidence in Thailand is nearly three times higher than in the USA (16.2 vs 6.5 age-standardised incidence), even with Thailand’s universal health coverage, which includes screening, suggesting that alternative methods are needed to reduce the burden. We investigated barriers to screening, as well as acceptability of self-collection human papillomavirus (HPV) testing as a primary form of cervical cancer screening among Buddhist and Muslim communities in Southern Thailand.

Methods

267 women from the Buddhist district of Ranot and Muslim district of Na Thawi, Songkhla were recruited to complete a survey assessing knowledge and risk factors of HPV and cervical cancer. Participants were offered an HPV self-collection test with a follow-up survey assessing acceptability. Samples were processed at Prince of Songkhla University and results were returned to participants.

Results

267 women participated in the study (132 Buddhist, 135 Muslim), 264 (99%) self-collecting. 98% reported comfort and ease, and 70% preferred it to doctor-facilitated cytology. The main predictor of prior screening was religion (92% Buddhist vs 73% Muslim reporting prior Pap). After adjustment with multivariate logistic models, Muslim women had an OR of prior Pap of 0.30 compared with Buddhist (95% CI: 0.12 to 0.66).

Conclusions

Self-collection HPV testing was highly acceptable across religious groups, suggesting that it could be beneficial for cervical cancer reduction in this region. Focus should be put into educating women from all backgrounds about the importance of screening to further improve screening rates among Thai women.
Lessons learnt from the implementation of new care models in the NHS: a qualitative study of the North East Vanguards programme
Authors: Maniatopoulos Gregory , Hunter David J , Erskine Jonathan , Hudson Bob
Published: November 2019

Objective

To examine lessons learnt from the implementation of five Vanguard initiatives in the North East of England.

Design

Data collection comprised semistructured interviews with key informants at each site.

Setting

The study took place across six local authority areas in the North East of England and within six clinical commissioning groups responsible for the delivery of each Vanguard’s aims and objectives.

Participants

Sixty-six interviewees with participants from five Vanguard initiatives in the North East of England, including senior clinicians, project leads and directors, commissioners, and healthcare managers.

Results

While the context for each Vanguard is separate and distinct, there also exists a set of common issues which have a regional dimension. Participants felt that the national programme helped to raise the profile of local change initiatives and also contributed to the wider understanding of regional service integration issues. At the same time our findings demonstrate that all five sites experienced, and were subject to, unrealistic pressure placed on them to deliver outcomes. Of particular concern among all sites was the sheer scale and pace of change occurring at the same time as the National Health Service was being tasked with making significant, if unrealistic, efficiency savings.

Conclusions

It is too early to conclude with any confidence that a successful outcome for the new care models programme will be forthcoming. While early indications show some encouraging signs of promise, the overall context in which the complex and ambitious changes are being implemented remains both fragile and fluid.
Scoping review protocol documenting cancer outcomes and inequalities for adults living with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities
Authors: Stirling Morgan , Linton Janice , Ouellette-Kuntz Hélène , Shooshtari Shahin , Hallet Julie , Kelly Christine , Dawe David , Kristjanson Mark , Decker Kathleen , Mahar Alyson
Published: November 2019

Introduction

There is increasing attention on the cancer burden for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Emerging evidence suggests there are differences in cancer experiences and outcomes for individuals living with IDD, from risk through survivorship. These differences may be attributed to features of the IDD, such as cognitive deficits and communication, as well as social determinants of health-like lower education levels and ableism. However, there is no comprehensive overview of the literature quantifying these potential disparities and describing the influencing factors. In this paper, we describe a scoping review protocol to systematically review published literature on cancer for adults with IDD. The purpose of this review is to identify differences in cancer risk, stage at diagnosis, treatment and survival along the cancer continuum for adults with IDD and outline potential contributing factors creating these disparities.

Methods and analysis

We will follow Arksey and O’Malley’s expanded framework for scoping reviews to conduct this review. We will systematically search electronic databases for peer-reviewed, published journal articles to identify appropriate studies in collaboration with a health science librarian. Two reviewers will independently review titles and abstracts followed by a full-text review to determine whether it meets inclusion criteria. A data chart for collecting and sorting information will be developed in consultation with the team. Results will be collated and reported following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) extension for scoping reviews: PRISMA-Scoping Reviews. Extracted information will be summarised quantitatively and qualitatively to meet review objectives.

Ethics and dissemination

This scoping review will employ a methodology to identify literature related to cancer outcomes and experiences for adults with IDD. Results will be disseminated to relevant stakeholders who care for and support individuals with IDD at local, provincial and national levels and through publishing findings. By highlighting the disparities in the cancer system and gaps in the research, this scoping review can provide direction for future action.
Application of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol in radical gastrectomy: a systemic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Changsheng Huang , Shengli Shao , Yongdong Feng
Published: November 2019

Purpose

This study aimed to assess the safety and efficiency of the enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol in radical gastrectomy.

Methods

Studies published before February 2019 were searched from EMBASE, PubMed, Cochrane Library and Quanfang databases without language and region restrictions. A total of 15 randomised controlled trials (RCTs) with 1216 participants were included in the analysis, of whom 605 underwent ERAS protocol and 611 received traditional perioperative treatment for radical gastrectomy.

Results

There was a significant reduction in pulmonary infection (p=0.02) after radical gastrectomy. Further, there was a significant decrease in the length of postoperative hospital days (p<0.00001), first passage time of defection and flatus (p<0.00001), and medical cost (p<0.0001) in the group that received the ERAS protocol. However, the ERAS protocol group had a higher risk for readmission (p=0.007), vomiting (p=0.002) and gastric retention (p=0.0003) compared with the traditional treatment group.

Conclusions

ERAS protocol application for radical gastrectomy accelerated postoperative recovery, shortened postoperative hospital days and first passage time of defection and flatus, and saved on medical costs, and did not increase the occurrence rate of severe complications.
Evaluating the effect of switching to non-menthol cigarettes among current menthol smokers: an empirical study of a potential ban of characterising menthol flavour in cigarettes
Authors: Bold Krysten W , Jatlow Peter , Fucito Lisa M , Eid Tore , Krishnan-Sarin Suchitra , O'Malley Stephanie
Published: November 2019

Introduction

Menthol cigarette use remains a serious public health problem, prompting the consideration of tobacco regulatory efforts to ban menthol cigarettes. The current study uses a novel empirical design to model the potential effects of a ban of menthol cigarettes on smoking behaviour among current menthol smokers.

Methods

29 non-treatment-seeking adults who smoked menthol cigarettes were recruited in Connecticut in 2017–2018 (n=15 female; n=17 Black, n=10 White, n=5 Hispanic). Repeated-measures analyses examined within-person changes in smoking behaviour when participants were switched from smoking their usual brand menthol cigarettes to a matched-brand non-menthol cigarette for 2 weeks to model a potential ban of menthol cigarettes.

Results

Participants smoked significantly fewer non-menthol (vs menthol) cigarettes per day (mean decrease=2.2 cigarettes, SD=3.2, p<0.001), confirmed by significant reductions in urine cotinine levels (p=0.013). After switching to non-menthol cigarettes, participants had significantly lower nicotine dependence scores (reduced by >18%, p<0.001) and greater increases in quitting motivation and confidence (rated 1–10) (motivation: mean increase=2.1, SD=2.8, p<0.001; confidence: mean increase=1.3, SD=3.3, p=0.04). Exploratory analyses indicated significant interactions by race (p=0.004); Black smokers had greater reductions in cigarettes per day (mean decrease=3.5 cigarettes, SD=2.8) versus non-Black smokers (mean decrease=0.2, SD=2.6).

Conclusions

Banning menthol as a characterising flavour in cigarettes may decrease smoking and reduce the addictive potential of cigarettes among current smokers. Results provide additional support for tobacco regulatory policies banning menthol flavour in an effort to improve public health.

Trial registration

NCT03075839.
Tobacco industry tactics in response to cigarette excise tax increases in Mauritius
Authors: Berthet Valdois Julie , Van Walbeek Corne , Ross Hana , Soondram Hema , Jugurnath Bhavish , Chan Sun Marie , Mohee Deowan
Published: November 2019

Background

In response to high smoking rates, especially among men, Mauritius launched a National Action Plan on Tobacco Control in 2008. It changed its tax system from a mixed system to a uniform specific system. Despite these interventions, cigarette consumption and smoking prevalence in Mauritius decreased only marginally in the subsequent decade.

Method

Using publicly available data, we decompose the retail price of cigarettes into tax and net-of-tax components, between 2011 and 2017. We cover premium, popular and economy cigarettes.

Results

Since its introduction in 2008, the nominal excise tax was increased six times. Between 2011 and 2017, the real value of the excise tax increased by 47%. Meanwhile, British American Tobacco (BAT) increased the real net-of-tax price of premium cigarettes by 61.8% and of popular cigarettes by 47.2%, thus overshifting the tax increase. On economy cigarettes, BAT decreased the real net-of-tax price by 14.7%, thus undershifting the excise tax increase.

Conclusion

Through its pricing strategy, BAT has greatly undermined Mauritius’s tobacco control policy. However, BAT cannot continue undershifting the excise tax on economy brands, since the net-of-tax proportion of the retail price is very low already. BAT would have little choice but to increase the retail price on economy brands in response to future excise tax increases. The government of Mauritius is encouraged to keep the specific excise tax structure but to increase the rate at which it is levied.
Nearly 20 000 e-liquids and 250 unique flavour descriptions: an overview of the Dutch market based on information from manufacturers
Authors: Havermans Anne , Krüsemann Erna J Z , Pennings Jeroen , de Graaf Kees , Boesveldt Sanne , Talhout Reinskje
Published: November 2019

Objectives

Flavours increase attractiveness of electronic cigarettes and stimulate use among vulnerable groups such as non-smoking adolescents. It is important for regulators to monitor the market to gain insight in, and regulate the range of e-liquid flavours that is available to consumers. E-liquid manufacturers are required to report key product information to authorities in the European Member States in which they plan to market their products. This information was used to provide an overview of e-liquid flavour descriptions marketed in the Netherlands in 2017.

Methods

Two researchers classified 19 266 e-liquids into the 16 main categories of the e-liquid flavour wheel, based on information from four variables in the European Common Entry Gate system. Flavour descriptions were further specified in subcategories.

Results

For 16 300 e-liquids (85%), sufficient information was available for classification. The categories containing the highest number of e-liquids were fruit (34%), tobacco (16%) and dessert (10%). For all e-liquids, excluding unflavoured ones, 245 subcategories were defined within the main categories. In addition to previously reported subcategories, various miscellaneous flavours such as sandwich, buttermilk and lavender were identified.

Conclusions

In 2017, ~20 000 e-liquids were reported to be marketed in the Netherlands, in 245 unique flavour descriptions. The variety of marketed flavour descriptions reflects flavour preference of e-cigarette users as described in literature. Our systematic classification of e-liquids by flavour description provides a tool for organising the huge variety in market supply, serves as an example for other countries to generate similar overviews and can support regulators in developing flavour regulations.
Zika virus: an emerging challenge to public health worldwide
Authors: Sharma Vikrant , Sharma Manisha , Dhull Divya , Sharma Yashika , Kaushik Sulochana , Kaushik Samander
Published: November 2019

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-borne virus that was first isolated from Zika forest, Uganda, in 1947. Since its inception, major and minor outbreaks have been documented from several parts of world. Aedes spp. mosquitoes are the primary vectors of ZIKV, but the virus can also be transmitted through sexual practices, materno-fetal transmission, and blood transfusion. The clinical presentations of symptomatic ZIKV infections are similar to dengue and chikungunya, including fever, headache, arthralgia, retro-orbital pain, conjunctivitis, and rash. ZIKV often causes mild illness in the majority of cases, but in some instances, it is linked with congenital microcephaly and autoimmune disorders like Guillain–Barré syndrome. The recent Indian ZIKV outbreak suggests that the virus is circulating in the South East Asian region and may cause new outbreaks in future. At present, no specific vaccines or antivirals are available to treat ZIKV, so management and control of ZIKV infections rely mostly on preventive measures.
Contact fatigue model and life prediction of the compound motion curve-face gear pair
Authors: Lin Chao , Li Peilu , He Chunjiang , Xing Qingkun
Published: November 2019

Different from the common face gear pair fixed rotation motion between intersecting axes, the compound transmission of the curve-face gear is a new motion form, which can convert rotational motion into rotation and movement motion. To solve the contact fatigue life problem of this new motion form gear pair, a new contact fatigue life calculation method of the compound transmission curve-face gear pair was proposed. Based on the space gear engagement principle and the fracture mechanics theory, the theoretical contact fatigue model of the curve-face gear composite transmission was established. Considering that the contact load for every tooth is time-varying in the half-period of the curve-face gear, the contact fatigue life stage of the curve-face gear was divided into crack initiation and crack growth, and the crack growth fatigue life for each tooth was calculated using the finite element method. The curve-face gear pair was processed in the five-axis NC machining center and the compound transmission experiment platform of the curve-face gear was set up to measure the tooth surface dynamic contact stress, and the overall life of the curve-face gear was predicted. The comparison analysis between theoretical and experimental results verified the correctness of the theoretical contact fatigue calculation model.
Time-Series and Dynamic Cross-Correlations Analysis on Unexpected Information: Evidence from Media News and Online Postings
Authors: Li Yan , Kong Xiangyu , Li Xiao , Zhang Zuochao
Published: November 2019

In this paper, we investigate the relationship between unexpected information from postings and news, and the unexpected information is measured by the residual of regressions of trading volume on numbers of news or postings. We mainly find that (i) There are significant positive contemporaneous correlations between the unexpected information coming from postings and different kinds of news; the correlation between the unexpected information coming from postings and new media news is stronger than that between the unexpected information coming from postings and mass media news; (ii) The unexpected information coming from postings could cause the unexpected information coming from news, but only the unexpected information coming from the mass media news could cause that coming from postings; (iii) There are persistent power-law cross-correlations between the unexpected information coming from postings and that coming from mass media news and new media news. The cross-correlation between the unexpected information coming from postings and new media news is more persistent than the one between the unexpected information coming from postings and mass media news. The cross-correlations are all more stable in long term than in short term. We attribute our findings above to the dissemination speed of the information on the Internet.
Synthesis of donor-π-acceptor porphyrins for DSSC: DFT-study, comparison of anchoring mode and effectiveness
Authors: Ezhov Artem V. , Vyal’ba Fedor Yu. , Zhdanova Kseniya A. , Zhdanov Andrey P. , Zhizhin Konstantin Yu. , Kluykin Ilya N. , Bragina Natal’ya A. , Mironov Andrey F.
Published: November 2019

In this study two pairs of novel zinc-porphyrin complexes (ZnP1 ZnP2 ZnP3 and ZnP4) were synthesized as sensitizers for DSSC and their photophysical, computational studies and photovoltaic properties were investigated. Structures of proposed dyes are based on a molecular design that relies on donor/[Formula: see text]-bridge/acceptor interactions. Compounds differ by anchoring mode to the titanium dioxide surface: ZnP2 and ZnP4 porphyrins possess carboxyl anchoring groups while ZnP1 and ZnP3 porphyrins have similar structure but without anchors and attached to the surface by isonicotinic acid ligands. All the zinc-porphyrin derivatives bear hexyloxy-chains at the para-positions of their phenyl rings and ZnP3 and ZnP4 contain 1,3,5-triazine fragments as efficient electron transfer bridges. Electron density distribution of the frontier molecular orbitals was calculated based on the density functional theory (DFT). The test DSSC was manufactured and its parameters were measured to compare the effectiveness of the proposed sensitizers. Our results reveal that dyes with an anchoring group directly in their structure demonstrated several times higher efficiency. The use of the triazine fragment proved effective for the introduction of acceptor substituents bearing anchor groups. As a result, the highest efficiency of 4.33% was achieved using the dye ZnP4.
A Predictive Framework for Dynamic Heavy-Duty Vehicle Platoon Coordination
Authors: Hoef Sebastian Van De , Mårtensson Jonas , Dimarogonas Dimos V. , Johansson Karl Henrik
Published: November 2019

This article describes a system to facilitate dynamic en route formation of heavy-duty vehicle platoons with the goal of reducing fuel consumption. Safe vehicle platooning is a maturing technology that leverages modern sensor, control, and communication technology to automatically regulate the inter-vehicle distances. Truck platooning has been shown to reduce fuel consumption through slipstreaming by up to 10%; under realistic highway-driving conditions. To further benefit from this technology, a platoon coordinator is proposed, which interfaces with fleet management systems and suggests how platoons can be formed in a fuel-efficient manner over a large region. The coordinator frequently updates the plans to react to newly available information. This way, it requires a minimum of customization with respect to the logistic operations. We discuss the system architecture in detail and introduce important underlying methodological foundations. Plans are derived in computationally tractable stages optimizing fuel savings from platooning. The effectiveness of this approach is verified in a simulation study. It shows that the coordinated platooning system can improve over spontaneously occurring platooning even under the presence of disturbances. A real demonstrator has also been developed. We present data from an experiment in which three vehicles were coordinated to form a platoon on public highways under normal traffic conditions. It demonstrates the feasibility of coordinated en route platoon formation with current communication and on-board technology. Simulations and experiments support that the proposed system is technically feasible and a potential solution to the problem of using vehicle platooning in an operational context.
Combining Detection and Verification for Secure Vehicular Cooperation Groups
Authors: Asplund Mikael
Published: November 2019

Coordinated vehicles for intelligent traffic management are instances of cyber-physical systems with strict correctness requirements. A key building block for these systems is the ability to establish a group membership view that accurately captures the locations of all vehicles in a particular area of interest. In this article, we formally define view correctness in terms of soundness and completeness and establish theoretical bounds for the ability to verify view correctness. Moreover, we present an architecture for an online view detection and verification process that uses the information available locally to a vehicle. This architecture uses an SMT solver to automatically prove view correctness (if possible). We evaluate this architecture using both synthetic and trace-based scenarios and demonstrate that the ability to verify view correctness is on par with the ability to detect view violations.
Improving User Experience of Eye Tracking-Based Interaction
Authors: Menges Raphael , Kumar Chandan , Staab Steffen
Published: November 2019

Eye tracking systems have greatly improved in recent years, being a viable and affordable option as digital communication channel, especially for people lacking fine motor skills. Using eye tracking as an input method is challenging due to accuracy and ambiguity issues, and therefore research in eye gaze interaction is mainly focused on better pointing and typing methods. However, these methods eventually need to be assimilated to enable users to control application interfaces. A common approach to employ eye tracking for controlling application interfaces is to emulate mouse and keyboard functionality. We argue that the emulation approach incurs unnecessary interaction and visual overhead for users, aggravating the entire experience of gaze-based computer access. We discuss how the knowledge about the interface semantics can help reducing the interaction and visual overhead to improve the user experience. Thus, we propose the efficient introspection of interfaces to retrieve the interface semantics and adapt the interaction with eye gaze. We have developed a Web browser, GazeTheWeb, that introspects Web page interfaces and adapts both the browser interface and the interaction elements on Web pages for gaze input. In a summative lab study with 20 participants, GazeTheWeb allowed the participants to accomplish information search and browsing tasks significantly faster than an emulation approach. Additional feasibility tests of GazeTheWeb in lab and home environment showcase its effectiveness in accomplishing daily Web browsing activities and adapting large variety of modern Web pages to suffice the interaction for people with motor impairment.
Idempotent Anti-unification
Authors: Cerna David , Kutsia Temur
Published: November 2019

In this article, we address two problems related to idempotent anti-unification. First, we show that there exists an anti-unification problem with a single idempotent symbol that has an infinite minimal complete set of generalizations. It means that anti-unification with a single idempotent symbol has infinitary or nullary generalization type, similar to anti-unification with two idempotent symbols, shown earlier by Loïc Pottier. Next, we develop an algorithm that takes an arbitrary idempotent anti-unification problem and computes a representation of its solution set in the form of a regular tree grammar. The algorithm does not depend on the number of idempotent function symbols in the input terms. The language generated by the grammar is the minimal complete set of generalizations of the given anti-unification problem, which implies that idempotent anti-unification is infinitary.
Malicious Overtones
Authors: Powell Brian A.
Published: November 2019

A method for detecting electronic data theft from computer networks is described, capable of recognizing patterns of remote exfiltration occurring over days to weeks. Normal traffic flow data, in the form of a host’s ingress and egress bytes over time, is used to train an ensemble of one-class learners. The detection ensemble is modular, with individual classifiers trained on different traffic features thought to characterize malicious data transfers. We select features that model the egress to ingress byte balance over time, periodicity, short timescale irregularity, and density of the traffic. The features are most efficiently modeled in the frequency domain, which has the added benefit that variable duration flows are transformed to a fixed-size feature vector, and by sampling the frequency space appropriately, long-duration flows can be tested. When trained on days or weeks worth of traffic from individual hosts, our ensemble achieves a low false-positive rate (<2%) on a range of different system types. Simulated exfiltration samples with a variety of different timing and data characteristics were generated and used to test ensemble performance on different kinds of systems: When trained on a client workstation’s external traffic, the ensemble was generally successful at detecting exfiltration that is not simultaneously ingress-heavy, connection-sparse, and of short duration—a combination that is not optimal for attackers seeking to transfer large amounts of data. Remote exfiltration is more difficult to detect from egress-heavy systems, like web servers, with normal traffic exhibiting timing characteristics similar to a wide range of exfiltration types.
On Energy Conservation in Data Centers
Authors: Albers Susanne
Published: November 2019

We formulate and study an optimization problem that arises in the energy management of data centers and, more generally, multiprocessor environments. Data centers host a large number of heterogeneous servers. Each server has an active state and several standby/sleep states with individual power consumption rates. The demand for computing capacity varies over time. Idle servers may be transitioned to low-power modes so as to rightsize the pool of active servers. The goal is to find a state transition schedule for the servers that minimizes the total energy consumed. On a small scale, the same problem arises in multicore architectures with heterogeneous processors on a chip. One has to determine active and idle periods for the cores so as to guarantee a certain service and minimize the consumed energy.

For this power/capacity management problem, we develop two main results. We use the terminology of the data center setting. First, we investigate the scenario that each server has two states: an active state and a sleep state. We show that an optimal solution, minimizing energy consumption, can be computed in polynomial time by a combinatorial algorithm. The algorithm resorts to a single-commodity minimum-cost flow computation. Second, we study the general scenario that each server has an active state and multiple standby/sleep states. We devise a τ-approximation algorithm that relies on a two-commodity minimum-cost flow computation. Here, τ is the number of different server types. A data center has a large collection of machines but only a relatively small number of different server architectures. Moreover, in the optimization, one can assign servers with comparable energy consumption to the same class. Technically, both of our algorithms involve nontrivial flow modification procedures. In particular, given a fractional two-commodity flow, our algorithm executes advanced rounding and flow packing routines.
Security Organizing
Authors: Burns A. J.
Published: November 2019

In the knowledge economy, organizational information is one of a firm's most valuable assets. However, despite significant advances in information security (InfoSec) research, problems in the field persist. This paper contends that advances in reliability and safety can help inform the future of InfoSec research. Specifically, the paper presents a framework for security organizing that is based on previous research about the organizational mindfulness characteristics of high reliability organizations (HROs). This paper considers the similarities among reliability, safety, and InfoSec, provides an initial validation of a potential construct for measuring security organizing in the workplace, and discusses opportunities for future research.
Novel aspects of enteric serotonergic signaling in health and brain-gut disease
Authors: Del Colle Andrew , Israelyan Narek , Gross Margolis Kara
Published: November 2019

Gastrointestinal (GI) comorbidities are common in individuals with mood and behavioral dysfunction. Similarly, patients with GI problems more commonly suffer from co-morbid psychiatric diagnoses. Although the central and enteric nervous systems (CNS and ENS, respectively) have largely been studied separately, there is emerging interest in factors that may contribute to disease states involving both systems. There is strong evidence to suggest that serotonin may be an important contributor to these brain-gut conditions. Serotonin has long been recognized for its critical functions in CNS development and function. The majority of the body’s serotonin, however, is produced in the GI tract, where it plays key roles in ENS development and function. Further understanding of the specific impact that enteric serotonin has on brain-gut disease may lay the foundation for the creation of novel therapeutic targets. This review summarizes the current data focusing on the important roles that serotonin plays in ENS development and motility, with a focus on novel aspects of serotonergic signaling in medical conditions in which CNS and ENS co-morbidities are common, including autism spectrum disorders and depression.
Using gastric emptying scintigraphy to evaluate antral contractions and duodenal bolus propagation
Authors: Orthey Perry , Dadparvar Simin , Kamat Bhishak , Parkman Henry P. , Maurer Alan H.
Published: November 2019

Our aim was to investigate the feasibility of measuring antral contractions and duodenal bolus propagation (DBP) during dynamic antral contraction scintigraphy (DACS) as an assessment of antro-pyloro-duodenal coordination (APDC). Gastric emptying scintigraphy (GES) with DACS was performed with Tc-99m sulfur colloid (SC) using increasing doses of 74 MBq (2 mCi) for 10 subjects, 185 MBq (5 mCi) for 11, and 370 MBq (10 mCi) for 11. DACS was performed for 10 min after static images at 0, 30, 60, 120, 180, and 240 min in anterior and right anterior oblique (RAO) projections. Best projection and lowest dose of Tc-99m SC were assessed visually. DBP were quantified utilizing duodenal activity peaks from a region of interest in the first portion of the duodenum. DBP was better visualized in the RAO projection than anterior projection and using 185 MBq (5 mCi) and 370 MBq (10 mCi) compared with 74 MBq (2 mCi). DBP showed infrequent and irregular bolus transfers from the antrum to the duodenum. Antral activity peaks at 60 min averaged 2.91 ± 0.66 per minute and duodenum bolus peaks 0.36 ± 0.18 per minute (ratio 0.36/2.91 = 0.12). DBP activity peaks can be measured during GES with DACS but requires a 185-MBq (5 mCi) dose of Tc-99m SC radiolabeled test meal for adequate DBP signal detection and is better imaged in RAO than anterior projection. DBPs over the first 60 min postmeal ingestion are infrequent with only 12% of the antral contractions propagating into the duodenum. This methodology appears promising to assess APDC.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study shows that duodenal bolus propagations after meal ingestion can be measured during gastric emptying scintigraphy using dynamic scintigraphy. Duodenal bolus propagation over the first 60 min postmeal ingestion are infrequent with only 12% of the antral contractions propagating into the duodenum. This methodology appears promising to assess antropyloroduodenal coordination in patients with unexplained symptoms of upper gastrointestinal dysmotility.
Urological complications of obesity and diabetes in males and females of three mouse models: temporal manifestations
Authors: Kim Alexandra K. , Hamadani Christine , Zeidel Mark L. , Hill Warren G.
Published: November 2019

Diabetic bladder dysfunction is a frequent complication of diabetes. Although many mouse models of diabetes now exist, there has been little systematic effort to characterize them for the timing of onset and severity of bladder dysfunction. We monitored metabolic status and tested bladder function by void spot assay and limited anesthetized cystometry in both male and female mice of three models of obesity and diabetes: a type 1 diabetes model (the Akita mouse) and two type 2 diabetes models [the diet-induced obese (DIO) model and the ob/ob mouse]. Akita mice had insulin pellets implanted subcutaneously every 3 mo to mimic poorly controlled type 1 diabetes in humans. Mice were hyperglycemic by 48 days after implants. Female mice exhibited no bladder dysfunction at any age up to 20 mo and gained weight normally. In contrast, by 7 mo, male Akita mice developed a profound polyuria and failed to show normal weight gain. There were no observable signs of bladder dysfunction in either sex. DIO mice on high/low-fat diets for 16 mo exhibited mild hyperglycemia in female mice (not in male mice), mild weight gain, and no evidence of bladder dysfunction. Ob/ob mice were followed for 8 mo and became extremely obese. Male and female mice were glucose intolerant, insulin intolerant, and hyperinsulinemic at 4 mo. By 8 mo, their metabolic status had improved but was still abnormal. Urine volume increased in male mice but not in female mice. Bladder dysfunction was observed in the spotting patterns of female mice at 4 and 6 mo of age, resolving by 8 mo. We conclude there are dramatic sex-related differences in lower urinary tract function in these models. Male Akita mice may be a good model for polyuria-related bladder remodeling, whereas female ob/ob mice may better mimic storage problems related to loss of outlet control in a setting of type 2 diabetes complicated by obesity.