bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Growth performance, oxidative stress and immune status of newly weaned pigs fed peroxidized lipids with or without supplemental vitamin E or polyphenols
Authors: Silva-Guillen Y. V. , Arellano C. , Boyd R. D. , Martinez G. , van Heugten E.
Published: March 2020

Background

This study evaluated the use of dietary vitamin E and polyphenols on growth, immune and oxidative status of weaned pigs fed peroxidized lipids. A total of 192 piglets (21 days of age and body weight of 6.62 ± 1.04 kg) were assigned within sex and weight blocks to a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement using 48 pens with 4 pigs per pen. Dietary treatments consisted of lipid peroxidation (6% edible soybean oil or 6% peroxidized soybean oil), and antioxidant supplementation (control diet containing 33 IU/kg DL-α-tocopheryl-acetate; control with 200 IU/kg additional dl-α-tocopheryl-acetate; or control with 400 mg/kg polyphenols). Pigs were fed in 2 phases for 14 and 21 days, respectively.

Results

Peroxidation of oil for 12 days at 80 °C with exposure to 50 L/min of air substantially increased peroxide values, anisidine value, hexanal, and 2,4-decadienal concentrations. Feeding peroxidized lipids decreased (P < 0.001) body weight (23.16 vs. 18.74 kg), daily gain (473 vs. 346 g/d), daily feed intake (658 vs. 535 g/d) and gain:feed ratio (719 vs. 647 g/kg). Lipid peroxidation decreased serum vitamin E (P < 0.001) and this decrease was larger on day 35 (1.82 vs. 0.81 mg/kg) than day 14 (1.95 vs. 1.38 mg/kg). Supplemental vitamin E, but not polyphenols, increased (P ≤ 0.002) serum vitamin E by 84% and 22% for control and peroxidized diets, respectively (interaction, P = 0.001). Serum malondialdehyde decreased (P < 0.001) with peroxidation on day 14, but not day 35 and protein carbonyl increased (P < 0.001) with peroxidation on day 35, but not day 14. Serum 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine was not affected (P > 0.05). Total antioxidant capacity decreased with peroxidation (P < 0.001) and increased with vitamin E (P = 0.065) and polyphenols (P = 0.046) for the control oil diet only. Serum cytokine concentrations increased with feeding peroxidized lipids on day 35, but were not affected by antioxidant supplementation (P > 0.05).

Conclusion

Feeding peroxidized lipids negatively impacted growth performance and antioxidant capacity of nursery pigs. Supplementation of vitamin E and polyphenols improved total antioxidant capacity, especially in pigs fed control diets, but did not restore growth performance.
Cortisol levels in unmedicated patients with unipolar and bipolar major depression using hair and saliva specimens
Authors: Herane-Vives Andrés , Arnone Danilo , de Angel Valeria , Papadopoulos Andrew , Wise Toby , Alameda Luis , Chua Kia-Chong , Young Allan H. , Cleare Anthony J.
Published: March 2020

Background

Differentiating between unipolar and bipolar depression can be clinically challenging, especially at first presentation. Patterns of cortisol secretion could aid diagnostic discrimination in affective disorders although there has been little comparative research to date. In this study, we investigated acute (saliva) and chronic (hair) cortisol levels concurrently in unmedicated unipolar and bipolar disorders by using conventional diagnostic criteria and self-report measures.

Methods

Patients with unipolar and bipolar major depression and healthy controls were recruited and assessed. Cortisol levels were extracted from saliva and hair specimens. Depressive features were investigated according to diagnostic groups and with a continuous self-report measure of bipolarity using the Hypomania Checklist (HCL-33).

Results

Whilst a trend towards a reduction in the total daily salivary cortisol output—area under the curve with respect to the ground (AUCg)—was detected in depressive disorders across diagnosis, the self-administrated bipolarity index suggested that an increase in bipolarity symptoms predicted lower cortisol levels using AUCg. Chronic cortisol measurement did not discriminate unipolar from bipolar depression.

Conclusion

Results suggested that whilst a low total daily salivary cortisol output (AUCg) might be associated with depressive symptoms, a self-reported measure of bipolarity predicts lower daily cortisol output.
Improving binary classification using filtering based on k-NN proximity graphs
Authors: Ala’raj Maher , Majdalawieh Munir , Abbod Maysam F.
Published: March 2020

One of the ways of increasing recognition ability in classification problem is removing outlier entries as well as redundant and unnecessary features from training set. Filtering and feature selection can have large impact on classifier accuracy and area under the curve (AUC), as noisy data can confuse classifier and lead it to catch wrong patterns in training data. The common approach in data filtering is using proximity graphs. However, the problem of the optimal filtering parameters selection is still insufficiently researched. In this paper filtering procedure based on k-nearest neighbours proximity graph was used. Filtering parameters selection was adopted as the solution of outlier minimization problem: k-NN proximity graph, power of distance and threshold parameters are selected in order to minimize outlier percentage in training data. Then performance of six commonly used classifiers (Logistic Regression, Naïve Bayes, Neural Network, Random Forest, Support Vector Machine and Decision Tree) and one heterogeneous classifiers combiner (DES-LA) are compared with and without filtering. Dynamic ensemble selection (DES) systems work by estimating the level of competence of each classifier from a pool of classifiers. Only the most competent ones are selected to classify a given test sample. This is achieved by defining a criterion to measure the level of competence of base classifiers, such as, its accuracy in local regions of the feature space around the query instance. In our case the combiner is based on the local accuracy of single classifiers and its output is a linear combination of single classifiers ranking. As results of filtering, accuracy of DES-LA combiner shows big increase for low-accuracy datasets. But filtering doesn’t have sufficient impact on DES-LA performance while working with high-accuracy datasets. The results are discussed, and classifiers, which performance was highly affected by pre-processing filtering step, are defined. The main contribution of the paper is introducing modifications to the DES-LA combiner, as well as comparative analysis of filtering impact on the classifiers of various type. Testing the filtering algorithm on real case dataset (Taiwan default credit card dataset) confirmed the efficiency of automatic filtering approach.
A study on clinical effectiveness of cosmetics containing human stem cell conditioned media
Authors: Kim Hyun Jung , Jung Min Sook , Hur Yu Kyung , Jung A Hyun
Published: March 2020

Background

With the steadily increasing trend of functional cosmetics consumption, the public is increasingly expecting the efficacy of cosmetics, and in order to meet these consumer needs, the development of various effective raw materials, as well as products through technical convergence research, has been activating focusing on dermatology. In the Republic of Korea, much attention was paid to cosmetic raw materials using human stem cells as a new growth engine at the end of the 2000s. Accordingly, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety implemented the Regulations on Cosmetic Safety Standards, etc., which contains the safety standards of human-derived cell and tissue culture as raw materials for cosmetics.

Methods

Twice a day, morning and evening, for 28 days, 3 mL of the sample provided for each subject was applied onto the entire face using an airbrush. The subjects were divided into a control group (C), an experimental group 1 (ADSC-CM 5% group, E1) and an experimental group 2 (polymersome-containing of ADSC-CM 5% group, E2), and there were 20 subjects in each group.

Results

Moisture content on the U-zone, melanin and erythema of lid-cheek, overall size and depth of eye wrinkles, and skin roughness of the items showed significant differences among all three groups. More specifically, E1 had a higher rate of skin improvement than C, and E2 had the highest skin improvement rate in all items: skin moisture content, transepidermal water loss (TEWL), melanin and erythema of lid-cheek, eye wrinkles, and skin roughness of lid-cheek.

Conclusions

The effectiveness of ADSC-CM was verified in all items: increases in moisture content, decrease in TEWL, and improvements of whitening and wrinkles. Moreover, the effectiveness of ADSC-CM was observed as higher in samples of polymersome-containing ADSC-CM than those of raw material ADSC-CM. Furthermore, percutaneous absorption was improved compared with previous studies on formulations in relation to polymersome at the same concentration of ADSC-CM, thereby resulting in higher effectiveness.

Trial registration

Korea National Institute for Bioethics Policy, P01–201809–13-001, Registered 06 September 2018, http://public.irb.or.kr/.
Predicting individuals’ vulnerability to social engineering in social networks
Authors: Albladi Samar Muslah , Weir George R. S.
Published: March 2020

The popularity of social networking sites has attracted billions of users to engage and share their information on these networks. The vast amount of circulating data and information expose these networks to several security risks. Social engineering is one of the most common types of threat that may face social network users. Training and increasing users’ awareness of such threats is essential for maintaining continuous and safe use of social networking services. Identifying the most vulnerable users in order to target them for these training programs is desirable for increasing the effectiveness of such programs. Few studies have investigated the effect of individuals’ characteristics on predicting their vulnerability to social engineering in the context of social networks. To address this gap, the present study developed a novel model to predict user vulnerability based on several perspectives of user characteristics. The proposed model includes interactions between different social network-oriented factors such as level of involvement in the network, motivation to use the network, and competence in dealing with threats on the network. The results of this research indicate that most of the considered user characteristics are factors that influence user vulnerability either directly or indirectly. Furthermore, the present study provides evidence that individuals’ characteristics can identify vulnerable users so that these risks can be considered when designing training and awareness programs.
Spectral Tau method for solving general fractional order differential equations with linear functional argument
Authors: Raslan Kamal R. , Abd El salam Mohamed A. , Ali Khalid K. , Mohamed Emad M.
Published: March 2020

In this paper, a numerical technique for solving new generalized fractional order differential equations with linear functional argument is presented. The spectral Tau method is extended to study this problem, where the derivatives are defined in the Caputo fractional sense. The proposed equation with its functional argument represents a general form of delay and advanced differential equations with fractional order derivatives. The obtained results show that the proposed method is very effective and convenient.
Using the artificial neural networks for prediction and validating solar radiation
Authors: Mohamed Zahraa E.
Published: March 2020

The main objective of this paper is to employ the artificial neural network (ANN) models for validating and predicting global solar radiation (GSR) on a horizontal surface of three Egyptian cities. The feedforward backpropagation ANNs are utilized based on two algorithms which are the basic backpropagation (Bp) and the Bp with momentum and learning rate coefficients respectively. The statistical indicators are used to investigate the performance of ANN models. According to these indicators, the results of the second algorithm are better than the other. Also, model (6) in this method has the lowest RMSE values for all cities in this study. The study indicated that the second method is the most suitable for predicting GSR on a horizontal surface of all cities in this work. Moreover, ANN-based model is an efficient method which has higher precision.
Some fixed point results in fuzzy cone normed linear space
Authors: Tamang Phurba , Bag Tarapada
Published: March 2020

In this paper, the well known fixed point theorems of Banach, Kannan, and Chatterjee are extended to the fuzzy cone normed linear space.
On the perturbation analysis of the maximal solution for the matrix equation $$ X-\overset{m}{\sum \limits_{i=1}}{A}_i^{\ast}\kern0.1em {X}^{-1}\kern0.1em {A}_i+\sum \limits_{j=1}^n{B}_j^{\ast}\kern0.1em {X}^{-1}\kern0.1em {B}_j=I $$
Authors: Ramadan Mohamed A. , El–Shazly Naglaa M.
Published: March 2020

In this paper, we study the perturbation estimate of the maximal solution for the matrix equation $$ X-\overset{m}{\sum \limits_{i=1}}{A}_i^{\ast}\kern0.1em {X}^{-1}\kern0.1em {A}_i+\sum \limits_{j=1}^n{B}_j^{\ast}\kern0.1em {X}^{-1}\kern0.1em {B}_j=I $$X−∑i=1mAi∗X−1Ai+∑j=1nBj∗X−1Bj=I using the differentiation of matrices. We derive the differential bound for this maximal solution. Moreover, we present a perturbation estimate and an error bound for this maximal solution. Finally, a numerical example is given to clarify the reliability of our obtained results.
MHD slip flow of upper-convected Maxwell nanofluid over a stretching sheet with chemical reaction
Authors: Ibrahim Wubshet , Negera Mekonnen
Published: March 2020

The present study scrutinizes slip effects and stagnation point flows of upper-convected Maxwell fluid past a stretching sheet. The non-linear ordinary differential equations are obtained from the governing partial differential equations and solved using implicit finite difference method. The impacts of non-dimensional governing parameters such as Brownian motion parameter, velocity ratio, velocity slip parameter, suction/injection parameter, Lewis numbers, upper-convected Maxwell parameter, magnetic field, thermophoresis parameter, chemical reactions parameter, thermal slip parameter, solutal slip parameter, and heat source parameter on the velocity field, heat and mass transfer characteristics are discussed and presented through graphs. The values of local Sherwood number, local Nusselt number, and skin friction coefficient are discussed and presented through tables. The results indicate that when the magnetic field is intensified, it reduces velocity profiles and raises temperature and concentration profiles. Moreover, with an upsurge in velocity slip parameter, the local Nusselt number and local Sherwood number diminish.
Self adaptive spectral conjugate gradient method for solving nonlinear monotone equations
Authors: Koorapetse M. , Kaelo P.
Published: March 2020

In this paper, we propose a self adaptive spectral conjugate gradient-based projection method for systems of nonlinear monotone equations. Based on its modest memory requirement and its efficiency, the method is suitable for solving large-scale equations. We show that the method satisfies the descent condition$F_{k}^{T}d_{k}\leq -c\|F_{k}\|^{2}, c>0$FkTdk≤−c∥Fk∥2,c>0, and also prove its global convergence. The method is compared to other existing methods on a set of benchmark test problems and results show that the method is very efficient and therefore promising.
Bivariate general exponential models with stress-strength reliability application
Authors: khames S. K. , Mokhlis N. A.
Published: March 2020

In this paper, we introduce two families of general bivariate distributions. We refer to these families as general bivariate exponential family and general bivariate inverse exponential family. Many bivariate distributions in the literature are members of the proposed families. Some properties of the proposed families are discussed, as well as a characterization associated with the stress-strength reliability parameter, R, is presented. Concerning R, the maximum likelihood estimators and a simple estimator with an explicit form depending on some marginal distributions are obtained in case of complete sampling. When the stress is censored at the strength, an explicit estimator of R is also obtained. The results obtained can be applied to a variety of bivariate distributions in the literature. A numerical illustration is applied on some well-known distributions. Finally a real data example is presented to fit one of the proposed models.
A new method for underwater dynamic gravimetry based on multisensor integrated navigation
Authors: Xiong Zhiming , Cao Juliang , Liao Kaixun , Wu Meiping , Cai Shaokun , Yu Ruihang , Wang Minghao
Published: March 2020

Underwater gravity information plays a major role in deepwater oil and gas exploration. To realize underwater dynamic gravimetry, we have developed a strapdown gravimeter mounted in a pressure capsule for adaption to the underwater environment and we adopted a two-stage towed underwater gravimetry scheme. An improved strapdown gravimeter and other underwater sensors were installed in a towed vessel to form an underwater dynamic gravimetry system. Because the global navigation satellite system cannot be used for underwater dynamic gravimetry, we developed a new method based on underwater multisensor integrated navigation, in which a federal Kalman filter was applied for error estimation. This new method allowed us to obtain the accurate attitude, velocity, and position necessary for gravity estimation. In addition, the gravity data can then be extracted from the noisy data through finite impulse response low-pass filtering. We acquired the underwater gravity data at a depth of 300 m to test the validity of the new method and evaluate the accuracy of the underwater gravity system. The results indicated a repeatability from 0.85 to 0.96 mGal at a half wavelength of approximately 0.2 km and also indicated good consistency with the marine gravity data.
Relationship of Anabolic Hormones With Motor Unit Characteristics in Quadriceps Muscle in Healthy and Frail Aging Men
Authors: Swiecicka Agnieszka , Piasecki Mathew , Stashuk Daniel , Jones David , Wu Frederick , McPhee Jamie S , Rutter Martin K
Published: March 2020

Context

Anabolic hormones are important factors in maintaining muscle mass for aging men, but their role in overall motor unit structure and function is unclear.

Objective

The objective of this work is to determine associations of anabolic and reproductive hormone levels with motor unit characteristics in quadriceps muscle in older healthy and frail men.

Design

This work is an observational cohort study of community-dwelling men.

Participants

Participants included healthy and frail men younger than 65 years.

Intervention

No intervention was performed.

Outcome measure

Quantitative assessments of electromyography-derived motor unit potential size (MUP) and compound muscle action potential size (CMAP) of the vastus lateralis muscle.

Results

We studied 98 men (mean ± SD: age 73 ± 6 years; body mass index [BMI] 25.7 ± 4.0 kg/m2; diabetes 11%) of whom 45% were prefrail and 18% frail. After adjusting for age, BMI, and prevalent diabetes, higher total and free testosterone levels were significantly related to larger CMAP (total testosterone: β [95% CI]: 0.3 [0.08-0.53]; free testosterone: 0.34 [0.13-0.56]). Exploratory analysis showed the relationship between free testosterone and CMAP was stronger in frail rather than robust men. In univariate analyses, estradiol was associated with CMAP size (0.37 [0.16-0.57]); and vitamin D was associated with MUP size (0.22 [0.01-0.43]) but these relationships were no longer significant after adjusting for potential confounders.

Conclusion

Our data highlight the associations between androgen levels and the electrophysiological characteristics of older men, particularly in the frail. Clinical trials involving administration of androgens will help to elucidate the potential benefits of intervention on neuromuscular function and/or frailty status.
The Role of Podocytes and Podocyte-Associated Biomarkers in Diagnosis and Treatment of Diabetic Kidney Disease
Authors: Kravets Igor , Mallipattu Sandeep K
Published: March 2020

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is an important public health problem. Podocyte injury is a central event in the mechanism of DKD development. Podocytes are terminally differentiated, highly specialized glomerular visceral epithelial cells critical for the maintenance of the glomerular filtration barrier. Although potential mechanisms by which diabetic milieu contributes to irreversible loss of podocytes have been described, identification of markers that prognosticate either the development of DKD or the progression to end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) have only recently made it to the forefront. Currently, the most common marker of early DKD is microalbuminuria; however, this marker has significant limitations: not all diabetic patients with microalbuminuria will progress to ESKD and as many as 30% of patients with DKD have normal urine albumin levels. Several novel biomarkers indicating glomerular or tubular damage precede microalbuminuria, suggesting that the latter develops when significant kidney injury has already occurred. Because podocyte injury plays a key role in DKD pathogenesis, identification of markers of early podocyte injury or loss may play an important role in the early diagnosis of DKD. Such biomarkers in the urine include podocyte-released microparticles as well as expression of podocyte-specific markers. Here, we review the mechanisms by which podocyte injury contributes to DKD as well as key markers that have been recently implicated in the development and/or progression of DKD and might serve to identify individuals that require earlier preventative care and treatment in order to slow the progression to ESKD.
Developing new associations
Authors: Briscoe James , Brown Katherine
Published: March 2020

Summary: In this Editorial, we announce the recruitment of several Associate Editors to cover new and expanding areas of developmental biology. We also discuss various policies and initiatives to improve transparency and efficiency in our editorial processes.
Relationships between the peak hypoxic ventilatory response and critical O2 tension in larval and adult zebrafish (Danio rerio)
Authors: Mandic Milica , Pan Yihang K. , Gilmour Kathleen M. , Perry Steve F.
Published: March 2020

Fish increase ventilation during hypoxia, a reflex termed the hypoxic ventilatory response (HVR). The HVR is an effective mechanism to increase O2 uptake, but at a high metabolic cost. Therefore, when hypoxia becomes severe enough, ventilation declines, as its benefit is diminished. The water oxygen partial pressure (PwO2) at which this decline occurs is expected to be near the critical PwO2 (Pcrit), the PwO2 at which O2 consumption begins to decline. Our results indicate that in zebrafish (Danio rerio), the relationship between peak HVR and Pcrit was dependent on developmental stage. Peak ventilation occurred at PwO2’s higher than Pcrit in larvae, but at a PwO2 significantly lower than Pcrit in adults. Larval zebrafish use cutaneous respiration to a greater extent than branchial respiration and the cost of sustaining the HVR may outweigh the benefit, whereas adult zebrafish, which rely on branchial respiration, may benefit from using HVR at PwO2 below Pcrit.
Octopamine mobilizes lipids from honey bee (Apis mellifera) hypopharyngeal glands
Authors: Corby-Harris Vanessa , Deeter Megan E. , Snyder Lucy , Meador Charlotte , Welchert Ashley C. , Hoffman Amelia , Obernesser Bethany T.
Published: March 2020

Recent widespread honey bee (Apis mellifera) colony loss is attributed to a variety of stressors including parasites, pathogens, pesticides, and poor nutrition. In principle, we can reduce stress-induced declines in colony health by either removing the stressor or increasing the bees’ tolerance to the stressor. This latter option requires a better understanding than we currently have of how honey bees respond to stress. Here, we investigated how octopamine (OA), a stress-induced hormone that mediates invertebrate physiology and behavior, influences the health of young nurse-aged bees. Specifically, we asked whether OA induces abdominal lipid and hypopharyngeal gland (HG) degradation, two physiological traits of stressed nurse bees. Nurse-aged workers were treated topically with OA and their abdominal lipid content, HG size, and HG autophagic gene expression were measured. Hemolymph lipid titer was measured to determine whether tissue degradation was associated with the release of nutrients from these tissues into the hemolymph. The HGs of OA-treated bees were smaller than control bees and had higher levels of HG autophagy gene expression. OA-treated bees also had higher levels of hemolymph lipid compared to control bees. Abdominal lipids did not change in response to OA. Our findings support the hypothesis that the HGs are a rich source of stored energy that can be mobilized during periods of stress.
Root mass may affect soil water infiltration more strongly than the incorporated residue
Authors: Oda Masato , Rasyid Burhanuddin , Omae Hide
Published: March 2020

This Brief Report includes a single-finding that is reported with descriptions of an unexpected observation. Crop residue incorporation increases stable soil pores and soil water infiltration, consequently, reduces surface water runoff and soil erosion. However, to our knowledge, quantitative studies for the relation between incorporated residue and infiltration rate has not been conducted. To know the relation is important for avoiding soil erosion under crop rotation in practically. We continuously grew corn (cleaning crop), rhodes grass, and okra under greenhouses. The water infiltration rate was measured on the ridge at similar soil moisture conditions, on the day incorporating the prior crop residue. The simple linear regression analysis was conducted. The coefficient of determination R2 was 0.91; however, that for aboveground dry matter of prior crop was 0.93, unexpectedly. Though, our experiment not designed for distinguish those effect; previous studies have revealed the positive relation between plant root mass and soil erosion resistance. Our data also show a positive relationship between resistance to erosion and root mass when assuming that the aboveground biomass is proportional to the root mass. The result also showed that the effect of the prior crop root mass disappears within the next crop period. This suggests that maintaining a large root mass is crucial for reducing soil erosion.
Case Report: Congenital absence of uvula and trismus - a rare presentation of Van der Woude syndrome
Authors: Geraldo Victoria , Assaf Abdallah , Assaf Muaz , Assaf Sohiub , Chauhan Arshdeep , Ibrahim Ramzi
Published: March 2020

Van der Woude syndrome (VWS) is the most common single gene mutation causing cleft lip/palate, responsible for approximately 2% of all cases. Inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern, VWS occurs at an incidence of 1 in 35,000 to 100,000. The most commonly reported manifestations of VWS is lip pits, cleft lip or palate. We present a case of a 34-week infant with unique and rarely reported symptoms of VWS, such as trismus and absent uvula.
Rationale and design of a complex intervention measuring the impact and processes of social accountability applied to contraceptive programming: CaPSAI Project
Authors: Steyn Petrus S , Boydell Victoria , Cordero Joanna Paula , McMullen Heather , Habib Ndema , Nguyen Thi My Huong , Nai Dela , Shamba Donat , Kiarie James ,   CaPSAI Project
Published: March 2020

Background: There are numerous barriers leading to a high unmet need for family planning and contraceptives (FP/C).  These include limited knowledge and information, poor access to quality services, structural inefficiencies in service provision and inadequately trained and supervised health professionals. Recently, social accountability programs have shown promising results in addressing barriers to accessing sexual and reproductive health services. As a highly complex participatory process with multiple and interrelated components, steps and actors, studying social accountability poses methodological challenges. The Community and Provider driven Social Accountability Intervention (CaPSAI) Project study protocol was developed to measure the impact of a social accountability process on contraceptive uptake and use and to understand the mechanisms and contextual factors that influence and generate these effects (with emphasis on health services actors and community members).

Methods: CaPSAI Project is implementing a social accountability intervention where service users and providers assess the quality of local FP/C services and jointly identify ways to improve the delivery and quality of such services. In the project, a quasi-experimental study utilizing an interrupted time series design with a control group is conducted in eight intervention and eight control facilities in each study country, which are Ghana and Tanzania. A cross-sectional survey of service users and health care providers is used to measure social accountability outcomes, and a cohort of women who are new users of FP/C is followed up after the completion of the intervention to measure contraceptive use and continuation. The process evaluation utilizes a range of methods and data sources to enable a fuller description of how the findings were produced.

Conclusion: This complex study design could provide researchers and implementers with the means to better measure and understand the mechanisms and contextual factors that influence social accountability processes in reproductive health, adding important findings to the evidence base.
Patterns of neurobehavioral functioning in school-aged survivors of neonatal jaundice and hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy in Kilifi, Kenya: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Magai Dorcas N. , Newton Charles R , Mwangi Paul , Koot Hans M. , Abubakar Amina
Published: March 2020

Background: Studies in high-income countries have reported that school-aged children who survive neonatal jaundice (NNJ) and hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) develop long-term neurocognitive problems. However, less is known about the patterns of functioning in school-aged survivors of NNJ and HIE in sub-Saharan Africa. This study examined patterns of functioning in school-aged children who survived NNJ and HIE in Kilifi, Kenya.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional study that included 107 survivors of NNJ/HIE (64 with NNJ, 43 with HIE), aged 6-12 years, admitted to Kilifi County Hospital on the Kenyan Coast. The Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS), Adapted Communication Profile, Raven’s Coloured Progressive Matrices (RCPM) and an epilepsy screening tool were used to assess gross motor function, communication function, intellectual functioning, and epilepsy, respectively.

Results: Most of the survivors of NNJ (95.2%) and HIE (95.3%) had no impairments in gross motor functioning. A small percentage of the children in the NNJ and HIE groups had profound problems in their communication (4.7% and 4.7%); expressive communication function (4.7% and 4.7%); social functions (3.1% and 2.3%); receptive communication (4.7% and 2.3%); and communicative effectiveness (4.7% and 2.3%). Cognitive impairment was reported in 10.9% and 11.9% for NNJ and HIE survivors, respectively. Active epilepsy was detected in 1.6% of survivors of NNJ and 2.3% of survivors of HIE. All children had normal hearing and visual functioning except one participant who presented with mild visual acuity problems.

Conclusions: Most school-aged children who survive with NNJ and HIE have normal motor and communication function; however, one in ten are likely to present with lowered intellectual functioning compared to the normative sample.
Tick-borne diseases: an update for general practice
Authors: Graham Sharon
Published: March 2020

Practice nurses offering pre-travel consultations should be aware of tick-borne diseases. Sharon Graham outlines how to help prevent these diseases in travellers

Ticks are the vectors for a number of bacterial and viral infections that can affect humans. This article will outline the general transmission, risk and prevention of tick-borne diseases. Many of these diseases are associated with travel outside of the UK. Where a vaccine for a disease is available in the UK, information will be provided, but not all tick-borne disease is vaccine preventable and people should be aware of personal protection and bite avoidance measures.
Pneumococcal disease and vaccination: recent changes to the schedule
Authors: Sisson Helen
Published: March 2020

Vaccination against pneumococcal disease has led to a significant drop in cases in the UK. Helen Sisson provides an overview of recent changes to the vaccination schedule

Vaccination to protect against infectious diseases is a fundamental part of the practice nurse's role. The immunisation schedule in the UK frequently changes and this emphasises the need for nurses to remain familiar with what the changes are, and why they have occurred. The most recent change to the pneumococcal vaccination schedule at the start of this year provides an opportunity to reflect on the significance of infection with Streptococcus pneumoniae, which can cause non-invasive or invasive disease. The introduction of routine vaccination against pneumococcal disease for children has led to a significant drop in invasive disease in the population as a whole.
Evaluation of Automated, In-Cockpit Swath Displacement
Authors: Thistle Harold W. , Amos-Binks Lucas , Bonds Jane A. S. , Cormier Gerald A. , Kees Gary J. , Davies David C. , Mickle Robert E. , Reynolds William
Published: March 2020

Highlights

Automated swath displacement works well in high drift conditions.

System relevance and performance are limited in low drift conditions.

Testing against pilot skill without an automated system is necessary.

ABSTRACT. A set of spray trials was designed to evaluate the onboard swath displacement feature that is offered as part of some avionic systems and used to aid in targeting aerial spray applications. The trials were flown in Miramichi, New Brunswick, Canada, and were intended to provide basic information on the capabilities of these systems. A total of 32 trials were run, of which 24 provided coverage data that could be used in this evaluation. Two aircraft types were tested, each with distinct avionics systems and automated swath displacement capabilities. Each aircraft was flown with two application setups, resulting in four application scenarios. The systems were generally able to allow the pilot to apply the spray with a swath peak within 5 m of the target line on average, even in high wind conditions. Other relationships that were anticipated in the data, such as a direct correlation between offset distance and targeting accuracy, were not observed. The systems do not appear to add much capability in low drift conditions when not much displacement is expected. It is recognized that a control data set is necessary to evaluate the extent to which the systems improve targeting accuracy. Keywords: Aerial management system, Aerial pesticide application, Drift offset, Precision application, Real-time modeling, Spray deposition, Spray drift, Swath displacement.
The Effects of Tillage Practices on Interrill Erosion in the Red Soil Region of China
Authors: Wang Yi , Cao Longxi
Published: March 2020

Highlights

Conservation practices (straw mulch, manure, peanut-orange intercrop) reduced soil and water loss vs. tillage.

Reductions in soil loss were greatest under high rainfall intensity or low soil moisture.

Measured interrill erodibility was relatively high in dry run tests and decreased with the final infiltration rate.

ABSTRACT.Tillage practices have been adopted extensively to control runoff and soil loss from croplands. To quantify the effects of tillage practices on erosion processes in interrill areas, microplot rainfall simulation experiments were conducted in peanut fields with five tillage practices in the red soil region of China. The results showed that conservation tillage practices, including straw mulch cover (PC), manure fertilizer (PM), and peanut-orange intercropping (PO), could significantly conserve water and reduce soil loss rates by more than 50% compared with traditional furrow (PF) and peanut-radish rotation (PR) treatments. The variations in the hydrologic and soil loss indexes among the treatments were larger in the dry run tests than in the wet run tests. Accordingly, the efficiencies of the conservation practices in reducing soil loss were reflected mainly under a high rainfall intensity or low soil moisture in this study. Additionally, the runoff generation indexes were significantly correlated with the soil loss rate in all five treatments. The measured interrill erodibility was highest in the PR treatment (944,124 kg s-1 m-4) and lowest in the PO and PM treatments (571,797 and 584,238 kg s-1 m-4, respectively), as the organic matter content and aggregate stability were relatively high in the two conservation treatments. Influenced by the dynamics of loose materials and possible surface sealing, the interrill erodibility was relatively high and decreased with the final infiltration rate when measured under the dry run conditions. These results could guide cropland soil management and improve process-based erosion models. Keywords: Interrill erodibility, Interrill erosion, Rainfall simulation, Red soil region, Tillage practices.
Research and application of dual-camera dynamic in-line digital holography using a two-step phase-shifting cepstrum technique
Authors: Pan Yun , Wang Kaifu , Gu Guoqing
Published: March 2020

Due to limits in the properties of digital cameras, in-line digital holography is commonly used to take full advantage of the sampling space of the camera. To realize the dynamic high-resolution measurement of in-line digital holography, dual-camera dynamic in-line digital holography is proposed. By means of a two-step phase-shifting cepstrum algorithm and a dual-camera parallel phase-shifting recording optical path, the complex amplitude of the object wave can be reconstructed without its zero-order and conjugate terms. Meanwhile, a novel spherical wave interference calibration method is also developed for the dual-camera recording system, and image correction is carried out via rotation, translation, and diffraction, with an average error of phase correction of 0.1107 rad. Finally, the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed technique is well demonstrated by a practical application of dynamic temperature field measurement in a transparent medium.
Linearized segmentation method for measuring the phase transfer function of a silicon Mach–Zehnder modulator by using the beat-frequency technique
Authors: Chen Honggang , Zhang Bo , Luo Yong , Hu Yi , Xiao Xi , Hu Leilei , Liang Xuerui , Li Feng , Ding Lan
Published: March 2020

A linearity segmentation method for measuring the phase shift curve of silicon Mach–Zehnder modulators (SMZMs) as a function of applied electric field is presented. Applying a small sinusoidal signal to the traveling-wave electrode of the SMZM, the upper and lower arms of the SMZM produce differential phase modulation effect. Meanwhile, a local oscillator source with a wavelength-adjustable function is employed to heterodyne the intensity modulated optical signal of the SMZM; thus, the modulated intensity signal in the optical field domain is transformed into the low-frequency electric field domain. Meanwhile, a balanced detector with a low-speed transimpedance amplifier is exploited to realize photoelectric conversion, which can suppress the direct-current component and improve the anti-noise ability. Extracting the beat-frequency and first-order harmonic sideband signals in the case of phase bias is 0 and

π

, respectively, the phase shift slopes of the upper and lower arms can be calculated under different reverse PN voltages, and we can achieve the phase shift as a function of the modulation frequency and reverse PN voltage. The proposed method is supported by the simulation and measurement results and the key parameters of the SMZM, such as the radio frequency half-wave voltage, chirp characteristic, 3 dB bandwidth, etc., can be acquired from the phase shift curves of the upper and lower arms.
Hierarchical metamaterials for laser-infrared-microwave compatible camouflage
Authors: Feng Xingdong , Xie Xin , Pu Mingbo , Ma Xiaoliang , Guo Yinghui , Li Xiong , Luo Xiangang
Published: March 2020

In this paper, a hierarchical metamaterial (HMM) is reported to achieve compatible camouflage for laser, thermal infrared detectors, and radar. The HMM consists of an all-metallic metasurface array (AMMA) integrated with a microwave absorber. The top AMMA plays two roles. First, the gradient metasurface can reduce the specular reflection at the laser wavelength of 1.06 µm to less than 5% by tailoring the wavefronts and redirecting the reflected energy to non-specular angles. Second, the AMMA acts as an infrared shielding and microwave transparent layer, ultralow surface emissivity (∼5%) in the infrared atmosphere window of 3-5 µm and 8-14 µm can be realized, and incident microwave can perfectly pass through the top AMMA and then be absorbed by the bottom microwave absorber. The absorption efficiency is over 90% in the broadband of 7-12.7 GHz up to incident angles of 40° for both TE and TM polarizations. These excellent performances indicate that our proposed HMM has promising applications in multispectral camouflage fields.
Full-color micro-LED display with high color stability using semipolar (20-21) InGaN LEDs and quantum-dot photoresist
Authors: Chen Sung-Wen Huang , Huang Yu-Ming , Singh Konthoujam James , Hsu Yu-Chien , Liou Fang-Jyun , Song Jie , Choi Joowon , Lee Po-Tsung , Lin Chien-Chung , Chen Zhong , Han Jung , Wu Tingzhu , Kuo Hao-Chung
Published: March 2020

Red-green-blue (RGB) full-color micro light-emitting diodes (μ-LEDs) fabricated from semipolar (20-21) wafers, with a quantum-dot photoresist color-conversion layer, were demonstrated. The semipolar (20-21) InGaN/GaN μ-LEDs were fabricated on large (4 in.) patterned sapphire substrates by orientation-controlled epitaxy. The semipolar μ-LEDs showed a 3.2 nm peak wavelength shift and a 14.7% efficiency droop under

200
  
A
/

cm

2

injected current density, indicating significant amelioration of the quantum-confined Stark effect. Because of the semipolar μ-LEDs’ emission-wavelength stability, the RGB pixel showed little color shift with current density and achieved a wide color gamut (114.4% NTSC space and 85.4% Rec. 2020).
Bio-electronic aggregates on Neon-Paleolitikos strata
Authors: Sier André
Published: March 2020

Electronic machinic phenomena yield fascinating links with biological processes. Either in the macro-micro-structure of binary encoded information – bytes on media – to the processual flow programs execute on hardware while operating it. Observing micro-electronic worlds akin to living entities: electronic voltages running throughout electronic architectures pipelining data to memory registers; operating systems executing programs on electronic substrates; data flows taking place in machines and in communications protocols within networks. Static art-sci constructs explore and visualize these observations as 2D drawings (Neon Paleolitikos Drawings, 2017–present) or 3D sculptures (Binary and Biological Sculpture Series, 2018–present), creatively exposing their inherent rhythmic organization of information, while dynamic installations (Phoenix.Wolfanddotcom.info, Wolfanddotcom, Half-Plant, 2017, Ant Ennae Labyrinths, 2019–present) propose immersive interference mechanisms that attempt user entanglement in non-human environments. Seven aesthetic case examples are introduced and explored, observing and seeking resonances between micro-granular electronic, biological and hybrid data as source synthesis. This research proposes a look at bio-electronic aggregates on Neon Paleolitikos strata. After the Anthropocene, Neon Paleolitikos is an imaginary epoch dating since the decline of mankind until the zenith of bio-electronic life forms: operational symbioses combined among ruins of silica, transistors, algorithms, cells, plants, animals and electricity.
Data visualization: A unique storyteller
Authors: Dong Xiaoxu
Published: March 2020

Science and technology have changed all aspects of our lives, including the mode of narration, from traditional stories to data stories. Storytellers have been integrating visualizations into their narratives. From the case studies of some artworks and our students' works to visualization research, we have found distinct genres of narrative visualization and the education method for university students. We describe the differences between these artworks, together with interactivity and information transmission. Some small experiments and some examples of students' works will be shown to explore the visual narrative. We suggest new design strategies including how to make invisible things visible.
Arqueología de la desaparición
Authors: González Ruibal Alfredo
Published: March 2020

En este texto analizo la economía de la desaparición de los siglos XX y XXI desde un punto de vista arqueológico. Analizo, desde postulados biopolíticos, la desaparición física de seres humanos y la aniquilación de subjetividades como parte de un sistema de eliminación más amplio, en el cual se incluye la ocultación del ciclo de consumo capitalista. A partir de ejemplos concretos, argumento que el poder contemporáneo se oculta o virtualiza para llevar a cabo la desaparición; que existe una homología entre la aniquilación de personas y cosas (con la basura como concepto unificador), que la desaparición de la desaparición (el borrado de huellas) es imposible y que la arqueología permite frustrar la fantasía de los perpetradores. El artículo concluye con la descripción de dos casos de estudio que representan la transformación de las economías de desaparición a lo largo de casi un siglo: un campo de concentración como paradigma de la vieja economía y un espacio de marginalidad como ejemplo de la nueva.
Presentación. Deporte e identidad nacional: articulaciones y desconexiones en contextos postnacionales
Authors: Llopis Goig Ramón
Published: March 2020

Este artículo constituye una presentación del dossier sobre «Deporte e identidad nacional» en Papeles del CEIC. Contiene una introducción en la que subraya la simultaneidad histórica en el surgimiento del deporte y la construcción de los modernos Estado-nación y se muestra el papel del primero en los procesos de construcción de las identidades nacionales. A continuación, se hace referencia a las transformaciones propiciadas por los procesos de globalización y a su impacto en la articulación de las identidades colectivas y el deporte. El dossier incluye un artículo que examina el modo en que la historia social del fútbol puede servir para reflexionar sobre la identidad nacional de Brasil; dos artículos en los que se exploran los desafíos relacionados con la identidad colectiva a los que se enfrenta un club como el Athletic de Bilbao en el actual contexto de mercantilización y globalización del deporte; un artículo en el que se analiza el modo en que gestionan la adhesión a sus países de origen y adopción algunos de los deportistas con identidad dual que integran las cada vez más multiétnicas selecciones nacionales de futbol de países como Alemania, Suiza y Francia y; por último, un artículo que analiza los cambios que se han producido en los ceremoniales de las finales de la UEFA Champions League y el modo en que están contribuyendo a la configuración de una identidad global. El dossier se cierra con dos reseñas de los libros Sociología del deporte (2017) y Antropología del deporte. Lineamientos teóricos (2017).
Fodor and demonstratives in LOT
Authors: Stojnić Una , Lepore Ernest
Published: March 2020

In this paper, we consider a range of puzzles for demonstratives in the language of thought we had raised in our last philosophical conversation we had with Jerry Fodor. We argue against the Kaplan-inspired indexing solution Fodor proposed to us, but offer a Fodor-friendly account of the demonstratives in the language of thought in its stead, building on our account of demonstrative pronouns in English.