bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Optimising retention success: a research team’s experience of following-up participants recruited to a pilot trial through community pharmacies in England
Authors: Watson Michelle , van Dongen Anne , Hewitt Catherine , Mandefield Laura , Stewart Duncan , Watson Judith , McCambridge Jim
Published: August 2020

Background: Community pharmacies support a range of patients and medical conditions, and form an important part of comprehensive, holistic healthcare services. The role of a community pharmacist has changed significantly over recent years, developing to include research activities. The CHAMP-1 (Community pharmacy: Highlighting Alcohol use in Medication aPpointments) pilot trial aimed to explore an intervention discussing alcohol during medication consultations. It presented various challenges regarding patient retention, and various actions were taken to address these, which are discussed in this manuscript.

Methods: Community pharmacists recruited patients aged 18 and over, attending a Medicine Use Review (MUR) or New Medicine Service (NMS) consultation, and drinking alcohol at least twice per week. Pharmacies were randomised to conduct their consultations as usual (control), or to incorporate the Medicines and Alcohol Consultation (MAC) intervention. All participants were followed-up by a researcher after two months to complete data collection via telephone or post.

Results: Forty-seven of 51 participants (92%) completed the two month follow-up. Thirty-eight (81%) responses were provided by telephone and nine (19%) by post. Of the 38 follow-up calls completed by telephone, 17 (45%) participants were reached at first attempt; 16 (42%) at second attempt; and five (13%) at the third attempt.

Conclusions: The results suggest that patients recruited to a trial by community pharmacists are willing to take part in data collection activities, and follow-up can be successfully conducted by researchers. The techniques employed to encourage high levels of retention should be investigated further in a larger study.
Efficient Black-Box Reductions for Separable Cost Sharing
Authors: Harks Tobias , Hoefer Martin , Schedel Anja , Surek Manuel
Published: August 2020

In cost-sharing games with delays, a set of agents jointly uses a subset of resources. Each resource has a fixed cost that has to be shared by the players, and each agent has a nonshareable player-specific delay for each resource. A separable cost-sharing protocol determines cost shares that are budget-balanced, separable, and guarantee existence of pure Nash equilibria (PNE). We provide black-box reductions reducing the design of such a protocol to the design of an approximation algorithm for the underlying cost-minimization problem. In this way, we obtain separable cost-sharing protocols in matroid games, single-source connection games, and connection games on n-series-parallel graphs. All these reductions are efficiently computable - given an initial allocation profile, we obtain a cheaper profile and separable cost shares turning the profile into a PNE. Hence, in these domains, any approximation algorithm yields a separable cost-sharing protocol with price of stability bounded by the approximation factor.
Palliative and end-of-life care in Egypt: overview and recommendations for improvement
Authors: Eltaybani Sameh , Igarashi Ayumi , Yamamoto-Mitani Noriko
Published: August 2020

Background:

The literature on the situation of palliative and end-of-life care in the Arab and Islamic world, including Egypt, is limited and does not present a clear picture of the cultural context. This report aims to portray the palliative and end-of-life care situation in Egypt, focusing on the nursing viewpoint. First, we describe health- and illness-related cultural, religious, and ethical issues. Second, we present an overview of the healthcare and nursing system in Egypt. Third, we discuss the situation of palliative and end-of-life care, highlighting the shortcomings of existing literature. Finally, we delineate country-specific recommendations to improve the palliative and end-of-life care situation at the level of policy, education, and research. Countries with similar healthcare, cultural, legal, religious, economic, or ethical contexts may benefit from the recommendations made in this study.
Patients' experiences of attending an adapted cardiac rehabilitation programme for heart failure in a day hospice
Authors: Walthall Helen , Roberts Christie , Butcher Dan , Schutz Sue
Published: August 2020

Background:

Heart failure is highly prevalent with poor outcomes, yet only a small proportion of patients receive specialist palliative care services.

Aim:

To explore if a programme focusing on support and symptom management of people with heart failure in a hospice environment would be acceptable and of benefit to patients.

Methods:

A pre/post intervention study design using mixed methods was used to evaluate the programme. The programme was delivered in 2-hour time slots over a period of 8 weeks. Participants completed three questionnaires pre- and post- and were interviewed within 1 week of completion. The study was conducted between June 2014 and January 2015.

Findings:

A response rate of 51.7% (n=15) was narrowed to a final sample size of 12 patients. The questionnaire results showed a positive impact on participants' wellbeing and views regarding the use of a hospice, but a desire for greater focus on emotional support. Four key themes emerged from inductive qualitative analysis: demystifying perceptions about hospice care; positivity about wellbeing; learning together; and consideration of end-of-life preparation.

Conclusion:

This adapted programme provides a useful model for the increased integration of palliative care into provision for those living with advancing heart failure.
The interesting spectral interlacing property for a certain tridiagonal matrix
Authors: Da Fonseca Carlos , Kılıç Emrah , Pereira António
Published: August 2020

In this paper, a new tridiagonal matrix, whose eigenvalues are the same as the Sylvester-Kac matrix of the same order, is provided. The interest of this matrix relies also in that the spectrum of a principal submatrix is also of a Sylvester-Kac matrix given rise to an interesting spectral interlacing property. It is proved alternatively that the initial matrix is similar to the Sylvester-Kac matrix.
Facile construction of large-area periodic Ag-Au composite nanostructure and its reliable SERS performance
Authors: Shen Jiali , Wu Jing , Fang Jinghuai
Published: August 2020

With the maturity of nano-manufacturing technology, nano-materials with excellent surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) activities have evolved from homogeneous materials to composite ones, but the structural uniformity of composite materials has not been effectively improved. We successfully obtained a series of Ag-Au composite nanostructures with high SERS activity by using a two-step deposition and confined spheroidization process and one-step in-situ substitution method. Anodized alumina templates with uniform size distribution were employed as the initial confined template for spheroidizing Ag film into periodic Ag nanoparticles (Ag NPs). The composite nanostructure was simply obtained after a one-step in-situ galvanic reaction based on the Ag NPs arrays. The results showed that the prepared Ag-Au composite nanostructure could be used as reliable SERS substrates with low relative standard deviation value of 

∼

6.25

%

for crystal violet molecules. Compared with previous reports, this one-step route greatly simplifies the process of preparing periodic composite nanomaterials and provides a new idea for constructing multi-component metal nanostructures.
Effect of the measuring mirror surface shape error on ruled groove straightness and the grating diffraction wavefront
Authors: Mi Xiaotao , Zhang Shanwen , Qi Xiangdong , Yu Haili , Yu Hongzhu , Jiang Sibo , Lin Yu , Zhou Jingxuan , Sun Yeyao
Published: August 2020

Measuring mirror requirements and their impact on groove errors are related to the error compensation strategy for a ruling engine. We analyze why the measuring mirror of the CIOMP-6 engine affects the groove straightness and the grating diffraction wavefront. We study a theoretical model of the relationship between the measuring mirror’s surface shape error and the grating wavefront, propose a requirement for the measuring mirror surface shape error, and reprocess the measuring mirror. Comparative ruling experiments prove that the grating’s wavefront quality at the diffraction order along the groove direction improved significantly after reprocessing of the measuring mirror.
Imaging quality improvement of ghost imaging in scattering medium based on Hadamard modulated light field
Authors: Gao Zhujun , Yin Jianhua , Bai Yanfeng , Fu Xiquan
Published: August 2020

The scattering medium in the imaging path can affect the imaging quality of traditional ghost imaging. We propose to substitute a Gaussian light source with a Hadamard modulated light field to reduce correlated noise due to the occurrence of scattering medium and to improve the corresponding signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). In the simulation, scattering media with different intensities are applied on the test arm, and the result shows that Hadamard modulated light, with the particular orthogonality, is superior to Gaussian light. By substituting Gaussian light with Hadamard modulated light, a ghost image with higher SNR can be obtained under both weak and strong scattering.
Theoretical investigation of an intense ultrashort xuv pulse-induced Auger cascade in krypton
Authors: Chatterjee Souvik
Published: August 2020

This paper theoretically investigates an Auger cascade triggered upon exposure of a Kr atom to an intense ultrashort xuv laser. In the first step of the cascade, Auger electrons are released from a coherent superposition of core-excited states to form an intermediate ionic state, which further decays through the Auger process to form a double ionic final state. Results show that the interference due to electrons released from a coherent superposition of closely spaced core-excited states, in their common continuum, in the first step of the cascade significantly modifies the line shape of the coincidence spectrum of the two Auger electrons of the cascade. The variation of the laser peak intensity not only influences the peak magnitude and linewidth but also induces a peak shift in the coincidence electron spectrum; further, the high-intensity-induced Rabi oscillations between ground and core-excited state induce line-shape splitting in the coincidence electron spectrum of the two Auger electrons, thereby manifesting the effect of Rabi oscillations even for the second Auger electron of the cascade. This work shows that the inter-related decay widths of the core-excited state and intermediate ionic state significantly influence the line shape of the coincidence electron spectrum of a cascade decay. The angular distribution of the second electron released from the cascade system of krypton is also investigated.
Sector sandwich structure: an easy-to-manufacture way towards complex vector beam generation
Authors: Khonina Svetlana N. , Karpeev Sergey V. , Porfirev Alexey P.
Published: August 2020

Complex polarization-phase transformations that are realized using easy-to-manufacture optical elements are considered. The manufacturing technology of such elements is based on the angular discretization of the required polarization and phase distributions, which allows one to make optical elements in the form of sector sandwich structures consisting of polarized and phase plates stacked together. We analyze analytically and study numerically the main types of such sector sandwich structures for the formation of cylindrical polarizations of various orders. New effects are observed, which result in the appearance of complex polarized beams with vortices of various orders, arising after the passage through polarizing plates and their combinations with differently rotated phase plates. The results of the experimental study of the formed beams using a multichannel diffraction filter are consistent with theory.
Giant polarization anisotropic optical response from anodic aluminum oxide templates embedded with plasmonic metamaterials
Authors: Feng Yuyi , Leiderer Paul , Zhao Ruizhe , Xiao Xiaofei , Giannini Vincenzo , Maier Stefan A. , Nemitz Clayton A. , Lin Zemeng , Ding Ning , Kang Guoguo , Cheng Dewen , Schmidt-Mende Lukas , Huang Lingling , Wang Yongtian
Published: August 2020

Plasmonic metamaterials enable extraordinary manipulation of key constitutive properties of light at a subwavelength scale and thus have attracted significant interest. Here, we report a simple and convenient nanofabrication method for a novel meta-device by glancing deposition of gold into anodic aluminum oxide templates on glass substrates. A methodology with the assistance of ellipsometric measurements to examine the anisotropy and optical activity properties is presented. A tunable polarization conversion in both transmission and reflection is demonstrated. Specifically, giant broadband circular dichroism for reflection at visible wavelengths is experimentally realized by oblique incidence, due to the extrinsic chirality resulting from the mutual orientation of the metamaterials and the incident beam. This work paves the way for practical applications for large-area, low-cost polarization modulators, polarization imaging, displays, and bio-sensing.
Polyvinyl chloride gels microlens array with a well-controlled curvature obtained by solvent evaporation under DC electric fields
Authors: Xu Peiwen , Xu Miao , Lu Hongbo , Qiu Longzhen
Published: August 2020

In this paper, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) gels microlens arrays (MLAs) with controllable curvatures were prepared by evaporation of the solvent under DC electric fields. In order to obtain these arrays, the PVC gel solution was first injected into the cofferdam of a ring array patterned electrode substrate. Upon polarization under DC electric field, the electric charge injected from the cathode was carried by the plasticizers towards the anode to accumulate on its surface. After complete evaporation of the solvent, the PVC gels formed stable MLAs. The focal length of the formed MLAs obtained after evaporation of the 100 µL PVC gel solvent under 30 V DC field was 8.68 mm. The focal length of the as-obtained PVC gel-based MLAs can be well-controlled by merely tuning the strength of the electric field or by changing the volume of the PVC gel solution. Thus, it can be concluded that the proposed methodology looks very promising for future fabrication of MLAs with uniform size in larger areas.
Simultaneous measurements of a specimen quantitative-phase signal and its surrounding medium refractive index using quantitative-phase imaging
Authors: de Dorlodot Bertrand , Bélanger Erik , Rioux-Pellerin Émile , Marquet Pierre
Published: August 2020

This Letter demonstrates a method to simultaneously measure the quantitative-phase signal (QPS) of the observed specimen and the refractive index of its surrounding medium (

n

m

) in a time-resolved manner using a micro-structured coverslip. Such coverslips, easily integrated into perfused live-cell imaging chambers, allow to use various quantitative-phase imaging techniques to achieve this dual measurement. Since QPS is crucially dependent on

n

m

, the measurement of the latter paves the way for its manipulation in a controlled manner leading to a QPS contrast modulation for appealing applications, including visualizing the interior of cells.
Nonlinear optical process of second-order nonlinear optical susceptibility χ133(2) in an organic nonlinear optical crystal DAST
Authors: Takeya Kei , Kamei Takayuki , Kawase Kodo , Uchida Hirohisa
Published: August 2020

A large unexamined second-order nonlinear optical (NLO) process is found in a 4-N,N-dimethylamino-4’-N’-methyl stilbazolium tosylate (DAST) crystal, which has a large figure of merit among NLO crystals. In second-order NLO processes using a DAST crystal, the

χ

111

(
2
)

process of light excitation is commonly used, involving a-axis polarized light excitation with light generation of a-axis polarized light. However, there have been few studies of other second-order NLO susceptibility processes to date. In this Letter, terahertz (THz) wave generation via second-order NLO processes based on the

χ

133

(
2
)

second-order NLO susceptibility of the DAST crystal was investigated. By adjusting the polarization direction of the excitation light using a prism-coupled Cerenkov phase-matching method, efficient generation of THz waves was achieved using a process involving

χ

133

(
2
)

. The magnitude of the NLO constant

χ

133

(
2
)

estimated from the THz intensity ratio was 77.8 pm/V. These results indicate that prism-coupled Cherenkov phase matching can be used to identify undiscovered NLO processes for NLO crystals.
Intrinsically reducing divergence angle of Cherenkov radiation from dielectric capillary
Authors: Jiang Shimin , Li Weiwei , He Zhigang , Jia Qika , Wang Lin
Published: August 2020

Narrow-band terahertz (THz) Cherenkov radiation can be excited as a relativistic electron bunch passes through the dielectric capillary with sub-millimeter radius. However, due to the diffraction effect, the radiation will enter free space with a large divergence angle, which makes it difficult to collect the radiation energy efficiently. In this Letter, to deal with this challenge, we propose to add a new dielectric layer, which satisfies a special relationship with the electron velocity, between the metal coating and original dielectric layer in the capillary. According to numerical simulation and theoretical analysis results, the divergence angle of radiation is significantly suppressed, and the peak power density is also enhanced by over two orders. As a result, the transmission efficiency from the radiation source to the optical system can be increased to over 90%. We expect that this method will provide a new way to generate THz Cherenkov radiation.
A new ERA? The changing face of journalism research in Australia
Authors: Wake Alexandra , Martin Fiona R. , Backhaus Bridget
Published: August 2020

In 2011, Michael Bromley and Regan Neal’s survey of Australian journalism academics revealed low levels of critical research participation and productivity, and the under-realized potential of younger, female journalism academics. Nearly a decade on, our 2019 snapshot study, inspired by Bromley and Neal, explores the current state of journalism research and education in Australian universities. It examines the changing profile of journalism staff, their publishing productivity and the evaluation and funding of their research, as well as attitudes towards non-traditional research outputs (NTROs) and engagement and impact assessment. Our study indicates that early- and mid-career journalism researchers in Australia, particularly women, continue to need research training, mentoring and support in securing competitive external grants, as well as encouragement to collaborate and benchmark their research internationally. There is also a new imperative to help researchers and their institutions recognize excellence and diversity in journalism NTROs and to understand measures of engagement and impact. Finally, we flag the importance of monitoring changes to the classification of journalism research following the Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification review of field of research codes.
Becoming the News: How Ordinary People Respond to the Media Spotlight, Ruth Palmer (2018)
Authors: Clifford Katrina
Published: August 2020

Review of: Becoming the News: How Ordinary People Respond to the Media Spotlight, Ruth Palmer (2018)

New York: Columbia University Press, 280 pp.,

ISBN 978-0-23118-315-4, p/bk, USD 35.00,

ISBN 978-0-23118-314-7, h/bk, USD 105.00,

ISBN 978-0-23154-476-4, ebk, USD 34.99
Automating the News: How Algorithms Are Rewriting the Media, Nicholas Diakopoulos (2019)
Authors: Montaña-Niño Silvia Ximena
Published: August 2020

Review of: Automating the News: How Algorithms Are Rewriting the Media, Nicholas Diakopoulos (2019)

Cambridge, MA and London: Harvard University Press, 336 pp.,

ISBN 978-0-67497-698-6, h/bk, $29.95
Archiving challenges and public history: Exhibiting the Birendra Kishore Roy Chowdhury Collection
Authors: Subramanian Lakshmi
Published: August 2020

This article documents attempts to translate a small, eccentric and fragmented personal collection into an act of public history in the form of a small exhibition that showcased some of the most significant components of the collection, in the process addressing the challenges of writing new histories of music, its reception and appreciation, pedagogy and transmission. The rationale for the article is twofold: first, to reflect on the modalities of doing public history and thus generating a broader interest in a slice of Bengal’s music history of the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries; and second, to reflect on the possibilities that individual collections such as the Birendra Kishore Roy Chowdhury Collection present for reconceptualizing the emergent field of music studies in India. Yet these concerns also speak to the question of archives and archiving processes in general, to our responsibilities as gatekeepers and users, and to how the very act of archiving a collection gives it a fixity that may be arbitrary.
Seadrones: Sensing Oceancultures
Authors: Fish Adam
Published: August 2020

Drones are airborne sensing technologies that transform how we see from above and respond to crises on the ground. Nowhere does the drone revolution have more potential applications than in Australia’s ocean sciences. Drones give oceanographers fast, safe, mobile, high-definition and affordable ways of seeing, identifying and monitoring endangered marine species such as sharks, whales and corals. They are used in Australia to document the rate of coral death in the Great Barrier Reef, the health of humpback whales and the presence of great white sharks near swimmers. However, scientific data collected by drones has, thus far, failed to translate into effective environmental policy. Understanding how seeing informs science – and why or why not science influences policy – has serious consequences for how Australia’s oceans are sustainably managed. This is not only important for the survival of marine species but also renovates central debates about sensing and political action within science and technology studies. I will briefly outline a research agenda that would hope to make contributions to the seeing and management of the sea and advance our knowledge of seacultures – the convergence of the sea and the culture.
From dirty oil to ethical oil: Petroturfing and the cultural politics of Canadian oil after social media1
Authors: Kinder Jordan B.
Published: August 2020

This article examines print and screen media produced and circulated by groups and organizations that promote Canadian oil from self-described positions of distance from the oil and gas industry. Offering the term ‘petroturfing’ to describe their collective efforts, I argue that the media produced by these groups and organizations advance their aims to consciously shape our collective energy imaginaries by mirroring the new media strategies and structures of progressive environmental non-governmental organizations. I ultimately show how petroturfing is a ‘permanent campaign’ for Canadian oil that obscures the fundamentally uneven distribution of social and ecological costs and benefits of fossil fuel extraction, foreclosing the possibility of imagining and, in turn, working towards a future beyond the dominant fossil fuel energy regime.
HUKUM INTERNASIONAL DAN DIPLOMASI INDONESIA DALAM PERLINDUNGAN TENAGA KERJA MIGRAN INDONESIA
Authors: Manurung Salmon Abertnego , Sa’adah Nabitatus
Published: August 2020

Indonesia merupakan negara dengan jumlah penduduk yang tinggi tak terkecuali pada tenaga kerja migran yang ada di luar negeri. Adanya tenaga kerja migran mendorong pengurangan jumlah pengangguran serta peningkatan taraf ekonomi masyarakat. Banyaknya permasalahan tenaga kerja migran di luar negeri menjadi perhatian khusus bagi Pemerintah Republik Indonesia sehingga fungsi negara guna melindungi warga negara nya di luar negeri menjadi hal yang penting. Dalam penulisan ini penulis menggunakan metode pendekatan yuridis normatif. Data diperoleh dari data sekunder yang diuraikan secara deskriptif. Sudah terdapat banyak instrumen hukum dalam hal perlindungan baik warga negara maupun badan hukum Indonesia di luar negeri sehingga pelaksanaan perlindungan oleh pemerintah harus lebih dioptimalkan. Kesadaran dari warga negara terutama tenaga kerja migran dalam hal pelaporan kepada perwakilan Pemerintah Republik Indonesia di luar negeri menjadi faktor pendukung dalam pelaksanaan perlindungan tenaga kerja migran. Semua teknis perlindungan secara teknis yang dilakukan oleh pemerintah sudah sesuai dengan aturan hukum internasional maupun nasional.
Sanksi Hukum Penerbangan Balon Udara Ilegal di Kabupaten Wonosobo
Authors: Sundoro Yohanes Aldi , Hananto Pulung Widhi Hari
Published: August 2020

Kasus kecelakaan pesawat terbang yang sering terjadi saat ini sudah sangat menyita perhatian masyarakat, karena selain interval waktu yang berdekatan dan melanda hampir seluruh maskapai penerbangan, juga yang paling menyorot perhatian publik adalah timbulnya korban jiwa. Kepercayaan masyarakat atas kenyamanan dan keselamatan dalam penggunaan moda transportasi udara tersebut semakin berkurang, meskipun kebutuhan atas penggunaannya sangat tinggi. Di sisi lain, ada suatu peristiwa dimana terjadi laporan mengenai kegiatan masyarakat yang berpotensi mengganggu keselamatan penerbangan yaitu budaya menerbangkan balon udara di Kabupaten Wonosobo. Pada dasarnya kegiatan ini sudah terjadi bertahun-tahun, namun pada kenyataannya kegiatan ini menjadi polemik antara masyarakat dengan pemerintah. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk mengungkap mengenai bahaya dalam menggunakan balon udara illegal dan sanksi bagi penerbang balon udara illegal. Dalam penelitian ini, peneliti menggunakan metode yuridis normatif dengan tipe penelitian doktrinal. Pendekatan yang dilakukan adalah konseptual. Sehingga penulis dalam penulisan ini akan menguraikan bagaimana bahaya dalam penerbangan balon udara dalam dunia penerbangan dan menguraikan mengenai bagaimana sanksi bagi para penerbang balon udara yang tidak memiliki izin untuk diterbangkan.
Comparative analysis of classification algorithms for critical land prediction in agricultural cultivation areas
Authors: Istiawan Deden
Published: August 2020

Currently, the identification of critical land, that has been physically, chemically, and biologically damaged, uses a geographic information system. However, it requires a high cost to get the high resolution of satellite images. In this study, a comparison framework is proposed to determine the performance of the classification algorithms, namely C.45, ID3, Random Forest, k-Nearest Neighbor, and Naïve Bayes. This research aims to find out the best algorithm for the classification of critical land in agricultural cultivation areas. The results show that the highest accuracy Random Forest algorithm was 93.10 % in predicting critical land, and the naïve Bayes has the lowest performance, with 89.32 % of accuracy in predicting critical land.
A Comparison of the Therapeutic Efficacy of Conventional and Modern Oximes Against Supralethal Doses of Highly Toxic Organophosphates in Mice
Authors: Kassa Jiří
Published: August 2020

1. The therapeutic efficacy of various oximes (pralidoxime, obidoxime, methoxime, HI-6, HLö-7, BI-6) against supralethal nerve agent poisoning (soman, sarin, cyclosin) in mice was tested. 2. New oxime BI-6, synthesized in our laboratory, is significantly more efficacious than conventional oximes but a little less efficacious than other H-oximes (HI- 6, HLö-7). 3. H-oximes (HI-6, HLö-7) seem to be the most efficacious reactivators of nerve agent-inhibited acetylcholinesterase for antidotal treatment of supralethal nerve agent poisoning in mice.
Mean Blood Pressure and Velocity for Calculation of Ventricular Systolic Work
Authors: Valach Milan
Published: August 2020

In physiology, the mean arterial pressure is defined as an average pressure during one or several cardiac cycles. When calculus is not used, the mean pressure is approximately calculated as the diastolic pressure plus one third of the pulse pressure. In this article it is demonstrated that, when ventricular systolic work is concerned, the above definition of mean pressure must be replaced by a weighted average during the ejection phase of the systole. This gives a formula, by which a much higher estimate of the mean pressure is obtained.
Performance of the ACR TI-RADS and EU TI-RADS scoring systems in the diagnostic work-up of thyroid nodules in a real-life series using histology as reference standard
Authors: Magri Flavia , Chytiris Spyridon , Croce Laura , Molteni Martina , Bendotti Giulia , Gruosso Giovanni , Tata Ngnitejeu Samuel , Agozzino Manuela , Rotondi Mario , Chiovato Luca
Published: August 2020

Objective:

The ultrasonographic scores EU TI-RADS and ACR TI-RADS were introduced to give the clinicians indications for fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC). The predictive role of these scores was never evaluated and compared in a surgical series of patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ex post diagnostic accuracy of EU TI-RADS and ACR TI-RADS in a real-life series of thyroidectomized patients and to evaluate the ‘missing’ thyroid cancer following the operational indications of these scores.

Design:

Retrospective monocentric cohort study.

Methods:

In total, 255 patients (harboring 304 nodules) undergoing thyroidectomy for benign and malignant thyroid conditions were enrolled. The prevalence of thyroid malignancy for each class of ACR TI-RADS and EU TI-RADS, their diagnostic accuracy, the number of ‘unnecessary’ FNAC and the number of ‘missed’ cancers were evaluated.

Results:

ACR TI-RADS and EU TI-RADS score had similar and satisfactory accuracy values for predicting thyroid malignancy (AUC: 0.835 for ACR TI-RADS vs 0.827 for EU TI-RADS). The ACR TI-RADS and EU TI-RADS categories (suspicious vs non-suspicious), age, sex and presence of a single nodule significantly and independently predicted the presence of malignancy in a logistic regression model. An ex post analysis according to the indications for FNAC for each score indicated that 31 and 16 cases of cancer would have been missed by ACR TI-RADS and EU TI-RADS scores, respectively.

Conclusions:

ACR TI-RADS and EU TI-RADS display a good performance in predicting thyroid cancer when histology is taken as reference standard, but additional clinical judgement is required to decide the indication for FNAC.
El Sentido de la Vida: El Caso de Bartolomé de las Casas
Authors: Pino Montoya Jose Wilmar
Published: August 2020

Este artículo realiza una reflexión del sentido de la vida; la vida de Bartolomé de las Casas. En primer lugar se centra la atención en los comienzos de su vida. Posteriormente se analiza el momento denominado: las “tres conversiones”. Las mismas que despertaron múltiples críticas y contradicciones. La primera de estas transformaciones consistió en la motivación “divina” que recibió Bartolomé para predicar libremente las injusticias sufridas por los indios americanos a manos de los españoles; el segundo cambio radicó en la determinación de formarse intelectualmente; la tercera transformación radica en su capacidad para ejercer acciones políticas en favor del aborigen americano. Para terminar se esbozan las conclusiones, en las que se destaca las contradicciones en las que se insertó la vida de este autor, aclarando que estas son parte normal del proceso de búsqueda del sentido de la vida de un hombre
First report of Penicillium brasilianum Bat., P. cluniae Quintan., and P. echinulonalgiovense S. Abe ex Houbraken & R.N. Barbosa (Eurotiales, Aspergillaceae) as endophytes from a bromeliad in the Caatinga dry forest in Brazil
Authors: Freire Karla T.L.S. , Araújo-Magalhães Gianne R. , Nascimento Sandy S. , Paiva Laura M. , Barbosa Renan N. , Bezerra Jadson D.P. , Souza-Motta Cristina M.
Published: August 2020

Penicillium brasilianum Bat., P. cluniae Quintan., and P. echinulonalgiovense S. Abe ex Houbraken & R.N. Barbosa are reported for the first time as endophytes from the leaves of an endemic bromeliad in the Caatinga dry forest in Brazil. For species determination, phenotypic features were analysed along with the sequencing of the β-tubulin and calmodulin genes. Penicillium Link isolates obtained in this study showed the typical morphology of species in the Lanata-Divaricata section. These results contributed to increase the knowledge of fungal diversity in dry environments in the word.
Towards Partial Order Reductions for Strategic Ability
Authors: Jamroga Wojciech , Penczek Wojciech , Sidoruk Teofil , Dembiński Piotr , Mazurkiewicz Antoni
Published: August 2020

We propose a general semantics for strategic abilities of agents in asynchronous systems, with and without perfect information. Based on the semantics, we show some general complexity results for verification of strategic abilities in asynchronous interaction. More importantly, we develop a methodology for partial order reduction in verification of agents with imperfect information. We show that the reduction preserves an important subset of strategic properties, with as well as without the fairness assumption. We also demonstrate the effectiveness of the reduction on a number of benchmarks. Interestingly, the reduction does not work for strategic abilities under perfect information.
The economic value of water in crop productions and policy implications in southern Brazil
Authors: Mattiuzi Camila Dalla Porta , Marques Guilherme Fernandes , Medellin-Azuara Josué , Dalcin Ana Paula
Published: August 2020

Promoting economically efficient solutions to meet competing demands for water under uncertain and variable supplies requires knowledge about the economic value of water and costs for its scarcity. In this work, an agricultural production optimisation model was used to evaluate the marginal value of water (MVW) in an agricultural region of rice and soybean growing in southern Brazil. The results indicate a MVW of 0.02–0.09 R$/m3 (1 R$ = £0.14), which is higher than common values considered for water charges for agricultural uses in Brazilian watersheds. The total scarcity costs of two recent drought periods were also investigated – these were approximately R$138 million (£19 million) and accounted for up to 15.5% of irrigated rice and soybean agriculture net return in some of the studied regions. Finally, the potential for cropping mix changes for some regions was explored through short-term water reallocation programmes to mitigate drought impacts. The results of this work should be useful in the design of water policies in terms of improved economic water management instruments, key infrastructure investments to be prioritised by watershed plans, strategies to integrate with other sectoral policies to secure funding for new water infrastructure and strategies to reinforce local adaptation through crop mix changes and short-term water reallocation.
A pós-graduação como lócus de formação para a docência: uma experiência com metodologias ativas de ensino-aprendizagem na área da saúde
Authors: Rodrigues Maria Eduarda De Carli , Mello Raquel Antunes de , Teo Carla Rosane Paz Arruda , Kleba Maria Elisabeth , Ferretti Fátima
Published: August 2020

O perfil profissional almejado pelo Sistema Único de Saúde requer uma formação baseada na problematização e que reconheça o estudante como corresponsável pela construção do conhecimento, promovendo seu desenvolvimento para além das dimensões técnico-científica e procedimental. Este texto problematiza uma prática de ensino realizada na educação superior, a partir de um programa de pós-graduação da área da saúde, fundamentada em metodologias ativas de ensino-aprendizagem. O objetivo deste trabalho foi contribuir para a reflexão quanto às possibilidades de a pós-graduação assumir um papel protagonista na formação para a docência na área da saúde. O texto apresenta os pressupostos das metodologias ativas de ensino-aprendizagem que fundamentam a prática docente e, ao relatar a experiência realizada junto a um curso de graduação, a problematiza. A reflexão desenvolvida evidencia a importância de que a pós-graduação assuma a condição de lócus privilegiado para a formação docente.
Choosing exotic over the familiar taste: habitat-specific preferences of a malacophagous leech for freshwater snails as prey gastropod establishment?
Authors: Paul Pranesh , Karmakar Rupsha , Aditya Gautam
Published: August 2020

The spread of freshwater invasive species through aquarium trade poses a threat to the ecosystem, economy and human health. The availability of the exotic freshwater gastropod mollusc, Planorbarius corneus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Gastropoda: Planorbidae), in pet shops in Kolkata, West Bengal, India, raises concern for its potential establishment as an invasive species. Assuming the role of the native predators as a potential biotic barrier for invasion, observations on the predation pattern of the malacophagous leech, Glossiphonia weberi (Blanchard, 1897) (Clitellata: Glossiphoniidae) against P. corneus was made in single as well as in combination with the native snail Indoplanorbis exustus (Deshayes, 1834) (Gastropoda: Planorbidae). Using varying size classes and densities of P. corneus, the predation potential of G. weberi was estimated after a 24 hour period. In another set of experiments, the predation of G. weberi against the snail P. corneus was observed in the presence of I. exustus under four different habitat conditions. The purpose was to justify - (1) the effect of conspecific and heterospecific conditions of the prey availability and (2) the effect of habitat complexity on the predatory efficacy of G. weberi. The results indicated that G. weberi consumed varied numbers of P. corneus, depending on the size and the densities of the prey and predator. Although the prey heterogeneity and complex habitats caused significant reduction of predation on both of the prey species, G. weberi significantly preferred P. corneus over I. exustus in open (P < 0.0001), macrophyte (P = 0.002) and pebbles and macrophyte containing habitats (P < 0.0001). Apparently, G. weberi preferred the exotic snail P. corneus in presence of alternative prey snail I. exustus, under different habitat conditions. Therefore, G. weberi may act as a significant biotic resistance against the colonization and establishment of P. corneus in the Indian context. However, further studies including the multiple prey and predators are required to ascertain the food web level impact of the exotic snail P. corneus in invaded freshwater ecosystems.
Ribeirão Tatu: o Patrimônio Cultural e Natural de Limeira – SP
Authors: Azevedo Patrícia Cereda de , Salcedo Rosio Fernández Baca , Constantino Norma Regina Truppel
Published: August 2020

Diante da degradação atual dos fundos de vale ocasionados por resíduos, tanto solido e líquidos gerados pela industrialização, agricultura e ocupação humana do espaço urbano, é fundamental a salvaguarda da paisagem e do patrimônio cultural dos fundos de vale, principalmente para a preservação da qualidade de vida urbana. Neste contexto, o objetivo principal do trabalho é compreender a situação atual da paisagem limeirense do Ribeirão Tatu, principal corpo d’água em Limeira, bem como o estado do patrimônio cultural e natural a qual pertence. Para tal, foram empregados os seguintes procedimentos metodológicos: Pesquisa bibliográfica e documental (legislação, mapas, planos e projetos) e pesquisa de campo. Através do estudo desse material, foi possível compreender a dinâmica atual da paisagem do fundo de vale do Ribeirão Tatu na cidade de Limeira, bem como o tratamento do patrimônio cultural e natural em cidades médias contemporâneas.

PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Rios Urbanos. Paisagem. Ribeirão Tatu. Limeira (SP)
Quality Assurance and Quality Control (Part 10 of Phase 3 study of Vaccine Candidate for COVID-19) v1
Authors: Ockenhouse Chris , Gast Chris , Holt Renee , Flores Jorge
Published: August 2020

This is Part 10 of "Phase 3 randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial to evaluate the safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy of Vaccine Candidate against COVID-19 in adults > 18 years of age" This generic Phase 3 protocol was developed by the PATH team with support of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The aim of the collection is to share recommended best practices in designing and implementing a Phase 3 study of a COVID-19 vaccine candidate. As Phase 3 trials of different Vaccine Candidates proceed around the world, following the same protocols will ensure consistency and comparability of the Phase 3 trial results. Please note that this is an evolving document, to be versioned and updated, based on community feedback and new data.
Una revista académica como estrategia pedagógica para el desarrollo de competencias genéricas y específicas de docentes de lengua en formación
Authors: García-Chamorro Martha Cecilia , Rolong-Gamboa Monica Tatiana , Villar-Guerra Liseth María
Published: August 2020

Este trabajo presenta el impacto que tuvo la edición de una revista académica como estrategia pedagógica para el desarrollo de competencias genéricas y específicas (expresión escrita) de los profesores de lengua en formación que participaron en de un semillero de investigación en una universidad pública colombiana. Eneste estudio, de tipo cualitativo, se recogieron los datos por medio de tres instrumentos: una encuesta semiabierta, una rejilla de realimentación de la escritura y los diarios de campo de las investigadoras, relacionados con las actividades que se realizaban para la búsqueda investigativa, redacción y publicación de la revista. Los resultados muestran un impacto positivo en el mejoramiento de las competenciasde este grupo de estudiantes. Estos resultados se convierten en un referente para incentivar el diseño de estrategias pedagógicas que les permitan a los formadores de formadores, mediante el uso de otros contextos, integrar y mejorar el desempeño de los estudiantes en los programas de preparación de docentes de lengua.
Transgressões e escândalos”: as práticas jesuíticas e sua moralidade, Rio de Janeiro na segunda metade do século XVIII
Authors: Amantino Marcia
Published: August 2020

A partir da obra Costumes em comum, do inglês Edward P. Thompson, este texto tem como propósito discutir as condições que tiveram os moradores que viviam próximos às fazendas jesuíticas para lutar por seus direitos. Para tanto, será utilizada como fonte principal a devassa (uma investigação judicial/religiosa), feita no ano de 1768, quando a Companhia de Jesus já estava identificada como inimiga da coroa portuguesa. Com seu poder debilitado, a população da capitania do Rio de Janeiro se sentiu mais confiante para denunciar as políticas dos padres, a violência que eles exerciam e o quanto não respeitvam os direitos, os costumes e a moral.
Syncretism of the City: Legal Aspects of Various Scientific Theories of the City
Authors: Tabolin V. V.
Published: August 2020

Nearly a dozen and a half different humanities, natural and technical sciences have chosen the city as a subject of research and, within their subject areas, have developed theoretical approaches to defining the livesustaining activities of the city. All spheres of the city’s existence are interconnected, at least to some extent, by a complex system of city legal relationships and are combined into a single complex, dynamic, controversial, but rather stable structure. In other words, we can, by means of law, investigate the whole (syncretism) of various scientific approaches to the analysis and description of the system of life of the city and its inhabitants. The author investigates various approaches to the concept of syncretism, including the essence of syncretism in legal context. The concept of syncretism is applied to the city in order to present it as a legal framework linking the knowledge of the city of various humanities into the system of social relations in order to explore the main spheres of the population’s life. The paper investigates some basic provisions of the theories of the city of such humanities as history, sociology, philosophy, psychology, economics, urban studies and political science as a matter of law. The purpose of the study is to form a new, comprehensive legal approach to the understanding of the essence of urban life and urbanization processes within the framework of legal urbanology with due regard to the totality of theoretical and practical knowledge about cities accumulated in some humanities. This study implements an interdisciplinary approach based on the use of sources from different fields of scientific knowledge on the basis of general scientific and private scientific research methods (analysis, synthesis, deduction, hypothetical, statistical, comparative-legal, and prognostic methods). Analysis of legal aspects of the main approaches of some humanities to the study of the city shows their syncretic character and the possibility of forming a generalized legal theory of the city within the framework of legal urbanology as a branch in legal science on the basis of fundamental and applied interdisciplinary studies of the city.
Peculiarities of Legal Regulation of the Use of Genomic Technologies in Embryology and Artificial Fertilization in the UK
Authors: Vasiliev S. A. , Sarmanaev S. Kh. , Zenin S. S. , Shirokov A. Yu.
Published: August 2020

The development of modern medicine is based on the development of high-tech treatment methods. One of such methods includes the application of genomic research that in Russia is not inferior, but in many ways superior to the achievements of Western scientists. However, legal regulation, or rather lack of such regulation in our state prevents comprehensive application of advanced techniques in practice. In order to solve this issue, it becomes relevant to study the experience of foreign countries in order to take into account their flaws and gaps in legal regulation to deal with the debate over problems that may be associated with the application of advanced techniques. The paper considers the use of genomic technologies in the UK in the field of embryology and artificial fertilization as one of the most open areas for genomic editing in modern medicine. The paper elucidates the issue of obtaining and withdrawal (revoking or suspending) of the license by organizations that provide medical services in the field of embryology and artificial human fertilization. The authors also deal with the issue of the formation of specialized bodies, e.g. appeals committees in the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Department, dealing with narrow issues. The authors have chosen legal regulation of the issue under consideration in Britain because it appears to be the most liberal regulation as compared with the regulation applied in the other States and even under international law. This, in turn, creates grounds for fears, disputes and discussions in the expert community, which is also of particular interest to the forthcoming Russian law-making and law enforcement. For the purposes of the study, the authors analyze the provisions of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act in terms of their applicability both in the UK and in Russia and examine expert opinions regarding the issues under consideration. Based on the work done, the authors propose to implement the model of legal regulation under which both children who appeared as a result of genomic editing and donors are to be informed of the application of this method.