bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
3-D adaptive FEA with weighted node density technique
Authors: Yamaguchi Tadashi , Kawase Yoshihiro , Ishimura Shota
Published: July 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to propose a method to create 3-D finite element meshes automatically using the Delaunay tetrahedralization with the weighted node density technique. Using this method, the adaptive finite element analysis (FEA) was carried out for the calculation of the magnetic field of an eddy current verification model to clarify the usefulness of the method. Moreover, the error evaluation function for the adaptive FEA was also discussed.

Design/methodology/approach

The method to create the 3-D finite element meshes using the Delaunay tetrahedralization is realized by the weighted node density technique, and Zienkiewicz-Zhu’s error estimator is used as the error evaluation function of the adaptive FEA.

Findings

The magnetic flux density vectors on the node in the error evaluation function for the adaptive FEA should be calculated with the weighted average by the reciprocal of the volume of elements.

Originality/value

This paper describes the method to create 3-D finite element meshes and the comparison among calculation methods of the magnetic flux density vectors on the node for the error estimator.
Irreversible demagnetization analysis of RWAFPM motor using modified MEC algorithm
Authors: Mahmouditabar Farshid , Vahedi Abolfazl , Ojaghlu Pourya , Takorabet Noureddine
Published: July 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to present a modified MEC algorithm for demagnetization modeling of the PM motor. One of the major issues that the designers of the permanent magnet (PM) motors are faced with is the demagnetization of magnets because of high temperatures and armature reaction. Demagnetization will weaken the magnetic properties of the magnet and lead to a reduction in the performance of the motor. Therefore, it is essential to provide appropriate methods for modeling this phenomenon. One of these methods that has a compromise between accuracy and time consumption is the magnetic equivalent circuit (MEC). In this paper, the MEC method is used for modeling the demagnetization phenomenon for the newly introduced ring winding axial flux PM (RWAFPM) motor. The proposed algorithm can take the demagnetization into account through a time-stepping model and also correct the value of the knee point flux density.

Design/methodology/approach

The modified MEC method is used for demagnetization modeling. The modified algorithm can take into account demagnetization and also renew the knee point at each step to increase the accuracy of the modeling. In addition, the proposed algorithm has a very high and fast execution speed so that the computation time of the MEC algorithm compared to the FEM model is reduced from 3 h to 35 s. In this case, the simulations have been performed on a core i5@ 2.3 GHz/8GB computer. The FEM model is used to verify the validity of the MEC results.

Findings

The obtained results show that at the high temperature, RWAFPM motor is severely vulnerable to demagnetization. At the temperature of 140°C, the demagnetization rate of 35% has occurred. So, it is necessary to use the high-temperature magnet in this motor or modify the motor structure in terms of demagnetization tolerant capability.

Originality/value

The RWAFPM motor is introduced for use in ship propulsion and traction systems. For this reason, an accurate estimation of demagnetization tolerant of this motor in different working conditions can show the strengths and weaknesses of this structure.
Employment mismatch from a distributive justice perspective
Authors: Bian Xinyi
Published: July 2020

Purpose

Employment mismatch is a significant problem in many countries. However, little conceptualization research has been conducted on employment mismatch from a social justice perspective. The purpose of this study is to shed light on social justice issues that have been obscured in the human resource development (HRD) literature through the lens of the distributive justice theory.

Design/methodology/approach

This study first reviews the literature to identify the gaps in employment mismatch research by reviewing three relevant bodies of literature: education mismatch, immigrant mismatch and disability mismatch. It then provides a new conceptualization of employment mismatch by examining employment mismatch through the lens of Rawls’ (1971) distributive justice theory.

Findings

The author proposed a framework of healthy employment relations using the constructs of social system design, moral guidance, education reform and individual development. Implications were proposed for research and practice.

Originality/value

The new framework of healthy employment approaches employment mismatch from four aspects embraced by the distributive justice theory. This model can assist HRD professionals and policymakers in responding to the employment mismatch of different populations.
Analysis of demand risks for the Indian automotive sector in globally competitive environment
Authors: Kumar Girish , Singh Rajesh Kr. , Jain Rishabh , Kain Raman , Naveen Naveen
Published: July 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to understand the different types of risks affecting the demand for the automotive sector in India. The study is further trying to illustrate an approach for analyzing the relative intensities of these risks in the present uncertain business environment.

Design/methodology/approach

Risk on the overall demand is assessed by a combined Bayesian – multi-criteria decision-making approach. Data related to the different factors, affecting their product demand is collected from major automobile firms. Then, weights for these factors are evaluated by applying the analytic hierarchy process approach. Further, these weights are used in the Bayesian analysis network to evaluate the risk intensity for different subgroups, namely, political, economic, social, technological and environmental.

Findings

From the literature and experts’ opinion, total 16 risk factors have been finalized and these are further grouped into 5 categories i.e. political, economic, social, technological and environmental. It is observed that the demand for organizations functioning in the automotive sector is more vulnerable to economic risk as compared to other risks considered in the study.

Practical implications

Managers and decision makers of associated organizations can use the proposed framework to assess the demand risks so as to pre-evaluate their demand corresponding to future changes. Factors can be added or removed and importance could be assigned to different risk factors according to the prevailing business environment for an organization or sector. This will also help the organizations to conduct a more effective risk management in an uncertain business environment.

Originality/value

The study will help in better understanding of the various demand risks prevalent in the Indian auto sector. The methodology used, provides a novel approach for assessing the macroeconomic demand risks and can be used by the firms working in the automotive sector. The proposed methodology could be used for assessing supply chain risk or any other business initiative risk. The suggested approach will help managers in devising flexible management techniques so as to mitigate the risk.
Assessing the market power of millers and wholesalers in the Bangladesh rice sector
Authors: Rahman Mohammad Chhiddikur , Pede Valerien , Balie Jean , Pabuayon Isabelita M. , Yorobe Jose M. , Mohanty Samarendu
Published: July 2020

Purpose

Because of the increasing differential between farm and retail prices, the study proposes to investigate the extent of market power in the rice value chain of Bangladesh using advanced econometric techniques.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a Stochastic Frontier Estimation approach on cross-sectional data, the study examines the price spread along the rice value chain to determine whether millers and wholesalers exercise market power.

Findings

Empirical results reveal that, on average, rice millers and wholesalers charge 33 and 29% above the marginal cost, respectively. This study confirms the non-competitive behavior of the rice market with wholesalers and millers wielding substantial market power

Research limitations/implications

A limitation of the study is that it does not include the retailers who also play a major role in the Bangladesh rice value chain. This is left for future study.

Originality/value

This study combines primary and secondary data collected on the Bangladesh rice sector to examine the market power of two major players along the value chain, millers and wholesalers, using an advanced econometrics approach.
How heterogeneity of recipients influences the income equalising impact of migrants’ remittances
Authors: Nessa Azizun
Published: July 2020

Purpose

This research develops a dynamic theoretical framework to study the interaction between migrants' remittances and entrepreneurship, together with the effect of these phenomena on inequality and income distribution.

Design/methodology/approach

It is based on an overlapping generations model in which inequalities are explained by a combination of capital market imperfections and fixed costs of investment. Together, these features give rise to credit rationing such that some members of the population are denied opportunities that would otherwise make them better off. Within this framework, the author studies the implications of remittances associated with child migration.

Findings

The author considers two alternative scenarios which differ according to who receives remittances – parents or siblings. The author found that when migrant children send remittances to their parents, such transfer would result in higher bequests though not necessarily initiate entrepreneurial activities and a reduction in the extent of inequality. On the other hand, when migrant children send remittances to their siblings, such transfer would not only result in greater bequests, but also it reduces the critical level of wealth needed to get access to capital market, implying that remittance flow generates investment opportunity to even poorer members of the society.

Practical implications

To enhance the income equalising effect of remittances, the government might consider providing extended support to households who are sending (relatively) younger members of the family abroad to earn higher wages.

Originality/value

Studying how dynamic effects of remittances depend critically on the heterogeneity of recipients offers a further perspective that has not been explored before.
Delta-sigma modulation microphone sensors employing a resonant tunneling diode with a suspended microstrip resonator
Authors: Maezawa Koichi , Ito Tatsuo , Mori Masayuki
Published: July 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to propose and demonstrate novel microphone sensors based on the frequency delta-sigma modulation (FDSM) technique, which replaces the conventional delta-sigma modulator in the delta-sigma analog-to digital converters. A key of the FDSM technology is to use a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) for converting an input analog signal to a 1-bit pulse-density modulated digital signal. High-performance sensors can be realized if the VCO is replaced by an oscillator whose oscillation frequency depends on an external physical parameter.

Design/methodology/approach

Microphone sensors are proposed based on FDSM that uses a suspended microstrip disk resonator, where the backside ground plane is replaced by a thin metal diaphragm. A resonant tunneling diode (RTD) oscillator is also used, as the performance of these sensors significantly depends on the oscillation frequency. To demonstrate the basic operation of the proposal, prototype devices were fabricated with an InGaAs/AlAs RTD.

Findings

A satisfactory noise shaping property, which is a significant nature of delta-sigma modulation, was demonstrated over three decades for the prototype device. A sound-sensing peak was also clearly observed when applying 1 kHz sound from a speaker.

Practical implications

High-performance ultrasonic microphone sensors can be realized if the sensors are fabricated by using a thin InP substrate with high-frequency oscillator design.

Originality/value

In this study, the authors proposed and experimentally demonstrated novel microphone sensors, which are promising as future ultrasonic sensors that have high dynamic range with wide bandwidth.
The Impact of Paid Parental Leave on Fertility Intentions*
Authors: Bassford Micaela , Fisher Hayley
Published: July 2020

Paid parental leave is an important part of family policy in OECD countries. Australia's Paid Parental Leave scheme was introduced in 2011 and provides 18 weeks of leave paid at the full‐time minimum wage for the primary carer of a child. We estimate the effect of access to paid parental leave on women's fertility intentions by exploiting the differential impact of the scheme for women working in the public and private sectors. We find that the scheme's announcement had no impact on fertility intentions at the extensive margin but that, conditional on intending to have at least one (more) child, the number of children intended increases by 0.34, a 16 per cent increase. This effect is concentrated among highly educated women. As it has been shown that fertility intentions predict fertility outcomes, these results suggest that even modest paid parental leave programs can increase the fertility of working women and so moderate the declines in fertility rates seen in many developed countries.
Physical properties, storage stability, and consumer acceptability for sourdough bread produced using encapsulated kombucha sourdough starter culture
Authors: Mohd Roby Bizura Hasida , Muhialdin Belal J. , Abadl Muna Mahmood Taleb , Mat Nor Nor Arifah , Marzlan Anis Asyila , Lim Sarina Abdul Halim , Mustapha Nor Afizah , Meor Hussin Anis Shobirin
Published: July 2020

This study aimed to produce sourdough bread using an encapsulated kombucha sourdough starter culture without the addition of baker's yeast. The bioactive metabolites of kombucha sourdough starter and sourdough starter without kombucha were identified using 1H‐NMR analysis with multivariate analysis. The physical properties, including loaf volume, specific loaf volume, firmness, and water activity were determined following standard methods. The shelf life and consumer acceptability of the bread were also being evaluated. The principal component analyses showed the presence of 15 metabolites in kombucha sourdough starter. The major compounds that contributed to the differences from sourdough starter without kombucha were alpha‐aminobutyric acid, alanine, acetic acid, riboflavin, pyridoxine, anserine, tryptophan, gluconic acid, and trehalose. The encapsulated kombucha sourdough starter increased the loaf volume (976.7 ± 25.2 mL) and specific loaf volume (4.38 ± 0.12 mL/g) compared to yeast bread. Thus, significant (P < 0.05) reduction was observed in the crumb firmness (116.07 ± 6.28 g) compared to traditional sourdough bread and yeast bread. The encapsulated kombucha sourdough starter extended the shelf life of bread by 5 to 10 days at room temperature. The sourdough bread prepared using the encapsulated kombucha sourdough starter demonstrated significantly (P < 0.05) higher taste and overall acceptability scores compared to the other bread. The findings indicate that the encapsulated kombucha sourdough starter is promising to produce functional sourdough bread with extended shelf life and improved quality.

Practical Application

Encapsulated kombucha sourdough starter culture that appropriately refreshed can be used primarily as a dough leavening agent in the bread industry without the addition of baker's yeast. This starter culture applied in sourdough bread production extended the shelf life and improved the biological function of sourdough bread.
Cavitation and fatal hemoptysis after immunotherapy for advanced lung adenocarcinoma: A case report
Authors: Wang Ruijuan , Li Kao , Pi Jianjun , Meng Liwei , Zhu Minli
Published: July 2020

Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)‐related massive hemoptysis with cavitation has rarely been identified. Here, we report a case of advanced lung adenocarcinoma with lethal bleeding after eight cycles of pembrolizumab. A 55‐year‐old male was diagnosed with stage IV non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Following confirmation of high programmed death‐ligand 1 (PD‐L1) expression of 60% cancer cells, he subsequently received pembrolizumab monotherapy. His symptoms and chest images significantly improved after four cycles of therapy. However, after eight cycles of immunotherapy, he presented with recurrence of bloody sputum and shortness of breath. Pembrolizumab was discontinued and a diagnosis of checkpoint inhibitor‐associated pneumonitis (CIP) was made. When the CIP was absorbed after glucocorticoid therapy, the patient died of sudden massive hemoptysis with cavitation in the lesion.

Key points

Although checkpoint inhibitor associated pneumonitis was the leading cause of ICI‐related death, clinicians should be alerted to the finding that more attention should be given to hemoptysis attributed to ICI therapy in advanced lung cancer.
Preoperative urinary function does not predict postoperative acute urinary retention in men after rectal resection
Authors: Zhu K. J. , Thanigasalam R. , Solomon M. J.
Published: July 2020

Aim

Acute urinary retention (AUR) is a well‐known complication after rectal surgery. It can be associated with additional morbidity. Causes of postoperative AUR are often multifactorial – involving patient‐, pathology‐ and treatment‐related factors. A proportion of men undergoing total mesorectal excision (TME) have preexisting urinary dysfunction and this may predispose to AUR. The aim of this study was to prospectively assess the influence of preoperative urinary function on postoperative AUR in men undergoing TME.

Method

A prospective multicentre cohort study was conducted. All adult men undergoing rectal resection between June 2016 and January 2018 were recruited. Combined pelvic resections, inability to void per urethra and emergency surgery were excluded. Preoperative urinary function was assessed with uroflowmetry, prostate ultrasound and the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS). The incidence of postoperative AUR, urinary tract infection (UTI) and length of hospital stay (LOS) were measured.

Results

Seventy‐seven patients (mean age 61 years) were recruited. The overall incidence of AUR was 21%. Preoperative urinary function, IPSS and past urological history were not predictive for postoperative AUR. AUR was not associated with UTI and did not affect LOS. Patients with UTI had a higher intravesical protrusion of the prostate.

Conclusion

Preoperative urinary dysfunction in men is not predictive of postoperative AUR after TME. It should not preclude early trial of void after TME. AUR did not predispose to UTI, nor did it prolong LOS.
Optimal management of severe symptomatic gastroesophageal reflux disease
Authors: Talley N. J. , Zand Irani M.
Published: July 2020

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common disorder, and empirical proton pump inhibitor (PPI) treatment is often the first step of management; however, up to 40% of patients remain symptomatic despite PPI treatment. Refractory reflux refers to continued symptoms despite an adequate trial of PPI, and management remains challenging. The differential diagnosis is important; other oesophageal (e.g. eosinophilic oesophagitis) and gastroduodenal disorders (e.g. functional dyspepsia) should be ruled out, as this changes management. A combination of clinical assessment, endoscopic evaluation and in selected cases oesophageal function testing can help characterize patients with refractory reflux symptoms into oesophageal phenotypes so appropriate therapy can be more optimally targeted. Medical options then may include adding a H2 receptor antagonist, alginates, baclofen or antidepressant therapy, and there is emerging evidence for bile acid sequestrants and diaphragmatic breathing. The demonstration of a temporal association of symptoms with reflux events on pH‐impedance testing (reflux hypersensitivity) serves to focus the management on modulating oesophageal perception and reducing the reflux burden, or identifies those with no obvious pathophysiologic abnormalities (functional heartburn). Anti‐reflux surgery based on randomized controlled trial evidence has a role in reflux hypersensitivity or continued pathological acid reflux despite PPI in carefully considered, fully worked up cases that have failed medical therapy; approximately two of three cases will respond but there is a small risk of complications. In patients with persistent volume reflux despite medical therapy, given the lack of alternatives, anti‐reflux surgery is a consideration. Promising newer approaches include endoscopic techniques. This review aims to summarize current diagnostic approaches and critically evaluates the evidence for the efficacy of available treatments.
The utility of combined urine dipstick analysis and specific gravity measurement to determine feline proteinuria
Authors: Pérez‐Accino J. , Feo Bernabe L. , Manzanilla E. G. , Puig J.
Published: July 2020

Objectives

To assess the utility of urine dipstick strips for detection of feline proteinuria when used in combination with urine‐specific gravity, compared with urine protein‐to‐creatinine ratio as the gold standard.

Materials and Methods

Retrospective analysis of clinical records of comprehensive urine examination obtained from cats presented to a referral hospital. Diagnostic agreement and test accuracy were calculated for the dipstick test alone and in combination with the urine‐specific gravity, using different cut‐off values for proteinuria. Receiver‐operating characteristic curves were also calculated.

Results

A total of 121 urine samples were included. The diagnostic agreement between dipstick and urine protein‐creatinine ratio was poor. A dipstick result of equal or greater than “Trace” (0.1–0.3 g/L) had a sensitivity of 81% and a specificity of 31% to detect proteinuria. Grouping the samples by urine‐specific gravity did not increase dipstick agreement with the urine protein‐creatinine ratio and only resulted in a slight improvement in the accuracy of detecting proteinuria.

Clinical Significance

The dipstick test was not accurate for detecting proteinuria when combined with urine‐specific gravity in cats. Clinicians should not rely on this test and, regardless of the urine concentration, other appropriate quantitative methods such as urine protein‐creatinine ratio should always be performed to detect proteinuria in cats.
The past and future of historical poetics: Poetry and empire
Authors: Mulholland James
Published: July 2020

This essay suggests that with the increasing prominence of “historical poetics” as a set of social collectives, methodologies, and debates (especially about literary analysis), now seems to be an ideal time to assess its history and consider its future. The first part of the essay offers a genealogy of historical poetics, accounting for some of the central tenets of the group and considering detractors of these assertions, especially about the idea of “lyric reading” and the “lyricization” of poetry. The second part explains how the institutional history of historical poetics affects what it might become in the future, particularly if scholars expand its scope to include poetries not aligned with the 19th century Anglo‐Atlantic world. It suggests how postcolonial literary studies and the history of empire might alter some of the original insights of the Historical Poetics group. Examples draw from poetry printed in India's earliest anglophone newspapers between the 1780 and 1800, part of the “unread poetry of colonialism.” Recovering an historical understanding of this poetry demonstrates that Anglo‐Indian newspapers, while poignantly aware of their debts to Britain, perceived their verse as adapting borrowed British literary institutions. Insights devised from historical poetics provide another way to analyze seriously the conventional and common poetry of 18th century Anglo‐Indian newspapers, to assess how its authors perceived the institutional contexts of their writing, and to describe how it differed from Europe's norms. The final section concludes with some thoughts on what historical poetics might reveal about intellectual labor in the professional literary academy. Ultimately, historical poetics is not only about how we study poetry, but is an extended conversation about the value of history in literary study and how historical change is valued (or not) by academic scholars. Scholars can use historical poetics to consider larger questions about how to distribute their attention and how it might be rewarded by their colleagues and professional organizations. Over the next 10 years, it will prove crucial for scholars of historical poetics to reengage with questions about what archives are valuable for an historical reading of poetry and what those archives mean for the analysis of poetry in the academy.
Impacts of an egg complementary feeding trial on energy intake and dietary diversity in Malawi
Authors: Lutter Chessa K. , Caswell Bess L. , Arnold Charles D. , Iannotti Lora L. , Maleta Kenneth , Chipatala Raphael , Prado Elizabeth L. , Stewart Christine P.
Published: July 2020

Complementary feeding diets in low‐ and middle‐income countries are generally inadequate to meet requirements for growth and development. Food‐based interventions may prevent nutrient inadequacies provided that they do not displace other nutrient‐rich foods. We conducted a randomized controlled trial in rural Malawi in which 660 children aged 6 to 9 months were provided an egg a day for 6 months or assigned to a control group. Dietary intake of complementary foods and drinks was assessed at baseline, 3‐month midline and 6‐month endline visits using a tablet‐based multipass 24‐h recall. Up to two repeat recalls were collected at each time point in a subsample of 100 children per treatment group. At midline and endline, usual energy intake from eggs was about 30 kcal/day higher in the egg group compared with controls (p< 0.0001). Compared with controls, children in the egg group were over nine times more likely to consume eggs at midline and endline. There was a comparable, but nonsignificant, greater total usual energy intake from complementary foods of 30 kcal/day at midline (p= 0.128) and 36 kcal/day at endline (p= 0.087). There also was a displacement of 7 kcal/day in legumes and nuts in children at endline (p= 0.059). At midline and endline, more than 80% of children in the egg group consumed a minimally diverse diet compared with 53% at midline and 60% at endline in the control group. This study illustrates that mothers in the egg group fed eggs to young children on a regular basis without substantial displacement of other complementary foods.
CTP‐CM enhances osteogenic differentiation of hPDLSCs via NF‐κB pathway
Authors: Li Na , Li Zehan , Wang Yanqiu , Chen Yan , Ge Xingyun , Lu Jiamin , Bian Minxia , Wu Jintao , Yu Jinhua
Published: July 2020

Objective

The conditioned medium of calcined tooth powder (CTP‐CM) is a type of biomimetic mineralized material and well contributing to bone healing and bone formation in vivo. However, little is known about the effect of CTP‐CM on human periodontal ligament stem cells (hPDLSCs) as well as the underlying mechanisms.

Methods

ALP activity assay was conducted to select the concentration with the highest ALP level, which was used for the following experiments. Cell proliferation was measured by cell counting kit‐8 assay and flow cytometry analysis. Expression levels of osteogenic markers in CTP‐CM‐induced hPDLSCs were evaluated with real‐time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR), immunofluorescence staining, and Western blot. Mineralization of CTP‐CM‐induced hPDLSCs was evaluated by alizarin red staining. Furthermore, the involvement of NF‐κB pathway was examined by immunofluorescence staining and Western blot.

Results

20 μg/ml was selected for the further experiments. Functional studies demonstrated that CTP‐CM exerted almost no influence on the proliferation of hPDLSCs and CTP‐CM increased the osteogenic differentiation of hPDLSCs. Mechanistically, CTP‐CM leads to activation of NF‐κB signaling pathway. When treated with BMS345541, the osteogenic differentiation of CTP‐CM‐treated hPDLSCs was significantly attenuated.

Conclusion

CTP‐CM can promote the osteogenic differentiation of hPDLSCs via activating NF‐κB pathway.
Ocular Demodex: a systematic review of the clinical literature
Authors: Zhang Alexis Ceecee , Muntz Alex , Wang Michael T M , Craig Jennifer P , Downie Laura E
Published: July 2020

Purpose

There is increasing clinical and research interest in the potential contribution of Demodex to ocular surface disease. The aim of this systematic review was to summarise and synthesise current clinical evidence relating to the aetiology, diagnosis and treatment of ocular Demodex.

Recent findings

A comprehensive literature search was performed in OVID Medline, OVID Embase, and clinical trial registries, for studies published between 1990 and August 2019, examining Demodex on the ocular surface. The review included primary clinical research studies and systematic reviews of primary clinical research studies, where Demodex was considered in the context of the ocular surface and/or adnexa. Studies were categorised using the National Health and Medical Research Council evidence hierarchy. Risk of bias assessment was performed using validated tools for studies categorised as providing Level I or II evidence.

A total of 87 studies were eligible for inclusion, including two systematic reviews. Most studies (60%) were observational, describing the prevalence of ocular Demodex in different clinical populations. There was a high degree of variability in the epidemiological data derived from cross‐sectional aetiology studies. There was mostly consistent evidence to support an association between ocular Demodex and chronic blepharitis. Seven diagnostic test‐accuracy studies were identified, which considered a range of techniques, including slit lamp examination for cylindrical eyelash collarettes and/or eyelash manipulation techniques, light microscopic evaluation of epilated eyelashes and in vivo confocal microscopy. There is currently no accepted gold‐standard diagnostic method for ocular Demodex. For intervention studies, there was one systematic review, 11 published randomised trials, six trial registry entries, and nine case series. Despite a number of recent trials, the appropriate treatment regimen for ocular Demodex (including the optimal criteria and timing of an intervention) is not clearly established.

Conclusions

This comprehensive narrative synthesis has captured the landscape of clinical evidence relating to the prevalence, aetiology, diagnosis and treatment of ocular Demodex. There remain opportunities to enhance understanding of its role in ocular surface disease, best diagnostic approaches and optimal treatment protocols.
Protecting From Malware Obfuscation Attacks Through Adversarial Risk Analysis
Authors: Redondo Alberto , Insua David Ríos
Published: July 2020

Malware constitutes a major global risk affecting millions of users each year. Standard algorithms in detection systems perform insufficiently when dealing with malware passed through obfuscation tools. We illustrate this studying in detail an open source metamorphic software, making use of a hybrid framework to obtain the relevant features from binaries. We then provide an improved alternative solution based on adversarial risk analysis which we illustrate describe with an example.
The meaning of significant encounters in forensic care
Authors: Rytterström Patrik , Rydenlund Kenneth , Ranheim Albertine
Published: July 2020

Background

Research in forensic psychiatric care focusing on person‐oriented care is ambiguous about matters of quality. The encounters between a healthcare professional (HCP) and patient could influence how connections and relations emerge between the caregiver and the patient.

Objectives

To better understand caring aspects, this study explores significant encounters in forensic psychiatric care from the perspective of HCPs.

Method

This study is based on 34 written narratives from HCPs from two forensic psychiatric hospitals in Sweden. The narratives concern significant encounters with a patient. These narratives were analysed according to methodologies developed by phenomenological and reflective lifeworld research.

Findings

The essence of a significant encounter is a temporal extended phenomenon that both precedes as well as is a consequence of the actual encounter as it occurs. The encounter is unforeseeable and being open to an encounter also means to be vulnerable as it is not predetermined how someone will respond. The significant encounter is an act of sharing, and HCPs may come to understand more about their patients as well as about themselves. Moreover, these encounters seem to create repercussions and hope for the future care.

Conclusions

The everyday activities of forensic psychiatric care are not trivial activities. Rather, they are important aspects of health care as these everyday encounters can deepen the relationship between the HCPs and their patients and help both the HCPs and their patients develop a sense of hope for the future.
Thermal and Manufacturing Design Considerations for Silicon-Based Embedded Microchannel Three-Dimensional-Manifold Coolers (EMMC)—Part 3: Addressing Challenges in Laser Micromachining-Based Manufacturing of Three-Dimensional-Manifolded Microcooler Devices
Authors: Hazra Sougata , Jung Ki Wook , Iyengar Madhusudan , Malone Chris , Asheghi Mehdi , Goodson Kenneth E.
Published: July 2020

Laser machining is an inexpensive and fast alternative to conventional microfabrication techniques and has the capability to produce complicated three-dimensional (3D), hierarchical structures. It is especially important while performing rapid prototyping and quick design studies of extreme heat flux cooling devices. One of the major issues plaguing the use of laser micromachining to manufacture commercially usable devices, is the formation of debris during cutting and the difficulty in removing these debris efficiently after the machining process. For silicon substrates, this debris can interfere with surrounding components and cause problems during bonding with other substrates by preventing uniform conformal contact. This study delves deep into the challenges faced and methods to overcome them during laser micromachining-based manufacturing of such complicated 3D-manifolded microcooler structures. Specifically, this work summarizes several postprocess techniques that can be employed for complete debris removal during etching of silicon samples using an Nd/YVO4 ultraviolet (UV) laser, detailing the advantages and drawbacks of each approach. A method that was found to be particularly promising to achieve very smooth surfaces with almost complete debris removal was the use of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) as a high-rigidity protective coating. In the process, a novel technique to strip PDMS from silicon surface was also developed. The result of this study is valuable to the microfabrication industry where smooth and clean substrate surfaces are highly desirable and it will significantly improve the process of using UV lasers to create microstructures for commercial applications as well as in a research environment.
A Novel Hybrid Model for Solar Radiation Forecasting Using Support Vector Machine and Bee Colony Optimization Algorithm: Review and Case Study
Authors: Guermoui Mawloud , Gairaa Kacem , Boland John , Arrif Toufik
Published: July 2020

This article proposes a new hybrid least squares-support vector machine and artificial bee colony algorithm (ABC-LS-SVM) for multi-hour ahead forecasting of global solar radiation (GHI) data. The framework performs on training the least squares-support vector machine (LS-SVM) model by means of the ABC algorithm using the measured data. ABC is developed for free parameters optimization for the LS-SVM model in a search space so as to boost the forecasting performance. The developed ABC-LS-SVM approach is verified on an hourly scale on a database of five years of measurements. The measured data were collected from 2013 to 2017 at the Applied Research Unit for Renewable Energy (URAER) in Ghardaia, south of Algeria. Several combinations of input data have been tested to model the desired output. Forecasting results of 12 h ahead GHI with the ABC-LS-SVM model led to the root-mean-square error (RMSE) equal to 116.22 Wh/m2, Correlation coefficient r = 94.3%. With the classical LS-SVM, the RMSE error equals to 117.73 Wh/m2 and correlation coefficient r = 92.42%; for cuckoo search algorithm combined with LS-SVM, the RMSE = 116.89 Wh/m2 and r = 93.78%. The results achieved reveal that the proposed hybridization scheme provides a more accurate performance compared to cuckoo search-LS-SVM and the stand-alone LS-SVM.
Mapping of Wear Mechanism for Mechanical Alloyed Aluminum Carbon Nanotube Composites—An In Situ Analysis
Authors: Manikandan P. , Elaya Perumal A. , Franklin Issac R.
Published: July 2020

This research work investigates the root causes of wear on the tribo surface of mechanically alloyed Aluminum/CNT composite through a simulated in situ analysis. The wear maps are developed using the second-order polynomial regression equation for the Aluminum/CNT composite to discriminate the wear mechanisms at different levels of their influencing factors and milling parameters. As a result, the predominant wear mechanism is identified as surface fatigue for Aluminum/CNT composite under high loading dry sliding condition. This study also reveals the modes for eliminating the severe wear at the tribo-surfaces. Aluminum/CNT1 wt% composite fabricated with the mechanical alloying parameters above 6 h of milling time and above 5 rps of milling speed eliminates the delamination under low level of tribological parameters, and it achieves the minimal wear-rate of 30.5 × 10−6 g/m and coefficient of friction (CoF) of 0.346.
Mechanics Strategies for Implantation of Flexible Neural Probes
Authors: Zhang Shun , Wang Chengjun , Linghu Changhong , Wang Suhao , Song Jizhou
Published: July 2020

Flexible polymer-based neural probes are promising tools to interfaces with brain tissue since the low stiffness and thin geometry of these probes make them compliant to soft tissue in a manner that allows for reducing the inflammation responses. However, the same properties make flexible probes susceptible to bending and buckling during insertion, which make the implantation impossible. This paper provides a brief review of recent advances in mechanics strategies to assist the insertion of flexible probes. The basic concept of each strategy is summarized with advantages and disadvantages briefly discussed. These results provide a guide for reliable implantations of flexible neural probes for chronic brain electrophysiological recording and clinical treatment of neurological disorders.
A simple graphical method for calculating the standing wave frequencies on a rectangular membrane
Authors: Romano Joseph D. , Price Richard H.
Published: July 2020

In introductory physics courses, simple arguments based on traveling waves on a string are used to relate the frequency of standing waves to boundary conditions, e.g., the fixed ends of the string. Here, we extend that approach to two-dimensional waves such as the oscillations of a rectangular membrane with edges fixed at the boundary. This results in a graphical method that uses only simple geometry and is suitable for explaining two-dimensional standing-wave oscillations to non-science majors, e.g., in a physics of sound and music class.
Dynamic trajectory and parametric resonance in coupled pendulum-beam
system
Authors: Fu Xinghong
Published: July 2020

The azimuthal-radial pendulum is a coupled pendulum-beam system where a pendulum and a supporting string are attached to the free end of a cantilever beam with its other end clamped. Conversion between radial (parallel to cantilever) and azimuthal (perpendicular to cantilever) modes of oscillations is observed when the radial frequency is twice the azimuthal frequency. A theoretical Lagrangian formulation of the system is presented and numerical predictions are compared to experimental data, showing good agreement. A non-linear coupling term arising from the inextensibility of the cantilever beam is shown, via simplifying assumptions that reduce the equations of motion to the Mathieu equation for parametric oscillators, which is responsible for the parametric resonance observed in the system. Experimental work involved measurements of the dynamic trajectory of the pendulum bob in the lab frame, and systematic investigation into the maximum conversion amplitude, beat frequency, and parametric resonance regime boundaries as a function of bob mass, string length, cantilever length, initial release amplitude, and other relevant parameters, shows good agreement with numerical results.
Identifying children's voices
Authors: Cooper Angela , Fecher Natalie , Johnson Elizabeth K.
Published: July 2020

Human adults rely on both acoustic and linguistic information to identify adult talkers. Assuming favorable conditions, adult listeners recognize other adults fairly accurately and quickly. But how well can adult listeners recognize child talkers, whose speech productions often differ dramatically from adult speech productions? Although adult talker recognition has been heavily studied, only one study to date has directly compared the recognition of unfamiliar adult and child talkers [Creel and Jimenez (2012). J. Exp. Child Psychol. 113(4), 487–509]. Therefore, the current study revisits this question with a much larger and younger sample of child talkers (N = 20); performance with adult talkers (N = 20) was also tested to provide a baseline. In Experiment 1, adults successfully distinguished between adult talkers in an AX discrimination task but performed much worse with child talkers. In Experiment 2, adults were slower and less accurate at learning to identify child talkers than adult talkers in a training-identification task. Finally, in Experiment 3, adults failed to improve at identifying child talkers after three days of training with numerous child voices. Taken together, these findings reveal a sizable difference in adults' ability to recognize child versus adult talkers. Possible explanations and implications for understanding human talker recognition are discussed.
Dune-scale cross-strata across the fluvial-deltaic backwater regime: Preservation potential of an autogenic stratigraphic signature
Authors: Wu Chenliang , Nittrouer Jeffrey A. , Swanson Travis , Ma Hongbo , Barefoot Eric , Best Jim , Allison Mead
Published: July 2020

Dune-scale cross-beds are a fundamental building block of fluvial-deltaic stratigraphy and have been recognized on Earth and other terrestrial planets. The architecture of these stratal elements reflects bed-form dynamics that are dependent on river hydrodynamic conditions, and previous work has documented a multitude of scaling relationships to describe the morphodynamic interactions between dunes and fluid flow. However, these relationships are predicated on normal flow conditions for river systems and thus may be unsuitable for application in fluvial-deltaic settings that are impacted by nonuniform flow. The ways in which dune dimensions vary systematically due to the influence of reach-averaged, nonuniform flow, and how such changes may be encoded in dune cross-strata, have not been investigated. Herein, we explored the influence of backwater flow on dune geometry in a large modern fluvial channel and its implications for interpretation of systematic variability in dune cross-strata in outcrop-scale stratigraphy. This was accomplished by analyzing high-resolution channel-bed topography data for the lowermost 410 km of the Mississippi River, which revealed that dune size increases to a maximum before decreasing toward the river outlet. This spatial variability coincides with enhanced channel-bed aggradation and decreasing dune celerity, which arise due to backwater hydrodynamics. An analytical model of bed-form stratification, identifying spatial variability of cross-set thickness, indicates a prominent downstream decrease over the backwater region. These findings can be used to inform studies of ancient fluvial-deltaic settings, by bolstering assessments of proximity to the marine terminus and associated spatially varying paleohydraulics.
Uneventful case of COVID-19 in a kidney transplant recipient
Authors: Dahl Mathiasen Victor , Jensen-Fangel Søren , Skov Karin , Leth Steffen
Published: July 2020

Kidney transplant recipients have been reported at a particularly high risk of severe COVID-19 illness due to chronic immunosuppression and coexisting conditions. Yet, here we describe a remarkably mild case of COVID-19 in a 62-year-old female who had a kidney transplantation 10 years earlier due to autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease. The patient was admitted for 1 day; immunosuppressive therapy with tacrolimus and low-dose prednisolone was continued; and the patient recovered successfully without the use of antiviral agents or oxygen therapy. The case demonstrates that kidney transplant recipients are not necessarily severely affected by COVID-19. Withdrawal of immunosuppressive therapy could be associated with poorer outcomes and should not be implemented thoughtlessly.
Delivery of sexual and reproductive health interventions in conflict settings: a systematic review
Authors: Munyuzangabo Mariella , Khalifa Dina Sami , Gaffey Michelle F , Kamali Mahdis , Siddiqui Fahad J , Meteke Sarah , Shah Shailja , Jain Reena P , Als Daina , Radhakrishnan Amruta , Ataullahjan Anushka , Bhutta Zulfiqar A
Published: July 2020

Background

It is essential to provide comprehensive sexual and reproductive health (SRH) interventions to women affected by armed conflict, but there is a lack of evidence on effective approaches to delivering such interventions in conflict settings. This review synthesised the available literature on SRH intervention delivery in conflict settings to inform potential priorities for further research and additional guidance development.

Methods

We searched MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL and PsycINFO databases using terms related to conflict, women and children, and SRH. We searched websites of 10 humanitarian organisations for relevant grey literature. Publications reporting on conflict-affected populations in low-income and middle-income countries and describing an SRH intervention delivered during or within 5 years after the end of a conflict were included. Information on population, intervention and delivery characteristics were extracted and narratively synthesised. Quantitative data on intervention coverage and effectiveness were tabulated, but no meta-analysis was undertaken.

Results

110 publications met our eligibility criteria. Most focused on sub-Saharan Africa and displaced populations based in camps. Reported interventions targeted family planning, HIV/STIs, gender-based violence and general SRH. Most interventions were delivered in hospitals and clinics by doctors and nurses. Delivery barriers included security, population movement and lack of skilled health staff. Multistakeholder collaboration, community engagement and use of community and outreach workers were delivery facilitators. Reporting of intervention coverage or effectiveness data was limited.

Discussion

There is limited relevant literature on adolescents or out-of-camp populations and few publications reported on the use of existing guidance such as the Minimal Initial Services Package. More interventions for gender-based violence were reported in the grey than the indexed literature, suggesting limited formal research in this area. Engaging affected communities and using community-based sites and personnel are important, but more research is needed on how best to reach underserved populations and to implement community-based approaches.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42019125221.