bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Head-to-head comparison of a Si-photomultiplier-based and a conventional photomultiplier-based PET-CT system
Authors: Oddstig Jenny , Brolin Gustav , Trägårdh Elin , Minarik David
Published: February 2021

Background

A novel generation of PET scanners based on silicon (Si)-photomultiplier (PM) technology has recently been introduced. Concurrently, there has been development of new reconstruction methods aimed at increasing the detectability of small lesions without increasing image noise. The combination of new detector technologies and new reconstruction algorithms has been found to increase image quality. However, it is unknown to what extent the demonstrated improvement of image quality is due to scanner hardware development or improved reconstruction algorithms. To isolate the contribution of the hardware, this study aimed to compare the ability to detect small hotspots in phantoms using the latest generation SiPM-based PET/CT scanner (GE Discovery MI) relative to conventional PM-based PET/CT scanner (GE Discovery 690), using identical reconstruction protocols.

Materials and methods

Two different phantoms (NEMA body and Jasczcak) with fillable spheres (31 μl to 26.5 ml) and varying sphere-to-background-ratios (SBR) were scanned in one bed position for 15–600 s on both scanners. The data were reconstructed using identical reconstruction parameters on both scanners.

The recovery-coefficient (RC), noise level, contrast (spherepeak/backgroundpeak-value), and detectability of each sphere were calculated and compared between the scanners at each acquisition time.

Results

The RC-curves for the NEMA phantom were near-identical for both scanners at SBR 10:1. For smaller spheres in the Jaszczak phantom, the contrast was 1.22 higher for the DMI scanner at SBR 15:1. The ratio decreased for lower SBR, with a ratio of 1.03 at SBR 3.85:1. Regarding the detectability of spheres, the sensitivity was 98% and 88% for the DMI and D690, respectively, for SBR 15:1. For SBR 7.5, the sensitivity was 75% and 83% for the DMI and D690, respectively. For SBR 3.85:1, the sensitivity was 43% and 30% for the DMI and D690, respectively.

Conclusion

Marginally higher contrast in small spheres was seen for the SiPM-based scanner but there was no significant difference in detectability between the scanners. It was difficult to detect differences between the scanners, suggesting that the SiPM-based detectors are not the primary reason for improved image quality.
Idiopathic superficial siderosis of the central nervous system
Authors: Meshkat Shakila , Ebrahimi Parnia , Tafakhori Abbas , Taghiloo Aidin , Shafiee Sajad , Salimi Amir , Aghamollaii Vajiheh
Published: February 2021

Background

Regardless of the cause of the superficial siderosis (SS) disease, which is bleeding, the source of bleeding cannot be found in some cases.

Case presentation

In this article, we report two cases with idiopathic SS. Case 1 presented with bilateral hearing loss, cognitive impairment, sleep disturbances, and tremors. Case 2 presented with sensory neural hearing loss, ataxia, and spastic paraparesis. In both cases, brain MRI indicated evidence of SS. CT myelogram and SPECT with labeled RBC couldn’t help finding the source of occult bleeding.

Conclusion

SS is a rare central nervous system disease caused by the deposition of hemosiderin in the brain and spinal cord, which results in the progression of neurological deficits. The cause of this hemorrhage is often subarachnoid haemorrhage, intracranial surgery, carcinoma, arteriovenous malformation, nerve root avulsion, and dural abnormality. The condition progresses slowly and, by the time diagnosis is confirmed, the damage is often irreversible. In our cases, brain MRI clarified the definitive diagnosis, but we could not find the source of bleeding. SS should be considered in cases with ataxia and hearing loss, even if no source of bleeding is found.
Visual search behavior and performance in luggage screening: effects of time pressure, automation aid, and target expectancy
Authors: Rieger Tobias , Heilmann Lydia , Manzey Dietrich
Published: February 2021

Visual inspection of luggage using X-ray technology at airports is a time-sensitive task that is often supported by automated systems to increase performance and reduce workload. The present study evaluated how time pressure and automation support influence visual search behavior and performance in a simulated luggage screening task. Moreover, we also investigated how target expectancy (i.e., targets appearing in a target-often location or not) influenced performance and visual search behavior. We used a paradigm where participants used the mouse to uncover a portion of the screen which allowed us to track how much of the stimulus participants uncovered prior to their decision. Participants were randomly assigned to either a high (5-s time per trial) or a low (10-s time per trial) time-pressure condition. In half of the trials, participants were supported by an automated diagnostic aid (85% reliability) in deciding whether a threat item was present. Moreover, within each half, in target-present trials, targets appeared in a predictable location (i.e., 70% of targets appeared in the same quadrant of the image) to investigate effects of target expectancy. The results revealed better detection performance with low time pressure and faster response times with high time pressure. There was an overall negative effect of automation support because the automation was only moderately reliable. Participants also uncovered a smaller amount of the stimulus under high time pressure in target-absent trials. Target expectancy of target location improved accuracy, speed, and the amount of uncovered space needed for the search.

Significance Statement Luggage screening is a safety–critical real-world visual search task which often has to be done under time pressure. The present research found that time pressure compromises performance and increases the risk to miss critical items even with automation support. Moreover, even highly reliable automated support may not improve performance if it does not exceed the manual capabilities of the human screener. Lastly, the present research also showed that heuristic search strategies (e.g., areas where targets appear more often) seem to guide attention also in luggage screening.
Metabolomics of potential contenders conferring antioxidant property to varied polar and non-polar solvent extracts of Edgaria darjeelingensis C.B.Clarke
Authors: Chakraborty Sourav , Majumder Soumya , Ghosh Arindam , Saha Sumedha , Bhattacharya Malay
Published: February 2021

Background

The Himalaya hotspot, habitat to numerous indigenous species, harbours an endemic and endangered, cucurbit climber Herpetospermum darjeelingense (C.B.Clarke) H.Schaef. & S.S.Renner [Edgaria darjeelingensis C.B.Clarke]. Seeds of this plant have traditionally been used for ethno-veterinary treatment. The present probe aims to provide an insight into the antioxidant-related biochemical attributes of this phytochemically unexplored plant.

Results

DPPH scavenging activity of solvent extracts showed more potential towards the polar end with its maximum activity in methanolic extract (84.64%). Acetone extract showed more ferric reducing power than the ethanol fractions. Maximum flavonoid quantification was recorded in ethanol extract. GC–MS of methanolic extract detected 39 compounds of which 22 have preventive and curing properties for several ailments. Thirteen compounds were reported with antioxidant activity and cover an area of 63.92% among the total detected compounds by GC–MS. 1,3,4,5-Tetrahydroxy-cyclohexanecarboxylic acid; Hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester; ß sitosterol and Phytol are present in significant quantity and are the prime candidates conferring antioxidant potential. Chromatographically fractionalized methanol extract with non-polar to polar solvents and their subsequent DPPH scavenging analysis exhibited a major peak in ethanol fraction due to the presence of Phytol in considerable high quantity and some other compounds. Further sub-fractionation of ethanolic fraction provides a supportive evidence of ethanol solubility of the compounds. Biosynthetic lineage reveals fatty acid synthesis, intermediates of Shikimate pathway and terpenoid metabologenesis schemes lead to the several antioxidant molecules detected in our extract.

Conclusion

Metabolomics of antioxidants will provide a better understanding in its intracellular free radical quenching activity and isolation of these bioactive compounds can boost pharmaceutical industry.
Quercetin attenuates the reduction of parvalbumin in middle cerebral artery occlusion animal model
Authors: Park Dong-Ju , Kang Ju-Bin , Shah Fawad-Ali , Koh Phil-Ok
Published: February 2021

Background

Calcium is a critical factor involved in modulation of essential cellular functions. Parvalbumin is a calcium buffering protein that regulates intracellular calcium concentrations. It prevents rises in calcium concentrations and inhibits apoptotic processes during ischemic injury. Quercetin exerts potent antioxidant and anti-apoptotic effects during brain ischemia. We investigated whether quercetin can regulate parvalbumin expression in cerebral ischemia and glutamate toxicity-induced neuronal cell death. Adult male rats were treated with vehicle or quercetin (10 mg/kg) 30 min prior to middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) and cerebral cortical tissues were collected 24 h after MCAO. We used various techniques including Western blot, reverse transcription-PCR, and immunohistochemical staining to elucidate the changes of parvalbumin expression.

Results

Quercetin ameliorated MCAO-induced neurological deficits and behavioral changes. Moreover, quercetin prevented MCAO-induced a decrease in parvalbumin expression.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that quercetin exerts a neuroprotective effect through regulation of parvalbumin expression.
Assessment of diagnostic reference levels awareness and knowledge amongst CT radiographers
Authors: Abdulkadir Muhammad K. , Piersson Albert D. , Musa Goni M. , Audu Sadiq A. , Abubakar Auwal , Muftaudeen Basirat , Umana Josiah E.
Published: February 2021

Background

Reports indicated that numerous factors, including inadequate personnel knowledge, contributes to insufficient patient data for setting up diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) in developing countries. This study aims to evaluate the knowledge of DRLs as an optimisation tool amongst computed tomography (CT) radiographers in northern Nigeria. This is a quantitative cross-sectional study. A structured questionnaire was devised and distributed on site to sixty-two CT radiographers in northern Nigeria. A total of fifteen questions were included in the questionnaire focusing on DRLs, dose optimisation and dose descriptors generating quantitative data concerning overall CT radiographers’ perceived knowledge and awareness about DRLs.

Results

A response rate of 77.4% (48/62) was achieved. About 83.3% of the participants declare DRLs awareness, and 37.5% carried out a local dose survey. The percentage correctly perceived knowledge of concepts; DRLs was 45.8%, dose optimisation (42%) and CT dose descriptor (39%). Radiographers with work experience ranging from 4-10 years had the highest score.

Conclusion

In this survey, deficiencies were noted in radiographers’ knowledge about DRLs with precise knowledge gap in the implementation of local dose survey for DRLs and optimisation. There is a need for continuous radiographers’ training with greater emphasis on dose optimisation and institutional based dose evaluation.
Analysis of financial contagion in influential African stock markets
Authors: Aderajo Oluwatosin Mary , Olaniran Oladotun Daniel
Published: February 2021

Drawing from the experience of the global financial crisis that sprang forth from the US stock market, an empirical assessment of the dynamic correlation analysis of financial contagion with evidence from (5) African countries (South African, Nigeria, Egypt, Kenya, Tunisia) is presented. Monthly stock prices indices from 2004 to 2018 was analyzed using the dynamic conditional correlation multivariate GARCH model to ascertain the contagious effect of the US to the selected African markets. By analyzing the correlation coefficient series, three phases of the crisis periods were identified {pre-crisis (2004–2007); crisis (2007–2009) and post-crisis (2009–2018), respectively}. The study revealed that a significant relationship exists between the returns of the US market and the African markets. The inspection of the pre-crisis, crisis, post-crisis mean and variance estimation shows that the crisis period is characterized by substantial increases in volatility, establishing that the shock experienced in the US posed a threat to the African markets being examined. Further, evidence revealed that in the crisis period, an increase in correlation (contagion) existed, while a continued correlation (herding) existed in the post-crisis period.
Innovations in the psychopathology of schizophrenia: a primer for busy clinicians
Authors: Wilson Peter , Humpston Clara , Nathan Rajan
Published: March 2021

Significant developments in schizophrenia psychopathology are ready to be incorporated into clinical practice. These advances allow a way forward through the well-described challenges experienced with current diagnostic and psychopathological frameworks. This article discusses approaches that will enable clinicians to access a wider and richer spectrum of patient experience; describes process-based models of schizophrenia in the domains of both the brain and the mind; and considers how different levels of analysis might be linked via the predictive processing framework. Multiple levels of analysis provide different targets for varying modalities of treatment – dopamine blockade at the molecular level, psychological therapy at the level of the mind, and social interventions at the personal level. Psychiatry needs to align itself closer to neuroscientific research. It should move from a symptom-based understanding to a model based on process. That is – after having asked about a patient's symptoms and experience clinicians need to introduce steps involving a consideration of what might be the brain and mind processes underlying the experience.
Monica Jones
Authors: Gossett Che , Hayward Eva
Published: March 2021

The following is an interview with activist Monica Jones conducted by Che Gossett and Eva Hayward. In this interview, Jones talks about her activism against the criminalization of sex work, recounting how the program Project ROSE, which was a revealing collaboration between the university and the police, functioned through carceral logics to detain and then according to a carceral economy of innocence, criminally prosecute or “reeducate” sex workers or those profiled as sex workers. Jones shows how the university is part of the carceral continuum and is a site of Black trans and sex worker and prison abolitionist struggle, which has intensified in the current organizing against police on campuses and entanglement of university and the prison-industrial complex and the policing functions of administration and university governance. Jones also shows how this is an HIV/AIDS activist issue given that the criminalization of sex work is bound up with from gentrification, displacement, and how that is exacerbated with COVID-19.
Cecilia Gentili
Authors: Gossett Che , Hayward Eva
Published: March 2021

The following is an interview with performer, activist, and advocate Cecilia Gentili conducted by Che Gossett and Eva Hayward. Cecilia Gentili is a longtime trans activist in New York City. Gentili has been involved in queer, trans, AIDS sex worker, and antiviolence organizing for decades. In this interview Gentili discusses her recent performance The Knife Cuts Both Ways, the limits of trans narratives and representation, and how she pushes at the thresholds of those limits such that they seem to break, fold, and corrupt. Gentili refuses the liberal humanist narrative of proper citizenship, for her trans cannot be incorporated, it is an excess, a story that does not claim redemption or resolution. Instead, trans is antagonism.
Tracking and Changes in Daily Step Counts among Finnish Adults
Authors: YANG XIAOLIN , KULMALA JANNE , HAKONEN HARTO , HIRVENSALO MIRJA , ROVIO SUVI P. , PAHKALA KATJA , KUKKO TUOMAS , HUTRI-KÄHÖNEN NINA , RAITAKARI OLLI T. , TAMMELIN TUIJA H.
Published: February 2021

Purpose

This study aimed to investigate the tracking and changes of steps per day in adults and their determinants over 13 yr.

Methods

A total of 2195 subjects (1236 women) 30–45 yr of age were randomly recruited from the ongoing Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study in 2007 and were followed up in 2020. Steps per day, including both total and aerobic steps per day, were monitored for seven consecutive days with a pedometer in 2007–2008 and 2011–2012 and with an accelerometer in 2018–2020. Tracking was analyzed using Spearman’s correlation. Stability and changes of steps per day over time in both low-active and high-active groups (based on median values) were described by percentage agreements, kappa statistics, and logistic regression. Associations of sex, age, and body mass index with the initial number and changes in steps per day were analyzed using linear growth curve modeling.

Results

Tracking correlations of total steps per day at 4-, 9-, and 13-yr intervals were 0.45–0.66, 0.33–0.70, and 0.29–0.60, while corresponding correlations for aerobic steps per day were 0.28–0.55, 0.23–0.52, and 0.08–0.55, respectively. Percentage agreements were higher than 54%, and kappa statistics ranged from slight to fair over time. Compared with the low-active group, the high-active group at baseline had a higher probability of being active later in adulthood. Female sex and higher age were associated directly with the initial number of steps per day and inversely with changes in the number of steps per day. Body mass index was inversely associated with the initial number of steps per day and changes in the number of total steps per day.

Conclusion

The 13-yr tracking of steps per day in adulthood was found to be low to moderately high. Daily ambulatory activity is essential to maintaining an active lifestyle throughout adulthood. Changes in the amount of adult steps per day vary by sex, age, and BMI.
Exploring clinical research efficacy of teaching and practicing medical professionals in Pakistan
Authors: Akhtar Mubeen , Irfan Aiman
Published: February 2021

Objective: The current study aimed to explore clinical research efficacy of teaching and practicing medical professionals in Pakistan. The role of socio-demographic factors in this context was also investigated.

Methods: This study using cross-sectional research design was carried out from August to December 2019. A sample of teaching and practicing medical professionals (N=96) was collected through purposive sampling from Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Clinical Research Appraisal Inventory (CRAI) was used along with the demographic datasheet. Research data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS-21).

Results: The results of the study revealed that teaching and practicing medical professionals feel most competent in ‘collaborating with others’ while the research area in which they feel least competent is ‘securing funds for a study’. It was found that there are significant differences in the research efficacy of teaching and practicing medical professionals with reference to age (p< 0.00), gender (p< 0.01), designation (p< 0.00), number of articles published (p< 0.00), number of articles under review (p< 0.03), number of articles submitted (p< 0.03), and number of funded projects completed (p< 0.02). Satisfaction with salary and number of hours at work per week have no impact on their research efficacy.

Conclusions: Findings have implications for policy makers and medical institutions to promote research skills in teaching and practicing medical professionals.

doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.37.3.2395

How to cite this:Akhtar M, Irfan A. Exploring clinical research efficacy of teaching and practicing medical professionals in Pakistan. Pak J Med Sci. 2021;37(3):851-857. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.37.3.2395

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Increase in public interest concerning alternative medicine during the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia: a Google Trends study
Authors: Rokhmah Dewi , Ali Khaidar , Putri Serius Miliyani Dwi , Khoiron Khoiron
Published: February 2021

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered individuals to increase their healthy behaviour in order to prevent transmission, including improving their immunity potentially through the use of alternative medicines. This study aimed to examine public interest on alternative medicine during the COVID-19 pandemic using Google Trends in Indonesia.

Methods: Employing a quantitative study, the Spearman rank test was used to analyze the correlation between Google Relative Search Volume (RSV) of various search terms, within the categories of alternative medicine, herbal medicine and practical activity, with COVID-19 cases. In addition, time lag correlation was also investigated.

Results: Public interest toward alternative medicine during COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia is dramatically escalating. All search term categories (alternative medicine, medical herbal, and alternative medicine activities) were positively associated with COVID-19 cases (p<0.05). The terms ‘ginger’ (r=0.6376), ‘curcumin’ (r=0.6550) and ‘planting ginger’ (0.6713) had the strongest correlation. Furthermore, time lag correlation between COVID-19 and Google RSV was also positively significant (p<0.05).

Conclusion: Public interest concerning alternative medicine related terms dramatically increased after the first COVID-19 confirmed case was reported in Indonesia. Time lag correlation showed good performance using weekly data. The Indonesian Government will play an important role to provide and monitor information related to alternative medicine in order for the population to receive the maximum benefit.
Condiciones para el Cultivo de la Vid en Época Romana a través de Columela y los SIG.
Authors: Trapero-Fernández Pedro
Published: February 2021

El viñedo requiere de unas características edafológicas y de localización para su cultivo, cosa que, en época Antigua, conocemos gracias a los agrónomos latinos como Lucio Junio Moderato Columela. En estas obras encontramos referencias a las diversas tipologías de suelos, pendiente y orientación, así como los criterios preferentes para la elección del lugar de cultivo. En este artículo se compara el conocimiento antiguo con las Ciencias de la Tierra actuales, utilizando como puente de unión los Sistemas de Información Geográfica. Además, expresamos un caso de estudio con una lectura precisa de las fuentes clásicas, especialmente Columela y su interrelación, con el objeto de poder modelar un territorio, la colonia de Hasta Regia (Provincia Ulterior Baetica) y las condiciones de esta producción agrícola. Este artículo propone un modelo SIG sobre la viticultura antigua y una correlación entre fuentes escritas y condicionantes geográficos actuales, parámetros necesarios para este modelo y futuros estudios.
The Role of the Web and Social Media in the Tourism Promotion of a World Heritage Site. The Case of the Alcazar of Seville (Spain).
Authors: Foronda-Robles Concepción , Mondelli Caterina , Carboni Donatella
Published: February 2021

The information and communication technologies have revolutionized tourism and the promotion of cultural attractions. They constitute a tool with which to enhance the cultural heritage and economy of a territory in the context of tourism innovation. The article aims to analyze the potential of the website and social media of the Alcazar of Seville—declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO—in promoting tourism. The quality of this official website and social media was analyzed and evaluated through the 7 Loci model and the Nvivo tool, with weaknesses and strengths being identified. The analysis highlighted weaknesses in areas such as the content, which needs to be optimized, the impossibility of viewing the information in other languages, and the global management of the website and social media, which should be reviewed. The study also presents strengths, including excellent visibility and good positioning in the main search engines, links from the website to social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube) and the adequacy of the time needed to download the pages.
Equidad en la Accesibilidad Geográfica a los Hospitales. El Caso del País Vasco.
Authors: Cano-Fernández Francisco Javier , Esteban-Galarza Marisol
Published: February 2021

El objetivo del presente artículo es analizar la equidad espacial y la eficiencia de la distribución geográfica de los recursos hospitalarios del País Vasco gestionados por el Servicio Vasco de Salud (Osakidetza), bajo el prisma del nuevo modelo de organización sanitaria integrada. Usando Google Earth para la localización espacial y extracción de coordenadas geográficas, se realiza un análisis estadístico de accesibilidad poblacional, considerando tiempo y distancia hasta el recurso de Atención Especializada referente. A la vista de los resultados ha sido posible evidenciar la existencia, en general, de un alto nivel de equilibrio entre la equidad espacial y la eficiencia citados, puesto que el 90 % de la población dispone de una accesibilidad temporal y espacial calificable entre óptima y normal, con un tiempo de acceso de 0 a 20 minutos o una distancia entre 0 y 20 km. Por tanto, teniendo en cuenta lo expuesto, las acciones de mejora deberán orientarse hacia el 10 % de la población más desfavorecida, con iniciativas como la redefinición del mapa sanitario; establecimiento de convenios de colaboración con otras regiones; mejora de las infraestructuras de comunicaciones, sin excluir otras acciones que puedan alcanzar el mismo objetivo.
A survey of Korean elementary schoolteachers on their communication with students and parents from migrant backgrounds and the need for quality language services
Authors: Lee Jieun
Published: February 2021

This paper investigates communication problems facing teachers when they interact with students and parents from migrant backgrounds, and explores the need for quality language services in educational settings. According to a questionnaire-based survey of 142 elementary schoolteachers, about 20–25 per cent of respondents frequently experienced difficulties in communicating with students and parents who lacked Korean language proficiency. However, the teachers usually managed without outside assistance largely because of the lack of language support services. Effective communication is needed through the delivery of more language services to support children’s learning, school education and parents’ meaningful participation in both. Most teachers surveyed supported more effective language services in their schools, but were not very vocal in advocating for professional interpreting services. Instead, they tended to emphasise other forms of language and cultural training for multicultural students and their parents. This response may derive from their lack of experience with professional interpreting services, and a lack of awareness of the limited resources available for quality service provision or the influence of assimilation policies. The findings also indicate that teachers do not consider the interpreting and translation skills of language service providers as highly as cross-cultural mediation skills, understanding of the education system or interest in individual students’ needs. The results call for further research into what would constitute best practice in educational interpreting to effectively mediate cultural differences between schools and multicultural families, and address the needs and concerns of teachers, students and parents from multicultural backgrounds.
Cloud Pricing: The Spot Market Strikes Back
Authors: Dierks Ludwig , Seuken Sven
Published: February 2021

Cloud computing providers must constantly hold many idle compute instances available (e.g., for maintenance or for users with long-term contracts). A natural idea, which should intuitively increase the provider’s profit, is to sell these idle instances on a secondary market, for example, via a preemptible spot market. However, this ignores possible “market cannibalization” effects that may occur in equilibrium as well as the additional costs the provider experiences due to preemptions. To study the viability of offering a spot market, we model the provider’s profit optimization problem by combining queuing theory and game theory to analyze the equilibria of the resulting queuing system. Our main result is an easy-to-check condition under which a provider can simultaneously achieve a profit increase and create a Pareto improvement for the users by offering a spot market (using idle resources) alongside a fixed-price market. Finally, we illustrate our results numerically to demonstrate the effects that the provider’s costs and her strategy have on her profit.

This paper was accepted by Gabriel Weintraub, revenue management and market analytics.
Optimizing the clinker production by using an automation model in raw material feed
Authors: Sutawijaya Ahmad Hidayat , Kayi Abdul
Published: February 2021

The clinker production process involves much equipment and material flow; thus, an operating system is needed to regulate and manage the production process. XYZ company uses an operating system for clinker production called Cement Management Quality (CMQ). The CMQ operation on clinker production is considered semi-automatic because it requires many interventions from the operator. Furthermore, the program is limited under specific condition. As a result, the quality of the clinker is decreased, and the energy consumption is increased. The failure of clinker production is related to the CMQ system, and it is vital to solving the problem appropriately. Since the CMQ system is connected with many aspects, it is essential to find the root cause. Root Cause Analysis (RCA) method is suitable to find the root of the problem for a complex system. After researching using RCA, the main problems on the CMQ system is the data not appropriately integrated, and the process algorithm is insufficient. The new integration of data transfer and new algorithms are developed as an attempt to solve the issues. The new data integration model and algorithm are applied through the simulation method as a test case before taking complete corrective action on the CMQ system. The new model's application shows the standard deviation of the process is decreased under the specified threshold. The method provides good results for improving the quality of the clinker production process. It can be used as an essential reference for applying the automation model in the clinker production process.
da proteção à instrução: mobilizações prático-discursivas em torno da infância nos debates sobre gênero e sexualidade na educação
Authors: Mattos Amana Rocha , Cavalheiro Rafael
Published: February 2021

This article discusses how some childhood senses have been triggered in the confrontations about the legitimacy of gender and sexuality themes in education, considering the contemporary scenario in the country. For this, we aim to analyze two practical-discursive pitfalls that have been consolidated. The first, forged by the actors of the anti-gender offensive, consists of the narrative construction of vulnerable children, to be protected, and triggers moral panic against discussions about gender and sexuality in schools. The second, more subtle trap, concerns the place of the passivity of students in the school context, which are the subject of instruction by teachers - including when gender and sexuality issues are addressed in the classroom. The image of a child-prisoner of the “gender ideologues”, passive and in danger, populates the statements analyzed in the first session, and allows us to discuss the political uses mitigated by the hyperinflation of this idea of child vulnerability. However, even in educational practices that focus on working with issues of gender and sexuality in school contexts, we observe that minority can be thought of in conservative perspectives and without agency, as discussed in the second session. To tension these logics, we point out the dimension of playfulness and play as conceptual and methodological tools that can contribute to a non-pedagogical approach to sexuality and gender in the field of education.
Developing a nursing protocol for the remote verification of an expected death
Authors: Ohashi Yuki , Ozaki Akiko , Kawamura Sawako , Nishida Yukinori , Hirabayashi Katsumasa
Published: February 2021

Background:

Homecare nurses play an important role in end-of-life care. A protocol is needed for the remote verification of expected deaths using information and communication technologies (ICT), that is consistent with Japanese guidelines.

Aim:

To clarify the processes that nurses use to verify deaths and to develop a tentative nursing protocol for verifying expected deaths, using home-based ICT.

Methods:

Using literature and semi-structured interviews, a tentative nursing protocol was developed for verifying expected deaths using home-based ICT.

Findings:

To protect the dignity of patients and their families, it is important that their understanding and consent is provided for the remote verification of expected deaths. Furthermore, the up-to-date legal and ethical responsibilities of nurses should be discussed regarding the verification of a patient's death to provide the best care for the patients and families when implementing the Death Certification Using Information and Communication Technology (DCUICT).

Conclusion:

This suggested protocol offers a framework for a new delivery of nursing care. It provides guidance for homecare nurses organising the care processes and nursing roles of DCUICT. Further revisions to this protocol must incorporate the specific requirement for the verification of nurses.
How public leaders can promote public value through co-creation
Authors: Sørensen Eva , Bryson John , Crosby Barbara
Published: February 2021

Governance researchers are increasingly interested in how co-creation can contribute to promoting public value in contemporary liberal democracies. While many have already argued for the potential benefits of employing co-creation in government strategies aiming to enhance public value, few have considered the implications of such a strategy for public leadership. Drawing on recent strands of theory on leadership and management, we specify how public leaders can use co-creation as a tool to achieve policy goals, and we illustrate this specification by showing how politicians and public and non-profit managers perform the public leadership of co-created public value in Gentofte, Denmark and Minneapolis‒St Paul, USA. The main proposition is that this kind of public leadership does not only involve a strategic effort to engage, inspire and mobilise actors with relevant governance assets – including legitimacy, authority and capabilities – but also to align their understandings of what is valuable for the public.
The management and leadership of support workers
Authors: Dent Mike
Published: February 2021

This chapter examines from a neo-Weberian perspective the management and leadership of health and social care support workers in the United Kingdom and the wider European context. It sets out the evolution of the management and organisation of health support work consequent on the introduction of New Public Management, illustrating this with reference to the mainstream case of redefining of the professional jurisdiction of the nursing profession that occurred in the latter decades of the twentieth century. Concerns over the organisation and management of support workers under the New Public Management more recently led to a greater emphasis on professional regulation and leadership within a management discourse, under the auspices of the New Public Governance. This has resulted in a consideration of the support workers becoming more professionalised, or semi-professionalised, as a means of ensuring effective management by recruiting support workers with the appropriate values in a process of ‘responsibilisation’.
Support workers in social care: Between social work professionals and service users
Authors: Liljegren Andreas , Dunér Anna , Olin Elisabeth
Published: February 2021

In this chapter the authors adopt a neo-Weberian approach in exploring the current debate about the role of support workers in social care, specifically whether it should be a service run by staff or by the users. The aim of the chapter is to describe and analyse the role of support workers for disabled people in two settings, support workers in residential social care and personal assistants in domiciliary care, both operating within Swedish social work. These two settings have chosen radically different ways to organise the social care in terms of power relations. On the one hand, residential care workers chose a traditional path with staff claiming to be experts in helping and thereby subordinating service users. On the other, the personal assistants took a more unorthodox direction by being themselves subordinated by the service users. Both of these groups might be seen as a new precariat in social care because of their working conditions. As in other societies, this raises the question of how this situation may be addressed at the national political level.
Tunable delay line based on high-performance three-dimensional switches
using graphene heaters
Authors: Song Qianqian , Hu Zhefeng , Chen Kaixin
Published: February 2021

We propose a novel, to the best of our knowledge, tunable delay line based on
high-performance three-dimensional (3-D) switches driven by graphene
heaters. The 3-D switches, which are constructed with a vertical
directional coupler (VDC), provide continuous tuning functionality of
the proposed delay line by tuning the coupling ratio of the VDC. The
use of the graphene electrode by placing it in direct contact with the
upper waveguide core, combined with the air slots formed on both sides
of the waveguides, causes the switch to have a quite low power
consumption of 3.6 mW. Our designed device, which has a footprint of

20

m
m

×

6.8

m
m

, is capable of providing a continuous
tunable delay from 0 to 150 ps with minimum operating bandwidth of

>

3.34

G
H
z

, from 0 to 100 ps with minimum
operating bandwidth of

>

5

G
H
z

, and from 0 to 50 ps with minimum
operating bandwidth of

>

10

G
H
z

. The cross talk for
different delay cases is less than

−

21.6

d
B

over the whole C-band and less than

−

45.2

d
B

at 1550 nm.
Frequency noise reduction of delay-coupled quantum cascade lasers
Authors: Zhou Xiang-Yu , Wang Xing-Guang , Zhao Bin-Bin , Liao Qi-Feng , Wang Cheng
Published: February 2021

This work theoretically investigates the frequency noise and spectral linewidth characteristics of mutually delay-coupled quantum cascade lasers, which are operated in the stable locking regime. We demonstrate that the mutual injection significantly reduces the frequency noise at proper coupling phases. However, the relative intensity noise is insensitive to the mutual injection. Influences of the pump current, the linewidth broadening factor, the coupling phase, and the delay time on the frequency noise are discussed as well. In addition, it is found that the appearance of multiple compound laser modes can deteriorate the frequency noise performance of the lasers.
Distributed geometric quantum computation based on the optimized-control-technique in a cavity-atom system via exchanging virtual photons
Authors: Yun Mengru , Guo Fu-Qiang , Li Meng , Yan L.-L. , Feng M. , Li Y.-X. , Su S.-L.
Published: February 2021

We propose a scheme for quantum geometric computation on a fiber-cavity-fiber system, in which two atoms are located in two single-mode cavities, respectively, connected with each other by optical fiber. This scheme not only has the feature of virtual excitation of photons in the cavity quantum electrodynamics (CQED) that can reduce the effect of decay effectively but also has the advantage of geometric phase to withstand noises due to its built-in noise-resilience feature and robust merit. Specifically, our proposal combined with optimized-control-technology (OCT) can reduce gate operation error by adjusting the time-dependent amplitude and phase of the resonant field which further enhances the robustness of the quantum operation. The robustness against decoherence is demonstrated numerically and the scheme may be applied in the remote quantum information processing tasks and quantum computation.
Using a multiple-delivery-mode training approach to develop local capacity and infrastructure for advanced bioinformatics in Africa
Authors: Ras Verena , Botha Gerrit , Aron Shaun , Lennard Katie , Allali Imane , Claassen-Weitz Shantelle , Mwaikono Kilaza Samson , Kennedy Dane , Holmes Jessica R. , Rendon Gloria , Panji Sumir , Fields Christopher J , Mulder Nicola
Published: February 2021

With more microbiome studies being conducted by African-based research groups, there is an increasing demand for knowledge and skills in the design and analysis of microbiome studies and data. However, high-quality bioinformatics courses are often impeded by differences in computational environments, complicated software stacks, numerous dependencies, and versions of bioinformatics tools along with a lack of local computational infrastructure and expertise. To address this, H3ABioNet developed a 16S rRNA Microbiome Intermediate Bioinformatics Training course, extending its remote classroom model. The course was developed alongside experienced microbiome researchers, bioinformaticians, and systems administrators, who identified key topics to address. Development of containerised workflows has previously been undertaken by H3ABioNet, and Singularity containers were used here to enable the deployment of a standard replicable software stack across different hosting sites. The pilot ran successfully in 2019 across 23 sites registered in 11 African countries, with more than 200 participants formally enrolled and 106 volunteer staff for onsite support. The pulling, running, and testing of the containers, software, and analyses on various clusters were performed prior to the start of the course by hosting classrooms. The containers allowed the replication of analyses and results across all participating classrooms running a cluster and remained available posttraining ensuring analyses could be repeated on real data. Participants thus received the opportunity to analyse their own data, while local staff were trained and supported by experienced experts, increasing local capacity for ongoing research support. This provides a model for delivering topic-specific bioinformatics courses across Africa and other remote/low-resourced regions which overcomes barriers such as inadequate infrastructures, geographical distance, and access to expertise and educational materials.
Modelling suggests limited change in the reproduction number from reopening Norwegian kindergartens and schools during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Rypdal Martin , Rypdal Veronika , Jakobsen Per Kristen , Ytterstad Elinor , Løvsletten Ola , Klingenberg Claus , Rypdal Kristoffer
Published: February 2021

Background

To suppress the COVID-19 outbreak, the Norwegian government closed all schools on March 13, 2020. The kindergartens reopened on April 20, and the schools on April 27 and May 11 of 2020. The effect of these measures is largely unknown since the role of children in the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is still unclear. There are only a few studies of school closures as a separate intervention to other social distancing measures, and little research exists on the effect of school opening during a pandemic.

Objective

This study aimed to model the effect of opening kindergartens and the schools in Norway in terms of a change in the reproduction number (R). A secondary objective was to assess if we can use the estimated R after school openings to infer the rates of transmission between children in schools.

Methods

We used an individual-based model (IBM) to assess the reopening of kindergartens and schools in two Norwegian cities, Oslo, the Norwegian capital, with a population of approximately 680 000, and Tromsø, which is the largest city in Northern Norway, with a population of approximately 75 000. The model uses demographic information and detailed data about the schools in both cities. We carried out an ensemble study to obtain robust results in spite of the considerable uncertainty that remains about the transmission of SARS-CoV-2.

Results

We found that reopening of Norwegian kindergartens and schools are associated with a change in R of 0.10 (95%CI 0.04–0.16) and 0.14 (95%CI 0.01–0.25) in the two cities under investigation if the in-school transmission rates for the SARS-CoV-2 virus are equal to what has previously been estimated for influenza pandemics.

Conclusion

We found only a limited effect of reopening schools on the reproduction number, and we expect the same to hold true in other countries where nonpharmaceutical interventions have suppressed the pandemic. Consequently, current R-estimates are insufficiently accurate for determining the transmission rates in schools. For countries that have closed schools, planned interventions, such as the opening of selected schools, can be useful to infer general knowledge about children-to-children transmission of SARS-CoV-2.
Visualizing changes to US federal environmental agency websites, 2016–2020
Authors: Nost Eric , Gehrke Gretchen , Poudrier Grace , Lemelin Aaron , Beck Marcy , Wylie Sara ,   on behalf of the Environmental Data & Governance Initiative
Published: February 2021

Websites have become the primary means by which the US federal government communicates about its operations and presents information for public consumption. However, the alteration or removal of critical information from these sites is often entirely legal and done without the public’s awareness. Relative to paper records, websites enable governments to shape public understanding in quick, scalable, and permissible ways. During the Trump administration, website changes indicative of climate denial prompted civil society organizations to develop tools for tracking online government information sources. We in the Environmental Data & Governance Initiative (EDGI) illustrate how five data visualization techniques can be used to document and analyze changes to government websites. We examine a large sample of websites of US federal environmental agencies and show that between 2016 and 2020: 1) the use of the term “climate change” decreased by an estimated 38%; 2) access to as much as 20% of the Environmental Protection Agency’s website was removed; 3) changes were made more to Cabinet agencies’ websites and to highly visible pages. In formulating ways to visualize and assess the alteration of websites, our study lays important groundwork for both systematically tracking changes and holding officials more accountable for their web practices. Our techniques enable researchers and watchdog groups alike to operate at the scale necessary to understand the breadth of impact an administration can have on the online face of government.