bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Streamer characteristics of dielectric natural ester-based liquids under long gap distances
Authors: Huang Zhengyong , Chen Xiuping , Li Jian , Wang Feipeng , Zhang Ruiqi , Mehmood Muhammad Ali , Liang Suning , Jiang Tianyan
Published: October 2018

Natural esters, as the renewable resources, offer excellent physiochemical and dielectric properties such as the fire-resistance, high biodegradability and satisfactory dielectric breakdown performance. Thus, natural esters are selected as the insulation and heat dissipation medium for electrical equipment. However, the electrical performance of natural esters with different structures under the long gap and higher electrical stress needs further evaluations. In this paper, streamer propagation of various natural esters under the long gap and higher electrical stress were observed optically. The influence of voltage polarity, liquid types and gap distances on streamer characteristics of natural esters were analyzed. Results show that the maximum propagation velocity of streamer in natural esters is greater than that in the hydrocarbon liquids. Breakdown voltage of natural esters under negative polarity is much higher than that under positive polarity for the same gap distance. Among all the natural esters concerned, the camellia liquid demonstrates slower streamer velocity and slight greater lightning breakdown voltages for the positive and negative polarity. The lower content of unsaturation triacylglycerol molecules in camellia liquid contributes to the inhibition of ionization and streamers propagation. Results would be valuable reference for the design, manufacture and operation of the electrical equipment filled with natural ester.
Layered graphene/GaS van der Waals heterostructure: Controlling the electronic properties and Schottky barrier by vertical strain
Authors: Pham Khang D. , Hieu Nguyen N. , Phuc Huynh V. , Fedorov I. A. , Duque C. A. , Amin B. , Nguyen Chuong V.
Published: October 2018

In this work, we construct an ultrathin graphene/GaS heterostructure and investigate its electronic properties as well as the effect of vertical strain using density functional theory. The calculated results of the equilibrium interlayer spacing (3.356 Å) and the binding energy show that the intrinsic properties of isolated graphene and GaS monolayers can be preserved and the weak van der Waals interactions are dominated in the heterostructures. The van der Waals heterostructure (vdWH) forms an n-type Schottky contact with a small Schottky barrier height of 0.51 eV. This small Schottky barrier height can also be tuned by applying vertical strain. Furthermore, we find that the n-type Schottky contact of the vdWH can be changed to p-type when the interlayer spacing is decreased and exceeded to 2.60 Å. These findings show the great potential application of the graphene/GaS vdWH for designing next generation devices.
Enhanced in-plane ferroelectricity in BaTiO3 thin films fabricated by aqueous chemical solution deposition
Authors: Raeder T. M. , Bakken K. , Glaum J. , Einarsrud M. A. , Grande T.
Published: October 2018

Ferroelectric BaTiO3 is widely used in capacitors, but the low Curie temperature limits a further use of BaTiO3. In this work we present an aqueous chemical solution deposition (CSD) route for BaTiO3 thin films, demonstrating that organic solvents are not required for CSD. Textured BaTiO3 thin films were deposited on SrTiO3 substrates. The in-plane dielectric properties were investigated using interdigitated electrodes and ferroelectric switching was observed up to 160±5 °C. The increased Curie temperature is proposed to result from thermal strain due to a mismatch in thermal expansion coefficient between the film and the substrate, and is in good agreement with the theory of strain engineering in BaTiO3. Finally, the decomposition and crystallization of BaTiO3 during thermal treatment were determined by the combination of thermal analysis, IR spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction of powder prepared from the solution.
Preface: Special Topic on Chemical Physics of Charged Macromolecules
Authors: Tirrell Matthew V. , Granick Steve , Muthukumar Murugappan
Published: October 2018

This special topic highlights recent advances in experiments, theory, and coarse-grained modeling on charged macromolecular systems involving synthetic and biological polymers and membranes. The behaviors of the charged systems are very complex and are qualitatively different from those of uncharged polymers. The results presented in this special topic provide deep insights into the fundamentals of how the coupling between the long-ranged electrostatic and topological correlations of charged macromolecules controls their conformations, assembly, dynamics, and transport. There are many insights into the creation and design of new materials based on ionic interactions.
The structure and classification of complex borates
Authors: Topnikova Anastasiya P. , Belokoneva Elena L.
Published: October 2018

The review is devoted to systematic analysis of polyborate structures based on the recognition of fundamental building blocks. A wide range of inorganic polyborates are analyzed. The approach makes it possible to identify the place of new compounds among previously investigated ones, to compare their structures and to reveal structural features in order to substantiate the properties of novel materials and to optimize their search.

The bibliography includes 87 references.
Cyclization of ortho-ethynylbiaryls as an emerging versatile tool for the construction of polycyclic arenes
Authors: Pankova Alena S. , Shestakov Aleksandr N. , Kuznetsov Mikhail A.
Published: October 2018

Cyclization and cycloisomerization of ortho-aryl(ethynyl)arenes provide an easy direct access to fused polycyclic aromatic carbo- and heterocycles. This methodology has demonstrated an impressive progress in the recent years. The goal of this review is to give a comprehensive outlook on the synthetic potential, scope, limitations, and mechanistic aspects of the cyclization reactions. The material is arranged according to the activation method that can be used to induce cyclization: pyrolysis, metal catalysis, electrophilic activation, radical induction, base catalysis. Particular attention is paid to the specificity of ortho-ethynylbiaryls with a heterocyclic central core.

The bibliography includes 257 references.
Impact of dietary supplementation with a synbiotic, organic acids or their combination on growth performance, carcass traits, economic efficiency, jejunum histomorphometry and some blood indices of broiler chickens
Authors: Salah Ayman S. , El-Tarabany Mahmoud S. , Ali Mohamed A.
Published: October 2018

The objective was to explore the possible impacts of dietary supplementation with a synbiotic, organic acids or their combination on the growing efficiency, carcass traits and some blood constituents in broilers. In total, 160 1-day-old male broilers (Ross 308) were randomly assigned into four equal groups (40 birds with 8 replicates). The control group received the basal diet with no supplements, while diets of the treated groups were supplemented with organic acids (OA; 1 g/kg), a synbiotic (S; 1 g/kg) and an equal mix of OA and the synbiotic (OS; 2 g/kg). The dietary supplementation with OA decreased the feed intake (P = 0.011) and bodyweight gain (P = 0.011) when compared with other experimental groups. However, the dietary supplementation with the synbiotic plus OA resulted in a considerable improvement in the overall feed conversion rate when compared with the control and OA-supplemented groups (P = 0.001). Groups fed the diets supplemented with the synbiotic or the synbiotic plus OA showed significantly higher net profits and the profit to cost ratio than did the CON and OA-supplemented groups (P = 0.010 and 0.005 respectively). Birds in the S and OS groups had a significantly higher jejunum villus height (P = 0.001), and carcass (P = 0.012) and breast meat (P = 0.001) yields than did those in the control and OA groups. However, the synbiotic-supplemented group produced significantly lower abdominal fat percentage (P = 0.021). The dietary supplementation with the synbiotic or the synbiotic plus OA decreased the lymphocyte counts (P = 0.003) and the serum reduced glutathione concentration (P = 0.001), but significantly decreased the heterophil to lymphocyte ratio (P = 0.001), and the serum cholesterol (P = 0.014) and oxidised glutathione (P = 0.002) concentrations compared with the control and OA-supplemented groups. The present findings showed that dietary supplementation with a synbiotic or a synbiotic plus OA can improve the growth performance, carcass traits, serum antioxidant activity and blood-related indices in broilers.
Characterisation of range restriction amongst the rare flora of Banded Ironstone Formation ranges in semiarid south-western Australia
Authors: Robinson T. P. , Di Virgilio G. , Temple-Smith D. , Hesford J. , Wardell-Johnson G. W.
Published: October 2018

Banded Ironstone Formation (BIF) ranges feature numerous rare and endemic plant species. We tested whether non-occurrence in neighbouring ranges is due to habitat dissimilarity across five groups of proximal ranges for three sets of species (18 taxa). Set 1 comprised 15 BIF-specialist species centred on the Helena and Aurora Range (HAR); Set 2, of one BIF species endemic to Mt Jackson and Set 3, of two non-BIF species. All species were used as input into ecological niche models to determine the importance and behaviour of five environmental variables derived from 2m resolution LiDAR imagery over 1605km2, extrapolate habitat suitability and compare niche similarity. We hypothesised that if BIF species are not range-restricted, suitable habitat will be found on all five groups and variable importance and behaviour will be similar for Sets 1 and 2 but not for Set 3. Topographical control on surface hydrology is the most important predictive variable for most BIF species, with ruggedness and shade also important to species in Sets 1–2 but not Set 3, which either preferred flat plains or had no preference (habitat generalist). We conclude that habitat suitability is not range restrictive. Such endemism is more likely a result of stochasticity and limited seed dispersal.
Diet of the endangered spirlin (Alburnoides bipunctatus) at the centre of its distribution in Europe
Authors: Marszał L. , Grzybkowska M. , Błońska D. , Leszczyńska J. , Przybylski M.
Published: October 2018

The feeding habits of spirlin Alburnoides bipunctatus were investigated in a tributary of the River Vistula (Poland). To evaluate size-related patterns of resource use, fish were assigned to three size classes, defined according to size at first maturation: small (29–70-mm total length, TL), medium (71–90mm TL) and large (91–104mm TL). There was a significant ontogenetic shift in the feeding pattern among size classes, marked by differences in the proportion of the main taxonomic groups of prey consumed: small spirlin primarily consumed chironomid larvae, whereas medium and large spirlin showed a preference for Coleoptera, Ephemeroptera and imagines of unidentified insects. The proportion of prey taken from the water column was significantly lower for small- than medium- and large-sized spirlin. This difference was attributed to the benthic habits of small spirlin compared with medium and large spirlin. The shift to open water feeding in spirlin corresponded with sexual maturation, with habitat segregation between the smallest size class (comprising juveniles) and larger size classes (mature individuals). Size-specific changes in the diet composition of this species have not previously been documented.
Realising the school science curriculum
Authors: Levinson Ralph
Published: October 2018

This article identifies historical, pedagogical and epistemological problems which distance the school science curriculum from social questions, and issues of social justice more specifically. Drawing on a critical realist approach it addresses these problems and aims to demonstrate that social justice lies at the heart of inquiry in science in schools.
Indian South Africans: (be)-longing and the post-apartheid search for roots and the imagined family
Authors: Desai Ashwin
Published: October 2018

The Indian Relief Act of 1914 severely curtailed the right of Indians to settle in South Africa. As the twentieth century unfolded and the South African government passed a succession of discriminatory laws against Indians, Indian nationalists sought the isolation of the white minority regime. This increased the ‘distance’ between Indian South Africans and India. The ending of apartheid and the normalization of relations between India and South Africa opened the doors to travel and reconnections with the ‘motherland’. In this context of changing relations, this article explores the renewed links between Indian South Africans and the ‘motherland’, some because of the increasing popularity of ‘roots tourism’ in which they seek to visit their forbears’ village of origin and meet with relatives after more than a century of separation, others because they are interested in applying for the Overseas Citizen of India card, and yet others because of their renewed pride in ‘shining India’. The article concludes with a reflection on the utility of the idea of diaspora in the light of the experience of Indian South Africans’ search for roots.
Diasporas and conflicts – understanding the nexus
Authors: Féron Élise , Lefort Bruno
Published: October 2018

A lot of literature has been published during the past two decades highlighting the role played by some diasporas in the conflicts raging in their home countries, and on the links between diasporas and ‘international terrorism’. Diasporas, especially those originating from conflict areas, are often depicted in policy circles as potential security threats, raising indiscriminate suspicion towards diasporas in general. Contemporary literature similarly treats the links between diasporas and conflicts in a rather simplistic way. Little time is for instance dedicated to understanding how diasporas might emerge and coalesce around conflicts long after the migration has occurred. The article, based on a critical examination of how diasporas originating from conflict areas have been described and defined in the academic literature, proposes an alternative understanding of the nexus between diasporas and conflicts. It notably highlights the limitations and pitfalls of an approach based on single-issue labels, which entails the essentialization of concerned groups, and which perpetuates methodological nationalism. The article instead proposes to understand the mechanisms by which diasporas become involved in conflicts by looking at a series of configurations, which can happen at specific temporalities (critical junctures, crises, etc.), in specific spaces, by specific actors, and through specific discursive articulations (how identities are assigned, which discourses on diaspora are produced, etc.). At the practical level, this entails the study, for instance, of contentious spaces where diasporas are created, or which diasporas create, but also of contentious events or time junctures at which the articulation between conflicts and diaspora groups is effected.
Effect of welding time on fatigue properties of friction stir spot welds of Al to carbon fibre-reinforced plastic
Authors: Ogawa Yuki , Akebono Hiroyuki , Tanaka Kojiro , Sugeta Atsushi
Published: October 2018

One way of addressing environmental problems is to increase the use of light-weight materials in automobiles, such as the multi-material structure, which improves fuel economy and reduces pollution. However, it is necessary to develop a welding technique to join carbon fibre-reinforced plastic to metals to achieve a multi-material structure. So, this paper aims to shorten the welding time and to clarify the fatigue fracture mechanism of shear type friction stir spot welding joint between aluminium alloy and CFRP experimentally and analytically. As a result, the static and fatigue strength of the joint improved as the welding time increased due to the increase of total joint area to increased resin melting.
Improvement of joint strength in dissimilar friction welding of Ti-6Al-4V alloy to type-718 nickel-based alloy using the Au–Ni interlayer
Authors: Ogura Tomo , Miyoshi Keisuke , Matsumura Takahiro , Imai Tomoya , Saida Kazuyoshi
Published: October 2018

An Au–Ni interlayer was used to improve the joint strength between the Ti-6Al-4V alloy friction welded to the 718 Ni-based alloy. The interlayer was melted and ejected at the interface of the joint during friction welding, showing that frictional heat played a role in brazing of the interlayer. The melted interlayer suppressed the formation of intermetallic compounds between titanium and nickel at the interface. The tensile strength of the joint significantly increased from 460 MPa for direct friction-welded joints, to 698 MPa when the interlayer was added. The mechanism underlying the strength improvement of the friction-welded joint was the unique phenomenon of a combination of brazing of the interlayer and diffusion of solutes in the base metal to the interlayer.
Training load and schedule are important determinants of sleep behaviours in youth‐soccer players
Authors: Whitworth‐Turner Craig M. , Di Michele Rocco , Muir Ian , Gregson Warren , Drust Barry
Published: October 2018

The current study examined how sleep may be influenced by the scheduling of training and match load within 10 youth‐soccer players. Sleep was measured over a 14‐day in‐season period using a commercially available wireless sleep monitor. Each collected sleep variable; lights out, sleep latency, total sleep time wake after sleep onset and final awakening, was compared for the specific day within the training schedule (e.g. match day [MD], day after match [MD + 1]) and to training/match load (high‐speed distance (>5.5 m/s) [HSD] and rating of perceived exertion. The data were analysed using mixed models and effect sizes, to describe the magnitude of effects that training schedule and training load may have on sleep. A reduction of sleep duration was observed on the day after the match (MD + 1) in relation to the training days preceding the match (MD‐2: −65 min, ES: 0.89 ± 0.79; MD‐1 −61 min, ES: 0.82 ± 0.64) and reduction on match day (+45 min; ES: 1.91 ± 1.69). This may suggest youth‐soccer players actively change their sleep scheduling behaviours in relation to the imposed soccer schedule. Increased high‐speed running (for every 100 m) showed a small increase to total sleep time (+9 min; ES: 0.48 ± 0.31). This may suggest that increases in training load may be associated with small increases in sleep quantity. Such observations may highlight that the type of day and the associated load within the training microcycle may have important consequences for sleep within youth‐soccer players.
Modulating apical–basal polarity by building and deconstructing a Yurt
Authors: Perez-Vale Kia Z. , Peifer Mark
Published: October 2018

Cell polarity is regulated by protein networks in the apical and basolateral domains that repress one another by mutually antagonistic interactions. Gamblin et al. (2018. J. Cell Biol. https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.201803099) reveal that apical Crumbs is antagonized by oligomerization of basolateral Yurt, while Yurt oligomerization is in turn negatively regulated by the apical kinase aPKC.
Representations associated to small nilpotent orbits for complex Spin groups
Authors: Barbasch Dan , Tsai Wan-Yu
Published: October 2018

This paper provides a comparison between the

K
K

-structure of unipotent representations and regular sections of bundles on nilpotent orbits for complex groups of type

D
D

. Precisely, let

G
0

=
Spin
⁡
(
2
n
,

C

)

G_0 =\operatorname {Spin}(2n,\mathbb {C})

be the Spin complex group as a real group, and let

K
≅

G
0

K\cong G_0

be the complexification of the maximal compact subgroup of

G
0

G_0

. We compute

K
K

-spectra of the regular functions on some small nilpotent orbits

O

\mathcal {O}

transforming according to characters

ψ
\psi

of

C

K

(

O

)

C_{ K}(\mathcal {O})

trivial on the connected component of the identity

C

K

(

O

)
0

C_{ K}(\mathcal {O})^0

. We then match them with the

K

{K}

-types of the genuine (i.e., representations which do not factor to

SO
⁡
(
2
n
,

C

)

\operatorname {SO}(2n,\mathbb {C})

) unipotent representations attached to

O

\mathcal {O}

.
Sobolev-type inequalities and eigenvalue growth on graphs with finite measure
Authors: Hua Bobo , Keller Matthias , Schwarz Michael , Wirth Melchior
Published: October 2018

In this note we study the eigenvalue growth of infinite graphs with discrete spectrum. We assume that the corresponding Dirichlet forms satisfy certain Sobolev-type inequalities and that the total measure is finite. In this sense, the associated operators on these graphs display similarities to elliptic operators on bounded domains in the continuum. Specifically, we prove lower bounds on the eigenvalue growth and show by examples that corresponding upper bounds cannot be established.
Remarks on the higher dimensional Suita conjecture
Authors: Balakumar G. P. , Borah Diganta , Mahajan Prachi , Verma Kaushal
Published: October 2018

To study the analog of Suita’s conjecture for domains

D
⊂

C

n

D \subset \mathbb {C}^n

,

n
≥
2

n \geq 2

, Błocki introduced the invariant
<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" alttext="upper F Subscript upper D Superscript k Baseline left-parenthesis z right-parenthesis equals upper K Subscript upper D Baseline left-parenthesis z right-parenthesis lamda left-parenthesis upper I Subscript upper D Superscript k Baseline left-parenthesis z right-parenthesis right-parenthesis">

F
D
k

(
z
)
=

K
D

(
z
)
λ

(

I
D
k

(
z
)

)

F^k_D(z)=K_D(z)\lambda \big (I^k_D(z)\big )

, where

K
D

(
z
)

K_D(z)

is the Bergman kernel of

D
D

along the diagonal and

λ

(

I
D
k

(
z
)

)

\lambda \big (I^k_D(z)\big )

is the Lebesgue measure of the Kobayashi indicatrix at the point

z
z

. In this note, we study the behaviour of

F
D
k

(
z
)

F^k_D(z)

(and other similar invariants using different metrics) on strongly pseudconvex domains and also compute its limiting behaviour explicitly at certain points of decoupled egg domains in

C

2

\mathbb {C}^2

.
Cohen–Macaulayness and canonical module of residual intersections
Authors: Chardin Marc , Naéliton José , Tran Quang Hoa
Published: October 2018

We show the Cohen–Macaulayness and describe the canonical module of residual intersections

J
=

a

:
R

I

J={\mathfrak {a}}\colon _R I

in a Cohen–Macaulay local ring

R
R

, under sliding depth type hypotheses. For this purpose, we construct and study, using a recent article of Hassanzadeh and the second author, a family of complexes that contains important information on a residual intersection and its canonical module. We also determine several invariants of residual intersections as the graded canonical module, the Hilbert series, the Castelnuovo–Mumford regularity and the type. Finally, whenever

I
I

is strongly Cohen–Macaulay, we show duality results for residual intersections that are closely connected to results by Eisenbud and Ulrich. It establishes some tight relations between the Hilbert series of some symmetric powers of

I

/

a

I/{\mathfrak {a}}

. We also provide closed formulas for the types and for the Bass numbers of some symmetric powers of

I

/

a

.

I/{\mathfrak {a}}.
1. Glacier ice: discovery and understanding
Authors: Evans David J. A.
Published: October 2018

‘Glacier ice: discovery and understanding’ considers how and why glaciers are formed and the history of the study of glaciers, which has enhanced our knowledge. Glacier ice will form wherever the combined effects of precipitation (specifically snow), low temperatures, and topography create the optimum conditions. These optimum conditions are met in regions of high altitude and high latitude, but can be met at high altitudes in equatorial regions and lower altitudes towards the poles. Other conditions must also be satisfied: aspect, relief, and the distance from the nearest moisture source. The balance and equilibrium of glaciers is also explained along with their key features and how they act as archives of climate change.
6. Deposited by ice
Authors: Evans David J. A.
Published: October 2018

There are two types of primary glacial sediment created by glacier beds acting as shearing zones within which a subglacial deforming layer is developed: till and glacitectonite. ‘Deposited by ice’ explains how these deposits represent a continuum of materials, the products of the various stages of sediment mixing creating diamicton. Where a glacier acts to deform and gradually mix its substrate it will create a melange or glacitectonite. At the highly deformed end of the spectrum, the material is close to being fully homogenized into a diamicton and at this point it becomes a subglacial till. Erratics—boulders carried by glacier ice, often over long distances—are also described.
6. Trading and spending
Authors: Berry Christopher J.
Published: October 2018

In Book IV of the Wealth of Nations, Smith identifies two faulty alternatives to his own explanation of the wealth of nations: the French Physiocrats, who argued that land is the sole source of wealth and revenue, and the mercantile system that aimed to achieve a favourable balance of trade by encouraging a surplus of exports over imports. ‘Trading and spending’ outlines the core of Smith’s system: free trade underlined by the principle of natural liberty. Smith believed that government in a commercial society has three duties: protection from external foes, maintenance of public works, and an ‘exact administration of justice’. How public expenses can be met through taxation and through borrowing is also explained.
4. The emperor, 1804–1812
Authors: Bell David A.
Published: October 2018

‘The emperor, 1804–1812’ describes the imperial expansion after Napoleon became Emperor. It explains how the new political and military forces unleashed by the French Revolution, which had made possible Napoleon’s astonishing conquests and reforms, did not allow him to consolidate and preserve them. Instead, a different geopolitical dynamic took shape. On the level of grand strategy, Napoleon felt increasingly forced into incessant war and annexation, above all because of his inability to overcome his greatest and most supremely frustrating enemy, Great Britain. The brutal Napoleonic wars are described, including the battles at Trafalgar and Austerlitz, defeat of Prussia, and the shortcomings of the French navy. Napoleon was finding it difficult to control events.
Centrality-friendship paradoxes: when our friends are more important than us
Authors: Higham Desmond J
Published: October 2018

The friendship paradox states that, on average, our friends have more friends than we do. In network terms, the average degree over the nodes can never exceed the average degree over the neighbours of nodes. This effect, which is a classic example of sampling bias, has attracted much attention in the social science and network science literature, with variations and extensions of the paradox being defined, tested and interpreted. Here, we show that a version of the paradox holds rigorously for eigenvector centrality: on average, our friends are more important than us. We then consider general matrix-function centrality, including Katz centrality, and give sufficient conditions for the paradox to hold. We also discuss which results can be generalized to the cases of directed and weighted edges. In this way, we add theoretical support for a field that has largely been evolving through empirical testing.
A modelling approach to evaluate the impact of fish spatial behavioural types on fisheries stock assessment
Authors: Alós Josep , Campos-Candela Andrea , Arlinghaus Robert
Published: October 2018

Spatial behavioural types (SBTs) arise from between-individual differences in behavioural traits that foster spatial behavioural patterns that are consistent over time and ecological contexts. Fish stocks are regularly assessed using catch per unit effort (CPUE) as input data that may non-linearly co-vary with the underlying abundance (N) of the exploited stock when SBT affect catchability. We hypothesized that SBT promote characteristic changes in catchability within harvesting seasons that affect catch rates and in turn catch-based fish stock assessments. To test this hypothesis, we developed a spatially explicit agent-based simulation where we measured encounters between fish and fishers and estimated the shape of the CPUE–N relationship. We ran the simulation in a prototypical fish–fisher encounter-leads-to-catch-type fishery and systematically studied outcomes in the presence or absence of SBTs. It was revealed that the existence of SBTs leads to CPUE inevitably declining faster than N (a process known as hyperdepletion) when compared with a simulation lacking SBTs. This finding was consistent in a wide range of fishing effort scenarios. The emergent hyperdepletion of catch rates was caused by fast and behavioural-selective exploitation of vulnerable SBT that encompassed the mobile component of the fish stock. The theoretical predictions received support from field data from a coastal recreational fishery. Our work suggests that the consideration of SBT when interpreting trends in CPUE data may notably improve stock assessments by providing a more reliable CPUE–N relationship.
Clinical interpretation of negative mediated interaction
Authors: Mutlu Unal , Ikram Mohammad Arfan , Ikram Mohammad Kamran
Published: October 2018

Background

Recently, using a counterfactual framework, a causal mediation analysis has been formalized to decompose the total effect of a time-fixed exposure on an outcome into four components that can be loosely defined as being components due to mediation only, interaction only, mediated interaction and neither. The interpretation of the estimated effect sizes is challenging when these components of the total effect are of the opposite sign compared with each other. Particularly, a negative mediated interaction might be intuitively difficult to conceptualize and, so far, lacks an easy-to-understand biological or mechanical interpretation.

Methods

In this paper, we focus on negative mediated interaction, and propose an interpretation using biological examples. For negative mediated interaction to be present, the effect of interaction on the outcome and the effect of the exposure on the mediator should be in opposite directions.

Results

In this article, we give examples of biological and biochemical processes that may exhibit negative mediated interaction, such as drug treatment in clinical practice, allosteric effects of enzymes, different adaptations in the cardiovascular system and its effect on brain health, and antibiotic drug–drug interactions.

Conclusions

We aim to make researchers realize that negative-effect estimates might reflect relevant biological processes in the mechanism under study.
A multilevel analysis of overweight and obesity among non-pregnant women of reproductive age in Malawi: evidence from the 2015–16 Malawi Demographic and Health Survey
Authors: Ntenda Peter Austin Morton , Kazambwe Jane Flora
Published: October 2018

Background

Overweight and obesity are well-known risk factors for non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, some cancers and musculoskeletal disorders. In Malawi, the proportion of women who are overweight/obese has doubled, from 10% in 1992 to 21% in 2015–16. Therefore we aimed to explore the individual- and community-level factors associated with overweight and obesity among non-pregnant women of child-bearing age.

Methods

Secondary analysis of the 2015–16 Malawi Demographic and Health Survey was conducted. Overweight was defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 25 to <30 kg/m2, while obesity was defined as a BMI ≥30 kg/m2. Two-level multilevel multivariable logistic regression models were constructed using a logit-link function with a binomial distribution on 7326 women living in 850 different communities.

Results

At the individual level, the adjusted multilevel regression results showed that women 15–19 y of age as well as women from the poorest households had reduced odds of being overweight/obese. However, women with white collar jobs and women who were affiliated with the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian and the Roman Catholic church had increased odds of being overweight/obese. At the community level, women from urban areas and women who resided in communities with a low percentage of media exposure had increased odds of being overweight or obese. While women from poor communities had reduced odds of being overweight and obese, the proportion change in variance showed that 56, 77 and 78% of total variations in the odds of overweight, obese and overweight/obese across the communities were explained by both individual- and community-level factors. The median odds ratio showed that the likelihood of maternal overweight, obese and overweight/obese increased by 63, 39 and 84% when the women moved from low- to high-risk neighbourhoods.

Conclusions

Older women, Christian women, women with white collar jobs and women from the richest households should be targeted during policy formulation. At the community level, media coverage should be spread evenly so that health awareness messages, consequences and means of overweight and obesity prevention are getting to the targeted women. Our study revealed evidence of clustering effects of overweight and obesity at the community level, hence neighbourhood variations with respect to maternal overweight and obesity should be taken into account when designing nutritional policies.
Guideline for [Clinical Guidelines Constitution/Amendment] in China
Authors: Jiang Zhu-ming , Zhan Si-yan , Zuo Li , Jia Xiao-wei , Fang Hai , Li Xiao-xiao , Ye Xin , Gao Run-lin
Published: October 2018

Quality problem or issue

Chinese medical institutions need clinical guidelines to improve healthcare quality. Unfamiliarity with clinical methodology and procedures leads to poor quality.

Initial assessment

This study examined 327 clinical guidelines made in China during the period of 2006–10 and found these clinical guidelines have many problems in terms of guideline making procedures-compliant process, conflicts of interest disclosure.

Choice of solution

Chinese Medical Association organized a working group in 2014 to make a national [Guideline for Clinical Guidelines Constitution/Amendment] and invited multidiscipline experts to prove its possibility.

Implementation

Experts investigated and reviewed numerous domestic and foreign published literature within the past 2 years, concluded that a clinical guideline should have following seven components: I. Objective; II. General Principle; III. Procedure and Methodology; IV. Confirmation, Publication and Dissemination; V. Update and Amendment; VI. Implementation and Outcome Validation; VII. Reference.

Evaluation

The [Guideline for Clinical Guidelines Constitution/Amendment] will improve the quality of Chinese clinical guidelines and regulate applications, as well as outcome evaluations of clinical guidelines in China.

Lessons learned

Standardized methodology and procedures are important for constituting high-quality clinical guidelines.
Synthesizing electronic health records using improved generative adversarial networks
Authors: Baowaly Mrinal Kanti , Lin Chia-Ching , Liu Chao-Lin , Chen Kuan-Ta
Published: October 2018

Objective

The aim of this study was to generate synthetic electronic health records (EHRs). The generated EHR data will be more realistic than those generated using the existing medical Generative Adversarial Network (medGAN) method.

Materials and Methods

We modified medGAN to obtain two synthetic data generation models—designated as medical Wasserstein GAN with gradient penalty (medWGAN) and medical boundary-seeking GAN (medBGAN)—and compared the results obtained using the three models. We used 2 databases: MIMIC-III and National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD), Taiwan. First, we trained the models and generated synthetic EHRs by using these three 3 models. We then analyzed and compared the models’ performance by using a few statistical methods (Kolmogorov–Smirnov test, dimension-wise probability for binary data, and dimension-wise average count for count data) and 2 machine learning tasks (association rule mining and prediction).

Results

We conducted a comprehensive analysis and found our models were adequately efficient for generating synthetic EHR data. The proposed models outperformed medGAN in all cases, and among the 3 models, boundary-seeking GAN (medBGAN) performed the best.

Discussion

To generate realistic synthetic EHR data, the proposed models will be effective in the medical industry and related research from the viewpoint of providing better services. Moreover, they will eliminate barriers including limited access to EHR data and thus accelerate research on medical informatics.

Conclusion

The proposed models can adequately learn the data distribution of real EHRs and efficiently generate realistic synthetic EHRs. The results show the superiority of our models over the existing model.
Sexual Issues over Time
Authors: Zanarini Mary C.
Published: October 2018

We studied two types of sexual issues over time. The first issue was sexual relationship difficulties, which we defined as avoiding sex for fear of becoming symptomatic, or becoming symptomatic after having sex. The second issue was sexual orientation and gender of relationship choice. At six-year follow-up, we found that sexual relationship difficulties were significantly more common among borderline patients than among Axis II comparison subjects, although the rate was declining in both study groups. At 16-year follow-up, the same pattern was found for non-recovered versus recovered borderline patients. In terms of the second issue, patients with BPD were significantly more likely than Axis II comparison subjects to report homosexual or bisexual orientation and intimate same-sex relationships. In addition, patients with BPD were significantly more likely than Axis II comparison subjects to report changing the gender of intimate partners, but not sexual orientation, at some point during the follow-up period.
Black aspergilli: A remaining challenge in fungal taxonomy?
Authors: D’hooge Elizabet , Becker Pierre , Stubbe Dirk , Normand Anne-Cécile , Piarroux Renaud , Hendrickx Marijke
Published: October 2018

Aspergillus section Nigri is a taxonomically difficult but medically and economically important group. In this study, an update of the taxonomy of A. section Nigri strains within the BCCM/IHEM collection has been conducted. The identification accuracy of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) was tested and the antifungal susceptibilities of clinical isolates were evaluated. A total of 175 strains were molecularly analyzed. Three regions were amplified (ITS, benA, and caM) and a multi-locus phylogeny of the combined loci was created by using maximum likelihood analysis. The in-house MALDI-TOF MS reference database was extended and an identification data set of 135 strains was run against a reference data set. Antifungal susceptibility was tested for voriconazole, itraconazole, and amphotericin B, using the EUCAST method. Phylogenetic analysis revealed 18 species in our data set. MALDI-TOF MS was able to distinguish between A. brasiliensis, A. brunneoviolaceus, A. neoniger, A. niger, A. tubingensis, and A. welwitschiae of A. sect. Nigri. In the routine clinical lab, isolates of A. sect. Nigri are often identified as A. niger. However, in the clinical isolates of our data set, A. tubingensis (n = 35) and A. welwitschiae (n = 34) are more common than A. niger (n = 9). Decreased antifungal susceptibility to azoles was observed in clinical isolates of the /tubingensis clade. This emphasizes the importance of identification up to species level or at least up to clade level in the clinical lab. Our results indicate that MALDI-TOF MS can be a powerful tool to replace classical morphology.
Home Health and Community Care Workers’ Occupational Exposure to Secondhand Smoke: A Rapid Literature Review
Authors: Angus Kathryn , Semple Sean
Published: October 2018

Introduction

Although many workers are protected from exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke (SHS), home health and community care workers enter domestic settings where SHS is commonly present. Little is known about the extent of SHS exposure among this occupational group.

Methods

A rapid review to examine the literature on home health and community care workers’ exposure to SHS at work and identify research gaps. Systematic searches combining terms for SHS exposure (eg, “tobacco smoke pollution”) with terms for home health and care workers, patients and settings (eg, “home health nursing”) were run in CINAHL and Medline (with no date or language limitations). Web site and backward-forward citation searches identified further papers for narrative review.

Results

Twenty relevant publications covering seventeen studies considered home health or community care workers’ exposure to SHS either solely or as part of an assessment of other workplace hazards. Eight studies provided data on either the proportion of home care workers exposed to SHS or the frequency of exposure to SHS. No studies provided quantification of SHS concentrations experienced by this group of workers.

Conclusions

Exposure to SHS is likely to be common for workers who enter private homes to provide care. There is a need for research to understand the number of workers exposed to SHS, and the frequency, duration, and intensity of the exposure. Guidance should be developed to balance the rights and responsibilities of those requiring care alongside the need to prevent the harmful effects of SHS to workers providing care in domestic settings.

Implications

Very little is known about home health and community care workers’ exposure to SHS. There is a need for research to quantify how many workers are exposed, how often and for how long exposure occurs, and the concentrations of SHS experienced. In many countries, home health care workers may be one of the largest working groups that experience exposure to SHS as part of their employment. The public health community needs to engage in a debate about how home health care workers can be best protected from SHS.
Daoist Canon
Authors: Pregadio Fabrizio
Published: October 2018

The term daozang道藏, commonly rendered as “Daoist Canon,” originally referred to collections of texts kept in Daoist establishments. Later, the same term was also used to designate a series of major compendia of Daoist texts, usually compiled by imperial decree and distributed to temples throughout China. While these compendia may be deemed to reflect the Daoist orthodoxy at the different periods of their compilation, this is not implied in the term daozang itself, which does not literally mean “canon,” but only “repository of the Way.” The Daoist Canon of the Ming dynasty—published in 1445 and known as the Zhengtong Daozang正統道藏, or Daoist Canon of the Zhengtong Reign Period—is the last of these collections and the only one extant. A supplement entitled Xu Daozang jing續道藏經, or Sequel to the Scriptures of the Daoist Canon, was added in 1607, and since then has been an integral part of the collection. Together, the two parts of the Canon contain almost 1,500 works. As described in more detail in different sections of this bibliography, the roots of the Daoist Canon lie in a now-lost catalogue compiled in the late 5th century, which classified scriptures into three broad categories corresponding to the main Daoist traditions of that time. Additional categories were added about one and a half centuries later, to take account of textual corpora that had been disregarded in the former classification. After the first Canon was compiled in the mid-8th century, works related to newly created schools and lineages were progressively added to the earlier collections, while older works were omitted owing to loss or to editorial decisions. The result of this evolution is the present-day Daozang, which contains sources related to all major Daoist branches and lineages until the mid-15th century. While the Daozang as we know it is still formally organized according to the classification of scriptures devised one millennium before its publication, it does not use distinctions that originate outside of Daoism, such as those between “philosophical” and “religious” texts, or between daojia道家 (a term often understood as “philosophical Daoism”) and daojiao道教 (so-called “religious Daoism”). The Zhonghua Daozang中華道藏 or Daoist Canon of China, published by the Huaxia Chubanshe in 2003, is the first new edition of the Canon since the Zhengtong Daozang. Besides the entire Canon, it includes additional texts, such as transcriptions of about sixty Dunhuang manuscripts. Instead of following the traditional plan of the Canon, texts are arranged into broad headings such as lineages, literary genres (ritual compendia, hagiography, descriptions of practices, encyclopedias, etc.), and commentaries on major texts. While texts are punctuated and the new arrangement may be clearer to a modern user, the large majority of scholars, both in China and elsewhere, continue to refer to the Zhengtong Daozang in their studies.
High Mortality in HIV-Associated Cryptococcal Meningitis Patients Treated With Amphotericin B–Based Therapy Under Routine Care Conditions in Africa
Authors: Patel Raju K K , Leeme Tshepo , Azzo Caitlin , Tlhako Nametso , Tsholo Katlego , Tawanana Ephraim O , Molefi Mooketsi , Mosepele Mosepele , Lawrence David S , Mokomane Margaret , Tenforde Mark W , Jarvis Joseph N
Published: October 2018

Background

Cryptococcal meningitis (CM) causes 10%–20% of HIV-related deaths in Africa. Due to limited access to liposomal amphotericin and flucytosine, most African treatment guidelines recommend amphotericin B deoxycholate (AmB-d) plus high-dose fluconazole; outcomes with this treatment regimen in routine care settings have not been well described.

Methods

Electronic national death registry data and computerized medical records were used to retrospectively collect demographic, laboratory, and 1-year outcome data from all patients with CM between 2012 and 2014 at Botswana’s main referral hospital, when recommended treatment for CM was AmB-d 1 mg/kg/d plus fluconazole 800 mg/d for 14 days. Cumulative survival was estimated at 2 weeks, 10 weeks, and 1 year.

Results

There were 283 episodes of CM among 236 individuals; 69% (163/236) were male, and the median age was 36 years. All patients were HIV-infected, with a median CD4 count of 39 cells/mm3. Two hundred fifteen person-years of follow-up data were captured for the 236 CM patients. Complete outcome data were available for 233 patients (99%) at 2 weeks, 224 patients (95%) at 10 weeks, and 219 patients (93%) at 1 year. Cumulative mortality was 26% (95% confidence interval [CI], 20%–32%) at 2 weeks, 50% (95% CI, 43%–57%) at 10 weeks, and 65% (95% CI, 58%–71%) at 1 year.

Conclusions

Mortality rates following HIV-associated CM treated with AmB-d and fluconazole in a routine health care setting in Botswana were very high. The findings highlight the inadequacies of current antifungal treatments for HIV-associated CM and underscore the difficulties of administering and monitoring intravenous amphotericin B deoxycholate therapy in resource-poor settings.