bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Neuronophagia and microglial nodules in a SARS-CoV-2 patient with cerebellar hemorrhage
Authors: Al-Dalahmah Osama , Thakur Kiran T. , Nordvig Anna S. , Prust Morgan L. , Roth William , Lignelli Angela , Uhlemann Anne-Catrin , Miller Emily Happy , Kunnath-Velayudhan Shajo , Del Portillo Armando , Liu Yang , Hargus Gunnar , Teich Andrew F. , Hickman Richard A. , Tanji Kurenai , Goldman James E. , Faust Phyllis L. , Canoll Peter
Published: August 2020

We document the neuropathologic findings of a 73-year old man who died from acute cerebellar hemorrhage in the context of relatively mild SARS-CoV2 infection. The patient developed sudden onset of headache, nausea, and vomiting, immediately followed by loss of consciousness on the day of admission. Emergency medical services found him severely hypoxemic at home, and the patient suffered a cardiac arrest during transport to the emergency department. The emergency team achieved return of spontaneous circulation after over 17 min of resuscitation. A chest radiograph revealed hazy bilateral opacities; and real-time-PCR for SARS-CoV-2 on the nasopharyngeal swab was positive. Computed tomography of the head showed a large right cerebellar hemorrhage, with tonsillar herniation and intraventricular hemorrhage. One day after presentation, he was transitioned to comfort care and died shortly after palliative extubation. Autopsy performed 3 h after death showed cerebellar hemorrhage and acute infarcts in the dorsal pons and medulla. Remarkably, there were microglial nodules and neuronophagia bilaterally in the inferior olives and multifocally in the cerebellar dentate nuclei. This constellation of findings has not been reported thus far in the context of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
G4D - a treasure hunt game for novice programmers to learn debugging
Authors: Venigalla Akhila Sri Manasa , Chimalakonda Sridhar
Published: August 2020

Visual Programming Environments (VPEs) are predominantly being used to teach programming concepts through interactive games with interesting narratives. Games have been developed to teach basic concepts of programming such as deriving logic, writing code, debugging the code and so on. Debugging code is one of the most important activities that can improve the skill of tackling a problem. In programming, one needs to identify the correct location of an error and fix it, which is usually learned through experience. Games have been developed to teach debugging to novice programmers. Syntactical errors occur frequently in the early stages of programming. The existing debugging games aim to support users in debugging the logic of the problem, but do not target on correcting the code snippets based on syntax. To address this challenge of providing syntactical support, we propose a treasure hunt based debugging game, in which users pass through various levels of the game by debugging code snippets written in C language. We have evaluated G4D based on MEEGA+ model, with 20 volunteers, having different programming backgrounds. The results of the user survey indicate that G4D has a good quality level and about 75% of the volunteers have either strongly agreed or agreed to recommend G4D to their colleagues.
Saildrone-observed atmospheric boundary layer response to winter mesoscale warm spot along the Kuroshio south of Japan
Authors: Nagano Akira , Ando Kentaro
Published: August 2020

Using an unmanned sailing vehicle, known as a Saildrone, we observed mesoscale and smaller scale structures of oceanic and atmospheric variables across the Kuroshio south of Japan during the winter of 2018/2019. From December 28 to December 29, 2018, the Saildrone crossed just north of the center of a very warm (3∘C) mesoscale spot in the Kuroshio centered around .5∘ N, .8∘ E. The northerly winter monsoon wind was intensified by over the mesoscale warm spot (MWS) and accompanied by a submesoscale sea level pressure undulation of hPa possibly due to two oppositely rotating ageostrophic vortices. At this time, the wind reached a maximum speed of greater than and removed heat from the ocean at a rate of . Subsequently (January 3–5, 2019), the Saildrone observed weakening of wind and heat release to the atmosphere on the southern edge of the MWS, which was associated with the approaching low-pressure system over the Kuroshio. The observed submesoscale structures of atmospheric and oceanic variables near the center of the MWS suggest that the atmospheric boundary layer responded to the MWS through the pressure adjustment mechanism in the Kuroshio, where in situ high-resolution measurements have not been performed before.
Induced in vitro adaptation for salt tolerance in date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) cultivar Khalas
Authors: Al-Khateeb Suliman A. , Al-Khateeb Abdullatif A. , Sattar Muhammad N. , Mohmand Akbar S.
Published: August 2020

Background

Soil salinity causes huge economic losses to agriculture productivity in arid and semiarid areas worldwide. The affected plants face disturbances in osmotic adjustment, nutrient transport, ionic toxicity and reduced photosynthesis. Conventional breeding approaches produce little success in combating various stresses in plants. However, non-conventional approaches, such as in vitro tissue culturing, produce genetic variability in the development of salt-tolerant plants, particularly in woody trees.

Results

Embryogenic callus cultures of the date palm cultivar Khalas were subjected to various salt levels ranging from 0 to 300 mM in eight subcultures. The regenerants obtained from the salt-treated cultures were regenerated and evaluated using the same concentration of NaCl with which the calli were treated. All the salt-adapted (SA) regenerants showed improved growth characteristics, physiological performance, ion concentrations and K+/Na+ ratios than the salt non-adapted (SNA) regenerants and the control. Regression between the leaf Na+ concentration and net photosynthesis revealed an inverse nonlinear correlation in the SNA regenerants. Leaf K+ contents and stomatal conductance showed a strong linear relationship in SA regenerants compared with the inverse linear correlation, and a very poor coefficient of determination in SNA regenerants. The genetic fidelity of the selected SA regenerants was also tested using 36 random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) primers, of which 26 produced scorable bands. The primers generated 1–10 bands, with an average of 5.4 bands per RAPD primer; there was no variation between SA regenerants and the negative control.

Conclusion

This is the first report of the variants generated from salt-stressed cultures and their potential adaptation to salinity in date palm cv. Khalas. The massive production of salt stress-adapted date palm plants may be much easier using the salt adaptation approach. Such plants can perform better during exposure to salt stress compared to the non-treated date palm plants.
Slope mass rating-based analysis to assess rockfall hazard on Yogyakarta Southern Mountain, Indonesia
Authors: Triana Karlina , Hermawan Koko
Published: August 2020

In the Parangtritis Beach tourism area located in the Southern Mountain of Yogyakarta, karst hills were excavated to build the main accessing road and produce some of long and very steep slopes along the sides of the road. But still, there was none of the slope reinforcement installed along the road. Meanwhile, at several nearby locations within Southern Mountain, rockfall incidents have occurred many times even caused casualties. The potential of rockfall hazard also could be found in the main road of Parangtritis Beach as the study area. The purpose of this study is to determine the rockfall hazard assessment along the main road using Slope Mass Rating (SMR) analysis with the additional parameter of the slope height and the rock block size. The necessary data obtained by direct measurement and laboratory test. Geomechanics analysis, stereographic projection analysis, and hazard parameters weighting were carried out to produce the Rockfall Hazard Zonation Map of the study area. Based on 17 measurement stations, there are 4 (four) rockfall hazard classes in the study area, i.e., very low, low, moderate, and high. The class of very low, which also included road segments without slope, has the largest percentages of 83.83%, followed by the classes of moderate, low, and high with the percentage of 7.16%, 4.28%, and 4,19%, respectively. SMR was assumed as the most significant parameter that influences the rockfall hazard zonation. Historical rockfall points were overlaid over the Rockfall Hazard Zonation Map to validate the predicted hazard zones. Since 91.23% of the rockfall occurred in the moderate and high hazard classes, the zonation map considered reliable to predict future rockfall. This study also identified several landslide potential zones and provides the recommendation of slope reinforcement to be installed in the study area.
Maturity-onset diabetes of the young type 5 a MULTISYSTEMIC disease: a CASE report of a novel mutation in the HNF1B gene and literature review
Authors: Mateus Juan Camilo , Rivera Carolina , O’Meara Miguel , Valenzuela Alex , Lizcano Fernando
Published: August 2020

Background

Diabetes mellitus with autosomal dominant inheritance, such as maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY), is a genetic form of diabetes mellitus. MODY is a type of monogenic diabetes mellitus in which multiple genetic variants may cause an alteration to the functioning of beta cells. The three most known forms of MODY are caused by modifications to the hnf4a, gck, and hnf1a genes. However, other MODY variants can cause multiple alterations in the embryonic development of the endoderm. This is the case in patients presenting with MODY5, who have a mutation of the hepatic nuclear factor 1B (hnf1b) gene.

Case presentation

We present the clinical case of a 15 year-old patient with a family history of diabetes mellitus and a classical MODY type 5 (MODY5) phenotype involving the pancreas and kidney, with a novel, unreported mutation in the hnf1b gene.

Conclusions

MODY5 is characterised by a mutation in the hnf1b gene, which plays an important role in the development and function of multiple organs. It should be suspected in patients with unusual diabetes and multisystem involvement unrelated to diabetes.

Graphical abstract
A dashboard for monitoring preventive measures in response to COVID-19 outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo
Authors: Wimba Patient Mijiriro , Bazeboso Jacques-Aimé , Katchunga Philippe Bianga , Tshilolo Léon , Longo-Mbenza Benjamin , Rabilloud Muriel , Vanhems Philippe , Iwaz Jean , Étard Jean-François , Écochard René
Published: August 2020

Background

In most health areas, an information system is necessary for an effective fight against COVID-19. Current methods for surveillance of diseases with epidemic potential do not include monitoring the adherence to preventive measures. Furthermore, modern data collection methods depend often on technologies (e.g., cameras or drones) that are hardly available in low-income countries. Simpler solutions could be just as effective.

Methods

A dashboard was used over a whole week to monitor preventive measures in Bukavu (DRC) by mid-May 2020. It was designed to collect from street passers-by information on the adherence to barrier measures, the level of awareness of these measures, the opinion on their usefulness, and the health status of people in the households.

Results

Creating a dashboard and collecting the necessary data proved feasible. The use of barrier measures was very limited and that of masks practically nil despite repeated recommendations from the health authorities. The end of each day was the worst moment due to clearly insufficient distancing. Barrier measures were significantly more used in areas where they were best known and most acknowledged. At the time of the study, there were few sick people and only rare severe cases were attributed to COVID-19.

Conclusions

Creating COVID-19 situation dashboards in limited-resource metropoles is feasible. They give real-time access to data that help fight the epidemic. The findings of this pilot study call for a rapid community awareness actions to back national media-based prevention campaigns.
The effect of metal artefact on the design of custom 3D printed acetabular implants
Authors: Di Laura Anna , Henckel Johann , Wescott Robert , Hothi Harry , Hart Alister J.
Published: August 2020

Background

3D Printed custom-made implants constitute a viable option in patients with acetabular Paprosky III defects. In these patients, needing complex hip revision surgery, the appreciation of the bony defect is crucial to assure stable fixation of the customised implant, often intended to replace a failed one. We aimed to understand the effect of metal artefact on the design of customised implants.

Methods

26 patients with massive acetabular defects were referred, between May 2016 and September 2018, to our institution classified as “un-reconstructable” by other hospitals. They all received custom 3D-printed acetabular cups. A subset of them underwent two-stage revision surgery due to infection. We then extended the two-stage procedure to the cases where metal artefacts were significantly affecting the reading of the CT scans.

CT scans of patients’ pelvises were taken pre and post-implant removal. We assessed for changes in bony shape and volume of the pelvis using 3D imaging software and quantified the effect on implant design with CAD software.

Results

Eight (out of 26) patients (31%) underwent two-stage revision surgery. The CT bony reconstructions between the two timepoints changed in all cases. The changes were mostly associated to the shape and distribution of the acetabular defects. Three of these cases (37.5%) showed a remarkable difference in the remaining bone that led to a change in implant design. So far, there has been no difference in the clinical outcome between the patients who underwent single (n = 18) and two-stage surgery (n = 8).

Conclusions

The shape of the acetabulum reconstructed from CT data is potentially altered by metal artefact and bone excised during removal of the failed component. For “end-of-road” acetabular reconstruction, we recommend surgeons consider the use of two-stage surgery to enable a reliable fitting of the complex shape of 3D-printed implants.
Power quality enhancement and engineering application with high permeability distributed photovoltaic access to low-voltage distribution networks in Australia
Authors: Li Ruisheng , Wong Peter , Wang Kun , Li Bin , Yuan Fangfang
Published: August 2020

Considering power quality problems such as overvoltage and three-phase unbalance caused by high permeability distributed photovoltaic access in low-voltage distribution networks, this paper proposes a comprehensive control scheme using a static var. generator (SVG), electric energy storage (EES), a phase switching device (PSD) and an intelligent terminal controller. The control strategies of transformer overload, bus over/under voltage, anti-countercurrent, storage battery state of charge (SOC) maintenance, and three-phase unbalance are studied. The engineering application in the Greenvale low-voltage distribution networks in Australia with high permeability distributed photovoltaics is discussed. The results show that the intelligent terminal controller is able to improve the power quality of low-voltage distribution networks through coordination with EES, SVG and PSD.
Serum autotaxin levels in responders to HCV treatment by direct-acting antivirals
Authors: Ahmed Nancy Abdel Fattah , Deiab Ahmed Galal , Hasan Ahmad Shawki Mohammad , Elbaky Ahmad Mohamed Yousry Abd
Published: August 2020

Background

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is considered one of the main causes of chronic liver disease around the world. Liver biopsy has been believed to be the gold standard for the assessment of the degree of liver fibrosis. Thus, there is a need to improve non-invasive evaluation of liver fibrosis. The aim of the present study was to study the changes in serum levels of ATX (Autotaxin) as a marker of hepatic fibrosis in responders to HCV treatment by DAAs. This prospective study was carried out at hepatology outpatient clinics for HCV treatment in Mansoura Specialized Medical Hospital that involved 54 participants: 34 patients with HCV and 20 controls; ATX was measured for the controls and all patients before and after treatment.

Results

We found a significant higher ATX level in control subjects vs HCV patients, 100% of control subjects had ATX > 97.5 and 58.8% of HCV had ATX ≤ 97.5. Also, a significantly higher ATX after treatment with DAAs as a whole was observed.

Conclusion

The authors concluded that ATX should be considered cautiously as a diagnostic marker for liver fibrosis in Egyptian patients with chronic hepatitis C infection. Although this study yielded negative results, this may be important to prevent duplication of the research efforts.
Incidental lingual thyroid with subclinical hypothyroidism: case report
Authors: al Driweesh Turki Abdul Kareem , Mokhatrish Mohammad Mosa , Islam Tahera , Al-Qahtani Khalid H.
Published: August 2020

Background

Lingual thyroid is a very rare pathological finding and is usually incidentally discovered. It occurs when a defect in embryogenesis gives rise to ectopic thyroid as tongue base mass. Majority of patients are asymptomatic. This clinical case highlights the importance of performing thyroid function tests for all lingual thyroid patients regardless of symptoms or clinical presentation.

Case presentation

We present a 25-year-old lady who presented with sub-mental abscess. A CT scan was performed to confirm the diagnosis. The CT scan confirmed submental abcess and incidentally discovered lingual thyroid along with absence of thyroid tissue in its normal pretracheal position. The patient denied any symptoms of hypothyroidism. But subsequent investigations revealed clinical hypothyroidism. She was started on substitutive hormone therapy and remains asymptomatic.

Conclusion

Lingual thyroid patients may remain asymptomatic with subclinical hypothyroidism. Hormone therapy needs to be initiated in these patients.
Prevalence of Somatic Mutations in Aldosterone-Producing Adenomas in Japanese Patients
Authors: Nanba Kazutaka , Yamazaki Yuto , Bick Nolan , Onodera Kei , Tezuka Yuta , Omata Kei , Ono Yoshikiyo , Blinder Amy R , Tomlins Scott A , Rainey William E , Satoh Fumitoshi , Sasano Hironobu
Published: August 2020

Context

Results of previous studies demonstrated clear racial differences in the prevalence of somatic mutations among patients with aldosterone-producing adenoma (APA). For instance, those in East Asian countries have a high prevalence of somatic mutations in KCNJ5, whereas somatic mutations in other aldosterone-driving genes are rare.

Objectives

To determine somatic mutation prevalence in Japanese APA patients using an aldosterone synthase (CYP11B2) immunohistochemistry (IHC)-guided sequencing approach.

Method

Patients with a unilateral form of primary aldosteronism who underwent adrenalectomy at the Tohoku University Hospital were studied. Based on CYP11B2 immunolocalization of resected adrenals, genomic DNA was isolated from the relevant positive area of 10% formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue of the APAs. Somatic mutations in aldosterone-driving genes were studied in APAs by direct Sanger sequencing and targeted next-generation sequencing.

Results

CYP11B2 IHC-guided sequencing determined APA-related somatic mutations in 102 out of 106 APAs (96%). Somatic KCNJ5 mutation was the most frequent genetic alteration (73%) in this cohort of Japanese patients. Somatic mutations in other aldosterone-driving genes were also identified: CACNA1D (14%), ATP1A1 (5%), ATP2B3 (4%), and CACNA1H (1%), including 2 previously unreported mutations. KCNJ5 mutations were more often detected in APAs from female patients compared with those from male patients [95% (36/38) vs 60% (41/68); P < 0.0001].

Conclusion

IHC-guided sequencing defined somatic mutations in over 95% of Japanese APAs. While the dominance of KCNJ5 mutations in this particular cohort was confirmed, a significantly higher KCNJ5 prevalence was detected in female patients. This study provides a better understanding of genetic spectrum of Japanese APA patients.
Neural and Hormonal Control of Sexual Behavior
Authors: Jennings Kimberly J , de Lecea Luis
Published: August 2020

Gonadal hormones contribute to the sexual differentiation of brain and behavior throughout the lifespan, from initial neural patterning to “activation” of adult circuits. Sexual behavior is an ideal system in which to investigate the mechanisms underlying hormonal activation of neural circuits. Sexual behavior is a hormonally regulated, innate social behavior found across species. Although both sexes seek out and engage in sexual behavior, the specific actions involved in mating are sexually dimorphic. Thus, the neural circuits mediating sexual motivation and behavior in males and females are overlapping yet distinct. Furthermore, sexual behavior is strongly dependent on circulating gonadal hormones in both sexes. There has been significant recent progress on elucidating how gonadal hormones modulate physiological properties within sexual behavior circuits with consequences for behavior. Therefore, in this mini-review we review the neural circuits of male and female sexual motivation and behavior, from initial sensory detection of pheromones to the extended amygdala and on to medial hypothalamic nuclei and reward systems. We also discuss how gonadal hormones impact the physiology and functioning of each node within these circuits. By better understanding the myriad of ways in which gonadal hormones impact sexual behavior circuits, we can gain a richer and more complete appreciation for the neural substrates of complex behavior.
Comparison of Chloroprocaine Versus Lidocaine With Epinephrine, Sodium Bicarbonate, and Fentanyl for Epidural Extension Anesthesia in Elective Cesarean Delivery: A Randomized, Triple-Blind, Noninferiority Study
Authors: Sharawi Nadir , Bansal Prannal , Williams Matthew , Spencer Horace , Mhyre Jill M.
Published: August 2020

BACKGROUND:

For emergent intrapartum cesarean delivery (CD), the literature does not support the use of any particular local anesthetic solution to extend epidural analgesia to cesarean anesthesia. We hypothesized that 3% chloroprocaine (CP) would be noninferior to a mixture of 2% lidocaine, 150 µg of epinephrine, 2 mL of 8.4% bicarbonate, and 100 µg of fentanyl (LEBF) in terms of onset time to surgical anesthesia.

METHODS:

In this single-center randomized noninferiority trial, adult healthy women undergoing CD were randomly assigned to epidural anesthesia with either CP or LEBF. Sensory blockade (pinprick) to T10 was established before operating room (OR) entry for elective CD. On arrival to the OR, participants received the epidural study medications in a standardized manner to simulate the conversion of “epidural labor analgesia to surgical anesthesia.” The primary outcome was the time to loss of touch sensation at the T7 level. A noninferiority margin was set at 3 minutes. The secondary outcome was the need for intraoperative analgesia supplementation.

RESULTS:

In total, 70 women were enrolled in the study. The mean onset time to achieve a bilateral sensory block to touch at the T7 dermatome level was 655 (standard deviation [SD] = 258) seconds for group CP and 558 (269) seconds for group LEBF, a difference in means of 97 seconds (90% confidence interval [CI], SD = −10.6 to 204; P = .10 for noninferiority). The upper limit of the 90% CI for the mean difference exceeded the prespecified 3-minute noninferiority margin. There was no meaningful difference in the requirement for intraoperative analgesia between the 2 groups.

CONCLUSION:

Both anesthetic solutions have a rapid onset of anesthesia when used to extend low-dose epidural sensory block to surgical anesthesia. Data from the current study provide insufficient evidence to confirm that CP is noninferior to LEBF for rapid epidural extension anesthesia for CD, and further research is required to determine noninferiority.
Ambition for Self and for Specialty: Emery A. Rovenstine and the Politics of Organized Anesthesia, 1937–1947
Authors: Moon Jane S. , Bacon Douglas R.
Published: August 2020

The letters between Emery Andrew Rovenstine, MD (1895–1960), and Arthur Ernest Guedel, MD (1883–1956), are a window into the personalities and politics of the creation of American anesthesiology. The ambition of these men, both personal and professional, lay at the heart of their sacrifices and successes. Their correspondence unmasked common struggles and foibles, humanizing these giants of our field. Notably throughout the letters, Rovenstine, as the junior partner, wrestled with Guedel’s advice to temper personal ambition for the collective good. Over time, their relationship matured, and the junior eclipsed the senior. Still, at various points in his career, Rovenstine was censured for self-promotion by leaders in anesthesiology and the general medical community. These moments brought to light issues of continued relevance today: inner tension between individual and group ambition, and professional friction between academic and political priorities in anesthesiology. In the end, it was an unapologetic blend of ambition for self and ambition for the specialty that allowed Emery Rovenstine to make his unique imprint on American anesthesiology.
Rewarding compounds identified from the medicinal plant Rhodiola rosea
Authors: Michels Birgit , Franke Katrin , Weiglein Aliće , Sultani Haider , Gerber Bertram , Wessjohann Ludger A.
Published: August 2020

Preparations of Rhodiola rosea root are widely used in traditional medicine. They can increase life span in worms and flies, and have various effects related to nervous system function in different animal species and humans. However, which of the compounds in R. rosea is mediating any one of these effects has remained unknown in most cases. Here, an analysis of the volatile and non-volatile low-molecular-weight constituents of R. rosea root samples was accompanied by an investigation of their behavioral impact on Drosophila melanogaster larvae. Rhodiola rosea root samples have an attractive smell and taste to the larvae, and exert a rewarding effect. This rewarding effect was also observed for R. rosea root extracts, and did not require activity of dopamine neurons that mediate known rewards such as sugar. Based on the chemical profiles of R. rosea root extracts and resultant fractions, a bioactivity-correlation analysis (AcorA) was performed to identify candidate rewarding compounds. This suggested positive correlations for – among related compounds – ferulic acid eicosyl ester (FAE-20) and β-sitosterol glucoside. A validation using these as pure compounds confirmed that the correlations were causal. Their rewarding effects can be observed even at low micromolar concentrations and thus at remarkably lower doses than for any known taste reward in the larva. We discuss whether similar rewarding effects, should they be observed in humans, would indicate a habit-forming or addictive potential.
Case Report: Chilblains-like lesions (COVID-19 toes) during the pandemic - is there a diagnostic window?
Authors: Ludzik Joanna , Witkowski Alexander , Hansel Donna E. , Raess Philipp W. , White Kevin , Leachman Sancy
Published: August 2020

The COVID-19 outbreak caused by the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, typically presents with symptoms including fever, cough, headache, myalgia, asthenia, anosmia, diarrhea, and sometimes pneumonia, which can be fatal.  Recently, new dermatologic findings have been described in association with the disease that can potentially be a distinguishing feature of infection. One such feature resembles chilblains and this case report represents a presentation of this feature with a 48-year-old female with violaceous lesions with surrounding pink erythema on her toes who tested negative for COVID-19.
Sedentary behaviour levels in adults with an intellectual disability: a systematic review protocol
Authors: Lynch Louise , McCarron Mary , McCallion Philip , Burke Eilish
Published: August 2020

Background: Sedentary behaviour contributes to non-communicable diseases, which account for almost 71% of world deaths. Of these, cardiovascular disease is one of the largest causes of preventable death. It is not yet fully understood what level of sedentary behaviour is safe. People with an intellectual disability have poorer health than the general population with higher rates of multi-morbidity, obesity and inactivity. There is a paucity of evidence on whether this poorer health is due to sedentary behaviour or physical inactivity. This systematic review will investigate the sedentary behaviour levels of adults with an intellectual disability.

Method: The PRISMA-P framework will be applied to achieve high-quality articles. An extensive search will be conducted in Medline, Embase, psycINFO and Cinahl and grey literature sources. All articles will be independently reviewed by two reviewers and a third to resolve disputes. Initially, the articles will be reviewed by title and abstract and then the full article will be reviewed using stringent inclusion criteria. All article data will be summarised in a standardised tabular format. The National Institute of Health’s quality assessment tool will be used to assess article quality. GRADE will be used to assess the quality of the evidence. The primary outcome of interest is the prevalence of sedentary behaviour levels for people with an intellectual disability. The definition of sedentary behaviour to be used for the purposes of this study is: ‘low physical activity as identified by metabolic equivalent (MET) or step levels or as measured by the Rapid Assessment of Physical activity questionnaire (RAPA) or the International Physical Activity questionnaire (IPAQ) or sitting for more than 3 hours per day’.

Conclusion: This systematic review will provide a critical insight into the prevalence of sedentary behaviour in adults with an intellectual disability.
PyOmeroUpload: A Python toolkit for uploading images and metadata to OMERO
Authors: Hay Johnny , Troup Eilidh , Clark Ivan , Pietsch Julian , Zieliński Tomasz , Millar Andrew
Published: August 2020

Tools and software that automate repetitive tasks, such as metadata extraction and deposition to data repositories, are essential for researchers to share Open Data, routinely. For research that generates microscopy image data, OMERO is an ideal platform for storage, annotation and publication according to open research principles. We present PyOmeroUpload, a Python toolkit for automatically extracting metadata from experiment logs and text files, processing images and uploading these payloads to OMERO servers to create fully annotated, multidimensional datasets. The toolkit comes packaged in portable, platform-independent Docker images that enable users to deploy and run the utilities easily, regardless of Operating System constraints. A selection of use cases is provided, illustrating the primary capabilities and flexibility offered with the toolkit, along with a discussion of limitations and potential future extensions. PyOmeroUpload is available from: https://github.com/SynthSys/pyOmeroUpload.
Matching Mobile Applications for Cross-Promotion
Authors: Lee Gene Moo , He Shu , Lee Joowon , Whinston Andrew B.
Published: August 2020

As the mobile app market grows rapidly, with millions of apps and billions of users, search costs are increasing tremendously. Similar to the case of recommender systems, the challenge is how apps can be recommended to the right users and how consumers can find the right apps. This paper studies a new mobile app ad framework, cross-promotion (CP), which is to promote new “target” apps within other “source” apps. With unique random matching experiment data, we empirically test the important determinants of ad effectiveness. We then propose a machine-learning-based framework to optimally match source apps to target apps to improve ad effectiveness in terms of app downloads and postdownload usages. The simulation results show that app analytics capability is essential in building accurate prediction models and in increasing ad effectiveness of CP campaigns and that, at the expense of privacy, individual user data can further improve the matching performance. The paper has important managerial implications because it provides direct guidance to better utilize CP for app developers and to leverage data analytics and machine-learning models for platform managers. It also provides policy implications on the trade-off between utility and privacy in the growing data economy.
Dietary education provision within a cardiac rehabilitation programme in the UK: a pilot study
Authors: Moore Chelsea E , Tsakirides Costas , Rutherford Zoe , Swainson Michelle G , Birch Karen M , Ibeggazene Said , Ispoglou Theocharis
Published: August 2020

Background/aims

The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of two 30-minute dietary education sessions, within cardiac rehabilitation, as a means to optimise nutrient and energy intakes. A secondary aim was to evaluate patients' habitual physical activity levels.

Methods

Thirty patients (males: n=24, 61.8±11.2 years; females: n=6, 66.7±8.5 years) attended a 6-week early outpatient cardiac rehabilitation programme in the UK and received two 30-minute dietary education sessions emphasising Mediterranean diet principles. Energy intakes and nutrient intakes were measured through completion of 3-day food diaries in weeks one and six (before and after the dietary education sessions) to assess the impact of these sessions on nutrient intakes. At the same time-points, a sub-group (n=13) of patients had their physical activity levels assessed via accelerometery to assess the impact of the cardiac rehabilitation programme on physical activity.

Results

Estimated energy requirements at week one (1988±366 kcal d−1) were not matched by actual energy intakes (1785±561 kcal d−1) (P=0.047, d=−0.36). Energy intakes reduced to 1655±470 kcal d−1 at week six (P=0.66, d=−0.33) whereas estimated energy requirements increased as a function of increased activity (cardiac rehabilitation sessions). Nutrient intakes remained suboptimal, while no significant increases were observed in healthy fats and fibre, which are core elements of a Mediterranean diet. Statistically significant increases were not observed in physical activity; however, patients decreased sedentary time by 11±12% in week six compared with week one (P=0.009; d=−0.54).

Conclusions

The present study findings suggest that two 30-minute dietary education sessions did not positively influence energy intakes and nutrient intakes, while habitual physical activity levels were not significantly increased as a result of the cardiac rehabilitation programme. Future research should explore means of optimising nutrition and habitual physical activity within UK cardiac rehabilitation.
Heart, mind, body: close interrelationships in cardiovascular disease
Authors: Richardson Andy
Published: August 2020

This month, Andy Richardson, BANCC Educational Advisor, writes about the benefits of practices involving mind–body concepts, such as yoga and tai chi.
The role of the physiotherapist in the management of people with haemophilia: defining the new normal
Authors: Wells AJ , Stephensen D
Published: August 2020

Physiotherapists aim to maximise quality of life and movement potential within the spheres of promotion, prevention, treatment/intervention and rehabilitation. Haemophilia care is witnessing a significant shift towards a new era of potentially life-changing treatments which offer a future of minimal or no bleeds for people with haemophilia. As such, physiotherapy intervention should be more proactive rather than reactive to treat and rehabilitate recurrent bleeding episodes. The role of the physiotherapist within the multidisciplinary team includes the differential diagnosis of musculoskeletal bleeding, supporting and encouraging higher levels of physical activity, rehabilitation to maximise physical potential and capabilities, assessment and treatment of non-bleed-related musculoskeletal issues, managing comorbidities and falls risk, and improving the longitudinal surveillance of musculoskeletal health. Encouraging and supporting people with haemophilia to become more active will improve wellbeing and improve health and health outcomes, and physical activity is becoming one of the most important outcomes for people with haemophilia. Recommendations on the best way to accurately capture these data are vital to ensure the full health benefits of new treatments for people with haemophilia are clear.
El modelo agropecuario y su vínculo con el acceso a los alimentos: la
experiencia cubana (1959–2019)
Authors: Álvarez Anicia García , Cruz Betsy Anaya
Published: August 2020

Los modelos agrícolas tienen una incidencia crucial en el acceso a los alimentos
por parte de la población. Existen muchos modelos agrícolas, marcados por dos
extremos: el convencional (a gran escala y basado en uso de insumos químicos
para el logro de mayores rendimientos) y el agroecológico (con una escala menor
y que apuesta por el manejo y la introducción de la ciencia para el logro de las
producciones). El acceso es una de las dimensiones de la
seguridad alimentaria y puede ser físico o económico. El primero, se refiere a
la disponibilidad de alimentos allí donde la población los demande y el segundo,
a la capacidad de las personas de adquirirlos a partir de la relación
ingresos-precios. Este artículo aborda la relación modelo agrícola y acceso en
Cuba en el período 1959–2019.
Cuban Society on the Horizon of Digital Transformation: A View from Mediations to the Social Appropriation of Technology
Authors: García Hamlet López
Published: August 2020

The appropriation of technologies for information and communication is deeply related to the economy, institutions, and social history. This article will propose a list of mediations to explain the characteristics of the computerisation achieved in Cuba so far, with the help of some examples that illustrate the particularities of the Cuban appropriation of ICT's technology. The analysis will show the relevance of regulatory frameworks, economic forms of social organisation and public policies when explaining the social appropriation of digital technology in Cuba. They express the centrality and weight of the State in Cuban society to determine the limits and forms of computerisation available to different social actors.
Multiwavelength confocal laser scanning microscopy of the cornea
Authors: Bohn Sebastian , Sperlich Karsten , Stahnke Thomas , Schünemann Melanie , Stolz Heinrich , Guthoff Rudolf F. , Stachs Oliver
Published: August 2020

Confocal reflectance microscopy has demonstrated the ability to produce in vivo images of corneal tissue with sufficient cellular resolution to diagnose a broad range of corneal conditions. To investigate the spectral behavior of corneal reflectance imaging, a modified laser ophthalmoscope was used. Imaging was performed in vivo on a human cornea as well as ex vivo on porcine and lamb corneae. Various corneal layers were imaged at the wavelengths 488 nm, 518 nm, and 815 nm and compared regarding image quality and differences in the depicted structures. Besides the wavelength- and depth-dependent scattering background, which impairs the image quality, a varying spectral reflectance of certain structures could be observed. Based on the obtained results, this paper emphasizes the importance of choosing the appropriate light source for corneal imaging. For the examination of the epithelial layers and the endothelium, shorter wavelengths should be preferred. In the remaining layers, longer wavelength light has the advantage of less scattering loss and a potentially higher subject compliance.
Experimental study on a high-sensitivity optical fiber sensor in wide-range refractive index detection
Authors: Meng Xiaojian , Li Jianshe , Guo Ying , Liu Yundong , Li Shuguang , Guo Haitao , Bi Weihong , Lu Huibin , Cheng Tonglei
Published: August 2020

A novel plasmonic sensor based on a photonic crystal fiber has been fabricated. Experimental results show that 2 cm is an optimal fiber length of the sensor for refractive index monitoring. It is found that the average wavelength sensitivity and the resolution of the proposed sensor are 4000 nm/RIU and

2.5

×

1

0

−
5

R
I
U

in the wind range of 1.3333–1.4035, respectively. In addition, this paper presents a set of operation flat roofs that is used in the side-polished fiber technique. Moreover, two effective methods of coating silver film are discussed in detail. The research in this paper has enlightening significance for exploring new optical fiber sensing technology and will open a new design methodology for optical fiber sensors.
Multi-objective collaborative optimization strategy for efficiency and chromaticity of stratified OLEDs based on an optical simulation method and sensitivity analysis
Authors: Ke Xianhua , Gu Honggang , Chen Linya , Zhao Xuenan , Tian Jiaojiao , Shi Yating , Chen Xiuguo , Zhang Chuanwei , Jiang Hao , Liu Shiyuan
Published: August 2020

The low efficiency and dissatisfactory chromaticity remain as important challenges on the road to the OLED commercialization. In this paper, we propose a multi-objective collaborative optimization strategy to simultaneously improve the efficiency and ameliorate the chromaticity of the stratified OLED devices. Based on the formulations derived for the current efficiency and the chromaticity Commission International de L’Eclairage (CIE) of OLEDs, an optical sensitivity model is presented to quantitatively analyze the influence of the layer thickness on the current efficiency and the CIE. Subsequently, an evaluation function is defined to effectively balance the current efficiency as well as the CIE, and a collaborative optimization strategy is further proposed to simultaneously improve both of them. Simulations are comprehensively performed on a typical top-emitting blue OLED to demonstrate the necessity and the effectivity of the proposed strategy. The influences of the layer thickness incorporated in the blue OLED are ranked based on the sensitivity analysis method, and by optimizing the relative sensitive layer thicknesses in the optical views, a 16% improvement can be achieved for the current efficiency of the OLED with desired CIE meantime. Hence, the proposed multi-objective collaborative optimization strategy can be well applied to design high-performance OLED devices by improving the efficiency without chromaticity quality degradation.
Spectral sensitivity estimation of trichromatic camera based on orthogonal test and window filtering
Authors: Zhu Jieyu , Xie Xufen , Liao Ningfang , Zhang Zhuangzhi , Wu Wenmin , Lv Lvming
Published: August 2020

The three-channel spectral sensitivity of a trichromatic camera represents the characteristics of system color space. It is a mapping bridge from the spectral information of a scene to the response value of a camera. In this paper, we propose an estimation method for three-channel spectral sensitivity of a trichromatic camera. It includes calibration experiment by orthogonal test design and the data processing by window filtering. The calibration experiment was first designed by an orthogonal table of the 9-level and 3-factor. A rough estimation model of spectral sensitivity is established on the data pairs of the system input and output in calibration experiments. The data of rough estimation is then modulated by two window filters on frequency and spatial domain. The Luther-Ives condition and the smoothness condition are introduced to design the window, and help to achieve the optimal estimation of the system spectral sensitivity. Finally, the proposed method is verified by some comparison experiments. The results show that the estimated spectral sensitivity is basically consistent with the measured results of the monochromator experiments, the relative full-scale errors of the RGB three-channel is obviously lower than the Wiener filtering method and the Fourier band-limitedness method. The proposed method can estimate the spectral sensitivity of the trichromatic digital camera very well, which is of great significance for the colorimetric characterization and evaluation of imaging systems.
Sequential high power laser amplifiers for gravitational wave detection
Authors: Bode Nina , Meylahn Fabian , Willke Benno
Published: August 2020

Advanced gravitational wave detectors require highly stable, single mode, single frequency and linear polarized laser systems. They have to deliver an output power of ∼200 W and need to provide suitable actuators for further stabilization via fast, low noise feedback control systems. We present such a laser system based on sequential Nd:YVO4 amplifiers and its integration into a typical laser stabilization environment. We demonstrate robust low noise operation of the stabilized amplifier system at 195 W, which makes it a viable candidate for use in gravitational wave detectors.
High-repetition-rate mid-IR femtosecond pulse synthesis from two mid-IR CW QCL-seeded OPAs
Authors: Gu Chenglin , Zuo Zhong , Peng Daowang , Di Yuanfeng , Zou Xing , Luo Daping , Liu Yang , Li Wenxue
Published: August 2020

Coherent pulse synthesis in the mid-infrared (mid-IR) domain is of great interest to achieve broadband sources from parent pulses, motivated by the advantages of optical frequency properties for molecular spectroscopy and quantum dynamics. We demonstrate a simple mid-IR coherent synthesizer based on two high-repetition-rate optical parametric amplifiers (OPAs) at nJ-level pump energy. The relative carrier envelope phase between the two OPAs was passively stable for a shared continuous wave (CW) quantum cascade laser (QCL) seed. Lastly, we synthesized mid-IR pulses with a duration of 105 fs ranging from 3.4 to 4.0 µm. The scheme demonstrated the potential to obtain broader mid-IR sources by coherent synthesis from multiple CW QCL-seeded OPAs.
Cavity ring-down spectroscopy based on a comb-locked optical parametric oscillator source
Authors: Zhang Z.-T. , Cheng C.-F. , Sun Y. R. , Liu A.-W. , Hu S.-M.
Published: August 2020

Spectroscopy of molecules in the mid-infrared (MIR) region has important applications in various fields, such as astronomical observation, environmental detection, and fundamental physics. However, compared to that in the near-infrared, precision spectroscopy in the MIR is often limited by the light source and has not shown full potential in sensitivity. Here we report a cavity ring-down spectroscopy system using a tunable narrow-linewidth optical parametric oscillator, which fulfills the requirement of high sensitivity and high precision in the MIR region. The Lamb-dip spectrum of the N2O molecule at 2.7 μm was measured as a demonstration of spectroscopy in the MIR with kilohertz accuracy.
Potassium tantalate niobate (KTN) crystal-based polarization-modulated 3D ladar with a large field of view
Authors: Song Yishuo , Zhao Jiguang , Wang Bin , Wang Xuping , Liu Bing , Lv Xiaolei , Zhang Jianwei
Published: August 2020

An innovative 3D ladar that utilizes potassium tantalate niobate (KTN) crystal as a polarization modulator is proposed in this Letter. The optical isotropy of KTN in cubic phase can effectively suppress the range errors induced by the incident angles of collected beams in 3D imaging. The giant quadratic electro-optic coefficient can dramatically lower the voltage that is required to modulate the polarization so that a high voltage amplifier with less noise can be used to improve the ranging performances. By virtue of these two advantages, a range error of 4.8 cm and a range precision of 4.4 cm at 15 m have been achieved under a large field of view of 20° (about 0.35 rad) and a maximum detection range without ambiguity of 60 m.