bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sex-differences in incidence of hospitalizations and in hospital mortality of community-acquired pneumonia among children in Spain: a population-based study
Authors: de-Miguel-Díez Javier , López-de-Andrés Ana , Hernández-Barrera Valentín , de-Miguel-Yanes José M. , Carabantes-Alarcón David , Ji Zichen , Zamorano-Leon Jose J. , Jiménez-García Rodrigo
Published: April 2022

The aim of this study is to examine trends from 2016 to 2019 in the incidence of hospitalizations and in-hospital mortality (IHM) of subjects < 18 years with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), assessing possible sex differences. We used Spanish national hospital discharge data to select all patients < 18 years with CAP. We identified 43,511 children (53% boys) hospitalized with CAP. The incidence of CAP was significantly higher in boys than in girls, with an age-adjusted incidence rate ratio of 1.05 (95%CI 1.03–1.07) for boys compared to girls, and rose from 126 per 100,000 children in 2016 to 131 in 2019 (p < 0.0001). There were no sex differences in isolated pathogens, comorbidities, length of hospital stay, or IHM. Variables independently associated with IHM were age 10 to 17 years, congenital heart disease, neurological diseases, and use of invasive mechanical ventilation. Asthma was a protective factor for IHM among girls.

Conclusion: The incidence of hospital admissions for CAP was higher among boys than among girls and rose significantly from 2016 to 2019. There were no sex differences in hospital outcomes. Age 10 to 17 years, congenital heart disease, neurological diseases, and use of mechanical ventilation were risk factors for IHM in both sexes, while asthma was a protective factor among girls. No differences were found in IHM over time.

What is Known:• Community-acquired pneumonia is one of the most common reasons for hospitalizations among children.• There are few studies that allow to know the evolution of community-acquired pneumonia in children.

What is New:• Incidence of hospital admissions for community-acquired pneumonia was higher in boys than girls and it rose significantly from 2016 to 2019.• Age 10 to 17 years, congenital heart disease, neurological diseases and use of mechanical ventilation were risk factors for in-hospital mortality in both sexes.
Comparing deep and shallow neural networks in forecasting call center arrivals
Authors: Manno Andrea , Rossi Fabrizio , Smriglio Stefano , Cerone Luigi
Published: April 2022

Forecasting volumes of incoming calls is the first step of the workforce planning process in call centers and represents a prominent issue from both research and industry perspectives. We investigate the application of Neural Networks to predict incoming calls 24 hours ahead. In particular, a Machine Learning deep architecture known as Echo State Network, is compared with a completely different rolling horizon shallow Neural Network strategy, in which the lack of recurrent connections is compensated by a careful input selection. The comparison, carried out on three different real world datasets, reveals better predictive performance for the shallow approach. The latter appears also more robust and less demanding, reducing the inference time by a factor of 2.5 to 4.5 compared to Echo State Networks.
Management of patients with SARS-CoV-2 infections with focus on patients with chronic lung diseases (as of 10 January 2022)
Authors: Olschewski Horst , Eber Ernst , Bucher Brigitte , Hackner Klaus , Handzhiev Sabin , Hoetzenecker Konrad , Idzko Marco , Klepetko Walter , Kovacs Gabor , Lamprecht Bernd , Löffler-Ragg Judith , Meilinger Michael , Müller Alexander , Prior Christian , Schindler Otmar , Täubl Helmut , Zacharasiewicz Angela , Zwick Ralf Harun , Arns Britt-Madelaine , Bolitschek Josef , Cima Katharina , Gingrich Elisabeth , Hochmair Maximilian , Horak Fritz , Jaksch Peter , Kropfmüller Roland , Pfleger Andreas , Puchner Bernhard , Puelacher Christoph , Rodriguez Patricia , Salzer Helmut J. F. , Schenk Peter , Stelzmüller Ingrid , Strenger Volker , Urban Matthias , Wagner Marlies , Wimberger Franz , Flick Holger
Published: April 2022

The Austrian Society of Pneumology (ASP) launched a first statement on severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in May 2020, at a time when in Austria 285 people had died from this disease and vaccinations were not available. Lockdown and social distancing were the only available measures to prevent more infections and the breakdown of the health system. Meanwhile, in Austria over 13,000 patients have died in association with a SARS-CoV‑2 infection and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was among the most common causes of death; however, SARS-CoV‑2 has been mutating all the time and currently, most patients have been affected by the delta variant where the vaccination is very effective but the omicron variant is rapidly rising and becoming predominant. Particularly in children and young adults, where the vaccination rate is low, the omicron variant is expected to spread very fast. This poses a particular threat to unvaccinated people who are at elevated risk of severe COVID-19 disease but also to people with an active vaccination. There are few publications that comprehensively addressed the special issues with SARS-CoV‑2 infection in patients with chronic lung diseases. These were the reasons for this updated statement. Pulmonologists care for many patients with an elevated risk of death in case of COVID-19 but also for patients that might be at an elevated risk of vaccination reactions or vaccination failure. In addition, lung function tests, bronchoscopy, respiratory physiotherapy and training therapy may put both patients and health professionals at an increased risk of infection. The working circles of the ASP have provided statements concerning these risks and how to avoid risks for the patients.
Early risk factors for joint trajectories of bullying victimisation and perpetration
Authors: Chow Athena R. W. , Pingault Jean-Baptiste , Baldwin Jessie R.
Published: April 2022

Bullying victimisation is a prevalent stressor associated with serious health problems. To inform intervention strategies, it is important to understand children’s patterns of involvement in bullying victimisation and perpetration across development, and identify early risk factors for these developmental trajectories. We analysed data from the Millennium Cohort Study (N = 14,525; 48.6% female, 82.6% White), a representative birth cohort of British children born in 2000–2002 across the UK. Bullying victimisation and perpetration were assessed via child, mother, and teacher reports at ages 5, 7, 11, and 14 years. Early risk factors (child emotional, cognitive, and physical vulnerabilities, and adverse family environments) were assessed at ages 9 months, 3, and 5 years. Using k-means for longitudinal data, we identified five joint trajectories of victimisation and perpetration across ages 5, 7, 11, and 14: uninvolved children (59.78%), early child victims (9.96%), early adolescent victims (15.07%), early child bullies (8.01%), and bully- victims (7.19%). Individual vulnerabilities (e.g., emotional dysregulation, cognitive difficulties) and adverse family environments (maternal psychopathology, low income) in pre-school years independently forecast multiple trajectories of bullying involvement. Compared to victims, bully-victims were more likely to be male, have cognitive difficulties, and experience harsh discipline and low income. Interventions addressing these risk factors (e.g., via accessible mental health care, stigma-based interventions, or programs to support low-income families) may help to prevent bullying involvement and its associated sequelae.
Local spatial log-Gaussian Cox processes for seismic data
Authors: D’Angelo Nicoletta , Siino Marianna , D’Alessandro Antonino , Adelfio Giada
Published: April 2022

In this paper, we propose the use of advanced and flexible statistical models to describe the spatial displacement of earthquake data. The paper aims to account for the external geological information in the description of complex seismic point processes, through the estimation of models with space varying parameters. A local version of the Log-Gaussian Cox processes (LGCP) is introduced and applied for the first time, exploiting the inferential tools in Baddeley (Spat Stat 22:261–295, 2017), estimating the model by the local Palm likelihood. We provide methods and approaches accounting for the interaction among points, typically described by LGCP models through the estimation of the covariance parameters of the Gaussian Random Field, that in this local version are allowed to vary in space, providing a more realistic description of the clustering feature of seismic events. Furthermore, we contribute to the framework of diagnostics, outlining suitable methods for the local context and proposing a new step-wise approach addressing the particular case of multiple covariates. Overall, we show that local models provide good inferential results and could serve as the basis for future spatio-temporal local model developments, peculiar for the description of the complex seismic phenomenon.
Green cement production in India: prioritization and alleviation of barriers using the best–worst method
Authors: Marinelli Marina , Janardhanan Mukund
Published: April 2022

Cement is a fundamental building and construction material for societies around the world. However, its manufacturing process is exceptionally energy intensive and has a substantial contribution to the man-made global warming potential which calls for immediate reduction. In this context, the implementation of green production practices and technologies in the Indian cement sector is of particular interest and global impact given that the country is the second biggest producer worldwide. Furthermore, the literature reveals that although the implementation of green practices in the cement manufacturing sector faces barriers across a variety of aspects, there is only limited research focussing on developing countries. This research covers this gap by concentrating on the barriers encountered by the cement sector of India and proposes strategies for their alleviation based on input from five experts and the use of the multi-criteria decision making method (MCDM) best–worst method (BWM). The results show that the lack of conducive corporate environment is the most important barrier, inadequate skills and attitudes are the second, while capital-related limitations come third. The experts highlight the need for mechanisms promoting cost effective environmental research and training as well as appropriate funding instruments and procurement rules from the government. Furthermore, a clear vision and plan from the management’s part are fundamental for the effective incorporation of green practices in the organisational identity and the required employee engagement.
SARS-CoV-2 surveillance in indoor and outdoor size-segregated aerosol samples
Authors: del Real Álvaro , Expósito Andrea , Ruiz-Azcona Laura , Santibáñez Miguel , Fernández-Olmo Ignacio
Published: April 2022

We aimed to determine the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in indoor and outdoor size-segregated aerosol samples (PM10-2.5, PM2.5). Five outdoor daily samples were collected between November and December 2020 in an urban/industrial area with relatively high PM10 levels (Maliaño, Santander, Spain) by using a PM impactor (air flowrate of 30 L/min). In a non-hospital indoor sampling surveillance context, 8 samples in classrooms and 6 samples in the central library-Paraninfo of the University of Cantabria (UC) were collected between April and June 2021 by using personal PM samplers (air flowrate of 3 L/min). Lastly, 8 samples in the pediatric nasopharyngeal testing room at Liencres Hospital, 6 samples from different single occupancy rooms of positive patients, and 2 samples in clinical areas of the COVID plant of the University Hospital Marqués de Valdecilla (HUMV) were collected between January and May 2021. N1, N2 genes were used to test the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA by RT-qPCR. SARS-CoV-2 positive detection was only obtained from one fine fraction (PM2.5) sample, corresponding to one occupancy room, where a patient with positive PCR and cough was present. Negative results found in other sampling areas such as the pediatric nasopharyngeal testing rooms should be interpreted in terms of air sampling volume limitation and good ventilation.
ADAPTTER: Developing a Framework for Teaching Computational Thinking in Second-Level Schools by Design Research
Authors: Kirwan Colette , Costello Eamon , Donlon Enda
Published: April 2022

Computational Thinking (CT) is a problem-solving process applicable across all disciplines. It has been defined as a 21st-century skill (Wing, Communications of the ACM, 49(3), 33–35, 2006). Unfortunately, little pedagogical research is available to guide teachers and designers when devising a CT course. This study addresses this issue by describing how a framework to teach CT to second-level students evolved. This framework, ADAPTTER, has been shown to result in a high quality, engaging, low threshold, effective, and practical course. A three-phase Educational Design Research study was employed to develop this framework. It involved six schools, eleven teachers, four content experts, and 446 students. Data was gathered using various means: teacher interviews and diaries, students' questionnaires, artefacts, and tests. The ADAPTTER framework is offered as a way for teachers and researchers to design a CT course, understand its components and have conversations around the same.
On the Rate Dependence of Precipitate Formation and Dissolution in a Nickel-Base Superalloy
Authors: D’Souza Neil , Hardy Mark C. , Roebuck Bryan , Li Wei , West Geoff D. , Collins David M.
Published: April 2022

The temporal dependence of$$\gamma '$$γ′dissolution in the polycrystalline Ni-base superalloy RR1000 has been studied with implications to thermo-mechanical processing. A resistivity-based method using an electro-thermal mechanical testing (ETMT), which overcomes the drawbacks associated with other approaches, such as calorimetry, dilatometry, and diffraction, has been used to explore the effect of transient and isothermal thermal cycles. This is supplemented by DICTRA numerical models that simulate the diffusion within the$$\gamma $$γphase up to the$$\gamma /\gamma '$$γ/γ′interface. It is demonstrated that dissolution is affected by heating rate as well as the precipitate size. Below a threshold heating rate of$$\sim $$∼0.1$${^\circ }$$∘C s$$^{-1}$$-1, the dissolution kinetics are marginally affected, however, is sensitive to microstructure. The role of precipitate size during dissolution is governed by diffusion flux in the$$\gamma $$γphase at the$$\gamma /\gamma '$$γ/γ′interface, which is inversely proportional to size. It is argued that numerical simulations that predict constitutional liquation during rapid heating by altering the width of the computation domain to match the average precipitate size of the$$\gamma '$$γ′population will yield inaccurate predictions. The influence of the heating rate on the nucleation undercooling, during subsequent cooling, has also been addressed. With increasing heating rates, the local$$\gamma '$$γ′solvus temperature is shifted to progressively higher temperatures. Unless complete dissolution of$$\gamma '$$γ′occurs prior to subsequent cooling, erroneous interpretations of nucleation undercooling can arise.
RETRACTED ARTICLE: Qualitative analysis on the driving force behind upcycling practices associated with mobile applications: Circular economy perspective
Authors: Martín Martín José María , Calvo Martínez Sara , Guaita Martínez José Manuel , Ribeiro Soriano Domingo Enrique
Published: April 2022

Upcycling is a type of practice included within the circular economy. Although interest in this type of activity has grown in recent years, academic analysis of the drivers that impel these activities is poorly developed. This work focuses on upcycling activities developed in the context of rural tourism. Through field work based on structured interviews applied in the region of Andalusia (Spain), evidence was sought about the drivers that promote this type of practice. In particular, attention was paid to the role of mobile applications as facilitators of upcycling. The main finding was that technology helps in using upcycling practices when considering rural tourism, as demonstrated by the use of mobile applications and websites such as Wallapop. There was also evidence of the different factors that drive the development of upcycling practices: the existence of a traditional social network as a means of obtaining second-hand items, technology as an element that facilitates access to items owned by strangers, the need to offer the image sought by tourists, and a desire to maintain the cultural essence of the region.
A Robust 2D Lidar SLAM Method in Complex Environment
Authors: Huang Shan , Huang Hong-Zhong , Zeng Qi , Huang Peng
Published: April 2022

The two-dimensional (2D) lidar is a ranging optical sensor that can measure the cross-section of the geometric structure of the environment. We propose a robust 2D lidar simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) algorithm working in ambiguous environments. To improve the front-end scan-matching module’s accuracy and robustness, we propose performing degeneration analysis, line landmark tracking, and environment coverage analysis. The max-clique selection and odometer verification are introduced to increase the stability of the SLAM algorithm in an ambiguous environment. Moreover, we propose a tightly coupled framework that integrates lidar, wheel odometer, and inertial measurement unit (IMU). The framework achieves the accurate mapping in large-scale environments using a factor graph to model the multi-sensor fusion SLAM problem. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method achieves a highly accurate front-end scan-matching module with an error of 3.8% of the existing method. And it can run stably in ambiguous environments where the existing method will be failed. Moreover, it ccan successfully construct a map with an area of more than 250 000 square meters.
The effect of soluble phenolic compounds from hydrothermally pretreated wheat straw on Trichoderma reesei cellulases and commercial enzyme cocktails
Authors: Borisova Anna S. , Pihlajaniemi Ville , Kont Riin , Niemelä Klaus , Koitto Taru , Mikkelson Atte , Väljamäe Priit , Kruus Kristiina , Marjamaa Kaisa
Published: April 2022

Hydrothermal methods are commonly applied in pretreatment of lignocellulose for conversion to biofuels and chemicals. This pretreatment partially disassembles and solubilizes hemicelluloses and lignin, releasing sugars and phenolic compounds, which are potential inhibitors for the subsequent enzymatic saccharification step. In this work, the inhibitory effect of soluble phenolics in hydrothermal pretreatment liquor on canonical Trichoderma reesei enzymes was investigated, using purified cellobiohydrolases, endoglucanases, a xylanase, and a lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase, as well as commercial enzyme cocktails Cellic Ctec2 and Celluclast. The pretreatment liquor was fractionated to enrich the phenolics, and thoroughly analyzed. The most sensitive to phenolics inhibition were cellobiohydrolases, the major enzymes in crystalline cellulose degradation and the primary component in cellulolytic mixtures. These were inhibited by the oligophenolics and phenol-carbohydrate complexes (lignin-carbohydrate complex type of compounds), the latter of which could be mitigated by other enzymes, i.e., xylanases and endoglucanases. Addition of lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase to the hydrolysis reactions was found to relieve the negative effect of phenolics. Similarly, hydrolytic activity of a commercial enzyme cocktail Cellic Ctec2 was enhanced in the presence of low concentrations of phenolics.
Strengthening intrusion detection system for adversarial attacks: improved handling of imbalance classification problem
Authors: Pimsarn Chutipon , Boongoen Tossapon , Iam-On Natthakan , Naik Nitin , Yang Longzhi
Published: April 2022

Most defence mechanisms such as a network-based intrusion detection system (NIDS) are often sub-optimal for the detection of an unseen malicious pattern. In response, a number of studies attempt to empower a machine-learning-based NIDS to improve the ability to recognize adversarial attacks. Along this line of research, the present work focuses on non-payload connections at the TCP stack level, which is generalized and applicable to different network applications. As a compliment to the recently published investigation that searches for the most informative feature space for classifying obfuscated connections, the problem of class imbalance is examined herein. In particular, a multiple-clustering-based undersampling framework is proposed to determine the set of cluster centroids that best represent the majority class, whose size is reduced to be on par with that of the minority. Initially, a pool of centroids is created using the concept of ensemble clustering that aims to obtain a collection of accurate and diverse clusterings. From that, the final set of representatives is selected from this pool. Three different objective functions are formed for this optimization driven process, thus leading to three variants of FF-Majority, FF-Minority and FF-Overall. Based on the thorough evaluation of a published dataset, four classification models and different settings, these new methods often exhibit better predictive performance than its baseline, the single-clustering undersampling counterpart and state-of-the-art techniques. Parameter analysis and implication for analyzing an extreme case are also provided as a guideline for future applications.
System Design Choice in the Sharing Economy: How Different Institutional Logics Drive Consumer Perception and Consumers’ Intention to Use Sharing Systems
Authors: Clemens Valentin , Sabel Christopher Albert , Foege Johann Nils , Nüesch Stephan
Published: April 2022

The sharing economy provides consumers with temporary access to various products. As a growing business trend that continuously attracts new consumers, it motivates businesses to rapidly develop new system designs. In this study, we investigate how the system design choices of sharing systems for products affect consumers’ perceptions of the system and consequently their intention to use a system. Building on institutional logics, we examine how the logics inherent in two system designs—the community logic in peer-to-peer (P2P) systems and the corporate logic in business-to-consumer (B2C) systems—affect consumer perceptions. We argue that consumers perceive P2P and B2C logics differently regarding logics’ economic benefits, product scarcity, sustainability benefits, and social benefits. To test our theory, we conducted a scenario experiment with 1259 participants from the UK. Our findings suggest that consumers perceive P2P systems as yielding higher economic, sustainability, and social benefits than B2C systems, and that these benefits increase consumers’ intention to use the system. However, we also find that P2P systems suffer from the risk of product scarcity, reducing consumers’ intention to use such systems. In summary, our findings show that system design affects consumers’ perceptions and that different designs attract consumer groups with different preferences.
Design and Development of Superimposed Directional Comparison Protection Scheme
Authors: Guo Ziye , Crossley Peter A. , Li Haiyu
Published: April 2022

To achieve the UK Net Zero future by 2050, National Grid needs to integrate significantly more renewable generation into the power grid. This increases the level of harmonics, reduces system inertia and adversely affects the fault level and the performance of existing protection relays. One solution to the protection problem is the use of new types of protection that use the change in the voltage and current caused by the fault, often referred to as a superimposed or incremental based protection technique. This paper describes how a superimposed directional comparison protection scheme performed when applied to a reduced section of the full UK National Grid network and relates this to the operating performance of traditional protection. Tests are performed using the simulators DIgSILENT and RelaySimTest configured with different source levels, fault types, fault locations and fault resistances. Results show the superimposed based protection scheme achieves faster fault detection and tripping than conventional protection and is capable of detecting higher resistive faults on networks where the source capacities vary from strong to weak.
Time Series Data Analysis in Oceanography
Authors: Li Chunyan
Published: April 2022

Chunyan Li is a course instructor with many years of experience in teaching about time series analysis. His book is essential for students and researchers in oceanography and other subjects in the Earth sciences, looking for a complete coverage of the theory and practice of time series data analysis using MATLAB. This textbook covers the topic's core theory in depth, and provides numerous instructional examples, many drawn directly from the author's own teaching experience, using data files, examples, and exercises. The book explores many concepts, including time; distance on Earth; wind, current, and wave data formats; finding a subset of ship-based data along planned or random transects; error propagation; Taylor series expansion for error estimates; the least squares method; base functions and linear independence of base functions; tidal harmonic analysis; Fourier series and the generalized Fourier transform; filtering techniques: sampling theorems: finite sampling effects; wavelet analysis; and EOF analysis.
Advanced Topics in Quantum Field Theory
Authors: Shifman Mikhail
Published: April 2022

Quantum field theory is the basis of our modern description of physical phenomena at the fundamental level. This systematic and comprehensive text emphasizes nonperturbative phenomena and supersymmetry. It includes a thorough discussion of various phases of gauge theories, extended objects and their quantization, and global supersymmetry from a modern perspective. This Second Edition is revised to include topics developed in the last decade, including higher-form global symmetries and their applications, anomalies in supersymmetric theories beyond Ferrara–Zumino, and non-Abelian supersymmetric vortex strings. A new final part is added, presenting more than 90 problems with detailed solutions, allowing students to check their understanding of the acquired knowledge and providing extra details to supplement the main text descriptions. This an indispensable book for graduate students and researchers in theoretical physics.
Vaccine-Induced Functional Neurological Disorders in the Covid-19 Era
Authors: de Souza Aaron , Jacques Rainha , Mohan Sangeeth
Published: April 2022

The large amount of information available to the public regarding vaccines against Covid-19 coupled with pandemic stress and increased somatic attention could potentially precipitate development of functional neurological disorders (FNDs) following vaccination. A growing number of reports indicate that functional symptoms may follow Covid-19 vaccination, similar to those observed with other vaccines previously. We review previously reported cases of FND following vaccination against Covid-19 and present three additional cases. While two patients presented to the Emergency Department with functional movement disorders, one patient presented with protracted limb weakness and sensory dysfunction. The superficial resemblance to Guillain–Barré syndrome, a known but uncommon complication of vaccination prompted an extensive workup. Clinicians need to convey the diagnosis of FND in clear and unequivocal terms to facilitate institution of appropriate therapy and rehabilitation, but importantly also to dispel any doubts in the minds of the public regarding the safety of the available vaccines. Given the presence of significant vaccine hesitancy in many countries, this is critical to the success of the global immunisation effort.
Using video-based surveillance for monitoring hand hygiene compliance according to the World Health Organization (WHO) Five Moments framework: A pragmatic trial
Authors: McKay Katherine J. , Li Cecilia , Shaban Ramon Z.
Published: April 2022

Objective:

To examine the utility of video-based monitoring systems (VMSs) for auditing hand hygiene compliance according to the World Health Organization (WHO) Five Moments.

Design:

Pragmatic quasi-experimental observation trial.

Setting:

The New South Wales Biocontainment Centre, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia.

Participants:

Volunteer healthcare workers (HCWs).

Method:

Six high-fidelity simulations were recorded and subsequently assessed for their ability to audit hand hygiene compliance according to the WHO Five Moments for hand hygiene criteria using tools provided by the National Hand Hygiene Initiative (NHHI).

Results:

In total, 206 minutes of recorded footage were reviewed in 120 minutes, yielding 111 moments. Overall HCW hand hygiene compliance was 88% according to the WHO Five Moments framework. The cost per moment was $0.91 AUD ($0.66 USD) and the time required per moment was 64 seconds.

Conclusions:

Auditing of hand hygiene compliance according to all 5 of the WHO Five Moments from recorded footage is not only possible but provides cost and time savings. In addition, the process may produce output that is less subject to the biases inherent in direct human observational auditing.
Risk of bacterial bloodstream infection does not vary by central-line type during neutropenic periods in pediatric acute myeloid leukemia
Authors: Elgarten Caitlin W. , Otto William R. , Shenton Luke , Stein Madison T. , Horowitz Joseph , Aftandilian Catherine , Arnold Staci D. , Bona Kira O. , Caywood Emi , Collier Anderson B. , Gramatges M. Monica , Henry Meret , Lotterman Craig , Maloney Kelly , Modi Arunkumar J. , Mian Amir , Mody Rajen , Morgan Elaine , Raetz Elizabeth A. , Verma Anupam , Winick Naomi , Wilkes Jennifer J. , Yu Jennifer C. , Aplenc Richard , Fisher Brian T. , Getz Kelly D.
Published: April 2022

Background:

Bloodstream infections (BSIs) are a frequent cause of morbidity in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), due in part to the presence of central venous access devices (CVADs) required to deliver therapy.

Objective:

To determine the differential risk of bacterial BSI during neutropenia by CVAD type in pediatric patients with AML.

Methods:

We performed a secondary analysis in a cohort of 560 pediatric patients (1,828 chemotherapy courses) receiving frontline AML chemotherapy at 17 US centers. The exposure was CVAD type at course start: tunneled externalized catheter (TEC), peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC), or totally implanted catheter (TIC). The primary outcome was course-specific incident bacterial BSI; secondary outcomes included mucosal barrier injury (MBI)-BSI and non-MBI BSI. Poisson regression was used to compute adjusted rate ratios comparing BSI occurrence during neutropenia by line type, controlling for demographic, clinical, and hospital-level characteristics.

Results:

The rate of BSI did not differ by CVAD type: 11 BSIs per 1,000 neutropenic days for TECs, 13.7 for PICCs, and 10.7 for TICs. After adjustment, there was no statistically significant association between CVAD type and BSI: PICC incident rate ratio [IRR] = 1.00 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.75–1.32) and TIC IRR = 0.83 (95% CI, 0.49–1.41) compared to TEC. When MBI and non-MBI were examined separately, results were similar.

Conclusions:

In this large, multicenter cohort of pediatric AML patients, we found no difference in the rate of BSI during neutropenia by CVAD type. This may be due to a risk-profile for BSI that is unique to AML patients.
Bubble curtains used as barriers across horizontal density stratifications
Authors: Bacot A. , Frank D. , Linden P.F.
Published: April 2022

Bubble curtains are multiphase line plumes that are used to reduce buoyancy-driven flows between two water zones at different densities. They are similar to air curtains, plane turbulent jets, that are installed in doorways of buildings between two climatically different environments. In this study, we establish a formal analogy between bubble curtains and air curtains and unify the two frameworks for their description that had previously been used. By means of small-scale laboratory experiments conducted in a channel with freshwater and brine solutions, we study how effectively a bubble curtain acts as a separation barrier for a wide range of density differences as well as different air fluxes and water depths. Qualitatively, two regimes of operation of a bubble curtain are identified and we establish the optimum operating conditions on the basis of quantitative measurements and theoretical considerations. We develop a theoretical model to calculate the infiltration flux of dense water across the bubble curtain that is in very good agreement with experimental measurements and yields a theoretical upper limit on the effectiveness of the bubble curtain. We also study the zones of mixed fluid around the bubble curtain, provide a scaling law for their horizontal extent as well as theoretically predict the water density inside these mixed zones. We discuss how the theoretical models derived from our small-scale experiments apply to real-scale bubble curtains that are, for example, used in ship locks.
Mean flow structure of katabatic winds and turbulent mixing properties
Authors: Charrondière Claudine , Brun Christophe , Hopfinger Emil J. , Cohard Jean-Martial , Sicart Jean-Emmanuel
Published: April 2022

The recent field measurements of katabatic winds on steep alpine slopes provide a unique database for theoretical analysis of the mean flow development and the determination of mixing properties. The theory is based on the depth-integrated momentum and heat equations, and demonstrates an increase in mean velocity

$U$

with downstream distance

$x$

according to

$x^{n}$

(

$n\leq 1/2$

). An equation for the mean wind velocity is established, expressing its dependency on the buoyancy flux, related to the heat flux to the ground, entrainment and bottom friction. No ambient stratification, and ambient wind and constant ground surface temperature, lead to

$U{\sim} x^{1/2}$

, while constant heat flux to the ground leads to

$U{\sim} x^{1/3}$

and requires that the reduced gravity decreases as

$x^{-1/3}$

. Stable ambient stratification

$N$

causes, in addition to small-amplitude mean flow oscillations, a decrease in reduced gravity with

$x$

, in which case the assumption of constant surface heat flux along

$x$

is only an approximation. The turbulent fluxes are a function of gradient Richardson number

$Ri$

with the ratio of turbulent diffusivity to viscosity

$K_h/K_m$

changing from nearly

$1.4$

to approximately

$0.5$

at

$Ri\approx 0.5$

. A new mixing efficiency is introduced that includes turbulence kinetic energy production or consumption by along-slope turbulent buoyancy flux. It increases with

$Ri$

up to

$0.25$

at

$Ri\approx 0.5$

and then remains nearly constant. The measurements allowed us to determine the bottom drag coefficients and interfacial entrainment, with the ground surface heat flux being determined from the mean buoyancy flux.
Informal Gold Miners, State Fragmentation, and Resource Governance in Bolivia and Peru
Authors: Toledo Orozco Zaraí
Published: April 2022

High commodity prices have led to the proliferation of informal gold mining in the Andes. Despite their limited financial capacity, informal gold miners have proved capable of influencing national-level policy outcomes. Why are they able to do so? This study puts forward a comparative study of Bolivia, where informal miners have been politically incorporated, and Peru, where they have been traditionally excluded. It shows how, despite the very different institutional contexts, informal miners are similarly capable of leveraging their contribution to the local economy and the fracture between the central state and its peripheral branches to form pressure groups with local authorities. Based on 120 interviews with politicians and leaders from the largest gold-mining communities in Bolivia and Peru, this study contributes to the scholarship on state-society relations, resource politics, and decentralization by outlining the conditions and mechanism through which informal groups contest exclusionary resource governance in fragmented states.
Changes in the adiposity level and prevalence of overweight/obesity among children from Kraków (Poland) within the last decade (from 2010 to 2020)
Authors: Kryst Łukasz , Żegleń Magdalena , Badzińska Julia , Kowal Małgorzata , Woronkowicz Agnieszka
Published: April 2022

The aim of this study was to assess the changes in the prevalence of overweight, obesity and high adiposity in children and adolescents from Krakow (Poland), between the years 2010 and 2020. Two cross-sectional series of anthropometric measurements were carried out in 2010 and 2020. Analysed characteristics included: body height and weight, BMI (Body Mass Index), body adiposity (%BF). The subjects were categorised according to their BMI (underweight, normal weight, overweight, obesity), as well as %BF (low, normal, high body fat).The research was conducted in randomly selected primary schools in Krakow (Poland). Studied cohorts (8-15 years of age), which represented four of the traditional residential districts: Śródmieście, Podgórze, Krowodrza and Nowa Huta. Among the girls, there was a negative secular trend regarding the prevalence of underweight and obesity. On the other hand, there also was a positive trend concerning the prevalence of overweight and low and high body fat. In boys, there was a negative secular trend regarding the prevalence of underweight and low adiposity. There was also a generally positive secular trend regarding the prevalence of overweight, obesity as well as high adiposity in boys. The findings of this study are particularly significant because detailed knowledge of the prevalence of overweight/obesity in childhood and adolescence is crucial for the future health of entire populations. Further studies should also take into account the levels of physical fitness and activity of the examined population.
Stable keypoints selection for 2D LiDAR based place recognition with map data reduction
Authors: Douadi Lounis , Dupuis Yohan , Vasseur Pascal
Published: April 2022

This paper presents a new feature based approach for place recognition using 2D LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) data. The main contribution lies in the mapping process. It includes a keypoint selection strategy to model places with persistent keypoints from concatenated LiDAR scans. Our objective is to achieve map data reduction while maintaining good place recognition performace. LiDAR scans are concatenated with a registration algorithm and keypoints are extracted from each scan. Based on a regular grid, our approach measures the occurrence of similar keypoints in each region of interest defined by a grid cell. Only keypoints with occurrences beyond a threshold, qualified as stable keypoints, are kept in the place model called submap. The environment is therefore modeled as a collection of submaps, which constitutes the global map. Place recognition consists in submap matching followed by a two steps geometric verification. In the first stage, optimal parameters are set using corrected data. Mapping parameters satisfy six criteria among which is the spatial distribution distance, which represents another contribution of our work. It gives a measure on how well keypoints are distributed in space. Place recognition optimal parameters are set through global localization. In the second stage, the approach is evaluated using raw data in the contexts of global localization, and loop closure detection in a SLAM framework. The results obtained using popular real data sets show that our approach achieves significant map data reduction (up to
$92\%$
) while maintaining good place recognition performance, comparable to state-of-the-art methods.
Reflections on the Fourth National Development Research Conference, the Role of African Studies and Problems of Documentation
Authors: Gorman G. E.
Published: April 2022

The 4th NDRC was held at Strathclyde University on September 26-29, 1978, and attracted some 200 participants from Britain and overseas. As such, it was probably the largest and most widely representative of these biennial meetings to date, providing a stimulating forum for discussion and exchange of ideas on a wide variety of topics. The range of seminars covered such traditional fields as health, labour, rural and regional development, technology, multinationals, teaching development studies; newer topics included science, socialist development models, historical dimensions, nature of development studies, information and information activities. The following brief analysis is not intended to be a summary of the Conference but rather to highlight certain trends which, to a librarian and Africanist, warrant fuller consideration by developmentalists, Africanists and documentalists.
Concepts in the Description of African Economics
Authors: Elkan Walter
Published: April 2022

The tribe of economists to which I belong regard concepts as more or less ‘kosher', but not description. Economics, most of them would probably argue, is concerned with analysis and prediction; description is for lesser breeds. For example, students are taught the intricacies of analysing the supply of money, but it is rarely suggested to them that they might reasonably be expected to know how money actually comes into existence, which would involve knowing and being able to describe what a bank is, What it does and how. Confronted with such searching questions, they are therefore generally floored; and last year's students are, of course, this year's professional economists!

Yet description is really of the essence of any subject. We cannot account for economic change in Africa unless we can describe it.
The Rise of Written Somali Literature
Authors: Andrzejewski B.W.
Published: April 2022

This paper is a slightly revised version of a lecture given on 16th August 1975 at the Somali Institute of Development Administration and Management in Mogadishu. The text of the lecture was published in the same month, as a booklet, by the Academy of Somali Culture in Mogadishu, but in a limited number of copies only. It was also presented, orally and in absentia, at the Symposium held on 19th September 1975 at the Annual General Meeting of the African Studies Association of the United Kingdom.

In order to make the information which it contains accessible to a wider public I now offer it to readers ofAfrican Research and Documentation.
African Material in the Library of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Authors: Hannam Harry
Published: April 2022

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office provides the means of communication for the discussion and negotiation of all matters within the field of international relations between the British Government and other governments and international organisations. Its diplomatic missions are responsible for protecting British citizens and interests overseas, and for explaining British policies to, and cultivating friendly relations with, governments in foreign and Commonwealth countries. The F.C.O. is also entrusted with the discharge of British responsibilities in the associated states and the administration of the remaining dependent territories. The primary functions of the Ministry of Overseas Development are to formulate and carry out policies to help the economic development of less developed countries, and to administer the British programme of development aid.
Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria - New Library Building
Authors: Mahmud K.
Published: April 2022

Ahmadu Bello University's new Kashim Ibrahim Library was officially opened on 10th December 1976 by Sir Kashim Ibrahim, Chancellor of the University of Lagos and former Governor of Northern Nigeria. The Chancellor, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Iya Abubukar, the Emir of Bedde and many distinguished guests attended the ceremony.

The new library building is one of the largest in tropical Africa. It has an area of 140,000 sq.ft. and a capacity for 2,000 readers and half a million books.

New staff took up appointments during 1976: Hajji Khalil Mahmud, University Librarian and Mr. Sam E. Ifidon, Deputy University Librarian. The administration of the library has been re-organised and a programme to increase the book stock (at present approximately 150,000 volumes) is under way.
Nigeria's New Institute Of Advanced Legal Studies
Authors: Goddard Stephen
Published: April 2022

As long ago as 1963 a communique was issued by the Nigerian Law Teachers Association which read as follows:

It is, however, vital that the Nigerian Universities should provide facilities for legal research. There is an outstanding need for such research into the problems of African Law and it is our firm belief that most of this research cannot be done properly except in Africa … This situation can only be remedied by building up in Nigeria a complete collection of the written sources … the situation demands that a single Institute should be established and charged with the primary responsibility of building up the library and other facilities needed for advanced legal research.
Primary Source Materials for Social Science Research in Nigeria: Problems of Storage and Preservation
Authors: Obasi John U.
Published: April 2022

Library holdings in Nigeria include valuable collections of printed non-book materials in the form of newspaper cuttings, political party handouts, professional bodies and pressure group literature, as well as the innumerable ephemera issued by the central and local government and their agencies. They are very important source material for social science investigations in Nigeria. The purpose of this paper therefore is to highlight the main difficulties encountered in their storage and preservation and to suggest possible ways for dealing with them. It is hoped that it will assist librarians in reviewing and improving their methods of organising and managing this plethora of inestimable resource.

A major concern of all libraries, especially those in the humid tropical climate, is the preservation of resources so painstakingly acquired, while at the same time making them easily accessible to all users.
Checklist of Nigerian Local Governments… with an Introductory Note
Authors: Moses Sibyl E.
Published: April 2022

Abstract

The effective acquisition of Nigerian Local Government publications is dependent,upon,the identification and location of the publishers of these documents. Librarians must know to whom they should direct their requests for publications. This checklist provides the names and locations of all the Local Governments in Nigeria, created by the 1976 Local Government Reform, and gives postal addresses where obtainable. The introductory note provides a brief background on the intention of the reform and its implications for librarians.
The Study of African Languages in the United Kingdom: Part III, and Proposals for a London School of Languages and Literatures
Authors: Dalby David
Published: April 2022

The first and second parts of this paper have charted the rise and decline of a specialised area of language study, concentrated in a single institution in the United Kingdom. This final part relates that decline to shifts in thebalance and direction of the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), and proposes that consideration be given to the establishment of an intercollegiate ‘School of Languages and Literatures’ within the University of London.

A national debate on The Development of a Strategy for Higher Education into the 1990's was initiated in November 1983 by the University Grants. Committee (UGC), after an exchange of correspondence with the Secretary of State for Education and Science.