bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Updated guidance on the management of COVID-19: from an American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society coordinated International Task Force (29 July 2020)
Authors: Bai Chunxue , Chotirmall Sanjay H. , Rello Jordi , Alba George A. , Ginns Leo C. , Krishnan Jerry A. , Rogers Robert , Bendstrup Elisabeth , Burgel Pierre-Regis , Chalmers James D. , Chua Abigail , Crothers Kristina A. , Duggal Abhijit , Kim Yeon Wook , Laffey John G. , Luna Carlos M. , Niederman Michael S. , Raghu Ganesh , Ramirez Julio A. , Riera Jordi , Roca Oriol , Tamae-Kakazu Maximiliano , Torres Antoni , Watkins Richard R. , Barrecheguren Miriam , Belliato Mirko , Chami Hassan A. , Chen Rongchang , Cortes-Puentes Gustavo A. , Delacruz Charles , Hayes Margaret M. , Heunks Leo M.A. , Holets Steven R. , Hough Catherine L. , Jagpal Sugeet , Jeon Kyeongman , Johkoh Takeshi , Lee May M. , Liebler Janice , McElvaney Gerry N. , Moskowitz Ari , Oeckler Richard A. , Ojanguren Iñigo , O'Regan Anthony , Pletz Mathias W. , Rhee Chin Kook , Schultz Marcus J. , Storti Enrico , Strange Charlie , Thomson Carey C. , Torriani Francesca J. , Wang Xun , Wuyts Wim , Xu Tao , Yang Dawei , Zhang Ziqiang , Wilson Kevin C.
Published: October 2020

Background

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2. Consensus suggestions can standardise care, thereby improving outcomes and facilitating future research.

Methods

An International Task Force was composed and agreement regarding courses of action was measured using the Convergence of Opinion on Recommendations and Evidence (CORE) process. 70% agreement was necessary to make a consensus suggestion.

Results

The Task Force made consensus suggestions to treat patients with acute COVID-19 pneumonia with remdesivir and dexamethasone but suggested against hydroxychloroquine except in the context of a clinical trial; these are revisions of prior suggestions resulting from the interim publication of several randomised trials. It also suggested that COVID-19 patients with a venous thromboembolic event be treated with therapeutic anticoagulant therapy for 3 months. The Task Force was unable to reach sufficient agreement to yield consensus suggestions for the post-hospital care of COVID-19 survivors. The Task Force fell one vote shy of suggesting routine screening for depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Conclusions

The Task Force addressed questions related to pharmacotherapy in patients with COVID-19 and the post-hospital care of survivors, yielding several consensus suggestions. Management options for which there is insufficient agreement to formulate a suggestion represent research priorities.
An evaluation of rural–urban disparities in treatment outcomes for obstructive sleep apnoea: study protocol for a prospective cohort study
Authors: Corrigan Jennifer , Ogah Imhokhai , Ip-Buting Ada , Sharpe Heather , Laratta Cheryl R. , Peller Peter , Tsai Willis H. , Pendharkar Sachin R.
Published: October 2020

Background

Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a common and treatable chronic condition that is associated with significant morbidity and economic cost. Geography is increasingly being recognised as a barrier to diagnosis and treatment of many chronic diseases; however, no study to date has investigated the impact of place of residence on health outcomes in OSA.

Objective

The purpose of this study is to determine whether treatment outcomes for patients initiating continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) for OSA differ between those who live in urbanversusrural settings.

Methods

A prospective cohort design will be used. Participants will be recruited through community-based CPAP providers and assigned to either the rural or urban cohort based on residential postal code. The primary outcome will be the difference in nightly hours of CPAP use between the two groups, measured 3 months after initiation of therapy. Secondary outcomes will include symptoms, quality of life, patient satisfaction and patient-borne costs.

Anticipated results

This study will determine whether there are differences in CPAP adherence or patient-reported outcomes between rural and urban patients with OSA. These results will highlight potential challenges with providing OSA care in rural populations and may inform health interventions to reduce urban–rural inequities.
Alteration in angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 by PM1during the development of emphysema in rats
Authors: Chuang Hsiao-Chi , Chen Yi-Ying , Hsiao Ta-Chih , Chou Hsiu-Chu , Kuo Han-Pin , Feng Po-Hao , Ho Shu-Chuan , Chen Jen-Kun , Chuang Kai-Jen , Lee Kang-Yun
Published: October 2020

Introduction

Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) provides an adhesion site for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Patients with COPD could have severe outcomes after SARS-CoV-2 infection. The objective of this study was to investigate ACE2 regulation by air pollution during the development of COPD.

Methods

Sprague Dawley rats were exposed to unconcentrated traffic-related air pollution for 3 and 6 months. We examined lung injury markers, oxidative stress, inflammation, emphysema, ACE2 and angiotensin II receptor type 1 (AT1) and 2 (AT2) in the lungs after exposure.

Results

Lung injury occurred due to an increase in permeability and lactate dehydrogenase cytotoxicity was observed after 6 months of exposure to fine particulate matter of <1 μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM1). An α1-antitrypsin deficiency and neutrophil elastase production with emphysema development were observed after 6 months of PM1exposure. 8-isoprostane and interleukin-6 were increased after 3 and 6 months of PM1exposure. Caspase-3 was increased after exposure to PM1for 6 months. Upregulation of ACE2 was found after 3 months of PM1exposure; however, ACE2 had decreased by 6 months of PM1exposure. AT1 and AT2 had significantly decreased after exposure to PM1for 6 months. Furthermore, smooth muscle hypertrophy had occurred after 6 months of PM1exposure.

Conclusions

In conclusion, short-term exposure to PM1increased the ACE2 overexpression in lungs. Long-term exposure to PM1decreased the ACE2 overexpression in emphysema. Air pollution may be a risk for SARS-CoV-2 adhesion during the development of COPD.
Red cell distribution width: a new tool for the severity prediction of sleep apnoea syndrome in children
Authors: Morell-Garcia Daniel , Toledo-Pons Núria , Sanchis Pilar , Bauça Josep Miquel , Sánchez José María , Peña-Zarza José , Giménez Paloma , Pierola Javier , de la Peña-Bravo Mónica , Alonso-Fernández Alberto , Barceló Antònia
Published: October 2020

Introduction

Red cell distribution width (RDW) is a parameter included in the complete blood count which informs about the size of the circulating red blood cell population and its distribution. In adults, an increase in RDW was shown to be associated both with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) and with an increase in cardiovascular mortality. The aim of this study was to determine whether RDW is a potential biomarker for screening children with moderate–severe OSA.

Methods

An observational study in snoring patients was performed. All patients underwent a sleep study and were classified either as simple snorers (apnoea–hypopnoea index (AHI) <1 event·h−1) or as patients with OSA (mild AHI ≥1 to <5 events·h−1; moderate–severe AHI ≥5 events·h−1). Blood analyses (complete blood count and C-reactive protein) were performed for every individual.

Results

A total of 175 individuals were recruited. The mean age was 8.3±3.6 years. Correlation studies between RDW and several sleep-related parameters showed negative significant associations with minimum oxygen saturation, and positive significant associations with oxygen desaturation index (≥3% and ≥4%), AHI and the arousal index. A predictive model for paediatric severe OSA (AHI ≥5 events·h−1) was found based on mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) <34.9 g·dL−1and RDW >13.1% values, adjusting for body mass index z-score and age (area under the curve 0.657; p=0.004). In addition, differences were found in eosinophil count and C-reactive protein concentrations among the three subgroups.

Conclusions

In children, RDW stands out as a biomarker associated with the severity of OSA. The use of RDW and MCHC could be a simple but useful tool for the severity prediction of paediatric OSA in snoring patients.
Defining asthma in children: how well do parents, doctors and spirometry agree?
Authors: Korsten Koos , Naaktgeboren Christiana A. , Bont Louis J. , van der Ent Cornelis K. , de Hoog Marieke L.A.
Published: October 2020

Background

Because diagnosing asthma in school-aged children is challenging, a variety of proxies for asthma are used in clinical practice and research settings as indicators of this disease. We aimed to provide insight into the agreement between various asthma indicators based on parental report, medical diagnosis and spirometry.

Methods

Children from the WHISTLER birth cohort performed spirometry and were followed up with parental ISAAC (International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood) questionnaires about asthma at 5 and 8 years of age. Medical data were extracted from primary care records. We compared 15 asthma indicators based on parental report, medical diagnosis and spirometry using positive agreement, κ statistics and latent class cluster analysis.

Results

At 5 years of age, 1007 children completed a study visit, while 803 children visited at 8 years of age. Depending on the indicator, the responder and child's age, the asthma prevalence ranged from 0.2% to 26.6%. Cluster analysis revealed classes related to the presence of recent symptoms and a decreased lung function. Agreement between parents and doctors was generally low with κ coefficients ranging from 0.07 (recent wheeze) to 0.52 (recent asthma medication). Additionally, parental report showed to be sensitive to recall bias over time.

Conclusions

Dependent on the asthma indicator, the responder and the age of the child, substantial differences in agreement were observed between commonly used indicators associated with asthmatic disease in school-aged children. Most agreement between parents and doctors was seen for objective and recent indicators such as the recent use of asthma medication. We advocate caution when literature with different asthma indicators is compared.
Adipose tissue area as a predictor for the efficacy of apatinib in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer: an exploratory imaging biomarker analysis of the AEROC trial
Authors: Huang Xin , Xie Chuanbo , Tang Jie , He Wenzhuo , Yang Fan , Tian Wenfang , Li Jundong , Yang Qiuxia , Shen Jingxian , Xia Liangping , Lan Chunyan
Published: October 2020

Background

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-targeted therapy is effective in patients with ovarian cancer. Whether adipose tissue (AT) could predict the efficacy of VEGF receptor (VEGFR) inhibitors in ovarian cancer is unknown. We aimed to evaluate the ability of distinct AT depots to predict the efficacy of apatinib, a VEGFR inhibitor, in recurrent ovarian cancers included in the AEROC trial.

Methods

The AEROC was a single-arm phase 2 trial of apatinib and oral etoposide in patients with platinum-resistant or platinum-refractory ovarian cancer. Apatinib was administered continuously, and oral etoposide was administered every 21 days for a maximum of six cycles. This was a post hoc study based on the AEROC trial. Areas of visceral AT (VAT), subcutaneous AT (SAT), and intermuscular AT (IMAT) were measured using computed tomography scan at baseline to assess their association with the objective response rate, progression-free survival, and overall survival.

Results

Of the 35 treated patients, 31 patients with at least one post-baseline efficacy assessment by computed tomography scan were included in this study. After adjusting for apatinib exposure, high VAT (odds ratio [OR], 0.16; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.03–0.90, P = 0.037) and SAT (OR, 0.16; 95% CI, 0.03–0.87, P = 0.034) were significantly associated with a higher objective response rate. Further, decreased risks of disease progression and death were associated with high VAT (hazard ratio [HR], 0.39; 95% CI, 0.17–0.92, P = 0.031, and HR, 0.12; 95% CI, 0.04–0.40, P < 0.001, respectively), SAT (HR, 0.35; 95% CI, 0.15–0.83, P = 0.027, and HR, 0.24; 95% CI, 0.08–0.67, P = 0.007, respectively), and IMAT (HR, 0.20; 95% CI, 0.06–0.74, P = 0.016, and HR, 0.13; 95% CI, 0.03–0.62, P = 0.011, respectively).

Conclusions

High areas of VAT, SAT, and IMAT were significantly associated with better outcomes in patients with platinum-resistant or platinum-refractory ovarian cancer who received VEGFR inhibitors. AT assessments may be valuable as patient-specific imaging biomarkers for predicting response to VEGFR inhibitors.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02867956.
First confirmed occurrence of the yellow fever virus and dengue virus vector Aedes (Stegomyia) luteocephalus (Newstead, 1907) in Mozambique
Authors: Abílio Ana Paula , Kampango Ayubo , Armando Eliseu J. , Gudo Eduardo S. , das Neves Luís C. B. , Parreira Ricardo , Sidat Mohsin , Fafetine José M. , de Almeida António Paulo G.
Published: October 2020

Background

Mozambique, same as many other tropical countries, is at high risk of arthropod-borne virus (arbovirus) diseases and recently two dengue virus (DENV) outbreaks occurred in the northern part of the country. The occurrence of some important vector species, such as Aedes (Stegomyia) aegypti (Linnaeus) and Ae. (Stg.) albopictus (Skuse), besides several other sylvatic vectors, have been reported in the country, which may indicate that the transmission of some arboviruses of public health importance may involve multiple-vector systems. Therefore, knowing the occurrence and distribution of existing and the new important vectors species, is crucial for devising systematic transmission surveillance and vector control approaches. The aim of this study was to map the occurrence and distribution of mosquito species with potential for transmitting arboviruses of human and veterinary relevance in Niassa Province, Northern Mozambique.

Methods

Field entomological surveys were undertaken in April 2016 in Lago District, Niassa Province, northern Mozambique. Breeding sites of mosquitoes were inspected and immature stages were collected and reared into adult. Mosquitoes in the adult stages were morphologically identified using taxonomic keys. Morphological identification of Aedes (Stegomyia) luteocephalus (Newstead) were later confirmed using dissected male genitalia and molecular based on the phylogenetic analyses of the sequenced barcode (cox1 mtDNA) gene.

Results

A total of 92 mosquito larvae collected developed into adults. Of these, 16 (17.39%) were morphologically identified as Ae. luteocephalus. The remaining specimens belonged to Ae. (Stg.) aegypti (n = 4, 4.35%), Ae. (Aedimorphus) vittatus (n = 24, 26.09%), Anopheles garnhami (n = 1, 1.09%), Culex (Culiciomyia) nebulosus (n = 28, 30.43%), Eretmapodites subsimplicipes (n = 18, 19.57%) and Toxorhynchites brevipalpis (n = 1, 1.09%), taxa already known to the country. Male genitalia and phylogenetic analyses confirmed the identity of Ae. luteocephalus specimens collected in this study.

Conclusions

To our knowledge, this is the first detection of Ae. luteocephalus in Mozambican territory, a vector species of yellow fever virus (YFV), Zika virus (ZIKV) and dengue virus (DENV) in Africa. Further studies are encouraged to investigate the role of Ae. luteocephalus in the transmission of arboviral diseases in Mozambique.
Advantages of using a prophylactic epidural closed drain and non-watertight dura suture in a craniotomy near the “parietal site”
Authors: Li Xin , Li Jing , Sui Jianfei , Niyazi Tuerdialimu , Yalikun Naibijiang , Wang Shuo
Published: October 2020

Background

In neurosurgery, the necessity of having a drainage tube is controversial. Subgaleal fluid collection (SFC) often occurs, especially in a craniotomy near the “parietal site”.

This study aimed to reassess the benefit of using a prophylactic epidural drainage (ED) and non-watertight dura suture in a craniotomy near the parietal site.

Methods

A retrospective review was conducted on 63 consecutive patients who underwent a craniotomy near the parietal site. The patients were divided into two groups according to different period. The deal group received ED and a non-watertight dura suture (drain group, DG), the control group that did not (non-drain group, NDG). Complications and patient recovery were evaluated and analysed.

Results

Three patients (11.5%, 26) in DG and 20 patients (54.1%, 37) in NDG presented with SFC (p < 0.05). One patient (3.8%) in DG and three patients (8.1%) in NDG presented with subdural tensile hydrops (STH) (p > 0.05). Six developed an infection in NDG (four intracranial infections, one abscess, one pulmonary infection), while none in DG (p > 0.05) developed infection. Three (11.5%) cases in DG and one (2.7%) case in NDG had muscle strength that improved postoperatively (p > 0.05). Fifteen (57.7%) in DG and 14 (37.8%) in NDG had epileptic seizures less frequently postoperatively (p < 0.05). The average temperature (37.4 °C vs 37.6 °C, p > 0.05), the maximum temperature (37.9 °C vs 38.1 °C, p > 0.05) on 3 PODs, the postoperative hospital stay day (7.5 days vs 8.0 days, p > 0.05), and the postoperative medicine fee (¥29762.0 vs ¥28321.0, p > 0.05) were analysed.

Conclusion

In patients who undergo a craniotomy near the parietal site, the prophylactic use of ED and a non-watertight dura suture helps reduce SFC, infection, and control epilepsy.
The Apocalyptic Chivalry of Thomas Dekker’s The Whore of Babylon and Anglo-Spanish Diplomacy
Authors: Smith-Cronin Jeri
Published: October 2020

Writing home to King Philip III from the Spanish embassy in London on November 1, 1619, Fray Diego de la Fuente proudly declared his part in suspending a revival of Thomas Dekker’s The Whore of Babylon (1606) due to its “thousands of blasphemies against the pope and Spain.” La Fuente, Gondomar’s London replacement from 1618 to 1620, was clearly intervening to protect Anglo-Spanish diplomatic interests at the height of the ongoing marriage negotiations between the Infanta Maria and Prince Charles. By 1619, English opposition to the “Spanish match” had become inextricably shaped by King James’s refusal to offer military support to his son-in-law, Frederick V, against the Catholic Habsburg invasion of Protestant Bohemia, a conflict interpreted in apocalyptic-chivalric terms. Originally responding to the Gunpowder Plot, the reappearance of Dekker’s play in 1619 encourages a broader analysis of its political message and appeal. This essay reads The Whore of Babylon in this wider European diplomatic context by placing it in conversation with contemporary political and theological treatises and diplomatic communications. Dekker’s play is also read as part of a wider theatrical tradition of post-Reformation apocalyptic drama and, more immediately, as participating in the extended print and performance history of the confessionally charged Jacobean history play. Combining an apocalyptic vision of history and chivalric language and imagery within a cultural framework of Elizabethan nostalgia, The Whore of Babylon became even more politically topical and sensitive in its 1619 revival than in its original context.
Scarlett Letter: A study based on experience of stigma by COVID-19 patients in quarantine
Authors: Imran Nazish , Afzal Hadia , Aamer Irum , Hashmi Ali Madeeh , Shabbir Bilquis , Asif Aftab , Farooq. Saeed
Published: October 2020

Background and Objectives: Stigma around COVID-19 is a major barrier in global efforts to control the COVID 19 pandemic. Limited data is available regarding stigma faced by COVID-19 patients in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). The aim of the current study was to explore the stigma experienced by hospitalized patients with COVID-19 illness in Lahore, Pakistan.

Methods: Following Institutional Review Board approval and informed consent, patients were assessed using modified HIV short form stigma scale and open-ended questions. Questions focused on experiences, feelings, and opinions as to how patients feel and how they were treated prior to and during the hospitalization. Data analysis for quantitative data was performed using SPSS-20, while qualitative responses were interpreted by content analysis method.

Results: One hundred and fourteen patients were interviewed (Mean age 38.8 years + 15.3) with 53.5% being males. Widespread experience of stigma was reported by patients particularly for concerns about public attitudes (7.43 + 1.43) & disclosure (6.89 + 1.45). Main themes which emerged from the qualitative responses were social stigma and rejection, humiliating behaviour of others, breach of confidentiality, loss of trust/ respect, and impact of COVID-19 diagnosis on their business.

Conclusions: Existence of significant stigma among COVID-19 patients isolated in a tertiary care hospital in a LMIC highlights the need for culturally sensitive strategies to address it.

doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.36.7.3606

How to cite this:Imran N, Afzal H, Aamer I, Hashmi A, Shabbir B, Asif A, et al. Scarlett Letter: A study based on experience of stigma by COVID-19 patients in quarantine. Pak J Med Sci. 2020;36(7):1471-1477. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.36.7.3606

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Η θέση της γυναίκας στην Αραβία στην εποχή του Μωάμεθ: πράξη και κορανικός λόγος
Authors: Σπυριδωνάκης Β. Γ.
Published: October 2020

no abstract available
Ways of Realizing Educational Potential by Means of a Foreign Language
Authors: Zharkovskaya T.
Published: October 2020

The article examines some ways of educational potential realizаtion by means of foreign language. The different methods and forms of educational activity organization on the base of notion "tolerance" forming are described in the work.
Learning Individual Behavior Using Sensor Data: The Case of Global Positioning System Traces and Taxi Drivers
Authors: Zhang Yingjie , Li Beibei , Krishnan Ramayya
Published: October 2020

In this study, using a Bayesian learning model with a rich data set consisting of 2 million fine-grained GPS observations, we study the role of information observable by or made available to taxi drivers in enabling them to learn the distribution of demand for their services over space and time. We find significant differences between new and experienced drivers in both learning behavior and driving decisions. Drivers benefit significantly from their ability to learn from not only information directly observable in the local market but also aggregate information on demand flows across markets. Interestingly, our policy simulations indicate that information that is noisy at the individual level becomes valuable when aggregated across relevant spatial and temporal dimensions. Moreover, we find that the value of information does not increase monotonically with the scale and frequency of information sharing. Our results also provide important evidence that efficient information sharing can lead to a welfare increase because of potential market expansion. Efficient information sharing can bring additional income-generating opportunities that could be unfulfilled. Overall, this study not only explains driver decision-making behavior but also provides taxi companies with an implementable information-sharing strategy to improve overall market efficiency.
Do Online Friends Bring Out the Best in Us? The Effect of Friend Contributions on Online Review Provision
Authors: Ke Zhihong , Liu De , Brass Daniel J.
Published: October 2020

Online reviews are a crucial source of information for consumer decision making. Many businesses, companies, and platforms are interested in encouraging more consumers to review their products but are dubious about using financial incentives to buy online reviews. Our research describes a social way of growing online reviews. We show that cultivating an online community for reviewing by showing members reviews written by their online friends cannot only increasing their willingness to contribute but also the quality of the resulting reviews. The takeaways of this study include (1) unlike using financial rewards to incentivize review contribution, the studied approach can motivate review contributions without compromising the quality of reviews contributed; (2) the effect of exposing consumers to their friends’ reviews is comparable to that of Yelp’s weekly newsletters (thus this can be a powerful way of motivating consumer reviews); and (3) to effectively leverage friend reviews, online platforms should facilitate social networking among users and build an online community that recognizes and rewards members who make frequent, high-quality contributions to online reviews.
Don’t Call Us, We’ll Call You: An Empirical Study of Caller Behavior Under a Callback Option
Authors: Hathaway Brett A. , Emadi Seyed M. , Deshpande Vinayak
Published: October 2020

Although call centers have recently invested in callback technology, the effects of this innovation on call center performance are not clearly understood. In this paper, we take a data-driven approach to quantify the operational impact of offering callbacks under a variety of callback policies. To achieve this goal, we formulate a structural model of the caller decision-making process under a callback option and impute their underlying preferences from data. Our model estimates shed light on caller preferences under a callback option. We find that callers experience three to six times less discomfort per unit of time while waiting for callbacks than while waiting in queue, suggesting that offering callbacks can increase service quality by channeling callers to an alternative service channel where they experience less discomfort while waiting. However, after controlling for expected waiting times, callers generally prefer waiting in a queue over accepting a callback and waiting offline. This suggests that managers of this call center may want to spend efforts in educating their customers on the benefits of the callback option. Using the callers’ imputed preferences, we are able to conduct counterfactual analyses of how various callback policies affect the performance of this call center. We find that in this call center, offering to hold the callers’ spot in line or to call back within a window (guaranteed timeframe) reduces average online waiting time (the average time callers wait on the phone) by up to 71% and improves service quality by decreasing callers’ average incurred waiting cost by up to 46%. Moreover, we find that offering callbacks as a demand postponement strategy during periods of temporary congestion reduces average online waiting time by up to 86%, increases service quality by up to 54%, and increases system throughput by up to 2.1%.

This paper was accepted by Vishal Gaur, operations management.
The Bayesian Prophet: A Low-Regret Framework for Online Decision Making
Authors: Vera Alberto , Banerjee Siddhartha
Published: October 2020

We develop a new framework for designing online policies given access to an oracle providing statistical information about an off-line benchmark. Having access to such prediction oracles enables simple and natural Bayesian selection policies and raises the question as to how these policies perform in different settings. Our work makes two important contributions toward this question: First, we develop a general technique we call compensated coupling, which can be used to derive bounds on the expected regret (i.e., additive loss with respect to a benchmark) for any online policy and off-line benchmark. Second, using this technique, we show that a natural greedy policy, which we call the Bayes selector, has constant expected regret (i.e., independent of the number of arrivals and resource levels) for a large class of problems we refer to as “online allocation with finite types,” which includes widely studied online packing and online matching problems. Our results generalize and simplify several existing results for online packing and online matching and suggest a promising pathway for obtaining oracle-driven policies for other online decision-making settings.

This paper was accepted by George Shanthikumar, big data analytics.
Risk-Mitigating Technologies: The Case of Radiation Diagnostic Devices
Authors: Galasso Alberto , Luo Hong
Published: October 2020

We study the impact of consumers’ risk perception on firm innovation. Our analysis exploits a major surge in the perceived risk of radiation diagnostic devices following extensive media coverage of a set of overradiation accidents involving computed tomography (CT) scanners in late 2009. Using data on radiation diagnostic device patents and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) product clearances, we find that the increased perception of radiation risk spurred the development of new technologies that mitigated such risk and led to a greater number of new products. Using CT scanners as a case study, we provide an in-depth characterization of two different types of risk-mitigating technologies that firms developed after the shock. Firm-level analysis shows that, although firms were similarly responsive in their patenting activities, large incumbents were significantly more responsive than smaller firms in terms of new product introductions, and, in the case of CT scanners, large incumbents were also significantly more responsive in terms of the more radical type of risk-mitigating technologies. We also provide qualitative evidence and describe patterns of equipment usage and upgrade that are consistent with increased risk perception and, consequently, a greater willingness to pay for safety. Overall, our findings suggest that changes in risk perception can be an important driver of innovation, can shape the direction of technological progress, and can impact market structure.

This paper was accepted by Ashish Arora, entrepreneurship and innovation.
Do IPO Firms Misclassify Expenses? Implications for IPO Price Formation and Post-IPO Stock Performance
Authors: Liu Xiaotao (Kelvin) , Wu Biyu
Published: October 2020

This study investigates whether initial public offering (IPO) firms inflate “core” earnings through classification shifting (i.e., misclassifying core expenses as income-decreasing special items) immediately prior to IPOs. We provide initial evidence that IPO firms engage in classification shifting in the pre-IPO period. Using hand-collected price and share information from IPO prospectuses, we find that pre-IPO classification shifting is positively associated with a price revision from the midpoint of the initial price range to the final offer price, suggesting that pre-IPO classification shifting influences IPO price formation. Furthermore, we find that pre-IPO classification shifting is negatively associated with post-IPO stock returns. Overall, our findings caution investors, auditors, and regulators that classification shifting, a seemingly innocuous accounting maneuver, can mislead investors in their IPO valuation and is associated with post-IPO underperformance.

This paper was accepted by Brian Bushee, accounting.
An Axiomatization of the Proportional Rule in Financial Networks
Authors: Csóka Péter , Herings P. Jean-Jacques
Published: October 2020

The most important rule to determine payments in real-life bankruptcy problems is the proportional rule. Many such bankruptcy problems are characterized by network aspects, and the values of the agents’ assets are endogenous as they depend on the extent to which claims on other agents can be collected. These network aspects make an axiomatic analysis challenging. This paper is the first to provide an axiomatization of the proportional rule in financial networks. Our main axiom is invariance to mitosis. The other axioms are claims boundedness, limited liability, priority of creditors, continuity, and impartiality.

This paper was accepted by Manel Baucells, decision analysis.
Branch-and-Cut and Iterated Local Search for the Weighted k-Traveling Repairman Problem: An Application to the Maintenance of Speed Cameras
Authors: Muritiba Albert Einstein Fernandes , Bonates Tibérius O. , Da Silva Stênio Oliveira , Iori Manuel
Published: October 2020

Private enterprises and governments around the world use speed cameras to control traffic flow and limit speed excess. Cameras may be exposed to difficult weather conditions and typically require frequent maintenance. When deciding the order in which maintenance should be performed, one has to consider both the traveling times between the cameras and the traffic flow that each camera is supposed to monitor. In this paper, we study the problem of routing a set of technicians to repair cameras by minimizing the total weighted latency, that is, the sum of the weighted waiting times of each camera, where the weight is a parameter proportional to the monitored traffic. The resulting problem, called the weighted k-traveling repairman problem (wkTRP), is a generalization of the well-known traveling repairman problem and can be used to model a variety of real-world applications. To solve the wkTRP, we propose an iterated local search heuristic and an exact branch-and-cut algorithm enriched with valid inequalities. The effectiveness of the two methods is proved by extensive computational experiments performed both on instances derived from a real-world case study and on benchmark instances from the literature on the wkTRP and on related problems.
Theory and Development of a VRI Decision Support System: The USDA-ARS ISSCADA Approach
Authors: Evett Steven R. , O’Shaughnessy Susan A. , Andrade Manuel A. , Colaizzi Paul D. , Schwartz Robert C. , Schomberg Harry S. , Stone Kenneth C. , Vories Earl D. , Sui Ruixiu
Published: October 2020

Highlights

Multi-faceted research efforts converged to an automated irrigation decision support system (DSS).

Low-cost, solar-powered, wireless plant abiotic and biotic stress sensors were developed to aid the DSS.

Low-cost, accurate TDR soil water sensors and a wireless node and gateway system were developed for the DSS.

Sensor systems and research-based algorithms were integrated into an automated irrigation DSS and control system.

Abstract. Variable-rate irrigation (VRI) is now possible with every new center pivot irrigation system sold, either using sector (speed) control or both sector and zone (radial along the pipeline) control. However, decision support systems able to generate a prescription for spatially varying irrigation based on crop water need have lagged far behind VRI equipment. Irrigation based on crop water need has been shown to increase both crop water productivity and nutrient use efficiency, meaning that an effective VRI decision support system (DSS) could improve profitability while conserving resources. In this article, we report separately on a VRI DSS using sensor-based plant and soil water feedback as implemented in four U.S. states. This article describes the genesis and development of the Irrigation Scheduling Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (ISSCADA) system, of the integral plant and soil sensors, and of its wireless sensor network subsystems, as well as the role of multi-location research efforts and cooperative research and development agreements in the development of the needed plant and soil sensors and the ISSCADA and wireless sensor network systems. Keywords: Crop water productivity, Decision support system, Product development, Sensors, Variable-rate irrigation, VRI.
IL-1, IL-6, TNF-α, and MIF in relative adrenal insufficiency in septic shock: a piglet model
Authors: Akura Bina , Batubara Jose R. L. , Munasir Zakiudin , Gunanti  , Prihartono Joedo , Satari Hindra Irawan , Immanuel Suzanna , Somasetia Dadang Hudaya
Published: October 2020

BACKGROUND Inflammatory mediators released during septic shock are involved in the mechanism of adrenal insufficiency. This study investigated the role of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) in septic shock with relative adrenal insufficiency (RAI).

METHODS We conducted a 6-month experimental study in 20 piglets. Following endotoxin administration, their hemodynamics were monitored and blood samples were drawn to test the levels of cytokines IL-1, IL-6, TNF-α, and MIF every 15 min until septic shock onset as well as during a corticotropin stimulation test. Septic shock was managed by administering fluid resuscitation, inotropic drugs, and hydrocortisone. At the end of the study, the piglet models were classified as either RAI or non-RAI. Immunohistochemistry staining was performed on the hypothalamus of the RAI group.

RESULTS The level of IL-6 at 45 min was higher in the RAI group than the non-RAI group (p = 0.008), and that of IL-1 was similar in the two groups during septic shock. The RAI group had higher TNF-α levels at 15 min (p = 0.002) and at 30 min (p = 0.007) than the non-RAI group, and the MIF level during septic shock was higher in the RAI group (p = 0.003) than the non-RAI group.

CONCLUSIONS Cytokine-induced inflammatory process of adrenal gland reflected in TNF-α level in 15 min and 30 min, IL-6 in 45 min, and MIF in septic shock condition but not in IL-1.
Evaluation of temporal moments and Fourier transformed data in time-domain diffuse optical tomography
Authors: Mozumder Meghdoot , Tarvainen Tanja
Published: October 2020

Time-domain diffuse optical tomography (TD-DOT) uses near-infrared pulsed lasers as light sources to measure time-varying exitance on the boundary of the target. These are used to estimate optical properties of the imaged target. Several integral-transform-based moments of the time-resolved data have been utilized in TD-DOT, the most common being the mean time of flight and variance. Recently, it has been shown that Fourier transforming the time-domain data to frequency domain enables utilization of these data at one or several frequencies, producing equally as good estimates as the whole time-domain data. In this work, we present a systematic comparison of the usage of the temporal moments and Fourier transformed data in TD-DOT. Both absolute and difference imaging are evaluated using numerical simulations. The simulations show that utilizing temporal moments and Fourier transformed data in TD-DOT provides good quality reconstructions with a good estimation accuracy. These estimates are improved if more than one data type is used. Furthermore, the simulations show that the frequency-domain computations enable computationally cheaper and straightforward implementation of the inverse solver when compared to the temporal moments.
Unidirectional two-way optical frequency comparison and its fundamental limitations
Authors: Xu Dan , Lopez Olivier , Amy-Klein Anne , Pottie Paul-Eric
Published: October 2020

High-quality frequency transfer based on existing telecommunication
fiber links allows state-of-the-art microwave and optical clocks to be
compared on a continental and potentially even intercontinental scale.
We present a half-a-year-long data set of unidirectional optical
frequency transfer over a

2
×
43

k
m

urban fiber link. We observe a
relative frequency instability of

8.0
×

10

−
16

at 1 s and at best

6.0
×

10

−
18

at

10
6

s

integration time. Our results show
that the unidirectional two-way method gives the possibility to
perform comparisons of international primary standards over fiber
links faster than over satellite links. Moreover, we investigate the
major limiting factors of such a unidirectional setup.
A community-based validation of the International Alliance for the Control of Scabies Consensus Criteria by expert and non-expert examiners in Liberia
Authors: Walker Stephen L. , Collinson Shelui , Timothy Joseph , Zayzay Samuel K. , Kollie Karsor K. , Candy Neima , Lebas Eglantine , Halliday Katherine , Pullan Rachel , Fallah Mosoka , Marks Michael
Published: October 2020

Background

The International Alliance for the Control of Scabies (IACS) recently published expert consensus criteria for scabies diagnosis. Formal validation of these criteria is needed to guide implementation. We conducted a study to provide detailed description of the morphology and distribution of scabies lesions as assessed by dermatologists and validate the IACS criteria for diagnosis by both expert and non-expert examiners.

Methods

Participants from a community in Monrovia, Liberia, were independently assessed by two dermatologists and six non-expert examiners. Lesion morphology and distribution were documented based on the dermatologist examination. Diagnoses were classified by IACS criteria and the sensitivity and specificity of non-expert examiner assessments calculated.

Results

Papules were the most common lesions (97.8%). Burrows were found in just under half (46.7%) and dermatoscopy was positive in a minority (13.3%). Scabies lesions were found in all body regions but more than 90% of patients could have been diagnosed by an examination of only the limbs. Severity of itch was associated with lesion number (p = 0.003). The sensitivity of non-expert examiners to detect typical scabies ranged between 69–83% and specificity 70–96%. The sensitivity of non-expert examiners was higher in more extensive disease (78–94%).

Conclusions

The IACS criteria proved a valid tool for scabies diagnosis. For the purposes of implementation papules and burrows represent truly ‘typical’ scabies lesions.

Non-expert examiners are able to diagnose scabies with a high degree of accuracy, demonstrating they could form a key component in population-level control strategies.
Microclimatic behavior of a screen house proposed for horticultural production in low-altitude tropical climate conditions
Authors: Villagran Edwin Andres , Jaramillo Noreña Jorge Eliecer
Published: October 2020

In developing countries, horticultural production in low-altitude tropical climate conditions is often limited by biotic and abiotic factors. In these countries, the implementation of highly technical greenhouses is not feasible due to economic, social and cultural issues related to farmers. Therefore, one of the alternatives that has taken a great boom is the use of screen house structures (SH), although information on the microclimatic behavior of these is still limited. The objective of this research was to use an experimentally validated 3D CFD numerical simulation model to study the thermal behavior and airflow patterns in an SH located in the Colombian Caribbean region during the daytime hours (6:00 to18:00 h). The results obtained showed that the air flow patterns inside the SH showed speed reductions of up to 68% with respect to the speed of the external wind. It was also found that the thermal behavior inside the SH was quite homogeneous, the average temperature values in the structures ranged between 23.9 and 39 °C and the difference with external environment temperature did not exceed 1.8 °C. It was concluded that the implementation of this type of structure could be an useful technological tool for the optimization of horticultural production in low-altitude tropical climate regions.
Cucumber production under organic cultivation in response to biofertilizer application
Authors: da Silva Tamwing Gabriela , Elviro de Araújo Neto Sebastião , Marino Greta , Sampaio Marreiro Andressa , Lúcia Félix Ferreira Regina
Published: October 2020

Cucumber is a vegetable species of high socioeconomic importance, whose fruits are consumed in all Brazilian regions. However, the knowledge of its organic production is still incipient. In this perspective, this study aimed to evaluate the productive performance of the Aodai cucumber under organic cultivation in response to the application of biofertilizer via soil and leaves. The experiment was conducted in the Seridó Ecological Site, Rio Branco, AC, by adopting a randomized block design in a 6x2 factorial arrangement, with four replications and eight plants per experimental unit. The treatments consisted of six concentrations of biofertilizer (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5%) diluted in water, applied via foliar spraying, combined with the presence or absence of its pure application in the soil, with both methods applied at 7, 14, 21, and 28 days after sowing. The fertilizer was also applied in the soil at sowing. At the end of each harvest, the fruits were divided into two quality categories (classes 1 and 2), and then the following variables were evaluated: number of fruits per plant, mean fruit mass, yield, fruit diameter, and fruit length. There was no significant interaction of the biofertilizer application via foliar spraying or soil for any of the variables. The biofertilizer application via foliar spraying promoted a significant increase in the number of marketable fruits per plant, mean mass of total fruits, and marketable and total yields. The 3% concentration of biofertilizer diluted in water and applied on the leaves is the most efficient method to increment the cucumber yield.
Grafting methods and use of fasteners in monoembryonic, polyembryonic, and multi-stemmed jaboticaba (Plinia jaboticaba (Vell) Berg) seedlings
Authors: Baptista Julcinara Oliveira , Lopes José Carlos , Schmildt Edilson Romais , De Araujo Caroline Palacio , Alexandre Rodrigo Sobreira
Published: October 2020

Jaboticaba is a native fruit from Brazil, appreciated for its sweet taste and organoleptic characteristics. The propagation of this fruit species occurs exclusively through seeds, which present high germination rates, although with a long period of juvenility, a fact that favors advances in studies aiming at an early fruiting. This research aimed to study a more adequate and rapid grafting method for the jaboticaba cv. Sabará. The experimental design was in randomized blocks, with 12 treatments consisting of combinations using three types of seedlings (monoembryonic, polyembryonic, and multi-stemmed), two grafting methods (top cleft and splice grafting), and two fasteners (parafilm® tape and circular clip), with three replications consisting of 10 seedlings each. The analyzed characteristics were: monoembryony (%); polyembryony (%), multi-stemming (%), grafting success rate (%), survival (%), scion length (cm), scion diameter (mm), and rootstock diameter (mm). The percentage of monoembryony (46.4%) was higher than the success rates of polyembryony (36%), and multi-stemming (17.6%). The top cleft grafting method of monoembryonic seedlings fastened with parafilm® and circular clip, and polyembryonic seedlings fastened with circular clip were the more suitable for grafting in the jaboticaba cv. Sabará.
Of Gaps and Gossip: Intimacy in the Archive
Authors: Horn Katrin
Published: October 2020

Arguing for gossip’s relevance in the archive, this article examines the surviving private material relating to Charlotte Cushman (1816–1876). Cushman was the most celebrated American actress of the nineteenth century yet spent most of her life in an expatriate community in Rome, where she shared her home with other female artists. Analysing letters, diaries, and related forms of life writing by Cushman herself as well as by friends and family, this article pursues two goals: First, it accounts for how a fear of gossip (by Cushman and her family) might have shaped the gaps in the collection concerning Cushman’s sexual and romantic relationships. Second, it makes the case for the archival traces of gossip as evidence in writing the story of Cushman’s intimate life. The article thus reflects on the role of gossip and privacy in “intimate archives” (Dever et al. 2010) and contemplates their relevance to Cushman as an insightful case study of LGBTQ history. Overall, this article advocates turning to the archive with a renewed fervour for evidence of intimacy as well as for turning to intimacy for evidence.