bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hachimoji DNA and RNA: A genetic system with eight building blocks
Authors: Hoshika Shuichi , Leal Nicole A. , Kim Myong-Jung , Kim Myong-Sang , Karalkar Nilesh B. , Kim Hyo-Joong , Bates Alison M. , Watkins Norman E. , SantaLucia Holly A. , Meyer Adam J. , DasGupta Saurja , Piccirilli Joseph A. , Ellington Andrew D. , SantaLucia John , Georgiadis Millie M. , Benner Steven A.
Published: February 2019

Expanding the genetic code

DNA and RNA are naturally composed of four nucleotide bases that form hydrogen bonds in order to pair. Hoshika
et al.
added an additional four synthetic nucleotides to produce an eight-letter genetic code and generate so-called hachimoji DNA. Coupled with an engineered T7 RNA polymerase, this expanded DNA alphabet could be transcribed into RNA. Thus, new forms of DNA that add information density to genetic biopolymers can be generated that may be useful for future synthetic biological applications.

Science
, this issue p.
884
Tunable intrinsic strain in two-dimensional transition metal electrocatalysts
Authors: Wang Lei , Zeng Zhenhua , Gao Wenpei , Maxson Tristan , Raciti David , Giroux Michael , Pan Xiaoqing , Wang Chao , Greeley Jeffrey
Published: February 2019

Harnessing self-tuned strain

Strain can modify the electronic properties of a metal and has provided a method for enhancing electrocatalytic activity. For practical catalysts, nanomaterials with high surface areas are needed. However, for nanoparticles, strain is often induced with overlayers (adsorbates or heteroatoms) that can undergo reconstruction during operation that releases the induced strain. Wang
et al.
show that freestanding palladium nanosheets (three to five monolayers thick) form with an internal compressive strain of 1 to 2% and can be much more active for both the oxygen and hydrogen evolution reactions under alkaline conditions compared with nanoparticles.

Science
, this issue p.
870
Coherent single-photon emission from colloidal lead halide perovskite quantum dots
Authors: Utzat Hendrik , Sun Weiwei , Kaplan Alexander E. K. , Krieg Franziska , Ginterseder Matthias , Spokoyny Boris , Klein Nathan D. , Shulenberger Katherine E. , Perkinson Collin F. , Kovalenko Maksym V. , Bawendi Moungi G.
Published: February 2019

Perovskite quantum emitters

The development of many optical quantum technologies is dependent on the availability of solid-state single quantum emitters with near-perfect optical coherence. Light-emitting defects in diamond and quantum dots grown by molecular beam epitaxy have demonstrated transform-limited emission linewidths. However, they are limited in terms of production scalability and reproducibility between individual emitters. Utzat
et al.
now show that perovskite quantum dots can overcome these limitations and provide unprecedented versatility for the generation of indistinguishable single photons or entangled photon pairs for quantum information processing.

Science
, this issue p.
1068
Ubiquitin-dependent chloroplast-associated protein degradation in plants
Authors: Ling Qihua , Broad William , Trösch Raphael , Töpel Mats , Demiral Sert Tijen , Lymperopoulos Panagiotis , Baldwin Amy , Jarvis R. Paul
Published: February 2019

Chloroplast-associated protein degradation

Protein degradation is vital for cellular functions, and it operates selectively with distinct mechanisms in different organelles. Some organellar proteins are targeted by the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS)—a major proteolytic network in the eukaryotic cytosol. In such cases, the organelle membrane presents a substantial barrier to protein degradation. Working in the model plant
Arabidopsis
, Ling
et al.
identified mechanisms underlying the UPS-mediated degradation of proteins in the outer membrane of chloroplasts (the organelles responsible for photosynthesis). They identified an Omp85-type β-barrel outer membrane channel and a cytosolic AAA
+
chaperone that fulfill conductance and motor functions in the retrotranslocation of target proteins from chloroplasts. This process thus enabled outer membrane protein processing by the cytosolic proteasome. Such chloroplast-associated protein degradation was initiated by ubiquitination of the targets by the chloroplast-localized E3 ubiquitin ligase SP1.

Science
, this issue p.
eaav4467
Keyhole threshold and morphology in laser melting revealed by ultrahigh-speed x-ray imaging
Authors: Cunningham Ross , Zhao Cang , Parab Niranjan , Kantzos Christopher , Pauza Joseph , Fezzaa Kamel , Sun Tao , Rollett Anthony D.
Published: February 2019

The key to keyhole formation

The formation of keyholes, or vapor-filled depressions, during laser welding presents a large problem for additive manufacturing. Cunningham
et al.
used high-speed x-ray imaging to take a detailed look at keyhole formation in a titanium alloy. They found a simplified relationship between operational parameters and keyhole shape, which may allow for the prevention of pore formation going forward.

Science
, this issue p.
849
Latrophilin GPCRs direct synapse specificity by coincident binding of FLRTs and teneurins
Authors: Sando Richard , Jiang Xian , Südhof Thomas C.
Published: February 2019

Coincidence detection in synaptogenesis

In the brain, synaptic connections are formed with exquisite specificity, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain largely unexplored. Synapse formation is thought to involve bidirectional signaling by proteins that bind to each other across the synaptic cleft. Sando
et al.
used conditional genetic tools and in vitro assays to investigate the mechanisms of synapse formation. They found that synapse formation in the mouse hippocampus requires latrophilins. Latrophilins are G protein–coupled receptors that bind to cell-surface proteins called teneurins and fibronectin leucine-rich repeat transmembrane proteins (FLRTs). Two different latrophilins mediated formation of distinct synapses on the same hippocampal neuron. This function required binding of both teneurins and FLRTs. Thus, latrophilins may guide synapse formation by coincidence signaling, which could help to explain the specificity of synaptic connections.

Science
, this issue p.
eaav7969
3-Aminocyclobutane-1-carboxylic acid: Synthesis and some neurochemical properties
Authors: Šafanda Jiří , Sobotka Pavel
Published: February 2019

The paper describes synthesis of 3-amino-cyclobutane-1-carboxylic acid and its resolution into diastereoisomers. Preparations of cerebral 4-aminobutyrate: 2-oxoglutarate aminotransferase were capable of utilizing both diastereoisomers for transamination. In the uptake of (2,3-H3)-4-aminobutyric acid by slices of rat cerebral tissue the two isomers fUllction as simple competitive inhibitors. The inhibitary potency of the uptake and the utilization in transamination of the cis isomer was higher than that of the trans isomer. This reflects specific steric pre-requisites for the two processes.
Cardiac arrest with pulseless electrical activity rhythm in newborn infants: a case series
Authors: Luong Deandra , Cheung Po-Yin , Barrington Keith J , Davis Peter G , Unrau Jennifer , Dakshinamurti Shyamala , Schmölzer Georg M
Published: February 2019

The 2015 neonatal resuscitation guidelines added ECG to assess an infant’s heart rate when determining the need for resuscitation at birth. However, a recent case report raised concerns about this technique in the delivery room. We report four cases of pulseless electrical activity during neonatal cardiopulmonary resuscitation in levels II–III neonatal intensive care units in Canada (Edmonton [n=3] and Winnipeg [n=1]).

Healthcare providers should be aware that pulseless electrical activity can occur in newborn infants during cardiopulmonary resuscitation. We propose an adapted neonatal resuscitation algorithm to include pulseless electrical activity. Furthermore, in compromised newborns, heart rate should be assessed using a combination of methods/techniques to ensure accurate heart rate assessment. When ECG displays a heart rate but the infant is unresponsive, pulseless electrical activity should be suspected and chest compression should be started.
Resistant dermatomyositis in a rural indigenous Maya woman
Authors: Cnop Katia , Martinez Boris , Austad Kirsten E
Published: February 2019

A 28-year-old indigenous Guatemalan woman presented with 7 months of progressive weakness and numerous dermatological findings. She initially sought care within the free government-run health system and was treated with oral steroids for presumed dermatomyositis. Her symptoms progressed, including severe dysphagia, hypophonia and weakness preventing sitting. She was lost to follow-up in the public system due to financial and cultural barriers. A non-governmental organisation tailored to the needs of Maya patients provided home intravenous pulse dose methylprednisolone in the absence of first-line biologicals. With longitudinal home-based care, she achieved symptom free recovery. The rising burden of chronic non-communicable diseases highlights shortcomings in health systems evident in this case, including lack of provider capacity, limited infrastructure to test for and treat rare diseases and poor continuity of care. We provide potential solutions to help care delivery in low-resource settings adapt to the demans of chronic disease control with particular attention to social determinants of health.
Unknown primary Merkel cell carcinoma with cutaneous spread
Authors: Barreira João Vasco , Valejo Coelho Margarida Moura , Ribeiro Catarina , Semedo Mónica
Published: February 2019

The authors present the case of a woman in the seventh decade of life with medical history of: left nephrectomy for renal tuberculosis and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma treated with chemotherapy (QT) and radiotherapy. She presented with a 2-month history of non-tender, left inguinal lymph node enlargement. Positron Emission Tomography (PET)—CT —scanshowed hypermetabolic inguinal and retroperitoneal lymphadenopathies, no primary tumour. On the second dermatological examination a pink, 2 cm plaque on the anterior left knee was noted. The histopathological analysis revealed Merkel cell carcinoma. The patient underwent two lines of systemic QT, with life-threatening toxicities limiting treatment. Followed overwhelming disease progression with lymphoedema and numerous skin metastases in the left lower limb. The patient received palliative care until death. The rare incidence of such neoplasia and its uncommon clinical presentation justifies reporting this case and highlights the importance of multidisciplinary teams in the management of cancer patients.
Brentuximab vedotin in combination with sequential procarbazine, cyclophosphamide and prednisolone for the management of Hodgkin’s lymphoma-associated vanishing bile duct syndrome (VBDS) with severe obstructive liver failure
Authors: Fong Min , Boyle Stephen , Gutta Naadir
Published: February 2019

We present a novel treatment protocol that was successful in the management of Hodgkin’s-associated vanishing bile duct syndrome, a rare but serious complication of Hodgkin’s lymphoma. We believe that publication of this treatment protocol and the rationale for its development will be of interest to anyone faced with treating this challenging condition.
Ewing’s sarcoma in maxilla
Authors: Astekar Madhusudan , Saxena Shipra , Murari Aditi , Manjunatha Bhari Sharanesha
Published: February 2019

Ewing sarcoma is a lesion of bone, described in small round cell neoplasm. This tumour resembles primitive neuroectodermal tumour both clinically and histologically. Major difference between these two is that the former arises in the bone and the later in soft tissue. It appears most frequently in males at the age range of of 5–25 years, 80% of which occurs within first two decades of life. Males are more commonly affected than females. Present paper reported with a case report of male patient with 24-year-old showing Ewing’s sarcoma of right maxilla.
Dose-response associations of cardiorespiratory fitness with all-cause mortality and incidence and mortality of cancer and cardiovascular and respiratory diseases: the UK Biobank cohort study
Authors: Steell Lewis , Ho Frederick K , Sillars Anne , Petermann-Rocha Fanny , Li Hiu , Lyall Donald M , Iliodromiti Stamatina , Welsh Paul , Anderson Jana , MacKay Daniel F , Pell Jill P , Sattar Naveed , Gill Jason MR , Gray Stuart Robert , Celis-Morales Carlos A
Published: February 2019

Objective

To investigate the association of cardiorespiratory fitness with all-cause mortality, and cardiovascular disease (CVD), respiratory disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and cancer mortality and incidence.

Design

Prospective population-based study.

Setting

UK Biobank.

Participants

Of the 5 02 628 (5.5% response rate) participants recruited by UK Biobank, we included 73 259 (14.6%) participants with available data in this analysis. Of these, 1374 participants died and 4210 developed circulatory diseases, 1293 respiratory diseases and 4281 cancer, over a median of 5.0 years (IQR 4.3–5.7) follow-up.

Main outcome measures

All-cause mortality and circulatory disease, respiratory disease, COPD and cancer (such as colorectal, lung, breast and prostate) mortality/incidence. Fitness was estimated using a submaximal cycle ergometer test.

Results

The HR for all-cause mortality for each metabolic equivalent of task (MET) higher fitness was 0.96 (95% CI 0.93 to 0.98). Similar results were observed for incident circulatory disease (HR 0.96 [0.95 to 0.97]), respiratory disease (HR 0.96 [0.94 to 0.98]), COPD (HR 0.90 [0.86 to 0.95) and colorectal cancer (HR 0.96 [0.92 to 1.00]). Nonlinear analysis revealed that a high level of fitness (>10METs) was associated with a greater incidence of atrial fibrillation (HR 1.24 [1.07 to 1.44]) and prostate cancer (HR 1.16 [1.02 to 1.32]) compared with average fitness. All results were adjusted for sociodemographic, lifestyle and dietary factors, body composition, and morbidity at baseline and excluded events in the first 2 years of follow-up.

Conclusions

Higher cardiorespiratory fitness was associated with lower risk of premature mortality and incidence of CVD, respiratory disease and colorectal cancer.
Medical encounters (including injury and illness) at mass community-based endurance sports events: an international consensus statement on definitions and methods of data recording and reporting
Authors: Schwellnus Martin , Kipps Courtney , Roberts William O , Drezner Jonathan A , D’Hemecourt Pierre , Troyanos Chris , Janse van Rensburg Dina Christina , Killops Jannelene , Borresen Jill , Harrast Mark , Adami Paolo E , Bermon Stéphane , Bigard Xavier , Migliorini Sergio , Jordaan Esme , Borjesson Mats
Published: February 2019

Mass participation endurance sports events are popular but a large number of participants are older and may be at risk of medical complications during events. Medical encounters (defined fully in the statement) include those traditionally considered ‘musculoskeletal’ (eg, strains) and those due to ‘illness’ (eg, cardiac, respiratory, endocrine). The rate of sudden death during mass endurance events (running, cycling and triathlon) is between 0.4 and 3.3 per 100 000 entrants. The rate of other serious medical encounters (eg, exertional heat stroke, hyponatraemia) is rarely reported; in runners it can be up to 100 times higher than that of sudden death, that is, between 16 and 155 per 100 000 race entrants. This consensus statement has two goals. It (1) defines terms for injury and illness-related medical encounters, severity and timing of medical encounters, and diagnostic categories of medical encounters, and (2) describes the methods for recording data at mass participation endurance sports events and reporting results to authorities and for publication. This unifying consensus statement will allow data from various events to be compared and aggregated. This will inform athlete/patient management, and thus make endurance events safer.
Identifying the risk factors for catheter-associated urinary tract infections: a large cross-sectional study of six hospitals
Authors: Letica-Kriegel Allison S , Salmasian Hojjat , Vawdrey David K , Youngerman Brett E , Green Robert A , Furuya E Yoko , Calfee David P , Perotte Rimma
Published: February 2019

Motivation

Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI) are a common and serious healthcare-associated infection. Despite many efforts to reduce the occurrence of CAUTI, there remains a gap in the literature about CAUTI risk factors, especially pertaining to the effect of catheter dwell-time on CAUTI development and patient comorbidities.

Objective

To examine how the risk for CAUTI changes over time. Additionally, to assess whether time from catheter insertion to CAUTI event varied according to risk factors such as age, sex, patient type (surgical vs medical) and comorbidities.

Design

Retrospective cohort study of all patients who were catheterised from 2012 to 2016, including those who did and did not develop CAUTIs. Both paediatric and adult patients were included. Indwelling urinary catheterisation is the exposure variable. The variable is interval, as all participants were exposed but for different lengths of time.

Setting

Urban academic health system of over 2500 beds. The system encompasses two large academic medical centres, two community hospitals and a paediatric hospital.

Results

The study population was 47 926 patients who had 61 047 catheterisations, of which 861 (1.41%) resulted in a CAUTI. CAUTI rates were found to increase non-linearly for each additional day of catheterisation; CAUTI-free survival was 97.3% (CI: 97.1 to 97.6) at 10 days, 88.2% (CI: 86.9 to 89.5) at 30 days and 71.8% (CI: 66.3 to 77.8) at 60 days. This translated to an instantaneous HR of. 49%–1.65% in the 10–60 day time range. Paraplegia, cerebrovascular disease and female sex were found to statistically increase the chances of a CAUTI.

Conclusions

Using a very large data set, we demonstrated the incremental risk of CAUTI associated with each additional day of catheterisation, as well as the risk factors that increase the hazard for CAUTI. Special attention should be given to patients carrying these risk factors, for example, females or those with mobility issues.
Psychometric properties of the Norwegian version of the short form of The Problem Areas in Diabetes scale (PAID-5): a validation study
Authors: Vislapuu Maarja , Broström Anders , Igland Jannicke , Vorderstrasse Allison , Iversen Marjolein M
Published: February 2019

Objectives

To assess the psychometric properties of the short form of The Problem Areas in Diabetes scale (PAID-5) in Norwegian adult patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes.

Design

Cross-sectional survey design.

Methods

Participants (n=143) were included from three Western-Norway endocrinology outpatient clinics. Demographic and clinical data were collected in addition to questionnaires concerning diabetes-related distress, fear of hypoglycaemia, symptoms of depression, emotional well-being and perception of general health. Psychometric evaluation of the PAID-5 included confirming its postulated one-factor structure using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and assessing convergent validity, discriminant validity, internal consistency and test-retest reliability. The retest questionnaire was sent out 35±15 days after the initial assessment to those who agreed (n=117).

Results

The CFA for the PAID-5 scale showed excellent one-factor structure, and there was high internal consistency (α=0.89) and good test-retest reliability (Intraclass Correlation Coefficient, ICC=0.81). The PAID-5 correlated positively with fear of hypoglycaemia (r=0.598) and depression (r=0.380) and negatively with emotional well-being (r=−0.363) and perception of general health (r=−0.420), thus satisfying convergent validity. Patients who had experienced episodes of serious hypoglycaemia in the past 6 months had a significantly higher PAID-5 mean score (7.5, SD=4.95) than those who had not had these episodes (5.0, SD=4.2 (p=0.043)).

Conclusion

The Norwegian PAID-5 was shown to be a reliable and valid short questionnaire for assessing diabetes-related distress among people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. However, its ability to discriminate between groups needs to be tested further in larger samples. The PAID-5 scale can be a particularly valuable screening instrument in outpatient clinics, as its brevity makes it easy to use as a tool in patient-provider encounters. This short questionnaire is useful in the national diabetes registry or population cohort studies as it enables increased knowledge regarding the prevalence of diabetes-related distress.
Diabetes Prevalence Survey of Pakistan (DPS-PAK): prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus and prediabetes using HbA1c: a population-based survey from Pakistan
Authors: Aamir Azizul Hasan , Ul-Haq Zia , Mahar Saeed A , Qureshi Faisal Masood , Ahmad Ibrar , Jawa Ali , Sheikh Aisha , Raza Abbas , Fazid Sheraz , Jadoon Zahid , Ishtiaq Osama , Safdar Nauman , Afridi Hussain , Heald Adrian H
Published: February 2019

Objectives

We conducted a Pakistan-wide community-based survey on the prevalence of type 2 diabetes using glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) as the screening test. The aim was to estimate diabetes prevalence across different demographic groups as well as all regions of Pakistan.

Design, settings and participants

Multistaged stratified cluster sampling was used for the representative selection of people aged ≥20 years, residing in 378 sampled clusters of 16 randomly selected districts, in this cross-sectional study. Eligible participants had blood drawn for HbA1c analyses at field clinics near to their homes. The oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was conducted on a subsample of the participants. Overall and stratified prevalence of type 2 diabetes and its association with risk factors were estimated using logistic regression models.

Main outcome measures

Prevalence of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.

Results

Of 18 856 eligible participants the prevalence of prediabetes was 10.91% (95% CI 10.46 to 11.36, n=2057) and type 2 diabetes was 16.98% (95% CI 16.44 to 17.51, n=3201). Overall, the mean HbA1c level was 5.62% (SD 1.96), and among newly diagnosed was 8.56% (SD 2.08). The prevalence was highest in age 51–60 years (26.03%, p<0.001), no formal education (17.66%, p<0.001), class III obese (35.09%, p<0.001), family history (31.29%, p<0.001) and female (17.80%, p=0.009). On multivariate analysis, there was a significant association between type 2 diabetes and older age, increase in body mass index and central obesity, positive family history, and having hypertension and an inverse relation with education as a categorical variable. On a subsample (n=1027), summary statistics for diagnosis of diabetes on HbA1c showed a sensitivity of 84.7%, specificity of 87.2% and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve 0.86, compared with OGTT.

Conclusions

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes and prediabetes is much higher than previously thought in Pakistan. Comprehensive strategies need to be developed to incorporate screening, prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes at a community level.
Evaluation of the implementation of a relationship and sexuality education project in Western Australian schools: protocol of a multiple, embedded case study
Authors: Burns Sharyn K , Hendriks Jacqueline , Mayberry Lorel , Duncan Scarlett , Lobo Roanna , Pelliccione Lina
Published: February 2019

Introduction

There is recognition of the importance of comprehensive relationships and sexuality education (RSE) throughout the school years worldwide. Interventions have found some positive outcomes; however, the need for a greater focus on positive sexuality and relevant contemporary issues has been identified by teachers and students. The Curtin RSE Project provides training for teachers and preservice teachers and supports schools through training and advice to implement comprehensive school health promotion (CSHP) focusing on RSE allowing schools to develop programmes relevant to their school community. To examine contemporary phenomenon within a real word context, a case study design will be used to measure implementation. This paper will describe the protocol for a multiple, embedded case study to measure the implementation of CSHP focusing on RSE in a purposive sample of Western Australian schools.

Methods and analysis

This mixed methods study will include a multiple, embedded case study. Schools (n=3–4) will be purposively selected from within Western Australia based on their capacity to commit to implementing RSE as a case study school. Data will be collected from students (Grade 6 for primary school; Grades 7–12 for secondary school); teachers and other key staff and parents. Methods include school climate and school curriculum audits, documentation (collected with key staff at baseline and annually), interviews (parents and teachers at Year 2), focus groups (students at Year 2) and an online student survey (collected with students baseline and annually).

Ethics and dissemination

School principals will provide consent for school participation and staff and parents will provide individual consent. Student assent and parental consent will be obtained for student participants. Results will be disseminated through open-access reports, peer-reviewed journals and conference presentations.
Registration audit of clinical trials given a favourable opinion by UK research ethics committees
Authors: Denneny Carla , Bourne Sue , Kolstoe Simon E
Published: February 2019

Objective

To determine levels of public registration for a cohort of clinical trials reviewed and given a favourable opinion by research ethics committees in the United Kingdom.

Study design

Audit of records.

Setting

Clinical trials receiving a favourable ethics opinion between 1 January 2016 and 30 June 2016.

Main outcome measures

Correlation between trials on the UK research ethics committee database and any primary registry entry on the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform or clinicaltrials.gov as of 29 August 2017 (14 to 20 months after the favourable ethics committee opinion).

Results

Over the study period 1014 trials received a favourable ethics opinion, with 397 (39%) registered on the European Union Drug Regulating Authorities Clinical Trials database, and 18 with an agreed clinical trial registration deferral. Excluding these trials, the total number subsequently requiring registration was 599, and of these 405 (40% of total) were found to be registered. Follow-up with the 194 investigators or sponsors of trials not found to be registered produced 121 responses with a further 10 (1%) trials having already registered, 55 commitments to register and a variety of other responses. The overall registration rate was therefore 80%.

Conclusions

Despite researchers and sponsors being reminded that registration of clinical trials is a condition of the research ethics committee (REC) favourable opinion, one-fifth of clinical trials either had not been registered, or their registration could not easily be found, 14 to 20 months after receiving the favourable opinion letter. The methodology trialled here proved effective, and although there are positive indications of a culture change towards greater registration, our results show that more still needs to be done to increase trial registration.
‘I just need an opiate refill to get me through the weekend’
Authors: Yan Eric , Kuo Dennis John
Published: February 2019

In this article, we discuss the ethical dimensions for the prescribing behaviours of opioids for a chronic pain patient, a scenario commonly witnessed by many physicians. The opioid epidemic in the USA and Canada is well known, existing since the late 1990s, and individuals are suffering and dying as a result of the easy availability of prescription opioids. More recently, this problem has been seen outside of North America affecting individuals at similar rates in Australia and Europe. We argue that physicians are also confronted with an ethical crisis where a capitalist-consumerist society is contributing to this opioid crisis in which societal, legal and business interests push physicians to overprescribe opioids. Individual physicians often find themselves unequipped and unsupported in attempts to curb the prescribing of opioid medications and balance competing goals of alleviating pain against the judicious use of pain medications. Physicians, individually and as a community, must reclaim the ethical mantle of our profession, through a more nuanced understanding of autonomy and beneficence. Furthermore, physicians and the medical community at large have a fiduciary duty to patients and society to play a more active role in curbing the widespread distribution of opioids in our communities.
The Two tragedies argument
Authors: Simkulet William
Published: February 2019

Opposition to induced abortion rests on the belief that fetuses have a moral status comparable to beings like us, and that the loss of such a life is tragic. Antiabortion, or pro-life, theorists argue that (1) it is wrong to induce abortion and (2) it is wrong to allow others to perform induced abortion. However, evidence suggests that spontaneous abortion kills far more fetuses than induced abortion, and critics argue that most pro-life theorists neglect the threat of spontaneous abortion and ought to do more to prevent it. Friberg-Fernros contends such an obligation would be implausibly strong, arguing that induced abortions are far worse than spontaneous abortions because while both involve the tragedy of the death of the fetus, induced abortion involves a second tragedy—one person killing another. I argue this two tragedies argument fails to explain what is morally relevant about induced abortion.
Equity and preventive regulations
Authors: Fenton Elizabeth
Published: February 2019

In ‘Obesity, equity and choice’ (J Med Ethics2018;0:1–7. doi:10.1136/medethics-2018-104848), Timothy Wilkinson argues that preventive regulations to address obesity, such as taxes on sugary drinks, are at worst inequitable and at best fail to increase or improve equity. He concludes that we do not yet have good reasons to adopt them. I argue that equity considerations are not as problematic for preventive regulations as Wilkinson suggests.
Maintenance of skeletal muscle function following reduced daily physical activity in healthy older adults: a pilot trial
Authors: Oikawa Sara Y. , Callahan Damien M. , McGlory Chris , Toth Michael J. , Phillips Stuart M.
Published: February 2019

Older adults can experience periods of inactivity related to disease or illness, which can hasten the development of physical disability, in part, through reductions in skeletal muscle strength and power. To date no study has characterized adaptations in skeletal muscle physical function in response to reduced daily physical activity. Participants (15 men, aged 69 ± 2 years; 15 women, aged 68 ± 4 years) restricted their daily steps (<750 steps/day) while being energy restricted (–500 kcal/day) for 2 weeks before returning to normal activity levels during recovery (RC; 1 week). Before and after each phase, measures of knee extensor isometric maximum voluntary contraction (MVC), time-to-peak torque, and physical function were performed and muscle biopsies were taken from a subset of participants. Following the energy restriction and step-reduction phase (ER+SR), MVC was reduced by 9.1 and 6.1 Nm in men and women, respectively (p = 0.02), which returned to baseline after RC in men, but not women (p = 0.046). Maximum isometric tension in MHC IIA fibres (p < 0.01) and maximum power production in MHC I and IIA (p = 0.05) were increased by 14%, 25%, and 10%, respectively, following ER+SR. Reductions in muscle strength could not be explained by changes in single muscle fibre function in a subsample (n = 9 men) of volunteers. These data highlight the resilience of physical function in healthy older men in the face of an acute period of ER+SR and demonstrate sex-based differences in the ability to recover muscle strength upon resumption of physical activity.
Bianchi type-II modified holographic Ricci dark energy cosmological model in the presence of massive scalar field
Authors: Naidu R.L.
Published: February 2019

This work is devoted to the investigation of spatially homogeneous and totally anisotropic Bianchi type-II cosmological model filled with pressure-less matter and anisotropic modified Ricci dark energy in the presence of an attractive massive scalar field in general relativity. A deterministic model of the universe is obtained using the linearly varying deceleration parameter proposed by Akarsu and Dereli (Int. J. Theor. Phys. 51, 612 (2012). doi: 10.1007/s10773-011-0941-5 ). Physical discussion of the dark energy model is presented by computing the physical and kinematical parameters of the models, which play a vital role in the discussion of cosmology. It is observed that the model is in agreement with the present day observations of modern cosmology.
Supramolecular assemblies of phenolic metalloporphyrins: Structures and electrochemical studies
Authors: Quan Gia Co , Denis Morgane , Abeykoon Brian , Tommasino Jean-Bernard , Jeanneau Erwann , Journet Catherine , Devic Thomas , Fateeva Alexandra
Published: February 2019

The reactivity of two phenolic porphyrins bearing respectively catechol and gallol-derived meso substituents (5,10,15,20-tetrakis(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)porphyrin and 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(3,4,5-trihydroxyphenyl)porphyrin) with trivalent metallic ions (Fe, Mn, In) was studied. Six supramolecular compounds were obtained and structurally characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction. In each compound, the supramolecular assembly was based on the axial coordination of a phenolate function to the metallic ion lying in the porphyrinic core. A great diversity of supramolecular architectures was accessible through such simple arrangements, and objects ranging from dimers to one-dimensional polymers were isolated. Some of these assemblies were further investigated in solution by mass spectrometry and by UV-vis absorption spectroscopy. For the iron-based materials, the redox behavior was studied in solution through cyclic voltammetry experiments in inert conditions and under air.
Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy against Staphylococcus aureus using zinc phthalocyanine and zinc phthalocyanine-integrated TiO2 nanoparticles
Authors: Tunçel Ayça , Öztürk İsmail , Ince Mine , Ocakoglu Kasim , Hoşgör-Limoncu Mine , Yurt Fatma
Published: February 2019

Antibiotic resistance is an increasing healthcare problem worldwide. In the present study, the effects of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (APDT) of ZnPc and ZnPc-integrated TiO2 nanoparticles (ZnPc-TiO[Formula: see text] were investigated against Staphylococcus aureus. A light emitting diode (LED) (630–700 nm, 17.4 mW/cm[Formula: see text] was used on S. aureus at different light doses (8 J/cm2 for 11 min, 16 J/cm2 for 22 min, 24 J/cm2 for 33 min) in the presence of the compounds under the minimum inhibitory concentration values. Both compounds showed similar phototoxicity toward S. aureus when high light doses (16 and 24 J/cm[Formula: see text] were applied. In addition, the success of APDT increased with an increasing light dose.
Blogging birds
Authors: Siddharthan Advaith , Ponnamperuma Kapila , Mellish Chris , Zeng Chen , Heptinstall Daniel , Robinson Annie , Benn Stuart , Van Der Wal René
Published: February 2019

The system transforms raw telemetric data into engaging and informative blog texts readily understood by all.
From computational thinking to computational action
Authors: Tissenbaum Mike , Sheldon Josh , Abelson Hal
Published: February 2019

Envisioning computing education that both teaches and empowers.
KADABRA is an ADaptive Algorithm for Betweenness via Random Approximation
Authors: Borassi Michele , Natale Emanuele
Published: February 2019

We present KADABRA, a new algorithm to approximate betweenness centrality in directed and undirected graphs, which significantly outperforms all previous approaches on real-world complex networks. The efficiency of the new algorithm relies on two new theoretical contributions, of independent interest.

The first contribution focuses on sampling shortest paths, a subroutine used by most algorithms that approximate betweenness centrality. We show that, on realistic random graph models, we can perform this task in time |
E
|

1/2+
o
(1)

with high probability, obtaining a significant speedup with respect to the Θ(|
E
|) worst-case performance. We experimentally show that this new technique achieves similar speedups on real-world complex networks, as well.

The second contribution is a new rigorous application of the adaptive sampling technique. This approach decreases the total number of shortest paths that need to be sampled to compute all betweenness centralities with a given absolute error, and it also handles more general problems, such as computing the
k
most central nodes. Furthermore, our analysis is general, and it might be extended to other settings.
Understanding database reconstruction attacks on public data
Authors: Garfinkel Simson , Abowd John M. , Martindale Christian
Published: February 2019

These attacks on statistical databases are no longer a theoretical danger.
Modeling Information Retrieval by Formal Logic
Authors: Abdulahhad Karam , Berrut Catherine , Chevallet Jean-Pierre , Pasi Gabriella
Published: February 2019

Several mathematical frameworks have been used to model the information retrieval (IR) process, among them, formal logics. Logic-based IR models upgrade the IR process from document-query comparison to an inference process, in which both documents and queries are expressed as sentences of the selected formal logic. The underlying formal logic also permits one to represent and integrate knowledge in the IR process. One of the main obstacles that has prevented the adoption and large-scale diffusion of logic-based IR systems is their complexity. However, several logic-based IR models have been recently proposed that are applicable to large-scale data collections. In this survey, we present an overview of the most prominent logical IR models that have been proposed in the literature. The considered logical models are categorized under different axes, which include the considered logics and the way in which uncertainty has been modeled, for example, degrees of belief or degrees of truth. Accordingly, the main contribution of the article is to categorize the state-of-the-art logical models on a fine-grained basis, and for the considered models the related implementation aspects are described. Consequently, the proposed survey is finalized to better understand and compare the different logical IR models. Last, but not least, this article aims at reconsidering the potentials of logical approaches to IR by outlining the advances of logic-based approaches in close research areas.
Do Game Designers’ Decisions Related to Visual Activities Affect Knowledge Acquisition in Cultural Heritage Games? An Evaluation From a Human Cognitive Processing Perspective
Authors: Raptis George E. , Fidas Christos , Avouris Nikolaos
Published: February 2019

In the cultural heritage domain, games have been used to engage users into an active state of learning through immersive and playful interactions that include visually enriched interaction contexts. There is evidence that individual differences in the inherent way people search, process, analyze, comprehend, store, and retrieve visual information in their surrounding environment are reflected in their performance, experience, effectiveness, and efficiency in such environments. Despite the fact that cultural heritage game designers favor learning experiences in such contexts, current design and evaluation practices of cultural heritage games barely consider the gamers’ individual differences in visual information processing. This can be attributed to a deficiency in understanding and modeling the effects among users’ visual behavior, gameplay behavior, and cognitive styles in cultural heritage games toward knowledge acquisition, resulting in insufficient methods of creating cognition-centered user models and considering such human cognitive factors practically, within current state-of-the-art design and evaluation approaches. To address this gap, we selected three known cultural heritage games, adopted a credible cognitive style theory, and performed, over a 6-month period, three separate evaluation user studies (
N
=127) following a between-subject, eye-tracking based, experimental design. The results of the evaluation studies revealed that game designers’ decisions, related to visual search, unintentionally favored users with specific cognitive characteristics by influencing their visual and consequently gameplay behavior, resulting in differences in knowledge acquisition. The results of the evaluation studies also revealed correlation effects during gameplay among individual differences in visual information processing, users’ visual behavior strategies, and gameplay behavior. The findings necessitate the consideration of cognitive characteristics as evaluation and design factors when delivering cultural heritage activities that are based on visual search tasks. Their consideration will help us better understand and explain the different information processing approaches in cultural heritage contexts and will drive the design of adaptive mechanisms for delivering personalized cultural heritage activities, tailored to the users’ unique cognitive characteristics.
The Real-Time Linux Kernel
Authors: Reghenzani Federico , Massari Giuseppe , Fornaciari William
Published: February 2019

The increasing functional and nonfunctional requirements of real-time applications, the advent of mixed criticality computing, and the necessity of reducing costs are leading to an increase in the interest for employing COTS hardware in real-time domains. In this scenario, the Linux kernel is emerging as a valuable solution on the software side, thanks to the rich support for hardware devices and peripherals, along with a well-established programming environment. However, Linux has been developed as a general-purpose operating system, followed by several approaches to introduce actual real-time capabilities in the kernel. Among these, the PREEMPT_RT patch, developed by the kernel maintainers, has the goal to increase the predictability and reduce the latencies of the kernel directly modifying the existent kernel code. This article aims at providing a survey of the state-of-the-art approaches for building real-time Linux-based systems, with a focus on PREEMPT_RT, its evolution, and the challenges that should be addressed in order to move PREEMPT_RT one step ahead. Finally, we present some applications and use cases that have already benefited from the introduction of this patch.
The Enthusiast, the Interested, the Sceptic, and the Cynic
Authors: Jones Catherine Emma (Kate) , Theodosis Stathis , Lykourentzou Ioanna
Published: February 2019

We discuss the user study of a mobile cultural heritage game designed to stimulate reflection about a city's history. Aided by location-aware technology, the game fosters the serendipitous discovery of points of interest, historical images and stories, whilst players wander the city. This exploration differs from the typical precalculated path recommendations used by other location-based applications. It triggers reflection about the city's past that is as unique as its visitors. Ours is one of the first studies to attempt an understanding of the effects of
serendipitous
urban discovery and
historic reflection-triggering technologies
on user experience. We combined field trials with controlled experiments, analysing perceptions of the experience and value using responses expressed in open-ended questionnaire items. Using thematic coding and sentiment analysis, we observed types of emotional responses, indicating four potential profiles of their likelihood towards future technology adoption.
Enthusiastic
and
Interested
users appreciated the freedom of movement choice that created an autonomous experience that fostered a sense of personal accomplishment. The interface interactions of the game, designed to stimulate reflection, supported a feeling of connectedness to others. In contrast,
Cynical
and
Sceptical
users were less tolerant of perceived technological issues, requiring more perfection in functionality and design. These users are less likely to be the early adopters of serendipitous location-based apps. The game was developed as part of a large cultural informatics project but, unlike typical evaluations, we conducted this study midway through the project and not at its end. This approach (1) gave the team the possibility to take stock, pause, and reflect and (2) provided insight on future design improvements for increasing the perceived value of serendipitous urban discovery applications. Our results contribute towards a grounded understanding of user experience and help progress the development of cultural heritage applications that incorporate elements of reflection and/or place-based exploration into their functionalities.
The MUSETECH Model
Authors: Damala Areti , Ruthven Ian , Hornecker Eva
Published: February 2019

Digital technologies are being introduced in museums and other informal learning environments alongside more traditional interpretive and communication media. An increasing number of studies has proved the potential of digitally mediated cultural heritage experiences. However, there is still a lot of controversy as to the advantages and disadvantages of introducing the digital into museum settings, primarily related to the risks and investment in terms of time and human and financial resources required. This work introduces the MUSETECH model, a comprehensive framework for evaluating museum technology before and after its introduction into a museum setting. One of the unique features of our framework is to consider the evaluation of digital technologies from three different perspectives: the cultural heritage professional, cultural heritage institution, and museum visitor. The framework benefited from an extensive review of the current state of the art and from inputs from cultural heritage professionals, designers, and engineers. MUSETECH can be used as a tool for reflection before, during, and after introducing novel digital media resources. The model covers technologies as diverse as mobile museum guides, Augmented and Virtual Reality applications, hands-on museum interactives, edutainment applications, digitally mediated tangible and embodied experiences, or online approaches used for museum education and learning.
Deadline-Aware Fair Scheduling for Multi-Tenant Crowd-Powered Systems
Authors: Difallah Djellel , Checco Alessandro , Demartini Gianluca , Cudré-Mauroux Philippe
Published: February 2019

Crowdsourcing has become an integral part of many systems and services that deliver high-quality results for complex tasks such as data linkage, schema matching, and content annotation. A standard function of such
crowd-powered
systems is to publish a batch of tasks on a crowdsourcing platform automatically and to collect the results once the workers complete them. Currently, these systems provide limited guarantees over the execution time, which is problematic for many applications. Timely completion may even be impossible to guarantee due to factors specific to the crowdsourcing platform, such as the availability of workers and concurrent tasks. In our previous work, we presented the architecture of a crowd-powered system that reshapes the interaction mechanism with the crowd. Specifically, we studied a push-crowdsourcing model whereby the workers receive tasks instead of selecting them from a portal. Based on this interaction model, we employed scheduling techniques similar to those found in distributed computing infrastructures to automate the task assignment process. In this work, we first devise a generic scheduling strategy that supports both fairness and deadline-awareness. Second, to complement the proof-of-concept experiments previously performed with the crowd, we present an extensive set of simulations meant to analyze the properties of the proposed scheduling algorithms in an environment with thousands of workers and tasks. Our experimental results show that, by accounting for human factors, micro-task scheduling can achieve fairness for best-effort batches and boosts production batches.