bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Towards fractional sensors
Authors: Lopes António M. , Tenreiro Machado J. A. , Galhano Alexandra M.
Published: April 2018

This paper proposes a new sensor architecture inspired on the classical accelerometer and the fractional calculus. The fractional sensor (FS) adopts a modular construction with [Formula: see text] stages, where each stage consists of an association of mass–spring–damper elements. A proper selection of the elements in the global mechanical structure yields fractional-order characteristics. The frequency and time responses of the proposed apparatus are studied and compared with those exhibited by an ideal fractional order device. The FS can be implemented by means of modern fabrication techniques used with micro electro-mechanical systems.
Second-grade elasticity revisited
Authors: Froiio Francesco , Zervos Antonis
Published: April 2018

We present a compact, linearized theory for the quasi-static deformation of elastic materials whose stored energy depends on the first two gradients of the displacement (second-grade elastic materials). The theory targets two main issues: (1) the mechanical interpretation of the boundary conditions and (2) the analytical form and physical interpretation of the relevant stress fields in the sense of Cauchy. Since the pioneering works of Toupin and Mindlin et al. in the 1960’s, a major difficulty has been the lack of a convincing mechanical interpretation of the boundary conditions, causing second-grade theories to be viewed as ‘perturbations’ of constitutive laws for simple (first-grade) materials. The first main contribution of this work is the provision of such an interpretation based on the concept of ortho-fiber. This approach enables us to circumvent some difficulties of a well-known ‘reduction’ of second-grade materials to continua with microstructure (in the sense of Mindlin) with internal constraints. A second main contribution is the deduction of the form of the linear and angular-momentum balance laws, and related stress fields in the sense of Cauchy, as they should appear in a consistent Newtonian formulation. The viewpoint expressed in this work is substantially different from the one in a well known and influential paper by Mindlin and Eshel in 1968, while affinities can be found with recent studies by dell’Isola et al. The merits of the new formulation and the associated numerical approach are demonstrated by stating and solving three example boundary value problems in isotropic elasticity. A general finite element discretization of the governing equations is presented, using C1-continuous interpolation, while the numerical results show excellent convergence even for relatively coarse meshes.
Sutureless biplanar closure of leaking wounds in micro-incision vitreous surgery: A novel technique
Authors: Labauri Nikoloz , Mamageishvili Tekla , Tsomaia Keti , Omiadze Mikheil
Published: April 2018

Aim:

To describe a novel technique for sutureless hermetic closure of leaking scleral wounds in micro-incision vitreous surgery.

Methods:

This study is a two-centre, non-comparative, interventional case series. We studied 1240 scleral incisions on 870 eyes using different gauges (20, 23, 25) to evaluate the effectiveness of a new technique to seal scleral wounds without sutures. If wounds were found leaking after removing the trocar, we used the same trocar (or microvitreoretinal) blade to make an adjacent trans-scleral entry in the same direction as the main incision to access its internal flap supporting it from inside. Simultaneously, we applied a blunt smooth-surface instrument to massage the scleral wound from outside to close it hermetically. We treated 870 eyes using three types of tamponading agents, namely, silicone oil in 654 (75%) eyes, non-expansible gas in 128 (15%) eyes, and air in 88 (10%) eyes. We performed optical coherence tomography in the first 100 sclerotomies on the post-operative Day 1.

Results:

We closed leaking incisions at the first attempt in 1231 (99.3%) cases; in 9 (0.7%) cases of 20-gauge incisions, we closed the wounds at the second attempt. We observed no hypotony at the end of surgery. The mean intraocular pressure was 16 mmHg (8–51 mmHg) on the post-operative Day 1.

Conclusion:

Our results show the biplanar closure technique may be used as an effective, quick, sutureless approach to close leaking wounds hermetically in micro-incision vitreous surgery procedures. It is safe, less traumatic, cost-effective, and easy-to-perform typical surgical settings.
Influence of users’ psychosocial traits on Facebook travel–related behavior patterns
Authors: Jovanović Tamara , Božić Sanja , Bodroža Bojana , Stankov Uglješa
Published: April 2018

The principal aim of the article was to explore the psychological aspects of Facebook (FB) users’ travel-related behavior on FB. This especially refers to the time they post their travel-related information, the type of information they post (photos, videos, comments, etc.), when they watch the photos of other people, are they keen to post the information when their impressions are positive or negative, and what level of privacy they keep (with whom they are sharing travel-related information). A total of 804 general FB users from Serbia were included in the study. Analysis of the relationship between travel-related behavior on FB and the different psychosocial aspects of FB use (PSAFU) can be of great importance for online destination marketing. This could help in identifying the patterns of tourists’ FB behavior that result in sharing their travel experiences via electronic word-of-mouth as well as in predicting the FB behavior of future tourists. The study revealed that all analyzed dimensions of PSAFU are related to certain travel-related behavior on FB, explained from 1.9% to 13.7% of these behaviors. The strongest and most consistent predictor of travel-related FB behaviors was ‘Virtual self’ dimension. On contrary, the study showed that Compensatory use of FB is not related to travel-related behavior on FB to a great extent, thus is not of much interest to destination marketers. The further implications are discussed in the article.
A qualitative study of adolescent and young adult cancer survivors’ perceptions of family and peer support
Authors: McDonnell Glynnis A , Shuk Elyse , Ford Jennifer S
Published: April 2018

This qualitative study examined adolescent and young adult survivors’ perceptions of support from family and peers. A total of 26 survivors, aged 16–24 years, who had been diagnosed with cancer between the ages of 14 and 18, participated in semi-structured interviews. Three themes emerged for support: practical support, emotional support, and new sense of closeness. For lack of support, two themes emerged: absence during treatment and lack of understanding about appearance changes. These findings emphasize the perceived importance of family and peer support throughout adolescent and young adults’ cancer trajectories and indicate a need for interventions to help adolescent and young adult develop and maintain support networks throughout treatment and survivorship.
An environmental channel throughput and radio propagation modeling for vehicle-to-vehicle communication
Authors: Al-Absi Mohammed Abdulhakim , Al-Absi Ahmed Abdulhakim , Kim TaeYong , Lee Hoon Jae
Published: April 2018

Developing a secure and smart intelligent transport system for both safety and non-safety application services requires a certain guarantee of network performance, especially in terms of throughput and packet collision performance. The vehicular ad hoc network propagation is strongly affected due to varying nature of the environment. The existing radio propagation path loss models are designed by using mean additional attenuation sophisticated fading models. However, these models do not consider the obstacle caused due to the obstacle of the vehicle in line of sight of the transmitting and receiving vehicle. Thus, the attenuation signal at the receiving vehicles/devices is affected. To address this issue, we present an obstacle-based radio propagation model that considers the effect caused due to the presence of obstructing vehicle in line of sight. This model is evaluated under different environmental conditions (i.e. city, highway, and rural) by varying the speed of vehicles and vehicles’ density. The performance of the model is evaluated in terms of throughput, collision, transmission efficiency, and packet delivery ratio. The overall result shows that the proposed obstacle-based throughput model is efficient considering varied speed and density. For instance, in the city environment, the model achieves an average improvement of 9.98% and 25.02% for throughput performance over other environments by varying the speed and density of devices respectively and an improvement of 15.04% for packet delivery ratio performance over other environments considering varied speed of devices.
Forward versus backward semantic priming: What movement dynamics during lexical decision reveal
Authors: Kang Sean HK , Eglington Luke G , Yap Melvin J
Published: April 2018

Separate processes underlying forward (e.g., crescent MOON) and backward (e.g., office POST) priming have previously been inferred from button-press lexical decision response times, with an automatic prospective mechanism and a strategic retrospective mechanism presumed responsible for forward and backward priming, respectively. We tracked hand/mouse kinematics during lexical decision, and found that forward, backward, and symmetrical (e.g., cat DOG) priming exhibited different movement trajectories, with the effect of forward priming emerging earlier than that of backward priming and with symmetrical priming taking the lead around the time when the backward priming effect came online. The findings provide strong converging evidence for different mechanisms driving forward and backward priming, and demonstrate that continuous kinematic measures can shed light on cognitive processes as they unfold in real time.
Optimization design based on hierarchic genetic algorithm and particles swarm algorithm
Authors: DengWei Lin
Published: April 2018

For a lot of data, it is time-consuming and unpractical to get the best combination by manual tests. The genetic algorithm can make up for this shortcoming through the optimization of parameters. In this paper, the advantages of traditional similarity algorithm is studied, the time model and the trust model for further filtering are introduced, and the parameters with the combination of hierarchical genetic algorithm and particle swarm algorithm are optimized. In the collaborative filtering algorithm, genetic algorithm is improved with hierarchical algorithm, and the user model and the algorithm process are optimized using the fitness function of selection, crossover, and variation, along with the optimization of recommendation result set. In the algorithm, the global optimal parameters can be calculated with the optimization of the obtained initial data, and the accuracy of the similarity calculation can also be improved. This study does the recommendation and comparison experiment in the MovieLens Dataset, and the results show that, on the basis of obtaining the nearest neighbor user group, the mixing use of the hierarchical genetic algorithm and the particle swarm algorithm can make more improvement in the recommendation quality than that of the traditional similarity algorithm.
A warning on separation in multinomial logistic models
Authors: Cook Scott J. , Niehaus John , Zuhlke Samantha
Published: April 2018

Oppenheim et al. (2015) provides the first empirical analysis of insurgent defection during armed rebellion, estimating a series of multinomial logit models of continued rebel participation using a survey of ex-combatants in Colombia. Unfortunately, many of the main results from this analysis are an artifact of separation in these data – that is, one or more of the covariates perfectly predicts the outcome. We demonstrate that this can be identified using simple cross tabulations. Furthermore, we show that Oppenheim et al.’s (2015) results are not supported when separation is explicitly accounted for. Using a generalization of Firth’s (1993) penalized-likelihood estimator – a well-known solution for separation – we are unable to reproduce any of their conditional results. While our (re-)analysis focuses on Oppenheim et al. (2015), this problem appears in other research using multinomial logit models as well. We believe that this is both because the discussion on separation in political science has primarily focused on binary-outcome models, and because software (Stata and R) does not warn researchers about seperation in multinomial logit models. Therefore, we encourage researchers using multinomial logit models to be especially vigilant about separation, and discuss simple red flags to consider.
Thyroid Hormone and Thyrotropin Regulate Intracellular Free Calcium Concentrations in Human Polymorphonuclear Leukocytes: In Vivo and in vitro Studies
Authors: Marino F. , Guasti L. , Cosentino M. , Piazza D. DE , Simoni C. , Bianchi V. , Piantanida E. , Saporiti F. , Cimpanelli M.G. , Crespi C. , Vanoli P. , Palma D. DE , Klersy C. , Frigo G.M. , Bartalena L. , Venco A. , Lecchini S.
Published: April 2018

Intracellular free calcium concentrations ([Ca++]1) were studied in polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) from 13 athyreotic patients who had been previously treated by total thyroidectomy and radioiodine therapy for differentiated thyroid carcinoma, and from age- and sex-matched euthyroid healthy controls. Patients were studied twice, when hypothyroid (visit 1) and after restoration of euthyroidism by L-T4 TSH-suppressive therapy (visit 2). PMNs from patients at visit 1 had significantly lower resting [Ca++]1 levels compared to both visit 2 and controls. Values at visit 2 did not differ from those of the controls. Stimulus-induced [Ca++]1 rise was also significantly blunted at visit 1 and normalized at visit 2, possibly through a differential contribution of distinct intracellular Ca++ stores, as suggested by the response pattern to the chemotactic agent, N-formyl-Met-Leu-Phe (fMLP), to the selective SERCA pump inhibitor, thapsigargine, and to the mitochondrial uncoupler, carbonyl cyanide p-trifluoromethoxyphenyl-hydrazone (FCCP). In vitro treatment of PMNs from healthy subjects with high TSH concentrations impaired intracellular Ca++ store function. Both resting [Ca++]1 levels and fMLP-induced [Ca++]1 rise increased in the presence either of low-concentration TSH or of T4, but effects of TSH and T4 were not additive. T3, rT3, and TRIAC had no effect. In conclusion, this study provides evidence for a direct relationship between thyroid status and [Ca[Ca++]1 homeostasis in human PMNs, mainly related to direct actions of TSH and T4 on these cells.
Encrusted Cystitis in an Immunocompromised Patient: Possible Coinfection by Corynebacterium Urealyticum and E. Coli
Authors: Penta M. , Fioriti D. , Chinazzi A. , Pietropaolo V. , Conte M.P. , Schippa S. , Tecca M. , Gentile V. , Dominicis C. DE , Chiarini F.
Published: April 2018

Encrusted cystitis is a severe chronic inflammatory disease of the bladder characterized by excessively alkaline urine and calcifications within the bladder wall. A case of a 60 year-old man affected by systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), which developed encrusted cystitis due to Corynebacterium urealyticum with E. coli coinfection, shows that the treatment of encrusted cystitis with a endoscopic debulking of the encrusted stones and an antimicrobial therapy specific for C. urealyticum often is not sufficient for the complete resolution of symptoms.
A Qualitative Study of Young Adults Experience With a Reminiscence-Based Therapy for Depressive Symptoms
Authors: Hallford D. J. , Mellor D. , Burgat M. E.
Published: April 2018

Reminiscence therapy is a novel psychosocial approach to treating depressive symptoms in young adults. We present the first qualitative inquiry into young adults’ experience of reminiscence-based therapy, aimed at exploring attitudes toward this approach and their view of processes underpinning positive change. Help-seeking young adults (mean age = 20.8, SD = 1.6) with at least moderate depressive symptoms were interviewed following a course of cognitive-reminiscence therapy. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The intervention was reported to be a positive experience that led to positive outcomes. Change was attributed to common therapy factors and specific factors of cognitive reframing, increasing awareness of a broader life story, learning from the past to feel more confident and able to cope, and strengthened self-worth and self-acceptance. These findings provide unique insight into young adults’ experience with reminiscence-based treatment for depressive symptoms and indicate it is generally acceptable, useful, and age-appropriate for them.
Adjustable- Versus Fixed-Loop Devices for Femoral Fixation in ACL Reconstruction: An In Vitro Full-Construct Biomechanical Study of Surgical Technique–Based Tibial Fixation and Graft Preparation
Authors: Smith Patrick A. , Piepenbrink Marina , Smith Shelby K. , Bachmaier Samuel , Bedi Asheesh , Wijdicks Coen A.
Published: April 2018

Background:

Femoral suspensory fixation for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction has evolved from fixed- to adjustable-loop devices. However, there are still controversies regarding undesired lengthening of adjustable-loop devices.

Hypothesis:

Adjustable-loop fixation will achieve similar elongation to that of fixed-loop devices, and intraoperative preconditioning will reduce initial elongation for adjustable-loop constructs.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

Three adjustable-loop devices (GraftMax, TightRope, and Ultrabutton) and 2 fixed-loop devices (Endobutton and RetroButton) were used in an intraoperative surgical technique workflow according to an in vitro model with porcine bone and bovine tendons (8 specimens per device; N = 40 constructs tested). Each construct underwent 1000 cycles of position- and force-controlled dynamic loading, whereby a total elongation threshold of 3 mm was defined as clinical failure. Constructs were finally pulled to failure at 50 mm/min.

Results:

There were no statistically significant differences among the devices for total or dynamic elongation. Total elongation (mean ± SD) for adjustable-loop constructs was 4.13 ± 1.46 mm for GraftMax, 2.78 ± 0.85 mm for TightRope, and 2.76 ± 0.45 mm for Ultrabutton; for the fixed-loop devices, total elongation was 2.85 ± 0.74 mm for Endobutton and 2.85 ± 1.03 mm for RetroButton. The GraftMax had a significantly lower initial force (95.5 ± 58.0 N) after retensioning, with the highest initial elongation (0.99 ± 0.60 mm). The Ultrabutton showed the greatest force loss (–105.9 ± 13.5 N) during position control cycling, which was significantly different from the GraftMax (–22.3 ± 28.2 N), with the smallest force loss ( P < .001). The TightRope construct had a significantly smaller initial elongation (–0.36 ± 0.22 mm) and the greatest pull-to-failure load (958 ± 40 N) as compared with all of the other devices.

Conclusion:

Adjustable- and fixed-loop configurations achieved statistically comparable fixation strength for total elongation. However, the GraftMax construct exceeded the total elongation threshold of clinical failure. The Ultrabutton produced the greatest loss of force during position control cycling, and the GraftMax button design prevented proper retensioning. The TightRope had a significant greater ultimate strength when compared with all other devices.

Clinical Relevance:

Biomechanical testing according to a surgical technique workflow suggests that adjustable-loop devices can be considered a safe alternative to fixed-loop devices in ACL reconstruction.
Well-log decomposition using variational mode decomposition in assisting the sequence stratigraphy analysis of a conglomerate reservoir
Authors: Xu Zhaohui , Zhang Bo , Li Fangyu , Cao Gang , Liu Yuming
Published: April 2018

Sequence stratigraphy analysis is one of the most important tasks in evaluating and characterizing the reservoir system within a basin. However, it is very hard to identify the system tracts and lithofacies using well logs for the conglomerate reservoirs because of the strong lithology heterogeneity. Based on the fact that the system tracts and lithofacies usually illustrate cycle features within the basin, we decompose the well logs into different intrinsic modes to characterize the sequence units and lithofacies at different scale. First, we analyze the log response to lithologies to determine the well logs used for sequence analysis. Then, we use variational mode decomposition to decompose the selected well logs into an ensemble of different band-limited intrinsic mode functions, each with its center wavenumber. Finally, we interpret the sequence stratigraphy and lithofacies using corresponding decomposed modes. We validate the effectiveness of our method in the lithofacies and sequence identification for a conglomerate reservoir in the Shengli oil field, Bohai Bay Basin, east China. The decomposed intrinsic modes with a larger center wavenumber perfectly characterize the sequence units at a larger scale, whereas the decomposed intrinsic modes with a smaller center wavenumber reveal the lithofacies changes at a smaller scale. The application illustrates that it is much more convenient and easier for sequence stratigraphy analysis to integrate the original and decomposed logs.
Quasi 3D transdimensional Markov-chain Monte Carlo for seismic impedance inversion and uncertainty analysis
Authors: Cho Yongchae , Gibson Jr. Richard L. , Zhu Dehan
Published: April 2018

Accurate estimation of subsurface properties plays an important role in successful hydrocarbon exploration, and a variety of different types of inversion schemes are used to infer earth properties such as velocity or density by analyzing the surface seismic. The Markov-chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) stochastic approach is widely used to estimate subsurface properties. We have used a transdimensional form of MCMC, reversible jump MCMC (RJMCMC), to estimate seismic impedance, which allows the inference of the number of interfaces as well as the interface location and layer impedances. Estimating the uncertainty quantitatively is also very important when performing stochastic inversion. Therefore, the goal of this paper is to apply the transdimensional method to obtain a 3D seismic impedance model and to quantify uncertainty in impedance and interface locations. We also measured the speedup of the proposed algorithm by applying data and task parallelism. To demonstrate the performance and reliability of the proposed RJMCMC impedance inversion, we used seismic data from the E-segment of the Norne field in Norwegian Sea. The results of the quasi 3D transdimensional MCMC approach, which independently inverts data from each common-depth-point location, indicate high velocity contrasts near gas-oil contacts and high uncertainty in impedance near discontinuities. Also, the cross section of the impedance uncertainty volume helps to identify the location of a high-contrast boundary corresponding to the location of the possible gas reservoir. The proposed uncertainty measure can serve as an attribute to identify important reservoir features.
Reducing Body Image–Related Distress in Women With Breast Cancer Using a Structured Online Writing Exercise: Results From the My Changed Body Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Sherman Kerry A. , Przezdziecki Astrid , Alcorso Jessica , Kilby Christopher Jon , Elder Elisabeth , Boyages John , Koelmeyer Louise , Mackie Helen
Published: April 2018

Purpose

Breast cancer treatment adverse effects result in one in three survivors experiencing body image–related distress (BID) that negatively impacts on a woman’s ability to recover after cancer and into survivorship. My Changed Body (MyCB) is a Web-based psychological intervention to alleviate BID and improve body appreciation in survivors of breast cancer (BCSs) through a single-session, self-compassion focused writing activity. This randomized controlled trial evaluated the impact of MyCB on BID and body appreciation in BCSs. The moderating effect of lymphedema status (affected or unaffected) and appearance investment (self-importance placed on personal appearance) and the mediating effect of self-compassion were evaluated.

Patients and Methods

Women (disease-free stage I to III BCSs who had experienced at least one negative event related to bodily changes after breast cancer) were randomly assigned to MyCB (n = 149) or an expressive writing control arm (n = 155). Primary outcomes were reduction in BID and improvement in body appreciation 1 week after intervention. Secondary outcomes included psychological distress (depression and anxiety) and self-compassion. Follow-up assessments occurred 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months after writing.

Results

Compliance with the MyCB intervention was 88%, and attrition was 9.2%. Intent-to-treat linear mixed models indicated that participants who received MyCB reported significantly less BID ( P = .035) and greater body appreciation ( P = .004) and self-compassion ( P < .001) than expressive writing participants. Intervention effects on BID were moderated by lymphedema status ( P = .007) and appearance investment ( P = .042). Self-compassion mediated effects on both primary outcomes. Therapeutic effects were maintained at 1 month (BID and body appreciation) and 3 months (body appreciation) after intervention. Significant reductions in psychological distress (1-month depression, P = .001; 1-week and 1-month anxiety, P = .007) were evident for MyCB participants with lymphedema.

Conclusion

This study supports the efficacy of MyCB for reducing BID and enhancing body appreciation among BCSs.
Aerobic power and flight capacity in birds: a phylogenetic test of the heart-size hypothesis
Authors: Nespolo Roberto F. , González-Lagos César , Solano-Iguaran Jaiber J. , Elfwing Magnus , Garitano-Zavala Alvaro , Mañosa Santiago , Alonso Juan Carlos , Altimiras Jordi
Published: April 2018

Flight capacity is one of the most important innovations in animal evolution; it only evolved in insects, birds, mammals and the extinct pterodactyls. Given that powered flight represents a demanding aerobic activity, an efficient cardiovascular system is essential for the continuous delivery of oxygen to the pectoral muscles during flight. It is well known that the limiting step in the circulation is stroke volume (the volume of blood pumped from the ventricle to the body during each beat), which is determined by the size of the ventricle. Thus, the fresh mass of the heart represents a simple and repeatable anatomic measure of aerobic power of an animal. Although several authors have already compared heart masses across bird species, a phylogenetic comparative analysis of these comparisons is still lacking. Compiling heart sizes for 915 species and applying several statistical procedures controlling for body size and/or testing for adaptive trends in the dataset (e.g., model selection approaches, phylogenetic generalized linear models), we found that (residuals of) heart sizes are consistently associated with four categories of flight capacity. In general, our results indicate that species exhibiting continuous hovering flight (i.e., hummingbirds) have substantially larger hearts than do other groups, that species that use flapping flight and gliding show intermediate values, and that species categorized as poor flyers show the smallest values. Our study shows that at a broad scale, routine flight modes seem to have shaped the energetic requirements of birds sufficiently to be anatomically detected at the comparative level.
Distinct behavior of myelomonocytic cells and CD8 T cells underlies the hepatic response to Listeria monocytogenes
Authors: Velázquez Peter , Williams Cassandra , Leiner Ingrid , Pamer Eric G. , Dustin Michael L.
Published: April 2018

Background: The immune response toListeria monocytogenes(LM) is characterized by formation of leukocyte rich foci of infection in liver and spleen.  Although much has been gained in our understanding of immune response through the study of LM, little is known about spatio-temporal regulation of immune response to Listeria in liver.

Methods:We utilize a combination of molecular, genetic and intravital microscopic approaches to gain insight into the dynamics of foci and leukocyte behavior during hepatic Listeriosis. 

Results: LM foci efficiently exclude blood flow, indicating the presence of a barrier separating the foci and healthy tissue.  Despite this barrier, sinusoidal myelomonocytic cells readily enter or transiently interact with cells at the edge of foci of infection.  Next, utilizing L9.6 transgenic CD8+T cells specific for an endogenously processed LM antigen, p60 217-225, along with LM deficient in this epitope, we define the role of TCR in T cell migratory behavior in infected liver.  Surprisingly, T cell behavior varies with micro-anatomic locale.  Near foci, non-specific adhesion mechanisms dominate lymphocyte behavior.  Antigen specific effects on motility became detectable only distal to foci. 

Conclusions:These data suggest that LM antigens act in a paracrine manner to mediate protection from Listeriosis in the liver.
The Liverpool Care Pathway for the Dying Patient: a critical analysis of its rise, demise and legacy in England
Authors: Seymour Jane , Clark David
Published: April 2018

Background: The Liverpool Care Pathway for the Dying Patient (‘LCP’) was an integrated care pathway (ICP) recommended by successive governments in England and Wales to improve end-of-life care. It was discontinued in 2014 following mounting criticism and a national review.  Understanding the problems encountered in the roll out of the LCP has crucial importance for future policy making in end of life care. We provide an in-depth account of LCP development and implementation with explanatory theoretical perspectives. We address three critical questions: 1) why and how did the LCP come to prominence as a vehicle of policy and practice? 2) what factors contributed to its demise? 3) what immediate implications and lessons resulted from its withdrawal?

Methods: We use primary and secondary sources in the public domain to assemble a critical and historical review. We also draw on the ‘boundary object’ concept and on wider analyses of the use of ICPs.

Results: The rapidity of transfer and translation of the LCP reflected uncritical enthusiasm for ICPs in the early 2000s. While the LCP had some weaknesses in its formulation and implementation, it became the bearer of responsibility for all aspects of NHS end-of-life care. It exposed fault lines in the NHS, provided a platform for debates about the ‘evidence’ required to underpin innovations in palliative care and became a conduit of discord about ‘good’ or ‘bad’ practice in care of the dying. It also fostered a previously unseen critique of assumptions within palliative care.

Conclusions: In contrast to most observers of the LCP story who refer to the dangers of scaling up clinical interventions without an evidence base, we call for greater assessment of the wider risks and more careful consideration of the unintended consequences that might result from the roll out of new end-of-life interventions.
Information on Own Capital in Accounting (Financial) to Reporting and Prospects of the Development
Authors: Поленова С. , Polenova S.
Published: April 2018

Shaping to account information on own capital of the organizations and presentation its interested user are important directions of the account process. Th eir realization in accounting activity allows to value actual and potential possibilities of the subject of the economy to generate the surplus product, intensify financial stability of the business, realize the taken obligation in respect of contractor.
Business Activity of the Company As a Tool for Analysis
Authors: Омельченко Е. , Omel'chenko E.
Published: April 2018

The essence and importance of business activity of the enterprise are considered in the article. A distinction was made between the concepts of business activity and the market activity of an enterprise. Th e author’s opinions on the indicators of the business activity of the enterprise are reviewed and various approaches to assessing the business activity of organizations are considered. Th e indexes of business activity of world fi nancial leaders are considered. The generalization of theoretical positions on the analysis of business activity of the enterprise is carried out.
Percutaneous foam sclerotherapy for venous leg ulcers
Authors: Bush R. , Bush P.
Published: April 2018

The technique of foam sclerotherapy directed at the distal most vessels, draining the ulcer bed was first described in 2010, with excellent penetration into the underlying venous network possible with this technique. Thirty-five patients have now been treated with this technique as the initial treatment at Midwest Vein Laser, USA. There have been no complications with this technique and rapid healing occurred within 4–8 weeks after the initial treatment in 90% of the patients, and all ulcers were healed at 4 months. Here we present the representative case of a 67-year-old man treated with a modified technique that used a percutaneous approach via reticular or spider veins at the margin of the ulcer bed.
Single-use NPWT for the treatment of complex orthopaedic surgical and trauma wounds
Authors: Sharp E.
Published: April 2018

Orthopaedic limb reconstruction patients often have wounds that are difficult to heal either due to the underlying problems, their surgery, underlying comorbidities or a combination of these factors. Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) is a useful tool with which to manage these wounds; however, many systems are not ideal for use in the patient's home, due in part to size and complexity. There are also staff training issues if transferring patients to an area which does not routinely use negative pressure systems. This paper reports the outcomes for some of the patients who were treated with a novel, single-use NPWT device in a orthopaedic trauma/limb reconstruction unit.
Design and Implementation of a Knowledge-Based Nutrient Solution Irrigation System for Hydroponic Applications
Authors: Chang Chung-Liang , Hong Guo-Fong , Fu Wei-Lun
Published: April 2018

Abstract.

Hydroponics can allow crops to grow faster and can reduce plant pathogens. However, hydroponic systems have several disadvantages, of which the two most important are: (1) improper management or dramatic changes in the electrical conductivity (EC) and pH of the nutrient solution can harm the plant roots and affect the plant growth, and (2) system operators need to monitor the nutrient solution and replenish it regularly, thereby increasing the labor cost. Therefore, this study developed a micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMs) based mixing system for hydroponic nutrient solutions based on fuzzy rule-based inference, which uses a micro-controller as the core and controls the output of five nutrient solution tanks to the mixing tank. The proposed system maintained an appropriate range of pH and EC in the mixing tank. Operators can view the changes in pH, EC, dissolved oxygen (DO), and other values in the nutrient solution on a graphic user interface. Moreover, operators can manually or automatically mix the nutrient solution. The system has been implemented in a hydroponic cultivation system, and the analysis results are discussed in this article. Keywords: Fuzzy logic, Hydroponics, Microcomputer.
Design and Construction of a Precision Weighing Lysimeter in Southeast Colorado
Authors: Andales Allan A. , Straw Dale , Marek Thomas H. , Simmons Lane H. , Bartolo Michael E. , Ley Thomas W.
Published: April 2018

Abstract.

Accurate estimates of crop evapotranspiration (ET) are needed to effectively manage irrigation resources in the Arkansas River basin in Colorado and to maintain compliance with the Arkansas River compact with Kansas. This was a major impetus for the construction of a precision weighing lysimeter in the Arkansas River basin at the Colorado State University (CSU) Arkansas Valley Research Center (AVRC) near Rocky Ford, Colorado. The objective of this article is to describe the design and construction of the weighing lysimeter and characterize its performance and unique features. The main components of the lysimeter facility are the foundation, the scale system, the soil monolith tank, and the outer tank that houses the aforementioned components. The foundation, which was 4.12 m below the ground surface, consisted of a reinforced concrete slab 2.00 m wide by 6.31 m long and 0.20 m thick that was anchored to six square shaft helical anchors. The outer tank was secured onto the foundation and had a rectangular floor area of 6.10 m × 1.79 m (10.92 m2), an interior vertical clearance of 2.15 m, and walls made of reinforced 8 mm thick steel plates. The floor scale system (mechanical levers and load cell) was installed inside the outer tank and had a gross capacity of 17 Mg. The monolith tank (1.50 m × 1.50 m area, 2.44 m depth, 10 mm steel walls) containing an undisturbed soil profile was set on the scale system. The lysimeter facility was installed in the middle of a 3.5 ha field. Calibration of the scale system resulted in a linear response (R2 = 1.000), with an equivalent conversion coefficient (slope) of 151.09 mm H2O (mV V-1)-1. The sensitivity of the scale system was 0.023 mm of water, which is sufficient for measuring diurnal (15 min to hourly) changes in ET and soil water. Load cell readings taken at a frequency of 0.5 Hz were averaged in 15 min intervals (450 readings per 15 min) to filter out the measurement noise that was attributed to wind. The lysimeter was found to adequately detect ET, irrigation, and precipitation perturbations with an actively growing alfalfa hay crop ( L.) in 2011. The lysimeter facility is a state-of-the-art tool for quantifying ET of irrigated crops in the lower Arkansas basin in southeast Colorado. Keywords: Calibration, Evapotranspiration, Load cell, Weighing lysimeter.
Porosity and Drag Determination of a Single-Row Vegetative Barrier (Maclura pomifera)
Authors: Gonzales Howell B. , Casada Mark E. , Hagen Lawrence J. , Tatarko John , Maghirang Ronaldo G. , Barden Charles J.
Published: April 2018

Deciduous trees of the species (Osage orange) are commonly established as vegetative barriers for wind erosion control throughout the U.S. Great Plains. Because there is no previous research on the aerodynamic effectiveness of these vegetative barriers during different seasons (leaf-on and leaf-off conditions), this study focused on determining the porosity and drag characteristics of this tree species. Digital image analyses were used to determine optical porosities that were then correlated with barrier drag coefficients. Images were taken in the field during calm wind conditions when the sunlight was suitable for digital imaging. Wind speeds were measured at different heights for a single-row Osage orange barrier using cup anemometers. Two anemometer towers were positioned relative to the barrier. One was located windward at 10H distance from the barrier; the other was located leeward and was movable to distances of 1H, 2H, 4H, 7H, 10H, 12H, 15H, and 20H from the barrier, where H is the average barrier height. The wind speeds measured in the field ranged from 4 to 7 m s-1, with lower wind speeds encountered during the leaf-off condition. As expected, wind speed reductions were greater for the leaf-on condition and ranged from 40% to 80% at 1H from the barrier, while the reduction was 20% to 38% for the leaf-off condition. The crown portion of the barrier was found to be responsible for much of the reduction. Mean values of the drag coefficient were 1.3 for the leaf-on condition, decreasing to 0.9 for the leaf-off condition of the Osage orange barrier, which corresponded to mean optical porosities of 20% and 61%, respectively Keywords: Drag coefficient, Image analysis, Osage orange, Porosity, Vegetative barrier, Wind erosion.
Handling Water Reflections for Computer Vision in Aquaculture
Authors: Zhou Chao , Sun Chuanheng , Lin Kai , Xu Daming , Guo Qiang , Chen Lan , Yang Xinting
Published: April 2018

Abstract. In aquaculture, almost all images collected of an aquaculture scene contain reflections, which often affect the results and accuracy of machine vision. Classifying these images and obtaining images of interest are key to subsequent image processing. The purpose of this study was to identify useful images and remove images that had a substantial effect on the results of image processing for computer vision in aquaculture. In this study, a method for classification of reflective frames based on image texture and a support vector machine (SVM) was proposed for an actual aquaculture site. Objectives of this study were to: (1) develop an algorithm to improve the speed of the method and to ensure that the method has a high classification accuracy, (2) design an algorithm to improve the intelligence and adaptability of the classification, and (3) demonstrate the performance of the method. The results show that the average classification accuracy, false positive rate, and false negative rate for two types of reflective frames (type I and II) were 96.34%, 4.65%, and 2.23%, respectively. In addition, the running time was very low (1.25 s). This strategy also displayed considerable adaptability and could be used to obtain useful images or remove images that have substantial effects on the accuracy of image processing results, thereby improving the applicability of computer vision in aquaculture. Keywords: Aquaculture, Genetic algorithm, Gray level-gradient co-occurrence matrix, Principal component analysis, Reflection frame, Support vector machine.
Time-Motion Analysis of Forage Harvest: A Case Study
Authors: Harmon Joshua D. , Luck Brian D. , Shinners Kevin J. , Anex Robert P. , Drewry Jessica L.
Published: April 2018

Abstract.

Forage harvest is a time and energy intensive process requiring the coordination of multiple pieces of equipment. Detailed characterizations of the time spent in each work state for each piece of equipment would increase the understanding of process inefficiencies and aid in development of optimization tools. Geospatial and controller area network (CAN) machine data were recorded on forage harvesters and transport equipment, during two types of harvest operations, to quantify utilization of harvesters and transports as well as transport productivity. The data collection and processing method was successful in identifying work states for forage harvesters and transports. The results indicated that overall utilization of the harvester for harvesting was 61% and dependent on transport availability. The portion of total operational time spent in the idle work state (idle utilization) was 10% to 20% for transports and 18% to 23% for harvesters. A new metric for transport productivity was developed and found to be highly dependent on transport capacity ranging from 125 to 49 Mg km h-1 for semi-trucks and smaller transports, respectively. The proposed data collection methods and productivity metrics could be used to optimize the forage harvest process to reduce idle time and maintain crop quality. Keywords: Controller area network, Cycle analysis, Forage harvester, Global positioning system.
Microwave Soil Treatment Improves Weed Management in Australian Dryland Wheat
Authors: Khan Muhammad Jamal , Brodie Graham Ian , Gupta Dorin , Foletta Sally
Published: April 2018

Abstract. Herbicide resistance has prompted the development of a chemical-free weed management practice in no-till farming systems. In this study, we examined the effect of pre-emergence microwave (MW) soil treatment for weed management in a no-till wheat production system in Australia. One-time MW soil treatment (2.45 GHz, 600 W, 120 s) was applied to plots that were arranged in a randomized complete block design with five replicates. The MW energy was projected through a horn antenna with aperture dimensions of 5.5 cm × 11 cm into the topsoil (0 to 6 cm) horizon. The applied MW energy density in the treated plots (2.6 m2), which was calculated by Simpson’s numerical surface integral approximation, was approximately 560 J cm-2. This achieved an increase in soil temperature of about 75°C to 80°C. This temperature induced a 65% to 80% reduction in weed establishment through thermal devitalization of the weed seedbank, compared to the untreated control plots. In addition, a substantial increase in wheat grain yield of 39.2% was achieved through MW energy application (7.8 t ha-1) compared to non-MW conditions (5.6 t ha-1). In summary, this non-chemical weed management strategy promises to effectively control herbicide-resistant weeds and sustain dryland wheat yields. Keywords: Microwave energy, Soil, Weed Suppression, Wheat.
On Derivation Languages of a Class of Splicing Systems
Authors: Mahalingam Kalpana , Paul Prithwineel , Mäkinen Erkki
Published: April 2018

Derivation languages are language theoretical tools that describe halting derivation processes of a generating device. We consider two types of derivation languages, namely Szilard and control languages for splicing systems where iterated splicing is done in non-uniform way defined by Mitrana, Petre and Rogojin in 2010. The families of Szilard (rules and labels are mapped in a one to one manner) and control (more than one rule can share the same label) languages generated by splicing systems of this type are then compared with the family of languages in the Chomsky hierarchy. We show that context-free languages can be generated as Szilard and control languages and any non-empty context-free language is a morphic image of the Szilard language of this type of system with finite set of rules and axioms. Moreover, we show that these systems with finite set of axioms and regular set of rules are capable of generating any recursively enumerable language as a control language.
Non-classical effects of vitamin D
Authors: Pigarova Ekaterina A. , Petrushkina Alexandra A.
Published: April 2018

Since the discovery of vitamin D, interest in role of vitamin D in human body is consistently growing, and there is increasing evidence that vitamin D is not only essential to bone health but may also be involved in physiology of many other tissues. Thus understanding of its aspects in particular tissues appears to be important because of possible contribution to pathophysiologic processes. Intracrine regulatory systems associated with widely expressed vitamin D metabolizing enzymes, ways of cellular intake and signal pathways involved are of particular interest. Association of local effects with vitamin D level in blood is under investigation on animal models as well as in clinical studies; values of vitamin D level that mediate extraskeletal effects should be determined. In this review, we discuss impact of vitamin D on immune function and its association with skin, nervous system, cardiovascular system, obesity and diabetes mellitus, cancer, reproductive function, prevention of falls and quality of life improvement.
Problemáticas de comunicación en la enseñanza en Lengua y Literatura
Authors: González Lowy Ignacio
Published: April 2018

A partir del trabajo de investigación realizadoen el marco de la Especialización en DocenciaUniversitaria (FCEDU–UNER, 2016), titulado «Educomunicación:perspectivas y demandas a la formacióndel profesorado en Lengua y Literatura», retomola pregunta sobre los cruces y vinculaciones entre loscampos de la comunicación y la enseñanza en Lenguay Literatura. En tiempos de lecturas multimediales, conpreeminencia de diversas pantallas por sobre los librosy los textos impresos, se hace necesario cuestionarnosal respecto. Presento aquí una serie de reduccionismosy tensiones identificados a partir del trabajo de reflexiónsobre las prácticas docentes y los procesos de formaciónde profesores en Lengua y Literatura. Finalmente,dejo planteadas algunas posibles líneas de continuidady búsqueda a partir de este escenario.