bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Robust neural network–based tracking control and stabilization of a wheeled mobile robot with input saturation
Authors: Huang Hantao , Zhou Jingye , Di Qing , Zhou Jiawei , Li Jiawang
Published: October 2018

This paper presents a robust neural network–based control scheme to deal with the problem of tracking and stabilization simultaneously for a wheeled mobile robot subject to parametric uncertainties, external disturbances, and input saturation. At first, a new error‐state transformation scheme is designed by introducing some auxiliary variables as an additional virtual control signals to reduce the adverse effect caused by the underactuation. These variables can change their structures for different desired trajectories to be tracked. Then, a robust control law is proposed combining with a kinematic controller and a dynamic controller, while a three‐layer neural network system is applied to approximate model uncertainties. Stability analysis via the Lyapunov theory shows that the proposed controller can make tracking errors converge to bounded neighborhoods of the origin. Finally, some simulation results are illustrated to verify the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy.
Underwater place recognition using forward‐looking sonar images: A topological approach
Authors: Santos Matheus M. , Zaffari Guilherme B. , Ribeiro Pedro O. C. S. , Drews‐Jr Paulo L. J. , Botelho Silvia S. C.
Published: October 2018

Autonomous underwater vehicles are a prominent tool for underwater exploration because they can access dangerous places avoiding the risks for the human beings. However, the autonomous navigation still a challenge due to the characteristics of the environment that decrease the performance of the sensor and the robot perception. In this context, this paper proposes a loop closure detector addressed to the simultaneous localization and mapping problem at semistructured environments using acoustic images acquired by forward‐looking sonars. The images are segmented by an adaptative approach based on the acoustic beams analysis. A pose‐invariant topological graph is build to represent the relationship between image features. The loop closure detection is achieved using a graph comparison. The approach is evaluated in a real environment at a marina. The results reveal all loop closures of the data set are detected with a high precision and present an invariant to image rotation.
Looking to the past to ensure the future of the world's oldest living vertebrate: Isotopic evidence for multi‐decadal shifts in trophic ecology of the Australian lungfish
Authors: Olden Julian D. , Fallon Stewart J. , Roberts David T. , Espinoza Tom , Kennard Mark J.
Published: October 2018

Meeting the conservation challenges of long‐lived animal species necessitate long‐term assessments of trophic ecology. The use of dietary proxies, such as ratios of naturally occurring stable isotopes in animal tissues demonstrating progressive growth, has shown considerable promise to reconstruct trophic histories of long‐lived organisms experiencing environmental change. Here, we combine innovative radiocarbon scale‐ageing techniques with stable isotope analysis of carbon and nitrogen from cross sections of scale to reconstruct the trophic ecology of Australian lungfish (Neoceratodus forsteri) across its remaining global distribution. Over a 65‐year period, we found pronounced temporal shifts in the δ13C and δ15N isotopic ratios of lungfish that coincided with a period of hydrological modification by dams and land‐use intensification associated with agriculture and livestock grazing. In the Brisbane and Burnett Rivers, whose hydrology is substantially regulated by large dams, lungfish showed consistent trends of δ13C depletion and δ15N enrichment over time. This may indicate anthropogenic changes in background isotopic levels of basal energy sources and/or that additional seston exported downstream from impoundments represent a carbon source that was previously unavailable, thus shifting lungfish diet from benthic‐dominated primary production typical of unmodified river systems, to pelagic carbon sources. By contrast, δ13C ratios of lungfish in the unregulated Mary River were more stable through time, whereas δ15N ratios increased during a period of dairy industry expansion and increased application of nitrogen fertilization and then subsequently decreased at the same time that rates of pasture development declined and nutrient inputs presumably decreased. In conclusion, we provide evidence for human‐caused alterations in background isotopic levels and potential changes in availability of benthic versus pelagic energy resources supporting Australian lungfish and demonstrate how detectable trophic signals in long‐lived fish scales can reveal long‐term anthropogenic changes in riverine ecosystems.
Barriers to dispersal: The effect of a weir on stream insect drift
Authors: Brooks Andrew J. , Wolfenden Benjamin , Downes Barbara J. , Lancaster Jill
Published: October 2018

Dams and weirs degrade river ecosystems, reducing diversity and altering the assemblage composition of aquatic biota. These structures may damage rivers by disrupting longitudinal connectivity, fragmenting rivers, and isolating populations. We tested whether a weir could impede the downstream dispersal of stream insects by comparing drift rates through natural pools and through a weir pool. For three of four of our study taxa (Offadens spp., Austrosimulium spp., and Simsonia spp.), we found the numbers of drifters were consistently reduced by the weir across multiple occasions (reduction ranging from 68 to 98%) to a higher degree than natural pools (reduction ranging from 24 to 41%). Drift of Cheumatopsyche spp. through the weir was greatly reduced in December (−95%) compared with natural pools, but the weir had little effect during April (−9%). There were size‐related patterns in drift through the weir pool for some taxa. In the weir pool, emigrating individuals of Austrosimulium spp. were significantly smaller than immigrating individuals, which was not observed in natural pools. In contrast, significant reductions of Cheumatopsyche spp. drifters through the weir only occurred when individuals were small (December). Within the weir pool, the combined effects of lower average water velocity, multiple large low velocity areas, and the weir wall were likely to be the cause of the reduction in stream insect drift through the weir. The impediment of drift of some taxa by weirs may affect dispersal and colonisation processes. This obstruction of downstream movement could undermine the outcomes of river restoration projects.
A world of cheapness: Affordability, shoddiness, and second‐best options in Guinea and China
Authors: Fioratta Susanna
Published: October 2018

For people who trade and consume low‐priced, low‐quality goods, cheapness shapes their experiences of the world. In Guinea, West Africa, affordable Chinese‐manufactured goods expand the limits of people's everyday lives, while Guinean traders seek their fortunes by traveling to China to buy cheap merchandise. However, shoddy products that break easily often disappoint consumers, and traders find their journeys to China risky and difficult; many of them would migrate elsewhere if they could. Exploring the parallels between traders' and consumers' perspectives, this article considers how cheapness and second‐best options allow people to participate in a globalized economy of manufactured goods, thereby improving their quality of life in ways that work sometimes, but not as well as they would like.
Nucleation, morphology, and structure of sub‐nm thin ceria islands on Rh(111)
Authors: Flege Jan Ingo , Höcker Jan , Sadowski Jerzy T. , Senanayake Sanjaya D. , Falta Jens
Published: October 2018

The early stages of ceria growth on Rh(111) at high temperature have been investigated by low‐energy electron microscopy and photoemission electron microscopy. Ceria was deposited by reactive Ce deposition at substrate temperatures between 700°C and 900°C in an oxygen ambient of 5 × 10−7 Torr. At 700°C, we observe a high nucleation density of 100‐nm‐sized islands. With elevated temperature, the average island size increases, and the nucleation density decreases. Triangularly shaped islands nucleate preferentially at step edges, with seemingly abrupt interfaces between Ce and Rh. At 900°C, the island edges are still straight, but during growth the islands lose their triangular form. Instead, growth along the substrate step edges becomes favorable, leading to a maze‐like morphology. Atomic force microscopy reveals islands of 0.3 to 0.6‐nm height, consistent with ceria islands formed by one or two trilayers (O―Ce―O) of ceria. Moreover, the second layer of the islands is also triangularly shaped, with lateral dimensions of 50 nm and similar step heights. IV‐LEEM analysis leads to the conclusion that the rhodium surface is covered by a layer of reduced cerium oxide, which is partially overgrown by smaller islands of CeO2.
A Bayesian design for phase I cancer therapeutic vaccine trials
Authors: Wang Chenguang , Rosner Gary L. , Roden Richard B.S.
Published: October 2018

Phase I clinical trials are the first step in drug development to test a new drug or drug combination on humans. Typical designs of Phase I trials use toxicity as the primary endpoint and aim to find the maximum tolerable dosage. However, these designs are poorly applicable for the development of cancer therapeutic vaccines because the expected safety concerns for these vaccines are not as much as cytotoxic agents. The primary objectives of a cancer therapeutic vaccine phase I trial thus often include determining whether the vaccine shows biologic activity and the minimum dose necessary to achieve a full immune or even clinical response. In this paper, we propose a new Bayesian phase I trial design that allows simultaneous evaluation of safety and immunogenicity outcomes. We demonstrate the proposed clinical trial design by both a numeric study and a therapeutic human papillomavirus vaccine trial.
Silica Nanowire Growth on Coscinodiscus Species Diatom Frustules via Vapor–Liquid–Solid Process
Authors: Li Aobo , Zhao Xiaoguang , Anderson Stephan , Zhang Xin
Published: October 2018

Diatom frustules are a type of porous silicon dioxide microparticle that has long been used in applications ranging from biomedical sensors to dye‐sensitized solar cells. The favorable material properties, enormous surface area, and enhanced light scattering capacity support the promise of diatom frustules as candidates for next generation biomedical devices and energy applications. In this study, the vapor–liquid–solid (VLS) method is employed to incorporate silica nanowires on the surface of diatom frustules. Compared to the original frustule structures, the frustule–nanowire composite material's surface area increases over 3‐fold, and the light scattering ability increases by 10%. By varying the gold catalyst thickness during the VLS process, tuning of the resultant nanowire length/density is achieved. Through material characterization, it is determined that both float growth and root growth processes jointly result in the growth of the silica nanowires. From a thermodynamics point of view, the preferential growth of the silica nanowires on frustules is found to have resulted from the enormous partial surface area of gold nanoparticles on the diatom frustules. The frustule–nanowire composite materials have potential applications in the development of novel biomedical sensing devices and may greatly enhance next generation solar cell performance.
Enhancement of Thermoelectric Performance in CuSbSe2 Nanoplate‐Based Pellets by Texture Engineering and Carrier Concentration Optimization
Authors: Luo Yubo , Du Chengfeng , Liang Qinghua , Zheng Yun , Zhu Beibei , Hu Huanlong , Khor Khiam Aik , Xu Jianwei , Yan Qingyu , Kanatzidis Mercouri G.
Published: October 2018

This work reports the thermoelectric properties of the CuSbSe2‐x mol% PtTe2 (x = 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0) pellets composed of highly oriented single crystalline nanoplates. CuSbSe2‐PtTe2 single crystalline nanoplates are prepared by a wet‐chemical process, and the pellets are prepared through a bottom‐up self‐assembly of the CuSbSe2‐PtTe2 nanoplates and spark plasma sintering (SPS) process. X‐ray diffraction and field emission scanning electron microscopic analyses show a highly textured nature with an orientation factor of ≈0.8 for (00l) facets along the primary surface of the pellets (in‐plane, perpendicular to the SPS pressure). By this way, bulk‐single‐crystal‐like electrical and thermal transport properties with a strong anisotropy are obtained, which results in an effective optimization on thermoelectric performance. The maximum in‐plane thermoelectric figure‐of‐merit ZT value reaches 0.50 at 673 K for CuSbSe2‐2.0 mol% PtTe2 pellet, which is about five times higher than the in‐plane ZT (0.10) for pure CuSbSe2.
Noninvasive Transdermal Delivery System of Lidocaine Using an Acoustic Droplet‐Vaporization Based Wearable Patch
Authors: Soto Fernando , Jeerapan Itthipon , Silva‐López Cristian , Lopez‐Ramirez Miguel Angel , Chai Ingrid , Xiaolong Lu , Lv Jian , Kurniawan Jonas F. , Martin Ian , Chakravarthy Krishnan , Wang Joseph
Published: October 2018

Current technologies for managing acute and chronic pain have focused on reducing the time required for achieving high therapeutic efficiency. Herein a wearable transdermal patch is introduced, employing an acoustic droplet vaporization (ADV) methodology, as an effective noninvasive transdermal platform, for a fast local delivery of the anesthetic agent lidocaine. The skin‐worn patch consists of a flexible drug reservoir containing hundreds of micropores loaded with lidocaine, and mixed with the perfluorocarbon (PFC) emulsion. The ultrasound‐triggered vaporization of the PFC emulsion provides the necessary force to breach dermal barriers. The drug release kinetics of our model was investigated by measuring the amount of lidocaine that passed through phantom tissue and pigskin barriers. The ADV platform increases the payload skin penetration resulting in shorter treatment times compared to passive diffusion or ultrasound alone, holding considerable promise for addressing the delayed therapeutic action and slow pain relief of existing delivery protocols. It is envisioned that the integration of ADV‐based transdermal devices could be expanded to the depth‐dependent delivery of other pain management, vaccines, and gene therapy modalities.
Designable 3D Microshapes Fabricated at the Intersection of Structured Flow and Optical Fields
Authors: Yuan Rodger , Nagarajan Maxwell B. , Lee Jaemyon , Voldman Joel , Doyle Patrick S. , Fink Yoel
Published: October 2018

3D structures with complex geometric features at the microscale, such as microparticles and microfibers, have promising applications in biomedical engineering, self‐assembly, and photonics. Fabrication of complex 3D microshapes at scale poses a unique challenge; high‐resolution methods such as two‐photon‐polymerization have print speeds too low for high‐throughput production, while top‐down approaches for bulk processing using microfabricated template molds have limited control of microstructure geometries over multiple axes. Here, a method for microshape fabrication is presented that combines a thermally drawn transparent fiber template with a masked UV‐photopolymerization approach to enable biaxial control of microshape fabrication. Using this approach, high‐resolution production of complex microshapes not producible using alternative methods is demonstrated, such as octahedrons, dreidels, and axially asymmetric fibers, at throughputs as high as 825 structures/minute. Finally, the fiber template is functionalized with conductive electrodes to enable hierarchical subparticle localization using dielectrophoretic forces.
Effort estimation model for software development projects based on use case reuse
Authors: Rak Katija , Car Željka , Lovrek Ignac
Published: October 2018

This paper describes a new effort estimation model based on use case reuse, called the use case reusability (UCR), intended for the projects that are reusing artifacts previously developed in past projects with similar scope. Analysis of the widely spread effort estimation techniques for software development projects shows that these techniques were primarily intended for the development of new software solutions. The baseline for the new effort estimation model is the use case points model. The UCR model introduces new classification of use cases based on their reusability, and it includes only those technical and environmental factors that according to the effort estimation experts have significant impact on effort for the target projects. This paper also presents a study which validates the usage of UCR model. The study is conducted within industry and academic environments using industry project teams and postgraduate students as subjects. The analysis results show that UCR model can be applied in different project environments and that according to the observed mean magnitude relative error, it produced very promising effort estimates.
Trimetallic Mesoporous AuCuNi Electrocatalysts with Controlled Compositions Using Block Copolymer Micelles as Templates
Authors: Nugraha Asep Sugih , Malgras Victor , Kim Jeonghun , Bo Jiang , Li Cuiling , Iqbal Muhammad , Yamauchi Yusuke , Asahi Toru
Published: October 2018

Nanostructure engineering is important in the development of metal‐based catalysts to improve material utilization efficiency and catalytic activity. Among the available nanoscale architectures, mesoporous structures have raised much attention due to their large surface area and their highly accessible inner sites for guest species, suitable for a wide range of applications. Gold (Au)‐based materials are promising catalysts thanks to their stability, nontoxicity, and good resistance to poisoning effects. Modifying the composition by introducing inexpensive metals to prepare multicomponent Au‐based catalysts is an effective route to both reduce the cost and improve the catalytic activity. Herein, a polymeric micelle assembly approach to synthesize mesoporous AuCuNi ternary alloy films by electrochemical deposition is reported. This simple method involves the co‐electrodeposition process of Au, Cu, and Ni precursors at fixed applied potential in the presence of polymeric micelles acting as a sacrificial template. The compositional ratio can be easily adjusted to optimize the catalytic performance of the mesoporous AuCuNi films, which show promising results for glucose oxidation and methanol oxidation reactions. It is believed that mesoporous AuCuNi films can be desirable to satisfy the needs for the next generation of multifunctional catalyst.
Step-Wise Chondrogenesis of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells and Purification Via a Reporter Allele Generated by CRISPR-Cas9 Genome Editing
Authors: Adkar Shaunak S. , Wu Chia-Lung , Willard Vincent P. , Dicks Amanda , Ettyreddy Adarsh , Steward Nancy , Bhutani Nidhi , Gersbach Charles A. , Guilak Farshid
Published: October 2018

The differentiation of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) to prescribed cell fates enables the engineering of patient-specific tissue types, such as hyaline cartilage, for applications in regenerative medicine, disease modeling, and drug screening. In many cases, however, these differentiation approaches are poorly controlled and generate heterogeneous cell populations. Here, we demonstrate cartilaginous matrix production in three unique hiPSC lines using a robust and reproducible differentiation protocol. To purify chondroprogenitors (CPs) produced by this protocol, we engineered a COL2A1-GFP knock-in reporter hiPSC line by CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing. Purified CPs demonstrated an improved chondrogenic capacity compared with unselected populations. The ability to enrich for CPs and generate homogenous matrix without contaminating cell types will be essential for regenerative and disease modeling applications. Stem Cells  2019;37:65–76
The low-energy limit of AdS3/CFT2 and its TBA
Authors: Bombardelli Diego , Stefański Bogdan , Torrielli Alessandro
Published: October 2018

Abstract

We investigate low-energy string excitations in AdS3 × S3 × T4. When the worldsheet is decompactified, the theory has gapless modes whose spectrum at low energies is determined by massless relativistic integrable S matrices of the type introduced by Al. B. Zamolodchikov. The S matrices are non-trivial only for excitations with identical worldsheet chirality, indicating that the low-energy theory is a CFT2. We construct a Thermodynamic Bethe Ansatz (TBA) for these excitations and show how the massless modes’ wrapping effects may be incorporated into the AdS3 spectral problem. Using the TBA and its associated Y-system, we determine the central charge of the low-energy CFT2 to be c = 6 from calculating the vacuum energy for antiperiodic fermions — with the vacuum energy being zero for periodic fermions in agreement with a supersymmetric theory — and find the energies of some excited states.
An effective black hole remnant via infinite evaporation time due to generalized uncertainty principle
Authors: Ong Yen Chin
Published: October 2018

Abstract

We study a form of generalized uncertainty principle (GUP) that leads to vanishing quantum effect, i.e. ΔxΔp ~ 0, at sufficiently high momenta. We find that such a GUP allows black holes to evaporate completely, however this process takes an infinite amount of time to achieve, resulting in a metastable remnant. We also discuss some connections between the proposed generalized uncertainty principle with other quantum gravity models.
SUBJECT-SENSITIVE INVARIANTISM, HIGH-STAKES/LOW-STAKES CASES, AND PRESUPPOSITION SUSPENSION
Authors: Blome-tillmann Michael
Published: October 2018

It is a familiar criticism of Subject-Sensitive Invariantism that the view makes incorrect predictions about cases in which the attributor of knowledge is in a high-stakes situation and the subject of the attribution in a low-stakes situation. In a recent paper in this journal, Brian Kim has argued that the mentioned type of case should be ignored, since the relevant knowledge ascriptions are inappropriate in virtue of violating an epistemic norm of presupposing. I show, pace Kim, that the mentioned utterances do not carry factivity presuppositions. To this end I discuss a phenomenon known as presupposition suspension, which is widely associated with the presuppositions of epistemic factives such as know that p or discover that p. I argue further that the problem of unknown presuppositions discussed by Kim can be circumvented by slightly amending the cases at hand. In particular, I demonstrate that factivity presuppositions are unobjectionable in problem cases in which the high-stakes ascriber knows the presuppositions at issue to be true.
Tarimspirafrom the Cambrian (Series 2, Stage 4) of Laurentia (Greenland): extending the skeletal record of paraconodontid vertebrates
Authors: Peel John S.
Published: October 2018

Phosphatic sclerites of the problematicTarimspiraYue and Gao, 1992 (Cambrian Series 2) recovered by weak acid maceration of limestones display a unique range of mainly strongly coiled morphologies. They were likely organized into multielement scleritomes, but the nature of these is poorly known; some sclerites may have had a grasping function.Tarimspirasclerites grew by basal accretion in an analogous fashion to younger paraconodonts (Cambrian Series 3–4) but lack a basal cavity. Based on proposed homologies,Tarimspiramay provide an extension of the early vertebrate paraconodont–euconodont clade back into the early Cambrian.Tarimspirais described for the first time from Laurentia (North Greenland), extending its known range from China and Siberia in Cambrian Series 2. In addition to the type species,Tarimspira planaYue and Gao, 1992, the Greenland record ofTarimspiraincludes two morphotypes of a new species,Tarimspira artemi.

UUID:http://zoobank.org/c7c536c8-cdaf-49a9-ae1d-77c392f553fc.
Multiobjective formulation is an effective method to reduce environmental impacts of livestock feeds
Authors: Garcia-Launay Florence , Dusart Léonie , Espagnol Sandrine , Laisse-Redoux Sarah , Gaudré Didier , Méda Bertrand , Wilfart Aurélie
Published: October 2018

Environmental and economic performances of livestock production are related largely to the production of complete feeds provided on commercial farms. Formulating feeds based on environmental and economic criteria appears a suitable approach to address the current challenges of animal production. We developed a multiobjective (MO) method of formulating feed which considers both the cost and environmental impacts (estimated via life cycle assessment) of the feed mix. In the first step, least-cost formulation provides a baseline for feed cost and potential impacts per kg of feed. In the second, the minimised MO function includes normalised values of feed cost and impacts climate change, P demand, non-renewable energy demand and land occupation. An additional factor weights the relative influence of economic and environmental objectives. The potential of the method was evaluated using two scenarios of feed formulation for pig, broiler and young bulls. Compared to baseline feeds, MO-formulated feeds had lower environmental impacts in both scenarios studied (−2 to −48 %), except for land occupation of broiler feeds, and a moderately higher cost (1–7 %). The ultimate potential for this method to mitigate environmental impacts is probably lower than this, as animal supply chains may compete for the same low-impact feed ingredients. The method developed complements other strategies, and optimising the entire animal production system should be explored in the future to substantially decrease the associated impacts.
Buruli ulcer in southern Côte D’ivoire: dynamic schemes of perception and interpretation of modes of transmission
Authors: Konan Daniele O. , Mosi Lydia , Fokou Gilbert , Dassi Christelle , Narh Charles A. , Quaye Charles , Saric Jasmina , Abe Noël N. , Bonfoh Bassirou
Published: October 2018

Buruli ulcer (BU) belongs to the group of neglected tropical diseases and constitutes a public health problem in many rural communities in Côte d’Ivoire. The transmission patterns of this skin infection are poorly defined, hence the current study aimed to contribute to the understanding, perceptions and interpretations of its mode of transmission using a socio-environmental approach. Social and environmental risk factors that may expose people to infection, and the dynamics of local transfer of knowledge and practices related to BU, were assessed in two endemic locations in southern Côte d’Ivoire, i.e. Taabo and Daloa. Data were generated by the administration of a household questionnaire (N=500) between February and June 2012 to assess how the population perceived transmission of BU, focus group discussions with local communities (N=8) to analyse ideologies regarding transmission patterns and semi-structured interviews with patients or their parents, former BU patients and traditional healers (N=30). The interviewees’ empirical knowledge of the disease was found to be close to its biomedical description. Their aetiological perception of the disease was linked to natural (e.g. dirty water, insects) and supernatural (e.g. witchcraft, fate) causes. Some informants attributed the spread of the disease to recently immigrated neighbouring communities whose arrival coincided with an increase in reported BU cases. However, the general consensus seemed to be that the main mode of transmission was contact with infested soil or ulcerated wounds. The participants were aware that BU was a socio-environmental problem in these endemic areas, offering a good starting point for educational campaigns for at-risk communities. Buruli ulcer control programmes should therefore include educational campaigns and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) interventions for those at risk in affected communities.
Comparison between telemetry and spot-mapping to determine space use of the Kenyan endemic Hinde's babbler
Authors: Fischer Christina , Habel Jan Christian
Published: October 2018

Different methods to measure species behaviour and space use may produce diverging results, and provide advantages and shortcomings. Data from spot-mapping of animals might be affected from restricted detectability of individuals in dense vegetation, while radio-tracking provides a less biased (or even unbiased) measure of space use. Here we compare results from spot-mapping and telemetry of four family groups (i.e. five individuals belonging to these four family groups), respectively of the Kenyan endemic cooperative-breeding bird Hinde's babbler, Turdoides hindei. Data from spot-mapping showed that the space use of T. hindei is mostly restricted to riparian vegetation. Home-range sizes calculated from telemetry were five times larger if compared with data obtained from spot-mapping. Telemetry data showed that T. hindei also moves across agricultural land, and mean and maximum displacements are larger if compared with data obtained from spot-mapping. Several reasons might lead to these differences: (1) Telemetry data also consider rare long-distance excursions, while (2) observers of spot-mapping might fail to observe long-distance movements and thus underestimate home-range sizes as well as displacement distances; (3) results from telemetry might become blurred from measurement error during the triangulation of fixes. Our study confirms that both methods provide advantages, but also shortcomings, which need to be considered when selecting a method to elaborate a research question.
Child and adolescent nutrient intakes from current national dietary surveys of European populations
Authors: Rippin Holly L. , Hutchinson Jayne , Jewell Jo , Breda Joao J. , Cade Janet E.
Published: October 2018

The WHO encourages national diet survey (NDS) implementation to obtain relevant data to inform policies addressing all forms of malnutrition, which remains a pressing issue throughout Europe. This paper provides an up-to-date review on energy, macro- and selected micronutrient intakes in children across WHO Europe using the latest available NDS intakes. It assesses these against WHO recommended nutrient intakes (RNI) to highlight vulnerable groups and areas of concern. Dietary survey information was gathered by Internet searches, contacting survey authors and nutrition experts. Survey characteristics, energy and nutrient intakes were extracted and weighted means calculated and presented by region. Child energy and nutrient intakes were extracted from twenty-one NDS across a third (n 18) of the fifty-three WHO Europe countries. Of these, 38 % (n 6) reported intakes by socio-economic group, but by various indicators. Energy and macronutrients, where boys and older children had higher intakes, were more widely reported than micronutrients. Most countries met under half of the WHO RNI for nutrients reported in their NDS. Micronutrient attainment was higher than macronutrients, but worst in girls and older children. Only a third, mainly Western, WHO European member states provided published data on child nutrient intakes. Gaps in provision mean that dietary inadequacies may go unidentified, preventing evidence-based policy formation. WHO RNI attainment was poor, particularly in girls and older children. Inconsistent age groups, dietary methodologies, nutrient composition databases and under-reporting hinder inter-country comparisons. Future efforts should encourage countries to conduct NDS in a standardised format by age and sociodemographic variables.
Heart rate and hurtful behavior from teens to adults: Paths to adult health
Authors: Jennings J. Richard , Matthews Karen A. , Pardini Dustin , Raine Adrian
Published: October 2018

A low resting heart rate across development from infancy to young adulthood relates to greater aggression/hostility. Adult aggression and a high heart rate relate to health risk. Do some aggressive individuals retain low heart rate and less health risk across development while others show high heart rate and more risk? A longitudinal sample of 203 men assessed as teens (age 16.1) and adults (mean age 32.0) permitted us to assess (a) stability of heart rate levels and reactivity, (b) stability of aggression/hostility, and (c) whether change or stability related to health risk. Adults were assessed with Buss–Perry measures of aggression/hostility; teens with the Zuckerman aggression/hostility measure. Mean resting heart rate, heart rate reactivity to speech preparation, and aggression/hostility were moderately stable across development. Within age periods, mean heart rate level, but not reactivity, was negatively related to hostility/aggression. Maintaining low heart rate into adulthood was related to better health among aggressive individuals relative to those with increasing heart rate into adulthood. Analyses controlled for weight gain, socioeconomic status, race, health habits, and medication. Low heart rate as a characteristic of hostile/aggressive individuals may continue to relate to better health indices in adulthood, despite possible reversal of this relationship with aging.
Influence of interleukin 1 beta and tumour necrosis factor alpha on the in vitro growth, maturation and mitochondrial distribution of bovine oocytes from small antral follicles
Authors: Lima FEO , Bezerra FTG , Souza GB , Matos MHT , van den Hurk R , Silva JRV
Published: October 2018

This study aimed to investigate the effects of IL1β and TNFα on growth and maturation of oocytes from small follicles (1–3 mm) during in vitro culture. To this end, cumulus–oocyte complexes (COCs) with diameters of ~110 µm were cultured in TCM-199 medium alone or supplemented with IL1β (10 ng/ml), TNFα (10 ng/ml) or both for 48 h. The oocytes were measured at the beginning and at the end of the culture period. COCs were cultured for 20 h in pre-maturation medium and then half of the COCs of each group was destined for in vitro maturation and the remaining COCs were used to evaluate meiotic progression, mitochondrial distribution and the expression of mRNAs for GDF-9, c-Mos, Cyclin-B1 and H1foo. The results showed that COCs cultured with TNFα alone or together with IL1β had higher diameters than those cultured in control medium alone or supplemented with IL1β. Control oocytes isolated from large antral follicles (>5 mm) had heterogeneous distribution of mitochondria. Oocytes isolated from small antral follicles, that had been grown in vitro in TCM-199 alone or supplemented with TNFα had similar heterogeneous mitochondrial distribution before in vitro maturation (IVM). After IVM, mitochondria were heterogeneously distribution when cultured in TCM-199. However, when cultured with TNFα and/or IL1β, mitochondria were homogeneously distributed. Presence of TNFα and/or IL1β in TCM-199 culture medium did not influence the expression of mRNAs for GDF-9, c-Mos, Cyclin-B1 and H1foo. In conclusion, TNFα and a mixture of TNFα and IL1β both stimulated the growth of bovine oocytes during their in vitro culture, but do not influence gene expression in grown oocytes.
International Survey of Violence Against EMS Personnel: Physical Violence Report
Authors: Maguire Brian J. , Browne Matthew , O’Neill Barbara J. , Dealy Michael T. , Clare Darryl , O’Meara Peter
Published: October 2018

Introduction

Each year, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel respond to over 30 million calls for assistance in the United States alone. These EMS personnel have a rate of occupational fatality comparable to firefighters and police, and a rate of non-fatal injuries that is higher than the rates for police and firefighters and much higher than the national average for all workers. In Australia, no occupational group has a higher injury or fatality rate than EMS personnel. Emergency Medical Services personnel in the US have a rate of occupational violence injuries that is about 22-times higher than the average for all workers. On average, more than one EMS provider in the US is killed every year in an act of violence.

Hypothesis/Objective

The objective of this epidemiological study was to identify the risks and factors associated with work-related physical violence against EMS personnel internationally.

Methods

An online survey, based on a tool developed by the World Health Organization (WHO; Geneva, Switzerland), collected responses from April through November 2016.

Results

There were 1,778 EMS personnel respondents from 13 countries; 69% were male and 54% were married. Around 55% described their primary EMS work location as “urban.” Approximately 68% described their employer as a “public provider.” The majority of respondents were from the US.

When asked “Have you ever been physically attacked while on-duty?” 761 (65%) of the 1,172 who answered the question answered “Yes.” In almost 10% (67) of those incidents, the perpetrator used a weapon. Approximately 90% of the perpetrators were patients and around five percent were patient family members. The influence of alcohol and drugs was prevalent. Overall, men experienced more assaults than women, and younger workers experienced more assaults than older workers.

Conclusions:

In order to develop and implement measures to increase safety, EMS personnel must be involved with the research and implementation process. Furthermore, EMS agencies must work with university researchers to quantify agency-level risks and to develop, test, and implement interventions in such a way that they can be reliably evaluated and the results published in peer-reviewed journals.

MaguireBJ, BrowneM, O’NeillBJ, DealyMT, ClareD, O’MearaP. International survey of violence against EMS personnel: physical violence report. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2018;33(5):526–531.
Emergency Department Response to Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosive Events: A Systematic Review
Authors: Razak Saydia , Hignett Sue , Barnes Jo
Published: October 2018

Introduction

A Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and explosive (CBRNe) event is an emergency which can result in injury, illness, or loss of life. The emergency department (ED) as a health system is at the forefront of the CBRNe response with staff acting as first receivers. Emergency departments are under-prepared to respond to CBRNe events - recognizing key factors which underlie the ED CBRNe response is crucial to provide evidence-based knowledge to inform policies and, most importantly, clinical practice.

Problem

Challenges in detection, decontamination, and diagnosis are associated with the ED CBRNe response when faced with self-presenting patients.

Methods

A systematic review was carried out in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). An in-depth search strategy was devised to identify studies which focused on the ED and CBRNe events. The inclusion criteria were stringent in terms of the environment (ED), participants (first receivers), situation (CBRNe response), and actions (detection, decontamination, and diagnosis). Fifteen databases and topic-specific journals were searched. Studies were critically appraised using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). Papers were thematically coded and synthesized using NVivo 10 (QSR International Ltd, Melbourne, Australia).

Results

Sixty-seven full-text papers were critically appraised using the MMAT; 70% were included (n = 60) as medium- or high-quality studies. Data were grouped into four themes: preparedness, response, decontamination, and personal protective equipment (PPE) problems.

Discussion

This study has recognized the ED as a system which depends on four key factors - preparedness, response, decontamination, and PPE problems - which highlight challenges, uncertainties, inconsistencies, and obstacles associated with the ED CBRNe response. This review suggests that response planning and preparation should be considered at three levels: organizational (policies and procedures); technological (decontamination, communication, security, clinical care, and treatment); and individual (willingness to respond, PPE, knowledge, and competence). Finally, this study highlighted that there was a void specific to detection and diagnosis of CBRNe exposure on self-presenting patients in the ED.

Conclusion:

The review identified concerns for both knowledge and behaviors which suggests that a systems approach would help understand the ED response to CBRNe events more effectively. The four themes provide an evidence-based summary for the state of science in ED CBRNe response, which can be used to inform future policies and clinical procedures.

RazakS,HignettS,BarnesJ.Emergency department response to chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive events: a systematic review.Prehosp Disaster Med.2018;33(5):543–549.
Testosterone measured from amniotic fluid and maternal plasma shows no significant association with directional asymmetry in newborn digit ratio (2D:4D)
Authors: Richards G. , Gomes M. , Ventura T.
Published: October 2018

Foetal sex hormones can have powerful and far-reaching effects on later phenotype. However, obtaining accurate measurements is difficult for ethical reasons, and researchers often employ proxy variables to examine their effects. The relative length of the second and fourth fingers (digit ratio or 2D:4D) is frequently used for this purpose, as it is hypothesized to index variance in prenatal androgen and oestrogen exposure. Most studies employing this method examine digit ratio for the right hand (R2D:4D) and/or left hand (L2D:4D), though the mean value (M2D:4D) (i.e., the average of R2D:4D and L2D:4D) and directional asymmetry (D[R–L]) (i.e., R2D:4D minus L2D:4D) are also commonly used. As no published studies have examined M2D:4D or D[R-L] in relation to testosterone measured from amniotic fluid, we conducted a secondary analysis of data published by Ventura et al. The sample comprises 106 mothers from Portugal who underwent amniocentesis during the second trimester and their neonates. Newborn M2D:4D was negatively correlated with amniotic testosterone in females (P<0.05) but not in males; no significant association was observed between amniotic testosterone and D[R–L] in either sex. In addition, we examined testosterone measured from maternal circulation during the second trimester, and found that it was not a significant predictor of M2D:4D or D[R–L] in male or female infants. Further research should aim to measure the ratio of testosterone to oestradiol present in amniotic fluid and maternal plasma, to examine whether either is a predictor of digit ratio variables at different stages of postnatal development.
Birth size is not associated with depressive symptoms from adolescence to middle-age: results from the Northern Swedish Cohort study
Authors: Rajaleid K. , Janlert U. , Hjern A. , Westerlund H. , Hammarström A.
Published: October 2018

Low birth weight has been shown to be related to increased risk of depression later in life – but the evidence is not conclusive. We examined the association of size at birth with repeatedly measured depressive symptoms in 947 individuals from the Northern Swedish Cohort, a community-based age-homogeneous cohort born in 1965, and followed with questionnaires between ages 16 and 43 (participation rate above 90% in all the surveys). Information on birth size was retrieved from archived birth records. Length of gestation was known for a subsample of 512 individuals (54%). We studied the association of birth weight and ponderal index with self-reported depressive symptoms at ages 16, 21, 30 and 43; with the life-course average of depressive symptoms score and with longitudinal trajectories of depressive symptoms retrieved by latent class growth analysis. Socioeconomic background, mental illness or alcohol problems of a parent, exposure to social adversities in adolescence and prematurity were accounted for in the analyses. We did not find any relationship between weight or ponderal index at birth and our measure of depressive symptoms between ages 16 and 43 in a series of different analyses. Adjustment for length of gestation did not alter the results. We conclude that size at birth is not associated with later-life depressive symptoms score in this cohort born in the mid-1960s in Sweden. The time and context need to be taken into consideration in future studies.
Mikroskopische Kolitis
Authors: Högger Lisa , Vavricka Stephan
Published: October 2018

Zusammenfassung. Die mikroskopische Kolitis (MC) ist immer noch eine unterschätzte Ursache einer chronischen, nicht blutigen Diarrhö. Typischerweise manifestiert sich die Erkrankung bei älteren Patienten, mit einer Dominanz bei Frauen. Die Inzidenz ist zunehmend. Ursache und Pathophysiologie sind unklar, scheinen aber multifaktoriell zu sein. Die Erkrankung ist familiär gehäuft und tritt häufig in Zusammenhang mit anderen Autoimmunerkrankungen auf. Die Diagnose der mikroskopischen Kolitis wird, wie der Name impliziert, anhand der Histologie gestellt. Es lassen sich histologisch zwei Formen unterscheiden: Die lymphozytäre Kolitis (LC) und die kollagene Kolitis (CC). Der Krankheitsverlauf ist benigne, jedoch kommt es häufig zu einem chronisch rezidivierenden Verlauf. Durch die Symptome ist die Lebensqualität der Patienten beeinträchtigt. Aus diesem Grund sind die richtige Diagnose und damit die Zuführung zu einer adäquaten Therapie für den Patienten wichtig. Ziel ist, das Bewusstsein für die Erkrankung zu steigern.
Deglacial Heat Uptake by the Southern Ocean and Rapid Northward Redistribution Via Antarctic Intermediate Water
Authors: Poggemann D.‐W. , Nürnberg D. , Hathorne E. C. , Frank M. , Rath W. , Reißig S. , Bahr A.
Published: October 2018

Antarctic Intermediate Water (AAIW) is an important conduit for nutrients to reach the nutrient‐poor low‐latitude ocean areas. In the Atlantic, it forms part of the return path of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). Despite the importance of AAIW, little is known about variations in its composition and signature during the prominent AMOC and climate changes of the last deglaciation. Here we reconstruct benthic foraminiferal Mg/Ca‐based intermediate water temperatures (IWTMg/Ca) and intermediate water neodymium (Nd) isotope compositions at submillennial resolution from unique sediment cores located at the northern tip of modern AAIW extent in the tropical W‐Atlantic (850‐ and 1018‐m water depth). Our data indicate a pronounced warming of AAIW in the tropical W‐Atlantic during Heinrich Stadial 1 and the Younger Dryas. We argue that these warming events were induced by major AMOC perturbations resulting in the pronounced accumulation of heat in the surface Southern Ocean. Combined with published results, our data suggest the subsequent uptake of Southern Ocean heat by AAIW and its rapid northward transfer to the tropical W‐Atlantic. Hence, the rapid deglacial northern climate perturbations directly controlled the AAIW heat budget in the tropical W‐Atlantic after a detour via the Southern Ocean. We speculate that the ocean heat redistribution via AAIW effectively dampened Southern Hemisphere warming during the deglaciation and may therefore have been a crucial player in the climate seesaw mechanisms between the two hemispheres.