bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mapping the global evidence on nutrition transition: a scoping review protocol
Authors: Singh Jessica Emily , Illner Anne-Kathrin , Dokova Klara , Usheva Natalya , Kostadinova Todorka , Aleksandrova Krasimira
Published: June 2020

Introduction

Nutrition transition has emerged as an important concept in health research used to describe shifts in dietary consumption and energy expenditure that coincide with economic, demographic and epidemiological changes at a population level. Better understanding of the shifts in dietary patterns across populations and their drivers could possibly hold the key to prevention of diet-related disease risk. An increasing number of studies have reported on nutrition transition in populations around the world, however, global evidence has not been summarised.

Objective

This scoping review is aimed to identify, explore and map the literature on nutrition transition with a specific focus on dietary changes in populations across the world. The review would allow better clarification around the concept of nutrition transition, classification of published studies and provide a framework for further research.

Methods and analysis

The scoping review will be designed based on the methodology by Arksey and O’Malley, refined by Levac et al. and developed in conjunction with guidance on conducting systematic scoping reviews by Peters et al. The main research question addressed by the scoping review will be: ‘What is the evidence on nutrition transition defined based on dietary changes reported in general adult population across the world?’ Electronic databases (PubMed, ScienceDirect and Web of Science), grey literature sources and the reference lists of key studies will be searched to identify studies appropriate for inclusion in the review. Two reviewers will independently screen all abstracts and full-text studies for inclusion. Data will be abstracted into tables and logically organised according to items addressed in the specific research questions.

Ethics and dissemination

Dissemination of results will be sought through a peer-reviewed publication, conference presentations and stakeholder meetings. The data used are from publicly available secondary sources, so no ethical review would be required for this study.
INTERGROWTH-21st Project international INTER-NDA standards for child development at 2 years of age: an international prospective population-based study
Authors: Fernandes Michelle , Villar José , Stein Alan , Staines Urias Eleonora , Garza Cutberto , Victora Cesar G , Barros Fernando C , Bertino Enrico , Purwar Manorama , Carvalho Maria , Giuliani Francesca , Wulff Katharina , Abubakar Amina A , Kihara Michael , Cheikh Ismail Leila , Aranzeta Luis , Albernaz Elaine , Kunnawar Naina , Di Nicola Paola , Ochieng Roseline , Sandells Tamsin , Savini Sandy , Temple Sophie , Murray Elizabeth , Ohuma Eric O , Gravett Michael G , Pang Ruyan , Jaffer Yasmine A , Noble Julia Alison , Winsey Adele , Lambert Ann , Papageorghiou Aris T , Bhutta Zulfiqar , Kennedy Stephen
Published: June 2020

Objectives

To describe the construction of the international INTERGROWTH-21st Neurodevelopment Assessment (INTER-NDA) standards for child development at 2 years by reporting the cognitive, language, motor and behaviour outcomes in optimally healthy and nourished children in the INTERGROWTH-21st Project.

Design

Population-based cohort study, the INTERGROWTH-21st Project.

Setting

Brazil, India, Italy, Kenya and the UK.

Participants

1181 children prospectively recruited from early fetal life according to the prescriptive WHO approach, and confirmed to be at low risk of adverse perinatal and postnatal outcomes.

Primary measures

Scaled INTER-NDA domain scores for cognition, language, fine and gross motor skills and behaviour; vision outcomes measured on the Cardiff tests; attentional problems and emotional reactivity measured on the respective subscales of the preschool Child Behaviour Checklist; and the age of acquisition of the WHO gross motor milestones.

Results

Scaled INTER-NDA domain scores are presented as centiles, which were constructed according to the prescriptive WHO approach and excluded children born preterm and those with significant postnatal/neurological morbidity. For all domains, except negative behaviour, higher scores reflect better outcomes and the threshold for normality was defined as ≥10th centile. For the INTER-NDA’s cognitive, fine motor, gross motor, language and positive behaviour domains these are ≥38.5, ≥25.7, ≥51.7, ≥17.8 and ≥51.4, respectively. The threshold for normality for the INTER-NDA’s negative behaviour domain is ≤50.0, that is, ≤90th centile. At 22–30 months of age, the cohort overlapped with the WHO motor milestone centiles, showed low postnatal morbidity (<10%), and vision outcomes, attentional problems and emotional reactivity scores within the respective normative ranges.

Conclusions

From this large, healthy and well-nourished, international cohort, we have constructed, using the WHO prescriptive methodology, international INTER-NDA standards for child development at 2 years of age. Standards, rather than references, are recommended for population-level screening and the identification of children at risk of adverse outcomes.
Youth Mental Health Tracker: protocol to establish a longitudinal cohort and research database for young people attending Australian mental health services
Authors: Rohleder Cathrin , Song Yun Ju Christine , Crouse Jacob J , Davenport Tracey A , Iorfino Frank , Hamilton Blake , Zmicerevska Natalia , Nichles Alissa , Carpenter Joanne S , Tickell Ashleigh M , Wilson Chloe , Cross Shane P , Guastella Adam J , Koethe Dagmar , Leweke F Markus , Scott Elizabeth M , Hickie Ian B
Published: June 2020

Introduction

Mental disorders are a leading cause of long-term disability worldwide. Much of the burden of mental ill-health is mediated by early onset, comorbidities with physical health conditions and chronicity of the illnesses. This study aims to track the early period of mental disorders among young people presenting to Australian mental health services to facilitate more streamlined transdiagnostic processes, highly personalised and measurement-based care, secondary prevention and enhanced long-term outcomes.

Methods and analysis

Recruitment to this large-scale, multisite, prospective, transdiagnostic, longitudinal clinical cohort study (‘Youth Mental Health Tracker’) will be offered to all young people between the ages of 12 and 30 years presenting to participating services with proficiency in English and no history of intellectual disability. Young people will be tracked over 3 years with standardised assessments at baseline and 3, 6, 12, 24 and 36 months. Assessments will include self-report and clinician-administered measures, covering five key domains including: (1) social and occupational function; (2) self-harm, suicidal thoughts and behaviour; (3) alcohol or other substance misuse; (4) physical health; and (5) illness type, clinical stage and trajectory. Data collection will be facilitated by the use of health information technology. The data will be used to: (1) determine prospectively the course of multidimensional functional outcomes, based on the differential impact of demographics, medication, psychological interventions and other key potentially modifiable moderator variables and (2) map pathophysiological mechanisms and clinical illness trajectories to determine transition rates of young people to more severe illness forms.

Ethics and dissemination

The study has been reviewed and approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee of the Sydney Local Health District (2019/ETH00469). All data will be non-identifiable, and research findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals and scientific conference presentations.
Predictors and triggers of incivility within healthcare teams: a systematic review of the literature
Authors: Keller Sandra , Yule Steven , Zagarese Vivian , Henrickson Parker Sarah
Published: June 2020

Objectives

To explore predictors and triggers of incivility in medical teams, defined as behaviours that violate norms of respect but whose intent to harm is ambiguous.

Design

Systematic literature review of quantitative and qualitative empirical studies.

Data sources

Database searches according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guideline in Medline, CINHAL, PsychInfo, Web of Science and Embase up to January 2020.

Eligibility criteria

Original empirical quantitative and qualitative studies focusing on predictors and triggers of incivilities in hospital healthcare teams, excluding psychiatric care.

Data extraction and synthesis

Of the 1397 publications screened, 53 were included (44 quantitative and 9 qualitative studies); publication date ranged from 2002 to January 2020.

Results

Based on the Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument (MERSQI) scores, the quality of the quantitative studies were relatively low overall (mean MERSQI score of 9.93), but quality of studies increased with publication year (r=0.52; p<0.001). Initiators of incivility were consistently described as having a difficult personality, yet few studies investigated their other characteristics and motivations. Results were mostly inconsistent regarding individual characteristics of targets of incivilities (eg, age, gender, ethnicity), but less experienced healthcare professionals were more exposed to incivility. In most studies, participants reported experiencing incivilities mainly within their own professional discipline (eg, nurse to nurse) rather than across disciplines (eg, physician to nurse). Evidence of specific medical specialties particularly affected by incivility was poor, with surgery as one of the most cited uncivil specialties. Finally, situational and cultural predictors of higher incivility levels included high workload, communication or coordination issues, patient safety concerns, lack of support and poor leadership.

Conclusions

Although a wide range of predictors and triggers of incivilities are reported in the literature, identifying characteristics of initiators and the targets of incivilities yielded inconsistent results. The use of diverse and high-quality methods is needed to explore the dynamic nature of situational and cultural triggers of incivility.
Personal preferences for Personalised Trials among patients with chronic diseases: an empirical Bayesian analysis of a conjoint survey
Authors: Cheung Ying Kuen , Wood Dallas , Zhang Kangkang , Ridenour Ty A , Derby Lilly , St Onge Tara , Duan Naihua , Duer-Hefele Joan , Davidson Karina W , Kronish Ian , Moise Nathalie
Published: June 2020

Objective

To describe individual patient preferences for Personalised Trials and to identify factors and conditions associated with patient preferences.

Design

Each participant was presented with 18 conjoint questions via an online survey. Each question provided two choices of Personalised Trials that were defined by up to eight attributes, including treatment types, clinician involvement, study logistics and trial burden on a patient.

Setting

Online survey of adults with at least two common chronic conditions in the USA.

Participants

A nationally representative sample of 501 individuals were recruited from the Chronic Illness Panel by Harris Poll Online. Participants were recruited from several sources, including emails, social media and telephone recruitment of the target population.

Main outcome measures

The choice of Personalised Trial design that the participant preferred with each conjoint question.

Results

There was large variability in participants’ preferences for the design of Personalised Trials. On average, they preferred certain attributes, such as a short time commitment and no cost. Notably, a population-level analysis correctly predicted 62% of the conjoint responses. An empirical Bayesian analysis of the conjoint data, which supported the estimation of individual-level preferences, improved the accuracy to 86%. Based on estimates of individual-level preferences, patients with chronic pain preferred a long study duration (p≤0.001). Asthma patients were less averse to participation burden in terms of data-collection frequency than patients with other conditions (p=0.002). Patients with hypertension were more cost-sensitive (p<0.001).

Conclusion

These analyses provide a framework for elucidating individual-level preferences when implementing novel patient-centred interventions. The data showed that patient preference in Personalised Trials is highly variable, suggesting that individual differences must be accounted for when marketing Personalised Trials. These results have implications for advancing precise interventions in Personalised Trials by indicating when rigorous scientific principles, such as frequent monitoring, is feasible in a substantial subset of patients.
Does contemporary exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation improve quality of life for people with coronary artery disease? A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: McGregor Gordon , Powell Richard , Kimani Peter , Underwood Martin
Published: June 2020

Objectives

To determine the effect of contemporary exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation on generic and disease-specific health related quality of life for people with coronary artery disease.

Design

Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Study eligibility criteria

Randomised controlled trials testing exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation versus no exercise control that recruited after 31 December 1999. On 30 July 2019, we searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE (Ovid), Embase (Ovid) and CINAHL (EBSCO) databases.

Study appraisal and synthesis

Studies were screened for inclusion by two independent reviewers. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. Data were reported as pooled means (95% CI for between-group difference.

Results

We identified 24 studies (n=4890). We performed meta-analyses for 15 short-term and 9 medium-term outcomes (36-Item Short Form Survey Instrument (SF-36), EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D) and MacNew, a cardiac-specific outcome). Six short-term and five medium-term SF-36 domains statistically favoured exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation. Only for two short-term SF-36 outcomes, ‘physical function’ (mean difference 12.0, 95% CI 4.4 to 19.6) and ‘role physical’ (mean difference 16.9, 95% CI 2.4 to 31.3), did the benefit appear to be clinically important. Meta-analyses of the short-term SF-36 physical and mental component scores, EQ-5D and MacNew and the medium-term SF-36 physical component score, did not show statistically significant benefits. Only two studies had a low risk of bias (n=463 participants).

Conclusions and implications of key findings

There is some evidence of a short-term benefit of contemporary exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation on quality of life for people with coronary artery disease. However, the contemporary data presented in this review are insufficient to support its routine use.
Investigating self-perceived health and quality of life: a longitudinal prospective study among beginner recreational exercisers in a fitness club setting
Authors: Heiestad Hege , Gjestvang Christina , Haakstad Lene A H
Published: June 2020

Objectives

This study investigated self-perception of overall health (SPH) and quality of life (QoL) at onset and after 3, 6 and 12 months of fitness club membership. Also, we compared SPH and QoL between those who reported regular use of the fitness club (≥2 exercise sessions/week the last month) with those who did not (one exercise session/week or no exercise the last month).

Design

Longitudinal prospective study.

Setting

25 fitness clubs in Oslo, Norway.

Participants

In total, 250 newly registered fitness club members (equal numbers of men and women, mean age=36.4±11.3 years, mean body mass index=25.7±4.4) were recruited. At onset (n=250), after 3 (n=224), 6 (n=213) and 12 months (n=187), the participants answered an electronic questionnaire, covering background variables, exercise involvement, perceived SPH and QoL.

Outcome measures

SPH was measured by a single-item question, rating health status from poor to excellent on a 5-point scale. High SPH was dichotomised as excellent or good, and low SPH as moderate, fair or poor. QoL was measured on a 7-item scale, rating five statements and dichotomised according to a total max sum score of 35, with low QoL ≤25 and high QoL >25.

Results

Repeated measurements did not show any changes in SPH. In QoL, we observed an improvement in QoL sum score and a significant increase in mean scores for two out of five statements at 12 months follow-up: ‘In most ways, my life is close to my ideal’ (p=0.036) and

‘If I could live my life over, I would change almost nothing’ (p<0.001). Regular use of the fitness club was associated with high SPH (OR 3.532 (95% CI 1.60–7.82), p=0.002) and high QoL (OR 1.914 (95% CI 0.95–3.86), p=0.069). The results were unchanged after adjusting for confounders.

Conclusion

Regular attendance at a fitness club was associated with high SPH and high QoL at 12 months follow-up.
Factors associated with anti-hepatitis A virus immunoglobulin G seropositivity among Korean workers: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Mun Eunchan , Lee Yesung , Suh Byungseong , Kim Wonsul , Jeong Jinsook , Park Hwanjin , Lee Woncheol , Han Boksoon , Park Soyoung , Lee Changhwan
Published: June 2020

Objectives

Hepatitis A incidence in Korea has dramatically increased in recent years. Individuals in their twenties and thirties, who account for majority of the workforce in Korea, are particularly susceptible to infection owing to a low seroprevalence of anti-hepatitis A virus (anti-HAV) immunoglobulin G (IgG). This study aimed to identify behavioural and occupational factors related to anti-HAV IgG seropositivity.

Design

Cross-sectional study.

Setting

A large university hospital in Seoul, Korea.

Participants

Workers in formal employment having an annual routine health screening.

Primary outcome measure

Anti-HAV IgG seropositivity.

Results

Of 131 711 individuals who had an annual health screening at the study hospital in 2018, 68 612 met the inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis. Study participants were predominantly men (64.3%) and in their thirties (55.3%). The overall seroprevalence of anti-HAV IgG was 36.2%. In multivariate analyses, anti-HAV IgG seropositivity was independently associated with working in a workplace with ≥2 health managers (vs no health manager, adjusted OR 1.32, 95% CI 1.22 to 1.43); age 40–49 years (vs 20–29 years, OR 2.51, 95% CI 2.36 to 2.68); female sex (OR 1.54, 95% CI 1.48 to 1.59); experience of any general disease (vs no general disease history, OR 1.19, 95% CI 1.14 to 1.25), obesity (vs normal weight, OR 0.91, 95% CI 0.86 to 0.97); and hepatitis B antibody seropositivity (OR 2.39, 95% CI 2.31 to 2.49).

Conclusions

The low prevalence of anti-HAV IgG seropositivity points to a need for implementation of workplace-based hepatitis A vaccine programmes. To promote workers’ health and prevent hepatitis A outbreaks, occupational health managers, healthcare providers and policy-makers should focus on individuals who are susceptible to HAV, such as young men.
Routine patient-reported experience measurement of shared decision-making in the USA: a qualitative study of the current state according to frontrunners
Authors: Forcino Rachel C , Meinders Marjan J , Engel Jaclyn A , O'Malley A. James , Elwyn Glyn
Published: June 2020

Objectives

To identify and describe instances of routine patient-reported shared decision-making (SDM) measurement in the USA, and to explore barriers and facilitators of routine patient-reported SDM measurement for quality improvement.

Setting

Payer and provider healthcare organisations in the USA.

Participants

Current or former adult employees of healthcare organisations with prior SDM activity and that may be conducting routine SDM measurement (n=21).

Outcomes

Qualitative interview and survey data collected through snowball sampling recruitment strategy to inform barriers and facilitators of routine patient-reported SDM measurement.

Results

Three participating sites routinely measured SDM from patients’ perspectives, including one payer organisation and two provider organisations—with the largest measurement effort taking place in the payer organisation. Facilitators of SDM measurement included SDM as a core organisational value or strategic priority, trialability of SDM measurement programmes, flexibility in how measures can be administered and existing momentum from payer-mandated measurement programmes. Barriers included competing organisational priorities with regard to patient-reported measurement and lack of perceived comparative advantage of patient-reported SDM measurement.

Conclusions

Payers have a unique opportunity to encourage emphasis on SDM within healthcare organisations, including routine patient-reported measurement of SDM; however, provider organisations are currently best placed to make effective use of this type of data.
Advance care planning in the community: factors of influence
Authors: Gallagher Joshua , Bolt Timothy , Tamiya Nanako
Published: June 2020

Objectives

This study aims to identify factors among British community-based adults associated with advance care planning engagement. Factors are then compared among six domains of wishes: medical care, spiritual and religious needs, privacy and peace, dignified care, place of death and pain relief.

Methods

Cross-sectional data were analysed from a stratified random sample of adults across Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) who were interviewed on their attitudes towards death and dying. Weighted multivariable logistic regression tested for associations with expressing any end-of-life wishes and then for each separate domain.

Results

Analysis of 2042 respondents (response rate: 53.5%) revealed those less likely to have discussed their wishes were: male, younger, born in the UK, owned their residence, had no experience working in health or social care, had no chronic conditions or disabilities, had not experienced the death of a close person in the last 5 years and feel neither comfortable nor uncomfortable or uncomfortable talking about death. Additional factors among the six domains associated with having not discussed wishes include: having less and more formal education, no religious beliefs, lower household income and living with at least one other person.

Conclusions

This study is the first to be conducted among a sample of community-dwelling British adults and the first of its kind to compare domains of end-of-life wishes. Our findings provide an understanding of social determinants which can inform a public health approach to end-of-life care that promotes advance care planning among compassionate communities.
‘Do not resuscitate me in Barbados’
Authors: Taubert Mark
Published: June 2020

New ways of encouraging discussion and education around the topic of do not attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation (DNACPR) decisions in healthcare can prove challenging. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is still portrayed as an intervention that is successful even in people with multiple long-term conditions. In 2020, during the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic, a letter from a palliative care doctor to his patient was read out as part of an online campaign entitled #ReadALetter, organised by the organisation Letters Live. The letter addresses misconceptions regarding DNACPR decisions and encourages thoughtful dialogue. In particular, it promotes an individualised approach for clinicians, and investigates one patient’s journey: from initially rejecting the concept, to later on fully embracing it as part of his holistic care. A journey that took him to Barbados, amongst other places.
Adaptations to the British Society of Gastroenterology guidelines on the management of acute severe UC in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic: a RAND appropriateness panel
Authors: Din Shahida , Kent Alexandra , Pollok Richard C , Meade Susanna , Kennedy Nicholas A , Arnott Ian , Beattie R Mark , Chua Felix , Cooney Rachel , Dart Robin J , Galloway James , Gaya Daniel R , Ghosh Subrata , Griffiths Mark , Hancock Laura , Hansen Richard , Hart Ailsa , Lamb Christopher Andrew , Lees Charlie W , Limdi Jimmy K , Lindsay James O , Patel Kamal , Powell Nick , Murray Charles D , Probert Chris , Raine Tim , Selinger Christian , Sebastian Shaji , Smith Philip J , Tozer Phil , Ustianowski Andrew , Younge Lisa , Samaan Mark A , Irving Peter M
Published: June 2020

Objective

Management of acute severe UC (ASUC) during the novel COVID-19 pandemic presents significant dilemmas. We aimed to provide COVID-19-specific guidance using current British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG) guidelines as a reference point.

Design

We convened a RAND appropriateness panel comprising 14 gastroenterologists and an IBD nurse consultant supplemented by surgical and COVID-19 experts. Panellists rated the appropriateness of interventions for ASUC in the context of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Median scores and disagreement index (DI) were calculated. Results were discussed at a moderated meeting prior to a second survey.

Results

Panellists recommended that patients with ASUC should be isolated throughout their hospital stay and should have a SARS-CoV-2 swab performed on admission. Patients with a positive swab should be discussed with COVID-19 specialists. As per BSG guidance, intravenous hydrocortisone was considered appropriate as initial management; only in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia was its use deemed uncertain. In patients requiring rescue therapy, infliximab with continuing steroids was recommended. Delaying colectomy because of COVID-19 was deemed inappropriate. Steroid tapering as per BSG guidance was deemed appropriate for all patients apart from those with COVID-19 pneumonia in whom a 4–6 week taper was preferred. Post-ASUC maintenance therapy was dependent on SARS-CoV-2 status but, in general, biologics were more likely to be deemed appropriate than azathioprine or tofacitinib. Panellists deemed prophylactic anticoagulation postdischarge to be appropriate in patients with a positive SARS-CoV-2 swab.

Conclusion

We have suggested COVID-19-specific adaptations to the BSG ASUC guideline using a RAND panel.
Mucoactive agents for acute respiratory failure in the critically ill: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Anand Rohan , McAuley Daniel F , Blackwood Bronagh , Yap Chee , ONeill Brenda , Connolly Bronwen , Borthwick Mark , Shyamsundar Murali , Warburton John , Meenen David van , Paulus Frederique , Schultz Marcus J , Dark Paul , Bradley Judy M
Published: June 2020

Purpose

Acute respiratory failure (ARF) is a common cause of admission to intensive care units (ICUs). Mucoactive agents are medications that promote mucus clearance and are frequently administered in patients with ARF, despite a lack of evidence to underpin clinical decision making. The aim of this systematic review was to determine if the use of mucoactive agents in patients with ARF improves clinical outcomes.

Methods

We searched electronic and grey literature (January 2020). Two reviewers independently screened, selected, extracted data and quality assessed studies. We included trials of adults receiving ventilatory support for ARF and involving at least one mucoactive agent compared with placebo or standard care. Outcomes included duration of mechanical ventilation. Meta-analysis was undertaken using random-effects modelling and certainty of the evidence was assessed using Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluation.

Results

Thirteen randomised controlled trials were included (1712 patients), investigating four different mucoactive agents. Mucoactive agents showed no effect on duration of mechanical ventilation (seven trials, mean difference (MD) −1.34, 95% CI −2.97 to 0.29, I2=82%, very low certainty) or mortality, hospital stay and ventilator-free days. There was an effect on reducing ICU length of stay in the mucoactive agent groups (10 trials, MD −3.22, 95% CI −5.49 to −0.96, I2=89%, very low certainty).

Conclusion

Our findings do not support the use of mucoactive agents in critically ill patients with ARF. The existing evidence is of low quality. High-quality randomised controlled trials are needed to determine the role of specific mucoactive agents in critically ill patients with ARF.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42018095408.
Kasabach‐Merritt‐like syndrome in a dog secondary to isolated splenic haemangiomatosis
Authors: Pazzi Paolo , Clift Sarah , Hartman Marthinus Jacobus , O'Dell Nicolize
Published: June 2020

A 13‐year‐old intact male miniature schnauzer presented with lethargy, distended abdomen and pallor. Pancytopenia was identified on complete blood count with a severe thrombocytopenia. Cavitatory severe splenomegaly was identified on abdominal ultrasound. Two weeks of immunosuppressive therapy had no effect on the thrombocytopenia and a splenectomy was performed. The platelet count returned to normal within 24 hours of splenectomy. Isolated splenic haemangiomatosis was confirmed on histopathology and immunohistochemistry. The anaemia and severe thrombocytopenia in conjunction with the ultrasound findings and histopathology are characteristic of Kasabach‐Merritt syndrome in people. This is the first case of Kasabach‐Merritt‐like syndrome described in the dog.
Deer browsing effects on temperate forest soil nitrogen cycling shift from positive to negative across fertility gradients
Authors: Popma Jacqueline M.A. , Nadelhoffer Knute J.
Published: June 2020

Herbivores impact soil biogeochemical processes, often increasing nutrient cycling rates under high nutrient availability and decreasing nutrient cycling rates under low nutrient availability. These patterns are far from universal, and interactions between habitat fertility and herbivore effects are under continuing investigation. By sampling inside and outside a network of deer exclosures, we determined deer browsing effects on temperate forest soil nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) cycling along a gradient of soil and litter C–N ratios across our network of sites. Deer browsing increased net N mineralization rates in high nutrient environments and decreased N mineralization rates in low nutrient environments, whereas browsing decreased CO2 respiration rates in high nutrient environments and increased CO2 respiration rates in low nutrient environments. Differences in deer browsing effects on soil processes could be explained by plant responses to herbivory across gradients of resource availability. To our knowledge, our study is one of the first to show that deer browsing can have significant effects on net N mineralization and C respiration in temperate forest soils and that the direction and magnitude of deer browsing effects on soil N and C cycling vary across fertility gradients.
Searching for a $$D {\bar{D}}$$ bound state with the $$\psi (3770) \rightarrow \gamma D^0 {\bar{D}}^0$$ decay
Authors: Dai Lianrong , Toledo Genaro , Oset Eulogio
Published: June 2020

We perform a calculation of the mass distribution in the $$\psi (3770) \rightarrow \gamma D {\bar{D}}$$ψ(3770)→γDD¯ decay, studying both the $$D^+ D^- $$D+D- and $$D^0 {\bar{D}}^0 $$D0D¯0 decays. The electromagnetic interaction is such that the tree level amplitude is null for the neutral channel, which forces the $$\psi (3770) \rightarrow \gamma D^0 {\bar{D}}^0$$ψ(3770)→γD0D¯0 transition to go through a loop involving the $$D^+ D^- \rightarrow D^0 {\bar{D}}^0$$D+D-→D0D¯0 scattering amplitude. We take the results for this amplitude from a theoretical model that predicts a $$D {\bar{D}}$$DD¯ bound state and find a $$D^0 {\bar{D}}^0 $$D0D¯0 mass distribution in the decay drastically different than phase space. The rates obtained are relatively large and the experiment is easily feasible in the present BESIII facility. The performance of this experiment could provide an answer to the issue of this much searched for state, which is the analogue of the $$f_0(980)$$f0(980) resonance.
Singlet fermionic dark matter with dark Z
Authors: Jung Dong-Won , Nam Soo-hyeon , Yu Chaehyun , Kim Yeong Gyun , Lee Kang Young
Published: June 2020

We present a fermionic dark matter model mediated by the hidden gauge boson. We assume the QED-like hidden sector which consists of a Dirac fermion and U(1)$$_X$$X gauge symmetry, and introduce an additional scalar electroweak doublet field with the U(1)$$_X$$X charge as a mediator. The hidden U(1)$$_X$$X symmetry is spontaneously broken by the electroweak symmetry breaking and there exists a massive extra neutral gauge boson in this model which is the mediator between the hidden and visible sectors. Due to the U(1)$$_X$$X charge, the additional scalar doublet does not couple to the Standard Model fermions, which leads to the Higgs sector of type I two Higgs doublet model. The new gauge boson couples to the Standard Model fermions with couplings proportional to those of the ordinary Z boson but very suppressed, thus we call it the dark Z boson. We study the phenomenology of the dark Z boson and the Higgs sector, and show the hidden fermion can be the dark matter candidate.
Null gravitational redshift by a Reissner–Nordström black hole in the strong field limit
Authors: He Guansheng , Pan Chaohong , Zhou Xia , Li Weijun , Li Lin
Published: June 2020

The gravitational shift of electromagnetic frequency in the strong field limit is usually investigated under the common scenario, where the light receiver is far away from the central body while the emitter is in the strong-field region of the lens. In this paper, the gravitational frequency shift of light caused by a Reissner–Nordström (RN) black hole is studied numerically in the traditional strong-field scenario, as well as in the scenario where both the light emission and reception events happen in the strong-field region of the black hole. In order to obtain the numerical results of the gravitational redshift, we first derive the exact null equations of motion in the RN geometry in harmonic coordinates. For a given light observer, a new numerical technique is proposed in the integration of the geodesic equations to determine the spatial position of the emitter, considering the fact that their spatial positions are not always known simultaneously. Our work might be helpful to the related observations for probing strong gravity.
Fourier transform, quantum mechanics and quantum field theory on the manifold of general relativity
Authors: Horwitz L. P.
Published: June 2020

A proof is given for the Fourier transform for functions in a quantum mechanical Hilbert space on a non-compact manifold in general relativity. In the (configuration space) Newton–Wigner representation, we discuss the spectral decomposition of the canonical operators and give a proof of the Parseval–Plancherel relation and the Born rule for linear superposition. We then discuss the representations of pure quantum states and their dual vectors and construct the Fock space and the associated quantum field theory for Bose–Einstein and Fermi–Dirac statistics.
Aid for Trade Flows and Real Exchange Rate Volatility in Recipient-Countries
Authors: Gnangnon Sena Kimm
Published: June 2020

This paper aims to contribute to the literature on the determinants of real exchange rate volatility by investigating the effect of Aid for Trade (AfT) flows on real exchange rate volatility in recipient-countries. The empirical findings show that over the full sample, AfT flows influence negatively the volatility of real exchange rate, with a lower reducing effect on Least developed countries (LDCs) compared to NonLDCs. The channels through which this effect materializes include export product concentration, institutional and governance quality, foreign direct investment inflows and terms of trade volatility. These results show that AfT flows clearly matter for real exchange rate volatility.
EXCESS VULNERABILITY FROM SUBSIDIZED FLOOD INSURANCE: HOUSING MARKET ADAPTATION WHEN PREMIUMS EQUAL EXPECTED FLOOD DAMAGE
Authors: COLBY SCOTT J. , ZIPP KATHERINE Y.
Published: June 2020

We calculate there are 8.1% more houses in Allegheny County, PA (Pittsburgh) due to flood insurance subsidies. Conversely, if/when National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) premiums rise by 50% to equal expected damages, property values will decrease by 8.8% in the short-term, with about half of that recuperated in the long run (4.7%) as quality-adjusted housing stocks contract by 7.5% over decades. This analysis informs community planning and current NFIP revisions that strive to balance solvency and social consequences. Furthermore, our extension of Poterba’s (1984) dynamic user-cost of housing model can be used in integrated assessment models of climate change adaptation.
Conservation of Linear Momentum Using Tracker Analysis: A Teaching Material
Authors: Erol M. , Yıldız H. , Tekingündüz M.
Published: June 2020

This work reports an experimental technique specially designed and employed to comprehend and teach the conservation of linear momentum and to overcome instructional difficulties. The apparatus is mainly comprised of specifically designed corrugated inclined planes, two spherical solid balls, a video recorder and a computer with a video tracker analysis programme installed. The momentum measurements are achieved by recording the motion of the rolling bodies and resolving the motion by using the video tracker analyser. Both elastic and inelastic collisions are designed and estimated momentum values clearly justify the conservation of the momentum. The experimental results are also compared with the theoretical calculations, indicating a reasonably good agreement. The designed apparatus can be employed in basic physics laboratories, to achieve enhanced understanding of conservation of the linear momentum.
Injury and Injustice
Authors: Bloom Anne
Published: June 2020

This review examines the state of scholarship on the politics of injury law, a relatively neglected field. I argue that injury law is an important site of political contestation, particularly for social and economic minorities, that should receive much more attention from law and social science scholars. Drawing on past research from other areas of legal inquiry, especially rights litigation, I suggest that the political significance of injury law tracks along two key dimensions—the institutional and the symbolic—and that both dimensions deserve greater study. I also argue for collaborative research with legal practitioners, who have significant experiential knowledge to offer about how power operates in this space. The need for this research has perhaps never been greater, as corporate and other interests increasingly move to neutralize this historically important site of political contestation.
The Critical Shear Stress for Slip Generation due to Scratches in Silicon Wafers
Authors: Fujise Jun , Ko Bonggyun , Ono Toshiaki , Tanaka Masaki
Published: June 2020

The relationship between slip dislocations generation due to scratches on silicon wafers and oxygen concentration has been investigated by three-point bending tests at high temperatures from 973 to 1123 K. We have measured the critical shear stresses for slip initiation caused by surface scratches as the onset of dislocation motions. In addition to the locking effect by oxygen atoms of dislocations, it was found that strain rate also has an important role on the value of the critical stress for slip generation caused by scratch. In order to take into account the effect of the strain rate, a new empirical equation as a function of strain rate for the estimation of critical shear stress was developed using the results with the three-point bending in this study. The equation obtained in this work indicates that ramp rates in the thermal process of wafer have a crucial effect on the slip dislocation generation. The estimation of critical shear stress of slip dislocation using this equation shows a good agreement with the experimental results of a heat treatment process.
Cyclopenta[hi]aceanthrylene Decorated with Multiple and Long Alkoxy Chains: Physicochemical Properties and Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes’ Exfoliation Capability
Authors: Schierl Christoph , Pardo Virtudes , Bottari Giovanni , Guldi Dirk M. , Torres Tomas
Published: June 2020

A rod-like cyclopenta[hi]aceanthrylene (CPA) derivative bearing three dodecyloxy chains at each of its two terminal positions was prepared. Spectroscopic (i.e., steady-state absorption and fluorescence) and electrochemical studies carried out with this polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) derivative showed an intense absorption through the entire UV–vis spectral range, weak fluorescence, small HOMO-LUMO gap, and excellent electron accepting capability. Transient absorption spectroscopy (TAS) revealed the formation of singlet and triplet excited states; the latter was, however, only observed in the presence of a triplet sensitizer. The exfoliation capability of this lipophilic CPA towards single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) in THF was also investigated. On one hand, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) pointed to an efficient debundling of SWCNTs by the CPA derivative by means of non-covalent interactions. On the other hand, important differences in the ground and excited state features of the uncomplexed and SWCNT-complexed CPA were revealed by Raman and TAS.
EMD-GM-ARMA Model for Mining Safety Production Situation Prediction
Authors: Wu Menglong , Ye Yicheng , Hu Nanyan , Wang Qihu , Jiang Huimin , Li Wen
Published: June 2020

In order to improve the prediction accuracy of mining safety production situation and remove the difficulty of model selection for nonstationary time series, a grey (GM) autoregressive moving average (ARMA) model based on the empirical mode decomposition (EMD) is proposed. First of all, according to the nonstationary characteristics of the mining safety accident time series, nonstationary original time series were decomposed into high- and low-frequency signals using the EMD algorithm, which represents the overall trend and random disturbances, respectively. Subsequently, the GM model was used to predict high-frequency signal sequence, while the ARMA model was used to predict low-frequency signal sequence. Finally, aiming to predict the mining safety production situation, the EMD-GM-ARMA model was constructed via superimposing the prediction results of each subsequence, thereby compared to the ARIMA model, wavelet neural network model, and PSO-SVM model. The results demonstrated that the EMD-GM-ARMA model and the PSO-SVM model hold the highest prediction accuracy in the short-term prediction, and the wavelet neural network has the lowest prediction accuracy. The PSO-SVM model’s prediction accuracy decreases in medium- and long-term predictions while the EMD-GM-ARMA model still can maintain high prediction accuracy. Moreover, the relative error fluctuations of the EMD-GM-ARMA model are relatively stable in both short-term and medium-term predictions. This shows that the EMD-GM-ARMA model can provide high-precision predictions with high stability, proving the model to be feasible and effective in predicting the mining safety production situation.
Multiobjective Parallel Chaos Optimization Algorithm with Crossover and Merging Operation
Authors: Li Qingxian , Liu Liangjiang , Yuan Xiaofang
Published: June 2020

Chaos optimization algorithm (COA) usually utilizes chaotic maps to generate the pseudorandom numbers mapped as the decision variables for global optimization problems. Recently, COA has been applied to many single objective optimization problems and simulations results have demonstrated its effectiveness. In this paper, a novel parallel chaos optimization algorithm (PCOA) will be proposed for multiobjective optimization problems (MOOPs). As an improvement to COA, the PCOA is a kind of population-based optimization algorithm which not only detracts the sensitivity of initial values but also adjusts itself suitable for MOOPs. In the proposed PCOA, crossover and merging operation will be applied to exchange information between parallel solutions and produce new potential solutions, which can enhance the global and fast search ability of the proposed algorithm. To test the performance of the PCOA, it is simulated with several benchmark functions for MOOPs and mixed H2/H∞ controller design. The simulation results show that PCOA is an alternative approach for MOOPs.
Aerodynamic Shape Optimization of a Missile Using a Multiobjective Genetic Algorithm
Authors: Şumnu Ahmet , Güzelbey İbrahim Halil , Öğücü Orkun
Published: June 2020

The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the effects of the shape optimization on the missile performance at supersonic speeds. The N1G missile model shape variation, which decreased its aerodynamic drag and increased its aerodynamic lift at supersonic flow under determined constraints, was numerically investigated. Missile geometry was selected from a literature study for optimization in terms of aerodynamics. Missile aerodynamic coefficient prediction was performed to verify and compare with existing experimental results at supersonic Mach numbers using SST k-omega, realizable k-epsilon, and Spalart-Allmaras turbulence models. In the optimization process, the missile body and fin design parameters need to be estimated to design optimum missile geometry. Lift and drag coefficients were considered objective function. Input and output parameters were collected to obtain design points. Multiobjective Genetic Algorithm (MOGA) was used to optimize missile geometry. The front part of the body, the main body, and tailfins were improved to find an optimum missile model at supersonic speeds. The optimization results showed that a lift-to-drag coefficient ratio, which determines the performance of a missile, was improved about 11-17 percent at supersonic Mach numbers.
Nonhomogeneous Wavelet Dual Frames and Extension Principles in Reducing Subspaces
Authors: Zhang Jianping , Jia Huifang
Published: June 2020

It can be seen from the literature that nonhomogeneous wavelet frames are much simpler to characterize and construct than homogeneous ones. In this work, we address such problems in reducing subspaces of L2ℝd. A characterization of nonhomogeneous wavelet dual frames is obtained, and by using the characterization, an MOEP and an MEP are derived under general assumptions for such wavelet dual frames.
ROPPSA: TV Program Recommendation Based on Personality and Social Awareness
Authors: Asabere Nana Yaw , Acakpovi Amevi
Published: June 2020

The rapid growth of mobile television (TV), smart TV, and Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) content due to the convergence of broadcasting and the Internet requires effective recommendation methods to select appropriate TV programs/channels. Many previous methods have been proposed to address this issue. However, imperative factors such as the utilization of personality traits and social properties to recommend programs for TV viewers remain a challenge. Consequently, in this paper, we propose a recommender algorithm called Recommendation of Programs via Personality and Social Awareness (ROPPSA) for TV viewers. ROPPSA utilizes normalization and folksonomy procedures to generate group recommendations for TV viewers who have common similarities in terms of personality traits and tie strength with a Target TV Viewer (TTV). Therefore, ROPPSA improves TV viewer cold-start and data sparsity situations by utilizing their personality traits and tie strengths. We conducted extensive experiments on a relevant dataset using standard evaluation metrics to substantiate our ROPPSA recommendation method. Results of our experimentation procedure depict the advantage, recommendation accuracy, and outperformance of ROPPSA in comparison with other contemporary methods in terms of precision, recall, f-measure (F1), and arithmetic mean (AM).