bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reducing acute kidney injury in pediatric oncology patients: An improvement project targeting nephrotoxic medications
Authors: Young Jennifer , Dahale Devesh , Demmel Kathleen , O'Brien Maureen , Geller James , Courter Josh , Haslam David B. , Danziger‐Isakov Lara , Goldstein Stuart L.
Published: June 2020

Background

Nephrotoxic medication exposure and associated acute kidney injury (AKI) occur commonly in hospitalized children. At Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, there is an initiative to increase awareness of nephrotoxic medication exposure and decrease rates of associated AKI. The oncology service utilized these data in a quality improvement project to drive reductions in AKI rates.

Methods

Three interventions were implemented targeted at decreasing the incidence of nephrotoxic exposure, as well as protecting against the conversion of exposures to AKI episodes. Cefepime replaced piperacillin‐tazobactam for febrile neutropenia, vancomycin stewardship limited empiric courses to 72 hours, and nephroprotection for intravenous contrast administration was standardized for defined high‐risk patients.

Results

The study cohort comprised 42 520 noncritically ill patient days admitted to the oncology service at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. A total of 273 unique patients were exposed to combination nephrotoxic medications, leading to 111 AKI episodes. The rate of nephrotoxic medication exposure within the oncology service decreased by 49% from 16.08 to 8.17 per 1000 patient days. Episodes of AKI associated with nephrotoxic medication exposure decreased by 45% from 3.48 to 1.92 per 1000 patient days.

Conclusion

Interventions to decrease AKI took a three‐pronged approach. Collectively, this approach was proven successful with significant reductions in both rates of nephrotoxic medication exposure and associated AKI among hospitalized oncology patients.
Prognosis of pediatric patients with anicteric and late‐onset sinusoidal obstruction syndrome after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
Authors: Inagaki Jiro , Noguchi Maiko , Fukano Reiji
Published: June 2020

Background

Sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (SOS) is a life‐threatening complication after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Most adult patients with SOS present with jaundice, whereas hyperbilirubinemia does not always occur in children. Additionally, while late‐onset SOS is rare in adults, 15‐20% of SOS cases develop beyond day 30 after HSCT in children.

Procedure

We investigated the incidence and prognosis of children with anicteric and late‐onset SOS. We retrospectively analyzed the data of patients who developed SOS after HSCT conducted at our center between 2000 and 2016.

Results

A total of 22 patients with a median age of 6.5 years (range: 0‐16), including 14 males and eight females, developed SOS. Eight of the twenty‐two patients were diagnosed as having anicteric SOS, and nine as having late‐onset SOS. Patients with anicteric SOS had significantly lower incidence of SOS‐related death at 100 days after HSCT (12.5% vs 64.3%, P = 0.03) and higher 2‐year overall survival (OS) rate (60.0% vs 14.3%, P = .04) than patients with icteric SOS. One patient with anicteric SOS died from progression of SOS. There were no significant differences observed in these endpoints between patients who developed SOS before and after 21 days from HSCT.

Conclusions

Careful monitoring is needed for the development of SOS even in the absence of jaundice, and even at 3 weeksafter HSCT in children.
Incidence of viral and fungal complications after utilization of alternative donor sources in hematopoietic cell transplantation
Authors: Whited Laura K. , Handy Victoria W. , Hosing Chitra , Chow Eric
Published: June 2020

Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) remains the only curable option for adult patients with hematologic malignancies. According to guidelines published by the American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, allogeneic HCT should be offered to all intermediate‐ and high‐risk patients with acute leukemia. While matched‐related donor (MRD) grafts continue to be the preferred stem cell source for allogeneic HCT, studies comparing MRD grafts to matched‐unrelated donor (MUD) grafts showed comparable outcomes in patients with acute leukemia. Unfortunately, for those without a suitable matched‐related graft, the probability of finding a suitable matched‐unrelated donor varies significantly depending on racial and ethnic background. With allogeneic HCT procedures increasing year after year due to the increased availability of suitable donors, each of these alternative donor sources merits special clinical considerations, specifically with regard to infections. Infections remain a significant cause of morbidity and mortality after allogeneic transplant, especially in those receiving alternative donor grafts. Due to the high‐risk nature associated with these donor grafts, it is important to understand the true risk of developing infectious complications. While there are a multitude of infections that have been described in patients post‐allogeneic HCT, this review seeks to focus on the incidence of cytomegalovirus (CMV) and invasive fungal infections (IFI) in adult patients receiving alternative donor source transplantation for hematologic malignancies.
Welding dynamics in an atomistic model of an amorphous polymer blend with polymer–polymer interface
Authors: Luchinsky Dmitry G. , Hafiychuk Halyna , Hafiychuk Vasyl , Chaki Kenta , Nitta Hiroya , Ozawa Taku , Wheeler Kevin R. , Prater Tracie J. , McClintock Peter V. E.
Published: June 2020

We consider an atomistic model of thermal welding at the polymer‐polymer interface of a polyetherimide/polycarbonate blend, motivated by applications to 3D manufacturing in space. We follow diffusion of semiflexible chains at the interface and analyze strengthening of the samples as a function of the welding time tw by simulating the strain–stress and shear viscosity curves. The time scales for initial wetting, and for fast and slow diffusion, are revealed. It is shown that each component of the polymer blend has its own characteristic time of slow diffusion at the interface. Analysis of strain–stress demonstrates saturation of the Young's modulus at tw = 240 ns, while the tensile strength continues to increase. The shear viscosity is found to have a very weak dependence on the welding time for tw > 60 ns. It is shown that both strain–stress and shear viscosity curves agree with experimental data.
Directional Single‐Photon Emission from Deterministic Quantum Dot Waveguide Structures
Authors: Mrowiński Paweł , Schnauber Peter , Kaganskiy Arsenty , Schall Johannes , Burger Sven , Rodt Sven , Reitzenstein Stephan
Published: June 2020

Chiral light–matter interaction can lead to directional emission of two‐level quantum emitters in waveguides (WGs). This interesting physics effect has raised considerable attention in recent years especially in terms of on‐chip quantum systems. In this context, this work focuses on tailoring single semiconductor quantum dot–waveguide (QD–WG) systems to emit single photons with high directionality. Low‐temperature in situ electron‐beam lithography enabled by cathodoluminescence mapping is used to select suitable QDs and to integrate them deterministically into linear WG structures at specific chiral points determined by numerical calculations. Excitonic and biexcitonic emission is observed from the fabricated QD–WG structure in a confocal micro‐photoluminescence setup enabling the optical characterization in terms of directional emission of circularly polarized photons emitted by integrated QDs. The results show a high degree of anisotropy on the level of 54% for directional QD emission and antibunching in autocorrelation experiment confirming the fabricated QD–WG system, which is a prerequisite for using this effect in advanced applications in integrated quantum circuits.
The influence of Au‐nanoparticles presence in PDMS on microstructures creation by ion beam lithography
Authors: Romanenko Oleksandr , Slepička Petr , Malinsky Petr , Cutroneo Mariapompea , Havránek Vladimír , Stammers James , Švorčík Václav , Macková Anna
Published: June 2020

3D microstructures in pure poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) and PDMS with embedded Au nanoparticles were prepared by ion beam lithography without any further etching. Two mega‐electron volts helium and 10 MeV oxygen ions were used for ion microstructuring. Parallel lines of 1 mm in length and 10 μm in thickness were fabricated for investigation of the effect of the nanoparticles presence in the polymer on the surface morphology of the created microstructures. The created microstructures were checked by optical microscope. Infrared (IR) spectrometry was used to study the effect of the ions type and fluence on the chemical changes of the material. Atomic force microscopy was used for the fine detail study as well as for checking the microstructure quality. Analysis revealed an increased radiation resistance of the nanocomposite compared to the pure PDMS. Shrinkage is proportional to the fluence, but the maximum value for both materials is limited by saturation. 3D microstructure in modified PDMS obtained at the same irradiation condition as pure PDMS is characterized by its smaller height. Obtaining the microstructure in nanocomposite of the same height as in pure PDMS by increasing the fluence can be impossible due to saturation of shrinkage and/or radiation‐induced heating of the material.
Increasing the Ligand Field Strength in Butadiene Open Sandwich Compounds from the First to the Second Row Transition Metals
Authors: Qian Junfeng , Chen Qun , He Mingyang , Zhang Zhihui , Feng Xuejun , Xie Yaoming , King R. Bruce , Schaefer Henry F.
Published: June 2020

The structures and energetics of the bis(butadiene) complexes of the second row transition metals (C4H6)2M) M=Zr to Pd) have been investigated by density functional theory. The energetically accessible (C4H6)2M structures (M=Zr to Rh) are found to have only tetrahapto η4‐C4H6 ligands. The second row transition metals energetically prefer low spin states in their bis(butadiene) derivatives (C4H6)2M reflecting their increased ligand field strength relative to the first row transition metals. Thus the energies of the singlet and doublet spin states for (C4H6)2Ru and (C4H6)2Tc, respectively, are lower than their triplet and quartet spin state isomers in contrast to the corresponding iron and manganese systems, respectively. Furthermore, the staggered maximum spin (C4H6)2M structures with χ ≈ 90° having tetrahedral coordination of the central metal to the four C=C double bonds of the two butadiene ligands found as lowest energy structures for the first row transition metals are not found for the second row transition metals from Mo to Pd. Instead the lowest energy (C4H6)2M structures for the second row transition metals have an eclipsed confirmation with χ ≈ 0° implying square planar coordination of the central metal. The lowest energy structure of the palladium complex (C4H6)2Pd is anomalous since only one of the two butadienes is a tetrahapto ligand whereas the second butadiene is only a dihapto ligand leaving one uncomplexed C=C double bond.
Work Roll Shifting Strategy of Uneven “Cat Ear” Wear Control for Profile and Flatness of Electrical Steel in Schedule‐Free Rolling
Authors: Cao JianGuo , Xiong HaiTao , Huang XiaoHai , Zhao QiuFang , Li YanLin , Liu ShiQuan
Published: June 2020

There are severe uneven “cat ear” wear contours of work rolls, the key factors to affect high‐quality profile and flatness control of electrical steel strips, in the schedule‐free rolling process with a large number of the same width strip rolling campaigns of hot rolling mills. The work roll wear prediction model, thermal roll contour model, and a 3D finite‐element model of roll stacks and strip are established using MATLAB and ABAQUS software. The effects of the work roll wear contour on the loaded roll gap profile within the entire rolling campaign are analyzed. A variable stroke and step (VSS) shifting strategy is developed based on the exponentially damped sinusoids function, which can get the smooth work roll wear contours. The main parameters including attenuation coefficient of stroke, the coil number and the attenuation coefficient of the first shifting cycle, and the initial phase avoiding repetition of the shifting position, are obtained by genetic optimization. The industrial application of the VSS shifting strategy gives remarkable results. The “cat ear” height value of local work roll wear contours is decreased by 67.3% and the high‐precision rate of crown from 25 to 40 μm of the electrical steel is increased by 22.5%.
Research and urology at a time of COVID‐19
Authors: Dinneen Eoin
Published: June 2020

COVID‐19 has brought a lot of medical research and surgical training to a halt. Here the author investigates the impact of the suspension on the future of patient‐centred research and the career prospects of healthcare professionals, along with an insider insight into the work at the NHS Nightingale, London.
Male mortality and the German response: lessons from COVID‐19
Authors: Schartau Patricia , Kirby Mike
Published: June 2020

The current COVID‐19 outbreak has raised many questions, amongst them the higher mortality rates in men and the low overall mortality rates in Germany compared to other European countries. Here the authors explore some of the reasons behind both these phenomena and outline what we can learn from them for the future.
Systematic comparison framework for selecting the best retrofitting alternative for an existing water resource recovery facility
Authors: Machado Vinicius Cunha , Lafuente Javier , Baeza Juan Antonio
Published: June 2020

A systematic comparison framework for selecting the best retrofitting alternative for a water resource recovery facility (WRRF) is proposed in this work. The procedure is applied comparing different possible plant configurations to retrofit an existent anoxic/oxic (A/O) WRRF (Manresa, Spain) aiming to include enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR). The framework for comparison was built on system analysis using a calibrated IWA ASM2d model. A multicriteria set of performance variables, as the operational and capital expenditures (OPEX and CAPEX, respectively) and robustness tests for measuring how fast the plant configuration refuses external disturbances (like ammonium and phosphate peak loads), were used for comparison. Starting from the existent WRRF, four plant configurations were tested: single A2/O (only one anoxic reactor converted to anaerobic), double A2/O (two anoxic reactors converted to anaerobic), BARDENPHO, and UCT. The double A2/O plant configuration was the most economical and reliable alternative for improving the existent Manresa WRRF capacity and implementing EBPR, since the effluent quality increased 3.8% compared to the current plant configuration. In addition, the double A2/O CAPEX was close to €165,000 which was at the same order of the single A2/O and lower than the BARDENPHO and UCT alternatives.

Practitioner points

Four configurations including EBPR were evaluated for retrofitting an A/O WRRF.

A new multicriteria comparison framework was used to select the best configuration.

Up to 13 criteria related to effluent quality, robustness and costs were included.

A single function based on the combination of all the criteria was also evaluated.
A Comparison of Two Methods to Monitor Translocated Prairie Dogs
Authors: Sack Danielle A. , Tripp Daniel W.
Published: June 2020

The effects of sylvatic plague and habitat fragmentation present species conservation challenges for prairie dogs (Cynomys spp.) and other wildlife species they support. Active reestablishment of extirpated prairie dog colonies may become increasingly necessary to achieve some conservation goals. We compared a passive‐integrated‐transponder (PIT) tag monitoring system and trail camera photographs to monitor short‐term survival of captive dye‐marked black‐tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) translocated into artificial burrows. We deployed cameras and a PIT‐tag monitoring system in 2016 and 2017 (Nov–Sep) and collected 1.2 million PIT‐tag scans and >255,000 photographs at a Colorado Parks and Wildlife facility near Fort Collins, Colorado, USA. There was no difference in the daily mean number of prairie dogs detected between the 2 monitoring methods (photographs  = 3.40, PIT tags  = 4.06). However, PIT‐tag scans achieved a population census in 10 days (100% detected, 95% CI = 89–100%); whereas, photographs were able to detect only 67% of the prairie dogs during this same time (95% CI = 50–80%). Trail camera photographs of uniquely dye‐marked individuals may be ideal for short‐term monitoring (≤6 months), while PIT tags are likely to outperform cameras in studies requiring efficient longer term monitoring of permanently marked prairie dogs. Although both monitoring techniques performed well in a semicaptive setting, how these techniques would perform when scaled to larger or more complex settings requires further research. © 2020 The Authors. Wildlife Society Bulletin published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of The Wildlife Society.
Single‐Molecule Magnetism in Dy2 Cluster Based on a Schiff Base Ligand
Authors: Wang Yingying , Yuan Zhuangdong , Guo Yunjie , Ma Xuxiao , Meng Zitong , Sha Jingquan , Zhang Haifeng
Published: June 2020

Two dinuclear LnIII‐based clusters, namely [Dy2L2(NO3)2(DME)4] (1) and [Gd2L2(NO3)2(DME)4] (2) [H2L = (E)‐2‐((2‐hydroxybenzylidene)amino)phenol] were obtained under hydrothermal condition. Two LnIII ions are bridged by two phenolic hydroxyl oxygen atoms, and the distances of them are 3.829 Å (Dy1–Dy1A) and 3.860 Å (Gd1–Gd1A). Two Dy1–O–Dy1A and Gd1–O–Gd1A angles are 109.4° and 109.8°, respectively. Magnetic studies reveal a weak antiferromagnetic interaction between Gd ions in complex 2, and single‐molecule magnet behavior for 1 with Ueff = 49.9 K and τ0 = 1.54 × 10–6 s.
Rectal gas-induced susceptibility artefacts on prostate diffusion-weighted MRI with epi read-out at 3.0 T: does a preparatory micro-enema improve image quality?
Authors: Plodeck Verena , Radosa Christoph Georg , Hübner Hans-Martin , Baldus Christian , Borkowetz Angelika , Thomas Christian , Kühn Jens-Peter , Laniado Michael , Hoffmann Ralf-Thorsten , Platzek Ivan
Published: June 2020

Purpose

To assess whether the application of a preparatory micro-enema reduces gas-induced susceptibility artefacts on diffusion-weighted MRI of the prostate.

Methods

114 consecutive patients who received multiparametric 3 T MRI of the prostate at our institution were retrospectively enrolled. 63 patients self-administered a preparatory micro-enema prior to imaging, and 51 patients underwent MRI without bowel preparation. Two blinded readers independently reviewed the diffusion-weighted sequences regarding gas-induced artefacts. The presence/severity of artefacts was scored ranging from 0 (no artefact) to 3 (severe artefact). A score ≥ 2 was considered a clinically relevant artefact. Maximum rectal width at the level of the prostate was correlated with the administration of a micro-enema. Scores were compared between the scans performed with and without bowel preparation using univariable and multivariable logistic regression, taking into account potential confounding factors (age and prostate volume).

Results

Significantly less artefacts were found on diffusion-weighted sequences after the administration of a micro-enema shortly prior to MR imaging. Clinically relevant artefacts were found in 10% in the patient group after enema, in 41% without enema. If present, artefacts were also significantly less severe. Mean severity score was 0.3 (enema administered) and 1.2 (no enema), and odds ratio was 0.137 (p < 0.0001) in univariable ordinal logistic regression. Inter-observer agreement was excellent (κ 0.801).

Conclusion

The use of a preparatory micro-enema prior to 3 T multiparametric prostate MRI significantly reduces both the incidence and severity of gas-induced artefacts on diffusion-weighted sequences and thus improves image quality.
The Current Evidence for Defining and Assessing Effectiveness of Surgical Educators: A Systematic Review
Authors: Dickinson Karen J. , Bass Barbara L. , Pei Kevin Y.
Published: June 2020

Background

Surgical educator effectiveness is valued but lacks an operational definition. Clearly defining attributes consistent with effective surgical educators allows for the development of professional activities directed to nurture these qualities. Our aim was to identify the literature defining qualities of an effective surgical educator, and tools to measure effectiveness.

Methods

We searched PubMed, Medline, Scopus and Academic Search Complete for English language articles from 1 July 2009–1 July 2019. Two reviewers screened all abstracts for relevance and read full text of selected articles to identify included studies. Inclusion criteria were description/definition of an effective surgical educator or description of assessment/measurement of effectiveness in surgical educators. Data extracted included: study design, participants, definition/description of qualities of an effective surgical educator, qualitative or quantitative methods to assess surgical educators.

Results

Initial search identified 8086 articles. Of these, 2357 articles were excluded as duplicates and 5729 abstracts screened with 5638 excluded due to irrelevance. Full text review was performed for 91 articles to assess eligibility, 23 met inclusion criteria. The majority (74%) did not clearly define an effective surgical educator. Themes from six studies that determined important qualities include: communication, leadership skills, professionalism, respect, positive learning climate, and brief‐intraoperative teaching‐debrief model. One validated assessment tool was identified.

Conclusions

There is little published work defining or assessing effective surgical educators. Establishment of a positive learning climate and excellent communication skills continue to be important qualities that define surgical educator effectiveness.
Learning from the past: did experience with previous epidemics help mitigate the impact of COVID-19 among spine surgeons worldwide?
Authors: Weiner Joseph A. , Swiatek Peter R. , Johnson Daniel J. , Louie Philip K. , Harada Garrett K. , McCarthy Michael H. , Germscheid Niccole , Cheung Jason P. Y. , Neva Marko H. , El-Sharkawi Mohammad , Valacco Marcelo , Sciubba Daniel M. , Chutken Norman B. , An Howard S. , Samartzis Dino
Published: June 2020

Purpose

Spine surgeons around the world have been universally impacted by COVID-19. The current study addressed whether prior experience with disease epidemics among the spine surgeon community had an impact on preparedness and response toward COVID-19.

Methods

A 73-item survey was distributed to spine surgeons worldwide via AO Spine. Questions focused on: demographics, COVID-19 preparedness, response, and impact. Respondents with and without prior epidemic experience (e.g., SARS, H1NI, MERS) were assessed on preparedness and response via univariate and multivariate modeling. Results of the survey were compared against the Global Health Security Index.

Results

Totally, 902 surgeons from 7 global regions completed the survey. 24.2% of respondents had prior experience with global health crises. Only 49.6% reported adequate access to personal protective equipment. There were no differences in preparedness reported by respondents with prior epidemic exposure. Government and hospital responses were fairly consistent around the world. Prior epidemic experience did not impact the presence of preparedness guidelines. There were subtle differences in sources of stress, coping strategies, performance of elective surgeries, and impact on income driven by prior epidemic exposure. 94.7% expressed a need for formal, international guidelines to help mitigate the impact of the current and future pandemics.

Conclusions

This is the first study to note that prior experience with infectious disease crises did not appear to help spine surgeons prepare for the current COVID-19 pandemic. Based on survey results, the GHSI was not an effective measure of COVID-19 preparedness. Formal international guidelines for crisis preparedness are needed to mitigate future pandemics.
Unburned hydrocarbon formation in a natural gas engine under sea wave load conditions
Authors: Tavakoli Sadi , Jensen Michael Vincent , Pedersen Eilif , Schramm Jesper
Published: June 2020

Although natural gas is documented as a low-emission fuel compared to the other traditional fossil fuels in internal combustion engines, recent research indicates large amounts of methane emission released by lean burn gas engines and highlights the importance of this emission on global warming. This paper aims at illustrating the main sources of unburned fuel in internal combustion engines with an emphasis on spark ignited natural gas engines. In addition, two unburned hydrocarbon modeling patterns, empirical and thermodynamic, are proposed. Moreover, a verified engine model including all components with an implemented dynamic load based on harmonic sea waves has been set up and coupled to the unburned hydrocarbon formation models. Results show that load variation may contribute to further methane slip and this increment rises sharply when the load amplitude enlarges. The maximum amount of methane slip occurs at reduced loads when the time lag of the control system of the turbocharger causes additional fresh air to flow towards the combustion chamber and brings the flame into the quenching area. As well, inspecting unburned hydrocarbon emission in diverse air–fuel ratios but with the same wave frequency and amplitude uncovers the sensitivity of lean burn gas engines to the dynamic load.
Adapted Wasserstein distances and stability in mathematical finance
Authors: Backhoff-Veraguas Julio , Bartl Daniel , Beiglböck Mathias , Eder Manu
Published: June 2020

Assume that an agent models a financial asset through a measure ℚ with the goal to price/hedge some derivative or optimise some expected utility. Even if the model ℚ is chosen in the most skilful and sophisticated way, the agent is left with the possibility that ℚ does not provide anexactdescription of reality. This leads us to the following question: will the hedge still be somewhat meaningful for models in the proximity of ℚ?

If we measure proximity with the usual Wasserstein distance (say), the answer is No. Models which are similar with respect to the Wasserstein distance may provide dramatically different information on which to base a hedging strategy.

Remarkably, this can be overcome by considering a suitableadaptedversion of the Wasserstein distance which takes the temporal structure of pricing models into account. This adapted Wasserstein distance is most closely related to the nested distance as pioneered by Pflug and Pichler (SIAM J. Optim. 20:1406–1420, 2009, SIAM J. Optim. 22:1–23, 2012, Multistage Stochastic Optimization, 2014). It allows us to establish Lipschitz properties of hedging strategies for semimartingale models in discrete and continuous time. Notably, these abstract results are sharp already for Brownian motion and European call options.
Fidelity Scale: From Black Box to Holy Grail
Authors: van Weeghel Jaap
Published: June 2020

Fidelity scales are indispensable in the pursuit of evidence-based mental healthcare. Without fidelity checks, treatment remains a mysterious black box. The aim of this article is to comment on the studies in this special section, and to discuss some general issues with regard to fidelity assessment. Despite all of their supposed benefits, resistance to fidelity scales persists among mental health practitioners. One way to overcome this resistance is to conduct fidelity assessments in the context of a well-guided learning community. The predictive validity of fidelity scales is considered the single most valuable attribute of these instruments. Research on predictive validity requires large sample sizes, which is difficult to achieve. It should nevertheless not prevent us from rigorously searching for this Holy Grail of fidelity assessment. In addition, fidelity assessment should be placed in a broader perspective. The quality of care for people with severe mental illness cannot be assessed conclusively according to the extent to which separate interventions have been applied with good fidelity. These individuals need access to high-quality treatment and support systems within the community, which can enable them to live their lives as valued citizens. In conclusion, fidelity assessment, both at the level of interventions and systems, contributes to a highly desirable transparency in practice variations within the field of mental healthcare.
“Pure” severe aortic stenosis without concomitant valvular heart diseases: echocardiographic and pathophysiological features
Authors: Kandels J. , Tayal B. , Hagendorff A. , Lavall D. , Laufs U. , Sogaard P. , Andersen N. H. , Stöbe S.
Published: June 2020

Purpose

In echocardiography the severity of aortic stenosis (AS) is defined by effective orifice area (EOA), mean pressure gradient (mPGAV) and transvalvular flow velocity (maxVAV). The hypothesis of the present study was to confirm the pathophysiological presence of combined left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), diastolic dysfunction (DD) and pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH) in patients with “pure” severe AS.

Methods and Results

Patients (n = 306) with asymptomatic (n = 133) and symptomatic (n = 173) “pure” severe AS (mean age 78 ± 9.5 years) defined by indexed EOA < 0.6 cm2 were enrolled between 2014 and 2016. AS patients were divided into 4 subgroups according to mPGAV and indexed left ventricular stroke volume: low flow (LF) low gradient (LG)-AS (n = 133), normal flow (NF) LG-AS (n = 91), LF high gradient (HG)-AS (n = 21) and NFHG-AS (n = 61). Patients with “pure” severe AS showed mean mPGAV of 31.7 ± 9.1 mmHg and mean maxVAV of 3.8 ± 0.6 m/s. Only 131 of 306 patients (43%) exhibited mPGAV > 40 mmHg and maxVAV > 4 m/s documenting incongruencies of the AS severity assessment by Doppler echocardiography. LVH was documented in 81%, DD in 76% and PAH in 80% of AS patients. 54% of “pure” AS patients exhibited all three alterations. Ranges of mPGAV and maxVAV were higher in patients with all three alterations compared to patients with less than three. 224 (73%) patients presented LG-conditions and 82 (27%) HG-conditions. LVH was predominant in NF-AS (p = 0.014) and PAH in LFHG-AS (p = 0.014). Patients’ treatment was retrospectively assessed (surgery: n = 100, TAVI: n = 48, optimal medical treatment: n = 156).

Conclusion

In patients with “pure” AS according to current guidelines the presence of combined LVH, DD and PAH as accepted pathophysiological sequelae of severe AS cannot be confirmed. Probably, the detection of these secondary cardiac alterations might improve the diagnostic algorithm to avoid overestimation of AS severity.
Reassessment of the Binary Mn–Rh Phase Diagram and Experimental Investigations of the Ternary Bi–Mn–Rh System
Authors: Kainzbauer Peter , Marker Martin C. J. , Richter Klaus W.
Published: June 2020

The binary manganese–rhodium (Mn–Rh) phase diagram was reinvestigated from 5 to 90 at.% Rh with focus on determining the transition temperature between the ordered γ′-Mn3Rh and the γ-Mn phase as well as the transition temperature between of the tetragonal and cubic MnRh phase and phase boundaries, applying XRD, DTA and SEM including EDX. A reassessment of the Mn–Rh phase diagram based on obtained and literature data is given. Furthermore, the phase equilibria of the ternary bismuth–manganese–rhodium (Bi–Mn–Rh) system were experimentally investigated, focusing on the possible existence of new ferromagnetic phases. Isothermal sections at 330 °C and 600 °C were studied applying powder XRD and EDX. The corresponding phase diagram was established based on these results. No additional ferromagnetic phase was found in the ternary system.
Modelling impulsive noise in indoor powerline communication systems
Authors: Karakuş Oktay , Kuruoğlu Ercan E. , Altınkaya Mustafa A.
Published: June 2020

Powerline communication (PLC) is an emerging technology that has an important role in smart grid systems. Due to making use of existing transmission lines for communication purposes, PLC systems are subject to various noise effects. Among those, the most challenging one is the impulsive noise compared to the background and narrowband noise. In this paper, we present a comparative study on modelling the impulsive noise amplitude in indoor PLC systems by utilising several impulsive distributions. In particular, as candidate distributions, we use the symmetric$$\alpha $$α-Stable (S$$\alpha $$αS), generalised Gaussian, Bernoulli Gaussian and Student’stdistribution families as well as the Middleton Class A distribution, which dominates the literature as the impulsive noise model for PLC systems. Real indoor PLC system noise measurements are investigated for the simulation studies, which show that the S$$\alpha $$αS distribution achieves the best modelling success when compared to the other families in terms of the statistical error criteria, especially for the tail characteristics of the measured data sets.
Finite element modeling of the shaped charge jet and design of the reusable perforating gun
Authors: Zhang Zhao , Jin Wei-Wei
Published: June 2020

Finite element method is used to study the formations of the penetration jet, the bulge, and the burr in the designed reusable perforating gun. The attached layer of the soft metal on the perforator is studied for the controlling of the bulge height on the casing of the reusable perforating gun. Results indicate that the shaped charge jet is initially formed in the center of the shaped charge liner and then the material of the liner is driven to the centerline of the liner by the detonation wave. The attachment of the soft metal layer to the cartridge of the perforator can be beneficial to control the bulge height. The design on the blind holes on the casing can affect the burr height formed by the collision between the jet and the casing. With the increase in the liner angle, the penetration width on the cement wall of the wellbore is increased.
Re-assessment and tune-up gas condensate reservoir potential in Northern Iraq using material balance and reservoir simulation result techniques
Authors: Ahmed Barzan I. , Al-Jawad Mohammed S.
Published: June 2020

The main parameter that drives oil industry contract investment and set up economic feasibility study for approving field development plan is hydrocarbon reservoir potential. So a qualified experience should be deeply afforded to correctly evaluate hydrocarbons reserve by applying different techniques at each phase of field management, through collecting and using valid and representative data sources, starting from exploration phase and tune-up by development phase. Commonly, volumetric calculation is the main technique for estimate reservoir potential using available information at exploration stage which is quite few data; in most cases, this technique estimate big figure of reserve. In this study case, volumetric calculation estimate gas initial in place (GIIP) value almost two times bigger than other techniques estimation of actual reservoir potential; it is a result of Asphiltena “Bitumen” existing in reservoir interval which occupied part of matrix pore and fill some fractures. This investigation is raised up at early field production life: material balance calculation and run simulation analysis are applied to re-assessment and tune-up reservoir potential; both techniques are set up almost same GIIP value which principally tuned to actual reservoir dynamic energy behavior. Finally, material balance should be viewed as a complement to simulation, not as a competing approach, and using both to improve analysis of hydrocarbon reservoirs.
A Meta-Analysis of Sibling-Mediated Intervention for Brothers and Sisters Who Have Autism Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Bene Konabe , Lapina Angelina
Published: June 2020

We conducted a meta-analysis which included 16 sibling-mediated intervention studies that aims to utilize siblings to teach their brothers and sisters with autism spectrum disorder play skills, functional skills, or to decrease unwanted behaviors. In general, results across the studies show that sibling-mediated intervention has medium effect size and can be used as a method to improve many skills which include social and communication skills. Sibling-mediated intervention also facilitated maintenance and generalization of the targeted skills. The researchers discuss the findings and make suggestions for future investigations.
Post-glacial phylogeography and variation in innate immunity loci in a sylvatic rodent, bank vole Myodes glareolus
Authors: Kloch Agnieszka , Biedrzycka Aleksandra
Published: June 2020

In the northern hemisphere, the spatial structure of many taxa has been shaped by migration patterns after the last glaciation, and phylogeography based on mtDNA variation may reflect the post-glacial demography. The mtDNA lineages are expected to differ in their adaptations to local conditions but little is known about the impact of these conditions on functional genetic variation. Here, we answer this question through an analysis of geographic variation and selection patterns in seven innate immunity genes in free-living bank volesMyodes glareolusfrom 10 localities across species range assigned to different lineages based on mtDNA. We found clear discrepancies between population structure in mtDNA and each of the studied innate immunity genes. There was no uniform pattern of spatial variation at immunity loci, they differed in the levels of polymorphism, and the results of neutrality tests were not consistent over loci. Each locus comprised a few common haplotypes shared between mitochondrial lineages and studied locations, plus numerous haplotypes unique for each studied site. Our results suggest that the diversity of innate immunity genes cannot be explained solely in terms of demographic processes, and that the observed polymorphism may be attributed to local selection. The strength and direction of selection differed between loci, even within the same gene family, which underlines how crucial it is to take a complex approach while studying the selection patterns acting on immune-related genes.
An Exploration of Discrepancies and Concordances Between Hospital Disaster Directors and General Health Care Providers in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea: Quantitative Analysis of a Multicenter Cross-Sectional Survey Study
Authors: Park Jong-Hak , Cho Hanjin , Kim Joo Yeong , Song Juhyun , Moon Sungwoo , Ahn Eusang , Schlesinger Shira A. , Lewis Roger J.
Published: June 2020

Objective:

The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in the perception of disaster issues between disaster directors and general health care providers in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea.

Methods:

The Gyeonggi provincial committee distributed a survey to acute care facility personnel. Survey topics included awareness of general disaster issues, hospital preparedness, and training priorities. The questionnaire comprised multiple choices and items scored on a 10-point Likert scale. We analyzed the discrepancies and characteristics of the responses.

Results:

Completed surveys were returned from 43 (67%) of 64 directors and 145 (55.6%) of 261 health care providers. In the field of general awareness, the topic of how to triage in disaster response showed the greatest discrepancies. In the domain of hospital level disaster preparedness, individual opinions varied most within the topics of incident command, manual preparation. The responses to “accept additional patients in disaster situation” showed the biggest differences (> 21 versus 6~10).

Conclusions:

In this study, there were disaster topics with discrepancies and concordances in perception between disaster directors and general health care providers. The analysis would present baseline information for the development of better training programs for region-specific core competencies, knowledge, and skills required for the effective response.
First-year school counsellor in training professional experience in NSW: A qualitative study
Authors: Fajardo Michael A. , Hudswell Laura , Lu Shirley , Saunderson Ryan M. , Hulme Harriet
Published: June 2020

The professional experience of school counsellors in training in Australia is subject to different supervisor-supervisee relationships and school settings. The current study explored the first-year New South Wales school counsellor in training professional experience via an adapted qualitative content and framework analysis approach. Participants were students undertaking their first professional experience as part of the Master of Teaching (School Counselling) at the University of Sydney. The most common descriptive reflections explored professional psychological learning, followed by system- and process-related knowledge of the school setting. Emergent themes highlighted that professional experience prepared students for the role, which varied based on supervisor and school setting, and helped the students form professional identities via observing rich ethical and professional practice. Future professional experiences may be enriched with explicit reflections, peer-to-peer learning and support to foster working supervisor-supervisee relationships.
MASS GROWTH OF OBJECTS AND CATEGORICAL ENTROPY
Authors: IKEDA AKISHI
Published: June 2020

In the pioneering work by Dimitrov–Haiden–Katzarkov–Kontsevich, they introduced various categorical analogies from the classical theory of dynamical systems. In particular, they defined the entropy of an endofunctor on a triangulated category with a split generator. In the connection between the categorical theory and the classical theory, a stability condition on a triangulated category plays the role of a measured foliation so that one can measure the “volume” of objects, called the mass, via the stability condition. The aim of this paper is to establish fundamental properties of the growth rate of mass of objects under the mapping by the endofunctor and to clarify the relationship between it and the entropy. We also show that they coincide under a certain condition.
Bivalve growth and the invisible hand of heterogeneity
Authors: Vermeij Geerat J.
Published: June 2020

A recent study by Saulsbury and colleagues assessed factors influencing growth coefficients in bivalves. Like many macroevolutionary studies that cover a wide range of taxa and environments, this study fails to account for important heterogeneity among taxa and among environments. Rankings of factors depend on the range of values sampled, patterns of allocation of energy to various competing functions, and whether taxa in any given clade are uniform in their growth coefficients. Heterogeneity is universal and must be taken into account in large-scale analyses.
Gemination within English loanwords in Ammani Arabic: An Optimality-theoretic analysis
Authors: ABU GUBA MOHAMMED NOUR
Published: June 2020

Adopting an Optimality-theoretic approach, this paper examines gemination in English loanwords in Ammani Arabic (AA). Data come from a corpus of 1200 loanwords as produced by 12 AA monolingual native speakers. Results show that gemination, which is not attested in the source input, is induced to satisfy AA structural constraints and to render the output better well-formed. Of particular interest, results show that the introduction of English loanwords into AA highlights the activity of a constraint that requires prosodic words in AA, and probably many Arabic dialects, to be left-aligned with a foot. This constraint enhances our understanding of many aspects of Arabic phonology such as stress assignment and foot formation. The study has important implications for Arabic phonology, loanword phonology and second language acquisition.
Examining the role of ageing-in-place organisations in building older adults’ disaster resilience
Authors: Pendergrast Claire , Belza Basia , Bostrom Ann , Errett Nicole
Published: June 2020

Older adults are more susceptible to adverse health outcomes during and after a disaster compared with their younger counterparts. Ageing-in-place organisations such as senior centres and Villages provide social services and programming for older adults and may support older adults’ resilience to disasters. This study examines the role of ageing-in-place organisations in building disaster resilience for older adults. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 14 ageing-in-place organisation leaders in King County, Washington in the United States of America. The sample included representatives of five government-run senior centres, seven non-profit senior centres and two Villages. Interviews were audio-recorded and professionally transcribed. We used a combined inductive and deductive approach to code and thematically analyse the data. Ageing-in-place organisation leadership recognise disasters as a threat to older adults’ health and safety, and they see opportunities to provide disaster-related support for older adults, though the type and extent of participation in resilience-building activities reflected each organisation's unique local context. Organisations participate in a variety of disaster-related activities, though respondents emphasised the importance of collaborative and communication-focused efforts. Findings suggest that ageing-in-place organisations may be best equipped to support older adults’ disaster resilience by serving as a trusted source of disaster-related information and providing input on the appropriateness of disaster plans and messages for the unique needs of older adults ageing-in-place.
Mucilaginous Secretions in the Xylem and Leaf Apoplast of the Swamp Palm Mauritia flexuosa L.f. (Arecaceae)
Authors: Silveira Alessandra Flávia , Mercadante-Simões Maria Olívia , Ribeiro Leonardo Monteiro , Nunes Yule Roberta Ferreira , Duarte Lucienir Pains , Lula Ivana Silva , de Aguilar Mariana Guerra , de Sousa Grasiely Faria
Published: June 2020

Mauritia flexuosa palms inhabit wetland environments in the dry, seasonal Brazilian savanna (Cerrado) and produce mucilaginous secretions in the stem and petiole that have a medicinal value. The present study sought to characterize the chemical natures of those secretions and to describe the anatomical structures involved in their synthesis. Chemical analyzes of the secretions, anatomical, histochemical analyses, and electron microscopy studies were performed on the roots, stipes, petioles, and leaf blades. Stipe and petiole secretions are similar, and rich in cell wall polysaccharides and pectic compounds such as rhamnose, arabinose, xylose, mannose, galactose, and glucose, which are hydrophilic largely due to their hydroxyl and carboxylate groups. Mucilaginous secretions accumulate in the lumens of vessel elements and sclerenchyma fibers of the root, stipe, petiole, and foliar veins; their synthesis involves cell wall loosening and the activities of dictyosomes. The outer faces of the cell walls of the parenchyma tissue in the mesophyll expand to form pockets that rupture and release pectocellulose substances into the intercellular spaces. The presence of mucilage in the xylem, extending from the roots to the leaf veins and continuous with the leaf apoplast, and sub-stomatal chambers suggest a strategy for plant water economy.
The Far-Infrared emission of the first (z ∼ 6) massive galaxies
Authors: Rieke George H. , De Rossi Maria Emilia , Shivaei Irene , Bromm Volker , Lyu Jianwei
Published: June 2020

The first massive galaxies (z ∼ 6) have (1) very high energy density due to their small diameters and extreme luminosities in young stars and (2) interstellar dust relatively deficient in carbon compared with silicates. Both of these attributes should raise their interstellar dust temperatures compared with lower redshift galaxies. Not only is this temperature trend observed, but the high-z spectral energy distributions (SEDs) are very broad due to very warm dust. As a result total infrared luminosities – and star formation rates – at the highest redshifts estimated by fitting blackbodies to submm- and mm-wave observations can be low by a factor of ∼2.