bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Integrative Review of the Structures and Processes Related to Nurse Supervisory Performance in Long‐Term Care
Authors: Chu Charlene H. , Ploeg Jenny , Wong Rosalind , Blain Julie , McGilton Katherine S.
Published: July 2016

Background

Understanding the structures and processes related to the supervisor performance of regulated nurses (registered nurses [RN] and registered practical nurses [RPN]) is critical in order to discern how administrators of long‐term care (LTC) homes can facilitate and better support nurses given their important contribution to nurse assistants’ job satisfaction and resident outcomes.

Aims

The aim of this integrative review is to identify the structures and processes related to supervisory performance of regulated nurses in LTC.

Methods

An electronic search of six databases for studies published in English between 2000 and September 2015 was conducted by a librarian. The inclusion criteria were studies focused on RN or RPN supervisory performance in LTC, which included a structure or process related to supervisory performance of the nurse. Screening, quality assessment using the Mixed Methods Assessment Tool, and data extraction for the included studies were conducted independently by two reviewers.

Results

A total of 22 studies were included in the review. Six nurse structures (e.g., nurses’ “perceptions of their supervisory role and authority” as well as their “personal qualities”), and eight organizational structures (e.g., “organizational support (culture) for supervisory and management practices” and “staffing levels”) were identified. Six processes of effective supervisory performance were identified, such as “being flexible, understanding, considerate listeners and encourage staff input” as well as “respect, value, recognize, acknowledge and motivate” nursing assistants they supervise.

Linking Evidence to Action

The results highlight the nuanced and complex nature of nurses’ supervisory performance and the multifaceted approach required to support effective nurse supervisors in LTC. Future research should examine how resident‐related structures, as well as other moderators and mediators, may influence supervisory performance. Developing detailed models of effective supervision can inform future interventions targeting modifiable processes related to supervisory performance to thereby change practice and optimize supervisory performance in LTC.
An Objective Evaluation of Mass Scaling Techniques Utilizing Computational Human Body Finite Element Models
Authors: Davis Matthew L. , Scott Gayzik F.
Published: July 2016

Biofidelity response corridors developed from post-mortem human subjects are commonly used in the design and validation of anthropomorphic test devices and computational human body models (HBMs). Typically, corridors are derived from a diverse pool of biomechanical data and later normalized to a target body habitus. The objective of this study was to use morphed computational HBMs to compare the ability of various scaling techniques to scale response data from a reference to a target anthropometry. HBMs are ideally suited for this type of study since they uphold the assumptions of equal density and modulus that are implicit in scaling method development. In total, six scaling procedures were evaluated, four from the literature (equal-stress equal-velocity, ESEV, and three variations of impulse momentum) and two which are introduced in the paper (ESEV using a ratio of effective masses, ESEV-EffMass, and a kinetic energy approach). In total, 24 simulations were performed, representing both pendulum and full body impacts for three representative HBMs. These simulations were quantitatively compared using the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) ISO-TS18571 standard. Based on these results, ESEV-EffMass achieved the highest overall similarity score (indicating that it is most proficient at scaling a reference response to a target). Additionally, ESEV was found to perform poorly for two degree-of-freedom (DOF) systems. However, the results also indicated that no single technique was clearly the most appropriate for all scenarios.
Analysis and optimization of sputter deposited AlN-layers for flexural plate wave devices
Authors: Reusch Markus , Holc Katarzyna , Pletschen Wilfried , Kirste Lutz , Žukauskaitė Agnė , Yoshikawa Taro , Iankov Dimitre , Ambacher Oliver , Lebedev Vadim
Published: July 2016

Aluminum nitride (AlN) thin films deposited by reactive radio frequency magnetron sputtering in an Ar/N2 discharge on Si(001) substrates were studied with respect to structure, stress, and piezoelectric properties. In order to optimize the AlN layers for flexural plate wave (FPW) devices, the influence of process pressure and N2 concentration has been evaluated by means of spectroscopic ellipsometry, residual stress measurements, x-ray diffraction, atomic and piezoresponse force microscopy, along with analysis of the piezoelectric charge coefficient d33,f. FPW devices with low compressively stressed (−200 to −300 MPa) AlN layers were prepared and characterized by white light interferometry and Raman measurements. With increasing pressure from 3×10−3 to 8×10−3 mbar, a transition from −840 MPa compressive stress to +300 MPa tensile stress was measured. Increasing the nitrogen concentration from 3.3% to 50% resulted in a change in stress from +150 to −1170 MPa. All films exhibited a high degree of c-axis orientation. A piezoelectric charge coefficient up to d33,f≈−6.8 pC/N was obtained. Furthermore, it is shown that the film surface morphology is also very much dependent on the growth conditions. A model regarding the mean free path of the sputtered particles and the film surface morphology is proposed. The authors show that the optimization of the film stress by means of the nitrogen concentration in the sputter gas mixture is beneficial as the process window is larger.
Effect of proton irradiation dose on InAlN/GaN metal-oxide semiconductor high electron mobility transistors with Al2O3 gate oxide
Authors: Ahn Shihyun , Kim Byung-Jae , Lin Yi-Hsuan , Ren Fan , Pearton Stephen J. , Yang Gwangseok , Kim Jihyun , Kravchenko Ivan I.
Published: July 2016

The effects of proton irradiation on the dc performance of InAlN/GaN metal-oxide-semiconductor high electron mobility transistors (MOSHEMTs) with Al2O3 as the gate oxide were investigated. The InAlN/GaN MOSHEMTs were irradiated with doses ranging from 1 × 1013 to 1 × 1015 cm−2 at a fixed energy of 5 MeV. There was minimal damage induced in the two dimensional electron gas at the lowest irradiation dose with no measurable increase in sheet resistance, whereas a 9.7% increase of the sheet resistance was observed at the highest irradiation dose. By sharp contrast, all irradiation doses created more severe degradation in the Ohmic metal contacts, with increases of specific contact resistance from 54% to 114% over the range of doses investigated. These resulted in source-drain current–voltage decreases ranging from 96 to 242 mA/mm over this dose range. The trap density determined from temperature dependent drain current subthreshold swing measurements increased from 1.6 × 1013 cm−2 V−1 for the reference MOSHEMTs to 6.7 × 1013 cm−2 V−1 for devices irradiated with the highest dose. The carrier removal rate was 1287 ± 64 cm−1, higher than the authors previously observed in AlGaN/GaN MOSHEMTs for the same proton energy and consistent with the lower average bond energy of the InAlN.
Nonlinear dynamics induced in a structure by seismic and environmental loading
Authors: Guéguen Philippe , Johnson Paul , Roux Philippe
Published: July 2016

In this study, it is shown that under very weak dynamic and quasi-static deformation that is orders of magnitude below the yield deformation of the equivalent stress−strain curve (around 10−3), the elastic parameters of a civil engineering structure (resonance frequency and damping) exhibit nonlinear softening and recovery. These observations bridge the gap between laboratory and seismic scales where elastic nonlinear behavior has been previously observed. Under weak seismic or atmospheric loading, modal frequencies are modified by around 1% and damping by more than 100% for strain levels between 10−7 and 10−4. These observations support the concept of universal behavior of nonlinear elastic behavior in diverse systems, including granular materials and damaged solids that scale from millimeter dimensions to the scale of structures to fault dimensions in the Earth.
Negative reflection of Lamb waves at a free edge: Tunable focusing and mimicking phase conjugation
Authors: Gérardin Benoît , Laurent Jérôme , Prada Claire , Aubry Alexandre
Published: July 2016

The paper studies the interaction of Lamb waves with the free edge of a plate. The reflection coefficients of a Lamb mode at a plate free edge are calculated using a semi-analytical method, as a function of frequency and angle of incidence. The conversion between forward and backward Lamb modes is thoroughly investigated. It is shown that at the zero-group velocity (ZGV) frequency, the forward S1 Lamb mode fully converts into the backward S2b Lamb mode at normal incidence. Besides, this conversion is very efficient over most of the angular spectrum and remains dominant at frequencies just above the ZGV-point. This effect is observed experimentally on a Duralumin plate. First, the S1 Lamb mode is selectively generated using a transducer array, second the S2b mode is excited using a single circular transducer. The normal displacement field is probed with an interferometer. The free edge is shown to retro-focus the incident wave at different depths depending on the wave number mismatch between the forward and backward propagating modes. In the vicinity of the ZGV-point, wave numbers coincide and the wave is retro-reflected on the source. In this frequency range, the free edge acts as a perfect phase conjugating mirror.
Four Weeks of Classical Altitude Training Increases Resting Metabolic Rate in Highly Trained Middle-Distance Runners
Authors: Woods Amy L. , Sharma Avish P. , Garvican-Lewis Laura A. , Saunders Philo U. , Rice Anthony J. , Thompson Kevin G.
Published: July 2016

High altitude exposure can increase resting metabolic rate (RMR) and induce weight loss in obese populations, but there is a lack of research regarding RMR in athletes at moderate elevations common to endurance training camps. The present study aimed to determine whether 4 weeks of classical altitude training affects RMR in middle-distance runners. Ten highly trained athletes were recruited for 4 weeks of endurance training undertaking identical programs at either 2200m in Flagstaff, Arizona (ALT, n = 5) or 600m in Canberra, Australia (CON, n = 5). RMR, anthropometry, energy intake, and hemoglobin mass (Hbmass) were assessed pre- and posttraining. Weekly run distance during the training block was: ALT 96.8 ± 18.3km; CON 103.1 ± 5.6km. A significant interaction for Time*Group was observed for absolute (kJ.day-1) (F-statistic, p-value: F(1,8)=13.890, p = .01) and relative RMR (F(1,8)=653.453, p = .003) POST-training. No significant changes in anthropometry were observed in either group. Energy intake was unchanged (mean ± SD of difference, ALT: 195 ± 3921kJ, p = .25; CON: 836 ± 7535kJ, p = .75). A significant main effect for time was demonstrated for total Hbmass (g) (F(1,8)=13.380, p = .01), but no significant interactions were observed for either variable [Total Hbmass (g): F(1,8)=1.706, p = .23; Relative Hbmass (g.kg-1): F(1,8)=0.609, p = .46]. These novel findings have important practical application to endurance athletes routinely training at moderate altitude, and those seeking to optimize energy management without compromising training adaptation. Altitude exposure may increase RMR and enhance training adaptation,. During training camps at moderate altitude, an increased energy intake is likely required to support an increased RMR and provide sufficient energy for training and performance.
Exploiting Interkingdom Interactions for Development of Small-Molecule Inhibitors of Candida albicans Biofilm Formation
Authors: Reen F. Jerry , Phelan John P. , Gallagher Lorna , Woods David F. , Shanahan Rachel M. , Cano Rafael , Ó Muimhneacháin Eoin , McGlacken Gerard P. , O'Gara Fergal
Published: July 2016

A rapid decline in the development of new antimicrobial therapeutics has coincided with the emergence of new and more aggressive multidrug-resistant pathogens. Pathogens are protected from antibiotic activity by their ability to enter an aggregative biofilm state. Therefore, disrupting this process in pathogens is a key strategy for the development of next-generation antimicrobials. Here, we present a suite of compounds, based on the
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
2-heptyl-4(1H)-quinolone (HHQ) core quinolone interkingdom signal structure, that exhibit noncytotoxic antibiofilm activity toward the fungal pathogen
Candida albicans
. In addition to providing new insights into what is a clinically important bacterium-fungus interaction, the capacity to modularize the functionality of the quinolone signals is an important advance in harnessing the therapeutic potential of signaling molecules in general. This provides a platform for the development of potent next-generation small-molecule therapeutics targeting clinically relevant fungal pathogens.
Modulation of Staphylococcus aureus Biofilm Matrix by Subinhibitory Concentrations of Clindamycin
Authors: Schilcher Katrin , Andreoni Federica , Dengler Haunreiter Vanina , Seidl Kati , Hasse Barbara , Zinkernagel Annelies S.
Published: July 2016

Staphylococcus aureus
biofilms are extremely difficult to treat. They provide a protected niche for the bacteria, rendering them highly recalcitrant toward host defenses as well as antibiotic treatment. Bacteria within a biofilm are shielded from the immune system by the formation of an extracellular polymeric matrix, composed of polysaccharides, extracellular DNA (eDNA), and proteins. Many antibiotics do not readily penetrate biofilms, resulting in the presence of subinhibitory concentrations of antibiotics. Here, we show that subinhibitory concentrations of clindamycin triggered a transcriptional stress response in
S. aureus
via the alternative sigma factor B (σ
B
) and upregulated the expression of the major biofilm-associated genes
atlA
,
lrgA
,
agrA
, the
psm
genes,
fnbA
, and
fnbB
. Our data suggest that subinhibitory concentrations of clindamycin alter the ability of
S. aureus
to form biofilms and shift the composition of the biofilm matrix toward higher eDNA content. An understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying biofilm assembly and dispersal in response to subinhibitory concentrations of clinically relevant antibiotics such as clindamycin is critical to further optimize antibiotic treatment strategies of biofilm-associated
S. aureus
infections.
Acquisition of a High Diversity of Bacteria during the Hajj Pilgrimage, Including Acinetobacter baumannii with
bla
OXA-72
and Escherichia coli with
bla
NDM-5
Carbapenemase Genes
Authors: Leangapichart Thongpan , Gautret Philippe , Griffiths Karolina , Belhouchat Khadidja , Memish Ziad , Raoult Didier , Rolain Jean-Marc
Published: July 2016

Pilgrims returning from the Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca) can be carriers of multidrug-resistant bacteria (MDR). Pharyngeal and rectal swab samples were collected from 98 pilgrims before and after they traveled to the Hajj in 2014 to investigate the acquisition of MDR bacteria. The bacterial diversity in pharyngeal swab samples was assessed by culture with selective media. There was a significantly higher diversity of bacteria in samples collected after the return from the Hajj than in those collected before (
P
= 0.0008). Surprisingly,
Acinetobacter baumannii
strains were isolated from 16 pharyngeal swab samples (1 sample taken during the Hajj and 15 samples taken upon return) and 26 post-Hajj rectal swab samples, while none were isolated from samples taken before the Hajj. Testing of all samples by real-time PCR targeting
bla
OXA-51
gave positive results for only 1% of samples taken during the Hajj, 21/90 (23.3%) pharyngeal swab samples taken post-Hajj, and 35/90 (38.9%) rectal swab samples taken post-Hajj. One strain of
A. baumannii
isolated from the pharynx was resistant to imipenem and harbored a
bla
OXA-72
carbapenemase gene. Multilocus sequence typing analysis of 43
A. baumannii
isolates revealed a huge diversity of 35 sequence types (STs), among which 18 were novel STs reported for the first time in this study. Moreover, we also found one
Escherichia coli
isolate, collected from a rectal swab sample from a pilgrim taken after the Hajj, which harbored
bla
NDM-5
,
bla
CTX-M-15
,
bla
TEM-1
, and
aadA2
(ST2659 and ST181). In conclusion, pilgrims are at a potential risk of acquiring and transmitting MDR
Acinetobacter
spp. and carbapenemase-producing Gram-negative bacteria during the Hajj season.
Comparative Population Plasma and Tissue Pharmacokinetics of Micafungin in Critically Ill Patients with Severe Burn Injuries and Patients with Complicated Intra-Abdominal Infection
Authors: García-de-Lorenzo A. , Luque S. , Grau S. , Agrifoglio A. , Cachafeiro L. , Herrero E. , Asensio M. J. , Sánchez S. M. , Roberts J. A.
Published: July 2016

Severely burned patients have altered drug pharmacokinetics (PKs), but it is unclear how different they are from those in other critically ill patient groups. The aim of the present study was to compare the population pharmacokinetics of micafungin in the plasma and burn eschar of severely burned patients with those of micafungin in the plasma and peritoneal fluid of postsurgical critically ill patients with intra-abdominal infection. Fifteen burn patients were compared with 10 patients with intra-abdominal infection; all patients were treated with 100 to 150 mg/day of micafungin. Micafungin concentrations in serial blood, peritoneal fluid, and burn tissue samples were determined and were subjected to a population pharmacokinetic analysis. The probability of target attainment was calculated using area under the concentration-time curve from 0 to 24 h/MIC cutoffs of 285 for
Candida parapsilosis
and 3,000 for non
-parapsilosis Candida
spp. by Monte Carlo simulations. Twenty-five patients (18 males; median age, 50 years; age range, 38 to 67 years; median total body surface area burned, 50%; range of total body surface area burned, 35 to 65%) were included. A three-compartment model described the data, and only the rate constant for the drug distribution from the tissue fluid to the central compartment was statistically significantly different between the burn and intra-abdominal infection patients (0.47 ± 0.47 versus 0.15 ± 0.06 h
−1
, respectively;
P
< 0.05). Most patients would achieve plasma PK/pharmacodynamic (PD) targets of 90% for non-
parapsilosis Candida
spp. and
C. parapsilosis
with MICs of 0.008 and 0.064 mg/liter, respectively, for doses of 100 mg daily and 150 mg daily. The PKs of micafungin were not significantly different between burn patients and intra-abdominal infection patients. After the first dose, micafungin at 100 mg/day achieved the PK/PD targets in plasma for MIC values of ≤0.008 mg/liter and ≤0.064 mg/liter for non-
parapsilosis Candida
spp. and
Candida parapsilosis
species, respectively.
Amikacin Optimal Exposure Targets in the Hollow-Fiber System Model of Tuberculosis
Authors: Srivastava Shashikant , Modongo Chawanga , Siyambalapitiyage Dona Chandima W. , Pasipanodya Jotam G. , Deshpande Devyani , Gumbo Tawanda
Published: July 2016

Aminoglycosides such as amikacin are currently used for the treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). However, formal pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) studies to identify amikacin exposures and dosing schedules that optimize
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
killing have not been performed. It is believed that aminoglycosides do not work well under acidic conditions, which, if true, would mean poor sterilizing activity against semidormant bacilli at low pH. We performed time-kill studies to compare the bactericidal effect of amikacin in log-phase-growth bacilli with the sterilizing effect in semidormant bacilli at pH 5.8 in broth. In log-phase
M. tuberculosis
at normal pH versus semidormant
M. tuberculosis
at pH 5.8, the maximal kill (
E
max
) estimate and 95% confidence interval (CI) were 5.39 (95% CI, 4.91 to 5.63) versus 4.88 (CI, 4.46 to 5.22) log
10
CFU/ml, while the concentration mediating 50% of
E
max
(EC
50
) was 1.0 (CI, 0. 0.86 to 1.12) versus 0.60 (CI, 0.50 to 0.66) times the MIC, respectively. Thus, the optimal exposures and kill rates identified for log-phase
M. tuberculosis
will be optimal even for semidormant bacilli. Next, we performed exposure-response and dose-scheduling studies in the hollow-fiber system model of tuberculosis using log-phase
M. tuberculosis
. We recapitulated the amikacin concentration-time profiles observed in lungs of patients treated over 28 days. The PK/PD index linked to
M. tuberculosis
kill was the peak concentration (
C
max
)-to-MIC ratio (
r
2
> 0.99), closely followed by the area under the concentration-time curve from 0 to 24 h (AUC
0–24
)-to-MIC ratio (
r
2
= 0.98). The EC
90
was a
C
max
/MIC ratio of 10.13 (95% CI, 7.73 to 12.48). The EC
90
is the dosing target for intermittent therapy that optimizes cure in TB programs for MDR-TB patients.
Crystal Structure of the Metallo-β-Lactamase GOB in the Periplasmic Dizinc Form Reveals an Unusual Metal Site
Authors: Morán-Barrio Jorgelina , Lisa María-Natalia , Larrieux Nicole , Drusin Salvador I. , Viale Alejandro M. , Moreno Diego M. , Buschiazzo Alejandro , Vila Alejandro J.
Published: July 2016

Metallo-beta-lactamases (MBLs) are broad-spectrum, Zn(II)-dependent lactamases able to confer resistance to virtually every β-lactam antibiotic currently available. The large diversity of active-site structures and metal content among MBLs from different sources has limited the design of a pan-MBL inhibitor. GOB-18 is a divergent MBL from subclass B3 that is expressed by the opportunistic Gram-negative pathogen
Elizabethkingia meningoseptica
. This MBL is atypical, since several residues conserved in B3 enzymes (such as a metal ligand His) are substituted in GOB enzymes. Here, we report the crystal structure of the periplasmic di-Zn(II) form of GOB-18. This enzyme displays a unique active-site structure, with residue Gln116 coordinating the Zn1 ion through its terminal amide moiety, replacing a ubiquitous His residue. This situation contrasts with that of B2 MBLs, where an equivalent His116Asn substitution leads to a di-Zn(II) inactive species. Instead, both the mono- and di-Zn(II) forms of GOB-18 are active against penicillins, cephalosporins, and carbapenems.
In silico
docking and molecular dynamics simulations indicate that residue Met221 is not involved in substrate binding, in contrast to Ser221, which otherwise is conserved in most B3 enzymes. These distinctive features are conserved in recently reported GOB orthologues in environmental bacteria. These findings provide valuable information for inhibitor design and also posit that GOB enzymes have alternative functions.
F-Type Bacteriocins of Listeria monocytogenes: a New Class of Phage Tail-Like Structures Reveals Broad Parallel Coevolution between Tailed Bacteriophages and High-Molecular-Weight Bacteriocins
Authors: Lee Grace , Chakraborty Urmi , Gebhart Dana , Govoni Gregory R. , Zhou Z. Hong , Scholl Dean
Published: July 2016

Listeria monocytogenes
is a significant foodborne human pathogen that can cause severe disease in certain high-risk individuals.
L. monocytogenes
is known to produce high-molecular-weight, phage tail-like bacteriocins, or “monocins,” upon induction of the SOS system. In this work, we purified and characterized monocins and found them to be a new class of F-type bacteriocins. The
L. monocytogenes
monocin genetic locus was cloned and expressed in
Bacillus subtilis
, producing specifically targeted bactericidal particles. The receptor binding protein, which determines target cell specificity, was identified and engineered to change the bactericidal spectrum. Unlike the F-type pyocins of
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
, which are related to lambda-like phage tails, monocins are more closely related to TP901-1-like phage tails, structures not previously known to function as bacteriocins. Monocins therefore represent a new class of phage tail-like bacteriocins. It appears that multiple classes of phage tails and their related bacteriocins have coevolved separately in parallel.

IMPORTANCE
Phage tail-like bacteriocins (PTLBs) are structures widespread among the members of the bacterial kingdom that are evolutionarily related to the DNA delivery organelles of phages (tails). We identified and characterized “monocins” of
Listeria monocytogenes
and showed that they are related to the tail structures of TP901-1-like phages, structures not previously known to function as bacteriocins. Our results show that multiple types of envelope-penetrating machines have coevolved in parallel to function either for DNA delivery (phages) or as membrane-disrupting bacteriocins. While it has commonly been assumed that these structures were coopted from phages, we cannot rule out the opposite possibility, that ancient phages coopted complex bacteriocins from the cell, which then underwent adaptations to become efficient at translocating DNA.
Impact of the national prevention policy and scrum law changes on the incidence of rugby-related catastrophic cervical spine injuries in French Rugby Union
Authors: Reboursiere E , Bohu Y , Retière D , Sesboüé B , Pineau V , Colonna J P , Hager J P , Peyrin J C , Piscione J
Published: July 2016

Background and aims

Catastrophic cervical spine injuries are rare in rugby union but require close monitoring. The aim of this study was to analyse the incidence of severe cervical spine injuries and determine the impact of a national prevention programme and new scrum rules implemented by the French Rugby Union.

Methods

A prospective study was performed between 2006 and 2013 including all players affiliated to the French Rugby Union. All cervical spine injuries resulting in death, tetraplegia or a permanent neurological deficit were included. Prevention programmes were implemented from 2007 to 2013 and a change in scrum rules in 2010. To measure the impact of rule changes, results between 2006–2010 and 2010–2013 were compared using a Poisson regression.

Results

Altogether, 31 injuries were observed and the mean annual incidence was 1.6 per 100 000 players. There were significantly more injuries in senior players compared to junior players (3.5 vs 0.6 per 100 000 players; CI 95% (2.1 to 4.9) vs (0.1 to 1.0)). Incidence decreased from 1.8 in 2006 to 1.0 per 100 000 players in 2013 (p<0.0001). After 2010, there were significantly fewer injuries during scrums (p=0.02). In contrast, there were significantly more injuries in backs during 2010–2013 compared to 2006–2010 (p=0.003).

Conclusions

The incidence of catastrophic cervical spine injuries has declined in French Rugby Union. The implementation of specific prevention programmes and scrum law changes has notably resulted in a decrease in scrum injuries in forwards. This prospective study should be continued to monitor the future progression of injuries and adapt prevention programmes accordingly.
Variation in blood pressure among adolescent schoolchildren in an urban slum of Kolkata, West Bengal
Authors: Maiti Muktisadhan , Bandyopadhyay Lina
Published: July 2016

Background

High blood pressure in childhood is a potential risk factor for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. The roots of essential hypertension in adults may be initiated in childhood. This study was conducted to investigate blood pressure profiles of adolescent schoolchildren in the practice field area of the Urban Health Centre, Chetla, Kolkata.

Objectives

This cross-sectional study was carried out to determine the prevalence of hypertension in adolescent schoolchildren, to compare the blood pressure between boys and girls, and to study the association between selected variables and blood pressure.

Materials and methods

The study was conducted among adolescent schoolchildren aged 10–19 years in two randomly selected secondary schools situated in the practice field area of the Urban Health Centre, Chetla, Kolkata. All students aged 10–19 years present on the day of the visit were included in the study; the sample was 129. A predesigned questionnaire was used to carry out the study. Measurements of height, weight, body mass index (BMI) and blood pressure were made using standardised physical instruments following standard operative guidelines. The data were collected and analysed using appropriate statistical methods.

Results

The prevalence of hypertension was found to be 10.1% (11.1% in boys and 8.8% in girls). The prevalence of pre-hypertension was 20.2% (16.7% in boys and 24.6% in girls). Hypertension was found to be significantly associated with physical exercise (p<0.05) and salt intake (p<0.05); BMI was also significantly associated with both systolic blood pressure (p<0.05) and diastolic blood pressure (p<0.05). There was a significant (p<0.05) positive correlation of systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure with BMI (r=0.303, p<0.05; r=0.262, p<0.05), age (r=0.326, p<0.05; r=0.267, p<0.05) and height (r=0.322, p<0.05; r=0.174, p<0.05). There was a negative correlation between hypertension and physical exercise (r=−0.313, p<0.05) and a positive correlation between hypertension and salt intake (r=0.298, p<0.05).

Conclusions

The prevalence of pre-hypertension and hypertension together in adolescents was 30.3%. To avoid the consequences and sequelae of hypertension, prevention should start from childhood by encouraging physical exercise, promoting low salt intake, advising on maintaining normal body weight, and checking up on blood pressure at regular intervals.
LesleyaLesquereux from the Pennsylvanian of the Iberian Massif: part of a dryland megaflora from the Variscan orogen, northwestern Portugal
Authors: Correia Pedro , Sá Artur A. , Murphy J. Brendan , Šimůnek Zbynĕk , Flores Deolinda
Published: July 2016

The Carboniferous – early Permian plant genus Lesleya is a characteristic component of “dryland floras” that occupied a wide range of moisture-stressed, well-drained environments in tropical regions of Euramerica. Fossil records of Lesleya are almost exclusively found in basinal lowlands. For example, occurrences in Early Pennsylvanian-age, seasonally dry, parautochthonous deposits in basinal lowlands of North America (e.g., Illinois Basin, USA) indicate that Lesleya lived in that region in low-altitude (lowland) paleoenvironments during dry climatic intervals. In this paper, we document the first occurrence of Lesleya during the Carboniferous on the Iberian Massif, in lower Gzhelian (Upper Pennsylvanian) strata of the Douro Carboniferous Basin, in northwestern Portugal. This newly discovered occurrence includes a new species, Lesleya iberiensis sp. nov., recognized on the basis of natural molds of leaves. The Portuguese Lesleya fossils are from upland intramontane deposits and occur between coal beds. Their fossil remains are preserved in mica-rich shales that were deposited between sandstone-dominated fluvial and shale-dominated lacustrine deposits, suggesting that this megaflora was deposited near freshwater bodies. These new data provide evidence that this megaflora grew in mountain riparian environments within the Variscan orogen, either in localized, well-drained areas or during drier climatic intervals in the Late Pennsylvanian.
Optical nonlinear enhancement from binary optimization of plasmonic nano-bi-domes
Authors: Kaboli Milad , Akhlaghi Majid
Published: July 2016

Here, we theoretically suggest the possibility of optical nonlinear enhancement by employing the binary optimization of plasmonic nano-bi-domes. Since the nonlinear coefficient depends strongly on the number of plasmonic nanoparticles and the nanoparticles location, binary particle swarm optimization (BPSO) algorithm is proposed to design an optimized array of the plasmonic nano-bi-domes in order to achieve the maximum nonlinear coefficient in the optical frequency. In BPSO, a swarm consists of a matrix with binary entries, control the presence (‘1’) or the absence (‘0’) of nano-bi-domes in the array. It is shown that the interaction between six nano-bi-domes leads to a very strong amplification of the Electro Magnetic (EM) fields inside and in the near-field range outside the particles. Correspondingly, such systems exhibit strong resonance peaks in the nonlinear coefficient spectrum.
Lasing threshold characteristics of multi-wavelength Brillouin–erbium laser in the L-band region assisted by delay interferometer
Authors: Ajiya M. , Oladapo J. A. , Hambali N. A. M. Ahmad
Published: July 2016

This paper reports the simulation of L-band multi-wavelength Brillouin–erbium fiber laser that utilizes delay interferometer as a comb filter. The simulation is performed using OptiSystem. The structure exhibits threshold power in terms of Erbium doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) gain of 10[Formula: see text]mW at a very low Brillouin pump power of 0.00316[Formula: see text]mW for the generation of first Stokes. Thirty one output channels were produced with minimum EDFA gain of 1[Formula: see text]W at Brillouin pump power of 0.00316[Formula: see text]mW. In line with theory, it has been observed that higher Brillouin pump power requires low threshold gain and vice versa to generate the Brillouin Stokes.
Annihilator conditions on modules over commutative rings
Authors: Anderson D. D. , Chun Sangmin
Published: July 2016

Let [Formula: see text] be a commutative ring and [Formula: see text] an [Formula: see text]-module. Let [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]. [Formula: see text] satisfies Property [Formula: see text] (respectively, Property [Formula: see text]) if for each finitely generated ideal [Formula: see text] (respectively, finitely generated submodule [Formula: see text]) ann[Formula: see text] (respectively, ann[Formula: see text]). The ring [Formula: see text] satisfies Property [Formula: see text] if [Formula: see text] does. We study rings and modules satisfying Property [Formula: see text] or Property [Formula: see text]. A number of examples are given, many using the method of idealization.
Comparison of Design of Experiments via Traditional and Taguchi Method
Authors: Islam M. N. , Pramanik A.
Published: July 2016

This paper presents a case study on comparison of Design of Experiments (DOE) via traditional and Taguchi methods in terms of efficiency. First, a three-level, four-parameter, full factorial DOE was conducted for finding the effects of machining parameters on the surface roughness (arithmetic average) of parts produced by turning operation. The results were analyzed applying average response, Taguchi’s [Formula: see text]/[Formula: see text] ratio, and Pareto ANOVA. Subsequently, the same data was analyzed applying Taguchi’s L9 orthogonal array. The comparison of two results revealed that despite an 88.9% savings of experimental runs with the Taguchi method, both methods produced similar results.
PR2S2Clust: Patched RNA-seq read segments’ structure-oriented clustering
Authors: Biswas Ashis Kumer , Gao Jean X.
Published: July 2016

RNA-seq, the next generation sequencing platform, enables researchers to explore deep into the transcriptome of organisms, such as identifying functional non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), and quantify their expressions on tissues. The functions of ncRNAs are mostly related to their secondary structures. Thus by exploring the clustering in terms of structural profiles of the corresponding read-segments would be essential and this fuels in our motivation behind this research. In this manuscript we proposed PR2S2Clust, Patched RNA-seq Read Segments’ Structure-oriented Clustering, which is an analysis platform to extract features to prepare the secondary structure profiles of the RNA-seq read segments. It provides a strategy to employ the profiles to annotate the segments into ncRNA classes using several clustering strategies. The system considers seven pairwise structural distance metrics by considering short-read mappings onto each structure, which we term as the “patched structure” while clustering the segments. In this regard, we show applications of both classical and ensemble clusterings of the partitional and hierarchical variations. Extensive real-world experiments over three publicly available RNA-seq datasets and a comparative analysis over four competitive systems confirm the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed system. The source codes and dataset of PR2S2Clust are available at the http://biomecis.uta.edu/~ashis/res/PR2S2Clust-suppl/ .
Prey–Predator Three Species Model Using Predator Harvesting Holling Type II Functional
Authors: Vijaya S. , Rekha E.
Published: July 2016

This paper presents three species harvesting model in which there is one predator species and two others are prey species. We derive boundedness and equilibrium point for this system. Also we derive the stability of this system analytically. We find bifurcation for this system. We have derived the binomic equilibrium point by using Pontryagin’s maximum principle (PMP). Presented are various suitable analytical and numerical examples with Maple 18 programming.
Dynamic Scheduling of Cybersecurity Analysts for Minimizing Risk Using Reinforcement Learning
Authors: Ganesan Rajesh , Jajodia Sushil , Shah Ankit , Cam Hasan
Published: July 2016

An important component of the cyber-defense mechanism is the adequate staffing levels of its cybersecurity analyst workforce and their optimal assignment to sensors for investigating the dynamic alert traffic. The ever-increasing cybersecurity threats faced by today’s digital systems require a strong cyber-defense mechanism that is both reactive in its response to mitigate the known risk and proactive in being prepared for handling the unknown risks. In order to be proactive for handling the unknown risks, the above workforce must be scheduled dynamically so the system is adaptive to meet the day-to-day stochastic demands on its workforce (both size and expertise mix). The stochastic demands on the workforce stem from the varying alert generation and their significance rate, which causes an uncertainty for the cybersecurity analyst scheduler that is attempting to schedule analysts for work and allocate sensors to analysts. Sensor data are analyzed by automatic processing systems, and alerts are generated. A portion of these alerts is categorized to be
significant
, which requires thorough examination by a cybersecurity analyst. Risk, in this article, is defined as the percentage of
significant
alerts that are not thoroughly analyzed by analysts. In order to minimize risk, it is imperative that the cyber-defense system accurately estimates the future significant alert generation rate and dynamically schedules its workforce to meet the stochastic workload demand to analyze them. The article presents a reinforcement learning-based stochastic dynamic programming optimization model that incorporates the above estimates of future alert rates and responds by dynamically scheduling cybersecurity analysts to minimize risk (i.e., maximize
significant
alert coverage by analysts) and maintain the risk under a pre-determined upper bound. The article tests the dynamic optimization model and compares the results to an integer programming model that optimizes the static staffing needs based on a daily-average alert generation rate with no estimation of future alert rates (static workforce model). Results indicate that over a finite planning horizon, the learning-based optimization model, through a dynamic (on-call) workforce in addition to the static workforce, (a) is capable of balancing risk between days and reducing overall risk better than the static model, (b) is scalable and capable of identifying the quantity and the right mix of analyst expertise in an organization, and (c) is able to determine their dynamic (on-call) schedule and their sensor-to-analyst allocation in order to maintain risk below a given upper bound. Several meta-principles are presented, which are derived from the optimization model, and they further serve as guiding principles for hiring and scheduling cybersecurity analysts. Days-off scheduling was performed to determine analyst weekly work schedules that met the cybersecurity system’s workforce constraints and requirements.
Enhanced Knowledge-Leverage-Based TSK Fuzzy System Modeling for Inductive Transfer Learning
Authors: Deng Zhaohong , Jiang Yizhang , Ishibuchi Hisao , Choi Kup-Sze , Wang Shitong
Published: July 2016

The knowledge-leverage-based Takagi--Sugeno--Kang fuzzy system (KL-TSK-FS) modeling method has shown promising performance for fuzzy modeling tasks where transfer learning is required. However, the knowledge-leverage mechanism of the KL-TSK-FS can be further improved. This is because available training data in the target domain are not utilized for the learning of antecedents and the knowledge transfer mechanism from a source domain to the target domain is still too simple for the learning of consequents when a Takagi--Sugeno--Kang fuzzy system (TSK-FS) model is trained in the target domain. The proposed method, that is, the enhanced KL-TSK-FS (EKL-TSK-FS), has two knowledge-leverage strategies for enhancing the parameter learning of the TSK-FS model for the target domain using available information from the source domain. One strategy is used for the learning of antecedent parameters, while the other is for consequent parameters. It is demonstrated that the proposed EKL-TSK-FS has higher transfer learning abilities than the KL-TSK-FS. In addition, the EKL-TSK-FS has been further extended for the scene of the multisource domain.
A Spatial-Temporal Topic Model for the Semantic Annotation of POIs in LBSNs
Authors: He Tieke , Yin Hongzhi , Chen Zhenyu , Zhou Xiaofang , Sadiq Shazia , Luo Bin
Published: July 2016

Semantic tags of points of interest (POIs) are a crucial prerequisite for location search, recommendation services, and data cleaning. However, most POIs in location-based social networks (LBSNs) are either tag-missing or tag-incomplete. This article aims to develop semantic annotation techniques to automatically infer tags for POIs. We first analyze two LBSN datasets and observe that there are two types of tags, category-related ones and sentimental ones, which have unique characteristics. Category-related tags are hierarchical, whereas sentimental ones are category-aware. All existing related work has adopted classification methods to predict high-level category-related tags in the hierarchy, but they cannot apply to infer either low-level category tags or sentimental ones.

In light of this, we propose a latent-class probabilistic generative model, namely the spatial-temporal topic model (STM), to infer personal interests, the temporal and spatial patterns of topics/semantics embedded in users’ check-in activities, the interdependence between category-topic and sentiment-topic, and the correlation between sentimental tags and rating scores from users’ check-in and rating behaviors. Then, this learned knowledge is utilized to automatically annotate all POIs with both category-related and sentimental tags in a unified way. We conduct extensive experiments to evaluate the performance of the proposed STM on a real large-scale dataset. The experimental results show the superiority of our proposed STM, and we also observe that the real challenge of inferring category-related tags for POIs lies in the low-level ones of the hierarchy and that the challenge of predicting sentimental tags are those with neutral ratings.
Cervical Spine Involvement in Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: A Review
Authors: Morin Michael , Langevin Pierre , Fait Philippe
Published: July 2016

Background. There is a lack of scientific evidence in the literature on the involvement of the cervical spine in mTBI; however, its involvement is clinically accepted.Objective. This paper reviews evidence for the involvement of the cervical spine in mTBI symptoms, the mechanisms of injury, and the efficacy of therapy for cervical spine with concussion-related symptoms.Methods. A keyword search was conducted on PubMed, ICL, SportDiscus, PEDro, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library databases for articles published since 1990. The reference lists of articles meeting the criteria (original data articles, literature reviews, and clinical guidelines) were also searched in the same databases.Results. 4,854 records were screened and 43 articles were retained. Those articles were used to describe different subjects such as mTBI’s signs and symptoms, mechanisms of injury, and treatments of the cervical spine.Conclusions. The hypothesis of cervical spine involvement in post-mTBI symptoms and in PCS (postconcussion syndrome) is supported by increasing evidence and is widely accepted clinically. For the management and treatment of mTBIs, few articles were available in the literature, and relevant studies showed interesting results about manual therapy and exercises as efficient tools for health care practitioners.
Differences in Brain Metabolic Impairment between Chronic Mild/Moderate TBI Patients with and without Visible Brain Lesions Based on MRI
Authors: Ito Keiichi , Asano Yoshitaka , Ikegame Yuka , Shinoda Jun
Published: July 2016

Introduction.Many patients with mild/moderate traumatic brain injury (m/mTBI) in the chronic stage suffer from executive brain function impairment. Analyzing brain metabolism is important for elucidating the pathological mechanisms associated with their symptoms. This study aimed to determine the differences in brain glucose metabolism between m/mTBI patients with and without visible traumatic brain lesions based on MRI.Methods.Ninety patients with chronic m/mTBI due to traffic accidents were enrolled and divided into two groups based on their MRI findings. Group A comprised 50 patients with visible lesions. Group B comprised 40 patients without visible lesions. Patients underwent FDG-PET scans following cognitive tests. FDG-PET images were analyzed using voxel-by-voxel univariate statistical tests.Results.There were no significant differences in the cognitive tests between Group A and Group B. Based on FDG-PET findings, brain metabolism significantly decreased in the orbital gyrus, cingulate gyrus, and medial thalamus but increased in the parietal and occipital convexity in Group A compared with that in the control. Compared with the control, patients in Group B exhibited no significant changes.Conclusions.These results suggest that different pathological mechanisms may underlie cognitive impairment in m/mTBI patients with and without organic brain damage.
Estimating Soil Moisture Distributions across Small Farm Fields with ALOS/PALSAR
Authors: Kojima Yuki , Oki Kazuo , Noborio Kosuke , Mizoguchi Masaru
Published: July 2016

The ALOS (advanced land observing satellite) has an active microwave sensor, PALSAR (phased array L-band synthetic aperture radar), which has a fine resolution of 6.5 m. Because of the fine resolution, PALSAR provides the possibility of estimating soil moisture distributions in small farmlands. Making such small-scale estimates has not been available with traditional satellite remote sensing techniques. In this study, the relationship between microwave backscattering coefficient (σ) measured with PALSAR and ground-based soil moisture was determined to investigate the performance of PALSAR for estimating soil moisture distribution in a small-scale farmland. On the ground at a cabbage field in Japan in 2008, the soil moisture distribution of multiple soil layers was measured using time domain reflectometry when the ALOS flew over the field. Soil moisture in the 0–20 cm soil layer showed the largest correlation coefficient with σ (r=0.403). The σ values also showed a strong correlation with the ground surface coverage ratio by cabbage plants. Our results suggested that PALSAR could estimate soil moisture distribution of the 0–20 cm soil layer across a bare field and a crop coverage ratio when crops were planted.