bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
2D analytical model for heteropolar active magnetic bearings considering eccentricity
Authors: Shakibapour Fariba , Rahideh Akbar , Mardaneh Mohammad
Published: February 2018

This study presents a 2D analytical model for heteropolar active magnetic bearings. In this method, the problem is divided in to three subdomains: slots, slot‐openings and air‐gap regions. Initially, the radial and tangential components of the flux density vector are analytically presented in the absence of eccentricity. Then the impact of various amounts of eccentricity is investigated. Finally, the magnetic local traction and magnetic forces exerted to the rotor along x and y directions are calculated. The comparison between the proposed analytical model and the finite‐element method shows the efficacy of the model.
Exploration and evaluation of individual difference to driving fatigue for high‐speed railway: a parametric SVM model based on multidimensional visual cue
Authors: Yan Ronghui , Wu Cheng , Wang Yiming
Published: February 2018

High‐speed rails have a significantly higher driving safety requirement than other public transport because of more passengers and faster speed. However, the particularity of train driving often leads to railway drivers more susceptible to drowsiness and fatigue, and this fatigue has a distinct personality. Here, the authors analyse the mechanism of individual fatigue generation of different drivers, and use eye movement data collected by non‐contact means as an objective measurement, and combine subjective sleepiness assessment to reveal the existence of individual differences in fatigue in high‐speed railway driving. Furthermore, a novel driver‐specific feature weighted support vector machine (FWSVM) algorithm is proposed to handle the individual differences. In the FWSVM, features are assigned with different weights by the information gain to reflect classification importance and individual effects. The average accuracy of FWSVM is 90.98%, the average sensitivity is 92.01%, and the average specificity is 89.88%, which is better than the classical SVM. Such improvements are attributed to the quantitative evaluation of individual effects by the weighted features. These results can be used as a preliminary study to design a high‐speed rail vehicle interface to prevent driver fatigue.
Compact dual‐band monopole antenna with defected ground plane for Internet of things
Authors: Mao Yifan , Guo Songtao , Chen Menggang
Published: February 2018

Internet of things (IoT) is a complex network of physical objects capable of wirelessly communicating with each other. For implementing such an enormous network, the authors design a compact dual‐band antenna with simple structure. By folding the radiating element and resetting the ground plane, the whole size of the designed antenna is only 14 mm × 14 mm same as a thumbnail, which makes the designed antenna easy to fabricate. The fabricated antenna can operate (return loss S11<−10 dB) at two operating bands of 3.4–3.6 GHz for 5G and 5.725–5.825 GHz for 5.8G Wi‐Fi, which means it is able to connect the IoT nodes to the Internet through 5G and Wi‐Fi network. Simulation and measured results demonstrate that (i) folding the L‐shaped stub into U‐shaped can reduce the dimension of antenna, and resetting the ground plane structure to parallel to the feed‐line can achieve better impedance matching between the designed antenna and the sub‐miniature‐A (SMA) connector in both operating bands; (ii) the fabricated antenna is able to fully cover the operating bands of 5G at 3.4–3.6 GHz and Wi‐Fi at 5.725–5.825 GHz, and can achieve nearly omnidirectional radiation patterns over the two operating bands.
Multi‐band crossovers with high passband isolation based on loaded coupled lines
Authors: Feng Wenjie , Zhao Yu , Che Wenquan
Published: February 2018

In this work, two new dual‐and tri‐band planar crossovers with passband isolation are realised. The branch‐line crossovers connected to quarter‐wavelength open/shorted coupled lines are introduced to achieve two and three bands. High passband isolation for the passband can be realised thanks to the transmission zeros introduced by the coupled lines. The passband centre frequencies and fractional bandwidth can be changed for a wide range by adjusting the even‐mode and odd‐mode values for the different coupled lines. Planar dual‐band and tri‐band crossovers located at 0.78 and 1.22 and 0.71, 1.0, and 1.32 GHz are demonstrated.
Cognitive radio‐enabled Internet of Vehicles: a cooperative spectrum sensing and allocation for vehicular communication
Authors: Eze Joy , Zhang Sijing , Liu Enjie , Eze Elias
Published: February 2018

Internet of Things (IoTs) era is expected to empower all aspects of Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) to improve transport safety and reduce road accidents. US Federal Communication Commission (FCC) officially allocated 75 MHz spectrum in the 5.9 GHz band to support vehicular communication. The authors studied the application of cognitive radio (CR) technology to IoVs to increase the spectra opportunities for vehicular communication, especially when the allocated 75 MHz is not enough due to high demands because of the increasing number of connected vehicles as already foreseen in the near era of IoVs. They proposed a novel CR Assisted Vehicular NETwork (CRAVNET) framework which empowers CR enabled vehicles to make opportunistic usage of licensed spectrum on the highways. They also developed a novel cooperative three‐state spectrum sensing and allocation model which makes CR vehicular secondary units aware of additional spectrum resources opportunities on their current and future positions, and applies optimal sensing node allocation algorithm to guarantee timely acquisition of the available channels within a limited sensing time. The results of the theoretical analyses and simulation experiments have demonstrated that the proposed model can significantly improve the performance of a cooperative spectrum sensing, and provide vehicles with additional spectrum opportunities.
Multi‐functional grid‐connected inverter: upgrading distributed generator with ancillary services
Authors: Zeng Zheng , Li Xiaoling , Shao Weihua
Published: February 2018

Multi‐functional grid‐connected inverter (MFGCI) is an effective solution for smart grid application to interface renewable energy sources and provide ancillary services. In this study, the controller of an MFGCI‐based distributed generator (DG) is investigated. On the basis of impedance reconfiguration, multiple coupled ancillary services of a DG are modelled to upgrade DG, including power quality conditioning, virtual synchronous generator emulation, and harmonic resonance damping. Analyses highlight potential benefits of DGs to actively participate in some possible services. From the perspective of impedance model, an upgrading solution is also proposed to coordinate these services in a DG. Using the proposed equivalent circuit model, these ancillary services can be uniformly considered as impedance control of the distribution network. Detailed models are presented to explain the principles of ancillary services. Experimental results of a test rig confirm the ancillary services of DG to enhance the power quality, provide virtual inertia, and eliminate the harmonic resonance.
Improved solar system with maximum power point tracking
Authors: Hua Chih‐Chiang , Fang Yi‐Hsiung , Wong Cyuan‐Jyun
Published: February 2018

This study presents an improved solar system with maximum power point tracking (MPPT). A digital signal processor is used to control the converter with the proposed control; thus, the system can implement MPPT independently for each solar panel whether it is under shading, various irradiation conditions or with faulty solar cells. A modified MPPT method is designed to reduce the power oscillation significantly, thus the power loss is reduced. With the proposed scheme, most of the solar panel available output power is delivered to the load only through a diode, reducing the converter power loss. In addition, the converter only handles part of the solar panel output power. Therefore, the system cost is reduced due to the low‐power rating converter. A laboratory prototype is constructed and tested to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed system. The proposed photovoltaic (PV) system and the PV balancer are compared through simulations and experiments under various shading conditions. The experimental results show that the proposed PV system can produce more output power with high efficiency.
Fabrication and characterisation of the dye‐sensitised solar cells with the mixture of one‐dimension TiO2 nanorods and graphite nanosheets as the mesoporous scafford
Authors: Lu Junjian , Zhang Min , Luo Fei , Wan Meixiu , Jin Wen , Hu Chuanyue
Published: February 2018

One‐dimension (1D) TiO2 nanorods (TiO2‐N) has been fabricated via electro‐spinning method. The composites of 1D TiO2‐N and graphite nanosheets, termed as (TiO2‐N/G‐N), have been obtained by the physical doping method. The structure and properties of TiO2‐N and TiO2‐N/G‐N have been characterised by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction, and Raman spectrum. Dye‐sensitised solar cells devices with TiO2 nanoparticles, TiO2‐N and TiO2‐N/G‐N as the mesoporous scaffolds have been developed and investigated, respectively. Device 2 based on TiO2‐N scaffolds showed short‐circuit current (Jsc) of 5.57 mA·cm−1, open‐circuit voltage (VOC) of 0.68 V, filling factor of 0.75, and the power conversion efficiency of 2.85%, respectively. Compared with device 2, device 3 based on TiO2‐N/G‐N exhibited reduced photovoltaic properties.
Synthesis of porous silica materials with tunable morphologies and nanopore sizes using heterogemini surfactants
Authors: Wu Xuanxian , Yi Sili , Li Shuolin , Hou Linxi
Published: February 2018

A series of heterogemini surfactants C16H33OCH2 CH(OH)CH2N+ (CH3)2 Cn H2n +1 ·Br– were used as the template to synthesise porous silica materials via a Stöber method. The influence of the alkyl chain length of heterogemini surfactants on the morphology of porous silica materials was studied. Porous silica materials were characterised by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and nitrogen adsorption–desorption analysis. Results showed that with the increase of alkyl chain length, the morphologies of porous silica materials gradually transform from sphere to sphere with cavity, sphere composed of vesicles, coral like and finally to lamella. Pore size of materials ranges from 1.17 to 3.93 nm. When the alkyl chain is short enough (n = 8 and 10), a hierarchical pore size distribution can be obtained. The possible formation mechanism of the porous silica materials has been discussed.
Complications of Extended Endoscopic Endonasal Surgery in Elderly Patients
Authors: Kenning Tyler , Pinheiro-Neto Carlos
Published: February 2018

Extended endoscopic endonasal procedures are not unique among surgical interventions in carrying increased risk in the elderly population. There are, however, components of the procedure, namely high-flow cerebrospinal fluid leaks, that do result in the potential for increased perioperative morbidity for these patients. We present the case of a 77-year-old male with a large invasive pituitary macroadenoma resected through a transplanum-transtuberculum-transsellar endonasal approach. A gross total resection was obtained with resolution of the patient's preoperative ophthalmologic deficits. One month postoperatively, the patient developed progressive lethargy and cranial imaging demonstrated a left convexity subacute subdural hematoma. This was evacuated through a twist drill craniostomy. Despite measures to limit the operative time of the initial endonasal procedure as well as the absence of a postoperative cerebrospinal fluid fistula, the patient still developed this complication. Along with more typical potential causes of postoperative decline following extended endonasal procedures, problems from high-flow intraoperative cerebrospinal fluid leaks alone can result in morbidity in the elderly population. This should be acknowledged preoperatively and a high suspicion should exist for the presence of intracranial hemorrhage in these patients with any postoperative deficits. Additional intraoperative measures can be utilized to minimize such risks.

The link to the video can be found at: https://youtu.be/EkLmt2T8_UE.
Choice of Trial of Labor after Cesarean and Association with Likelihood of Success
Authors: Has Phinnara , Rouse Dwight , Hughes Brenna , Sudhof Leanna
Published: February 2018

Objective To investigate whether the predicted chance of success is associated with the choice to undergo trial of labor after cesarean (TOLAC).

Study Design Retrospective cohort study of women with a single prior nonelective cesarean delivering a term singleton in 2012 at a tertiary care hospital. A vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) score (likelihood of success) was estimated for each patient. The primary outcome was percentage of women choosing TOLAC among women with favorable (> 70% likelihood) and unfavorable VBAC scores. Other factors such as desired sterilization, provider type, and spontaneous labor were included in the analysis.

Results In 2012, 434 women were eligible: 73 with VBAC score >70%, and 361 with score ≤70%. Of those with score >70%, 63% chose TOLAC, compared with 21% with score ≤70% (p < 0.01). In a multivariable analysis, spontaneous labor onset was highly associated with choosing TOLAC: adjusted odds ratio 26.7 (95% confidence interval 13.86–51.29). The choice of TOLAC was also positively associated with resident provider and desired fertility.

Conclusion Almost four in ten women with a history of nonelective primary cesarean and a very high predicted likelihood of VBAC choose elective repeat cesarean. Spontaneous labor was strongly associated with the choice to undergo TOLAC.
All-Inside Single-Bundle Reconstruction of the Anterior Cruciate Ligament with the Anterior Half of the Peroneus Longus Tendon Compared to the Semitendinosus Tendon: A Two-Year Follow-Up Study
Authors: Bi Mingguang , Zhao Chen , Zhang Shuijun , Yao Bin , Hong Zheping , Bi Qing
Published: February 2018

The anterior half of the peroneus longus tendon (AHPLT) has been reported to be acceptable for ligament reconstruction with respect to strength and safety. However, there is little information regarding the clinical outcomes after using the AHPLT compared with other autograft tendons. A prospective randomized controlled study was performed to compare the results of 62 cases of all-inside anatomical single-bundle anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction using the AHPLT and 62 cases using semitendinosus graft with an average of 30.0 ± 3.6 months' follow-up. Tunnel placements of enrolled cases were measured on three-dimensional (3D) computed tomography (CT) and X-ray imaging. Knee stability was assessed using the anterior drawer test, pivot shift test, and KT-1000. The International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) 2000 subjective score was used to evaluate functional outcomes. The American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Score (AOFAS) and the assessment of eversion muscle strength were performed to evaluate the function of the ankle donor site. Tunnel positions, which were confirmed with 3D CT, were in the anatomical positions. At the final follow-up, there were no significant differences between the semitendinosus group and the AHPLT group in the IKDC score (90.4 ± 7.1 vs. 89.3. ± 8.4), KT 1000 measurements (1.71 ± 0.57 vs. 1.85 ± 0.77), pivot shift test, and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) (0.15 ± 0.36 vs. 0.10 ± 0.30). No obvious ankle site complications were found at 24 months. The average AOFAS score of the AHPLT group was comparable to that of the semitendinosus tendon group (99.1 ± 1.40 vs. 99.5 ± 1.21). There was no significant difference in clinical outcomes or knee stability between the semitendinosus group and the AHPLT group at the 2-year follow-up. An AHPLT autograft may be a good alternative for all-inside ACL reconstruction with respect to its strength, safety, and donor site morbidity.
Halt geben
Authors: Pirih Stephanie
Published: February 2018

Lagerung unter Fototherapie Die Lagerung eines Frühgeborenen ist ein wichtiger Punkt in der Pflege, da
sie unter anderem die Körperselbstwahrnehmung und die Entwicklung fördert. Das Frühgeborene wird mithilfe von
gewickelten Tüchern in einer Art Nest gelagert um Begrenzung zu geben, es wird mit einer Stoffwindel zugedeckt
und trägt evtl. schon Kleidung oder eine Mütze. Frühgeborene, die eine Fototherapie benötigen, werden bis auf
eine Windel nackt und mit weniger Körperbegrenzung gelagert. Dabei kann man beobachten, dass sie deutlich
unruhiger sind und Stresszeichen aufzeigen. Es stellt sich also die Frage, welche Lagerungen und Hilfsmittel
es für Frühgeborene unter Fototherapie gibt, um die Körperbegrenzung zu verbessern und den Stress zu
minimieren.
Combining Various Methods to Assess Insulin Sensitivity in Nonobese Rat after Sleeve Gastrectomy
Authors: Sun Dong , Wang Yanmin , Wei Meng , Zhang Zongli , Hu Sanyuan
Published: February 2018

Background Sleeve gastrectomy (SG) procedure has been proved to improve insulin sensitivity and sustain anti-diabetic effects. Our aim is to co-use several methods to measure insulin sensitivity and investigate the effect of SG on hepatic and peripheral insulin sensitivity at early and long-term stages of postoperation.

Methods Thirty 11-week-old male Goto-Kakizaki rats were divided into SG, sham-operated SG (SOSG), and control groups. They were observed before operation and for 36 weeks of postoperation. Insulin tolerance test (ITT) and homeostasis model of assessment for insulin resistance index(HOMA-IR)were used to measure insulin resistance before operations and at 2 and 36 weeks of postoperation; Pyruvate challenge test (PCT) was administrated to assess the gluconeogenesis capability in order to reflect hepatic insulin sensitivity before operation and at 2 and 36 weeks of postoperation; Hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamps (HIEC) was conducted before operation and at 2 and 36 weeks of postoperation to calculate the endogenous hepatic glucose production (HGP) at the basal and steady-state for evaluation of hepatic insulin sensitivity, and calculate the exogenous glucose infusion rate (GIR) at the steady-state for evaluation of peripheral insulin sensitivity.

Results The data showed that compared with rats in the sham and control groups, rats in SG group had 1) significantly lower AUCITT, HOMA-IR and AUC PCT values at 2 and 36 weeks of postoperation, 2) lower basal state HGP, but not steady-state GIR at 2 weeks of postoperation, and 3) significantly different basal and steady-state HGP and steady-state GIR at 36 weeks of postoperation. In addition, the basal and steady-state HGP and the steady-state GIR were significantly different between rats in SG group at 2 and 36 weeks of postoperation.

Conclusions This study explored insulin sensitivity of rats after SG by jointly using a variety of techniques. The results showed that SG time-dependently improved the hepatic and peripheral insulin sensitivity.
III-V/Si dual junction solar cell at scale: Manufacturing cost estimates for step-cell based technology
Authors: Abdul Hadi Sabina , Fitzgerald Eugene A. , Griffiths Steven , Nayfeh Ammar
Published: February 2018

Here, we use a bottom-up approach to estimate the manufacturing costs of GaAsP/Si dual junction (DJ) solar cells, fabricated using step-cell technology. Step-cell features facilitate fast epitaxial lift-off while at the same time can be used to optimize tandem cell performance. The estimated step-cell costs are compared with commercially available GaInP/GaAs/Ge triple junction solar cells. For III-V layers grown on Si, it is assumed that graded Si1-yGey buffer layers are used to manage III-V and Si lattice mismatch. Three different scenarios are considered, basing future estimates on an extensive literature survey. The results show distinct cost benefits of Si based growth versus Ge, mainly due to substrate recycling enabled by epitaxial lift-off of III-V layers. Furthermore, the results indicate that major cost contributors for bonded GaAsP/Si step-cells are metal-organic chemical vapor deposition growth of III-V layers and wafer carrier and bonding, with ∼$9.1/W manufacturing costs for a 30% efficient cell on an 8 in. wafer, under the reference scenario. Under a long-term scenario, this cost is reduced to $1.5/W for a 35% efficient cell. Moreover, with this cost advantage over commercially available monolithic Ge-based multi-junction solar cells, a Si-based DJ step-cell is a likely candidate for a high efficiency low cost energy source, with applications in the areas requiring light-weight power solutions.
Microwave amplification based on quasiparticle SIS up and down frequency converters
Authors: Kojima T. , Uzawa Y. , Shan W.
Published: February 2018

Heterodyne instruments have recently attained quantum-limited low-noise performance, particularly in radio astronomy, but it is difficult to develop large heterodyne arrays such as a modern radio camera using cryogenic sensitive detectors based on microwave kinetic inductance detectors, transition edge sensors, etc. In the realization of the heterodyne array, the reduction of power dissipation for semiconductor-based amplifiers remains a major challenge. Alternatively, superconducting parametric amplifiers still seem to have several barriers to application, especially in terms of operating temperature. Here, we show a novel concept of microwave amplification based on up and down frequency-conversion processes using quasiparticle superconductor-insulator-superconductor (SIS) tunnel junctions. We demonstrate positive gain using a proof-of-concept test module, which operates with a power dissipation of several μW at a bath temperature of 4 K. The performance of the module suggests great potential for application in large arrays.
Towards a strategy for clinical quality registries in Australia
Authors: Ahern Susannah , Evans Sue , Hopper Ingrid , Zalcberg John
Published: February 2018

The healthcare value of Australian clinical quality registries (CQRs) has recently been highlighted by the Australian Commission of Safety and Quality in Health Care (ACSQHC) as being similar to the benefits of CQRs reported internationally. However, the development of CQRs in Australia is currently limited by a lack of coordination and strategic planning, leading to governance and funding processes that are varied and non-sustainable. Despite this, Australia has achieved recognised success with exemplar clinical registries where funding has been sustained at least partly by public funds. To this end, Australia can learn from international CQR governance and funding models to support CQR sustainability, most notably those from European and Scandinavian countries. Further, following the release of the ACSQHC’s prioritised domains for CQRs and anticipated funding from the Medical Research Future Fund, the ACSQHC is well positioned to lead a national strategic approach for clinical registries. Together with medical leadership and engagement, operational and data management support from the jurisdictions and financial support from both the public and private sectors, a prioritised and coordinated approach may soon become a reality.
Improving nitrogen use efficiency in plants: effective phenotyping in conjunction with agronomic and genetic approaches
Authors: Nguyen Giao N. , Kant Surya
Published: February 2018

For global sustainable food production and environmental benefits, there is an urgent need to improve N use efficiency (NUE) in crop plants. Excessive and inefficient use of N fertiliser results in increased crop production costs and environmental pollution. Therefore, cost-effective strategies such as proper management of the timing and quantity of N fertiliser application, and breeding for better varieties are needed to improve NUE in crops. However, for these efforts to be feasible, high-throughput and reliable phenotyping techniques would be very useful for monitoring N status in planta, as well as to facilitate faster decisions during breeding and selection processes. This review provides an insight into contemporary approaches to phenotyping NUE-related traits and associated challenges. We discuss recent and advanced, sensor- and image-based phenotyping techniques that use a variety of equipment, tools and platforms. The review also elaborates on how high-throughput phenotyping will accelerate efforts for screening large populations of diverse genotypes in controlled environment and field conditions to identify novel genotypes with improved NUE.
Elevated salinity inhibits nitrogen removal by changing the microbial community composition in constructed wetlands during the cold season
Authors: Qiao Yajun , Wang Penghe , Zhang Wenjuan , Sun Guangfang , Zhao Dehua , Jeelani Nasreen , Leng Xin , An Shuqing
Published: February 2018

In the present study we investigated whether subsurface flow constructed wetlands (SSF-CWs) can remove nitrogen from saline waste water and whether salinity affects nitrogen removal during the cold season (mean water temperature <10°C). Eight Iris pseudacorus-planted SSF-CWs were fed with normal (salinity 1.3–1.5‰; CWP) or saline (salinity 6.3–6.5‰; CWP+) waste water; similarly, eight unplanted SSF-CWs were fed with normal (CWU) or saline waste water (CWU+). The systems were run continuously at a hydraulic loading rate of 187.5mmday–1 and a hydraulic retention time of 4 days. Nitrogen removal efficiency, plant parameters and bacterial abundance and community composition were measured. In CWP, 80% of NH4+-N and 52% of total nitrogen (TN) were removed. In contrast, the removal rates of NH4+-N and TN in CWP+ were reduced by 27 and 37% respectively. In the presence of higher salinity, not only were there decreases in plant biomass (32.1%) and nitrogen uptake (50.1%), but the growth, activity and oxygen release of roots were also reduced (by 37.8, 68.0 and 62.9% respectively). Bacterial community composition also differed under conditions of elevated salinity. Elevated salinity is associated with lower nitrogen removal in SSF-CWs, which we speculate is a result of suppressed wetland macrophyte growth and activity, as well as changes in microbial community composition.
Single-bacterial genomics validates rich and varied specialized metabolism of uncultivated
Entotheonella
sponge symbionts
Authors: Mori Tetsushi , Cahn Jackson K. B. , Wilson Micheal C. , Meoded Roy A. , Wiebach Vincent , Martinez Ana Flávia Canovas , Helfrich Eric J. N. , Albersmeier Andreas , Wibberg Daniel , Dätwyler Steven , Keren Ray , Lavy Adi , Rückert Christian , Ilan Micha , Kalinowski Jörn , Matsunaga Shigeki , Takeyama Haruko , Piel Jörn
Published: February 2018

Marine sponges are prolific sources of unique bioactive natural products. The sponge
Theonella swinhoei
is represented by several distinct variants with largely nonoverlapping chemistry. For the Japanese chemotype Y harboring diverse complex polyketides and peptides, we previously provided genomic and functional evidence that a single symbiont, the filamentous, multicellular organism “
Candidatus
Entotheonella factor,” produces almost all of these compounds. To obtain further insights into the chemistry of “Entotheonella,” we investigated another phylotype, “
Candidatus
Entotheonella serta,” present in the
T. swinhoei
WA sponge chemotype, a source of theonellamide- and misakinolide-type compounds. Unexpectedly, considering the lower chemical diversity, sequencing of individual bacterial filaments revealed an even larger number of biosynthetic gene regions than for
Ca
. E. factor, with virtually no overlap. These included genes for misakinolide and theonellamide biosynthesis, the latter assigned by comparative genomic and metabolic analysis of a
T. swinhoei
chemotype from Israel, and by biochemical studies. The data suggest that both compound families, which were among the earliest model substances to study bacterial producers in sponges, originate from the same bacterium in
T. swinhoei
WA. They also add evidence that metabolic richness and variability could be a more general feature of Entotheonella symbionts.
Preparation of corrosion-resisting superhydrophobic surface on aluminium substrate
Authors: Xiao Xinyan , Xie Wei , Ye Zhihao
Published: February 2018

A superhydrophobic surface with micro-nano rough structure and corrosion-resisting property was prepared on aluminium substrate by a simple one-step wet chemical etching in HCl solution and in situ polymerisation method through thiol–ene coupling. The influence of etching time on wettability and morphology of the aluminium substrate surface was discussed. The surface morphology, chemical compositions and wettability of the aluminium substrate were investigated by scanning electron microscope, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared. The water contact angle (WCA) and sliding angle (SA) were measured to study the superhydrophobicity. The results showed that a rough and irregular morphology was formed with 3.5 min etching, WCA and SA of the modified aluminium surface were 163° and 5°, respectively. The as-prepared surface revealed excellent corrosion resistance in 3.5% wt NaCl solution. The self-etching current density of the superhydrophobic aluminium surface was only 3.22 × 10−7 A cm−2.
Saving the dangerous idea: austerity think tank networks in the European Union
Authors: Plehwe Dieter , Neujeffski Moritz , Krämer Werner
Published: February 2018

Austerity has become a key term in economic and social policy debates. Although austerity has been contested both in terms of economic theory and policy-making, it has been remarkably resilient. This resilience has been explained, for example, in structural and institutional terms by the rise of the ‘debt state’. Other explanations have emphasised the strength of austerity ideas rooted in ‘ordo-liberal’ economic theory. Following the insights of science technology scholarship and its emphasis on the social co-production of authoritative knowledge, this article proposes a stronger focus on organisations and their links across nation state borders for an explanation of the stability of austerity capitalism and the thinking underpinning it. The scrutiny of think tank networks, the article proposes, can help bridge the gap between ideational and structural explanations.
Characterisation of tumour‐derived microvesicles in cancer patients' blood and correlation with clinical outcome
Authors: Menck Kerstin , Bleckmann Annalen , Wachter Astrid , Hennies Bianca , Ries Lena , Schulz Matthias , Balkenhol Marko , Pukrop Tobias , Schatlo Bawarjan , Rost Ulrike , Wenzel Dirk , Klemm Florian , Binder Claudia
Published: February 2018

To evaluate whether tumour‐derived microvesicles (T‐MV), originating from the plasma membrane, represent suitable cancer biomarkers, we isolated MV from peripheral blood samples of cancer patients with locally advanced and/or metastatic solid tumours (n = 330, including 79 head & neck cancers, 74 lung cancers, 41 breast cancers, 28 colorectal cancers and 108 with other cancer forms) and controls (n = 103). Whole MV preparations were characterised using flow cytometry. While MV carrying the tumour‐associated proteins MUC1, EGFR and EpCAM were found to be enhanced in a tumour‐subtype‐specific way in patients' blood, expression of the matrix metalloproteinase inducer EMMPRIN was increased independent of tumour type. Higher levels of EMMPRIN+‐MV correlated significantly with poor overall survival, whereas the other markers were prognostic only in specific tumour subgroups. By combining all four tumour‐associated antigens, cancer patients were separated from healthy controls with an AUC of up to 0.85. Ex vivo, whole MV preparations from cancer patients, in contrast to those of controls, induced a tumour‐supporting phenotype in macrophages and increased tumour cell invasion, which was dependent on the highly glycosylated isoform of EMMPRIN. In conclusion, the detection of T‐MV in whole blood, even in minor amounts, is feasible with standard techniques, proves functionally relevant and correlates with clinical outcome.
Deceptive Identity Performance: Offender Moves and Multiple Identities in Online Child Abuse Conversations
Authors: Chiang Emily , Grant Tim
Published: February 2018

This article provides a case study of deceptive online identity performance by a convicted child sex offender. Most prior linguistic and psychological research into online sexual abuse analyses transcripts involving adult decoys posing as children. In contrast, our data comprise genuine online conversations between the offender and 20 victims. Using move analysis (Swales 1981, 1990), we explore the offender’s numerous presented personas. The offender’s use of rhetorical moves is investigated, as is the extent to which the frequency and structure of these moves contribute to and discriminate between the various online personas he adopts. We find from eight frequently adopted personas that two divergent identity positions emerge: the sexual pursuer/aggressor, performed by the majority of his online personas, and the friend/boyfriend, performed by a single persona. Analysis of the offender’s self-describing assertives suggests this distinctive persona shares most attributes with the offender’s ‘home identity’. This article importantly raises the question of whether move analysis might be useful in identifying the ‘offline persona’ in cases where offenders are known to operate multiple online personas in the pursuit of child victims.
The non-convex geometry of low-rank matrix optimization
Authors: Li Qiuwei , Zhu Zhihui , Tang Gongguo
Published: February 2018

This work considers two popular minimization problems: (i) the minimization of a general convex function f(X) with the domain being positive semi-definite matrices, and (ii) the minimization of a general convex function f(X) regularized by the matrix nuclear norm $\|X\|_{*}$ with the domain being general matrices. Despite their optimal statistical performance in the literature, these two optimization problems have a high computational complexity even when solved using tailored fast convex solvers. To develop faster and more scalable algorithms, we follow the proposal of Burer and Monteiro to factor the low-rank variable $X = UU^{\top } $ (for semi-definite matrices) or $X=UV^{\top } $ (for general matrices) and also replace the nuclear norm $\|X\|_{*}$ with $\big(\|U\|_{F}^{2}+\|V\|_{F}^{2}\big)/2$. In spite of the non-convexity of the resulting factored formulations, we prove that each critical point either corresponds to the global optimum of the original convex problems or is a strict saddle where the Hessian matrix has a strictly negative eigenvalue. Such a nice geometric structure of the factored formulations allows many local-search algorithms to find a global optimizer even with random initializations.
Usage and accuracy of medication data from nationwide health information exchange in Quebec, Canada
Authors: Motulsky Aude , Weir Daniala L , Couture Isabelle , Sicotte Claude , Gagnon Marie-Pierre , Buckeridge David L , Tamblyn Robyn
Published: February 2018

Objective

(1) To describe the usage of medication data from the Health Information Exchange (HIE) at the health care system level in the province of Quebec; (2) To assess the accuracy of the medication list obtained from the HIE.

Methods

A descriptive study was conducted utilizing usage data obtained from the Ministry of Health at the individual provider level from January 1 to December 31, 2015. Usage patterns by role, type of site, and tool used to access the HIE were investigated. The list of medications of 111 high risk patients arriving at the emergency department of an academic healthcare center was obtained from the HIE and compared with the list obtained through the medication reconciliation process.

Results

There were 31 022 distinct users accessing the HIE 11 085 653 times in 2015. The vast majority of pharmacists and general practitioners accessed it, compared to a minority of specialists and nurses. The top 1% of users was responsible of 19% of access. Also, 63% of the access was made using the Viewer application, while using a certified electronic medical record application seemed to facilitate usage. Among 111 patients, 71 (64%) had at least one discrepancy between the medication list obtained from the HIE and the reference list.

Conclusions

Early adopters were mostly in primary care settings, and were accessing it more frequently when using a certified electronic medical record. Further work is needed to investigate how to resolve accuracy issues with the medication list and how certain tools provide different features.
Sexually Transmitted Infections Among HIV-Infected Individuals in the District of Columbia and Estimated HIV Transmission Risk: Data From the DC Cohort
Authors: Lucar Jose , Hart Rachel , Rayeed Nabil , Terzian Arpi , Weintrob Amy , Siegel Marc , Parenti David M , Squires Leah E , Williams Rush , Castel Amanda D , Benator Debra A ,   DC Cohort Executive Committee, Hays Harlen , Binkley Jeffrey , Hart Rachel , Franklin Dana , Rayeed Nabil , Taylor Rob , Hou Qingjiang , Subramanian Thilakavathy , D’Angelo Lawrence , Rahkmanina Natella , Kharfen Michael , Wood Angela , Kumar Princy , Parenti David , Greenberg Alan , Castel Amanda , Young Heather , Peterson James , Happ Lindsey Powers , Jaurretche Maria , Doshi Saumil , Rana Sohail , Fernandez Ricardo , Hebou Annick , Dieffenbach Carl , Masur Henry , Abbott Stephen , Benator Debra , Ruiz Maria Elena , Elio Rick
Published: February 2018

Background

Washington, DC, has one of the highest rates of HIV infection in the United States. Sexual intercourse is the leading mode of HIV transmission, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are a risk factor for HIV acquisition and transmission.

Methods

We evaluated the incidence and demographic factors associated with chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis among HIV-infected persons enrolled at 13 DC Cohort sites from 2011 to 2015. Using Poisson regression, we assessed covariates of risk for incident STIs. We also examined HIV viral loads (VLs) at the time of STI diagnosis as a proxy for HIV transmission risk.

Results

Six point seven percent (451/6672) developed an incident STI during a median follow-up of 32.5 months (4% chlamydia, 3% gonorrhea, 2% syphilis); 30% of participants had 2 or more STI episodes. The incidence rate of any STIs was 3.8 cases per 100 person-years (95% confidence interval [CI], 3.5–4.1); age 18–34 years, 10.8 (95% CI, 9.7–12.0); transgender women, 9.9 (95% CI, 6.9–14.0); Hispanics, 9.2 (95% CI, 7.2–11.8); and men who have sex with men (MSM), 7.7 (95% CI, 7.1–8.4). Multivariate Poisson regression showed younger age, Hispanic ethnicity, MSM risk, and higher nadir CD4 counts to be strongly associated with STIs. Among those with an STI, 41.8% had a detectable VL within 1 month of STI diagnosis, and 14.6% had a VL ≥1500 copies/mL.

Conclusions

STIs are highly prevalent among HIV-infected persons receiving care in DC. HIV transmission risk is considerable at the time of STI diagnosis. Interventions toward risk reduction, antiretroviral therapy adherence, and HIV virologic suppression are critical at the time of STI evaluation.
Promoting Interprofessional Collaborative Practice Through Simulation
Authors: Alfes Celeste M. , Rutherford-Hemming Tonya , Schroeder-Jenkinson Casey M. , Lord Cynthia Booth , Zimmermann Elizabeth
Published: February 2018

A 12-week program was developed to educate nursing, medicine, and physician assistant faculty on the principles and best practices of simulation. The goal was to facilitate team building and collaborative practice through the implementation of an interprofessional (IP) simulation experience for students. Workshops focused on IP communication involving seminar-based instruction, discussion, and the progressive development of an IP simulation based on a National League for Nursing Advancing Care Excellence for Seniors scenario. During the final session, students participated in the simulation while faculty evaluated and revised the scenario to best meet the needs of students from the three disciplines.
Use of Antihypertensive Medications During Delivery Hospitalizations Complicated by Preeclampsia
Authors: Cleary Kirsten L. , Siddiq Zainab , Ananth Cande V. , Wright Jason D. , Too Gloria , D'Alton Mary E. , Friedman Alexander M.
Published: February 2018

OBJECTIVE:

To evaluate temporal trends in use of antihypertensive medications during delivery hospitalizations complicated by preeclampsia and risk of maternal stroke over the same time period.

METHODS:

The Perspective database was used to perform a retrospective cohort study evaluating antihypertensive drugs dispensed during delivery hospitalizations complicated by preeclampsia from 2006 to the first quarter of 2015. Medications evaluated included nifedipine, hydralazine, and oral and intravenous labetalol. Adjusted models for receipt of antihypertensive agents accounting for demographic and hospital factors were created. Hospital-level rates of antihypertensive administration for women with severe preeclampsia were analyzed. Risk of stroke during delivery hospitalization was evaluated.

RESULTS:

A total of 239,454 patients with preeclampsia were included in the analysis including 126,595 women with mild, 31,628 with superimposed, and 81,231 with severe preeclampsia. Overall, 105,409 women received a hypertensive agent. From 2006 to 2014, for all patients with preeclampsia, receipt of oral labetalol increased from 20.3% to 31.4%, intravenous labetalol from 13.3% to 21.4%, hydralazine from 12.8% to 16.9%, nifedipine from 15.0% to 18.2%, and more than one medication from 16.5% to 25.8%. The proportion of patients with preeclampsia receiving any antihypertensive medication rose from 37.8% in 2006 to 49.4% in 2015. In adjusted models, temporal trends retained significance. Rates of antihypertensive administration for severe preeclampsia varied significantly by hospital. For severe preeclampsia, the risk for stroke decreased from 13.5 per 10,000 deliveries in 2006–2008 (n=27) to 9.7 in 2009–2011 (n=25) to 6.0 in 2012–2014 (n=20) (P=.02).

CONCLUSION:

Use of multiple antihypertensive agents to treat preeclamptic women increased over the study period for women with mild, superimposed, and severe preeclampsia. There was substantial hospital variation in use of antihypertensive agents. This trend was associated with decreased risk of maternal stroke.
Twenty-Week Abortion Bans on Pregnancies With a Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia
Authors: Bullard Kimberley A. , Shaffer Brian L. , Greiner Karen S. , Skeith Ashley E. , Rodriguez Maria I. , Caughey Aaron B.
Published: February 2018

OBJECTIVE:

To estimate the effect of 20-week abortion bans on maternal and consequent neonatal health outcomes and costs in the setting of fetal congenital diaphragmatic hernia.

METHODS:

A decision-analytic model was built using TreeAge software to evaluate the effect of a 20-week ban on abortion in a theoretical cohort of 921 women diagnosed with fetal congenital diaphragmatic hernia. Probabilities, utilities, and costs were derived from the literature. The cohort size was based on the annual rate of prenatal diagnoses of congenital diaphragmatic hernia and live births among the 20 states with bans. The threshold for cost-effectiveness was set at $100,000 per quality-adjusted life-year. Analysis was completed from the maternal perspective. Clinical outcomes included mode of delivery, maternal death, intrauterine fetal death, neonatal death, neurodevelopmental disability, and use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. One-way sensitivity analysis was used on all variables and Monte Carlo simulation was performed.

RESULTS:

A policy restricting termination was associated with higher costs, at an additional $158,419,623, with decreased quality of life and 674 fewer quality-adjusted life-years. With 20-week bans in place, 60 women would travel out of state to obtain abortions. There would be 158 more live births affected by congenital diaphragmatic hernia. Of these births, 45 neonates would die before 28 days after birth and an additional 37 would have long-term neurodevelopmental disability.

CONCLUSION:

In this model, bans that limit abortions beyond 20 weeks of gestation were associated with worse health outcomes and increased costs for women with pregnancies complicated by congenital diaphragmatic hernia. The restriction of health care access should be considered in terms of the long-term outcomes and economic effect on individuals and society.
Suture Compared With Staple Closure of Skin Incision for High-Order Cesarean Deliveries
Authors: Fox Nathan S. , Melka Stephanie , Miller James , Bender Samuel , Silverstein Michael , Saltzman Daniel H. , Rebarber Andrei
Published: February 2018

OBJECTIVE:

To compare wound complication rates in tertiary or higher-order cesarean delivery based on wound closure technique.

METHODS:

We performed a retrospective cohort study of all tertiary or higher-order cesarean deliveries performed by one group practice in a large academic medical center from 2005 to 2017. We excluded patients with a vertical skin incision. Although the study was not randomized, wound closure type was relatively uniform in this practice and based on time period: before 2011, the preferred closure was staple closure; after 2011, subcuticular suture closure was preferred. All patients received preoperative antibiotics and closure of subcutaneous tissue 2 cm deep or greater. The primary outcome was a wound complication, defined as a wound infection requiring antibiotics or a wound separation requiring wound packing or reclosure any time up to 6 weeks after delivery. Regression analysis was used to control for any significant differences at baseline between the groups.

RESULTS:

There were 551 patients with tertiary or higher-order cesarean delivery, 192 (34.8%) of whom had staple closure and 359 (65.2%) of whom had suture closure. Suture closure was associated with a significantly lower rate of wound complication (4.7% [17/359, 95% CI 3.0%–7.5%] vs 11.5% [22/192, 95% CI 7.7%–16.7%], P=.003). On regression analysis controlling for the number of prior cesarean deliveries and the participation of a resident in the closure, suture closure remained independently associated with a lower risk of a wound complication (adjusted odds ratio 0.44, 95% CI 0.23–0.86).

CONCLUSION:

For women undergoing their third or higher-order cesarean delivery, suture closure is associated with a lower rate of wound complications.
Fetal Survival in Second-Trimester Termination of Pregnancy Without Feticide
Authors: Springer Stephanie , Gorczyca Monika E. , Arzt Julia , Pils Sophie , Bettelheim Dieter , Ott Johannes
Published: February 2018

OBJECTIVE:

To evaluate the rate of live birth and the duration of survival after termination of pregnancy without feticide.

METHODS:

We conducted a retrospective analysis of 241 terminations of pregnancy without feticide for fetal anomalies or genetic abnormalities between 20 0/7 and 24 0/7 weeks of gestation at a single tertiary care referral center in Europe between February 2003 and May 2017. A multivariate binary regression model was used to evaluate factors associated with live birth.

RESULTS:

Pregnancies were terminated at a mean gestational age of 22.1±1.1 completed weeks of gestation. Median birth weight was 440 g (range 141–1,890 g). Live birth occurred in 122 cases (50.6%, 95% CI 44.4–56.8); median survival time was 32 minutes (range 1–267 minutes). Factors associated with live birth were gestational age at labor induction (odds ratio 1.41, 95% CI 1.01–2.01; P=.049) and fetal anomalies (P=.046).

CONCLUSION:

After termination of pregnancy without feticide between 20 0/7 and 24 0/7 weeks of gestation, the live birth rate was 50.6% (95% CI 44.4–56.8). A lower gestational age at labor induction and the presence of skeletal, cerebral, renal, or multiple fetal anomalies increased the chance of stillbirth.