bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Axially‐confined in vivo single‐cell labeling by primed conversion using blue and red lasers with conventional confocal microscopes
Authors: Taniguchi Atsushi , Kimura Yukiko , Mori Ikue , Nonaka Shigenori , Higashijima Shin‐ichi
Published: December 2017

Green‐to‐red photoconvertible fluorescent proteins have been found to undergo efficient photoconversion by a new method termed primed conversion that uses dual wave‐length illumination with blue and red/near‐infrared light. By modifying a confocal laser‐scanning microscope (CLSM) such that two laser beams only meet at the focal plane, confined photoconversion at the axial dimension has been achieved. The necessity of this custom modification to the CLSM, however, has precluded the wide‐spread use of this method. Here, we investigated whether spatially‐restricted primed conversion could be achieved with CLSM without any hardware modification. We found that the primed conversion of Dendra2 using a conventional CLSM with two visible lasers (473 nm and 635 nm) and a high NA objective lens (NA, 1.30) resulted in dramatic restriction of photoconversion volume: half‐width half‐maximum for the axial dimension was below 5 μm, which is comparable to the outcome of the original method that used the microscope modification. As a proof of this method's effectiveness, we used this technique in living zebrafish embryos and succeeded in revealing the complex anatomy of individual neurons packed between neighboring cells. Because unmodified CLSMs are widely available, this method can be widely applicable for labeling cells with single‐cell resolution.
Unintentional exposure to terrestrial pesticides drives widespread and predictable evolution of resistance in freshwater crustaceans
Authors: Major Kaley M. , Weston Donald P. , Lydy Michael J. , Wellborn Gary A. , Poynton Helen C.
Published: December 2017

Pesticide runoff from terrestrial environments into waterways is often lethal to freshwater organisms, but exposure may also drive evolution of pesticide resistance. We analyzed the degree of resistance and molecular genetic changes underlying resistance in Hyalella azteca, a species complex of freshwater crustaceans inadvertently exposed to pesticide pollution via runoff. We surveyed 16 waterways encompassing most major watersheds throughout California and found that land use patterns are predictive of both pyrethroid presence in aquatic sediments and pyrethroid resistance in H. azteca. Nonsynonymous amino acid substitutions in the voltage‐gated sodium channel including the M918L, L925I, or L925V confer resistance in H. azteca. The most frequently identified mutation, L925I, appears to be preferred within the species complex. The L925V substitution has been associated with pyrethroid resistance in another insect, but is novel in H. azteca. We documented a variety of pyrethroid resistance mutations across several species groups within this complex, indicating that pyrethroid resistance has independently arisen in H. azteca at least six separate times. Further, the high frequency of resistance alleles indicates that pesticide‐mediated selection on H. azteca populations in waterways equals or exceeds that of targeted terrestrial pests. Widespread resistance throughout California suggests current practices to mitigate off‐site movement of pyrethroids are inadequate to protect aquatic life from negative ecological impacts and implies the likelihood of similar findings globally.
Effect of Implant Connection Type and Depth on the Seating Accuracy of Hand‐Tightened Abutments
Authors: Siadat Hakimeh , Belbasi Simin , Alikhasi Marzieh , Nazari Vahideh , Beyabanaki Elaheh
Published: December 2017

Purpose

Improper seating of abutment on the implant is a common problem. This study investigated the effect of the type of implant/abutment interface on the complete seating of the abutments on the head of implants placed at different gingival depths.

Materials and Methods

Three implant systems with three different connections including straight external hexagon, butt‐joint internal tri‐lobed, and conical internal hexagon were used. Two gingival thicknesses (2 and 7 mm) were created using pink baseplate wax around the straight abutments seated on the implants. After placing the implants in acrylic blocks, the wax was replaced with the gingival mask material to simulate the gingival drape around the implant heads. Afterwards, 15 prosthodontists were asked to hand‐tighten the straight abutments in the corresponding implant bodies relying only on their tactile sense. At the final stage, the gingival mask was removed, and the seating quality of the abutments on implant bodies was assessed visually. The effect of implant connection and depth on abutment seating accuracy was analyzed using Kruskal‐Wallis and multiple‐comparison tests.

Results

No significant difference was found regarding the effect of either depth or connection design on the accuracy of the abutment seating (p > 0.05); however, pairwise comparison of the combined effect of the depth and connection design was significant (p = 0.009). Accuracy of abutment seating on the Nobel Active implants at both 2 and 7 mm depths were significantly better than Replace system with 7 mm depth (p = 0.027). The same results were obtained in comparison between Nobel Active system at both 2 and 7 mm depths with Branemark system with 7 mm depth (p = 0.006).

Conclusion

An increase in implant placement depth meant a decrease in accuracy of the abutment seating. The internal conical connection design showed the best result in abutment positioning in deep implants as compared with external and internal butt‐joint connection designs.
Landmark Executive Orders: Presidential Leadership Through Unilateral Action
Authors: Warber Adam L. , Ouyang Yu , Waterman Richard W.
Published: December 2017

Scholars focusing on landmark congressional legislation have not categorized executive orders as similar to legislation passed by Congress, although they have the same legal standing. It is clear that some executive orders have a greater impact than others and thus observers view them as being of greater importance. Ronald Reagan used executive orders to alter the manner in which agencies established regulations, creating a process of administrative central clearance that delegated considerable power to the Office of Management and Budget over the agency regulatory process. Truman used an executive order to desegregate the military. In this article, we examine those orders that are of a level of importance commensurate with landmark legislation, and, using expert scholarly opinion, we discuss and analyze orders that meet these criteria.
Neuromuscular training reduces lower limb injuries in elite female basketball players. A cluster randomized controlled trial
Authors: Bonato M. , Benis R. , La Torre A.
Published: December 2017

The study was a two‐armed, parallel group, cluster randomized controlled trial in which 15 teams (160 players) were assigned to either an experimental group (EG, 8 teams n = 86), which warmed‐up with bodyweight neuromuscular exercises, or a control group (CG, 7 teams, n = 74) that performed standard tactical‐technical exercises before training. All injuries during the 2015‐2016 regular season were counted. Epidemiologic incidence proportion and incidence rate were also calculated. Countermovement jump (CMJ) and composite Y‐Excursion Balance test (YBT) were used to assess lower limb strength and postural control. A total of 111 injuries were recorded. Chi‐square test detected statistically significant differences between EG and CG (32 vs 79, P = .006). Significant differences in the injuries sustained in the EG (21 vs 11, P = .024) and CG (52 vs 27, P = .0001) during training and matches, respectively, were observed. Significant differences in post‐intervention injuries were observed between in EG and CG during training (21 vs 52, P < .0001) and matches (11 vs 27, P = .006). Significant differences in epidemiologic incidence (0.37 vs 1.07, P = .023) and incidence rate (1.66 vs 4.69, P = .012) between the EG and the CG were found. Significant improvement in CMJ (+9.4%, P < .0001; d = 1.2) and composite YBT (right: +4.4%, P = .001, d = 1.0; left: +3.0%, P = .003; d = 0.8) for the EG was noted. Significant differences in post‐intervention CMJ (+5.9%, P = .004) and composite YBT scores (right, +3.7%, P = .012; left, +2.3%, P = .007) between the EG and the CG were observed. Including bodyweight neuromuscular training into warm‐up routines reduced the incidence of serious lower limb injuries in elite female basketball players.
Zoonotic origin and transmission of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus in the UAE
Authors: Paden C. R. , Yusof M. F. B. M. , Al Hammadi Z. M. , Queen K. , Tao Y. , Eltahir Y. M. , Elsayed E. A. , Marzoug B. A. , Bensalah O. K. A. , Khalafalla A. I. , Al Mulla M. , Khudhair A. , Elkheir K. A. , Issa Z. B. , Pradeep K. , Elsaleh F. N. , Imambaccus H. , Sasse J. , Weber S. , Shi M. , Zhang J. , Li Y. , Pham H. , Kim L. , Hall A. J. , Gerber S. I. , Al Hosani F. I. , Tong S. , Al Muhairi S. S. M.
Published: December 2017

Since the emergence of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS‐CoV) in 2012, there have been a number of clusters of human‐to‐human transmission. These cases of human‐to‐human transmission involve close contact and have occurred primarily in healthcare settings, and they are suspected to result from repeated zoonotic introductions. In this study, we sequenced whole MERS‐CoV genomes directly from respiratory samples collected from 23 confirmed MERS cases in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). These samples included cases from three nosocomial and three household clusters. The sequences were analysed for changes and relatedness with regard to the collected epidemiological data and other available MERS‐CoV genomic data. Sequence analysis supports the epidemiological data within the clusters, and further, suggests that these clusters emerged independently. To understand how and when these clusters emerged, respiratory samples were taken from dromedary camels, a known host of MERS‐CoV, in the same geographic regions as the human clusters. Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus genomes from six virus‐positive animals were sequenced, and these genomes were nearly identical to those found in human patients from corresponding regions. These data demonstrate a genetic link for each of these clusters to a camel and support the hypothesis that human MERS‐CoV diversity results from multiple zoonotic introductions.
Factores de excelencia y prácticas escolares desde la perspectiva de los discentes
Authors: Quaresma Maria Luísa
Published: December 2017

Este artículo de investigación analiza las percepciones sobre los factores de excelencia que son compartidas por estudian­tes de seis liceos públicos de alto rendimiento de Santiago de Chile y reflexiona también acerca de las configuraciones de sus prácticas de estudio para lograr el éxito. Los análisis esta­dísticos descriptivos y factoriales de las encuestas y los análisis de contenido de las entrevistas grupales permitieron concluir que los alumnos asocian los factores del éxito con dimensio­nes expresivas, como el bienestar en el colegio, y presentan una fuerte adhesión al proyecto escolar, al gestionar de forma eficaz los tiempos de estudio y de ocio.
Martín Lutero educador
Authors: Pineda-Rivera Diego Antonio
Published: December 2017

En el presente artículo de reflexión, derivado de las investi­gaciones del autor sobre el tema, se elabora una semblanza de Martín Lutero como educador, con ocasión de la con­memoración de los 500 años de la Reforma Protestante. En relación directa con sus escritos educativos, el autor mues­tra de qué forma la reforma pedagógica luterana solo es comprensible a la luz de la peculiar personalidad de Lutero, de sus tesis teológicas fundamentales y, sobre todo, de los acontecimientos que dieron lugar al movimiento reformista. Se describen el proyecto luterano de reforma de los estudios universitarios, sus ideas con respecto a la obligatoriedad de la educación elemental y los contenidos de un currículo centrado en el aprendizaje de las lenguas entendidas como “tesoros del espíritu”.
Naturaleza del objeto matemático “Tabla”
Authors: Estrella Soledad , Mena-Lorca Arturo , Olfos-Ayarza Raimundo
Published: December 2017

El estudio ofrece una visión amplia del proceso de evolución de las ideas sobre tablas, su connotación de herramienta, surgimiento y desarrollo en diversas sociedades y culturas en diferentes momentos de la historia, cuestiones que aportan al conocimiento sobre este objeto y sus alcances didácticos. La reflexión sobre la trayectoria de la tabla y su presencia como herramienta de almacenamiento, como herramienta de cálculo en sistemas de numeración y de metrología, y como herramienta de análisis en ámbitos científicos y ma­temáticos, ayuda a precisar su origen y naturaleza como objeto matemático.
Políticas públicas de apoyo educativo y configuración de trayectorias escolares
Authors: Monarca Héctor
Published: December 2017

Este artículo de investigación presenta un estudio sobre las políticas públicas españolas de apoyo educativo y su relación con la configuración de las trayectorias escolares, concre­tamente en la Comunidad de Madrid. Se ha empleado una metodología cualitativa a partir de un enfoque etnográfico. Los resultados muestran que los programas fomentados por las políticas de apoyo aquí contempladas, bajo determinadas condiciones, pueden suponer una oportunidad para estu­diantes con una trayectoria escolar devaluada. Las conclusio­nes sugieren que estas políticas son valoradas, apropiadas e implementadas de forma diferenciada por los actores impli­cados, lo que da lugar a experiencias escolares y vitales que pueden suponer tanto una oportunidad de mejora en rela­ción con las trayectorias de los estudiantes como una interpe­lación del mismo funcionamiento escolar.
“Que no cuenten con nuestra astucia”: lógicas neoliberales en la antropología colombiana
Authors: Godoy Ferro Monica
Published: December 2017

Los cambios recientes en las políticas educativas en Colombia —impulsados desde el Estado y acordes con los estándares internacionales de medición de la calidad en la educación superior— han dado como resultado una crisis en la antropología y en otras ciencias sociales y humanas cuyos conocimientos han sido tratados como improductivos y prescindibles. La base neoliberal de las reformas a las universidades produjo diversos efectos en la formación de nuevos profesionales y en las dinámicas del mundo del trabajo, incluso de aquellos que se dedican a la investigación y la docencia universitaria. Este artículo pretende develar y discutir algunas lógicas que subyacen a dichas transformaciones.
Experiencias Xikrin e Baniwa con conocimientos tradicionales en los colegios
Authors: Rodrigues Marqui Amanda , Boldrin Beltrame Camila
Published: December 2017

Este texto pretende discutir investigaciones en desarrollo sobre el pueblo Xikrin de Bacajá y el pueblo Baniwa. El objetivo es elaborar algunas reflexiones respecto de los colegios indígenas, teniendo dos contextos etnográficos distintos. Los Xikrin y los Baniwa son ejemplos de cómo se viene desarrollando la consolidación de los colegios indígenas en Brasil, en formas y en tiempos diferentes, factores que ayudan a delinear especificidades escolares para cada uno de esos lugares. Los elementos que ilustran estas particularidades son diversos y el corte que presentamos en este artículo se refiere a la manera como los conocimientos reconocidos como tradicionales por los profesores, sean indígenas o no, entran en las aulas como actividades escolares. ¿Cómo son construidas estas actividades y cuáles son los significados que adquieren al ser llevados a las escuelas? A partir de estas experiencias etnográficas esperamos reflexionar sobre el(los) modo(s) como las prácticas indígenas, al ser llevadas al aula, son (re)significadas y contribuyen a evidenciar relaciones y negociaciones que la escuela propicia entre conocimientos tradicionales y prácticas pedagógicas.
Tierra y género. Dilemas y obstáculos en los procesos de negociación de la política de tierras en Colombia [Colección Pensar]
Authors: Suelt-Cock Vanessa
Published: December 2017

María Fernanda Sañudo Pazos Bogotá: Editorial Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, 2015. 182 pp.
Low temperature bonding of heterogeneous materials using Al2O3 as an intermediate layer
Authors: Sahoo Hitesh Kumar , Ottaviano Luisa , Zheng Yi , Hansen Ole , Yvind Kresten
Published: December 2017

Integration of heterogeneous materials is crucial for many nanophotonic devices. The integration is often achieved by bonding using polymer adhesives or metals. A much better and cleaner option is direct wafer bonding, but the high annealing temperatures required make it a much less attractive option. Direct wafer bonding relies on a high density of hydroxyl groups on the surfaces, which may be difficult to achieve depending on the materials. Thus, it is a challenge to design a universal wafer bonding process. However, using an intermediate layer between the bonding surfaces reduces the dependence on the bonding materials, and thus, the bonding mechanism essentially remains the same. The authors present a systematic study on the use of Al2O3 as an intermediate layer for bonding of heterogeneous materials. The ability to achieve high hydroxyl group density and well-controlled films makes atomic layer deposited Al2O3 an excellent choice for the intermediate layer. The authors have optimized the bonding process to achieve a high interface energy of 1.7 J/m2 for a low temperature annealing of 300 °C. The authors also demonstrate wafer bonding of InP to SiO2 on Si and GaAs to sapphire using the Al2O3 interlayer.
Enhancing cell and gene therapy manufacture through the application of advanced fluorescent optical sensors (Review)
Authors: Harrison Richard P. , Chauhan Veeren M.
Published: December 2017

Cell and gene therapies (CGTs) are examples of future therapeutics that can be used to cure or alleviate the symptoms of disease, by repairing damaged tissue or reprogramming defective genetic information. However, despite the recent advancements in clinical trial outcomes, the path to wide-scale adoption of CGTs remains challenging, such that the emergence of a “blockbuster” therapy has so far proved elusive. Manufacturing solutions for these therapies require the application of scalable and replicable cell manufacturing techniques, which differ markedly from the existing pharmaceutical incumbent. Attempts to adopt this pharmaceutical model for CGT manufacture have largely proved unsuccessful. The most significant challenges facing CGT manufacturing are process analytical testing and quality control. These procedures would greatly benefit from improved sensory technologies that allow direct measurement of critical quality attributes, such as pH, oxygen, lactate and glucose. In turn, this would make manufacturing more robust, replicable and standardized. In this review, the present-day state and prospects of CGT manufacturing are discussed. In particular, the authors highlight the role of fluorescent optical sensors, focusing on their strengths and weaknesses, for CGT manufacture. The review concludes by discussing how the integration of CGT manufacture and fluorescent optical sensors could augment future bioprocessing approaches.
Impact of Cell Surface Molecules on Conjugative Transfer of the Integrative and Conjugative Element ICE
St3
of Streptococcus thermophilus
Authors: Dahmane Narimane , Robert Emilie , Deschamps Julien , Meylheuc Thierry , Delorme Christine , Briandet Romain , Leblond-Bourget Nathalie , Guédon Eric , Payot Sophie
Published: December 2017

Integrative conjugative elements (ICEs) are chromosomal elements that are widely distributed in bacterial genomes, hence contributing to genome plasticity, adaptation, and evolution of bacteria. Conjugation requires a contact between both the donor and the recipient cells and thus likely depends on the composition of the cell surface envelope. In this work, we investigated the impact of different cell surface molecules, including cell surface proteins, wall teichoic acids, lipoteichoic acids, and exopolysaccharides, on the transfer and acquisition of ICE
St3
from
Streptococcus thermophilus
. The transfer of ICE
St3
from wild-type (WT) donor cells to mutated recipient cells increased 5- to 400-fold when recipient cells were affected in lipoproteins, teichoic acids, or exopolysaccharides compared to when the recipient cells were WT. These mutants displayed an increased biofilm-forming ability compared to the WT, suggesting better cell interactions that could contribute to the increase of ICE
St3
acquisition. Microscopic observations of
S. thermophilus
cell surface mutants showed different phenotypes (aggregation in particular) that can also have an impact on conjugation. In contrast, the same mutations did not have the same impact when the donor cells, instead of recipient cells, were mutated. In that case, the transfer frequency of ICE
St3
decreased compared to that with the WT. The same observation was made when both donor and recipient cells were mutated. The dominant effect of mutations in donor cells suggests that modifications of the cell envelope could impair the establishment or activity of the conjugation machinery required for DNA transport.

IMPORTANCE
ICEs contribute to horizontal gene transfer of adaptive traits (for example, virulence, antibiotic resistance, or biofilm formation) and play a considerable role in bacterial genome evolution, thus underlining the need of a better understanding of their conjugative mechanism of transfer. While most studies focus on the different functions encoded by ICEs, little is known about the effect of host factors on their conjugative transfer. Using ICE
St3
of
S. thermophilus
as a model, we demonstrated the impact of lipoproteins, teichoic acids, and exopolysaccharides on ICE transfer and acquisition. This opens up new avenues to control gene transfer mediated by ICEs.
Antivascular endothelial growth factor agents pretreatment before vitrectomy for complicated proliferative diabetic retinopathy: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials
Authors: Zhao Xin-yu , Xia Song , Chen You-xin
Published: December 2017

Background/aims

To evaluate the efficacy of antivascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) agents pretreatment before vitrectomy for patients with complicated proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR).

Methods

The PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched up to June 2017 to identify related studies. The Peferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines were followed. The StataSE V.12.0 software was used to analyse the relevant data. The weighted mean difference, relative risk and their 95% CIs were used to assess the strength of the association.

Results

14 randomised controlled trials involving 613 patients were assessed, the anti-VEGF pretreatment group included 289 patients and the control group included 324 patients. Our analysis indicated that anti-VEGF pretreatment before vitrectomy for complicated PDR could facilitate much easier surgery regarding less intraoperative bleeding, less endodiathermy, shorter duration of surgery, less iatrogenic retinal breaks, less frequency of using silicone oil and relaxing retinotomy (P<0.05). Additionally, anti-VEGF pretreatment could also achieve better postoperative best-corrected visual acuity, less early recurrent vitreous haemorrhage (VH) and quicker absorption of recurrent VH (P<0.05). However, the incidence of late recurrent VH, recurrent retinal detachment or related secondary surgery could not be reduced (P>0.05).

Conclusion

The pretreatment of anti-VEGF agents before vitrectomy for patients with complicated PDR might facilitate much easier surgery and better visual rehabilitation, reduce the rate of early recurrent VH and accelerate its absorption. Moreover, future better-designed studies with larger sample sizes are required to further evaluate the efficacy of different anti-VEGF agents and reach a firmer conclusion.
Risk factors for feelings of sadness and suicide attempts among cancer survivors in South Korea: findings from nationwide cross-sectional study (KNHANES IV–VI)
Authors: Choi Jeewoong , Lee Mijo , Ki Myung , Lee Ju-Yeong , Song Yeong-Jun , Kim Miram , Lee Sunyoung , Park Soonjoo , Lim Jiseun
Published: December 2017

Introduction

As the number of cancer survivors is rapidly increasing with the increased incidence of the disease and improved survival of patients, the prevalence of, and risk factors for, mental health problems and suicidality among cancer survivors should be examined.

Methods and analysis

Using data obtained from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2007–2013), we examined 1285 and 33 772 participants who had been and never been diagnosed with cancer, respectively. We investigated the risks of feelings of sadness and suicide attempts among cancer survivors and general population and examined differences in the risks of cancer survivors among subgroups according to cancer-related characteristics.

Results

The median age of survivors at the time of the survey and at diagnosis was 63 and 54 years, respectively. After adjusting for sex, level of education, household income, occupation, marital status, cancer type, current status of treatment, age at diagnosis and years since diagnosis, the risk of suicide attempts was significantly higher in participants diagnosed with cancer before 45 years of age compared with those diagnosed at 45–64 years (adjusted OR=3.81, 95% CI 1.07 to 13.60, P=0.039), and the higher risk of suicide attempts with borderline significance was found in those for whom more than 10 years had passed since diagnosis compared with those for whom the diagnosis was made only 2–10 years ago (adjusted OR=3.38, 95% CI 0.98 to 11.70, P=0.055). However, feelings of sadness were not significantly associated with any cancer-related characteristic.

Conclusion

Our results reveal an increased risk of suicide attempts among cancer survivors diagnosed early in life and in those for whom more than 10 years has passed since the diagnosis, suggesting the need for intensive monitoring and support for mental health problems and suicidal risks in this population.
Sex differences in non-communicable disease prevalence in China: a cross-sectional analysis of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study in 2011
Authors: Liu Yan , Liu Guofeng , Wu Hongjiang , Jian Weiyan , Wild Sarah H , Gasevic Danijela
Published: December 2017

Objectives

To describe the sex differences in the prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in adults aged 45 years or older in China.

Design

Cross-sectional study.

Setting

Nationally representative sample of the Chinese population 2011.

Participants

8401 men and 8928 women over 45 years of age who participated in the first wave of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS).

Outcome measures

Self-reported data on overall health and diagnosis of hypertension, dyslipidaemia, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, chronic lung disease, cancer or arthritis. Sex differences in NCDs were described using logistic regression to generate odds ratios (OR) with adjustment for sociodemographic factors and health-related behaviours. All analyses were stratified by age group for 45–64-year-old and ≥65-year-old participants.

Results

In both age groups, men reported better overall health than women. The crude prevalence of heart disease, cancer and arthritis was higher while that of stroke and chronic lung disease was lower in women than in men. After adjustment, ORs (95% CI) for the 45–64 and ≥65 year age groups were 0.70 (0.58 to 0.84) and 0.66 (0.54 to 0.80), respectively, for arthritis for men compared with women. In contrast, ORs were 1.66 (1.09 to 2.52) and 2.12 (1.36 to 3.30) for stroke and 1.51 (1.21 to 1.89) and 1.43 (1.09 to 1.88) for chronic lung disease for men compared with women. ORs for heart disease (0.65 (0.52 to 0.80)) were lower in men than in women only in the 45–64 year age group.

Conclusions

Odds of arthritis were lower while those of stroke and chronic lung disease were higher in men than in women in both age groups. However, odds of heart disease were lower in men than in women, but only in the group of individuals aged 45–64 years.
Association of sleep duration and quality with blood lipids: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies
Authors: Kruisbrink Marlot , Robertson Wendy , Ji Chen , Miller Michelle A , Geleijnse Johanna M , Cappuccio Francesco P
Published: December 2017

Objectives

To assess the longitudinal evidence of the relationships between sleep disturbances (of quantity and quality) and dyslipidaemia in the general population and to quantify such relationships.

Setting

Systematic review and meta-analysis following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines.

Methods

We performed a systematic search of PubMed and Embase (up to 9 September 2017), complemented with manual searches, of prospective population studies describing the association between sleep duration and quality and the incidence of dyslipidaemias. Relative risks (95% CIs) were extracted and pooled using a random effects model. Subgroup analyses by lipid type were performed. Heterogeneity and publication bias were also assessed. Quality was assessed with Downs and Black score.

Participants

Studies were included if they were prospective, had measured sleep quantity and/or quality at baseline and either incident cases of dyslipidaemia or changes in blood lipid fractions assessed prospectively.

Primary outcome measures

Incidence of dyslipidaemia and changes in lipid fractions. Dyslipidaemia was defined as a high total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol or low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol compared with the reference group.

Results

Thirteen studies were identified (eight using sleep duration, four sleep quality and one both). There was heterogeneity in the sleep quality aspects and types of lipids assessed. Classification of sleep duration (per hour/groups) also varied widely. In the pooled analysis of sleep duration (6 studies, 16 cohort samples; 30 033 participants; follow-up 2.6–10 years), short sleep was associated with a risk of 1.01 (95% CI 0.93 to 1.10) of developing dyslipidaemia, with moderate heterogeneity (I2=56%, P=0.003) and publication bias (P=0.035). Long sleep was associated with a risk of 0.98 (95% CI 0.87 to 1.10) for dyslipidaemia, with heterogeneity (I2=63%, P<0.001) and no significant publication bias (P=0.248).

Conclusion

The present analysis was unable to find supportive evidence of a significant relationship between sleep duration and the development of dyslipidaemia. However, heterogeneity and small number of studies limit the interpretation.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42016045242.
Protocol for a randomised pilot multiple centre trial of conservative versus liberal oxygenation targets in critically ill children (Oxy-PICU)
Authors: Jones Gareth A L , Ramnarayan Padmanabhan , Raman Sainath , Inwald David , Grocott Michael P W , Eaton Simon , Ray Samiran , Griksaitis Michael J , Pappachan John , Wiley Daisy , Mouncey Paul R , Wulff Jerome , Harrison David A , Rowan Kathryn M , Peters Mark J
Published: December 2017

Introduction

Optimal targets for systemic oxygenation in paediatric critical illness are unknown. Observational data indicate that high levels of arterial oxygenation are associated with poor outcomes in resuscitation of the newborn and in adult critical illness. Within paediatric intensive care units (PICUs), staff prevent severe hypoxia wherever possible, but beyond this there is no consensus. Practice varies widely with age, diagnosis, treating doctor and local or national guidelines followed, though peripheral blood oxygen saturations (SpO2) of >95% are often targeted. The overall aim of this pilot study is to determine the feasibility of performing a randomised trial in critically ill children comparing current practice of liberal SpO2targets with a more conservative target.

Methods and analysis

Oxy-PICU is a pragmatic, open, pilot randomised controlled trial in infants and children requiring mechanical ventilation and receiving supplemental oxygen for abnormal gas exchange accepted for emergency admission to one of three participating UK PICUs. The study groups will be either a conservative SpO2target of 88%–92% (inclusive) or a liberal SpO2target of >94%. Infants and children who fulfil all inclusion criteria and none of the exclusion criteria will be randomised 1:1 by a secure web-based system to one of the two groups. Baseline demographics and clinical status will be recorded as well as daily measures of oxygenation and organ support. Discharge outcomes will also be recorded. In addition to observational data, blood and urine samples will be taken to identify biochemical markers of oxidative stress. Outcomes are targeted at assessing study feasibility with a primary outcome of adequate study recruitment (target: 120 participants).

Ethics and dissemination

The trial received Health Research Authority approval on 1 June 2017 (16/SC/0617). Study findings will be disseminated in national and international conferences and peer-reviewed journals.

Trial registration number

NCT03040570.
Protocol for the ROBUST (Registry Of type B aortic dissection with the Utility of STent graft) study: an ambispective, multicentre, open cohort study
Authors: Rong Dan , Ge Yangyang , Xue Yan , Liu Feng , Lu Kai , Liu Peng , Zhang Lei , Ge Xiaohu , Miu Jianhang , Zhong Linkun , Fan Weidong , Zhang Hongpeng , Jia Xin , Ma Xiaohui , Xiong Jiang , Liu Xiaoping , Guo Wei
Published: December 2017

Introduction

Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) is widely used for type B aortic dissection, although with satisfactory outcome in a limited proportion of patients. To better inform patient prognostication, the Registry Of type B aortic dissection with the Utility of STent graft (ROBUST) study aims to identify imaging-based predictors of post-TEVAR adverse outcomes up to 10-year follow-up.

Methods and analysis

ROBUST is designed as an ambispective, multicentre, open cohort study. All patients undergoing TEVAR from 1 January 2008 to 1 July 2027 at participating centres will be invited to join the study. It is conservatively estimated that over 2000 patients will join the study. Data on demographics, disease history, procedural details, imaging features and follow-up will be collected after discharge. Cox proportional-hazards analysis will be used to identify independent predictors of primary outcomes. Stratification analysis will be performed to identify which subgroup of patients would benefit the most from TEVAR.

Ethics and dissemination

The protocol has been approved by the ethics committee of the coordinating centre. Findings will be disseminated in professional peer-reviewed journals to promote understanding of the rehabilitation process.

Trial registration number

ChiCTR-POC-17011726; Pre-results.
Mystery shopping and coaching as a form of audit and feedback to improve community pharmacy management of non-prescription medicine requests: an intervention study
Authors: Collins Jack Charles , Schneider Carl Richard , Naughtin Clare Louise , Wilson Frances , de Almeida Neto Abilio Cesar , Moles Rebekah Jane
Published: December 2017

Objectives

To determine whether repeated mystery shopping visits with feedback improve pharmacy performance over nine visits and to determine what factors predict an appropriate outcome.

Design

Prospective, parallel, repeated intervention, repeated measures mystery shopping (pseudopatient) design.

Setting

Thirty-six community pharmacies in metropolitan Sydney, Australia in March–October 2015.

Participants

Sixty-one University of Sydney pharmacy undergraduates acted as mystery shoppers. Students enrolled in their third year of Bachelor of Pharmacy in 2015 were eligible to participate. Any community pharmacy in the Sydney metropolitan region was eligible to take part and was selected through convenience sampling.

Intervention

Repeated mystery shopping with immediate feedback and coaching.

Outcome measures

Outcome for each given scenario (appropriate or not) and questioning scores for each interaction.

Results

Five hundred and twenty-one visits were analysed, of which 54% resulted in an appropriate outcome. Questioning scores and the proportion of interactions resulting in an appropriate outcome significantly improved over time (P<0.001). Involvement of pharmacists, visit number, increased questioning score and the prescribed scenario were predictors of an appropriate outcome (P=0.008, P=0.022, P<0.001 and P<0.001, respectively). Interactions involving a pharmacist had greater scores than those without (P<0.001).

Conclusions

Repeated mystery shopping visits with feedback were associated with improved pharmacy performance over time. Future work should focus on the role of non-pharmacist staff and design interventions accordingly.
Temporal changes in the documentation of neurological findings among patients with acute ischaemic stroke in a single centre in Japan: a retrospective cross-sectional study
Authors: Komagamine Junpei , Komagamine Tomoko
Published: December 2017

Objective

To evaluate temporal differences in the documentation of neurological findings by the same physicians in patients with ischaemic stroke while in hospital. We also investigated differences in the rate of documentation of neurological findings in patients with stroke between internists and neurosurgeons.

Design

A retrospective medical chart review.

Participants

Hospitalised adult patients with acute ischaemic stroke who stayed 7 or more days in our hospital. Neurosurgeons (n=8) and internists (n=19) caring for these patients (including up to 10 patients per physician).

Main outcome measures

The documentation rate of any neurological finding in the patients on each day (from day 1 to 7 and on discharge). The documentation rates of eight neurological finding components (consciousness, mental status, cranial nerves, motor function, sensory function, coordination, reflexes and gait). We included only documentation by the same physician. Fisher’s exact test was used to evaluate differences in outcomes between neurosurgeons and internists.

Results

During the study period, we identified 172 patients with stroke who were cared for by 27 physicians. The documentation rates of any neurological findings were 94% (day 1), 58% (day 2), 35% (day 3), 40% (day 4), 32% (day 5), 30% (day 6) and 23% (day 7). On discharge, all eight neurological finding components were documented in less than 10% of all cases. The documentation rate was significantly higher by internists than that by neurosurgeons on each day but not on discharge.

Conclusions

The documentation rate of neurological findings by physicians during usual stroke care decreased to less than 50% after the third hospital day. Given the importance of temporal changes in the neurological symptoms of patients with stroke, further study is needed to determine whether this low documentation rate after the third hospital day was due to a lack of physician interest in neurological findings or other factors.
Design and construction of a compacted clay liner in cover system of a municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill using nonstandard procedures
Authors: Moraci N. , Busana S. , Cortellazzo G. , Favaretti M. , Mandaglio M.C. , Schepis M.
Published: December 2017

Design and construction of a mineral barrier layer involve many experimental and technological aspects. A specific soil water content and laboratory compaction energy, which are required to obtain permeability values according to the national regulation in force, must be determined. It is also necessary to control water content, compaction energy, and permeability of the liner actually compacted in situ. This paper shows how a compacted mineral barrier mainly composed of silty clay soil (the excavated soil is a natural but potentially re-usable waste product) was put in place to cover a large municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill and compacted using a heavy dumper, capable of achieving an adequate compaction degree. The in situ hydraulic properties of the liner were compared with those obtained by laboratory testing and to the limits imposed by the Italian regulation. The actual compaction degree was checked by in situ tests. Hydraulic conductivity tests were carried out in situ, using Boutwell and Guelph permeameters, and in the laboratory using rigid wall and flexible wall permeameters. In situ testing provided more realistic permeability values than laboratory ones and demonstrated that the actual construction procedure used was effective to obtain the design targets.
A Practical Algorithm for the Uniform Membership Problem of Labeled Multidigraphs of Tree-Width 2 for Spanning Tree Automata
Authors: Fujiyoshi Akio
Published: December 2017

This paper presents a practical algorithm for the uniform membership problem of labeled multidigraphs of tree-width at most 2 for spanning tree automata. Though the theoretical existence of a linear-time algorithm for the membership problem for graphs of bounded tree-width was shown in the previous study, the implementation of the linear-time algorithm is expected to be impractical because it requires the construction of a finite-state automaton whose size is super-exponential in the size of the tree automaton and the tree-width of graphs. In addition, the tree automaton itself should be a part of the input in practical situations.
Quasinormal modes of black holes in Einstein-power-Maxwell theory
Authors: Panotopoulos Grigoris , Rincón Ángel
Published: December 2017

In the present work, we compute the spectrum of quasinormal frequencies of four-dimensional (4D) charged black holes (BHs) in Einstein-power-Maxwell (EpM) theory. In particular, we study scalar perturbations adopting the sixth-order WKB approximation. We analyze in detail, the behavior of the spectrum depending on the charge of the BH, the quantum number of angular momentum and the overtone number. In addition, a comparison is made between the results obtained here and the results valid for charged BHs in other theories as well as for the Reissner–Nordström BH. Finally, we have provided an analytical expression for the quasinormal spectrum in the eikonal limit.
Active Tactile Transfer Learning for Object Discrimination in an Unstructured Environment Using Multimodal Robotic Skin
Authors: Kaboli Mohsen , Feng Di , Cheng Gordon
Published: December 2017

In this paper, we propose a probabilistic active tactile transfer learning (ATTL) method to enable robotic systems to exploit their prior tactile knowledge while discriminating among objects via their physical properties (surface texture, stiffness, and thermal conductivity). Using the proposed method, the robot autonomously selects and exploits its most relevant prior tactile knowledge to efficiently learn about new unknown objects with a few training samples or even one. The experimental results show that using our proposed method, the robot successfully discriminated among new objects with [Formula: see text] discrimination accuracy using only one training sample (on-shot-tactile-learning). Furthermore, the results demonstrate that our method is robust against transferring irrelevant prior tactile knowledge (negative tactile knowledge transfer).
Confidentiality Breach Through Acoustic Side-Channel in Cyber-Physical Additive Manufacturing Systems
Authors: Chhetri Sujit Rokka , Canedo Arquimedes , Faruque Mohammad Abdullah Al
Published: December 2017

In cyber-physical systems, due to the tight integration of the computational, communication, and physical components, most of the information in the cyber-domain manifests in terms of physical actions (such as motion, temperature change, etc.). This leads to the system being prone to physical-to-cyber domain attacks that affect the confidentiality. Physical actions are governed by energy flows, which may be observed. Some of these observable energy flows unintentionally leak information about the cyber-domain and hence are known as the side-channels. Side-channels such as acoustic, thermal, and power allow attackers to acquire the information without actually leveraging the vulnerability of the algorithms implemented in the system. As a case study, we have taken cyber-physical additive manufacturing systems (fused deposition modeling-based three-dimensional (3D) printer) to demonstrate how the acoustic side-channel can be used to breach the confidentiality of the system. In 3D printers, geometry, process, and machine information are the intellectual properties, which are stored in the cyber domain (G-code). We have designed an attack model that consists of digital signal processing, machine-learning algorithms, and context-based post processing to steal the intellectual property in the form of geometry details by reconstructing the G-code and thus the test objects. We have successfully reconstructed various test objects with an average axis prediction accuracy of 86% and an average length prediction error of 11.11%.
Binary Adder Circuits of Asymptotically Minimum Depth, Linear Size, and Fan-Out Two
Authors: Held Stephan , Spirkl Sophie Theresa
Published: December 2017

We consider the problem of constructing fast and small binary adder circuits. Among widely used adders, the Kogge-Stone adder is often considered the fastest, because it computes the carry bits for two
n
-bit numbers (where
n
is a power of two) with a depth of 2 log
2
n
logic gates, size 4
n
log
2
n
, and all fan-outs bounded by two. Fan-outs of more than two are disadvantageous in practice, because they lead to the insertion of repeaters for repowering the signal and additional depth in the physical implementation.

However, the depth bound of the Kogge-Stone adder is off by a factor of two from the lower bound of log
2
n
. Two separate constructions by Brent and Krapchenko achieve this lower bound asymptotically. Brent’s construction gives neither a bound on the fan-out nor the size, while Krapchenko’s adder has linear size, but can have up to linear fan-out. With a fan-out bound of two, neither construction achieves a depth of less than 2 log
2
n
.

In a further approach, Brent and Kung proposed an adder with linear size and fan-out two but twice the depth of the Kogge-Stone adder.

These results are 33–43 years old and no substantial theoretical improvement for has been made since then. In this article, we integrate the individual advantages of all previous adder circuits into a new family of full adders, the first to improve on the depth bound of 2 log
2
n
while maintaining a fan-out bound of two. Our adders achieve an asymptotically optimum logic gate depth of log
2
n
+
o
(log
2
n
) and linear size
O
(
n
).
Parameterized Testability
Authors: Iwama Kazuo , Yoshida Yuichi
Published: December 2017

This article studies property testing for NP optimization problems with parameter
k
under the general graph model with an augmentation of random edge sampling capability. It is shown that a variety of such problems, including
k
-Vertex Cover,
k
-Feedback Vertex Set,
k
-Multicut,
k
-Path-Free, and
k
-Dominating Set, are constant-query testable if
k
is constant. It should be noted that the first four problems are fixed parameter tractable (FPT) and it turns out that algorithmic techniques for their FPT algorithms (branch-and-bound search, color coding, etc.) are also useful for our testers.
k
-Dominating Set is
W
[2]-hard, but we can still test the property with a constant number of queries, since the definition of ε-farness makes the problem trivial for non-sparse graphs that are the source of hardness for the original optimization problem. We also consider
k
-Odd Cycle Transversal, which is another well-known FPT problem, but we only give a sublinear-query tester when
k
is a constant.