bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Landslide hazard assessment by smoothed particle hydrodynamics with spatially variable soil properties and statistical rainfall distribution
Authors: Mori Hirotoshi , Chen Xiaoyu , Leung Yat Fai , Shimokawa Daisuke , Lo Man Kong
Published: March 2020

Rainfall-induced landslides have caused significant damage to structures and casualties in the past decades, and it is of great importance to assess the post-failure behavior of slopes. This study proposes a probabilistic framework to evaluate the hazards associated with landslide runout arising from loose-fill slope failures. The failure process is simulated by the smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method, which is capable of capturing large deformations of landslides. The shear strength parameters of the soils are modeled as random variables, and random field simulations are performed to explore the effects of soil variability on the runout distance. In addition, the uncertainty in rainfall characteristics is represented by the Gumbel distribution, with the ensuing rainfall infiltration simulated in multiple seepage analyses to obtain pore pressure profiles in the slope, which are then adopted as initial conditions for the SPH method. Combining these various sources of uncertainty, the hazard factors indicating the risks for nearby structures are quantified based on the response uncertainty in landslide runout distances. To demonstrate this framework, the hazard levels associated with two typical layouts of loose-fill slopes are evaluated, and the results may serve as risk zoning indicators for adjacent developments.
Identification of a C2′-fluorinated SAH analogue
Authors: Labbé Marc-Olivier , Li Fengling , Chau Irene , Xiong Zi-Jian , Santhakumar Vijayaratnam , Dostie Starr , Guindon Yvan
Published: March 2020

The progress towards the development of a nucleoside analogue with inhibitory properties against SETDB1, a histone methyltransferase (HMT), is described. Based on the structure of the natural cofactor S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM), novel fluorinated nucleoside analogues were synthesized. Two of these compounds bearing a C2′-F and C5′-primary amine moiety showed moderate inhibition of SETDB1, a lysine HMT for which there is only one reported inhibitor.
Rapid Auxin-Mediated Cell Expansion
Authors: Du Minmin , Spalding Edgar P. , Gray William M.
Published: March 2020

The promotive effect of auxin on shoot cell expansion provided the bioassay used to isolate this central plant hormone nearly a century ago. While the mechanisms underlying auxin perception and signaling to regulate transcription have largely been elucidated, how auxin controls cell expansion is only now attaining molecular-level definition. The good news is that the decades-old acid growth theory invoking plasma membrane H+-ATPase activation is still useful. The better news is that a mechanistic framework has emerged, wherein Small Auxin Up RNA (SAUR) proteins regulate protein phosphatases to control H+-ATPase activity. In this review, we focus on rapid auxin effects, their relationship to H+-ATPase activation and other transporters, and dependence on TIR1/AFB signaling. We also discuss how some observations, such as near-instantaneous effects on ion transport and root growth, do not fit into a single, comprehensive explanation of how auxin controls cell expansion, and where more research is warranted.
Capacity Recovery Effect in Commercial LiFePO4 / Graphite Cells
Authors: Spingler Franz B. , Naumann Maik , Jossen Andreas
Published: March 2020

We report a significant capacity recovery effect of more than 10% after continuous shallow cycling of commercial LiFePO4/Graphite cells. In a previous study on a LiFePO4/Graphite cell, we observed that capacity losses were more severe with shallow cycles than with full cycles. Herein, the effects of shallow cycling on aging are investigated in detail using three different LiFePO4/Graphite cell models, two 26650-type and one 18650-type. It is shown that a large portion of the capacity losses that occur with shallow cycling can be recovered by holding the cells at 0% or 100% state of charge. Differential voltage analysis and post-mortem experiments suggest that these capacity losses are caused by strongly non-uniform lithium distributions in the electrodes. Hypothetical mechanisms are presented and discussed that could lead to such non-uniform distributions of lithium.
Resistance exercise training promotes fiber type-specific myonuclear adaptations in older adults
Authors: Moro Tatiana , Brightwell Camille R. , Volpi Elena , Rasmussen Blake B. , Fry Christopher S.
Published: March 2020

Aging induces physiological decline in human skeletal muscle function and morphology, including type II fiber atrophy and an increase in type I fiber frequency. Resistance exercise training (RET) is an effective strategy to overcome muscle mass loss and improve strength, with a stronger effect on type II fibers. In the present study, we sought to determine the effect of a 12-wk progressive RET program on the fiber type-specific skeletal muscle hypertrophic response in older adults. Nineteen subjects [10 men and 9 women (71.1 ± 4.3 yr)] were studied before and after the 12-wk program. Immunohistochemical analysis was used to quantify myosin heavy chain (MyHC) isoform expression, cross-sectional area (CSA), satellite cell abundance, myonuclear content, and lipid droplet density. RET induced an increase in MyHC type II fiber frequency and a concomitant decrease in MyHC type I fiber frequency. Mean CSA increased significantly only in MyHC type II fibers (+23.3%, P < 0.05), but myonuclear content increased only in MyHC type I fibers ( P < 0.05), with no change in MyHC type II fibers. Satellite cell content increased ~40% in both fiber types ( P > 0.05). RET induced adaptations to the capillary supply to satellite cells, with the distance between satellite cells and the nearest capillary increasing in type I fibers and decreasing in type II fibers. Both fiber types showed similar decrements in intramuscular lipid density with training ( P < 0.05). Our data provide intriguing evidence for a fiber type-specific response to RET in older adults and suggest flexibility in the myonuclear domain of type II fibers during a hypertrophic stimulus.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY In older adults, progressive resistance exercise training (RET) increased skeletal muscle fiber volume and cross-sectional area independently of myonuclear accretion, leading to an expansion of the myonuclear domain. Fiber type-specific analyses illuminated differential adaptation; type II fibers underwent hypertrophy and exhibited myonuclear domain plasticity, whereas myonuclear accretion occurred in type I fibers in the absence of a robust hypertrophic response. RET also augmented satellite cell-capillary interaction and reduced intramyocellular lipid density to improve muscle quality.
Acute Complete Foot Drop Caused by Intraneural Ganglion Cyst without a Prior Traumatic Event
Authors: Stamiris Stavros , Stamiris Dimitrios , Sarridimitriou Athanasios , Anestiadou Elissavet , Karampalis Christos , Vrangalas Vasileios
Published: March 2020

Intraneural ganglion cysts are benign soft-tissue masses located in the epineurium of peripheral nerves. They originate from nearby joint connections via articular branches. Traumatic events seem to play a role in their pathogenesis as well. Clinical manifestations include pain over the area of the cyst, palpable tender mass, hypoesthesia, and muscle weakness depending on the affected nerve. Our case highlights an uncommon clinical manifestation of this entity with acute foot drop, as the primary symptom, without any previous traumatic event, enriching by this way the current diagnostic thinking process of clinical physicians. We report a case of a 42-year-old military officer who presented to our emergency department with acute foot drop that appeared during a march. Initially, the common peroneal palsy was misdiagnosed as L5-S1 disc herniation, but investigation with lumbar MRI scan led to rejection of our primary diagnosis. After performing EMG of the lower extremity and knee MRI, an intraneural ganglion cyst of the common peroneal nerve was diagnosed. Patient was treated with surgical decompression of the cyst, followed by ligation and complete resection of the articular branch, as well as disarticulation of the superior tibiofibular joint. At a twelve-month follow-up, the patient showed significant functional recovery. This is, to the best of our knowledge, the first case of intraneural ganglion cyst manifested with an acute complete foot drop without a clear prior traumatic event. We underline the need for a high index of suspicion when dealing with cases of acute peroneal palsy without any accompanying symptoms.
Intra‐ and Interrater Reliability of Infrared Image Analysis of Facial Acupoints in Individuals with Facial Paralysis
Authors: Liu Xulong , Feng Jinghui , Luan Jingmin , Dong Chenxi , Fu Hefei , Wu Zhenying
Published: March 2020

Infrared thermography (IRT), as a noncontact tool for temperature measurement, is widely applied in the study of acupuncture modernization. The aim of this study was to assess the intra‐ and interrater reliability of infrared image analysis of facial acupoints of subjects with facial paralysis and determine the factors influencing the variability of the measured values. A total of 26 patients with facial paralysis on one side, aged 26 to 53 years, participated voluntarily in the study. Facial infrared thermal images of all participants were analyzed by two trained raters at two different time points at a one‐week interval. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to determine the intra‐ and interrater reliability of IRT measurements. The ICC values varied depending on the analyzed acupoints. The reliability of temperature measurement ranged from moderate to excellent (intrarater, ICC ranged from 0.669 to 0.990; interrater, ICC ranged from 0.661 to 0.987). The reliability of temperature difference measurement ranged from low to excellent (intrarater, ICC ranged from 0.412 to 0.882; interrater, ICC ranged from 0.334 to 0.828). The main influencing factor of reliability is the incomplete consistency in selecting acupoint positions when repeatedly positioning the same acupoint manually. Despite low reliability of temperature difference measurement at some acupoints, some auxiliary measures can be used to reduce the error of manual positioning. Thus, infrared thermal imaging still has the potential to assist in objective and quantitative research on acupuncture.
Use of the Inferior Whorl for Detecting Age-Related Changes in Human Corneal Subbasal Nerve Plexus with Laser Scanning Confocal Microscopy
Authors: Zhao Kuiqing , Yu Hua , Zheng Xiaofen , Yang Jizhong , Wang Xiaowu , Han Yuping , Jia Lijun , Zhao Juwei
Published: March 2020

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of aging on the corneal subbasal nerve plexus (SNP) by employing a wide-field mapping technique of composite images, scanned at the location of a distinctive spiraled subbasal nerve pattern located 1–2 mm inferior to the corneal apex (the inferior whorl) for SNP structural quantification. Materials and Methods: Central corneal tactile sensitivity (CCTS) and inferior whorl length (IWL) were compared among individuals in 3 age-groups (20–39 years, 40–59 years, and 60–79 years). Statistical analyses constituted the Kruskal-Wallis test, one-way analysis of variance (with the post hoc least significant difference test), Spearman correlation coefficient, and linear regression analysis. Results: CCTS remained stable until the age of 50 years, when it began to decrease; the mean CCTS was 58.15 ± 2.46 mm in the group aged 20–39 years, 55.74 ± 3.85 mm in the group aged 40–59 years, and 50.23 ± 3.27 mm in the group aged 60–79 years. IWL decreased with increasing age, with a corresponding linear decline of 0.2088 mm/mm2 per year, and the mean IWL was 25.43 ± 4.50 mm/mm2 in the group aged 20–39 years, 22.71 ± 6.19 mm/mm2 in the group aged 40–59 years, and 18.60 ± 4.21 mm/mm2 in the group aged 60–79 years. Conclusion: Our work provided a more accurate and repeatable method for corneal nerve analysis using laser scanning confocal microscopy. By using this technique, we confirmed that aging is associated with progressive reduction in subbasal nerve length.
Vascular Density of the Anterior Segment of the Eye Determined by Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography and Slit-Lamp Photography
Authors: Aicher Nina Teresa , Nagahori Katsuya , Inoue Makoto , Itoh Yuji , Hirakata Akito
Published: March 2020

Objective: To determine the vascular density of the anterior segment (AS) of the eye from optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) images and slit-lamp photographs. Methods: A swept-source OCTA (Plex Elite 9000; Carl Zeiss) device modified with a +10-diopter lens was used to record the vasculature of the AS. Twenty eyes, including 4 eyes of 4 healthy subjects and 16 eyes of 12 patients scheduled for cataract surgery or combined vitrectomy and cataract surgery, were studied. The slit-lamp photographs of the AS were acquired concurrently with the AS-OCTA images. The vascular density was measured preoperatively and postoperatively in the nasal, temporal, superior, and inferior quadrants after binarization with ImageJ software. Results: Acceptable AS-OCTA images were obtained of 65% (superior), 80% (nasal), 70% (inferior), and 80% (temporal) of the eyes. The percentage of acceptable images was significantly lower in the superior quadrant among the AS-OCTA images than among the AS photographs (100%; p = 0.004). The vascular density determined by AS-OCTA was higher than that determined in the AS photographs in all quadrants (p = 0.011 to <0.001). The AS-OCTA B-mode images showed that vascular flow was identified mainly between the conjunctiva and sclera but not in the ciliary body. The vascular density increased significantly after cataract surgery in the superior quadrant, which was significantly correlated with the location of the surgical incision (p = 0.03). Conclusion: AS-OCTA can obtain images with higher vascular density of the conjunctiva and sclera than slit-lamp photographs, and AS-OCTA images can show a postoperative increase in vascular density.
Sex Differences in 1‐Year Health Status Following Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Patients Without Acute Myocardial Infarction: Results From the China PEACE Prospective Study
Authors: Zheng Xin , Dreyer Rachel P. , Curtis Jeptha P. , Liu Shuling , Xu Xiao , Bai Xueke , Li Xi , Zhang Haibo , Wang Siming , Masoudi Frederick A. , Spertus John A. , Li Jing , Krumholz Harlan M. ,   for the China PEACE Collaborative Group
Published: March 2020

Background

Sex differences in health status outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention among patients without acute myocardial infarction are not well described.

Methods and Results

A total of 2237 patients (33.4% women) without acute myocardial infarction undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention were enrolled from 39 Chinese tertiary hospitals in the PEACE (China Patient‐centered Evaluative Assessment of Cardiac Events) prospective percutaneous coronary intervention study. Data were collected immediately before and 1 year following percutaneous coronary intervention. Health status was measured using the disease‐specific Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ) Angina Frequency and Quality of Life domains, as well as the SAQ Summary Score. Among the study population, women were older, more often single, had lower levels of education, and had a higher prevalence of cardiac risk factors such as hypertension and diabetes mellitus. Women had lower mean 1‐year SAQ Angina Frequency scores (mean±SD, 91.0±17.3 versus 93.9±13.3;
P
<0.01), SAQ Quality of Life scores (mean±SD, 67.3±23.0 versus 70.6±21.6;
P
<0.01), and SAQ Summary Scores (mean±SD, 81.6±13.8 versus 84.8±11.9;
P
<0.01), a difference of marginal clinical significance that persisted after multivariable adjustment. A slightly larger improvement in the SAQ Summary Score was observed in women as compared with men (20.9±22.6 versus 18.5±21.3;
P
=0.007) in unadjusted analysis. However, women were less likely to achieve clinically significant improvement in SAQ Angina Frequency (adjusted odds ratio, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.45–1.00) and SAQ Quality of Life (adjusted odds ratio, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.56–0.96) after adjustment.

Conclusions

There were no clinically significant differences in 1‐year health status outcomes and improvement in health status by sex among patients without acute myocardial infarction following percutaneous coronary intervention. However, female sex was associated with poorer 1‐year health status and a lower likelihood of experiencing clinically improvement in health status.

Clinical Trial Registration

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/
. Unique identifier: NCT01624922.
Into the Forger’s Library: The Genesis of De natura rerum in Publication History
Authors: Hirai Hiro
Published: March 2020

One of the most popular writings ascribed to Paracelsus, De natura rerum appeared in 1572. That was when the movement of forgery production reached its climax, in parallel with the multiple editions of his genuine work Archidoxis. This article aims to place the genesis of De natura rerum in the context of publication history. It will first reconstruct a “library” by surveying the works ascribed to Paracelsus which could serve as instruments for the “author/reworker/editor” of De natura rerum. Then it will examine the evolution of this forgery production by focusing on the divergent editions of Archidoxis from 1569 to 1572.
Muffling the Fimbifimbi
Authors: Arich-Gerz Bruno
Published: March 2020

After a South African air raid attack against the liberation-struggling independence movement of their parents, more than four hundred young Namibian refugees—preschoolers, primary school pupils and teenagers—arrived in the German Democratic Republic in 1979. This chapter evaluates representations of the deportation of the children and their experiences in the GDR by looking at (auto)biographical depictions. With regard to the question of whether their spectacular life stories have (co-)shaped the prevailing post-independence national narrative of Namibia or not, their own perspective yields both an unambiguous and, given the conditions under which they had been sent on their odyssey in the first place, surprising result. While the former exile children have ultimately been denied the privilege of being part of the country’s elite, they do not seem to resent their near invisibility in these self-images of the nation, and seem to have come to terms with their situation (and identity) as Africans with a German past.
Literature Struggles
Authors: Chapman Michael
Published: March 2020

Literature struggles in South Africa—or, struggles of interpretation?—evince, and continue to evince, a thematic and stylistic impulse to belong to a common society, but, paradoxically, a society that is often more disjunctive than conjunctive. How, then, to belong? I trace the trajectory from the black-and-white voices of the 1970s to a more heterogeneous conception of the society, after apartheid, and particularly over the last decade, or so. What is peculiar about literature struggles is that the heroic mode has played a relatively marginal role in sense-making or imaginative projection; rather, the critical insight ensures that political language—too often crude in its singularities of either/or—has seldom enjoyed the unalloyed assent of literary language. Considerations of nation-building hardly feature alongside the concerns of living in a functioning society.
(Un)sung Heroines
Authors: van der Westhuizen Christi
Published: March 2020

In the South African War (1899–1902), Boer women emerged as more heroic than their men folk. When Boer leaders succumbed to a truce, much discursive work ensued to domesticate Boer women anew in the face of their recalcitrance in accepting a peace deal with the British. But attempts to re-feminise Boer women and elevate Boer men to their ‘rightful’ position as patriarchs faltered in the topsy-turvy after the war. The figure of the volksmoeder, or mother of the nation, provided a nodal category that combined feminine care for the family and the volk, or fledgling Afrikaner nation, but the heroic narrative was increasingly displaced by the symbol of self-sacrificial, silent and passive motherhood, thereby obscuring women’s political activism. Today, a re-remembering of volksmoeder heroism, combined with feminist politics based on the democratic-era Constitution, opens up possibilities of Afrikaners breaking out of their white exclusivism to join the nascent democratic South African nation.
Comparing the Namibian and South African Liberation Struggles
Authors: Saunders Chris
Published: March 2020

This essay is a preliminary attempt to compare the ways in which the liberation struggles in Namibia and South Africa have been memorialised, both in non-fiction writing about the two struggles and in monuments, memorials and museums. Such a comparison needs to be undertaken through contextualising the two struggles. Though they have some similar features, the ways they have been memorialised are strikingly different, with the armed struggle having been given much greater emphasis in Namibia than in South Africa.
Contribution to the aphid fauna (Homoptera, Aphidinea) of the Taymyrsky Dolgano-Nenetsky District and the krai city of Norilsk, with descriptions of two new species of the genus Metopolophium
Authors: STEKOLSHCHIKOV ANDREY V. , KHRULEVA OLGA A.
Published: March 2020

The aphid fauna of the Taymyrsky Dolgano-Nenetsky District and the krai city of Norilsk (Russia) was studied; 50 species are reported from this territory, the most northern of the Palaeartic Region. Eight aphid species were collected in tundra landscapes (3 of the 5 species found in the northern part are adventive), 25 species in the forest-tundra strip, and 32 species in the northern taiga subzone. Two new species, Metopolophium arcticum sp. nov. and Metopolophium taimyricum sp. nov., are described from the tundra of the Taymyr  Peninsula. Their generic placement and systematic relationships to other closely related species are discussed, as is the distribution of Metopolophium species in the polar region.
How Rare Was the August 2016 South-Central Louisiana Heavy Rainfall Event?
Authors: Brown Vincent M. , Keim Barry D. , Kappel William D. , Hultstrand Douglas M. , Peyrefitte Ashton G. , Black Alan W. , Steinhilber Kristi M. , Muhlestein Geoffrey A.
Published: March 2020

This study examines the spatiotemporal characteristics of the historic 10–14 August 2016 south-central Louisiana precipitation event. The storm was the result of a moisture-rich, tropical low pressure system, also known as a tropical easterly wave, that slowly tracked westward along the Gulf Coast from Florida to Texas. Once over south-central Louisiana, the storm was able to take advantage of anomalously high precipitable water, broad low-level instability, and continuous moisture inflow from the Gulf of Mexico to produce historic rainfall. Totals exceeded 254 mm (10 in.) for much of southern Louisiana, while locations adjacent to Baton Rouge and Lafayette received upward of 635 mm (25 in.). One station measured a 48-h rainfall total of 797.3 mm (31.39 in.)—the greatest 48-h total on record for Louisiana. Using calibrated radar data, the Storm Precipitation Analysis System (SPAS) revealed that one location likely received >864 mm (34 in.) of precipitation during the duration of the storm, well over the estimated 1000-yr return interval. A synoptic discussion of the event and analysis of the storm’s recurrence interval helps place this storm in a historical context.
A Process-Based Validation of GPM IMERG and Its Sources Using a Mesoscale Rain Gauge Network in the West African Forest Zone
Authors: Maranan Marlon , Fink Andreas H. , Knippertz Peter , Amekudzi Leonard K. , Atiah Winifred A. , Stengel Martin
Published: March 2020

Using a two-year dataset (2016–17) from 17 one-minute rain gauges located in the moist forest region of Ghana, the performance of Integrated Multisatellite Retrievals for GPM, version 6b (IMERG), is evaluated based on a subdaily time scale, down to the level of the underlying passive microwave (PMW) and infrared (IR) sources. Additionally, the spaceborne cloud product Cloud Property Dataset Using SEVIRI, edition 2 (CLAAS-2), available every 15 min, is used to link IMERG rainfall to cloud-top properties. Several important issues are identified: 1) IMERG’s proneness to low-intensity false alarms, accounting for more than a fifth of total rainfall; 2) IMERG’s overestimation of the rainfall amount from frequently occurring weak convective events, while that of relatively rare but strong mesoscale convective systems is underestimated, resulting in an error compensation; and 3) a decrease of skill during the little dry season in July and August, known to feature enhanced low-level cloudiness and warm rain. These findings are related to 1) a general oversensitivity for clouds with low ice and liquid water path and a particular oversensitivity for low cloud optical thickness, a problem which is slightly reduced for direct PMW overpasses; 2) a pronounced negative bias for high rain intensities, strongest when IR data are included; and 3) a large fraction of missed events linked with rainfall out of warm clouds, which are inherently misinterpreted by IMERG and its sources. This paper emphasizes the potential of validating spaceborne rainfall products with high-resolution rain gauges on a subdaily time scale, particularly for the understudied West African region.
Teacher Performance Appraisal Regulation: A Policy Case Analysis
Authors: Dandalt Ed , Brutus Stephane
Published: March 2020

This article uses an analysis of the language used in the Teacher Performance Appraisal Technical Requirements Manual in Ontario to highlight some procedural issues. Arguably, the existence of flaws in the teacher evaluation system is not only limited to evaluation practices but is also embedded in evaluation regulations. Furthermore, the article provides a novel example of how a study of teacher evaluation systems can go beyond teachers’ perspectives of evaluation practices and can also consider teacher evaluation regulations as a source of empirical inquiry and a form of knowledge.
Increased dopamine availability magnifies nicotine effects on cognitive control: A pilot study
Authors: Ahrens Stefan , Laux Joana , Müller Christina , Thiel Christiane M
Published: March 2020

Introduction and objectives:

The ability to adapt to new task demands flexibly and to stabilise performance in the presence of distractors is termed cognitive control and is mediated by dopaminergic and cholinergic neurotransmission. We aimed to test the hypothesis that the effect of the cholinergic agonist nicotine on cognitive control depends on baseline dopamine levels.

Methods:

Thirty-eight healthy non-smokers (16 males; Mage=24.05 years) performed a cognitive control task including distractor and switch trials twice. Subjects were split into two parallel groups. One group received 2 g of L-tyrosine two hours prior to testing to manipulate dopamine availability experimentally, while the other group received placebo on both days. One hour later, both groups received in a within-subject design: on one day, a 7 mg nicotine patch; on the other day, a matched placebo. Response time costs for distractor and switch trials served as measures of cognitive stability and flexibility.

Results:

Nicotinic modulation reduced response time costs in switch trials and increased costs in distractor trials (nicotine×condition, p=0.027) with a trend-wise interaction between nicotine, L-tyrosine and trial type (nicotine×L-tyrosine×condition, p=0.068), which was due to stronger nicotine effects under L-tyrosine.

Conclusions:

Our data provide preliminary evidence that nicotine has opponent effects on cognitive stability and flexibility. Subjects who received the dopamine precursor L-tyrosine were more prone to nicotine effects on behaviours, which are improvements in cognitive flexibility at the cost of decreased cognitive stability.
The hybrid Project-Based Learning–Flipped Classroom: A design project module redesigned to foster learning and engagement
Authors: Chua KJ , Islam MR
Published: March 2020

We present the design and implementation of a blended learning environment where fundamental concepts belonging to a flipped classroom paradigm are applied to a project-based learning module. Several in-class and out-class activities are employed pivoting on the objective of improving students’ learning experiences in an engineering project-connected curriculum. The key idea of this pedagogy study is to structure most of the theoretical aspects of the subject matter in pre-recorded video lectures, online media platforms, learning materials and quizzes. For students exposed to the hybrid Project-Based Learning–Flipped Classroom pedagogy, it is mandatory for them to watch the video lectures and partake the online quizzes before coming to class. Accordingly, studio classes are not spent covering theories, instead time is spent on discussions and small-scale engineering demonstrations so that students have better perspectives on the actual application of theories. We compared results from two classes of students – one is subjected to a traditional project-based learning while the other undergoes a hybrid Project-Based Learning–Flipped Classroom. Key findings have indicated a significant increase in fundamental formative knowledge, enhanced problem-solving abilities and production of better performing artefacts with regard to the set of design skills for students undergoing hybrid Project-Based Learning–Flipped Classroom. Survey results further highlighted that Project-Based Learning–Flipped Classroom students were highly positive towards achieving better project outcomes and are able to think critically in developing creative artefacts. As a result, these Project-Based Learning–Flipped Classroom students are more active in their learning process. This study provides a reference platform for educators who are seeking new directions in learning/facilitating strategies that complement existing methods in order to enrich the project-based learning experience of students.
Gut microbiota in surgical and critically ill patients
Authors: Ho Kwok M , Kalgudi Shankar , Corbett Jade-Marie , Litton Edward
Published: March 2020

Microbiota—defined as a collection of microbial organisms colonising different parts of the human body—is now recognised as a pivotal element of human health, and explains a large part of the variance in the phenotypic expression of many diseases. A reduction in microbiota diversity, and replacement of normal microbes with non-commensal, pathogenic or more virulent microbes in the gastrointestinal tract—also known as gut dysbiosis—is now considered to play a causal role in the pathogenesis of many acute and chronic diseases. Results from animal and human studies suggest that dysbiosis is linked to cardiovascular and metabolic disease through changes to microbiota-derived metabolites, including trimethylamine-N-oxide and short-chain fatty acids. Dysbiosis can occur within hours of surgery or the onset of critical illness, even without the administration of antibiotics. These pathological changes in microbiota may contribute to important clinical outcomes, including surgical infection, bowel anastomotic leaks, acute kidney injury, respiratory failure and brain injury. As a strategy to reduce dysbiosis, the use of probiotics (live bacterial cultures that confer health benefits) or synbiotics (probiotic in combination with food that encourages the growth of gut commensal bacteria) in surgical and critically ill patients has been increasingly reported to confer important clinical benefits, including a reduction in ventilator-associated pneumonia, bacteraemia and length of hospital stay, in small randomised controlled trials. However, the best strategy to modulate dysbiosis or counteract its potential harms remains uncertain and requires investigation by a well-designed, adequately powered, randomised controlled trial.
Bladder schistosomiasis in Italy: A case report
Authors: Fabiano Marco , Califano Alfonso , Chiancone Francesco , D’Antonio Antonio , Maiorino Francesco , Simeone Davide , Silvestre Gianmarco , Altieri Vincenzo
Published: March 2020

Introduction:

Human schistosomiasis is a snail-borne disease caused by parasitic blood-dwelling flukes. A long-term infection can lead to the risk of liver damage, kidney failure, infertility, or bladder cancer. The most common sign is hematuria with the blood first seen in the terminal urine, but in severe cases the whole urine sample can be dark colored. We analyze the case of a healthy African child living in Italy since birth, harboring a hidden debilitating disease that was picked up during ultrasonography.

Case Report:

A 11-year-old African child was admitted to our emergency department with macroscopic hematuria, dysuria, and frequency for 2 months. Ultrasonography revealed a solid mass involving bladder’s right wall. Non-contrast and contrast-enhanced scans of computerized tomography showed a mass of 45 mm x 15 mm on the right bladder wall. A bipolar transurethral resection of bladder was performed. The pathological examination showed findings consistent with Schistosoma haematobium.

Discussion:

The clinical manifestations of schistosomiasis depend on the inflammatory response to the parasitic infection. In particular, it can manifest in the bladder as painless dysuria, urinary incontinence and urinary frequency, hematuria, or even urinary retention if the trigone is involved. Utilization of ultrasonography for diagnostic evaluation of schistosomiasis is mandatory. For treatment, the World Health Organization recommends praziquantel which has an efficacy of up to 90%.
An evaluation and review of English language pre-exposure prophylaxis websites and YouTube videos
Authors: Whiteley Laura , Healy Meredith G , Lowery Ashley , Haubrick Kayla K , Brown Larry K
Published: March 2020

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a promising HIV prevention strategy in which antiretroviral medications are taken to prevent HIV infection. PrEP was approved as an HIV prevention method in the United States in 2012 for individuals aged 18 years and older. Since its approval, there has been a growing amount of online content about PrEP targeted to general, non-medical, audiences. However, this online information is under-studied and under-evaluated. Two raters catalogued and coded PrEP material written in the English language from 61 websites and 58 YouTube videos for educational content, credibility, usability, and interactivity. The online material was catalogued and searched for between September 2017 and April 2018. Online PrEP material showed deficiencies in each of these content areas, however, there is a significant amount of publicly accessible online content available about PrEP. This content could be packaged, used, and tested in a prevention intervention to improve PrEP uptake and engagement in care.
Foreign Direct Investment, Exports and Long-term Economic Growth in Alabama: A Co-integration Analysis
Authors: Castello Sergio , Biswas Anindya
Published: March 2020

This article provides a state-specific co-integration study by linking exports and foreign direct investment (FDI) to economic growth in Alabama. The study aims to determine how much of Alabama’s economic growth is driven by exports. Mercedes-Benz and its announcement of a US$600 million investment in 1993 started a surge of FDI and exports never seen before in the state accelerating its long-run economic growth path. Twenty years later, Mercedes-Benz has invested over US$4.5 billion and can produce 300,000 vehicles per year. This study analyses the importance of exports and FDI in the Alabama economy and establishes significant evidence of the positive relationship between Total Gross Domestic Product for Alabama (ALNGSP) and its exports from 1999 to 2017, whereas it does not find a statistically significant impact of the FDI on Alabama’s growth. We conclude that Alabama needs to focus on three main policies to continue its economic success. First, it needs to continue to attract FDI in these sectors to build a vast supplier network. Second, Alabama must allocate new investments in infrastructure and finally, it needs to continue to be a friendly state to businesses, providing skilled labour, low corporate taxes and less bureaucracy.

JEL: C82, L62, O51
Disclosure of disability in the Australian Public Service: What the statistics tell us
Authors: Gray Patricia
Published: March 2020

What can large datasets tell us about the propensity of workers to disclose their disability? By comparing two large employee-based datasets from the same underlying population, this study aims to identify patterns of disability disclosure across age, gender, education, and public service classification levels. Data are obtained from the Australian Public Service Employment Database (150,000+ employees), a collection of information of every federal Australian public employee, and the APS State of the Service Employee Census (100,000+ respondents), an anonymous, non-compulsory survey of the same population. People with a disability who have not disclosed to their agency may be captured in the anonymous survey. The two datasets are compared regarding how many individuals have a disability at each variable (i.e. male/female, etc.). The data show that patterns of disclosure do differ across job classification levels and age, but not by gender or education levels.
Real-time, MinION-based, amplicon sequencing for lineage typing of infectious bronchitis virus from upper respiratory samples
Authors: Butt Salman L. , Erwood Eric C. , Zhang Jian , Sellers Holly S. , Young Kelsey , Lahmers Kevin K. , Stanton James B.
Published: March 2020

Infectious bronchitis (IB) causes significant economic losses in the global poultry industry. Control of IB is hindered by the genetic diversity of the causative agent, infectious bronchitis virus (IBV), which has led to the emergence of several serotypes that lack complete serologic cross-protection. Although serotyping requires immunologic characterization, genotyping is an efficient means to identify IBVs detected in samples. Sanger sequencing of the S1 subunit of the spike gene is currently used to genotype IBV; however, the universal S1 PCR was created to work from cultured IBV, and it is inefficient at detecting multiple viruses in a single sample. We describe herein a MinION-based, amplicon-based sequencing (AmpSeq) method that genetically categorized IBV from clinical samples, including samples with multiple IBVs. Total RNA was extracted from 15 tracheal scrapings and choanal cleft swab samples, randomly reverse transcribed, and PCR amplified using modified S1-targeted primers. Amplicons were barcoded to allow for pooling of samples, processed per manufacturer’s instructions into a 1D MinION sequencing library, and then sequenced on the MinION. The AmpSeq method detected IBV in 13 of 14 IBV-positive samples. AmpSeq accurately detected and genotyped both IBV lineages in 3 of 5 samples containing 2 IBV lineages. Additionally, 1 sample contained 3 IBV lineages, and AmpSeq accurately detected 2 of the 3 lineages. Strain identification, including detection of different IBVs from the same lineage, was also possible with this AmpSeq method. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of using MinION-based AmpSeq for rapid and accurate identification and lineage typing of IBV from oral swab samples.
Off-Label Therapeutic Potential of Crisaborole
Authors: Makins Caitlyn , Sanghera Ravina , Grewal Parbeer S.
Published: March 2020

Crisaborole, a topical phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitor, was recently approved in 2016 for the treatment of mild to moderate atopic dermatitis in adults and children greater than 2 years of age. Since that time, several case reports and a small randomized controlled trial have been published regarding the off-label use of crisaborole for the treatment of other inflammatory dermatologic disorders. This paper reviews the current, albeit limited, evidence for off-label use of crisaborole for psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis, vitiligo, and inflammatory linear verrucous epidermal nevus. Additional potential therapeutic uses for crisaborole are also postulated, based on its mechanism of action. Future studies are required to elucidate the full therapeutic potential of crisaborole; however, it is a welcome addition to the current nonsteroid topical treatments for inflammatory dermatologic disease.
Sound absorption properties for multi-layer of composite materials using nonwoven fabrics with kapok
Authors: Liu Xueting , Tang Xiaoning , Deng Zhongmin
Published: March 2020

Kapok fiber with high degree of hollow and small fiber diameter has excellent sound absorption. To optimize the sound absorption characters at the low frequency, sound absorption coefficients and specific surface impedance of two-layer, three-layer, and four-layer materials as polyethylene film-reinforced kapok fiber nonwoven fabrics have been studied by using the impedance tube method in the frequency range of 100–2500 Hz. The layering sequence, the polyethylene films thickness, and the gradient thickness structure of nonwoven fabrics affected the sound absorption properties at the low frequency for multi-layer materials that have been analyzed. The results show that the multi-layer composite materials have better sound absorption than a single-layer nonwoven fabrics at the low frequency. The elastic vibration of polyethylene film contributes to sound absorption improvement at the low frequency. The sound absorption at the low frequency of multi-layer materials can be further improved by changing polyethylene film position or increasing polyethylene film thickness. In addition, the gradient thickness structure of nonwoven fabrics can effectively improve sound absorption at the low frequency, and the gradient change direction also exhibits remarkable effects on the sound absorption of multi-layer materials.
Ready to perform? A qualitative-analytic investigation into professional football goalkeepers’ match warm-ups
Authors: Otte Fabian W , Millar Sarah-Kate , Klatt Stefanie
Published: March 2020

Match warm-ups in association football represent well-respected practice in order to prepare and optimise performance. While the structure of warm-ups is commonly studied from a physiological perspective, the skill and performance training approaches influencing warm-ups prior to major professional football competition appear to be particularly underexplored. Using the largely under-researched context of the football goalkeeper, the aim of this multi-method research design was to investigate two overarching research questions: (1) how are professional football goalkeeper match warm-ups structured? and (2) why does current coaching practice of expert goalkeeper coaches support this microstructure? Eleven systematic observations investigated the microstructure and training approaches applied to top-level professional football goalkeeper match warm-ups and seven semi-structured interviews with expert goalkeeper coaches further explored current coaching practice in this specific context. Results indicate that professional football goalkeeper warm-up structures include similar microstructures that progress in complexity and contain both simple ‘technical’ and more match-representative ‘applied skills’ exercises. Underlying reasons for goalkeeper coaches adhering to the observed warm-up structures are based on experts’ understanding of applying an athlete-centred coaching approach. Hereof, goalkeeper coaches stated warm-up routines to be individualised towards goalkeeper’s needs and focused on performance stability in order to make goalkeepers feel ‘match-ready’ and confident.
General Practitioners’ Experiences of Digital Written Patient Dialogues: A Pilot Study Using a Mixed Method
Authors: Johansson Anders , Larsson Monica , Ivarsson Bodil
Published: March 2020

Background: The path between patients and health care providers has adopted new advanced information technologies. However, opinions vary about the digital care meeting. Physicians have expressed concerns about increased workload, changes in working methods, and information security. Purpose: To explore physicians’ experiences and satisfaction of digital primary health care. Method: A convergent mixed method was used. First, participants completed a quantitative questionnaire survey with fixed response options described as index values (IV, 0-1.0), supplemented with a 10-point Likert-type scale, estimating satisfaction. Second, a qualitative interview used critical incident technique (CIT) to offer more complete context. Data were collected during 2 months in 2019; 6 general practitioners (GPs) participated. Results: The GPs described good experiences of the concept (IV 0.65), corresponding to a median satisfaction value of 6.5 (interquartile range 5-9,). CIT emerged into 2 main areas; “Hovering between traditional and digital primary health care” and “Using active strategies to handle the digital care system.” GPs experienced that the concept offered a good flow, an asynchronous working approach was used. GPs also stated present chat design was a good complement to traditional forms of primary health care, and the benefits of being able to read patients’ self-described history were considered a significant patient safety factor. However, the GPs felt that a predetermined symptom list were not suitable for all patients. Conclusion: Study results suggest the present design using digital written patient dialogues complements traditional primary healthcare. GPs described satisfaction and expressed good experiences of the concept, although further development of the design is needed.
Degenerative Cervical Disorder—Stand-alone Cage Versus Cage and Cervical Plate: A Systematic Review
Authors: Boer Luis Fernando Ricci , Zorzetto Eduardo , Yeh Felipe , Wajchenberg Marcelo , Martins Delio E.
Published: March 2020

Study Design:

Systematic review.

Objectives:

The objective of this study was to compare clinical and radiological outcomes following discectomy and anterior cervical fusion for the treatment of cervical degenerative disorder performed with stand-alone cages and anterior cervical plates.

Methods:

Electronic searches were performed in the MEDLINE, LILACS, and Cochrane Systematic Reviews databases, according to PRISMA guidelines, with no language or date restriction. The review was registered in PROSPERO under number CRD42018109180.

Results:

Six randomized clinical trials were selected, which evaluated at least one of the objectives of this work, such as pain control, bone consolidation, neurological symptoms, and cervical lordosis, thus satisfying the inclusion criteria. Articles that did not directly compare the 2 surgical techniques were excluded. A total of 309 patients were included and the results showed no significant difference in clinical (visual analogue scale and neck disability index) or radiological (cervical lordosis and fusion) outcome between the 2 groups. The operative time was shorter in the group with stand-alone cages (mean difference = −18.40; 95% CI = [−24.89, −11.92]; P < .66).

Conclusion:

The stand-alone cages and anterior cervical plate techniques have similar clinical and radiological outcomes. Despite the significantly shorter operative time for one group, other randomized clinical trials are needed to establish conclusive evidence in favor of one of the comparative treatments.