bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ensino Inclusivo de Pensamento Computacional: um Relato de Experiência
Authors: Silva Natália , Santos Igor , Orleans Luís
Published: January 2020

O objetivo deste trabalho é apresentar experiências adquiridas no projeto Computação para Todos, que busca ensinar fundamentos do Pensamento Computacional (PC) a crianças do ensino fundamental, de forma inclusiva. Uma metodologia inicial foi testada e adaptada, para que alunos com necessidades especiais recebessem o mesmo conteúdo que alunos sem estas necessidades. As aulas mostraram conteúdos de Computação Desplugada, programação com blocos e Python. Resultados preliminares mostraram que a abordagem usada em programação com blocos não foi crucial para aprender Python, e que, além de habilidades de PC, habilidades como concentração, memória e organização também foram estimuladas e aprimoradas, inclusive nos alunos com necessidades especiais. A fase atual do projeto consiste na elaboração de um curso, para professores e profissionais da educação, de formação continuada em PC, baseando-se nas experiências vivenciadas durante a criação e teste da metodologia inclusiva inicial.
ML-SAI: Um Modelo Pedagógico para Atividades de M-Learning que Integra a Abordagem da Sala de Aula Invertida
Authors: Martins Ernane , Gouveia Luís
Published: January 2020

Este presente trabalho tem como objetivo apresentar uma análise das estratégias do modelo pedagógico ML-SAI, o qual foi desenvolvido para orientar atividades de m-learning, fundamentado na Teoria da Sala de Aula Invertida (SAI). Para tal foi realizada uma pesquisa bibliográfica sobre os modelos pedagógicos, os aspectos relacionados à m-learning, os princípios básicos da SAI e apresenta-se a estrutura e estratégias do ML-SAI. A seguir, analisou-se os resultados encontrados com a experimentação do modelo, na disciplina de introdução a programação, promovendo algumas reflexões e considerações sobre o mesmo. Estas analises revelaram, que o modelo, colabora positivamente com a aquisição de conhecimentos e competências.
Um Survey sobre a Aprendizagem de Programação no Curso de Sistemas de Informação
Authors: Viana Gralicene , Lopes Albert , Portela Carlos , Oliveira Sandro
Published: January 2020

A lógica de programação é a base para a área da Computação, pois permite desenvolver a habilidade de resolução de problemas e o pensamento computacional. No entanto, devido ao grau de dificuldade e compreensão dos seus conceitos, as disciplinas que envolvem a lógica de programação apresentam um alto índice de reprovação. Neste contexto, esta pesquisa objetiva investigar como os alunos do curso de Sistemas de Informação da Universidade Federal do Pará aprendem a programar. Assim, aplicou-se o método de survey com 80 alunos, a fim de coletar e analisar dados sobre a aprendizagem de programação. O principal resultado obtido foi a identificação da relação entre o conhecimento prévio e o desempenho em disciplinas que envolvam programação e as estratégias de aprendizagem que os alunos utilizam para aprender a programar.
Pratique OBI: Um recurso de apoio a treinos para a modalidade Iniciação da Olimpíada Brasileira de Informática
Authors: Solórzano Ana , Schneider Cassiano , Charão Andrea
Published: January 2020

A Olimpíada Brasileira de Informática (OBI) é um evento anual voltado a alunos da educaçãoo básica. Na modalidade Iniciação, em que resolvemse problemas de lógica sem o uso de computador, um método de estudo é a resolusão de provas anteriores. Em todo o Brasil, projetos oferecem treinos para alunos interessados na OBI, porém a seleção de questões específicas para compor aulas e simulados pode ser trabalhosa. Neste artigo, apresenta-se Pratique OBI, um sistema web que visa auxiliar no treino de participantes na modalidade Iniciaçãoo, através da criação de provas personalizadas e consulta simplificada a questões. O sistema passou por testes com usuários experientes em tutorar treinos para a OBI, incorporando melhorias que estão acessíveis à comunidade.
Programando para inclusão - experiências e lições aprendidas
Authors: Silva Thais Regina de Moura Braga , Braga e Silva Gláucia
Published: January 2020

Este artigo apresenta um relato de experiências e lições aprendidas durante a execução de um programa de extensão que promove ações para atrair, acolher e manter meninas nos cursos de Computação e Informática. Esse programa foi iniciado em 2015 na Universidade Federal de Viçosa - campus Florestal em parceria com uma escola pública da cidade de Florestal - Minas Gerais.
Participação de Alunas nos Cursos de Computação na Percepção de Alunos e Ex-alunos
Authors: Brum Rafaela , Da Costa Rosa Maria E. Moreira , Araújo Aletéia Patrícia F. , Werneck Vera Maria B. , De Castro Maria Clicia Steling
Published: January 2020

This paper describes results of a research carried out with students and alumni of undergraduate courses from the technological area of different universities. It aimed to raise perceptions related to the issue of the low number of women in these courses, mainly in the courses related to the computing area and in the labor market.
O uso da programação para atração de mulheres à computação: relatos de experiência
Authors: Dos Santos Juliana M. Oliveira , Pereira Karen A. dos S. , Santos Débora Abdalla
Published: January 2020

Este artigo apresenta um relato das experiências do Projeto Meninas Digitais ­Regional Bahia com o objetivo de despertar o interesse de mulheres para a área de computação por meio do ensino de programação de computadores. Ao longo do artigo, as estratégias de acompanhamento do progresso das alunas, as metodologias de ensino e os resultados das turmas do Curso de Iniciação à Programação de Computadores e da turma do Curso de Programação JavaScript com Jogos são discutidos.
Mulheres e Desenvolvimento de Jogos: essa conjunção já existe?
Authors: Fontoura Mariana Michels , De Oliveira Leander , Amaral Marília A.
Published: January 2020

Quais barreiras encontram as mulheres desenvolvedoras de jogos no Brasil? Ao longo deste artigo pretende-se analisar alguns mecanismos que afastam mulheres dasáreas de desenvolvimento de jogos. Será apresentada uma análise bibliográfica afim de discutir estas questões e compreender como as mulheres estão envolvidas no processo de desenvolvimento de jogos.
Technovation Hackday @ ICMC-USP Um instrumento de difusão e articulação de meninas na computação
Authors: Ridel Daniela , Tridico Sabrina , Branco Luiz Henrique Castelo , Maldonado José Carlos , Branco Kalinka Castelo
Published: January 2020

Com o intuito de permitir que alunas do ensino médio e fundamental da cidade de São Carlos e região pudessem descobrir e desvendar o universo do Technovation Challenge, o Instituto de Ciências Matemáticas e de Computação da Universidade de São Paulo (ICMC-USP) promoveu o Technovation Hackday que reuniu 74 estudantes mulheres entre 10 e 18 anos, de escolas públicas e privadas, para aprenderem mais sobre computação e empreendedorismo. Esse artigo tem por objetivo apresentar e discutir a experiência do ICMC/USP ao realizar o Technovation Hackday como um instrumento de difusão e articulação de alunas na computação.
WorkflowSim4RL: Aprendizado por Reforço Aplicado ao Escalonamento de Workflows Científicos em Nuvens
Authors: Olimpio Victor , Nascimento André , Paes Aline , De Oliveira Daniel
Published: January 2020

Ambientes de Nuvem são amplamente utilizados para a execução de experimentos científicos modelados como workflows. Muitos Sistemas de Gerência de Workflows Científicos (SGWfC) oferecem apoio a execuções na nuvem. Em geral, esses SGWfCs possuem um escalonador de atividades que segue um modelo de custo bem definido. Um problema de se criar modelos de custos para escalonar workflows na nuvem é que precisamos modelar manualmente grande parte das características do ambiente. Entretanto, eventos como migração de máquinas virtuais ou flutuações de desempenho não são facilmente modelados. De forma a gerar um escalonamento sem a necessidade de modelar todas as características do ambiente de antemão, esse artigo propõe um simulador chamado WorkflowSim4RL que utiliza técnicas de Aprendizado por Reforço (AR - da área de aprendizado de máquina) para descobrir como melhor escalonar as ativações do workflow. Por meio do AR o escalonador não necessita conhecer todas as características do ambiente e do workflow sendo executado. Experimentos com traces de workflows reais mostraram a viabilidade da proposta.
Análise de Algoritmos de Clusterização para Experimentos Randomizados em Redes Sociais de Larga Escala
Authors: Nogueira Bruno Demattos , Azevedo Francisco Galuppo , Murai Fabricio , Da Silva Ana Paula Couto
Published: January 2020

Grandes empresas realizam testes A/B para estimar o efeito de mudanças nos seus websites. Nestes testes, usuários são redirecionados aleatoriamente para uma de duas versões do site. Porém, em redes sociais, usuários que acessam diferentes versões podem influenciar uns aos outros se estiverem relacionados, dificultando a estimação. Para minimizar esta interferência, foram propostos algoritmos para particionar a rede em clusters de usuários bem conectados ( -net e FENNEL). Todos os usuários dentro de um cluster são redirecionados para uma mesma versão. Neste trabalho, propomos uma versão paralela do -net e um novo algoritmo chamado NoMAS, inspirado no FENNEL. Apresentamos uma análise teórica da escalabilidade dos algoritmos complementada por resultados empíricos sobre a acurácia da estimação.
Análise e Paralelização de um algoritmo para Gridding
Authors: Aguni Carlos A. T. , Cordeiro Daniel
Published: January 2020

Este artigo analisa o desempenho do algoritmo de Gridding implementado de forma paralelizada em duas propostas: com uma placa aceleradora Intel R Xeon Phi (arquitetura Many Cores) e uma Nvidia Tesla K20x Unidades de Processamento Gráfico de Propósito Geral (General Purpose Graphics Processing Unit - GPGPU). Estudamos sua adequabilidade quando otimizado para um ambiente multi/many core e o perfilamos em relação ao consumo de recursos como memória, processador, e uso de caches na CPU e placas aceleradoras.
Network Address Translation using a Programmable Dataplane Processor
Authors: Vallejo Juan Sebastian Mejia , Feferman Daniel Lazkani , Rothenberg Christian Esteve
Published: January 2020

A short-term solution for the depletion of Internet Protocol (IP) addresses and scaling problems in network routing is the reuse of IP address by placing Network Address Translators (NAT) at the borders of stub domains. In this article, we propose an implementation of NAT using Programming ProtocolIndependent Packet Processors (P4) language, taking advantage of its features such as target-agnostic dataplane programmability. Through the MACSAD framework, we generate a software switch that achieves high performance with the support of different hardware (H/W) and Software (S/W) platforms. The main contributions of this paper relate to the performance evaluation results of the NAT implementation using P4 language with MACSAD compiler.
Uma análise do consumo de energia de ambientes de processamento de dados massivos em nuvem
Authors: Volpini Nestor D. O. , Conceição Vinicius S. , Pontes Raphael L. , Guedes Dorgival
Published: January 2020

Massive data processing (big-data) related fields and cloud computing have been growing conjointly. Thus, data processing is among the largest resource consumers in datacenters, consuming around 2% of global energy. Comprehension of how elements such as virtualized environments and applications' parallelization degree affect such consumption is therefore an urgent need. This article relies on a monitoring solution that provides performance metrics, data mining application logs, and data produced in distributed environments to assess how power consumption of virtualized big-data applications varies on allocated resources.
Modelos de Resposta para Experimentos Randomizados em Redes Sociais de Larga Escala
Authors: Azevedo Francisco Galuppo , Nogueira Bruno Demattos , Murai Fabricio , Da Silva Ana Paula Couto
Published: January 2020

Testes A/B são experimentos randomizados muito utilizados por empresas que oferecem serviços na Web para avaliar o impacto de novas funcionalidades. Durante um experimento, cada usuário é redirecionado aleatoriamente para uma de duas versões do site, chamadas tratamentos. Diversos modelos de resposta foram propostos para descrever o comportamento de um usuário em sites de redes sociais, onde o tratamento atribuído aos seus vizinhos deve ser considerado. Porém, não há consenso sobre qual modelo deve ser aplicado a um conjunto de dados. Neste trabalho, propomos um novo modelo de resposta, derivamos limites teóricos para o erro de estimação de diversos modelos, e obtemos resultados empíricos para o caso de especificação incorreta do modelo.
SmartLB: Proposta de um balanceador de carga para redução de tempo de execução de aplicações em ambientes paralelos
Authors: Dos Santos Vinicius R. S. , Padoin Edson L. , Navaux Philippe O. A. , Méhaut Jean-François
Published: January 2020

Este artigo apresenta um novo balanceador de carga para redução do tempo de execução e consumo de energia de aplicações paralelas. O algoritmo do balanceador coleta informações do sistema e as utiliza para tomar decisões de balanceamento. Para implementação foi utilizado o modelo de programação paralela CHARM++. Os resultados preliminares apresentaram redução do tempo de execução de até 40; 9% e até 47; 7% no consumo de energia.
Avaliação de Soluções de Emulação Leve e Distribuída para Experimentação de Rede
Authors: Barea Emerson R. A. , Marcondes Cesar A. C. , Senger Hermes , Pedroso Diego F.
Published: January 2020

Apesar das soluções de emulação leve e distribuída utilizadas na experimentação de rede normalmente seguirem o conceito de virtualização por container, diferenças de implementação podem gerar comportamento distinto quanto ao consumo de recursos computacionais e escalabilidade suportada. Nessa linha, este trabalho avalia experimentalmente o Mininet Cluster e Maxinet com a emulação de topologias de datacenter com requisitos distintos quanto ao número de elementos criados e o tamanho do cluster. Os resultados apontam diferenças relevantes no consumo de memória, número de processos criados e conexões estabelecidas entre os nós do cluster, apresentando características que auxiliam identificar a tecnologia mais indicada para cenários específicos.
Um Método de Ocupação de Canal por Redes de Sensores sob Interferência WLAN Comparando com Padrões Industriais
Authors: Da Paixão Vandenberg B. , De Moraes Renato M.
Published: January 2020

Trocar dados em redes de sensores sob interferência de outras tecnologias requer estratégias de comunicação multicanal e diversas metodologias de protocolos de acesso ao meio foram adotadas buscando melhor desempenho. Este artigo propõe um novo método de busca e posse de um canal de comunicação, considerando a relação sinal-ruı́do atuando em ambientes sob interferências de outras redes locais sem fio WLANs (do inglês Wireless Local Area Networks), onde o canal a ser ocupado resulta o menor nı́vel de interferência. São apresentados resultados comparativos com outras tecnologias que empregam troca de canais sob interferência com uso de blacklist, como o ISA100.11a e o IEEE802.15e/ATSCHa, onde mostramos que o método aqui proposto obtém o melhor desempenho, pois garante que o canal ocupado é o melhor disponı́vel.
Análise de desempenho de algoritmos para correção híbrida de sequências genômicas em ambiente de memória compartilhada e distribuída
Authors: De Almeida Felipe V. , Sato Liria M. , Midorikawa Edson T. , Torres Tatiana T.
Published: January 2020

A análise do genoma é uma área com amplas pesquisas que permitem o estudo de doenças e o desenvolvimento de novos tratamentos. Para isso, pesquisadores utilizam-se do genoma montado através de ferramentas computacionais para realizar sua análise. Este trabalho apresenta uma análise de desempenho acerca de um algoritmo de correção hı́brida de sequências genômicas, sendo esta uma etapa necessária para a montagem do genoma. Foram implementadas sete versões do algoritmo visando comparar seus desempenhos. Os resultados obtidos a partir dos testes revelam que é possı́vel obter ganhos de desempenho de até cerca de 17 vezes em relação à versão sequencial, e que a melhor versão do algoritmo possui escalabilidade superior à linear.
Avaliação de Controladores Software-Defined Networking Utilizando Metodologia Padrão para Benchmark
Authors: Silva Émerson R. , Monteiro Kayo H. C. , Dantas Ramide Augusto Sales , Albuquerque Edison Q. , Endo Patricia T.
Published: January 2020

Software-Defined Networking (SDN) é uma arquitetura emergente de redes de computadores que desacopla o plano de controle e o plano de dados. Diversos trabalhos na literatura tem como objetivo identificar o melhor controlador SDN, porém, comparam o desempenho de controladores com características distintas, por exemplo, suporte a multi-thread e arquitetura. Este trabalho apresenta uma avaliação de controladores com arquitetura centralizada utilizando um teste padronizado da IETF no intuito de reforçar os testes da literatura e tornar a avaliação mais completa. Os controladores foram avaliados sob as mesmas condições e classificados de acordo com suas características, com o objetivo de se obter uma avaliação mais justa. Foram selecionados cinco controladores populares na literatura (Beacon, Floodlight, NOX-MT, POX, e Ryu), para os quais identificou-se os melhores cenários dentre os testes realizados. O controlador Beacon apresentou o melhor desempenho geral, chegando a obter uma taxa de transferência 46.7x maior que o controlador com menor desempenho.
In-Person and Remote Participation Review at IETF: Collaborating Without Borders
Authors: Andrade Lucas , Braga Juliao , Pereira Stefany , Roque Rafael , Santos Marcelo
Published: January 2020

The IETF has been acting as one of the main actors when discussing standardization of protocols and good practices on the Internet. Collaborating with the IETF community can be complex and distant for many researchers and industry members because of the financial aspect to travel to the meeting. However, it notes the collaboration between industry and academia is actively and progressively developing and refining standards within the IETF. One of the incentives for the increased participation in IETF meetings is because it is being transmitted in real time since 2015, allowing for voice and chat interaction of remote participants. Thus, in this paper, we have as objectives to give a brief vision about how to collaborate with the IETF and to analyze the importance of this new form of participation of the face-to-face meetings that has been growing in recent years.
On Intelligent, Autonomous and Collaborative Agents to Manage Internet Routing Domains
Authors: Braga Julião , Silva Joao , Endo Patricia , Omar Nizam
Published: January 2020

This article describes an environment for knowledge acquisition, learning, use and collaboration inter agents over Internet Infrastructure. Four agent types are used in a previously applied fourtier model, such as the use case on the Internet Routing Registry. This model, which can be implemented in each Autonomous System domain of the Internet infrastructure, is integrated into an environment with (a) capturing information from unstructured databases, (b) creating and updating training bases appropriate to machine learning algorithms and (c) creation and feeding of a knowledge base. Such resources become readily available to agents in each domain and to agents in all other domains with the aim of making them autonomous. The agents collaborate and interact with each other, through individual blockchain structures that also take care of operational security and integration aspects. In addition, a test bed to validate the entire model, including the functionalities of the agents, is also proposed and characterized.
A set of data bases to support intelligent agents in Internet Infrastructure routing domains
Authors: Braga Julião , Silva Joao , Omar Nizam
Published: January 2020

This paper presents a set of three data bases that make up the In- ternet Infrastructure Data Base (IIDB). IIDB has three data bases – iidb.rfc, iidb.person, and iidb.acronym – that are key pieces to support the development of machine learning techniques by the intelligent elements of the Autonomous Architecture Over Restricted Domains (A2RD). The data contained in iidb.rfc and iidb.person were created after processing the contents available at the RFC Index web page. While the data contained in the iidb.acronym was created after processing the contents of the files available at the Request for Comments (RFC) repository, produced and maintained by the RFC Editor. The data format of IIDB data is JavaScript Object Notation (JSON), whose templates are avail- able in the same site where the data bases are deposited, making them accessible through any programming language.
Desafios Sociotécnicos e Prospecções para Promover Transparência de Dados na Universidade
Authors: De França Breno Bernard Nicolau , Dos Reis Julio Cesar , De Azevedo Rodolfo Jardim
Published: January 2020

Transparência de dados é um aspecto chave para o desenvolvimento de diversos setores da sociedade. Em universidades públicas, a transparência potencializa o conhecimento sobre o que é desenvolvido permitindo o entendimento de onde os recursos são investidos. Neste artigo, apresentamos os resultados de um estudo sobre transparência, com base em dados coletados de duas iniciativas para difundir a cultura da transparência na UNICAMP. Identificamos desafios sociotécnicos, bem como apontamos uma solução arquitetural para facilitar os processos associados á transparência dentro da universidade e promover acesso irrestrito e facilitado aos dados públicos.
Integração e Análise das Despesas do Governo Federal
Authors: Weiland Cristian , Pasqualin Diego , Maciel Edemir , De Bona Luis C. E. , Sunye Marcos
Published: January 2020

Desde 2012, com o início da vigência da Lei de Acesso a Informação, a quantidade de dados disponíveis cresceu de tal forma que a dificuldade passou a ser não o acesso em si, mas o tratamento e interpretação das informações disponibilizadas. Nesse contexto o SIMTransparência foi desenvolvido, com o objetivo de proporcionar uma visualização alternativa ao Portal da Transparência do Governo Federal, exibindo dados de várias bases em uma interface intuitiva e dinâmica, capaz de auxiliar o gestor e cidadão comum a melhor compreender e fiscalizar as despesas do governo federal. Esse artigo descreve as tecnologias envolvidas no desenvolvimento do SIMTransparência e formas de replicar sua base de dados.
Subscribe to Open: Modeling an open access transformation
Authors: Langham-Putrow Allison , Carter Sunshine J.
Published: January 2020

The introduction of Plan S, an initiative for open access launched by a group of primarily European national funding agencies and two foundations in late 2018, prompted discussion about how publishers will transition to full open access. Many current open access models involve article processing charge (APC) payments. Here we describe an alternative model, Subscribe to Open (S2O).
Introduction to animal law: Resources for online research and study
Authors: Waldin Valerie Lang
Published: January 2020

Animal law is the body of statutory and case law governing the treatment of nonhuman animals, including wildlife, companion animals, and animals used for research, entertainment, and food. Emerging rapidly on academic and legal horizons since 2000, entire programs of study at all levels are now dedicated to training students to be effective humane educators, attorneys, law enforcement officers, and citizens.High-profile court cases, such as SeaWorld v. California Coastal Commission, along with the proliferation of animal protection documentaries, such as Blackfish, Earthlings, and Tyke: Elephant Outlaw, have raised profound questions about our treatment of other species. Animal protection is now a mainstream phenomenon, largely due to the Internet and social media providing instant visibility to and awareness of the critical issues of our time.
Mathematical Art: Lost in Translation
Authors: Desai Siddhi , Safi Farshid
Published: January 2020

Traditionally, high school geometry has focused on the study of two- and three-dimensional figures, postulates, measurements (NCTM, 2018). Through connecting geometry, art, cultures, and mathematics, we can create opportunities for students to experience the joy and beauty of mathematics that can help to foster and/or extend other connected concepts.
Is the Last Banana Game Fair?
Authors: Sullivan Patrick
Published: January 2020

Is the “Last Banana” game fair? Engaging in this exploration provides students with the mathematical power to answer the question and the mathematical opportunity to explore important statistical ideas. Students engage in simulations to calculate experimental probabilities and confirm those results by examining theoretical probabilities
Investigation of the Hydrolytic Stability of Polyurethane Applied to Vehicle Suspension Components
Authors: Rigotti Mateus , Bishoff Eveline , Simon Douglas Alexandre
Published: January 2020

Process parameters such as temperature and humidity, as well as formulation are the key factors in the manufacture of a polymeric component through a polyurethane prepolymer. These define the reaction kinetics, bonding and the resulting chemical interactions which determine the final characteristics of the material. One of the expected skills of polyurethane, when applied to components used in contact with water, is hydrolysis resistance. Consequently this research focused on exposure of a polymerized TDI (toluene diisocyanate) polyether polyurethane to different proportions of the curing agent, MOCA (4,4'-methylene-bis), in an environment susceptible to reactions with water at 70 °C. In this case, this material is applied in the manufacture of coil spring solid axle with trailing arms and Panhard rod suspension bushings. Mechanical tests and DSC (differential scanning calorimetry), TGA (thermogravimetry) and FT-IR (Fourier transform infrared) evaluations of the samples and prepolymer are conducted for the characterization of the different formulations, showing the negative relationship of the curing agent proportion parameters with the hydrolysis resistance. Here depolymerization of urethane and ether groups, as well as lower retention of yield stress are verified. These findings can subsidize developing predictive models for performance and lifetime of polyurethanes.
Misfolded proteins bind and activate death receptor 5 to trigger apoptosis during unresolved endoplasmic reticulum stress
Authors: Lam Mable , Marsters Scot A , Ashkenazi Avi , Walter Peter
Published: January 2020

Disruption of protein folding in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) activates the unfolded protein response (UPR)—a signaling network that ultimately determines cell fate. Initially, UPR signaling aims at cytoprotection and restoration of ER homeostasis; that failing, it drives apoptotic cell death. ER stress initiates apoptosis through intracellular activation of death receptor 5 (DR5) independent of its canonical extracellular ligand Apo2L/TRAIL; however, the mechanism underlying DR5 activation is unknown. In cultured human cells, we find that misfolded proteins can directly engage with DR5 in the ER-Golgi intermediate compartment, where DR5 assembles pro-apoptotic caspase 8-activating complexes. Moreover, peptides used as a proxy for exposed misfolded protein chains selectively bind to the purified DR5 ectodomain and induce its oligomerization. These findings indicate that misfolded proteins can act as ligands to activate DR5 intracellularly and promote apoptosis. We propose that cells can use DR5 as a late protein-folding checkpoint before committing to a terminal apoptotic fate.
2019 United States Osteopathic Medical Regulatory Summit: Consensus, Recommendations, and Next Steps in Defining Osteopathic Distinctiveness
Authors: Gimpel John R. , Belanger Susan I. , Knebl Janice A. , LaBaere Richard J. , Shaffer Dana C. , Shannon Stephen C. , Shears Toni , Steingard Scott A. , Turner Melissa D. , Williams Daniel G.
Published: January 2020

Background

Osteopathic distinctiveness is a result of professional education, identity formation, training, credentialing, and qualifications. With the advancement of a single graduate medical education (GME) accreditation system and the continued growth of the osteopathic medical profession, osteopathic distinctiveness and professional identity are seen as lacking clarity and pose a challenge.

Summit

To achieve consensus on a succinct definition of osteopathic distinctiveness and to identify steps to more clearly define and advance that distinctiveness, particularly in professional self-regulation, a representative group of osteopathic medical students, residents, physicians, and members of the licensing, GME, and undergraduate medical education (UME) communities convened the 2019 United States Osteopathic Medical Regulatory Summit in February 2019. Key features of osteopathic distinctiveness were discussed. Growth in the profession; changes in health care delivery, technology, and demographics within the profession and patient communities; and associated challenges and opportunities for osteopathic medical practice and patients were considered.

Consensus

Osteopathic medicine is a distinctive practice that brings unique, added value to patients, the public, and the health care community at large. A universal definition and common understanding of that distinctiveness is lacking. Efforts to unify messaging that defines osteopathic distinctiveness, to align the distinctive elements of osteopathic medical education and professional self-regulation across a continuum, and to advance research on care and educational program outcomes are critical to the future of the osteopathic medical profession.

Recommendations

(1) Convene a task force of groups represented at the Summit to develop a succinct and consistent message defining osteopathic distinctiveness. (2) Demonstrate uniqueness of the profession through research demonstrating efficacy of care and patient outcomes, adding to the public good. (3) Harmonize GME and UME by beginning to align entrustable professional activities with UME milestones. (4) Convene representatives from osteopathic specialty colleges and certification boards to define curricular elements across GME, certification, and osteopathic continuous certification. (5) Build on the Project in Osteopathic Medical Education and Empathy study.
sv-callers: a highly portable parallel workflow for structural variant detection in whole-genome sequence data
Authors: Kuzniar Arnold , Maassen Jason , Verhoeven Stefan , Santuari Luca , Shneider Carl , Kloosterman Wigard P. , de Ridder Jeroen
Published: January 2020

Structural variants (SVs) are an important class of genetic variation implicated in a wide array of genetic diseases including cancer. Despite the advances in whole genome sequencing, comprehensive and accurate detection of SVs in short-read data still poses some practical and computational challenges. We present sv-callers, a highly portable workflow that enables parallel execution of multiple SV detection tools, as well as provide users with example analyses of detected SV callsets in a Jupyter Notebook. This workflow supports easy deployment of software dependencies, configuration and addition of new analysis tools. Moreover, porting it to different computing systems requires minimal effort. Finally, we demonstrate the utility of the workflow by performing both somatic and germline SV analyses on different high-performance computing systems.
The first pterosaur basihyal, shedding light on the evolution and function of pterosaur hyoid apparatuses
Authors: Jiang Shunxing , Li Zhiheng , Cheng Xin , Wang Xiaolin
Published: January 2020

The pterosaur is the first known vertebrate clade to achieve powered flight. Its hyoid apparatus shows a simplification similar to that of birds, although samples of the apparatus are rare, limiting the ability to make an accurate determination. In this study we reveal a new pterosaur specimen, including the first definite basihyal. Through the comparison of pterosaur hyoids, a trend has been discovered for the shortened hyoid relative to the length of the skull, indicating a diminished role of lingual retraction during the evolution of the pterosaur. The new material, possibly from a gallodactylidGladocephaloideus, represents one of the least effective lingual retractions in all pterosaurs. Based on the structure of an elongated ceratobranchial and retroarticular process on mandibles, the function of the Y-shaped istiodactylid tongue bone is similar to those of scavenger crows rather than chameleons, which is consistent with the interpretation of the scavenging behavior of this taxon. More fossil samples are needed for further study on the function of other pterosaur hyoids.
An Analysis of the Leadership Theories and Proposal of New Leadership Framework in Higher Education
Authors: Jibirin Salihu Muftahu
Published: January 2020

This research paper on the critique of the leadership theories and the proposed leadership framework revolves around two key areas. The first part is an examination and critique of the different leadership theories that have emerged over the past 40 years. Second, the paper will be presenting the proposed leadership framework which could suit the role of an education leader. The proposed leadership framework will be presented in a diagrammatic and/or descriptive form with accompanying description. The critique of the leadership theories is specifically on three theories, which are the trait theory, behavioural theory, and contingency and situational theory. The rationale behind the choices of the three theories to be critiqued in this paper was because these theories are the most commonly used and applied in the areas of teaching, learning, and leadership in education.
Is the Cogmed program effective for youths with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder under pharmacological treatment?
Authors: Dentz Amélie , Guay Marie‐Claude , Gauthier Bruno , Romo Lucia , Parent Véronique
Published: January 2020

The primary objective of this study was to examine the effects of the Cogmed training program on working memory among youths 7 to 13 years old, with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) type and comorbidity controlled for. A secondary objective was to examine the generalization of effects to ADHD symptoms, nonverbal reasoning, attentional and executive functions, inhibition, reading comprehension, and mathematical reasoning. Participants were under pharmacological treatment for ADHD combined type and a comorbidity. They were randomized into an experimental group that received the Cogmed program and an active control group that received a low‐intensity comparison version of the training. They were evaluated at three time points: 6 weeks prior to intervention onset (T1), immediately prior to onset (T2), and 1 week following intervention completion (T3). Results indicate no significant effect attributable to the Cogmed program. The fact that participants were on medication at the time of training and evaluation normalized their performances and limited the detection of effects. Moreover, cognitive training did not lead to a reduction in ADHD symptoms or to an improvement in the other cognitive functions measured or in academic performance. The results of this study do not demonstrate the effectiveness of the Cogmed program for youths with ADHD combined type and a comorbidity when they receive the training while under pharmacological treatment.
Highly Enantioselective Synthesis of Sitagliptin
Authors: Khopade Kishor V. , Sen Anirban , Birajdar Rajkumar S. , Paulbudhe Uday P. , Kavale Dattatry S. , Shinde Prashant S. , Mhaske Santosh B. , Chikkali Samir H.
Published: January 2020

A highly enantioselective synthesis of sitagliptin, a potent DPP‐4 inhibitor, is reported. Explicitly identified chiral FerroLANE ligands in the presence of rhodium catalyze the asymmetric hydrogenation of an enamine to yield sitagliptin with excellent enantioselectivity (98% ee). The process was scaled up to 5 g and the final product was isolated as a phosphate salt with >99% ee.
In situ coagulation of yttria‐stabilized zirconia ceramic with enhancement of green body via polyvinyl pyrrolidone crosslink
Authors: Gan Ke , Lu Yuju , Wu Jia‐Min , Zhang Xiaoyan , Wang Yali , Ren Bo , Huo Wenlong , Chen Yugu , Yang Jinlong
Published: January 2020

In situ coagulation for yttria‐stabilized zirconia (YSZ) suspension via polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) crosslink is reported. PVP is used to prepare sterically stabilized YSZ suspension. Influence of PVP on the dispersion of YSZ suspension was investigated. It indicates that well disperse YSZ suspension with 0.3 wt % PVP can be prepared. Dimethyl sulfate (DMS) was added at 40 °C to coagulate the suspension after degassing. Influence of DMS content and coagulation temperature on coagulation process and properties of green bodies were investigated. It indicates that sufficiently high viscosity to coagulate the suspension is achieved with the addition of 1 vol % DMS at 60~80 °C. The coagulation mechanism is proposed that the YSZ suspension is destabilized by the self‐crosslink of PVP. Coagulated samples with the highest wet compressive strength of 6.34 MPa could be demolded without deformation by treating 50 vol % YSZ suspension at 60 °C. Dense YSZ ceramics with relative density above 99.1% and flexural strength of 920 ± 90 MPa had been prepared by this method sintered at 1450 °C for 3 h. © 2020 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020, 137, 48889.
Epoxy‐based multilayers for flame resistant flexible polyurethane foam (FPUF)
Authors: Batool Sadia , Gill Rohama , Ma Chao , Reddy Gangireddy Chandra Sekhar , Guo Wenwen , Hu Yuan
Published: January 2020

Flexible polyurethane foam (FPUF), a widely used cushioning and comfort component for homeware and automobile industries if tailored for flame resistance, can exhibit enhanced market value. With the view to preparing such protective films, multilayered coating composed of montmorillonite (MMT) and triphenyl phosphate (tPP) along with polyethyleneimine (PEI), poly[(o‐cresyl glycidyl ether)‐co‐formaldehyde] (CNER), tPP solution and MMT suspension was deposited via layer‐by‐layer technique so as to suppress the flammability of FPUF. A comparative study applying “cone test” revealed that multilayered coatings having PEI(CNER/NH2‐MMT/PEI)n and PEI(CNER/NH2−MMT/tPP)n architectures, where “n” signifies the number of layer pairs, exhibited remarkable decrease in “peak heat release rate” (pHRR) of 20 and 25%, respectively, as compared to uncoated FPUF. Moreover, these coatings showed a 50% reduction in “fire growth rate index” (FIGRA) when compared to uncoated FPUF. This significant decrease in FIGRA after a specific combination of epoxy‐clay features that such multilayered coatings can be used to protect the underlying FPUF due to the labyrinth effect offered by MMT and accelerated char formation by tPP. Furthermore, the evolution of volatile gases upon combustion of multilayered coated foam decreased due to the inhibition of oxygen permeation owing to the protective effect of the coating. © 2020 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020, 137, 48890.
Functionalized polyvinyl chloride/layered double hydroxide nanocomposites and its thermal and mechanical properties
Authors: Singh Monika , Somvanshi Divya , Singh Rajesh K. , Mahanta Arun K. , Maiti Pralay , Misra Nira , Paik Pradip
Published: January 2020

In this work, to inquire the impact of layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanoclay on functionalized poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) through solution intercalation method, four kinds of nanocomposites were prepared. Mg‐AL LDH and the obtained functionalize PVC composites were characterized through FT‐IR, UV–Vis spectroscopy, TEM, XRD, contact angle, DSC, and UTM. Obtained results revealed that the functionalized PVC uniformly dispersed in the layer of LDH nanoclay. It is revealed that partially intercalated and disordered structure formed in PVC/LDH, PVC‐TS (thiosulfate)/LDH, and PVC‐S (sulfate)/LDH nanocomposites, whereas fully exfoliated structures formed in the PVC‐TU (thiourea)/LDH nanocomposites. Further, it has been observed that the ultimate tensile strength for all the polymer nanocomposites enhanced with increased in the LDH content. These nanocomposites further exhibited higher thermal stability by at least by 51°C higher than the pristine PVC. Along with these, further it has been found that the functionalized PVC/LDH nanocomposites are proved to be effective as thermal stabilizer for PVC processing. © 2020 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020, 137, 48894.
Phantom Model Testing of Active Implantable Cardiac Devices at 50/60 Hz Electric Field
Authors: Gerçek Cihan , Kourtiche Djilali , Nadi Mustapha , Magne Isabelle , Schmitt Pierre , Roth Patrice , Souques Martine
Published: January 2020

Exposure to external extremely low‐frequency (ELF) electric and magnetic fields induces the development of electric fields inside the human body, with their nature depending on multiple factors including the human body characteristics and frequency, amplitude, and wave shape of the field. The objective of this study was to determine whether active implanted cardiac devices may be perturbed by a 50 or 60 Hz electric field and at which level. A numerical method was used to design the experimental setup. Several configurations including disadvantageous scenarios, 11 implantable cardioverter‐defibrillators, and 43 cardiac pacemakers were tested in vitro by an experimental bench test up to 100 kV/m at 50 Hz and 83 kV/m at 60 Hz. No failure was observed for ICNIRP public exposure levels for most configurations (in more than 99% of the clinical cases), except for six pacemakers tested in unipolar mode with maximum sensitivity and atrial sensing. The implants configured with a nominal sensitivity in the bipolar mode were found to be resistant to electric fields exceeding the low action levels, even for the highest action levels, as defined by the Directive 2013/35/EU. Bioelectromagnetics. 2020;41:136–147. © 2020 Bioelectromagnetics Society.
Bioengineering Considerations for a Nurturing Way to Enhance Scalable Expansion of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells
Authors: Kim Mee‐Hae , Kino‐oka Masahiro
Published: January 2020

Understanding how defects in mechanotransduction affect cell‐to‐cell variability will add to the fundamental knowledge of human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC) culture, and may suggest new approaches for achieving a robust, reproducible, and scalable process that result in consistent product quality and yields. Here, the current state of the understanding of the fundamental mechanisms that govern the growth kinetics of hPSCs between static and dynamic cultures is reviewed, the factors causing fluctuations are identified, and culture strategies that might eliminate or minimize the occurrence of cell‐to‐cell variability arising from these fluctuations are discussed. The existing challenges in the development of hPSC expansion methods for enabling the transition from process development to large‐scale production are addressed, a mandatory step for industrial and clinical applications of hPSCs.
Meta-analysis of preoperative high-sensitivity cardiac troponin measurement in non-cardiac surgical patients at risk of cardiovascular complications
Authors: Zhao B-C , Liu W-F , Deng Q-W , Zhuang P-P , Liu J , Li C , Liu K-X
Published: January 2020

Background

Patients undergoing major non-cardiac surgery are at risk of cardiovascular complications. Raised levels of high-sensitivity troponin are frequently detected before operation among these patients. However, the prognostic value of high-sensitivity troponin in predicting postoperative outcomes remains unclear.

Methods

A systematic search of PubMed, Embase and Science Citation Index Expanded was undertaken for observational studies published before March 2018 that reported associations between raised preoperative levels of high-sensitivity troponin and postoperative major adverse cardiac events and/or mortality after non-cardiac surgery. Meta-analyses were performed, where possible, using random-effects models.

Results

Seven cohort studies with a total of 4836 patients were included. A raised preoperative high-sensitivity troponin level was associated with a higher risk of short-term major adverse cardiac events (risk ratio (RR) 2·92, 95 per cent c.i. 1·96 to 4·37; I2 = 82·6 per cent), short-term mortality (RR 5·39, 3·21 to 9·06; I2 = 0 per cent) and long-term mortality (RR 2·90, 1·83 to 4·59, I2 = 74·2 per cent). The addition of preoperative high-sensitivity troponin measurement provided improvements in cardiovascular risk discrimination (increase in C-index ranged from 0·058 to 0·109) and classification (quantified by continuous net reclassification improvement) compared with Lee's Revised Cardiac Risk Index alone. There was substantial heterogeneity and inadequate risk stratification analysis in the included studies.

Conclusion

Raised preoperative levels of high-sensitivity troponin appear to represent a risk for postoperative major adverse cardiac events and mortality. Further study is required before high-sensitivity troponin can be used to predict risk stratification in routine clinical practice.
Rational performance metrics for operating theatres, principles of efficiency, and how to achieve it
Authors: Charlesworth M , Pandit J J
Published: January 2020

Background

Several performance metrics are commonly used by National Health Service (NHS) organizations to measure the efficiency and productivity of operating lists. These include: start time, utilization, cancellations, number of operations and gap time between operations. The authors describe reasons why these metrics are flawed, and use clinical evidence and mathematics to define a rational, balanced efficiency metric.

Methods

A narrative review of literature on the efficiency and productivity of elective NHS operating lists was undertaken. The aim was to rationalize how best to define and measure the efficiency of an operating list, and describe strategies to achieve it.

Results

There is now a wealth of literature on how optimally to measure the performance of elective surgical lists. Efficiency may be defined as the completion of all scheduled operations within the allocated time with no over- or under-runs.

Conclusion

Achieving efficiency requires appropriate scheduling using specific procedure mean (or median) times and their associated variance (standard deviation or interquartile range) to calculate the probability they can be completed on time. The case mix may be adjusted to yield better time management. This review outlines common misconceptions applied to managing scheduled operating theatre lists and the challenges of measuring unscheduled operations in emergency settings.