bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Design and improvement layout of a production floor using automated layout design program (ALDEP) and CRAFT algorithm at CV. Aji Jaya Mandiri
Authors: Suhardini D , Rahmawati S D
Published: June 2019

Different computerized algorithms are used to assist the layout planner in generating alternate layout. CRAFT (Computerized Relative Allocation of Facilities Technique) has been developed to improve an existing layout, while ALDEP (Automated Layout Design Program) is a construction layout. The improvement given by ALDEP over CRAFT technique was found to reduce annual material handling cost by 23% [1]. This study hypothesize that better result could be gained by combined two algorithms rather than their independent application. The hypothesis is verified by taking layout problems of CV Aji Jaya Mandiri. The objective of the study is to get the optimal layout of CV Aji Jaya Mandiri using ALDEP and followed by improving it with CRAFT. ALDEP based on the value of proximity (total closeness rating). The layout resulted from ALDEP is improved by exchanging machines positions. The newly layout obtained by ALDEP is compared with the result layout improved by CRAFT. There are two criteria for comparing the layout: material handling cost taken from MHES (material handling evaluation sheet), and the manufacturing lead time or processing time using Promodel simulation. The material handling cost of the layout resulted by CRAFT was decreased by 6,24%, that is mean that CRAFT was improved the layout effectively. The result of simulation showed the manufacturing lead time of the improved layout decreased 23 minutes. Layout evaluation using Adjacency Based Scoring for the CRAFT layout increase 15% compare with the initial layout so it was selected as the best layout. This study concluded that combined use of computerized layout design algorithms provides better result,
Mapping of noise levels made by drilling machines on project x using contour zone method
Authors: Cahyadi B , Timang G A
Published: June 2019

Project x is an apartment development activities in Tangerang which in the process of construction resulted in the occurrence of noise. Noise is one of the incidents that can be lead to health problems for the surrounding community. Therefore, this research aims to know the spread of noise, the amount of noise reduction that can be reduced by using a hearing protective device and workers’ perceptions of noise against hearing loss. The method used is the contour zone. Data used is the result of noise measurement Project x in the daytime and nighttime conditions. The result obtained is the noise level in the project work area during the daytime in area 1, 2 and 3 with a distance of 2 meters are 97.1 dB, 94.4 dB, 93.9 dB, and length of 4 meters are 94.4 dB, 91.5 dB, 93.0 dB and night measurements at a distance of 2 meters are 102.2 dB, 100.1 dB, 96.5 dB, and length of 4 meters are 94.7 dB, 94.7 dB, 97.4 dB. The calculation of day and night above exceeds the noise threshold value set by the Ministry of Labor which is 85 dB. The perception of the worker with the noise disturbances that occur at The Yukata Project. Using hearing protection devices will reduce the noises, but at nighttime conditions in areas 1 and 2 at a distance of 4 meters, the noise level still exceeds the noise threshold value which has been determined by the ministry of labor.
Integrated Logistics and Transportation Routing in Rural Logistics System
Authors: Sinaga T S , Bahagia S N
Published: June 2019

The agricultural distribution problem of Rural Logistics System is addressed in this paper to improve farmers’ income by minimizing annual total cost. The system consists of three entities: (i) logistics terminal, (ii) distribution warehouses, and (iii) industries. The logistics terminal collects agricultural products from farmers’ crops, which are stored in distribution warehouses, which are further distribution based on demand of industries. This study developed non-linear mix integer programming model to minimize the annual total costs by incorporating (i) the approach of coordinated planning system, (ii) concept of echelon stock, (iii) single time cycle policy and (iv) transportation route. Many constraints were developed using various criteria. Feasible solution to the mathematical model was obtained by using heuristics method by Clarke and Wright.
Calculation of Raw Material Costs for the Palm Oil Supply Chain Value Added Using Modified Hayami Method
Authors: Hidayat Syarif
Published: June 2019

The stakeholders in the palm oil supply chain (POSC) are the smallholder farmers who produce fresh fruit bunch (FFB), the traders, CPO factory who produces CPO from FFB, refinery who transformed CPO into frying oil, the distributors/retailers, and the consumers. The palm oil tree regularly produces FFB from its third until 24th year of life.The output of the farmers is measured in its weight (tonnes), so are the outputs of the trader, the CPO factory, the refinery, and the distributors/retailers. However the input to the farmer must be measured differently because the main raw materials are bought in the form of seedling or young palm-oil tree, to be planted on the field and regularly bear FFB to be later sold in tons. The objective of this study is to build a calculation model to allocate the raw material prices of the seedling. Original Hayami method to calculate single company added value was modified to facilitate calculation of the added value of supply chain network of companies. The calculation is based on the crude palm oil (CPO) factory capacity of processing 30 tons of FFB per hour, calculated for a year. The life-cycle-cost approach was used to calculate the appropriate cost of the raw material. Using this approach the raw material cost is IDR 1,012/kg, and the the total POSC added-value is IDR 13,011 per kg of product. It is expected that the modified Hayami added value calculation method can be later applied to larger and more complex industries.
A framework for the impact of lean six sigma on supply chain performance in manufacturing companies
Authors: Pardamean Gultom Gihon Davilia , Wibisono Eric
Published: June 2019

The use of lean six sigma in manufacturing industry has been more intense in the past decade. This method comprises two concepts: lean and six sigma, each with its own objectives. Lean is a concept that aims to optimize the value stream process by eliminating all kind of waste. Meanwhile, the goal of six sigma is to increase process capability in the value stream by aiming for zero defects and reduced process variation. The supply chain performance of manufacturing companies is determined by the ongoing internal activities reflected in the value stream, therefore both lean and six sigma applications are hypothesized to have an impact on the performance. Based on the reviewed literature, this study aims to produce a framework that can be used to explain the impact of lean and six sigma on supply chain performance. In the proposed framework, lean indicators are reflected in just-in-time, quality management and employee involvement, whereas six sigma indicators are characterized by the six sigma variables. At the other end of the equation, supply chain performance is defined by four constructs which are supplier selection, production, delivery and logistic performance, and warehouse.
Effect of Organic Plating Additives Concentration on Carbon Content and Donor Density of Electroplated Tin
Authors: Angelynne Fabro Marie , Mena Manolo
Published: June 2019

Pure tin is widely used as a replacement of Pb-Sn eutectic alloy as finish and solder material. This study aims to determine how the increasing concentration of organic plating additives affects the carbon content and donor density of electroplated Sn. Pure tin was electroplated on an Al sheet in a Hull cell using a commercial plating solution. Plating was performed in electrolyte baths with primary additive concentration from 100 mL/L to 600 mL/L, and with secondary additive concentration from 8 mL/L to 48 mL/L. Current densities of 15, 8 and 3 A/dm2 were considered. The increased concentration of organic plating additives caused an increase in carbon content of the deposit from 5 wt.% C to 8 wt.%C. Mott-Schottky measurements showed increasing electron donor density of up to four orders of magnitude as a function of current density and carbon content. A higher current density during deposition causes the tin oxide film to reach the donor density saturation value at lower concentrations of organic plating additives. This suggests that current plays a role in the decomposition of organic additives, which results in the incorporation of carbon in the deposit.
Study of Surface Roughness of Electronic Substrate on Abrasive Belt Grinding
Authors: Tao Q.B. , Tran M.T. , Bui H.T.
Published: June 2019

Machining processing industries have continuously developed and improved technologies and processes to transform finished product to obtain better super finished product quality and thus increase products. Abrasive machining is one of the most important of these processes and therefore merits special attention and study. Indeed, grinding is the process of removing metal by the application of abrasives which are bonded to form a rotating wheel or belt. When the moving abrasive particles contact the workpiece, they act as tiny cutting tools, each particle cutting a tiny chip from the workpiece. The abrasive belt grinding is efficient, economic, widely used and being said “universal grinding”. It can get high machining accuracy and surface quality. Surface quality is a very important aspect of machining quality and it is the most important parameter to measure the surface quality. Many factors affect the surface roughness such as performance of abrasive belt, the amount of abrasive belt grinding, hardness of contact wheel. And the most important one is the amount of grinding. For electronic packaging, before soldering, copper substrates have to be polished by both chemical and mechanical polishing. Therefore, this article is aimed at that status so that to design and manufacture a new abrasive belt grinding machine. And then the surfaces for soldering of Cu substrates are ground and polished using the machine. Finally, the surface roughness of copper substrates polished by the abrasive belt grinding machine is evaluated and compared with other grinding machines.
Methods for data-driven multiscale model discovery for materials
Authors: Brunton Steven L , Kutz J Nathan
Published: June 2019

Despite recent achievements in the design and manufacture of advanced materials, the contributions from first-principles modeling and simulation have remained limited, especially in regards to characterizing how macroscopic properties depend on the heterogeneous microstructure. An improved ability to model and understand these multiscale and anisotropic effects will be critical in designing future materials, especially given rapid improvements in the enabling technologies of additive manufacturing and active metamaterials. In this review, we discuss recent progress in the data-driven modeling of dynamical systems using machine learning and sparse optimization to generate parsimonious macroscopic models that are generalizable and interpretable. Such improvements in model discovery will facilitate the design and characterization of advanced materials by improving efforts in (1) molecular dynamics, (2) obtaining macroscopic constitutive equations, and (3) optimization and control of metamaterials.
TheDrosophilaAfadin and ZO-1 homologues Canoe and Polychaetoid act in parallel to maintain epithelial integrity when challenged by adherens junction remodeling
Authors: Manning Lathiena A. , Perez-Vale Kia Z. , Schaefer Kristina N. , Sewell Mycah T. , Peifer Mark
Published: June 2019

During morphogenesis, cells must change shape and move without disrupting tissue integrity. This requires cell–cell junctions to allow dynamic remodeling while resisting forces generated by the actomyosin cytoskeleton. Multiple proteins play roles in junctional–cytoskeletal linkage, but the mechanisms by which they act remain unclear. Drosophila Canoe maintains adherens junction–cytoskeletal linkage during gastrulation. Canoe’s mammalian homologue Afadin plays similar roles in cultured cells, working in parallel with ZO-1 proteins, particularly at multicellular junctions. We take these insights back to the fly embryo, exploring how cells maintain epithelial integrity when challenged by adherens junction remodeling during germband extension and dorsal closure. We found that Canoe helps cells maintain junctional–cytoskeletal linkage when challenged by the junctional remodeling inherent in mitosis, cell intercalation, and neuroblast invagination or by forces generated by the actomyosin cable at the leading edge. However, even in the absence of Canoe, many cells retain epithelial integrity. This is explained by a parallel role played by the ZO-1 homologue Polychaetoid. In embryos lacking both Canoe and Polychaetoid, cell junctions fail early, with multicellular junctions especially sensitive, leading to widespread loss of epithelial integrity. Our data suggest that Canoe and Polychaetoid stabilize Bazooka/Par3 at cell–cell junctions, helping maintain balanced apical contractility and tissue integrity.
To Risk or Not to Risk? Risk Management and Farm Productivity
Authors: Vigani Mauro , Kathage Jonas
Published: June 2019

The impact of risk management on farm productivity is still being debated. Using survey data from French and Hungarian farms, we estimate the impacts of different risk management strategies and portfolios under varying levels of risk on total factor productivity. Results from a multinomial endogenous switching regression model show that the impacts can be positive or negative, depending on the risk management strategies adopted, the structure of the farming system, and the probability of risks. The choice of risk management strategies influences the farm's production costs and the allocation of resources. More complex risk management portfolios tend to have larger negative productivity impacts due to higher costs and the larger amount of resources subtracted from the production activity. Our results have important implications for risk management policies.
Estimating the Impact of Welfare Programs on Agricultural Output: Evidence from India
Authors: Bahal Girish
Published: June 2019

Rural welfare programs are implemented for a variety of reasons. However, of key importance is to understand how government spending under such programs affects local agricultural output which is a key measure of economic activity in developing economies. This article estimates the local multiplicative effects of transfer spending by the government using a novel data‐set of state‐level expenditure under rural welfare programs in India. Using government records as narrative evidence, I use the motivation to implement new programs at the national level to construct changes in transfer spending that are largely exogenous to fluctuations in agricultural output at the state level. I estimate local multipliers using this “narrative shock series” and find government transfers to be quite consequential for local economic activity.
Producer Response to Public Disclosure of Food‐Safety Information
Authors: Ollinger Michael , Bovay John
Published: June 2019

Beginning in 2003, the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) put forth a series of Federal Register announcements regarding the public disclosure of results of tests for Salmonella in chicken carcasses. In particular, FSIS suggested in 2003 that it might disclose the identities of any slaughter or ground meat plant failing its Salmonella tests if test performance did not improve, and in 2004 the service increased regulatory scrutiny of plants not meeting FSIS Salmonella standards. In 2006, FSIS introduced a more easily‐understood measure of food‐safety quality and indicated that public disclosure would be forthcoming if results of tests for Salmonella did not improve; FSIS targeted the chicken‐slaughter industry with a high degree of specificity. In 2008, FSIS began reporting the names of chicken‐slaughter plants with poor performance on tests for Salmonella in chicken carcasses. This article examines the effects of these regulatory actions on Salmonella test outcomes. We find that (1) announcements in 2003 and 2004 were associated with improved performance by the poorest‐performing chicken‐slaughter plants; (2) the introduction of an easily‐understood measure of food‐safety quality and the threat of disclosure of the identities of poorly performing plants in 2006 were associated with improved performance by all chicken‐slaughter plants; and (3) implementation of a public disclosure program in 2008 was associated with improvements among better‐performing chicken‐slaughter plants.
Moving Up or Just Surviving? Nonfarm Self‐Employment in India
Authors: Merfeld Joshua D
Published: June 2019

The classical economic development literature argues that growth is accompanied by a reduction in agriculture's share and an increase in nonagriculture's share of employment. Yet growth of the nonfarm sector does not necessarily signal increasing levels of development, as the sector may serve as subsistence employment for many individuals. This ambiguity is heightened by a surprising lack of microevidence regarding sectoral and occupational choice and, especially, how government policies impact these decisions. In this article, I make a simple observation regarding how nonfarm self‐employment reacts to market conditions: households and individuals that enter into nonfarm self‐employment for subsistence reasons are more likely to exit the sector when wages increase or when more stable employment becomes available. With this assumption as a starting point, I examine the effects of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, which increased prevailing wages in rural India. The program significantly decreases days spent in nonfarm self‐employment. In addition, the implied labor elasticity is three times higher than economy‐wide estimates, suggesting rural nonfarm self‐employment is a sector of last resort for many individuals. Additional analyses suggest this impact is driven primarily by two mechanisms: higher wages and alternative options for risk‐management.
Dennett and Taylor’s alleged refutation of the Consequence Argument
Authors: Gustafsson Johan E
Published: June 2019

Daniel C. Dennett has long maintained that the Consequence Argument for incompatibilism is confused. In a joint work with Christopher Taylor, he claims to have shown that the argument is based on a failure to understand Logic 101. Given a fairly plausible account of having the power to cause something, they claim that the argument relies on an invalid inference rule. In this paper, I show that Dennett and Taylor’s refutation does not work against a better, more standard version of the Consequence Argument. Therefore, Dennett and Taylor’s alleged refutation fails.
Auditory–Articulatory Neural Alignment between Listener and Speaker during Verbal Communication
Authors: Liu Lanfang , Zhang Yuxuan , Zhou Qi , Garrett Douglas D , Lu Chunming , Chen Antao , Qiu Jiang , Ding Guosheng
Published: June 2019

Whether auditory processing of speech relies on reference to the articulatory motor information of speaker remains elusive. Here, we addressed this issue under a two-brain framework. Functional magnetic resonance imaging was applied to record the brain activities of speakers when telling real-life stories and later of listeners when listening to the audio recordings of these stories. Based on between-brain seed-to-voxel correlation analyses, we revealed that neural dynamics in listeners’ auditory temporal cortex are temporally coupled with the dynamics in the speaker’s larynx/phonation area. Moreover, the coupling response in listener’s left auditory temporal cortex follows the hierarchical organization for speech processing, with response lags in A1+, STG/STS, and MTG increasing linearly. Further, listeners showing greater coupling responses understand the speech better. When comprehension fails, such interbrain auditory-articulation coupling vanishes substantially. These findings suggest that a listener’s auditory system and a speaker’s articulatory system are inherently aligned during naturalistic verbal interaction, and such alignment is associated with high-level information transfer from the speaker to the listener. Our study provides reliable evidence supporting that references to the articulatory motor information of speaker facilitate speech comprehension under a naturalistic scene.
Uncovering a Role for the Dorsal Hippocampal Commissure in Recognition Memory
Authors: Postans M , Parker G D , Lundell H , Ptito M , Hamandi K , Gray W P , Aggleton J P , Dyrby T B , Jones D K , Winter M
Published: June 2019

The dorsal hippocampal commissure (DHC) is a white matter tract that provides interhemispheric connections between temporal lobe brain regions. Despite the importance of these regions for learning and memory, there is scant evidence of a role for the DHC in successful memory performance. We used diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) and white matter tractography to reconstruct the DHC in both humans (in vivo) and nonhuman primates (ex vivo). Across species, our findings demonstrate a close consistency between the known anatomy and tract reconstructions of the DHC. Anterograde tract-tracer techniques also highlighted the parahippocampal origins of DHC fibers in nonhuman primates. Finally, we derived diffusion tensor MRI metrics from the DHC in a large sample of human subjects to investigate whether interindividual variation in DHC microstructure is predictive of memory performance. The mean diffusivity of the DHC correlated with performance in a standardized recognition memory task, an effect that was not reproduced in a comparison commissure tract—the anterior commissure. These findings highlight a potential role for the DHC in recognition memory, and our tract reconstruction approach has the potential to generate further novel insights into the role of this previously understudied white matter tract in both health and disease.
Prediction of complications after paediatric cardiac surgery
Authors: Zeng Xian , An Jiye , Lin Ru , Dong Cong , Zheng Aiyu , Li Jianhua , Duan Huilong , Shu Qiang , Li Haomin
Published: June 2019

OBJECTIVES

Our objectives were to identify the risk factors for postoperative complications after paediatric cardiac surgery, develop a tool for predicting postoperative complications and compare it with other risk adjustment tools of congenital heart disease.

METHODS

A total of 2308 paediatric patients who had undergone cardiac surgeries with cardiopulmonary bypass support in a single centre were included in this study. A univariate analysis was performed to determine the association between perioperative variables and postoperative complications. Statistically significant variables were integrated into a synthetic minority oversampling technique-based XGBoost model which is an implementation of gradient boosted decision trees designed for speed and performance. The 7 traditional risk assessment tools used to generate the logistic regression model as the benchmark in the evaluation included the Aristotle Basic score and category, Risk Adjustment for Congenital Heart Surgery (RACHS-1), Society of Thoracic Surgeons–European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (STS-EACTS) mortality score and category and STS morbidity score and category.

RESULTS

Our XGBoost prediction model showed the best prediction performance (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve = 0.82) when compared with these risk adjustment models. However, all of these models exhibited a relatively lower sensitivity due to imbalanced classes. The sensitivity of our optimization approach (synthetic minority oversampling technique-based XGBoost) was 0.74, which was significantly higher than the average sensitivity of the traditional models of 0.26. Furthermore, the postoperative length of hospital stay, length of cardiac intensive care unit stay and length of mechanical ventilation duration were significantly increased for patients who experienced postoperative complications.

CONCLUSIONS

Postoperative complications of paediatric cardiac surgery can be predicted based on perioperative data using our synthetic minority oversampling technique-based XGBoost model before deleterious outcomes ensue.
Development and validation of a multivariable prediction model for major adverse cardiovascular events after early stage breast cancer: a population-based cohort study
Authors: Abdel-Qadir Husam , Thavendiranathan Paaladinesh , Austin Peter C , Lee Douglas S , Amir Eitan , Tu Jack V , Fung Kinwah , Anderson Geoffrey M
Published: June 2019

Aims

Develop a score to predict the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) after early stage breast cancer (EBC) to facilitate personalized decision-making about potentially cardiotoxic treatments and interventions to reduce cardiovascular risk.

Methods and results

Using administrative databases, we assembled a cohort of women diagnosed with EBC in Ontario between 2003 and 2014, with follow-up through 2015. Two-thirds of the cohort were used for risk score derivation; the remainder were reserved for its validation. The outcome was a composite of hospitalizations for acute myocardial infarction, unstable angina, transient ischaemic attack, stroke, peripheral vascular disease, heart failure (HF), or cardiovascular death. We developed the score by regressing MACE incidence against candidate predictors in the derivation sample using a Fine–Gray model. Discrimination was assessed in the validation sample using Wolber’s c-index for prognostic models with competing risks, while calibration was assessed by comparing predicted and observed MACE incidence. The risk score was derived in 60 294 women and validated in 29 810 women. Age, hypertension, diabetes, ischaemic heart disease, atrial fibrillation, HF, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral vascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and chronic kidney disease were significantly associated with MACE incidence and incorporated into the score. Ten-year MACE incidence was >40-fold higher for patients in the highest score decile compared to the lowest. The c-index was 81.9% (95% confidence interval 80.9–82.9%) at 5 years and 79.8% (78.8–80.8%) at 10 years in the validation cohort, with good agreement between predicted and observed MACE incidence.

Conclusion

Cardiovascular prognosis after EBC can be estimated using patients’ pre-treatment characteristics.
Full-waveform matching of VP and VS models from surface waves
Authors: Khosro Anjom Farbod , Teodor Daniela , Comina Cesare , Brossier Romain , Virieux Jean , Socco Laura Valentina
Published: June 2019

The analysis of surface wave dispersion curves (DCs) is widely used for near-surface S-wave velocity (VS) reconstruction. However, a comprehensive characterization of the near-surface requires also the estimation of P-wave velocity (VP). We focus on the estimation of both VS and VP models from surface waves using a direct data transform approach. We estimate a relationship between the wavelength of the fundamental mode of surface waves and the investigation depth and we use it to directly transform the DCs into VS and VP models in laterally varying sites. We apply the workflow to a real data set acquired on a known test site. The accuracy of such reconstruction is validated by a waveform comparison between field data and synthetic data obtained by performing elastic numerical simulations on the estimated VP and VS models. The uncertainties on the estimated velocity models are also computed.
Physical-activity trajectories during childhood and lung function at 15 years: findings from the ALSPAC cohort
Authors: Roda Célina , Mahmoud Osama , Peralta Gabriela P , Fuertes Elaine , Granell Raquel , Serra Ignasi , Henderson John , Jarvis Deborah , Garcia-Aymerich Judith
Published: June 2019

Background

Although physical activity has many known health benefits, its association with lung function in childhood/adolescence remains unclear. We examined the association of physical-activity trajectories between 11 and 15 years with lung function at 15 years in 2266 adolescents.

Methods

A population-based cohort of 14 305 singleton births alive at 1 year was recruited in the UK population-based Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children cohort. Physical activity (counts/minute and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity) was assessed for 7 days using an accelerometer at 11, 13 and 15 years. We identified sex-specific physical-activity trajectories applying K-means for longitudinal data in children with at least two accelerometer measurements (n = 3584). We then estimated the sex-specific associations of these trajectories with post-bronchodilation lung-function parameters using multivariable linear-regression models (n = 2266, 45% boys).

Results

Fewer than 7% of participants met the WHO physical-activity recommendations (i.e. daily average of at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity). Boys were substantially more active than girls. In both sexes, we identified three distinct physical-activity trajectories (‘low’: 39.8% boys, 45.8% girls; ‘moderate’: 42.9% boys, 41.4% girls; and ‘high’ physical activity: 17.3% boys, 12.8% girls). Girls in the moderate and high physical-activity trajectories had 0.11 L [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.04–0.19] and 0.15 L (95% CI: 0.03–0.26) higher forced vital capacity than their less-active peers. No association was observed in boys.

Conclusions

Higher childhood physical activity relates to higher lung-function levels in adolescent girls. A better understanding of the mechanisms underlying this association should be pursued.
Uniqueness of director configuration states for liquid crystals in the case of weak anchoring
Authors: Greco Carlo
Published: June 2019

In a thin layer of liquid crystal the configuration of the director field depends on the interaction between the elastic properties of the material, the thickness $d$ of the layer, the boundary conditions and the external fields that may have been applied. Suitable combinations of these factors can give rise to distorted configurations (Freedericksz transitions). In this paper we assume the Oseen-Frank model for the energy and that the director field depends only on the direction orthogonal to the layer; we assume also weak anchoring conditions at the two bounding surfaces, and we mainly study the problem of uniqueness of such distorted configurations. More precisely, we first consider the nematic case in the presence of a magnetic field $\mathbf H$, and we prove the uniqueness of the stable configuration provided the magnitude of $\mathbf H$ is between two critical thresholds, simplifying some results already known in the literature, and calculating explicitly the critical thresholds. Then we study the case of a cholesteric liquid crystal without external field. In this case the director field tends to form a right-angle helicoid around a twist axis orthogonal to the layer, and we have distorted configurations (namely oblique helicoid) for suitable value of $d$. Also in this case, with suitable restrictions on the elastic constants in the Oseen-Frank energy, we find two critical thresholds for $d$, and we prove the existence of only one stable director configuration if $d$ is between them.
Face and content validity of a prospective multidimensional performance instrument for service delivery in district health systems in low-income countries: a Delphi study
Authors: Yesuf Elias Ali , Grill Eva , Fröschl Günter , Haile-Mariam Damen , Koller Daniela
Published: June 2019

Background

Valid performance indicators help to track and improve health services. The aim of this study was to test the face and content validity of a set of performance indicators for service delivery in district health systems of low-income countries.

Methods

A Delphi method with three stages was used. A panel of experts voted (yes vs no) on the face value of performance indicators. Agreement on the inclusion of indicators was a score of >75% and ≥50% during stages one and two, respectively. During stage three, indicators with a mean score of ≥3.8 on a five-point scale were included. The panel also rated the content validity of the overall set of indicators.

Results

The panel agreed on the face value of 59 out of 238 performance indicators. Agreement on the content validity of the set of indicators reached 100%. Most of the retained indicators were related to the capacity of health facilities, the quality of maternal and child health services and HIV care and treatment.

Conclusions

Policymakers in low-income countries could use a set of performance indicators with modest face and high content validity, and mainly aspects of capacity and quality to improve health service delivery in districts.
Liquid Dermal Scaffold With Adipose-Derived Stem Cells Improve Tissue Quality in a Murine Model of Impaired Wound Healing
Authors: Forbes Diana , Russ Breshell , Kilani Ruhangiz , Ghahary Aziz , Jalili Reza
Published: June 2019

Wound repair and regeneration is a multidisciplinary field of research with considerable potential value to the management of deep and large burn injuries. These injuries lack an appropriate tissue scaffold and pro-healing cells making them difficult to heal. An alternative to the often limited autologous skin is a therapy that would restore the essential matrix and cellular components for rapid healing. In this study, they use a novel liquid dermal scaffold capable of gelation in vivo to show that it is biocompatible with adipose-derived stem cells. Using a validated method of wound splinting in a delayed-healing murine model, we show that wounds treated with the scaffold and stem cells had a significant reduction in wound size and had accelerated healing compared with control. The wounds treated with stem cells had increased capillary formation, collagen content, epidermal thickness, and essential growth factor expression in the healed tissue compared with control and liquid scaffold alone. This liquid dermal scaffold combined with cells is a feasible treatment strategy for complex or large burn wounds that are otherwise lacking the appropriate cellular matrix necessary for healing.
Factors Influencing Damage by the Portuguese Millipede, Ommatoiulus moreleti (Julida: Julidae), to Crop Seedlings
Authors: Douglas Josh , Hoffmann Ary , Umina Paul , Macfadyen Sarina
Published: June 2019

In different parts of the world, the increasing agricultural practice of retaining crop stubble in fields across seasons has led to population increases of soil-dwelling arthropods, primarily detritivorous species. These species typically play a beneficial role in the ecosystem, but some, including the Portuguese millipede (Ommatoiulus moreleti (Lucas)) can be sporadic pests. To assist in better understanding of pest risk, this study examines why O. moreleti feeds on crop seedlings. For lupin, seedling susceptibility appears to be related to plant properties, with greatly different levels of damage caused to the two cultivated species (Lupinus angustinus and Lupinus albus) and particularly between cultivated and wild-type L. angustinus seedlings. Millipedes feeding on lupin (cultivated L. angustinus), but not lucerne (Medicago sativa), gained a similar amount of weight to those feeding on other foods known to be readily consumed. The life-stage and sex of O. moreleti was found to be related to seedling damage. The presence of crop stubbles (as alternate food sources) did not limit the damage O. moreleti caused to lupin, suggesting that the presence of stubble in a field situation may not preclude feeding on crop seedlings. We discuss how results from these controlled environment trials can build a basis for understanding variable crop damage by O. moreleti in the field.
Innovative use of mesh bolster for adult Morgagni hernia repair
Authors: Azar Nabiel , Azar Robert , Robertson Katie , Gupta Priya
Published: June 2019

Morgagni hernia is a rare type of congenital diaphragmatic hernia caused by lack of fusion of the pleuroperitoneal membrane anteriorly leading to a defect in the foramen of Morgagni. These are rare hernias and typically present early in life. Those that do not get repaired during infancy or adolescence often present later in life with variable symptoms including obstruction, incarceration, strangulation, pulmonary symptoms, chest pain, etc. Herein we present an adult case that was found incidentally after a screening computerized tomography (CT) chest scan was done for history of smoking. There are two unique aspects to this case: first, given the large size of her hernia, her only complaint was mild shortness of breath and second, the innovative use of mesh as a suture bolster.
Laser ablation tomography for visualization of root colonization by edaphic organisms
Authors: Strock Christopher F , Schneider Hannah M , Galindo-Castañeda Tania , Hall Benjamin T , Van Gansbeke Bart , Mather Diane E , Roth Mitchell G , Chilvers Martin I , Guo Xiangrong , Brown Kathleen , Lynch Jonathan P
Published: June 2019

Soil biota have important effects on crop productivity, but can be difficult to study in situ. Laser ablation tomography (LAT) is a novel method that allows for rapid, three-dimensional quantitative and qualitative analysis of root anatomy, providing new opportunities to investigate interactions between roots and edaphic organisms. LAT was used for analysis of maize roots colonized by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, maize roots herbivorized by western corn rootworm, barley roots parasitized by cereal cyst nematode, and common bean roots damaged by Fusarium. UV excitation of root tissues affected by edaphic organisms resulted in differential autofluorescence emission, facilitating the classification of tissues and anatomical features. Samples were spatially resolved in three dimensions, enabling quantification of the volume and distribution of fungal colonization, western corn rootworm damage, nematode feeding sites, tissue compromised by Fusarium, and as well as root anatomical phenotypes. Owing to its capability for high-throughput sample imaging, LAT serves as an excellent tool to conduct large, quantitative screens to characterize genetic control of root anatomy and interactions with edaphic organisms. Additionally, this technology improves interpretation of root–organism interactions in relatively large, opaque root segments, providing opportunities for novel research investigating the effects of root anatomical phenes on associations with edaphic organisms.
Auxin biosynthesis: spatial regulation and adaptation to stress
Authors: Blakeslee Joshua J , Spatola Rossi Tatiana , Kriechbaumer Verena
Published: June 2019

This review highlights recent advances in TAA/YUC-dependent auxin biosynthesis focusing on subcellular localization of auxin biosynthetic enzymes, differential regulation in root and shoot, and the influence of abiotic stress.
Arabidopsis IPGA1 is a microtubule-associated protein essential for cell expansion during petal morphogenesis
Authors: Yang Yanqiu , Chen Binqinq , Dang Xie , Zhu Lilan , Rao Jinqiu , Ren Huibo , Lin Chentao , Qin Yuan , Lin Deshu
Published: June 2019

Unlike animal cells, plant cells do not possess centrosomes that serve as microtubule organizing centers; how microtubule arrays are organized throughout plant morphogenesis remains poorly understood. We report here that Arabidopsis INCREASED PETAL GROWTH ANISOTROPY 1 (IPGA1), a previously uncharacterized microtubule-associated protein, regulates petal growth and shape by affecting cortical microtubule organization. Through a genetic screen, we showed that IPGA1 loss-of-function mutants displayed a phenotype of longer and narrower petals, as well as increased anisotropic cell expansion of the petal epidermis in the late phases of flower development. Map-based cloning studies revealed that IPGA1 encodes a previously uncharacterized protein that colocalizes with and directly binds to microtubules. IPGA1 plays a negative role in the organization of cortical microtubules into parallel arrays oriented perpendicular to the axis of cell elongation, with the ipga1-1 mutant displaying increased microtubule ordering in petal abaxial epidermal cells. The IPGA1 family is conserved among land plants and its homologs may have evolved to regulate microtubule organization. Taken together, our findings identify IPGA1 as a novel microtubule-associated protein and provide significant insights into IPGA1-mediated microtubule organization and petal growth anisotropy.
Nitric oxide in plant–fungal interactions
Authors: Martínez-Medina Ainhoa , Pescador Leyre , Terrón-Camero Laura C , Pozo María J , Romero-Puertas María C
Published: June 2019

Whilst many interactions with fungi are detrimental for plants, others are beneficial and result in improved growth and stress tolerance. Thus, plants have evolved sophisticated mechanisms to restrict pathogenic interactions while promoting mutualistic relationships. Numerous studies have demonstrated the importance of nitric oxide (NO) in the regulation of plant defence against fungal pathogens. NO triggers a reprograming of defence-related gene expression, the production of secondary metabolites with antimicrobial properties, and the hypersensitive response. More recent studies have shown a regulatory role of NO during the establishment of plant–fungal mutualistic associations from the early stages of the interaction. Indeed, NO has been recently shown to be produced by the plant after the recognition of root fungal symbionts, and to be required for the optimal control of mycorrhizal symbiosis. Although studies dealing with the function of NO in plant–fungal mutualistic associations are still scarce, experimental data indicate that different regulation patterns and functions for NO exist between plant interactions with pathogenic and mutualistic fungi. Here, we review recent progress in determining the functions of NO in plant–fungal interactions, and try to identify common and differential patterns related to pathogenic and mutualistic associations, and their impacts on plant health.
Formation of ultra-diffuse galaxies in the field and in galaxy groups
Authors: Jiang Fangzhou , Dekel Avishai , Freundlich Jonathan , Romanowsky Aaron J , Dutton Aaron A , Macciò Andrea V , Di Cintio Arianna
Published: June 2019

We study ultra-diffuse galaxies (UDGs) in zoom in cosmological simulations, seeking the origin of UDGs in the field versus galaxy groups. We find that while field UDGs arise from dwarfs in a characteristic mass range by multiple episodes of supernova feedback (Di Cintio et al.), group UDGs may also form by tidal puffing up and they become quiescent by ram-pressure stripping. The field and group UDGs share similar properties, independent of distance from the group centre. Their dark-matter haloes have ordinary spin parameters and centrally dominant dark-matter cores. Their stellar components tend to have a prolate shape with a Sérsic index n ∼ 1 but no significant rotation. Ram pressure removes the gas from the group UDGs when they are at pericentre, quenching star formation in them and making them redder. This generates a colour/star-formation-rate gradient with distance from the centre of the dense environment, as observed in clusters. We find that ∼20 per cent of the field UDGs that fall into a massive halo survive as satellite UDGs. In addition, normal field dwarfs on highly eccentric orbits can become UDGs near pericentre due to tidal puffing up, contributing about half of the group-UDG population. We interpret our findings using simple toy models, showing that gas stripping is mostly due to ram pressure rather than tides. We estimate that the energy deposited by tides in the bound component of a satellite over one orbit can cause significant puffing up provided that the orbit is sufficiently eccentric. We caution that while the simulations produce UDGs that match the observations, they under-produce the more compact dwarfs in the same mass range, possibly because of the high threshold for star formation or the strong feedback.
Legacy of star formation in the pre-reionization universe
Authors: Jaacks Jason , Finkelstein Steven L , Bromm Volker
Published: June 2019

We utilize gizmo, coupled with newly developed sub-grid models for Population III (Pop III) and Population II (Pop II), to study the legacy of star formation in the pre-reionization Universe. We find that the Pop II star formation rate density (SFRD), produced in our simulation (${\sim } 10^{-2}\ \mathrm{M}_\odot \, {\rm yr^{-1}\, Mpc^{-3}}$ at z ≃ 10), matches the total SFRD inferred from observations within a factor of <2 at 7 ≲ z ≲ 10. The Pop III SFRD, however, reaches a plateau at ${\sim }10^{-3}\ \mathrm{M}_\odot \, {\rm yr^{-1}\, Mpc^{-3}}$ by z ≈ 10, remaining largely unaffected by the presence of Pop II feedback. At z  = 7.5, ${\sim } 20{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ of Pop III star formation occurs in isolated haloes that have never experienced any Pop II star formation (i.e. primordial haloes). We predict that Pop III-only galaxies exist at magnitudes MUV ≳ −11, beyond the limits for direct detection with the James Webb Space Telescope. We assess that our stellar mass function (SMF) and UV luminosity function (UVLF) agree well with the observed low mass/faint-end behaviour at z = 8 and 10. However, beyond the current limiting magnitudes, we find that both our SMF and UVLF demonstrate a deviation/turnover from the expected power-law slope (MUV,turn = −13.4 ± 1.1 at z  = 10). This could impact observational estimates of the true SFRD by a factor of 2(10) when integrating to MUV = −12 (−8) at z ∼ 10, depending on integration limits. Our turnover correlates well with the transition from dark matter haloes dominated by molecular cooling to those dominated by atomic cooling, for a mass Mhalo ≈ 108 M⊙ at z ≃ 10.
Six new rapidly oscillating Ap stars in the Kepler long-cadence data using super-Nyquist asteroseismology
Authors: Hey Daniel R , Holdsworth Daniel L , Bedding Timothy R , Murphy Simon J , Cunha Margarida S , Kurtz Donald W , Huber Daniel , Fulton Benjamin , Howard Andrew W
Published: June 2019

We perform a search for rapidly oscillating Ap stars in the Kepler long-cadence data, where true oscillations above the Nyquist limit of 283.21 $\mu$Hz can be reliably distinguished from aliases as a consequence of the barycentric time corrections applied to the Kepler data. We find evidence for rapid oscillations in six stars: KIC 6631188, KIC 7018170, KIC 10685175, KIC 11031749, KIC 11296437, and KIC 11409673, and identify each star as chemically peculiar through either pre-existing classifications or spectroscopic measurements. For each star, we identify the principal pulsation mode, and are able to observe several additional pulsation modes in KIC 7018170. We find that KIC 7018170 and KIC 11409673 both oscillate above their theoretical acoustic cut-off frequency, whilst KIC 11031749 oscillates at the cut-off frequency within uncertainty. All but KIC 11031749 exhibit strong amplitude modulation consistent with the oblique pulsator model, confirming their mode geometry and periods of rotation.