bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The impact of a mobile application‐based treatment for urinary incontinence in adult women: Design of a mixed‐methods randomized controlled trial in a primary care setting
Authors: Loohuis Anne M.M. , Wessels Nienke J. , Jellema Petra , Vermeulen Karin M. , Slieker‐ten Hove Marijke C. , van Gemert‐Pijnen Julia E.W.C. , Berger Marjolein Y. , Dekker Janny H. , Blanker Marco H. 
Published: February 2018

AimsWe aim to assess whether a purpose‐developed mobile application (app) is non‐inferior regarding effectiveness and cost‐effective when used to treat women with urinary incontinence (UI), as compared to care as usual in Dutch primary care. Additionally, we will explore the expectations and experiences of patients and care providers regarding app usage.MethodsA mixed‐methods study will be performed, combining a pragmatic, randomized‐controlled, non‐inferiority trial with an extensive process evaluation. Women aged ≥18 years, suffering from UI ≥ 2 times per week and with access to a smartphone or tablet are eligible to participate. The primary outcome will be the change in UI symptom scores at 4 months after randomization, as assessed by the International Consultation on Incontinence Modular Questionnaire UI Short Form. Secondary outcomes will be the change in UI symptom scores at 12 months, as well as the patient‐reported global impression of improvement, quality of life, change in sexual functioning, UI episodes per day, and costs at 4 and 12 months. In parallel, we will perform an extensive process evaluation to assess the expectations and experiences of patients and care providers regarding app usage, making use of interviews, focus group sessions, and log data analysis.ConclusionThis study will assess both the effectiveness and cost‐effectiveness of app‐based treatment for UI. The combination with the process evaluation, which will be performed in parallel, should also give valuable insights into the contextual factors that influence the effectiveness of such a treatment.
Two‐agent scheduling on a single sequential and compatible batching machine
Authors: Li Shisheng , Cheng T.C.E. , Ng C.T. , Yuan Jinjiang 
Published: February 2018

AbstractWe study two‐agent scheduling on a single sequential and compatible batching machine in which jobs in each batch are processed sequentially and compatibility means that jobs of distinct agents can be processed in a common batch. A fixed setup time is required before each batch is started. Each agent seeks to optimize some scheduling criterion that depends on the completion times of its own jobs only. We consider several scheduling problems arising from different combinations of some regular scheduling criteria, including the maximum cost (embracing lateness and makespan as its special cases), the total completion time, and the (weighted) number of tardy jobs. Our goal is to find an optimal schedule that minimizes the objective value of one agent, subject to an upper bound on the objective value of the other agent. For each problem under consideration, we provide either a polynomial‐time or a pseudo‐polynomial‐time algorithm to solve it. We also devise a fully polynomial‐time approximation scheme when both agents’ scheduling criteria are the weighted number of tardy jobs.
Comparison of Resting Energy Expenditure Assessment in Pediatric Oncology Patients
Authors: Ringwald‐Smith Karen , Hobar Ashley , Flowers Casey , Badgett Katie , Williams‐Hooker Ruth , Roach Robin R. , Sykes April , Lu Zhaohua , Mackert Paul , Mandrell Belinda N. 
Published: February 2018

AbstractBackground: Evaluation of energy requirements is an important part of the nutrition assessment of pediatric oncology patients. Adequate provision of energy in this population is of extreme importance because of the prevalence of malnutrition and its effect on growth, development, quality of life, morbidity, and mortality. Numerous methods are used in clinical practice for estimating the resting energy expenditures (REE), specifically indirect calorimetry and predictive equations. A relatively new instrument used to assess REE is the hand‐held indirect calorimeter. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to compare the accuracy of REE measurements taken by a hand‐held indirect calorimeter and predictive equations to that of a standard indirect calorimeter metabolic cart. Methods: Patients receiving therapy for pediatric cancer, aged 7–18 years, and having a weight ≥15 kg and scheduled for a REE nutrition assessment were eligible. Sequentially, the patient's REE was assessed with the cart and the hand‐held indirect calorimeter along with the predictive equation calculation. Results: Post hoc pairwise comparisons revealed that all 3 methods were significantly different from one another (P < .0001). When compared with the cart, the portable hand‐held calorimeter was found to underestimate REE by 11.9%, whereas predictive equations overestimated REE by 12.4%. Conclusion: Our quality improvement project suggests that the hand‐held indirect calorimeter underestimated REE, and predictive equations overestimated REE in pediatric oncology nutrition assessment. Therefore, we recommend that these limitations in assessment be considered when assessing REE using a hand‐held indirect calorimeter or predictive equations.
Advances in implementation, theoretical motivation, and numerical results for the nested iteration with range decomposition algorithm
Authors: Mitchell Wayne , Manteuffel Tom 
Published: February 2018

SummaryThis paper studies a low‐communication algorithm for solving elliptic PDEs on high‐performance machines, the nested iteration with range decomposition (NIRD) algorithm. Previous work has shown that NIRD converges to a high level of accuracy within a small, fixed number of iterations (usually one or two) when applied to simple elliptic problems. This paper makes some improvements to the NIRD algorithm (including the addition of adaptivity during preprocessing, wider choice of partitioning functions, and modified error measurement) that enhance the method's accuracy and scalability, especially on more difficult problems. In addition, an updated convergence proof is presented based on heuristic assumptions that are supported by numerical evidence. Furthermore, a new performance model is developed that shows increased performance benefits for NIRD when problems are more expensive to solve using traditional methods. Finally, extensive testing on a variety of elliptic problems provides additional insight into the behavior of NIRD and additional evidence that NIRD achieves excellent convergence on a wide class of elliptic PDEs and, as such, should be a very competitive method for solving PDEs on large parallel computers.
A high‐order FEM with exact geometry description for the Laplacian on implicitly defined surfaces
Authors: Gfrerer M.H. , Schanz M. 
Published: February 2018

SummaryIn this paper, a high‐order finite element method for partial differential equations on smooth surfaces is proposed. The surface is defined as the intersection of a rectangular cuboid and an implicitly defined surface. Therefore, the surface of interest may not be closed. The main novel contribution in this work is the incorporation of an exact geometry description of surfaces with boundary into the finite element method. To this end, a piecewise planar triangulation is mapped onto the surface of interest by making use of the implicit surface definition. The mapping uses predefined search directions and can, therefore, be tailored to consider boundaries. High‐order hierarchical shape functions are utilized for the field approximation. They are defined on a reference triangle in the usual way. The proposed method is easy to implement and bypasses the need for a high‐order geometry description. Furthermore, due to the exact geometry, the imposition of Dirichlet boundary conditions, source terms, and mesh refinement are easy to carry out.
An adaptive cracking particle method providing explicit and accurate description of 3D crack surfaces
Authors: Ai Weilong , Augarde Charles E. 
Published: February 2018

SummaryCracks in 3‐dimensions (3D) have arbitrary shapes and therefore present difficulties for numerical modelling. A novel adaptive cracking particle method with explicit and accurate description of 3D cracks is described in this paper. In this meshless method, crack surfaces are described by a set of discontinuous segments, which are associated with particles. This group of particles are assumed all to be “cracked” and split into 2 subparticles with modified support domains. Compared to the original method where the spherical supports at particles are equally divided, the proposed method makes use of nonplanar segments to account for changes in crack face direction. The orientations of those segments and the angular changes of cracks during crack propagation steps are recorded using triangular meshes. Supports of weight functions are modified according to those changes so that quasi‐continuous crack surfaces can be obtained, avoiding the spurious cracking seen in earlier cracking particle methods. An adaptive approach in 3D is then introduced to capture stress gradients around crack fronts. Several 3D crack problems with reference results have been tested to validate the proposed method with good agreement being achieved using the new method, showing it to be potentially a significant advance for 3D fracture prediction problems.
Facile synthesis of oligo(4‐methoxyphenol) in water and evaluation of its efficiency in stabilization of polypropylene
Authors: Wu Yufeng , Jiang Fan , Chai Chunxiao , Zheng Ke , Cui Yuanchen , Zhang Lei 
Published: February 2018

A hindered polyphenol, oligo(4‐methoxyphenol), has been first successfully synthesized via a mild biocatalytic pathway using horseradish peroxidase as catalyst in water without any additive. Then the efficiency of oligo(4‐methoxyphenol) in stabilization of polypropylene (PP) was evaluated in terms of thermal analysis and accelerated aging test. It was observed that the apparent activation energy for thermal decomposition of PP/oligo(4‐methoxyphenol) calculated by Friedman's method is higher than that of virgin PP. Oligo(4‐methoxyphenol)‐stabilized PP maintains its tensile strength even after aging at 120°C for 800 hours. Oxidation induction time and onset oxidation temperature of PP/oligo(4‐methoxyphenol) are higher than both virgin PP and PP/4‐methoxyphenol, as well as PP stabilized with commercially available 6‐di‐tert‐buty‐4‐methylphenol or 1076. These results indicate that oligo(4‐methoxyphenol) can effectively improve the thermo‐oxidative resistance of PP. Noting that oligo(4‐methoxyphenol) is synthesized via enzymatic polymerization in water under mild condition with a facile procedure, oligo(4‐methoxyphenol) is thus proposed as a new efficiency and readily available antioxidant for PP.
Treatment of premenstrual syndrome: Appraising the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy in addition to calcium supplement plus vitamin D
Authors: Karimi Zahra , Dehkordi Mahnaz Aliakbari , Alipour Ahmad , Mohtashami Tayebeh 
Published: February 2018

AbstractPremenstrual syndrome (PMS) consists of repetitious physical and psychological symptoms. The symptoms occur during the luteal phase of the menstrual period and cease when the menstrual period starts. This study included pre‐test and post‐test experiments between a control group and a test group. The statistical population involved 40 females, chosen based on multistage cluster sampling. The participants were then divided into four groups to undergo treatment with calcium supplement plus vitamin D together with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and were screened with the Premenstrual Syndrome Screening Test (PSST). The pre‐test and post‐test scores in the PSST, the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ‐28), and Bell's Adjustment Inventory (BAI) were used as assessment tools (p < .05). According to the parameters of PMS symptoms, when evaluating the pre‐test and post‐test scores, the overall score of each individual in the experimental group was improved and a significant effect for the combination of calcium supplement plus vitamin D together with CBT was observed in comparison to the post‐test control group. A comparison of multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) results collected from the pre‐test and post‐test scores revealed that the method of treatment was beneficial for PMS, adjustment, and general health.
Derivation and Validation of aClostridium difficileInfection Recurrence Prediction Rule in a National Cohort of Veterans
Authors: Reveles Kelly R. , Mortensen Eric M. , Koeller Jim M. , Lawson Kenneth A. , Pugh Mary Jo V. , Rumbellow Sarah A. , Argamany Jacqueline R. , Frei Christopher R. 
Published: February 2018

Study ObjectivePrior studies have identified risk factors for recurrentClostridium difficileinfection (CDI), but few studies have integrated these factors into a clinical prediction rule that can aid clinical decision‐making. The objectives of this study were to derive and validate aCDIrecurrence prediction rule to identify patients at risk for first recurrence in a national cohort of veterans.DesignRetrospective cohort study.Data SourceVeterans Affairs Informatics and Computing Infrastructure.PatientsA total of 22,615 adult Veterans Health Administration beneficiaries with first‐episodeCDIbetween October 1, 2002, and September 30, 2014; of these patients, 7538 were assigned to the derivation cohort and 15,077 to the validation cohort.Measurements and Main ResultsA 60‐dayCDIrecurrence prediction rule was created in a derivation cohort using backward logistic regression. Those variables significant at p<0.01 were assigned an integer score proportional to the regression coefficient. The model was then validated in the derivation cohort and a separate validation cohort. Patients were then split into three risk categories, and rates of recurrence were described for each category. TheCDIrecurrence prediction rule included the following predictor variables with their respective point values: prior third‐ and fourth‐generation cephalosporins (1 point), prior proton pump inhibitors (1 point), prior antidiarrheals (1 point), nonsevereCDI(2 points), and community‐onsetCDI(3 points). In the derivation cohort, the 60‐dayCDIrecurrence risk for each score ranged from 7.5% (0 points) to 57.9% (8 points). The risk score was strongly correlated with recurrence (R2 = 0.94). Patients were split into low‐risk (0–2 points), medium‐risk (3–5 points), and high‐risk (6–8 points) classes and had the following recurrence rates: 8.9%, 20.2%, and 35.0%, respectively. Findings were similar in the validation cohort.ConclusionSeveralCDIand patient‐specific factors were independently associated with 60‐dayCDIrecurrence risk. When integrated into a clinical prediction rule, higher risk scores and risk classes were strongly correlated withCDIrecurrence. This clinical prediction rule can be used by providers to identify patients at high risk forCDIrecurrence and help guide preventive strategy decisions, while accounting for clinical judgment.
Comprehensive branching analysis of polyethylene by combined fractionation and thermal analysis
Authors: Ndiripo Anthony , Eselem Bungu Paul Severin , Pasch Harald 
Published: February 2018

AbstractLinear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) and low density polyethylene (LDPE) differ significantly in their branching types and branching distributions. For a comprehensive analysis, preparative temperature rising elution fractionation and/or preparative molar mass fractionation are used to fractionate typical LLDPE and LDPE bulk resins into narrowly distributed fractions. The chain structures of the bulk resins and their fractions are further analysed using SEC, crystallization analysis fractionation, DSC and high‐temperature HPLC to provide detailed information on short chain branching in LLDPE and long chain branching in LDPE. For LDPE it is shown that the multiple fractionation approach is a powerful source of sample libraries that may have similar molar masses and different branching structures or alternatively similar branching but different molar masses. The analysis of these library samples by thermal analysis provides a much deeper insight into the molecular heterogeneity of the samples compared to bulk sample analysis. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
The social profitability of photovoltaics in Germany
Authors: López Prol Javier , Steininger Karl W. 
Published: February 2018

AbstractWhile Germany has led the market in photovoltaic (PV) implementation throughout the last decade, there has been increasing criticism of PV support policies due to their high cost. Although declining, the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) from PV is still above the German wholesale electricity price. However, using LCOE as an evaluation yardstick falls short in at least 2 respects: It neither takes into account integration costs rising with PV penetration (ie, undervaluing its actual cost) nor avoided externalities of replacing conventional for renewable generation (social cost overvaluation). We thus calculate the social profitability of PV in Germany by including not only private costs and benefits but also integration costs to the electricity system and avoided environmental externalities, using the internal rate of return and the profitability index as indicators. Our results show that when these factors are considered, the social profitability of PV in Germany is higher than 10% at the lower bound of the social cost of carbon (150€/tCO2) up to a penetration level of at least 15% and positive up to a penetration level of at least 25%. Results also show the level of private profitability if all externalities were internalized and assert that subsidies are justified to align private and social profitability. The proposed method could be used as a complementary indicator to private profitability by public institutions, development banks, and companies with social responsibility values.
Dysphagia and associated clinical markers in neurologically intact children with respiratory disease
Authors: Sassi Fernanda C. , Bühler Karina C. B. , Juste Fabiola S. , Almeida Fabiola C. F. , Befi‐Lopes Debora M. , de Andrade Claudia R. F. 
Published: February 2018

AbstractObjectiveThe identification of oropharyngeal aspiration is paramount since it can have negative consequences on a compromised respiratory status. Our hypothesis was that dysphagia in neurologically intact children with respiratory disease is associated to specific clinical markers.Study DesignUsing the medical files we conducted a retrospective, observational cohort study on children admitted to the pediatric hospital unit due to respiratory disease. We collected data on specific parameters of a clinical swallowing assessment and dysphagia was classified according to the Dysphagia Management Staging Scale. We also included the following clinical markers: age, days of hospitalization, need for orotracheal intubation (OTI), duration of orotracheal intubation (in hours), number of previous hospital admissions due to respiratory disease, number of previous hospital admissions due to other causes, and previous orotracheal intubations.ResultsThe final study sample consisted of 102 patients (mean age of 5.88 months). For the purposes of statistical analysis, the patients were grouped according to the classification of dysphagia (ie, no dysphagia, mild dysphagia, and moderate‐severe dysphagia). Data analysis indicated that the clinical markers of orotracheal intubation (P = 0.042), duration of orotracheal intubation (P = 0.025), and days of hospitalization (P = 0.037) were significant in children with moderate‐severe dysphagia.ConclusionsOur data indicate that neurologically intact children with respiratory disease who were submitted to prolonged OTI (ie, over 48 h) should be prioritized for receiving a detailed swallowing assessment.
Larvicidal efficacy of Adiantobischrysene from Adiantum latifolium against Oryctes rhinoceros through disrupting metamorphosis and impeding microbial mediated digestion
Authors: Pradeep Kumar Ravindrannair , John Anil , Kumar Praveen , Dinesh Babu Kaleekkal Vasupillai , Evans Dasammal Asirvadam 
Published: February 2018

AbstractBACKGROUNDOryctes rhinoceros Linn. (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) is a serious pest of coconuts and other palms. Symbiotic gut bacteria play significant roles in the digestion of cellulosic materials as well as in some other physiological processes essential for the existence of O. rhinoceros larvae. The study was undertaken to isolate a compound with antibacterial and larvicidal activities from the leaves of Adiantum latifolium Lam. following a bioassay‐guided method.RESULTSMethanol extract (ME) of dry leaf powder of A. latifolium showed larvicidal activity against third‐instar O. rhinoceros (LD50, 5018 mg/kg) with antibacterial activity on its gut microbiota. An in vitro study showed the bacteria Bacillus cereus, Micrococcus lylae, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Kocuria rosea, Burkholderia mallei, Staphylococcus epidermidis, S. arlettae and Corynebacterium afermentans identified from the larval gut were sensitive to ME. Bioactivity‐guided isolation of the compound by liquid–liquid extraction and column chromatography resulted in Adiantobischrysene which showed antibacterial and larvicidal activity (LD50, 8.4 mg/kg) and led to weight loss and precocious metamorphosis in larvae. An enzyme immunoassay showed a large peak in 20‐hydroxyecdysone that commits larvae to precocious metamorphosis.CONCLUSIONThis study demonstrated that the antibacterial and metamorphosis disrupting activity of Adiantobischrysene make it a natural pesticidal compound against O. rhinoceros. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
Perturbed structures generated using coordinates derived from compliance constants in internal vibrations for QTAIM dual functional analysis: Intrinsic dynamic nature of interactions
Authors: Nakanishi Waro , Hayashi Satoko 
Published: February 2018

AbstractPerturbed structures for QTAIM dual functional analysis (QTAIM‐DFA) are proposed to generate using the coordinates corresponding to the compliance force constants in internal vibrations (CIV). In QTAIM‐DFA, total electron energy densitiesHb(rc) are plotted versusHb(rc) –Vb(rc)/2 at bond critical points (BCPs) of interactions in question, whereVb(rc) are potential energy densities at BCPs. Each plot of an interaction based on the data from both perturbed structures and fully optimized one takes the form (θp, κp), where θpcorresponds to the tangent line of the plot and κpis the curvature. The θpvalues evaluated with CIV are equal to those obtained by partial optimizations with the interaction distance in question being fixed suitably, within the calculation errors. Very high applicability of CIV is demonstrated to generate the perturbed structures for QTAIM‐DFA. Dynamic nature of interactions based on (θp, κp) with CIV is called “intrinsic dynamic nature of interactions.”
Water adsorption on the surface of Ni‐ and Co‐based layer‐structured cathode materials for lithium‐ion batteries
Authors: Kim Yongseon 
Published: February 2018

AbstractNi‐based layer‐structured cathode materials are more vulnerable to moisture than conventional LiCoO2 cathodes, adsorbing more water and easily forming LiOH on the surface. This study investigated the moisture adsorption mechanism on the surface of layer‐structured cathodes. The behavior of water molecules on LiCoO2 and LiNiO2 surfaces were simulated and the structural and chemical changes during the adsorption process were analyzed by first‐principles methods. It was found that the adsorption occurs via two types of mechanism: one involving ionic interactions between Li on the crystal surface and O in the adsorbate, and the other involving covalent bonding between the transition metal (TM) on the surface and O in the adsorbate, which restores the coordination of the TM by recovering its broken bonds. The difference between the water adsorption behaviors of Ni‐based and Co‐based layer‐structured cathodes was found to be mainly due to the ionic‐interaction‐driven adsorption on the (003) surface.