Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Online-rotation in paediatrics – digital live-interaction with children

The two-week block rotation in paediatrics (tenth semester) took place for 62 students purely as online teaching in the summer semester of 2020, at the time of the initial restrictions. As a teaching module, virtual patient presentations including debriefing took place as synchronous teaching. Patients and one parent were broadcast from the wards and outpatient clinics via video conference. Students were able to interact in small groups with 15-22 patients or their parents, respectively, via a doctor and both conduct the case history interview and brief the examination steps. Despite the limitation of not being able to perform the clinical examination themselves, participants rated the block rotation with good marks. They particularly appreciated the ability to interact with the children online as an indispensable compromise in times of suspended classroom teaching during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.
When Politics Meets Pandemic: How Prime Minister Netanyahu and a Small Team Communicated Health and Risk Information to the Israeli Public During the Early Stages of COVID-19

Background The coronavirus brought the world’s leaders to the center of the media stage, where they not only managed the COVID-19 pandemic but also communicated it to the public. The means they used to communicate the global pandemic reveal their strategies and the narratives they chose to create in their nation’s social consciousness. In Israel, the crisis broke out after three election cycles, such that the government in charge of the crisis was an interim government under the leadership of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was operating under three criminal indictments. This study sought to examine the ways in which Prime Minister Netanyahu and two senior Israel Ministry of Health officials—Director General Moshe Bar Siman Tov and Prof. Sigal Sadetsky, Head of Public Health Services—communicated information about the health crisis in Israel during what has been termed the first wave and the beginning of the second wave. Methods and Sample The research adopted qualitative methods (discourse, content and thematic analysis) to analyze the communication strategies and compare them to health and risk communication. Triangulated data collection from different data sources was used to increase the credibility and validity of the results. The research sample comprised the following sources from March 3 through June 21, 2020: transcripts of 19 press conferences and 12 press interviews, 95 emergency regulations signed by Prime Minister Netanyahu, and 52 articles in major Israeli newspapers. Results Netanyahu and the Health Ministry Director General used an apocalyptic narrative to communicate COVID-19 to the public. The main strategies used in constructing this narrative were intimidation, lack of information transparency, giving the public conflicting instructions contrary to the health and risk communicating approach, and using a health crisis to promote political intentions and actions. Conclusion Communicating health crises to the public, particularly ongoing crises like COVID-19, requires that leaders implement the health and risk communication approach and create a cooperative narrative that does not rely on a strategy of intimidation, but rather on empathy and on fact-based and transparent information.
Dexmedetomidine ameliorates high‐fat diet‐induced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease by targeting SCD1 in obesity mice

Fatty liver disease is one of the main hepatic complications associated with obesity. To date, there are no therapeutic drugs approved for this pathology. Insulin resistance (IR) is implicated both in pathogenesis of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and in disease progression from steatosis to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. In this study, we have characterized effects of an α2‐adrenoceptor agonist, dexmedetomidine (DEX), which can alleviate IR in hepatocytes in high‐fat diet (HFD)‐induced NAFLD mice. The NAFLD mice received a daily intraperitoneal administration of DEX (100 μg·kg‐1) after 16 days exhibited lower body weight, fewer and smaller fat droplets in the liver, markedly reduced the plasma triglyceride levels, accompanied by improvement of liver damage. This inhibition of lipid accumulation activity in obese mice was associated with a robust reduction in the mRNA and protein expression of the lipogenic enzyme stearyl‐coenzyme A desaturase 1 (SCD1), which was probably mediated by the inhibition of C/EBP β, PPAR γ and C/EBP α through suppressing α 2A ‐adrenoceptor ( α 2A ‐AR ) via negative feedback. Additionally, DEX can also improve IR and inflammation by inhibiting the mitogen‐activated protein kinases (MAPK) and nuclear factor kappa beta (NFκB) signaling pathway in vivo. Our findings implicate that DEX may act as a potential anti‐steatotic drug which ameliorates obesity‐associated fatty liver and improves IR and inflammation, probably by suppressing the expression of SCD1 and the inhibition of MAPK/NFκB pathway and suggest the potential adjuvant use for the treatment of NAFLD.
Sympathetic and Vagal Responses Elicited by Acute Stress in Rats

Introduction Acute emotional stress triggers autonomic responses that affect sympathovagal balance. However, the temporal pattern of changes in each autonomic arm during stress and recovery remains unclear. Therefore, we analyzed separately sympathetic and vagal activity, elicited by acute unpredictable stress in a rat model. Methods Continuous electrocardiographic recording was performed during (32 minutes) and after (two hours) successive use of restraint and air-jet stress in 10 rats, whereas five rats served as controls. Sympathetic and vagal indices were calculated non-invasively after heart rate variability analysis. Voluntary motion was quantified during recovery, as an index of continuing anxiety. Results The sympathetic nervous system index increased during stress and remained elevated during the initial stage of recovery. The parasympathetic nervous system index decreased immediately after the onset of stress and remained low throughout the observational period. During recovery, voluntary activity was more pronounced in the stress group than in the controls. Conclusion Successive restraint and air-jet stress in rats increased sympathetic activity and decreased vagal activity. These changes displayed only partial recovery post-stress and were accompanied by enhanced voluntary motion. Our findings may be important in the evaluation of the cardiac electrophysiologic implications of autonomic changes elicited by acute emotional stress.
Effectiveness of Behavioral Activation in Treating Thai Older Adults with Subthreshold Depression Residing in the Community

Background In recent years, behavioral activation (BA) has attracted increased interest as an effective depression treatment. However, empirical evidence supporting its effectiveness in non-Western countries is currently limited. Objective To examine the effectiveness of BA in reducing depressive symptoms, stress, and anxiety among Thai older adults with subthreshold depression. Methods and Subjects A clustered randomized controlled trial was conducted in two health promoting hospitals (HPHs) in the Samut Songkhram province of Thailand. One hospital was used for the intervention (BA+usual care group) and the other for the control (usual care-only group). Each HPH randomly selected 41 eligible older adults residing in their jurisdictions to take part in the study. Mental health outcomes were assessed using the Thai Geriatric Depression Scale (TGDS) and Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS). The BA effectiveness was evaluated using generalized estimating equations (GEE) at a group level and the reliable change index (RCI) at the individual level. Results Over 9 months, the adjusted mean change in depression (TGDS) scores [−2.47 (95% CI: −3.84, −1.00)], mental health status (DASS), specifically depression and stress score [−1.47 and −1.87 (95% CI: −2.43, −0.50 and −2.94, −0.79, respectively)], improved significantly in the BA+usual care group compared to the usual care-only group, whereas anxiety score improved significantly only at 6 months [−0.87 (95% CI: −1.52, −0.23)]. Additional RCI analysis showed that BA was directly associated with 14.63 to 24.39% points increase in the reliable improvement of depressive outcome compared to the usual care-only group. Conclusion This study showed that the BA effectively improved depression, stress, and anxiety in older adults with subthreshold depression in a Thai community setting. Future research should evaluate the longer-term effectiveness of BA in diverse population groups.
Teaching in times of COVID-19. Challenges and opportunities for digital teaching

The year 2020. Nobody was really prepared for the radical changes and challenges that year. The COVID-19 pandemic suddenly forced hospitals and clinics, but also schools and universities, to find newways tomaintain both supply and teaching and learning. This process had to be quick and often led to themuch-cited term “Emergency Remote Teaching” [1]. But we also realised that digital education and training could and had to show what potential it had. Before the COVID-19 pandemic there were already very positive developments in digital learning and teaching. There was already a lot of evidence in basic research that could highlight the advantages of the targeted use of digital teaching [2], [3], [4], [5], [6]. New technologies and teaching methods as well as well-founded explanatory models, such as the ICAPmodel or e-activities, have been iteratively developed further and represented a selective enrichment of the teaching offer at a number of institutions [7], [8], [9]. In particular blended learning concepts such as the Inverted Classroom Model, but also the use of virtual patients and simulations were increasingly used [10], [11], [12], [13]. However, there were also relevant hurdles that slowed down digital teaching. A lack of experience on the part of teachers, legal framework conditions at various levels of health and education policy [14], [15], a lack of transparency in the creditability of digital teaching and other aspects ensured that digital teaching could only develop step by step [16], [17]. The abovementioned study results were only slowly being adopted in teaching practice. Many projects in digital teaching were carried out, but rarely evaluated. Then came the COVID-19 pandemic and in a very short time teaching had to be converted almost completely to pure online teaching. In a one-off action, digital concepts were launched at universities and schools everywhere. Due to the short-term nature of the project, many different forms of digital teaching and examinations have been created. In contrast to earlier developments, this was less driven by institutional strategies and more by the de facto necessity and lack of alternatives. The actual design of teaching was strongly dependent on the existing resources, digital skills, time frame and the available technical infrastructure, which were heterogeneous at the various educational institutions. The idea of making innovative projects from different locations visible was born at the beginning of the “Corona Semester”. It would have been a wasted potential not to make the digitisation push visible and to make the many different ideas visible at the educational institutions. However, here too, one challenge was how to make the individual projects evident as quickly as possible, independent of the very lagging review processes in the scientific world. We then decided to publish a focus issue with short contributions to project reports.
Effect of Sulfur Impurity on Fe(110) Adhesion: A DFT Study

The effect of adsorbed S on the adhesion of Fe(110) surfaces is examined using density functional theory. Adsorption of S in the hollow, bridge, and atop sites is modeled at a 1/4 monolayer coverage in match and mismatch interfaces. The calculated adhesion energy curves and fitted universal binding energy relation (Rose et al. Phys. Rev. B. 1983, 28, 1835) show that the presence of S on the surface reduces the strength of the interface. The effect of adsorbed S on the charge density distribution and magnetic properties of the interface are also examined and can be related to the interfacial geometry. The effect of relaxation of the interfaces at equilibrium is also investigated and is shown to increase the strength of the interface, while reducing the equilibrium interfacial separation.
In vitro and in vivo Evaluation of Succinic Acid-Substituted Mesoporous Silica for Ammonia Adsorption: Potential Application in the Management of Hepatic Encephalopathy

Purpose Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a critical situation in which liver failure affects brain function. HE could result in a state of coma and death. The liver is the main organ for ammonium ion (NH4+) metabolism. Hence, acute and/or chronic liver failure could lead to hyperammonemia. NH4+ is the most suspected neurotoxic agent in HE. Thus, finding new therapeutic options to decrease plasma and brain NH4+ levels has a significant clinical value. Mesoporous silica (MS) particles have revolutionized many aspects of pharmaceutical sciences, including drug delivery systems. Moreover, recently, MS has been applied as agents for the detoxification of chemicals (eg, drugs and poisons). Methods First, MS particles containing amine groups (MS-NH2) were synthesized in co-condensation processes. Then, the structure was modified by succinic anhydride to have MS-SA. The MS-SA was characterized (FT-IR, XRD, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), DLS-Zeta FESEM-EDX, and HRTEM). Then, the potential of MS-NH2 and MS-SA particles in adsorption of NH4+ was investigated in vitro and in vivo. MS-NH2 and MS-SA were incubated with increasing concentrations (0.1–10 mM) of NH4+, and the scavenging capacity of the investigated particles was evaluated. On the other hand, different doses (1 and 5 mg/kg per day) of nanoparticles were administered to a hyperammonemia animal model. Results It was figured out that both MS-NH2 and MS-SA significantly scavenged NH4+ in the in vitro model. However, the NH4+ scavenging capability of MS-SA was more significant. Administration of MS-NH2 and MS-SA also considerably decreased the level of ammonium in plasma and brain and improved cognitive and locomotor activity in hyperammonemic animals. The effects of MS-SA were more significant than MS-NH2 in the HE animal model. Conclusion Collectively, our data suggest that MS particles, especially succinic acid-functionalized MS, could act as special ancillary treatment in HE as a critical clinical complication.
Coronavirus Disease 2019 Calls for Predictive Analytics Monitoring—A New Kind of Illness Scoring System

Coronavirus disease 2019 can lead to sudden and severe respiratory failure that mandates endotracheal intubation, a procedure much more safely performed under elective rather than emergency conditions. Early warning of rising risk of this event could benefit both patients and healthcare providers by reducing the high risk of emergency intubation. Current illness severity scoring systems, which usually update only when clinicians measure vital signs or laboratory values, are poorly suited for early detection of this kind of rapid clinical deterioration. We propose that continuous predictive analytics monitoring, a new approach to bedside management, is more useful. The principles of this new practice anchor in analysis of continuous bedside monitoring data, training models on diagnosis-specific paths of deterioration using clinician-identified events, and continuous display of trends in risks rather than alerts when arbitrary thresholds are exceeded.
The fused heterocycle 2-benzyl-3-methyl-1-phenyl-4-phenyl­sulfonyl-2H,4H-pyrrolo­[3,4-b]­indole

Crystal structure determination of the title mol­ecule, C30H24N2O2S, reveals that the pyrrole ring in this fused heterocycle, although presumably strained and reactive in cyclo­addition reactions, does not differ appreciably from N-methyl­pyrrole except for a shorter C—C single bond [1.409 (4) A] in the pyrrole ring.
Hydrogen-Methane Blend Fuelling of a Heavy-Duty, Direct-Injection Engine

Combining hydrogen with natural gas as a fuel for internal combustion engines provides an early opportunity to introduce hydrogen into transportation applications. This study investigates the effects of fuelling a heavy-duty engine with a mixture of hydrogen and natural gas injected directly into the combustion chamber. The combustion system is unmodified from that developed for natural gas fuelling. The results demonstrate that hydrogen can have a significant beneficial effect in reducing emissions without affecting efficiency or requiring significant engine modifications. Combustion stability is enhanced through the higher reactivity of the hydrogen, resulting in reduced emissions of unburned methane. The fuel’s lower carbon-energy ratio also reduces CO2 emissions. These results combine to significantly reduce tailpipe greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. However, the effect on net GHG’s, including both tailpipe and fuel-production emissions, depends on the source of the hydrogen. Cleaner sources, such as electrolysis based on renewables and hydro-electric power, generate a significant net reduction in GHG emissions. Hydrogen generated by steam-methane reforming is essentially GHG neutral, while electrolysis using electricity from fossil-fuel power plants significantly increases net GHG emissions compared to conventional natural gas fuelling.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
THICKNESS DEPENDENT PROPERTIES OF BARIUM STRONTIUM TITANATE THIN-FILM VARACTORS

ABSTRACT Ba0.6Sr0. 4TiO3 (BST) thin-films with large dielectric tunability as high as 5.8:1 were obtained using a large area pulsed laser deposition process, with low loss-tangents below 0.01 at zero-bias and 10 GHz. This paper summarizes experimental results obtained on large area processed BST thin film varactors. Varactors with 0.6 μm thick BST films exhibited large dielectric tunability, the relative dielectric permittivity at zero bias of 1280 tuned to 220 at 20 V, at an electric field of 333 kV/cm. The leakage current through the BST film was below 1 nA up to 10 V dc bias. The Quality factor (Q) exceeded 500 at relatively low 10 V dc bias for both 0.6 and 1 μm thick BST varactors.
Impact of device geometry at different ambient temperatures on the self-heating of GaN-based HEMTs

The influence of the device geometry on the self-heating for GaN-based HEMTs was assessed at different ambient temperatures, from 25 °C to 175 °C. The results showed that the gate width can significantly affect the heat dissipation. In addition to this, the distribution of the generated heat in the channel has been demonstrated to be dependent on the distance between the gate and drain contacts. Besides the device geometry, the ambient temperature was also found to be relevant for the thermal resistance, mainly due to the temperature-dependent thermal conductivity of the layers and the substrate. The channel temperature and the thermal resistance extracted from the measurements were in good agreement with the simulations.
Experimental and Numerical Investigation of Adsorption/Desorption in Packed Sorption Beds under Ideal and Nonideal Flows

The importance of the wall effect on packed beds in the adsorption and desorption of carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and water on molecular sieve 5A of 0.127 cm radius is examined experimentally and with one-dimensional computer simulations. Experimental results are presented for a 22.5-cm long by 4.5-cm diameter cylindrical column with concentration measurements taken at various radial locations. The set of partial differential equations is solved using finite differences and Newmanss method. Comparison of test data with the axial-dispersed, nonisothermal, linear driving force model suggests that a two-dimensional model (submitted to Separation Science and Technology) is required for accurate simulation of the average column breakthrough concentration. Additional comparisons of test data with the model provided information on the interactive effects of carrier gas coadsorption with CO2 as well as CO2─H2O interactions.
Scalable Methods for Adaptively Seeding a Social Network

In many applications of influence maximization, one is restricted to select influencers from a set of users who engaged with the topic being promoted, and due to the structure of social networks, these users often rank low in terms of their influence potential. To alleviate this issue, one can consider an adaptive method which selects users in a manner which targets their influential neighbors. The advantage of such an approach is that it leverages the friendship paradox in social networks: while users are often not influential, they often know someone who is. Despite the various complexities in such optimization problems, we show that scalable adaptive seeding is achievable. To show the effectiveness of our methods we collected data from various verticals social network users follow, and applied our methods on it. Our experiments show that adaptive seeding is scalable, and that it obtains dramatic improvements over standard approaches of information dissemination.
How Should Markup Tags Be Translated?

The ability of machine translation (MT) models to correctly place markup is crucial to generating high-quality translations of formatted input. This paper compares two commonly used methods of representing markup tags and tests the ability of MT models to learn tag placement via training data augmentation. We study the interactions of tag representation, data augmentation size, tag complexity, and language pair to show the drawbacks and benefits of each method. We construct and release new test sets containing tagged data for three language pairs of varying difficulty.
Priming Neural Machine Translation

Priming is a well known and studied psychology phenomenon based on the prior presentation of one stimulus (cue) to influence the processing of a response. In this paper, we propose a framework to mimic the process of priming in the context of neural machine translation (NMT). We evaluate the effect of using similar translations as priming cues on the NMT network. We propose a method to inject priming cues into the NMT network and compare our framework to other mechanisms that perform micro-adaptation during inference. Overall, experiments conducted in a multi-domain setting confirm that adding priming cues in the NMT decoder can go a long way towards improving the translation accuracy. Besides, we show the suitability of our framework to gather valuable information for an NMT network from monolingual resources.
Tohoku-AIP-NTT at WMT 2020 News Translation Task

In this paper, we describe the submission of Tohoku-AIP-NTT to the WMT’20 news translation task. We participated in this task in two language pairs and four language directions: English <–> German and English <–> Japanese. Our system consists of techniques such as back-translation and fine-tuning, which are already widely adopted in translation tasks. We attempted to develop new methods for both synthetic data filtering and reranking. However, the methods turned out to be ineffective, and they provided us with no significant improvement over the baseline. We analyze these negative results to provide insights for future studies.