bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Damage risk assessment in historic buildings using equivalent wall-parts
Authors: Widström Torun
Published: June 2020

Damage risks in historic buildings are often connected to moisture level, in turn related to temperature. Hence, when damage risk is being assessed, the risk at the points in the geometry of the building where the heat flow is the largest, for instance by the thermal bridges, is of crucial interest. In practice, such assessments may often be based on simulated average conditions of the room air, instead being made for the risk-prone points where the damages are most likely to occur. The reason is that the whole-building simulation tools are generally one-dimensional in their calculations, and unable to deal with the multi-dimensional heat flows at the thermal bridges. Hence the actual damage risk remains unknown, and may be under-estimated to an extent that is impossible to evaluate, without further investigations. Subsequent investigations can be performed for assumed risk-prone points, using two- or three-dimensional simulation tools, but in order to know what points that needs to be scrutinized it would be of value to get a first risk assessment directly in the whole building simulation process. In this article a method, based on the use of equivalent wall-parts, mimicking the performance of the most extreme points of the thermal bridges, is presented. It is displayed how the use of the wall-parts may provide an overview of the risk levels already in the whole-building simulation.
Merging Geo-Solar Exergy Storage Technology (GEST) and Environmental Quality Management (EQM): A Practical Solution for NZEB Retrofit
Authors: Lingo Lowell , Lingo Kristin , Bomberg Mark
Published: June 2020

A decade ago, Geo-solar Exergy Storage Technology (GEST) was introduced as a means of utilizing natural, diurnal and seasonal transfers of exergy between a building and its surroundings to significantly decrease heating and cooling requirements. This is accomplished by retrofitting the structure with a dynamic skin to the existing building enclosure that is provided with internal conduits to carry air and fluids, for coupling geothermal storage surrounding the building with the exterior environment. This system was developed by engineers as an affordable, low-tech solution for providing seasonal heat storage in cold climate regions. Meanwhile another holistic but high-tech means to the same goal was initiated by an international group of building scientists by defining concepts for environmental quality management (EQM). Using heat pumps, ‘smart controls’, and newly developed wall coating materials, a fully integrated HVAC (plus moisture control and indoor air quality (IAQ)) system was proposed. The experience gained with GEST methods is now combined with the leading edge of Building Science to permit our international team to re-evaluate the concept of Geo-solar Exergy Storage and Dynamic Building Enclosure incorporated in a system with a heat pump as a new basis for retrofitting buildings in any climate.
Capillary condensation experiment for inverse modelling of porous building materials
Authors: Hirsch Hauke , Heyn Rüdiger , Klõšeiko Paul
Published: June 2020

Hygrothermal simulations are of major importance for critical problems in building physics, such as the application of internal insulation in heritage buildings. These simulations require numerous material parameters that are challenging to determine. We present measurements of typical internal insulation materials, calcium-silicate and autoclaved aerated concrete, which we expose to a warm, humid climate on one side and a cold temperature on the other side. We measure the moisture gain over time and determine the moisture profile at experiment end. In an inverse modelling approach, the measurements are used to identify material parameters, in particular vapour conductivity and capillary conductivity as a function of moisture content. We found the measurements of crucial importance for the accurate determination of these parameters. When the parameters rely only on isothermal measurements such as the drying experiment, the model fails to predict the capillary condensation process. We demonstrate this on a dataset from another study with interior insulation subjected to changing boundary conditions. The model calibrated with capillary condensation data reliably reconstructs measurements while the drying-calibrated model drastically underestimates the moisture content.
Thermal analysis of water confined in fully and partially saturated cement paste
Authors: Bednarska Dalia , Koniorczyk Marcin
Published: June 2020

The main object of the presented research is to apply thermal analysis in order to investigate microstructure of hardened cement paste. The test is conducted by means of differential scanning calorimetry on samples stored in various relative humidity levels as well as the fully saturated ones. The obtained results describe water solidification beginning at several different temperatures, which implies complex nature of cement paste microstructure. The recorded thermograms consist of two main peaks, which clearly indicate the division into capillary and gel pores. Additionally, the thermodynamic properties of actual pore solution confined in cement matrix are investigated. The obtained results indicate ions present in the liquid strongly affects its phase transition temperature as well as amount of ice formed during such the phase change.
Design of an advanced hot box-cold box with full climatic control to test heat, air and moisture transport through real scale building elements
Authors: Daems David , Tilmans Antoine , De Mets Timo , Loncour Xavier
Published: June 2020

A versatile hot box-cold box test facility called HAMSTER enables to evaluate the energy and hygrothermal performance of up to 3m high, 3m wide and 3.6m deep building test elements including walls, flat or pitched roofs and floors. This equipment allows for the precise measurement of thermal performance according to standards. It also allows for the study of heat, air and moisture phenomena taking place in building elements under realistic climatic conditions including the effects of rain, sun or wind. Interior and exterior climates are simulated in, respectively, the hot and cold chambers by controlling the temperature, relative humidity, pressure difference between both chambers, infra-red or solar simulator heating and water spraying in the cold chamber. Critical issues that have been solved during the design and construction phases in order to reach both the required performances and the versatility of the test facility are discussed.
Ministry of the Environment announces a Guide on Renovation and Repair of Buildings with Moisture and Microbial Damage – from theory to practice
Authors: Weijo Inari , Turunen Timo , Lahdensivu Jukka , Sistonen Esko , Annila Petri
Published: June 2020

In 2015, the Ministry of the Environment in Finland renewed the legislation and the National Building Code of Finland. It released completely new legislation concerning repair design. This was due to widely known issues relating to the indoor air quality of private and public buildings. In the autumn of 2019, the Ministry of the Environment in Finland published a guide concerning the repairs of moisture and microbial damage. It is available in Finnish and Swedish. This guide is a follow-up of the Environmental Guide “Building Moisture and Indoor Air Quality Assessment”, published 2016. It completes the series of guides for the execution of a project repairing indoor air quality issues, from a condition assessment to the completion of repairs and the implementation of the building. These guides lead through common practices and how these issues shall be dealt with in Finland.
New Aerogel Products for Construction Use: Product Specifications, Application Examples, Practical Aspects
Authors: Günther Eva , Fricke Marc , Lölsberg Wibke , Klinkebiel Arne , Weinrich Dirk
Published: June 2020

Two new high-performance insulation materials (HPIM) for the usage in buildings are presented. We show how to use and apply the upcoming aerogel products and give examples for structural details. While both materials achieve very low lambda values due to Knudsen-Effect of aerogels, they differ clearly in other key characteristics. SLENTEX®is a slim, mechanically flexible, non-combustible aerogel mat. It is open for water vapor diffusion but water-repellent. It is suitable for applications with strict fire regulations since it is a purely mineral-based product. SLENTITE®is a homogeneous polyurethane-based aerogel insulation board without lamination or encapsulation layers and also vapor open. Its surface adheres to almost any organic or inorganic binder. It can be processed very much like conventional insulation boards. While their handling and application are very similar to other insulation materials, aerogels are however no general-purpose insulation products: due to their sophisticated production process, and thus higher price compared to conventional insulation products, HPIM are best applied as problem solvers. In well-motivated situations, e.g. where space is limited or particular aesthetic requirements apply, they offer cost effective alternatives to standard solutions.
Identifying occupant presence in a room based on machine learning techniques by measuring indoor air conditions
Authors: Hanfstaengl Lucia , Parzinger Michael , Spindler Uli , Wellisch Ulrich , Wirnsberger Markus
Published: June 2020

Knowing about the presence and number of people in a room can be of interest for precise control of heating, ventilation and air conditioning. To determine the number and presence of occupants cost-effectively, it is of interest to use already existing air condition sensors (temperature, humidity, CO2) of the building automation system. Different approaches and methods for determining presence have attracted attention in recent years. We propose an occupancy detection method based on a method of supervised machine learning. In an experiment, measurement data were recorded in a research apartment with controllable boundary conditions. The presence of people was simulated by artificial injection of water vapour, CO2 and heat dissipation. The variation of the number of artificial users, the duration of presence and the supply air volume flow of the ventilation resulted in a total of 720 combinations. By using artificial users, the boundary conditions were accurately defined, and different presence situations could be measured time-effectively. The data is evaluated with a method of supervised machine learning called random forest. The statistical model can determine precisely the number of people in over 93% of the cases in a disjoint test sample. The experiments took part in the Rosenheim Technical University of Applied Sciences laboratory.
Deterioration in brick buildings: hygrothermal performance and measures to save them
Authors: Johansson Pär , Wahlgren Paula
Published: June 2020

Many former industrial building sites in Sweden have been abandoned and left to deteriorate. Nowadays, there is a large interest to refurbish and retrofit these buildings for other purposes. Commercial and housing developers are attracted to these areas which are often in the outskirts of the city centers. There are several challenges facing architects and engineers to preserve these buildings, also connected to cultural heritage demands. The aim of this study is to propose measures to preserve cultural heritage buildings. A brick building in Gothenburg, on the Swedish west coast, is used as a case study. The building was used for paper production until 2005. After that, it deteriorated quickly after the heating was turned off. The rapid decay affected the hygrothermal performance as well as the load-bearing capacity of the structure. Small scale laboratory investigations of the building materials show a high degree of decay. Measurements of temperature and relative humidity is used to monitor the hygrothermal performance. Observations show that the brick masonry has heavy salt efflorescence and is in need of further protective measures.
Thermal behaviour and weathering resistance of coil coatings for energy-efficient buildings
Authors: Rossi Stefano , Fedel Michele
Published: June 2020

In recent years, the aspects of energy-savings in buildings have become increasingly important. Coil coatings are frequently used for roof and façade construction in order to reduce the cost, the building time and the maintenance. In recent years different near infrared (NIR) reflectivity pigments have been developed to increase the capability of paint to reflect the sun’s radiation thus minimizing the amount of energy absorbed by the building. Coil coatings containing both traditional and NIR pigments are considered for the assessment of their thermal behaviour. The same painted system produced by three different producers was considered. Using a small scale house model, a W-IR emitting lamp and thermocouples, the amount of energy absorbed by the painted metallic coupons has been evaluated in order to assess the efficiency of the different pigments under investigation. To evaluate effect of ageing, all the different samples were subjected to five accelerated degradation cycles consisting in 168 h of UV-B irradiation followed by 168 h of salt spray exposure. The thermal properties of samples were collected. The cool pigments resulted effective to decrease the heat absorbance (difference between standard and NIR paints up to 18°C). The thermal properties were found not to be affected by degradation.
A Case Study: The Effect of Flooring Renovation with Adsorptive Cloth on the Residual Emissions of 2-ethyl-1-hexanol and C9-C10 Alcohols
Authors: Pitkäranta Miia J. , Lehtimaa Timo
Published: June 2020

This paper presents a renovation case study of a multi-storey building with initially elevated indoor air concentrations of 2-ethyl-1-hexanol and C9-C10 alcohols originating from PVC flooring. The main aim of the study was to determine the effectivity of renovation that included the use of a novel renovation material, cTrap adsorption cloth, in reducing the surface emissions and indoor air concentrations of the named compounds. Indoor air concentrations and surface emission rates of volatile organic compounds (VOC) were measured in the case building before and after renovation according to ISO16000-6 and NT Build 484 standards. The results show that the measured indoor air concentrations of the alcohols decreased to ca. 1/10 of the original concentration, and the surface emission rates dropped below the determination limit after the renovation.
A field study on Ground Energy Balance calculation for typical communities in South China
Authors: Li Riyi , Zhang Yufeng , Huang Chongyun , He Chundian
Published: June 2020

Urban heat island (UHI) greatly influences human health, comfort and building energy. The ground temperature plays an important role in understanding UHI, and the method based on the ground energy balance (GEB) is fundamental in the predictions of urban ground temperature and UHI. South China is fast developed and highly urbanized, with special humid subtropical climate and particular urban design characteristics. Although amounts of methods or formulas have been previously proposed for urban GEB calculation, few of them has been testified in field in South China. In this study, two typical urban communities in South China in the aligned and enclosed layout were measured during the summer sunny days in Aug. 2017, with the focus on incident solar radiation, sensible heat, and latent heat of the ground. The measured data were compared with the calculated ones by various methods. The results show that the two calculation methods, i.e., with and without reflections, showed comparable performances (difference on RMSE 3-13 W/m2) in the prediction of solar radiation incident into the community ground. The previously proposed formulas performed poorly in the prediction of surface convective heat transfer coefficient for the community hard pavement, and the power function regressed by using the measuring data performed well, with the air speed at the reference height of 0.13 m as variable and R2 of 0.74. The Bowen ratio method performed better in the prediction of latent heat for the community permeable sidewalk, with RMSE of 156 W/m2 and the consistency index of 0.93. This study provides the field evidences and reliable methods for urban GEB calculation, and potentially contributes to the UHI prediction and mitigation in South China.
EPS Action plans for reducing the gender GAP
Authors: Bergé Luc
Published: June 2020

Several new initiatives have been developed by the EPS in order to promote a better inclusion of women in the European physics community, to highlight their pivotal roles in research and teaching, and thereby attract more female researchers among the next generation of scientists. Because a perfect parity has not been reached yet, efforts in guaranteeing fair recognitions and safe careers for women will have to be sustained in the coming years. This is a very challenging task, but this is the pride of the EPS to lead it until its very end.
Operator splitting around Euler–Maruyama scheme and high order discretization of heat kernels
Authors: Iguchi Yuga , Yamada Toshihiro
Published: June 2020

This paper proposes a general higher order operator splitting scheme for diffusion semigroups using the Baker–Campbell–Hausdorff type commutator expansion of non-commutative algebra and the Malliavin calculus. An accurate discretization method for the fundamental solution of heat equations or the heat kernel is introduced with a new computational algorithm which will be useful for the inference for diffusion processes. The approximation is regarded as the splitting around the Euler–Maruyama scheme for the density. Numerical examples for diffusion processes are shown to validate the proposed scheme.
Nicht kleinzelliges Bronchialkarzinom
Authors: Krome Susanne
Published: June 2020

Nicht kleinzellige Bronchialkarzinome (NSCLC) exprimieren die Rezeptortyrosinkinase AXL, die mit der Proliferation, Migration und Invasion der Tumorzellen korreliert. AXL ist in der Liquid Biopsy nachweisbar und eignet sich als Biomarker vor und während einer Therapie. Mit dem Zielprotein Vimentin werden mehr zirkulierende AXL-positive Zellen gefunden als mit Zytokeratin.
VTE-Prophylaxe bei onkologischen Patienten
Authors: Arnheim Katharina
Published: June 2020

Thrombosen sind bei Krebspatienten nach dem Tumorprogress die zweithäufigste Todesursache. Risikostratifizierte Prophylaxe und effektive Therapie haben in diesem Kollektiv daher einen hohen Stellenwert.
Die chronische koronare Herzkrankheit/das chronische Koronarsyndrom – Was
sagen die deutschen und die europäischen Leitlinien?
Authors: Werdan Karl , Müller-Werdan Ursula , Perings Stefan
Published: June 2020

Von der Volkskrankheit „koronare Herzkrankheit“ (KHK) ist jeder zehnte 40- bis
79-Jährige in Deutschland betroffen. Basierend auf den Leitlinien der Europäischen
Gesellschaft für Kardiologie zu chronischen Koronarsyndromen (CCS) und zur
Myokardrevaskularisation sowie der Nationalen VersorgungsLeitlinie (NVL) „Chronische
KHK“ werden evidenz- und expertenbasierte Empfehlungen zur Diagnosestellung sowie zur
Behandlung und Betreuung der KHK-/CCS-Patienten dargestellt, mit Fokus auf
nichtinvasive und invasive Myokardischämiediagnostik sowie medikamentöse und
myokardrevaskularisierende Maßnahmen. Voneinander abweichende Empfehlungen der
einzelnen Leitlinien in seltenen Fällen erweitern den Ermessensspielraum des Arztes.
Das Aufzeigen des Notwendigen und Angemessenen sind wesentliche Intentionen dieser
Leitlinien, mit dem Ziel, die Qualität der Patientenversorgung auf bestmöglichem
Niveau zu halten.
Medical Therapy of Acromegaly in Germany 2019 – Data from the
German Acromegaly Registry
Authors: Quinkler Marcus , Petroff David , Knappe Ulrich J. , Schopohl Jochen , Tönjes Anke , Schmid Sebastian M.
Published: June 2020

Context Acromegaly is a rare disease caused by excessive growth hormone
(GH) secretion from pituitary adenomas in most cases. If neurosurgical therapy
is contraindicated or not sufficient, medical therapy is the second line
therapy.

Objective To describe current medical therapy in acromegaly.

Design & Methods Retrospective data analysis from 2732 patients
treated in 69 centers of the German Acromegaly Registry. 749 patients were seen
within the recent 18 months, of which 420 were on medical therapy
(56.1%).

Results 73% of medically treated acromegalic patients had
normal/low IGF-1 levels. 57% of patients with non-normalized
IGF-1 levels had an IGF-1 value between 1- and 1.25-fold above the upper limit
of normal. Most patients (55%) received somatostatin analogs as
monotherapy, 12% GH receptor monotherapy, and 9% dopamine
agonist therapy. Doses of each medical therapy varied widely, with 120 mg
lanreotide LAR every 4 weeks, 30 mg octreotide LAR every 4 weeks, 140 mg
pegvisomant per week and 1mg cabergoline per week being the most frequent used
regimens. A combination of different medical regimens was used in almost
25% of the patients.

Conclusion The majority of German acromegalic patients receiving medical
therapy are controlled according to normal IGF-1 levels.
Growth Patterns of Thai Children with Down Syndrome from Birth to 5 Years
Authors: Boontan Naiyana , Rojnueangnit Kitiwan
Published: June 2020

Specific growth charts for children with Down syndrome (DS) have been developed in several countries, but not in Thailand. This pilot study aims to develop growth patterns for Thai children with DS, which will help clinicians to improve assessment and monitoring of the growth patterns for these children. A retrospective review of 80 children with DS who received care at Thammasat University Hospital between 2014 and 2018 was conducted. A total of 1,681 length/height and weight measurements were collected. Four sex-specific growth patterns of length/height and weight were generated with the fifth, 50th, and 95th percentile. The children with DS were lower in weight and shorter than general Thai children and children with DS in other countries. Therefore, each country should develop individual DS growth charts.
Maternal Gestational Weight Gain in Relation to Antidepressant Continuation in Pregnancy
Authors: Wartko Paige D. , Weiss Noel S. , Enquobahrie Daniel A. , Chan Kwun Chuen Gary , Stephenson-Famy Alyssa , Mueller Beth A. , Dublin Sascha
Published: June 2020

Objective Both excessive and inadequate gestational weight gain (GWG) are associated with adverse health outcomes for the woman and her child. Antidepressant use in pregnancy could affect GWG, based on evidence in nonpregnant women that some antidepressants may cause weight gain and others weight loss. Previous studies of antidepressant use and GWG were small with limited ability to account for confounding, including by maternal mental health status and severity. We assessed the association of antidepressant continuation in pregnancy with GWG among women using antidepressants before pregnancy.

Study Design Our retrospective cohort study included singleton livebirths from 2001 to 2014 within Kaiser Permanente Washington, an integrated health care system. Data were obtained from electronic health records and linked Washington State birth records. Among women with ≥1 antidepressant fill within 6 months before pregnancy, women who filled an antidepressant during pregnancy were considered “continuers;” women without a fill were “discontinuers.” We calculated mean differences in GWG and relative risks (RR) of inadequate and excessive weight gain based on Institute of Medicine guidelines. Using inverse probability of treatment weighting with generalized estimating equations, we addressed differences in maternal characteristics, including mental health conditions.

Results Among the 2,887 births, 1,689 (59%) were to women who continued antidepressants in pregnancy and 1,198 (42%) were to discontinuers. After accounting for confounding, continuers had similar weight gain to those who discontinued (mean difference: 1.3 lbs, 95% confidence interval [CI]: −0.1 to 2.8 lbs) and similar risks of inadequate and excessive GWG (RR: 0.95, 95% CI: 0.80–1.14 and RR: 1.06, 95% CI: 0.98–1.14, respectively). Findings were comparable for specific antidepressants and trimesters of exposure.

Conclusion We did not find evidence that continuation of antidepressants in pregnancy led to differences in GWG.

Key Points
Comparison of Left Ventricular Outflow Tract Diameter Measurements Using Echocardiography in Newborn Infants
Authors: Pereira Sujith S.
Published: June 2020

Objective This study aimed to compare left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) diameter measurements using two-dimensional (2D) echocardiography at the sino-tubular junction (STJ) and at the aortic valve (AV) hinges in newborn infants.

Study Design This is a retrospective study in a tertiary neonatal unit where infants underwent echocardiography for evaluation of murmur or as part of cardiovascular assessment. Three consecutive cardiac cycles were chosen to measure the LVOT diameter in end systole at the STJ and at the AV hinges. Bias and levels of agreement were examined using Bland–Altman plot. Intraobserver variability was examined using intraclass correlation.

Results A total of 366 measurements were obtained from 61 infants with a mean (standard deviation) gestation and birth weight of 33.4 (6.9) weeks and 2,181 (1369) g, respectively. There was good correlation between the LVOT diameter measurements using the STJ and AV hinges (r = 0.958, p < 0.001). The mean (standard deviation and 95% confidence interval) bias between LVOT diameter measurements using STJ and AV hinges were 0.93 (0.45 and 0.06–1.81) mm. There was good intraobserver variability between the measurements using both methods.

Conclusion Using 2D echocardiography, LVOT measurements using the STJ tend to be higher when compared with LVOT measurements using the AV hinges.

Key Points
Dilated Cardiomyopathy and Prone Position: An Anesthetic Challenge
Authors: Hooda Bhavna , Sud Saurabh , Dwivedi Deepak , Yadav Sanjay K.
Published: June 2020

The anesthetic management of a patient with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) for noncardiac surgery is challenging due to associated congestive heart failure, malignant dysrhythmias, sudden cardiac arrest, implanted rhythm devices, and thromboembolism. We report successful conduct of a case of DCM on cardiac resynchronization device with Cauda equina syndrome (CES) under general anesthesia in prone position. The anesthetic concerns specific to the pathophysiology of DCM are also discussed.
Ejecta distribution and transport property of fused silica under the laser shock loading
Authors: Shen Rong-qi , Bai Qing-shun , Li Yu-hai , Guo Yong-bo , Zhang Fei-hu
Published: June 2020

Laser-induced particle ejection on the exit surface of fused silica serves as an important contaminant source in a high-power laser system. The transport process of molten silica particles in a gas environment or vacuum is important in understanding the change in size and temperature of silica particles, which influence the ultra-clean manufacturing of optical components. In this paper, the ejection process of fused silica is investigated using molecular dynamics simulation. The results show that the geometry of a surface scratch influences the mass of the microjet. With shallower groove depth and a smaller vortex angle, the mass of the microjet is less under shock loading. The size of ejected particles tends to decrease gradually and does not change any more eventually. Besides, these particles become dispersed during the transport process in a vacuum. On the other hand, background gas suppresses the particle flow and slows down the particle flow. As the ejected particles compress gas, vapor and small clusters (N < 50) are stripped from the microjet continuously. Eventually, the number of nanoparticles that exceed the free surface decreases to zero. The stripped small clusters behind the head of the microjet recombine with other clusters, which change the volume density of ejected particles near the free surface. The higher velocity of ejected particles induces a stronger gas stripping effect, which makes an increase in the number of small clusters (N < 50). The results can help understand the behavior of particle ejection and the transport process of silica particles in a gas environment or vacuum, especially in the field of laser-induced particle ejection on the exit surface or the laser ablation of fused silica producing aerosol.
Electrical transport in the lanthanum and erbium cobaltites (Review article)
Authors: Chiang Yu. N. , Dzyuba M. O.
Published: June 2020

The review is devoted to the conductive properties of the multielement compounds such as lanthanum and erbium cobaltites. These properties are associated with a dopant-controlled interaction of the delocalized electrons with the local magnetic moments. It is considered the basic physical mechanisms that determine the transport properties of perovskitelike materials. It is given main experimental results for lanthanum and erbium cobaltites, and it is considered the influence of the polycrystallinity factor of samples on their galvanomagnetic properties.
Interplay of hopping conductivity and superconductivity in magnetic superconductor RuSr2(Eu1.5Ce0.5)Cu2O10−δ
Authors: Beliayev E. Yu. , Horielyi V. A. , Kolesnichenko Yu. A.
Published: June 2020

In this work, we analyze the temperature dependencies of resistance and magnetoresistance for two RuSr2(Eu1.5Ce0.5)Cu2O10−δ ceramic samples, one of which was left in the as-prepared state while another one was oxygen saturated. The measurements on these samples were made soon after preparation and repeated after their long storage (10 years) in an ambient atmosphere when they lost most of their over-stoichiometric and part of stoichiometric oxygen. Having studied the widest possible range of oxygen concentrations, we are trying to clarify not only the questions of stability of superconducting state in ruthenocuprates, but also the interplay of various types of electronic hopping conductivity and superconductivity in granular magnetic material. Despite the significant progress made in understanding the properties of disordered conductors, the old question of mutual influence and competition between localization and superconductivity still not clear. Investigation of the properties of electron transport as it approaches the metal-insulator transition will be useful and important.
The magnetic properties of the LaCr3(BO3)4 crystal
Authors: Bludov A. N. , Savina Yu. O. , Pashchenko V. A. , Gnatchenko S. L. , Kolodiy I. V. , Mal’tsev V. V. , Kuzmin N. N. , Leonyuk N. I.
Published: June 2020

This article investigates the magnetic susceptibility, χ(T), of the two-phase (R32 + C2/c) crystal LaCr3(BO3)4 in the temperature range 2–300 K for two orientations of an external magnetic field. It has been established that both structural modifications of lanthanum chromium borate are ordered antiferromagnetically, with each of them having its own Néel temperature (6.5 and 8.5 K). It has been shown that at T > 60 K, the magnetic susceptibility is well described by the Curie–Weiss law with an effective magnetic moment of μeff = 3.86 μB/Cr3+ and a Curie–Weiss temperature of θ = –23 K. Within the Heisenberg spin chain model, taking into account the interchain exchange interaction, the authors have obtained the following exchange-interaction constants: an antiferromagnetic intrachain exchange (J/k = 4.8 K) and a ferromagnetic interchain exchange (J'/k = –0.28 K).
Criteria for the onset of convection in the phase-change Rayleigh–Bénard system with moving melting-boundary
Authors: Satbhai Ojas , Roy Subhransu
Published: June 2020

Here, for the first time, we report the criterion for the onset of convection in a low Prandtl number phase-change Rayleigh–Bénard (RB) system with an upward moving melt interface in a two-dimensional square box for a wide range of Rayleigh number Ra and Stefan number Ste (defined as the ratio between the sensible heat to the latent heat). High fidelity simulations were performed to study the phenomenon of the onset of convection. Unlike the classical RB system in the phase-change RB system, it was found that the onset of convection depended on Ste and Fourier number τ, in addition to Ra. The phase-change RB system with upward moving melt interface can be classified into two groups: slow expanding phase-change RB system (Ra ≤ 104) and moderate/fast melting phase-change RB system (Ra > 104). The slow melting phase-change RB system becomes unstable when the effective Rayleigh number based on the melt height is ≈1295.78, consistent with the finding by Vasil and Proctor [“Dynamic bifurcations and pattern formation in melting-boundary convection,” J. Fluid Mech. 686, 77 (2011)]; however, moderate and fast melting phase-change RB systems become unstable when the product of the local Rayleigh number Ra based on the melt-layer height hyt and the Fourier number based on the melt-layer height reaches a threshold value. Interestingly, it is seen that the criteria for the onset of convection for moderate and fast melting phase-change RB systems show a power law kind of form such that Racrτcr = aSteb + c. In addition, during the initial conduction regime before the onset of convection, it is seen that the Nusselt number at the hot wall is Nuh ∼ τ0.5, and during the onset of convection, i.e., during the formation of the initial convection rolls, the Nusselt number at the hot wall is Nuh ∼ τd, where the value of the exponent d is 2 for low Rayleigh numbers and 4 for higher Rayleigh numbers. This study reports some general characteristics of the onset of convection and some organized behavior in the transient melting phase-change RB system, which are not yet explored and reported in the open literature. This work may lead to significant understanding of different applications of fluid-dynamical melting phase-change RB systems in both natural and engineering systems.
Direct evidence of hydrogen interaction with carbon: C–H complex in semi-insulating GaN
Authors: Wu Shan , Yang Xuelin , Zhang Qing , Shang Qiuyu , Huang Huayang , Shen Jianfei , He Xiaoguang , Xu Fujun , Wang Xinqiang , Ge Weikun , Shen Bo
Published: June 2020

It has been established that hydrogen (H) plays a key role in p-type doping of GaN and it must be removed by dissociation of the Mg–H complex in order to achieve p-type conductivity. However, in carbon (C)-doped semi-insulating GaN, which is the core component of power electronic devices, the role of H, especially the formation and dissociation process of C–H defects, has remained to date a mystery. In this work, we provide a direct evidence for the interaction between H and C in the form of the CN−Hi complex in as-grown C-doped GaN. The complex can be dissociated into CN− and H+ after post-growth annealing. The activation energy is estimated to be about 2.3–2.5 eV from the temperature-dependent annealing experiments. Our study reveals that the CN−Hi complex plays an essential role in understanding the variation of optical and electronic properties of C-doped GaN.
Optical absorbance in multilayer two-dimensional materials: Graphene and antimonene
Authors: Kumar Ashok , Sachdeva Geeta , Pandey Ravindra , Karna Shashi P.
Published: June 2020

Antimonene, one of the group V elemental monolayers, has attracted intense interest due to its intriguing electronic properties. Here, we present the optical absorption properties of atomically flat antimonene for which the directional bonds between Sb atoms appear to be analogous to C–C bonds in graphene. The results, based on first-principles density functional theory calculations, predict the absorbance in multilayer antimonene to be comparable or higher than that calculated for multilayer graphene. Specifically, the IR absorption in antimonene is significantly higher with a prominent band at about 4 μm associated with the dipole-allowed interband transitions. Furthermore, a strong dependence of absorbance on topology is predicted for both antimonene and graphene which results from the subtle variations in their stacking-dependent band structures. Our results suggest multilayer antimonene to be a good candidate material for optical power limiting applications in the IR region.
Efficiency gains from a standardised approach to older people presenting to the emergency department after a fall
Authors: Arendts Glenn , Leyte Naomi , Dumas Sandra , Ahamed Shabana , Khokulan Vethanjaly , Wahbi Ouday , Lomman Andrea , Hughes David , Clayden Vanessa , Mandal Bhaskar
Published: June 2020

Objective Falls are a major cause of hospital-related costs in people aged ≥65 years. Despite this, falls are often seen as trivial and given low priority in an emergency department (ED), especially in the absence of overt major injury. ED systems that care for falls patients are often inefficient. The aims of this study were to: (1) design and implement a standardised and systematic approach to patients presenting to an ED after a fall; and (2) achieve hospital efficiency gains, such as reduced hospital length of stay, through implementation of this approach. Methods A prospective study was conducted with pre- and postintervention measurement of outcomes. The key features of the intervention were direct admission to an ED short stay unit, standardised assessment of cognition, medications, mobility and discharge risk, and access in the ED to a geriatric consultation service for complex patients. Results In the 12 months of the intervention, 1435 male and female patients aged ≥65 years were enrolled in the study. At the end of 12 months, these patients had significantly higher ED discharge (66% vs 46%; P < 0.001) and, if admitted, shorter median hospital stays (6 vs 2 days; P < 0.001) compared with the baseline pre-intervention phase. Analysis 1 year later revealed that these outcomes were sustained or further improved. Conclusion A systematic approach to falls in older patients attending the ED is feasible and beneficial. Decreased hospital stay and improved rates of effective discharge from ED back to the community are achievable and sustainable. What is known about the topic? Falls are common, serious and costly. Not identifying and managing falls risk factors is a common feature of ED practice. As a result, admission rates to hospital for patients who fall are high. What does this paper add? In this large study we have shown that a systematic approach to falls assessment is feasible, sustainable and results in higher discharge rates from the ED. What are the implications for practitioners? EDs are the gateway to a hospital bed. It is possible to redesign ED flow and bring front-loaded multidisciplinary geriatric care into an ED short stay environment, to the benefit of patients and health systems.
Assessing the support of health leadership for increased Indigenous participation in the health workforce
Authors: Bourke Christopher , Lahn Julie , Gibbs Colleen , Lennard Natasha
Published: June 2020

Objective The aim of this study was to assess the strength of leadership statements in Australian state and territory policy documents supporting increased representation of Indigenous people in the health workforce. Methods Document analysis of leadership statements, prefacing state and territory Indigenous health workforce plans, from a relevant Minister or Head of Department was undertaken to detect the presence and level of ‘dependency messaging’: did the leadership statement clearly state that an Indigenous health workforce was needed to improve Indigenous health outcomes? Results Australian health leaders do not routinely use dependency messaging in state and territory Indigenous health workforce plans. Conclusion Greater alignment of state and territory Indigenous health workforce plans with contemporary diversity management knowledge could improve recruitment and retention of Indigenous peoples and, ultimately, Indigenous health outcomes. What is known about the topic? The diversity management and change management literature highlights the importance of demonstrated leadership. Dependency messaging is the clear articulation of the benefit that members of minority and diversity groups bring to an organisation’s performance; this is regarded as highly influential for diversity recruitment and retention. What does this paper add? Strong ‘dependency messaging’ in health policy leadership statements could increase the Indigenous health workforce, and ultimately improve health outcomes, but is currently not uniformly used across jurisdictions. State and territory Indigenous health workforce plans were analysed using the diverse literature of change management, diversity management and strength-based approaches to provide recommendations for policy improvement that could lead to better Indigenous healthcare outcomes. What are the implications for practitioners? The use of dependency messaging by health leaders could enhance recruitment of an Indigenous health workforce.
Effects of growth irradiance on photosynthesis and photorespiration of Phoebe bournei leaves
Authors: Tang Xinglin , Liu Guangzheng , Jiang Jiang , Lei Changju , Zhang Yunxing , Wang Liyan , Liu Xinliang
Published: June 2020

Light intensity is a major environmental factor affecting the growth and survival of trees in a forest. The effect of light reduction on photosynthesis and photorespiration of an evergreen broad-leaved tree, Phoebe bournei (Hemsley) Yang was examined with three levels of full light, 50.5% light, and 21.8% light. The results showed that shading led to significant increase in plant height and crown diameter. Light-saturated leaf photosynthetic rate (Amax), maximal carboxylation activity (Vcmax), maximum electron transfer rate (Jmax), stomatal conductance (gs), mesophyll conductance (gm) and chloroplast CO2 concentration (Cc) significantly increased in response to shade. Photorespiratory CO2 release rate (PR) was higher in plants grown under shade conditions than under full light. The relative limitations of gm (lm) was higher than the relative limitations of gs (ls) and the relative limitations of biochemical factors (lb) in leaves of P. bournei grown under full light, whereas lm was lower than ls and lb under shade. Our results suggest that increase of photosynthesis in P. bournei leaves grown under shade is associated with enhanced CO2 diffusion and biochemistry. And we propose that enhancement of the photorespiratory is essential for shade leaves to improve photosynthesis.
Experimental realization of a reconfigurable electroacoustic topological insulator
Authors: Darabi Amir , Collet Manuel , Leamy Michael J.
Published: June 2020

Significance

We present a demonstration of topologically protected states using reconfigurable electroacoustic TIs whose design is simple, effective, and straightforward to fabricate. Numerical simulations and experimental measurements illustrate topologically protected wave propagation, free of back-scattering, along edges and interfaces. We anticipate these materials will have broad implications for devices capable of mechanical logic and circuitry, which may have advantages over electronic equivalents in harsh operating conditions, or in replacing wireless systems near propagation dead zones. Due to their dynamic reconfigurability, they may also lead to small-scale multiplexing and demultiplexing devices for use in communication devices, similar to the ubiquitous surface acoustic wave (SAW) devices used to filter electromagnetic energy.
Folate stress induces SLX1- and RAD51-dependent mitotic DNA synthesis at the fragile X locus in human cells
Authors: Garribba Lorenza , Bjerregaard Victoria A. , Gonçalves Dinis Marisa M. , Özer Özgün , Wu Wei , Sakellariou Despoina , Pena-Diaz Javier , Hickson Ian D. , Liu Ying
Published: June 2020

Significance

Folate deficiency is associated with multiple disorders in humans. Through the analysis of the fragile X syndrome locus (
FRAXA
) in immortalized human lymphocytes or fibroblasts, we demonstrate that
FRAXA
undergoes DNA synthesis in mitosis (MiDAS). We demonstrate that this process occurs via break-induced DNA replication and requires the SLX1/SLX4 endonuclease complex, the RAD51 recombinase and POLD3, a subunit of polymerase delta. We also demonstrate that other loci undergo MiDAS upon folate stress. This study reveals a function of human SLX1 in the maintenance of
FRAXA
stability and provides evidence that, in addition to
FRAXA,
MiDAS occurs at other loci following folate deprivation. These findings provide insight into the diverse and detrimental consequences of folate deficiency in human cells.
On the enigmatic disappearance of Rauber’s layer
Authors: van Leeuwen Jessica , Rawson Pisana , Berg Debra K. , Wells David N. , Pfeffer Peter L.
Published: June 2020

Significance

Trophoblast contributes to mammalian placenta formation, but it also has an earlier function in gastrulation induction within the embryonic epiblast. We show here that gastrulation induction occurs ectopically if the central area of the epiblast disc contacts the trophoblast for too long. Hence the central epiblast must be shielded from trophoblast influence. We propose that this novel “shielding” principle holds for all mammals and is achieved either through the removal of the trophoblast (Rauber’s layer) overlaying the epiblast or by the formation of a cavity within the epiblast (the proamniotic cavity) thereby distancing the central epiblast from the trophoblast.
JNK-mediated disruption of bile acid homeostasis promotes intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma
Authors: Manieri Elisa , Folgueira Cintia , Rodríguez María Elena , Leiva-Vega Luis , Esteban-Lafuente Laura , Chen Chaobo , Cubero Francisco Javier , Barrett Tamera , Cavanagh-Kyros Julie , Seruggia Davide , Rosell Alejandro , Sanchez-Cabo Fátima , Gómez Manuel Jose , Monte Maria J. , G. Marin Jose J. , Davis Roger J. , Mora Alfonso , Sabio Guadalupe
Published: June 2020

Significance

Obesity is associated with hepatic steatosis and activation of the cJun NH
2
-terminal kinase (JNK) stress-signaling pathway. Studies in mice demonstrate that JNK deficiency in the liver prevents the development of hepatic steatosis. This observation suggests that inhibition of JNK signaling may represent a possible treatment for hepatic steatosis. However, the long-term consequences of JNK inhibition are poorly understood. Here we demonstrate that loss of JNK causes changes in cholesterol and bile acid metabolism that promote cholestasis, bile duct proliferation, and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. We identify PPARα activation as the molecular mechanism that accounts for this phenotype. Our analysis has important implications for the long-term use of JNK inhibitors for the treatment of obesity.
Immunity to commensal skin fungi promotes psoriasiform skin inflammation
Authors: Hurabielle Charlotte , Link Verena M. , Bouladoux Nicolas , Han Seong-Ji , Merrill Eric Dean , Lightfoot Yaima L. , Seto Nickie , Bleck Christopher K. E. , Smelkinson Margery , Harrison Oliver J. , Linehan Jonathan L. , Tamoutounour Samira , Lionakis Michail S. , Kaplan Mariana J. , Nakajima Saeko , Belkaid Yasmine
Published: June 2020

Significance

Tissues exposed to the environment are sites of exposure to symbiotic microbes including fungi that are continuously sensed by the immune system. Here, we show that immunity to commensal skin fungi can significantly aggravate tissue inflammation. Enhanced pathology caused by fungi preexposure depends on lymphocytes able to produce the cytokine IL-17 and the formation of extracellular traps by neutrophils. We also found that fungal exposure prior to experimental modeling of psoriasis recapitulates features of the transcriptional landscape of human lesional psoriatic skin. Together, our results propose that recall responses directed to skin fungi can directly promote skin inflammation and that exploration of tissue inflammation should be assessed in the context of recall responses to the microbiota.