bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Gemeinsam spirituell auf das Leben schauen
Authors: Wortberg Marie
Published: December 2021

Die Biografiearbeit ist eine beratende Tätigkeit, bei der Sinnfragen und tieferliegende spirituelle Themen im Fokus stehen. Bei der Biografiearbeit stehen für den Austausch zu erlebten Erfahrungen verschiedene methodische Herangehensweisen zur Verfügung. Besonders am Lebensende kann die Biografiearbeit hilfreich sein, auch für Angehörige im Trauerprozess.
Empfehlungen zu SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 in Schwangerschaft, Geburt und Wochenbett – Update November 2021 (Langfassung)
Authors: Zöllkau Janine , Hagenbeck Carsten , Hecher Kurt , Pecks Ulrich , Schlembach Dietmar , Simon Arne , Schlösser Rolf , Schleußner Ekkehard
Published: December 2021

Seit Beginn der SARS-CoV-2-Pandemie haben die Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gynäkologie und Geburtshilfe und die Gesellschaft für Peri-/Neonatalmedizin Empfehlungen zum Umgang mit SARS-CoV-2-positiven Schwangerschaften und Neugeborenen veröffentlicht und wiederholt aktualisiert. Als Weiterführung der bestehenden Empfehlungen werden in dem aktuellen Update Schlüsselfragen zur prä-, peri- und postnatalen Versorgung von Schwangeren, Gebärenden, Wöchnerinnen, Stillenden mit SARS-CoV-2 und COVID-19 sowie deren Un- oder Neugeborenen auf der Grundlage von Veröffentlichungen bis zum September 2021 behandelt. Die Empfehlungen und Stellungnahmen wurden sorgfältig aus den aktuell verfügbaren wissenschaftlichen Daten abgeleitet und anschließend im Expertenkonsens verabschiedet. Dieser Leitfaden – hier in der Langfassung vorliegend – soll eine Hilfe für die klinische Entscheidungsfindung darstellen. Die Auslegung und therapeutische Verantwortung obliegen weiterhin dem betreuenden medizinischen Team vor Ort, dessen Entscheidungen durch diese Empfehlungen unterstützt werden sollen. Aufgrund der raschen Dynamik neuer Erkenntnisse kann eine Anpassung erforderlich sein. Die Empfehlungen werden durch die Zustimmung der Fachgesellschaften getragen: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Perinatale Medizin (DGPM), Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gynäkologie und Geburtshilfe (DGGG), Deutsche Gesellschaft für Pränatal- und Geburtsmedizin (DGPGM), Deutsche Gesellschaft für Pädiatrische Infektiologie (DGPI), Gesellschaft für Neonatologie und Pädiatrische Intensivmedizin (GNPI).
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus
Authors: Al-Tawfiq Jaffar A. , Azhar Esam I. , Memish Ziad A. , Zumla Alimuddin
Published: December 2021

The past two decades have witnessed the emergence of three zoonotic coronaviruses which have jumped species to cause lethal disease in humans: severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 1 (SARS-CoV-1), Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), and SARS-CoV-2. MERS-CoV emerged in Saudi Arabia in 2012 and the origins of MERS-CoV are not fully understood. Genomic analysis indicates it originated in bats and transmitted to camels. Human-to-human transmission occurs in varying frequency, being highest in healthcare environment and to a lesser degree in the community and among family members. Several nosocomial outbreaks of human-to-human transmission have occurred, the largest in Riyadh and Jeddah in 2014 and South Korea in 2015. MERS-CoV remains a high-threat pathogen identified by World Health Organization as a priority pathogen because it causes severe disease that has a high mortality rate, epidemic potential, and no medical countermeasures. MERS-CoV has been identified in dromedaries in several countries in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia. MERS-CoV-2 causes a wide range of clinical presentations, although the respiratory system is predominantly affected. There are no specific antiviral treatments, although recent trials indicate that combination antivirals may be useful in severely ill patients. Diagnosing MERS-CoV early and implementation infection control measures are critical to preventing hospital-associated outbreaks. Preventing MERS relies on avoiding unpasteurized or uncooked animal products, practicing safe hygiene habits in health care settings and around dromedaries, community education and awareness training for health workers, as well as implementing effective control measures. Effective vaccines for MERS-COV are urgently needed but still under development.
Management of Severe Influenza
Authors: O'Driscoll Liam S. , Martin-Loeches Ignacio
Published: December 2021

Influenza infection causes severe illness in 3 to 5 million people annually, with up to an estimated 650,000 deaths per annum. As such, it represents an ongoing burden to health care systems and human health. Severe acute respiratory infection can occur, resulting in respiratory failure requiring intensive care support. Herein we discuss diagnostic approaches, including development of CLIA-waived point of care tests that allow rapid diagnosis and treatment of influenza. Bacterial and fungal coinfections in severe influenza pneumonia are associated with worse outcomes, and we summarize the approach and treatment options for diagnosis and treatment of bacterial and Aspergillus coinfection. We discuss the available drug options for the treatment of severe influenza, and treatments which are no longer supported by the evidence base. Finally, we describe the supportive management and ventilatory approach to patients with respiratory failure as a result of severe influenza in the intensive care unit.
90-Day Bundled Payment Simulation, Health Care Utilization, and Complications following Craniopharyngioma Resection in Adult Patients
Authors: Dietz Nicholas , Sharma Mayur , John Kevin , Wang Dengzhi , Ugiliweneza Beatrice , Mokshagundam Sriprakash , Bjurström Martin F. , Boakye Maxwell , Williams Brian J. , Andaluz Norberto
Published: December 2021

Context Bundled payment and health care utilization models inform cost optimization and surgical outcomes. Economic analysis of payment plans for craniopharyngioma resection is unknown.

Objective This study aimed to identify impact of endocrine and nonendocrine complications (EC and NEC, respectively) on health care utilization and bundled payments following craniopharyngioma resection.

Design This study is presented as a retrospective cohort analysis (2000–2016) with 2 years of follow-up.

Setting The study included national inpatient hospitalization and outpatient visits.

Patients Patients undergoing craniopharyngioma resection were divided into the following four groups: group 1, no complications (NC); group 2, only EC; group 3, NEC; and group 4, both endocrine and nonendocrine complications (ENEC).

Interventions This study investigated transphenoidal or subfrontal approach for tumor resection.

Main Outcome Hospital readmission, health care utilization up to 24 months following discharge, and 90-day bundled payment performances are primary outcomes of this study.

Results Median index hospitalization payments were significantly lower for patients in NC cohort ($28,672) compared with those in EC ($32,847), NEC ($36,259), and ENEC ($32,596; p < 0.0001). Patients in ENEC incurred higher outpatient services and overall median payments at 6 months (NC: 38,268; EC: 49,844; NEC: 68,237; and ENEC: 81,053), 1 year (NC: 46,878; EC: 58,210; NEC: 81,043; and ENEC: 94,768), and 2 years (NC: 58,391; EC: 70,418; NEC: 98,838; and ENEC: 1,11,841; p < 0.0001). The 90-day median bundled payment was significantly different among the cohorts with the highest in ENEC ($60,728) and lowest in the NC ($33,089; p < 0.0001).

Conclusion ENEC following surgery incurred almost two times the overall median payments at 90 days, 6 months, 1 year. and 2 years compared with those without complications. Bundled payment model may not be a feasible option in this patient population. Type of complications and readmission rates should be considered to optimize payment model prediction following craniopharyngioma resection.
COVID-19 in Children: Update on Diagnosis and Management
Authors: Esposito Susanna , Abate Luciana , Laudisio Serena Rosa , Ciuni Andrea , Cella Simone , Sverzellati Nicola , Principi Nicola
Published: December 2021

In December 2019, a new infectious disease called coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) attributed to the new virus named severe scute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was detected. The gold standard for the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection is the viral identification in nasopharyngeal swab by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Few data on the role of imaging are available in the pediatric population. Similarly, considering that symptomatic therapy is adequate in most of the pediatric patients with COVID-19, few pediatric pharmacological studies are available. The main aim of this review is to describe and discuss the scientific literature on various imaging approaches and therapeutic management in children and adolescents affected by COVID-19. Clinical manifestations of COVID-19 are less severe in children than in adults and as a consequence the radiologic findings are less marked. If imaging is needed, chest radiography is the first imaging modality of choice in the presence of moderate-to-severe symptoms. Regarding therapy, acetaminophen or ibuprofen are appropriate for the vast majority of pediatric patients. Other drugs should be prescribed following an appropriate individualized approach. Due to the characteristics of COVID-19 in pediatric age, the importance of strengthening the network between hospital and territorial pediatrics for an appropriate diagnosis and therapeutic management represents a priority.
Simulation results of the gas rarefaction and target ion evolution in a chopped high power impulse magnetron sputtering discharge
Authors: Huo Chunqing , Ji Yingxi , Xie Shijie , Song Runwei , Chen Qiang
Published: December 2021

The high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) technique has recently been improved experimentally to deposit titanium films with several short micro-pulses that are decomposed from one single pulse. The additional control parameters cause a totally different current characteristic and result in a high deposition rate in these so-called chopped-HiPIMS (c-HiPIMS) sequences. Owing to the difficulty in digging deeply into the details of parameter variations through the experimental method, simulation works are adopted to exploit the complex mechanism. Here, the ionization region model is used to simulate the short micro-pulse discharge in HiPIMS. It is found that short pulse on-time tμon, long pause off-time tμoff, and the large number of micro-pulses within a single voltage pulse are factors that result in a higher deposition rate and are relevant to the gas rarefaction and the metal ion running away behavior.
Ultra-wide bandgap β-Ga2O3 films: Optical, phonon, and temperature response properties
Authors: Thapa Dinesh , Lapp Jeffrey , Lukman Isiaka , Bergman Leah
Published: December 2021

Optical and phonon interactions of Ga2O3 thin films with nanocrystalline morphology were studied at extreme temperatures. The films were grown using a sputtering technique and analyzed via temperature response transmission, Raman scattering, and high-resolution deep-UV photoluminescence (PL). Raman modes indicated that the structure corresponds to the β-phase. The optical-gap at the range of 77–620 K exhibited a redshift of ∼200 meV, with a temperature coefficient of ∼0.4 meV/K. The optical-gap at room-temperature is 4.85 eV. The electron–phonon interaction model at that temperature range pointed to a low energy phonon, ∼31 meV, that is involved in the thermal properties of the optical-gap. Detailed Urbach energy analysis indicated that defects are the dominant mechanism controlling the band-edge characteristics even at an elevated temperature regime where phonon dominance is usually expected. Defects are attributed to the disordered forms of graphite that were detected via Raman scattering and to the granular morphology of the film. A deep-UV laser with an above-bandgap exaction line of 5.1 eV was employed to map the PL of the films. The highly resolved spectra, even at room-temperature, show a strong emission of ∼3.56 eV attributed to self-trapped holes (STHs). The STH is discussed and modeled in terms of the self-trapped exciton. Moreover, a very distinct but low-intensity emission was found at 4.85 eV that agrees with the value of the optical-gap and is attributed to bandgap recombination. The intensity ratio between the STH and that of the bandgap was found to be 6:1.
Raman Microscopy
Authors: Shipp Dustin
Published: December 2021

Raman spectroscopy is a powerful technique used to quantify the molecular content of various samples without the use of exogenous labels. Raman images have been used to visualize the spatial distribution of specific chemicals, the presence of parasites in individual cells, tumor margins, and more. Raman imaging has many applications due to its high specificity and minimal requirements for sample preparation but is limited by long acquisition times. This chapter discusses the systems used to acquire images with spontaneous Raman spectroscopy as well as emerging techniques to increase acquisition speed. Various methods for displaying and interpreting the abundant data collected are presented. The chapter also explores the advantages and limitations of Raman imaging through example applications in biology and medicine.
Optical Coherence Tomography in Biomedicine
Authors: Ni Guangming , Wang Zhi , Zhou Chao
Published: December 2021

In this chapter, we first introduce the basic working principles of optical coherence tomography (OCT). Three types of OCT, including time-domain, spectral-domain, and swept-source OCT are discussed. Functional OCT methods, including polarization sensitive OCT (PS-OCT), spectroscopic OCT (S-OCT), optical coherence elastography (OCE), and OCT angiography (OCTA) are also described. Furthermore, recent advances in high-speed and high-resolution OCT technologies are reviewed. We also highlight several OCT applications in biomedicine, including ophthalmology, cardiovascular imaging, and oncology. Continuous innovations and further developments in the OCT field will generate long-lasting research and clinical impact in biology and medicine.
The use of Australian native grains as a food: a review of research in a global grains context
Authors: Drake Anna , Keitel Claudia , Pattison Angela
Published: December 2021

Australian native grains have an extended history of human consumption; however, their place in diets was disrupted when colonisation triggered a shift away from traditional lifestyles for Aboriginal people. Despite being time- and energy-intensive to harvest, the inclusion of native grains in diets is thought to have offered considerable adaptive advantage by assisting human occupation of arid and semiarid zones. Ethnographic evidence has shown that Aboriginal people developed specialised tools and techniques to transform grain into more edible forms. Research on native grain consumption has mainly been conducted from an ethnographic perspective, with the objective of furthering understanding of Aboriginal societies, instead of the agricultural or food science significance of these plant species. Consequently, a research gap in all aspects of Australian native grains in modern food-production systems from the paddock to plate has emerged, and is being filled by research projects in multiple parts of the country due to surging interest in this food system. There is a critical need for Aboriginal communities, land managers, food industry professionals and research institutions to come together and set a research agenda that ensures cultural protocols are respected, research investment is not unnecessarily duplicated, and the results are targeted to places where they will be of most benefit to people and the planet.
Drawing Kafka’s Castle
Authors: Troscianko Emily T. , Carney James
Published: December 2021

We investigated the effects of narrative perspective on mental imagery by comparing responses to an English translation of Franz Kafka’s Das Schloß (The Castle) in the published version (narrated in the third person) versus an earlier (first-person) draft. We analysed participants’ pencil drawings of their imaginative experience for presence/absence of specific features (K. and the castle) and for image entropy (a proxy for image unpredictability). We also used word embeddings to perform cluster analysis of participants’ verbal free-response testimony, generating thematic clusters independently of experimenter expectations. We found no effects of text version on feature presence or overall entropy, but an effect on entropy variance, which was higher in the third-person condition. There was also an effect of text version on free responses: Readers of the third-person version were more likely to use words associated with mood and atmosphere. We offer conclusions on “Kafkaesque” aesthetics, cognitive realism, and the future of experimental literary studies.
If time had no beginning: growth dynamics for past-infinite causal sets
Authors: Bento Bruno Valeixo , Dowker Fay , Zalel Stav
Published: December 2021

We explore whether the growth dynamics paradigm of causal set theory is compatible with past-infinite causal sets. We modify the classical sequential growth dynamics of Rideout and Sorkin to accommodate growth ‘into the past’ and discuss what form physical constraints such as causality could take in this new framework. We propose convex-suborders as the ‘observables’ or ‘physical properties’ in a theory in which causal sets can be past-infinite and use this proposal to construct a manifestly covariant framework for dynamical models of growth for past-infinite causal sets.
Damage quantification of aluminum plates using SC-DTW method based on Lamb waves
Authors: Wei Daiping , Liu Xiaofeng , Wang Bangxin , Tang Zhi , Bo Lin
Published: December 2021

Lamb waves were utilized to quantify micro-crack damage in aluminum plates, and the scattering and mode conversion of Lamb waves passing through cracks were analyzed. The dynamic time warping (DTW) method was used to match and compare each Lamb wave time series that represented different damage degrees. The matching difference between the damaged plate and undamaged plate was taken as a marker to measure the damage degree of the workpiece. At the same time, due to the pathological alignment of traditional DTW methods, the shape context (SC) profile recognition method was introduced to optimize the algorithm for calculating the distance between sampling points in the DTW method and solve the pathological alignment problem. Finally, the SC-DTW method based on Lamb waves was verified by the finite element simulation model and bending test of aluminum plates. The results showed that the method was feasible for quantifying the damage degree of aluminum plates and had a great advantage in the analysis and processing of time series in low-sampling frequency and high-noise scenarios.
Evaluation of the nonlinear surface resistance of REBCO coated conductors for their use in the FCC-hh beam screen
Authors: Krkotić P , Romanov A , Tagdulang N , Telles G , Puig T , Gutierrez J , Granados X , Calatroni S , Perez F , Pont M , O’Callaghan J M
Published: December 2021

To assess the feasibility of using high-temperature superconductors for the beam screens of future circular colliders, we have undertaken a study of the power dependence of the microwave surface resistance in state-of-the-art REBCO coated conductors at about 8 GHz and 50 K. We have employed a dielectric resonator to produce radio-frequency (RF) electromagnetic fields on the surface of the coated conductors having amplitudes similar to those generated by proton bunches circulating in the vacuum chamber of the proposed future circular collider Hadron-Hadron (FCC-hh) at CERN We show that surface resistances in REBCO coated conductors without artificial pinning centers are more affected by a RF magnetic field than those containing nano-inclusions. Despite that, at 8 GHz, 50 K, and 9 T, most REBCO coated conductors studied outperform copper in terms of surface resistance, with the best sample having a 2.3 mΩ surface resistance while being subject to an RF field 2.5 times stronger than that in the FCC-hh. We also extrapolate the measured data to 16 T and 1 GHz, the actual FCC-hh dipole magnetic field, and the mid-beam frequency spectrum, demonstrating the possibility of lowering the surface resistance of the vacuum chamber by up to two orders of magnitude compared to copper. Further, we discuss the correlation between the time structure of the electromagnetic fields provided by vector network analyzers compared to the proton bunches’ time structure in the collider and present the effect of low alternating magnetic fields on vortex displacement and the possibility of demagnetization of superconducting samples.
Common Crane as a species indicating the conservation importance of wetlands
Authors: Bakka S V , Kiseleva N Yu
Published: December 2021

The relevance of the study is determined by the high importance of wetlands in the ecological frameworks of territories and the need for methodological approaches to identify wetlands of high conservation importance. The paper is aimed to demonstrate the indicator role of the Common crane to determine the conservation importance of wetlands on the example of the Nizhny Novgorod region. Objectives: to estimate the number of the common crane in existing and reserved protected areas; to analyze the presence of wildlife species listed in the Red Data Book of the Nizhny Novgorod region in these protected areas. The results of many years of surveys as well as data from the Red Data Book of Nizhny Novgorod region are analyzed. It is shown that within 93 protected areas of the total area 491870 ha 135598.4 ha of wetlands are protected, where 830 territorial pairs of cranes (about 60% of the regional population of the species) inhabit. Along with the common crane, these areas serve to protect almost all (91%) obligate wetland wildlife species listed in the Red Data Book of Nizhny Novgorod region, 82% of rare species associated with wetlands and 53% of species not associated with wetlands. Our calculations showed a high correlation of the number of rare wildlife species with the wetland area (correlation coefficient 0.75). The correlation of the number of rare species with the number of common crane was higher (correlation coefficient 0.82). Quantitative correlations of the number of rare wildlife species with the area of wetlands and the number of common cranes were also calculated. The obtained conclusions allow using the number of the common crane for substantiation of importance of wetlands for nature protection and establishment of protected areas.
The study of spectral and luminescent properties of humic acids and their impact on the photodegradation process of 2,6-bis(hydroxymethyl)-4-methylphenol
Authors: Fedorova A , Sokolova I , Selyanina S
Published: December 2021

UV photolysis (KrCl excilamp, λrad ~ 222 nm) of aqueous humic acids (HAs) samples was carried out without and in the presence of 2,6-bis(hydroxymethyl)-4-methylphenol. The samples of HAs fractions were obtained from Aldrich Chemical Co and prepared from peat of Arkhangelsk region. The presence of Aldrich humic acid in the solution has a essential effect on the processes of phenolic compound photochemical degradation under the action of light from the excilamp.
Changes in the microbial community structure triggered by permafrost peat thawing
Authors: Nikitkin V A , Kolesnichenko L G , Nikitkina E G , Pivovarova A V , Kostenko E , Lushchaeva I V
Published: December 2021

An increase in permafrost temperature, accompanied by the melting and release of buried organic carbon, is one of the elements of the global warming scenario. To understand the way ecosystems respond to environmental changes, it is necessary to elucidate the factors affecting the distribution and activity of microbes in permafrost soils, which have been poorly studied so far. Meanwhile, they can have significant implications for nutrient cycling and related processes. Our research is devoted to assessing changes in the structure of the microbial community due to the melting of the palsa permafrost layer caused by the fire in 2007. The ecological-trophic groups of microorganisms of the territories changed under the influence of a natural fire in comparison with undisturbed analogs have been studied. It was revealed that the number of microorganisms in most groups on the palsa, affected by fire, is statistically significantly higher than the number of microorganisms in the undisturbed area.
Resource-saving processing of technological solutions and wastewater by electrochemical method (methods overview)
Authors: Bykovsky N A , Kantor E A , Malkova M A , Rahman P A , Puchkova L N , Fanakova N N
Published: December 2021

The paper summarizes the data on the wastewater formation from a number of plants of chemical, engineering, energy and leather industries and its processing in electrolyzers of various designs to obtain the substances that can be used in various production processes. In the ethylenediamine production, wastewater occurs at the stages of amines rectification and of ethylenediamine dihydrochloride neutralization. Recycling of effluents generated during the amine rectification in a two-chamber electrolysis cell allows the ethylenediamine and ammonia to be returned to the production process. The processing of ethylenediamine dihydrochloride solution in the membrane electrolyzers saves alkali for the neutralization process. Electrochemical processing of distilled liquid in soda production makes possible to obtain calcium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide and hydrochloric acid or chlorine, which can be used in various industrial processes. Wastewater generated during the demineralized water production contains a significant amounts of sodium sulfates and chlorides. The processing of these effluents in a membrane electrolyzer yields sulfuric acid and alkali, which are suitable for the regeneration of ion-exchange filters. After processing in an electrodialysis apparatus the wastewater generated during the chromium and nickel coatings, is concentrated to values that allow them to be used to prepare an electrolyte adjustment. The leather industry effluents contains an amount of trivalent chromium and sulphides. Electrochemical processing of these effluents leads to almost complete extraction of chromium and sulfides.
Optical encryption using phase modulation generated by thermal lens effect
Authors: Jaramillo-Osorio John Alexis , Velez-Zea Alejandro , Cabrera Humberto , Niemela Joseph , Barrera-Ramírez John Fredy , Torroba Roberto
Published: December 2021

We present the implementation of an experimental optical encryption configuration in the Fresnel domain using the thermal lens (TL) effect to modulate the phase of the illumination beam. We corroborate the basic performance of our cryptosystem by performing the encryption-decryption procedure of a single object. Then, we test the tolerance of the proposed scheme to decryption with keys registered for different modulations of the illumination beam induced by the phase generated due to TL effect. These different phase modulations are obtained by introducing axial displacements of a sample, where the TL effect is induced by an excitation beam (EB). Considering the phase modulation changes in the illumination due to sample displacements, we propose an undercover procedure to further protect the target information using decoy data. The key associated with the target information is obtained when the probe beam (PB) and EB are focused on the same point of the sample, while the decoy object key is registered when the beams are not focused on the same region of the sample. Finally, we analyzed the resistance of the undercover ciphertext to some of the attacks reported in the literature. All experimental results presented in this work demonstrate the basic capabilities, viability, and versatility of our proposals.
The effect of chemical treatment on the adhesion strength and structural integrity of the epoxy coatings
Authors: Farooq A , Hannan A , Ahmad R , Deen K M
Published: December 2021

This research aims to investigate the effect of chemical treatment on the integrity of the epoxy coating applied on mild steel substrates. Grit blasted steel samples were chemically treated in 10 vol.% NaOCl solution, 10 vol.% CrCl3 and 30 vol.% H3PO4–5 vol.% HNO3 solutions prior to coating application. Post-cleaning surface morphology and chemical composition revealed the formation of oxidation products on steel surface. Under optimized conditions, a dry film thickness of 135 ± 3 μm of epoxy coating was achieved. The CT2 sample (pre-treated with CrCl3) presented higher coating adhesion strength (∼4.12 MPa) and the lowest rust area of ∼0.03% compared to other chemically treated samples during 720 h of immersion in 5 wt.% NaCl solution. The coating degradation mechanism was evaluated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) after 24, 48, 72 and 120 h of immersion in 3.5 wt. % NaCl solution. EIS analysis of the coated samples pretreated with NaOCl and CrCl3 solutions exhibited low water uptake and limited corrosion due to hindrance in the diffusion of ionic species through the coating. However, coated steel samples pretreated in acidic solutions displayed appreciable corrosion damage as confirmed from salt spray and immersion tests. For instance, the delamination of the CT3 and CT4 (acid pre-treated) coatings was confirmed from the EIS analysis., which represented the formation of a double layer and occurrence of faradaic (corrosion) reactions as the coating-substrate interface, resulting in ∼15%–30% delamination in 120 h of exposure.
Recent progress on the poly(arylene ether)s-based electrospun nanofibers for high-performance applications
Authors: Wang Pan , Liu Xidi , Wang Dengyu , Wang Mengxue , Zhang Dawei , Chen Jiaqi , Li Kui , Li Ying , Jia Kun , Wang Zicheng , Feng Wei , Liu Qi , Courtois Jérémie , Yang Xulin
Published: December 2021

Poly(arylene ether)s (PAEs) engineering plastics are a type of high-performance material which are excellent in thermal resistance, mechanical properties, and have low dielectric constant and anti-corrosion. Over recent decades, PAEs further combined with electrospinning technology to fabricate as large surface-to-volume ratio and porosity membrane materials for high-performance applications. In this review, progresses of PAEs-based electrospun nanofibers and fiber reinforced composites including separate membranes, proton exchange membranes, oil-water separation filters, bio-scaffolds and humidity sensors, etc. are presented together with their corresponding high-performance applications in the fields of battery, wastewater treatment, bioengineering and sensor. Finally, current challenges and future development directions of PAEs-based electrospun nanofibers are discussed.
Scaling effects on the periodic homogenization of a reaction-diffusion-convection problem posed in homogeneous domains connected by a thin composite layer
Authors: Raveendran Vishnu , Cirillo Emilio , de Bonis Ida , Muntean Adrian
Published: December 2021

We study the question of periodic homogenization of a variably scaled reaction-diffusion problem with non-linear drift posed for a domain crossed by a flat composite thin layer. The structure of the non-linearity in the drift was obtained in earlier works as hydrodynamic limit of a totally asymmetric simple exclusion process (TASEP) for a population of interacting particles crossing a domain with obstacle.

Using energy-type estimates as well as concepts like thin-layer convergence and two-scale convergence, we derive the homogenized evolution equation and the corresponding effective model parameters for a regularized problem. Special attention is paid to the derivation of the effective transmission conditions across the separating limit interface in essentially two different situations: (i) finitely thin layer and (ii) infinitely thin layer.

This study should be seen as a preliminary step needed for the investigation of averaging fast non-linear drifts across material interfaces—a topic with direct applications in the design of thin composite materials meant to be impenetrable to high-velocity impacts.
Multiplicative effect modelling: the general case
Authors: Yin J , Markes S , Richardson T S , Wang L
Published: December 2021

Generalized linear models, such as logistic regression, are widely used to model the association between a treatment and a binary outcome as a function of baseline covariates. However, the coefficients of a logistic regression model correspond to log odds ratios, while subject-matter scientists are often interested in relative risks. Although odds ratios are sometimes used to approximate relative risks, this approximation is appropriate only when the outcome of interest is rare for all levels of the covariates. Poisson regressions do measure multiplicative treatment effects including relative risks, but with a binary outcome not all combinations of parameters lead to fitted means that are between zero and one. Enforcing this constraint makes the parameters variation dependent, which is undesirable for modelling, estimation and computation. Focusing on the special case where the treatment is also binary, Richardson et al. (2017) proposed a novel binomial regression model that allows direct modelling of the relative risk. The model uses a log odds product nuisance model leading to variation-independent parameter spaces. Building on this we present general approaches to modelling the multiplicative effect of a continuous or categorical treatment on a binary outcome. Monte Carlo simulations demonstrate the desirable performance of our proposed methods. An analysis of the relationship between passenger class and survival for passengers on the Titanic further exemplifies our methods.
The Pension Crisis and the ‘Demographic Time Bomb’: Perceptions and Misperceptions in Great Britain and Germany at the Turn of the Millennium
Authors: Torp Cornelius
Published: December 2021

At the turn of the millennium, Germany and the United Kingdom experienced the most severe crises of their pension systems since the Second World War. In both cases, politicians reacted with extensive reforms. The political debates in each country revolved around the notion that demographic ageing was at the root of the crises. Hence, the call for greater intergenerational equity became the key justification of fundamental pension-system reform. But a comparative historical analysis reveals that it is a vast oversimplification to blame the pension crises entirely on demographic ageing. In fact, a combination of other factors—which varied widely between the UK and Germany—far overshadowed the ‘demographic time-bomb’ as the driving force behind the crises. A prime factor in the UK was the declining value of the Basic State Pension and the growing importance of means-tested benefits, along with the decline of company pension schemes. By contrast, the problems facing the pension system in Germany primarily arose from rising unemployment, the systematic early retirement of millions of eastern Germans and the high costs of German unity, which were largely borne by the social-security system. Furthermore, in the debate on Germany’s ability to remain a thriving centre for business and industry, rising pension contributions were widely held responsible for declining competitiveness. In both countries, politicians seized upon the explanatory model of demographic ageing because it made sweeping reforms of the pension system appear the consequence of a quasi-natural process, and created a welcome opportunity to divert attention from socio-political blunders.
Longitudinal Effects of Cultural and Psychosocial Factors on Biomarkers of Cardiovascular Risk in Caregivers
Authors: Caballero Samara Barrera , Vara-García Rosa Romero Moreno Carlos , Chaparro María del Sequeros Pedroso , Olazarán Javier , Mausbach Brent , von Känel Roland , Losada-Baltar Andrés
Published: December 2021

Dysfunctional thoughts about caregiving (DTAC) and familism (i.e. familistic obligation) were associated with worse caregiver emotional and cardiovascular health in cross-sectional studies. The aim of this study was to longitudinally examine the effects of familism and DTAC on cardiovascular health, considering caregiver kinship adjusting for well-established predictors of cardiovascular health. Study participants were 80 family dementia caregivers. Individual interviews and collection of blood samples were conducted in three yearly assessments. Linear mixed (random effects) regression analysis was performed to examine longitudinal associations of familism, DTAC, and circulating levels of cytokine interleukin (IL)-6, a cytokine and biomarker of cardiovascular disease risk (CVD). Caregiver age, gender, alcohol consumption, body mass index (BMI), hours caring, frequency and reaction of behavioral problems and caregivers’ transitions were used as covariates. Results showed that increases in DTAC, in familism and higher caregiver age were independently and significantly associated with higher levels of IL-6 over time in the group of spousal caregivers. No significant effects were found for any of the other covariates in spousal caregivers. In contrast, increases in BMI and in frequency of behavioral problems were significantly associated with increases in IL-6 over time in adult child caregivers. No significant effects were found for any of the rest of predictors in adult child caregivers. Findings suggest that high level of obligation familism and DTAC may a profile of increased vulnerability for CVD in spousal caregivers. In contrast, problem behaviors of the care recipient may characterize adult child caregivers in terms of an increased CVD risk.
A Dyadic Technology-Based Intervention for Informal Caregivers and Patients With Dementia
Authors: Czaja Sara , Loewenstein David , Weingast Sarah
Published: December 2021

Most intervention programs in the dementia domain have exclusively focused on the caregiver (CG) or the patient (CR), despite evidence of a reciprocal interaction between the dyad. This presentation will describe a randomized controlled trial that is evaluating the feasibility and efficacy of an innovative dyadic intervention (DT) that is delivered through an interactive technology that includes an evidenced-based CG component, an evidenced-based cognitive training component for the CR and a dyadic component. The program is designed to: be synergistic and emphasize issues important to CGs in the earlier stages of caregiving. The sample involves 200 informal CGs and CRs with early-stage dementia. Data will be presented regarding factors influencing the feasibility of implementing a dyadic intervention such as recruitment challenges (e.g., mutual consent and eligibility), and mutual engagement of both the CG and CR. Strategies implemented to maintain the trial during the COVID-19 pandemic will also be discussed.
Aging Biomarkers for Clinical Trials and Drug Discovery
Authors: Meer Margarita , Sehgal Raghav , Levine Morgan
Published: December 2021

Developing targeted therapies first requires a working definition of the condition of interest. Unfortunately for aging, this very initial step poses a challenge since chronological age is often not indicative of biological age nor modifiable. This symposium will demonstrate the enormous progress being made towards developing more reliable and valid measures for quantifying biological aging. First, Dr. Albert T. Higgins Chen will show how inaccuracy caused by noise at individual CpG sites can lead to high technical variability in the most widely applied biomarkers of aging—epigenetic clocks. He will further discuss how this can be overcome through novel statistical techniques. Second, Dr. Benoit Lehallier, will discuss plasma proteomic clocks and share insights into their potential roles in Alzheimer's disease and utilization in clinical trials. Third, quantifying the multifactorial aging process can be facilitated by projects incorporating multimodal biomarker data. Pei-Lun Kuo from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging will present an analysis of longitudinal trajectories of more than 30 phenotypes, which when combined into a single summarized score yield important insights. Fourth, our ability to uncover aging mechanisms and perform drug screens, requires valid and reliable measures that can be applied in vitro. Christopher Minteer who developed in cellulo epigenetic markers will demonstarte how epigenetic aging changes that can be induced in culture shed light on aging in vivo. Finally, a summarizing discussion will be held by Dr. Morgan Levine, an expert in the field.
A Computational Solution to Bolster Epigenetic Clock Reliability for Clinical Trials and Longitudinal Tracking
Authors: Higgins-Chen Albert , Thrush Kyra , Hu-Seliger Tina , Wang Yunzhang , Hagg Sara , Levine Morgan
Published: December 2021

Epigenetic clocks are widely used aging biomarkers, but they are calculated from methylation data for individual CpGs that can be surprisingly unreliable. We report that technical noise causes six major epigenetic clocks to deviate by 3 to 9 years between replicates. We present a novel computational solution: we perform principal component analysis followed by biological age prediction using principal components, extracting shared age-related changes across CpGs while ignoring noise from individual CpGs. Our novel principal-component versions of six clocks show agreement between most technical replicates within 1 year, and increased stability in short- and long-term longitudinal studies. This requires only one additional step compared to traditional clocks, does not require prior knowledge of CpG reliabilities, and can improve the reliability of any existing or future epigenetic biomarker. The extremely high reliability of principal component epigenetic clocks makes them particularly useful for personalized medicine and clinical trials evaluating novel aging interventions.
The Significance of Trust in Washington State's Aging Network COVID Response
Authors: Berridge Clara , Johnson Ian , Freitag Callie , Parsey Carolyn , Ramirez Maggie
Published: December 2021

In late summer of 2020, we interviewed 45 senior leaders of social services and health care organizations serving older adults throughout Washington State about service demand, new challenges, and organizational adaptations. These organizations work with people made particularly vulnerable in the pandemic. A significant share reported that half or more of their clients live at or below the poverty line (54%), are people of color (29%), or have limited English language proficiency (20%). The state’s aging network leveraged strong partnerships, expertise, and community knowledge to provide trusted essential services to older Washingtonians and their caregivers. The role of trust as an enabler of emergency response and connection in the context of gentrification, the digital divide, employment loss, and language service gaps will be discussed, as will lack of trust as a barrier to service access, particularly for Latinx immigrant and migrant older adults.
Types of Assistances of Evidence-Based Dementia Caregiving Programs: Data Results and Future Directions
Authors: Ciancibello Alyssa , Bass David , Schaffer Rachel , Powers Sara
Published: December 2021

A key feature displayed in Best Practice Caregiving are the types of assistances. Data on 54 areas of care were collected for all 44 programs. These were analyzed through factor analysis and grouped into 19 types of assistance. Types were analyzed by the number of assistances provided, delivery method, and recipient of assistance. On average, programs delivered 11.8 types of assistances, with the most common types being Supporting CG/Individual-with-Dementia (IWD) Communication, Encouraging Positive CG-IWD Activities, and Assisting with Coping (93.2%), with the least common being Getting a Dementia Diagnosis (29.5%) and Monitoring Benefits of Services (20.5%). Assistance was delivered most often through information/referral delivery (M=11.07, SD=5.41) than direct (M=3.77, SD=4.54) or skills training (M= 7.50, SD=4.54). Results of the data show the breadth and characteristics of assistances programs provide to support caregivers of persons with dementia, along with gaps in types of assistances and future directions for programs.
Resilience Among Dementia Family Caregivers in a Changing Social World
Authors: McCann Brandy , Roberto Karen , Savla Tina , Blieszner Rosemary , Hoyt Emily
Published: December 2021

Dementia caregivers must manage the social worlds of their loved ones as well as their own. In a mixed methods study, we interviewed 50 family caregivers prior to the pandemic, twice during early phases of the pandemic, and again during the vaccine roll-out phase. Findings revealed how implementation of stay-at-home orders altered reliance on informal support as well as social ties and interactions. Using content analysis, we identified three ways in which caregivers’ managed changes in their social world: rethinking family visits (fewer people, higher quality); reinventing public spaces (church services, exercise venues); and reconsidering self-care (setting boundaries, solace in nature). Caregivers showed varying degrees of resilience in the ways they managed adverse social situations and cared for themselves. Findings reinforce the need for inclusive programs and services to help caregivers learn to maintain supportive social connections that reinforce their care decisions and routines, particularly during times of duress.
Using Ecological and Twitter-Based Assessments to Examine Impacts in Temporal and Community Context
Authors: Bouklas Isabella , Ferguson Giselle , Pasquini Giancarlo , Vu Huy , Zamani Mohammadzaman , Zhaoyang Ruixue , Scott Stacey , Schwartz H Andrew
Published: December 2021

In March 2020, Bronx County (NY) saw one of the first U.S. COVID-19 outbreaks. This outbreak coincided with the ongoing Einstein Aging Study (EAS), which involved older adults living in Bronx County completing annual two-week intensive data collection “bursts.” Thus, it serves as a natural experiment to study pre-COVID to early pandemic-related changes in the daily well-being of participants who were at risk both due to their age and their location. We examined within-person change in self-reported negative thoughts, affect, stress, and loneliness from a subsample of 78 EAS participants. Participants’ data from a two-week “burst” of momentary surveys during 2019 were compared with their data from the corresponding timeframe during the early COVID-19 period (February-June 2020). Personality and mild cognitive impairment were examined as predictors of change. Average momentary loneliness significantly increased from 2019 to 2020. Participants with greater neuroticism increased more in thought unpleasantness and depressed feelings. To understand the community context, community distress markers were analyzed using Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based assessments of public Twitter posts from Bronx County during the same periods. These Twitter posts also showed a surge of COVID-related topics at the onset of the Bronx outbreak. Language analysis showed a 2019-2020 increase in Bronx community markers of anxiety, depressivity, and negatively-valenced affect extracted from Twitter. We observed 2019-2020 change in both individuals’ well-being (via intensive reports) and in their communities (via Twitter). Contextualizing these with the increased COVID-19 discussion online suggests that these may reflect common pandemic effects.