bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A hierarchical taxonomy of business model patterns
Authors: Weking Jörg , Hein Andreas , Böhm Markus , Krcmar Helmut
Published: December 2018

Although business model innovation (BMI) is essential to remaining competitive, many firms fail at it. A promising approach is building on reoccurring successful solutions – business model patterns (BMP) – as a blueprint for BMI. However, existing patterns face constraints subject to a high diversity and overlaps among patterns. In addition, literature do not consider relations among BMPs, which limits their potential for BMI. This paper develops a hierarchical taxonomy of BMPs including generalizations and specializations based on inheritance. We conduct a literature review to identify patterns and a cluster analysis to create an inductive structure, followed by a qualitative analysis. The resulting hierarchical taxonomy includes 194 elements. It is the first hierarchical taxonomy of BMPs. The hierarchy addresses the diversity of patterns and overlaps with inheritance. It aids research to structure and understand BMPs. For practice, the taxonomy allows for the application of patterns and supports BMI.
The Problem of Job and the Problem of Evil
Authors: Dahl Espen
Published: December 2018

This account of evil takes the Book of Job as its guide. The Book of Job considers physical pain, social bereavement, the origin of evil, theodicy, justice, divine violence, and reward. Such problems are explored by consulting ancient and modern accounts from the fields of theology and philosophy, broadly conceived. Some of the literature on evil - especially the philosophical literature - is inclined toward the abstract treatment of such problems. Bringing along the suffering Job will serve as a reminder of the concrete, lived experience in which the problem of evil has its roots.
Simulations of a low frequency beam-cyclotron instability in a dusty plasma
Authors: Rosenberg M. , Quest K. , Kercher B.
Published: December 2018

The nonlinear development of a low frequency beam-cyclotron instability in a collisional plasma composed of magnetized ions and electrons and unmagnetized, negatively charged dust is investigated using one-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations. Collisions of charged particles with neutrals are taken into account via a Langevin operator. The instability, which is driven by an ion $\boldsymbol{E}\times \boldsymbol{B}$ drift, excites a quasi-discrete wavenumber spectrum of waves that propagate perpendicular to the magnetic field with frequency of the order of the dust plasma frequency. In the linear regime, the unstable wavelengths are of the order of the ion gyroradius. As the wave energy density increases, the dominant modes shift to longer wavelengths, suggesting a transition to a Hall-current-type instability. Parameters are considered that reflect the ordering of plasma and dust quantities in laboratory dusty plasmas with high magnetic field. Comparison with the nonlinear development of this beam cyclotron instability in a collisionless dusty plasma is also briefly discussed.
Infused virtue as virtue simply: the centrality of the Augustinian definition in Summa theologiae I/2.55–67
Authors: Miner Robert
Published: December 2018

‘Virtue is a good quality of the mind, by which one lives rightly, which no one uses badly, which God works in us without us.’ Thomas Aquinas quotes this ‘Augustinian’ definition near the beginning of his treatment of virtue in general. Because it fails to apply to acquired virtues, some conclude that Aquinas presents this definition only to set it aside. Against such interpretations, I demonstrate that Thomas’ use of the definition is the key to understanding the treatment of virtue at Summa I/2.55–63. First, I show why Thomas places the definition where he does, at the end of question 55. Second, I show that the definition is not peripheral but rather discloses the inner logic of his treatment of virtue. Finally, I show that for the reader who grasps this inner logic, the conclusion drawn explicitly at Question 65 – that only infused virtue is virtue simply – is revealing but not surprising.
The impact of Yiddish on the English language
Authors: Schultz Julia
Published: December 2018

Yiddish has served the English language as a comparatively minor donor language of words and meanings over the course of time. However, Yiddish has provided English with a number of borrowings that have become fairly common in present-day usage. This paper provides a rounded overview of the different lexical domains to which Yiddish contributed in the form of new words and expressions over the centuries, which has been relatively neglected in existing studies. The focus of linguistic concern is on those Yiddish-derived terms that have become established in current English.
Public Services and Informal Profits: Governing Township Health Centres in a Context of Misfit Regulatory Institutions
Authors: Müller Armin
Published: December 2018

China's healthcare system is governed by institutions that are mutually incompatible. Although healthcare providers are supposed to offer affordable curative care services and engage in public health and administrative work, they receive insufficient financial support from the state and rely on generating informal profits and grey income. The “institutional misfit” between this public welfare mandate and medical service providers’ market orientation is particularly pronounced in the case of township health centres (THCs), a generalist type of healthcare provider with a key role in China's healthcare system. Based on fieldwork in four county-level jurisdictions, this study explores how local governments and THCs interact to cope with institutional misfit. It sheds light on a large variety of informal practices pertaining to human resources, healthcare services, drug procurement, health insurance and capital investment. Local governments deliberately neglect regulatory enforcement and collude with THCs to generate informal profits, behaviour which undermines service quality and increases healthcare costs. The study also shows that while the New Healthcare Reform altered the informal and collusive practices, it has failed to harmonize the underlying institutional misfit. To date, we see only a reconfiguration rather than an abandoning of informal practices resulting from recent healthcare reforms.
Time Perception and Industrialization: Divergence and Convergence of Work Ethics in Chinese Enterprises in Africa
Authors: Xiaoyang Tang , Eom Janet
Published: December 2018

As Chinese investors set up business operations in Africa, disagreements between Chinese and Africans regarding work attitudes have emerged. A prevailing view is that cultural differences cause tensions between groups with regards to the meaning of “hard work,” “discipline” and “eating bitterness.” However, we argue that conflicting perceptions of work ethics between Chinese and Africans are instead caused by evolving notions of time that accompany a transition from a pre-capitalist manner of production to that of industrial capitalism. First, we refute the assumption that culture determines work ethics. Second, we show that when a society industrializes, its notions of work ethics and time perception change; we then show how China's industrialization impacts its approaches to operations in Africa. Third, we use two case studies of Chinese investments in Tanzania and Ethiopia to illustrate how Chinese managers are changing African workers’ attitudes through time discipline. Finally, we discuss the implications of a convergence of work ethics between Chinese and Africans.
Developing a risk management framework to improve public health outcomes by enumerating Salmonella in ground turkey – RETRACTION
Authors: Sampedro F. , Wells S. J. , Bender J. B. , Hedberg C. W.
Published: December 2018

Salmonella spp. continue to be a leading cause of foodborne morbidity worldwide. To assess the risk of foodborne disease, current national regulatory schemes focus on prevalence estimates of Salmonella and other pathogens. The role of pathogen quantification as a risk management measure and its impact on public health is not well understood. To address this information gap, a quantitative risk assessment model was developed to evaluate the impact of pathogen enumeration strategies on public health after consumption of contaminated ground turkey in the USA. Public health impact was evaluated by using several dose–response models for high- and low-virulent strains to account for potential under- or overestimation of human health impacts. The model predicted 2705–21 099 illnesses that would result in 93–727 reported cases of salmonellosis. Sensitivity analysis predicted cooking an unthawed product at home as the riskiest consumption scenario and microbial concentration the most influential input on the incidence of human illnesses. Model results indicated that removing ground turkey lots exceeding contamination levels of 1 MPN/g and 1 MPN in 25 g would decrease the median number of illnesses by 86–94% and 99%, respectively. For a single production lot, contamination levels higher than 1 MPN/g would be needed to result in a reported case to public health officials. At contamination levels of 10 MPN/g, there would be a 13% chance of detecting an outbreak, and at 100 MPN/g, the likelihood of detecting an outbreak increases to 41%. Based on these model prediction results, risk management strategies should incorporate pathogen enumeration. This would have a direct impact on illness incidence linking public health outcomes with measurable food safety objectives.
Identifying migration routes and non-breeding staging sites of adult males of the globally threatened Aquatic WarblerAcrocephalus paludicola
Authors: SALEWSKI VOLKER , FLADE MARTIN , LISOVSKI SIMEON , POLUDA ANATOLII , ILIUKHA OLEKSANDER , KILJAN GRZEGORZ , MALASHEVICH ULADZIMIR , HAHN STEFFEN
Published: December 2018

Birds that are long-distance migrants partition their annual cycle among a number of locations over a large spatial range. The conservation of these species is particularly complex because it requires attention to a number of different and distant habitats based on knowledge of migratory phenology, routes and staging areas. In the case of the globally threatened Aquatic WarblerAcrocephalus paludicola, a habitat specialist that breeds in Europe and spends the boreal winter in sub-Saharan Africa, non-breeding staging areas were widely unknown until recently. We applied light-level geolocators to adult male Aquatic Warblers at breeding sites in Belarus and Ukraine. Data from eight retrieved geolocators confirmed a south-west and then westward migration route through Europe via the northern Mediterranean with staging sites on the Iberian Peninsula and occasionally France and north-west Africa. In sub-Saharan Africa, final staging areas were in Mali, either in the Inner Niger Delta or at (presumably) small water bodies in the desert, with one bird most likely staying in the north of Ivory Coast south of the previously assumed range. The birds probably stayed in the final staging areas for most of the non-breeding season, but the logger on only one bird provided data throughout the entire migration cycle. Pre-nuptial migration of the latter was by a more easterly route than the southward migration. Our study suggests that conservation strategies for Aquatic Warbler north of the Sahara should include consideration of unknown staging sites in the northern Mediterranean as well as on the Iberian Peninsula and in north-west Africa. South of the Sahara, our study demonstrates the importance of the Sahel for the conservation of the Aquatic Warbler, including both the major floodplains of the Niger River and small Sahelian wetlands that are under pressure from human development.
Reconsidering ‘Tokens’: The Neolithic Origins of Accounting or Multifunctional, Utilitarian Tools?
Authors: Bennison-Chapman Lucy E.
Published: December 2018

The origin of record keeping is a key question in the development of social complexity and specialized economies, representing the first step towards the emergence of written communication. Yet the precursors of the world's earliest writing and its initial stages of development remain little understood. Small, geometric clay objects (‘tokens’) appear in the tenth millennium cal.bc, the start of the Neolithic in West Asia, prevailing into the first millennium. It is largely assumed that from their inception clay objects played a crucial role in record keeping, directly evolving into the world's earliest known writing. Utilizing new and previously unpublished Neolithic data comprising almost individually studied 3000 objects, accompanied by information from 56 further Neolithic sites, this article investigates the meaning of Neolithic ‘tokens’. Analysis proves the basis of their predominant interpretation to be incorrect; clay objects appear earlier than previously recognized and arenota necessary component of Neolithic agro-pastoral villages. ‘Tokens’ were multi-functional artefacts; even within a single site clay objects performed multiple roles. Though likely used in simple counting activities, this was not limited to the accounting of agricultural produce. Nor was counting the sole function of clay objects in the Neolithic. Clay objects were notcreatedto administer agricultural produce and there is no evidence to suggest that in the Neolithic they formed part of a unified symbolic system.
The effects of restoration on vegetation trends: spatiotemporal variability and influencing factors
Authors: ZHANG Kun , LÜ Yihe , FU Bojie , LI Ting
Published: December 2018

Since the ‘Grain to Green Program' was launched in 1999 in the Loess Plateau, China, the processes and patterns of ecological change have become important. Through the use of the fractional vegetation cover (FVC) index, this study examines the spatial distribution and temporal change of vegetation cover in the Loess Plateau during 2000–2014. Over this period more than 60% of the Loess Plateau has remained with little vegetation cover (FVC <30%). The spatial distribution pattern shows an overall increase from the NW to SE. Temporally, the vegetation cover exhibits a general trend of improvement. In 2000–2005, 2000–2010 and 2000–2014, the percentages of restored vegetation (vegetation with significantly increased FVC, P<0.05) were 2, 21 and 52%, respectively. The rate of vegetation cover restoration was highly variable among different bioclimatic zones. The expansion of restored vegetation was greater in the N of the Loess Plateau than in the south. Both human restoration activities and climatic fluctuation influenced the vegetation cover change. The ‘Grain to Green Program' emphasised vegetation restoration. Regional precipitation also had clear effects on vegetation cover. The results of this study reveal that vegetation change shows a non-linear process in response to climate and ecological restoration measures, and that the change gradually emerges over time. This study highlights the importance of considering the spatiotemporal variability in vegetation cover during the implementation of restoration programs, which could aid decision-making for the effective and sustainable management of large-scale restoration programs.
The challenges and potential utility of phenotypic specimen-level phylogeny based on maximum parsimony
Authors: TSCHOPP Emanuel , UPCHURCH Paul
Published: December 2018

Specimen-level phylogenetic approaches are widely used in molecular biology for taxonomic and systematic purposes. However, they have been largely ignored in analyses based on morphological traits, where phylogeneticists mostly resort to species-level analyses. Recently, a number of specimen-level studies have been published in vertebrate palaeontology. These studies indicate that specimen-level phylogeny may be a very useful tool for systematic reassessments at low taxonomic levels. Herein, we review the challenges when working with individual organisms as operational taxonomic units in a palaeontological context, and propose guidelines of how best to perform a specimen-level phylogenetic analysis using the maximum parsimony criterion. Given that no single methodology appears to be perfectly suited to resolve relationships among individuals, and that different taxa probably require different approaches to assess their systematics, we advocate the use of a number of methodologies. In particular, we recommend the inclusion of as many specimens and characters as feasible, and the analysis of relationships using an extended implied weighting approach with different downweighting functions. Resulting polytomies should be explored usinga posterioripruning of unstable specimens, and conflicting tree topologies between different iterations of the analysis should be evaluated by a combination of support values such as jackknifing and symmetric resampling. Species delimitation should be consistent among the ingroup and based on a reproducible approach. Although time-consuming and methodologically challenging, specimen-level phylogenetic analysis is a highly useful tool to assess intraspecific variability and provide the basis for a more informed and accurate creation of species-level operational taxonomic units in large-scale systematic studies. It also has the potential to inform us about past speciation processes, morphological trait evolution, and their potential intrinsic and extrinsic drivers in pre-eminent detail.
VHF and UHF Electromagnetic Radiation Produced by Streamers in Lightning
Authors: Shi Feng , Liu Ningyu , Dwyer Joseph R. , Ihaddadene Kevin M. A.
Published: December 2018

In this letter, we report simulation results of streamer propagation and collision that produce electromagnetic radiation in the very high frequency (VHF) and ultra high frequency (UHF) bands. The streamers are initiated in overbreakdown field conditions, 1.5Ekand2Ek, respectively, which may be found during the corona flash stage of negative leader stepping processes. We find that while streamer propagation produces stronger VHF radiation, the head‐on collision of streamers dominates UHF, and even higher‐frequency radiation. Analysis of the energy spectral densities obtained from different simulation cases shows that the total length and radii of colliding streamers, as well as the ambient field, are important parameters for the UHF radiation produced by streamer collisions. The larger those parameters are, the stronger UHF radiation produced. Finally, by comparing with the measured spectral magnitude of lightning field in the VHF range, it is found that there are probably 105–107 streamers involved during the lightning corona flash stage.
A Transport Method for Restoring Incomplete Ocean Current Measurements
Authors: Ameli Siavash , Shadden Shawn C.
Published: December 2018

Remote sensing of oceanographic data often yields incomplete coverage of the measurement domain. This can limit interpretability of the data and identification of coherent features informative of ocean dynamics. Several methods exist to fill gaps of missing oceanographic data and are often based on projecting the measurements onto basis functions or a statistical model. Herein, we use an information transport approach inspired from an image processing algorithm. This approach aims to restore gaps in data by advecting and diffusing information of features as opposed to the field itself. Since this method does not involve fitting or projection, the portions of the domain containing measurements can remain unaltered, and the method offers control over the extent of local information transfer. This method is applied to measurements of ocean surface currents by high frequency radars. This is a relevant application because data coverage can be sporadic, and filling data gaps can be essential to data usability. Application to two regions with differing spatial scale is considered. The accuracy and robustness of the method is tested by systematically blinding measurements and comparing the restored data at these locations to the actual measurements. These results demonstrate that even for locally large percentages of missing data points, the restored velocities have errors within the native error of the original data (e.g., <10% for velocity magnitude and <3% for velocity direction). Results were relatively insensitive to model parameters, facilitating a priori selection of default parameters for de novo applications.
Millennial‐ to Orbital‐Scale Responses of Western Equatorial Atlantic Thermocline Depth to Changes in the Trade Wind System Since the Last Interglacial
Authors: Venancio I. M. , Mulitza S. , Govin A. , Santos T. P. , Lessa D. O. , Albuquerque A. L. S. , Chiessi C. M. , Tiedemann R. , Vahlenkamp M. , Bickert T. , Schulz M.
Published: December 2018

Surface ocean circulation in the western equatorial Atlantic is mainly wind driven and plays a major role for the transport of warm waters to the North Atlantic. Past changes in the strength and direction of the trade winds are well documented, but the response of the western equatorial Atlantic circulation and water column structure to these changes is unclear. Here we used the difference between the stable isotopic oxygen composition of two species of planktonic foraminifera (Globigerinoides ruber white and Neogloboquadrina dutertrei) from two sediment cores collected off northeastern Brazil to investigate millennial‐ and orbital‐scale changes in upper ocean stratification since the Last Interglacial. Our records indicate enhanced upper ocean stratification during several Heinrich stadials, partly due to a shoaling of the thermocline, which was linked to a decrease in the strength of southeast trades winds. In addition, we show that a decrease in wind zonality induced by increases in Northern Hemisphere low‐latitude summer insolation causes a shoaling of the thermocline in the western equatorial Atlantic. These ocean‐atmosphere changes contributed to a reduction in the cross‐equatorial transport of warm waters, particularly during Heinrich stadials and Marine Isotope Stage 4.
Global optimization of spin Hamiltonians with gain-dissipative systems
Authors: Kalinin Kirill P. , Berloff Natalia G.
Published: December 2018

Recently, several platforms were proposed and demonstrated a proof-of-principle for finding the global minimum of the spin Hamiltonians such as the Ising and XY models using gain-dissipative quantum and classical systems. The implementation of dynamical adjustment of the gain and coupling strengths has been established as a vital feedback mechanism for analog Hamiltonian physical systems that aim to simulate spin Hamiltonians. Based on the principle of operation of such simulators we develop a novel class of gain-dissipative algorithms for global optimisation of NP-hard problems and show its performance in comparison with the classical global optimisation algorithms. These systems can be used to study the ground state and statistical properties of spin systems and as a direct benchmark for the performance testing of the gain-dissipative physical simulators. Our theoretical and numerical estimations suggest that for large problem sizes the analog simulator when built might outperform the classical computer computations by several orders of magnitude under certain assumptions about the simulator operation.
Nonanatomic resection is not inferior to anatomic resection for primary intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: A propensity score analysis
Authors: Li B. , Song J. L. , Aierken Y. , Chen Y. , Zheng J. L. , Yang J. Y.
Published: December 2018

Whether anatomic resection (AR) achieves better outcomes than nonanatomic resection (NAR) in patients with primary intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is unclear. Data were retrieved for all consecutive patients who underwent liver resection for primary ICC from January 2007 to July 2017. The prognoses of the patients without direct invasion to contiguous organs or extrahepatic metastasis who underwent AR or NAR were compared. 85 patients underwent AR, and 65 patients underwent NAR. operation time were slightly decreased in the NAR group. The risk of Clavien-Dindo classification (CDC) IV in the AR group was significant higher than that in the NAR group. Cox regression analysis showed lymph node metastasis and adjuvant therapy were significant prognostic factors for overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS), respectively. After 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM), 29 pairs of patients were compared. The survival curves showed the NAR group had slightly improved DFS and OS than the AR group before and after matching. Thus, we conclude NAR was not inferior to AR in improving the survival outcomes for patients with primary solitary ICC lesions without direct invasion to contiguous organs or extrahepatic metastasis. Furthermore, patients may benefit from NAR.
Involvement of ethylene signaling in zinc oxide nanoparticle-mediated biochemical changes inArabidopsis thalianaleaves
Authors: Khan Ali Raza , Wakeel Abdul , Muhammad Noor , Liu Bohan , Wu Minjie , Liu Yihua , Ali Imran , Zaidi Syed Hassan Raza , Azhar Wardah , Song Ge , Wu Junyu , Gan Yinbo
Published: December 2018

The growing use of metallic nanoparticles in industry has resulted in their accumulation in agricultural land, which poses a serious threat to the yield and quality of crops worldwide.
The influence of natural organic matter on the adsorption of microcystin-LR by powdered activated carbon
Authors: Bajracharya Asnika , Liu Yen-Ling , Lenhart John J.
Published: December 2018

In this study, microcystin-LR (MC-LR) adsorption to four different types of powdered activated carbon (PAC) was evaluated to provide insight into the use of PAC to treat water containing MC-LR.
Impact of the position of the imine linker on the optoelectronic performance of π-conjugated organic frameworks
Authors: Ghosh Samrat , Tsutsui Yusuke , Suzuki Katsuaki , Kaji Hironori , Honjo Kayako , Uemura Takashi , Seki Shu
Published: December 2018

The linker position dramatically affects the optoelectronic performance of π-conjugated two-dimensional polymers even though the polymers have the same π-conjugated backbone.
Unveiling the mechanism of sodium ion storage for needle-shaped ZnxCo3−xO4 nanosticks as anode materials
Authors: Islam Mobinul , Ali Ghulam , Jeong Min-Gi , Kim Hyung-Seok , Choi Wonchang , Chung Kyung Yoon , Jung Hun-Gi
Published: December 2018

A porous dandelion-like mico-nanostructured ZnxCo3−xO4 was synthesized which demonstrated excellent sodium storage capability and capacity retention.
Microporous organic polymer-induced gel electrolytes for enhanced operation stability of electrochromic devices
Authors: Ko Ju Hong , Lee Hyunjae , Choi Jaewon , Jang June Young , Lee Sang Moon , Kim Hae Jin , Ko Yoon-Joo , Son Seung Uk
Published: December 2018

Gel electrolytes were synthesized by the formation of microporous organic polymers in the presence of LiClO4 and NMP, showing enhanced operation stability of electrochromic cells, compared with liquid electrolytes.
Synergistic effect of side-chain and backbone engineering in thieno[2,3-f]benzofuran-based conjugated polymers for high performance non-fullerene organic solar cells
Authors: Dou Keke , Wang Xunchang , Du Zurong , Jiang Huanxiang , Li Feng , Sun Mingliang , Yang Renqiang
Published: December 2018

A series of copolymers containing thieno[2,3-f]benzofuran unit with different alkyl side chains are synthesized. The best photovoltaic performance with power conversion efficiency over 11% have been realized.
High‐resolution optical vector network analyser employing optical double‐sideband modulation and optical Hilbert transform
Authors: Xue Min , Chen Wei , Zhu Beibei , Pan Shilong
Published: December 2018

The authors propose and experimentally demonstrate an optical vector network analyser (OVNA) employing optical double‐sideband modulation and optical Hilbert transform. The optical device‐under‐test is characterised with and without optical Hilbert transform. Then, by employing post signal processing, accurate spectral responses on upper and lower sides of the optical carrier are observed. A proof‐of‐concept experiment for measuring gain and absorption responses of the stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) is performed, showing that the proposed OVNA is able to accurately measure the gain and absorption responses of the SBS. The measurement error is smaller than 1%.
Improved hybrid algorithms‐based MPPT algorithm for PV system operating under severe weather conditions
Authors: Bataineh Khaled
Published: December 2018

This study aims to provide a comparison between several maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithms for PV system under severe weather conditions. Two MPPT hybrid algorithms are proposed, namely (a) hybrid combination of fuzzy logic controller (FLC) and the incremental conductance (IC) and (b) MPPT controller integrates FLC and perturb and observe (P&O) method. The two developed hybrid algorithms combined the strength of both P&O, IC with FLC in single framework. MATLAB/Simulink is used to investigate the response of both algorithms. Several weather conditions are simulated: (i) uniform irradiation, (ii) sudden changing, and (iii) partial shading. Under partial shading on PV panel, multi‐peaks appear in power–voltage characteristics of the panel. Simulation results showed that ability of FLC to track MPP degrade significantly when testing at weather conditions far from those used for training. Finally, the proposed hybrid algorithms successfully eliminate the previous limitations associated with FLC, IC, and P&O algorithms individually with efficiency exceeds 97%.
Study on droplet behaviour in the gas–liquid coupled fan flow field
Authors: Tang Jie , Huo Jinjian , Hu Jianwei , Liu Qiang , Li Wenwang , Gao Dianrong
Published: December 2018

The motion mechanism of the single droplet during wing cleaning of aeroengine is studied, and the force acting on the droplet entering the fan at low speed is analysed, and the motion model of a single droplet in swirl field is established. The influence of the main parameters such as droplet diameter, incident velocity and incidence angle on the droplet trajectory is analysed. The mechanism of droplet movement in the fan is described qualitatively.
Hospizarbeit bei Neugeborenen – passt das
zusammen?
Authors: Globisch Marcel
Published: December 2018

Nicht selten werden Kinder mit einer lebensverkürzenden Krankheit geboren, die
das erste Lebensjahr nicht überleben. Die speziellen Bedürfnisse der Familien in
einer solchen Situation übernimmt die Palliativversorgung. Und auch die
Kinderhospizarbeit kann dazu einen Beitrag leisten – wie Autor Marcel Globisch
vom Deutschen Kinderhospizverein im folgenden Beitrag erläutert.
Rehabilitation der chinoloninduzierten Tendinopathie der Achillessehne
Authors: Kohlbrenner Dario , Schneider Sandra , Benden Christian
Published: December 2018

Hintergrund Der Einsatz von Antibiotika gehört zum medizinischen Alltag. Ein dabei häufig eingesetzter Wirkstoff ist die Gruppe der Chinolone. Physiotherapeutisch relevant sind deren muskuloskeletale Nebenwirkungen, insbesondere auf das Sehnengewebe. Meist sind die Achillessehnen durch Tendinopathien oder Rupturen betroffen. Es besteht ein Mangel an Literatur bezüglich der Pathophysiologie als auch der Rehabilitation dieser klinischen Muster.

Ziel Diese Fallstudie evaluierte die Anwendung eines exzentrischen Trainingsprotokolls bei chinoloninduzierter Tendinopathie der Achillessehne.

Methode Die physiotherapeutische Rehabilitation einer 48-jährigen Frau mit unilateraler Tendinopathie der Achillessehne unter Einnahme des Antibiotikums Ciprofloxacin nach Lungentransplantation wird beschrieben. Dabei wurde ein kriterienbasierter Ansatz mit ausschließlich Hands-off-Therapie unter Einsatz eines exzentrischen Belastbarkeitsaufbaus der Achillessehne angewendet.

Ergebnisse Nach 9 Einzeltherapien fanden sich Verbesserungen beim 1-Minute-Sitz-Stand-Test, der Range of Motion bei Dorsalextension des oberen Sprunggelenks rechts, beidseitige Kraft von Knieextensoren und -flexoren, Dorsalextensoren und Plantarflexoren des oberen Sprunggelenks, beim VISA-A-Fragebogen sowie bei Schmerz und Partizipation.

Schlussfolgerungen Bei chinoloninduzierter Tendinopathie der Achillessehne ist ein exzentrisch betontes Trainingsprotokoll durchführbar und wirksam, wobei die zahlreichen Komorbiditäten der primär betroffenen Population zu beachten sind. Da Physiotherapeuten aufgrund der demografischen Entwicklung zunehmend mit hochkomplexen Fällen konfrontiert werden, ist es für sie wichtig, die unerwünschten Wirkungen von Medikamenten zu kennen.
Die Effekte des Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT)-BIG Trainings auf die motorische Funktionsfähigkeit von Menschen mit M. Parkinson – eine systematische Übersichtsarbeit
Authors: Stickdorn Isabelle , Marks Detlef , Thiel Christian , Braun Tobias
Published: December 2018

Hintergrund Interventionen zur Verbesserung der motorischen Funktionsfähigkeit sind wichtige Aspekte der Rehabilitation von Menschen mit Morbus Parkinson. Das Lee Silverman Voice Treatment BIG (LSVT-BIG) ist ein in der klinischen Praxis verbreitetes bewegungstherapeutisches Therapiekonzept bei M. Parkinson, dessen Wirksamkeit auf die motorische Funktionsfähigkeit unklar ist.

Ziel Dieser systematische Review fasst die Studien zur Wirksamkeit des LSVT-BIG auf die motorische Funktionsfähigkeit im Vergleich zu anderen bewegungstherapeutischen Interventionen zusammen.

Methode Die elektronischen Datenbanken MEDLINE, CINAHL und Cochrane Library wurden für den Publikationszeitraum 2005 bis 2017 nach randomisierten kontrollierten Studien (RCT) durchsucht, die das LSVT-BIG bei leicht bis schwer betroffenen Menschen mit idiopathischem M. Parkinson (Hoehn u. Yahr Stadium I–IV) mit anderen bewegungstherapeutischen Interventionen verglichen. Die Bewertung der methodischen Qualität der eingeschlossenen Studien erfolgte anhand der PEDro-Skala. Die eingeschlossenen Studien wurden narrativ zusammengefasst.

Ergebnisse Eingeschlossen wurden 3 RCT mit moderater methodischer Qualität (PEDro-Skala: 5 – 6/10 Punkten). Zwei Studien zeigten keine Vorteile des standardisierten LSVT-BIG-Trainings gegenüber einer anderen bewegungstherapeutischen Intervention bei annähernd vergleichbaren Trainingsdosierungen. In einer Studie, die das LSVT-BIG mit anderen bewegungstherapeutischen Interventionen in anderen Trainingsdosierungen untersuchte, erwies sich das LSVT-BIG als überlegen.

Schlussfolgerungen Aufgrund der geringen Studienzahl ist die Bewertung der Wirksamkeit des LSVT-BIG auf die motorische Funktionsfähigkeit nur bedingt möglich. Für eine mögliche Dose-Response-Beziehung zwischen körperlichem Training – darunter LSVT-BIG – und motorischer Funktionsfähigkeit sind mehr qualitativ hochwertige Studien notwendig.
Psychische Belastung, Nähe, Distanz und Kohärenzgefühl von Physiotherapeuten in der Einzelbehandlung
Authors: Schäberle Wolfgang , Roth Roswitha , Lothaller Harald , Endler Christian
Published: December 2018

Hintergrund Physiotherapeuten behandeln meist fremde Personen, häufig mit Körperkontakt. Dies kann einen erheblichen Stressfaktor darstellen. Der Kohärenzsinn wird als Bewältigungsressource gesehen, um psychisch und physisch gesund zu bleiben.

Ziel Die Ausprägung von psychischer Belastung, emotionaler (Sympathie, Antipathie), räumlicher und kultureller Nähe und Distanz in der Therapie wird aufgezeigt und in Relation zum Kohärenzsinn gebracht. Die Vorhersage der psychischen Belastung dient zur Entwicklung von gesundheitserhaltenden Strategien.

Methode 10 Vignetten zu typischen Situationen in der Einzeltherapie wurden erstellt, um Nähe und Distanz zu untersuchen. Die Einschätzung von psychischer Belastung, emotionaler, räumlicher, kultureller Nähe und Distanz erfolgte auf einer Skala von 0 – 10. Zur Messung des Kohärenzsinns wurde der Fragebogen SOC-29 vorgegeben.

Ergebnisse Insgesamt wurden 51 Physiotherapeuten und 102 Physiotherapeutinnen mit durchschnittlich 8,69 Jahren Berufserfahrung untersucht. Über alle Vignetten wurden 7 Skalen gebildet: psychische Belastung, Sympathie, Antipathie, räumliche und kulturelle Nähe und Distanz. Die am höchsten eingestuften psychischen Belastungen waren unfreundliche Patienten, unangenehmer Körpergeruch, unerwünschtes Eindringen in die Privatsphäre und unerreichbarer Therapieerfolg. Eine höhere psychische Belastung steht im Zusammenhang mit niedrigerem Kohärenzsinn, Partnerschaft mit Kindern, stärkerer Antipathie, kultureller Nähe und kürzerer Berufstätigkeit.

Schlussfolgerungen Aus der Nähe- und Distanzproblematik bei Physiotherapeuten resultierende psychische Belastung und geringer Kohärenzsinns als Bewältigungsressource hängen stark zusammen. Um die psychische Belastung gering zu halten, werden institutionelle und individuelle Strategien diskutiert.
Blasenentleerungsstörung auf dem Boden einer gutartigen Prostatavergrößerung (BPO)
Authors: Martinelli Evangelista , Herrmann Thomas
Published: December 2018

Der klassische Therapiealgorithmus zur Behandlung des benignen Prostatasyndroms (BPS) beinhaltet bei Versagen der medikamentösen Therapie einen chirurgischen Ansatz. Neue minimalinvasive Therapien (MIT) bieten das Potenzial für eine schnelle Symptomlinderung bei gleichzeitiger Reduzierung der mit den invasiven Verfahren assoziierten perioperativen Morbidität. Die konvektive interstitielle Radiofrequenz-generierte Wasserdampf-Thermoablation der Prostata mit dem Rezūm®-System ist ein neuartiges MIT zur Behandlung von Männern mit moderaten bis schweren LUTS. Es ermöglicht eine schnelle und dauerhafte Linderung von Speicher- und Entleerungs-LUTS, das Erhalten unzerstörter Sexualfunktion (in Bezug auf sowohl Erektion als auch Ejakulation) und die Verbesserung der Lebensqualität. Das Verfahren bietet sich für die Behandlung eines breiten Spektrums von Prostatadrüsenmorphologien einschließlich intravesikaler Prostataprotrusion, Mittellappen- oder Blasenhalselevation durch zentrale Hyperplasie. Das Rezūm-Verfahren kann auch als Erstlinientherapie zur Krankheitsprogressionsvorbeugung als Alternative zur medikamentösen Langzeit-Polytherapie bei selektionierten Patienten angesetzt werden, um mögliche medikamentenassoziierte Nebenwirkungen zu vermeiden. Dieser Übersichtsartikel befasst sich mit der Beschreibung dieser neuen Technologie und ihrer klinischen Anwendung sowie mit der aktuellen Evidenz, die die Effektivität, die Sicherheit und die Perspektive des Rezūm-Verfahrens bis zum jetzigen Zeitpunkt unterstützt.
Analysis and design of the transmitting mode on the pre-polarization surface nuclear magnetic resonance system
Authors: Lin Tingting , Zhou Kun , He Chunjuan , Wang Pengfei , Zhang Yang , Xu Yang
Published: December 2018

Surface nuclear magnetic resonance (SNMR) technology is widely used in the detection of groundwater due to its non-invasive, qualitative, and quantitative advantages. Nonetheless, SNMR is difficult to employ in a high ambient noise level because of the weak level of nanovolt signals (10−9 V). To solve this problem, pre-polarization (PP) technology is utilized for SNMR detection. That is, the combination of direct current, i.e., PP pulse, with alternating current (AC) pulses is utilized to increase the signal amplitude of shallow hydrogen protons. However, the PP and AC pulses on the same transmitting coil should be output independently when using the PP SNMR system. Meanwhile, to avoid magnetization loss, the process of shutting down the PP field must be both rapid and adiabatic. To solve the above problems, we improved the transmitting part of the PP SNMR system and designed a discharge circuit for PP pulses. The feasibility of the design was demonstrated through both software simulation and actual testing. When the PP current is 91 A, it can be turned off within 3 ms. Via further water measurements in an electromagnetically shielded room, we demonstrated that a PP system with a PP pulse discharge circuit can effectively increase the initial amplitude of the signal.
Modulating physical, chemical, and biological properties in 3D printing for tissue engineering applications
Authors: Yu Claire , Zhu Wei , Sun Bingjie , Mei Deqing , Gou Maling , Chen Shaochen
Published: December 2018

Over the years, 3D printing technologies have transformed the field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine by providing a tool that enables unprecedented flexibility, speed, control, and precision over conventional manufacturing methods. As a result, there has been a growing body of research focused on the development of complex biomimetic tissues and organs produced via 3D printing to serve in various applications ranging from models for drug development to translational research and biological studies. With the eventual goal to produce functional tissues, an important feature in 3D printing is the ability to tune and modulate the microenvironment to better mimic in vivo conditions to improve tissue maturation and performance. This paper reviews various strategies and techniques employed in 3D printing from the perspective of achieving control over physical, chemical, and biological properties to provide a conducive microenvironment for the development of physiologically relevant tissues. We will also highlight the current limitations associated with attaining each of these properties in addition to introducing challenges that need to be addressed for advancing future 3D printing approaches.
Few-photon computed x-ray imaging
Authors: Zhu Zheyuan , Pang Shuo
Published: December 2018

X-rays are a ubiquitous imaging modality in clinical diagnostics and industrial inspections, thanks to their high penetration power. Conventional transmission-based x-ray radiography or computed tomography systems collect approximately 103–104 counts per pixel to ensure sufficient signal to noise ratio. The recent development of energy sensitive photon counting detectors has made x-ray imaging at low photon fluxes possible. In this paper, we report a photon-counting scheme that records the time stamp of individual photons, which follows a negative binomial distribution, and demonstrate the reconstruction based on the few-photon statistics. The x-ray projection and tomography reconstruction from measurements of ∼16 photons per beam show potential for using photon counting detectors for dose-efficient x-ray imaging applications.
Cavity electrodynamics with Hermite interpolation: Role of symmetry and degeneracies
Authors: Pandey Siddhant , Bharadwaj Sathwik , Santia M. , Hodek M. , Albrecht J. D. , Ram-Mohan L. R.
Published: December 2018

We show that the present approaches for the solution of Maxwell’s equations in complex geometries have limitations that can be overcome through the use of C(1)-continuous Hermite interpolation polynomials. Our approach of calculating fields using the Hermite finite element method yields better accuracy by several orders of magnitude than comparable applications of the edge-based vector finite element method. We note that the vector finite element that is widely used yields pixelated solutions and ill-defined vector solutions at nodes. Our solutions have a smooth representation within and across the elements and well defined directions for the fields at the nodes. We reexamine the issue of removing spurious zero-frequency solutions. We investigate fields in an empty cubic metallic cavity and explain the level degeneracy that is larger than what is to be expected from the geometrical Oh symmetry of the cube. This behavior is identified as an example of “accidental degeneracy” and is explained in detail. We show that the inclusion of a smaller dielectric cube of relative permittivity ϵ2 within the cubic cavity leads to the removal of this accidental degeneracy so that the eigenfields have the symmetry Oh. A further reduction of symmetry is obtained by allowing the dielectric function in the enclosed cube to have a linear dependence on z. The proposed method should be effective in obtaining results for scalar-vector coupled field problems such as in modeling quantum well cavity lasers and in plasmonics modeling, while allowing multi-scale physical calculations.
Monolayer and thin h–BN as substrates for electron spectro-microscopy analysis of plasmonic nanoparticles
Authors: Tizei Luiz Henrique Galvão , Lourenço-Martins Hugo , Das Pabitra , Woo Steffi Y. , Scarabelli Leonardo , Hanske Christoph , Liz-Marzán Luis M. , Watanabe Kenji , Taniguchi Takashi , Kociak Mathieu
Published: December 2018

The influence of four substrates [thin Si3N4, few-layer graphene (FLG), thin h–BN, and monolayer h–BN] on plasmon resonances of metallic nanoparticles was studied using electron energy loss spectroscopy. The h–BN monolayer is an excellent substrate for the study of plasmonic particles due to its large bandgap, negligible charging under electron irradiation, and negligible influence on the plasmon resonance full width at half maximum and peak positions. These effects were evidenced in experiments with gold nanotriangles focusing on dipolar modes. Nanotriangles on h–BN exhibit the lowest influence from the substrate compared to Si3N4 and FLG. In a dataset containing 23 triangles of similar sizes, the dipolar mode was found to have smaller redshifts, sharper peak widths, and higher resonance quality factors on h–BN, showing that it has nearly no effect on the plasmon absorption properties, provided that it is free from carbon contamination. However, light emission (cathodoluminescence) decreases as a function of electron irradiation for triangles on h–BN, even though the electron energy loss signal stays unchanged. This indicates the creation of non-radiative decay channels.
Fast semistochastic heat-bath configuration interaction
Authors: Li Junhao , Otten Matthew , Holmes Adam A. , Sharma Sandeep , Umrigar C. J.
Published: December 2018

This paper presents in detail our fast semistochastic heat-bath configuration interaction (SHCI) method for solving the many-body Schrödinger equation. We identify and eliminate computational bottlenecks in both the variational and perturbative steps of the SHCI algorithm. We also describe the parallelization and the key data structures in our implementation, such as the distributed hash table. The improved SHCI algorithm enables us to include in our variational wavefunction two orders of magnitude more determinants than has been reported previously with other selected configuration interaction methods. We use our algorithm to calculate an accurate benchmark energy for the chromium dimer with the X2C relativistic Hamiltonian in the cc-pVDZ-DK basis, correlating 28 electrons in 76 spatial orbitals. Our largest calculation uses two billion Slater determinants in the variational space and semistochastically includes perturbative contributions from at least trillions of additional determinants with better than 10−5 Ha statistical uncertainty.
Analysis and comparison of ion-acoustic wave reflection using laser-induced fluorescence and Langmuir probes
Authors: Berumen J. , Skiff F.
Published: December 2018

The first laser-induced fluorescence measurements of ion acoustic wave reflection are presented. The experiment is performed in a multi-pole cylindrical chamber using a singly ionized argon (ArII) plasma produced by means of a hot cathode. Ion-acoustic waves are launched from a mesh antenna and reflected/absorbed by a biased, solid boundary (electrode). A comparison between the Langmuir probe and laser-induced fluorescence diagnostics is presented, with complementary Electric-field probe measurements.