bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Impact of a Pandemic COVID-19 on the Incidence of Borreliosis in Poland
Authors: Piotrowski Mariusz , Rymaszewska Anna
Published: January 2022

Purpose

Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne disease, caused by spirochetes of the genus Borrelia, transmitted by ticks of the Ixodes genus in Poland. The purpose of this analysis was whether the COVID-19 outbreak had a significant impact on the number of reported Lyme disease cases.

Materials and Methods

The data included in the World Health Organization (WHO) and the data from the “Reports on incidence of infectious diseases, infections and poisoning in Poland” presented by the Department of Epidemiology NIZP-PZH were analyzed.

Results

To the end of 2020, there were registered 12, 524 Lyme disease cases. In the same period, in 2018 and 2019 were registered, respectively, 20, 150 and 20, 614 Lyme disease cases. The overall number of Lyme disease cases in 2018 and 2019 was at a similar level. The monthly increase in the number of cases was also at a similar level. The year 2020 in January and February was characterized by the same increase in the number of cases as in previous years. The difference started to be noticeable in March and the lowered growth compared to the previous years has been maintained to this day. In December, about 8, 000 fewer cases of Lyme disease were registered than in previous years.

Conclusion

The reduced number of cases of Lyme disease coincided with the beginning of the COVID-19 epidemic in Poland in March 2020. Every year, the incidence of Lyme disease in Poland is at a similar level with a similar monthly increase. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the number of cases recorded, which could have catastrophic consequences for people who did not receive treatment in the right time.
No substantial excess all-cause mortality among cardiac implantable electronic device patients during the first COVID‑19 lockdown in the Leiden area
Authors: Feijen M. , Egorova A. D. , van der Velde E. T. , Schalij M. J. , Beeres S. L. M. A.
Published: January 2022

In the Netherlands, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‑19) pandemic has resulted in excess mortality nationwide. Chronic heart disease patients are at risk for a complicated COVID‑19 course. The current study investigates all-cause mortality among cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) patients during the first peak of the pandemic and compares the data to the statistics for the corresponding period in the two previous years. Data of adult CIED patients undergoing follow-up at the Leiden University Medical Centre were analysed. All-cause mortality between 1 March and 31 May 2020 was evaluated and compared to the data for the same period in 2019 and 2018. At the beginning of the first peak of the pandemic, 3,171 CIED patients (median age 70 years; 68% male; 41% ischaemic aetiology) were alive. Baseline characteristics of the 2019 (n = 3,216) and 2018 (n = 3,169) cohorts were comparable. All-cause mortality during the peak of the pandemic was 1.4% compared to 1.6% and 1.4% in the same period in 2019 and 2018, respectively (p = 0.84). During the first peak of the COVID‑19 pandemic, there was no substantial excess mortality among CIED patients in the Leiden area, despite the fact that this is group at high risk for a complicated course of a COVID‑19 infection. Strict adherence to the preventive measures may have prevented substantial excess mortality in these vulnerable patients.
Predictive factors of operability after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in resectable or borderline resectable pancreatic cancer: a single-center retrospective study
Authors: Murakami Masatoshi , Fujimori Nao , Ohno Akihisa , Matsumoto Kazuhide , Teramatsu Katsuhito , Takamatsu Yu , Takeno Ayumu , Oono Takamasa , Abe Toshiya , Ideno Noboru , Ikenaga Naoki , Nakata Kohei , Nakamura Masafumi , Ishigami Kousei , Ogawa Yoshihiro
Published: January 2022

Background/Aims

Recently neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) for pancreatic cancer has been shown to be superior to upfront surgery, but it remains a matter of debate for resectable cases. In clinical practice, some resectable cases may become unresectable after NAC. This study aimed to reveal the outcomes after NAC and to clarify the characteristics of unresected cases.

Methods

The medical records of 142 patients who underwent NAC between 2016 and 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. Patient characteristics, effectiveness of NAC, and outcomes were compared between the surgical group and non-surgical group (NSG). Furthermore, the risk of recurrence limited to in the patients who received NAC with gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel, which were mostly administered in this cohort, following R0/R1 resection was assessed.

Results

The overall and R0 resection rates after NAC were 89.1% and 79.7%, respectively. The neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) > 2.78 (p = 0.0120) and anatomical borderline resectable pancreatic cancer (p = 0.0044) revealed a statistically significantly correlation with the NSG. On the other hand, NAC week < 8 (p = 0.0285), radiological response, stable disease or progression disease (p = 0.0212), and pathological stage > IIA (P = 0.0003) were significantly associated with recurrence. The tumor response rate was approximately 26.1%, and three patients with ≥ 30% reduction of primary tumor lost excision opportunities because of metastasis, interstitial pneumonia, and vascular invasion.

Conclusions

This study shows incomplete tumor shrinkage benefits, but pre-NAC NLR is a predictive factor for predicting operability after NAC. The NLR can be easily calculated by normal blood test, and can be considered as a suitable marker of operability.
Overrepresentation of Indigenous students in school suspension, exclusion, and enrolment cancellation in Queensland: is there a case for systemic inclusive school reform?
Authors: Graham Linda J. , Killingly Callula , Laurens Kristin R. , Sweller Naomi
Published: January 2022

Well-established evidence of the ill-effects of exclusionary school discipline, its disproportionate use on students of colour, and association with the “school-to-prison pipeline” has, in the last decade, led to systemic reforms in the United States, which are successfully reducing exclusion and improving outcomes. Few studies, however, have similarly investigated overrepresentation in Australia, with little attention to systemic reform as a result. In this study, we analysed suspension, exclusion, and enrolment cancellation rates in Queensland (QLD) government schools between 2013 and 2019 and found Indigenous students were consistently overrepresented. Suspension incidents proportionate to enrolments increased for all students, but this increase was faster for Indigenous than non-Indigenous students and driven primarily by steep rises in short suspensions during primary school (Preparatory-6). Exclusions increased—again disproportionately—for Indigenous students, chiefly in secondary school (7–12). During 2019, Physical Misconduct had the highest incident rate for both groups; however, Indigenous students were most overrepresented in suspensions for Disruptive/Disengaged behaviours. Further, while Indigenous students were overrepresented in all QLD regions, one region’s Indigenous suspension rate was higher than all others despite no difference in the distribution of Indigenous/non-Indigenous enrolments across regions. The scale and nature of Indigenous overrepresentation in exclusionary discipline incidents in QLD indicate clear need for further research to secure political commitment to systemic inclusive school reform, as well as to produce high-quality evidence capable of guiding that reform.
Integration of Energy Oriented Manufacturing Simulation into the Life Cycle Evaluation of Lightweight Body Parts
Authors: Dér Antal , Kaluza Alexander , Reimer Lars , Herrmann Christoph , Thiede Sebastian
Published: January 2022

Recent years introduced process and material innovations in the design and manufacturing of lightweight body parts for larger scale manufacturing. However, lightweight materials and new manufacturing technologies often carry a higher environmental burden in earlier life cycle stages. The prospective life cycle evaluation of lightweight body parts remains to this day a challenging task. Yet, a functioning evaluation approach in early design stages is the prerequisite for integrating assessment results in engineering processes and thus allowing for a life cycle oriented decision making. The current paper aims to contribute to the goal of a prospective life cycle evaluation of fiber-reinforced lightweight body parts by improving models that enable to predict energy and material flows in the manufacturing stage. To this end, a modeling and simulation approach has been developed that integrates bottom-up process models into a process chain model. The approach is exemplarily applied on a case study of a door concept. In particular, the energy intensity of compression molding of glass fiber and carbon fiber sheet molding compounds has been analyzed and compared over the life cycle with a steel reference part.
A posteriori verification of the positivity of solutions to elliptic boundary value problems
Authors: Tanaka Kazuaki , Asai Taisei
Published: January 2022

The purpose of this paper is to develop a unified a posteriori method for verifying the positivity of solutions of elliptic boundary value problems by assuming neither $$H^2$$

H
2

-regularity nor $$ L^{\infty } $$

L
∞

-error estimation, but only $$ H^1_0 $$

H
0
1

-error estimation. In (J Comput Appl Math 370:112647, 2020), we proposed two approaches to verify the positivity of solutions of several semilinear elliptic boundary value problems. However, some cases require $$ L^{\infty } $$

L
∞

-error estimation and, therefore, narrow applicability. In this paper, we extend one of the approaches and combine it with a priori error bounds for Laplacian eigenvalues to obtain a unified method that has wide application. We describe how to evaluate some constants required to verify the positivity of desired solutions. We apply our method to several problems, including those to which the previous method is not applicable.
Assessment of Challenges and Opportunities and Identification of Approaches and Innovations in COVID-19 Pandemic Management by Different States in India: A Qualitative Approach
Authors: Kundapur Rashmi , Rashmi Anusha , Velamala Sunhitha , Aggarwal Sumit , Shringarpure Kalpita , Gaitonde Rakhal , Modi Bhavesh ,   COVID-19 Trailblazer Probe Team
Published: January 2022

Objective

The primary objective of the study was to compare the challenges in implementing various COVID-19-related public health strategies and activities between the selected high health index and low health index states. The secondary objective was to identify the differently managed mechanisms adopted by the health-care delivery system across the states to maintain their functioning during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Setting

Eight states were divided into two groups; based on their health index and vulnerability index ranking—Kerala, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Karnataka in top four (Group 1) and Delhi, Tripura, Rajasthan, and Orissa in bottom four states (Group 2).

Results

There was lack of private sector involvement in both the groups of the states, more so in Group 2. Although transport-related issues were similar in both groups, lack of provision of vehicles for transport for carrying out various COVID and non-COVID activities seemed to be more prominent in Group 2. More obstacles related to infrastructure were observed in Group 1 states. In terms of innovations, commonalities lay in convergence of multiple departments for monitoring, contact tracing, essential supplies, and transportation. Both groups managed routine health services and fund allocation with nearly equal vigour. Major challenges faced were related to human resource, policy management, transportation, routine health services, data management, and infrastructure. HR-related challenges in top four states included confusion due to frequent change in guidelines, unclear micro-containment, and testing guidelines. Discharge guidelines and SOPs related to home isolation of slum dwellers, inter-departmental cooperation and coordination issues faced in greater proportion in top four states; issues with fund allocation for local needs were faced by the Group 2 states. Innovations implemented to meet hurdles faced during the pandemic could be categorized under heads of ‘human resource’, ‘community actions’, ‘policy management’, ‘inter-departmental coordination’, ‘use of technology and media’, and ‘fund allocations’. There was private–public partnership; use of other human resource for health-care delivery; use of technology for health-care delivery was seen in all states but more so in Group 1 states.

Conclusion

States with higher health index and lower vulnerability index, i.e., Group 1 states faced fewer challenges than those in Group 2. Innovative measures taken at local level to tackle problems posed by the pandemic were unique to the situations presented to them and helped control the disease as effectively as they could.
The Impact of Risk Factor Control on Health-Related Quality of Life in Individuals with High Cardiovascular Disease Risk: A Cross-sectional Study Based on EQ-5D Utility Scores in Inner Mongolia, China
Authors: Cao Ning , Hao Zhihui , Niu Liwei , Zhang Nan , Zhu Hao , Bao Han , Yan Tao , Fang Xin , Xu Xiaoqian , Li Lehui , Liu Yan , Xia Yuan , Su Xiong , Zhang Xingguang
Published: January 2022

Objectives

To assess the impact of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factor control on health-related quality of life (HRQoL), as well as the other influencing factors of HRQoL among high CVD risk individuals.

Methods

From 2015 to 2017, residents of six villages or communities in Inner Mongolia, selected using a multi-stage stratified cluster random sampling method, were invited to complete a questionnaire and undergo physical examination and laboratory testing. We selected participants whose predicted 10-year risk for CVD exceeded 10% as those with high CVD risk. HRQoL in individuals with high CVD risk was investigated based on the EuroQol-5 Dimension (EQ-5D) scale. The Chinese utility value integral system was used to calculate EQ-5D utility scores, and the Tobit regression model was used to analyze the influencing factors of HRQoL among individuals with high CVD risk.

Results

Of 13,359 participants with high CVD risk, 65.63% reported no problems in any of the five dimensions; the most frequently reported difficulty was pain/discomfort. The median utility score was 1.000 (0.869, 1.000). Participants with hypertension, and uncontrolled glycemic and blood lipids had lower HRQoL. In addition, sex, age, living environment, education level, household income, and medical insurance were influencing factors of HRQoL.

Conclusion

Sex, age, living environment, education level, household income, medical insurance, hypertension, and whether glycemic and blood lipids control or not are related to HRQoL of high CVD risk individuals.
Measures of Extropy for Concomitants of Generalized Order Statistics in Morgenstern Family
Authors: Almaspoor Zahra , Jafari Ali Akbar , Tahmasebi Saeid
Published: January 2022

In this paper, a measure of extropy is obtained for concomitants of m-generalized order statistics in the Morgenstern family. The cumulative residual extropy (CREX) and negative cumulative extropy (NCEX) are presented for therth concomitant of m-generalized order statistics. In addition, the problem of estimating the CREX and NCEX is studied utilizing the empirical method in concomitants of m-generalized order statistics. Some applications of these results are given for the concomitants of order statistics and record values.
How does business power operate? A framework for its working mechanisms
Authors: Babic Milan , Huijzer Jouke , Garcia-Bernardo Javier , Valeeva Diliara
Published: January 2022

The global financial crisis of 2008, its following bank bailouts, and associated corporate impunity sparked a renewed interest in the concept of the structural power of business and the question of “who rules?” in capitalist societies. This new wave of scholarship mitigated some of the problems of the original, theory-driven discussions from the 1970s and 1980s. But despite significant advancements in the empirical identification of business power, we lack a unified framework for studying its working mechanisms. So-called hybrid approaches, drawing on instrumental and structural power for their analyses, display high potential for such a unified and easily applicable framework. We build on this hybrid tradition and propose a novel model that integrates instrumental and structural power analysis into a basic framework. With this, we recalibrate the often rigid division between instrumental and structural power forms and emphasize the role of perceptions as key for understanding the dynamics of business power over time. We illustrate this parsimonious framework by an analysis of the plans of the Dutch government to abolish a dividend tax in 2018 that would have benefited a number of large multinationals but collapsed before implementation.
Acute Traumatic Subdural Hematoma and Anticoagulation Risk
Authors: Kia Maryam , Saluja Rajeet Singh , Marcoux Judith
Published: January 2022

Background:

Anticoagulation is used to prevent thromboembolic events. It is a common practice to hold anticoagulation in the first few days following a traumatic brain injury (TBI) with intracranial hemorrhage. However, traumatic subdural hematomas (SDH) are prone to re-hemorrhage long after the trauma. Data are scarce in the literature on the best timing to resume anticoagulation following a TBI.

Methods:

Review of 95 consecutive patients admitted to a level 1 trauma center with a diagnosis of traumatic SDH and requiring anticoagulation. The reasons for anticoagulation, the amount of time without anticoagulation, CT characteristics, and the incidence of thromboembolic events or SDH re-hemorrhage were collected.

Results:

41.3% used anticoagulation for coronary artery disease and peripheral vascular disease, 24% for atrial fibrillation, 12% for cardiac valve replacement, and 12% for venous thromboembolic events. Anticoagulation was held a median of 67 days. For most patients (82.1%), anticoagulation was re-introduced once the SDH had completely resolved. For 17.9%, anticoagulation was restarted while the SDH had not completely resolved. One (1.1%) patient suffered from an atrial clot while anticoagulation was held. For those with residual SDH, 41.2% suffered from a SDH re-hemorrhage and 17.6% required surgery. The risk of re-hemorrhage climbed to 62.5% if the SDH remnant was large.

Conclusion:

Anticoagulation while there is a residual SDH was associated with a significant risk of re-hemorrhage. This risk should be weighed against the risk of holding anticoagulation.
General Synod of the Church of England
Authors: Dobson Edward
Published: January 2022

This report covers the groups of sessions held in April and July 2021. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, General Synod did not meet formally in February.
General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
Authors: Lingiah Jason
Published: January 2022

The General Assembly of the Church met in a ‘blended’ form, based at the Assembly Hall, from 22 May to 27 May. The Moderator on this occasion was an elder, rather than a minister, but with the distinction of being Lord Wallace of Tankerness PC QC FRSE, a Liberal Democrat life peer since 2007, who served as the Deputy First Minister of Scotland from 1999 to 2005. He was formerly Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats from 1992 to 2005 and of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords from 2013 to 2016. He also served as a Member of Parliament for Orkney and Shetland from 1983 to 2001 and a Member of the Scottish Parliament for Orkney from 1999 to 2007. He was Advocate General for Scotland in the Westminster Government from 2010 to 2015.
‘And Who Is My Parishioner?’ Residency, Human Rights and the Right to Burial in the Parish Churchyard
Authors: Burrell Andrew
Published: January 2022

When asked by an expert in the law, ‘And who is my neighbour?’, Jesus answered with the parable of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37). This was a radically inclusive answer: your neighbour could be anyone. By contrast, a priest who asks an ecclesiastical lawyer ‘and who is my parishioner?’ may be given a far less clear or satisfying answer.
Fast nanopore sequencing data analysis with SLOW5
Authors: Gamaarachchi Hasindu , Samarakoon Hiruna , Jenner Sasha P. , Ferguson James M. , Amos Timothy G. , Hammond Jillian M. , Saadat Hassaan , Smith Martin A. , Parameswaran Sri , Deveson Ira W.
Published: January 2022

Nanopore sequencing depends on the FAST5 file format, which does not allow efficient parallel analysis. Here we introduce SLOW5, an alternative format engineered for efficient parallelization and acceleration of nanopore data analysis. Using the example of DNA methylation profiling of a human genome, analysis runtime is reduced from more than two weeks to approximately 10.5 h on a typical high-performance computer. SLOW5 is approximately 25% smaller than FAST5 and delivers consistent improvements on different computer architectures.
Two divergent haplotypes from a highly heterozygous lychee genome suggest independent domestication events for early and late-maturing cultivars
Authors: Hu Guibing , Feng Junting , Xiang Xu , Wang Jiabao , Salojärvi Jarkko , Liu Chengming , Wu Zhenxian , Zhang Jisen , Liang Xinming , Jiang Zide , Liu Wei , Ou Liangxi , Li Jiawei , Fan Guangyi , Mai Yingxiao , Chen Chengjie , Zhang Xingtan , Zheng Jiakun , Zhang Yanqing , Peng Hongxiang , Yao Lixian , Wai Ching Man , Luo Xinping , Fu Jiaxin , Tang Haibao , Lan Tianying , Lai Biao , Sun Jinhua , Wei Yongzan , Li Huanling , Chen Jiezhen , Huang Xuming , Yan Qian , Liu Xin , McHale Leah K. , Rolling William , Guyot Romain , Sankoff David , Zheng Chunfang , Albert Victor A. , Ming Ray , Chen Houbin , Xia Rui , Li Jianguo
Published: January 2022

Lychee is an exotic tropical fruit with a distinct flavor. The genome of cultivar ‘Feizixiao’ was assembled into 15 pseudochromosomes, totaling ~470 Mb. High heterozygosity (2.27%) resulted in two complete haplotypic assemblies. A total of 13,517 allelic genes (42.4%) were differentially expressed in diverse tissues. Analyses of 72 resequenced lychee accessions revealed two independent domestication events. The extremely early maturing cultivars preferentially aligned to one haplotype were domesticated from a wild population in Yunnan, whereas the late-maturing cultivars that mapped mostly to the second haplotype were domesticated independently from a wild population in Hainan. Early maturing cultivars were probably developed in Guangdong via hybridization between extremely early maturing cultivar and late-maturing cultivar individuals. Variable deletions of a 3.7 kb region encompassed by a pair of CONSTANS-like genes probably regulate fruit maturation differences among lychee cultivars. These genomic resources provide insights into the natural history of lychee domestication and will accelerate the improvement of lychee and related crops.
N-Methylimidazolium containing metal phosphate–oxalates: solvent-free synthesis, crystal structure, and proton conduction
Authors: Zhang Junfeng , Lei Qing , Luan Lindong , Zeng Hongmei , Zou Guohong , Lin Zhien
Published: January 2022

Two new metal phosphate–oxalates were prepared under solvent-free conditions using N-methylimidazole as a proton carrier, and display interesting proton-conducting behaviours.
First-principles calculations to identify key native point defects in Sr4Al14O25
Authors: Lafargue-Dit-Hauret William , Latouche Camille , Allix Mathieu , Viana Bruno , Jobic Stéphane
Published: January 2022

This article reports for the first time an in-depth ab initio computational study on intrinsic point defects in Sr4Al14O25 that serves as host lattice for numerous phosphors.
Designing high performance polymer nanocomposites by incorporating robustness-controlled polymeric nanoparticles: insights from molecular dynamics
Authors: Hou Guanyi , Li Sai , Liu Jun , Weng Yunxuan , Zhang Liqun
Published: January 2022

Introducing polymeric nanoparticles into polymer matrices is an interesting topic, and the robustness of the polymeric nanoparticles is crucial for the properties of the polymer nanocomposites (PNCs).
Directing on-surface polymerization via a substrate-directed molecular template
Authors: Gu Siyi , Fu Shizhang , Gong Caimei , Li Sihao , Liu Xiaoqing , Lu Yan , Wang Zhongping , Wang Li
Published: January 2022

Using a substrate-directed molecular template to steer the synthesis of ordered polymers with a large area is reported.
A fluorinated 2D magnetic coordination polymer
Authors: López-Cabrelles Javier , Mañas-Valero Samuel , Vitórica-Yrezábal Iñigo J. , Bereciartua Pablo J. , Coronado Eugenio , Mínguez Espallargas Guillermo
Published: January 2022

Herein we show the versatility of coordination chemistry to design and expand a family of 2D materials by incorporating F groups at the surface of the layers.
Fate of copper in soil: effect of agrochemical (nano)formulations and soil properties
Authors: Kah Melanie , Navarro Divina , Schenkeveld Walter , Kookana Rai S. , Kirby Jason K. , Santra Swadeshmukul , Ozcan Ali
Published: January 2022

Different Cu formulations and soil pre-incubation regime can significantly impact the short-term availability of Cu in soil.
Self-assembly of 1-triacontanol onto layered doubled hydroxide nano-carriers toward sustainable growth regulation of maize
Authors: Wang Chong , Gao Fei , Sun Changjiao , Shen Yue , Zhan Shenshan , Li Xingye , Cui Haixin , Duan Liusheng , Wang Ye , Wang Yan
Published: January 2022

A 1-triacontanol modified layered double hydroxide (tria-LDH) is prepared via a self-assembly method. It can achieve sustainable growth regulation to alleviate drought stress through the promotion of the SOD activity, which is confirmed by the reduced accumulation of MDA.
UV light irradiation combined with nitrate for degradation of bisphenol A: kinetics, transformation pathways, and acute toxicity assessment
Authors: Li Zhiquan , Luo Congwei , Tan Fengxun , Wu Daoji , Zhai Xuedong , Wang Shishun , Cheng Xiaoxiang , Zhang Fumiao , Li Mingli , Ma Qiao
Published: January 2022

Bisphenol A could also be degraded effectively by the UV/nitrate system.
Synthesis and evaluation of highly selective quinazoline-2,4-dione ligands for sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 2
Authors: Luo Zonghua , Liu Hui , Yu Yanbo , Gropler Robert J. , Klein Robyn S. , Tu Zhude
Published: January 2022

New quinazoline-2,4-dione analogues were developed as sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor 2 ligands. [11C]2i has great potential to serve as a positron emission tomography probe in peripheral tissue diseases.
Formaldehyde gas sensor with extremely high response employing cobalt-doped SnO2 ultrafine nanoparticles
Authors: Zhou Shiqiang , Wang Huapeng , Hu Jicu , Lv Tianping , Rong Qian , Zhang Yumin , Zi Baoye , Chen Mingpeng , Zhang Dongming , Wei Jun , Zhang Jin , Liu Qingju
Published: January 2022

In this work, Co-SnO2 NPs with zero-dimensional structure were synthesized by hydrothermal method. At the optimal temperature, the selectivity and response of 0.5% Co-SnO2 to formaldehyde are excellent (for 30 ppm formaldehyde, Ra/Rg = 163 437).
Toward efficient dye degradation and the bactericidal behavior of Mo-doped La2O3 nanostructures
Authors: Ikram Muhammad , Abid Namra , Haider Ali , Ul-Hamid Anwar , Haider Junaid , Shahzadi Anum , Nabgan Walid , Goumri-Said Souraya , Butt Alvina Rafiq , Benali Kanoun Mohammed
Published: January 2022

In this study, different concentrations (0, 0.02, 0.04, and 0.06 wt%) of Mo doped onto La2O3 nanostructures were synthesized using a one-pot co-precipitation process.
The confinement effects of ordered mesoporous carbon on copper nanoparticles for methanol oxidative carbonylation
Authors: Wang Jiajun , Yang Li , Fu Tingjun , Meng Fanhui , Li Zhong
Published: January 2022

The confinement of Cu nanoparticles in narrow mesopores strengthens the Cu–carbon interactions. This can promote the auto-reduction of CuO to form active Cu2O species, resulting in high activity and stability during DMC synthesis.
Contact resistance based tactile sensor using covalently cross-linked graphene aerogels
Authors: Kumar Prabhat , Šilhavík Martin , Zafar Zahid Ali , Červenka Jiří
Published: January 2022

Contact resistance based tactile sensors have been developed for ultrasensitive and ultrafast detection (0.5 ms) of compressive and tensile stress and strain over a wide operation range (from −1.18 MPa in compression to 0.55 MPa in tensile).
Dynamic metabolic change of cancer cells induced by natural killer cells at the single-cell level studied by label-free mass cytometry
Authors: Shen Zizheng , Zhao Hansen , Yao Huan , Pan Xingyu , Yang Jinlei , Zhang Sichun , Han Guojun , Zhang Xinrong
Published: January 2022

Label-free mass cytometry is utilized to study the dynamic metabolic change during apoptosis in HepG2 cells induced by NK92 MI cells at the single-cell level. The metabolic heterogeneity of individual HepG2 cells during apoptosis was revealed.
Chaotropic anion based “water-in-salt” electrolyte realizes a high voltage Zn–graphite dual-ion battery
Authors: Zafar Zahid Ali , Abbas Ghulam , Knizek Karel , Silhavik Martin , Kumar Prabhat , Jiricek Petr , Houdková Jana , Frank Otakar , Cervenka Jiri
Published: January 2022

We report a high voltage Zn–graphite dual-ion battery based on Zn(ClO4)2 water-in-salt (WiS) electrolyte with a wide electrochemical window of 2.80 V and high oxidative stability of 2.60 V vs. Zn/Zn2+.
Mundpflege bei invasiv beatmeten Patienten
Authors: Firnkranz Christoph , Großbichler Tamara
Published: January 2022

Eine endotracheale Intubation erhöht das Risiko für den Erwerb einer ventilatorassoziierten Pneumonie (VAP). Die Folgen einer solchen nosokomialen Pneumonie haben erhebliche Auswirkungen auf die Betroffenen und das Gesundheitssystem. Eine wichtige Maßnahme zur Prävention einer VAP ist die Mundpflege. Der folgende Beitrag beschäftigt sich ausführlich mit der Mundpflege und mit den beeinflussenden Faktoren der Umsetzung evidenzbasierter Leitlinien zur Prävention einer VAP. Die dem Beitrag zugrunde liegende Facharbeit belegte den 1. Platz beim intensiv Pflegepreis 2020.
kma Entscheider Blog: Wann kommt das Gesundheitssystem ohne Wartezeiten?
Authors: Frank Timo
Published: January 2022

Niemand wartet gerne. Dennoch nehmen Patientinnen und Patienten in Notaufnahmen und Arztpraxen lange Wartezeiten stillschweigend in Kauf. Dabei es gibt zahlreiche Lösungsansätze, um Wartezeiten zu vermeiden, zu reduzieren oder effektiver und patientenfreundlicher zu gestalten.
Rechtskolumne: Non-Compliance wird teuer
Authors: Weimer Tobias
Published: January 2022

Spätestens seitdem der Bundesgerichtshof das Urteil gegen den ehemaligen Geschäftsführer der Klinikum Mannheim GmbH bestätigt hat, sollten Geschäftsführer von Kliniken ihre betrieblichen Prozesse auf den Prüfstand stellen und innbetrieblich ein funktionierendes Compliance-System etablieren. Bei schweren Versäumnissen drohen sonst empfindliche Strafen.
Interview
Authors: Lang Michael
Published: January 2022

Gisa Kimmerle ist Head of Cyber bei Hiscox Deutschland. Das Unternehmen versichert bereits seit 2011 Unternehmen gegen Cyberkriminalität.
Relaxation oscillation in planar discontinuous piecewise smooth fast–slow systems
Authors: Toniol Cardin Pedro
Published: January 2022

This paper provides a geometric analysis of relaxation oscillations in the context of planar fast–slow systems with a discontinuous right-hand side. We give conditions that guarantee the existence of a stable crossing limit cycle Γε when the singular perturbation parameter ε is positive and small enough. Moreover, in the singular limit ε→0, the cycle Γε converges to a crossing closed singular trajectory. We also study the regularization of the crossing relaxation oscillator Γε and show that a (smooth) relaxation oscillation exists for the regularized vector field, which is a smooth fast–slow vector field with singular perturbation parameter ε. Our approach uses tools in geometric singular perturbation theory. We demonstrate the results to a number of examples including a model of an arch bridge with nonlinear viscous damping.
Adiabatic theorem in the thermodynamic limit: Systems with a uniform gap
Authors: Henheik Joscha , Teufel Stefan
Published: January 2022

We show that recent results on adiabatic theory for interacting gapped many-body systems on finite lattices remain valid in the thermodynamic limit. More precisely, we prove a generalized super-adiabatic theorem for the automorphism group describing the infinite volume dynamics on the quasi-local algebra of observables. The key assumption is the existence of a sequence of gapped finite volume Hamiltonians, which generates the same infinite volume dynamics in the thermodynamic limit. Our adiabatic theorem also holds for certain perturbations of gapped ground states that close the spectral gap (so it is also an adiabatic theorem for resonances and, in this sense, “generalized”), and it provides an adiabatic approximation to all orders in the adiabatic parameter (a property often called “super-adiabatic”). In addition to the existing results for finite lattices, we also perform a resummation of the adiabatic expansion and allow for observables that are not strictly local. Finally, as an application, we prove the validity of linear and higher order response theory for our class of perturbations for infinite systems. While we consider the result and its proof as new and interesting in itself, we also lay the foundation for the proof of an adiabatic theorem for systems with a gap only in the bulk, which will be presented in a follow-up article.
Synthetic velocity measurement algorithm of monocular vision based on square-root cubature Kalman filter
Authors: Wei Jiaqi , Liu Jun , Tang Jun , Yu Hua , Shen Chong , Lu Zhumao , Zhao Donghua , Wang Chenguang , Bai Yang
Published: January 2022

The velocity measurement algorithm based on vision is widely used in unmanned aerial vehicle navigation. Under uneven illumination intensity distribution, the traditional Lucas–Kanade (LK) optical flow (OF) algorithm has problems arising from low computational accuracy and poor adaptability. To solve these problems, we propose a monocular vision integrated velocity measurement system based on the square-root cubature Kalman filter (SRCKF). The LK OF and the optimized oriented FAST and rotated BRIEF (ORB) algorithms are used to process the visual information obtained using a camera. The SRCKF algorithm is tasked with fusing the LK OF and optimized ORB information, thereby improving the accuracy of velocity and alleviating the sensitivity of the LK OF to variations in illumination conditions. Finally, an outdoor unmanned aerial vehicle flight test was undertaken. The experimental results show that the proposed method provides an accurate measurement of the velocity in variable illumination environments.
Crystal-induced transverse current in collinear antiferromagnetic γ-FeMn
Authors: Wang Lei , Shen Ka , Tsirkin Stepan S. , Min Tai , Xia Ke
Published: January 2022

Based on first-principles calculations, we predict a giant crystal-induced transverse current in antiferromagnetic γ-FeMn. This abnormal transverse current cannot be understood by the conventional anomalous Hall effect (e.g., Berry curvature, skew scattering, and side jump), which widely exists in ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic materials. Moreover, the efficiency of the transverse current generation therein can be as large as 18.4% at low temperatures; this is an order of magnitude larger than the anomalous Hall angle in conventional ferromagnetic materials, such as Fe or Fe-based alloys. Furthermore, using the Boltzmann transport equation and a tight-binding model, we conclude that the asymmetric group velocities on the Fermi surface are the origin of this crystal-induced transverse current in γ-FeMn. Additionally, with a systematic discussion, we show that this unusual effect is not dependent on specific materials but is universal in any crystal with anisotropic symmetry.
Influence of axial mirror ratios on the kinetic instability threshold in electron cyclotron resonance ion source plasma
Authors: Toivanen V. , Bhaskar B. S. , Koivisto H. , Maunoury L. , Tarvainen O. , Thuillier T.
Published: January 2022

Electron Cyclotron Resonance (ECR) ion source plasmas are prone to kinetic instabilities. The onset of the instabilities manifests as emission of microwaves, bursts of electrons expelled from the plasma volume, and the collapse of the extracted highly charged ion (HCI) currents. Consequently, the instabilities limit the HCI performance of ECR ion sources by limiting the parameter space available for ion source optimization. Previous studies have shown that the transition from stable to unstable plasma regime is strongly influenced by the magnetic field structure, especially the minimum field value inside the magnetic trap (Bmin). This work focuses to study the role of the magnetic confinement on the onset of the kinetic instabilities by probing the influence of the injection and extraction mirror field variation on the instability threshold. The experiments have been performed with a room-temperature 14.5 GHz ECR ion source with an axially movable middle coil that provides flexible control over the axial field profile and especially the Bmin, which was used to quantify the variation in the instability threshold. The experimental results show that variation of the extraction field Bext, which defines the weakest magnetic mirror, correlates systematically with the variation of the instability threshold; decreasing the Bext allows higher threshold Bmin. The result demonstrates the importance of electron confinement and losses on the plasma stability. The connection between the weakest mirror field and the onset of instabilities is discussed taking into account the variation of magnetic field gradient and resonance plasma volume.
Quasi-harmonic theory for phonon thermal boundary conductance at high temperatures
Authors: Hopkins Patrick E. , Tomko John A. , Giri Ashutosh
Published: January 2022

We derive a theoretical model for phonon thermal boundary conductance across solid interfaces in the high temperature classical limit using quasi-harmonic thermodynamics, an approach that accounts for phonon anharmonicity effects on energy density changes via thermal expansion. Commonly used predictive models based on harmonic theory predict a thermal boundary conductance in the classical limit that is that constant and independent of temperature. Thus, these theories do not capture the increase in thermal boundary conductance with increasing temperature that has been reported in numerous molecular dynamics and anharmonic non-equilibrium Green’s function simulations. Our model accounts for anharmonic effects on the thermal boundary conductance via an increased internal energy of the material through an additional quasi-harmonic term that includes the material’s Grüneisen parameter. We show good agreement between our model calculations and the predicted thermal boundary conductance across a heavy argon/argon interface determined via molecular dynamics simulations. Further, our results also capture the contribution of inelastic scattering to thermal boundary conductance across a silicon/germanium interface predicted from anharmonic nonequilibrium Green’s functions simulations. Our quasi-harmonic thermodynamic-based theory suggests that an increase in thermal boundary conductance with an increase in temperature above the Debye temperature is due to anharmonicity in the materials adjacent to the interface, which is captured by the thermal expansion-driven phonon energy density changes in the materials. This theory is also consistent with prior molecular dynamics and anharmonic non-equilibrium Green’s function simulations that suggest that inelastic scattering effects on thermal boundary conductance are driven by phononic processes in materials near the interface and not at the interface. This model can help in screening materials for high interface density composites to increase thermal conductance and mitigate temperature in a range of applications.
Quantitative measurements of density in shock-compressed silver up to 330 GPa using x-ray diffraction
Authors: Coleman Amy L. , Singh Saransh , Vennari Cara E. , Smith Raymond F. , Volz Travis J. , Gorman Martin G. , Clarke Samantha M. , Eggert Jon H. , Coppari Federica , Fratanduono Dayne E. , Briggs Richard
Published: January 2022

This work presents a structural study of shock-compressed states in Ag to 331 GPa, accessed via laser shock compression. Structures of the resulting crystalline phases and the average atomic distribution of the liquid state are determined using in situ x-ray diffraction. We employ structure factor analysis, adapted for a non-monochromatic x-ray source, to determine the density of the liquid phase from analysis of x-ray diffraction data for the first time in shock compressed Ag. We also present a detailed analysis of the crystalline phases, which shows good agreement with the phase boundaries reported in previous experimental and theoretical works. We utilize the whole powder pattern fitting approach implemented in the MAUD package to constrain stacking faults in the face centered cubic structure. We observe the ambient fcc structure up to a stress of 146 GPa before a transition to a body-centered cubic structure and liquid phase at 179 GPa, with full melting above 212 GPa.
An ultrafast piezoelectric Z-scanner with a resonance frequency above 1.1 MHz for high-speed atomic force microscopy
Authors: Shimizu Masahiro , Okamoto Chihiro , Umeda Kenichi , Watanabe Shinji , Ando Toshio , Kodera Noriyuki
Published: January 2022

The Z-scanner is the major component limiting the speed performance of all current high-speed atomic force microscopy systems. Here, we present an ultrafast piezoelectric Z-scanner with a resonance frequency above 1.1 MHz, achieving a record response time of ∼0.14 µs, approximately twice as fast as conventional piezoelectric-based Z-scanners. In the mechanical design, a small piezo-stack is supported at its bottom four vertices on a cone-like hollow, allowing the resonance frequency of the Z-scanner to remain as high as that of the piezo in free vibration. Its maximum displacement, ∼190 nm at 50 V, is large enough for imaging bio-molecules. For imaging bio-molecules in a buffer solution, the upper half of the Z-scanner is wrapped in a thin film resistant to water and chemicals, providing an excellent waterproof and mechanical durability without lowering the resonance frequency. We demonstrate that this Z-scanner can observe actin filaments, fragile biological polymers, for more than five times longer than the conventional Z-scanner at a tip velocity of 800 µm/s.
Design and development of water-immersible two-channel high-voltage spike pulser for under-water inspection and gauging of pipes
Authors: Kumar N. Pavan , Patankar V. H.
Published: January 2022

A water-immersible two-channel high-voltage (HV) spike pulser has been designed, developed, and mounted inside the IP 67 (Ingress Protection 67) grade enclosure, and it is suitable for the ultrasonic Pipe Inspection and Gauging (PIG) system utilized in the petrochemical industry. Such a critical and strategic application requires a portable, miniaturized, and water-immersible water-tight pulser module, which resides inside the pipe carrying water or liquid petrochemicals. The developed spike pulser printed circuit board (PCB) generates a HV negative spike pulse up to −300 V and 100 ns half-amplitude pulse width, required for the energization of ultrasonic immersion transducers of 5–10 MHz frequency. The water-immersible pulser is mounted inside the water-tight IP 67 grade enclosure, and it is operated through an external DC power supply/lithium batteries. The evaluation of the module was carried out using a two-channel water-immersible HV spike pulser, in-house developed preamplifier, and inspection head supported by four sets of spring-loaded Teflon balls for centering, and the inspection head carries two ultrasonic immersion transducers placed 180° apart and a sample SS pipe with a length of 400 mm, Inner Diameter of 200 mm, and Wall Thickness of 9 mm. The two-channel pulser module was evaluated in water to measure the dimensions of the sample SS pipe. This two-channel water-immersible novel spike pulser has dedicated circuitry, and each channel is a standalone PCB and it operates through external LV and HV DC supplies. The module can be scaled up to 256 channels for dimension measurement and flaw detection of long length pipes. In the absence of any literature available on the water-immersible pulser for PIG systems, the present two-channel pulser module has been designed and developed, and the module was evaluated by gauging of the SS pipe from inside. This paper provides the details of the water-immersible HV spike pulser module suitable for the gauging of metallic pipes.
Electron–atom interactions in dense semiclassical helium plasma
Authors: Dzhumagulova K. N. , Shalenov E. O. , Tashkenbayev Y. A. , Ramazanov T. S.
Published: January 2022

The effective optical potential of the electron–atom interaction in dense semiclassical helium plasma is derived. The Hartree–Fock, polarization, and exchange potentials consider the collective screening effect and the quantum-mechanical effect of diffraction. It was shown that when three components of the optical potential act together the characteristics of electron–helium scattering change significantly in comparison with results based on their separate involvement. The influence of the quantum-mechanical effect of diffraction was also discussed.
Band-engineered Zn2TiO4 nanowires for hydrogen generation from water using visible light: A first-principles study
Authors: Fu Qiang , Guo Lei
Published: January 2022

The electronic structure and optical properties of inverse-spinel Zn2TiO4 nanowires and bulk material were investigated for hydrogen generation from water by visible-light photocatalysis using first-principles density calculations. In our theoretical studies, the bandgap of the Zn2TiO4 nanowires was much smaller than that of the bulk material. New intermediate states appeared in the mid-bandgap as a result of Zn and Ti atoms on the surface of ZnO-terminated and ZnTiO-terminated nanowires. These deep-level states could become recombination centers for photogenerated electron–hole pairs, indicating that these two types of nanowires would no longer meet the requirements for photocatalytic water splitting. In contrast, the electronic states arising from oxygen elements on the surface of the TiO-terminated nanowires resulted in an upward movement of the edge of the valence band, whereas the surface electronic states made no difference to the edge of the conduction band. Moreover, the optical property calculations showed that the optical absorption edge of the nanowire would be red-shifted. These calculations revealed that inverse-spinel Zn2TiO4 nanowires were appropriate for visible-light photocatalytic water splitting reactions.
On/off-state noise characteristics in AlGaN/GaN HFET with AlN buffer layer
Authors: Im Ki-Sik , Choi Uiho , Kim Minho , Choi Jinseok , Kim Hyun-Seop , Cha Ho-Young , An Sung Jin , Nam Okhyun
Published: January 2022

The AlGaN/GaN heterojunction field-effect transistor (HFET) with an AlN buffer layer (the proposed device) was fabricated, and its noise performances were investigated compared to the conventional AlGaN/GaN HFET with a GaN buffer layer (the reference device). Both devices with a gate length of 0.5 μm demonstrated 1/f noise properties with carrier number fluctuations channel mechanism, regardless of the buffer layer. The proposed device had higher off-state leakage current and larger trap density (Nt) than those of the reference device because of the partially strained GaN (83% relaxed GaN) channel grown on a AlN buffer layer. However, the noise measurements at off-state proved that the generation–recombination (g–r) noise is absent in the proposed device due to the AlN buffer layer with high bandgap energy (Eg = 6.2 eV), whereas the reference device suffers from the g–r noise in the GaN buffer layer.