bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bessere Arbeitsbedingungen in der Pflege
Authors: Fajardo Annemarie
Published: November 2020

Der Pflegebevollmächtigte der Bundesregierung Andreas Westerfellhaus hat die Notwendigkeit zur Verbesserung der Arbeitsbedingungen erkannt und Ende 2018 das „Pilotprojekt zur Umsetzung guter Arbeitsbedingungen in der Pflege“ ins Leben gerufen. Hier mehr zur Umsetzung.
Effectiveness of Kinaesthetic Exercise program on Position Sense, Pain, and Disability in Chronic Neck Pain Patients with Cervical Spondylosis – A Randomized Comparative Trial
Authors: Reddy Ravi Shankar Yerragonda , Maiya Arun G , Rao Sharath Kumar , Alahmari Khalid A , Tedla Jaya Shanker , Kandakurti Praveen Kumar , Kakaraparthi Venkata Nagaraj
Published: November 2020

Background Chronic neck pain (CNP) is a significant health problem with only a few evidence-based treatment options. There is growing evidence for the effectiveness of kinaesthetic rehabilitation in musculoskeletal disorders. This study aims to assess kinaesthetic exercise programs' efficacy on cervical position sense, pain, and disability in subjects with cervical spondylosis (CS).

Methods CNP subjects (>3 months) with a diagnosis of CS were randomly assigned to either a study group (n=125) who received kinesthetic exercises or to a comparative group (n=125) who received isometric neck exercises and deep cervical flexor (DCF) strengthening exercises. Both group subjects participated in the individualized training program for 24 sessions in 6 weeks. The outcome measures were cervical joint position errors (JPE’s) in flexion, extension, rotation left and right, pain intensity, and neck disability.

Results All outcomes were improved significantly from baseline to post 24 sessions of intervention. When compared between groups, there was a significant reduction in JPE’s in flexion (mean difference [MD]= 071, CI=0.22–1.20, p=0.001), extension (MD=1.26, CI=0.70–1.81, p< 0.001) and right rotation (MD=1.08, CI=0.58–1.58, p<0.001), pain intensity (MD=1.58, CI=1.09–2.08, p<0.001), and neck disability (MD=10.27, CI=7.42–13.12, p<0.001) after 24 sessions of intervention favoring the study group.

Conclusion Study group subjects who received kinesthetic rehabilitation showed more significant improvements in terms of improved proprioception, decreased pain intensity and disability following 24 sessions of interventions compared with the comparative group.
Bioactive Isocedrenes from Perezia multiflora
Authors: Bourgeade-Delmas Sandra , André-Barrès Christiane , Lucas Jeanne , Trinel Manon , Castillo Pareja Denis , Jullian Valérie
Published: November 2020

Four isocedrenes (1 – 4), including one new compound (2), were isolated from an ethanolic extract of the aerial parts of Perezia multiflora by bioactivity-guided fractionation. For compounds 1 and 3, a revised stereochemical assignment is proposed based on molecular modeling studies using DFT-NMR calculations. Antiparasitic activity of the four compounds was evaluated using an in vitro culture of Plasmodium falciparum and axenic amastigotes of Leishmania infantum. IC50 values ranged from 0.81 to 16.1 µM (P. falciparum) and 0.16 to 2.03 µM (L. infantum). Toxicity was evaluated against J774A.1 mouse macrophages or human macrophages generated from THP-1 monocytic cells (IC50 values ranging from 0.16 to 2.64 µM). Compound 4 exhibited weak selectivity against P. falciparum with a selectivity index (SI = CC50/IC50) of 3. No selectivity was observed for compounds 1 – 3 against both parasites.
Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Calculation of Intraocular Lens Power
Authors: Langenbucher Achim , Szentmáry Nóra , Wendelstein Jascha , Hoffmann Peter
Published: November 2020

Background and Purpose In the last decade, artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms have been more and more established for the screening and detection of diseases and pathologies, as well as for describing interactions between measures where classical methods are too complex or fail. The purpose of this paper is to model the measured postoperative position of an intraocular lens implant after cataract surgery, based on preoperatively assessed biometric effect sizes using techniques of machine learning.

Patients and Methods In this study, we enrolled 249 eyes of patients who underwent elective cataract surgery at Augenklinik Castrop-Rauxel. Eyes were measured preoperatively with the IOLMaster 700 (Carl Zeiss Meditec), as well as preoperatively and postoperatively with the Casia 2 OCT (Tomey). Based on preoperative effect sizes axial length, corneal thickness, internal anterior chamber depth, thickness of the crystalline lens, mean corneal radius and corneal diameter a selection of 17 machine learning algorithms were tested for prediction performance for calculation of internal anterior chamber depth (AQD_post) and axial position of equatorial plane of the lens in the pseudophakic eye (LEQ_post).

Results The 17 machine learning algorithms (out of 4 families) varied in root mean squared/mean absolute prediction error between 0.187/0.139 mm and 0.255/0.204 mm (AQD_post) and 0.183/0.135 mm and 0.253/0.206 mm (LEQ_post), using 5-fold cross validation techniques. The Gaussian Process Regression Model using an exponential kernel showed the best performance in terms of root mean squared error for prediction of AQDpost and LEQpost. If the entire dataset is used (without splitting for training and validation data), comparison of a simple multivariate linear regression model vs. the algorithm with the best performance showed a root mean squared prediction error for AQD_post/LEQ_post with 0.188/0.187 mm vs. the best performance Gaussian Process Regression Model with 0.166/0.159 mm.

Conclusion In this paper we wanted to show the principles of supervised machine learning applied to prediction of the measured physical postoperative axial position of the intraocular lenses. Based on our limited data pool and the algorithms used in our setting, the benefit of machine learning algorithms seems to be limited compared to a standard multivariate regression model.
Resection of Foramen Magnum Meningioma through Modified Far Lateral Approach: Surgical Principles and Technical Nuances
Authors: Narayan Vinayak , Jumah Fareed , Nanda Anil
Published: November 2020

Objectives Safe maximal resection is the basic principle of cranial base surgery and the grade of resection is an important factor influencing the prognostic outcome. This operative video highlights the surgical principles and technical nuances in the microsurgical resection of foramen magnum meningioma (FMM).

Case Description The surgery was performed in a 45-year-old lady who presented with hoarseness of voice and spastic quadriparesis (grade 4/5). On imaging, FMM with mass effect on brainstem and spinal cord was identified. The tumor was gross totally resected through modified far lateral approach with minimal occipital condyle drilling. This video demonstrates the surgical techniques of tumor resection including early devascularization, operating in the arachnoid plane to dissect the neurovascular structures, piecemeal decompression, sharp dissection to separate tumor from lower cranial nerves (LCN), identifying the brainstem veins, and resecting the lesion from tumor–brainstem interface. Postoperatively, she had significant neurological improvement and the magnetic resonance imaging revealed excellent radiological outcome (Figs. 1 and 2).

Conclusion The surgery of FMM is challenging due to the deep surgical corridor, critical location, close proximity with various neurovascular structures, firm consistency, and high vascularity of the tumor. The modified far lateral approach by preserving the occipital condyle may prevent the postoperative incidence of craniovertebral junction instability. The key operative principles to achieve the best surgical outcome include careful dissection along the arachnoid plane, gentle handling of cranial nerves, veins, and perforator vessels, avoidance of traction on brainstem and spinal cord, intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring, proper hemostasis, and meticulous dural closure.

The link to the video can be found at: https://youtu.be/1qvAeUmNIUw.
Thiamine Pyrophosphokinase Deficiency due to Mutations in the TPK1 Gene: A Rare, Treatable Neurodegenerative Disorder
Authors: Rüsch Christina T. , Wortmann Saskia B. , Kovacs-Nagy Reka , Grehten Patrice , Häberle Johannes , Latal Beatrice , Stettner Georg M.
Published: November 2020

TPK deficiency due to TPK1 mutations is a rare neurodegenerative disorder, also known as thiamine metabolism dysfunction syndrome 5 (OMIM no.: 614458). Here, we report a new patient with compound heterozygous TPK1 mutations, of which one has not been described so far. The individual reported here suffered from acute onset encephalopathy, ataxia, muscle hypotonia, and regression of developmental milestones in early infancy, repeatedly triggered by febrile infections. Initiation of high-dose thiamine and magnesium supplementation led to a marked and sustained improvement of alertness, ataxia, and muscle tone within days. Contrary to the described natural history of patients with TPK deficiency, the disease course was favorable under thiamine treatment without deterioration or developmental regression during the follow-up period. TPK deficiency is a severe neurodegenerative disease. This case report demonstrates that this condition is potentially treatable. High-dose thiamine treatment should therefore be initiated immediately after diagnosis or even upon suspicion.
Reconstruction of the Distal Oblique Bundle of the Interosseous Membrane with Extensor Carpi Radialis Hemitendon: A New Minimally-Invasive Technique
Authors: Martínez-Martínez Francisco , Giménez-Ros Alberto , León-Muñoz Vicente J. , Santonja-Medina Fernando
Published: November 2020

The main stabilizing element of the distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ) is the triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC). Secondary stabilizers include the distal oblique band (DOB), which is inconsistently found. When TFCC repair has failed or cannot be performed, DOB reconstruction is a therapeutic option. Even though distal radioulnar ligamentoplasty remains the technique of choice, recent papers show similar outcomes from both methods. We present two cases of successful DOB repair with the extensor carpi radialis longus (ECRL) hemitendon.
An Exploratory Study of Cognitive Functioning and Psychological Well-Being in Middle-Aged Adults with Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Halder Susmita , Samajdar Shinjini , Mahato Akash Kumar
Published: November 2020

Background Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by increased level of blood sugar for a prolonged period of time. Apart from its impact on the bodily functions, the disorder has its own psychological consequences, commonly in terms of stress reaction, anxiety, and depression. Diabetes is also known to affect cognitive functions, but it is less studied in the Indian population and relatively ignored in the management plan. Discerning the cognitive functions in middle-aged adults diagnosed with diabetes can give valuable insight into comprehensive management of the disorder. With this background, the study attempted to explore the cognitive functioning and psychological well-being of middle-aged adults with diabetes and compared with healthy individuals.

Methods A total of 30 middle-aged adults of both sexes diagnosed with diabetes type 2 were undertaken for the study and compared with 30 healthy adults regarding measures of cognitive functioning and psychological well-being. The measures were also explored for relationship if any with illness duration.

Results Middle-aged adults with diabetes differed significantly in terms of response inhibition and processing speed compared with healthy controls. The groups significantly differed on subjective Psychological well-being in terms of self-control, anxiety and depression, and vitality. Duration of illness was found to be related to anxiety symptoms.

Conclusion Diabetes affects response inhibition and processing speed in middle-aged adults. Assessing and addressing impairment in cognitive functions is recommended for a comprehensive management of diabetes in middle-aged adults.
In Vitro activity of a Novel Benzoquinolizine Antibiotic, Levonadifloxacin (WCK 771) against Blood Stream Gram-Positive Isolates from a Tertiary Care Hospital
Authors: Mamtora Dhruv , Saseedharan Sanjith , Rampal Ritika , Joshi Prashant , Bhalekar Pallavi , Ahdal Jaishid , Jain Rishi
Published: November 2020

Background Blood stream infections (BSIs) due to Gram-positive pathogens such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are associated with high mortality ranging from 10 to 60%. The current anti-MRSA agents have limitations with regards to safety and tolerability profile which limits their prolonged usage. Levonadifloxacin and its oral prodrug alalevonadifloxacin, a novel benzoquinolizine antibiotic, have recently been approved for acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections including diabetic foot infections and concurrent bacteremia in India.

Methods The present study assessed the potency of levonadifloxacin, a novel benzoquinolizine antibiotic, against Gram-positive blood stream clinical isolates (n = 31) collected from January to June 2019 at a tertiary care hospital in Mumbai, India. The susceptibility of isolates to antibacterial agents was defined following the Clinical and Laboratory Standard Institute interpretive criteria (M100 E29).

Results High prevalence of MRSA (62.5%), quinolone-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (QRSA) (87.5%), and methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci (MR-CoNS) (82.35%) were observed among bacteremic isolates. Levonadifloxacin demonstrated potent activity against MRSA, QRSA, and MR-CoNS strains with significantly lower minimum inhibitory concentration MIC50/90 values of 0.5/1 mg/L as compared with levofloxacin (8/32 mg/L) and moxifloxacin (2/8 mg/L).

Conclusion Potent bactericidal activity coupled with low MICs support usage of levonadifloxacin for the management of BSIs caused by multidrug resistant Gram-positive bacteria.
Update on the Use of Arthroscopy in Kienböck's Disease Management
Authors: Aguilera René Jorquera , Sanhueza Camila Azócar
Published: November 2020

Kienböck's disease is a clinical-radiological condition that can permanently affect wrist functionality and the patient's quality of life. Proper, pertinent diagnosis and treatment are required to avoid salvage procedures. Arthroscopic techniques have emerged as an important tool for the treatment of certain stages of the disease.

We present a review of the literature and propose a treatment algorithm according to the stage of the disease, including arthroscopic techniques. We detail the surgical technique of arthroscopic scaphocapitate arthrodesis, and the functional outcomes obtained by our group.
High Tibial Osteotomy with a Modern Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) System: Mid-Term Results at a Mean of 6 Years Follow-Up
Authors: Keyt Lucas K. , Hevesi Mario , Levy Bruce A. , Krych Aaron J. , Camp Christopher L. , Stuart Michael J.
Published: November 2020

The purpose of this study was to determine patient-reported outcomes, hardware removal rates, as well as conversion to arthroplasty at mid-term follow-up following high tibial osteotomy (HTO) with a modern polyetheretherketone (PEEK) system. All PEEK system-based HTOs performed at a single institution between January 2010 and January 2016 with a minimum of 2 years follow-up were reviewed. Rates of postoperative complications, hardware removal and conversion to arthroplasty were calculated. Patient-reported outcomes including visual analog pain scale (VAS), Tegner activity scale, Lysholm, Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), and 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36) were obtained. Forty-seven HTOs in 43 patients (mean age: 37.6 ± 10.8 years; 30 M, 13 F) were followed for a mean of 6.0 ± 1.5 years. A total of four postoperative complications occurred in three patients, resulting in an overall complication rate of 6.4%. Hardware removal occurred in three patients at a mean of 0.73 ± 0.53 years after surgery, with overall survival free of hardware removal of 96% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 85–99) at 1 year, 94% (95% CI: 82–98) at 2 years, and 94% (95% CI: 82–98) at 8 years. Conversion to arthroplasty occurred in three patients at a mean of 3.2 ± 1.0 years after surgery, with mean survival of 100% (95% CI: 94–100) at 1 year, 100% (95% CI: 94–100) at 2 years, and 93% (95% CI: 81–98) at 8 years. VAS at rest improved, from 3.1 ± 2.5 preoperatively to 1.1 ± 1.6 postoperatively (p < 0.001). Patients remained active, with a mean Tegner activity scale of 4.4 ± 1.4 at final follow-up and satisfactory Lysholm, KOOS, and SF-36 scores. At mid-term follow-up, medial opening-wedge HTO using a modern PEEK-based system was found to be safe, efficacious, and durable, with satisfactory outcome scores and a low rate of conversion to arthroplasty. PEEK-based implants were found to have low hardware removal rates of 6% at 5 years, which compares favorably to historic metal fixation. This is a Level III study.
Isolated Liner Revision for Total Knee Arthroplasty Instability: A Road That Should Remain Less Taken
Authors: Tegethoff Jason D. , Walker-Santiago Rafael , Ralston William M. , Keeney James A.
Published: November 2020

Isolated polyethylene liner exchange (IPLE) is infrequently selected as a treatment approach for patients with primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) prosthetic joint instability. Potential advantages of less immediate surgical morbidity, faster recovery, and lower procedural cost need to be measured against reoperation and re-revision risk. Few published studies have directly compared IPLE with combined tibial and femoral component revision to treat patients with primary TKA instability. After obtaining institutional review board (IRB) approval, we performed a retrospective comparison of 20 patients treated with IPLE and 126 patients treated with tibial and femoral component revisions at a single institution between 2011 and 2018. Patient demographic characteristics, medical comorbidities, time to initial revision TKA, and reoperation (90 days, <2 years, and >2 years) were assessed using paired Student's t-test or Fisher's exact test with a p-value <0.01 used to determine significance. Patients undergoing IPLE were more likely to undergo reoperation (60.0 vs. 17.5%, p = 0.001), component revision surgery (45.0 vs. 8.7%, p = 0.002), and component revision within 2 years (30.0 vs. 1.6%, p < 0.0001). Differences in 90-day reoperation (p = 0.14) and revision >2 years (p = 0.19) were not significant. Reoperation for instability (30.0 vs. 4.0%, p < 0.001) and infection (20.0 vs. 1.6%, p < 0.01) were both higher in the IPLE group. IPLE does not provide consistent benefits for patients undergoing TKA revision for instability. Considerations for lower immediate postoperative morbidity and cost need to be carefully measured against long-term consequences of reoperation, delayed component revision, and increased long-term costs of multiple surgical procedures. This is a level III, case–control study.
Multicentric Plasma-Cell Type Castleman Disease Masquerading As Hodgkin Lymphoma: A Case Report
Authors: Ekwere Timothy Amos , Eziagu Uchechukwu Brian
Published: November 2020

Castleman disease (CD), or angiofollicular hyperplasia, or giant lymph node hyperplasia, is a heterogeneous benign lymphoproliferative disorder of unknown etiology. It has three distinct histologic subtypes (hyaline vascular, plasma cell, and mixed hyaline vascular plasma cell types) as well as unicentric Castleman disease (UCD) and multicentric Castleman disease (MCD) variants. In the unicentric form, the disease is confined to one anatomical lymph node and usually with no systemic symptoms. However, in the multicentric form (further subdivided into idiopathic MCD, human herpes virus-8-associated MCD, and POEMS-associated MCD), lymphadenopathy is more generalized with more aggressive systemic symptoms mimicking a malignant lymphoma. Therefore, this case report aims to underscore the importance of immunohistochemical evaluation as an indispensable ancillary technique to routine histopathological examination of a lymph node biopsy specimen, as a gold standard for definitive diagnosis of proliferative lymph node lesions.
The Role of Oocyte Quality in Explaining “Unexplained” Infertility
Authors: Homer Hayden Anthony
Published: November 2020

Infertility is described as unexplained when pregnancy does not occur despite ovulation, patent Fallopian tubes, and normal semen parameters. Oocyte developmental competence (or quality) is rate-limiting for pregnancy success as oocytes provide virtually all the cellular building blocks including mitochondria required during embryogenesis. However, available tests estimate oocyte numbers (anti-Müllerian hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone and antral follicle count) and ovulation (luteal phase serum progesterone) but not the third, and most pivotal, oocyte-specific parameter, quality. Severe depletion of the follicular reserve manifests as premature ovarian insufficiency and is an obvious cause of anovulation with overt symptoms and clear diagnostic criteria. In contrast, there are no biomarkers of poor oocyte quality other than through in vitro fertilization when readouts of oocyte quality such as preimplantation embryo development can be assessed. The most common cause of poor oocyte quality is natural aging, which is strongly tied to reduced oocyte mitochondrial efficiency and increased oxidative stress. In younger women, quality may also be impaired due to accelerated aging or sporadic genetic mutations which cause severe defects during oocyte and embryo development. Thus, poor oocyte quality often provides an explanation for infertility, but because it cannot be measured using conventional tests, many cases of infertility are often incorrectly labeled “unexplained.” Since female age remains the best predictor of oocyte quality, age over 37 years should be considered an independent diagnostic criterion.
The ironies of autonomy
Authors: Ganesh Maya Indira
Published: November 2020

Current research on autonomous vehicles tends to focus on making them safer through policies to manage innovation, and integration into existing urban and mobility systems. This article takes social, cultural and philosophical approaches instead, critically appraising how human subjectivity, and human-machine relations, are shifting and changing through the application of big data and algorithmic techniques to the automation of driving. 20th century approaches to safety engineering and automation—be it in an airplane or automobile-have sought to either erase the human because she is error-prone and inefficient; have design compensate for the limits of the human; or at least mould human into machine through an assessment of the complementary competencies of each. The ‘irony of automation’ is an observation of the tensions emerging therein; for example, that the computationally superior and efficient machine actually needs human operators to ensure that it is working effectively; and that the human is inevitably held accountable for errors, even if the machine is more efficient or accurate. With the emergence of the autonomous vehicle (AV) as simultaneously AI/ ‘robot’, and automobile, and distributed, big data infrastructural platform, these beliefs about human and machine are dissolving into what I refer to as the ironies of autonomy. For example, recent AV crashes suggest that human operators cannot intervene in the statistical operations underlying automated decision-making in machine learning, but are expected to. And that while AVs promise ‘freedom’, human time, work, and bodies are threaded into, and surveilled by, data infrastructures, and re-shaped by its information flows. The shift that occurs is that human subjectivity has socio-economic and legal implications and is not about fixed attributes of human and machine fitting into each other. Drawing on Postphenomenological concepts of embodiment and instrumentation, and excerpts from fieldwork, this article argues that the emergence of AVs in society prompts a rethinking of the multiple relationalities that constitute humanity through machines.
Human–dog relationships during the COVID-19 pandemic: booming dog adoption during social isolation
Authors: Morgan Liat , Protopopova Alexandra , Birkler Rune Isak Dupont , Itin-Shwartz Beata , Sutton Gila Abells , Gamliel Alexandra , Yakobson Boris , Raz Tal
Published: November 2020

The recent COVID-19 pandemic led to uncertainty and severe health and economic concerns. Previous studies indicated that owning a companion animal, such as a dog or a cat, has benefits for good mental health. Interactions with animals may help with depression and anxiety, particularly under stress-prone conditions. Human–animal interactions may even improve peer-to-peer social relationships, as well as enhance feelings of respect, trust, and empathy between people. Interestingly, it has also been shown that stress and poor well-being of dog owners negatively affect the well-being of their companion animals. However, a dramatic increase in dog abandonment could potentially occur due to COVID-19 related health, economic and social stresses, as well as due to the inconclusive reports of companion animals being potential COVID-19 carriers. Such a scenario may lead to high costs and considerable public health risks. Accordingly, we hypothesized that the COVID-19 pandemic, and the related social isolation, might lead to dramatic changes in human–dog bidirectional relationships. Using unique prospective and retrospective datasets, our objectives were to investigate how people perceived and acted during the COVID-19 pandemic social isolation, in regards to dog adoption and abandonment; and to examine the bidirectional relationship between the well-being of dog owners and that of their dogs. Overall, according to our analysis, as the social isolation became more stringent during the pandemic, the interest in dog adoption and the adoption rate increased significantly, while abandonment did not change. Moreover, there was a clear association between an individual’s impaired quality of life and their perceptions of a parallel deterioration in the quality of life of their dogs and reports of new behavioral problems. As humans and dogs are both social animals, these findings suggest potential benefits of the human–dog relationships during the COVID-19 pandemic, in accordance with the One Welfare approach that implies that there is a bidirectional connection between the welfare and health of humans and non-human animals. As our climate continues to change, more disasters including pandemics will likely occur, highlighting the importance of research into crisis-driven changes in human–animal relationships.
Bridging nestedness and economic complexity in multilayer world trade networks
Authors: Ren Zhuo-Ming , Zeng An , Zhang Yi-Cheng
Published: November 2020

Understanding the complexity of international trading is critical for a variety of issues ranging from quantifying the competitiveness of individual nations to forecasting the collective evolution of the world economy. Despite the significant progress made in this direction, the international trading system is mainly modeled with a single network in the previous works such as the monopartite product space network and the bipartite country-product network to capture economic complexity. In order to better capture the more detailed dynamics, we characterize the international trading system with a multilayer network with each layer representing the transnational trading relations of a product. This framework immediately reveals the nested structure in each layer and accordingly allows us to develop an alternative measure of the complexity of products. The metric provides a ranking of products’ complexity more consistent with common understanding. The nested structure of a network layer seems to correlate with the asymmetric export relations resulted from the technology barriers, and the evolution of product complexity indicates that the growth of product nestedness is faster than the relevance decay. Finally, we remark a comparison of trade competitive by nestedness between China and the United States to explore the evolution of the economy industries, and the aggregated nestedness index can predict a nation’s future economic growth.
Mathematical modeling of COVID-19: Impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions in India
Authors: Bajiya Vijay Pal , Bugalia Sarita , Tripathi Jai Prakash
Published: November 2020

In the absence of effective vaccine/antiviral strategies for reducing the burden of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in India, the main focus has been on basic non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs), such as nationwide lockdown (travel restrictions and the closure of schools, shopping malls, and worshipping and other gathering places), quarantining of exposed individuals, and isolation of infected individuals. In the present study, we propose a compartmental epidemic model incorporating quarantine and isolation compartments to (i) describe the current transmission patterns of COVID-19 in India, (ii) assess the impact of currently implemented NPIs, and (iii) predict the future course of the pandemic with various scenarios of NPIs in India. For R0<1, the system has a globally asymptotically stable disease free equilibrium, while for R0>1, the system has one unstable disease free equilibrium and a unique locally stable endemic equilibrium. By using the method of least squares and the best fit curve, we estimate the model parameters to calibrate the model with daily new confirmed cases and cumulative confirmed cases in India for the period from May 1, 2020 to June 25, 2020. Our result shows that the implementation of an almost perfect isolation in India and 33.33% increment in contact-tracing on June 26, 2020 may reduce the number of cumulative confirmed cases of COVID-19 in India by around 53.8% at the end of July 2020. Nationwide lockdown with high efficiency can diminish COVID-19 cases drastically, but combined NPIs may accomplish the strongest and most rapid impact on the spreading of COVID-19 in India.
Theoretical investigation on possible operation of a 140 GHz 1 MW gyrotron at 175 GHz for CTS plasma diagnostics at W7-X
Authors: Krier L. , Pagonakis I. Gr. , Avramidis K. A. , Gantenbein G. , Illy S. , Jelonnek J. , Jin J. , Laqua H. P. , Marek A. , Moseev D. , Thumm M. ,   W7-X Team
Published: November 2020

Collective Thomson scattering is a common diagnostic technique for ion temperature measurements in experimental fusion plasma reactors. Such a system was successfully installed and commissioned at the Wendelstein 7-X stellarator. For this purpose, a 140 GHz gyrotron of the Electron Cyclotron Resonance Heating system was used as a source of the required probing millimeter (mm)-wave beam. However, accurate measurements in the plasma core were not possible at this heating frequency due to the absorption of the mm-waves and the high electron cyclotron emission background. To suppress these effects and to enhance the accuracy of the measurements, it is required to increase the frequency of the probing beam. In this work, the possibility to operate the same gyrotron, which has its nominal operation at 140 GHz, at a higher frequency is comprehensively investigated.
Postural instability via a loss of intermittent control in elderly and patients with Parkinson’s disease: A model-based and data-driven approach
Authors: Suzuki Yasuyuki , Nakamura Akihiro , Milosevic Matija , Nomura Kunihiko , Tanahashi Takao , Endo Takuyuki , Sakoda Saburo , Morasso Pietro , Nomura Taishin
Published: November 2020

Postural instability is one of the major symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Here, we assimilated a model of intermittent delay feedback control during quiet standing into postural sway data from healthy young and elderly individuals as well as patients with Parkinson’s disease to elucidate the possible mechanisms of instability. Specifically, we estimated the joint probability distribution of a set of parameters in the model using the Bayesian parameter inference such that the model with the inferred parameters can best-fit sway data for each individual. It was expected that the parameter values for three populations would distribute differently in the parameter space depending on their balance capability. Because the intermittent control model is parameterized by a parameter associated with the degree of intermittency in the control, it can represent not only the intermittent model but also the traditional continuous control model with no intermittency. We showed that the inferred parameter values for the three groups of individuals are classified into two major groups in the parameter space: one represents the intermittent control mostly for healthy people and patients with mild postural symptoms and the other the continuous control mostly for some elderly and patients with severe postural symptoms. The results of this study may be interpreted by postulating that increased postural instability in most Parkinson’s patients and some elderly persons might be characterized as a dynamical disease.
Hybrid theoretical models for molecular nanoplasmonics
Authors: Coccia E. , Fregoni J. , Guido C. A. , Marsili M. , Pipolo S. , Corni S.
Published: November 2020

The multidisciplinary nature of the research in molecular nanoplasmonics, i.e., the use of plasmonic nanostructures to enhance, control, or suppress properties of molecules interacting with light, led to contributions from different theory communities over the years, with the aim of understanding, interpreting, and predicting the physical and chemical phenomena occurring at molecular- and nano-scale in the presence of light. Multiscale hybrid techniques, using a different level of description for the molecule and the plasmonic nanosystems, permit a reliable representation of the atomistic details and of collective features, such as plasmons, in such complex systems. Here, we focus on a selected set of topics of current interest in molecular plasmonics (control of electronic excitations in light-harvesting systems, polaritonic chemistry, hot-carrier generation, and plasmon-enhanced catalysis). We discuss how their description may benefit from a hybrid modeling approach and what are the main challenges for the application of such models. In doing so, we also provide an introduction to such models and to the selected topics, as well as general discussions on their theoretical descriptions.
Improvement of remanent polarization of CeO2–HfO2 solid solution thin films on Si substrates by chemical solution deposition
Authors: Zheng Shuaizhi , Zhao Zidong , Liu Zhaotong , Zeng Binjian , Yin Lu , Peng Qiangxiang , Liao Min , Zhou Yichun
Published: November 2020

CeO2–HfO2 solid solution thin films, Hf1−xCexO2, are fabricated on n+-Si(100) substrates by the chemical solution deposition method. The effects of the CeO2 content and annealing temperature on the structure and ferroelectric properties of Hf1−xCexO2 are studied. The structural properties are investigated by glancing incidence x-ray diffraction and high resolution transmission electron microscopy, while the chemical states are examined by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results reveal that the admixture of CeO2 could effectively induce the ferroelectric phase. For Hf0.85Ce0.15O2 fabricated at an annealing temperature of 800 °C, an enhanced remanent polarization (Pr) of ∼20 μC/cm2 (after correction for leakage and parasitics) could be attained. Moreover, Hf0.85Ce0.15O2 demonstrates good endurance behavior, that the polarization does not show obvious degradation over 1 × 109 bipolar switching cycles, at an electric field of 2.9 MV/cm and a frequency of 100 kHz. This work highlights the importance of CeO2–HfO2 solid solution films in HfO2-based ferroelectric thin films.
The perspective of fluid flow behavior of respiratory droplets and aerosols through the facemasks in context of SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Kumar Sanjay , Lee Heow Pueh
Published: November 2020

In the unfortunate event of the current ongoing pandemic COVID-19, where vaccination development is still in the trial phase, several preventive control measures such as social distancing, hand-hygiene, and personal protective equipment have been recommended by health professionals and organizations. Among them, the safe wearing of facemasks has played a vital role in reducing the likelihood and severity of infectious respiratory disease transmission. The reported research in facemasks has covered many of their material types, fabrication techniques, mechanism characterization, and application aspects. However, in more recent times, the focus has shifted toward the theoretical investigations of fluid flow mechanisms involved in the virus-laden particles’ prevention by using facemasks. This exciting research domain aims to address the complex fluid transport that led to designing a facemask with a better performance. This Review discusses the recent updates on fluid flow dynamics through the facemasks. Key design aspects such as thermal comfort and flow resistance are discussed. Furthermore, the recent progress in the investigations on the efficacy of facemasks for the prevention of COVID-19 spread and the impact of wearing facemasks is presented.
Faster exact exchange in periodic systems using single-precision arithmetic
Authors: Vinson John
Published: November 2020

Density-functional theory simplifies many-electron calculations by approximating the exchange and correlation interactions with a one-electron operator that is a functional of the density. Hybrid functionals incorporate some amount of exact exchange, improving agreement with measured electronic and structural properties. However, calculations with hybrid functionals require substantial computational resources, limiting their use. By calculating the exchange interaction of periodic systems with single-precision arithmetic, the computation time is cut nearly in half with a negligible loss in accuracy. This improvement makes exact exchange calculations quicker and more feasible, especially for high-throughput calculations. Example hybrid density-functional theory calculations of band energies, forces, and x-ray absorption spectra show that this single-precision implementation maintains accuracy with significantly reduced runtime and memory requirements.
Adsorption of CO and N2 molecules at the surface of solid water. A grand canonical Monte Carlo study
Authors: Patt Antoine , Simon Jean-Marc , Salazar J. Marcos , Picaud Sylvain
Published: November 2020

The adsorption of carbon monoxide and nitrogen molecules at the surface of four forms of solid water is investigated by means of grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations. The trapping ability of crystalline Ih and low-density amorphous ices, along with clathrate hydrates of structures I and II, is compared at temperatures relevant for astrophysics. It is shown that when considering a gas phase that contains mixtures of carbon monoxide and nitrogen, the trapping of carbon monoxide is favored with respect to nitrogen at the surface of all solids, irrespective of the temperature. The results of the calculations also indicate that some amounts of molecules can be incorporated in the bulk of the water structures, and the molecular selectivity of the incorporation process is investigated. Again, it is shown that incorporation of carbon monoxide is favored with respect to nitrogen in most of the situations considered here. In addition, the conclusions of the present simulations emphasize the importance of the strength of the interactions between the guest molecules and the water network. They indicate that the accuracy of the corresponding interaction potentials is a key point, especially for simulating clathrate selectivity. This highlights the necessity of having interaction potential models that are transferable to different water environments.
The role of inertia in the rupture of ultrathin liquid films
Authors: Moreno-Boza D. , Martínez-Calvo A. , Sevilla A.
Published: November 2020

Theory and numerical simulations of the Navier–Stokes equations are used to unravel the influence of inertia on the dewetting dynamics of an ultrathin film of Newtonian liquid deposited on a solid substrate. A classification of the self-similar film thinning regimes at finite Ohnesorge numbers is provided, unifying previous findings. We reveal that, for Ohnesorge numbers smaller than one, the structure of the rupture singularity close to the molecular scales is controlled by a balance between liquid inertia and van der Waals forces, leading to a self-similar asymptotic regime with hmin ∝ τ2/5 as τ → 0, where hmin is the minimum film thickness and τ is the time remaining before rupture. The flow exhibits a three-region structure comprising an irrotational core delimited by a pair of boundary layers at the wall and at the free surface. A potential-flow description of the irrotational core is provided, which is matched with the vortical layers, allowing us to present a complete parameter-free asymptotic description of inertia-dominated film rupture.
Pulse-shaped chopping: Eliminating and characterizing heat effects in ultrafast infrared spectroscopy
Authors: Hoffman David J. , Fica-Contreras Sebastian M. , Pan Junkun , Fayer Michael D.
Published: November 2020

The infrared pulses used to generate nonlinear signals from a vibrational probe can cause heating via solvent absorption. Solvent absorption followed by rapid vibrational relaxation produces unwanted heat signals by creating spectral shifts of the solvent and probe absorptions. The signals are often isolated by “chopping,” i.e., alternately blocking one of the incident pulses. This method is standard in pump–probe transient absorption experiments. As less heat is deposited into the sample when an incident pulse is blocked, the heat-induced spectral shifts give rise to artificial signals. Here, we demonstrate a new method that eliminates heat induced signals using pulse shaping to control pulse spectra. This method is useful if the absorption spectrum of the vibrational probe is narrow compared to the laser bandwidth. By using a pulse shaper to selectively eliminate only frequencies of light resonant with the probe absorption during the “off” shot, part of the pulse energy, and the resulting heat, is delivered to the solvent without generating the nonlinear signal. This partial heating reduces the difference heat signal between the on and off shots. The remaining solvent heat signal can be eliminated by reducing the wings of the on shot spectrum while still resonantly exciting the probe; the heat deposition from the on shot can be matched with that from the off shot, eliminating the solvent heat contribution to the signal. Modification of the pulse sequence makes it possible to measure only the heat signal, permitting the kinetics of heating to be studied.
Nanoscale phase change on Ge2Sb2Te5 thin films induced by optical near fields with photoassisted scanning tunneling microscope
Authors: Asakawa Kanta , Kim Dang-il , Yaguchi Shotaro , Tsujii Mikito , Yoshioka Katsumasa , Kaneshima Keisuke , Arashida Yusuke , Yoshida Shoji , Shigekawa Hidemi , Kuwahara Masashi , Katayama Ikufumi , Takeda Jun
Published: November 2020

A scanning probe microscope coupled with either femtosecond laser pulses or terahertz pulses holds great promise not only for observing ultrafast phenomena but also for fabricating desirable structures at the nanoscale. In this study, we demonstrate that a few-nanometer-scale phase change can be non-thermally stored on the Ge2Sb2Te5 surface by a laser-driven scanning tunneling microscope (STM). An atomically flat Ge2Sb2Te5 surface was irradiated with the optical near-field generated by introducing femtosecond laser pulses to the STM tip-sample junction. The STM topographic images showed that few-nanometer-scale mounds appeared after irradiation. In addition, tunneling conductance spectra showed that the bandgap increased by 0.2 eV in the area of 5 × 5 nm2. These indicate that the nanoscale crystal-to-amorphous phase change was induced by the STM-tip-induced near field. Our approach presented here offers an unprecedented increase in the recording density of optical storage devices and is, therefore, expected to facilitate the development of next-generation information technology.
Making robots microscopic
Authors: Miskin Marc
Published: November 2020

Wirelessly powered and mass manufactured, the dust-sized robots can crawl, survive harsh environments, and be injected through a hypodermic needle.
Reproductive performance of northern Australia beef herds. 2. Descriptive analysis of monitored reproductive performance
Authors: McCosker K. D. , Fordyce G. , O’Rourke P. K. , McGowan M. R.
Published: November 2020

A population-based epidemiological study was conducted between 2007 and 2011 and involved 78 northern Australian commercial beef-breeding herds and in excess of 56 000 cattle concurrently monitored. Cow reproductive performance was described from the biannual assessment of fetal age and lactation status. Both novel and well established measures of performance were used within four broad country types and included the following: percentage of lactating cows pregnant within 4 months of calving; percentage of cows pregnant within an approximate 12-month reproductive cycle (annual pregnancy); fetal and calf loss between confirmed pregnancy and weaning; percentage of cows contributing a calf at weaning and percentage of non-pregnant females retained for re-mating. The results from the present study described the variation in reproductive performance of commercial beef herds across northern Australia and defined typical and achievable levels of performance. The results from the study suggest that a weaning rate of 66% is a more realistic target level of performance for the Northern Forest, while weaning rates of at least 75–80% are realistic for other country types. Female-cattle performance was much lower in the Northern Forest than in the other country types. In absolute terms, there were 15–20% fewer surviving mated cows contributing a calf at weaning in an annual production year and ~4% more missing pregnant cows, which was associated with the ~20% higher retention of non-pregnant cows for re-mating. The reproductive performance of herds varied substantially among and within country types, with a 20–30% variation in reproduction rates and 5–15% variation in fetal and calf loss for half of the herds in all regions. Further analyses were performed and identified the major causes of this variation and are reported in subsequent papers within this series. The results from the present study appear to suggest that substantial opportunities to increase the reproductive performance of northern beef herds exist, providing that the causes of this variation are able to be identified and alleviated.