bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Teaching German Grammar: Strictly for the Birds?
Authors: Bettina Boss Erika Diehl and
Published: January 2020

New Directions in German Studies
1. Zum Autor Alois Vogel
1.1. Biographisches

1.1.1. "Von Durchbruch zu Durchbruch" - viele Debüts eines Schriftstellers

1.2. Alois Vogels Rezeption im Ausland

1.3. Alois Vogel als der "gute Geist der Literatur". Seine Tätigkeit als Redakteur und Herausgeber

1.4. Allgemeine Darstellung der Werke Alois Vogels

1.4.1. Chronologische Darstellung

Fünfziger Jahre

Sechziger Jahre

Siebziger Jahre

Achtziger Jahre

Neunziger Jahre

1.4.2. Besprechung nach Themenkreisen

Österreichische Zeitgeschichte

Literarische Reisen durch Länder und Kulturen

Natur als Inspiration

2. Geschichte und Literatur

2.1. Zum Verhältnis zwischen Historiker und Schriftsteller

2.2. Funktion der Geschichte in der Literatur

2.2.1. Technikbedingte Gründe

Geschichte als Stoffquelle

Geschichte als Mittel zur Distanzierung von der Sphäre des Persönlichen und Privaten

Geschichte als Mittel zur Authentizitätsverleihung

2.2.2. Ideologische Faktoren

Geschichte als distanzierte Behandlung der Zeitgeschichte, Medium der gegenwartspolitischen Auseinandersetzung und des politischen Kommentars

"Historia est magistra vitae" - Geschichte als Belehrung

3. "Österreich ist das Land der Berge des Vergessens." Der Umgang mit den Ereignissen des Jahres 1934 und mit dem Zweiten Weltkrieg in der Zweiten Republik. Ausgewählte Aspekte

3.1. 1946-1991 - Österreich als "Opfer"

Authors: -- --
Published: January 2020

Alois Vogel. Romane
5. Analyse der Romane Schlagschatten und Totale Verdunkelung. Zum Problem der Darstellung von Geschichtserfahrung

5.1. Verlauf der Handlung

5.1.1. Schlagschatten

5.1.2. Totale Verdunkelung

5.2. Alois Vogels Figurenkonzeption

5.2.1 Protagonisten in Schlagschatten

Richard Wohlleben

Leni Brünner

Hans Brünner

Elisabeth Wohlleben

Erich Wohlleben

Ferdinand

Zusammenfassung

5.2.2. Protagonisten in Totale Verdunkelung

Franz Prannowitz

Richard Wohlleben

5.2.3. Historische Persönlichkeiten

5.3. Alois Vogels Geschichtsauffassung

5.3.1 Verzahnung von Weltgeschehen und privater Geschichte

5.4. Raum

5.5. Zeit

5.5.1. Geschichtssignale

5.5.2. Zeitdistanz

Authors: -- --
Published: January 2020

Alois Vogel, Romane
FUNDSTÜCKE IN EINER ALTEN KOMMODE AUF MEINEM SPEICHER Ein Trauergesang in sechs Strophen FOUND IN A DRESSER IN MY ATTIC A Lament in Six Stanzas
Authors: -- --
Published: January 2020

Alois Vogel, Lyrische Autobiographie
Vorwort
Authors: -- --
Published: January 2020

S. Ryan - Gerhard Roth: Gespräche
Foreword
Authors: -- --
Published: January 2020

S. Ryan - Gerhard Roth: Gespräche
324 peise 'Fichte', Peiskam, Peise - 457 smoy 'Mensch'

Authors: -- --
Published: January 2020

K. Brazaitis, J. Bobrowski, Pruzzische Vokabeln
458 semo 'Winter' - 583 wargu seggientins 'Übeltäter'

Authors: -- --
Published: January 2020

K.Brazaitis, J. Bobrowski, Pruzzische Vokablen
10 APPENDIX A - A SAMPLE OF JOHANNES BOBROWSKI'S PRUZZISCHE VOKABELN
Authors: -- --
Published: January 2020

K. Brazaitis, J. Bobrowski, Pruzzische Vokabeln
5. Die Zeit danach: Ernst und Felix Delbrück wieder in Deutschland (Hansgerd Delbrück)
6. Die deutsche Community in Tokyo zur Zeit von Ernst und Felix Delbrück 1887-1889 (Anna Bartels-Ishikawa)

6.1 Deutsche in Tokyo

6.2 Quellen

6.3 Die Mitglieder der deutschen Community

6.4 Editorische Anmerkungen

7. Der Erziehungswissenschaftler Emil Hausknecht und das Kaiserliche Erziehungsedikt (Ito Yushi)

Danksagungen

Authors: -- --
Published: January 2020

Delbrück-Briefe
Das Jahr 1888 (7. Januar 1888 - 18. September 1888)
Authors: -- --
Published: January 2020

Delbrück-Briefe
Negative Dialectics of Nature: From Nature's Death to New Materialisms
Authors: Krebber André
Published: January 2020

Our notions of nature have been severely unsettled in the wake of the environmental crisis of the 1960s. From Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring over the constructivist phase of the 1980s and the recent turn to a new materialism, the ecocritical discourse that has unfolded over the past decades has been shifting between emphasizing material and immaterial aspects of the nonhuman. During the first early wave of the 1960s and 1970s, concrete material considerations dominated, such as the effect of DDT on birds or the limits of ecosystems to adapt to changes. Particularly in the 1980s, this led to a focus on the social constructedness of ‘nature.’ More recently, the ecocritical discourse has been swinging back again, turning against constructivist critiques to recover the materiality of nature against its deconstruction. Relying on Theodor Adorno’s model of negative dialectics, this paper offers to read this shift as a dialectical movement upon the discourse’s object of inquiry. Following the movement then the essay traces a concept of nature, that does not have to reduce its object to either corporeality or incorporeality, but detects it rather as the tension between the two. By keeping the dialectic from coalescing into a synthesis, and by merely unfolding it through confronting the assessments of nature with each other, it becomes possible to keep open the understanding of nature as process. Rather than as a solid entity, such an approach describes nature as a continuous dialectical movement that alternates spontaneously between instances of material manifestation and presence, and immaterial aspects of productivity and change. Thus, a critical concept of nature that hopes to resist human claims of appropriation is recovered for the environmental humanities.Key words: Adorno, Negative Dialectics, ecocriticism, materiality, nature, epistemology, constructivism
Reflections on Loss: Family Memory and the Natural Environment in 21st-Century German Novels
Authors: Kohler Sandra
Published: January 2020

My study examines the way 21th century German authors juxtapose discussions of memory (familial and historical) with reflections on the relationship between humans and non-human nature, such as animals, plants and natural ecosystems. My examples are drawn from the following thee recent novels: Tanja Dückers’ Der längste Tag des Jahres (2006), Jenny Erpenbeck’s Heimsuchung (2008) and Judith Schalansky’s Der Hals der Giraffe (2011). These novels thematize memory of historical events or time periods while emphasizing human domination, manipulation and/or destruction of animals, plants and ecosystems for human gain and enjoyment. While the setting varies, from a wooded parcel of land in former East Germany, to miniature desert terrariums in Southern Germany to a desert landscape in the American Southwest, the way the authors portray the complex relationship between humans, animals and plants is surprisingly similar in each work.In particular, my contribution bridges an analysis of memory and an examination of the treatment of the environment in these novels by outlining the generational differences the authors present in the characters’ relationship with the environment. While one generation in a family focuses on governance of ecosystems, whether in miniature terrariums, meticulously designed garden landscapes, or fruitless agricultural experiments, the next generation reflects on the agency of natural matter as well as human destruction and greed. These different conceptions of nature juxtapose human exploitation and subjugation of natural resources with human appreciation of the power of plants and animals. In these reflections, the narrators often blur the line between what is human and what is animal.Moreover, the aesthetic quality of nature and its function as an object of human observation is present in each novel and directly linked to memories.  It is nature in its many varied forms (domesticated animals, Northern European landscapes, desert terrains, the human body etc.) that enables characters to “remember” and reflect on personal experiences, historical events, and the relationship between humans and nature. Keywords: Ecocriticism, family, memory, German novels
Gewaltbereitschaft und Sprachverzicht: Die filmische Verhandlung der Nahrungsmittelproduktion in Nikolaus Geyrhalters Unser täglich Brot
Authors: Nöllgen Sabine
Published: January 2020

This article explores the aesthetic and rhetorical strategies in the Austrian food documentary Unser täglich Brot (Our Daily Bread, 2005) by Nikolaus Geyrhalter, which effectively call into question a system of violence against non-human living things manifest in monoculture and factory farming. While most contemporary food documentaries heavily rely on both a voice-over and interview segments–in other words, linguistic tools–in order to put forward their particular rhetorical agenda, Unser täglich Brot exhibits a striking absence of both the spoken word and written language (such as intertitles and subtitles), resulting in a state of speechlessness that allows the film to position itself against a “monological system” (Val Plumwood) responsible for the profound and encompassing ecological crisis we are now experiencing. While Geyrhalter avoids the linguistic mode of representation altogether, he brings forward what food producers strive to hide from the consumer’s eye: the alien ways of a mechanical, industrialized food production that relies heavily on herbicides and insecticides, as well as the optimized mass slaughter of animals that leaves behind hung-up carcasses the ornamental quality of which Geyrhalter’s camera aims to capture as well. While the question of human guilt is evoked by the film’s title, a line from the Lord’s Prayer, which fully reads “Give us each day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins,” Unser täglich Brot refuses to make an outspoken judgment–a rhetorical decision that makes the film’s aesthetic strategies even more effective. Keywords: film,  German, Geyrhalter, food production
I. INTRODUCTION
1. Genre and Genre Expectation

2. Theory of Comedy: the Comic Versus the Comedy Form

2.1 Comedy as Intention and Tragicomedy

3. The Comedy of Modernism

Authors: -- --
Published: January 2020

Horváth, comedy
Vorwort
Aufbau und Benutzung der Bibliographie

Authors: -- --
Published: January 2020

Gerhard Roth, Bibliographie 1966-1994
Imaging ellipsometry for curved surfaces
Authors: Negara Christian , Längle Thomas , Beyerer Jürgen
Published: January 2020

The authors propose a new design of an imaging return-path ellipsometer, which enables reflection-based measurements of both flat and curved surfaces. Return-path ellipsometry (RPE) based on mirrors cannot be applied to surface characterization of a specimen with a free-form shape. The authors circumvent this restriction by using microsphere-based retroreflectors instead of a mirror. The measurement equation for retroreflection-based RPE is very similar to that for mirror-based RPE. Therefore, the authors first outline the difference between conventional (unidirectional) and return-path (bidirectional) ellipsometry by focusing on Mueller-matrix ellipsometry. Furthermore, they present a new ellipsometer consisting of a rotating reflector to determine the surface inclination for almost arbitrary media when scattering and diffraction are negligible.
mSphere of Influence: Expanding the CRISPR Sphere with Single-Locus Proteomics
Authors: Glover Lucy
Published: January 2020

Lucy Glover’s research focuses on the role of DNA repair and recombination in antigenic variation in the parasite
Trypanosoma brucei
, the causative agent of both human and animal African trypanosomiasis. In this mSphere of Influence article, she reflects on how
“
A CRISPR-based approach for proteomic analysis of a single genomic locus” by Z. J. Waldrip, S. D. Byrum, A. J. Storey, J.
Lack of association of genetic variants for diabetic retinopathy in Taiwanese patients with diabetic nephropathy
Authors: Hsieh Ai-Ru , Huang Yu-Chuen , Yang Ya-Fei , Lin Hui-Ju , Lin Jane-Ming , Chang Ya-Wen , Wu Chia-Ming , Liao Wen-Ling , Tsai Fuu-Jen
Published: January 2020

Objective

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) and diabetic retinopathy (DR) comprise major microvascular complications of diabetes that occur with a high concordance rate in patients and are considered to potentially share pathogeneses. In this case-control study, we sought to investigate whether DR-related single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) exert pleiotropic effects on renal function outcomes among patients with diabetes.

Research design and methods

A total of 33 DR-related SNPs were identified by replicating published SNPs and via a genome-wide association study. Furthermore, we assessed the cumulative effects by creating a weighted genetic risk score and evaluated the discriminatory and prediction ability of these genetic variants using DN cases according to estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) status along with a cohort with early renal functional decline (ERFD).

Results

Multivariate logistic regression models revealed that the DR-related SNPs afforded no individual or cumulative genetic effect on the nephropathy risk, eGFR status or ERFD outcome among patients with type two diabetes in Taiwan.

Conclusion

Our findings indicate that larger studies would be necessary to clearly ascertain the effects of individual genetic variants and further investigation is also required to identify other genetic pathways underlying DN.
Health-related quality of life among patients with comorbid diabetes and kidney disease attending a codesigned integrated model of care: a longitudinal study
Authors: Zimbudzi Edward , Lo Clement , Ranasinha Sanjeeva , Teede Helena , Usherwood Tim , Polkinghorne Kevan R , Fulcher Greg , Gallagher Martin , Jan Steven , Cass Alan , Walker Rowan , Russell Grant , Johnson Greg , Kerr Peter G , Zoungas Sophia
Published: January 2020

Objective

To evaluate the impact of an integrated diabetes and kidney disease model of care on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of patients with comorbid diabetes and chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Research design and methods

A longitudinal study of adult patients (over 18 years) with comorbid diabetes and CKD (stage 3a or worse) who attended a new diabetes kidney disease service was conducted at a tertiary hospital. A questionnaire consisting of demographics, clinical data, and the Kidney Disease Quality of Life (KDQOL-36) was administered at baseline and after 12 months. Paired t-tests were used to compare baseline and 12-month scores. A subgroup analysis examined the effects by patient gender. Multiple regression analysis examined the factors associated with changes in scores.

Results

179 patients, 36% of whom were female, with baseline mean±SD age of 65.9±11.3 years, were studied. Across all subscales, HRQOL did not significantly change over time (p value for all mean differences >0.05). However, on subgroup analysis, symptom problem list and physical composite summary scores increased among women (MD=9.0, 95% CI 1.25 to 16.67; p=0.02 and MD=4.5, 95% CI 0.57 to 8.42; p=0.03 respectively) and physical composite scores decreased among men (MD=−3.35, 95% CI −6.26 to −0.44; p=0.03).

Conclusion

The HRQOL of patients with comorbid diabetes and CKD attending a new codesigned, integrated diabetes and kidney disease model of care was maintained over 12 months. Given that HRQOL is known to deteriorate over time in this high-risk population, the impact of these findings on clinical outcomes warrants further investigation.
Optimising acute stroke care organisation: a simulation study to assess the potential to increase intravenous thrombolysis rates and patient gains
Authors: Lahr Maarten M H , van der Zee Durk-Jouke , Luijckx Gert-Jan , Buskens Erik
Published: January 2020

Objectives

To assess potential increases in intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) rates given particular interventions in the stroke care pathway.

Design

Simulation modelling was used to compare the performance of the current pathway, best practices based on literature review and an optimised model.

Setting

Four hospitals located in the North of the Netherlands, as part of a centralised organisational model.

Participants

Ischaemic stroke patients prospectively ascertained from February to August 2010.

Intervention

The interventions investigated included efforts aimed at patient response and mode of referral, prehospital triage and intrahospital delays.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

The primary outcome measure was thrombolysis utilisation. Secondary measures were onset-treatment time (OTT) and the proportion of patients with excellent functional outcome (modified Rankin scale (mRS) 0–1) at 90 days.

Results

Of 280 patients with ischaemic stroke, 125 (44.6%) arrived at the hospital within 4.5 hours, and 61 (21.8%) received IVT. The largest improvements in IVT treatment rates, OTT and the proportion of patients with mRS scores of 0–1 can be expected when patient response is limited to 15 min (IVT rate +5.8%; OTT −6 min; excellent mRS scores +0.2%), door-to-needle time to 20 min (IVT rate +4.8%; OTT −28 min; excellent mRS scores+3.2%) and 911 calls are increased to 60% (IVT rate +2.9%; OTT −2 min; excellent mRS scores+0.2%). The combined implementation of all potential best practices could increase IVT rates by 19.7% and reduce OTT by 56 min.

Conclusions

Improving IVT rates to well above 30% appears possible if all known best practices are implemented.
Effects of presurgical interventions on chronic pain after total knee replacement: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials
Authors: Dennis Jane , Wylde Vikki , Gooberman-Hill Rachael , Blom AW , Beswick Andrew David
Published: January 2020

Objective

Nearly 100 000 primary total knee replacements (TKR) are performed in the UK annually. The primary aim of TKR is pain relief, but 10%–34% of patients report chronic pain. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the effectiveness of presurgical interventions in preventing chronic pain after TKR.

Design

MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL,The Cochrane Libraryand PsycINFO were searched from inception to December 2018. Screening and data extraction were performed by two authors. Meta-analysis was conducted using a random effects model. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane tool and quality of evidence was assessed by Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation.

Primary and secondary outcomes

Pain at 6 months or longer; adverse events.

Interventions

Presurgical interventions aimed at improving TKR outcomes.

Results

Eight randomised controlled trials (RCTs) with data from 960 participants were included. The studies involved nine eligible comparisons. We found moderate-quality evidence of no effect of exercise programmes on chronic pain after TKR, based on a meta-analysis of 6 interventions with 229 participants (standardised mean difference 0.20, 95% CI −0.06 to 0.47, I2=0%). Sensitivity analysis restricted to studies at overall low risk of bias confirmed findings. Another RCT of exercise with no data available for meta-analysis showed no benefit. Studies evaluating combined exercise and education intervention (n=1) and education alone (n=1) suggested similar findings. Adverse event data were reported by most studies, but events were too few to draw conclusions.

Conclusions

We found low to moderate-quality evidence to suggest that neither preoperative exercise, education nor a combination of both is effective in preventing chronic pain after TKR. This review also identified a lack of evaluations of other preoperative interventions, such as multimodal pain management, which may improve long-term pain outcomes after TKR.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42017041382.
Working hours, common mental disorder and suicidal ideation among junior doctors in Australia: a cross-sectional survey
Authors: Petrie Katherine , Crawford Joanna , LaMontagne Anthony D , Milner Allison , Dean Jessica , Veness Benjamin G , Christensen Helen , Harvey Samuel B
Published: January 2020

Objective

Despite concern regarding high rates of mental illness and suicide amongst the medical profession, the link between working hours and doctors’ mental health remains unclear. This study examines the relationship between average weekly working hours and junior doctors’ (JDs’) mental health in Australia.

Design and participants

A randomly selected sample of 42 942 Australian doctors were invited to take part in an anonymous Beyondblue National Mental Health Survey in 2013, of whom 12 252 doctors provided valid data (response rate approximately 27%). The sample of interest comprised 2706 full-time graduate medical trainees in various specialties, at either intern, prevocational or vocational training stage. Consultants and retired doctors were excluded.

Outcome measures

Main outcomes of interest were caseness of common mental disorder (CMD) (assessed using a cut-off of 4 as a threshold on total General Health Questionnaire-28 score), presence of suicidal ideation (SI) (assessed with a single item) and average weekly working hours. Logistic regression modelling was used to account for the impact of age, gender, stage of training, location of work, specialty, marital status and whether JDs had trained outside Australia.

Results

JDs reported working an average of 50.1 hours per week (SD=13.4). JDs who worked over 55 hours a week were more than twice as likely to report CMD (adjusted OR=2.05; 95% CI 1.62 to 2.59, p<0.001) and SI (adjusted OR=2.00; 95% CI 1.42 to 2.81, p<0.001) compared to those working 40–44 hours per week.

Conclusions

Our results show that around one in four JDs are currently working hours that are associated with a doubling of their risk of common mental health problems and SI. These findings suggest that management of working hours represents an important focus for workplaces to improve the mental health of medical trainees.
In-match physical demands on elite Japanese rugby union players using a global positioning system
Authors: Yamamoto Hayato , Takemura Masanori , Iguchi Junta , Tachibana Misato , Tsujita Junzo , Hojo Tatsuya
Published: January 2020

Objectives

Our aim of this study was to quantify the physical demands of elite rugby union players by each position as a step towards designing position-specific training programme using a Global Positioning System/accelerometer system.

Methods

This study was performed as a retrospective observational study. Data were obtained from 45 official matches. The sample size used for the analysis was 298. The per-match total distances, accelerations and impacts were calculated and statistically compared for the forwards and backs and for individual positions.

Results

Total distances for the forwards and backs were 5731.1±507.8 and 6392.1±646.8 m, respectively. The high-velocity running distances (>18.0 km/hour) covered by the forwards and backs were 317.4±136.9 and 715.0±242.9 m, respectively. The number of accelerations (>1.5 m/s2) for the forwards and backs were 76.3±18.9 and 100.8±19.6 times, respectively, and the number of high impacts (>10 g) were 48.0±46.9 and 35.6±28.3 times for the forwards and backs, respectively. All characteristics were significantly different between the forwards and backs (p<0.05). The per-position characteristics were also calculated. Within the backs, scrum half (SH) and wingers (WTBs) covered high-velocity running significantly higher distance than fly-half (SHd=2.571, WTBsd=1.556) and centres (SHd=1.299, WTBsd=0.685) (p<0.05).

Conclusion

By clarifying the physical demands according to the positions, it will be possible to create optimised position-specific training programmes.
Prevalence and associations of prescribing of long-acting reversible contraception by general practitioner registrars: a secondary analysis of ReCEnT data
Authors: Turner Rachel , Tapley Amanda , Sweeney Sally , Davey Andrew , Holliday Elizabeth , van Driel Mieke , Henderson Kim , Ball Jean , Morgan Simon , Spike Neil , FitzGerald Kristen , Magin Parker
Published: January 2020

Objective

Long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) is the most effective form of contraception but use in Australia is low. Uptake of LARC prescribing by early-career general practitioners (GPs) has important implications for community reproductive health. We aimed to investigate the prevalence and associations of Australian GP registrars’ LARC prescribing.

Methods

A cross-sectional analysis of the Registrar Clinical Encounters in Training (ReCEnT) cohort study 2010–2017. GP registrars collected data on 60 consecutive consultations on three occasions during their training. The outcome factor was prescription of LARC (compared with non-LARC). A secondary analysis was performed with problems involving prescription of LARC (compared with other problems). Associations with patient, practice, registrar and consultation independent variables were assessed by univariate and multivariable logistic regression.

Results

1737 registrars recorded 5382 problems/diagnoses involving women aged 12–55 years in which contraception was prescribed. 1356 (25%) involved LARC. Significant multivariable associations of prescribing LARC included patient age (OR 2.85, 95% CI 3.17 to 3.74, for age 36–45 years compared with age 12–18 years), practice rurality - inner-regional (OR 1.47, 95% CI 1.22 to 1.79) and outer-regional/remote/very remote (OR 1.47 95% CI 1.15 to 1.87) compared with major cities, practices in areas of lower socioeconomic status (SES) (OR 0.93, 95% CI 0.91 to 0.96 for SES by decile), generating learning goals (OR 1.37, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.79), in-consultation assistance-seeking (OR 1.58, 95% CI 1.24 to 2.01), and the registrar having reproductive health-related postgraduate qualifications (OR 1.33, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.76).

Conclusions

The prevalence of LARC prescribing by Australian GP registrars is higher than has been previously estimated in established GPs. Postgraduate qualifications in reproductive health are associated with prescribing LARC. Prescribing practice differs according to rurality and relative socioeconomic disadvantage.
Intravenous supplementation type and volume are associated with 1-year outcome and major complications in patients with chronic intestinal failure
Authors: Pironi Loris , Steiger Ezra , Joly Francisca , Wanten Geert J A , Chambrier Cecile , Aimasso Umberto , Sasdelli Anna Simona , Szczepanek Kinga , Jukes Amelia , Theilla Miriam , Kunecki Marek , Daniels Joanne , Serlie Mireille J , Cooper Sheldon C , Poullenot Florian , Rasmussen Henrik Højgaard , Compher Charlene W , Crivelli Adriana , Hughes Sarah-Jane , Santarpia Lidia , Guglielmi Francesco William , Rotovnik Kozjek Nada , Ellegard Lars , Schneider Stéphane M , Matras Przemysław , Forbes Alastair , Wyer Nicola , Zmarzly Anna , Taus Marina , O'Callaghan Margie , Osland Emma , Thibault Ronan , Cuerda Cristina , Jones Lynn , Chapman Brooke , Sahin Peter , Virgili Núria M , Lee Andre Dong Won , Orlandoni Paolo , Matysiak Konrad , Di Caro Simona , Doitchinova-Simeonova Maryana , Masconale Luisa , Spaggiari Corrado , Garde Carmen , Serralde-Zúñiga Aurora E , Olveira Gabriel , Krznaric Zeljko , Petrina Jáuregui Estrella , Zugasti Murillo Ana , Suárez-Llanos José P , Nardi Elena , Van Gossum André , Lal Simon
Published: January 2020

Background and aim

No marker to categorise the severity of chronic intestinal failure (CIF) has been developed. A 1-year international survey was carried out to investigate whether the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism clinical classification of CIF, based on the type and volume of the intravenous supplementation (IVS), could be an indicator of CIF severity.

Methods

At baseline, participating home parenteral nutrition (HPN) centres enrolled all adults with ongoing CIF due to non-malignant disease; demographic data, body mass index, CIF mechanism, underlying disease, HPN duration and IVS category were recorded for each patient. The type of IVS was classified as fluid and electrolyte alone (FE) or parenteral nutrition admixture (PN). The mean daily IVS volume, calculated on a weekly basis, was categorised as <1, 1–2, 2–3 and >3 L/day. The severity of CIF was determined by patient outcome (still on HPN, weaned from HPN, deceased) and the occurrence of major HPN/CIF-related complications: intestinal failure-associated liver disease (IFALD), catheter-related venous thrombosis and catheter-related bloodstream infection (CRBSI).

Results

Fifty-one HPN centres included 2194 patients. The analysis showed that both IVS type and volume were independently associated with the odds of weaning from HPN (significantly higher for PN <1 L/day than for FE and all PN >1 L/day), patients’ death (lower for FE, p=0.079), presence of IFALD cholestasis/liver failure and occurrence of CRBSI (significantly higher for PN 2–3 and PN >3 L/day).

Conclusions

The type and volume of IVS required by patients with CIF could be indicators to categorise the severity of CIF in both clinical practice and research protocols.
Arrhythmic risk stratification in non-ischaemic dilated cardiomyopathy beyond ejection fraction
Authors: Cannatà Antonio , De Angelis Giulia , Boscutti Andrea , Normand Camilla , Artico Jessica , Gentile Piero , Zecchin Massimo , Heymans Stephane , Merlo Marco , Sinagra Gianfranco
Published: January 2020

Sudden cardiac death and arrhythmia-related events in patients with non-ischaemic dilated cardiomyopathy (NICM) have been significantly reduced over the last couple of decades as a result of evidence-based pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapeutic strategies. Nevertheless, the arrhythmic stratification in patients with NICM remains extremely challenging, and the simple indication based on left ventricular ejection fraction appears to be insufficient. Therefore, clinicians need to go beyond the current criteria for implantable cardioverter-defibrillator implantation in the direction of a multiparametric evaluation of arrhythmic risk. Several parameters for arrhythmic risk stratification, ranging from electrocardiographic, echocardiographic, imaging-derived and genetic markers, are crucial for proper arrhythmic risk stratification and a multiparametric evaluation of risk in patients with NICM. In particular, integration of cardiac magnetic resonance parameters (mostly late gadolinium enhancement) and specific genetic information (ie, presence ofLMNA, PLN, FLNCmutations) appears fundamental for proper implementation of the current arrhythmic risk stratification. Finally, a novel approach focused on both arrhythmic risk and prediction of left ventricular reverse remodelling during follow-up might be useful for effective multiparametric and dynamic arrhythmic risk stratification in NICM. In the future, a complete and integrated evaluation might be mandatory to implement arrhythmic risk prediction in patients with NICM and to discriminate the competing risk between heart failure-related events and life-threatening arrhythmias.
Morphological changes of intracranial pressure quantifies vasodilatory effect of verapamil to treat cerebral vasospasm
Authors: Liu Xiuyun , Vitt Jeffrey R , Hetts Steven W , Gudelunas Koa , Ho Nhi , Ko Nerissa , Hu Xiao
Published: January 2020

Introduction

After aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), both proximal and distal cerebral vasospasm can contribute to the development of delayed cerebral ischemia. Intra-arterial (IA) vasodilators are a mainstay of treatment for distal arterial vasospasm, but no methods of assessing the efficacy of interventions in real time have been established.

Objective

To introduce a new method for continuous intraprocedural assessment of endovascular treatment for cerebral vasospasm.

Methods

The premise of our approach was that distal cerebral arterial changes induce a consistent pattern in the morphological changes of intracranial pressure (ICP) pulse. This premise was demonstrated using a published algorithm in previous papers. In this study, we applied the algorithm to calculate the likelihood of cerebral vasodilation (VDI) and cerebral vasoconstriction (VCI) from intraprocedural ICP signals that are synchronized with injection of the IA vasodilator, verapamil. Cerebral blood flow velocities (CBFVs) on bilateral cerebral arteries were studied before and after IA therapy.

Results

192 recordings of patients with SAH were reviewed, and 27 recordings had high-quality ICP waveforms. The VCI was significantly lower after the first verapamil injection (0.47±0.017) than VCI at baseline (0.49±0.020, p<0.001). A larger dose of injected verapamil resulted in a larger and longer VDI increase. CBFV of the middle cerebral artery increases across the days before the injection of verapamil and decreases after IA therapy.

Conclusion

This study provides preliminary validation of an algorithm for continuous assessment of distal cerebral arterial changes in response to IA vasodilator infusion in patients with vasospasm and aneurysmal SAH.
Prospective evaluation of admission cortisol in trauma
Authors: Kwok Amy M , Davis James W , Dirks Rachel C , Sue Lawrence P , Wolfe Mary M , Kaups Krista
Published: January 2020

Background

A low cortisol level has been shown to occur soon after trauma, and is associated with increased mortality. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of low cortisol levels in acute critically ill trauma patients. We hypothesized that patients would require increase vasopressor use, have a greater blood product administration, and increased mortality rate.

Methods

A blinded, prospective observational study was performed at an American College of Surgeons verified Level I trauma center. Adult patients who met trauma activation criteria, received initial treatment at Community Regional Medical Center and were admitted to the intensive care unit were included. Total serum cortisol levels were measured from the initial blood draw in the emergency department. Patients were categorized according to cortisol ≤15 µg/dL (severe low cortisol, SLC), 15.01–25 µg/dL (relative low cortisol, RLC), or >25 µg/dL (normal cortisol, NC) and compared on demographics, injury severity score, initial vital signs, blood product usage, vasopressor requirements, and mortality.

Results

Cortisol levels were ordered for 280 patients; 91 were excluded and 189 were included. Penetrating trauma accounted for 19% of injuries and blunt trauma for 81%. 22 patients (12%) had SLC, 83 (44%) had RLC, and 84 (44%) had NC. This study found patients with admission SLC had higher rates of vasopressor requirements, required more units of blood, and had a higher mortality rate than both the RLC and NC groups.

Conclusion

Low cortisol level can be identified acutely after severe trauma. Trauma patients with SLC had larger blood product requirements, vasopressor use, and increase mortality. Initial cortisol levels are useful in identifying these high-risk patients.

Level of evidence

Prognostic/epidemiologic study, level III
Duration in captivity affects competitive ability and breeding success of male but not female steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)
Authors: Berejikian Barry A. , Tatara Christopher P. , Van Doornik Donald M. , Humling Michael A. , Cooper Matt R. , Pasley Chris R. , Atkins Jeffrey J.
Published: January 2020

Female steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) reared for 1 year (traditional, “S1”) and 2 years (experimental, “S2”) in captivity in the Methow River Basin, Washington, produced very similar numbers of offspring in replicate spawning channels over 3 consecutive years. In contrast, S1 anadromous males outcompeted S2 males for access to nesting females and, as a result, produced significantly more offspring. Male dominance was positively associated with body mass, but body mass did not account for differences between S1 and S2 males. Much smaller precocious S2 males that matured during rearing in hatchery raceways sired offspring in all six breeding groups. Contributions from precocious males were nearly always the result of sneak spawning events, although on rare occasions, precocious males were able to stimulate females to spawn in the absence of an anadromous male. Similarities in female breeding success suggest that S1 and S2 hatchery steelhead should exhibit similar productivity under natural conditions, but S1 male steelhead may result in greater rates of gene flow from hatchery to natural populations.
Traffic-type Assignment for TSN-based Mixed-criticality Cyber-physical Systems
Authors: Gavriluţ Voica , Pop Paul
Published: January 2020

This article focuses on mixed-criticality applications with functions that have different timing requirements, i.e., hard real-time (HRT), soft real-time (SRT), and functions that are not time-critical (NC). The applications are implemented on distributed cyber-physical systems that use IEEE Time-sensitive Networking (TSN). TSN is the product of an IEEE effort to bring deterministic real-time capabilities to IEEE 802.3 Ethernet. TSN supports the convergence of multiple traffic types, i.e., critical, real-time, and regular “best-effort” traffic within a single network: Time-triggered (TT), where the messages are transmitted based on static schedule tables, Audio-video Bridging (AVB), for dynamically scheduled messages with a guaranteed bandwidth and bounded delays, and Best Effort (BE), for which no timing guarantees are provided. The HRT messages have deadlines, whereas we capture the quality-of-service for the SRT messages using “utility functions.” Given the network topology, the set of application messages, including their routing, and the set of available AVB classes, we are interested in determining the traffic type of each message, such that all the HRT messages are schedulable and the total utility for the SRT messages is maximized. We propose a Tabu Search-based metaheuristic to solve this optimization problem. The proposed proof-of-concept tool has been evaluated using several benchmarks, including two realistic test cases.
Special Issue Introduction
Authors: Tejay Gurvirender , Paul Souren
Published: January 2020

In this Special Issue, we present some of the important research work curated from the internationally renowned Hawaii International Conference on Systems Science (2019). We take note of the call to action by Petter, Carter, Randolph, and Lee (2018) in the editorial titled "Desperately Seeking the Information in Information Systems Research." In their editorial, the authors highlight the embrace of the technology artifact in IS research at the expense of "abandonment of that other central component in information systems research - information" (p. 10). Petter et al. argue not to "overlook the role of information" and highlight the necessity to study it in an era of analytics, algorithmic decision making, and fake news.
Towards a Framework of Implementing Software Robots
Authors: Rutschi Corinna , Dibbern Jens
Published: January 2020

Software robots tend to increasingly take over organizational processes. However, little is known about principles of building and implementing as opposed to using robotic systems, such as bots for process automation (RPA) and chatbots. Therefore, based on an empirically illustrated theoretical conceptualization of routine automation and affordance actualization, this paper develops a framework that guides how different types of software robots can be built and implemented through transforming a human-executed routine into a robot-automated routine by applying specific implementation guidelines.
Assessing the Control Literature: Looking Back and Looking Forward
Authors: Sitkin Sim B. , Long Chris P. , Cardinal Laura B.
Published: January 2020

This review provides a comprehensive picture of the range of control influences in organizations. We begin by describing and labeling the various types of control mechanisms and control systems examined in the literature. We then identify several issues in the control literature that are currently compromising scholars’ capacities to develop a full, complete, and comprehensive knowledge base about control dynamics. Theorists have been constrained by frameworks that present important but relatively limited pictures of how individuals experience, comprehend, address, and attend to the potentially wide array of control influences they encounter. We use these observations to propose new directions for control research that will help scholars develop richer and more complete but also more nuanced understandings of how individuals experience and engage the various forms of control they encounter in organizational life.
Facile and Scalable Electrochemical Synthesis of Ta-Nb Alloy Powders for Capacitors
Authors: Sri Maha Vishnu D. , Sure Jagadeesh , Kim Hyun-Kyung , Schwandt Carsten
Published: January 2020

The cost of tantalum (Ta), and thus of Ta capacitors, is undesirably high owing to the limited availability of its ores and the energy-intensive production. Reported herein is the economically viable electrochemical synthesis of Ta-Nb alloys as a potential replacement for Ta in capacitors. Ta-xNb (x = 20, 50, 80) alloys were prepared directly by electro-deoxidation of Ta2O5-Nb2O5mixed oxide disks in CaCl2melt at 900 °C and the results were compared with those for the pure metals. The alloys and metals thus made were in the form of powders and consisted solely of the body-centered cubic phase. The overall compositions of the alloys were close to the target values. EDX and XPS analyses revealed that the particles underwent surface oxidation during the post-electrolytic washing process, thereby forming the required dielectric coating around the metallic cores. Cyclic voltammetry in an aqueous electrolytic cell demonstrated that all powders behaved as typical capacitor materials. TG/DSC studies on Ta and Ta-50Nb in air showed that oxidation commenced at 531 °C and 363 °C, respectively, with Ta-50Nb exhibiting an inversion in the temperature coefficient of the oxidation reaction at 650 °C. In overall, the method presented here for producing commercially relevant Ta-Nb alloys is both facile and scalable.
Review—Intracellular Sensors Based on Carbonaceous Nanomaterials: A Review
Authors: Li Chunmei , Wang Yihan , Jiang Hui , Wang Xuemei
Published: January 2020

In recent years, carbon nanomaterials and their derivatives/composites have attracted much attention for their role in new developments in the field of biosensors due to their unique electronic, optical, thermal and mechanical properties in biosensors, which inspires us to compile this review. To focus on the relationship between cell biology and some diseases (e.g., cancer or diabetes), this review describes the applications of various types of carbon nanomaterials in intracellular sensors. We also introduce four kinds of intracellular sensors based on carbon nanomaterials, including intracellular pH sensors, intracellular thermal sensors, intracellular metal ions sensors, intracellular biomolecule sensors. Then, we briefly summarize the applications of carbon nanomaterials based intracellular sensors for diagnosis or treatment of various diseases. Finally, a future perspective and the challenges of intracellular sensors based on carbon nanomaterials are briefly rendered.
Review—Textile Based Chemical and Physical Sensors for Healthcare Monitoring
Authors: Hatamie Amir , Angizi Shayan , Kumar Saurabh , Pandey Chandra Mouli , Simchi Abdolreza , Willander Magnus , Malhotra Bansi D.
Published: January 2020

The emergence of textile-based wearable sensors as light-weight portable devices to monitor desired parameters, has recently gained much interest and has led to the development of flexible electronics on non-rigid substrates. The flexible biosensors may result in improved sports performance, to monitor the desired bodies for injuries, improved clinical diagnostics and monitor biological molecules and ions in biological fluids such as saliva, sweat. In addition, they could help users with different types of disorders such as blindness. In this context, new composite and nanomaterials have been found to be promising candidates to obtain improved performance of the textile based wearable devices and to optimize the structures for intimate contact with the skin for better functionality. This review aims to provide the most recent cutting-edge information on emergence, fabrication, materials, and applications of chemical and physical flexible and stretchable textile-based (bio)sensors. Besides this, we discusss the recent key innovations and applications of textile-based sensors in healthcare.
Perspective—Semi-Solid Electrolytes Based on Deep Eutectic Solvents: Opportunities and Future Directions
Authors: Navarro-Suárez A.M. , Johansson P.
Published: January 2020

In the past years the interest in deep eutectic solvents (DESs) has been steadily increasing, much due to the possibilities to rationally design their special physical properties by choosing the right combination of components. This perspective aims to help unifying how deep eutectic solvents should be reported and explores the vast opportunities for semi-solid electrolytes based on DESs. The latter connects well to the trend on research towards solid-state energy storage devices, emphasizing the aim of increased safety.
Operando Acoustic Monitoring of SEI Formation and Long-Term Cycling in NMC/SiGr Composite Pouch Cells
Authors: Bommier Clement , Chang Wesley , Li Jianlin , Biswas Shaurjo , Davies Greg , Nanda Jagjit , Steingart Daniel
Published: January 2020

Stable long-term cycling and solid-electrolyte-interphase (SEI) formation are key challenges in the design of Si/graphite composites as Li-ion battery (LIB) anode materials. Typically, these long-term cycling properties are examined in flooded half-cell settings making use of a Li-metal counter electrode and a Si/graphite working electrode. This form factor has the advantage of offering an unlimited supply of Li-ions and electrolyte, thus isolating performance degradation to the passivation of the working electrode. However, half-cell studies are ineffective in revealing performance and degradation mechanisms of the Si/graphite composite in a more commercially realistic full cell setting. This paper outlines an operando acoustic technique that can offer insights on SEI formation and capacity degradation of Si/graphite composites in a full cell setting. Through a combination of electrochemical and chemical analyses, we show that increasing passivation of the silicon particles in the Si/graphite composite anode is correlated with an increase in the acoustic time-of-flight shift. We further show that temporary loss of the acoustic signal during the first cycle is associated with significant gassing of the cell. The operando acoustic technique outlined here is low-cost, simple to setup and has the potential for localized resolution, indicating usefulness in commercial-scale Si/graphite cell quality control and diagnosis.
The Role of Balancing Nanostructured Silicon Anodes and NMC Cathodes in Lithium-Ion Full-Cells with High Volumetric Energy Density
Authors: Baasner Anne , Reuter Florian , Seidel Matthias , Krause Andreas , Pflug Erik , Härtel Paul , Dörfler Susanne , Abendroth Thomas , Althues Holger , Kaskel Stefan
Published: January 2020

Silicon anodes offer a very promising approach to boost the energy density of lithium-ion batteries. While silicon anodes show a high capacity and, depending on the system, a good cycle stability in half-cells vs lithium, their integration in industrially applicable lithium-ion full-cells is still challenging. Balancing described as the capacity ratio of negative and positive electrode (n/p ratio) is a crucial necessity for the successful design of lithium-ion batteries. In this work, three different silicon based anode systems, namely carbon coated silicon nanowires, columnar silicon thin films and silicon-carbon void structures are compared in LIB full cells containing NMC111 cathodes. By varying the areal capacity of the NMC111 cathode, the influence of the balancing was investigated over a broad n/p range of 0.8−3.2. The aim was to find an ideal compromise between lithium plating suppression, high cycling stability and maximized energy density. To underline the high volumetric energy density, the columnar silicon thin films are additionally analyzed in multilayered pouch cells with NMC622 and NMC811 cathodes resulting in 605 Wh L−1 and 135 Wh kg−1 and even 806 Wh L−1 and 183 Wh kg−1 as demonstrated on stack level.