bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Atomistic Observation of the Local Phase Transition in MoTe2 for Application in Homojunction Photodetectors
Authors: Wang Yalan , Zhang Miao , Xue Zhongying , Chen Xinqian , Mei Yongfeng , Chu Paul K. , Tian Ziao , Wu Xing , Di Zengfeng
Published: April 2022

Direct atomic‐scale observation of the local phase transition in transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) is critically required to carry out in‐depth studies of their atomic structures and electronic features. However, the structural aspects including crystal symmetries tend to be unclear and unintuitive in real‐time monitoring of the phase transition process. Herein, by using in situ transmission electron microscopy, information about the phase transition mechanism of MoTe2 from hexagonal structure (2H phase) to monoclinic structure (1T′ phase) driven by sublimation of Te atoms after a spike annealing is obtained directly. Furthermore, with the control of Te atom sublimation by modulating the hexagonal boron nitride (h‐BN) coverage in the desired area, the lateral 1T′‐enriched MoTe2/2H MoTe2 homojunction can be one‐step constructed via an annealing treatment. Owing to the gradient bandgap provided by 1T′‐enriched MoTe2 and 2H MoTe2, the photodetector composed of the 1T′‐enriched MoTe2/2H MoTe2 homojunction shows fast photoresponse and ten times larger photocurrents than that consisting of a pure 2H MoTe2 channel. The study reveals a route to improve the performance of optoelectronic and electronic devices based on TMDCs with both semiconducting and semimetallic phases.
Mechanical performances of high‐strength concrete‐filled steel tubular medium–long columns with square cross section
Authors: Chen Jun , Liu Zhe , Xiang Ping , Zhang Xuebing , Yang Caiqian , Ding Faxing , Xu Fu , Peng Yue
Published: April 2022

In order to investigate the influence of concrete strength, slenderness ratio, and eccentricity on the ultimate bearing capacity, initial stiffness, and other mechanical properties of square high‐strength steel tubular medium–long column, a total of 11 square column specimens were designed and made. The compression tests were carried out, and the load–longitudinal deformation curve, load–deflection curve, longitudinal strain distribution curve of mid‐span section, and several failure modes of the composite column were obtained. Numerical simulations were conducted, and the results are in good agreement with the experimental results. It is found that the concrete strength has little effect on the initial stiffness of the square high‐strength concrete‐filled steel tubular medium–long column, and the ultimate bearing capacity and initial stiffness decrease with the increase of slenderness ratio and eccentricity, and the eccentricity has a particularly significant influence on the bearing capacity.
Assessment of Mitochondrial Trafficking as a Surrogate for Fast Axonal Transport in Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell–Derived Spinal Motor Neurons
Authors: Mehta Arpan R. , Chandran Siddharthan , Selvaraj Bhuvaneish T.
Published: April 2022

Axonal transport is essential for the development, function, and survival of the nervous system. In an energy-demanding process, motor proteins act in concert with microtubules to deliver cargoes, such as organelles, from one end of the axon to the other. Perturbations in axonal transport are a prominent phenotype of many neurodegenerative diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Here, we describe a simple method to fluorescently label mitochondrial cargo, a surrogate for fast axonal transport, in human induced pluripotent stem cell–derived motor neurons. This method enables the sparse labeling of axons to track directionality of movement and can be adapted to assess not only the cell autonomous effects of a genetic mutation on axonal transport but also the cell non-autonomous effects, through the use of conditioned medium and/or co-culture systems.
From Bath to Cambridge: The Early Life and Education of Robert Leslie Ellis
Authors: Stray Christopher
Published: April 2022

Robert Leslie Ellis was born in Bath on 25 August 1817. His father, Francis Ellis (1772–1842), had held a position in the Admiralty, but resigned when he became the principal heir of his uncle Henry Ellis, formerly Governor of Nova Scotia, who on his death in 1806 left him £10,000 and extensive landholdings in Ireland and elsewhere. Francis and his wife Mary, née Kilbee (1777–1847), had six children, of whom Robert, born in 1817, was the youngest. The family lived in a succession of large houses in Bath, where Francis Ellis, a well-known local figure, was one of the founders of the Bath Literary and Scientific Institution, founded in 1823. The Institution had a well-stocked library which took in both British and continental books and periodicals, and the teenaged Ellis frequented it regularly, reading avidly and conversing with the adult members, who included scholars and scientists of some distinction. His father involved himself in Ellis’s education and was himself a well-educated and inquiring man; his uncle had described him as ‘really a very deserving young man of uncommon abilities and possessed of more scientific and other knowledge than [one] could expect at his years.’ In an account of the Bath literati published in 1854, Francis Ellis was included in a list of ‘men with intelligent and well-informed minds’, and a later supplement stated that ‘Francis Ellis had an enlarged mind, was a good classic, a superior mathematician, and a generally well-informed man’. Ellis’s library contained several hundred books in 1841, when an inventory was taken.
Robert Leslie Ellis as Editor and Contributor to Mathematical Journals
Authors: Crilly Tony
Published: April 2022

Robert Leslie Ellis (1817–1859) was a true mathematician. He became a Renaissance man in the style of many Victorians, but the bedrock of his intellectual vitality was mathematics. This, coupled with the breadth of his reading, an extensive general knowledge, and a willingness to examine serious historical and philosophical issues made him an ideal candidate for editorial duties in the 1840s.
Defining Public Health Ethics for Practitioners
Authors: Ortmann Leonard W.
Published: April 2022

This chapter stresses the collective nature of public health, defines public health ethics, and relates the latter to narrative ethics. The chapter offers four ways to define public health ethics; namely, through its problems, practice, procedure, and principles. Every area of Public Health Service poses ethics problems that involves either training issues, compliance with ethical rules and standards, or a utilitarian weighing of courses of action. The practice of public health ethics not only analyzes and addresses emergent ethical problems but also integrates ethics upstream into the design of public health programs. A public health ethics procedure provides a systematic framework for analyzing ethical problems, for designing and evaluating interventions, and for justifying one’s decisions. The chapter explores the core principles found in the American Public Health Association’s 2019 Public Health Code of Ethics. This Code reflects public health’s emphasis on health equity, inclusiveness, and engagement with marginalized communities. Accordingly, the subsequent discussion calls attention to an approach that advocates empathic listening to community members, namely, Human-centered design. The chapter closes by suggesting that narrative ethics can improve the capacity of practitioners to empathically hear the voices and stories of community members and thereby improve public health practice.
Harm Reduction: Tipping the Balance Toward Treatment and Recovery
Authors: Sandul Amy L. , Moore Veda B.
Published: April 2022

Opioid use has risen dramatically over the past 40 years. In response, federal programs and policies aimed at decreasing supply of prescription opioids have stabilized excessive prescribing. Unintended consequences of limiting the quantity of prescription opioids in the population has resulted in increased use of illicit drugs and opened a pathway of transition from misuse of pills to injection of heroin and use of potent formulations of cheap, synthetic opioids such as fentanyl. Harm reduction interventions function at the community level to provide health benefits and avoidance of harm to persons engaging in illicit and injection drug use. The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2016 gives states, local, tribal, and territorial health departments the opportunity to use federal money to support a comprehensive set of harm reduction services. Critics of harm reduction strategies argue that formalizing and legalizing certain activities creates the perception that communities and local authorities are sanctioning or encouraging illicit/illegal drug use. Syringe services programs that provide clean needles and syringes so people who inject drugs are not forced to share or reuse injection equipment, are often at the heart of such controversy. This story addresses tensions that exist in communities grappling with harm reduction approaches to opioid and injection drug use.
A Novel Approach to Public Health Crises Using Narrative Ethics
Authors: Zinner Susan E.
Published: April 2022

This chapter examines several public health issues using the novels The Stand by Stephen King and The Andromeda Strain by Michael Crichton. These two narratives both explore fictional U.S. events, one contained and one out of control, where microorganisms place either a community (The Andromeda Strain) or the entire country (The Stand) at risk. Both novels illustrate the significance of the roles of transparency of public health officials and distribution of accurate information to the public to minimize panic. Similarly, they also address the importance of collaboration of officials at many levels to protect individual, community and national health. When effective, these two efforts establish trust and reduce the spread of epidemics and pandemics worldwide. However, obstacles are many. They include difficult individual personalities which can hamper effective working relationships and the bureaucratic administrative structure of the U.S. public health system.
Empowering Communities That Experience Marginalization Through Narrative
Authors: Lathrop Breanna , Kasambira-Emerson Marcia Mercy R. , Squires Veronica , Santibañez Scott
Published: April 2022

Resolving to share one’s narrative may empower a person to own and appreciate their personal experiences and encourage fellow marginalized community members to become empowered by owning their own narratives. Respecting people, hearing their stories, and inviting them to share their stories with people with similar lived experiences can become both a reflector of, and contributor to, community empowerment. In this paper, we present a narrative from a woman experiencing major depressive disorder and Type 2 Diabetes. Her personal reflection describes how she came to understand her lived experience and the ways in which social factors impacted her health, and how this understanding contributed to her ongoing healing process. Her work as a Certified Peer Specialist illustrates the ability of her narrative to empower other marginalized community members and inform health interventions. Rather than imposing solutions without community engagement, public health interventions should resonate with the values and voices of community members and stakeholders. When both speaker empowerment and listening are taken into account, public health can avoid harm, maximize positive outcomes, and treat storytellers fairly, as autonomous partners in their own health and the health of their community.
Treatment of Leakage Disease of a Deep Foundation Pit
Authors: Liu Hui , Zhang Xinjie
Published: April 2022

Due to the influence of groundwater runoff, the local water stop curtain of a deep foundation pit of a project failed, resulting in leakage of the foundation pit, which seriously threatens the safety of the foundation pit and surrounding buildings. After several rounds of site survey and demonstration, measures were adopted to “treat the leakage utilizing external sealing and internal blocking, a combination of dredging and blocking, and local strengthening”, and an emergency rescue team was established to promptly eliminate potential safety hazards.
Research on Construction Process of Steel Beam Incremental Launching Based on Finite Element Method
Authors: Xiao Yancai , Fu Kun , Li Zhuang , Zeng Zhiping , Bai Jian , Huang Zhibin , Huang Xudong , Yuan Yu
Published: April 2022

In order to ensure the normal operation of the traffic under the bridge, reasonable calculation methods and construction techniques should be adopted for the construction of the newly added railway station. This paper establishes a structural calculation finite element model to calculate and analyze the various construction stages of the steel beam incremental launching construction of the newly-added Gaoping station on the Yichuang-Wanzhou Railway, and systematically study the mechanical properties of the steel beam in the process. The results show that: (1) The deflection of each rod can meet the requirements of the railway bridge steel structure construction specification. However, when the length of the front cantilever of the steel beam reaches 11.4 m, the maximum deflection of the upper and lower chord bars is close to the limit. (2) The load-bearing capacity of each member of the steel beam meets the requirements, which indicates that the structural design of the steel beam and the incremental launching construction plan are reasonable. (3) In view of the complexity and uncertainty of the incremental launching construction process, real-time monitoring of the construction process is required, and the beam should be dropped in time when abnormal conditions occur to ensure the safe operation of the existing line.
Preparation and Impact Resistance of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Metal Laminates Modified by Carbon Nanotubes
Authors: Jia Zehui , Xu Lingwei , Huang Shuangkai , Xu Haoran , Zhang Zhimo , Cui Xu
Published: April 2022

Fiber reinforced metal laminates (FMLs) are a kind of interlaminar hybrid composites made of metal sheets and fibers alternately stacked and cured at a certain pressure and temperature. In this paper, through the simulation of ABAQUS finite element software and recording the change of projectile velocity, the energy loss of projectile is calculated and the impact resistance is judged. Through the comparison of three groups of simulation experimental results, the energy absorbed by carbon fiber reinforced metal laminate is about 300 times that of aluminum alloy plate, which fully shows that carbon fiber reinforced metal composite has excellent impact resistance compared with aluminum alloy. After adding 1 wt% carbon nanotubes to carbon fiber reinforced metal laminates, the absorbed energy is about 10 times that of the original, which shows that carbon nanotubes improve the ultimate yield stress of resin and materials in epoxy resin and enhance the weakness that the composites are easy to delamination under impact load.
Temperature Distribution and Transmission in Multilayer Porous Asphalt Courses
Authors: Chen Hongqing , Jiang Chunfa , Su Yunfei , Wang Xiaowei
Published: April 2022

The objective of this paper was to investigate the temperature distribution and the law of temperature transmission in multilayer porous asphalt courses. Three types of multilayer porous asphalt courses are designed as the same thickness of actual pavements. In order to achieve this objective, experiments were conducted in an oven with different temperature, and samples were enwrapped with an efficient insulation material except the surface. The final temperature in samples is lower by 5~10 °C than ambient temperature and reduced gradually from top to bottom. The ability of heat transmission is related to the mixture’s air void and ambient temperature. The temperature transmission rate in porous asphalt mixture is lower than traditional dense graded asphalt mixture. At last, temperature transmission formulas of porous asphalt mixture are given.
Research on Support Damage of Highway Bridge Based on Midas
Authors: Fang Miaomiao , Wang Yuqi , Liu Jiaxin , Sun Fan
Published: April 2022

During the operation of highway bridges, the bearing stiffness will decrease with the service life, and the mechanical properties will also change. In order to study the influence of stiffness damage on bearing. In this paper, a continuous beam bridge is selected for finite element model analysis, and the effects of stiffness damage on bearing force and bearing offset under the conditions of concrete shrinkage and creep and 30 °C temperature difference are comprehensively considered. The results show that the bearing stiffness damage has little influence on the vertical displacement, horizontal displacement and bearing capacity of the bearing, but has a great influence on the vertical compression deformation and durability of the bearing.
Compressive Strength Performance of Additives for Cement-Based Grouting Material with Low Water-Binder Ratio by Response Surface Methodology
Authors: Guo Jiaxu , Hu Shaowei , Zhao Xuan , Tao Xiu , Nie Ying
Published: April 2022

In order to research the influence and the function mechanism of calcium formate and defoaming agent on the compressive strength of cement-based grouting material with low water-binder ratio at different ages, quadratic polynomial regression models were established by RSM, and the mix proportion was optimized. The function mechanism of additives was analysed by macroscopic mechanical properties and microstructure. The results indicated that the response surface method is scientific in optimizing the mix proportion of cement-based grouting material. The optimal mix proportion was obtained as fallow: the calcium formate was 0.64%, the water-binder ratio was 0.21 and the defoaming agent was 0.26%, with taking 1d, 3d, 28d compressive strength as the optimization objective. Calcium formate is highly significant for the early compressive strength of cement-based grouting materials with low water-binder ratio, while the water-binder ratio and defoaming agent are highly significant for that of the middle and late period. Calcium formate promotes the formation of CSH gel and $$\mathrm{Ca}{\left(\mathrm{OH}\right)}_{2}$$

Ca

OH

2

crystallization in the early period, and the defoaming agent can effectively reduce macropores. The results can provide an optimization method for the mix proportion design of cement-based grouting material and a theoretical reference for its mechanical properties.
Study on Optimization of Row Spacing Between Steel Arches in Deep Buried Fault Cave Sections
Authors: Zhang G. Y. , Xiao Y. X. , Zhang J. H. , Luo J. Y.
Published: April 2022

As a widely used support form in tunnel support, the support effect of steel arch is influenced by the row distance between steel arches. In F8 fault fracture zone of the North Main Canal of Letan Reservoir in Guangxi, the support system of “steel arch + shotcrete” in this faulted cavern section was equalized with elastic modulus and yield stress by using theoretical analysis and numerical simulation, and the characteristic curves of rock support of deeply buried circular cavern under modified axisymmetric loading were obtained. The sensitivity analysis and optimization study of the spacing between steel arches were conducted by using FLAC3D. The results show that with the increase of steel arch spacing, the cavity wall displacement increases, the support reaction force decreases nonlinearly, and the radial displacement and plastic zone around the cavity continue to increase. When the distance between steel arches >600 mm, the deformation of cavern perimeter changes abruptly and the plastic zone increases significantly. Based on comprehensive analysis, the optimization suggestions of steel arch are proposed.
Effect of Grouting Defect Sleeve on Seismic Performance of Concrete Column
Authors: Wang Changjun , Zhao Zhijian , Xu Xiaonan , Pang Sen , Zhu Hongguang
Published: April 2022

The development of assembly construction technology has become an inevitable way for the transformation and upgrading of China’s construction industry. However, in the development process, the grouting sleeve connection quality problem is the most prominent. In this paper, ABAQUS model is used to establish a concrete column model with grouting defects, and the influence of grouting defects on the seismic performance of concrete columns is explored: Under the condition of the same defect location and quantity, the larger the defect size, the lower the bearing capacity, the worse the ductility, the weaker the energy dissipation capacity; In the case that the number and size of defects are the same, the positive and negative directions of the hysteresis curve are symmetric when the defects are located in the direction of stress, and the energy dissipation capacity is higher than that when all the defects are located on one side of the column section.
Preliminary Regression Study on Air Quality Inside a Road Tunnel: A Case Study in Vietnam
Authors: Tran Thu-Hang
Published: April 2022

Normal air quality that ensures the visibility and brings no harmful impact to the health of the vehicle drivers is essential for all road tunnels. It is affected by various issues. In this paper, the air quality – meteorology – traffic volume correlations were quested in the case study of an opened road tunnel on Vietnam National Highway 1A. The linear regression modelling technics using the least squares method with 95% of confidence was executed. Four representative models of the total suspended particles and airborne lead concentration against the meteorological parameters (temperature, relative humidity, wind velocity) and the vehicle flow density inside tunnel were proposed. The correlations with the volatile organic compounds were also studied but no representative model was proposed. Further studies on a richer source of data were suggested. The study confirmed the role of the in-tunnel vehicle volume and the meteorology on the tunnel’s air quality.
Besonderheiten der Risiko- und Krisenkommunikation im Strahlenschutz und radiologischen Notfallschutz
Authors: Pölzl-Viol Christiane
Published: April 2022

Die Gestaltung einer guten Risiko- und Krisenkommunikation im Strahlenschutz ist stets in Bezug zum gesellschaftlichen Umgang mit den verschiedenen Strahlenthemen zu sehen, zu denen die Kommunikation stattfindet. Risiko- und Krisenkommunikation werden dabei meist als unterschiedliche Kommunikationsdisziplinen betrachtet. Der Artikel gibt einen Einblick in die Komplexität der Kommunikation im Strahlenschutz in unterschiedlichen Kontexten. Er beschreibt die Einsatzmöglichkeiten der jeweiligen Kommunikationsform und die Zusammenhänge zwischen diesen Kommunikationsformen.
Entlassbarkeit versus Entlassung – Ergebnisse der PROMISE-Studie
Authors: Betz Ulrich , Clarius Michael , Krieger Manfred , Langanki Laura , Büttner Matthias , Fencel Sabine , Eckhard Lukas , Klonschinski Thomas , Drees Philipp
Published: April 2022

Hintergrund

Für Deutschland werden im Rahmen optimierter Behandlungsprozesse rund um die Implantation einer Knie- oder Hüftendoprothese stationäre Aufenthaltszeiten angegeben, die die international publizierten Zeiten deutlich übertreffen. Die vorliegende Analyse von Daten der PROMISE-Studie beschäftigt sich in diesem Zusammenhang mit dem Verhältnis von Entlassbarkeit und Entlassung.

Methode

In drei Krankenhäusern unterschiedlicher Versorgungsstufen wurde ein gemeinsam entwickelter, optimierter Versorgungsstandard etabliert und für eine weitgehend unselektionierte Patientenkohorte umgesetzt. Unter anderem wurden Daten zum Erreichen der Entlasskriterien (EK) und der tatsächlichen Entlassung erhoben. Univariate Vergleiche wurden durch Chi-Quadrat-Tests oder Mann-Whitney-U-Tests durchgeführt.

Ergebnisse

Insgesamt konnten 1782 Patienten eingeschlossen werden, von denen 85,3 % nach im Mittel (MW) 2,4 Tagen (Median 2) postoperativ alle zuvor definierten EK erreicht haben. Die Entlassung für diese Gruppe erfolgte nach 5,4 (MW) Tagen (Median 5). Die restlichen Probanden (14,7 %) hatten bei Entlassung nach 6,5 (MW) Tagen (Median 6) mindestens ein EK nicht erreicht. Für verschiedene Subgruppen konnten signifikante Unterschiede festgestellt werden.

Fazit

Die sogenannten EK werden als relative Kriterien eingesetzt. Das Erreichen führt im Allgemeinen nicht zu einer zeitnahen Entlassung der Patienten aus dem Krankenhaus. Wäre dies der Fall, wären auch in Deutschland international übliche Aufenthaltszeiten Realität. Was die Entlassung tatsächlich bestimmt, bleibt offen. Eine Vielzahl von medizinischen, organisatorischen, strukturellen und finanziellen Einflussfaktoren könnten bedeutend sein.
Bile acids and their receptors: modulators and therapeutic targets in liver inflammation
Authors: Bertolini Anna , Fiorotto Romina , Strazzabosco Mario
Published: April 2022

Bile acids participate in the intestinal emulsion, digestion, and absorption of lipids and fat-soluble vitamins. When present in high concentrations, as in cholestatic liver diseases, bile acids can damage cells and cause inflammation. After the discovery of bile acids receptors about two decades ago, bile acids are considered signaling molecules. Besides regulating bile acid, xenobiotic, and nutrient metabolism, bile acids and their receptors have shown immunomodulatory properties and have been proposed as therapeutic targets for inflammatory diseases of the liver. This review focuses on bile acid–related signaling pathways that affect inflammation in the liver and provides an overview of the preclinical and clinical applications of modulators of these pathways for the treatment of cholestatic and autoimmune liver diseases.
Reusable respirators as personal protective equipment in clinical practice
Authors: Maleczek Mathias , Toemboel Frédéric , Van Erp Maximiliaan , Thalhammer Florian , Rössler Bernhard
Published: April 2022

Background

The novel strain of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 is highly contagious; therefore, special emphasis must be given to personal protective equipment for healthcare workers. Reusable elastomeric respirators were previously used in intensive care units (ICU). These respirators include full or half masks and devices modified to accommodate a filter. Although the general comfort of masks used in the ICU has been studied, data comparing multiple types of masks during a pandemic are missing.

Methods

A prospective randomized trial was conducted in an ICU. After standardized training, participants were randomized to use one of three mask types (full, half or snorkelling mask), each fitted with a filter equivalent to a class 3 particle-filtering half mask (FFP3) during one shift. The main outcomes were characteristics of using the mask itself (donning/doffing, quality of seal, cleaning), working conditions with the mask (vision, comfort, perceived safety, communication) and a subjective comparison to single-use FFP2/3 masks.

Results

A total of 30 participants were included in the trial, randomized to 10 participants per group. The masks were worn 6.4 (4.5) times (mean SD) for a total duration of 132 (66) min per shift. The tested masks were rated 7 (2.6) (mean SD) in comparison to FFP2/3 on a Likert scale (0: worst, 10: best). Significant differences between the masks were found in respect to comfort (7/4/8), donning (8/7/9), overall rating (8/5/8) and comparison to single-use FFP2/3 masks (9/7/9; full-, half, snorkelling mask).

Conclusion

Using reusable elastomeric masks is feasible in clinical practice. Full face masks were significantly better in terms of comfort, donning, overall rating and in comparison to single-use FFP2/3 masks.
Financial risk allocation and provider incentives in hospital–insurer contracts in The Netherlands
Authors: Gajadien Chandeni S. , Dohmen Peter J. G. , Eijkenaar Frank , Schut Frederik T. , van Raaij Erik M. , Heijink Richard
Published: April 2022

In healthcare systems with a purchaser–provider split, contracts are an important tool to define the conditions for the provision of healthcare services. Financial risk allocation can be used in contracts as a mechanism to influence provider behavior and stimulate providers to provide efficient and high-quality care. In this paper, we provide new insights into financial risk allocation between insurers and hospitals in a changing contracting environment. We used unique nationwide data from 901 hospital–insurer contracts in The Netherlands over the years 2013, 2016, and 2018. Based on descriptive and regression analyses, we find that hospitals were exposed to more financial risk over time, although this increase was somewhat counteracted by an increasing use of risk-mitigating measures between 2016 and 2018. It is likely that this trend was heavily influenced by national cost control agreements. In addition, alternative payment models to incentivize value-based health care were rarely used and thus seemingly of lower priority, despite national policies being explicitly directed at this goal. Finally, our analysis shows that hospital and insurer market power were both negatively associated with financial risk for hospitals. This effect becomes stronger if both hospital and insurer have strong market power, which in this case may indicate a greater need to reduce (financial) uncertainties and to create more cooperative relationships.
Comparing the psychometric properties of the EQ-5D-3L and EQ-5D-5L descriptive systems and utilities in atopic dermatitis
Authors: Koszorú Kamilla , Hajdu Krisztina , Brodszky Valentin , Bató Alex , Gergely L. Hunor , Kovács Anikó , Beretzky Zsuzsanna , Sárdy Miklós , Szegedi Andrea , Rencz Fanni
Published: April 2022

Background

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common chronic inflammatory skin disorder affecting up to 10% of adults. The EQ-5D is the most commonly used generic preference-accompanied measure to generate quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) for economic evaluations.

Objectives

We aimed to compare psychometric properties of the three-level and five-level EQ-5D (EQ-5D-3L and EQ-5D-5L) in adult patients with AD.

Methods

In a multicentre cross-sectional study, 218 AD patients with a broad range of severity completed the EQ-5D-3L, EQ-5D-5L, Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and Skindex-16. Disease severity outcomes included the Investigator Global Assessment, Eczema Area and Severity Index and the objective SCORing Atopic Dermatitis.

Results

A good agreement was established between the two EQ-5D versions with an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.815 (95% CI 0.758–0.859, p < 0.001). Overall, 33 different health state profiles occurred in the EQ-5D-3L and 84 in the EQ-5D-5L. Compared to the EQ-5D-3L, ceiling effect was reduced for the mobility, self-care, usual activities and pain/discomfort dimensions by 4.6–11.5%. EQ-5D-5L showed higher average relative informativity (Shannon’s evenness index: 0.64 vs. 0.59). EQ-5D-5L demonstrated better convergent validity with EQ VAS, DLQI and Skindex-16. The two measures were similar in distinguishing between groups of patients based on disease severity and skin-specific quality of life with a moderate or large effect size (η2 = 0.083–0.489).

Conclusion

Both instruments exhibited good psychometric properties in AD; however, the EQ-5D-5L was superior in terms of ceiling effects, informativity and convergent validity. We recommend the use of the EQ-5D-5L to measure health outcomes in clinical settings and for QALY calculations in AD.
Directional Ordering of Self-Concept, School Grades, and Standardized Tests Over Five Years: New Tripartite Models Juxtaposing Within- and Between-Person Perspectives
Authors: Marsh Herbert W. , Pekrun Reinhard , Lüdtke Oliver
Published: April 2022

Much research shows academic self-concept and achievement are reciprocally related over time, based on traditional longitudinal data cross-lag-panel models (CLPM) supporting a reciprocal effects model (REM). However, recent research has challenged CLPM's appropriateness, arguing that CLPMs with random intercepts (RI-CLPMs) provide a more robust (within-person) perspective and better control for unmeasured covariates. However, there is much confusion in educational-psychology research concerning appropriate research questions and interpretations of RI-CLPMs and CLPMs. To clarify this confusion, we juxtapose CLPMs and RI-CLPMs relating math self-concept (MSCs), school grades, and achievement tests over the five years of compulsory secondary schooling (N = 3,425). We extend basic models to evaluate: directional ordering among three rather than only two constructs; longitudinal invariance over time (multiple school years) and multiple groups (school tracks); lag-2 paths between non-adjacent waves; and covariates (gender, primary-school math and verbal achievement). Across all basic and extended RI-CLPMs and CLPMs, there was consistent support for the REM bidirectional-ordering hypothesis that self-concept and achievement are each a cause and an effect of the other. Consistent with the logic of these models, extensions of the basic models had more effect on CLPMs, but the direction and statistical significance of cross-lagged paths were largely unaffected for both RI-CLPMs and CLPMs. This substantive-methodological synergy has important implications for theory, methodology, and policy/practice; we support the importance of MSC as a predictor of subsequent achievement and demonstrate a more robust methodological framework for evaluating longitudinal-panel models.
The flexibility of home away pattern sets
Authors: Lambers Roel , Goossens Dries , Spieksma Frits C. R.
Published: April 2022

A popular approach to construct a schedule for a round-robin tournament is known as first-break, then-schedule. Thus, when given a home away pattern (HAP) for each team, which specifies for each round whether the team plays a home game or an away game, the remaining challenge is to find a round for each match that is compatible with both team’s patterns. When using such an approach, it matters how many rounds are available for each match: the more rounds are available for a match, the more options exist to accommodate particular constraints. We investigate the notion of flexibility of a set of HAPs and introduce a number of measures assessing this flexibility. We show how the so-called canonical pattern set (CPS) behaves on these measures, and, by solving integer programs, we give explicit values for all single-break HAP sets with at most 16 teams.
Simulating the Misting of Lubricant in the Piston Assembly of an Automotive Gasoline Engine: The Effect of Viscosity Modifiers and Other Key Lubricant Components
Authors: Dyson Christopher J. , Priest Martin , Lee Peter M.
Published: April 2022

The presence of lubricant droplets in the gas that flows through the piston assembly and crankcase of an internal combustion engine (generically termed oil misting) has important implications for performance, particularly lubricant supply to the upper piston assembly, oil consumption and lubricant degradation. A significant source of these droplets is thought to be oil shearing and blow-through by blow-by gas flows in the piston assembly. An experimental rig was developed to simulate the high velocity gas and lubricant film interactions at a top piston ring gap where the flow conditions are most severe. Flows of lubricant droplets were produced and characterised in terms of the proportion of the oil flow that formed droplets in the gas flow and the size distribution of the droplets produced. Considering various aspects of a commercial automotive crankcase formulation, the effect of lubricant viscosity was found to be particularly important. Of the lubricant additives evaluated, viscosity modifiers were found to have the greatest effect on the tendency to form droplets: Detailed study on a range of viscosity modifiers identified that the influence of their molecular architectures on viscoelasticity was the key mechanism.
Statistical Comparison of Processing Different Powder Feedstock in an HVOF Thermal Spray Process
Authors: Tillmann Wolfgang , Kuhnt Sonja , Baumann Ingor Theodor , Kalka Arkadius , Becker-Emden Eva-Christina , Brinkhoff Alexander
Published: April 2022

Cermet coatings such as WC-Co and Cr3C2-NiCr are frequently applied by means of thermal spray processes to protect highly stressed surfaces against wear. The investigation of the respective spray materials and their coating properties and in-flight particle properties are often carried out in separate experiments. In this study, the coating characteristics (hardness, deposition rate, porosity, thickness) and in-flight particle properties (particle velocity and temperature) of three different WC-based powders and a Cr3C2-NiCr powder processed by means of an HVOF process are investigated as a function of some key process parameters such as kerosene flow rate, lambda, spray distance and feeder disc velocity. These parameters were varied within a design of experiments, whilst all other parameters were fixed. Both the design of experiments plan and the settings of the fixed parameters were defined identically. The in-flight particle properties and coating characteristics are statistically modeled as a function of the process parameters and their influences are compared. A well-selected, limited number of experimental runs using statistical design of experiment (DoE) enable this comparison. The deployed statistical models are generalized linear models with Gamma-distributed responses. The models show that particle velocity and particle temperature mainly depend on kerosene flow rate and spray distance. However, in the case of particle temperature, the model coefficients for Cr3C2-NiCr and WC powders have different signs, reflecting different qualitative behavior.
Impact of Seizures and Status Epilepticus on Outcome in Patients with Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
Authors: Bögli Stefan Yu , Wang Sophie , Romaguera Natalia , Schütz Valerie , Rafi Omar , Gilone Marco , Keller Emanuela , Imbach Lukas L. , Brandi Giovanna
Published: April 2022

Background

We aimed to evaluate the association between seizures as divided by timing and type (seizures or status epilepticus) and outcome in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH).

Methods

All consecutive patients with aSAH admitted to the neurocritical care unit of the University Hospital Zurich between 2016 and 2020 were included. Seizure type and frequency were extracted from electronic patient files.

Results

Out of 245 patients, 76 experienced acute symptomatic seizures, with 39 experiencing seizures at onset, 18 experiencing acute seizures, and 19 experiencing acute nonconvulsive status epilepticus (NCSE). Multivariate analysis revealed that acute symptomatic NCSE was an independent predictor of unfavorable outcome (odds ratio 14.20, 95% confidence interval 1.74–116.17, p = 0.013) after correction for age, Hunt-Hess grade, Fisher grade, and delayed cerebral ischemia. Subgroup analysis showed a significant association of all seizures/NCSE with higher Fisher grade (p < 0.001 for acute symptomatic seizures/NCSE, p = 0.031 for remote symptomatic seizures). However, although acute seizures/NCSE (p = 0.750 and 0.060 for acute seizures/NCSE respectively) were not associated with unfavorable outcome in patients with a high Hunt-Hess grade, they were significantly associated with unfavorable outcome in patients with a low Hunt-Hess grade (p = 0.019 and p < 0.001 for acute seizures/NCSE, respectively).

Conclusions

Acute symptomatic NCSE independently predicts unfavorable outcome after aSAH. Seizures and NCSE are associated with unfavorable outcome, particularly in patients with a low Hunt-Hess grade. We propose that NCSE and the ictal or postictal reduction of Glasgow Coma Scale may hamper close clinical evaluation for signs of delayed cerebral ischemia, and thus possibly leading to delayed diagnosis and therapy thereof in patients with a low Hunt-Hess grade.
Gypsum, mirabilite, and thenardite efflorescences of tuff stone in the underground environment
Authors: Germinario Luigi , Oguchi Chiaki T.
Published: April 2022

This study deals with stone deterioration in underground cultural heritage and geoheritage, correlating the origin, compositional features, and space–time changes of salt weathering with the rock properties (petrography and geochemistry) and environmental setting (microclimate and chemistry of rainwater and groundwater). The material of study is Oya-ishi, one of the best-known building stones of Japan; it is a porous and soft acid tuff with a long tradition of use in historical and modern architecture. A number of underground sites of cultural or commercial significance was investigated in central Japan, where Oya stone appears extensively affected by efflorescence growth. The efflorescences are composed of mixed sulfates, including gypsum, mirabilite, and thenardite, whose development depends on the stone–environment interaction. The underground environment is extremely humid and water is the main driving force of salt weathering, having a twofold function. First, it conveys the alteration of the rock components, in particular pyrite, glass (pumice, fiamme, and shards), zeolites (clinoptilolite), clay minerals (smectites), and feldspars, which release SO42−, Na+, and Ca2+ ions. Second, water controls the salt stability and cycles of crystallization/deliquescence and hydration/dehydration, depending on the site depth and seasonal microclimate fluctuations; in this regard, knowing the specific thermodynamic behavior of the phases involved can help predicting where and when salt weathering and the resulting stone damage are most severe.
Fabrication of high-stability Ni-PSF@PAO40 microcapsules and their lubricating properties in polyamide 6
Authors: Zhang Wenli , Qi Xiaowen , Yang Xiao , Dong Yu , Fan Bingli , Liang Lei
Published: April 2022

Novel Ni-PSF@PAO40 microcapsules (NPPMS) with high stability were prepared by using a combined processing method of electroless nickel plating and solvent volatilization. The results indicate that Ni is completely assembled on the surfaces of PSF/PAO40 microcapsules with the encapsulation capacity of NPPMS achieved at 50%. Organic solvents immersion shows that NPPMS have an excellent chemical stability. Macro thermal stability tests reveal that the softening temperature of NPPMS is increased up to over 400 °C while it becomes lower than 200 °C for PSF/PAO40 microcapsules. Furthermore, NPPMS were embedded into polyamide 6 (PA6) to prepare PA6/NPPMS composites. The cross-sectional morphology shows that NPPMS are intact in PA6 matrices. The microhardness of PA6 is effectively improved with the incorporation of NPPMS. As compared with neat PA6, the coefficient of friction (COF) for PA6/NPPMS composites with 10% NPPMS could be reduced by 87.7% (from 0.49 to 0.06) and the wear rate could be decreased by 96.8% (from 1.29×10−5 to 4.15×10−7 mm3/(N·m)). Further studies confirmed that increasing test loads and test temperatures was beneficial to improve the lubrication performance of NPPMS despite the opposite trend occurred when increasing the sliding speeds. It has been demonstrated that synergistic effects between PAO40 and Ni layer play an important role in improving the tribological properties of PA6. Therefore, NPPMS significantly improve the ability of microcapsules to resist a harsh environment, which has important scientific significance for expanding the use of microcapsules more practically in self-lubricating composites.
Ionic liquids on uncharged and charged surfaces: In situ microstructures and nanofriction
Authors: An Rong , Wei Yudi , Qiu Xiuhua , Dai Zhongyang , Wu Muqiu , Gnecco Enrico , Shah Faiz Ullah , Zhang Wenling
Published: April 2022

In situ changes in the nanofriction and microstructures of ionic liquids (ILs) on uncharged and charged surfaces have been investigated using colloid probe atomic force microscopy (AFM) and molecular dynamic (MD) simulations. Two representative ILs, [BMIM][BF4] (BB) and [BMIM][PF6] (BP), containing a common cation, were selected for this study. The torsional resonance frequency was captured simultaneously when the nanoscale friction force was measured at a specified normal load; and it was regarded as a measure of the contact stiffness, reflecting in situ changes in the IL microstructures. A higher nanoscale friction force was observed on uncharged mica and highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) surfaces when the normal load increased; additionally, a higher torsional resonance frequency was detected, revealing a higher contact stiffness and a more ordered IL layer. The nanofriction of ILs increased at charged HOPG surfaces as the bias voltage varied from 0 to 8 V or from 0 to —8 V. The simultaneously recorded torsional resonance frequency in the ILs increased with the positive or negative bias voltage, implying a stiffer IL layer and possibly more ordered ILs under these conditions. MD simulation reveals that the [BMIM]+ imidazolium ring lies parallel to the uncharged surfaces preferentially, resulting in a compact and ordered IL layer. This parallel “sleeping” structure is more pronounced with the surface charging of either sign, indicating more ordered ILs, thereby substantiating the AFM-detected stiffer IL layering on the charged surfaces. Our in situ observations of the changes in nanofriction and microstructures near the uncharged and charged surfaces may facilitate the development of IL-based applications, such as lubrication and electrochemical energy storage devices, including supercapacitors and batteries.
Hierarchical self-assembled structure and frictional response of phthalocyanine molecules
Authors: Qiao Yijun , Song Jian , Shi Hongyu , Wang Hongdong , Wen Shizhu , Liu Yuhong
Published: April 2022

Solid evidence is needed to demonstrate the effect of molecular orientation and structure on the frictional property of boundary lubricants. In this work, the frictional properties of phthalocyanine self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) with face-on (aromatic cores parallel to the substrate) and edge-on (aromatic cores stand on the substrate) orientations have been compared and the in situ structural variation of edge-on SAMs under frictional shear has been revealed by atomic force microscope (AFM). Face-on oriented SAMs show lower adhesion, lower friction, and stronger wear resistance, compared with edge-on oriented SAMs. Hierarchical structures of edge-on oriented SAMs have been revealed by frictional topography, which are consisted of nanoscale columns, micron-scale stripes, and centimeter-scale monolayer. The column structure deforms under increasing load force, leading to a stepwise friction force curve and a transition among three friction states (ordered friction, collapsed friction, and worn friction). The structural deformation depends on both the order degree and anisotropic stiffness of columns. Columns in phthalocyanine SAMs show a larger stiffness when shearing against molecular plane than shearing along the molecular plane. The presented study on the interfacial structure and frictional mechanism promisingly supports the designing of novel boundary lubricants and their application in engineering.