bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The implementation of distance learning during the pandemic: the experience of the Timiryazev Academy
Authors: Orishev Aleksandr Borisovich , Mamedov Azer Agabala ogly , Grigorev Sergei Leonidovich , Kotusov Dmitrii Vyacheslavovich , Donskikh Kseniya Yurevna
Published: September 2021

For the modern higher education system, it is difficult to find a more relevant topic than distance learning. Having tested the distance format in the spring of 2020, when strict self-isolation measures were introduced by the decision of the city authorities, higher educational institutions in Moscow switched to this format again in the fall of 2020, in connection with the onset of the second wave of the pandemic. Considering that subsequent waves of the spread of COVID-19 or other viruses are possible, Russian higher educational institutions must be ready to take on new challenges, which makes improving the distance learning system in each specific educational institution an extremely important task in planning and organizing the educational process. The purpose of the study: to share the experience of the Timiryazev Academy on the implementation of distance learning during the pandemic. The object of the research is distance learning. The subject of the research is the implementation of distance learning at the Timiryazev Academy in the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 academic years. The research methods are content analysis of the official website of the Timiryazev Academy and other Internet resources, as well as the sociological survey of students of the Timiryazev Academy. The article shows the main problems that the academy faced when implementing distance learning: selection of high-quality content, psychological preparation of teachers, establishment of operational
communication, as well as the provision of students with means of communication. The main scientific result: it is shown that the key to successfully overcoming the difficulties and solving the problems caused by the pandemic was the course for the consistent digitalization of the educational process, which began to be performed at the Timiryazev Academy even before the pandemic started.
Education as a Resource for Development of the Commonwealth of Independent States
Authors: Fedorov Aleksander Mikhailovich , Bogdanova Nadezhda Anatolyevna , Fayzulina Elvira Elemesovna , Khapalazheva Elionora Anatolyevna , Yakovleva Ekaterina Anatolyevna
Published: September 2021

The article represents the analysis of modern integration processes in the field of education in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). As it is stated in the article, globalization, global transformation, and integration of countries actualize the problems of developing common approaches and strategies to improve the quality of education and to meet the new challenges of the developing post-industrial society based on knowledge, information, and innovations. The role of human capital is increasing under quite new conditions of cultural, social, economic, and technological development of the members of the CIS. One of the central ideas of the article is the problem of improving national systems of compulsory and professional education as the main resources to harmonize them due to the interests of the CIS and to increase the quality of the training of personnel, the development of their academic and socio-professional mobility of the population in these countries. The aim is to ensure the competitiveness of the national education systems of the CIS in the global education market. Cooperation in the field of pedagogical and educational sciences and teacher training has significantly intensified. The Russian language plays a special role in the integration processes in the CIS. The present-day tendencies and strategies of the development of the common CIS education space are characterized in the article.
Geomagnetic activity recurrences for predicting the amplitude and shape of solar cycle n. 25
Authors: Diego Piero , Laurenza Monica
Published: September 2021

Predicting solar activity is one of the most challenging topics among the various Space Weather and Space Climate issues. In the last decades, the constant enhancement of Space Climate data improved the comprehension of the related physical phenomena and the statistical bases for prediction algorithms. For this purpose, we used geomagnetic indices to provide a powerful algorithm (see Diego et al. [2010.J Geophys Res115: A06103]) for the solar activity prediction, based on evaluating the recurrence rate in the geomagnetic activity. This paper aims to present the validation of our algorithm over solar cycle n. 24, for which a successful prediction was made, and upgrade it to forecast the shape and time as well as the amplitude of the upcoming cycle n. 25. Contrary to the consensus, we predict it to be quite high, with a maximum sunspot number of 205 ± 29, which should be reached in the first half of 2023. This prediction is consistent with the scenario in which the long-term Gleissberg cycle has reached its minimum in cycle n. 24, and the rising phase is beginning.
Sporttherapie nach Sternotomie – Eine
Bestandsaufnahme
Authors: Fautz Gerrit , Dohmann Peter
Published: September 2021

Die mediane Sternotomie ist der Standardzugang für herzchirurgische
Eingriffe. Zur Vermeidung von postoperativen Wundheilungsstörungen oder
Sternuminstabilitäten werden üblicherweise
Verhaltensempfehlungen formuliert, die eine Vielzahl an Bewegungen und
Belastungen für unterschiedlich lange Zeit verbieten. Überaus
restriktive Bewegungseinschränkungen behindern eine optimale
Rehabilitation. Über Herkunft und Notwendigkeit von
Verhaltensempfehlungen nach Sternotomie ist wenig bekannt. Direkte Evidenz gibt
es weder für eine restriktive Vorgehensweise noch für eine
progressive Rehabilitation, die Oberkörperbewegungen und -belastungen
miteinbezieht. Die Formulierung von angemessenen Aktivitätsempfehlungen
statt von Bewegungsverboten könnte den Stellenwert und die positiven
Auswirkungen von Bewegung und Aktivität in den Mittelpunkt stellen und
damit Patienten eine Perspektive aufzeigen, wie sie selbst zu einem optimalen
Heilungsverlauf beitragen können. Ab welchem Zeitpunkt und in welcher
Intensität Oberkörperbelastungen in der frühen
postoperativen Phase erfolgen dürfen, wird seit Jahren kontrovers
diskutiert. Der Artikel gibt einen Literaturüberblick und beschreibt
Erfahrungen, die zeigen, dass ausgewählte und dosierte
Oberkörperbelastungen für viele Patienten in der kardiologischen
Rehabilitation sicher und effektiv durchführbar sind. Besonderen
Stellenwert hat ein individuell geplantes Training im Kraftraum.
Tree of Life – eine Bewältigungsstrategie während der COVID-19-Pandemie
Authors: Hoerenz Anett
Published: September 2021

Die Pflege und Betreuung der vielen Corona-Erkrankten auf den Intensivstationen ist für die Kollegen auf den Stationen eine große Belastung. Um die Dankbarkeit für den unermüdlichen Einsatz auszudrücken und um an jeden einzelnen Patienten zu erinnern, sind in der Charité die „Trees of Life“ entstanden.
Modern Imaging Techniques for Visualising Choroidal Morphology and Function
Authors: Munk Marion , Dysli Chantal
Published: September 2021

The choroid is directly adjacent to the retina and consists of a dense vascular network that supplies the outer retina. Pathologies in the choroid can lead to changes in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and photoreceptors. Thus, the choroid plays a crucial role in the development of retinal diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR), pathologic myopia, and inflammatory diseases such as Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome (VKH). Basic knowledge of the structure and physiology of the choroid, as well as diagnostic options for visualizing choroidal changes, provides a better understanding of the physiology and pathology of choroidal processes. This review provides an overview of the anatomy and function of the choroid, and describes the diagnostic techniques currently available to characterize and visualize the choroid. It also includes an overview of various retinal conditions, which are associated with choroidal
changes.
Effect of a Procedural Video on the Practical Fixed Prosthodontic Performance and Stress among Preclinical Dental Students
Authors: Inquimbert Camille , Ferré Aurélien , Pourreyron Laurence , Durand Jean-Cédric
Published: September 2021

Objective The purpose of this article was to analyze the effect of an instructional video on practical tutorial and to ascertain whether an instructional video improves students’ performance on practical performance and reduces the stress associated with learning.

Materials and Methods A randomized controlled trial was conducted on a group of 78 first-year students. A pretest was conducted by administering questionnaires to evaluate the interest in the use of videos as well as the level of stress. Students were randomly assigned into two groups: control and test. Students assigned to the control group received conventional teaching, while the experimental group received both conventional teaching and watched a video. Thereafter, a satisfaction questionnaire was distributed to each of the groups, and they were awarded a grade.

Results A total of 98.7% of students wished to learn fixed prosthodontics through instructional videos, as they believed that the videos could reduce their worry and stress levels. At the end of the first tutorial, the total grade was significantly lower for the test group (p = 0.003). However, the subjective value of stress was significantly lower in the test group (p = 0.0007) as well as the subjective value of tutorial difficulty (p = 0.0004). Students felt that they better understood the objectives of the tutorial “thanks to the video” (p = 0.0001).

Conclusion This study did not reveal any improvement in terms of performance when an instructional video was used for tutorials in comparison with the conventional teaching method. However, the results show a reduction in the level of stress.
Effect of Interval Time between Corrosive and Abrasive Challenges on a Nanoparticulate Composite Resin
Authors: Vilela Ana Laura Rezende , Machado Alexandre Coelho , Queiroz Lucas Lemes , Batista Pedro Henrique Mauro , Faria-e-Silva André Luís , Menezes Murilo de Sousa
Published: September 2021

Objective This study aimed to evaluate the effect of interval time after acidic beverage intake and brushing on roughness and hardness of resin composite.

Materials and Methods Nanofilled resin composites were tested as per interval time (no interval, 15 or 30 minutes) between aging media (isotonic, sports drink) and brushing. Specimens (n = 9) were subjected to three cycles daily for 5 days with immersion in beverage followed by simulated brushing (585 strokes). The brushing (control) group was submitted only in brushing cycles. Roughness and microhardness were analyzed in the baseline and end of the experiment. Surface morphology was analyzed by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

Statistical analysis Data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA and Tukey’s honestly significant difference (α = 0.05).

Results Roughness was higher in no interval group and lower in 30 minutes and control. The 15 minutes present no statistical difference between control, 30 minutes and no interval. The hardness not present difference between groups. The SEM showed the no interval more roughness than 15 and 30 minutes, control and baseline.

Conclusion The interval time between erosive and abrasive challenge is important to preserve the smoothness surface of composite resin.
Pelvic Congestion Syndrome: A Missed Opportunity
Authors: Kaufman Claire , Little Nancy Ann
Published: September 2021

Background/Aims Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) is pelvic pain for greater than 6 months with many potential causes one being pelvic congestion syndrome (PCS). PCS is diagnosed by clinical symptoms, exclusion of other etiologies, and imaging. Given the complex nature and diagnosis of CPP, we examined ordering and referral patterns in our local population to understand how the imaging findings of PCS correlate with patient symptoms and referral and treatment.

Materials and Methods After IRB approval, we searched all 18 to 70-year-old females with CT of the pelvis between March 2015 and March 2018 with the terms “pelvic” plus “congestion,” “varices,” or “vein dilation” in the dictation. Via electronic medical record and image review we collected data regarding demographics, clinical presentation, symptoms, imaging findings, ordering provider, and any follow-up/referrals or interventions regarding PCS.

Results A total of 96 patients were included of the 197 studies, with an average age of 47 years and average body mass index of 19.3 (n = 93) at the time of imaging. The reason for imaging was often acute abdominal or flank pain (n = 22) with 38% of cases ordered from the emergency room. Only 72 patients had documentation of clinical evaluation for symptoms of PCS. Notably, only 20 were referred for their symptoms, and only two patients were referred to IR. Both patients underwent successful endovascular intervention.

Conclusion CPP is a common cause of morbidity with PCS representing an underdiagnosed cause. We demonstrate that while imaging findings may be incidental, we are failing to capture and triage patients with clinical symptoms of PCS. Radiologists can play a key role in the care of these patients.
Disseminated Extramedullary Plasmacytoma with Unusual Cardiac and Pancreatic Involvement—Literature Review and Rare Case Report
Authors: Peter S. Babu , Nandhan V. Raghu , Sandhiya R.
Published: September 2021

Disseminated extramedullary plasmacytoma (EMP) is an unusual entity that has nonspecific imaging features at MRI. Nevertheless, knowledge of its imaging features and unusual locations might help radiologists to suspect it in the appropriate clinical scenario. Some noncontiguous EMPs might mimic lymphoma and MRI would be useful as a problem-solving tool in EMP and would help in treatment planning. We report an unusual cardiac mass in cardiac MRI, a detailed work-up of which led to the diagnosis of multifocal EMP involving the heart, ribs, pancreas, retroperitoneum, and soft tissues of the thigh, rarely reported in the literature.
Availability of Breast Milk for Preterm Neonates by Gestational Age during NICU Stay
Authors: Panda Santosh Kumar , Sahoo Kalpita , Jena Pratap Kumar , Dhanawat Avantika
Published: September 2021

The objective of this study was to explore the availability of expressed breast milk (EBM) volume for the premature neonates born from mothers in different gestational age groups during neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) stay. All preterm infants (extreme-preterm infant [EPTI, <28 weeks], very-preterm infant [VPTI, 28–316/7 weeks], and moderate-preterm infant [MPTI, 32–336/7 weeks]) and their mothers were included in the study. Infants not receiving mother's own milk and neonates deceased or discharged against medical advice, and the mother with illness during postpartum period were excluded from the study. A predesigned tool was used to collect information on maternal characteristics, neonatal characteristics, and milk diary for preterm neonates from the NICU case records. The primary outcome variable EBM volume available on day 7 was compared across three gestational groups. Logistic regression was used to predict EBM availability. A total of 78 preterm neonates, including 10 EPTI, 37 VPTI, and 31 MPTI, had average birth weight of 962.5 ± 228.25, 1,185.1 ± 183.14, and 1,293.2 ± 182.92 g, respectively. Receipt of exclusive breast milk among EPTI, VPTI, and MPTI was 80, 94, and 83.8%, respectively. Maternal characteristics were similar except for the mode of conception (p = 0.001), mode of delivery (p = 0.04), and antenatal steroid exposure (p = 0.02) among three gestational categories. The median (Q1–Q3) volume of EBM on day 7 were 160 (136.3–202.5), 150 (140–187.5), and 160 (150–220) mL for EPTI, VPTI, and MPTI neonates, respectively, without any statistical significance. Regression analysis suggests no effect of gestational age on EBM availability. The feasibility of mother's own milk use for extremely preterm neonates is similar to higher gestational preterm neonates.
Clinical Profiles, Congenital Heart Disease, and Other Comorbidities Among Egyptian Children with Down Syndrome: A Tertiary Center Study
Authors: Amin Radwa Ezzat , Abdel-Meguid Iman Ehsan , El-Refaie Nihal Mohamed , Fakher Walaa , El-Tabie Dina , El-Gindy Hala Ahmed
Published: September 2021

Introduction Down syndrome (DS) is the most common chromosomal disorder. It is accompanied by several comorbidities, which could lead to severe morbidity and mortality. Congenital heart disease (CHD) is one of the most commonly described condition.

Objective This study aimed to determine clinical profiles, dysmorphic features, CHD, and DS associated comorbidities in a tertiary center (Cairo, Egypt).

Patients and Methods This descriptive study included 290 patients diagnosed with DS, who presented to the Clinical Genetics clinic, Cairo University Children Hospitals, from February 2018 to December 2019. The patients' ages ranged from 2 to 4 years old. All patients were evaluated by full history, clinical examination, anthropometric measurements, and assessment of developmental milestones. Patients' diagnostic investigations including karyotype, thyroid function, and echocardiography were checked.

Results The study population consisted of 290 children with DS of which 196 (67.6%) were male, 115 (40%) had CHD, the most prevalent atrial septal defect (ASD), patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), and ventricular septal defect (VSD) accounting for 10.7, 7.1, and 4.2%, respectively. Common dysmorphic features were upward slanting palpebral fissures (98.6%), hypertelorism (97.9%), and sandal gap (60.7%). Thyroid dysfunction was the second prevalent comorbidity, found in 35 patients (12.1%). Global developmental delay was reported affecting language (99%), motor (94.8%), and social (92.8%) domains.

Conclusion The prevalence of CHD among children with DS was 40% with ASD, PDA, and VSD being the commonest. Thyroid dysfunction was the second most common comorbidity. The most prevalent dysmorphic features were upward slanting palpebral fissures, hypertelorism, and sandal gap. Developmental delay was very common, language being the most affected domain.
Fluid Intake in the First Week of Life and the Duration of Hemodynamically Significant Patent Ductus Arteriosus in Extremely Preterm Infants
Authors: Mirza Hussnain , Garcia Jorge , Bell Chelsea , Jones Kristen , Flynn Vicki , Pepe Julie , Oh William
Published: September 2021

Objective This study aimed to determine the association between daily fluid intake and the duration of hemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus (hsPDA).

Methods This is a retrospective cohort study of extremely preterm infants (<29 weeks) admitted in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of the Advent Health for Children from January 2013 to March 2016, if hsPDA was diagnosed in first week of life and serial echocardiograms were available. Diagnosis of hsPDA was based on a scoring system and its duration was estimated from serial echocardiograms. Cohort was divided into two groups based on duration of hsPDA (<1week, group A and ≥1 week, group B). Daily fluid intake was categorized as prescribed and actual. Prescribed volume was ordered by clinicians based on birth weight, not including trophic feeds, intravenous (IV) boluses or transfusions, etc. Actual intake was calculated by the electronic medical records based on daily weights and included all enteral or parenteral fluids. Multivariate analysis was performed to determine an association between total daily fluid intake over the first week of life and the duration of hsPDA. Two groups were compared to observe the difference between prescribed and actual daily fluid intakes.

Results We enrolled 50 infants in group A and 76 in group B. Infants in group B were of significantly lower gestation and required prolonged ventilation and hospitalization. An association between higher fluid intake in the first 2 days of life and prolonged duration of hsPDA was confirmed by multivariate analysis. Actual fluid intake was significantly higher than prescribed total fluid intake in first 4 days of life for infants in both groups.

Conclusion In extremely preterm infants, higher fluid intake in first 2 days of life is associated with prolonged duration of hsPDA. Actual daily fluid intake can be significantly higher than prescribed daily fluids due to daily weight changes and additional fluid administration.

Key Points
Strong effect of scandium source purity on chemical and electronic properties of epitaxial ScxAl1−xN/GaN heterostructures
Authors: Casamento Joseph , Lee Hyunjea , Chang Celesta S. , Besser Matthew F. , Maeda Takuya , Muller David A. , Xing Huili (Grace) , Jena Debdeep
Published: September 2021

Epitaxial multilayer heterostructures of ScxAl1−xN/GaN with Sc contents x = 0.11–0.45 are found to exhibit significant differences in structural quality, chemical impurity levels, and electronic properties depending on the starting Sc source impurity levels. A higher purity source leads to a 2–3 orders of magnitude reduction in the carbon, oxygen, and fluorine unintentional doping densities in MBE-grown ScxAl1−xN/GaN multilayers. Electrical measurements of ScxAl1−xN/n+GaN single heterostructure barriers show a 5–7 orders of magnitude reduction in the electrical leakage for films grown with a higher purity Sc source at most Sc contents. The measured chemical and electrical properties of epitaxial ScxAl1−xN highlight the importance of the starting Sc source material purity for epitaxial device applications that need these highly piezoelectric and/or ferroelectric transition-metal nitride alloys.
Structure–property correlations for analysis of heterogeneous electrocatalysts
Authors: Alsaç Elif Pınar , Bodappa Nataraju , Whittingham Alexander W. H. , Liu Yutong , de Lazzari Adriana , Smith Rodney D. L.
Published: September 2021

Heterogeneous electrocatalytic reactions are believed to occur at a minority of coordination sites through a series of elementary reactions that are balanced by minor equilibria. These features mask changes in reaction sites, making it challenging to directly identify and analyze reaction sites or intermediates while studying reaction mechanisms. Systematic perturbations of a reaction system often yield systematic changes in material properties and behavior. Correlations between measurable changes in parameters describing the structure and behavior, therefore, serve as powerful tools for distinguishing active reaction sites. This review explores structure–property correlations that have advanced understanding of behavior and reaction mechanisms in heterogeneous electrocatalysis. It covers correlations that have advanced understanding of the contributions of the local reaction environment to reactivity, of structure and bonding within solid-state materials, of geometric or mechanical strain in bonding environments, and of the impact of structural defects. Such correlations can assist researchers in developing next generation catalysts by establishing catalyst design principles and gaining control over reaction mechanisms.
Representing fateful events and imagining territorial integrity in Georgia: cultural memory of David the Builder and the Battle of Didgori
Authors: Toria Malkhaz , Javakhia Bejan
Published: September 2021

Territorial integrity is one of the central tropes in contemporary Georgian cultural memory and historical imaginaries. The article traces when, how, and why the narrative of the “miraculous victory” of medieval Georgian King David IV the Builder over Seljuk Turks in the Battle of Didgori in August 1121 and his seizing of Tbilisi entered the Georgian “realms of memory”. This complex and often contradictory mnemonic legacy, shaped by medieval, imperial (Tsarist and Soviet), and nation-state (the First Republic and post-Soviet Georgia) conjunctures, feeds the current representations of this military success as a symbol of the unification of the Georgian state. In the Soviet and post-Soviet “regimes of memory”, the story of Didgori and reconquering Tbilisi became intertwined with territorial nationalism. In the unilinear Soviet Georgian narrative, these victories appear as “progressive” and unifying occurrences. In the post-Soviet period, ethnoreligious nationalism and re-sacralization of David’s image and the challenges to the country’s territorial integrity motivated Georgians to zoom in and magnify selected images of the glorious past. These historical events represent a fateful and luminous episode in the nation’s history that fed hope for an analogous victory and restoration of the country’s territorial integrity.
Waveform feature extraction and signal recovery in single-channel TVEP based on Fitzhugh–Nagumo stochastic resonance
Authors: Chen Ruiquan , Xu Guanghua , Zheng Yang , Yao Pulin , Zhang Sicong , Yan Li , Zhang Kai
Published: September 2021

Objective. Transient visual evoked potential (TVEP) can reflect the condition of the visual pathway and has been widely used in brain–computer interface. TVEP signals are typically obtained by averaging the time-locked brain responses across dozens or even hundreds of stimulations, in order to remove different kinds of interferences. However, this procedure increases the time needed to detect the brain status in realistic applications. Meanwhile, long repeated stimuli can vary the evoked potentials and discomfort the subjects. Therefore, a novel unsupervised framework was developed in this study to realize the fast extraction of single-channel TVEP signals with a high signal-to-noise ratio. Approach. Using the principle of nonlinear aperiodic FitzHugh–Nagumo (FHN) model, a fast extraction and signal restoration technology of TVEP waveform based on FHN stochastic resonance is proposed to achieve high-quality acquisition of signal features with less average times. Results: A synergistic effect produced by noise, aperiodic signal and nonlinear system can force the energy of noise to be transferred into TVEP and hence amplifying the useful P100 feature while suppressing multi-scale noise. Significance. Compared with the conventional average and average-singular spectrum analysis-independent component analysis(average-SSA-ICA) method, the average-FHN method has a shorter stimulation time which can greatly improve the comfort of patients in clinical TVEP detection and a better performance of TVEP waveform i.e. a higher accuracy of P100 latency. The FHN recovery method is not only highly correlated with the original signal, but also can better highlight the P100 amplitude, which has high clinical application value.
The phase uncertainty from the fringe contrast of interferogram in Doppler asymmetric spatial heterodyne spectroscopy
Authors: Sun Chen , Feng Yutao , Fu Di , Wang Pengchong , Sun Jian , Bai Qinglan
Published: September 2021

The Doppler asymmetric spatial heterodyne spectroscopy is one of the primary techniques for measuring the upper atmospheric wind profile. In this work, the detailed derivation of the analytical expression of phase uncertainty was presented, including two significant parameters, fringe contrast and signal-to-noise ratio. The effectiveness of the re-parameterized analytical expression was proved using the numerical simulations and laboratory experiments, and both results are in good agreement with them from the analytical expression. Therefore, the re-parameterized analytical expression could be used to optimize the interferometer design and evaluating the instrument performance.
Effect of microstructure on low-cycle fatigue property of Ti6321 alloy
Authors: An Fei-Peng , Liu Qian-Li , Jiang Peng
Published: September 2021

The low-cycle-fatigue behavior of Ti6321 alloy with bimodal and lamellar microstructure have been investigated by analyzing of strain-cycles curve under different stress amplitudes. The results show that under the stress amplitude of 600 MPa, the fatigue life of lamellar microstructure is 6644 times, and the fatigue life of bimodal microstructure is 16252, which is more than twice that of the former. What’s more, two dislocation models of initiation and growth of cracks were demonstrated by analysis of fatigue fracture. The bimodal microstructure have the higher dislocation density and the shorter effective dislocation slip distance, which could hinder the initiation and propagation of fatigue cracks. The findings of low-cycle-fatigue property can provide data support and theoretical guidence for the safety assessment of titanium alloy pressure structures.
Anti-reflection for monocrystalline silicon from diamond-like carbon films deposited by magnetron sputtering
Authors: Tan Xin , Zhai Hang , Meng Keke , Zhang Zhongyi
Published: September 2021

In this work, diamond-like carbon (DLC) films used as anti-reflective coatings for monocrystalline silicon were deposited by magnetron sputtering for potential application in solar cells. The microstructural and optical properties of the films were investigated as a function of substrate temperature over a wide range during deposition. It showed that, when the substrate temperature increased from RT to 800 °C, the hybridized structures of the DLC films accordingly changed associated with a significant variation of refractive index between2.22 and 1.64 at a wavelength of 550 nm. Three types of coating systems, namely single-, three- and five-layer films on monocrystalline silicon substrates, were designed based on the anti-reflection principle and fabricated in terms of the relationships of refractive index and deposition rate with substrate temperature. In particular, a well-designed three-layer film, of which the refractive index gradually changed along the thickness, that is 1.8, 1.9 and 2.0, respectively, was successfully deposited at one step on monocrystalline silicon substrates by adjusting substrate temperature and deposition time, and featured a broadband anti-reflective characteristic with low average reflectivity of 8.7% at a wide solar spectrum of 400–1100 nm. This work demonstrates that the DLC film has a promising application potential as broadband anti-reflective coatings in silicon-based solar cells.
Diverse wMel variants of Wolbachia pipientis differentially rescue fertility and cytological defects of the bag of marbles partial loss of function mutation in Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Bubnell Jaclyn E , Fernandez-Begne Paula , Ulbing Cynthia K S , Aquadro Charles F
Published: September 2021

In Drosophila melanogaster, the maternally inherited endosymbiont Wolbachia pipientis interacts with germline stem cell genes during oogenesis. One such gene, bag of marbles (bam) is the key switch for differentiation and also shows signals of adaptive evolution for protein diversification. These observations have led us to hypothesize that W. pipientis could be driving the adaptive evolution of bam for control of oogenesis. To test this hypothesis, we must understand the specificity of the genetic interaction between bam and W. pipientis. Previously, we documented that the W. pipientis variant, wMel, rescued the fertility of the bamBW hypomorphic mutant as a transheterozygote over a bam null. However, bamBW was generated more than 20 years ago in an uncontrolled genetic background and maintained over a balancer chromosome. Consequently, the chromosome carrying bamBW accumulated mutations that have prevented controlled experiments to further assess the interaction. Here, we used CRISPR/Cas9 to engineer the same single amino acid bam hypomorphic mutation (bamL255F) and a new bam null disruption mutation into the w1118 isogenic background. We assess the fertility of wildtype bam, bamL255F/bamnull hypomorphic, and bamL255F/bamL255F mutant females, each infected individually with 10 W. pipientis wMel variants representing three phylogenetic clades. Overall, we find that all of the W. pipientis variants tested here rescue bam hypomorphic fertility defects with wMelCS-like variants exhibiting the strongest rescue effects. In addition, these variants did not increase wildtype bam female fertility. Therefore, both bam and W. pipientis interact in genotype-specific ways to modulate female fertility, a critical fitness phenotype.
ddRAD Sequencing Sheds Light on Low Interspecific and High Intraspecific mtDNA Divergences in Two Groups of Caddisflies
Authors: Salokannel Juha , Lee Kyung Min , Rinne Aki , Mutanen Marko
Published: September 2021

Large-scale global efforts on DNA barcoding have repeatedly revealed unexpected patterns of variability in mtDNA, including deep intraspecific divergences and haplotype sharing between species. Understanding the evolutionary causes behind these patterns calls for insights from the nuclear genome. While building a near-complete DNA barcode library of Finnish caddisflies, a case of barcode-sharing and some cases of deep intraspecific divergences were observed. In this study, the Apatania zonella (Zetterstedt, 1840) group and three Limnephilus Leach, 1815 species were studied using double digest RAD sequencing (ddRAD-seq), morphology, and DNA barcoding. The results support the present species boundaries in the A. zonella group species. A morphologically distinct but mitogenetically nondistinct taxon related to parthenogenetic Apatania hispida (Forsslund, 1930) got only weak support for its validity as a distinct species. The morphology and genomic-scale data do not indicate cryptic diversity in any of the three Limnephilus species despite the observed deep intraspecific divergences in DNA barcodes. This demonstrates that polymorphism in mtDNA may not reflect cryptic diversity, but mitonuclear discordance due to other evolutionary causes.
The Phylogeographic Shortfall in Hexapods: A Lot of Leg Work Remaining
Authors: Satler Jordan D , Carstens Bryan C , Garrick Ryan C , Espíndola Anahí
Published: September 2021

In the 21st century, phylogeography has experienced dramatic growth in the data and methods used by the field. Insect (more generally, hexapod) phylogeography has contributed to major advances and many of the influential papers included hexapods as model systems. In this literature review, we: (i) highlight recent phylogeographic work in hexapod systems, and (ii) identify broader trends and critical future steps in the field. We include a summary of useful methodological approaches and identify the methods used to approach different questions asked in phylogeographic studies. An updated summary of the applications that phylogeography has contributed to the field of entomology, including spatial studies, conservation, systematics, pest control, and invasive species, is included to highlight vital work in the field. Special attention is devoted to investigations which seek to use multi-species data to understand community ecological and evolutionary processes. Finally, we overview the main challenges, opportunities, and emerging areas, highlighting the “phylogeographic shortfall” that exists between the number of described hexapod species vs. the number of species that have been the focus of phylogeographic investigation.
Extremely Endangered Butterflies of Scattered Central European Dry Grasslands Under Current Habitat Alteration
Authors: Sucháčková Bartoňová Alena , Konvička Martin , Marešová Jana , Bláhová Dana , Číp David , Skala Pavel , Andres Miloš , Hula Vladimír , Dolek Matthias , Geyer Adi , Böck Oliver , Kadlec Tomáš , Faltýnek Fric Zdeněk
Published: September 2021

Central European dry grasslands represent extrazonal patches of the Eurasian steppe biome. They suffer from severe habitat alterations due to land-use changes, abandonment, or inappropriate management. The butterflies Chazara briseis (Linnaeus, 1764) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae), Polyommatus damon (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775) (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae), and Polyommatus dorylas (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775) (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae), specialized inhabitants of these steppe patches, are all swiftly disappearing from Central Europe. We reviewed data on the recent history of their population retractions in the region, including conservation efforts. Using samples from their whole distribution ranges, we sequenced and analyzed COI and wingless genes and together with Species Distribution Modelling reconstructed their biogeographic histories. Populations of C. briseis expanded over the Eurasian steppe biome, where large ungulates maintained extensive grasslands with short open sward. Polyommatus damon became widespread in the steppes during glacial times, and retracted during interglacials, resembling cold-adapted species. It is limited by too dry weather, and it requires disturbed grassland followed by temporal abandonment. Its present genetic structure was induced by the major Pleistocene Mountain glaciations. Polyommatus dorylas prefers an oceanic climate and populated Central Europe from the Balkans during the Holocene. The species depends on disturbed ground. Currently, all three species inhabit only a few remnant sites in Central Europe, and their populations have been further declining in recent years. Targeted conservation actions, including habitat management at remaining sites, ex situ breeding, and (re)introductions, are being taken in Austria, the Czech Republic, and Germany.
Estimating Migration of Gonioctena quinquepunctata (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) Inside a Mountain Range in a Spatially Explicit Context
Authors: Kastally Chedly , Dellicour Simon , Hardy Olivier J , Gilbert Marius , Mardulyn Patrick
Published: September 2021

The cold-tolerant leaf beetle Gonioctena quinquepunctata displays a large but fragmented European distribution and is restricted to mountain regions in the southern part of its range. Using a RAD-seq-generated large single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data set (> 10,000 loci), we investigated the geographic distribution of genetic variation within the Vosges mountains (eastern France), where the species is common. To translate this pattern of variation into an estimate of its capacity to disperse, we simulated SNP data under a spatially explicit model of population evolution (essentially a grid overlapping a map, in which each cell is considered a different population) and compared the simulated and real data with an approximate Bayesian computation (ABC) approach. For this purpose, we assessed a new SNP statistic, the DSVSF (distribution of spatial variation in SNP frequencies) that summarizes genetic variation in a spatially explicit context, and compared its usefulness to standard statistics often used in population genetic analyses. A test of our overall strategy was conducted with simulated data and showed that it can provide a good estimate of the level of dispersal of an organism over its geographic range. The results of our analyses suggested that this insect disperses well within the Vosges mountains, much more than was initially expected given the current and probably past fragmentation of its habitat and given the results of previous studies on genetic variation in other mountain leaf beetles.
Crayfish chimneys function as burrow-ventilation structures
Authors: Stoeckel James A , Szoka Mary , Abdelrahman Hisham A , Davis Jeremiah D , Blersch David M , Helms Brian S
Published: September 2021

Most crayfish species are capable of constructing underground burrows. Burrow construction provides crayfishes the potential to actively engineer microhabitat and optimize local environmental conditions. Little attention, however, has been paid to quantifying the environmental outcomes of burrow morphology. We examined the potential of chimneys to ventilate burrows via wind-assisted buoyancy ventilation. We first conducted proof-of-concept trials in the field using smoke tracers. We then used a wind tunnel to quantify effects of wind velocity, chimney height, burrow orientation, and tunnel angle on model burrow ventilation rates. We developed a predictive model to predict burrow airflow based on endogenous and exogenous factors, and proofed the model with field measurements from a natural burrow. Proof-of-concept trials showed that during breezy conditions (i.e., 8–16 km−h wind gusts), smoke generated near a natural burrow was rapidly drawn into the non-chimney entry, through the burrow, and out the chimney. Wind-tunnel trials revealed significant effects of chimney height and wind velocity on burrow airflow, but no significant effects of burrow orientation towards the prevailing wind direction, nor of the angle of the burrow beneath the chimney. A model developed from wind-tunnel trials predicted air velocities exiting a theoretical chimney that were within 85% of observed velocities exiting natural chimney-burrow complexes. We conclude that crayfish chimneys can serve as passive ventilation systems for crayfish burrows, with chimney height and wind velocity exerting particularly strong effects on airflow. Costs and benefits associated with chimney construction and ventilation are still speculative but should comprise a productive line of research for future studies focused on burrowing crayfish ecology and conservation.
Unmasking the mask studies: why the effectiveness of surgical masks in preventing respiratory infections has been underestimated
Authors: Kollepara Pratyush K , Siegenfeld Alexander F , Taleb Nassim Nicholas , Bar-Yam Yaneer
Published: September 2021

Background: Pre-pandemic empirical studies have produced mixed statistical results on the effectiveness of masks against respiratory viruses, leading to confusion that may have contributed to organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) initially not recommending that the general public wear masks during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

Methods: A threshold-based dose–response curve framework is used to analyse the effects of interventions on infection probabilities for both single and repeated exposure events. Empirical studies on mask effectiveness are evaluated with a statistical power analysis that includes the effect of adherence to mask usage protocols.

Results: When the adherence to mask usage guidelines is taken into account, the empirical evidence indicates that masks prevent disease transmission: all studies we analysed that did not find surgical masks to be effective were under-powered to such an extent that even if masks were 100% effective, the studies in question would still have been unlikely to find a statistically significant effect. We also provide a framework for understanding the effect of masks on the probability of infection for single and repeated exposures. The framework demonstrates that masks can have a disproportionately large protective effect and that more frequently wearing a mask provides super-linearly compounding protection.

Conclusions: This work shows (1) that both theoretical and empirical evidence is consistent with masks protecting against respiratory infections and (2) that non-linear effects and statistical considerations regarding the percentage of exposures for which masks are worn must be taken into account when designing empirical studies and interpreting their results.
Depression and Schizophrenia
Authors: Shorter Edward
Published: September 2021

Depression and schizophrenia dragged down psychiatry's scientific status in the twenty-first century due to psychiatry’s inability to get beyond these two big diseases. Depression and schizophrenia formed the backbone of psychiatry since therapeutics are divided mainly into “antidepressants” and “antischizophrenics.” All forms of depression were accompanied by anxiety, and most forms of anxiety, except the psychotic variety, were accompanied by depression. The problem of psychopharmacology today was caused by the invention of new diagnoses that soon became profit centers for the pharmaceutical industry. The great river of diagnosis that flowed from nineteenth-century German psychiatry dominated the global picture of diagnosis and was considered heavily biological because it saw mental illness as brain disease.
Industry
Authors: Shorter Edward
Published: September 2021

The pharmaceutical industry began in 1858, with August Kekulé’s discovery of the benzene ring, which formed the basis of the dye industry that eventually turned into the pharmaceutical industry. Merck and Pfizer bought medicinal chemicals in bulk and processed them into pharmaceuticals for sale to pharmacies or directly to physicians, who dispensed them to patients. The idea of selling medicine was to displace the compounding pharmacist as the manufacturer of pharmaceuticals. The pharmaceutical industry accelerated with the introduction of a new pill-making technology: in 1900, with the aspirin, Bayer in Leverkusen became the first drug company to market a major product in tablet form. Drug manufacture transitioned into an industry that went into full swing in the 1920s.
Trials Begin
Authors: Shorter Edward
Published: September 2021

Most knowledge about disease, drug treatment, and drug toxicity has come from naturalistic observations by smart physicians using their past learning and experience as controls. Paul Leber, chief of psychopharmacology at FDA, made a career out of saying that controlled trials are needed to tell if a drug works. The history of clinical trials is significant because clinical trials gave psychopharmacology the appearance of science. This chapter elaborates that the reason clinicians have been so ready to prescribe medications of doubtful efficacy to patients with such questionable diagnoses as “major depression” is that the voice of science seems to speak from the doctor's chair. The chapter examines the two approaches to knowing if a drug works: to look for the “wow” factor or to run a randomized controlled clinical trial (RCT) and look at the numbers.
Marketing
Authors: Shorter Edward
Published: September 2021

This chapter discusses the association of Pharma advertising with manipulativeness, indicating how benefits were always exaggerated, and the side effects downplayed. It describes medical advertising before the Second World War, which was not seen as a model of integrity, but for ad experts like Claude Hopkins, marketing medicine placed men on their mettle. It also examines whether medical advertising is really needed, since an effective new drug will sell itself. The chapter explores the problem in psychiatry, wherein marketing is deployed to create the deceitful impression of efficacy and safety for compounds that offer little true therapeutic advance, such as the campaign to sell the atypical antipsychotics. It explains how marketing is deployed to trash effective old drugs that are off patent, such as the marketing-induced desuetude of lithium in mood disorders.
Atypicals
Authors: Shorter Edward
Published: September 2021

“Major depression,” a non-existent disease, was the barrier to the development of new drugs for mood disorders, while “schizophrenia” was the stumbling block for the development of new drugs for disabling disorders of connectivity and mobilization. Psychopharmacology failed as a scientific paradigm when depression and schizophrenia became pipelines for billions of dollars in profit for the pharmaceutical industry. Also, antipsychotics like Smith Kline’s chlorpromazine, which marketed in the United States in 1954, caused movement disorders as a significant side effect. Finally, the real story of the atypicals shows how psychopharmacology was downgraded through the conversion of science into commerce. Clozapine, the first of the true atypical antipsychotics, turned out to be the most effective and the most dangerous.
The Fall of Psychopharmacology
Authors: Shorter Edward
Published: September 2021

In 2012, Mickey Nardo forecast the end of an era during the height of the Age of Psychopharmacology and Clinical Neuroscience. Skeptical observers like Nardo asked the disquieting question of why SSRI/SNRIs, SGAs, and mood stabilizers were needed when psychiatrists were just prescribing ineffective drugs for non-existent conditions. Susanna Every-Palmer, a psychiatrist at the Otago Medical School in New Zealand, argued that evidence-based medicine in general was being discredited by the invasion of the pharmaceutical industry. Psychopharmacology was doomed as a scientific concept when it became a vehicle for promoting the pharmaceutical industry. Psychopharmacology’s scientific concept died when it became a trope for selling drugs.