bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Spinal Injury Without Neurological Symptoms in Severely Injured Patients: Impact on the Length of Stay?
Authors: Fochtmann Ulrike , Jungbluth Pascal , Zimmermann Werner , Lefering Rolf , Lendemans Sven , Hussmann Bjoern
Published: May 2020

Background The impact of spinal injuries on clinical outcome in most severely injured patients is currently being controversially discussed. At the same time, most of the studies examine patients with post-traumatic neurological disorders. The aim of this study was therefore to analyse severely injured patients with spinal injuries but without neurological symptoms with regard to their clinical outcome. Here the focus was then on the question, whether spinal injury is an independent risk factor increasing length of stay in the intensive care unit and in the hospital in total.

Material and Methods Data of the TraumaRegister DGU® were retrospectively analysed. Inclusion criteria were: Injury Severity Score ≥ 16, primary admission, age ≥ 16 years, time interval 2009 – 2016, and a full data set on length of stay in the hospital and the intensive care unit, respectively. Following a univariate analysis in the first step, independent risk factors for the length of stay in the intensive care unit and in the hospital in total were investigated using a multivariate regression analysis.

Results 98,240 patients met the inclusion criteria. In this population, patients with Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) 2 and 3 spinal injuries were significantly younger (up to 60 years), and injuries were significantly more commonly caused by falls from a great height and traffic accidents (age ≤ 60 years: AISSpine 0: 58.4%, AISSpine 3: 65%; p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that spinal injury without neurological symptoms is an independent risk factor for increased length of stay in the intensive care unit (odds ratio: + 1.1 d) and in the hospital in total (AIS 3 odds ratio: + 3.4 d).

Conclusion It has been shown for the first time that spinal injury without initial neurological symptoms has a negative impact on the length of stay of most severely injured patients in the intensive care unit and in the hospital in total and thus represents an independent risk factor in this group of patients.
Health in All Policies – Entwicklungen, Schwerpunkte und
Umsetzungsstrategien für Deutschland
Authors: Geene Raimund , Kurth Bärbel-Maria , Matusall Svenja
Published: May 2020

Health in All Policies (HiAP) ist ein Konzept, das Gesundheit intersektoral
betrachtet. Dabei werden zum einen die Auswirkungen von Entscheidungen der
verschiedenen Politikbereiche auf die Gesundheit der Menschen untersucht und zum
anderen Synergien gesucht, um gesundheitliche Chancengleichheit zu verbessern.
HiAP bildet die Grundlage, um gesundheitliche Herausforderungen wie Klimawandel,
menschenwürdige Pflege, Inklusion, soziale Chancengleichheit,
städtische Lebensqualität oder flächendeckende
Versorgung zu bewältigen. Eine Arbeitsgruppe des Zukunftsforums Public
Health hat eine Bestandsaufnahme zu HiAP und dessen Umsetzung erstellt, deren
Kurzform hier wiedergegeben wird. International gibt es Erfahrungen mit einigen
Modellprojekten zu HiAP, in denen durch intersektorale Zusammenarbeit die
Krankheitslast nichtübertragbarer Krankheiten verringert und die
gesundheitliche Chancengleichheit erhöht werden konnte. In Deutschland
haben einige Akteure HiAP als Ziel formuliert und es gibt in einigen Kommunen
themenspezifische Modellprojekte, allerdings sind diese bislang weder fachlich
noch politisch ausreichend gesichert und analysiert. Internationale Erfahrungen
zeigen, dass ein explizites Bekenntnis der politischen Führung eine
wesentliche Voraussetzung für HiAP-Prozesse bildet. Durch
zivilgesellschaftliche Initiativen eröffnen sich immer wieder
themenspezifische Möglichkeitsfenster, die für HiAP genutzt
werden können, wenn Politik und Verwaltung tätig werden und
über das einzelne Thema hinausgehend nachhaltige Strukturen einrichten.
Zentrale Aufgabe solch nachhaltiger Strukturen ist es, die Vielfalt bestehender
Ansätze in Erfahrungs- und Wissensplattformen zu bündeln und mit
Koordination und gemeinsamer Zielorientierung zu stärken. Dazu bedarf es
eines gestärkten Public-Health-Systems. HiAP ist in diesem Sinne
Bestandteil und Motor auf dem Weg zu einer Public-Health-Strategie für
Deutschland, die durch das Zukunftsforum Public Health ausgearbeitet wird, um
durch ein gemeinsames Vorgehen die Gesundheit der Menschen in Deutschland zu
verbessern. HiAP kann hier ein entsprechendes Claim darstellen und die
Instrumente liefern um dieses Ziel in die Praxis umzusetzen.
Erfolgreiche Therapie mit Dupilumab bei Prurigo nodularis – 2 Fallberichte
Authors: Messaoudi S. , Bauer A. , Meinel G. , Al-Gburi S. , Beissert S. , Abraham S.
Published: May 2020

Dupilumab ist ein humaner rekombinanter monoklonaler Antikörper, gerichtet gegen die Alpha-Untereinheit des Interleukin-4-Rezeptors und des Interleukin-13-Rezeptors. Seit September 2017 ist Dupilumab zur Behandlung der mittelschweren bis schweren Neurodermitis zugelassen, im Verlauf erfolgten Zulassungen für weitere Indikationen wie das Asthma bronchiale sowie die chronische Rhinosinusitis mit Nasenpolypen.

Prurigo nodularis (PN) ist eine chronische Dermatose, charakterisiert durch das Auftreten von stark juckenden Papeln und Nodi, meist am Stamm und an den Extremitäten. Die Patienten klagen über stechend-quälenden Juckreiz. Eine Besserung trotz intensivierter topischer und systemischer antipruriginöser Therapie wird meist nur erschwert erreicht. Dupilumab scheint vielversprechende antipruriginöse Effekte bei Prurigo nodularis zu haben, vergleichende Studien stehen jedoch aus. Wir demonstrieren hier 2 Patienten, die seit mehreren Jahren unter einer therapierefraktären Prurigo nodularis bei atopischer Diathese litten. Beide Patienten zeigten nach Beginn der Therapie mit Dupilumab eine rasche und anhaltende Besserung der pruriginösen Papeln. Relevante Nebenwirkungen traten nicht auf.
Herausforderungen der Prävalenz- und Inzidenzbestimmung in
der frühen Nutzenbewertung am Beispiel Urothelkarzinom
Authors: Wortmann Joelin , Wirth Daniel
Published: May 2020

Durch das Arzneimittelmarktneuordnungsgesetz (AMNOG) 2011 ergeben sich
für die pharmazeutischen Hersteller strukturelle Veränderungen,
begründet durch die frühe Nutzenbewertung bei der
Markteinführung neuer Arzneimittel. Dadurch zeigen sich im Bereich der
Bestimmung der Zielpopulation bei der Prävalenz- und Inzidenzbestimmung
Herausforderungen. Selbst im selben Indikationsgebiet finden sich häufig
unterschiedliche Modelle zur Schätzung der Zielpopulation. Für
das Harnblasenkarzinom (ICD-10 C67), dem vierthäufigsten Tumor bei
Männern, gab es für die Behandlung lokal fortgeschrittener oder
metastasierter Karzinome zuletzt viele Fortschritte im Bereich der
Immuntherapien, die sich zum Vergleich der bestehenden Dossiers anbieten. Das
Ziel dieser Untersuchung war, die Qualität der Prävalenz- und
Inzidenzbestimmung der Dossiers im Indikationsgebiet Urothelkarzinom zu bewerten
und festzustellen, welche Handlungsempfehlungen sich für deren
zukünftige Bestimmung ableiten lassen. Auf der Grundlage des
Methodenpapiers des Instituts für Qualität und
Wirtschaftlichkeit im Gesundheitswesen sowie den Nutzenbewertungen und den
Beschlüssen des G-BA wurde diese Problematik beleuchtet. Der Vergleich
zeigte neben Gemeinsamkeiten bei der Nutzung der epidemiologischen Maße
Unterschiede bei den Berechnungsschritten der Zielpopulation, die zu Variationen
der Prävalenz und Inzidenz in den Dossiers führten. Die
Qualität der Dossiers unterscheidet sich v. a. in der
Nachvollziehbarkeit der Berechnungen und der Datengrundlage. Im Hinblick auf die
externe Validität und Generalisierbarkeit auf das deutsche
Gesundheitswesen besteht noch Verbesserungsbedarf.
Traumatic Fractures of the Thoracic Spine
Authors: Spiegl Ulrich J. A. , Schnake Klaus John , Hartmann Frank , Katscher Sebastian , Riehle Marion , Scheyerer Max J. , Schmeiser Gregor , Siekmann Holger , Osterhoff Georg
Published: May 2020

The majority of traumatic vertebral fractures occur at the thoracolumbar junction and the lumbar spine and less commonly at the mid-thoracic and upper thoracic spine. In accordance, a high number of articles are dealing with thoracolumbar fractures focusing on the thoracolumbar junction. Nonetheless, the biomechanics of the thoracic spine differ from the thoracolumbar junction and the lumbar vertebral spine. The aim of this review is to screen the literature dealing with acute traumatic thoracic vertebral fractures in patients with normal bone quality. Thereby, the diagnostic of thoracic vertebral body fractures should include a CT examination. Ideally, the CT should include the whole thoracic cage particularly in patients suffering high energy accidents or in those with clinical suspicion of concomitant thoracic injuries. Generally, concomitant thoracic injuries are frequently seen in patients with thoracic spine fractures. Particularly sternal fractures cause an
increase in fracture instability. In case of doubt, long segment stabilization is recommended in patients with unstable mid- und upper thoracic fractures, particularly in those patients with a high grade of instability.
Morphological and Molecular Assessment in Thyroid Cytology Using Cell-Capturing Scaffolds
Authors: Scarpino Stefania , Taccogna Silvia , Pepe Giuseppina , Papini Enrico , D’Angelo Martina , Cascone Federica , Nicoletti Daniele , Guglielmi Rinaldo , Palermo Andrea , Trombetta Marcella , Rainer Alberto , Taffon Chiara , Crescenzi Anna
Published: May 2020

The increased frequency of thyroid nodules is paralleled by the rise of thyroid cancer diagnosis. To define the nature of most thyroid nodules, fine needle aspiration (FNA) followed by cytological evaluation is considered the method of choice. About 20% of FNA biopsies on thyroid nodules, however, show indeterminate cytological features and may require diagnostic surgery. Several immunocytochemical and molecular markers have been proposed to improve classification of thyroid nodules, but these tests require adequate cell amount and cytological paraffin inclusion. Polymeric matrices were recently proposed for the collection of cells for diagnostic purposes. In this study, we evaluated the diagnostic use of a new matrix (CytoMatrix). Morphological, molecular and immunohistochemical investigations were carried out on 23 FNA samples included in CytoMatrix and compared with data obtained from the definitive histology of surgical samples. Our results showed that CytoMatrix is suitable to capture and preserve the cellularity of the samples harvested by FNA and that its paraffin sections mimic the morphology of those obtained from real histological tissue. Immunohistochemistry on CytoMatrix samples was consistent with the immunophenotypical profile of the corresponding histological surgical specimens. Mutational analysis of the BRAF (V600E) gene performed on CytoMatrix inclusions and paired surgical tissue matched in all but one cases while matrix immunohistochemistry identified 91.6% of BRAF mutated samples. In conclusion, we suggest that CytoMatrix could be a reliable tool to overcome the current limits of traditional collection methods for the study of thyroid cytology, thereby improving their reliability for a conclusive diagnostic interpretation.
Venous Tumor Thrombosis and Pulmonary Metastases in a Case of Adrenal Neuroblastoma—Occurrence of Two Rare Manifestations in a Single Patient: Case Report and Review of Literature
Authors: Singh Somesh , Kembhavi Seema , Shah Sneha , Vora Tushar , Chinnaswamy Girish , Qureshi Sajid
Published: May 2020

Unlike other pediatric extra cranial solid neoplasms, neuroblastomas have very low incidence of pulmonary metastases. Neuroblastomas also tend to encase rather than infiltrate the major vessels with very low incidence of tumor thrombus. Even in cases with inferior vena cava tumor thrombosis, pulmonary metastases are a rare occurrence. These patients usually show widespread disseminated disease at presentation. We present a rare case of adrenal neuroblastoma with tumor thrombus and bilateral pulmonary metastases at presentation. This presentation can be confused with adrenocortical carcinoma and differentiating between the two is essential for further management.
Female Sex as a Risk Modifier for Stroke Risk in Atrial Fibrillation: Using CHA2DS2-VASc versus CHA2DS2-VA for Stroke Risk Stratification in Atrial Fibrillation: A Note of Caution
Authors: Nielsen Peter Brønnum , Overvad Thure Filskov
Published: May 2020

Stroke prevention is a key clinical concern in the management of patients with atrial fibrillation. Oral anticoagulation treatment reduces the risk of disabling stroke, but the treatment increases the risk of bleeding. For decades, the decision to initiate oral anticoagulation has been guided by clinical risk scoring systems such as the CHADS2 and CHA2DS2-VASc scores. In this narrative review, we focus on the recent discussion of the “Sc” (Sex Category) criterion in the CHA2DS2-VASc score. Epidemiological considerations when assessing stroke rates in cohorts are discussed, and the implications of different methodological approaches are outlined. Next, we review studies investigating the association of the “Sc” criterion on the stroke rates under various approaches. Lastly, we discuss potential consequences of implementing the recently suggested sex-less CHA2DS2-VA score, which leaves out female sex from stroke risk assessment in atrial fibrillation.
Pharmacology, Efficacy and Safety of a Triple-Secured Fibrinogen Concentrate in Children Less than or Equal to 12 Years with Afibrinogenaemia
Authors: Djambas Khayat Claudia , El Khorassani Mohamed , Aytaç Selin , Harroche Annie , Dahmane Amel , Pujol Sonia , Henriet Céline , de Moerloose Philippe , Bridey Françoise
Published: May 2020

Objective To date, the use of a fibrinogen concentrate (FC) administered in children with inherited fibrinogen deficiency is poorly documented. Treatment modalities may differ from those of adults. The aim of this study was to investigate the pharmacokinetics (PK), efficacy (bleeding/surgery) and safety of a triple-secured FC (FibCLOT, LFB, France) in young patients aged of 12 years or less.

Methods This was a prospective, non-comparative, multicentre, phase 2–3 study. Estimated PK parameters were based on population PK modelling. Target fibrinogen levels were 1.2 and 1.0 g/L for major and minor events, respectively. In vivo recovery (IVR) was calculated at study entry to tailor the dose.

Results Sixteen afibrinogenaemia patients were treated with FC: 12 included in the PK study (6 aged ≤ 6 years and 6 aged 7–12 years). IVR at 1 hour post-infusion (geometric mean [coefficient of variation]) was 1.91 [20%] mg/dL per mg/kg and results were similar between the two age groups (1.87 [14%]) and (1.96 [27%]) with no statistical differences. Estimated half-life (t
1/2) was 49.0 hours [12%] with no observed differences between groups (46.6 hours [10%] and 51.6 hours [12%]). Overall efficacy was rated as excellent/good in 96.9% of 32 bleeds and in 100% of 11 surgeries. Most of the events (39/43, 90.7%) were managed with one infusion. There was no serious adverse drug reaction.

Conclusion Individually tailored dosing was efficacious in children who exhibited a lower IVR and shorter t
1/2 than those previously reported in adolescent and adult patients emphasising the importance of individualised dose optimisation.
Risk Factors for Lower Extremity Amputation Following Attempted Free Flap Limb Salvage
Authors: Piwnica-Worms William , Stranix John T. , Othman Sammy , Kozak Geoffrey M. , Moyer Ilaina , Spencer Amy , Azoury Saïd C. , Levin L. Scott , Kovach Stephen J.
Published: May 2020

Background Traumatic limb salvage with free flap reconstruction versus primary amputation for lower extremity (LE) injuries remains an oft debated topic. Limb salvage has well-studied benefits and advances in microsurgery have helped reduce the complication rates. A subset of patients eventually requires secondary amputation after a failed attempt at limb salvage. A better understanding of risk factors that predict subsequent amputation after failed free flap reconstruction of LE injuries may improve operative management.

Patients and Methods A retrospective study (2002–2019) was conducted on all patients who underwent free flap reconstruction of the LE within 120 days of the original inciting event at a single institution. Patient and operative factors were reviewed including comorbidities, severity of the injury, flap choice, outcomes, and complications. Predictors of subsequent amputation were analyzed.

Results A total of 129 patients requiring free flap reconstructions for LE limb salvage met inclusion criteria. Anterolateral thigh flaps (70.5%) were performed most frequently. Secondary amputation occurred in 10 (7.8%) patients. Preoperative factors associated with eventual amputation include diabetes mellitus (p = 0.044), number of preoperative debridements (p = 0.013), evidence of any arterial injury/pathology (p = 0.008), specifically posterior tibial artery (p = < 0.0001), and degree of three-vessel runoff (p = 0.007). Operative factors associated with subsequent amputation include evidence of recipient artery injury/pathology (p = 0.008). Postoperative factors associated with secondary amputation include total flap failure (p = 0.001), partial flap failure (p = 0.002), minor complications (p = 0.037), and residual osteomyelitis (p = 0.028).

Conclusion Many factors contribute to the reconstructive surgical team's decision to proceed with limb salvage or perform primary amputation. Several variables are associated with failed limb salvage resulting in secondary amputation. Further studies are required to better guide management during the limb salvage process.
Whole-Exome Sequencing in NF1-Related West Syndrome Leads to the Identification of KCNC2 as a Novel Candidate Gene for Epilepsy
Authors: Schwarz Niklas , Weber Yvonne , Muhle Hiltrud , Rademacher Annika , Seiffert Simone , Pendziwiat Manuela , Rohr Axel , van Baalen Andreas , Helbig Ingo
Published: May 2020

Patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) have an increased risk for West syndrome (WS), but the underlying mechanisms linking NF1 and WS are unknown. In contrast to other neurocutaneous syndromes, intracerebral abnormalities explaining the course of infantile spasms (IS) are often absent and the seizure outcome is usually favorable. Several studies have investigated a potential genotype–phenotype correlation between NF1 and seizure susceptibility, but an association was not identified. Therefore, we identified three patients with NF1-related WS (NF1-WS) in a cohort of 51 NF1 patients and performed whole-exome sequencing (WES) to identify genetic modifiers. In two NF1 patients with WS and good seizure outcome, we did not identify variants in epilepsy-related genes. However, in a single patient with NF1-WS and transition to drug-resistant epilepsy, we identified a de novo variant in KCNC2 (c.G499T, p.D167Y) coding for Kv3.2 as a previously undescribed potassium channel to be correlated to epilepsy. Electrophysiological studies of the identified KCNC2 variant demonstrated both a strong loss-of-function effect for the current amplitude and a gain-of-function effect for the channel activation recommending a complex network effect. These results suggest that systematic genetic analysis for potentially secondary genetic etiologies in NF1 patients and severe epilepsy presentations should be done.
Do campaign posters trigger voting based on looks? Probing an explanation for why good-looking candidates win more votes
Authors: Herrmann Michael , Shikano Susumu
Published: May 2020

Numerous studies document that better-looking candidates win more votes. Yet the causal mechanisms leading to this advantage remain unexplored. We consider for the first time a potential trigger of the looks–vote association that has previously been suggested but not tested in the literature: exposure to campaign posters of the candidates. We test this explanation with German election survey data, which we augment with ratings—provided by MTurk workers from the U.S.—of the attractiveness and facial competence of about 1,000 district candidates. Confirming previous studies on Germany, we find that attractiveness is positively associated with candidate vote share (1.2 ppts. min–max). At the voter level, we find tentative evidence for the idea that the association is moderated by exposure to campaign posters: effects are in the expected directions and their sizes consistent with what we observe at the candidate level, but we cannot always reject the null hypothesis of no effect. In contrast to attractiveness, we do not find conclusive evidence for an effect of facial competence in the election considered. These preliminary results suggest that inundating voters with candidate posters, as in elections in Germany and many other places, might be a reason for voting based on looks.
Boundary curvature of thin films impacts its wrinkling
Authors: Bandari Anashe
Published: May 2020

Wrinkling is an easy way to create self-similar surface patterns on materials, so it is important to understand the factors that play a role in its development.
Compact Thomson parabola spectrometer with variability of energy range and measurability of angular distribution for low-energy laser-driven accelerated ions
Authors: Kojima Sadaoki , Inoue Shunsuke , Dinh Thanh Hung , Hasegawa Noboru , Mori Michiaki , Sakaki Hironao , Yamamoto Yoichi , Sasaki Teru , Shiokawa Keiichiro , Kondo Kotaro , Yamanaka Takashi , Hashida Masaki , Sakabe Shuji , Nishikino Masaharu , Kondo Kiminori
Published: May 2020

This article reports the development of a compact Thomson parabola spectrometer for laser-accelerated ions that can measure angular distribution with a high energy resolution and has a variable measurable energy range. The angular-resolved energy spectra for different ion species can be measured in a single shot, and the sampling angle can be selected from outside the vacuum region. The electric and magnetic fields are applied to the ion dispersion by using a permanent magnetic circuit and annulus sector-shaped electrodes with a wedge configuration. The compact magnetic circuit consists of permanent magnets, fixed yokes, and movable yokes. The magnetic flux is intentionally leaked to the movable yokes, allowing the magnetic field to be adjusted from 53 mT to 259 mT. The annulus sector-shaped electrodes with a wedge configuration provide better trace separation for high-energy ions, retain the lower-energy part of the ion signal, and subject ions passing through all pinholes to an equivalent Lorentz force. The magnetic and electric fields are designed for measuring protons and carbon ions with an energy range of 0.1–5 MeV. The spectrometer allows for the adjustment of the observable energy range afterward according to the parameters of the accelerated ion.
AC electrowetting promoted droplet shedding on hydrophobic surfaces
Authors: Wikramanayake Enakshi D. , Perry Jordin , Bahadur Vaibhav
Published: May 2020

Condensation is significantly enhanced by condensing vapor as droplets (instead of a film), which rapidly shed-off. Electrowetting (EW)-induced coalescence and shedding of droplets have been recently shown to accelerate condensation. This work studies the influence of AC electrowetting fields on short-duration droplet shedding on hydrophobic surfaces. Experiments involve tracking the shedding of an ensemble of water droplets under the influence of EW fields, with three parameters being varied (voltage, AC frequency, and device geometry). Significant physical insights into EW-induced droplet shedding are obtained. First, EW enables almost complete removal of water (dry area fraction ∼98%) in very short time durations (∼ 1 s). Second, while the dry area fraction does depend on the applied voltage, significant water shedding can be achieved without needing to apply voltages significantly higher than the threshold voltage. Third, the frequency of the AC waveform does not influence the dry area fraction (for voltages above the threshold voltage); however the time constant associated with droplet shedding strongly depends on the AC frequency. Fourth, the orientation of the device influences water removal due to electrostatic pinning of droplets. Importantly, the measured water removal fluxes immediately after the application of an EW field are two orders of magnitude higher than those measured over a long-duration condensation experiment; this highlights the benefits of intermittent EW fields as opposed to continuous EW fields. Overall, these results suggest that EW on hydrophobic surfaces offers benefits comparable to those offered by superhydrophobic surfaces.
Boundary curvature effect on the wrinkling of thin suspended films
Authors: Janssens Stoffel D. , Sutisna Burhannudin , Giussani Alessandro , Kwiecinski James A. , Vázquez-Cortés David , Fried Eliot
Published: May 2020

A relation between the boundary curvature κ and the wrinkle wavelength λ of a thin suspended film under boundary confinement is demonstrated. Experiments were performed with nanocrystalline diamond films of approximate thickness 184 nm grown on glass substrates. By removing portions of the substrates after growth, suspended films with circular boundaries of radius 30–811 μm were fabricated. Due to residual stresses, the portions of the film bonded to the substrate are of approximate compressive prestrain 11×10−4 and the suspended portions of the film are azimuthally wrinkled at their boundary. Measurements show that λ decreases monotonically with κ, and a simple model that is in line with this trend is proposed. The model can be applied to design devices with functional wrinkles and can be adapted to gain insight into other systems such as plant leaves. A method for measuring residual compressive strain in thin films, which complements standard strain characterization methods, is also described.
Piezotronic AlGaN nanowire Schottky junctions grown on a metal substrate
Authors: Al-Maghrabi Latifah , Huang Chen , Priante Davide , Tian Meng , Min Jung-Wook , Zhao Chao , Zhang Huafan , Subedi Ram Chandra , Alhashim Hala H. , Sun Haiding , Ng Tien Khee , Ooi Boon S.
Published: May 2020

The non-centrosymmetric crystal structures of polar-semiconductors comprising GaN, InN, AlN, and ZnO intrigued the scientific community in investigating their potential for a strain-induced nano-energy generation. The coupled semiconducting and piezoelectric properties produce a piezo-potential that modulates the charge transport across their heterostructure interfaces. By using conductive-atomic force microscopy, we investigate the mechanism that gives rise to the piezotronic effect in AlGaN nanowires (NWs) grown on a molybdenum (Mo) substrate. By applying external bias and force on the NWs/Mo structure using a Pt–Ir probe, the charge transport across the two adjoining Schottky junctions is modulated due to the change in the apparent Schottky barrier heights (SBHs) that result from the strain-induced piezo-potential. We measured an increase in the SBH of 98.12 meV with respect to the background force, which corresponds to an SBH variation ∂ϕ∂F of 6.24 meV/nN for the semiconductor/Ti/Mo interface. The SBH modulation, which is responsible for the piezotronic effect, is further studied by measuring the temperature-dependent I–V curves from room temperature to 398 K. The insights gained from the unique structure of AlGaN NWs/Mo shed light on the electronic properties of the metal-semiconductor interfaces, as well as on the potential application of AlGaN NW piezoelectric nanomaterials in optoelectronics, sensors, and energy generation applications.
Inlaid microfluidic optics: absorbance cells in clear devices applied to nitrite and phosphate detection
Authors: Luy Edward A , Morgan Sean C , Creelman Joshua J , Murphy Benjamin J , Sieben Vincent J
Published: May 2020

A novel type of microfluidic absorbance cell is presented here that inlays black poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) into a clear PMMA substrate to realize an isolated optical channel with microlitre volumes. Optical measurements are frequently performed on microfluidic devices, offering effective, quick, and robust chemical analysis capabilities on small amounts of sample. Many lab-on-chip systems utilize micrometer-sized channels to analyze liquid samples via light-absorbance measurements, but this requires sophisticated coordination of light through a small cross-section, often requiring collimating and beam-steering optics. Here, we detail the fabrication process to realize long path length absorbance cells based on a simple hybrid-material approach. A z-shape microchannel structure crosses a clear-black interface at both ends of the absorbance cell, thereby creating integral optical windows that permit light coupling into a microchannel completely embedded in black PMMA. Furthermore, we have integrated v-groove prisms on either side of the microfluidic channel. The prisms enabled seamless integration with printed circuit boards and permit the optical elements to be located off-chip without use of epoxies or adhesives. Three path lengths, 10.4, 25.4, and 50.4 mm, were created and used to characterize the novel cell design using typical colorimetric measurements for nitrite and phosphate. We compare the attenuation coefficient measured by our optical cells with the literature, showing excellent agreement across nutrient concentrations from 50 nM–50 μM. The measurements were performed with well-known reagent-based methods, namely the Griess assay for nitrite and the molybdovanadophosphoric acid or the ‘yellow method’ for phosphate. The longest 50.4 mm path length cell had a limit-of-detection of 6 nM for nitrite and 40 nM for phosphate, using less than 12 μl of fluid. The inlaid fabrication method described permits robust and high-performance optical measurements with broad applicability for in situ marine sensors and for numerous lab-on-chip sensors based on colorimetric assays. One such application is shown whereby two inlaid absorbance cells are integrated with four microfluidic check valves to realize a complete lab-on-chip nitrite sensor.
Metal-induced layer exchange of group IV materials
Authors: Toko Kaoru , Suemasu Takashi
Published: May 2020

Layer exchange (LE) is an interesting phenomenon in which metal and semiconductor layers exchange during heat treatment. A great deal of effort has been put into research on the mechanism and applications of LE, which has allowed various group IV materials (Si, SiGe, Ge, GeSn and C) to form on arbitrary substrates using appropriate metal catalysts. Depending on the LE material combination and growth conditions, the resulting semiconductor layer exhibits various features: low-temperature crystallization (80 °C–500 °C), grain size control (nm to mm orders), crystal orientation control to (100) or (111) and high impurity doping (>1020 cm−3). These features are useful for improving the performance, productivity and versatility of various devices, such as solar cells, transistors, thermoelectric generators and rechargeable batteries. We briefly review the findings and achievements from over 20 years of LE studies, including recent progress on device applications.
Ge(Sn) nano-island/Si heterostructure photodetectors with plasmonic antennas
Authors: Schlykow Viktoria , Manganelli Costanza Lucia , Römer Friedhard , Clausen Caterina , Augel Lion , Schulze Jörg , Katzer Jens , Schubert Michael Andreas , Witzigmann Bernd , Schroeder Thomas , Capellini Giovanni , Fischer Inga Anita
Published: May 2020

We report on photodetection in deep subwavelength Ge(Sn) nano-islands on Si nano-pillar substrates, in which self-aligned nano-antennas in the Al contact metal are used to enhance light absorption by means of local surface plasmon resonances. The impact of parameters such as substrate doping and device geometry on the measured responsivities are investigated and our experimental results are supported by simulations of the three-dimensional distribution of the electromagnetic fields. Comparatively high optical responsivities of about 0.1 A W−1 are observed as a consequence of the excitation of localized surface plasmons, making our nano-island photodetectors interesting for applications in which size reduction is essential.
Biocompatible superparamagnetic core-shell nanoparticles for potential use in hyperthermia-enabled drug release and as an enhanced contrast agent
Authors: Patil-Sen Yogita , Torino Enza , De Sarno Franca , Ponsiglione Alfonso Maria , Chhabria Vikesh , Ahmed Waqar , Mercer Tim
Published: May 2020

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) and core-shell type nanoparticles, consisting of SPIONs coated with mesoporous silica and/or lipid, were synthesised and tested for their potential theranostic applications in drug delivery, magnetic hyperthermia and as a contrast agent. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) confirmed the size of bare and coated SPIONs was in the range of 5–20 nm and 100–200 nm respectively. The superparamagnetic nature of all the prepared nanomaterials as indicated by Vibrating Sample Magnetometry (VSM) and their heating properties under an AC field confirm their potential for hyperthermia applications. Scanning Column Magnetometry (SCM) data showed that extrusion of bare-SPION (b-SPION) dispersions through a 100 nm polycarbonate membrane significantly improved the dispersion stability of the sample. No sedimentation was apparent after 18 h compared to a pre-extrusion estimate of 43% settled at the bottom of the tube over the same time. Lipid coating also enhanced dispersion stability. Transversal relaxation time (T2) measurements for the nanoparticles, using a bench-top relaxometer, displayed a significantly lower value of 46 ms, with a narrow relaxation time distribution, for lipid silica coated SPIONs (Lip-SiSPIONs) as compared to that of 1316 ms for the b-SPIONs. Entrapment efficiency of the anticancer drug, Doxorubicin (DOX) for Lip-SPIONs was observed to be 35% which increased to 58% for Lip-SiSPIONs. Moreover, initial in-vitro cytotoxicity studies against human breast adenocarcinoma, MCF-7 cells showed that % cell viability increased from 57% for bSPIONs to 82% for Lip-SPIONs and to 87% for Lip-SiSPIONs. This suggests that silica and lipid coatings improve the biocompatibility of bSPIONs significantly and enhance the suitability of these particles as drug carriers. Hence, the magnetic nanomaterials prepared in this work have potential theranostic properties as a drug carrier for hyperthermia cancer therapy and also offer enhancement of contrast agent efficacy and a route to a significant increase in dispersion stability.
Parastatals and economic transformation in South Africa: The political economy of the Eskom crisis
Authors: Bowman Andrew
Published: May 2020

This article analyses the causes, outcomes, and political significance of the inter-connected operational, financial, and governance crises afflicting Eskom, South Africa’s electricity parastatal. These crises emerged in the context of African National Congress initiatives to turn Eskom and other key parastatals into instruments of an envisaged South African developmental state, through increased investment and strategic procurement to support economic transformation goals. Instead, Eskom’s spiralling costs, procurement irregularities and inability to translate increased investment into functional new infrastructure meant it impeded these goals. Its indebtedness became a severe macro-economic risk, making Eskom a precarious nexus for the circulation of public funds, while the cost and unreliability of electricity has undermined South Africa’s energy-intensive industrial core. Intertwined with this were multiple high-profile corruption scandals associated with the ‘state-capture’ controversies of the latter stages of Jacob Zuma’s presidency. The article argues that Eskom’s extreme dysfunctionality results from long-running, and as yet unresolved, contestation of the parastatal and electricity policy more broadly by various interest groups, in a context of an increasingly fragmented political and business elite. This created a range of incoherent distributional pressures and institutional constraints. Rather than a straightforward outcome of corruption and ‘state capture’, this reflects deeper tensions in the post-apartheid political economy.
Remote monitoring contributes to preventing overwork-related events in health workers on the COVID-19 frontlines
Authors: Zhang Faming , Wang Huiquan , Chen Ruijuan , Hu Wenzhi , Zhong Yuexia , Wang Xin
Published: May 2020

Fighting on the frontlines against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, health workers are at high risk of virus infection and overwork-related sudden death and disorders including cardiovascular diseases and stress. When we noted the increase of overwork-related sudden deaths in physicians and nurses in the first 2 weeks after lockdown of Wuhan, we organized the ‘Touching Your Heart’ program by remote monitoring, aiming to protect health workers from overwork-related disorders through integrated volunteer work by physicians and medical engineering researchers from Wuhan Huoshenshan Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, and Tiangong University. By remotely monitoring the health conditions of the medical aid team working at Wuhan Huoshenshan Hospital, the program successfully helped in avoiding severe overwork-related events. The results from our program should be used to remind frontline health workers around the world to take precautions against overworked-related severe events, and show that precision monitoring is effective in improving work efficiency and maintaining a sustainable workforce during emergency situations like a pandemic.
Born sigma model for branes in exceptional geometry
Authors: Sakatani Yuho , Uehara Shozo
Published: May 2020

In double field theory, the physical space has been understood as a subspace of the doubled space. Recently, the doubled space has been defined as the para-Hermitian manifold and the physical space is realized as a leaf of a foliation of the doubled space. This construction naturally introduces the fundamental 2-form, which plays an important role in a reformulation of string theory known as the Born sigma model. In this paper, we present the Born sigma model for $p$-branes in M-theory and type IIB theory by extending the fundamental 2-form into $U$-duality-covariant $(p+1)$-forms.
Moral Panic in the Industrial Town: Teenage ‘Deviancy’ and Religious Crisis in Central Scotland c. 1968–9
Authors: Lynch Charlie
Published: May 2020

This article argues that Falkirk—a medium-sized industrial town in Central Scotland—became the scene of a localized, yet typical moral panic about teenage deviancy in the late sixties. Located within a broader context of secularization and changes to popular youth cultures, the panic was sparked by a succession of trials. As a result of these, several teenage boys were charged with cannabis possession, and a 19-year-old man was convicted of unlawful intercourse with a 15-year-old girl. Responding to public outrage, local moral entrepreneurs attributed the changing attitudes and behaviours of numbers of young people to a decline in churchgoing and religious piety. With assistance from North American and Canadian evangelicals, they attempted to mobilize a mass religious revival in the style of Billy Graham’s ‘Crusades’. By seeking to reassert the discursive power of Christianity in the face of moral change, their enterprise sought spiritual remedies to complex social and cultural developments. However, by the time evangelicals arrived, the panic had subsided due to the court case providing a measure of closure, and many churchgoers in Falkirk felt uncertainty about whether a greater role for churches in policing morality was desirable. Thereby, this article challenges literature that has sought to downplay secularization in Britain during the sixties and which emphasizes the influence of discursive change within Anglican Christianity on the sexual and moral revolutions of the 1960s. It contests London-centric conceptions of moral change and demonstrates that this was a product of regionalism as well as cosmopolitanism.
An alternative route to the Mandelbrot set: connecting idiosyncratic digital representations for undergraduates
Authors: Miles Richard
Published: May 2020

Mathematics undergraduates often encounter a variety of digital representations which are more idiosyncratic than the ones they have experienced in school and which often require the use of more sophisticated digital tools. This article analyses a collection of digital representations common to undergraduate dynamical systems courses, considers the significant ways in which the representations are interconnected and examines how they are similar or differ from those students are likely to have experienced at school. A key approach in the analysis is the identification of mathematical objects corresponding to manipulative elements of the representations that are most essential for typical exploratory tasks. As a result of the analysis, augmentations of familiar representations are proposed that address the gap between local and global perspectives, and a case is made for greater use of isoperiodic diagrams. In particular, these diagrams are proposed as a new stimulus for students to generate their own explorations of fundamental properties of the Mandelbrot set. The ideas presented are expected to inform the practice of teachers seeking to develop visually rich exploratory tasks which pre-empt some of the issues of instrumentation that mathematics undergraduates experience when introduced to new digital tools. The overarching aim is to address significant questions concerning visualization and inscriptions in mathematics education.
Key Genes and Genetic Interactions of Plant-Pathogen Functional Modules in Poplar Infected by Marssonina brunnea
Authors: Chen Sisi , Zhang Yanfeng , Zhao Yiyang , Xu Weijie , Li Yue , Xie Jianbo , Zhang Deiqiang
Published: May 2020

Marssonina brunnea, the causative pathogen of Marssonina leaf spot of poplars (MLSP), devastates poplar plantations by forming black spots on leaves and defoliating trees. Although MLSP has been studied for over 30 years, the key genes that function during M. brunnea infection and their effects on plant growth are poorly understood. Here, we used multigene association studies to investigate the effects of key genes in the plant-pathogen interaction pathway, as revealed by transcriptome analysis, on photosynthesis and growth in a natural population of 435 Populus tomentosa individuals. By analyzing transcriptomic changes during three stages of infection, we detected 628 transcription factor genes among the 7,611 differentially expressed genes that might be associated with basal defense responses. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analyses revealed that transcriptomic changes across different stages of infection lead to the reprogramming of metabolic processes possibly related to defense activation. We identified 29,399 common single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within 221 full-length genes in plant-pathogen interaction pathways that were significantly associated with photosynthetic and growth traits. We also detected 4,460 significant epistatic pairs associated with stomatal conductance, tree diameter, and tree height. Epistasis analysis uncovered significant interactions between 2,561 SNP-SNP pairs from different functional modules in the plant-pathogen interaction pathway, revealing possible genetic interactions. This analysis revealed many key genes that function during M. brunnea infection and their potential roles in mediating photosynthesis and plant growth, shedding light on genetic interactions between functional modules in the plant-pathogen interaction pathway.
Splicing variation of BMP2K balances endocytosis, COPII trafficking and autophagy in erythroid cells
Authors: Cendrowski Jaroslaw , Kaczmarek Marta , Kuzmicz-Kowalska Katarzyna , Mazur Michal , Jastrzebski Kamil , Brewinska-Olchowik Marta , Kominek Agata , Piwocka Katarzyna , Miaczynska Marta
Published: May 2020

Intracellular transport undergoes remodeling upon cell differentiation, which involves cell type-specific regulators. Bone morphogenetic protein 2-inducible kinase (BMP2K) has been potentially implicated in endocytosis and cell differentiation but its molecular functions remained unknown. We discovered that its longer (L) and shorter (S) splicing variants regulate erythroid differentiation in a manner unexplainable by their involvement in AP-2 adaptor phosphorylation and endocytosis. However, both variants interacted with SEC16A whose silencing in K562 erythroid leukemia cells affected generation of COPII assemblies and induced autophagic degradation. Variant-specific depletion approach showed that BMP2K isoforms constitute a BMP2K-L/S regulatory system. Therein, L promotes while S restricts recruitment of SEC31A to SEC24B-containing COPII structures forming at SEC16A-positive ER exit sites. Finally, we found L to promote and S to restrict autophagic degradation. Hence, we propose that BMP2K-L favors SEC16A-dependent intracellular processes important for erythroid maturation, such as COPII trafficking and autophagy, in a manner inhibited by BMP2K-S.
Liver histopathology in COVID 19 infection is suggestive of vascular alteration
Authors: Sonzogni Aurelio , Previtali Giulia , Seghezzi Michela , Alessio Maria Grazia , Gianatti Andrea , Licini Lisa , Zerbi Pietro , Carsana Luca , Rossi Roberta , Lauri Eleonora , Pellegrinelli Alessandro , Nebuloni Manuela
Published: May 2020

COVID-19 breakout in Italy has caused a huge number of severely ill patients with a serious increase in mortality. Although lungs seem to be the main target of the infection very few information are available about liver involvement in COVID-19 infection, that could possibly evocate a systemic disease targeting a lot of organs. Since now there are no reports of large series of histological evaluation of liver morphology in this setting. Knowledge of histological liver findings connected to clinical data is crucial in management of this disease. Post-mortem wedge liver biopsies from 48 patients died for COVID-19 infection were available from two main hospitals located in northern Italy, Lombardy; all sample were obtained during autopsies. No patient has a significant clinical complain of liver disease or signs of liver failure before and during hospitalization; for each of them laboratory data focused on liver were available. All liver samples showed minimal inflammation features; on the other side, many histological pictures compatible with vascular alterations were observed, characterized by portal vein braches number increase associated with lumen massive dilatation, partial or complete recent luminal thrombosis of portal and sinusoidal vessels, fibrosis of portal tract, focally severely enlarged and fibrotic. Our preliminary results concerning histological liver involvement in COVID-19 infection confirm the clinical impression that liver failure is not a main concern and this organ is not the target of significant inflammatory damage; histopatological findings are highly suggestive for marked alteration of intrahepatic blood vessel network secondary to systemic alterations induced by virus that could target, besides lung parenchyma, cardiovascular system, coagulation cascade or endothelial layer of blood vessels.