bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Extraction and purification of ε-poly-l-lysine from fermentation broth using an ethanol/ammonium sulfate aqueous two-phase system combined with ultrafiltration
Authors: Chen Xusheng , Diao Wenjiao , Ma Yu , Mao Zhonggui
Published: August 2020

Natural antimicrobial agent ε-poly-l-lysine could be alternative prepared by ethanol/ammonium sulfate ATPS combined with ultrafiltration from the microbial feedstock.
Manifold of self-assembly of a de novo designed peptide: amyloid fibrils, peptide bundles, and fractals
Authors: Chao Yu-Jo , Wu Kan , Chang Hsun-Hui , Chien Ming-Jou , Chan Jerry Chun Chung
Published: August 2020

The amyloidogenic peptide EGAGAAAAGAGE can form fractal assembly on a two-dimensional surface under alkaline conditions, for which the counter cations have imparted structural rigidity to the C- and N- termini.
Modular design and self-assembly of multidomain peptides towards cytocompatible supramolecular cell penetrating nanofibers
Authors: Yang Su , Dong He
Published: August 2020

In this work, we demonstrated a facile supramolecular approach based on modularly designed multi-domain peptides to construct peptide-based nanomaterials with intrinsic cell penetrating activity and excellent cytocompatibility.
Assessment of in vitro cytotoxicity of imidazole ionic liquids and inclusion in targeted drug carriers containing violacein
Authors: Rivero Berti Ignacio , Rodenak-Kladniew Boris , Onaindia Celeste , Adam Claudia G. , Islan German A. , Durán Nelson , Castro Guillermo R.
Published: August 2020

Violacein (Viol) is a pigment produced by several Gram-negative bacteria with many bioactivities, such as anticancer, virucide, and antiparasitic.
Short peptides conjugated to non-peptidic motifs exhibit antibacterial activity
Authors: Ardila-Chantré Natalia , Hernández-Cardona Angie Katherine , Pineda-Castañeda Hector Manuel , Estupiñan-Torres Sandra Mónica , Leal-Castro Aura Lucía , Fierro-Medina Ricardo , Rivera-Monroy Zuly Jenny , García-Castañeda Javier Eduardo
Published: August 2020

Short peptides derived from buforin and lactoferricin B were conjugated with other antimicrobial molecules of different chemical natures.
Design, synthesis andin silicostudies of new quinazolinone derivatives as antitumor PARP-1 inhibitors
Authors: Ramadan Sayed K. , Elrazaz Eman Z. , Abouzid Khaled A. M. , El-Naggar Abeer M.
Published: August 2020

Herein, we report an eco-friendly synthesis of a new series of quinazolinone-based derivatives as potential PARP-1 inhibitors.
Stereoselective synthesis of Gly-Gly-type (E)-methylalkene and (Z)-chloroalkene dipeptide isosteres and their application to 14-mer RGG peptidomimetics
Authors: Okita Hikari , Kato Yuna , Masuzawa Tatsuki , Arai Kosuke , Takeo Sayuri , Sato Kohei , Mase Nobuyuki , Oyoshi Takanori , Narumi Tetsuo
Published: August 2020

An efficient synthesis of Gly-Gly-type (E)-methylalkene and (Z)-chloroalkene dipeptide isosteres is realized by organocuprate-mediated single electron transfer reduction.
Structural deformation and host–guest properties of doubly-reduced cycloparaphenylenes, [n]CPPs2− (n = 6, 8, 10, and 12)
Authors: Zhou Zheng , Wei Zheng , Schaub Tobias A. , Jasti Ramesh , Petrukhina Marina A.
Published: August 2020

The series of doubly-reduced cycloparaphenylenes (CPPs) with increasing dimensions and flexibility shows the size-dependent structural changes and enhanced host abilities.
TMTHSI, a superior 7-membered ring alkyne containing reagent for strain-promoted azide–alkyne cycloaddition reactions
Authors: Weterings Jimmy , Rijcken Cristianne J. F. , Veldhuis Harald , Meulemans Tommi , Hadavi Darya , Timmers Matt , Honing Maarten , Ippel Hans , Liskamp Rob M. J.
Published: August 2020

TMTHSI was developed as new reagent for strain-promoted azide–alkyne cycloaddition reactions, enabling connection of a diversity of small to large molecular constructs.
Molecular mechanisms of thermal instability in hybrid perovskite light absorbers for photovoltaic solar cells
Authors: Wang Mingchao , Vasudevan Vallabh , Lin Shangchao , Jasieniak Jacek , Russo Salvy P. , Birbilis Nick , Medhekar Nikhil V.
Published: August 2020

This work explores the molecular-level mechanisms of thermal instability in pristine and defective crystals of the prototypical hybrid perovskite MAPbI3.
Correction: Facile synthesis of titanium nitride nanowires on carbon fabric for flexible and high-rate lithium ion batteries
Authors: Balogun Muhammad-Sadeeq , Yu Minghao , Li Cheng , Zhai Teng , Liu Yi , Lu Xihong , Tong Yexiang
Published: August 2020

Correction for ‘Facile synthesis of titanium nitride nanowires on carbon fabric for flexible and high-rate lithium ion batteries’ by Muhammad-Sadeeq Balogun et al., J. Mater. Chem. A, 2014, 2, 10825–10829, DOI: 10.1039/C4TA00987H.
Nanosized drug-eluting bead for transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (ND-TACE)
Authors: Zhao Jun , Li Yan-shu , Liu Zhi-Xing , Huang Mu-Hua , Xu Yu-hua , Liang Qing-rong , Chen Li , Luo Rong-guang , Tang Qun
Published: August 2020

Dextran-coated arsenite nanoparticles benefit interventional therapy by occluding tumor feeding vessels and sustainable release of arsenic trioxide.
Synthesis of novel multi-hydroxyl N-halamine precursors based on barbituric acid and their applications in antibacterial poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) materials
Authors: Wu Kun , Li Jianqiao , Chen Xin , Yao Jinrong , Shao Zhengzhong
Published: August 2020

N-Halamine antibacterial PET with multi-hydroxyl barbituric derivatives as nucleating and antibacterial additives.
Core–shell nanostructures: perspectives towards drug delivery applications
Authors: Kumar Raj , Mondal Kunal , Panda Pritam Kumar , Kaushik Ajeet , Abolhassani Reza , Ahuja Rajeev , Rubahn Horst-Günter , Mishra Yogendra Kumar
Published: August 2020

Nanosystems have shown encouraging outcomes and substantial progress in the areas of drug delivery and biomedical applications.
Narrative Intervention: Principles to Practice
Authors: Spencer Trina D. , Petersen Douglas B.
Published: August 2020

Purpose

Narrative interventions are a class of language interventions that involve the use of telling or retelling stories. Narrative intervention can be an efficient and versatile means of promoting a large array of academically and socially important language targets that improve children's access to general education curriculum and enhance their peer relations. The purpose of this tutorial is to supply foundational information about the importance of narratives and to offer recommendations about how to maximize the potential of narrative interventions in school-based clinical practice.

Method

Drawing from decades of cognitive and linguistic research, a tutorial on narratives and narrative language is presented first. Ten principles that support the design and implementation of narrative interventions are described.

Results

Clinicians can use narrative intervention to teach story grammar, complex language, vocabulary, inferencing, and social pragmatics. Storytelling, as an active intervention ingredient, promotes the comprehension and production of complex language.

Conclusion

When narrative intervention is implemented following a set of principles drawn from research and extensive clinical experience, speech-language pathologists can efficiently and effectively teach a broad set of academically and socially meaningful skills to diverse students.
Lessons from the “turbot war”: the future of high seas governance
Authors: Coelho Manuel Pacheco , Lopes Rui Junqueira , Pires André Estrela
Published: August 2020

In 1995, the so-called “turbot war” between Spain and Canada was pivotal for Iberian fisheries. The main objective of this research is to revisit the turbot war to reflect on the issue of governing fisheries on the high seas, the cause behind the war, and how it was resolved. This paper provides guidelines for future research on the management of high seas fisheries.
Les mécanismes de mort cellulaire dans la stéatohépatite non alcoolique
Authors: Magusto Julie , Majdi Amine , Gautheron Jérémie
Published: August 2020

La mort hépatocellulaire chronique et l’inflammation qui en résulte sont des évènements clés dans la progression de la stéatose hépatique non alcoolique (NAFL) vers la stéatohépatite non alcoolique (NASH). La NASH est un état sévère de la maladie qui est associé au développement de la fibrose et qui peut à terme évoluer vers la cirrhose et le cancer du foie. L’apoptose a initialement été étudiée comme cible potentielle pour réduire la mort des hépatocytes dans la NASH. Cependant, des études récentes suggèrent que l’inhibition des caspases est inefficace pour traiter les patients atteints de NASH et pourrait même aggraver la maladie en redirigeant les hépatocytes vers d’autres voies de mort cellulaire. De nouvelles formes de mort cellulaire dites lytiques ont récemment été identifiées et induisent de fortes réponses inflammatoires causées par la perméabilisation des membranes cellulaires. Le contrôle de ces voies de mort lytiques offre par conséquent de nouvelles opportunités thérapeutiques pour traiter la NASH. Cette revue résume les mécanismes moléculaires déclenchant l’apoptose et les voies de mort lytiques, parmi lesquelles la nécroptose, la pyroptose et la ferroptose, et discute de leur pertinence dans la NASH.
La plasticité phénotypique : une brève introduction
Authors: Gibert Jean-Michel
Published: August 2020

La plasticité phénotypique décrit la propriété d’un génotype donné à produire des phénotypes différents en réponse à des conditions environnementales distinctes. Elle est observée fréquemment dans la nature et des expériences en laboratoire permettent de mieux en comprendre les mécanismes. Cet article introduit les concepts principaux du domaine de la plasticité phénotypique, présente brièvement les mécanismes impliqués dans la plasticité phénotypique et discute les liens entre plasticité phénotypique et évolution.
Implementation of a reaction-diffusion process in the Abaqus finite element software
Authors: Vasikaran Elisabeth , Charles Yann , Gilormini Pierre
Published: August 2020

To increase the Abaqus software capabilities, we propose a strategy to force the software to activate hidden degrees of freedom and to include extra coupled phenomena. As an illustration, we apply this approach to the simulation of a reaction diffusion process, the Gray-Scott model, which exhibits very complex patterns. Several setups have been considered and compared with available results to analyze the abilities of our strategy and to allow the inclusion of complex phenomena in Abaqus.
Design and anylysis of gamma type Stirling engine
Authors: Vahid Davood Jalali , Oskouei Hojjat Danandeh
Published: August 2020

This article discusses how to design and manufacture a gamma type Stirling engine. The Stirling engine is an external combustion engine that does not produce any pollution. In this study, we studied the design and manufacturing of industrial Stirling engine. After designing and manufacturing all the parts, the designed Stirling engine has been launched by a 550-watt electric heater and has been tested in two uninsured and insulated modes. In non-insulated mode, the motor had a power of 68.69 watts with a yield of 12.66% and, when the motor is insulated, it had a power of 86.48 watts with a yield of 15.72%.
Optimality and duality for nonsmooth semi-infinite E-convex multi-objective programming with support functions
Authors: Emam Tarek
Published: August 2020

In this paper, we study a nonsmooth semi-infinite multi-objective E-convex programming problem involving support functions. We derive sufficient optimality conditions for the primal problem. We formulate Mond-Weir type dual for the primal problem and establish weak and strong duality theorems under various generalized E-convexity assumptions.
Das Management von Glaskörpertrübungen
Authors: Lommatzsch Albrecht
Published: August 2020

Das Management von symptomatischen Glaskörpertrübungen stellt sich in der täglichen Praxis oft als kompliziert dar. Die Nd:YAG-Laser-Vitreolyse rückt als weitere therapeutische Option immer mehr in den Fokus. Vergleichende randomisierte Studien zur Vitrektomie, Nd:YAG-Laser-Vitreolyse und einer abwartenden Vorgehensweise zum Spontanverlauf gibt es leider nicht. Dieser Beitrag versucht, zu dieser Problematik einen Überblick zu geben.
Progression of Diabetic Complications in Subgroups of People with
Long Term Diabetes Type 1 According to Clinical Course
Authors: Gerdes Christian , Werner Christoph , Kloos Christof , Lehmann Thomas , Wolf Gunter , Müller Ulrich Alfons , Müller Nicolle
Published: August 2020

Aims Prevention and prediction of microvascular complications are
important aims of medical care in people with type 1 diabetes. Since the course
of the disease is heterogenous, we tried to identify subgroups with specific
risk profiles for microvascular complications.

Methods Retrospective analysis of a cohort of 285 people (22637
consultations) with >10 years of type 1 diabetes. Persons were grouped
into slow (<15 years), fast (>15 years) and non progressors
according to the average onset of microvascular complications. Generalized
estimating equations for binary outcomes were applied and pseudo coefficients of
determination were calculated.

Results Progression to microvascular disease was associated with age (OR:
1.034 [1.001–1.068]; p=0.04), diabetes duration (OR: 1.057
[1.021–1.094]; p=0.002), HbA1c (OR: 1.035
[1.011–1.060]; p=0.005), BMI (OR: 0.928 [0.866–0.994];
p=0.034) and the social strata index (OR: 0.910 [0.830–0.998];
p=0.046). Generalized estimating equations predicted 31.02% and
exclusion of HbA1c marginally reduced the value to 28.88%.
The proportion of patients with LADA was higher in fast than slow progressors
[13 (26.5%) vs. 14 (11.9%); p=0.019]. A generalized
estimating equation comparing slow to fast progressors revealed no significant
markers.

Conclusion In our analysis, we were able to confirm known risk factors
for microvascular disease in people with type 1 diabetes. Overall, prediction of
individual risk was difficult, the effect of individual markers minor and we
could not find differences regarding slow or fast progression. We therefore
emphasis the need for additional markers to predict individual risk for
microvascular disease.
Ergebnisse der isolierten Resektion des vierten Fingerstrahls
Authors: Mayr-Riedler Michael Stephan , Prommersberger Karl-Josef , van Schoonhoven Jörg
Published: August 2020

Hintergrund Nach Teilresektion des vierten Fingerstrahls nehmen viele Handchirurgen eine Transposition des Kleinfingerstrahls auf die Position des Ringfingerstrahls vor. Viele andere – auch wir – resezieren den vierten Strahl vollständig durch Exartikulation im Karpometakarpalgelenk und raffen das Ligamentum metacarpale transversum profundum, in der Vorstellung, hierdurch und durch eine spontane Radialverschiebung des Kleinfingerstrahles die Lücke zwischen dem dritten und fünften Mittelhandknochen ausreichend zu verkleinern. Ziel dieser retrospektiven Studie war es, die klinischen, radiologischen und subjektiven Ergebnisse nach vollständiger Resektion des vierten Fingerstrahls mit Adaption des Ligamentums metacarpale transversum profundum zu erheben.

Patienten und Methoden 7 Patienten (3 Frauen, 4 Männer) mit einem Durchschnittsalter von 50 (26–62) Jahren konnten nach durchschnittlich 43 (2–174) Monaten nachuntersucht werden. Erhoben wurden die Fingerbeweglichkeit, die Handkraft, die Sensibilität (Hoffmann-Tinel-Zeichen, Semmes-Weinstein-Monofilament), die Geschicklichkeit (Nine-Hole-Peg-Test), Schmerzen (Ruhe- und Belastungsschmerzen, Phantomschmerzen, Wetterfühligkeit) sowie die Patientenzufriedenheit nach funktionellen und ästhetischen Gesichtspunkten. Auf Röntgenaufnahmen der Hand wurde präoperativ, direkt postoperativ und bei der Nachuntersuchung der Abstand zwischen den Köpfen und Basen der Mittelhandknochen III und V bestimmt.

Ergebnisse Als einzige Komplikation trat bei einem Patienten eine leichte Wundheilungsstörung auf, welche konservativ beherrscht wurde. Die Sensibilität war bei keinem Patienten eingeschränkt und kein Patient zeigte klinisch Neurombeschwerden. Die Fingerbeweglichkeit zeigte sich bei 2 Patienten sowohl beim Faustschluss als auch bei der Fingerstreckung leicht eingeschränkt. Die mittlere Kraft betrug im Grobgriff 61 (54–78) % und im Spitzgriff 65 (35–122) % der gesunden Gegenseite. Der mittlere DASH-Score konnte von 42,2 präoperativ auf 27,5 reduziert werden. Die Geschicklichkeit zeigte sich im Vergleich zur gesunden Gegenseite mit einer mittleren Verlängerung des Nine-Hole-Peg-Tests um 23 % leicht reduziert. Die intermetakarpale Lücke reduzierte sich bis zur letzten Nachuntersuchung zwischen den Basen der Metakarpalia III und V im Mittel um 67 % und zwischen den Köpfen um 50 %. Das Erscheinungsbild der Hand wurde von den Patienten als sehr gut bewertet.

Schlussfolgerung Die vollständige Resektion des vierten Fingerstrahls mit Weichteiladaption ermöglicht einen suffizienten Verschluss der intermetakarpalen Lücke ohne Rotationsabweichung und ergibt gute bis sehr gute funktionelle und ästhetische Ergebnisse bei niedriger Komplikationsrate.
Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Palsy after Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion – Prevalence and Risk Factors
Authors: Huschbeck Alina , Knoop Michael , Gahleitner Adrian , Koch Stefan , Schrom Thomas , Stoffel Michael , Alfieri Alex , Dengler Julius
Published: August 2020

Background and Study Aims Recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy (RLNP) is a potential complication of anterior discectomy and fusion (ACDF). There still is substantial disagreement on the actual prevalence of RLNP after ACDF as well as on risk factors for postoperative RLNP. The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of postoperative RLNP in a cohort of consecutive cases of ACDF and to examine potential risk factors.

Materials and Methods This retrospective study included patients who underwent ACDF between 2005 and 2019 at a single neurosurgical center. As part of clinical routine, RLNP was examined prior to and after surgery by independent otorhinolaryngologists using endoscopic laryngoscopy. As potential risk factors for postoperative RLNP, we examined patient's age, sex, body mass index, multilevel surgery, and the duration of surgery.

Results 214 consecutive cases were included. The prevalence of preoperative RLNP was 1.4% (3/214) and the prevalence of postoperative RLNP was 9% (19/211). The number of operated levels was 1 in 73.5% (155/211), 2 in 24.2% (51/211), and 3 or more in 2.4% (5/211) of cases. Of all cases, 4.7% (10/211) were repeat surgeries. There was no difference in the prevalence of RLNP between the primary surgery group (9.0%, 18/183) versus the repeat surgery group (10.0%, 1/10; p = 0.91). Also, there was no difference in any characteristics between subjects with postoperative RLNP compared with those without postoperative RLNP. We found no association between postoperative RLNP and patient’s age, sex, body mass index, duration of surgery, or number of levels (odds ratios between 0.24 and 1.05; p values between 0.20 and 0.97).

Conclusions In our cohort, the prevalence of postoperative RLNP after ACDF was 9.0%. The fact that none of the examined variables was associated with the occurrence of RLNP supports the view that postoperative RLNP may depend more on direct mechanical manipulation during surgery than on specific patient or surgical characteristics.
Nonlife-Threatening Sarcoidosis
Authors: Castro Marina Dornfeld Cunha , Pereira Carlos Alberto de Castro
Published: August 2020

Sarcoidosis is a systemic granulomatous disease of unknown etiology. The outcome is quite variable and is mainly related to persistent inflammatory processes and the development of fibrosis. Many prognostic factors have been described, but the disease evolution is not yet entirely known. The nonthreatening course is characterized by spontaneous involution or stability after treatment withdrawal. Löfgren's syndrome is a subset within the spectrum of sarcoidosis phenotypes, composed of acute onset of fever, bilateral hilar lymphadenopathy, erythema nodosum and/or bilateral ankle periarticular inflammation/arthritis, specifically characterized by a self-limiting disease course. In contrast, advanced fibrotic sarcoidosis with pulmonary hypertension phenotype is correlated with a poor prognosis. Further studies are necessary to detail phenotypes to better understand the mechanisms of the disease and plan future clinical therapeutic studies.
The Burden of Neurosarcoidosis: Essential Approaches to Early Diagnosis and Treatment
Authors: Voortman Mareye , Stern Barney J. , Saketkoo Lesley Ann , Drent Marjolein
Published: August 2020

Neurosarcoidosis (NS) is an often severe, destructive manifestation with a likely under-reported prevalence of 5 to 15% of sarcoidosis cases, and in its active phase demands timely treatment intervention. Clinical signs and symptoms of NS are variable and wide-ranging, depending on anatomical involvement. Cranial nerve dysfunction, cerebrospinal parenchymal disease, aseptic meningitis, and leptomeningeal disease are the most commonly recognized manifestations. However, non-organ-specific potentially neurologically driven symptoms, such as fatigue, cognitive dysfunction, and small fiber neuropathy, appear frequently.

Heterogeneous clinical presentations and absence of any single conclusive test or biomarker render NS, and sarcoidosis itself, a challenging definitive diagnosis. Clinical suspicion of NS warrants a thorough systemic and neurologic evaluation hopefully resulting in supportive extraneural physical exam and/or tissue findings. Treatment targets the severity of the manifestation, with careful discernment of whether NS reflects active potentially reversible inflammatory granulomatous disease versus inactive postinflammatory damage whereby functional impairment is unlikely to be pharmacologically responsive. Non-organ-specific symptoms are poorly understood, challenging in deciphering reversibility and often identified too late to respond to conventional immunosuppressive/pharmacological treatment. Physical therapy, coping strategies, and stress reduction may benefit patients with all disease activity levels of NS.

This publication provides an approach to screening, diagnosis, disease activity discernment, and pharmacological as well as nonpharmacological treatment interventions to reduce disability and protect health-related quality of life in NS.
Radiographic and Histopathologic Features in Sarcoidosis: A Pictorial Display
Authors: Shaikh Faisal , Abtin Fereidoun G. , Lau Ryan , Saggar Rajan , Belperio John A. , Lynch Joseph P.
Published: August 2020

Sarcoidosis is a multisystemic granulomatous disorder that can affect virtually any organ. However, pulmonary and thoracic lymph node involvement predominates; abnormalities on chest radiographs are present in 80 to 90% of patients with sarcoidosis. High-resolution computed tomographic (HRCT) scans are superior to chest X-rays in assessing extent of disease, and some CT features may discriminate an active inflammatory component (which may be amenable to therapy) from fibrosis (for which therapy is not indicated). Typical findings on HRCT include micronodules, perilymphatic and bronchocentric distribution, perihilar opacities, and varying degrees of fibrosis. Less common findings on CT include mass-like or alveolar opacities, miliary opacities, mosaic attenuation, honeycomb cysts, and cavitation. With progressive disease, fibrosis, architectural distortion, upper lobe volume loss with hilar retraction, coarse linear bands, cysts, and bullae may be observed. We discuss the salient CT findings in patients with sarcoidosis (with a major focus on pulmonary features) and present classical radiographic and histopathological images of a few extrapulmonary sites.
Health-Enabling Technologies for Telerehabilitation of the Shoulder: A Feasibility and User Acceptance Study
Authors: Steiner Bianca , Elgert Lena , Saalfeld Birgit , Schwartze Jonas , Borrmann Horst Peter , Kobelt-Pönicke Axel , Figlewicz Andreas , Kasprowski Detlev , Thiel Michael , Kreikebohm Ralf , Haux Reinhold , Wolf Klaus-Hendrik
Published: August 2020

Background After discharge from a rehabilitation center the continuation of therapy is necessary to secure already achieved healing progress and sustain (re-)integration into working life. To this end, home-based exercise programs are frequently prescribed. However, many patients do not perform their exercises as frequently as prescribed or even with incorrect movements. The telerehabilitation system AGT-Reha was developed to support patients with shoulder diseases during their home-based aftercare rehabilitation.

Objectives The presented pilot study AGT-Reha-P2 evaluates the technical feasibility and user acceptance of the home-based telerehabilitation system AGT-Reha.

Methods A nonblinded, nonrandomized exploratory feasibility study was conducted over a 2-year period in patients' homes. Twelve patients completed a 3-month telerehabilitation exercise program with AGT-Reha. Primary outcome measures are the satisfying technical functionality and user acceptance assessed by technical parameters, structured interviews, and a four-dimensional questionnaire. Secondary endpoints are the medical rehabilitation success measured by the active range of motion and the shoulder function (pain and disability) assessed by employing the Neutral-0 Method and the standardized questionnaire “Shoulder Pain and Disability Index” (SPADI), respectively. To prepare an efficacy trial, various standardized questionnaires were included in the study to measure ability to work, capacity to work, and subjective prognosis of work capacity. The participants have been assessed at three measurement points: prebaseline (admission to rehabilitation center), baseline (discharge from rehabilitation center), and posttherapy.

Results Six participants used the first version of AGT-Reha, while six other patients used an improved version. Despite minor technical problems, all participants successfully trained on their own with AGT-Reha at home. On average, participants trained at least once per day during their training period. Five of the 12 participants showed clinically relevant improvements of shoulder function (improved SPADI score > 11). The work-related parameters suggested a positive impact. All participants would recommend the system, ten participants would likely reuse it, and seven participants would have wanted to continue their use after 3 months.

Conclusion The findings show that home-based training with AGT-Reha is feasible and well accepted. Outcomes of SPADI indicate the effectiveness of aftercare with AGT-Reha. A controlled clinical trial to test this hypothesis will be conducted with a larger number of participants.
Evaluation of Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation in Critically Ill Pediatric Hemato-oncology Patients with Septic Shock
Authors: Jhang Won Kyoung , Park Seong Jong
Published: August 2020

Background Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) is a serious complication in septic shock. This study aimed to evaluate DIC and associated clinical outcomes using the International Society on Thrombosis and Hemostasis (ISTH) and modified ISTH overt DIC scores in critically ill pediatric hemato-oncology patients with septic shock.

Methods Pediatric hemato-oncology patients with septic shock admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) of a tertiary children's hospital between January 2013 and February 2020 were included. We modified the ISTH overt DIC score by eliminating the platelet domain and compared the performances of the ISTH and the modified ISTH overt DIC scores in DIC diagnosis and PICU mortality prediction of these patients.

Results DIC was diagnosed in 56.4 and 38.5% of patients by ISTH and modified ISTH overt DIC scores, respectively. Patients with DIC showed a higher pediatric risk of mortality (PRISM) III, pediatric sequential organ failure assessment (pSOFA) scores, and PICU mortality than those without DIC (p < 0.05). The modified ISTH overt DIC score was an independent prognostic factor for PICU mortality and showed a larger area under the receiver operating characteristic curve than the ISTH overt DIC score (0.687 vs. 0.695). Addition of the DIC diagnosis improved the performance of PRISM III in predicting PICU mortality.

Conclusion Critically ill pediatric hemato-oncology patients with septic shock frequently experience DIC, which was adequately evaluated by both ISTH and modified ISTH overt DIC scores. Considering the characteristics of these patients, the modified ISTH overt DIC score may be a promising prognostic factor for clinical outcomes in these critically ill pediatric patients.
Novel Classification of Posttraumatic Ear Deformities and its Surgical Management
Authors: Kumar Umesh , Jain P.
Published: August 2020

Background Classification of posttraumatic ear deformities and its reconstruction is an uphill task for a reconstructive surgeon as they present in various combinations. In our study, we have described ear deformity as per a new classification and reconstructed the ear accordingly.

Method Posttraumatic ear deformity was described under the following four headings: (a) zone of defect, (b) size of defect, (c) missing components, and (d) condition of surrounding skin. Twenty-six posttraumatic ear deformities were operated using postauricular skin flap (14), temporoparietal fascial (TPF) flaps (8), preauricular skin flap (1), intralesional excision (2), and primary closure with chondrocutaneous advancement in one patient. Costal cartilage was used for reconstruction of framework wherever required. Framework elevation was done 4 to 6 months postoperatively.

Results Posttraumatic ear deformity was more common in males. Bite injury and road traffic accidents were the common causes. Zones I, II and III were most frequently involved. Four patients complained about size, contour, and projection of reconstructed ear. Three patients were not satisfied by the appearance of junction between reconstructed and residual ear. Four patients in whom the reconstruction was done with TPF, costal cartilage, and thin (SSG) split skin grafts complained of hyperpigmentation of reconstructed ear.

Conclusion Classification of posttraumatic ear deformity and its reconstruction is a surgical challenge. Unscarred postauricular skin and TPF flaps are the workhorse flaps for reconstruction of acquired ear deformities. Our classification helps in describing the defect, documenting it, planning reconstruction, and aiding in assessing postoperative outcomes.
Determinants of Small-Scale Farmers’ Intention to Use Smartphones for Generating Agricultural Knowledge in Developing Countries: Evidence from Rural India
Authors: Landmann Dirk , Lagerkvist Carl-Johan , Otter Verena
Published: August 2020

Access to and usage of smartphones for agricultural purposes amongst small-scale farmers in rural areas of developing countries is still limited. Smartphones may provide an opportunity to develop farmers’ capacities with specific applications offering fast access to continually updated and reliable information. This study develops a framework to investigate the cognitive and affective behavioural drivers of smallholder farmers´ intention to use a smartphone in a developing country context. For this, survey data was collected from 664 randomly selected small-scale farmers in Bihar State, India in 2016. The analysis included a partial least square estimation of the behavioural model. The results confirm positive influences on the intention to use a smartphone for agricultural purposes through subjective norms, attitude, self-control, as well as positive and negative anticipated emotions. There is no evidence that negative anticipated emotions related to failure outweighed other factors. These results extend the academic literature with new conceptual insights and provide application-oriented implications for stakeholders, such as NGOs, extension services and research institutes.
Quantum SU(1,1) interferometers: Basic principles and applications
Authors: Ou Z. Y. , Li Xiaoying
Published: August 2020

A new type of quantum interferometer was recently realized that employs parametric amplifiers (PAs) as the wave splitting and mixing elements. The quantum behavior stems from the PAs, which produce quantum entangled fields for probing the phase change signal in the interferometer. This type of quantum entangled interferometer exhibits some unique properties that are different from traditional beam splitter-based interferometers such as Mach–Zehnder interferometers. Because of these properties, it is superior to the traditional interferometers in many aspects, especially in the phase measurement sensitivity. We will review its unique properties and applications in quantum metrology and sensing, quantum information, and quantum state engineering.
Edge-dependent ballistic transport through copper-decorated carbon-nanotube–graphene covalent junction with low Schottky barrier
Authors: Zhu Yu , Chen Changsheng , Wu Shuo , Cheng Runhong , Cheng Li , Zhou Wen-Li
Published: August 2020

The ultrahigh carrier mobility and matchable work function of graphene have positioned this material as a leading candidate for the ideal contact material for carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Highly efficient carrier transport through CNT–graphene junctions is facilitated by covalently bonded contacts. This paper, therefore, proposes covalently bonded CNT–graphene junctions and investigates their characteristics theoretically. In these junctions, partially unzipped CNTs are longitudinally or radially bonded with graphene. By exploiting nonequilibrium Green's functions with density-functional theory, we examine ballistic electron transport (∼1.38 × 105 cm2/V s) and edge-dependent transport. Moreover, the contact properties of the junctions with adsorbed Cu atoms are investigated. Electron transfer from Cu to the junction turns the p-type Schottky contact into an n-type contact and decreases the Schottky barrier height from 0.2 to 0.08 eV. Furthermore, the junction resistance decreases by one to three orders of magnitude. The proposed design of Cu-decorated CNT–graphene junctions and first-principles calculations suggest an approach for low-power, high-performance CNT-based electronics.
Modeling of many-body interactions between elastic spheres through symmetry functions
Authors: Boattini Emanuele , Bezem Nina , Punnathanam Sudeep N. , Smallenburg Frank , Filion Laura
Published: August 2020

Simple models for spherical particles with a soft shell have been shown to self-assemble into numerous crystal phases and even quasicrystals. However, most of these models rely on a simple pairwise interaction, which is usually a valid approximation only in the limit of small deformations, i.e., low densities. In this work, we consider a many-body yet simple model for the evaluation of the elastic energy associated with the deformation of a spherical shell. The resulting energy evaluation, however, is relatively expensive for direct use in simulations. We significantly reduce the associated numerical cost by fitting the potential using a set of symmetry functions. We propose a method for selecting a suitable set of symmetry functions that capture the most relevant features of the particle’s environment in a systematic manner. The fitted interaction potential is then used in Monte Carlo simulations to draw the phase diagram of the system in two dimensions. The system is found to form both a fluid and a hexagonal crystal phase.
Non-dispersive wavepackets generated in layered structures by a scanning laser source
Authors: Li Zheng , Shen Zhonghua , Krishnaswamy Sridhar
Published: August 2020

In this article, we describe the use of a continuous-wave laser scanning method to generate non-dispersive surface acoustic wavepackets, which propagate along the sample surface without any waveform change. To achieve this goal, a coated linear elastic film on a non-linear substrate allows for careful balancing of dispersion and non-linearity effects. The scanning speed of the laser source and the thickness of the coated film were parametrically investigated to determine the optimal scanning speed for the generation of ultrasound for a given thickness of the coated film. In the first step, four different combinations of scanning speeds and the thickness of the coated film are presented to illustrate the generation of the narrowband ultrasound. The purpose of the scanning laser source is to effectively generate large amplitude ultrasound that takes the material into the nonlinear range. Further optimization through a careful matching combination of the scanning speed and the thickness of the coated film, whereby the dispersion effect was compensated entirely by the non-linearity effect, was used to generate non-dispersive ultrasonic wavepackets, which subsequently propagate with little distortion. The main findings of the simulations indicate that non-dispersive surface acoustic wavepackets for coated systems can be generated via the scanning laser source approach for specific values of scanning speed and thickness of the coated film.
Cytoplasmic glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase plays an important role in the silicon-enhanced alkaline tolerance in highland barley
Authors: He Qiang , Li Ping , Zhang Wenya , Bi Yurong
Published: August 2020

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH), as a key enzyme in the pentose phosphate pathway, extensively responds to the biotic and abiotic stresses. In this study we focussed on the G6PDH role in the alleviation of alkaline stress induced by silicon (Si) in highland barley. Application of Si reduced the water loss and malondialdehyde (MDA) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) contents, improved the fresh weight, photosynthesis, K+ content, and the superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities, thus alleviating the damage caused by alkaline stress. The G6PDH activity, especially the cytoplasmic G6PDH, significantly increased under alkaline stress, and was further stimulated by the addition of exogenous Si. Meanwhile, the levels of NADPH and reduced glutathione (GSH) showed similar profiles to G6PDH activity under NaHCO3 and NaHCO3 + Si treatments. The inhibition of G6PDH activity by glucosamine abolished the relieving effect of Si on alkaline stress, which was manifested in the increase of ROS and the decrease of GSH content. Together, our results suggest that Si-enhanced tolerance of alkaline stress may be related to the regulation of GSH levels by the cytoplasmic G6PDH in highland barley.
Reverend Voyce and Père O'Reilly's excavated collection from Bougainville: a case study in transnational histories of archaeology
in the Pacific
Authors: Haddow Eve , Dotte-Sarout Emilie , Specht Jim
Published: August 2020

This paper considers the transnational collection, interpretation, and circulation of archaeological material acquired in North Solomon Islands (now the Autonomous Region of Bougainville) by Hobart born Methodist missionary the Reverend A. H. Voyce (1899–1984). In 1935, he gave an archaeological assemblage to Father P. O’Reilly, a French Marist priest, in the region to fulfil an ethnographic mission for the Musée d’Ethnographie du Trocadéro/ Musée de l’Homme in Paris, France. Understanding the context of their encounter through international missionary networks, and the subsequent curation and interpretation of the artefacts collected by Voyce in multiple countries and according to different academic traditions, requires an approach that transcends traditional, nationally framed histories. Voyce and O’Reilly were from different socio-cultural and religious backgrounds, deeply inscribed in different national histories. Yet, they were nodes in an extensive network linking early twentieth-century ‘missionary-ethnographers’, Pacific interlocutors, and international scholars that could sometimes transcend language and denominational barriers. Both Voyce and O’Reilly shared a particular interest in ancient artefacts that has positioned them as important contributors to the early twentieth-century formulation of Pacific archaeology; their collections and the ideas they supported quietly becoming significant legacies for the discipline. We cross-analyze the sets of data we have been gathering independently on Voyce and O’Reilly to examine this collection’s story as an exemplary case-study in the transnational history of science.
An investigation into utterance-fluency patterns of advanced LL bilinguals
Authors: García-Amaya Lorenzo
Published: August 2020

Adult late-LLlearners are the main source of participants for research on utterance fluency. Although there are ample opportunities to study these learners, bilinguals who come from a more diverse background are under-researched. This paper investigates the effects of long-term bilingualism on the second-language fluency patterns of a community of LL-Afrikaans/LL-Spanish bilinguals residing in Patagonia, Argentina. These third-generation bilinguals are dominant in their LLand are undergoing LLattrition. The acoustic analysis draws from a corpus of Spanish sociolinguistic interviews obtained from the bilinguals, who were compared to Spanish monolinguals on speed, breakdown, and repair fluency. For some measures (mean-syllable duration and phonation-time ratio), the bilinguals performed similarly to the Spanish monolinguals, whereas for other measures the results were mixed: the bilinguals produced less filled pauses, but used longer silent pauses and more reformulations, than the monolinguals. These outcomes are theorized within current models of LL-speech production.
Linguists on the move in the global landscape?
Authors: Anderson Ilajna P.
Published: August 2020

This paper focuses on the sociolinguistic effects of tightening job markets in applied linguistics, and situates the discussion within the time-space compression of late modernist capitalist enterprises using frameworks in the sociolinguistics of mobility, political economy and raciolinguistics. The paper focuses on single-utterance speech acts of reservation conspicuously invoked to frame the discourse of dissent on the part of committee members in high-stakes interview encounters. Focusing on locally-sourced data collected in a publicly-funded, U.S. university, the paper examines how macro-contexts of skill oversaturation in the job market serve to frame enactments of stance in these high-stakes interactional microcosms while pointing to novel epistemological trending in complexity, conviviality and cosmopolitan encounter.
Ad hoc solutions to estimating pathway non-compliance rates using imperfect and incomplete information.
Authors: Robinson A. P. , Chisholm M. , Mudford R. , Maillardet R.
Published: August 2020

This chapter provides ad hoc tools to assist in estimating the non-compliance rate of biosecurity risk material (BRM) in a given pathway when certain data are unavailable. We use the inspection of international mail as a case study. Estimating the noncompliance rate of a pathway is essential in order to assess the risk of the environment, and to make defensible decisions about the allocation of inspection effort. Counts of articles inspected and articles found to have BRM are necessary for estimating the pathway non-compliance rate, and inspection counts by cohort (sub-pathway) are needed in order to perform profiling within a pathway, for example, identifying and prioritizing high-risk countries of origin for mail articles. Detailed information is usually kept on non-compliant mail articles that have been intercepted, but sometimes not on the articles that were inspected and passed, which is needed to report the inspection effort undertaken. Hence, the inspection effort by cohort may be unknown. In many pathways, endpoint surveys are performed after all inspection activity has been completed in order to estimate the efficacy of the inspection. We can estimate the number of mail articles of each cohort that undergo each type of inspection just using the endpoint survey. However, extra information is usually available, such as the totals by cohort or by inspection method, which could make the estimate of the number of mail articles more accurate. We present and demonstrate raking, which is a simple statistical tool that improves the estimates of cohort counts that arise from a survey using the known marginal totals of the process. The endpoint survey is also used for estimating the amount of undetected non-compliance, called leakage, by cohort, which is needed for profiling. However, leakage estimates by cohorts are usually variable because sample sizes are low. We demonstrate an empirical Bayes approach for reducing the variability of leakage estimates, and other ad hoc solutions. Finally, we suggest the use of Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) and leakage curves to assess the effect of these and other approaches upon the inspectorate's performance.
Towards reliable mapping of biosecurity risk: incorporating uncertainty and decision makers' risk aversion.
Authors: Yemshanov D. , Koch F. H. , Ducey M. , Haack R. A.
Published: August 2020

Pest risk maps are an important source of decision support when devising strategies to minimize introductions of invasive organisms and mitigate their impacts. When possible management responses to an invader include costly or socially sensitive activities, decision makers tend to follow a more certain (i.e. risk-averse) course of action. We present a new mapping technique that assesses pest invasion risk from the perspective of a risk-averse decision maker. We demonstrate the approach by evaluating the likelihood that an invasive forest pest will be transported to one of the continental US states or Canadian provinces in infested firewood that may be carried by visitors to US federal campgrounds. We test the impact of the risk aversion assumption using distributions of plausible pest arrival scenarios generated with a geographically explicit model developed from data documenting camper travel across the study area. Next, we prioritize regions of high and low pest arrival risk via application of two stochastic ordering techniques that employ, respectively, first- and second-degree stochastic dominance rules, the latter of which incorporates the notion of risk aversion. We then identify regions in the study area where incorporating risk aversion changes a region's pest risk value considerably. While both methods identified similar areas of highest and lowest risk, they differed in how they demarcated moderate-risk areas. Each method provides a tractable way to incorporate decision-making preferences into final risk estimates, and thus helps to better align these estimates with particular decision-making scenarios about an organism of concern. Overall, incorporation of risk aversion helps to refine the set of locations that could be confidently targeted for costly inspections and outreach activities.
Using Bayesian networks to model surveillance in complex plant and animal health systems.
Authors: Johnson S. , Mengersen K. , Ormsby M. , Whittle P.
Published: August 2020

In this chapter we consider biosecurity surveillance as part of a complex system comprising many different biological, environmental and human factors and their interactions. Modelling and analysis of surveillance strategies should take into account these complexities, and also facilitate the use and integration of the many types of different information that can provide insight into the system as a whole. After a brief discussion of a range of options, we focus on Bayesian networks for representing such complex systems. We summarize the features of Bayesian networks and describe these in the context of surveillance.
The war and the economy: the gradual destruction of Libya
Authors: Capasso Matteo
Published: August 2020

This article questions dominant analyses about Libya’s present ‘war economy’ and ‘statelessness’, which are often deployed to explain the country’s ongoing destruction. By reinterpreting the history of the past as the failure of Libya to implement neoliberal reforms, these accounts trivialise its anti-imperialist history. The article reflects on the role that war and militarism play in the US-led imperialist structure, tracing the gradual unmaking of Libya from the progressive revolutionary era, towards its transformation into a comprador state and an outpost for global class war. In doing so, it moves the focus away from Libya’s ‘war economy’ to examine the war and the economy, linking Libya’s fate to the geo-economic and geopolitical forces at the core of US-led imperialism.