bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Visualizations of Mercury Methylation and Dynamic Transformations by In Vivo Imaging
Authors: Fu Qiang , Fan Xuchan , Sun Jianghui , Tan Hongwei , Wang Yan , Ouyang Jin , Na Na
Published: July 2020

Visualization of Hg(II) and MeHg in their native contexts is significant for examining mercury poisoning, while it is challenging because of indistinguishable fluorescent (FL) signals during FL imaging. Herein, visualizations of mercury methylation and dynamic transformations of Hg(II) and MeHg are achieved in living biological systems. Well distinguishable FL responses (blue emission for Hg(II), yellow emission for MeHg) are obtained by a double‐response FL probe (DPAHB) without any interference. As demonstrated by experimental and computational studies, the distinguishable signals are attributed to selective binding with DPAHB and different inhibition of excited‐state proton transfer. Through control tests for live‐dead markers, mercury methylation is demonstrated to be employed in living biological systems. Therefore, the methylation and dynamic transformations of both ions are monitored in zebrafish by imaging, and these results are confirmed by traditional high‐performance liquid chromatography‐based methods. The methylation of Hg(II) to MeHg, dynamic transformations and final accumulations of both species in zebrafish tissues are visualized successfully. This method is also convenient for fast evaluation of detoxification reagents. This is the first visualization of in vivo mercury methylation and dynamic transformation of both species and is effective for studying pathological processes in their native contexts.
Recent Advances on Self‐Supported Arrayed Bifunctional Oxygen Electrocatalysts for Flexible Solid‐State Zn–Air Batteries
Authors: Wang Yijie , Cao Qinghe , Guan Cao , Cheng Chuanwei
Published: July 2020

Flexible solid‐state Zn–air batteries have been rapidly developed benefiting from the uprising demand for wearable electronic devices, wherein the air electrode integrated with efficient bifunctional oxygen electrocatalysts plays an important role to achieve high performance. Binder‐free self‐supported bifunctional catalysts can provide large active surface area, fast electron transport path, easy ion diffusion, and excellent structural stability and flexibility, thus acting as promising flexible air cathodes. In this review, recent advances on the application of nanoarrayed electrocatalysts as air cathodes in flexible Zn–air batteries are reviewed. Especially, various types of bifunctional oxygen electrocatalysts, including carbonaceous material arrays, transition metal compound arrays, transition metal/carbon arrays, transition metal compound/carbon arrays, and other hybrid arrays, are discussed. The applications of flexible Zn–air batteries with two configurations (i.e., planar stacks and cable fibers) are also introduced. Finally, perspectives on the optimization of arrayed air cathodes for future development to achieve high‐performance flexible Zn–air batteries are shared.
Digital health and patient‐centred care: A digital systems view
Authors: Papavasiliou Samantha , Reaiche Carmen , Papavasiliou Shirley
Published: July 2020

The public sectors' shift to digital first service provision has had a considerable impact on how individuals interact with public sector entities. This research highlights the similar assistance requirements and concerns with different public sector digital services. Evidence for this research is presented through a case study on the Australian digital healthcare platform, MyAgedCare. By understanding the different issues and assistance seeking requirements across the public sector digital services, digital service designers and policymakers can better create services that meet the needs and expectations of users. A primary finding of this research highlights the expectation of users that the human interface for assistance is maintained, in order to maximize an individual's capacity to interact with the system successfully.
Effect of Interdendritic Impurity Segregation on Hot Ductility Behavior of Low‐Carbon Steels
Authors: Jeong Ji-Yeon , Kim Byung-Tae , Kwon Sang-Hum , Kang Myeong-Hun , Kim Dong-Gyu , Heo Yoon-Uk , Lee Jae-Sang , Yim Chang-Hee
Published: July 2020

Comparison of re‐heating tensile test (RHT) and re‐melting tensile test (RMT) reveals the effect of interdendritic impurity segregation on hot ductility in low‐carbon steels. Two low‐carbon steels with different amounts [wt%] of impurity elements (Steel A: P = 0.005, S = 0.001; Steel B: P = 0.01, S = 0.004) are tensile‐tested at temperatures 600–1000 °C after re‐heating to 1350 °C and re‐melting at 1570 °C. Steel A shows similar hot ductility behavior in the RHT and RMT, whereas the high‐impurity steel shows a significant decrease in hot ductility at 900 °C in the RMT compared with the RHT. Crack initiation at the interdendritic segregation region is suggested as an origin of the degradation of hot ductility in the high‐impurity steel. The effect of interdendritic impurity segregation on the hot ductility behavior of continuously cast steel is further discussed.
Genistein attenuates cognitive deficits and neuroapoptosis in hippocampus induced by ketamine exposure in neonatal rats
Authors: Li Qingsong , Zhang Xi
Published: July 2020

Ketamine is a frequently used anesthetic in pediatric patients that can cause cognitive impairment. Genistein, a bioactive component of soy products, has been shown to suppress neuronal death through regulating the expression of apoptosis related genes. In this study, we hypothesized that genistein could alleviate ketamine‐induced cognitive impairment by ameliorating hippocampal neuronal loss and tested this hypothesis in rats. Neonatal rats were treated with ketamine and genistein. Hippocampal tissue was harvested for histological and biochemical analysis to determine neuronal apoptosis and proteins involved in the apoptotic pathways. Behavioral assays including contextual fear conditioning test and Morris water maze test were performed to assess cognitive functions, including learning and memory. We found that in fear conditioning test, genistein restored freezing time in ketamine treated rats in a dose dependent manner. Similarly, genistein attenuated impaired learning and memory in Morris water maze test in rats treated with ketamine. Additionally, ketamine‐induced neuronal apoptosis in rat hippocampus was attenuated by genistein treatment. Finally, we found that genistein partially restored proteins associated with apoptosis, including Bax, Bcl‐2, cleaved caspase 3, and phosphorylated GSK‐3ß and Akt. Genistein suppresses hippocampal neuronal loss and cognitive disruption induced by ketamine in rats.
Generalizing the relativistic quantization condition to include all three-pion isospin channels
Authors: Hansen Maxwell T. , Romero-López Fernando , Sharpe Stephen R.
Published: July 2020

Abstract

We present a generalization of the relativistic, finite-volume, three-particle quantization condition for non-identical pions in isosymmetric QCD. The resulting formalism allows one to use discrete finite-volume energies, determined using lattice QCD, to constrain scattering amplitudes for all possible values of two- and three-pion isospin. As for the case of identical pions considered previously, the result splits into two steps: the first defines a non-perturbative function with roots equal to the allowed energies, En(L), in a given cubic volume with side-length L. This function depends on an intermediate three-body quantity, denoted $$ {\mathcal{K}}_{\mathrm{df},3,} $$

K

df
,
3
,

which can thus be constrained from lattice QCD in- put. The second step is a set of integral equations relating $$ {\mathcal{K}}_{\mathrm{df},3} $$

K

df
,
3

to the physical scattering amplitude, ℳ3. Both of the key relations, En(L) ↔$$ {\mathcal{K}}_{\mathrm{df},3} $$

K

df
,
3

and $$ {\mathcal{K}}_{\mathrm{df},3}\leftrightarrow {\mathrm{\mathcal{M}}}_3, $$

K

df
,
3

↔

ℳ
3

,
are shown to be block-diagonal in the basis of definite three-pion isospin, Iπππ , so that one in fact recovers four independent relations, corresponding to Iπππ = 0, 1, 2, 3. We also provide the generalized threshold expansion of $$ {\mathcal{K}}_{\mathrm{df},3} $$

K

df
,
3

for all channels, as well as parameterizations for all three-pion resonances present for Iπππ = 0 and Iπππ = 1. As an example of the utility of the generalized formalism, we present a toy implementation of the quantization condition for Iπππ = 0, focusing on the quantum numbers of the ω and h1 resonances.
Looking through the QCD conformal window with perturbation theory
Authors: Di Pietro Lorenzo , Serone Marco
Published: July 2020

Abstract

We study the conformal window of QCD using perturbation theory, starting from the perturbative upper edge and going down as much as we can towards the strongly coupled regime. We do so by exploiting the available five-loop computation of the $$ \overline{\mathrm{MS}} $$

MS
¯

β-function and employing Borel resummation techniques both for the ordinary perturbative series and for the Banks-Zaks conformal expansion. Large-nf results are also used. We argue that the perturbative series for the $$ \overline{\mathrm{MS}} $$

MS
¯

β-function is most likely asymptotic and non -Borel resummable, yet Borel resummation techniques allow to improve on ordinary perturbation theory. We find substantial evidence that QCD with nf = 12 flavours flows in the IR to a conformal field theory. Though the evidence is weaker, we find indications that also nf = 11 might sit within the conformal window. We also compute the anomalous dimensions γ and γg of respectively the fermion mass bilinear and the gauge kinetic term operator at the fixed point, and compare them with the available lattice results. The conformal window might extend for lower values of nf , but our methods break down for nf< 11, where we expect that non-perturbative effects become important. A similar analysis is performed in the Veneziano limit.
Polarization effects in Kerr black hole shadow due to the coupling between photon and bumblebee field
Authors: Chen Songbai , Wang Mingzhi , Jing Jiliang
Published: July 2020

Abstract

We present firstly the equation of motion for the photon coupled to a special bumblebee vector field in a Kerr black hole spacetime and find that the propagation of light depends on its polarization due to the birefringence phenomenon. The dependence of black hole shadow on the light's polarization is dominated by the rotation of black hole. In the non-rotating case, we find that the black hole shadow is independent of the polarization of light. However, the status is changed in the rotating case, in which the black hole shadow depends on the light's polarization and the coupling between bumblebee vector field and electromagnetic field. These features of black hole shadow casted by polarized lights could help us to understand the bumblebee vector field with Lorentz symmetry breaking and its interaction with electromagnetic field.
Significantly lower intramuscular pressure in the posterior and lateral compartments compared with the anterior compartment suggests alterations of the diagnostic criteria for chronic exertional compartment syndrome in the lower leg
Authors: Lindorsson Sophia , Zhang Qiuxia , Brisby Helena , Rennerfelt Kajsa
Published: July 2020

Purpose

To investigate distributions and identify possible differences in intramuscular pressure (IMP) values at 1 min post-exercise between the four muscle compartments of the lower leg, in patients with exertional leg pain with or without chronic exertional compartment syndrome (CECS).

Methods

A consecutive series of patients seeking orthopaedic consultation for exertional leg pain underwent IMP measurements between 2009 and 2018. The diagnosis of CECS was confirmed (n = 442) or ruled out (n = 422), based on the patient’s history, clinical examination, and IMP measurements.

Results

The median (range) 1 min post-exercise IMP values in affected compartments in the patients diagnosed with CECS were 33 (25–53) mmHg (deep posterior), 35 (27–54) mmHg (superficial posterior), 40 (26–106) mmHg (lateral), and 47 (24–120) mmHg (anterior). In patients with no CECS, the median (range) 1 min post-exercise IMP values in the compartments were 12 (2–28) mmHg (deep posterior), 12 (2–27) mmHg (superficial posterior), 14 (2–26) mmHg (lateral), and 18 (4–34) mmHg (anterior). The IMP was significantly lower in the lateral and both posterior compartments than in the anterior compartment in both patients diagnosed with CECS and patients without CECS.

Conclusion

The study demonstrates significantly lower IMP values in the posterior and lateral compartments compared to the anterior compartments. These findings suggest a lowering of the IMP 1 min post-exercise cut-off value for diagnosing CECS in the lateral and both posterior compartments, which may lead to improved treatment of patients with suspected CECS in the lower leg.

Level of evidence

Level II.
Informelles E-Learning: Ist ein Paradigmenwechsel notwendig?
Authors: Petrovic Otto
Published: July 2020

E‑Learning ist ein bunter Strauß an Technologien und pädagogischen Konzepten, gepaart mit unterschiedlichen Formen der Wirkungsforschung. Vannevar Bushs Vision einer riesigen Erweiterung des menschlichen Gedächtnisses, Lernmanagementsysteme und Massive Open Online Courses sind allgegenwärtig. Ein großer Teil des Lernens im kognitiven, affektiven und psychomotorischen Bereich findet jedoch nebenläufig als Begleiterscheinung der Nutzung digitaler Medien im Alltag statt. Es wird noch weitgehend von Lehrenden und der E‑Learning-Forschung ignoriert. Der vorliegende Beitrag bespricht zunächst markante, oftmals unhinterfragte Paradigmen des E‑Learning, die zu diesen Paralleluniversen von formalem und informellem Lernen führen. Um Veränderungspotenziale digitaler Medien für das informelle Lernen zu analysieren, zeichnen 172 Lernende im Alltag 543 informelle E‑Learning-Episoden als Screencasts auf, die ergänzt werden durch partizipative Feldforschung des Autors in entlegenen Regionen und Kulturkreisen. Die Schlussfolgerungen können Lehrenden helfen, das informelle Lernen ihrer Studierenden für formale Lernziele zu nutzen. Lernenden soll die Beeinflussung durch alltägliche Mediennutzung bewusst werden, um ihr Informationsverhalten kritisch zu hinterfragen.
Compact diode laser based light source with alternating dual-wavelength emission at 532 nm
Authors: Müller André , Sumpf Bernd
Published: July 2020

Compact nonlinear frequency conversion of a Y-branch distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) diode laser for alternating dual-wavelength laser emission at 532 nm is presented for the very first time. The developed light source, realized on a 5 × 25 mm2micro-optical bench, is based on single-pass second harmonic generation of a 1064 nm Y-branch DBR diode laser in a periodically poled lithium niobate waveguide crystal with superimposed poling periods. Phase-matching is obtained by intrinsic wavelength stabilization of the laser and wavelength tuning by implemented heater elements above the DBR gratings. Obtained optical output powers of 5.6 mW at 532.45 nm and 6.7 mW at 531.85 nm are limited by central lobe power contents of 52% available for waveguide coupling. With a spectral performance showing narrowband emission with spectral widths of 0.01 nm (0.4 cm−1) limited by the spectral resolution of the spectrum analyzer and a spectral spacing of 0.6 nm (20 cm−1), the developed light source is suitable for applications such as Raman spectroscopy and shifted excitation Raman difference spectroscopy (SERDS). Separate electrical contacts of the Y-branch diode laser enable alternating operation at both wavelengths.
Improving the genome editing efficiency of CRISPR/Cas9 in Arabidopsis and Medicago truncatula
Authors: Wolabu Tezera W. , Park Jong-Jin , Chen Miao , Cong Lili , Ge Yaxin , Jiang Qingzhen , Debnath Smriti , Li Guangming , Wen Jiangqi , Wang Zengyu
Published: July 2020

Main conclusion

An improved CRISPR/Cas9 system with the Arabidopsis UBQ10 promoter-driven Cas9 exhibits consistently high mutation efficiency in Arabidopsis and M. truncatula.

CRISPR/Cas9 is a powerful genome editing technology that has been applied in several crop species for trait improvement due to its simplicity, versatility, and specificity. However, the mutation efficiency of CRISPR/Cas9 in Arabidopsis and M. truncatula (Mt) is still challenging and inconsistent. To analyze the functionality of the CRISPR/Cas9 system in two model dicot species, four different promoter-driven Cas9 systems to target phytoene desaturase (PDS) genes were designed. Agrobacterium-mediated transformation was used for the delivery of constructed vectors to host plants. Phenotypic and genotypic analyses revealed that the Arabidopsis UBQ10 promoter-driven Cas9 significantly improves the mutation efficiency to 95% in Arabidopsis and 70% in M. truncatula. Moreover, the UBQ10-Cas9 system yielded 11% homozygous mutants in the T1 generation in Arabidopsis. Sequencing analyses of mutation events indicated that single-nucleotide insertions are the most frequent events in Arabidopsis, whereas multi-nucleotide deletions are dominant in bi-allelic and mono-allelic homozygous mutants in M. truncatula. Taken together, the UBQ10 promoter facilitates the best improvement in the CRISPR/Cas9 efficiency in PDS gene editing, followed by the EC1.2 promoter. Consistently, the improved UBQ10-Cas9 vector highly enhanced the mutation efficiency by four-fold over the commonly used 35S promoter in both dicot species.
Patientenzahlen im Rahmen der COVID-19-Pandemie in einer zentralen Notaufnahme
Authors: Tschaikowsky T. , Becker von Rose A. , Consalvo S. , Pflüger P. , Barthel P. , Spinner C. D. , Knier B. , Kanz K.-G. , Dommasch M.
Published: July 2020

Hintergrund

Seit Ende März wurde deutschlandweit das Gesundheitswesen auf einen Notbetrieb umgestellt, um Ressourcen für die sich ausbreitende Coronavirus-disease-2019-Pandemie (COVID-19-Pandemie) zu schaffen. Ziel der Arbeit ist es, das Aufkommen von Notfallpatienten zur Zeit der Pandemie zu untersuchen, um Rückschlüsse auf den Einfluss der COVID-19-Pandemie auf das Patientenaufkommen in einer Notaufnahme ziehen zu können.

Material und Methoden

Im Rahmen einer deskriptiven epidemiologischen Studie wurden in dem Zeitraum vom 01.02. bis zum 30.04.2019 sowie vom 01.02. bis zum 30.04.2020 patientenbezogene Daten von insgesamt 19.357 Fällen in der zentralen Notaufnahme des Klinikums rechts der Isar erhoben und anonymisiert ausgewertet.

Ergebnisse

Trotz steigender Patientenzahlen von 2019 auf 2020 kam es von Februar auf März 2020 zu einem deutlichen Abfall der Notfälle bis auf ein Niveau unter das von 2019, der im April weiter anhielt. Dies betraf insbesondere den Fachbereich Unfallchirurgie mit einem Rückgang des mittleren Patientenaufkommens um etwa 40 %.

Im Hinblick auf die Beschwerdebilder im März 2020 zeigte sich, dass ein vermehrtes Aufkommen von Unwohlsein (+47 %) und Atemproblemen (+36 %) zu verzeichnen war, wohingegen Rückenschmerzen (−41 %), Wunden (−29 %), thorakale (−24 %) sowie abdominelle Schmerzen (−23 %) deutlich seltener vertreten waren als im Vorjahr. Bezogen auf den Schweregrad der Beschwerden wirkte sich der Rückgang vor allem auf Beschwerdebilder mit niedriger Dringlichkeitsstufe aus.

Schlussfolgerung

Im Rahmen der COVID-19-Pandemie kam es zu einem deutlichen Rückgang des Patientenaufkommens in einer der größten Notaufnahmen in München. Dies sollte bei bestehenden Krankenhauskapazitäten vermieden werden, um potenziell gesundheitlichen Schäden durch eine aufgeschobene oder ausbleibende notfallmäßige Vorstellung vorzubeugen.
Correction to: Supercooling preservation technology in food and biological samples: a review focused on electric and magnetic field applications
Authors: Kang Taiyoung , You Youngsang , Jun Soojin
Published: July 2020

The article “Supercooling preservation technology in food and biological samples: a review focused on electric and magnetic field applications”, written by Taiyoung Kang, Youngsang You and Soojin Jun, was originally published Online First without Open Access.
Correction to: Bioactive compounds and antioxidant activities of Quercus salicina Blume extract
Authors: Aung Thinzar , Bibat Marie Anna Dominique , Zhao Chang-Cheng , Eun Jong-Bang
Published: July 2020

The article “Bioactive compounds and antioxidant activities of
Viral RNA load as determined by cell culture as a management tool for discharge of SARS-CoV-2 patients from infectious disease wards
Authors: La Scola Bernard , Le Bideau Marion , Andreani Julien , Hoang Van Thuan , Grimaldier Clio , Colson Philippe , Gautret Philippe , Raoult Didier
Published: July 2020

In a preliminary clinical study, we observed that the combination of hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin was effective against SARS-CoV-2 by shortening the duration of viral load in Covid-19 patients. It is of paramount importance to define when a treated patient can be considered as no longer contagious. Correlation between successful isolation of virus in cell culture and Ct value of quantitative RT-PCR targeting E gene suggests that patients with Ct above 33–34 using our RT-PCR system are not contagious and thus can be discharged from hospital care or strict confinement for non-hospitalized patients.
Is Porphyromonas gingivalis involved in Parkinson’s disease?
Authors: Olsen Ingar , Kell Douglas B. , Pretorius Etheresia
Published: July 2020

Porphyromonas gingivalis, a major subgingival plaque bacterium in periodontitis, has recently attracted much attention as a possible microbial driver in Alzheimer’s disease. In the present paper, another common neuroinflammatory disease, Parkinson’s disease (PD), is discussed. A recent study found major virulence factors of P. gingivalis such as gingipain R1 (RgpA) and lipopolysaccharide in the blood circulation of a PD population. The current review reveals how features such as systemic inflammation, hypercoagulation, presence of amyloid fibrin(ogen) in plasma, and marked ultrastructural changes in platelets, probably induced by P. gingivalis, may affect the development of PD. Several other clinical studies have also demonstrated an association between periodontitis and PD. Even if the risk of periodontal diseases causing neurological disorders needs to be better substantiated, that should not keep us from trying to prevent them by performing careful daily dental hygiene.
Novel hands-free interaction techniques based on the software switch approach for computer access with head movements
Authors: Esiyok Cagdas , Askin Ayhan , Tosun Aliye , Albayrak Sahin
Published: July 2020

Head-operated computer accessibility tools (CATs) are useful solutions for the ones with complete head control; but when it comes to people with only reduced head control, computer access becomes a very challenging task since the users depend on a single head-gesture like a head nod or a head tilt to interact with a computer. It is obvious that any new interaction technique based on a single head-gesture will play an important role to develop better CATs to enhance the users’ self-sufficiency and the quality of life. Therefore, we proposed two novel interaction techniques namely HeadCam and HeadGyro within this study. In a nutshell, both interaction techniques are based on our software switch approach and can serve like traditional switches by recognizing head movements via a standard camera or a gyroscope sensor of a smartphone to translate them into virtual switch presses. A usability study with 36 participants (18 motor-impaired, 18 able-bodied) was also conducted to collect both objective and subjective evaluation data in this study. While HeadGyro software switch exhibited slightly higher performance than HeadCam for each objective evaluation metrics, HeadCam was rated better in subjective evaluation. All participants agreed that the proposed interaction techniques are promising solutions for computer access task.
Influence of growth regulators on the development, quality, and physiological state of in vitro-propagated Lamprocapnos spectabilis (L.) Fukuhara
Authors: Kulus Dariusz
Published: July 2020

There is little information on the in vitro tissue culture systems in Lamprocapnos spectabilis (bleeding heart). The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of plant growth regulators (PGRs) on the development, quality, and physiological state of in vitro-grown bleeding heart “Gold Heart” and “White Gold”. Single-node explants were inoculated on the modified MS medium (Murashige and Skoog in Physiol Plant 15:473–497, 1962), fortified with different auxins, which included indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), and picloram (PIC), along with cytokinins, which included 6-benzyladenine (BA), kinetin (KIN), and thidiazuron (TDZ) at various concentrations. The morphogenetic response of the explants was cultivar-specific. KIN was preferable for the proliferation and development of shoots in “Gold Heart.” However, none of the auxins or cytokinins improved the development of “White Gold” explants, compared with the PGR-free control medium. NAA was the most effective for stimulating rhizogenesis in both cultivars, although IAA resulted in the regeneration of the longest roots. TDZ, NAA, and PIC suppressed the development of shoots in both cultivars tested and stimulated abundant callus formation. Indirect regeneration of somatic embryos occurred on the NAA- and PIC-fortified media. In particular, the latter media stimulated regeneration of the highest number of somatic embryos per nodal segment. Composition of the culture medium also affected the levels of primary and secondary metabolites in shoots and callus of L. spectabilis. IAA (at 1.0 mg L−1) stimulated the synthesis of chlorophyll a and carotenoids in the “Gold Heart,” while BA and KIN (at 0.5 mg L−1) had a negative impact on the concentration of chlorophyll b in the shoots of this cultivar. None of the PGRs increased the level of the pigments in the shoots of bleeding heart “White Gold.” The concentration of chlorophylls and carotenoids in the callus of both cultivars tested was significantly lower compared with the shoots; however, callus was abundant in flavanols.
Exploring the adoption of telemedicine and virtual software for care of outpatients during and after COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Bokolo Anthony Jnr.
Published: July 2020

As the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues to spread across countries, the need for innovative measures to provide high-quality patient care and manage its spread has become more imperative. Software-based systems such as medical software applications could provide valuable suggestion on health-related information to physicians towards improving quality of life, especially for outpatients (e.g., elderly, immunosuppressed, pregnant women). The use of telemedicine and virtual software offers promising potential in the fight against COVID-19. Accordingly, by means of expedited literature and document review, this paper provides implication on the opportunities, application, and challenges of telemedicine and existing virtual software currently adopted as suitable initiatives for reducing the spread of COVID-19. More importantly, findings present factors that impact adoption of telemedicine. The findings suggest that telemedicine and virtual software are capable of decreasing emergency room visits, safeguarding healthcare resources, and lessening the spread of COVID-19 by remotely treating patients during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
From horticulture to psychonautics: an analysis of online communities discussing and trading plants with psychotropic properties
Authors: Lavorgna Anita , Rekha Gopala Sasie
Published: July 2020

This study is a spinoff of the cross-disciplinary project “FloraGuard: Tackling the Illegal Trade in Endangered Plants”, and focuses on the analysis of online forums dedicated to the discussion and the trades of plant species, often highly endangered in nature, that are sought after for their psychotropic properties. The study sheds light on the interesting but overlooked area of the intersection of environmental crimes, illegal online trades, and drug use. Some species of conservation concern have known psychoactive/analgesic properties; as these properties are now openly and broadly discussed in specialised online communities, attention is required both as regards the potential for health-related harms suffered by reckless users, and for environmental-related harms for the species in question.
Running-related demands and vigor in long-distance runners: The moderating role of resources and recovery
Authors: van Iperen Luuk P. , de Jonge Jan , Gevers Josette M. P. , Vos Steven B.
Published: July 2020

Long-distance running is a demanding sport and runners use a variety of coping strategies to deal with these demands. In this study, we investigated running-related demands, resources, and recovery and, as an indicator of well-being, vigor. Specifically, following the Demand-Induced Strain Compensation Recovery Model, we tested to what degree the relation between running-related demands and vigor was moderated by two coping strategies available in running: running-related resources (e.g., training control, running mate/coach support) and running-related recovery (i.e., detachment from running). Demands, resources, recovery, and vigor were all surveyed across three separate dimensions (i.e., physical, cognitive, emotional) in a cross-sectional sample of 623 recreational long-distance runners. Hierarchical regression analyses were used to determine to what degree the demands-vigor relation was moderated by resources and recovery. Evidence for moderations was found for the cognitive and emotional dimensions of vigor, revealing four significant moderating effects of resources or recovery on the demands-vigor relation. Three of these effects involved emotional resources or recovery. Contrary to expectations, results also showed that in two cases higher recovery was associated with lower vigor, rather than higher, when runners experienced high demands. In all, we found modest support for the role of resources and recovery in altering the nature of the demands-vigor relation in recreational long-distance runners. This study highlights the importance of the emotional dimension of demands, resources, and recovery, as those facets were most important in predicting vigor in runners. Practical implications are addressed with regard to emotional resources and recovery for long-distance runners.
Active feature acquisition on data streams under feature drift
Authors: Beyer Christian , Büttner Maik , Unnikrishnan Vishnu , Schleicher Miro , Ntoutsi Eirini , Spiliopoulou Myra
Published: July 2020

Traditional active learning tries to identify instances for which the acquisition of the label increases model performance under budget constraints. Less research has been devoted to the task of actively acquiring feature values, whereupon both the instance and the feature must be selected intelligently and even less to a scenario where the instances arrive in a stream with feature drift. We propose an active feature acquisition strategy for data streams with feature drift, as well as an active feature acquisition evaluation framework. We also implement a baseline that chooses features randomly and compare the random approach against eight different methods in a scenario where we can acquire at most one feature at the time per instance and where all features are considered to cost the same. Our initial experiments on 9 different data sets, with 7 different degrees of missing features and 8 different budgets show that our developed methods outperform the random acquisition on 7 data sets and have a comparable performance on the remaining two.
Influence of pressure and CO2 in fluidized bed gasification of waste biomasses
Authors: Szul Mateusz , Głód Krzysztof , Iluk Tomasz
Published: July 2020

An autothermal fluidized bed reactor was used to research the influence of pressure (0–2 barg) on the gasification process of different types of biomasses. The tested feedstocks were bark and lignin while softwood pellet was used as a reference fuel. A mixture of O2/CO2/H2O was used as a gasification agent. The impact of the application of CO2 on the yield of H2 in product gas was determined. Resulting product gas was characterized by a high content of CO which makes its use for applications based on chemical synthesis very difficult without extensive upgrading or supply of H2 from external sources. CO2 proved to improve carbon conversion efficiency (CCE) of the gasification process and to be an option for its chemical sequestration (negative carbon footprint). A slight modification of conventional indices used to evaluate efficiencies of gasification systems (CCE and water/carbon ratio) was proposed, to take into account the impact of the additional source of carbon fed into the reactor. The increase of system pressure led to changes in the composition of the product gas in line with predictions of Le Chatelier’s principle. The influence was predominantly visible in higher yields of CH4 and lower overall production of product gas. For higher hydrocarbons (CxHy), the trend was unclear. A set of stable gasification parameters were achieved for each pressure level and a standard gasification temperature of 850 °C, except for gasification of lignin performed at 2 barg. A proposed explanation for the problem is the combined effect of the increasing concentration of ash in the fluidized bed and its low characteristic melting temperatures. Due to the obtained experimental findings, a new ash agglomeration index was formulated.
Atypical Teratoid Rhabdoid Tumors (ATRT)
Authors: Mousa Amr , Al-Kofide Amani , Siddiqui Khawar , Alhindi Hindi , Alshaikh Nada , Alshail Essam
Published: July 2020

Background:

Atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor is an uncommon aggressive central nervous system tumor. All retrospective series have shown a short mean overall survival rate. Considering the rarity of the disease, few prospective clinical trials addressed treatment recommendations for such aggressive tumors, and consequently no definitive treatment guidelines have been established. In this study, we are reviewing our experience in treating atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor patients.

Methods:

We reviewed the medical charts of 43 patients with atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor who were treated in King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, between 1996 and 2013. We evaluated the overall survival rate and the influence of different clinical features and treatment protocols on survival.

Results:

The median overall survival time was 16.9 months (95% Confidence Interval, 5.2–32.9 months) with an estimated 2- and 5-year overall survival of 41.9% ± 9.6 and 27.9% ± 9.2, respectively. Patients receiving trimodal treatment (surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy) exhibited significantly better median overall survival time compared to their counterparts (P value < .001).

Conclusions:

Atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor is rare and aggressive central nervous system tumor. Despite the limitations of the study, our results support several of clinical practice development. Utilization of postoperative radiotherapy and the adoption of trimodal therapy are associated with significant improvement of median survival. Prompt management with aggressive trimodal therapy should be the standard for future treatment protocols.
Acute Autonomic Neuropathy as a Rare Cause of Severe Arterial Hypertension in a Child
Authors: Kamińska Halszka , Kostera-Pruszczyk Anna , Potulska-Chromik Anna , Werner Bożena
Published: July 2020

A 7-year-old boy was admitted to the Pediatric Cardiology Department with blood pressure of 160/120 mmHg accompanied by burning pain in his hands and feet and tachycardia, followed by a seizure attack for the first time in his life, which presented shortly after admission. The child underwent a widespread diagnostic process – including laboratory tests and imaging – showing inconclusive results. Acute autonomic neuropathy was eventually diagnosed and successfully treated with intravenous immunoglobulin. The described case illustrates the need for a careful and open-minded approach to patients with hypertension.
Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response in Poland: Prevention, Surveillance, and Mitigation Planning
Authors: Goniewicz Krzysztof , Osiak Beata , Pawłowski Witold , Czerski Robert , Burkle Frederick M. , Lasota Dorota , Goniewicz Mariusz
Published: July 2020

Objectives:

Biological weapons are one of the oldest weapons of mass destruction used by man. Their use has not only determined the outcome of battles, but also influenced the fate of entire civilizations. Although the use of biological weapons agents in a terrorist attack is currently unlikely, all services responsible for the surveillance and removal of epidemiological threats must have clear guidelines and emergency response plans.

Methods:

In the face of the numerous threats appearing in the world, it has become necessary to put the main emphasis on modernizing, securing, and maintaining structures in the field of medicine which are prepared for unforeseen crises and situations related to the use of biological agents.

Results:

This article presents Poland’s current preparation to take action in the event of a bioterrorist threat. The study presents both the military aspect and procedures for dealing with contamination.

Conclusions:

In Poland, as in other European Union countries fighting terrorism, preparations should be made to defend against biological attacks, improve the flow of information on the European security system, strengthen research centers, train staff, create observation units and vaccination centers, as well as prepare hospitals for the hospitalization of patients—potential victims of bioterrorist attacks.
Tethered unitary recordings suggest a spike-timing electrosensory code in the electrosensory lobe of Gymnotus omarorum
Authors: Rodríguez-Cattáneo Alejo , Pereira Ana-Carolina , Aguilera Pedro A. , Caputi Ángel A.
Published: July 2020

Evaluation of neural activity during natural behaviours is essential for understanding how the brain works. Here we show that neuron-specific self-evoked firing patterns are modulated by an object’s presence, at the electrosensory lobe neurons of tethered-moving Gymnotus omarorum. This novel preparation shows that electrosensory signals in these pulse-type weakly electric fish are not only encoded in the number of spikes per electric organ discharge (EOD), as is the case in wave-type electric fish, but also in the spike timing pattern after each EOD, as found in pulse-type Mormyroidea. Present data suggest that pulsant electrogenesis and spike timing coding of electrosensory signals developed concomitantly in the same species, and evolved convergently in African and American electric fish.
Born-digital sources for the history of the Libyan revolution and its aftermath
Authors: Pennell C.R.
Published: July 2020

Archival material on the Libyan revolution and the civil war that followed is very scarce. This article discusses two born digital collections – the Libya Uprising Archive of tweets collected during the rising against Qaddafi, and the collections of asylum appeal tribunals in several English-speaking liberal democracies. Neither collection has been extensively used. It describes how the collections were formed, and the difficulties of using them and, for each, provides a short case study to illustrate these points. For the Libya Uprising Archive the case study is of tweets put out on the day Qaddafi was killed (20 October 2011), for the asylum tribunals the case study is of evidence provided by claimants about the importance or otherwise of tribalism as a factor that put individuals in danger.
Sociocultural and economic determinants of stunting and thinness among adolescent boys and girls in Nepal
Authors: van Tuijl Charlotte J. W. , Madjdian Dónya S. , Bras Hilde , Chalise Binaya
Published: July 2020

Despite the increasing interest in the determinants of adolescent undernutrition in low- and middle-income countries, a comprehensive multi-level overview at the country level is missing. Using the nationally representative 2014 Nepal Adolescent Nutrition Survey, this study aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of the sociocultural and economic determinants of stunting and thinness of adolescent boys and girls in Nepal. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to estimate the associations between multiple individual, household and community determinants and stunting and thinness among 3773 adolescents aged 10–19 years (1888 boys and 1885 girls). The prevalence rates of stunting and thinness indicated suboptimal nutritional status and an inadequate growth environment in Nepali adolescents. The results highlighted an association of paternal occupation and education, household income, number of earning household members, geographical place of residence, caste/ethnicity and nutritional knowledge with stunting, with higher odds for males and older adolescents. Paternal occupation, education, household income, geographical region, caste/ethnicity and nutrition knowledge were associated with thinness, with higher odds for males and younger adolescents. The findings underscore the importance of involving adolescents, their parents and their communities in interventions. Such interventions should not only be aimed at improving adolescent nutrition but also at optimizing adolescents’ growth environment for better health and development. Future research should focus on context-specific causal pathways and mechanisms through which sociocultural and economic determinants influence nutritional outcomes within broader societal, cultural and political settings. A longitudinal approach, including a range of dietary and nutrition indicators would allow understanding how and when the relative importance of these factors change during adolescence.
Progress on the small modular stellarator SCR-1: new diagnostics and heating scenarios
Authors: Coto-Vílchez F. , Vargas V. I. , Solano-Piedra R. , Rojas-Quesada M. A. , Araya-Solano L. A. , Ramírez A. A. , Hernández-Cisneros M. , Pérez-Hidalgo J. E. , Köhn-Seemann A. , Cerdas F. , Vílchez-Coto F. , Jiménez D. , Campos-Duarte L. , Meneses E. , González-Vega M. , Arias S.
Published: July 2020

This work presents updates in the diagnostics systems, magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) calculations and simulations of microwave heating scenarios of the small modular Stellarator of Costa Rica 1 (SCR-1). Similarly, the design of a flexible bolometer and magnetic diagnostics (a set of Mirnov coils, Rogowski coils and two diamagnetic loops) are introduced. Furthermore, new MHD equilibrium calculations for the plasma of the SCR-1 device were performed using the VMEC code including the poloidal cross-section of the magnetic flux surfaces at different toroidal positions, profiles of the rotational transform, magnetic well, magnetic shear and total magnetic field norm. Charged particle orbits in vacuum magnetic field were computed by the magnetic field solver BS-SOLCTRA (Vargas et al. In 27th IAEA Fusion Energy Conference (FEC 2018), 2018. IAEA). A visualization framework was implemented using Paraview (Solano-Piedra et al. In 23rd IAEA Technical Meeting on the Research Using Small Fusion Devices (23rd TM RUSFD), 2017) and compared with magnetic mapping results (Coto-Vílchez et al. In 16th Latin American Workshop on Plasma Physics (LAWPP), 2017, pp. 43–46). Additionally, simulations of microwave heating scenarios were performed by the IPF-FDMC full-wave code. These simulations calculate the conversion of the ordinary waves to extraordinary waves and allow us to identify the location where the conversion takes place. Finally, the microwave heating scenarios for the

$330^{\circ }$

toroidal position are presented. The microwave heating scenarios showed that the O–X–B mode conversion is around 12–14 %. It was possible to identify the spatial zone where the conversion takes place (upper hybrid frequency).
Wading Knee-Deep into the Rubicon: Escalation and the Morality of Limited Strikes
Authors: Brunstetter Daniel R.
Published: July 2020

Limited strikes are arguably different from war insofar as they are more circumscribed, less destructive, and cost less in blood and treasure to employ. However, what they can achieve is also considerably more circumscribed than what is set out by the goals of war. How do we morally evaluate limited strikes? As part of the roundtable, “The Ethics of Limited Strikes,” this essay argues that we need to turn to the ethics of limited of force, orjus ad vim, to do so. Two moral assumptions that are the keystone tojus ad vimcan shed light on the moral imperatives and ethical dilemmas of undertaking limited strikes. First, such strikes should be seen as an alternative to war, and not part of thejus ad bellumlast resort process. What I call the “Rubicon assessment” determines at what level force should be used: at the level of war, with all its costs and unpredictability, or at that of the more predictable and less costly limited force. Second, limited strikes should adhere to a “presumption against escalation”; that is, a moral commitment not to escalate to war. This essay highlights these moral principles in five different limited strike scenarios: “hot pursuit,” “red line,” “the last straw,” “the point of no return,” and “the right of retaliation.” The conclusion explores the notion of justice after limited strikes, or what I calljus post vim, to show that while what can be accomplished by limited strikes is inherently constrained, they can, if used morally and in tune with diplomacy, be of service in the quest for peace.
Syrian Views on Obama's Red Line: The Ethical Case for Strikes against Assad
Authors: Pearlman Wendy
Published: July 2020

Much ink has been spilled on the pros and cons of U.S. president Barack Obama's decision not to strike the regime of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad after that regime launched a deadly chemical weapons attack in 2013. Often missing from those debates, however, are the perspectives of Syrians themselves. While not all Syrians oppose Assad, and not all opponents endorsed intervention, many Syrian oppositionists resolutely called for Obama to uphold his “red line” militarily. As part of the roundtable “The Ethics of Limited Strikes,” this essay analyzes diverse expressions of such opinion and finds that they highlight three dimensions of the ethical case for limited strikes against Assad. First, they remind us that the ethical context of the red line question was many Syrians’ sense of abandonment by the international community. Second, they emphasize the ethical stakes of the limited strikes; namely an opportunity to hold the Syrian regime accountable, weaken it from within, and thus change the equation of the war. Third, they make sense of the ethical consequences of the nonintervention outcome, and especially its effect in deepening civilians’ despair, accelerating extremism, and convincing Assad and his allies that they could kill with impunity. These views controvert both legalistic arguments precluding military intervention and assumptions that U.S. intervention is always imperialist and warmongering. In this case, consideration of the case for military intervention from the viewpoint of those on whose behalf the intervention would have taken place challenges us to think deeply about circumstances in which limited strikes might be not only ethically justified but also imperative.
Transhepatic atrial septal defect closure: simple way to achieve haemostasis in a patient with important co-morbidities
Authors: Haddad Raymond N. , Maleux Geert , Bonnet Damien , Malekzadeh-Milani Sophie
Published: July 2020

Percutaneous closure is the gold standard treatment for atrial septal defects, but the procedure can be complex in case of femoral thrombosis. Although unusual for congenital interventionists, transhepatic atrial septal defect closure is an attractive alternative to the internal jugular vein, especially when approaching the interatrial septum. Herein, we report the case of an adult patient with significant co-morbidities who had successful transhepatic atrial septal defect closure after a failed transjugular attempt. We describe the use of an absorbable haemostatic gelatin sponge to efficiently and safely achieve haemostasis after the use of a large vascular sheath with combined anticoagulation and antiplatelet therapy.