bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Offene Varizenchirurgie – wann ambulant, wann stationär?
Authors: Frings Norbert , Rass Knuth , Bruning Guido , Geier Bruno , Mumme Achim , Stenger Dietmar , Steffen Horst Peter , Weigel Frauke , Stücker Markus ,   In Auszügen vorgetragen auf der 62. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Phlebologie 02.–05.09.2020
Published: December 2020

Hintergrund Die offene Varizenchirurgie kann sowohl in einem ambulanten als auch in einem stationären Setting durchgeführt werden. Aktuelle Leitlinien zur Therapie der Varikose nehmen zu der Frage, welche Patienten ambulant und welche stationäre zu operieren sind, nicht Stellung.

Fragestellung Erarbeitung von Kriterienkatalogen zur Frage einer ambulanten oder stationären Varizenoperation.

Material und Methode PubMed-Recherche zur Fragestellung und basierend auf den Literaturdaten Erarbeitung eines Delphi-Konsensus der Autoren.

Ergebnisse Zur Frage, ob eine Varizenchirurgie ambulant oder stationär durchgeführt werden kann, existieren lediglich 2 monozentrische retrospektive Analysen sowie eine Registerstudie. In diesen Studien werden ambulante Operationen im Wesentlichen bei Patienten mit Normalgewicht und ASA-Stadium 1 durchgeführt. Gut geeignete Lokalbefunde für eine ambulante Operation sind Primäreingriffe und ein geringeres C-Stadium der CEAP-Klassifikation. Für eine stationäre Varizenoperation sprechen ausgedehnte Befunde, bei denen mehr als eine Crosse saniert werden muss, Rezidiveingriffe in der Leiste oder der Kniekehle, vorangegangene thromboembolische Ereignisse, eine erhöhte Blutungsneigung aufgrund monströser Varizen oder einer Antikoagulation, Hautkomplikationen wie ein Ulcus cruris oder eine schwere Stauungsdermatitis bzw. Dermatosklerose sowie ein BMI über 30 bei Crossektomie.

Schlussfolgerungen Basierend auf Literaturdaten und Expertenmeinungen konnten Kriterienkataloge für eine ambulante versus stationäre offene Varizenchirurgie erarbeitet werden.
Resilienzfördernde Interventionen bei Patienten mit Krebs – Integrative Onkologie in der Akuttherapie
Authors: Lange Silke , Paul Anna , Voiss Petra
Published: December 2020

Die Diagnose Krebs bedeutet für die Betroffenen in der Regel einen massiven Einschnitt in ihr Leben, der mit Angst, Verunsicherung und Verlust an Lebensqualität einhergeht. Die psychische Belastung ist vor allem im Zeitraum zwischen Diagnose und Behandlungsbeginn sehr ausgeprägt mit deutlichen Auswirkungen auf den weiteren Krankheitsverlauf. Aktuelle Daten geben Hinweise darauf, dass es sinnvoll ist, schon frühzeitig resilienzfördernde therapeutische Interventionen in die Behandlung onkologischer Patienten zu integrieren. Interventionen aus dem Bereich der Mind-Body-Medizin (MBM), die in Kombination mit naturheilkundlichen Therapieansätzen im Rahmen einer integrativ-onkologischen Behandlung zunehmend Verbreitung auch im akutmedizinischen Bereich finden, können hier die psychoonkologische Versorgung effektiv ergänzen.
Extraintestinale Manifestationen chronisch entzündlicher Darmerkrankungen
Authors: von Felbert Verena , Rauen Thomas , Tischendorf Stefanie , Hatting Maximilian
Published: December 2020

Chronisch entzündliche Darmerkrankungen (CED) manifestieren sich auch außerhalb des Gastrointestinaltraktes. Die Differenzialdiagnostik ist herausfordernd, denn die extraintestinalen Manifestationen (EIM) müssen von Medikamentennebenwirkungen und eigenständigen Krankheitsentitäten abgegrenzt werden. Dies trifft insbesondere für den Befall der Leber, des Bewegungsapparates und der Haut zu. Häufig sind Leberwerterhöhungen medikamentös-toxisch bedingt. Die primär sklerosierende Cholangitis stellt eine prognoserelevante Differenzialdiagnose dar, die häufig mit CED assoziiert ist. Ein Befall des Achsenskeletts muss von degenerativem Rückenschmerz, Osteoporose und einer rheumatischen Grunderkrankung abgegrenzt werden. Die Beteiligung der Haut bei CED kann sich im Rahmen klassischer Befunde wie dem Erythema nodosum manifestieren. Häufig ist die Diagnosestellung aber schwierig und es müssen medikamenteninduzierte Hautveränderungen ausgeschlossen bzw. identifiziert werden. Nicht zuletzt ist auch das Risiko für Hauttumoren unter Immunsuppression erhöht. Die komplexe Diagnostik der extraintestinalen Manifestation erfordert deshalb eine enge interdisziplinäre Zusammenarbeit.
Stellenwert der Psychoonkologie in der Urologie
Authors: Herschbach Peter
Published: December 2020

Nationale und internationale Behandlungsleitlinien und Zertifizierungskriterien für Krebszentren schließen psychoonkologische Mitbetreuung von belasteten Patienten heute zwingend ein; das gilt selbstverständlich auch für die Uro-Onkologie. Die systematische Feststellung der individuellen Unterstützungsbedürftigkeit in der Praxis soll durch „Distress Screenings“ bewerkstelligt werden. Während im Allgemeinen von ca. 30% belasteter Krebspatienten ausgegangen wird (Anteil Patienten mit hohem Distress oder psychischer Komorbidität), liegt die Rate bei der größten urologischen Entität, den Prostatakrebspatienten, niedriger (bei ca. 20%). Der Zugang zu den indizierten Psychotherapien ist für viele Patienten aus persönlichen Gründen schwierig und führt zu relativ hohen Ablehnungsquoten − trotz hoher Belastung. Dies gilt insbesondere für die Uro-Onkologie. Ein entscheidender Faktor ist die Tatsache, dass hier überwiegend ältere Männer betroffen sind, ein Personenkreis, der sich generell schwertut, eigene Emotionen wahrzunehmen, zu kommunizieren und psychologische Unterstützung in Anspruch zu nehmen. In diesem Zusammenhang werden hohe Anforderungen an die kommunikative Kompetenz des Urologen gestellt.
Effectiveness of Individualised Homoeopathic Medicines versus Conventional Treatment in the Management of Primary Dysmenorrhoea in Young Unmarried Females: A Randomised, Open-Label, Clinical Study
Authors: Jain Lily , Nayak C. , Sharma M. B. , Gehlot Kushal
Published: December 2020

Background Primary dysmenorrhoea (PD) is painful menstruation without any identifiable pelvic pathology. More than 70% of teenagers suffer from varying degrees of discomfort during menstruation. Effective conventional treatment of PD includes non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or oral contraceptive pills that usually have adverse effects.

Objective The objective of the present study was to compare the effectiveness of individualised homoeopathic medicines with symptomatic conventional treatment in management of PD in young unmarried females by using Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for assessing intensity of pain and World Health Organization Quality of Life: Brief Version (WHOQOL-BREF) scale for assessing the quality of life (QoL).

Materials and Methods In this randomised, open-label, clinical study, 80 patients were randomly allocated in two groups: one with indicated homoeopathic medicines (Group I; N = 40) and the other with conventional treatment (Group II; N = 40). The selection of homoeopathic medicines was based on individualisation, and follow-up of cases was done every month for six cycles. VAS score was used to assess pain intensity and WHOQOL-BREF scale was used for assessing QoL, at 3 and 6 months of treatment.

Results In Group I, out of 40 patients, 14 (35%) cases reported moderate pain and 26 (65%) reported severe pain before treatment, out of whom 29 (72.5%) patients had mild pain, 8 (20%) cases moderate pain and 3 (7.5%) cases severe pain, after homoeopathic treatment. In Group II, out of 40 patients, 11 (27.5%) reported moderate pain and 29 (72.5%) had severe pain before treatment, whereas 12 (30%) patients reported mild, 16 (40%) moderate pain and 12 (30%) severe pain, after conventional treatment. The t-value was –4.186 (p < 0.0001) for VAS and 3.988 (p < 0.0001) for overall domain WHOQOL-BREF mean transformed score.

Conclusion It was concluded that intensity of pain during menses was reduced and QoL improved in patients with PD in homoeopathic intervention group, which proved the effectiveness of individualised homoeopathic medicines.
Is Maternal Methadone Dose Associated with the Severity of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome?
Authors: Smith Jessica , Lafferty Margaret , Boelig Rupsa C. , Carola David , Adeniyi-Jones Susan , Kraft Walter K. , Greenspan Jay S. , Aghai Zubair H.
Published: December 2020

Objective The aim of the study is to assess the correlation between maternal methadone dose and severity of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) in infants that required pharmacological treatment for NAS.

Study Design This is a retrospective analysis of 574 infants ≥35 weeks' gestation exposed to methadone in utero, born between August 2006 and May 2018, and who required pharmacological therapy for NAS. Indicators of NAS severity (duration of morphine treatment, maximum morphine dose, use of phenobarbital, and length of hospitalization) were compared between infants exposed to high (≥200 mg), intermediate (100–199 mg), and low doses (<100 mg) of methadone. Logistic and linear regression models were used to adjust for the covariates.

Results Median (interquartile range) duration of medical treatment with morphine was higher in infants exposed to higher doses of methadone (low dose 23 [14–37] days, intermediate dose 31 [18–45] days, and high dose 35 [20–48] days, p < 0.001). Higher methadone doses were also predictive of longer duration of hospitalization, higher maximum morphine dose, and increased likelihood of treatment with phenobarbital. The association between maternal methadone dose and the severity of NAS persisted in multivariable regression models.

Conclusion Infants exposed to higher methadone doses displayed more severe NAS, as indicated by longer durations of treatment, higher maximum morphine dose, longer duration of hospitalization, and increased likelihood of phenobarbital use.

Key Points
Inborn Errors of Metabolism in a Tertiary Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
Authors: Lipari Patrícia , Shchomak Zakhar , Boto Leonor , Janeiro Patrícia , Moldovan Oana , Abecasis Francisco , Gaspar Ana , Vieira Marisa
Published: December 2020

Few studies exist describing resources and care of pediatric patients with inborn errors of metabolism (IEM) admitted to pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). This study aims to characterize the PICU admissions of these patients to provide better diagnostic and therapeutic care in the future. Retrospective analysis of pediatric patients with IEM admitted to the PICU of a tertiary care center at a metabolic referral university hospital from 2009 to 2019 was included. Clinical information and demographic data were collected from PICU clinical records. During this period, 2% (n = 88 admissions, from 65 children) out of 4,459 PICU admissions had clinical features of IEM. The median age was 3 years (range: 3 days–21 years) and 33 were male. Median age at diagnosis was 3 months; 23/65 patients with intoxication disorders, 21/65 with disorders of energy metabolism, 17/65 with disorders of complex molecules, and 4/65 with other metabolic diseases (congenital lipodystrophy, Menkes' disease, hyperammonemia without a diagnosis). From a total of 88 admissions, 62 were due to metabolic decompensation (infection—38, neonatal period decompensation—14, external accident—5, prolonged fasting—2, and therapeutic noncompliance—3) and 26 elective admissions after a scheduled surgery/elective procedure. The most frequent clinical presentations were respiratory failure (30/88) and neurological deterioration (26/88). Mechanical ventilation was required in 30 patients and parenteral nutrition in 6 patients. Extracorporeal removal therapy was required in 16 pediatric patients (12 with maple syrup urine disease and 4 with hyperammonemia) with a median duration of 19 hours. The median length of PICU stay was 3.6 days (3 hours–35 days). Eight patients died during the studied period (cerebral edema—2, massive hemorrhage—5, and malignant arrhythmia—1). Acute decompensation was the main cause of admission in PICU in these patients. The complexity of these diseases requires specialized human and technical resources, with an important impact on the recovery and survival of these patients.
Ankle flexibility is key to postural stability
Authors: Frank Jodi Ackerman
Published: December 2020

Findings on Parkinson’s disease patients contradict the traditional theory of control that contributes stiffness of ankle muscles to postural stability.
Projectile and target excitation in He+ + He collisions at intermediate energies
Authors: Gao Junwen , Hu Zhimin , Wu Yong , Wang Jianguo , Sisourat Nicolas , Dubois Alain
Published: December 2020

We present ab initio calculations of cross sections for projectile and target excitation occurring in the course of He+ + He collisions using a three-active-electron semiclassical nonperturbative approach. Intermediate impact energies ranging from 1 keV to 225 keV/u are considered. The results of our calculations agree well with available measurements for both projectile and target excitation in the respective overlapping energy regions. A comparison of our results with those of other theoretical calculations further demonstrates the importance of a nonperturbative approach that includes a sufficient number of channels. Furthermore, it is found that the cross sections for target excitation into singlet states show a valley centered at about 25 keV/u, resulting from competition with electron transfer to singlet projectile states. By contrast, the cross sections for target excitation into triplet states do not exhibit any such structures.
Experiments and simulations of isochorically heated warm dense carbon foam at the Texas Petawatt Laser
Authors: Roycroft R. , Bradley P. A. , McCary E. , Bowers B. , Smith H. , Dyer G. M. , Albright B. J. , Blouin S. , Hakel P. , Quevedo H. J. , Vold E. L. , Yin L. , Hegelich B. M.
Published: December 2020

An experimental and simulation study of warm dense carbon foams at ambient density (ne ∼ 1021 cm−3) is presented. This study of isochorically heated foams is motivated by their potential application in carbon-atmosphere white-dwarf envelopes, where there are modeling uncertainties due to the equation of state. The foams are heated on an approximately picosecond time scale with a laser-accelerated proton beam. The cooling and expansion of the heated foams can be modeled with appropriately initialized radiation-hydrodynamics codes; xRAGE code is used in this work. The primary experimental diagnostic is the streaked optical pyrometer, which images a narrow band of radiation from the rear surface of the heated material. Presented are xRAGE modeling results for both solid aluminum targets and carbonized resorcinol-formaldehyde foam targets, showing that the foam appears to cool slowly on the pyrometer because of partial transparency. So that simulations of cooling foam are processed properly, it is necessary to account for finite optical depth in the photosphere calculation, and the methods for performing that calculation are presented in depth.
Resilience of a native soil seed bank in a floodplain lake subjected to cropping, grazing and extended drought
Authors: Kelleway Jeffrey J. , Iles Jordan A. , Kobayashi Tsuyoshi , Ling Joanne E.
Published: December 2020

Ephemeral floodplain lakes are an integral component of inland wetland ecosystems and experience highly variable hydrology and prolonged dry periods. Although wetland soil seed banks are highly resilient to drought and floods, anthropogenic land use may add an additional stress. Understanding the recovery potential of wetland soil seed banks to different historical land uses helps manage and prioritise environmental water. In this study we explored the resilience of the wetland plant community in an ephemeral floodplain lake (Ita Lake, NSW, Australia). We collected soil samples during an extended dry phase (10 years) from two distinct zones within the lake, one of which was subjected to historical grazing and the other to lakebed ploughing and cropping. The samples were inundated under multiple inundation regimes to assess soil seed bank response. We found that the soil seed bank was viable, indicating a level of resilience not previously recorded for some plant species, namely Ricciocarpus natans, Chara spp., Nitella spp., Alternanthera denticulata and Eleocharis acuta. Although the results highlight the resilience of ephemeral wetland plant communities, intensive land uses such as ploughing and cropping will limit the availability of seeds to germinate, and the inundation regime will influence species composition and the subsequent likelihood of restoration.
Assessing the effects of swimming net material on populations of an endangered seahorse
Authors: Simpson Michael , Morris Rebecca L. , Harasti David , Coleman Ross A.
Published: December 2020

The endangered seahorse Hippocampus whitei has declined in abundance as a result of natural habitat loss, and inhabits copper-braided protective swimming nets in Sydney Harbour, Australia. This study tested whether the use of copper-free seahorse-friendly net material has any effect on populations of H. whitei. The effects of net material on seahorse density and population abundance, as well as the effects on fouling epibiota and the abundance of epifaunal seahorse prey, were tested on pre-existing swimming nets as well as installed panels of each net material type. Material type had no effect on the density or population abundance of seahorses on pre-existing or installed panels of swimming net, with no difference in fouling epibiotic growth or mobile epifauna. Because seahorse-friendly nets were not worse than standard nets in these respects, it is recommended that managers take a precautionary approach and deploy nets of seahorse-friendly material to minimise anthropogenic copper entering coastal systems.
Perception of Pharmacy Students Toward Opioid-Related Disorders and Roles of Community Pharmacists: A French Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Balayssac David , Pereira Bruno , Cuq Pierre , Douris Juliette , Ferrari Luc , Boutet-Robinet Elisa , Lechevrel Mathilde , Demeilliers Christine , Rat Patrice , Coudoré François , Verron Elise , Lacarelle Bruno , Guitton Jérôme , Courtois Arnaud , Allorge Delphine , Pain Stéphanie , Guerbet Michel , Collin Aurore , Vennat Brigitte , Brousse Georges , Authier Nicolas , Laporte Catherine
Published: December 2020

Background

Community pharmacists are among the frontline health professionals who manage patients with an opioid-related disorder (ORD). Pharmacists frequently have a negative attitude toward these patients, which could have a negative impact on their management. However, education on ORD may improve the attitude of future healthcare professionals. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess French pharmacy students’ perceptions of ORD.

Methods

This online survey was performed by emails sent to French pharmacy schools (between January 14, 2019 and May 31, 2019). The primary outcome was the perception (visual analogic scale) of ORD as a disease, the roles of community pharmacies (delivery of opioid agonist therapy—OAT and harm reduction kits), and the efficacy of OAT. The secondary outcomes assessed professional experience, university experience of and education on ORD, and the individual characteristics of students.

Results

Among the 1,994 students included, 76.3% perceived ORD as a disease and felt that it was normal for pharmacists to deliver OAT (78.9%) and harm reduction kits (74.6%). However, only 46.9% perceived OAT as being effective. Multivariable analyses showed that females had a more positive perception in recognizing ORD as a disease. The progression through university years increased the positive perception of ORD as a disease and the delivery of OAT and harm reduction kits by pharmacists. Education on substance-related disorders had no impact on any scores. Students who had already delivered OAT had a negative perception of their efficacy. The students who had already performed pharmacy jobs or traineeships had a negative perception of harm reduction kit delivery.

Conclusion

Education on substance-related disorders had no impact on students’ perceptions. It seemed that the maturity acquired through university years had a stronger impact on the students’ perceptions of ORD. Efforts must be made to improve our teaching methods and reinforce the confidence of students in the roles of community pharmacists.
Hepcidin and interleukin‐6 responses to endurance exercise over the menstrual cycle
Authors: Barba‐Moreno Laura , Alfaro‐Magallanes Víctor M. , de Jonge Xanne A.K. Janse , Díaz Angel E. , Cupeiro Rocío , Peinado Ana B.
Published: December 2020

The aim of the current study was to investigate iron metabolism in endurance trained women through the interleukin‐6, hepcidin and iron responses to exercise along different endogenous hormonal states. Fifteen women performed 40 min treadmill running trials at 75% vVO2peak during three specific phases of the menstrual cycle: early follicular phase (day 3 ± 0.85), mid‐follicular phase (day 8 ± 1.09) and luteal phase (day 21 ± 1.87). Venous blood samples were taken pre‐, 0 h post‐ and 3 h post‐exercise. Interleukin‐6 reported a significant interaction for menstrual cycle phase and time (p=0.014), showing higher interleukin‐6 levels at 3 h post‐exercise during luteal phase compared to the early follicular phase (p=0.004) and the mid‐follicular phase (p=0.002). Iron levels were significantly lower (p=0.009) during the early follicular phase compared to the mid‐follicular phase. However, hepcidin levels were not different across menstrual cycle phases (p>0.05). The time‐course for hepcidin and interleukin‐6 responses to exercise was different from the literature, since hepcidin peak levels occurred at 0 h post‐exercise, whereas the highest interleukin‐6 levels occurred at 3 h post‐exercise. We concluded that menstrual cycle phases may alter interleukin‐6 production causing a higher inflammation when progesterone levels are elevated (days 19–21). Moreover, during the early follicular phase a significant reduction of iron levels is observed potentially due to a loss of haemoglobin through menses. According to our results, high intensity exercises should be carefully monitored in these phases in order not to further compromise iron stores.
Active real-time electric field control of the e-jet in near-field electrospinning using an auxiliary electrode
Authors: Karlsson Anton , Bergman Henrik , Johansson Stefan
Published: December 2020

Near-field electrospinning (NFES) is an additive manufacturing technique that allows for both high-resolution 3D structures and a wide variety of printed materials. Typically, a high electric field between a nozzle, the spinneret, and the substrate creates a μm-sized jet of a supplied liquid material. With mm distances between spinneret and sample, it is possible to have a fair control of the lateral placement of the deposited material. The placement is, however, distributed by various electrostatic phenomena, and this is one of the present challenges in developing NFES into a more versatile technique. In this paper, a higher degree of control in NFES placement was achieved through manipulation of the electric field direction, using an auxiliary steering electrode. The position of a polycaprolactone plastic jet was determined in real-time with a camera attached to a stereo microscope. The measured position was used to calculate an applied potential to the steering electrode to guide the plastic jet to the desired position. The placement accuracy was measured both at the substrate and during flight using the camera and microscope. The higher control was revealed through the deposition of plastic fibers in a pattern with decreasing separation, with and without the active steering electrode enabled. It is in the authors’ opinion that the fabrication of dense structures could be possible with further refinement of the technique.
Efficient coaxial n-i-p heterojunction Sb2S3 solar cells
Authors: Zhao Xiangchun , Tang Rongfeng , Zhang Lijian , Jiang Chenhui , Lian Weitao , Wang Xiaomin , Han Wenhao , Wu Chunyan , Ju Huanxin , Chen Tao , Zhu Changfei
Published: December 2020

Sb2S3 is a kind of emerging light harvesting material for solar cell applications, where both planar and nanostructured configurations are of great interests in the device investigations. This work conducts a comparative study on heterojunction configuration of Sb2S3 solar cells with regard to different CdS substrates. By controlling the hydrothermal durations of Sb2S3 film, the CdS nanorod enables the fabrication of coaxial n-i-p heterojunction Sb2S3 solar cells. It is demonstrated that coaxial heterojunction can effectively improve carrier transport compared with planar heterojunction, leading to the fill factor increasing from 51.3% to 62.7% with regard to different degree of pore filling. Mechanism investigations suggest that both deep-level defect type and defect density in coaxial heterojunction device are significantly reduced, which further reduces carrier recombination in Sb2S3 film, clearly manifesting that the coaxial heterojunction configuration reduces the series resistance and enables efficient carrier transport. In addition, the coaxial heterojunction device presents a remarkably improved stability compared with planar heterojunction device. The research offers a fundamental guideline for the fabrication of efficient antimony chalcogenide solar cells.
Tailoring of carrier concentration and engineering of band gap for Sn-doped In2O3 films by postirradiation of negatively charged oxygen ions
Authors: Furubayashi Yutaka , Maehara Makoto , Kitami Hisashi , Sakemi Toshiyuki , Yamamoto Tetsuya
Published: December 2020

We demonstrate that the state-of-the-art postirradiation technology for negatively charged oxygen (O−) ions is effective for tailoring carrier concentration (n

e
), electrical resistivity (ρ), and optical band gap (E
g) in a wide range for polycrystalline 50-nm-thick Sn-doped In2O3 (ITO) films on glass substrates by reactive plasma deposition with direct-current arc discharge. As-deposited ITO films showed n

e
of 9.2 × 1020 cm−3, ρ of 1.5 × 10−4 Ω cm, and E
g of 3.50 eV. The postirradiation of O− ions for 180 min at 250 °C decreased n

e
to 2.4 × 1018 cm−3. This resulted in a significant increase in ρ to 3.5 × 10−1 Ω cm while retaining the bixbyite crystal structure and the spatial distribution of Sn dopant atoms. The postirradiation of O− ions led to the continuous decrease in the optical E
g ranging from 3.50 to 3.02 eV, which is smaller than that of undoped In2O3. For degenerate ITO films, conventional theories about the broadening and narrowing of the optical E
g explain the experimental results well. On the other hand, for nondegenerate ITO films, the optical E
g shrinkage would be mainly caused by an upward energy shift attributable to the generation of the anti-bonding π* states between O 2p and In 4d orbitals within the topmost valence band owing to the lattice disorder associated with incorporated interstitial oxygen atoms that fill structural vacancy sites. On the basis of the Ioffe–Regel criterion utilizing the electron mean free path, Fermi momentum, and their product, we determined the critical n

e
at which degenerate ITO films transform to nondegenerate ones.
Two-dimensional aluminium, gallium, and indium metallic crystals by first-principles design
Authors: Anam Bushra , Gaston Nicola
Published: December 2020

Rapidly emerging two-dimensional (2D) atomic layer crystals exhibit diverse, tunable electronic properties. They appear to be more flexible than 3D crystals with greater versatility and improved functionality in a wide range of potential applications. Among these 2D materials, metallic crystals are relatively unexplored although two allotropes of gallenene (2D gallium) have been synthesized on a range of substrates. Based on these experimental findings, we investigate systematically the group 13 metals using first-principles density functional theory calculations and an unbiased structural search. In this study, the electronic structure, bonding characteristics, and phonon properties of predicted 2D allotropes of group 13 metals are calculated, including the expected effects of strain induced by substrates on the dynamical stability. Theoretical results predict that most group 13 elements have one or more stable 2D allotropes with the preferred allotrope depending on the cell shape relaxation and strain, indicating that the substrate will determine the overall allotrope preferred. This demonstrates a new avenue for the discovery of thermodynamically stable 2D metallic layers, with properties potentially suitable for electronic and optoelectronic applications.
Preparation of QDs@SiO2-PEG-LMPET and its influence on crystallization and luminescence of polyethylene terephthalate
Authors: Wang Yanqi , Wang Yao , Zhang Miaorong , Liu Jixian , Huang Linjun , Wang Yanxin , Hao Tian , Li Jie , Tang Jianguo
Published: December 2020

The composite particles composed of quantum dots coated with silica and grafted with copolymer of polyethylene glycol and low molecular weight polyethylene terephthalate (QDs@SiO2-PEG-LMPET) are synthesized. The internal QDs provide luminescent performance and combine with SiO2 to form QDs@SiO2 with good dispersion to solve the defect that small-sized SiO2 is prone to agglomerate. The block polymer LMPET-PEG grafted on the surface can make the composite particles better compatible with the PET matrix. In summary, QDs@SiO2-PEG-LMPET not only play the same role as SiO2 to enhance the crystallization performance of PET matrix, but also provide stable luminescence performance, which is multifunctional additive with broad application prospects.
A set of exercises regarding nuclear explosions
Authors: Khan F A
Published: December 2020

An elementary-level physics approach is used to calculate a number of interesting and useful quantities related to nuclear explosions. The set of eight exercises deals with nuclear fission fragments, the variation of fissile nucleus density in a fissioning nuclear device core with time, and the fireball.
Reflectionless spatial beam benders with arbitrary bending angle by introducing optic-null medium into transformation optics*
Authors: Sun Fei , Liu Yi-Chao , Yang Yi-Biao , Fei Hong-Ming , Chen Zhi-Hui , He Sai-Ling
Published: December 2020

By introducing an optic-null medium into the finite embedded transformation, a reflectionless spatial beam bender is designed, which can steer the output beam by a fixed pre-designed angle β for an arbitrary incident angle. The bending angle β of the beam bender is determined by the geometrical angle of the device, which can be changed by simply choosing different geometrical angles. For various bending angles, the designed spatial beam bender can be realized by the same materials (i.e., an optic-null medium), which is a homogenous anisotropic material. Numerical simulations verify the reflectionless bending effect and rotated imaging ability of the proposed beam bender. A reduction model of the optic-null medium is studied, which can also be used for a reflectionless spatial beam bender with a pre-designed bending angle.
Modified scaling angular spectrum method for numerical simulation in long-distance propagation*
Authors: Chen Xiao-Yi , Duan Ya-Xuan , Xiang Bin-Bin , Li Ming , Da Zheng-Shang
Published: December 2020

The angular method (AS) cannot be used in long-distance propagation because it produces severe numerical errors due to the sampling problem in the transfer function. Two ways can solve this problem in AS for long-distance propagation. One is zero-padding to make sure that the calculation window is wide enough, but it leads to a huge calculation burden. The other is a method called band-limited angular spectrum (BLAS), in which the transfer function is truncated and results in that the calculation accuracy decreases as the propagation distance increases. In this paper, a new method called modified scaling angular spectrum (MSAS) to solve the problem for long-distance propagation is proposed. A scaling factor is introduced in MSAS so that the sampling interval of the input plane can be adjusted arbitrarily unlike AS whose sampling interval is restricted by the detector’s pixel size. The sampling interval of the input plane is larger than the detector’s pixel size so the size of calculation window suitable for long-distance field propagation in the input plane is smaller than the size of the calculation window required by the zero-padding. Therefore, the method reduces the calculation redundancy and improves the calculation speed. The results from simulations and experiments show that MSAS has a good signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and the calculation accuracy of MSAS is better than BLAS.
New DDSCR structure with high holding voltage for robust ESD applications*
Authors: Zhou Zi-Jie , Jin Xiang-Liang , Wang Yang , Dong Peng
Published: December 2020

A novel dual direction silicon-controlled rectifier (DDSCR) with an additional P-type doping and gate (APGDDSCR) is proposed and demonstrated. Compared with the conventional low-voltage trigger DDSCR (LVTDDSCR) that has positive and negative holding voltages of 13.371 V and 14.038 V, respectively, the new DDSCR has high positive and negative holding voltages of 18.781 V and 18.912 V in a single finger device, respectively, and it exhibits suitable enough positive and negative holding voltages of 14.60 V and 14.319 V in a four-finger device for ±12-V application. The failure current of APGDDSCR is almost the same as that of LVT-DDSCR in the single finger device, and the four-finger APGDDSCR can achieve positive and negative human-body model (HBM) protection capabilities of 22.281 kV and 23.45 kV, respectively, under 40-V voltage of core circuit failure, benefitting from the additional structure. The new structure can generate a snapback voltage on gate A to increase the current gain of the parasitic PNP in holding voltage. Thus, a sufficiently high holding voltage increased by the structure can ensure that a multi-finger device can also reach a sufficient holding voltage, it is equivalent to solving the non-uniform triggering problem of multi-finger device. The operating mechanism and the gate voltage are both discussed and verified in two-dimensional (2D) simulation and experiemnt.
Effective suppression of beta oscillation in Parkinsonian state via a noisy direct delayed feedback control scheme*
Authors: Yu Hai-Tao , Meng Zi-Han , Liu Chen , Wang Jiang , Liu Jing
Published: December 2020

This work explores the function of the noisy direct delayed feedback (NDDF) control strategy in suppressing the pathological oscillations in the basal ganglia (BG) with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Deep brain stimulation (DBS) alleviates the PD state fantastically. However, due to its unclear mechanism and open-loop characteristic, it is challenging to further improve its effects with lower energy expenditure. The noise stimulus performs competitively in alleviating the PD state theoretically, but it cannot adapt to the neural condition timely and automatically due to its open-loop control scheme. The direct delayed feedback (DDF) control strategy is able to disturb excessive synchronous effectively. Therefore, the NDDF control strategy is proposed and researched based on a BG computational model, which can reflect the intrinsic properties of the BG neurons and their connections with thalamic neurons. Simulation results show that the NDDF control strategy with optimal parameters is effective in removing the pathological beta oscillations. By comparison, we find the NDDF control strategy performs more excellent than DDF in alleviating PD state. Additionally, we define the multiple-NDDF control strategy and find that the multiple-NDDF with appropriate parameters performs better than NDDF. The obtained results contribute to the cure for PD symptoms by optimizing the noise-induced improvement of the BG dysfunction.
Theoretical analysis and experimental validation of radial cascaded composite ultrasonic transducer*
Authors: Wang Xiao-Yu , Yu Zhi-Xin , Hu Jing , Lin Shu-Yu
Published: December 2020

A radial cascaded composite ultrasonic transducer is analyzed. The transducer consists of three short metal tubes and two radially polarized piezoelectric ceramic short tubes arranged alternately along the radial direction. The short metal tubes and the piezoelectric ceramic short tubes are connected in parallel electrically and in series mechanically, which can multiply the input sound power and sound intensity. Based on the theory of plane stress, the electro-mechanical equivalent circuit of radial vibration of the transducer is derived firstly. The resonance/anti-resonance frequency equation and the expression of the effective electromechanical coupling coefficient are obtained. Excellent electromechanical characteristics are determined by changing the radial geometric dimensions. Two prototypes of the transducers are designed and manufactured to support the analytical theory. It is concluded that the theoretical resonance/anti-resonance frequencies are consistent with the numerical and experimental results. When R
2 is at certain values, both the anti-resonance frequency and effective electromechanical coupling coefficient corresponding to the second mode have maximal values. The radial cascaded composite ultrasonic transducer is expected to be used in the fields of ultrasonic water treatment and underwater acoustics.
Excitation of beta-induced Alfvén eigenmodes by the coupling between geodesic acoustic mode and magnetic island
Authors: Cai Huishan , Gao Baofeng , Xu Ming , Liu Adi , Kong Defeng
Published: December 2020

The mechanism of excitation of beta-induced Alfvén eigenmodes (BAEs) with magnetic islands larger than a threshold without energetic ions is studied. It is found that the nonlinear coupling between geodesic acoustic mode and magnetic islands can drive the pair of BAEs. The phase of BAEs to island should be π/2 to excite the BAEs and the magnetic island is larger than a threshold. The results are consistent with the experimental results shown in EAST(#86309). It implies that similar experimental results in other tokamaks, that BAEs excitation by magnetic islands without energetic ions, may be from the nonlinear coupling between islands and waves. It also implies that the existence of magnetic islands can make the excitation of BAEs easier in plasma with energetic ions, since the magnetic island can also increase the pressure gradient of energetic ions near the island separatrix. This predicts that BAEs may appear more frequently in the presence of magnetic islands in ITER.
POPX2 phosphatase enhances topographical contact guidance for cell morphology and migration
Authors: Sathe Sharvari R , Jain Deepak , Koh Cheng-Gee , Yim Evelyn K F
Published: December 2020

Topography mediated contact guidance affects multiple cell behaviors such as establishment of cellular morphology and migration. The direction of cell migration is associated with the establishment of cell polarity, which also affects the primary cilia in migrating cells. POPX2, a partner of PIX2, is involved in pathways essential to primary cilium formation, while over-expression of POPX2 has been reported to cause a loss of cell polarity during migration. This study aims to examine how topographical cues direct morphological changes, and how topography affects the process of cellular migration and primary cilium architecture, in the context of POPX2 over-expression. Thus, the effect of anisotropic topography, 2 μm grating pattern on tissue-culture polystyrene, was used as a contact guidance cue to investigate the migration and cell polarity of POPX2 overexpressing cells, in comparison to control NIH3T3 fibroblast cells. We report that POPX2 overexpressing NIH3T3 cells were more sensitive to surface topographical cues as the cells became more elongated. In addition, these cues also affected focal adhesion alignment of POPX2 overexpressing cells. Cell migration was further studied using wound closure assays, in which the 2 μm gratings were designed to be either perpendicular or parallel to wound-induced cell migration direction, which would be agonistic or antagonistic to cell migration, respectively. We observed that both POPX2 overexpressing cells’ migration direction and migration rate were more significantly influenced by gratings direction compared to control NIH3T3 cells. The migration paths of POPX2 overexpressing cells become more direct in the presence of anisotropic topographical cues. Further, cilia and centrosome alignment, which is important in cell migration, was also affected by the direction of gratings during this migration process. Collectively, enhancement of NIH3T3 cell sensitivity towards surface topography through POPX2 overexpression might reflect one of the mechanisms that combine biochemical and mechanical cues for directional cell migration.
COVID-19 lockdown only partially alleviates health impacts of air pollution in Northern Italy
Authors: Granella Francesco , Aleluia Reis Lara , Bosetti Valentina , Tavoni Massimo
Published: December 2020

Evaluating the reduction in pollution caused by a sudden change in emissions is complicated by the confounding effect of weather variations. We propose an approach based on machine learning to build counterfactual scenarios that address the effect of weather and apply it to the COVID-19 lockdown of Lombardy, Italy. We show that the lockdown reduced background concentrations of PM2.5 by 3.84 µg m−3 (16%) and NO2 by 10.85 µg m−3 (33%). Improvement in air quality saved at least 11% of the years of life lost and 19% of the premature deaths attributable to COVID-19 in the region during the same period. The analysis highlights the benefits of improving air quality and the need for an integrated policy response addressing the full diversity of emission sources.
Moiré and beyond in transition metal dichalcogenide twisted bilayers
Authors: Tran Kha , Choi Junho , Singh Akshay
Published: December 2020

Fabricating van der Waals bilayer heterostructures (BL-HS) by stacking the same or different two-dimensional layers, offers a unique physical system with rich electronic and optical properties. Twist-angle between component layers has emerged as a remarkable parameter that can control the period of lateral confinement, and nature of the exciton (Coulomb bound electron–hole pair) in reciprocal space thus creating exotic physical states including moiré excitons (MXs). In this review article, we focus on opto-electronic properties of excitons in transition metal dichalcogenide semiconductor twisted BL-HS. We look at existing evidence of MXs in localized and strongly correlated states, and at nanoscale mapping of moiré superlattice and lattice-reconstruction. This review will be helpful in guiding the community as well as motivating work in areas such as near-field optical measurements and controlling the creation of novel physical states.
A new approach to study nonlinear space-time fractional sine-Gordon and Burgers equations
Authors: Roy Ripan , Akbar M. Ali
Published: December 2020

In this study, we investigate a couple of nonlinear fractional differential equations namely, the sine-Gordon and Burgers equations in the sense of Riemann-Liouville fractional derivative. In order to examine exact solutions effectively applicable in relaxation and diffusion problems, crystal defects, solid-state physics, plasma physics, vibration theory, astrophysical fusion plasmas, scalar electrodynamics, etc. we introduce the new generalized

G
′
/
G

-expansion method. The method is highly effective and a functional mathematical scheme to examine solitary wave solutions to diverse fractional physical models.
Managing Corpses From Different Castes in the Eastern Subterranean Termite
Authors: Shi Jizhe , Zhang Chi , Huang Sirui , Merchant Austin , Sun Qian , Zhou Chuan , Haynes Kenneth F , Zhou Xuguo
Published: December 2020

Corpse management is essential for social animals to maintain colony health. In the eastern subterranean termite, Reticulitermes flavipes, workers carry out undertaking behaviors to mitigate the risks associated with the dead. In this study, we hypothesized that termites would respond differently to the corpses from different castes based on their postmortem chemical signatures. To test this hypothesis, we 1) documented the behavioral responses of the workers toward corpses from different castes, and 2) profile the chemical signatures of these corpses. Corpses from all castes were retrieved inside the nests and cannibalized when they were decomposed <64 h, regardless of the presence or absence of the cues that we refer to as early death cues (3-octanol and 3-octanone). However, after 64 h, all corpses except for soldiers were buried on site by R. flavipes workers. The late death cues (oleic acid) were cumulative over time among castes but accumulated more slowly and at lower levels in soldiers. The differential release of 3-octanol and 3-octanone between workers/soldiers and nymphs could be explained by either qualitative or quantitative differences in signaling the death between imaginal and neuter developmental pathways. In summary, the efficient and selective recognition of the dead and the fine-tuning of subsequent undertaking responses observed in R. flavipes are aspects of corpse management, which can minimize the potential risks associated with different castes and maximize the colony fitness.
Does Advice Based on Biomarkers of Liver Injury or Non-Invasive Tests of Liver Fibrosis Impact High-Risk Drinking Behaviour: A Systematic Review With Meta-analysis
Authors: Subhani Mohsan , Knight Holly , Ryder Stephen , Morling Joanne R
Published: December 2020

Background and Aims

Alcohol dependence affects over 240 million people worldwide and attributed to 3 million deaths annually. Early identification and intervention are key to prevent harm. We aim to systematically review literature on the effectiveness of adding advice based on biomarkers of liver injury or non-invasive tests of liver fibrosis (intervention-based advice) to prevent alcohol misuse.

Methods

Electronic search was conducted on Ovid Medline, PubMed, EMBASE, Psychinfo and CINAHL for articles published up to end of February 2020. Additionally, we searched study citations, Scopus, Ethos and Clinical trials. The primary outcome measure was changed in self-reported alcohol consumption analysed by random-effects meta-analysis. Secondary outcomes included change to liver blood markers and alcohol-related health outcomes.

Results

Fourteen randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and two observational studies comprising n = 3763 participants were included. Meta-analyses showed a greater reduction in alcohol consumption and liver biomarkers for the intervention compared to control group: mean difference for weekly alcohol intake was −74.4 g/week (95% confidence interval (CI) −126.1, −22.6, P = 0.005) and mean difference for gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) −19.7 IU/l (95% CI −33.1, −6.4, P = 0.004). There was a higher incidence of alcohol-attributed mortality, number of days spent in the hospital, physician visits and sickness absence in the non-intervention group. The quality of the included studies was moderate for RCTs and high for observational studies.

Conclusions

The review confirmed a significant association between the addition of intervention-based advice in routine care to the reduction of harmful alcohol consumption, GGT and alcohol-related mortality. The findings support the inclusion of this type of advice in routine alcohol care.