bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Micro‐Structural and Flexible Reduced Graphene Oxide/Ti3C2Tx Composite Film Electrode with Long Cycle Life for Supercapacitor
Authors: Luo Yijia , Yin Xingtian , Luo Yangyang , Xie Haixia , Bin Xiaoqing , Tian Yapeng , Ju Maomao , Que Wenxiu
Published: November 2021

Poor rate capability due to the sheet self‐stacking of conventional MXene electrode limits their electrochemical application to some extent. Herein, incorporating reduced graphene oxide into Ti3C2Tx MXene is reported to improve the electrochemical performance, cycle lifetime, and mechanical flexibility significantly. Graphene oxide is reduced by thermal heating, by which it can release gas locally to induce micro‐surface structure. The resulting film with an introduction of 20 wt% graphene oxide exhibits an expansion of the interlayer space to multiply the active sites and thereby lead to a specific capacitance of up to 322 F g−1 at 1 A g−1 in 3 m H2SO4 electrolyte. In addition, the fabricated composite electrode also exhibits an excellent cycle stability and mechanical flexibility even after 32 000 charge/discharge cycles. This work provides a progressive strategy to synthesize micro‐structural and flexible MXene‐based electrode for the future application in flexible energy storage devices.
Synthesis of Isoquinolines via Rh(III)‐Catalyzed C−H Annulation of Primary Benzylamines with α‐Cl Ketones
Authors: Zhai Ruirui , Xu Dan , Bai Lili , Wang Shuojin , Kong Dulin , Chen Xun
Published: November 2021

An efficient Rh(III)‐catalyzed C−H activation and annulation cascade of primary benzylamines with readily accessible α‐Cl ketones was developed. This transformation provides an easy and robust approach to diverse isoquinolines under air with broad functional group tolerance.
Aluminium‐based ruthenium/diamine catalysts for produce aliphatic polycarbonates from carbon dioxide and oxetanes
Authors: Cao Maoqi , Sadeghzadeh Seyed Mohsen
Published: November 2021

We fabricated the chiral ArDPEN/Ru species within the nanoparticles of the aluminium (Al/ArDPEN/Ru). Electron microscopy photos and the anatomical properties revealed the uniformly dispersed nanoparticles with active single‐site ruthenium/diamine centres on the exterior nanoparticles shell. Al/ArDPEN/Ru showed catalytic properties for the reaction of CO2 with oxetane, to synthesize the corresponding polycarbonate with minimal amount of ether linkages. TMC is prepared by a backbiting method following ring‐opening of oxetane by the anion initiator, subsequent to carbon dioxide insertion into the ruthenium/diamine bond. The preparation of the copolymer is shown to proceed mostly by method of the anionic ring‐opening polymerization of preformed trimethylene carbonate in the presence of an anion in solution. In addition, the catalyst anatomical heterogeneity of Al/ArDPEN/Ru was characterized by various techniques, including XRD, SEM, TGA, TEM, VSM, and FT‐IR. No leaching of ruthenium into the solution was observed.
Genetic effects on educational attainment in Hungary
Authors: Ujma Péter P. , Eszlári Nóra , Millinghoffer András , Bruncsics Bence , Török Dóra , Petschner Péter , Antal Péter , Deakin Bill , Breen Gerome , Bagdy György , Juhász Gabriella
Published: November 2021

Introduction

Educational attainment is a substantially heritable trait, and it has recently been linked to specific genetic variants by genome‐wide association studies (GWASs). However, the effects of such genetic variants are expected to vary across environments, including countries and historical eras.

Methods

We used polygenic scores (PGSs) to assess molecular genetic effects on educational attainment in Hungary, a country in the Central Eastern European region where behavioral genetic studies are in general scarce and molecular genetic studies of educational attainment have not been previously published.

Results

We found that the PGS is significantly associated with the attainment of a college degree as well as the number of years in education in a sample of Hungarian study participants (N = 829). PGS effect sizes were not significantly different when compared to an English (N = 976) comparison sample with identical measurement protocols. In line with previous Estonian findings, we found higher PGS effect sizes in Hungarian, but not in English participants who attended higher education after the fall of Communism, although we lacked statistical power for this effect to reach significance.

Discussion

Our results provide evidence that polygenic scores for educational attainment have predictive value in culturally diverse European populations.
Preschool children's indoor and outdoor playground HSV color preferences
Authors: Mousavi Samimi Paniz , Sadraei Tabatabaei Nasim
Published: November 2021

Proper use of colors, as an essential element of children's playground, can result in a more appropriate environment for children. Therefore, the current study evaluates the impact of Hue, Saturation, and Value (HSV) colors on preschool children's preferences at the ages of 5 and 6. 16 color palettes and 2 playground scenes were presented to children in order to identify their preferences. Results demonstrated that cool colors with a Saturation of 75 and a Value of 75 for indoor playground and warm colors with a Saturation of 75 and a Value of 50 for outdoor playground were the most preferred colors. Moreover, to investigate the impact of socioeconomic status on children's environmental color preferences, Mann‐Whitney U test was conducted and the results revealed a significant difference between the Value preference of children living in the lower class and upper class neighborhoods. However, no significant differences were observed in terms of HSV preferences between boys and girls and also between children at the ages of 5 and 6.
Parallelization of a meteorological model using message passing interface and CUDA: A case study with the inversion estimation algorithm
Authors: Topcu Ahmet E. , Omak İsameddin
Published: November 2021

Some algorithms deal with large amounts of data and vast and complex calculations, such as the algorithms used in numerical weather models in meteorological science. The need for extensive computer and computing resources is a problem in the process of running meteorological models, and this problem cannot be solved by or is not efficient to run on classical computing. Instead of traditional computers, high‐performance computer systems are used as a solution to this problem with the Message Passing Interface (MPI) to split the computational load over many CPU cores. In this study, we undertake the parallelizing of a meteorological algorithm written for the special purpose of forecasting temperature inversion. We evaluate the performance of running this algorithm in parallel to see the effect of using multiple cores on the performance with a specific example. Furthermore, we evaluate the algorithm's memory consumption by running the program on a GPU with CUDA and measure the execution times. The results show that the execution time decreases when using more cores until a breaking point, and this breaking point is changed proportionally with the size of the algorithm. In terms of time, we obtain up to 84.95% better performance by running the program in parallel using MPI and up to 94.10% better performance by running the program in parallel using CUDA.
Benefits and harms of patient stories on social media from the perspective of healthcare providers and administrators in Ontario
Authors: Zakkar Moutasem A. , Janes Craig R. , Meyer Samantha B.
Published: November 2021

There has been a growing use of social media by patients to share their healthcare experiences and produce information that can be helpful to other patients seeking healthcare services. These stories can reveal issues in healthcare quality. However, faced with the inherent risks of social media, healthcare providers have been skeptical about the value of these stories, and many healthcare systems have adopted restrictive and protective policies to control the use of social media by healthcare providers. This study explores healthcare providers' and administrators' perspectives on patient stories on social media and whether they can use the stories to evaluate healthcare experiences. Semi‐structured interviews (n = 21) were conducted with healthcare providers and administrators, including physicians, nurses, and quality managers in Ontario, Canada, between April 2018 and May 2019. Inductive and data‐driven thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Several barriers prevent healthcare providers from realizing the benefits of social media, including concerns about the quality of patients' feedback, the professional codes of conduct, and the time and effort required to process these stories. The study findings suggest that cultural changes in the healthcare system might be required to foster the use of social media for healthcare quality improvement and enable the development of a safe patient‐provider communication environment that facilitates the exchange of constructive feedback between the two parties without the fear of legal consequences, breaches of patient privacy, or violation of professional codes of conduct.
Analytical approach on magnetohydrodynamic Casson fluid flow past a stretching sheet via Adomian decomposition method
Authors: Sharma Ram Prakash , Mishra Satyaranjan
Published: November 2021

Flow phenomena of three‐dimensional conducting Casson fluid through a stretching sheet are proposed in the present investigation with the impact of the magnetic parameter in a permeable medium. The adaptation of particular transformations is useful to modify the governing equations into their nondimensional as well as the ordinary form. However, these transformed equations are nonlinear and approximate analytical methods for the solution of the complex form of governing equations. In particular, the Adomian decomposition method is proposed for the solution. The behavior of several variables, such as the magnetic and porous matrix, on the flow profile as well as the rate of shear stress, are discussed via graphs and tables. The conformity of the current result with the earlier study shows a road map for further investigation. The major concluding remarks are; the retardation in the velocity distribution is rendered due to an increase in the Casson parameter moreover, the Casson parameter favors in reducing the rate of shear stress coefficient in magnitude.
Gelation and foaming properties of fatty acid mixtures in sunflower oil
Authors: Zheng Ruting , Zheng Qianwang , Hu Bingjie , Cao Yong , Lan Yaqi
Published: November 2021

BACKGROUND

The development of lipid‐lowering products has become the focus of the food industry due to increasing consumer awareness of the relationship between diet and health. Recently, edible oleofoams have drawn attention due to their enormous potential in reformulating food products with reduced fat content and unique mouth feel.

RESULTS

We have developed an edible oleofoam system by whipping oleogel composed of fatty acid mixtures in sunflower oil. The crystal morphology, gelation properties, and foaming properties of these oleogels could be tailored by changing the ratio of stearic acid (SA) and myristic acid (MA). Specifically, SA/MA = 2:8 (2S8M) was demonstrated to have superior foaming capability and foam stability, likely due to the densely packed and uniformly distributed crystals formed at this fatty acid ratio. Small lipid crystals in 2S8M absorbed to the air–oil interface more efficiently, and together with the strengthened network established in the bulk phase, helped stabilize the foam structure. As a result, the 2S8M oleofoam showed excellent foaming properties: strong plasticity, significantly increased overrun (up to 63.56 ± 2.58%), and significantly improved foam stability. The X‐ray diffraction (XRD) results indicated that the diffraction pattern observed for 2S8M samples at d‐spacing of 4.20 and 3.79 Å was related to the characteristic peak of β' type crystals, which were responsible for the enhanced foaming capability of 2S8M oleogels. Oleophobic property of 2S8M increased, as indicated by wettability in oil phase, which could possibly drive crystals to the air–oil interface.

CONCLUSIONS

These results highlighted the importance of lipid crystal morphology in determining the whippability of oleogels. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry
Effects of hexanoic acid on microbial communities, fermentation, and hygienic quality of corn silages infested with toxigenic fungi
Authors: Wang Wenbo , Yang Xin , Li Junfeng , Dong Zhihao , Zhao Jie , Shao Tao , Yuan Xianjun
Published: November 2021

BACKGROUND

This study aims to reveal the effects of hexanoic acid on the microbial communities, fermentation, and the hygienic quality of corn silages with or without fungal infection. Fungal‐infested (FI) and non‐infested (NFI) whole‐crop corn samples were separately ensiled without (control, CON) or with hexanoic acid (Hex, 90% purity) at 0.2 g·kg−1 fresh weight (FW).

RESULT

The addition of Hex accelerated the pH decline during the first 5 days of ensiling regardless of fungal infestation. The lactic acid (LA) concentration in Hex silages was lower than that in CON during 45 days of ensiling; however the FI‐Hex silage had the highest LA concentration among treatments on day 90. The Hex silage showed lower aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), zearalenone (ZEA), and deoxynivalenol (DON) concentrations than CON for FI silages. On day 5, the addition of Hex decreased the relative abundance of Klebsiella, Pantoea, and Enterobacter compared with CON, regardless of fungal infestation. This inhibitory effect lasted until day 90 for NFI silages but disappeared for FI silages on day 90. The fungal infestation resulted in the accumulation of Candida (34.05%) and Wickerhamomyces (19.46%). Hex decreased the relative abundance of Asperigillus, Issatchenkia, and Penicillium for NFI silages on day 5; however, its inhibitory effects were not observed in FI silages on day 5.

CONCLUSION

Fungal infestation was associated with poor fermentation and hygienic quality of corn silage. Adding Hex accelerated the pH decline and maintained the antifungal activity until 90 days of ensiling, attenuating adverse effects of fungal infestation on the fermentation and preventing the accumulation of mycotoxins in corn silages. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.
Near‐Term Cerebroplacental Doppler, Heart Morphology, and Neonatal Biometry in Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome
Authors: Wójtowicz Anna , Ochoda‐Mazur Agnieszka , Mroczek Tomasz , Huras Hubert , Włoch Agata
Published: November 2021

Objectives

To analyze near‐term cerebroplacental Doppler, heart morphology, and neonatal biometry in isolated hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) relative to healthy controls.

Methods

This retrospective study included 55 fetuses with HLHS (29 with mitral valve stenosis [MS]/aortic valve atresia [AA], 14 with MS/aortic valve stenosis, and 12 with mitral valve atresia [MA]/[AA]) diagnosed prenatally between 2010 and 2019 at 2 referral centers and 101 healthy controls. Ultrasound assessment included umbilical artery (UA), middle cerebral artery (MCA) pulsatility index (PI), and cerebroplacental ratio (CPR), with neonatal weight, length, head circumference (HC), Apgar score, and UA pH measured at birth.

Results

In total, 32.7% of HLHS fetuses had abnormal MCA‐PI and UA‐PI, and 38.2% had CPRs below the fifth percentile before birth. All tested Doppler parameters differed from those of the healthy controls (P ≤ .01). Birth weight and length were comparable between HLHS and control fetuses, whereas birth HCs were smaller in the HLHS group than in the control group (P = .018). In both groups, increased UA‐PI correlated with lower birth weight, but only HLHS fetuses with UA‐PI > the 95th percentile had a lower median HC at birth than those with normal UA‐PI (P = .045). The median UA‐PI percentile was higher in fetuses with MA than in fetuses with MS (P = .015). The ascending aortic diameter correlated with birth weight (P = .036) and birth length (P = .039).

Conclusion

Abnormal cerebroplacental hemodynamics are evident in a high percentage of near‐term fetuses with HLHS, and increased placental resistance may contribute to birth weight and HC. Moreover, heart morphology may impact placental circulation and neonatal biometry.
Kinetic modelling of dissolution dynamic nuclear polarisation 13C magnetic resonance spectroscopy data for analysis of pyruvate delivery and fate in tumours
Authors: Reynolds Steven , Kazan Samira M. , Anton Adriana , Alizadeh Tooba , Gunn Roger N. , Paley Martyn N. , Tozer Gillian M. , Cunningham Vincent J.
Published: November 2021

Dissolution dynamic nuclear polarisation (dDNP) of 13C‐labelled pyruvate in magnetic resonance spectroscopy/imaging (MRS/MRSI) has the potential for monitoring tumour progression and treatment response. Pyruvate delivery, its metabolism to lactate and efflux were investigated in rat P22 sarcomas following simultaneous intravenous administration of hyperpolarised 13C‐labelled pyruvate (13C1‐pyruvate) and urea (13C‐urea), a nonmetabolised marker. A general mathematical model of pyruvate‐lactate exchange, incorporating an arterial input function (AIF), enabled the losses of pyruvate and lactate from tumour to be estimated, in addition to the clearance rate of pyruvate signal from blood into tumour, Kip, and the forward and reverse fractional rate constants for pyruvate‐lactate signal exchange, kpl and klp. An analogous model was developed for urea, enabling estimation of urea tumour losses and the blood clearance parameter, Kiu. A spectral fitting procedure to blood time‐course data proved superior to assuming a gamma‐variate form for the AIFs. Mean arterial blood pressure marginally correlated with clearance rates. Kiu equalled Kip, indicating equivalent permeability of the tumour vasculature to urea and pyruvate. Fractional loss rate constants due to effluxes of pyruvate, lactate and urea from tumour tissue into blood (kpo, klo and kuo, respectively) indicated that T1s and the average flip angle, θ, obtained from arterial blood were poor surrogates for these parameters in tumour tissue. A precursor‐product model, using the tumour pyruvate signal time‐course as the input for the corresponding lactate signal time‐course, was modified to account for the observed delay between them. The corresponding fractional rate constant, kavail, most likely reflected heterogeneous tumour microcirculation. Loss parameters, estimated from this model with different TRs, provided a lower limit on the estimates of tumour T1 for lactate and urea. The results do not support use of hyperpolarised urea for providing information on the tumour microcirculation over and above what can be obtained from pyruvate alone. The results also highlight the need for rigorous processes controlling signal quantitation, if absolute estimations of biological parameters are required.
Effect of a new amido‐imidazolium compound as a clay modifier on properties of polypropylene composites
Authors: Piechota Katarzyna , Czaja Krystyna , Bączek Marcin , Kudła Stanisław , Groch Paweł , Kosno Jacek
Published: November 2021

Halloysite nanotubes (HNT) and montmorillonite (Mt) were modified by a novel, dicarboxylic fatty acid substituted amido‐imidazolium chloride. It was found that the modification process of the clays by the imidazolium compound improved their dispersion in the polymer matrix, while HNT were a more beneficial filler of PP than Mt. PP/imidazolium modified HNT composites (PP/HNT‐M) showed significant increase in thermo‐oxidative stability, flexibility, and toughness, combined with a slight reduction in stiffness, as well as a lack of changes in crystallinity and strength, compared with neat PP. These effects were not observed for PP/Mt composites. The formation of strong interactions between the imidazolium compound and tubes' surfaces was supposed to be responsible for the more advantageous properties of PP/HNT‐M composites.
Influence of yarn structure and coating on the mechanical performance of continuous viscose fiber/epoxy composites
Authors: Ungerer Bernhard , Müller Ulrich , Pramreiter Maximilian , Herrero Acero Enrique , Veigel Stefan
Published: November 2021

The present study investigated the effect of selected structural parameters on the mechanical performance of regenerated cellulose composites. The experimental setup comprised continuous viscose (rayon) yarns embedded in a matrix of epoxy resin. Mechanical and microscopic characterizations involved comparing the following: yarns consisting of untwisted filaments and twisted warp and weft yarns taken from a plain weave fabric, yarns with and without avivage (fiber finish), as well as yarns with and without an acrylic coating. During the epoxy treatment, samples were either prestressed or laid horizontally to preserve the original yarn structure. Tensile tests revealed that yarn crimp had a significant impact on the strength properties of composite specimens, a higher crimp ratio leading to a decrease in performance. Applying prestress to crimped yarns has proven to be an effective way to enable straight alignment in the loading direction, which is essential for the design of stiffness‐ and strength‐optimized yarn composites. Unlike an avivage, which did not markedly affect the mechanical properties of composite yarns, the application of an acrylic coating prior to resin impregnation was found to provide significantly increased extensibility and more ductile fracture behavior.
Coloring and Bleaching Properties of 500–1000 nm‐Thick Electrochromic Tungsten Oxide Films Deposited by Reactive Direct Current Magnetron Sputtering
Authors: Mian Md. Suruz , Yagi Riko , Oya Kei , Nakano Takeo
Published: November 2021

Amorphous tungsten oxide films are prepared on indium tin oxide/glass substrates using reactive magnetron sputtering and their electrochromic (EC) properties are investigated. To achieve the densely colored films, samples of 500 and 1000 nm thickness are deposited with different pumping speeds and oxygen flow rates at Ar 3 Pa atmosphere. The as‐deposited films are similarly transparent (≈80%), but their EC properties vary depending on the deposition conditions and strongly on film thickness. The 500 nm‐thick samples have a transmittance of 4–8% in the colored state, which recover well in the bleached state. In contrast, the 1000 nm‐thick films have very low transmittance (<1%) in the colored state but are not completely recovered. Among 1000 nm‐thick films, large pumping speed and a large oxygen flow rate condition result in comparatively better recoverability. The cyclic voltammograms of 500 nm films show small and balanced charge transfer, while those of 1000 nm films reveal large and unbalanced charge transfer. These indicate that more ions are intercalated into the 1000 nm samples but are not completely deintercalated. These findings contribute to the development of EC applications for light shielding.
Elucidating the effect of Vx doped LaFe1−xO3 for advanced optical, spintronic, and thermoelectric devices
Authors: Mubarak A. A. , Tariq Saad , Alsobhi B. O. , Hamioud Farida , Alrashdi Ayash O.
Published: November 2021

In this theoretical work, we perform an investigation to study the influence of V doping in LaFeO3 (LFO). For V doping, the opted Fe site shows remarkable modifications in the inherited attributes of pristine LFO. We use formation energies and optimizations to explore the ground state structural stability. Electronic properties of stable structures reveal large spin polarization effects with spin‐up (metallic) and spin‐down (semiconducting) configurations. We observe the highest ferromagnetism for V‐25% doping which is a suitable candidate for application in magnetic tunnel junctions. Optical analysis reveals that the studied materials are highly transparent under incident light. All thermoelectric results suggest that the compounds can be categorized as p‐type doping. The thermoelectric parameters predict that the present compounds have beneficial thermoelectric industrial applications, especially V0.25‐LFO and V0.5‐LFO. We expect that these compounds are suitable functional materials for novel magnetic or spintronic devices and as transparent conducting materials.
Typification of the Linnaean name Illecebrum paronychia (Caryophyllaceae)
Authors: Iamonico Duilio
Published: November 2021

The Linnaean name Illecebrum paronychia is discussed and lectotypified with a specimen at LINN. Additional original material was found at BM. Another specimen at LINN, although referable to I. paronychia, cannot be considered original material. Paronychia argentea was introduced by Lamarck as a replacement name for I. paronychia and is the type of the genus Paronychia. The lectotype conforms to the characters in the protologue and the current delimitation of P. argentea.
Preliminary study on the toxicological response of red tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) on landfill leachate treated with Tin(IV) chloride and Jatropha curcas
Authors: Zainal Sharifah Farah Fariza Syed , Aziz Hamidi Abdul , Ramli Siti Fatihah , Omar Fatehah Mohd
Published: November 2021

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of the toxicity levels of the coagulation and flocculation process on raw and treated leachate using acute toxicity tests. Tin tetrachloride (SnCl4) and the Jatropha curcas (JC) seed were used as coagulant and coagulant aid to remove concentrated suspended solids, SS (534 mg/L), color (19,297 Pt‐Co), and chemical oxygen demand (COD) (4188 mg/L) in a stabilized landfill leachate. The toxicity effects on local red tilapia fish (Oreochromis niloticus) were investigated, which involved three main steps, namely, acclimatization, range‐finding test, and short‐term definitive test. The presence of JC seed (0.9 g/L) as a flocculant reduced the dosage of SnCl4 from 11.1 to 8.5 g/L and exhibited good removals of 99.78%, 98.53%, and 74.29%, respectively, for SS, color, and COD. The toxicity test indicated that only five fish died in the first 12 h for the treated sample compared with seven deaths for untreated leachate. In 96 h, a total of 42 and 31 mortality rates were noted for the raw and treated leachate samples, respectively. The treated sample could reduce the toxicity effects to the tested tilapia fish and is safe to be discharged at appropriate dilution concentrations.

Practitioner points

Coagulation‐flocculation by Tin (IV) chloride and Jatropha Curcas (JC) was investigated.

Almost complete reduction of SS was obtained at 8.5 g/L of SnCl4 and 0.9 g/L of JC as flocculant.

The toxicity effect was evaluated using red tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fish as the indicator.

Treated leachate was considered acceptable as the number of dead fish was lower than the untreated leachate.
Subchondral insufficiency fracture of the knee: review of current concepts and radiological differential diagnoses
Authors: Ochi Junko , Nozaki Taiki , Nimura Akimoto , Yamaguchi Takehiko , Kitamura Nobuto
Published: November 2021

Subchondral insufficiency fracture of the knee (SIFK) is a common cause of knee joint pain in older adults. SIFK is a type of stress fracture that occurs when repetitive and excessive stress is applied to the subchondral bone. If the fracture does not heal, the lesion develops into osteonecrosis and results in osteochondral collapse, requiring surgical management. Because of these clinical features, SIFK was initially termed “spontaneous osteonecrosis of the knee (SONK)” in the pre-MRI era. SONK is now categorized as an advanced SIFK lesion in the spectrum of this disease, and some authors believe the term “SONK” is a misnomer. MRI plays a significant role in the early diagnosis of SIFK. A subchondral T2 hypointense line of the affected condyle with extended bone marrow edema-like signal intensity are characteristic findings on MRI. The large lesion size and the presence of osteochondral collapse on imaging are associated with an increased risk of osteoarthritis. However, bone marrow edema-like signal intensity and osteochondral collapse alone are not specific to SIFK, and other osteochondral lesions, including avascular necrosis, osteochondral dissecans, and osteoarthritis should be considered. Chondral lesions and meniscal abnormalities, including posterior root tears, are also found in many patients with SIFK, and they are considered to be related to the development of SIFK. We review the clinical and imaging findings, including the anatomy and terminology history of SIFK, as well as its differential diagnoses. Radiologists should be familiar with these imaging features and clinical presentations for appropriate management.
Automated determination of interfacial tension and contact angle using computer vision for oil field applications
Authors: Gupta Ankur , Pandey Anurag , Kesarwani Himanshu , Sharma Shivanjali , Saxena Amit
Published: November 2021

Contact angle and surface tension are the two most widely used surface analysis approaches for reservoir fluid characterization in petroleum industries. The pendant drop method has among the most widely used techniques for the estimation of surface tension. The present work utilizes a python-based computer program to automatically determine interfacial tension (IFT) and contact angle from the pendant drop image acquired from a typical pendant drop apparatus. The proposed program uses python-based image processing libraries for the analysis of the pendant drop image. Also, the program is tested on images acquired from the standard solutions for the IFT and contact angle calculation showing promising results with a standard deviation of less than 1.7 mN/m.
Human Dignity in the Mechanics of Claims
Authors: Poscher Ralf
Published: November 2021

The mechanics of claims focusses predominantly on the claim to life. The claim to life is rooted in the autonomy principle, just like other specific claims. Still, the mechanics of claims does not have a systematic place for the fundamental negation of the status as an autonomous being as such. It is, however, the proctiction of the status as such, which is at the center of the protection of human dignity in German constitutional law. Looked at it from this perspective, the protection of human dignity as the protection of the status of an autonomous human being, appears to be a blind spot of the mechanics of claims. The comment attempts to show, how this blindspot leads to inconsistencies in the mechanics of claims, and how they might be ameliorated if human dignity is considered as an absolute right independent of the claims to life.
Litter Quality and Microbes Explain Aggregation Differences in a Tropical Sandy Soil
Authors: Laub Moritz , Schlichenmeier Samuel , Vityakon Patma , Cadisch Georg
Published: November 2021

Soil aggregates store most soil organic carbon (SOC), but how does litter quality influence their formation? We hypothesized varying litter quality to facilitate differences in aggregate formation by altering the seasonal development of microbial biomass (MB) C and N, with MB driving  aggregate development in a tropical sandy soil in Thailand. Aggregate development was studied in a long-term fallow experiment, receiving 10 Mg ha−1 annual applications of rice (Oryza sativa) straw (low N and polyphenols (PP)), groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) stover (high N, low PP), tamarind (Tamarindus indica) litter (medium N and PP), or dipterocarp (Dipterocarpus tuberculatus) leaf litter (low N, high PP) compared to a control. N-rich litter from groundnut and tamarind led to significantly higher MB, bulk soil C and aggregate C than dipterocarp, rice straw, and the control. Bulk soil C and small macroaggregates C of N-rich litter treatments increased about 7% in 30 weeks. Increasing MB N explained increasing small macroaggregate C and both, MB C or N were important covariates explaining temporal variations of C stored in themicroaggregates, in silt and clay. MB also explained temporal variations of aggregate fraction weights. With time, SMA C only increased in the N-rich groundnut and tamarind treatments, but decreased in other treatments. Connections of MB to aggregate C and weight substantiated the importance of microbial activity for aggregate formation and carbon sequestration. By promoting MB for longest time spans, medium-quality tamarind could best facilitateaggregate formation, and increase silt and clay C.
Characteristics of Inpatients with False-Negative SARS-CoV-2 PCR Test Results
Authors: Kraft Antigone , Ridgway Jessica , Mackenzie Erica , Hazra Aniruddha , Collison Maggie , Oehler Cassandra , Kumar Madan
Published: November 2021

Background: At our institution, the concern for false-negative nasopharyngeal testing for SARS-CoV-2 at the onset of illness led to a general policy of retesting inpatients at 48 hours. For such patients, 2 negative SARS-CoV-2 PCR test results were required prior to discontinuation of COVID-19 control precautions. To assess the utility of routine repeat testing We analyzed patients presenting to our hospital who initially tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 but were found to be positive on repeated testing. Methods: All inpatients with symptoms concerning for COVID-19 were tested via nasopharyngeal sample for SARS-CoV-2 by PCR on admission. Patients with continued symptoms and no alternative diagnosis were retested 48 hours later. Testing was performed using either the Roche cobas SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR assay or the Cepheid Xpert Xpress SARS-CoV-2 test. Between March 17, 2020, and May 10, 2020, we retrospectively analyzed data from patients with false-negative SARS-CoV-2 PCR test results who were subsequently confirmed positive 48 hours later. We evaluated demographic information, days since symptom onset, symptomatology, chest imaging, vital sign trends, and the overall clinical course of each patient. Results: During the study period, 14,683 tests were performed, almost half (n = 7,124) were performed through the ED and in the inpatient setting. Of 2,283 patients who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, only 19 (0.01%) initially tested negative. Patients with initial false-negative test results presented with symptoms that ranged from fever and dyspnea to fatigue and vomiting. Notably, few patients presented “early” in their disease (median, 6 days; range, 0–10 days). However, patients with initial false-negative PCR test results did seem to have consistent imaging findings, specifically bilateral bibasilar ground glass opacities on chest radiograph or computed tomography scan. Conclusions: Among inpatients with COVID-19, we found a very low rate of initial false-negative SARS-CoV-2 PCR test results, which were not consistently related to premature testing. We also identified common radiographic findings among patients with initially false-negative test results, which could be useful in triaging patients who may merit retesting. Based on these data, we revised our existing clearance criteria to allow for single-test removal of COVID-19 precautions. Evaluating subsequent reduction in unnecessary testing is difficult given changing community prevalence, increased census, and increased opening to elective procedures. However, given the significant percentage of ED and inpatient testing, removal of repeated testing has likely resulted in a reduction of several thousand unnecessary COVID-19 tests monthly.

Funding: No

Disclosures: None
Antimicrobial Stewardship-Driven Monoclonal Antibody Treatment Program for COVID-19 Patients in the Bronx, New York
Authors: Guo Yi , Chen Victor , Allen Lauren , Cowman Kelsie , Hopkins Una , Sheridan Carol , Torres Edwin A , Davis Patricia , Sakalian Susan , Sosnowski Frank , Nori Priya , Pirofski Liise-anne , Haviland Adam , Rossi James , Bao Hongkai (Jack)
Published: November 2021

Background: In November 2020, bamlanivimab received emergency use authorization (EUA) to treat patients with early, mild-to-moderate COVID-19 who are at high risk of progression. Montefiore Medical Center serves an economically underserved community of >1.4 million residents in the Bronx, New York. Montefiore’s antimicrobial stewardship team (AST) developed a multidisciplinary treatment pathway for patients meeting EUA criteria: (1) outpatients and hospital associates and (2) acute-care patients (EDs or inpatient). Methods: The Montefiore AST established a centralized process for screening high-risk COVID-19 patients 7 days a week. Referrals were sent by e-mail from occupational health, primary care practices, specialty practices, emergency departments, and urgent care centers. Patients were screened in real time and were treated in the ED or a newly established infusion center within 24 hours. After infusion, all patients received phone calls from nurses and had an infectious diseases televisit. Demographics, clinical symptoms, subsequent ED visit or hospital admission, and timing from infusion to ED or hospitalization were obtained from the electronic health record. Results: In total, 281 high-risk patients (median age, 62 years; 57% female) received bamlanivimab at the infusion center or in the acute-care setting between December 2, 2020, and January 27, 2021 (Table 1). The number of treated patients increased weekly (Figure 1). Also, 62% were Hispanic or black, and 96% met EUA criteria. Furthermore, 51 (18%) were referred from occupational health, 205 (73%) were referred from the community, and 25 (9%) were inpatients (https://www.fda.gov/media/143605/download). All patients were successfully infused without adverse reactions. In addition, 23 patients (8.2%) were hospitalized and 6 (2.1%) visited EDs within 30 days of treatment. The average number of days between symptom onset and infusion was 4.9. The median age of admitted versus nonadmitted patients was 68 years versus 61.5 years (P = .07). Conclusions: An AST-coordinated bamlanivimab treatment program successfully treated multiple high-risk COVID-19 patients and potentially reduced hospitalizations. However, the effort, personnel, and resources required are significant. Dedicated hospital investment is necessary for maximal success.

Funding: No

Disclosures: None
Experience of Treating Candida auris Cases at a General Hospital in Qatar
Authors: Shaukat Adila , Visan Feah , Al Ansari Naser , Al Wali Walid , Hamed Manal , Elmadhoun Ihab , Mitwally Hassan , Karic Edin
Published: November 2021

Background: So far, there have been no studies on Candida auris in Qatar. We describe the clinical spectrum and outcome of C. auris infection in patients admitted to a general hospital in Qatar. Methods: We conducted this descriptive observational study in a general hospital in Qatar. We have included all patients with C. auris infection and colonization admitted to a general hospital from December 2018 to August 2019. Results: We identified 13 patients with confirmed C. auris infection or colonization, of whom 5 cases represented an actual C. auris infection, while the remaining 8 cases were considered colonization. The mean age of the patients with infection was 76.6 years (SD, ±8.4), while the mean age of the patients with colonization was 66.4 years (SD, ±24.7). Among the individuals clinically infected with C. auris, 2 had urinary tract infections, 1 had candidemia, 1 acquired a soft-tissue infection, and 1 had a lower respiratory tract infection. All strains of C. auris were susceptible to echinocandins, flucytosine, and posaconazole while resistant to fluconazole and amphotericin B. Of the patients with C. auris infection who received systemic antifungal therapy, 3 (60%) died during antifungal therapy. Conclusions: Our study showed that C. auris can cause a wide variety of invasive infections, including bloodstream infection, urinary tract infection, skin infection, and lower respiratory tract infections, especially in critically ill patients. In addition, our isolates showed resistance to the most common antifungal agents such as fluconazole and amphotericin B.

Funding: No

Disclosures: None
Damaged Hospital Mattresses and Bed Frames Are Common in Acute-Care Hospitals
Authors: Hooker Edmond
Published: November 2021

Background: Hospital beds are now high-tech, reprocessable, medical devices. The surface of the mattress (cover) is manufactured using polyurethane-coated fabric to ensure moisture-vapor transmission to prevent pressure ulcers. In recent years, due to multidrug-resistant organisms, healthcare organizations have used increasingly harsh chemicals to clean these mattresses. None of these chemicals are approved for use on polyurethane-coated fabric. Previous research has shown that many mattresses in hospitals are damaged. The US Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ECRI, and manufacturers recommend routine mattress inspection and replacement of mattresses with any visible signs of stains, wear, or damage. Damaged mattresses have been linked to fluid leakage, resulting in patient exposure and outbreaks of healthcare-acquired infections. Methods: Four hospitals of a midwestern hospital system had all of their mattresses inspected for damage and staining to the mattress. After external examination, each mattress was opened, and the mattress core was evaluated for damage. The cover of each mattress was examined using the naked eye and then using an LED light to demonstrate smaller holes. Each bed frame was examined for evidence of rust, and the amount of rust was recorded. If available, the age of the mattress was determined based on a label on the mattress. Results: In total, 727 beds and mattresses were inspected. Of these mattresses, 523 (72%) were damaged. Also, 340 (47%) required replacement of the mattress cover, and 183 (25%) required replacement of the entire mattress (cover and core). For the 209 damaged mattresses (40%) with the date of manufacture label, 156 (75%) were <4 years old. Damage to the mattress included 428 (59%) with holes in the cover: 113 (16%) were visible to the naked eye and 315 (43%) small holes only detected by using an LED light. Also 173 mattresses (24%) had stains on the exterior cover, 215 (30%) had stains on the interior of the top cover, and 192 (26%) had stains on the interior of the bottom cover. Bed-frame rust was identified on 175 (24%) beds, of which 65 (9%) had widespread rust. Conclusions: These findings confirm previous reports that damaged mattresses are common in hospitals and potentially place patients at risk. Most of these failed mattresses are <4 years old, which is much less than the expected life of a mattress and bed deck.

Funding: No

Disclosures: None
Antibiotic Stewardship Implementation at Hospitals Without On-Site Infectious Disease Specialists: A Mixed-Methods Study
Authors: Livorsi Daniel , Perencevich Eli , Stewart Steffensmeier Kenda , Goetz Matthew , Reisinger Heather
Published: November 2021

Background: Hospitals are required to have antibiotic stewardship programs (ASPs), but there are few models for implementing ASPs without the support of an infectious disease (ID) specialist, defined as an ID physician and/or ID pharmacist. In this study, we sought to understand ASP implementation at hospitals within the Veterans’ Health Administration (VHA) that lack on-site ID support. Methods: Using a mandatory 2016 VHA survey, we identified acute-care hospitals that lacked an on-site ID specialist. For each hospital, antibiotic use (2018–2019) was quantified as days of therapy (DOT) per 1,000 days present, based on NHSN methodology for tracking all antibacterial agents. From July 2019 through April 2020, we conducted semistructured interviews with personnel involved in or affected by ASP activities at 7 qualifying hospitals. All interview transcripts were analyzed using thematic content analysis. Results: Of the 7 acute-care hospitals, 6 (86%) had a long-term care unit; 3 (43%) had an intensive care unit; and 2 (29%) had full-time employment equivalents dedicated to stewardship. Sites averaged 1,075 (SD, ±654) and 148 (SD, ±96) admissions per year in acute-care and long-term care, respectively. At the site-level, mean antibiotic use was 486 DOT (SD, ±98) per 1,000 days-present in acute-care and 207 DOT (SD, ±74) per 1,000 days present in long-term care. We interviewed 42 personnel across the 7 sites. Although sites reported using similar interventions to promote antibiotic stewardship, the shape of these interventions varied. The following 4 common themes were identified: (1) The primary responsibility for ASPs fell on the pharmacist champions, who were typically assigned multiple other non-ASP responsibilities. (2) The pharmacist champions were more successful at gaining buy-in for stewardship initiatives when they had established rapport with clinicians, but at some sites, the use of contract physicians and frequent staff turnover were potential barriers. (3) Some sites felt that having access to an off-site ID specialist was important for overcoming institutional barriers to stewardship and improving the acceptance of their stewardship interventions. (4) In general, stewardship champions struggled to mobilize institutional resources, which made it difficult to advance their programmatic goals. Conclusions: In this study of 7 hospitals without local ID support, we found that ASPs are largely a pharmacy-driven process. Remote ID support, if available, was seen as helpful for implementing stewardship interventions. These findings may inform the future implementation of ASPs in settings lacking local ID expertise.

Funding: No

Disclosures: None
Gamifying the Infection Control Curriculum: The Impact on Nursing Students’ Knowledge, Exam Performance, and Course Perception
Authors: Mestrovic Tomislav , Talapko Jasminka , Cikac Tina , Neuberg Marijana
Published: November 2021

Background: Unlike passive didactic teaching, the introduction of innovative active-learning approaches to university nursing curricula aims to address the educational content in an interactive learning environment, improving in turn the learning process and problem-solving skills indispensable for future infection control professionals. One such strategy is the use of educational games, which can motivate students and enhance the degree of their engagement. We appraised the effectiveness of introducing an interactive game based on a popular television quiz show “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?” for educational attainment, exam performance, and course perception in nursing students. Methods: A whole generation of second-year undergraduate nursing students (126 female and 27 male participants; age range, 19–41 years) from a public university in Croatia (University Centre Varazdin, University North) were divided into 2 groups by cluster randomization; one group had received additional hours of game play after core training curriculum in a “Hygiene and Epidemiology” course, while the other had not. Game play was accomplished by employing ‘edutaining’ interactive multimedia approach, and covered primarily hand hygiene, cough etiquette, the use of personal protective equipment, sterilization and disinfection, and safe injection practices. Quantitative results of multiple-choice exams were used to evaluate any differences in the knowledge level of respective groups. A satisfaction opinion survey was used to gauge attitudes of students attending the course. Statistical significance was defined as P < .05 (2-tailed). Results: The mean baseline examination score was 28.30±5.79 points for the game group and 24.65±5.94 points for the control group, demonstrating improved knowledge retention when the interactive game was introduced into the curriculum. The statistically significant improvement in knowledge was observed in the domains of personal protective equipment and safe injection practices. There was no statistically significant difference in the overall scores between male and female students. Students who were subjected to game play expressed more agreement on a Likert scale regarding course enjoyment and innovativeness, albeit they did not differ from control group when assessing the educational merit of the course. Conclusions: Introducing interactive games to university courses that cover infection control may boost student enjoyment and enhance long-term retention of information, as confirmed by this study. Nonetheless, extra care should be taken when specific games that have not been assessed objectively are implemented. Further research in this field will elucidate how this increased knowledge retention in infection control principles translates to quotidian practice, for the benefit of students and (ultimately) patients.

Funding: No

Disclosures: None