bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prädiktoren für den Eintritt in ein Pflegeheim bei bestehender Pflegebedürftigkeit – Eine Sekundärdatenanalyse im Längsschnittdesign
Authors: Stiefler Susanne , Seibert Kathrin , Domhoff Dominik , Wolf-Ostermann Karin , Peschke Dirk
Published: April 2021

Ziel der Studie Ermittlung von Prädiktoren für den Eintritt in ein Pflegeheim mittels einer Sekundärdatenanalyse von Krankenkassen- und Pflegebegutachtungsdaten.

Methodik Eine retrospektive Längsschnittanalyse betrachtet den Zeitraum von 2006–2016 unter Verwendung von Routinedaten. Krankenkassen- und Pflegebegutachtungsdaten von im Jahr 2006 pflegebedürftig gewordenen Menschen, die in der eigenen Häuslichkeit lebten, wurden zusammengeführt. Prädiktoren für einen Pflegeheimeintritt wurden auf dieser Basis und mit Hilfe von Cox Regressionsanalysen ermittelt.

Ergebnisse Die Studienpopulation umfasste 48 892 Menschen. Demenz, Krebserkrankungen des Gehirns, kognitive Einschränkungen, die Verschreibung von Antipsychotika, Frakturen mit Krankenhausaufenthalten, Krankenhausaufenthalte über zehn Tage Länge und höheres Alter wiesen die höchsten Effektstärken unter den Prädiktoren auf.

Schlussfolgerung Kenntnisse über die Prädiktoren dienen der Sensibilisierung von Akteuren in der Versorgung pflegebedürftiger Menschen. Sie erleichtern das Erkennen von Unterstützungsbedarf in der eigenen Häuslichkeit bei Menschen, die unter einem erhöhten Risiko eines Heimeintritts stehen.
Ärztliche Arbeitsbelastung durch bürokratische Tätigkeiten am Beispiel medizinischer Begründungen in der klinischen Psychiatrie
Authors: Heck Johannes , Ihlefeld Christian , Krüger Tillmann
Published: April 2021

Hintergrund Im Zuge der zunehmenden Bürokratisierung des Arztberufs drohen Kernaufgaben der klinischen ärztlichen Tätigkeit in den Hintergrund zu geraten. Bürokratische Aufgaben können zu einer vermehrten Arbeitsbelastung des ärztlichen Personals und zu einer Gefährdung der Patientensicherheit führen. Dennoch liegen kaum Daten zur ärztlichen Arbeitsbelastung durch bürokratische Tätigkeiten vor. Das vorliegende Pilotprojekt soll einen Beitrag zur Schließung dieser Datenlücke leisten.

Methodik Am Beispiel medizinischer Begründungen (MBEG) in der klinischen Psychiatrie wurde über einen 6-Monats-Zeitraum untersucht, wie viel Arbeitszeit im Klinikalltag für bürokratische Tätigkeiten aufzuwenden ist. Insgesamt wurden 66 MBEG für 42 Patienten erstellt und ausgewertet.

Ergebnisse Pro Kalenderwoche wurden 2,6 ± 2,2 MBEG (Mittelwert ± Standardabweichung) erstellt, bei einer geschätzten durchschnittlichen Bearbeitungszeit von 22 Minuten pro MBEG. Für knapp 30 % der MBEG war mindestens eine halbe Stunde Arbeitszeit bis zur Fertigstellung erforderlich. Ungefähr ein Viertel aller MBEG-Anfragen war fehlerhaft zugeordnet oder es handelte sich um bereits beantwortete Anfragen.

Schlussfolgerung Die aus einem Übermaß an Bürokratie resultierende Mehrarbeit kann ein Risiko für die Gesundheit des ärztlichen Personals darstellen und die Patientensicherheit kompromittieren. Maßnahmen zum Bürokratieabbau, z. B. mithilfe technischer Lösungen, sollten umgesetzt werden.
Psychopharmaka sind kein Allheilmittel
Authors: Dißmann Steffen
Published: April 2021

Der Einsatz von Psychopharmaka in der Psychiatrie ist seit vielen Jahren ein etabliertes therapeutisches Mittel, um schwere psychische Ausnahmezustände zu stabilisieren. Während das eine Lager eben jenen Effekt befürwortet, verurteilt das andere den Gebrauch von Psychopharmaka vehement. Wird der Griff zur Medikamentenpackung bei Kindern und Jugendlichen empfohlen, um ein funktionierendes Mitglied unserer Leistungsgesellschaft zu werden, erhält das Thema eine zusätzliche ethische Brisanz. Denn neben der erwünschten Verhaltensänderung bzw. Abmilderung der Symptomatik wirken sich psychoaktive Medikamente auch häufig auf das Wesen des Kindes oder Jugendlichen aus.
Healthy Aging – Mikronährstoffe
Authors: Gröber Uwe
Published: April 2021

Die Vitamine D und K2 interagieren auf vielen Stoffwechselwegen, v. a. im Kalzium- und Knochenstoffwechsel und haben günstige Effekte für die Knochendichte. Vitamin-K-abhängige Proteine sind an der Blutgerinnung beteiligt und schützen Arterien vor arteriosklerotischer Mikrokalzifizierung. Ein Mangel an Vitamin B12 und/oder Folsäure resultiert in Hyperhomocysteinämie. Diese ist im fortgeschrittenen Alter mit einer Abnahme von kognitiver Leistungsfähigkeit und Hirngröße assoziiert und gilt als Risikofaktor für eine Alzheimer-Demenz. Coenzym Q10 (Ubiquinon) spielt eine essenzielle Rolle bei der zellulären Energieproduktion. Das Vitaminoid ist Zellregulator, Antioxidanz und beeinflusst die Aktivität zahlreicher Gene. So beugt es Zellläsionen sowie Inflammaging vor. Das Verhältnis der reduzierten Form Ubiquinol zu Ubiquinon im Blut ist ein Marker für oxidativen Stress. Eine unzureichende Versorgung führt zu Störungen u. a. im Herz-Kreislauf- und Immunsystem.
Resilienz
Authors: Oliver Tüscher , Kalisch Raffael , Wackerhagen Carolin , Walter Henrik
Published: April 2021

Psychische Erkrankungen, insbesondere solche, in denen Stress ein wesentlicher pathogenetischer Faktor ist, gehören zu den häufigsten, belastendsten und kostenintensivsten Erkrankungen unserer Zeit. Andererseits ist psychische Gesundheit trotz häufiger Exposition durch allgegenwärtige Widrigkeiten und Stressoren das weitaus häufigere Phänomen als psychische Erkrankungen. Mit anderen Worten, Resilienz gegenüber stressassoziierten Erkrankungen ist der Regelfall. Die Erforschung psychischer Resilienz und ihrer zugrunde liegenden kognitiven und neurobiologischen Mechanismen bietet daher innovative Möglichkeiten zum Verständnis der natürlichen Schutzmechanismen gegenüber stressassoziierten psychischen Erkrankungen, weist neue Wege für Prävention und Gesundheitsförderung und ergänzt die krankheitsbezogene Forschung. Die Voraussetzungen für ein einheitliches Verständnis und eine erfolgreiche neurobiologische Erforschung von Resilienz sind geeignete Methoden zur Konzeptualisierung, Operationalisierung und der Planung von Studiendesigns. Zu diesen gehören ein transdiagnostisches Vorgehen, die Operationalisierung von Resilienz als „Outcome“, d. h. Ergebnis eines Entwicklungsprozesses, eine Erfassung und Berücksichtigung der Stressorexposition, längsschnittliche Studiendesigns und die translationale Identifizierung von Resilienzmechanismen.
Update 2021: Vitamin C und Zink bei COVID-19
Authors: Vollbracht Claudia , Friedrichsen Hans-Peter , Gröber Uwe
Published: April 2021

Aktuelle Studien zeigen einen deutlichen Benefit von Vitamin C bei COVID-19. Signifikante Verbesserungen gab es bei Sauerstoffversorgung, Reduktion des Zytokinsturms, Mortalitätsrisko, Heilungsrate und Verweildauer im Krankenhaus. Bei der supportiven Therapie mit Vitamin C erzielen Infusionen höhere Wirkspiegel im Blut als die orale Gabe, bei der u. a. genetisch bedingte Resorptionsunterschiede die Wirkung beeinflussen.
Anonyme Alkoholiker wirksamer als Psychotherapie?
Authors: Bischof Gallus , Bischof Anja , Rumpf Hans-Jürgen
Published: April 2021

Eine 2020 veröffentlichte, aktualisierte Cochrane-Analyse zu Anonymen
Alkoholikern und 12-Schritte Programmen zur Behandlung alkoholbezogener
Störungen schreibt diesen Interventionsformen eine bessere Evidenz
gegenüber etablierten psychotherapeutischen Verfahren zu. Der
Beitrag stellt zentrale Befunde des Reviews vor und
überprüft deren interne und externe Validität. Diese
sind eingeschränkt durch die verwendeten Definitionen der
Outcomeparameter, der Interventions- und Kontrollbedingungen, die
Selektivität der berichteten Ergebnisse und die
eingeschränkte Generalisierbarkeit der Stichproben.
Diagnosis and Management of Vaccine-Related Thrombosis following AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccination: Guidance Statement from the GTH
Authors: Oldenburg Johannes , Klamroth Robert , Langer Florian , Albisetti Manuela , von Auer Charis , Ay Cihan , Korte Wolfgang , Scharf Rüdiger E. , Pötzsch Bernd , Greinacher Andreas
Published: April 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic is an ongoing global healthcare crisis. Based on reports of atypically located thromboses following vaccination with the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, the Society of Thrombosis and Haemostasis Research (GTH) has issued guidance statements on the recognition, diagnosis, and treatment of this rare complication. It shares pathophysiological features with heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) and is referred to as vaccine-induced prothrombotic immune thrombocytopenia (VIPIT).
The Pediatric Intensive Care Unit as a Critical Care Setting for Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Service Evaluation
Authors: Fitchett Elizabeth J. A. , Rubens Matthew , Styles Katherine , Bycroft Thomas , Nadel Simon , Gómez Carlos M. H. , Mitting Rebecca
Published: April 2021

One strategy to expand critical care capacity during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic within the United Kingdom has been to repurpose other clinical departments, including the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) and pediatric multidisciplinary team, to accommodate critically unwell adult patients. While multiple PICUs have treated adult patients with COVID-19, there is an absence of data on the characteristics of patients transferred to pediatric care and their resulting outcomes in comparison to standard adult intensive care unit (AICU) provision. Data were collected for all adult COVID-19 intensive care admissions between March and May 2020, in three ICUs within a single center: PICU, AICU, and theater recovery ICU (RICU). Patient characteristics, severity of illness, and outcomes were described according to the ICU where most of their bed-days occurred. Outcomes included duration of organ support and ICU admission, and mortality at 30 days. Mortality was compared between patients in PICU and the other adult ICUs, using a logistic regression model, adjusting for known confounding variables. Eighty-eight patients were included: 15 (17.0%) in PICU, 57 (64.7%) in AICU, and 16 (18.1%) in RICU. Patients' characteristics and illness severity on admission were comparable across locations, with similar organ support provided. Ten (66.7%) patients survived to hospital discharge from PICU, compared with 27 (47.4%) and nine (56.3%) patients from AICU and RICU, respectively, with no significant difference in 30-day mortality (OR 0.46, 95% CI 0.12–1.85; p = 0.276). Our analysis illustrates the feasibility of evaluating outcomes of patients who have been cared for in additional, emergency ICU beds, whilst demonstrating comparable outcomes for adults cared for in pediatric and adult units.
Reintroduction of Diazoxide after Diagnosis of Pulmonary Hypertension in a Patient with Transient Hyperinsulinism
Authors: Schweiger Bahareh , Sanchez-Lara Pedro A. , Markush Dor , Nawathe Pooja
Published: April 2021

Our case describes the reintroduction of diazoxide despite life-threatening pulmonary hypertension in our infant due to lack of therapeutic options for congenital hyperinsulinism.
Everted Pedicled Temporalis Fascial Flap to Augment Pedicled Pericranial Flap for Lax Duraplasty in Decompressive Craniotomy: A Cost-Effective Procedure
Authors: Bhosle Rajesh , Patel Shamshuddin Sr , Raju Dimble , Ghosh Nabanita , Krishnan Prasad
Published: April 2021

Decompressive craniotomy is a commonly performed surgery to relieve raised intracranial pressure. At the end of the procedure, it is the convention to cover the exposed brain by performing a lax duraplasty which allows for both brain expansion and provides protection to the underlying parenchyma. Various commercially available dural substitutes are used for this purpose. These have the drawback of being both expensive and nonvascularized. We propose a technique of using pericranium along with everted temporalis fascia (both being locally harvested vascularized pedicle flaps) that can suffice in a vast majority of cases for covering the brain.
Investigation of sooting flames by color-ratio pyrometry with a consumer-grade DSLR camera
Authors: Sankaranarayanan Anand , Swami Umakant , Sasidharakurup Reshmi , Chowdhury Arindrajit , Kumbhakarna Neeraj
Published: April 2021

The accurate measurement of temperature in sooty flames remains a challenging task. In this study, the procedure for calibration and use of a consumer-grade digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera for the measurement of temperature in sooty flames using color-ratio pyrometry (CRP) is elucidated. Owing to the necessity of acquiring RAW images for CRP, investigations conducted thus far have been limited to stable flames. In this work, the potential of a CANON EOS 550D DSLR camera for measuring temperature during a transient process such as a droplet combustion event at frame rates up to 50 fps is demonstrated. The spectral response curves of the camera-lens system were obtained with the help of a tunable laser source and a laser power meter, which were subsequently used to generate lookup tables for blackbody as well as soot radiation. Soot radiation was assumed to vary with wavelength (λ) as λ−α, where α is the soot dispersion exponent. The blackbody lookup table was validated against blackbody calibration data from 1023 to 1773 K. Experiments were conducted on a candle flame as well as a McKenna flat flame burner with ethylene–air mixtures of equivalence ratios 2.1 and 2.3. For estimating temperatures using CRP, soot particles were classified as nascent and mature soot with soot dispersion exponent (α) values of 4 and 1.38, respectively. The CRP results were found to yield a decent match with thermocouple measurements as well as data reported in the literature.
Application of random sample consensus method for parameter estimation of reflectometry density profile in toroidal plasma
Authors: Ye K. X. , Zhang T. , Wang Y. M. , Wen F. , Wu M. F. , Huang J. , Li G. S. , Geng K. N. , Zhou Z. , Zhong F. B. , Liu Y. K. , Xiang H. M. , Zhang S. B.
Published: April 2021

Microwave reflectometry diagnostics have been widely used to measure density profiles in fusion plasma. However, the high sensitivity of the diagnostics to plasma turbulence often results in large radial deviations in the edge density profile and causes difficulty in profile evaluation. To improve the performance of profile evaluation, a modified RANdom SAmple Consensus (RANSAC) method has been applied to fit the density profiles measured by reflectometry on the experimental advanced superconducting tokamak. Compared with the traditional least-squares method, the modified RANSAC method is much more efficient and robust in fitting the experimental profiles. Furthermore, a combination of RANSAC and a genetic algorithm (GA-RANSAC) is used to further optimize the profile evaluation procedure. The results show that this GA-RANSAC method yields better performance and stabler convergence than the modified RANSAC alone.
High temperature nanomechanical properties of sub-5 nm nitrogen doped diamond-like carbon using nanoindentation and finite element analysis
Authors: Shakil Ahmad , Polycarpou Andreas A.
Published: April 2021

Nitrogen doped diamond-like carbon (NDLC) is a candidate protective coating in state-of-the-art heat assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) media. To ensure the robustness of the media particularly at higher temperature applications, mechanical properties of ultra-thin sub 5-nm NDLC coatings are of great interest. Due to instrument limitations and very shallow films, it is very challenging to accurately measure sub-5 nm NDLC films and other HAMR components from experiments without substrate effects. In this study, very shallow nanoindentations were performed, and the results were fitted with finite element analysis using a modified indenter geometry to predict the elastic modulus and yield strength of NDLC films of two different thicknesses (3.5 and 4.5 nm) and other components without any substrate effect. Results showed that higher NDLC film thickness led to better elastic modulus and yield strength at 25 °C before and after heating and at 300 °C. Hardness to yield strength ratio (H/Y) for NDLC films was also determined and found within the range of 2.2–2.8, which is higher than the H/Y ratio of DLC films from earlier studies. This implied the dependence of H/Y ratio on the thickness, temperature conditions, and chemical structure of NDLC films. Results also showed that the yield strength of FeCo metal layer and glass substrate in HAMR media decreased at 300 °C, but almost fully recovered to their initial properties after removal of heat.
Targeting improved reproducibility in surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy with planar substrates using 3D printed alignment holders
Authors: Karawdeniya Buddini Iroshika , Chevalier Robert B. , Bandara Y. M. Nuwan D. Y. , Dwyer Jason R.
Published: April 2021

Drop-casting is frequently used to deliver a sample for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) and can result in inhomogeneous sample distribution during solvent evaporation. While soaking can provide better analyte homogeneity, it may require more sample than is available. Failure to optically sample analyte-rich substrate locations can compromise measurement outcomes. We developed and tested 3D printed SERS substrate holders that provided spatial registry of the dried sample droplet center for subsequent optical measurements. We found that deliberate and controlled spatial offsets (0–900 µm) between the analyte drop center and the laser excitation prevented signal intensity drops of as much as ∼3× and improved reproducibility. Thus, the use of offset-controlled 3D printed holders provided a quick and inexpensive way to improve the reliability of SERS measurements when using the convenient and popular choice of sample drop-casting.
Applied electromagnetic optics simulations for nanophotonics
Authors: Anttu Nicklas , Mäntynen Henrik , Sorokina Anastasiia , Turunen Jari , Sadi Toufik , Lipsanen Harri
Published: April 2021

Nanophotonics—the science and technology of confining, guiding, and making photons interact with matter at the nanoscale—is an active research field. By varying the geometry and constituent materials, nanostructures allow precise control of the scattering of incident light and tailoring of emitted light. In this Tutorial, we outline the use of the Maxwell equations to model the optical response of nanostructures. This electromagnetic optics approach uses the refractive indices of the constituent materials and the geometry of the nanostructures as input. For most nanostructure geometries, analytical solutions to the Maxwell equations are not available. Therefore, we discuss varying computational methods for solving the equations numerically. These methods allow us to simulate the optical response of nanostructures, as needed for design optimization and analysis of characterization results.
Study on the use of porous materials with adsorbed helium as the regenerator of cryocooler at temperatures below 10 K
Authors: Xi Xiaotong , Yang Biao , Zhao Yuanheng , Chen Liubiao , Wang Junjie
Published: April 2021

Cryocoolers play a vital role in ground low-temperature experiments and space explorations. The regenerator is an important part of the cryocooler, which is used to store the cold produced by the expansion of the working fluid helium and absorb the heat produced during the next cycle of compression. However, the specific heat of helium at temperatures below 10 K is higher than that of almost all currently known regenerator materials, resulting in insufficient cold storage capacity and severely restricting the improvement of the cryocooler cooling performance. In this paper, the study of using porous material to absorb helium as the regenerator material for cryocoolers is carried out. An experimental system was built to test the helium adsorption capacity of super activated carbon in the temperature range of 3–10 K, and it was found that the activated carbon has a significant increase in specific heat compared with the current conventional materials. A thermodynamic calculation model was further established to investigate the dynamic cryogenic adsorption characteristics and the effect of adsorption/desorption heat on the performance of the regenerator. This work is an exploration in the research of low-temperature regenerators, which can provide useful help for the selection and use of regenerator materials for cryocoolers working below 10 K. It also has great application prospects in the fields of energy storage, low-temperature superconductivity, and sub-K refrigeration systems.
Spin–orbit torque switching of the antiferromagnetic state in polycrystalline Mn3Sn/Cu/heavy metal heterostructures
Authors: Tsai Hanshen , Higo Tomoya , Kondou Kouta , Kobayashi Ayuko , Nakano Takafumi , Yakushiji Kay , Miwa Shinji , Otani Yoshichika , Nakatsuji Satoru
Published: April 2021

The spin-orbit torque (SOT) using spin Hall effect has led to significant innovations in spintronics. Recently, SOT switching of an antiferromagnetic state of the Weyl semimetal Mn3Sn is realized by passing electrical current into Mn3Sn/heavy metal heterostructures. Here we demonstrate the SOT switching of Hall resistance in polycrystalline Mn3Sn/Pt, Mn3Sn/W and Mn3Sn/Cu/Pt, Mn3Sn/Cu/W heterostructures. Our experiments indicate that the sign of the spin Hall angle of heavy metals determines the direction of magnetic switching in both devices with and without Cu insertion layer, being consistent with the SOT mechanism. In Mn3Sn/Pt and Mn3Sn/W bilayer devices, the critical current density of electrical switching is ∼1011A/m2 in heavy metals. In addition, we find that the volume fraction of the switched Mn3Sn domain is nearly the same in devices with and without Cu layer, which indicates that the spin current generated from the spin Hall effect of Pt or W contributes dominantly to the SOT compared to possible interfacial effects at Mn3Sn/heavy metal interface.
Knowledge translation in health and wellness research focusing on immigrants in Canada
Authors: Chowdhury Nashit , Naidu Jessica , Chowdhury Mohammad Z. I. , Vaska Marcus , Rumana Nahid , Lasker Mohammad Ali Ashraf , Turin Tanvir C.
Published: April 2021

ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION Knowledge translation (KT) is a relatively new concept referring to transfers of knowledge into practice in collaboration with multiple sectors that work for the health and wellness of society. Knowledge translation is crucial to identifying and addressing the health needs of immigrants. AIM To scope the evidence on KT research engaging immigrants in the host country regarding the health and wellness of immigrants. METHODS This study followed a scoping review approach suggested by Arksey O’Malley. We identified relevant studies from both academic and grey literature using structured criteria, charted the data from the selected studies, collated, summarised and report the results. RESULTS Analysis of the eligible studies found two types of KT research: integrated KT and end-of-grant KT. Meeting or discussion with community-level knowledge-users were common KT activities among immigrants, but they were involved in the entire research process only if they were hired as members of research teams. Most KT research among immigrants explored cancer screening and used a community-based participatory action research approach. Barriers and enablers usually came from researchers rather than from the community. There was little practice of evaluation and defined frameworks to conduct KT research among immigrants in Canada. CONCLUSION This study can help the researchers and other stakeholders of health and wellness of the immigrant population to identify appropriate KT research activities for immigrants and where KT research is required to facilitate the transfer of research knowledge into action.
The role of the locoweed (
Authors: Wang Qinghai , Chen Chao , Pang Zhuo , Li Cui , Wang Dejun , Ma Qingcheng , Wu Juying
Published: April 2021

Astragalus variabilis Bunge is a widespread locoweed that threatens livestock production in desert grassland. No research has reported its possible ecological functions due to focus being on its negative effect on livestock production. This study aimed to assess the effects of A. variabilis on soil properties and its possible role in improving soil quality in desert grassland. Soil samples were collected in Astragalus patches and the adjacent bare patches over two successive growing seasons in Alxa desert grassland where A. variabilis was favoured to spread. Soil properties including texture, water content, dry bulk density, porosity, available nutrients, organic matter, and soil microbial biomass were determined at 15 study sites. There was no significant difference in soil texture between Astragalus-dominant and bare patches; but organic matter (OM), available N and P, and microbial biomass in surface soil (0–30 cm) were significantly higher in Astragalus patches. Furthermore, microbial biomass showed a significantly positive correlation with available nutrients and OM. Levels of water soluble salt were significantly lower in A. variabilis surface soils under drought conditions. Results suggested that A. variabilis was associated with some positive changes in soil properties, and was potentially important in improving soil chemical and microbial properties in desert grassland ecosystems. Consequently, total elimination of locoweed should not necessarily be considered the best solution to locoweed poisoning in livestock.
Rubus alceifolius (giant bramble).
Authors: Parker Chris
Published: April 2021

R. alceifolius is a robust, aggressive perennial scrambling shrub, spreading by long arching spiny stems, rooting at their tips, as well as by bird-dispersed seeds. It can develop dense impenetrable thickets. It is native to tropical SE Asia but has been introduced to a number of other territories, most notably the Indian Ocean island of La Réunion, where it is one of the eight most threatening plant invaders to become established on the island and occurs not only on sites disturbed by man but also in primary forest with minimal disturbance (Macdonald et al., 1991). It can behave as a liana, climbing into the canopy of forest trees and increasing the risk of wind damage. It occurs also on the islands of Mayotte, Mauritius and Madagascar (Vos, 2004; Kueffer and Lavergne, 2004a,b) and in Queensland, Australia where it is invading pastures, roadsides, creekbanks, sugarcane plantations and the edges of rainforest (Queensland Government, 2012). Holm et al. (1979) record it as a 'principal' weed in Australia, and risk assessment by the Australian method gave a score of 11 (PIER, 2012). Binggeli et al. (1998) classified it as highly invasive in the tropics. In a joint project between USDA and the Weed Science Society of America it was identified among the highest-ranked potential future invasive weeds in USA (Parker et al., 2007; WSSA, 2012).
Sonchus oleraceus (common sowthistle).
Authors: Rojas-Sandoval Julissa , Acevedo-Rodríguez Pedro , Popay A. I.
Published: April 2021

S. oleraceus is a common seed crop contaminant and has been carried either deliberately or accidentally by humans to almost every corner of the earth, where it invades mainly open and disturbed areas. It grows in a wide variety of environments on a wide range of substrates - roadsides, cultivated land, gardens, construction sites, sand dunes, logged or burned areas, on walls, mountain slopes, and near water. Once introduced to a new area the plants spread quickly because they grow and flower quickly and produce copious wind- and bird-dispersed seeds that germinate quickly in large numbers. They invade many cropped areas, especially among vegetable and winter crops. They are almost perfect 'designer weeds'. Additionally, this species has small light seeds which are easily dispersed by wind and water.
Phalaris paradoxa (awned canary-grass).
Authors: Popay Ian
Published: April 2021

P. paradoxa is a tufted annual grass which is considered a weed in many areas and can be invasive. It contains tryptamine alkaloids, which are toxic to some animals. It is native to the Mediterranean region of Europe, but has spread to locations including the USA, Australia and South America. It is a serious weed of wheat in Australia, with its success attribued to high seed production, innate dormancy and periodicity of emergence (Taylor et al., 1999).
Sphagneticola trilobata (wedelia).
Authors: Rojas-Sandoval Julissa , Acevedo-Rodríguez Pedro , Parker Chris
Published: April 2021

S. trilobata has spread rapidly threatening the native flora after introduction as an ornamental species. It can spread vegetatively and is difficult to eradicate. The IUCN has listed S. trilobata in its 100 of the world's worst invasive alien species and the Florida Exotic Plant Pest Council classified it as a category II invader. This species continues to be available as an ornamental and is therefore likely to spread further.
Opuntia ficus-indica (prickly pear).
Authors: Pasiecznik Nick
Published: April 2021

O. ficus-indica is highly valued as a fruit-producing cactus, also yielding 'leaves' that are used as a vegetable and browsed by livestock. It has been introduced widely from its native Mexico to almost all countries where the climate is suitable. The fruit is very rich in vitamin C and is exploited commercially in many areas. Many countries, especially in Asia, have recently established large-scale commercial plantations. However, O. ficus-indica, like several other species of Opuntia, have been known to spread and become invasive weeds. Historical records, however, appear to indicate a time-lag of about 100 years between introduction and the beginnings of invasive spread thus the actual risk may be low.
Sesbania sesban (sesban).
Authors: Thompson John Peter
Published: April 2021

S. sesban is a fast-growing leguminous shrub or small tree, up to 8 m tall and 12 cm in diameter. Although its geographical origin is not known, it is widely distributed and cultivated throughout tropical Africa and Asia, and has been introduced into tropical America. It is found both in the humid tropics and in more arid and semiarid regions of the world. It is often utilized as a short rotation tree on fallow and marginal lands, or as an agroforestry tree within farming systems - in alley-cropping, as a shade tree, as a support tree for horticultural plants and for planted fallows. It is mostly grown for production of highly nutritive and digestible leaf fodder for which it is repeatedly coppiced. The leaves are also used as a green manure. Other uses include: soil conservation, erosion control, soil improvement, land reclamation, shelterbelts/windbreaks and hedges. The wood is used as fuelwood, for light construction purposes, and for the manufacture of pulp. The leaves and flowers are edible; they are also utilized, along with a gum from the seeds and bark, for traditional medicines. It can easily be grown from seed and nursery seedlings. There are no reports of breeding programmes for the species (the most widely collected of the genus) although most accessions originate from Africa. Germplasm collections are available in Ethiopia, Australia and Hawaii (USA).
Blood leukocytes recapitulate diabetogenic peptide–MHC-II complexes displayed in the pancreatic islets
Authors: Vomund Anthony N. , Lichti Cheryl F. , Peterson Orion J. , Arbelaez Ana Maria , Wan Xiaoxiao , Unanue Emil R.
Published: April 2021

Assessing the self-peptides presented by susceptible major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules is crucial for evaluating the pathogenesis and therapeutics of tissue-specific autoimmune diseases. However, direct examination of such MHC-bound peptides displayed in the target organ remains largely impractical. Here, we demonstrate that the blood leukocytes from the nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice presented peptide epitopes to autoreactive CD4 T cells. These peptides were bound to the autoimmune class II MHC molecule (MHC-II) I-Ag7 and originated from insulin B-chain and C-peptide. The presentation required a glucose challenge, which stimulated the release of the insulin peptides from the pancreatic islets. The circulating leukocytes, especially the B cells, promptly captured and presented these peptides. Mass spectrometry analysis of the leukocyte MHC-II peptidome revealed a series of β cell–derived peptides, with identical sequences to those previously identified in the islet MHC-II peptidome. Thus, the blood leukocyte peptidome echoes that found in islets and serves to identify immunogenic peptides in an otherwise inaccessible tissue.
ELVISort: encoding latent variables for instant sorting, an artificial intelligence-based end-to-end solution
Authors: Rokai János , Rácz Melinda , Fiáth Richárd , Ulbert István , Márton Gergely
Published: April 2021

Objective. The growing number of recording sites of silicon-based probes means that an increasing amount of neural cell activities can be recorded simultaneously, facilitating the investigation of underlying complex neural dynamics. In order to overcome the challenges generated by the increasing number of channels, highly automated signal processing tools are needed. Our goal was to build a spike sorting model that can perform as well as offline solutions while maintaining high efficiency, enabling high-performance online sorting. Approach. In this paper we present ELVISort, a deep learning method that combines the detection and clustering of different action potentials in an end-to-end fashion. Main results. The performance of ELVISort is comparable with other spike sorting methods that use manual or semi-manual techniques, while exceeding the methods which use an automatic approach: ELVISort has been tested on three independent datasets and yielded average F1 scores of 0.96, 0.82 and 0.81, which comparable with the results of state-of-the-art algorithms on the same data. We show that despite the good performance, ELVISort is capable to process data in real-time: the time it needs to execute the necessary computations for a sample of given length is only 1/15.71 of its actual duration (i.e. the sampling time multiplied by the number of the sampling points). Significance. ELVISort, because of its end-to-end nature, can exploit the massively parallel processing capabilities of GPUs via deep learning frameworks by processing multiple batches in parallel, with the potential to be used on other cutting-edge AI-specific hardware such as TPUs, enabling the development of integrated, portable and real-time spike sorting systems with similar performance to offline sorters.
Comparing machine learning-derived global estimates of soil respiration and its components with those from terrestrial ecosystem models
Authors: Lu Haibo , Li Shihua , Ma Minna , Bastrikov Vladislav , Chen Xiuzhi , Ciais Philippe , Dai Yongjiu , Ito Akihiko , Ju Weimin , Lienert Sebastian , Lombardozzi Danica , Lu Xingjie , Maignan Fabienne , Nakhavali Mahdi , Quine Timothy , Schindlbacher Andreas , Wang Jun , Wang Yingping , Wårlind David , Zhang Shupeng , Yuan Wenping
Published: April 2021

The CO2 efflux from soil (soil respiration (SR)) is one of the largest fluxes in the global carbon (C) cycle and its response to climate change could strongly influence future atmospheric CO2 concentrations. Still, a large divergence of global SR estimates and its autotrophic (AR) and heterotrophic (HR) components exists among process based terrestrial ecosystem models. Therefore, alternatively derived global benchmark values are warranted for constraining the various ecosystem model output. In this study, we developed models based on the global soil respiration database (version 5.0), using the random forest (RF) method to generate the global benchmark distribution of total SR and its components. Benchmark values were then compared with the output of ten different global terrestrial ecosystem models. Our observationally derived global mean annual benchmark rates were 85.5 ± 40.4 (SD) Pg C yr−1 for SR, 50.3 ± 25.0 (SD) Pg C yr−1 for HR and 35.2 Pg C yr−1 for AR during 1982–2012, respectively. Evaluating against the observations, the RF models showed better performance in both of SR and HR simulations than all investigated terrestrial ecosystem models. Large divergences in simulating SR and its components were observed among the terrestrial ecosystem models. The estimated global SR and HR by the ecosystem models ranged from 61.4 to 91.7 Pg C yr−1 and 39.8 to 61.7 Pg C yr−1, respectively. The most discrepancy lays in the estimation of AR, the difference (12.0–42.3 Pg C yr−1) of estimates among the ecosystem models was up to 3.5 times. The contribution of AR to SR highly varied among the ecosystem models ranging from 18% to 48%, which differed with the estimate by RF (41%). This study generated global SR and its components (HR and AR) fluxes, which are useful benchmarks to constrain the performance of terrestrial ecosystem models.
Fast growth of centimeter-scale single-crystal copper foils with high-index planes by the edge-incision effect
Authors: Li Li , Ma Teng , Yu Wei , Zhu Menglong , Li Jing , Chen Zhi , Li Haohan , Zhao Meng , Teng Jinghua , Tian Bingbing , Su Chenliang , Loh Kian Ping
Published: April 2021

Single-crystal copper substrates have gained importance for the preparation of high-quality graphene and hexagonal boron nitride monolayer films by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Especially, large-scale single-crystal copper foils with high-index planes are synthesized recently and attract great interests. However, the current synthesis methods of single-crystal copper foils and films are energy and time-consuming. Here, we show a rapid and efficient approach for the preparation of centimeter-scale single-crystal copper foils by making small incisions at the edges of polycrystalline copper foils before high-temperature annealing. 1.5 cm × 4 cm pieces of grain-boundary-free copper foils can be prepared by annealing at 1080 °C for 60 min. The annealed copper foil manifests a single high-index plane and is grain-boundary-free over the whole area. We also show that CVD of graphene on the high-index single-crystal copper affords a higher growth rate than on low-index copper substrates.
Design and fabrication of quick responsive and highly sensitive LPG sensor using ZnO/SnO2 heterostructured film
Authors: Singh Ajeet , Sikarwar Samiksha , Yadav B C
Published: April 2021

Highly efficient LPG sensor working at room temperature was developed using a simple and cost-effective route. For this purpose, ZnO/SnO2 heterostructure was synthesized using the hydrothermal route and thin films of the material were prepared. X-ray Diffraction revealed all the crystal parameters including grain size, texture coefficient, dislocation densities, surface area which are necessary for a sensor. Also, particle size, zeta potential, and conductivity were observed using nanozetasizer. Heterojunctions at the surface of the film were viewed by Scanning electron microscopy. An optical band-gap of ∼3.85 eV was measured using UV–vis absorption spectrum. Further, the film was used as room ambient sensor for different concentrations of LPG. Among them, the best sensor response and sensitivity of 276.51 and 3.78 respectively were obtained for 2.0 vol% of LPG whereas minimum response and recovery time of 10 s and 15 s were obtained for 0.5 vol% of LPG.
Rice plant growth and yield: foliar application of plasma activated water
Authors: RASHID M M , RASHID Mamunur , HASAN M M , TALUKDER M R
Published: April 2021

Plasma activated water (PAW) was prepared for 10 min to be applied one to five times as a foliar spray to rice plants, to investigate plant growth, yield and the concentrations of total soluble protein and sugar in the rice grains produced. The results reveal that (1) the plant height, stem diameter, dry weight, chlorophyll and total carotene concentrations were improved by ∼15%, ∼25%, ∼24%, ∼47% and ∼45%, respectively, with respect to control, (2) defense mechanisms of the plants treated with PAW were improved, (3) concentrations of total soluble protein and sugar were enhanced in the rice grains of PAW treated plants and (4) yield was increased by ∼14%.
Recent advances in perovskite/2D materials based hybrid photodetectors
Authors: Ghosh Joydip , Giri P K
Published: April 2021

Since 2009, metal halide perovskites have attracted a great deal of attention in different optoelectronic applications, such as solar cells, photodetectors (PDs), light-emitting diodes, lasers etc, owing to their excellent electrical and optoelectrical properties. However, since the discovery of graphene, atomically thin 2D materials have been the central focus of materials research due to its exciting properties. Thus, integrating 2D materials with perovskite material can be highly promising for various optoelectronic applications, in particular for ultrasensitive photodetection. In these PDs, 2D materials serve various roles, such as charge transport layer, Schottky contacts, photo absorbers, etc, while perovskite is the light-harvesting active layer. In this review, we focus on the recent findings and progress on metal halide perovskite/2D material phototransistors and hybrid PDs. We comprehensively summarize recent efforts and developments of perovskite/graphene, perovskite/transition-metal dichalcogenides, perovskite/black phosphorus, and perovskite/MXene based phototransistor and heterojunction PDs from the perspective of materials science and device physics. The perovskite/2D material phototransistor can exhibit very high photoresponsivity and gain due to the amplification function of transistors and the pronounced photogating effect in 2D material, while perovskite/2D material heterojunction PD can operate without external bias due to built-in potential across the heterojunction. This review also provides state-of-the-art progress on flexible, transparent, self-powered and PD systems and arrays based on perovskite/2D materials. After summarizing the ongoing research and challenges, the future outlook is presented for developing metal halide perovskite/2D material hybrid PDs for practical applications.
Hispanic Ethnic Density May Be Protective for Older Black/African American and Non-Hispanic White Populations for Some Health Conditions: An Exploration of Support and Neighborhood Mechanisms
Authors: Flores Melissa , Ruiz John M , Butler Emily A , Sbarra David A
Published: April 2021

Background and Purpose

Hispanic ethnic density (HED) is associated with salubrious health outcomes for Hispanics, yet recent research suggests it may also be protective for other groups. The purpose of this study was to test whether HED was protective for other racial-ethnic groups. We tested whether social support or neighborhood social integration mediated the association between high HED and depressive symptoms (CES-D) and physical morbidity 5 years later. Lastly, we tested whether race-ethnicity moderated both main and indirect effects.

Methods

We used Waves 1 (2005–2006), and 2 (2010–2011) from The National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project, a national study of older U.S. adults. Our sample was restricted to Wave 1 adults who returned at Wave 2, did not move from their residence between waves, and self-identified as Hispanic, non-Hispanic White (NHW), or non-Hispanic Black (NHB; n = 1,635). We geo-coded respondents’ addresses to a census-tract and overlaid racial–ethnic population data. Moderated-mediation models using multiple imputation (to handle missingness) and bootstrapping were used to estimate indirect effects for all racial–ethnic categories.

Results

Depressive symptoms were lower amongst racial-ethnic minorities in ethnically (Hispanic) dense neighborhoods; this effect was not stronger in Hispanics. HED was not associated with physical morbidity. Sensitivity analyses revealed that HED was protective for cardiovascular events in all racial–ethnic groups, but not arthritis, or respiratory disease. Social support and neighborhood social integration were not mediators for the association between HED and outcomes, nor were indirect effects moderated by race–ethnicity.

Conclusions

This study offers some evidence that HED may be protective for some conditions in older adults; however, the phenomena underlying these effects remains a question for future work.
Relationship Between Arterial Stiffness and Cardiovascular Risk Scores Predicted by 2 Different Models
Authors: Wang Ting-jun , Cai Xiao-qi , Zhang Ling-yu , Shen Yi-hua , Xie Qun-fang , Xu Guo-yan , Xie Liang-di
Published: April 2021

Background

To investigate the relationship between arterial stiffness and 10-year atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk predicted by models of pooled cohort equations (PCEs) or ASCVD risk in China (China-PAR).

Methods

A cross-sectional clinical study was carried out, in which clinical data were collected from 1,090 subjects aged 30–75 years who were admitted to a university affiliated hospital from 2016 to 2018. Arterial stiffness was examined by carotid–femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV). All subjects were divided into 2 groups: normal arterial stiffness (cfPWV <10 m/second) and elevated arterial stiffness (cfPWV ≥10 m/second). Ten-year ASCVD risk was predicted by either PCE or China-PAR.

Results

ASCVD risks predicted by 2 models in the elevated arterial stiffness group were higher than those in the normal arterial stiffness group [PCE: 16.5% (8.6%–28.3%) vs. 6.3% (2.7%–12.3%); China-PAR: 8.8% (6.1%–12.4%) vs. 3.9% (2.1%–6.6%), both P < 0.001]. The correlation coefficient between cfPWV and ASCVD risk predicted by China-PAR was greater than that by PCE (0.573 vs. 0.503, z = 5.272, P < 0.001). Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that 10-year ASCVD risk predicted by PCE model (β = 0.475, P < 0.001) and waist circumference (β = 0.092, P = 0.001) correlated with cfPWV. However, when PCE was replaced by China-PAR, only ASCVD risk (β = 0.573, P < 0.001), not waist circumference, was associated with arterial stiffness. Receiver operation characteristic curve showed that the discrimination of 10-year ASCVD risk predicted by China-PAR for arterial stiffness was better than PCE (area under curve 0.814 vs. 0.767, z = 4.992, P < 0.001). A stratification analysis revealed that the better discrimination by China-PAR mainly came from males.

Conclusions

Ten-year ASCVD risks predicted by either China-PAR or PCE are associated with arterial stiffness. The association is stronger when the risk is predicted by China-PAR, especially in males.
Development and validation of a predictive model to predict and manage drug shortages
Authors: Liu Ina , Colmenares Evan , Tak Casey , Vest Mary-Haston , Clark Henry , Oertel Maryann , Pappas Ashley
Published: April 2021

Purpose

Pharmacy departments across the country are problem-solving the growing issue of drug shortages. We aim to change the drug shortage management strategy from a reactive process to a more proactive approach using predictive data analytics. By doing so, we can drive our decision-making to more efficiently manage drug shortages.

Methods

Internal purchasing, formulary, and drug shortage data were reviewed to identify drugs subject to a high shortage risk (“shortage drugs”) or not subject to a high shortage risk (“nonshortage drugs”). Potential candidate predictors of drug shortage risk were collected from previous literature. The dataset was trained and tested using 2 methods, including k-fold cross-validation and a 70/30 partition into a training dataset and a testing dataset, respectively.

Results

A total of 1,517 shortage and nonshortage drugs were included. The following candidate predictors were used to build the dataset: dosage form, therapeutic class, controlled substance schedule (Schedule II or Schedules III-V), orphan drug status, generic versus branded status, and number of manufacturers. Predictors that positively predicted shortages included classification of drugs as intravenous-only, both oral and intravenous, antimicrobials, analgesics, electrolytes, anesthetics, and cardiovascular agents. Predictors that negatively predicted a shortage included classification as an oral-only agent, branded-only agent, antipsychotic, Schedule II agent, or orphan drug, as well as the total number of manufacturers. The calculated sensitivity was 0.71; the specificity, 0.93; the accuracy, 0.87; and the C statistic, 0.93.

Conclusion

The study demonstrated the use of predictive analytics to create a drug shortage model using drug characteristics and manufacturing variables.