bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Confinement, partial sleep deprivation and defined physical activity–influence on cardiorespiratory regulation and capacity
Authors: Koschate Jessica , Drescher Uwe , Hoffmann Uwe
Published: June 2021

Introduction

Adequate cardiorespiratory fitness is of utmost importance during spaceflight and should be assessable via moderate work rate intensities, e.g., using kinetics parameters. The combination of restricted sleep, and defined physical exercise during a 45-day simulated space mission is expected to slow heart rate (HR) kinetics without changes in oxygen uptake ($${\dot{\text{V}}\text{O}}_{{2}}$$

V
˙

O

2

) kinetics.

Methods

Overall, 14 crew members (9 males, 5 females, 37 ± 7 yrs, 23.4 ± 3.5 kg m−2) simulated a 45-d-mission to an asteroid. During the mission, the sleep schedule included 5 nights of 5 h and 2 nights of 8 h sleep. The crew members were tested on a cycle ergometer, using pseudo-random binary sequences, changing between 30 and 80 W on day 8 before (MD-8), day 22 (MD22) and 42 (MD42) after the beginning and day 4 (MD + 4) following the end of the mission. Kinetics information was assessed using the maxima of cross-correlation functions (CCFmax). Higher CCFmax indicates faster responses.

Results

CCFmax(HR) was significantly (p = 0.008) slower at MD-8 (0.30 ± 0.06) compared with MD22 (0.36 ± 0.06), MD42 (0.38 ± 0.06) and MD + 4 (0.35 ± 0.06). Mean HR values during the different work rate steps were higher at MD-8 and MD + 4 compared to MD22 and MD42 (p < 0.001).

Discussion

The physical training during the mission accelerated HR kinetics, but had no impact on mean HR values post mission. Thus, HR kinetics seem to be sensitive to changes in cardiorespiratory fitness and may be a valuable parameter to monitor fitness. Kinetics and capacities adapt independently in response to confinement in combination with defined physical activity and sleep.
Diversitätsmanagement in Organisationen des Gesundheitswesens – Effizienz kontra Gerechtigkeit?
Authors: Brand Cordula
Published: June 2021

„Diversität“ wird im Management als ein Schlüssel gesehen, um in Anbetracht einer globalisierten Welt als Unternehmen oder soziale Organisation wettbewerbsfähig zu bleiben, wirtschaftlich zu arbeiten oder Gewinnsteigerungen zu erzielen. Dieser unternehmerischen Perspektive auf Diversität stehen Konzepte gegenüber, die die ethischen Aspekte von Vielfalt im Hinblick auf Gerechtigkeit in den Mittelpunkt stellen. Beide Perspektiven werden im sogenannten „Diversitätsmanagement“ verortet, das in die organisationalen Strukturen, meist in die Personalabteilung, eingebettet ist. Es zeigt sich jedoch, dass diese Verortung nicht umfassend und zentral genug ist, um ein systematisches Diversitätsmanagement mit strukturierten Maßnahmen aufzubauen. Zudem liegen dem Diversitätsmanagement verschiedene Wertekonstellationen zugrunde, die konfligieren können. Eine priorisierte wirtschaftlich orientierte Perspektive, so die These, führt dazu, dass häufig nur Einzelmaßnahmen zum Umgang mit Vielfalt umgesetzt werden. So können aber weder die Chancen von Diversität noch die konkreten Herausforderungen im Arbeitsalltag tatsächlich ergriffen oder angegangen werden. Diversitätsmanagement, so das Argument, kann nur dann erfolgreich im Sinne der Mitarbeiter*innen und Patient*innen sein, wenn es auch von Gerechtigkeitsaspekten geleitet wird. Dies gilt sowohl für die Entscheidung, welche Diversitätskonzepte und/oder Merkmale relevant sind, als auch für die Auswahl und Evaluation von Maßnahmen. Das bedeutet schließlich, dass bei Abwägungen im Umgang mit Vielfalt im Kontext von Organisationen im Gesundheitswesen die soziale Gerechtigkeit mehr wiegen sollte als rein wirtschaftliche Überlegungen. Letztere habe ihre Berechtigung bei der Einschätzung von Maßnahmen, sie sind aber ein Mittel zum Zweck und kein Selbstzweck.
Potenzial und Grenzen statistischer Unfallzahlen im österreichischen Berg- und Tunnelbau
Authors: Haider Katharina , Halwachs Michael , Sifferlinger Nikolaus August
Published: June 2021

Arbeits- und Gesundheitsschutz hat in allen Bereichen höchste Priorität. Um Maßnahmen zur Unfallvermeidung stetig zu verbessern, müssen diese ständig anhand des tatsächlichen Unfallgeschehens analysiert und evaluiert werden. Die wichtigsten Ansatzpunkte einer aktiven und wirksamen Unfallprävention können in einem ersten Schritt durch eine Auswertung von statistischen Unfallzahlen identifiziert werden.

In diesem Artikel werden die Grundlagen der Methodik der Europäischen Statistik über Arbeitsunfälle (ESAW) dargelegt und Datensätze der Allgemeinen Unfallversicherungsanstalt (AUVA) zur statistischen Darstellung des Unfallgeschehens im österreichischen Berg- und Tunnelbau herangezogen.

Das daraus generierte Unfallspektrum wird für den Bergbau mit den Daten aus den Montanhandbüchern verglichen. Zudem werden die Daten des Berg- und Tunnelbaus gegenübergestellt. Es zeigt sich, dass aus den zusammengefassten Daten der statistischen Unfallzahlen kein signifikanter Zuwachs an Wissen über Unfallursachen gewonnen werden kann. Die meisten Unfälle betreffen die oberen und unteren Extremitäten und werden durch Verlust der Kontrolle über Arbeitsmittel, Sturz/Absturz von Personen und Bewegung des Körpers ohne und mit körperlicher Belastung verursacht.

Der Fokus wird daher darauf gelegt, wie die Datensätze und die Variablen für statistische Auswertungen handzuhaben und zu filtern sind. Es wird diskutiert, welche Möglichkeiten und Probleme sich aus der Zuordnung von Unfällen zu Wirtschaftsklassen ergeben. Als Alternative wird untersucht, ob die Codierung der ESAW genutzt werden kann, um Unfälle nach bestimmten Arbeitsumgebungen zu filtern und den Bereichen „über Tage“ und „unter Tage“ zuzuordnen. Dabei ergeben sich keine eindeutigen Ergebnisse der Korrelation zwischen den Wirtschaftsklassen des Berg- und Tunnelbaus und den Arbeitsumgebungen.

Letztendlich können konkrete Maßnahmen nur dann gesetzt werden, wenn der genaue Unfallhergang mit all den beteiligten Faktoren, Gegenständen, Ursachen und Kausalitäten bekannt ist.
MUL 4.0 – Digitalisierung der Wertschöpfungskette vom Rohmaterial bis hin zum Recycling
Authors: Woschank Manuel , Ralph Benjamin James , Kaiblinger Alexander , Miklautsch Philipp , Pacher Corina , Sorger Marcel , Zsifkovits Helmut , Stockinger Martin , Pogatscher Stefan , Antretter Thomas , Antrekowitsch Helmut
Published: June 2021

Das Forschungsprojekt „MUL 4.0“ beschäftigt sich mit der Anwendung von Industrie 4.0 Technologien zur Digitalisierung respektive zur digitalen Transformation einer gesamten Wertschöpfungskette vom Rohmaterial bis hin zum Recycling. Der Fokus liegt hierbei auf der Erstellung von digitalen Zwillingen sowohl aus werkstoff-wissenschaftlicher als auch aus produktions-technischer Perspektive. Im Rahmen der Entwicklung einer neuartigen Lernfabrik können so in realistischen Anwendungsszenarien zukunftsweisende Technologien entwickelt, getestet und verbessert werden. Zusätzlich legen neue Lehr- und Lernkonzepte den Grundstein zur nachhaltigen Entwicklung der notwendigen Schlüsselkompetenzen im Umfeld der digitalen (Lern‑)Fabrik sowie zur Professionalisierung der Ingenieursausbildung der Zukunft.
Evaluating the role and integration of general practice pharmacists in England: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Alshehri Abdullah A. , Cheema Ejaz , Yahyouche Asma , Haque M. Sayeed , Jalal Zahraa
Published: June 2021

Background Since 2015, NHS England has facilitated the recruitment of pharmacists in general practice (GP) to reduce workload of general practitioners. The role of pharmacists is therefore expected to become more clinical and patient oriented. However, little is known about the current roles performed and the integration of GP pharmacists. Objective To assess the role performed by GP pharmacists and their integration into practice exploring facilitators and barriers to integration. Setting A cross-sectional survey of GP pharmacists in England. Method This study used both online and paper-based questionnaires for a period of six months. Survey items included demographics, roles performed, integration including available support and practice environment. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and 95% confidence intervals. Open comments were analysed thematically to identify pharmacists’ perceptions of barriers and facilitators to their integration into practice. Main outcome measure Current role and integration of pharmacists into GP. Results 195 participants completed the questionnaire. Three quarters of pharmacists (76%) had only been in GP since 2015. Most pharmacists (81%) were independent prescribers (PIPs). The most reported pharmacists’ roles were medicine reconciliation (95%), telephone support for patients (95%) and face-to-face medication review (91%). 82% (95% CI: 76% to 86.8%) were satisfied with their overall integration into practice. Half of pharmacists (45%) were working in a shared office or at a hot desk and 9% had no designated workspace. PIPs had more access to a convenient workplace (p = 0.016) compared to non-IPs. Conclusion Practice pharmacists are fulfilling a wide range of clinical and non-clinical roles in England. Findings highlight relatively a satisfactory level of pharmacists’ integration into practice and shed the light on their integration issues. These findings could be significant for the development of future roles of pharmacists in GP.
Addressing the challenges of climate-driven community-led resettlement and site expansion: knowledge sharing, storytelling, healing, and collaborative coalition building
Authors: Maldonado Julie , Wang Itzel Flores Castillo , Eningowuk Fred , Iaukea Lesley , Lascurain Aranzazu , Lazrus Heather , Naquin Chief Albert , Naquin JR , Nogueras-Vidal Kukuya Margarita , Peterson Kristina , Rivera-Collazo Isabel , Souza M. Kalani , Stege Mark , Thomas Bill
Published: June 2021

Presently coastal areas globally are becoming unviable, with people no longer able to maintain livelihoods and settlements due to, for example, increasing floods, storm surges, coastal erosion, and sea level rise, yet there exist significant policy obstacles and practical and regulatory challenges to community-led and community-wide responses. For many receiving support only at the individual level for relocation or other adaptive responses, individual and community harm is perpetuated through the loss of culture and identity incurred through forced assimilation policies. Often, challenges dealt to frontline communities are founded on centuries of injustices. Can these challenges of both norms and policies be addressed? Can we develop socially, culturally, environmentally, and economically just sustainable adaptation processes that supports community responses, maintenance and evolution of traditions, and rejuvenates regenerative life-supporting ecosystems? This article brings together Indigenous community leaders, knowledge-holders, and allied collaborators from Louisiana, Hawai‘i, Alaska, Borikén/Puerto Rico, and the Marshall Islands, to share their stories and lived experiences of the relocation and other adaptive challenges in their homelands and territories, the obstacles posed by the state or regional governments in community adaptation efforts, ideas for transforming the research paradigm from expecting communities to answer scientific questions to having scientists address community priorities, and the healing processes that communities are employing. The contributors are connected through the Rising Voices Center for Indigenous and Earth Sciences, which brings together Indigenous, tribal, and community leaders, atmospheric, social, biological, and ecological scientists, students, educators, and other experts, and facilitates intercultural, relational-based approaches for understanding and adapting to extreme weather and climate events, climate variability, and climate change.
An Input–Output Ex Ante Regional Model to Assess the Short-Term Net Effects of the 16 April 2016 Earthquake in Ecuador
Authors: Salgado Jorge , Ramírez-Álvarez José , Mancheno Diego
Published: June 2021

The 16 April 2016 earthquake in Ecuador exposed the significant weaknesses concerning the methodological designs to compute—from an economic standpoint—the consequences of a natural hazard-related disaster for productive exchanges and the accumulation of capital in Ecuador. This study addressed one of these challenges with an innovative ex ante model to measure the partial and net short-term effects of a natural hazard-related catastrophe from an interregional perspective, with the 16 April 2016 earthquake serving as a case study. In general, the specified and estimated model follows the approach of the extended Miyazawa model, which endogenizes consumption demand in a standard input–output model with the subnational interrelations and resulting multipliers. Due to the country’s limitations in its regional account records the input–output matrices for each province of Ecuador had to be estimated, which then allowed transactions carried out between any two sectors within or outside a given province to be identified by means of the RAS method. The estimations provide evidence that the net short-term impact on the national accounts was not significant, and under some of the simulated scenarios, based on the official information with respect to earthquake management, the impact may even have had a positive effect on the growth of the national product during 2016.
The global incidence and mortality of contrast-associated acute kidney injury following coronary angiography: a meta-analysis of 1.2 million patients
Authors: Lun Zhubin , Liu Liwei , Chen Guanzhong , Ying Ming , Liu Jin , Wang Bo , Liang Jingjing , Yang Yongquan , Chen Shiqun , He Yibo , Chung Edmund Y. M. , Chen Jiyan , Ye Jianfeng , Liu Yong
Published: June 2021

Background

Contrast-associated acute kidney injury (CA-AKI) is a common complication after coronary angiography (CAG), which brings a poor prognosis. But up to now, there were fewer studies to discuss the incidence of CA-AKI comprehensively. We comprehensively explore the incidence of CA-AKI after coronary angiography.

Methods

We searched Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (to 30th June 2019). We evaluated the world’s incidence of the CA-AKI, and associated mortality, and to described geographic variations according to countries, regions, and economies. CA-AKI was defined as an increase in serum creatinine ≥ 0.5 mg/dl or ≥ 25% within 72 h. Random effects model meta-analyses and meta-regressions was performed to derive the sources of heterogeneity.

Results

A total of 134 articles (1,211,106 participants) were included in our meta-analysis. Most studies originated from China, Japan, Turkey and United States, from upper middle income and high income countries. The pooled incidence of CA-AKI after coronary angiography was 12.8% (95% CI 11.7–13.9%), and the CA-AKI associated mortality was 20.2% (95% CI 10.7–29.7%). The incidence of CA-AKI and the CA-AKI associated mortality were not declined over time (Incidence rate change: 0.23% 95% CI − 0.050 to 0.510 p = 0.617; Mortality rate change: − 1.05% 95% CI − 3.070 to 0.970 p = 0.308, respectively).

Conclusion

CA-AKI was a universal complication in many regions, and the burden of CA-AKI remains severe. In clinical practice, physicians should pay more attention to the occurrence and active prevention and treatment of CA-AKI.

Graphic abstract
Development and validation of antibiotic stewardship metrics for outpatient respiratory tract diagnoses and association of provider characteristics with inappropriate prescribing
Authors: Degnan Kathleen O. , Cluzet Valerie , David Michael Z. , Dutcher Lauren , Cressman Leigh , Lautenbach Ebbing , Hamilton Keith W. ,   for the CDC Prevention Epicenters Program
Published: June 2021

Objective:

To determine metrics and provider characteristics associated with inappropriate antibiotic prescribing for respiratory tract diagnoses (RTDs).

Design:

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting:

Primary care practices in a university health system.

Participants:

Patients seen by an attending physician or advanced practice provider (APP) at their primary care office visit with International Classification of Disease, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM)–coded RTDs.

Methods:

Medical records were reviewed for 1,200 randomly selected office visits in which an antibiotic was prescribed to determine appropriateness. Based on this gold standard, metrics and provider characteristics associated with inappropriate antibiotic prescribing were determined.

Results:

Overall, 69% of antibiotics were inappropriate. Metrics utilizing prespecified RTDs most strongly associated with inappropriate prescribing were (1) proportion prescribing for RTDs for which antibiotics are almost never required (eg, bronchitis) and (2) proportion prescribing for any RTD. Provider characteristics associated with inappropriate antibiotic prescribing were APP versus physician (72% vs 58%; P = .02), family medicine versus internal medicine (76% vs 63%; P = .01), board certification 1997 or later versus board certification before 1997 (75% vs 63%; P = .02), nonteaching versus teaching practice (73% vs 51%; P < .01), and nonurban vs urban practice (77% vs 57%; P < .01).

Conclusions:

Metrics utilizing proportion prescribing for RTDs for which antibiotics are almost never required and proportion prescribing for any RTD were most strongly associated with inappropriate prescribing. APPs and clinicians with family medicine training, with board certification 1997 or later, and who worked in nonteaching or nonurban practices had higher proportions of inappropriate prescribing. These findings could inform design of interventions to improve prescribing and could represent an efficient way to track inappropriate prescribing.
Impact of mechanized clam dredging on the discarded megabenthic fauna on the Catalan coast (NW Mediterranean)
Authors: Baeta Marc , Rubio Claudia , Breton Françoise
Published: June 2021

There is an important small-scale fishery using mechanized dredges and targeting clams (mainly wedge clam Donax trunculus and striped venus clam Chamelea gallina) along the Catalan coast (NW Mediterranean Sea). This study evaluated for the first time the discards and impact of mechanized clam dredging on the Catalan coast. To this end, three surveys were performed on board standard clam vessels (September and November 2016 and January 2017). Surveys were conducted in the three main clam fishing areas (Rosas Bay, South Barcelona and Ebro Delta). The composition of discards and the impact caused to discarded species was assessed using a three-level scale (undamaged; minor or partial damage; and lethal damage). Our study revealed that a large proportion of the catch (between 67–82% weight) is discarded. Even though about 63% of the discarded species were undamaged, 11% showed minor or partial damage and 26% lethal damage. Infaunal and epifaunal species with soft-body or fragile shells were the most impacted by the fishing activity (e.g. the sea urchin Echinocardium mediterraneum (~89%) and the bivalve Ensis minor (~74%)). Our results showed different levels of impact by target species and fishing area.
The impact of living arrangements and intergenerational support on the health status of older people in China: are rural residents disadvantaged compared to urban residents?
Authors: Yang Yazhen , Evandrou Maria , Vlachantoni Athina
Published: June 2021

Research to-date has examined the impact of intergenerational support in terms of isolated types of support, or at one point in time, failing to provide strong evidence of the complex effect of support on older persons’ wellbeing. Using the Harmonised China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (2011, 2013 and 2015), this paper investigates the impact of older people's living arrangements and intergenerational support provision/receipt on their physical and psychological wellbeing, focusing on rural–urban differences. The results show that receiving economic support from one's adult children was a stronger predictor for higher life satisfaction among rural residents compared to urban residents, while grandchild care provision was an important determinant for poor life satisfaction only for urban residents. Having weekly in-person and distant contact with one's adult children reduced the risk of depression in both rural and urban residents. Older women were more likely than men to receive support and to have contact with adult children, but also to report poor functional status and depression. The paper shows that it is important to improve the level of public economic transfers and public social care towards vulnerable older people in rural areas, and more emphasis should be placed on improving the psychological wellbeing of urban older residents, such as with the early diagnosis of depression.
Invented Dances, Or, How Nigerian Musicians Sculpt the Body Politic
Authors: Ayobade Dotun
Published: June 2021

Popular dances encapsulate the aliveness of Africa's young. Radiating an Africanist aesthetic of the cool, these moves enflesh popular music, saturating mass media platforms and everyday spaces with imageries of joyful transcendence. This essay understands scriptive dance fads as textual and choreographic calls for public embodiment. I explore how three Nigerian musicians, and their dances, have wielded scriptive prompts to elicit specific moved responses from dispersed, heterogenous, and transnational publics. Dance fads of this kind productively complicate musicological approaches that insist on divorcing contemporary African music cultures from the dancing bodies that they often conjure. Taken together, these movements enlist popular culture as a domain marked by telling contestations over musical ownership and embodied citizenship.
Stones and slaves: labour, race and spatial exclusion in colonial Santo Domingo
Authors: Núñez Collado José R. , Merwood-Salisbury Joanna
Published: June 2021

Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, the oldest continuously inhabited European settlement in what was later called the ‘New World’, was a centre of the Atlantic slave trade. While it has been called the ‘cradle of blackness in the Americas’, discussion of racial exclusion and marginalization is mostly absent in the city's architecture and urban history. This article investigates how architecture and urban design helped reinforce the colonizers’ control over enslaved peoples. Specifically, we explore the Santa Bárbara neighbourhood, its church and the slave warehouse known as La Negreta. Drawing on historical maps and archival documents, we draw attention to how the spatial and material construction of Santa Bárbara constituted and maintained social and racial structures of oppression.
Equine influenza: a comprehensive review from etiology to treatment
Authors: Dionísio Luís , Medeiros Francisco , Pequito Manuel , Faustino-Rocha Ana I.
Published: June 2021

Influenza is an extremely contagious respiratory disease, which predominantly affects the upper respiratory tract. There are four types of influenza virus, and pigs and chickens are considered two key reservoirs of this virus. Equine influenza (EI) virus was first identified in horses in 1956, in Prague. The influenza A viruses responsible for EI are H7N7 and H3N8. Outbreaks of EI are characterized by their visible and rapid spread, and it has been possible to isolate and characterize H3N8 outbreaks in several countries. The clinical diagnosis of this disease is based on the clinical signs presented by the infected animals, which can be confirmed by performing complementary diagnostic tests. In the diagnosis of EI, in the field, rapid antigen detection tests can be used for a first approach. Treatment is based on the management of the disease and rest for the animal. Regarding the prognosis, it will depend on several factors, such as the animal's vaccination status. One of the important points in this disease is its prevention, which can be done through vaccination. In addition to decreasing the severity of clinical signs and morbidity during outbreaks, vaccination ensures immunity for the animals, reducing the economic impact of this disease.
Trans-Himalayan science in mid-twentieth century China and India: Birbal Sahni, Hsü Jen, and a Pan-Asian paleobotany
Authors: Ghosh Arunabh
Published: June 2021

This paper uses the decade-long collaboration between the Indian paleobotanist Birbal Sahni (1891–1949) and his Chinese doctoral student Hsü Jen (Xu Ren 徐仁, 1910–1992) to offer a connected history of mid-twentieth century scientific activity in China and India. Possibly the first Chinese scientist to earn a PhD from an Indian university (Lucknow, 1946), Hsü was certainly the first to be appointed to a faculty position in India. Sahni and Hsü's attempts to build Asian networks of scientific activity, characterized by the circulation of experts, scientific knowledge, and specimens, provide the grounds for considering a practice of Pan-Asianism. Such a formulation adds to existing work on the Pan-Asianist articulations of intellectual and political figures and urges for an expansion of how we understand scientific activity across China and India from the 1930s to the 1960s. In so doing, the paper makes two historiographical interventions. In the first instance, the collaboration presents an opportunity to move beyond the two dominant frames through which histories of science in China and India are studied: the nation state and Non-West/West binaries. Second, a focus on science widens the scope of China–India history, a field dominated by research on cultural, intellectual, and diplomatic topics.
Ditching Nutrients: Roadside Drainage Networks are Hotspots for Microbial Nitrogen Removal
Authors: Tatariw Corianne , Mason Olivia U. , Mortazavi Behzad
Published: June 2021

Human‐made stormwater control systems are biogeochemical hotspots, but construction and management may result in homogenization of their ecosystem structure. Roadside ditches are a ubiquitous part of the landscape, yet few studies have quantified their biogeochemical potential. We conducted a study to determine (a) nitrate (NO3−) removal potential through rate measurements and (b) microbial community structure using 16S rRNA gene (iTag) sequencing in roadside ditches draining predominantly forested, urban, and agricultural watersheds surrounding Mobile Bay, AL (USA). We found that nitrogen (N) removal rates by denitrification and anammox dominated over N‐retention by dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium, accounting for upwards of 89% of NO3− reduction on average. There were no differences in soil characteristics between land use types, but denitrification potential rates in forested ditches were less than half of those in urban and agricultural ditches, possibly as a result of differences in vegetation management. Microbial alpha and beta diversity were largely homogenous across the three land use types. However, indicator species analysis revealed putative ammonia oxidizers (Nitrososphaeraceae and Nitrosomonadaceae), nitrate reducers (Gaiellales), and nitrous oxide reducers (Myxococcales) as significant groups in urban and agricultural ditches. We conclude that land use effects on N‐removal in these constructed drainage networks are mediated through key microbial groups and ditch vegetation management strategies. Further, roadside ditches have significant potential for reactive N removal in the landscape.
Carbonate Standards Ensure Better Paleothermometers
Authors: Lee Jack
Published: June 2021

A community effort finds that carbonate standards eliminate the interlaboratory differences plaguing carbonate clumped-isotope thermometry studies.
Differences Between Flashes With and Without Return Strokes in Rocket‐Triggered Lightning
Authors: Cai Li , Li Jin , Wang Jianguo , Su Rui , Ke Yifeng , Zhou Mi , Li Quanxin
Published: June 2021

Based on simultaneous observation of currents and electric field changes, the differences have been identified between flashes with and without return strokes in rocket‐triggered lightning. The triggered lightning events without return stroke have an obvious no‐current period up to some milliseconds before the current flow is reestablished, then a relatively large amplitude (1.2 kA or so) and fast risetime (0.7 μs or less) pulse similar to those of the return stroke current are reestablished between the upward positive leader and the ground. The triggered lightning events with return strokes have no no‐current period in the initial current variation, and the current pulse of wire destruction and plasma channel reestablishment process is similar to the M‐component pulse, featuring a small amplitude (0.17 kA or so) and slow risetime (57 μs or more). The stronger initial stage is usually followed by return strokes.
Deterministic Chaos in Ionospheric Plasma Pumped by Radio Waves
Authors: Leyser Thomas B.
Published: June 2021

A commonly observed spectral feature of electromagnetic emissions stimulated by powerful radio waves in ionospheric plasma is found to have an exponential frequency spectrum. This so called broad upshifted maximum (BUM) is excited for pump frequencies near and slightly above an harmonic of the ionospheric electron gyro frequency. A simplified model of lower hybrid oscillations driven by parametric four‐wave interaction localized in a cylindrical density depletion shows how the plasma drift can exhibit deterministic chaos. The associated exponential spectra are consistent with the experimental results.
A deep database of medical abbreviations and acronyms for natural language processing
Authors: Grossman Liu Lisa , Grossman Raymond H. , Mitchell Elliot G. , Weng Chunhua , Natarajan Karthik , Hripcsak George , Vawdrey David K.
Published: June 2021

The recognition, disambiguation, and expansion of medical abbreviations and acronyms is of upmost importance to prevent medically-dangerous misinterpretation in natural language processing. To support recognition, disambiguation, and expansion, we present the Medical Abbreviation and Acronym Meta-Inventory, a deep database of medical abbreviations. A systematic harmonization of eight source inventories across multiple healthcare specialties and settings identified 104,057 abbreviations with 170,426 corresponding senses. Automated cross-mapping of synonymous records using state-of-the-art machine learning reduced redundancy, which simplifies future application. Additional features include semi-automated quality control to remove errors. The Meta-Inventory demonstrated high completeness or coverage of abbreviations and senses in new clinical text, a substantial improvement over the next largest repository (6–14% increase in abbreviation coverage; 28–52% increase in sense coverage). To our knowledge, the Meta-Inventory is the most complete compilation of medical abbreviations and acronyms in American English to-date. The multiple sources and high coverage support application in varied specialties and settings. This allows for cross-institutional natural language processing, which previous inventories did not support. The Meta-Inventory is available at https://bit.ly/github-clinical-abbreviations.
Classification of apatite structures via topological data analysis: a framework for a ‘Materials Barcode’ representation of structure maps
Authors: Broderick Scott , Dongol Ruhil , Zhang Tianmu , Rajan Krishna
Published: June 2021

This paper introduces the use of topological data analysis (TDA) as an unsupervised machine learning tool to uncover classification criteria in complex inorganic crystal chemistries. Using the apatite chemistry as a template, we track through the use of persistent homology the topological connectivity of input crystal chemistry descriptors on defining similarity between different stoichiometries of apatites. It is shown that TDA automatically identifies a hierarchical classification scheme within apatites based on the commonality of the number of discrete coordination polyhedra that constitute the structural building units common among the compounds. This information is presented in the form of a visualization scheme of a barcode of homology classifications, where the persistence of similarity between compounds is tracked. Unlike traditional perspectives of structure maps, this new “Materials Barcode” schema serves as an automated exploratory machine learning tool that can uncover structural associations from crystal chemistry databases, as well as to achieve a more nuanced insight into what defines similarity among homologous compounds.
Transferrin-modified liposomes triggered with ultrasound to treat HeLa cells
Authors: AlSawaftah Nour M. , Awad Nahid S. , Paul Vinod , Kawak Paul S. , Al-Sayah Mohammad H. , Husseini Ghaleb A.
Published: June 2021

Targeted liposomes are designed to target specific receptors overexpressed on the surfaces of cancer cells. This technique ensures site-specific drug delivery to reduce undesirable side effects while enhancing the efficiency of the encapsulated therapeutics. Upon reaching the tumor site, these liposomes can be triggered to release their content in a controlled manner using ultrasound (US). In this study, drug release from pegylated calcein-loaded liposomes modified with transferrin (Tf) and triggered with US was evaluated. Low-frequency ultrasound at 20-kHz using three different power densities (6.2 mW/cm2, 9 mW/cm2and 10 mW/cm2) was found to increase calcein release. In addition, transferrin-conjugated pegylated liposomes (Tf-PEG liposomes) were found to be more sonosensitive compared to the non-targeted (control) liposomes. Calcein uptake by HeLa cells was found to be significantly higher with the Tf-PEG liposomes compared to the non-targeted control liposomes. This uptake was further enhanced following the exposure to low-frequency ultrasound (at 35 kHz). These findings show that targeted liposomes triggered with US have promising potential as a safe and effective drug delivery platform.
Rootstock effects on scion gene expression in maritime pine
Authors: López-Hinojosa M. , de María N. , Guevara M. A. , Vélez M. D. , Cabezas J. A. , Díaz L. M. , Mancha J. A. , Pizarro A. , Manjarrez L. F. , Collada C. , Díaz-Sala C. , Cervera Goy M. T.
Published: June 2021

Pines are the dominant conifers in Mediterranean forests. As long-lived sessile organisms that seasonally have to cope with drought periods, they have developed a variety of adaptive responses. However, during last decades, highly intense and long-lasting drought events could have contributed to decay and mortality of the most susceptible trees. Among conifer species, Pinus pinaster Ait. shows remarkable ability to adapt to different environments. Previous molecular analysis of a full-sib family designed to study drought response led us to find active transcriptional activity of stress-responding genes even without water deprivation in tolerant genotypes. To improve our knowledge about communication between above- and below-ground organs of maritime pine, we have analyzed four graft-type constructions using two siblings as rootstocks and their progenitors, Gal 1056 and Oria 6, as scions. Transcriptomic profiles of needles from both scions were modified by the rootstock they were grafted on. However, the most significant differential gene expression was observed in drought-sensitive Gal 1056, while in drought-tolerant Oria 6, differential gene expression was very much lower. Furthermore, both scions grafted onto drought-tolerant rootstocks showed activation of genes involved in tolerance to abiotic stress, and is most remarkable in Oria 6 grafts where higher accumulation of transcripts involved in phytohormone action, transcriptional regulation, photosynthesis and signaling has been found. Additionally, processes, such as those related to secondary metabolism, were mainly associated with the scion genotype. This study provides pioneering information about rootstock effects on scion gene expression in conifers.
Prefrontal tDCS attenuates counterfactual thinking in female individuals prone to self-critical rumination
Authors: Allaert Jens , De Raedt Rudi , van der Veen Frederik M. , Baeken Chris , Vanderhasselt Marie-Anne
Published: June 2021

The tendency to ruminate (i.e., repetitive negative self-referential thoughts that perpetuate depressive mood) is associated with (a) an elevated propensity to maladaptively experience counterfactual thinking (CFT) and regret, and (b) hypo-activity of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). The goal of this study was to investigate whether anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the left DLPFC, in function of self-critical rumination tendencies, momentarily reduces counterfactual thinking and regret (assessed via self-report and psychophysiological indices). Eighty healthy participants with different levels of self-critical rumination received either anodal or sham tDCS while performing a decision making task in which they were repeatedly confronted with optimal, suboptimal, and non-optimal choice outcomes. The results showed that among rumination-prone individuals, anodal (versus sham) tDCS was associated with decreased CFT and attenuated psychophysiological reactivity to the differential choice outcomes. Conversely, among low rumination-prone individuals, anodal (versus sham) tDCS was associated with increased CFT and regret, but in absence of any effects on psychophysiological reactivity. Potential working mechanisms for these differential tDCS effects are discussed. Taken together, these results provide initial converging evidence for the adaptive effects of left prefrontal tDCS on CFT and regret to personal choice outcomes among individuals prone to engage in self-critical rumination.
Electron work function: an indicative parameter towards a novel material design methodology
Authors: Luo Yuzhuo , Tang Yunqing , Chung Tsai-Fu , Tai Cheng-Ling , Chen Chih-Yuan , Yang Jer-Ren , Li D. Y.
Published: June 2021

Electron work function (EWF) has demonstrated its great promise in materials analysis and design, particularly for single-phase materials, e.g., solute selection for optimal solid-solution strengthening. Such promise is attributed to the correlation of EWF with the atomic bonding and stability, which largely determines material properties. However, engineering materials generally consist of multiple phases. Whether or not the overall EWF of a complex multi-phase material can reflect its properties is unclear. Through investigation on the relationships among EWF, microstructure, mechanical and electrochemical properties of low-carbon steel samples with two-level microstructural inhomogeneity, we demonstrate that the overall EWF does carry the information on integrated electron behavior and overall properties of multiphase alloys. This study makes it achievable to develop “electronic metallurgy”—an electronic based novel alternative methodology for materials design.
Hepatic lipid signatures of little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus) and big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) at early stages of white-nose syndrome
Authors: Pannkuk Evan L. , Dorville Nicole A. S.-Y. , Dzal Yvonne A. , Fletcher Quinn E. , Norquay Kaleigh J. O. , Willis Craig K. R. , Fornace Albert J. , Laiakis Evagelia C.
Published: June 2021

White-nose syndrome (WNS) is an emergent wildlife fungal disease of cave-dwelling, hibernating bats that has led to unprecedented mortalities throughout North America. A primary factor in WNS-associated bat mortality includes increased arousals from torpor and premature fat depletion during winter months. Details of species and sex-specific changes in lipid metabolism during WNS are poorly understood and may play an important role in the pathophysiology of the disease. Given the likely role of fat metabolism in WNS and the fact that the liver plays a crucial role in fatty acid distribution and lipid storage, we assessed hepatic lipid signatures of little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus) and big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) at an early stage of infection with the etiological agent, Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd). Differences in lipid profiles were detected at the species and sex level in the sham-inoculated treatment, most strikingly in higher hepatic triacylglyceride (TG) levels in E. fuscus females compared to males. Interestingly, several dominant TGs (storage lipids) decreased dramatically after Pd infection in both female M. lucifugus and E. fuscus. Increases in hepatic glycerophospholipid (structural lipid) levels were only observed in M. lucifugus, including two phosphatidylcholines (PC [32:1], PC [42:6]) and one phosphatidylglycerol (PG [34:1]). These results suggest that even at early stages of WNS, changes in hepatic lipid mobilization may occur and be species and sex specific. As pre-hibernation lipid reserves may aid in bat persistence and survival during WNS, these early perturbations to lipid metabolism could have important implications for management responses that aid in pre-hibernation fat storage.
Superhuman spatial hearing technology for ultrasonic frequencies
Authors: Pulkki Ville , McCormack Leo , Gonzalez Raimundo
Published: June 2021

Ultrasonic sources are inaudible to humans, and while digital signal processing techniques are available to bring ultrasonic signals into the audible range, there are currently no systems which also simultaneously permit the listener to localise the sources through spatial hearing. Therefore, we describe a method whereby an in-situ listener with normal binaural hearing can localise ultrasonic sources in real-time; opening-up new applications, such as the monitoring of certain forms of wild life in their habitats and man-made systems. In this work, an array of ultrasonic microphones is mounted to headphones, and the spatial parameters of the ultrasonic sound-field are extracted. A pitch-shifted signal is then rendered to the headphones with spatial properties dictated by the estimated parameters. The processing provides the listener with the spatial cues that would normally occur if the acoustic wave produced by the source were to arrive at the listener having already been pitch-shifted. The results show that the localisation accuracy delivered by the proof-of-concept device implemented here is almost as good as with audible sources, as tested both in the laboratory and under conditions in the field.
Confinement and entanglement dynamics on a digital quantum computer
Authors: Vovrosh Joseph , Knolle Johannes
Published: June 2021

Confinement describes the phenomenon when the attraction between two particles grows with their distance, most prominently found in quantum chromodynamics (QCD) between quarks. In condensed matter physics, confinement can appear in quantum spin chains, for example, in the one dimensional transverse field Ising model (TFIM) with an additional longitudinal field, famously observed in the quantum material cobalt niobate or in optical lattices. Here, we establish that state-of-the-art quantum computers have reached capabilities to simulate confinement physics in spin chains. We report quantitative confinement signatures of the TFIM on an IBM quantum computer observed via two distinct velocities for information propagation from domain walls and their mesonic bound states. We also find the confinement induced slow down of entanglement spreading by implementing randomized measurement protocols for the second order Rényi entanglement entropy. Our results are a crucial step for probing non-perturbative interacting quantum phenomena on digital quantum computers beyond the capabilities of classical hardware.
Assessment of economic, thermal and hydraulic performances a corrugated helical heat exchanger filled with non-Newtonian nanofluid
Authors: Ibrahim Muhammad , Algehyne Ebrahem A. , Saeed Tareq , Berrouk Abdallah S. , Chu Yu-Ming , Cheraghian Goshtasp
Published: June 2021

Improved heat transfer efficiency with considering economic analysis in heating systems is an interesting topic for researchers and scientists in recent years. This research investigates the heat transfer rate (HTR) and flow of non-Newtonian water-Carboxyl methyl cellulose (CMC) based Al2O3 nanofluid in a helical heat exchanger equipped with common and novel turbulators using two-phase model. The requirements for dimensions and cost reduction and also energy saving in thermal systems are the main goal of this study. According to gained results usage of corrugated channel in helical heat exchanger has a considerable influence on thermal and hydraulic performance evaluation criteria (THPEC) index of helical heat exchanger and can improve the THPEC index. Thus, Re = 5000 is obtained as an optimum value, in which the maximum THPEC value is achieved. As it is found in this paper, in case of using novel heat exchanger instead of the basic smooth system, the thermal properties (by considering Nusselt number) increases about 210%, the hydraulic performance (friction factor) reduces about 28%, performance evaluation criteria index increases about 57% and the material consumption (in case of similar THPEC) decreases about 31%. In another word, with considering economic analysis for the basic and novel system which has same efficiencies, the novel one has lower length and consequently 31% lower material.
Study on the prognosis predictive model of COVID-19 patients based on CT radiomics
Authors: Wang Dandan , Huang Chencui , Bao Siyu , Fan Tingting , Sun Zhongqi , Wang Yiqiao , Jiang Huijie , Wang Song
Published: June 2021

Making timely assessments of disease progression in patients with COVID-19 could help offer the best personalized treatment. The purpose of this study was to explore an effective model to predict the outcome of patients with COVID-19. We retrospectively included 188 patients (124 in the training set and 64 in the test set) diagnosed with COVID-19. Patients were divided into aggravation and improvement groups according to the disease progression. Three kinds of models were established, including the radiomics, clinical, and combined model. Receiver operating characteristic curves, decision curves, and Delong’s test were used to evaluate and compare the models. Our analysis showed that all the established prediction models had good predictive performance in predicting the progress and outcome of COVID-19.
Universal quantum computing using single-particle discrete-time quantum walk
Authors: Singh Shivani , Chawla Prateek , Sarkar Anupam , Chandrashekar C. M.
Published: June 2021

Quantum walk has been regarded as a primitive to universal quantum computation. In this paper, we demonstrate the realization of the universal set of quantum gates on two- and three-qubit systems by using the operations required to describe the single particle discrete-time quantum walk on a position space. The idea is to utilize the effective Hilbert space of the single qubit and the position space on which it evolves in order to realize multi-qubit states and universal set of quantum gates on them. Realization of many non-trivial gates and engineering arbitrary states is simpler in the proposed quantum walk model when compared to the circuit based model of computation. We will also discuss the scalability of the model and some propositions for using lesser number of qubits in realizing larger qubit systems.