bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Birefringence and Dichroism in Quasi‐1D Transition Metal Trichalcogenides: Direct Experimental Investigation
Authors: Hou Shijun , Guo Zhengfeng , Yang Juehan , Liu Yue‐Yang , Shen Wanfu , Hu Chunguang , Liu Shiyuan , Gu Honggang , Wei Zhongming
Published: April 2021

Birefringence and dichroism are very important properties in optical anisotropy. Understanding the intrinsic birefringence and dichroism of a material can provide great help to utilize its optical anisotropy. But the direct experimental investigation of birefringence in nanoscale materials is rarely reported. As typical anisotropic transition metals trichalcogenides (TMTCs) materials with quasi‐1D structure, TiS3 and ZrS3 have attracted extensive attention due to their special crystal structure and optical anisotropy characteristics. Here, the optical anisotropy properties such as birefringence and dichroism of two kinds of quasi‐1D TMTCs, TiS3 and ZrS3, are theoretically and experimentally studied. In experimental results, the anisotropic refraction and anisotropic reflection of TiS3 and ZrS3 are studied by polarization‐resolved optical microscopy and azimuth‐dependent reflectance difference microscopy, respectively. In addition, the birefringence and dichroism of ZrS3 nanoribbon in experiment are directly measured by spectrometric ellipsometry measurements, and a reasonable result is obtained. This work provides the basic optical anisotropy information of TiS3 and ZrS3. It lays a foundation for the further study of the optical anisotropy of these two materials and provides a feasible method for the study of birefringence and dichroism of other nanomaterials in the future.
Effect of water‐to‐cement ratio on service life of reinforced concrete structures in chloride environment
Authors: Liang Yongqin , Wang Licheng
Published: April 2021

Cracking of concrete induced by rebar corrosion is a main cause for deterioration of reinforced concrete structures especially for those exposed to chloride environment. In all of the parameters influencing the service life of concrete structures, water‐to‐cement ratio is a very important one for it determines the resistance of concrete against chloride aggression and corrosion‐induced damage. In this paper, the parameters in corrosion process influenced by water‐to‐cement ratio of concrete (w/c) are screened all‐round which include concrete tensile strength ft, elastic modulus Ec, porous zone thickness δ0, corrosion current density icorr, critical chloride content Ccr, and chloride diffusion coefficient Dcl. The influences of w/c on the chloride penetration stage and the corrosion damage stage are studied. The first stage is expressed by Fick's second law, and the second stage is calculated using a commonly used analytical model, i.e. the thick‐walled cylinder model. It is found that with the increase of w/c, the change of some parameters (ft↑, Ccr↑, Dcl↓, icorr↓) will induce increase of the service life, while the change of the others (Ec↑, δ0↓) will induce decrease of the service life. The diffusion stage and damage stage both shorten with the increase of w/c, and thus the total service life decreases with the increase of w/c. These results show that the increase of w/c presents a negative effect on the service life of concrete structures in total. In addition, with the increase of w/c, the service life for various concrete cover thicknesses and rebar diameters decrease in a similar tendency. For probability analyses, it is found that the probability density curves under different w/c are almost symmetric but show a little left‐skewed, and the total service life for various w/c fluctuates about 0.6 to 1.0 year.
An Overview of the Recent Progress in Polymeric Carbon Nitride Based Photocatalysis
Authors: Humayun Muhammad , Ullah Habib , Tahir Asif Ali , bin Mohd Yusoff Abd. Rashid , Mat Teridi Mohd Asri , Nazeeruddin Mohammad Khaja , Luo Wei
Published: April 2021

Recently, polymeric carbon nitride (g‐C3N4) as a proficient photo‐catalyst has been effectively employed in photocatalysis for energy conversion, storage, and pollutants degradation due to its low cost, robustness, and environmentally friendly nature. The critical review summarized the recent development, fundamentals, nanostructures design, advantages, and challenges of g‐C3N4 (CN), as potential future photoactive material. The review also discusses the latest information on the improvement of CN‐based heterojunctions including Type‐II, Z‐scheme, metal/CN Schottky junctions, noble metal@CN, graphene@CN, carbon nanotubes (CNTs)@CN, metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs)/CN, layered double hydroxides (LDH)/CN heterojunctions and CN‐based heterostructures for H2 production from H2O, CO2 conversion and pollutants degradation in detail. The optical absorption, electronic behavior, charge separation and transfer, and bandgap alignment of CN‐based heterojunctions are discussed elaborately. The correlations between CN‐based heterostructures and photocatalytic activities are described excessively. Besides, the prospects of CN‐based heterostructures for energy production, storage, and pollutants degradation are discussed.
Head and neck radiotherapy on the MR linac: a multicenter planning challenge amongst MRIdian platform users
Authors: Chamberlain Madalyne , Krayenbuehl Jerome , van Timmeren Janita E. , Wilke Lotte , Andratschke Nicolaus , Garcia Schüler Helena , Tanadini-Lang Stephanie , Guckenberger Matthias , Balermpas Panagiotis
Published: April 2021

Purpose

Purpose of this study is to evaluate plan quality on the MRIdian (Viewray Inc., Oakwood Village, OH, USA) system for head and neck cancer (HNC) through comparison of planning approaches of several centers.

Methods

A total of 14 planners using the MRIdian planning system participated in this treatment challenge, centrally organized by ViewRay, for one contoured case of oropharyngeal carcinoma with standard constraints for organs at risk (OAR). Homogeneity, conformity, sparing of OARs, and other parameters were evaluated according to The International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements (ICRU) recommendations anonymously, and then compared between centers. Differences amongst centers were assessed by means of Wilcoxon test. Each plan had to fulfil hard constraints based on dose–volume histogram (DVH) parameters and delivery time. A plan quality metric (PQM) was evaluated. The PQM was defined as the sum of 16 submetrics characterizing different DVH goals.

Results

For most dose parameters the median score of all centers was higher than the threshold that results in an ideal score. Six participants achieved the maximum number of points for the OAR dose parameters, and none had an unacceptable performance on any of the metrics. Each planner was able to achieve all the requirements except for one which exceeded delivery time. The number of segments correlated to improved PQM and inversely correlated to brainstem D0.1cc and to Planning Target Volume1 (PTV) D0.1cc. Total planning experience inversely correlated to spinal canal dose.

Conclusion

Magnetic Resonance Image (MRI) linac-based planning for HNC is already feasible with good quality. Generally, an increased number of segments and increasing planning experience are able to provide better results regarding planning quality without significantly prolonging overall treatment time.
Exploring the dermotoxicity of the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol: combined morphologic and proteomic profiling of human epidermal cells reveals alteration of lipid biosynthesis machinery and membrane structural integrity relevant for skin barrier function
Authors: Del Favero Giorgia , Janker Lukas , Neuditschko Benjamin , Hohenbichler Julia , Kiss Endre , Woelflingseder Lydia , Gerner Christopher , Marko Doris
Published: April 2021

Deoxynivalenol (vomitoxin, DON) is a secondary metabolite produced by Fusarium spp. fungi and it is one of the most prevalent mycotoxins worldwide. Crop infestation results not only in food and feed contamination, but also in direct dermal exposure, especially during harvest and food processing. To investigate the potential dermotoxicity of DON, epidermoid squamous cell carcinoma cells A431 were compared to primary human neonatal keratinocytes (HEKn) cells via proteome/phosphoproteome profiling. In A431 cells, 10 µM DON significantly down-regulated ribosomal proteins, as well as mitochondrial respiratory chain elements (OXPHOS regulation) and transport proteins (TOMM22; TOMM40; TOMM70A). Mitochondrial impairment was reflected in altered metabolic competence, apparently combined with interference of the lipid biosynthesis machinery. Functional effects on the cell membrane were confirmed by live cell imaging and membrane fluidity assays (0.1–10 µM DON). Moreover, a common denominator for both A431 and HEKn cells was a significant downregulation of the squalene synthase (FDFT1). In sum, proteome alterations could be traced back to the transcription factor Klf4, a crucial regulator of skin barrier function. Overall, these results describe decisive molecular events sustaining the capability of DON to impair skin barrier function. Proteome data generated in the study are fully accessible via ProteomeXchange with the accession numbers PXD011474 and PXD013613.
Optimising sample preparation for FTIR-based microplastic analysis in wastewater and sludge samples: multiple digestions
Authors: Cunsolo Serena , Williams John , Hale Michelle , Read Daniel S. , Couceiro Fay
Published: April 2021

The lack of standardised methodologies in microplastic research has been addressed in recent years as it hampers the comparison of results across studies. The quantification of microplastics in the environment is key to the assessment of the potential eco-toxicological impacts that this new category of emerging pollutants could have on terrestrial and aquatic species. Therefore, the need for protocols that are robust, simple and reliable together with their standardisation are of crucial importance. This study has focused on removal of organic matter with Fenton reagent from wastewater and sludge samples. This step of analysis was optimised by implementing a multi-digestion treatment on these samples that have high concentration of complex mixtures of organic matter, which interfere with microplastic enumeration. Moreover, this study targeted the detection of microplastics in the sub-hundred-micron size range due to the potential higher risks associated with smaller-sized particles and the limited data available from previous wastewater research. To show the validity of the method, triplicate samples of raw sewage, final effluent and sludge were independently spiked with two different sizes and types of microplastic polymers. Due to the various analytical stages required for the isolation of microplastics, time is a limiting factor in sample processing. The sequential digestion with Fenton reagent represents an inexpensive and time-efficient procedure for wastewater research providing effective degradation of organic material. These advantages over other currently available methods mean the method is suitable for analysis of large numbers of samples allowing robust monitoring data sets to be generated.
Contribution of magnetic resonance imaging to the prenatal diagnosis of common congenital vascular anomalies
Authors: Crivelli Laurence , Millischer Anne-Elodie , Sonigo Pascale , Grévent David , Hanquinet Sylviane , Vial Yvan , Alamo Leonor
Published: April 2021

Background

Screening ultrasound (US) has increased the detection of congenital vascular anomalies in utero. Complementary magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may improve the diagnosis, but its real utility is still not well established.

Objectives

We aimed to describe the imaging findings on prenatal US and MRI of the most frequent congenital vascular anomalies (lymphatic malformations and congenital hemangiomas) to assess the accuracy of prenatal US and MRI exams for diagnosis and to evaluate the relevance of the additional information obtained by complementary fetal MRI.

Materials and methods

All confirmed postnatal congenital vascular anomalies detected in the last 10 years at 3 university hospitals were retrospectively identified. The prenatal diagnosis was compared with the final diagnosis for both methods and the clinical relevance of additional MRI information was evaluated. A second MRI in advanced pregnancy was performed in fetuses with lesions in a sensitive anatomical location and the clinical relevance of the additional information was evaluated.

Results

Twenty-four cases were included in the study, 20 lymphatic malformations and 4 hemangiomas. MRI slightly improved the diagnosis of lymphatic malformation, 85% vs. 80% at US, especially for abdominal lesions. Both methods had a low identification rate (25%) for tumors. MRI performed late in five fetuses with lymphatic malformation allowed optimized management at birth.

Conclusion

MRI improves the diagnosis of congenital lymphatic malformations whereas hemangiomas remain difficult to identify in utero. The main role of MRI is to provide high-defined anatomical data to guide management at birth.
Scopolamine fatal outcome in an inmate after buscopan® smoking
Authors: Strano-Rossi Sabina , Mestria Serena , Bolino Giorgio , Polacco Matteo , Grassi Simone , Oliva Antonio
Published: April 2021

Scopolamine is an alkaloid which acts as competitive antagonists to acetylcholine at central and peripheral muscarinic receptors. We report the case of a 41-year-old male convict with a 27-year history of cannabis abuse who suddenly died in the bed of his cell after having smoked buscopan® tablets. Since both abuse of substances and recent physical assaults had been reported, we opted for a comprehensive approach (post-mortem computed tomography CT (PMCT), full forensic autopsy, and toxicology testing) to determine which was the cause of the death. Virtopsy found significant cerebral edema and lungs edema that were confirmed at the autopsy and at the histopathological examination. Scopolamine was detected in peripheral blood at the toxic concentration of 14 ng/mL in blood and at 263 ng/mL in urine, and scopolamine butyl bromide at 17 ng/mL in blood and 90 ng/mL in urine. Quetiapine, mirtazapine, lorazepam, diazepam, and metabolites and valproate were also detected (at therapeutic concentrations). Inmates, especially when they have a history of drug abuse, are at risk to use any substance they can find for recreational purposes. In prisons, active surveillance on the management and assumption of prescribed drugs could avoid fatal acute intoxication.
Concurrent disjoint set union
Authors: Jayanti Siddhartha V. , Tarjan Robert E.
Published: April 2021

We develop and analyze concurrent algorithms for the disjoint set union (“union-find” ) problem in the shared memory, asynchronous multiprocessor model of computation, with CAS (compare and swap) or DCAS (double compare and swap) as the synchronization primitive. We give a deterministic bounded wait-free algorithm that uses DCAS and has a total work bound of $$O\biggl ( m \cdot \left( \log {\left( \frac{np}{m} + 1 \right) } + \alpha {\left( n, \frac{m}{np} \right) } \right) \biggr )$$

O

(

m
·

log

np

m

+
1

+
α

n
,

m

np

)

for a problem with n elements and m operations solved by p processes, where $$\alpha $$
α
is a functional inverse of Ackermann’s function. We give two randomized algorithms that use only CAS and have the same work bound in expectation. The analysis of the second randomized algorithm is valid even if the scheduler is adversarial. Our DCAS and randomized algorithms take $$O(\log n)$$

O
(
log
n
)

steps per operation, worst-case for the DCAS algorithm, high-probability for the randomized algorithms. Our work and step bounds grow only logarithmically with p, making our algorithms truly scalable. We prove that for a class of symmetric algorithms that includes ours, no better step or work bound is possible. Our work is theoretical, but Alistarh et al (In search of the fastest concurrent union-find algorithm, 2019), Dhulipala et al (A framework for static and incremental parallel graph connectivity algorithms, 2020) and Hong et al (Exploring the design space of static and incremental graph connectivity algorithms on gpus, 2020) have implemented some of our algorithms on CPUs and GPUs and experimented with them. On many realistic data sets, our algorithms run as fast or faster than all others.
Behandlungsempfehlungen vs. Real-Life: Therapie der rheumatoiden Arthritis in Österreich
Authors: Kerschbaumer A. , Aletaha D.
Published: April 2021

Das im Jahr 2019 erfolgte Update der EULAR-Behandlungsempfehlungen für Patientinnen und Patienten mit rheumatoider Arthritis (RA) umfasst einige Änderungen, welche vor allem auf neue pharmakologische Behandlungsalternativen (Januskinase-Inhibitoren), aber auch auf Erweiterungen der Therapiestrategien beruhen. Während die wissenschaftliche Evidenz und insbesondere die Anzahl der publizierten klinischen Studien stetig anwächst und nicht leicht überblickbar ist, war es stets ein wesentliches Ziel, die Anwendbarkeit der Empfehlungen in der klinischen Praxis in konkreten Schritten zu veranschaulichen. Beginnend mit der Therapieeinleitung nach Diagnosestellung, dem Therapieziel und dem Monitoring, wird auf die Erstlinientherapie mittels konventioneller Basistherapeutika und Glukokortikoiden eingegangen. Basierend auf dem Vorliegen von schlechten prognostischen Faktoren wird in der Zweitlinientherapie entweder eine Biologika- bzw. gezielte synthetische Basistherapie (in Kombination mit konventionellen Basistherapeutika) etabliert oder eine weitere konventionelle Basistherapie in Erwägung gezogen. Bei erneutem Fehlschlag der zielgerichteten Therapie wird auf ein anderes Wirkprinzip oder einen zweiten Tumornekrosefaktor-alpha-Inhibitor gewechselt. In langanhaltender Remission soll die Therapie, beginnend mit den Glukokortikoiden, gefolgt von Biologika und gezielten synthetischen Therapien, ausgeschlichen werden. Erst zuallerletzt soll die konventionelle Basistherapie beendet werden, mit dem höchsten Therapieziel der therapiefreien Remission. Diese Arbeit bietet einen Überblick über die Behandlungsempfehlungen der RA sowie auf jedes der übergeordneten Prinzipien („overarching principles“). Hierbei wird auf jede Empfehlung einzeln eingegangen und anhand eines konkreten Beispiels die Anwendung in der klinischen Praxis erläutert.
Methodological Challenges for Epidemiologic Studies of Deprescribing at the End of Life
Authors: Tjia Jennifer , Lund Jennifer L. , Mack Deborah S. , Mbrah Attah , Yuan Yiyang , Chen Qiaoxi , Osundolire Seun , McDermott Cara L.
Published: April 2021

Purpose of Review

To describe approaches to measuring deprescribing and associated outcomes in studies of patients approaching end of life (EOL).

Recent Findings

We reviewed studies published through 2020 that evaluated deprescribing in patients with limited life expectancy and approaching EOL. Deprescribing includes reducing the number of medications, decreasing medication dose(s), and eliminating potentially inappropriate medications. Tools such as STOPPFrail, OncPal, and the Unnecessary Drug Use Measure can facilitate deprescribing. Outcome measures vary and selection of measures should align with the operationalized deprescribing definition used by study investigators.

EOL deprescribing considerations include medication appropriateness in the context of patient goals for care, expected benefit from medication given life expectancy, and heightened potential for medication-related harm as death nears. Additional data are needed on how EOL deprescribing impacts patient quality of life, caregiver burden, and out-of-pocket medication-related costs to patients and caregivers. Investigators should design deprescribing studies with this information in mind.
Numerical investigation of the influence of discontinuity orientations on fault permeability evolution and slip displacement
Authors: Eyinla Dorcas S. , Gan Quan , Oladunjoye Michael A. , Olayinka Abel I.
Published: April 2021

A pre-existing plane of weakness along the fault is comprised of a particular pattern of joints dipping at different orientations. The fault stress state, partially defined by the orientation of fault, determines the potential of slip failure and hence the evolution of fault permeability. Here the influence of fault orientation on permeability evolution was investigated by direct fluid injection inside fault with three different sets of fault orientations (45°, 60° and 110°), through the coupled hydromechanical (H-M) model TOUGHREACT-FLAC3D. The influence of joints pattern on slip tendency and magnitude of potential induced seismicity was also evaluated by comparing the resulted slip distance and timing. The simulation results revealed that decreasing the dip angle of the fault increases the corresponding slip tendency in the normal fault circumstance. Also, with changing joints dip angle associated with the fault, the tendency of the fault slip changes concurrently with the permeability evolution in a noticeable manner. Permeability enhancement after the onset of fault slip was observed with the three sets of fault angles, while the condition of 60° dipping angle resulted in highest enhancement. Joints pattern with a dip angle of 145° (very high dip) and 30° (very low dip) did not trigger a shear slip with seismic permeability enhancement. However, high dip and intermediate dip angles (135°, 50° and 70°) yielded high permeability in varying orders of magnitude. The large stress excitation and increasing permeability during shear deformation was noticeably high in intermediate joint dip angles but decreases as the angle increases.

Article highlights

The magnitude of injection-induced permeability enhancement is largely influenced by the fault and joint spatial orientations.

With a slight change in the joint direction, there is an increasing possibility for fault to approach a different critical state of failure.

Stress elevation at the point of failure is controlled by the orientations of fault/joint planes with respect to the direction of maximum principal stress.
A Heterodyne Interferometer with Separated Beam Paths for High-Precision Displacement and Angular Measurements
Authors: Straube Guido , Fischer Calderón Juan Sebastian , Ortlepp Ingo , Füßl Roland , Manske Eberhard
Published: April 2021

As standard concepts for precision positioning within a machine reach their limits with increasing measurement volumes, inverse concepts are a promising approach for addressing this problem. The inverse principle entails other limitations, as for high-precision positioning of a sensor head within a large measurement volume, three four-beam interferometers are required in order to measure all necessary translations and rotations of the sensor head and reconstruct the topography of the reference system consisting of fixed mirrors in the x-, y-, and z-directions. We present the principle of a passive heterodyne laser interferometer with consequently separated beam paths for the individual heterodyne frequencies. The beam path design is illustrated and described, as well as the design of the signal-processing and evaluation algorithm, which is implemented using a System-On-a-Chip with an integrated FPGA, CPU, and A/D converters. A streamlined bench-top optical assembly was set up and measurements were carried out to investigate the remaining non-linearities. Additionally, reference measurements with a commercial homodyne interferometer were executed.
Undergraduate Teaching andAssassin's Creed
Authors: Arbuckle MacLeod Caroline
Published: April 2021

Digital tools are widely used in archaeology for excavation, research, and communication of results. Recently, due in large part to the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a significant increase in the use of these resources in the classroom. The use of digital games for teaching undergraduate archaeology courses has been explored by a number of educators, but the majority of instructors continue to see this medium as lacking any particular educational merit. To combat this conclusion, in this article, the author explores some of the ways that unmodified digital games can be integrated into undergraduate archaeology courses to inspire critical discussions. She discusses two main types of games—conceptual simulations and realist simulations—to show how these can help students better understand theoretical approaches to archaeological interpretation and to consider the most effective form of archaeological reconstructions for different audiences. The author highlights her own experiences teaching withAssassin's Creed: Originsto show the benefits and challenges of working with this medium, and she includes student responses to the use of digital games in discussions. An example of a student assignment and an example of a project prompt are provided as supplemental materials to further encourage the use of digital games in the classroom.
We Know Who We Are and What Is Needed
Authors: Laluk Nicholas C. , Burnette Benrita
Published: April 2021

Overall healing, harmony, and balance within Ndee (Apache) communities can be understood through the Ndee term Gózhó—“beauty, balance, and harmony.” Beyond this Ndee cultural precept, however, how are such states of Gózhó achieved, whether in the past or today? Within archaeological research on Ndee lands, achieving healing and promoting health is crucial to overall individual and community well-being. Healing activities that contribute to overall states of Gózhó can take many forms. As Rybak and Decker-Fitts (2009:334) suggest, “Native American healing practices exemplify key cultural perspectives and influence the identity development of Native American individuals.” Such healing practices including the use of yellow cattail pollen (hádńdín; Typha spp.) for protection are based on traditions and perspectives typically outside the mainstream of Western psychological tenets, yet they can have significant impact on the sense of well-being for Ndee communities. Ndee cultural specialists with the White Mountain Apache Tribe demonstrate that such traditions and perspectives are not only necessary for continued community well-being but are powerful conduits amplifying the past as present, which contribute to the ongoing cyclical and reciprocal nature of the ways Ndee communities have related to Nígosdzán—Mother Earth—since time immemorial.
Emergent, Relational Revolution: What More Do We Have to Learn from Jane Addams?
Authors: Lake Danielle
Published: April 2021

What does Jane Addams's approach to social change offer to publicly engaged scholars and activists today? This essay explores several dimensions of Addams's work that have been misinterpreted and overlooked, putting these aspects of her work into conversation with research on endeavors to move higher education toward civic democratic engagement. The goal is to visualize opportunities and strategies for more inclusive and democratic engagement with issues across local, regional, and global communities. In particular, this essay explores how Addams's place-based, boundary-spanning methods of engagement provide strategies for more inclusive and collaborative philosophical activism, including (1) fostering and sustaining relationships across difference, (2) engaging with soft systems mapping, and (3) using synthetic imagination in crafting transdisciplinary engaged narratives. In conjunction with research on social change and creative innovation, Addams's work highlights the potential value of collaborative and democratic endeavors across difference as a means toward more radical imaginaries and relational revolution.
Admission patterns in a psychiatric intensive care unit in Ireland: a longitudinal follow-up
Authors: Raaj S. , Navanathan S. , Matti B. , Bhagawan A. , Twomey P. , Lally J. , Browne R.
Published: April 2021

Objective:

This study aims to describe the course of admission and clinical characteristics of admissions to a psychiatric intensive care unit (PICU) in the Phoenix Care Centre (PCC), Dublin, Ireland.

Methods:

This retrospective chart study was conducted at the PCC, Dublin, Ireland. The cohort included all admission episodes (n = 91 complete data) over a three-year study period between January 2014 and January 2017.

Results:

The mean age of admitted cases was 37.1 (s.d. = 11.3; range 18–63). The mean length of stay (LOS) was 59.3 days (s.d. = 61.0; median 39.5 days). All patients were admitted under Mental Health Act legislation. Antipsychotic polypharmacy was used in 61% (n = 55) of the admissions. A diagnosis of acute psychotic disorder (B = −1.027, p = 0.003, 95% CI: −1.691, −0.363) was associated with reduced LOS in PICU.

Conclusion:

Our study describes the cohort of patients admitted as being predominantly male, younger-aged, single, having a diagnosis of schizophrenia and being legally detained. The primary indication for referral is risk of assault, which highlights the need for the intensive and secure treatment model that a PICU can provide.
On Italian mobilities and ecological fretwork
Authors: Hom Stephanie Malia
Published: April 2021

This invited commentary explores the ecological fretwork binding people and nature, and, specifically, how Italy and Italianness serve as critical frames for envisioning an environmental history of migration. It examines how each contribution in this special issue adds rigorous archival research to the growing body of academic literature on Italy and the environmental humanities. It also comments on the future research directions, which are connected to this emerging history. Situating these contributions in the wider context of climate change and planetary transformation, this article illuminates how mobilities, understood as an Italian phenomenon, have shaped the globe on a scale previously unknown.
Climate Tragedy
Authors: Lempert Manya
Published: April 2021

I hypothesize that tragedy is the genre best suited to represent climate catastrophe. Tragedy, I contend, is committed to diagnosing the ideological and material conditions that make for mass, undeserved suffering—conditions of colonization and racialization, for instance, in Greek and modern drama and in modern tragic fiction. Not only does tragedy reveal injurious forms of power, it stages or incites rebellious collective action against them. These features of literary tragedy, I suggest, are non-Aristotelian. Aristotle lodges the source of crisis in individuals, who inadvertently cause their own misfortunes and suffer from them. The literary tragedy that I theorize, however, locates the origins of communal suffering in external agents of death and domination.
Six-month smell and taste recovery rates in coronavirus disease 2019 patients: a prospective psychophysical study
Authors: Petrocelli M , Cutrupi S , Salzano G , Maglitto F , Salzano F A , Lechien J R , Saussez S , Boscolo-Rizzo P , De Riu G , Vaira L A
Published: April 2021

Background

The long-term recovery rate for coronavirus disease 2019 related chemosensory disturbances has not yet been clarified.

Methods

Olfactory and gustatory functions were assessed with psychophysical tests in patients in the first seven days from coronavirus disease 2019 onset and one, two, three and six months after the first evaluation.

Results

A total of 300 patients completed the study. The improvement in olfactory function was significant at the two-month follow up. At the end of the observation period, 27 per cent of the patients still experienced a persistent olfactory disturbance, including anosmia in 5 per cent of cases. As for taste, the improvement in the psychophysical scores was significant only between the baseline and the 30-day control. At the 6-month evaluation, 10 per cent of the patients presented with a persistent gustatory disturbance with an incidence of complete ageusia of 1 per cent.

Conclusion

Six months after the onset of coronavirus disease 2019, about 6 per cent of patients still had a severe persistent olfactory or gustatory disturbance.
Energy Transition in the European Union and its Member States: Interpreting Federal Competence Allocation in the Light of the Paris Agreement
Authors: Fehling Michael
Published: April 2021

Energy transition in the European Union (EU) and its Member States involves questions of federalism, which are subject to various perspectives. The distribution of powers cannot be properly understood using classical legal methodology alone because Articles 192 to 194 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) contain too many ambiguous political compromises. On the one hand, Article 192(1) TFEU (on the environment) and Article 194(1) and (2)(1) TFEU (on energy) enable EU legislation on energy transition through the ordinary legislative procedure, including majority voting in the European Parliament and the Council. On the other hand, there are significant textual limits for EU action in neighbouring provisions with a ‘sovereignty exception’ for the Member States in both Article 192(2) and Article 194(2)(2) TFEU. This article argues that, in the light of the Paris Agreement, the allocation of competences between the EU and its Member States should, in case of doubt, be understood in such a way that effective climate protection becomes possible. Because under Article 191(1) TFEU the EU is to promote measures at the international level to combat climate change, such an international law-friendly interpretation is part of a legitimate teleological approach. Economic theories of federalism and innovation research in the social sciences help us to understand which aspects of economic or innovation theory can promote effectiveness in this respect. It is necessary to interpret the distribution of competences in a dynamic way, thereby slightly shifting the limits of interpretation.
Commerce in Children: Slavery, Gradual Emancipation, and the Free Womb Trade in Colombia
Authors: Barragan Yesenia
Published: April 2021

In 1821, as the Wars of Independence drew to a close, officials of the newly created republic of Gran Colombia passed a national gradual emancipation law. At the center of it was a Free Womb law that declared legally free the children of enslaved women born after the law's promulgation, while bonding these children to their mothers’ masters until the age of 18. Yet, in addition to establishing a term limit on their legalized captivity, the law stipulated conditions for the commerce in Free Womb children, laying the groundwork for what I refer to as the Free Womb trade. This article presents the first detailed exploration of the origins, operations, and limitations of the Free Womb trade in Colombia, particularly at the level of one province: the northwestern Pacific coastal province of Chocó. I argue that the trade created distinctly bounded market geographies of Free Womb children, who were actively, if at times ambiguously, incorporated into Colombia's slave economy. As a general rule, the Free Womb trade placed captive families at the mercy of their masters; yet, as one extraordinary case reveals, the full extent of the local trade's legal power was not entirely secure.
Using Life Trajectories Analysis to Characterize Suicide Attempts in Prison
Authors: Eloir Julien , Ducro Claire , Nandrino Jean-Louis
Published: April 2021

Abstract. Background: Suicide in prison is a major problem and several risk factors have been identified in the literature (e.g., period of incarceration, depressive disorders). Aims: The study examined the impact of several risk factors for suicide attempts before and during incarceration using life trajectory analysis of inmates by interviews with informants. Method: The lifetime of inmates with a history of suicide attempts (ISA; n = 20) or without (IWSA; n = 29) was recounted on a life chart according to four main domains (health, life events, relationships, and judiciary domain) organized in two different periods (predetention and current detention). Life charts were compared between the two groups and a predictive model of suicide risk was constructed using logistic regression and receiving operating characteristic curve analysis. Results: Before detention, more depressive experiences were observed in ISA than in IWSA, and ISA reported more behavioral disorders than IWSA during current detention. Moreover, the total burden for ISA was greater than that for IWSA. The predictive model identified three dimensions for differentiating ISA from IWSA: mood disorders before detention, behavioral disorders, and the quality of relationships with nuclear family during detention. Limitations: Interviews with inmates would have been informative. Conclusion: The accumulation of life events and behavioral manifestations should be incorporated in the developmental trajectory as a therapeutic model regarding suicide in prison.
What Role Does the Barrier Layer Play During Extreme El Niño Events?
Authors: Zhang Xiaolin , Sprintall Janet , Zeng Lili
Published: April 2021

Intensive air‐sea interaction and the formation of the salinity barrier layer (BL) in the Pacific has fundamental importance to the El Niño evolution. The structure and formation of the BL in the equatorial Pacific Ocean during moderate and extreme El Niños over the past 30 years are investigated using in situ temperature and salinity data measured by the TAO/TRITON array and the data‐assimilating ECCO2 product. In the western and central Pacific Ocean, the BL is thicker during moderate El Niños compared to extreme El Niños due to a deeper isothermal layer depth compared to the density defined mixed layer depth. Moreover, in the western and central Pacific Ocean, the anomalous zonal eastward current related to the westerly wind event that initiates El Niños is found to be stronger during extreme El Niños, advecting the thicker BLs from west to east. A salinity budget suggests that during both moderate and extreme El Niño events, surface freshwater flux dominates at the equator. During extreme El Niños, the change in the freshwater flux drives a strong surface jet in the far western Pacific at 1°S, 156°E. North of the equator, the surface freshwater flux largely dampens this advective impact. Thus during the different El Niño strengths, the BL distribution, evolution and impact are also different. This suggests that climate models need to better distinguish different types of El Niño events in order to simulate the ENSO dynamics correctly.
A Rapid Gamma‐Ray Glow Flux Reduction Observed From 20 km Altitude
Authors: Kochkin P. , Sarria D. , Lehtinen N. , Mezentsev A. , Yang S. , Genov G. , Ullaland K. , Marisaldi M. , Østgaard N. , Christian H. J. , Grove J. E. , Quick M. , Al‐Nussirat S. , Wulf E.
Published: April 2021

Two gamma‐ray glows were observed by a high‐altitude NASA ER‐2 aircraft flying at 20 km altitude over a thunderstorm in Colorado, USA. The flux of the first glow rapidly intensified and then abruptly decreased within a few tens of milliseconds. On a timescale of seconds, the flux decrease occurred simultaneously with a hybrid intra‐cloud/cloud‐to‐ground lightning discharge beneath the aircraft. However, a more detailed analysis of the discharge dynamics indicated that the discharge activity was unusually calm during the actual period of the flux decrease. The lightning was observed with on‐board antennas, optical sensor, and ground‐based lightning mapping and location networks. Its closest activity was 12 km away from the aircraft, below and slightly ahead the course. The gamma‐ray flux reduction happened roughly in the middle of the lightning development process. The glow spectral analysis for the periods of a weak and strong flux enhancement has been done. The spectra were found to be background‐like and similar to each other.
Variability of the Turkana Low‐Level Jet in Reanalysis and Models: Implications for Rainfall
Authors: King James A. , Engelstaedter Sebastian , Washington Richard , Munday Callum
Published: April 2021

The complex topography of East Africa poses challenges for accurate modeling of regional climate. The Turkana Channel in northwestern Kenya is an important feature because of a persistent low‐level jet (LLJ) that blows through it, which has complex interactions with local and regional rainfall. We establish the annual cycle and interannual variability of the LLJ in the ERA5, MERRA‐2, and JRA‐55 reanalyses. The jet is strongest during wet seasons in the surrounding region. Results suggest a statistically significant weakening of the LLJ over the last 30–40 years in two out of the three reanalyses. We propose an explanation based on the jet's relationship with regional warming patterns and zonal surface pressure gradients, which link the jet to larger‐scale climate dynamics including the Walker Circulation. If these changes continue in the future, there may be significant implications for rainfall including increases in northwest Kenya and decreases further inland. However, the global models used to produce climate projections vary in their simulations of the LLJ in part because they represented topography. Consequently, it is not possible to assess how future LLJ changes will affect regional climate using CMIP5 models alone. Differences between the reanalyses preclude their direct use for model evaluation. Improving the processes by which topographical observations are mapped onto model grids could lead to improvements in the simulation of the East African climate. A field campaign to measure the LLJ directly could resolve uncertainties in the literature, help constrain reanalyses, and determine which models have the most realistic LLJ representation.
Paying Attention to the “Ignorosphere”
Authors: Goss Heather
Published: April 2021

Scientists discuss geospace and what we could learn if we put some more eyes on this region in the atmosphere. Read more in our special themed issue.
Wafer-scale transfer route for top–down III-nitride nanowire LED arrays based on the femtosecond laser lift-off technique
Authors: Yulianto Nursidik , Refino Andam Deatama , Syring Alina , Majid Nurhalis , Mariana Shinta , Schnell Patrick , Wahyuono Ruri Agung , Triyana Kuwat , Meierhofer Florian , Daum Winfried , Abdi Fatwa F. , Voss Tobias , Wasisto Hutomo Suryo , Waag Andreas
Published: April 2021

The integration of gallium nitride (GaN) nanowire light-emitting diodes (nanoLEDs) on flexible substrates offers opportunities for applications beyond rigid solid-state lighting (e.g., for wearable optoelectronics and bendable inorganic displays). Here, we report on a fast physical transfer route based on femtosecond laser lift-off (fs-LLO) to realize wafer-scale top–down GaN nanoLED arrays on unconventional platforms. Combined with photolithography and hybrid etching processes, we successfully transferred GaN blue nanoLEDs from a full two-inch sapphire substrate onto a flexible copper (Cu) foil with a high nanowire density (~107 wires/cm2), transfer yield (~99.5%), and reproducibility. Various nanoanalytical measurements were conducted to evaluate the performance and limitations of the fs-LLO technique as well as to gain insights into physical material properties such as strain relaxation and assess the maturity of the transfer process. This work could enable the easy recycling of native growth substrates and inspire the development of large-scale hybrid GaN nanowire optoelectronic devices by solely employing standard epitaxial LED wafers (i.e., customized LED wafers with additional embedded sacrificial materials and a complicated growth process are not required).
Extracellular matrix and its therapeutic potential for cancer treatment
Authors: Huang Jiacheng , Zhang Lele , Wan Dalong , Zhou Lin , Zheng Shusen , Lin Shengzhang , Qiao Yiting
Published: April 2021

The extracellular matrix (ECM) is one of the major components of tumors that plays multiple crucial roles, including mechanical support, modulation of the microenvironment, and a source of signaling molecules. The quantity and cross-linking status of ECM components are major factors determining tissue stiffness. During tumorigenesis, the interplay between cancer cells and the tumor microenvironment (TME) often results in the stiffness of the ECM, leading to aberrant mechanotransduction and further malignant transformation. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of ECM dysregulation in the TME would contribute to the discovery of promising therapeutic targets for cancer treatment. Herein, we summarized the knowledge concerning the following: (1) major ECM constituents and their functions in both normal and malignant conditions; (2) the interplay between cancer cells and the ECM in the TME; (3) key receptors for mechanotransduction and their alteration during carcinogenesis; and (4) the current therapeutic strategies targeting aberrant ECM for cancer treatment.
Metallic phase transition metal dichalcogenide quantum dots showing different optical charge excitation and decay pathways
Authors: Kim Bo-Hyun , Jang Min-Ho , Yoon Hyewon , Kim Hyun Jun , Cho Yong-Hoon , Jeon Seokwoo , Song Sung-Ho
Published: April 2021

The charge excitation and decay pathways of two-dimensional heteroatomic quantum dots (QDs) are affected by the quantum confinement effect, bandgap structure and strong exciton binding energy. Recently, semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have been intensively studied; however, the charge dynamics of metallic phase QDs (mQDs) of TMDs remain relatively unknown. Herein, we investigate the photophysical properties of TMD-mQDs of two sizes, where the TMD-mQDs show different charge excitation and decay pathways that are mainly ascribed to the defect states and valence band splitting, resulting in a large Stokes shift and two excitation bands for maximum photoluminescence (PL). Interestingly, the dominant excitation band redshifts as the size increases, and the time-resolved PL peak redshifts at an excitation wavelength of 266 nm in the smaller QDs. Additionally, the lifetime is shortened in the larger QDs. From the structural and theoretical analysis, we discuss that the charge decay pathway in the smaller QDs is predominantly affected by edge oxidation, whereas the vacancies play an important role in the larger QDs.
Thalamocortical excitability modulation guides human perception under uncertainty
Authors: Kosciessa Julian Q. , Lindenberger Ulman , Garrett Douglas D.
Published: April 2021

Knowledge about the relevance of environmental features can guide stimulus processing. However, it remains unclear how processing is adjusted when feature relevance is uncertain. We hypothesized that (a) heightened uncertainty would shift cortical networks from a rhythmic, selective processing-oriented state toward an asynchronous (“excited”) state that boosts sensitivity to all stimulus features, and that (b) the thalamus provides a subcortical nexus for such uncertainty-related shifts. Here, we had young adults attend to varying numbers of task-relevant features during EEG and fMRI acquisition to test these hypotheses. Behavioral modeling and electrophysiological signatures revealed that greater uncertainty lowered the rate of evidence accumulation for individual stimulus features, shifted the cortex from a rhythmic to an asynchronous/excited regime, and heightened neuromodulatory arousal. Crucially, this unified constellation of within-person effects was dominantly reflected in the uncertainty-driven upregulation of thalamic activity. We argue that neuromodulatory processes involving the thalamus play a central role in how the brain modulates neural excitability in the face of momentary uncertainty.