bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A systematic review and meta-analysis of the normal reference value of the longitudinal left atrial strain by three dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography
Authors: Mohseni-Badalabadi Reza , Mirjalili Tayebeh , Jalali Arash , Davarpasand Tahereh , Hosseinsabet Ali
Published: March 2022

The normal reference value of the global longitudinal left atrial strain during the reservoir phase (LASr) by 3D speckle-tracking echocardiography (3DSTE) is needed to define the abnormal and normal spectra and to compare and interpret the obtained values. The present study is a meta-analysis of 3DSTE-derived normal reference value of the longitudinal LASr and an attempt to determine probable contributing factors in the variations of reported ranges. The databases of PubMed, Scopus, and Embase were searched for the following keywordS: “Left atrial/left atrium” and “strain/speckle/deformation” and "three-dimensional/3-dimensional/three dimensional/3 dimensional/three dimension/3 dimension/three-dimension/3-dimension/3D/3-D". The studies selected included those on adult healthy subjects without cardiovascular risk factors. A random-effect model was used to calculate the global 3DSTE-derived longitudinal LASr, and meta-regression was applied to determine inter-study heterogeneity. Our search yielded 316 adult subjects from 5 studies. The mean value of the global 3DSTE-derived longitudinal LASr was 27.5% (95% CI, 25.2–29.8%). There was significant heterogeneity between the studies. The meta-regression analysis revealed the publication year, the heart rate, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure as the sources of heterogeneity. The current meta-analysis determined a normal reference value of the global 3DSTE-derived longitudinal LASr of 27.5% (95% CI, 25.2–29.8%). The heterogeneity between studies may be explained by the publication year, the heart rate, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
Sleeping neonates track transitional probabilities in speech but only retain the first syllable of words
Authors: Fló Ana , Benjamin Lucas , Palu Marie , Dehaene-Lambertz Ghislaine
Published: March 2022

Extracting statistical regularities from the environment is a primary learning mechanism that might support language acquisition. While it has been shown that infants are sensitive to transition probabilities between syllables in speech, it is still not known what information they encode. Here we used electrophysiology to study how full-term neonates process an artificial language constructed by randomly concatenating four pseudo-words and what information they retain after a few minutes of exposure. Neural entrainment served as a marker of the regularities the brain was tracking during learning. Then in a post-learning phase, evoked-related potentials (ERP) to different triplets explored which information was retained. After two minutes of familiarization with the artificial language, neural entrainment at the word rate emerged, demonstrating rapid learning of the regularities. ERPs in the test phase significantly differed between triplets starting or not with the correct first syllables, but no difference was associated with subsequent violations in transition probabilities. Thus, our results revealed a two-step learning process: neonates segmented the stream based on its statistical regularities, but memory encoding targeted during the word recognition phase entangled the ordinal position of the syllables but was still incomplete at that age.
Studies on anti-rabphilin-3A antibodies in 15 consecutive patients presenting with central diabetes insipidus at a single referral center
Authors: Arihara Zenei , Sakurai Kanako , Niitsuma Satsuki , Sato Ryota , Yamada Shozo , Inoshita Naoko , Iwata Naoko , Fujisawa Haruki , Watanabe Takashi , Suzuki Atsushi , Takahashi Kazuhiro , Sugimura Yoshihisa
Published: March 2022

Central diabetes insipidus (CDI) is a rare condition caused by various underlying diseases including inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, and neoplasms. Obtaining an accurate definitive diagnosis of the underlying cause of CDI is difficult. Recently, anti-rabphilin-3A antibodies were demonstrated to be a highly sensitive and specific marker of lymphocytic infundibuloneurohypophysitis (LINH). Here, we report a detailed case series, and evaluated the significance of anti-rabphilin-3A antibodies in differentiating the etiologies of CDI. A prospective analysis was conducted in 15 consecutive patients with CDI from 2013 to 2020 at a single referral center. Anti-rabphilin-3A antibodies were measured and the relationship between antibody positivity and the clinical/histopathological diagnoses was evaluated. Among 15 CDI patients, the positive anti-rabphilin-3A antibodies were found in 4 of 5 LINH cases, 3 of 4 lymphocytic panhypophysitis (LPH) cases, one of 2 sarcoidosis cases, and one intracranial germinoma case, respectively. Two Rathke cleft cyst cases and one craniopharyngioma case were negative. This is the first report of anti-rabphilin-3A antibodies positivity in CDI patients with biopsy-proven LPH. Measurement of anti-rabphilin-3A antibodies may be valuable for differentiating CDI etiologies.
Improved PBFT algorithm for high-frequency trading scenarios of alliance blockchain
Authors: Tang Song , Wang Zhiqiang , Jiang Jian , Ge Suli , Tan GaiFang
Published: March 2022

With the continuous development of blockchain technology, the application scenarios of alliance blockchain are also increasing. The consensus algorithm can achieve distributed consensus among nodes in the network. At present, the practical byzantine fault tolerance algorithm (PBFT) consensus algorithm commonly used in alliance blockchain requires all nodes in the network to participate in the consensus process. Experiments show that when the number of consensus nodes in the system exceeds 100, the bandwidth consumption and consensus delay will greatly increase, resulting in the inability of PBFT to be applied. In scenes with many nodes. How to improve the performance of alliance blockchains safely and efficiently has become an urgent problem to be solved at present. For the PBFT commonly used in alliance blockchains, there are some problems, such as large communication overhead, simple selection of master nodes, and inability to expand and exit nodes dynamically in the network. This paper proposes an improved algorithm tPBFT (trust-based practical Byzantine algorithm), which is suitable for high-frequency trading scenarios of consortium chains. By introducing a trust equity scoring mechanism between nodes in the network, the list of consensus nodes can be dynamically adjusted. tPBFT simplifies the pre-prepare stage of the PBFT consensus process, and realizes the verification of the hash transaction list in the reply stage, thereby reducing the interaction overhead between network nodes. Theoretical analysis and experiments show that when the number of nodes in the network is greater than 30, with the further increase of the number of nodes, the improved tPBFT algorithm has a relatively large performance in terms of node communication overhead, consensus efficiency and scalability outperforms the PBFT algorithm.
Direct observation of ferroelectricity in two-dimensional MoS2
Authors: Lipatov Alexey , Chaudhary Pradeep , Guan Zhao , Lu Haidong , Li Gang , Crégut Olivier , Dorkenoo Kokou Dodzi , Proksch Roger , Cherifi-Hertel Salia , Shao Ding-Fu , Tsymbal Evgeny Y. , Íñiguez Jorge , Sinitskii Alexander , Gruverman Alexei
Published: March 2022

Recent theoretical predictions of ferroelectricity in two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals materials reveal exciting possibilities for their use in scalable low-power electronic devices with polarization-dependent functionalities. These prospects have been further invigorated by the experimental evidence of the polarization response in some transition metal chalcogenides (TMCs)—a group of narrow-band semiconductors and semimetals with a wealth of application potential. Among the TMCs, molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) is known as one of the most promising and robust 2D electronic materials. However, in spite of theoretical predictions, no ferroelectricity has been experimentally detected in MoS2, while the emergence of this property could enhance its potential for electronics applications. Here, we report the experimental observation of a stable room-temperature out-of-plane polarization ordering in 2D MoS2 layers, where polarization switching is realized by mechanical pressure induced by a tip of a scanning probe microscope. Using this approach, we create the bi-domain polarization states, which exhibit different piezoelectric activity, second harmonic generation, surface potential, and conductivity. Ferroelectric MoS2 belongs to the distorted trigonal structural 1T” phase, where a spontaneous polarization is inferred by its P3m1 space-group symmetry and corroborated by theoretical modeling. Experiments on the flipped flakes reveal that the 1T”-MoS2 samples consist of the monolayers with randomly alternating polarization orientation, which form stable but switchable “antipolar” head-to-head or tail-to-tail dipole configurations. Mechanically written domains are remarkably stable facilitating the application of 1T”-MoS2 in flexible memory and electromechanical devices.
Magnetization-driven Lifshitz transition and charge-spin coupling in the kagome metal YMn6Sn6
Authors: Siegfried Peter E. , Bhandari Hari , Jones David C. , Ghimire Madhav P. , Dally Rebecca L. , Poudel Lekh , Bleuel Markus , Lynn Jeffrey W. , Mazin Igor I. , Ghimire Nirmal J.
Published: March 2022

The Fermi surface (FS) is essential for understanding the properties of metals. It can change under both conventional symmetry-breaking phase transitions and Lifshitz transitions (LTs), where the FS, but not the crystal symmetry, changes abruptly. Magnetic phase transitions involving uniformly rotating spin textures are conventional in nature, requiring strong spin-orbit coupling (SOC) to influence the FS topology and generate measurable properties. LTs driven by a continuously varying magnetization are rarely discussed. Here we present two such manifestations in the magnetotransport of the kagome magnet YMn6Sn6: one caused by changes in the magnetic structure and another by a magnetization-driven LT. The former yields a 10% magnetoresistance enhancement without a strong SOC, while the latter a 45% reduction in the resistivity. These phenomena offer a unique view into the interplay of magnetism and electronic topology, and for understanding the rare-earth counterparts, such as TbMn6Sn6, recently shown to harbor correlated topological physics.
Evaluation of nano-silver concentrations using multi-media fate and transport models with different spatial resolutions
Authors: Gao Yu-Pei , Li Xin-Yuan , Wei Wen-Jing , Huang Peng , Li Li , Wang Qiang
Published: March 2022

Comparing the influence of model spatial resolution on the change of the AgNPs concentration in the aquatic environment.
Sonogashira cross-coupling as a key step in the synthesis of new glycoporphyrins
Authors: Godlewski Bartosz , Baran Dariusz , de Robichon Morgane , Ferry Angélique , Ostrowski Stanisław , Malinowski Maciej
Published: March 2022

Palladium catalysis is reported as an efficient tool to afford unique glycoporphyrins via Sonogashira cross-coupling.
Formal dual C(sp2)–H cross-dehydrogenative C–O bond formation to construct highly functionalized diaryl ethers with O2
Authors: Bashir Muhammad Adnan , Tang Langyu , Li Longjie , Yu Huaibin , Yao Weijun , Wu Guojiao , Zhong Fangrui
Published: March 2022

A formal dual C(sp2)–H cross-dehydrogenative C–O bond formation reaction between phenols and naphthylamine derivatives to construct diaryl ethers has been developed under mild conditions.
Recent developments in alginate-based adsorbents for removing phosphate ions from wastewater: a review
Authors: Eltaweil Abdelazeem S. , Abd El-Monaem Eman M. , Elshishini Hala M. , El-Aqapa Hisham G. , Hosny Mohamed , Abdelfatah Ahmed M. , Ahmed Maha S. , Hammad Eman Nasr , El-Subruiti Gehan M. , Fawzy Manal , Omer Ahmed M.
Published: March 2022

The huge development of the industrial sector has resulted in the release of large quantities of phosphate anions which adversely affect the environment, human health, and aquatic ecosystems.
Recent trends and advances in polyindole-based nanocomposites as potential antimicrobial agents: a mini review
Authors: Pradeep Hareesh , M. Bindu , Suresh Shwetha , Thadathil Anjitha , Periyat Pradeepan
Published: March 2022

This review clearly portrays the antimicrobial properties of polyindole based nanocomposites, reported so far for antimicrobial applications and it gives clear insight into the scope and possibilities for further research on the biomedical application of polyindole based nanocomposites.
Metallophilic interactions in silver(i) dicyanoaurate complexes
Authors: Priola Emanuele , Giordana Alessia , Gomila Rosa M. , Zangrando Ennio , Andreo Luca , Rabezzana Roberto , Operti Lorenza , Diana Eliano , Mahmoudi Ghodrat , Frontera Antonio
Published: March 2022

This manuscript reports four new X-ray structures exhibiting metallophilic interactions, including a rare example of bifurcated Au⋯Ag,Ag interaction.
Multifunctional sandwich-structured double-carbon-layer modified SnS nanotubes with high capacity and stability for Li-ion batteries
Authors: Luo Jia , Li Huaiyu , Yu Guo , Xu Wenyuan , Yin Hong , Hou Zhaohui
Published: March 2022

N-doped double-carbon-layer protective hierarchical structures decorating SnS nanotubes (N-DCSNs) as a remarkable LIBs anode showing high-capacity retention and long-term stability properties due to the special structure of the double carbon layer.
Birefringence in anodic aluminum oxide: an optical method for measuring porosity
Authors: Noyan Alexey A. , Napolskii Kirill S.
Published: March 2022

Birefringence in anisotropic porous nanostructures provides quantitative information on average porosity.
Access to tetrahydrocarbazoles and pyrrolo[3,4-b]carbazoles through sequential reactions of triazoles and indoles
Authors: Chen Cong , Jiao Hongjian , Chen Di , Tang Tao , Xu Ze-Feng , Duan Shengguo , Li Chuan-Ying
Published: March 2022

Valuable tetrahydrocarbazoles and pyrrolo[3,4-b]carbazoles could be synthesized conveniently through sequential reactions of ester-tethered 1-sulfonyl-1,2,3-triazoles and indoles.
Decyanation–(hetero)arylation of malononitriles to access α-(hetero)arylnitriles
Authors: Mills L. Reginald , Patel Purvish , Rousseaux Sophie A. L.
Published: March 2022

In this manuscript, we report a new strategy to access α-(hetero)arylnitriles from malononitrile, a commodity chemical. The reaction proceeds through a one-pot decyanation (via transnitrilation) and subsequent nucleophilic aromatic substitution.
Supramolecular catalysis in confined space: making the pyrogallol[4]arene capsule catalytically active in non-competitive solvent
Authors: La Manna Pellegrino , Talotta Carmen , Gaeta Carmine , Cohen Yoram , Slovak Sarit , Rescifina Antonio , Sala Paolo Della , De Rosa Margherita , Soriente Annunziata , Neri Placido
Published: March 2022

The confined space inside the hexameric pyrogallol[4]arene capsule (CP6) has been exploited for the catalysis of the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition (1,3-DC) between the proline-based iminium derivative I and nitrone 3, in the presence of the non-competitive benzene solvent.
pH-regulated hydrothermal synthesis and characterization of Sb4O5X2 (X = Br/Cl) and its use for the dye degradation of methyl orange both with and without light illumination
Authors: Paul Sayantani , Sen Bibaswan , Chakraborty Nirman , Das Sangita , Mondal Swastik , Chattopadhyay Asoke P. , Ali Sk Imran
Published: March 2022

A pH-regulated hydrothermal synthesis method was employed to synthesize Sb4O5Br2 and Sb4O5Cl2 crystallites.
Quantifying cooperative flow of fat crystal dispersions
Authors: Milc Klaudia W. , Dijksman Joshua A. , van Duynhoven John P. M. , Terenzi Camilla
Published: March 2022

Route to quantification of cooperative flow behaviour of fat crystal dispersions with tuneable microstructural properties.
Progress and perspectives: fluorescent to long-lived emissive multifunctional probes for intracellular sensing and imaging
Authors: Jaiswal Shilpi , Das Subhadeep , Kundu Subhankar , Rawal Isha , Anand Prashant , Patra Abhijit
Published: March 2022

We delineated the underlying design strategies and photophysical pathways involved in multifunctional luminescent probes for intracellular sensing and imaging.
A water-stable luminescent Zn-MOF based on a conjugated π-electron ligand as an efficient sensor for atorvastatin and its application in pharmaceutical samples
Authors: Rosales-Vázquez Luis D. , Valdes-García Josue , Germán-Acacio Juan M. , Páez-Franco José C. , Martínez-Otero Diego , Vilchis-Nestor Alfredo R. , Barroso-Flores Joaquín , Sánchez-Mendieta Víctor , Dorazco-González Alejandro
Published: March 2022

In this work, a novel water-stable 3D porous metal–organic framework was synthesized, structurally determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, and studied in-depth as a luminescent sensor for a series of statins and common biological ions in 20% aqueous ethanol.
Lithium ion transport in solid polymer electrolyte filled with alumina nanoparticles
Authors: Wang Jiaqi , Fan Linhao , Du Qing , Jiao Kui
Published: March 2022

The addition of Al2O3 enhances Li+ transport along the PEO chains and provides an additional Li+ transport path, thereby significantly improving the conductivity.
The Role of Attention, Language Ability, and Language Experience in Children's Artificial Grammar Learning
Authors: Crespo Kimberly , Kaushanskaya Margarita
Published: March 2022

Purpose:

The current study examined the role of attention and language ability in nonverbal rule induction performance in a demographically diverse sample of school-age children.

Method:

The participants included 43 English-speaking monolingual and 65 Spanish–English bilingual children between the ages of 5 and 9 years. Core Language Index standard scores from the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals–Fourth Edition indexed children's language skills. Rule induction was measured via a visual artificial grammar learning task. Two equally complex finite-state artificial grammars were used. Children learned one grammar in a low attention condition (where children were exposed to symbol sequences with no distractors) and another grammar in a high attention condition (where distractor symbols were presented around the perimeter of the target symbol sequences).

Results:

Overall, performance in the high attention condition was significantly worse than performance in the low attention condition. Children with robust language skills performed significantly better in the high attention condition than children with weaker language skills. Despite group differences in socioeconomic status, English language skills, and nonverbal intelligence, monolingual and bilingual children performed similarly to each other in both conditions.

Conclusion:

The results suggest that the ability to extract rules from visual input is attenuated by the presence of competing visual information and that language ability, but not bilingualism, may influence rule induction.
Pathways From Preschool Language Difficulties to School-Age Internalizing Problems
Authors: Helland Siri Saugestad , Røysamb Espen , Schjølberg Synnve , Øksendal Elise , Gustavson Kristin
Published: March 2022

Purpose:

Early language difficulties are associated with later internalizing problems across different ages and for different aspects of language. The mechanisms behind this association are, however, less understood. In the current study, we investigated longitudinal associations between language difficulties at 5 years and internalizing problems at 6 years. We also examined emotion regulation, empathy, assertiveness, and social engagement at 6 years as possible pathways for this association.

Method:

A subsample from the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa) was used (
N
= 928). Structural equation models were developed to test the longitudinal associations and indirect pathways between language and internalizing problems.

Results:

The results showed high stability for internalizing problems from 5 to 6 years (β = .59,
p
< .001). Furthermore, semantic language difficulties predicted change in internalizing problems (β = .12,
p
< .001). Finally, the path between semantic language and internalizing problems was partially mediated by social engagement and emotion regulation, with the indirect pathways accounting for 55% of the initial association. For girls, there was a significantly stronger correlation (
p
< .05) between semantic language difficulties and internalizing problems at baseline (
r
= .30,
p
< .001) than for boys (
r
= .16,
p
< .001). Otherwise, there were no sex differences.

Conclusions:

Indirect pathways from language difficulties to internalizing problems were identified through social engagement and emotion regulation. The results may guide targets for intervention in groups of children with language difficulties at risk for developing internalizing problems.
Bipolar planetary nebulae from common-envelope evolution of binary stars
Authors: Ondratschek Patrick A. , Röpke Friedrich K. , Schneider Fabian R. N. , Fendt Christian , Sand Christian , Ohlmann Sebastian T. , Pakmor Rüdiger , Springel Volker
Published: March 2022

Asymmetric shapes and evidence for binary central stars suggest a common-envelope origin for many bipolar planetary nebulae. The bipolar components of the nebulae are observed to expand faster than the rest, and the more slowly expanding material has been associated with the bulk of the envelope ejected during the common-envelope phase of a stellar binary system. Common-envelope evolution in general remains one of the biggest uncertainties in binary star evolution, and the origin of the fast outflow has not been explained satisfactorily. We perform three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic simulations of common-envelope interaction with the moving-mesh code AREPO. Starting from the plunge-in of the companion into the envelope of an asymptotic-giant-branch star and covering hundreds of orbits of the binary star system, we are able to follow the evolution to complete envelope ejection. We find that magnetic fields are strongly amplified in two consecutive episodes: first, when the companion spirals in the envelope and, second, when it forms a contact binary with the core of the former giant star. In the second episode, a magnetically driven, high-velocity outflow of gas is launched self-consistently in our simulations. The outflow is bipolar, and the gas is additionally collimated by the ejected common envelope. The resulting structure reproduces typical morphologies and velocities observed in young planetary nebulae. We propose that the magnetic driving mechanism is a universal consequence of common-envelope interaction that is responsible for a substantial fraction of observed planetary nebulae. Such a mechanism likely also exists in the common-envelope phase of other binary stars that lead to the formation of Type Ia supernovae, X-ray binaries, and gravitational-wave merger events.
Categorization model of moving small-scale intensity enhancements in solar active regions
Authors: Shergelashvili B. M. , Philishvili E. , Buitendag S. , Poedts S. , Khodachenko M.
Published: March 2022

Context.The small-scale moving intensity enhancements remotely observed in the extreme ultraviolet images of the solar active regions, which we refer to as active region moving campfires (ARMCs), are related to local plasma temperature and/or density enhancements. Their dynamics is driven by the physical processes in the entire coronal plasma. Our previous study of ARMCs indicates that they have characteristic velocities at around the background sound speed. In the present paper, we further investigate the dynamical and statistical properties of ARMCs.

Aims.The main goal of our work is to carry out a simultaneous analysis of EUV images from two observational missions, SDO/AIA and Hi-C 2.1. The aims of the performed cross-validating analysis of both SDO/AIA and Hi-C 2.1 data were to reveal how the observed moving features are distributed over the studied active region, AR12712, and to perform a statistical hypothesis test of the existence of different groups of ARMCs with distinct physical characteristics.

Methods.We use the statistical model of intensity centroid convergence and tracking that was developed in our previous paper. Furthermore, a Gaussian mixture model fit of the observed complex of moving ARMCs is elaborated to reveal the existence of distinct ARMC groups and to study the physical characteristics of these different groups.

Results.In data from the 171 Å, 193 Å and 211 Å channels of SDO/AIA, we identified several groups of ARMCs with respect to both blob intensity and velocity profiles. The existence of such groups is confirmed by the cross-validation of the 172 Å data sets from Hi-C 2.1.

Conclusions.The ARMCs studied in this paper have characteristic velocities in the range of the typical sound speeds in coronal loops. Hence, these moving objects differ from the well-known rapid Alfvénic velocity jets from magnetic reconnection sites. This is also proven by the fact that ARMCs propagate along the active region magnetic structure (strands). The nature of the discovered statistical grouping of the ARMC events is not known. Further theoretical studies and modeling is required to reveal this nature.
Doppler shifts of spectral lines formed in the solar transition region and corona
Authors: Chen Yajie , Peter Hardi , Przybylski Damien , Tian Hui , Zhang Jiale
Published: March 2022

Context. Emission lines formed in the transition region and corona dominantly show redshifts and blueshifts, respectively.

Aims. We investigate the Doppler shifts in a 3D radiation magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) model of the quiet Sun and compare these to observed properties. We concentrate on Si IV 1394 Å originating in the transition region and examine the Doppler shifts of several other spectral lines at different formation temperatures.

Methods. We constructed a radiation MHD model extending from the upper convection zone to the lower corona using the MURaM code. In this quiet Sun model, the magnetic field is self-consistently maintained by the action of a small-scale dynamo in the convection zone, and it is extrapolated to the corona as an initial condition. We synthesized the profiles of several optically thin emission lines, which formed at temperatures from the transition region into the corona. We investigated the spatial structure and coverage of redshifts and blueshifts and how this changes with the line-formation temperature.

Results. The model successfully reproduces the observed change of average net Doppler shifts from redshifted to blueshifted from the transition region into the corona. In particular, the model shows a clear imbalance of area coverage of redshifts versus blueshifts in the transition region of ca. 80% to 20%, even though it is even a bit larger on the real Sun. We determine that (at least) four processes generate the systematic Doppler shifts in our model, including pressure enhancement in the transition region, transition region brightenings unrelated to coronal emission, boundaries between cold and hot plasma, and siphon-type flows.

Conclusions. We show that there is not a single process that is responsible for the observed net Doppler shifts in the transition region and corona. Because current 3D MHD models do not yet fully capture the evolution of spicules, which is one of the key ingredients of the chromosphere, most probably these have yet to be added to the list of processes responsible for the persistent Doppler shifts.
Selection of raw material supplier for cold-rolled mild steel manufacturing industry
Authors: Kamble Avinash G. , Kalos Pritam S. , Mahapatra K. , Bhosale Vishal A.
Published: March 2022

Appropriate supplier selection is important in success of every manufacturing industry. Improper supplier selection causes an adverse impact on functioning and development of any organization. Evaluating available suppliers and selecting most suitable supplier is very important task of procurement management. Theses selection problems can be solve using decision making methods. These methods are used to find most preferred alternative from given set of alternatives based on different attributes. The aim of the present work is to select raw material supplier for cold-rolled mild steel manufacturing industry using selected three decision making methods such as complex proportional assessment, operational competiveness rating analysis and preference selection index, etc. The selection is made among five suppliers based on five attributes viz: performance rating, productivity, yield, cost and lead time. The analytical hhierarchy process is used for determining weight of the attributes based on relative importance of each attribute which can have a great impact on the final solution. It is found from the ranks obtained using selected three methods that supplier S1 is best and supplier S5 is worst among the others alternatives. It is also observed that the rankings of suppliers has some deviations in the rankings due to different mathematical approaches used in these three selected methods. The proposed methods help to evaluate and rank different raw material suppliers for manufacturing industries.
Gesicherte Qualitätsstandards durch überarbeitete
Leitlinien in der Radiologie
Authors: Gührs Erik
Published: March 2022

Die Leitlinien der Bundesärztekammer zur Qualitätssicherung in
der Röntgendiagnostik bzw. CT wurden grundlegend überarbeitet
und an die technischen Entwicklungen und medizinischen Erkenntnisse angepasst.
Ärztinnen und Ärzte, MTRA, MFA, Medzinphysikerinnen und
Medizinphysiker, Ärztliche Stellen sowie Unternehmen können
diese für ihre Arbeit in der Radiologie nutzen und von dem in die
Leitlinien eingeflossenen Wissen der Fachexpertinnen und -experten
profitieren.
Ein konsequenter Ansatz, um endlich konservativ erfolgreich das Gewicht zu reduzieren
Authors: von Lilienfeld-Toal Hermann , von Lilienfeld-Toal Anna
Published: March 2022

Erfolgreiche Maßnahmen zur Gewichtsreduktion sollten die Langzeitergebnisse bisheriger konservativer Interventionen übertreffen. Dies lässt sich nur dann langfristig umsetzen, wenn an den „falschen“, sprich insulinogenen Kohlenhydrat-Kalorien gespart wird und stattdessen mehr Protein- und Fettkalorien sowie Ballaststoffe auf den Teller kommen – und dies kombiniert mit Aufklärung und psychotherapeutischer Begleitung.
Hyponatriämie beim alten Patienten – Bedeutung, Abklärung und Therapie
Authors: Gosch Markus
Published: March 2022

Was ist neu?

Prävalenz und Bedeutung der Hyponatriämie In der Allgemeinbevölkerung findet sich eine Prävalenz der milden, meist asymptomatischen Hyponatriämie von 1,7–7,7 %. Mit zunehmendem Alter steigt diese auf 11,6 % bei den > 75-Jährigen an. Wesentlich höher liegt die Prävalenz bei Altenheimbewohnern und Krankenhauspatienten. Die Hyponatriämie stellt damit die häufigste Elektrolytstörung im Alter dar.

Pathopyhsiologie Pathophysiologisch liegt kein Natriummangel, sondern eine Störung des Wasserhaushaltes zugrunde. Die Substitution von Natrium allein ist daher nicht zielführend, teils kontraindiziert. Häufig verursachen Medikamente eine Hyponatriämie.

SIADH Aufgrund der multifaktoriellen Genese der Hyponatriämie sollte bei allen Patienten eine Basisabklärung durchführen, um ein SIADH (Syndrom der inadäquaten ADH-Sekretion) auszuschließen. Gerade im Alter findet man immer wieder Fälle eines intermittierenden SIADH.

Die Abklärung Für die Abklärung hat sich ein Algorithmus bewährt, der es in wenigen und einfachen Schritten ermöglicht, die Ursache zu erkennen und dabei gleichzeitig in die korrekten therapeutischen Schritte überzuleiten.

Grundlagen der Therapie Ziel muss ein Serumnatrium im Normbereich sein. Nur so lassen sich die Prognose und die Funktionalität der alten Patienten verbessern. Für den SIADH haben wir mit Tolvaptan eine potente Substanz zur Verfügung. Um die Gefahr einer Überkorrektur rechtzeitig erkennen zu können, sollte die Einstellung im stationären Setting erfolgen.
Parkinson-Syndrom
Authors: Ceballos-Baumann Andres
Published: March 2022

Was ist neu?

Klinik Die Prävalenz des idiopathischen Parkinson Syndroms (IPS) wird sich bis 2030 verdoppeln. Das IPS ist nicht mehr als eine in sich geschlossene Krankheitsentität zu betrachten. Monogenetische Formen können klinisch identisch zu dem sporadischen IPS erscheinen. Eine Mutation im Glucozerebrosidase-Gen lässt sich bei > 5 % der Patienten nachweisen und steigert das Risiko an Parkinson zu erkranken um 8–20-mal.

COVID-19 Die Corona-Pandemie hat zu einer Verschlechterung der Symptomatik vieler Parkinson-Patienten geführt. In der Zeit hat man gelernt, dass Videosprechstunden sich für die Betreuung von Parkinson-Patienten eignen. Auch die motorischen Symptome sind gut zu beurteilen.

Pharmakotherapie Die schon Jahrzehnte bestehende Kontroverse, ob der Einsatz von Levodopa hinausgezögert werden sollte, bildete erneut den Hintergrund einer aufwendigen Studie. Bei Vergleich zwischen frühem versus verzögerten Beginn von Levodopa konnte nach ca. 2 Jahren kein signifikanter Unterschied im Parkinson-Schwergrad festgestellt werden. Auch die Rate an Dyskinesien war nicht unterschiedlich. Unter Dopaminagonisten kam es in einer Studie mit > 400 Patienten innerhalb von 5 Jahren zu einer Häufigkeit von 52 % von Impulskontrollstörungen. In den letzten 10 Jahren sind in Deutschland für die Parkinson-Therapie nur 2 neue Substanzen auf den Markt gekommenen, beide mit der Indikation Zusatztherapie zu Levodopa bei Patienten mit Wirkungsschwankungen.

Geräte unterstützte Therapien Der Einsatz der tiefen Hirnstimulation und Medikamentenpumpen bei Patienten mit Levodopa-Wirkungsfluktuationen wächst, denn an diesem Punkt des Krankheitsverlaufs angekommen, nehmen Patienten auch invasive Therapien im Kauf, die die Unabhängigkeit verlängern und optimieren können. Patienten, die Levodopa mehr als 5-mal täglich benötigen und trotz optimaler nicht Levodopa-basierter Therapien schwere, störende OFF-Phasen (> 2 Stunden am Tag) haben, können prinzipiell diese Therapieoptionen erwägen. Über 90 % der Patienten ziehen es vor, an der Entscheidungsfindung beteiligt zu sein, welche der Geräte-unterstützten Therapie zum Einsatz kommt.

Evidenzbasierte aktivierende Therapien und netzwerkbasierte Versorgungsmodelle Parkinson-Stadien- und symptomfokussierte, leitlinienbasierte Physiotherapie wirken sich positiv auf Krankheitsverlauf, Alltagsleistungen und Lebensqualität aus und vermindern die Sturzgefahr. Berufsgruppen- und Sektoren-übergreifende Netzwerke erweisen sich als effektiv, Stürze und Krankenhauseinweisungen zu senken.
Cumarin und Antikoagulanzien
Authors: Wiebrecht Axel
Published: March 2022

Leserbrief zum Artikel Abendroth A et al. 2021

Sehr geehrte Herausgeber,

vielen Dank an die Autoren für den interessanten Artikel zu Interaktionen von
Phytotherapeutika mit den direkten oralen Antikoagulanzien (DOAK) 1. DOAK gelten allgemein als wenig
interaktionsanfällig, und es gibt bisher wenige Berichte über
klinische Fälle von Interaktionen mit ihnen, insbesondere was pflanzliche
Arzneimittel anbelangt. Wie der im Artikel geschilderte zweite Fall 2 zeigt, können unerwünschte
Arzneimittelreaktionen mit Blutungen sehr schnell einen dramatischen und sogar
fatalen Verlauf annehmen.
Current Insights into Cellular Senescence and Myotoxicity Induced by
Doxorubicin: The Role of Exercise and Growth Factors
Authors: Andreou Charalampos , Matsakas Antonios
Published: March 2022

Doxorubicin is an anti-neoplasmic drug that prevents DNA replication but induces
senescence and cellular toxicity. Intensive research has focused on strategies
to alleviate the doxorubicin-induced skeletal myotoxicity. The aim of the
present review is to critically discuss the relevant scientific evidence about
the role of exercise and growth factor administration and offer novel insights
about newly developed-tools to combat the adverse drug reactions of doxorubicin
treatment on skeletal muscle. In the first part, we discuss current data and
mechanistic details on the impact of doxorubicin on skeletal myotoxicity. We
next review key aspects about the role of regular exercise and the impact of
growth factors, administered either pharmacologically or via genetic
interventions. Future strategies such as combination of exercise and growth
factor administration remain to be established to combat the
pharmacologically-induced myotoxicity.
Effects of Peri-Conception and Pregnancy Glycemic Variability on
Pregnancy and Perinatal Complications in Type 1 Diabetes: A Pilot
Study
Authors: Hoek-Hogchem Riëlle , Bovenberg Sarah A. , Dekker Pim , Birnie Erwin , Veeze Henk J. , Duvekot Hans J. , Galjaard Sander , Aanstoot Henk-Jan
Published: March 2022

Background Not much is known about the effects of glycemic variability
(GV) during the pre- and periconception period on pregnancy/perinatal
complications. GV could potentially contribute to identification of high-risk
pregnancies in women with type 1 diabetes.

Methods An explorative retrospective cohort study was conducted between
January 2014 and May 2019. Glucose data were retrieved from electronic patient
charts. Pre-/periconceptional GV and GV during all three trimesters was
expressed as mean glucose, standard deviation (SD), Coefficient of Variation
(CV), High Blood Glucose Index (HBGI), Low Blood Glucose Index (LBGI) and
Average Daily Risk Range (ADRR). Maternal and neonatal complications were
summarized using a composite total complication score. Binary logistic
regression analyses were conducted to assess associations between the GV
measures and a total complication score>3, a maternal complication
score>1 and a neonatal complication score>1.

Results Of 63 eligible women, 29 women (38 pregnancies) were included.
Women in the group with a total complication score>3 had a significantly
higher ADRR at conception (OR 1.1, CI 1.0–1.2, p=0.048). No
statistically significant correlations between complication score and any other
GV metric besides the ADRR were found. Although not significant, in the group
with a complication score>3, odds ratios>1 were found for SD in
trimester 1 (OR 1.6, CI 0.6–4.5, p=0.357) and trimester 2 (OR
1.8, CI 0.5–6.2, p=0.376).

Conclusions Presence of a positive association between GV and pregnancy
and perinatal complications depends on which pregnancy period is assessed and
the GV metrics that are used.
Basal Ganglia Traumatic Hematoma: Case Series and Literature Review
Authors: Pereira Carlos Umberto , Kalkmann Gabriela Ferreira , Nascimento Isabela do Prado , Santos Letícia Adrielle dos , Rabelo Nicollas Nunes
Published: March 2022

Introduction Basal ganglia traumatic hematoma (BGTH) is rare, occurring in 3% of closed traumatic brain injuries, and it is associated with a poor prognosis. In the present paper, the authors present a series of 16 BGTH cases, describing their causes, treatment, and results.

Patients and Methods Thisis a retrospective study of 16 patients diagnosed with BGTH, associated with a literature review in the PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar databases, using the terms craniocerebral trauma AND basal ganglia and basal ganglia AND hematoma AND trauma. Articles published in the period from 1986 to 2019 were selected, resulting in a total of 19 articles that met the inclusion criteria taking into account their citations and their respective impacts.

Results Sixteen patients were studied. They were all male, with an average age of 21 years and 5 months. The main cause of BGTH was traffic accident (12). The mean score in the Glasgow coma scale at admission was 8. All patients underwent a computed tomography (CT) scan of the skull. The putamen was the most affected structure (5). Thirteen patients underwent conservative treatment, and three drained the associated intracranial hematoma. Nine patients died, and seven, and four had neurological sequel.

Conclusions The neurosurgeon's knowledge of GBTH, including diagnosis and clinical surgical management, is extremely important, as this type of lesion is associated with a poor prognosis.
Cardiovascular Responses to Commonly Used Tests In and Outside of the Laboratory Settings
Authors: Dikshit Mohan B.
Published: March 2022

Several tests are available for assessing cardiovascular response to various interventions which may be given in the laboratory, or outside of it in the field. The tests are meant to excite or deactivate cardiovascular and other sensory receptors which signal the central mechanisms. They have been found useful in generating data to study cardiovascular effects on subjects exposed to specialized physical training (e.g., athletes), in the evaluation of people engaged in special occupations such as pilots, astronauts, and other military personnel, and in training undergraduate and postgraduate students. If the response does not fit into the physiological norm, it may reflect a temporary aberration, or a more serious defect in the cardiovascular control mechanism because of disease. Interpretation of data generated may vary between various operators/observers. Here, an attempt has been made to bring out responses of the cardiovascular system to the commonly used tests, and their applicability in clinical situations.
Vaccine hesitancy and monetary incentives
Authors: Iyer Ganesh , Nandur Vivek , Soberman David
Published: March 2022

Vaccine hesitancy is a significant barrier to reaching herd immunity and exiting the Covid-19 pandemic. This study examines the potential effectiveness of monetary incentives in conjunction with informational treatments about vaccine efficacy, lack of side effects, and zero costs. We elicit monetary valuations (both positive and negative) for the coronavirus vaccine by conducting an online randomized experiment on a representative sample of 2461 individuals across the US. The study elicits vaccination uptake, then participants’ valuations (willingness to pay (WTP) or the willingness to accept (WTA)) for the vaccine based upon the stated choice of participants to accept or reject the vaccine. We find that a $1000 incentive increases vaccination uptake up to 86.9%. We identify two distinct segments among the vaccine hesitants—“Reluctants” and “Unwillings”. Reluctants can be persuaded to vaccinate for some level of monetary incentive, whereas Unwillings indicate that no amount of monetary incentive will persuade them to vaccinate. The Unwillings are more likely to (a) think that the disease is insufficiently severe, (b) have less faith in the public health system, (c) be older, compared to the Reluctants.
Impact of automation on long haul trucking operator-hours in the United States
Authors: Mohan Aniruddh , Vaishnav Parth
Published: March 2022

Automated long haul trucking is being developed for commercial deployment in the United States. One possible mode of deployment for this technology is a “transfer-hub” model where the operationally less complex highway driving is automated, while human drivers drive the more complex urban segment of the route. We study the possible net impacts on tractor-trailer operator-hours from this mode of deployment. Using data from the 2017 Commodity Flow Survey, we gather information on trucking shipments and the operator-hours required to fulfill those shipments. We find that up to 94% of long haul trucking operator-hours may be impacted as the technology improves to operate in all weather conditions. If the technology is however restricted to the southern states where the majority of companies are currently testing automated trucking, we find that only 10% of operator-hours are impacted. We conduct interviews with industry stakeholders including tractor-trailer operators on the feasibility of such a system of deployment. We find that an increase in short haul operation is unlikely to compensate for the loss in long haul operator-hours, despite public claims to this effect by the developers of the technology. Policymakers should consider the impact of different scenarios of deployment on the long haul trucking workforce.
Nanomaterials for photothermal and photodynamic cancer therapy
Authors: Nasseri Behzad , Alizadeh Effat , Bani Farhad , Davaran Soodabeh , Akbarzadeh Abolfazl , Rabiee Navid , Bahadori Ali , Ziaei Mojtaba , Bagherzadeh Mojtaba , Saeb Mohammad Reza , Mozafari Masoud , Hamblin Michael R.
Published: March 2022

In recent years, the role of optically sensitive nanomaterials has become powerful moieties in therapeutic techniques and has become particularly emphasized. Currently, by the extraordinary development of nanomaterials in different fields of medicine, they have found new applications. Phototherapy modalities, such as photothermal therapy (PTT) by toxic heat generation and photodynamic therapy (PDT) by reactive oxygen species, are known as promising phototherapeutic techniques, which can overcome the limitations of conventional protocols. Moreover, nanomaterial-based PDT and PTT match the simultaneous immune therapy and increase the immune system stimulation resulting from the denaturation of cancer cells. Nevertheless, nanomaterials should have sufficient biocompatibility and efficiency to meet PDT and PTT requirements as therapeutic agents. The present review focuses on the therapeutic potency of PDT, PTT, and also their combined modalities, which are known alternative protocols with minimal morbidity integrated into gold standard treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy at tumor treatment and cancer-related infectious diseases. In addition, for deeper understanding, photoablation effects with emphasis on the nature, morphology, and size of photosensitive nanomaterials in PDT and PTT were studied. Finally, transportation techniques and moieties needed as carriers of photosensitizers and photothermal therapy agents to hard-accessed regions, for example, cancerous regions, were investigated.
Correlation-function-based microstructure design of alloy-polymer composites for dynamic dry adhesion tuning in soft gripping
Authors: Xu Yaopengxiao , Chen Pei-En , Li Hechao , Xu Wenxiang , Ren Yi , Shan Wanliang , Jiao Yang
Published: March 2022

Tunable dry adhesion is a crucial mechanism in compliant manipulation. The gripping force can be controlled by reversibly varying the physical properties (e.g., stiffness) of the composite via external stimuli. The maximal gripping force Fmax and its tunability depend on, among other factors, the stress distribution on the gripping interface and its fracture dynamics (during detaching), which in turn are determined by the composite microstructure. Here, we present a computational framework for the modeling and design of a class of binary smart composites containing a porous low-melting-point alloy (LMPA) phase and a polymer phase, in order to achieve desirable dynamically tunable dry adhesion. We employ spatial correlation functions to quantify, model, and represent the complex bi-continuous microstructure of the composites, from which a wide spectrum of realistic virtual 3D composite microstructures can be generated using stochastic optimization. A recently developed volume-compensated lattice-particle method is then employed to model the dynamic interfacial fracture process, where the gripper is detached from the object, to compute Fmax for different composite microstructures. We focus on the interface defect tuning mechanism for dry adhesion tuning enabled by the composite, and find that for an optimal microstructure among the ones studied here, a tenfold dynamic tuning of Fmax before and after the thermal expansion of the LMPA phase can be achieved. Our computational results can provide valuable guidance for experimental fabrication of the LMPA–polymer composites.