bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An analysis of the Medical Savings Account as an alternative retirement savings Vehicle
Authors: Query J. Tim
Published: July 2002

Personal savings as a percentage of disposable income have dropped steadily since the early 1980s. Savings have continued to decline in 1999, as the savings rate—savings as a percentage of after-tax income—dropped to a record low of minus 0.7% in April 1999, according to the Department of Commerce. The study finds that MSA-type accounts are a viable supplement to retirement savings, but should not be used as a replacement for existing retirement alternatives given their current structure. Results show that future health care expenditures are an important factor in the success or failure of MSAs as supplemental retirement accounts. Medical Savings Accounts are currently eligible for long-term care expenses, and to the extent that such expenses occur during retirement, MSA balances could be used to pay for retirement expenses. In that respect the accounts already capture the characteristics of a retirement savings account. A comparison of the Roth IRA with the MSA as defined by the 1996 HIPAA legislation is also conducted. © 2000 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.
From the Editor Vol 9 No 2
Authors: Lahey Karen Eilers
Published: July 2002

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Market timing using strategists’ and analysts’ forecasts of S&P 500 earnings per share
Authors: Chung Richard , Kryzanowski Lawrence
Published: July 2002

This paper examines the bias in and usefulness of top-down and bottom-up consensus forecasts of earnings per share for the S&P 500 Index provided by market strategists and analysts to I/B/E/S. These forecasts exhibit a significant optimism bias that decreases over the 12 months up to release of actual earnings per share. The bias is significantly more pronounced for the bottom-up forecasts of analysts. Unlike the findings for country timing, we demonstrate that a stock market timer using switching rules based on the consensus forecasts of S&P 500 earnings or the directional switch in the consensus or in the number of switchers cannot generate a free lunch. © 2000 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.
From the Editor Vol 9 No 3
Authors: Lahey Karen Eilers
Published: July 2002

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The Millionaire Next Door.
Authors: Kahl Douglas
Published: July 2002

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Wealth Management
Authors: Kahl Douglas
Published: July 2002

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An Overview of Financial Services Resources on the Internet
Authors: Grinder Brian
Published: July 2002

Individual financial decision making is a process requiring a great deal of informa- tion, most of which can be found on the Internet if one knows where to look. This paper is a guide to recent financial service developments on the Internet that allows academics, students, professionals, and consumers to find information, interact with others, and conduct financial transactions online. It also offers an extensive list oj jmancial service Internet sites, and provides a glimpse into the future offinancial ser- vices on the Internet.
Book, Software and Web Site Reviews
Authors: Lahey Karen Eilers
Published: July 2002

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The sociology of personal finance
Authors: Robinson Chris , McGoun Elton G.
Published: July 2002

Finance in general and personal finance, in particular, assume that there is a pure market money. The financial resources of a business or a household are taken to be a single mass made up of indistinguishable dollars, marks, yen, pounds, francs, or whatever. Consequently, we are free to devise “rational rules” for managing this mass, for prescribing how a business or household should choose the appropriate forms of money and the appropriate accounts for money without having to look more closely at the money itself. In this paper, we argue that rational behaviour is a more complex and richer process than simply valuing market money, since there are qualitative characteristics attached to any money, however defined. © 1998 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.
Planning to move to retirement housing
Authors: Gibler Karen M. , Moschis George P. , Lee Euehun
Published: July 2002

As the size and diversity of the older segment of our population grows, they will need increased assistance in planning for and choosing appropriate housing from the array of options offered in the marketplace. This national survey of people age 55 and older indicates interest in retirement community housing among all socioeconomic groups, but especially among women and better-educated seniors. Facilities that offer access to medical services, transportation, and shopping while providing housekeeping and personal care services along with social activities will appeal to these consumers. © 1999 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.
A nineties perspective on international diversification
Authors: Hanna Michael E. , McCormack Joseph P. , Perdue Grady
Published: July 2002

Investors often look to international diversification as a means to reduce the risk of a stock portfolio while maintaining a given level of return. In this study we look at ten years of historical data from the stock markets in the G-7 countries. We see how diversification from an S & P 500 portfolio into a two-market (two-country) portfolio would have impacted the risk and return. Across this ten-year period, we find that a portfolio consisting solely of the S & P 500 dominates any portfolio that can be constructed from the S & P 500 and the major market index of the G-7 countries. © 1999 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.
International equity diversification and shortfall risk
Authors: Ho Kwok , Milevsky Moshe Arye , Robinson Chris
Published: July 2002

International equity diversification benefits Canadian investors very substantially by reducing shortfall risk, as shown by results of a model that minimizes the risk of shortfall from a desired consumption level for a retired investor with an unknown date of death and stochastic investment returns. It does not benefit American investors materially. The United States equity market is a large proportion of the international equity market that is available to individual investors, and United States returns are highly correlated with other markets. © 1999 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.
From the Editor Vol 8 No 2
Authors: Lahey Karen Eilers
Published: July 2002

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International mutual fund returns and Federal Reserve policy
Authors: Johnson Robert R. , Buetow Gerald W. , Jensen Gerald R.
Published: July 2002

This study examines the performance of international mutual fund indexes across alternative Federal Reserve monetary policy environments. The results suggest that the benefits touted by advocates of international diversification may be less than previous studies indicate. Specifically, during restrictive US monetary policy periods, international mutual fund indexes provide lower excess returns than domestic counterparts. Additionally, the correlations between international mutual funds and domestic mutual funds are higher during restrictive monetary policy periods. This evidence may represent a partial explanation for the home country bias exhibited by US-based individual and institutional investors. © 2000 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.
A Rapid Access Heart Failure Clinic provides a prompt diagnosis and appropriate management of new heart failure presenting in the community
Authors: Fox Kevin F. , Cowie Martin R. , Wood David A. , Coats Andrew J.S. , Poole‐Wilson Philip A. , Sutton George C.
Published: July 2002

Background and aims

The diagnosis of heart failure is an important clinical problem and yet reported diagnostic accuracy in primary care is less than 50%. We established a Rapid Access Heart Failure Clinic (RAHFC) in a district general hospital serving a population of 292000 in SE London, UK, to diagnose and manage new cases of heart failure presenting for the first time in the community.

Methods

Patients with suspected new onset heart failure were referred by their Primary Care Physician without appointment for clinical assessment on the same or next working day. Assessment by a specialist registrar in cardiology included history, examination, chest X‐ray, electrocardiogram (ECG) and echocardiogram. When a diagnosis of heart failure was made appropriate treatment, including angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI), was started.

Results

Over 15 months 383 patients were seen (0.4 cases/100000 population/weekday) 178/383 (46%) were considered to have definite or possible heart failure at the initial assessment in the RAHFC. A normal ECG (negative predictive value 94%) and chest X‐ray virtually excluded the diagnosis of heart failure. After subsequent specialist investigations and follow‐up, including a trial of therapy where appropriate, 101/383 (26%) were finally diagnosed as clinical heart failure. ACEI therapy was commenced in 56/57 (98%) of patients in whom it was considered appropriate.

Conclusion

The RAHFC provided rapid assessment, prompt diagnosis and early introduction of life prolonging therapy for patients presenting with suspected heart failure in the community.
A new model of congestive heart failure in the mouse due to chronic volume overload
Authors: Scheuermann‐Freestone Michaela , Freestone Nicholas Simon , Langenickel Thomas , Höhnel Klaus , Dietz Rainer , Willenbrock Roland
Published: July 2002

Objective:

Recently, deletion of specific genes by so called knock‐out techniques has become important for investigating the pathogenesis of various diseases. This form of genetic engineering is widely performed in murine models. There are, however, only a limited number of mouse models available in cardiovascular pathology. The objective of this study, therefore, was to develop a new model of overt congestive heart failure associated with myocardial hypertrophy in the mouse.

Methods:

Female C57/BL6 mice weighing 19–20 g were anesthetized with ether. After abdominal incision, the aorta was temporarily clamped proximal to the renal arteries. The aorta was then punctured with a needle (outer diameter 0.6 mm) and the needle was further advanced into the adjacent vena cava. After withdrawal of the needle, the aortic puncture site was sealed with cyanoacrylate glue. The clamp was removed, and the patency of the shunt was visually verified as swelling and mixing of venous and arterial blood in the vena cava. Sham‐operated mice served as controls.

Results:

Perioperative mortality of mice with aortocaval shunt was 42%. Four weeks after shunt induction, mice showed a significant cardiac hypertrophy with a relative heart weight of 7.5 ± 0.2 mg/100 g body weight (vs. 5.1 ± 0.7 mg/100 g in control mice, P < 0.001). While no changes in blood pressure and heart rate occurred, left ventricular enddiastolic pressure was significantly increased in mice with shunt, and left ventricular contractility was impaired from 6331 ± 412 to 4170 ± 296 mmHg/s (P < 0.05). Plasma concentrations of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and its second messenger cGMP as humoral markers of heart failure as well as ventricular expression of ANP ‐ and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP)‐mRNA were significantly increased in mice with shunt compared to control mice.

Conclusions:

The aortocaval shunt in the mouse constitutes a new model of overt congestive heart failure with impaired hemodynamic parameters and may be a useful tool to investigate the role of particular genes in the development of heart failure.
CLINICAL DECISION‐MAKING REGARDING INTRAVENOUS HYDRATION IN NORMAL LABOR IN A BIRTH CENTER SETTING
Authors: Sommer Phyllis A. , Norr Kathleen , Roberts Joyce
Published: July 2002

Intravenous hydration (IVH) in normal labor is used routinely in most hospital settings despite the lack of support from recent research. However, it is not used routinely at one in‐hospital, Alternative Birthing Center (ABC), in the Midwest. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the criteria and perspectives of the certified nurse‐midwives (CNMs) and nurses (RNs) in their decision‐making process toward nonroutine use of IVH. In‐depth interviews with five CNMs and four RNs that work in the ABC provided insight into how they balanced patient preference, research‐based knowledge, and clinical judgments, in making decisions about IVH. The RNs were slightly more in favor of IVH than the CNMs, but not because of philosophic differences. Rather, the different roles and responsibilities of CNMs and RNs seemed to be most important. CNMs had a stronger commitment to client preferences, whereas RNs were more concerned about their responsibility for efficiently starting IVs prior to an emergency situation. Understanding professional differences in the decision‐making process for IVH can enhance clinical functioning of the caregiving team by helping CNMs anticipate and address potential conflicts.
Evolution of memory system‐related genes
Authors: Bajaffer Amal , Mineta Katsuhiko , Gojobori Takashi
Published: June 2021

Memory has an essential function in human life as it helps individuals remember and recognize their surroundings. It is also the major form of cognition that controls behavior. As memory is a function that is highly characteristic of humans, how it was established is of particular interest. Recent progress in the field of neurosciences, together with the technological advancement of genome‐wide approaches, has led to the accumulation of evidence regarding the presence and similar/distinct mechanisms of memory among species. However, the understanding of the evolution of memory obtained utilizing these genome‐wide approaches remains unclear. The purpose of this review was to provide an overview of the literature on the evolution of the memory system among species and the genes involved in this process. This review also discusses possible approaches to study the evolution of memory systems to guide future research.
Rapid Characterization and Quantification of Extracellular Vesicles by Fluorescence‐Based Microfluidic Diffusion Sizing
Authors: Paganini Carolina , Hettich Britta , Kopp Marie R.G. , Eördögh Adam , Capasso Palmiero Umberto , Adamo Giorgia , Touzet Nicolas , Manno Mauro , Bongiovanni Antonella , Rivera‐Fuentes Pablo , Leroux Jean‐Christophe , Arosio Paolo
Published: June 2021

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are emerging as promising diagnostic and therapeutic tools for a variety of diseases. The characterization of EVs requires a series of orthogonal techniques that are overall time‐ and material‐consuming. Here, a microfluidic device is presented that exploits the combination of diffusion sizing and multiwavelength fluorescence detection to simultaneously provide information on EV size, concentration, and composition. The latter is achieved with the nonspecific staining of lipids and proteins combined with the specific staining of EV markers such as EV‐associated tetraspanins via antibodies. The device can be operated as a single‐step immunoassay thanks to the integrated separation and quantification of free and EV‐bound fluorophores. This microfluidic technique is capable of detecting and quantifying components associated to EV subtypes and impurities and thus to measure EV purity in a time scale of minutes, requiring less than 5 µL of sample and minimal sample handling before the analysis. Moreover, the analysis is performed directly in solution without immobilization steps. Therefore, this method can accelerate screening of EV samples and aid the evaluation of sample reproducibility, representing an important complementary tool to the current array of biophysical methods for EV characterization, particularly valuable for instance for bioprocess development.
Neighborhood Cohesion, Perceptions of Disorder, and the Geography of Women’s Fear of Crime in Informal Settlements in Nairobi, Kenya
Authors: Winter Samantha C. , Johnson Laura , Obara Lena Moraa
Published: June 2021

Fear of crime is more pervasive and harder to address than crime itself and can cause physical and psychological health complications, particularly for women. Fear of crime is not always grounded in direct exposure to crime. Instead, it may be more directly linked to social cohesion and/or perceptions of neighborhood disorder, but little is known about these associations in informal settlements. This paper sought to explore these relationships in Mathare—a large informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya. Using responses from surveys with 550 women in Mathare, we conducted regression, mediation, and moderated mediation analyses to investigate relationships between neighborhood disorder, fear of crime, and neighborhood cohesion and explore how these associations vary across geographic spaces (villages). Findings suggest that women’s perceptions of neighborhood disorder are associated with fear of crime; neighborhood cohesion partially mediates the relationship between perceptions of neighborhood disorder and fear of crime; women’s fear of crime varies by village; and the mediating role of neighborhood cohesion also varies by village. Efforts to build and strengthen social cohesion in informal settlements may help to reduce women’s fear of crime, but more research is needed to explore under what conditions and in what spaces interventions are the most effective.
Soldner, Einstein, Gravitational Light Deflection and Factors of Two
Authors: Sauer Tilman
Published: June 2021

The Newtonian value of for the gravitational deflection of a ray of light from a distant star, grazing the rim of the Sun, was derived already in 1801 by Johann Georg von Soldner. The same value was obtained by Albert Einstein in 1911 on the basis of the equivalence principle alone. Four years later, Einstein predicted twice that value on the basis of the full theory of general relativity, a value that was later confirmed by observation. A direct comparison of Soldner's and Einstein's works is obscured by a confluence of various factors of 2, arising both from different conventions and from printing errors.
Record Productivity and Unprecedented Molecular Weight for Ring‐Opening Copolymerization of Epoxides and Cyclic Anhydrides Enabled by Organoboron Catalysts
Authors: Xie Rui , Zhang Yao‐Yao , Yang Guan‐Wen , Zhu Xiao‐Feng , Li Bo , Wu Guang‐Peng
Published: June 2021

Producing polyesters with high molecular weight (Mn) through ring‐opening copolymerization (ROCOP) of epoxides with cyclic anhydrides remains a major challenge. Herein, we communicate a metal‐free, highly active, and high thermoresistance system for the ROCOP of epoxides with cyclic anhydrides to prepare polyesters (13 examples). The organoboron catalysts can endure a reaction temperature as high as 180 °C for the ROCOP of cyclohexane oxide (CHO) with phthalic anhydride (PA) without the observation of any side reactions. The average Mn of the produced poly(CHO‐alt‐PA) climbed to 94.5 kDa with low polydispersity (Ð=1.19). Furthermore, an unprecedented turnover number of 9900, equivalent to an efficiency of 7.4 kg of polyester/g of catalyst, was achieved at a feed ratio of CHO/PA/catalyst=20000:10000:1 at 150 °C. Kinetic studies, crystal structure analysis, 11B NMR spectra, and DFT calculations provided mechanistic justification for the effectiveness of the catalyst system.
Electrochromic Polycationic Organoboronium Macrocycles with Multiple Redox States
Authors: Shimoyama Daisuke , Baser‐Kirazli Nurcan , Lalancette Roger A. , Jäkle Frieder
Published: June 2021

Polycationic macrocycles are attractive as they display unique molecular switching capabilities arising from their redox properties. Although diverse polycationic macrocycles have been developed, those based on cationic boron systems remain very limited. We present herein the development of novel polycationic macrocycles by introducing organoboronium moieties into a conjugated organoboron macrocyclic framework. These macrocycles consist of four bipyridylboronium units that are connected by fluorene and either electron‐deficient arylborane or electron‐rich arylamine moieties. Electrochemical studies reveal that the macrocycles undergo reversible multi‐step redox processes with transfer of up to 10 electrons. Switchable electrochromic behavior is demonstrated via spectroelectrochemical studies and the observed color changes are rationalized by correlation with computed electronic transitions using DFT methods.
Crystalline Sponge Method: X‐ray Structure Analysis of Small Molecules by Post‐Orientation within Porous Crystals—Principle and Proof‐of‐Concept Studies
Authors: Zigon Nicolas , Duplan Vincent , Wada Naoki , Fujita Makoto
Published: June 2021

This Review discusses, along with the historical background, the principles as well as proof‐of‐concept studies of the crystalline sponge (CS) method, a new single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction (SCXRD) method for the analysis of the structures of small molecules without sample crystallization. The method uses single‐crystalline porous coordination networks (crystalline sponges) that can absorb small guest molecules within their pores. The absorbed guest molecules are ordered in the pores through molecular recognition and become observable by conventional SCXRD analysis. The complex {[(ZnI2)3(tpt)2]⋅x(solvent)}n (tpt=tris(4‐pyridyl)‐1,3,5‐triazine) was first proposed as a crystalline sponge and has been most generally used. Crystalline sponges developed later are also discussed here. The principle of the CS method can be described as “post‐crystallization” of the absorbed guest, whose ordering is templated by the pre‐latticed cavities. The method has been widely applied to synthetic chemistry as well as natural product studies, for which proof‐of‐concept examples will be shown here.
A Robust Photocatalytic Hybrid Material Composed of Metal‐Organic Cages and TiO2 for Efficient Visible‐Light‐Driven Hydrogen Evolution
Authors: Qin Su , Lei Yang , Huang Jian‐Feng , Xiao Li‐Min , Liu Jun‐Min
Published: June 2021

The design of photochemical molecular devices (PMDs) for photocatalytic H2 production from water is a meaningful but challenging subject currently. Herein, a Pd2L4 type metal‐organic cage (denoted as MOC‐Q2) is designed as a PMD, which consists of two catalytic centers (Pd2+) and four photosensitive ligands (L‐2) with four pyridine anchoring groups. Subsequently, the MOC‐Q2 is combined with TiO2 to form TiO2‐MOC‐Q2 hybrid materials with different MOC‐Q2 contents by a facile sol‐gel method, which have micro/mesoporous structures and large surface areas. The optimized TiO2‐MOC‐Q2 (6.5 wt%) exhibits high H2 production activity (7.9 mmol g−1 h−1 within 5 h) and excellent durability, giving a TON value of 23477 or 11739 (based on MOC‐Q2 or Pd moles) after recycling for 7 rounds. By contrast, the pure MOC‐Q2 only shows an ordinary photocatalytic H2 production rate (0.84 mmol g−1 h−1 within 5 h) in the homogeneous system. It can be deduced that TiO2 drives the photocatalysis and simultaneously acts as the structure promoter. This study presents a meaningful and distinctive attempt of a new approach for the design and development of MOC‐based heterogeneous photocatalysts.
Longer than prison? A comparison of length of stay in a medium security hospital and prison for perpetrators of violent crimes other than homicide or attempted homicide
Authors: Gosek Paweł , Kotowska Justyna , Rowińska‐Garbień Elżbieta , Bartczak Dariusz , Tomlin Jack , Heitzman Janusz
Published: June 2021

Background

Concerns have been raised that people detained in secure hospitals after a criminal act spend longer in a locked institution than people sent to prison for similar offending, but research evidence is scarce and conflicting.

Aims

To compare the length of secure hospitalisation of people convicted of crimes for which flexible sentencing is allowed with length of time in prison for people serving a prison sentence for similar crimes who were not found mentally ill.

Methods

A records‐based, retrospective study was conducted comparing length of stay of all inpatients in one medium security hospital in Poland, hospitalised between 2014 and 2018, who had been convicted of any interpersonal crime other than homicide or attempted homicide, and data on all sentenced prisoners in Poland on 09.05.2018 convicted of a similar range of offences. Homicide was excluded because, in Poland, it usually attracts a fixed sentence–a life sentence until the 1970s and currently a 25‐year imprisonment–so disrupting comparisons.

Results

Eighty‐two patients completed their secure hospital stay within the study period or were still hospitalised at the census point 09.05.2018, only 10 of them women. Male patients convicted of stalking or similar threatening offence or ‘mistreatment’ spent, on average, almost twice as long confined to hospital than men sentenced to imprisonment spent in prison (28.8 months, respectively). By contrast, men hospitalised after sex offences were confined for over three years less than those sentenced to prison. Only bodily harm offences attracted comparable lengths of stay in hospital and prison.

Conclusions

Our findings confirm significant disparities in length of time spent in a closed institution after offences of serious interpersonal violence, according to whether that institution was prison or hospital, but not all in the same direction. Next steps should explore reasons for this and relative longer‐term outcomes.
Severe antibody‐mediated transfusion‐related acute lung injury in an obstetric patient following transfusion of fresh frozen plasma from a non‐transfused male blood donor
Authors: Agergaard Charlotte Nielsen , Haunstrup Thure Mors , Fjordside Anne‐Louise , Baech John , Steffensen Rudi , Nielsen Kaspar René
Published: June 2021

Transfusion‐Related Acute Lung Injury (TRALI) has been associated with neutrophil reacting antibodies in transfused blood products. We report a case of life‐threatening TRALI in an obstetric patient triggered by transfusion from a non‐transfused male blood donor. A residual risk of TRALI exist, even in a male‐only plasma setting.
What is the difference in TOS progression secondary to complete vs. incomplete cervical ribs?
Authors: Bint I Bilal Ammara , Ata Fateen , Yassin Mohamed A.
Published: June 2021

When complete cervical ribs are present, clinicians and surgeons should look out for the possibility of arterial involvement with disease progression similar to what happened in this case.
Nontraumatic bladder rupture: The images before and after
Authors: Okano Mitsumasa , Oshita Toshihiko , Otsui Kazunori , Sakaguchi Kazuhiko
Published: June 2021

We should consider the complication of bladder rupture for patients with worsened abdominal pain and inability to pass urine following acute cystitis. A CT scan is a useful first‐line modality when evaluating for a suspected bladder rupture.
Large pedunculated submucosal leiomyoma mimicking uterine prolapse
Authors: Zacharakis Dimitrios , Athanasiou Stavros , Kathopoulis Nikolaos , Michala Lina , Pontikaki Artemis , Angelou Kyveli , Grigoriadis Themos
Published: June 2021

The differential diagnosis of a sudden protrusion of a large vaginal mass includes a uterine or vaginal vault prolapse, a pedunculated uterine leiomyoma or leiomyosarcoma, a uterine stromal tumor or a giant polyp.
Porous Anionic Co(II) Metal‐Organic Framework, with a High Density of Amino Groups, as a Superior Luminescent Sensor for Turn‐on Al(III) Detection
Authors: Chand Santanu , Verma Gaurav , Pal Arun , Pal Shyam Chand , Ma Shengqian , Das Madhab C.
Published: June 2021

Accumulation of high concentrations of Al(III) in body has a direct impact on health and therefore, the trace detection of Al(III) has been a matter for substantial concern. An anionic metal organic framework ({[Me2NH2]0.5[Co(DATRz)0.5(NH2BDC)] ⋅ xG}n; 1; HDATRz=3,5‐diamino‐1,2,4‐triazole, H2NH2‐BDC=2‐amino‐1,4‐benzenedicarboxylic acid, G=guest molecule) composed of two types of secondary building units (SBU) and channels of varying sizes was synthesized by employing a rational design mixed ligand synthesis approach. Free −NH2 groups on both the ligands are immobilized onto the pore surface of the MOF which acts as a superior luminescent sensor for turn‐on Al(III) detection. Furthermore, the large channels could allow the counter‐ions to pass through and get exchanged to selectively detect Al(III) in presence of other seventeen metal ions with magnificent luminescence enhancement. The observed limit of detection is as low as 17.5 ppb, which is the lowest among the MOF‐based sensors achieved so far. To make this detection approach simple, portable and economic, we demonstrate MOF filter paper test for real time naked eye observation.
Synthesis of Cu‐Modified Nickel Oxide Nanocrystals and Their Applications as Hole‐Injection layers for Quantum‐Dot Light‐Emitting Diodes
Authors: Du Hui , Ma Luying , Wang Xin , Li Yifei , Xu Maopeng , Liang Xiaoyong , Chen Desui , Jin Yizheng
Published: June 2021

Solution‐processed NiOx thin films have been applied as hole‐injection layers (HILs) in quantum‐dot light‐emitting diodes (QLEDs). The commonly used NiOx HILs are prepared by the precursor‐based route, which requires high annealing temperatures of over 275 °C to in situ convert the precursors into oxide films. Such high processing temperatures of NiOx HILs hinder their applications in flexible devices. Herein, we report a low‐temperature approach based on Cu‐modified NiOx (NiOx‐Cu) nanocrystals to prepare HILs. A simple post‐synthetic surface‐modification step, which anchors the copper agents onto the surfaces of oxide nanocrystals, is developed to improve the electrical conductivity of the low‐temperature‐processed (135 °C) oxide‐nanocrystal thin films. In consequence, QLEDs based on the NiOx‐Cu HILs exhibit an external quantum efficiency of 17.5 % and a T95 operational lifetime of ∼2,800 h at an initial brightness of 1,000 cd m−2, meeting the commercialization requirements for display applications. The results shed light on the potential of using NiOx‐Cu HILs for realizing high‐performance flexible QLEDs.
Performance analysis of wireless power harvesting over signal to interference plus noise channel for full‐duplex services in LTE MIMO system
Authors: Abuhaija Belal
Published: June 2021

The evolution of wireless communication systems and its strive to provide 5G services accompanied with the expanded use of communication devices with greedy applications have strained the device's battery power. In its quest to provide a solution to this problem, wireless communication systems proposed wireless energy harvesting. Communication channel time shall be split between sending and receiving data as well as energy harvesting. Maximizing spectral efficiency and minimizing power consumption are aims of 5G technology. In the literature, the time split was analyzed without considering LTE resource blocks or interference from adjacent devices and objects. In this second paper, we first pay special attention to interference and its impact on the system, as well as the mathematical equations derived for time split protocol while considering two main types of internet traffic services: VoIP and FTP. Second, the attention will be directed towards reasonable and logical analysis of LTE MIMO systems considering different internet traffic profiles.
Towards prevention of autoimmune diseases: The example of rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Hensvold Aase , Klareskog Lars
Published: June 2021

Prevention is the ultimate aim for clinicians and scientists concerned with severe diseases, like many immune‐mediated conditions. Here, we describe recent progress in the understanding of etiology and molecular pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), which make this disease a potential prototype for prevention that may include both public health measures and targeted and personalized approaches that we call “personalized prevention.” Critical components of this knowledge are (i) better understanding of the dynamics of the RA‐associated autoimmunity that may begin many years before onset of joint inflammation; (ii) insights into how this immunity may be triggered at mucosal surfaces after distinct environmental challenges; (iii) better understanding of which features of the pre‐existing immunity may cause symptoms that precede joint inflammation and predict a high risk for imminent arthritis development; and (iv) how molecular events occurring before onset of inflammation might be targeted by existing or future therapies, ultimately by specific targeting of Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II restricted and RA‐specific immunity. Our main conclusion is that studies and interventions in the phase of autoimmunity preceding RA offer new opportunities to prevent the disease and thereby also understand the molecular pathogenesis of its different variants.
Mineralogical and geochemical constraints on the provenance and depositional setting of Sri Lankan marbles
Authors: Madugalla Nadeesha Srimali , Pitawala Amarasooriya
Published: June 2021

Proterozoic high‐grade marbles cover a significant portion of the Highland Complex (HC) of Sri Lanka. Although many studies on metamorphic silicate rocks of the country have been carried out, marbles, which can be used as a tool to interpret the evolution history of the crust, has been paid little attention. The present study aims to understand the genesis and characteristics of protolith of these marbles by investigating their mineralogy and geochemistry. The studied marbles occur as bands intercalated with pelitic gneisses and quartzites of the HC, indicating the pre‐existing sandstone‐shale‐carbonate sedimentary sequence. Except along the lithological contacts, the studied marbles contain low amounts of silicate minerals (<5%) and are dominated by dolomites (>90%) with minor calcites. Calcites occur as inclusions within dolomites or as fine grains along the grain boundaries of dolomites. Silicate minerals always occur as lensoid or layered aggregations. Dolomites are related to the protolith composition, while most of the calcites are metamorphic products formed due to the reaction of silicate minerals with dolomite. Silicate mineralogical zones suggest the inherited compositional variations of the protolith. Although the marbles have undergone granulite‐grade metamorphism, their trace elemental contents have been well preserved. Concentrations of Fe, Mn, Sr, Na, and K as well as rare earth element (REE) contents of the marbles are comparable to those of marine origin carbonates. Hence, marine dolostone can be proposed as the protolith for Sri Lankan marbles. The distinct mineralogy as well as elevated trace element and REE concentrations of marble in the lithological contact zones are evidenced for prevailed syn‐ to post‐metamorphic fluid activities in the HC. Mineralogical and trace elemental composition of Sri Lankan marbles are correlated well with the marbles from other East‐Gondwanaland crustal units.
Packing of spanning mixed arborescences
Authors: Gao Hui , Yang Daqing
Published: June 2021

In this paper, we characterize a mixed graph which contains edge and arc‐disjoint spanning mixed arborescences , such that for each , the cardinality of lies in some prescribed interval. This generalizes both Nash‐Williams and Tutte's theorem on spanning tree packing for undirected graphs and the previous characterization on digraphs which was given by Cai and Frank.
The Level of Alcohol Consumption in the Prior Year Does Not Impact Clinical Outcomes in Patients With Alcohol‐Associated Hepatitis
Authors: Musto Jessica A. , Eickhoff Jens , Ventura‐Cots Meritxell , Abraldes Juan G. , Bosques‐Padilla Francisco , Verna Elizabeth C. , Brown Robert S. , Vargas Victor , Altamirano Jose , Caballería Juan , Shawcross Debbie , Louvet Alexandre , Mathurin Philippe , Garcia‐Tsao Guadalupe , Schnabl Bernd , Bataller Ramon , Lucey Michael R.
Published: June 2021

The 10‐item Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT‐10) and its shorter form, AUDIT‐Consumption (AUDIT‐C), are questionnaires used to characterize severity of drinking. We hypothesized that liver injury and short‐term outcomes of alcohol‐associated hepatitis (AH) would correlate with a patient’s recent alcohol consumption as determined by AUDIT‐10 and AUDIT‐C. We analyzed a prospective international database of patients with AH diagnosed based on the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) standard definitions. All patients were interviewed using AUDIT‐10. Primary outcomes included the discriminatory ability of the AUDIT‐10 and AUDIT‐C scores for predicting survival status at 28 and 90 days and severity of liver injury, as measured by Model for End‐Stage Liver Disease–sodium (MELD‐Na). The relationship between AUDIT scores and survival status was quantified by calculating the area under the curve of the receiver operating characteristic analysis. The relationship between AUDIT scores and MELD‐Na was examined using correlation coefficients. In 245 patients (age range 25‐75 years; 35% female), we found no correlation between AUDIT‐10 or AUDIT‐C scores and either 28‐ or 90‐day mortality. Similarly, there was no correlation between AUDIT‐10 and AUDIT‐C and MELD‐Na scores. There was a strong positive correlation between MELD‐Na and 28‐ and 90‐day mortality. Additional measures of severity of alcohol use (average grams of alcohol consumed per day, years of drinking, convictions for driving under the influence, and rehabilitation attempts) and psychosocial factors (marriage, paid employment, and level of social support) had no influence on MELD‐Na. In patients presenting with AH, AUDIT‐10 and AUDIT‐C were predictors of neither clinical severity of liver disease nor short‐term mortality, suggesting that level of alcohol consumption in the prior year is not key to the presenting features or outcome of AH.
Obesity, inflammatory and thrombotic markers, and major clinical outcomes in critically ill patients with COVID‐19 in the US
Authors: Friedman Allon N. , Guirguis John , Kapoor Rajat , Gupta Shruti , Leaf David E. , Timsina Lava R. ,   for the STOP‐COVID Investigators
Published: June 2021

Objective

This study aimed to determine whether obesity is independently associated with major adverse clinical outcomes and inflammatory and thrombotic markers in critically ill patients with COVID‐19.

Methods

The primary outcome was in‐hospital mortality in adults with COVID‐19 admitted to intensive care units across the US. Secondary outcomes were acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), acute kidney injury requiring renal replacement therapy (AKI‐RRT), thrombotic events, and seven blood markers of inflammation and thrombosis. Unadjusted and multivariable‐adjusted models were used.

Results

Among the 4,908 study patients, mean (SD) age was 60.9 (14.7) years, 3,095 (62.8%) were male, and 2,552 (52.0%) had obesity. In multivariable models, BMI was not associated with mortality. Higher BMI beginning at 25 kg/m2 was associated with a greater risk of ARDS and AKI‐RRT but not thrombosis. There was no clinically significant association between BMI and inflammatory or thrombotic markers.

Conclusions

In critically ill patients with COVID‐19, higher BMI was not associated with death or thrombotic events but was associated with a greater risk of ARDS and AKI‐RRT. The lack of an association between BMI and circulating biomarkers calls into question the paradigm that obesity contributes to poor outcomes in critically ill patients with COVID‐19 by upregulating systemic inflammatory and prothrombotic pathways.
Investigating the influence of community health insurance on health seeking behaviors and demand for maternal healthcare services in Nigeria
Authors: Ugbor Kalu I. , Agbutun Adzugbele Shedrach , Ugbor‐Kalu Ugonma Joy
Published: June 2021

The rate of maternal mortality in Nigeria remains high despite recent worldwide success in reducing it. Data from the World Bank suggests that maternal mortality rate (MMR) is about 917 per 100,000 for Nigeria and this is only second to India globally. Hence, in this study, we investigate the research question of to what extent can community health insurance influence maternal health in Nigeria by looking at aspects of maternal health such as health seeking behaviors of, and demand for maternal healthcare services among women in Nigeria The data utilized for the study was sourced from the 2013 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS), while estimations were done using Propensity Score Matching and Nearest Neighbor Matching. The result from the estimations shows that the average treatment effect on the treated (ATT) reveals that participating in a Community Health Insurance (CHI) scheme improves the health seeking behavior of a woman by about 17% compared to when she does not participate. The result further reveals that those who participated in the scheme were likely to have 58% increased antenatal care visits compared to when they do not participate. This study concludes that CHI is protective of maternal health. It is likely to improve health seeking behavior of women in Nigeria by reducing out‐of‐pocket payment for health services. Further recommendations are also discussed.
Why sustainable, inclusive, and resilient investment makes for efficacious post‐COVID medicine
Authors: Zenghelis Dimitri
Published: June 2021

The global economy is facing an unprecedented challenge, with the risk of a protracted depression following the response to COVID‐19. In 2014, I argued here that macroeconomic conditions made it a relatively favorable time to kick‐start investments in a resource‐efficient, low carbon economy. Yet the opportunity was, for the most part, squandered. Failure to utilize active fiscal policy contributed to growing private indebtedness, limited productivity and wage growth and widened inequality helping erode trust in institutions. All the while, greenhouse gas emissions continued to rise. This time, there are grounds for optimism that a more coordinated response toward generating an ambitious transition to net zero emissions might contribute to a strong, sustainable, and resilient recovery.

This article is categorized under:

Climate Economics > Economics of Mitigation
Heiße Spuren
Authors: Autsch Angelina , Sauer Stefanie , Mall Gita , Wittschieber Daniel
Published: June 2021

Die Differenzialdiagnostik von Hautläsionen bei Lebenden gehört zum wesentlichen Aufgabenspektrum der „klinischen Rechtsmedizin“. Im vorliegenden Fall eines 10 Monate alten Jungen mit nichtjuckenden, jedoch geformt wirkenden Hautläsionen bat die behandelnde Kinderarztpraxis um rechtsmedizinische Mitbeurteilung wegen des Verdachts einer Misshandlung von Schutzbefohlenen mittels glühender Zigarettenspitzen. Auf Fotografien vom Tag der Erstvorstellung in der Kinderarztpraxis sowie von der Wiedervorstellung einen Tag später waren im linken oberen Rückenbereich mehrere rundliche Hautläsionen zu erkennen. Bei der nachfolgenden rechtsmedizinischen Untersuchung erschienen diese Läsionen nun mit goldgelb-braunen Krustenbildungen. Die Kenntnis der Läsionsentwicklung sowie der charakteristische Endbefund ermöglichten die sichere Diagnose einer Impetigo contagiosa. Der Fall verdeutlicht die Notwendigkeit der engen Kooperation zwischen Klinik und Rechtsmedizin bei Sachlagen und Befunden mit initial möglich erscheinender strafrechtlicher Relevanz.
Ventricle contact may be associated with higher 11C methionine PET uptake in glioblastoma
Authors: van Dijken Bart R. J. , Schuuring Bram , Jeltema Hanne-Rinck , van Laar Peter Jan , Enting Roelien H. , Dierckx Rudi A. J. O. , Stormezand Gilles N. , van der Hoorn Anouk
Published: June 2021

Purpose

Ventricle contact is associated with a worse prognosis and more aggressive tumor characteristics in glioblastoma (GBM). This is hypothesized to be a result of neural stem cells located around the lateral ventricles, in the subventricular zone. 11C Methionine positron emission tomography (metPET) is an indicator for increased proliferation, as it shows uptake of methionine, an amino acid needed for protein synthesis. This study is the first to study metPET characteristics of GBM in relation to ventricle contact.

Methods

A total of 12 patients with IDH wild-type GBM were included. Using MRI, the following regions were determined: primary tumor (defined as contrast enhancing lesion on T1) and peritumoral edema (defined as edema visible on FLAIR excluding the enhancement). PET parameters in these areas were extracted using PET fused with MRI imaging. Parameters extracted from the PET included maximum and mean tumor-to-normal ratio (TNRmax and TNRmean) and metabolic tumor volume (MTV).

Results

TNRmean of the primary tumor showed significantly higher values for the ventricle-contacting group compared to that for the non-contacting group (4.44 vs 2.67, p = 0.030). Other metPET parameters suggested higher values for the ventricle-contacting group, but these differences did not reach statistical significance.

Conclusion

GBM with ventricle contact demonstrated a higher methionine uptake and might thus have increased proliferation compared with GBM without ventricle contact. This might explain survival differences and should be considered in treatment decisions.
Integrated understanding of hydrocephalus — a practical approach for a complex disease
Authors: Thomale U. W.
Published: June 2021

Most of childhood hydrocephalus are originating during infancy. It is considered to be a complex disease since it is developed on the basis of heterogeneous pathophysiological mechanisms and different pathological conditions as well as during different age groups. Hence, it is of relevant importance to have a practical concept in mind, how to categorize hydrocephalus to surgically better approach this disease. The current review should offer further basis of discussion on a disease still most frequently seen in Pediatric Neurosurgery. Current literature on pathophysiology and classification of pediatric hydrocephalus has been reviewed to integrate the different published concepts of hydrocephalus for pediatric neurosurgeons. The current understanding of infant and childhood hydrocephalus pathophysiology is summarized. A simplified concept based on seven factors of CSF dynamics is elaborated and discussed in the context of recent discussions. The seven factors such as pulsatility, CSF production, major CSF pathways, minor CSF pathways, CSF absorption, venous outflow, and respiration may have different relevance and may also overlap for the individual hydrocephalic condition. The surgical options available for pediatric neurosurgeons to approach hydrocephalus must be adapted to the individual condition. The heterogeneity of hydrocephalus causes mostly developing during infancy warrant a simplified overview and understanding for an everyday approach. The proposed guide may be a basis for further discussion and may serve for a more or less simple categorization to better approach hydrocephalus as a pathophysiological complex disease.
Mapping Ethics Education in Accounting Research: A Bibliometric Analysis
Authors: Poje Tamara , Zaman Groff Maja
Published: June 2021

The attention being paid to ethics education in accounting has been increasing, especially after the corporate accounting scandals at the turn of the century. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the existing research in the field of ethics education in accounting. To synthesize past research, a bibliometric analysis that references 134 primary studies is performed and three bibliometric methods are applied. First, we visualize the historical evolution of ethics education in accounting research through historiography. Second, we use bibliographic coupling to identify clusters of ethics education in accounting research before, during, and after major corporate scandals. Third, we perform a co-word analysis to connect the identified patterns into a map of a contextual space. The results reveal, in each decade, not only an increasing academic focus on this field of research, but also an increasing number of different research clusters. While the clusters Factors affecting moral judgement, Perception of ethics, and Lack of ethics topics in the last research period develop further from the respective clusters in the previous periods, Accounting beyond technical skills, Integration of ethics in accounting education, Use of developed ethics frameworks, and Professional values on the contrary develop anew in the last decade, as a consequence of a growing demand for teaching ethics. Overall, the paper presents the development patterns of ethics education in accounting research and sets up a research agenda that encourages future research.