bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reporting Incompetent Colleagues II: “Will I Be Sued for Defamation?”
Authors: Greenlaw Jane
Published: January 2021

Talking about one's colleagues is a common practice in all employment settings. In the health care setting, one popular topic of conversation is evaluating and comparing the professional competencies of the various personnel.

When a nurse is aware that a colleague has made an error in judgment, or has failed to follow proper procedure, or has harmed a patient in some way, the nurse often chooses to share this information informally with other colleagues, rather than to report it through official channels. The rationale for this approach is generally that informal talking will do no one harm, while reporting through official channels may bring destructive disciplinary action upon the colleague, result in a lawsuit for defamation against the reporting nurse, or both. The problems with this rationale are illustrated by a recent New York court case.
What Nurses Should Know About Administering “New Drugs”
Authors: Rollins William R.
Published: January 2021

Nurses often administer drugs to patients for treatment and research purposes, at the direction of physicians, without knowing their legal responsibilities. Following a doctor's orders is not an adequate defense for a nurse against a lawsuit based on the administration of a drug not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA); administration of a drug approved by the FDA, but approved only for a different purpose; or administration of a drug without the informed consent of a patient. Considerable confusion exists about a nurse's legal obligations in administering “new drugs,” and the purpose of this article is to provide some clarity.
Transfer Trauma and the Courts
Authors: Annas George J.
Published: January 2021

There is a considerable literature on the phenomenon of “transfer trauma” — the suffering a person experiences from being involuntarily transferred from one nursing home to another. While the explication of transfer trauma remains the domain of researchers and those caring for nursing home patients, the issue has recently surfaced in a number of court opinions, and judges have been asked to assess the significance of transfer trauma in deciding whether or not nursing home patients have a right to a hearing before the facility is closed or decertified as a Medicare provider. Two such cases will be discussed in this column.
How to Find the Law
Authors: Annas George J.
Published: January 2021

The purpose of this column is not to teach you how to use the law library to perform legal research (something very few lawyers know how to do efficiently), but to give you enough information so that you can locate the legal materials cited in Nursing Law & Ethics. To locate most references cited in this newsletter, you will have to use a law library. The first rule of research in any unfamiliar library is, of course, to ask the reference librarian for assistance.

All law schools have substantial libraries, as do many local bar associations. To obtain admission to the law library of your local law school, you may need special permission from the school or the assistance of a law student. Once inside, you will discover the principal problem with writing about “the law” in the United States: each of the 50 states has its own court system and legislature, and therefore, each has its own set of statutes and case reporters. Superimposed on this structure is a system of federal district courts and federal appeals courts.
Compassion, Suffering, Morality: Ethical Dilemmas in Caring
Authors: Davis Anne J.
Published: January 2021

Few healthy people welcome death, but most would welcome a quick, easy death to avoid suffering and the loss of control over their lives. We need to ask: what sort of human environment do we hope for at the end of our lives? What will the world and our own living in it look like when we know we are about to die? What kind of human relationships will sustain us through this most personal of life's experiences when we may become more dependent on others? Do we fear we will either be abandoned through lack of meaningful personal contact with significant others, or be actors in a tragi-comedy of pretense in which authentic forms of human expression are unattainable?
Hospital Responsibilities to the General Public
Authors: Greenlaw Jane
Published: January 2021

What is the responsibility of a hospital to protect the general public from an employee who may cause harm? Until recently, the answer to this question was simply “none“; hospitals were not seen as having any direct responsibility for the actions of employees. But this has changed, and the current trend is to hold a hospital directly responsible for the level of care received by its patients — the hospital must provide an ongoing system to monitor performance of employees as well as staff physicians.

But what about acts of employees outside the hospital? Does a hospital have any obligation to anticipate when one of its employees poses a threat not on the job? This was the question addressed in a recent case before a California appeals court.
Victims of the Iranian Hostage Crisis: Nursing Interventions
Authors: Burgess Ann Wolbert
Published: January 2021

On November 4,1979, Iranian terrorists took 53 Americans hostage at the embassy in Tehran and set into motion a national crisis — not only for the individual hostages and their families, but also for the staffs of the governmental agencies involved in the release negotiations. The incarceration of the Americans in Iran for 444 days will clearly be considered a critical life event of significant magnitude for both the returned hostages and for their families. The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to describe the Task Force on Families of Catastrophe and its role in the Iranian crisis; and second, to identify ways in which nurses can be effective in dealing with victims and families caught in political and social upheaval. It will be useful here to briefly review crisis intervention theory.
What to Know Before You Testify in Court
Authors: Annas George J.
Published: January 2021

In the lead article Cynthia Northrop and Ann Mech discuss the growing role of nurses as expert witnesses in malpractice litigation. As they note, the increasing professionalization of nursing has led to more and more courts accepting the testimony of nurses as authoritative on the question of proper nursing practice. As a supplement to that article it is worth noting that nurses are also being called upon more frequently to testify on a wide variety of health care issues, and accordingly it is important for all nurses to have some familiarity with what goes on in a courtroom so that their testimony will be effective and useful to the judge and jury.

For example, I recently had occasion to sit in on the first day of trial of a case in Minneapolis involving the question of the appropriateness and lawfulness of an order not to resuscitate. During that day testimony was heard from four nurses, two laypersons, and one physician. Of these witnesses, only the physician seemed at home in the courtroom.
Transdiagnostic CBT versus counselling sessions: a naturalistic trial from Saudi Arabia
Authors: Alatiq Yousra
Published: January 2021

In a previous feasibility trial, we found that transdiagnostic cognitive behavioural therapy (T-CBT) showed promising results in improving emotional disorders in adults from Saudi Arabia. The primary aim of this study was to replicate these findings and compare T-CBT results with results for counselling sessions. The overall sample consisted of 276 patients (175 in the T-CBT group and 101 in the counselling group). Of the overall sample, 110 patients (39.9%) completed the treatment plan, and 166 (60.1%) disengaged from treatment. The pre- and post-assessments of the clients who completed the treatment showed large effect sizes for almost all outcome measures for both the T-CBT and counselling groups. For patients who decided to disengage from therapy, T-CBT had medium effect sizes for all three measures (depression, anxiety and function), while counselling sessions had medium effect size for the anxiety measure only. This study provides additional evidence that T-CBT is suitable for patients from Saudi Arabia with emotional disorders. The study also provides information regarding when and why T-CBT or counselling was applied in a real clinical setting. Implications and recommendations are discussed.

Key learning aims

(1)

To confirm a previous feasibility trial on the effect of T-CBT in Saudi Arabia.

(2)

To explore the effect of T-CBT compared with counselling in a real clinical setting.

(3)

To identify variables related to the choice of interventions.
That Takes the BISCUIT
Authors: Elleman Lorien G. , McDougald Sarah K. , Condon David M. , Revelle William
Published: January 2021

Abstract. The predictive accuracy of personality-criterion regression models may be improved with statistical learning (SL) techniques. This study introduced a novel SL technique, BISCUIT (Best Items Scale that is Cross-validated, Unit-weighted, Informative, and Transparent). The predictive accuracy and parsimony of BISCUIT were compared with three established SL techniques (the lasso, elastic net, and random forest) and regression using two sets of scales, for five criteria, across five levels of data missingness. BISCUIT’s predictive accuracy was competitive with other SL techniques at higher levels of data missingness. BISCUIT most frequently produced the most parsimonious SL model. In terms of predictive accuracy, the elastic net and lasso dominated other techniques in the complete data condition and in conditions with up to 50% data missingness. Regression using 27 narrow traits was an intermediate choice for predictive accuracy. For most criteria and levels of data missingness, regression using the Big Five had the worst predictive accuracy. Overall, loss in predictive accuracy due to data missingness was modest, even at 90% data missingness. Findings suggest that personality researchers should consider incorporating planned data missingness and SL techniques into their designs and analyses.
Modularity of the Personality Network
Authors: Castro Daniel , Ferreira Filipa , Ferreira Tiago Bento
Published: January 2021

Abstract. The Five Factor Model (FFM) is the most widely used personality model; it proposes a hierarchical structure of personality with personality characteristics, facets, and factors. An increasing number of studies have challenged the FFM and a plethora of factor models with varying numbers of facets and factors have been proposed, leading to uncertainties about the structure of personality. The networked system of interactions between personality characteristics has stimulated promising progresses, however, the methodological developments needed to map the topological structure and functional organization remain scarce. This study aims to explore the hierarchical modular structure of the personality network and the functional role of personality characteristics. A sample of 345,780 individuals ( Mage = 24.99, SDage = 10.00; 59.18% female) that completed the International Personality Item Pool – NEO-120 in a previous study was reanalyzed. A non-regularized method was used to estimate the personality network and ModuLand was used to characterize its modular structure. Results revealed a modular structure comprising three levels: one level with the 120 personality characteristics, a second level with 35 modules, and a third with 9 modules. Such results suggest that specific personality characteristics and modules have specialized roles in the topological structure of the personality network.
Analytical Solution for Field Soil Water Content Profiles
Authors: Leij Feike J. , Dane Jacob H. , Sciortino Antonella
Published: January 2021

Quantifying the spatial and temporal dynamics of soil moisture is an important subject in vadose zone hydrology. Although progress has been made to measure soil water content, soil water flow needs to be simulated for many applications. An analytical solution for soil water content, resulting from vertical flow and simplified mathematical conditions and hydraulic properties, was derived with the Cole‐Hopf transformation. The solution serves as a transfer function with the calibrated boundary condition and water content as respective input and output. This transfer function was applied to time series of soil water content, obtained from weekly observations with a neutron probe over a 1282‐day period at five depths and 16 locations. Water retention and saturated hydraulic conductivity were measured on soil samples in the laboratory. The transfer function was calibrated to observed time series of soil water content θ(t) with a median coefficient of determination R2 = 0.980. It was then used to predict θ(t) using constants from the calibration location and hydraulic parameters from the prediction location. There was a fairly good correspondence between predicted and observed θ(t) using calibrations elsewhere (R2 = 0.783). As an alternative, an observed time series θ(t) was scaled by multiplying it by the ratio of experimental saturated water contents for prediction and observation location. This scaling approach led to poorer predictions (R2 = 0.651). The analytical solution provides a flexible approach to quantify soil moisture for a variety of scenarios regarding available data on topography, climate, soil properties, and soil hydraulic parameters.
Implementing Full Spatial Coverage in NOAA’s Global Temperature Analysis
Authors: Vose R. S. , Huang B. , Yin X. , Arndt D. , Easterling D. R. , Lawrimore J. H. , Menne M. J. , Sanchez‐Lugo A. , Zhang H. M.
Published: January 2021

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) maintains an operational analysis for monitoring trends in global surface temperature. Because of limited polar coverage, the analysis does not fully capture the rapid warming in the Arctic over recent decades. Given the impact of coverage biases on trend assessments, we introduce a new analysis that is spatially complete for 1850–2018. The new analysis uses air temperature data in the Arctic Ocean and applies climate reanalysis fields in spatial interpolation. Both the operational analysis and the new analysis show statistically significant warming across the globe and the Arctic for all periods examined. The analyses have comparable global trends, but the new analysis exhibits significantly more warming in the Arctic since 1980 (0.598°C dec−1 vs. 0.478°C dec−1), and its trend falls outside the 95% confidence interval of its operational counterpart. Trend differences primarily result from coverage gaps in the operational analysis.
Effects of Ion Slippage in Earth's Ionosphere and the Plasma Sheet
Authors: Wang Wenrui , Yang Jian , Nishimura Yukitoshi , Wolf Richard A. , Toffoletto Frank R. , Angelopoulos Vassilis , Knudsen David J. , Donovan Eric F. , Cui Jun
Published: January 2021

Although triggering mechanisms for substorm onsets remain highly controversial, consensus has reached that violation of frozen‐in flux condition in the central plasma sheet is required. In this study, we carry out a numerical gedanken experiment to investigate the effects of the violation by assuming ions slip with respect to the magnetic field lines in the late substorm growth phase while electrons remain magnetized, without specifying the microphysics. The simulation results predict (1) a thin arc and a strong westward electrojet associated with downward‐upward‐downward field‐aligned currents and westward‐eastward‐westward horizontal flows in the ionosphere, which are found to be consistent with a preonset arc observed by the Swarm and the all‐sky imager; (2) a rapid creation of a bubble‐blob pair in the plasma sheet with a tailward hump of Bz that may lead to tearing instability.
Probabilistic Tsunami Hazard Assessment (PTHA) for Southeast Coast of Chinese Mainland and Taiwan Island
Authors: Yuan Ye , Li Hongwei , Wei Yong , Shi Fengyan , Wang Zongchen , Hou Jingming , Wang Peitao , Xu Zhiguo
Published: January 2021

A Probabilistic Tsunami Hazard Assessment (PTHA) study on the Chinese Mainland and the Taiwan Island was conducted. Characterized by broad and shallow continental shelves, the offshore region along Chinese Mainland's east coast yields a significant nonlinear effect and bottom friction to the propagating long waves. To address these shallow‐water effects, a fully nonlinear Boussinesq model was used in the computation‐based PTHA framework. We found that the inappropriate usage of the linear wave model could considerably overestimate the tsunami hazards along the East China Sea (ECS) and the Yellow Sea. Tsunami hazard along the coastline of Chinese Mainland is generally moderate. Elevated tsunami hazard levels are found along both flanks of the Yangtze and Pearl estuaries. The probability of these coastlines impacted by 1 m or greater tsunami waves (at 10‐m isobath) is about 14%–40% in next century. The shallow and tongue‐shaped submarine terrain amplifies the hazard level by trapping the tsunami energy in these areas. Major subduction zones in the Northwest Pacific were identified as the main sources of destructive events along the coast of ECS and the Taiwan Island, while the Manila Trench is the main source zone that threatens the Northern South China Sea. The tsunami hazards generated by the crustal earthquakes are modest, yet not negligible, particularly in the Taiwan Strait. We found the risk of tsunami inundation along the coast of Shanghai is low based on the hazard curves of total water level that incorporates the aleatory uncertainty of tides.
MiR-144-3p is associated with pathological inflammation in patients infected with Mycobacteroides abscessus
Authors: Kim Hyeon Ji , Kim In Soo , Lee Sung-Gwon , Kim Young Jae , Silwal Prashanta , Kim Ji Young , Kim Jin Kyung , Seo Wonhyoung , Chung Chaeuk , Cho Hyun Kyu , Huh Hee Jae , Shim Seung Cheol , Park Chungoo , Jhun Byung Woo , Jo Eun-Kyeong
Published: January 2021

Infection with rapidly growing nontuberculous mycobacteria is emerging as a global health issue; however, key host factors remain elusive. Here, we investigated the characteristic immune profiles of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from patients infected withMycobacteroides abscessussubsp. abscessus(Mabc) andM. abscessussubsp.massiliense(Mmass). Using an integrated analysis of global mRNA and microRNA expression profiles, we found that several inflammatory cytokines/chemokines [interleukin (IL)-1β,IL-6, C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 2, and C-C motif chemokine ligand 2] andmiR-144-3pwere significantly upregulated in PBMCs from patients compared with those from healthy controls (HCs). Notably, there was a strong correlation between the expression levels ofmiR-144-3pand proinflammatory cytokines/chemokines. Similarly, upregulated expression ofmiR-144-3pand proinflammatory cytokines/chemokines was found in macrophages and lungs from mice after infection with Mabc and Mmass. We showed that the expression of negative regulators of inflammation (SARM1andTNIP3) was significantly downregulated in PBMCs from the patients, although they were not putative targets ofmiR-144-3p. Furthermore, overexpression ofmiR-144-3pled to a marked increase in proinflammatory cytokines/chemokines and promoted bacterial growth in macrophages. Together, our results highlight the importance ofmiR-144-3plinking to pathological inflammation duringM. abscessusinfection.
Heart failure—emerging roles for the mitochondrial pyruvate carrier
Authors: Fernandez-Caggiano Mariana , Eaton Philip
Published: January 2021

The mitochondrial pyruvate carrier (MPC) is the entry point for the glycolytic end-product pyruvate to the mitochondria. MPC activity, which is controlled by its abundance and post-translational regulation, determines whether pyruvate is oxidised in the mitochondria or metabolised in the cytosol. MPC serves as a crucial metabolic branch point that determines the fate of pyruvate in the cell, enabling metabolic adaptations during health, such as exercise, or as a result of disease. Decreased MPC expression in several cancers limits the mitochondrial oxidation of pyruvate and contributes to lactate accumulation in the cytosol, highlighting its role as a contributing, causal mediator of the Warburg effect. Pyruvate is handled similarly in the failing heart where a large proportion of it is reduced to lactate in the cytosol instead of being fully oxidised in the mitochondria. Several recent studies have found that the MPC abundance was also reduced in failing human and mouse hearts that were characterised by maladaptive hypertrophic growth, emulating the anabolic scenario observed in some cancer cells. In this review we discuss the evidence implicating the MPC as an important, perhaps causal, mediator of heart failure progression.
In situ synthesis of copper–ruthenium bimetallic nanoparticles on laser-induced graphene as a peroxidase mimic
Authors: Thirumalai Dinakaran , Lee Jun-Uk , Choi Hyojeong , Kim Minjeong , Lee Jaewon , Kim Suhkmann , Shin Bo-Sung , Chang Seung-Cheol
Published: January 2021

Copper–ruthenium bimetallic nanoparticles decorated on a laser-induced graphene for non-enzymatic hydrogen peroxide sensor.
Hedgehog-like Bi2S3 nanostructures: a novel composite soft template route to the synthesis and sensitive electrochemical immunoassay of the liver cancer biomarker
Authors: Cao Jiawen , Ouyang Pu , Yu Suhua , Shi Feng , Ren Chuanli , Wang Chengyin , Shen Ming , Yang Zhanjun
Published: January 2021

A new route was proposed to synthesize novel hedgehog-like Bi2S3nanostructure using CTAB-trimellitic acid as a composite soft template and thiourea as the sulfur source, which was used  to construct an effective electrochemical AFP immunosensor.
Iodine-promoted ring-opening methylation of benzothiazoles with dimethyl sulfite
Authors: Guo Ying-Qiong , Chen Fan , Deng Chen-Liang , Zhang Xing-Guo
Published: January 2021

A new methylation of N,S-atoms using dimethyl sulfite as a safe and cheap methylating reagent through halogen bond promoted ring-opening coupling of benzothiazoles is described.
Chemical-chemical redox cycling amplification strategy in a self-powered photoelectrochemical system: a proof of concept for signal amplified photocathodic immunoassay
Authors: Lv Jing-Lu , Wang Bing , Liao Xiao-Jing , Ren Shu-Wei , Cao Jun-Tao , Liu Yan-Ming
Published: January 2021

A chemical-chemical redox cycling amplification strategy was introduced into a photocathodic immunosensing system.
Light illumination and temperature-induced current–voltage hysteresis in single-crystal perovskite photodiodes
Authors: Zhou Juan-Juan , Ding Rong-Zheng , Peng Ying-Quan , Gu Chang-Feng , Zhou Zhuo-Li , Lv Wen-Li , Xu Su-Nan , Sun Lei , Wei Yi , Wang Ying
Published: January 2021

Recently, current–voltage (IV) hysteresis, which is more frequently observed in thin film perovskite solar cells, has been intensively studied due to the destruction of data accuracy in device measurement.
Revealing the role of dopants in mitigating degradation phenomena in sodium-ion layered cathodes
Authors: Min Kyoungmin , Shin Young-Han
Published: January 2021

Prevention of the degradation of sodium-based layered cathode materials is the key to developing high-performance and high-stability sodium-ion batteries.
Gauging van der Waals interactions in aqueous solutions of 2D MOFs: when water likes organic linkers more than open-metal sites
Authors: Momeni Mohammad R. , Zhang Zeyu , Dell'Angelo David , Shakib Farnaz A.
Published: January 2021

Periodic quantum mechanical calculations combined with classical molecular dynamics simulations are employed to probe stability of layered architecture of 2D MOFs and show how stability and conductivity are affected by the nature of organic linkers.
Recent advances in total syntheses of complex dimeric natural products
Authors: Sun Jiawei , Yang He , Tang Wenjun
Published: January 2021

This tutorial review describes the recent progress in the total synthesis of dimeric natural products. In particular, effective synthetic methods and bioinspired dimerization strategies are emphasized.
Reply to the ‘Comment on “Non-PGM electrocatalysts for PEM fuel cells: effect of fluorination on the activity and stability of a highly active NC_Ar + NH3 catalyst”’ by Xi Yin, Edward F. Holby and Piotr Zelenay, Energy Environ. Sci., 10.1039/D0EE02069A
Authors: Dodelet Jean-Pol , Glibin Vassili , Zhang Gaixia , Kramm Ulrike I. , Chenitz Régis , Vidal François , Sun Shuhui , Dubois Marc
Published: January 2021

The fast decay in PEM fuel cells of a highly active, high performance, but unstable Fe/N/C catalyst like our NC_Ar + NH3 follows a chemical, not an electrochemical, demetallation mechanism for its ORR active FeN4 sites in the catalyst micropores.
Fully recyclable Brønsted acid catalyst systems
Authors: Watson Christopher B. , Kuechle Adrianna , Bergbreiter David E.
Published: January 2021

Polyisobutylene-bound sulfonic acid are effective homogeneous Brønsted acid catalysts and they and a poly(alpha-olefin) (PAO) solvent are readily recyclable with simple product removal by extraction or distillation.
Microfluidic studies of hydrostatic pressure-enhanced doxorubicin resistance in human breast cancer cells
Authors: Shang Menglin , Lim Su Bin , Jiang Kuan , Yap Yoon Sim , Khoo Bee Luan , Han Jongyoon , Lim Chwee Teck
Published: January 2021

Microfluidic studies of hydrostatic pressure-enhanced doxorubicin resistance in human breast cancer cells.
High-throughput functional profiling of single adherent cells via hydrogel drop-screen
Authors: Wang Ming , Nai Mui Hoon , Huang Ruby Yun-Ju , Leo Hwa Liang , Lim Chwee Teck , Chen Chia-Hung
Published: January 2021

A hydrogel drop-screen device was developed to rapidly measure large-scale single-adherent cell morphologies and multiple protease secretions on gelatin particles with a throughput ∼100 cells per second for phenotype profiling.
Ionic liquid [DBUH][BO2]: an excellent catalyst for chemical fixation of CO2 under mild conditions
Authors: Wang Zheng , Li Da , Chen Shangqing , Hu Jiayin , Gong Yanxi , Guo Yafei , Deng Tianlong
Published: January 2021

The basic IL [DBUH][BO2] was easily synthesized and used for the chemical fixation of CO2 at atmospheric pressure and room temperature.
BTX production from rice husk by fast catalytic pyrolysis over a Ga-modified ZSM-5/SBA-15 catalyst
Authors: Yang Gaixiu , Yang Juntao , Huang Dalong , Zhou Weihong , Yang Lingmei , Lv Pengmei , Yi Weiming , Sun Yongming , Yan Beibei
Published: January 2021

Hierarchical zeolites are promising for the development of biomass catalytic fast pyrolysis; composite molecular sieves with efficient catalytic activity are needed to expand their practical applications.
Morphology regulation of Ga particles from ionic liquids and their lithium storage properties
Authors: Yang Yu , Hao Jian , Xue Junying , Liu Shikun , Chi Caixia , Zhao Jiupeng , Xu Yongjun , Li Yao
Published: January 2021

Ga particle electrodes were electrodeposited from electrolytes with and without AlCl3. The electrochemical cycling stability of the Ga particle electrode was improved by regulating its morphology.
Synthesis, bioactivity and 3D-QSAR of azamacrolide compounds with a carbamate or urea moiety as potential fungicides and inhibitors of quorum sensing
Authors: Ning Lei , Wang Simin , Du Lin , Guo Bingyi , Zhang Jianjun , Lu Huizhe , Dong Yanhong
Published: January 2021

Azamacrolides were synthesized and some azamacrolide compounds hold potential for the development of novel fungicides or inhibitors of quorum sensing.
Upgrading of diesel engine exhaust waste into onion-like carbon nanoparticles for integrated degradation sensing in nano-biocomposites
Authors: Chowdhury Suvam Nag , Tung Tran Thanh , Ta Qui Thanh Hoai , Gunture  , Castro M. , Feller J. F. , Sonkar Sumit Kumar , Tripathi Kumud Malika
Published: January 2021

Onion-like carbon nano particles are separated from diesel engine exhaust “pollutant soot” and used in the structural health monitoring of a biocomposite.
Ce ion surface-modified TiO2 aerogel powders: a comprehensive study of their excellent photocatalytic efficiency in organic pollutant removal
Authors: Thirunavukkarasu Guru Karthikeyan , Monfort Olivier , Motola Martin , Motlochová Monika , Gregor Maroš , Roch Tomáš , Čaplovicová Maria , Lavrikova Aleksandra Y. , Hensel Karol , Brezová Vlasta , Jerigová Monika , Šubrt Ján , Plesch Gustáv
Published: January 2021

The surface modification of TiO2 aerogel powders by cerium ions has led to enhanced photoinduced properties.
A case study of Pd⋯Pd intramolecular interaction in a benzothiazole based palladacycle; catalytic activity toward amide synthesisviaan isocyanide insertion pathway
Authors: Loni Masood , Balmohammadi Yaser , Dadgar Yeganeh Reza , Imani Kaveh , Notash Behrouz , Bazgir Ayoob
Published: January 2021

An acetate bridged benzothiazole palladacycle containing a metallophilic intramolecular Pd⋯Pd interaction was anchored on SBA-15 to form a catalyst for amide synthesis.
Flexible and wearable strain sensor based on electrospun carbon sponge/polydimethylsiloxane composite for human motion detection
Authors: Gong He , Cai Chuan , Gu Hongjun , Jiang Qiushi , Zhang Daming , Cheng Zhiqiang
Published: January 2021

Electrospun carbon sponge was used to measure tensile strains with a high gauge factor.
Engineered Fe3 triangle for the rapid and selective removal of aromatic cationic pollutants: complexity is not a necessity
Authors: Khan M. Shahnawaz , Khalid Mohd , Shahid M.
Published: January 2021

A Fe3 triangle has been designed to serve as a filter for the elimination of cationic dye pollutants.
A series of novel host materials based on the 10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo[b,f]azepine unit for highly efficient green and red organic light-emitting diodes
Authors: Sun Bangjin , Tong Kai-Ning , Liu Sheng-Nan , Fung Man-Keung , Fan Jian
Published: January 2021

Highly efficient host materials for green and red OLEDs were developed via the incorporation of 10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo[b,f]azepine as a building block.
Effects of continuous positive airway pressure on plasma fibrinogen levels in obstructive sleep apnea patients: a systemic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Lin Juan , Hu Suxian , Shi Yonghong , Lu Fang , Luo Wen , Lin Yihua
Published: January 2021

Objective: Fibrinogen has been implicated to play a role in the pathophysiology of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Many studies have evaluated the effect of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) on plasma fibrinogen levels in OSA patients. However, results from different reports were not consistent. To assess the effect of CPAP treatment on plasma fibrinogen levels of patients with OSA, a meta-analysis was performed.

Methods: A systematic search of Pubmed, Embase, Cochrane, Wanfang Database and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure was performed. Data were extracted, and then weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using a random-effects model.

Results: Twenty-two studies involving 859 patients were included in this meta-analysis. Combined data showed that plasma fibrinogen concentrations decreased after CPAP therapy (WMD = −0.38 g/l, 95% CI [−0.54 to −0.22 g/l], P<0.001). In the subgroup analyses by therapy duration, plasma fibrinogen concentrations declined significantly in the long-term (≥1 month) CPAP therapy subgroup (WMD = −0.33 g/l, 95% CI [−0.49 to −0.16 g/l], P<0.001) but not in the short-term (<1 month) CPAP therapy subgroup (WMD = −0.84 g/l, 95% CI [−1.70 to 0.03 g/l], P=0.058). Moreover, in patients with long-term CPAP therapy duration, plasma fibrinogen levels decreased with good CPAP compliance (≥4 h/night) (WMD = −0.37 g/l, 95% CI [−0.55 to −0.19 g/l], P<0.001) but not with poor CPAP compliance (<4 h/night) (WMD = 0.12 g/l, 95% CI [−0.09 to 0.33 g/l], P=0.247).

Conclusion: Long-term CPAP treatment with good compliance can reduce the plasma fibrinogen levels in patients with OSA.
The regulatory effect of 6-TG on lncRNA–miRNA–mRNA ceRNA network in triple-negative breast cancer cell line
Authors: Zhang Daoyu , An Xinglan , Yu Hao , Li Ziyi
Published: January 2021

Breast cancer is one of the most prevalent and recurring cancer types that leads to deaths in women. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is difficult to treat due to the lack of therapeutic targets. Many studies have focused on identifying drugs for use as alternative treatments for breast cancer. Thioguanine (6-TG) exerts antitumor effects in cancer. Increasing evidence has demonstrated that competitive endogenous ribonucleic acids (ceRNAs) are involved in cancer processes. However, the mechanism by which 6-TG regulates lncRNA–miRNA–mRNAs has not been elucidated. We evaluated the antitumor effect of 6-TG in MDA-MB-231 cells and comprehensively analyzed the RNA-Seq data of MDA-MB-231 cells treated with 6-TG. Our results showed that most tumor pathways were blocked by 6-TG. The hub genes were FN1, FLNA, FLNB, VCL, GSN, MYH10, ACTN4, KDR and EREG, and they were all down-regulated after 6-TG treatment. The coexpression network consisted of 18 microRNAs (miRNAs), 9 long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and 20 mRNAs. Hsa-mir-16-5p and Hsa-mir-335-5p targeted the greatest number of mRNAs in the network. These molecules could bind to PAX8-AS1 and eliminate the inhibition of target mRNA expression. We showed that PAX8-AS1 is the main lncRNA affected by 6-TG and that PAX8-AS1 regulates the hub genes in tumor pathways by competitively binding with miR-16-5p and miR-335-5p.
An image denoising algorithm based on adaptive clustering and singular value decomposition
Authors: Li Ping , Wang Hua , Li Xuemei , Zhang Caiming
Published: January 2021

Self‐similarity, a prior of natural images, has attracted much attention. The attribute means that low‐rank group matrices can be constructed from similar image patches. For low‐rank approximation denoising methods based on singular value decomposition (SVD) the ability to accurately construct group matrices with noise and handle singular values are keys. Here, combining image priors, a two‐stage clustering method to adaptively construct group matrices is designed. The method is anti‐noise, that is, when noise levels are high, these matrices are more accurate than that constructed by other algorithms. Then, according to the significance of singular values and singular vectors, singular vectors of the low‐rank estimations are corrected so that the residual noise in the low‐rank estimations is further suppressed. For back projection , the authors use the original noise level and the residual image to adaptively determine projection parameters and new noise levels . So, authors' back projection can provide a good foundation for authors' two‐stage denoising methods, better remove noise and preserve image details. Experimental results show that compared with the existing state‐of‐the‐art denoising algorithms, the proposed algorithm achieves competitive denoising performances in terms of quantitative metrics and preserving details. Especially with the increase of noise, the competitiveness of authors' algorithms is gradually enhanced.
Bilateral attention network for semantic segmentation
Authors: Wang Dongli , Li Nanjun , Zhou Yan , Mu Jinzhen
Published: January 2021

Enhancing network feature representation capabilities and reducing the loss of image details have become the focus of semantic segmentation task. This work proposes the bilateral attention network for semantic segmentation. The authors embed two attention modules in the encoder and decoder structures . Specifically, high‐level features of the encoder structure integrate all channel maps through dense channel relationships learned by the channel correlation coefficient attention module. The positively correlated channels promote each other, and the negatively correlated channels suppress each other. In the decoder structure, low‐level features selectively emphasize the edge detail information in the feature map through the position attention module. The feature expression of semantic segmentation is improved by feature fusion of the two attention modules to obtain more accurate segmentation results . Finally, to verify the effectiveness of the model, the authors conduct experiments on the PASCAL VOC 2012 and Cityscapes scene analysis benchmark data sets and achieve a mean intersection‐over‐union of 74.92% and 66.63%, respectively.
Overview of metallurgical studies on weld deposited surface by plasma transferred arc technique
Authors: Kalyankar Vivek D. , Naik Hardik V.
Published: January 2021

Research on plasma transferred arc (PTA) coatings has increased contemplation due to its augmented appropriateness which results from the advanced materials used in applications like mining, petroleum and power plant sectors. This article further broadens the research scope of investigation, by influencing metallurgical and processing aspects in accordance with the significance of microstructural changes. Martensitic formation with coarser structure, carbide phase formation and fine interdendritic eutectic matrix are the significant metallurgical aspects for an improved surface characteristic. Welding current, powder feed rate and travel speed, are the significant processing variables to achieve the microstructural changes like uniform dendritic growth, finer grain size, etc. The addition of alloying elements and heat treatment are the most observed processing conditions for the formation of precipitates and carbide phases. A schematic summary, the significance of processing variables, processing conditions and process modelling and simulation on metallurgical aspects have been enumerated in this paper. Further, critical comments and findings from in-depth review have also been discussed for the future scope. Hence, this review will be helpful to ascertain the relation among the microstructural evolution, the applicability of microscopic tools and the mechanical properties for the forthcoming researchers and the industrial persons.
Psychose-Simulationen: Lernen durch Fühlen
Authors: Joachim Kolbe Harald
Published: January 2021

Stimmen hören, Gegenstände oder Personen sehen, sich ständig beobachtet oder verfolgt fühlen – die Wahrnehmungen von Menschen, die an Schizophrenien und Psychose erkrankt sind, sind für Außenstehende oft nicht nachvollziehbar. Bis jetzt, denn die Psychose-Simulation von Labyrinth Psychotica hilft, diese Symptome am eigenen Leib zu erleben und dadurch neue Handlungskompetenzen im Umgang mit Betroffenen zu entwickeln. Wie dies konkret funktioniert, wird am Beispiel einer Veranstaltung der LWL-Akademie für Forensische Psychiatrie (AFoPs) vorgestellt.
Die akute kalzifizierende Periarthritis als Differentialdiagnose des Gelenkempyems an der Hand
Authors: Illg Claudius , Schäfer Ruth Christine , Daigeler Adrien , Krauss Sabrina
Published: January 2021

Hintergrund Die akute kalzifizierende Periarthritis wird bedingt durch Hydroxylapatit-Ablagerungen in den periartikulären Weichteilen. Die Symptomatik ähnelt der eines Gelenkempyems, was die hohe Rate an Fehldiagnosen erklärt.

Patienten Vorgestellt werden die Fälle eines 45- und eines 46-jährigen Patienten mit plötzlicher Schwellung, Rötung, Funktionseinschränkung und Schmerzen an der Hand. Radiologisch konnten periartikuläre Kalzifizierungen an den betroffenen Grundgelenken dargestellt werden.

Ergebnisse Bei beiden Patienten bildete sich die Symptomatik unter konservativer Therapie innerhalb weniger Tage vollständig zurück.

Schlussfolgerung Die akute kalzifizierende Periarthritis sollte als Differentialdiagnose des Gelenkempyems an der Hand, insbesondere bei fehlendem adäquatem Trauma, bedacht werden. Die konservative Therapie mit Ruhigstellung und Einnahme von Antiphlogistika führt in der Regel rasch zu einer kompletten Remission.
Classical Psychedelics as Therapeutics in Psychiatry – Current Clinical Evidence and Potential Therapeutic Mechanisms in Substance Use and Mood Disorders
Authors: Mertens Lea J. , Preller Katrin H.
Published: January 2021

Classical psychedelics, primarily psilocybin and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), have been used and extensively studied in Western medicine as part of substance-assisted psychotherapy in the 1950s and 1960s. Modern clinical research is currently gaining momentum and provides new evidence for the safety and efficacy of classical psychedelics (primarily psilocybin, but also LSD and ayahuasca) in the treatment of different psychiatric conditions, including substance use and mood disorders.

In this review article, we outline common pathological mechanisms of substance use disorders (SUD) and unipolar depression. Next, the current literature on the effects of psychedelics is summarized in order to generate hypotheses regarding their potential therapeutic mechanisms of action in treating these psychiatric conditions. Finally, we review and discuss clinical trials published since 2011 investigating the effects of psychedelics in SUD and depression.

While results from those modern clinical trials are promising, most of them do not meet the methodological requirements to allow firm conclusions on the clinical efficacy of psychedelics. Larger, blinded, randomized controlled trials (RCT) with clearly defined patient groups and well-defined primary endpoints are needed. Additionally, the therapeutic mechanisms of classical psychedelics are currently unknown. This review presents hypotheses derived from preclinical and human studies that need to be tested in future trials to better understand the clinical potential of psychedelic substances in modern psychiatry.
Women's Experiences of Diagnosis and Treatment of Early Menopause and Premature Ovarian Insufficiency: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Johnston-Ataata Kate , Flore Jacinthe , Kokanović Renata
Published: January 2021

Early menopause (EM) and premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) affect an estimated 10% of women and can precipitate a wide range of physiological and personal impacts. Receiving a diagnosis of EM/POI and navigating treatment can be complex experiences for women; however, qualitative research exploring these aspects of the condition is limited. Our study aimed to increase understanding of women's lived experiences of EM/POI encompassing its medical, social, and emotional dimensions. We conducted narrative interviews with 30 women aged 28 to 51 years with spontaneous and iatrogenic EM/POI and menopausal symptoms resulting from ovarian suppression therapy, and analyzed transcripts thematically. This article examines the prominent and under-researched themes of women's experiences of navigating “diagnosis” and treatment. Diagnosis emerged as a complex and changeable process wherein women had to negotiate a diagnosis of spontaneous EM/POI and grasp the meaning and probability of iatrogenic EM/POI. Navigating treatment entailed further complexity as women grappled with the risks and efficacy of hormonal and non-hormonal medications. The findings underline the intricacies of EM/POI as a biomedical phenomenon and highlight the need for health practitioners to recognize and respond to the challenges women face in coming to terms with the condition and managing its embodied effects.
Effect of Prolonged Hypothermic Cardiopulmonary Bypass, Heparin, and Protamine on Platelet: A Small-Group Study
Authors: Epstein Danny , Vishnepolsky Andrey , Bolotin Gil , Atweh Nardeen , Bonstein Lilach , Lehavi Amit
Published: January 2021

Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is associated with platelet dysfunction (PD), an important cause of postoperative bleeding. The etiology of PD is not completely understood. We mapped the platelets' function during CPB to determine the etiology of PD. Platelets activation, measured by procaspase activating compound-1 and P-selectin expression (CD62P), after activation by adenosine diphosphate and thrombin receptor activator peptide, were decreased by protamine. Changes during CPB were insignificant. Platelet-leukocyte aggregation was increased by CPB but not by protamine. Platelet apoptosis marker, annexin V, was increased by protamine. Changes during CPB were insignificant. Our findings demonstrate that protamine given after CPB plays a central role in PD and count decrease.
Cerebral Toxocariasis as a Cause of Epilepsy: A Pediatric Case
Authors: Bossi Grazia , Bruno Raffaele , Novati Stefano , Maserati Roberta , Mussati Georgia , Gorone Mariasole Prevedoni , Nepita Edoardo Vecchio , Regalbuto Corrado , Gola Gioia , Simoncelli Anna Maria , Bruno Antonella , Musso Paola , Clerici Edoardo , Marseglia Gian Luigi
Published: January 2021

Toxocarosis is the consequence of human infection by Toxocara spp. larvae and is one of the most common ascarioses, not only in developing countries, but also in the European region, where its prevalence reaches 14%. Due to their particular behavior, children are at higher risk of this parasitic infection, whose clinical features depend on the localization of the Toxocara larvae. Neurotoxocariasis is very uncommon in children and may take different forms depending on the underlying physiopathologic process: immune reaction against the parasite antigens, vasculitis, treatment complications, or, very rarely, brain localization of Toxocara spp. larvae. The association between neurotoxocariasis and the onset of childhood epilepsy has been postulated but is still debated. Moreover, a Toxocara spp. abscess causing epileptic seizures in children has been rarely described, especially in western countries. Hereby we present a 9-year-old patient with a new diagnosis of epilepsy definitely secondary to brain abscess due to the localization of Toxocara canis larvae. Diagnosis was confirmed by neuroimaging and serological test. The successful treatment with albendazole and steroids was documented with a close and long-term clinical and neuroradiological follow-up. Our experience confirms that every case of cryptogenetic epilepsy in children deserves a neuroimaging study and, in case of cystic images, Toxocara serology is mandatory to avoid further unnecessary invasive diagnostic investigations and to set the specific drug therapy.
Does the 45 mm Size Cutoff for Ascending Aortic Replacement Predict Better Early Outcomes in Bicuspid Aortic Valve?
Authors: Li Yi-Jia , Ma Wei-Guo , Qi Yue , Zhu Jun-Ming , Yang Ya , Sun Li-Zhong
Published: January 2021

Background The aim of this study is to test if the newly proposed 45 mm size criterion for ascending aortic replacement (AAR) in bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) patients undergoing aortic valve replacement (AVR) is predictive of improved early outcomes.

Methods Data of 306 BAV patients with an aortic diameter of ≥45 mm undergoing AVR alone or with AAR were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into groups of AVR + AAR (n = 220) and AVR only (n = 86) based on if surgery was performed according to the 45 mm criterion. End point was early adverse events, including 30-day and in-hospital mortality, cardiac events, acute renal failure, stroke, and reoperation for bleeding. Cox regression was used to assess if conformance to 45 mm criterion could predict fewer early adverse events.

Results AVR + AAR group had significantly higher postoperative left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (0.59 ± 0.09 vs. 0.55 ± 0.11, p = 0.006) and longer cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time (128 vs. 111 minutes, p = 0.002). Early adverse events occurred in 45 patients (14.7%), which was more prevalent in the AVR-only group (22.1% vs. 11.8%, p = 0.020). Conformance to the 45 mm criterion predicted lower rate of early adverse events (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.53, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.28–0.98, p = 0.042). After adjustment for gender, age, AAo diameter, sinuses of Valsalva diameter, preoperative LVEF, Sievers subtypes, BAV valvulopathy, and CPB and cross-clamp times, conformance to the 45 mm size criterion still predicted lower incidence of early adverse events (HR: 0.37, 95% CI: 0.15–0.90, p = 0.028).

Conclusions This study shows that conformance to 45 mm size cutoff for preemptive AAR during aortic valve replacement in patients with BAV was not associated with increased risk for adverse events and may improve early surgical outcomes.