bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A CDC7 inhibitor sensitizes DNA-damaging chemotherapies by suppressing homologous recombination repair to delay DNA damage recovery
Authors: Iwai Kenichi , Nambu Tadahiro , Kashima Yukie , Yu Jie , Eng Kurt , Miyamoto Kazumasa , Kakoi Kazuyo , Gotou Masamitsu , Takeuchi Toshiyuki , Kogame Akifumi , Sappal Jessica , Murai Saomi , Haeno Hiroshi , Kageyama Shun-Ichiro , Kurasawa Osamu , Niu Huifeng , Kannan Karuppiah , Ohashi Akihiro
Published: May 2021

Potential combination partners of a CDC7 inhibitor TAK-931 were identified to guide its clinical development strategy.
Dynamin controls neuropeptide secretion by organizing dense-core vesicle fusion sites
Authors: Moro Alessandro , van Nifterick Anne , Toonen Ruud F. , Verhage Matthijs
Published: May 2021

Dynamin regulates the organization of syntaxins in dense-core vesicle fusion sites to promote neuropeptide secretion.
Adult neural stem cells have latent inflammatory potential that is kept suppressed by
Tcf4
to facilitate adult neurogenesis
Authors: Shariq Mohammad , Sahasrabuddhe Vinaya , Krishna Sreevatsan , Radha Swathi , Nruthyathi  , Bellampalli Ravishankara , Dwivedi Anukriti , Cheramangalam Rajit , Reizis Boris , Hébert Jean , Ghosh Hiyaa S.
Published: May 2021

Neural stem cells in the adult brain have inflammatory potential that is kept suppressed by psychiatric disease gene Tcf4.
Soft anharmonic phonons and ultralow thermal conductivity in Mg
3
(Sb, Bi)
2
thermoelectrics
Authors: Ding Jingxuan , Lanigan-Atkins Tyson , Calderón-Cueva Mario , Banerjee Arnab , Abernathy Douglas L. , Said Ayman , Zevalkink Alexandra , Delaire Olivier
Published: May 2021

The atomistic origin of ultralow thermal conductivity in promising new thermoelectrics is revealed by experiments and simulations.
A flexible multiplexed immunosensor for point-of-care in situ wound monitoring
Authors: Gao Yuji , Nguyen Dat T. , Yeo Trifanny , Lim Su Bin , Tan Wei Xian , Madden Leigh Edward , Jin Lin , Long Ji Yong Kenan , Aloweni Fazila Abu Bakar , Liew Yi Jia Angela , Tan Mandy Li Ling , Ang Shin Yuh , Maniya Sivagame D/O , Abdelwahab Ibrahim , Loh Kian Ping , Chen Chia-Hung , Becker David Laurence , Leavesley David , Ho John S. , Lim Chwee Teck
Published: May 2021

An integrated smart microfluidic dressing with a multibiomarker immunosensor can provide in situ wound status profiling on site.
Gene therapy that once led to tragedy scores success
Authors: Kaiser Jocelyn
Published: May 2021

Treatment reverses rare liver disease in small clinical trial, highlighting field's progress.
Romania left out of high-powered laser project
Authors: Cartlidge Edwin
Published: May 2021

Legal dispute mars international launch of Extreme Light Infrastructure in Eastern Europe.
Modern theories of human evolution foreshadowed by Darwin’s
Descent of Man
Authors: Richerson Peter J. , Gavrilets Sergey , de Waal Frans B. M.
Published: May 2021

150 years of
The Descent of Man

Charles Darwin's
The Descent of Man
was published in 1871. Ever since, it has been the foundation stone of human evolutionary studies. Richerson
et al.
reviewed how modern studies of human biological and cultural evolution reflect the ideas in Darwin's work. They emphasize how cooperation, social learning, and cumulative culture in the ancestors of modern humans were key to our evolution and were enhanced during the environmental upheavals of the Pleistocene. The evolutionary perspective has come to permeate not just human biology but also the social sciences, vindicating Darwin's insights.

Science
, aba3776, this issue p.
eaba3776
Photocatalytic C–H activation and the subtle role of chlorine radical complexation in reactivity
Authors: Yang Qiaomu , Wang Yu-Heng , Qiao Yusen , Gau Michael , Carroll Patrick J. , Walsh Patrick J. , Schelter Eric J.
Published: May 2021

A complex role for chlorine radicals

Radicals are atoms or molecules that are highly reactive because they have an unpaired electron. A common means of investigating whether they are involved in a particular reaction is to try to trap them with an acceptor compound. Yang
et al.
reinvestigated a photoinduced alkane oxidation reaction for which a trapping study had previously implicated alkoxy radicals. Their spectroscopic, kinetic, and isotopic labeling studies revealed that chlorine, rather than alkoxy, was the key radical intermediate; the prior trapping results had stemmed from its complexation with alcohols.

Science
, abd8408, this issue p.
847
Electron ptychography achieves atomic-resolution limits set by lattice vibrations
Authors: Chen Zhen , Jiang Yi , Shao Yu-Tsun , Holtz Megan E. , Odstrčil Michal , Guizar-Sicairos Manuel , Hanke Isabelle , Ganschow Steffen , Schlom Darrell G. , Muller David A.
Published: May 2021

Locating atoms with higher precision

Two major problems that limit the resolution and interpretation of electron microscopy images are lens aberrations and multiple scattering. Chen
et al.
overcame these issues with ptychography, a technique that uses coherent scattering and multiple overlapping illumination spots to reconstruct an image from far-field diffraction patterns. This method works at a resolution that is limited, not by optics, but rather by the scattering strength of the sample, so it can work better with thicker samples. The authors achieved ultimate lateral resolution better than the thermal vibration of atoms in a PrScO
3
sample and showed that it is theoretically possible to identify single dopant atoms.

Science
, abg2533, this issue p.
826
Structural and functional ramifications of antigenic drift in recent SARS-CoV-2 variants
Authors: Yuan Meng , Huang Deli , Lee Chang-Chun D. , Wu Nicholas C. , Jackson Abigail M. , Zhu Xueyong , Liu Hejun , Peng Linghang , van Gils Marit J. , Sanders Rogier W. , Burton Dennis R. , Reincke S. Momsen , Prüss Harald , Kreye Jakob , Nemazee David , Ward Andrew B. , Wilson Ian A.
Published: May 2021

Defenses against SARS-CoV-2 variants

Our key defense against the COVID-19 pandemic is neutralizing antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 virus elicited by natural infection or vaccination. Recent emerging viral variants have raised concern because of their potential to escape antibody neutralization. Wang
et al
. identified four antibodies from early-outbreak convalescent donors that are potent against 23 variants, including variants of concern, and characterized their binding to the spike protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Yuan
et al
. examined the impact of emerging mutations in the receptor-binding domain of the spike protein on binding to the host receptor ACE2 and to a range of antibodies. These studies may be helpful for developing more broadly effective vaccines and therapeutic antibodies. —VV
What AI can learn from the biological brain
The Self-Assembling Brain: How Neural Networks Grow Smarter
Peter Robin Hiesinger
Princeton University Press, 2021. 384 pp.
Authors: Jóźwik Kamila Maria
Published: May 2021

Brain development could hold lessons for building better artificial neural networks
Supplemental Material: Superposition of two kinematically distinct extensional phases in southern Death Valley: Implications for extensional tectonics
Authors: Fleming Z.D. , al. et
Published: May 2021

Plate 1. Geologic map of the Ibex Hills, Saratoga Hills, and Ibex Pass area.
Fifteen-minute consultation: ABCDE approach to nutritional assessment in preterm infants
Authors: Embleton Nicholas D
Published: May 2021

The last 20 years has seen dramatic improvements in the survival of preterm infants due to improved antenatal and neonatal care. Closer attention to nutrition means early parenteral nutrition and mother’s own milk are considered as standard of care. Many uncertainties remain however, such as optimal macronutrient intakes for longer term cognitive and metabolic outcomes, and the optimal probiotic regime to reduce the risk of necrotising enterocolitis. Nutrition involves macronutrients and micronutrients, immunonutrients, microbiomic aspects and nutrient delivery. It is also clear that there are behavioural and psychological aspects, and strongly held beliefs for parents and professionals that affect practice. While many healthcare professionals (HCPs) are aware of several key nutritional concepts on the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), many HCPs lack a concise, systematic approach. This article provides a brief approach to nutritional assessment for use on the NICU summarised as ABCDE: A—anthropometry, B—biochemistry, C—clinical, D—dietary intakes, E—environment and evaluation.
2 IIH Pressure – a randomised, controlled, double blind physiology study of the effect of Exenatide on intracranial pressure
Authors: Mitchell James , Walker Jessica , Lyons Hannah , Brock Kristian , Vijay Vivek , Yiangou Andreas , Alimajstorovic Zerin , Grech Olivia , Mollan Susan , Tsermoulas Georgios , Sinclair Alexandra
Published: May 2021

Introduction

Raised intracranial pressure (ICP) causes significant morbidity and mortality in a range of conditions including idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) and traumatic brain injury (TBI). Exenatide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist; pre-clinical data demonstrates its ability to reduce ICP. GLP-1R agonists have also been shown to have neuro-protective properties in pre-clinical models of TBI. The objectives of this study are to assess the biological effect of a Glucagon-like Peptide 1 (GLP-1) agonist on ICP in a cohort of participants with IIH, a raised ICP model.

Methods

Randomised, placebo controlled, double-blind physiology study of Exenatide in women with active IIH (>25 cmCSF lumbar puncture opening pressure and papilloedema). Telemetric, intraparenchymal ICP monitors were implanted to enable gold standard, long-term ICP monitoring (Raumedic p-Tel, Helmbrechts, Germany). Participants were randomised 1:1 to receive Exenatide (10 mcg BD sub-cutaneous) or placebo for 12 weeks. ICP was recorded over a 24-hour baseline visit, at two weeks and 12 weeks. Monthly headache diaries were completed at baseline and 8–12 weeks. Significance was set at p<0.1 as an early phase trial.

Results

Of the 16 participants recruited, 15 were randomised and completed the study: age 29.5 ±9.5 years, BMI 38.1 ±6.2 kg/m2, ICP 30.6±5.1 cmCSF. All ICP monitor implants were well tolerated and allowed successful ICP quantification. A significant reduction in ICP was noted at all timepoints: at 2.5 hours -5.7 cm CSF (p=0.031), at 24 hours -6.3 cmCSF (p=0.095), and at 12 weeks -5.6 cmCSF (p=0.064).

Conclusions

We report the first human study to assess the biological effect of the GLP-1 agonist Exenatide on ICP in IIH utilising highly accurate implantable telemetric ICP monitors. Exenatide reduced ICP at all timepoints including acutely at 2.5 hrs and during chronic dosing. New therapies for ICP modulation are a significant un-met need in both military and civilian spheres.
6 COVID-19 outbreak investigation in a London army barracks. Understanding prevalence, seroconversion, transmission risk factors and control measures for COVID-19
Authors: Taylor Hannah , Ross David , Wall William
Published: May 2021

Introduction

Military Establishments are at increased risk of rapid spread of respiratory infections. Little was known in March 2020 about SARS-CoV-2 prevalence, serological conversion, asymptomatic transmission or risk factors for transmission, particularly in military populations. Early identification, swift implementation of control measures, and investigation of a potential outbreak with Public Health England in an Army barracks following one confirmed case and 11 symptomatic personnel, allowed exploration of these questions.

Methods

All adult personnel, including civilians working or living at the Barracks were invited to participate at initial visit and day-36 follow-up. Participants completed a symptom and transmission risk factor questionnaire; gave nasal and throat swabs for SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR, infectious virus isolation, whole genome sequencing (WGS); and blood samples to detect SARS-CoV-2 and neutralising antibodies. Risk factors were statistically analysed using STATA v15.0, described in univariate analysis by relative risks and assessed using Fisher’s Exact test.

Results

At first visit, 24/304 (8%) participants were RT-PCR positive and infectious virus recovered from 7/24 (29%). Seropositivity was 7% (19/285). 64% of all positive participants were asymptomatic. WGS identified more than three separate introductions, and evidence of asymptomatic transmission through genetically indistinguishable samples. Significant transmission risk factors included contact with a confirmed case, female gender, and two-person shared bathrooms. After 36 days, there were no new cases, all previously RT-PCR positive participants seroconverted, but not all developed neutralising antibodies; seropositivity was 13% (25/193).

Conclusions

Most positive military personnel were asymptomatic, but those with symptoms reported ageusia or anosmia. Some RT-PCR positive participants, but none who were simultaneously positive for neutralising antibodies, had infectious virus. Initial infection rates were five times general London estimates, but effective implementation of control measures including enhanced cleaning, social distancing, and prompt isolation mitigated on-site spread. 36 days later seropositivity was below London’s rate. Ongoing risks include new COVID-19 introduction into the barracks from off-site personnel, asymptomatic transmission between cases and contacts, and use of two-person bathrooms.
Effectiveness of acupuncture therapy for postherpetic neuralgia: an umbrella review protocol
Authors: Zhao Yan , Ling Di-Yang , Zhang Juan , Wu Qiong , Zhang Zhen-Wu , Wang Zhe-Yin
Published: May 2021

Introduction

Several systematic reviews and meta-analysis indicate that acupuncture and related therapies may be a valuable adjunctive technique to pharmacological interventions for pain management of postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). However, the robustness of the results of these studies has not been evaluated. The aim of this proposed umbrella review is to provide more reliable evidence of the effectiveness of acupuncture therapy for PHN based on medical references for healthcare decision makers.

Methods and analysis

PubMed, EMBASE, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Chinese BioMedical Literature Database, VIP Database for Chinese Technical Periodicals, China National Knowledge Infrastructure and Wan fang Database will be used to retrieve reviews. The time of publication will be limited from inception to March 2021. Two reviewers will screen all retrieved articles independently to identify their eligibility and extract the data. The quality will be assessed independently by two trained reviewers using Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews-2 for methodological quality, Risk of Bias in Systematic Review for level of bias, Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis for reporting quality and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation for the quality of evidence. Any disagreements will be settled by discussion or the involvement of a third reviewer.

Ethics and dissemination

The protocol of this review does not require ethical approval because the research will be based on publicly available data. The findings will be disseminated through publication in peer-reviewed international journals or presentation in academic conference.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42020173341.

Reporting checklist

PRISMA-P, 2015.
Intestinal barrier function in obesity with or without metabolic syndrome: a systematic review protocol
Authors: Bona Mariana Duarte , Torres Carlos Henrique de Medeiros , Lima Severina Carla Vieira Cunha , Lima Aldo Angelo Moreira , Maciel Bruna Leal Lima
Published: May 2021

Introduction

Intestinal barrier function is dependent on the structure and function of intestinal epithelial cells and paracellular pathway. The derangement of the intestinal barrier function can originate from conditions involving local and systemic chronic inflammation and metabolic diseases such as obesity and metabolic disorders. This study aims to describe a systematic review protocol investigating if obesity with or without metabolic syndrome is associated with an altered intestinal barrier function.

Methods and analysis

This protocol is guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocols. The databases to be searched are PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Science Direct and Web of Science. The systematic review will include original articles with adults and the elderly, who present obesity with or without metabolic syndrome, that address the intestinal barrier function. Two independent reviewers will perform study selection, data extraction and methodological quality assessment. Key information will be tabulated and a narrative synthesis will be conducted. The Grading of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluation framework will be used to assess the quality of evidence concerning the associations between intestinal barrier function and obesity with or without metabolic syndrome. The present protocol will assist in producing a systematic review that addresses if obesity with or without metabolic syndrome alters intestinal barrier function.

Ethics and dissemination

No ethical statement will be required. The results will be disseminated through a peer-reviewed publication and conference presentations.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42020178658.
Addressing the psychological impact of COVID-19 on healthcare workers: learning from a systematic review of early interventions for frontline responders
Authors: Hooper Jasmine Jean , Saulsman Lisa , Hall Tammy , Waters Flavie
Published: May 2021

Objectives

Protecting healthcare workers from psychological harm is an urgent clinical issue within the current COVID-19 pandemic. Research on early psychological programmes that aim to prevent or reduce mental health symptoms and that have been tested in frontline responders may assist service providers with choosing a suitable intervention for rapid dissemination in healthcare settings.

Design and outcome measures

First, Embase, Web of Science, PsycINFO and Google Scholar were searched through a systematic literature review of early psychological interventions administered to frontline responders in the last 15 years. Interventions were included if they were designed to prevent or reduce psychological impact and had outcome measures of psychological distress (eg, general psychopathology, post-traumatic stress disorder and stress) and/or positive mental health domains (eg, resilience, self-efficacy and life satisfaction). Second, the suitability of these programmes for the healthcare workforce was evaluated according to the criteria of effectiveness, content applicability and feasibility.

Results

Of 320 articles retrieved, 12 relevant studies were included that described six early psychological interventions. Although the evidence base is limited, psychological first aid, eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing, and trauma risk management showed effectiveness across at least two studies each with frontline workers. Resilience and coping for the healthcare community; anticipate, plan, and deter; and resilience at work programmes found promising results in single studies. Concerning other suitability criteria, all programmes appear applicable to healthcare settings and have acceptable feasibility for rapid implementation.

Conclusions

Despite the limited evidence, several interventions were identified as potentially suitable and useful for improving psychological functioning of healthcare workers across a variety of disaster situations. Service providers should continue to implement and evaluate early psychological interventions in frontline workers in order to refine best practices for managing the psychological impact of future disasters.
Physicians’ perspective on potentially non-beneficial treatment when assessing patients with advanced disease for ICU admission: a qualitative study
Authors: Escher Monica , Nendaz Mathieu R , Cullati Stéphane , Hudelson Patricia
Published: May 2021

Objective

The use of intensive care at the end of life can be high, leading to inappropriate healthcare utilisation, and prolonged suffering for patients and families. The objective of the study was to determine which factors influence physicians’ admission decisions in situations of potentially non-beneficial intensive care.

Design

This is a secondary analysis of a qualitative study exploring the triage process. In-depth interviews were analysed using an inductive approach to thematic content analysis.

Setting

Data were collected in a Swiss tertiary care centre between March and June 2013.

Participants

12 intensive care unit (ICU) physicians and 12 internists routinely involved in ICU admission decisions.

Results

Physicians struggled to understand the request for intensive care for patients with advanced disease and full code status. Physicians considered patients’ long-term vital and functional prognosis, but they also resorted to shortcuts, that is, a priori consensus about reasons for admitting a patient. Family pressure and unexpected critical events were determinants of admission to the ICU. Patient preferences, ICU physician’s expertise and collaborative decision making facilitated refusal. Physicians were willing to admit a patient with advanced disease for a limited amount of time to fulfil a personal need.

Conclusions

In situations of potentially non-beneficial intensive care, the influence of shortcuts or context-related factors suggests that practice variations and inappropriate admission decisions are likely to occur. Institutional guidelines and timely goals of care discussions with patients with advanced disease and their families could contribute to ensuring appropriate levels of care.
Investigating the impact of HIV on patients with first episode psychosis: a study protocol for a longitudinal cohort study
Authors: Chhagan Usha , Ntlantsana Vuyokazi , Tomita Andrew , Naidu Thirusha , Chiliza Bonginkosi , Paruk Saeeda
Published: May 2021

Introduction

South Africa (SA) has a high HIV prevalence and limited mental healthcare resources. Neuropsychiatric complications such as psychosis onset in people living with HIV (PLWHIV) remains poorly understood. The study aims to compare the socio-demographic, clinical, substance use, cognitive and trauma profile of PLWHIV presenting with first episode psychosis (FEP) to those with the condition but without HIV.

Methods and analysis

This study will compare presentation, course, and outcome of a cohort of PLWHIV and FEP with a control group recruited over a 3-year period. We will prospectively test the hypothesis that the 2 groups are socio-demographically, clinically and cognitively distinct at illness presentation, with higher trauma burden and poorer outcomes in those with the dual burden of HIV and FEP. FEP participants, confirmed by a structured neuropsychiatric interview, will have their socio-demographic, psychosis, mood, motor, trauma and substance use variables assessed. A neuropsychological battery will be completed to assess cognition, while quality of life, psychotic symptoms and HIV markers will be measured at 3, 6 and 12 months.

Ethics and dissemination

The study protocol has been reviewed and ethics approval obtained from the Biomedical Research Ethics Committee (BC 571/18) of the University of KwaZulu-Natal. The results from this investigation will be actively disseminated through peer-reviewed journal publications and conference presentations.
Optic perineuritis
Authors: Gupta Sukriti , Sethi Prabhpreet , Duvesh RamKrishan , Sethi Harinder Singh , Naik Mayuresh , Rai Harminder K
Published: May 2021

Optic perineuritis (OPN) is a rare inflammatory disorder in which the inflammation is confined to optic nerve sheath. It can be idiopathic or secondary to underlying systemic autoimmune disorder. It usually presents with unilateral progressive diminution of vision with pain on eye movements and optic disc oedema. Hence, clinically OPN mimics optic neuritis resulting in delayed diagnosis and suboptimal treatment. In contrast to optic neuritis, patients with OPN are usually of older age group and more likely show sparing of central vision. MRI is an important tool for diagnosis of OPN apart from optic nerve sheath biopsy. Perineural enhancement on MRI is diagnostic of OPN. Oral corticosteroid therapy gives dramatic and rapid improvement in signs and symptoms. Rapid tapering of steroids increases the risk of relapse. Overall, prognosis of OPN is generally good if adequate treatment is given timely.
Predicting outcomes of COVID-19 from admission biomarkers: a prospective UK cohort study
Authors: Arnold David T , Attwood Marie , Barratt Shaney , Morley Anna , Elvers Karen T , McKernon Jorgen , Donald Charmaine , Oates Adrian , Noel Alan , MacGowan Alasdair , Maskell Nick A , Hamilton Fergus W
Published: May 2021

Introduction

COVID-19 has an unpredictable clinical course, so prognostic biomarkers would be invaluable when triaging patients on admission to hospital. Many biomarkers have been suggested using large observational datasets but sample timing is crucial to ensure prognostic relevance. The DISCOVER study prospectively recruited patients with COVID-19 admitted to a UK hospital and analysed a panel of putative prognostic biomarkers on the admission blood sample to identify markers of poor outcome.

Methods

Consecutive patients admitted to hospital with proven or clinicoradiological suspected COVID-19 were consented. Admission bloods were extracted from the clinical laboratory. A panel of biomarkers (interleukin-6 (IL-6), soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR), Krebs von den Lungen 6, troponin, ferritin, lactate dehydrogenase, B-type natriuretic peptide, procalcitonin) were performed in addition to routinely performed markers (C reactive protein (CRP), neutrophils, lymphocytes, neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio). Age, National Early Warning Score (NEWS2), CURB-65 and radiographic severity score on initial chest radiograph were included as comparators. All biomarkers were tested in logistic regression against a composite outcome of non-invasive ventilation, intensive care admission or death, with area under the curve (AUC) (figures calculated).

Results

187 patients had 28-day outcomes at the time of analysis. CRP (AUC: 0.69, 95% CI: 0.59 to 0.78), lymphocyte count (AUC: 0.62, 95% CI: 0.53 to 0.72) and other routine markers did not predict the primary outcome. IL-6 (AUC: 0.77, 0.65 to 0.88) and suPAR (AUC: 0.81, 0.72 to 0.88) showed some promise, but simple clinical features alone such as NEWS2 score (AUC: 0.70, 0.60 to 0.79) or age (AUC: 0.70, 0.62 to 0.77) performed nearly as well.

Discussion

Admission blood biomarkers have only moderate predictive value for predicting COVID-19 outcomes, while simple clinical features such as age and NEWS2 score outperform many biomarkers. IL-6 and suPAR had the best performance, and further studies should focus on the additive value of these biomarkers to routine care.
Ethical considerations of recruiting migrant workers for clinical trials
Authors: Amin Bushra Zafreen
Published: May 2021

Migrant workers in dormitories are an attractive source of clinical trial participants. However, they are a vulnerable population that has been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Guidelines on recruiting vulnerable populations (such as prisoners, children or the mentally impaired) for clinical trials have long been established, but ethical considerations for migrant workers have been neglected. This article aims to highlight and explain what researchers recruiting migrant workers must be cognizant of, and offers recommendations to address potential concerns. The considerations raised in this article include: three types of illiteracy, power dynamics, the risks associated with communal living and potential benefits to the migrant workers as well as researchers.
Survey of German medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic: attitudes toward volunteering versus compulsory service and associated factors
Authors: Mihatsch Lorenz , von der Linde Mira , Knolle Franziska , Luchting Benjamin , Dimitriadis Konstantinos , Heyn Jens
Published: May 2021

Due to the spread of COVID-19, a key challenge was to reduce potential staff shortages in the healthcare sector. Besides recruiting retired healthcare workers, medical students were considered to support this task. Commitment of medical students in Germany during the COVID-19 pandemic was evaluated using an online survey, with particular focus on their burdens and anxieties. This survey was distributed to students within a 2-week period in April and May 2020. Ultimately, 1241 participants were included in the analysis. During the pandemic, 67.9% (65.3% to 70.5%) of the participants reported that they had volunteered. Furthermore, 88.9% (86.9% to 90.5%) stated that they were against compulsory recruitment in this context. Students who volunteered (committed students) had a significantly lower anxiety index than non-committed students. Additionally, students were more concerned about infecting other patients and relatives than themselves. Higher levels of anxiety were related to lower levels of commitment. A mandatory assignment during the pandemic was rejected by the students and does not seem to be necessary due to the large number of volunteers.
The role for regional anesthesia in medical emergencies during deep space flight
Authors: Scarpa Julia , Wu Christopher L
Published: May 2021

As humanity presses the boundaries of space exploration and prepares for long-term interplanetary travel, including to Mars, advanced planning for the safety and health of the crewmembers requires a multidisciplinary approach. In particular, in the event of a survivable medical emergency requiring an interventional procedure or prolonged pain management, such as traumatic limb injury or rib fracture, anesthetic protocols that are both safe and straightforward to execute must be in place. In this daring discourse, we discuss particular considerations related to the use of regional techniques in space and present the rationale that regional anesthesia techniques may be the safest option in many medical emergencies encountered during prolonged space flight.
Trophic ecology of the European eel (Anguilla anguilla) across different salinity habitats inferred from fatty acid and stable isotope analysis
Authors: Parzanini Camilla , Arts Michael T. , Power Michael , Rohtla Mehis , Skiftesvik Anne Berit , Koprivnikar Janet , Browman Howard I. , Milotic Dino , Durif Caroline M.F.
Published: May 2021

We combined fatty acid (FA) and stable isotope (SI) analyses to investigate the trophic ecology of different stages of European eels (Anguilla anguilla) across seawater (SW), brackish water (BW), and freshwater (FW) habitats. Salinity was the main driver of differences in the biochemical composition, and the greatest variation occurred between SW and FW eels. SW eels had a higher content of the FA indicator of carnivory, as well as the highest stable isotope ratios (C, N). In contrast, FW eels exhibited the highest lipid content and omega-6 polyunsaturated FA, but the lowest stable isotope ratios, suggesting major dietary differences between the eels in these two habitats. While the biochemical composition of BW eels was closer to those of SW eels, BW eels had the largest SI range, indicating higher dietary plasticity. FW individuals had better overall condition compared to SW eels. Independent of habitat, larger individuals were in the best condition, and had higher lipid content and monounsaturated FA. These findings suggest a biological advantage for eels to maintain a catadromous life history strategy.
Exploiting Network Fusion for Organizational Turnover Prediction
Authors: Teng Mingfei , Zhu Hengshu , Liu Chuanren , Xiong Hui
Published: May 2021

As an emerging measure of proactive talent management, talent turnover prediction is critically important for companies to attract, engage, and retain talents in order to prevent the loss of intellectual capital. While tremendous efforts have been made in this direction, it is not clear how to model the influence of employees’ turnover within multiple organizational social networks. In this article, we study how to exploit turnover contagion by developing a Turnover Influence-based Neural Network (TINN) for enhancing organizational turnover prediction. Specifically, TINN can construct the turnover similarity network which is then fused with multiple organizational social networks. The fusion is achieved either through learning a hidden turnover influence network or through integrating the turnover influence on multiple networks. Taking advantage of the Graph Convolutional Network and the Long Short-Term Memory network, TINN can dynamically model the impact of social influence on talent turnover. Meanwhile, the utilization of the attention mechanism improves the interpretability, providing insights into the impact of different networks along time on the future turnovers. Finally, we conduct extensive experiments in real-world settings to evaluate TINN. The results validate the effectiveness of our approach to enhancing organizational turnover prediction. Also, our case studies reveal some interpretable findings, such as the importance of each network or hidden state which potentially impacts future organizational turnovers.
Fuzzy Logic in Surveillance Big Video Data Analysis
Authors: Muhammad Khan , Obaidat Mohammad S. , Hussain Tanveer , Ser Javier Del , Kumar Neeraj , Tanveer Mohammad , Doctor Faiyaz
Published: May 2021

CCTV cameras installed for continuous surveillance generate enormous amounts of data daily, forging the term Big Video Data (BVD). The active practice of BVD includes intelligent surveillance and activity recognition, among other challenging tasks. To efficiently address these tasks, the computer vision research community has provided monitoring systems, activity recognition methods, and many other computationally complex solutions for the purposeful usage of BVD. Unfortunately, the limited capabilities of these methods, higher computational complexity, and stringent installation requirements hinder their practical implementation in real-world scenarios, which still demand human operators sitting in front of cameras to monitor activities or make actionable decisions based on BVD. The usage of human-like logic, known as fuzzy logic, has been employed emerging for various data science applications such as control systems, image processing, decision making, routing, and advanced safety-critical systems. This is due to its ability to handle various sources of real-world domain and data uncertainties, generating easily adaptable and explainable data-based models. Fuzzy logic can be effectively used for surveillance as a complementary for huge-sized artificial intelligence models and tiresome training procedures. In this article, we draw researchers’ attention toward the usage of fuzzy logic for surveillance in the context of BVD. We carry out a comprehensive literature survey of methods for vision sensory data analytics that resort to fuzzy logic concepts. Our overview highlights the advantages, downsides, and challenges in existing video analysis methods based on fuzzy logic for surveillance applications. We enumerate and discuss the datasets used by these methods, and finally provide an outlook toward future research directions derived from our critical assessment of the efforts invested so far in this exciting field.
Augmented Virtual Reality Meditation
Authors: Järvelä Simo , Cowley Benjamin , Salminen Mikko , Jacucci Giulio , Hamari Juho , Ravaja Niklas
Published: May 2021

In a novel experimental setting, we augmented a variation of traditional compassion meditation with our custom-built VR environment for multiple concurrent users. The presence of another user’s avatar in shared virtual space supports social interactions and provides an active target for evoked compassion. The system incorporates respiration and brainwave-based biofeedback to enable closed-loop interaction of users based on their shared physiological state. Specifically, we enhanced interoception and the deep empathetic processes involved in compassion meditation with real-time visualizations of: breathing rate, level of approach motivation assessed from EEG frontal asymmetry, and dyadic synchrony of those signals between two users. We manipulated these interventions across eight separate conditions (dyadic or solo meditation; brainwave, breathing, both or no biofeedback) in an experiment with 39 dyads (N=8), observing the effect of conditions on self-reported experience and physiological synchrony. We found that each different shared biofeedback type increased users’ self-reported empathy and social presence, compared to no-biofeedback or solo conditions. Our study illustrates how dyadic synchrony biofeedback can expand the possibilities of biofeedback in affective computing and VR solutions for health and wellness.
An Extended Analysis on the Benefits of Dark Mode User Interfaces in Optical See-Through Head-Mounted Displays
Authors: Erickson Austin , Kim Kangsoo , Lambert Alexis , Bruder Gerd , Browne Michael P. , Welch Gregory F.
Published: May 2021

Light-on-dark color schemes, so-called “Dark Mode,” are becoming more and more popular over a wide range of display technologies and application fields. Many people who have to look at computer screens for hours at a time, such as computer programmers and computer graphics artists, indicate a preference for switching colors on a computer screen from dark text on a light background to light text on a dark background due to perceived advantages related to visual comfort and acuity, specifically when working in low-light environments.

In this article, we investigate the effects of dark mode color schemes in the field of optical see-through head-mounted displays (OST-HMDs), where the characteristic “additive” light model implies that bright graphics are
visible
but dark graphics are
transparent
. We describe two human-subject studies in which we evaluated a normal and inverted color mode in front of different physical backgrounds and different lighting conditions. Our results indicate that dark mode graphics displayed on the HoloLens have significant benefits for visual acuity and usability, while user preferences depend largely on the lighting in the physical environment. We discuss the implications of these effects on user interfaces and applications.
Determination of Electrolyte Transport Properties with a Multi-Reference-Electrode Cell
Authors: Rabette C. , Tekaya I. , Farkhondeh M. , Fleutot B. , Delacourt C.
Published: May 2021

Fast charging is one of the main challenges of electric vehicles, partly due to electrolyte transport limitations across porous electrodes in Li-ion cells. The determination of electrolyte transport properties is crucial for modeling fast charging and adjust cell design accordingly. In this work, diffusion coefficient and cation transference number for a 1 M LiPF6 in ethylene carbonate/diethyl carbonate mixture (1:1 in weight) are determined using a multireference electrode electrochemical cell (four herein). It is an extension of the work by Farkhondeh et al. [J. Phys. Chem. C 2017, 121, 8, 4112–4129] that was based on two reference electrodes. Long galvanostatic pulses allow for building up concentration gradients across the cell (restricted diffusion), which are subsequently let to relax under open circuit. The multiple voltages (three herein) measured between the four reference electrodes are simultaneously analyzed with four different procedures that involve a combination of analytic methods and nonlinear regression of the data with a numerical model. The parameter mean values and 95%-confidence intervals are evaluated using Student t-distribution and the bootstrap method. Values reported by combining all methods together are:

D
=
2.62

×

10

−
10

±

2.29

%

m

2

s

−
1

,

t

+

0

=

0.204

±
12.25

%

at 25 °C.
Trace Bimetallic Iron/Manganese Co-Doped N-Ketjenblack Carbon Electrocatalyst for Robust Oxygen Reduction Reaction
Authors: Li Fuzhi , Shi Pu , Wu Jingtao , Qi Xiaoman , Liu Ying , Li Guangli
Published: May 2021

Massive commercial Al-air batteries heavily depend on highly efficient, low-cost, and scalable oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalysts. Herein, trace bimetallic iron, manganese co-doped N-ketjenblack carbon (Fe-Mn/KB) electrocatalyst was fabricated for efficient ORR via a facile and scalable route with cheap and abundant raw materials. The synthesis route of Fe-Mn/KB only includes one-pot hydrothermal reaction, mild calcination, and acid treatment procedures. The co-doping of trace Fe and Mn elements was confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and EDS elemental mapping technique. In addition, nitrogen element was also successfully doped into the ketjenblack carbon. The trace amount of Fe, Mn and the doped nitrogen element synergistically improved the ORR catalytic activity. The Fe-Mn/KB electrocatalyst outperformed Fe/KB electrocatalyst, in terms of a more positive half-wave potential (0.78 V) and a higher limiting current density (6.0 m A·cm−2). Moreover, the ORR catalytic performance of the Fe-Mn/KB electrocatalyst is comparable to the commercial 20 wt.% Pt/C (0.82 V, 5.3 mA·cm−2, respectively). The galvanostatic discharge of the full Al-air battery demonstrated that Fe-Mn/KB maintained a stable discharge voltage of 1.50 V (extremely close to the Pt/C 1.53 V) up to 20 h. Owing to its simple, economical, scalable, and high efficiency, the proposed Fe-Mn/KB will become a competitive candidate to replace platinum group electrocatalysts.
Free Radicals: I Scream, You Scream…
Authors: Hall Dale
Published: May 2021

Another reason not to eat dairy products.” That’s all the message said, followed by the address of a website where I would supposedly learn more. I usually toss out these unsolicited e-mail messages, but this one piqued my interest. I grew up in dairy country, and I like dairy products.
Currents: The Heartbeat of Science
Authors: Faulkner Larry R.
Published: May 2021

The following article has been excerpted from the comments made by Dr. Faulkner during the Edward Goodrich Acheson Award Address presented at the ECS meeting in Phoenix, Arizona this past fall. Dr. Faulkner is President of The University of Texas at Austin, and has long been active in the Society. He served as president from 1991-92, received the Society’s Young Author Award in 1976, and was named a Fellow in 1993.
Architecture on Electrodes — Modeling Meets Materials
Authors: Leddy Johna
Published: May 2021

Modified electrodes developed as a natural consequence of paradigm changes for physical electrochemical measurements. In the first half of the twentieth century, measurements were made at mercury electrodes in aqueous electrolytes; pristine electrode surfaces were the rigor of the day. Solid electrodes came into use in the 1950s. This in turn led to the use of nonaqueous solvents. The emphasis in electrochemical measurements shifted from the thermodynamic to the dynamic. The expectation of rigorously clean surfaces diminished, and evolved into an interest in intentionally modified electrode surfaces. Merz and Bard reported the first polymer modified electrode in 1978.
Evaluation of a Photosensitizer Redox Couple for Oxide Removal Rate Tunability in Shallow Trench Isolation Chemical Mechanical Planarization
Authors: Linhart Abigail N. , Wortman-Otto Katherine M. , Keleher Jason J.
Published: May 2021

As technology continues to expand beyond that predicted by Moore’s Law the need to alter chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) processes to meet consumer demands is critical. To achieve higher oxide material removal rates (MRR), slurry formulations have become more complex by implementing rate enhancing additives to increase the slurry’s chemical activity. However, the modulation of MRR in situ requires changes in mechanical parameters, such as downforce, platen speed, and flow rate. These parameters effectively increase the chemical activity of the slurry; however, they can result in greater defectivity due to increased shear force. Therefore, this work employs the use of a photosensitizer redox couple to tune MRR using an external stimulus (i.e., light). Specifically, Rose Bengal (RB) is used to disrupt the adsorbed O2 equilibrium at the CeO2 surface via 1O2 generation. A secondary redox additive is employed to trap the 1O2 thereby preventing readsorption and increasing the number of active surface sites necessary for enhanced MRR. This photosensitized mechanism is supported through the correlation of CMP performance (i.e., MRR) to analytical measurements (i.e., 1O2 generation, contact angle, and quartz crystal microbalance (QCM)) with and without the presence of irradiation.
Review—Emerging Applications of g-C3N4 Films in Perovskite-Based Solar Cells
Authors: Nagal Vandana , Kumar Virendra , Ahmad Rafiq , Khan Marya , Khan Zishan H. , Singh Kedar , Furukawa Hidemitsu , Khosla Ajit , Hahn Yoon Bong , Hafiz Aurangzeb Khurram
Published: May 2021

Graphitic carbon nitride, (g-CN/g-C3N4), an oldest material, was extensively used as photocatalyst due to high charge separation and transportation property, tunable band gap, and non-toxicity. Recently, g-CN has been utilized as an electron transport layer, interfacial buffer layer, and for passivation of perovskite layers in solar cell devices. Power conversion efficiency of g-CN-based solar cells has gone beyond 22.13% with device stability of more than 1500 h in dark. Additionally, the enhanced environmental stability of solar cell devices is due to the unique packed two-dimensional (2D) structure of g-CN, which provides protection to the devices against environmental degradation. However, availability of the limited synthesis methods and g-CN thin film formation with varying properties and high surface area, are two major concerns which needs to be further improved. This review covers the different methods of g-CN nanostructure synthesis, thin film formation, and their application in photovoltaic (PV) devices. The potential challenges and perspective of g-CN nanomaterials for solar cells are also included in this review.
Ice Bath Assisted BiMn2O5(Mullite) Phase Synthesis, Structural and Compositional Analysis under Different Bi Concentration
Authors: Annamalai K. , Radha R. , Kichanov S. E. , Navaneethan M. , Balakumar S.
Published: May 2021

In this work, ice bath assisted co-precipitation synthesis of nanostructured Bismuth Manganite (BiMn2O5) with varied bismuth concentration and their consequences on the structural properties have rationally been investigated for first time in reports. The novelty of this study is to primarily elucidate the crystalline phase formations and related structural as well as compositional changes while fabricating BiMn2O5 with different amount of Bi content up to 20% to compensate the volatile Bi during annealing process. Powder X-ray diffraction and Rietveld Refinement techniques evidently confirmed the formation of single-phase mullite-type orthorhombic perovskite structure for stoichiometric ratio; while increasing Bi content, a secondary phase sillenite (Bi24Mn2O40) was formed which also gradually increased with increase in bismuth in the precursor solution. Rod and cubic shaped morphologies were commonly observed and size of the particles shows particle size ranging between 45 nm and 120 nm with increase of bismuth content. The mixed morphology is inevitably due to the presence of the secondary phases due to increasing Bi content that are evident from the XRD results. Raman and Optical properties evidently confirmed the structural variation and changes in the band gap respectively owing to the increase in secondary phase evolution with excess bismuth content. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) studies confirmed the increment in Bi content and the coexistence of Mullite and Sillenite phases in the samples.