bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Physiological Characterization of Student Engagement in the Naturalistic Classroom: A Mixed‐Methods Approach
Authors: Zhang Jianhua , Wang Kun , Zhang Yu
Published: October 2021

Student engagement plays a vital role in improving students' learning outcomes. Traditional educational assessments of engagement have many limitations, which undermine the understanding of the mechanisms by which engagement affects learning and broad educational practices that leverage engagement. Through a mixed‐methods approach and multimodal data collected in naturalistic high school classrooms, this study investigated the physiological characterization of student engagement and demonstrated its unique advantages of continually revealing students' implicit engagement during learning. Interpersonal physiological synchrony (IPS) seems to have higher criterion validity than intrapersonal physiological features, according to quantitative analysis. The quantitative results of the IPS are also better interpreted and triangulated by qualitative analysis. Challenges of real‐world neuroeducational research are discussed, and the unique assets of mixed methods research are proposed.
Deep reinforcement learning for automated design of reinforced concrete structures
Authors: Jeong Jong‐Hyun , Jo Hongki
Published: October 2021

This study proposes a novel concept of reinforcement learning (RL) framework to facilitate automated structural design, with a particular focus on reinforced concrete (RC) beam design as case studies. We trained an RL agent called deep deterministic policy gradient (DDPG) with a convolutional neural network function approximators. The RL agent was successfully trained to design RC beams subject to American Concrete Institute (318) provisions without any hand‐labeled dataset. A python‐based RC beam design environment was developed and used to simulate RC beam designs with customized reward functions that encouraged the agent to minimize material cost by maximizing reward. The DDPG agent self‐learned cost‐effective RC beam design through 100,000 randomly generated design cases during the training procedure. The trained agent was able to design an RC beam in a cost‐effective way while taking both flexural and shear reinforcement arrangements into consideration. The trained agent generated near‐optimal design parameters without the need for unnecessary iterations over various design conditions. The performance of the agent was validated with 100 design cases and comparative studies, showing a great promise for automated RC beam design.
Lewy pathology of the submandibular gland in Lewy body disease: A report of autopsy cases
Authors: Sakashita Yasuhiro , Matsubara Tomoyasu , Takata Tadayuki , Tanei Zen‐ichi , Motoda Atsuko , Yamazaki Mikihiro , Kawakami Ito , Sengoku Renpei , Saito Yuko , Arai Tomio , Yamada Masahito , Murayama Shigeo
Published: October 2021

Accumulation of phosphorylated α‐synuclein in the central and peripheral nervous systems is a histological hallmark of Lewy body disease (LBD), including Parkinson's disease (PD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), and LB‐related pure autonomic failure. The submandibular gland is employed as a biopsy site for detecting Lewy pathology; however, the incidence of Lewy pathology in this region in autopsy‐proven LBD cases at all stages from an aged Japanese cohort remains unclear. To validate the utility of Lewy pathology of the submandibular gland as a diagnostic biomarker for LBD, we investigated the submandibular gland Lewy pathology in autopsied patients. To determine the specificity, we prospectively evaluated the submandibular gland in 64 consecutive autopsied patients. To determine the sensitivity, we retrospectively assessed the submandibular gland in 168 consecutive autopsied patients who had prodromal or clinical LBD. In the prospective study, Lewy pathology was found in 21 of 64 patients, and nine of those 21 patients had the submandibular gland Lewy pathology. No Lewy pathology was found in 43 patients without CNS Lewy pathology, giving a specificity of 100%. In the retrospective study, Lewy pathology of the submandibular gland was detected in 126 of 168 patients. The sensitivity was 89.1% in PD and 75.4% in DLB. The sensitivity increased with disease progression. These findings support the utility of the submandibular gland biopsy for the pathological diagnosis of LBD.
A qualitative exploration of care homes workers’ views and training needs in relation to the use of socially assistive humanoid robots in their workplace
Authors: Papadopoulos Irena , Ali Sheila , Papadopoulos Chris , Castro Nina , Faulkes Nicholas , Koulouglioti Christina
Published: October 2021

Aim

The study aimed to explore the views and attitudes of care home workers about the socially assistive robot that was trialled in their workplace, in order to identify training needs in relation to the hypothetical future use of these robots in their workplace.

Background

Care home workers face challenging workload conditions which may require the exploration of new solutions such as the use of socially assistive robots (SARs).

Methods

This is a qualitative descriptive study which used semi‐structured interviews. Care home workers (n = 23) in the UK participated in the study, and data collection took place between October 2019 and January 2020. NVivo software was used for data management, and a thematic inductive analysis was conducted.

Results

Findings indicated that many participants were open to the use of robots and valued the potential usefulness of SARs in the care setting. However, some participants showed resistance to the use of robots and did not feel comfortable with the idea of working alongside them. Participants wished to receive technical training that would enable them to be competent in using SARs. Participants took seriously their duty of care to the older people and thus wanted to ensure that the use of the SAR would not negatively impact on the care being provided. Robots were viewed as having potential to be supplementary to human carers, such as sharing the workload and improving upon the care already being provided.

Conclusions

Care home workers express both positive and negative views in relation to the hypothetical future deployment of socially assistive humanoid robots in their workplace.

Implications for practice

The findings highlighted the importance of values around person‐centred care which should be taken into account when planning for the implementation of robots in social care settings and training care home workers in how to work with robots.
Avoidance coping mediates the effect of hardiness on mental distress symptoms for both male and female subjects
Authors: Thomassen Ådne G. , Johnsen Bjørn Helge , Hystad Sigurd W. , Johnsen Grethe E.
Published: October 2021

The personality disposition hardiness has been shown to be associated with adaptive coping strategies and is considered an important protective factor against development of mental health symptoms. One of the criticisms found in the hardiness literature concerns the question whether the construct is equally important for men and women. Using a prospective design in a moderated mediation model, regression analyses were performed to examine the effect of avoidance coping in the association between hardiness and mental distress. The effect of biological sex was examined in the association between hardiness and avoidance coping. Our sample included 410 civilian personnel employed in a military organization. The results showed that higher hardiness levels were associated with lower reported use of avoidance coping, which in turn was associated with lower levels of distress symptoms. Avoidance coping mediated the effect of hardiness on anxiety symptoms and this indirect effect was not moderated by biological sex. These results indicate that hardiness operates similarly for women and men as a factor influencing mental distress symptoms.
Vagus nerve stimulation activates nucleus of solitary tract neurons via supramedullary pathways
Authors: Cooper Coty M. , Farrand Ariana Q. , Andresen Michael C. , Beaumont Eric
Published: October 2021

Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) treats patients with drug‐resistant epilepsy, depression and heart failure, but the mechanisms responsible are uncertain. The mild stimulus intensities used in chronic VNS suggest activation of myelinated primary visceral afferents projecting to the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS). Here, we monitored the activity of second and higher order NTS neurons in response to peripheral vagal activation using therapeutic VNS criteria. A bipolar stimulating electrode activated the left cervical vagus nerve, and stereotaxically placed single tungsten electrodes recorded unit activity from the left caudomedial NTS of chloralose‐anaesthetized rats. High‐intensity single electrical stimuli established vagal afferent conduction velocity (myelinated A‐type or unmyelinated C‐type) as well as synaptic order (secondvs. higher order using paired electrical stimuli) for inputs to single NTS neurons. Then, VNS treatment was applied. A mid‐collicular knife cut (KC) divided the brainstem from all supramedullary regions to determine their contribution to NTS activity. Our chief findings indicate that the KC reduced basal spontaneous activity of second‐order NTS neurons receiving myelinated vagal input by 85%. In these neurons, acute VNS increased activity similarly in Control and KC animals. Interestingly, the KC interrupted VNS activation of higher order NTS neurons and second‐order NTS neurons receiving unmyelinated vagal input, indicating that supramedullary descending projections to NTS are needed to amplify the peripheral neuronal signal from VNS. The present study begins to define the pathways activated during VNS and will help to better identify the central nervous system contributions to the therapeutic benefits of VNS therapy.

image

Key points

Vagus nerve stimulation is routinely used in the clinic to treat epilepsy and depression, despite our uncertainty about how this treatment works.

For this study, the connections between the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) and the higher brain regions were severed to learn more about their contribution to activity of these neurons during stimulation.

Severing these brain connections reduced baseline activity as well as reducing stimulation‐induced activation for NTS neurons receiving myelinated vagal input.

Higher brain regions play a significant role in maintaining both normal activity in NTS and indirect mechanisms of enhancing NTS neuronal activity during vagus nerve stimulation.
The Postbuckling Behavior of Compressed Elastica Inside a Flexible Tube: Experimental and Numerical Investigation
Authors: Dayan Yosef , Durban David , Givli Sefi
Published: October 2021

The postbuckling behavior of an elastic fiber subjected to lateral constraints is of practical importance in a wide range of medical and engineering applications. The vast majority of existing studies have adopted the assumption that the lateral constrains are fixed in space and rigid. This assumption is often far from the reality of the physical complexity of the abovementioned systems. In this paper, we study analytically, numerically, and experimentally the behavior of an elastic fiber that is subjected to compressive force and constrained by a flexible tube. The latter marks a point of departure from available research. Our experiments provide quantitative information related to the overall behavior of the system, like force-shortening relation and deflection of the flexible tube. That information is complemented by finite-element simulations that enable in-depth analysis of the deformation of the fiber as well as contact characteristics between the fiber and the inner wall of the flexible tube. Finally, a simple mathematical model, aimed at providing analytical insights, is presented. Overall, the theoretical, numerical, and experimental results are in very good agreement. They highlight the fact that the behavior of a compressed fiber that is constrained by a deformable tube significantly deviates from that of a fiber constrained inside a rigid cylinder. Moreover, it is shown that the overall behavior as well as the evolution of contact between the fiber and the cylinder heavily depends on the ratio between the stiffness of the fiber and the lateral stiffness of the tube.
Folding Responses of Origami-Inspired Structures Connected by Groove Compliant Joints
Authors: Zhang Qian , Li Yuanyuan , Kueh Ahmad BH , Qian Zelun , Cai Jianguo
Published: October 2021

The compliant mechanism can effectively reduce friction and eliminate the joint gap during the motion. The performances of compliant joints directly determine the overall behavior of mechanisms. In this paper, a new type of compliant joint is designed based on weakened creases and elastic–plastic materials. Parametric analysis is carried out to investigate the influence of compliant joint details on its structural performances by combining finite element methods and experiments. The compliant joints are evaluated and optimized regarding the rotational stiffness and plastic strain magnitude of the slot region. In addition, the optimized compliant joint is introduced to the Miura unit. The configuration analysis is performed for the folding, unfolding, and releasing processes, which are further extended to the discussion on the cyclic performance of the compliant joint. It can be found that the origami-inspired structures can maintain a high residual stiffness after the release process. Finally, the methodology is applied to the Miura origami array embedded with the designed compliant joint. The results of dimensional errors and stress distributions can show that the design of the compliant joints can effectively control the configuration of the Miura origami array. The principle in this paper can open a new avenue to design and utilize the compliant in the deployable or morphing structures.
Design of a Four-Bar Latch Mechanism and a Shear-Based Rotary Viscous Damper for Single-Axis Prosthetic Knees
Authors: Arelekatti V. N. Murthy , Petelina Nina T. , Johnson W. Brett , Major Matthew J. , Winter V Amos G.
Published: October 2021

With over 30 million people worldwide requiring assistive devices, there is a great need for low-cost and high-performance prosthetic technologies that can enable kinematics close to able-bodied gait. Low-income users of prosthetic knees in the developing world repeatedly report the need for n inconspicuous gait to mitigate the severe socioeconomic discrimination associated with disability. However, passive prosthetic knees designed for these users have primarily focused on stability and affordability, often at the cost of the high biomechanical performance that is required to replicate able-bodied kinematics. In this study, we present the design and preliminary testing of two distinct mechanism modules that are novel for passive prosthetic knee applications: the stability module and the damping module. These mechanisms are designed to enable users of single-axis, passive prosthetic knees to walk with close to able-bodied kinematics on level-ground, specifically during the transition from the stance phase to the swing phase of the gait cycle. The stability module was implemented with a latch mounted on a virtual axis of a four-bar linkage, which can be engaged during early stance for stability and disengaged during late stance to initiate knee flexion. The damping module was implemented with a concentric stack of stationary and rotating pairs of plates that shear thin films of high-viscosity silicone oil. The goal of the resulting first-order damping torque was to achieve smooth flexion of the prosthetic knee within the able-bodied gait range (64 ± 6 deg). For preliminary user-centric validation, a prototype prosthetic knee with the stability module and two different dampers (with varying damping coefficients) was tested on a single subject with above-knee amputation in India. The stability module enabled smooth transition from stance to swing with timely initiation of knee flexion. The dampers also performed satisfactorily, as the increase in the damping coefficient was found to decrease the peak knee flexion angle during swing. The applications of the mechanisms presented in this article could significantly improve the kinematic performance of low-cost, passive prosthetic knees.
Advances in the Theory of Planar Curve Cognates
Authors: Sherman Samantha N. , Hauenstein Jonathan D. , Wampler Charles W.
Published: October 2021

Cognate linkages provide the useful property in mechanism design of having the same motion. This paper describes an approach for determining all coupler curve cognates for planar linkages with rotational joints. Although a prior compilation of six-bar cognates due to Dijksman purported to be a complete list, that analysis assumed, without proof, that cognates only arise by permuting link rotations. Our approach eliminates that assumption using arguments concerning the singular foci of the coupler curve to constrain a cognate search and then completing the analysis by solving a precision point problem. This analysis confirms that Dijksman’s list for six-bars is comprehensive. As we further demonstrate on an eight-bar and a ten-bar example, the method greatly constrains the set of permutations of link rotations that can possibly lead to cognates, thereby facilitating the discovery of all cognates that arise in that manner. However, for these higher order linkages, the further step of using a precision point test to eliminate the possibility of any other cognates is still beyond our computational capabilities.
A gentle introduction to the non-equilibrium physics of trajectories: Theory, algorithms, and biomolecular applications
Authors: Zuckerman Daniel M. , Russo John D.
Published: October 2021

Despite the importance of non-equilibrium statistical mechanics in modern physics and related fields, the topic is often omitted from undergraduate and core-graduate curricula. Key aspects of non-equilibrium physics, however, can be understood with a minimum of formalism based on a rigorous trajectory picture. The fundamental object is the ensemble of trajectories, a set of independent time-evolving systems, which easily can be visualized or simulated (e.g., for protein folding) and which can be analyzed rigorously in analogy to an ensemble of static system configurations. The trajectory picture provides a straightforward basis for understanding first-passage times, “mechanisms” in complex systems, and fundamental constraints on the apparent reversibility of complex processes. Trajectories make concrete the physics underlying the diffusion and Fokker–Planck partial differential equations. Last but not least, trajectory ensembles underpin some of the most important algorithms that have provided significant advances in biomolecular studies of protein conformational and binding processes.
Nodular Polymyositis in Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Freund Hugo A. , Steiner Gabriel , Leichtentritt Bruno , Price Alvin E.
Published: October 2021

The regular findings of a
nodular perineuritis
in peripheral nerve trunks and of a
nodular polymyositis
in skeletal muscles indicates the systemic nature of this disease. Rheumatoid arthritis is not solely a disease of the joints but a systemic disease, characterized by a widespread distribution of a nodular lymphocytic inflammation in peripheral nerves and skeletal muscles. The new findings in the nerves and muscles offer an explanation of the generally encountered clinical manifestations of pain, tenderness, trophic changes and muscular atrophy.
The Mechanism of the Virucidal Action of Ascorbic Acid
Authors: Klein Morton
Published: October 2021

The theoretical yield of H
2
O
2
formed during the oxidation of a virucidal solution of ascorbic acid approximates the virucidal action of an equivalent amount of H
2
O
2
. Both the action of ascorbic acid and H
2
O
2
are completely neutralized by catalase. The action of ascorbic acid against influence A virus may therefore be explained as being due to the H
2
O
2
formed during the Cu catalyzed oxidation of ascorbic acid.

The observed
in vitro
virucidal activity of ascorbic acid obviously can not be utilized therapeutically because of the presence of catalase in body tissues.
Detection of Lycopene in Pink Orange Fruit
Authors: Monselise S. P. , Halevy A. H.
Published: October 2021

Lycopene is shown to be the pink coloring pigment in Sarah—a pink sport of the Shamouti (Jaffa) orange— together with other unidentified carotenoids. This is a condition similar to that found in pink and red grapefruits, while the red pigments of blood oranges are anthocyanins.
Excretion of Dopamine in Diseases of Basal Ganglia
Authors: Barbeau André , Murphy Gerard F. , Sourkes Theodore L.
Published: October 2021

The urinary excretion of catecholamines has been measured in 32 patients with disorders of the basal ganglia. Sixteen patients with Parkinsonism (idiopathic, postencephalitic, and arteriosclerotic types) had a significantly lower amount of dopamine in the urine during a 24-hour period than a group of 24 normal control subjects. In a group of 16 patients with various striatal syndromes the excretion of dopamine and epinephrine was significantly higher than normal. Norepinephrine excretion was similar in the three groups. The lowest mean value of urinary dopamine was found in postencephalitic Parkinsonism; the highest occurred in Wilson's disease.
Plasma-Free Corticosteroid Response to Electric Shock in Rats Stimulated in Infancy
Authors: Levine Seymour
Published: October 2021

Circulating corticosteroids were measured after a brief electric shock in rats which were manipulated during infancy. When compared to nonmanipulated controls it was found that the manipulated rats showed a significant elevation of corticosteroids as early as 15 seconds after shock, whereas the nonmanipulated subjects did not show a significant elevation of steroids until 5 minutes after a brief shock. Further, the levels of corticosteroids were consistently higher in the manipulated subjects over a 15-minute period.
Eye Movements during Active and Passive Dreams
Authors: Berger Ralph J. , Oswald Ian
Published: October 2021

Independent confirmation is offered that the amount of rapid eye movement during dreaming
is associated with the dream content.
Geomagnetic Polarity Epochs: Sierra Nevada II
Authors: Cox Allan , Doell Richard R. , Dalrymple G. Brent
Published: October 2021

Ten new determinations on volcanic extrusions in the Sierra Nevada with potassium-argon ages of 3.1 million years or less indicate that the remanent magnetizations fall into two groups, a normal group in which the remanent magnetization is directed downward and to the north, and a reversed group magnetized up and to the south. Thermomagnetic experiments and mineralogic studies fail to provide an explanation of the opposing polarities in terms of mineralogic control, but rather suggest that the remanent magnetization reflects reversals of the main dipole field of the earth. All available radiometric ages are consistent with this field-reversal hypothesis and indicate that the present normal polarity epoch (N1) as well as the previous reversed epoch (R1) are 0.9 to 1.0 million years long, whereas the previous normal epoch (N2) was at least 25 percent longer.
Schizophyllum commune
: New Mutations in the B Incompatibility Factor
Authors: Koltin Y. , Raper J. R.
Published: October 2021

Two new mutations in the
B
factor of
Schizophyllum
commune provide additional indications regarding control by the incompatibility factors of mating and sexual morphogenesis in this and other tetrapolar fungi.
Ice Nuclei from Automobile Exhaust and Iodine Vapor
Authors: Schaefer Vincent J.
Published: October 2021

When exposed to a trace of iodine vapor, the submicroscopic particles of lead exhausted by automobiles produce nuclei for the formation of ice crystals. Concentrations of particles exceeding 10
6
per liter can be directly sampled from the exhaust pipe of an idling motor. Concentrations of from 10
4
to 10
5
per liter have been found in rural air downwind of auto roads; the concentration at one rural site has increased by an order of magnitude in 13 years. The phenomenon may provide a method of modifying clouds, and of determining (and monitoring) the percentage of automobile exhaust in a polluted atmosphere. It may be an important factor in inadvertent modification by man of the climate.
Embryonic Morphogenesis: Role of Fibrous Lattice in the Development of Feathers and Feather Patterns
Authors: Stuart E. S. , Moscona A. A.
Published: October 2021

In the morphogenesis of embryonic feather germs the formation of dermal cell groupings is associated with the development of a highly regular pattern of birefringence in the dermis. This birefringence is due to a lattice-like system of collagenous tracts along which dermal cells become progressively aligned and grouped in regularly spaced sites. The experimental results suggest that this fibrous lattice is of major significance in the morphogenesis of feather germs and in their characteristic pattern of distribution.
Fumarolic Activity in Marie Byrd Land, Antarctica
Authors: LeMasurier Wesley E. , Wade F. Alton
Published: October 2021

Ice towers, probably formed by recent fumarolic activity, have been found around the summit calderas of two volcanoes in Marie Byrd Land. These active (?) volcanoes lie within a broad belt of Mesozoic intrusion and late Cenozoic extrusion that appears to be part of the circum-Pacific orogenic province.
Facing Nuclear Reality
Authors: Miller George H. , Brown Paul S. , Nordyke Milo D.
Published: October 2021

Nuclear weapons that are safe and secure, reliable, survivable, and effective will be a critical element of this nation's deterrent for the foreseeable future. The existence of these weapons reflects the tension that exists between the United States and the Soviet Union. Nuclear test bans will not reduce or eliminate nuclear weapons or this tension. Imprudent nuclear test bans, however, could impair the viability of this vital element of U.S. security.

New, more restrictive test limitations would not enhance our national security. They do not address the two most important issues—namely, major reductions in strategic and conventional forces of both the Soviet Union and the United States, and a widespread lessening of tension between our two countries. In fact, it is conceivable that the diversion of political attention from arms reduction efforts and the distrust generated by test-ban verification problems could actually increase tensions between the two countries.

We believe that more restrictive test limitations or a nuclear test ban should be considered only as part of an integrated and comprehensive approach to arms control. We must reduce the numbers of the most destabilizing weapons and the overall size of the strategic arsenals through negotiations. A restrictive test ban may be a proper last step in our quest for nuclear arms control and a stable peace, but it would, in our opinion, be an imprudent first step. Further test limitations will be consistent with increased stability and decreased tension between the United States and the Soviet Union only if they are instituted after major stabilizing reductions are made in the strategic nuclear and conventional forces of both countries.
Panel Considers Radical Funding Cuts
Authors: Lawler Andrew
Published: October 2021

The Congressional Research Service gave policy-makers a grim peek at possible future science budgets in a workshop last week that explored such scenarios as an end to U.S. government support for civilian research and a 50% cut in federal R&D spending.
Making Nice With the Nobelists
Authors: Lawler Andrew
Published: October 2021

A visit to Washington by this year's crop of U.S. Nobelists brought together two atmospheric chemists who worked on ozone depletion and a vocal critic of policies based on their findings—the chair of the House science panel that oversees environmental research. He promised to keep an open mind, but the next day he returned to the attack, criticizing studies of global warming.
Astronomers Protect Endangered Bands
Authors: Hellemans Alexander
Published: October 2021

Amsterdam—Radio astronomers are treating a handful of footnotes in a document produced at the World Radio Conference held last month in Geneva, Switzerland, as a major achievement. The footnotes ask governments to protect certain bands—especially the methanol line at 6668 megahertz—for exclusive use by astronomers. These bands are being encroached on by telecommunication and satellite companies, swamping the faint signals from deep space so precious to astronomers. The footnotes are usually respected, but astronomers are lobbying for stronger protections.
Equipment Funds Suffer Heavy Cut
Authors: Williams Nigel
Published: October 2021

London—When the first details of Britain's new budget were announced last week, researchers breathed a sigh of relief: The research councils, which provide direct support for basic research, were given a small cut in real terms, which was better than expected. But they got a shock when education spending was detailed: Capital expenditures for items including science buildings and large equipment will be cut by 30% next year and more than 50% over the next 5 years.
Clinton Holds First AIDS Summit
Authors: Cohen Jon
Published: October 2021

At the White House Conference on HIV and AIDS, President Clinton outlined two new strategies to speed up the search for a cure and preventives—moves that met with general, although not total, acclaim.
Lightweight, strong, moldable wood via cell wall engineering as a sustainable structural material
Authors: Xiao Shaoliang , Chen Chaoji , Xia Qinqin , Liu Yu , Yao Yuan , Chen Qiongyu , Hartsfield Matt , Brozena Alexandra , Tu Kunkun , Eichhorn Stephen J. , Yao Yonggang , Li Jianguo , Gan Wentao , Shi Sheldon Q. , Yang Vina W. , Lo Ricco Marco , Zhu J.Y. , Burgert Ingo , Luo Alan , Li Teng , Hu Liangbing
Published: October 2021

Turning wood into honeycombs

Wood is an attractive material for structural applications, but it usually works best as boards or sheets. Xiao
et al
. have developed a process for engineering hardwood that allows these sheets to be manipulated into complex structures (see the Perspective by Tajvidi and Gardner). The key is to manipulate the cell wall structure by shrinking and blasting open the fibers and vessels by drying and “water-shocking” them. This process creates a window wherein the wood can be manipulated without ripping or tearing. Honeycomb, corrugated, or other complex structures are locked in once the wood dries. —BG
Sulfur-anchoring synthesis of platinum intermetallic nanoparticle catalysts for fuel cells
Authors: Yang Cheng-Long , Wang Li-Na , Yin Peng , Liu Jieyuan , Chen Ming-Xi , Yan Qiang-Qiang , Wang Zheng-Shu , Xu Shi-Long , Chu Sheng-Qi , Cui Chunhua , Ju Huanxin , Zhu Junfa , Lin Yue , Shui Jianglan , Liang Hai-Wei
Published: October 2021

Sulfur-stabilized intermetallic nanoparticles

Nanoparticles of intermetallic alloys of platinum could have enhanced electronic properties that improve their catalytic activity, but the high temperatures needed to ensure complete atomic diffusion often lead to the growth of larger nanoparticles—sintering—with low surface area and hence low overall activity. Yang
et al
. show that sulfur-doped carbon supports create strong platinum-sulfur bonds that stabilize small platinum alloy nanoparticles (<5 nanometers in diameter) to temperatures up to 1000ºC. They screened libraries of platinum alloys and identified ones with high mass activity for the oxygen reduction reaction in hydrogen fuel cells. —PDS
Protection against SARS-CoV-2 Beta variant in mRNA-1273 vaccine–boosted nonhuman primates
Authors: Corbett Kizzmekia S. , Gagne Matthew , Wagner Danielle A. , O’ Connell Sarah , Narpala Sandeep R. , Flebbe Dillon R. , Andrew Shayne F. , Davis Rachel L. , Flynn Barbara , Johnston Timothy S. , Stringham Christopher D. , Lai Lilin , Valentin Daniel , Van Ry Alex , Flinchbaugh Zackery , Werner Anne P. , Moliva Juan I. , Sriparna Manjari , O’Dell Sijy , Schmidt Stephen D. , Tucker Courtney , Choi Angela , Koch Matthew , Bock Kevin W. , Minai Mahnaz , Nagata Bianca M. , Alvarado Gabriela S. , Henry Amy R. , Laboune Farida , Schramm Chaim A. , Zhang Yi , Yang Eun Sung , Wang Lingshu , Choe Misook , Boyoglu-Barnum Seyhan , Wei Shi , Lamb Evan , Nurmukhambetova Saule T. , Provost Samantha J. , Donaldson Mitzi M. , Marquez Josue , Todd John-Paul M. , Cook Anthony , Dodson Alan , Pekosz Andrew , Boritz Eli , Ploquin Aurélie , Doria-Rose Nicole , Pessaint Laurent , Andersen Hanne , Foulds Kathryn E. , Misasi John , Wu Kai , Carfi Andrea , Nason Martha C. , Mascola John , Moore Ian N. , Edwards Darin K. , Lewis Mark G. , Suthar Mehul S. , Roederer Mario , McDermott Adrian , Douek Daniel C. , Sullivan Nancy J. , Graham Barney S. , Seder Robert A.
Published: October 2021

A look at variant-specific boosters

The evolution of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants of concern (VOCs) has raised the question of whether current COVID-19 vaccines protect against VOCs and if a variant specific vaccine may be needed. Of the currently identified VOCs, the Delta variant is believed to be the most transmissible, whereas the Beta variant appears to be the most vaccine resistant. Corbett
et al
. looked at the effect of vaccine boosting using either the original WA-1 strain vaccine or a Beta variant–specific booster. Around 6 months after the primary two-dose vaccine series, a third boost vaccination resulted in higher neutralizing antibody levels against VOCs in nonhuman primates. Regardless of whether the boost was from the original vaccine or the Beta-specific version, similar increases in neutralizing antibody levels were observed and resulted in enhanced viral protection. —PNK
Toward collective animal neuroscience
Authors: Sliwa Julia
Published: October 2021

Social intelligence requires the study of both groups of brains and the individual brain
Cost-effectiveness of household contact investigation for detection of tuberculosis in Pakistan
Authors: Hussain Hamidah , Malik Amyn , Ahmed Junaid F , Siddiqui Sara , Amanullah Farhana , Creswell Jacob , Tylleskär Thorkild , Robberstad Bjarne
Published: October 2021

Objectives

Despite WHO guidelines recommending household contact investigation, and studies showing the impact of active screening, most tuberculosis (TB) programmes in resource-limited settings only carry out passive contact investigation. The cost of such strategies is often cited as barriers to their implementation. However, little data are available for the additional costs required to implement this strategy. We aimed to estimate the cost and cost-effectiveness of active contact investigation as compared with passive contact investigation in urban Pakistan.

Methods

We estimated the cost-effectiveness of ‘enhanced’ (passive with follow-up) and ‘active’ (household visit) contact investigations compared with standard ‘passive’ contact investigation from providers and the programme’s perspective using a simple decision tree. Costs were collected in Pakistan from a TB clinic performing passive contact investigation and from studies of active contact tracing interventions conducted. The effectiveness was based on the number of patients with TB identified among household contacts screened.

Results

The addition of enhanced contact investigation to the existing passive mode detected 3.8 times more cases of TB per index patient compared with passive contact investigation alone. The incremental cost was US$30 per index patient, which yielded an incremental cost of US$120 per incremental patient identified with TB. The active contact investigation was 1.5 times more effective than enhanced contact investigation with an incremental cost of US$238 per incremental patient with TB identified.

Conclusion

Our results show that enhanced and active approaches to contact investigation effectively identify additional patients with TB among household contacts at a relatively modest cost. These strategies can be added to the passive contact investigation in a high burden setting to find the people with TB who are missed and meet the End TB strategy goals.
Measured and perceived impacts of evidence-based leadership in nursing: a mixed-methods systematic review protocol
Authors: Välimäki Maritta Anneli , Lantta Tella , Hipp Kirsi , Varpula Jaakko , Liu Gaoming , Tang Yao , Chen Wenjun , Hu Shuang , Li Xianhong
Published: October 2021

Introduction

Despite the abundance of existing literature on evidence-based nursing practice, knowledge regarding evidence-based leadership, that is, leadership supported by an evidence-based approach, is lacking. Our aim is to conduct a mixed-methods systematic review with qualitative and quantitative studies to examine how evidence is used to solve leadership problems and to describe the measured and perceived effects of evidence-based leadership on nurses and nurse leaders and their performance as well as on organisational and clinical outcomes.

Methods and analysis

We will search the following databases with no year limit or language restrictions: CINAHL (EBSCO), Cochrane Library, Embase (Elsevier), PsycINFO (EBSCO), PubMed (MEDLINE), Scopus (Elsevier) and Web of Science. In addition, the databases for prospectively registered trials and other systematic reviews will be screened. We will include articles using any type of research design as long as the study includes a component of an evidence-based leadership approach. Three reviewers will independently screen all titles, abstracts and full-text articles and two reviewers will extract the data according to the appropriate checklists. The quality of each study will be appraised using specific appraisal tool fitting in study design used in each study. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) grid, PRISMA Protocols, Synthesis Without Meta-analysis and ENTREQ will guide the study process and reporting. Outcomes related to individual or group performance of nurses or nurse managers regarding leadership skills (e.g., communication skills), organisational outcomes (e.g., work environment, costs) and clinical outcomes (e.g., patient quality of life, treatment satisfaction) will be extracted and synthesised.

Ethics and dissemination

This systematic review will not include empirical data, and therefore, ethics approval will not be sought. The results of the review will be disseminated in a peer-reviewed scientific journal and in a conference presentation.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42021259624.
Vitamin D insufficiency in COVID-19 and influenza A, and critical illness survivors: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Hurst Emma A , Mellanby Richard J , Handel Ian , Griffith David M , Rossi Adriano G , Walsh Timothy S , Shankar-Hari Manu , Dunning Jake , Homer Natalie Z , Denham Scott G , Devine Kerri , Holloway Paul A , Moore Shona C , Thwaites Ryan S , Samanta Romit J , Summers Charlotte , Hardwick Hayley E , Oosthuyzen Wilna , Turtle Lance , Semple Malcolm G , Openshaw Peter J M , Baillie J Kenneth , Russell Clark D
Published: October 2021

Objectives

The steroid hormone vitamin D has roles in immunomodulation and bone health. Insufficiency is associated with susceptibility to respiratory infections. We report 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH)D) measurements in hospitalised people with COVID-19 and influenza A and in survivors of critical illness to test the hypotheses that vitamin D insufficiency scales with illness severity and persists in survivors.

Design

Cross-sectional study.

Setting and participants

Plasma was obtained from 295 hospitalised people with COVID-19 (International Severe Acute Respiratory and emerging Infections Consortium (ISARIC)/WHO Clinical Characterization Protocol for Severe Emerging Infections UK study), 93 with influenza A (Mechanisms of Severe Acute Influenza Consortium (MOSAIC) study, during the 2009–2010 H1N1 pandemic) and 139 survivors of non-selected critical illness (prior to the COVID-19 pandemic). Total 25(OH)D was measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Free 25(OH)D was measured by ELISA in COVID-19 samples.

Outcome measures

Receipt of invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) and in-hospital mortality.

Results

Vitamin D insufficiency (total 25(OH)D 25–50 nmol/L) and deficiency (<25 nmol/L) were prevalent in COVID-19 (29.3% and 44.4%, respectively), influenza A (47.3% and 37.6%) and critical illness survivors (30.2% and 56.8%). In COVID-19 and influenza A, total 25(OH)D measured early in illness was lower in patients who received IMV (19.6 vs 31.9 nmol/L (p<0.0001) and 22.9 vs 31.1 nmol/L (p=0.0009), respectively). In COVID-19, biologically active free 25(OH)D correlated with total 25(OH)D and was lower in patients who received IMV, but was not associated with selected circulating inflammatory mediators.

Conclusions

Vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency was present in majority of hospitalised patients with COVID-19 or influenza A and correlated with severity and persisted in critical illness survivors at concentrations expected to disrupt bone metabolism. These findings support early supplementation trials to determine if insufficiency is causal in progression to severe disease, and investigation of longer-term bone health outcomes.
Efficacy of high-volume injections with and without corticosteroid compared with sham for Achilles tendinopathy: a protocol for a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Malliaras Peter , Connell David , Boesen Anders Ploug , Kearney Rebecca S , Menz Hylton B , Morrissey Dylan , Munteanu Shannon E , Silbernagel Karin G , Underwood Martin , Haines Terry P
Published: October 2021

Introduction

Achilles tendinopathy (AT) is a common and disabling musculoskeletal condition. First-line management involving Achilles tendon loading exercise with, or without, other modalities may not resolve the problem in up to 44% of cases. Many people receive injections. Yet there are no injection treatments with demonstrated long-term efficacy. The aim of the trial is to examine the 12-month efficacy of high-volume injection (HVI) with corticosteroid and HVI without corticosteroid versus sham injection among individuals with AT.

Methods and analysis

The trial is a three-arm, parallel group, double-blind, superiority randomised controlled trial that will assess the efficacy of HVI with and without corticosteroid versus sham up to 12 months. We will block-randomise 192 participants to one of the three groups with a 1:1:1 ratio, and both participants and outcome assessors will be blinded to treatment allocation. All participants will receive an identical evidence-based education and exercise intervention. The primary outcome measure will be the Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment – Achilles (VISA-A) at 12 months post-randomisation, a validated, reliable and disease-specific measure of pain and function. Choice of secondary outcomes was informed by core outcome domains for tendinopathy. Data will be analysed using the intention-to-treat principle.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethics approval was obtained via the Monash University Human Ethics Committee (no: 13138). The study is expected to be completed in 2024 and disseminated via peer review publication and conference presentations.

Trial registration number

Australia and New Zealand Clinical trials registry (ACTRN12619001455156)
Exposure to corticosteroids in pregnancy is associated with adverse perinatal outcomes among infants of mothers with inflammatory bowel disease: results from the PIANO registry
Authors: Odufalu Florence-Damilola , Long Millie , Lin Kirk , Mahadevan Uma
Published: October 2021

Objective

Active inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) during pregnancy may require the use of corticosteroids. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of in utero corticosteroid exposure on adverse pregnancy outcomes, congenital malformations, infections and neurocognitive development among offspring of mothers with IBD.

Design

Using the prospective Pregnancy in Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Neonatal Outcomes registry, data were collected at each trimester, delivery; and in the 12 months post partum. Bivariate statistics and multivariate logistic regression models compared pregnancy outcomes by corticosteroid exposure.

Results

A total of 1490 mothers with IBD were enrolled, with 1431 live births recorded. Corticosteroid use was associated with increased risk of preterm birth, small for gestational age, low birth weight (LBW), intrauterine growth restriction and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission. On adjusted multivariate models, corticosteroid use was associated with preterm birth (OR 1.79, 95% CI 1.18 to 2.73), LBW (OR 1.76, 95% CI 1.07 to 2.88) and NICU admission (OR 1.54, 95% CI 1.03 to 2.30). Late corticosteroid use (second and/or third trimester) was associated with serious infections at 9 and 12 months (4% vs 2% and 5% vs 2%, respectively, p=0.03 and p=0.001). There were five newborns with in utero corticosteroid exposure born with orofacial clefts versus one without corticosteroid exposure. Developmental milestones were similar across corticosteroid exposure groups.

Conclusion

In this prospective pregnancy registry, offspring of women exposed to corticosteroids during pregnancy were more likely to have adverse pregnancy outcomes. This emphasises the importance of controlling disease activity before and during pregnancy with steroid-sparing therapy.
Composite Odontome: Case Report
Authors: Sharpe G. D.
Published: October 2021

A case is presented showing features of both complex and compound composite odontome in one lesion.
A Case of Backache on Polaris Patrol
Authors: Pace T.
Published: October 2021

The management of a case of prolapsed intervertebral disc, on a Polaris patrol with its medical constraints, is described. A traction svs-tem was devised, with the materials and skills to hand at the time, which controlled the patient’s symptoms sufficently well for the patrol integrity not to be jeopardised.
Submucous Resection: The Treatment of Choice in the Nose-Ear Distress Syndrome
Authors: McNicoll W. D. , Scanlan S. G.
Published: October 2021

The combination of nasal septal deviation and Eustachian tube dysfunction, in the absence of any other pathology, constitutes the Nose-Ear Distress Syndrome. We have undertaken a clinical assessment of the relationship between uncomplicated deviation of the nasal septum and Eustachian tube dysfunction in naval personnel who are serving in environments of primarily increased barometric pressure.

One hundred and twenty candidates to the submarine, diving and aircrew branches of the Royal Navy who presented with the nose-ear distress syndrome were initially surveyed. None were able to equilibrate their middle ear pressures at an increased ambient pressure of 3 metres of water. Submucous resection was performed on 116, of whom 110 (94.83%) were able to equilibrate their middle ear pressures at an increased ambient pressure of 9 metres of water post-operatively.

Xenon 113 scintigraphy was performed on a further 25 recruits to delineate the post-nasal airflow. This investigation was performed pre- and post-operatively. Pre-operatively, scintigraphy showed the presence of turbulence in the post-nasal space, while post-operatively the turbulence was absent. All the candidates were unable to equilibrate their middle ear pressures pre-operatively, but after submucous resection 24 (96%) were able to equilibrate their middle ear pressures at an increased barometric pressure of 9 metres of water.
Case Report of a Difficult Clinical Diagnosis
Authors: Snell A. D.
Published: October 2021

Dissecting aneurisms are known to be able to reproduce ischaemic heart pain. A case is reported of haemorrhage into the superior mediastinum producing typical myocardial infarction pain and a picture of peritonitis.