bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Metastable materials discovery in the age of large-scale computation
Authors: Therrien Félix , Jones Eric B. , Stevanović Vladan
Published: August 2021

Computational materials discovery has been successful in predicting novel, technologically relevant materials. However, it has remained focused almost exclusively on finding ground-state structures. Now that the lower-hanging fruit has been found in many fields of application, materials exploration is moving toward metastable materials: higher energy phases that are stable at practical time scales. Because of the challenges associated with predicting which phases are realistic, this class of materials has remained relatively unexplored, despite numerous examples of metastable structures with unmatched properties (e.g., diamond). This article highlights recent advances in developing computational and theoretical methods for predicting useful and realizable metastable materials. Topics discussed cover (1) the latest strategies for identifying potential metastable phases, (2) methodologies for assessing which phases can be realized experimentally, and (3) current approaches to estimate the lifetime of metastable materials.
Investigation of Thermal Response of Disc Brake System: A Review
Authors: Thakre Sachin , Shahare Achal , Awari G. K.
Published: August 2021

A comprehensive review of the thermal response of disc brake system has been made. Extensive research has been carried out on the operating problems, the material for the rotor, design of the rotor and the braking conditions of the disc brake systems and numerous methods of improvement are proposed. Various ventilation patterns have been studied in order to enhance thermal efficiency, and structural performance reductions have been found in most cases. Which creates need for the design of discs with optimal thermal and structural characteristics, so that disc brake performance can be enhanced without compromising in strength and other parameters of the disc brake system. It is expected that this exhaustive and comprehensive review will help the research fraternity in identifying the research gaps for their future work. The prime purpose of this paper is to provide an exhaustive overview of developments going on in this field. The proposed research work attempts to develop and modify the system which uses the effective method to minimise the temperature and weight of disc brake rotor by thermo-mechanical analysis to optimise the performance of Disc brake. The proposed design of disc brake offers a promising solution to improve the braking efficiency by 15%and overall reduction in weight of disc brake by 10%.
Review on Reactivity Controlled Compression Ignition Engines: an Approach for BSVI emission Norms
Authors: Kumbhar V S , Shahare Achal , Awari G K
Published: August 2021

In BSVI diesel engines, the limits of the NOx (oxides of nitrogen) and PM (particulate matter) reduced by 68% and 82% as compared to BSIV engines for the category of the vehicle having gross weight less than 3500kg. It is subjected to implement a complex and costly emission reduction system which reduces fuel economy. Reactivity controlled compression ignition (RCCI) is a duel fuel combustion strategy which has great potential to reduce NOx and PM and the need for an advanced after treatment system with enhanced thermal efficiency. The paper reviews potential of the RCCI strategy, to achieve the emission standards of BSVI norms, which reflects the need for cost assessment of existing engines equipped with advanced after treatment technologies.
Design and Development of Modular Arm Cast Using Additive Manufacturing
Authors: Waghmare G , Bagde S , Khan Sabir
Published: August 2021

The plaster cast and fiberglass cast are the popular elbow dislocation treatment method for immobilization. These are relatively heavy, non-removable, and poorly ventilated, hence might create skin diseases, irritation under the cast and joint injury, if not cast properly. It takes long preparation time and cannot be adjusted after casting, which may lead to improper healing in case if the bone gets little shift insidethe cast. In this work, the orthopedics arm cast prototype is designed and fabricated by using additive manufacturing with ABS material. The core concept of the model is the elbow support and modular rings with a specific width added to achieve a specific support length. After properly positioning the patient’s arm the pressure on the arm can be adjustsed by the small clamps with velcro straps. This has advantages over conventional cast that it provide cast adjustments, proper ventilation, washable, and reusable.
Uniform error bounds of time-splitting spectral methods for the long-time dynamics of the nonlinear Klein–Gordon equation with weak nonlinearity
Authors: Bao Weizhu , Feng Yue , Su Chunmei
Published: August 2021

We establish uniform error bounds of time-splitting Fourier pseudospectral (TSFP) methods for the nonlinear Klein–Gordon equation (NKGE) with weak power-type nonlinearity and

O
(
1
)

O(1)

initial data, while the nonlinearity strength is characterized by

ε

p

\varepsilon ^{p}

with a constant

p
∈

N

+

p \in \mathbb {N}^+

and a dimensionless parameter

ε
∈
(
0
,
1
]

\varepsilon \in (0, 1]

, for the long-time dynamics up to the time at

O
(

ε

−
β

)

O(\varepsilon ^{-\beta })

with

0
≤
β
≤
p

0 \leq \beta \leq p

. In fact, when

0
>
ε
≪
1

0 > \varepsilon \ll 1

, the problem is equivalent to the long-time dynamics of NKGE with small initial data and

O
(
1
)

O(1)

nonlinearity strength, while the amplitude of the initial data (and the solution) is at

O
(
ε
)

O(\varepsilon )

. By reformulating the NKGE into a relativistic nonlinear Schrödinger equation, we adapt the TSFP method to discretize it numerically. By using the method of mathematical induction to bound the numerical solution, we prove uniform error bounds at

O
(

h

m

+

ε

p
−
β

τ
2

)

O(h^{m}+\varepsilon ^{p-\beta }\tau ^2)

of the TSFP method with

h
h

mesh size,

τ
\tau

time step and

m
≥
2

m\ge 2

depending on the regularity of the solution. The error bounds are uniformly accurate for the long-time simulation up to the time at

O
(

ε

−
β

)

O(\varepsilon ^{-\beta })

and uniformly valid for

ε
∈
(
0
,
1
]

\varepsilon \in (0,1]

. Especially, the error bounds are uniformly at the second-order rate for the large time step

τ
=
O
(

ε

−
(
p
−
β
)

/

2

)

\tau = O(\varepsilon ^{-(p-\beta )/2})

in the parameter regime

0
≤
β
>
p

0\le \beta >p

. Numerical results are reported to confirm our error bounds in the long-time regime. Finally, the TSFP method and its error bounds are extended to a highly oscillatory complex NKGE which propagates waves with wavelength at

O
(
1
)

O(1)

in space and

O
(

ε

β

)

O(\varepsilon ^{\beta })

in time and wave velocity at

O
(

ε

−
β

)

O(\varepsilon ^{-\beta })

.
Stationary solutions of an area-preserving curvature flow in an inhomogeneous medium
Authors: Lui R. , Ninomiya H.
Published: August 2021

Area-preserving curvature flows in a two-dimensional homogeneous medium have been studied for several decades. In 1986, Gage showed that an initially convex closed curve remains convex and converges to a circle as time goes to infinity. This implies that circles are the only stationary solution up to translation. However, in many applications, the medium is not homogeneous and the closed curve moves towards a more favorable environment. The properties of the medium are described by a signal function, which is a twice continuously differentiable function defined in

R

2

\mathbb {R}^2

. In this paper, we prove that when the signal function is radially symmetric with maximum at the origin and satisfies certain other conditions, the only stationary solutions are also circles. When these conditions are violated, we show the existence of non-radially symmetric stationary solutions that do not contain the origin. The method of proof is based on phase plane analysis.
CANVS: an easy-to-use application for the analysis and visualization of mass spectrometry–based protein–protein interaction/association data
Authors: Velasquez Erick F. , Garcia Yenni A. , Ramirez Ivan , Gholkar Ankur A. , Torres Jorge Z.
Published: August 2021

We have developed CANVS (Clean Analyze Network Visualization Software), an easy-to-use tool to analyze, contextualize, and visualize mass spectrometry protein-protein interaction/association (PPI/A) data. Users can clean PPI/A data using statistical methods, create PPI/A networks, annotate results with system biology databases, and download results.
Climate Change: A Very Short Introduction
Authors: Maslin Mark
Published: August 2021

Climate Change: A Very Short Introduction examines the science, the history, and the politics of climate change. Drawing on the latest science from the recent IPCC reports, this VSI examines the potential catastrophic impacts of climate change in the future. Global awareness of climate change has grown very rapidly, as shown by the wide support for campaigners like Greta Thunberg and groups like Extinction Rebellion, and the declaration by many governments that we are now in a climate emergency. It is a threat that forces us to examine the whole basis of modern society. This VSI explores the geopolitical, economic, technological, and social solutions to climate change, and argues for new modes of thinking in tackling the climate crisis.
Minimally Invasive Approach for Dorsal Arachnoid Web: 2-Dimensional Operative Video
Authors: Dauleac Corentin , Leroy Henri-Arthur , Assaker Richard
Published: August 2021

A 67-yr-old patient presented with severe paraparesis and lower limb spasticity. The spinal cord magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed the “scalpel sign” 
1,2
at the T7 level, suggesting a diagnosis of a dorsal arachnoid web. This video demonstrates a microsurgical technique for the excision of a dorsal arachnoid web with a minimally invasive approach. A paramedian skin incision, understanding the muscular aponeurosis, was performed from T7 to T8. Then, we inserted the tubular dilators until the lamina, to perform a muscle-sparing approach. An expandable tubular retractor of adequate length was passed over the widest dilator and docked into place along the subperiosteal plane. The T7 lamina was drilled, and the resection of the superior and inferior adjacent spine levels was completed with a rongeur. Additional contralateral bone resection was performed after tubular retractor tilt to the midline.
3
After dura mater opening, it was carefully suspended and the dorsal arachnoid leaflet was cut to drain the dorsolateral and lateral spinal cisterns.
4
The dorsal arachnoid web was, first, disconnected from its lateral anchorages. It was then gently removed with microsurgical forceps, to help its microdissection from the spinal cord surface. At this step, peculiar attention was paid to limit the traction or displacements of the spinal cord and surrounding vessels. Once the dorsal arachnoid web was removed, the quality of the spinal cord decompression was confirmed by its re-expansion. In conclusion, the minimally invasive approach is a safe and appropriate technique for dorsal arachnoid web excision.
2,5,6-7

 The patient gave her informed and signed consent for the writing and publication of this article.

 Image at 1:00 reused with permission from Castelnovo G et al, Spontaneous transdural spinal cord herniation, Neurology, 2014;82(14):1290.
Chikungunya virus molecular evolution in India since its re-emergence in 2005
Authors: Chaudhary Sakshi , Jain Jaspreet , Kumar Ramesh , Shrinet Jatin , Weaver Scott C , Auguste Albert J , Sunil Sujatha
Published: August 2021

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), an alphavirus of the Togaviridae family, is among the most medically significant mosquito-borne viruses, capable of causing major epidemics of febrile disease and severe, chronic arthritis. Identifying viral mutations is crucial for understanding virus evolution and evaluating those genetic determinants that directly impact pathogenesis and transmissibility. The present study was undertaken to expand on past CHIKV evolutionary studies through robust genome-scale phylogenetic analysis to better understand CHIKV genetic diversity and evolutionary dynamics since its reintroduction into India in 2005. We sequenced the complete genomes of fifty clinical isolates collected between 2010 and 2016 from two geographic locations, Delhi and Mumbai. We then analysed them along with 753 genomes available on the Virus Pathogen Database and Analysis Resource sampled over fifteen years (2005–20) from a range of locations across the globe and identified novel genetic variants present in samples from this study. Our analyses show evidence of frequent reintroduction of the virus into India and that the most recent CHIKV outbreak shares a common ancestor as recently as 2006.
Expression of the cancer stem cell marker OCT4 is associated with worse prognosis and survival in cutaneous melanoma
Authors: Silva Constanza Thaise Xavier , Saddi Vera Aparecida , Silva Kleber Santiago Freitas e , Sugita Denis Masashi , Guillo Lidia Andreu
Published: August 2021

Cutaneous melanoma has an aggressive clinical presentation, showing rapid rate of growth and metastatic dissemination due to the permanence of cancer stem cells. The present study was to evaluate the expression of the self-renewal regulatory factor and the clinical significance of the transcription factor OCT4 in melanoma. Melanoma tissues were stained by immunohistochemistry and the correlation between the expression of this marker was determined through clinical–pathological variables and survival outcomes. Positive expression of nuclear and cytoplasmic OCT4 was observed in 49% and 41.2% of cases, respectively. The positive expression of nuclear OCT4 in melanoma was significantly associated with prognostic factors, such as Breslow depth, Clark’s level, ulceration and metastasis. Survival of patients was 56% compared to positive nuclear OCT4 expression and 94.2% when compared to the low expression of the gene. Nuclear OCT4 positive genotype indicated aggressive tumor behavior with a worse clinical outcome, which indicates OCT4 as a useful biomarker in the prognosis of melanoma.
Nivolumab exposure in a hemodialysis patient with metastatic melanoma
Authors: Gulikers Judith L. , Croes Sander , Schreurs Marco J.W. , Litjens Elisabeth J.R. , Aarts Maureen J.B. , van Geel Robin M.J.M.
Published: August 2021

The effect of intermittent hemodialysis (IHD) on nivolumab serum concentrations in patients with severe renal impairment is largely unknown. Here, we present a 79-year-old patient with metastatic melanoma and end-stage renal disease on IHD three times a week, treated with 480 mg nivolumab every 4 weeks. A serum trough concentration of nivolumab was determined before the start of the third cycle, and two samples were taken immediately before and after a hemodialysis session during this cycle. All nivolumab serum concentrations were within a similar range as those previously measured among patients without renal insufficiency, after a comparable duration of nivolumab treatment. Therefore, we conclude that IHD does not influence nivolumab exposure. Furthermore, nivolumab treatment was continued without complications and appears to be well tolerated for patients on IHD.
A Case of MuSK Myasthenia Gravis Presenting With Persistent Respiratory Insufficiency
Authors: Tsai Carolyn , Howard James F. , Mehrabyan Anahit
Published: August 2021

Muscle-specific kinase (MuSK) antibody is seen in 4%–10% of patients with myasthenia gravis (MG), with 40% of these patients reporting bulbar weakness as the initial symptom. We present the case of a 40-year-old woman with MuSK MG whose only presenting symptom was progressive respiratory insufficiency necessitating BiPAP use 16–24 hours daily. She was unresponsive to treatment for cardiac and pulmonary causes and thus referred to neurology. Initial workup directed toward autoimmune and genetic myopathies was unrevealing. MuSK antibodies were positive (60.7 nmol/L, nl 0.00–0.02). Electrodiagnostic studies were unremarkable other than single fiber electromyography which was consistent with a defect in neuromuscular transmission. Treatment with prednisone, plasma exchange, and rituximab led to improvement to reliance on BiPAP only at night. However, her most treatment refractory and quality of life limiting symptom continues to be respiratory insufficiency. Further investigation to better characterize differential response to treatment in this subset of patients with MuSK MG may be needed.
The Case Time Series Design
Authors: Gasparrini Antonio
Published: August 2021

Modern data linkage and technologies provide a way to reconstruct detailed longitudinal profiles of health outcomes and predictors at the individual or small-area level. Although these rich data resources offer the possibility to address epidemiologic questions that could not be feasibly examined using traditional studies, they require innovative analytical approaches. Here we present a new study design, called case time series, for epidemiologic investigations of transient health risks associated with time-varying exposures. This design combines a longitudinal structure and flexible control of time-varying confounders, typical of aggregated time series, with individual-level analysis and control-by-design of time-invariant between-subject differences, typical of self-matched methods such as case–crossover and self-controlled case series. The modeling framework is highly adaptable to various outcome and exposure definitions, and it is based on efficient estimation and computational methods that make it suitable for the analysis of highly informative longitudinal data resources. We assess the methodology in a simulation study that demonstrates its validity under defined assumptions in a wide range of data settings. We then illustrate the design in real-data examples: a first case study replicates an analysis on influenza infections and the risk of myocardial infarction using linked clinical datasets, while a second case study assesses the association between environmental exposures and respiratory symptoms using real-time measurements from a smartphone study. The case time series design represents a general and flexible tool, applicable in different epidemiologic areas for investigating transient associations with environmental factors, clinical conditions, or medications.
SECONDARY EPIRETINAL MEMBRANE AFTER LASER RETINOPEXY FOR RETINAL TEAR OR LOCALIZED RETINAL DETACHMENT
Authors: Israilevich Rachel , Salabati Mirataollah , Mahmoudzadeh Raziyeh , Cai Louis , Ammar Michael , Xu David , Cohen Michael N. , Garg Sunir J. , Hsu Jason , Klufas Michael A. , Khan M. Ali
Published: August 2021

Purpose:

To assess visual acuity and optical coherence tomography outcomes after repair of secondary epiretinal membrane (ERM) after prior laser retinopexy for retinal tear with or without localized retinal detachment.

Methods:

Retrospective, consecutive series. A previously described optical coherence tomography grading scheme was used for imaging analysis.

Results:

Forty-two eyes of 42 patients were included, of which 16 (38.1%) had a concurrent localized retinal detachment. Mean logMAR visual acuity prelaser retinopexy was 0.15 ± 0.13 (Snellen 20/28), which worsened to 0.56 ± 0.42 (Snellen 20/72) before ERM surgery (P < 0.001). The mean visual acuity improved to 0.36 ± 0.30 (Snellen 20/45, P < 0.001) 3 months postsurgery and to 0.31 ± 0.32 (Snellen = 20/40, P < 0.001) at the final follow-up. Most eyes exhibited advanced ERM characteristics (n = 19 [45.2%] Stage 3 and n = 15 [35.7%] Stage 4 characteristics). The presence of inner microcystic changes (P = 0.008) and ellipsoid zone disruption (P = 0.009) at postoperative Month 3 were associated with worse final visual acuity. Eyes undergoing ERM surgery ≤180 days from laser retinopexy (n = 16, 38.1%) were younger (P = 0.024) and more likely to have Stage 4 ERM characteristics (P = 0.001).

Conclusion:

Secondary ERM after laser retinopexy may occur rapidly (<180 days) and exhibit significant anatomic alterations. The presence of inner microcystic changes and ellipsoid zone disruption postoperatively were optical coherence tomography features associated with worse final visual acuity.
A Quality Improvement Initiative Addressing Provider Prescription of Weight Management Follow-up in Primary Care
Authors: Kharofa Roohi Y. , Siegel Robert M. , Morehous John F.
Published: August 2021

Introduction:

Few providers routinely comply with the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations to prescribe weight management follow-up in-between well-child checks for children with obesity/overweight. This quality improvement (QI) project aimed to increase the percentage of patients prescribed weight management follow-up within three months of their well-child check.

Methods:

The project took place in 1 outpatient primary care clinic at a large, free-standing children’s hospital from May 2018 to April 2019. We grouped interventions in 4 Plan-Do-Study-Act ramps with the following themes: (1) provider education; (2) electronic health record note changes; (3) discharge order modifications; and (4) provider feedback. The primary outcome was the percent of patients ages 2–18 years with body mass index ≥ 85% that had an order placed to schedule a follow-up weight management appointment in primary care. We monitored attendance rates for scheduled follow-up visits as a balancing measure.

Results:

Mean prescription rates increased from 32% at baseline to 58%, with special cause analysis demonstrating improvement. Of patients prescribed follow-up, 40% returned for a weight management visit, compared to 13% before the QI initiative. The no-show rate was 35%.

Conclusions:

The utilization of QI methodology led to an increase in the percentage of patients appropriately prescribed weight management follow-up and a resultant increase in the number of patients seen for follow-up. The next steps include a re-examination of process failures to improve patient buy-in in follow-up prescriptions.
Confidence-weighted Testing as an Impactful Education Intervention within a Pediatric Sepsis Quality Improvement Initiative
Authors: Nathaniel Emma D. , Scott Halden F. , Wathen Beth , Schmidt Sarah K. , Rolison Elise , Smith Carter , Hays Matthew J. , Lockwood Justin M.
Published: August 2021

Introduction:

Confidence-weighted testing assesses learners’ beliefs about their knowledge and skills. As part of a hospital-wide quality improvement initiative to enhance care for pediatric patients with suspected sepsis, we developed a novel intervention using confidence-weighted testing to identify institutional areas of misinformation and knowledge gaps while also providing real-time feedback to individual learners.

Methods:

We developed pediatric sepsis eLearning modules incorporating confidence-weighted testing. We distributed them to nurses, advanced practitioners, and physicians in emergency departments and acute care/non-intensive care unit inpatient settings in our hospital system. We analyzed completion and response data over 2 years following module distribution. Our outcomes included completion, confidently held misinformation (CHM; when a learner answers a question confidently but incorrectly), struggle (when a learner repeatedly answers a question incorrectly or with low confidence), and mastery (when a learner initially answers a question correctly and confidently).

Results:

Eighty-three percent of assigned learners completed the modules (1,463/1,754). Although nurses had significantly more misinformation and struggled more than physicians and advanced practitioners, learners of all roles achieved 100% mastery as part of module completion. The greatest CHM and struggle were found in serum lactate interpretation’s nuances and the hemodynamic shock states commonly seen in sepsis.

Conclusions:

Our novel application of confidence-weighted testing enhanced learning by correcting learners’ misinformation. It also identified systems issues and institutional knowledge gaps as targets for future improvement.
An Opioid-free Anesthesia Protocol for Pediatric Strabismus Surgery: A Quality Improvement Project
Authors: Chiem Jennifer L. , Donohue Laura D. , Martin Lynn D. , Low Daniel K.
Published: August 2021

Introduction:

This quality improvement (QI) project tracks a series of 2 Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles as we standardized and refined an ambulatory pediatric anesthesia strabismus protocol. We aimed to provide effective pain relief, reduce postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) rates, and be cost-efficient while minimizing perioperative opioids over 5 years.

Methods:

We used statistical process control (SPC) charts to analyze real-world data captured from the medical record. We chose the following outcome and process measures to evaluate effectiveness: postoperative morphine rescue rate, maximum pain score in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU), and PONV rescue rate. We also used 2 balancing measures: postoperative length of stay (LOS) and total anesthesia time. We standardized our anesthesia protocol for our first PDSA cycle (April 2017) by removing intraoperative intravenous acetaminophen and utilizing fentanyl only. For the second PDSA cycle (January 2019), we replaced intraoperative fentanyl with dexmedetomidine.

Results:

There was a total of 325 pediatric strabismus repair surgeries performed between April 2015 and July 2020. There was no special cause variation detected in the SPC charts for the family of measures chosen to measure effectiveness: postoperative morphine rescue rate, maximum pain score in the PACU, or the PONV rescue rate. The PONV rescue rate was 0 with the removal of opioids. Also, there was no special cause variation for the balancing measures: postoperative LOS or total anesthesia time.

Conclusions:

Throughout 2 PDSA cycles, this QI project enabled our team to standardize an opioid-free and cost-efficient anesthesia protocol for pediatric strabismus surgery over 5 years.
Education and Visual Reminders Fail to Reduce Overuse and Waste in Interhospital Transfers to a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
Authors: O’Neil Bernadette L. , Kane Jason M.
Published: August 2021

Introduction:

As healthcare costs continue to rise, initiatives to reduce costs while maintaining high-quality care become a priority. Nonclinically indicated studies add to this cost, especially during interfacility transfers when studies are often repeated. Also, unnecessary evaluations add to nonmonetary costs such as pain, radiation exposure, and iatrogenic anemia. This study aimed to establish the frequency of redundant testing on interfacility transfers to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) and then implement an education-based quality improvement strategy for waste reduction.

Methods:

In the preintervention period (September 2018–February 2019), we collected data on patients transferred to the PICU from any outside facility. Investigators evaluated studies repeated within 6 hours and deemed them redundant or indicated. We then determined a rate of patients with redundant studies as the first aim. This result prompted an educational intervention focused on testing stewardship. Investigators then collected data in the postintervention period (July–December 2019) and compared the rate of redundant studies.

Results:

Study efforts identified 150 patients in the preintervention period and 131 in the postintervention period, establishing a 21%–25% frequency of redundant testing. Education and visual reminders failed to reduce this testing.

Conclusion:

This study established a baseline rate of redundant testing on transferred patients to the PICU. An educational intervention alone did not produce significant change.
Screening Tests in the Era of COVID-19: Implications for the Plastic Surgeon
Authors: Hamilton Kristy L. , Rohrich Rod J.
Published: August 2021

The novel coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, responsible for the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, has claimed over 2 million lives to date and brought the global economy to a halt, including elective surgery. As the authors emerge from lockdown, new protocols must be implemented to minimize risk by means of appropriate screening of their patients, surgical adjustments to reduce viral transmission in case of undiagnosed infection, and the development of accurate severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 tests while awaiting the distribution of an effective vaccine. Many serology and molecular tests have received emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, but they have not yet been independently verified. There are three main types of diagnostic tests available: (1) imaging studies, (2) molecular tests, and (3) serology tests. Imaging studies reveal bilateral lower lobe pneumonia and ground-glass opacities that are suggestive of disease. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction identifies specific segments of viral RNA, indicating the active presence of the virus in the test subject, which is most useful for elective surgery screening. Finally, serology studies detect the presence of immunoglobulin M and immunoglobulin G antibodies to the virus, indicating a current or past infection. Each test offers its own benefits and limitations.
Update on the Basic Science Concepts and Applications of Adipose-Derived Stem Cells in Hand and Craniofacial Surgery
Authors: Lynch Evan B. , Anderson W. Matthew , DeCoster Ryan C. , Bonaroti Alisha R. , Vyas Krishna S. , Bourne Debra A. , Vasconez Henry C. , Lin Kant Y.
Published: August 2021

Adipose-derived stem cell therapy offers plastic surgeons a novel treatment alternative for conditions with few therapeutic options. Adipose-derived stem cells are a promising treatment because of their broad differentiation potential, capacity for self-renewal, and ease of isolation. Over the past decade, plastic surgeons have attempted to harness adipose-derived stem cells’ unique cellular characteristics to improve the survival of traditional fat grafting procedures, a process known as cell-assisted lipotransfer. However, the full implications of cell-assisted lipotransfer in clinical practice remain incompletely understood, stressing the urgent need to assess the scientific evidence supporting adipose-derived stem cell–based interventions. Furthermore, with the strict regulatory climate surrounding tissue explantation therapies, reviewing the safety and efficacy of these treatments will clarify their regulatory viability moving forward. In this report, the authors provide a comprehensive, up-to-date appraisal of best evidence-based practices supporting adipose-derived stem cell–derived therapies, highlighting the known mechanisms behind current clinical applications in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine specific to plastic and reconstructive surgery. The authors outline best practices for the harvest and isolation of adipose-derived stem cells and discuss why procedure standardization will elucidate the scientific bases for their broad use. Finally, the authors discuss challenges posed by U.S. Food and Drug Administration oversight of these cell-based therapies and examine the role of adipose-derived stem cell–based applications in the future of plastic surgery.
Resilience and mental health in children and adolescents: an update of the recent literature and future directions
Authors: Mesman Esther , Vreeker Annabel , Hillegers Manon
Published: August 2021

Purpose of review

In order to promote optimal development of children and adolescents at risk for psychiatric disorders, a better understanding of the concept resilience is crucial. Here, we provide an overview of recent work on clinical and epidemiological correlates of resilience and mental health in children and adolescents.

Recent findings

Our systematic literature search revealed 25 studies that unanimously show that higher levels of resilience are related to fewer mental health problems, despite the heterogeneity of study populations and instruments. Correlates of resilience included multisystem factors, such as social, cultural, family and individual aspects, which is in line with the multisystem approach as described by recent resilience theories. Longitudinal studies are scarce but confirm the dynamical character of resilience and mental health. The application of longitudinal studies and innovative measurement techniques will improve our understanding on the cascade effects of stressors on resilience and mental health outcomes.

Resilience is strongly associated with mental health in children and adolescents and deserves a more prominent role in research, prevention programs and routine clinical care. Including social, cultural and family context in the evaluation of resilience is of great value, as this can identify targets for early and preventive interventions.
Mambillikalathil Govind Kumar Menon. 28 August 1928—22 November 2016
Authors: Cowsik Ramanath
Published: August 2021

M. G. K. Menon, referred to as Goku, was an outstanding particle physicist and an extraordinary statesman of science. He made his major contributions to particle physics during the tortuous years of the unravelling of the full complexity of the families of elementary particles. It was an exciting but perplexing period, and the elucidation of the complexities of the world of elementary particles took the combined efforts of the experimentalists and the theorists. Goku's contributions were central to establishing what was eventually to become the standard picture of elementary particles. He will be remembered for his studies of the two- and three-body decay modes of the charged kaon that gave rise to the ‘τ–θ’ puzzle signalling non-conservation of parity. He coined the evocative phrase ‘associated production’ to describe the creation of kaons and hyperons together in high-energy interactions. He led a team that carried out experiments at great depths underground, and in 1965 they detected an event in which a cosmic-ray neutrino interacted with rock, producing an energetic muon. In the 1980s, with a large detector, also deployed underground, he set a lower bound on the lifetime for the decay of the proton. Menon was a great builder of academic and scientific institutions and a pre-eminent advocate for science. Accordingly, he stimulated and participated actively in building up the scientific and technological infrastructure in independent India, initially as the secretary of the Government of India and subsequently as the minister of state for science and technology. As the president of the International Council of Scientific Unions, he spearheaded its participation in the policymaking body of the United Nations. He was at various times the president of the three leading academies of sciences in India and a founding member and vice-president of the World Academy of Sciences. He was a gentle and loving family man and an energetic and engaged scientific colleague.
I'm not a little kid anymore! Reciprocal social influence in child–adult interaction
Authors: Zonca Joshua , Folsø Anna , Sciutti Alessandra
Published: August 2021

Human decisions are often influenced by others' opinions. This process is regulated by social norms: for instance, we tend to reciprocate the consideration received from others, independently of their reliability as information sources. Nonetheless, no study to date has investigated whether and how reciprocity modulates social influence in child–adult interaction. We tested 6-, 8- and 10-year-old children in a novel joint perceptual task. A child and an adult experimenter made perceptual estimates and then took turns in making a final decision, choosing between their own and partner's response. We manipulated the final choices of the adult partner, who in one condition chose often the child's estimates, whereas in another condition tended to confirm her own response. Results reveal that 10-year-old children reciprocated the consideration received from the partner, increasing their level of conformity to the adult's judgements when the partner had shown high consideration towards them. At the same time, 10-year-old children employed more elaborate decision criteria in choosing when trusting the adult partner compared to younger children and did not show egocentric biases in their final decisions. Our results shed light on the development of the cognitive and normative mechanisms modulating reciprocal social influence in child–adult interaction.
Dinosaurs from the Santonian–Campanian Atlantic coastline substantiate phylogenetic signatures of vicariance in Cretaceous North America
Authors: Doran Brownstein Chase
Published: August 2021

During the Cretaceous, diversifications and turnovers affected terrestrial vertebrates experiencing the effects of global geographical change. However, the poor fossil record from the early Late Cretaceous has concealed how dinosaurs and other terrestrial vertebrates responded to these events. I describe two dinosaurs from the Santonian to Early Campanian of the obscure North American paleolandmass Appalachia. A revised look at a large, potentially novel theropod shows that it likely belongs to a new clade of tyrannosauroids solely from Appalachia. Another partial skeleton belongs to an early member of the Hadrosauridae, a highly successful clade of herbivorous dinosaurs. This skeleton is associated with the first small juvenile dinosaur specimens from the Atlantic Coastal Plain. The tyrannosauroid and hadrosaurid substantiate one of the only Late Santonian dinosaur faunas and help pinpoint the timing of important anatomical innovations in two widespread dinosaur lineages. The phylogenetic positions of the tyrannosauroid and hadrosaurid show Santonian Appalachian dinosaur faunas are comparable to coeval Eurasian ones, and the presence of clades formed only by Appalachian dinosaur taxa establishes a degree of endemism in Appalachian dinosaur assemblages attributable to episodes of vicariance.
A two-lab direct replication attempt of Southgate, Senju and Csibra (2007)
Authors: Kampis D. , Kármán P. , Csibra G. , Southgate V. , Hernik M.
Published: August 2021

The study by Southgate
et al.
(2007
Psychol. Sci.
18
, 587–592. (
doi:10.1111/j.1467-9280.2007.01944.x
)) has been widely cited as evidence for false-belief attribution in young children. Recent replication attempts of this paradigm have yielded mixed results: several studies did not replicate the original findings, raising doubts about the suitability of the paradigm to assess non-verbal action prediction and Theory of Mind. In a preregistered collaborative study including two of the original authors, we tested one hundred and sixty 24- to 26-month-olds across two locations using the original stimuli, procedure and analyses as closely as possible. We found no evidence for action anticipation: only roughly half of the infants looked to the location of an agent's impending action when action prediction did not require taking into account the agent's beliefs and a similar number when the agent held a false-belief. These results and other non-replications suggest that this paradigm does not reliably elicit action prediction and thus cannot assess false-belief understanding in 2-year-olds. While the present results do not support any claim regarding the presence or absence of Theory of Mind in infants, we conclude that an important piece of evidence that has to date supported arguments for the existence of this competence can no longer serve that function.
The ageing of the social mind: replicating the preservation of socio-affective and the decline of socio-cognitive processes in old age
Authors: Stietz Julia , Pollerhoff Lena , Kurtz Marcel , Li Shu-Chen , Reiter Andrea M. F. , Kanske Philipp
Published: August 2021

Anticipating population ageing to reach a historically unprecedented level in this century and considering the public goal of promoting well-being until old age, research in many fields has started to focus on processes and factors that contribute to healthy ageing. Since human interactions have a tremendous impact on our mental and physical well-being, scientists are increasingly investigating the basic processes that enable successful social interactions such as social affect (empathy, compassion) and social cognition (Theory of Mind). However, regarding the replication crisis in psychological science it is crucial to probe the reproducibility of findings revealed by each specific method. To this end, we aimed to replicate the effect of age on empathy, compassion and Theory of Mind observed in Reiter and colleagues' study (Reiteret al.2017Sci. Rep.7, 11046 (doi:10.1038/s41598-017-10669-4)) by using the same ecologically valid paradigm in an independent sample with similar age ranges. We were able to replicate the previously observed results of a preservation or even enhancement in socio-affective processes, but a decline in socio-cognitive processes for older adults. Our findings add to the understanding of how social affect and cognition change across the adult lifespan and may suggest targets for intervention studies aiming to foster successful social interactions and well-being until advanced old age.
Emergence of a multidrug-resistant plasmid encoding bla
NDM-1, bla
OXA-420 and armA in a clinical isolate of Acinetobacter variabilis in Japan
Authors: Uechi Kohei , Tohya Mari , Tada Tatsuya , Tome Takaaki , Takahashi Ami , Kinjo Takeshi , Maeda Shiro , Kirikae Teruo , Fujita Jiro
Published: August 2021

Acinetobacter variabilis

(formerly genospecies 15 sensu Tjernberg and Ursing) has been isolated from humans and animals and was proposed to be a novel species in 2015. A multidrug-resistant

A. variabilis

isolate, RYU24, was obtained in 2012 from an inpatient in Okinawa, Japan, with no record of overseas travel. The isolate was resistant to carbapenems, aminoglycosides and ciprofloxacin, with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 32 µg ml−1 for imipenem and meropenem; > 1024 µg ml−1 for amikacin, arbekacin, gentamicin and tobramycin; and 8 µg ml−1 for ciprofloxacin. The isolate was found to harbour a 68-kbp plasmid carrying bla
NDM-1, which encodes New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase-1 (NDM-1); bla
OXA-420, which encodes an OXA-58-like carbapenemase and; armA, which encodes ArmA 16S rRNA methylase conferring pan-aminoglycoside resistance. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a plasmid harbouring the three major drug-resistance genes, bla
NDM-1, bla
OXA-420 and armA.
Retrospective Exploratory Analysis of Task-Specific Effects on Brain Activity after Stroke
Authors: Demers Marika , Varghese Rini , Winstein Carolee J.
Published: August 2021

Background

Evidence supports cortical reorganization in sensorimotor areas induced by constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT). However, only a few studies examined the neural plastic changes as a function of task specificity. This retrospective exploratory analysis aims to evaluate the functional brain activation changes during a precision and a power grasp task in chronic stroke survivors who received two-weeks of CIMT compared to a no-treatment control group.

Methods

Fourteen chronic stroke survivors, randomized to CIMT (n=8) or non-CIMT (n=6), underwent functional MRI (fMRI) before and after a two-week period. Two behavioral measures, the 6-item Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT-6) and the Motor Activity Log (MAL), and fMRI brain scans were collected before and after a two-week period. During scan runs, participants performed two different grasp tasks (precision, power). Pre to post changes in laterality index (LI) were compared by group and task for two predetermined motor regions of interest: dorsal premotor cortex (PMd) and primary motor cortex (MI).

Results

The CIMT group showed significant improvements in both the WMFT-6 and the MAL post-intervention, whereas the non-CIMT group showed improvements in only the MAL. Two weeks of CIMT resulted in a relative increase in activity in a key region of the motor network, PMd of the lesioned hemisphere, under precision grasp task conditions compared to the non-treatment control group. No changes in LI were observed in MI for either task or group. Conclusions: These findings provide evidence for task-specific effects of CIMT in the promotion of recovery-supportive cortical reorganization in chronic stroke survivors.
An approach to quantifying the interaction between behavioural and transmission clusters: the case of Hepatitis C virus infections in HIV positive men who have sex with men
Authors: Salazar-Vizcaya Luisa , Kusejko Katharina , Günthard Huldrych F , Böni Jürg , Metzner Karin , Braun Dominique , Nicca Dunja , Bernasconi Enos , Calmy Alexandra , Darling Katharine EA , Wandeler Gilles , Kouyos Roger D , Rauch Andri ,   the Swiss HIV Cohort Study
Published: August 2021

We hypothesize that patterns of sexual behaviour play a role in the conformation of transmission networks. If that was the case, behavioural grouping might in turn correlate with transmission networks and have the potential to predict proximity in viral phylogenies. To address this hypothesis, we present an intuitive approach for quantifying interactions between clusters of sexual behaviour along a virus phylogeny. Data from the Swiss HIV Cohort Study on condom use and incident Hepatitis C virus (HCV) sequences served as proof-of-concept. A strict inclusion criteria contrasting with relatively low HCV prevalence hindered our ability to identify significant relationships. This manuscript intends to serve as guide for studies aimed at characterizing interactions between behavioural patterns and transmission networks. Large transmission networks such as those of HIV or COVID-19 are prime candidates for applying this methodological approach.
All-cause excess mortality in the State of Gujarat, India, during the COVID-19 pandemic (March 2020-April 2021)
Authors: Acosta Rolando J , Patnaik Biraj , Buckee Caroline , Kiang Mathew V , Irizarry Rafael A , Balsari Satchit , Mahmud Ayesha S
Published: August 2021

Official COVID-19 mortality statistics are strongly influenced by local diagnostic capacity, strength of the healthcare and vital registration systems, and death certification criteria and capacity, often resulting in significant undercounting of COVID-19 attributable deaths. Excess mortality, which is defined as the increase in observed death counts compared to a baseline expectation, provides an alternate measure of the mortality shock – both direct and indirect – of the COVID-19 pandemic. Here, we use data from civil death registers from a convenience sample of 90 municipalities across the state of Gujarat, India, to estimate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on all-cause mortality. Using a model fit to weekly data from January 2019 to February 2020, we estimated excess mortality over the course of the pandemic from March 2020 to April 2021. We estimated 21,300 [95% CI: 20,700, 22,000] excess deaths across these municipalities in this period, representing a 44% [95% CI: 43%, 45%] increase over the expected baseline. The sharpest increase in deaths in our sample was observed in late April 2021, with an estimated 678% [95% CI: 649%, 707%] increase in mortality from expected counts. The 40 to 65 age group experienced the highest increase in mortality relative to the other age groups. We found substantial, yet similar, increases in mortality for males and females. Our excess mortality estimate for these 90 municipalities, representing approximately 5% of the state’s population, exceeds the official COVID-19 death count for the entire state of Gujarat, even before the delta wave of the pandemic in India peaked in May 2021. Prior studies have concluded that true pandemic-related mortality in India greatly exceeds official counts. This study, using data directly from the first point of official death registration data recording, provides incontrovertible evidence of the high excess mortality in Gujarat from March 2020 to April 2021.