bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Edge‐Rich Reduced Graphene Oxide Embedded in Silica‐Based Laminated Ceramic Composites for Efficient and Robust Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution
Authors: Huang Yujia , Wang Min , Li Yi , Yin Shujia , Zhu Hongwei , Wan Chunlei 
Published: August 2021

AbstractTo mitigate the energy crisis and environmental pollution, efficient and earth‐abundant hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) electrocatalysts are essential for hydrogen production through electrochemical water splitting. Graphene‐based materials as metal‐free catalysts have attracted significant attention but suffer from insufficient activity and stability. Therefore, a novel and economical approach is developed to prepare highly active, robust, and self‐supported reduced graphene oxide (rGO)/SiO2 ceramic composites as electrocatalysts in HER. Through intercalation and pressure sintering, the rGO sheets are parallelly aligned and embedded into a dense and chemically inert SiO2 matrix, ensuring the electrical conductivity and stability of the prepared composites. After directional cutting, the edges of the oriented rGO sheets become fully exposed on the composite surface, acting as highly electrocatalytic active sites in HER, as confirmed by density functional theory calculations. The 4 vol% rGO/SiO2 composite displays superior electrocatalytic performance, featuring a low overpotential (134 mV) at a current density of 10 mA cm−2, a small Tafel slope (103 mV dec−1), and excellent catalytic durability in 0.5 m H2SO4. This study provides a new yet cost‐effective strategy to prepare metal‐free, robust, and edge‐rich rGO/ceramic composites as a highly electrocatalytic active catalyst for HER applications.
Engineering Tissue‐Specific, Multiscale Microvasculature with a Capillary Network for Prevascularized Tissue
Authors: Son Jeonghyun , Hong Sung Joon , Lim Jun Woo , Jeong Wonwoo , Jeong Jae Hyun , Kang Hyun‐Wook 
Published: August 2021

AbstractAlthough there are various pre‐existing technologies for engineering vasculatures, multiscale modeling of the architecture of human vasculature at a capillary scale remains a challenge. In this study, a novel technology is developed for the production of a functional, multiscale microvasculature comprising of endothelialized channels and tissue‐specific capillary networks. Perfusable, endothelialized channels are bioprinted, after which angiogenic sprouts are grown into user‐designed capillary networks. The induction of branched and liver‐lobule‐like capillary networks confirm that the technology can produce various types of tissue‐specific multiscale microvasculatures. Further, the channels and capillaries are deemed to be functional when evaluated in vitro. An ex vivo assay demonstrates that the microvasculature can induce neovessel ingrowth, integrate with host vessels, and facilitate blood flow. Remarkably, blood flows through the implanted capillary network without any change in its morphology. Finally, the technology is applied to produce a vascularized liver tissue; it significantly improves its hepatic function. It is believed that this new technology will create new possibilities in the development of highly vascularized and functional tissues/organs on a clinically relevant scale.
Developing a Framework for Mobile Learning Adoption and Sustainable Development
Authors: Moya Sofia , Camacho Mar 
Published: August 2021

AbstractLearning innovation for future education often includes digital approaches to enhance learning and to contribute to the development of twenty-first-century skills. There is evidence that mobile learning provides positive outcomes. However, there is a recognized lack of research in the field of frameworks and models that contributes to highlighting mobile learning rewards. This study aims to investigate the main characteristics of a strategic framework for the adaption and sustainable use of mobile learning. This study is based on a systematic review of 15 investigations published between 2009 and 2018. An adaptation of the strategic management framework by Jauch and Glueck (Business policy and strategic management, McGraw-Hill, London, 1988) was developed to show the results. The framework has a pedagogical foundation. Leaders, teachers, learners, families, and community members are identified as the key pillars upholding and maximizing mobile learning. The proposed framework is envisaged to serve as a guide for the educational community in implementing sustainable mobile learning.
Introspective Projection: Prototypical Representations of Policing in the Service of Rule of Law
Authors: Sammut Gordon , Mifsud Rebekah , Brockdorff Noellie 
Published: August 2021

AbstractMass protests that have taken place over the past decade in various Western democracies have called into question the role of police in society, as officers have employed measures to contain rallies protesting for or against various issues. A number of these protests have resorted to violent means, resisting the police or protesting directly against their role and methods. The present study sought to investigate the prototypical representations of the police that lay citizens use to forge or desist identification with police officers. Social identification enables citizens to consider the police as ingroup members, facilitating respect for their authority. Conversely, identifying the police as outgroup precipitates resistance. The study involved 41 in-depth interviews carried out with citizens of Malta between May and June 2020. Thematic Networks Analysis revealed various points of consensus as well as a number of controversial themes. In particular, respondents demonstrated sceptical attitudes regarding policing on the beat for fear of overfamiliarity, rooted in introspective attributions projected at the police as merely human. Moreover, respondents expressed support for technological innovations that overcome natural psychological tendencies. The findings of this study suggest that seeking increasing trust in the police may be a red herring for policymakers. Rather, efforts should be directed at developing inter-objective systems, (e.g. body-cams), that overcome individual psychological propensities.
“Waste Not, Want Not” — Leveraging Sewer Systems and Wastewater-Based Epidemiology for Drug Use Trends and Pharmaceutical Monitoring
Authors: Erickson Timothy B. , Endo Noriko , Duvallet Claire , Ghaeli Newsha , Hess Kaitlyn , Alm Eric J. , Matus Mariana , Chai Peter R. 
Published: August 2021

AbstractDuring the current global COVID-19 pandemic and opioid epidemic, wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) has emerged as a powerful tool for monitoring public health trends by analysis of biomarkers including drugs, chemicals, and pathogens. Wastewater surveillance downstream at wastewater treatment plants provides large-scale population and regional-scale aggregation while upstream surveillance monitors locations at the neighborhood level with more precise geographic analysis. WBE can provide insights into dynamic drug consumption trends as well as environmental and toxicological contaminants. Applications of WBE include monitoring policy changes with cannabinoid legalization, tracking emerging illicit drugs, and early warning systems for potent fentanyl analogues along with the resurging wave of stimulants (e.g., methamphetamine, cocaine). Beyond drug consumption, WBE can also be used to monitor pharmaceuticals and their metabolites, including antidepressants and antipsychotics. In this manuscript, we describe the basic tenets and techniques of WBE, review its current application among drugs of abuse, and propose methods to scale and develop both monitoring and early warning systems with respect to measurement of illicit drugs and pharmaceuticals. We propose new frontiers in toxicological research with wastewater surveillance including assessment of medication assisted treatment of opioid use disorder (e.g., buprenorphine, methadone) in the context of other social burdens like COVID-19 disease.
Safety considerations and time constant determined extended operations for fuel cell-powered aircrafts
Authors: Kösters Lennart , Gao Xin 
Published: August 2021

AbstractProton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) are seen to be promising for achieving the transformation from traditional aircrafts to All Electric aircrafts (AEA). While several field studies already proved the feasibility of a fuel cell-powered aircraft, the limiting factor for the implementation in the civilian aircraft sector is widely thought to be the specific power of the fuel cell system. Moreover, potentially, this specific power is notably affected by the aviation safety code. This study aims to quantify and relieve this effect by introducing a novel extended operation strategy. This strategy takes advantage of the degradation time constants of the fuel cell system in case of sub-system failure. The results show the great influence of the aviation certification code on system specific power. The extended operation strategy seems working notably. However, for practical implementation, individual failure probabilities on a component level need to be studied more extensively.
Einfluss visueller Hilfen und räumlicher Fähigkeiten auf die graphische Interpretation von Vektorfeldern: Eine Eye-Tracking-Untersuchung
Authors: Klein Pascal , Hahn Larissa , Kuhn Jochen 
Published: August 2021

ZusammenfassungEin solides Verständnis physikalischer Konzepte erfordert den Umgang mit multiplen Repräsentationen wie Formeln und Diagrammen zur Bildung kohärenter mentaler Modelle. Bei komplexen Sachverhalten haben Studierende häufig Schwierigkeiten mit solchen repräsentationalen Verknüpfungen und benötigen deshalb instruktionale Unterstützung. In diesem Beitrag wird der Einfluss von zwei Instruktionen (mit und ohne visuelle Hilfen; VH vs. OH) zur graphischen Interpretation eines Vektorfelddiagramms hinsichtlich Divergenz auf die Leistungsfähigkeit von $$N=141$$

N
=
141

Studierenden untersucht. Beim Lesen der Instruktion und der anschließenden Aufgabenbearbeitung wurden die Augenbewegungen mit einem Eye-Tracker aufgenommen. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass Studierende in der VH-Gruppe ($$N=64$$

N
=
64

) eine bessere Testleistung erzielten als Studierende der OH-Gruppe ($$N=77$$

N
=
77

). Der Unterschied ist am stärksten ausgeprägt für die Studierendengruppen mit hohen und mittelstarken räumlichen Fähigkeiten, die im Vorfeld der Untersuchung mittels eines standardisierten Raumspannentests ermittelt wurden. Die Eye-Tracking-Analysen zum Lesen der Instruktionen zeigen, dass den Studierenden mit visuellen Hilfen die Selektion, Organisation und Integration lernrelevanter Informationen im Sinne der kognitionspsychologischen Theorie multimedialen Lernens besser gelingen als Studierenden der OH-Gruppe. Die Analyse der Eye-Tracking-Daten beim anschließenden Problemlösen ergibt, dass Studierende mit VH-Instruktion ihre Augen systematischer über die Vektorfelddiagramme bewegen, was eine korrekte Anwendung der vermittelten Strategie indiziert. Neben dem modellprüfenden Charakter und der Bedeutung visueller Hilfen zeigt die Studie das diagnostische Potential von Eye-Tracking bei Aufgaben mit hohen Ansprüchen an die kognitiv-visuellen Fähigkeiten.
What went wrong? Fracking in Eastern Europe
Authors: Maierean Andreea 
Published: August 2021

AbstractA few years ago, optimistic estimates claimed that Eastern Europe possessed large shale formations that seemed likely to produce great quantities of natural gas. In addition, the countries in the region had strategic incentives to develop a transparent domestic shale industry in order to reduce its reliance on gas from Russia. Nevertheless, political and social factors as well as differences in physical characteristics, prevented the U.S. experience from being replicable in Eastern Europe. In the end, most multinational energy corporations announced that they had abandoned efforts to find and produce natural gas from shale rock in Eastern Europe. The paper discusses the impact of shale gas exploration on the quality of democratic governance by comparing and contrasting fracking regulations adopted in the United States with those of Eastern Europe. The main research question attempts to ask and identify: “what are the factors that influence a democratic and fair governance of public natural resources”.
The Significance of the Past
Authors: KAHANE GUY 
Published: August 2021

AbstractThe past is deeply important to many of us. But our concern about history can seem puzzling and needs justification. After all, the past cannot be changed: we can help the living needy, but the tears we shed for the long dead victims of past tragedies help no one. Attempts to justify our concern about history typically take one of two opposing forms. It is assumed either that such concern must be justified in instrumental or otherwise self-centered and present-centered terms or that our interest in history must be utterly disinterested and pursued for its own sake. But neither approach can fully explain, or justify, our concern about the past. I propose a third approach, on which the past matters because it contains much that is of value—all those past people and the things they did or had endured—and this value calls for our fitting response. In short: the significance of the past is past significance.
Not so Shocking: Electromyography in Pediatrics Remains Feasible and Diagnostically Useful
Authors: Joyal Kristina M. , MacGregor Jessica V. , Hayawi Lamia M. , Webster Richard J. , McMillan Hugh J. 
Published: August 2021

ABSTRACT:Background:Electrodiagnostic testing, including nerve conduction studies (NCS) and electromyography (EMG), assists with localizing lesions within the peripheral nervous system. NCS/EMG in children can be technically challenging and its relevance has been questioned in the era of affordable genetic testing. NCS/EMG provides information that may not be available in the examination of a young or developmentally delayed child. Our goal was to review the volume and referral sources of NCS/EMG studies and evaluate its feasibility and diagnostic yield at a pediatric tertiary care hospital.Methods:Retrospective chart review of NCS/EMG studies done in pediatric patients at one center from 2014 to 2019.Results:A total of 725 studies were performed, with a median age of 13.2 years (range 0–18 years). The annual number of studies remained constant throughout the study period. Neurologists and surgeons were the most common referral sources, but an increased number of referrals from geneticists was observed. Most (94.5%) NCS/EMG were done on awake patients, with only 5.5% of studies being terminated early due to tolerability of the patient. Of all studies, 326/725 (44%) demonstrated a neuromuscular abnormality, of which 63.5% (207/326) were acquired conditions. Mononeuropathies and polyneuropathies were the most common electrophysiologic diagnoses.Discussion:Our study indicates that NCS/EMG remains a useful diagnostic tool, both for the diagnosis of acquired neuromuscular conditions but also as an adjunct for interpreting genetic results, as indicated by the recent increase in referrals from geneticists. Overall NCS/EMG is well tolerated and able to be performed without sedation in children of all ages.
Household Preparedness and Perceptions of Workforce Preparedness During Pandemics: A Health Care Employee Survey at the US Department of Veterans Affairs
Authors: Der-Martirosian Claudia , Balut Michelle D. , Dobalian Aram 
Published: August 2021

AbstractObjective:To examine the effects of household preparedness on perceptions of workplace preparedness during a pandemic among all employees at the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facilities.Methods:The VA Preparedness Survey (October–December 2018, Los Angeles, CA) used a stratified simple random, web-based survey. Multivariate statistical analyses examined the effect of household preparedness on perceptions of workforce preparedness during a pandemic: institutional readiness; desire for additional training; and understanding their role and its importance.Results:VA employees totaling 4026 participated. For a pandemic, 55% were confident in their VA medical facility’s ability to respond, 63% would like additional training, 49% understood their role during a response, and 68% reported their role as important. Only 23% reported being “well prepared” at home during major disasters. After controlling for study-relevant factors, household preparedness was positively associated with perceptions of workforce preparedness during a pandemic.Conclusions:Efforts to increase household preparedness for health care employees could bolster workforce preparedness during pandemics. Organizations should consider robust policies and strategies, such as flexible work arrangements, in order to mitigate factors that may serve as barriers to household preparedness.
Perceived Risks of Infection, Hospitalization, and Death From COVID-19 at the Equator: Ecuador and Kenya
Authors: Boonsaeng Tullaya , Carpio Carlos E , Guerrero Patricia , Sarasty Oscar , Borja Ivan , Hudson Darren , Macharia Anthony , Shibia Mumina 
Published: August 2021

Abstract

Objectives:
This study’s goal was to determine the perceived risks of infection as well as the perceived risks of hospitalization and death from COVID-19 in Ecuador and Kenya. It also assessed the factors associated with the risk-related perceptions.

Methods:
Cross-sectional studies with samples from the adult populations in both countries were conducted to assess the perceived risks of contracting COVID-19. Data were collected online using the Qualtrics platform (Qualtrics, Provo, Utah, United States) from samples of 1050 heads of households, aged 18 years or older, in each country. A total of 3 statistical analyses were conducted: summary statistics, correlation, and linear regression.

Results:
The average perceived risks of COVID-19 infection, hospitalization, and death in the Kenyan sample were 27.1%, 43.2%, and 17.2%, respectively, and the values for the Ecuadorian sample were 34%, 32.8%, and 23.3%, respectively. The Pearson’s correlation coefficients between the risk measures in each country were less than 0.38. Risk measures were associated with several sociodemographic variables (e.g., income, gender, location), but not with age.

Conclusions:
The perceived risks of COVID-19 infection, hospitalization, and death in Kenya and Ecuador were significantly higher relative to the statistics reported; however, no strong association existed between perceived risk and age, which is a key factor in adverse health outcomes, including death, among COVID-19 infected individuals.
The site of waist measurement impacts the estimation of visceral fat: results from three-dimensional photonic body scanning
Authors: Repp Katja , Radke Dörte , Ittermann Till , Albers Martin , Markus Marcello Ricardo Paulista , Santa Helena Ernani Tiaraju , Friedrich Nele , Bülow Robin , Völzke Henry 
Published: August 2021

AbstractCurrently, various protocols regarding the site of waist circumference (WC) measurement are in place. This study aimed to analyse the effect of the site of WC measurement on visceral adipose tissue (VAT) estimation. WC was obtained at 7 anatomical sites in 211 German volunteers (103 males) aged 23–81 years using three-dimensional photonic body scanning (PBS). At one site, WC was additionally measured by tape. The quantity of VAT was assessed by MRI. Models to estimate VAT based on WC were developed; the precision of the estimation is represented by R2. The influence of the applied method of WC assessment (tapev. PBS) on the estimations is reported. Results show that the amount of estimated VAT and the precision of VAT estimation were dependent on the site of measurement. VAT was estimated most precisely by WC taken at the level of the lowest rib (WCrib: R2= 0·75 females; 0·79 males), the minimum circumference (WCmin: R2= 0·75 females; 0·77 males) and at the narrowest part of the torso (WCnar: R2= 0·76 females; 0·77 males), and least precisely by WC assessed at the top of iliac crest (WCiliac: R2= 0·61 females; 0·60 males). VAT estimates based on WC obtained by PBS were smaller and estimations were slightly less precise compared to estimates based on tape measures. Our results indicate that the method and the site of waist measurement should be considered when estimating VAT based on WC. The implementation of a standardised protocol using either WCrib, WCminor WCnarcould improve the precision of VAT estimation.
Identification and selection of health technologies for assessment by agencies in support of reimbursement decisions in Latin America
Authors: Pichon-Riviere Andrés , Augustovski Federico , García Martí Sebastián , Alcaraz Andrea , Alfie Verónica , Sampietro-Colom Laura 
Published: August 2021

Abstract

Objective
There is no health system that has the resources to evaluate all technologies. The presence of a clear process to prioritize health technologies for assessment by health technology assessment (HTA) agencies is a good practice principle recognized at the international level. The objective of Health Technology Assessment International's 2020 Latin American Policy Forum (LatamPF) was to explore how to improve the way HTA agencies in Latin America identify and prioritize technologies for assessment.

Methods
This paper is based on a background document, a survey, and the deliberations of the members of the LatamPF (forty-six participants from eleven countries) using a design thinking methodology.

Results
Participants agreed that a lack of clear prioritization mechanisms results in HTA processes and decisions that are perceived to be of low transparency and overly exposed to political or interest group pressures. The LatamPF identified barriers and recommended actions to improve HTA prioritization mechanisms in Latin America. The criteria identified as the most important to be taken into consideration by HTA agencies in the region when prioritizing a technology for assessment were: the burden of illness, the potential clinical benefit, the alignment with national health priorities, the potential impact on equity, a lack of treatment alternatives for patients, and the potential economic impact.

Conclusions
Forum participants agreed that the establishment of transparent prioritization processes is a key element for all health systems. Improvements in these processes will strengthen HTA and provide greater legitimacy to decision making.