Superconducting properties of novel BiSe2_{2}-based layered LaO1−x_{1-x}Fx_{x}BiSe2_{2} single crystals

F-doped LaOBiSe$_{2}$ superconducting single crystals with typical size of 2$\times$4$\times$0.2 mm$^{3}$ are successfully grown by flux method and the superconducting properties are studied. Both the superconducting transition temperature and the shielding volume fraction are effectively improved with fluorine doping. The LaO$_{0.48}$F$_{0.52}$BiSe$_{1.93}$ sample exhibits zero-resistivity at 3.7 K, which is higher than that of the LaO$_{0.5}$F$_{0.5}$BiSe$_{2}$ polycrystalline sample (2.4K). Bulk superconductivity is confirmed by a clear specific-heat jump at the associated temperature. The samples exhibit strong anisotropy and the anisotropy parameter is about 30, as estimated by the upper critical field and effective mass modelComment: 5 pages, 5 figures, 2 tables, accepted for publication in Europhysics Lette

How should this patient with repeated aspiration pneumonia be managed and treated?—a proposal of the Percutaneous ENdoscopIc Gastrostomy and Tracheostomy (PENlIGhT) procedure

Cerebrovascular accident (CVA) is commonly seen among the elderly with a substantial proportion of patients suffering from long-term dysphagia and/or an inability to protect their airway. This potentially imposes on them an increased risk of malnutrition and aspiration pneumonia. In this article, we present a patient with malnutrition and dysphagia secondary to CVA. We propose a procedure for which we will name the Percutaneous ENdoscopIc Gastrostomy and Tracheostomy (PENlIGhT) procedure for placement of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) and tracheostomy tube (TT) at the same time. The medical literature was systematically reviewed for both PEG and tracheostomy, aiming to provide the state-of-the-art evidence for clinical use of the PENlIGhT procedure. In clinical practice, the PENlIGhT procedure is indicated for patients who are expected to have prolonged swallowing disturbance and mechanical ventilation. Some prediction tools and scores can be helpful to identify such groups of patients. Patients with poor neurological outcomes who require prolonged maintenance of life are also good candidates for the PENlIGhT procedure

Hierarchical cluster analysis in clinical research with heterogeneous study population: highlighting its visualization with R

Big data clinical research typically involves thousands of patients and there are numerous variables available. Conventionally, these variables can be handled by multivariable regression modeling. In this article, the hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) is introduced. This method is used to explore similarity between observations and/or clusters. The result can be visualized using heat maps and dendrograms. Sometimes, it would be interesting to add scatter plot and smooth lines into the panels of the heat map. The inherent R heatmap package does not provide this function. A series of scatter plots can be created using lattice package, and then background color of each panel is mapped to the regression coefficient by using custom-made panel functions. This is the unique feature of the lattice package. Dendrograms and color keys can be added as the legend elements of the lattice system. The latticeExtra package provides some useful functions for the work.N/

Indirect-direct band transformation of few-layer BiOCl under biaxial strain

Being a new two-dimensional layered compounds, the tunable indirect-direct band transformation of BiOCl with different layers can be realized by introducing the biaxial tensile or compressive strains. The band structure and stability of BiOCl with different layers are first researched to clarify the influence of layer numbers. A phase transformation of bilayer BiOCl and metallic characteristic for all are observed under large tensile and compressive strains, respectively. In addition, bond length, interlayer spacing, and band decomposed charge density are calculated to analyze the mechanism behind these phenomena. The results indicate that the band structure transformation is primarily related to the competitions between two kinds of intralayer and interlayer Bi-O bonds and hybridizations between atoms under strains

TOp TEn resistant Microorganisms at intensive care unit: a 2018 global expert survey (TOTEM study protocol)

Background: This global survey will provide global expert ranking of the most urgent multidrug bacteria present at the intensive care units (ICU) that have become a threat in daily clinical practice. We believe efforts on education, investigation, funding and development of new antimicrobials or new antimicrobial approach should be directed in near future. The 2018 study protocol is reported here in. Methods: A global survey will be performed using an electronic platform (SurveyMonkey®). The survey will compile data on key aspects of the actual threat of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria globally in the ICU

Significant delay and decreased chance of treatment for acute ischemic stroke patients on remote outer islets of China compared with the main island: the PUTUO Study

Introduction: Data from acute ischemic stroke patients throughout 2021 from one district of an archipelago city of China were collected and analyzed retrospectively to determine the management difference due to time lags from onset of symptoms to the arrival at the stroke center (FMCT) of two regions: main island (MI) and outer islets (OIs). Methods: All patients information from 1 January to 31 December 2021 was retrieved through the electronic medical records system of the only stroke center in MI. After screening and exclusion, each patient's medical record was reviewed by two neurologists separately. Before OI patients were allocated to a group, their residential addresses at onset of the stroke were confirmed by telephone. Comparisons were analyzed between the two regions for gender, age, pre-stroke risk factors and peri-admission management parameters. Results: A total of 326 patients met the inclusion criteria: 300 from the MI group and 26 for the OI group. Intergroup comparisons for gender, age and most of the risk factors showed no significant difference. FMCT were shown to be significantly distinct (p<0.001). Hospitalization expenses also showed significant difference. The odds ratio of the definite treatment IV thrombolysis was 0.131 (OI group to MI group range: 0.017-0.987, p=0.021). Conclusion: The diagnosis and treatment of acute ischemic stroke patients from OIs was significantly postponed compared to those from MI. Therefore, new effective and efficient solutions are urgently needed

Editorial: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): pathophysiology, epidemiology, clinical management and public health response

During a pandemic, there are multiple concurrent clinical and scientific priorities, including the need to understand the pathophysiology of the disease, the different modes of transmission, how patient care can be optimized, as well as the need to develop mathematical models that can now cast and forecast the progression of infections within given populations and/or geographical regions. When the current SARS-CoV2 pandemic was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the World Health Organization, a formal declaration of its gravity, it became evident that there was an acute need to understand all of the above aspects. In doing so, by 11th February 2020, a special topic, entitled “Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19): Pathophysiology, Epidemiology, Clinical Management and Public Health Response,” was initiated with a dedicated team of handling editors to facilitate the timely peer-review and publication of relevant manuscripts (1). Frontiers, as the publisher of this special topic, took the bold step of waiving any article processing charges so that financial constraints would not be a barrier to communicating crucial information about the pandemic to a broad audience. Furthermore, this was the most extensive special topic to date in the Frontiers portfolio, in terms of the numbers of participating Frontiers journals, disciplines, and sections. This reflected the acute need for the scientific community to understand the many aspects of the pandemic. This special Research Topic captured the entire first wave in the northern hemisphere, from February to May 2020, and the intensity of the associated editorial work is evident by the reported numbers. Within 4 months, 194 abstracts were received; in total 851 manuscripts were submitted, of which 453 were rejected while 398 were published. From the scientific community perspective, by June 2020 the special topic achieved over 2 million views, by December 2020 over 4 million views, and by August 2021 over 8 million views. As an example of the breadth of subjects covered, manuscripts included the attempt by Larsen et al. to model the onset of symptoms of COVID-19; the observed gender differences on COVID-19 patients’ severity and mortality by Jin et al., the correlation between poverty levels and rates of COVID-19 incidence and death in the United States by Finch and Finch, as well as the careful review of the cytokine storm in COVID-19 (Tang et al.