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Die Ausbreitung des Coronavirus hat Bund und Länder zu weitreichenden Maßnahmen veranlasst. Neben der Schließung öffentlicher Einrichtungen wurden zahlreiche Betriebe und Gasstätten über Wochen geschlossen sowie Veranstaltungen verboten. Die finanzielle Belastung für die Betroffenen ist erheblich, staatliche (freiwillige) Soforthilfen sind allenfalls lindernd. Es verwundert daher nicht, dass Forderungen nach Entschädigung oder Schadensersatz laut werden. Der Beitrag geht der Frage nach, ob derartige Ansprüche Aussicht auf Erfolg haben können.

A leading cause of fuel failures in U.S. pressurized water reactor power plants is grid-to-rod fretting. One of the major variables affecting fretting wear is the coefficient of friction (COF). Reliability of the fuel cladding is influenced by the COF and thus it is important to know how the material's COF will be affected by temperature transients. Kanthal advanced powder metallurgy technology or APMT, a FeCrAl steel alloy, is being investigated as a commercial alternative to conventional fuel cladding in a nuclear reactor due to its potentially favorable performance under accident conditions. This leaves APMT steel fretting performance to be examined. Tests were performed to examine the evolution of the COF with temperature under fretting. The contact was simulated with both a cylindrical and a rectangular specimen over a line contact area. Confocal scanning laser microscopy was used to obtain a 3D map of the surface, which was used to calculate the wear rate coefficient of the samples. The wear rate coefficient was compared to wear volume to show the effects of the COF and temperature on wear. Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy was performed to qualitatively describe the microchemical changes the material underwent in the fretted region. Nanoindentation was used to compare microstructural properties inside and outside the fretting scar after fretting at different temperatures. COF measurements showed that APMT steel's COF and wear decreases with temperature up to 350 °C.

Increasing evidence suggests that autoimmunity may play a role in the pathophysiology of SARS-CoV-2 infection during both the acute and ‘long COVID’ phases of disease. However, an assessment of autoimmune antibodies in convalescent SARS-CoV-2 patients has not yet been reported.MethodologyWe compared the levels of 18 different IgG autoantibodies (AABs) between four groups: (1) unexposed pre-pandemic subjects from the general population (n = 29); (2) individuals hospitalized with acute moderate-severe COVID-19 (n = 20); (3) convalescent SARS-COV-2-infected subjects with asymptomatic to mild viral symptoms during the acute phase with samples obtained between 1.8 and 7.3 months after infection (n = 9); and (4) unexposed pre-pandemic subjects with systemic lupus erythematous (SLE) (n = 6). Total IgG and IgA levels were also measured from subjects in groups 1-3 to assess non-specific pan-B cell activation.ResultsAs expected, in multivariate analysis, AABs were detected at much higher odds in SLE subjects (5 of 6, 83%) compared to non-SLE pre-pandemic controls (11 of 29, 38%) [odds ratio (OR) 19.4,95% CI, 2.0 – 557.0, p = 0.03]. AAB detection (percentage of subjects with one or more autoantibodies) was higher in SARS-CoV-2 infected convalescent subjects (7 of 9, 78%) [OR 17.4, 95% CI, 2.0 – 287.4, p = 0.02] and subjects with acute COVID-19 (12 of 20, 60%) compared with non-SLE pre-pandemic controls, but was not statistically significant among the latter [OR 1.8,95% CI, 0.6 – 8.1, p = 0.23]. Within the convalescent subject group, AABs were detected in 5/5 with reported persistent symptoms and 2/4 without continued symptoms (p = 0.17). The multivariate computational algorithm Partial Least Squares Determinant Analysis (PLSDA) was used to determine if distinct AAB signatures distinguish subject groups 1-3. Of the 18 autoantibodies measured, anti-Beta 2-Glycoprotein, anti-Proteinase 3-ANCA, anti-Mi-2 and anti-PM/Scl-100 defined the convalescent group; anti-Proteinase 3-ANCA, anti-Mi-2, anti-Jo-1 and anti-RNP/SM defined acute COVID-19 subjects; and anti-Proteinase 3-ANCA, anti-Mi-2, anti-Jo-1, anti-Beta 2-Glycoprotein distinguished unexposed controls. The AABs defining SARS-COV-2 infected from pre-pandemic subjects are widely associated with myopathies, vasculitis, and antiphospholipid syndromes, conditions with some similarities to COVID-19. Compared to pre-pandemic non-SLE controls, subjects with acute COVID-19 had higher total IgG concentration (p-value=0.006) but convalescent subjects did not (p-value=0.08); no differences in total IgA levels were found between groups.ConclusionsOur findings support existing studies suggesting induction of immune responses to self-epitopes during acute, severe COVID-19 with evidence of general B cell hyperactivation. Also, the preponderance of AAB positivity among convalescent individuals up to seven months after infection indicates potential initiation or proliferation, and then persistence of self-reactive immunity without severe initial disease. These results underscore the importance of further investigation of autoimmunity during SARS-CoV-2 infection and its role in the onset and persistence of post-acute sequelae of COVID-19.

Direct ethanol fuel cells (DEFC) still lack active and efficient electrocatalysts for the alkaline ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR). In this work, a new instant reduction synthesis method was developed to prepare carbon supported ternary PdNiBi nanocatalysts with improved EOR activity. Synthesized catalysts were characterized with a variety of structural and compositional analysis techniques in order to correlate their morphology and surface chemistry with electrochemical performance. The modified instant reduction synthesis results in well-dispersed, spherical Pd85Ni10Bi5 nanoparticles on Vulcan XC72R support (Pd85Ni10Bi5/C(II-III)), with sizes ranging from 3.7 ± 0.8 to 4.7 ± 0.7 nm. On the other hand, the common instant reduction synthesis method leads to significantly agglomerated nanoparticles (Pd85Ni10Bi5/C(I)). EOR activity and stability of these three different carbon supported PdNiBi anode catalysts with a nominal atomic ratio of 85:10:5 were probed via cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry using the rotating disk electrode method. Pd85Ni10Bi5/C(II) showed the highest electrocatalytic activity (150 mA⋅cm−2; 2678 mA⋅mg−1) with low onset potential (0.207 V) for EOR in alkaline medium, as compared to a commercial Pd/C and to the other synthesized ternary nanocatalysts Pd85Ni10Bi5/C(I) and Pd85Ni10Bi5/C(III). This new synthesis approach provides a new avenue to developing efficient, carbon supported ternary nanocatalysts for future energy conversion devices. Graphical AbstractThe modified instant reduction method for synthesis of ternary Pd85Ni10Bi5/C(II) nanocatalyst using Vulcan XC72R as carbon support initiates an agglomeration reduction, provides low average particle size, and enables enhanced activity for the alkaline ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) compared to the common instant reduction method and to a commercial Pd/C catalyst. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s12678-019-00577-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Detection and separation of gas-phase volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is of great importance for many applications including air quality monitoring, toxic gas detection and medical diagnostics. A lack of small and low-cost detectors limits the potential applications of VOC gas sensors, especially in the areas of consumer products and the ‘Internet of Things’. Most of the commercially available low-cost technologies are either only capable of measuring a single VOC type, or only provide a total VOC concentration, without the ability to provide information on the nature or type of the VOC. We present a new approach for improving the selectivity of VOC detection, based on temporally resolved thermal desorption of VOCs from a nanoporous material, which can be combined with any existing VOC detector. This work uses a nanoporous silica material that adsorbs VOC molecules, which are then thermally desorbed onto a broadband VOC detector. Different VOCs are desorbed at different temperatures depending on their boiling point and affinity to the porous surface. The nanoporous silica is inert; VOC adsorption is proportional to the concentration of VOC in the environment, and is fully reversible. An example of a detection system using a commercial total VOC photoionization detector and a nanoporous silica preconcentrator is demonstrated here for six different VOCs, and shows potential for discrimination between the VOCs.

BACKGROUND Disease Management Programs (DMPs) for heart failure (HF) patients have been developed to better control patients' well-being as well as their daily drug intake. DMPs for HF are not always accepted by the patients, and the reasons for this phenomenon are largely unknown. We hypothesized that patients from rural areas accept a DMP more likely than patients living in a big city. Thus, a pilot study investigated differences in the attitude towards DMPs between HF-patients in one rural and one urban hospital in Austria. METHODS Patients admitted because of HF to 2 hospitals, one with rural and one with urban populations, were included prospectively by using a questionnaire. RESULTS Included were 60 patients, 43% females with a mean age of 76 years, in each hospital 30 patients. Rural patients were more interested in a nurse-based DMP than urban (N.=30) (P=0.029). After discharge, urban patients planned more often to attend a specialist than rural (P=0.005). No differences were found regarding gender, age, willingness to be included into a telenursing-based program and estimation of knowledge about HF. CONCLUSIONS Structures of the health care system and patients' attitudes must be considered when planning DMPs. Development of DMPs which are accepted by urban patients will be relevant for the future.

Relative motion between the fuel rods and fuel assembly spacer grids can lead to excessive fuel rod wear and, in some cases, to fuel rod failure. Based on industry data, such grid-to-rod-fretting is a significant cause of fuel failures in U.S. pressurized water reactor power plants. Kanthal advanced powder metallurgy technology or APMT, an FeCrAl steel alloy, and a braided SiC fiber, Chemical Vapor Infiltration SiC matrix (SiC/SiC) cladding by General Atomics are possible alternatives to conventional fuel cladding in a nuclear reactor due to their favorable performance under accident conditions. Tests were performed to examine the reliability of the cladding candidates and a conventional cladding, Zircaloy-4, under dry fretting conditions at elevated temperature. The contact was simulated with a rectangular and a cylindrical specimen over a line contact area. Confocal scanning laser microscopy was used to obtain a 3D map of the surface, which was in turn used for wear and work rate calculations on the samples. The wear rate coefficient was used as a measure of the performance and wear under fretting. Additionally, Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy was performed to qualitatively describe the microchemical changes the material undergoes during fretting. While APMT steel and SiC/SiC can perform favorably in loss of coolant accident scenarios, they also need to perform well when compared to Zircaloy-4 with respect to fretting wear. Wear coefficient measurements showed that APMT steel performs favorably in comparison to Zircaloy-4 with respect to fretting wear.

Theoretical models are used in support of the I 2 S-LWR (Integral Inherently Safe LWR) project for a direct comparison of fuel swelling and fission gas bubble formation between U 3 Si 2 and UO 2 fuels. Swelling in uranium silicide is evaluated by analyzing the bubble coarsening process’ effects on the bubble population and size distribution. The uranium dioxide is examined with two models: one which calculates the swelling behavior with a fixed grain radius and a second which incorporates grain growth into the model. These two models use the diffusion of gas atoms to the grain boundaries to calculate the swelling. The different mechanisms controlling the swelling of the fuels are introduced including the “knee point” caused by the amorphous state for the U 3 Si 2 . The U 3 Si 2 model shows that, for the burnup expected for the I 2 S reactor, swelling in U 3 Si 2 will not reach the “knee point” with accelerated swelling. The results from the fixed grain UO 2 model and U 3 Si 2 model are used to compare the swelling of each fuel at the same fission rate.

We present a strategy to forecast and assess customer behavior in the field of e-commerce. Starting point is the assignment of all actors in a market to an exhaustive set of potentially accessible users. Usually, only a small part of this set belongs to real customers in the context of commercial transactions. The user information generated by arbitrary online-interaction is much more voluminous than the customer data collected. Typical customer profiles – regular customers as well as change customers and churners – can be generalized to corresponding user profiles. However customer data is much better structured than the naturally granular, heterogeneous and often incomplete data of arbitrary users. These users cannot be connected in a simple way with standardized monetary indicators like the customer lifetime value (CLV). In consequence an effective exploitation of unstructured user data requires explorative and descriptive methods of correction and classification as well as statistical limitations arising from the heterogeneity of the data. As a clear focus the mean- and short-term user identification in the context of an effective classification is discussed. The main goal is to improve the representation and description of customer journeys together with an effect analysis of marketing activities. The traceable “journey” of all users hardly differs. Nevertheless, it might be the main base for decisions about general marketing campaigns and individual offers. Robust inferences on the base of many short-term user steps are an important goal. In this contribution, a case study of an online short break internet platform serves as an example.

How can predictive analysis of customer data be used to identity the decrease or increase of customer activity over time during the product search and the booking process? Another question that arises in this context is how many data is necessary to carry out a reliable analysis? We present a case study from an European travel website based on a session history of 15 months only here only a small part of the customers are known to the website and where a huge number of users regularly delete their browser histories. We focus on the analysis of the users' web traffic while visiting the booking platform. Based on a classification algorithm we identify the non-contractual customers who are mostly anonymous to the website, and investigate the short-term customer activity with respect to customer churn on a more microscopic level.

Cervical artery dissection is a rare but important diagnosis to consider in young patients presenting with stroke. Multiple etiologies of cervical artery dissections have been previously reported, but the association with thyrotoxicosis is extremely rare. A previously healthy 43-year-old female presented to the emergency department with new symptoms related to thyrotoxicosis and bilateral internal carotid artery dissections. Her atrial fibrillation and hypertension resolved by treating the underlying hyperthyroidism with methimazole and propranolol. The bilateral internal carotid artery dissections were managed conservatively with acetylsalicylic acid. Despite an initially poor prognosis, the patient made a complete recovery with resolution of her neurological symptoms.

Under high burnup UO2 fuel pellets can experience high burnup structure (HBS) at the rim also known as rim effect. The HBS is exceptionally porous with fine grain sizes. HBS increases the swelling further than it would have achieved at a larger grain size. A theoretical swelling model is used in conjunction with a grain subdivision simulation to calculate the swelling of UO2. In UO2 the nucleation sites are at vacancies and the bubbles are concentrated at grain boundaries. Vacancies are created due to irradiation and gas diffusion is dependent on vacancy migration. In addition to intragranular bubbles, there are intergranular bubbles at the grain boundaries. Over time as intragranular bubbles and gas atoms accumulate on the grain boundaries, the intergranular bubbles grow and cover the grain faces. Eventually they grow into voids and interconnect along the grain boundaries, which can lead to fission gas release when the interconnection reaches the surface. This is known as the saturation point. While the swelling model used does not originally incorporate a changing grain size, the simulation allows for more accurate swelling calculations by introducing a fractional HBS based on the temperature and burnup of the pellet. The fractional HBS is introduced with a varying grain size. Our simulations determine the level of swelling and saturation as a function of burnup by combining an independent model and simulation to obtain a more comprehensive model.

In support of a recent surge in research to develop an accident tolerant reactor, accident tolerant fuels and cladding candidates are being investigated. Relative motion between the fuel rods and fuel assembly spacer grids can lead to excessive fuel rod wear and, in some cases, to fuel rod failure. Based on industry data, grid-to-rod-fretting (GTRF) has been the number one cause of fuel failures within the U.S. pressurized water reactor (PWR) fleet, accounting for more than 70% of all PWR leaking fuel assemblies. APMT, an Fe-Cr-Al steel alloy, is being examined for the I2S-LWR project as a possible alternative to conventional fuel cladding in a nuclear reactor due to its favorable performance under LOCA conditions. Tests were performed to examine the reliability of the cladding candidate under simulated fretting conditions of a pressurized water reactor (PWR). The contact is simulated with a rectangular and a cylindrical specimen over a line contact area. A combination of SEM analysis and wear & work rate calculations are performed on the samples to determine their performance and wear under fretting. While APMT can perform favorably in loss of coolant accident scenarios, it also needs to perform well when compared to Zircaloy-4 with respect to fretting wear.

This paper presents the development of a novel direct coil cooling approach which can enable high performance for electric traction motor, and in further significantly reduce motor losses. The proposed approach focuses on bypassing critical thermal resistances in motor by cooling coils directly in stator slots with oil flow. Firstly, the basic configuration and features are shown: sealed stator slots to air gap, pressure reservoirs on both side of the slots and slot channels for oil flow. The key to enhance thermal performance of the motor here is based on introducing fluid guiding structure in the slot channels. Next, heat transfer in the channel with guiding structure is investigated by CFD and compared with bare slot channel without guiding structure. For studying the effectiveness of proposed cooling concept, numerical analysis is conducted to compare it with HEV favored oil impingement cooling. Finally, thermal performance of the proposed cooling approach is verified and compared with water/glycol jacket cooling on a switched reluctance machine prototype for EV application inside a public funded project ODIN.

There is a rising awareness and interest of corporations about corporate sustainable behaviour. Sustainability issues are increasingly integrated into corporate strategies, actions, and behavior. Different approaches, systems, and instruments have been developed to support corporate sustainability management. An important aspect of any sustainability-related corporate initiative is to train employees and to develop sustainability-related competencies. To enable education and training in this area, an interdisciplinary team of researchers, consultants and practitioners developed a management game called ‘sustainability manager’ (www.sustainabilitymanager.at). This paper presents the key features of this business simulation and reflects the experiences of the application of this management game in training. This management game is based on a business simulation, i.e. a company is modelled using web technology and soft computing approaches. The sustainability manager can be used as a web-based training instrument for sustainability management and can be adapted to specific training situations. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.

Einleitung Psychische Erkrankungen betreffen häufig Adoleszente und junge Erwachsene. Damit verbunden sind mitunter erhebliche Konsequenzen für die die soziale Integration. Die Rehabilitation psychisch Kranker ist dabei ein kontinuierlicher Prozeß, der ausreichend Zeit im passenden Umfeld unter qualifizierter Betreuung mit störungsspezifischen Behandlungsangeboten erfordert. Kürzere Verweildauern in der Akutpsychiatrie mit nicht immer abgeschlossener Stabilisierung der Patienten beeinflussen den Zugang zur Rehabilitation, der für chronisch Kranke besonders erschwert ist, da die Rehabilitationsindikation einen aktuellen Anlaß, typischerweise ein vorausgehendes akutes Erkrankungsereignis mit zu erwartender Besserung unterstellt. Zudem wäre ein Ausbau der Kapazitäten indikationsspezifischer Rehabilitationsangebote für psychisch Kranke sinnvoll.

Desde la perspectiva antropológica se analizan los significados y las funciones sociales que deben tener los sistemas educativos en el contexto de las nuevas realidades rurales del agro chileno. En base a sus resultados se propone un nuevo modelo educativo capaz de responder a las exigencias impuestas por las nuevas situaciones económicas y sociales tomando en consideración las particularidades culturales y ecológicas, los recursos, potencialidades y demandas de las diversas poblaciones rurales. Este modelo educativo busca fortalecer las identidades de los grupos sociales a través del rescate y revalorización de las culturas locales, y la capacitación de los individuos para poder construir sus propios proyectos de desarrollo integral.

Objective Recommendations for optimal first-shock energies with biphasic waveforms are conflicting. We evaluated prospectively the relation between type and duration of atrial tachyarrhythmias and the probability of successful cardioversion with a specific biphasic shock waveform to develop recommendations for the initial energy setting aiming at the lowest total cumulative energy with 2 or less consecutive shocks. Methods We analyzed 453 consecutive patients undergoing their first transthoracic electrical cardioversion, including 358 attempts for atrial fibrillation (AF) and 95 attempts for atrial flutter (AFL) or atrial tachycardia (AT). A step-up protocol with a truncated exponential biphasic waveform starting at 50 J was used. Total cumulative energies were estimated under the assumption of a 2-tiered escalating shock protocol with different initial energy settings and a “rescue shock” of 250 J for AFL/AT or 360 J for AF. The initial energy setting leading to the lowest total cumulative energy was regarded as the optimal first-shock level. Results Cardioversion was successful in 448 patients (cumulative efficacy, 99 %). In patients with AFL/AT, the lowest total cumulative energy was attained with an initial energy setting of 50 J. In patients with AF, lowest values were achieved with an initial energy of 100 J for arrhythmia durations of 2 days or less and an initial energy of 150 J for arrhythmia durations of more than 2 days. Conclusion We recommend an initial energy setting of 50 J in patients with AFL/AT, of 100 J in patients with AF 2 days or less, and of 150 J with AF more than 2 days.

Este artículo se enfoca primeramente en el análisis e interpretación de los efectos provocados por la globalización sobre los sistemas culturales locales del mundo atacameño en la II Región de Chile. Se examina la capacidad de respuestas de sus sistemas culturales sobre la base de una larga tradición de adaptación de los atacameños ante los cambios ocurridos en su medio natural y social, y las intervenciones recientes de organismos estatales, empresas privadas, ONGs y fundaciones que pretenden imponer en forma asimétrica a estas comunidades indígenas, un desarrollo ajeno a la lógica de sus sistemas culturales. Se analizan, especialmente, sus potencialidades para generar sus propios proyectos de desarrollo a escala local, considerando sus singularidades culturales y sus identidades, bases para un desarrollo sustentable. En esta parte, se expone una visión antropológica sobre el rol fundamental que debe jugar en dicho proceso, una educación rural con pertinencia local, que rescate y ponga en valor la cultura atacameña pero que reconozca e internalice, a su vez, las nuevas realidades rurales. Finalmente, se plantea una propuesta en función de las alternativas de desarrollo creadas e impulsadas por las propias comunidades en el marco de un mundo global, a fin de lograr un futuro sustentado en sus culturas locales, donde la escuela se transforme en el centro que oriente y potencie estos procesos.

los cambios producidos en la sociedad latinoamericana producto de la globalización y la modernidad, y las visiones críticas de los sistemas educativos y sus intentos reformistas, obligan a repensar la educación, revisar sus orientaciones, contenidos y metodologías. Se requiere un nuevo modelo educativo que sea capaz de responder a los nuevos requerimientos que nos imponen las nuevas realidades sociales. Estamos presenciando la imposición de un nuevo estilo de desarrollo que privilegia lo económico sobre lo humano, la imitación de modelos de desarrollo foráneos sin discusión ni reflexión, de un desarrollo de las poblaciones sin considerar su patrimonios culturales y su identidad, de imposición de valores relacionados con el individualismo y la competencia en oposición a la solidaridad y la cooperación. Ante esta situación, necesitamos una educación formadora y capacitadora de las nuevas generaciones. Formadora en valores que fortalezcan la solidaridad de los grupos y poblaciones locales, y capacitadora de los individuos para poder comprender las nuevas realidades sociales, su situación ante ellas y del desarrollo de sus potencialidades.

Aims Data on the diagnostic accuracy of neuron-specific enolase (NSE) as marker of hypoxic brain damage are conflicting. The purpose of this prospective observational cohort study was to explore the prognostic value of serum NSE after cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and to define the most sensitive cutoff value with a specificity of 100% for the prediction of persistent coma. Methods and results Serum NSE concentrations were serially determined in 227 consecutive unconscious patients after CPR who were classified according to the best Glasgow–Pittsburgh cerebral performance categories (CPC, 1–4) achieved within 6 months follow-up. Sixteen patients were excluded due to incomplete NSE data and 34 due to death under analgesia sedation. The prevalence of poor neurological outcome (persistent coma, CPC 4) in our 177 analysed patients was 33%. At a specificity of 100%, a peak NSE concentration above 80 ng/mL predicted persistent coma with a sensitivity of 63%, a positive predictive value of 100%, a negative predictive value of 84%, and a predictive accuracy of 88%. Conclusion A peak serum NSE concentration exceeding 80 ng/mL is a highly specific but only moderately sensitive marker for a poor neurological outcome after CPR.

On October 8 and 9, 1871, a fire that had started at a barn, belonging to Patrick and Catherine O'Leary near their home on 137 DeKoven Street, ravaged an area of Chicago four miles in length and three-quarters of a mile in width, encompassing much of the commercial heart of the city and the residential North Division. The fire caused the death of three hundred Chicagoans, destroyed the homes of nearly a third of the city's population, and resulted in property damages approximating two hundred million dollars.' Apocalyptic fears that the fire had wreaked havoc both on the built environment and on the city's social fabric were widespread in the aftermath of the blaze. Yet amid the ruins, predictions of the inevitability of the city's rebuilding and expansion emerged. Making room for the rebuilding of substantial portions of the city, the fire came to be seen as a blessing that had come in a terrible disguise. Chicagoans spoke about the fire both in terms of grave dangers and tremendous opportunities for the city and its people. Boosters, city planners, architects, philanthropists, urban developers and their visions, have figured prominently in these narratives.2 In her book, Seeing With Their Hearts: Chicago Women and the Vision of The Good City, 18711933, Maureen Flanagan suggests that the 1871 fire inaugurated a new era in struggles over municipal politics. She maintains that gendered notions of the city and of the purposes of urban development stood at the center of such debates.