bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The additive effect of vitamin K supplementation and bisphosphonate on fracture risk in post-menopausal osteoporosis: a randomised placebo controlled trial
Authors: Moore Amelia E. , Dulnoan Dwight , Voong Kieran , Ayis Salma , Mangelis Anastasios , Gorska Renata , Harrington Dominic J. , Tang Jonathan C. Y. , Fraser William D. , Hampson Geeta
Published: June 2023

Summary

This study assessed whether vitamin K, given with oral bisphosphonate, calcium and/or vitamin D has an additive effect on fracture risk in post-menopausal women with osteoporosis. No difference in bone density or bone turnover was observed although vitamin K1 supplementation led to a modest effect on parameters of hip geometry.

Purpose

Some clinical studies have suggested that vitamin K prevents bone loss and may improve fracture risk. The aim was to assess whether vitamin K supplementation has an additive effect on bone mineral density (BMD), hip geometry and bone turnover markers (BTMs) in post-menopausal women with osteoporosis (PMO) and sub-optimum vitamin K status receiving bisphosphonate, calcium and/or vitamin D treatment.

Methods

We conducted a trial in 105 women aged 68.7[12.3] years with PMO and serum vitamin K1 ≤ 0.4 µg/L. They were randomised to 3 treatment arms; vitamin K1 (1 mg/day) arm, vitamin K2 arm (MK-4; 45 mg/day) or placebo for 18 months. They were on oral bisphosphonate and calcium and/or vitamin D. We measured BMD by DXA, hip geometry parameters using hip structural analysis (HSA) software and BTMs. Vitamin K1 or MK-4 supplementation was each compared to placebo. Intention to treat (ITT) and per protocol (PP) analyses were performed.

Results

Changes in BMD at the total hip, femoral neck and lumbar spine and BTMs; CTX and P1NP did not differ significantly following either K1 or MK-4 supplementation compared to placebo. Following PP analysis and correction for covariates, there were significant differences in some of the HSA parameters at the intertrochanter (IT) and femoral shaft (FS): IT endocortical diameter (ED) (% change placebo:1.5 [4.1], K1 arm: -1.02 [5.07], p = 0.04), FS subperiosteal/outer diameter (OD) (placebo: 1.78 [5.3], K1 arm: 0.46 [2.23] p = 0.04), FS cross sectional area (CSA) (placebo:1.47 [4.09],K1 arm: -1.02[5.07], p = 0.03).

Conclusion

The addition of vitamin K1 to oral bisphosphonate with calcium and/or vitamin D treatment in PMO has a modest effect on parameters of hip geometry. Further confirmatory studies are needed.

Trial registration

The study was registered at Clinicaltrial.gov:NCT01232647.
Light-chain cardiac amyloidosis for the non-expert: pearls and pitfalls
Authors: De Michieli Laura , Sinigiani Giulio , De Gaspari Monica , Branca Antonio , Rizzo Stefania , Basso Cristina , Trentin Livio , Iliceto Sabino , Perazzolo Marra Martina , Cipriani Alberto , Berno Tamara
Published: June 2023

Cardiac amyloidosis (CA) is an uncommon, progressive, and fatal disease; the two main forms that can affect the heart are transthyretin CA and light chain CA (AL-CA). AL-CA is a medical urgency for which a diagnostic delay can be catastrophic for patients’ outcome. In this manuscript, we focus on the pearls and pitfalls that are relevant to achieve a correct diagnosis and to avoid diagnostic and therapeutical delays. Through the aid of three unfortunate clinical cases, some fundamental diagnostic aspects are addressed, including the following: first, a negative bone scintigraphy does not exclude CA, with patients with AL-CA frequently showing no or mild cardiac uptake, and its execution should not delay hematological tests; second, fat pad biopsy does not have a 100% sensitivity for AL amyloidosis and, if negative, further investigations should be performed, particularly if the pre-test probability is high. Third, Congo Red staining is not sufficient to reach a definitive diagnosis and amyloid fibrils typing with mass spectrometry, immunohistochemistry, or immunoelectron microscopy is crucial. To achieve a timely and correct diagnosis, all the necessary investigations must be performed, always considering the yield and diagnostic accuracy of each examination.
Uptake rates and attitudes to influenza and COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy – a prospective cohort study
Authors: Kelly Sarah M. , Bracken Orla , Bholah Tariq , Crosby David A.
Published: June 2023

Influenza and COVID-19 are highly prevalent RNA viruses. Pregnancy increases the frequency of severe maternal morbidity and mortality associated with these viruses. Vaccination plays an important role in protecting pregnant women and their infants from adverse outcomes. In this prospective study, we aimed to determine the vaccination uptake rate for influenza and COVID-19 in a pregnant population and to explore reasons why women remained unvaccinated. A prospective cohort study was conducted over a two-week period in December 2022 in the National Maternity Hospital, Dublin. There were 588 women surveyed over the 2-week period. Overall, 377 (57%) were vaccinated that year for seasonal influenza, a significant rise from 39% in a similar study in 2016. The majority (n = 488, 83%) of women reported receiving at least one COVID-19 vaccine. However only 132 (22%) received a COVID-19 vaccine in pregnancy, despite 76% (n = 466) stating they would be happy to receive it. Factors such as age, obesity, co-morbidities, ethnic group, and type of antenatal care received were shown to influence vaccination rates. We recommend that the importance of vaccination be stressed regularly to eligible patients at their antenatal clinic visits and where possible combining influenza/COVID-19 vaccination on the same day to improve uptake.
COVID-19 pandemic and adrenals: deep insights and implications in patients with glucocorticoid disorders
Authors: Cozzolino Alessia , Hasenmajer Valeria , Newell-Price John , Isidori Andrea M.
Published: June 2023

Purpose

Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) has spread throughout the world. It was initially defined as a potentially severe syndrome affecting the respiratory tract, but it has since been shown to be a systemic disease with relevant extrapulmonary manifestations that increase mortality. The endocrine system has been found to be vulnerable to COVID-19 infection. The current review aims to evaluate the available data on the impact of COVID-19 infection and treatment, as well as COVID-19 vaccines, on adrenal gland function, particularly in patients with GC disorders.

Methods

A thorough search of published peer-reviewed studies in PubMed was performed using proper keywords.

Results

Adrenal viral tropism and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) replication in the adrenal glands have been demonstrated, and adrenal insufficiency (AI) is a rare, but potentially severe complication in COVID-19 disease, whose recognition can be difficult if only for the empirical treatments administered in the early stages. Glucocorticoid (GC) treatment have had a pivotal role in preventing clinical deterioration in patients with COVID-19, but long-term GC use may increase COVID-19-related mortality and the development of iatrogenic AI. Patients with GC disorders, especially AI and Cushing’s syndrome, have been identified as being at high risk of COVID-19 infection and complications. Published evidence suggests that AI patient awareness and proper education may help adjust GC replacement therapy appropriately when necessary, thereby reducing COVID-19 severity. The COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on AI management, particularly in terms of adherence to patients’ care plans and self-perceived challenges. On the other hand, published evidence suggests that the clinical course of COVID-19 may be affected by the severity of hypercortisolism in patients with CS. Therefore, to ameliorate the risk profile in these patients, cortisol levels should be adequately controlled, along with careful monitoring of metabolic and cardiovascular comorbidities. To date, the COVID-19 vaccine remains the only available tool to face SARS-CoV-2, and it should not be treated differently in patients with AI and CS.

Conclusion

SARS-CoV-2 infection has been linked to adrenal damage and AI is a rare complication in COVID-19 disease, requiring prompt recognition. Educational efforts and patient awareness may reduce COVID-19 severity in patients with AI. Control of cortisol levels and monitoring of complications may improve the clinical course of COVID-19 in patients with CS.
Under-reporting of forensic findings: craniocervical emergency imaging in cases of survived hanging
Authors: Heimer J. , Arneberg L. , Blunier S. , Klukowska-Rötzler J. , Gonzenbach A. G. , Exadaktylos A. , Ruder T. , Wagner F.
Published: June 2023

To determine the diagnostic bias between clinical and forensic radiology in cases of nonfatal hanging and determine and describe typical underreported imaging findings. In a retrospective, single-center study, all patients admitted for attempted suicide with near-hanging or fatal hanging between January 2008 and December 2020 who received CT or MRI of head and neck were reviewed and missed findings in the original report were documented. A binary regression with disagreement as dependent variable was fitted for the imaging modality, fatality, age, and sex. A total of 123 hanging incidents were retrospectively analyzed. The vast majority (n = 108; 87.8%) had attempted suicide with a nonfatal outcome. Fatal outcome occurred in 15 (12.0%). The extra- and intracranial injuries documented on CT and MRI scans were laryngeal (n = 8; 6.5%), soft tissue (n = 42; 34.1%), and vascular injuries (n = 1; 0.8%). Intracranial pathology was evident on 18 (14.6%) scans. Disagreement occurred in 36 (29.3%) cases and represented 52 (69.2%) of all cases with a radiological finding. Disagreement was strongly associated with fatality (OR: 2.7–44.9.4, p = 0.0012). In most cases, nonfatal hangings cause no or only minor injuries. Fatal cases are associated with a greater probability of missed minor imaging findings. This suggests that findings deemed clinically irrelevant are probably not reported in such severe emergency cases. This association indicates that minor abnormalities are underreported when major pathologies are evident on imaging in victims of strangulation.
Implications of energy poverty and climate change in Italian regions
Authors: Berti Krizia , Bienvenido-Huertas David , Bellicoso Alessandra , Rubio-Bellido Carlos
Published: June 2023

Energy poverty is one of the main challenges that governments must address. This aspect acquires great relevance if it is combined with the expected climatic evolution trends. These climatic changes can have a major impact in countries with a significant variety of climates, such as Italy. For this reason, in this study, an analysis of the risk of energy poverty disaggregated by the regions of Italy with different climate change scenarios was carried out. For this, statistical data available from the different regions were used, and the Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) climate change scenarios were considered. The analysis found that the Lombardy region could be one of the regions most affected by energy poverty. This aspect is due to the combination of factors such as the old building stock, energy demand, and the remarkable presence of vulnerable families, which causes a higher risk in the region compared to other Italian regions. On the other side, the study revealed an important risk of energy poverty in the Southern regions, which are characterized by the lowest incomes of the country and are particularly affected by the change in cooling degree days in future scenarios.
Progress in Processes and Catalysts for Dehydrogenation of Cyclohexanol to Cyclohexanone
Authors: Gong Jing , Hou Shixin , Wang Yue , Ma Xinbin
Published: June 2023

The dehydrogenation of cyclohexanol to cyclohexanone is a crucial industrial process in the production of caprolactam and adipic acid, both of which serve as important precursors in nylon textiles. This endothermic reaction is constrained by thermodynamic equilibrium and involves a complex reaction network, leading to a heightened focus on catalysts and process design. Copper-based catalysts have been extensively studied and exhibit exceptional low-temperature catalytic performance in cyclohexanol dehydrogenation, with some being commercially used in the industry. This paper specifically concentrates on research advancement concerning active species, reaction mechanisms, factors influencing product selectivity, and the deactivation behaviors of copper-based catalysts. Moreover, a brief introduction to the new processes that break thermodynamic equilibrium via reaction coupling and their corresponding catalysts is summarized here as well. These reviews may offer guidance and potential avenues for further investigations into catalysts and processes for cyclohexanol dehydrogenation.
Effectieve suïcidepreventie-interventies en de betekenis voor het Nederlandse werkveld en de Landelijke Agenda Suïcidepreventie
Authors: Van der Feltz-Cornelis Christina M. , de Jong Jacobus J. , Bakker Marjan , Van Nieuwenhuizen Chijs
Published: June 2023

Samenvatting

Dit artikel geeft een overzicht van effectieve suïcidepreventie-interventies en hun betekenis voor het Nederlandse werkveld en de Landelijke Agenda Suïcidepreventie. We bespreken een in 2020 gepubliceerde systematische review die het effect van preventieve interventies op suïcides en suïcidepogingen evalueerde, en geven een update van de ontwikkelingen daarna. Zestien onderzoeken met 252.932 participanten lieten zien dat er effectieve suïcidepreventie-interventies bestaan, zowel voor het voorkómen van suïcides, als van suïcidepogingen. Multi-level-interventies hebben grotere effecten dan uni-level-interventies. Vooral keteninterventies die nadrukkelijk de verbinding tussen identificatie van mensen met suïciderisico op populatieniveau en toegang tot specialistische zorg leggen, verdienen landelijke prioriteit. Een digitaal beslissingsondersteunend instrument voor hulpverleners en ketenpartners van alle niveaus kan uitkomst bieden. Dit instrument werd ontwikkeld binnen SUPREMOCOL, een onderzoek naar de effectiviteit van een systeeminterventie voor suïcidepreventie, uitgevoerd in de provincie Noord-Brabant, dat significante resultaten had in het voorkómen van suïcide. Het is het enige wetenschappelijk onderzoek in Nederland dat expliciet suïcide en suïcidepogingen als uitkomsten van een suïcidepreventie-interventie evalueert. In Nederland is dat nodig in het kader van de Landelijke Agenda Suïcidepreventie.
De registratie van niet-fatale suïcidepogingen in Nederland
Authors: Schweren Lizanne J. S. , van Zwieten Noa , Gilissen Renske
Published: June 2023

Samenvatting

Het aantal niet-fatale suïcidepogingen dat jaarlijks in Nederland plaatsvindt is niet bekend, en ook over de samenstelling van de groep mensen die een suïcidepoging overleeft weten we weinig. Binnen het project ‘Registratie van niet-fatale suïcidepogingen’ worden bestaande data uit uiteenlopende bronnen (bijvoorbeeld spoedeisendehulpposten, Nationale Politie) bijeengebracht om te komen tot een landelijk beeld van niet-fatale suïcidepogingen in Nederland. Accuraat inzicht in het vóórkomen van suïcidepogingen in Nederland bevordert wetenschappelijk onderzoek, faciliteert de tijdige detectie van trends in de samenleving, kan richting geven aan (gezondheids)beleid en stimuleert de verbetering van de kwaliteit van zorg voor mensen die een suïcidepoging overleven.
Mechanisms and the problem of abstract models
Authors: Carrillo Natalia , Knuuttila Tarja
Published: June 2023

New mechanical philosophy posits that explanations in the life sciences involve the decomposition of a system into its entities and their respective activities and organization that are responsible for the explanandum phenomenon. This mechanistic account of explanation has proven problematic in its application to mathematical models, leading the mechanists to suggest different ways of aligning abstract models with the mechanist program. Initially, the discussion centered on whether the Hodgkin-Huxley model is explanatory. Network models provided another complication, as they apply to a wide number of materially diverse systems. In this article, we examine the various attempts to integrate abstract models within the mechanist program, also presenting a further challenge: the Heimburg-Jackson model, which was introduced as an alternative to the Hodgkin-Huxley model. We argue that although the notion of abstraction as the omission of irrelevant mechanistic details appears to give a mechanistic solution for accommodating abstract models, this notion does not suit models whose epistemic strategy is not decompositional. As a result, the mechanist has to choose whether to dilute the mechanistic approach nearly beyond recognition or to claim that many, if not most, abstract theoretical models do not deliver mechanistic explanations, or qualify as explanatory at all.
Investigation of the Wabe River water’s suitability for drinking purposes and aquatic life and detection of pollution sources
Authors: Kasa Tilahun , Reddythota Daniel
Published: June 2023

Wabe River is a vital source of drinking water, irrigation for agriculture, and income for the local residents. However, the river's declining quality has led to an increase in waterborne infections and made it appear muddier. The study's objective was to evaluate the Wabe river water quality using 23 different water quality parameters to calculate the Weighted Arithmetic Water Quality Index (WAWQI), Metal Index (MI), Pollution Index (PI), and Potential Ecological Risk Index (PERI). The origins and hydro-chemical makeup of the river water were also ascertained using Piper diagrams and Gibb's plots. During the wet season, the WAWQI results revealed that the River water is unfit for drinking, which range from 205.4 to 487.8 (> 100) at all sampling stations. During the dry season, the water quality ranged from good to unsuitable (48.7–101.4). Similarly, the results of the Metal Index were greater than 1(MI > 1) indicates ‘Threshold of warning’ for drinking and aquatic life in both seasons. Pollution index results showed ‘seriously’ effect on aquatic life. However, the risk level posed by those metals according to PERI was in the range of 436.9 (Strong) to 1714.1 (Very high) and 288.5 (Moderate) to 704.3 (Very high) during the wet and dry seasons, respectively. The sources of contamination were confirmed by Gibb's plots as rock weathering, evaporation, and anthropogenic activities, and the water type was classified as calcium-magnesium-chloride by the piper diagram. Controlling the sources of pollution is necessary for preserving the Wabe River's sustainability.
Multidrug-resistant isolates from Ukrainian patients in a German health facility: a genomic surveillance study focusing on antimicrobial resistance and bacterial relatedness
Authors: Stein Claudia , Zechel Maria , Spott Riccardo , Pletz Mathias W. , Kipp Frank
Published: June 2023

Purpose

Antimicrobial resistance is a pressing issue in Ukraine, with healthcare-associated infections caused by multidrug-resistant organisms being a major concern. A recent prospective multicenter study revealed a staggering rate of 48.4% antimicrobial resistance to carbapenems among Enterobacterales causing a healthcare-associated infection. We conducted a systematic survey to investigate the incidence rate and incidence density of carbapenemase-producing Gram-negative bacteria (CPGN) among refugees and war-wounded Ukrainians in connection with the German health system.

Methods

From the onset of the war until November 2022, seven Ukrainian patients were admitted to our hospital. Upon admission, screening samples and samples from the focus of suspected infection were taken from all seven patients. The incidence rate and the incidence density of CPGN were calculated as a result of the microbiological findings. We sequenced all CPGN using Illumina technology.

Results

The incidence rate of CPGN at our hospital was 0.06 for 2021 and 0.18 for 2022. All seven Ukrainian patients were infected or colonized with at least one CPGN, including K. pneumoniae (14/25), P. aeruginosa (6/25), A. baumannii (1/25), Providencia stutartii (1/25), C. freundii (1/25), and E. coli (2/25). Genomic surveillance revealed that (i) most frequently detected carbapenemases among all sequenced isolates were blaNDM (17/25) and blaOXA-48 (6/25), (ii) most commonly observed plasmid replicons among the K. pneumoniae isolates recovered from Ukrainian patients were Col(pHAD28) (12/14), IncHI1B(pNDM-MAR) (9/14), IncFIB(pNDM-Mar) (12/14), and (iii) clonal relation between the pathogens of the Ukrainian isolates, but not for the isolates from our hospital surveillance system.

Conclusion

The rising prevalence of community-acquired colonization and infection with CPGN is having a direct effect on the infection prevention measures, such as higher number of isolations, reprocessing of patient rooms, additional microbiological testing and overall organization within hospitals.
The effectiveness of digital gaming on the functioning and activity of older people living in long-term care facilities: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Kukkohovi Saara , Siira Heidi , Arolaakso Sari , Miettunen Jouko , Elo Satu
Published: June 2023

Background

The population is aging globally. Older people living in long-term care facilities have many functional impairments, such as mobility problems and depression. Digital games and so-called exergames can offer a motivating and entertaining way to maintain older people’s physical activity and thus their ability to function. However, previous studies have reported conflicting results about the effects of digital gaming and have focused on community-dwelling older people.

Objective

To identify, critically appraise, and synthesize evidence about the effectiveness of digital games on older people’s physical, psychological, and social functioning and physical and social activity in long-term care facilities.

Methods

Five databases were systematically searched, and relevant studies were screened. Fifteen randomized-controlled trials and quasi-experimental studies (total N = 674) were included in meta-analysis.

Results

All digital games used in interventions were exergames. Meta-analysis showed that exergame interventions have a statistically significant large effect on physical functioning [number of studies (N) = 6, standardized mean difference (SMD) = 0.97, p = 0.001] measured by Timed Up and Go or Short Physical Performance Battery and self-assessed physical activity (N = 3, SMD = 1.20, p < 0.001) and medium effect on social functioning (N = 5, SMD = 0.74, p = 0.016) compared to alternative intervention or no intervention. Social activity was not measured in any study.

Conclusions

The results are encouraging that exergames effectively increase the functioning and activity of older adults living in long-term facilities. Successful implementation of such activities requires the competence of nursing staff and rehabilitation professionals in digitalization.
The determinants of board size in Italian State-owned enterprises operating in water industry
Authors: Cersosimo Cristina
Published: June 2023

This study investigates what are the determinants of board size in Italian water State-owned enterprises. The analysis has been conducted on a sample of 105 Italian water State-owned enterprises. Furthermore, data for the year 2018 have been used to run an ordinary least squares statistical model. Most relevant findings suggest that the two ownership structure variables, expressed through the number of public owners and the degree of direct public ownership, are statistically and significantly related to board size. Specifically, the number of public owners is positively and significantly related to board size. Conversely, the degree of the direct public ownership is negatively and significantly related to board size. The investigation provides a contribution for academics and policy-makers. Given the essentiality of water resource for humanity and future generations, the study emphasizes the need to ensure the inclusion of citizens in Italian water SOEs’ ownership and boardroom as a pragmatic and functional reality.
CMIP6 models simulate heavier future rainfall over the Highlands than across other agricultural areas of Yemen
Authors: Gadain Hussein , Libanda Brigadier
Published: June 2023

The climate of Yemen remains largely unstudied, leading to major uncertainties and a lack of understanding of future extreme rainfall events and how they are likely to affect agriculture. Here, we examine future heavy rainfall events for the period 2025–2100 using the latest state-of-the-art Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP 6). Based on differences in rainfall regimes, we divided the study area into two distinct parts: Highlands and the Red Sea Coast & Tihama Plain region. Analyzing annual total precipitation when daily precipitation exceeds the 95th percentile of wet day precipitation (R95p), we found that models predict 16–25% heavier future rainfall over the Highlands than across the Tihama Plain and other agricultural parts of Yemen. By mid-century, the Highlands will experience ~ 25% heavier rainfall than other agricultural areas under SSP2-4.5 and ~ 16% heavier under SSP5-8.5. In both cases, the risk of rejecting the null hypothesis (H0) when it is true is lower than 5%. These results suggest that whether the current status quo of emissions continues, or the radiative forcing level is stabilized at 4.5 W/m2, heavy rainfall events are projected to increase more over the Highlands than over other agricultural areas of Yemen. Considering the projected increase in heavy rainfall events, we argue that Yemen desperately needs investments and innovations that will foster readiness and overall climate disaster preparedness. Efforts and investments will need to be directed more toward bridging the gap between producers of climate information and end users. Ultimately, these efforts will contribute to shaping the future of farmer decision support across Yemen.
Hegel and China: Beyond Liberalism and Communitarianism
Authors: Jing Qi
Published: June 2023

In the aftermath of the publication of Alasdair MacIntyre's “After Virtue and Michael Sandel's Liberalism” and the “Limits of Justice in the early 1980s”, the debate between communitarians and liberals began to influence political philosophy in Anglo-American academia. The debate centers on the socio-political nature of the self, traditions, community values, and the role of context in shaping our moral and political reasoning. Communitarians emphasize the priority of community, while liberals prefer the significance of individual rights and freedoms. This paper argues that although both sides of the debate are partially correct, taken alone, their positions are incomplete. What is needed is a higher-order theory that can unite them and preserve their partial truths without repeating their errors. With proper readings, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel's political and social philosophy accomplishes that by providing a coherent systematic political theory that harmonises the claims of the individual and the community, freedom and context, part and whole, universal and particular, and subjectivity and objectivity. More importantly, this paper also demonstrates the capacity of Hegel’s political philosophy to provide insights for modern China.
Strongly aperiodic SFTs on generalized Baumslag–Solitar groups
Authors: AUBRUN NATHALIE , BITAR NICOLÁS , HURIOT-TATTEGRAIN SACHA
Published: June 2023

We look at constructions of aperiodic subshifts of finite type (SFTs) on fundamental groups of graph of groups. In particular, we prove that all generalized Baumslag-Solitar groups (GBS) admit a strongly aperiodic SFT. Our proof is based on a structural theorem by Whyte and on two constructions of strongly aperiodic SFTs on
$\mathbb {F}_n\times \mathbb {Z}$
and
$BS(m,n)$
of our own. Our two constructions rely on a path-folding technique that lifts an SFT on
$\mathbb {Z}^2$
inside an SFT on
$\mathbb {F}_n\times \mathbb {Z}$
or an SFT on the hyperbolic plane inside an SFT on
$BS(m,n)$
. In the case of
$\mathbb {F}_n\times \mathbb {Z}$
, the path folding technique also preserves minimality, so that we get minimal strongly aperiodic SFTs on unimodular GBS groups.
Numerical study of the effect of Péclet number on miscible viscous fingering with effective interfacial tension
Authors: Deki Yuka F. , Nagatsu Yuichiro , Mishra Manoranjan , Suzuki Ryuta X.
Published: June 2023

Viscous fingering or Saffman–Taylor instability shows fingering interfacial patterns when a more mobile fluid displaces a less mobile one in porous media. The effective interfacial tension (EIT) is like capillary force, acting at the miscible interface on time scales shorter than interface relaxation. It has been numerically reported so far that the fingers are wider with EIT compared with those without EIT. A recent experiment observed finger widening with increasing flow rate in a miscible system with EIT, which is not observed in classical immiscible and miscible systems. In this study, we have numerically investigated the effect of

$Pe$

(which corresponds to the injection flow rates in the experiment) on miscible viscous fingering with/without EIT. We have shown that the fingers are monotonically thinner with an increase in

$Pe$

in the system without EIT, while finger widening with increasing

$Pe$

is observed in the system with EIT. Furthermore, we have also examined a one-dimensional underlying concentration profile and EIT profile by using a one-dimensional diffusion–convection model because EIT is proportional to the squared concentration gradient. We have then shown that the concentration gradient is steeper and, thus, the EIT is larger as

$Pe$

is larger. Therefore, this is the first numerical study that can theoretically verify finger widening with increasing flow rate, which occurs only in a miscible system with EIT to the extent of our targeting EIT values, and explain the mechanism by one-dimensional analysis.
The (non) Europeanization of Latvia’s Far Right
Authors: Auers Daunis
Published: June 2023

Latvia’s far right has had a great deal of political influence since the late 1980s, when nativist movements played a key role in mobilizing political opposition to Soviet power. Far-right parties have been in 16 of the 22 government coalitions in Latvia between 1993 and 2023. Since 2010, the National Alliance (NA), a merger between an established far-right party and a more youthful political party, has come to dominate Latvia’s far right and has been a part of every government coalition from 2011-2023. This article begins with a discussion of Europeanization, the Europeanization of political parties, and the qualitative methodology used in the article to examine the impact of Latvia’s membership in the European Union on NA’s international links and program. The article then outlines the development and influence of Latvia’s far-right. The following sections examine links between Latvia’s far right and Europe’s far right and the impact of Europe on NA’s ideology and program. It finds little evidence of Europeanization of Latvia’s far right. Latvia’s far right is more hawkish toward Russia than the West European right and also enjoys greater domestic influence and respectability. “New nativist” anti-immigration and cultural Marxism themes have lower salience in Latvia where Russian-speakers are perceived as a bigger and more immediate threat than Muslims or “Woke” activists.
Implications of submonthly oxygen and carbon isotope variations in late Pleistocene Melanopsis shells for regional and local hydroclimate in the upper Jordan River valley
Authors: Rice Addison , Bunin Elizabeth , Plessen Birgit , Sharon Gonen , Mischke Steffen
Published: June 2023

Many water-stressed regions of the globe have a highly seasonal precipitation regime. However, seasonality in the past and under changing climates is little studied. Submonthly records of sclerochronological δ18O and δ13C values of Melanopsis shells from the Jordan River Dureijat archaeological site (JRD) in the upper Jordan River valley presented here document the hydrology of paleo-Lake Hula. These records were assessed for changes in seasonal hydrology in the lake and compared with modern shells collected from present-day waterbodies in northern Israel and with models of δ18Oshell. Results from shells in sediments dating from the last glacial maximum (LGM) to the Bølling-Allerød imply changes in waterbody size that qualitatively parallel changes in the late Pleistocene Lake Lisan levels; Hula Lake was well buffered when Lake Lisan stood at a high stand and poorly buffered when water levels were lower. Furthermore, data from shells dated to the LGM suggest inflowing water with lower δ18O values than local rainfall, providing evidence for a greater proportion of snow in the catchment than today. Reconstruction of water δ18O and mixing-model calculations suggest that snowmelt contribution to spring water during the LGM may have been more than twice the amount in the modern-day catchment.
Association between dietary folate intake and severe headache among adults in the USA: a cross-sectional survey
Authors: Tian Sheng , Wu Lanxiang , Zheng Heqing , Zhong Xianhui , Liu Mingxu , Yu Xinping , Wu Wei
Published: June 2023

Folate, also known as vitamin B9, is a water-soluble vitamin. Previous studies on dietary folate intake in severe headache patients were equivocal. Therefore, we conducted a cross-sectional study to elucidate the relationship between folate intake and severe headache. This cross-sectional study used data from participants over 20 years old who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 1999 to 2004. The diagnosis of severe headache was made through participants’ self-report in the NHANES questionnaire section. We performed multivariate logistic regression and restricted cubic spline (RCS) regression to explore the relationship between folate intake and severe headache. A total of 9859 participants took part in the study, 1965 of whom were severe headache patients and the rest were non-severe headache. We found that dietary folate intake was significantly and inversely associated with severe headache. Compared with participants with lower folate intake Q1 (≤ 229·97 ug/d), the adjusted OR values for dietary folate intake and severe headache in Q2 (229·98–337 ug/d), Q3 (337·01–485 ug/d) and Q4 (≥ 485·01 ug/d) were 0·81 (95 % CI: 0·67, 0·98, P = 0·03), 0·93 (95 % CI: 0·77, 1·12, P = 0·41) and 0·63 (95 % CI: 0·49, 0·80, P < 0·001), respectively. For women aged 20–50 years, there was a non-linear association between folate intake and severe headache in the RCS. Women aged 20–50 years should have higher awareness of dietary folate and increase their dietary intake of folate, which may aid in preventing severe headache.
Emerging healthcare interventions: Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute’s programmatic initiative
Authors: Raman Gowri , Vijaysimha Meghana , Kopleff Emma , Dunham Kelly , Martin Greg , Slutsky Jean , Lawrence William
Published: June 2023

The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) is a nonprofit, nongovernmental organization established by the U.S. Congress to fund comparative clinical effectiveness research focusing on patient-centered outcomes through the engagement of stakeholders. Evaluation of emerging healthcare innovations is one of PCORI’s five National Priorities for Health. One such initiative is PCORI’s Emerging Technologies and Therapeutics Reports program, established to provide timely overviews of evidence on new drugs and other healthcare technologies. This article provides an overview of completed and ongoing Emerging Technologies and Therapeutics Reports including lessons learned to date. In addition to systematic searches, systematic selection of studies, and transparent reporting of the available evidence, informed by a select number of stakeholders (i.e., key informants), these reports focus on contextual factors shaping the diffusion of emerging technologies that are often not reported in the medical literature. This article also compares processes and methodologies of health technology assessments (HTAs) from a selected number of national and international publicly funded agencies with a goal toward potential future enhancement of PCORI’s Emerging Technologies and Therapeutics Reports program. HTAs vary considerably in terms of funding, types of assessments, the role of manufacturers, stakeholder engagement, timeline to complete from the start to the finish of a draft report publication, and communication of uncertainty for informed decision making. Future Emerging Technologies and Therapeutics Reports may focus on rapid reports to support a more expedient development of evidence. Future research could explore the role of contextual factors identified in these reports on targeted evidence generation.
Leveraging language specific information
Authors: WAGNER Laura
Published: June 2023

Meaning comes in different shapes and sizes. Content words like parrot and persimmon and perambulate convey some important – and very specific – kinds of meanings. But the kinds of meaning that syntactic structures encode are of a different sort. They are more general and abstract than those kinds of words, and they are linked to the underlying organization of language. The essential insight behind syntactic bootstrapping is that children can leverage the way that structural elements connect to abstract meanings to help them acquire the more specific kinds of meanings in the content words.
Responding to Africa’s burden of disease: accelerating progress
Authors: Impouma Benido , Kalu Akpaka A. , Makubalo Lindiwe , Gasasira Alex , Cabore Joseph , Moeti Matshidiso
Published: June 2023

Although Africa is home to about 14% of the global population (1.14 billion people), it is growing three times faster than the global average [1]. The continent carries a high burden of disease, but there has been real progress in eradication, elimination, and control since 2015. Examples are the eradication of wild polio in 2020 [2] and the eradication or elimination of neglected tropical diseases, such as dracunculiasis in Kenya in 2018; Human African trypanosomiasis in Togo in 2022; and trachoma in Togo, Gambia, Ghana, and Malawi in 2022 [3]. New HIV infections reduced by 44% in 2021 compared to 2010 [4], and in 2021 the African region passed the 2020 milestone of the End TB Strategy, with a 22% reduction in new infections compared with 2015 [5].
Terrorism-Related Attacks in East Asia from 1970 to 2020
Authors: Shin Heejun , Hertelendy Attila , Hart Alexander , Tin Derrick , Issa Fadi , Hata Ryan , Ciottone Gregory
Published: June 2023

Introduction:

This study aims to analyze and describe terrorism-related attacks in East Asia from 1970 to 2020. This descriptive analysis of terrorist attacks in East Asia will help first responders, emergency medical services (EMS), hospital-based medical providers, and policymakers establish a more refined hazard vulnerability assessment framework and develop a counter-terrorism medicine (CTM) mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery plan.

Method:

This descriptive observational study draws data from the Global Terrorism Database (GTD) from January 1, 1970, to December 31, 2020. Epidemiology outcomes included primary weapon type, primary target type, the country where the incident occurred, and the number of total deaths and injuries collected. Data from 2021 was not yet available at the time of this study. Results were exported into an Excel spreadsheet (Microsoft Corp.; Redmond, Washington USA) for analysis.

Results:

There were 779 terrorism-related events in East Asia from 1970 to 2020. In total, the attacks resulted in 1,123 deaths and 9,061 persons injured. The greatest number of attacks (371; 47.63%) occurred in Japan and the second most occurred in China (268; 34.4%). Explosives were the most used primary weapon type (308; 39.54%) in the region, followed by incendiary devices (260; 33.38%). Terrorist attacks drastically diminished from their peak of 92 in 1990, but there were additional peaks of 88 in 1996, 18 in 2000, 20 in 2008, and 36 attacks in 2014.

Conclusion:

A total of 779 terrorist attacks occurred from 1970 to 2020 in East Asia, resulting in 1,123 deaths and 9,061 injuries. Of those, 82.03% of attacks occurred in Japan and China. Terrorist attacks drastically diminished since their peak in 1996, but there is an overall uptrend in attacks since 1999.
Democratization of Terrorism: An Analysis of Vehicle-based Terrorist Events
Authors: Houser Ryan
Published: June 2023

Introduction:

The COVID-19 pandemic inspired social changes that promote outdoor activities including eating at restaurants, which may linger in a world hyperfocused on disease transmission prevention, increasing the vulnerabilities to vehicle-based terrorism. Vehicle ramming attacks started to transition from a relatively rare method of attack to one of the most lethal forms of terrorism prior to the emergence of COVID-19.

Method:

This study aims to provide a historical analysis of the terrorism-based attacks using vehicles between 1970 and 2019 by retrospectively searching the Global Terrorism Database for terror events that used a vehicle as a means of attack–a methodology suggested by Tin et al.

Results:

257 recorded terror attacks involved some type of vehicle between 1970 and 2019. The attacks resulted in 808 fatalities and 1715 injuries when excluding the September 11 attacks. 76 events occurred in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, 25 in the USA, 16 in Israel, and 14 in the UK. Of the 257 terror incidents, 71% (183) occurred within the last 6-year span of inquiry.

Conclusion:

By 2016, vehicle attacks were the most lethal form of attack comprising just over half of all terrorism-related deaths in that year. Large gatherings such as festivals, sporting events, and now outdoor seating at restaurants, leave a number of people highly vulnerable to vehicle ramming attacks depending on established countermeasures. The increased prevalence of outdoor activities and gatherings in a post-COVID-19 world will further expose large numbers of people to the potential vulnerabilities of vehicle-based terrorism. The scale of the casualties from a vehicle-based terror attack can overwhelm traditional resources and strain the abilities of the healthcare sector. Counterterrorism and disaster medicine specialists are crucial players in educating first responders and emergency medicine providers, allowing them to adequately prepare for an evolving threat in a world devastated by COVID-19.
Collaboration Between Civil and Military Means for Teaching Disaster Medicine
Authors: Trimpont Frank Van , Hansen Jan-Cedric , Aquilino Veronica , Boon Christopher , Opitz Anja , Donahue Donald , Barach Paul , Quinn John , Goebels Stefan
Published: June 2023

Introduction:

Training in disaster medicine can be partly theoretical but it must include a large practical part. If part of it can be developed through exercises in virtual reality or on a computer, the realization of life-size disaster exercises bringing together all the disciplines is of great help in this learning. Exercises of such magnitude are difficult to carry out in civilian life for reasons of resources and cost. We therefore wanted to develop this disaster medicine course with the three French-speaking civil universities but also with the Royal Military School for the practical part.

Method:

Collaboration agreements were established between three civilian universities (ULB, UCLouvain, ULiège) and the Royal Military School. The army thus provides the infrastructures of the Belgian military units to organize the exercises, personnel, means of make-up, vehicles, and security, all free of cost. Coordination meetings before exercises are also organized during the year by the army.

Results:

The exercises are organized in complete safety conditions on military fields, isolated from the civilian environment without disturbing the daily functioning of civilians. Access is authorized and organized for the various disciplines (firefighters, police, red cross and other participants). Nearly 100 people (victims, firemen, policemen,...) and 50 vehicles per exercise make the scenario completely believable. Different scenarios are repeated six times to complete the training of 80 students.

Conclusion:

The collaboration between civilians and military has made it possible to set up quality training integrating a large part of life-size exercises at no cost and in complete safety. This ends the course by integrating in practice all the knowledge learned during the theoretical part and the virtual exercises.
The Effect of Different Degrees of Cold Exposure on Medical Laypeople’s Tourniquet Application Time and Quality: A Within-Group Trial
Authors: Brodin Wilhelm , Friberg Marc , Jonson Carl-Oscar , Prytz Erik
Published: June 2023

Introduction:

Cold exposure generally has a negative effect on tasks that rely on finger dexterity. It is not known if cold exposure will affect medical laypeople’s ability to perform first aid for life-threatening bleedings, specifically tourniquet application. This study investigates the effect of cold exposure on medical laypeople’s tourniquet application ability.

Method:

Twenty-nine adult medical laypersons received brief tourniquet application training and then completed a tourniquet application test in a baseline condition and three partial cold immersion conditions where their hands were immersed in nearly 0°C water. The three cold immersion conditions were 16°C, 12°C, and 8°C hand-skin temperature. Tourniquet application quality was measured using a procedural checklist. Time until bleeding control was also measured.

Results:

The results show that cold exposure significantly increases the time to bleeding control, F(3, 84) = 5.42, p < .01, η2 = .05. Planned contrasts revealed a significant increase in time between baseline and 8°C hand-skin temperature (M baseline = 65.5s, SD = 17.0; M 8°C = 76.9s, SD = 19.6), t(28) = 3.77, p < .01, r = 0.38. No effect was found on the procedural application quality, F(3, 84) = 2.21, p = .09.

Conclusion:

Cold exposure can decrease the chance of survival for the injured person when a medical layperson provides first aid for life-threatening bleedings due to increased application time. The results can also be used when educating medical laypeople in first aid for life-threatening bleedings as it provides evidence of specific effects from a stressor that is common in regions with cold climate. Future research should be aimed at exploring possible mitigation strategies such as tourniquet design or rewarming procedures and investigating if a similar effect exists for prehospital professionals.