bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Pregnancy, Arsenic, and Immune Response (PAIR) Study in rural northern Bangladesh
Authors: Avolio Lindsay N. , Smith Tyler J. S. , Navas‐Acien Ana , Kruczynski Kate , Pisanic Nora , Randad Pranay R. , Detrick Barbara , Fry Rebecca C. , van Geen Alexander , Goessler Walter , Karron Ruth A. , Klein Sabra L. , Ogburn Elizabeth L. , Wills‐Karp Marsha , Alland Kelsey , Ayesha Kaniz , Dyer Brian , Islam Md. Tanvir , Oguntade Habibat A. , Rahman Md. Hafizur , Ali Hasmot , Haque Rezwanul , Shaikh Saijuddin , Schulze Kerry J. , Muraduzzaman A. K. M. , Alamgir A. S. M. , Flora Meerjady S. , West Keith P. , Labrique Alain B. , Heaney Christopher D. ,   for the JiVitA Maternal and Child Health and Nutrition Research Project
Published: February 2023

Background

Arsenic exposure and micronutrient deficiencies may alter immune reactivity to influenza vaccination in pregnant women, transplacental transfer of maternal antibodies to the foetus, and maternal and infant acute morbidity.

Objectives

The Pregnancy, Arsenic, and Immune Response (PAIR) Study was designed to assess whether arsenic exposure and micronutrient deficiencies alter maternal and newborn immunity and acute morbidity following maternal seasonal influenza vaccination during pregnancy.

Population

The PAIR Study recruited pregnant women across a large rural study area in Gaibandha District, northern Bangladesh, 2018–2019.

Design

Prospective, longitudinal pregnancy and birth cohort.

Methods

We conducted home visits to enrol pregnant women in the late first or early second trimester (11–17 weeks of gestational age). Women received a quadrivalent seasonal inactivated influenza vaccine at enrolment. Follow‐up included up to 13 visits between enrolment and 3 months postpartum. Arsenic was measured in drinking water and maternal urine. Micronutrient deficiencies were assessed using plasma biomarkers. Vaccine‐specific antibody titres were measured in maternal and infant serum. Weekly telephone surveillance ascertained acute morbidity symptoms in women and infants.

Preliminary Results

We enrolled 784 pregnant women between October 2018 and March 2019. Of 784 women who enrolled, 736 (93.9%) delivered live births and 551 (70.3%) completed follow‐up visits to 3 months postpartum. Arsenic was detected (≥0.02 μg/L) in 99.7% of water specimens collected from participants at enrolment. The medians (interquartile ranges) of water and urinary arsenic at enrolment were 5.1 (0.5, 25.1) μg/L and 33.1 (19.6, 56.5) μg/L, respectively. Water and urinary arsenic were strongly correlated (Spearman's ⍴ = 0.72) among women with water arsenic ≥ median but weakly correlated (⍴ = 0.17) among women with water arsenic < median.

Conclusions

The PAIR Study is well positioned to examine the effects of low‐moderate arsenic exposure and micronutrient deficiencies on immune outcomes in women and infants.

Registration: NCT03930017.
Reductionism in Alf Ross's Early Philosophy: A Comparison with Georges Politzer and Theodor Geiger
Authors: Ridolfi Giorgio
Published: February 2023

Ross's Kritik der sogenannten praktischen Erkenntnis pertains more to moral philosophy than to the philosophy of law, even if its contents are important for the latter, too. Its main objective is to show the theoretical groundlessness of any evaluative judgment. This happens when Ross takes the behaviourist approach of reducing psychology to physiology, which opens up fruitful comparisons with Marxist materialism, and in particular with that of Georges Politzer. Another fundamental question concerns the assumption that theoretical nihilism would lead to practical nihilism, as argued by Theodor Geiger (but denied by Ross). And yet, if Geiger is right, can this have no effect on people's everyday lives?
Microbe‐mediated, marine authigenic formation of ooidal chamosite: Insights from upper Ordovician carbonates of the South‐Western Yangtze platform (China)
Authors: Chen Si , Zeng Min , Tian Jingchun , Ren Kefa , Wang Bo , Zhao Zhifang , Chen Xi , Ettensohn Frank R. , Adatte Thierry
Published: February 2023

Chamosite is a common marine authigenic mineral and microbial involvement has been often assumed during its formation. However, the fossil record of such microbial activity is ambiguous. Chamosite oolitic ironstones widely occur in the Upper Ordovician of the Yangtze Platform, but their origin remains unclear. In this study, detailed sedimentological and mineralogical investigations on ironstones from the Haima section (south‐western Yangtze Platform) helped unravel the critical role of cyanobacterial activity during marine chamosite authigenesis. Stratigraphically, deposition of the Haima oolitic ironstones corresponded with an early Katian transgression, temporally equivalent to many other early Palaeozoic counterparts worldwide. Petrographic observations revealed that different chamosite forms (ooids, peloids and matrix) all developed in close association with calcified cyanobacteria, suggesting that cyanobacteria‐involved chamosite formation existed across a wide range of hydrodynamic conditions from above fair‐weather wave base to below storm wave base. Further mineralogical characterization (backscatter imaging and electron‐microprobe analyses) at single‐grain scale revealed clear mineral zonation from the matrix (dispersed iron oxide and microquartz) through the calcified cyanobacterial sheaths (dispersed chamosite) to the ooid (chamosite). This zonation is best explained by cyanobacterial microbial mats that created benthic reducing and high‐pH conditions. These conditions drove near‐seafloor, dispersed iron oxide and microquartz (primary precipitates formed in oxic seawater) to form chamosite. The authigenic chamosite, originally dispersed within and surrounding the microbial mats, could be reworked to develop other chamositic grains. It is proposed here that the early Katian transgression was responsible for the chamosite–oolitic–ironstone development. The marine transgression submerged earlier‐exposed lands and likely supplied Fe‐Al‐rich colloidal materials to an open marine setting for the chamosite authigenesis. Moreover, transgression likely triggered upwelling, delivered ferruginous deeper water as an extra Fe source and provided nutrients for the cyanobacterial microbial‐mat development, which was essential for the widespread chamosite authigenesis across the south‐western Yangtze Platform.
Sonic colonialities: Listening, dispossession, and the (re)making of Anglo‐European nature
Authors: Kanngieser A. M.
Published: February 2023

Creative and feminist geographers position listening as a way to build more responsive, ethical, and reciprocal relations to people and environments. In this paper I argue that for geographers to situate listening – in the broadest definition as ‘sensing, attuning, and noticing’ – as part of a creative approach to reparative practice, we must first understand how Anglo‐European modes of listening and interpreting the world through sound are shaped by ‘sonic colonialities’. These are encultured ways of apprehending and narrating environments that are derived from the Eurocentric fetish for pre‐colonial natures, imagined as discrete, unmediated, and possessable. Given the now prolific interest of geographers in sonic practices, this paper argues for a closer and more critical attention to how listening and sound methods are inherently determined by sonic colonialities. Using the example of field recordings, I show how such practices create and perpetuate divisive ideas of nature and place within contemporary ecological sound art.
Trade development and agricultural productivity change: Evidence from China
Authors: Ma Yuan , Brümmer Bernhard , Yu Xiaohua
Published: February 2023

Since China joined the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in 2001, more Chinese agricultural products have been exported to various countries at low tariff rates. However, the impacts of WTO accession on China's agricultural productivity and technical efficiency are ambiguous. The aim of this study is to investigate the impacts of trade on China's agricultural production by analysing productivity changes before and after 2001. To understand the role trade plays in productivity and technical efficiency change, we introduce two trade indices to the multi‐input multi‐output distance function and technical inefficiency model to examine the export and import effects on technical efficiency and total factor productivity (TFP) change. Our findings indicate that the average growth rate of TFP is 5.8% per annum before joining the WTO, and it increases slightly with an annual rate of 8.5% after joining the WTO. Additionally, with the development of trade liberalisation, the traditional advantages (e.g., technology innovation, spillovers, FDI) of exports on agricultural productivity are being replaced by the competitive effect of imports.
Evaluation of Effective Radiant Heating Surface and Application of the Stefan-Boltzman Law to Heat Absorption in Boiler Furnaces
Authors: Mullikin H. F.
Published: February 2023

In the first section of this paper a method has been developed for converting well-known types of furnace heat-absorbing surfaces into an equivalent effective radiant heating surface. It concerns the evaluation of this effective radiant heating surface as controlled by (1) various spacings of waterwall tubes, (2) various kinds of blocks on the waterwall tubes, (3) various amounts of slag on the waterwall tubes or blocks, and (4) the emissivity of the waterwall surface exposed to the flame. The second section deals with the fraction of heat supplied to the furnace that is given up by the gases in the furnace which is solved most simply and practically by the use of the Stefan-Boltzman radiation law.

Results computed in this manner have been compared with results reported in a paper entitled, “An Experimental Investigation of Heat Absorption in Boiler Furnaces”. It is found that for large pulverized coal, and oil-fired and gas-fired furnaces, the assumption of an effective furnace emissivity of unity leads to results which are in substantial agreement with experimental data. For stoker-fired furnaces in general, the effective furnace emissivity appears to be less than unity.
The Influence of Cutting Fluids on Tool Life in Turning Steel
Authors: Boston O. W. , Gilbert W. W. , Kraus C. E.
Published: February 2023

Several reports, listed in this paper as a selected bibliography, already have been presented by the Subcommittee on Cutting Fluids. The first report deals, in general with the characteristics of cutting fluids (1); the second paper presents the results of an industrial questionnaire regarding the use of cutting fluids (2); and the balance of the reports (3, 4, 5) present experimental data dealing with the performance of cutting fluids when drilling and sawing various steels, cast iron, malleable cast iron, brass, and aluminum. The Committee now proposes a series of experiments by which further data may be obtained as to the use and properties of cutting fluids. It is hoped that eventually these data may be correlated to indicate the principles underlying the commercial use of cutting fluids.

The object of this paper is to present the results of a series of tests in which various cutting fluids were used in turning steel. It is shown that the exponent, as well as the constant, in the formula VTn = C may change as the cutting fluids are changed, other conditions remaining constant.
Formulas for Stresses in Bolted Flanged Connections
Authors: Waters E. O. , Wesstrom D. B. , Rossheim D. B. , Williams F. S. G.
Published: February 2023

Progress in pressure-vessel design and fabrication during the past two decades has brought about a marked change In the form of bolted connections. Whereas flanges were formerly provided with hubs of approximately uniform thickness, screwed to or slipped over the shell or pipe, it is now customary to use tapered hubs, and an integral structure is obtained by butt welding the end of the hub to the shell. This has invalidated former methods of design for flanged connections.

This paper outlines a revised analysis based on the ring, tapered hub, and shell being considered as three elastically coupled units loaded by a bolting moment, a hydrostatic pressure, or a combination of the two. Design formulas and charts are given for the computation of stresses that are likely to be critical, and their application is illustrated by three problems taken from current commercial practice.
Correlation and Utilization of New Data on Flow Resistance and Heat Transfer for Cross Flow of Gases Over Tube Banks
Authors: Grimison E. D.
Published: February 2023

In spite of the commercial importance of the tube bank in heat-transfer equipment, few experimental data previously have been available on convection heat transfer and resistance to flow of gases sweeping the tubes in cross flow. The new experimental observations reported in the research program of the Babcock & Wilcox Company by Huge and Pierson are therefore of the utmost importance. Results of tests are reported for a large number of tube spacings of the commonly used staggered and in-line arrangements with different tube sizes, with a sufficient number of checks to assure their general accuracy. Special equipment was built and tested by Huge to investigate the influence of equipment size on convection and flow resistance and the results appear to confirm substantially the validity of the similarity principle.

Before these new data could be used in practice, a great deal of analytical study has been necessary; this is the subject of the present paper. It was considered essential to satisfy the following major requirements:

(a) Develop or select a method of correlation and of application of the original data to commercial equipment, for which conditions of size and operation may differ greatly from those of the experiments. The general relations developed from the principle of similarity, which have been used by Pierson and Huge in presenting their results, were selected for this purpose initially.

(b) Examine the general relations for validity. These appear to be satisfactory except that a few uncertainties exist in details of application.

(c) Study differences in characteristics from available sources from the viewpoint of causes and where necessary modify the original data consistently to reconcile such differences.

(d) By fairing methods correct accidental errors of small magnitude.

(e) Define the relation of the data to the whole problem or process and indicate the method of application to working needs in a sound general procedure.

(f) Compare the over-all calculated results with results of reliable field tests of commercial equipment, as well as with experimental results of other investigators. These comparisons indicate that the new data are satisfactory with regard to both accuracy and utility.

All of these phases are discussed at some length in this paper, and the results are summarized in the form of working relations and charts.
Finding Dangerous Waves—Review of Methods to Obtain Wave Impact Design Loads for Marine Structures
Authors: van Essen Sanne , Seyffert Harleigh
Published: February 2023

Green water and slamming wave impacts can lead to severe damage or operability issues for marine structures. It is therefore essential to consider their probability and loads in design. This is difficult, as impacts are both hydrodynamically complex and relatively rare. The complexity requires high-fidelity modeling (experiments or CFD), whereas a statistically sound analysis of rare events requires long durations. High-fidelity tools are too demanding to run a Monte–Carlo simulation; low-fidelity tools do not include sufficient physical details. The use of extreme value theory and/or multi-fidelity modeling is therefore required. The present paper reviews the state-of-the-art methods to find wave impact design loads, which include response-conditioning methods, screening methods, and adaptive sampling methods. Their benefits and shortcomings are discussed, as well as challenges for the wave impact problem. One challenge is the role of wave non-linearity. Another is the validation of the different methods; it is hard to obtain long-duration high-fidelity wave impact data.
Correlations Describing Laminar Hydrodynamic Development in a Circular Pipe
Authors: Kaya Kenan , Özcan Oktay
Published: February 2023

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is employed to study incompressible and steady laminar flow in the hydrodynamic entrance region of circular pipes for a wide range of Reynolds numbers. Dimensionless analytic expressions for streamwise variations of the centerline velocity, skin friction coefficient, and pressure drop are derived by applying a two-stage nonlinear regression analysis to computational solutions of the Navier–Stokes equations for various Reynolds numbers between 1 and 2000. Similar expressions are also presented for the correction factors for the momentum and kinetic energy fluxes. First, the correlation parameters for a flow variable are obtained for each Reynolds number considered. Subsequently, a second nonlinear regression analysis is conducted to obtain another set of equations for the variation of fitting parameters with the Reynolds number. Constant parameter correlations are also given for the Reynolds number range between 200 and 2000, which are less accurate than the expressions containing Reynolds number-dependent terms. The correlations presented here are also valid for flows with heat transfer, under the assumptions of constant property and zero buoyancy.
Atomistic simulations for investigation of substrate effects on lipid in-source fragmentation in secondary ion mass spectrometry
Authors: Taylor Michael J. , Kim Hoshin , Kew William , Andersen Amity , Bhattacharjee Arunima , Engelhard Mark H. , Anderton Christopher R.
Published: February 2023

In beam-based ionization methods, the substrate plays an important role on the desorption mechanism of molecules from surfaces. Both the specific orientation that a molecule adopts at a surface and the strength of the molecule-surface interaction can greatly influence desorption processes, which in turn will affect the ion yield and the degree of in-source fragmentation of a molecule. In the beam-based method of secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), in-source fragmentation can be significant and molecule specific due to the hard ionization method of using a primary ion beam for molecule desorption. To investigate the role of the substrate on orientation and in-source fragmentation, we have used atomistic simulations—molecular dynamics in combination with density functional theory calculations—to explore the desorption of a sphingolipid (palmitoylsphingomyelin) from a model surface (gold). We then compare SIMS data from this model system to our modeling findings. Using this approach, we found that the combined adsorption and binding energy of certain bonds associated with the headgroup fragments (C3H8N+, C5H12N+, C5H14NO+, and C5H15PNO4+) was a good predictor for fragment intensities (as indicated by relative ion yields). This is the first example where atomistic simulations have been applied in beam-based ionization of lipids, and it presents a new approach to study biointerfacial lipid ordering effects on SIMS imaging.
Evaluation of Oral Tebipenem as a Step-Down Therapy following Intravenous Ertapenem against Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase-Producing Escherichia coli in a Hollow-Fiber
In Vitro
Infection Model
Authors: VanScoy B. D. , Jones S. , Conde H. , Friedrich L. V. , Cotroneo N. , Bhavnani S. M. , Ambrose P. G.
Published: February 2023

Tebipenem is an orally bioavailable carbapenem in development for the treatment of patients with complicated urinary tract infections. Herein, we describe the results of studies designed to evaluate tebipenem’s potential as an oral (p.o.) transition therapy from intravenous (i.v.) ertapenem therapy for the most common uropathogen,
Escherichia coli
. These studies utilized a 7-day hollow-fiber
in vitro
infection model and 5 extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing
E. coli
challenge isolates.
Martian soil as revealed by ground-penetrating radar at the Tianwen-1 landing site
Authors: Chen Ruonan , Zhang Ling , Xu Yi , Liu Renrui , Bugiolacchi Roberto , Zhang Xiaoping , Chen Lu , Zeng Zhaofa , Liu Cai
Published: February 2023

Much of the Martian surface is covered by a weathering layer (regolith or soil) produced by long-term surface processes such as impact gardening, eolian erosion, water weathering, and glacial modifications. China’s first Martian mission, Tianwen-1, employed the Mars Rover Penetrating Radar (RoPeR) to unveil the detailed structure of the regolith layer and assess its loss tangent. The RoPeR radargram revealed the local regolith layer to be highly heterogeneous and geologically complex and characterized by structures that resemble partial or complete crater walls and near-surface impact lenses at a very shallow depth. However, comparable radar data from the Lunar far side are rather uniform, despite the two surfaces being geologically contemporary. The close-to-surface crater presented in this study shows no detectable surface expression, which suggests an accelerated occultation rate for small craters on the surface of Mars as compared to the rate on the Moon. This is probably due to the relentless eolian processes on the Martian surface that led to the burial of the crater and thus shielded it from further erosion. The high loss tangent indicates that the regolith at the Tianwen-1 landing site is not dominated by water ice.
Fournier’s gangrene with retroperitoneal extension in an immunocompetent patient
Authors: Canagasingham Ashan , Okullo Alfin Taddeo , He Mike , McCredie Simon
Published: February 2023

A male patient in his 80s presented with the classic signs of Fournier’s gangrene. At his initial debridement, an unusual florid involvement of the right cord was noted requiring a right inguinal orchidectomy in addition to extensive debridement. Although he subsequently stabilised in the intensive care unit, his inflammatory markers were noted to uptrend again requiring a relook procedure which revealed evidence of progressive necrosis in the right inguinal region. After further debridement, a CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis revealed intra-abdominal extension of the disease process with a retroperitoneal collection adjacent to the caecum—a rare complication of Fournier’s gangrene. This required open surgical drainage for adequate disease control. He subsequently underwent split skin grafting prior to discharge to a rehabilitation facility.
Levels of immunoglobulin isotypes in serum and respiratory samples of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Unninayar Dana , Shea Beverley , Cameron D William , Cowan Juthaporn
Published: February 2023

Introduction

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an inflammatory respiratory disorder characterised by the progressive worsening of lung function. Acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD) is a leading contributor to patient morbidity, mortality and hospitalisations. The clinical significance of immunoglobulin (Ig) levels in COPD patients is not well established and is in need of further investigation.

Methods and analysis

We will conduct a systematic review to describe levels of different Ig isotypes (IgG, IgA and IgM) in various samples (serum, sputum and bronchoalveolar lavage) of patients with COPD. IgE levels in COPD patients have been researched and reviewed extensively and hence will be excluded from this review. IgD levels will also be excluded from the review as there is a paucity of data on IgD levels in COPD patients. The primary outcome of interest in this systematic review is assessing Ig isotype levels in patients with COPD. Secondary outcomes that will be assessed include the differences between Ig isotype levels in COPD patients compared with healthy controls, as well as the relationships between Ig isotype levels and key clinical variables, including COPD severity, incidence of AECOPD and AECOPD severity. Embase and Ovid MEDLINE will be used to search for non-randomised studies published from 1946 to October 2022 that report our prespecified primary and secondary outcomes. As per the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses protocol, retrieved studies will undergo a two-phase screening process conducted by two independent reviewers. Prespecified primary and secondary outcomes will be extracted from eligible studies, and descriptive statistics will be used to analyse extracted outcomes. The risk of bias will be assessed using the Risk Of Bias In Non-randomised Studies - of Interventions (ROBINS-I) tool.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethics approval is not required as this is a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis. Findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and other formats including conference presentations.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42020192220.
Association between obesity and 1-year mortality in septic patients: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Zhang Li , Fang Lingna , Lihua Hang , Li Chong
Published: February 2023

Objective

Sepsis is a major contributor of intensive care units (ICUs) patient mortality. Prior investigations claimed that obesity enhances overall survival (OS) of septic patients. However, the reported results were inconsistent. This study examined the association between obesity and the 1-year mortality of septic patients.

Design

A retrospective cohort study.

Setting

The Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care III database.

Participants

3145 septic patients were separated into three distinct cohorts, based on their WHO body mass index (BMI) status.

Outcomes

Our primary endpoint was the 1-year mortality from the date of ICU hospitalization.

Result

1334 (42.4%) died within 1 year. The 1-year mortality rate was low in obese patients (38.8%), compared with normal (46.9%) and overweight (42.1%) patients. Crude assessment revealed that obese patients experienced reduced 1-year mortality, relative to normal weight patients (HR 0.79, 95% CI 0.69 to 0.9, p<0.001). However, once adjusted for baseline variables and comorbidities, no correlation was found between obesity and the 1-year mortality (HR 0.93, 95% CI 0.81 to 1.06, p=0.28) of septic patients. There was an association among diabetic (HR 0.72, 95% CI 0.56 to 0.93, p=0.012) and hypertensive (HR 0.73, 95% CI 0.58 to 0.92, p=0.008) patients, and among males (HR 0.71, 95% CI 0.59 to 0.86, p<0.001), with obese individuals experiencing the lowest mortality rate. Given these evidences, the interactions between BMI and mortality in diabetic (p=0.031) and hypertensive (p=0.035) patients were significant.

Conclusion

In our study, obese diabetic and hypertensive patients associated to less sepsis-related mortality risk, compared with normal weight patients. Further researches were need to validated.
Protocol for the derivation and external validation of a 30-day postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) risk prediction model for elderly patients undergoing thoracic surgery: a cohort study in southern China
Authors: Wei Wei , Zheng Xi , Zhou Chao Wei , Zhang Anyu , Zhou Ming , Yao HuaYong , Jiang Tao
Published: February 2023

Introduction

Postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) occur after up to 60% of non-cardiac thoracic surgery (NCTS), especially for multimorbid elderly patients. Nevertheless, current risk prediction models for PPCs have major limitations regarding derivation and validation, and do not account for the specific risks of NCTS patients. Well-founded and externally validated models specific to elderly NCTS patients are warranted to inform consent and treatment decisions.

Methods and analysis

We will develop, internally and externally validate a multivariable risk model to predict 30-day PPCs in elderly NCTS patients. Our cohort will be generated in three study sites in southern China with a target population of approximately 1400 between October 2021 and December 2023. Candidate predictors have been selected based on published data, clinical expertise and epidemiological knowledge. Our model will be derived using the combination of multivariable logistic regression and bootstrapping technique to lessen predictors. The final model will be internally validated using bootstrapping validation technique and externally validated using data from different study sites. A parsimonious risk score will then be developed on the basis of beta estimates derived from the logistic model. Model performance will be evaluated using area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, max-rescaled Brier score and calibration slope. In exploratory analysis, we will also assess the net benefit of Probability of PPCs Associated with THoracic surgery in elderly patients score in the complete cohort using decision curve analysis.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethical approval has been obtained from the Institutional Review Board of the Affiliated Cancer Hospital and Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the University of Hongkong—Shenzhen Hospital, respectively. The final risk prediction model will be published in an appropriate journal and further disseminated as an online calculator or nomogram for clinical application. Approved and anonymised data will be shared.

Trial registration number

ChiCTR2100051170.
Cardiorespiratory Optimisation By Arteriovenous fistula Ligation after renal Transplantation (COBALT): study protocol for a multicentre randomised interventional feasibility trial
Authors: Surendrakumar Veena , Aitken Emma , Mark Patrick , Motallebzadeh Reza , Hunter James , Amer Aimen , Summers Dominic , Rennie Kirsten , Rooshenas Leila , Garbi Madalina , Sylvester Karl , Hudson Cara , Banks Jennifer , Sidders Anna , Norton Andrew , Slater Matthew , Bartlett Matthew , Knight Simon , Pettigrew Gavin
Published: February 2023

Introduction

Cardiovascular events are a major cause of mortality following successful kidney transplantation.

Arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) are considered the best option for haemodialysis, but may contribute to this excess mortality because they promote adverse cardiac remodelling and ventricular hypertrophy. This raises the question whether recipients with a well-functioning kidney transplant should undergo elective AVF ligation.

Methods and analysis

The COBALT feasibility study is a multicentre interventional randomised controlled trial (RCT) that will randomise renal transplant patients with stable graft function and a working AVF on a 1:1 basis to standard care (continued conservative management) or to AVF ligation. All patients will perform cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) on recruitment and 6 months later. Daily functioning and quality of life will be additionally assessed by questionnaire completion and objective measure of physical activity. The primary outcome—the proportion of approached patients who complete the study (incorporating rates of consent, receipt of allocated intervention and completion of both CPETs without withdrawal)—will determine progression to a full-scale RCT. Design of the proposed RCT will be informed by an embedded qualitative assessment of participant and healthcare professional involvement.

Ethics and dissemination

This study has been approved by the East Midlands—Derby Research Ethics Committee (22/EM/0002) and the Health Research Authority. The results of this work will be disseminated academically through presentation at national and international renal meetings and via open access, peer-reviewed outputs. Existing networks of renal patient groups will also be used to disseminate the study findings to other key stakeholders.

Trial registration number

ISRCTN49033491.
Low-dose RaDiation therapy for patients with KNee osteoArthritis (LoRD-KNeA): a protocol for a sham-controlled randomised trial
Authors: Kim Byoung Hyuck , Shin Kichul , Kim Min Jung , Kim Hak Jae , Ro Du Hyun , Wang Joon Ho , Lee Dae-Hee , Kim Dong Hyun , Sun Jiyu , Lee Ji Hyun , Kim Ji Young , Hong Eun-Hee , Cho Seong-Jun , Han Hyuk-Soo , Park Won
Published: February 2023

Introduction

Low-dose radiation therapy (LDRT) for osteoarthritis (OA) has been performed for several decades. However, supporting evidence from randomised studies using modern methodologies is lacking, and a recently published randomised study failed to show the significant benefit of LDRT. The presented trial aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of LDRT for patients with knee OA.

Methods and analysis

This prospective, multicentre, randomised trial will be conducted in the Republic of Korea. A total of 114 participants will be randomly assigned (1:1:1) to receive sham irradiation, 0.3 Gy/6 fractions of LDRT or 3 Gy/6 fractions of LDRT. Key inclusion criteria are primary knee OA with Kellgren-Lawrence grade 2–3 and visual analogue scale 50–90 when walking at the baseline. The primary endpoint is the rate of responders at 4 months after LDRT according to the OARSI-OMERACT criteria. Concomitant use of analgesics is prohibited until the primary efficacy evaluation is scheduled.

Ethics and dissemination

Currently, approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety of the Republic of Korea and the institutional review board of each participating hospital has been obtained. Patient enrolment began in October 2022 and is ongoing at three participating sites. The results will be disseminated to academic audiences and the public via publication in an international peer-reviewed journal and presentation at conferences. This trial will provide valuable information on the safety and efficacy of LDRT for patients with knee OA.

Trial registration number

NCT05562271.
Prospective study of retention in opioid agonist treatment and contact with emergency healthcare following release from prisons in Victoria, Australia
Authors: Curtis Michael , Wilkinson Anna L , Dietze Paul , Stewart Ashleigh Cara , Kinner Stuart A , Cossar Reece David , Nehme Emily , Aitken Campbell , Walker Shelley , Butler Tony , Winter Rebecca J , Smith Karen , Stoove Mark
Published: February 2023

Background

People recently released from prison engage with emergency healthcare at greater rates than the general population. While retention in opioid agonist treatment (OAT) is associated with substantial reductions in the risk of opioid-related mortality postrelease, it is unknown how OAT affects contact with emergency healthcare. In a cohort of men who injected drugs regularly prior to imprisonment, we described rates of contact with ambulance services and EDs, and their associations with use of OAT, in the 3 months after release from prison.

Methods

Self-report data from a prospective observational cohort of men who regularly injected drugs before a period of sentenced imprisonment, recruited between September 2014 and May 2016, were linked to state-wide ambulance and ED records over a 3-month postrelease period in Victoria, Australia. We used generalised linear models to estimate associations between OAT use (none/interrupted/retained) and contact with ambulance and EDs postrelease, adjusted for other covariates.

Results

Among 265 participants, we observed 77 ambulance contacts and 123 ED contacts over a median of 98 days of observation (IQR 87–125 days). Participants who were retained in OAT between prison release and scheduled 3-month postrelease follow-up interviews had lower rates of contact with ambulance (adjusted incidence rate ratio (AIRR) 0.33, 95% CI 0.14 to 0.76) and ED (AIRR 0.43, 95% CI 0.22 to 0.83), compared with participants with no OAT use postrelease. Participants with interrupted OAT use did not differ from those with no OAT use in rates of contact with ambulance or ED.

Conclusion

We found lower rates of contact with emergency healthcare after release among people retained in OAT, but not among people reporting interrupted OAT use, underscoring the benefits of postrelease OAT retention. Strategies to improve accessibility and support OAT retention after leaving prison are important for men who inject drugs.
Prediction of short-term atrial fibrillation risk using primary care electronic health records
Authors: Nadarajah Ramesh , Wu Jianhua , Hogg David , Raveendra Keerthenan , Nakao Yoko M , Nakao Kazuhiro , Arbel Ronen , Haim Moti , Zahger Doron , Parry John , Bates Chris , Cowan Campbel , Gale Chris P
Published: February 2023

Objective

Atrial fibrillation (AF) screening by age achieves a low yield and misses younger individuals. We aimed to develop an algorithm in nationwide routinely collected primary care data to predict the risk of incident AF within 6 months (Future Innovations in Novel Detection of Atrial Fibrillation (FIND-AF)).

Methods

We used primary care electronic health record data from individuals aged ≥30 years without known AF in the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink-GOLD dataset between 2 January 1998 and 30 November 2018, randomly divided into training (80%) and testing (20%) datasets. We trained a random forest classifier using age, sex, ethnicity and comorbidities. Prediction performance was evaluated in the testing dataset with internal bootstrap validation with 200 samples, and compared against the CHA2DS2-VASc (Congestive heart failure, Hypertension, Age >75 (2 points), Stroke/transient ischaemic attack/thromboembolism (2 points), Vascular disease, Age 65–74, Sex category) and C2HEST (Coronary artery disease/Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (1 point each), Hypertension, Elderly (age ≥75, 2 points), Systolic heart failure, Thyroid disease (hyperthyroidism)) scores. Cox proportional hazard models with competing risk of death were fit for incident longer-term AF between higher and lower FIND-AF-predicted risk.

Results

Of 2 081 139 individuals in the cohort, 7386 developed AF within 6 months. FIND-AF could be applied to all records. In the testing dataset (n=416 228), discrimination performance was strongest for FIND-AF (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve 0.824, 95% CI 0.814 to 0.834) compared with CHA2DS2-VASc (0.784, 0.773 to 0.794) and C2HEST (0.757, 0.744 to 0.770), and robust by sex and ethnic group. The higher predicted risk cohort, compared with lower predicted risk, had a 20-fold higher 6-month incidence rate for AF and higher long-term hazard for AF (HR 8.75, 95% CI 8.44 to 9.06).

Conclusions

FIND-AF, a machine learning algorithm applicable at scale in routinely collected primary care data, identifies people at higher risk of short-term AF.
Neoadjuvant sintilimab and chemotherapy in patients with potentially resectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (KEEP-G 03): an open-label, single-arm, phase 2 trial
Authors: Chen Xiaofeng , Xu Xiang , Wang Danping , Liu Jinyuan , Sun Jing , Lu Mingjie , Wang Rui , Hui Bingqing , Li Xiaofei , Zhou Chenchen , Wang Min , Qiu Tianzhu , Cui Shiyun , Sun Nana , Li Yang , Wang Fufeng , Liu Cuicui , Shao Yang , Luo Jinhua , Gu Yanhong
Published: February 2023

Background

The standard neoadjuvant treatments in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) still have either poor safety or efficacy. Better therapies are needed in China.

Methods

This was an open-label, single-arm, phase 2 trial. Patients with potentially resectable ESCC (cT1b-3, Nany, M0 or T4a, N0-1, or M0) received preoperative intravenous sintilimab plus triplet chemotherapy (liposomal paclitaxel, cisplatin, and S-1) every 3 weeks for two cycles. The primary endpoints were safety and surgical feasibility; the secondary endpoint was major pathological response (MPR) rate. Genomic biomarkers (genetic mutations, tumor mutational burden (TMB), circulating tumor DNA status and immune microenvironment) in baseline tumor samples were investigated.

Results

All 30 patients completed two cycles of neoadjuvant treatment and underwent surgical resection. Grade 3–4 treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) occurred in 36.7% (11/30) of patients. The most frequent TRAEs were decreased white cell count (76.7%), anemia (76.7%), and decreased neutrophil count (73.3%). All TRAEs were hematological toxicities; none caused ≥30 days surgical delay. The MPR and pathological complete response (pCR) rates were 50.0% (15/30; 95% CI 33.2 to 66.9) and 20.0% (6/30; 95% CI 9.5 to 37.3), respectively. Patients with higher TMB and more clonal mutations were more likely to respond. ERBB2 alterations and ctDNA high-releaser status have a negative correlation with neoadjuvant ICI response. No significant difference was observed between therapeutic response and tumor immune microenvironment.

Conclusions

Neoadjuvant sintilimab plus platinum-based triplet chemotherapy appeared safe and feasible, did not delay surgery and induced a pCR rate of 20.0% in patients with potentially resectable ESCC.

Trial registration number

NCT03946969.
Prognosis of spontaneous pneumomediastinum occurring in dermatomyositis or polymyositis patients with interstitial lung disease according to antimelanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 antibody status: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Abe Kazuya , Furuta Shunsuke , Kobayashi Yoshihisa , Sugiyama Takao , Kagami Shin-Ichiro , Nakagomi Daiki , Iwamoto Taro , Ikeda Kei , Nakajima Hiroshi
Published: February 2023

Objectives

Spontaneous pneumomediastinum (SPNM) historically has been considered a poor prognostic factor in dermatomyositis/polymyositis patients complicated with interstitial lung disease (ILD). However, there is a lack of actual data regarding the association between SPNM occurrence and mortality in dermatomyositis/polymyositis patients. This study aimed to assess the association between SPNM occurrence and mortality in myositis patients with ILD according to antimelanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (MDA5) antibody status.

Methods

Dermatomyositis/polymyositis patients with ILD who were hospitalised at five Japanese hospitals from 2016 to 2020 were included in this retrospective observational study. We collected data about baseline characteristics including myositis-specific autoantibodies, treatments, SPNM and death within 1 year from therapy initiation or strengthening. Baseline characteristics and outcomes were compared between patients with and without SPNM (the SPNM group and the non-SPNM group, respectively).

Results

A total of 119 patients were analysed. SPNM occurred in 23 patients, and 15 patients died. Fifteen patients with SPNM were anti-MDA5 antibody positive. The mortality rate was significantly higher in the SPNM group (34.8%) than in the non-SPNM group (7.3%) (p=0.001). All deaths in the SPNM group occurred in anti-MDA5 antibody-positive patients (8/15), whereas none of the anti-MDA5 antibody-negative patients in the SPNM group died (0/8). In anti-MDA5 antibody-positive patients, the mortality rate was significantly higher in patients with SPNM occurrence (53.3%) than in those without SPNM occurrence (4.0%) (p=0.001).

Conclusion

SPNM occurred more frequently in anti-MDA5 antibody-positive than in anti-MDA5 antibody-negative myositis patients. SPNM occurrence was associated with higher mortality risk, especially in anti-MDA5 antibody-positive patients.
Patients with osteoporosis: children of a lesser god
Authors: Adami Giovanni , Tsourdi Elena , Rossini Maurizio , Funck-Brentano Thomas , Chapurlat Roland
Published: February 2023

Osteoporosis is a common non-communicable disease with enormous societal costs. Antiosteoporosis medications have been proven efficacious in reducing the refracture rate and mortality; moreover, we have now convincing evidence about the cost-effectiveness of antiosteoporotic medications. However, albeit preventable and treatable, osteoporosis has been somehow neglected by health authorities. Drugs approval has been unnecessarily lengthy, especially when compared with other non-communicable diseases. Herein, we discuss the issue of procrastinating drug approval in osteoporosis and future implications.
A Novel Image Clustering Algorithm Based on Supported Nearest Neighbors
Authors: Li Lin , Zhang Feng , Zhang Jiashuai , Hua Qiang , Dong Chun-Ru , Lim Chee-Peng
Published: February 2023

Unsupervised image clustering is a challenging task in computer vision. Recently, various deep clustering algorithms based on contrastive learning have achieved promising performance and some distinguishable features representation were obtained only by taking different augmented views of same image as positive pairs and maximizing their similarities, whereas taking other images’ augmentations in the same batch as negative pairs and minimizing their similarities. However, due to the fact that there is more than one image in a batch belong to the same class, simply pushing the negative instances apart will result in inter-class conflictions and lead to the clustering performance degradation. In order to solve this problem, we propose a deep clustering algorithm based on supported nearest neighbors (SNDC), which constructs positive pairs of current images by maintaining a support set and find its k nearest neighbors from the support set. By going beyond single instance positive, SNDC can learn more generalized features representation with inherent semantic meaning and therefore alleviating inter-class conflictions. Experimental results on multiple benchmark datasets show that the performance of SNDC is superior to the state-of-the-art clustering models, with accuracy improvement of 6.2% and 20.5% on CIFAR-10 and ImageNet-Dogs respectively.
Influential Node Identification of Network Based on Agglomeration Operation
Authors: Niu Baohua , Zhou Shuming , Zhang Hong
Published: February 2023

Networks with distinct topological structures varies in the ability to resist different kinds of attacks. Node protection in terms of node importance is an effective way to ensure the reliable communication of networks. Thus, the protection of influential node detected by node importance evaluation is beneficial to strengthen the invulnerability and robustness of networks. In this work, the network agglomeration method based on node contraction is utilized to evaluate the influence of nodes and identify important nodes in five kinds of interconnection networks. We show that the agglomeration method, which takes both the degree and position into account, is valid and feasible for these five interconnection networks.
The Witten index for one-dimensional split-step quantum walks under the non-Fredholm condition
Authors: Matsuzawa Yasumichi , Suzuki Akito , Tanaka Yohei , Teranishi Noriaki , Wada Kazuyuki
Published: February 2023

It is recently shown that a split-step quantum walk possesses a chiral symmetry, and that a certain well-defined index can be naturally assigned to it. The index is a well-defined Fredholm index if and only if the associated unitary time-evolution operator has spectral gaps at both [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] In this paper, we extend the existing index formula for the Fredholm case to encompass the non-Fredholm case (i.e. gapless case). We make use of a natural extension of the Fredholm index to the non-Fredholm case, known as the Witten index. The aim of this paper is to fully classify the Witten index of the split-step quantum walk by employing the spectral shift function for a rank one perturbation of a fourth-order difference operator. It is also shown in this paper that the Witten index can take half-integer values in the non-Fredholm case.
Higher derivative f(R) gravity models for an accelerating universe
Authors: Achi Tame , Singh Heisnam Shanjit
Published: February 2023

In modified gravity, we investigate the universe’s accelerating expansion in a vacuum. We obtain a highly nonlinear differential equation from the variation of Einstein–Hilbert action with the consideration of a Robertson–Walker metric. Because the differential equations have non-analytic solutions, the expansion phase of the Friedmann–Robertson–Walker universe is studied using numerical approaches. We analyzed the acceleration phases of the cosmos for different periods, cosmic jerk and snap parameters, and their dependencies on the initial values and coupling parameters involved in various [Formula: see text] gravity models. Using a parametric technique, we also give the values of the jerk and snap parameters in different accelerating stages of the universe. Finally, the behavior of the dark energy component is addressed for [Formula: see text] models.