bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The relationship between wasting and stunting in Cambodian children: Secondary analysis of longitudinal data of children below 24 months of age followed up until the age of 59 months
Authors: Mutunga Mueni , Rutishauser-Perera Alexandra , Laillou Arnaud , Prak Sophonneary , Berger Jacques , Wieringa Frank T. , Bahwere Paluku
Published: November 2021

The interrelationship between wasting and stunting has been poorly investigated. We assessed the association between two indicators of linear growth, height-for-age Z-score (HAZ) change and occurrence of accelerated linear growth, and selected indicators of wasting and wasting reversal in 5,172 Cambodian children aged less than 24 months at enrolment in the ‘MyHealth’ study. The specific objectives were to evaluate the relationship between temporal changes in wasting and 1) change in HAZ and 2) episodes of accelerated linear growth. At enrolment, the stunting and wasting prevalence were 22.2 (21.0;23.3) % and 9.1 (8.1;10.1) %, respectively, and reached 41.4 (39.3;43.6) %, and 12.4 (11.5;13.3) % respectively, two years later. Between 14–19% of stunted children were also wasted throughout the whole study period. For each centimetre increase in Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) from the previous assessment, the HAZ increased by 0.162 (0.150; 0.174) Z-score. We also observed a delayed positive association between the weight for height Z score (WHZ) unit increase and HAZ change of +0.10 to +0.22 units consistent with a positive relationship between linear growth and an increase in WHZ occurring with a lag of approximately three months. A similar positive correlation was observed for the occurrence of an episode of accelerated linear growth. These results show that interventions to prevent and treat wasting can contribute to stunting reduction and call for integrated wasting and stunting programming.
Impact of frailty on short term outcomes, resource use, and readmissions after transcatheter mitral valve repair: A national analysis
Authors: Hadaya Joseph , Tran Zachary , Sanaiha Yas , Aguayo Esteban , Dobaria Vishal , Calfon Press Marcella , Benharash Peyman
Published: November 2021

Background

Treatment options for mitral regurgitation range from diuretic therapy, to surgical and interventional strategies including TMVR in high-risk surgical candidates. Frailty has been associated with inferior outcomes following hospitalizations for heart failure and in open cardiac surgery.

Objective

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the impact of frailty on clinical outcomes and resource use following transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVR).

Methods

Adults undergoing TMVR were identified using the 2016–2018 Nationwide Readmissions Database, and divided into Frail and Non-Frail groups. Frailty was defined using a derivative of the Johns Hopkins Adjusted Clinical Groups frailty indicator. Generalized linear models were used to assess the association of frailty with in-hospital mortality, complications, nonhome discharge, hospitalization costs, length of stay, and non-elective readmission at 90 days. Average marginal effects were used to quantify the impact of frailty on predicted mortality.

Results

Of 18,791 patients undergoing TMVR, 11.6% were considered frail. The observed mortality rate for the overall cohort was 2.2%. After adjustment, frailty was associated with increased odds of in-hospital mortality (AOR 1.8, 95% CI 1.2–2.6), corresponding to an absolute increase in risk of mortality of 1.1%. Frailty was associated with a 2.7-day (95% CI 2.1–3.2) increase in postoperative LOS, and $18,300 (95% CI 14,400–22,200) increment in hospitalization costs. Frail patients had greater odds (4.4, 95% CI 3.6–5.4) of nonhome discharge but similar odds of non-elective 90-day readmission.

Conclusions

Frailty is independently associated with inferior short-term clinical outcomes and greater resource use following TMVR. Inclusion of frailty into existing risk models may better inform choice of therapy and shared decision-making.
Gut microbiome functionality might be associated with exercise tolerance and recurrence of resected early-stage lung cancer patients
Authors: Marfil-Sánchez Andrea , Seelbinder Bastian , Ni Yueqiong , Varga Janos , Berta Judit , Hollosi Virag , Dome Balazs , Megyesfalvi Zsolt , Dulka Edit , Galffy Gabriella , Weiss Glen J. , Panagiotou Gianni , Lohinai Zoltan
Published: November 2021

Impaired exercise tolerance and lung function is a marker for increased mortality in lung cancer patients undergoing lung resection surgery. Recent data suggest that the gut-lung axis regulates systemic metabolic and immune functions, and microbiota might alter exercise tolerance. Here, we aimed to evaluate the associations between gut microbiota and outcomes in lung cancer patients who underwent lung resection surgery. We analysed stool samples, from 15 early-stage lung cancer patients, collected before and after surgical resection using shotgun metagenomic and Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) sequencing. We analysed microbiome and mycobiome associations with post-surgery lung function and cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) to assess the maximum level of work achieved. There was a significant difference, between pre- and post-surgical resection samples, in microbial community functional profiles and several species from Alistipes and Bacteroides genus, associated with the production of SCFAs, increased significantly in abundance. Interestingly, an increase in VO2 coincides with an increase in certain species and the "GABA shunt" pathway, suggesting that treatment outcome might improve by enriching butyrate-producing species. Here, we revealed associations between specific gut bacteria, fungi, and their metabolic pathways with the recovery of lung function and exercise capacity.
Influence of adiposity and physical activity on the cardiometabolic association pattern of lipoprotein subclasses to aerobic fitness in prepubertal children
Authors: Rajalahti Tarja , Aadland Eivind , Resaland Geir Kåre , Anderssen Sigmund Alfred , Kvalheim Olav Martin
Published: November 2021

Aerobic fitness (AF) and lipoprotein subclasses associate to each other and to cardiovascular health. Adiposity and physical activity (PA) influence the association pattern of AF to lipoproteins almost inversely making it difficult to assess their independent and joint influence on the association pattern. This study, including 841 children (50% boys) 10.2 ± 0.3 years old with BMI 18.0 ± 3.0 kg/m2 from rural Western Norway, aimed at examining the association pattern of AF to the lipoprotein subclasses and to estimate the independent and joint influence of PA and adiposity on this pattern. We used multivariate analysis to determine the association pattern of a profile of 26 lipoprotein features to AF with and without adjustment for three measures of adiposity and a high-resolution PA descriptor of 23 intensity intervals derived from accelerometry. For data not adjusted for adiposity or PA, we observed a cardioprotective lipoprotein pattern associating to AF. This pattern withstood adjustment for PA, but the strength of association to AF was reduced by 58%, while adjustment for adiposity weakened the association of AF to the lipoproteins by 85% and with strongest changes in the associations to a cardioprotective high-density lipoprotein subclass pattern. When adjusted for both adiposity and PA, the cardioprotective lipoprotein pattern still associated to AF, but the strength of association was reduced by 90%. Our results imply that the (negative) influence of adiposity on the cardioprotective association pattern of lipoproteins to AF is considerably stronger than the (positive) contribution of PA to this pattern. However, our analysis shows that PA contributes also indirectly through a strong inverse association to adiposity. The trial was registered 7 May, 2014 in clinicaltrials.gov with trial reg. no.: NCT02132494 and the URL is https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/results?term=NCT02132494&cntry=NO.
Intensity dependency of peripheral nerve stimulation in spinal LTP induced by paired associative corticospinal-motoneuronal stimulation (PCMS)
Authors: Yamashita Akira , Murakami Takenobu , Hattori Noriaki , Miyai Ichiro , Ugawa Yoshikazu
Published: November 2021

Paired associative corticospinal-motoneuronal stimulation (PCMS) induces plasticity at synapses between corticospinal tracts (CSTs) and spinal motoneurons (SMs). We investigated the effects of peripheral nerve electrical stimulation (PNS) intensity on PCMS-induced plasticity. PCMS consisted of 180 paired stimuli of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) over the left primary motor cortex with PNS on the right ulnar nerve at the wrist. We compared effects induced by different PNS intensities: supramaximal, twice and three times sensory threshold intensities. For evaluating efficacy of the synapse between CSTs and SMs, single-pulse TMS was delivered at cervicomedullary junction level, and cervicomedullary motor-evoked potentials (CMEPs) were recorded from the right first-dorsal interosseous muscle before and after PCMS. PCMS with the supramaximal PNS intensity increased CMEP amplitude. The facilitatory effect of PCMS with the supramaximal PNS was larger than those of PCMS with weaker PNS intensities. Sham TMS with the supramaximal PNS showed no CMEP changes after the intervention. PNS intensity of PCMS influences the magnitude of synaptic plasticity induction between the CSTs and SMs at the spinal level, and the supramaximal intensity is the best for induction of long-term potentiation-like effects. The PNS intensity may influence the number of activated SMs by axonal backpropagating pulses with PNS which must overlap with descending volleys induced by TMS.
Replication of European hypertension associations in a case-control study of 9,534 African Americans
Authors: Kaur Harpreet , Crawford Dana C. , Liang Jingjing , Benchek Penelope ,   COGENT BP Consortium, Zhu Xiaofeng , Kallianpur Asha R. , Bush William S.
Published: November 2021

Objective

Hypertension is more prevalent in African Americans (AA) than other ethnic groups. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified loci associated with hypertension and other cardio-metabolic traits like type 2 diabetes, coronary artery disease, and body mass index (BMI), however the AA population is underrepresented in these studies. In this study, we examined a large AA cohort for the generalizability of 14 Metabochip array SNPs with previously reported European hypertension associations.

Methods

To evaluate associations, we analyzed genotype data of 14 SNPs for their associations with a diagnosis of hypertension, systolic blood pressure (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) in a case-control study of an AA population (N = 9,534). We also performed an age-stratified analysis (>30, 30≥59 and ≥60 years) following the hypertension definition described by the 8th Joint National Committee (JNC). Associations were adjusted for BMI, age, age2, sex, clinical confounders, and genetic ancestry using multivariable regression models to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and beta-coefficients. Analyses stratified by sex were also conducted. Meta-analyses (including both BioVU and COGENT-BP cohorts) were performed using a random-effects model.

Results

We found rs880315 to be associated with systolic hypertension (SBP≥140 mmHg) in the entire cohort (OR = 1.14, p = 0.003) and within women only (OR = 1.16, p = 0.012). Variant rs17080093 associated with lower SBP and DBP (β = -2.99, p = 0.0352 and - β = 1.69, p = 0.0184) among younger individuals, particularly in younger women (β = -3.92, p = 0.0025 and β = -1.87, p = 0.0241 for SBP and DBP respectively). SNP rs1530440 associated with higher SBP and DBP measurements (younger individuals β = 4.1, p = 0.039 and β = 2.5, p = 0.043 for SBP and DBP; (younger women β = 4.5, p = 0.025 and β = 2.9, p = 0.028 for SBP and DBP), and hypertension risk in older women (OR = 1.4, p = 0.050). rs16948048 increases hypertension risk in younger individuals (OR = 1.31, p = 0.011). Among mid-age women rs880315 associated with higher risk of hypertension (OR = 1.20, p = 0.027). rs1361831 associated with DBP (β = -1.96, p = 0.02) among individuals older than 60 years. rs3096277 increases hypertension risk among older individuals (OR = 1.26 p = 0.0015), however, this variant also reduces SBP among younger women (β = -2.63, p = 0.0102).

Conclusion

These findings suggest that European-descent and AA populations share genetic loci that contribute to blood pressure traits and hypertension. However, the OR and beta-coefficient estimates differ, and some are age-dependent. Additional genetic studies of hypertension in AA are warranted to identify new loci associated with hypertension and blood pressure traits in this population.
Modelling digital and manual contact tracing for COVID-19. Are low uptakes and missed contacts deal-breakers?
Authors: Rusu Andrei C. , Emonet Rémi , Farrahi Katayoun
Published: November 2021

Comprehensive testing schemes, followed by adequate contact tracing and isolation, represent the best public health interventions we can employ to reduce the impact of an ongoing epidemic when no or limited vaccine supplies are available and the implications of a full lockdown are to be avoided. However, the process of tracing can prove feckless for highly-contagious viruses such as SARS-CoV-2. The interview-based approaches often miss contacts and involve significant delays, while digital solutions can suffer from insufficient adoption rates or inadequate usage patterns. Here we present a novel way of modelling different contact tracing strategies, using a generalized multi-site mean-field model, which can naturally assess the impact of manual and digital approaches alike. Our methodology can readily be applied to any compartmental formulation, thus enabling the study of more complex pathogen dynamics. We use this technique to simulate a newly-defined epidemiological model, SEIR-T, and show that, given the right conditions, tracing in a COVID-19 epidemic can be effective even when digital uptakes are sub-optimal or interviewers miss a fair proportion of the contacts.
Using large-scale respondent driven sampling to monitor the end of an HIV epidemic among persons who inject drugs in Hai Phong, Viet Nam
Authors: Des Jarlais Don C. , Arasteh Kamyar , Huong Duong Thi , Oanh Khuat Thi Hai , Feelemyer Jonathan P. , Khue Pham Minh , Giang Hoang Thi , Thanh Nham Thi Tuyet , Vinh Vu Hai , Le Sao Mai , Vallo Roselyne , Quillet Catherine , Rapoud Delphine , Michel Laurent , Laureillard Didier , Moles Jean Pierre , Nagot Nicolas ,   For The DRIVE Study Team
Published: November 2021

Aims

To describe the use of large-scale respondent driven sampling (RDS) surveys to demonstrate the “end of an HIV epidemic” (HIV incidence < 0.5/100 person-years) among persons who inject drugs (PWID) in a middle-income country. Large sample sizes are needed to convincingly demonstrate very low incidence rates.

Methods

4 large surveys (Ns approximately 1500 each) were conducted among PWID in Hai Phong, Vietnam in 2016–2019. Respondent driven sampling (RDS) with a modification to add snowball sampling was used for recruiting participants. HIV incidence was measured through recency testing, repeat participants across multiple surveys and in a cohort study of PWID recruited from the surveys. RDS analytics (time to equilibria and homophilies for major variables) were used to assess similarities/differences in RDS only versus RDS plus snowball recruiting. Characteristics were compared among respondents recruited through standard RDS recruitment versus through snowball sampling. An overall assessment of the robustness of RDS to modification was made when adding a snowball sampling recruitment.

Results

RDS recruiting was very efficient in the first 5 weeks of each survey with approximately 180 respondents recruited per week. Recruiting then slowed considerably, and snowball sampling (permitting an individual respondent to recruit large numbers of new respondents) was added to the existing RDS recruiting. This led to recruiting within 13–14 weeks of 1383, 1451, 1444 and 1268 respondents, close to the target of 1500 respondents/survey.

Comparisons of participants recruited through standard RDS method and respondents recruited through snowball methods showed very few significant differences. RDS analytics (quickly reaching equilibria, low homophilies) were favorable for both RDS recruited and total numbers of participants in each survey. DRug use and Infections in ViEtnam (DRIVE) methods have now been officially adopted in other provinces.

Conclusions

RDS appears to be quite robust with respect to adding a modest number of participants recruited through snowball sampling. Large sample sizes can provide compelling evidence for “ending an HIV epidemic” to policy makers in a PWID population in a middle income country setting.
Profiling of inflammatory cytokines in patients with caustic gastrointestinal tract injury
Authors: Cheng Hao-Tsai , Seak Chen-June , Cheng Chien-Cheng , Chen Tsung-Hsing , Sung Chang-Mu , Kang Shih-Ching , Chen Yu-Jhou , Ng Chip-Jin , Lee Chao-Wei , Huang Shu-Wei , Huang Hsin-Chih , Yen Tzung-Hai
Published: November 2021

Introduction

Study of inflammatory cytokines in patients with caustic gastrointestinal tract injury is sketchy. This study investigated the cytokine profiling of patients with caustic substance ingestion, and analyzed the differences between patients with severe and mild injury.

Methods

This prospective, cross-sectional study enrolled 22 patients admitted to Chang Gung Memorial Hospital between March and October 2018. All patients underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy in 24 hours. Patients were categorized into two subgroups, as mild (<2b, n = 11) or severe (≥2b, n = 11) group.

Results

The neutrophil count was higher in severe than mild group (P = 0.032). Patients in mild and severe groups exhibited significantly higher circulating inflammatory cytokines than healthy control, including interleukin (IL)-2, IL-5, IL-8, IL-9, IL-12, IL-13, interferon-gamma inducible protein-10, macrophage inflammatory protein-1 beta, regulated upon activation, normal T cell expressed and presumably secreted and tumor necrosis factor-alpha. Furthermore, the levels of IL-2 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha were significantly higher in patients with severe group than mild group. Although there was no difference in cumulative survival between both groups (P = 0.147), the severe group received more operations (P = 0.035) and suffered more gastrointestinal complications (P = 0.035) than mild group.

Conclusion

Caustic substance ingestion produces mucosal damages and leads to excessive neutrophils and inflammatory cytokines in peripheral blood.
Linkages between share pledging, stock price risk and profitability: Evidence from the P.R. China
Authors: Li Fengchao , Zhang Xing , Ortiz Jaime
Published: November 2021

Share pledging has become popular as a method of loan collateral among Chinese shareholders. Our research used a sample of Chinese listed firms between 2008–2018 and produced two main findings. Firstly, we found a negative association between stock price risk and firm profitability. Our second finding was that the interaction effect of share pledging and stock price risk is greater on firm profitability than the effect of stock price risk itself. We examined the role of share pledging by modeling pooled OLS and fixed effects using share pledging behavior, controlling shareholders’ share pledging and the share pledging ratio to reinforce the robustness of our results. Furthermore, we investigated the Davis Double Play effect of share pledging to analyze how share pledging affects stock price risk. We found that higher EPS and investor expectations cannot mitigate the positive impact of share pledging on stock price risk. That is, the reduction of EPS and the deterioration of investor expectations caused by share pledging risk will not further aggravate the stock price risk, as shareholders may have taken some managerial actions to affect the transmission mechanism.
Requirement to change of functional brain network across the lifespan
Authors: Saberi Majid , Khosrowabadi Reza , Khatibi Ali , Misic Bratislav , Jafari Gholamreza
Published: November 2021

Many studies have focused on neural changes and neuroplasticity, while the signaling demand for neural modification needs to be explored. In this study, we traced this issue in the organization of brain functional links where the conflictual arrangement of signed links makes a request to change. We introduced the number of frustrations (unsatisfied closed triadic interactions) as a measure for assessing "requirement to change" of functional brain network. We revealed that the requirement to change of the resting-state network has a u-shape functionality over the lifespan with a minimum in early adulthood, and it’s correlated with the presence of negative links. Also, we discovered that brain negative subnetwork has a special topology with a log-normal degree distribution in all stages, however, its global measures are altered by adulthood. Our results highlight the study of collective behavior of functional negative links as the source of the brain’s between-regions conflicts and we propose exploring the attribute of the requirement to change besides other neural change factors.
The Impact of Disease Control Measures on the Spread of COVID-19 in the Province of Sindh, Pakistan
Authors: Usmani Bilal Ahmed , Ali Mustafain , Hasan Muhammad Abul , Siddiqui Amna Rehana , Siddiqi Sameen , Lim Aaron Guanliang , Qazi Saad Ahmed
Published: November 2021

The province of Sindh reported the first COVID-19 case in Pakistan on 26th February 2020. The Government of Sindh has employed numerous control measures to limit its spread. However, for low-and middle-income countries such as Pakistan, the management protocols for controlling a pandemic are not always as definitive as they would be in other developed nations. Given the dire socio-economic conditions of Sindh, continuation of province-wise lockdowns may inadvertently cause a potential economic breakdown. By using a data driven SEIR modelling framework, this paper describes the evolution of the epidemic projections because of government control measures. The data from reported COVID-19 prevalence and google mobility is used to parameterize the model at different time points. These time points correspond to the government’s call for advice on the prerequisite actions required to curtail the spread of COVID-19 in Sindh. Our model predicted the epidemic peak to occur by 18th June 2020 with approximately 3500 reported cases at that peak, this projection correlated with the actual recorded peak during the first wave of the disease in Sindh. The impact of the governmental control actions and religious ceremonies on the epidemic profile during this first wave of COVID-19 are clearly reflected in the model outcomes through variations in the epidemic peaks. We also report these variations by displaying the trajectory of the epidemics had the control measures been guided differently; the epidemic peak may have occurred as early as the end of May 2020 with approximately 5000 reported cases per day had there been no control measures and as late as August 2020 with only around 2000 cases at the peak had the lockdown continued, nearly flattening the epidemic curve.
Non-compliance with clinical guidelines increases the risk of complications after primary total hip and knee joint replacement surgery
Authors: Badge Helen Mary , Churches Tim , Naylor Justine M. , Xuan Wei , Armstrong Elizabeth , Gray Leeanne , Fletcher John , Gosbell Iain , Lin Christine , Harris Ian A.
Published: November 2021

Background

Total hip and total knee replacement (THR/TKR) are common and effective surgeries to reduce the pain and disability associated with arthritis but are associated with small but significant risks of preventable complications such as surgical site infection (SSI) and venous-thrombo-embolism (VTE). This study aims to determine the degree to which hospital care was compliant with clinical guidelines for the prevention of SSI and VTE after THR/TKR; and whether non-compliant prophylaxis is associated with increased risk of complications.

Methods and findings

A prospective multi-centre cohort study was undertaken in consenting adults with osteoarthritis undergoing elective primary TKR/THR at one of 19 high-volume Australian public or private hospitals. Data were collected prior to surgery and for one-year post-surgery. Four adjusted logistic regression analyses were undertaken to explore associations between binary non-compliance and the risk of surgical complications: (1) composite (simultaneous) non-compliance with both (VTE and antibiotic) guidelines and composite complications [all-cause mortality, VTE, readmission/reoperation for joint-related reasons (one-year) and non-joint-related reasons (35-days)], (2) VTE non-compliance and VTE outcomes, (3) antibiotic non-compliance and any SSI, and (4) antibiotic non-compliance and deep SSI. Data were analysed for 1875 participants. Guideline non-compliance rates were high: 65% (VTE), 87% (antibiotics) and 95% (composite guideline). Composite non-compliance was not associated with composite complication (12.8% vs 8.3%, adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.41, 95%CI 0.68–3.45, p = 0.40). Non-compliance with VTE guidelines was associated with VTE outcomes (5% vs 2.4%, AOR = 2.83, 95%CI 1.59–5.28,p < 0.001). Non-compliance with antibiotic guidelines was associated with any SSI (14.8% vs 6.1%, AOR = 1.98, 95%CI 1.17–3.62,p = 0.02) but not deep infection (3.7% vs 1.2%,AOR = 2.39, 95%CI 0.85–10.00, p = 0.15).

Conclusions

We found high rates of clinical variation and statistically significant associations between non-compliance with VTE and antibiotic guidelines and increased risk of VTE and SSI, respectively. Complications after THR/TKR surgery may be decreased by improving compliance with clinical guidelines.
Effect of holiday admission for acute aortic dissection on in-hospital mortality in Japan: A nationwide study
Authors: Kato Katsuhito , Otsuka Toshiaki , Nakai Michikazu , Sumita Yoko , Seino Yoshihiko , Kawada Tomoyuki
Published: November 2021

Background

Patients admitted on weekends have higher mortality than those admitted on weekdays. However, whether the “weekend effect” results in a higher mortality after admission for acute aortic dissection (AAD),—classified according to Stanford types—remains unclear. This study aimed to examine the association between admission day and in-hospital mortality in AAD Type A and B.

Methods

We used data from the Japanese registry of all Cardiac and Vascular Diseases Diagnostic Procedure Combination, a nationwide claim-based database with data from 953 certified hospitals, and enrolled in-patients with AAD admitted between April 1, 2012, and March 31, 2016. Based on the admission day, we stratified patients into groups (Weekdays, Saturdays, and Sundays/holidays). The influence of the admission day on in-hospital mortality was assessed via multi-level logistic regression analysis. We also performed a Stanford type-based stratified analysis.

Results

Among the included 25,641 patients, in-hospital mortality was 16.0%. The prevalence of patients admitted with AAD was relatively higher on weekdays. After adjustment for covariates, patients admitted on a Sunday/holiday showed an increased risk of in-hospital mortality (odds ratio [OR] 1.20; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.07–1.33, p<0.001) than patients admitted on weekdays. Among patients admitted on a Sunday/holiday, only the subgroup of Stanford Type A showed a significantly increased risk of in-hospital mortality. (Stanford Type A, non-surgery vs. surgery groups: 95% CI 1.06–1.48 vs. 1.17–1.68, p<0.001 for both groups, OR 1.25 vs. 1.41, respectively, Stanford Type B, non-surgery vs. surgery groups: 95% CI 0.64–1.09 vs. 0.40–2.10; p = 0.182 vs. 0.846; OR 0.84 vs. 0.92).

Conclusions

In conclusion, patients with AAD Type A admitted on a Sunday/holiday may have an increased in-hospital mortality risk.
Investigating CXCR4 expression of tumor cells and the vascular compartment: A multimodal approach
Authors: Braga Marta , Leow Chee Hau , Gil Javier Hernandez , Teh Jin H. , Carroll Laurence , Long Nicholas J. , Tang Meng-Xing , Aboagye Eric O.
Published: November 2021

The C-X-C chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) is G protein-coupled receptor that upon binding to its cognate ligand, can lead to tumor progression. Several CXCR4-targeted therapies are currently under investigation, and with it comes the need for imaging agents capable of accurate depiction of CXCR4 for therapeutic stratification and monitoring. PET agents enjoy the most success, but more cost-effective and radiation-free approaches such as ultrasound (US) imaging could represent an attractive alternative. In this work, we developed a targeted microbubble (MB) for imaging of vascular CXCR4 expression in cancer. A CXCR4-targeted MB was developed through incorporation of the T140 peptide into the MB shell. Binding properties of the T140-MB and control, non-targeted MB (NT-MB) were evaluated in MDA-MB-231 cells where CXCR4 expression was knocked-down (via shRNA) through optical imaging, and in the lymphoma tumor models U2932 and SuDHL8 (high and low CXCR4 expression, respectively) by US imaging. PET imaging of [18F]MCFB, a tumor-penetrating CXCR4-targeted small molecule, was used to provide whole-tumor CXCR4 readouts. CXCR4 expression and microvessel density were performed by immunohistochemistry analysis and western blot. T140-MB were formed with similar properties to NT-MB and accumulated sensitively and specifically in cells according to their CXCR4 expression. In NOD SCID mice, T140-MB persisted longer in tumors than NT-MB, indicative of target interaction, but showed no difference between U2932 and SuDHL8. In contrast, PET imaging with [18F]MCFB showed a marked difference in tumor uptake at 40–60 min post-injection between the two tumor models (p<0.05). Ex vivo analysis revealed that the large differences in CXCR4 expression between the two models are not reflected in the vascular compartment, where the MB are restricted; in fact, microvessel density and CXCR4 expression in the vasculature was comparable between U2932 and SuDHL8 tumors. In conclusion, we successfully developed a T140-MB that can be used for imaging CXCR4 expression in the tumor vasculature.
Una revisión sistemática sobre aula invertida y aprendizaje colaborativo apoyados en inteligencia artificial para el aprendizaje de programación
Authors: Llanos Mosquera José Miguel , Hidalgo Suarez Carlos Giovanny , Bucheli Guerrero Víctor Andrés
Published: November 2021

Contexto: En el aprendizaje de la programación de computadores, la implementación de estrategias pedagógicas como el Aula Invertida (AI) y el Aprendizaje Colaborativo (AC) apoyan al estudiante a mejorar relaciones personales, habilidades en programación y fortalece el desarrollo del autoaprendizaje fuera del aula de clases. En este sentido, se hace relevante conocer las diferentes herramientas e implementaciones disponibles para apoyar el proceso formativo del estudiante.  Metodología: Este artículo presenta una revisión sistemática de un corpus que contiene información de diferentes fuentes de datos desde el año 2013 hasta el 2020. Incluye las preguntas de investigación, selección de fuentes y el método para analizar la información. Resultados: Por un lado, se identificó la línea del tiempo y el estado actual del AI y el AC, enfatizando en cómo estas estrategias apoyan el aprendizaje de la programación a través de tecnologías, métodos educativos y herramientas de software. Por otro lado, se identificó cuál es el apoyo de la Inteligencia Artificial en el aprendizaje de la programación a través de diferentes aplicaciones y técnicas computacionales que integran el AI y el AC. Conclusiones: Desde la aparición de las herramientas virtuales, la implementación de Inteligencia Artificial se ha convertido en una necesidad básica para la educación virtual, potenciando la forma de entender y aprender, adaptándose a las necesidades específicas del estudiante. Así, conocer e identificar las nuevas herramientas y estrategias basadas en inteligencia artificial permitirán a los docentes hacer una completa gestión y tomar decisiones oportunas que beneficien el proceso formativo del estudiante.
Evaluación de modelos de programación lineal y no lineal para la planeación de sistemas de transmisión en el software GAMS
Authors: Giral Ramírez Diego Armando , Montoya Giraldo Oscar Danilo , Vargas Robayo Carlos Yesid , Blanco Valbuena Diego Felipe
Published: November 2021

Objetivo: Este trabajo analiza el costo óptimo de expansión, el número de líneas a incluir y el tiempo de simulación computacional para dos sistemas transmisión, empleando programación no lineal entera mixta a través de los solver del software GAMS (General Algebraic Modeling System). El objetivo es determinar las diferencias en los costos de expansión cuando se emplea el modelo de transporte, DC, híbrido lineal y lineal disyuntivo.
Metodología: Está dividida en cinco etapas: la primera identifica el sistema de transmisión, la segunda establece el problema de planeamiento del sistema de transmisión, la tercera realiza la formulación del sistema de potencia de acuerdo con cada uno de los modelos de optimización, la cuarta aplica la formulación del sistema de potencia en el software GAMS y la última selecciona el costo óptimo.
Resultados: Desde el análisis de costo óptimo, el modelo DC y el modelo lineal disyuntivo presentaron el mayor costo óptimo respecto al modelo de transporte y al modelo hibrido lineal.
Conclusiones: Los modelos implementados presentaron desempeños equivalentes en el sistema de prueba con el menor número de nodos; al aumentar el número de nodos, el desempeño de los modelos no presenta similitud. Por el contrario, se identifican diferencias importantes en los resultados obtenidos, lo que permite caracterizar solver específicos de acuerdo con el número de nodos.
Metodología: Está dividida en 5 etapas, la primera identifica el sistema de transmisión, la segunda establece el problema de planeamiento del sistema de transmisión, la tercera realiza la formulación del sistema de potencia de acuerdo a cada uno de los modelos de optimización, la cuarta aplica la formulación del sistema de potencia en el software GAMS y la última seleccionar el costo óptimo.
Resultados: Desde el análisis de costo optimo, el modelo DC y el modelo lineal disyuntivo presento el mayor costo optimo respecto al modelo de transporte y al modelo hibrido lineal.
Conclusiones: Los modelos implementados presentaron desempeños equivalente en el sistema de prueba con el menor número de nodos, al aumentar el número de nodos el desempeño de los modelos no presenta similitud, por el contrario se identifican diferencias importantes en los resultados obtenidos, lo que permite caracterizar solver específicos de acuerdo al número de nodos.
Book review of: Farrenkopf, Michael; Meyer, Torsten (Hrsg.) (2020): Authentizität und industriekulturelles Erbe. Zugänge und Beispiele
Authors: Prossek Achim
Published: November 2021

Book Review
Book review of: Wüstenrot Stiftung (Hrsg.) (2020): Wohnen jenseits des Standards. Auf den Spuren neuer Wohnlösungen für ein differenziertes und bedürfnisgerechtes Wohnungsangebot
Authors: Heitkamp Thorsten
Published: November 2021

Book Review
Book review of: Lange, Bastian; Hülz, Martina; Schmid, Benedikt; Schulz, Christian (Hrsg.) (2020): Postwachstumsgeographien. Raumbezüge diverser und alternativer Ökonomien
Authors: Mölders Tanja
Published: November 2021

Book Review
Book Review of: Blühdorn, Ingolfur mit Butzlaff, Felix; Deflorian, Michael; Hausknost, Daniel; Mock, Mirijam (2020): Nachhaltige Nicht-Nachhaltigkeit. Warum die ökologische Transformation der Gesellschaft nicht stattfindet
Authors: Bauriedl Sybille
Published: November 2021

Book review
Klimaanpassung in der Bauleitplanung. Zum Integrationsstand klimaanpassungsrelevanter Maßnahmen in Flächennutzungs- und Bebauungsplänen mittelgroßer Städte Deutschlands
Authors: Huber Bettina , Dunst Lea
Published: November 2021

Cities and municipalities play a key role in the successful implementation of climate adaptation efforts, but it is unclear to what extent municipal planning instruments exploit their existing potentials. The research subject of the present article is therefore the current status of the integration of climate adaptation measures into urban land-use planning. Land-use plans and local development plans of ten medium-sized German cities are analysed for 24 different adaptation measures from six different fields of action. In addition, both levels of urban land-use planning were analysed for coherence in terms of content. The study is based on a qualitative structuring content analysis of in total 81 planning documents, using a category-based coding guide, with a subsequent quantitative evaluation of the results. The results show an untapped potential on both planning levels. Currently, the greatest success can be seen by various low-regret measures related to urban green.
Zum Verhältnis von Reallabor, Realexperiment und Stadtplanung am Beispiel kooperativer Freiraumgestaltung
Authors: Räuchle Charlotte
Published: November 2021

This paper examines the relationship between real-world laboratory and planning and highlights the potentials that real-world experiments offer to urban planning. It is based on a case study on cooperative open space development to unite residents and strengthen social cohesion in superdiverse neighbourhoods. Although the subject of „experiment and planning“ has received increasing attention recently, there is still a lack of theoretical and empirical analysis. Therefore, this study, first, addresses the relationship between experiment and planning from a conceptual perspective – regarding objectives, types of knowledge, methods of knowledge production, instruments and processes. Second, based on the case study, the content, instrumental and actor-related dimensions of this relationship are analysed. The results show that real-world experiments can open up opportunities for urban planning – in terms of content (production of more differentiated knowledge), instruments (provision of more open participation formats), and actors (formation of new governance arrangements). Whether this is really seen as an opportunity, however, depends on the local planning object and, in particular, on the local planning culture.
Metropolising Marseille. Mission impossible? Challenges and Opportunities of Metropolisation Processes in the Métropole Aix-Marseille-Provence
Authors: Grésillon Boris , De Saussure Marlène
Published: November 2021

This paper aims to contribute to knowledge on the level of metropolitan governance through the analysis of a specific case: the Marseille metropolis in southern France. Marseille is broadly considered a postindustrial city in crisis, which has failed to achieve a functional transformation and a change of narrative in the age of globalisation.Over the last two decades, however, processes of regionalised and integrated metropolisation have had an impact on the city’s urban renaissance prospects. The paper identifies three central projects, which symbolically represent and concretely articulate different axes of Marseille’s metropolisation processes: Euroméditerranée (1995-*), The European Capital of Culture Marseille-Provence 2013 and the institutional creation of the Métropole d’Aix-Marseille-Provence. This paper proposes to approach metropolisation as a multi-dimensional phenomenon. Drawing on the three aforementioned cases, we analyse the different territorial-spatial scales affected, as well as the various geographic scales of governance stakeholders involved. Reflecting on their scopes of impact, the aim of the study is to investigate the challenges and opportunities of multi-scalar metropolisation for Aix-Marseille-Provence, and to discuss to what extent this conflictual plurality might be promising (or not) for better consensual metropolitan integration in the future. In conclusion, we show that the study on metropolisation in the Marseille region, including the region’s unique features, successes and failures, sheds light on and contributes to a better understanding of the evolution of other metropolises of a similar size in France and Europe.
Kooperationen von Klein- und Mittelstädten mit ihrem Umland. Zur Umsetzung der österreichischen Stadtregionspolitik
Authors: Schorn Martina , Priebs Axel
Published: November 2021

Theory and practice of city-regional policies are classically oriented towards metropolitan areas. The Austrian Conference on Spatial Planning (ÖROK) in cooperation with the Austrian Städtebund (Austrian Association of Cites), however, took on a pioneering role by involving small- and medium-sized cities in their urban region strategy as early as the early 2010s. In this context, numerous cooperative initiatives between smalland medium-sized towns and their surrounding areas have emerged in Austria over the past decade. Thereby, it gets obvious that these urban-regional cooperation are structured very differently in terms of content and institutional background. This paper is based on a comparative research in four case study areas that established urban-rural cooperation in Austrian small- and medium-sized towns with their surroundings, analysing different governance arrangements implemented in the four case study regions. The cases demonstrate how a discursive approach on the national level becomes a lived practice of equal, inter-municipal cooperation on a city-regional level.
Die Verstetigung von urbanen Reallaboren im Spannungsfeld theoretischer Konzeption und praktischer Umsetzung – eine empirische Untersuchung
Authors: Schecke Nora , Abdulnabi Ali Abeer , Bönisch Anna , Schweiger Stefan
Published: November 2021

The continuation and stabilization of urban real-world laboratories has the potential to contribute substantially to a successful socio-ecological transformation. Implementing actors face challenges which include time constraints related to project funding and the complexity of transdisciplinary research logic and practice. Selected externally funded research projects are assessed in terms of continuity, transferability, contribution to transformation, reflexivity and learning processes and transdisciplinarity to determine how project frameworks affect the continuity of real-world laboratory elements. The findings indicate a tendency towards a successful continuation of multi-stakeholder collaborations. A structural ontinuation of real-world laboratory activities by practitioners is also proven to be possible in various constellations. The termination of donor funded infrastructure and resources remains a major obstacle due to short project durations. The criteria of transdisciplinary research are accompanied by additional demands on the scientists, which in turn promote the increase in knowledge of method development and application, but must also be considered in the context of a lower output of peer-reviewed articles.
Das Ökosystemleistungskonzept in der räumlichen Planung – zehn Thesen
Authors: Albert Christian , Hansen Rieke , Dehnhardt Alexandra , Deppisch Sonja , Fürst Christine , Geißler Gesa , Gerner Nadine , Marzelli Stefan , Poßer Christian , Rathmann Joachim , Schrapp Linda , Schröter-Schlaack Christoph , Warner Barbara
Published: November 2021

The concept of ecosystem services can help to overcome implementation deficits in spatial planning and to promote the protection and sustainable use of nature and landscape. However, diverse findings on the concept’s application in Germany have not yet been brought together and evaluated. The aim of this paper is to present theses on the meaningful and effective use of ecosystem services in spatial planning and the promotion of sustainable spatial development. The theses are intended to summarize the state of knowledge and provide recommendations for use in practice and for further research. They are divided into three thematic areas: Theses on the benefits of the ecosystem services concept, on obstacles and potentials of its use and theses on needs for action. The theses are intended to motivate practitioners and scientists to apply the ecosystem services concept in appropriate planning contexts, to use it for better protection and development of nature and landscape, and to support transformation processes towards sustainable development.
The Cartographic Propositions of Raumforschung und Raumordnung, 1936-1955: from Territorial Expansion to Defeat and Division
Authors: Mingus Matthew
Published: November 2021

This paper examines shifts in the design of, use of and rhetoric accompanying maps published in the periodical Raumforschung und Raumordnung from 1936 through 1955. In the discussion of these maps published prior to and during the Second World War, special attention is paid to the depiction of the German Empire, the incorporation of Austria into maps of the Third Reich, and cartographic portrayalsof Poland and other eastern European territory. Particularly in-depth investigation into articles and maps written and drawn by Reinhold Niemeyer and Rudolf Hoffmann is also undertaken here. In evaluating the maps published in Raumforschungund Raumordnung (RuR) after Germany’s defeat, this paper focuses on depictions of the new Federal Republic of Germany and the mapping of its relationship, geographically, to the German Democratic Republic. While the content of the maps published in RuR reflected the territorial reality of its German cartographers and authors – from violent expansionism to defeat, territorial diminution and a split into two distinct nation states –, this paper argues that many of the cartographic strategies employed in its pages remained relatively consistent over time.
Eine Verkehrstypologie deutscher Großstädte
Authors: Holz-Rau Christian , Heyer Rabea , Schultewolter Mirjam , Aertker Johannes , Wachter Isabelle , Klinger Thomas
Published: November 2021

Comparisons of cities are frequently used to evaluate urban transportation planning and policies. A typology of cities can contribute to adequately interpret the identified differences between cities. For this purpose, this paper collects 27 indicators of socio-economic characteristics, spatial structures, travel behaviour and the evaluation of local transport situation for 44 major German cities. We generate clusters of cities based on a factor and cluster analysis. The factor analysis identifies five latent variables called metropolitan character, bicycle-friendliness, affluence, influence of students, and private car orientation. The subsequent cluster analysis identifies five clusters. According to this typology, most cities that are considered good practices of urban transport policy in Germany belong either to the cluster of metropolitan cities or university cities with a cycling-friendly environment.