bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Economic evaluation of orphan drug Lutetium-Octreotate vs. Octreotide long-acting release for patients with an advanced midgut neuroendocrine tumour in the Netherlands
Authors: Hagendijk Marije E. , van der Schans Simon , Boersma Cornelis , Postma Maarten J. , van der Pol Simon
Published: April 2021

Objectives

Multiple studies showed positive effects of Lutetium-Octreotate (LO) treatment in neuroendocrine tumours. LO has been used in the Netherlands since the 1980s and recently received the orphan status shortly after the acquisition by Novartis. Since then, the official list price has increased sixfold. From a value-based pricing perspective, we analysed the impact of the increase in price on the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of LO treatment compared to optimal best supportive care, a high dose of Octreotide long-acting release (O-LAR), using the clinical data of the NETTER-1 trial.

Methods

A Markov model was developed to evaluate the costs per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) for LO treatment compared to O-LAR from the healthcare perspective. A scenario analysis was conducted to compare the cost-effectiveness with the initial and increased price level of the LO-treatment.

Results

At the increased price level, the cost-effectiveness analysis rendered a deterministic ICER of €53,500 per QALY, while at the initial pricing, the ICER was €19,000 per QALY. The probabilistic sensitivity analysis (PSA) showed that LO had a high probability of being cost-effective at both the increased and initial price level, considering a cost-effectiveness threshold of €80,000.

Conclusions

Even at the increased price level, LO treatment can still be considered cost-effective using the applicable Dutch willingness-to-pay threshold of 80,000 euro per QALY. Considering the public scrutiny in relation to this price increase, these outcomes raise the question whether traditional cost-effectiveness methods are sufficient in fully capturing the societal acceptance of prices of new medicines.
Children’s participation and agency in Italian residential care for children: Adult-child interactions at dinnertime
Authors: Saglietti Marzia , Zucchermaglio Cristina
Published: April 2021

This paper analyzes the impact of adults’ interactive moves and strategies on children’s participation and agency at dinnertime in two Italian residential care facilities, one of the most widely used alternative care life-context for children and youth coming from vulnerable families. Participants are 14 children and 11 educators living in two residential care facilities in Rome (Italy). Adopting an interactional and multimodal analytic approach, this paper focuses on two dinnertime activities: the routine activity of praying before eating and the very frequent one of talking about rules and transgressions. The comparative analysis of the two facilities shows how, in stable patterns of adult-child interactions recurring across different activities in the same facility, adults’ strategies and interactive maneuvers differently impact on children’s participation and agency and consequent socialization practices. In the conclusion, we emphasize the relevance and implications of this study for either research in educational sciences and for professionals operating in alternative care and related fields.
Acceptability and Feasibility of Pharmacy-Based Delivery of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis in Kenya: A Qualitative Study of Client and Provider Perspectives
Authors: Roche Stephanie D. , Wairimu Njeri , Mogere Peter , Kamolloh Kevin , Odoyo Josephine , Kwena Zachary A. , Bukusi Elizabeth A. , Ngure Kenneth , Baeten Jared M. , Ortblad Katrina F.
Published: April 2021

As countries scale up pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention, diverse PrEP delivery models are needed to expand access to populations at HIV risk that are unwilling or unable to access clinic-based PrEP care. To identify factors that may influence implementation of retail pharmacy-based PrEP delivery in Kenya, we conducted in-depth interviews with 40 pharmacy clients, 16 pharmacy providers, 16 PrEP clients, and 10 PrEP providers from two provinces. Most participants expressed strong support for expanding PrEP to retail pharmacies, though conditioned their acceptance on assurances that care would be private, respectful, safe, and affordable. Participant-reported determinants of feasibility centered primarily on ensuring that the intervention is compatible with retail pharmacy operations (e.g., staffing levels, documentation requirements). Future research is needed to develop and test tailored packages of implementation strategies that are most effective at integrating PrEP delivery into routine pharmacy practice in Kenya and other high HIV prevalence settings.
Optimal algorithms for scheduling under time-of-use tariffs
Authors: Chen Lin , Megow Nicole , Rischke Roman , Stougie Leen , Verschae José
Published: April 2021

We consider a natural generalization of classical scheduling problems to a setting in which using a time unit for processing a job causes some time-dependent cost, the time-of-use tariff, which must be paid in addition to the standard scheduling cost. We focus on preemptive single-machine scheduling and two classical scheduling cost functions, the sum of (weighted) completion times and the maximum completion time, that is, the makespan. While these problems are easy to solve in the classical scheduling setting, they are considerably more complex when time-of-use tariffs must be considered. We contribute optimal polynomial-time algorithms and best possible approximation algorithms. For the problem of minimizing the total (weighted) completion time on a single machine, we present a polynomial-time algorithm that computes for any given sequence of jobs an optimal schedule, i.e., the optimal set of time slots to be used for preemptively scheduling jobs according to the given sequence. This result is based on dynamic programming using a subtle analysis of the structure of optimal solutions and a potential function argument. With this algorithm, we solve the unweighted problem optimally in polynomial time. For the more general problem, in which jobs may have individual weights, we develop a polynomial-time approximation scheme (PTAS) based on a dual scheduling approach introduced for scheduling on a machine of varying speed. As the weighted problem is strongly NP-hard, our PTAS is the best possible approximation we can hope for. For preemptive scheduling to minimize the makespan, we show that there is a comparably simple optimal algorithm with polynomial running time. This is true even in a certain generalized model with unrelated machines.
Automatic question-answer pairs generation and question similarity mechanism in question answering system
Authors: Aithal Shivani G. , Rao Abishek B. , Singh Sanjay
Published: April 2021

With the swift growth of the information over the past few years, taking full benefit is increasingly essential. Question Answering System is one of the promising methods to access this much information. The Question Answering System lacks humans’ common sense and reasoning power and cannot identify unanswerable questions and irrelevant questions. These questions are answered by making unreliable and incorrect guesses. In this paper, we address this limitation by proposing a Question Similarity mechanism. Before a question is posed to a Question-Answering system, it is compared with possible generated questions of the given paragraph, and then a Question Similarity Score is generated. The Question Similarity mechanism effectively identifies the unanswerable and irrelevant questions. The proposed Question Similarity mechanism incorporates a human way of reasoning to identify unanswerable and irrelevant questions. This mechanism can avoid the unanswerable and irrelevant questions altogether from being posed to the Question Answering system. It helps the Question Answering Systems to focus only on the answerable questions to improve their performance. Along with this, we introduce an application of the Question Answering System that generates the question-answer pairs given a passage and is useful in several fields.
Simulation of non-stationary stochastic ground motions based on recent Italian earthquakes
Authors: Sabetta Fabio , Pugliese Antonio , Fiorentino Gabriele , Lanzano Giovanni , Luzi Lucia
Published: April 2021

This work presents an up-to-date model for the simulation of non-stationary ground motions, including several novelties compared to the original study of Sabetta and Pugliese (Bull Seism Soc Am 86:337–352, 1996). The selection of the input motion in the framework of earthquake engineering has become progressively more important with the growing use of nonlinear dynamic analyses. Regardless of the increasing availability of large strong motion databases, ground motion records are not always available for a given earthquake scenario and site condition, requiring the adoption of simulated time series. Among the different techniques for the generation of ground motion records, we focused on the methods based on stochastic simulations, considering the time- frequency decomposition of the seismic ground motion. We updated the non-stationary stochastic model initially developed in Sabetta and Pugliese (Bull Seism Soc Am 86:337–352, 1996) and later modified by Pousse et al. (Bull Seism Soc Am 96:2103–2117, 2006) and Laurendeau et al. (Nonstationary stochastic simulation of strong ground-motion time histories: application to the Japanese database. 15 WCEE Lisbon, 2012). The model is based on the S-transform that implicitly considers both the amplitude and frequency modulation. The four model parameters required for the simulation are: Arias intensity, significant duration, central frequency, and frequency bandwidth. They were obtained from an empirical ground motion model calibrated using the accelerometric records included in the updated Italian strong-motion database ITACA. The simulated accelerograms show a good match with the ground motion model prediction of several amplitude and frequency measures, such as Arias intensity, peak acceleration, peak velocity, Fourier spectra, and response spectra.
Invasion of Eragrostis albensis in Central Europe: distribution patterns, taxonomy and phylogenetic insight into the Eragrostis pilosa complex
Authors: Wróbel Anna , Klichowska Ewelina , Baiakhmetov Evgenii , Nowak Arkadiusz , Nobis Marcin
Published: April 2021

The Eragrostis pilosa complex (Poaceae) comprises five widely distributed and regionally invasive species—E. albensis, E. amurensis, E. imberbis, E. multicaulis, and E. pilosa, distinguished by tiny and variable morphological characters and with so far unknown phylogenetic relationships. Recently, some doubts have been raised about the status of an invasive glandular morphotype occurring in Central Europe assigned either to E. amurensis or to E. albensis. Here, we addressed this issue by analysing morphology, internal transcribed spacers of nuclear ribosomal DNA, and five inter-simple sequence repeat markers. The genetic evidence supported closer relationship of this glandular morphotype to eglandular E. albensis, widely established in Central Europe, than to glandular E. amurensis described from Asia. We propose to adopt a new taxonomic treatment that E. albensis includes both eglandular and glandular individuals, and to classify the glandular ones as E. albensis var. scholziana M. Nobis & A. Wróbel var. nova. Currently this new taxon is known from a dozen of localities in Central Europe and is invasive in the lower section of the Oder River valley, whereas Eragrostis albensis var. albensis has already spread widely across Europe in riparian phytocenoses and anthropogenic habitats. Since probably the first registered records in 1940s, it has been observed in European part of Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Poland, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, and its further invasion is likely to proceed. We provided distribution maps concerning spread dynamics of E. albensis in Europe from 1947 to 2020. In total, the species has been observed on over 1300 localities so far, most of which were found after 2000.
Hybrid watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum × Myriophyllum sibiricum) exhibits traits associated with greater invasiveness than its introduced and native parental taxa
Authors: Glisson Wesley J. , Larkin Daniel J.
Published: April 2021

Hybridization has been associated with increased invasiveness in plants. In North America, the hybrid aquatic plant Myriophyllum spicatum × Myriophyllum sibiricum (hybrid watermilfoil, hereafter HWM) is a cross between non-native invasive Eurasian watermilfoil (M. spicatum, EWM) and native northern watermilfoil (M. sibiricum, NWM). Lab-based trials have demonstrated higher growth rates in HWM compared to EWM and NWM, but these patterns have not been systematically examined in the field. In this study, we compared the invasiveness of HWM to its parental taxa, EWM and NWM, by examining the amount and timing of: (1) flowering, (2) surface cover, and (3) biomass (using stem counts as a proxy). We conducted repeat surveys of Myriophyllum beds at eight lakes (2–3 lakes/taxon) in the Minneapolis–St. Paul Metropolitan area (Minnesota, USA) between June 2017 and November 2018. HWM produced more flower spikes earlier and overall, and maintained consistently more flower spikes throughout the growing season than EWM and NWM. In addition, surface cover reached greater annual peaks and was higher for longer throughout the growing season for HWM than for both parental taxa. We did not observe a significant difference in stem counts among the three taxa, but HWM did reach a higher maximum number of stems than either parental taxon. This study provides field-based evidence of increased invasiveness associated with hybridization between EWM and NWM; specifically, greater reproductive potential via flowering and greater surface cover may increase HWM spread, have greater impacts on native species, and pose more of a nuisance to lake users.
Chlorinated paraffins in hinges of kitchen appliances
Authors: Sprengel Jannik , Vetter Walter
Published: April 2021

Chlorinated paraffins (CPs) are anthropogenic pollutants of growing environmental concern. These highly complex mixtures of thousands of homologs and congeners are usually applied as additives in lubricants or as flame retardants and plasticizers in polymers and paints. Recent studies indicated the presence of high amounts of CPs in the kitchen environment whose sources could not be unequivocally identified. One option was the use of CPs as or in lubricants of hinges. To test this hypothesis, we performed wipe tests on lubricants on 29 hinges of different types of kitchen appliances (refrigerators, baking ovens, dishwashers, freezers, microwave oven, pasta machine, food processor, steam cooker) and analyzed them for short-chain CPs (SCCPs) and medium-chain CPs (MCCPs). CPs were detected in 21 samples (72%). Per wipe, SCCP concentrations ranged between 0.02 and 10 µg (median 0.23 µg), while MCCPs ranged from 0.09 to 750 µg (median 1.0 µg). Highest MCCP amounts (380 and 750 µg per wipe, respectively) were determined in new and unused appliances. A medium correlation between SCCP content and appliance age was observed, but no additional statistic correlation between SCCP/MCCP amount and appliance type or manufacturer could be observed. CPs released from hinges by volatilization, abrasion, and cleaning processes could enter the environment and come in contact with persons living in the corresponding households.
Socially responsible investing: from the ethical origins to the sustainable development framework of the European Union
Authors: Martini Alice
Published: April 2021

In this work, we present an overview of the historical development of socially responsible investing (SRI). We will argue that such a financial activity has been boosting in recent decades from a niche, mainly as a religious-led exclusionary practice, towards a mainstream strategy of risk analysis for institutional and retail investors. We also discuss the advances and possible drawbacks that regulatory activity and harmonization process on such industry have achieved at international level in recent years, with a special focus on the European Union. The study shows that the lack of a globally accepted taxonomy on what constitutes sustainable activities, of regulatory clarity and of high-quality data allowing for comparisons across industries and regions, together with practical and behavioural complexities are major critical issues that discourage SRI industry at the global level.
Analysis of Subcycle Electro-Optic Sampling Without Background
Authors: Beckh Cornelius , Sulzer Philipp , Fritzsche Niklas , Riek Claudius , Leitenstorfer Alfred
Published: April 2021

We explore background-free options to detect mid-infrared (MIR) electric transients. The MIR field and a near-infrared probe interact via sum- (SFG) and difference-frequency generation (DFG) in an electro-optic crystal. An intuitive picture based on a phasor representation and rigorous numerical calculations are used for analysis. It turns out that separating photons generated either by SFG or DFG from the local oscillator via spectral filtering leads to a signal purely proportional the MIR intensity envelope. Background-free phase information may be extracted in a spectral window containing both SFG and DFG components and blocking the local oscillator background based on its orthogonal polarization. This variant leads to signal proportional to the square of the MIR field amplitude. It is limited by the finite efficiency of polarization filtering. The Hilbert transform as a conjugate variable to the electric field in the time domain turns out to play a fundamental role for the context discussed in this paper.
To them that hath: economic complexity and local industrial strategy in the UK
Authors: Mealy Penny , Coyle Diane
Published: April 2021

Divergent economic performance in many countries has led to renewed interest in place-based policies, such as the UK’s local industrial strategies at the level of Combined Authorities or Local Economic Partnerships. However, an analysis of employment data using methods from the economic complexity literature demonstrates great heterogeneity in industrial strengths and future growth opportunities within those jurisdictions, raising challenges in designing common policies suited to all sub-geographies. Moreover, the ‘related’ industries into which low-complexity, low-wage local authorities could potentially diversify are also low-wage. Incremental policies building on existing local capacities are therefore likely to amplify divergence between prospering and left-behind areas.
The Developmental Trajectory of Empathy and Its Association with Early Symptoms of Psychopathology in Children with and without Hearing Loss
Authors: Tsou Yung-Ting , Li Boya , Wiefferink Carin H , Frijns Johan H M , Rieffe Carolien
Published: April 2021

Empathy enables people to share, understand, and show concern for others’ emotions. However, this capacity may be more difficult to acquire for children with hearing loss, due to limited social access, and the effect of hearing on empathic maturation has been unexplored. This four-wave longitudinal study investigated the development of empathy in children with and without hearing loss, and how this development is associated with early symptoms of psychopathology. Seventy-one children with hearing loss and cochlear implants (CI), and 272 typically-hearing (TH) children, participated (aged 1–5 years at Time 1). Parents rated their children’s empathic skills (affective empathy, attention to others’ emotions, prosocial actions, and emotion acknowledgment) and psychopathological symptoms (internalizing and externalizing behaviors). Children with CI and TH children were rated similarly on most of the empathic skills. Yet, fewer prosocial actions were reported in children with CI than in TH children. In both groups, affective empathy decreased with age, while prosocial actions and emotion acknowledgment increased with age and stabilized when children entered primary schools. Attention to emotions increased with age in children with CI, yet remained stable in TH children. Moreover, higher levels of affective empathy, lower levels of emotion acknowledgment, and a larger increase in attention to emotions over time were associated with more psychopathological symptoms in both groups. These findings highlight the importance of social access from which children with CI can learn to process others’ emotions more adaptively. Notably, interventions for psychopathology that tackle empathic responses may be beneficial for both groups, alike.
Prioritizing Surgical Services during on-Going Pandemic Response: Modification and Reliability of the Medically Necessary Time Sensitive Surgery (MeNTS) Scoring Tool
Authors: Saleeby Erin , Acree Rachel , Wieslander Cecilia , Truong Christina , Garcia Lisa , Eckhardt Sarah , Hari Anjali , Al-Marayati Laila , Greenwell Lisa , Holschneider Christine H.
Published: April 2021

Health systems are struggling to manage a fluctuating volume of critically ill patients with COVID-19 while continuing to provide basic surgical services and expand capacity to address operative cases delayed by the pandemic. As we move forward through the next phases of the pandemic, we will need a decision-making system that allows us to remain nimble as clinicians to meet our patient’s needs while also working with a new framework of healthcare operations. Here, we present our quality improvement process for the adaptation and application of the Medically Necessary Time-Sensitive (MeNTS) toolto gynecologic surgical services beyond the initial COVID response and into recovery of surgical services; with analysis of the reliability of the modified-MeNTS tool in our multi-site safety net hospital network. This multicenter study evaluated the gynecology surgical case volume at three tertiary acute care safety net institutions within the LA County Department of Health Services: Harbor-UCLA (HUMC), Olive View Medical Center (OVMC), and Los Angeles County + University of Southern California (LAC+USC). We describe our modified-Delphi approach to adapt the MeNTS tool in a structured fashion and its application to gynecologic surgical services. Blinded reviewers engaged in a three-round iterative adaptation and final scoring utilizing the modified tool. The cohort consisted of 392 female consecutive gynecology patients across three Los Angeles County Hospitals awaiting scheduled procedures in the surgical queue.The majority of patients were Latina (74.7%) and premenopausal (67.1%). Over half (52.4%) of the patients had cardiovascular disease, while 13.0% had lung disease, and 13.8% had diabetes. The most common indications for surgery were abnormal uterine bleeding (33.2%), pelvic organ prolapse (19.6%) and presence of an adnexal mass (14.3%). Minimally invasive approaches via laparoscopy, robotic-assisted laparoscopy, or vaginal surgery was the predominant planned surgical route (54.8%). Modified-MeNTS scores assumed a normal distribution across all patients within our cohort (Median 33, Range 18–52). Overall, ICC across all three institutions demonstrated “good” interrater reliability (0.72). ICC within institutions at HUMC and OVMC were categorized as “good” interrater reliability, while LAC-USC interrater reliability was categorized as “excellent” (HUMC 0.73, OVMC 0.65, LAC+USC 0.77). The modified-MeNTS tool performed well across a range of patients and procedures with a normal distribution of scores and high reliability between raters. We propose that the modified-MeNTS framework be considered as it employs quantitative methods for decision-making rather than subjective assessments.
A Novel Suture Training System for Open Surgery Replicating Procedures Performed by Experts Using Augmented Reality
Authors: Nagayo Yuri , Saito Toki , Oyama Hiroshi
Published: April 2021

The surgical education environment has been changing significantly due to restricted work hours, limited resources, and increasing public concern for safety and quality, leading to the evolution of simulation-based training in surgery. Of the various simulators, low-fidelity simulators are widely used to practice surgical skills such as sutures because they are portable, inexpensive, and easy to use without requiring complicated settings. However, since low-fidelity simulators do not offer any teaching information, trainees do self-practice with them, referring to textbooks or videos, which are insufficient to learn open surgical procedures. This study aimed to develop a new suture training system for open surgery that provides trainees with the three-dimensional information of exemplary procedures performed by experts and allows them to observe and imitate the procedures during self-practice. The proposed system consists of a motion capture system of surgical instruments and a three-dimensional replication system of captured procedures on the surgical field. Motion capture of surgical instruments was achieved inexpensively by using cylindrical augmented reality (AR) markers, and replication of captured procedures was realized by visualizing them three-dimensionally at the same position and orientation as captured, using an AR device. For subcuticular interrupted suture, it was confirmed that the proposed system enabled users to observe experts’ procedures from any angle and imitate them by manipulating the actual surgical instruments during self-practice. We expect that this training system will contribute to developing a novel surgical training method that enables trainees to learn surgical skills by themselves in the absence of experts.
‘Return to Work’ Coordinator Model and Work Participation of Employees: A Natural Intervention Study in Finland
Authors: Kausto Johanna , Oksanen Tuula , Koskinen Aki , Pentti Jaana , Mattila-Holappa Pauliina , Kaila-Kangas Leena , Nevala Nina , Kivimäki Mika , Vahtera Jussi , Ervasti Jenni
Published: April 2021

Purpose Employers increasingly use ‘return to work’ (RTW) coordinators to support work ability and extend working careers, particularly among employees with reduced work ability. We examined whether applying this model was associated with changes in employee sickness absence and disability retirements. Methods We used data from the Finnish Public Sector study from 2009 until 2015. Employees where the model was introduced in 2012 constituted the cases (n = 4120, one municipality) and employees where the model was not in use during the follow-up, represented the controls (n = 5600, two municipalities). We analysed risk of disability retirement in 2013–2015 and risk of sickness absence after (2013–2015) vs. before (2009–2011) intervention by case–control status. Results The incidence of disability retirement after the intervention was lower in cases compared to controls both in the total population (hazard ratio HR = 0.49, 95% CI 0.30–0.79) and in the subgroup of participants with reduced work ability (HR = 0.34, 95% CI 0.12–0.99). The risk of sickness absence increased from pre-intervention to post-intervention period both among cases and controls although the relative increase was greater among cases (RRpost- vs. pre-intervention = 1.26, 95% CI 1.14–1.40) than controls (RRpost- vs. pre-intervention = 1.03, 95% CI 0.97–1.08). In the group of employees with reduced work ability, no difference in sickness absence trends between cases and controls was observed. Conclusions These findings suggest that RTW-coordinator model may increase employee sickness absence, but decrease the risk of disability retirement, i.e., permanent exclusion from the labour market.
PDE/Statistical Mechanics Duality: Relation Between Guerra’s Interpolated p-Spin Ferromagnets and the Burgers Hierarchy
Authors: Fachechi Alberto
Published: April 2021

We examine the duality relating the equilibrium dynamics of the mean-fieldp-spin ferromagnets at finite size in the Guerra’s interpolation scheme and the Burgers hierarchy. In particular, we prove that—for fixedp—the expectation value of the order parameter on the first side w.r.t. the generalized partition function satisfies the$$p-1$$p-1-th element in the aforementioned class of nonlinear equations. In the light of this duality, we interpret the phase transitions in the thermodynamic limit of the statistical mechanics model with the development of shock waves in the PDE side. We also obtain the solutions for thep-spin ferromagnets at fixedN, allowing us to easily generate specific solutions of the corresponding equation in the Burgers hierarchy. Finally, we obtain an effective description of the finiteNequilibrium dynamics of the$$p=2$$p=2model with some standard tools in PDE side.
Weak coupling limit for Schrödinger-type operators with degenerate kinetic energy for a large class of potentials
Authors: Cuenin Jean-Claude , Merz Konstantin
Published: April 2021

We improve results by Frank, Hainzl, Naboko, and Seiringer (J Geom Anal 17(4):559–567, 2007) and Hainzl and Seiringer (Math Nachr 283(3):489–499, 2010) on the weak coupling limit of eigenvalues for Schrödinger-type operators whose kinetic energy vanishes on a codimension one submanifold. The main technical innovation that allows us to go beyond the potentials considered in Frank, Hainzl, Naboko, and Seiringer (2007), Hainzl and Seiringer (2010) is the use of the Tomas–Stein theorem.
Quality of life following adult veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for acute respiratory distress syndrome: a systematic review
Authors: Kurniawati E. R. , Rutjens V. G. H. , Vranken N. P. A. , Delnoij T. S. R. , Lorusso R. , van der Horst I. C. C. , Maessen J. G. , Weerwind P. W.
Published: April 2021

Background

Veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO) has been used successfully for the past decade in adult patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) refractory to conventional ventilatory support. However, knowledge of the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in VV-ECMO patients is still limited. Thus, this study aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of the HRQoL following VV-ECMO support in ARDS patients.

Methods

A systematic search was performed on PubMed and Web of Science databases from January 1st, 2009 to October 19th, 2020. Studies reporting on HRQoL following VV-ECMO for ARDS in adults were included. Two authors independently selected studies, extracted data, and assessed methodological quality.

Results

Eight studies were eligible for inclusion, consisting of seven observational studies and one randomized controlled trial (total N = 441). All eight studies had a quantitative design and reported 265 VV-ECMO survivors to have a reduced HRQoL compared to a generally healthy population. Follow-up time varied between six months to three years. Additionally, only four studies (total N = 335) compared the HRQoL of VV-ECMO (N = 159) to conventionally treated survivors (N = 176), with one study showing a significantly better HRQoL in VV-ECMO survivors, while three studies were stating comparable HRQoL across groups. Notably, most survivors in these studies appeared to experience varying degrees of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Conclusions

ARDS survivors supported by VV-ECMO have a decline in HRQoL and suffered from physical and psychological impairments. This HRQoL reduction is comparable or even better to the HRQoL in conventionally treated ARDS survivors.
Unequal consequences of Covid 19: representative evidence from six countries
Authors: Belot Michèle , Choi Syngjoo , Tripodi Egon , Broek-Altenburg Eline van den , Jamison Julian C. , Papageorge Nicholas W.
Published: April 2021

Covid-19 and the measures taken to contain it have led to unprecedented constraints on work and leisure activities, across the world. This paper uses nationally representative surveys to document how people of different ages and incomes have been affected in the early phase of the pandemic. The data was collected in six countries (China, South Korea, Japan, Italy, UK, and US) in the third week of April 2020. First, we document changes in job circumstances and social activities. Second, we document self-reported negative and positive consequences of the crisis on well-being. We find that young people have experienced more drastic changes to their life and have been most affected economically and psychologically. There is less of a systematic pattern across income groups. While lower income groups have been more affected economically, higher income groups have experienced more changes in their social life and spending. A large fraction of people of low and high income groups report negative effects on well-being.
Association between ambient air pollution and cause-specific mortality in Cape Town, Durban, and Johannesburg, South Africa: any susceptible groups?
Authors: Thabethe Nomsa Duduzile Lina , Voyi Kuku , Wichmann Janine
Published: April 2021

Studies have confirmed that adverse human health effects that are associated with exposure to air pollution may differ depending on other factors such as age, gender, environmental conditions, and socio-economic factors. This study was conducted to assess the association between ambient air pollution and cause-specific mortality in the three big cities in South Africa and to determine the susceptible groups thereof. Cause-specific mortality data for all ages and PM10, NO2, and SO2in Cape Town, Durban, and Johannesburg for the period from 1 January 2006 to 31 December 2010 were obtained. Statistical analyses were done to estimate the associations between air pollutants and cause-specific mortality. Susceptibility was therefore investigated in stratified analyses by sex and age (≥60 years) and environmental conditions (heat and cold) followed by models with interaction terms. Our estimates showed independent associations between these air pollutants, environmental conditions, and susceptible groups.
Whither Transcendence? Immanence and Critique in The Self-Emptying Subject
Authors: Jarada Mohamad
Published: April 2021

This paper engages Alex Dubilet’s The Self-Emptying Subject: Kenosis and Immanence, Medieval to Modern and his account of immanence and kenosis as exhibited in his reading of Hegel’s concept of Entäußerung [externalization]. Specifically, I focus on the “problematic of desubjectivation” that centers Dubilet’s critique of transcendence and its relationship to subjection and subjectivity. I reconsider the relationship made between this problematic, the ethics of kenosis, and the concept of immanence so as to demonstrate the ways in which Dubilet attempts to depart from transcendence, subjectivity, and their concomitant ethics. In particular, I consider his reading of Hegel’s concept of Entäußerung and its similarities to the Young Hegelians’ understanding of this concept. My reading of Dubilet suggests that while he seeks to depart from transcendence, he reintroduces transcendence through the “problematic of desubjectivation” and its relationship to kenosis. In conclusion, I question the philosophical import of immanence in contemporary critical inquiry and why its conceptualization is often positioned in opposition to transcendence.
Cortical and Subcortical Grey Matter Abnormalities in White Matter Hyperintensities and Subsequent Cognitive Impairment
Authors: Zhu Wenhao , Huang Hao , Yang Shiqi , Luo Xiang , Zhu Wenzhen , Xu Shabei , Meng Qi , Zuo Chengchao , Liu Yong , Wang Wei ,   Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative
Published: April 2021

Grey matter (GM) alterations may contribute to cognitive decline in individuals with white matter hyperintensities (WMH) but no consensus has yet emerged. Here, we investigated cortical thickness and grey matter volume in 23 WMH patients with mild cognitive impairment (WMH-MCI), 43 WMH patients without cognitive impairment, and 55 healthy controls. Both WMH groups showed GM atrophy in the bilateral thalamus, fronto-insular cortices, and several parietal-temporal regions, and the WMH-MCI group showed more extensive and severe GM atrophy. The GM atrophy in the thalamus and fronto-insular cortices was associated with cognitive decline in the WMH-MCI patients and may mediate the relationship between WMH and cognition in WMH patients. Furthermore, the main results were well replicated in an independent dataset from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative database and in other control analyses. These comprehensive results provide robust evidence of specific GM alterations underlying WMH and subsequent cognitive impairment.
Das Spektrum odontogener Zysten – ein Update
Authors: Höller S. , Rupp N.
Published: April 2021

Odontogene Zysten sind Läsionen, die im Patientengut der Mund‑, Kiefer- und Gesichtschirurgie oft zu finden sind. Sie sind um etwa 20-mal häufiger als echte odontogene Tumoren. Allen voran rangiert die entzündlich bedingte radikuläre Zyste, gefolgt von der entwicklungsbedingten follikulären Zyste. Gemeinsam ist allen odontogenen Zysten wie auch Tumoren, dass sie sich radiologisch als Osteolysen manifestieren und sichere radiologische Unterscheidungsmerkmale zwischen den einzelnen Entitäten oftmals fehlen. Klarheit bringt in vielen Fällen erst die histopathologische Untersuchung. Allerdings ist zu beachten, dass eine akkurate Entitätsdiagnose nur in einer engen interdisziplinären Zusammenarbeit möglich ist. Aus histopathologischer Sicht kann der Pathologe/die Pathologin nur eine dezidierte Diagnose stellen, wenn auch ihm/ihr das klinische Bild (Vitalitätsstatus des assoziierten Zahns, Zufallsbefund oder symptomatisch, Lockerung der Zähne etc.) sowie das radiologische Erscheinungsbild (Lokalisation der Osteolyse, Präsenz retinierter Zähne, parallel vorhandene radiologische Auffälligkeiten etc.) bekannt sind. Die Begutachtung des radiologischen Bildes erfordert dabei in aller Regel die Einsicht des gesamten Datensatzes eines digitalen Volumentomogramms oder eines Orthopantomogramms in guter Auflösung, da unvollständige Ausschnitte oder Beschreibungen Fehlinterpretationen begünstigen können. Die zunehmende Digitalisierung ist hier von großem Vorteil und ein Datenträger mit allen relevanten (insbesondere präinterventionellen) Bildern wird von erfahrenen Oralpathologen immer gern entgegengenommen. In jedem Falle sollte bei Diskrepanzen zwischen histopathologischer Diagnose und klinisch-radiologischem Bild bzw. schwierigen oder ungewöhnlichen Fällen eine interdisziplinäre Diskussion angestrebt werden.
Effect of simultaneous N2 collisions on atomic oxygen-induced polyimide erosion in sub-low Earth orbit: comparison of laboratory and SLATS data
Authors: Yokota Kumiko , Tagawa Masahito , Fujimoto Yusuke , Ide Wataru , Kimoto Yugo , Tsuchiya Yuta , Goto Aki , Yukumatsu Kazuki , Miyazaki Eiji , Imamura Shunsuke
Published: April 2021

The role of N2 in the upper atmosphere on the atomic oxygen (AO)-induced erosion of polyimide in low Earth orbit (LEO) and sub-LEO is investigated through ground-based experiments and flight data. The experiment is performed by adding an Ar beam at the same collision energy as an undecomposed O2 component in the AO beam formed by laser detonation to simulate the physical effect of simultaneous N2 collision in sub-LEO. The Ar beam is added by the dual-pulsed supersonic valve-equipped laser-detonation system developed at Kobe University. The experimental results indicate that the erosion of polyimide in the laser-detonation system is promoted by the presence of O2 and Ar in the beam, corresponding to N2 in the sub-LEO. On-ground experimental results are compared with in-orbit AO measurements. Previous space shuttle, international space station-based exposure experiments, as well as the world’s first real-time sub-LEO material erosion data aboard a super low altitude test satellite (SLATS) orbiting at an altitude of 216.8 km are presented. The SLATS data suggests the presence of an acceleration effect by N2 collision on AO-induced polyimide erosion, as predicted by ground-based experiments.
To be or not to be (e)sports? That is not the question! Why and how sport and exercise psychology could research esports
Authors: Leis Oliver , Raue Charlotte , Dreiskämper Dennis , Lautenbach Franziska
Published: April 2021

Whether esports can be considered a sport is highly debated. The German Olympic Sport Federation (DOSB) and the German Society for Sport Sciences (DVS) recently stated that esports should not be integrated into the canon of sport. Our aim is not to further fuel this debate but rather to argue that to be or not to be sport is not the most important question from a scientific perspective. After summarizing the current discussion on whether esports constitute a sport, this paper discusses why and how sport and exercise psychology (SEP), in particular, could research esports. To exploit research opportunities in esports, such as adapting validated methods and testing existing models, scholars in SEP could examine the aspects arising from its positional stance. We argue that the potential of SEP approaches, models, and methods, positions it well to play an important role in research on esports. The present perspective provides a starting point for a constructive discourse on the development of SEP and the potential for its role in esports research.
Simulation of direct shear tests using a forces on fracture surfaces (FFS) approach
Authors: Frühwirt Thomas , Pötschke Daniel , Konietzky Heinz
Published: April 2021

The aim of this work is to provide a complete data set of direct shear tests and to propose a corresponding simulation approach. Tests have been conducted on crystalline rock samples applying constant normal load (CNL) and constant normal stiffness (CNS) boundary conditions. A physical consistent algorithm which explicitly calculates the forces acting on the fracture surface (FFS) has been developed. This FFS approach can explain the occurrence of surface degradation and shows the main shear characteristics. After all, shearing of rough rock joints remains a complex process and the differences between laboratory and simulation results are still significant in some cases. All data and input files are provided free for download and testing.
Diskurse als Ort der mathematischen Denkentwicklung – Eine interaktionistische Perspektive
Authors: Schütte Marcus , Jung Judith , Krummheuer Götz
Published: April 2021

Der folgende Beitrag befasst sich mit dem Mathematiklernen in der frühen Kindheit aus interaktionistischer Perspektive. Mathematiklernen wird hierzu in zwei Aspekte ausdifferenziert: den Erwerb mathematischer Begriffe und Prozeduren im Sinne des Lernens von mathematischen Inhalten und die mathematische Denkentwicklung im Sinne des Argumentierenlernens. Der Fokus dieses Beitrags liegt auf dem zweiten Aspekt. Basierend auf interaktionistischen Vorstellungen zum Lernen wird die mathematische Denkentwicklung als zunehmende Partizipation an mathematischen Diskursen beschrieben. Hierdurch rücken mathematische Diskurse als „Ort“ der mathematischen Denkentwicklung ins Zentrum der Betrachtung. Zur näheren Beschreibung dieser Diskurse wird die bis dato gängige Fokussierung interaktionistischer Ansätze des Mathematiklernens auf die Analyse mathematischer Bedeutungsaushandlungen um eine Beschreibung emergierender argumentativer und semantischer Strukturierungen mathematischer Aushandlungsprozesse erweitert. In den empirischen Analysen des Beitrages werden mithilfe dieser theoretischen Erweiterung unterschiedliche Diskursstile rekonstruiert, die wir als narrative, formale und narratorische Diskurse bezeichnen. In künftigen Arbeiten sollen sie als theoretische Grundlage für die longitudinale Rekonstruktion der Partizipation von Lernenden an mathematischen Aushandlungsprozessen zur Beschreibung ihrer mathematischen Denkentwicklung genutzt werden.
Combined Dust Detection Algorithm for Asian Dust Events Over East Asia Using GK2A/AMI: a Case Study in October 2019
Authors: Jang Jae-Cheol , Lee Soobong , Sohn Eun-Ha , Noh Yoo-Jeong , Miller Steven D.
Published: April 2021

A combined algorithm comprising multiple dust detection methods was developed using infrared (IR) channels onboard the GEOstationary Korea Multi-Purpose SATellite 2A equipped with the Advanced Meteorological Imager (GK2A/AMI). Six cloud tests using brightness temperature difference (BTD) were utilized to reduce errors caused by clouds. For detecting dust storms, three standard BTD tests (i.e., $${BT}_{12.3}-{BT}_{10.5}$$, $${BT}_{8.7}-{BT}_{10.5}$$, and $${BT}_{11.2}-{BT}_{10.5}$$) were combined with the polarized optical depth index (PODI). The combined algorithm normalizes the indices for cloud and dust detection, and adopts weighted combinations of dust tests depending on the observation time (day/night) and surface type (land/sea). The dust detection results were produced as quantitative confidence factors and displayed as false color imagery, applying a dynamic enhancement background reduction algorithm (DEBRA). The combined dust detection algorithm was qualitatively assessed by comparing it with dust RGB imageries and ground-based lidar data. The combined algorithm especially improved the discontinuity in weak dust advection to the sea and considerably reduced false alarms as compared to previous dust monitoring methods. For quantitative validation, we used aerosol optical thickness (AOT) and fine mode fraction (FMF) derived from low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites in daytime. For both severe and weakened dust cases, the probability of detection (POD) ranged from 0.667 to 0.850 and it indicated that the combined algorithm detects more potential dust pixels than other satellites. In particular, the combined algorithm was advantageous in detecting weak dust storms passing over the warm and humid Yellow Sea with low dust height and small AOT.
The hypothalamus for whole-body physiology: from metabolism to aging
Authors: Liu Tiemin , Xu Yong , Yi Chun-Xia , Tong Qingchun , Cai Dongsheng
Published: April 2021

Obesity and aging are two important epidemic factors for metabolic syndrome and many other health issues, which contribute to devastating diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, stroke and cancers. The brain plays a central role in controlling metabolic physiology in that it integrates information from other metabolic organs, sends regulatory projections and orchestrates the whole-body function. Emerging studies suggest that brain dysfunction in sensing various internal cues or processing external cues may have profound effects on metabolic and other physiological functions. This review highlights brain dysfunction linked to genetic mutations, sex, brain inflammation, microbiota, stress as causes for whole-body pathophysiology, arguing brain dysfunction as a root cause for the epidemic of aging and obesity-related disorders. We also speculate key issues that need to be addressed on how to reveal relevant brain dysfunction that underlines the development of these disorders and diseases in order to develop new treatment strategies against these health problems.