bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Regulating the Coordination Geometry and Oxidation State of Single‐Atom Fe Sites for Enhanced Oxygen Reduction Electrocatalysis
Authors: Wang Minjie , Wang Li , Li Qingbin , Wang Dan , Yang Liu , Han Yongjun , Ren Yuan , Tian Gang , Zheng Xiaoyang , Ji Muwei , Zhu Caizhen , Peng Lishan , Waterhouse Geoffrey I. N.
Published: March 2023

FeNC catalysts demonstrate remarkable activity and stability for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells and Zn–air batteries (ZABs). The local coordination of Fe single atoms in FeNC catalysts strongly impacts ORR activity. Herein, FeNC catalysts containing Fe single atoms sites with FeN3, FeN4, and FeN5 coordinations are synthesized by carbonization of Fe‐rich polypyrrole precursors. The FeN5 sites possess a higher Fe oxidation state (+2.62) than the FeN3 (+2.23) and FeN4 (+2.47) sites, and higher ORR activity. Density functional theory calculations verify that the FeN5 coordination optimizes the adsorption and desorption of ORR intermediates, dramatically lowering the energy barrier for OH− desorption in the rate‐limiting ORR step. A primary ZAB constructed using the FeNC catalyst with FeN5 sites demonstrates state‐of‐the‐art performance (an open circuit potential of 1.629 V, power density of 159 mW cm−2). Results confirm an intimate structure‐activity relationship between Fe coordination, Fe oxidation state, and ORR activity in FeNC catalysts.
Stable LiF‐Rich Electrode–Electrolyte Interface toward High‐Voltage and High‐Energy‐Density Lithium Metal Solid Batteries
Authors: Yang Tianqi , Zhang Wenkui , Lou Jiatao , Lu Huanming , Xia Yang , Huang Hui , Gan Yongping , He Xinping , Wang Yao , Tao Xinyong , Xia Xinhui , Zhang Jun
Published: March 2023

Lithium‐rich layered oxide (LRLO) materials have attracted significant attention due to their high specific capacity, low cost, and environmental friendliness. However, owing to its unique capacity activation mechanism, the release of lattice oxygen during the first charge process leads to a series of problems, such as severe voltage decay, poor cycle stability, and poor rate performance. Herein, a fluorinated quasi‐solid‐state electrolyte (QSSE) via a simple thermal polymerization method toward lithium metal batteries with LRLO materials is reported. The well‐designed QSSE exhibits an ionic conductivity of 6.4 × 10−4 S cm−1 at 30 °C and a wide electrochemical stable window up to 5.6 V. Most importantly, XPS spectra demonstrate the generation of a LiF‐rich electrode–electrolyte interface (EEI), where the in situ generated LiF provides strong protection against the structural degradation of LRLO materials and directs the uniform plating/stripping behaviors of lithium‐ions to inhibit the formation of lithium dendrites. As a result, LRLO/QSSE/Li batteries exhibit excellent rate performance and demonstrate a large initial capacity for 209.7 mA h g−1 with a capacity retention of 80.8% after 200 cycles at 0.5C. This work provides a new insight for the LiF‐rich EEI design of safe, high‐performance quasi‐solid‐state lithium metal batteries.
High‐Energy‐Density Lithium Metal Batteries with Impressive Li+ Transport Dynamic and Wide‐Temperature Performance from −60 to 60 °C
Authors: Han Ran , Wang Zhicheng , Huang Dan , Zhang Fengrui , Pan Anran , Song Haiqi , Wei Yumeng , Liu Yang , Wang Lei , Li Yajie , Xu Jingjing , Hu Jianchen , Wu Xiaodong
Published: March 2023

High‐energy‐density Li metal batteries (LMBs) with Nickel (Ni)‐rich cathode and Li‐metal anode have attracted extensive attention in recent years. However, commercial carbonate electrolytes bring severe challenges including poor cycling stability, severe Li dendrite growth and cathode cracks, and narrow operating temperature window, especially hardly work at below −40 °C. In this work, a 2.4 m lithium difluoro(oxalato)borate (LiDFOB) in ethyl acetate (EA) solvent with 20 wt% fluorocarbonate (FEC) (named 2.4m‐DEF) is designed to solve Li+ transport dynamic at low temperature and improve interfacial stability between electrolyte with Li anode or Ni‐rich cathode. Beneficial lower freezing point, lower viscosity, and higher dielectric constant of EA solvent, the electrolyte exhibits excellent Li+ transport dynamic. Relying on the unique Li+ solvation structure, more DFOB− anions and FEC solvents are decomposed to establish a stable solid electrolyte interface at electrolyte/electrode. Therefore, LiNi0.9Co0.05Mn0.05O2 (NCM90)/Li LMB with 2.4m‐DEF enables excellent rate capability (184 mA h g−1 at 30 C) and stable cycling performance with ≈93.7% of capacity retention after 200 cycles at 20 C and room temperature. Moreover, the NCM90/Li LMB with 2.4m‐DEF exhibits surprising ultra‐low‐temperature performance, showing 173 mA h g−1 at −40 °C and 152 mA h g−1 at −60 °C, respectively.
Nitrogen‐Rich WN Clusters with Atomic Disorders and Non‐Grain Boundaries Confined in Carbon Nanosheets Boosting Sodium‐Ion Storage
Authors: Chu Shile , Yu Maohui , Pan Yang , Hu Shuxiao , Liu Baoquan , Lu Tao , Zeng Fanyan , Luo Shenglian
Published: March 2023

Sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs) as economic candidates have received considerable attention for large‐scale energy storage applications. However, crystalline metal compounds with specific transport routes and rigid structures restrict their practical applications. Herein, the atomically dispersed N‐rich amorphous WN clusters confined in the carbon nanosheets (WN/CNSs) are reported. Through advanced tests and calculations, the structural advantages, reaction mechanisms, and kinetic behaviors of the clusters are systematically analyzed. Compared with the crystalline W2N with low theoretical capacity (only 209.3 mAh g−1), the amorphous WN clusters have the advantages of atomic disorders and non‐grain boundaries and can afford abundant active sites (unsaturated dangling bonds) and isotropic charge transfer channels, which can be further enhanced by the N‐rich characteristics and high electronegativity of the clusters. The encapsulation of CNSs has high conductivity and structural stability, which promotes electron transfer and effectively buffers volume expansions. As a SIB anode, the reversible capacity of WN/CNSs reaches 421.2 mAh g−1 at 0.1 A g−1. Even at 20 A g−1, the reversible capacity of 170.7 mAh g−1 is maintained after 8000 cycles. This study focuses on the advantages of amorphous nitrides, which have important guiding significance for the design of atomic clusters for high‐performance metal ion batteries.
Transforming the Electrochemical Behaviors of Cobalt Oxide from “Supercapacitator” to “Battery” by Atomic‐Level Structure Engineering for Inspiring the Advance of Co‐Based Batteries
Authors: Shang Wenxu , Wang Huan , Yu Wentao , He Yi , Ma Yanyi , Wu Zhen , Tan Peng
Published: March 2023

Cobalt‐based electrodes receive emerging attention for their high theoretical capacity and rich valence variation ability, but state‐of‐the‐art cobalt‐based electrodes present performance far below the theoretical value. Herein, the in‐depth reaction mechanisms in the alkaline electrolyte are challenged and proven to be prone to the surface‐redox pseudocapacitor behavior due to the low adsorption energy to OH. Using the atomic‐level structure engineering strategy after substitution metal searching, the adsorption energy is effectively enhanced, and the peak of CoOOH can be observed from in situ characterization for the first time, leading to the successful transition of charge storage behavior from “supercapacitor” to “battery”. When used in a Zn–Co battery as a proof of concept, it shows comprehensive electrochemical performance with a flat discharge voltage plateau of ≈1.7 V, an optimal energy density of 506 Wh kg−1, and a capacity retention ratio of 85.1% after 2000 cycles, shining among the reported batteries. As a practical demonstration, this battery also shows excellent self‐discharge performance with the capacity retention of 90% after a 10 h delay. This work subtly tunes the intrinsic electrochemical properties of the cobalt‐based material through atomic‐level structure engineering, opening a new opportunity for the advance of energy storage systems.
In Situ TEM Studies on Electrochemical Mechanisms of Rechargeable Ion Battery Cathodes
Authors: Li Yanshuai , Wu Tianpin , Yuan Yifei , Lu Jun
Published: March 2023

Due to recent developments in secondary ion batteries for high‐energy‐density applications, a thorough understanding of the underlying mechanism of advanced cathode materials is of vital importance. In situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques capable of high spatial and temporal resolution in operando analysis of dynamic battery systems have attracted significant interest. However, the complex electrochemical reaction mechanisms of cathode materials have not been extensively investigated using in situ TEM due to technical difficulties in implementation. This perspective provides an overview on the recent development of in situ TEM for studying representative layered and olivine‐type cathode materials in secondary ion batteries; it further discusses the critical challenges and possible breakthroughs of this technique in deepening fundamental understandings in the near future.
Sustainability assessment of recycled aggregate concrete structures: A critical view on the current state‐of‐knowledge and practice
Authors: Marinković Snežana , Josa Irene , Braymand Sandrine , Tošić Nikola
Published: March 2023

The environmental impacts of activities such as raw material extraction, construction of infrastructure, and demolition, place construction as one of the sectors that exert the highest pressures on the environment, society, and economy. Some of the major environmental impacts for which the construction industry is responsible are mineral resource depletion, greenhouse gas emissions, and waste generation. Among the different strategies that exist to decrease such impacts, recycling demolition waste into recycled concrete aggregates has been considered a promising alternative. As such, at present, the literature dealing with the impact assessment of recycled aggregate concrete structures is very extensive. Therefore, the objective of this article is to present a critical view of the state‐of‐the‐art in terms of sustainability assessment of recycled aggregate concrete structures, taking a holistic perspective by considering environmental, social, and economic impacts.
Synthesis of copper‐oxide nanoparticles from Euphorbia antiquorum extract and evaluation of its dye degradation capacity
Authors: Govindarajan Vinitha Udhayabanu , Krishnamoorthy Chandhrasekar , Muthuraman Meenakshi Sundaram
Published: March 2023

Dye discharge from industrial textile effluent is hazardous to the environment. Hence, the removal of dye has become important as it affects both human and aquatic life, even if it is present in minimal amounts. In comparison to the physio‐chemical technique, photocatalytic degradation of the dye using nanoparticles that are generated biologically provides a feasible method for the breakdown of environmental pollutants. Unlike other metal oxides, Copper oxide nanoparticles (CuONPs) have attracted the attention of many researchers due to their potential to act as photocatalyst and also because of their enormous surface area. Euphorbia antiquorum (triangular spurge) is a common thorny succulent found all over peninsular India, primarily in dry areas. The aqueous extract of the selected plant was employed to synthesis CuONPs, which were then analyzed using SEM‐EDX, FTIR, XPS, and XRD. The present study describes how CuONPs derived from the extract of E. antiquorum degrade major commercial dyes such as Congo Red (CR), Coomassie Brilliant Blue (CBB R‐250 dye, and Reactive Black (RB). The photocatalytic degradation efficiency of synthesized CuONPs has been demonstrated for a wide range of dyes used in the textile industry. Dye degradation of RB using synthesized CuONPs showed 93% efficiency.
Embodied Interdependencies of Health and Travel in Henry James’s The Portrait of a Lady and Thomas Hardy’s Tess of the d’Urbervilles
Authors: Anderson Natasha
Published: March 2023

As embodiment plays a central role in Victorian novels exploring women’s journeys, the interdependence of health and travel comes expressly to light in Henry James’s The Portrait of a Lady (1881) and Thomas Hardy’s Tess of the d’Urbervilles (1891). In both novels, protagonists navigate possibilities and perils of motion while embarking on international voyages and rural wanderings. On the one hand, the mobility of Isabel Archer and Tess Durbeyfield merges a focus on the proliferation of transportation technology and medical tourism in Victorian society with depictions of movement as an enabler of female autonomy. On the other hand, the heroines’ exertions are contrasted against their family networks, male characters suffering from illness, and infant deaths intertwined with immobility. In this respect, the phenomenology of Maurice Merleau-Ponty provides insight into the embodied enactment and somatic sensation of physical motion. Centred around three elements of movement, the ailing body, and maternity connecting James’s and Hardy’s publications, Natasha Anderson’s chapter examines Isabel and Tess navigating interdependencies of illness and mobility as the young women encounter freedoms and limitations of health in the familial sphere alongside gendered allowances of movement spanning physical activities and transnational travel.
Recognizing Insecurities of Family Members Abroad: Human Rights Balancing in European and Finnish Case Law
Authors: Palander Jaana
Published: March 2023

The emerging literature on the difficulties of family reunification for people receiving international protection has pointed out the hardship and insecurity faced by family members left behind. This chapter investigates whether human rights law protects the interests of these family members outside the receiving country and how their difficulties are recognized in administrative and legal practice at both the international and national level. Though states are usually not responsible for protecting people outside their territory, extraterritorial human rights obligations do exist in some contexts. In this chapter, I explore theoretically how the general legal principle of extraterritoriality affects the adjudication of courts and how legal theory could be used to support the better protection of family members abroad. I analyse the relevant European Court of Human Rights case law as well as family reunification cases from the Helsinki Administrative Court and the Finnish Supreme Administrative Court. My analysis of the case law reveals that the insecurities of family members abroad are referred to by the courts and therefore legally relevant, but often fail to gain significant weight in the balancing of interests.
Mapping Conditions of (In)security for ‘Dreamer Parents’ at the Mexico-US Border
Authors: Iglesias Ortiz Angel , Hiitola Johanna
Published: March 2023

This chapter investigates the everyday (in)securities of Mexican deportees who have experienced family separation as a result of being deported from the United States to Tijuana, Mexico. Our data consists of three interviews conducted during ethnographic fieldwork in Tijuana and 35 stories from the digital archive Humanizando la Deportación (Humanizing Deportation). The data highlights the experiences of deported parents who stayed in Tijuana after being deported, though originally from other parts of Mexico. The decision to stay in Tijuana is often related to being able to keep in direct contact with one’s family and the possibility of crossing the border again in the future. Our analysis reveals gendered everyday conditions of (in)security that are intertwined with deportees’ family situations. In particular, men who were unable to see their families faced addiction and extreme precarity, while women found it extremely hard to continue on with their everyday lives while separated from their children. However, we found that the everyday life of deportees contained not only aspects of precarity and liminality, but also the possibility for building a new life.
Theory on Teaching Effectiveness at Meta, General and Partial Level
Authors: Scheerens Jaap
Published: March 2023

This chapter focuses on theories in the context of educational effectiveness research. Three levels of theory are distinguished: (1) The meta-theoretical level uses a multi-level framework of measurable facets of educational quality to provide a structure into studying teaching and its effects on student learning. (2) The general theory of teaching effectiveness focuses on major substantive dimensions of pro-active, interactive, and retro-active strategies as well as “structured independence”. (3) Partial theories are more specific in being closely tied to empirical outcomes, with “direct teaching” and tentative explanatory mechanisms in the realm of providing emotional support in classroom teaching being two examples. The three levels are considered to discuss the value of theories for research on teaching and its effects on student learning.
A Relational Analysis of the Labour Control Regime in the Bangalore Export-garment Cluster
Authors: López Tatiana
Published: March 2023

This chapter applies a practice-oriented, relational analytical approach to labour control regimes in GPNs to the empirical case of the Bangalore export-garment cluster. It illustrates how the labour control regime in the Bangalore export-garment cluster emerges from the intersection of six different sets of processual relations with the labour process: sourcing relations, wage relations, workplace relations, industrial relations, employment relations and labour market relations. For each set of relations, the chapter reveals the specific exploiting and disciplining practices performed by actors at various levels, which together constitute structural labour control relations. These practices include inter alia Bangalore garment managers’ production targeting, union-busting and wage theft practices, garment retailers’ predatory purchasing practices, and employers’ and state actors’ practices of constructing a complex multi-level training and migration regime to secure adequate labour supply. In the face of this complex mesh of labour control practices, the chapter highlights the various constraints and challenges for local garment unions to build and activate associational and institutional power resources.
Conclusion: Lessons for Building Union Power in Garment Producing Countries and Benefits of a Relational Approach for Analysing Labour Control and Labour Agency in GPNs
Authors: López Tatiana
Published: March 2023

This chapter summarises central findings in light of the posed research questions and discusses the empirical and conceptual contributions of this book. In terms of empirical contributions, the book highlights the central role of local worker organisations in improving working conditions in the garment industry while simultaneously revealing the complex, networked labour control structures that constrain the terrain for labour agency in garment producing countries. Against this background, unions need to develop networked agency strategies that employ coalitional and moral power resources from international consumer and labour organisations to open up space for workplace organising and collective bargaining. Conceptually, the relational approach for studying labour control and labour agency in GPNs developed in this book contributes to reinvigorating a relational understanding of labour dynamics in GPNs as constituted through power-laden, networked relationships at the vertical and horizontal dimension of the GPN. Thereby the book addresses a gap in past scalar analyses, which have not sufficiently explored the specific links between network dynamics and territorial outcomes for labour at specific nodes of a GPN. The chapter concludes with final reflections on challenges and strategies for improving working conditions in the global garment industry and directions for further research.
Hierarchies of RG flows in 6d (1, 0) massive E-strings
Authors: Fazzi Marco , Giacomelli Simone , Suvendu
Published: March 2023

Abstract

We extend the analysis of [9] to the 6d (1, 0) SCFTs known as massive E-string theories, which can be engineered in massive Type IIA with 8 − n0< 8 D8-branes close to an O8− (or O8* if n0 = 8, 9). For each choice of n0 = 1, …, 9 the massive $$ {E}_{1+\left(8-{n}_0\right)} $$

E

1
+

8
−

n
0

-strings (including the more exotic $$ {\overset{\sim }{E}}_1 $$

E
~

1

and E0) are classified by constrained E8 Kac labels, i.e. a subset of Hom(ℤk, E8), from which one can read off the flavor subalgebra of $$ {E}_{1+\left(8-{n}_0\right)} $$

E

1
+

8
−

n
0

of each SCFT. We construct hierarchies for two types of Higgs branch RG flows: flows between massive theories defined by the same n0 but different labels; flows between massive theories with different n0. These latter flows are triggered by T-brane vev’s for the right SU factor of the SCFT global symmetry, whose rank is a function of both k and n0, a situation which has so far remained vastly unexplored.
Energy conservation and axion back-reaction in a magnetic field
Authors: Sen Srimoyee , Sivertsen Lars
Published: March 2023

Abstract

Axion clumps in an external magnetic field can emit electromagnetic radiation which causes them to decay. In the presence of a plasma, such radiation can become resonant if the clump frequency matches the plasma frequency. Typically, the decay or back-reaction of the clump is ignored in the literature when analyzing such radiation. In this paper we present a self consistent, semi-analytic approach which captures axion backreaction using energy conservation. We find that inclusion of back-reaction changes the clump frequency over time enabling clumps with a range of different initial frequencies to become resonant at some point in their time evolution.
Informationsweitergabe zur COVID-19-Impfung: Quantitative Online-Befragung zu Akteuren, Inhalten, Quellen und Motiven
Authors: Memenga Paula , Scheper Jule , Link Elena
Published: March 2023

Hintergrund

Welche Meinung eine Person zur COVID-19-Impfung vertritt und wie ihre Impfentscheidung ausfällt, hängt u. a. von den sie erreichenden Informationen ab. Es scheint somit zentral, das Phänomen der Informationsweitergabe im Kontext der COVID-19-Impfung zu untersuchen. Die Studie exploriert, wer welche Informationen zur Impfung an wen weitergibt, wie die Weitergabe mit der Nutzung von Informationsquellen zusammenhängt und welche Motive bestehen.

Methode

Im Zeitraum vom 19.06. bis 13.07.2021 wurde eine Umfrage mit 833 Personen über das deutsche nicht-repräsentative Social Sciences’ (SoSci) Panel durchgeführt. Erfragt wurden die Informationsweitergabe an Fremde und Personen aus dem sozialen Umfeld, Inhalte und Motive sowie die Informationsquellen. Die Antworten von 828 Personen wurden mittels deskriptiver Statistiken und multipler linearer Regressionsanalysen ausgewertet.

Ergebnisse

Informationen zur COVID-19-Impfung wurden tendenziell häufiger von älteren Personen, Frauen und Ungeimpften weitergegeben und umfassten Vorteile und Risiken der Impfung sowie persönliche Erfahrungen. Die Informationsweitergabe erfolgte häufiger im sozialen Umfeld als an Fremde. Personen, die sich über die Webseiten von Gesundheitsbehörden informieren, gaben häufiger Informationen zu Vorteilen sowie persönliche Erfahrungen weiter, während Personen, die YouTube oder Messenger-Dienste nutzen, häufiger Informationen zu Risiken teilten. Motive der Informationsweitergabe sind, anderen Menschen helfen, sozialer Austausch, Aufmerksamkeit schaffen, Statusgewinn und die Angst vor Angriffen oder Verurteilung.

Diskussion

Die Informationsweitergabe zur COVID-19-Impfung ist inhaltlich wie motivational vielschichtig. Um die Impfbereitschaft zu fördern, sollte das Informationsangebot offizieller Webseiten ausgebaut sowie die Gesundheitskompetenz der Bevölkerung gestärkt werden.
Targeting the neutral hip-to-calcaneus axis in kinematically aligned total knee arthroplasty is feasible with fewer alignment outliers for varus osteoarthritic patients
Authors: Matsumoto Tomoyuki , Nakano Naoki , Ishida Kazunari , Maeda Toshihisa , Tachibana Shotaro , Kuroda Yuichi , Hayashi Shinya , Matsushita Takehiko , Kuroda Ryosuke
Published: March 2023

Purpose

Assessment of the conventional mechanical axis (MA) (hip-to-talus axis) is reported to result in constitutional varus in the native knee. However, the ground MA (hip-to-calcaneus axis), which is the line from the hip center to the bottom of the calcaneus, passes through the center of the knee joint in the native knee and is a possible alternative target for total knee arthroplasty (TKA) assessments. Therefore, this study aimed to present a “ground kinematically aligned (KA)-TKA.” In this technique, the femoral component is placed on the cylindrical axis using the calipered technique and the tibial component is placed to give a neutral ground MA. Radiographical investigation was used to determine whether physiological alignment can be individually achieved with ground KA-TKA; this was compared with that of a tibia-restricted modified KA-TKA, referring to conventional MA (hip-to-talus axis) results.

Methods

As the primary endpoint, this prospective cohort study compared the ground MA ratios of the knee joints in 40 ground KA-TKAs (G group: Coronal Plain Alignment of the Knee (CPAK) 28 type I, 7 II, 1 IV, and 4 V) with those of the preceding 60 modified KA-TKAs (M group: CPAK 46 type I, 12 II, and 2 V) performed for patients with varus osteoarthritis (OA). The number of outliers differing over ± 5% from the neutral were compared between groups using the χ2-test. The Hip–knee–ankle (HKA) angle, coronal femoral/tibial component alignment (FCA/TCA), and joint line orientation angle (JLOA) were compared between the groups using non-paired t-tests. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.

Results

The G group had a higher ratio of the ground MA passing through the knee center than the M group did; outliers differing over ± 5% from the neutral of the ground MA were 2/40 cases in the G group and 20/60 cases in the M group, which was a significant difference (p = 0.001). The HKA angle, FCA/TCA, and JLOA were not significantly different between the groups.

Conclusions

Targeting the ground MA in KA-TKA for patients with varus OA was feasible and has the potential to provide a physiological alignment more similar to the native knee in TKA than other kinematic alignment techniques.

Level of evidence

Level III.
Health-related quality of life disparities among Hispanic/Latinx patients with nephrolithiasis
Authors: Flores Alec R. , Abedi Garen , Girgiss Carol B. , Berger Jonathan H. , Penniston Kristina L. , Li Shuang , Friedlander David F. , Bechis Seth K. , Sur Roger L.
Published: March 2023

It is documented that Hispanic/Latinx kidney stone formers have inferior health-related quality of life (HRQoL) compared to the general population. We hypothesized that socioeconomic factors drive HRQoL disparities. Specifically, we sought to determine if medical insurance type is associated with HRQoL disparities among Hispanic/Latinx stone formers. This was a prospective cohort observational study of patients with kidney stones across the University of San Diego Health Care System. Patients enrolled from June 2018 to August 2020 completed a validated Wisconsin Stone Quality of Life questionnaire (WISQoL). Patient characteristics and self-reported HRQoL were compared between Hispanic/Latinx and non-Hispanic/Latinx stone formers using MANCOVA and ordinal logistic regression. Matched group comparisons were performed based on age, gender, body mass index, stone symptoms, and insurance type using MACOVA. A total of 270 patients were enrolled (Hispanic/Latinx n = 88; non-Hispanic/Latinx n = 182). Hispanic/Latinx stone formers had higher rates of public insurance at baseline (p < 0.001) with significantly lower HRQoL [social impact (p = 0.007)]. However, a matched cohort comparison demonstrated no differences. On multivariate analysis, private insurance increased the likelihood of having higher HRQoL (OR 2.21, p = 0.021), while stone symptoms (OR = 0.06, p < 0.001) and emergency department visits (OR = 0.04, p = 0.008) decreased chances of higher HRQoL. Ethnicity was not a significant factor in HRQoL scores on multivariate analysis. Our analysis suggests that differences in HRQoL among Hispanic/Latinx stone formers may be primarily driven by socioeconomic factors as opposed to clinical or racial differences. Specifically, source of insurance appears to have significant effect on HRQoL in this ethnic group.
Real world impact of added FFR-CT to coronary CT angiography on clinical decision-making and patient prognosis – IMPACT FFR study
Authors: Becker Leonie M. , Peper Joyce , Verhappen Bram J. L. A. , Swart Laurens A. , Dedic Admir , van Dockum Willem G. , van der Ent Martin , Royaards Kees-Jan , Niezen André , Hensen Jan-Hein J. , van Kuijk Jan-Peter , Mohamed Hoesein Firdaus A. A. , Leiner Tim , Bruning Tobias A. , Swaans Martin J.
Published: March 2023

Objectives

The addition of CT-derived fractional flow reserve (FFR-CT) increases the diagnostic accuracy of coronary CT angiography (CCTA). We assessed the impact of FFR-CT in routine clinical practice on clinical decision-making and patient prognosis in patients suspected of stable coronary artery disease (CAD).

Methods

This retrospective, single-center study compared a cohort that received CCTA with FFR-CT to a historical cohort that received CCTA before FFR-CT was available. We assessed the clinical management decisions after FFR-CT and CCTA and the rate of major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) during the 1-year follow-up using chi-square tests for independence. Kaplan–Meier curves were used to visualize the occurrence of safety outcomes over time.

Results

A total of 360 patients at low to intermediate risk of CAD were included, 224 in the CCTA only group, and 136 in the FFR-CT group. During follow-up, 13 MACE occurred in 12 patients, 9 (4.0%) in the CCTA group, and three (2.2%) in the FFR-CT group. Clinical management decisions differed significantly between both groups. After CCTA, 60 patients (26.5%) received optimal medical therapy (OMT) only, 115 (51.3%) invasive coronary angiography (ICA), and 49 (21.9%) single positron emission CT (SPECT). After FFR-CT, 106 patients (77.9%) received OMT only, 27 (19.9%) ICA, and three (2.2%) SPECT (p < 0.001 for all three options). The revascularization rate after ICA was similar between groups (p = 0.15). However, patients in the CCTA group more often underwent revascularization (p = 0.007).

Conclusion

Addition of FFR-CT to CCTA led to a reduction in (invasive) diagnostic testing and less revascularizations without observed difference in outcomes after 1 year.

Key Points

• Previous studies have shown that computed tomography–derived fractional flow reserve improves the accuracy of coronary computed tomography angiography without changes in acquisition protocols.

• This study shows that use of computed tomography-derived fractional flow reserve as gatekeeper to invasive coronary angiography in patients suspected of stable coronary artery disease leads to less invasive testing and revascularization without observed difference in outcomes after 1 year.

• This could lead to a significant reduction in costs, complications and (retrospectively unnecessary) usage of diagnostic testing capacity, and a significant increase in patient satisfaction.
Female breast cancer subtypes in the Romagna Unit of the Emilia-Romagna cancer registry, and estimated incident cases by subtypes and age in Italy in 2020
Authors: Crocetti Emanuele , Ravaioli Alessandra , Giuliani Orietta , Bucchi Lauro , Vattiato Rosa , Mancini Silvia , Zamagni Federica , Vitali Benedetta , Balducci Chiara , Baldacchini Flavia , Falcini Fabio
Published: March 2023

Purpose

The aim of this study was to estimate the Italian burden of incident breast cancer (BC) by subtypes, according to the distribution of hormonal receptor (HR) status and expression of human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2).

Methods

Female breast cancers incidence in the Romagna Unit of the Emilia-Romagna registry (n. 10,711) were grouped into: HR+ /HER2–, HR+ /HER2+ , HR–/HER2+ , HR–/HER2– and missing, and by age: < 50, 50–69 and 70+ years. Data were compared with other published Italian population-bases series before using them for national estimates. We used national and regional numbers of expected breast cancers published by the Italian network of cancer registries considering the age- and geographic-specific variation of the Italian population.

Results

Overall, 70.7% of incident BC cases are expected to be HR+ /HER2-, 8.5% HR+ /HER2+ , 7.5% HR-/HER2-, 4.1% HR-/HER2+ and 9.3% missing. The global ranking is similar across age-groups but with age-specific differences. The proportion of missing was around 3-times lower than in the other Italian published population-based series and similar to the SEER one. In Italy, are estimated 38,841 HR+ /HER2- breast cancer cases, 4665 HR+ /HER2+ , 4098 HR-/HER2-, 2281 HR-/HER2+ , and 5092 not specified. Numbers by age-group were provided.

Conclusions

The present estimates relied on high-quality population-based data and provide a clinically relevant information on the burden of breast cancer subtypes. These data will support the planning of therapy needs for oncologists, decision-makers, and all other stakeholders.
Psychische Belastung und deren Einflussfaktoren bei Überlebenden von malignen ovariellen Keimzell- oder Keimstrangstromatumoren – eine Analyse der AGO-CORSETT-Datenbank
Authors: Bossart M. , Plett H. , Krämer B. , Braicu E. , Czogalla B. , Klar M. , Singer S. , Mayr D. , Staebler A. , du Bois A. , Kommoss S. , Link T. , Burges A. , Heitz F. , Grube M. , Trillsch F. , Harter P. , Wimberger P. , Buderath P. , Hasenburg A.
Published: March 2023

Hintergrund

Keimstrangstroma(SCST)- und Keimzelltumoren (MOGCT) sind seltene ovarielle Neoplasien, die häufig bei Jugendlichen oder prämenopausalen Patientinnen auftreten. Die Prognose ist in allen Stadien gut, weshalb psychisches Wohlbefinden, Lebensqualität, Fertilitätserhalt und Kinderwunsch zu relevanten Themen der Langzeitüberlebenden werden.

Ziel der Arbeit

Untersuchung der Prävalenz der fertilitätserhaltenden Therapie bei Patientinnen mit ovariellen Keimstrangstromatumoren und Keimzelltumoren und die Erfassung von Zusammenhängen mit Angst, Depression, Lebensqualität und Sexualität nach Therapie.

Material und Methoden

Die Current-Ovarian-geRM-cell-and-Sex-Cord-stromal-Tumour-Treatment-strategies(CORSETT)-Studie ist eine multizentrische, retro- und prospektiv beobachtende Kohortenstudie der Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Gynäkologische Onkologie (AGO) der Deutschen Krebsgesellschaft. Patientinnen nach Keimstrangstroma- oder Keimzelltumorbehandlung wurden gebeten, Fragebögen zu beantworten (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale [HADS], Sexual Activity Questionnaire [SAQ], European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Core Quality of Life Questionnaire [EORTC QLQ-C30]). Im Fokus dieser Analyse standen der Stellenwert der fertilitätserhaltenden Operation sowie die Ausprägung und potenziellen Zusammenhänge mit Sexualität, Lebensqualität, Schmerz, Angst und Depressivität.

Ergebnisse

Von 355 eingeschlossenen Patientinnen hatten 152 Patientinnen die Fragebögen ausgefüllt und wurden in die Analysen eingeschlossen. 85 Patientinnen hiervon (56 %) wurden fertilitätserhaltend operiert. 34 % der Patientinnen hatten klinisch relevante Angst und Depressivität. Patientinnen nach fertilitätserhaltender Operation waren signifikant häufiger sexuell aktiv, hatten mehr sexuelles Verlangen und litten seltener unter Angst und Depressivität als Patientinnen ohne fertilitätserhaltende operative Therapie. Das Ausmaß von Angst und Depressivität korrelierte mit dem Schmerzniveau, unabhängig vom zeitlichen Abstand zur Krebsdiagnose.

Diskussion

Die fertilitätserhaltende operative Therapie sollte, wann immer onkologisch vertretbar, den Patientinnen mit SCST und MOGCT angeboten werden, um den Krebsüberlebenden bestmögliche Lebensqualität zu ermöglichen. Ein wiederholtes Screening auf Angst, Depressivität, Schmerzen und Probleme in der Sexualität sollte anhand von standardisierten Fragebögen bei allen Patientinnen durchgeführt werden.
Serum CA724 has no diagnostic value for gastrointestinal tumors
Authors: Cao Huiru , Zhu Liuming , Li Lin , Wang Wei , Niu Xiaoping
Published: March 2023

Objective

This study aimed to explore the predictive values of serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigen (CA) 199, CA125 and CA724 in the diagnosis of gastrointestinal tumors.

Methods

Among patients treated for gastrointestinal tumors at the First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College between December 2020 and March 2022, 572 patients were reviewed as the tumor group, and 700 healthy subjects from the physical examination center of the same hospital were reviewed as the control group. We evaluated the correlation between serum CEA, CA199, CA125, CA724 levels and pathological features in 572 patients with gastrointestinal tumors.The levels of serum CEA, CA199, CA125 and CA724 were compared between the two groups, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) was used to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of these markers alone and in combination.

Results

Serum CEA level was correlated with tumor stage and metastasis, and CA199 was correlated with tumor stage, lymph node involvement and metastasis. CA125 and CA724 have no correlation with tumor pathological features. The levels of serum CEA, CA199 and CA125 were significantly increased in the tumor group compared with the control group, while serum CA724 levels did not significantly differ between groups (p > 0.05). In addition, in patients with gastric cancer (GC), esophageal cancer (EC), pancreatic cancer (PC), gallbladder cancer (GBC) or colorectal cancer (CRC), the serum CEA, CA199 and CA125 levels were significantly higher than those in the control group (p < 0.05). However, serum CA724 levels were increased only in CRC patients (p < 0.05). ROC curve evaluation results showed that while CA199, CA125 and CA724 alone had poor diagnostic efficacy in the tumor group, CEA was better. Specifically, CEA had better diagnostic efficacy in GC, PC, GBC and CRC; additionally, CA199 and CA125 had better diagnostic efficacy in PC. However, CA724 showed no diagnostic value in the tumor group and the single gastrointestinal tumor group. For diagnosis with multiple-marker combinations, CEA + CA199 + CA125 had the best diagnostic performance (AUC = 0.776, AUC = 0.650, AUC = 0.896, AUC = 0.840, AUC = 0.793) in the GC, EC, PC, GBC and CRC groups, and the sensitivity of multiple-marker combined detection was better than that of single-marker detection.

Conclusions

Serum CA724 has no diagnostic value for gastrointestinal tumors, and it cannot evaluate the pathological status of tumors. Serum CEA has excellent diagnostic efficacy in GC, PC, GBC and CRC, and its expression level is related to tumor stage and metastasis. Additionally, CA199 and CA125 have good diagnostic efficacy in PC. Among them, CA199 level was related to tumor stage, lymph node involvement and metastasis, and CA125 level was not related to pathological status. In addition, the multiple-marker combination CEA + CA199 + CA125 has the best diagnostic efficacy in GC, EC, PC, GBC and CRC.
Expiratory-gated Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation (taVNS) does not Further Augment Heart Rate Variability During Slow Breathing at 0.1 Hz
Authors: Szulczewski Mikołaj Tytus , D’Agostini Martina , Van Diest Ilse
Published: March 2023

As cardiac vagal control is a hallmark of good health and self-regulatory capacity, researchers are seeking ways to increase vagally mediated heart rate variability (vmHRV) in an accessible and non-invasive way. Findings with transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) have been disappointing in this respect, as its effects on vmHRV are inconsistent at best. It has been speculated that combining taVNS with other established ways to increase vmHRV may produce synergistic effects. To test this idea, the present study combined taVNS with slow breathing in a cross-over design. A total of 22 participants took part in two sessions of breathing at 6 breaths/min: once combined with taVNS, and once combined with sham stimulation. Electrical stimulation (100 Hz, 400 µs) was applied during expiration, either to the tragus and cavum conchae (taVNS) or to the earlobe (sham). ECG was recorded during baseline, 20-minutes of stimulation, and the recovery period. Frequentist and Bayesian analyses showed no effect of taVNS (in comparison to sham stimulation) on the root mean square of successive differences between normal heartbeats, mean inter-beat interval, or spectral power of heart rate variability at a breathing frequency of 0.1 Hz. These findings suggest that expiratory-gated taVNS combined with the stimulation parameters examined here does not produce acute effects on vmHRV during slow breathing.
Chitosan Schiff base electrospun fabrication and molecular docking assessment for nonleaching antibacterial nanocomposite production
Authors: Ali Eman AboBakr , Abo-Salem Heba M. , Arafa Amany A. , Nada Ahmed A.
Published: March 2023

In this work, new chitosan derivative nanofibers that exhibit antibacterial properties were successfully fabricated. The two CS Schiff base derivatives (CS-APC and CS-2APC) were prepared by incorporating 4-amino antipyrine moiety in two different ratios, followed by a reductive amination to obtain the corresponding derivatives CS-APCR and CS-2APCR. Spectral analyses were used to confirm the chemical structure. The molecular docking evaluation of CS-APC, CS-APCR, and CS was conducted on DNA topoisomerase IV, thymidylate kinase and SARS-CoV-2 main protease (3CLpro) active sites. CS-APCR showed a well-fitting into the three enzyme active sites with docking score values of  − 32.76,  − 35.43 and  − 30.12 kcal/mol, respectively. The nanocomposites of CS derivatives were obtained by electrospinning the blends of CS-2APC and CS-2APCR with polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) at 20 kV. The morphology of the nanofibers was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It was found that fiber diameters were significantly decreased when CS-2APC and CS-2APCR were incorporated into pure PVP to reach 206–296 nm and 146–170 nm, respectively, compared to 224–332 nm for pure PVP. The derivatives of CS and their nanofibers with PVP were found to have antibacterial activities against two strains of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Data revealed that CS-2APC nanofibers showed antibacterial activity to the two strains of E. coli less than CS-2APCR nanofibers.
Design, implementation, and evaluation of an online supported peer feedback module to enhance students’ argumentative essay quality
Authors: Noroozi Omid , Banihashem Seyyed Kazem , Biemans Harm J. A. , Smits Mattijs , Vervoort Mariëtte T.W. , Verbaan Caro-Lynn
Published: March 2023

We know little to what extent peer feedback strategies can be applied on a large scale in higher education for complex tasks. This study aimed to design, implement, and evaluate an online-supported peer feedback module for large-scale use to enhance higher education students’ argumentative essay writing performance. To do this, 330 students from five different courses at bachelor and master levels followed the online supported peer feedback module. In this module, students were asked to write an argumentative essay about a controversial issue, provide peer feedback for two peers, and revise their original essays based on the received feedback. Three types of data including original essay (pre-test) data, peer feedback data, and revised essay (post-test) data collected. Students also filled out the learning satisfaction questionnaire at the end of the module. The findings showed that the suggested online-supported peer feedback module was effective in improving students’ argumentative essay quality in all courses at the bachelor and master levels. The findings also showed there is a difference in the level of students’ satisfaction with the module among the courses and between the education levels. The findings of this study provide insights into and add value to the scalability of online peer feedback tools for argumentative essay writing in different contexts. Based on the findings, recommendations for future studies and educational practice are provided.
Quantifying heterogeneity in ecohydrological partitioning in urban green spaces through the integration of empirical and modelling approaches
Authors: Stevenson Jamie Lee , Birkel Christian , Comte Jean-Christophe , Tetzlaff Doerthe , Marx Christian , Neill Aaron , Maneta Marco , Boll Jan , Soulsby Chris
Published: March 2023

Urban green spaces (UGS) can help mitigate hydrological impacts of urbanisation and climate change through precipitation infiltration, evapotranspiration and groundwater recharge. However, there is a need to understand how precipitation is partitioned by contrasting vegetation types in order to target UGS management for specific ecosystem services. We monitored, over one growing season, hydrometeorology, soil moisture, sapflux and isotopic variability of soil water under contrasting vegetation (evergreen shrub, evergreen conifer, grassland, larger and smaller deciduous trees), focussed around a 150-m transect of UGS in northern Scotland. We further used the data to develop a one-dimensional model, calibrated to soil moisture observations (KGE’s generally > 0.65), to estimate evapotranspiration and groundwater recharge. Our results evidenced clear inter-site differences, with grassland soils experiencing rapid drying at the start of summer, resulting in more fractionated soil water isotopes. Contrastingly, the larger deciduous site saw gradual drying, whilst deeper sandy upslope soils beneath the evergreen shrub drained rapidly. Soils beneath the denser canopied evergreen conifer were overall least responsive to precipitation. Modelled ecohydrological fluxes showed similar diversity, with median evapotranspiration estimates increasing in the order grassland (193 mm) < evergreen shrub (214 mm) < larger deciduous tree (224 mm) < evergreen conifer tree (265 mm). The evergreen shrub had similar estimated median transpiration totals as the larger deciduous tree (155 mm and 128 mm, respectively), though timing of water uptake was different. Median groundwater recharge was greatest beneath grassland (232 mm) and lowest beneath the evergreen conifer (128 mm). The study showed how integrating observational data and simple modelling can quantify heterogeneities in ecohydrological partitioning and help guide UGS management.
Moral autonomy of patients and legal barriers to a possible duty of health related data sharing
Authors: Vedder Anton , Spajić Daniela
Published: March 2023

Informed consent bears significant relevance as a legal basis for the processing of personal data and health data in the current privacy, data protection and confidentiality legislations. The consent requirements find their basis in an ideal of personal autonomy. Yet, with the recent advent of the global pandemic and the increased use of eHealth applications in its wake, a more differentiated perspective with regards to this normative approach might soon gain momentum. This paper discusses the compatibility of a moral duty to share data for the sake of the improvement of healthcare, research, and public health with autonomy in the field of data protection, privacy and medical confidentiality. It explores several ethical-theoretical justifications for a duty of data sharing, and then reflects on how existing privacy, data protection, and confidentiality legislations could obstruct such a duty. Consent, as currently defined in the General Data Protection Regulation – a key legislative framework providing rules on the processing of personal data and data concerning health – and in the recommendation of the Council of Europe on the protection of health-related data – explored here as soft-law – turns out not to be indispensable from various ethical perspectives, while the requirement of consent in the General Data Protection Regulation and the recommendation nonetheless curtails the full potential of a duty to share medical data. Also other legal grounds as possible alternatives for consent seem to constitute an impediment.