bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
First-Line Nivolumab Plus Relatlimab Versus Nivolumab Plus Ipilimumab in Advanced Melanoma: An Indirect Treatment Comparison Using RELATIVITY-047 and CheckMate 067 Trial Data
Authors: Long Georgina V. , Lipson Evan J. , Hodi F. Stephen , Ascierto Paolo A. , Larkin James , Lao Christopher , Grob Jean-Jacques , Ejzykowicz Flavia , Moshyk Andriy , Garcia-Horton Viviana , Zhou Zheng-Yi , Xin Yiqiao , Palaia Jennell , McDonald Laura , Keidel Sarah , Salvatore Anthony , Patel Divya , Sakkal Leon A. , Tawbi Hussein , Schadendorf Dirk
Published: August 2024

PURPOSE

Nivolumab plus relatlimab and nivolumab plus ipilimumab have been approved for advanced melanoma on the basis of the phase II/III RELATIVITY-047 and phase III CheckMate 067 trials, respectively. As no head-to-head trial comparing these regimens exists, an indirect treatment comparison was conducted using patient-level data from each trial.

METHODS

Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) adjusted for baseline characteristic differences. Minimum follow-ups (RELATIVITY-047, 33 months; CheckMate 067, 36 months) were selected to best align assessments. Outcomes included progression-free survival (PFS), confirmed objective response rate (cORR), and melanoma-specific survival (MSS) per investigator; overall survival (OS); and treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs). A Cox regression model compared PFS, OS, and MSS. A logistic regression model compared cORRs. Subgroup analyses were exploratory.

RESULTS

After IPTW, key baseline characteristics were balanced for nivolumab plus relatlimab (n = 339) and nivolumab plus ipilimumab (n = 297). Nivolumab plus relatlimab demonstrated similar PFS (hazard ratio [HR], 1.08 [95% CI, 0.88 to 1.33]), cORR (odds ratio, 0.91 [95% CI, 0.73 to 1.14]), OS (HR, 0.94 [95% CI, 0.75 to 1.19]), and MSS (HR, 0.86 [95% CI, 0.67 to 1.12]) to nivolumab plus ipilimumab. Subgroup comparisons showed larger numerical differences favoring nivolumab plus ipilimumab with acral melanoma,
BRAF
-mutant melanoma, and lactate dehydrogenase >2 × upper limit of normal, but were limited by small samples. Nivolumab plus relatlimab was associated with fewer grade 3-4 TRAEs (23%
v
61%) and any-grade TRAEs leading to discontinuation (17%
v
41%).

CONCLUSION

Nivolumab plus relatlimab demonstrated similar efficacy to nivolumab plus ipilimumab in the overall population, including most—but not all—subgroups, and improved safety in patients with untreated advanced melanoma. Results should be interpreted with caution.
GFR Decline Predicts Total Mortality and Mediates the Effect of Tryptophan Metabolism on Death Risk in Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Lamacchia Olga , Menzaghi Claudia , Copetti Massimiliano , Mastroianno Mario , Corsano Chiara , Prehn Cornelia , Adamski Jerzy , Fontana Andrea , Trischitta Vincenzo , De Cosmo Salvatore
Published: August 2024

Context

The independent role of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) decline in shaping the risk of mortality in people with type 2 diabetes has only been partially addressed.

Objective

The objective of the study was 2-fold: (1) to investigate the association between all-cause mortality and eGFR changes over time; (2) to understand whether renal dysfunction mediates the effect of tryptophan metabolism on death risk.

Methods

Prospective study with an average follow-up of 14.8 years at a research hospital. The aggregate Gargano Mortality Study included 962 patients with type 2 diabetes who had at least 3 eGFR recordings and at least 1.5 years of follow-up. This was an observational study, with no interventions. Rate of all-cause mortality was measured.

Results

Age- and sex-adjusted annual incident rate of mortality was 2.75 events per 100 person-years. The median annual rate of decline of eGFR was 1.3 mL/min per 1.73 m2 per year (range −3.7; 7.8). The decline of kidney function was strongly and independently associated with the risk of death. Serum kynurenine to tryptophan ratio (KTR) was associated with both eGFR decline and all-cause mortality. Causal mediation analysis showed that 24.3% of the association between KTR and mortality was mediated by eGFR decline.

Conclusion

In patients with type 2 diabetes, eGFR decline is independently associated with the risk of all-cause mortality and mediates a significant proportion of the association between tryptophan metabolism and death.
Prevalence of Metabolic Dysfunction-associated Steatotic Liver Disease and Cardiometabolic Risk Factor in US Adolescents
Authors: Zheng Xiaoyan , Zhao Dongying , Wang Liwei , Wang Yiwen , Chen Yan , Zhang Yongjun
Published: August 2024

Context

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is widespread worldwide, and a strong link between MASLD and cardiometabolic risk factors (CMRFs) was highlighted in this study.

Objective

This study characterized the prevalence of MASLD in adolescent population and overlapping CMRFs conditions in MASLD.

Methods

This is a cross-sectional study of US adolescents aged 12 to 19 years in the 2017 through 2020 cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The relationship between CMRFs and liver steatosis, evaluated by the median controlled attenuation parameter (CAP), was assessed.

Results

The prevalence of MASLD in adolescents was 23.77%. Isolated overweight/obesity (35%) was the top CMRF. Non-Hispanic Black patients had the highest proportion of overweight/obesity plus elevated glucose (24%), whereas non-Hispanic Asians had the highest burden of dyslipidemia (2%, 14%, and 19%). Except for hypertension, overweight/obesity (β = 48.7; 95% CI, 43.4-54.0), hypertriglyceridemia (β = 15.5; 95% CI, 7.2-28.3), low HDL-C (β = 10.0; 95% CI, 3.1-16.9), elevated glucose (β = 6.9; 95% CI, 0.6-13.2) were all significantly associated with increased CAP values. Increased CAP was linked to the synergistic interactions between overweight/obesity and dyslipidemia or elevated glucose (overweight/obesity and elevated glucose: relative excess risk due to interaction [RERI] = 8.21, attributable proportion due to interaction [AP] = 0.45, synergy index [SI] = 1.91; overweight/obesity and hypertriglyceridemia: RERI = 19.00, AP = 0.69, SI = 3.53; overweight/obesity and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol: RERI = 10.83, AP = 0.58, SI = 2.61). Adolescents with combination of overweight/obesity, dyslipidemia (β = 15.1; 95% CI, 0.1-30.2) and combination of overweight/obesity, dyslipidemia and elevated glucose (β = 48.0; 95% CI, 23.3-72.6) had a significantly higher CAP values.

Conclusion

The prevalence of MASLD was alarmingly high in adolescents, and overweight/obesity was the most important CMRF. Overweight/obesity and dyslipidemia or elevated glucose had positive additive interaction effects on liver steatosis.
Association of Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D With Stroke: Observational Mediation and Mendelian Randomization Study
Authors: Tsai Ming-Chieh , Fan Hsien-Yu , Hsu Hsin-Yin , Tseng Po-Jung , Chuang Shih-Ming , Yeh Tzu-Lin , Lee Chun-Chuan , Chien Ming-Nan , Chien Kuo-Liong
Published: August 2024

Context

The causal association and biological mechanism linking serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) to stroke risk lacks epidemiological evidence.

Objective

This study aimed to investigate the association between 25(OH)D concentration and stroke risk as well as the potential mediating factors.

Design

The community-based prospective community-based cohort study, the Chin-Shan Community Cardiovascular Cohort, was conducted from 1990 to December 2011, with external validation using a 2-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study.

Patients

A total of 1778 participants with serum 25(OH)D data were enrolled.

Methods

In the Chin-Shan Community Cardiovascular Cohort observational study, the outcome was ascertained as stroke, while in the 2-sample MR study, it was defined as ischemic stroke. Causal effects were estimated using restricted cubic spline analysis, COX proportional hazard ratios, mediation analysis, and 2-sample MR.

Results

Over 12 years (21 598 person-years) of follow-up, 163 participants (9.17%) developed stroke. Higher 25(OH)D concentrations were associated with lower stroke risk (hazard ratio: 0.64; 95% confidence interval, 0.43-0.96) after full-model adjustments. Mediation analysis showed a significant association between 25(OH)D concentration and stroke risk mediated by hypertension in unadjusted models (mediation percentage 23.3%, P = .008) that became nonsignificant in full models (mediation percentage, 15.5%; P = .072). Two-sample MR confirmed a significant inverse association between genetically determined 25(OH)D and stroke risk (inverse variance weighted method odds ratio 0.92; 95% confidence interval: 0.85-0.99; P = .036). However, hypertension had an insignificant mediating role in the MR study.

Conclusion

Higher 25(OH)D levels are linked to reduced stroke risk, potentially mediated by hypertension. Prioritizing blood pressure management may improve stroke prevention in 25(OH)D-deficient patients.
Coma After Droperidol Administration: A Case Report
Authors: Vetter Christian , Biedermann Carlos , Berger-Estilita Joana , Bütikofer Anne
Published: August 2024

In Switzerland, approximately 32,000 patients are hospitalized annually due to adverse drug reactions (ADRs), representing 2.3% of all hospitalizations. During the perioperative period, the administration of a variety of drugs from different classes over a relatively short period of time increases the risk of ADR. Here, we describe the case of a 32-year-old woman who was administered droperidol to treat nausea in the recovery room after a myomectomy and who subsequently became comatose. Correctable metabolic, respiratory, and cerebrovascular disorders were ruled out. Six hours after the event, she was extubated without residual effects. We discuss potential ADR for droperidol.
Airway Management May Not Improve in Adult Patients With Pierre Robin Sequence: A Case Report
Authors: Philip Michele , Patel Shivam , Chaudhry Faraz , Napoli Salvatore , Pandya Shah Shridevi
Published: August 2024

Infants with Pierre Robin sequence present with difficult airways due to their triad of micrognathia, glossoptosis, and cleft palate. This creates a difficult airway to intubate and ventilate. Typically, with various interventions and the growth of the mandible with age, the airway gets easier to manage into adulthood. Surgeries, such as coronoidectomy, have been found to ease the difficulty of intubation in pediatric patients, but the results are not always permanent. We present an adult with Pierre Robin sequence who continued to have a difficult airway, suggesting that airway management does not necessarily improve with age.
Parkinsonism-Hyperpyrexia Syndrome During General Anesthesia: A Case Report
Authors: Hiramoto Yoshiyuki , Takahashi Shinji
Published: August 2024

Parkinsonism-hyperpyrexia syndrome (PHS) is a rare, fatal complication of Parkinson’s disease (PD) that manifests in patients who abruptly discontinue or reduce their antiParkinsonian medication. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a PHS case occurring in a patient undergoing general anesthesia. In the perioperative period of PD patients, it is important for anesthesiologists to prevent PHS as well as monitor patients to enable early detection and prompt response when it occurs.
Fine-tuning AMPK in physiology and disease using point-mutant mouse models
Authors: Ashraf Naghmana , Van Nostrand Jeanine L.
Published: August 2024

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is an evolutionarily conserved serine/threonine kinase that monitors the cellular energy status to adapt it to the fluctuating nutritional and environmental conditions in an organism. AMPK plays an integral part in a wide array of physiological processes, such as cell growth, autophagy and mitochondrial function, and is implicated in diverse diseases, including cancer, metabolic disorders, cardiovascular diseases and neurodegenerative diseases. AMPK orchestrates many different physiological outcomes by phosphorylating a broad range of downstream substrates. However, the importance of AMPK-mediated regulation of these substrates in vivo remains an ongoing area of investigation to better understand its precise role in cellular and metabolic homeostasis. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of our understanding of the kinase function of AMPK in vivo, as uncovered from mouse models that harbor phosphorylation mutations in AMPK substrates. We discuss some of the inherent limitations of these mouse models, highlight the broader implications of these studies for understanding human health and disease, and explore the valuable insights gained that could inform future therapeutic strategies for the treatment of metabolic and non-metabolic disorders.
Sex-specific trisomic Dyrk1a-related skeletal phenotypes during development in a Down syndrome model
Authors: LaCombe Jonathan M. , Sloan Kourtney , Thomas Jared R. , Blackwell Matthew P. , Crawford Isabella , Bishop Flannery , Wallace Joseph M. , Roper Randall J.
Published: August 2024

Skeletal insufficiency affects all individuals with Down syndrome (DS) or trisomy 21 and may alter bone strength throughout development due to a reduced period of bone formation and early attainment of peak bone mass compared to those in typically developing individuals. Appendicular skeletal deficits also appear in males before females with DS. In femurs of male Ts65Dn DS model mice, cortical deficits were pronounced throughout development, but trabecular deficits and Dyrk1a overexpression were transitory until postnatal day (P) 30, when there were persistent trabecular and cortical deficits and Dyrk1a was trending toward overexpression. Correction of DS-related skeletal deficits by a purported DYRK1A inhibitor or through genetic means beginning at P21 was not effective at P30, but germline normalization of Dyrk1a improved male bone structure by P36. Trabecular and cortical deficits in female Ts65Dn mice were evident at P30 but subsided by P36, typifying periodic developmental skeletal normalizations that progressed to more prominent bone deficiencies. Sex-dependent differences in skeletal deficits with a delayed impact of trisomic Dyrk1a are important to find temporally specific treatment periods for bone and other phenotypes associated with trisomy 21.
Is coconut water truly a miracle drink in pregnancy or a myth?
Authors: Raza Maryam
Published: August 2024

doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.40.8.8817
How to cite this: Raza M. Is coconut water truly a miracle drink in pregnancy or a myth? Pak J Med Sci. 2024;40(8):1894.  doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.40.8.8817
Playing with the cultural pilgrimage to stimulate tourism: the xFORMAL project on cultural heritage and informal learning.
Authors: Siri Anna , Di Nuzzo Annalisa , Marchesini Simona
Published: August 2024

The focus on culture as an engine of sustainable development has favoured its gradual acquisition by institutions engaged in the protection and promotion of heritage as an enabling and systemic factor capable of connecting innovation, continue education, research, and citizen engagement in a single chain. Knowledge of the landscape that combines works of nature and humankind and its bio-cultural diversity makes it possible to identify innovative informal education and new tourist itineraries where the real experience is presented as a cultural pilgrimage. The European project of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Programme RISE ‘Informal and non-Formal E-Learning for Cultural Heritage - xFORMAL’, currently halfway through its lifecycle, was born to create an informal way of accessing the cultural heritage of one's territory, revealing its past, history, and the civilisations that preceded us. After two years of closure due to the pandemic, this project reintroduced an authentic experience through gamification, a contact with landscapes, museums, and archaeological sites with physical, social, and cultural dimensions of their environments across space and over time. Building upon this foundation, the article delves into the intricate design and architectural principles that underpin the creation of the xFORMAL game, showcasing it as a paradigm of informal learning. This exploration includes a detailed analysis of the game's innovative design elements, educational strategies, and its role in facilitating an engaging and immersive learning experience outside traditional educational settings.
Reading class: Digital evidence about fiction and social class
Authors: Aarhus Mathies
Published: August 2024

Recent years have seen the return of social class to popular fiction with the success of international authors like Édouard Louis, Annie Ernaux, Sally Rooney and Douglas Stuart. In Scandinavia, working-class authors have topped bestseller lists since 2022 and have drawn attention in mass media. This study looks at readers of “class fiction” by analyzing data from the digital book platform eReolen. Using data for loan time and geographic municipality, I argue that the popularity of class fiction has been fueled by media attention and gain many of its readers from relatively prosperous areas in Denmark – as opposed to the people represented in the books.
Global distribution patterns of siphonophores across horizontal and vertical oceanic gradients
Authors: Claver Cristina , Rodríguez-Ezpeleta Naiara , Irigoien Xabier , Canals Oriol
Published: August 2024

Background Siphonophores are diverse, globally distributed hydrozoans that play a central role in marine trophic webs worldwide. However, they still constitute an understudied fraction of the open ocean gelatinous taxa, mainly due to challenges related to siphonophore sampling and identification, which have led to a general knowledge gap about their diversity, distribution and abundance. Methods Here, we provide a global overview of the oceanic vertical distribution of siphonophores using DNA metabarcoding data from 77 bulk mesozooplankton samples collected at four different depth ranges (0-200, 200-500, 500-1000, 1000-3000 m depth) along the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans during the MALASPINA-2010 circumnavigation expedition. Results We detected a total of 44 siphonophore species (which represents about one quarter of the described siphonophore species) from which 26 corresponded to Calycophores, 14 to Physonectae and 2 to Cystonectae. Our results suggest wider horizontal and vertical distributions of siphonophore species than previously described, including novel records of some species in certain oceanic basins. Also, we provide insights into the intraspecific variation of widely distributed species. Finally, we show a vertical structuring of siphonophores along the water column; Calycophores (siphonophores without pneumatophores) dominated the epipelagic (from the surface to 200 m depth) and upper mesopelagic layers (from 200 to 500 m depth), while the proportion Physonectids (siphonophores with pneumatophore) notably increased below 500 meters and were dominant at bathypelagic depths (>1000 m depth). Conclusions Our results support that the siphonophore community composition is vertically structured. Also, we provide insights into the potential existence of genetic variations within certain species that dominate some ocean basins or depth ranges. To our knowledge, this is the first time that DNA metabarcoding data is retrieved to study siphonophore distribution patterns, and the study provides evidence of the potential of molecular techniques to study the distribution of gelatinous organisms often destroyed in net sampling.
RURAL TOURISM AS A FACTOR OF DIVERSIFICATION OF THE RURAL ECONOMY
Authors: Evgrafova Lyudmila
Published: August 2024

Modern methods for assessing the efficiency of agricultural production do not allow a comprehensive assessment of the one-time economic, social and environmental effect of the development of rural tourism. At the same time, rural tourism is an integral factor in the diversification of the agricultural economy. It is rural tourism that is an effective tool for the sustainable development of rural areas and the progressive triune balance of the environmental, economic and social blocks of development. Currently, there is an urgent need for the formation of unified criteria for classifying a particular object that sells tourism services in rural areas as a rural tourism object. If these criteria are available, it will be possible to categorize homogeneous objects and plot objects on the map. Thus, a potential consumer will have a real opportunity to use the services of rural tourism facilities, and the mechanism for introducing this direction will become clear. From the point of view of state regulation of the processes of scaling rural tourism, with the categorization and mapping of objects, the constituent entities of the Russian Federation will be able to regulate their socio-economic development. In our research, we developed a template for a unified document for a rural tourism facility, taking into account the current stage of development of rural tourism in Russia, as well as the level of involvement of regions in the sustainable tourism development agenda. The criteria for assessing sustainable tourism include indicators of infrastructure development, economics, ecology, society, and safety, which in turn affect the total multiplier effect of tourism activities on related industries. Analysis of passport templates for rural tourism objects in the context of federal districts made it possible to identify the relationship between the development of rural tourism and the development of rural areas, namely: job creation, increasing the level of education and income of the population, and developing the infrastructure of the territory adjacent to the object. Jobs are created not only in the agricultural organization, but also in related industries. The local cultural and agricultural heritage is preserved, and the ecology and biodiversity of rural areas is maintained. The highest level of multiplier effect is observed in the Volga, Southern and Central Federal Districts, and is less pronounced in the Northwestern and Siberian Federal Districts.
FARMING IN THE REPUBLIC OF TATARSTAN: ITS ROLE IN THE AGRICULTURAL BUSINESS SYSTEM AND DEVELOPMENT TREND
Authors: Mikhaylova Valerikovna , Mukhametgaliev Farit , Valiev Ayrat
Published: August 2024

The role and importance of peasant (farm) farms in the country’s agro-industrial complex is determined by the fact that they make a significant contribution to solving issues of ensuring food security, creating new jobs, increasing tax revenues to the federal and regional budgets, etc. In the Republic of Tatarstan, their share in 2022 accounts for more than 11% of all agricultural production in the region, with an average annual number of employees of more than 3.4 thousand people. The index of agricultural production in peasant (farm) farms in 2022 compared to the previous one was 150.7%, which is higher than both in agricultural organizations (143.2%) and in households (105.7%), which, as a result, contributed to an increase in the volume of output of the region’s industry in value by 29.3%. Despite the abnormal weather conditions in 2021, peasant farms have strengthened their position in the production of grain, sunflower seeds and milk. Further increase in agricultural production volumes is not possible without greater intensification of production processes, taking advantage of the digitalization of production to ensure an increase in crop yields and animal productivity. However, small forms of farming in rural areas during the transition to innovative technologies face certain difficulties and limitations: lack of financial resources due to small volumes of product sales; shortage of qualified labor as a result of labor migration to large cities, etc. Therefore, the introduction and application of elements of digital agriculture in farms is slower than in large agricultural formations, which creates uneven conditions for their development. More efficient functioning and development of farming in the region is possible only through the use of new approaches and management methods, the most important among which is the integration and cooperation of small and medium-sized businesses among themselves and with other elements of agribusiness.
Celowość prawa jako wartość konstytucyjna
Authors: Smolak Marek
Published: August 2024

The aim of this paper is to answer the question of whether the purposiveness of law is a constitutional value. If we accept that each constitutional principle of the law expresses constitutional value, the author argues that one may distinguish two kinds of reasoning: the first one is to infer the principle of purposiveness of law from the principle of the rule of law. The second one is based on the proposed definition of law. Because of the problems with application of the first kind of reasoning, author concentrates on the last kind of reasoning. On the basis of two definitions of law, formulated by Gustaw Radbruch and Lon Fuller, the author explains why the purposiveness of law is a binding constitutional value. The main argument is that, if we deny that the purposiveness of law is a binding constitutional value, we at the same time deny law itself. On that assumption, the author concludes that the principle of the rule of law includes a particular principle of purposiveness of law and in consequence, expresses a binding constitutional value of the purposiveness of law.
Między lex superior derogat legi inferiori a zdecentralizowaną kontrolą konstytucyjności. Hierarchia w systemie prawa
Authors: Wronkowska Sławomira
Published: August 2024

The article is an attempt to determine the relationship between the rule of lex superior derogat legi inferiori as a tool for eliminating system norms, and the concept of dispersed constitutional review. To this end, the content of lex superior and the notion of dispersed review, its legal basis, and consequences have been clarified.
Transformatywny i terapeutyczny potencjał postępowania w sprawach nieletnich – kilka uwag z perspektywy idei holizmu prawniczego
Authors: Zienkiewicz Adam
Published: August 2024

The purpose of the text is to identify the main goals of juvenile proceedings, regulated by the new Law of 9 June 2022 on the Support and Rehabilitation of Juveniles, and to point out that they correspond to the concept of the transformative and therapeutic potential of law, emphasized within the framework of the holistic approach to law and legal practice. First, the relevant ideas of legal holism are presented, especially those concerning the transformative and therapeutic potential of „law in action.” Then, the main objectives of juvenile proceedings and the means for their implementation are indicated. The author concludes that a specific iunctim between the main objectives of juvenile proceedings and the relevant ideas of legal holism exist, concerning the transformative and therapeutic potential of the impact of „law in action” on the behavioral and personal (internal) spheres of the parties to disputes, including those arising in connection with manifestations of demoralization or criminal acts committed by a juvenile.
Rola Alberta Faucka w rozwoju galicyjskiego górnictwa naftowego
Authors: Franaszek Piotr
Published: August 2024

One of the most prominent figures in the history of Galician oil mining was Albert Fauck. In 1867, he arrived in Galicia to assume the position of a manager of an oil mine in Klęczany. In 1870, he became an associate of Ignacy Łukasiewicz at the Bóbrka oil mine. In 1891, he moved to live in Marcinkowice near Klęczany. He ran his own oil exploration and mining business. Fauck was an ingenious engineer and inventor. He was the first in Galicia to use a steam engine to drive a drilling crane, and he modified the free-fall drilling system. Fauck staunchly advocated for mud drilling and developed two innovative crane designs for this method, which he named ‘Rapid’ and ‘Express’. He upgraded many tools used in oil mining. Fauck perfectly understood the problems of oil mining, being a prominent theoretician in the field. His contribution to technical advancements in Galician oil drilling were very much significant.
Atividade física insuficiente e consumo de alimentos ultraprocessados em adultos brasileiros
Authors: Ruiz Ana Maria Pita , Assumpção Daniela de , Fialho Paula Mayara Matos , Francisco Priscila Maria Stolses Bergamo
Published: August 2024

Estimar a prevalência de simultaneidade de atividade física insuficiente (AFI) e consumo excessivo de alimentos ultraprocessados (AUP), bem como verificar a associação entre AFI e hábitos alimentares (alimentos in natura/minimamente processados, ultraprocessados e marcadores de consumo alimentar) em adultos brasileiros. Estudo transversal com dados do inquérito telefônico Vigitel 2018. Foram estudados 51.064 adultos (≥20 anos). AFI abarcou três domínios: lazer, deslocamento, trabalho (<150 minutos/semana). Calcularam-se os escores de alimentos in natura/minimamente processados e AUP (número de subgrupos referidos/dia anterior); ≥5 AUP: consumo excessivo. Foram utilizadas questões sobre a frequência semanal e diária de consumo alimentar. Estimaram-se razões de prevalência (RP) com regressão de Poisson. A simultaneidade de AFI e consumo de AUP foi de 7,0% (IC 95%: 6,50 - 7,55), maior nas mulheres (RP = 1,26; IC 95%: 1,08 - 1,47), nos residentes do Sudeste (RP = 1,23; IC 95%: 1,00 - 1,51) e Sul (RP = 1,50; IC 95%: 1,22 - 1,84), e foi menor nos indivíduos com idade ≥40 anos (40-49: RP = 0,71; IC 95%: 0,56 - 0,88; 50 - 59: RP = 0,46; IC 95%: 0,36 - 0,58; ≥60: RP = 0,45; IC 95%: 0,36 - 0,56) e com plano de saúde (RP = 0,84; IC 95%: 0,72 - 0,99). A AFI associou-se ao menor consumo de alimentos in natura/minimamente processados e ao maior consumo de AUP. Observou-se menor consumo regular (≥5 dias/semana) de hortaliças cruas (RP = 0,82; IC 95%: 0,78 - 0,85), cozidas (RP = 0,88; IC 95%: 0,84 - 0,92), frutas (RP = 0,78; IC 95%: 0,75 - 0,82), suco (RP = 0,93; IC 95%: 0,89 - 0,97), e maior de refrigerante (≥3 dias/semana: RP = 1,17; IC 95%: 1,11 - 1,23) entre os indivíduos com AFI. Estes também apresentaram menor consumo de hortaliças cruas (2 vezes/dia: RP = 0,93; IC 95%: 0,88 - 0,98), frutas (2 vezes/dia: RP = 0,89; IC 95%: 0,85 - 0,94; ≥3 vezes/dia: RP = 0,84; IC 95%: 0,79 - 0,89) e suco (≥2 copos/dia: RP = 0,93; IC 95%: 0,89 - 0,98). Identificou-se associação entre AFI e hábitos alimentares inadequados, os subgrupos mais acometidos por ambos os comportamentos de risco, que devem ser priorizados em estratégias de promoção da saúde e prevenção de agravos.
Effect of honey and povidone-iodine on acute laceration wound healing: a pilot randomised controlled trial study
Authors: Suryadinata Kevin Leonard , Basuki Adi , Song Agustini , Yovita Nabila Viera , Pakan Adriani Purnasakti , Sagala Asian Edward
Published: August 2024

Objective:

Acute laceration wound (ALW) is one of the most common injuries in Indonesia with potential significant morbidities. In rural areas, povidone-iodine and honey are commonly used as wound dressings. This study aimed to identify the effectiveness of honey compared to paraffin gauze and the commonly used povidone-iodine in improving ALW healing time.

Method:

This study was a single-blind, pilot randomised controlled trial (RCT) with three intervention groups (honey, povidone-iodine, and paraffin). The outcomes were wound healing time, slow healing, secondary healing, signs of infection, wound dehiscence, oedema, maceration, necrosis, exudate and cost.

Results:

A total of 35 patients (male to female ratio: 4:1), with a mean age of 22.5 (range: 6–47) years, were included and randomised to treatment groups using predetermined randomisation according to wound location and wound dressing selection: honey group, n=12; povidone-iodine group, n=11; paraffin group, n=12 with one patient lost to follow-up. All groups achieved timely healing, with a mean healing time of 9.45±5.31 days and 11.09±5.14 days for the povidone-iodine and paraffin groups, respectively, and a median healing time of 10 (3–19) days for the honey group (p>0.05). More wounds in the honey group achieved healing in ≤10 days compared with the other groups. Both povidone-iodine and honey groups had fewer adverse events, with the latter having the lowest cost.

Conclusion:

In this study, honey was clinically effective in accelerating healing time with a lower cost compared to paraffin, and was comparable to povidone-iodine. Future RCTs with a larger sample size should be pursued to determine honey's role in ALW treatment.
Effects of concurrent optical and magnetic stimulation in hard-to-heal wounds: a real-world evidence case series
Authors: Neyens Jacques , Heusden Wilma van , Veenendaal Dennis Van , Schols Jos
Published: August 2024

Objective:

This work explores concurrent optical and magnetic stimulation (COMS) effects on hard-to-heal wounds in real-world settings.

Method:

In this case series, participants received COMS 1–3 times per week for up to 12 weeks alongside standard wound care.

Results:

A total of 27 patients (18 female and nine male) were included. Mean age was 72 years. Participants’ wounds that were unresponsive to standard wound care included: venous leg ulcers (VLUs, n=13); mixed leg ulcers (MLUs, n=4); diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs, n=1); pressure ulcers (PUs, n=5); and traumatic wounds (TWs, n=4). On average, COMS was applied twice a week, resulting in an overall mean wound area reduction of 69%. In 24 participants, COMS was used primarily to achieve wound closure by the end of the 12-week period, of which: 12 were classified as complete wound closure (50%; VLUs=8, PUs=3 and TW=1); four as likely-to-heal (17%; VLUs=2 and MLUs=2); four as ‘improved’ (17%; MLU=1, DFU=1 and TWs=2); and four as ‘non-responding’ (17%; VLUs=3 and MLU=1). The best results were achieved in PUs and VLUs (respectively 100% and 62% categorised as completely healed). When used in participants where its purpose was other than that of achieving wound closure, COMS was successfully used to debride two PUs, and for wound bed preparation in one TW.

Conclusion:

In this case series, COMS showed positive effects and appeared to be beneficial in healing different types of hard-to-heal wounds in community health and homecare settings. Novel COMS therapy aspects emerged: (1) positive outcomes for PU and VLU treatment; (2) COMS as a potential debridement tool when sharp debridement is unfeasible; and (3) COMS as a promising method to prepare wound beds for subsequent skin grafting or skin replacement procedures.
Re-evaluating the necessity of routine laboratory monitoring during isotretinoin therapy for acne
Authors: Zhu Yun-Xia , Wu Liang , Zhu Sheng-Cai , Wang Xiu-Ping , Zhang Deng , Tan Yan-Ping , Ouyang Xiao-Liang , Li Chun-Ming
Published: August 2024

In this letter, we discuss the topic of necessity of routine laboratory monitoring during isotretinoin treatment for acne. According to Park and colleagues, it is advisable to monitor the levels of triglycerides, alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase every 5 to 6 months. Additionally, the levels of total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein should be checked within the first two months of treatment. Isotretinoin is a commonly prescribed agent mainly used to treat acne. Despite its high effectiveness, it necessitates regular monitoring of laboratory parameters due to its side effect profile. Currently, there remains a lack of consensus on the appropriate frequency for monitoring these parameters during treatment with isotretinoin. This letter will provide insight into this complex and controversial topic. Based on existing literature, we concluded that the incidence of changes in lipid and liver aminotransferase levels during isotretinoin treatment for acne was low and likely clinically insignificant. For generally healthy people, we recommend testing lipid and liver profiles once at baseline and a second time at the peak dosage. However, frequent testing might still be beneficial in certain populations of patients.
Research on The Interaction Mechanism and Stability Analysis of Unsaturated Soil Slope and Support Structure
Authors: YuPin Song , Ying Feng
Published: August 2024

Unsaturated soil, as a widely existing soil in nature, has significant differences in mechanical properties compared to saturated soil. Especially when considering water migration and changes, its stability issues become more complex. Therefore, in-depth research on the interaction mechanism and stability of unsaturated soil slopes and support structures is significant. This study first analyzes the mechanical properties of unsaturated soil and the influence of water migration on soil strength based on the principles of unsaturated soil mechanics. It establishes a mechanical model for unsaturated soil slopes. Subsequently, the pseudo-dynamic method was used to simulate the response of slopes under dynamic loads such as earthquakes and rainfall, and the deformation and failure modes of unsaturated soil slopes were explored. Regarding support structures, this article studies the interaction mechanism between retaining walls, anchor rods, and unsaturated soil slopes. A mechanical model of the interaction between the support structure and unsaturated soil slopes was established by analyzing the influence of the support structure on the distribution of soil pressure on the slope, as well as the stability and bearing capacity of the support structure itself. In terms of stability analysis, this article uses numerical analysis methods such as the limit equilibrium and finite element methods to evaluate the overall stability of unsaturated soil slopes and support structures. Suggestions for optimizing the design of support structures were proposed by comparing the stability performance of slopes under different support schemes. The experiment shows that increasing soil cohesion by 1kPa per unit area can increase the stability coefficient by about 5%. The interface friction angle between the fill and the wall back increases by 1 degree, resulting in an increase of approximately 7% in the overturning stability coefficient.
Study on the Mechanical Properties and Bearing Capacity of Ultra-High Performance Concrete Members
Authors: Diao Jing , Yin Xingwang , Zhang Ang
Published: August 2024

It is used as pier column members in viaducts, urban overpasses and industrial and civil building structures. In practical engineering, short columns or ultra-short columns with relatively small shear span may be formed, and shear failure may become the control condition for components and even structural damage. Under the action of large concentrated load or strong earthquake, the key parts of the high-rise structure and beam bridge system are obviously shear, leading to the serious brittleness and poor ductility of the components, which leads to serious structural continuity collapse, and then brings the loss of life and property. Therefore, it is important to study the shear properties of corrugated concrete members and to study the mechanical properties of components under complex load coupling. TRC comparison, 10 mm incision 100 mm from both ends. The specimen is equipped with 8 HRB400 longitudinal bars of 12 mm diameter along the length direction, the center of the longitudinal bars is 105 mm from the center of the specimen, and the steel content is 1.84%; the longitudinal bars with HPB300 stirrup of 100 along the axial direction, and the steel content of the stirrups is 0.68%. The results show that because the corrugated steel pipe can provide sufficient constraint for the internal core concrete and steel, the corrugated CFCT members have better ductility than the constrained concrete members under the small shear span ratio, which can effectively delay the occurrence of brittle shear failure. The curved shear test study of 12 corrugated concrete filled steel tube specimens was carried out, and the test phenomenon and failure mode of the components under different shear span ratio conditions were compared and analyzed. The study shows that when the shear span ratio is not greater than 0.2, the specimen shear error is obvious, mainly shear failure; when the shear span ratio is between 0.2 and 2.0, the specimen bending shear failure. With the increase of the shear span ratio, the specimen failure form is closer to the bending failure.
Thermal-fluid Optimization Model of Small-scale Hydraulic Conduits
Authors: Bies Jeffrey , Durfee William
Published: August 2024

Multiphysics topology optimization has applications in computer-aided design of products, including small-scale fluid power systems where flow efficiency, thermal management, and weight management matter. While algorithms exist that can optimize a single objective, there are no solutions that can simultaneously address all three of these factors. This study developed a multiphysics topology optimization process that uses a thermal-fluid-structure model to generate high-pressure hydraulic designs where passive cooling is built into the flow channels. Python was used with Open-Source Field Operation and Manipulation (OpenFOAM) for geometry creation, meshing, and finite volume and sensitivity analysis to implement the multi-objective optimization for small-scale fluid power systems. The process was performed iteratively to inform the next iteration’s geometry until an optimized design was reached.
The results show that pressure drop, fluid density, fluid velocity, and inlet diameter are positively correlated with capillary branching and that design space and viscosity are negatively correlated with capillary branching. Enhanced heat transfer came at the cost of pressure drop, where increasing the allowable pressure drop by 195% led to an increased temperature drop of 17%. Expanding the design space had the most significant impact on heat transfer, where extending the design space width by three times led to a 365% increase in temperature drop. Incorporating a curved exterior wall in the design space while holding the area and mesh node count constant led to a 3% increase in temperature drop while decreasing computational time by 68%. Lower viscosity of the working fluid leads to increased capillary branching with minimal impact on temperature drop (0.3%), while incorporating a temperature-dependent viscosity model led to a more prominent temperature drop (15%). Future work will expand the topology optimization method to incorporate structural optimization to handle load-bearing.
Design of Control Charts Using Repetitive Sampling: A Comparative Study of Conditional Expected Delay
Authors: Khan Nasrullah , Aslam Muhammad , Albassam Mohammed
Published: August 2024

Repetitive sampling is a valuable technique in statistical quality control, especially when industrial engineers face uncertainty with initial sample information. This study aims to develop a Conditional Expected Delay (CED) metric, focusing on scenarios without false alarms prior to a process shift, by using repetitive sampling for control charts. Additionally, we will evaluate the performance of control charts with repetitive sampling against traditional EWMA control charts in terms of CED, considering various smoothing constants and shift values. Our results demonstrate that control charts using repetitive sampling consistently outperform EWMA control charts. Therefore, based on our comprehensive analysis, we conclude that control charts with repetitive sampling are more efficient and effective than EWMA control charts.
Forced Adoption as War Crime: Representations of Orphanizing and Child Trafficking in The Giver and The Handmaid's Tale
Authors: Diver Alice
Published: August 2024

abstract: The nonconsensual—yet legally enshrined and politically encouraged—child relinquishments seen within certain dystopian narratives (namely, Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale , and Lois Lowry's young adult novel The Giver ) show us the nature and scope of the war crime of forced adoption. These texts contain representations of compulsory abandonments and harmful displacements which render the concept of legal or de facto adoption superfluous: prior to their conception, these chattel-infants are destined for familial and sociocultural transplantations, to be raised by privileged substitute carers. Both can be read as sharp critiques of such practices, presenting the reader with a new language with which to discuss the harms and injustices arising from the war crime of forced adoption, especially those seen recently within occupied Ukraine.
Hurricane Frances in Florida: Past and Future
Authors: Cohen Sabrina , Mullens Esther
Published: August 2024

highlights: • We explore the impact of climate change on tropical cyclones in Florida using a ‘pseudo-global warming’ framework, focusing on impacts to North-Central Florida. • Study compares precipitation and winds for historical and future simulations of Hurricane Frances (2004) • Both rainfall amounts and rates increase significantly from historical to future simulation • The areal extent of tropical storm winds increased, and while lower-tropospheric winds increased markedly, the however the area of near surface hurricane force winds decreased slightly from historical to future simulation. • Damage in warmer climate could potentially be much more severe due to longer-duration intense precipitation, and a wider radius of tropical storm-force winds. abstract: Tropical cyclones (TC) are common high-impact weather events in the southeastern United States. One of the most intense TCs to hit north-central Florida in recent decades was Hurricane Frances (2004), which resulted in over $10B in damages. Given the growing concern about the relationship between anthropogenic climate change, precipitation, and TCs, we investigated how a Hurricane Frances-like event would affect north-central Florida in the late 21st century under an RCP-8.5 scenario. Using a ‘pseudo’ global warming dataset based on the high-resolution Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model, we explore historical and future simulations of Hurricane Frances’s path, precipitation rates, and wind speeds. We discover that, across north-central Florida sub-daily to daily rainfall totals in the future simulation exceed that of the historical, having return period events in some cases reaching 500-year thresholds. We also find more broadly across the spatial domain of the hurricane that rainfall rates in all temporal categories and total rainfall accumulation increased significantly. Results for wind speeds were mixed, with an evident expansion of tropical storm winds, but a slight contraction of the spatial extent of strongest winds at the surface. We discuss the implications of these findings for decision-makers in Florida.
On the use of a consumer-grade 360-degree camera as a radiometer for scientific applications
Authors: Larouche Raphaël , Lambert-Girard Simon , Katlein Christian , Marty Sabine , Leymarie Edouard , Thibault Simon , Babin Marcel
Published: August 2024

Improved miniaturization capabilities for complex fisheye camera systems have recently led to the introduction of many compact 360-degree cameras on the consumer technology market. Designed primarily for recreational photography, several manufacturers have decided to allow users access to raw imagery for further editing flexibility, thereby offering data at a sensor level that can be directly exploited for absolute-light quantification. In this study, we demonstrate methodologies to carefully calibrate a consumer-grade 360-degree camera for radiometry use. The methods include linearity analysis, geometric calibration, assessment of the illumination fall-off across the image plane, spectral-response determination, absolute spectral-radiance calibration, immersion factor determination, and dark-frame analysis. Accuracy of the calibration was validated by a real-world experiment comparing sky radiance measurements with a colocalized compact optical profiling system (C-OPS, Biospherical Instruments Inc.), which gave mean unbiased percentage differences of less than 21.1%. Using the photon-transfer technique, we calculated that this camera consisting of two fisheyes with a 182° field of view in air (152° in water) has a limit of detection of at least 4.6×10−7W⋅sr−1⋅m−2⋅nm−1 in its three spectral channels. This technology, with properly stored calibration data, may benefit researchers from multiple scientific areas interested in radiometric geometric light-field study. While some of these radiometric calibration methods are complex or costly, this work opens up possibilities for easy-to-use, inexpensive, and accessible radiance cameras.