bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Epistolary Strategies of Negotiation: Reading a Fraternal Dispute at the Mughal Court, 1593–1594
Authors: Ghosh Shounak
Published: November 2023

This article examines a dispute between the Mughal emperor Akbar and his foster brother Mirzā ʿ⁠Azīz Koka in the late sixteenth century through a study of two epistolary compositions (inshāʾ) – a royal mandate (farmān) issued by Akbar and a petition (ʿ⁠arẓ-dāsht) from the mirzā in response. By focusing on the language of negotiation in these letters, I argue that epistolary practices were critical for reconfiguring kinship bonds, imperial service, and courtly disposition that were central to the rupture in fraternal and courtly relations. Letters served as the discursive site to reiterate norms of courtly comportment, register complaints against controversial actions, express emotions, and record reactions to exigent situations. Finally, the correspondence reveals the ways in which the complex dynamics of a court society were deeply intertwined with global power contestations and could have far-reaching implications on the imperial competition between early modern Islamic empires.
Regulating Carbon Assets Insider Trading: A US-EU Comparison to Protect Carbon Market Integrity
Authors: Oh Seokjin
Published: November 2023

Given that policy information significantly affects the supply and demand of carbon assets, that the major factor impacting carbon asset market price is the size of supply and demand of the assets, and that, unlike commodities, outsiders are not allowed to access policy information, carbon asset insider trading can be implemented majorly as a form of corruption between authorities and entities. In this context, this paper discusses the regulatory vacuum of the US legal system relevant to carbon asset trading. The basis of the argument is in the comparison of legal system between the EU and the US.
Exchanging Holiness for Harmony, Bringing Pontus to Patria: The Refugee Panagia on the Move
Authors: Alpan Aytek Soner
Published: November 2023

İsmet Pasha’s visit to Athens in 1931 was a highlight of the diplomatic revolution between Turkey and Greece in the early 1930s. Thanks to press coverage of the visit, the Turkish public had the opportunity to observe Greece’s social landscape as shaken by the refugee issue for the first time since the Greco-Turkish war and population exchange. Whether Greek refugees could return to their former homelands was the focal point of the visit. A month later, the Turkish government granted Greek exchangees the freedom to travel. Prior to this decision, the cabinet had handled authorization requests individually and issued special permits as a palliative solution. The case of the appeal made by an exchangee monk for a mission to unearth hidden relics at Sumela Monastery is especially intriguing. This article focuses on the story of this mission and the historical context that facilitated its realization.
Upholding Maritime Migrants’ Rights at the Borders of Europe – J.A. and Others v. Italy
Authors: Rocca Matilde
Published: November 2023

Countless people have left the African continent seeking to reach European shores via the central Mediterranean Sea route, despite persistent efforts by Italian and EU authorities to counter migratory activities. International and regional human rights judicial bodies have provided some responses to the abuses faced by maritime migrants both at sea and on land throughout the years. In this case note, I analyze the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in J.A. and Others v. Italy concerning the detention of maritime migrants in the Lampedusa hotspot center. To this end, I first illustrate the facts of the case. Second, I assess each claim made by the applicants in relation to the human rights abuses they suffered: inhuman and degrading treatment, arbitrary detention, and collective expulsion of aliens. I conclude that the judgment constitutes an important development in the Court’s case law upholding maritime migrants’ rights, albeit characterized by a few shortcomings. I also argue that the Court’s position as a human rights judicial body needs to be further strengthened in the future.
Hospitalization Risk Associated With Emergency Department Reasons for Visit and Patient Age: A Retrospective Evaluation of National Emergency Department Survey Data to Help Identify Potentially Avoidable Emergency Department Visits
Authors: North Frederick , Garrison Gregory M , Jensen Teresa B , Pecina Jennifer , Stroebel Robert
Published: November 2023

Background

Patients often present to emergency departments (EDs) with concerns that do not require emergency care. Self-triage and other interventions may help some patients decide whether they should be seen in the ED. Symptoms associated with low risk of hospitalization can be identified in national ED data and can inform the design of interventions to reduce avoidable ED visits.

Methods

We used the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS) data from the United States National Health Care Statistics (NHCS) division of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The ED datasets from 2011 through 2020 were combined. Primary reasons for ED visit and the binary field for hospital admission from the ED were used to estimate the proportion of ED patients admitted to the hospital for each reason for visit and age category.

Results

There were 221,027 surveyed ED visits during the 10-year data collection with 736 different primary reasons for visit and 23,228 hospitalizations. There were 145 million estimated hospitalizations from 1.37 billion estimated ED visits (10.6%). Inclusion criteria for this study were reasons for visit which had at least 30 ED visits in the sample; there were 396 separate reasons for visit which met this criteria. Of these 396 reasons for visit, 97 had admission percentages less than 2% and another 52 had hospital admissions estimated between 2% and 4%. However, there was a significant increase in hospitalizations within many of the ED reasons for visit in older adults.

Conclusion

Reasons for visit from national ED data can be ranked by hospitalization risk. Low-risk symptoms may help healthcare institutions identify potentially avoidable ED visits. Healthcare systems can use this information to help manage potentially avoidable ED visits with interventions designed to apply to their patient population and healthcare access.
The impact of elective total hip and knee arthroplasty on physical performance in orthogeriatric patients: a prospective intervention study
Authors: Kappenschneider Tobias , Bammert Philip , Maderbacher Günther , Greimel Felix , Holzapfel Dominik Emanuel , Schwarz Timo , Götz Julia , Pagano Stefano , Scharf Markus , Michalk Katrin , Grifka Joachim , Meyer Matthias
Published: November 2023

Background

Osteoarthritis is a prevalent condition in older adults that leads to reduced physical function in many patients and ultimately requires hip or knee replacement. The aim of the study was to determine the impact of hip and knee arthroplasty on the physical performance of orthogeriatric patients with osteoarthritis.

Methods

In this prospective study, we used data from 135 participants of the ongoing Special Orthopaedic Geriatrics (SOG) trial, funded by the German Federal Joint Committee (GBA). Physical function, measured by the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), was assessed preoperatively, 3 and 7 days postoperatively, 4–6 weeks and 3 months after hip and knee arthroplasty. For the statistical analysis, the Friedman test and post-hoc tests were used.

Results

Of the 135 participants with a mean age of 78.5 ± 4.6 years, 81 underwent total hip arthroplasty and 54 total knee arthroplasty. In the total population, SPPB improved by a median of 2 points 3 months after joint replacement (p < 0.001). In the hip replacement group, SPPB increased by a median of 2 points 3 months after surgery (p < 0.001). At 3 months postoperatively, the SPPB increased by a median of 1 point in the knee replacement group (p = 0.003).

Conclusion

Elective total hip and knee arthroplasty leads to a clinically meaningful improvement in physical performance in orthogeriatric patients with osteoarthritis after only a few weeks.

Trial registration

This study is part of the Special Orthopaedic Geriatrics (SOG) trial, German Clinical Trials Register DRKS00024102. Registered on 19 January 2021.
A self-directed digital exercise program for hip osteoarthritis (“My Hip Exercise”): protocol for a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Bennell Kim L. , Nelligan Rachel K. , Hall Michelle , Stratulate Sarah , McManus Fiona , Lamb Karen , Marlow Jennifer , Hinman Rana S.
Published: November 2023

Background

Hip osteoarthritis (OA) is a leading global cause of chronic pain and disability. Given there is no cure for OA, patient self management is vital with education and exercise being core recommended treatments. However, there is under-utilisation of these treatments due to a range of clinician and patient factors. Innovative service models that increase patient accessibility to such treatments and provide support to engage are needed. This study primarily aims to determine the effects of a self-directed digital exercise intervention comprising online education and exercise supported by a mobile app to facilitate adherence on the primary outcomes of changes in hip pain during walking and patient-reported physical function at 24-weeks when compared to online education control for people with hip OA.

Methods

We will conduct a two-arm, superiority parallel-design, randomised controlled trial involving 182 community volunteers aged 45 years and over, with painful hip OA. After completing the baseline assessment, participants will be randomly assigned to either: i) digital exercise intervention; or ii) digital education (control). Participants randomised to the intervention group will have access to a website that provides information about hip OA and its management, advice about increasing their physical activity levels, a 24-week lower limb strength exercise program to be undertaken at home three times per week, and a mobile app to reinforce home exercise program adherence. Participants in the control group will have access to a website containing only information about hip OA and its management. All participants will be reassessed at 24 weeks after randomisation. Primary outcomes are severity of hip pain while walking using an 11-point numeric rating scale and physical function using the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index subscale. Secondary outcomes are the Hip dysfunction and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score subscales of pain, hip-related quality of life, and function, sports and recreational activities; global change in hip condition; health-related quality of life; measures of physical activity levels; fear of movement; self efficacy for pain and for exercise; and use of oral pain medications.

Discussion

Innovative and scalable approaches to OA education, physical activity, and exercise are required in order to improve exercise participation/engagement and mitigate physical inactivity in the hip OA population. This will help minimise the burden of this major public health issue on individuals and society.

Trial registration

Australia New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12622001533785).
Identifying self-reported health-related problems in home-based rehabilitation of older patients after hip replacement in China: a machine learning study based on Omaha system theory
Authors: Chen Jing , He Fan , Wu Qian , Wang Li , Zhu Xiaoxia , Qi Yan , Wu JiaLing , Shi Yan
Published: November 2023

Background

With the aging of the population, the number of total hip replacement surgeries is increasing globally. Hip replacement has undergone revolutionary advancements in surgical methods and materials. Due to the short length of hospitalization, rehabilitation care is mainly home-based. The needs and concerns about such home-based rehabilitation are constantly changing, requiring continuous attention.

Objective

To explore effective methods for comprehensively identifying older patients’ self-reported outcomes after home-based rehabilitation for hip replacement, in order to develop appropriate intervention strategies for patient rehabilitation care in the future.

Methods

This study constructed a corpus of patients’ self-reported rehabilitation care problems after hip replacement, based on the Omaha classification system. This study used the Python development language and implemented artificial intelligence to match the corpus data on the cooperation platform, to identify the main health-related problems reported by the patients, and to perform statistical analyses.

Results

Most patients had physical health-related problems. More than 80% of these problems were related to neuromusculoskeletal function, interpersonal relationships, pain, health care supervision, physical activity, vision, nutrition, and residential environment. The most common period in which patients’ self-reported problems arose was 6 months post-surgery. The relevant labels that were moderately related to these problems were: Physiology-Speech and Language and Physiology-Mind (r = 0.45), Health-Related Behaviors-Nutrition and Health-Related Behaviors-Compliance with Doctors’ Prescription (r = 0.40).

Conclusion

Physiological issues remain the main health-related issues for home-based rehabilitation after hip replacement in older patients. Precision care has become an important principle of rehabilitation care. This study used a machine learning method to obtain the largest quantitative network data possible. The artificial intelligence capture was fully automated, which greatly improved efficiency, as compared to manual data entering.
Safety and efficacy of direct oral anticoagulants in stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation complicated with anemia and/or thrombocytopenia: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Xu Wenlin , Chen Jiana , Wu Shuyi , Huang Nianxu , Chen Xia , Zhang Wang , Hu Wei , Su Jun , Dai Hengfen , Gu Ping , Huang Xiaohong , Du Xiaoming , Li Ruijuan , Zheng Qiaowei , Lin Xiangsheng , Zhang Yanxia , Zou Lang , Liu Yuxin , Zhang Min , Liu Xiumei , Zhu Zhu , Zhang Jinhua
Published: November 2023

Background

There are limited data about the clinical benefits and harm of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) complicated with anemia or thrombocytopenia.

Methods

This is a multi-center retrospective cohort study involving 5469 AF patients from 15 hospitals in China. Patients were divided into three groups according to hemoglobin and platelet levels: Group 1 (hemoglobin male ≥ 130 g/L; female ≥ 120 g/L and platelet ≥ 100 × 109/L), Group 2 (hemoglobin male < 130 g/L; female < 120 g/L or platelet < 100 × 109/L), and Group 3 (hemoglobin male < 130 g/L; female < 120 g/L and platelet < 100 × 109/L). Patients in each category are further divided into two groups according to their stroke prevention strategies: rivaroxaban or dabigatran. Clinical results include major, minor, total bleeding, thrombosis, and the composite outcome of major bleeding and thrombosis.

Results

Higher hemoglobin levels were associated with a reduced risk of total bleeding and major bleeding, while platelet counts were not associated with any event. Compared with Group 1, Group 2 had a higher risk of major bleeding (aOR 1.70, 95%CI 1.12–2.57, P = 0.012), and the composite endpoint of major bleeding and thrombosis (aOR 1.70, 95%CI 1.19–2.44, P = 0.004). Compared with Group 1, Group 3 had a higher total bleeding risk (aOR 2.15, 95%CI 1.14–4.05, P = 0.018). Compared with dabigatran, rivaroxaban was associated with higher composite risk in Group 1 (aOR 2.91, 95% CI 1.66–5.16, P < 0.001) and Group 2 (aOR 3.05, 95%CI 1.46–6.39, P = 0.003), but there was no significant difference in Group 3 (aOR 1.78, 95%CI 0.23—13.54, P = 0.577).

Conclusions

Higher hemoglobin levels are associated with a reduced risk of total bleeding and major bleeding in patients with AF. Dabigatran was associated with better clinical outcomes than rivaroxaban in patients with anemia or thrombocytopenia but not in those with anemia and thrombocytopenia.
Lessons from health insurance responses in counteracting COVID-19: a qualitative comparative analysis of South Korea and three influential countries
Authors: Ko Hey Jin , Yun Eunji , Ahn Boryung , Lee Hyejin , Jang Won Mo , Lee Jin Yong
Published: November 2023

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused delays and restrictions in providing medical services. In response to the medical surge, countries with social insurance systems provided financial incentives to medical institutions. This study aimed to present the directions for health insurance support by comparing countries in terms of the domains and contents of COVID-19 health insurance support to ensure timely support in case of future pandemics.

Methods

An analysis framework was developed to compare health insurance policy interventions for COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 domains, and detailed policy interventions were divided into sub-domains (space, staff, and stuff) for each domain. Data were collected by country from the websites of the Ministry of Health and Social Insurers, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies and were analyzed using qualitative comparative analysis.

Results

The countries provided comprehensive support for both the COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 domains. In the COVID-19 domain, overall support was provided in all three sub-domains. Additional cost support was provided to prevent infection and provide secure facilities to treat confirmed patients. Outpatient services were mainly supported, and an intensive intervention was developed in the staff sub-domain for the non-COVID-19 domain. The point of policy intervention was the surge of the first confirmed case. Continuous revisions were subsequently made. The government provided financial support through health insurance.

Conclusions

Regarding where policy support through health insurance should be focused, the workload of medical personnel increased according to the change in the service provision environment due to the pandemic, and the medical service delivery system changed to prevent further infection. Consequently, incentives should be provided to aid the provision of stable services to patients and should be an auxiliary means to implement the national quarantine policy more effectively via a health insurance response system that promptly provides additional financial support in case of future crises.
Operationalization and measurement of compulsivity across video gaming and gambling behavioral domains
Authors: Muela Ismael , Navas Juan F. , Barrada Juan R. , López-Guerrero José , Rivero Francisco J. , Brevers Damien , Perales José C.
Published: November 2023

Background

Compulsivity is the hallmark of addiction progression and, as a construct, has played an important role in unveiling the etiological pathways from learning mechanisms underlying addictive behavior to harms resulting from it. However, a sound use of the compulsivity construct in the field of behavioral addictions has been hindered to date by the lack of consensus regarding its definition and measurement. Here we capitalize on a previous systematic review and expert appraisal to develop a compulsivity scale for candidate behavioral addictions (the Granada Assessment for Cross-domain Compulsivity, GRACC).

Methods

The initial scale (GRACC90) consisted of 90 items comprising previously proposed operationalizations of compulsivity, and was validated in two panel samples of individuals regularly engaging in gambling and video gaming, using exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) and convergence analyses.

Results

The GRACC90 scale is unidimensional and structurally invariant across samples, and predicted severity of symptoms, lower quality of life, and negative affect, to similar degrees in the two samples. Additionally, poorer quality of life and negative affect were comparably predicted by compulsivity and by severity of symptoms. A shorter version of the scale (GRACC18) is proposed, based on selecting the 18 items with highest factor loadings.

Conclusions

Results support the proposal that core symptoms of behavioral addictions strongly overlap with compulsivity, and peripheral symptoms are not essential for their conceptualization. Further research should clarify the etiology of compulsive behavior, and whether pathways to compulsivity in behavioral addictions could be common or different across domains.
Effect of Silver Sulfadiazine on Mature Mixed Bacterial Biofilms on Voice Prostheses
Authors: Niu Yanyan , Zhang Yongli , Huo Hong , Jin Xiaofeng , Wang Jian
Published: November 2023

Background

Biofilm formation on voice prostheses disrupts the function and limits the lifespan of voice prostheses. There is still no effective clinical strategy for inhibiting or removing these biofilms. Silver sulfadiazine (SSD), as an exogenous antibacterial agent, has been widely used in the prevention and treatment of infection, however, its effect on voice prosthesis biofilms is unknown. The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of SSD on the mature mixed bacterial biofilms present on voice prostheses.

Methods

Quantitative and qualitative methods, including the plate counting method, real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR, crystal violet staining, the 2,3-bis(2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium-5-carboxanilide) (XTT) reduction assay, scanning electron microscopy, and laser confocal microscopy, were used to determine the effect of SSD on the number of bacterial colonies, biofilm formation ability, metabolic activity, and ultrastructure of biofilms in a mature mixed bacterial ( Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus faecalis and Candida albicans) voice prosthesis biofilm model. The results were verified in vitro on mature mixed bacterial voice prosthesis biofilms from patients, and the possible mechanism of action was explored.

Results

Silver sulfadiazine decreased the number of bacterial colonies on mature mixed bacterial voice prosthesis biofilm, significantly inhibited the biofilm formation ability and metabolic activity of mature voice prosthesis biofilms, inhibited the formation of the complex spatial structure of voice prosthesis biofilms, and inhibited the synthesis of polysaccharides and proteins in the biofilm extracellular matrix. The degree of inhibition and removal effect increased with SSD concentration.

Conclusions

Silver sulfadiazine can effectively inhibit and remove mature mixed bacterial voice prosthesis biofilms and decrease biofilm formation ability and metabolic activity; SSD may exert these effects by inhibiting the synthesis of polysaccharides and proteins among the extracellular polymeric substances of voice prosthesis biofilms.

Graphical abstract
Agreement of pCO2 in venous to arterial blood gas conversion models in undifferentiated emergency patients
Authors: Jörg Matthias , Öster Malin , Wretborn Jens , Wilhelms Daniel B.
Published: November 2023

Background

Venous blood gas sampling has replaced arterial sampling in many critically ill patients, though interpretation of venous pCO2 still remains a challenge. Lemoël et al., Farkas and Zeserson et al. have proposed models to estimate arterial pCO2 based on venous pCO2. Our objective was to externally validate these models with a new dataset. This was a prospective cross-sectional study of consecutive adult patients with a clinical indication for blood gas analysis in an academic emergency department in Sweden. Agreement of pairs was reported as mean difference with limits of agreement (LoA). Vital signs and lead times were recorded.

Results

Two hundred and fifty blood gas pairs were collected consecutively between October 2021 and April 2022, 243 valid pairs were used in the final analysis [mean age 72.8 years (SD 17.8), 47% females]. Respiratory distress was the most common clinical indication (84% of all cases). The model of Farkas showed the best metrics with a mean difference between estimated and arterial pCO2 of − 0.11 mmHg (95% LoA − 6.86, + 6.63). For Lemoël the difference was 2.57 mmHg (95% LoA − 5.65, + 10.8), Zeserson 2.55 mmHg (95% LoA − 7.43, + 12.53). All three models showed a decrease in precision in patients with ongoing supplemental oxygen therapy.

Conclusion

Arterial pCO2 may be accurately estimated in most patients based on venous blood gas samples. Additional consideration is required in patients with hypo- or hypercapnia or oxygen therapy. Thus, conversion of venous pCO2 may be considered as an alternative to arterial blood gas sampling with the model of Farkas being the most accurate.
Successful management of malignant colovesical fistula using covered colonic self-expanding metallic stent: a case report
Authors: Takahashi Goro , Matsuda Akihisa , Yamada Takeshi , Uehara Kay , Shinji Seiichi , Yokoyama Yasuyuki , Iwai Takuma , Takeda Kohki , Kuriyama Sho , Miyasaka Toshimitsu , Kanaka Shintaro , Terayachi Tai , Okino Tetsuya , Yoshida Hiroshi
Published: November 2023

Background

A colovesical fistula (CVF) is commonly treated by resection of the intestine containing the fistula or creation of a defunctioning stoma. We herein report a case of successful fistula closure and avoidance of colostomy after placement of a covered colonic self-expanding metallic stent (SEMS) as a palliative treatment for a malignant CVF.

Case presentation

A 75-year-old man undergoing infusional 5-fluorouracil and irinotecan chemotherapy plus bevacizumab for recurrent peritoneal dissemination of rectal cancer was admitted to our hospital because of fecaluria with a high-grade fever. Blood tests showed a moderate inflammatory reaction (white blood cell count, 9200/mm3; C-reactive protein, 11.03 mg/dL; procalcitonin, 1.33 ng/mL). Urinary sediment examination showed severe bacteriuria. Abdominal contrast-enhanced computed tomography showed intravesical gas, thickening of the posterior wall of the bladder, and irregular thickening of the sigmoid colon wall contiguous with the posterior bladder wall. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) clearly showed a fistula between the bladder and sigmoid colon. Colonoscopy revealed a circumferential malignant stricture 15 cm from the anal verge, and a fistula to the bladder was identified by water-soluble contrast medium. We diagnosed a complicated urinary tract infection (UTI) associated with a CVF due to peritoneal dissemination and started empirical treatment with sulbactam/ampicillin. Given the absence of active inflammatory findings around the fistula on MRI and the patient’s physical frailty, we decided to place a covered SEMS to close the fistula. Under fluoroscopic and endoscopic guidance, a covered colonic SEMS of 80-mm length and 20-mm diameter was successfully deployed, and the fistula was sealed immediately after placement. Urine culture on day 3 after stenting was negative for bacteria, and a contrast study on day 5 showed no fistula. The patient was discharged home on day 6 with no complications. The UTI did not recur for 4 months after discharge.

Conclusions

A covered colonic SEMS was useful for sealing a malignant CVF in a patient unfit for surgery, and MRI was valuable to determine the status of the fistula. A covered colonic SEMS could be an alternative to surgical treatment for CVFs in patients who require palliative care.
Isolating the female agency-driven development factor in external sovereign emerging market debt
Authors: Henide Karim , Ahmar Zaryab
Published: November 2023

The underlying literature hypothesises and provides randomised evidence for the positive impact of promoting the broad-based inclusion, empowerment, and representation of women on regional ecosystems. This study seeks to isolate a female agency-driven development factor in external sovereign emerging market debt and finds evidence for superior risk-adjusted returns from tilting towards female agency leaders. We propose the female agency factor as an additional scope in the modern investor’s toolbox of holistic credit assessment, allowing investors to isolate the issuers which are the most effective sovereign transmission mechanisms of sustainable development capital. This contribution to the corpus supports the notion of integrating sustainability factors into portfolio construction and reinforces the argument for supporting female-led development from a financial markets’ perspective.
An external validation of the Kidney Donor Risk Index in the UK transplant population in the presence of semi-competing events
Authors: Riley Stephanie , Tam Kimberly , Tse Wai-Yee , Connor Andrew , Wei Yinghui
Published: November 2023

Background

Transplantation represents the optimal treatment for many patients with end-stage kidney disease. When a donor kidney is available to a waitlisted patient, clinicians responsible for the care of the potential recipient must make the decision to accept or decline the offer based upon complex and variable information about the donor, the recipient and the transplant process. A clinical prediction model may be able to support clinicians in their decision-making. The Kidney Donor Risk Index (KDRI) was developed in the United States to predict graft failure following kidney transplantation. The survival process following transplantation consists of semi-competing events where death precludes graft failure, but not vice-versa.

Methods

We externally validated the KDRI in the UK kidney transplant population and assessed whether validation under a semi-competing risks framework impacted predictive performance. Additionally, we explored whether the KDRI requires updating. We included 20,035 adult recipients of first, deceased donor, single, kidney-only transplants between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2018, collected by the UK Transplant Registry and held by NHS Blood and Transplant. The outcomes of interest were 1- and 5-year graft failure following transplantation. In light of the semi-competing events, recipient death was handled in two ways: censoring patients at the time of death and modelling death as a competing event. Cox proportional hazard models were used to validate the KDRI when censoring graft failure by death, and cause-specific Cox models were used to account for death as a competing event.

Results

The KDRI underestimated event probabilities for those at higher risk of graft failure. For 5-year graft failure, discrimination was poorer in the semi-competing risks model (0.625, 95% CI 0.611 to 0.640;0.611, 95% CI 0.597 to 0.625), but predictions were more accurate (Brier score 0.117, 95% CI 0.112 to 0.121; 0.114, 95% CI 0.109 to 0.118). Calibration plots were similar regardless of whether the death was modelled as a competing event or not. Updating the KDRI worsened calibration, but marginally improved discrimination.

Conclusions

Predictive performance for 1-year graft failure was similar between death-censored and competing event graft failure, but differences appeared when predicting 5-year graft failure. The updated index did not have superior performance and we conclude that updating the KDRI in the present form is not required.
The Words on the Screen: I. A. Richards as Media Theorist
Authors: Guillory John
Published: November 2023

This essay takes as its point of departure the later writing of I. A. Richards, which never achieved the influence of his famous books of the 1920s. In these later writings Richards was concerned largely with issues in language education and, relatedly, with the emergence of new media, chiefly visual media. Richards attempted in this later work to adapt new media such as television to the teaching of language, as well as to the teaching of literature. In the 1950s he attempted to use television to teach his audience how to read works of poetry. These experiments failed because his use of new media was premature, inadequate to his ambitious aims. Nonetheless, his anticipation of our obsession with “screens” was prescient and is worth a careful reconsideration.
Partisanship and the Pandemic: How and Why Americans Followed Party Cues on COVID-19
Authors: Mehlhaff Isaac D. , Tarillo Matías C. , Vanegas Ayelén , Hetherington Marc J.
Published: November 2023

The United States underperformed its potential in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors use original survey data from April 2020 to March 2022 to show that political partisanship may have contributed to this inconsistent response by distinguishing elites and citizens who took the crisis seriously from those who did not. This division was not inevitable; when the crisis began, Democrats and Republicans differed little in their viewpoints and actions relative to COVID-19. However, partisans increasingly diverged when their preferred political leaders provided them with opposing cues. The authors outline developments in party politics over the last half century that contributed to partisan division on COVID-19, most centrally an anti-expertise bias among Republicans. Accordingly, Republicans’ support for mitigation measures, perception of severity of COVID-19, and support for vaccines gradually decreased after the initial outbreak. Partisan differences also showed up at the state level; Trump's vote share in 2016 was negatively associated with mask use and positively associated with COVID-19 infections. Diverging elite cues provided fertile ground for the partisan pandemic, underscoring the importance of political accountability even in an era of polarization.
Polarization, the Pandemic, and Public Trust in Health System Actors
Authors: Del Ponte Alessandro , Gerber Alan S. , Patashnik Eric M.
Published: November 2023

Context: Public opinion on the performance of health system actors is polarized today, but it remains unclear which actors enjoy the most or the least trust among Democrats and Republicans, whether the COVID-19 pandemic has influenced how people view their own physicians, and whether doctors have retained the ability to influence public beliefs about policy issues.

Methods: The authors conducted two national surveys in 2022 and 2023 to examine these questions.

Findings: Democrats rated the performance of medical research scientists and public health experts during the pandemic more highly than did Republicans and independents. About three in ten Republicans said the pandemic decreased their trust in their personal doctors. Nonetheless, most Americans reported confidence in physicians. The authors replicated the findings of Gerber and colleagues (2014) to demonstrate that respondents continued to have more positive views of doctors than other professionals and that public opinion was responsive to cues from a doctors’ group.

Conclusions: What polarizes Democrats and Republicans today is not the question of whether medical scientists and public health experts are competent but whether the advice offered by these actors is in the public interest and should guide policy makers’ decisions. Democrats strongly believe the answer to these questions is yes, while Republicans exhibit skepticism.
Information security standards. Protection and processing of confidential documents
Authors: Sychev Yuriy
Published: November 2023

The textbook covers all Russian and major international information security standards in force according to Rosstandart. After each chapter there are control questions; at the end there is a list of topics for abstracts and verification tests with answers.
Meets the requirements of the federal state educational standards of secondary vocational education of the latest generation.
It is intended for students studying the disciplines "Information security standards", "Information security", "Information protection". It will be useful for specialists working in the field of information security.
PÓŹNOŚREDNIOWIECZNE I NOWOŻYTNE WYROBY SZKLANE ZE STANOWISKA PRZY ULICY TOKARSKIEJ W GDAŃSKU
Authors: Markiewicz Małgorzata
Published: November 2023

Zarys treści. W artykule zaprezentowano wybrane formy wyrobów szklanych (naczyń i szyb), pochodzące z badań archeologicznych na ulicy Tokarskiej 21–25 w Gdańsku. Kryterium wyboru stanowiła atrakcyjność i unikatowość form, ale także znaczna niekiedy ich liczba w obiektach, które użytkowane były przez mniej zamożną część gdańskiego społeczeństwa. Większość przedmiotów stanowią importy, dla których określono chronologię i pochodzenie.
WIANKI JAKO ELEMENT WYPOSAŻENIA GROBOWEGO
Authors: Grupa Małgorzata
Published: November 2023

Zarys treści. W artykule przedstawiono wybrane wianki z pochówków dziecięcych, odnalezione podczas prac archeologicznych prowadzonych w kościele pw. św. Mikołaja w Gniewie. Dokonano próby porównania ich z innymi, wcześniej opublikowanymi w polskiej literaturze.
The macrofungal diversity and its potential from the karst forest of Kalipoh Village, Kebumen District, Indonesia
Authors: ARMADHAN WINDA SAGITA , SARI SILVI PUSPITA , AJI MUHAMMAD YUSUF MUHARRAM BAYU , PERMATASARI DINDA PUTRI , AMALIA BERLIAN WARIT , BERLIN GAVRIEL ENOS , ASZAR ANA SHOLEKAH , INDRAWAN MUHAMAD , PRADHAN PRAKASH , SETYAWAN AHMAD DWI
Published: November 2023

Abstract. Armadhan WS, Sari SP, Aji MYMB, Permatasari DP, Amalia BW, Berlin GE, Aszar AS, Indrawan M, Pradhan P, Setyawan AD. 2023. The macrofungal diversity and its potential from the karst forest of Kalipoh Village, Kebumen District, Indonesia. Intl J Trop Drylands 7: 98-105. Indonesia is one of the world's most biodiverse countries, with fungi being one of its most diverse groups of organisms. Many fungi species have been identified and have potential benefits for both living things and the environment. Kalipoh Village Forest, located in the karst area of Ayah Sub-district, Kebumen District, Central Java, Indonesia, offers suitable environmental conditions that provide habitat for various species of fungi. The objective of this study was to determine the diversity and potential use of macrofungi in Kalipoh Village Forest. Data collection was carried out using the survey method, where every encountered fungus was observed and its cap, gills, stalk, color, odor, substrate, and growth habits were recorded. Macrofungal diversity was calculated using the Shannon-Wiener Diversity Index, Simpson’s Diversity Index, Richness Index, and Evenness Index Formula. The exploration results obtained 34 species of macrofungi from 22 genera and 18 families, with most of the species found on weathered logs and leaf litter. Two genera, namely Marasmius and Marasmiellus, were quite common. Based on the index value calculation, the diversity of macrofungi in this area was in the medium category (H'=2.695). It had a high index of richness (R=5.252) and evenness (E=0.764). The high evenness of the species indicates lower dominance, which can also be observed from the results of the high Simpson’s Diversity Index value (0.910). A total of 24 species of macrofungi were known to have the potential as food and medicine.
Structure and composition of tree and shrub species and their invasiveness in conservation areas of West Timor, Indonesia
Authors: LUMBAN-GAOL MANGADAS , MUDITA I WAYAN
Published: November 2023

Abstract. Lumban-Gaol M, Mudita IW. 2023. Structure and composition of tree and shrub species and their invasiveness in conservation areas of West Timor, Indonesia. Asian J For 7: 132-144. This study aimed to investigate the composition of vegetation of tree and shrub species and their invasiveness in West Timor conservation forests, Indonesia. Three conservation zones were purposefully chosen to showcase Timor Island's conservation forest. Baumata Nature Recreation Park (Baumata NRP), Camplong Nature Recreation Park (Campong NRP), and Herman Yohannes Grand Forest Park (Herman Yohannes GFP) are three such parks. The point-centered quarter approach was used to collect data. The Important Value Index (IVI) was established for each existing species. Each plant was classed as either invasive or non-invasive. Approximately 59 tree and shrub species were found in these three conservation zones. Based on IVI, the forest was dominated by Cassia siamea Lam. (23.53%), Tectona grandis L.f. (21.97%), Schleichera oleosa (Lour.) Oken (19.61%), and Syzygium aqueum (Burm.fil.) Alston (14.95%). More than 40% of the species present were potentially invasive. Based on the IVI, the potentially invasive species were dominated by C. siamea (23.53%), Tamarindus indica L. (11.69%), Gmelina arborea Roxb. ex Sm. (10.73%), Swietenia macrophylla G.King (10.30%), Ficus benjamina L. (7.45%), Antidesma bunius (L.) Spreng. (7.40%), and Albizia Durazz. (7.31%). The presence of invasive trees and shrubs in the conservation area of West Timor was relatively high. Therefore, it requires management actions to prevent further spread and dominance.
Fast light-field 3D microscopy with out-of-distribution detection and adaptation through conditional normalizing flows
Authors: Page Vizcaíno Josué , Symvoulidis Panagiotis , Wang Zeguan , Jelten Jonas , Favaro Paolo , Boyden Edward S. , Lasser Tobias
Published: November 2023

Real-time 3D fluorescence microscopy is crucial for the spatiotemporal analysis of live organisms, such as neural activity monitoring. The eXtended field-of-view light field microscope (XLFM), also known as Fourier light field microscope, is a straightforward, single snapshot solution to achieve this. The XLFM acquires spatial-angular information in a single camera exposure. In a subsequent step, a 3D volume can be algorithmically reconstructed, making it exceptionally well-suited for real-time 3D acquisition and potential analysis. Unfortunately, traditional reconstruction methods (like deconvolution) require lengthy processing times (0.0220 Hz), hampering the speed advantages of the XLFM. Neural network architectures can overcome the speed constraints but do not automatically provide a way to certify the realism of their reconstructions, which is essential in the biomedical realm. To address these shortcomings, this work proposes a novel architecture to perform fast 3D reconstructions of live immobilized zebrafish neural activity based on a conditional normalizing flow. It reconstructs volumes at 8 Hz spanning 512x512x96 voxels, and it can be trained in under two hours due to the small dataset requirements (50 image-volume pairs). Furthermore, normalizing flows provides a way to compute the exact likelihood of a sample. This allows us to certify whether the predicted output is in- or ood, and retrain the system when a novel sample is detected. We evaluate the proposed method on a cross-validation approach involving multiple in-distribution samples (genetically identical zebrafish) and various out-of-distribution ones.
Modeling periodic evolution of aero-optical effects caused by supersonic mixing layer
Authors: Li yubo , Xiao Tianhang , Xue Caijun , Xiao Jiliang
Published: November 2023

A model used to quantitatively describe the periodic evolution of aero-optical effects caused by supersonic mixing layer was developed. The large eddy simulation (LES) is used to visualize the instantaneous dynamical characteristics of vortices inside the flow field. Firstly, the stability of the mean value of the supersonic mixing layer flow field is determined by the mean value of the image deviation and the optical path difference (OPD). If the vortex structure of the supersonic mixing layer is assumed to be circular after the time-average flow field is stabilized, the image deviation and bore sight error (BSE) will be caused by the beam passing through the structure. By the combination of formula calculation and open model function, the periodic evolution model of main parameters of aero-optical induced by supersonic mixing layer is established. Secondly, the model is verified by different convective Mach numbers (Mc). The results show that the model results are in good agreement with the numerical simulation results at low Mc. As the Mc increases, the vortex structure is stretched, leading to a discrepancy with the model hypothesis. Finally, the applicability and future application prospect of the model are discussed.
Theory and experiment of two-wave mixing instability in single-frequency fiber amplifiers induced by frequency modulation
Authors: Hauge Jakob , Pedersen Jens , Bondu Magalie , Petersen Sidsel , Laegsgaard Jesper
Published: November 2023

This paper presents a theoretical and experimental characterization of an instability phenomenon observed in single-frequency fiber amplifiers when the frequency of the seed laser is modulated. The instability manifests itself as fluctuating elastic back-reflections that occur only when the frequency is decreasing with time. The theory is a generalization of a coupled-mode model developed for a single-frequency fiber amplifier back-seeded with a constant frequency shift relative to the main signal. It can explain most observed features of the experiments in a qualitative and semi-quantitative way. Open questions and directions for further developments are discussed.
Ressenya del llibre: Joan Gomila Pere (2022), L’obra folklòrica d’Isidor Macabich
Authors: Muñoz Marzà Tània
Published: November 2023

Ressenya del llibre: Joan Gomila Pere (2022), L’obra folklòrica d’Isidor Macabich.
Az entomofágiával, azaz a rovarok fogyasztásával kapcsolatos
attitűdök vizsgálata
Authors: Kovács Krisztina , Szűcs Róbert Sándor
Published: November 2023

Globálisan növekvő társadalmunk, melynek létszáma már meghaladta a 8
milliárdot, minden bizonnyal az elkövetkező időkben is a jelenlegi növekvő
tendenciát fogja követni. A jövőben a megnövekedett népességnek
szükségszerűen több élelmiszerre lesz szüksége, aminek akadályozó tényezője
a csökkenő megművelhető földterületek mennyisége és az elsivatagosodás
egyaránt. A jövő élelmezési problémáját napjaink emberének kell megoldania
alternatív lehetőségeket kutatva. Azt láthatjuk, hogy jelenleg az általunk
fogyasztott állatok és növények génmódosításával, műtrágyák és
permetezőszerek túlzott használatával próbálják növelni a felnevelhető és
megtermelhető állományt. Sajnos ezek a megoldási lehetőségek, bár lehet,
hogy orvosolják az adott problémát, de eközben újabbakat hoznak létre. A
génmódosítás hatása hosszútávon még nem ismert, a műtrágyák és növényvédő
szerekként nevezett termékek pedig bizonyítottan káros hatással vannak az
emberi szervezetre. Lehetséges alternatív megoldás lehet, ami már régóta
sejthető volt, a rovarok bevonása az élelmezésbe. Ettől a lehetőségtől
nekünk európai embereknek aggályaink adódhatnak, hiszen a mi táplálkozási
kultúránkban ez még nem jelent meg. Cikkünk hivatott felkutatni az élettani
hatását a fogyasztásnak, ismertetni az aktuális piaci trendeket és
feltérképezni, hogy mit gondolnak és mit (nem) fogyasztanának szívesen a
fogyasztók. Kutatásunk említést tesz a törvényi háttérről és kiemeli az
aktuális eredményeket az entomofágiával kapcsolatban. Továbbá a fogyasztás
előnyei mellett meghatározzuk a hátrányokat is.
Academic Motivation of High School Students at Dr. Haddis Alemayehu Secondary School
Authors: Yimmam Anteneh , Yimmam Biniyam
Published: November 2023

Secondary schools require continuous and sustainable efforts from all stakeholders to ensure quality and inclusive education. There have been several research studies aimed at addressing the issue of education quality, stating lack of motivation is a significant challenge to overcome. This study collected relevant data from students, teachers, parents, and administration faculty based on Slovin's formula and analyzed it in SPSS and Python correlation heatmap to explain the abstract nature of the students’ academic motivation at the selected school. The collected data were analyzed in descriptive, thematic, and inferential statistics and presented using graphs, tables, and narrations for proper data representation. The study showed that Dr. Haddis Alemayehu Secondary School's environment is the prominent factor along with teacher perceived qualification and perceived exam effectiveness that contributed to the decreased academic motivation of students. This finding will be instrumental in utilizing school resources for improving the school environment, upskilling teachers, and producing more effective exams to measure students’ mastery of a topic. Doing so would motivate students and could be applied to similar government schools across Addis Ababa.