bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mediating roles of psychological factors and physical and social environments between socioeconomic status and dietary behaviors among African Americans with overweight or obesity
Authors: Jung Sunyoung , Whittemore Robin , Jeon Sangchoon , Nam Soohyun
Published: March 2021

The study aim was to examine the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and dietary behaviors through psychological and environmental mediators among African Americans with overweight or obesity. We conducted a cross‐sectional study in 225 African American men and women. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling with bootstrapping procedures. In the multiple mediation model, SES had a significant indirect effect on dietary behaviors through psychological and environmental factors (β = −.27; p = .01; 95% confidence interval [CI] = −0.59–−0.10), but it had no significant direct effect on dietary behaviors (β = .06; p = .70; 95% CI = −0.21–0.39). SES had significant direct effects on psychological (β = .52; p = .01; 95% CI = 0.31–0.77) and environmental factors (β = −.40; p = .03; 95% CI = −0.53–−0.25). Psychological (β = −.31; p = .02; 95% CI = −0.68–−0.04) and environmental factors (β = .26; p = .01; 95% CI = 0.04–0.47) also showed significant direct effects on dietary behaviors. Thus, psychological and environmental factors mediated the relationship between SES and dietary behaviors in African Americans with overweight or obesity. Interventions that enhance psychological and environmental factors such as self‐efficacy, perceived barriers to healthy eating, health perceptions, and physical and social environments may improve dietary behaviors among socioeconomically disadvantaged African Americans.
The effect of obesity in pregnancy and gestational weight gain on neonatal outcome in glucose‐tolerant mothers
Authors: Loh Huai Heng , Taipin Haslinda , Said Asri
Published: March 2021

Background

Most studies showing association between mothers with obesity in pregnancy or excessive gestational weight gain (GWG) and adverse neonatal outcome were cross‐sectional or retrospective. Many included patients are with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), which is a strong risk factor for this adverse outcome. There are no prospective studies on this topic in Malaysia. This study aimed to examine prospectively the effects of obesity in pregnancy and GWG, independent of GDM, on neonatal outcome.

Methods

Pregnant mothers in the first trimester, who presented to health clinics in Kuching, were screened. Mothers with existing diabetes mellitus or GDM were excluded using 75‐g oral glucose tolerance test during the first and second trimesters. Participants with the first trimester BMI ≥ 23 kg/m2 were recruited as overweight/obese group, whereas those with BMI 18.5–22.9 kg/m2 were taken as the comparison group. At every trimester visit, mothers' weights were recorded. Babies' birth weight and occurrence of adverse neonatal outcome were documented.

Results

There were 123 mothers recruited as overweight/obese group (mean BMI 29.0 kg/m2 ± 4.45) and 102 mothers as comparison group (mean BMI 20.4 kg/m2 ± 1.48). The number of low birth weight was similar between groups: 9.8% in overweight/obese group, 6.9% in the comparison group (p = 0.416). More than half of these babies were born to mothers with inadequate GWG (58.3% in obese group vs. 57.1% in control group, p = 0.077). There was no significant difference in the mean birth weight (3000 g ± 454.5 vs. 3038 g ± 340.8, p = 0.471), preterm delivery (8.13% vs. 3.92%, p = 0.193), and admission rate to neonatal intensive care unit (8.13% vs. 7.85%, p = 0.937) between groups. There was a positive correlation between the total GWG in overweight/obese group on baby's weight (r = 0.222, p = 0.013). Inadequate GWG was not correlated with lower birth weight (p = 0.052).

Conclusions

Obesity in pregnancy was not associated with poor neonatal outcome in this small sample of women in Malaysia. Total GWG showed a weak correlation with baby's birth weight in overweight/obese group.
Nitrogen‐containing organic products from the treatment of liquid toluene with plasma‐activated N2 gas
Authors: Hosseini Hamideh , Saleem Mubbshir , Marotta Ester , Paradisi Cristina
Published: March 2021

This proof‐of‐principle study explored the possibility to form nitrogen‐containing organic products via exposure of liquid toluene to a flow of molecular nitrogen, at room temperature and atmospheric pressure, activated by dielectric barrier discharges. N‐containing organic compounds indeed formed under these conditions, including benzonitrile, a high‐value chemical that is industrially synthesized from toluene under demanding conditions. Toluene‐derived higher hydrocarbons, as well as oxygen‐containing derivatives, were also detected, the latter due to efficient reactions of residual oxygen in the system. A mechanistic description of the observed chemistry is provided, together with guidelines for increasing the selectivity for C–N forming reactions and the development of this approach into a novel synthetic approach for high‐value organic N‐containing chemicals.
Nonparametric triple exponentially weighted moving average signed‐rank control chart for monitoring shifts in the process location
Authors: Alevizakos Vasileios , Chatterjee Kashinath , Koukouvinos Christos
Published: March 2021

Nonparametric (or distribution‐free) control charts are used for monitoring processes where there is a lack of knowledge about the underlying distribution. In this article, a triple exponentially weighted moving average control chart based on the signed‐rank statistic (referred as TEWMA‐SR chart) is proposed for monitoring shifts in the location parameter of an unknown, but continuous and symmetric, distribution. The run‐length characteristics of the proposed chart are evaluated performing Monte Carlo simulations. A comparison study with other existing nonparametric control charts based on the signed‐rank statistic, the TEWMA sign chart, and the parametric TEWMA‐ chart indicates that the proposed chart is more effective in detecting small shifts, while it is comparable with the other charts for moderate and large shifts. Finally, two illustrative examples are provided to demonstrate the application of the proposed chart.
Reverse engineering in quantum chemistry: How to reveal the fifth‐order off‐diagonal cusp in the one‐electron reduced density matrix without actually calculating it
Authors: Cioslowski Jerzy
Published: March 2021

Three approaches to revealing the presence of the fifth‐order off‐diagonal cusp in the one‐electron reduced density matrix (the 1‐matrix) are discussed. The simplest of them is based upon reverse engineering of the previously known properties of natural orbitals and their occupancies. The most straightforward approach that involves explicit evaluation of the 1‐matrix is shown to lead to almost intractable algebra. A closed‐form expression for the spherical average of with respect to the orientation of is obtained as a by‐product of this investigation.
Nintedanib treatment for pulmonary fibrosis after coronavirus disease 2019
Authors: Ogata Hiroaki , Nakagawa Taisuke , Sakoda Soichiro , Ishimatsu Akiko , Taguchi Kazuhito , Kadowaki Masako , Moriwaki Atsushi , Yoshida Makoto
Published: March 2021

A 78‐year‐old Japanese woman with no smoking history suffered from near‐fatal coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) requiring four‐week invasive mechanical ventilation, with subsequent radiological features of pulmonary fibrosis. Although methylprednisolone gradually improved her respiratory condition, her oxygenation and exercise tolerance had drastically deteriorated, necessitating high‐flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy. In parallel with tapering systemic steroid, the patient was treated with nintedanib. Three months later, the patient was able to walk with a walking aid using oxygen at 4 L/min. The present case is an indication that nintedanib might provide a novel therapeutic approach for managing post‐COVID‐19 fibrosis, although further studies are warranted.
Optimizing subgroup selection in two‐stage adaptive enrichment and umbrella designs
Authors: Ballarini Nicolás M. , Burnett Thomas , Jaki Thomas , Jennison Christoper , König Franz , Posch Martin
Published: March 2021

We design two‐stage confirmatory clinical trials that use adaptation to find the subgroup of patients who will benefit from a new treatment, testing for a treatment effect in each of two disjoint subgroups. Our proposal allows aspects of the trial, such as recruitment probabilities of each group, to be altered at an interim analysis. We use the conditional error rate approach to implement these adaptations with protection of overall error rates. Applying a Bayesian decision‐theoretic framework, we optimize design parameters by maximizing a utility function that takes the population prevalence of the subgroups into account. We show results for traditional trials with familywise error rate control (using a closed testing procedure) as well as for umbrella trials in which only the per‐comparison type 1 error rate is controlled. We present numerical examples to illustrate the optimization process and the effectiveness of the proposed designs.
Fusion designs and estimators for treatment effects
Authors: Breskin Alexander , Cole Stephen R. , Edwards Jessie K. , Brookmeyer Ron , Eron Joseph J. , Adimora Adimora A.
Published: March 2021

While randomized trials remain the best evidence for treatment effectiveness, lack of generalizability often remains an important concern. Additionally, when new treatments are compared against existing standards of care, the potentially small benefit of the new treatment may be difficult to detect in a trial without extremely large sample sizes and long follow‐up times. Recent advances in “data fusion” provide a framework to combine results across studies that are applicable to a given population of interest and allow treatment comparisons that may not be feasible with traditional study designs. We propose a data fusion‐based estimator that can be used to combine information from two studies: (1) a study comparing a new treatment to the standard of care in the local population of interest, and (2) a study comparing the standard of care to placebo in a separate, distal population. We provide conditions under which the parameter of interest can be identified from the two studies described and explore properties of the estimator through simulation. Finally, we apply the estimator to estimate the effect of triple‐ vs monotherapy for the treatment of HIV using data from two randomized trials. The proposed estimator can account for underlying population structures that induce differences in case mix, adherence, and outcome prevalence between the local and distal populations, and the estimator can also account for potentially informative loss to follow‐up. Approaches like those detailed here are increasingly important to speed the approval and adoption of effective new therapies by leveraging multiple sources of information.
A comparison of how prostate volume obtained using transabominal ultrasound differs to volume obtained using transrectal ultrasound approach
Authors: Jardine Emma
Published: March 2021

Ultrasound is a widely used method for examination of the prostate. This retrospective study compared the prostate volume obtained using transabdominal (TA) ultrasound to the volume of transrectal (TRUS) ultrasound. Over a three year period 42 patients had the volume of the prostate measured using both TA and TRUS methods. Sixteen different sonographers performed the TA measurements and three radiologists the TRUS measurement. Sixty‐six percentage of TRUS and 78% of TA measurements were classed as grade 3 prostatomegaly according to the volume obtained. TA measurements were larger than the TRUS measurement in 57% of cases. The findings in this study suggest that TA and TRUS cannot be used interchangeably.
Back to the starting point: Revised typifications of Linnaean names based on Plumier's Nova plantarum Americanarum genera
Authors: Moroni Pablo , Martínez Agustina , Nadra María Gabriela , O'Leary Nataly
Published: March 2021

The typification of 14 Linnaean names is revised. Previous lectotypifications based on Burman's illustrations in Plantarum Americanarum must be superseded since those elements were not available to Linnaeus before the publication of the first edition of Species plantarum. As a result, 12 Linnaean names, Bellonia aspera, Bucephalon racemosum, Columnea scandens, Cupania americana, Mentzelia aspera, Ovieda spinosa, Renealmia paniculata, Rondeletia americana, Thalia geniculata, Tillandsia serrata, Tournefortia hirsutissima and Tournefortia humilis, are hereby typified based on original material currently held at the Library of the Rijksuniversiteit in Groningen, the Netherlands, whereas a drawing included in Plumier's Nova plantarum Americanarum genera is selected as lectotype of the name Alpinia racemosa. In addition, supporting information about the type material of a name already typified by Robert Kiger (Samyda guidonia) is provided.
Ni(II) Schiff‐Base Complexes as Chiral Electroauxiliaries and Methodological Platform for Stereoselective Electrochemical Functionalization of Amino Acids
Authors: Magdesieva T. V.
Published: March 2021

The concept of chiral electroauxiliary based on the redox active chiral platform to perform transformations of a redox inactive substrate is suggested and discussed in the context of the targeted stereoselective electrochemical functionalization of amino acids. Tailor‐made amino acids are essential structural features of modern medicinal chemistry and drug design; the development of efficient synthetic approaches to these compounds is of topical interest. The modified substrate (an amino acid) is included as a structural motif in the redox active complex (with a possibility to be released after modification) that integrates “a bifunctional linker” (the structural motif capable to “catch” a substrate) and a chiral moiety responsible for asymmetry induction. The amino acid, being included as a part of such ensemble, becomes stable towards redox destruction and its targeted electrochemical modification saving the amino acid skeleton is possible, thus developing new modes of reactivity for well‐known compounds.
Preconcentration and chromatographic detection of atrazine in real water sample using aqueous two‐phase system based on tetrahydrofuran and glycerol
Authors: Buarque Filipe S. , Lima Nayara S. , Soares Cleide M. F. , Marques Maria N. , Cavalcanti Eliane B. , Pereira Matheus M. , Souza Ranyere L. , Lima Álvaro S.
Published: March 2021

Environmental contamination by atrazine leads to serious environmental impact. The low concentrations of atrazine in aqueous media render its identification and quantification difficult. In this context, aqueous two‐phase systems based on tetrahydrofuran (THF) + glycerol were tested as simultaneous recovery and preconcentration platforms of atrazine from real water samples. The phase diagrams were determined, and it was reported that the phase separation ability largely depends on the number of hydroxyl groups present in each polyol. Posteriorly, the atrazine was partitioned to the THF‐rich phase and presented recovery values between 70.9 (KATZ = 2.9) and 96.5% (KATZ = 15.2). The computational predictive method (COSMO‐RS) was used, aiming to confirm the atrazine partitioning for the THF‐rich phase. In addition, a 250‐fold preconcentration factor was achieved using a mixture point of 3.27 wt% of THF + 93.98 wt% of glycerol + 2.75 wt% of real water sample. This preconcentration factor and subsequent use of UFLC‐TOF permitted the identification and quantification of atrazine in real samples of water collected in the hydrographic basin from the Japaratuba River, in the state of Sergipe, Brazil. The protocol presented values of 95‒2400 ng L−1 of atrazine with a limit of detection of 50 ng L−1.
R
2 corrected AdS2 holography
Authors: Aniceto Pedro , Cardoso Gabriel Lopes , Nampuri Suresh
Published: March 2021

Abstract

We approach the problem of constructing an explicit holographic dictionary for the AdS2/CFT1 correspondence in the context of higher derivative gravitational actions in AdS2 space-times. These actions are obtained by an S2 reduction of four-dimensional $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= 2 Wilsonian effective actions with Weyl squared interactions restricted to constant scalar backgrounds. BPS black hole near-horizon space-times fall into this class of backgrounds, and by identifying the boundary operators dual to the bulk fields, we explicitly show how the Wald entropy of the BPS black hole is holographically encoded in the anomalous transformation of the operator dual to a composite bulk field. Additionally, using a 2d/3d lift, we show that the CFT holographically dual to AdS2 is naturally embedded in the chiral half of the CFT2 dual to the AdS3 space-time, and we identify the specific operator in CFT1 that encodes the chiral central charge of the CFT2.
Charged lepton flavor violation at the EIC
Authors: Cirigliano Vincenzo , Fuyuto Kaori , Lee Christopher , Mereghetti Emanuele , Yan Bin
Published: March 2021

Abstract

We present a comprehensive analysis of the potential sensitivity of the Electron-Ion Collider (EIC) to charged lepton flavor violation (CLFV) in the channel ep→τX, within the model-independent framework of the Standard Model Effective Field Theory (SMEFT). We compute the relevant cross sections to leading order in QCD and electroweak corrections and perform simulations of signal and SM background events in various τ decay channels, suggesting simple cuts to enhance the associated estimated efficiencies. To assess the discovery potential of the EIC in τ-e transitions, we study the sensitivity of other probes of this physics across a broad range of energy scales, from pp→eτX at the Large Hadron Collider to decays of B mesons and τ leptons, such as τ→eγ, τ→eℓ+ℓ−, and crucially the hadronic modes τ→eY with Y∈π, K, ππ, Kπ, …. We find that electroweak dipole and four-fermion semi-leptonic operators involving light quarks are already strongly constrained by τ decays, while operators involving the c and b quarks present more promising discovery potential for the EIC. An analysis of three models of leptoquarks confirms the expectations based on the SMEFT results. We also identify future directions needed to maximize the reach of the EIC in CLFV searches: these include an optimization of the τ tagger in hadronic channels, an exploration of background suppression through tagging b and c jets in the final state, and a global fit by turning on all SMEFT couplings, which will likely reveal new discovery windows for the EIC.
No inner-horizon theorem for black holes with charged scalar hairs
Authors: Cai Rong-Gen , Li Li , Yang Run-Qiu
Published: March 2021

Abstract

We establish a no inner-horizon theorem for black holes with charged scalar hairs. Considering a general gravitational theory with a charged scalar field, we prove that there exists no inner Cauchy horizon for both spherical and planar black holes with non-trivial scalar hair. The hairy black holes approach to a spacelike singularity at late interior time. This result is independent of the form of scalar potentials as well as the asymptotic boundary of spacetimes. We prove that the geometry near the singularity takes a universal Kasner form when the kinetic term of the scalar hair dominates, while novel behaviors different from the Kasner form are uncovered when the scalar potential become important to the background. For the hyperbolic horizon case, we show that hairy black hole can only has at most one inner horizon, and a concrete example with an inner horizon is presented. All these features are also valid for the Einstein gravity coupled with neutral scalars.
Data analytics using statistical methods and machine learning: a case study of power transfer units
Authors: Sheuly Sharmin Sultana , Barua Shaibal , Begum Shahina , Ahmed Mobyen Uddin , Güclü Ekrem , Osbakk Michael
Published: March 2021

Sensors can produce large amounts of data related to products, design, and materials; however, it is important to use the right data for the right purposes. Therefore, detailed analysis of data accumulated from different sensors in production and assembly manufacturing lines is necessary to minimize faulty products and understand the production process. Additionally, when selecting analytical methods, manufacturing companies must select the most suitable techniques. This paper presents a data analytics approach to extract useful information, such as important measurements for the dimensions of a shim, a small part for aligning shafts, from the manufacturing data of a power transfer unit (PTU). This paper also identifies the best techniques and analytical approaches within the following six individual areas: (1) identifying measurements associated with faults; (2) identifying measurements associated with shim dimensions; (3) identifying associations between station codes; (4) predicting shim dimensions; (5) identifying duplicate samples in faulty data; and (6) identifying error distributions associated with measurement. These areas are analysed in accordance with two analytical approaches: (a) statistical analysis and (b) machine learning (ML)-based analysis. The results show (a) the relative importance of measurements with regard to the faulty unit and shim dimensions, (b) the error distribution of measurements, and (c) the reproduction rate of faulty units. Additionally, both statistical analysis and ML-based analysis have shown that the measurement ‘PTU housing measurement’ is the most important measurement among available shim dimensions. Additionally, certain faulty stations correlated with one another. ML is shown to be the most suitable technique in three areas (e.g. identifying measurements associated with faults), while statistical analysis is sufficient for the other three areas (e.g. identifying measurements associated with shim dimensions) because they do not require a complex analytical model. This study provides a clearer understanding of assembly line production and identifies highly correlated and significant measurements of a faulty unit.
Quantitative and qualitative assessment of plasma cell dyscrasias in dual-layer spectral CT
Authors: Brandelik S. C. , Skornitzke S. , Mokry T. , Sauer S. , Stiller W. , Nattenmüller J. , Kauczor H. U. , Weber T. F. , Do T. D.
Published: March 2021

Objectives

Virtual non-calcium (VNCa) images could improve assessment of plasma cell dyscrasias by enhancing visibility of bone marrow. Thus, VNCa images from dual-layer spectral CT (DLCT) were evaluated at different calcium suppression (CaSupp) indices, correlating results with apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values from MRI.

Methods

Thirty-two patients with initial clinical diagnosis of a plasma cell dyscrasia before any chemotherapeutic treatment, who had undergone whole-body low-dose DLCT and MRI within 2 months, were retrospectively enrolled. VNCa images with CaSupp indices ranging from 25 to 95 in steps of 10, conventional CT images, and ADC maps were quantitatively analyzed using region-of-interests in the vertebral bodies C7, T12, L1-L5, and the iliac bone. Independent two-sample t-test, Wilcoxon-signed-rank test, Pearson’s correlation, and ROC analysis were performed.

Results

Eighteen patients had a non-diffuse, 14 a diffuse infiltration in conventional MRI. A significant difference between diffuse and non-diffuse infiltration was shown for VNCa-CT with CaSupp indices from 55 to 95, for conventional CT, and for ADC (each p < 0.0001). Significant quantitative correlation between VNCa-CT and MRI could be found with strongest correlation at CaSupp index 65 for L3 (r = 0.68, p < 0.0001) and averaged L1-L5 (r = 0.66, p < 0.0001). The optimum CT number cut-off point for differentiation between diffuse and non-diffuse infiltration at CaSupp index 65 for averaged L1-L5 was −1.6 HU (sensitivity 78.6%, specificity 75.0%).

Conclusion

Measurements in VNCa-CT showed the highest correlation with ADC at CaSupp index 65. VNCa technique may prove useful for evaluation of bone marrow infiltration if MRI is not feasible.

Key Points

• VNCa-CT images can support the evaluation of bone marrow infiltration in plasma cell dyscrasias.

• VNCa measurements of vertebral bodies show significant correlation with ADC in MRI.

• Averaging L1-L5 at CaSupp index 65 allowed quantitative detection of infiltration comparable to MRI ADC.
Update Vorhofflimmern: Die ESC-Leitlinien 2020 sowie aktuelle Daten zur frühen antiarrhythmischen Therapie
Authors: Schleberger Ruben , Rillig Andreas , Kirchhof Paulus , Metzner Andreas , Reissmann Bruno
Published: March 2021

Vorhofflimmern geht mit einer beträchtlichen Belastung für Patienten und das Gesundheitssystem einher. Jeder dritte heute 55-Jährige wird zeitlebens an Vorhofflimmern erkranken. Trotz Verbesserungen des Managements von Vorhofflimmern verbleibt ein erhöhtes Risiko für kardiovaskuläre Ereignisse. Die neuen Vorhofflimmer-Leitlinien der European Society of Cardiology stellen ein integratives Therapiekonzept in den Mittelpunkt. Der neue Therapie- und Diagnosealgorithmus „CC to ABC“ umfasst sowohl Diagnosestellung („confirm“) und Klassifizierung („characterise“) als auch Therapie („avoid stroke“, „better symptom control“, „comorbidities“). Neue orale Antikoagulanzien stehen unter Anwendung des CHA2DS2-VASC-Scores im Zentrum der Vorbeugung von Schlaganfällen. Neben der Frequenzregulierung werden rhythmuserhaltende Maßnahmen wie die medikamentöse antiarrhythmische Therapie oder die Katheterablation mit prognostischer Relevanz für bestimmten Patientengruppen empfohlen. Die Adressierung von Risikofaktoren und Komorbiditäten wie arterielle Hypertonie, Diabetes mellitus, Adipositas und Schlafapnoe wirkt ergänzend und sollte Teil jedes Behandlungskonzepts sein. Die im August 2020 publizierte EAST-AFNET 4-Studie zeigt als erste große randomisierte Studie, dass die frühe rhythmuserhaltende Therapie zusätzlich zur leitlinienbasierten Vorhofflimmertherapie zur Vermeidung von kardiovaskulärem Tod und Schlaganfällen beiträgt. In Anbetracht der Sicherheit von Antiarrhythmika und Katheterablation sollte die frühe Einleitung einer rhythmuserhaltenden Therapie bei allen Patienten in den ersten Monaten nach der Erstdiagnose von Vorhofflimmern erwogen werden, um positive Effekte nicht zu verpassen.
Experience from Asian centers in a named-patient-use program for afatinib in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer who had progressed following prior therapies, including patients with uncommon EGFR mutations
Authors: Chang Gee-Chen , Lam David Chi-Leung , Tsai Chun-Ming , Chen Yuh-Min , Shih Jin-Yuan , Aggarwal Shyam , Wang Shuhang , Kim Sang-We , Kim Young-Chul , Wahid Ibrahim , Li Rubi , Lim Darren Wan-Teck , Sriuranpong Virote , Chan Raymond Tsz-Tong , Lorence Robert M. , Carriere Philippe , Raabe Christina , Cseh Agnieszka , Park Keunchil
Published: March 2021

Background

This study evaluated outcomes among patients with advanced/metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated at Asian centers participating in the global named-patient-use (NPU) program for afatinib.

Methods

Patients had progressed after initial benefit with erlotinib or gefitinib, and/or had an EGFR or HER2 mutation, had no other treatment options, and were ineligible for afatinib trials. The recommended starting dose of afatinib was 50 mg/day. Dose modifications were allowed, and afatinib was continued as long as deemed beneficial. Response and survival information was provided voluntarily. Safety reporting was mandatory.

Results

2242 patients (26% aged ≥ 70 years, 96% with adenocarcinoma) received afatinib at centers in 10 Asian countries. Most were heavily pre-treated, including prior treatment with erlotinib or gefitinib. Of 1281 patients tested, 1240 had EGFR mutations (common: 1034/1101; uncommon: 117/1101). There were no new safety signals, the most common adverse events being rash and diarrhea. Objective response rate (ORR) was 24% overall (n = 431 with data available), 27% for patients with common EGFR mutations (n = 230) and 28% for those with uncommon mutations (n = 32); median time to treatment failure (TTF) in these groups was 7.6 months (n = 1550), 6.4 months (n = 692) and 8.4 months (n = 83), respectively. In patients with EGFR exon 20 insertions (n = 23) and HER2 mutations (n = 12), median TTF exceeded 12 months.

Conclusions

Patient outcomes in this study were similar to those reported in the analysis of the global NPU. Afatinib achieved clinical benefits in patients with refractory NSCLC. ORR and TTF were similar between patients with tumors harboring uncommon and common EGFR mutations.
On two product form modifications for finite overflow systems
Authors: van Dijk Nico , Schilstra Barteld
Published: March 2021

Overflow mechanisms can be found in a variety of queueing models. This paper studies a simple and generic overflow system that allows the service times to be both job type and station dependent. This system does not exhibit a product form. To justify simple product form computations, two product form modifications are given, as by a so-called call packing principle and by a stop protocol. The provided proofs are self-contained and straightforward for the exponential case and of merit by itself. Next, it is numerically studied whether and when, or under which conditions, the modifications lead to a reasonable approximation of the blocking probability, if not an ordering. The numerical results indicate that call packing provides a rather accurate approximation when the overflow station is not heavily utilized. Moreover, when overflowed jobs have an equal or faster service rate, the approximation is consistently found to be pessimistic, which can be useful for practical purposes. The stop protocol, in contrast, appears to be less accurate for most natural situations. Nevertheless, for an extreme situation the order might change. In addition, for the stop protocol the product form is proven to be insensitive (i.e. to also apply for arbitrary non-exponential service times). For call packing, this numerically appears not to be the case, as of interest by itself. However, from a practical viewpoint the sensitivity seems light. The results are intriguing for both theoretical and practical further research.
Patterns of overall mortality by race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status in insured cancer patients in Southern California
Authors: Cooper Robert M. , Chung Joanie , Hogan Tiffany , Haque Reina
Published: March 2021

Purpose

We evaluated the influence of race/ethnicity and geocoded socioeconomic status (SES) on all-cause mortality in cancer patients with health insurance.

Methods

We identified adults diagnosed with eight common cancers from 2009 to 2014 from the California Cancer Registry and followed them through 2017 (8 years maximum). We calculated person-year mortality rates by race/ethnicity and SES. Adjusted hazard ratios for the association between overall mortality and race/ethnicity and SES were estimated using Cox proportional hazards models accounting for other demographics, stage at diagnosis, and cancer treatments.

Results

A total of 164,197 adults were diagnosed with cancer originating from breast, prostate, lung, colon, skin melanoma, uterus, kidney, and bladder. For all race/ethnic groups combined, the mortality rates from lowest to highest SES groups were 112.1/1000 PY (lowest); 100.2/1000 PY (lower-middle); 91.2/1000 PY (middle); 79.1/1000 PY (upper-middle); and 63.5/1000 PY (upper). These rates suggest that person with lowest SES have a markedly increased mortality risk after cancer diagnosis even if they have health insurance. In multivariable analyses, those in the lowest SES group had a 40–78% increased risk of all-cause mortality compared to those in the upper SES group across all race/ethnicities. For example, within African Americans, the adjusted mortality risk was up to 61% higher (HR 1.61, 95% CI 1.41–1.83) in the lowest SES group compared to the highest SES group.

Conclusion

This study suggests disparities in overall mortality risk after cancer diagnoses persist even in a cohort with health insurance, and that SES is an important driver of this disparity.
Digital social entrepreneurship: the N-Helix response to stakeholders’ COVID-19 needs
Authors: Ibáñez María J. , Guerrero Maribel , Yáñez-Valdés Claudia , Barros-Celume Sebastián
Published: March 2021

This study explores the emergence of a new entrepreneurship phenomenon (digital social entrepreneurship) as a result of the collaboration among many agents (N-Helix), given the government’s limited capacity to respond to the stakeholders’ needs satisfaction related to an exogenous event (e.g., the COVID-19 pandemic). Our theory development is based on three ongoing academic debates related to (a) the unrepresentativeness of the stakeholder theory in entrepreneurship research; (b) the emergence of digital social entrepreneurship (DSE) as a bridge between stakeholders’ needs, socio-economic actors, and digital-social initiatives; and (c) the role of N-Helix collaborations to facilitate the emergence of global knowledge-intensive initiatives and the rapid adoptions of open innovations. Our results support our assumptions about the positive mediation effect of DSE in the relationship between N-Helix collaborations and stakeholders’ satisfaction. Notably, results show how pandemic has intensified these relationships and how DSE in N-Helix collaborations can generate social impacts globally. Some implications for policy-makers have emerged from our results that should be considered during/post-COVID-19 pandemic.
Judicial Decision-Making, Ideology and the Political: Towards an Agonistic Theory of Adjudication
Authors: Mańko Rafał
Published: March 2021

The present paper puts forward a first outline of a possible agonistic theory of adjudication, conceived of as an extension of Chantal Mouffe’s agonistic theory of democracy onto the domain of the juridical, and specifically, judicial decision-making. Mouffe’s concept of the political as the dimension of inherent and unalienable conflicts (antagonisms) which, nonetheless, need to be tamed for a pluralist democracy to function, creates an excellent vantage point for a critical theory of adjudication. The paper argues for perceiving all judicial decisions as having a double nature—juridical and political. Cloaked in legal form, judgments nonetheless decide on individual instances of on-going collective conflicts, opposing workers to employers, consumers to traders, tenants to landlords, moral progressives to traditionalists, minorities to majorities and so forth. Judges, when handing down judgments, enjoy a ‘relative sovereignty’, being always already inscribed into the institutional imperatives of the juridical, on one hand, and ideological influences, on the other, but at the same time called upon to decide in the terrain of the undecidable and contingent (after all, law does not ‘apply itself’ on its own). Indeed the determinacy of legal decisions is only relative: in many cases judges can, by performing a sufficient amount of legal interpretive work, reach a conclusion which will be different from theprima facieinterpretation. The collective conflicts of a various nature (economic, ideological, socio-political), once they are juridified, become the object of judicial decisions which, in light of Mouffe’s theory, can be seen as temporary hegemonic fixations. The goal of critical legal scholarship is to destabilise such hegemonies in the name of justice. This can be done not only through an external critique of the law, but also through an internal one. The methodological approach advanced in the latter part of the paper emphasises the need for a critique of judicial decisions based on the consideration of all possible alternative decisions a court could have reached, and their evaluation in the light of conflicting interests and ideologies.
Pharmacoinformatics-based identification of transmembrane protease serine-2 inhibitors from Morus Alba as SARS-CoV-2 cell entry inhibitors
Authors: Shakya Anshul , Chikhale Rupesh V. , Bhat Hans Raj , Alasmary Fatmah Ali , Almutairi Tahani Mazyad , Ghosh Surajit Kumar , Alhajri Hassna Mohammed , Alissa Siham A. , Nagar Shuchi , Islam Md Ataul
Published: March 2021

Transmembrane protease serine-2 (TMPRSS2) is a cell-surface protein expressed by epithelial cells of specific tissues including those in the aerodigestive tract. It helps the entry of novel coronavirus (n-CoV) or Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in the host cell. Successful inhibition of the TMPRSS2 can be one of the crucial strategies to stop the SARS-CoV-2 infection. In the present study, a set of bioactive molecules from Morus alba Linn. were screened against the TMPRSS2 through two widely used molecular docking engines such as Autodock vina and Glide. Molecules having a higher binding affinity toward the TMPRSS2 compared to Camostat and Ambroxol were considered for in-silico pharmacokinetic analyses. Based on acceptable pharmacokinetic parameters and drug-likeness, finally, five molecules were found to be important for the TMPRSS2 inhibition. A number of bonding interactions in terms of hydrogen bond and hydrophobic interactions were observed between the proposed molecules and ligand-interacting amino acids of the TMPRSS2. The dynamic behavior and stability of best-docked complex between TRMPRSS2 and proposed molecules were assessed through molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. Several parameters from MD simulation have suggested the stability between the protein and ligands. Binding free energy of each molecule calculated through MM-GBSA approach from the MD simulation trajectory suggested strong affection toward the TMPRSS2. Hence, proposed molecules might be crucial chemical components for the TMPRSS2 inhibition.

Graphic abstract
Development and validation of a short version of the Sarcopenia Quality of Life questionnaire: the SF-SarQoL
Authors: Geerinck A. , Beaudart C. , Reginster J.-Y. , Locquet M. , Monseur C. , Gillain S. , Bruyère O.
Published: March 2021

Purpose

To facilitate the measurement of quality of life in sarcopenia, we set out to reduce the number of items in the previously validated Sarcopenia Quality of Life (SarQoL®) questionnaire, and to evaluate the clinimetric properties of this new short form.

Methods

The item reduction process was carried out in two phases. First, information was gathered through item-impact scores from older people (n = 1950), a Delphi method with sarcopenia experts, and previously published clinimetric data. In the second phase, this information was presented to an expert panel that decided which of the items to include in the short form. The newly created SFSarQoL was then administered to older, community-dwelling participants who previously participated in the SarcoPhAge study. We examined discriminative power, internal consistency, construct validity, test–retest reliability, structural validity and examined item parameters with a graded response model (IRT).

Results

The questionnaire was reduced from 55 to 14 items, a 75% reduction. A total of 214 older, community-dwelling people were recruited for the validation study. The clinimetric evaluation showed that the SF-SarQoL® can discriminate on sarcopenia status [EWGSOP2 criteria; 34.52 (18.59–43.45) vs. 42.86 (26.56–63.69); p = 0.043], is internally consistent (α = 0.915, ω = 0.917) and reliable [ICC = 0.912 (0.847–0.942)]. A unidimensional model was fitted (CFI = 0.978; TLI = 0.975; RMSEA = 0.108, 90% CI 0.094–0.123; SRMR = 0.055) with no misfitting items and good response category separation.

Conclusions

A new, 14-item, short form version of the Sarcopenia Quality of Life questionnaire has been developed and shows good clinimetric properties.
The poverty of manner categories in motion verbs coding vertical relations. Evidence from Polish and Russian
Authors: Łozińska Joanna
Published: March 2021

The article discusses the ways in which lexicalization of vertical motion takes place in two satellite-framed languages: Polish and Russian. In this typological category the manner of motion is typically rendered by the verb. The analysis of the descriptions of motion events by native speakers of these two genetically related languages shows that the lexicalization pattern of vertical motion differs from the horizontal one. First of all, when describing vertical relations, respondents less frequently code the manner of motion in the verb than when talking about motion along the horizontal plane. What is more, the results show that both Russian and Polish respondents use more motion verbs to describe vertical than horizontal relations, which points to the natural human tendency to code novel situations.
The Human Development Index with Multiple Data Envelopment Analysis Approaches: A Comparative Evaluation Using Social Network Analysis
Authors: Mariano Enzo Barberio , Ferraz Diogo , de Oliveira Gobbo Simone Cristina
Published: March 2021

The objective of this work is to use multiple Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA)/Benefit of the Doubt (BoD) approaches for the readjustment and exploitation of the Human Development Index (HDI). The HDI is the leading indicator for the vision of “development as freedom”; it is a Composite Index, wherein three dimensions (income, health, and education), represented by four indicators, are aggregated. The DEA-BoD approaches used in this work were: the traditional BoD; the Multiplicative BoD; the Slacks Based Measure (SBM) BoD; the Range Adjusted Model (RAM) BoD; weight restrictions; common weights; and tiebreaker methods. These approaches were applied to raw and normalized HDI data from 2018, to generate 40 different rankings for 189 countries. The resulting indexes were analyzed and compared using Social Network Analysis (SNA) and information derived from DEA itself (slacks, relative contributions, targets, relative targets and benchmarks). This paper presents useful DEA derived indexes that could be replicated in other contexts. In addition, it contributes by presenting a clearer picture of the differences between BoD models and offering a new way to appreciate the world's human development panorama.
When pursuing bad goals for good reasons makes it even worse: a social value approach to performance-avoidance goal pursuit
Authors: Świątkowski Wojciech , Dompnier Benoît
Published: March 2021

Consistently in achievement goal research, pursuing performance-avoidance goals has been associated with a decrease in achievement. Less is known to what extent this effect depends on the reasons underlying these goals’ endorsement. The present research uses a social value approach to assess how do performance-avoidance goals’ effects on achievement depend on the reasons anchored in social utility (goal endorsed in order to succeed) and in social desirability (goal endorsed in order to please one’s teachers). Based on five correlational samples meta-analyzed in Study 1, results showed that perceiving performance-avoidance goals as socially useful increased the negative effect of these goals on achievement. This moderating effect was replicated experimentally in Study 2. These findings support the relevance of studying achievement goal complexes and illustrate that performance-avoidance goals may lead to deleterious consequences even when endorsed for seemingly good reasons.
Estimation of Health-State Utility Values and Factors Driving Health-Related Quality of Life in People Living with HIV and AIDS and Receiving cART in Germany: Baseline Analysis of a Cohort Study
Authors: Treskova Martina , Scholz Stefan , Kuhlmann Alexander , Mahlich Jörg , Stoll Matthias
Published: March 2021

HIV has become a chronic disease since widespread of combined antiretroviral therapy (cART). Understanding the influence of therapeutic and preventive interventions on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of people living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA) is important. Information about health state utilities and HRQoL in PLWHA after the introduction of cART is limited, especially in Germany. The study aims to estimate and describe health state utilities and HRQoL in PLWHA in Germany and explore the effects of patient characteristics, clinical and treatment factors. Utilities and HRQoL in PLWHA in Germany were measured with the generic EQ-5D-3L questionnaire. Health state utilities were calculated based on the EQ-5D descriptive system using the German EQ-5D-3L time trade-off (TTO) value set. HRQoL was calculated based on the EQ visual analogue scale (EQ-VAS). Extensive descriptive analyses were performed to represent utility values for different groups of the patients. Generalized linear models (GLMs) with beta-inflated distributions were used to determine patient characteristics and clinical factors that influence TTO utilities and VAS scores. 1056 PLWHA completed the EQ-5D-3L questionnaires at the beginning of the study. The mean TTO utility value is 0.912 (SD ± 0.154), and the mean VAS HRQoL is 84.32 (SD ± 18.55). “Anxiety/depression” and “pain/physical discomfort” are the most affected dimensions. A longer period of living with HIV, a lower CD4-cell count, having symptomatic HIV or AIDS and an increased number of changes in therapy are associated with decreased utilities and a lower probability of having HRQoL of perfect health. No significant effect of duration of regimen was found. Depression significantly decreases TTO utility values. Higher education, full-time employment and female gender are associated with higher utilities. The resulted EQ-VAS values for PLWHA in Germany are comparable with EQ-VAS estimates for the general population. The obtained estimates can be used as inputs for health economic evaluations of HIV-interventions. Addressing anxiety and depression may reduce the quality of life impairment in PLWHA. Impact of comorbidities needs further investigation.
Gesundheitsverhalten und -förderung von ambulanten Pflegekräften
Authors: Neumann Felix Alexander , Mojtahedzadeh Natascha , Harth Volker , Mache Stefanie , Augustin Matthias , Zyriax Birgit-Christiane
Published: March 2021

Hintergrund

Prognosen zufolge werden im Jahr 2050 bis zu 0,85 Mio. Fachkräfte in der Pflege fehlen. Bereits heute führen zunehmende Arbeitsbelastungen zu hohen Krankenständen bei den Beschäftigten. Wissenschaftliche Erkenntnisse zum Gesundheitsverhalten bei ambulanten Pflegekräften fehlen, um zielgruppenspezifische Maßnahmen der betrieblichen Gesundheitsförderung (BGF) bereitstellen zu können.

Ziel der Arbeit

Ziel ist es, das Gesundheitsverhalten von ambulanten Pflegekräften sowie bestehende Angebote der BGF in der ambulanten Pflege zu charakterisieren und Erfahrungen der Expert*innen bei der Entwicklung und Implementierung von Maßnahmen BGF zu erfassen.

Material und Methoden

Zehn Expert*innen aus der Hamburger Pflegebranche und -wissenschaft wurden im Rahmen eines Fokusgruppeninterviews im Januar 2020 befragt. Die Datenauswertung fand mittels qualitativer Inhaltsanalyse statt.

Ergebnisse

Um selbstbestimmt und selbstständig mit der eigenen Gesundheit umzugehen, betonten die Experten, sei es besonders wichtig, die Pflegekräfte für die Themen Ernährung, körperliche Aktivität und Rauchen zu sensibilisieren. Für Stressbewältigung standen hingegen vermehrt verhältnispräventive Maßnahmen, wie realistische Fahrtenplanung, Arbeitszeitplanung und Anpassung der Pausenzeiten, im Fokus.

Schlussfolgerung

Die Arbeitsbedingungen der ambulanten Pflege wirken sich nachteilig auf das Ernährungs- und Trinkverhalten sowie die körperliche Aktivität bei den Beschäftigten aus. Weitere quantitative Erhebungen zum Gesundheitsverhalten werden benötigt, um die gewonnenen Einschätzungen der Expert*innen zu stärken. Zielgruppenspezifische Maßnahmen der BGF müssen an die ambulante Pflege angepasst sein und sowohl verhaltens-, als auch verhältnispräventive Ansätze einbeziehen.