bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Plasma Nicotine Pharmacokinetics of Oral Nicotine Pouches Across Varying Flavours and Nicotine Content *
Authors: McEwan Michael , Haswell Linsey Ellen , Baxter-Wright Sarah , Meichanetzidis Filimon , Jin Tao , Hardie George
Published: December 2023

Background

In recent years several nicotine products have been introduced that aim to offer smokers an alternative to cigarettes. As well as having fewer toxicants than combustible cigarettes, such nicotine products must be able to deliver nicotine efficiently. The aim of this study was to determine and compare the pharmacokinetics of nicotine absorption from nine oral tobacco-free smokeless nicotine pouches with varying nicotine content and flavours.

Methods

In a randomised, open-labelled, controlled, crossover clinical study, nicotine pharmacokinetics and product-liking were compared between nine nicotine pouches (Velo, BAT; 4- or 7-mg nicotine per pouch and in eight flavours). During a 10-day confinement period, 42 healthy adult participants, who were current smokers of combustible cigarettes, used a single study product once each day during a 45-min use period following overnight nicotine abstinence.

Results

Maximum plasma nicotine concentration and area under curve for nicotine concentration versus time 180 min after the start of study product use were significantly greater for the 7-mg than for the 4-mg Velo pouches (p < 0.0001). These values did not differ between flavours among the 7-mg Velo nicotine pouches after adjustment for multiple comparisons (both p > 0.003). The median time to maximum plasma nicotine concentrations and mean product-liking scores were similar regardless of nicotine content and flavour.

Conclusions

Regardless of flavour, nicotine pouches with the same nicotine content and formulation produce similar pharmacokinetic parameters and can deliver nicotine efficiently. Nicotine pouches could be a satisfying alternative for smokers switching from conventional cigarettes. [Contrib. Tob. Nicotine Res. 32 (2023) 130–139]
A Pumping Method for Assessing Airtightness of Packs - Application to Heated Tobacco Products *
Authors: Chen Zhihao , Shi Zhandong , Zhang Pengfei , Ding Li , Zhang Qing , Li Zhigang , Sun Miao , Ye Chao , Wang Hao , Wu Xiaosong , Li Dong
Published: December 2023

The airtightness of heated tobacco product (HTP) packs is a very important indicator for the product quality and is also of great importance during the conditioning process. A method for evaluation of the airtightness was developed based on the air pressure difference in a constant pumping configuration. The essential feature of this method is that the pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the HTP packs during the deflation process is used to characterize the sealing quality of HTP packs. The detailed setup, the principle as well as the determination procedure are described. The accuracy and the repeatability of the method were assessed, and the effect of airtightness on the conditioning process was also investigated. The developed method is proven to be reliable with a standard deviation less than 0.09 kPa and repeatability less than 0.30 kPa. In addition, it was found that, although the transmission of moisture between HTPs and atmosphere could not be entirely prevented by the packs, airtightness still plays a significant role during the conditioning process, especially if the airtightness was at a relatively low level (e.g., lower than 1.5 kPa under a pumping flow rate of 200 mL/min). The method provides a promising way to assess and monitor the sealing quality of HTP packs, and it is suggested that the airtightness of the pack should not be lower than 2 kPa under a pumping flow rate of 200 mL/min. [Contrib. Tob. Nicotine Res. 32 (2023) 140–145]
Influence of Rheum taxa and harvesting date on the content of L-ascorbic acid and oxalic acid in the climatic conditions of South Moravia (Czech Republic)
Authors: Neugebauerová Jarmila , Hakalová Eliška , Ragasová Lucia Nedorost , Čechová Jana , Raddová Jana , Tekielska Dorota , Pokluda Robert
Published: December 2023

Rhubarb (Rheum L.) is a well-known medicinal and culinary plant. Apart from its rich nutritional value, rhubarb contains a higher concentration of oxalates. In this study, the content of L-ascorbic acid (AA) and oxalic acid (OA) within three rhubarb species (Rheum rhabarbarum, R. rhaponticum and R. palmatum × wittrockii) differentiated to 16 accessions in a gene bank rhubarb collection (Lednice, Czech Republic) in the condition of conventional production in the South Moravia region during the harvesting period was evaluated. While L-ascorbic acid is essential in human nutrition, oxalic acid is considered toxic, and high doses may cause serious health issues. AA and OA content, the morphology evaluation and ISSR (inter simple sequence repeats)-based genetic analysis were performed. The results of this study confirm the significant influence of taxonomy and harvesting time on the content of AA in Rheum accessions. The content of AA was determined from 6 mg · 100 g-1 to 10 g · 100 g-1 fresh weight (FW) at the beginning of the harvesting season (May) up to 25 mg · 100 g-1 FW at the end of the harvesting period. The content of OA strongly varied from 300 mg · 100 g-1 to 1800 mg · 100 g-1 FW. Regarding the antinutrient character of oxalate, the optimal harvest period of this region was estimated to be from May to early June, when the OA content was the lowest. The role of AA as a precursor of oxalate formation in rhubarb was not affirmed by the results of this study.
What’s Next if Reward is Enough? Insights for AGI from Animal Reinforcement Learning
Authors: Rajagopal Shreya
Published: December 2023

There has been considerable recent interest in the “The Reward is Enough” hypothesis, which is the idea that agents can develop general intelligence even with simple reward functions, provided the environment they operate in is sufficiently complex. While this is an interesting framework to approach the AGI problem, it also brings forth new questions - what kind of RL algorithm should the agent use? What should the reward function look like? How can it quickly generalize its learning to new tasks? This paper looks to animal reinforcement learning - both individual and social - to address these questions and more. It evaluates existing computational models and neural substrates of Pavlovian conditioning, reward-based action selection, intrinsic motivation, attention-based task representations, social learning and meta-learning in animals and discusses how insights from these findings can influence the development of animal-level AGI within an RL framework.
Climate change in Poland – the assessment of the conversation with ChatGPT
Authors: Krzyżewska Agnieszka
Published: December 2023

ChatGPT, along with its applications, possibilities, limitations and future development, is currently one of the most often discussed topics worldwide. One of the issues raised in those discussions is its ethically questionable role in science and education.

The goal of this paper is to assess the accuracy and correctness of the responses given by ChatGPT, using climate change in Poland as an example. Eight questions related to this topic were posed to ChatGPT, and each answer was subsequently verified and assigned a grade on a scale of 0–10. The overall grade obtained was 3.8, indicating that only 30–40% of the information provided by ChatGPT was accurate. This poor result can be attributed to fake references, inaccurate data, overgeneralizations and simplification. Nevertheless, with proper training and development, ChatGPT has tremendous potential to serve as a valuable tool for ethically sound applications in the field of science.
EU Integration Coordination in Georgia: Evolution of the Coordination Model and Contingent Factors
Authors: Dolidze Nino , Bobghiashvili Giorgi , Akobia Eka
Published: December 2023

The paper compiles a single case study on the national EU integration coordination in Georgia since 1991 to date. The paper aims to ground Georgia’s case in the existing academic literature with a detailed case description and testing of the EU integration coordination mechanisms in Georgia based on theories and models in the PA literature. Georgia’s coordination mechanisms are assessed against external incentives, such as ‘socialisation’ v. ‘conditionality’ (Schimmelfennig, 2009), and classified in terms of Kassim’s (2003) system of national coordination. The paper describes five distinct periods in the evolution of EU integration coordination formats: the first encounter (1991-1999); the silhouettes of coordination (1999-2004); the deliberate coordination (2004-2014); the pragmatic coordination (2014-2022) and the coordination limbo (2022 to date). EU integration coordination structures from 2004 to 2014 are likened to a comprehensive centraliser - with the centre being the driving force of the entire coordination process, with all the issues or thematic areas being depicted in respective planning documents. Since 2014, the country’s approach has been compared to that of a selective centraliser, since Georgia shows signs of selectiveness in its ambitions to deliver on a nationally agreed EU policy outcome. The paper finds that, unlike prevalent patterns in EU integration coordination, the relative stagnation of the EU coordination process happens after the accession; in Georgia, this has occurred during the onset of the conditionality stage, which makes this an outlier case. In assessing the reasons for the weakening of the process of coordination, this case supports findings that the actor-centric approach is vital to explaining the coordination efforts (Dimitrova & Toshkov, 2007; Fink-Hafner, 2013). The paper concludes that a significant improvement of existing EU integration coordination structures is needed to build a comprehensive approach, reinforced with horizontal coordination and networking, to construct an agreed and inclusive EU integration coordination.
Assessing Individuals’ Perceptions of the Impact of Corruption on the Domains of Sustainable Development: A Cross-sectional Study in Palestine
Authors: Iriqat Ismail
Published: December 2023

The main objective of this study is to assess the impact of corruption on the social, economic, environmental and political domains of sustainable development from individuals’ perspective. The study also attempts to relate individuals’ perceptions to their socioeconomic characteristics. The study uses the convenience sampling approach, where 521 responses are collected through an online-administered questionnaire. Each domain of sustainable development is defined by a set of items measured on a five-point Likert scale. Individuals’ perceptions of the impact of corruption on sustainable development domains are assessed by measuring the mean score value of each item. The association between individuals’ perceptions and their socioeconomic characteristics is evaluated using the independent-samples t-test. The study finds that the impact of corruption on the four domains of sustainable development as perceived by individuals is within the high level. Results also show a statistically significant difference between individuals from different socioeconomic groups in their perceptions of the impact of corruption on sustainable development. Results revealed that a high level of corruption would hinder the progress towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at all levels. Therefore, improving the quality of governance in public institutions and controlling corruption is crucial to attaining economic and sustainable development.
Procedural Challenges of Cross-border Cooperation and Consistency in Personal Data Protection in the EU
Authors: Rudolf Grega , Kovač Polonca
Published: December 2023

Data protection is an increasingly important topic in the European administrative field at national and cross-border levels. Such a trend reflects different phenomena in contemporary society, which further leads to a more focused concern for a harmonised elaboration by the Member States despite their autonomy, in principle, regarding EU law implementation. However, as revealed by the Slovenian case in this article, the European Data Protection Board and national supervising authorities, mostly information commissioners, express the need to regulate some issues more decidedly. Interestingly, yet not surprisingly, their focus is on procedural aspects, as according to administrative science and several European Commission documents, procedure strongly influences the results. As a result, the article elaborates on the relevant procedural issues to be addressed to ensure a harmonised enforcement of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in force since 2018. Various research methods are employed, combining qualitative, normative, and comparative analyses and quantitative approaches, emphasising statistical data obtained from annual reports for 2020, 2021, and 2022. The results show a lack of procedural provisions in several aspects, including the definition of the parties to the procedure and their defence rights, particularly access to the file, to be heard, and complain, as well as one-stop-shop access to legal protection, deadlines, and investigation powers. Such gaps are expected to be covered by procedural institutions enshrined in National Administrative Procedure Acts (APA). However, as suggested by the Slovenian experience, such a solution is minimal due to differing national regulations and relatively low awareness of APA relevance in data protection even among supervising authorities. Hence, the authors argue that there is a need to develop and adopt standard EU rules to regulate such issues.

Points for Practitioners

The article refers to data protection within theoretical, normative, practical, comparative, and national dimensions. In addition to analysing statistical data regarding procedural issues of cross-collaborative application of GDPR in the Member States - primarily Slovenia - the article provides practical implications of legislative, organisational, and IT adaptations required for harmonising EU-wide enforcement of GDPR. The insights provided herein can support the development of similar solutions in other EU countries. Therefore, the research findings are relevant for practitioners from various European administrations who are in charge of implementing GDPR and, specifically, supervising its implementation, as well as for policymakers and legislators in their respective areas of data protection and administrative procedural law. The findings will also benefit the European Commission when drafting new legislation to enhance cooperation and consistency between Member States in enforcing personal data rights set by GDPR.
The Impact Assessment of Implementing a Global Minimum Tax for MNEs in Sweden1
Authors: Nabavi Pardis , Nordström Martin
Published: December 2023

This paper examines the budgetary impact and dynamic effects of implementing a global minimum tax in Sweden. Using a new dataset of global activities of large Swedish companies, we estimate that Swedish tax revenue could increase by approximately SEK 500 million per year (around EUR 50 million). In addition, we estimate that administrative costs can be of the same order of magnitude and discuss the role of safe harbor rules to limit the administrative burden.
Reporting the adverse events and healthcare-associated infections in relation to the work environment
Authors: Zeleníková Renáta , Jarošová Darja , Mynaříková Eva , Plevová Ilona , Kachlová Miroslava
Published: December 2023

Aim. The aim of this multicenter study was to analyze the reporting of the adverse events and health care-associated infections (HAIs) in relation to work environment.

Material and methods. This cross-sectional multicenter study was conducted in 14 acute care hospitals throughout the Czech Republic. A total of 105 acute care hospital wards were included in the study. The Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index was used to assess the practice environment. The questionnaire to assess the practice environment were completed by 805 nurses. The data on adverse events and HAIs were weekly reported.

Results. The overall mean number of adverse events including healthcare-associated infections was 27.7 (±36.10) per 100 patients, the most frequent being pressure ulcers and falls. The most frequent healthcare-associated infections were urinary tract, gastrointestinal tract and surgical site infections. Analysis of all adverse events and HAIs failed to confirm a statistically significant relationship between the nursing practice environment and occurrence of adverse events or healthcare-associated infections.

Conclusions. Adverse events and healthcare-associated infections are important indicators of quality of care in hospitalized patients. No type of the nursing practice environment aff ected the reporting of adverse events and HAIs.
Experimental Study on the Control of the Positions of the Cycle Isotherms of the Heat Pump in the Air Handling Unit
Authors: Frik Anton , Bielskus Juozas , Dzikevics Mikelis
Published: December 2023

The use of air-to-air heat pumps in modern air handling units is becoming more popular for building heating and cooling supply. However, the constantly changing state of outdoor air (temperature, humidity) means that energy conversion modes of heat pumps need to be flexible and able to efficiently respond to ambient air parameters. The ability to adapt to changes in ambient air conditions in an efficient and rational manner is a crucial factor to consider when selecting the operating mode and control of energy transformers. Modern commercial heat pumps typically have two control degrees of freedom, which include a variable-speed compressor and an electronic expansion valve. This combination of control components has previously helped to improve the seasonal efficiency of heat pumps. However, for a long time, focus was placed mainly on refining electronic control tools, without considering how changes in the thermodynamic cycle of heat pumps are correlated with energy demands for air preparation that correspond to outdoor temperatures. The authors of the article propose introducing an additional component into traditional heat pump control measures to provide a third degree of freedom for the cycle control. The experiments were conducted to assess the impact of the heat pump system volume on its thermodynamic operating cycle and it was found that the system volume parameter has the potential for regulation capabilities in controlling the operation of a heat pump. This technological solution has the potential to increase efficiency indicators of the air preparation process and warrants further development and study.
Black Forest Melody: Between Philosophical Kitsch and Identitarian Ideology: Heidegger’s Pastoral World-View in the Memorial Address. Trial on a Classification
Authors: Becker Greg
Published: December 2023

Martin Heidegger is still subject to controversial discussions about his political views. The question in the centre of the discussions is not if he was politically on the far right, but how far right he was, and also how far right his philosophy is. However, the details of Heidegger’s political approaches in his work are largely disguised and hidden behind Heidegger’s typical writing style, which has remained undefined for so long. There is a short essay in Heidegger’s work that may shed light on the roots and details of his ethnic-identity thinking: “Memorial Address”.
Response to Hewitt on Abortion
Authors: Block Walter E.
Published: December 2023

The defense argument in favor of abortion sees the fetus as an invader, a trespasser, someone against whom violence is justified, since this very young person (the fetus) has initiated violence against his mother. Hewitt [30] rejects this argument. The present paper maintains the justification of this defense argument. My perspective is based on the private property rights of the mother. She owns her person. It is as if her body is her house, and a trespasser has invaded it. Surely, she has the right to evict such a person. This analogy is relatively easy to see in the case of rape. The unwanted fetus, now occupying a part of her body is in effect a intruder. If she really owns her body, which I contend she certainly does, she has a right to expel this person from her property. I also argue that voluntary sexual intercourse does not constitution an “invitation” for the pre-born baby to occupy her premises for nine months.
Structure of Labor: Toward a New Theory of Community and Economic Development
Authors: Hyde Joseph J.
Published: December 2023

In the United States, the rise in income inequality and downward intergenerational social mobility since the 1970s represent twin problems facing community and economic development today. This paper proposes a Structure of Labor theory to apply at the local and regional level to address these development challenges. The objective is to provide a simple local approach to development that maximizes upward economic mobility and enables individuals and communities to achieve their development goals in the 21st century development landscape of the United States. The proposed theory fuses free-enterprise principles with state-planned dirigiste efforts to maximize the best of both theoretical perspectives. After reviewing pertinent literature and articulating the Structure of Labor theory, the latter sections of the paper explicate its implications for community and economic development practice.
The Foreign Exchange Rate-Femicide Nexus in Turkey: Evidence from the Cointegration Tests Based on Nonlinear and Fourier Functions
Authors: Çiğdem Gülgün
Published: December 2023

The purpose of this study is to look at femicide from a different perspective, even though it may seem unrelated at first. Accordingly, it investigated the existence of a link between foreign exchange, which was a major cause of the crises and unemployment, and femicide, which was the outcome of violence against women other than murder. The data were acquired from the We Will Stop Femicide Platform and the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey in light of the study’s goal. According to the findings of the investigation, there is a long-term cointegrating association between the foreign exchange rate and femicide in Turkey. After 22.6 days, the deviation induced by a 1% change in the currency rate could be balanced. This study is notable for approaching femicide from a hitherto overlooked economic perspective, as well as demonstrating that exchange rate changes are “vital” in terms of non-economic reality and public health.
Sexual Violence against Children with Disabilities: A Danish National Birth Cohort Prospective Study
Authors: Elklit Ask , Murphy Siobhan , Skovgaard Christian , Lausten Mette
Published: December 2023

Background

Children with disabilities are at heightened risk of sexual violence compared to non-disabled peers.

Objective

We aimed to examine the associations between ten childhood disabilities and sexual victimization.

Methods

Data were drawn from the Danish Psychiatric Case Register, the Criminal Register, and other population-based registers. Children born between 1994 and 2001 (n=570,351) were followed until 18 years of age. Using logistic regression, the association between the disabilities and risk of sexual victimisation was estimated.

Results

We identified 8,860 cases of sexual victimization towards children and adolescents. In the fully adjusted models, children with a diagnosis of ADHD, speech disability and intellectual disability were at highest risk of sexual victimization. Children with comorbid disabilities were particularly vulnerable to sexual victimization.

Conclusions

We found that children with certain types of disability have a higher risk of sexual victimization. Our findings indicate that educational institutions and health care professionals should be aware of and have specialized training in, recognizing and assessing sexual victimization among children with disabilities.
Experimental Study on Gear EP Lubricant Mixed with Al2O3/SiO2/ZrO2 Composite Additives to Design a Predictive System
Authors: D. Gadekar Tushar , N. Kamble Dinesh , H. Ambhore Nitin
Published: December 2023

The friction and wear volume loss is the main cause for a failure & energy losses in heavy-duty gearboxes and it can be controlled by using a modified lubricant mixed with nano additives. This study investigates the wear and friction behaviour of gear EP oil blended with composite nano additives (Al2O3/SiO2/ZrO2) in combination with Zinc dialkyl dithiophosphate. All trials were conducted under various concentrations of composite nanoparticles, at loads of 60-100 N and sliding velocities of 0.65-1.5 m/s. The experimental study on antiwear and anti-friction properties for the oil was conducted on a pin-on-disc apparatus. The design of experiment was developed using response surface approach to investigate optimum friction coefficient and wear volume loss in lubricant. It is found that blending of nano composite add-ons blended with Zinc dialkyl dithiophosphate in gear EP lubricant significantly diminishes a wear volume loss, friction coefficient by 15.62 % and 20.6 % respectively as compared to a base lubricant. The findings of this investigation and the obtained correlations were converted in to customized visual basis based soft tool as a predictor for future aspects.
Effect of Build Orientation and Heat Treatment on Erosion Behavior of Al10SiMg Fabricated Using Laser Powder Bed Fusion
Authors: Angolkar Pooja , Manzoor Hussain M.
Published: December 2023

Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) is a form of additive manufacturing that can directly make metal components and has begun to be employed in a variety of industrial situations. Moreover, the erosion characteristics of SLM-produced items have been documented relatively infrequently. In the current work, the erosion behavior of a heat-treated Al-Si-10% Mg alloy generated via laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) has been investigated. The samples were printed in three directions (horizontal (0o), vertical (90o), and inclined (45o) on the build platform using the Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) system (EOS M 290) machine. Al%Si-10%Mg samples were given treatment (T5, T6). Optical and scanning electron microscopes (SEM) were used to examine the microstructure under both printed and heat-treated conditions. Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) were used to investigate the alloy's elemental composition and compound production. The erosion test was executed in each of the three orientations, plus heat-treated samples and as-printed samples. The selected input parameters were impingement angle and flow velocity. The erosion rate was examined and contrasted across orientations for printed and heat-treated conditions to establish the best orientation. The post-eroded surface was analysed using SEM, EDS, and XRD to evaluate possible erosion processes. The key findings were: T5 heat-treated samples sustain well and have the least mass loss; Horizontal (0°) oriented samples undergo less erosion compared to other orientations; T6 heat-treated samples show maximum erosion on printed samples, and hence it is not recommended. T5 heat treatment is proven to be superior in providing high erosion resistance, followed by printed and T6 heat-treatment, respectively. The heat treatment effects are more significant than the orientation effects in determining the erosion resistance of the Al10SiMg alloy. The erosion mechanisms, such as ploughing, melting, and cratering, were identified.
Surface Characteristics, Properties and Wear Resistance OF TIB2 BASED Hard-Alloy Coatings Obtained by Electrospark Deposition at Negative Polarity on Ti6Al4V Alloy
Authors: Penyashki Todor , Kostadinov Georgi , Kandeva Mara , Nikolov Antonio , Dimitrova Rayna , Kamburov Valentin
Published: December 2023

In the present work, the possibilities of improving the surface properties of titanium alloy Ti6Al4V by electrospark deposition (ESD) at negative polarity were investigated. The coatings were deposited with a TiB2-TiAl-based hard-alloy electrode with nano-sized additives of NbC and ZrO2. The effect of polarity in ESD at low pulse energy (0.01-0.07 J) on the surface roughness, thickness, composition and structure of coatings was studied by profilometric, metallographic, XRD, SEM and EDS methods. In both polarities, dense and uniform coatings were obtained with roughness and thickness, which could be varied by changing the ESD modes within the range Ra=1.5÷4.5 µm, d= 6÷20 µm and microhardness from 9 to 12 GPa, respectively. It was found that the negative polarity coatings obtained are denser and uniform with higher thickness, lower roughness, finer structure, and lower coefficient of friction, and can be successfully used to reduce the surface roughness and defects of 3D printed titanium alloy. Abrasion and erosion wear tests showed that the wear resistance of coated titanium surfaces at both polarities was 2.2 to 3.5 times higher than that of the substrate. Coatings deposited in positive polarity demonstrated higher resistance to abrasive wear, while those in negative polarity are more resistant to erosive wear.
I want to see the other doctor: A tribute to the the pioneer and icon of paediatrics and medical education in Africa and The Middle East
Authors: Elshazali Osama
Published: December 2023

In this article I will try to shine light on the life and contribution to child health of the Late Professor Hafiz Elshazali , who passed away in December 2020, through my eyes. He is my father but more than that he was my mentor and role model.
„Der ,Digitale Zwilling‘ kann die MS-Versorgung wirklich verbessern“
Authors:   Neurologische Universitätsklinik Dresden, Ziemssen Tjalf , Stegmaier Peter ,   Monitor Versorgungsforschung
Published: December 2023

Prof. Dr Tjalf Ziemssen sees himself as a digital pioneer with a lot of passion. Alongside and parallel to his day-to-day work at the Centre for Clinical Neurosciences at the Neurological University Hospital Dresden, treating patients with multiple sclerosis, he and his team are developing the concept of the ‚digital MS twin‘. This can be thought of as a virtual copy, a digital dashboard or, in modern parlance, an avatar of a patient that is able to quantitatively describe the individual disease. The beauty of this is that a combination of artificial intelligence, machine learning and data analysis enables digital twins to uncover problems before they occur and optimise processes.
Die „Target Trial Emulation“ zu CAR-T im AMNOG
Authors:   Janssen Deutschland, Jakobs Janine , Kerßenboom Ronja ,   Janssen Deutschland, Schulat Christina ,   Janssen Deutschland, Sindern Jörn ,   Janssen Deutschland
Published: December 2023

The concept of ‚target trial emulation‘ and propensity score-based adjustment procedures are recommended methods for minimising systematic bias in indirect comparisons without a bridging comparator. Based on the comparison of the single-arm evidence for the CAR-T Ciltacel with data from the LocoMMotion study, which was recognised in the medical community as the best prospective study on the standard of care for multiple myeloma with multiple prior treatments, the application of the concept in the AMNOG is presented. The comparison and the dramatic survival benefit shown with Ciltacel, the validity and clinical significance of which is confirmed by medical experts, contrasts with the complete rejection by the G-BA. This discrepancy is worth looking back on.
White Paper: Erhöhung der Patientinnensicherheit in der Geburtshilfe durch Trainieren sicherer Kommunikation
Authors:   Charité-Universitätsmedizin, Schmiedhofer Martina , Reister Frank ,   Universitätsfrauenklinik Ulm, Louwen Frank ,   Universitätsfrauenklinik Frankfurt, Scholz Christoph ,   Universitätsklinikum Ulm, Lippke Sonia ,   Constructor University Bremen (
Published: December 2023

Patient safety is the tenth national health target so-called strategic objectives in Germany. Although the topic has been on the health policy agenda for more than 20 years, the need for action remains high. In inpatient care, communication, both between professional groups and with patients, has a great impact on the reduction of so-called preventable adverse events. In a health services research project funded by the Innovation Fund of the G-BA (‚TeamBaby‘ grant number 01VSF18023), the effects of communication training on satisfaction, perceived communication skills and the reduction of preventable adverse events in obstetrics were examined. Even time-limited training sessions resulted in positive effects. Safe obstetric care, in addition to the physical health of mother and child, enhances satisfaction and strengthens family bonding for the entire family. It also increases satisfaction among professional teams. The regular implementation of communication training within working hours is therefore recommended to increase patient safety.
„Verzahnung von Praxis, Wissenschaft und Lehre“
Authors:   Monitor Versorgungsforschung, Stegmaier Peter
Published: December 2023

The Willy Robert Pitzer Institute for Health Services Research and Rehabilitation was founded in 2022 with the establishment of the endowed professorship for Health Services Research and Rehabilitation at the Faculty of Health at the Technical University of Central Hesse (THM) in Giessen. The director of the institute is Prof Dr Susanne Hanefeld. In addition to filling the endowed professorship, she is also responsible for the Master‘s degree programme in Public Health, which focuses on the areas of healthcare research and rehabilitation. The founding father of the non-profit foundation is Willy Robert Pitzer, a pioneer in the German rehabilitation sector. The Willy Robert Pitzer Foundation, which is one of the largest foundations in the state of Hesse, has a strong scientific and medical focus.
Los libros del arquitecto
Authors: Navarro María Elisa , Burke Juan Luis
Published: December 2023

For architects, books are a fundamental tool for the dissemination of ideas and knowledge related to their profession. At the same time, architecture books constitute a broad and, at the same time, spread literary genre that encompasses both monographic works and reflections on the urban environment, and even all kinds of spatial fictions. Defining the books of architects or the relationship between architects and books is not a simple task. However, a panoramic view of the diverse relationships between books and architects shows that they not only constitute a fundamental part for the dissemination of knowledge about the profession but also are part of the architectural work itself. This article takes a journey through different types of architecture books across various epochs and geographies to reflect on the complex book-architecture relationship presented in this issue of the H-ART journal, highlighting the rich interaction between architecture and books as a way to (re)think architecture beyond the building.
Genealogies of Spanish Architectural Knowledge in Roman Print
Authors: Monty Emily
Published: December 2023

This article analyzes an album of prints published in Rome in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, organized in the tradition of the Speculum romanae magnificentiae. The album shows the various uses of architecture and sculpture, both antique and modern, in early modern Rome, and contains an engraving of El Escorial, published in 1606, on its last page. The plate reproduces the famous image realized in Madrid in 1589 for Juan de Herrera’s Estampas and is based on a plate published by Abraham Ortelius in Antwerp in 1591. The article analyzes the album from the point of view of the Roman print of El Escorial and argues that the album works, through its structure, to introduce the building to the print-buying public in Spanish Rome.
From a Book on Architecture to a Book of Pleasure: Caʿfer Efendi’s Risāle-i Miʿmāriyye, 1614
Authors: Kale Gul
Published: December 2023

In conjunction with Mimar Sinan’s autobiographical memoirs, Ca’fer Efendi’s Risāle-i Mi'māriyye (Book on Architecture), penned around 1614, represents a unique primary source, not only within the Ottoman Empire but also in the broader Islamic world. Despite being one of the few texts authored by a scholar exploring the intricate interplay between architecture, diverse knowledge modalities, and artistic practices, the manifold implications and underlying aspirations of the Risāle, in terms of its connection to book cultures and writing traditions, remain inadequately comprehended. This article endeavors to shed light on specific sections from the Risāle, aiming to elucidate the ethical, social, and intellectual incentives that impelled a scholar like Ca’fer Efendi to undertake the writing of a book on architecture and the life of the chief architect, Mehmed Agha. To commence, we shall delve into the Risāle’s intended audience, considering the perspective of both its author, a member of the erudite class, and his patron, Mehmed Agha. Subsequently, we will probe how Ca’fer Efendi endeavored to underscore the architect’s and architecture’s social and ethical significance within his work, catering to his scholarly readership. This article will further explore the perception of architecture as a conduit for wisdom and knowledge, a rationale that elevated its standing within the hierarchy of sciences and ultimately facilitated a scholar’s authorship of a dedicated architectural book. Finally, we will delve into how an architectural publication transcended the realm of mere readerly pleasure, evolving into an integral component of Ottoman gift culture, thereby fostering the notion of architecture as a gift to society.
El gran éxito de un fracaso editorial. La accidentada aparición del Ensayo sobre la arquitectura de Marc-Antoine Laugier (1753)
Authors: Restrepo Fabio
Published: December 2023

No one would doubt that one of the most frequently cited books in the history of modern architecture is the "Essay on Architecture" by Abbe Marc-Antoine Laugier. However, its prestige is not solely attributed to the ideas presented in it. It was the historical circumstances of book production, printing, and commercialization in the mid-18th century, combined with the formation of a literate public opinion, the creation of spaces for debate, and the clash of ideas in squares, cafes, salons, and printed newspapers that would change society. This change would become visible years later in the events of the French Revolution. In this process, anonymous booksellers, publishers, printers, engravers, and book culture merchants played a role.
El artivismo como nueva herramienta política, didáctica y cultural. Propuestas artísticas para analizar el presente y sus posibles consecuencias. Reseña del libro Artivismo. Arte, politica, impegno de Vincenzo Trione (Turín, Einaudi, 2022)
Authors: Amorós Hormazábal Raúl Armando
Published: December 2023

La presente reseña analiza el último libro del escritor italiano Vincenzo Trione Artivismo. Arte, politica, impegno, publicado en el 2022. Junto al inminente paso del Antropoceno se desarrollan tendencias culturales y artísticas, una de ellas  es el artivismo. Artistas, intelectuales y activistas protagonizan la construcción de nuevos paradigmas a través de proyectos colectivos, instalaciones site-specific o murales con el objetivo de evidenciar todo tipo de urgencias globales y proponer un nuevo presente.
Overcurrent and Directional Overcurrent Protection for Microgrid
Authors: Salsabila Zahira Shiva , Adrianti Adrianti , Nasir Muhammad
Published: December 2023

Microgrids will become common in future electrical distribution networks. Numerous operating modes that occur in microgrids make the development of protection schemes and settings challenging.  This paper aims to develop a simple protection scheme for the Microgrid IEC Benchmark without any expensive equipment such as communication apparatus. The scheme consists of directional and non-directional overcurrent relays with standard inverse characteristics. For the simulation tool, Digsilent powerfactory is employed. Four operating modes of the microgrid are applied to verify the relays’ coordination. The results show that the proposed scheme successfully protects the microgrid during short circuit faults with acceptable time margins.
Doğrudan Yabancı Yatırımlar, CO2 Emisyonu ve Yenilenebilir Enerji Tüketimi Arasındaki İlişkinin Araştırılması: Türkiye’ye İlişkin Ampirik Kanıtlar
Authors: SULUK Seher
Published: December 2023

Bu çalışmanın amacı, Türkiye’de doğrudan yabancı yatırımlar, CO2 emisyonu ve yenilenebilir enerji tüketimi arasındaki ilişkiyi ampirik olarak incelemektir. Bu amacı gerçekleştirmek için 1990-2019 dönemine ait yıllık veriler kullanılmış ve ekonometrik yöntem olarak Johansen eşbütünleşme analizi, Granger nedensellik analizi, en küçük kareler yöntemi ve Toda-Yamamoto nedensellik analizinden yararlanılmıştır. Uygulanan analizlerden elde edilen ampirik bulgular incelendiğinde, Johansen eşbütünleşme analizi sonucuna göre, değişkenler arasında eşbütünleşme ilişkisi bulunmamaktadır. Granger nedensellik analizi bulgularına göre, doğrudan yabancı yatırımlar ile CO2 emisyonu arasında çift yönlü, yenilenebilir enerji tüketiminden CO2 emisyonuna doğru ise tek yönlü bir Granger nedensellik ilişkisi tespit edilmiştir. En küçük kareler yönteminden elde edilen sonuçlar, yenilenebilir enerji tüketiminde gerçekleşen %1’lik bir artışın CO2 emisyonunu %0,41 azalttığını göstermiştir. Son olarak uygulanan Toda-Yamamoto nedensellik analizi sonucunda, yenilenebilir enerji tüketiminden CO2 emisyonuna doğru tek yönlü nedensellik ilişkisi bulunmuştur. Elde edilen Granger nedensellik ve Toda-Yamamoto nedensellik analizi sonuçlarının birbirlerini destekler nitelikte olup, kuvvetli hale geldiği görülmektedir.
Impact of COVID-19 pandemic among healthcare professionals
Authors: Abraham Jessy , Therese Maria
Published: December 2023

Objectives:

The objectives of the study were to assess the impact of Covid-19 pandemic among healthcare professionals, to compare the level of impact of Covid-19 pandemic among different healthcare professionals, and to find the association of impact of Covid-19 pandemic with the selected demographic variables of the healthcare professionals with selected demographic variables.

Material and Methods:

The research approach used was quantitative and research design adopted for the study was descriptive research design. A sample of 60 healthcare professionals was selected by stratified random sampling and the data were collected using questionnaire. The data collected were tabulated and analyzed using descriptive statistics.

Results:

The result of our study showed that 5% of the healthcare professionals were mildly affected, 48.3% of healthcare professionals were moderately affected, and 46.7% of healthcare professionals were severely affected. There was no significant difference found between the levels of impact among different healthcare professionals. There is a significant association between the level of impact of Covid-19 and the type of family.

Conclusion:

Study found that Covid-19 had an impact on healthcare professionals.
Reconstruction of Regional Distributions of Electron Density in the Ionosphere from Heterogeneous Remote Sensing Data
Authors: Павлов И.А. , Падохин А.М.
Published: December 2023

В работе разработан новый итерационный алгоритм для решения задачи реконструкции региональных, двумерных, высотно-широтных распределений электронной концентрации в ионосфере на основе разнородных данных низкоорбитального спутникового радиопросвечивания на паре когерентных частот VHF/UHF диапазонов и УФ спектрометрии собственного свечения верхней атмосферы на длине волны 135.6 нм. Это дает возможность использовать взаимно дополняющие геометрии зондирования. Каждая итерация алгоритма расщепляется на две, в которых последовательно решаются задачи относительно электронной концентрации (задача радиопросвечивания) и ее квадрата (задача УФ спектрометрии) с диффузионным сглаживанием между шагами. Помимо этого в алгоритме реализована возможность учета поглощения собственного УФ излучения термосферы молекулярным кислородом, что дает возможность включить в рассмотрение низкоперигейные лучи, поглощение на которых играет существенную роль. Разработанный алгоритм протестирован на данных синтетических наблюдений, полученных на основе моделей NRLMSISE00 и NeQuick2, для реальных режимов работы аппаратуры CERTO и SSUSI/SSULI. Показано, что предложенный алгоритм дает лучшее пространственное разрешение по сравнению с традиционным радиотомографическим (РТ) подходом, а также снимает проблему корректного задания начального приближения, характерную для задач РТ ионосферы, за счет присутствия квазигоризонтальных лучей в геометрии зондирования.

A new iterative algorithm has been developed for solving the problem of reconstructing regional distributions of electron density in the ionosphere based on heterogeneous data from low-orbit satellite radio sounding at a pair of coherent frequencies VHF/UHF and UV spectrometry of the upper atmosphere’s airglow at 135.6 nm. It allows us to use complementary probing geometries. Each iteration of the algorithm is split into two, in which problems concerning the electron concentration and its square are sequentially solved with diffusion smoothing between steps. In addition, the algorithm implements the possibility of taking into account the absorption of the intrinsic UV radiation of the thermosphere by molecular oxygen, which makes it possible to include low perigee rays, the absorption of which plays a significant role, into consideration. The developed algorithm was tested on synthetic observational data obtained on the basis of the NRLMSISE00 and NeQuick2 models for real operation modes of the CERTO and SSUSI/SSULI equipment. It is shown that the proposed algorithm provides better spatial resolution compared to the traditional RT approach, and also removes the problem of correctly specifying the initial approximation, due to the presence of quasi-horizontal rays in the sounding geometry.