bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Association between 21-gene-assay and detection of disseminated tumor cells in patients with early breast cancer: results from the IRMA trial
Authors: Volmer Léa L. , Dannehl Dominik , Engler Tobias , Hahn Markus , Walter Christina B. , Wallwiener Markus , Brucker Sara Y. , Taran Florin-Andrei , Hartkopf Andreas D.
Published: August 2023

Purpose

Disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) in the bone marrow (BM) are known to be of prognostic value for patients with early breast cancer (EBC). In addition to histopathological features, multigene expression assays, such as the commercially available 21-gene Breast Recurrence Score® assay, have been validated for evaluating prognosis and making decisions concerning adjuvant treatment in EBC. In a previous retrospective study from our group, the 21-gene assay was shown to be associated with DTC-detection. A secondary endpoint of the prospective IRMA trial was to evaluate the association between Recurrence Score® (RS) result and tumor cell dissemination in patients with EBC.

Methods

DTC-status and RS result were assessed in patients with ER-positive/HER2-negative EBC with 0–3 pathologic lymph nodes who underwent primary surgical treatment at the Department for Women’s Health of Tuebingen University, Germany.

Results

Patients with a high RS result (≥ 26) were more frequently DTC-positive (22.6%) than patients with a low RS result (8.6%, p = 0.034). The odds for DTC-positivity increased with rising RS values (p = 0.047).

Conclusion

We therefore confirm that a high genomic risk is associated with tumor cell dissemination into the BM. Further trials are needed to investigate whether therapeutic decisions could be further individualized by combining DTC-status and prognostic gene signature testing.
An easily computable upper bound on the Hoffman constant for homogeneous inequality systems
Authors: Peña Javier F.
Published: August 2023

Let $$A\in {\mathbb R}^{m\times n}\setminus \{0\}$$

A
∈

R

m
×
n

\

{
0
}

and $$P:=\{x:Ax\le 0\}$$

P
:
=
{
x
:
A
x
≤
0
}

. This paper provides a procedure to compute an upper bound on the following homogeneous Hoffman constant$$\begin{aligned} H_0(A):= \sup _{u\in {\mathbb R}^n \setminus P} \frac{{{\,\textrm{dist}\,}}(u,P)}{{{\,\textrm{dist}\,}}(Au, {\mathbb R}^m_-)}. \end{aligned}$$

H
0

(
A
)

:
=

sup

u
∈

R

n

\
P

dist

(
u
,
P
)

dist

(
A
u
,

R

-
m

)

.

In sharp contrast to the intractability of computing more general Hoffman constants, the procedure described in this paper is entirely tractable and easily implementable.
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Trainings as Part of an American Indian/Alaska Native Youth Suicide Prevention Program
Authors: Mueller-Williams Amelia C. , Hopson Jennifer , Momper Sandra L.
Published: August 2023

According to the Centers for Disease Control suicide rates in 2022 for American Indian/Alaska Native youth are 2.5 times higher than the national average. An Urban Indian Health Organization’s response to this crisis was to provide community and State-wide Gatekeeper trainings between 2012 and 2019 to teach trainees (N = 810) to respond appropriately to youth at-risk of suicide. We report data on pre-, post-, and six-month follow-up surveys with trainees. Data were analyzed using generalized linear models repeated measures to test within-subject, and between-subject mean score changes on suicide prevention-related measures “knowledge,” “ask directly,” “respond,” “comfort,” and “preparedness.” Results indicated improved capacity to be prepared to address suicide in the short term and that having a graduate degree enhanced baseline suicide prevention knowledge. Over time those with less education benefited the most and better retained content. Future Trainings should engage young people and those with less education to realize the largest benefit.
Lurbinectedin in patients with pretreated endometrial cancer: results from a phase 2 basket clinical trial and exploratory translational study
Authors: Kristeleit Rebecca , Leary Alexandra , Delord Jean Pierre , Moreno Victor , Oaknin Ana , Castellano Daniel , Shappiro Geoffrey I. , Fernández Cristian , Kahatt Carmen , Alfaro Vicente , Siguero Mariano , Rueda Daniel , Zeaiter Ali , Awada Ahmad , Santaballa Ana , Zaman Khalil , Sehouli Jalid , Subbiah Vivek
Published: August 2023

Second-line treatment of endometrial cancer is an unmet medical need. Lurbinectedin showed promising antitumor activity in a phase I study in combination with doxorubicin in advanced endometrial cancer. This phase 2 Basket trial evaluated lurbinectedin 3.2 mg/m2 1-h intravenous infusion every 3 weeks in a cohort of 73 patients with pretreated endometrial cancer. The primary endpoint was overall response rate (ORR) according to RECIST v1.1. Secondary endpoints included duration of response (DoR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), safety and an exploratory translational study. Confirmed complete (CR) and partial response (PR) was reported in two and six patients, respectively (ORR = 11.3%; 95%CI, 5.0–21.0%). Median DoR was 9.2 months (95%CI, 3.4–18.0 months), median PFS was 2.6 months (95%CI, 1.4–4.0 months) and median OS was 9.3 months (95%CI, 6.1–12.8 months). Molecular subtypes showed differences in PFS rate at 6 months (p53abn 23.7% vs. “No Specific Molecular Profile” [NSMP] 42.9%) and median OS (p53abn 6.6 months vs. NSMP 16.1 months). The most common treatment-related adverse events (mostly grade 1/2) were fatigue (54.8% of patients), nausea (50.7%), vomiting (26.0%) decreased appetite (17.8%). and constipation, (19.2%). The most common grade 3/4 toxicity was neutropenia (43.8%; grade 4, 19.2%; febrile neutropenia, 4.1%). In conclusion, considering the exploratory aim of this trial and the hints of antitumor activity observed together with a predictable and manageable safety profile, further biomarker-based development of lurbinectedin is recommended in this indication in combination with other agents. Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT02454972.
A unidirectional mapping of ICD-8 to ICD-10 codes, for harmonized longitudinal analysis of diseases
Authors: Pedersen Mette Krogh , Eriksson Robert , Reguant Roc , Collin Catherine , Pedersen Helle Krogh , Sørup Freja Karuna Hemmingsen , Simon Christian , Birch Anna Marie , Larsen Michael , Nielsen Anna Pors , Belling Kirstine , Brunak Søren
Published: August 2023

Periodic revisions of the international classification of diseases (ICD) ensure that the classification reflects new practices and knowledge; however, this complicates retrospective research as diagnoses are coded in different versions. For longitudinal disease trajectory studies, a crosswalk is an essential tool and a comprehensive mapping between ICD-8 and ICD-10 has until now been lacking. In this study, we map all ICD-8 morbidity codes to ICD-10 in the expanded Danish ICD version. We mapped ICD-8 codes to ICD-10, using a many-to-one system inspired by general equivalence mappings such that each ICD-8 code maps to a single ICD-10 code. Each ICD-8 code was manually and unidirectionally mapped to a single ICD-10 code based on medical setting and context. Each match was assigned a score (1 of 4 levels) reflecting the quality of the match and, if applicable, a “flag” signalling choices made in the mapping. We provide the first complete mapping of the 8596 ICD-8 morbidity codes to ICD-10 codes. All Danish ICD-8 codes representing diseases were mapped and 5106 (59.4%) achieved the highest consistency score. Only 334 (3.9%) of the ICD-8 codes received the lowest mapping consistency score. The mapping provides a scaffold for translation of ICD-8 to ICD-10, which enable longitudinal disease studies back to and 1969 in Denmark and to 1965 internationally with further adaption.
Microbial genome (Illumina MiSeq) sequencing of drinking water treatment residuals to evaluate compatibility with environmental applications
Authors: Turner Tomi , Tonge Daniel , Glanville Helen C. , Wheeler Rebecca , Oliver Ian W.
Published: August 2023

The clarification of drinking water leads to the production of large quantities of water treatment residuals (WTRs). DNA was extracted from six WTR samples collected from water treatment plants within the UK to compare their bacterial communities and examine whether factors such as coagulant usage (aluminium versus iron salt), the type of water source (reservoir or river), or leachable chemical composition influence these communities. Bacterial 16S variable region 4 (V4) was amplified and sequenced using Illumina MiSeq sequencing. The most abundant phyla in WTR samples were Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Acidobacteria, and Firmicutes, collectively representing 92.77–97.8% of the total bacterial sequences. Statistical analysis of microbial profiles indicated that water source played a significant role in microbial community structure, diversity, and richness, however coagulant type did not. PERMANOVA analysis showed that no single chemical variable (pH, organic matter, or extractable element concentration) influenced microbial composition significantly; however, canonical correspondence analysis of WTR microbiomes yielded a model using all these variables that could be used to explain variations in microbial community structures of WTRs (p < 0.05). No common, potentially toxic cyanobacteria, or related pathogens of concern were found. Analysis with PICRUSt showed that WTRs all had similar predicted microbial functional profiles. Overall, the results indicate that WTRs analysed in this study are unlikely to pose any threat to soil microbial community structure when applied to land as a soil conditioner or enhancer and may help to enhance the soil microbial community.
An automated detection of confusing variable pairs with highly similar compound names in Java and Python programs
Authors: Aman Hirohisa , Amasaki Sousuke , Yokogawa Tomoyuki , Kawahara Minoru
Published: August 2023

Variable names represent a significant source of information regarding the source code, and a successful naming of variables is key to producing readable code. Programmers often use a compound variable name by concatenating two or more words to make it more informative and enhance the code readability. While each compound variable name is descriptive, a collection of them sometimes produces “confusing” variable pairs if their names are highly similar, e.g., “shippingHeight,” vs. “shippingWeight.” A confusing variable pair would adversely affect the code readability because it can cause a misreading or mix-up of variables during the programming or code review activities. Toward automated support for enhancing code readability, this paper conducts a large-scale investigation of compound variable names in Java and Python programs. The investigation collects 116,921,127 pairs of compound-named variables from 1,876 open-source Java projects and 106,943,523 pairs of such variables from 2,427 open-source Python projects. Then, this study analyzes those variable pairs from two perspectives of name similarity: string similarity and semantic similarity. Through an evaluation study with 30 human participants, the data analyses show that both string and semantic similarity can help detect confusing variable pairs in Java and Python programs. In order to distill confusing variable pairs automatically, support tools for detecting confusing variable pairs are also developed in this study.
Water Spray Fire Suppression Tests Comparing Gasoline-Fuelled and Battery Electric Vehicles
Authors: Arvidson Magnus , Westlund Örjan
Published: August 2023

The increased use of electric vehicles has raised a concern about the performance efficiency of water spray fire suppression systems (often denoted “drencher systems”) typically installed on ro–ro cargo and ro–ro passenger ships. A test series was conducted involving testing of two pairs of geometrically similar gasoline-fuelled and battery electric vehicles in test conditions as equivalent as possible. During testing, key parameters such as the heat release rate, the gas temperature above the vehicle and the surface temperature of target steel sheet screens at the sides of the vehicle were measured. Fire ignition was arranged in such a way that the gasoline fuel or the battery pack was involved at the initial stage of the fire. It is concluded that fires in the two types of vehicles are different but have similarities. However, a fire in a battery electric vehicle does not seem to be more challenging than a fire in a gasoline-fuelled vehicle for a drencher system designed in accordance with current international recommendations.
Differential impacts of post-harvest hydrothermal treatments on chemical composition and in vitro digestibility of two brown macroalgae (Fucales, Phaeophyceae), Ascophyllum nodosum and Fucus vesiculosus, for animal feed applications
Authors: Pandey Deepak , Næss Geir , Fonseca António J. M. , Maia Margarida R. G. , Cabrita Ana R. J. , Khanal Prabhat
Published: August 2023

This study tested the hypothesis that post-harvest hot water blanching improves the chemical composition, mainly mineral and carbohydrate contents, and in vitro digestibility of two predominant brown macroalgae, Ascophyllum nodosum (AN) and Fucus vesiculosus (FV), as feed ingredients for monogastric and ruminant animals. Low-temperature water blanching (LTB; 40 °C for 5 min) had minor impacts on macroalgal chemical composition and in vitro digestibility. Conversely, high-temperature water blanching (HTB; 80 °C for 5 min) effectively reduced total ash and specific elements, including sodium, potassium, iodine, and arsenic, by ~ 25–73% compared to unblanched algal biomass (more prominently in FV). The HTB raised total sugar contents by ~ 25% in FV, markedly elevating uronic acids (~ 60%) and glucans (~ 33%). However, HTB reduced mannitol (> 50%) and enhanced total polyphenol extractability in both macroalgae. The HTB diminished ~ 8% of in vitro dry matter or organic matter digestibility and 26% of crude protein (CP) digestibility of both macroalgae for monogastric animals and of FV for ruminants (particularly of CP by ~ 42%). Those reduced digestibilities were associated with enriched fibre, uronic acids, total polyphenols, and declined mannitol in the HT-blanched macroalgal biomass. Our findings suggest that hot-water blanching can be an efficient technique to optimise the elemental composition of two fucoid algae, but the altered sugar and complex carbohydrate compositions may impair their digestibility. Future studies should identify appropriate post-harvest processing techniques for brown macroalgae that can optimise both nutritional composition and digestibility along with favourable impacts on feed utilisation and animal performance.
Effects of light quality and intensity on growth and bromoform content of the red seaweed Asparagopsis taxiformis
Authors: Torres Raquel , Campos Ana M. , Goldman Jacob , Barrote Isabel , Mata Leonardo , Silva João
Published: August 2023

Species of the genus Asparagopsis are rich in halogenated bioactive compounds, particularly bromoform. Its use as a feed additive in ruminant livestock drastically decreases the animal’s methane production, thereby reducing the industry’s environmental impact. Addressing the high demand for Asparagopsis biomass requires the understanding of the culture conditions that promote higher growth rates and bromoform content. Here we evaluated how different light quality combinations (High-Blue:Red, Medium Blue:Red, High-Blue:Green:Red, and White) and four light intensities (30, 60, 90 and 120 μmol photons m−2 s−1) affect the growth and bromoform content of the Asparagopsis taxiformis tetrasporophyte in indoor tumbling cultures at two biomass densities. We also assessed the effect of light intensity on the photosynthetic response by measuring oxygen evolution rates. Light spectra containing intermediate wavelengths promoted higher growth, regardless of biomass density. Of the different light qualities tested, white light promoted the highest bromoform content. Increasing light intensity led to a positive response in A. taxiformis growth. However, the photosynthetic parameters estimated showed that the two higher light intensity treatments were above the saturation irradiance, for both culture densities. This, along with the observed development of contamination, suggests that long-term cultures of A. taxiformis should be maintained at light intensities no higher than 60 μmol photons m−2 s−1. In addition, we found that exposing cultures to higher irradiances does not guarantee a bromoform-richer biomass. These results offer valuable insights for optimizing biomass and bioactive compound production in indoor cultures of the Asparagopsis genus.
Quantifying ant diversity and community in a subalpine forest mosaic: a comparison of two methods
Authors: Zhang Chuan-Jing , Cheng Yi-Ting , Luo Xian-Shu , Chen Yao , He Yu-Chao , Li Yan-Pang , Huang Zhi-Pang , Scott Matthew B. , Xiao Wen
Published: August 2023

Sampling efficiency, composition and detection biases associated with pitfall-trap and sample plot (standardised hand-collecting) methods were compared at seven high montane sites at Lasha Mountain, Yunnan, China. Rarefaction-interpolation curves showed total species diversity and sample coverage from each method were undifferentiated. Permutational multivariate analysis of variance showed highly overlapping communities. However, of all species collected, just 53% of all species found were shared between the two methods; 30% were exclusive to sample plot samples and 17% were exclusive to pitfall traps. Modelled comparisons of species richness (alpha) and proportion of species from the population (beta diversity) showed differences between methods. Permutational multivariate analysis of variance blocked by site showed community composition differed between methods, defined largely by the presence of a few dominant species.

Implications for insect conservation: Our findings suggest that results from the two methods cannot be directly compared and are imperfect substitutes to one another. For long-term monitoring of biodiversity in complex forest mosaic systems, we suggest integrating a suite of complementary methods to achieve more complete representation of ant composition and diversity.
Various mechanisms for double capture from helium targets by alpha particles
Authors: Belkić Dževad
Published: August 2023

An analysis is presented using six quantum-mechanical four-body distorted wave (DW) theories for double capture (DC) in ion-atom collisions at intermediate and high energies. They all satisfy the correct boundary conditions in the entrance and exit channels. This implies the usage of short-range perturbation potentials in compliance with the exact behaviors of scattering wave functions at infinitely large separations of particles. Specifically, total cross sections Q are analyzed for collisions of alpha particles with helium targets. Regarding the relative quantitative performance of the studied DW theories at different impact energies E, our main focus is on the sensitivity of Q to various collisional mechanisms. The usual mechanism in most DW theories assumes that both electrons undergo the same type of collisions with nuclei. These are either single or double collisions in one or two steps, respectively, per channel, but without their mixture in either channel. The signatures of double collisions in differential cross sections are the Thomas peaks. By definition, these cannot be produced by single collisions. There is another DC pathway, which is actually favored by the existing experimental data. It is a hybrid, two-center mechanism which, in each channel separately, combines a single collision for one electron with a double collision for the other electron. The ensuing DW theory is called the four-body single-double scattering (SDS-4B) method. It appears that this mechanism in the SDS-4B method is more probable than double collisions for each electron in both channels predicted by the four-body continuum distorted wave (CDW-4B) method. This is presently demonstrated for Q at energies E=[200,8000] keV in DC exemplified by alpha particles colliding with helium targets.
An efficient approximation to the Cauchy radius
Authors: Melman A.
Published: August 2023

The Cauchy radius of a scalar polynomial is an upper bound on the magnitude of its zeros, and it is optimal among all bounds depending only on the moduli of the coefficients. It has the disadvantage of being implicit because it requires the solution of a nonlinear equation. In this note, simple and explicit upper bounds are derived that are useful approximations to the Cauchy radius. The general approach to obtain the aforementioned bounds is to embed scalar polynomials into the larger framework of their generalization to matrix polynomials and then use bounds on the eigenvalues of the latter.
Structuralism and informal provability
Authors: Schiemer Georg , Wigglesworth John
Published: August 2023

Mathematical structuralism can be understood as a theory of mathematical ontology, of the objects that mathematics is about. It can also be understood as a theory of the semantics for mathematical discourse, of how and to what mathematical terms refer. In this paper we propose an epistemological interpretation of mathematical structuralism. According to this interpretation, the main epistemological claim is that mathematical knowledge is purely structural in character; mathematical statements contain purely structural information. To make this more precise, we invoke a notion that is central to mathematical epistemology, the notion of (informal) proof. Appealing to the notion of proof, an epistemological version of the structuralist thesis can be formulated as: Every mathematical statement that is provable expresses purely structural information. We introduce a bi-modal framework that formalizes the notions of structural information and informal provability in order to draw connections between them and confirm that the epistemological structuralist thesis holds.
Influence of Counter-Face Grit Size and Lubricant on the Abrasive Wear Behaviour of Thermoplastic Polymers Reinforced with Glass Fibres
Authors: Zaghloul Moustafa Mahmoud Yousry , Steel Karen , Veidt Martin , Martin Darren , Firouzi Mahshid , Heitzmann Michael T.
Published: August 2023

Thermoplastic composite materials are widely used for aerospace, automobile and structural applications due to their good combination of high strength to weight ratio and specific modulus. Combined with the ease of melt processing, good resistance to corrosion, low friction, and noise damping are attributes which make them a popular choice in a wide range of emerging applications. Random, short-fibre, E-glass fibre reinforced Polyamide 6 (PA6) composites were manufactured by injection moulding in three different fibre volume fractions (25%, 33% and 50%) and the samples were scanned using micro-CT. The tribological properties of PA6 and glass fibre reinforced PA6 were investigated in the abrasive wear mode by using a pin-on-disc test setup. The tests were done at an abrading distance of 257 m and applied load of 10 N. The abrasive wear experiments were performed against three abrasive grit size papers (220, 500 and 1000 grit), to ascertain the wear response of the studied materials with respect to these adverse running conditions. Moreover, the mechanical properties of PA6 and PA6 composites were examined using tensile testing and compression testing. The surface roughness of the worn surfaces was analysed using a 3D digital profilometer. The worn surface topographies were scanned using field emission scanning electron microscopy. It was observed that the optimum fibre loading that was associated with the highest wear resistance was 33% volume fraction of glass fibres, and the wear performance deteriorated with higher fibre loadings. The increase in the grit size showed a significant reduction to the wear rates of all compositions. The results confirmed that the wear performance of polyamide composites is highly dependent on the tribological system under which it is being tested.

Graphical Abstract
Prevalence and associated factors of frailty in patients with chronic kidney disease: a cross-sectional analysis of PEAKING study
Authors: Yang Changyuan , Xiao Cuixia , Zeng Jiahao , Duan Ruolan , Ling Xitao , Qiu Jiamei , Li Qin , Qin Xindong , Zhang La , Huang Jiasheng , He Jiawei , Wu Yifan , Liu Xusheng , Hou Haijing , Lindholm Bengt , Lu Fuhua , Su Guobin
Published: August 2023

Aim

 Frailty is common and is reported to be associated with adverse outcomes in patients with chronic diseases in Western countries. However, the prevalence of frailty remains unclear in individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD) in China. We examined the prevalence of frailty and factors associated with frailty in patients with CKD.

Methods

 This was a cross-sectional analysis of 177 adult patients (mean age 54 ± 15 years, 52% men) with CKD from the open cohort entitled Physical Evaluation and Adverse outcomes for patients with chronic Kidney disease IN Guangdong (PEAKING). Frailty at baseline were assessed by FRAIL scale which included five items: fatigue, resistance, ambulation, illnesses, and loss of weight. Potential risk factors of frailty including age, sex, body mass index, and daily step counts recorded by ActiGraph GT3X + accelerometer were analyzed by multivariate logistic regression analysis.

Results

The prevalence of prefrailty and frailty was 50.0% and 11.9% in patients with stages 4–5 CKD, 29.6% and 9.3% in stage 3, and 32.1% and 0 in stages 1–2. In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, an increase of 100 steps per day (OR = 0.95, 95% CI 0.91–0.99, P = 0.01) and an increase of 5 units eGFR (OR = 0.82, 95% CI 0.68–0.99, P = 0.045) were inversely associated with being frail; higher BMI was associated with a higher likelihood of being frail (OR = 1.52, 95% CI 1.11–2.06, P = 0.008) and prefrail (OR = 1.25, 95% CI 1.10–1.42, P = 0.001).

Conclusion

 Frailty and prefrailty were common in patients with advanced CKD. A lower number of steps per day, lower eGFR, and a higher BMI were associated with frailty in this population.
Comparison of prognosis of five scoring systems in emphysematous pyelonephritis patients requiring intensive care
Authors: Bibi Mokhtar , Chaker Kays , Ouanes Yassine , Baccouch Ramla , Madani Mohamed Anouar , Mediouni Houssem , Mosbahi Boutheina , Mourad Dali Kheireddine , Rahoui Moez , Nouira Yassine
Published: August 2023

Introduction

Our study aimed to evaluate the performance of Quick Sepsis-related Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA), Modified Early Warning Score (MEWS), National Early Warning Score (NEWS), Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS), and Global Research in the Emphysematous Pyelonephritis group (GREMP) in predicting the need of admission in intensive care units (ICU) for emphysematous pyelonephritis (EPN) patient.

Patients and methods

In this retrospective study, we reviewed 70 patients admitted to our department from January 2008 to October 2022. Data on clinical presentation and EPN management were noted. The five scoring systems were calculated by one investigator. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to assess predictive factors of severe sepsis and mortality. Statistical analysis was made using SPSS version 22.

Results

Mean age was 61.83 years with 65.7% diabetes. As per Huang and Tseng classification, 41 patients had class I EPN, 7 had class II EPN, 8 had class IIIa, 6 class IIIB EPN, and 8 had class IV EPN. Seventeen patients (24.28%) were admitted to ICU with an 18.57 mortality rate. Univariate analysis showed that ICU admission was significantly associated with higher respiration rate and heart rate, lower systolic blood pressure, confusion, CRP, lactate and creatinine serum (p = 0.0001, p = 0.0001, p = 0.001, p = 0.007, p = 0.004, p = 0.001, p = 0.001, respectively). All five scores and Huang and Tseng classification were significantly predictive of admission to ICU. All five scores showed good results under the area curves to predict ICU entry with 0.915, 0.895, 0.968, 0.887, and 0.846 for qSOFA, MEWS score, NEWS score, SIRS, and GREMP score, respectively.

Conclusion

NEWS score seemed to be the best performing physiologic score among the five scoring systems studied and may help with biological and radiological findings to quickly identify EPN patients that need intensive care unit.
Interprofessionelle Qualitätszirkel und ein interprofessionelles Netzwerk – Struktur- und Qualitätsmerkmale der Pränataldiagnostik in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
Authors: Ullrich Antje , Hagspiel Maximilian , Ulbricht Sabina
Published: August 2023

Hintergrund

Studienziel ist es, Struktur- und Qualitätsmerkmale von interprofessionellen Qualitätszirkeln (IQZ) und einem interprofessionellen Netzwerk in der Pränataldiagnostik (PND) in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern zu erfassen. Beide Ansätze verfolgen das Ziel, Beratungs- und Behandlungsqualität in der PND zu sichern.

Methode

Es wurden Teilnehmende beider Ansätze sowie Beratungsfachkräfte aus Schwangerschaftsberatungsstellen einmalig per Fragebogen befragt. Die Daten wurden quantitativ unter Verwendung von deskriptiver Statistik und qualitativ in Anlehnung an die Methodik der qualitativen Inhaltsanalyse ausgewertet.

Ergebnisse

An der Befragung nahmen 79 von 178 angeschriebenen Personen (44 %) teil. Arbeitsinhalte und -weise zwischen beiden Ansätzen unterscheiden sich: in den IQZ erfolgte häufiger (70 %) konkrete Fallarbeit (Netzwerk: 38 %), während der Fokus im Netzwerk auf der Öffentlichkeitsarbeit liegt. Die Befragten aus dem IQZ und dem Netzwerk sind mit ihrer Arbeit zufrieden (IQZ: Mittelwert = 3,9, Standardabweichung = 0,7; Netzwerk: Mittelwert = 3,9, Standardabweichung = 1,1). Besonders positiv wurde der Austausch mit Kolleg*innen bewertet. Teilnehmende gaben an (IQZ: 92 %; Netzwerk: 100 %), dass ihre Arbeit den Schwangerschaftsberatungskräften bekannt ist. Die Beratungsfachkräfte gaben zu Anteilen von 69 % bzw. 67 % an, die Arbeit der IQZ bzw. des Netzwerks zu kennen. Die qualitative Datenanalyse zeigte, dass geeignete Voraussetzungen (z. B. zeitliche/finanzielle Ressourcen, transparente Strukturen, Zusammenarbeit der Ansätze, politische Verankerung) notwendig sind, um erfolgreiche Arbeit in einem IQZ bzw. Netzwerk in der PND zu leisten.

Diskussion und Schlussfolgerung

Die Ergebnisse bilden strukturelle und qualitative Merkmale von Ansätzen zur Qualitätssicherung im Bereich der PND ab. Aus den Ergebnissen lassen sich Handlungsbedarfe ableiten wie die Optimierung des Wissenstransfers in die Arbeit der Beratungsfachkräfte sowie die Schaffung von Voraussetzungen für eine erfolgreiche Arbeit nach definierten Standards mit Verankerung auf politischer Ebene.
A Comprehensive Overview of the Neural Mechanisms of Light Therapy
Authors: Huang Xiaodan , Tao Qian , Ren Chaoran
Published: August 2023

Light is a powerful environmental factor influencing diverse brain functions. Clinical evidence supports the beneficial effect of light therapy on several diseases, including depression, cognitive dysfunction, chronic pain, and sleep disorders. However, the precise mechanisms underlying the effects of light therapy are still not well understood. In this review, we critically evaluate current clinical evidence showing the beneficial effects of light therapy on diseases. In addition, we introduce the research progress regarding the neural circuit mechanisms underlying the modulatory effects of light on brain functions, including mood, memory, pain perception, sleep, circadian rhythm, brain development, and metabolism.
Late Early to late Middle Pleistocene medium-sized deer from the Italian Peninsula: implications for taxonomy and biochronology
Authors: Mecozzi Beniamino , Sardella Raffaele , Breda Marzia
Published: August 2023

The taxonomy of Quaternary medium-sized deer from Europe rests mainly on antler morphology, while adequate dental and postcranial diagnostic features are lacking. When complete antlers are not available, the taxonomic identifications are often attempted on chronological ground. A considerable number of mostly unpublished craniodental and postcranial remains of fallow deer from selected Italian sites from the late Early Pleistocene to the late Middle Pleistocene is here presented and discussed. The aim of this work is to test the validity of the diagnostic characters proposed in literature and to explore the variability of the fallow deer taxa. In addition, the analysis of the two reference samples from Riano and Ponte Molle allows to refine the features of Dama clactoniana. Finally, biometric comparison has been performed in order to investigate possible oscillations across time and/or differences among taxa.
Terpenes extracted from marine sponges with antioxidant activity: a systematic review
Authors: Martignago Cintia Cristina Santi , Soares-Silva Beatriz , Parisi Julia Risso , Silva Lais Caroline Souza e , Granito Renata Neves , Ribeiro Alessandra Mussi , Renno Ana Cláudia Muniz , de Sousa Lorena Ramos Freitas , Aguiar Anna Caroline Campos
Published: August 2023

Marine biodiversity has emerged as a very promising resource of bioactive compounds and secondary metabolites from different sea organisms. The sponge’s secondary metabolites demonstrated various bioactivities and potential pharmacological properties. This systematic review of the literature focuses on the advances achieved in the antioxidant potential of marine sponges in vitro. The review was performed in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. The main inclusion criterion for analysis was articles with identification of compounds from terpene classes that demonstrate antioxidant activity in vitro. Searching in three different databases, two hundred articles were selected. After screening abstracts, titles and evaluating for eligibility of manuscripts 14 articles were included. The most performed analyzes to detect antioxidant activity were scavenging activity 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and measurement of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). It was possible to identify 17 compounds of the terpene class with pronounced antioxidant activity in vitro. Scientific evidence of the studies included in this review was accessed by the GRADE analysis. Terpenes play an important ecological role, moreover these molecules have a pharmaceutical and industrial application.

Graphical Abstract
Youth and newcomers in Icelandic fisheries: opportunities and obstacles
Authors: Lebedef Elena Alessandra , Chambers Catherine
Published: August 2023

Privatized fishery management schemes, alongside other cultural and social changes, have led to a high average age in some fisheries, where youth and newcomers are not meaningfully present in the industry. This research explored the current and future opportunities and constraints for youth and newcomers in Icelandic fisheries, which are managed by an Individual Transferable Quota system. Data were collected through participant observation and 25 semi-structured interviews with key individuals in fisheries. Inductive qualitative analysis of interview data determined recurrent themes that illustrate how rural outmigration, cost, and changing social expectations have led to a decrease of youth and newcomers in Icelandic fisheries. Results show that the perception of fishers in Iceland by the general society fluctuates as the economic and cultural climate of the country changes. The ageing of the fleet in small-scale fisheries is explained by the limited access to consolidated fisheries rights, and the inability for youth to secure capital and invest in a fishery operation. Large-scale fisheries, on the other hand, have a different set of barriers for youth, such as lack of career advancement opportunities and a heavy workload. This research also documents how the absence of youth in small-scale fisheries is partially linked to a high turnover of youth in large-scale fisheries. Youth have more opportunities in large-scale fisheries, but over time, they do not receive adequate training or support to further an independent career, thereby creating a negative feedback loop leading to further reduction of recruitment in small-scale fisheries. Findings from the study support the continued call from academics and practitioners to include issues of access for newcomers in fishery management goals.
Data-driven evolutionary computation for service constrained inventory optimization in multi-echelon supply chains
Authors: Liu Ziang , Nishi Tatsushi
Published: August 2023

Supply chain digital twin has emerged as a powerful tool in studying the behavior of an actual supply chain. However, most studies in the field of supply chain digital twin have only focused on what-if analysis that compares several different scenarios. This study proposes a data-driven evolutionary algorithm to efficiently solve the service constrained inventory optimization problem using historical data that generated by supply chain digital twins. The objective is to minimize the total costs while satisfying the required service level for a supply chain. The random forest algorithm is used to build surrogate models which can be used to estimate the total costs and service level in a supply chain. The surrogate models are optimized by an ensemble approach-based differential evolution algorithm which can adaptively use different search strategies to improve the performance during the computation process. A three-echelon supply chain digital twin on the geographic information system (GIS) map in real-time is used to examine the efficiency of the proposed method. The experimental results indicate that the data-driven evolutionary algorithm can reduce the total costs and maintain the required service level. The finding suggests that our proposed method can learn from the historical data and generate better inventory policies for a supply chain digital twin.
Quantification of the linear viscoelastic behavior of multilayer polymer interlayers for laminated glass
Authors: Schuster Miriam , Härth Michael , Thiele Kerstin , Bennison Stephen J.
Published: August 2023

In order to meet the qualifications of an acoustic interlayer to EN 12758 (2019), interlayers must have a high damping capacity. For PVB interlayers this is typically achieved by using an increased amount of plasticizer. Since this softens the interlayer and decreases the process ability of the interlayer, trilayer acoustic interlayers comprising relatively stiff skins and a soft core are often used. This paper deals with the characterization of the temperature-dependent linear viscoelastic material behavior of multilayer polymer interlayers using a trilayer acoustic PVB as an example. For this purpose, both the multilayer as a structure and the individual layers were investigated by means of dynamic mechanical thermal analysis. It was shown that the temperature-dependent linear viscoelastic material behavior of the multilayer can be calculated from the material behavior of the individual layers by combining generalized Maxwell models of the individual layers. In addition, a simplified rule-of-mixtures-based formula was used to approximate the material behavior of the multilayer from those of the individual layers. The calculation method presented is generally valid and therefore, also transferable to materials other than PVB.
The relationship between secondary school students’ situational interest and their collaborative learning interactions
Authors: Tatiana Shubina , Hanna Järvenoja , Kristiina Mänty
Published: August 2023

Situational interest can be a prominent driver for learning, but little is known about how it is connected to the type of interactions students engage in during collaborative learning. To address this gap, we collected data from 94 secondary school students who worked on collaborative tasks during a five-session science course. Students reported their situational interest before and after every collaborative task. The collaborative sessions were videotaped. Based on the differences in situational interest variation, the students were assigned to three situational interest clusters. The differences in the level and trend of interactions were then statistically examined between the clusters. The results showed that the students whose situational interest increased had a higher level of cognitive interaction (U = 6704.5, p = 0.04) and more rapid growth in cognitive (t (196) = − 2.42 and − 3.62, p < 0.01) and socio-emotional (t (196) = − 1.81 and − 3.48, p < 0.05) interaction than other students. Instead, those students whose situational interest decreased showed more rapid growth in off-task interaction (t (196) = 2.59, p = 0.01). To maintain an optimal level of situational interest, the findings also suggest paying attention to off-task interactions during collaboration, in addition to cognitive interaction.
Intelligent compaction methods and quality control
Authors: Yao Yangping , Song Erbo
Published: August 2023

Ensuring high-quality fill compaction is crucial for the stability and longevity of infrastructures and affects the sustainability of urban infrastructure networks. The purpose of this paper is to provide a refined analysis and insight understanding of the current practice, limitations, challenges, and future development trends of compaction methods from the perspective of the development stage. This paper offers a comprehensive overview of the evolution of compaction methods and classifies compaction quality control methods into four groups through quantitative analysis of literature: traditional compaction methods, digital compaction methods, automated compaction methods, and intelligent compaction methods. Each method's properties and issues are succinctly stated. Then, the research on three key issues in intelligent compaction including compaction quality evaluation algorithms, dynamic optimal path planning, and implementation of unmanned technology is summarized. Currently, the field of intelligent compaction is far from mature, a few challenges and limitations need further investigation: coupling problems of multiple indicators in intelligent evaluation algorithms, unmanned roller groups collaborative control problems, and intelligent decision-making and optimization problems of multi-vehicle compaction paths. This review serves as a valuable reference for systematically understanding the development of compaction methods.
The Political Economy of Terrorism, Counterterrorism, and the War on Terror
Authors: Bradley Anne R. , Coyne Christopher J. , Hall Abigail R.
Published: August 2023

This Element explores the topics of terrorism, counterterrorism, and the US government's war on terror following the September 11, 2001 terror attacks. It draw on insights from Austrian and public choice economics. First, the foundations of the economics of terrorism are discussed emphasizing that the behaviors of terrorists and counter-terrorists are purposeful and goal-oriented. Then, the economics of counterterrorism policies and the importance of institutional change is considered. Next, the three dilemmas facing liberal societies as it relates to counterterrorism efforts is focused on. The Element then provides an assessment of the US government's war on terror. It discusses the origins of the war, discuss whether it can be judged a success or failure, and consider some of the main effects both abroad and within the United States. The final chapter concludes with a discussion of several areas for future research.
The Gig Economy
Authors: De Ruyter Alex , Brown Martyn
Published: August 2023

The 'gig economy' is a relatively recent term coined to describe a range of working arrangements that have previously been denoted as precarious, flexible and contingent. These may include casual workers, temporary agency workers, those on zero-hours contracts and dependent contractors.

This books seeks to get behind the contemporary buzz surrounding the term and provide some theoretical and empirical analysis of the gig work phenomenon. The book seeks to assess more critically some of the rhetorical claims made about gig work and to provide a balanced appraisal of the ramifications for individuals, employers and the economy and society in general of an increasingly insecure workforce. The regulatory framework, in particular, is examined and is shown to have lagged behind crucial developments in the gig economy, with many labour laws still historically rooted to the notion that a worker has to be an employee to be covered by employment rights.

The authors show that in many respects there is nothing new about the gig economy and that its growth in recent years was in some sense predictable. Perhaps its real significance, they argue, is its potential as a business model to 'gig-ize' other business operations far beyond relatively low-skilled work. When combined with automation and digitalization, the gig economy presents us with an opportunity to re-evaluate our understanding of the nature of work.
The Economics of Arms
Authors: Hartley Keith
Published: August 2023

It is estimated that today some 2.7% of world GDP ($1.5 trillion) is spent on arms. In 2014 Lockheed Martin, the US defence contractor, had revenues of $45 billion - the equivalent of the GDP of Tunisia. This book explores the business behind these breathtaking figures and explains how the arms industry makes its money.

The book begins by defining the industry, explaining why the sector is important, outlining its prime contractors and key supply chains. Its cost categories (from R&D to maintenance), the role of technical innovation, and the sector's dependence on the monopsony buying power of Government, are all examined. The structure-conduct and performance model is used to show the workings of the arms market and its various entry and exit conditions, and the sector's performance is analysed through various indicators including exports, development time scales, cost overruns and profitability. The complex choice problems of domestic procurement are considered alongside sales to foreign governments and the opportunities that may present for bribery and corruption.

The Military-Industrial-Political-Complex (MIPC) is unpacked and the behaviour of its major agents is scrutinised, both in times of conflict (expansion) and peace (contraction). The book concludes by considering future trends, such as whether arms industries are better under state or private ownership, and how they can meet the challenge of new threats in different forms. The discussion throughout is anchored to case studies from all parts of the world, including Brazil, Korea, Japan, Russia as well as UK, US and Europe.
Behavioural Economics
Authors: Mallard Graham
Published: August 2023

The rise of behavioural approaches in economics has been one of most significant developments in the study of economic decision-making in recent years. The increasingly acknowledged failings of standard models of choice to explain economic decisions has prompted economists to incorporate into their analysis psychological insights into individual behaviour, such as social cognitive and emotional biases. This book introduces the topic of behavioural economics to a beginning readership, explaining its approach and methodology and assessing its successes and weaknesses.

The book begins by tracing the evolution of the field from its origins in Adam Smith's moral sentiments through the work of Herbert Simon to Daniel Kahneman and Richard Thaler today. The book explores how behavioural economics has advanced our understanding of human preferences including notions of fairness, reciprocity and inequality aversion, and the mental processes involved in decision making, which vary with the complexity of the decision and the ability of the decision-maker to process the information. The decision-making of individuals within social and economic groups is explored, including financial practitioners and what this can mean for financial markets. Finally, the book looks at the ways in which findings from behavioural economics have been used to alter the decisions people make, such as the nudge approach, and the ethics of such persuasion.