bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
PP124 The Importance Of Flexible PPI Approaches: Case Study On Flash Glucose Monitoring
Authors: Evans Alice , Washington Jenni , Jarron David
Published: December 2022

Introduction

Health Technology Wales (HTW) review guidance 3 years after publication to establish if reassessment is warranted because, for example, new evidence has become available. Since the publication of guidance on flash glucose monitoring (FGM) in 2018, HTW introduced a patient and public involvement (PPI) process with novel approaches to flexible engagement. This enabled HTW to include three streams of patient evidence into the review of FGM devices.

Methods

HTW’s Patient and Public Involvement Standing Group (PPISG) considered appropriate methods of engagement using the HTW Patient and Public Involvement Mechanism Tool. This tool considers the nature of the health technology, the presence of appropriate patient organizations and questions that can be put to patients, as well as other approaches for obtaining patient evidence.

Results

HTW contacted Diabetes Cymru and met with them to discuss contributing to the appraisal of FGM devices. Diabetes Cymru produced a patient submission summarizing the experiences of their patient network, with particular focus on the expansion of the technology to closed-loop insulin systems. Diabetes Cymru later attended HTW’s Appraisal Panel committee and gave a presentation. Additionally, HTW conducted a patient evidence literature review. This review summarized published qualitative studies on a range of perspectives, including carer perspectives, family perspectives, children and adolescences perspectives as well as considerations from specific environments, such as schools, workplaces, homes, care homes and communities. In addition to new clinical and cost effectiveness evidence, this PPI input was used to formulate new guidance recommending more widespread adoption of FGM.

Conclusions

The introduction of flexible approaches to PPI enabled HTW to gain patient evidence from multiple sources. This ensured greater patient representation and a more detailed understanding of the role of FGM devices across different patient communities. This added considerable richness to the patient evidence, which is vital to understand the everyday impacts of FGM and its use amongst patients. Combining flexible PPI with the new clinical and cost effectiveness evidence resulted in a change in the original guidance recommendation.
PP129 Usefulness, Acceptability And Satisfaction Of A Decision Making Tool For Clinical Meso-Management In Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Ramallo-Fariña Yolanda , González-Pacheco Himar , Sacks Analía Abt , García-Hernández Laura , de Segura Ignacio Llorente-Gomez , Wägner Ana , Toledo-Chávarri Ana , Serrano-Aguilar Pedro
Published: December 2022

Introduction

GesPeDia is a web-based application that provides aggregate clinical information, using outcome and process indicators, and disaggregated patient information. Information is obtained from the electronic medical records. GesPeDia aims to promote people-centered care, improve monitoring of patients’ health outcomes and quality of professional performance. This study aims to evaluate usability, acceptability and satisfaction of GesPeDia.

Methods

Nineteen evaluators were included (2 management technicians, 9 health center directors and 8 endocrine consultants). They had access to GesPeDia for two months. Perception of their usefulness for decision-making, acceptability and design satisfaction were measured with an online questionnaire. In addition, suggestions for improvements in the app’s functionalities were collected. Finally, a sample of the evaluators were included in a semi-structured interview to deepen the analysis of dimensions. A descriptive analysis of the data was performed.

Results

The questionnaire was completed by 10 professionals, with mean age of 51.1 years and professional experience 16.5 years. Among the evaluators, 60 percent considered the app quite useful and only 10 percent found it inappropriate for their daily activities. Each of the indicator blocks was rated quite useful. Eight percent considered GesPeDia moderately fast, although for 20 percent navigation within the app was not very intuitive. Appearance was positively valued by 80 percent, despite the fact that 30 percent considered that design does not favor the understanding of contents. Seventy percent considered degree of reliability, relevance and clarity of the contents to be high. Most indicated that information provided by GesPedia is complete for decision-making.

Conclusions

GesPeDia is valued positively by evaluators as a decision-making tool.
PD01 Using ELISA Tests For Monitoring Response To Anti-TNFs In Rheumatoid Arthritis: Findings From A NICE Health Technology Assessment
Authors: Yang Huiqin
Published: December 2022

Introduction

Patients with severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA) disease may be treated with tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α inhibitors. However, their efficacy is reduced by the presence of anti-drug antibodies. The objective of this HTA was to conduct a systematic review to investigate the effectiveness of using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) tests (Promonitor, IDKmonitor, LISA-TRACKER, RIDASCREEN, MabTrack, and Sanquin Diagnostic Services) to measure levels of the drug and anti-drug antibodies for monitoring response to TNF-α inhibitors in patients with RA.

Methods

A range of bibliographic databases including MEDLINE, EMBASE and CENTRAL were searched from inception to November 2018. Studies were eligible for inclusion if they investigated ELISA tests in RA patients receiving treatment with a TNF-α inhibitor who had achieved the treatment target (remission or low disease activity [LDA]) or experienced a primary or a secondary non-response. The tests must compare with standard care where treatment decisions are based on clinical judgements and monitoring using a composite score such as the disease activity score 28 joints (DAS28). Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane (ROBINS-1) tool for non-randomized studies.

Results

Two studies were included. One non-randomized controlled trial (non-RCT) compared standard care with therapeutic drug monitoring using Promonitor test kits in RA patients in remission/LDA receiving adalimumab, and a historically controlled study investigated Sanquin ELISA kits. The non-RCT study showed that there was a non-significant reduction in the risk of flare in the intervention group compared with the control group. Patients’ health-related quality of life outcomes were higher in the intervention group at all visits compared with the control group. However, this study had serious limitations because analyses were not performed using an intention-to-treat approach. The historically controlled study did not provide valid evidence on whether ELISA-based monitoring is clinically effective.

Conclusions

There is only limited, poor evidence available. There are considerable uncertainties on the effectiveness of using ELISA tests for monitoring response to TNF-α inhibitors in RA. Further controlled trials are required.
PD02 A Literature Review Of Treatment Schemes And Effects For Beta Thalassemia In China
Authors: Yuan Jiaqi , Qiao Jingyi , Weng Junling , Luo Bingxing , Yan Juntao , Ming Jian , Chen Yingyao
Published: December 2022

Introduction

The incidence of beta thalassemia varies greatly in different regions of China. Blood transfusion combined with iron chelation and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is the main treatment for beta thalassemia in China. This study aimed to reveal the specific treatment schemes used for patients with beta thalassemia and to evaluate their effects.

Methods

A search strategy was developed to identify articles published between 1 January 2010 and 30 August 2021 in the following literature databases: PubMed, Embase, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Data, and the Chinese BioMedical Literature Database.

Results

The most used iron chelation schemes in China for patients with beta thalassemia included deferoxamine (DFO) monotherapy, deferiprone (DFP) monotherapy, deferasirox (DFX) monotherapy, and combinations of DFP and DFO. Most studies reported that combinations of DFP, DFO, and DFX monotherapy performed better than DFO or DFP monotherapy alone in reducing the blood, heart, and liver iron load. However, the adverse effects of iron chelation affected patient compliance with treatment to a certain extent. Stem cells for patients receiving HSCT in China were mainly donated by human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-matched siblings or unrelated individuals. The five-year overall survival rate after HSCT ranged from 83 to 90 percent, while the five-year beta thalassemia-free survival rate ranged from 65 to 87 percent. Graft-versus-host disease and infection were the most common serious complications experienced by transplant recipients.

Conclusions

For patients in China with beta thalassemia, the most effective iron chelation treatment schemes were combinations of DFP, DFO, and DFX monotherapy. HSCT from HLA-matched siblings or unrelated donors resulted in a significant improvement in the cure rate for beta thalassemia. However, patients still need safer and more effective innovative treatments, and further evidence on existing treatments needs to be generated from larger scale studies in the Chinese population.
PD05 Novel Non-Thermal Ablation Technology For The Treatment Of Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Hijas-Gómez Ana Isabel , Luengo-Matos Setefilla , Rodriguez-Ortiz-de-Salazar Begoña , Arias-Pacheco Amparo , Sánchez-Gómez Luis Maria , del Mar Polo-de-Santos Maria
Published: December 2022

Introduction

Pulsed-field ablation (PFA) is a new non-thermal ablative approach for treating paroxysmal and persistent atrial fibrillation (AF). It provides an alternative to the conventional thermal techniques of radiofrequency ablation and cryoablation. PFA is currently performed with the Farapulse PFA system (Boston Scientific, USA), which recently received CE marking in Europe. In this study, we describe the current evidence on the efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness of this new technology.

Methods

The Early Awareness and Alert System of the Agencia de Evaluación de Tecnologías Sanitarias-at the Instituto de Salud Carlos III- identified this new ablation approach in June 2021. An early technology assessment was conducted by reviewing relevant literature published to November 2021. The literature was identified by searching PubMed, Embase, the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, ClinicalTrials.gov, and the Cochrane Library.

Results

Seven relevant publications were identified, including three open-label trials for paroxysmal AF and one for persistent AF. Three studies comparing PFA with conventional thermal ablation techniques were also included. The safety results showed a lower incidence of complications (esophageal injury, pulmonary venous stenosis, pericardial effusion, and aortic injury) after PFA relative to conventional techniques. In terms of efficacy, PFA resulted in lower rates of AF recurrence in the medium and long term, compared with conventional techniques, and there were no differences in the lengths or success rates of the procedures. No cost-effectiveness studies were identified. Seven ongoing trials were identified, but no results have been published.

Conclusions

The current evidence for PFA in the treatment of AF showed good safety and promising efficacy. However, there is a lack of information on its effect on quality of life and the risk of death, disabling stroke, or cardiac arrest. Early evaluation of new and emerging technologies makes it possible to gather the minimum information necessary to support decisions on their inclusion in the healthcare system. In this case, based on current evidence, the widespread use of PFA is not recommended, except under a rigorous research protocol.
PD08 A Systematic Review Of Reporting Quality Of Economic Evaluations In TCM In NRDL Of China Based On CHEERS
Authors: Yan Juntao , Bao Shiyi , Liu Liu , Wei Yan , Ming Jian , Chen Yingyao
Published: December 2022

Introduction

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has become a common kind of health care in several countries, with increasing demands. This review aimed to appraise the reporting quality of economic evaluations of TCM in the National Reimbursement Drug List (NRDL) of China (2020 version), based on the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS) statement.

Methods

The reporting quality of included economic evaluations was assessed by two independent reviewers using the CHEERS statement.

Results

A total of 360 articles were retrieved, but only 38 economic evaluations met the inclusion criteria. No articles were compliant with all items of the CHEERS checklist. On average, the included economic evaluations satisfactorily met 10.93 of the CHEERS items (51.31%). The least reported CHEERS checklist items included: “Characterizing heterogeneity”, “Conflicts of interest”, “Discount rate”, and “Study perspective”, with an average score of 0.00, 0.05, 0.08, and 0.16, respectively.

Conclusions

The economic evaluation of TCM is still at an early stage, with an urgent need for improving the reporting quality. To promote the reporting quality of economic evaluations and further development of TCM, multiple measures focusing on reporting formula, policy, training, and new methodology are required.
PD22 Exploratory Analysis of a Brazilian Real-World Open Database Applied to Prostate Cancer
Authors: Monteiro Lucilena Rebelo , Oliveira Mércia Liane , Menezes Mario Olímpio , Pozzo Lorena
Published: December 2022

Introduction

Prostate cancer was the second most frequent cancer and the fifth leading cause of cancer death among men in 2020. The incidence rates vary substantially in countries with different Human Development Indexes (HDI), while the mortality rates decrease with improved access to the health system, availability of therapies and earlier detection. Worldwide, population-based cancer registries are important tools for planning and managing health systems. The Fundação Oncocentro de São Paulo (FOSP) is responsible to collect, clean and publicize data from cancer treatment institutions. This study aimed to describe retrospectively the demographic and clinical profile of prostate cancer (PC) in Brazil using this database. It is not an incidence study as data is representative only from specific institutions.

Methods

This was a retrospective observational study of the years 2000 to 2020 from analysis of the publicly available FOSP database (http://www.fosp.saude.sp.gov.br).

The records were extracted, merged, and cleaned using a fully documented and validated data process. Only patients included on the register with a primary PC diagnosis were considered.

Results

From January 2010 to June 2020, there were 943,660 patients diagnosed with C61 in FOSP database for the considered time period. The majority of the FOSP database records are from patients who live and/or were born in SP (91.8 and 58.4%, respectively) or MG (2.8 and 10.5%, respectively). The mean age of PC at baseline was 69 years. Considering the stage of the disease, the mean ages are 55, 70, 67, 66 and 61, for stages 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively. This cohort was also analyzed in relation to treatments received, and status at the end of treatment (51.3% are disease-free, 18.4% are alive with cancer, and 30.3% are dead).

Conclusions

FOSP population-based cancer registries are a powerful tool to obtain information for planning, and improving the management of healthcare services especially for São Paulo.
PD25 Use Of Real-World Evidence In The Reimbursement Assessment Of Medical Devices
Authors: Crompton Amy , Macmillan Tom , Ferris Jen , Munro Isobel
Published: December 2022

Introduction

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are typically considered the gold standard source of clinical evidence for reimbursement submissions, but they can often be resource-intensive, expensive, and may not always be appropriate. For example, it may be unethical to assign patients to an untreated or undiagnosed control group, or blinding may not be feasible when assessing medical devices. Evidence for medical devices is therefore often limited to nonrandomized studies. We explored the use and value of real-world evidence (RWE) in the reimbursement of medical devices across several health technology assessment (HTA) agencies.

Methods

A narrative review was completed to compare the acceptability of RWE for the HTA evaluation of medical devices across a convenience sample of countries. English-language published guidance documents were reviewed, and study design preferences extracted.

Results

In Australia, France, Germany, Ireland, Norway, and Scotland, HTA agencies prefer RCT evidence but accept RWE as supporting data. In England, there is no preferred study design, with directly observed clinical outcomes, evidence syntheses, nonclinical, and modelling studies accepted. Notably, methods and processes for HTA programs are being reviewed and are expected to place a greater emphasis on RWE. In Australia, pseudo-randomized trials, comparative cohort studies, case series, and other study designs are permitted. In France, nonrandomized or nonblinded trials, patient preference cohorts, prospective comparative observational studies, and propensity score matched cohorts are permitted, accompanied by justification. In Scotland, lived experiences, RWE, and systematic reviews are accepted. In Germany, nonrandomized studies are deemed to provide “minimum”, “very low” or “low” certainty of results. In Norway, RWE may be accepted if no RCT data are available, or to support RCTs.

Conclusions

In the assessment of medical devices, where RCTs are unsuitable, RWE can form a feasible alternative. Real-world evidence is increasingly being recognized as a valuable source of evidence for medical interventions and is accepted by a number of HTA agencies. No funding was received for this study.
PD26 Overscreening For Older Women In Cervical And Breast Cancer Screening In Japan
Authors: Hamashima Chisato
Published: December 2022

Introduction

Appropriate resource utilization is crucial for cancer screening programs. Overscreening is defined as screening provided beyond the upper age limit of the target age or at a shorter interval than recommended in national programs. In Japan, there are no upper age limits set for cancer screening programs, and the recommended screening interval for cervical and breast cancer screening is 2 years. To examine the efficient use of resources for cervical and breast cancer screening, we investigated how often overscreening occurred in both programs.

Methods

The target age for this study was defined as 20-69 years for cervical cancer screening and 40-69 years for breast cancer screening. We used the national report for cancer screening in 2017 in Japan and estimated the number of participants over 70 years old or those who participated in screening annually. The percentage of overscreening was compared between cervical cancer and breast cancer screening by chi-square test.

Results

The number of participants was 4,294,127 for cervical cancer screening and 3,087,781 for breast cancer screening in 2017. The percentage of overscreening in total participants was 38.0 percent for cervical cancer screening and 35.7 percent for breast cancer screening (p<0.01). The percentage of screening at overage was higher in breast cancer screening than in cervical cancer screening (21.1% vs. 13.9%, p<0.01), whereas more frequent screening was seen more often in cervical cancer screening than in breast cancer screening (29.7% vs. 19.6%, p<0.01). If the resources used in overscreening could be used for the target population, it was estimated that the participation rate could increase by 4.1% for cervical cancer screening and 4.3% for breast cancer screening.

Conclusions

In Japan, screening for overage participants and short intervals may have contributed to unnecessary screening for cervical cancer and breast cancer. These resources used for overscreening could be allocated to screening for the target population.
PD28 Cost-Effectiveness Of Selective Internal Radiation Therapy Using Y-90 Resin Microspheres For Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma In Brazil
Authors: Agirrezabal Ion , Brennan Victoria , Carion Phuong Lien , Shergill Suki
Published: December 2022

Introduction

Hepatocellular cancer (HCC) is a severe condition with poor prognosis and a significant burden. Selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT) is recommended as an alternative treatment option to overcome some limitations of current treatments. This analysis estimated the cost-effectiveness of SIRT using Y-90 resin microspheres for the treatment of unresectable HCC in Brazil.

Methods

This study was conducted from the Brazilian payer perspective according to local guidelines, with a lifetime horizon. The use of SIRT in patients with intermediate- or advanced-stage HCC, without extrahepatic disease and ineligible to transarterial chemoembolization, was compared with sorafenib, the commonly used HCC systemic treatment in Brazil. A sensitivity analysis included the subgroup of patients with low tumour burden and preserved liver function.

A partitioned-survival model was developed, which included a tunnel state for patients downstaged to receive a treatment with a curative intent such as liver surgery, transplantation or ablation. Survival curves, utilities and adverse events incidence were extracted from published sources of pivotal randomized control trials. Effectiveness of health interventions was measured in quality-adjusted-life-years (QALYs) and life-years (LYs). Local costs from Brazil were applied. Future costs and effects were discounted at five percent. A willingness-to-pay threshold of USD 53,936 was used, based on a 2017 review of healthcare technology adoption in Brazil.

Results

LYs and QALYs were higher for SIRT using Y-90 resin microspheres versus sorafenib (0.27 and 0.20 incremental LYs and QALYs, respectively) and costs were slightly higher for SIRT (USD 3,056 incremental costs). The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was USD 14,948 per QALY in the basecase.

One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of the analyses. Scenario analyses tested different model assumptions and reinforced the basecase results indicating that SIRT using Y-90 resin microspheres was highly likely to be cost-effective compared with sorafenib. Also, the ICER was lower in the subgroup compared with the overall population.

Conclusions

SIRT using Y-90 resin microspheres represents a cost-effective option compared with sorafenib in Brazil.
PD33 Development And Validation Of A Machine Learning-Based Prediction Model For COVID-19 Diagnosis Using Patients’ Metabolomic Profile Data
Authors: Cobre Alexandre , Surek Monica , Stremel Dile , Domingues Karime , Tonin Fernanda Stumpf , Pontarolo Roberto
Published: December 2022

Introduction

We aimed to develop and validate machine learning (ML) -based algorithms to predict COVID-19 diagnosis as well as to identify new biomarkers associated with the disease.

Methods

Initially, 96 blood samples of patients diagnosed with COVID-19 (Thaizhou Hospital, China) were analyzed through liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. Samples of patients presenting other pneumonias or severe acute respiratory syndrome, but with negative RT-PCR for SARS-CoV-2, were used as positive controls. Samples from healthy volunteers were used as negative controls. The final database included around 1000 metabolites. Exploratory analyses for the development of ML-based models using principal component analysis (PCA) were performed. Leverage plot versus studentized residuals method was used to detect outliers. Three supervised ML-based models were developed: discriminant analysis by partial least squares (PLS-DA), artificial neural networks discriminant analysis (ANNDA) and k-nearest neighbors (KNN). Samples for the training (70%) and testing sets (30%) were randomly selected using the Kenrad Stone algorithm. Models’ performance was evaluated considering accuracy, sensitivity and specificity. Analyses were conducted in SOLO (Eigenvector-Research).

Results

The PCA model was able to distinguish the three classes of patients’ samples (positive for COVID-19, negative controls, positive controls) with an overall accumulated variance of 94.27 percent. The PLS-DA model presented the best performance (accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of 93%, 98% and 88%, respectively). Increased levels of the biomarkers uridine (linked to glucose homeostasis, lipid, and amino acid metabolisms), 4-hydroxyphenylacetoylcarnitine (metabolite from the tyrosine metabolism; probably associated with anorexia) and ribothymidine (resulting from oral and fecal microbiota alterations) were significantly associated with COVID-19.

Conclusions

Three different and updated ML-based algorithms were developed to predict COVID-19 diagnosis; PLS-DA led to the most accurate results. High levels of some metabolites were found as potentially predictors of the disease. These biomarkers should be further evaluated as potential therapeutic targets in well-designed clinical trials. These ML-based models can help the early diagnosis of COVID-19 and guide the development of tailored interventions.
PD46 Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis In Healthcare: Scientometric And Bibliometric Analysis
Authors: Dai Zeqi , Xu Simin , Wu Xue , Hu Ruixue , Li Huimin , He Haoqiang , Hu Jing , Liao Xing
Published: December 2022

Introduction

Multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) is a useful tool in complex decision-making situations and has been used in medical fields to evaluate treatment options and drug selection. We aimed to provide valuable insights on the use of MCDA in health care through examining the research focus of existing studies, major fields, major applications, most productive authors and countries, and most common journals in the domain using a scientometric and bibliometric analysis.

Methods

Publications related to MCDA in health care were identified by searching the Web of Science Core Collection on 14 July 2021. Three bibliometric software programs (VOSviewer, Bibliometrix, and CiteSpace) were used to conduct the analysis.

Results

A total of 410 publications were identified from 196 academic journals (average yearly growth rate of 32% from 1999 to 2021), with 23,637 co-cited references by 871 institutions from 70 countries or regions. The USA was the most productive country (n=80), while the Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (n=16), Université de Montréal (n= 13), and Syreon Research Institute (n=12) were the most productive institutions. The biggest nodes in every cluster of author networks were Aos Alaa Zaidan, Mireille Goetghebeur, and Zoltan Kalo. The top journals in terms of number of articles (n=17) and citations (n=1,673) were Value in Health and the Journal of Medical Systems, respectively. The research hotspots mainly included the analytic hierarchy process (AHP), decision-making, health technology assessment, and healthcare waste management. In the recent literature there was more emphasis on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and fuzzy Technique for Order Preference by Similarities to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS). Big data, telemedicine, TOPSIS, and the fuzzy AHP, which are well-developed and important themes, may be the trends in future research.

Conclusions

This study provides a holistic picture of the MCDA-related literature published in health care. MCDA has a broad application in different topic areas and would be helpful for practitioners, researchers, and decision makers working in health care when faced with complex decisions. It can be argued that the door is still open for improving the role of MCDA in health care, both in its technologies and its application.
PD54 Burden Of Disease And Risk Factors Among Children Under 5 Years In China From 1990 To 2019
Authors: Li Fuming , Xie Shiyu , Jiang Zhixin , Bao Shiyi , Ren Yanfeng , Chen Yingyao
Published: December 2022

Introduction

According to the Healthy China 2030 Plan, children under 5 years is the main focus group to achieve universal health and sustainable development of China. To identify the major threats to children’s health, we analyzed and compared the burden of disease and risk factors among children under 5 years in China and other regions.

Methods

Indicators were gathered from the Global Burden of Disease 2019, which included the standardized rates and risk factors of mortality and DALYs of children under 5 years in China, Western Europe, North America and the world from 1990 to 2019. Paired t-test or Wilcoxon test were used to compare the rates based on gender. A joinpoint regression model was used to analyze the trend, and the Annual Percent of Change (APC) was calculated and statistically tested.

Results

From 1990 to 2019, the all-cause mortality and DALYs of children under 5 years in China decreased from 1 153.81/100 000 to 160.39/100 000 and 104 426.40/100 000 to 16 479.01/100 000, respectively. The top 3 causes of both death and DALYs were neonatal preterm birth, congenital heart anomalies, lower respiratory infections. The top 3 risk factors of both death and DALYs were low birth weight, short gestation, child wasting. Unintentional injuries, behavioral and environmental risks posed greater threats to children compared with other regions. The rates of mortality and DALYs of the top 15 diseases and injuries in boys and girls showed a downward trend (p<0.05), and most of them were higher in boys than girls (p<0.05).

Conclusions

The burden of diseases among children under 5 years in China has decreased significantly from 1990 to 2019. Compared to other regions, it remains to strengthen the prevention and control of preterm birth, birth defects and unintentional injuries, and to adopt targeted gender-specific interventions. Promoting the parenting behavior and multiple social security may also affects children’s health status.
Second language anxiety in conversation and its relationship with speakers’ perceptions of the interaction and their social networks
Authors: Lindberg Rachael , McDonough Kim , Trofimovich Pavel
Published: December 2022

Second language (L2) researchers have long acknowledged the role of language anxiety in communication processes, such that learners with greater language anxiety tend to be less willing to engage in communication. However, little research has explored links between L2 speakers’ perceptions of conversation and dynamic measures of anxiety. Therefore, this study measured 60 L2 English speakers’ galvanic skin response (a physiological index of anxiety) during conversation. After the conversation, speakers evaluated themselves and their partner in terms of speech fluency and comprehensibility, engagement, and anxiety, and responded to trait-anxiety and social network questionnaires. Correlational analyses explored relationships between speakers’ trait-anxiety, social network characteristics, self- and peer-perceptions and five levels of physiological response during conversation. Findings revealed that high arousal during interaction was related to speakers’ negative self-perceptions of speech fluency and negative perceptions of their partner’s engagement. Implications are discussed regarding state-anxiety as triggered by partner- or task-specific experiences.
The effects of multilingual and multicultural practices on divergent thinking. Implications for plurilingual creativity paradigm
Authors: Kharkhurin Anatoliy V. , Koncha Valeriya , Charkhabi Morteza
Published: December 2022

This study opens a project that empirically investigates the Plurilingual Creativity paradigm. This paradigm expands the Multilingual Creative Cognition by making shifts in the conceptualization of the phenomena of multilingualism and creativity, respectively. We examined how multilingual and multicultural factors can contribute to divergent thinking. Online data collection included assessments of language repertoire, multicultural experience, intercultural competence, and divergent thinking. A series of regression analyses obtained evidence for the direct contribution of language repertoire, intercultural competence components and multicultural experience to divergent thinking. In addition, language repertoire was found to moderate the link between management of intercultural interaction and fluency, multicultural experience and both flexibility and originality in divergent thinking. These findings emphasize the importance of considering the contribution of plurilingual/pluricultural factors of language repertoire, multicultural experience, and intercultural competence to creativity. Thereby, these findings provide empirical support for the conceptual shift toward plurilingual creativity.
The Development Dichotomy: Colonial India’s Accession to the ILO’s Governing Body (1919–22)
Authors: Gidney Thomas
Published: December 2022

At its founding in 1919, the International Labour Organization (ILO) selected its Governing Body from eight ‘states of Chief Industrial Importance’. The ILO’s attempt to define industrial importance was predicated on its seemingly expert-driven and statistical impartiality. As a technical organization, this standard was created to depoliticize the selection of its Governing Body. Yet, with its utilization of relative economic indicators, the standard ended up recreating a highly Eurocentric Governing Body. Resistance to these metrics by aggregately large but relatively underdeveloped economies, such as colonial India, reveals the inherently political nature of attempting to define industrial ‘importance’. This article examines the little-known history of how the Indian delegation to the ILO challenged the ILO’s Eurocentric metrics, constituting what it meant to be industrially important. In doing so, this article questions to what extent ‘technical’ international organizations can remain apolitical spaces and how our contemporary international institutions are responding to the increasing politicization of their function.
The Three Dialectics of Racial Capitalism
Authors: Levenson Zachary , Paret Marcel
Published: December 2022

The current popularity of “racial capitalism” in the American academy is typically attributed to the work of Cedric Robinson. But in this paper, we demonstrate that Robinson was riding a wave that began a decade before: in the South African movement against apartheid. We trace the intellectual history of the concept through two heydays, one peaking in the 1970s and 1980s and another emerging following the 2008 financial crisis. To make sense of racial capitalism during these two heydays, we argue, one must locate the concept in relation to three dialectics. First, racial capitalism traveled back and forth between periphery and center, emerging, for example, in both the context of anti- and post-colonial/apartheid struggles in southern Africa, and against the backdrop of the Black Power and Black Lives Matter movements in the United States. A second dialectic is evident in the way the concept, while initially produced in the context of these fierce struggles, was quickly absorbed into academic discourse. And, in addition to periphery/center and activism/academia, we identify a third dialectic: between the term itself and the broader problematic in which it was (and remains) situated. Our analysis is attentive to the ways that theories acquire contextually specific meanings as they travel, providing a model for understanding the circulation across multiple political contexts of a concept as deceptively stable as racial capitalism. It also demonstrates how expansive the field of racial capitalism actually is, extending well beyond any particular historical or geographic context, institutional or social domain, and even the very term itself.
How to coach people with psychiatric disorders in sports
Authors: Lauber Rahel , Loosli Daniela , Kiselev Nikolai
Published: December 2022

Abstract: Introduction: A new Swiss teaching aid – “Sport without Borders: People with Psychiatric disorders” – was published at the end of 2020 and then evaluated six months later. The main question of the present qualitative evaluation was to what extent different aspects of the three macro levels – design, content, and applicability of the teaching material – are assessed as appropriate by the current trainers of the voluntary exercise and sports groups for people with psychiatric disorders. Methods: For this purpose, eight ( N=8) semi-structured interviews (maximum variation sampling) were conducted in spring 2021 with the trainers of various sports groups for people with psychiatric disorders in Switzerland. The recorded interviews were subsequently transcribed and analysed with nVivo according to Thematic Analysis. Results: The interviewees rated the teaching material as very successful and necessary in all aspects (design, content, and applicability of the teaching material). Regarding applicability of the teaching material, the interviewees mentioned the potential for development and expansion of sports groups, and mentioned interesting possible applications and needs. Discussion & Conclusion: The results show that the current trainers of voluntary exercise and sports groups for people with psychiatric disorders are generally very satisfied with the teaching material. Compared to the existing literature in the context of physical activity and psychiatry, the current teaching material has significant language differences (e.g., avoiding lengthy and complicated sentences, minimum of academic terms) and is strongly oriented to the mass sports (lay)-coaches with none or low (para)-medical or academic background.
New Tectonic Plate Model Could Improve Earthquake Risk Assessment
Authors: Rehnberg Morgan
Published: December 2022

A new model of tectonic plates in New Zealand may identify areas of increased earthquake likelihood.
Constraints on Secular Geocenter Velocity From Absolute Gravity Observations in Central North America: Implications for Global Melting Rates
Authors: Lambert Anthony , Huang Jianliang , Courtier Nicholas , Pavlic Goran
Published: December 2022

Long series of absolute gravity observations at multiple sites provide a direct method of measuring the velocity of the geocenter caused by surface mass transport related to climate change. Annual absolute gravity observations and available GPS vertical data at eight sites in central North America from 1995 to 2010 are used to solve for geocenter velocity while correcting for glacial isostatic adjustment. The precision of the secular gravity trends and GPS heights at our sites, used to estimate geocenter motion, was improved by correcting for local and global water storage attraction and loading. Corrections for the loading and attraction effects of regional ice‐mass loss, the atmosphere and non‐tidal ocean were found to be minimal. Our results provide a direct measurement of the change in geocenter velocity over the time‐interval 2002–2010 compared to the time‐interval 1995–2003 of 0.68 ± 0.28 mm/yr away from North America. This suggests similar velocities in the negative Z (0°N) and positive Y (90°E) directions to those found by other studies.
Anticyclone Eddies Favor the Genesis of Off‐Season Tropical Cyclone in the Western North Pacific
Authors: Zhan Weikang , He Qingyou , Zhang Ying , Zhan Haigang
Published: December 2022

Mesoscale ocean eddies, which typically exhibit different heat and atmospheric conditions to their surroundings, significantly affect the path and intensity of tropical cyclones (TCs). By analyzing 27 years (1993–2019) of eddy and TC data, here we show that mesoscale eddies also play non‐negligible roles in the genesis of TCs (TCG). During the TC off‐season months of December to May, TCs generating over anticyclone eddies (AEs) clearly outnumber those over cyclone eddies (CEs) (14 vs. 6) in the western North Pacific, and featuring a further north location. Composite analysis also exhibits a higher genesis potential index () in AEs than that in CEs, indicative of a higher TCG probability over AEs especially under a relatively cooler oceanic background, which is mainly attributed to the eddy‐associated warming in the upper ocean. These results motivate future studies on better forecasting regional TC activities by considering the impacts of ocean eddies in air‐sea models.
Thousands of human non-AUG extended proteoforms lack evidence of evolutionary selection among mammals
Authors: Fedorova Alla D. , Kiniry Stephen J. , Andreev Dmitry E. , Mudge Jonathan M. , Baranov Pavel V.
Published: December 2022

The synthesis of most proteins begins at AUG codons, yet a small number of non-AUG initiated proteoforms are also known. Here we analyse a large number of publicly available Ribo-seq datasets to identify novel, previously uncharacterised non-AUG proteoforms using Trips-Viz implementation of a novel algorithm for detecting translated ORFs. In parallel we analyse genomic alignment of 120 mammals to identify evidence of protein coding evolution in sequences encoding potential extensions. Unexpectedly we find that the number of non-AUG proteoforms identified with ribosome profiling data greatly exceeds those with strong phylogenetic support suggesting their recent evolution. Our study argues that the protein coding potential of human genome greatly exceeds that detectable through comparative genomics and exposes the existence of multiple proteins encoded by the same genomic loci.
Three-dimensional Zn-based alloys for dendrite-free aqueous Zn battery in dual-cation electrolytes
Authors: Tian Huajun , Feng Guangxia , Wang Qi , Li Zhao , Zhang Wei , Lucero Marcos , Feng Zhenxing , Wang Zi-Le , Zhang Yuning , Zhen Cheng , Gu Meng , Shan Xiaonan , Yang Yang
Published: December 2022

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries, in terms of integration with high safety, environmental benignity, and low cost, have attracted much attention for powering electronic devices and storage systems. However, the interface instability issues at the Zn anode caused by detrimental side reactions such as dendrite growth, hydrogen evolution, and metal corrosion at the solid (anode)/liquid (electrolyte) interface impede their practical applications in the fields requiring long-term performance persistence. Despite the rapid progress in suppressing the side reactions at the materials interface, the mechanism of ion storage and dendrite formation in practical aqueous zinc-ion batteries with dual-cation aqueous electrolytes is still unclear. Herein, we design an interface material consisting of forest-like three-dimensional zinc-copper alloy with engineered surfaces to explore the Zn plating/stripping mode in dual-cation electrolytes. The three-dimensional nanostructured surface of zinc-copper alloy is demonstrated to be in favor of effectively regulating the reaction kinetics of Zn plating/stripping processes. The developed interface materials suppress the dendrite growth on the anode surface towards high-performance persistent aqueous zinc-ion batteries in the aqueous electrolytes containing single and dual cations. This work remarkably enhances the fundamental understanding of dual-cation intercalation chemistry in aqueous electrochemical systems and provides a guide for exploring high-performance aqueous zinc-ion batteries and beyond.
Discovery of endogenous nitroxyl as a new redox player in Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Arasimowicz-Jelonek M. , Floryszak-Wieczorek J. , Suarez S. , Doctorovich F. , Sobieszczuk-Nowicka E. , Bruce King S. , Milczarek G. , Rębiś T. , Gajewska J. , Jagodzik P. , Żywicki M.
Published: December 2022

Nitroxyl (HNO) is the one-electron reduced and protonated congener of nitric oxide (•NO), owning a distinct chemical profile. Based on real-time detection, we demonstrate that HNO is endogenously formed in Arabidopsis. Senescence and hypoxia induce shifts in the redox balance, triggering HNO decay or formation mediated by non-enzymatic •NO/HNO interconversion with cellular reductants. The stimuli-dependent HNO generation supports or competes with •NO signalling, depending on the local redox environment.
Multiscale reorganization of the genome following DNA damage facilitates chromosome translocations via nuclear actin polymerization
Authors: Zagelbaum Jennifer , Schooley Allana , Zhao Junfei , Schrank Benjamin R. , Callen Elsa , Zha Shan , Gottesman Max E. , Nussenzweig André , Rabadan Raul , Dekker Job , Gautier Jean
Published: December 2022

Nuclear actin-based movements have been shown to orchestrate clustering of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) into homology-directed repair domains. Here we describe multiscale three-dimensional genome reorganization following DNA damage and analyze the contribution of the nuclear WASP-ARP2/3-actin pathway toward chromatin topology alterations and pathologic repair. Hi-C analysis reveals genome-wide, DNA damage-induced chromatin compartment flips facilitated by ARP2/3 that enrich for open, A compartments. Damage promotes interactions between DSBs, which in turn facilitate aberrant, actin-dependent intra- and inter-chromosomal rearrangements. Our work establishes that clustering of resected DSBs into repair domains by nuclear actin assembly is coordinated with multiscale alterations in genome architecture that enable homology-directed repair while also increasing nonhomologous end-joining-dependent translocation frequency.
The effect of differential mineral shrinkage on crack formation and network geometry
Authors: Trageser Jeremy E. , Mitchell Chven A. , Jones Reese E. , Matteo Edward N. , Rimsza Jessica M. , Pyrak-Nolte Laura J.
Published: December 2022

Rock, concrete, and other engineered materials are often composed of several minerals that change volumetrically in response to variations in the moisture content of the local environment. Such differential shrinkage is caused by varying shrinkage rates between mineral compositions during dehydration. Using both 3D X-ray imaging of geo-architected samples and peridynamic (PD) numerical simulations, we show that the spatial distribution of the clay affects the crack network geometry with distributed clay particles yielding the most complex crack networks and percent damage (99.56%), along with a 60% reduction in material strength. We also demonstrate that crack formation, growth, coalescence, and distribution during dehydration, are controlled by the differential shrinkage rates between a highly shrinkable clay and a homogeneous mortar matrix. Sensitivity tests performed with the PD models show a clay shrinkage parameter of 0.4 yields considerable damage, and reductions in the parameter can result in a significant reduction in fracturing and an increase in material strength. Additionally, isolated clay inclusions induced localized fracturing predominantly due to debonding between the clay and matrix. These insights indicate differential shrinkage is a source of potential failure in natural and engineered barriers used to sequester anthropogenic waste.