bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Auswirkungen des Ahrtal-Hochwassers auf die Gesundheit der lokalen Bevölkerung – eine Analyse auf Grundlage von GKV-Routinedaten
Authors: Augustin Jobst , Andrees Valerie , Czerniejewski Alice , Dallner Roman , Schulz Christian M. , Mezger Nikolaus Christian Simon
Published: January 2024

Hintergrund

In den letzten Jahrzehnten traten in Deutschland Hochwasserereignisse auf, die eine Bedrohung für die Gesundheit der lokalen Bevölkerung darstellten. Es existieren allerdings kaum Studien, die die gesundheitlichen Folgen dieser Ereignisse untersuchen. Studienziel war daher die Untersuchung der Assoziationen des Ahrtal-Hochwassers im Jahr 2021 mit der Gesundheit der lokalen Bevölkerung.

Methoden

Datengrundlage dieser Studie sind bundesweite Abrechnungsdaten (stationär/ambulant) des BKK-Landesverbands Nordwest. Untersuchungsregion war die Region Ahrweiler, Untersuchungszeiträume jeweils das 3. Quartal der Jahre 2020 und 2021. Unter anderem mit Prevalence-Rate-Ratio-Tests wurde auf Grundlage von ICD-10-Kodierungen untersucht, welche Diagnosen (stationär/ambulant) räumlich und zeitlich in Assoziation mit dem Hochwasserereignis standen.

Ergebnisse

Die Ergebnisse zeigen im stationären Bereich eine deutliche Zunahme abgerechneter Leistungen in einigen Diagnosegruppen gegenüber dem Vorjahr. Verzeichnet wurden insbesondere Zunahmen bestimmter F‑Diagnosen (psychische und Verhaltensstörungen) und S‑Diagnosen (Verletzungen) sowie verschiedener Diagnoseschlüssel innerhalb der Z‑Kodierungen (Faktoren, die den Gesundheitszustand beeinflussen und zur Inanspruchnahme des Gesundheitswesens führen). Im ambulanten Sektor wurde in vielen Diagnosegruppen (F- und Z‑Diagnosen) eine Abnahme identifiziert.

Diskussion

Die Ergebnisse der Studie deuten darauf hin, dass vor allem die mentale Gesundheit der lokalen Bevölkerung und die Gesundheitsversorgung insgesamt (sektorspezifische Inanspruchnahme) vom Hochwasser beeinträchtigt wurden. Da Hochwasserereignisse zukünftig häufiger und stärker werden können, müssen die Maßnahmen zum Schutz der Bevölkerung und Gesundheitsinfrastruktur entsprechend angepasst werden.
EMG-Phänomene myogener Übererregbarkeit
Authors: Posa Andreas , Kornhuber Malte
Published: January 2024

Art, Verteilungsmuster und der zeitliche Verlauf muskulärer Spontanaktivität sind für die Diagnostik neuromuskulärer Krankheiten im klinischen Alltag bedeutsam. Bei neurogenen Läsionen mit motorisch axonaler Beteiligung ist pathologische Spontanaktivität (PSA) meist 2 bis 4 Wochen nach Läsionsbeginn mittels Nadelelektromyographie sicher fassbar. Das Verteilungsmuster korreliert dabei mit dem Läsionsort. Schwerpunkt der vorliegenden Arbeit liegt in der Darstellung der unterschiedlichen PSA-Verteilungsmuster bei myogenen Erkrankungen.
Evaluation of the protective effect of losartan in acetaminophen-induced liver and kidney damage in mice
Authors: Şahin Serkan , Aydın Ayça Çakmak , Göçmen Ayşe Yeşim , Kaymak Emin
Published: January 2024

Acetaminophen is widely used among humans as an antipyretic and analgesic. In this study, the protective effect of losartan in hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity induced by acetaminophen in mice was investigated owing to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. An injection of a single dose of 500 mg/kg (i.p.) acetaminophen was administered to induce hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity in Groups VI–X. Losartan at doses of 1 mg/kg (Group VII), 3 mg/kg (Group VIII), and 10 mg/kg (Groups III, V, IX, and X) was injected intraperitoneally twice, at 1 and 12 h after the acetaminophen injection. Additionally, a 4 mg/kg dose of GW9662 (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ) antagonist) was injected intraperitoneally 30 min before the losartan injections in Groups V and X. At the end of 24 h, the mice were euthanized, and blood, liver, and kidney tissue samples were collected. Levels of AST, ALT, creatinine, and oxidative stress markers including TBARS, SOD, CAT, GPx, TAS, TOS, GSH, and GSSG, along with pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-17, and TNF-α, were measured using ELISA kits. Additionally, a histological evaluation of the tissue samples was performed. Acetaminophen causes increases in the levels of AST, ALT, creatinine, TBARS, TOS, GSSG, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-17, and TNF-α in serum, liver, and kidney tissue. Meanwhile, it led to a decrease in the levels of SOD, CAT, GPx, TAS, and GSH. Losartan injection reversed oxidative and inflammatory damage induced by acetaminophen. Histopathological changes in liver and kidney tissue were alleviated by losartan. The substance GW9662 increased the protective effect of losartan. In light of all the data obtained from our study, it can be said that losartan has a protective effect on liver and kidney damage induced by acetaminophen due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. In terms of the study, losartan was found to be an alternative substance that could protect people from the harmful effects of acetaminophen.
The Dual Approach to Optimal Control in the Coefficients of Nonlocal Nonlinear Diffusion
Authors: Schytt Marcus , Evgrafov Anton
Published: January 2024

We derive the dual variational principle (principle of minimal complementary energy) for the nonlocal nonlinear scalar diffusion problem, which may be viewed as the nonlocal version of the $$p$$
p
-Laplacian operator. We establish existence and uniqueness of solutions (two-point fluxes) as well as their quantitative stability, which holds uniformly with respect to the small parameter (nonlocal horizon) characterizing the nonlocality of the problem. We then focus on the nonlocal analogue of the classical optimal control in the coefficient problem associated with the dual variational principle, which may be interpreted as that of optimally distributing a limited amount of conductivity in order to minimize the complementary energy. We show that this nonlocal optimal control problem $$\Gamma $$
Γ
-converges to its local counterpart, when the nonlocal horizon vanishes.
Vaginal prevention of Candida albicans: synergistic effect of lactobacilli and mannan oligosaccharides (MOS)
Authors: Faustino Margarida , Pereira Joana Odila , Pereira Ana Margarida , Oliveira Ana Sofia , Ferreira Carlos M. H. , Pereira Carla F. , Durão Joana , Pintado Manuela E. , Carvalho Ana P.
Published: January 2024

Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) affects approximately 30–50% of women at least once during their lifetime, causing uncomfortable symptoms and limitations in their daily quality of life. Antifungal therapy is not very effective, does not prevent recurrencies and usually causes side effects. Therefore, alternative therapies are urgently needed. The goal of this work was to investigate the potential benefits of using mannan oligosaccharides (MOS) extracts together with a Lactobacillus sp. pool, composed by the most significant species present in the vaginal environment, to prevent infections by Candida albicans. Microbial growth of isolated strains of the main vaginal lactobacilli and Candida strains was assessed in the presence of MOS, to screen their impact upon growth. A pool of the lactobacilli was then tested against C. albicans in competition and prophylaxis studies; bacterial and yeast cell numbers were quantified in specific time points, and the above-mentioned studies were assessed in simulated vaginal fluid (SVF). Finally, adhesion to vaginal epithelial cells (HeLa) was also evaluated, once again resorting to simultaneous exposure (competition) or prophylaxis assays, aiming to measure the effect of MOS presence in pathogen adherence. Results demonstrated that MOS extracts have potential to prevent vaginal candidiasis in synergy with vaginal lactobacilli, with improved results than those obtained when using lactobacilli alone.

Key points

Potential benefits of MOS extracts with vaginal lactobacilli to prevent C. albicans infections.

MOS impacts on growth of vaginal lactobacilli pool and C. albicans in SVF.

MOS extracts in synergy with L. crispatus inhibit C. albicans adhesion in HeLa cells.

Graphical Abstract
Recent advances in microbial synthesis of free heme
Authors: Yang Shaomei , Guo Zihao , Sun Jiuyu , Wei Jingxuan , Ma Qinyuan , Gao Xiuzhen
Published: January 2024

Heme is an iron-containing porphyrin compound widely used in the fields of healthcare, food, and medicine. Compared to animal blood extraction, it is more advantageous to develop a microbial cell factory to produce heme. However, heme biosynthesis in microorganisms is tightly regulated, and its accumulation is highly cytotoxic. The current review describes the biosynthetic pathway of free heme, its fermentation production using different engineered bacteria constructed by metabolic engineering, and strategies for further improving heme synthesis. Heme synthetic pathway in Bacillus subtilis was modified utilizing genome-editing technology, resulting in significantly improved heme synthesis and secretion abilities. This technique avoided the use of multiple antibiotics and enhanced the genetic stability of strain. Hence, engineered B. subtilis could be an attractive cell factory for heme production. Further studies should be performed to enhance the expression of heme synthetic module and optimize the expression of heme exporter and fermentation processes, such as iron supply.

Key points

• Strengthening the heme biosynthetic pathway can significantly increase heme production.

• Heme exporter overexpression helps to promote heme secretion, thereby further promoting excessive heme synthesis.

• Engineered B. subtilis is an attractive alternative for heme production.
Incidence, risk factors, and prognosis of sciatic nerve injury in acetabular fractures: a retrospective cross-sectional study
Authors: Arbash Mahmood , Alzobi Osama Z. , Salameh Motasem , Alkhayarin Mohd , Ahmed Ghalib
Published: January 2024

Purpose

This study aimed to investigate the incidence, risk factors of the sciatic nerve injury in patients with acetabulum fractures and assess its prognosis.

Methods

A retrospective cross-sectional review was conducted on 273 patients with acetabulum fractures who were treated between January 1st, 2017, and December 30th, 2019. The medical records and radiographs of these patients were analyzed.

Results

The overall nerve injury rate was 7.7% (21 of 273 cases), with 3.1% (8 of 273 cases) occurring because of the initial injury and 12.8% (13 of 101 cases) as post-operative complications. Among those with nerve injuries, 95.2% (20 of 21 cases) were males and the average age of the patients was 31.5 (SD 9.5) years. The most common mechanism of injury was motor vehicle collisions with 55.7% (152 of 273 cases), and the most common fracture pattern associated with nerve injury was posterior column and posterior wall fracture with 31.6% (6 of 21 cases). Hip dislocation was found in 16.5% (14 of 21 cases) of patients with nerve injury. The Kocher Langenbeck approach was the most common approach used for patients with post-operative nerve injury, and the prone position was significantly associated with sciatic nerve injury during the operation. Of all patients with nerve injury, 52% (11 of 21 cases) had fully recovered, 29% (6 of 21 cases) had partially recovered, and 19% (4 of 21 cases) had no improvement. The average follow-up was 15 months.

Conclusion

This study emphasizes the incidence of sciatic nerve injuries in individuals with acetabulum fractures and highlights key risk factors, including hip dislocation, posterior column, and posterior wall fractures. It is noteworthy that the Kocher Langenbeck approach and the prone position may contribute to iatrogenic nerve injuries. Encouragingly, over half of the patients who suffered nerve injuries achieved full recovery, while nearly one-third experienced partial recovery. These findings underscore the vital significance of recognizing and addressing these risk factors in clinical practice.
Cardiopulmonary function in paediatric post-COVID-19: a controlled clinical trial
Authors: Schoeffl Isabelle , Raming Roman , Tratzky Jan-Philipp , Regensburger Adrian P. , Kraus Calvin , Waellisch Wolfgang , Trollmann Regina , Woelfle Joachim , Dittrich Sven , Heiss Rafael , Knieling Ferdinand , Weigelt Annika
Published: January 2024

Recently, the importance of post-COVID-19 in children has been recognized in surveys and retrospective chart analysis. However, objective data in the form of cardiopulmonary exercise test as performed in adults suffering from this condition are still lacking. This study aimed to investigate the cardiopulmonary effects of post-COVID-19 on children and adolescents. In this cross-sectional study (the FASCINATE study), children fulfilling the criteria of post-COVID-19 and an age- and sex-matched control group underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing on a treadmill and completed a questionnaire with regard to physical activity before, during and after the infection with SARS-CoV-2. We were able to recruit 20 children suffering from post-COVID-19 (mean age 12.8 ± 2.4 years, 60% females) and 28 control children (mean age 11.7 ± 3.5 years, 50% females). All participants completed a maximal treadmill test with a significantly lower $$\dot{{\text{V}}}{{\text{O}}}_{2}{\text{peak}}$$

V
˙

O
2

peak

in the post-COVID-19 group (37.4 ± 8.8 ml/kg/min vs. 43.0 ± 6.7 ml/kg/min. p = 0.019). This significance did not persist when comparing the achieved percentage of predicted $$\dot{{\text{V}}}{{\text{O}}}_{2}{\text{peak}}$$

V
˙

O
2

peak

. There were no significant differences for oxygen pulse, heart rate, minute ventilation or breathing frequency.

   Conclusion: This is the first study to investigate post-COVID-19 in children using the cardiopulmonary exercise test. Although there was a significantly reduced $$\dot{{\text{V}}}{{\text{O}}}_{2}{\text{peak}}$$

V
˙

O
2

peak

in the post-COVID-19 group, this was not true for the percent of predicted values. No pathological findings with respect to cardiac or pulmonary functions could be discerned. Deconditioning was the most plausible cause for the experienced symptoms.

    Trial registration: clinicaltrials.gov, NCT054445531, Low-field Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Pediatric Post Covid-19—Full Text View—ClinicalTrials.gov.

What is Known:• The persistence of symptoms after an infection with SARS-CoV 2, so-called post-COVID-19 exists also in children.• So far little research has been conducted to analyze this entity in the pediatric population.

What is New:• This is the first study proving a significantly lower cardiopulmonary function in pediatric patients suffering from post-COVID-19 symptoms.• The cardiac and pulmonary function appear similar between children suffering from post-COVID-19 and those who don’t, but the peripheral muscles seem affected.
The spatiotemporal evolution of compound impacts from lava flow and tephra fallout on buildings: lessons from the 2021 Tajogaite eruption (La Palma, Spain)
Authors: Biass Sébastien , Reyes-Hardy María-Paz , Gregg Christopher , Di Maio Luigia Sara , Dominguez Lucia , Frischknecht Corine , Bonadonna Costanza , Perez Nemesio
Published: January 2024

The simultaneous or sequential occurrence of several hazards—be they of natural or anthropogenic sources—can interact to produce unexpected compound hazards and impacts. Since success in responding to volcanic crises is often conditional on accurate identification of spatiotemporal patterns of hazard prior to an eruption, ignoring these interactions can lead to a misrepresentation or misinterpretation of the risk and, during emergencies, ineffective management priorities. The 2021 eruption of Tajogaite volcano on the island of La Palma, Canary Islands (Spain), was an 86 day-long hybrid explosive-effusive eruption that demonstrated the challenges of managing volcanic crises associated with the simultaneous emission of lava, tephra and volcanic gases. Here, we present the result of a small-scale impact assessment conducted during three-field deployments to investigate how tephra fallout and lava flow inundation interacted to cause compound physical impact on buildings. The study area was a neighbourhood of 30 buildings exposed to tephra fallout during the entire eruption and by a late-stage, short-lived lava flow. Observations highlight, on one hand, the influence of clean-up operations and rainfall on the impact of tephra fallout and, on the other hand, the importance of the dynamics of lava flow emplacement in controlling impact mechanisms. Overall, results provide an evidence-based insight into impact sequences when two primary hazards are produced simultaneously and demonstrate the importance of considering this aspect when implementing risk mitigation strategies for future long-lasting, hybrid explosive-effusive eruptions in urban environments.
Comparative analysis of floral transition and floral organ formation in two contrasting species: Disocactus speciosus and D. eichlamii (Cactaceae)
Authors: Ramírez-Castro Cristian Genaro , Piñeyro-Nelson Alma , Sandoval-Zapotitla Estela , Arias Salvador , Rosas-Reinhold Isaura
Published: January 2024

Key message

Contrasting morphologies in Disocactus are the result of differential development of the vegetative and floral tissue where intercalary growth is involved, resulting in a complex structure, the floral axis.

Species from the Cactaceae bear adaptations related with their growth in environments under hydric stress. These adaptations have translated into the reduction and modification of various structures such as leaves, stems, lateral branches, roots and the structuring of flowers in a so-called flower-shoot. While cacti flowers and fruits have a consistent structure with showy hermaphrodite or unisexual flowers that produce a fruit called cactidium, the developmental dynamics of vegetative and reproductive tissues comprising the reproductive unit have only been inferred through the analysis of pre-anthetic buds. Here we present a comparative analysis of two developmental series covering the early stages of flower formation and organ differentiation in Disocactus speciosus and Disocactus eichlamii, which have contrasting floral morphologies. We observe that within the areole, a shoot apical meristem commences to grow upward, producing lateral leaves with a spiral arrangement, rapidly transitioning to a floral meristem. The floral meristem produces tepal primordia and a staminal ring meristem from which numerous or few stamens develop in a centrifugal manner in D. speciosus and D. eichlamii, respectively. Also, the inferior ovary derives from the floral meristem flattening and an upward growth of the surrounding tissue of the underlying stem, producing the pericarpel. This structure is novel to cacti and lacks a clear anatomical delimitation with the carpel wall. Here, we present a first study that documents the early processes taking place during initial meristem determination related to pericarpel development and early floral organ formation in cacti until the establishment of mature floral organs.
Risk-taking and self-harm behaviors as markers of adolescent borderline personality disorder
Authors: Blaha Yasmine , Cavelti Marialuisa , Lerch Stefan , Steinhoff Annekatrin , Koenig Julian , Kaess Michael
Published: January 2024

Adolescence is a critical period for early identification and intervention of borderline personality disorder (BPD). Risk-taking and self-harm behaviors (RSB) have been identified as promising early markers of BPD and correlates of depression in school-based samples. The present study aimed, first, to examine the association between RSB and BPD in a clinical sample of adolescents and, second, to examine whether RSB are also linked to depression. N = 405 participants (82.7% female) were recruited from an outpatient clinic for adolescents with RSB. RSB assessed included truancy, excessive media use, alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drug use, sexual risk-taking, and self-harm behavior. Regression analyses and generalized linear models were performed to examine the associations between individual RSB or patterns of RSB (identified using latent class analysis, LCA) and a diagnosis and severity of BPD or depression. All RSB (except excessive media use) were positively associated with BPD diagnosis and severity. In contrast, only non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and suicide attempts were positively associated with depression diagnosis and severity, while illicit drug use was negatively associated with depression severity. The LCA yielded two classes differing in the occurrence of RSB. The high RSB class was more likely to have a BPD diagnosis and greater BPD severity than the low RSB class. Classes did not differ regarding depression diagnosis or severity. As NSSI and suicide attempts were associated with both BPD and depression, the presence of additional RSB, besides self-harm behavior, may represent a specific risk marker for BPD in adolescents.
Impulsivity in adolescent girls diagnosed with trichotillomania: an evaluation of clinical and neuropsychological characteristics
Authors: Okumuş Hande Günal , Akdemir Devrim , Temeltürk Rahime Duygu , Öksüzoğlu Makbule Esen
Published: January 2024

The aim of this study is to compare the clinical and neuropsychological features of impulsivity in adolescent girls with trichotillomania (TTM) and healthy controls, and to assess the relationships between the severity of TTM and the impulsivity/concomitant symptoms of anxiety and depression. The study sample consisted of 43 adolescent girls who were 12 to 18 years old. The Kiddie-Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School Age Children-Present and Lifetime Version DSM-5 (K-SADS-PL) was administered to the adolescents and their parents. All of the participants completed a sociodemographic data form, the Revised Children’s Anxiety and Depression Scale-Child Version (RCADS-CV), the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-Brief (BIS-Brief), and the Massachusetts General Hospital Hairpulling Scale (MGH-HPS). The Eriksen Flanker task, the Stop Signal Reaction Time (SSRT) task, the Go/No-Go task, and the Balloon Analog Risk Task (BART) were used to assess behavioral impulsivity. The adolescents with TTM reported higher levels of impulsivity and anxiety/depression symptoms than the healthy controls, and they also performed worse on the behavioral tasks. While there were no relationships between clinical and behavioral impulsivity and TTM severity, social anxiety symptoms were the most important predictor of the severity of TTM. It seems important to better understand the role of impulsivity in the onset and persistence of TTM symptoms in adolescents.
Investigation of the efficacy of two different laser types in the treatment of lower lip paresthesia after sagittal split ramus osteotomy
Authors: Baydan Ebru , Soylu Emrah
Published: January 2024

Orthognathic surgery involves invasive and major surgical procedures commonly used to correct maxillofacial deformities. Bilateral sagittal split ramus osteotomy (BSSO) is often used to treat dentofacial anomalies related to the mandible, but it can result in various complications, the most common of which is inferior alveolar nerve damage. Nerve damage–induced paresthesia of the lower lip significantly affects patient comfort. Medical treatments such as steroids and vitamin B, low-level laser therapy (LLLT), and platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) can be used as supportive therapies for nerve regeneration after damage. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of two different types of lasers in treating lower lip paresthesia after BSSO. This clinical trial was a controlled, single-center, prospective, single-blind, randomized study. Thirty patients were included in the study and randomly assigned to three groups: Group I (laser GRR, n = 10) received transcutaneous and transmucosal GRR laser treatment, Group II (Epic10 laser, n = 10) received transmucosal and transcutaneous Epic10 laser treatment, and Group III (vitamin B, n = 10) received B-complex vitamin tablets orally once a day. Two-point and brush tests were performed six times at specific intervals, and a visual analog scale was used to evaluate pain and sensitivity. Both vitamin B and laser therapies accelerated nerve regeneration. The contribution of the laser groups to the healing rate was better than that of the vitamin B group. Although there was no statistically significant difference between the two laser groups, clinical observations indicated better results in the GRR laser group.
A case series of Fabry diseases with CKD in Japan
Authors: Yusei Oi , Nagasu Hajime , Nakagawa Naoki , Terawaki Seigo , Moriwaki Takahito , Itano Seiji , Kishi Seiji , Sasaki Tamaki , Kashihara Naoki , Otomo Takanobu
Published: January 2024

Background

It is well known that kidney injury is vital organ damage in Fabry disease (FD). Renin–angiotensin system (RAS) inhibitors are known to reduce proteinuria in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) by dilating the glomerular export arteries and reducing intraglomerular pressure. This improvement in intraglomerular pressure, although lowering the glomerular filtration rate, is thought to prevent renal damage and be renoprotective in the long term. RAS inhibitors may be effective in FD patients with proteinuria to prevent the progression of kidney disease, however, the degree to which they are used in clinical practice is unknown.

Methods

The J-CKD-DB-Ex is a comprehensive multicenter database that automatically extracts medical data on CKD patients. J-CKD-DB-Ex contains data on 187,398 patients in five medical centers. FD patients were identified by ICD-10. Clinical data and prescriptions of FD patients between January 1 of 2014, and December 31 of 2020 were used for the analysis.

Results

We identified 39 patients with FD from the J-CKD-DB-Ex including those with suspected FD. We confirmed 22 patients as FD. Half of the patients received RAS inhibitors. RAS inhibitors tended to be used in CKD patients with more severe renal impairment.

Conclusions

This case series revealed the actual clinical practice of FD patients with CKD. In particular, we found cases in which patients had proteinuria, but were not treated with RAS inhibitors. The database was shown to be useful in assessing the clinical patterns of patients with rare diseases.
Quality assurance in surgery—a moral obligation
Authors: Öfner Dietmar
Published: January 2024

Background

Quality assurance (QA) in surgery is crucial, ensuring patient safety, improving outcomes, and maintaining the highest standards of care. Structured medical documentation is a key component in generating valid data that can be used to achieve QA goals. Unfortunately, digital systems for surgical documentation that are simultaneously clinically oriented, appropriately comprehensive, and user friendly are currently lacking.

Methods

For this reason, the Department of Visceral, Transplant, and Thoracic Surgery at the Medical University of Innsbruck has established its medical documentation platform as a quality-controlled registry (qcRegistry).

Results

This paper gives an overview of quality assurance measures in medicine, especially in surgery. It describes the essential requirements for the data of a registry, the tools to achieve quality-controlled data, and its implementation in routine without significantly disturbing the daily clinical routine.

Conclusion

Despite complex conditions inherent to medical quality-controlled documentation, it has been shown that a quality-controlled, audit-capable registry (qcRegistry) can be successfully implemented across all aspects of surgical practice in a tertiary care surgery department.
Differential evolution for cleft lip and/or cleft palate patient treatment scheduling problems: a northern Thailand hospital case study
Authors: Boonmee Chawis , Akarawongsapat Kosit , Wisittipanich Warisa , Chattinnawat Wichai , Khwanngern Krit
Published: January 2024

Cleft lip and/or cleft palate (CL/P) are the common birth defects that result when facial structures developing in an unborn baby do not close completely. To design for treatment schedule, some constraints including hospital eligibility constraints, capacity limitations, treatment age limitations, multi-hospital assignment, and multidisciplinary care team assignment should be determined. However, efficient treatment scheduling is difficult owing to the complicated conditions of specific treatment. This paper presents a multi-objective mathematical model of the CL/P patient treatment scheduling problem in order to minimize the makespan, travel distance, and total least preference assignment score. Since the problem is NP-hard, a solution method is developed based on differential evolution (DE) with particular encoding and decoding schemes for solving the CL/P patient treatment scheduling problem. The performance of DE is evaluated and compared the results with those obtained from the modified particle swarm optimization. The results show that DE is capable of finding high-quality solutions with fast convergence. To apply the proposed approach for a case study, the CL/P patient treatment scheduling program is formulated. The program can be a decision support system in helping the administrators to schedule the patients in order to identify a list of selected treatments, assign each operation of patients to the selected hospital, and intelligently identify the period of the selected treatments.
Geotechnical seismic isolation based on high-damping polyurethane: centrifuge modelling
Authors: Tsang Hing-Ho , Tran Duc-Phu , Hung Wen-Yi , Gad Emad F.
Published: January 2024

Geotechnical seismic isolation (GSI) is a new category of low-damage resilient design methods that are in direct contact with geomaterials and of which the isolation mechanism primarily involves geotechnics. Various materials have been explored for placing around the foundation system in layer form to facilitate the beneficial effects of dynamic soil-foundation-structure interaction, as one of the GSI mechanisms. To reduce the thickness of the GSI foundation layer and to ensure uniformity of its material properties, the use of a thin and homogeneous layer of high-damping polyurethane (HDPU) was investigated in this study via centrifuge modelling. HDPU sheets were installed in three different configurations at the interface between the structural foundation and surrounding soils for realising GSI. It was found that using HDPU for GSI can provide excellent seismic isolation effects in all three configurations. The average rates of structural demand reduction amongst the eight earthquake events ranged from 35 to 80%. A clear correlation between the period-lengthening ratio and the demand reduction percentage can be observed amongst the three GSI configurations. One of the configurations with HDPU around the periphery of the foundation only is particularly suitable for retrofitting existing structures and does not require making changes to the structural systems or architectural features.
Terrorist financing via the banking sector
Authors: Teichmann Fabian , Falker Marie-Christin
Published: January 2024

Islamist terrorism poses a significant threat to global security. Current prevention measures focus largely on combating terrorist financing in order to hinder terrorist organizations’ ability to pay their fighters and orchestrate attacks, with the aim of weakening their structures. The banking sector in particular is subject to strict regulations that intend to increase transparency and identify suspicious transactions. However, the present study illustrates that the banking sector continues to offer opportunities for terrorist financing. Using a qualitative study of 15 presumed providers of illegal financial services and 15 compliance experts to detail how terrorist financiers abuse the financial system to fund terrorist organizations, this paper has implications for both compliance officers and regulating authorities. In particular, the perceived challenges facing those at the frontline of the banking sector in detecting and preventing terrorist financing are analyzed with the intention to establish avenues for future research and countering the financing of terrorism regulation.
The efficacy of project-based learning in enhancing computational thinking among students: A meta-analysis of 31 experiments and quasi-experiments
Authors: Zhang Wuwen , Guan Yurong , Hu Zhihua
Published: January 2024

In the context of our rapidly digitizing society, computational thinking stands out as an essential attribute for cultivating aptitude and expertise. Through the prism of computational thinking, learners are more adeptly positioned to dissect and navigate real-world challenges, poising them effectively to meet the exigencies of future societal landscapes. The paradigm of project-based learning, heralded as a potent educational methodology, significantly amplifies students' prowess in computational thinking. To delineate the nuanced interplay between project-based learning and its augmentation of computational thinking, we engaged in meta-analytical investigations, synthesizing outcomes from 31 distinct external experimental and quasi-experimental studies. Our analytical journey underscored that project-based learning markedly elevates students' competencies across five critical spectra: innovation, collaboration, critical analysis, algorithmic cognition, and problem resolution. Dissecting its impact across the K12 continuum reveals that primary students predominantly hone their collaborative acumen; middle-grade learners witness a pronounced ascent in creativity, critical, and algorithmic faculties, while the apex of high school education primarily sharpens critical analytical prowess. Thus, educators sculpting the contours of project-based learning should be calibrate their strategies, ensuring they resonate with the developmental and age-specific nuances of their audience, to fully unleash its latent potential in nurturing computational thinking.
The Climate Actions and Policies Measurement Framework: A Database to Monitor and Assess Countries’ Mitigation Action
Authors: Nachtigall Daniel , Lutz Luisa , Cárdenas Rodríguez Miguel , D’Arcangelo Filippo Maria , Haščič Ivan , Kruse Tobias , Pizarro Rodrigo
Published: January 2024

There are major gaps in the measurement of the adoption and stringency of countries’ climate actions and policies, notably in a manner coherent across countries, time, sectors, and instrument types. The Climate Actions and Policies Measurement Framework (CAPMF) aims to fill this gap. It is the most extensive structured and internationally harmonised climate mitigation policy database available to date. Currently, it comprises 130 policy variables, grouped into 56 policy instruments and other climate actions, covering 50 countries and the EU-27 as a block for the period 1990–2022. Results indicate that countries strengthened their climate action between 1990 and 2022 in terms of policy adoption and policy stringency, although at different paces. Policy adoption, policy stringency and policy mixes changed over time and differ substantially across countries and country groups. Importantly, regression analysis suggests a significant relationship between stronger climate action and greater emission reductions. Mitigation policies helped reduce emissions by about 12% in the last 5 years; most of this effect is attributable to a reduction in the energy intensity of the economy, and only residually to other factors such as a reduction of GHG intensity.
Population-Based Cancer Prevention Education Intervention Through mHealth: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Espina Carolina , Feliu Ariadna , González Vingut Albert , Liddle Theresa , Jimenez-Garcia Celia , Olaya-Caro Inmaculada , Perula-De-Torres Luis Ángel
Published: January 2024

Despite the high potential of mHealth-related educational interventions to reach large segments of the population, implementation and adoption of such interventions may be challenging. The objective of this study was to gather knowledge on the feasibility of a future cancer prevention education intervention based on the European Code Against Cancer (ECAC), using a population-based mHealth implementation strategy. A type-2 hybrid effectiveness-implementation study was conducted in a sample of the Spanish general population to assess adoption, fidelity, appropriateness, and acceptability of an intervention to disseminate cancer prevention messages, and willingness to consult further digital information. Participation rates, sociodemographic data, mHealth use patterns and implementation outcomes were calculated. Receiving cancer prevention messages through mHealth is acceptable, appropriate (frequency, timing, understandability and perceived usefulness) and feasible. mHealth users reported high access to the Internet through different devices, high ability and confidence to browse a website, and high willingness to receive cancer prevention messages in the phone, despite low participation rates in comparison to the initial positive response rates. Although adoption of the intervention was high, post-intervention fidelity was seriously hampered by the disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, which may have affected recall bias. In the context of the Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan to increase knowledge about cancer prevention across the European Union, this study contributes to inform the design of future interventions using mHealth at large scale, to ensure a broad coverage and adoption of cancer prevention messages as those promoted by the ECAC.

Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov from the U.S. National Library of Medicine, NCT05992792. Registered 15 August 2023 - Retrospectively registered https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05992792?cond=Cancer&term=NCT05992792&rank=1.
Extension of recommended cross section database for production of therapeutic isotopes
Authors: Tárkányi F. , Hermanne A. , Ignatyuk A. V. , Ditrói F. , Takács S. , Capote Noy R.
Published: January 2024

Radionuclide-based diagnostics and therapy require proper selection of production nuclear reaction based on knowledge of the production excitation functions and the achievable yields completed with data on the formation of possible impurities. In the present work the existing IAEA recommended cross section data database for production of therapeutic isotopes is extended to production of the 47Sc,47Ca(47Sc), 58mCo, 71As(71Ge), 71Ge, 77Br, 77Kr(77Br), 80mBr, 103Pd, 103Pd(103mRh), 103Ru(103mRh), 105Rh, 117mSn, 119Sb, 119mTe(119Sb), 134Ce, 135La, 149gTb, 161Tb, 165Er, 165Tm(165Er), 167Tm, 197mHg, 197gHg, 198gAu, and 230Pa(230U) radioisotopes. Nearly 60 nuclear reactions are presented and discussed. The new recommended cross-section data and their uncertainties for the production of these 21 radionuclides will be available on the Web page of the IAEA Nuclear Data Section at https://nds.iaea.org/radionuclides and also at the IAEA medical portal https://nds.iaea.org/medportal.
Cascaded transformer-based networks for wikipedia large-scale image-caption matching
Authors: Messina Nicola , Coccomini Davide Alessandro , Esuli Andrea , Falchi Fabrizio
Published: January 2024

With the increasing importance of multimedia and multilingual data in online encyclopedias, novel methods are needed to fill domain gaps and automatically connect different modalities for increased accessibility. For example, Wikipedia is composed of millions of pages written in multiple languages. Images, when present, often lack textual context, thus remaining conceptually floating and harder to find and manage. In this work, we tackle the novel task of associating images from Wikipedia pages with the correct caption among a large pool of available ones written in multiple languages, as required by the image-caption matching Kaggle challenge organized by the Wikimedia Foundation. A system able to perform this task would improve the accessibility and completeness of the underlying multi-modal knowledge graph in online encyclopedias. We propose a cascade of two models powered by the recent Transformer networks able to efficiently and effectively infer a relevance score between the query image data and the captions. We verify through extensive experiments that the proposed cascaded approach effectively handles a large pool of images and captions while maintaining bounded the overall computational complexity at inference time. With respect to other approaches in the challenge leaderboard, we can achieve remarkable improvements over the previous proposals (+8% in nDCG@5 with respect to the sixth position) with constrained resources. The code is publicly available athttps://tinyurl.com/wiki-imcap.
The protestant ethic and entrepreneurship: inside the black box
Authors: Nunziata Luca , Rocco Lorenzo
Published: January 2024

We provide one of the first investigations of the cultural and value dimensions through which Protestantism affects entrepreneurship by focusing on the historically predetermined religious minorities residing in the regions of the former Holy Roman Empire. By exploiting the minorities’ strong attachment to religious ethic, we find that Protestantism significantly affects the probability to be an entrepreneur and that the effect is relatively larger when we consider larger enterprises. A formal mediation analysis suggests that among the rich set of individual characteristics and values typically associated with entrepreneurship available in our data, the dimensions that mediate the effect of Protestantism are education and a taste for individualism. In particular, such mediating factors explain around 26% of the total effect of Protestantism on entrepreneurship.
Flow cytometric analysis of hepatopancreatic cells from Armadillidium vulgare highlights terrestrial isopods as efficient environmental bioindicators in ex vivo settings
Authors: Panza Giovanna , Montanari Mariele , Lopez Daniele , Burattini Sabrina , Ciacci Caterina , Fumelli Piermarco Paci , Pasini Giovanni , Fusi Vieri , Giorgi Luca , Grandoni Francesco , Papa Stefano , Santolini Riccardo , Canonico Barbara
Published: January 2024

Several studies have reported the high bioindication capacity of Isopoda (Crustacea, Oniscidea), which is related to their important ability to accumulate contaminants, usefulness in soil ecotoxicology and bioindication activities. Any change in the isopod population, diversity and life cycle can indicate relevant pollution levels. The analysis of target tissues, such as the hepatopancreas, is another emerging approach (from a cytologic/histological level) to detect contaminant accumulation from different sources. In this study, tissue disaggregation procedures were optimised in the hepatopancreas, and flow cytometry (FC) was applied to detect cell viability and several cell functions. After disaggregation, two hepatopancreatic cell types, small (S) and big (B), were still recognisable: they differed in morphology and behaviour. The analyses were conducted for the first time on isopods from sites under different conditions of ecological disturbance through cytometric re-interpretation of ecological-environmental parameters. Significant differences in cell functional parameters were found, highlighting that isopod hepatopancreatic cells can be efficiently analysed by FC and represent standardisable, early biological indicators, tracing environmental-induced stress through cytologic/histologic analyses.
Factors controlling Mn and Zn contents in leaves of silver and downy birch in acidified soils of Central Europe and Norway
Authors: Bílková Gabriela , Königová Michaela , Hýlová Věra , Elznicová Jitka , von Suchodoletz Hans , Flem Belinda , Matys Grygar Tomáš
Published: January 2024

In Central European mountain forests, foliar element concentrations (FECs) of manganese (Mn) in silver birch (Betula pendula Roth) are occasionally approximately 5000 mg kg−1 and can represent stress for these plants. Factors controlling the Mn FECs in silver birch in Central Europe and downy birch (Betula pubescens Ehrh.) in Norway have not yet been fully deciphered. In this study, the Central European silver birch specimens were sampled in 2022. The samples were analysed by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy. Norwegian data were obtained from the literature. Mn FECs are commonly negatively correlated with magnesium and, in certain areas, with potassium. Mn FECs are simultaneously elevated with zinc (Zn), likely because of soil acidification and anthropogenic emissions. Mn FECs in birch were previously thought to be related to altitude, which was assigned to (i) downslope washes of Mn or (ii) the historical load of acid emissions. The highest Mn FECs in silver birch were found in the Harz Mountains, Germany, and have been attributed to historical atmospheric contamination and the abundance of soils on felsic silicic rocks poorly buffering acid rains. The historical emission load from iron and steel production was hypothesised to be the cause of elevated Mn and Zn FECs in the Beskid Mountains, Czech Republic. Mn FECs in birch can be used to map historical soil acidification caused by industrial emissions. Zn FECs in birches can reflect soil contamination by this element.
Identifying and Characterizing the Poorest Urban Population Using National Household Surveys in 38 Cities in Sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Wehrmeister Fernando C. , Ferreira Leonardo Z. , Amouzou Agbessi , Blumenberg Cauane , Fayé Cheikh , Ricardo Luiza I. C. , Maiga Abdoulaye , Vidaletti Luis Paulo , Melesse Dessalegn Y. , Costa Janaína Calu , Blanchard Andrea K. , Barros Aluisio J. D. , Boerma Ties
Published: January 2024

Identifying and classifying poor and rich groups in cities depends on several factors. Using data from available nationally representative surveys from 38 sub-Saharan African countries, we aimed to identify, through different poverty classifications, the best classification in urban and large city contexts. Additionally, we characterized the poor and rich groups in terms of living standards and schooling. We relied on absolute and relative measures in the identification process. For absolute ones, we selected people living below the poverty line, socioeconomic deprivation status and the UN-Habitat slum definition. We used different cut-off points for relative measures based on wealth distribution: 30%, 40%, 50%, and 60%. We analyzed all these measures according to the absence of electricity, improved drinking water and sanitation facilities, the proportion of children out-of-school, and any household member aged 10 or more with less than 6 years of education. We used the sample size, the gap between the poorest and richest groups, and the observed agreement between absolute and relative measures to identify the best measure. The best classification was based on 40% of the wealth since it has good discriminatory power between groups and median observed agreement higher than 60% in all selected cities. Using this measure, the median prevalence of absence of improved sanitation facilities was 82% among the poorer, and this indicator presented the highest inequalities. Educational indicators presented the lower prevalence and inequalities. Luanda, Ouagadougou, and N’Djaména were considered the worst performers, while Lagos, Douala, and Nairobi were the best performers. The higher the human development index, the lower the observed inequalities. When analyzing cities using nationally representative surveys, we recommend using the relative measure of 40% of wealth to characterize the poorest group. This classification presented large gaps in the selected outcomes and good agreement with absolute measures.