bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Recent Trend in Joining of Metal to Polymer- A Review
Authors:   Modern Institute of Technology and Research Center, Alwar, Rajasthan, Rana Dr. Pritam Kumar
Published: January 2023

The metal-polymer hybrid system is widely used in automobile and aviation sector due to its lightweight characteristics. Besides, it has many advantages such as noise reduction and damping. Inclusion of these system improve the fuel economy, which eventually results in dramatic reduction of carbon footprint. One of the important metal-polymer hybrid system is sandwich panels. These are used as structural members by the transportation industries. Joining of polymers to metals is always a challenge because of their large property difference. Traditional joining methods are not recommended practice in sandwich sheet joining. Till now, many attempts are made to join polymers to metals. This paper highlights various difficulties and defects in joining of polymer to metals. Moreover, effect of process variables is also discussed in detail. The main objective of this review is to find out an efficient process for joining of metal-polymer composite and to establish a systematic approach of improving the quality of joints in sandwich sheets. Key Words: Metal-polymer hybrids, Sandwich sheets, Joining, Welding.
İŞLETMELERDE SUİSTİMAL FARKINDALIĞI: SİGORTA SEKTÖRÜNE YÖNELİK BİR İNCELEME
Authors: BİRCAN Gözde , TÜREL Aslı
Published: January 2023

Günümüzde suistimal, küresel anlamda işletmelerin karşı karşıya kaldığı ve işletmelerin sürekliliğini tehdit eden en yaygın problemlerden biridir. İşletmelerin sürekliliklerini sağlayabilmeleri ve faaliyetlerine devam edebilmeleri için suistimal ile mücadele konusu kritik önem taşımaktadır. İşletmelerde suistimal farkındalığının sağlanması ve korunması ise suistimal ile mücadele konusunun en önemli yapı taşlarından birini oluşturmaktadır. Bunun sebebi, işletmelerde gerçekleşebilecek potansiyel suistimallere karşı mücadele sürecinin, öncelikle o işletmede suistimal farkındalığının geliştirilmesi ile başlamasıdır. Çalışmamızda suistimal farkındalığının suistimal ile mücadele sürecindeki öneminden hareketle, sigorta sektöründe suistimal farkındalığı konusu Türkiye Sigorta Birliği’nin 2021 yılı Prim Üretim Sıralamalı raporunun sonuçlarına göre seçilen ilk on sigorta işletmesinin faaliyet raporları üzerinde yapılan içerik analizi yöntemiyle incelenerek değerlendirilmiştir.
PENINGKATAN PEMAHAMAN RESENSI MENGGUNAKAN MODEL PEMBELAJARAN COURSE REVIEW HORAY PADA SISWA KELAS XI SMA NEGERI 1 LAWE ALAS TAHUN PEMBELAJARAN 2021/2022
Authors: Nirma Al Adawiyah  , James Marudut  , Irfan Johari
Published: January 2023

Nirma Al Adawiyah, NIM. 17317001030. Improving Reviewer Understanding Using the Course Review Horay Learning Model for Class XI Students at SMA Negeri 1 Lawe Alas, Academic Year 2021/2022
This study aims to determine the improvement of reviewer understanding using the Course Review Horay learning model in class XI students of SMA Negeri 1 Lawe Alas in the 2021/2022 academic year. The number of samples in this study were 28 students, namely class XI IPS 1 . Based on the results of the research and discussion that have been described in the previous chapter, it can be concluded that the Improvement of Reviewer's Understanding Using the Course Review Horay Learning Model for Class XI Students of SMA Negeri 1 Lawe Alas in the 2021/2022 Academic Year. This is evident from the average value of the initial test of Improved Understanding of Student Reviewers is 58.21 with a standard deviation of 7.93 and an increase in the final test result score with an average value of 79.29 with a standard deviation of 5.93. and if it is associated with the Indonesian KKM score for senior high school of 75, the Improvement in Reviewer Understanding for the student's final test is included in good ability.
In addition, the observation value > ttable which is 11.14 > 2.05, thus from the results of testing the hypothesis above, it can be concluded that there is an increase in reviewer understanding using the Course Review Horay Learning Model in Class XI students of SMA Negeri 1 Lawe Alas in the 2021/2022 academic year.
EFFEKTIVITAS PEMANFAATAN MEDIA BLOG MENINGKATKAN KEMAMPUAN SISWA DALAM PEMBELAJARAN MENULIS CERPEN DI KELAS XI SMA NEGERI 2 LAWE BULAN
Authors: Dwi Azura  , James Marudut  , Rekaza Akbar
Published: January 2023

This study aims to determine the improvement of short story writing skills through the use of blog media in class XI students of SMA Negeri 2 Lawe Bulan in the 2021/2022 academic year. The population in this study were all students of class XI and a sample of 36 people. The method used in this study is an experimental method with a one group pretest and posttest design with data analysis using the "t" test. From data processing, it was found that the average value of the initial test of short story writing skills by students was 52.10 and was included in the poor category, with a standard deviation of 6.09 and an increase in the final test score with an average value of 87.36 and included in the good category, with a standard deviation of 7.33. Based on the results of the students' initial and final test scores and if it is associated with the KKM value of Indonesian language subjects for high school, it is 70, the students' short story writing ability is included in the good category. From hypothesis testing, it is obtained that the value of t count = 24.19 and in consultation with the value of t_table at a significant level of 5% = 2,030, thus t_count > t_table or 24.19 > 2,030 then the hypothesis is accepted. So it can be concluded that there is an increase in the ability to write short stories through the use of blog media in class XI students of SMA Negeri 2 Lawe Month in the 2021/2022 Academic Year.
Analisis Deskriptif Pengelolaan Kelas melalui Pendekatan Perubahan Perilaku
Authors: Dhiya Muhammad , Sayekti Siskha Putri , Bana Naailatul , Nurmaulida Nida
Published: January 2023

The behavior change approach has the potential to increase interest in learning. This study uses a qualitative descriptive method with an open observational approach. Observations were made at MI Al-Hidayah Cipayung school. The main observational findings state two core points: (1) Rewards can improve performance and the form can be in the form of simple appreciation (2) Punishment can bring benefits and the form does not have to be in the form of punishment. The behavior change approach can make the classroom atmosphere more conducive and directed if it is applied properly.
A Review on the Anesthetic Management of Patients with Neuromuscular Diseases
Authors: Radkowski Paweł , Suren Leona , Podhorodecka Katarzyna , Harikumar Sreedurga , Jamrozik Natalia
Published: January 2023

Context: Neuromuscular diseases (NMDs) are regarded as a clinically and genetically heterogeneous group of diseases characterized by weakening muscle strength and dystrophic changes in the muscle. Due to the nature of these diseases, it can be challenging for anesthesiologists to provide appropriate pain medications, symptom management, and other necessary techniques that are implemented to anesthetize the patient properly. Evidence Acquisition: This study was based on the available literature and the authors’ experience. The current study aimed to review the available anesthesia for patients suffering from NMDs. The search process resulted in the detection of relevant articles using valid keywords on electronic databases, including Embase, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library. Subsequently, 19 articles published between 2009 to 2022 were identified as eligible for this review. Results: When anesthetizing a patient with NMD, special attention should be paid to preoperative evaluation, medical-history taking, risk of difficult intubation or cardiac incidents, respiratory insufficiency, and frequent pulmonary infections. It is also necessary to keep in mind that these patients are at risk of prolonged paralysis, hyperkalemia, rigidity, malignant hyperthermia, cardiac arrest, rhabdomyolysis, or even death. Conclusions: Problems of anesthesia in patients with NMDs arise from the nature of the condition itself and the interaction of anesthetics and muscle relaxants with anticholinesterase drugs used in therapy. Each patient’s individual risk should be assessed before anesthesia. Therefore, it is important (and even necessary before major surgery) to perform a thorough preoperative examination to not only determine perioperative risk but also to ensure optimal perioperative follow-up.
Design and evaluation of a chemistry subject in an engineering degree
Authors: Almajano Pablos María Pilar , Darbra Roman Rosa Maria , Lalueza Baro Joana
Published: January 2023

The beginning of a new Degree at UPC was the opportunity to design a Chemistry subject from the start. It was designed under the criteria of focusing the process on student learning, following the indications of the last meeting of the European Higher Education Area in Rome, November 2020. The objective of the design was to comply with the regulatory requirements and incorporate the learning outcomes that were already defined in other engineering areas, as well as to facilitate the learning of students who had not studied chemistry in high school (between 20 and 30%). To this end, videos have been created with embedded questions, tests, summary preparation criteria, various cooperative work methodologies, ... to which part of the subject's grade (10%) has been assigned in order to facilitate student commitment to weekly completion. Each academic year (3 normal and one in confinement have been developed) an assessment has been made with the students, both of the methodology and the material. In all cases, they reflect that continuous work and immediate or very close feedback is one of the points that has helped them the most in their process. They have also commented (in each academic year) on possibilities for improvement in which they have been directly involved and have helped to bring it to completion. The material is currently ready to be made public on the University website and accessible to all students.
¿La desarticulación entre el Plan Integral de Cambio Climático de Antioquia y los planes de desarrollo municipales afecta las inversiones de las administraciones municipales?
Authors:   Contraloría General de Antioquia, Duque Rodríguez John Alexander , Castro Torres Gloria Patricia ,   Contraloría General de Antioquia, Ochoa Murillo Lina Tatiana ,   Contraloría General de Antioquia
Published: January 2023

El cambio climático –tema de gran relevancia a nivel mundial puesto que es una amenaza acelerada, existente y vigente para la humanidad, los recursos naturales y el ambiente– es considerado por muchos como uno de los mayores desafíos a nivel mundial. Lo anterior contribuido a que el gobierno de Colombia genere nuevas políticas territoriales, basadas en instrumentos de corto, mediano y largo plazo, en las cuales las administraciones municipales adoptan, revisan, actualizan e incorporan, en sus Planes de Desarrollo Municipal, acciones encaminadas a la mitigación de gases efecto invernadero y a la destinación de recursos financieros. Es por esto, que la Contraloría General de Antioquia, desde la Contraloría Auxiliar de los Recursos Naturales y del Ambiente, desarrolla el presente artículo con el fin de conocer si la desarticulación entre el Plan Integral de Cambio Climático de Antioquia y los Planes de Desarrollo Municipales afecta las inversiones de las administraciones municipales del departamento de Antioquia para la gestión de cambio climático. La metodología aplicada consideró un enfoque cualitativo, donde se analizaron las variables: instrumentos de planificación (Plan de Desarrollo Municipal y Plan Integral de Gestión de Cambio Climático de Antioquia) y las inversiones con recursos propios de las administraciones municipales en el componente de cambio climático en la vigencia 2021. Para lo cual, los resultados obtenidos evidenciaron que la desarticulación entre los planes mencionados, no afectaron las inversiones municipales ejecutadas. Así, con esta investigación se da apertura a posibles desarrollos de nuevos estudios o informes asociados, que permitan indagar o conocer factores que inciden en la eficiencia de las inversiones realizadas en cambio climático al no tener incorporado el Plan Integral de Gestión de Cambio Climático de Antioquia en los Planes de Desarrollo Municipal.
BEST PROXIMITY POINTS OF GENERALIZED p-CYCLIC WEAK φ-CONTRACTIONS
Authors: Nuntadilok Buraskorn , Kingkam Pitchaya , Nantadilok Jamnian
Published: January 2023

In this manuscript, we extend the notion of generalized cyclic weak φ-contractions to p sets, p ≥ 2. We investigate the convergence of best proximity points of such maps in p-cyclic complete metric spaces. We also give an example to support our main results. Our works generalize and improve the related results in the literature.
Pengembangan Sistem Informasi Kehadiran Siswa Berbasis Website
Authors: Panji Florensius
Published: January 2023

Abstrak
Penelitian ini menggunakan metodologi Research And Development (R&D). Langkah-langkah untuk mengembangkan sistem informasi kehadiran siswa berbasis website menggunakan model ADDIE yang merupakan singkatan dari  Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk  (1)Untuk mengetahui pengembangan sistem informasi Kehadiran siswa berbasis website di SMP Harapan Ananda Pontianak.(2) Untuk mengetahui kelayakan dari sistem informasi Kehadiran siswa berbasis website di SMP Harapan Ananda Pontianak. (3)Untuk mengetahui bagaimana respon dari guru setelah di implementasikan sistem informasi Kehadiran siswa berbasis website. Kelayakan sistem diperoleh dari hasil validasi kepada dua ahli sistem, hasil yang diperoleh dari ahli sistem adalah 4,55 dengan kategori “sangat layak” untuk hasil uji coba respon guru berjumlah 9 guru diperoleh hasil 4.39 dengan kategori “sangat layak”. Dengan ini dapat disimpulkan bahwa sistem informasi kehadiran siswa berbasis website sangat layak digunakan.
Abstract
This research uses Research And Development (R&D) methodology. Steps to develop a website-based student attendance information system using the ADDIE model which stands for Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation. This study aims to (1) To find out the development of a website-based student attendance information system at SMP Harapan Ananda Pontianak. (2) To determine the feasibility of a website-based student attendance information system at SMP Harapan Ananda Pontianak. (3) To find out how the response from the teacher after implementing a website-based student attendance information system. The feasibility of the system was obtained from the validation results to two system experts, the results obtained from the system experts were 4.55 with the category of "very feasible" for the results of the teacher response trial totaling 9 teachers obtained results of 4.39 with the category "very feasible". With this it can be concluded that the student attendance information system is website-based.
Cross-border tourist mobility as seen by residents of the Karelian borderlands: COVID-19 restrictions
Authors: Kondrateva Svetlana V.
Published: January 2023

This article offers a new approach to evaluating the significance of cross-border tourism for residents of the border region of Karelia amid COVID-19 restrictions. The work draws on data of a municipal-level survey of the region’s population (575 people), conducted by the author in collaboration with Dr Ekaterina Shlapeko in 2021. Analysis of the survey results has confirmed the customariness of cross-border tourist mobility for the Karelians and the essential role it plays in their lives. These are manifested in regular trips to the neighbouring state, frequent contacts with Finnish travellers, marked preferences and a network of contacts with Finnish residents and organisations. The COVID-19 restrictions affected the routines of the residents of the Karelian borderlands more severely than those of people living in the inner municipalities or the regional capital. The findings of the study provide a comprehensive picture of the significance of cross-border tourist mobility (border tourism) and point to spatial differences in the perception of the study phenomenon by the residents of border, interior and urban municipalities. When applied in practice, the proposed approach gives an opportunity to widen the range of possible administrative decisions and can serve as a tool of regional economic policy on tourism.
Ethnic minority organisations in Russia and Poland: a comparison challenge
Authors: Oskolkov Petr V.
Published: January 2023

This article proposes a framework for classifying ethnic minority organisations based on a broad combination of discursive and non-discursive criteria rooted in their political opportunities profile. One diasporic and one non-diasporic organisation were chosen for Russia and Poland, respectively. Diasporicity is understood according to William Safran’s criteria and Rogers Brubaker’s triadic configuration. The Russian study cases are Komi Voityr and the Russian Polish Congress; the Polish, the Silesian Autonomy Movement and the Belarussian House. The analysis of their status, activities, domestic and external political impact, localisation and role in the ‘triadic configuration’ has shown that the four cases are ethnic minority associations, and their legal status and scope of activities differ significantly. Their domestic political opportunities are rather scarce. Out of the four cases, just one organisation is an active part in Brubaker’s classical triadic configuration; its role is not traditional, ascribed to the respective ‘angle’. Although both Russian associations enjoy an official status, their activities are limited to the cultural, memorial and linguistic domains, primarily at the national level. In Poland, both associations act internationally as advocacy groups, and their activities are not confined to culture and language. Far from being universally applicable, the proposed classification framework can still add to the comparative ethnic politics toolkit.
Dismantling monuments as the core of the post-2014 ‘decommunisation’ in Ukraine and Poland
Authors: Filev Maksim V. , Kurganskii Anatolii A.
Published: January 2023

Drawing on a wide range of sources (Polish and Ukrainian legal acts, Russian and international media), this study looks at the ‘monument fall’ in Ukraine and Poland as part of the post-2014 memory wars. The purpose of this article is to identify the main patterns associated with the demolition of Soviet and Russian monuments in the two countries. The ‘decommunisation’ of public space is an element of Ukraine’s and Poland’s politics of memory, enshrined in legal acts. Its driving force is the Institutes of National Remembrance, whose priorities include dismantling Soviet and pre-revolutionary Russian monuments, which came into full swing after the beginning of Russia’s special military operation to denazify and demilitarise Ukraine. The official narratives allot Poland and Ukraine the role of victims of ‘two aggressors’ in World War II, which found themselves under ‘communist occupation’. Therefore, the politics of memory of the two countries seek to get rid of the ‘Soviet legacy’ as the legacy of the ‘occupying country’. Whilst Poland pursues ‘residual decommunisation’ focused on dismantling the remaining memorials to Soviet soldiers-liberators, Ukraine is committed to transforming ‘decommunisation’ into full-scale ‘derussification’. At the same time, the process of ‘re-Sovietisation/Sovietisation’ has been launched in the liberated territories of Ukraine. It consists in restoring previously destroyed monuments or installing new ones.
Role of Luspatercept in the Management of Lower-Risk Myelodysplastic Syndromes
Authors: M. Tinsely-Vance, PhD, APRN, AOCN Sara , Davis, MPAS, PA-C Mark , Ajayi, PharmD, MBA Olalekan
Published: January 2023

Treatment options are limited for patients with anemia associated with lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (LR-MDS). The recent approval of luspatercept for the treatment of anemia associated with very low- to intermediate-risk MDS with ring sideroblasts (RS) or with myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative neoplasm with RS and thrombocytosis has provided adult patients and practitioners with a much-needed new therapeutic option. Luspatercept is a first-in-class erythroid maturation agent that exerts its effects on later stages of erythropoiesis. In the phase III MEDALIST trial of patients with LR-MDS with RS, luspatercept (starting dose 1 mg/kg) demonstrated substantial clinical benefit (38% of patients treated with luspatercept vs. 13% of those treated with placebo [p < .001] achieved transfusion independence for ≥ 8 weeks during the first 24 weeks of treatment) and a favorable safety profile. The most common adverse events (AEs), including fatigue, asthenia, dizziness, and diarrhea, were more frequent during the first 4 treatment cycles and subsequently declined. This review provides a comprehensive overview of luspatercept treatment administration, including the mechanism of action, efficacy and safety data, management of dosing, and AEs associated with luspatercept treatment of patients with LR-MDS.
US-China Rivalry in Trade and Economic Relations with Latin American Countries
Authors: Molokoedov Daniil Igorevich , Sun' Syatsin
Published: January 2023

This article is devoted to the analysis of trade and economic relations between the United States and China with Latin American countries. This region is a sphere of competitive confrontation between the two countries not only for foreign policy ties, but also for trade and economic ones. The authors in this article show the peculiarities of the bilateral relations between China and the United States with Latin America and describe the process of changing US policy towards Latin America after 2017, when it radically changed after the Trump administration came to power, and Beijing, taking advantage of this opportunity, began to compete with Washington in this region. Also, in this article, the authors provide a comparative analysis of the indicators of trade and economic relations between China and the United States with the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. The scientific novelty of this work lies in the fact that, using the example of the transition of leading positions towards China, the authors, within the framework of the theory of "power transit" (Power transition theory), describe the competitive struggle of states in this region in trade and economic terms, which is inextricably linked with political relations. The main conclusions are that the United States is still an external force that cannot be ignored in Latin American international relations, while China has every chance of gradually displacing the United States from the foreign market in Latin America thanks to its economic projects with the introduction of leading Latin American countries in the economic sphere. The United States of America, in turn, is trying to maintain its position in this region by easing its economic and financial constraints and, thereby, inclining the political leadership of Latin American countries to its side.
Large Cohort Study Finds Possible Association Between Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome and COVID-19 Vaccination but Far Stronger Link With SARS-CoV-2 Infection
Authors: Rubin Rita
Published: January 2023

This Medical News story discusses a study that found possible associations between postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) and COVID-19 vaccination and SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Association of Lipid-Lowering Drugs With Risk of Psoriasis
Authors: Zhao Sizheng Steven , Yiu Zenas Z. N. , Barton Anne , Bowes John
Published: January 2023

Importance

Lipid pathways have been implicated in the pathogenesis of psoriasis, and some lipid-lowering drugs, such as statins, are hypothesized to have disease-modifying properties. However, large population-level studies are scarce, and causal interpretation of results from traditional observational designs is limited by confounding.

Objective

To investigate the causal association between genetically proxied lipid-lowering drugs and psoriasis risk.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This 2-sample mendelian randomization study was performed from August to October 2022 and included population-level genome-wide association studies of psoriasis in the UK Biobank and FinnGen studies and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) by the Global Lipids Genetics Consortium. The inverse variance–weighted method was used with pleiotropy robust methods and colocalization as sensitivity analyses.

Exposures

Genetically proxied inhibition of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl CoA reductase (HMGCR, targeted by statins), Niemann-Pick C1–like 1 (NPC1L1, targeted by ezetimibe), and proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9, targeted by, eg, alirocumab), using LDL as the biomarker.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Risk of psoriasis.

Results

Data from 12 116 patients with psoriasis and approximately 1.3 million individuals with LDL measurement were analyzed. Genetically proxied PCSK9 inhibition was associated with reduced risk of psoriasis (odds ratio, 0.69 per standard deviation reduction in LDL; 95% CI, 0.55-0.88; P = .003), which was replicated in FinnGen (odds ratio, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.57-0.88; P = .002). Sensitivity analyses did not provide statistical evidence of bias from pleiotropy or genetic confounding. No robust association was found for HMGCR or NPC1L1 inhibition.

Conclusions and Relevance

This mendelian randomization study suggests that PCSK9 is implicated in psoriasis pathogenesis, and its inhibition is associated with reduced psoriasis risk. These findings potentially pave the way for future studies that may allow personalized selection of lipid-lowering drugs for those at risk of psoriasis.
Variation in Use of Lung Cancer Targeted Therapies Across State Medicaid Programs, 2020-2021
Authors: Roberts Thomas J. , Kesselheim Aaron S. , Avorn Jerry
Published: January 2023

Importance

Targeted therapies for EGFR (OMIM 131550)– and ALK (OMIM 105590)–altered metastatic non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) substantially improve outcomes for some patients. However, use of these therapies is lower among Medicaid patients, and access to oncology care varies across state Medicaid programs. Evidence is lacking on how use of targeted therapies for metastatic NSCLC varies across state Medicaid programs.

Objectives

To characterize state-level variation in the use of targeted therapies among Medicaid patients with metastatic NSCLC and to describe factors associated with this variation.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This cross-sectional study used publicly available data from the Medicaid Drug Utilization Database from 2020 and 2021 and peer-reviewed data on NSCLC incidence, the prevalence of EGFR and ALK alterations, and expected treatment durations to estimate expected use of targeted therapies for EGFR- and ALK-altered NSCLC in 33 states.

Exposures

State-specific Medicaid programs and state policies and characteristics.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The primary outcome was the estimated proportion of person-time of Medicaid patients with EGFR- or ALK-altered NSCLC associated with receipt of targeted therapy in each state Medicaid program. Nested linear regression models examined associations between the observed variation and state policies and characteristics.

Results

There were an estimated 3461 person-years in which EGFR- and ALK-targeted therapies were indicated in 2020 and 2021. During these years, only 2281 person-years of EGFR- and ALK-targeted therapies were dispensed to Medicaid patients, suggesting that an estimated 66% of Medicaid patients with EGFR- and ALK-altered metastatic disease received indicated targeted therapies across all states. Rates of targeted therapy use ranged from 18% in Arkansas to 113% in Massachusetts; 30 of 33 states (91%) had lower rates of targeted therapy use than expected. The observed variation across state Medicaid programs was associated with Medicaid policies, the density of oncologists, and state gross domestic product per capita.

Conclusions and Relevance

This study suggests that rates of targeted therapy use among Medicaid patients with EGFR- and ALK-altered NSCLC were lower than expected and varied across state Medicaid programs. State policies and characteristics were associated with the observed variation, indicating where interventions could improve access to treatment and outcomes for patients with NSCLC.
The Benefits of Benchmarking—A New Perspective on Measuring Quality in Surgery
Authors: Barkun Jeffrey , Clavien Pierre , Pawlik Timothy M.
Published: January 2023

This Viewpoint discusses benchmarking as a new means to assess surgical quality.
Evaluation of Financial Relationships Between US Colorectal Surgery Fellowship Program Directors and Industry
Authors: Zorigtbaatar Anudari , Jayaram Anusha , Guidolin Keegan , Quereshy Fayez A. , Chadi Sami A.
Published: January 2023

This cross-sectional study evaluates the financial relationships between colorectal surgery fellowship program directors and industry.
Relationship between objective cognitive functioning and work performance among Japanese workers
Authors: Shibaoka Michi , Masuda Masashi , Iwasawa Satoko , Ikezawa Satoru , Eguchi Hisashi , Nakagome Kazuyuki
Published: January 2023

Objectives

We aimed to explore the relationship between objective cognitive functioning and work performance among Japanese workers.

Methods

From February to November 2019, this cross-sectional study enrolled workers aged 18–65 years from 10 companies located in a metropolitan area of Japan. We emailed invitations to participate to employees of companies that had agreed to cooperate with the study. We measured work performance with the question, “How would you rate your performance (compared with your optimum performance) over the past 4 weeks?” Responses were made via a visual analog scale (range: 0–100). Cognitive functioning was assessed using the THINC-integrated tool (THINC-it®). THINC-it® is a brief, objective computerized cognitive assessment battery. Associations between work performance and cognitive functioning tests were examined using logistic regression analysis.

Results

In total, 353 individuals provided e-consent to participate, of whom 276 were included in the analysis (after omitting those with missing values). The median work performance was used to divide participants into high- (scoring ≥ 80%) and low- (scoring < 80%) performing groups. The P-values for trends indicated that association between cognitive domains, such as attention, executive functioning and working memory was significant (P < .05). Work performance was significantly associated with cognitive function for the two tests that assess attention, executive functioning, and working memory in general workers.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that objective cognitive functioning may be related to work performance. Longitudinal investigations may allow for the establishment of causality.
Homocysteine thiolactone and H2O2 induce amino acid modifications and alter the fibrillation propensity of the Aβ25–35 peptide
Authors: Bag Sudipta , Konar Mouli , Roy Pritam , DasGupta Sunando , Dasgupta Swagata
Published: January 2023

Of the proteinaceous β‐sheet‐rich amyloid fibrillar structures, the Aβ25–35 peptide, a component of the full‐length Aβ involved in Alzheimer's disease, has similar toxicity to the parent peptide. In this study, the effects of homocysteine thiolactone (HCTL) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) on the conformation and fibrillation propensity of the Aβ25–35 peptide were investigated. Both HCTL and H2O2 induced amino acid modifications along with alteration in aggregation propensity. Methionine (Met)‐35 was oxidized by H2O2 and aggregation was attenuated following the increased hydrophilicity of the peptide due to sulfoxide/sulfone formation. The HCTL‐modified lysine (Lys‐28) residue destabilizes the structure of the peptide, which leads to fibrillation. Our studies provide important information regarding the relationship between amino acid modifications and the amyloid fibrillation process.
The emerging landscape of eukaryotic polyphosphatases
Authors: McCarthy Liam , Downey Michael
Published: January 2023

Polyphosphate (polyP) is a conserved polymer of inorganic phosphate residues that can reach thousands of moieties in length. PolyP has been implicated in cellular functions ranging from energy and phosphate homeostasis to cell signalling in eukaryotes from yeast to humans. Despite the interest in the role of polyP as a signalling molecule, the spatiotemporal regulation of polyP itself remains poorly understood. This knowledge gap limits our ability to understand how polyP impacts the physiology of normal and diseased cells and how this might be exploited in a therapeutic context. Polyphosphatases, enzymes that degrade polyP to generate shorter chains and free inorganic phosphate are ideally positioned to mediate polyP dynamics. However, little is known about how the activities of these enzymes are linked to specific cellular functions and how they might be regulated. Here, we provide an in‐depth overview of polyphosphatase enzymes in budding yeast, which has served as a workhorse for polyP research, and in mammalian cells where the enzymes that make and degrade polyP have remained elusive. We identify critical open questions in both systems and propose strategies to guide future work.
Laser‐Patterned Graphite‐Based Strain and Temperature Sensor on Disposable Paper Cup
Authors: Zhao Yuan , Li Chen , Qadir Awais , Li Hao
Published: January 2023

Flexible sensors have versatile applications in a home environment to create better ambient intelligence, which still have high fabrication costs and disposable value. As a proof‐of‐concept example to resolve these problems, the graphite‐based sensors on a disposable paper cup by laser patterning to measure the water level and temperature are proposed. The optimal process parameters of graphitic film, sensing mechanisms, and the sensor performance are investigated in the experiments. Moreover, the paper cup with graphitic sensors is simulated by the finite element method to analyze the experimental results. This fast and low‐cost manufacturing method may open up avenues for the development of disposable flexible electronics in smart home necessities.
Ultra‐Histocompatible and Electrophysiological‐Adapted PEDOT‐Based Hydrogels Designed for Cardiac Repair
Authors: Yu Chaojie , Yue Zhiwei , Zhang Hong , Shi Mingyue , Yao Mengmeng , Yu Qingyu , Liu Min , Guo Bingyan , Zhang Haitao , Tian Leqi , Sun Hong , Yao Fanglian , Li Junjie
Published: January 2023

Currently, although conducting polymers have exhibited potential electrophysiological modulation, designing bioinspired ultra‐histocompatible conducting polymers remains a long‐standing challenge. Moreover, the water dispersibility, conductivity, and biocompatibility of conducting polymers are incompatible, which restricts their application in tissue engineering. Herein, a multilevel template dispersion strategy is presented to produce poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene):(dextran sulfate/carboxymethyl chitosan) (PEDOT:(DSS/CMCS)) with biocompatibility superior to that of commercial poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) without sacrificing processability and conductivity. The PEDOT:(DSS/CMCS) and oxidized dextran solutions form an injectable PEDOT‐based hydrogel (PDCOH) mediated by dynamic covalent imine bonds under mild conditions. The PDCOH has a tissue‐matched modulus and conductivity to adapt to the mechanical environment of dynamic tissue and modulate fibrosis‐induced electrical decoupling. The PDCOH combined with adipose‐derived stem cells demonstrates superior cardiac repair effects over cell suspensions and nonconductive hydrogels, inhibiting ventricular remodeling, reducing fibrous scarring, promoting vascular regeneration, and restoring electrophysiological and pulsatile functions.
Nature‐Inspired Solar‐Thermal Gradient Reduced Graphene Oxide Aerogel‐based Bilayer Phase Change Composites for Self‐Adaptive Personal Thermal Management
Authors: Luo Zhuo , Yang Dongzhi , Liu Ji , Zhao Hao‐Yu , Zhao Tianyu , Li Bai‐Xue , Yang Wei‐Guang , Yu Zhong‐Zhen
Published: January 2023

Although personal thermal management (PTM) materials for daily routine environments are widely investigated, the exploration of multifunctional PTM materials with excellent feasibility in complex and outdoor scenarios is still in its infancy. Herein, inspired by the temperature regulation effect of the atmosphere, a novel design for fabricating solar‐thermal gradient reduced graphene oxide (RGO) aerogel‐based bilayer phase change composite (GRGC) featuring “energy regulation” and “energy inverse compensation” is proposed for self‐adaptive PTM applications. By integrating the solar‐thermal energy conversion ability of RGO, the heat regulation of the aerogel/octadecane bilayer structure with the unique gradient RGO framework inside, and the latent‐heat compensation of octadecane, the bilayer GRGC can serve as an efficient PTM device to mitigate drastic temperature changes of human skin in harsh environments. This multifunctional PTM device can not only keep a warm skin surface microclimate in a frigid environment of −5 °C via the synergistic effect of the solar‐thermal conversion, the aerogel thermal insulation, and the phase‐change latent heat release, but also provide efficient thermal buffering to prevent hyperthermia in hot environments through its phase‐change behavior and its thermal insulation. This gradient and bilayer design opens a new avenue for fabricating self‐adaptive PTM devices for applications in harsh environments.
Forage mixture productivity and silage quality from a grass/legume intercrop in a semiarid Mediterranean environment
Authors: Di Miceli Giuseppe , Licata Mario , Marceddu Roberto
Published: January 2023

In semiarid environments of the Mediterranean region, intercropping is a sustainable agricultural system of long standing. In this area, the pea (Pisum sativum L.) is one of the most commonly grown legume crops. Little information is available on the quality of silages to be obtained from forage mixtures of pea intercropped with cereals or annual grasses. In this study, two experiments were conducted over the course of two growing seasons in Sicily (Italy) with the aim to determine the biomass production of forage crop mixtures and assess, only in the second experiment, the silage quality of grass and legumes. Four cereals and one annual grass species were grown in pure stand and in mixture with pea, and their main agronomic traits were determined. The land equivalent ratio (LER), competitive ratio, and aggressivity index were also calculated. A number of parameters were considered to assess the quality of silage obtained from fermented biomasses derived from pea–ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam. var. Westerwoldicum) intercropping. In the first experiment, the best performance between the intercrops was recorded for the pea–wheat mixture. The total LER calculated for fodder yields was always greater than 1, indicating crop yield advantages ranging from 2.0% to 47.0%. In the second experiment, the pea–ryegrass mixture appeared to respond well, depending on plant arrangement and seeding ratio factors: the ratios 50:50 and 100:50 showed the greatest crop yield advantages, of 12.0% and 11.0%, respectively. All silages revealed a very good suitability of a pea–ryegrass intercropping system with high‐quality silage production in the Southern Mediterranean region.
Changes in the prevalence of underweight, overweight, obesity and excessive adiposity among adolescents from Kraków (Poland) in the years 1983–2020
Authors: Artymiak Paulina , Żegleń Magdalena , Kowal Małgorzata , Woronkowicz Agnieszka , Kryst Łukasz
Published: January 2023

Objectives

Improved living conditions affect lifestyles and may contribute to the increased prevalence of overweight and obesity among adolescents. The aim of the study was to analyze changes in the prevalence of underweight, overweight, obesity as well as excessive adiposity among teenagers from Kraków (Poland).

Methods

The study was conducted in four series in the years: 1983, 2000, 2010, and 2020. The study group included 1759 boys and 1699 girls aged 16–18 years. body mass index (BMI) was calculated on the basis of body height and weight. Adiposity was measured by bioimpedance method. Participants were grouped according to BMI categories using Cole's cut‐off points and according to adiposity based on mean and standard deviations values. The significance of the differences between cohorts was assessed by the Chi‐square test.

Results

Secular increase in the prevalence of underweight and overweight was observed among girls in most age groups. An increase in the prevalence of high body fat was also observed among 16‐ and 17‐year‐old girls ‐ the opposite trend was noted in 18‐year‐old girls. Contemporary boys had an increased prevalence of overweight and obesity in each age group.

Conclusion

There was a significant increase in the prevalence of body weight abnormalities in the study population. The observed results may be related to socio‐economic changes that adversely affect the lifestyle of the society. The results are also important in terms of the health of future generations and may be helpful in the development of new prevention and intervention programs.
A homozygous truncating ETV4 variant in a Nigerian family with congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract
Authors: Kolvenbach Caroline M. , Zheng Bixia , Merz Lea M. , Mertens Nils D. , Mansour Bshara , Wang Chunyan , Seltzsam Steve , Schneider Sophia , Schierbaum Luca , Pantel Dalia , Chen Jing , van der Ven Amelie T. , Bello Jibril O. , Shril Shirlee , Hildebrandt Friedhelm
Published: January 2023

Congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) are the most prevalent cause of chronic kidney disease that manifests in children. To date ~23 different monogenic causes have been implicated in isolated forms of human CAKUT, but the vast majority remains elusive. In a previous study, we identified a homozygous missense variant in E26 transformation‐specific (ETS) Variant Transcription Factor 4 (ETV4) causing CAKUT via dysregulation of the transcriptional function of ETV4, and a resulting abrogation of GDNF/RET/ETV4 signaling pathway. This CAKUT family remains the only family with an ETV4 variant reported so far. Here, we describe one additional CAKUT family with a homozygous truncating variant in ETV4 (p.(Lys6*)) that was identified by exome sequencing. The variant was found in an individual with isolated CAKUT displaying posterior urethral valves and renal dysplasia. The newly identified stop variant conceptually truncates the ETS_PEA3_N and ETS domains that regulate DNA‐binding transcription factor activity. The variant has never been reported homozygously in the gnomAD database. To our knowledge, we here report the first CAKUT family with a truncating variant in ETV4, potentially causing the isolated CAKUT phenotype observed in the affected individual.
Childhood growth and education migration among ethnic Tibetan children from Nepal
Authors: Quinn Elizabeth A. , Sangmo Jhangchuk , Burack Sarah , Childs Geoff
Published: January 2023

Background

Ethnographic work among high altitude populations has shown that children are highly mobile—the most recent expression of this is the educational migration of children born at high altitude to boarding schools at lower altitudes. The impact of these patterns of migration on size for age are unknown.

Aim

We investigated the association between growth in weight and height and educational migration in ethnic Tibetan children living in and out of their natal communities.

Subjects and methods

Five hundred and fifty eight children ages three to sixteen from the Nubri Valley, Nepal participated in this study. Three hundred children were living in natal villages and 258 were attending boarding schools in Kathmandu. Height, weight, and skinfold thicknesses were collected and matched to demographic data from the community.

Results

There was no association between altitude of family residence and size for age z‐scores. Males had lower z‐scores than females; z‐scores for both groups declined with age. Differences in size for age among children in boarding schools were associated with two factors: sex and type of boarding school (individual sponsor or group funded). Individuals attending individually sponsored schools had greater size for age compared to children in group funded schools or in their natal villages; younger children in collectively funded schools were smaller than village peers.

Conclusions

Despite popular perceptions, educational outmigration in Himalayan communities may not be associated with improved child growth outcomes and investment in community level schools may be a practical solution for improving child growth and physical and mental health.
Acute sleep loss decreases CSF‐to‐blood clearance of Alzheimer's disease biomarkers
Authors: Liu Haiyan , Barthélemy Nicolas R. , Ovod Vitaliy , Bollinger James G. , He Yingxin , Chahin Samir L. , Androff Brendan , Bateman Randall J. , Lucey Brendan P.
Published: January 2023

Introduction

Sleep deprivation increases cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) amyloid beta (Aβ) and tau levels; however, sleep's effect on Aβ and tau in plasma is unknown.

Methods

In a cross‐over design, CSF Aβ and tau concentrations were measured in five cognitively normal individuals who had blood and CSF collected every 2 hours for 36 hours during sleep‐deprived and normal sleep control conditions.

Results

Aβ40, Aβ42, unphosphorylated tau threonine181 (T181), unphosphorylated tau threonine‐217 (T217), and phosphorylated T181 (pT181) concentrations increased ∼35% to 55% in CSF and decreased ∼5% to 15% in plasma during sleep deprivation. CSF/plasma ratios of all Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarkers increased during sleep deprivation while the CSF/plasma albumin ratio, a measure of blood–CSF barrier permeability, decreased. CSF and plasma Aβ42/40, pT181/T181, and pT181/Aβ42 ratios were stable longitudinally in both groups.

Discussion

These findings show that sleep loss alters some plasma AD biomarkers by lowering brain clearance mechanisms and needs to be taken into account when interpreting individual plasma AD biomarkers but not ratios.
Revealing the Origin of Transition‐Metal Migration in Layered Sodium‐Ion Battery Cathodes: Random Na Extraction and Na‐Free Layer Formation
Authors: Chu Shiyong , Kim Duho , Choi Gwanghyeon , Zhang Chunchen , Li Haoyu , Pang Wei Kong , Fan Yameng , D'Angelo Anita M. , Guo Shaohua , Zhou Haoshen
Published: January 2023

Cation migration often occurs in layered oxide cathodes of lithium‐ion batteries due to the similar ion radius of Li and transition metals (TMs). Although Na and TM show a big difference of ion radius, TMs in layered cathodes of sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs) can still migrate to Na layer, leading to serious electrochemical degeneration. To elucidate the origin of TM migration in layered SIB cathodes, we choose NaCrO2, a typical layered cathode suffering from serious TM migration, as a model material and find that the TM migration is derived from the random desodiation and subsequent formation of Na‐free layer at high charge potential. A Ru/Ti co‐doping strategy is developed to address the issue, where the doped active Ru is first oxidized to create a selective desodiation and the doped inactive Ti can function as a pillar to avoid complete desodiation in Ru‐contained TM layers, leading to the suppression of the Na‐free layer formation and subsequent enhanced electrochemical performance.