bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of different anastomosis angles in radiocephalic fistula with modified functional end-to-side anastomosis
Authors: Xu Wei , Lu Guoyuan , Tang Weigang , Gong Lifeng , Lu Jingkui
Published: April 2023

Objective

Functional vein end to arterial side (ETS) anastomosis uses vein side to arterial side anastomosis with distal vein ligation, which is different from traditional ETS anastomosis. To date, there are no studies concerning different anastomotic angles of fistula with functional ETS anastomosis. The purpose of the study was to analyze the clinical outcomes concerning different anastomotic angles of functional ETS anastomosis in radiocephalic fistula.

Methods

Between January 2018 and December 2020, we performed a prospective cohort study concerning functional ETS anastomosis in radiocephalic fistula. According to vascular anatomy of patients, the anastomosis angles of fistula were designed at 30 ≤ angle ≤ 50°, 50 < angle ≤ 70°, and 135° smooth obtuse angle. The end points were the primary patency rate (PPR), the secondary patency rate (SPR) and the cumulative rate of reintervention (CRR) near anastomotic venous segment.

Results

124 patients with functional ETS anastomosiss were enrolled in this study. Pearson χ2 test showed that the group of 135°anastomosis angle had the maximum distance between arteries and veins, and the group of 30–50°anastomosis angle had the minimum distance between arteries and veins (P < 0.01). 30–50°anastomosis angle had the highest PPR at 12 months (P = 0.03) and the lowest CRR near anastomotic venous segment at 3 months (P = 0.04) and 12 months (P = 0.01). There were no significant differences among different anastomosis angles concerning the SPR within 12 months (P > 0.05). Kaplan–Meier and log-rank analysis showed that 30–50°anastomosis had the highest PPR (P = 0.03) and the lowest CRR near anastomotic venous segment (P = 0.01). A multivariable Cox model showed anastomotic angle was an independent factor predictive of the PPR (P = 0.04) and the CRR near anastomotic venous segment (P = 0.03). 50–70°anastomosis angle was a risk factor of decreasing PPR (P = 0.03). 50–70° (P = 0.01) and 135° (P = 0.03) anastomosis angle were both obvious risk factors of increasing CRR near anastomotic venous segment.

Conclusion

30–50°were the best anastomotic angles for functional ETS anastomosis, which had the highest PPR and lowest CRR near anastomotic venous segment.
Nanotechnology in agriculture: a review of genotoxic studies of nanopesticides in animal cells
Authors: Paz-Trejo Cynthia , Flores-Márquez Ana Rosa , Gómez-Arroyo Sandra
Published: April 2023

Agriculture has been and still is one of the most influential primary operations in economic history worldwide. Its social, cultural, and political impact allows the progression and survival of humanity. Sustaining the supply of primary resources is crucial for the future. Therefore, the development of new technologies applied to agrochemicals is growing to obtain better food quality faster. Recently, nanotechnology has gained strength in this field in the last decade, mainly because of the presumed benefits that will carry with it compared with the current commercial presentations, like the decrease of risk in non-target organisms. The harm of pesticides is commonly associated with unwanted effects on human health, some with long-term genotoxic effects. Therefore, it would be relevant to set the existence of a risk or a benefit of the nanopesticides from a genotoxic point of view, comparing against those without this technology. Although some studies are concerned with its genotoxicity in live aquatic organisms, few focus on human in vitro models. Several studies conclude that some of them can induce oxidative stress, leading to DNA damage or cell death. However, there is still much to investigate to establish an accurate and complete assessment. In this review, we aim to give an overview of the genotoxic effect caused by nanopesticides in animal cells and a guide to the evolution of this topic, offering a base and critical review to facilitate future research.
Phytoremediation potential depends on the degree of soil pollution: a case study in an urban brownfield
Authors: Fernández-Braña Alicia , Salgado Lorena , Gallego José Luis R. , Afif Elías , Boente Carlos , Forján Rubén
Published: April 2023

Phytoremediation is a cost-effective nature-based solution for brownfield reclamation. The choice of phytoextraction or phytostabilization strategies is highly relevant when planning full-scale treatments. A suitable approach to identify such species involves the evaluation of plants that grow spontaneously on the contaminated sites. Here, we sought to determine the phytoremediation potential of three spontaneous plant species, namely the trees Acer pseudoplatanus L (A. pseudoplatanus) and Betula celtiberica Rothm. & Vasc (B. celtiberica), and the shrub Buddleja davidii Franch (B. davidii), for the recovery of an urban brownfield. To determine the response of the species to the degree of contamination, we conducted soil and vegetation sampling inside and outside the site. The concentrations of As, Cu, and Zn in soil and plant samples were measured, and then various indexes related to phytoremediation were calculated. The translocation factor and transfer coefficient indicated that vegetation outside the brownfield had phytoextraction capacity while the same plants inside the brownfield revealed phytostabilization properties. Given our results, we propose that the selected species are suitable for phytostabilization strategies in areas with high concentrations of contaminants, whereas they could be used for phytoextraction only in soils with low or moderate levels of pollution.

Graphical Abstract
Machine learning-based detection and mapping of riverine litter utilizing Sentinel-2 imagery
Authors: Mohsen Ahmed , Kiss Tímea , Kovács Ferenc
Published: April 2023

Despite the substantial impact of rivers on the global marine litter problem, riverine litter has been accorded inadequate consideration. Therefore, our objective was to detect riverine litter by utilizing middle-scale multispectral satellite images and machine learning (ML), with the Tisza River (Hungary) as a study area. The Very High Resolution (VHR) images obtained from the Google Earth database were employed to recognize some riverine litter spots (a blend of anthropogenic and natural substances). These litter spots served as the basis for training and validating five supervised machine-learning algorithms based on Sentinel-2 images [Artificial Neural Network (ANN), Support Vector Classifier (SVC), Random Forest (RF), Naïve Bays (NB) and Decision Tree (DT)]. To evaluate the generalization capability of the developed models, they were tested on larger unseen data under varying hydrological conditions and with different litter sizes. Besides the best-performing model was used to investigate the spatio-temporal variations of riverine litter in the Middel Tisza. According to the results, almost all the developed models showed favorable metrics based on the validation dataset (e.g., F1-score; SVC: 0.94, ANN: 0.93, RF: 0.91, DT: 0.90, and NB: 0.83); however, during the testing process, they showed medium (e.g., F1-score; RF:0.69, SVC: 0.62; ANN: 0.62) to poor performance (e.g., F1-score; NB: 0.48; DT: 0.45). The capability of all models to detect litter was bounded to the pixel size of the Sentinel-2 images. Based on the spatio-temporal investigation, hydraulic structures (e.g., Kisköre Dam) are the greatest litter accumulation spots. Although the highest transport rate of litter occurs during floods, the largest litter spot area upstream of the Kisköre Dam was observed at low stages in summer. This study represents a preliminary step in the automatic detection of riverine litter; therefore, additional research incorporating a larger dataset with more representative small litter spots, as well as finer spatial resolution images is necessary.
Dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitor reduces tumor-associated macrophages and enhances anti-PD-L1-mediated tumor suppression in non-small cell lung cancer
Authors: Zuo Bei , Li Tao , Liu Xiaoyun , Wang Shuling , Cheng Jianxiang , Liu Xiangqun , Cui Wenjie , Shi Hengliang , Ling Chunhua
Published: April 2023

Purpose

The efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors such as programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) antibodies in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is limited, and combined use with other therapies is recommended. Dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4) inhibitors, a class of small molecule inhibitors, are highly effective for treating type 2 diabetes. Emerging evidence implicates DPP4 inhibitors as immunomodulators that modify aspects of innate and adaptive immunity. We evaluated the combination of a DPP4 inhibitor (anagliptin) and PD-L1 blockade in an NSCLC mouse model.

Methods

The effect of the combination of anti-PD-L1 and anagliptin was evaluated in subcutaneous mouse models of NSCLC. Tumor-infiltrating immune cells were analyzed by flow cytometry. Bone marrow-derived monocytes of C57BL/6 mice were isolated in vitro to examine the underlying mechanism of anagliptin on the differentiation and polarization of macrophage.

Results

Anagliptin dramatically improved the efficacy of PD-L1 antibody monotherapy by inhibiting macrophage formation and M2 polarization in the tumor microenvironment. Mechanistically, anagliptin suppressed the production of reactive oxygen species in bone marrow monocytes by inhibiting NOX1 and NOX2 expression induced by macrophage colony-stimulating factor, reduced late ERK signaling pathway activation, and inhibited monocyte-macrophage differentiation. However, the inhibitory effect was reactivated by lipopolysaccharide and interferon-gamma interacting with corresponding receptors during M1 macrophage polarization, but not M2.

Conclusions

Anagliptin can enhance PD-L1 blockade efficacy in NSCLC by inhibiting macrophage differentiation and M2 macrophage polarization, and combination therapy may be a promising strategy for treating PD-L1 blockade therapy-resistant patients with NSCLC.
Wirksamkeit institutioneller Prävention und Intervention bei sexualisierter Gewalt
Authors: Grieser Felicia , Wazlawik Martin , Derr Regine , Eppinger Sabeth , Kindler Heinz
Published: April 2023

Ausgangspunkt des Forschungsvorhabens SchuLae bildet die angestrebte flächendeckende Einführung institutioneller Schutzkonzepte in pädagogischen Kontexten. Im Zuge eines durch Schutzkonzepte in Gang gesetzten Organisationsentwicklungsprozesses sollen Orte des Aufwachsens für Kinder und Jugendliche zu Schutz- und Kompetenzorten werden. Ob Schutzkonzepte tatsächlich zu einem Rückgang von Viktimisierungserfahrungen und einer erhöhten Bereitschaft zur Hilfe(suche) führen, wurde bislang nicht empirisch erfasst. Der vom Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF) geförderte Verbund „SchuLae – Entwicklung und Wirkung von Schutzkonzepten in Schulen im Längsschnitt“ des Deutschen Jugendinstituts und der Hochschule Hannover untersucht daher die Wirksamkeit schulischer Schutzkonzepte sowohl quantitativ als auch qualitativ im Längsschnitt und fokussiert dabei die Perspektiven von Schüler*innen.
Assessment of Bone Health Awareness and Education in Breast Cancer Patients with Bone Metastasis in the USA
Authors: Flora Darcy R. , Schenfeld Jennifer , Saad Hossam , Cadieux Ben , Boike Guy , Lowe Kimberly A.
Published: April 2023

Bone metastases are common in advanced breast cancer (BC) patients and increase the risk for skeletal-related events (SREs), which present a significant health and economic burden. Bone targeting agents (BTAs) can improve health-related quality of life by delaying or preventing SREs; nevertheless, a significant portion of eligible BC patients are not receiving this therapy. A bone health education needs assessment survey was conducted to examine cancer-related bone health awareness and to identify opportunities to improve bone health education. Direct-to-patient outreach was used to recruit adult BC patients in the USA self-reporting a diagnosis of bone metastasis within the past 3 years. Of the 200 patients, 59% experienced at least one SRE prior to survey participation (44% radiation to bone, 29% bone fracture, 17% spinal cord compression, 15% surgery to bone), and 83% were currently receiving a BTA. Awareness of general cancer bone health, protection strategies against SREs, and screening tests were low to moderate. Patients currently not receiving a BTA were least knowledgeable about cancer bone health, with only 40% aware of BTAs as a protective strategy, and only 26% were very or extremely satisfied with the information received from healthcare providers. Sixty-two percent of patients wanted to receive information by more than one mode of communication. Notable gaps in bone health education were observed in bone metastatic BC patients at risk for SREs, suggesting the need for earlier and more effective communication and education strategies to promote appropriate BTA use and better health outcomes.
Contamination of tea leaves by anthraquinone: The atmosphere as a possible source
Authors: Li Cathy W. Y. , Walters Stacy , Müller Jean-François , Orlando John , Brasseur Guy P.
Published: April 2023

The detection of anthraquinone in tea leaves has raised concerns due to a potential health risk associated with this species. This led the European Union to impose a maximum residue limit (MRL) of 0.02 mg/kg for anthraquinone in dried tea leaves. As atmospheric contamination has been identified as one of the possible sources of anthraquinone residue, this study investigates the contamination resulting from the deposition of atmospheric anthraquinone using a global chemical transport model that accounts for the emission, atmospheric transport, chemical transformation, and deposition of anthraquinone on the surface. The largest contribution to the global atmospheric budget of anthraquinone is from residential combustion followed by the secondary formation from oxidation of anthracene. Simulations suggest that atmospheric anthraquinone deposition could be a substantial source of the anthraquinone found on tea leaves in several tea-producing regions, especially near highly industrialized and populated areas of southern and eastern Asia. The high level of anthraquinone deposition in these areas may result in residues in tea products exceeding the EU MRL. Additional contamination could also result from local tea production operations.
Litharge from El Centenillo and Fuente Espi: A Geochemical and Mineralogical Investigation of Spanish Silver Processing in the Sierra Morena
Authors: Krause P. , Klein S. , Domergue C. , Berthold Chr. , Jöns N.
Published: April 2023

Galena is treated as the most important silver ore in antiquity and especially in Roman mining history, but many other silver mineralisation and phases occur in the Earth's crust that also contain valuable amounts of silver for exploitation. This study addresses the silver-containing sulfosalts and how to decide between the alternative ores when only metallurgical remains are preserved and the mining context is not evident. Numerous samples of ore minerals, slags, lead metal and stones were collected by one of us (C. Domergue) over several years in the Spanish Sierra Morena, including two Roman foundry sites: Cerro del Plomo and Fuente Espi, both in the mining district of Linares-La Carolina. Cerro del Plomo is closely associated with lead-bearing ore veins near the foundry, while the mines that supplied Fuente Espi with lead ore have not yet been archaeologically explored. The metallurgical remains from the two foundries were analysed for their microstructure, mineralogy and phase composition using microscopy, electron microprobe analysis and X-ray diffraction. It was hoped that the litharge in particular would provide information about the ores used. Metal inclusions of copper and lead were identified, both still containing some silver. The cooling history and stratigraphy of the litharge cakes were developed and parallels drawn with earlier cupellation models. The litharge cakes from Cerro del Plomo and Fuente Espi are comparable in terms of microstructure and phase composition. Chemical and isotope analysis will follow and be the subject of a separate publication.
Linear local tangent space alignment with autoencoder
Authors: Ran Ruisheng , Wang Jinping , Fang Bin
Published: April 2023

Linear local tangent space alignment (LLTSA) is a classical dimensionality reduction method based on manifold. However, LLTSA and all its variants only consider the one-way mapping from high-dimensional space to low-dimensional space. The projected low-dimensional data may not accurately and effectively “represent” the original samples. This paper proposes a novel LLTSA method based on the linear autoencoder called LLTSA-AE (LLTSA with Autoencoder). The proposed LLTSA-AE is divided into two stages. The conventional process of LLTSA is viewed as the encoding stage, and the additional and important decoding stage is used to reconstruct the original data. Thus, LLTSA-AE makes the low-dimensional embedding data “represent” the original data more accurately and effectively. LLTSA-AE gets the recognition rates of 85.10, 67.45, 75.40 and 86.67% on handwritten Alphadigits, FERET, Georgia Tech. and Yale datasets, which are 9.4, 14.03, 7.35 and 12.39% higher than that of the original LLTSA respectively. Compared with some improved methods of LLTSA, it also obtains better performance. For example, on Handwritten Alphadigits dataset, compared with ALLTSA, OLLTSA, PLLTSA and WLLTSA, the recognition rates of LLTSA-AE are improved by 4.77, 3.96, 7.8 and 8.6% respectively. It shows that LLTSA-AE is an effective dimensionality reduction method.
Impact of cooling rate on mechanical properties and failure mechanism of sandstone under thermal–mechanical coupling effect
Authors: Guo Pingye , Zhang Peng , Bu Mohua , Xing Hang , He Manchao
Published: April 2023

High geo-temperature is one of the inevitable geological disasters in deep engineering such as resource extraction, space development, and energy utilization. One of the key issues is to understand the mechanical properties and failure mechanism of high-temperature rock disturbed by low-temperature airflow after excavation. Therefore, the experimental and numerical investigation were carried out to study the impact of cooling rate on mechanical properties and failure mechanism of high temperature sandstone. First, uniaxial compression experiments of high temperature sandstone at different real-time cooling rates were carried out to study the mechanical properties and failure modes. The experimental results indicate that the cooling rate has a significant effect on the mechanical properties and failure modes of sandstone. The peak strain, peak stress, and elastic modulus decrease with an increase in cooling rate, and the fragmentation degree after failure increases gradually. Moreover, the equivalent numerical model of heterogeneous sandstone was established using particle flow code (PFC) to reveal the failure mechanism. The results indicate that the sandstone is dominated by intragrain failure in the cooling stage, the number of microcracks is exponentially related to the cooling rate, and the higher the cooling rate, the more cracks are concentrated in the exterior region. Under axial loading, the tensile stress is mostly distributed along the radial direction, and the damage in the cooling stage is mostly due to the fracture of the radial bond. In addition, axial loading, temperature gradient and thermal stress mismatch between adjacent minerals are the main reasons for the damage of sandstone in the cooling stage. Moreover, the excessive temperature gradient in the exterior region of the sandstone is the main reason for the damage concentration in this region.
Three-axis high-accuracy spacecraft attitude estimation via sequential extended Kalman filtering of single-axis magnetometer measurements
Authors: Habib Tamer Mekky Ahmed
Published: April 2023

Magnetometer is a highly advantageous sensor for determining a spacecraft’s attitude. This article provides a solution to the problem of spacecraft attitude estimation using magnetometer measurements only. To ensure full observability of spacecraft attitude states, it is necessary to use at least two types of sensors. Consequently, utilizing a single sensor, such as the magnetometer, poses a significant challenge for any attitude estimation algorithm, including the extended Kalman filter (EKF). Moreover, implementing the EKF algorithm, or any other attitude estimation algorithm, is computationally intensive. To address these issues, an algorithm has been developed that estimates spacecraft attitude angles and attitude rates using a sequential extended Kalman filter (SEKF). This algorithm offers numerous benefits over those found in the literature such as high accuracy, low computational resource requirements, the ability to converge even with large initial attitude and angular velocity estimation errors, and the ability to function even if two of the three measurement channels of the magnetometer are not functioning. With these benefits, the developed SEKF algorithm is capable of operating in all spacecraft operational modes, delivering accurate performance and computation time. In spite of measurements with large noise values, the high accuracy achieved by the SEKF algorithm enables the magnetometer to serve as the sole source of attitude information, even if one or two magnetometer measurement channels are not functioning.
Effect of silica fume on the behavior of lightweight reinforced concrete beams made from crushed clay bricks
Authors: Ali Yahia M. S. , Abdelaleem Tarek , Diab Hesham M. , Rashwan Mohamed M. M.
Published: April 2023

Crushed over-burnt clay bricks (COBCBs) are a promising alternative to the natural gravel aggregate in lightweight concrete (LWC) production because of their high strength-to-weight ratio. Besides, COBCBs are considered a green aggregate as they solve the problem of solid waste disposal. In this paper, a total of fifteen reinforced concrete (RC) beams were constructed and tested up to failure. The experimental beams were classified into five groups. The control beams were cast with normal weight concrete (NWC), while the remaining four groups of beams were prepared from LWC. The test parameters were the concrete type, reinforcement ratio and silica fume (SF) content. The behavior of beams was evaluated in terms of the crack pattern, failure mode, ultimate deflection, and ductility. The experimental results suggested that the weight and strength of the concrete prepared satisfied the requirements of LWC. In addition, the increase in the reinforcement ratio and SF content improved the behavior of the beams. It is noteworthy that the SF addition caused measurable enhancements to the majority of the performance characteristics of LWC beams. Thus, COBCBs were successfully used as coarse aggregates in the production of high-quality LWC. Both ACI 318-19 and CSA-A23.3-19 made acceptable predictions of the cracking moment, ultimate capacity and mid-span deflection.
Traffic Forecasting of Back Servers Based on ARIMA-LSTM-CF Hybrid Model
Authors: Yao Erzhuang , Zhang Lanjie , Li Xuehua , Yun Xiang
Published: April 2023

Accurate server traffic prediction can help enterprises formulate network resource allocation strategies in advance and reduce the probability of network congestion. Traditional prediction models ignore the unique data characteristics of server traffic that can be used to optimize the prediction model, so they often cannot meet the long-term and high-precision prediction required by server traffic prediction. To solve this problem, this paper establishes a hybrid model ARIMA-LSTM-CF, which combines the advantages of linear and nonlinear models, as well as the periodic fluctuation characteristics of server traffic data obtained from banks. In addition, this paper also uses the optimized K-means clustering method to extract the traffic data of workdays and non workdays. The results show that the new hybrid model performs better than the single ARIMA and LSTM models in predicting the long-term trend of server traffic. RMSE (root mean square error) and MAE (mean absolute error) are reduced by 50%. R2 score index reached 0.64. The results show that the model can effectively extract the data characteristics of server traffic data, and the model has accurate and stable long-term prediction ability.
Prediction of ice accretion and aerodynamic performance analysis of NACA 2412 aerofoil
Authors: Ferdous M. , Haider Md. H. E.
Published: April 2023

Adverse meteorological conditions often contribute to the formation of ice on aircraft wing section, engine nacelle and other parts leading to the loss of lift coefficient and increase in drag coefficient affecting aircraft control and stability. This paper addresses the problem of in-flight icing on an asymmetric aerofoil under three different ambient and cloud conditions. The study involves prediction of the leading-edge ice thickness using a numerical model developed from the mass and energy conservation law and Messinger freezing fraction model at the same Reynolds number. Later on, degradation in the aerodynamic performance of the iced aerofoil was also investigated using the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) technique, taking the flow field around a 2D aerofoil geometry into account. The aerodynamic study indicates that cumulus clouds embedded with stratified clouds contribute to the formation of mixed ice on aerofoil leading edge and causes the worst icing scenario reducing the lift coefficient to 90% and increasing the drag coefficient to 800% for the same ambient conditions.
Coherent motions in a turbulent wake of an axisymmetric bluff body
Authors: Zhang Fengrui , Peet Yulia T.
Published: April 2023

The wake flow past an axisymmetric body of revolution at a diameter-based Reynolds number

$Re=u_{\infty }D/\nu =5000$

is investigated via a direct numerical simulation. The study is focused on identification of coherent vortical motions and the dominant frequencies in this flow. Three dominant coherent motions are identified in the wake: the vortex shedding motion with the frequency of

$St=fD/u_{\infty }=0.27$

, the bubble pumping motion with

$St=0.02$

, and the very-low-frequency (VLF) motion originated in the very near wake of the body with the frequency

$St=0.002$

–

$0.005$

. The vortex shedding pattern is demonstrated to follow a reflectional symmetry breaking mode, whereas the vortex loops are shed alternatingly from each side of the vortex shedding plane, but are subsequently twisted and tangled, giving the resulting wake structure a helical spiraling pattern. The bubble pumping motion is confined to the recirculation region and is a result of a Görtler instability. The VLF motion is related to a stochastic destabilisation of a steady symmetric mode in the near wake and manifests itself as a slow, precessional motion of the wake barycentre. The VLF mode with

$St=0.005$

is also detectable in the intermediate wake and may be associated with a low-frequency radial flapping of the shear layer.
MANDATORY BINDING DISPUTE RESOLUTION IN THE BASE EROSION AND PROFIT SHIFTING (BEPS) TWO PILLAR SOLUTION
Authors: Noonan Chris , Plekhanova Victoria
Published: April 2023

Binding taxpayer-initiated international dispute resolution has traditionally played a minor role in the international tax system. Despite being long pursued by corporate interests and increasingly accepted by developed countries, international tax arbitration has remained less developed and less respectful of private interests than investor–State arbitration. The binding multilateral dispute settlement endorsed by over 130 countries as part of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's Two Pillar Solution to issues raised under Action 1 of the Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) project marks a change and is noteworthy at a time when some States are reconsidering their consent to the international adjudication of trade and investment disputes. The design of international dispute settlement in the Two Pillar Solution, and the focus on the protection of multinationals from juridical double taxation, displays little appreciation of the experience with dispute settlement in international trade and investment over the past two decades.
Economic evaluation and costs of remote patient monitoring for cardiovascular disease in the United States: a systematic review
Authors: Zhang Yunxi , Peña Maria T. , Fletcher Lauren M. , Lal Lincy , Swint J. Michael , Reneker Jennifer C.
Published: April 2023

Background

Remote patient monitoring (RPM) has emerged as a viable and valuable care delivery method to improve chronic disease management. In light of the high prevalence and substantial economic burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD), this systematic review examines the cost and cost-effectiveness of using RPM to manage CVD in the United States.

Methods

We systematically searched databases to identify potentially relevant research. Findings were synthesized for cost and cost-effectiveness by economic study type with consideration of study perspective, intervention, clinical outcome, and time horizon. The methodological quality was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Checklist for Economic Evaluations.

Results

Thirteen articles with fourteen studies published between 2011 and 2021 were included in the final review. Studies from the provider perspective with a narrow scope of cost components identified higher costs and similar effectiveness for the RPM group relative to the usual care group. However, studies from payer and healthcare sector perspectives indicate better clinical effectiveness of RPM relative to usual care, with two cost-utility analysis studies suggesting that RPM relative to usual care is a cost-effective tool for CVD management even at the conservative $50,000 per Quality-Adjusted Life-Year threshold. Additionally, all model-based studies revealed that RPM is cost-effective in the long run.

Conclusions

Full economic evaluations identified RPM as a potentially cost-effective tool, particularly for long-term CVD management. In addition to the current literature, rigorous economic analysis with a broader perspective is needed in evaluating the value and economic sustainability of RPM.
Performative openness and governmental secrecy in fourteenth century Valencia
Authors: Franklin-Lyons Adam
Published: April 2023

In the fourteenth century, the urban council of Valencia tried to balance maintaining the secrecy of their government with a perceived need to publicise their actions. The council knew from experience that information vacuums could be dangerous. Feuds between noble groups made the urban council wary of the secret actions of council members. Food shortages and the anti-Jewish riots in 1391 also pressured the council to project a public face of action to quell urban unrest. In response, the city enacted a performative publicity: a public show of information dissemination concerning the normal operations of government that still occluded the actual discussions of the council.
Mandatory and seasonal vaccination against COVID-19: Attitudes of the vaccinated people in Serbia
Authors: Jovanovic Verica , Milic Marija , Dotlic Jelena , Cvjetkovic Smiljana , Jeremic Stojkovic Vida , Maksimovic Natasa , Sekulic Maja , Gazibara Tatjana
Published: April 2023

The aim of our study was to examine the position of vaccinated people regarding the proposal for mandatory and seasonal vaccination against COVID-19 in Serbia. A cross-sectional study was conducted in a sample of people who came to receive a third dose of COVID-19 at the Institute of Public Health of Serbia in September and October 2021. Data were collected by means of a sociodemographic questionnaire. The study sample comprised 366 vaccinated adults. Factors associated with the belief that vaccination against COVID-19 should become mandatory were being married, being informed about COVID-19 from TV programmes and medical journals, trust in health professionals, and having friends affected by COVID-19. In addition to these predictors, factors associated with the belief that COVID-19 vaccination should become seasonal were being older, consistently wearing facemasks, and not being employed. The results of this study highlight that trust in information delivery, evidence-based data, and healthcare providers may be a major driver of mandatory and seasonal vaccine uptake. A careful assessment of the epidemiological situation, the capacity of the health system, and the risk–benefit ratio is needed in order to introduce seasonal and/or mandatory vaccination against COVID-19.
The impact of 3D stereoscopic visualisation on performance in electron skin apposition techniques using VERT
Authors: Parker Ellis , Kirby Mike , Bridge Pete
Published: April 2023

Introduction:

The Virtual Environment for Radiotherapy Training (VERT) is a simulator used to train radiotherapy students cost-effectively with limited risk. VERT is available as a two-dimensional (2D) and a more costly three-dimensional (3D) stereoscopic resource. This study aimed to identify the specific benefits afforded by stereoscopic visualisation for student training in skin apposition techniques.

Method:

Eight participants completed six electron skin apposition setups in both 2D and 3D views of VERT using a 7 cm × 10 cm rectangular applicator setup to 100 cm focus skin distance (FSD). The standard deviation (SD) of the mean distance from each corner of the applicator to the virtual patient’s skin surface [which we define as apposition precision (AP)] was measured along with the time taken to achieve each setup. Participants then completed a four-question Likert-style questionnaire concerning their preferences and perceptions of the 2D and 3D views.

Results:

There was little difference in mean setup times with 218·43 seconds for 2D and 211·29 seconds for 3D (3·3% difference). There was a similarly small difference in AP with a mean SD of 5·61 mm for 2D and 5·79 mm for 3D (3·2% difference) between views. The questionnaire results showed no preference for the 3D view over the 2D.

Conclusion:

These findings suggest that the 2D and 3D views result in similar setup times and precision, with no user preference for the 3D view. It is recommended that the 2D version of VERT could be utilised in similar situations with a reduced logistical and financial impact.
Associations of maternal preterm birth with subsequent risk for type 2 diabetes in women from the women’s health initiative
Authors: Holman-Vittone Aaron , Monahan Brian , LeBlanc Erin S. , Liu Simin , Nassir Rami , Saquib Nazmus , Schnatz Peter F. , Shadyab Aladdin H. , Sinkey Rachel , Wactawski-Wende Jean , Wild Robert A. , Chasan-Taber Lisa , Manson JoAnn E. , Spracklen Cassandra N.
Published: April 2023

Preterm birth has been associated with insulin resistance and beta-cell dysfunction, a hallmark characteristic of type 2 diabetes. However, studies investigating the relationship between a personal history of being born preterm and type 2 diabetes are sparse. We sought to investigate the potential association between a personal history of being born preterm and risk for type 2 diabetes in a racially and ethnically diverse population. Baseline and incident data (>16 years of follow-up) from the Women’s Health Initiative (n = 85,356) were used to examine the association between personal history of being born preterm (born 1910–1940s) and prevalent (baseline enrollment; cross-sectional) or incident (prospective cohort) cases of type 2 diabetes. Logistic and Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate odds and hazards ratios. Being born preterm was significantly, positively associated with odds for prevalent type 2 diabetes at enrollment (adjOR = 1.79, 95% CI 1.43–2.24; P < 0.0001). Stratified regression models suggested the positive associations at baseline were consistent across race and ethnicity groups. However, being born preterm was not significantly associated with risk for incident type 2 diabetes. Regression models stratified by age at enrollment suggest the relationship between being born preterm and type 2 diabetes persists only among younger age groups. Preterm birth was associated with higher risk of type 2 diabetes but only in those diagnosed with type 2 diabetes prior to study enrollment, suggesting the association between preterm birth and type 2 diabetes may exist at earlier age of diagnosis but wane over time.
Fehlgeleitete Hoffnungen?
Authors: Langer Markus
Published: April 2023

Zusammenfassung: Algorithmusbasierte Systeme unterstützen zunehmend Entscheidungen mit zukunftsentscheidenden Konsequenzen. Um positive Aspekte algorithmusbasierter Systeme nutzbar zu machen und gleichzeitig Risiken im Einsatz zu minimieren, wird von verschiedenen Interessensgruppen die Rolle menschlicher Aufsicht betont. Ziel dieses Positionspapiers ist es, anhand des Beispiels algorithmusbasierter Personalauswahl und mit dem Fokus auf Fairness und Diskriminierung zu betonen, dass Hoffnungen, die auf menschlicher Aufsicht ruhen, womöglich fehlgeleitet sind und menschliche Aufsicht beim Einsatz von Systemen nur ein Puzzleteil für deren effektiven und sicheren Einsatz ist. Darüber hinaus müssen die Bedingungen effektiver menschlicher Aufsicht beim Einsatz algorithmusbasierter Systeme besser verstanden werden, wofür die Psychologie eine tragende Rolle spielen kann.
Berliner Studierfähigkeitstest – Psychologie (BSF-P)
Authors: Horstmann Kai T. , Biesok Andra , Witte Katja , Godmann Henrik R. , Fliedner Karla , Wilm Lisa , Doran Larissa , Ziegler Matthias
Published: April 2023

Zusammenfassung: Das Studium der Psychologie ist in Deutschland äußerst beliebt. Aufgrund begrenzt verfügbarer Studienplätze ist eine Auswahl der Bewerber_innen notwendig. Zur Selektion geeigneter Bewerber_innen wurde bisher vorwiegend die Note der Hochschulzugangsberechtigung verwendet. Dies ist seit einem Urteil des Bundesverfassungsgerichts von 2017 nicht mehr zulässig. Das Land Berlin erteilte daher den Auftrag zur Entwicklung eines Studierfähigkeitstests für das Fach Psychologie. Aufbauend auf einer ausführlichen Anforderungsanalyse wurde der Berliner Studierfähigkeitstest – Psychologie zur Erfassung studienfachbezogener Studierfähigkeit entwickelt und an zwei Konstruktionsstichproben revidiert. Die Messwerte des BSF-P zeigen gute Reliabilität und Validität und können zur Auswahl von Studierenden verwendet werden. Der Einsatz des Verfahrens erlaubt zudem eine faire Auswahl von Bewerber_innen und führt langfristig zu einer diverseren Studierendenschaft im Fach Psychologie.
Trapdoor Fault Activation: A Step Toward Caldera Collapse at Sierra Negra, Galápagos, Ecuador
Authors: Shreve T. , Delgado F.
Published: April 2023

The 2018 Sierra Negra eruption resulted in meter‐scale subsidence due to basaltic magma extraction from a deflating reservoir. The eruption was also characterized by dike intrusions, >4 MW earthquakes, and sulfur dioxide emissions. We use a combination of Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar, Digital Elevation Model, Global Positioning System and seismic data to assess conditions required to trigger episodic caldera collapse at Sierra Negra. The 2018 effusive eruption was mainly sourced from a horizontal sill located at ∼2 km depth, with a minimum erupted bulk volume of 0.19 km3. The modeled reservoir is bound by a C‐shaped ring of seismicity, suggesting trapdoor fault slip. Two >4.5 MW earthquakes (5 and 22 July 2018) produced localized subsidence north of the southern trapdoor fault. After removing the modeled subsidence signal, distributed normal trapdoor fault slip explains the location of residual displacement. Furthermore, distributed fault models indicate slip occurred along the northern, central and southern segments of the trapdoor fault during the entire eruption, until 25 August 2018. Theoretical models of caldera collapse estimate that an erupted volume of 0.19 km3 is too small to trigger full‐scale caldera collapse, given the caldera aspect ratio (depth/diameter) of 0.22. Nonetheless, the spatial distribution and duration of seismicity and slip suggest trapdoor fault activation is the initial stage of caldera collapse at Sierra Negra, which may lead to full‐scale caldera collapse during larger eruptions. Alternatively, hundreds of medium‐sized eruptions, similar to that of 2018, may have triggered fault slip events over the past millennia.
Tumor microenvironment-responsive metal nanotherapeutics for breast cancer chemo-/immunotherapy
Authors: Liu Jinggong , Li Wenying , Lin Yongpeng , Peng Yongjun , Zhan Meixiao , Lai Haoqiang , Chang Yanzhou , Li Yongjin , Wong Ka-hing , Chen Bolai , Chen Tianfeng
Published: April 2023

Many metal complexes not only had excellent cytotoxic antitumor effects but also could function as a positive immunomodulatory to improve antitumor effects by modifying the local tumor microenvironment. Herein, a dual-target nanotherapeutics (MP3/ACPP/AE105@NPs) with uPAR targeting and tumor microenvironment-responsive ability was developed by using AE105 as the targeting ligand and ACPP as the tumor microenvironment-responsive peptide to locate the metal complex to cells. Assisted by the surface modification, MP3/ACPP/AE105@NPs demonstrated excellent cellular uptake of the drugs in in vitro experiments, thereby enhancing the therapeutic utility of the loaded metal complex. The nanotherapeutics induced the excessive ROS generation by inhibiting the activity of TrxR and modulated those proteins which were related to metastasis through inhibiting ERK/AKT activation mediated by FAK in MDA-MB-231 cells. This nanotherapeutics could also significantly improve the therapeutic benefits in vivo accompanied by reduced toxic side effects. Importantly, MP3/ACPP/AE105@NPs treatment stimulated immunotherapeutic response, which was indicated by the activation of tumor-infiltrated cytotoxic T cells, and improved the maturation of dendritic cells (DCs), and the proliferation-inhibitory effect of tumor-associated M2 macrophages. Taken together, the results suggested that this dual-targeted nanotherapeutics offered new opportunities for boosting the synergistic treatment of breast cancer with chemotherapy and immunotherapy.
High expression of RNF31 is associated with tumor immune cell infiltration and leads to poor prognosis in liver hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Xi Guifu , Cheng Runfen , Liang Leiting , Che Na , Wang Yalei , Zhao Nan , Liang Xiaohui , Shao Bing , Zhao Xiulan , Zhang Danfang
Published: April 2023

Ring finger protein 31 (RNF31) has been found to play an important role in tumor immunity. However, the role of RNF31 in liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC) has not been reported. Therefore, we investigated the expression and prognostic value of RNF31 in patients with LIHC and explored its relationship with immune cell infiltration. The Cancer Genome Atlas liver hepatocellular carcinoma (TCGA-LIHC) dataset was downloaded to analyse the impact of RNF31 on the prognosis and immune cell infiltration of LIHC. The Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER) database was used to analyse the correlation between RNF31 and tumor immune cell infiltration in LIHC. Additionally, we analysed the relationship between RNF31 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) as well as the interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) signaling pathway. The expression of RNF31 in LIHC was significantly higher than that in normal tissues. Increased RNF31 expression was associated with decreased overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS). An increase in RNF31 expression was closely related to the infiltration levels of immune cells (e.g., natural killer (NK) cells, CD8 + T cells, and B cells). RNF31 was also positively correlated with the expression of immune checkpoint genes in LIHC. Moreover, RNF31 may participate in TNF and IFN-γ signaling pathways. In conclusion, RNF31 is a potentially valuable prognostic biomarker in LIHC. RNF31 is also associated with immune cell infiltration in LIHC. RNF31 may be a potential target for immunotherapy of LIHC.
Ancient DNA suggests anaemia and low bone mineral density as the cause for porotic hyperostosis in ancient individuals
Authors: Ferrando-Bernal Manuel
Published: April 2023

Porotic hyperostosis (PH) is a disease that had high prevalence during the Neolithic. Several hypotheses have been suggested to explain the origin of the disease, such as an iron deficiency diet, low B12 intake, malaria caused byPlasmodiumspp., low haemoglobin levels or low vitamin D levels. None of these hypotheses have been tested genetically. Here, I calculated different genetic scores to test each hypothesis. Additionally, I calculated a genetic score of bone mineral density as it is a phenotype that seems to be selected in ancient Europeans. I apply these genetic scores on 80 ancient samples, 33 with diagnosed PH. The results seem to suggest anaemia and low bone mineral density as the main cause for this disease. Additionally, Neolithic individuals show the lowest genetic risk score for bone mineral density of all other periods tested here, which may explain the highest prevalence of the porotic hyperostosis during this age.
Simulation of the water-based hybrid nanofluids flow through a porous cavity for the applications of the heat transfer
Authors: Gul Taza , Nasir Saleem , Berrouk Abdallah S. , Raizah Zehba , Alghamdi Wajdi , Ali Ishtiaq , Bariq Abdul
Published: April 2023

This study looks at the natural convections of Cu + Al2O3/H2O nanofluid into a permeable chamber. The magnetic field is also executed on the flow field and the analysis has been approached numerically by the control volume method. The study of hybrid nanofluid heat in terms of the transfer flux was supplemented with a wide range of parameters of hybrid nanofluid fractions, Rayleigh numbers Hartmann numbers and porosity factor. It's also determined that the flow and thermal distribution are heavily affected by the concentration of the nanoparticles. The concentration of nanoparticles increases the transport of convective energy inside the enclosure. The primary findings demonstrate that a rise in both the Rayleigh number and Darcy number leads to an improvement in convective heat transfer within the enclosure. However, the porosity has a negligible effect. Additionally, the rotation in a clockwise direction has a beneficial impact on the dispersion of heat transfer throughout the cavity. Furthermore, it is concluded that hybrid nanofluids are more reliable than conventional fluids in improving thermal properties.
Surgical starting time of the day and survival in gastric cancer
Authors: Gao Yunhe , Xi Hongqing , Mattsson Fredrik , Liang Wenquan , Xie Shao-Hua , Chen Lin , Lagergren Jesper
Published: April 2023

Previous studies indicate differences in short-term postoperative outcomes depending on the surgical starting time of the day, but long-term data are lacking. The aim of this study was to clarify if surgical starting time of the day influences long-term survival in gastric cancer patients. This cohort study consecutively included 2728 patients who underwent curatively intended gastrectomy for gastric cancer in 2011–2015 at a high-volume hospital in China, with follow-up until June 2019. Cox regression provided hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for 3-year all-cause mortality, adjusted for age, sex, health insurance, pathological tumor stage, surgical approach, neoadjuvant therapy, and weekday of surgery. Compared with patients with early starting time of gastrectomy (08:00–09:29), the point estimates for 3-year all-cause mortality were modestly increased in patients with a starting time in the middle of day (09:30–13:29; HR 1.15, 95% CI 0.97 to 1.37) and later (13:30–21:25; HR 1.10, 0.91 to 1.32). The corresponding HRs were increased particularly in patients who underwent laparoscopic gastrectomy (HR 1.54, 1.10 to 2.14 and HR 1.59, 1.12 to 2.25, respectively) and in those with stage II tumors (HR 1.74, 1.11 to 2.73 and HR 1.60, 1.00 to 2.58, respectively). Our study indicated that in patients who underwent laparoscopic gastrectomy and in those who with stage II tumors, starting surgery in the early morning might be associated with better long-term survival.