bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Financial toxicity in cancer patients treated with radiotherapy in Germany—a cross-sectional study
Authors: Fabian Alexander , Domschikowski Justus , Greiner Wolfgang , Bockelmann Gunnar , Karsten Elias , Rühle Alexander , Nicolay Nils H. , Grosu Anca L. , Dunst Jürgen , Krug David 
Published: April 2022

Abstract
Purpose
Financial toxicity arises in cancer patients from subjective financial distress due to objective financial burden from the disease or treatment. Financial toxicity associates with worse outcomes. It has not been described in cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy in Germany and its publicly funded health system. In this context, we therefore investigated the prevalence of financial toxicity, associated risk factors, and patient preferences on communication of financial burden.

Methods
We conducted a preregistered (https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/KH6VX) cross-sectional study surveying patients at the end of their course of radiotherapy in two institutions. Objective financial burden was assessed by direct costs and loss of income. Financial toxicity was measured by subjective financial distress per EORTC QLQ-C30. We used Spearman’s correlation and Fisher’s exact test for univariate analysis, an ordinal regression for multivariate analysis. A p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results
Of the 100 patients participating in the study, 68% reported direct costs, 25% loss of income, and 31% subjective financial distress. Per univariate analysis, higher subjective financial distress was significantly associated with active employment, lower quality of life, lower household income, higher direct costs, and higher loss of income. The latter three factors remained statistically significant in the multivariate analysis. A relative majority of the patients welcomed communication regarding financial burden with their radiation oncologist.

Conclusion
Financial toxicity is prevalent in cancer patients treated with radiotherapy in Germany. The reported risk factors may help to identify patients at risk. Future studies should validate these results and investigate interventions for financial toxicity to potentially improve outcomes.
On the function of lead (Pb) in machining brass alloys
Authors: Johansson Jakob , Alm Per , M’Saoubi Rachid , Malmberg Per , Ståhl Jan-Eric , Bushlya Volodymyr 
Published: April 2022

AbstractLead has traditionally been added to brass alloys to achieve high machinability, but the exact mechanisms at work are still debated. Lead-free brass alternatives could be developed if these mechanisms were better understood. Accordingly, machinability characteristics were investigated for two brass alloys with similar mechanical properties and phase composition, but with very different machining characteristics because one has 3 wt.% lead (CuZn38Pb3) while the other has only 0.1 wt.% (CuZn42). The effect of the lead was investigated using infrared temperature measurement, electron microscopy, secondary ion mass spectroscopy, quick-stop methods, and high-speed filming. Neither melting of lead nor its deposition on the tool rake surface takes place during machining thus confirming its limited lubrication and tribological effects. Instead, the main role of lead is to promote discontinuous chip formation. Lead deforms to flake-like shapes that act as crack initiation points when the workpiece material passes through the primary deformation zone. This effect prevents the development of stable tool–chip contact, thus lowering cutting forces, friction, and process temperature.
Effect of pomegranate supplementation on the wine yeast response to acidic and osmotic stresses
Authors: Caridi Andrea , Nicolò Antonella , Modafferi Antonino , De Bruno Alessandra 
Published: April 2022

AbstractThe aim of the present work was to verify in winemaking the anti-stress efficacy due to the integration of the grape must with two protectants: pomegranate albedo and pomegranate arils; these substances had displayed in vitro anti-stress effects. The effect of pomegranate supplementation on stress tolerance of five strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, one wild type and four descendants, against fermentation in grape must with high sugar content (30°brix) and high acidity (pH 3.00) was studied. So, micro-winemaking trials were carried out using grape must, as it is or supplemented at 2% with pomegranate albedo or with pomegranate arils, inoculated in duplicate with the yeast strains. At the end of winemaking, ethanol and acetic acid content, colour intensity, total phenolic content, and total antioxidant activity by DPPH and ABTS assays were analysed. The results shown the possibility to use pomegranate as protective agent in winemaking with high sugar content and high acidity giving wines in which the fermentable sugars will be fermented with acceptable acetic acid content, very high colour intensity values, very high total phenolic content, and very high antioxidant activity, expressed as DPPH and ABTS values.
Caribbean king crab larvae and juveniles show tolerance to ocean acidification and ocean warming
Authors: Gravinese Philip M. , Perry Shelby A. , Spadaro Angelo Jason , Boyd Albert E. , Enochs Ian C. 
Published: April 2022

AbstractCoastal habitats are experiencing decreases in seawater pH and increases in temperature due to anthropogenic climate change. The Caribbean king crab, Maguimithrax spinosissimus, plays a vital role on Western Atlantic reefs by grazing macroalgae that competes for space with coral recruits. Therefore, identifying its tolerance to anthropogenic stressors is critically needed if this species is to be considered as a potential restoration management strategy in coral reef environments. We examined the effects of temperature (control: 28 °C and elevated: 31 °C) and pH (control: 8.0 and reduced pH: 7.7) on the king crab’s larval and early juvenile survival, molt-stage duration, and morphology in a fully crossed laboratory experiment. Survival to the megalopal stage was reduced (13.5% lower) in the combined reduced pH and elevated temperature treatment relative to the control. First-stage (J1) juveniles delayed molting by 1.5 days in the reduced pH treatment, while second-stage (J2) crabs molted 3 days earlier when exposed to elevated temperature. Juvenile morphology did not differ among treatments. These results suggests that juvenile king crabs are tolerant to changes associated with climate change. Given the important role of the king crab as a grazer of macroalgae, its tolerance to climate stressors suggests that it could benefit restoration efforts aimed at making coral reefs more resilient to increasingly warm and acidic oceans into the future.
Auf dünnem Eis
Authors: Portmann Edy 
Published: April 2022

ZusammenfassungMit seiner Common-Sense-Kolumne macht Edy Portmann auf die Probleme rund um Pseudoexaktheit aufmerksam. Am Beispiel der Polerforschung vor mehr als hundert Jahren zeigt er auf, dass die Wissenschaft manchmal zu grossen Wert auf Zahlen legt. Als Lösung schlägt er dieser vor, künftig auch Worten (mehr) Vertrauen zu schenken.
Executive functioning moderates the decline of retrieval fluency in time
Authors: Michalko Drahomír , Marko Martin , Riečanský Igor 
Published: April 2022

AbstractPrevailing theoretical accounts consider that automatic and controlled processes are uniformly engaged in memory retrieval across performance of the semantic verbal fluency (SVF) task. We tested this proposal against the alternative, namely that a rapid automatic retrieval, exploiting stable associative structure in the early stages of the performance, is followed by a slower, more executively demanding, retrieval in later stages. Eighty-five healthy adults completed low- and high-demand SVF tasks that were assessed for retrieval rate, response typicality, and inter-response similarity across the performance. Additional measures of executive functioning were collected to estimate individual differences in executive control. We found that decrease in fluency in time was associated with lower typicality and weaker semantic similarity of the responses. Critically, the time-dependent retrieval slowing was steeper in individuals with less efficient interference control, particularly in high-demand SVF tasks. Steeper retrieval slowing was also associated with poorer working-memory capacity. Our findings show that the relative contribution of automatic and controlled processes to semantic retrieval changes with associative sparsity over time and across task demands, and provide implications for the use of SVF tasks in clinical assessment.
Financial toxicity of cancer care in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Donkor Andrew , Atuwo-Ampoh Vivian Della , Yakanu Frederick , Torgbenu Eric , Ameyaw Edward Kwabena , Kitson-Mills Doris , Vanderpuye Verna , Kyei Kofi Adesi , Anim-Sampong Samuel , Khader Omar , Khader Jamal 
Published: April 2022

Abstract

Introduction
The costs associated with cancer diagnosis, treatment and care present enormous financial toxicity. However, evidence of financial toxicity associated with cancer in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is scarce.

Aim
To determine the prevalence, determinants and how financial toxicity has been measured among cancer patients in LMICs.

Methods
Four electronic databases were searched to identify studies of any design that reported financial toxicity among cancer patients in LMICs. Random-effects meta-analysis was used to derive the pooled prevalence of financial toxicity. Sub-group analyses were performed according to costs and determinants of financial toxicity.

Results
A total of 31 studies were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of objective financial toxicity was 56.96% (95% CI, 30.51, 106.32). In sub-group meta-analyses, the objective financial toxicity was higher among cancer patients with household size of more than four (1.17% [95% CI, 1.03, 1.32]; p = 0.02; I2 = 0%), multiple cycles of chemotherapy (1.94% [95% CI, 1.00, 3.75]; p = 0.05; I2 = 43%) and private health facilities (2.87% [95% CI, 1.89, 4.35]; p < 0.00001; I2 = 26%). Included studies hardly focused primarily on subjective measures of financial toxicity, such as material, behavioural and psychosocial. One study reported that 35.4% (n = 152 of 429) of cancer patients experienced high subjective financial toxicity.

Conclusions
This study indicates that cancer diagnosis, treatment and care impose high financial toxicity on cancer patients in LMICs. Further rigorous research on cancer-related financial toxicity is needed.
Big 5, Little Choice? Lehren aus der Pandemie für die Regional- und Binnennachfrage nach Safaridestinationen
Authors: Bollmann Manuel 
Published: April 2022

ZusammenfassungAuf das südliche Afrika verteilte sich vor der Pandemie circa 2 % des weltweiten internationalen Reiseaufkommens. Davon erreichten fast die Hälfte dieser jährlichen Ankünfte Südafrika. Während der Pandemie hat sich gezeigt, dass gerade die Zugpferde des internationalen Tourismusmarketing der Region, die Safarilodges und Naturerlebnisanbieter, ohne Ankünfte aus Übersee nicht zu bewirtschaften sind. Als Alternative für diesen Nachfrageeinbruch wird einer Steigerung der Regional- und Binnennachfrage kaum Potenzial zugestanden. Dieser Standpunkt soll hier bestritten werden, ohne dabei jedoch vom Alleinstellungsmerkmal des Safaritourismus abzurücken. Die Empfehlung zielt stattdessen auf eine Erweiterung des Angebotsspektrums ab. Dabei werden 3 Absichten verfolgt: Erstens, den Mangel an der Binnennachfrage für die klassischen Reiseangebote der Region zu ergründen, zweitens Chancen für eine Aufwertung des Afrikabildes darzulegen und drittens Potenziale für eine Produktdiversifizierung aufzuzeigen, die auch eine wachsende Regional- und Binnennachfrage in den Blick nimmt.
Changes in coronal alignment of the hip joint after medial opening wedge high tibial osteotomy
Authors: Patel Jaison , Patel Reece , Melton Joel 
Published: April 2022

Abstract
Purpose
An observation was made by the senior author of this paper that patients reported changes in their hip function after a medial opening wedge high tibial osteotomy (MOHTO) for varus pattern osteoarthritis. Alignment changes at the hip after MOHTO have not been previously documented. This study assesses coronal alignment changes at the hip after MOHTO.

Methods
We retrospectively analysed pre- and post-operative lower limb alignment radiographs of patients who underwent MOHTO. The medial proximal tibial angle (MPTA) and mechanical axis deviation (MAD) were measured to assess the alignment changes created by the MOHTO. The coronal alignment changes at the hip were evaluated using the mechanical greater trochanter angle (MGTA).

Results
29 osteotomies in 27 patients were included in this study. Results showed MOHTO created alignment changes at the hip. A positive correlation was found between the size of the correction at the knee and the subsequent changes at the hip. The change in the MGTA had a stronger correlation with the MAD than with the change in MPTA (r = 0.684 vs. 0.585). It was found that age, weight, height and BMI had no significant influence on these correlations.

Conclusions
Increased correction by the MOHTO lead to increased change in the coronal alignment of the hip. These changes are likely to result in an alteration in the weight bearing portion of the femoral head and the function of the abductors and we recommend assessing the hip joint as part of pre-operative planning.

Level of evidence
Prognostic level IV.
Effects of parameter uncertainties on the forecasted behavior of thermomechanically loaded thick-walled functionally graded spherical structures
Authors: Arslan Eray , Mack Werner 
Published: April 2022

AbstractThe subject of the investigation is an elastic functionally graded hollow spherical device under internal pressure and homogeneous heating. Since in reality uncertain parameter values are to be expected with respect to both basic material data and influences of the manufacturing process, the effects of these uncertainties are in the focus of the present study. For the numerical results, specifically a container or pressure vessel of steel-aluminum functionally graded material is considered. Essentially, the largest possibly occurring von Mises stress is taken as an assessment criterion. It is demonstrated that uncertainty ranges of the system inputs may cause much larger scattering ranges (in percentages) of the predicted maximum stresses. Moreover, the sensitivity of the results to variations of different individual parameter values is discussed, and it is shown that an application of sophisticated and computationally expensive homogenization schemes to the functionally graded material is meaningful only if the basic data can be determined with quite high accuracy.
Streptococcus pneumoniae colonization in health care professionals at a tertiary university pediatric hospital
Authors: Steurer Lisa-Maria , Hetzmannseder Mathias , Willinger Birgit , Starzengruber Peter , Mikula-Pratschke Claudia , Kormann-Klement Andrea , Weber Michael , Berger Angelika , Grill Agnes 
Published: April 2022

Abstract
Streptococcus pneumoniae is a commensal of the human upper respiratory tract. In certain cases, it can lead to serious invasive infections peaking in very young children and the elderly. Especially young children are frequent carriers and are thus regarded as the reservoir for horizontal transmission of pneumococci. This is the first study evaluating pneumococcal colonization patterns in healthcare professionals working in a tertiary care pediatric hospital, including carriage prevalence, serotype distribution, and risk factors for carriage. One oropharyngeal and one nasal swab per individual were directly plated onto appropriate agar plates and conventional culture was used for bacterial identification. Pneumococcal isolates underwent serotyping using Neufeld’s Quellung reaction with type-specific antisera. Additional nasal and oropharyngeal swabs were taken for qPCR analysis targeting lytA. In total, 437 individuals were enrolled. S. pneumoniae was isolated in 4.8% (21/437) of the study cohort using conventional culture and in 20.1% (88/437) of subjects using qPCR. Independent risk factors for pneumococcal carriage were living in the same household with children under 8 years of age and being aged 36–45 years with a carriage prevalence reaching 11.6% (vs. 2.9%, p = 0.002) and 6.7% (vs. 4.3%, p = 0.029), respectively. The most common serotypes were 6C and 3. A total of 71.4% (15/21) of the detected serotypes are not included in any currently available pneumococcal vaccine; 28.6% (6/21) of the carried serotypes are included in the PCV13 vaccine. We found a relevant amount of pneumococcal carriage bearing the potential risk of horizontal in-hospital transmission.
Eftozanermin alfa (ABBV-621) monotherapy in patients with previously treated solid tumors: findings of a phase 1, first-in-human study
Authors: LoRusso Patricia , Ratain Mark J. , Doi Toshihiko , Rasco Drew W. , de Jonge Maja J. A. , Moreno Victor , Carneiro Benedito A. , Devriese Lot A. , Petrich Adam , Modi Dimple , Morgan-Lappe Susan , Nuthalapati Silpa , Motwani Monica , Dunbar Martin , Glasgow Jaimee , Medeiros Bruno C. , Calvo Emiliano 
Published: April 2022

AbstractEftozanermin alfa (eftoza), a second-generation tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand receptor (TRAIL-R) agonist, induces apoptosis in tumor cells by activation of death receptors 4/5. This phase 1 dose-escalation/dose-optimization study evaluated the safety, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and preliminary activity of eftoza in patients with advanced solid tumors. Patients received eftoza 2.5–15 mg/kg intravenously on day 1 or day 1/day 8 every 21 days in the dose-escalation phase, and 1.25–7.5 mg/kg once-weekly (QW) in the dose-optimization phase. Dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) were evaluated during the first treatment cycle to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D). Pharmacodynamic effects were evaluated in circulation and tumor tissue. A total of 105 patients were enrolled in the study (dose-escalation cohort, n = 57; dose-optimization cohort, n = 48 patients [n = 24, colorectal cancer (CRC); n = 24, pancreatic cancer (PaCA)]). In the dose-escalation cohort, seven patients experienced DLTs. MTD and RP2D were not determined. Most common treatment-related adverse events were increased alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase levels, nausea, and fatigue. The one treatment-related death occurred due to respiratory failure. In the dose-optimization cohort, three patients (CRC, n = 2; PaCA, n = 1) had a partial response. Target engagement with regard to receptor saturation, and downstream apoptotic pathway activation in circulation and tumor were observed. Eftoza had acceptable safety, evidence of pharmacodynamic effects, and preliminary anticancer activity. The 7.5-mg/kg QW regimen was selected for future studies on the basis of safety findings, pharmacodynamic effects, and biomarker modulations. (Trial registration number: NCT03082209 (registered: March 17, 2017)).
Akzeptanz und Nutzung von E-Mental-Health-Angeboten unter Studierenden
Authors: Apolinário-Hagen Jennifer , Harrer Mathias , Salewski Christel , Lehr Dirk , Ebert David Daniel 
Published: April 2022

Zusammenfassung
Zielsetzung
Trotz der Effektivität verschiedener E‑Mental-Health-Interventionen wurden bislang verhältnismäßig geringe Nutzungsraten, selbst unter Digital Natives wie Studierenden, identifiziert. Ziel dieser Studie ist daher, das Verhältnis der generellen Akzeptanz, dem konkreten Interesse und der tatsächlichen Registrierung für ausgewählte, zielgruppenspezifische E‑Mental-Health-Programme zu untersuchen.

Methodik
Wir führten eine Sekundäranalyse einer in ein Online-Experiment eingebetteten Befragungsstudie mit n = 451 Studierenden (89 % Fernstudierende) zu Informationseffekten auf die Akzeptanz von E‑Mental-Health-Angeboten mit Untersuchung der Nutzungsabsicht sowie des Interesses im Verhältnis zu objektiven Daten, d. h. Registrierungen für ausgewählte E‑Mental-Health-Angebote zur Stressprävention und Gesundheitsförderung, durch.

Ergebnisse
Eine hierarchische Regressionsanalyse ergab das Stresslevel, wahrgenommene Ähnlichkeit mit Informationsquellen und Einstellungen als Determinanten der Nutzungsabsicht (R2 = 0,49). Aktuelles Interesse an der Teilnahme an einem bestimmten E‑Mental-Health-Angebot berichtete weniger als ein Drittel der Stichprobe (31 %). Überdies war die Intentions-Verhaltens-Lücke bei der Follow-up-Messung (n/N in %) beim Programm für Berufstätige geringer (85 % registriert) als für das Programm für Studierende (69 % registriert; insgesamt: 77 %).

Schlussfolgerung
Über drei Viertel der interessierten Studierenden haben sich für ein Programm registriert, was für die Bereitstellung einfacher, direkter Zugangsoptionen spricht. Zukünftige Studien sollten die Determinanten der Nutzung sowie Adhärenz bei E‑Mental-Health-Angeboten in Abhängigkeit von der Akzeptanz für verschiedene Subgruppen von Studierenden zur Entwicklung passgenauer Akzeptanzförderungsmaßnahmen genauer untersuchen.
Techno-bio-politics. On Interfacing Life with and Through Technology
Authors: Lipp Benjamin , Maasen Sabine 
Published: April 2022

AbstractTechnology takes an unprecedented position in contemporary society. In particular, it has become part and parcel of governmental attempts to manufacture life in new ways. Such ideas concerning the (self-)governance of life organize around the same contention: that technology and life are, in fact, highly interconnectable. This is surprising because if one enters the sites of techno-scientific experimentation, those visions turn out to be much frailer and by no means “in place” yet. Rather, they afford or enforce constant interfacing work, a particular mode of manufacturing life, rendering disparate, sturdy, and often surprisingly incompatible things available for one another. Here, we contend that both of those aspects, pervasive rationalities of interconnectability and practices of interfacing mark the cornerstones of what we call a new(ly articulated) techno-bio-politics of life. In order to grasp the government of life under the technological condition, we must understand how both human and non-human entities are being rendered interconnectable and re-worked through practices of interfacing. We take neuro-technology and care robotics as two illustrative cases. Our analysis shows that the contemporary government of life is not primarily concerned with life itself in its biological re-constitution but rather with life as it is interfaced with and through technology.
Spectroscopic methods for assessment of hand sanitizers
Authors: Banik Soumyabrata , Melanthota Sindhoora Kaniyala , Vannathan Anjana Anandan , Mahato Krishna Kishore , Mal Sib Sankar , Mazumder Nirmal 
Published: April 2022

AbstractSanitization of inanimate objects or body surfaces using disinfectant is essential for eliminating disease-causing pathogens and maintaining personal hygiene. With the advent of health emergencies, the importance and high demand for hand sanitizers (HS) are observed in everyday life. It is also important to know the constituent added to formulate HS, as the presence of harsh chemicals can cause skin irritation. In this study, different spectroscopic techniques were used to assess several commercially available HS along with the in-house prepared HS as per the WHO protocol. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy identified the different HS chemical bonds and quantified the amount of alcohol and water in the HS. Varying amount of alcohols in HS, calibration profile was generated to identify its amount in commercial samples. Further, the commercial samples were also checked for contaminants whose presence in the HS might bring down its sanitization efficacy.