Exploring the organisational structure of networks for exercise oncology provision: a social network analysis of OnkoAktiv

Background: Structured exercise programs provide considerable health benefits for cancer patients. Therefore, various OnkoAktiv (OA) networks were established in Germany with the aim to connect cancer patients with certified exercise programs. However, knowledge about the integration of exercise networks into cancer care systems and conditions of interorganisational collaboration is lacking. The aim of this work was to analyse the OA networks to guide further network development and implementation work. Methods: We used methods of social network analysis within a cross-sectional study design. Network characteristics were analysed such as node and tie attributes, cohesion and centrality. We classified all networks into their level of organisational form in integrated care. Results: We analysed 11 OA networks with 26 actors and 216 ties on average. The smallest network counted 12 actors/56 ties, the largest 52/530. 76% of all actors operated within the medical/exercise sector, serving 19 different medical professions. In smaller “linkage” networks, several individual professionals were linked “from service to service”, whereas the more integrated networks revealed a core-periphery-structure. Discussion: Collaborative networks enable the involvement of professional actors from different operational fields. This study provides an in-depth understanding of underlying organisational structures that provides information for further development of exercise oncology provision. Trial registration: Not applicable, as no health care intervention was performed

A recipe for irreproducible results

Recent studies have shown that many results published in peer-reviewed scientific journals are not reproducible. This raises the following question: why is it so easy to fool myself into believing that a result is reliable when in fact it is not? Using Brownian motion as a toy model, we show how this can happen if ergodicity is assumed where it is unwarranted. A measured value can appear stable when judged over time, although it is not stable across the ensemble: a different result will be obtained each time the experiment is run.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figure

Body mass index and waist circumference as determinants of hemostatic factors in participants of a population-based study

Background: In contrast to studies in patients, an association between obesity and blood coagulation factors has not been established in the population. If confirmed it could become a target for primary prevention. Objective: To investigate the relationship between Body Mass Index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) with plasma concentrations of antithrombin III, D-dimers, fibrinogen D, protein S, factor VIII, activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), quick value, and international normalized ratio (INR) in the general population. Materials and Methods: Participants of the Cooperative Health Research in the Region of Augsburg (KORA) S4 study who took part in the KORA Fit follow-up (2018–2019, aged 54–74 years) examination were eligible. Citrate plasma samples were collected in fasted participants. After the exclusion of participants with anticoagulative treatment, 776 participants (420 women and 356 men) with analytic data on hemostatic factors were included in the present analysis. Linear regression models were used to explore the association between BMI or WC with hemostatic markers, adjusted for sex, age, alcohol consumption, education, smoking status, and physical activity. In a second model, additional adjustments were made for the prevalence of stroke, hypertension, myocardial infarction, serum non-HDL cholesterol, and serum triglycerides. Results: In the multivariable models (with or without health conditions), significant positive associations with BMI were obtained for plasma concentrations of D-dimers, factor VIII, fibrinogen D, protein S, and quick value, while INR and antithrombin III were inversely associated. Similar to BMI, WC was significantly associated with all hemostatic factors, except for aPTT. Conclusion: In this population-based study, both increasing BMI and WC affect the blood coagulation system. Thus, modification of a prothrombotic coagulation profile emerged as a potential target for primary prevention in obese subjects

Verbrennungsprodukte und Gesundheit: Ruß und Größenverteilung ultrafeiner und feiner Partikel in der Außenluft in Leipzig und Dresden und Gesundheit: Abschlussbericht

Die Publikation dokumentiert die Ergebnisse der epidemiologischen Studie zu gesundheitlichen Auswirkungen von ultrafeinen und feinen Partikeln und Ruß. Wie sich ultrafeine Partikel auf die Gesundheit auswirken, ist bisher noch nicht ausreichend untersucht. Mit der Auswertung der langen Messreihen von Dresden, Leipzig und Augsburg leistet die Studie deshalb einen Beitrag zum besseren Verständnis der Folgen von Luftschadstoffen auf die menschliche Gesundheit. Die Analysen zeigten erhöhte Risiken sowohl für respiratorische Mortalität als auch für die Hospitalisierung zu unterschiedlichen Zeitpunkten nach der Exposition mit ultrafeinen Partikeln. Dabei stieg das Risiko beispielsweise in der kalten Jahreshälfte stärker an. Die Veröffentlichung richtet sich an Vertreter von Fachbehörden und Forschungseinrichtungen, aber auch an die interessierte Öffentlichkeit. Redaktionsschluss: 05.01.202

Ask Smart to Get Smart: Mathematische Ausgaben generativer KI-Sprachmodelle verbessern durch gezieltes Prompt Engineering

Der Beitrag beschäftigt sich mit den derzeitigen mathematischen Fähigkeiten des generativen KI-Spachmodells ChatGPT in Bezug auf das Lösen mathematischer Probleme. Um für den schulischen Nutzen des Modells die Zuverlässigkeit und Nachvollziehbarkeit von mathematischen Ausgaben zu optimieren, stellen wir im Beitrag unterschiedliche Prompt-Techniken vor und untersuchen ihren Effekt in Modellvalidierungen anhand einer arithmetischen und einer algebraischen Problemlöseaufgabe

Are food allergic consumers ready for informative precautionary allergen labelling?

Abstract Precautionary allergen labelling (PAL) has resulted in consumer confusion. Previous research has shown that interpretive labels (using graphics, symbols, or colours) are better understood than the traditional forms of labels. In this study, we aimed to understand if consumers would use interpretive labels (symbol, mobile phone application and a toll-free number) with or without medical advice that was advocated by the food industry rather than the normal PAL. This is relevant information for industry and clinicians as it provides an insight into the food allergic perception regarding PAL

Association of smoking and physical inactivity with MRI derived changes in cardiac function and structure in cardiovascular healthy subjects

We aimed to investigate the association of smoking and physical exercise on ventricular function and structure, determined by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR), in subjects without known cardiovascular diseases. A total of 381 participants (median age 57 years) of the Cooperative Health Research in the Region of Augsburg (KORA) FF4 cohort underwent CMR. The participants' smoking and sporting habits were measured by a questionnaire. Physical inactivity was associated with a reduction of left ventricular ejection fraction (LV-EF), stroke volume, early diastolic peak filling rate and peak ejection rate of the left ventricle as well as right ventricular stroke volume. LV-EF was reduced in subjects with almost no physical activity compared to subjects with regular physical activity (68.4%, 95%CI 66.8-70.1% vs. 70.8%, 95%CI 69.2-72.3%, p < 0,05). Smokers had lower right ventricular end-diastolic volumes (80.6 ml/m(2), 95%CI 76.7-84.5 ml/m(2);never-smokers: 85.5 ml/m(2), 95%CI 82.6-88.3 ml/m(2);p < 0.05) but higher extracellular volume fractions (ECV) and fibrosis volumes (34.3 ml, 95%CI 32.5-36.0 ml, vs. 31.0 ml, 95%CI 29.6-32.3 ml, p < 0.01). We conclude that asymptomatic individuals without known cardiovascular diseases show differences in cardiac function and structure depending on their physical activity and smoking habits. This underlines the importance of prevention and health education

Effects of awareness and task relevance on neurocomputational models of mismatch negativity generation

Detection of regularities and their violations in sensory input is key to perception. Violations are indexed by an early EEG component called the mismatch negativity (MMN) – even if participants are distracted or unaware of the stimuli. On a mechanistic level, two dominant models have been suggested to contribute to the MMN: adaptation and prediction. Whether and how context conditions, such as awareness and task relevance, modulate the mechanisms of MMN generation is unknown. We conducted an EEG study disentangling influences of task relevance and awareness on the visual MMN. Then, we estimated different computational models for the generation of single-trial amplitudes in the MMN time window. Amplitudes were best explained by a prediction error model when stimuli were task-relevant but by an adaptation model when task-irrelevant and unaware. Thus, mismatch generation does not rely on one predominant mechanism but mechanisms vary with task relevance of stimuli