bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
L‐Arginine and L‐Citrulline for Prevention and Treatment of Pre‐Eclampsia: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Makama Maureen , McDougall Annie R. A. , Cao Jenny , Mills Kate , Nguyen Phi‐Yen , Hastie Roxanne , Ammerdorffer Anne , Gülmezoglu A. Metin , Vogel Joshua P.
Published: January 2025

Background

Evidence suggests L‐arginine may be effective at reducing pre‐eclampsia and related outcomes. However, whether L‐arginine can prevent or only treat pre‐eclampsia, and thus the target population and timing of initiation, remains unknown.

Objectives

To evaluate the effects of L‐arginine and L‐citrulline (precursor of L‐arginine) on the prevention and treatment of pre‐eclampsia.

Search Strategy

MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, Global Index Medicus and the Cochrane Library were searched through 7 February 2024.

Selection Criteria

Trials administering L‐arginine or L‐citrulline to pregnant women, with the comparison group receiving placebo or standard care, were included.

Data Collection and Analysis

Meta‐analyses were conducted separately for prevention or treatment trials, using random‐effects models.

Main Results

Twenty randomised controlled trials (RCTs) (2028 women) and three non‐randomised trials (189 women) were included. The risk of bias was ‘high’ in eight RCTs and showed ‘some concerns’ in 12. In prevention trials, L‐arginine was associated with a reduced risk of pre‐eclampsia (relative risk [RR] 0.52; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.35, 0.78; low‐certainty evidence, four trials) and severe pre‐eclampsia (RR 0.23; 95% CI, 0.09, 0.55; low‐certainty evidence, three trials). In treatment trials, L‐arginine may reduce mean systolic blood pressure (MD −5.64 mmHg; 95% CI, −10.66, −0.62; very low‐certainty evidence, three trials) and fetal growth restriction (RR 0.46; 95% CI, 0.26, 0.81; low‐certainty evidence, two trials). Only one study (36 women) examined L‐citrulline and reported no effect on pre‐eclampsia or blood pressure.

Conclusions

L‐arginine may be promising for pre‐eclampsia prevention and treatment, but findings should be interpreted cautiously. More trials are needed to determine the optimal dose and time to commence supplementation and support clinical decision‐making.
Are Geopolitical Risk and Economic Uncertainty Matter for Natural Resources Rents?
Authors: Öge Güney Pelin
Published: January 2025

The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of geopolitical risk and economic policy uncertainty on natural resource rents for selected MENA countries and Turkey, covering the period 1973–2021. The geopolitical risk index was researched by Caldara and Iacoviello and the World Uncertainty Index was taken from Ahir et al. We used linear and nonlinear ARDL techniques. Results from linear ARDL models document that geopolitical risk has a significant positive effect on natural resource rents in Egypt and Turkey, while it has a negative effect on natural resource rents in Saudi Arabia and Tunisia. When we look at the impact of uncertainty on natural resource rents, we see that increasing uncertainty reduces natural resource rents in all countries except Saudi Arabia. Moreover, the findings of nonlinear ARDL models show that negative and positive shocks in the geopolitical risk and uncertainty index affect natural resource rents in both the short and long term. Our results show that geopolitical risk and economic policy uncertainty can be used to improve models of natural resource markets.
Regression study on fruit‐setting days of purple eggplant fruit based on in situ VIS‐NIRS and attention cycle neural network
Authors: Huang Bohan , Xue Long , Yang Jie , Yin Chaoyang , Liao Keke , Liu Muhua , Li Jing , Shang Mengmeng
Published: January 2025

In the intelligent harvesting of eggplant, the lack of in situ identification technology makes it challenging to determine the maturity of purple eggplant fruit. The length of the fruit‐setting date can determine when the eggplant is ready to be harvested. This study uses deep learning techniques to predict the date of fruit maturity. First, we proposed a fruit‐setting days prediction method based on fruit spectroscopy and neural networks. Second, we collected the field in situ spectral data of purple eggplant fruit during 15–33 days of fruit setting using a portable spectrometer, covering 500–1000 nm. A fruit‐setting time regression network combining multi‐scale convolution, multi‐head attention mechanism, and long short‐term memory recurrent neural network was constructed using the collected in situ spectral data. The model demonstrated better fitting performance than traditional machine learning models such as backpropagation neural network, random forest, support vector machine, and partial least squares regression in the regression task of fruit‐setting days. After testing various spectral preprocessing methods, the best fitting effect was found on the standard normal variate–processed dataset, with R2 of 0.876 and RMSE(root mean square error) of 2.148 days. Furthermore, the feasibility of each model module was analyzed in depth through ablation experiments, confirming each component's role in improving the model's performance. The network attention weight was also analyzed, and the model has strong detail mining ability in a specific spectral interval. In summary, the combination of visible and near‐infrared spectroscopy and attention cycle neural network is an effective method to predict the fruit‐setting days of purple eggplant fruit.

Practical Application

A prediction method of fruit‐setting days based on fruit spectral characteristics and recurrent neural network regression was proposed.

A novel approach to detecting and disclosing in situ surface VIS‐NIRS reflectance data of eggplant fruit during ripening is presented for the first time.

A set of long‐term and short‐term memory networks based on multi‐scale convolution and multi‐head attention mechanisms was constructed for spectral data fitting.

Through the ablation test method and attention weight analysis, the function of each module in the network and the interpretability of feature extraction are explored.
Visual annual reports and stock price crash risk
Authors: Xiang Rui , Song Congmin , Lin Rongyu , Shen Lu
Published: January 2025

Using a sample of Chinese A‐Share listed companies during 2018–2023, we explore the influence of visual annual reports (VARs) on stock price crash risk. The results suggest that VARs are negatively associated with crash risk, and several robustness and endogeneity examinations validate our primary findings. Mechanism analyses reveal that reduced information asymmetry and increased internal control quality may serve as potential pathways through which VARs influence crash risk. Additionally, cross‐sectional examinations suggest that the negative relation between VARs and crash risk is more pronounced for companies with poor annual report readability and limited external monitoring.
Evaluation of Intestinal Permeability Using Serum Biomarkers in Learning Early About Peanut Allergy Trial
Authors: Aktas Ozge Nur , Mateja Allyson , Li Min (Jenny) , Chatman Lindsay , Grieco Megan C. , Baloh Carolyn H. , Huffaker Michelle , Wheatley Lisa M. , du Toit George , Lack Gideon , Brittain Erica , Frischmeyer‐Guerrerio Pamela A.
Published: January 2025

Background

Intestinal barrier dysfunction may lead to a break in tolerance and development of food allergy (FA). There is contradictory evidence on whether intestinal permeability (IP) is altered in IgE‐mediated FA. Thus, we sought to determine whether IP differed between children with eczema who did (FA group) or did not (atopic controls, ACs) develop FA and whether peanut sensitization, allergy, and early introduction impacted IP using serum biomarkers zonulin, soluble CD14, and Intestinal Fatty Acid Binding Protein among randomly selected participants enrolled in the Learning Early About Peanut allergy trial.

Methods

FA group was defined as having at least one FA at either baseline (4–11 months) or 60 months of age (V60). ACs had eczema at baseline and no FA at either visit. Serum IP markers (sIPMs) were measured by ELISA at baseline and V60, and their relationship with the clinical characteristics of participants was analyzed using parametric tests and linear regression models.

Results

We evaluated 237 FA subjects and 76 ACs. sIPM levels were similar in FA subjects and ACs at baseline and V60. Age when the child first developed any FA (< 1 year vs. > 1 year), eczema severity, peanut sensitization, peanut allergy, and early peanut introduction were not statistically significantly associated with sIPM levels. Total IgE and eosinophil levels, peanut‐specific IgE, IgG4, and IgG4/IgE ratio were not correlated with sIPM levels.

Conclusions

No differences in sIPMs were detected to support altered IP in infants with FA compared to ACs or following early peanut introduction among peanut‐sensitized children.
Cardiomyocyte engineering: The meeting point of transcription factors, signaling networks, metabolism and function
Authors: Piven Oksana O. , Vaičiulevičiūtė Raminta , Bernotiene Eiva , Dobrzyn Pawel
Published: January 2025

Direct cardiac reprogramming or transdifferentiation is a relatively new and promising area in regenerative therapy, cardiovascular disease modeling, and drug discovery. Effective reprogramming of fibroblasts is limited by their plasticity, that is, their ability to reprogram, and depends on solving several levels of tasks: inducing cardiomyocyte‐like cells and obtaining functionally and metabolically mature cardiomyocytes. Currently, in addition to the use of more classical approaches such as overexpression of exogenous transcription factors, activation of endogenous cardiac transcription factors via controlled nucleases, such as CRISPR, represents another interesting way to obtain cardiomyocytes. Therefore, special attention is given to the potential of synthetic biology, in particular the CRISPR system, for the targeted conversion of only certain subpopulations of fibroblasts into cardiomyocytes. However, obtaining functionally and metabolically mature cardiomyocytes remains a challenge despite the range of recently developed approaches. In this review, we summarized current knowledge on the function and diversity of human cardiac fibroblasts and alternative cell sources for in vitro human cardiomyocyte models. We examined in detail the transcription factors that initiate cardiomyogenic reprogramming and their interactions. Additionally, we critically analyzed the strategies used for the metabolic and physiological maturation of induced cardiomyocytes.
IgE and cardiac disease
Authors: Levick Scott P.
Published: January 2025

IgE acts primarily via the high affinity IgE receptor (FcεRI) and is central to immediate hypersensitivity reactions (anaphylaxis). However, IgE is also important in the development of chronic hypersensitivity reactions (allergy). In the cardiovascular system, numerous clinical studies have investigated serum IgE levels, mainly in the context of myocardial infarction, and have established a clear association between IgE and ischemic cardiac events. While animal studies demonstrate that IgE can cause atherosclerotic plaque formation, this is complicated by clinical reports that IgE is associated with non‐fatal ischemic events and not with fatal events, raising the possibility that IgE could be protective in this setting. In terms of non‐ischemic cardiac disease, little information is available clinically for IgE; however, animal models also indicate that IgE promotes adverse effects in this setting as well. This review article will present the clinical studies that have established a relationship between serum IgE levels and cardiac disease, particularly myocardial infarction. This review article will also discuss animal studies that provide mechanistic understanding of how IgE can exert chronic effects in the heart. This article also attempts to address the question of whether IgE is causative of cardiac disease or is a response to cardiac disease.
Transient receptor potential melastatin 7 cation channel, magnesium and cell metabolism in vascular health and disease
Authors: Abidin Belma Melda , Rios Francisco J. , Montezano Augusto C. , Touyz Rhian M.
Published: January 2025

Preserving the balance of metabolic processes in endothelial cells (ECs) and vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), is crucial for optimal vascular function and integrity. ECs are metabolically active and depend on aerobic glycolysis to efficiently produce energy for their essential functions, which include regulating vascular tone. Impaired EC metabolism is linked to endothelial damage, increased permeability and inflammation. Metabolic alterations in VSMCs also contribute to vascular dysfunction in atherosclerosis and hypertension. Magnesium (Mg2+) is the second most abundant intracellular divalent cation and influences molecular processes that regulate vascular function, including vasodilation, vasoconstriction, and release of vasoactive substances. Mg2+ is critically involved in maintaining cellular homeostasis and metabolism since it is an essential cofactor for ATP, nucleic acids and hundreds of enzymes involved in metabolic processes. Low Mg2+ levels have been linked to endothelial dysfunction, increased vascular tone, vascular inflammation and arterial remodeling. Growing evidence indicates an important role for the transient receptor potential melastatin‐subfamily member 7 (TRPM7) cation channel in the regulation of Mg2+ homeostasis in EC and VSMCs. In the vasculature, TRPM7 deficiency leads to impaired endothelial function, increased vascular contraction, phenotypic switching of VSMCs, inflammation and fibrosis, processes that characterize the vascular phenotype in hypertension. Here we provide a comprehensive overview on TRPM7/Mg2+ in the regulation of vascular function and how it influences EC and VSMC metabolism such as glucose and energy homeostasis, redox regulation, phosphoinositide signaling, and mineral metabolism. The putative role of TRPM7/Mg2+ and altered cellular metabolism in vascular dysfunction and hypertension is also discussed.
Cultural Brokering in Immigrant Families
Authors: Subramoney Sivenesi , Walle Eric A. , Main Alexandra , Magaña Dalia
Published: January 2025

Cultural brokering refers to the process of youth (i.e., children, adolescents, and emerging adults) from immigrant families interpreting cultural norms for others. Cultural brokering is not an acontextual, individual, or passive experience but varies by context (e.g., situational demands), is interpersonal (e.g., involves the broker and a social partner), and involves the cultural broker serving as a socializing agent. While researchers have sought to understand how cultural brokering affects the broker (i.e., the individual interpreting for others), findings vary. In this article, we advance the understanding of cultural brokering across development by drawing attention to pertinent aspects of this experience that have been largely overlooked. First, we review distinct forms of cultural brokering. Next, we consider how cultural brokering affects the psychological adjustment and well‐being of immigrant youth. Finally, we suggest research to deepen the understanding of cultural brokering across development.
Featured Cover
Authors: Mutlu Mehmet Burak , Karakaya Taner , Çelebi Hamide Betül Gerik , Duymuş Fahrettin , Seyhan Serhat , Yılmaz Sanem , Yiş Uluç , Atik Tahir , Yetkin Mehmet Fatih , Gümüş Hakan
Published: January 2025

The cover image is based on the article Utility of Optical Genome Mapping in Repeat Disorders by Mehmet Burak Mutlu et al., https://doi.org/10.1111/cge.14633.

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Segmental colectomy versus total proctocolectomy for ulcerative colitis: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Lincango Eddy P. , Dominguez Oscar Hernandez , Connelly Tara M. , Sobrado Lucas F. , Sancheti Himani , Liska David , Lipman Jeremy , Kessler Hermann , Bhama Anuradha , Kanters Arielle E. , Valente Michael , Hull Tracy , Holubar Stefan D. , Steele Scott R.
Published: January 2025

Aim

Total proctocolectomy (TPC) is the standard of care for patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and dysplasia not amenable to endoscopic management. However, the risks of an extensive resection may outweigh the benefits in high‐risk surgical patients. Therefore, we performed a systematic review and meta‐analysis to assess postoperative outcomes between segmental colectomy (SEG) versus TPC in patients with UC.

Study design

Global databases were searched from inception until August 2022 for comparative studies reporting the postoperative outcomes of patients with UC undergoing SEG versus TPC. The primary outcomes were subsequent neoplasia development and overall survival. Odds ratios (ORs), hazard ratios (HRs) and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. The Newcastle–Ottawa Scale and the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) were used for quality‐of‐evidence assessment.

Results

Eight retrospective studies comprising 4856 patients were included. Overall, 1620 (33%) patients underwent SEG. SEG patients were older, had more comorbidities and mostly underwent right colectomy (40%) and sigmoidectomy (16%). Most studies included UC patients and concomitant colorectal cancer. Reoperation and Clavien–Dindo III–IV odds were equivalent (OR 3.17; 95% CI 0.12, 81.25; I2 66%; OR 0.79; 95% CI 0.48, 1.31; I2 74%). There was no difference in neoplasia development (OR 5.05, 95% CI 0.37, 68.66; I2 61%) nor in overall survival (HR 1.20, 95% CI 0.73, 1.97; I2 61%). The risk of bias was high in all included studies and the quality of evidence was low.

Conclusion

Low‐quality evidence failed to demonstrate any discernible differences in the postoperative outcomes between SEG and TPC. However, given the limited granularity of the analysed data and the high likelihood of imprecise results, we cannot assert that SEG and TPC are equivalent. Furthermore, there was a suggestion of an elevated risk of neoplasia development and inferior overall survival in the SEG group.
In Pursuit of Authenticity: Commodified Community, Curated Experience, and Fandom
Authors: MCLAUGHLIN LOGAN
Published: January 2025

This paper takes a contextual look at economic impacts of hyper‐monetization, immersive advertising, and general shifts in the fandom subcultures around gaming over the past decade. In unpacking notions of cultural authenticity from a branding and marketing perspective. I hope to point out further trends in the monetization of fandom and community that serve as engines of continued change and driving forces in the continued development of gaming culture. While much scholarly work is done on online spaces around gaming specifically, it is often focused on community experience whereas in practice, questions being asked by companies are often how to make those communities more profitable customer bases. I want to use my experience in negotiating the desires of companies to advertise with the desire of communities to not exist in a capitalist hellscape to examine the friction between these paradigms and what it may mean for fan cultures moving forward. In the end I hope to question whose interests we as ethnographers serve in working in professional capacities alongside brands. Often serving in our classical capacity as infiltration specialists, those of us who pursue careers as practitioners often must reckon with the impacts of capitalism on the sectors in which we work. We too are subject to the same pressures as content creators and event organizers, while our passion may be educating and bringing clarity and understanding to help brands reach “authenticity”, we too become a part of this shift toward commodification of community. Eschewing the narrative of the heroic anthropologist, last bastion of community interest, I hope to call into question that against the seemingly ineffable force of capitalistic intent and the cultural change it begets, how can we still carve out a space for leisure and fandom that isn't centered on monetization?
Intergenerational Living: Thai Cultural Frictions and Taboos in Changing Times
Authors: SUPAWATANAKUL ADISORN , TANMAHASMUT PIYATHEP
Published: January 2025

As extended families grow in number, property development in Thailand increasingly focuses on single‐family homes. Our client, Magnolias Quality Development Corporation (MQDC), has introduced a new property brand centered on intergenerational living, embracing the Thai traditional concept of “Katanyu,” gratitude. While the benefits of such living arrangements are widely discussed, there is limited information on the associated challenges due to their taboo nature.

These research projects were initiated to understand how family members coexist under one roof while maintaining their relationships, following Thai reciprocity norms. The findings reveal that intergenerational households face complex dynamics in family relationships and living spaces. These dynamics are influenced by shifting financial power and the evolving lifestyles of the younger generation. We also seek to explore how thoughtful space design can alleviate tensions within the family, fostering harmony among intergenerational families who embrace the Katanyu concept.
Friction by Machine: How to Slow Down Reasoning with Computational Methods
Authors: MADSEN ANDERS KOED , MUNK ANDERS KRISTIAN , SØLTOFT JOHAN IRVING
Published: January 2025

This paper provides a theoretical alternative to the prevailing perception of machine learning as synonymous with speed and efficiency. Inspired by ethnographic fieldwork and grounded in pragmatist philosophy, we introduce the concept of “data friction” as the situation when encounters between held beliefs and data patterns possess the potential to stimulate innovative thinking. Contrary to the conventional connotations of “speed” and “control,” we argue that computational methods can generate a productive dissonance, thereby fostering slower and more reflective practices within organizations. Drawing on a decade of experience in participatory data design and data sprints, we present a typology of data frictions and outline three ways in which algorithmic techniques within data science can be reimagined as “friction machines”. We illustrate these theoretical points through a dive into three case studies conducted with applied anthropologist in the movie industry, urban planning, and research.
Images & Imaginaries: Reflections on a New Paradigm of Ethnographic Images in Business
Authors: TRENHOLM‐JENSEN ENYA
Published: January 2025

This presentation delves into the speculated impact of AI‐generated images on ethnographic practice. Navigating through the data privacy challenges associated with sharing respondent photos with clients, AI‐generated images offer a unique medium for documenting and creating ethnographic imagery within a business context. However, this innovation introduces a new form of friction: where should the boundary be drawn between authentic representation and manipulation of reality? And what implications might this have on our practice at large? This presentation aspires to initiate a dialogue, encouraging practitioners to contemplate their role in adopting this technology.
Observing Friction through Ethnography and Experience Prototyping in the Postpartum Period
Authors: O'LEARY RAELYNN , DEAL ASHLEY , KRISHNAMURTI TAMAR
Published: January 2025

During the postpartum period, significant clinical and social supports exist for the care and wellness of a newborn baby. Yet over the same six weeks, new moms report feeling abandoned and alone. In this case study, we share the research methods we used to evaluate an early prototype of a digital tool designed to offer support and healing guidance to postpartum moms. We discuss our strategies for onboarding participants during this period of significant transition, and for engaging them for six weeks through a novel study design. This work highlights the deep friction new moms often face navigating their own physical healing while so much attention and care—theirs and others'—is focused on the baby. It also offers an approach to reducing an ongoing friction in new product development: what people say they want may differ significantly from what they actually want or need in real‐life contexts.
Accessibility as Apparatus: How the Friction Filled Experience of Using Hearing Aids with a PC Led a Corporation to Design for Accessibility
Authors: EDWARDS EMORY JAMES , FAULKNER SUSAN , BECKWITH RICHARD , CHIERICHETTI REBECCA
Published: January 2025

This paper explores the complex, kluged, multi‐device systems that hard of hearing (HoH) users must grapple with when trying to connect their hearing aids to their PCs. We argue that these systems can be modeled as a physical apparatus, a Rube Goldberg machine, made up of many forces causing drag or friction in the interaction between assistive devices, people with disabilities, and computers. Our fieldwork covers three related research studies and a total of 22 in‐depth remote interviews plus contextual sensory media data collected through Dscout, an end‐to‐end mobile ethnography platform, with hearing aid users. We provide examples of environmental limitations and technical difficulties of multi‐device pairing and switching, along with personal details of life, work, recreation, and socializing that dictate particular use cases. We also discuss the interpersonal, environmental, and technical factors that had to align at an organizational level in order for this research to occur, before finishing with the significant organizational outcomes of these studies.
Adding Friction to Mandatory Reporting: The Case for Survivor‐Centered Research
Authors: FATHALLAH SARAH , MYERS ANNA , RABELO VERÓNICA CARIDAD
Published: January 2025

Mandatory reporting laws require the reporting to a designated government agency of a known or suspected case of abuse or neglect of children, elders, or other dependent adults. While these laws vary, researchers can be mandated to report suspected cases of abuse or neglect under a wide range of circumstances. This paper argues that a survivor‐centered and trauma‐informed research praxis calls for (1) actively challenging biased or uncritical reporting and the myth of a neutral researcher/mandated reporter, (2) working to minimize avoidable reporting, (3) moving from mandatory reporting to supporting, and (4) using harm reduction strategies to center survivors at all stages. Ultimately, a survivor‐centered approach to mandatory reporting in research means valuing the consent and agency of those who will live with the life‐altering consequences of researcher‐made reports.
Entangled: On the Social and Ethical Friction of Fieldwork
Authors: SIECK KATE
Published: January 2025

This paper asks what we owe to our teams and our informants when we engage in research with and about people. Participant‐observation – the defining methodology of ethnographic praxis – has long had trade‐offs resulting from the many frictions inherent in it, all of which are essential to producing the unique insights and findings of this approach As practitioners, we've often turned a blind eye to these, suggesting the significance of our work outweighs the consequences. But is that always true? This paper offers an equation of sorts for articulating and assessing the underlying forces creating friction in ethnographic research. While it does not posit an all‐encompassing metric, it provides a way for researchers to be more cognizant about and deliberate with the ways we use friction in our projects.
What You Find When You Find No One: Finding the Light out of Darkness
Authors: JANISSE LAURA , DAILEY FRANCES DiMARE
Published: January 2025

In the past year, our team encountered unexpected friction when recruiting efforts resulted in zero participants for two different user populations on two health projects. For one project, we were searching for women experiencing pain related to their perimenopause. And for the other project, we were searching for people who were in early stages of their chronic kidney disease. We hadn't experienced finding no one before. We were forced to pause and question our approach and work. It all felt heavy – zero recruits, the need to find direction for what to do next, and ability to discover the insight for why this happened. Finding no one had critical design and business impact for our team and cross‐functional partners.

Join us as we share how we emerged from the darkness of zero, how we found motivation to push through and unpack the friction, and how we ended up in a better position because of zero. We hope our story helps the community see friction as a gift when they encounter it in the future, and that it inspires us, as research practitioners, to question what blind spots might exist within our practice and work.
Effects of Bank Capital and Lending on Leverage, Risk, and Growth of Nonfinancial Firms
Authors: Baran Lindsay , Patel Ajay , Sorokina Nonna
Published: January 2025

This paper examines the impact of bank capital on the capital structure of nonfinancial firms, focusing on lenders and commercial borrowers from 2000 to 2019. We find a positive relationship between firm leverage and bank capital, with lending serving as a key channel for this effect. Additionally, increased lending is associated with higher firm risk and slower growth. Our deal‐level analysis reveals consistent findings with those at the firm level: greater lending is linked to higher spreads, more tranches, more secured loans, fewer lenders per deal, and longer maturities, all of which indicate increased borrower risk. This study offers new insights into how bank capital structure policies influence the financial structure of nonfinancial firms and contributes to the broader debate on the spillover effects of risk‐reduction measures in the financial sector, such as capital regulation, on the real economy.
A survey of NHS nurses' delivery of treatments to prevent recurrence of venous leg ulcers
Authors: Alkahtani Abeer Muflih , Dumville Jo C. , Armitage Christopher J.
Published: January 2025

Preventing recurrence of venous leg ulcers can be achieved through strongest tolerated compression and endo‐venous ablation surgery, but it is not clear how often this is done in practice. This study explores (1) nurses' awareness of strongest tolerated compression and endo‐venous ablation surgery as prophylactic treatments for venous leg ulcer, (2) how often these treatments are offered, and (3) assessment of the barriers and enablers to deploying those treatments using the capabilities, opportunities and motivations model of behaviour change. An online cross‐sectional survey was conducted among nurses who treat and manage venous leg ulcers across the United Kingdom. Data were analysed descriptively using within‐participants ANOVA, within‐participants MANOVA and multiple linear regression. We received 96 questionnaire responses. All the respondents reported that they were aware of strongest compression to prevent recurrence while 87.5% reported they were aware of endo‐venous ablation surgery for recurrence prevention. Nurses' capabilities, opportunities, and motivations to offer the strongest tolerated compression were significantly greater when offering the strongest compression compared with referring to vascular surgery. Both preventative treatments were associated with marked deficits in opportunities (social and physical) and automatic motivation. Interventions targeted at increasing nurses' opportunities and boosting their motivation are needed to support the delivery of both preventive treatments. Further research is required to gain in‐depth understanding of those barriers and enablers to identify candidate behaviour change techniques.
Comprehensive cost‐of‐illness analysis of pressure ulcer treatment: A real‐world study at a Czech university hospital
Authors: Krupová Lenka , Pokorná Andrea , Krupa Miroslav , Benešová Klára
Published: January 2025

Pressure ulcers (PUs) impose a significant economic burden on healthcare systems, affecting patient quality of life and leading to substantial treatment costs. This study presents a cost‐of‐illness analysis of PU treatment in hospitalized patients in the Czech Republic, based on real‐world clinical data. The analysis was conducted using a comprehensive methodology at a Czech university hospital, involving 304 hospitalizations. The study included all hospitalized patients with PUs. Data were collected employing a bottom‐up, person‐based approach, which refers to the collection and analysis of cost data at the individual patient level. This method captures detailed resource utilization for each patient. The methodology accounted for both systemic and local costs, including materials, medications, caregiver time, and procedures. The study involved 304 hospitalizations, with a mean length of stay of 13 days. The total cost of PU treatment, excluding pharmacotherapy, had a median of €678, while including pharmacotherapy, the median cost rose to €929. Younger patients incurred higher treatment costs. Significant cost variations were observed among different departments. We developed and applied a novel cost model to quantify the expenses associated with PUs, which accurately highlighted the financial burden in the hospital care setting. We present a rigorous methodology for PU cost‐of‐illness analysis, providing a valuable tool for future research and clinical practice. This comprehensive approach supports the development of targeted interventions to reduce the incidence and severity of PUs, ultimately improving patient care and reducing healthcare costs.
Six‐Month Emergent Readmissions Following Hospitalization for Atrial Fibrillation Amid the Syrian Conflict: A Real‐World Observational Cohort Study
Authors: Antoun Ibrahim , Alkhayer Alkassem , Alkhayer Alamer , Yazji Khaled , Somani Riyaz , Ng G. André , Zakkar Mustafa
Published: January 2025

Background

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia worldwide. However, data regarding readmissions following index admission for AF in the developing world are not well described. This study assessed the rate, predictors, and trends of 6‐month readmission after index admission for AF in Syria.

Methods

We included adult patients who had an index admission with AF to Latakia's tertiary center between July 2021 and November 2023. Patients were monitored for readmission for 6 months after index discharge. Data were taken from the patient's medical notes.

Results

A total of 649 patients were included in the final analysis, of which 320 (49%) were readmitted to the hospital within 6 months following index admission. Cardiac causes were the most common cause of readmission in 76% of patients, of which 70% were AF. Readmitted patients had a higher median age (64 vs. 58; p = 0.001) and fewer males (49% vs. 36%; p = 0.001). In multivariate analysis, factors that independently increased 6‐month readmission risk were age ≥ 60 years (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.7, 95% CI: 1.4−2.2), females (HR: 2.2, 95% CI: 1.6−2.7), and congestive heart failure (CCF) (HR: 2.1, 95% CI: 1.4−2.6). Most cardiac readmissions (76%) happened during the first 60 days following index discharge.

Conclusion

Almost half the patients were readmitted within 6 months after an index admission for AF. Females, CCF, and advancing age were independently associated with an increased risk of 6‐month readmission.
Osterix mRNA Enrichment in Small Extracellular Vesicles Derived From Osteogenically Induced ADSCs: A Promoter of Osteogenic Differentiation in BMSCs
Authors: Liang Zhaoquan , Wu Yuelin , Bao Junhao , Xiao Qiang , Luo Sidong , Liu Xinfang , Wang Yeyang , Xie Chao , Zhang Li
Published: January 2025

Osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow stem cells (BMSCs) is essential for bone tissue regeneration and repair. However, this process is often hindered by an unstable differentiation influenced by local microenvironmental factors. While small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) derived from osteogenically induced adipose mesenchymal stem cells (ADSCs) reportedly can promote osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain incompletely understood. In this study, we investigated the mRNA expression profile of ADSC‐sEVs+ and explored the role of specific mRNAs in the osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs. We first validated the osteogenic induction activity of ADSC‐sEVs+ through both in vitro and in vivo experiments. Using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, we compared mRNA expression between ADSC‐sEVs+ and ADSC‐sEVs and further assessed the impact of specific mRNAs on the differentiation of BMSCs through a series of in vitro experiments. One of our key findings was that osterix mRNA was highly enriched in ADSC‐sEVs+, which significantly enhanced alkaline phosphatase staining and upregulated downstream osteoblastic markers in BMSCs. Both overexpression and knockdown experiments confirmed that osterix mRNA is a critical signalling molecule that facilitates the differentiation of BMSCs into osteoblasts through ADSC‐sEVs+. This finding expands our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs and offers a promising strategy for targeted osteoblastic differentiation in clinical applications.
Measuring the Work Relative Value of Common Nursing Items for the General Departments of Tertiary Hospitals: A Descriptive Study
Authors: Wang Yingli , Wang Cong , Ren Hongfei , Mao Ling , Chen Fenjiao , Liang Taoyun , Luo Yuqin , Jiang Yan
Published: January 2025

Aim(s)

This study aims to evaluate the workload of clinical nurses by measuring the work relative value (work RVU) of common nursing items based on the resource‐based relative value scale in China.

Background

Various single measurements have been employed to measure the nursing workload, but no comprehensive method has yet to be developed in China.

Methods

A descriptive study was conducted to construct a common item set for nursing work in general wards on the basis of the 2019 History Information System nursing database from Class A tertiary hospitals to identify the time associated with each service. Data cleaning methods, expert consensus meetings, observational methods, Delphi consensus methods and the analytic hierarchy processes were employed.

Results

A common item set for nursing work was established, which contained 2 first‐level indexes, 8 secondary‐level indexes and 79 third‐level indexes. The average working hours of the common items ranged from 1.38 to 23.76 min. The top three nursing items identified were: extra large dressing change, cleaning enema, and nasal feeding catheterization.

Conclusions

The common nursing items used in general wards were universal. The work RVU of common items comprehensively evaluates clinical nurses' workload, which can better meet the needs of management.

Implications

The work RVU of common items will facilitate effective and comprehensive allocation of nursing human resources and performance assessment.

Reporting Method

We have adhered to relevant EQUATOR guidelines and named the reporting method.
Nursing Students' Attitudes Towards Clinical Practice and Occupational Risk Perceptions
Authors: Daşbilek Ferhat , Yeşiltepe Akgün , Erçel Şeyda
Published: January 2025

Aims and Objectives

In this study, it was aimed to determine nursing students' attitudes towards clinical practice and their perceptions of occupational risk.

Method

The research is descriptive and cross‐sectional. The population of this study consisted of second‐, third‐ and fourth‐year students studying in the Department of Nursing affiliated to the Faculty of Health Sciences of a university located in Turkey. The analysis was conducted using JASP 0.19.1.0 and SPSS 25 software. Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis tests were applied. The Bonferroni test was performed to identify the group causing the difference.

Results

A significant positive correlation was found between nursing students' perception of occupational risk and nursing students' attitude toward clinical practice (r = 0.434, p = 0.000). The mean score of the nursing students' perception of occupational risk in nursing students was 68.74 ± 15.04. The mean score of attitude towards clinical practice in nursing students was 100.04 ± 24.83. A statistically significant difference was found between the presence of attitude towards clinical practice in nursing students and perception of occupational risk in nursing students in the gender variable (p < 0.05), whereas a statistically significant difference was found between adequate information about the nursing profession and attitude towards clinical practice in nursing students (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

In the findings of the study, nursing students' perception of occupational risk and attitudes towards clinical practice were found at a high level. A statistically significant difference was found between the presence of perception of occupational risk in nursing students and attitude towards clinical practice in nursing students in the gender variable. In addition, a statistically significant difference was found between adequate knowledge and nursing profession about the nursing profession and attitude towards clinical practice in nursing students.
Longitudinal Serotonergic and Dopaminergic Binding: Impact on Parkinson's Disease Progression and Levodopa Dyskinesia
Authors: Jeong Eun Hye , Lee Jae Yong , Song Yoo Sung
Published: January 2025

Background and Purpose

We investigated the relationship between serotonergic and dopaminergic specific binding transporter ratios (SBRs) over 4 years in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. We assessed serotonergic innervation's potential compensatory role for dopaminergic denervation, association with PD symptoms, and involvement in the development of levodopa‐induced dyskinesia (LID).

Methods

SBRs of the midbrain and striatum were evaluated from [I‐123] N‐ω‐fluoropropyl‐2β‐carbomethoxy‐3β‐(4‐iodophenyl)nortropane SPECT images at baseline and after 4 years. Correlations between SBRs and PD symptoms were analyzed, alongside interval changes.

Results

Study included 177 PD patients (110 males, 67 females; mean age 61.0 ± 9.0 years). Significant worsening was observed in Hoehn and Yahr staging and Movement Disorder Society‐Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS‐UPDRS) Part II and III scores over 4 years (p < 0.05, p < 0.001, and p < 0.001, respectively). SBRs of the caudate, putamen, and midbrain declined significantly (p < 0.001). Midbrain and striatal SBRs correlated significantly at both baseline and 4‐year follow‐up (p < 0.0001). Striatal SBRs correlated significantly with MDS‐UPDRS II and III scores at both time points, while midbrain SBRs correlated with changes in MDS‐UPDRS III scores over the 4 years (p < 0.01). Putamen and midbrain SBRs at 4 years were significantly lower in patients who developed LID compared to those who did not (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

The study demonstrates correlations between midbrain and putamen SBRs and MDS‐UPDRS scores over 4 years in PD patients. Midbrain serotonin dysfunction may contribute to the development of LID.
The effect of music on fistula needle insertion‐related pain intensity and pain distress: A single‐centre, single‐blind, randomised controlled trial
Authors: Baykan Sultan , Kılıç Akça Nazan
Published: January 2025

Background

Patients feel pain and distress when a needle is inserted into the fistula. This affects the comfort of patients. One of the nonpharmacological methods used to decrease pain and stress is music intervention.

Objective

This study was conducted to assess the effect of Turkish classical music in makams, which the patients preferred, via headphones on fistula needle insertion‐related pain intensity and pain distress.

Design

It was single‐blind randomised controlled study.

Participants

This study was conducted with 54 patients between March and June 2023.

Measurements

The patient data were collected through a patient information form, visual analogue scale and distress thermometer. The intervention group was played music for 10 min, starting 5 min before the needle was inserted into the fistula. The music intervention was made in accordance with the established music protocol. The control group received only routine treatment.

Results

Patients in the intervention group were found to have a significant decrease in fistula needle insertion‐related pain intensity and pain distress.

Conclusion

According to the results obtained from the research, music listening to patients is a reliable, effective and low‐cost way of a nursing intervention to reduce levels of fistula needle insertion‐related pain intensity and pain distress. Additionally, the results will provide evidence‐based guidance to dialysis nurses for pain and distress management.
Generating Value by Working With User Communities: An Analysis of Financial Market Returns to Corporate Open Source Code Contributions
Authors: Aksoy‐Yurdagul Dilan
Published: January 2025

Users are an important source of innovation. Scholars suggest that established firms can gain product‐related insights by working with user communities and studies documenting various ways of working with users, as well as managers' interest in doing so. However, the link between working with user communities for product development purposes and its value for firms is not established. Coupling the use of event study methodology and regression analysis, I examine stock market reactions to corporate announcements stating that the firm is contributing software code to the community. I find that when firms state that generating insights from users regarding new and improved features and functionality is a motivation for contributing code, the market's reaction to the announcement is greater than for announcements that do not state this goal. Additional analysis provides evidence supporting the hypothesis that firms can and do benefit by working with user communities and achieve increased R&D efficiency, which leads to greater firm value.
Estimation of water consumption using artificial neural network: A study on subscribers in Kocaeli Province, Turkey
Authors: Görenekli Kasım , Gülbağ Ali
Published: January 2025

This study focuses on Kocaeli province in Turkey and employs Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) to predict monthly water consumption. With approximately 800.000 water subscribers, a sample of 1.200 subscribers from residential, commercial and official categories was selected for analysis. The dataset includes water consumption records, weather information, weekends and holidays, the previous month's consumption and the influence of the COVID‐19 pandemic. During an extensive 80‐month period, spanning from January 2016 to August 2022, our study thoroughly analysed the dataset, ultimately achieving a notable R2 values of 0.88 for official subscribers and 0.87 for commercial subscribers, respectively. The findings of this research are highly important, considering Turkey's high water loss rate of approximately 37% (SABAH, n.d., 2022) and Turkey's per capita water supply is below the global average (“Precipitation by country, around the world”, n.d.). By leveraging artificial intelligence techniques in estimating water consumption, this study provides meaningful insights for effective water resource management and allocation.