bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pre- and Intraoperative Factors Associated With Improvement of Neck Pain After Laminoplasty for the Treatment of Cervical Myelopathy
Authors: Lee Dong-Ho , Cagulada Arnold Joseph P. , Hwang Chang Ju , Cho Jae Hwan , Park Sehan
Published: January 2025

Study Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Objective

To (1) determine whether preoperative neck pain improves after laminoplasty for cervical myelopathy and identify factors that could predict improvements in neck pain.

Methods

A total of 88 patients with preoperative neck pain visual analogue scale (VAS) of ≥4, who underwent laminoplasty for cervical myelopathy, and were followed-up for >2 years were retrospectively reviewed. Patients demonstrating ≥50% improvement in VAS scores for neck pain 2 years postoperatively compared toㅇ preoperative assessment were included in neck pain improved (NP-improved) group. The remaining patients were assigned to neck pain unimproved (NP-unimproved) group.

Results

Overall, 54 patients (61.4%) were included in NP-improved group and 34 patients (38.6%) were included in NP-unimproved group. NP-unimproved group more frequently underwent C3 laminectomy ( P = 0.026) and had lesser degree of preoperative C2-C7 lordosis ( P = 0.006) in the extension position compared to that in the NP-improved group. Furthermore, undergoing C3 laminectomy was associated with lower probability of achieving a ≥50% improvement in neck pain VAS scores ( P = 0.018), while greater preoperative C2-C7 lordosis in the extension position was associated with a higher possibility of neck pain improvement ( P = 0.048). A cut-off value of 20.5° for C2-C7 lordosis in the extension position predicted a ≥50% improvement in neck pain.

Conclusion

Preoperative neck pain should not be considered contraindication for laminoplasty as 61.4% of patients experienced ≥50% improvement in neck pain post-operatively. C3 laminectomy decreases the probability of neck pain improvement after laminoplasty, while greater C2-C7 lordosis in the extension position is associated with neck pain improvement.
Nurse workforce change and metropolitan medically underserved areas in the United States
Authors: Bowser Diana , Mauricio Kaili , Ruscitti Brielle
Published: January 2025

Background

The continued healthcare crisis in the United States (US) is worrisome, especially as workforce shortages, particularly for nurses, are highlighted, often in some of the highest need areas. As the need for healthcare services grows, especially for services that nurses can deliver, the inability to meet those needs exacerbates existing disparities in access to care and can jeopardize the quality and timeliness of healthcare delivery in underserved communities. Prior investigations have used varying definitions to describe underserved, under-resourced, rural, or health professional shortage areas to examine the relationship between these areas and workforce shortages. Therefore, this study examines the relationship between changes in the nursing labor force changes and metropolitan medically underserved areas (MUA), defined by Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

Methods

Secondary data were utilized to conduct descriptive and regression analyses of the nursing workforce population in metropolitan statistical areas from 2012 to 2022. The key outcome variable for the analyses was nurse workforce change per 10,000 population. Occupational Employment and Wage dataset from the Bureau of Labor Statistics was used to determine the number of nurses employed, at the level of the metropolitan statistical area from 2012 to 2022. The Index of Medical Underservice was extracted for each MUA from HRSA and geographically weighted to the metropolitan area.

Results

The results of descriptive trends for nursing professions show that all nursing occupations reviewed have experienced positive change over both five- and ten-year periods. However, the results of nurse change models show that neither the change in Registered Nurses nor Nurse Practitioners is correlated with medically underserved areas.

Conclusions

These results emphasize the need for adaptive strategies in the nursing workforce to respond to the evolution of healthcare requirements over time. The findings from this study suggest the need for careful planning in workforce policy and education to grow the nurse workforce needs to meet evolving healthcare needs effectively.
Impact of worklist selection on point-of-care ultrasound workflow – a quality improvement project
Authors: Rowland Jonathan , Baker Jessa , Dunn Natassia , Whited Matthew , Saadat Soheil , Fox J. Christian
Published: January 2025

Background

Research demonstrates that Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) improves clinical outcomes for patients. Improving clinician satisfaction with POCUS should promote utilization into everyday practice, leading to improved clinical outcomes. Despite this benefit, there are still barriers to use including POCUS workflow. This project was undertaken to improve the functionality of the existing POCUS workflow and move toward an “encounter-based” system by automating worklist generation. It aimed to streamline the POCUS workflow, primarily determine if there was improved clinician satisfaction with the new workflow, and secondarily determine the change in revenue generation from decreased errors in data entry.

Methods

A new workflow was created which automatically populated every registered Emergency Department (ED) patient into the worklist upon patient registration. Clinician feedback on their use of the new workflow was sought via survey after implementation. The number of medical record number (MRN) entry errors prior to and following implementation was manually reviewed and calculated.

Results

There was a strong preference for the new workflow, with 36 of 38 (94.7%) clinicians finding it to be more convenient and 37 of 38 (97.4%) finding it to be preferable to use compared to the old workflow. Implementation also resulted in a 36% reduction in database studies containing an MRN data entry error.

Conclusions

An “encounter-based” workflow is strongly preferred over manual data entry for POCUS workflow among clinicians. Additionally, there was no cost to the intervention and the total data entry errors were significantly reduced, allowing for improved quality review and increased revenue.
A new phase of China-ASEAN health cooperation: the China-ASEAN Beijing Declaration on Cooperation in Innovation of Health Products and Technologies
Authors: Qiao Jie , Zhan Siyan , Ren Minghui , Wang Haijun , Huang Yangmu , Zhang Zhenyu , Luo Yanan , Yin Hui , Jia Zhongwei , Huang Wei , Zhou Hong , Liu Jue , Liu Xiaoyun , Sun Qiudan , Li Xiaojia , Bai Jing , Liu Fangjing , Liu Yihong , Jin Yinzi , Xu Ming ,   on behalf of China-ASEAN Science and Technology Cooperation Center for Public Health
Published: January 2025

Utilizing innovative methods to advance the research and development (R&D) of health products and enhance their accessibility has become crucial to achieving universal health coverage, addressing public health emergencies, and promoting population health and wellbeing. However, structural contradictions do exist in the supply and demand of health products in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). With the joint support of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China, the Ministry of Education, and the China-ASEAN Center, Peking University established the China-ASEAN Science and Technology Cooperation Center for Public Health in April 2023. The Center held the Second Annual Forum on China-ASEAN Cooperation in Public Health on June 26–28, 2024, and the participants reached consensus on launching the China-ASEAN Beijing Declaration on Cooperation in Innovation of Health Products and Technologies, which calls on China and ASEAN countries to carry out the following actions: (1) Establish a more effective, open, and inclusive cooperation mechanism for health product innovation towards a China-ASEAN innovation ecosystem; (2) Enhance R&D capabilities by targeting new technologies, methods and appropriate and affordable health products for key populations and addressing diseases prevalent in China and ASEAN; (3) Establish a China-ASEAN Collaboration Center for Health Product Innovation, coordinate regional development plans, and enhance equitable access to pharmaceutical products at the regional level; (4) Accelerate regulatory harmonization in the region by optimizing and improving regulatory modalities of China and ASEAN Countries; and (5) Strengthen cross-sectoral cooperation to build resilient health system and achieve sustainable development of innovation cooperation. The Declaration will play an active role in regional public health governance and development cooperation, in order to promote the R&D and accessibility of health products in the region and to help achieve faster and more equitable access to health products for a broader population.
Differences in technical and clinical perspectives on AI validation in cancer imaging: mind the gap!
Authors: Chouvarda Ioanna , Colantonio Sara , Verde Ana S. C. , Jimenez-Pastor Ana , Cerdá-Alberich Leonor , Metz Yannick , Zacharias Lithin , Nabhani-Gebara Shereen , Bobowicz Maciej , Tsakou Gianna , Lekadir Karim , Tsiknakis Manolis , Martí-Bonmati Luis , Papanikolaou Nikolaos
Published: January 2025

Good practices in artificial intelligence (AI) model validation are key for achieving trustworthy AI. Within the cancer imaging domain, attracting the attention of clinical and technical AI enthusiasts, this work discusses current gaps in AI validation strategies, examining existing practices that are common or variable across technical groups (TGs) and clinical groups (CGs). The work is based on a set of structured questions encompassing several AI validation topics, addressed to professionals working in AI for medical imaging. A total of 49 responses were obtained and analysed to identify trends and patterns. While TGs valued transparency and traceability the most, CGs pointed out the importance of explainability. Among the topics where TGs may benefit from further exposure are stability and robustness checks, and mitigation of fairness issues. On the other hand, CGs seemed more reluctant towards synthetic data for validation and would benefit from exposure to cross-validation techniques, or segmentation metrics. Topics emerging from the open questions were utility, capability, adoption and trustworthiness. These findings on current trends in AI validation strategies may guide the creation of guidelines necessary for training the next generation of professionals working with AI in healthcare and contribute to bridging any technical-clinical gap in AI validation.

Relevance statement

This study recognised current gaps in understanding and applying AI validation strategies in cancer imaging and helped promote trust and adoption for interdisciplinary teams of technical and clinical researchers.

Key Points

Clinical and technical researchers emphasise interpretability, external validation with diverse data, and bias awareness in AI validation for cancer imaging.

In cancer imaging AI research, clinical researchers prioritise explainability, while technical researchers focus on transparency and traceability, and see potential in synthetic datasets.

Researchers advocate for greater homogenisation of AI validation practices in cancer imaging.

Graphical Abstract
Can ChatGPT4-vision identify radiologic progression of multiple sclerosis on brain MRI?
Authors: Kelly Brendan S. , Duignan Sophie , Mathur Prateek , Dillon Henry , Lee Edward H. , Yeom Kristen W. , Keane Pearse A. , Lawlor Aonghus , Killeen Ronan P.
Published: January 2025

Background

The large language model ChatGPT can now accept image input with the GPT4-vision (GPT4V) version. We aimed to compare the performance of GPT4V to pretrained U-Net and vision transformer (ViT) models for the identification of the progression of multiple sclerosis (MS) on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Methods

Paired coregistered MR images with and without progression were provided as input to ChatGPT4V in a zero-shot experiment to identify radiologic progression. Its performance was compared to pretrained U-Net and ViT models. Accuracy was the primary evaluation metric and 95% confidence interval (CIs) were calculated by bootstrapping. We included 170 patients with MS (50 males, 120 females), aged 21–74 years (mean 42.3), imaged at a single institution from 2019 to 2021, each with 2–5 MRI studies (496 in total).

Results

One hundred seventy patients were included, 110 for training, 30 for tuning, and 30 for testing; 100 unseen paired images were randomly selected from the test set for evaluation. Both U-Net and ViT had 94% (95% CI: 89–98%) accuracy while GPT4V had 85% (77–91%). GPT4V gave cautious nonanswers in six cases. GPT4V had precision (specificity), recall (sensitivity), and F1 score of 89% (75–93%), 92% (82–98%), 91 (82–97%) compared to 100% (100–100%), 88 (78–96%), and 0.94 (88–98%) for U-Net and 94% (87–100%), 94 (88–100%), and 94 (89–98%) for ViT.

Conclusion

The performance of GPT4V combined with its accessibility suggests has the potential to impact AI radiology research. However, misclassified cases and overly cautious non-answers confirm that it is not yet ready for clinical use.

Relevance statement

GPT4V can identify the radiologic progression of MS in a simplified experimental setting. However, GPT4V is not a medical device, and its widespread availability highlights the need for caution and education for lay users, especially those with limited access to expert healthcare.

Key Points

Without fine-tuning or the need for prior coding experience, GPT4V can perform a zero-shot radiologic change detection task with reasonable accuracy.

However, in absolute terms, in a simplified “spot the difference” medical imaging task, GPT4V was inferior to state-of-the-art computer vision methods.

GPT4V’s performance metrics were more similar to the ViT than the U-net.

This is an exploratory experimental study and GPT4V is not intended for use as a medical device.

Graphical Abstract
Complexities in post-wildfire governance: lessons from Colorado’s 2020 wildfires
Authors: Carney Clint P. , Schultz Courtney A. , Greiner Michelle S.
Published: January 2025

Background

The increasing size and severity of western U.S. wildfires in recent years has generated greater attention towards post-wildfire response and recovery. Post-fire governance requires coordinating response and recovery capacities across jurisdictions, landscapes, and time scales. The presence of wildfire on federal public lands necessitates federal agency involvement in both suppression and recovery efforts, and program coordination with lower levels of government and non-governmental organizations. Using semi-structured interviews, we investigated experiences of leaders across the governance system with federal post-fire policies and programs following the record-breaking Cameron Peak and East Troublesome wildfires in the state of Colorado.

Results

Our research found that persistent administrative and coordination challenges exist within and among federal agencies in the post-fire response and recovery space. Challenges included cross-jurisdictional coordination of key emergency response programs, program rules that affect post-fire project timing and effectiveness, the absence of a formal federal post-fire response strategy, and program funding issues. These factors revealed and exacerbated scale mismatches between existing agency capacities and the post-fire landscapes that result from unprecedentedly longer, larger, and more severe wildfires occurring in the western USA. Non-federal and non-governmental organizations were instrumental in overcoming these challenges through coordinating response and recovery efforts across both federal and private lands. To improve the federal post-fire response capacity, study participants stressed the importance of broader cross-jurisdictional use of federal resources, longer timeframes for recovery activities, and reforming the federal funding process.

Conclusions

Our findings revealed a persistence of post-fire coordination and funding issues within federal land management agencies, and current agency capacities remain insensitive to the scale of twenty-first-century post-wildfire settings. Addressing the mismatches between existing agency resources and the spatial and temporal scale complexities of post-fire environments will require broader federal support for existing programs along with re-envisioning the overall approach to the post-fire response and recovery process.
Hospitalizations with post-traumatic stress disorder in France between 2013 and 2022: a nationwide retrospective study
Authors: Demesmaeker Alice , Dufrenois Florian , Saint-Dizier Chloé , Vaiva Guillaume , Lamer Antoine , Horn Mathilde , D’Hondt Fabien
Published: January 2025

Introduction

The lifetime prevalence of PTSD ranges from 6 to 20% and is often associated with comorbid disorders. Despite the significant impact of PTSD, specific data on healthcare utilization related to PTSD remain limited. This study aims to characterize PTSD-related hospitalizations in France over the past decade.

Methods

This nationwide longitudinal retrospective study analyzed PTSD-related hospitalizations in France from 2013 to 2022 using the French National Hospitals Database. Data included discharge records from general and psychiatric hospitals, detailing demographics, admission/discharge dates, ICD-10 diagnoses, and hospitalization specifics.

Results

Between 2013 and 2022, 69,108 patients underwent 125,349 hospitalizations with a PTSD diagnosis (0.4% of all inpatient cases) in France. Psychiatric facilities accounted for 74,988 hospitalizations (1% of all psychiatric inpatient cases in France), while general hospitals recorded 50,361 hospitalizations (0.02% of all non-psychiatric inpatient cases). The percentage of inpatients diagnosed with PTSD increased from 0.68 to 2.22% in psychiatric facilities and from 0.02 to 0.04% in general hospitals over the study period. Females were younger in both settings and had longer stays compared to males in psychiatric facilities. Over time, there was a decrease in median age and an increase in part-time hospitalizations in psychiatric facilities. Mood disorders, stress-related disorders, and substance use disorders were prevalent comorbidities in both settings.

Conclusions

This study highlights a rise in PTSD-related hospitalizations in France, particularly in psychiatric facilities and after 2019, with high rates among women and an increase in hospitalization of younger individuals. These findings highlight the necessity for improved care strategies tailored to the increasing number of younger patients with PTSD.
Reallocating Sedentary Time to Sleep or Physical Activity: Associations with BMI in College Students
Authors: Sanders Rachel M. , MacDonald Hayley V. , Higginbotham John C. , Richardson Mark T. , Lerma Nicholas L. , Fedewa Michael V.
Published: January 2025

Introduction

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of reallocating time spent in weekday sedentary behavior (SED) to sleep duration, walking activity, or moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) on body mass index (BMI) in college students using an isotemporal substitution model.

Methods

Self-reported BMI (height and weight), sleep duration, weekday SED, walking activity, and MVPA were obtained using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and International Physical Activity Questionnaire.

Results

Among participants (n = 1533, 20.1 ± 1.5 yr old), sleep duration (r = −0.069) and MVPA (r = −0.069) were inversely associated with BMI (P < 0.01). Reallocating 60 min of weekday SED to sleep duration (B = −0.277; 95% confidence interval (CI): −0.462 to −0.092) or MVPA (B = −0.386; 95% CI: −0.626 to −0.147) was associated with lower BMI, with stronger associations observed among students with overweight/obesity.

Conclusion

Greater time spent in sleep and MVPA was associated with lower BMI, especially among overweight/obese college students. Lifestyle modifications should include reducing SED and increasing sleep and physical activity because these factors are associated with lower BMI.
Δυναμικά μεταγενέστερες πρότερες κατανομές σε προβλήματα συρρίκνωσης
Authors: Τζουμέρκας Γεώργιος
Published: January 2025

Στη διδακτορική αυτή διατριβή, εστιάζουμε στο πρόβλημα της Μπεϋζιανής επιλογής επεξηγηματικών μεταβλητών σε μοντέλα γραμμικής παλινδρόμησης μεγάλων διαστάσεων. Στις περιπτώσεις όπου το μέγεθος του δείγματος n είναι μικρότερο από το πλήθος των επεξηγηματικών μεταβλητών p, η χρήση πρότερων κατανομών συρρίκνωσης, είναι μια καλώς ορισμένη μεθοδολογία, που διαθέτει αξιοσημείωτες θεωρητικές και εμπειρικές ιδιότητες. Με χρήση διδακτικών (φανταστικών) δεδομένων και αρχικών πρότερων συρρίκνωσης, υπό τη μεθοδολογία των Δυναμικά-Μεταγενέστερων-Αναμενόμενων εκ των προτέρων κατανομών (Power-Expected-Posterior (PEP) priors), δημιουργούμε συμβατές πρότερες συρρίκνωσης με ελκυστική ερμηνεία. Επιπλέον, εξετάζουμε την ιδέα της επαύξησης του φανταστικού πίνακα σχεδιασμού, ώστε να τον κάνουμε να έχει ορθογώνιες στήλες και με αυτό τον τρόπο να καταλήξουμε σε ανεξάρτητες ΡΕΡ πρότερες συρρίκνωσης, βασισμένες σε προκαθορισμένες, μη υποκειμενικές, αρχικές πρότερες. Υπό αυτή τη μεθοδολογία, χρησιμοποιούμε κατάλληλες πρότερες κατανομές στις υπερπαραμέτρους δύναμης της μεθοδολογίας των PEP πρότερων, ώστε να καταλήξουμε σε μίξεις ανεξάρτητων πρότερων κατανομών, οι οποίες είναι κατάλληλες για το πρόβλημα επιλογής επεξηγηματικών μεταβλητών όταν το n << p. Η δεύτερη αυτή προσέγγιση μας παρέχει αλγοριθμική ευελιξία και μικρό υπολογιστικό κόστος. Εξετάζουμε τις θεωρητικές ιδιότητες των προτεινόμενων μεθοδολογιών καθώς και την απόδοσή τους σε προσομοιωμένα και πραγματικά δεδομένα.
Facilitating bootstrapped and rarefaction-based microbiome diversity analysis with q2-boots
Authors: Raspet Isaiah , Gehret Elizabeth , Herman Chloe , Meilander Jeff , Manley Andrew , Simard Anthony , Bolyen Evan , Caporaso J Gregory
Published: January 2025

Background We present q2-boots, a QIIME 2 plugin that facilitates bootstrapped and rarefaction-based microbiome diversity analysis. This plugin provides eight new actions that allow users to apply any of thirty different alpha diversity metrics and twenty-two beta diversity metrics to bootstrapped or rarefied feature tables, using a single QIIME 2 Pipeline command, or more granular QIIME 2 Action commands. Results Given a feature table, an even sampling depth, and the number of iterations to perform (n), the command qiime boots core-metrics will resample the feature table n times and compute alpha and beta diversity metrics on each resampled table. The results will be integrated in summary data artifacts that are identical in structure and type to results that would be generated by applying diversity metrics to a single table. This enables all the same downstream analytic tools to be applied to these tables and ensures that all collected data is considered when computing microbiome diversity metrics. Conclusions A challenge of this work was deciding how to integrate distance matrices that were computed on n resampled feature tables, as a simple average of pairwise distances (median or mean) does not account for the structure of distance matrices. q2-boots provides three options, and we show here that the results of these approaches are highly correlated. q2-boots is free and open source. Source code can be found at https://github.com/caporaso-lab/q2-boots; installation instructions and a tutorial can be found in the project’s documentation at https://q2-boots.readthedocs.io.
The influence of anxiety-related emotional disorders and self-esteem on obesity among Chinese children
Authors: Shi Xin , Motevalli Saeid , Chang Elaine Jing Ying , Pan Yifei , Sun Jing
Published: January 2025

Background Anxiety and obesity can have negative impacts on the health of children. Understanding the relationship between obesity and mental disorders in children and adolescents will help develop effective prevention and intervention strategies. This research investigates the impact of anxiety-related emotional disorders and self-esteem on obesity among Chinese children aged 6-12 in Anhui Province. Methods Utilizing a non-experimental, cross-sectional study design, data were from 136 participants collected through standardized instrument measures from Chinese children: the “Chinese screening for overweight and obesity among school-age children and adolescents” in the “Health Industry Standards of the People’s Republic of China” as the standard for identifying obesity, the Screen for Anxiety-Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED) for assessing anxiety disorder, and the Children’s Self-Esteem Scale (CSES) for evaluating self-esteem. Statistical analysis, including descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation analysis, and multiple regression analyses was performed using SPSS version 26 to determine the predictive relationships between the variables. Results The analysis revealed that anxiety-related emotional disorders and self-esteem contribute significantly to the prediction of obesity among Chinese children, accounting for a 13.7% variance. The study highlights the critical roles of anxiety-related emotional disorders and self-esteem in determining children’s obesity. It suggests that underscores the necessity for comprehensive interventions that address both physical and mental health aspects to combat childhood obesity effectively. The study concludes that addressing anxiety and self-esteem is essential for developing effective strategies to reduce obesity rates among Chinese children, meeting the research objectives, and contributing to the development of holistic health programs for children’s well-being.
Resolving three-dimensional wind velocity fields with sequential wind-Doppler LiDAR for wind energy in the complex terrain - Gotthard Pass, Switzerland
Authors: van Schaik Brandon , Huwald Hendrik , Lehning Michael
Published: January 2025

Background Understanding the effects of the complex terrain on wind turbines in alpine regions requires high-resolution computational modelling accompanied by detailed wind observations. In technologically advanced measurement campaigns, often multiple synchronised wind-Doppler LiDARs are deployed to overcome the limitation of these instruments to only measure line-of-sight velocity. Methods In this work, a novel deployment method, a sequential wind-Doppler LiDAR deployment is introduced. We present the example of a field campaign on the Gotthard Pass, a narrow north-south permutated high-mountain pass in the central Swiss Alps. We propose a matching algorithm that can robustly group wind profiles, enabling comparable scientific detail to study turbine efficiency as in synchronised triple LiDAR campaigns, whilst only requiring a single LiDAR instrument to be deployed. Results In the three-month study period in the summer of 2023, we successfully used turbulence kinetic energy, wind shear and veer, as well as wind channelling to explain turbine power production discrepancies observed in the five turbines erected on a mountain pass.
The genome sequence of the Asparagus Beetle, Crioceris asparagi (Linnaeus, 1758)
Authors: Geiser Michael  F. , Read Freya , Barclay Maxwell V.L. ,   Natural History Museum Genome Acquisition Lab,   Darwin Tree of Life Barcoding collective,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life Management, Samples and Laboratory team,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Scientific Operations: Sequencing Operations,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life Core Informatics team,   Tree of Life Core Informatics collective,   Darwin Tree of Life Consortium
Published: January 2025

We present a genome assembly from an individual male specimen of Crioceris asparagi (Asparagus Beetle; Arthropoda; Insecta; Coleoptera; Chrysomelidae). The genome sequence has a total length of 639.30 megabases. Most of the assembly (93.04%) is scaffolded into 9 chromosomal pseudomolecules, including the X and Y sex chromosomes. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled and is 15.76 kilobases in length. Gene annotation of this assembly on Ensembl identified 26,673 protein-coding genes.
Impact of OM Content in Earnings Calls on a Firm’s Stock Performance
Authors: Voleti Sudhir , Malladi Vishwakant , Sohoni Milind G.
Published: January 2025

We investigate whether and to what extent financial markets value and respond to operations management (OM)-related information in quarterly earnings calls directed toward financial market participants. We develop and use a novel construct called “stated OM focus” (SOMF) to mine the incidence of and emphasis on OM information in the quarterly earnings conference calls for a large cross-section of firms (S&P 1500) over a time frame of 15 years. We empirically establish the value-relevance of OM information as well as summarize and capture both explanatory and predictive aspects of the OM function’s contribution to firm value. We show that OM-related information disclosed by firms systematically, significantly, positively, and persistently affects abnormal stock returns after controlling for known covariates and controls (financial metrics, standard OM metrics, firm and time effects, and lexical-structure related) and after accounting for earnings surprise. Furthermore, we find evidence that firms’ stated OM focus bears significant predictive power in the short term. Long-short portfolios, created using a sorting signal derived solely from stated OM-focus information, predict future abnormal returns consistently over one, two and three months forward from the earnings call event. We show that the OM information metric is reliable and bears internal, external, and predictive validity. These findings offer useful implications for firms, financial market participants, and OM function stakeholders.

This paper was accepted by Jayashankar Swaminathan, operations management.

Supplemental Material: The online appendix and data files are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2023.02221 .
Assessment of the Health Impacts of Sewage Water Irrigation on Agricultural Workers
Authors: S Patel Jayeshkumar
Published: January 2025

Wastewater can be explored as an alternative water resource for irrigation in arid and semi-arid areas. In addition to conserving surface and subsurface water resources, the safe use of treated sewage water can increase crop yields. Despite numerous studies on wastewater irrigation, relatively limited research has been undertaken on the health impacts of wastewater irrigation on agricultural workers was undertaken. Many regions lack robust health monitoring systems for agricultural workers, making it difficult to assess the long-term health impacts of wastewater exposure. There is an urgent need to explore impacts of wastewater irrigation on farmworkers’ health. It is of an utmost importance to consider advantages as well as the risks of wastewater irrigation to public health and the environment. With this objective, experiments focusing on sewage water reuse for the irrigation of Wheat and Green gram crops were conducted at the Campus of Nirma University, Ahmedabad. The study design took into account several treatments based on the use of sewage water, groundwater, and surface water in various blending ratios. The design of the studies also takes into account different treatments based on the application of nitrogenous fertilizer to soils. A total of three replications were performed for all experiments for wheat & green gram crops. The methodology involves assessing the health impacts on agricultural workers as a result of their exposure to pathogens associated with wastewater. The impacts on public health under said treatments are analyzed and discussed in the paper. Lead levels, Total Bilirubin, Conjugated Bilirubin, Unconjugated Bilirubin, SGPT, Polymorphs, Lymphocytes, Eosinophils, Monocytes and Basophils were found to be within the normal range in agricultural workers associated with sewage water irrigation for wheat and green gram crops.
Mitigating Air Pollution and Protecting Public Health: Analyzing the Impact of National Clean Air Programme in Kota, Rajasthan
Authors: Sharma Monika , Choudhary M. P. , Mathur Anil K.
Published: January 2025

The clean air plan in India involves a set of rules, policies, and initiatives targeted at improving the air quality and public health by way of decreasing emissions from various sources. The study aims to evaluate the impact of National Clean Air Program (NCAP) on lowering air pollution levels and improving public health outcomes in Kota city, Rajasthan, highlighting progress, challenges, and the need for sustained emission control efforts. Kota's selection for this study highlights its significance as an educational hub, attracting students from all over India. The rapid population growth and increased vehicle emissions in the city cause adverse impacts on air quality. Improving air quality will not only enhance the health of residents and students but also contribute to a more conducive learning environment. The action plan of NCAP involves enforcing the construction and demolition waste management rules 2016, implementing emission control measures like water sprinkling and covered transport for construction activities, and extensive campaigns against open burning of biomass and waste. It also includes regular checks on industrial emissions, proper waste collection and disposal, and mandatory green belt development in residential areas. It employs a mixed-method approach, combining air quality monitoring data collected from the Central and State Pollution Control Boards from 2014 to 2023. It also examines trends in key pollutants, including NO2, SO2, and PM10, and analyzes the effect of regulatory measures such as emission controls and waste management rules. The study reveals a decreasing trend in NO2 (nitrogen dioxide) levels in Kota city, Rajasthan from 35.35 µg/m³ to 29.90 µg/m³ during 2014 to 2023, showing a significant drop during the COVID-19 lockdown. Similarly, PM10 (particulate matter) levels peaked at 153.28 µg/m³ in 2018 but saw a significant reduction to104.80 µg/m³ by 2020, indicating an improvement in air quality. However, SO2 (sulfur dioxide) concentrations slightly increased in 2019-2023 compared to 2014-2018. The air quality index (AQI) improved modestly but frequently surpassed 100, indicating hazardous air quality for vulnerable populations. The study concludes that while the NCAP in India has significantly improved air quality, challenges remain, with NO2 levels rebounding post-COVID-19 lockdown and persistent high particulate matter levels. It is recommended to ensure stricter enforcement of emission control measures, enhanced monitoring systems, and public awareness campaigns. Future work should focus on the long-term health impacts of particulate matter and strategies to achieve sustained air quality improvements in high-risk regions.
Assessment of Water Quality Characteristics along the Course of the Yamuna River (India)
Authors: Singh Anita , Antil Ekta , Dehiya Brijnandan Singh , Chaudhary Sudesh
Published: January 2025

Yamuna river plays an important role in providing water for irrigation, life and drinking but the development of various small and large cities along its bank has deteriorated river water quality. Various physicochemical parameters of the river Yamuna were assessed over its mountainous region to confluence point near Prayagraj covering a distance of 1376km. The river water samples were studied for temperature, pH, TDS, total alkalinity, total hardness, electrical conductivity, chlorides, sulfate, phosphate, sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium concentration in pre monsoon and post monsoon seasons. Water samples collected from 41 different sites from its mountainous region to its confluence point to the Ganga River. The physicochemical parameters showed a significant decrease of 20-30% in nearly all parameterspost monsoon reasons. WAWQI calculated by dividing studied stretch of Yamuna River into four segments. The results unveiled that quality of river water was poor in mountainous regions, which became worse at its confluence point. The various parameters indicate that pollution from all sources-industrial, municipal and agricultural sources are responsible for the pollution of Yamuna river water. Regular analysing water samples can identify river’s health, suitability for human use and to ensure that water is suitable for recreation and aquatic life. The significance of this research lies in its potential to protect aquatic ecosystem, elevate sustainable water useand contributing to the long term river’s health and various communities that depends on it.
Optimization of Cellulases under Solid State Fermentation by Newly Isolated Fungus: An Environmentally Sustainable Approach
Authors: Kumar Anil , Suhag Meenakshi , Dhaka Naveeta , Singh Joginder , Nandal Ritu , Dhankhar Rajesh
Published: January 2025

There exists a substantial interest in advancing the commercial production of cellulolytic enzymes. This drive is fueled by the pursuit of cost-effective substrates and energy-efficient fermentation processes, all aimed at enhancing the economic viability of enzymatic conversion of lignocellulosic biomass (LB) into bioethanol. In the present study, emphasis was given to the isolation of superior cellulase-producing fungal isolate. A comprehensive collection of 199 fungal isolates was derived from diverse soil samples, and the fungal isolate with the largest hydrolytic halos was identified as Trichoderma atroviride AD-130 through molecular analysis. The potential of cellulase production was explored and optimized during solid state fermentation (SSF) using inexpensive substrates such as Eichhornia crassipes and Municipal Solid Waste (MSW). Trichoderma atroviride AD-130 displayed the maximum cellulase production on the fifth day at pH 7.0 at a substrate-moisture ratio of 1:6 for E. crassipes and 1:2 for MSW under solid-state fermentation. The cellulases obtained were partially purified and characterized for their optimal pH (6.0, 4.5, and 5.0 for FPase, CMCase, and BGL respectively) and temperature conditions (60°C, 50°C, and 70°C for FPase, CMCase, and BGL respectively). Zymogram analysis revealed that the cellulolytic fungus T. atroviride AD-130 possessed multiple alleles for the synthesis of CMCase, which is crucial for the effective degradation of various types of lignocellulosic substrates.
Sobre el intento de introducir el concepto de las magnitudes negativas en la filosofía trascendental de Kant
Authors: Genazzano Pablo
Published: January 2025

Este artículo sostiene una tesis histórica y otra sistemática. En sentido histórico, se sostiene que Kant rehabilita el concepto de las magnitudes negativas entre 1790 y 1792. En sentido sistemático, se sostiene que esta rehabilitación es una rehabilitación trascendental. En la introducción, se presenta el lugar del concepto de las magnitudes negativas en la carrera de Kant. En la segunda sección, se explica su significado precrítico, haciendo énfasis en su dimensión ontológica. En la tercera, cuarta y quinta sección se expone, respectivamente, el significado psicológico, cosmológico y moral de este concepto. En estas secciones, la explicación de estos tres distintos significados sigue el orden de publicación de Kant entre 1790 y 1792. Siguiendo este orden, el concepto de las magnitudes negativas es visto en la “Analítica de lo sublime” (1790), en el ensayo Sobre el fracaso de todo ensayo filosófico en teodicea (1791), y en el ensayo Sobre el mal radical en la naturaleza humana (1792). En la conclusión se hace una nota general sobre el concepto de lo negativo en Kant. Aquí se argumenta que la rehabilitación trascendental de las magnitudes negativas supone una excepción en el desarrollo de su pensamiento.
Paleomagnetic study of the curvature of the Segre oblique zone (Southern Pyrenees)
Authors: Saiz Garcia Francina , Jean Juvany Philémon , Garcés Crespo Miguel , Beamud Elisabet , López Blanco Miguel
Published: January 2025

The origin of the obliquity of the structures at the eastern end of the central South-Pyrenean salient is investigated by means of Paleomagnetism. Earlier paleomagnetic data in the area are poorly distributed and insufficient to describe in detail the amount and age of vertical axis-rotations affecting the region. This work aims to address this issue by focusing on the Palaeocene rocks, whose magnetization if primary would record the entire rotation during the emplacement of the thrust sheet units, improving our understanding of the history of deformation and the paleogeographic implications during the Eocene. In addition to Palaeocene Garumnian facies, late Cretaceous and early Eocene marine facies were also sampled. The characteristic components of the magnetization were obtained after progressive demagnetization of the NRM of a minimum of 10 samples per site. The mean site direction, and the mean direction of groups of sites from the same structural unit were calculated. The fold test applied to a set of sites located on the Montsec thrust sheet gave positive results, indicating an age of the magnetization prior to deformation. However, evidence of postfolding magnetizations were found in other sites. The results of this study indicate significant counterclockwise rotations of the Cadí, Port del Comte, and the eastern termination of the Montsec thrust sheets, developed during the Mid Eocene to Oligocene times. These results are intended to contribute to the restitution of the initial geometry of the structures and to contribute to the paleogeographic reconstruction of the sedimentary systems of the eastern and central Pyrenees.
Entrevista a Oriol Genís
Authors: Reguant Fosas Gemma
Published: January 2025

Entrevista a l'actor Oriol Genís, a càrrec de la professora Gemma Reguant Fosas.
L'entrevista es pot visualitzar en aquest enllaç: https://youtu.be/_Xodn6tpDJ0
Estrategias de gestión educativa basadas en los factores que afectan el rendimiento académico y la calidad de la educación
Authors: Caro-Rivas Miguel-Ángel
Published: January 2025

INTRODUCCIÓN. La gestión educativa es crucial para mejorar la enseñanza y hacer aportaciones a la calidad de la educación, dado que es un pilar fundamental en el desarrollo socioeconómico y cultural del mundo. Se destaca la importancia de una educación de calidad como derecho humano esencial para alcanzar el desarrollo sostenible.
MÉTODO. Revisión sistémica de publicaciones en las bases de datos Redalyc, ERIC y Taylor & Francis, que abordan factores que afectan el rendimiento académico, gestión educativa y calidad de la educación entre el 2019 y 2023. Los criterios de elegibilidad se centraron en la educación básica y secundaria.
RESULTADO. Se identificaron factores críticos como la motivación de los estudiantes, el clima escolar y el apoyo de los padres de familia, destacando la importancia de una gestión que integre a toda la comunidad educativa y reconozca la diversidad de los contextos escolares.
CONCLUSIÓN. Se precisa que una gestión educativa se debe orientar al reconocimiento y adaptación a los contextos específicos de las escuelas, promover un enfoque colaborativo que incluya a docentes, estudiantes y familias, y capacitar a los directores en liderazgo y toma de decisiones para impulsar una mejora significativa en el rendimiento académico y la calidad de la educación.
Implementación de una aplicación móvil para favorecer el logro de resultados de aprendizaje en un curso de Farmacología
Authors: Gómez-López Romina-Valeria , Díaz-Velis Leonor , Ortega-Mardones Andrea , Heredia-Barraza Nicolás
Published: January 2025

INTRODUCCIÓN. Con base en múltiples beneficios, la docencia universitaria se orienta a la utilización de las aplicaciones móviles con sentido pedagógico. Los objetivos de este estudio son analizar su uso y conocer los factores que median la experiencia para alcanzar los resultados de aprendizaje a través de las tecnologías.
MÉTODO. Se utilizó un diseño de investigación de tipo concurrente, en que se recopilaron los datos cuantitativos y cualitativos de forma separada. Al finalizar el proceso de ambos métodos, se hicieron inferencias a partir de los resultados realizados de forma independiente. 
RESULTADOS. Esta experiencia refleja que el diseño y uso de una aplicación móvil favoreció el aprendizaje de la farmacología, facilitando la comprensión del contenido complejo. Los factores mediadores de la experiencia fueron la amigabilidad del dispositivo móvil, la secuencia didáctica utilizada, el sentido pedagógico en el uso de la aplicación y la integración curricular.
DISCUSIÓN. Si bien los resultados indican que se logró desarrollar una aplicación móvil funcional, simple de usar y entender, con información precisa para la promoción del aprendizaje de contenidos complejos de la farmacología, hay aspectos susceptibles de mejora, en especial, en el ámbito de la integración curricular.
End-to-end hybrid infrared imaging system design with thermal analysis
Authors: Shi Runzhou , Zhang Tian , Zhou Yan , Shao Yuqi , Zhang Hanwen , Wei Ruoyan , Bai Jian
Published: January 2025

The hybrid refractive-diffractive optical system exhibits strong capabilities in achromatic and athermal imaging, as well as in information encoding. This paper presents a novel end-to-end design framework for refractive-diffractive hybrid optical imaging systems. Utilizing a differential hybrid ray-tracing model, the framework simultaneously optimizes optical and neural network parameters. It allows for the design of diffractive optical elements (DOE) on aspheric substrates, enhancing flexibility and enabling applications in infrared optics. The integrated thermal analysis facilitates the development of athermal hybrid optical systems by combining them with an advanced restoration network. When applied to a single-lens short-wave infrared (SWIR) system, this approach outperforms traditional discrete design methods in both simulations and experiments, demonstrating its significant potential for future optical applications.
Coimbra Moderna: A cidade e a Universidade
Authors: Fonseca Fernando Taveira da
Published: January 2025

On pourrait dire que, presque nécessairement, la présence d'une université dans une ville crée des influences mutuelles et établit des relations très étroites. Mais ce fait général ne dispense pas de la révélation des modalités et des aspects particuliers de ces relations, ce qui nous mène, en la justifiant, à une étude de cas : celle de Coimbra, à l'époque moderne, entre les deux grandes réformes universitaires : celle de 1537, menée par le roi Jean III lors de l'établissement définitif de l'université dans cette ville, et celle du Marquis de Pombal en 1772. Certaines conditions naturelles, historiques et institutionnelles ont fourni de solides fondements pour l'implantation de l'université à Coimbra, ce qui a conduit à une transformation importante de l'aménagement urbain, à des changements démographiques considérables et à l'établissement de modes de vie et de relations sociales spécifiques en raison de la présence massive des étudiants parmi la population. Les liens se sont renforcés par l'indication, faite par l'université, d'un docteur qui participait au gouvernement municipal. La visibilité des cérémonies académiques, qui déborderont sur la cité, renouvelait et fortifiait cette étroite relation.