bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A study of customer satisfaction with Slovakian spa companies: an importance-performance analysis
Authors: Košíková Martina , Šenková Anna , Kolesárová Stela , Šambronská Kristína
Published: February 2025

Purpose

The aim of the contribution is to present the results of research that dealt with customers’ perception of the quality and range of services provided by spa companies in Slovakia.

Design/methodology/approach

The primary data were obtained using a questionnaire which evaluated customer satisfaction with the services provided by spa companies in Slovakia at the beginning of 2020, before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The research sample consisted of 863 customers of spa companies. Importance-performance analysis and other methods of inductive statistics were used to process the results.

Findings

Customer satisfaction with the quality of services provided is generally at a high level. Spa companies should pay more attention to the quality of catering services for patient groups A (the patient is reimbursed by the health insurance company for medical care, accommodation and meals at the spa) and B (the patient is only reimbursed by the health insurance company for healthcare) and to better planning of procedure dates for self-payers. When deciding on the choice of a spa company, the focus of the spa on the treatment of a specific diagnosis, and after this, the accessibility of transport, turned out to be the most common reasons.

Research limitations/implications

Limits of IPA analysis related to the measurement of performance and also the importance of individual attributes based on respondent preferences. The length of the survey increases. Low discriminatory power of respondents who may consider all attributes important.

Originality/value

The authors designed a novel questionnaire to identify the impact of individual factors on the level of services provided. Through IPA analysis, companies can precisely determine the services on which they should focus their attention in the future.
Addressing Staffing Shortages in Nursing Homes: Does Relaxing Training and Licensing Requirements Increase Nurse Aide Staffing?
Authors: Mehboob Gulrukh , Sharma Hari
Published: February 2025

Objective

To evaluate whether COVID‐19‐related nurse aide training and licensing relaxation policies improved staffing shortages in nursing homes.

Study Setting and Design

Staffing shortages have been a long‐standing concern in nursing homes, and states are experimenting with different approaches to enhance nurse aide staffing. We use the latest quasi‐experimental difference‐in‐differences methods to evaluate the effect of relaxing training and licensing requirements in 19 states (treatment group) relative to the 31 states that did not implement such policies (control group). We analyze the combined effect of relaxing both training and licensing requirements, as well as the impact of relaxing each policy separately.

Data Sources and Analytic Sample

We obtain quarterly data on nursing home characteristics, including adjusted nurse aide hours per resident day (HPRD) from 2019 to 2023 from Care Compare, a federal website with quality information on all Medicare/Medicaid‐certified nursing homes. After excluding outliers of staffing data (nurse aide HPRD > 5.25, or nurse aide HPRD = 0), our final analytical sample had 278,170 observations.

Principal Findings

The average nurse aide HPRD is 2.30 in the treatment group and 2.26 in the control group. Using the difference‐in‐differences regression analyses, we find no significant effect of the relaxation of training and licensing requirements on nurse aide levels (average treatment effect: −0.0001; p = 0.99). Similarly, separate analyses of training and licensing relaxation policies suggest that neither policy significantly impacts nurse aide staffing. Results are consistent when we adjust for staffing requirements, wage increase policies, and nursing home characteristics.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that the relaxation of training and licensing requirements may not lead to improved nurse aide staffing levels in nursing homes. Policymakers need to consider other strategies to address persistent staffing shortages in nursing homes.
Intraoperative opioid administrations, rescue doses in the post‐anaesthesia care unit and clinician‐perceived factors for dose adjustments in adults: A Danish nationwide survey
Authors: Tran Trang Xuan Minh , Wetterslev Mik , Nørskov Anders Kehlet , Meyhoff Christian Sylvest , Olsen Markus Harboe , Itenov Theis Skovsgaard , Mathiesen Ole , Karlsen Anders Peder Højer ,   The OPI•AID Collaborator Group
Published: February 2025

Background

The impact of demographic‐ and surgical factors on individual perioperative opioid requirements is not fully understood. Anaesthesia personnel adjust opioid administrations based on their own clinical experience, expert opinions and local guidelines. This survey aimed to assess the current practice of anaesthesia personnel regarding intraoperative opioid treatment for postoperative analgesia and rescue opioid dosing strategies in the post‐anaesthesia care unit in Denmark.

Methods

We conducted a cross‐sectional online survey with 37 questions addressing pain management and opioid‐dosing strategies. Local site investigators from 46 of 47 public Danish anaesthesia departments distributed the survey. Data collection took place from 5 February to 30 April 2024.

Results

Of the 4187 survey participants, 2025 (48%) answered. Intra‐ and postoperative opioid doses were adjusted based on chronic pain, age, preoperative opioid use, body weight and type of surgery. Between 84% and 89% of respondents adhered to and had perioperative pain management guidelines available. Respondents preferred intraoperative fentanyl (44%) and morphine (36%) to prevent postoperative pain. Median intraoperative intravenous morphine equivalents ranged from 0.12 to 0.38 mg/kg in clinical scenarios. In these cases, the following variables were assembled in different combinations to assess their impact on dosing: age (30 vs. 65 years), sex (female vs. male), ASA score (1 vs. 3) and type of surgery (anterior cruciate ligament vs. laparoscopic cholecystectomy surgery). Respondents preferred intravenous morphine and fentanyl for moderate and severe postoperative pain, respectively. Median postoperative rescue doses were 0.06–0.12 mg/kg in clinical scenarios based on shifting combinations of the variables: age (30 vs. 65 years), ASA score (1 vs. 3) and degree of expected pain (moderate vs. severe).

Conclusion

Respondents preferred fentanyl and morphine for postoperative pain control with considerable variation in choice of opioid and morphine equivalent dose. Respondents expressed that guidelines were highly available and strongly adhered to. Opioid dosing was predominantly guided by chronic pain, age, preoperative opioid use, body weight and type of surgery.
Patterns of Intrafruit Seed Abortion and Variation in Seed Mass of the Guanacaste Tree (Enterolobium cyclocarpum, Fabaceae) in Populations From Mexico and Costa Rica
Authors: Lobo Jorge A. , Cristóbal‐Pérez Edson J. , Chavarría María M. , Quesada Mauricio
Published: February 2025

Analyses of the variation in the abortion rate and mass of seeds of tropical trees are scarce, despite their importance in modulating seed production, plant recruitment, and herbivore foraging patterns. We studied these reproductive processes in a tropical dry forest tree species. We studied the patterns of intrafruit abortion and seed mass in fruits of the Guanacaste tree, Enterolobium cyclocarpum, in samples of trees from 5 populations in Mexico and Costa Rica. We analyzed the effects of developmental phase, fruit and maternal tree effects, and seed position within the fruit on the abortion rate and mass of seeds from mature and immature fruits. Naturally pollinated flowers were studied to determine the patterns of ovule fertilization within the ovaries. Overdispersion of the abortion rate per fruit within trees and a higher frequency of abortions in the extreme positions of the fruit were common patterns in all populations. These patterns were observed from the beginning of fruit formation. Ovules in the stylar position do not have higher survival rates, despite their precedence in fertilization. A negative relationship was found between abortion events and seed mass. Fruit‐specific fertilization and developmental conditions seem to be the main factors driving the fruit abortion rate and seed mass, causing high variability in seed survival and mass within maternal trees. The correlation between the fruit abortion rate and seed mass may be related to the capacity of the fruit to drain maternal resources. These patterns are common to all studied Guanacaste tree populations.
CDK13‐Related Disorder: Novel Insights From A Series of 27 Cases and Recommendations for Clinical Management
Authors: Contrò Gianluca , Baroni Maria Chiara , Caraffi Stefano Giuseppe , Napoli Manuela , Artuso Rosangela , Giliberti Annarita , Bargiacchi Sara , Mancano Giorgia , Traficante Giovanna , Mucciolo Mafalda , Radio Francesca Clementina , Cordeddu Viviana , Mancini Cecilia , Bottillo Irene , Pirro Federica Anna , Bonati Maria Teresa , Becker Cord‐Christian , Carli Diana , Mussa Alessandro , Gonzalez Maria Isis Atallah , Ruiz‐Arana Inge Lore , Kumps Camille , Maystadt Isabelle , Moortgat Stephanie , Peker Alp , Piccione Maria , Grammatico Paola , Rostomashvili Nino , Lévy Jonathan , Scala Marcello , Capra Valeria , Torella Annalaura , van Eyk Clare , Isidor Bertrand , Cogne Benjamin , Srivastava Siddharth , Quinlan Aisling , Vaisfeld Alessandro , Licchetta Laura , Frattini Daniele , Graziano Claudio , Severi Giulia , Bacchi Isabelle , Soliani Luca , Sherr Elliott H. , Argilli Emanuela , Goel Himanshu , De Luca Chiara , Leonardi Silvia , Brancati Francesco , Faletra Flavio , Mio Catia , Braibanti Silvia , Gargano Giancarlo , Fusco Carlo , Novelli Antonio , Tartaglia Marco , Garavelli Livia
Published: February 2025

In 2016, Sifrim and colleagues described the first group of patients carrying heterozygous pathogenic variants in CDK13 and sharing major clinical features mainly consisting of congenital heart defects, intellectual disability and peculiar facial features (Congenital Heart Defects, Dysmorphic Facial Features, and Intellectual Developmental Disorder; CHDFIDD, OMIM # 617360). This condition is generally referred to as CDK13‐related disorder, and since then other reports have provided further clinical and molecular information. Here we describe a group of 27 previously unreported patients to more accurately profile the clinical spectrum associated with CDK13 variants, disclosing novel associated findings, such as complex craniosynostosis and variable skeletal features (e.g., cranio‐cervical anomalies). We also focused on the ocular phenotype that appears to include bilateral congenital glaucoma, posterior embriotoxon, buphthalmos and Duane anomaly. Finally, we observed two cases of mother‐to‐daughter transmission. Our work clarifies some novel features of CHDFIDD, defines the differential diagnosis of this disorder, and provides recommendations for its clinical management.
Genotypic and Phenotypic Characterization of Seven Individuals With Predicted Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 (BMP2) Haploinsufficiency
Authors: Stavrén‐Eriksson Elin , Hammarsjö Anna , Lindstrand Anna , Nordgren Ann , Grigelioniene Giedre , Pigg Maritta Hellström
Published: February 2025

Bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP‐2), encoded by the BMP2 gene located in chromosomal region 20p12, is a signalling protein involved in formation of bone and cartilage and other developmental processes such as cardiac and neural development. Haploinsufficiency of BMP2 has been associated with distinct facial features, short stature, skeletal malformations and cardiac abnormalities. The degree of developmental delay is still controversial. We summarise clinical and genetic findings from seven individuals with BMP2 haploinsufficiency. The study participants were identified by genetic testing and their phenotypic data was collected retrospectively from medical records. One individual had a novel frameshift variant in BMP2, and six individuals had 1.3–3.7 Mb microdeletions, including BMP2. In our cohort, delayed language development (4/5) and secretory otitis media (4/5) were common. Our results, together with previous studies, suggest that individuals with sequence variants or small microdeletions can have mild developmental delay or delay in one area (e.g., verbal development or gross motor development). We propose that global developmental delay is either a rare part or not part of the phenotype. Based on our observations, we propose that evaluation of language development and regular controls of the middle ear should be included in the surveillance of these individuals.
Regional Specializations in Green Incumbents and Green Start‐ups in the German Transport Sector
Authors: Hansmeier Hendrik , Losacker Sebastian , Bersch Johannes , Kroll Henning
Published: February 2025

The regional variety of actors is considered a key determinant in the last decade's rich literature on the geography of eco‐innovation and green regional development. However, little is known about the extent to which regions differ in their specialization in new and established eco‐innovation actors. In this article, we propose a regional typology based on green specializations concerning both incumbents and start‐ups in the German transport sector. While many regions show green specializations in either start‐ups or incumbents, only some regions manage to specialize in both. We find that the above‐average regional specialization in eco‐innovation does not seem to be primarily a phenomenon of urban areas, but rather depends on regions' human capital endowments and technological capabilities. The observed heterogeneity in eco‐innovation specializations, both in innovation centers and lagging regions, calls for regional policies that are more sensitive to these differences.
The informational role of cross‐border trading: Evidence from the intraday price discovery in China
Authors: Chan Kalok , Lu Yuan
Published: February 2025

We examine intraday information flows between shares cross‐listed in Hong Kong and Shanghai. The relative trading volume in Hong Kong (Shanghai) is positively related to the relative contribution to price discovery, based on Hasbrouck (1995) Information Share. Northbound trading by Hong Kong investors has a greater contribution to price discovery than southbound trading by Mainland Chinese investors. We construct a few measures of intraday market qualities: (1) probability of informed trading; (2) intraday effective spread; (3) pricing error; and (4) intraday volatility ratio. Evidence indicates that northbound trading and institutional southbound trading, but not retail southbound trading, are informed and improve pricing efficiency.
Driver‐centric urban logistics optimization: vehicle routing with heterogeneous fixed drivers
Authors: Deng Ming , Ding Yi
Published: February 2025

In the era of flourishing online shopping, efficient delivery operations are essential for companies to enhance customer satisfaction and stay competitive. Previous studies often overlooked the attributes of delivery drivers, particularly their regional knowledge, which significantly impacts the optimization of last‐mile delivery operations. This paper introduces the vehicle routing problem with heterogeneous fixed drivers (VRP‐HFD), a novel extension of traditional vehicle routing models. It incorporates the unique attributes of drivers, including their regional knowledge and driving qualifications. We propose a mathematical model that captures the relationships among drivers, vehicles, and customers, aiming to minimize both the number of unserved customers and total operational costs. To address the increased complexity in the VRP‐HFD model, we develop a hybrid adaptive genetic algorithm (HAGA) that integrates multichromosome coding, adaptive genetic operators, and local search techniques to enhance solution quality. Computational experiments using real‐world instances demonstrate the effectiveness of HAGA in generating high‐quality solutions compared to the baseline algorithms. Our findings underscore the critical role of driver attributes in optimizing last‐mile delivery operations, offering valuable insights for logistics companies committed to improving service efficiency and customer satisfaction.
Application of an Electronic Frailty Index to Identify High‐Risk Older Adults Using Electronic Health Record Data
Authors: Kochar Bharati , Cheng David , Lehto Hanna‐Riikka , Jain Nelia , Araka Elizabeth , Ritchie Christine S. , Bernacki Rachelle , Orkaby Ariela R.
Published: February 2025

Background

Measurement of frailty is limited in clinical practice. Existing electronic frailty indices (eFIs) are derived from routine primary care encounters, with near‐complete health condition capture. We aimed to develop an eFI from routinely collected clinical data and evaluate its performance in older adults without complete health condition capture.

Methods

Using Electronic Health Record (EHR) data from an integrated regional health system, we created a cohort of patients who were ≥ 60 years on January 1, 2017 with two outpatient encounters in 3 years prior or one outpatient encounter in 2 years prior. We developed an eFI based on 31 age‐related deficits identified using diagnostic and procedure codes. Frailty status was categorized as robust (eFI < 0.1), prefrail (0.1–0.2), frail (0.2–0.3), and very frail (> 0.3). We estimated cumulative incidence of mortality, acute care visits and readmissions by frailty, and fit Cox proportional hazards models. We repeated analyses in a sub‐cohort of patients who receive primary care in the system.

Results

Among 518,449 patients, 43% were male with a mean age of 72 years; 73% were robust, 16% were pre‐frail, 7% were frail, and 4% were very frail. Very frail older adults had a significantly higher risk for mortality (HR: 4.1, 95% CI: 4.0–4.3), acute care visits (HR: 5.5, 95% CI: 5.4–5.6), and 90‐day readmissions (HR: 2.1, 95% CI: 2.1–2.2) than robust older adults. In a primary care sub‐cohort, while prevalence of deficits was higher, associations with outcomes were similar.

Conclusions

This eFI identified older adults at increased risk for adverse health outcomes even when data from routine primary care visits were not available. This tool can be integrated into EHRs for frailty assessment at scale.
Stakeholders' Actions, Responsibility and Limitations in Support of Nursing Students Experiencing Workplace Violence During Clinical Placement: The Clinical Facilitators View
Authors: Dafny Hila Ariela , Snaith Nicole , Cooper Paul , Waheed Nasreena , Champion Stephanie , Mccloud Christine
Published: February 2025

Background

Workplace violence toward nurses is a significant global issue affecting their mental and physical health, job satisfaction and performance, and can ultimately lead to decisions to leave the profession. As the least experienced caregivers in the health workforce, nursing students are particularly vulnerable to experiencing workplace violence and are often powerless to deal with WPV incidents.

Aim

To examine clinical facilitators' insights into how to support nursing students following experiences of workplace violence during their clinical placement.

Design

An exploratory, descriptive qualitative design.

Methods

Data were collected between September and November 2022 using semi‐structured interviews with 11 clinical facilitators working in South Australia, each lasting about 1 h. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic analysis.

Results

Clinical facilitators identified that many students found support and solace from avenues outside of the CFs and university staff, including ward staff, family, friends and other students. However, students are limitedly prepared for the realities of clinical work, particularly concerning workplace violence, and that the university supports available were reactive to events in the clinical environment.

Conclusion

Addressing workplace violence requires systemic changes, better support for clinical facilitators and a steadfast commitment by all stakeholders to student safety.

Implications for the Profession

Solid collaborations between universities and clinical facilities with clear guidelines and direct lines to address potential violence issues are essential. Zero‐tolerance policies regarding workplace violence could provide a safer environment that promotes nursing student learning outcomes, safer placements, better student experiences and optimal healthcare provision.

Reporting Method

COREQ guidelines were adhered to for reporting qualitative research.

No Patient or Public Contribution

This paper specifically explores the perspective of the clinical facilitator's experience of WPV in their role of supporting student learning during clinical placement.
Reprogrammed Plant Metabolism During Viral Infections: Mechanisms, Pathways and Implications
Authors: Jiang Tong , Hao Tianwen , Chen Wenjing , Li Chengliang , Pang Shuqi , Fu Chenglong , Cheng Jie , Zhang Chaobo , Ghorbanpour Mansour , Miao Shuo
Published: February 2025

Plant viruses pose a significant threat to global agriculture, leading to substantial crop losses that jeopardise food security and disrupt ecosystem stability. These viral infections often reprogramme plant metabolism, compromising key pathways critical for growth and defence. For instance, infections by cucumber mosaic virus alter amino acid and secondary metabolite biosynthesis, including flavonoid and phenylpropanoid pathways, thereby weakening plant defences. Similarly, tomato bushy stunt virus disrupts lipid metabolism by altering the synthesis and accumulation of sterols and phospholipids, which are essential for viral replication and compromise membrane integrity. Recent advancements in gene‐editing technologies, such as CRISPR/Cas9, and metabolomics offer innovative strategies to mitigate these impacts. Precise genetic modifications can restore or optimise disrupted metabolic pathways, enhancing crop resilience to viral infections. Metabolomics further aids in identifying metabolic biomarkers linked to viral resistance, guiding breeding programmes aimed at developing virus‐resistant plants. By reducing the susceptibility of crops to viral infections, these approaches hold significant potential to reduce dependence on chemical pesticides, increase crop yields and promote sustainable agricultural practices. Future research should focus on expanding our understanding of virus–host interactions at the molecular level while exploring the long‐term ecological impacts of viral infections. Interdisciplinary approaches integrating multi‐omics technologies and sustainable management strategies will be critical in addressing the challenges posed by plant viruses and ensuring global agricultural stability.
Praxis
Authors: Lee Simon Craddock
Published: February 2025

Aspiring to the idea that praxis opens up possibilities for transformation, this commentary reflects on the work of contributing authors to consider interrelationships between pedagogy, research, and praxis of community‐engaged work to create change through the academic enterprise without losing sight of goals to support often‐underserved communities and populations that anthropologists study. This treatment situates the accounts of community‐engaged research in the context of the NIH investment in clinical translational research and explores the notion of engaging the community beyond clinical trial accrual while recognizing the vexed subject position of anthropologists in the employ of academic medical centers. The commentary then reflects on key terms from the contributors, questioning the objective of getting back to normal, the lived experience of intersectionality, and the challenge of centering root causes as we work to remedy disparities/inequities. Acknowledging the power of NIH as a sociocultural driver of academic medicine, the commentary positions anthropology as a disciplinary vehicle for moving between the individual and the social registers, ending with a reflection on critique as a form of praxis.
Unemployment Dynamics With Informality: An Empirical Analysis for a Developing Country
Authors: Foguel Miguel Nathan , Corseuil Carlos Henrique , Moreira Ajax
Published: February 2025

We implement decompositions of cyclical unemployment for a developing country in which we divide the employment state into formal and informal states. Using the conventional steady‐state decomposition, the results show that the contributions of the formal sector to the margins of job separation and job finding are balanced, while the contributions of the informal sector to these two margins are quite uneven. Given the debate about the adequacy of methods that rely on the steady‐state unemployment as a good proxy for current unemployment in countries other than the United States, we use alternative decomposition methods and confirm the robustness of the steady‐state results.
Surgical Outcomes of Olecranon Osteotomy Approach Combined With Submerged Kirschner Wires and Plate Fixation for Duckerley IIIB Distal Humeral Coronal Shear Fractures
Authors: Song Zhou‐Feng , Zhao Wei‐Qiang , Zhang Zeng‐Li , Huang Jie‐Feng
Published: February 2025

Objective

Duckerley type IIIB distal humerus fractures are rare and complex injuries that pose significant challenges in both diagnosis and treatment. Currently, no consensus exists on the fixation method, with existing approaches often struggling to handle small fragments and associated with issues like elbow instability. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the surgical outcomes of submerged Kirschner wires combined with plate or submerged screw fixation technique for the treatment of Duckerley type IIIB distal humerus fractures.

Methods

A retrospective analysis was conducted on 10 patients with Duckerley type IIIB distal humerus fractures who were treated at our hospital from February 2017 to April 2021. The treatment involved applying buried Kirschner wires combined with microplate or buried screw fixation technique through the olecranon osteotomy approach. The study included six males and four females, with a mean age of 51.4 ± 15.34 years (ranging from 22 to 69 years). During the follow‐up, the elbow range of motion, Mayo Elbow Performance Score (MEPS), American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score, and complications were assessed.

Results

All 10 patients received regular clinical and imaging follow‐up for a mean of 39.7 ± 8.8 months (range: 25–50 months). Postoperative incision healing was good for all patients, and no neurovascular injuries were noted. Two patients developed elbow pain. At the last follow‐up before the internal fixation removal operation (9.6 ± 1.9 months), X‐ray and CT findings confirmed bony healing, and no internal fixation loosening and breakage occurred in any of the patients, except for one case in which there was displacement of the Kirschner wires. The mean range of motion of the elbow before the internal fixation removal operation was extension 15.0° ± 21.6°, flexion 129.5° ± 28.1°, pronation 83.0° ± 9.2°, and supination 81.5° ± 8.0°. The MEPS score was 83.0 ± 8.3, and the ASES was 83.6 ± 7.8. At the last follow‐up, the mean range of motion of the elbow was extension 10.0° ± 21.9°, flexion 133.5° ± 16.0°, pronation 88.0° ± 11.2°, and supination 85.0° ± 9.5°. The MEPS score was 84.6 ± 7.6, and the ASES was 84.1 ± 7.4.

Conclusions

The treatment of Duckerley type IIIB low distal humerus fractures using submerged Kirschner wires combined with plate or submerged screw fixation technique has satisfactory advantages in terms of fracture reduction, maintenance of the position of internal fixation, and postoperative recovery.
Climate Change and the Social Order
Authors: Beckert Jens
Published: February 2025

Despite decades of awareness, societies have failed to adequately respond to climate change, as evidenced by rising CO2 emissions and the continued dominance of fossil fuels in global energy consumption. This failure underscores the structural constraints of capitalist modernity, where economic and political incentives, as well as consumer behaviors, obstruct effective climate action. Beyond the challenge of mitigation, climate change raises pressing questions about its social and political consequences. Societies will face increasing losses due to extreme weather events, resource depletion, and declining living conditions, exacerbating social inequalities and undermining the legitimacy of existing political and economic structures. The inability of capitalist modernity to address this crisis fosters a state of social anomie, where normative commitments to sustainability clash with entrenched systemic realities. Social scientists have a crucial role in examining these structural failures and identifying pathways for adaptation, resilience, and transformation. By analyzing the conflicts and contradictions within current societal arrangements, they can contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of climate change as a profound challenge to social order and political stability.
Anthropology and change over the ‘land rights era’: Towards treaties?
Authors: Merlan Francesca
Published: February 2025

Australia has made no treaties with its Indigenous peoples. Despite that, over the past five decades (the ‘land rights era’ of the title), Australia has granted proportionally more land area to Indigenous interests than have other, treaty‐making Anglo settler colonies (Canada, the United States, New Zealand). Despite complexities of comparison by area, an order of difference is clearly discernible. After comparing these countries, this article examines legal and political changes involved in the transformation from no ‘Indigenous estate’ in Australia to a comparatively large one, and sketches the role anthropologists have played in land and native title claims which has enlarged the Indigenous estate. Subsequent articles in this issue treat the kinds of change that anthropologists, in their commitment to close ethnographic work, have been observing at this intersection of law and anthropology. This article concludes by considering directions in which land and native title claims seem to be moving.
Understanding community perspectives for advancing inclusion of trans and gender‐diverse people in blood donation in Australia
Authors: Thorpe Rachel , Jensen Kyle , Masser Barbara , Bentley Peter , Dryden Tarin , Forrest Eleanor , Kaladelfos Andy , Larcombe Travis , Pastor Tanya , Saint‐James Aaron , Wilson Shauna , Haire Bridget
Published: February 2025

Background and Objectives

Trans and gender‐diverse people who wish to donate blood face significant barriers with policies and procedures differing across countries. It remains critical to explore the experiences and perspectives of trans and gender‐diverse people in different locations to understand challenges in local systems. We undertook a qualitative study focussed on procedures and processes affecting trans and gender‐diverse people in Australia, and their views about needed change.

Materials and Methods

Stakeholders collaborated with the researchers to refine the focus of and design the research. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 14 trans and gender‐diverse people who were current, past or potential donors. The interviews comprised open‐ended questions about donation experiences, knowledge of current policies and procedures and preferences for change. Interviews were analysed using thematic analysis.

Results

Participants reported varied and inconsistent donation experiences. When compared with current practice, participants preferred a two‐step approach to donor registration that asks for sex reported at birth followed by gender identity. However, they also expressed concern that the two‐step approach could deter new donors and stressed the importance of only collecting information relevant to eligibility assessment. Participants were supportive of a gender‐neutral approach to assess eligibility to donate.

Conclusion

Our study highlights significant barriers and procedural inconsistencies for trans and gender‐diverse individuals when (considering) donating blood. We recommend more inclusive practices including clear communication about data use, rigorous staff training on gender diversity, registration processes that respect all gender identities and adopting a gender‐neutral approach to donor screening.
Impact of exercise training on tumour‐infiltrating T cells in human prostate cancer: A secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial (PRO‐TEST)
Authors: Thomsen Simon Nørskov , Wriedt Emil , Stærk Marianne Gardar , Djurhuus Sissal Sigmundsdottir , Toft Birgitte Grønkær , Wielsøe Sabrina , Røder Andreas , Hasselager Thomas , Østergren Peter Busch , Jakobsen Henrik , Brasso Klaus , Christensen Jesper Frank , Lehrskov Louise Lang , Simonsen Casper
Published: February 2025

Exercise training reduces tumour growth by increasing tumour‐infiltrating T‐cell density in preclinical models. However, it remains unknown whether exercise training can modify intratumoural T cells in humans.The aim of this study was to compare the effects of an exercise training intervention versus control on human prostate intratumoural T‐cell density.This study is a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial. We randomly allocated men (age > 18 years) with treatment‐naive localized prostate cancer scheduled for radical prostatectomy 2:1 to exercise training intervention or control. The exercise intervention consisted of supervised, high‐intensity interval bicycling four times per week from the time of randomization until prostatectomy. Intratumoural CD3+ and CD8+ T‐cell densities in diagnostic biopsies and postsurgical prostatectomy specimens were quantified using immunohistochemistry. Between‐group differences in changes from baseline to follow‐up were estimated using constrained baseline linear mixed‐effect models.A total of 30 participants were included (exercise intervention, n = 20; control, n = 10). We found no between‐group differences in changes in CD3+ T cells [mean difference (95% confidence interval): −17 (−185; 150) cells/mm2] or CD8+ T cells [mean difference (95% confidence interval): −16 (−206; 172) cells/mm2]. Additionally, we found no statistically significant correlations between changes in T‐cell density and the number of exercise training sessions attended or changes in maximal oxygen consumption.In this secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial, we found no impact of the exercise regimen on tumour‐infiltrating CD3+ and CD8+ T‐cell density in human prostate cancer.
¿Cómo fueron los primeros 26 años de la vida de Ignacio de Loyola?
Authors: Durau, S. J. Odair José
Published: February 2025

Este artículo investiga los primeros 26 años de Ignacio de Loyola, que Gonçalves da Câmara mantuvo en secreto en su Autobiografía. El hecho de que no escribiera toda la narración es intrigante, ya que él mismo afirma en el prólogo que Ignacio narró toda su vida en estos términos: “Clara y distintamente, con todas sus circunstancias” (“Prólogo”, 2). Tal es el marco que ha guiado esta investigación, que intenta señalar lo que sucedió durante las tres primeras décadas de su vida. Para ello seguiremos el método analítico. En primer lugar recurriremos a las fuentes documentales sobre Ignacio de Loyola, en especial la Monumenta Historica Societatis Iesu. Estas fuentes revelan detalles importantes sobre su familia y su educación en general. De ello resulta que podemos aprender sobre su vida a partir de los documentos. Nuestras conclusiones son las siguientes: (1) La Autobiografía pretende narrar cómo le condujo el Señor desde su conversión; (2) Ignacio fue un hombre forjado por su cultura y enraizado en la historia; y (3) su vida ordinaria fue la clave para descifrar la vida extraordinaria que Dios le presentó.
Brechas de género en Academia Médica: Reporte de situación en una Escuela de Medicina Latinoamericana
Authors: Rivera Mercado Solange , Zegers Vial María Trinidad , Rojas Sobarzo Loreto , Bernales Silva Margarita , Cárdenas Díaz Andrea , Elgueta Le-Beuffe María Francisca
Published: February 2025

Introducción: A pesar de los avances en la equidad de género en muchas áreas, persisten significativas disparidades en el ámbito académico, particularmente en medicina. Estas disparidades se reflejan en la subrepresentación de las mujeres en niveles altos de la jerarquía académica, donde tienen menores oportunidades de promoción y de acceso a roles de liderazgo.
Objetivo: Analizar la situación académica de las profesoras de la Escuela de Medicina de una universidad latinoamericana.
Método: Diseño cuantitativo exploratorio que analizó la distribución y progresión académica, la participación en investigación, cargos de responsabilidad, carga docente y reconocimientos, desglosado por género. La población incluyó a todas las profesoras de la Escuela de Medicina de la Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.
Resultados: En la Escuela de Medicina, el 40.2% de los académicos eran mujeres, y estaban subrepresentadas en las categorías superiores. La probabilidad de ascenso para las mujeres fue menor en todas las transiciones de la carrera académica. El 64.5% de las postulaciones a proyectos fueron lideradas por hombres, quienes también dominan en publicaciones, reconocimientos y cargos de liderazgo, con mujeres ocupando menos del 30% de estos roles.
Conclusiones: Existen significativas disparidades de género en la Escuela de Medicina, donde las mujeres están subrepresentadas en las categorías académicas superiores, tienen menores oportunidades de ascenso y están menos presentes en roles de liderazgo, proyectos de investigación y reconocimientos académicos. Este estudio llena un vacío de información esencial para avanzar hacia una academia más inclusiva en América Latina.
Performance analysis of a hexagon rolling mechanism with single degree of freedom
Authors: Zhang Qianqian , Li Yezhuo , Yan Shaoze , Yao Yan-an
Published: February 2025

This paper proposed the performance analysis of obstacle crossing mode and passive rolling mode of a hexagon rolling mechanism with single degree of freedom, based on the structural characteristics and the constraints of centroid stability. Firstly, the obstacle crossing model including the motion parameters and the obstacle distance parameters is established by using the moving characteristics of the symmetrical posture of the mechanism. Building on this foundation, the impact of each parameter on the obstacle crossing ability of the mechanism is analyzed, and the maximum height on obstacle crossing of the mechanism is also analyzed. Subsequently, the existence and sufficient conditions of the mechanism to realize the passive rolling mode are analyzed by using the mechanism's centroid fluctuation curve and its slope curve. The analysis results indicate that based on the design of the coupling structure, the hexagon rolling mechanism has the passive rolling capability that planar linkage mechanisms do not possess. Finally, the correctness of the theoretical model are verified through simulation and prototype experiments.
The surprising subtlety of electrostatic field lines
Authors: Zhou Kevin , Brauner Tomáš
Published: February 2025

Electric fields are commonly visualized with field line diagrams, which only unambiguously specify the field's direction. We consider two simple questions. First, can one deduce if an electric field is conservative, as required, e.g., in electrostatics, from its field lines alone? Second, are there conservative electric fields with straight field lines, besides the familiar textbook examples with spherical, cylindrical, or planar symmetry? We give a self-contained introduction to the differential geometry required to answer these questions, assuming only vector calculus background.
Toward a more coherent and profession-related physics teacher education: Linking subject-specific and physics education content in the study entry phase
Authors: Bauer Antonia , Gleichmann Jonas , Bitzenbauer Philipp
Published: February 2025

The introductory phase of the physics teacher education program at the Friedrich–Alexander University Erlangen–Nuremberg (FAU), Germany, was redesigned to improve the coherence of the program and reduce the high dropout rates in the introductory phase of the physics teacher education program by making the courses more relevant and appealing to the students' future professional roles. The new organization combines subject-specific lectures on experimental physics with a simultaneous presentation of the corresponding perspectives of physics education through a new course called “Focus Class: physics education and school-related topics.” This new course is directly linked to the subject-specific content of the lecture and focuses on the conceptual hurdles that school students may encounter when confronted with the subject matter being taught in lectures and emphasizes active learning strategies. In this paper, we describe the course design and report on student experiences from an evaluation of the course.
Dynamic subglacial meltwater history archived in Antarctic subglacial lake sediments
Authors: Campbell Timothy D. , Skidmore Mark L. , Patterson Molly O. , Dore John E. , Harwood David M. , Leventer Amy , Michaud Alexander B. , Rosenheim Brad E. , Siegfried Matthew R. , Steigmeyer August J. , Tranter Martyn , Venturelli Ryan A. , Priscu John C. , SALSA Science Team
Published: February 2025

There is a paucity of records on decadal to millennial scales archiving the evolution of the Antarctic subglacial hydrologic system, leaving a gap in our knowledge of the links between meltwater drainage and ice behavior. We employed a suite of sedimentological and geochemical methods to assess the stratigraphic distribution of lithofacies and evaluate sedimentary processes from sediment cores collected from Mercer Subglacial Lake, located beneath the Mercer Ice Stream in West Antarctica. The composite 2.06 m sediment record consisted of massive-to-stratified diamict, massive muds, and laminated muds. Chloride concentrations indicate sediment porewater was primarily derived from glacial melt with sediment deposition in freshwater conditions. Whereas diamicts are associated with basal ice contact during ice stream grounding events (tills), sorted mud beds buried below diamict lack coarse-grained detritus (>2 mm) indicating deposition from suspension settling in slowly flowing or ponded meltwater. Rhythmically laminated sediments capping the sedimentary sequence capture modern subglacial lake conditions and are likely influenced by a continuum of processes controlled by suspended sediment delivered into the lake, water column velocity changes associated with fill-drain cycles, and sediment fallout from basal ice melt. These sedimentary facies characterize a complex subglacial hydrologic system providing evidence that basal conditions alternated from grounded ice to water-filled cavities fed and drained by subglacial meltwater. Our data provide new information on subglacial sediments beneath an Antarctic ice stream that can be used to refine our knowledge of subglacial hydrology, its coupling with ice dynamics, and as an analog for studying ancient glacial deposits.
Spontaneous coronary and vertebral artery dissection in early pregnancy
Authors: Price Sarah Anna Lucy , Krelle Anna , Zentner Dominica
Published: February 2025

A nulliparous woman presented to the hospital at 11 weeks’ gestation with acute onset chest pain, non-specific ECG changes and mildly elevated cardiac enzymes despite having no cardiac risk factors. She re-presented 4 days later with chest and arm pain, and ECG changes consistent with a posteroinferior ST elevation myocardial infarction. She was diagnosed with a spontaneous coronary artery dissection on a coronary angiogram and a right vertebral artery dissection on CT scan. Subsequent extension of the coronary dissection 4 days later required a coronary artery bypass graft. The patient elected to continue the pregnancy, while acknowledging the maternal and fetal risks. At 28 weeks’ gestation, the fetus had dilated small bowel loops on the obstetrical ultrasound. At 33+4 weeks’ gestation, a 2154 g male infant was born by emergency Caesarean section for non-reassuring cardiotocography. The infant had jejunal atresias, requiring bowel resection and primary anastomoses.
Post-publication peer review and the identification of methodological and reporting issues in COVID-19 trials: a qualitative study
Authors: Davidson Mauricia , Korfitsen Christoffer Bruun , Riveros Carolina , Chaimani Anna , Boutron Isabelle
Published: February 2025

Objectives

We aimed to determine to what extent systematic reviewers and post-preprint and post-publication peer review identified methodological and reporting issues in COVID-19 trials that could be easily resolved by the authors.

Design

Qualitative study.

Data sources

COVID-NMA living systematic review (covid-nma.com), PubPeer, medRxiv, Research Square, SSRN.

Methods

We considered randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in COVID-NMA that evaluated pharmacological treatments for COVID-19 and retrieved systematic reviewers’ assessments of the risk of bias and outcome reporting bias. We also searched for commentary data on PubPeer and preprint servers up to 6 November 2023. We employed qualitative content analysis to develop themes and domains of methodological and reporting issues identified by commenters.

Results

We identified 500 eligible RCTs. Systematic reviewers identified methodological and reporting issues in 446 (89%) RCTs. In 391 (78%) RCTs, the issues could be easily resolved by the trial authors; issues included incomplete reporting (49%), selection of the reported results (52%) and no access to the pre-specified plan (25%). Alternatively, 74 (15%) RCTs had received at least one comment on PubPeer or preprint servers, totalling 348 comments. In 46 (9%) RCTs, the issues identified by post-preprint and post-publication peer review comments could be easily resolved by the trial authors; the issues were related to incomplete reporting (6%), errors (5%), statistical analysis (3%), inconsistent reporting of methods and analyses (2%), spin (2%), selection of the reported results (1%) and no access to the raw data/pre-specified plan (1%).

Conclusions

Without changing their process, systematic reviewers identified issues in most RCTs that could be easily resolved by the trial authors; however, the lack of an established author feedback mechanism represents a wasted opportunity for facilitating improvement and enhancing the overall manuscript quality. On the other hand, despite the existing feedback loop to authors present in post-publication peer review, it demonstrated limited effectiveness in identifying methodological and reporting issues.
Estimating the burden of mpox among MSM in South Africa
Authors: McCabe Ruth , Johnson Leigh F , Whittles Lilith K
Published: February 2025

Despite seeing few cases during the 2022–2023 mpox global outbreak, reports in May–July 2024 of 22 cases among men-who-have-sex-with-men (MSM) in South Africa, including three deaths, have raised concerns about under-reported community transmission. We used a Monte Carlo simulation model to estimate the true epidemic size, considering the increased severity of mpox among MSM living with advanced HIV, documented over-representation of people living with HIV among mpox cases and HIV prevalence in South Africa. We estimate that there have been between 220 and 450 cases among MSM LHIV in South Africa, with a total of 290–560 cases among all MSM. We provide an upper bound of 750–1600 cases as a sensitivity analysis where the prevalence of HIV among mpox patients is the same as population prevalence among MSM in South Africa. Estimates in both scenarios suggest a substantial number of undetected cases, with case ascertainment rates estimated between 1% and 8%. Our findings underscore the need for enhanced surveillance, targeted public health interventions and awareness campaigns to mitigate the outbreak’s impact at a population level.