bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Relationship of nutritional behaviors and parent–child interactions with developmental domains of Iranian toddlers: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Faghani Parastoo , Nikpeyma Nasrin , Haghani Shima , Amrollah Majdabadi Zahra , Pashaeypoor Shahzad
Published: July 2024

Background

Health service providers closely monitor the developmental state of toddlers to identify the factors affecting this process because any defect during this period will cause irreversible damage. Therefore, this study investigated the relationship of nutritional behaviors and parent–child interactions with the developmental domains of Iranian toddlers.

Methods

This cross-sectional, descriptive-analytical study was conducted on 341 toddlers aged 12–36 months covered by comprehensive health centers in the south of Tehran in 2021–2022. The participants were selected through single-stage cluster sampling. To this end, 16 comprehensive health centers were randomly selected, and then some of the clients from each center were randomly selected as the sample. The required data were collected through the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ), the Children’s Eating Behavior Questionnaire (CEBQ), the Child-Parent Relationship Scale (CPRS), and a demographics form. They were then analyzed statistically using descriptive and inferential statistics in SPSS-21, considering a significance level of p < 0.05.

Results

The results showed that most participants were normal in all developmental domains (communication, gross motor, fine motor, personal-social, and problem-solving), with a mean developmental delay ranging from 1.8 to 7%. The most serious problem of participants requiring medical referral was related to gross motor (7%) with a mean of 54.35 ± 7.28 followed by communication (6.5%) with a mean of 49.41 ± 9.67. The mean nutritional behavior of participants was 77.9 ± 21.7. A significant relationship was found between the nutritional behaviors of participants and the problem-solving domain of development (p = 0.018). The results also indicated a mean parent-child interaction score of 94.26 ± 12.63. There was a significant relationship between parent-child interactions and the communication area of development (p = 0.04).

Conclusion

Since some areas of toddler development are influenced by children’s nutritional behavior and parent-child interactions, it is necessary to train families to identify, monitor, and correct the factors affecting the development of their children. Health system officials and planners are also recommended to develop interventions to improve the nutritional behaviors of children and parent-child interactions.
From not knowing, to knowing more needs to be done: health care providers describe the education they need to care for sex trafficked patients
Authors: Mason Robin , Recknor Frances , Bruder Rhonelle , Quayyum Fareeha , Montemurro Frances , Du Mont Janice
Published: July 2024

Background

Sex trafficking is highly prevalent, pernicious, and under-recognized. When an individual is trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation within the borders of a single country, it is termed domestic sex trafficking. Sex trafficked persons can experience severe physical and mental health outcomes requiring medical attention and treatment. However, health care providers often fail to identify sex trafficked patients, missing opportunities to provide needed care and support.

Methods

In this qualitative study, we interviewed 31 health care providers (physicians, nurses, and social workers) working in Ontario, Canada to learn what they identified as their specific education and training needs to recognize and care for sex trafficked persons. Interviews were conducted over Zoom, recorded, and transcribed. Coding of the transcripts followed a standard framework for qualitative studies. Codes related to the education and training needs of providers were identified as a core issue suited to further analysis.

Results

Three themes related to providers’ education and training needs emerged. These acknowledge basic (Foundational knowledge), as well as more specific learning needs (Navigating the encounter). The final theme, (“It just seems so much bigger than me”) suggests that even with some knowledge of domestic sex trafficking, participants still experienced considerable distress and multiple challenges due to gaps in the broader system impacting the provision of appropriate care.

Conclusions

Participants voiced their need for specialized sex trafficking education as well as role specific training to combat their sense of inadequacy and provide better care for their patients. Participants’ education needs ranged from requiring the definition of domestic sex trafficking and the frequency of its occurrence, to the various circumstances associated with increased risk of recruitment into sex trafficking. In terms of desired training and specific skills, participants wanted to learn how to identify a person being sex trafficked, broach the subject with a patient, know what to do next including access to local resources and referrals, as well as connections to other critical services, such as legal and housing. The results can be used to inform the design and content of education and training on sex trafficking for health care providers.
Nurse-led web-based self-management program to improve patient activation and health outcomes in patients with chronic low back pain: an acceptability and feasibility pilot study
Authors: Skolasky Richard L. , Nolan Sarah , Pierre Raven , Vinch Paige , Taylor Janiece L.
Published: July 2024

Background

Patients with chronic low back (cLBP) pain report reduced physical function and ability to participate in social roles and are more likely to use opioid pain medications. While self-management interventions have been shown to support these patients, their effectiveness has been limited due to poor patient engagement. “Patient activation” encompasses the skills, knowledge, and motivation that a person has to manage their health. Supporting patient activation may improve the effectiveness of self-management for cLBP.

Methods

In this single-masked pilot study of adults with cLBP, patients were randomized to receive either no intervention (control) or 6 weekly sessions of an evidence-based web-based self-management program (SMP) with or without health behavior change counseling (HBCC) using motivational interviewing. Participants were assessed at baseline and at 12 and 26 weeks using the Patient Activation Measure, Oswestry Disability Index and PROMIS physical function, social role participation, and pain interference. We assessed acceptability and feasibility based on recruitment, session attendance, and follow-up.

Results

Of 187 individuals screened, 105 were eligible and 34 were randomized to control (n = 12), SMP (n = 4), or SMP + HBCC (n = 18). The population had 19 women, 22 patients married or living with significant other, 13 Black or African American patients, and 4 Hispanic or Latino patients. Participants had a mean (SD) Oswestry Disability Index score of 42 (12), moderate impairments in physical function (40 (6.6)) and social roles (45 (10)), and moderately severe pain interference (61 (6.7)). Of 22 participants receiving SMP sessions, 20 participated in at least 1, 15 participated in at least 3, and 7 participated in all 6 sessions. Loss to follow-up was 6 over the 26-week study. Participants in the SMP and SMP + HBCC groups had at least medium effect size improvements in Patient Activation Measures and small-to-medium effect size improvements in Oswestry Disability Index scores and physical function and large effect size improvement in social roles at 12 weeks. Improvements persisted in the SMP + HBCC group at 26 weeks.

Conclusions

A web-based SMP is acceptable and feasible in this population. Participants who received augmentation with HBCC had persistent improvements in health outcomes at 26 weeks.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT06236529 (2/1/2024 – retrospectively registered).

Level of Evidence

3.
Utilization and affordability of health insurance coverage for rare disease drugs in a first-tier city in Northeast China from 2018 to 2021: a study based on the health insurance claims database
Authors: Wang Yaqun , Zhou Na , Li Baoxin , Lv Zixuan , Duan Shengnan , Li Xin , Yuan Ni
Published: July 2024

Objective

The accessibility issue of orphan drugs in China is prominent. Based on real-world data from a tier-one city in Northeast China, this study aims to analyze the current usage and affordability of orphan drugs for rare diseases.

Methods

The data was sourced from the health insurance claims data of a certain city from 2018 to 2021, including a total of 16 orphan drugs. The utilization of orphan drugs is assessed using four indicators: frequency of medical insurance claims, medication cost, defined daily doses (DDDs), and defined daily drug cost (DDDc). Affordability is measured using the concept of catastrophic health expenditure (CHE).

Results

Between January 2018 and December 2021, there were a total of 2,851 medical insurance claims in the city, with a total medication costs of $3.08 million. Overall, during the study, there was a year-on-year increase in the utilization frequency of individual rare disease drugs in the city, with DDDs rising from 140.22 in 2018 to 3983.63 in 2021. Additionally, the annual medication costs of individual drugs showed a consistent upward trend, increasing from $10,953.53 in 2018 to $120,491.36 in 2021. However, the DDDc of individual drugs decreased from $398.12 in 2018 to $96.65 in 2021.The number of sales and the amount of sales for orphan drugs in community pharmacies have significantly increased. Prior to medical insurance coverage, out of the 16 orphan drugs, 9 drugs had annual treatment costs exceeding CHE for urban residents, and 15 drugs had annual treatment costs exceeding CHE for rural residents. After medical insurance coverage, there were no drugs with out-of-pocket costs exceeding CHE for urban residents, while 8 drugs had out-of-pocket costs exceeding CHE for rural residents. Furthermore, both before and after medical insurance coverage, the four treatment drugs for idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension were more affordable compared to the four treatment drugs for multiple sclerosis.

Conclusion

The usage frequency of orphan drugs in a certain city increased gradually, but the disease burden remained heavy. More policy support should be provided to the priority rare disease populations, and the rare disease medical security and diagnosis and treatment systems should be improved.
Association between tea, coffee and caffeine consumption and risk of female infertility: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Zhang Hanzhi , Qian Sixu , Chen Jianlin , Chen Jingfei
Published: July 2024

Objectives

To explore the association between tea, coffee, and caffeine consumption and the risk of female infertility.

Methods

We analyzed data from 2099 females aged 18 to 44 years, participating in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2013–2018. We used generalized linear models (GLM) and generalized additive model (GAM) to investigate the dose-response relationship between the tea, coffee, and caffeine consumption and infertility, adjusting for potential confounders.

Results

A non-linear relationship was detected between tea consumption and infertility and the inflection point was 2 cups/day. On the right side of the inflection point, we did not detect a significant association. However, on the left side, we found a negative relationship between tea consumption and infertility (OR: 0.73; 95% CI: 0.57 to 0.93; P = 0.0122). Meanwhile, our study found no significant association between coffee (0.96, 0.81 to 1.13, P = 0.6189) or caffeine consumption (1.15, 0.93 to 1.42, P = 0.2148) and female infertility.

Conclusions

Tea consumption was non-linearly associated with infertility, whereas no significant associations were found between coffee, caffeine consumption and infertility.
DAHEAN: A Danish nationwide study ensuring quality assurance through real-world data for suspected hereditary anemia patients
Authors: Glenthøj Andreas , Rasmussen Andreas Ørslev , Bendtsen Selma Kofoed , Hasle Henrik , Hoffmann Marianne , Rieneck Klaus , Dziegiel Morten Hanefeld , Sjö Lene Dissing , Frederiksen Henrik , Hansen Dennis Lund , Fassi Daniel El , Rathe Mathias , Jensen Peter-Diedrich Matthias , Winther-Larsen Anne , Nielsen Christian , Olsen Marianne , Toft Nina , Lorenzen Mads Okkels Birk , Jensen Lise Heilmann , Gudbrandsdottir Sif , Helby Jens , Rossing Maria , van Wijk Richard , Petersen Jesper
Published: July 2024

Background

Hereditary anemias are a group of genetic diseases prevalent worldwide and pose a significant health burden on patients and societies. The clinical phenotype of hereditary anemias varies from compensated hemolysis to life-threatening anemia. They can be roughly categorized into three broad categories: hemoglobinopathies, membranopathies, and enzymopathies. Traditional therapeutic approaches like blood transfusions, iron chelation, and splenectomy are witnessing a paradigm shift with the advent of targeted treatments. However, access to these treatments remains limited due to lacking or imprecise diagnoses. The primary objective of the study is to establish accurate diagnoses for patients with hereditary anemias, enabling optimal management. As a secondary objective, the study aims to enhance our diagnostic capabilities.

Results

The DAHEAN study is a nationwide cohort study that collects advanced phenotypic and genotypic data from patients suspected of having hereditary anemias from all pediatric and hematological departments in Denmark. The study deliberates monthly by a multidisciplinary anemia board involving experts from across Denmark. So far, fifty-seven patients have been thoroughly evaluated, and several have been given diagnoses not before seen in Denmark.

Conclusions

The DAHEAN study and infrastructure harness recent advancements in diagnostic tools to offer precise diagnoses and improved management strategies for patients with hereditary anemias.
Inhibiting interferon-γ induced cancer intrinsic TNFRSF14 elevation restrains the malignant progression of glioblastoma
Authors: Han Yunhe , Zou Cunyi , Liu Tianqi , Cheng Wen , Cheng Peng , Wu Anhua
Published: July 2024

Background

Prolonged interferon-γ signaling activation induces cancer resistance to therapeutics, especially immunotherapy. However, the detailed mechanisms are not well characterized. In present study, we explored cancer intrinsic resistant mechanisms employing for evading immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) and searched for key immune checkpoints contributing to the constitution of suppressive immune microenvironment of glioblastoma (GBM).

Methods

We screened key immune checkpoint (IC) associated with IFN signaling activation in GBM according to integrated transcriptomic profiling on the ICs. Expression analysis and functional assays revealed that malignant cells elevated the key IC, TNFRSF14 expression under IFN-γ stimulation, which enhanced their proliferation and in vivo tumorigenicity. Therapeutic efficiency of TNFRSF14 disruption in GBM was evaluated with in vitro and in vivo functional assays, including immunofluorescence, transwell, RT-qPCR, flow cytometry, mass cytometry, and mice preclinical GBM models. Moreover, the improvement of TNFRSF14 blockade on the efficacy of PD-L1 treatment was examined in mice intracranial xenograft bearing models.

Results

TNFRSF14, a previously poorly characterized IC, was disclosed as a checkpoint with malignant intrinsic elevation closely associated with type II not type I IFN signaling activation in GBM. Anti-PD-L1 treatment induces compensatory TNFRSF14 elevation, while enhancing IFN-γ production. TNFRSF14 phosphorylates FAK at Y397 and consequently activates NF-κB, which not only strengthens the tumorigenicity of GBM cells, but also enhances TAMs recruitment through elevating CXCL1/CXCL5 secretion from GBM cells. TNFRSF14 ablation reduces the tumorigenicity of GBM cells, reshapes the immunosuppressive microenvironment, and enhances therapeutic efficacy of anti-PD-L1 in mouse orthotopic GBM model.

Conclusion

Our findings highlight a malignant TNFRSF14/FAK axis as a potential target to blunt cancer-intrinsic resistance to ICB treatment, which may help improve the therapeutic efficiency of immunotherapy in malignancies.
Socio-economic inequalities in the use of flu vaccination in Europe: a multilevel approach
Authors: Jemna Dănuț-Vasile , David Mihaela , Bonnal Liliane , Oros Cornel
Published: July 2024

Background

The European-wide statistics show that the use of flu vaccination remains low and the differences between countries are significant, as are those between different population groups within each country. Considerable research has focused on explaining vaccination uptake in relation to socio-economic and demographic characteristics, health promotion and health behavior factors. Nevertheless, few studies have aimed to analyze between-country differences in the use of flu vaccination for the EU population. To address this gap, this study examines the socio-economic inequalities in the use of influenza vaccination for the population aged 15 years and over in all 27 EU Member States and two other non-EU countries (Iceland and Norway).

Methods

Using data from the third wave of European Health Interview Survey (EHIS) 2019, we employed a multilevel logistic model with a random intercept for country, which allows controlling simultaneously the variations in individuals’ characteristics and macro-contextual factors which could influence the use of flu vaccination. In addition, the analysis considers the population stratified into four age groups, namely adolescents, young adults, adults and elderly, to better capture heterogeneities in flu vaccination uptake.

Results

The main findings confirm the existence of socio-economic inequalities between individuals in different age groups, but also of significant variation between European countries, particularly for older people, in the use of influenza vaccination. In this respect, income and education are strong proxy of socio-economic status associated with flu vaccination uptake. Moreover, these disparities within each population group are also explained by area of residence and occupational status. Particularly for the elderly, the differences between individuals in vaccine utilization are also explained by country-level factors, such as the type of healthcare system adopted in each country, public funding, personal health expenditure burden, or the availability of generalist practitioners.

Conclusions

Overall, our findings reveal that vaccination against seasonal influenza remains a critical public health intervention and bring attention to the relevance of conceiving and implementing context-specific strategies to ensure equitable access to vaccines for all EU citizens.
The validity of clinical guidelines and nasal endoscopy in the diagnosis of chronic rhinosinusitis—a prospective observational study
Authors: Sheikh Mohd Abass , Patigaroo Suhail Amin , Showkat Showkat A. , Latoo Manzoor A. , Rather Rauf Hussain
Published: July 2024

Background

Chronic rhinosinusitis is a common disease entity seen by ENT surgeons as well as general practitioners all over the world. This study is aimed to evaluate and validate whether the clinical guideline symptoms (set by AAO-HNS 2015) alone and/or nasal endoscopic findings can predict the diagnosis of CRS, taking CT as the gold standard.

Methods

A total of 118 patients with symptoms of chronic rhinosinusitis were taken. They were divided into two groups on the basis of whether they fulfilled the Guideline symptom criteria laid down by AAO-HNS in 2015 for diagnosing chronic rhinosinusitis. Each group underwent diagnostic nasal endoscopy (DNE), and patients with either purulence, edema in the middle meatus or ethmoid, and polyps in the nasal cavity or middle meatus were considered positive for DNE. A Lund-Mackay CT score of > 4 was considered diagnostic of CRS. Each group was analyzed separately. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value of guideline symptom with and without the addition of nasal endoscopy was recorded taking CT as the gold standard.

Results

Nasal obstruction was the most common seen in all cases (100%) followed by headache in 45 (38.1%), facial pain in 32 (27.1%), anterior nasal discharge in 28 (23.7%), decreased sense of smell in 22 (18.6%), and posterior nasal discharge in 19 (16.1%). Two-thirds of patients (78, 66.1%) fulfilled the clinical guideline symptoms criteria, and one-third of patients (40, 33.9%) did not fulfill the clinical guideline symptoms criteria. A positive finding on DNE was found in 59.3% (n = 70) of patients. More than half of patients (62, 52.5%) had mild grade on endoscopic examination, while only 8 (6.8%) had moderate grade, and none had severe grade. Guideline symptoms have a high sensitivity (80%) but a low specificity (50.94%) in the diagnosis of CRS, with a fair level of agreement with CT diagnosis (Kappa = 0.32). DNE has a moderate sensitivity (72.31%) but a low specificity (56.60%) in the diagnosis of CRS, with a fair level of agreement with CT diagnosis (Kappa = 0.29). Sensitivity and specificity were 80.77% and 57.69% respectively when guideline symptoms and DNE findings are taken in series.

Conclusion

We conclude that neither Guideline Symptom Criteria nor DNE is independently sufficient enough to have a high diagnostic accuracy for CRS. Comparing the diagnostic efficiency among various modalities, we report that in patients who meet guideline symptom criteria for CRS, the addition of nasal endoscopy turned out to be a cost-effective diagnostic approach and improves the diagnostic accuracy of DNE for CRS reasonably, hence should be emphasized as a diagnostic tool in the evaluation of patients for CRS.
Firm Donations and Political Rhetoric: Evidence from a National Ban
Authors: Cagé Julia , Le Pennec Caroline , Mougin Elisa
Published: July 2024

We study France’s 1995 ban on firm donations to politicians. We use a difference-in-differences approach and a novel dataset combining the campaign manifestos issued by candidates running in French parliamentary elections with data on their campaign contributions. We show that banning firm donations discourages candidates from advertising their local presence during the campaign, as well as economic issues. The ban also leads candidates from nonmainstream parties to use more extreme language. This suggests that private donors shape politicians’ topics of interest, and that campaign finance reforms may affect the information made available to voters through their impact on candidates’ rhetoric. (JEL D22, D72, D83, K16)
The Effects of a Large-Scale Mental Health Reform: Evidence from Brazil
Authors: Dias Mateus , Fontes Luiz Felipe
Published: July 2024

This paper studies the Brazilian Psychiatric Reform, which reorganized the public mental health care provision by introducing mental health centers (CAPS) as a community-based substitute for inpatient care. Our research design exploits the rollout of CAPS in a difference-in-differences framework. We show that these centers increased outpatient mental health care production and reduced psychiatric hospitalizations. These reductions were more pronounced for long-stay admissions and among patients with schizophrenia. We find that the savings implied by fewer admissions do not offset the cost of the policy. Also, the reform did not reduce mental health mortality and it increased violent crimes. (JEL H51, I12, I18, O15)
How Do Copayment Coupons Affect Branded Drug Prices and Quantities Purchased?
Authors: Dafny Leemore , Ho Kate , Kong Edward
Published: July 2024

We estimate the causal effects of drug copayment coupons, which reduce consumer cost sharing for branded prescription drugs, on net-of-rebate price and quantities sold. We show that coupon introductions increase the quantity of drugs without generic substitutes sold by 23–25 percent for the commercial segment relative to Medicare Advantage, where coupons are banned. To quantify the resulting equilibrium price effects, we estimate a discrete choice model of demand for multiple sclerosis drugs and simulate a model of drug price negotiations. We estimate that net-of-rebate prices are 8 percent higher due to coupons being offered for most of these drugs. (JEL G22, I18, L65)
Indirect Savings from Public Procurement Centralization
Authors: Lotti Clarissa , Muço Arieda , Spagnolo Giancarlo , Valletti Tommaso
Published: July 2024

Centralization of public procurement can lower prices for the government’s direct purchase of goods and services. This paper focuses on indirect savings. Public administrations that do not procure directly through a central procurement agency might benefit from the availability of centrally procured goods. We exploit the introduction of a central purchasing agency in Italy and find that prices came down by 22 percent among administrations that bought autonomously. These indirect effects appear to be driven by informational externalities, especially for less competent public buyers purchasing technologically more complex goods. Accounting for indirect savings increases the estimate of direct ones. (JEL D83, H57, H83)
Optimal Internality Taxation of Product Attributes
Authors: Gerster Andreas , Kramm Michael
Published: July 2024

This paper explores how a benevolent policymaker should optimally tax (or subsidize) product attributes when consumers are behaviorally biased. We demonstrate that market choices are informative about biases, which can be exploited for targeting biased consumers via a nonlinear tax schedule. We show that the properties of this schedule depend on few parameters of the joint distribution of consumer valuations and biases. Furthermore, we provide a novel justification for behaviorally motivated product standards and derive when a combination of taxes and standards is optimal. We illustrate our findings based on a numerical example from the lightbulb market. (JEL D82, D91, H21, H25, L69)
Competitive Bidding in Drug Procurement: Evidence from China
Authors: Cao Shengmao , Yi Lisa Xuejie , Yu Chuan
Published: July 2024

We study the equilibrium effects of introducing competitive bidding in drug procurement. In 2019, China introduced a competitive bidding program where drug companies bid for a prespecified procurement quantity in nine provinces. Using a difference-in-differences design, we show the program reduced average drug prices by 47.4 percent. Generic drugs won most bids and cut prices by 75.0 percent. We develop an equilibrium model to quantify the trade-off between lower prices and potential choice distortions. Competitive bidding increases consumer welfare if policymakers believe consumers should value branded and bioequivalent generic drugs equally. The program also reduced government expenditure on insurance by 19.8 percent. (JEL D44, G22, I18, L13, L65, P25, P31)
Mind the Gap! An interpretative phenomenological analysis of solidarity among Ibero-American female translators in the Spanish Wikipedia
Authors: Singer Néstor , Gustavo Góngora-Goloubintseff José
Published: July 2024

As one of the most popular websites in the world, Wikipedia’s success has long resided in the fact that anyone can contribute to this repository of human knowledge. However, behind this democratisation and wisdom-of-the-crowd initiative lie some entrenched inequalities and biases. MostWikipedia’s regular contributors are men from the Global North, which has led to much criticism and speculation. Consequently, the user-generated encyclopaedia has often been accused of both portraying women from a male perspective and downplaying their professional achievements. Against this background, this paper explores the narratives of six experienced female Latin and Ibero-American editors that have been actively involved in the translation of women’s biographies in the Spanish Wikipedia. Drawing on interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA), this study seeks to ascertain the role of female editors-translators and how they perceive solidarity in the context of their work in the encyclopaedia. Our findings indicate that the participants view solidarity as a transformative activity whereby they collectively unite to promote equality, protect one another against harassment and oppression, and re-narrate women’s biographies. Moreover, although most participants did not identify as translators, translation was widely regarded as a means to increase the number of women’s articles on Wikipedia and help bridge the gender gap.
Better Is Better? Signaling Paradoxes in Performance-Based Advertising
Authors: Pan Ran , Feng Juan
Published: July 2024

Under performance-based advertising, firms pay only for measurable consumer actions, such as clicks or sales. However, these actions may result from factors other than effective advertising. For example, a high-reputation seller is more likely to generate more actions than a low-reputation seller. If such consumer actions are counted toward advertising performance, a high-quality firm is penalized because it has to pay more than necessary to signal its quality. Without addressing these paradoxes, it becomes increasingly challenging for a high-quality firm to signal its quality under the performance-based advertising scheme. Our research extends advertising signaling theory, which primarily focuses on new products without an established reputation and assumes that the advertising reaches the entire market (e.g., Milgrom and Roberts 1986 , Feng and Xie 2012 ). Instead, we consider products that may have an established reputation (e.g., newer versions of the iPhone) and allow for the scenario that not every market segment can be reached by the advertising. We identify two paradoxes that arise from performance-based advertising and discuss methods to mitigate these paradoxes by proposing different ways of measuring advertising performance.
Strong Optimal Classification Trees
Authors: Aghaei Sina , Gómez Andrés , Vayanos Phebe
Published: July 2024

Decision trees are among the most interpretable and popular machine learning models that are used routinely in applications ranging from revenue management to medicine. Traditional heuristic methods, although fast, lack modeling flexibility for incorporating constraints such as fairness and do not guarantee optimality. Recent efforts aim to overcome these limitations using mixed-integer optimization (MIO) for better modeling flexibility and optimality, but speed remains an issue. In “Strong Optimal Classification Trees,” Aghaei, Gómez, and Vayanos use integer optimization and polyhedral theory to create an MIO-based formulation with a strong LO relaxation resulting in a 29% speed-up in training time compared with state-of-the-art MIO-based formulations, as well as up to an 8% improvement in out-of-sample accuracy.
Analysis of Land and Sea Temperatures Trend During 1985-2021 Period to Understand Local or Global Warming Effect in Bengkulu City
Authors: Akbar Arya J , Lubis Ashar Muda
Published: July 2024

Global warming is a phenomenon where the earth's temperature rises drastically. The temperature increase causes negative impacts on the environment globally. Bengkulu City, Indonesia, is situated with a growing population and land-use change that may cause temperature rise. This research aimed to analyze the temperature change in the land and sea area of Bengkulu City. To understand the local or global factors influencing temperature changes in Bengkulu City, we also studied the correlation between land and sea temperatures. The temperature data were obtained from BMKG and NOAA PSL. Firstly, we analyzed the temperature trendlines for the last 36 years. Then we evaluated the coefficient determination (R2) value to determine the correlation between sea and land temperatures. The results show that during the last 36 years, the sea temperature is increased by 0.40 °C, while the land temperature is increased by 1.07 °C. Moreover, we found a relatively weak correlation between sea and land temperature, with a 10.7% correlation. We argued that the increased temperature in Bengkulu City land is associated with land change use and rising population in the last few decades, which means the local factor affected the land temperature changes. On the other hand, global phenomena (IOD and ENSO) influenced sea temperature changes, which means the global factor affected the sea temperature changes. The rising land temperature is relatively high; hence it is necessary to understand better what parameters are causing temperature changes that may affect the physical environment in Bengkulu, Indonesia.
Seawater Lamp: Utilization of Seawater as an Alternative Energy Source to Generate Electricity
Authors: Kadir Muh. Ridwan , Arsyad Nurul Afiqah , Alaydrus Syarifah Nuraeni , Puspita Wenny , Sahrul Sahrul , Agriawan Muhammad Nurkhalis , Hamzah Hardi
Published: July 2024

Fishermen are the main livelihood for coastal communities in West Sulawesi. In fishing activities, especially at night, fishermen use lights to attract fish for a greater chance of catching fish. However, fishermen need a supply of electricity to turn on their lights when at sea. Fishermen usually use batteries. This is a significant problem for fishermen because batteries require a relatively high operational level. Researchers found the idea by developing a battery replacement tool to reduce high operating costs. This study aims to utilize seawater as an alternative energy source to overcome the problem of high operational costs for fishermen. The tool developed in this study uses two electrodes (Zn and Cu) placed vertically in a container and then filled with seawater. The two electrodes are connected in series, producing a high output voltage to light an LED. After the initial measurement, the resulting output voltage is 5V and can turn on the LED with a bright enough light. In periodic measurements for 96 hours with data collection every 4 hours, the voltage, current, and power do not decrease significantly, so the seawater lamp is suitable for coastal communities and fishermen's use as lighting when going to sea at night. Series and parallel combinations must be developed to achieve higher voltage and power values ​​and obtain brighter light. The results of this research can be an alternative and renewable energy source that can be widely used.
Assessing the Efficacy of the UV Index in Predicting Surface UV Radiation: A Comprehensive Analysis Using Statistical and Machine Learning Methods
Authors: Ervianto Edy , Marpaung Noveri Lysbetti , Raisal Abu Yazid , Hutabarat Sakti , Hassan Rohana , Siagian Ruben Cornelius , Nurhalim Nurhalim , Amri Rahyul
Published: July 2024

The study investigated the relationship between the UV Index and measurements of ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation to evaluate the effectiveness of the UV Index in predicting and understanding UV radiation at the surface. The implications of this study are significant for public health policies and UV protection strategies. This study used a variety of statistical analyses and modelling techniques, including ANOVA, Naive Bayes classification, decision trees, artificial neural networks, support vector machines (SVM), and k-means clustering, to examine relationships and predict UV Index values. ANOVA analysis showed a significant relationship between the UV Index and UVA and UVB measurements. Prediction models such as Naive Bayes classification, decision trees, and artificial neural networks showed variability in their accuracy. Notably, SVM showed a high degree of accuracy in predicting UV Index values, while k-means clustering effectively clustered the data based on similarities in UV Index and UV measurements. These findings confirm that the UV Index is a reliable indicator for predicting and understanding UV radiation levels at the Earth's surface. This research underscores the importance of developing more accurate and precise UV Index prediction models. Further investigation is essential to understand the temporal variations and environmental impacts on the UV Index, as well as the broader implications of UV exposure on public health. This study lays a strong foundation for the development of early warning systems and more effective UV protection strategies, ultimately improving public health outcomes and safety measures against UV radiation.
Six-month post-stroke review provision across southwest England: a service evaluation
Authors: Freeman Jennifer , Chatfield Sarah , Cork Emma , Schmitt Janet , Dennett Rachel
Published: July 2024

Background/Aims

Six-month post-stroke reviews are advocated for all stroke survivors. There is no recommended service model, with many variations in practice. The aim of this service evaluation was to describe and evaluate the 6-month post-stroke review service provision across the South West England Integrated Stroke Delivery Networks.

Methods

A mixed-methods service evaluation for 10 services was undertaken, consisting of: a stakeholder meeting to define the scope and review criteria; a mapping exercise to define core service features and activity data; a 12-month retrospective Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme clinical data audit plus a 1-month prospective audit detailing identified unmet needs, actions to address needs and patient satisfaction; service provider and user guided discussions; and options appraisal synthesising data from all sources to inform service development.

Results

Considerable variations in service configuration, processes and outcomes existed across services. Guided discussions with 40 service users and 20 service providers revealed predominantly positive experiences. There was perceived value in the review, a key ingredient being its person-centred nature. However, some felt that the review was generic and more of a tick-box exercise. Many staff appeared unaware of differing 6-month post-stroke review models across the region and rarely used Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme data to reflect on service outcomes or inform service development. Sharing of good practice across services appeared limited.

Conclusions

Data did not support a specific preferred service model. Findings suggested 6-month post-stroke reviews should not be a ‘one size fits all’ model, with flexibility in format and timing to optimise value. A knowledge sharing and evidence-based culture should be encouraged to nurture service development.
Environmental physiotherapy: creating a holistic and integrated practice with the external and internal environment
Authors: Polastri Massimiliano
Published: July 2024

In this editorial, Massimiliano Polastri discusses the importance of considering environmental factors when providing rehabilitation therapy to patients.
Moğollarda Otorite Tableti Olarak Payza ve Kullanımı
Authors: Coşkun Derya
Published: July 2024

Moğol İmparatorları askerî yetkililer başta olmak üzere elçi, haberci gibi uluslararası platformda hareket hâlinde olan kişilere gerek görevleri dolayısıyla gerekse seyahatleri sırasında rahat ve hızlı hareket etmelerini sağlamak amacıyla payza adında bir künye hazırlatmışlardır. Kişinin görevi ve yetkilerini içeren bu tabletler, taşıyan kişiye kolay erzak temini ve binek hayvanı tahsisi başta olmak üzere farklı birçok imtiyazlar sunmuştur. Payzalar, sokağa çıkma yasağı uygulamaları, resmî yazışmalar ve posta teşkilatı gibi işlerde faal bir şekilde kullanılmıştır. Tarihinin Hunlardan başladığı tahmin edilen bu tabletlerin Kitan ve Çinliler tarafından da kullanıldıkları bilinmektedir. Öyle ki Moğol payzalarında rastlanan bu etki, Çin ve Uygur yazılarının yoğun bir şekilde kullanılmasıyla fark edilir durumdadır. Çalışmada bu terimin Çince, Farsça ve Batılı kaynaklar çerçevesinde kullanımı, türleri ve örneklerine yer verilmiştir.
Regeneration of the Patellar Tendon with Radial Pressure Waves in a Sharp Injury: Case Report
Authors: Salinas A.A. Flores ,   Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Medical Director of Physis Clinics, Chihuahua, Mexico,, Cordero G.C. Reyes , Rodriguez L.B. García , Olivares L.C. Villa ,   Department of Rheumatology, Hospital Ángeles, Chihuahua, Mexico,   Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Hospital Central Universitario, Chihuahua, Mexico,,   Department of Radiology, Civil Pensions of the State of Chihuahua, Mexico.
Published: July 2024

Patellar tendon ruptures are rare injuries and are more commonly associated with predisposing factors and previous surgical procedures than with direct trauma. Acute partial-thickness tears are usually treated with immobilization and rehabilitation. The literature recommends surgical management of partial ruptures of the patellar tendon after 6 months of failure of conservative treatments and in acute cases with a compromise >50–55% of the tendon. Radial pressure wave therapy is a safe, non-invasive technique with scientific support in tissue regeneration; it is found as one of the therapeutic alternatives for the management of tendinopathy and partial ruptures of the patellar tendon. The present case report shows the effectiveness of radial pressure wave therapy in a shear injury of the patellar tendon, with a compromise of at least 70%. We have not found similar cases previously reported in the literature, highlighting its relevance. Keywords: Patellar tendon, Radial pressure waves, Patellar tendon rupture, Cutting injury
20 Years of Treatment of Non-unions and Delayed Unions with Shock Waves
Authors: Kertzman Paulo F. ,   Departamento de Ortopedia, Santa Casa de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Published: July 2024

The treatment of bone non-unions continues to be complex and prolonged in many cases. The advent of the use of mechanical waves has made it possible, through the phenomenon of mechanotransduction, to have a non-invasive tool with a low rate of complications. This study analyzes the experience of the last 20 years with the use of shock waves. Keywords: Non-union, shock waves, Delayed union, Mechanotransduction
Enhancing our heritage—40 years of JOSA A and JOSA B in the ever-changing world of optical science and technology: editorial
Authors: Korotkova Olga , Busch Kurt
Published: July 2024

JOSA A and JOSA B are archival journals that have preserved the heritage and served the community in the field of optics for the past 40 years. In line with the community’s expansion and evolution over this time, the journals have regularly reinvented themselves while also keeping an eye on the future. This editorial celebrates the journals’ ruby anniversary and introduces readers to some recent statistical data points and trends.
Component design and stable SESAM mode-locking of the disorder middle entropy Yb:CaSrBaF6 single crystal
Authors: Wang Wudi , Wang Qingguo , Zhang Chenbo , Liu Jian , Zhang Zhen , Zu Yuqian , Yang Qi , Fang Qiancheng , Xue Yanyan , Liu Bo , Li Dongzhen , Xu Xiaodong , Tang Huili , Su Liangbi , Xu Jun
Published: July 2024

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on continuous and passively mode-locked operation of the multi-component fluoride CaSrBaF6 crystal. A novel disorder laser material, Yb:CaSrBaF6 (Ca0.33Sr0.33Ba0.33F2) of multi-component middle entropy crystal was designed and grown by temperature gradient technique (TGT) for the first time. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis of Yb:CaSrBaF6 crystal reveals that Ca2+, Sr2+, and Ba2+ of near equal atomic ratio (1:1:1) have formed a homogeneous single-phased fluorite solid solution. The first principle calculation further shows that Ca2+, Sr2+, Ba2+ ions tend to be evenly distributed in the matrix crystal. The total formation energy is the lowest -547.17 ev and the structure is also the most stable at this time. The spectral properties of the crystal are systematically characterized. The emission cross section of 2F5/2→2F7/2 transition at 1040 nm is 0.62 × 10−20 cm2 with the larger full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 60.5 nm. The evenly disordered distribution of various cations and lattice distortion effect leads to the more diverse local structure and the diversity of luminescence, which can cause non-uniform broadening of the spectrum. Meanwhile, the Yb:CaSrBaF6 crystal generated a continuous wave (CW) output power of 1.128 W, corresponding to a slope efficiency of 32% and an optical-to-optical conversion efficiency of 28.7% at 1055.4 nm. By implementing a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror (SESAM) for stable mode-locked laser operation, when the absorbed pump power reached 3.79 W, the laser ran into continuous wave mode-locking (CWML) regime, the maximum average output power of 123 mW was generated and the pulse duration of 89 ps was achieved at a pulse repetition rate of 54.6 MHz, with a pulse energy of 2.25 nJ and a pulse peak power of 25 W. Better laser performance could be expected after optimizing pump core diameter and elimination of dispersion. All results show that Yb:CaSrBaF6 crystal is regarded as a what we believe to be novel laser materials, which also provide a reference for the development of disordered material and other rare earth ions doping.
Low-diffraction EMI-shielding multiband optical window based on randomized metallic mesh
Authors: Liu Yujie , Yang Chenying , Wang Yusi , Shao Yu , Zheng Tingting , Yuan Kaixin , Cheng Yan , Zhang Yueguang , Shen Weidong
Published: July 2024

Electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding optical windows are crucial for the optimal performance of electro-optical systems in environments exposed to electromagnetic radiation. Traditionally, metallic mesh structures have been favored as the optimal solution, offering high spectral transmittance coupled with efficient electromagnetic shielding. However, these conventional periodic meshes often lead to diffraction effects that can degrade image quality. In contrast, random structures partially homogenize high-order diffraction but lack thorough optimization. To address these challenges, we employ a novel optimization process to develop an innovative multiband optical window based on layered functional structures. This design employs a randomized metallic mesh structure, dramatically reducing higher-order diffraction optical energy by 74% compared to its periodic counterparts. Additionally, the device's EMI shielding effectiveness exceeds 20 dB in the 12–18 GHz frequency band. Moreover, a multiband antireflection coating comprising a 9-layer ZnS/YbF3 stack has been applied to minimize residual reflections achieving an average optical transmittance of 86.1% in the 0.4-0.7µm band, 89.8% at 1.064µm, and 81.1% in the 3-5µm band. We anticipate that our proposed multiband optical window will greatly enhance the application and effectiveness of EMI shielding in optical windows.
One-shot structured light illumination based on shearlet transform
Authors: Gao Rui , Zhao Xiaobing , Lau Daniel L. , Zhang Bo , Xu Bin , Liu Kai
Published: July 2024

Balancing speed and accuracy has always been a challenge in 3D reconstruction. One-shot structured light illuminations are of perfect performance on real-time scanning, while the related 3D point clouds are typically of relatively poor quality, especially in regions with rapid height changes. To solve this problem, we propose a one-shot reconstruction scheme based on shearlet transform, which combines spatial and frequency domain information to enhance reconstruction accuracy. First, we apply the shearlet transform to the deformed fringe pattern to obtain the transform coefficients. Second, pixel-wise select the indices associated with the N largest coefficients in magnitude to obtain a new filter. Finally, we refocus globally to extract phase using these filters and generate a reliable quality map based on coefficient magnitudes to guide phase unwrapping. Simultaneously, we utilize the maximum coefficient value to generate a quality map for guiding the phase unwrapping process. Experimental results show that the proposed method is robust in discontinuous regions, resulting in more accurate 3D point clouds.