bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploring the awareness of construction employees on mental health problems: applying the health belief model
Authors: Nguyen Minh Van , Khanh Ha Duy , Phan Chien Thanh , Thuc Le Dinh
Published: February 2025

Purpose

Poor mental health is a well-recognized issue in the construction sector. However, there is still little understanding of factors affecting construction employees’ awareness of mental health problems (MHP). This study aims to investigate the awareness of MHP among construction employees using the Health Belief Model (HBM). The research explores how various factors, such as perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, cues to action and self-efficacy, shape MHP awareness within the construction sector.

Design/methodology/approach

A structured four-step research methodology was employed. First, a literature review and expert validation identified 28 variables relevant to MHP awareness. A questionnaire was then developed and distributed to construction employees in Vietnam, with 238 valid responses collected. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were employed to validate the evaluation model. After that, fuzzy synthetic evaluation (FSE) was used to assess the importance of each dimension of MHP awareness.

Findings

The results indicate that perceived barriers and perceived benefits were the two most significant factors in MHP awareness. The remaining dimensions – perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, cues to action and self-efficacy – were found to have a lesser but notable impact on MHP awareness.

Originality/value

This research comprehensively analyzes MHP awareness among construction employees using the HBM framework. The findings suggested that Vietnamese firms should focus on increasing cues to action and self-efficacy to improve MHP awareness among construction employees. This study also proposed that construction firms should provide more stress-reduction activities and training programs suitable to the Vietnamese context for their employees.
Reconsidering college students’ low-carbon behavior: the role of paradoxical thinking
Authors: Qian Dong , Wei Xuejing , Zhu Guoqi , Ma Xurong , Hu Beibei , Pang Xiaojun
Published: February 2025

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the mechanism of the influence of paradoxical thinking (PT), which characterizes the ability of college students to balance and integrate the conflict between hedonic and normative goals, on their campus low-carbon behaviors.

Design/methodology/approach

The conceptual model of “PT − Paradoxical salience (climate change concern, CCC) − Paradoxical acceptance (support for low-carbon behavioral norms, SN) − paradoxical resolution (campus low-carbon intentions and behaviors, CLCIs and CLCBs)” was developed. Then, it was tested by PLS-SEM using survey data obtained from 501 Chinese college students, and the relative importance of each factor of CLCBs was determined by the importance-performance map analysis method. Finally, a mechanistic difference analysis was conducted.

Findings

PT, CCC and SN have the potential to influence the CLCBs of college students, with each of the three factors showing approximately 40% room for improvement in their impact. There exists an influential pathway of “PT → CCC → SN → CLCIs → CLCBs.” Notably, PT exhibits a stronger direct influence on college students’ private-sphere CLCBs compared to the public-sphere CLCBs.

Practical implications

Colleges should integrate the development of PT into the foundational framework of the entire education for sustainable development curriculum, while emphasizing the provision of opportunities for training in PT through pedagogical methods, and PT training can be integrated across various social levels.

Originality/value

This study offers a paradox theoretical framework for comprehending and elucidating the decision-making process underlying personal low-carbon behaviors, and advances the quantitative research of microindividual paradox processing by effectively conceptualizing and measuring paradoxical salience and acceptance.
A moderated mediation model to estimate the relationship between brands’ experiential event evaluation and WOM
Authors: Gómez-Suárez Mónica , Veloso Mónica , Yagüe María Jesús
Published: February 2025

Purpose

This research analyses the impact of experiential marketing events on word-of-mouth for destination brands while considering the moderating role of brand familiarity and the mediating role of brand equity.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on a survey of 844 participants in a real event organised by a leisure Spanish destination with a large inflow of national and international attendees, in conjunction with the city government where it is located.

Findings

Attendees’ evaluation of the event exerted a significant positive effect on word-of-mouth. However, brand equity – which is built over time via past marketing actions – mediates this relationship. Meanwhile, brand familiarity moderates the relationship between people’s overall evaluation of the event, brand equity and positive recommendations.

Practical implications

These results offer guidance to destination managers regarding reoccurring experiential marketing events. Participants with high appraisal of events serve to create buzz and amplify the event experience for others.

Originality/value

The study is a novel attempt to analyse the influence of visitors’ experiences on brand destination outcomes by considering the moderating role of brand familiarity – an issue that, to our knowledge, has not been assessed in the context of events. The results make clear that mere exposure to a brand does not necessarily lead to brand equity and WOM. Instead, managers must design experiential events carefully – not only to convert sporadic visitors into frequent customers but also to keep consistent clients from losing interest.
Informal long-term care and its gender distribution: a systematic review
Authors: Gösenbauer Barbara , Braun Alexander , Bilger Marcel
Published: February 2025

Purpose

European countries are experiencing a phenomenon known as “double aging,” which is placing long-term care regimes under considerable strain. The majority of long-term care is provided by relatives, and this informal care is vital for the functioning of care regimes. Most of this informal long-term care (iLTC) is provided by women. The consequences of the unequal distribution of care within society are a crucial, yet poorly addressed aspect of social policy research. We address this research gap and provide insights into the socio-economic impacts of the unequal gender distribution of iLTC.

Design/methodology/approach

For the review, systematic database searches were performed in PubMed and EBSCO CINAHL, using the SPIDER methodology. A total of 7,385 abstracts were screened, whereof 11 studies were included. A critical appraisal tool, the PRISMA checklist and a qualitative synthesis were applied.

Findings

Three analytical themes were identified: (1) Social Experiences and Norms, (2) Informal Caregivers’ Labour Market Participation and (3) Economic Costs of iLTC. The results showed that women and men are impacted differently: Women are quantitatively discriminated, while caregiving men are likely to face qualitative discrimination within their tasks due to role expectations and gender norms.

Originality/value

Novel insights emerge from embedding fragmented empirical findings into a holistic societal perspective, opening possibilities for addressing (adverse) outcomes together on a policy level. The findings are of interest for policy makers developing measures to ensure sufficient care supply whilst taking action against gender inequality.
Utilization of online information about schizophrenia from 2004 to 2022: an infodemiological analysis of Google and Wikipedia
Authors: Alibudbud Rowalt
Published: February 2025

Purpose

The Internet is a prevalent medium for promoting mental health and disseminating educational content on schizophrenia. Despite this, studies underscore the necessity for additional research to delve into the structures of online mental health promotion and education strategies. Therefore, this study aims to focus on analyzing public interests and information utilization using Google and Wikipedia, contributing to the enhancement of internet-based mental health promotion strategies.

Design/methodology/approach

This infodemiological study described and predicted the global utilization of online information for schizophrenia using relative search volumes (RSV) and related queries and topics from Google Trends and Wikipedia page views. After describing the data, ARIMA was done to predict future Wikipedia page views and search volumes.

Findings

The country ranking based on RSV revealed a gap between European and developed nations and Asian and developing countries. Until December 2021, there was a consistent decline in RSV and Wikipedia page views, followed by a resurgence in January 2022. Findings indicate stable RSV and an increase in Wikipedia page views from 2022 to 2025. Top and rising queries and topics covered various aspects of schizophrenia, such as management, manifestations, diagnostics and etiology, using multiple languages in search queries.

Practical implications

Mental health-care professionals should ensure the availability and accessibility of trustworthy schizophrenia information online. Incorporating top and rising queries on websites can enhance responsiveness to public needs in the age of information and disinformation.

Originality/value

To the best of the author’s knowledge, this study is the first to examine online schizophrenia information using combined Google and Wikipedia data.
Unlocking innovation empowerment: how can industrial robots accelerate total factor productivity?
Authors: Chen Ting , Ren Zongqiang , Wei Da , Chen Kanghao
Published: February 2025

Purpose

Embodied intelligent robots are the iconic productivity of the Industry 4.0 era, and their potential to bring about a productivity surge mainly comes from the driving force of robots on innovation rather than efficiency. However, the dynamic impact of robots on the innovation capability of enterprises has not been empirically tested.

Design/methodology/approach

This study integrates panel vector autoregression and threshold effects to investigate this dynamic relationship by a multi-level analysis based on data of Chinese A-share manufacturing listed enterprises.

Findings

(1) The short-term momentum of industrial robot applications (IRA) on exploitative innovation (EII) is significant and the long-term momentum on exploratory innovation (ERI) is stronger. (2) EII affected by IRA is the main source of short-term total factor productivity (TFP) growth, while ERI is the driving factor for long-term TFP growth. (3) The impact of IRA on TFP exhibits a double-threshold effect based on ERI and follows a “stepped” incremental pattern. The promoting effect of IRA on TFP will significantly increase only when ERI surpasses certain thresholds.

Originality/value

Industrial robots accelerate the potential productivity growth in the long term, mainly coming from the augmented contribution of ERI, providing reference and inspiration for enterprises to fully utilize the endogenous growth potential of robots and implement innovation strategies. It also provides forward-looking guidance for organisations to undertake adaptive changes for the forthcoming AI economic revolution.
Automatic generation of highlights for academic paper via prompt-based learning
Authors: Xiang Yi , Zhang Chengzhi , Zhang Heng
Published: February 2025

Purpose

Highlights in academic papers serve as condensed summaries of the author’s key work, allowing readers to quickly grasp the paper’s focus. However, many journals do not currently offer highlights for their articles. To address this gap, some scholars have explored using supervised learning methods to extract highlights from academic papers. A significant challenge in this approach is the need for substantial amounts of training data.

Design/methodology/approach

This study examines the effectiveness of prompt-based learning for generating highlights. We develop task-specific prompt templates, populate them with paper abstracts and use them as input for language models. We employ both locally inferable pre-trained models, such as GPT-2 and T5, and the ChatGPT model accessed via API.

Findings

By evaluating the model’s performance across three datasets, we find that the ChatGPT model performed comparably to traditional supervised learning methods, even in the absence of training samples. Introducing a small number of training samples further enhanced the model’s performance. We also investigate the impact of prompt template content on model performance, revealing that ChatGPT’s effectiveness on specific tasks is highly contingent on the information embedded in the prompts.

Originality/value

This study advances the field of automatic highlights generation by pioneering the application of prompt learning. We employ several mainstream pre-trained language models, including the widely used ChatGPT, to facilitate text generation. A key advantage of our method is its ability to generate highlights without the need for training on domain-specific corpora, thereby broadening its applicability.
Postmodern AI: A New Vision of Man's Relationship with Technology
Authors: Alkhazaleh Mohammad Salman , Shloul Tamara Al , Shater Azhar , Almajali Hussein , Mousa Jihan
Published: February 2025

This research explores the impact of postmodern artificial intelligence (AI) on philosophy, arts, politics, and ethics. It aims to analyze how AI reflects postmodern thought, focusing on concepts like relativism and multiplicity. The study also investigates AI's potential effects in various fields, including creativity, decision-making, and societal norms. The methodology includes a critical review of existing literature and case studies on AI applications. Key findings reveal that AI in the postmodern era challenges traditional notions of truth, authority, and creativity, while raising ethical concerns about bias, privacy, and job displacement. The research calls for clear ethical frameworks, education initiatives, and human-AI collaboration to address these challenges and ensure a balanced future between technology and humanity.
Development and Validation of Machine-Learned Actuator Line Model for Hydrokinetic Turbine Rotor
Authors: Bowman Joshua , Bhushan Shanti , Burgreen Gregory , Dettwiller Ian
Published: February 2025

This study develops and validates a machine-learned (ML) actuator line model (ALM) as a promising advancement in turbine/rotor modeling that can be applied for diverse engineering applications. The model alleviates two limitations of the standard ALM, namely, its reliance on the pre-defined lift and drag coefficient tables and its inability to account for flow unsteadiness. The ML-ALM model is trained using a blade-resolved simulation database of forces acting on blade elements for unsteady inflow conditions. The model is validated for solitary turbine performance and wake predictions against experimental data, and is verified for an inline turbine case for the performance and wake predictions of the downstream turbine against blade-resolved simulations. Its engineering applicability is demonstrated for an 8-turbine array farm simulation. The ML-ALM predicts turbine performance and wakes within 10% of blade-resolved results along with credible advection of tip vortical structures including breakdown and turbulent kinetic energy burst, using 92% less computational time than corresponding blade-resolved simulations.
Heuristic-Based Recommendation System for Dealing With Abnormal Situations in Industrial Applications
Authors: da Silva Márcio J. , Pereira Carlos E.
Published: February 2025

The effective management of process deviations and abnormal events depends on operational actions in providing the appropriate responses to each situation. Applications with requirements focused on the provision of resources tend to be handled by a human–machine interface (HMI) along with supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA). Process reliability is achieved if the operation ensures that actions will be performed according to the required response and priority levels. This paper presents a novel architecture entitled the heuristic-based recommendation system (HB-RS). The main goal is to provide resources capable of streamlining the process of actively handling abnormal situations. For recommendation purposes, the use of probabilistic networks is proposed, which are well suited to represent uncertainty elements present in engineering applications. To create the inference mechanism for these systems, a multi-entity Bayesian network (MEBN) is proposed, highlighting the importance of semantic characterization via knowledge-based, probabilistic graphical model formalism, which is closely linked to the modeling paradigm in which we can predict situations. The developed capabilities have been applied to a real case study in the operation of a metro train system, and the results obtained indicate the value of the proposed method.
Supplemental Material: Cerium behavior during the transformation of birnessite to todorokite: Implications for the origin of Ce anomalies in hydrodiagenetic ferromanganese nodules
Authors: Wang Rui , Fu Yu , al. et
Published: February 2025

Table S1: EPMA data of major elements of ferromanganese nodule. Table S2: LA-ICP-MS data of trace elements of ferromanganese nodule.
Supplemental Material: Genetic links between multistage gold mineralization and magmatism in the Tanjianshan goldfield, northern Tibetan Plateau: A geochronological and geochemical perspective of dikes and pyrite
Authors: Li Xing-Hui , al. et
Published: February 2025

Table S1: Major oxides (wt%), trace elements (ppm), and Sr-Nd isotopic compositions for dikes in the Qinglonggou deposit.
Left hemicolectomy for an isolated metastases from lung adenocarcinoma to the colon
Authors: Darbhamulla Siddharth , Badiani Sarit , Seton Rebecca , Clarke Stephen
Published: February 2025

Colonic metastases from primary lung adenocarcinoma are rare and represent a diagnostic and management dilemma. This clinical presentation often mimics primary colonic cancer or non-malignant bowel pathology. The reported incidence of this entity is postulated to rise with the improvement in diagnostic imaging and histopathology testing. Colonic metastases from primary lung adenocarcinoma are associated with poor overall survival, as they represent an advanced pathological process with associated morbidity due to complications from the metastases. Though there is limited data on this pathological entity, if feasible, surgical resection is thought to be associated with survival benefits. We report a case of a woman in her 60s diagnosed with an isolated descending colon metastasis from a known primary lung adenocarcinoma on interval imaging. While asymptomatic at the time, the patient underwent a palliative left hemicolectomy due to the risk of luminal obstruction and perforation from the lesion if left untreated.
Infantile hypophosphatasia: a rare aetiology of recurrent pneumonia
Authors: Diwan Nikita , Alam Areesha , Verma Nishant
Published: February 2025

We report a rare case of infantile hypophosphatasia associated with recurrent pneumonia, a condition with few similar cases documented globally. Clinical exome sequencing identified a heterozygous mutation in the alkaline phosphatase (ALPL) gene (c.69_74del; p.Glu23_Lys24del), the first such case reported in India and classified as ‘likely pathogenic’. Its causality remains unproven due to limited evidence, including the absence of in vitro studies and pedigree analysis. Phenotypic variability may be influenced by factors such as incomplete penetrance, variable expressivity and environmental or epigenetic modifiers. This case highlights a rare but important cause of recurrent pneumonia in infants. Despite treatment, the child succumbed to severe pneumonia within 2 months. Clinicians should consider infantile hypophosphatasia in cases of recurrent pneumonia, motor delay, seizures, severe malnutrition and persistently low serum alkaline phosphatase. Further genetic and functional studies are needed to validate genotype–phenotype correlations and improve disease management.
Prehospital care of suspected spine-injured lacrosse athletes: a systematic search, evidence review, and consensus recommendations
Authors: Bowman Thomas G , Boergers Richard J , Caswell Shane V , Conway Darryl , Mills William J , Putukian Margot , Merritt Mandy , Vescovi Jason D , Strapp Edward , Loehr Kellie , Monnin Jennifer , Vozzo Rebecca , Hatch Robert , Wesley Siler Caroline , Scarneo-Miller Samantha E
Published: February 2025

Lacrosse has experienced significant growth in popularity worldwide and will return to the Summer Olympic Games in 2028. While there are published consensus recommendations for prehospital care of athletes with suspected spine injuries, there are currently no recommendations specific to lacrosse athletes with and without circulation, airway, or breathing (CAB) compromise. The document aims to determine evidence- and consensus-based best practices and provide implementation recommendations to guide healthcare professionals in the prehospital care of suspected spine-injured lacrosse athletes. We comprised a consensus group of 15 individuals with diverse clinical, research, and administrative experiences to ensure broad representation across lacrosse competition levels. Peer-reviewed scientific and medical research literature was systematically searched for articles on spine injury in lacrosse participants to derive evidence-based recommendations. Following a modified Delphi approach with three rounds of voting, the author panel developed ten consensus-based best practices and implementation recommendations related to the care of potentially spine-injured lacrosse athletes with and without CAB compromise. In addition, recommendations are provided to guide the implementation of key preparations before lacrosse participation, such as developing and distributing an emergency action plan, lacrosse-specific policies and procedures, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation and automated external defibrillator requirements. All recommendations obtained acceptable levels of agreeability, feasibility, and clarity from at least 80% of the panel. The recommendations provide prehospital care guidance for healthcare professionals and event organisers aimed at improving patient outcomes following suspected spine injury.
Oral health surveys of traditional peoples and communities in Brazil: a scope review
Authors: Raymundo Maria Letícia Barbosa , Araújo Elza Cristina Farias de , Silva Rênnis Oliveira da , Neto Armando Cabral de Lira , Menezes Lucas Xavier Bezerra de , Lucena Edson Hilan Gomes de , Cavalcanti Yuri Wanderley
Published: February 2025

Objective

The objective of this review was to map the available evidence on oral health surveys of traditional peoples and communities (TPC) in Brazil, addressing the question, ‘What evidence is available on oral health surveys of traditional peoples and communities in Brazil?’.

Design

Scoping review according to the Scoping Review extension for the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses.

Data sources

MEDLINE/PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase and Latin American and Caribbean Literature in Health Sciences were searched up until June 2023.

Eligibility criteria

Studies involving individuals from indigenous groups, quilombolas, riverside communities and Romani communities, all included in TPC in Brazil, were included without any age restrictions.

Data extraction and synthesis

Data were extracted by two independent reviewers, and studies were categorised considering the author and year of publication, the traditional group, study type, geographical location, age group, sample size, data collection method and the main oral health condition assessed.

Results

After the searches, 39 studies were included in the review, and 2 studies were manually added. The studies included in the review were published between the years 1968 and 2023. Of the total, 31 studies investigated the oral health condition of indigenous peoples, 7 were studies on quilombola communities and 3 studies focused on riverside communities. No studies on Romani people were found in the search. The majority of studies were located in the Northeast region (n=12) of the country, with dental caries being the main oral health issue assessed (n=13) through clinical examinations (n=25), with a high prevalence observed among TPC (n=11).

Conclusion

This review reveals that in Brazil, studies on the oral health of TPC are ongoing, although they occur in an isolated and independent manner, indicating a considerably high prevalence of oral health problems in these communities.
Fluid balance and clinical outcomes in patients with aortic dissection: a retrospective case-control study based on ICU databases
Authors: Lei Jiahao , Zhang Zhuojing , Li Yixuan , Wu Zhaoyu , Pu Hongji , Xu Zhijue , Yang Xinrui , Wang Ruihua , Qiu Peng , Chen Tao , Lu Xinwu
Published: February 2025

Objectives

Aortic dissection (AD) is a life-threatening condition that requires intensive care and management. This paper explores the role of fluid management in the clinical care of AD patients, which has been unclear despite the substantial existing research that has been conducted on the treatment of AD.

Design

A retrospective case-control study using data for AD patients from public databases.

Setting

Two public intensive care unit (ICU) databases with hospital courses from the USA, Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (MIMIC)-IV critical care dataset and the eICU Collaborative Research Database, with data from 2008 to 2019.

Participants

A total of 751 adult AD patients with detailed fluid management records from two databases were included.

Interventions

The mean 24-hour intake and output were calculated by dividing the total amount of intake and output by the number of days in the ICU, respectively. The mean 24-hour fluid balance was generated by subtracting the output from the intake.

Outcome measures

The relationship between the mean 24-hour fluid management and all-cause in-hospital death was assessed through univariate and multivariable regression analyses.

Results

A positive correlation was found between mean 24-hour fluid intake and in-hospital mortality among AD patients (OR 1.029, 95% CI (1.018, 1.041), p<0.001), whereas a negative correlation was revealed between mean 24-hour fluid output and in-hospital mortality (OR 0.941, 95% CI (0.914, 0.968), p<0.001). A similar result was found for mean 24-hour fluid balance (OR 1.030, 95% CI (1.019, 1.042), p<0.001), and the cut-off was selected to be 5.12 dL (AUC=0.778, OR 3.066, 95% CI (1.634, 5.753), p<0.001).

Conclusions

This study stresses the importance of fluid balance in the clinical care of AD patients and provides new insights for optimising fluid management and monitoring strategies beyond the conventional focus on blood pressure and heart rate management.
Validation of insurance claims data on aetiology, surgical type and prosthesis for isolated valve surgery: a retrospective observational surgery
Authors: Hou Bo-Cheng , Huang Jo-Ting , Chen Chun-Yu , Chang Feng-Cheng , Cheng Yu-Ting , Wu Victor Chien-Chia , Chan Yi‐Hsin , Lin Chia-Pin , Chu Pao-Hsien , Chou An-Hsun , Chen Shao-Wei
Published: February 2025

Objectives

Administrative database research is pivotal for developing guidelines in cardiovascular surgery and valvular heart disease. However, validation studies specific to Asia are lacking. This study validated the coding of valvular heart repair and replacement surgeries in Taiwan’s National Health Insurance (NHI) Research Database using International Classification of Diseases, Clinical Modification (ICD-CM) codes.

Methods

This retrospective observational study used data from the Chang Gung Research Database between 2015 and 2018, identifying 1171 patients using Taiwanese NHI reimbursement codes. The gold standard was defined as a blinded retrospective review of operation notes. Claims data, including ICD diagnostic codes, ICD procedural codes and NHI supply codes for surgical materials, were validated. Positive predictive values (PPVs) were calculated as the number of true positives divided by the total claims data.

Results

The PPVs (95% CI) for aortic valve (AV) surgery aetiologies were as follows: infectious endocarditis (IE), 94.1% (87.6%–97.7%); rheumatic heart disease (RHD), 88.2% (67.3%–97.5%); bicuspid AV, 93.3% (83.3%–98.1%); and degeneration, 91.7% (85.3%–95.8%). For mitral valve surgery, the surgery aetiologies and PPVs were IE, 93.2% (87.9%–96.6%); RHD, 94.9% (88.3%–98.2%); ischaemic mitral regurgitation, 87.5% (73.0%–95.6%); and degeneration, 88.4% (83.9%–92.0%). Surgical types generally exhibited higher PPVs, except for mechanical prostheses (<90%). The accuracy of mechanical prosthesis identification improved with the inclusion of supply codes along with ICD procedural codes.

Conclusions

The PPVs for both aetiologies and surgical types of valvular heart disease were generally satisfactory. The inclusion of supply codes for mechanical valve replacements enhanced accuracy but led to fewer eligible patients being included in the sample. This study provides a potentially optimal framework for future research on valve diseases and surgeries using claims databases.
Types of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) used by people of different age and smoking status groups: results from a US nationally representative survey
Authors: Massey Zachary B , Fairman Robert T , Cham Bai , Alqahtani Mohammed , Luo Ruiyan , Weaver Scott , Popova Lucy , Ashley David L
Published: February 2025

Objectives

The type of electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) used by different age groups may be associated with ENDS and cigarette use behaviours. This study sought to identify differences in the use of ENDS device type based on age and cigarette use status to inform policy about regulating ENDS.

Design

This was a cross-sectional study.

Setting

Data was derived from a national survey conducted in 2021 in the USA.

Participants

Participants include 2369 US youth and adults (13 years or older) who reported past 30-day ENDS use.

Outcome measures

Past 30-day fairly regular use (i.e., several times a week or more) of ENDS device types, namely cigalikes, disposables, refillable tank/box mods, closed pods, refillable pods and drippers. Cigarette smoking status was also measured.

Results

We used weighted regression models to determine the association between ENDS device type current regular use and age group and the association between each ENDS type current regular use and smoking status separately for each age group. Youth ENDS users 13–17 years old were more likely to regularly use cigalikes (OR=2.71), disposables (OR=3.44), closed pods (OR=2.57) and drippers (OR=2.86) and 18–29 years old were more likely to regularly use disposables (OR=3.67), closed pods (OR=1.58) and drippers (OR=1.94), compared with 30+ years old ENDS users (all p<0.05). Among 13–17 years old, current (vs never) smokers had greater odds of current regular use for cigalikes (OR=2.79), disposables (OR=2.33), refillable tanks (OR=2.27), closed pods (OR=2.62) and drippers (OR=6.32; all p<0.05). Similarly, 18–29 years old current (vs never) smokers had higher odds of reporting current regular use of refillable tanks (OR=1.80), refillable pods (OR=2.63), closed pods (OR=2.20) and drippers (OR=4.89; p<0.05).

Conclusions

Both age and smoking status were associated with current regular use of ENDS, especially for youth and young adults. These findings inform regulatory agencies as they monitor and enforce policy on ENDS allowed on the US market.
Phase I trial on the safety of olprinone for low central venous pressure management aimed at haemorrhage control during open and laparoscopic hepatectomy: a study protocol
Authors: Miura Yuya , Sugiura Teiichi , Ashida Ryo , Ohgi Katsuhisa , Yamada Mihoko , Otsuka Shimpei , Kato Yoshiyasu , Oyakawa Takuya , Ando Eiji , Tamai Sunao , Uesaka Katsuhiko
Published: February 2025

Introduction

Hepatectomy is the primary treatment for malignant liver tumours. It is crucial to control bleeding during liver parenchymal transection. Methods to reduce central venous pressure (CVP), such as fluid restriction and the use of vasodilators, are essential for minimising bleeding but can lead to haemodynamic instability. Phosphodiesterase-3 (PDEIII) inhibitors such as milrinone have shown efficacy in managing low CVP and maintaining haemodynamic stability. This study investigates olprinone, another PDEIII inhibitor with a potentially strong vasodilatory effect, for its safety and efficacy in CVP management during hepatectomy.

Methods and analysis

This single-centre phase I trial at Shizuoka Cancer Center evaluates the intraoperative administration of olprinone for open and laparoscopic hepatectomy. The trial employs a 3+3 cohort study design to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and identify dose-limiting toxicities. The study also assesses the trends in CVP and circulatory dynamics using the FloTrac System, alongside safety evaluations. The trial aims to establish the safety and MTD of olprinone during hepatectomy, potentially offering a method to control CVP without causing haemodynamic instability. This could lead to reduced blood loss, shorter operative time and fewer postoperative complications.

Ethics and dissemination

The study protocol was approved by the Certified Review Board of Shizuoka Cancer Center (approval number CRB4180010).

Trial registration number

jRCTs041230110 and jRCTs041230111.
Hospitalisation rates for epilepsy, asthma and insulin-dependent diabetes in 796 190 school-aged children and young people with and without intellectual disabilities: a record-linkage cohort study
Authors: Smith Gillian S , Fleming Michael , Cooper Sally-Ann , Henderson Angela , Pell Jill , Melville Craig , Cairns Deborah
Published: February 2025

Objectives

To investigate hospitalisation rates for the ambulatory care-sensitive conditions of epilepsy, asthma and insulin-dependent diabetes in school-aged children and young people with intellectual disabilities in comparison with their peers.

Design

Record-linkage cohort study. Scotland’s Pupil Census, 2008–2013, was used to identify pupils with and without intellectual disabilities and was linked with the Prescribing Information Service to identify pupils with epilepsy, asthma and insulin-dependent diabetes, and the Scottish Morbidity Records-01 to identify hospital admissions.

Setting

The general child population of Scotland.

Participants

School pupils aged 4–19 years; 18 278 with intellectual disabilities and 777 912 without intellectual disabilities.

Outcomes

Overall, emergency and non-emergency hospitalisations for epilepsy, asthma and/or diabetes; and length of stay.

Results

Epilepsy and asthma were more prevalent in pupils with intellectual disabilities (8.8% and 8.9%, respectively, compared with 0.8% and 6.9% among pupils without intellectual disabilities, p<0.001), whereas insulin-dependent diabetes was not (0.5% prevalence). After adjusting for prevalence, pupils with intellectual disabilities and epilepsy had more epilepsy-related admissions than their peers (adjusted Hazard Ratio (aHR) 2.24, 95% CI 1.97, 2.55). For emergency admissions, these stays were longer compared with controls (adjusted incidence rate ratio (aIRR) 2.77, 95% CI 2.13, 3.59). Pupils with intellectual disabilities and asthma had similar admission rates due to asthma as control pupils with asthma (aHR 0.81, 95% CI 0.62, 1.06), but emergency admissions were longer (aIRR 2.72, 95% CI 1.49, 4.96). Pupils with intellectual disabilities and insulin-dependent diabetes had similar admission rates to controls (aHR 0.94, 95% CI 0.63, 1.41) but with shorter admissions (aIRR 0.71, 95% CI 0.51, 0.99).

Conclusions

Our findings suggest pupils with intellectual disabilities may receive poorer community healthcare than their peers for the common conditions of epilepsy and asthma. Hospital admissions are disruptive for both the child and their family. Epilepsy and asthma are associated with avoidable deaths; hence, a better understanding of these hospitalisations is important.
Beneficiaries’ satisfaction with health insurance and associated factors in Sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Kase Bizunesh Fantahun , Shibeshi Abdu Hailu , Seid Abubeker Alebachew , Mehari Molla Getie , Moloro Abdulkerim Hassen
Published: February 2025

Objective

Beneficiaries’ satisfaction with health insurance schemes is crucial for the success of these programmes, influencing their effective implementation and reducing dropout rates. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the proportion of beneficiaries satisfied with health insurance and identify factors associated with their satisfaction in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

Design

A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis guidelines.

Data sources

PubMed/MEDLINE, African Journals Online, Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health Literature and Google Scholar were searched up to 23 May 2024.

Eligibility criteria

Observational and quantitative studies conducted in SSA that reported the proportion of health insurance beneficiaries satisfied with the scheme and/or determined factors associated with satisfaction were included.

Data extraction and synthesis

Data were extracted using Microsoft Excel and analysed with STATA V.17 software. The quality of studies was assessed using Joanna Briggs Institute checklists. A random-effects model was employed to estimate pooled outcomes. Publication bias was evaluated with a funnel plot and Egger’s regression test, while heterogeneity was assessed using the I² statistic.

Result

The study included 29 primary studies with a total of 11,488 participants. Among the included studies, 17 (58.62%) were found to have a low risk of bias, while the remaining studies exhibited a moderate risk of bias. The findings suggested publication bias among the included studies. To address this, a trim-and-fill analysis imputed 10 hypothetical missing studies, resulting in a more symmetrical funnel plot. The pooled finding showed that 61.84% of beneficiaries were satisfied with their health insurance (95% CI: 55.14 to 68.55, (I2=98.6%, p<0.001)). Having a good knowledge of health insurance (OR=2.75, 95% CI: 1.42 to 5.34, (I2=95.3%, p<0.001)), availability of prescribed drugs (OR=5.69, 95% CI: 3.04 to 10.62, (I2=88.6%, p<0.001)) and availability of lab services (OR=4.20, 95% CI: 2.18 to 8.11, (I2=88.4%, p<0.001)) were significantly associated to higher satisfaction with health insurance.

Conclusion

The results of this review show that a significant number of beneficiaries are satisfied with their health insurance. The findings highlight that beneficiaries’ satisfaction is significantly influenced by their knowledge of health insurance, as well as the availability of prescribed drugs and essential laboratory services. It is recommended that health insurance programmes in SSA focus on these factors to improve overall satisfaction among beneficiaries.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42024496847.
Development and validation of the respite care model for adults with cancer in Iran: study protocol for a multimethod research project
Authors: Kheibar Nasrin , Pakpour Vahid , Rahmani Azad , Rassouli Maryam , Sadeghi-Ghyassi Fatemeh
Published: February 2025

Introduction

The primary caregivers of patients with cancer, especially in advanced stages, experience significant physical and emotional strain and require comprehensive support. Respite care has been acknowledged as an effective strategy to aid primary caregivers, and different models have been established in Western nations. However, implementing these models poses challenges due to notable cultural, social and healthcare system variances between Western and non-Western regions like Iran and other Middle Eastern countries. It is crucial to develop a model tailored to the country’s specific needs, culture and resources to systematically support caregivers and ensure care continuity. Hence, this study aims to develop and validate a respite care model for adult patients with cancer in Iran.

Methods and analysis

This study will use a multimethod approach across three stages. In the first phase, a scoping review will be conducted to identify, describe, conceptualise and implement the respite care system based on available documents and evidence. Then, a directed content analysis will be carried out to clarify care requirements and system establishment needs from stakeholders’ perspectives. Data from the scoping review and directed content analysis will be integrated to identify the crucial components of the model using the Delphi method in the second phase. In the third phase, another Delphi study will be conducted to assess the importance, scientific credibility and feasibility of the model, with the aim of finalising it.

Ethics and dissemination

This research project has received the code of ethics (IR.TBZMED.REC.1402.720) from Ethics Committee of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences. The findings of this study will be published in reputable journals and disseminated in accessible formats through various media channels.
Physiotherapists’ perspectives on the implementation of direct access to physiotherapy services in Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Mohammed Osama , Alzahrani Hosam , Marouf Elaf , Shaheen Razaz
Published: February 2025

Objective

This study investigates Saudi Arabian physiotherapists’ perspectives on direct access to physiotherapy (DAPT) services, focusing on perceived benefits, barriers and implementation in clinical practice.

Methods

A cross-sectional observational study design was used. Data collection occurred between December 2022 and June 2023 via an online structured questionnaire distributed through email and text messages. The DAPT section comprised items on awareness, endorsement, obstacles/barriers to implementation in Saudi Arabia, perceived benefits and expected benefits of various resources to guide evidence-based practice for physiotherapists. This section featured closed-ended questions using a 5-point Likert scale. The study included licensed physiotherapists currently working in Saudi Arabia.

Results

The study included 401 participants, with a nearly equal distribution of 203 males (50.6%) and 198 females (49.4%). The most common age group was 25–34 years, comprising 70.6% of the participants. A significant proportion (61.6%) were aware of DAPT, and 88% acknowledged its potential to reduce delays in care. However, 49.9% had not engaged with relevant literature. The primary barriers to DAPT identified were laws and regulations (mean=3.69, SD=1.21), physician support (mean=3.59, SD=0.99), entry-level education (mean=3.45, SD=1.17), patient beliefs (mean=3.38, SD=1.24), self-confidence (mean=3.35, SD=1.15) and professional autonomy (mean=3.34, SD=1.22).

Conclusion

Physiotherapists in Saudi Arabia demonstrate substantial awareness of direct access. Organisational initiatives and increased awareness are essential to promote direct access. This study highlights that direct patient access to physiotherapists offers significant benefits to patients, healthcare workers and the broader community.
Human Papillomavirus, Human Immunodeficiency Virus, and Oral Microbiota Interplay in Nigerian Youth (HOMINY): A Prospective Cohort Study Protocol
Authors: Osagie Esosa , Akhigbe Paul , Idemudia Nosakhare , Obuekwe Ozoemene , Adebiyi Ruxton , Schlecht Nicolas , Liu Jia , Bromberg Yana , Eki-Udoko Fidelis E , Osazuwa-Peters Nosayaba , Coker Modupe Oluseun
Published: February 2025

Introduction

Persistent oral infections with high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) are a potential cause of most oropharyngeal cancers (OPCs). Oral HR-HPV infection and persistence are significantly higher in people living with HIV (PLWH). Most data on oral HR-HPV in PLWH come from developed countries or adult cohorts. This study aims to investigate oral HR-HPV susceptibility and persistence among children and adolescents living with HIV (CALHIV) and to understand the roles of perinatal HIV exposure, infection, antiretroviral treatment, and the oral microbiome.

Methods and analysis

This prospective cohort study is ongoing at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Nigeria, involving mother-child pairs followed at 6-month intervals for 2 years. Participants include children aged 9–18 and their mothers aged 18 and above. The study targets 690 adolescents in three groups: 230 CALHIV, 230 HIV-exposed but uninfected and 230 HIV-unexposed and uninfected. Oral rinse, saliva, buccal swabs and supragingival plaque samples are collected at each visit. Blood samples are tested for HIV, Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and Hepatitis C virus (HCV), with CD4, CD8 and full blood counts performed. Oral HPV is assessed for incidence, persistence, and clearance. Statistical analyses to look for associations between cohort baseline characteristics and findings will be conducted using univariable and multivariable models for repeated data and high-dimensional microbiome data. All statistical tests will be two-sided; a p value <0.05 will indicate significance. Multiple comparisons will be adjusted using the False Discovery Rate (FDR) correction to control for Type I error.

Ethics and dissemination

The study was approved by Rutgers State University (Pro2022000949) and the UBTH (ADM/E22/A/VOL. VII/14813674). Informed consent was obtained from all parents/guardians.