bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Modeling Directional Testlet Effects on Multiple Open‐Ended Questions
Authors: Jin Kuan‐Yu , Siu Wai‐Lok 
Published: December 2024

AbstractEducational tests often have a cluster of items linked by a common stimulus (testlet). In such a design, the dependencies caused between items are called testlet effects. In particular, the directional testlet effect (DTE) refers to a recursive influence whereby responses to earlier items can positively or negatively affect the scores on later items. This study aims to introduce an innovative measurement model to describe DTEs among multiple polytomouslyscored open‐ended items. Through simulations, we found that (1) item and DTE parameters can be accurately recovered in Latent GOLD®, (2) ignoring positive (or negative) DTEs by fitting a standard item response theory model can result in the overestimation (or underestimation) of test reliability, (3) collapsing multiple items of a testlet into a super item is still effective in eliminating DTEs, (4) the popular multidimensional strategy of adding nuisance factors to describe item dependencies fails to account for DTE adequately, and (5) fitting the proposed model for DTE to testlet data involving nuisance factors will observe positive DTEs but will not have a better fit. Moreover, using the proposed model, we demonstrated the coexistence of positive and negative DTEs in a real history exam.
Challenges and Stimulating Factors for the Incorporation of Economic Considerations in Clinical Practice Guidelines: A Scoping Review
Authors: de Mortier Chloé A. , Yaros Jen , van Mastrigt Ghislaine A. P. G. , Verstegen Daniëlle M. L. , Evers Silvia M. A. A. , Majoie Marian H. J. M. , Dreesens Dunja H. H. , Paulus Aggie T. G. 
Published: December 2024

ABSTRACTRationale, Aims and ObjectivesThe incorporation of economic considerations in clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) could help promote cost‐conscious decision‐making in healthcare. Though healthcare expenditures increase, and resources are becoming scarcer, the extent to which economic considerations are incorporated into CPGs remains limited. This scoping review aims to identify the challenges and potential stimulating factors to incorporate economic considerations in CPGs.MethodThis scoping review was conducted following the Joanna Briggs Institute Methodology and findings were reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA‐ScR) guidelines. A systematic search was conducted in eight databases considering literature published from July 2017 and onwards. Data extraction was conducted via an iterative and inductive approach to identify challenges and potential stimulating factors from the included reports. Included documents focused on the (para)medical field and reported on CPG development and economic considerations.ResultsThe search identified 2445 documents from which 33 documents were included for analysis. The analysis identified five challenges: discourse surrounding economic considerations in CPGs, methodological ambiguities, scarcity of (high‐quality) economic evidence, transferability of evidence, and resource constraints. Additionally, three potential stimulating factors were identified: acceptance, economic evidence knowledge, and guidance on incorporating economic considerations.ConclusionThese findings reflect the complexity of incorporating economic considerations in CPGs. The identified challenges highlight the need for clearer guidance (i.e. by training) and standardised methodologies for incorporating economic considerations in CPGs. The potential stimulating factors provide a roadmap for future efforts to enhance the integration of economic evidence in CPGs. Collaborative initiatives between health economists, CPG developers, and other stakeholders are essential to drive progress in this area and promote cost‐conscious decision‐making in healthcare.
Establishment and characterization of a fin cell line from Takifugu obscurus and its application to fish immunology
Authors: Wang Jie , Zhang Jingping , Han Shuang , Wang Youquan , Chen Liangbiao 
Published: December 2024

AbstractTakifugu obscurus (pufferfish) is an important species in aquaculture and has become widely popular in China and Japan. However, the development of the pufferfish aquaculture industry has been significantly impacted by severe diseases. Fish cell lines, as a model for in vitro studies, have the advantages of low cost, easy culture, and low genetic variation rate. A novel cell line from the fin of T. obscurus was established in this study and named TOF. TOF grew optimally with L‐15 medium at 28°C and showed a multipolar fibroblast‐like morphology. Mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI) gene identification and karyotype detection confirmed that TOF cells originated from T. obscurus and the chromosome number was 44 (2n = 44). Transfection experiments showed that TOF cells were able to transfect and express exogenous genes by lipofection and electroporation. The studies of salinity (NaCl) and alkalinity (NaHCO3) on TOF proliferation showed that the highest multiplication rate of TOF was obtained at 6‰ NaCl mass and 4 g/L alkalinity, respectively. Furthermore, the expressions of several genes associated with the immune response were significantly upregulated after stimulating TOF cells with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and poly (I:C), including irf7, il10, myd88, and nod1. Additionally, the Aeromonas hydrophila infection assay with TOF cells showed that TOF cells were sensitive to bacteria, and pufferfish could promote antimicrobial activity through NLR/NF‐κB pathway to regulate the production of cytokines. This study suggested that TOF cell line could be an advantageous in vitro model for the investigation of fish immunology and virology, and could assist us to better comprehend the T. obscurus immune response to bacterial invasion.
Age and growth patterns of the ten spotted live‐bearing fish (Cnesterodon decemmaculatus) along a polluted freshwater system
Authors: Zambrano Micaela J. , Bolzán Alejandro D. , Bonifacio Alejo F. , Brito Juan M. , Amé María V. , Hued Andrea C. 
Published: December 2024

AbstractAge and growth patterns of fish provide important information about the effects of environmental disturbances, which can be used as comparative tools in subsequent studies that attempt to assess freshwater quality. The main goal of our study was to provide information on relevant biological aspects of a native fish species used as a bioindicator in an extensive area of South America. In particular, we evaluated the age and growth patterns of Cnesterodon decemmaculatus (Poeciliidae) to establish reference species values and to compare them in different sites along an environmental quality gradient in a South American freshwater system. Water quality assessments indicated increasing environmental degradation downstream, reflecting anthropogenic impacts. The estimated ages of C. decemmaculatus along this quality gradient varied across sampling sites. The longest‐lived individuals were those from the reference site, also presenting the highest average age value (almost 2 years). The best model to describe the growth in length of the individuals was the Logistic model. According to the parameters estimated from the growth curves, individuals from the most disturbed site showed slower growth although they reached greater maximum lengths than fish from the other sites. These results suggest that fish would tolerate the adverse conditions of the most altered sites, allocating their energy differentially. Our study provides valuable information on the age and growth patterns of C. decemmaculatus, a species endemic to the Neotropical region and a useful bioindicator in ecotoxicological studies.
Association between social support from workplace supervisors and symptoms of post‐traumatic stress disorder among Japanese midwives who experienced trauma during perinatal care
Authors: Higashi Chizuru , Iriyama Shigemi , Saw Yu Mon 
Published: December 2024

AbstractAimThis study examined the association between workplace supervisors' perceptions of social support and the post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms among Japanese midwives who experienced trauma while providing perinatal care.MethodsWe employed a descriptive cross‐sectional design and collected data using a self‐reported questionnaire. Participants were 144 Japanese midwives working in hospitals. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Spearman's correlation analysis, chi‐square tests, and a binomial logistic regression analysis.ResultsNinety‐one midwives had experienced at least one traumatic event in the workplace within the past 12 months. Midwives in the high‐PTSD‐risk group (Impact of Event Scale–Revised [IES‐R] score ≥25) comprised 11% of the sample. The total score of perceived social support from the supervisor was negatively associated with the IES‐R total score (r = −0.213, p = .043). Social support from workplace supervisors was not associated with PTSD symptoms when adjusted for midwives experiencing verbal abuse or intimidating behavior from the mother or her family. Although not significant, midwives who had experienced verbal abuse or intimidation from mothers or their families were four times more likely to meet the criteria for the high‐PTSD‐risk group (odds ratio = 4.188, p = .07).ConclusionsPerceived social support from workplace supervisors could reduce midwives' PTSD symptoms, but it was not effective for midwives traumatized by verbal abuse or intimidated from expectant mothers or their family members. It is important to establish an organizational and educational system that allows midwives to receive ongoing support from supervisors in the workplace.
Relationship between social identity and cultural competence among Mexican nursing professionals
Authors: Molina‐Sánchez Janeth Wendolyne , Pedrero Victor , Guevara‐Valtier Milton Carlos , Bernales Margarita 
Published: December 2024

AbstractIntroductionCultural competence in nursing is crucial for providing effective health care. Social Identity is the degree to which they identify with their professional group. Identifying with the group of nursing professionals allows nurses to connect with norms and values that favor the development of cultural competence. The objective of this study is to analyze the relationship between social identity and the level of cultural competence of nursing professionals.MethodologyThis was a cross‐sectional correlational study (n = 211). Sociodemographic data were measured, and Cameron's social identity scales and a cultural competence measurement scale were used. The data were analyzed using correlations and a structural equation model.ResultsThe structural equation model demonstrated good fit (CFI = 0.94, TLI = 0.928 WRMR = 0.952, RMSEA = 0.058). The model indicated positive and significant relationships between social identity, cultural skills, and knowledge. However, it also revealed a negative and significant relationship between social identity and cultural awareness.ConclusionsThe findings suggest that greater identification with the nursing profession by nursing professionals is associated not only with higher levels of cultural knowledge and skills but also with lower levels of cultural awareness. This finding may be due to the fact that individuals seek to reinforce their professional identities when they feel that acknowledging their own personal biases represents a threat.Clinical RelevanceThis study contributes to the understanding of how social identity can be related in a different way to the components of cultural competence. This work recognizes the challenges in developing cultural awareness in nursing and suggests that its findings can inform interventions to improve patient care and relationships.
Long‐term outcomes and complication rates of tooth‐implant‐supported fixed dental prostheses: A retrospective cohort study
Authors: Dahlgren Simon , Johansson Carin Starkhammar , Sayardoust Shariel 
Published: December 2024

AbstractPurposeTo examine the factors influencing the risk of biological and technical complications in tooth‐implant‐supported fixed dental prostheses (T‐I‐FDPs), focusing on location, configuration, and the impact of existing dental health conditions.Materials and MethodsA retrospective cohort study was conducted, accompanied by a follow‐up clinical and radiological examination, involving 58 patients (37 women, 21 men; mean age: 63.4 years) who had received 68 T‐I‐FDPs at least 5 years earlier, at the Department of Prosthodontics, Centre of Oral Rehabilitation, Region Östergötland, Sweden. Correlations between implant placement specifics, arrangement of teeth and implants, and the presence of root‐filled teeth on the incidence of complications were analyzed.ResultsThe analysis highlighted significant complication risk variance, based on the location in the jaw of the implant, with reduced risk for mandibular placements (Hazard ratio [HR] 0.37). Complex arrangements (HR 2.46) and the presence of root‐filled teeth (HR 1.48) were associated with higher complication rates.ConclusionThis study demonstrates that anatomical considerations and preexisting dental health significantly influence the risk of complications in T‐I‐FDPs. Mandibular implant placements showed a reduced risk of complications compared to maxillary placements. The presence of root‐filled teeth and complex prosthesis configurations were associated with higher complication rates. These findings highlight the need for customized treatment strategies to mitigate risks and enhance long‐term outcomes for patients with T‐I‐FDPs.
Effects of human presence on African mammal waterhole attendance and temporal activity patterns
Authors: Patterson J. R. , Ndlovu N. , Beasley J. C. , Périquet S. 
Published: December 2024

AbstractHuman impacts on the environment and wildlife populations are increasing globally, threatening thousands of species with extinction. While wildlife‐based tourism is beneficial for educating tourists, generating income for conservation efforts, and providing local employment, more information is needed to understand how this industry may impact wildlife. In this study, we used motion‐activated cameras at 12 waterholes on a private game reserve in northern Namibia to determine if the presence of humans and permanent infrastructure affected mammal visits by examining their (1) number of visits, (2) time spent, and (3) diel activity patterns. Our results revealed no differences in the number of visits based on human presence for any of the 17 mammal species studied. However, giraffes (Giraffe camelopardalis) spent more time at waterholes before observer presence compared to during. Additionally, several species changed diel activity patterns when human observers were present. Notably, several carnivore and ungulate species increased overlap in their activity patterns during periods while humans were present relative to when humans were absent. These modifications of mammal temporal activity patterns due to human presence could eventually lead to changes in community structure and trophic dynamics because of altered predator–prey interactions. As humans continue to expand into wildlife habitats, and wildlife‐based tourism increases globally, it is imperative that we fully understand the effects of anthropogenic pressures on mammal behavior. Monitoring of wildlife behavioral changes in response to human activity is crucial to further develop wildlife tourism opportunities in a way that optimizes the impact of conservation goals.
Black Fathers' Views on Breastfeeding Facilitators, Barriers, and Support Services: Insights From a Qualitative Community‐Based Participatory Research Study
Authors: Rios Jasmine , Frieson Tomeka , Ray Natasha , Edwards Doug , Pérez‐Escamilla Rafael , O'Connor Duffany Kathleen 
Published: December 2024

ABSTRACTDespite the persistence of breastfeeding racial and ethnic disparities in the United States, little is known about Black fathers' perceptions of breastfeeding and breastfeeding support services (e.g., maternity hospital‐based care and lactation management care). This qualitative, community‐based participatory research study reports Black fathers' perceptions of barriers and facilitators to breastfeeding, including the provision of breastfeeding support services in Connecticut. A focus group guide was co‐developed with community partners and adapted from the Barrier Analysis Tool to identify breastfeeding facilitators, barriers, and service improvement areas. Four focus groups were conducted with 30 Black fathers who were Connecticut residents with a child under 3 years old. Qualitative data were analyzed using rapid template analysis involving deductive and inductive coding. We identified factors influencing breastfeeding and fathers' ability to support breastfeeding across all levels of the Socio‐Ecological Model. Facilitators included high paternal breastfeeding knowledge, paternal breastfeeding involvement, parents' shared decision‐making, extensive maternity hospital discharge support, ongoing breastfeeding support into the postnatal period, availability of community breastfeeding resources, and designated spaces for public breastfeeding. Barriers included low paternal breastfeeding knowledge, familial discouragement, insufficient prenatal breastfeeding education, exclusion of the father from breastfeeding support services, and stigma against breastfeeding in public. Understanding breastfeeding perceptions among members of a mother's support network, including their partners, is key for developing effective person‐ and family‐centered breastfeeding education and counseling services that are well coordinated from the prenatal to postnatal periods with strong direct engagement from fathers.
Advocating for Paid Maternity Leave and Workplace Lactation Policy Reform and Implementation: Lessons Learned From Indonesia, Nigeria, the Philippines and Vietnam
Authors: Anderson Michelle E. , McGowan Justine , Escobar‐DeMarco Jessica , Bose Sujata , Frongillo Edward A. , Ferguson Laura 
Published: December 2024

ABSTRACTMaternity protection policies are designed to preserve the health of working women and their infants, support optimal infant and young child nutrition through breastfeeding and prevent workplace discrimination against women. The aim of this study was to identify how advocates may be able to effectively advance maternal leave and workplace lactation policies, two key maternity protection policies, and does so through an exploration of advocacy efforts in Indonesia, Nigeria, the Philippines and Vietnam. A desk review of programme and policy documents and 20 key informant interviews with diverse stakeholders explored advocacy efforts in each of the four countries. Thematic analyses of documents and interviews identified key considerations, challenges and success factors within each country context. These lessons can inform maternity protection policy reform efforts more broadly. Study findings show that effective, context‐specific advocacy rests on strong partnerships with traditional and nontraditional stakeholders informed by opinion leader research and strengthened through various avenues of consensus‐building. Contextual considerations are essential for identifying attainable policy asks and developing an advocacy strategy, with attention to a country's governance structure and availability of funding for social protections. Lastly, advocacy efforts may be most successful by presenting expanded paid maternity leave and breastfeeding‐friendly workplaces as parts of a set of social protections with synergistic benefits. These lessons are intended to help inform how policy advocates can better design and implement advocacy approaches for maternity protection and entitlement policies.
Who belongs in South Africa? ‘Tapestry nationalism’ in the African National Congress
Authors: Jeffery‐Schwikkard David , Ndlovu Thabisani 
Published: December 2024

AbstractPerhaps more than any other organisation, the African National Congress (ANC) has defined who belongs in South Africa. Yet, how does the organisation imagine national belonging, and how has this developed? We explore these questions through a discourse analysis of the organisation's annual ‘January 8’ statements. First, the ANC has historically embraced a ‘tapestry nationalist’ approach to belonging, which rejects majority–minority distinctions in favour of a single people and celebrates cultural diversity without reifying groups into distinct political constituencies. Second, while the ANC framed ‘the people’ as a militant democratic mass during the anti‐apartheid struggle, from the 1990s the organisation reimagined ‘the people’ primarily as economic subjects in need of services. Third, the avoidance of majority–minority distinctions is increasingly challenged by the political salience of racial inequalities in land ownership, to which the ANC has struggled to respond. The ANC's approach challenges common accounts of nationalism, such as liberal nationalism, multicultural nationalism, and post‐nationalism.
Long‐term mental health outcomes after corneal transplantation and potential predictors: A multicentre prospective cohort study
Authors: Elsman E. B. M. , Van der Aa H. P. A. , Billingy N. E. , Nieuwendaal C. , Wisse R. P. L. , Wijdh R. J. , Tang M. L. , Van Dooren B. T. H. , Nobacht S. , Nuijts R. M. M. A. , Van Rens G. H. M. B. , Van Nispen R. M. A. 
Published: December 2024

AbstractIntroductionTo evaluate the long‐term effect of corneal transplantation on mental health outcomes and to assess potential predictors of these outcomes.MethodsFor this multicentre prospective cohort study, patients awaiting corneal transplantation were recruited from 11 (academic) hospitals and eye clinics in the Netherlands. Participants (n = 238) completed the Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale (CES‐D), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale‐Anxiety subscale (HADS‐A) and the Dutch ICF Activity Inventory Emotional Health subscale (DAI‐EH) and Fatigue subscale (DAI‐F) 1 month prior and 3, 6, 12 and 24 months after corneal transplantation. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, as well as coping styles as measured with the Utrecht Coping List, were considered as potential predictors for mental health outcomes (depression, anxiety, emotional health problems and fatigue). Linear mixed models were used to analyse and predict symptoms of depression, anxiety, emotional health problems and fatigue over time.ResultsScores on the CES‐D and HADS‐A improved significantly from baseline to 24‐months (mean scores CES‐D: 8.6 vs. 7.7, p = 0.03; mean scores HADS‐A: 3.7 vs. 3.2, p = 0.002). Scores on the DAI‐EH and DAI‐F also improved significantly from baseline to 24‐months (mean scores DAI‐EH: 10.7 vs. 7.5, p < 0.001; mean scores DAI‐F: 17.4 vs. 11.3, p < 0.001). Male sex and Fuchs' dystrophy were important predictors of better mental health outcomes, whereas comorbidity, (dry) eye complaints and a passive reacting coping style were important predictors of worse mental health outcomes.ConclusionCorneal transplantation had a positive impact on mental health outcomes and important predictors were identified. This study may improve the understanding of patients and eyecare practitioners about the effects of corneal transplantation, leading to realistic communication about corneal transplantation expectations.