bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The association between body roundness index and kidney stones in a diabetic population: NHANES 2011–2018
Authors: Cui Chongsong , Peng You , Zhao Ying , Chan Feiin , Ren Qiqi , Liu Zhenjie 
Published: December 2024

AbstractBackgroundPredominantly attributed to metabolic disruptions, individuals with diabetes are more prone to kidney stones than the general population. The Body Rounds Index (BRI), a new measure of obesity and health risks, has been shown to have a positive correlation with the risk of developing kidney stones. Our study sets out to explore the correlation between BRI and kidney stones specifically within the diabetic population.MethodsLeveraging data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) spanning 2011 to 2018, this cross-sectional study probed the link between BRI and kidney stones among diabetic individuals. We conducted a logistic regression analysis to investigate the relationship between BRI and kidney stones, with adjustments for various covariates. To further explore the association trends between different BRI levels and the incidence of kidney stones, we categorized BRI into four levels, thereby enhancing the robustness of our results. Additionally, subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed to ensure the reliability and consistency of our findings.ResultsA total of 3,558 diabetic patients were included in this study, of whom 546 (15.3%) had kidney stones. After adjusting for some and all confounders, we observed that the prevalence of kidney stones in diabetic patients increased by 7% and 5% for each unit increase in BRI in Models 2 and 3, respectively (Model 2: OR=1.07, 95% CI: 1.03-1.11; Model 3: OR=1.05, 95% CI: 1.00-1.09).This association remained statistically significant when the BRI was divided into quartiles, the prevalence of kidney stones in the highest quartile of BRI (Q4) was 50% greater than in the lowest quartile (Q1) (OR=1.50, 95% CI: 1.14-1.98; P<0.05).ConclusionsOur research indicates a positive correlation between BRI and the incidence of kidney stones among diabetics. We believe that BRI may be an effective indicator for assessing the risk of kidney stones in diabetic patients.
Association of healthcare fragmentation and overall survival in patients with kidney transplant in Colombia
Authors: Barrera Luis Manuel , Sánchez-Santiesteban Daniela , Buitrago Giancarlo 
Published: December 2024

ABSTRACTObjectiveKidney transplantation requires a multidisciplinary approach to achieve optimal outcomes. Healthcare fragmentation can negatively impact clinical outcomes; however, this issue remains understudied in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This study aimed to assess healthcare fragmentation in kidney transplant patients during their first post-transplant year and evaluate its association with three-year survival among patients enrolled in Colombia’s contributory healthcare scheme.MethodsA retrospective cohort study was conducted using administrative data from Colombia’s contributory healthcare scheme. The cohort included kidney transplant recipients (2012–2016) who survived the first post-transplant year. Healthcare fragmentation was measured by the number of unique providers involved in the first year. Patients were categorised into high- and low-fragmentation groups based on the 75th percentile of provider distribution. The primary outcome was three-year survival, analysed using multivariate Cox regression to estimate hazard ratios (HRs), adjusted for age, sex, Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), insurer, region, and transplant year.ResultsThe cohort comprised 2,028 kidney transplant patients, with a mean age of 47.7 years (SD: 13.4), 38.7% female, and 68.7% presenting a CCI≤3. Healthcare fragmentation ranged from 1 to 34 providers, with a mean of 8.94 (SD: 6.77). High fragmentation (≥11 providers) was observed in 30.2% of patients. Three-year mortality was significantly higher in the high-fragmentation group (18%) compared to the low-fragmentation group (12%) (p=0.04). High fragmentation was associated with a 49% increased mortality risk (adjusted HR: 1.49; 95% CI: 1.12–1.97; p=0.01).ConclusionHealthcare fragmentation significantly reduces three-year overall survival in kidney transplant recipients in Colombia. These findings underscore the importance of integrated care models and improved coordination among providers to enhance patient outcomes, particularly in resource-limited settings.
The probability and duration of immigration in microbial communities
Authors: Curtis Thomas P , Allen Ben , Brown Mathew , Bell Amy , Swan Donna , Davenport Russel , Sloan William 
Published: December 2024

AbstractImmigration is a fundamental feature of microbial communities. We propose a method to determine the probability (Pi)thata number of immigrants (i) can attain an abundanceNusing the ratio of the probabilities of deathqand division or “birth”pand the gambler’s ruin equation:Pi= (1-(q/p)i/(1-(q/p)N). We estimate the probability of successful bioaugmentation or transplantation, the fate of a mutation infection and extinction. For example, an inoculum of 108bacteria with aq/pof 1.00000001 has a 10-43chance of attaining an abundance of 1010. The immigration parameter used in neutral models,mis1/(1-q/p). We calculated the long-term average value of m andq/pin a wastewater treatment plant. The value ofmvaries by >5 orders of magnitude, with a curious bimodal distribution. However, all the values ofq/pare very close to, but greater than,1. We expect the long-term average value ofq/pto be ∼1 in all stable microbial communities. In the absence of migration, bacterial populations with aq/p≥1 will go extinct with probability 1. The link betweenq/pand infectious dose is known and we demonstrate that, in principle, the gambler’s ruin equation can estimate the infectious dose in naturally occurring infections, usingVibrio cholerae“carriers” to illustrate the point. We use the ratioq/pto estimate the time (measured in events or solar time) for a given change in abundance to happen. Whenq/p=1, extinction in even a small microbial population will take thousands of years.
Vancomycin-resistantEnterococcuscolonise the antibiotic-treated intestine by occupying distinct nutrient- and metabolite-defined intestinal niches
Authors: King Olivia G. , Yip Alexander Y. G. , Horrocks Victoria , Blanco Jesús Miguéns , Marchesi Julian R. , Mullish Benjamin H. , Clarke Thomas B. , McDonald Julie A. K. 
Published: December 2024

ABSTRACTAntibiotic treatment significantly disrupts the gut microbiome and promotes vancomycin-resistantEnterococcus(VRE) intestinal colonisation. These disruptions lead to the intestine acting as a reservoir for VRE that seed difficult-to-treat infections. Patients would benefit from new treatments that prevent or treat VRE intestinal colonisation. However, the factors that drive VRE growth in the gut are poorly understood. We demonstrated that multiple antibiotics that promote VRE intestinal colonisation increased the concentration of a wide range of nutrients and decreased the concentration of a wide range of microbial metabolites. We demonstrated that specific short chain fatty acids and branched chain fatty acids found in healthy gut microbiomes inhibited VRE growth, however inhibition was incomplete at physiologically relevant concentrations. We also showed that VRE could use most nutrients increased in antibiotic-treated faecal microbiomes as carbon or nitrogen sources to support their growth, where growth was higher in the presence of oxygen.Enterococcus faeciumandEnterococcus faecalishad some common and some distinct preferences for use of specific nutrients that were enriched in antibiotic-treated faecal microbiomes. Finally, we showed thatE. faeciumandE. faecalisoccupied overlapping but distinct nutrient-defined intestinal niches that promoted high growth when cultured with each other and when cultured with carbapenem-resistantEnterobacteriaceae(another group of multidrug-resistant pathogens). Our results demonstrated that VRE occupy distinct intestinal niches in the antibiotic-treated intestine, defined by their abilities to utilise specific enriched nutrients and their abilities to grow with reduced concentrations of microbial metabolites.
Influence of magnetic field-induced anisotropic gluon pressure during pre-equilibrium in heavy-ion collisions: A faster road toward isotropization
Authors: Ayala Alejandro , Mizher Ana Julia 
Published: December 2024

Magnetic fields of a large intensity can be generated in peripheral high-energy heavy-ion collisions. Although their intensity drops fast and, moreover, it is not clear whether these fields last long enough to induce a magnetization during the quark-gluon plasma phase, most of the models and simulations predict a significant intensity that lasts up to proper times of order 1 fm after the beginning of the reaction, which is a typical time for the hydrodynamical phase to start. This interval of time is referred to as the pre-equilibrium stage. The evolution of the reaction during pre-equilibrium is thus likely to be influenced by these fields. In this work we adopt a strong field approximation to study the effects of the magnetic field-induced anisotropy on the gluon pressure. We include this anisotropy within the description obtained by means of effective kinetic theory and explore the consequences to reach isotropization at proper times of order 1 fm. We show that when including the magnetic field effects, isotropization is achieved faster.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Incorporating circular economy in the architectural design process: design methodology using gamification tools
Authors: Ramadan Menatalla Mohamed Abdellatif , Gabr Aly Hatem 
Published: December 2024

PurposeThe present study aims to formulate a framework acting as a design methodology for non-expert architects in circular economy (CE). This design methodology strives to define the circular architectural design process by identifying architectural circular design strategies, supporting tools, knowledgebases required and changing roles of architects. Such a framework may facilitate wider dissemination of circular design practices in architecture.Design/methodology/approachThe design of the research methodology employs a three-phase strategy combining qualitative and quantitative methods. It captures knowledge from both literature and expert architects in CE. The first phase follows a qualitative strategy to capture explicit knowledge from literature. The second one follows an inductive approach through a survey to capture tacit knowledge of circular design from experts. The third one uses gamification, creating user-friendly, haptic and playful tools, namely, game board, wheel, cards, calculator and dynamic sunburst, to stimulate design thinking.FindingsThe study reveals 20 circular design strategies, translating them into 92 design actions that are applicable at early architecture design phases. It highlights artificial intelligence and digital market platforms as the easiest applicable tools in architecture circular design. This study reveals design for multiple use cycles as the most important required skill in circular design, while circularity consultation is the most vital new role for architects. The results confirm the reciprocating characteristic of the circular design process. According to circularity assessment, the “design with right resources” strategy has the highest circular impact, emphasizing using existing assets as the most impactful design action.Originality/valueThis paper presents a multi-dimensional methodological framework, depicting the relation between circular design strategies, supporting tools and required competencies for architects to be circular designers. This is coupled with a holistic circularity assessment from early stages, unlike existing stand-alone indicators, through the developed circularity calculator. The proposed design methodology acts as an accelerator model through gamification that features a step-by-step design process board, design strategies wheel, design actions cards, circularity calculator and dynamic class sunburst. This paper fulfills a geographical gap in circular built environment research by including experts from Africa with specific emphasis on Egypt.
Perceptions of climate change and pro-environmental behavior: case study on the adoption of liquefied petroleum gas in Cameroon
Authors: Patrick Arnold Ombiono Kitoto , Donald Djatcho Siefu , Rovier Djeudja , Pauline Ngo Tedga 
Published: December 2024

Purpose
This study aims to identify climate change perception variables and socioeconomic variables likely to influence the adoption of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cooking behavior in Cameroon.

Design/methodology/approach
The study carries out a quantitative analysis using a Logit model mobilizing secondary data collected in the database of the Survey on the Capitalization of Achievements of the National Participatory Development Program.

Findings
The results show that the variables of flooding and temperature rise influence the likelihood of adopting LPG, alongside the variables of poverty, income, level of education and urban residence.

Practical implications
As well as in addition to improving the standard of living of poor households, these results suggest increasing the supply of LPG in peri-urban areas and raising awareness of the relationship between climate perception, biomass energy consumption and deforestation.

Originality/value
The originality of this study lies in the fact that it identifies the variables climate change perception variables and the socioeconomic variables likely to favor the adoption of LPG in the Cameroonian context.
A novel inverse kinematics and shape reconstruction method for continuum robots
Authors: Tang Shufeng , Ji Jingfang , Zhi Yun , Yuan Wei , Chang Hong , Wang Xin , Guo Xiaodong 
Published: December 2024

Purpose
Continuum robots offer unique advantages in various specialized environments, particularly in confined or hard-to-reach spaces. Inverse kinematics and real-time shape estimation constitute crucial aspects of closed-loop control for continuum robots, presenting challenging problems. This paper aims to present an inverse kinematics and shape reconstruction method, which relies solely on the knowledge of base and end positions and orientations.

Design/methodology/approach
Based on the constant curvature assumption, continuum robots are regarded as spatial curves composed of circular arcs. Using geometric relationships, the mathematical relationships between the arc chords, points on the bisecting plane and the coordinate axes are established. On this basis, the analytical solution of the inverse kinematics of the continuum robots is derived. Using the positions and orientations of the base and end of the continuum robots, the Levenberg–Marquardt algorithm is used to solve the positions of the cubic Bezier curves, and a new method of spatial shape reconstruction of continuum robots is proposed.

Findings
The inverse kinematics and spatial shape reconstruction simulation of the continuum robot are carried out, and the spatial shape measurement experimental platform for the continuum robot is constructed to compare the measured and reconstructed spatial shapes. The results show that the maximum relative error between the actual shape and the reconstructed shape of the continuum robot is 2.08%, which verifies the inverse kinematics and shape reconstruction model. Additionally, when the bending angle of a single bending section of the continuum robot is less than 135°, the shape reconstruction accuracy is higher.

Originality/value
The proposed inverse kinematics solution method avoids iterative solving, and the shape reconstruction model does not rely on mechanical models. It has the advantages of being simple to solve, highly accurate and fast in computation, making it suitable for real-time control of continuum robots.
Using the balance sheet to assess earnings quality
Authors: Brightbill Kathryn , Rees Lynn 
Published: December 2024

PurposeWe discuss the importance of the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s (FASB) emphasis on balance sheet primacy and examine whether balance sheet quality is associated with earnings quality.Design/methodology/approachWe confirm that a firm’s market-to-book ratio is associated with variables that capture unrecognized intangible assets and therefore serves as a valid proxy for balance sheet quality.FindingsWe find that the explanatory power of earnings for contemporaneous returns is 24–50% higher for firms with higher quality balance sheets relative to firms with lower quality balance sheets, suggesting that the balance sheet is associated with earnings quality.Practical implicationsWe interpret these results as providing empirical support for standard setters’ decision to give primacy to assets and liabilities and reinforces the importance of proper recognition and measurement of intangible assets.Originality/valueAlthough a plethora of metrics exist that are meant to capture earnings quality, no research to date has explicitly linked the quality of a firm’s balance sheet to the quality of its earnings, despite the theoretical primacy of assets and liabilities.
Outsourcing solid waste management to community-based organizations in local governments
Authors: Rugeiyamu Rogers 
Published: December 2024

PurposeUrban-based local government authorities (LGAs) have embarked on outsourcing solid waste management to community-based organizations (CBOs) for attaining sustainable cities and community’s goal. However, the effectiveness of outsourcing this function to CBOs remains unclear. This study contributes to this debate by citing three urban LGAs from Tanzania.Design/methodology/approachThis study was conducted in Tanzania specifically to urban LGAs. This study employed a qualitative research approach. Data were collected through interviews and focus group discussions with outsourced groups and analyzed through thematic approach.FindingsThis study found that outsourcing solid waste management benefits both LGAs and groups. On the one hand, LGAs collect revenues out of this arrangement and groups improve their income on the other. However, groups’ operational environment is confronted by poor infrastructure, inadequate collection tools and poor community awareness and readiness.Research limitations/implicationsThis study focused on only three LGAs. Studies are recommended for other urban LGAs in Tanzania to extend the scope of the debate. Again, this study confined itself to the effectiveness of outsourcing solid waste collection to groups, but did not focus on how LGAs use revenue collected to improve the waste management, this welcomes further studies to be conducted.Originality/valueThe experienced operational environment creates difficulties for groups in waste collection and might result in some waste being uncollected.
Differences in capital structure between public and private hospitals: new evidence from a small country banking system using panel data
Authors: Neves Maria Elisabete , Ferreira Ivo , Serrasqueiro Zélia , Cancela Beatriz 
Published: December 2024

Purpose The objective of this article is to study the factors influencing the leverage and debt maturity of 48 Public Entities and 297 Private Entities, in the health sector in Portugal, in the period between 2015 and 2021, including the pandemic crisis, coronavirus disease 2019.Design/methodology/approach To test the proposed hypotheses, the panel data methodology was used, considering the GMM (Generalized Method of Moments) system estimation method.Findings Our findings suggest that in times of crisis, both public and private entities resort to long-term loans to finance additional expenses and guarantee the continuity of health services. Also, there is a strong dependence on short-term debt (short leverage [SLEV]), especially in the public sector, suggesting some financial imbalance in current management, with no margin of financial security. In private hospitals, a more considered strategic definition is demonstrated, without current management risks.Originality/value As far as the authors are aware, this article is original and covers an important gap in the literature when considering the determinants of debt maturity in public and private hospitals in Portugal, a country where the debate about the essence of the National Health System, it’s in the news every day.
Residential types, neighborhood security and public trust in Ghana police service: a comprehensive analysis
Authors: Dzordzormenyoh Michael K. 
Published: December 2024

PurposeThis study investigates the impact of residential type and neighborhood security on public trust in the police in Ghana, while controlling for demographic factors and police-related variables.Design/methodology/approachData were collected during the ninth round of the Afro-Barometer survey conducted in Ghana between 2019 and 2021 with a sample size of 2,369 participants. The study employed binary logistic regression analysis to examine the relationship between the independent variables (residential type and neighborhood security) and the dependent variable (trust in the police).FindingsThe results indicate that living in traditional housing is associated with lower levels of trust in the police compared with other residential types. Unexpectedly, neighborhood security did not emerge as a statistically significant predictor of police trust. However, police corruption and the use of force were negatively associated with trust, whereas police professionalism positively predicted trust. Interestingly, unnecessary police stops were positively associated with trust, possibly reflecting a complex relationship between police visibility and public perceptions. This study also revealed ethnic and regional variations in police trust, highlighting the need for culturally sensitive policing approaches.Originality/valueThis study stands out in three key aspects. First, it represents one of the first attempts to examine how residential type and neighborhood security influence public trust in law enforcement agencies in Ghana. Second, this study is among the few to investigate the relationship between neighborhood conditions and trust in police using a sample that is representative of the entire nation. Finally, these findings contribute to the understanding of the multifaceted nature of public trust in the police within the Ghanaian context and offer insights for policymakers and law enforcement agencies to enhance police-community relations.
Reconceptualizing HR change agency: introducing a framework and propositions for future research
Authors: Finnholm Johanna , Wallo Andreas , Allard Karin , Tengblad Stefan 
Published: December 2024

PurposeThis paper critically examines the empirical literature on the human resource (HR) function during organizational change, identifying the competence required for HR practitioners and pinpointing gaps in previous research.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is based on an integrative literature review of empirical research. The review utilizes a competence model comprising three key elements: skills, motivation and the opportunities created by organizational conditions.FindingsThe review shows that while there is an ongoing discussion about the competence required by HR practitioners in organizational change, significant gaps remain in our understanding of how this competence translates into HR change agency. The typical normative descriptions of the role can be viewed as unrealistic as they fail to consider crucial contextual factors and the routine, rather mundane nature of HR change agency.Practical implicationsIt is necessary to develop an understanding of the context and avoid wishful thinking when initiating change efforts. Furthermore, HR practitioners require enhanced training in crucial areas such as interpersonal skills, including communication, coaching and managing emotions.Originality/valueThe paper presents a new conceptual framework and research propositions, advocating a dynamic approach to understanding HR’s role in change. It explores how HR’s change competence, in terms of their skills and motivation to manage change, is linked to their opportunities to participate in change initiatives.