bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Assessment of knowledge and practice of dentists towards Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19): a cross-sectional survey from Lebanon
Authors: Nasser Zeina , Fares Youssef , Daoud Rama , Abou-Abbas Linda 
Published: October 2020

Abstract
Background
Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) epidemic is a public health emergency of international concern. Dentists are exposed to the enormous risk of COVID-19 infection during this epidemic. This study aims to assess the knowledge and practice of dentists toward the COVID-19 epidemic in Lebanon.

Methods
We conducted an online survey using the snowball-sampling technique. Information on socio-demographic data, knowledge, practice, and additional information required concerning COVID-19 were collected.

Results
Our results showed that the majority of the Lebanese dentists had good knowledge (91.3%), and nearly half of the respondents had a good practice (58.7%) regarding COVID-19. The most common information source was the World Health Organization (73.7%). Multiple linear regression showed that specialist dentists who completed training on COVID-19 with a high level of knowledge had better practice.

Conclusions
Lebanese dentists revealed good knowledge regarding COVID-19. However, dentists had limited comprehension of the extra precautionary measures that protect the dental staff and patients from this virus. Our findings have important implications for the development of strategies suitable for improving the level of practice among dentists and enhance prevention programs.
Clinicopathologic characteristics and prognosis of upper tract urothelial carcinoma complicated with aristolochic acid nephropathy after radical nephroureterectomy
Authors: Shan Hongli , Tian Wen , Hong Yazhao , Xu Bo , Wang Chunxi , Yu Bing , Wang Xiaoqing 
Published: October 2020

Abstract
Background
The purpose of this study was to identify the clinicopathologic characteristics and prognosis of upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) patients complicated with aristolochic acid nephropathy(AAN) after radical nephroureterectomy (RNU).

Methods
The clinical data of 42 UTUC patients with AAN (AAN group) and 238 UTUC patients without AAN (Non-AAN group) were retrospectively reviewed. All patients received a RNU with excision of bladder cuff. Demographic and clinical data, including preoperative indexes, intraoperative indexes and surgical outcomes were compared.

Results
There were no significant differences in age, tumor location, surgery approach, tumor pathologic grade, stage, the mean operative time and estimated blood loss between the two groups (all p > 0.05). There were more female patients in the AAN group (p < 0.001), and 57.1% were high grade tumors. The AAN group showed a higher complications rate (p = 0.003). The median follow-up time was 43.2 months. The AAN group showed a worse estimated 5-year overall survival rate (35.1% vs. 63.0%, p = 0.014), however, no significant difference was found between the two groups with regard to disease specific survival (63.5% vs. 81.5%, p = 0.091). Multivariate binary logistic regression analysis showed that AAN was an independent factor related with overall and disease specific survival. 38.9% of all patients experienced any types of recurrence, and the estimated 5-year recurrence-free survival rate was lower in the AAN group (37.1% vs. 63.7%, p = 0.001). In the comparison of subgroups stratified by recurrence type, the AAN group had a higher intravesical (p = 0.030) and contralateral recurrence rate (p = 0.040).

Conclusion
UTUC with AAN occurred more frequently in female patients who were more likely to develop high-grade tumors. However, these patients showed a worse overall survival and a lower recurrence-free survival rate than the other patients. AA-related UTUC might be associate with an increased risk of intravesical and contralateral recurrence after RUN.
Short- and long-term outcomes after colonic self-expandable metal stent placement for malignant large-bowel obstruction as a bridge to surgery focus on the feasibility of the laparoscopic approach: a retrospective, single center study
Authors: Tajima Jesse Yu , Matsuhashi Nobuhisa , Takahashi Takao , Mizutani Chika , Iwata Yoshinori , Kiyama Shigeru , Kubota Masaya , Ibuka Takashi , Araki Hiroshi , Shimizu Masahito , Doi Kiyoshi , Yoshida Kazuhiro 
Published: October 2020

Abstract
Purpose
Malignant large-bowel obstruction (MLBO) is a highly urgent condition in colorectal cancer with high complication rates. Self-expandable metal stent (SEMS) placement in MLBO is a new decompression treatment in Japan. Preoperative stent placement (bridge to surgery: BTS) avoids emergency surgery, but oncological influences of stent placement and post-BTS surgical approach remain unclear. We examined short- and long-term results of surgery for MLBO after SEMS placement in our hospital.

Methods
We retrospectively reviewed 75 patients with MLBO who underwent resection after SEMS placement at our hospital from June 2013 to December 2018. Postoperative morbidity and mortality were evaluated by comparison with the surgical approach.

Results
Tumor location was significantly higher in the left-side colon and rectum (n = 59, 78.7%) than right-side colon (n = 16, 21.3%). Technical and clinical success rates for SEMS placement were 97.3% and 96.0%, respectively. Laparoscopic surgery was performed in 54 patients (69.0%), and one-stage anastomosis was performed in 73 (97.3%). Postoperative complications were similar in the open surgery (open) group (n = 5, 23.8%) and laparoscopic surgery (lap) group (n = 7, 13.0%), with no severe complications requiring reoperation. Three-year overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS) rates were not significantly different in the lap vs open group (67.5% vs 66.4%; 82.2% vs 62.5%).

Conclusion
Preoperative stent treatment avoids stoma construction but allows anastomosis. One-time surgery was performed safely contributing to minimally invasive treatment and acceptable short- and long-term results.
Making change last? Exploring the value of sustainability approaches in healthcare: a scoping review
Authors: Lennox L. , Linwood-Amor A. , Maher L. , Reed J. 
Published: October 2020

Abstract
Background
Numerous models, tools and frameworks have been produced to improve the sustainability of evidence-based interventions. Due to the vast number available, choosing the most appropriate one is increasingly difficult for researchers and practitioners. To understand the value of such approaches, evidence warranting their use is needed. However, there is limited understanding of how sustainability approaches have been used and how they have impacted research or practice. This review aims to consolidate evidence on the application and impact of sustainability approaches in healthcare settings.

Methods
A systematic scoping review was designed to search for peer-reviewed publications detailing the use of sustainability approaches in practice. A 5-stage framework for scoping reviews directed the search strategy, and quality assessment was performed using the Mixed Method Appraisal Tool. Searches were performed through electronic citation tracking and snowballing of references. Articles were obtained through Web of Science, PubMed and Google Scholar. Six outcome variables for sustainability were explored to ascertain impact of approaches.

Results
This review includes 68 articles demonstrating the application of sustainability approaches in practice. Results show an increase in the use of sustainability approaches in peer-reviewed studies. Approaches have been applied across a range of healthcare settings, including primary, secondary, tertiary and community healthcare. Approaches are used for five main purposes, namely analysis, evaluation, guidance, assessment and planning. Results outline benefits (e.g. improved conceptualisation of sustainability constructs and improved ability to interpret sustainability data) and challenges (e.g. issues with approach constructs and difficulty in application) associated with using a sustainability approach in practice. Few articles (14/68) reported the sustainability outcome variables explored; therefore, the impact of approaches on sustainability remains unclear. Additional sustainability outcome variables reported in retrieved articles are discussed.

Conclusions
This review provides practitioners and researchers with a consolidated evidence base on sustainability approaches. Findings highlight the remaining gaps in the literature and emphasise the need for improved rigour and reporting of sustainability approaches in research studies. To guide future assessment and study of sustainability in healthcare settings an updated list of sustainability outcome variables is proposed.

Trial Registration
This review was registered on the PROSPERO database CRD 42016040081 in June 2016.
The use of evaluation methods for the overall assessment of health policy: potential and limitations
Authors: Kaczmarek Krzysztof , Romaniuk Piotr 
Published: October 2020

AbstractBackgroundThe implementation of public policies requires special attention from public authorities to ensure their transparency, effectiveness and efficiency. For this reason, efforts to evaluate the abovementioned politics gained attention and importance. Similar processes, by their very nature, are also noticeable in the area of health policy, however, the nature of the solutions used raises questions about the extent to which they allow to capture the assessed phenomenon in a holistic way. The current approach to the problem of evaluating health policy shows a tendency to break down this phenomenon into components including policies, programs or projects. The purpose of this publication was to assess the main methodological approaches used in evaluation studies in terms of their usefulness and limitations in conducting overall assessment of health policy.Main bodyThe publication divides evaluation methods based on three main criteria identified in the literature—time, purpose and scope of evaluation. Methodological approaches to evaluation activities detailed on this basis are discussed from the point of view of their characteristics, usefulness and limitations in the creation of comprehensive health policy assessments. The growing awareness of the need for a different approach to evaluation, which was confirmed by the course of the discourse on evaluation in public health, was also pointed out.ConclusionGiven the complexity of the matter making up the health policy, attempts aimed at its overall assessment should be based on an approach integrating many approaches, while ensuring coordination of evaluation activities that should be subject to common assumptions.
Clinicopathological features of 214 maxillary sinus pathologies. A ten-year single-centre retrospective clinical study
Authors: Pérez-Sayáns Mario , Suárez Peñaranda José M. , Quintanilla Juan Antonio Suárez , Chamorro Petronacci Cintia M. , García Abel García , Carrión Andrés Blanco , Vila Pilar Gándara , Sánchez Yolanda Guerrero 
Published: October 2020

AbstractBackgroundDiagnosis of maxillary sinus pathology must include the clinical radiological study (CRS) and histopathological analysis. The aim of this study is 1) to describe the clinicopathological features of maxillary sinus lesions, obtained successively in a single medical centre over the last 10 years and 2) to determine the sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of malignant lesions based exclusively on the CRS.MethodsIt is a single-centre observational retrospective clinical study on patients who attended the University Hospital Complex of Santiago de Compostela (CHUS) with sinus pathologies during the period of 2009–2019.ResultsThe sample consisted of 133 men (62.1%) and 81 women (37.9%), with an average age of 46.9 years (SD = 18.8). In terms of frequency, the most frequent pathology was the unspecified sinusitis (44.4%), followed by polyps (18.2%), malignant tumours (9.8%), inverting papilloma (7.5%), fungal sinusitis (4.7%), cysts (3.7%), benign tumours (2.3%), mucocele (2.3%) and other lesions (1.9%). Cysts and benign tumours were diagnosed earliest Vs malignant tumours (65.2 years (SD = 16.1)) were diagnosed the latest (p < 0.001). Based only on the CRS for malignancies, diagnostic indexes were 71.4% sensitivity and 97.9% specificity, with a Kappa value of 0.68 with (p < 0.001).ConclusionMaxillary sinus pathology is very varied with therapeutic and prognostic repercussions. CRS is sometimes insufficient and histopathological confirmation is essential.
Patient reported outcome measures in a large cohort of patients with type 1 Gaucher disease
Authors: Dinur Tama , Istaiti Majdolen , Frydman Dafna , Becker-Cohen Michal , Szer Jeff , Zimran Ari , Revel-Vilk Shoshana 
Published: October 2020

Abstract
Background
It is now acknowledged that the input of patients
in health outcome assessment is vital to understanding the impact of diseases and interventions for those diseases. This study is the first report of patient-reported outcome measures (PROM) in a large cohort of patients with type 1 Gaucher disease (GD1) enabling us to study predictors of the reported outcomes.

Method
The PROM was sent via a mobile phone survey
to 405 adult patients with GD1. Demographics, clinical data, and treatment status were extracted from clinic charts. Age, sex, severity score index (SSI) at presentation and treatment status were used as variables to assess outcomes.

Results
A total of 192 patients with GD1 (111 females) responded (47.4% response rate), of whom 124 (64.5%) had received GD1-specific therapy. Around 40% of patients reported that GD had restricted their education/job and fun activities and were concerned about being emotional and financial burdens on others. Concerns regarding the risk of bone disease and Parkinson disease were also high (60%). The severity of GD1 (reflected by the need for GD1-specific therapy and a high SSI) was associated with GD1-related restrictions and concerns, fatigue, physical weakness, bone pain, and worry regarding the future.

Conclusions
The use of GD1 specific PROM highlights personal problems that are not captured by traditional outcome parameters and that need to be addressed to improve health-related quality of life. Validated PROM should be included among the outcome measures in clinical practice and future prospective studies for patients with chronic and rare diseases.
Evaluating the use of the EORTC patient-reported outcome measures for improving inter-rater reliability of CTCAE ratings in a mixed population of cancer patients: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Wintner Lisa M. , Giesinger Johannes M. , Sztankay Monika , Bottomley Andrew , Holzner Bernhard ,   on behalf of the EORTC Quality of Life Group
Published: October 2020

AbstractBackgroundIn oncology, detection and tracking of adverse events are of top priority and rely mostly on the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE). Besides, clinical trials use as well patient-reported outcomes (PROs) to assess those adverse events, which are only accessible through patient self-reporting, such as fatigue, pain, and sleep disorders. Especially those issues that are not visible from the outside are often misinterpreted and underestimated by mere provider ratings. This trial aims at evaluating the impact of providing PRO data to providers on the accuracy of adverse event assessment in terms of inter-rater reliability of CTCAE ratings.MethodsThe trial uses a cross-sectional, unblinded, randomized controlled trial design with two trial arms and a single assessment time point. Eligible patients (aged 18 and above, any cancer diagnosis, currently under treatment, inpatient or day clinic setting, present symptom burden, no psychiatric or mental problems, written informed consent) complete an electronic version of the EORTC QLQ-C30 and 16 additional questions taken from the EORTC Item Library. PRO data is immediately processed and made available to CTCAE rating providers for conducting their ratings during the medical encounter. Patients are randomly assigned 1:1 to the intervention group (providers see PRO results on the same screen as the CTCAE rating) and the control group (no access to PRO data during the CTCAE rating). A superiority analysis will compare the inter-rater reliability (using intra-class correlation (ICC) coefficients) between the control and the intervention groups for each adverse event evaluated.DiscussionThe presented trial will demonstrate potential benefits of using PRO measures to improve the reliability of CTCAE ratings in cancer trials and the identification of adverse events. The new insights gained may lead to a new strategy for evaluating adverse events in clinical trials by combining patient and provider ratings. This might also have implications for daily clinical practice and cancer registries.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.govNCT04066868. Registered on August 26, 2019. Competence Center for Clinical Trials of the Medical University of Innsbruck 20190513-2007. Registered on May 14, 2019. (version 6.0, March 18, 2019)
From research to practice: Implementing an experimental home treatment model into routine mental health care
Authors: Stulz N. , Kawohl W. , Jäger M. , Mötteli S. , Schnyder U. , Hepp U. 
Published: October 2020

Abstract

Background
In line with previous findings, in a recent randomized controlled trial (RCT), we found that home treatment (HT) for acute mental health care can reduce (substitute) hospital use among severely ill patients in crises. This study examined whether the findings of the RCT generalize to HT services provided under routine care conditions.

Methods
We compared patients who received HT during the RCT study phase with patients who received the same HT service after it had become part of routine mental health services in the same catchment area. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics as well as service use (HT and hospital bed days) were compared between the RCT and the subsequent routine care study period.

Results
Compared to patients who received HT during the RCT, routine care HT patients were more often living with others, less often admitted compulsorily, more often diagnosed with anxiety and stress-related disorders (ICD-10 F4) and less often diagnosed with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (F2). When compared to patients who were exclusively treated on hospital wards, involvement of the HT team in patients’ care was associated with a clear-cut reduction of hospital bed days both during the RCT and under routine care conditions. However, unlike during the RCT study period, involvement of HT was associated with longer overall treatment episodes (inpatient + HT days) under routine care conditions.

Conclusions
HT seems to reduce the use of hospital bed days even under routine care conditions but is at risk of producing longer overall acute treatment episodes.
Impact of COVID-19 Lockdown on Glycemic Control in Adults with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Pla Begoña , Arranz Alfonso , Knott Carolina , Sampedro Miguel , Jiménez Sara , Hernando Iñigo , Marazuela Monica 
Published: October 2020

Abstract

Aim
To examine the impact of the lockdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on both the glycemic control and the daily habits of a group of patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) using flash continuous glucose monitoring devices (flash CGMs).

Methods
Retrospective analysis based on all the information gathered in virtual consultations from a cohort of 50 adult patients with T1DM with follow-up at our site. We compared their CGM metrics during lockdown with their own previous data before the pandemic occurred, as well as the potential psychological and therapeutic changes.

Results
We observed a reduction of average glucose values: 160.26 ± 22.55 mg/dL vs 150 ± 20.96 mg/dL, P = .0009; estimated glycosylated hemoglobin: 7.21 ± 0.78% vs 6.83 ± 0.71%, P = .0005; glucose management indicator 7.15 ± 0.57% vs 6.88 ± 0.49%; P = .0003, and glycemic variability: 40.74 ± 6.66 vs 36.43 ± 6.09 P &lt; .0001. Time in range showed an improvement: 57.46 ± 11.85% vs a 65.76 ± 12.09%, P &lt; .0001, without an increase in percentage of time in hypoglycemia.

Conclusions
COVID-19 lockdown was associated with an improvement in glycemic control in patients with T1DM using CGMs.
Effect of Head Group on Low-Level Ozone Oxidation of Unsaturated Phospholipids on a Water Surface
Authors: Inoue Ken-ichi , Fujimoto Kana , Takada Chunji , Ge Aimin , Ye Shen 
Published: October 2020

Abstract
The effect of the head group on the oxidation of unsaturated phospholipids under low-level ozone was investigated. The phospholipids with head groups of glycerol and choline show different surface-pressure profiles but similar degradation kinetics of the C=C moieties was observed by heterodyne-detected sum frequency generation spectroscopy.
Where the interesting species grow – remarkable records of lichens and lichenicolous fungi found during a Nordic Lichen Society meeting in Estonia
Authors: Suija Ave , Jüriado Inga , Lõhmus Piret , Moisejevs Rolands , Motiejūnaitė Jurga , Tsurykau Andrei , Kukwa Martin 
Published: October 2020

In August 2019, the Nordic Lichen Society held its bi-annual meeting and excursion in south-western Estonia. The most remarkable findings of lichenized and lichenicolous fungi are recorded herewith, including nine new species (of them two lichenicolous), and one new intraspecific taxon for the country. Full species lists are provided for two notable locations, sandstone outcrop at the river Pärnu and an oak woodland in the Naissoo Nature Reserve, for which no previous data were available, to illustrate the importance of collective survey effort.

2019. a augustis toimus Eestis korraline, iga kahe aasta järel korraldatav Põhjamaade Lihhenoloogide Ühingu kokkutulek ja ekskursioon. Artiklis anname ülevaate huvitavatest lihheniseerunud ja lihhenikoolsete liikide leidudest, sealhulgas üheksa (neist kahe lihhenikoolse) liigi esmaleiust Eestis ja ühe liigisisese taksoni esmaleiust. Lisaks esitatakse lihheniseerunud, lihhenikoolsete ja neile lähedaste seente täisnimekirjad, mis koostati kahe elupaiga – Tori Põrgu Maastikukaitseala liivakivipaljandi ning Naissoo Looduskaitseala koosseisu jääva Naissoo tammiku – kohta.
Value Loss in Allocation Systems with Provider Guarantees
Authors: Gur Yonatan , Iancu Dan , Warnes Xavier 
Published: October 2020

Many operational settings share the following three features: (i) a centralized planning system allocates tasks to workers or service providers, (ii) the providers generate value by completing the tasks, and (iii) the completion of tasks influences the providers’ welfare. In such cases, the planning system’s allocations often entail trade-offs between the service providers’ welfare and the total value that is generated (or that accrues to the system itself), and concern arises that allocations that are good under one metric may perform poorly under the other. We propose a broad framework for quantifying the magnitude of value losses when allocations are restricted to satisfy certain desirable guarantees to the service providers. We consider a general class of guarantees that includes many considerations of practical interest arising (e.g., in the design of sustainable two-sided markets) in workforce welfare and compensation, or in sourcing and payments in supply chains, among other application domains. We derive tight bounds on the relative value loss and show that this loss is limited for any restriction included in our general class. Our analysis shows that when many providers are present, the largest losses are driven by fairness considerations, whereas when few providers are present, they are driven by the heterogeneity in the providers’ effectiveness to generate value; when providers are perfectly homogenous, the losses never exceed 50%. We study additional loss drivers and find that less variability in the value of jobs and a more balanced supply-demand ratio may lead to larger losses. Lastly, we demonstrate numerically using both real-world and synthetic data that the loss can be small in several cases of practical interest. This paper was accepted by Chung Piaw Teo, optimization.