bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Comprehensive evaluation of malaria reactive surveillance and response strategies in Lao People’s Democratic Republic: a mixed-methods study
Authors: Htike Win , Win Han Oo  , Aye Tun Nilar , Khamlome Boualam , Vilay Phoutnalong , Banouvong Virasack , Chindavongsa Keobouphaphone , Lynn Thet , Vathanakoune Sanya , Oo May Chan , Htwe Ei Phyu , Zaw Aung Khine , Thu Kaung Myat , Galau Naw Hkawng , Khant Kaung Myat , Cutts Julia C , Agius Paul A , Kearney Ellen , O’Flaherty Katherine , Fowkes Freya J I 
Published: August 2024

ObjectivesTo achieve malaria elimination by 2030, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR) adopted a reactive surveillance and response (RASR) strategy of malaria case notification within 1 day, case investigation and classification within 3 days and foci investigation and response within 7 days. It is important to evaluate the performance and feasibility of RASR implementation in Lao PDR so that the strategy may be optimised and better contribute towards the goal of malaria elimination.DesignA mixed-methods study comprising of secondary data analysis of routinely collected malaria surveillance data, quantitative surveys and qualitative consultations was conducted in 2022.SettingPrimary data collections for quantitative surveys and qualitative consultations were conducted in Huaphan, Khammouane, Luangprabang and Savannakhet Provinces of Lao PDR.ParticipantsQuantitative surveys were conducted among malaria programme stakeholders and service providers. Qualitative interviews were conducted with malaria programme stakeholders, and focus group discussions with malaria programme stakeholders, service providers and mobile and migrant populations (MMPs).Outcome measuresOutcomes of interests were awareness and acceptability of current RASR activities by different group of participants, implementation, performance and feasibility of RASR activities including enablers and barriers.ResultsIn Lao PDR, malaria programme stakeholders and service providers were aware of RASR; however, these activities were not well known in MMPs. Respectively, the timeliness of case notification and case investigation was 0.0% and 15.6% in 2018 but increased to 98.0% and 98.6% in 2022. Implementation of RASR was acceptable to the malaria programme stakeholders and service providers, and continued implementation was perceived as feasible. Nevertheless, issues such as low level of community awareness, high level of migration and limitations in health system capacity were identified.ConclusionOverall, the timeliness of case notification and investigation in Lao PDR was high, and malaria programme stakeholders and service providers had positive opinions on RASR. However, some operational and health system-related barriers were identified, which need to be addressed to improve the performance of RASR in Lao PDR.
Protocol of health screening related to occupational diseases in 100 000 workers in critical sectors: a cross-sectional study with worksite risk assessment
Authors: Yasin Siti Munira , Ismail Nurhuda , Masngut Mohd Izwan , Abdullah Nik Nairan , Yasin Nooni Ezdiani , Omar Mazlifah , Kasim Sazzli Shahlan , Saiman Ameran , Muzaini Kamarulzaman , Elias Anza , Samsudin Ely Zarina , Ismail Ahmad Izuanuddin , Shahadan Sazreza , Abdullah Khairul Hafezad , Ismail Ismassabah , Taib Khairul Mizan , Mohamad Mariam , Ruslan Nur-Hasanah , Malek Mohd Azli Abdul , Anuar Mohd. Ridzuan , Zabidi Nazrai Ahmad , Mohamed Anis Syamimi , Kamarudin Nurul Izzah , Abdul Manan Mohd Hafiz , Khai Ahmad Fitri Abdullah , Noor Ahmad Faiz Azhari , Azzani Meram 
Published: August 2024

BackgroundOccupational diseases are one of the most important health problems related to employment However, in Malaysia, there are few epidemiological studies discussing these issues, especially among workers in the industry. For that, this study aimed to screen workers from high-risk industrial sectors, identify hazards in the workplace and recommend improvement measures in the workplace to prevent occupational diseases.Methods and analysisThis is a 3-year project in which a survey of 100 000 workers from all 13 states in Malaysia will be conducted using a web-based screening tool that is comprised of two parts: occupational disease screening tool and hazard identification, risk assessment and risk control method. Data will be collected using a multistage stratified sampling method from 500 companies, including seven critical industrial sectors. The independent variables will be sociodemographic characteristics, comorbidities, previous medical history, high-risk behaviour and workplace profile. The dependent variable will be the types of occupational diseases (noise-induced hearing loss, respiratory, musculoskeletal, neurotoxic, skin and mental disorders). Subsequently, suggestions of referral for medium and high-risk workers to occupational health clinics will be attained. The approved occupational health service clinics/providers will make a confirmatory diagnosis of each case as deemed necessary. Subsequently, a walk-through survey to identify workplace hazards and recommend workplace improvement measures to prevent these occupational diseases will be achieved. Both descriptive and inferential statistics will be used in this study. Simple and adjusted binary regression will be used to find the determinants of occupational diseases.Ethics and disseminationThis study has been approved by the MARA University of Technology Research Ethics Board. Informed, written consent will be obtained from all study participants. Findings will be disseminated to the Department of Occupational Health and Safety, involved industries, and through peer-reviewed publications.
Exploring national and international experiences with community first responder models: protocol for a scoping review
Authors: Naboureh Abbas , Farrokhi Mehrdad , Saatchi Mohammad , Ahmadi Shokoufeh , Layeghi Fereydon , Khankeh Hamidreza 
Published: August 2024

IntroductionTimely arrival of emergency medical services (EMS) is pivotal for effective prehospital care, and efforts by EMS leaders and policymakers to reduce response times, especially in cardiac arrests responsible for 70%–80% of coronary heart disease-related deaths, underscore the global urgency. With approximately 55 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests per 100 000 people annually, survival rates hinge on timely cardiopulmonary resuscitation, emphasising its initiation within a 4–6 min window. Trauma, causing 6 million deaths and nearly 40 million injuries a year, further underscores the need for prompt prehospital care. Acknowledging these challenges, health systems have incorporated community first responder (CFR) models, where trained community members provide initial aid, aiming to bridge the crucial gap until professional help arrives. This scoping review intends to explore the experiences of various countries with CFR models, including their conceptual and theoretical frameworks, recognising CFR as a critical solution for reducing response times in prehospital emergency care.Methods and analysisArksey and O'Malley’s approach will be followed in this scoping review. Our protocol was drafted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocols extension for Scoping Reviews. The study objective is to comprehensively understand and map current knowledge about CFR model characteristics and identify effective components and indicators. The review will encompass available articles indexed in PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science without restrictions on date of publication. Additional searches will explore grey literature on Google Scholar and reliable websites in the field of EMS. Articles published in languages other than English and those inaccessible in full text will not be considered for inclusion.Ethics and disseminationSince the study data are accessible from publicly accessible secondary sources, no ethical approval is necessary. Peer-reviewed publications will be used to report the study findings.
Implementation of the WHO Standards to assess the quality of paediatric care using health workers as source of data: findings of a multicentre study (CHOICE) in Italy
Authors: Liguoro Ilaria , Mariani Ilaria , Iuorio Andrea , Tirelli Francesca , Massarotto Marcella , Cardinale Fabio , Parrino Roberta , Dal Bo Sara , Rivellini Sara , Trobia Gian Luca , Valentino Kevin , Sordelli Silvia , Lubrano Riccardo , De Rosa Giuseppina , Pandullo Michela , Di Stefano Vita Antonella , Martucci Vanessa , Baltag Valentina , Barbi Egidio , Lazzerini Marzia 
Published: August 2024

ObjectivesThere is little experience in implementing the WHO Standards for improving the quality of care (QOC) for children. We describe the use of 75 WHO-Standard based Quality Measures to assess paediatric QOC, using health workers (HWs) as data sources.DesignCross-sectional study.Setting12 Italian hospitals.ParticipantsThe minimum target of 75% of HWs was reached in all facilities; answers from 598 HWs were analysed.Primary and secondary outcome measures75 prioritised WHO Quality Measures were collected using a validated, and Italian-language questionnaire exploring views of HWs providing care to children. A QOC index was also calculated based on the assessed Quality Measures.ResultsIn both the domain of resources and work organisation, most Quality Measures showed a high overall frequency of reported ‘need for improvement’, with high variability across hospitals. Key needs for improvement included: availability of clear and complete protocols (eg, on paediatric emergencies: 44.6%; range 10.6%–92.6%); clear hospitalisation criteria for diarrhoea (50.5%; range 30.3%–71.7%); number of hand-washing stations (13.2%; range 3.4%–37.0%); equipped working rooms with computers for HWs (66.1%; range: 32.1%–97.0%); training (eg, on pain management: 43.5%; range 17.9%–76.7%), periodic discussion of clinical cases (43.5%; range 8.1%–83.7%) audits (48.8%; range 29.7%–76.7%); and all indicators related to system to improve QOC. Factors significantly associated with a lower QOC Index included HWs working in facilities in Southern Italy (p=0.001) and absence of a paediatric emergency department (p=0.011).ConclusionsThe use of the 75 prioritised Quality Measures, specific to HWs provide valuable data on paediatric QOC, which can be used to drive a quality improvement process.
Assessing the diagnostic accuracy of postnatal clinical scoring methods and foot length measurement for estimating gestational age and birthweight of newborns in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Tikmani Shiyam Sunder , Mårtensson Thomas , Khalid Sumaira , Uzair Muhammad , Ali Qammerulanissa , Rahim Anum , Mårtensson Andreas , Saleem Sarah , Brown Nick 
Published: August 2024

BackgroundThis study aimed to update systematic reviews and meta-analyses on the diagnostic accuracy of postnatal clinical scoring (PCS) methods and foot length (FL) measurement for assessing gestational age (GA) and birth weight in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). In addition, the quality of reference standards, including antenatal ultrasound (A-US), last menstrual period (LMP), PCS and newborn weighing scales, was also evaluated.MethodsStudies from LMICs published between January 2000 and February 2024 were searched, using databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, CINAHL and Scopus. Studies that compared PCS and/or FL with LMP and/or A-US to estimate GA or used calibrated newborn weighing scales for birthweight estimation were included. The risk of bias was assessed using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-II tool and evaluated the quality of the reference standards. When sufficient data were available, pooled estimates were calculated using random-effects models.ResultsA total of 50 studies were included. A-US was a reasonable tool for GA assessment if conducted by physicians using fetal biometry and the Hadlock method for GA estimation. LMP was reasonable when women had regular cycles, knew their LMP, were not using contraceptives and LMP data were collected by healthcare providers. When A-US was used as the reference standard, PCS methods estimated GA with a precision of ±2.8 to ±3.2 weeks. FL measurement <7.5 cm showed a pooled sensitivity of 76.2% and specificity of 36.6% for identifying preterm birth. FL measurement ≤7.6 cm had a pooled sensitivity of 78.6% and specificity of 65.7% for identifying low birth weight (LBW). High heterogeneity across studies was observed.ConclusionThis systematic review and meta-analysis highlights significant variability and methodological inconsistencies in using PCS methods and FL measurement for estimating GA and LBW in LMICs. The observed high heterogeneity across studies suggests a cautious interpretation of the results.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42020209455.
Exploratory qualitative study of firearm storage practices among surgeons in the USA: contexts and motivations
Authors: Waddle Shelbie D , Thomas Arielle , Campbell Brendan T , Betz Marian E , Johnson Julie K , Royan Regina , Ellyin Alexander , Jang Angie , Crandall Marie L , Stey Anne M 
Published: August 2024

BackgroundA US survey of surgeons found that 32% store firearms unlocked and loaded. This study explored conditions and contexts impacting personal firearm storage methods among surgeons.MethodsWe conducted semi-structured interviews with English-speaking fellows of the American College of Surgeons who treated patients injured by firearms and who owned or lived in homes with firearms. Participants were recruited through email and subsequent snowball sampling from April 2022 to August 2022. All interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was applied to transcripts to identify codes. A mixed deductive and inductive approach was used for data reduction and sorting.ResultsA total of 32 surgeons were interviewed; most were male and white. Dominant themes for firearm storage practices were based on (1) attitudes; (2) perceived norms; (3) personal agency; and (4) intention of firearm use. Personal agency often conflicted with attitudes and perceived norms for surgeons owning firearms for self-defence.ConclusionsStorage practices in this sample of firearm-owning surgeons were driven by intent for firearm use, coupled with attitudes, perceived norms and personal agency. Personal agency often conflicted with attitudes and perceived norms, especially for surgeons who owned their firearm for self-defence.
Clinical, biological, prognostic characteristics of patients with immune-mediated thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura and Sjögren’s disease
Authors: Luciano Justine , Gilardin Laurent , Nocturne Gaétane , Bouzid Raïda , Veyradier Agnès , Mariette Xavier , Coppo Paul , Bonnet Isabelle , Joly Bérangère S 
Published: August 2024

ObjectivesThe association between immune-mediated thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (iTTP) and Sjögren disease (SjD) has been poorly investigated. This study presents the first retrospective cohort of iTTP-SjD aiming to identify risk factors for iTTP occurrence in SjD patients and examine their clinical course.MethodsPatients with iTTP-SjD were identified within the French TTP Registry based on American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism 2016 criteria. A comparative analysis was conducted with two control groups comprising primary SjD (pSjD) patients from the French ASSESS cohort and idiopathic iTTP patients from the French TTP Registry. Demographic, clinical and biological data were retrospectively collected.ResultsThirty iTTP-SjD patients were included and compared with 65 pSjD and 45 idiopathic iTTP patients. The majority of iTTP-SjD patients (n=18) were diagnosed with SjD at the time of iTTP diagnosis. In comparison with the pSjD cohort, iTTP-SjD patients were diagnosed with SjD at a younger age (p=0.039) and showed a higher prevalence of anti-SjS-related antigen A antibody positivity and xerostomia (p=0.015, p=0.035, respectively). EULAR Sjogren’s Syndrome Disease Activity Index showed similar activity levels between the two groups. iTTP-SjD patients were treated with plasma exchange (n=28), corticosteroids, rituximab (n=19) and caplacizumab (n=3). In comparison with the idiopathic iTTP cohort, mortality rates (log-rank tests, p=0.228), biological and clinical iTTP relapses (multivariate analysis, p=0.181) were comparable and short-term outcomes (survival at day 30, relapse) were favourable.ConclusioniTTP can be a rare complication in patients with SjD. Further studies involving larger cohorts and long-term follow-up are warranted to confirm these findings and to explore the efficacy of immunomodulators and caplacizumab in iTTP-SjD patients.
Applying mark-resight, count, and telemetry data to estimate effective sampling area and fish density with stationary underwater cameras
Authors: Zulian Viviane , Pacifici Krishna , Bacheler Nathan M. , Buckel Jeffrey A. , Patterson William F. , Reich Brian J. , Shertzer Kyle W. , Hostetter Nathan J. 
Published: August 2024

Accurate estimates of abundance and density for geographically open populations must account for the effective sampling area (ESA) of sampling gears. We describe a Marked N-Mixture model to estimate ESA and density (number of individuals/unit area) from repeated counts of unmarked and marked individuals, integrating mark-resight, camera counts, and telemetry data of red snapper ( Lutjanus campechanus) at a 1.6 km2 reef off North Carolina, USA. Cameras recorded observations of unmarked and marked individuals, whereas telemetry data indicated the number of tagged fish present on the reef. We estimated density (95 individuals/km2, 95%CI: 58–149), ESA (which was lower when current direction was towards the camera), detection probability (0.06, 95%CI: 0.03–0.09), and covariate relationships. Simulation studies under different scenarios of data quality and space use identified positive bias in density estimates from N-mixture models due to fish movement. In contrast, the Marked N-Mixture model returned unbiased estimates of density, ESA, and detection parameters, and appears to be a more robust method for modeling density given the data available for this analysis. This approach can be applied to other populations where count and telemetry data overlap in space and time.
Quantifying the performance of bidirectional quantum teleportation
Authors: Siddiqui Aliza U. , Wilde Mark M. 
Published: August 2024

Bidirectional teleportation is a fundamental protocol for exchanging quantum information between two parties by means of a shared resource state and local operations and classical communication (LOCC). In this paper, we develop two seemingly different ways of quantifying the simulation error of unideal bidirectional teleportation by means of the normalized diamond distance and the channel infidelity, and we prove that they are equivalent. By relaxing the set of operations allowed from LOCC to those that completely preserve the positivity of the partial transpose, we obtain semi-definite programming lower bounds on the simulation error of unideal bidirectional teleportation. We evaluate these bounds for several key examples: when there is no resource state at all and for isotropic and Werner states, in each case finding an analytical solution. The first aforementioned example establishes a benchmark for classical versus quantum bidirectional teleportation. Another example consists of a resource state resulting from the action of a generalized amplitude damping channel on two Bell states, for which we find an analytical expression for the simulation error that is in agreement with numerical estimates (up to numerical precision). We then evaluate the performance of some schemes for bidirectional teleportation due to (Kiktenko et al., Phys. Rev. A 93, 062305 (2016)) and find that they are suboptimal and do not go beyond the aforementioned classical limit for bidirectional teleportation. We offer a scheme alternative to theirs that is provably optimal. Finally, we generalize the whole development to the setting of bidirectional controlled teleportation, in which there is an additional assisting party who helps with the exchange of quantum information, and we establish semi-definite programming lower bounds on the simulation error for this task. More generally, we provide semi-definite programming lower bounds on the performance of bipartite and multipartite channel simulation using a shared resource state and LOCC.
Compatibility of gravitational baryogenesis in f(Q, C) gravity
Authors: Usman Muhammad , Jawad Abdul , Sultan Abdul Malik 
Published: August 2024

AbstractThis paper investigates the disparity between matter and antimatter in the universe with the help of gravitational baryogenesis. This phenomenon commenced shortly after the big bang, resulting in a predominance of matter over antimatter. We analyze the mechanism of gravitational baryogenesis (baryon to entropy ratio) under the framework of f(Q, C) gravity, where Q indicates non-metricity scalar and C denotes the boundary term. This Phenomenon depends on the charge parity violation interaction and for this paper we produce it with the coupling between baryon matter current ($$j^{\nu }$$

j
ν

) and $$\partial _{\nu }(Q+C)$$

∂
ν

(
Q
+
C
)

. In the present work, we evaluate he baryon to entropy ratio ($$\frac{\eta _{_B}}{S}$$

η

B

S

) by proposing two models of f(Q, C) with the assumption of power-law scale factor for each model and the universe contains perfect fluid throughout. We find that under optimal choice of model parameters, the results of $$\frac{\eta _{_B}}{S}$$

η

B

S

of propose models in f(Q, C) are compatible with the observational bound. The crux of the current work is that the outcomes of our propose models for generalized case of gravitational baryogenesis are consist with its observational constraint in different eras of the Universe.
Topological equivalence and phase transition rate in holographic thermodynamics of regularized Maxwell theory
Authors: Hung Tran N. , Nam Cao H. 
Published: August 2024

AbstractUtilizing the holographic dictionary from the proposal that treats Newton’s constant as a thermodynamic variable, we establish a thermodynamic topological equivalence between the AdS black holes in the bulk and the thermal states in the dual CFT. The findings further reveal that the thermodynamic topological characteristics of the RegMax AdS black holes are strongly influenced by the characteristic parameter of the regularized Maxwell theory. Additionally, we investigate the phase transition between low and high entropy thermal states within a canonical ensemble in the dual CFT. Our observations indicate that the phase transition behavior of the thermal states mirrors that of the black holes. By modeling the phase transition process as a stochastic process, we are able to calculate the rates of phase transition between the thermal states. This result enhances our understanding of the dominant processes involved in the phase transition of the thermal states in the dual CFT.
How do you trust but verify hydride superconductivity?
Authors: Hirsch J. E. 
Published: August 2024

I discuss the sharp dissonance between the recent Nature Materials Editorial “Trust but verify” [Nature Materials Editorial, Nat. Mater. 23, 1 (2024)] and the publication, in the same journal issue, of the Feature Comment by M. I. Eremets and coauthors on hydride superconductivity [M. I. Eremets et al., Nat. Mater. 23, 26 (2024)].