bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Caring toward end of life through acute hospital and community partnerships: A scoping review
Authors: McIlveen Joanna , MacPhail Catherine , Fox Mim , Noonan Kerrie 
Published: February 2025

Background: Global health systems are currently socially and economically burdened. Public health palliative care is an approach to caring toward end of life that can create the innovative change needed to address this inequity. Guided by the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion (1986), public health palliative care promotes collaboration among palliative care services, civic institutions, and communities to build capacity in all aspects of death, dying, caregiving, and bereavement. Despite growing evidence for the public health approach to palliative care, little is known about how acute hospitals and communities can work together to provide care toward end of life. Aim: To explore how acute hospitals and communities work together to provide care toward end of life. Design: Scoping review guided by Arskey and O’Malley framework. Data Sources: Scopus, Pubmed, CINAHL, and Informit as well as gray literature were searched. Citations were independently assessed against inclusion and exclusion criteria. Results: Of the six included studies and reports, a priori themes of creating supportive environments; strengthening community action; reorienting health services; developing personal skills and building healthy public policy from the Charter were well represented. Additional themes of communication and language, culture and risk were also identified. Educational, arts health, community engagement initiatives were explored as well as clinical tools, psychosocial interventions, and the No One Dies Alone (NODA) program. Conclusions: This review offers policymakers, hospitals, and practitioners a framework for implementing hospital-community partnerships toward end-of-life. Despite challenges in acute settings, these initiatives can enhance end-of-life experiences for patients and families.
A flexible framework for accurate LiDAR odometry, map manipulation, and localization
Authors: Blanco-Claraco Jose Luis 
Published: February 2025

Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR)-based simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) is a core technology for autonomous vehicles and robots. One key contribution of this work to 3D LiDAR SLAM and localization is a fierce defense of view-based maps (pose graphs with time-stamped sensor readings) as the fundamental representation of maps. As will be shown, they allow for the greatest flexibility, enabling the posterior generation of arbitrary metric maps optimized for particular tasks, for example, obstacle avoidance and real-time localization. Moreover, this work introduces a new framework in which mapping pipelines can be defined without coding, defining the connections of a network of reusable blocks much like deep-learning networks are designed by connecting layers of standardized elements. We also introduce tightly-coupled estimation of linear and angular velocity vectors within the Iterative Closest Point (ICP)-like optimizer, leading to superior robustness against aggressive motion profiles without the need for an IMU. Extensive experimental validation reveals that the proposal compares well to, or improves, former state-of-the-art (SOTA) LiDAR odometry systems, while also successfully mapping some hard sequences where others diverge. A proposed self-adaptive configuration has been used, without parameter changes, for all 3D LiDAR datasets with sensors between 16 and 128 rings, and has been extensively tested on 83 sequences over more than 250 km of automotive, hand-held, airborne, and quadruped LiDAR datasets, both indoors and outdoors. The system flexibility is demonstrated with additional configurations for 2D LiDARs and for building 3D NDT-like maps. The framework is open-sourced online: https://github.com/MOLAorg/mola .
Genetically determined physical activity levels, sedentary behaviours, and their association with the risk of age-related macular degeneration
Authors: Zhou Xiangpeng , Wu Jiang , Shen Yingjiao , He Shucheng , Guan Hanyi , Shen Lijun 
Published: February 2025

Objective To investigate the causal effects of physical activity and sedentary traits on risk of Age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Methods A two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was used to investigate the causal relationship between physical activity and risk of AMD. We used genome-wide association studies (GWAS) summary statistics from two publicly available biobank-scale cohorts: UK Biobank and FinnGen. Physical activity data were self-reported by 703,901 UK Biobank participants and sedentary behaviour data were gathered from 159,606 FinnGen participants. Our analysis primarily used the inverse variance weighted (IVW) method. Result Engaging in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity significantly reduced the risk of AMD with an odds ratio of 0.77 (95% CI: 0.66–0.89). However, leisure screen time showed a slight but non-statistically significant upward trend. Sedentary behaviour at work, sedentary commuting showed no causal effects on AMD risk. Conclusions This study used MR analysis to examine the causal relationship between physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and AMD. It offers genetic evidence suggesting that physical activity may protect against AMD, emphasizing the significance of lifestyle factors in maintaining ocular health.
Analysis of fiber stresses during high-tension winding molding of thermoplastic composites
Authors: Xu Haojie , Wang Yutao , Song Hao , Li Kangmei , Hu Jun 
Published: February 2025

High-tension winding technology provides thermoplastic composite parts that can resist high centrifugal forces by applying radial compressive stresses. Based on the thick-walled cylinder theory of elastic mechanics and the principle of small deformation, mathematical model of the fiber stress distribution and radial compressive stress on the mandrel surface under the combined effects of tension and temperature field during the composite winding and molding process is established. A method for applying tensile forces to balance thermal stress is proposed. Results show that the thermal stress can reduce the relaxation effect of the inner layers of fibers during the winding process. With the increase in the number of winding layers under the three methods of tension application, namely, constant, constant torque, and taper tension, the fiber circumferential stress decreases layer by layer from the inside to the outside, while the radial compressive stress on the mandrel surface gradually increases. The equal stress tension provides the maximum radial compressive stress. When the stress per unit width of the fibers in each layer of the composite is 266.67 MPa, the radial compressive stress on the mandrel surface after 30 layers of winding is 15.52 MPa. The finite element simulation results show that the maximum error of composite circumferential stress and theoretical calculation is 6.7%, and the maximum error of radial compressive stress on the mandrel surface is 0.4%. These results verify the reliability of the mathematical model in this paper and provide theoretical support for the tension design in the high-tensile winding molding process of thermoplastic composite fibers.
Improvements in Asthma Control After Pharmacist Involvement in an Outpatient Pediatric Asthma Clinic
Authors: Anthony Lauren , Axtell Sandra , Nixon Bianca 
Published: February 2025

Background: Asthma is one of the most common pediatric disease states. However, current literature about outpatient pharmacy appointment effectiveness on pediatric asthma control is not widely available. Objective: To determine whether outpatient pharmacist visits in pediatric patients with asthma result in a measurable difference in asthma control, utilizing the validated asthma control test (ACT) and childhood asthma control test (C-ACT) scoring tools. Methods: This study enrolled 16 children ages 6-17 years old at an outpatient primary care clinic (November 2023-April 2024). The patients visited the outpatient pharmacist 2 to 3 times over a 12-week period. The primary outcome was the change in the patient’s ACT or C-ACT from the baseline to the final study visit. Additional outcomes of interest included improvement in inhaler technique using a Vitalograph AIM® device, medication adherence rates, and change in emergent interventions from 6 months before enrollment compared to 3 months after the final visit. Results: The median improvement in asthma control test was 3 at the final study visit (4 or 12 weeks after counseling), which was statistically significant ( P = 0.0348). This was an improvement from 50% of patients controlled at baseline to 100% at the final visit ( P = 0.0053). Emergent interventions including oral steroid courses, emergency department visits, and hospitalization for asthma were less common after pharmacist intervention than before enrollment ( P = 0.0464). Improvements in technique were seen at the initial visit using Vitalograph AIM® to visualize counseling points. Conclusion: Our study supports that outpatient pharmacist visits can have a measurable impact on pediatric asthma control.
Evaluating Immunotherapy Responses in Neuro-Oncology for Glioblastoma and Brain Metastases: A Brief Review Featuring Three Cases
Authors: Kertmen Neyran , Kavgaci Gozde , Akin Serkan , Coban Gokcen , Isikay Ahmet Ilkay , Yazici Gozde 
Published: February 2025

Introduction Recent advancements in immunotherapy have offered new possibilities for treating aggressive glioblastoma (GBM) and brain metastases. However, evaluating treatment responses remains complex, prompting the development of the immunotherapy-specific Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology (iRANO) criteria. Herein, we present case reports illustrating the intricacies of interpreting imaging changes post-immunotherapy, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive approach to assessing treatment effectiveness. Case Reports Case 1 discusses a 41-year-old male with GBM, highlighting the challenges of differentiating tumor progression from treatment-induced pseudoprogression. Case 2 discusses a 45-year-old female with brain metastatic malignant melanoma, presenting radiological evidence of progressive disease while undergoing nivolumab treatment. Case 3 discusses a 37-year-old male with GBM, where radiological evidence indicates progressive disease while receiving pembrolizumab treatment. Management and Outcomes In case 1, we discussed the challenges of distinguishing true tumor progression from treatment-induced pseudoprogression, leading to the continuation of the same treatment due to pseudoprogression. In case 2, post-surgery pathology revealed radionecrosis and treatment-related changes, guiding the continuation of nivolumab therapy. Case 3 involved a pathologically confirmed progression, and the patient received best supportive care due to his performance status. Discussion Despite aggressive treatment regimens, the prognosis for GBM patients remains poor, underscoring the necessity for innovative therapeutic strategies. Immunotherapy holds promise in reshaping the treatment landscape for GBM and brain metastases, but further research and refinement of assessment criteria are crucial. Throughout our cases, we discuss the iRANO criteria, developed to overcome the limitations of the RANO criteria in capturing immunotherapy responses, particularly pseudoprogression.
Penetrating airgun spinal cord injury in 23 cats (1998–2022)
Authors: Sarpekidou Eirini , Svania Panagiota , Patsikas Michail , Polizopoulou Zoe , Kazakos George 
Published: February 2025

Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate and describe airgun spinal cord injuries (SCIs) in cats. Methods Records of cats presented at the Companion Animal Clinic of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki with neurological deficits associated with a 4.5 mm airgun projectile (AGP) SCI were included. Only cats with lodged projectiles in the spinal canal were included in the present study. Cats were categorised into groups according to the neurological grade, management, season of presentation and projectile location. Results A total of 23 cats were included in this retrospective study. There were one cervical (C), 17 thoracolumbar (T) and five lumbosacral (L) airgun SCIs. The presence of the projectile in the spinal canal was confirmed by radiographic imaging. Of the cases, 44% were presented in autumn, which was the most frequently presenting season. Surgical management was elected in 20/23 (87%) of the cats, 1/23 (4.3%) were managed conservatively and 2/23 (8.7%) were euthanased owing to poor prognosis without treatment. The neurological grades were V and III in 83% and 4% of the cats, respectively. The remaining cats (13%) had asymmetrical neurological deficits. Conscious movement was regained in 30% of surgically treated cats; spinal walking in 20% and 50% were unimproved. Micturition restoration was not observed in most of the cases. Conclusions and relevance Airgun spinal injuries result in severe mobility and micturition disorders in cats. As a result of the small sample size, it is uncertain whether the outcome may be influenced by surgical or conservative management.
Increased insulin resistance following switch from efavirenz to cobicistat-boosted elvitegravir
Authors: Pickering Richard Taylor , Asundi Archana , Olson Alex , Soden Katie , Kuritzkes Daniel R , Lin Nina H 
Published: February 2025

Background Integrase strand transfer inhibitors (INSTIs) have been associated with excess weight gain in people living with HIV compared to other antiretroviral agents. The mechanisms that underlie these effects are not well defined. Thus, we aimed to examine the effects of switching to INSTI-containing regimens on clinical metabolic parameters. Setting A secondary analysis of a prospective cohort study in which people living with HIV on a stable efavirenz-based regimen were switched to a cobicistat-boosted elvitegravir or raltegravir-containing regimen. Participants remained on the NRTI backbone of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate and emtricitabine. Methods Frozen plasma samples from 19 participants were used to determine concentrations of leptin, adiponectin, insulin and lactate at baseline and 8 weeks post-switch. Fasting lipids and blood glucose not reported in the initial study were obtained to examine metabolic changes. Anthropometric data including height and weight were abstracted from the medical record. Results Participants switched from efavirenz to cobicistat-boosted elvitegravir without change in tenofovir disoproxil fumarate/emtricitabine backbone showed a 20% increase in HOMA-IR after 8 weeks (1.84 vs 2.24, p < .05), due mostly to increases in fasting insulin. This increase occurred independent of weight gain in the cohort as whole (83.4 vs 85.9 kg, pre vs post, p = .04), but was linked to increases in circulating lactate. Conclusions Participants switched to an INSTI-based regimen tended to gain weight, and those switched to cobicistat-boosted elvitegravir had increases in markers of insulin resistance and elevation in plasma lactic acid compared to raltegravir, suggesting that elvitegravir may promote metabolic perturbations in people living with HIV.
Axillary Artery Versus Femoral or Central Arterial Cannulation in Minithoracotomy Mitral Surgery: Is There a Difference in Early Outcomes?
Authors: Gaca Jeffrey G. , Zwischenberger Brittany A. , Carr Keith , Wang Andrew , Glower Donald D. 
Published: February 2025

Objective: Axillary artery cannulation techniques continue to improve and find application throughout cardiac surgery. Yet, early outcomes are poorly documented versus femoral or central arterial cannulation in right minithoracotomy mitral surgery. Methods: There were 3,044 consecutive adult patients undergoing mitral valve surgery via right thoracotomy from 1996 to 2022 examined from a prospectively maintained database. Propensity score matching was used to compare outcomes of axillary versus aortic cannulation in 241 matched pairs and axillary versus femoral cannulation in 356 matched pairs. Results: Arterial cannulation was axillary (770 of 3,044; 25%) versus femoral (149 of 3,044; 5%) or central aortic (2,125 of 3,044; 70%). Axillary versus aortic or femoral patients were older ( P < 0.001), more often redo ( P < 0.001), more urgent ( P < 0.001), and had more mitral replacement ( P < 0.001) and tricuspid procedures ( P < 0.001). After propensity score matching, cannulation groups did not differ in patient characteristics or concurrent surgical procedures. For matched patients, axillary artery cannulation was not independently associated with operative mortality ( P = 0.3), postoperative respiratory failure ( P = 0.3), perioperative stroke ( P = 0.7), renal insufficiency ( P = 0.4), pump time ( P = 0.6), clamp time ( P = 0.2), transfusion ( P = 0.5), perioperative length of stay ( P = 0.7), or survival ( P = 0.6). Axillary cannulation increased operative time by 14 ± 7 min ( P = 0.04) versus aortic or femoral artery cannulation. Conclusions: Right axillary artery cannulation is a safe alternative for right minithoracotomy mitral surgery. Advantages may include avoidance of the aorta in reoperations or older patients, avoidance of peripheral atherosclerosis in older patients, and a low incidence of limb ischemia or wound infection. Disadvantages may include longer access time and an additional chest incision.
The Prevalence and Predictors of Improper Sharps Collection Practices Among People With Diabetes in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Al-Sofiani Mohammed E. , Alsuwailem Ghadah , Barakeh Maee , Almarshoud Ghaida , Zawawi Alia , Bakader Rawan 
Published: February 2025

Background: Diabetes treatment requires the use of medical sharps for glycemic control. Improper sharps collection and disposal poses substantial threats to people with diabetes (PWD), health care professionals, the environment, and public health. Objectives: To identify the prevalence and predictors of improper sharps collection practices among PWD in Saudi Arabia. Methods: We surveyed 288 PWD at King Saud University Diabetes Center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from September to October 2021. We asked questions about demographics, diabetes history, sharps collection practices, and prior education on proper sharps collection practices. We defined “proper sharps collection” as: using a designated sharps disposal container or homemade sealed container to collect sharps. Results: Of the PWD surveyed, 60% were women, 54% were ≥35 years old, and 53% had type 1 diabetes. Most respondents (80% and 72%) reported improper collection of needles and lancets, respectively. Approximately, 56% of needle users and 61% of lancet users reported that they had never received instructions on safe sharps disposal. Receiving education on safe sharps disposal practices was associated with a 66% reduction in the risk of improper sharps collection practices (odds ratio (OR) [95% confidence interval (CI)]: 0.34 [0.16-0.68]) after adjusting for age, gender, type and duration of diabetes, income, education, and nationality of the study participants. Among those who improperly dispose their needles, 67% thought their sharps collection practices were appropriate. Conclusions: Our findings highlight the high prevalence of unsafe sharps collection practices among PWD in Saudi Arabia, and how prior education on safe sharps collection practices can help address this environmental and public health threat. Policies to reduce diabetes-related waste, unify the approach to proper sharps collection and disposal, and promote safe disposal education are needed to achieve a sustainable and safe waste management system.
Sex-Based Comparisons of Hamstrings-to-Quadriceps Ratio Across the Velocity Spectrum
Authors: Searles Samantha , Hood James , Wood Morgan , Bello Marissa , Smith JohnEric , Gillen Zachary 
Published: February 2025

Background: Women are typically more prone to knee injuries than men, possibly due to poorer hamstrings-to-quadriceps ratio (HTQ), particularly during fast velocity movements. Hypothesis: Men would have greater HTQ across velocity than women. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Level of Evidence: 2. Methods: Ultrasound images quantified quadriceps and hamstrings muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) in 27 study participants (14 women, age, 24 ± 4 years; 13 men, age, 25 ± 6 years). Peak torque (PT) was taken from maximal voluntary isometric contractions (MVICs) and isokinetic leg extension and flexion contractions from 60° to 300° s–1. Independent samples t-tests examined differences in CSA and HTQ from CSA. Mixed-factorial ANOVAs examined differences in PT and HTQ from PT. Results: Men had larger CSA and PT than women for leg extension and flexion across velocity ( P < .01). There were no sex-based differences in the HTQ from CSA or PT across velocity ( P ≥ .11). For both groups, leg extension PT decreased from MVIC to 300° s–1 ( P ≤ .04). For women, leg flexion PT was the same from MVIC to 60° s–1 ( P > .98), decreased from 60° to 180° s–1 ( P < .01), and plateaued from 180° to 300° s–1 ( P ≥ .07). For men, leg flexion PT decreased from MVIC to 300° s–1 ( P ≤ .03). For both groups, HTQ increased from MVIC to 60° s–1 ( P < .01), then plateaued from 60° to 300° s–1 ( P > .98). Conclusion: Both groups had similar patterns of response for leg extension PT and HTQ across velocity, with no sex-based differences for HTQ. Factors other than HTQ may account for the potential sex-based difference in knee injury risk. Clinical Relevance: Increased knee injury predisposition for women compared with men may be due to neuromuscular control or anatomy rather than HTQ.
Navigating the Shift: Comparing Safety and Cost of Tenecteplase versus Alteplase in Acute Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Cassano Carina , Schiller Daryl , Fulman Magda 
Published: February 2025

Background and Purpose Recently, institutions have been transitioning to tenecteplase (TNK) as the primary agent for stroke management instead of alteplase (tPA) due to its comparable safety and cost-effectiveness. Despite TNK’s potential cost benefits, there’s limited literature on how wasted doses impact the overall cost. This study aimed to compare the safety and cost of TNK to tPA following the transition to TNK as the primary agent for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) management at a community hospital. Methods This retrospective study compared patients treated with tPA or TNK for AIS. The primary outcome was a composite of intracranial hemorrhage, any other bleed, and death from any cause. Secondary outcomes included the individual components of the primary outcome, length of hospitalization, time from administration decision to medication administration, readmission rate, medication costs, and wasted doses. Results 48 AIS patients who received either tPA or TNK between November 2021 and February 2024 were included. TNK didn’t result in more occurrences of the primary outcome compared to tPA (OR 1.00, 95% CI 0.25 to 4.03). The TNK group had a shorter median length of hospitalization and decreased elapsed time from administration decision to administration. The cost difference between a 50 mg kit of TNK and a 100 mg vial of tPA is about $1100. The total number of wasted doses was 10 for tPA and 12 for TNK. Conclusions There was no difference in safety between TNK and tPA. While TNK offers cost savings, poor waste management could undermine its overall cost-effectiveness.