bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A case of superficial acral fibromyxoma masquerading as squamous cell carcinoma of the thumb: A case report
Authors: Magtulis Nadra S. , Guevara Bryan Edgar K. 
Published: June 2024

AbstractA wide spectrum of tumors may affect the periungual spaces of the digits. Superficial acral fibromyxoma (SAF) is a rare, benign soft tissue tumor with diverse clinical presentations. We present a case of a 55‐year‐old woman with a 2‐year history of a solitary periungual tumor on the left thumb, subjected to multiple episodes of trauma. Initially suspected to be a periungual squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) based on clinical and dermoscopic features, the tumor was confirmed to be a CD34− SAF through histopathology and immunohistochemistry. Although CD34 immunoreactivity is common in SAF, one‐third of these tumors, including this case, do not stain for this marker. Periungual SCC considered a “great mimicker of nail tumors,” may resemble other benign nail tumors such as SAF. The patient underwent complete surgical excision with primary closure, resulting in no recurrence after 1 year. This case highlights SAF as an underrecognized benign entity that may manifest with features suspicious of malignancy, potentially leading to unnecessarily aggressive interventions. Recognizing SAF through accurate biopsy techniques and thorough histopathologic evaluation, even in the absence of CD34 reactivity, is crucial for appropriate treatment and preservation of hand function and appearance.
Association of body adiposity with left ventricular concentric remodeling and diastolic dysfunction
Authors: Cho In‐Jeong , Lee Sang‐Eun , Pyun Wook Bum 
Published: June 2024

AbstractBackgroundObesity is a significant risk factor for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). In this study, we explore the relationships between body mass index (BMI) and adipose tissue compartments such as visceral adipose tissue (VAT), subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), and epicardial adipose tissue (EAT), with respect to left ventricular (LV) structure and function in subjects with preserved LV systolic function.MethodsBetween January and December 2020, this retrospective study included 749 participants who exhibited preserved LV systolic function and underwent transthoracic echocardiography along with abdominal computed tomography. LV structural and functional variables as well as EAT, VAT, and SAT thickness were evaluated using echocardiography and computed tomography.ResultsSAT decreased, while VAT and EAT progressively increased with age. There were significant correlations between BMI and various adipose tissues, with the strongest correlation observed with SAT (r = .491, p < .001) compared to VAT (r = .371, p < .001) or EAT (r = .135, p < .001). However, EAT demonstrated the most substantial association with decreased LV end‐diastolic dimension, LV end‐systolic dimension, and septal mitral annular velocity and increased relative wall thickness (all p < .05), while VAT and SAT did not show significant associations with LV remodeling and functional parameters after adjusting for clinical variables.ConclusionEAT is the most critical adipose tissue influencing LV geometric and functional changes, compared with VAT or SAT. Thick EAT is associated small LV chamber size, concentric remodeling, and relaxation abnormalities.
Misinformation, consumer risk perceptions, and markets: The impact of an information shock on vaping and smoking cessation
Authors: Jin Lawrence , Kenkel Don , Lovenheim Michael , Mathios Alan , Wang Hua 
Published: June 2024

AbstractWe study the impact of an information shock created by an outbreak of lung injuries apparently related to e‐cigarettes. We use data from multiple sources: surveys of risk perceptions conducted before, during, and after the outbreak; an in‐depth survey on risk perceptions and vaping and smoking behavior; and national aggregate time‐series sales data. We find that after the outbreak, consumer perceptions of the riskiness of e‐cigarettes sharply increased. From our estimated e‐cigarette demand models, we conclude that the information shock reduced e‐cigarette demand and the use of e‐cigarettes for smoking cessation by about 30 percent.
Cerebrospinal fluid and blood neurofilament light chain levels in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal degeneration: A meta‐analysis
Authors: Verde Federico , Licaj Sara , Soranna Davide , Ticozzi Nicola , Silani Vincenzo , Zambon Antonella 
Published: June 2024

AbstractBackground and purposeNeurofilament light chain (NFL) has been shown to be increased in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and, to a lesser extent, in frontotemporal dementia (FTD). A meta‐analysis of NFL in ALS and FTD was performed.MethodsAvailable studies comparing cerebrospinal fluid and blood NFL levels in ALS versus neurologically healthy controls (NHCs), other neurological diseases (ONDs) and ALS mimics, as well as in FTD and related entities (behavioural variant of FTD and frontotemporal lobar degeneration syndromes) versus NHCs, ONDs and other dementias were evaluated.ResultsIn ALS, both cerebrospinal fluid and blood levels of NFL were higher compared to other categories. In FTD, behavioural variant of FTD and frontotemporal lobar degeneration syndromes, NFL levels were consistently higher compared to NHCs; however, several comparisons with ONDs and other dementias did not demonstrate significant differences.DiscussionAmyotrophic lateral sclerosis is characterized by higher NFL levels compared to most other conditions. In contrast, NFL is not as good at discriminating FTD from other dementias.
Evolution of “invasion syndrome” in invasive goldenrod is not constrained by genetic trade‐offs
Authors: Rigby Laura C. , Hall Matthew D. , Monro Keyne , Uesugi Akane 
Published: June 2024

AbstractA suite of plant traits is thought to make weed populations highly invasive, including vigorous growth and reproduction, superior competitive ability, and high dispersal ability. Using a breeding design and a common garden experiment, we tested whether such an “invasion syndrome” has evolved in an invasive range of Solidago altissima, and whether the evolution is likely to be genetically constrained. We found an overall shift in invasive phenotypes between native North American and invasive Japanese populations. The invasive populations were taller and produced more leaves, suggesting a superior ability to exploit limited resources. The populations also produced more allelopathic compounds that can suppress competitor growth. Finally, invasive populations produced more seeds, which are smaller and are released from a greater height, indicating a potential for superior dispersal ability than the native populations. Quantitative genetics analyses found a large amount of additive genetic variation in most focal traits across native and invasive populations, with no systematic differences in its magnitude between the ranges. Genetic covariances among three traits representing invasion strategies (leaf mass, polyacetylene concentration and seed size) were small. The R metric, which measures the effect of genetic covariances on the rate of adaptation, indicated that the covariance neither constrains nor accelerates concerted evolution of these traits. The results suggest that the invasion syndrome in S. altissima has evolved in the novel range due to ample additive genetic variation, and relatively free from genetic trade‐offs.
The effect of implementing a dialysis start unit on modality decision among patients with unplanned start kidney replacement therapy
Authors: Goldman Shira , Bargman Joanne M. , Lok Charmaine E. , Gozdzik Anna , Perl Jeffrey , Chan Christopher T. 
Published: June 2024

AbstractIntroductionMany individuals start dialysis in an acute setting with suboptimal pre‐dialysis education. These individuals are often treated with central venous catheter insertion and initiation of in‐center hemodialysis and only a minority will transfer to a home‐based therapy. The dialysis start unit is a program performing in‐center hemodialysis in a separate space while providing support and education on chronic kidney disease and treatment options in the initial weeks of kidney replacement therapy. We aimed to assess the uptake of home dialysis therapies between 2013 and 2021 among patients who started acute inpatient hemodialysis at University Health Network, Toronto and underwent dialysis at the dialysis start unit.MethodsThis is a retrospective observational cohort study based on prospectively collected data. Patients' demographics were obtained from electronic charts. In the dialysis start unit, all patients received dialysis modality education by a nurse educator, dedicated home dialysis nurses, and the allied health care team.FindingsDuring 2013–2021, 122 patients were dialyzed in the dialysis start unit and included in the study. Among those patients, 68 patients ultimately chose home dialysis (57 peritoneal dialysis and 11 home hemodialysis). Fifty‐four patients continued in‐center hemodialysis. Patients adopting home dialysis were less likely to have diabetes and hypertension as the etiology of kidney failure and more likely to have glomerulonephritis or vasculitis.DiscussionDialysis modality education is implementable in advanced chronic kidney disease. Individualized education and care after unplanned start dialysis can potentially enhance home dialysis choice and utilization.
Targeting social welfare for people with severe mental illness: A review of policies in China and a call for further action
Authors: Yu Yue‐Hui , Xu Bo 
Published: June 2024

AbstractSevere mental illness (SMI) has long been a focus of public health attention. Due to stigma, people with SMI face strong social discrimination and are one of the most vulnerable groups in a society. Building a sound social welfare system is of paramount importance to address their vulnerabilities. China has accumulated a large body of policy practice, but there is still a lack of critical review in this area. Drawing on the framework developed by WHO, this article provides a comprehensive review of China's policy progress in addressing the health care, rehabilitation, life support and social participation needs of people with SMI, as well as the collaborative governance system and detailed policy arrangements. This review raises a number of policy‐related issues for further consideration, such as strengthening community mental health services, improving life support for people with SMI, and reconciling the values of public safety and patients' rights.
Did employers abandon collective bargaining? A comparative analysis of the weakening of collective bargaining in the OECD
Authors: Visser Jelle 
Published: June 2024

AbstractThe paper takes up two questions. Do we observe, universally in the advanced capitalist world, the weakening of collective bargaining? Have employers everywhere and always tried to achieve this outcome and abandoned structures and policies that sustain collective bargaining? For answering the first question, the paper proposes three indicators—bargaining coverage, centralisation and control, measuring the incidence of collective agreements across workers and workplaces, the degree to which these agreements are bound by rules set by agents at higher levels, and whether these rules are enforced. For answering the second question the paper proposes a model that considers the relative strength of organised labour versus capital, the coordinating capacities of employers and the inheritance of past investments in collective bargaining. The analysis covers 32 Member States of the OECD with annual data on unions, employers and collective bargaining from 1980 to 2019.
Challenges in developing information and communication technology (ICT) use for rural e‐governance: An ecology perspective
Authors: Shou Minghuan , Jia Furong , Yu Jie , Wu Yi 
Published: June 2024

AbstractThe utilisation of information and communication technology (ICT) has a profound impact on e‐governance across countries, albeit, with limited attention to rural areas. The existing literature on this topic either examines the positive effects of ICT use on e‐governance at the individual level or from the urban–rural dichotomy perspective. Meanwhile, the majority of studies are conducted within an urban context, but they scarcely focus on identifying the challenges in developing rural e‐governance. As such, we contend that an ecology perspective is necessary to identify the specific distinctions of ICT use on e‐governance in various rural ecosystems. To this end, we employ various empirical specifications, namely a fixed‐effects model and an instrumental variable approach, to provide evidence of distinct influences of ICT use on e‐governance. As follows, we adopt a qualitative research approach to gather evidence on the differentiations of ICT use on rural e‐governance within diverse ecosystems. Subsequently, we have identified five crucial obstacles encountered by rural ecosystems in Western China while attempting to develop e‐governance. Furthermore, we delineate an all‐encompassing internal‐external strategy to overcome these challenges.
Evaluating input‐ and output‐specific inefficiency in courts of justice. An empirical study of Polish district courts
Authors: Kapelko Magdalena 
Published: June 2024

AbstractEfficient judicial systems are acknowledged to benefit economic growth, firm competition, entrepreneurship, and financial market development. The goal of this paper is to measure the relative technical inefficiency of Polish district courts for the period 2017–2021 in civil, criminal, and family cases. Unlike other papers on justice (in)efficiency, this study uses input‐specific and output‐specific production models combined with the Data Envelopment Analysis technique. This approach allows for assessment of the contributions of specific inputs and outputs to overall court inefficiency. The results show considerable differences in inefficiencies with regard to courts’ specific inputs and outputs and the types of cases being processed. The evidence shows that the greatest inefficiency is found among court workers (i.e., other judicial staff and judges), while among judges, it is civil judges, with this result being robust to the model's specification. According to the results, the year 2020 marked a clear increase in the inefficiency of almost all variables, which can be attributed to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic and restrictions on the functioning of the courts. Finally, the results also highlight a heterogeneity among courts depending on their geographical location and size, with courts related to the largest cities and those of large size tending to be the most inefficient.
‘Walk Buds’: A walking intervention to increase physical activity, physical fitness, and emotional wellbeing, in 9–13 year old children with intellectual disabilities. Results of a clustered randomised feasibility trial
Authors: Mullhall Peter , Taggart Laurence , McDermott Gary , Slater Paul , Fitzpatrick Ben , Murphy Marie H. , Hassiotis Angela , Johnston Anne 
Published: June 2024

AbstractBackgroundChildren with intellectual disability are less physically active and more sedentary than typically developing peers. To date no studies have tested the feasibility of a school‐based walking intervention for children with Intellectual Disability.MethodA clustered randomised controlled trial (cRCT), with an embedded process evaluation, was used to test the feasibility of a school‐based walking intervention. Eight schools (n = 161 pupils aged 9–13 years) were randomised into either an intervention arm or an ‘exercise as usual’ arm. Measures included physical activity, physical fitness and emotional wellbeing. Baseline and 3‐month follow‐up data were collected.ResultsThe ‘Walk Buds’ intervention was found to be acceptable to teaching staff and pupils, with an uptake rate of the walking sessions offered of 84%.ConclusionA number of challenges were experienced, relating to the COVID‐19 pandemic, and difficulties collecting accelerometer data. Barriers, facilitators and required changes identified through the mixed methods process evaluation are discussed.
Association between baseline blood pressure variability and left heart function following short‐term extreme cold exposure
Authors: Chen Renzheng , Yang Qian , Wang Yabin , Fang Yan , Cao Feng 
Published: June 2024

AbstractExtreme cold exposure has been widely considered as a cardiac stress and may result in cardiac function decompensation. This study was to examine the risk factors that contribute to changes in cardiovascular indicators of cardiac function following extreme cold exposure and to provide valuable insights into the preservation of cardiac function and the cardiac adaptation that occur in real‐world cold environment. Seventy subjects were exposed to cold outside (Mohe, mean temperature −17 to −34°C) for one day, and were monitored by a 24‐h ambulatory blood pressure device and underwent echocardiography examination before and after extreme cold exposure. After exposure to extreme cold, 41 subjects exhibited an increase in ejection fraction (EF), while 29 subjects experienced a decrease. Subjects with elevated EF had lower baseline coefficients of variation (CV) in blood pressure compared to those in the EF decrease group. Additionally, the average real variability (ARV) of blood pressure was also significantly lower in the EF increase group. Multivariate regression analysis indicated that both baseline CV and ARV of blood pressure were independent risk factors for EF decrease, and both indicators proved effective for prognostic evaluation. Correlation analysis revealed a correlation between baseline blood pressure CV and ARV, as well as EF variation after exposure to extreme cold environment. Our research clearly indicated that baseline cardiovascular indicators were closely associated with the changes in EF after extreme cold exposure. Furthermore, baseline blood pressure variability could effectively predict alterations in left cardiac functions when individuals were exposed to extreme cold environment.
Executive functioning and treatment outcome among adolescents undergoing cognitive‐behavioral therapy for binge‐eating disorder
Authors: Goldschmidt Andrea B. , Jeong Kwonho , Yu Lan , Egbert Amy H. , Schmidt Ricarda , Hilbert Anja 
Published: June 2024

BackgroundCognitive‐behavioral therapy (CBT) is an evidence‐supported treatment for adolescents with binge‐eating disorder (BED). Executive dysfunctions, which are associated with binge eating and elevated body weight in youth, may undermine CBT outcomes by making it difficult for youth to engage with or adhere to treatment, including recalling and/or implementing intervention strategies in real‐world contexts.MethodsWe assessed 73 adolescents [82.2% female; Mage = 15.0 ± 2.5 year; M baseline standardized body mass index (zBMI) = 1.9 ± 1.0 kg/m2] with BED at baseline, posttreatment, 6‐, 12‐, and 24‐month follow‐up. Linear mixed models examined the effects of baseline executive functioning (EF) on loss of control (LOC) eating and weight change following CBT. Linear and logistic regressions probed associations between EF, attendance, and attrition.ResultsMore impulsive decision‐making, as reflected in higher baseline scores on the Iowa Gambling Task, predicted better attendance (β = .07; p = .019) and more frequent LOC eating following treatment (β = .12; p = .017). Lower cognitive flexibility, as reflected in lower baseline T‐scores on the Comprehensive Trail Making Test complex sequencing index, predicted higher zBMI following treatment (β = −.03; p = .003). Inhibition, concentration, attention, and parent‐reported EF behavior symptoms were not associated with outcome, attendance, or attrition.ConclusionsMore impulsive decision‐making and lower cognitive flexibility were associated with suboptimal response to CBT for BED, although findings should be interpreted with caution in light of the sample size and waitlist control design. Future research should examine whether strengthening EF could improve eating and weight outcomes among adolescents with BED who have lower pre‐treatment EF.
Comparative effectiveness of eHealth interventions on the exercise endurance and quality of life of patients with COPD: A systematic review and network meta‐analysis
Authors: Chang Hui , Zhou Jia , Chen Yundi , Wang Xiuhong , Wang Zhiwen 
Published: June 2024

AbstractAimsTo compare the effectiveness of different types of eHealth interventions in improving exercise endurance and quality of life in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients.BackgroundCOPD is a chronic airway disease characterized by persistent respiratory symptoms and airflow limitation. eHealth interventions have been accepted and recognized by healthcare professionals and COPD patients as an effective alternative to pulmonary rehabilitation. However, it is not clear which eHealth interventions are effective and preferred for exercise endurance and quality of life in COPD patients.DesignA systematic review and network meta‐analysis based on PRISMA‐NMA.MethodsWe searched nine electronic databases to identify randomized controlled trials addressing the effect of eHealth interventions on the exercise endurance and quality of life of COPD patients from their inception to 30 October 2022. First, a random‐effects model was chosen to conduct a traditional meta‐analysis to directly investigate the efficacy of different eHealth interventions. Next, a network meta‐analysis was performed to evaluate the relative efficacy of the eHealth interventions for COPD. The quality of the data was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool.ResultsFifty‐one studies containing six eHealth interventions (telemonitoring, application [APP], web‐based interventions, phone calls, virtual reality and combined interventions [≥two types]) were included in the final analysis. Network meta‐analysis showed that telemonitoring, APP, web‐based interventions and combined interventions improved exercise endurance in COPD patients, with telemonitoring being the most effective. Web‐based interventions and apps are effective in improving the quality of life, and web‐based interventions are the most effective.ConclusionsThis study confirms that eHealth interventions can improve exercise endurance and quality of life in COPD patients. In the future, healthcare professionals can promote the use of telemedicine in COPD patients to enhance their exercise endurance and quality of life according to their individual needs.Relevance to Clinical PracticeThis evidence suggests that eHealth interventions can improve exercise endurance and quality of life in COPD patients. Therefore, in the future, eHealth interventions could be used to maximize their effectiveness in improving exercise endurance and quality of life in COPD patients.