bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Real‐world efficacy of dupilumab in four cases of paediatric‐onset fibrostenotic eosinophilic esophagitis
Authors: Patel Sophia A. 
Published: June 2024

AbstractEosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is an increasingly prevalent immune‐mediated disease that leads to chronic changes in the oesophagus. These changes can include strictures, narrowing, and stenosis, mediated by an interleukin (IL)‐13 pathway, which leads to remodelling and fibrosis through increasing migration of fibroblasts and subepithelial fibrosis via collagen deposition 1. IL‐13 downregulates TSPAN12, a gene whose expression regulates fibrosis and causes changes in barrier function and higher rates of fibrostenosis in EoE. Dupilumab, a biologic therapy aimed at blocking IL‐13, has been shown to improve EoE‐related inflammation and fibrosis in clinical trials. We report here four unique patients with documented oesophageal stenosis with inability to pass a paediatric endoscope due to structuring disease, requiring dilation, who had resolution of their oesophageal narrowing following dupilumab therapy.
Saving one's face while saving one's soul? The refraction of tactical approaches to penance as a disciplinary device in Counter‐Reformation Italy
Authors: Zampieri Giovanni 
Published: June 2024

AbstractSociohistorical research suggests that religious discourses and practices have been powerful in producing disciplined lines of conduct. Typically, however, this work has only considered the long‐term consequences of discursive shifts or the one‐sided outcomes of disciplinary practices. In contrast, this paper shows how the creative appropriation of disciplinary devices can instigate their transfiguration into additional disciplinary tools. By examining manuals for confession published in Counter‐Reformation Italy, I identify three tactics via which believers allegedly approached Sacramental Penance as an impression management tool. The authors of these cultural objects detected the diffusion of these tactics and circulated their depictions to alert confessors and stigmatize believers who enacted them. These findings suggest that the theorizing of disciplining processes has to consider how the tactical appropriation of disciplinary practices can trigger processes of refraction via which their negative representations are reified and circulated as further disciplinary tools.
Analyzing the effectiveness of the interagency coordination on environmental risk communication to the Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh
Authors: Campbell Thomas , Ahmed Saleh , Winkler Brittany 
Published: June 2024

AbstractRefugees often face structural inequities, a disproportionate share of environmental challenges, and receive inadequate risk information. In most cases, the host country, United Nations, and other humanitarian organizations provide critical weather and climate information and disaster risk management support. This is equally true for the Rohingya refugee in Bangladesh, who fled their home country Myanmar as a response to political violence. To provide critical humanitarian services to the Rohingya population, the in‐country United Nations agencies formed the Inter‐Sector Coordination Group (ISCG). This paper investigates the effectiveness of the ISCG's strategies for communicating monsoon risks in the Rohingya context. Particularly, it measures ISCG communication effectiveness by both the increased formalization of ISCG communication and the number of Rohingya refugees affected during the monsoon seasons in the years 2021–2022. The paper highlights the importance of the ISCG's existence in this humanitarian context as an effective coordinating institution. The ISCG provides impoartant environmental risk information to partner organizations that benefit the Rohingya's overall physical well‐being. Even though the geographical focus of this paper is on the Rohingya populations in Cox's Bazar, the discussions and findings have important policy implications in other parts of the world facing similar social, environmental, political, and humanitarian challenges.
At‐the‐market equity offerings and cash flow shortfalls: Evidence from real estate investment trusts
Authors: Howton Shawn , Howton Shelly , Scheick Benjamin 
Published: June 2024

AbstractThis article examines how access to at‐the‐market (ATM) equity offering programs can help mitigate the adverse effect of temporary cash flow shortfalls on firm performance. Using asset‐level exposure to the spread of COVID‐19 as a proxy for a REIT's sensitivity to a future operational cash flow shock, we find that ATM program access reduces the magnitude of the negative performance effect by nearly 70%. We extend our analysis outside of the pandemic period to provide further evidence of the broader importance of ATM program access as an important source of financial flexibility during more general periods of cash flow uncertainty.
Sleep–wake variations of electrodermal activity in bipolar disorder
Authors: Valenzuela‐Pascual Clàudia , Mas Ariadna , Borràs Roger , Anmella Gerard , Sanabra Miriam , González‐Campos Meritxell , Valentí Marc , Pacchiarotti Isabella , Benabarre Antoni , Grande Iria , De Prisco Michele , Oliva Vincenzo , Bastidas Anna , Agasi Isabel , Young Allan H. , Garriga Marina , Murru Andrea , Corponi Filippo , Li Bryan M. , de Looff Peter , Vieta Eduard , Hidalgo‐Mazzei Diego 
Published: June 2024

AbstractBackgroundAffective states influence the sympathetic nervous system, inducing variations in electrodermal activity (EDA), however, EDA association with bipolar disorder (BD) remains uncertain in real‐world settings due to confounders like physical activity and temperature. We analysed EDA separately during sleep and wakefulness due to varying confounders and potential differences in mood state discrimination capacities.MethodsWe monitored EDA from 102 participants with BD including 35 manic, 29 depressive, 38 euthymic patients, and 38 healthy controls (HC), for 48 h. Fifteen EDA features were inferred by mixed‐effect models for repeated measures considering sleep state, group and covariates.ResultsThirteen EDA feature models were significantly influenced by sleep state, notably including phasic peaks (p < 0.001). During wakefulness, phasic peaks showed different values for mania (M [SD] = 6.49 [5.74, 7.23]), euthymia (5.89 [4.83, 6.94]), HC (3.04 [1.65, 4.42]), and depression (3.00 [2.07, 3.92]). Four phasic features during wakefulness better discriminated between HC and mania or euthymia, and between depression and euthymia or mania, compared to sleep. Mixed symptoms, average skin temperature, and anticholinergic medication affected the models, while sex and age did not.ConclusionEDA measured from awake recordings better distinguished between BD states than sleep recordings, when controlled by confounders.
Trends in overweight and obesity in Bergen, Norway, using data from routine child healthcare 2010–2022
Authors: Balthasar Melissa R. , Roelants Mathieu , Brannsether‐Ellingsen Bente , Bjarnason Ragnar , Bergh Ingunn H. , Kvalvik Liv G. , Stangenes Kristine M. , Jugessur Astanand , Tollånes Mette C. , Markussen Finn , Juliusson Petur B. 
Published: June 2024

AbstractAimTrends in childhood overweight, obesity and severe obesity have been lacking in Norway. This study assessed pre‐pandemic trends from 2010 to 2019 and evaluated differences in prevalence during the 2020–2022 pandemic years.MethodsRoutine height and weight measurements from child and school health centres were extracted retrospectively from children aged 2, 4, 6, 8 and 13 years. Overweight, obesity and severe obesity was classified according to the International Obesity Task Force cut‐offs. Pre‐pandemic trends were estimated using linear regression. The prevalence during the pandemic was compared to the 95% prediction interval of this model.ResultsWe obtained 181 527 body mass index measurements on 78 024 children (51.0% boys). There was a decrease in the prevalence of overweight including obesity from 2010 to 2019 in boys and this was statistically significant at 4 and 13 years of age. We found no significant trends in girls during this period. During the pandemic, the prevalence of overweight including obesity exceeded the prediction intervals for boys aged 4, 6, and 8 years, and for 6‐year‐old girls.ConclusionFrom 2010–2019, overweight including obesity plateaued in girls and decreased in boys but increased during the pandemic among prepubertal boys. Routine healthcare data is useful for estimating the prevalence of different weight status.
Successful robotic‐assisted resection of an esophageal duplication cyst in the upper thoracic esophagus: A case report with surgical video
Authors: Matsuoka Kohei , Kubo Naoshi , Sakurai Katsunobu , Hasegawa Tsuyoshi , Nishimura Junya , Iseki Yasuhito , Murata Akihiro , Kodai Shintaro , Nishii Takafumi , Shimizu Sadatoshi , Inoue Toru , Nishiguchi Yukio , Maeda Kiyoshi 
Published: June 2024

AbstractEsophageal duplication cysts are rare congenital noncancerous growths. Symptoms of this disease are reported to be asymptomatic in approximately 70% but include respiratory symptoms such as coughing and difficulty breathing. Minimally invasive removal of these cysts without esophagectomy is typically recommended. However, when the cyst is situated in the upper mediastinum, surgical excision becomes technically challenging. Here, we report a case of an obese female patient with esophageal duplication cyst in the upper mediastinum who underwent successfully robotic‐assisted complete removal of the cyst. A 50‐year‐old woman presented to a local clinic with a persistent cough and hoarseness lasting 4 months. A computed tomography scan revealed a large cystic tumor in the upper mediastinum, causing displacement of the trachea. The resection of the cystic tumor was safely performed with robotic assistance. The use of robotic system for the removal of esophageal duplication cyst is technically safe and feasible.
The role of parenting‐ and employment‐related variables on fathers' involvement in their children's education
Authors: Mancini Vincent , Nevill Thom , Mazzucchelli Trevor , Chhabra Jasleen , Robinson Bruce 
Published: June 2024

AbstractBackgroundParent involvement strongly correlates with children's educational attainment. Sociocultural shifts in parenting roles and shared responsibilities have driven an increase in the need for involvement of fathers in activities to support their children's educational development. Several factors are thought to influence father involvement in children's education; however, the most salient factors remain unclear.AimsTo examine which variables correlate with father involvement in their children's education using a combination of demographic, parent‐related and employment‐related variance.SampleA total of 166 fathers of at least one child aged 6–17 years and residing across five industrialized Western countries participated in an online survey.MethodHierarchical multiple regression analysis (HMRA) was performed to examine the total and incremental variance using regression models including demographic, parenting‐ and employment‐related variables linked to educational involvement.Results and ConclusionsThe variables included in the current study could explain a large and statistically significant 34% of the variability in fathers' educational involvement. Of these variables, only four were statistically significant in the final model. Specifically, fathers were more likely to be engaged in their children's education when their children were younger, and when parent self‐efficacy, positive work‐to‐family interface and financial anxiety were high. The study's findings indicate that a positive work environment can help fathers better support their children's education, offering a new focus for future interventions and policies. This includes those focused on targeting work‐related constructs to optimize family functioning.
Efficacy and safety of tocilizumab in patients with refractory generalized myasthenia gravis
Authors: Ruan Zhe , Tang Yonglan , Gao Ting , Li Chunhong , Guo Rongjing , Sun Chao , Huang Xiaoxi , Li Zhuyi , Chang Ting 
Published: June 2024

AbstractBackgroundWe aimed to compare the efficacy of tocilizumab with conventional immunotherapy in refractory patients with acetylcholine receptor antibody‐positive (AChR‐Ab+) generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG).MethodsThis single‐center prospective cohort study was based on patients from an MG registry study in China and conducted from February 10, 2021 to March 31, 2022. Adult refractory patients with AChR‐Ab+ gMG were assigned to tocilizumab or conventional immunotherapy groups. The primary efficacy outcome was the mean difference of MG activities of daily living (MG‐ADL) change at weeks 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24 corresponding to that at the baseline between the two groups. A generalized estimating equation model was used for the primary outcome analysis. Safety was assessed based on adverse events.ResultsOf 34 eligible patients, 20 (mean [standard deviation] age, 53.8 [21.9] years; 12 [60.0%] female) received tocilizumab and 14 received conventional immunotherapy (45.8 [18.0] years; 8 [57.1%] female). The tocilizumab group had greater reduction in MG‐ADL score at week 4 (adjusted mean difference, −3.4; 95% CI, −4.7 to −2.0; p < 0.001) than the conventional immunotherapy group, with significant differences sustained through week 24 (adjusted mean difference, −4.5; 95% CI, −6.4 to −2.6; p < 0.001). At week 24, the proportion of patients achieving higher levels of MG‐ADL (up to 7‐point reduction) and QMG (up to 11‐point reduction) scores improvement was significantly greater with tocilizumab. Tocilizumab had acceptable safety profiles without severe or unexpected safety issues.ConclusionTocilizumab is safe and effective in improving the MG‐ADL score and reducing prednisone dose in refractory AChR‐Ab+ gMG, suggesting tocilizumab has the potential to be a valuable therapeutic option for such patients.
Draught and draught‐related breeds are also affected by testicular teratoma: A retrospective study on cryptorchidism
Authors: G. Bonilla Alvaro , Lamy Eva 
Published: June 2024

SummaryBackgroundThere is limited information regarding cryptorchid teratomas other than a few case report studies, and almost all involved standard‐frame horse breeds.ObjectiveTo investigate the prevalence of testicular teratoma in horses presented for cryptorchidism and to determine its relationship with horse breeds.Study designRetrospective case series.MethodsMedical records from all horses presented for cryptorchidism that underwent surgical cryptorchidectomy between January 2010 and August 2021 in a single institution were reviewed. Additionally, cryptorchid horses with a histopathological diagnosis of testicular teratoma were further analysed.ResultsCryptorchidectomy was performed in 220 horses (253 testicles: 187 unilateral and 33 bilateral). Left abdominal cryptorchidism was the most common presentation (101/187, 54%), followed by right abdominal (37/187, 20%) and then, right (27/187, 14%) and left (22/187, 12%) inguinal. A teratoma was confirmed via histopathology in two Draughts, one Draught‐related breed (Canadian horse) and one Paint. Unfortunately, a pre‐operative diagnosis of teratoma was not reached in 3/3 horses where only routine caudal ultrasonography was performed. Draught and draught‐related breeds represented 6% (2219/36,857) of the hospital caseload during the study period and 11% (24/220) of the entire cryptorchid population. Draught and draught‐related breeds had a 37.1 relative risk ratio of having a cryptorchid teratoma (95% CI: 7.85–175.73) in this study. However, this may have been coincidental or specific to our geographic location given the small number of affected cases.Main limitationsRetrospective nature of the study, small population of horses, one institution and by extent one geographical location.ConclusionsWe found that cryptorchid teratomas are encountered with a high prevalence in our draught and draught‐related breed caseload. A thorough pre‐operative ultrasound, including cranio‐ventral abdomen, may be recommended in cryptorchids to facilitate identification of large teratomas lying cranially within the abdomen as well as surgical planning.
Convolution‐enhanced vision transformer method for lower limb exoskeleton locomotion mode recognition
Authors: Zheng Jianbin , Wang Chaojie , Huang Liping , Gao Yifan , Yan Ruoxi , Yang Chunbo , Gao Yang , Wang Yu 
Published: June 2024

AbstractProviding the human body with smooth and natural assistance through lower limb exoskeletons is crucial. However, a significant challenge is identifying various locomotion modes to enable the exoskeleton to offer seamless support. In this study, we propose a method for locomotion mode recognition named Convolution‐enhanced Vision Transformer (Conv‐ViT). This method maximizes the benefits of convolution for feature extraction and fusion, as well as the self‐attention mechanism of the Transformer, to efficiently capture and handle long‐term dependencies among different positions within the input sequence. By equipping the exoskeleton with inertial measurement units, we collected motion data from 27 healthy subjects, using it as input to train the Conv‐ViT model. To ensure the exoskeleton's stability and safety during transitions between various locomotion modes, we not only examined the typical five steady modes (involving walking on level ground [WL], stair ascent [SA], stair descent [SD], ramp ascent [RA], and ramp descent [RD]) but also extensively explored eight locomotion transitions (including WL‐SA, WL‐SD, WL‐RA, WL‐RD, SA‐WL, SD‐WL, RA‐WL, RD‐WL). In tasks involving the recognition of five steady locomotions and eight transitions, the recognition accuracy reached 98.87% and 96.74%, respectively. Compared with three popular algorithms, ViT, convolutional neural networks, and support vector machine, the results show that the proposed method has the best recognition performance, and there are highly significant differences in accuracy and F1 score compared to other methods. Finally, we also demonstrated the excellent performance of Conv‐ViT in terms of generalization performance.
Patients' and Caregivers' Suggestions for Improving Assisted Dying Regulation: A Qualitative Study in Australia and Canada
Authors: Jeanneret Ruthie , Close Eliana , Willmott Lindy , Downie Jocelyn , White Ben P. 
Published: June 2024

ABSTRACTIntroductionAssisted dying (AD) has been legalised in a small but growing number of jurisdictions globally, including Canada and Australia. Early research in both countries demonstrates that, in response to access barriers, patients and caregivers take action to influence their individual experience of AD, as well as AD systems more widely. This study analyses how patients and caregivers suggest other decision‐makers in AD systems should address identified issues.MethodsWe conducted semistructured, qualitative interviews with patients and caregivers seeking AD in Victoria (Australia) and three Canadian provinces (British Columbia, Ontario and Nova Scotia). Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis and codebook template analysis.ResultsSixty interviews were conducted with 67 participants (65 caregivers, 2 patients). In Victoria, this involved 28 interviews with 33 participants (32 caregivers, 1 patient) about 28 patient experiences. In Canada, this involved 32 interviews with 34 participants (33 caregivers, 1 patient) about 33 patient experiences. We generated six themes, corresponding to six overarching suggestions by patients and caregivers to address identified system issues: (1) improved content and dissemination of information about AD; (2) proactively develop policies and procedures about AD provision; (3) address institutional objection via top‐down action; (4) proactively develop grief resources and peer support mechanisms; (5) amend laws to address legal barriers; and (6) engage with and act on patient and caregiver feedback about experiences.ConclusionAD systems should monitor and respond to suggestions from patients and caregivers with firsthand experience of AD systems, who are uniquely placed to identify issues and suggestions for improvement. To date, Canada has responded comparatively well to address identified issues, whereas the Victorian government has signalled there are no plans to amend laws to address identified access barriers. This may result in patients and caregivers continuing to take on the burdens of acting to address identified issues.Patient or Public ContributionPatients and caregivers are central to this research. We interviewed patients and caregivers about their experiences of AD, and the article focuses on their suggestions for addressing identified barriers within AD systems. Patient interest groups in Australia and Canada also supported our recruitment process.
Significance of serpentinite‐hosted exhumation channels in a palaeo‐subduction complex, Nishisonogi unit, Nagasaki Metamorphic Complex: P–T trajectories of mélange blocks and coherent schists
Authors: Nishiyama Tadao , Moribe Yosuke , Mori Yasushi , Shigeno Miki 
Published: June 2024

AbstractSerpentinite mélanges occur as thin horizons up to 350 m thick within coherent schists of the Nishisonogi unit of the Nagasaki Metamorphic Complex located in western Kyushu, which represent serpentinite‐hosted exhumation channels within a Cretaceous subduction complex. This study gives the petrography of coherent schists and various tectonic block types embedded in serpentinite or chlorite‐actinolite schist of the mélange. The P–T conditions recorded in these rocks were compared, to clarify a possible exhumation process and style of the Nishisonogi unit. In the mélange, two types of tectonic blocks were recognized based on peak temperature conditions: a lower temperature type (400–590°C) and a higher temperature type (780–830°C), the latter of which shows temperatures higher than those of the coherent schists (370–450°C). The garnet glaucophanite in the coherent schists shows a prograde pressure increment from 0.9 to 2.3 GPa. The serpentinite mélange comprises tectonic blocks with peak temperatures higher than those of the coherent schists, indicating that blocks from the deep structural levels of the lower‐plate underwent tectonic mixing into the mélange during exhumation. Ultrahigh‐pressure (UHP) conditions have not been recorded either in the coherent schists or in the serpentinite mélanges, although microdiamonds have been reported from the Yukinoura mélange located at the western margin of the Nishisonogi unit (Nishiyama et al., Scientific Reports, 2020, 10, 11645). A possible correlation between the Nishisonogi unit and other HP metamorphic rocks or belts (Renge rocks, Suo Belt and Sanbagawa Belt) was examined to conclude that the Nishisonogi unit is a unique paleo‐subduction complex in terms of the coexistence of HP subduction complex with intercalated serpentinite mélanges and a UHP mélange derived from the slab‐mantle interface.
Synthesis of glucose‐derived MAX phases and investigation on the phase evolution behavior
Authors: Bai Ruixue , Li Mian , Feng Lingyan , Huang Qing 
Published: June 2024

AbstractThe family of MAX phases and their two‐dimensional derivative MXenes attract significant attention due to their unparalleled properties. Synthesis of MAX phases and MXene from biomass sources is important to expand their biology‐related applications, while it remains a challenge. The present work explores the possibility to synthesize MAX phases and subsequently derive MXenes by using biomass precursor. Ti3AlC2 MAX phase was synthesized by using glucose as the carbon source in molten salt. The conversion behavior from glucose to Ti3AlC2 was investigated, and the conversion rate of carbon from glucose reached to 70.4% by optimizing the reaction conditions. The as‐obtained Ti3AlC2 can be derived into Ti3C2Tx MXene and MXene quantum dots by common chemical treatments, which provides possibility for biomass‐derived nanolaminates applying in biological applications such as biological catalysis, bioinstrumentation, and biological tracking.