bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Recent trends in bone metastasis treatments: A historical comparison using the new Katagiri score system
Authors: Matsuda Kenji , Shimazu Kazuhiro , Shinozaki Hanae , Fukuda Koji , Yoshida Taichi , Taguchi Daiki , Nomura Kyoko , Shibata Hiroyuki 
Published: May 2024

BACKGROUND
Bone metastasis has various negative impacts. Activities of daily living (ADL) and quality of life (QOL) can be significantly decreased, survival may be impacted, and medical expenses may increase. It is estimated that at least 5% cancer patients might be suffering from bone metastases. In 2016, we published the Comprehensive Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Bone Metastasis. Since then, the therapeutic outcomes for patients have gradually improved. As life expectancy is a major determinant of surgical intervention, the strategy should be modified if the prolongation of survival is to be achieved.
AIM
To monitor how bone metastasis treatment has changed before and after launch of our guidelines for bone metastasis.
METHODS
For advanced cancer patients with bone metastasis who visited the Department of Clinical Oncology at Akita University hospital between 2012 and 2023, parameters including the site and number of bone metastases, laboratory data, and survival time, were extracted from electronic medical records and the Katagiri score was calculated. The association with survival was determined for each factor.
RESULTS
Data from 136 patients were obtained. The 1-year survival rate for the poor prognosis group with a higher Katagiri score was 20.0% in this study, which was 6% and an apparent improvement from 2014 when the scoring system was developed. Other factors significantly affecting survival included five or more bone metastases than less (P = 0.0080), and treatment with chemotherapy (P < 0.001), bone modifying agents (P = 0.0175) and immune checkpoint inhibitors (P = 0.0128). In recent years, advances in various treatment methods have extended the survival period for patients with advanced cancer. It is necessary not only to simply extend survival time, but also to maintain ADL and improve QOL.
CONCLUSION
Various therapeutic interventions including surgical approach for bone metastasis, which is a disorder of locomotor organs, are increasingly required. Guidelines and scoring system for prognosis need to be revised promptly.
Triceps skinfold thickness trajectories and the risk of all-cause mortality: A prospective cohort study
Authors: Yang Na , He Li-Yun , Li Zi-Yi , Yang Yu-Cheng , Ping Fan , Xu Ling-Ling , Li Wei , Zhang Hua-Bing , Li Yu-Xiu 
Published: May 2024

BACKGROUND
The measurement of triceps skinfold (TSF) thickness serves as a noninvasive metric for evaluating subcutaneous fat distribution. Despite its clinical utility, the TSF thickness trajectories and their correlation with overall mortality have not been thoroughly investigated.
AIM
To explore TSF thickness trajectories of Chinese adults and to examine their associations with all-cause mortality.
METHODS
This study encompassed a cohort of 14747 adults sourced from the China Health and Nutrition Survey. Latent class trajectory modeling was employed to identify distinct trajectories of TSF thickness. Subjects were classified into subgroups reflective of their respective TSF thickness trajectory. We utilized multivariate Cox regression analyses and mediation examinations to explore the link between TSF thickness trajectory and overall mortality, including contributory factors.
RESULTS
Upon adjustment for multiple confounding factors, we discerned that males in the ‘Class 2: Thin–stable’ and ‘Class 3: Thin–moderate’ TSF thickness trajectories exhibited a markedly reduced risk of mortality from all causes in comparison to the ‘Class 1: Extremely thin’ subgroup. In the mediation analyses, the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index was found to be a partial intermediary in the relationship between TSF thickness trajectories and mortality. For females, a lower TSF thickness pattern was significantly predictive of elevated all-cause mortality risk exclusively within the non-elderly cohort.
CONCLUSION
In males and non-elderly females, lower TSF thickness trajectories are significantly predictive of heightened mortality risk, independent of single-point TSF thickness, body mass index, and waist circumference.
Acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding due to portal hypertension in a patient with primary myelofibrosis: A case report
Authors: Chen Yu , Kong Bing-Bing , Yin He , Liu Hao , Wu Sheng , Xu Ting 
Published: May 2024

BACKGROUND
Acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding is a common medical emergency that has a 10% hospital mortality rate. According to the etiology, this disease can be divided into acute varicose veins and nonvaricose veins. Bleeding from esophageal varices is a life-threatening complication of portal hypertension. Portal hypertension is a clinical syndrome defined as a portal venous pressure that exceeds 10 mmHg. Cirrhosis is the most common cause of portal hypertension, and thrombosis of the portal system not associated with liver cirrhosis is the second most common cause of portal hypertension in the Western world. Primary myeloproliferative disorders are the main cause of portal venous thrombosis, and somatic mutations in the Janus kinase 2 gene (JAK2 V617F ) can be found in approximately 90% of polycythemia vera, 50% of essential thrombocyrosis and 50% of primary myelofibrosis.
CASE SUMMARY
We present a rare case of primary myelofibrosis with gastrointestinal bleeding as the primary manifestation that presented as portal-superior-splenic mesenteric vein thrombosis. Peripheral blood tests revealed the presence of the JAK2 V617F mutation. Bone marrow biopsy ultimately confirmed the diagnosis of myelofibrosis (MF-2 grade).
CONCLUSION
In patients with acute esophageal variceal bleeding due to portal hypertension and vein thrombosis without cirrhosis, the possibility of myeloproliferative neoplasms should be considered, and the JAK2 mutation test should be performed.
Policy action points and approaches to promote fertility care in The Gambia: Findings from a mixed-methods study
Authors: Afferri Anna , Dierickx Susan , Bittaye Mustapha , Marena Musa , Pacey Allan Antony , Balen Julie 
Published: May 2024

Introduction
In the Global South, (in)fertility care is scarcely recognized as a priority, yet the government of The Gambia has recently included it as one of the key priorities in its reproductive health strategic plan. This inclusion appears to be the result of years of engagement between policy actors, academic researchers, and activists in the field of reproductive health and specifically of infertility. However, the operationalization of the strategic plan may be hampered by multiple factors. The research aims to identify and analyze challenges that may impede the effective implementation of the strategic plan, thereby providing policy action points and practical guidance into the operationalization of (in)fertility care in the context of The Gambia’s health system.

Methods
This is a mixed-methods study with data from a survey and semi-structured interviews collected between 2020 and 2021 in The Gambia that were separately published. In this paper, we present the triangulation of quantitative and qualitative data using a convergence coding matrix to identify relevant policy action points.

Results
Six fertility care policy action points, driven by data, arose from the triangulation and interpretation process, specifically: (i) establishing and maintaining political commitment and national priority for fertility care; (ii) creating awareness and increasing the involvement of men in SRH and fertility; (iii) ensuring data-driven health policymaking; (iv) offering and regulating affordable IVF alternatives; (v) improving knowledge of and means for fertility care provision; and (vi) enhancing the collaboration among stakeholders and building links with the private healthcare sector.

Conclusion
This study found the implementation of the fertility care-related activities in the reproductive health strategic plan may face challenges that require careful mitigation through a holistic approach. Such an approach conceptualizes infertility not just as a biomedical issue but as a broader one that incorporates educational and socio-emotional aspects, including male and (not only) female involvement in sexual and reproductive health. Moreover, it is supported by a comprehensive health management information system that includes capturing data on the demand for, and access to, infertility services in The Gambia health system.
Spatio-temporal electroencephalographic power distribution in experimental pigs receiving propofol
Authors: Mirra Alessandro , Hight Darren , Spadavecchia Claudia , Levionnois Olivier Louis 
Published: May 2024

Introduction
When assessing the spatio-temporal distribution of electroencephalographic (EEG) activity, characteristic patterns have been identified for several anesthetic drugs in humans. A shift in EEG power from the occipital to the prefrontal regions has been widely observed during anesthesia induction. This has been called “anteriorization” and has been correlated with loss of consciousness in humans. The spatio-temporal distribution of EEG spectral power in pigs and its modulation by anesthetics have not been described previously. The aim of the present study was to analyze EEG power across an anterior-posterior axis in pigs receiving increasing doses of propofol to 1) characterize the region of highest EEG power during wakefulness, 2) depict its spatio-temporal modification during propofol infusion, and 3) determine the region demonstrating the most significant modulations across different doses administered.

Materials and methods
Six pigs with a body weight of 33.3 ± 3.6 kg and aged 11.3 ± 0.5 weeks were included in a prospective experimental study. Electroencephalographic activity was collected at the occipital, parietal and prefrontal regions at increasing doses of propofol (starting at 10 mg kg-1 h-1 and increasing it by 10 mg kg-1 h-1 every 15 minutes). The EEG power was assessed using a generalized linear mixed model in which propofol doses and regions were treated as fixed effects, whereas pig was used as a random effect. Pairwise comparisons of marginal linear predictions were used to assess the change in power when the specific propofol dose (or region) was considered.

Results
During both wakefulness and propofol infusion, the highest EEG power was located in the prefrontal region (p<0.001). The EEG power, both total and for each frequency band, mostly followed the same pattern, increasing from awake until propofol 20 mg kg-1 h-1 and then decreasing at propofol 30 mg kg-1 h-1. The region showing the strongest differences in EEG power across propofol doses was the prefrontal.

Conclusion
In juvenile pigs receiving increasing doses of propofol, the prefrontal region showed the highest EEG power both during wakefulness and propofol administration and was the area in which the largest frequency-band specific variations were observed across different anesthetic doses. The assessment of the spectral EEG activity at this region could be favorable to distinguish DoA levels in pigs.
Access to healthcare among transgender and non-binary youth in Sweden and Spain: A qualitative analysis and comparison
Authors: Pastor Bravo María del Mar , Linander Ida 
Published: May 2024

Background
Transgender and non-binary (TGNB) people tend to report worse health than cis people, however, despite an increased need for care, they face several barriers when trying to access healthcare. These barriers might be exacerbated when young age intersects with a trans identity, and so there is a need for studies highlighting the experiences of TGNB youth.

Aims
To explore and compare how TGNB youth (15–26 years old) in Sweden and Spain experienced their access to healthcare, in order to shed light on the strengths and limitations of different kinds of healthcare systems and improve healthcare provision and policy development.

Methods
This study was based on a qualitative analysis of semi-structured interviews with TGNB youth living in Sweden (n = 16) and Spain (n = 18). Of these, 22 identified as male or transmasculine, six as non-binary, and six as women or transfeminine; 25 had undergone some type of gender-affirming care, and the rest were on the waiting list or undergoing preparatory visits and had not started hormonal treatment. The interviews were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. An abductive approach was applied, and the Levesque conceptual framework was used to compare the analyses of each set of materials.

Results
We present our findings using the structure of the accessibility framework, focusing on approachability, acceptability, availability, affordability, and appropriateness. The conceptualization of accessibility in combination with the concept of cisnormativity illustrates how specific ideals and normative expectations affect access to healthcare for TGNB people across contexts, with most barriers arising from the appropriateness of the services.

Discussion
Young TGNB people experience barriers to accessing healthcare both in the Spanish and the Swedish contexts. Strategies to reduce these barriers should be framed within the critique of and resistance to cisnormativity and should focus on users with intersecting marginalized identities to promote health equity.
Synergistic effect of carbon nanotubes and polyvinyl alcohol on the mechanical performance and microstructure of cement mortar
Authors: Fan Jie , Deng Sijie , Li Gengying , Li Jianxin , Zhang Jinwen 
Published: May 2024

Abstract
Herein, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) were used as hybrid modifiers to enhance the mechanical properties of cement mortar and overcome the limitations of modification methods based on only polymers and nanomaterials. The use of PVA latex as a bridging agent with the aid of ultrasound energy effectively improved the dispersion uniformity and stability of CNTs. The results indicate that doping an appropriate amount of PVA in CNT-modified cement mortar, especially those modified with hydroxylated CNTs (h-CNTs), could synergistically improve performance. Amongst the samples, the h-CNT-modified cement mortar incorporated with 1 wt% PVA showed the optimal mechanical properties. The compressive and flexural strengths of this cement mortar increased by 33 and 42%, respectively, compared with those of cement mortars modified with h-CNTs alone. The microscopic characterisation results showed that the formation of a uniformly distributed h-CNT/PVA film network in the matrix effective filling of pores and bridging of cracks were responsible for performance enhancement.
Capture of volatile iodine by aromatic amines solutions
Authors: Ait Ahmed Ourida , Al Taiar Ali Hassoon 
Published: May 2024

Abstract
The presence of an excessive amount of iodine, especially radioactive iodine, is dangerous to the environment. Amine solutions are the most common and technically mature class of chemical sorption used for the capture of the pollutants. The iodine vapor diffusion and release capabilities of the aromatic amine solutions have been investigated. The iodine diffusion and release experiments were examined by UV-visible spectroscopy. Many electronic spectrophotometric studies have been reported in the coordination chemistry field on complexes. Generally, these complexes were obtained by using different electron donors with various organic or metallic electron acceptors in polar and non-polar solvents. The absorption spectra of the donor, acceptors, and the resulted complexes were carried out in methanol in the region of 200–600 nm. The correlation between the spectral characteristics of molecular complexes of iodine with various aromatic amines and the ionization potentials of the donor molecules is discussed. The concentrations of the diffused iodine and the formed complex were calculated using mathematical models and calibration curves. The values of the formation constant (k
AD), molar extinction coefficient (ε
AD), and absorption band energy of complexes were estimated. The ionization potential of the donor I
D was calculated from the complex band energies. The kinetic of the above association and reverse reactions was studied, and some kinetic parameters have been estimated.
Pedagogical Semiotics of Space/Pedagoška semiotika prostora
Authors: Marojević Jovana 
Published: May 2024

AbstractIn this paper, we deal with the consideration of space as materiality and space as a process in the broader context of childhood studies and, more specifically, in the context of school pedagogy. We outline the question of the material construction of childhood (in childhood geographies and geographies of education). Then, we consider the relationship between space and pedagogy, that is, the material aspect of learning, on an explicit level, presenting findings on the share of spatial components in student achievement. The central consideration in the paper is devoted to the concept of innovative learning environments (ILE) and its spatial requirements, especially to the renaissance of open school plans based on that concept. Furthermore, we deal with the issue of spatial mediation of power relations in open-plan schools but also in traditional corridor-type schools (“cells and bells” schools) and with the idea of shaping the identity of students and teachers through these processes. We conclude the paper with a brief review of the neoliberal nature of the concept of ILE and with recommendations on considering the space and environment for learning through the paradigms of critical pedagogy of place and common world pedagogiesKey words: innovative learning environments (ILE); material construction ofchildhood; open space school plans---SažetakU radu se govori o razmatranju prostora kao materijalnosti i prostora kao procesa, u širem kontekstu studija o djetinjstvu, a konkretnije u kontekstu školske pedagogije. Skiciramo pitanje materijalne konstrukcije djetinjstva (u geografijama djetinjstva i geografijama obrazovanja). Potom se analizira odnos prostora i pedagogije, odnosno materijalne dimenzije učenja, na eksplicitnoj ravni, dajući prikaz nalaza o udjelu prostornih komponenti u učeničkom postignuću. Središnje razmatranje u radu usredtočeno je na koncept inovativnih okružja za učenje (ILE) i njegovim prostornim zahtjevima te naročito renesansi otvorenih planova škola zasnovanoj na tom konceptu. Nadalje, govori se o pitanju prostornoga posredovanja odnosa moći u školama otvorenoga, ali i tradicionalnog koridor-tipa („cells and bells“ škole) te oblikovanjem identiteta učenika i nastavnika tim procesima. U zaključnom dijelu donosi se kratki osvrt na neoliberalnu prirodu koncepta ILE-a i preporukama o razmatranju prostora i okružja za učenje kroz paradigme kritičke pedagogije mjesta i pedagogijâ zajedničkoga svijeta.Ključne riječi: inovativna okružja za učenje (ILE); materijalna konstrukcija djetinjstva; otvoreni planovi škola
Delimitation and Mitigation of Selected Gaps in Learning and Teaching
Authors: Alvares Lillian Maria Araujo de Rezende , Santos Marcello José Barbosa dos 
Published: May 2024

This paper explores the complex challenges, persistent problems, and unexpected setbacks within the educational ecosystem that inevitably lead to teaching and learning gaps. It analyzes the entire extent of their occurrence chain, examining what causes these weaknesses and what measures can be taken to prevent them. The paper briefl y presents learning theories, followed by contributions from major educational thinkers, notably David Paul Ausubel (1918-2008) with his concept of meaningful learning, and some teaching and learning models, with emphasis on William G. Huitt’s (1995) “A systems framework of the teaching/learning process.” On the other hand, it discusses the constructs of teaching, highlighting that the process refers to the fl ow of knowledge from teacher to student, or broadly, from the educator to the learner. It features John Dewey (1859-1952), the educator who advocated for contextualized teaching tailored to individual student interests. The paper concludes by considering the main drivers of 21st-century education and proposes some initiatives to mitigate the identifi ed problems.
Dynamics of Performance Appraisal among Staff in the Ministry Of Education and Training in Lesotho
Authors: Makhetha Isaiah M. 
Published: May 2024

The objective of this study was to determine whether employees are appraised in an objective manner in the Ministry of Education and Training in Lesotho and also to establish whether performance appraisal brings about intended results in this ministry. This investigation adapted a mixed-methods approach. The population comprised 100 employees of the Ministry of Education and Training. A sample of 50 officers was selected from the population using proportionate stratified random sampling. Data were collected through a use of a questionnaire. The reliability of this instrument was ascertained through employing the split halves which consequently yielded the reliability coefficient of 0.82. Chi-square analysis revealed that employees are appraised in an objective manner in the Ministry of Education and Training in Lesotho. On the other hand, chi-square analysis showed that performance appraisal does not bring about intended results in this ministry. On the basis of these results, it was concluded that performance appraisal is conducted in an objective manner in the Ministry of Education and Training in Lesotho and also that performance appraisal does not bring about intended results in this Ministry.