bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Integrated policy of medical expense subsidies and clinical registry for patients with liver cancer and decompensated cirrhosis in Japan
Authors: Takeuchi Yasue , Nozawa Akinori , Yukimoto Atsushi , Kitsuka Masayuki , Tateishi Ryosuke , Koike Kazuhiko , Okano Kazuyuki , Kanto Tatsuya 
Published: June 2024

AbstractChronic hepatitis B and C are among the most significant infectious diseases worldwide, and are major risk factors for liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. In Japan, comprehensive hepatitis measures are implemented for the testing and treatment of viral hepatitis, thus enabling the early diagnosis of liver cancer. Nevertheless, patients with decompensated cirrhosis and liver cancer often have unfavorable prognoses and require repetitive long‐term treatment. In fiscal year 2018, an integrated policy of medical expense subsidies and research was established in Japan that aimed to alleviate patients' financial burden and launch the clinical registry of advanced liver disease. Over time, updates to the eligibility for the subsidy increased access to patients and has led to an increased number of beneficiaries. Additionally, the accumulation of clinical data in the registry has revealed the treatment choices for these diseases. However, the disparities in efforts across prefectures have also become evident. Raising public awareness of the policy and tightening the multisector healthcare network are keys to success in supporting qualifying patients with advanced liver disease.
Engaging women to set the research agenda for assisted vaginal birth
Authors: Torloni Maria R. , Campos Lucia F. , Coullaut Arantza , Hartmann Katharina , Opiyo Newton , Bohren Meghan , Bonet Mercedes , Betrán Ana P. 
Published: June 2024

AbstractIntroductionPublic and patient involvement can provide crucial insights to optimise research by enhancing relevance and appropriateness of studies. The World Health Organization (WHO) engaged in an inclusive process to ensure that both technical experts and women had a voice in defining the research gaps and needs to increase or reintroduce the use of assisted vaginal birth (AVB) in settings where this intervention is needed but unavailable or underused.MethodsWe describe the methods and outcomes of online workshops led by WHO to obtain women representatives' perspectives about AVB research gaps and needs.ResultsAfter technical experts created a list of research questions based on various evidence syntheses, WHO organised four online workshops with 31 women's representatives from 27 mostly low‐ and middle‐income (LMIC) countries. Women rated the importance and priority of the research questions proposed by the technical experts, improving and broadening some of them, added new questions, and voiced their main concerns and views about AVB. Women helped to put the research questions into context in their communities, highlighted neglected factors/dimensions that influence practices and affect women's experience during labour and childbirth, underscored less salient consequences of AVB, and highlighted the main concerns of women about research on AVB. The consolidated vision of technical experts and women's representatives resulted in a technical brief published by WHO. The technical brief is expected to stimulate global research and action closely aligned with women's priorities.ConclusionsWe describe a successful experience of engaging women, mostly from LMICs, in the identification of research gaps and needs to reintroduce AVB use. This process contributed to better aligning research questions with women's views, concerns, and priorities. Given the scarcity of reports about engaging women from LMICs to optimise research, this successful experience can serve as an inspiration for future work.Patient or Public ContributionWomen representatives were involved at every stage of the workshops described in full in this manuscript.
Developmental dynamics in oral fluency and learner motivation: A dual‐focus approach
Authors: Yu Hanjing , Peng Hongying 
Published: June 2024

AbstractAdopting a comprehensive dual‐focus approach to oral fluency development, the present study examined the developmental trajectories of oral fluency in tertiary‐level Chinese EFL learners and identified the motivational attractor states helpful for shaping their oral production. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected over two semesters with monologue tasks and semi‐structured interviews, respectively. Oral fluency development was examined using moving min–max graphs, change point analysis, and Monte Carlo simulations, while the retrodiction approach was utilized to identify influential motivational attractor states. Results showed that, over the course of the study, the two learners experienced distinct variability and phase shifts in their development of oral fluency, largely attributable to their unique motivational attractor states. By employing such a dual‐focus approach, the present study provided a nuanced picture of Chinese EFL learners’ developmental dynamics in terms of both oral fluency and learning motivation and the adaptive interactions between them, thus enriching our understanding of how oral fluency development relates to learner motivation.
Transcriptional network analysis of peripheral blood leukocyte subsets in multiple sclerosis identifies a pathogenic role for a cytotoxicity‐associated gene network in myeloid cells
Authors: Jordan Margaret A , Gresle Melissa M , Gemiarto Adrian T , Stanley Dragana , Smith Letitia D , Laverick Louise , Spelman Tim , Stankovich Jim , Willson Annie ML , Dinh Xuyen T , Johnson Laura , Robertson Kylie , Reid Christopher AR , Field Judith , Butzkueven Helmut , Baxter Alan G 
Published: June 2024

AbstractMultiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system affecting predominantly adults. It is a complex disease associated with both environmental and genetic risk factors. Although over 230 risk single‐nucleotide polymorphisms have been associated with MS, all are common human variants. The mechanisms by which they increase the risk of MS, however, remain elusive. We hypothesized that a complex genetic phenotype such as MS could be driven by coordinated expression of genes controlled by transcriptional regulatory networks. We, therefore, constructed a gene coexpression network from microarray expression analyses of five purified peripheral blood leukocyte subsets of 76 patients with relapsing remitting MS and 104 healthy controls. These analyses identified a major network (or module) of expressed genes associated with MS that play key roles in cell‐mediated cytotoxicity which was downregulated in monocytes of patients with MS. Manipulation of the module gene expression was achieved in vitro through small interfering RNA gene knockdown of identified drivers. In a mouse model, network gene knockdown modulated the autoimmune inflammatory MS model disease—experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. This research implicates a cytotoxicity‐associated gene network in myeloid cells in the pathogenesis of MS.
Effect of coping strategies on household food insecurity in Pakistan amid global economic crisis
Authors: Anwar Mumtaz , Shair Waqas , Hussain Saem 
Published: June 2024

AbstractFood insecurity tends to be more prevalent amid crises. Several households employ various coping strategies to soften the crisis's financial impact and access adequate food for consumption. This study investigates the impact of various coping strategies on household food insecurity in Pakistan. The study endeavours to identify a more effective coping strategy for reducing food insecurity amid an economic crisis. The study uses nationally represented data surveyed to ‘evaluate the socio‐economic impact of a pandemic on the well‐being of people’. We applied the Ordered Logit and Inverse Probability Weighting model to estimate the aftermath of coping strategies on food insecurity levels. The study's findings suggest that a household that used coping strategies amid crisis is a vulnerable household and more likely to have food insecurity status. Moreover, the study suggests that the coping strategies’ extent (quantity) is positively associated with the likelihood of food insecurity. Finally, the study's aftermath suggests that amongst the different coping strategies, the erosive coping strategy has a lower likelihood of incidence of food insecurity than other strategies. However, within the erosive coping strategies, a household sold real estate asset has less likelihood of being food insecure than other erosive coping strategies. Moreover, spending savings or investments and liquidating real estate are crucial in determining the household's food security status amid the crisis. The study's key findings put forth some potential policy implications related to strategies that can hedge against the crisis and promote resilience in the face of food insecurity.
The Art of Becoming a Visual Arts Teacher – the Wildebeest, the Feeling‐Beast and the Cat
Authors: Hellman Annika 
Published: June 2024

AbstractIn this article, I ask what becoming a sustainable visual arts teacher might look like, and how a sustainable teaching practice might be created. The problem for education, and teachers’ becoming, is that formal schooling presumes how life should be lived there, how the assemblage of learning should be composed and the prescribed identities of humans and objects. This article aims to explore visual arts teachers’ becoming as a relational and entangled process. A Deleuze and Guttarian framework for thinking about the becoming(‐teacher) involves relational and differentiated co‐becoming that fold, unfold and refold in the process of becoming. The research questions of this article explore the potentials of the concept of becoming animal to activate and facilitate thinking differently about visual arts teachers’becoming. By mapping the academic degree project of one visual arts teacher student, this research investigates how multiple lines of becoming a visual arts teacher change and intermingle through the degree project. The results shows that animal becoming creates new sensitivities, dilating one's perception as a teacher. Sustainable teacher becoming involves the balancing (cat‐)act of not only following molar lines of the curriculum, or the idols of pedagogy, but also making the curriculum come alive through molecular cat‐becoming. Becoming cat means opposing administrative burdens and showing one's claws, as well as developing agility to find new ways of thinking, acting, resting, and finding space for playful inventiveness as a teacher.
Prevalence of faecal incontinence in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: Severity and its relationship with quality of life
Authors: Ilsar Tal , Liebergall‐Wischnitzer Michal , Solnica Amy , Zusman Nurit , Rottenstreich Moshe , Katz Lior 
Published: June 2024

AbstractAimsTo describe the prevalence of faecal incontinence in patients with inflammatory bowel disease, assess its severity, and correlation with quality of life. We adhered to relevant EQUATOR guidelines, STROBE method.DesignCorrelational‐descriptive study.MethodsHebrew‐speaking patients seen at an inflammatory bowel disease clinic in a large tertiary medical center in Jerusalem between February 2020 and December 2020 completed the Faecal Incontinence Severity Index and the Faecal Incontinence Quality of Life Scale.ResultsNinety‐six patients participated in the study, of which 70 (72.9%) had Crohn's disease, and 26 (27.1%) had ulcerative colitis. Eighty‐five (88.5%) reported faecal incontinence with an overall Faecal Incontinence Severity Index mean of 27.66 (SD 15.99), yet only 14 (14.7%) reported that their physician or nurse inquired about faecal incontinence. Quality of life scores for patients with faecal incontinence was the lowest on the coping/behaviour scale (M = 2.44; SD 0.94) and the highest on the depression/self‐perception scale (M = 2.86; SD 1.04). Significant correlations were found between faecal incontinence severity and quality of life in all scales except for self‐embarrassment. Moderate correlations in the same scales were noted in patients with Ulcerative Colitis, while no significant correlations were found in the Crohn's Disease group.ConclusionA high proportion of inflammatory bowel disease patients reported faecal incontinence associated with impaired quality of life. Only a few were questioned about faecal incontinence by their physician or nurse.ImpactThere is limited literature regarding the prevalence and severity of faecal incontinence in inflammatory bowel disease patients. A high proportion of patients reported faecal incontinence, which negatively correlated with quality of life. Physicians and nurses must inquire about faecal incontinence to improve patient care.Patient or Public ContributionNo patient or public contribution.
Exploring influences of environmental information, beliefs and self‐efficacy on nurses' climate health behaviours and their relationships
Authors: Yi Jeongmin , Yi Yeojin 
Published: June 2024

AbstractBackgroundTo create a healthy nursing environment and protect human health in response to climate change, it is essential to encourage behaviour change among nurses. Although numerous studies have been conducted on nurses to address climate change, few studies have explored the relationships of factors that influence and promote nurses' climate health behavioural behavioural change, making it difficult to determine how nurses should act and prioritise regarding climate health behaviours.AimsTo investigate influential environmental factors on climate health behaviours among nurses through the causal relationships between environmental information, environmental beliefs and environmental self‐efficacy using the Information‐Motivation‐Behavioural Skills (IMB) model.DesignA cross‐sectional study.MethodsThis study recruited 186 nurses working in hospitals nationwide in July 2023. Self‐reported questionnaires (Climate, Health, and Nursing Tool; National Environmental Consciousness Survey; New Ecological Paradigm Scale; Personal Efficacy Scale) were used to collect the data. Path analysis was performed.ResultsThe factors influencing nurses' climate health behaviours were environmental information, environmental beliefs and environmental self‐efficacy. Environmental self‐efficacy was found to be more influenced by the exogenous variables of environmental information than environmental beliefs and to be the most significant factor affecting climate health behaviours.ConclusionsIt is more important for nurses to obtain environmental information than environmental beliefs to achieve the goal of climate health behaviours. This in turn, will lead to personal self‐efficacy that nurses can mitigate the climate crisis. Their strong self‐efficacy affects their climate health behaviours.Implications for the ProfessionNurses should seek and draw on the appropriate environmental information related to climate health change and nurses with environmental self‐efficacy become environmental nursing leaders, encouraging other health care workers to participate actively in climate health behaviours and continuously carry out the behaviours within daily life, hospital and community environments.ImpactThe study addressed the lack of relationship research on factors influencing nurses' climate health behaviours, emphasizing the importance of accessing environmental information to foster self‐efficacy. Nurses with heightened self‐efficacy can lead healthcare professionals in climate health actions.Reporting MethodThis research has adhered to relevant EQUATOR and STROBE.Patient or Public ContributionNo Patient or Public Contribution.
International expert consensus recommendations for the use of dermocosmetics in acne
Authors: Thiboutot Diane , Layton Alison M. , Traore Ibrahima , Gontijo Gabriel , Troielli Patricia , Ju Qiang , Kurokawa Ichiro , Dreno Brigitte 
Published: June 2024

AbstractBackgroundA wide variety of dermocosmetics (products with both active skincare and cosmetic activity) are available for the management of acne vulgaris. These products are important because they may be the first line of approach for patients desiring to self‐treat and they can also have beneficial effects—reducing lesion counts and improving global acne severity. When used in conjunction with medical therapy, dermocosmetics can improve tolerability and enhance results. We reviewed available evidence and combined it with our clinical experience to help guide clinicians in selecting skincare products with acne‐targeting ingredients.MethodsAn international panel of dermatologists with an interest and expertise in managing acne performed a literature review, formulated clinical questions related to the role of dermocosmetics in the acne setting, used a modified GRADE approach to evaluate available evidence and then utilized an online iterative Delphi process to create consensus recommendations. It should be noted that due to the limited number of available studies, the category of dermocosmetics was evaluated rather than specific ingredients.ResultsThe quality of evidence was found to be low to moderate. Key recommendations were made based on available evidence for the use of dermocosmetics in acne to improve acne global assessment, reduce acne lesion counts, reduce superficial skin oiliness and serve as maintenance therapy after medical treatment, while providing a good tolerability. Recommendations were also made for using dermocosmetics as adjuncts to medical treatment.ConclusionsWhile there is a need for better quality evidence, dermocosmetics have demonstrated some benefit for acne both when used alone in its milder clinical presentations or in maintenance post acne medication and as adjunct to acne treatments.
Rating Anticipation and Strategic Downward Selection in Consumer‐Generated Rating Systems: Evidence from a Peer‐to‐Peer Platform Market
Authors: Bird Yanhua 
Published: June 2024

AbstractThis paper examines how sellers use strategic downward selection to game consumer‐generated rating systems. I highlight the role of rating anticipation in sellers' selection of buyers – concerns regarding buyers' post‐hoc evaluations of a seller influence whom she chooses to transact with at the outset. To reduce evaluation anxiety, sellers strategically avoid buyers with superior market standings, preferring those with an inferior standing, who are perceived as more likely to be satisfied and provide positive evaluations. Analysing nearly half a million transactions on a major peer‐to‐peer lodging platform in which all participants list their homes, I find that hosts are more inclined to approve requests from guests with inferior homes. This tendency is stronger when hosts experience rating declines, heightening their evaluation anxiety. It is also more pronounced among experienced hosts who better understand consumer‐generated rating systems, and when hosts and guests are in the same country, facilitating social comparisons.
Health care access barriers among metropolitan and nonmetropolitan populations of eight geographically diverse states, 2018
Authors: Zahnd Whitney E. , Hung Peiyin , Crouch Elizabeth L. , Ranganathan Radhika , Eberth Jan M. 
Published: June 2024

AbstractIntroductionNonmetropolitan populations face frequent health care access barriers compared to their metropolitan counterparts, but differences in the number of these barriers across groups are not known. Our objective was to examine the differences in health care access barriers across metropolitan, micropolitan, and noncore populations.MethodsWe used Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data from the optional “Health Care Access” module to perform a cross‐sectional analysis examining access barriers across levels of rurality using bivariate analyses and Poisson models. Access barriers were operationalized as a count ranging from 0 to 5, reflective of the number of financial barriers and nonfinancial barriers.ResultsMicropolitan and noncore respondents had lower educational attainment, were older, and were less racially/ethnically diverse than metropolitan respondents. They also reported more barriers, including lacking health insurance, medical debt, and foregoing care or medication due to cost. These barriers were most pronounced in non‐Hispanic Black, Hispanic, and American Indian/Alaska Native nonmetropolitan populations, compared to their White counterparts. In adjusted analysis, micropolitan respondents reported more barriers compared to metropolitan (prevalence rate ratio = 1.06; 95% confidence interval: 1.02–1.10) as did women, racial/ethnic minority populations, and those with less education.ConclusionsMicropolitan populations experience more barriers to health care, and nonmetropolitan respondents report more cost‐related barriers than their metropolitan counterparts, raising concerns on health care disparities and financial burdens for these underserved populations. This underscores the need to mitigate these barriers, particularly among those in micropolitan areas and minorized populations.
Longitudinal analysis of echocardiographic and cardiac biomarker variables in dogs with atrial fibrillation: The optimal rate control in dogs with atrial fibrillation II study
Authors: Pedro Brigite , Mavropoulou Antonia , Oyama Mark A. , Linney Christopher , Neves João , Dukes‐McEwan Joanna , Fontes‐Sousa Ana P. , Gelzer Anna R. 
Published: June 2024

AbstractBackgroundRate control (RC; meanHRHolter ≤ 125 bpm) increases survival in dogs with atrial fibrillation (AF). The mechanisms remain unclear.Hypothesis/ObjectivesInvestigate echocardiographic and biomarker differences between RC and non‐RC (NRC) dogs. Determine if changes post‐anti‐arrhythmic drugs (AAD) predict successful RC in subsequent Holter monitoring. Evaluate if early vs late RC affects survival.AnimalsFifty‐two dogs with AF.MethodsHolter‐derived mean heart rate, echocardiographic and biomarker variables from dogs receiving AAD were analyzed prospectively at each re‐evaluation and grouped into RC or NRC. The primary endpoint was successful RC. Between group comparisons of absolute values, magnitude of change from admission to re‐evaluations and end of study were performed using Mann‐Whitney tests or unpaired t‐tests. Logistic regression explored variables associated with inability to achieve RC at subsequent visits. Kaplan‐Meier survival analysis was used to compare survival time of early vs late RC.ResultsAt visit 2, 11/52 dogs were RC; at visit 3, 14/52 were RC; and at visit 4, 4/52 were RC. At the end of study, 25/52 remained NRC. At visit 2, both groups had increased cardiac dimensions, but NRC dogs had larger dimensions; biomarkers did not differ. At the end of study, RC showed decreased cardiac dimensions and end‐terminal pro‐brain natriuretic peptide (NT‐proBNP) compared with NRC. No variables were useful at predicting RC success in subsequent visits. Survival analysis found no differences between early vs late RC.Conclusions and Clinical ImportanceThe RC dogs had decreased cardiac dimensions and NT‐proBNP, suggesting HR‐mediated reverse‐remodeling might benefit survival, even with delayed RC achievement. Pursuit of RC is crucial despite initial failures.
Experts and arbitration outcomes: Insights from public procurement contract disputes
Authors: Detotto Claudio , Marselli Riccardo , McCannon Bryan C. , Vannini Marco 
Published: June 2024

AbstractWe explore the use of experts in arbitration proceedings by analysing public procurement contract disputes in Italy. Balancing cost with accuracy, participants to a contract select arbitration when speedy dispute resolution is valued highly. Alternative dispute resolution mechanisms tend to give appointed arbitrators discretion in how to proceed. Consequently, principal‐agent problems can arise. Using an inverse‐probability‐weighted approach, we show that the use of an expert causes a slowing down of the case resolution, without having an effect on the outcome of the dispute nor resolving uncertainty as measured by unanimous decisions by the panel of arbitrators. Conflict resolution mechanism designers should consider the alignment of incentives between the disputants and the service providers.