bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Predictors of contraceptive discontinuation in Rwanda: evidence from demographic and health survey 2019–2020
Authors: Jean de Dieu Harerimana , Lambert Mugabo 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Background
Despite advancements, Rwanda continues to face challenges regarding contraceptive discontinuation. The 2019–2020 Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) reported a 30% discontinuation rate among women within the first year of use. This study analyses predictors of discontinuation using this DHS data, with the goal of strengthening Rwanda’s family planning programs.

Methods
Data from the 2019-20 Rwanda DHS (14,634 women aged 15–49) was examined. A two-stage sampling design informed the survey. Life table methods and Cox proportional hazard models were used to analyze discontinuation rates, median usage duration across contraceptive methods, and the influence of demographic and other factors.

Results
Results indicated a progressive rise in contraceptive discontinuation over different period: 16.69% at 6 months, 29.29% at 12 months, and 47.21% at 24 months. Pills and male condoms showed higher discontinuation probabilities early on. While injectables and LAM initially showed lower discontinuation, rates rose significantly by the 24th month. Health concerns and side effects were the primary reasons cited for discontinuation. The Cox proportional hazards analysis revealed significant factors influencing discontinuation: contraceptive method, desire for pregnancy, husband’s disapproval, access/availability, and the desire for a more effective method.

Conclusion
This study highlights substantial contraceptive discontinuation rates in Rwanda, particularly for pills and injectables. Method type, health concerns, side effects, and method failure were associated with discontinuation. Interventions should focus on improving contraceptive continuation and investigating alternative methods with lower discontinuation tendencies.
Clinical value of semi-quantitative parameters in 68Ga-DOTANOC PET/CT in treatment and diagnostics of cranial meningioma in a single-center retrospective analysis
Authors: Weitzer Friedrich , Stanzel Susanne , Plhak Elisabeth , Aigner Reingard Maria 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Background
The value of somatostatin-analogon PET tracers in theranostics in cranial meningioma has been demonstrated in several studies; however, the value of semi-quantitative parameters for therapy and patient outcome is still unclear.

Methods
A retrospective study was performed comparing measured semi-quantitative 68Ga-DOTANOC PET/CT parameters (maximum standardized uptake value = SUVmax, mean standardized uptake value = SUVmean, and metabolic tumor volume = MTV) and calculated ratios (SUVmax tumor to pituitary gland and SUVmax tumor to superior sinus sagittalis), versus the WHO grades and overall outcome. Patients with histological confirmed meningioma or high probability for meningioma in the previous cranial MRI were eligible.

Results
Thirty-two patients from January 2018 to February 2023 were retrospectively included. The WHO grade I meningioma was confirmed in 17 patients, the WHO grade II in five patients, and the WHO grade III in two patients, while in eight patients, diagnosis was solely based on MRI and 68Ga-DOTANOC PET/CT findings. In 12 cases, stable disease was present, in 15 cases, radiation therapy was chosen, in three cases, neurosurgery was preferred, while in two cases, palliative care was chosen. Median SUVmax values increased with the WHO grade (15.84, 17.22, and 28.4, p = 0.134, Kruskal–Wallis test), and no statistically significant difference was present for MTV, SUVmax, and calculated ratios.

Conclusion
Increased SUVmax values in the tumor in 68Ga-DOTANOC PET/CT are associated with higher WHO grade, although further studies including larger patient collectives are needed to solidify this hypothesis.
Climate limits vegetation green-up more than slope, soil erodibility, and immediate precipitation following high-severity wildfire
Authors: Crockett Joseph L. , Hurteau Matthew D. 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Background
In the southwestern United States, post-fire vegetation recovery is increasingly variable in forest burned at high severity. Many factors, including temperature, drought, and erosion, can reduce post-fire vegetation recovery rates. Here, we examined how year-of-fire precipitation variability, topography, and soils influenced post-fire vegetation recovery in the southwestern United States as measured by greenness to determine whether erosion-related factors would have persistent effects in the longer post-fire period. We modeled relationships between post-fire vegetation and these predictors using random forest and examined changes in post-fire normalized burn ratio across fires in Arizona and New Mexico. We incorporated growing season climate to determine if year-of-fire effects were persistent during the subsequent 5 years or if temperature, water deficit, and precipitation in the years following fire were more influential for vegetation greenness. We expected that post-fire factors that drive erosion would reduce greenness; however, these effects would explain less variability in post-fire greenness than growing season climate.

Results
We found reductions in post-fire greenness in areas burned at high severity when heavy and intense precipitation fell on more erodible soils immediately post-fire. In highly erodible scenarios, when accounting for growing season climate, coefficient of variation for year-of-fire precipitation, total precipitation, and soil erodibility decreased greenness in the fifth year. However, more of the variation in greenness was explained by variability of growing season vapor pressure deficit and growing season precipitation.

Conclusions
Our results suggest that while the factors that contribute to post-fire erosion and its effects on vegetation recovery are important, at a regional scale, the majority of the variability in post-fire greenness in high-severity burned areas in southwestern forests is due to climatic drivers such as growing season precipitation and vapor pressure deficit. Given the increasing scale of area burned at high severity and the potential for more post-fire erosion, quantifying how these factors alter ecosystem development is central to understanding how different ecosystem types will be distributed across these landscapes with additional climate change.
Characterization of BRAFThr599dup Mutation as a Targetable Driver Mutation Identified in Lung Adenocarcinoma by Comprehensive Genomic Profiling
Authors: Watanabe Hirofumi , Inoue Yusuke , Karayama Masato , Yazawa Shusuke , Mochizuka Yasutaka , Yasui Hideki , Hozumi Hironao , Suzuki Yuzo , Furuhashi Kazuki , Enomoto Noriyuki , Fujisawa Tomoyuki , Shinmura Kazuya , Inui Naoki , Suda Takafumi 
Published: April 2024

PURPOSE Understanding the function of BRAF mutants is crucial for determining the best treatment strategy. This study aimed to characterize a rare BRAF variant, BRAFThr599dup, which was identified in a patient with lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) by comprehensive genomic profiling. MATERIALS AND METHODS We report a case of LUAD with BRAFThr599dup treated with dabrafenib and trametinib. We conditionally expressed wild-type BRAF, BRAFV600E, or BRAFThr599dup in Ba/F3 cells and BEAS-2B cells. Ba/F3 cells carrying double-mutant BRAF (BRAFThr599dup/R509H, BRAFV600E/R509H, or BRAFK601E/R509H) that lacked the dimerizing ability were also established. Knockout of endogenous BRAF or CRAF in Ba/F3-BRAFThr599dup cells and Ba/F3-BRAFV600E cells was performed using the CRISPR/Cas9 system. Cell viability, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling activity, and sensitivity to dabrafenib and trametinib were evaluated. RESULTS The patient was revealed to have BRAFThr599dup-positive tumor cells as a predominant clone, and dabrafenib and trametinib treatment showed modest efficacy. In Ba/F3 cells, both BRAFThr599dup and BRAFV600E similarly caused interleukin-3–independent proliferation and activated the MAPK pathway. Moreover, BRAFThr599dup and BRAFV600E similarly caused a significant increase in the anchorage-independent growth ability of BEAS-2B cells. Along with Ba/F3-BRAFV600E cells, Ba/F3-BRAFThr599dup cells were highly sensitive to a monomer-specific BRAF inhibitor, dabrafenib, with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration value of 29.7 nM. In the absence of wild-type BRAF, wild-type CRAF, or an intact dimer interface, the ability to induce oncogenic addiction and MAPK pathway activation in Ba/F3-BRAFThr599dup cells was not affected, which was in contrast to the findings in the BRAFK601E/R509H double-mutant model. CONCLUSION BRAFThr599dup is a potent driver oncogene that activates the MAPK pathway without the requirement for dimerization in vitro. Because BRAFThr599dup has been recurrently reported across various cancer types, our findings should be further investigated both mechanistically and clinically.
Long-term Cumulative Incidence of Clinically Diagnosed Retinopathy in the Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study
Authors: Kaarniranta Kai , Valtanen Mikko , Keinänen-Kiukaanniemi Sirkka , Tuomilehto Jaakko , Lindström Jaana , Uusitupa Matti 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

Context
Lifestyle intervention reduces the incidence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) in people with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT).

Objective
This work aimed to find out whether participation in an earlier lifestyle intervention had an effect on the occurrence of clinically diagnosed diabetic retinopathy (DR) during a median of 22 years of follow-up time.

Methods
The study included 505 individuals from the Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study (DPS) (mean age 55; range, 40-64 years at the onset of the study) with IGT who were originally randomly assigned to the intervention (weight loss, healthy diet, and physical activity) (N = 257) and usual care control groups (N = 248). The median follow-up was 22 years. Clinical retinopathy diagnoses were obtained from the Finnish national hospital Care Register for Health. Data on glycemic parameters, serum lipids, and blood pressure were available from both the intervention (median 4 years) and postintervention period (until year 7).

Results
No significant difference was found in the cumulative incidence of clinically diagnosed DR between the original intervention (N = 23, 8.9%) and control groups (N = 19, 7.7%) during the extended follow-up (odds ratio: 1.15; 95% CI, 0.61-2.21). A higher cumulative glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) was significantly associated with a higher risk of retinopathy (hazard ratio 1.4; 1.02-1.88, 95% posterior interval, adjusted for group, age, and sex). Furthermore, the incidence of retinopathy diagnosis was numerically more common among individuals who had developed diabetes during the follow-up (33/349) compared with those who had not (9/156); however, the comparison was not statistically significant (odds ratio: 1.86, 95% CI, 0.89-4.28, adjusted for group, age, and sex).

Conclusion
A higher cumulative HbA1c was significantly associated with a higher risk of retinopathy. No evidence was found for a beneficial effect of a 4-year lifestyle intervention on the long-term occurrence of clinical DR during a median of 22-year follow-up.
Ekonomia polityczna a demokracja w pismach klasyków liberalizmu – John Stuart Mill i Herbert Spencer
Authors: Grzybek Dariusz 
Published: April 2024

POLITICAL ECONOMY AND DEMOCRACY IN THE WRITINGS OF CLASSICAL LIBERALS – JOHN STUART MILL AND HERBERT SPENCER
The main aim of this paper is showing mainstream economic theory as an important factor shaping the evolution of political liberalism. The role of the economic theory in this process seems underestimated. The paper analyses the writings of two classical liberal thinkers – John Stuart Mill and Herbert Spencer, the former a pioneer of egalitarian liberalism, the latter of laissez-faire liberalism. Both Mill and Spencer were the followers of the classical political economy accepting the classical theory of distribution. Both saw the distribution of wealth as a spontaneous process, seeing no possibility correcting it for the people’s sake without disturbances or damages. According to the classical theory of wage fund, workers would get higher incomes only through accumulation of capital by owners and repressing their own fertility. Such statement was fundamentally opposite to all postulates of the workers’ movement. Workers always claimed bigger share in social income and legislation favoring laborers. The inevitable result of this contradiction was a conflict between liberal and democratic ideas. Mill and Spencer proposed two different solutions. J. S. Mill found a specific compromise and proposed enlarging franchise on working class, but with a still dominant position of the educated classes. Mill was against equal franchise for the working class because he did not conceive them as liable, rational and sober people. This position results from the wage fund doctrine; according to it, abundant workers’ fertility is wasteful for them and only sexual restraint (or chastity) would make their wages higher. Spencer in his early writing was an enthusiast of democracy, supposing the working class’ affinity to free market solutions. His later disappointment with democracy turned him into a strong critic of democratic parliamentarism from the standpoint of laissez-faire individualism. The case of these two liberal thinkers shows fundamental difficulty in reconciliation between the ideas of democracy and free market. We could choose democracy accepting welfare state or choose free market solution and become unambiguous critics of democracy. Spencer was a forerunner of all later ‘neoliberal’ critics of welfare state. Mill’s opinion was halfway between laissez-faire liberalism and modern egalitarian liberalism. Democracy and equal voting rights became acceptable by mainstream economist only when they had abandoned the wage fund doctrine and other constructs of the classical political economy. Thus changes in the economic theory had a significant impact on the evolution of political liberalism.
Taylor Approximation of Inventory Policies for One-Warehouse, Multi-Retailer Systems with Demand Feature Information
Authors: Huang Jingkai , Shang Kevin , Yang Yi , Zhou Weihua , Li Yuan 
Published: April 2024

We consider a distribution system in which retailers replenish perishable goods from a warehouse, which, in turn, replenishes from an outside source. Demand at each retailer depends on exogenous features and a random shock, and unfulfilled demand is lost. The objective is to obtain a data-driven replenishment and allocation policy that minimizes the average inventory cost per time period. The extant data-driven methods either cannot guarantee a feasible solution for out-of-sample feature observations or generate one with excessive computational time. We propose a policy that resolves these issues in two steps. In the first step, we assume that the distributions of features and random shocks are known. We develop an effective heuristic policy by using Taylor expansion to approximate the retailer’s inventory cost. The resulting solution is closed-form, referred to as Taylor Approximation (TA) policy. We show that the TA policy is asymptotically optimal in the number of retailers. In the second step, we apply the linear quantile regression and kernel density estimation to the TA solution to obtain the data-driven policy called Data-Driven Taylor Approximation (DDTA) policy. We prove that the DDTA policy is consistent with the TA policy. A numerical study shows that the DDTA policy is very effective. Using a real data set provided by Fresh Hema, we show that the DDTA policy reduces the average cost by 11.0% compared with Hema’s policy. Finally, we show that the main results still hold in the cases of correlated demand features, positive lead times, and censored demand. This paper was accepted by J. George Shanthikumar, data science. Funding: Y. Yang acknowledges financial support from the NSFC [Grants 72125004, 71821002]. W. Zhou acknowledges financial support from the NSFC [Grants 72192823, 71821002]. Supplemental Material: The online appendix and data files are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2021.04241 .
Specificity of Early Childhood Hyperphagia Profiles in Neurogenetic Conditions
Authors: Andrews Sara M. , Panjwani Anita A. , Potter Sarah Nelson , Hamrick Lisa R. , Wheeler Anne C. , Kelleher Bridgette L. 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Hyperphagia is highly penetrant in Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) and has increasingly been reported in other neurogenetic conditions (NGC). The Hyperphagia Questionnaire (HQ) was completed by caregivers of 4–8-year-olds with PWS (n = 17), Angelman syndrome (AS; n = 22), Williams syndrome (WS; n = 25), or low-risk controls (LRC; n = 35). All NGC groups were significantly elevated in HQ Total and Behavior scores compared to LRC. Only AS and WS were significantly elevated in the Drive domain, and only PWS in the Severity domain. After controlling for externalizing behavior, HQ Total scores were higher for PWS relative to other groups. Hyperphagic symptoms may not differentiate PWS from other NGCs in early childhood. However, hyperphagic phenotypes may be most severe in PWS. Further investigation of these profiles may inform etiology and syndrome-specific treatments.
The Behavioral Profile of SYNGAP1-Related Intellectual Disability
Authors: Wright Damien , Kenny Aisling , Mizen Lindsay A. M. , McKechanie Andrew G. , Stanfield Andrew C. 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
This study aimed to describe the behavioral profile of individuals with SYNGAP1-ID. Parents/carers of 30 individuals aged 3-18 years old with a diagnosis of SYNGAP1-ID and 21 typically developing individuals completed the Vineland-3 Adaptive Behavior Scale and the Child Behavior Checklist. We found that those with SYNGAP1-ID showed fewer adaptive behaviors and higher levels of internalizing and externalizing behaviors across almost all domains compared to typically developing controls. There was some evidence that these differences were greatest in older children, and more apparent in those with co-occuring epilepsy. This characterization of the phenotype of SYNGAP1-ID significantly aids our understanding of the behavioral profile of this population and is a step towards the development of tailored interventions.
Adults With IDD in Supported Accommodation During COVID-19 Lockdown: The Families’ Perspective
Authors: Shpigelman Carmit-Noa , Araten-Bergman Tal 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
The present study aims to understand and describe family caregivers’ perceptions and experiences regarding contact and relationships with their adult relatives with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) living in supported accommodation during the COVID-19 lockdown. A qualitative phenomenological approach was applied in which 19 Israeli family caregivers (parents and siblings) were interviewed. Inductive thematic analysis revealed themes at the microsystem level (the resident, the caregiver, and their relationship), and at the mesosystem level (the caregivers’ interactions with service providers and other residents’ families). The findings highlight the pivotal role of family caregivers in times of uncertainty and the need to develop explicit policies and mechanisms to facilitate family engagement in the residents’ lives.
Improving Data Infrastructure for Person-Centered Outcomes Research on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
Authors: Dhopeshwarkar Rina , Jiménez Frances , Ryan Sofia , Plourde Emma , Karimi Madjid 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) continue to experience disparities in health and well-being despite improved provisions of person-centered care. Patient-centered outcomes research (PCOR) translates evidence into practice for meaningful outcomes. This piece describes findings from an environmental scan and stakeholder outreach to identify and prioritize opportunities to enhance IDD PCOR data infrastructure. These opportunities include developing a standardized research definition; advancing data standards for service systems; improving capture of IDD at point of care; developing standardized outcome measures; and encouraging Medicaid data use for IDD research. Within this piece, we discuss the implications of addressing data gaps for enhanced research. While the identified activities provide a path towards advancing IDD PCOR data infrastructure, collaborative efforts between government, researchers, and others are paramount.
Association between visceral adiposity index and risk of diabetes and prediabetes: Results from the NHANES (1999–2018)
Authors: Zheng Dongdong , Zhao Chuanxin , Ma Kai , Ruan Zhishen , Zhou Haoran , Wu Haopeng , Lu Feng 
Published: April 2024

Objective
To investigate the association between the visceral adiposity index and the prevalence of diabetes and prediabetes in the US adult population.

Method
We conducted a cross-sectional study using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 1999 to 2018 for ten consecutive years, including 18745 eligible participants. The weighted multivariate logistic model and fitting curve were used to explore the correlation and dose-response relationship between visceral adiposity index (VAI) and diabetes (DM) and prediabetes in the general population and the prevalence of different subgroups.

Results
In the fully adjusted continuous model, the risk of diabetes and prediabetes in the general population increased 0.15 times [1.15 (1.10,1.20), p<0.0001] with every increase of 1 unit of VAI. In the fully adjusted classification model, with the lowest quartile array Q1 of VAI as the reference group, Q2 of the second Quantile group, Q3 of the third Quantile group, and Q4 of the Quartile group increased 0.26 times [1.26 (1.10,1.44), p<0.001], 0.65 times [1.65 (1.43,1.89), p<0.0001], 1.60 times [2.60 (2.28,2.97), p<0.0001] respectively with the risk of diabetes and prediabetes. The above results showed that VAI was positively associated with the prevalence of diabetes and prediabetes, and the fitted curves showed a non-linear trend. (P for non-linear = 0<0.05). The results of the subgroup population were consistent with the total population and a significant interaction was found in gender (P for interaction<0.0001).

Conclusion
In conclusion, we found a non-linear positive association between VAI and the risk of diabetes and prediabetes in the US adult population and found that women have a higher risk of diabetes and prediabetes than men; therefore, we should focus on the female population, and we call for the use of VAI to manage the development of diabetes and prediabetes in the clinical setting.
Neuropathic pain in patients with osteoarthritis of the hip before and after total hip arthroplasty
Authors: Yamabe Yohei , Hasegawa Masahiro , Kobayashi Gai , Tone Shine , Naito Yohei , Sudo Akihiro 
Published: April 2024

Objectives
The pain associated with osteoarthritis (OA) was thought to be nociceptive; however, neuropathic pain is also observed. We investigated the relationship between hip OA and neuropathic pain using the PainDETECT questionnaire (PDQ).

Methods
A total of 159 hips of 146 consecutive patients who underwent total hip arthroplasty (THA) with a diagnosis of OA were enrolled in this study. The prevalence of each pain phenotype was evaluated preoperatively and at 6 months postoperatively using the PDQ. Patient characteristics and numerical rating scale (NRS) scores were compared between a group with possible neuropathic pain (NP group) and a group with nociceptive pain (non-NP group).

Results
Before THA, neuropathic, unclear, and nociceptive pain was observed in 18, 36, and 105 hips, respectively. The prevalence in the NP group was 54 hips, accounting for approximately one-third of all hips, which decreased significantly to seven hips after THA. A significantly higher NRS score was observed in the NP group, both before and after THA.

Conclusion
Approximately one-third of the patients with hip OA had neuropathic pain. Therefore, neuropathic pain should be considered when treating patients with hip OA.