bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Self-management in patients with adult spinal deformity: a best practice implementation project
Authors: Zhang Zhao , Liu Huaxi , Shi Yiqin , Yang Qiankun , Zheng Tingting , Luo Fei , Liu Lei 
Published: April 2024

ABSTRACT

Introduction:
The prevalence of adult spinal deformity (ASD) has increased in recent years. Patients often have to live for a prolonged period from the onset of the condition, up until the need for surgical treatment. Self-management plays a crucial role in disease progression and prognosis.

Objectives:
This project aimed to promote evidence-based practices for the self-management of patients with ASD.

Methods:
This project was guided by the JBI Evidence Implementation Framework project and was conducted in the orthopedic department of a tertiary care hospital in China. A baseline audit was conducted to evaluate current practice against best practice recommendations. Barriers were identified and, after the implementation of improvement strategies, a follow-up audit was conducted to assess project effectiveness.

Results:
A comparison between the baseline and follow-up audits revealed a significant increase in nurses’ compliance with best practices (rising from 0%–64% to 97.7%–100%) in the following areas: improved health promotion behaviors by nurses in self-management of ASD patients; acquisition and application of communication skills with patients; increased availability of educational materials in the ward; and establishment of conservative treatment follow-up instructions for patients. For patients, the Visual Analog Scale of pain decreased from (2.72 ± 1.67) to (1.90 ± 1.14), the Oswestry Disability Index decreased from (49.96 ± 16.49) to (39.83 ± 18.97), self-management behaviors improved from (10.84 ± 4.31) to (19.52 ± 6.31), and maximum isometric muscle strength in the standing position increased from (179.48 ± 91.18)N to (250.03 ± 91.50)N, all with statistically significant improvements (p <0.05). For nurses, the knowledge questionnaire score improved from (34.83 ± 24.16) to (82.00 ± 11.11) (p <0.05).

Conclusions:
This project helped ASD patients improve self-management, alleviated their clinical symptoms, and improved nurses’ knowledge of best practices. Future audits will be conducted to review long-term project outcomes.

Spanish abstract:

http://links.lww.com/IJEBH/A193
Single-cell heterogeneity in ribosome content and the consequences for the growth laws
Authors: Brettner Leandra , Geiler-Samerotte Kerry 
Published: April 2024

ABSTRACTAcross species and environments, the ribosome content of cell populations correlates with population growth rate. The robustness and universality of this correlation have led to its classification as a “growth law.” This law has fueled theories about how evolution selects for microbial organisms that maximize their growth rate based on nutrient availability, and it has informed models about how individual cells regulate their growth rates and ribosomal content. However, due to methodological limitations, this growth law has rarely been studied at the level of individual cells. Whilepopulationsof fast-growing cells tend to have more ribosomes thanpopulationsof slow-growing cells, it is unclear whether individual cells tightly regulate their ribosome content to match their environment. Here, we employ recent groundbreaking single-cell RNA sequencing techniques to study this growth law at the single-cell level in two different microbes,S. cerevisiae(a single-celled yeast and eukaryote) andB. subtilis(a bacterium and prokaryote). In both species, we observe significant variation in the ribosomal content of single cells that is not predictive of growth rate. Fast-growing populations include cells exhibiting transcriptional signatures of slow growth and stress, as do cells with the highest ribosome content we survey. Broadening our focus to non-ribosomal transcripts reveals subpopulations of cells in unique transcriptional states suggestive that they have evolved to do things other than maximize their rate of growth. Overall, these results indicate that single-cell ribosome levels are not finely tuned to match population growth rates or nutrient availability and cannot be predicted by a Gaussian process model that assumes measurements are sampled from a normal distribution centered on the population average. This work encourages the expansion of growth law and other models that predict how growth rates are regulated or how they evolve to consider single-cell heterogeneity. To this end, we provide extensive data and analysis of ribosomal and transcriptomic variation across thousands of single cells from multiple conditions, replicates, and species.
A Cross Sectional Study of Atrial Fibrillation Prevalence and Associated Cardiac Arrhythmias in Stroke Patients: Insights from Commercial Data Archives
Authors: Soo Kuan-Meng , Liew Te-Sheng , Heath Paul 
Published: April 2024

ABSTRACTThe link between atrial fibrillation (AF) and stroke has gained attention due to AF’s significant impact on stroke risk. Detecting AF, especially paroxysmal AF, presents challenges, highlighting the necessity for continuous Holter monitoring. In our investigation, we utilized commercial data archives to examine AF prevalence and associated cardiac arrhythmias among stroke patients and controls. We also analyzed various factors, such as age, gender, symptoms, test duration, and duration post-stroke, to identify predictors of arrhythmias and enhance paroxysmal detection rates. We included 98 stroke patients and 98 controls for comparing AF prevalence within 72 hours post-stroke and analyzed 779 stroke patients within 4 days to 10 weeks post-stroke. Our findings revealed a higher AF detection rate in stroke patients compared to controls, with AF being the most prevalent arrhythmia observed. Older age and symptom presence were associated with significant findings, particularly AF. Temporal analysis showed a negative correlation between AF and complete heart block occurrence over time, while ventricular tachycardia exhibited a positive correlation. Paroxysmal fibrillation detection rates were highest within the initial month, with the optimal duration of Holter monitoring being 10 days, underscoring the importance of extended monitoring for detecting paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. Detecting paroxysmal atrial fibrillation could influence stroke management. Furthermore, our study suggests the potential utility of commercial data in yielding comparable outcomes to research data.
Attitudes toward sustainable development and employer brands: comparing generations X, Y and Z in two countries
Authors: Tkalac Verčič Ana , Verčič Dejan 
Published: April 2024

PurposeThis study investigates how sustainability influences employer branding across generational cohorts – Generations Z, Y and X – and between two neighboring countries, Slovenia and Croatia, with different economic development levels.Design/methodology/approachA comparative cross-generational survey was conducted among respondents from Slovenia and Croatia to assess the impact of sustainability on employer brand perception. The survey explored generational attitudes toward sustainability and its integration into the employer value proposition.FindingsThe study found that all the generational cohorts view sustainability as an important factor in their evaluation of employer brands. Generation X showed the most favorable attitude toward sustainability, followed by Generation Z, highlighting the need for organizations to communicate sustainability efforts effectively to attract these groups. However, there were subtle differences between the countries, with Slovenian respondents indicating a slightly higher preference for sustainable practices. Additionally, while Generation Z may not have the same financial leverage as Generation X, their high valuation of sustainability in employer branding demonstrates their future influence as they enter the workforce.Research limitations/implicationsLimitations include the survey’s conceptual framing, which may be inherently biased toward the more affluent Generation X’s capacity to prioritize sustainability and the focus on USA-based generational definitions, which may not be fully applicable across different cultural settings. Future research could address these limitations by refining the conceptual approach and expanding the sample to include more diverse geographical contexts.Originality/valueBy comparing responses from two economically distinct neighboring countries, the study reveals complex inter-generational dynamics and national contexts affecting sustainability’s role in employer attractiveness.
Towards diverse, critical understandings of “international” for higher education
Authors: Huang Zhuo Min , Cockayne Heather , Mittelmeier Jenna 
Published: April 2024

PurposeThe study explores diverse and critical understandings of “international” in a higher education curriculum context, situated in a curriculum review of a postgraduate taught programme entitled “International Education” at a university located in England. Our study problematises and decentres some dominant, normalised notions of “international”, exploring critical possibilities of engaging with the term for higher education internationalisation.Design/methodology/approachWe examined a set of programme curriculum documents and conducted a survey exploring teaching staff’s uses and interpretations of “international” in their design and delivery of course units. Through a thematic analysis of the dataset, we identify what “international” might mean or how it may be missing across the curriculum.FindingsOur findings suggest a locally-developed conceptualisation of “international” beyond the normalised interpretation of “international” as the inclusion or comparison of multiple nations, and different, other countries around the global world. More diverse, critical understandings of the term have been considered, including international as intercultural, competences, ethics, languages and methods. The study provides an example approach to reflective scholarship that programmes can undergo in order to develop clarity, depth and purposefulness into internationalisation as enacted in a local curriculum context.Originality/valueThe study provides a first step towards establishing clearer guidelines on internationalising the curriculum by higher education institutions and individual programmes in order to challenge a superficial engagement of “international” within internationalisation. It exemplifies a starting point for making purposeful steps away from normalised notions and assumptions of international education and facilitates development towards its critical, ethically-grounded opportunities.
Is quality central? Perceived quality, monocentricity, and financial assumptions
Authors: Andriot Paul , Larceneux Fabrice , Simon Arnaud 
Published: April 2024

PurposeIn this article, the aim is to document the divergences/convergences between the market perceptions of quality and the financial estimations for office buildings relative to the notion of centrality and the distance to the central business district (CBD).Design/methodology/approachBased on a hierarchical approach that decomposes and estimates the perceived quality of buildings from the stakeholders’ perspectives, we study the geographies of perceived quality measures in the Greater Paris Metropolis and compare them to the financial geography.FindingsThe perceived location quality decreases with distance from the CBD whereas judgments on the built structure and the workplace do not, exhibiting a ring-shaped pattern. The gradient of the components of the perceived quality are heterogeneous, having positive, negative or null values. Appraisers tend only to consider the quality of location in their estimations.Originality/valueThis article raises the issue of fair spatial judgments by appraisers and the financial market. Monocentricity is not the rule in the market perceptions of quality. It suggests that financial estimates are strongly biased, with mental representation of centrality as a judgmental heuristic.
Analysis of the local integration rate relevance as a performance indicator for the Moroccan automotive industry
Authors: Benchekroun Mohamed Amine , Boumane Abderrazak 
Published: April 2024

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to define the local integration rate and how it is calculated to assess its relevance as a national performance indicator for the Moroccan automotive industry.

Design/methodology/approach
The research methodology first followed a systematic review approach through the analysis of published research articles and academic works. This study then followed a qualitative approach based on semi-structured interviews with various actors in the Moroccan automotive industry. Finally, the findings of this work were reinforced by a case study to analyze the supply chain of a locally produced vehicle.

Findings
The results indicate that the local integration rate as calculated today overestimates the performance of the automotive industry and does not systematically guarantee a significant creation of value added.

Research limitations/implications
Due to the confidentiality of the data in terms of turnover, payroll and purchase prices as well as the large number of suppliers in the different supply chains of the car manufacturer, the case study focused on only one of the six existing ecosystems.

Originality/value
On the basis of research work on the Moroccan automotive industry as well as interviews with various actors, the local integration rate is unanimously considered as a viable performance indicator. This study has not only led us to the method of calculating this rate by the Ministry of Industry but also demonstrated its limitations while proposing a new method of calculation to increase the value added.
Grey conflict analysis approach with constraints
Authors: Liu Yong , Guo Xue-ge , Jiang Qin , Zhang Jing-yi 
Published: April 2024

PurposeWe attempt to construct a grey three-way conflict analysis model with constraints to deal with correlated conflict problems with uncertain information.Design/methodology/approachIn order to address these correlated conflict problems with uncertain information, considering the interactive influence and mutual restraints among agents and portraying their attitudes toward the conflict issues, we utilize grey numbers and three-way decisions to propose a grey three-way conflict analysis model with constraints. Firstly, based on the collected information, we introduced grey theory, calculated the degree of conflict between agents and then analyzed the conflict alliance based on the three-way decision theory. Finally, we designed a feedback mechanism to identify key agents and key conflict issues. A case verifies the effectiveness and practicability of the proposed model.FindingsThe results show that the proposed model can portray their attitudes toward conflict issues and effectively extract conflict-related information.Originality/valueBy employing this approach, we can provide the answers to Deja’s fundamental questions regarding Pawlak’s conflict analysis: “what are the underlying causes of conflict?” and “how can a viable consensus strategy be identified?”
A bi-objective model for location, dispatch and relocation of ambulances with a revision of dispatch policies
Authors: Ravandi Fatemeh , Fathi Heli Abadi Azar , Heidari Ali , Khalilzadeh Mohammad , Pamucar Dragan 
Published: April 2024

PurposeUntimely responses to emergency situations in urban areas contribute to a rising mortality rate and impact society's primary capital. The efficient dispatch and relocation of ambulances pose operational and momentary challenges, necessitating an optimal policy based on the system's real-time status. While previous studies have addressed these concerns, limited attention has been given to the optimal allocation of technicians to respond to emergency situation and minimize overall system costs.Design/methodology/approachIn this paper, a bi-objective mathematical model is proposed to maximize system coverage and enable flexible movement across bases for location, dispatch and relocation of ambulances. Ambulances relocation involves two key decisions: (1) allocating ambulances to bases after completing services and (2) deciding to change the current ambulance location among existing bases to potentially improve response times to future emergencies. The model also considers the varying capabilities of technicians for proper allocation in emergency situations.FindingsThe Augmented Epsilon-Constrained (AEC) method is employed to solve the proposed model for small-sized problem. Due to the NP-Hardness of the model, the NSGA-II and MOPSO metaheuristic algorithms are utilized to obtain efficient solutions for large-sized problems. The findings demonstrate the superiority of the MOPSO algorithm.Practical implicationsThis study can be useful for emergency medical centers and healthcare companies in providing more effective responses to emergency situations by sending technicians and ambulances.Originality/valueIn this study, a two-objective mathematical model is developed for ambulance location and dispatch and solved by using the AEC method as well as the NSGA-II and MOPSO metaheuristic algorithms. The mathematical model encompasses three primary types of decision-making: (1) Allocating ambulances to bases after completing their service, (2) deciding to relocate the current ambulance among existing bases to potentially enhance response times to future emergencies and (3) considering the diverse abilities of technicians for accurate allocation to emergency situations.
Using digital PCR to predict ciliate abundance from ribosomal RNA gene copy numbers
Authors: Gross Megan , Dunthorn Micah , Mauvisseau Quentin , Stoeck Thorsten 
Published: April 2024

AbstractCiliates play a key role in most ecosystems. Their abundance in natural samples is crucial for answering many ecological questions. Traditional methods of quantifying individual species, which rely on microscopy, are often labour‐intensive, time‐consuming and can be highly biassed. As a result, we investigated the potential of digital polymerase chain reaction (dPCR) for quantifying ciliates. A significant challenge in this process is the high variation in the copy number of the taxonomic marker gene (ribosomal RNA [rRNA]). We first quantified the rRNA gene copy numbers (GCN) of the model ciliate, Paramecium tetraurelia, during different stages of the cell cycle and growth phases. The per‐cell rRNA GCN varied between approximately 11,000 and 130,000, averaging around 50,000 copies per cell. Despite these variations in per‐cell rRNA GCN, we found a highly significant correlation between GCN and cell numbers. This is likely due to the coexistence of different cellular stages in an uncontrolled (environmental) ciliate population. Thanks to the high sensitivity of dPCR, we were able to detect the target gene in a sample that contained only a single cell. The dPCR approach presented here is a valuable addition to the molecular toolbox in protistan ecology. It may guide future studies in quantifying and monitoring the abundance of targeted (even rare) ciliates in natural samples.
Downregulation of PLIN2 in human dermal fibroblasts impairs mitochondrial function in an age‐dependent fashion and induces cell senescence via GDF15
Authors: Chiariello Antonio , Rossetti Luca , Valente Sabrina , Pasquinelli Gianandrea , Sollazzo Manuela , Iommarini Luisa , Porcelli Anna Maria , Tognocchi Monica , Conte Giuseppe , Santoro Aurelia , Kwiatkowska Katarzyna M. , Garagnani Paolo , Salvioli Stefano , Conte Maria 
Published: April 2024

AbstractPerilipin 2 (PLIN2) is a lipid droplet (LD)‐coating protein playing important roles in lipid homeostasis and suppression of lipotoxicity in different tissues and cell types. Recently, a role for PLIN2 in supporting mitochondrial function has emerged. PLIN2 dysregulation is involved in many metabolic disorders and age‐related diseases. However, the exact consequences of PLIN2 dysregulation are not yet completely understood. In this study, we knocked down (KD) PLIN2 in primary human dermal fibroblasts (hDFs) from young (mean age 29 years) and old (mean age 71 years) healthy donors. We have found that PLIN2 KD caused a decline of mitochondrial function only in hDFs from young donors, while mitochondria of hDFs from old donors (that are already partially impaired) did not significantly worsen upon PLIN2 KD. This mitochondrial impairment is associated with the increased expression of the stress‐related mitokine growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) and the induction of cell senescence. Interestingly, the simultaneous KD of PLIN2 and GDF15 abrogated the induction of cell senescence, suggesting that the increase in GDF15 is the mediator of this phenomenon. Moreover, GDF15 KD caused a profound alteration of gene expression, as observed by RNA‐Seq analysis. After a more stringent analysis, this alteration remained statistically significant only in hDFs from young subjects, further supporting the idea that cells from old and young donors react differently when undergoing manipulation of either PLIN2 or GDF15 genes, with the latter being likely a downstream mediator of the former.
The impact of the senescent microenvironment on tumorigenesis: Insights for cancer therapy
Authors: Zhang Wenqiang , Zhang Kexin , Shi Junfeng , Qiu Hongyan , Kan Chengxia , Ma Yujie , Hou Ningning , Han Fang , Sun Xiaodong 
Published: April 2024

AbstractThe growing global burden of cancer, especially among people aged 60 years and over, has become a key public health issue. This trend suggests the need for a deeper understanding of the various cancer types in order to develop universally effective treatments. A prospective area of research involves elucidating the interplay between the senescent microenvironment and tumor genesis. Currently, most oncology research focuses on adulthood and tends to ignore the potential role of senescent individuals on tumor progression. Senescent cells produce a senescence‐associated secretory phenotype (SASP) that has a dual role in the tumor microenvironment (TME). While SASP components can remodel the TME and thus hinder tumor cell proliferation, they can also promote tumorigenesis and progression via pro‐inflammatory and pro‐proliferative mechanisms. To address this gap, our review seeks to investigate the influence of senescent microenvironment changes on tumor development and their potential implications for cancer therapies.