bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Quantifying relative abundance of the lesser Japanese mole (Mogera imaizumii) in mountain forests: A comparison between natural broad‐leaved forests and conifer plantations
Authors: Yamasawa Tai , Tomimatsu Hiroshi 
Published: February 2025

AbstractDescribing the population abundance of species remains a fundamental challenge in ecology, particularly in soil ecosystems. While the preferred habitats of moles—top predators in the soil food web—are well documented in open areas such as cultivated lands and grasslands, few studies have focused on mountain forests, where assessing mole abundance is complicated by thick layers of plant leaf litter and complex topography. Additionally, many monoculture conifer plantations in Japan are poorly managed, potentially resulting in compacted soil that is less suitable for moles compared to natural broad‐leaved forests. Here, we aimed to quantify the relative abundance of the lesser Japanese mole (Mogera imaizumii) in the mountain forests of Yamagata, Japan, by carefully searching for mole tunnels along 29 census routes (unpaved mountain trails) over 7 months. Although tunnels were detected on most routes (75.9%) regardless of forest type, tunnel density (tunnels/km) was lower in cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) plantations than in natural oak forests. The variation in tunnel density was positively related to earthworm biomass, highlighting the importance of earthworms as a food source. Lower earthworm biomass was associated with either higher soil hardness or higher soil moisture; however, only soil moisture tended to be higher in plantations. As cedars are typically planted in moist environments, the reduced mole abundance in these plantations may be related to the specific soil conditions of cedar plantations. These results demonstrate that mole abundance varies significantly across forest sites in response to soil environments.
Tsallis–Cirto Entropy of Black Hole and Black Hole Atom
Authors: Volovik G. E. 
Published: February 2025

The quantum tunneling processes related to the black hole determine the black hole thermodynamics. The Hawking temperature is determined by the quantum tunneling processes of radiation of particles from the black hole. On the other hand, the Bekenstein–Hawking entropy of the black hole is obtained by consideration of the macroscopic quantum tunneling processes of splitting of black hole to the smaller black holes. These tunneling processes also determine the composition rule for the black hole entropy, which coincides with the composition rule for the non-extensive Tsallis–Cirto δ = 2 entropy. This composition rule suggests that the mass spectrum of the black hole is equidistant, M = NM
0. Here N is an integer number and M
0 =
$$\sqrt 2 $$

m
P is the mass quantum expressed via the reduced Planck mass m
P. The Bekenstein–Hawking entropy of the black hole with mass M = NM
0 is S
BH(N) = N
2.
Effect of biannual azithromycin on respiratory pathogens among symptomatic children: results from the randomised Macrolides Oraux pour Réduire les Décès avec un Oeil sur la Résistance (MORDOR) I trial
Authors: Liu Jie , Brennhofer Stephanie A , Zhang Jixian , Stroup Suzanne , Pholwat Suporn , Arzika Ahmed M , Maliki Ramatou , Abdou Amza , Lebas Elodie , O'Brien Kieran S , Arnold Benjamin F , Keenan Jeremy D , Lietman Thomas M , Platts-Mills James A , Rogawski McQuade Elizabeth T , Houpt Eric R 
Published: February 2025

IntroductionBiannual (ie, every 6 months) mass drug administration of azithromycin has reduced childhood mortality in Niger, but its effects on specific respiratory pathogens are not fully elucidated.MethodsAcross 2 years of the Macrolides Oraux pour Réduire les Décès avec un Oeil sur la Résistance (MORDOR) study in Niger, we evaluated 1468 nasopharyngeal swabs from children who presented for care with respiratory symptoms. Swabs were tested by quantitative PCR using a customised TaqMan Array Card that included assays for 19 respiratory pathogens.ResultsNasopharyngeal detection ofHaemophilus influenzae,Moraxella catarrhalisandStreptococcus pneumoniaewas common in both azithromycin and placebo communities. The prevalence was reduced in children from azithromycin communities for just two pathogens:Bordetella pertussisandH. influenzaetype b (Hib). These children had a 49% and 65% reduction in the prevalence ofB. pertussisand Hib in nasopharyngeal swabs, respectively, compared with children from the control communities (prevalence ratios 0.51, 95% CI 0.35, 0.75; and 0.35, 95% CI 0.17, 0.71).ConclusionsBiannual administration of azithromycin to communities in Niger was associated with lower prevalence ofB. pertussisand Hib compared with placebo. These reductions may explain some of the childhood mortality benefit of azithromycin.Trial registration numberNCT02048007.
The financial toxicity of cancer: unveiling global burden and risk factors – a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Kitaw Tegene Atamenta , Tilahun Befkad Derese , Zemariam Alemu Birara , Getie Addisu , Bizuayehu Molla Azmeraw , Haile Ribka Nigatu 
Published: February 2025

BackgroundCancer, a major global health challenge, not only threatens lives but also imposes severe financial burdens, known as ‘financial toxicity’. This strain extends beyond treatment costs to include indirect expenses like lost income and out-of-pocket payments. Despite its urgency, global insights remain fragmented, often limited to specific regions with inconsistent findings. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to provide a comprehensive overview of cancer-related financial toxicity and identify key risk factors contributing to this burden.MethodsWe conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis, searching databases like Medline, Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, International Scientific Indexing and Google Scholar for peer-reviewed observational studies. Data were extracted into Microsoft Excel 2021, and study quality was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tool. Statistical analysis was performed using STATA V.17, with catastrophic health expenditures (CHEs) pooled via a random-effects model. Heterogeneity was explored to understand variations in study outcomes. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were conducted to assess individual study impacts, while publication bias was evaluated using Begger and Egger’s tests. Univariate meta-regression analysis determined the impact of study-level covariates on CHE estimates.ResultsThis analysis included 35 observational studies, covering 428 373 patients with cancer. The pooled prevalence of CHE was 56.1% (95% CI 48.3% to 63.8%). Key risk factors included large family size, low income, lack of health insurance, longer disease duration, older age and multiple treatments. Higher education levels were associated with reduced CHE risk.ConclusionOver half of patients with cancer (56.1%) face catastrophic health expenditures, highlighting a severe financial burden. Addressing this issue requires expanding health insurance, providing financial support and ensuring affordable cancer care. Improving education access can also reduce CHE risk among patients with cancer.
Retention in theBukhalitrial in Soweto, South Africa: a qualitative analysis using self-determination theory
Authors: Draper Catherine E , Tshetu Nosibusiso , Nkosi Nokuthula , Lye Stephen , Norris Shane A 
Published: February 2025

IntroductionThere is limited research on applying theory to retention in complex intervention trials. To address this gap, this study aimed to qualitatively examine retention in theBukhalirandomised controlled trial, from the perspective of trial participants and staff, through the lens of self-determination theory (SDT). TheBukhalitrial is part of the Healthy Life Trajectories Initiative in Soweto, South Africa, with young women.MethodsNine focus group discussions were used to generate data fromBukhalitrial staff (n=45, 23–64 years), and participants, including those currently enrolled (n=16, 25–31 years) and those who had withdrawn from the trial (n=20, 24–32 years). A codebook thematic approach was taken to data analysis; SDT was used to develop a conceptual model to analyse the data in context. The main themes identified were external influences on the trial, trial implementing environment, controlled motivation and intrinsic autonomous motivation.ResultsOur findings highlighted the contextual issues influencing the trial, including participants’ socioeconomic circumstances, and the presence or absence of social support, the trial complexity and participant burden. Issues related to controlled motivation comprised challenges of staying in contact, financial incentives and food, health services provided and other incentives. We also identified aspects of the trial supporting participants’ psychological needs of autonomy, competence and relatedness, which in turn contributed to their intrinsic autonomous motivation. These included participants’ interest in the trial and its relevance to them; participants’ sense of agency, meaning and purpose through their involvement; the building of their knowledge and awareness about their health; relating to other participants and the relationships built with staff and being treated well.ConclusionSDT provides a helpful frame for a contextualised understanding of the complexity of retention ofBukhalitrial participants (longitudinal study and intervention). These findings have relevance for trials in under-resourced settings.
Health system governance for injury care in low- and middle-income countries: a survey of policymakers and policy implementors
Authors:   The Equi-Injury Group, Ghalichi Leila 
Published: February 2025

IntroductionGood health system governance is essential for reducing high mortality and morbidity after injury in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Unfortunately, the current state of governance for injury care is not known. This study evaluated governance for injury care in Ghana, Pakistan, Rwanda and South Africa, four LMICs with diverse contexts, to allow understanding of similarities or difference in the status of governance systems in different LMICs.MethodThis cross-sectional study captured the perceptions of 220 respondents (31 policymakers and 189 policy implementers) on injury care governance using the framework for governance in health system developed by Siddiqi. Input was captured in 10 domains: strategic vision; participation and consensus; rule of law; transparency; responsiveness; equity and inclusion; effectiveness and efficiency; accountability; intelligence and information; and ethics.ResultThe median injury care governance score across all domains and countries was 29% (IQR 17–43). The highest median score was achieved in the rule of law (50, 33–67), and the lowest scores were seen in the transparency (0, 0–33), accountability (0, 0–33), and participation and consensus (0, 0–33) domains. Median scores were higher for policymakers (33, 27–48) than for policy implementers (27, 17–42), but the difference was not statistically significant.ConclusionThe four studied countries have developed some of the foundations of good injury care governance, although many governance domains require more attention. The gap in awareness between policymakers and policy implementers might reflect a delayed or partial implementation of policies or lack of communication between sectors. Ensuring equitable access to injury care across LMICs requires investment in all domains of good injury care governance.
Young people and parent or carers views on type 2 diabetes mellitus care in England and Wales: analysis of parent and patient-reported measures survey
Authors: Hawton Katherine , Hickingbotham Hannah , Sachdev Pooja 
Published: February 2025

BackgroundThe prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in children and young people (CYP) is increasing in the UK and worldwide. Little is known about the experience young people and their families have when attending for their diabetes care. The aim of this study is to analyse the responses to the Parent and Patient Reported Experience Measures (PREM) survey 2021–2022 for patients with T2DM and their families to inform care.MethodsAs part of the National Paediatric Diabetes Audit (NPDA) (2022), the NPDA PREM survey was open online between August 2021 and January 2022. The data have previously been analysed collectively for all diabetes; however, we specifically analysed the data for patients living with T2DM.Results9.2% (105/1144) of young people living with T2DM in England and Wales responded to the NPDA PREM survey, mostly aged 12–16 years (61.9%) and the majority were female (67.6%). 87% of patients and 95% of carers said that they would recommend their diabetes team, and 73% of patients felt happy after appointments. Only just over half of the patients and parents felt well prepared for transferring to adult care. Only 38% of patients felt that their school or college often had the necessary information to support them with their diabetes.ConclusionsThis analysis describes the experience of CYP and their parents/carers of T2DM care and highlights areas for improvement. These findings may help to inform recommendations about the development of better patient-centred care for young people with T2DM.
Radiological abnormalities persist following COVID-19 and correlate with impaired health-related quality of life: a prospective cohort study of hospitalised patients
Authors: Sykes Robert , Morrow Andrew J , Mangion Kenneth , McConnachie Alex , McIntosh Alasdair , Roditi Giles , Peng Liam , Rooney Claire , Scott Kathryn , Stobo David Barrie , Berry Colin , Church Colin , Bayes Hannah 
Published: February 2025

BackgroundThe radiological trajectory of post-COVID-19 is uncertain. We present a prospective, observational, multicentre cohort study using multimodality imaging to describe the pulmonary sequelae of patients hospitalised with COVID-19, predictors of persistent abnormal radiology and implications on health status.MethodsIn survivors of COVID-19, we performed convalescent CT pulmonary angiogram and high-resolution CT imaging as part of the CISCO-19 study (ClinicalTrials.gov IDNCT04403607). This included serial blood biomarkers and patient-reported outcomes 28–60 days following discharge from hospital.ResultsOf the COVID-19 cohort, 88 (56%) patients of the COVID-19 cohort (n = 159; mean age, 55 years; 43% female) had persisting radiological abnormalities at 28–60 days postdischarge. This included ground-glass opacification (45%), reticulation/architectural distortion (30%) or mixed pattern (19%). These features were very infrequent among a group of age-matched, sex-matched and cardiovascular risk factor-matched controls (n=29). The majority of COVID-19 cohort (68%) had less than 20% persisting radiological abnormalities, with 67% demonstrating overall improvement compared with admission imaging. Older age, premorbid performance status, typical acute COVID-19 radiological features, markers of severe acute COVID-19, convalescent ICAM-1 and P-selectin were associated with persisting lung abnormalities (all p<0.05). Patients with persisting abnormalities were shown to have lower levels of physical activity and predicted maximal oxygen utilisation (derived VO2) (both p<0.05). Higher percentage of abnormal lung parenchyma was associated with lower patient-assessed quality of life (EQ-5D-5L) score (p=0.03).ConclusionsPersistent radiological abnormalities post-COVID-19 were common at 28–60 days postdischarge from hospital, although most improved. Patients with persisting radiological abnormalities 28–60 days postdischarge are at risk of persisting health impairment in the longer term and represent a population for targeted intervention.Trial registration numberNCT04403607.
Distribution and determinants of unintentional injuries among older adults population in Tamil Nadu, India: a community-based injury prediction model
Authors: Joseph Alex , Kumar Dhasarathi , Peter Roshni Mary , Mappillairaju Bagavandas 
Published: February 2025

BackgroundUnintentional injuries among older adults represent a significant public health challenge, particularly in low-resource settings. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of unintentional injuries among older adults in Tamil Nadu, identify associated risk factors and develop a prediction model for unintentional injuries.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among older adults in Tamil Nadu, India, and used probability proportional to size sampling. Data were collected via a semistructured questionnaire. The receiver-operating characteristic curve was created to show the probability of the occurrence of unintentional injuries among older adults.ResultsAmong 995 older adults, 13.9% reported having unintentional injuries. Among those injured, about 49% of all injuries were due to falls. The best cut-off point for predicted probability was found to be 0.88 for a sensitivity of 81% and a specificity of 61%, from receiver-operating characteristic curve. The regression analysis showed that fear of falling (4.5 times higher risk), being tribal (3.15 times higher risk), female gender (1.98 times higher risk) and alcohol consumption (1.95 times higher risk) significantly increased chance of unintentional injury.ConclusionsThe study highlighted the critical need to prioritise the prevention of unintentional injuries among older adults, particularly focusing on high-risk populations such as those from low socioeconomic and tribal communities. The use of receiver-operating characteristic curve in this study provides a robust and reliable method for predicting unintentional injuries in older adults in India, offering actionable insights for healthcare professionals and public health planners, if validated in future studies.
From Peril to Protection: an evaluation of regulations impacting eScooter injuries
Authors: Black Kendra M , Santorelli Jarrett E , Costantini Todd W , Kobayashi Leslie M , Doucet Jay J , Haines Laura N 
Published: February 2025

BackgroundThe use of standing electric motorized scooters (eScooters) has skyrocketed since its first release in 2016. This quickly popularized form of transportation has been associated with significant injury and even death. These eScooter-related traumatic injuries led to local advocacy efforts, resulting in safety restrictions including speed limit geofencing, sidewalk restrictions, and limiting the number of eScooter providers in high-density population areas. We hypothesized that these local safety restrictions decreased the number of eScooter-related injuries presenting to our trauma center. MethodsThis is a retrospective cohort study of eScooter-crash patients presenting to our Level 1 trauma center from July 2018 to June 2023. Variables included patient demographics, injury severity score (ISS), and mortality. The primary outcome was the rate of eScooter patients presenting over time in relation to the implementation of local-regional safety regulations.ResultsA total of 381 patients presented after eScooter crashes. Males were 73.8% of patients. The average age was 38.6 years; 45+ years was the most common age group at 33%, followed by ages 25–34 (31%). The mean ISS was 9±6, with ISS 0–9 (65.1%), 10–15 (24.4%), 16–24 (8.4%), and >25 (20.1%). There were three (0.8%) deaths. The median number of eScooter patients per month with prespeed limits was nine and post five (p=0.005), showing a 44.4% decrease in injured patients. After February 2022 restrictions, the rate precipitously declined with a median of two (p=0.033), reflecting an additional 60% decrease in injured patients.ConclusionLocal advocacy resulting in increased safety regulations was associated with a significant reduction in injured patients secondary to eScooter use. This demonstrates the importance of advocacy efforts in response to changes in injury patterns and mechanisms of injury. We believe that our work can serve as a model for other urban centers seeking to reduce eScooter-related injuries and implement effective safety measures.Level of evidenceIV, prognostic/epidemiologic.
Efficacy and Safety of GutGard® in Managing Gastroesophageal Reflux-Related Symptoms: A Phase III, Single-Centre, Double-Blind, Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial
Authors: Raj Jeffrey Pradeep , Saxena Unnati , Belhekar Mahesh Namdeo , Mamde Ambika , Darak Harish , Pawar Shwetal 
Published: February 2025

Introduction: Liquorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) is a traditional herbal remedy with various pharmacological activities mainly used for digestive and respiratory ailments. GutGard® is a flavonoid-rich, deglycyrrhizinated liquorice root extract and is standardized to glabridin (≥3.5% w/w), and others viz., glabrol, eicosanyl caffeate, docosyl caffeate, and total flavonoids (≥10% w/w) with glycyrrhizin (≤3.0% w/w) as glycyrrhizin causes electrolyte imbalance, hypertension, and water retention. Hence, the objective of the current study was to assess the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of GutGard® in managing gastroesophageal reflux (GER)-related symptoms when compared to placebo. Methods: It was a double-blind, parallel group, randomized, placebo-controlled trial with participants randomized in a 1:1 ratio to either the placebo group or GutGard® group. The duration of the interventions/treatment was for 28 days and the follow-up visits were done at day 7, day 14, day 28, and day 35. A telephonic follow-up was also done on day 21. The primary outcome measures studied was the change in the Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease-Health-Related Quality of Life and the Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Symptom Assessment Scale. Results: We screened a total of n = 296 participants and enrolled n = 200 participants and obtained written, informed consent from them. Participants in the GutGard® group reported a significantly better quality of life at the end of the intervention period (p = 0.014). They also reported earlier resolution of symptoms of GER as against the placebo group, especially the symptoms of heartburn (p = 0.017 on day 14 and p = 0.005 on day 28) and regurgitation (p = 0.025 on day 7, p = 0.029 on day 14, and p = 0.022 on day 28). Conclusions: The GutGard® group showed better and earlier resolution (within 2 weeks) of symptoms of GER as against the placebo group, especially heartburn and regurgitation.