bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Body integrity dysphoria and moral responsibility: an interpretation of the scepticism regarding on-demand amputations
Authors: Loriga Leandro 
Published: January 2024

A patient who requests an amputation deemed medically unnecessary by professionals is disqualified per se from being regarded as having medical decision-making capacity. This decision is based on the assumption that there is an option to pursue something other than amputation; such an assumption in many cases overflows into therapeutic obstinacy. This is the case for individuals who have ill or damaged body parts and who wish to avoid recurrent and painful medical treatment designed to save the limb, as well as for individuals affected by body integrity dysphoria (BID). BID is a condition that is recognised by the WHO and is included in the International Classification of Diseases, 11th edition. Individuals who are affected develop an intense feeling of overcompleteness of their body configuration, which leads to the development of a strong sense of dysphoria and consequently the desire to amputate in order to remove the source of such discomfort. In the few cases in which amputation has been carried out, the results have proved successful; the individual’s quality of life has improved and they have had no new amputation desires. No medical therapy, including medical amputation, is available currently for individuals affected by the condition. This situation leads many with BID to mutilate themselves. Such events create a challenging ethical dilemma for the medical world.
The present paper is focused on the capacity of the individual with BID to do other than request amputation and the implications that this carries regarding moral responsibility. It is proposed that the autonomy of the patient cannot be disqualified by default based on the amputation request, despite its oddity, and that any scepticism demonstrated by the physicians is based on a false preconception of ill will or ignorance, which results in a blaming attitude towards the requesting person.
Association between the implementation of standardised tobacco packaging legislation and illicit tobacco and cross-border purchasing in England: a time-series analysis between 2012 and 2020
Authors: Vincent Hannah , Laverty Anthony A , Brown Jamie , Beard Emma , Bogdanovica Ilze 
Published: January 2024

BackgroundIn May 2016, the UK announced standardising packaging legislation for tobacco products. There was a 12-month transition period with both branded and standardised packs on the market until May 2017. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the implementation of standardised packaging in England was associated with changes in illicit tobacco and cross-border purchasing.MethodsWe used Smoking Toolkit Study data covering the time period from 2012 to 2020. We ran time-series analysis using Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average with Exogenous Variable models to investigate the monthly changes in illicit tobacco and cross-border purchasing in England. The model was adjusted for other tobacco control policies implemented during the relevant time period and tobacco pricing. We used May 2017 as an implementation point and run sensitivity analysis using July 2016 and February 2017 as alternative implementation points given phased introduction of the policy.ResultsThe average prevalence of illicit tobacco and cross-border purchasing in the past 6 months was 14.4%. The implementation of standardised tobacco packaging legislation was associated with a monthly decline in illicit tobacco and cross-border purchases after May 2017 by 0.16% per month (beta=−0.158, 95% CI −0.270 to −0.046). The results were robust to considering different implementation points for the policy (July 2016: beta=−0.109, 95% CI –0.213 to −0.005; February 2017: beta=−0.141, 95% CI −0.245 to −0.036).ConclusionsIn contrast to the tobacco industry’s argument that the legislation would lead to an increase in the illicit tobacco and cross-border market, this study demonstrates that the implementation of the policy is associated with a decline in illicit tobacco and cross-border purchases in England.
Easy access: identification verification and shipping methods used by online vape shops
Authors: Bertrand Adrian , Diaz Megan C , Hair Elizabeth C , Schillo Barbara A 
Published: January 2024

ObjectiveThis project assesses how online vape shops (OVSs) verify buyer identification (ID) and the shipping methods used to send products within the USA.MethodologyIn January 2023, we conducted three online searches (eg, ‘best online vape shops’) from our office in Washington, District of Columbia, to identify popular OVSs. Two trained coders identified discrete features available within the site sections: ‘About Us’, ‘Shipping Policy’ and ‘Frequently Asked Questions’, or displayed within the site’s homepage. Coders recorded OVS listed locations, shipping discounts, shipping companies used and ID verification methods. Lastly, coders indicated if the site requested ID/age verification after adding an item to the shopping cart and initiating checkout procedures.ResultsWe identified 64 unique OVSs; 92.2% (n=59) offered shipping and 82.8% (n=53) shipped to US buyers; 76.6% (n=49) allowed visitors to type a birthday or choose the ‘21 or older’ option to access the site. Of the 59 sites shipping to buyers, 76.3% (n=45) offered free shipping, 21.9% (n=14) required login to purchase products, while most sites (n=45, 76.3%) allowed visitors to reach the checkout page without ID verification. The US Postal Service is the most commonly used shipping carrier (n=23), in violation of the Preventing All Cigarette Trafficking Act.ConclusionsMost OVSs rely on age self-certification, which underage youth can easily exploit to access these products. Findings warrant that the Food and Drug Administration, state and local policymakers explore additional actions regulating online tobacco sales to address the compliance issues our data elucidate. These include enhanced surveillance, compliance checks and stricter penalties.
Use of inhaled corticosteroids and the risk of hospitalisation for pneumonia in children with asthma: a nationwide cohort study
Authors: Sielinou Kamgang Karl-Hermann , Rhedin Samuel Arthur , Almqvist Catarina , Wintzell Viktor 
Published: January 2024

BackgroundThe potential association between the use of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) and the risk of pneumonia among adults is disputed and paediatric-specific evidence is scarce.AimTo assess the potential association between ICS, use and the risk of hospitalisation for pneumonia among children (age 2–17 years) with asthma.MethodsThis was a cohort study based on nationwide data from routine clinical practice in Sweden (January 2007 to November 2021). From 425 965 children with confirmed asthma, episodes of new ICS use and no use were identified using records of dispensed drugs. We adjusted for potential confounders with propensity score overlap weighting and the risk of a hospitalisation with pneumonia as primary diagnosis was estimated. Multiple subgroup and sensitivity analyses were also performed.ResultsWe identified 249 351 ICS (mean follow-up of 0.9 years) and 214 840 no-use (mean follow-up of 0.7 years) episodes. During follow-up, 369 and 181 events of hospitalisation for pneumonia were observed in the ICS and no-use episodes, respectively. The weighted incidence rates of hospitalisation for pneumonia was 14.5 per 10 000 patient-years for ICS use episodes and 14.6 for no-use episodes. The weighted HR for hospitalisation for pneumonia associated with ICS use was 1.06 (95% CI 0.88 to 1.28) and the absolute rate difference was −0.06 (95% CI −2.83 to 2.72) events per 10 000 patient-years, compared with no use.ConclusionsIn this nationwide cohort study, we found no evidence of an association between ICS use and the risk of hospitalisation for pneumonia among children with asthma, as compared with no use.
Bidirectional static loading tests on barrette piles. A case history from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Authors: Nguyen Tan , Fellenius Bengt H. 
Published: January 2024

Bidirectional static loading tests were conducted on two strain-gage instrumented barrettes installed to 72 m depth in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The barrettes were to support a 16-storey building with 5 basements. The soil profile comprised layers of medium coarse to fine sand, medium clay, firm to stiff clayey soil, and dense sandy silt. The region is experiencing an ongoing land subsidence affecting the upper about 40 m of soil and, on average in the city, the ground surface is currently settling 16 mm/year. The test records were processed by means of effective stress analysis to provide the axial pile force distribution, load transfer functions, and equivalent head-down load–movement curve. The analysis was then used to obtain the equivalent pile-head load–movement response adjusted to the planned 22 m deep basement excavation. Load transfer functions were back-calculated from the test records and indicate that the construction will show somewhat large load-transfer movement. However, because the equilibrium plane will be below the subsiding layers, below 40 m depth, downdrag is not expected to affect the building. The load response of the barrettes is compared to the results of a bidirectional (BD) loading test on a 1.8 m diameter bored pile at an adjacent project.
ResQNets: a residual approach for mitigating barren plateaus in quantum neural networks
Authors: Kashif Muhammad , Al-Kuwari Saif 
Published: January 2024

AbstractThe barren plateau problem in quantum neural networks (QNNs) is a significant challenge that hinders the practical success of QNNs. In this paper, we introduce residual quantum neural networks (ResQNets) as a solution to address this problem. ResQNets are inspired by classical residual neural networks and involve splitting the conventional QNN architecture into multiple quantum nodes, each containing its own parameterized quantum circuit, and introducing residual connections between these nodes. Our study demonstrates the efficacy of ResQNets by comparing their performance with that of conventional QNNs and plain quantum neural networks through multiple training experiments and analyzing the cost function landscapes. Our results show that the incorporation of residual connections results in improved training performance. Therefore, we conclude that ResQNets offer a promising solution to overcome the barren plateau problem in QNNs and provide a potential direction for future research in the field of quantum machine learning.
The competition between α-decay and spontaneous fission for even–even isotopes of superheavy nuclei in the range 106≤Z≤124
Authors: Pahlavani M. R. , Ahmadvand F. 
Published: January 2024

The [Formula: see text]-decay and spontaneous fission (SF) half-lives for even–even isotopes of superheavy nuclei in the range [Formula: see text] are predicted using nuclear double-folding and Coulomb potentials. The [Formula: see text]-decay half-lives are computed based on WKB approximation for tunneling probability through potential barrier. The half-lives of SF have also been calculated using a semi-empirical relation constructed by Santhosh et al. [Nucl. Phys. A 832, 220 (2009)]. Our calculated half-lives of cold SF and [Formula: see text]-decay are compared with the available experimental data. This comparison indicates that our obtained half-lives are in good agreement with the available experimental data. The competition between [Formula: see text]-decay and SF is also analyzed in detail and the decay modes are predicted for the unknown cases. Variation of [Formula: see text]-decay and SF half-lives with mass number of the parent isotopes for each nucleus revealed the major role played with shell effect.
Text2EL
+
: Expert Guided Event Log Enrichment Using Unstructured Text
Authors: Kapugama Geeganage Dakshi Tharanga , Wynn Moe Thandar , ter Hofstede Arthur H. M. 
Published: January 2024

Through the application of process mining, business processes can be improved on the basis of process execution data captured in event logs. Naturally, the quality of this data determines the quality of the improvement recommendations. Improving data quality is non-trivial, and there is great potential to exploit unstructured text, e.g., from notes, reviews, and comments, for this purpose and to
enrich
event logs. To this end, this article introduces Text2EL
+
, a three-phase approach to enrich event logs using unstructured text. In its first phase, events and (case and event) attributes are derived from unstructured text linked to organisational processes. In its second phase, these events and attributes undergo a semantic and contextual validation before their incorporation in the event log. In its third and final phase, recognising the importance of human domain expertise, expert guidance is used to further improve data quality by removing redundant and irrelevant events. Expert input is used to train a Named Entity Recognition (NER) model with customised tags to detect event log elements. The approach applies natural language processing techniques, sentence embeddings, training pipelines and models, as well as contextual and expression validation. Various unstructured clinical notes associated with a healthcare case study were analysed, and completeness, concordance, and correctness of the derived event log elements were evaluated through experiments. The results show that the proposed method is feasible and applicable.
DNA Damage Response Pharmacogenomic (DDR_PGx) Score Predicts Response to Chemotherapy Consisting of Gemtuzumab Ozogamicin in Pediatric AML: A Report from the Children's Oncology Group
Authors: Shastri Vivek M. , Chauhan Lata , Gbadamosi Mohammed , Alonzo Todd A. , Wang Yi-Cheng , Aplenc Richard , Hirsch Betsy A. , Kolb Edward A. , Gamis Alan S. , Meshinchi Soheil , Lamba Jatinder K. 
Published: January 2024

Abstract

Purpose:
Comprehensive pharmacogenomics (PGx) evaluation of calicheamicin pathway to identify predictive PGx markers of response to gemtuzumab ozogamicin (GO) treatment in acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

Experimental Design:
SNPs in DNA damage response (DDR) pathway genes were tested for association with event-free survival (EFS), overall survival (OS), and risk of relapse after induction 1 (RR1) in patients treated with standard chemotherapy consisting of Ara-C, daunorubicin, and etoposide (ADE) with or without addition of GO on COG-AAML03P1 and COG-AAAML0531 trials (ADE+GO, n = 755; ADE n = 470). SNPs with significant association with any endpoint within ADE+GO arm but not in the ADE arm were tested using multi-SNP modeling to develop DDR_PGx7 score.

Results:
Patients with low DDR_PGx7 score (&lt;0) had significantly worse EFS [HR = 1.51, 95% confidence interval (CI: 1.21–1.89), P &lt; 0.001], worse OS [HR = 1.59, 95% CI (1.22–2.08), P &lt; 0.001], and higher RR1 [HR = 1.87, 95% CI (1.41–2.47), P &lt; 0.0001] compared with patients with high DDR_PGx7 score (≥0) when treated with GO (ADE+GO cohort). However, no difference between low and high DDR_PGx7 score groups was observed for EFS, OS, and RR1 (all P &gt; 0.3) in patients treated on ADE arm.

Conclusions:
Our results suggest that DDR pathway–based pharmacogenomic score holds potential to predict outcome in patients treated with GO which consists of DNA damaging cytotoxin, calicheamicin. The potential clinical relevance for this score to personalize GO in AML requires further validation in independent and expanded cohorts.
Deficiency of Transcription Factor Sp1 Contributes to Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Zhang Fulei , Zhou Huixing , Xue Jinfeng , Zhang Yuemei , Zhou Liping , Leng Junwei , Fang Guojian , Liu Yuanyuan , Wang Yan , Liu Hongyu , Wu Yahan , Qi Lingbin , Duan Ran , He Xiaoyu , Wang Yan , Liu Yi , Li Li , Yang Jian , Liang Dandan , Chen Yi-Han 
Published: January 2024

BACKGROUND:
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most prevalent monogenic heart disorder. However, the pathogenesis of HCM, especially its nongenetic mechanisms, remains largely unclear. Transcription factors are known to be involved in various biological processes including cell growth. We hypothesized that SP1 (specificity protein 1), the first purified TF in mammals, plays a role in the cardiomyocyte growth and cardiac hypertrophy of HCM.

METHODS:

Cardiac-specific conditional knockout of
Sp1
mice were constructed to investigate the role of SP1 in the heart. The echocardiography, histochemical experiment, and transmission electron microscope were performed to analyze the cardiac phenotypes of cardiac-specific conditional knockout of
Sp1
mice. RNA sequencing, chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing, and adeno-associated virus experiments in vivo were performed to explore the downstream molecules of SP1. To examine the therapeutic effect of SP1 on HCM, an SP1 overexpression vector was constructed and injected into the mutant allele of Myh6 R404Q/+ (
Myh6
c. 1211C>T) HCM mice. The human induced pluripotent stem cell–derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) from a patient with HCM were used to detect the potential therapeutic effects of SP1 in human HCM.

RESULTS:

The cardiac-specific conditional knockout of
Sp1
mice developed a typical HCM phenotype, displaying overt myocardial hypertrophy, interstitial fibrosis, and disordered myofilament. In addition,
Sp1
knockdown dramatically increased the cell area of hiPSC-CMs and caused intracellular myofibrillar disorganization, which was similar to the hypertrophic cardiomyocytes of HCM. Mechanistically,
Tuft1
was identified as the key target gene of SP1. The hypertrophic phenotypes induced by
Sp1
knockdown in both hiPSC-CMs and mice could be rescued by TUFT1 (tuftelin 1) overexpression. Furthermore, SP1 overexpression suppressed the development of HCM in the mutant allele of Myh6 R404Q/+ mice and also reversed the hypertrophic phenotype of HCM hiPSC-CMs.

CONCLUSIONS:
Our study demonstrates that SP1 deficiency leads to HCM. SP1 overexpression exhibits significant therapeutic effects on both HCM mice and HCM hiPSC-CMs, suggesting that SP1 could be a potential intervention target for HCM.
The Proposal for a Directive on Defective Products: A Game Changer for Innovative Medicinal Products
Authors: Guerriaud Mathieu , Siranyan Valérie 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
At the end of 2022, the European Commission published a proposal for a directive to revise the strict liability regime introduced in 1985. Although the main goal of this new proposal is to adapt the regulations to information technologies such as artificial intelligence, it has multiple impacts on other economic sectors, including the pharmaceutical market. Therefore, this proposal could change the deal in terms of liability in this specific market. Indeed, the proposal modifies the burden of proof, which can be quite challenging to establish in the case of adverse effects of medicinal products. It introduces a possible presumption of liability for a manufacturer who fails to communicate, to a court, the information they required, which might jeopardise the protection of trade secrets and commercial confidentiality. In addition, the proposal also extends the limitation period, and more importantly, it mandates the application of the ‘development risk defence.’
Critically-Ill Children and the International Human Rights System: Assessing the Status and Role of the UNCRPD in the Case of Archie Battersbee
Authors: Nyamutata Conrad 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
Over the past few years, some parents and clinicians in the UK have argued about decisions on the fate of critically-ill children, with the cases ending in protracted and emotionally-sapping legal disputes. The long-running legal conflicts have played out in the public eye, eliciting conflicting opinions. At the core of the disputes is whether parents or clinicians should determine the appropriate course of action. In the event of the disagreements, the domestic court intervenes guided by the ‘best interests’ principle. A corpus of scholarship, falling on either side of the debate, has captured the contradictions. Until recently, the discourse had focused on the common recourses to domestic courts and the European Court of Human Rights. However, in the recent case of incapacitated 12-year-old Archie Battersbee, his parents sought redress from the international human rights system through the Committee on the Rights of People with Disabilities to stop termination of his life support. The courts barred the involvement of the Committee on the basis that the UK had not incorporated the treaty which birthed the Committee. The case brought into sharp focus the relationship between international law and domestic law. First, this paper asserts that the weight (not) given to international law by the domestic courts was inconsistent with its treatment of international obligations in other cases. Secondly, the position that unincorporated treaties do not have legal effect in domestic proceedings is ambiguous. Finally, the treaty body appeared ill-suited to handle a case of a critically-ill child in the face of the impatient demands of local justice.
Vientos—A New Satellite Mission Concept for 3D Wind Measurements by Combining Passive Water Vapor Sounders with Doppler Wind Lidar
Authors: Zeng Xubin , Su Hui , Hristova-Veleva Svetla , Posselt Derek J. , Atlas Robert , Brown Shannon T. , Dixon Ross D. , Fetzer Eric , Galarneau Thomas J. , Hardesty Michael , Jiang Jonathan H. , Kangaslahti Pekka P. , Ouyed Amir , Pagano Thomas S. , Reitebuch Oliver , Roca Remy , Stoffelen Ad , Tucker Sara , Wilson Anna , Wu Longtao , Yanovsky Igor 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
It is challenging to accurately characterize the three-dimensional distribution of horizontal wind vectors (known as 3D winds). Feature-matching satellite cloud top or water vapor fields have been used for decades to retrieve atmospheric motion vectors, but this approach is mostly limited to a single and uncertain pressure level at a given time. Satellite wind lidar measurements are expected to provide more accurate data and capture the line-of-sight wind for clear skies, within cirrus clouds, and above thick clouds, but only along a curtain parallel to the satellite track. Here we propose Vientos—a new satellite mission concept that combines two or more passive water vapor sounders with Doppler wind lidar to measure 3D winds. The need for 3D wind observations is highlighted by inconsistencies in reanalysis estimates, particularly under precipitating conditions. Recent studies have shown that 3D winds can be retrieved using water vapor observations from two polar-orbiting satellites separated by 50 min, with the help of advanced optical flow algorithms. These winds can be improved through the incorporation of a small number of collocated higher-accuracy measurements via machine learning. The Vientos concept would enable simultaneous measurements of 3D winds, temperature, and humidity, and is expected to have a significant impact on scientific research, weather prediction, and other applications. For example, it can help better understand and predict the preconditions for organized convection. This article summarizes recent results, presents the Vientos mission architecture, and discusses implementation scenarios for a 3D wind mission under current budget constraints.