bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Rise in income inequality due to pandemic in developing economies
Authors: Zahid GulRukh , Nasir Hamna , Fatima Ambreen 
Published: October 2023

AbstractThe outbreak of coronavirus pandemic (COVID‐19) has severely affected global economies and Pakistan. The core focus of this study is to analyse income inequality before and after the pandemic in developing economies and other urbanised areas of Pakistan. Gini coefficient has been employed to estimate income inequality for developing economies and Pakistan, whereas the Theil index is assessed across the regions, provinces and other urban areas of Pakistan. For that purpose, the study has worked on ‘special survey evaluating the Socio‐economic Impact of COVID‐19 on the well‐being of people’ published by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. This study focuses on seeing the consequences of COVID‐19, especially in the context of income inequality caused by the lockdown imposed in the countries in hand. Further, determinants of income inequality are estimated before and after the pandemic. This study anticipates that fair income distribution is the only solution to decrease disparities. Moreover, to achieve goal 10 of Sustainable Development Goal, it is significant to work on provision of opportunities that help in increasing the income opportunities for the underprivileged segment of society. This solution is achievable only if the provision of education and employment increases, eventually reducing the ever‐increasing wage gap in the long run. So far no study has empirically evaluated the impact of income inequality caused by the pandemic in Pakistan on the district level. The novelty of the study is that it has assessed the impact of income inequality before and after the pandemic in developing economics and than evaluated the urbanized areas of Pakistan on the basis of income inequality post and pre‐pandemic situation, hence fill the research gap as no study so far has been done on it.
A heuristic algorithm to solve the one‐warehouse multiretailer problem with an emission constraint
Authors: Gruson Matthieu , Zhong Qihua , Jabali Ola , Jans Raf 
Published: October 2023

AbstractIn this paper, we consider the one‐warehouse multiretailer problem with a global carbon emission cap constraint (OWMR‐EC). This constraint aims at limiting the carbon emissions related to the production, setup, and inventory‐holding operations. We develop a penalized relaxation (PR) method to heuristically solve the considered problem, both with and without the possibility of having initial inventory. This heuristic uses in itself another heuristic that we propose to solve the standard one‐warehouse multiretailer problem (OWMR). Our PR method is tested on numerous instances adapted from the literature. Our results indicate that the penalized method is able to find between 87.4% and 89.8% of feasible solutions for this NP‐hard problem, with an average optimality gap of 2.1% and 2.2% depending on the algorithms we use to solve the different subproblems involved in the method. The results show that our method is highly effective in terms of run‐time and solution quality, when a feasible solution is found. Furthermore, the results indicate that the heuristic for the standard OWMR is also very effective. We further perform a sensitivity analysis on the optimal solutions of the OWMR‐EC to better understand the implications of the carbon emission cap constraint. The sensitivity analysis indicates that the marginal cost of reducing carbon emissions increases as the emission cap decreases. The analysis also shows that the correlation between the cost and emission parameters has an important impact on the potential to further lower the emissions, compared to the emission of the minimum cost solution.
Fracture toughness of Ca‐, Sr‐, and Ba‐aluminoborosilicate glasses
Authors: Fry Aubrey L. , Krug Christian , Ladinger Lukas , Lube Tanja , Kim Seong H. , Mauro John C. 
Published: October 2023

AbstractThe field strength effect on fracture toughness was tested for three alkaline earth (AE) aluminoborosilicate (ABS) glasses. This work explores the impact of modifier field strength (FS) on macro‐mechanical properties in line with previous works which examined the FS effect on structure, hardness, crack resistance, and elastoplastic properties of alkali and AE‐ABS glasses. Fracture toughness (KIcVNB) was found to increase as modifier FS increased; and the elastoplastic ratio (HV/E) correlated well with plasticity, hardness, and fracture toughness. The purpose of this work is to examine the mechanical response of AE‐ABS glasses at a larger length scale in order to determine whether the field strength effect is active as was observed at lower length scales in previous works. The observed increase and decrease of the KIcVNB and HV/E, respectively, with increasing modifier FS, suggest a strong correlation between increasing fracture toughness and crack resistance with increasing plasticity for the AE‐ABS glasses studied.
Examining the gender wage gap in logistics
Authors: Schollmeier Ryan , Scott Alex 
Published: October 2023

AbstractThe logistics industry in the United States has faced significant labor shortages for the last couple of decades. Women are a source of labor that has been traditionally underrepresented in the major logistics sectors, transportation, and warehousing. We study the workforce composition and potential gender wage gap across these sectors. Using data from the U.S. Census Bureau from 2003 to 2020, we show that women comprise about 4% of the workforce for truck drivers and 21% for warehouse workers. As traditionally measured by economists, there is a 17% gender wage gap among truck drivers and an 11% wage gap among warehouse workers. A regression analysis suggests that the gap is smaller for warehouse workers, which is consistent with theory that an occupation's stability and predictability can reduce or eliminate wage gaps. Further analysis is carried out on specific occupations within the logistics industry and measures the variation across truck transportation and warehousing industries. There is evidence for a declining gender wage gap across both over time, although the gap remains sizable. This paper provides insight on the trends and status of gender differences in labor outcomes in the logistics industry.
Adolescents' self‐reported experiences following a person‐centred, theory‐based educational intervention versus conventional education for improved oral hygiene: Analysis of secondary outcomes of a randomized field study
Authors: Dimenäs Sandra L. , Andersson Jessica S. , Jönsson Birgitta , Lundgren Jesper , Petzold Max , Östberg Anna‐Lena , Abrahamsson Kajsa H. 
Published: October 2023

AbstractAimTo analyse adolescents' self‐reported experiences and behavioural outcomes of a person‐centred, theory‐based intervention in comparison with conventional information/instruction for improved oral hygiene.Materials and MethodsData were derived from a prospective, multi‐centred, two‐arm, quasi‐randomized field study focusing on the effectiveness of educational interventions for improved oral hygiene. Dental hygienists working within the Public Dental Service, Västra Götaland, Sweden, provided treatments, and adolescents with poor oral hygiene conditions were eligible for participation. The person‐centred test intervention was based on social cognitive constructs, and motivational interviewing was used as an approach in communication. The control intervention included conventional information/instructions. Clinical examinations were performed, and questionnaires were distributed at baseline and at 6 months. Three‐hundred and twelve patients were enrolled, and data from 276 patients, following treatment per protocol, were analysed.ResultsThe test group was more satisfied with the education about gingivitis (very good: 61% vs. 37%) and communication during therapy (very good: 69% vs. 50%) and reported to a larger extent that they were much more careful regarding their oral hygiene after the treatment (30% vs. 15%) and had higher confidence about keeping up healthy gingival conditions, in comparison with the control group (all p < .01).ConclusionsThe person‐centred, theory‐based intervention was superior in terms of adolescents' experiences of education and communication during therapy and self‐reported oral hygiene behavioural outcomes at 6 months, in comparison with conventional information/instruction.
Line‐field confocal optical coherence tomography: New insights for psoriasis treatment monitoring
Authors: Orsini C. , Trovato E. , Cortonesi G. , Pedrazzani M. , Suppa M. , Rubegni P. , Tognetti L. , Cinotti E. 
Published: October 2023

AbstractBackgroundLine‐field confocal optical coherence tomography (LC‐OCT) is a new, valid means for a rapid and non‐invasive in vivo examination of the epidermis and upper dermis, allowing digital interpretation and measurement of high‐resolution images on a cellular level. Given these properties, it may represent a valid tool for monitoring psoriasis during treatment, allowing a new method to set a precise objective severity of the disease.ObjectivesWe aimed to investigate the potentialities of LC‐OCT in the non‐invasive monitoring of microscopical changes associated with moderate–severe plaque psoriasis (PP) during the treatment with the most common biological drugs.Materials and MethodsWe performed LC‐OCT imaging of PP lesions from 17 patients before and after 8 weeks of treatment. The clinical severity of the single lesions was evaluated using a lesion score (LS), designed considering three parameters: erythema, desquamation and infiltration. LC‐OCT images were segmented by artificial intelligence and evaluated based on three microscopic criteria: the thickness of the stratum corneum, the thickness of the living epidermis and the undulation of the dermo‐epidermal junction.ResultsLine‐field confocal optical coherence tomography digital analysis allowed recognition and quantification of the three microscopic criteria, showing a reduction of all these during the follow‐up. Furthermore, a high correlation between change in LS and the thickness of the stratum corneum and the thickness of the living epidermis was found.ConclusionLine‐field confocal optical coherence tomography can non‐invasively monitor the response of PP to different treatments. Morphometric changes occurring in the psoriatic lesion during the 8‐week treatment period were identified by in vivo LC‐OCT and measured by using artificial intelligence. Although future studies are required, based on these preliminary results, LC‐OCT may represent a valid potential tool for precise monitoring of therapeutic response.
Comorbidities in childhood atopic dermatitis: A population‐based study
Authors: von Kobyletzki Laura , Henrohn Dan , Ballardini Natalia , Neary Maureen P. , Ortsäter Gustaf , Rieem Dun Alexander , Geale Kirk , Lindberg Ingrid , Theodosiou Grigorios , Neregård Petra , De Geer Anna , Cha Amy , Cappelleri Joseph C. , Thyssen Jacob P. 
Published: October 2023

AbstractBackgroundAtopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that is associated with allergic comorbidities. However, studies examining comorbidities in childhood AD are incomplete, which may contribute to suboptimal care.ObjectiveThe objective was to compare the risk of developing different allergic and non‐allergic comorbidities among children with AD to that of a matched non‐AD reference cohort in Sweden.MethodsThis was a nationwide population‐based cohort study using longitudinal data from primary and specialist care registers. Patients with AD were identified by confirmed diagnosis in primary or specialist care. The non‐AD reference cohort was randomly drawn from the general population and matched 1:1 with the AD patients. The risk of developing the following conditions was evaluated: hypersensitivity and allergic disorders, neurological disorders, psychiatric disorders, infections, immunological and inflammatory disorders, Type 1 diabetes (T1D), endocrine and metabolic disorders, skeletal disorders, ocular disorders and malignancies.ResultsThis study included 165,145 patients with AD (mild‐to‐moderate [n = 126,681] and severe [n = 38,464]) and an equally sized reference cohort. Patients with AD displayed a higher risk of developing comorbid conditions for all investigated categories, except for T1D and skeletal disorders, compared with the reference cohort. The highest risk compared with the reference cohort was observed for hypersensitivity and allergic disorders (hazard ratio [HR]: 3.87), followed by malignancies (HR: 2.53) and immunological and inflammatory disorders (HR: 2.36). Patients with AD also had higher risk of developing multiple comorbidities (≥2). The risk of comorbidity onset increased alongside AD severity and patients with active AD were associated with increased risk of comorbidity onset compared with patients in remission.ConclusionsThe clinical burden of AD is substantial for children with AD and patients are at an increased risk of developing several comorbid conditions extending beyond the atopic march. Our results also showed a positive association between worsening severity of AD and an increased risk of comorbidity onset.
ENPP1 downregulation and FGF23 upregulation in growth‐related calcification of the tibial tuberosity in rats
Authors: Suito Hirai , Fujikawa Kaoru , Ohsako Masafumi 
Published: October 2023

AbstractDuring tibial tuberosity growth, superficial and deep portions can be observed; however, the deep portion is not observed after the growth period, as it develops into bone tissues. Calcification in vivo is known to be constitutively suppressed by ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase‐1 (ENPP1) but promoted by tissue‐nonspecific alkaline phosphatase (TNAP). FGF23 promotes calcification of enthesis. Gene expression of FGF23 increased rapidly at 13W in this study. Therefore, the tibial tuberosity is speculated to develop via Enpp1 downregulation and Tnap upregulation; however, the understanding of these processes remains unclear. Hence, in the present study, we aimed to explore the age‐related structural changes and underlying gene expression changes in the tibial tuberosity of rats. Male Wistar rats were divided into three groups (3‐, 7‐, and 13‐week‐old; eight each). The tibial tuberosity superficial and deep portions were clearly observed in 3‐ and 7‐week‐old rats, but the presence of the deep portion was not confirmed in 13‐week‐old rats. The extracellular matrix of hypertrophic chondrocytes was calcified. Furthermore, the Enpp1 expression was the highest in 3‐week‐old rats and decreased with growth. The TNAP expression did not differ significantly among the groups. The deep portion area was significantly lower in 3‐week‐old rats than in 7‐week‐old rats. Generally, the extracellular matrix of the immature chondrocytes is not calcified. Therefore, we speculated that the cartilaginous tibial tuberosity calcifies and ossifies with growth. The Enpp1 expression decreased with growth, whereas the Tnap expression remained unchanged. Thus, we surmise that the tibial tuberosity calcifies with growth and that this process involves Enpp1 downregulation and FGF23 upregulation. As Osgood–Schlatter disease is closely related to the calcification of the tibial tuberosity, these findings may help clarify the pathogenesis of this disease.
Optimal cervical‐ripening method for labor induction in Japan after the era of controlled‐release dinoprostone vaginal insert
Authors: Furuya Natsumi , Hasegawa Junichi , Saji Shota , Homma Chika , Nishimura Yoko , Suzuki Nao 
Published: October 2023

AbstractObjectiveTo investigate the predictive value of obstetric findings when using dinoprostone (prostaglandin E2 [PGE2]) vaginal inserts for cervical ripening, and to assess the optimal cervical‐ripening method between PGE2 vaginal insert and/or cervical dilators.MethodsThis prospective observational study enrolled pregnant women who underwent cervical ripening for labor induction in 37–41 week' gestation in 2020. In evaluation 1, optimal obstetric findings predictive of rapid cervical ripening using PGE2 were assessed. In evaluation 2, the duration from PGE2 administration to labor onset and perinatal outcomes were compared between cases in which only PGE2 was used and cases that were treated with PGE2 after mechanical cervical dilators (Dilapan®) for extremely immature cervical ripening (uterine cervical os <2 cm).ResultsIn evaluation 1, uterine dilatation before the use of a PGE2 vaginal insert was mostly correlated with the time from PGE2 administration to labor onset (r = −0.428, p < 0.001). When the uterine cervical os dilatation was ≥2 cm, a shorter time‐to‐labor onset was found. In addition, os dilatation, effacement, and station at the time of PGE2 vaginal insert removal also significantly progressed. In evaluation 2, the median duration from PGE2 administration to labor onset was 1740 min in cases where only PGE2 was used, and 610 min in those where PGE2 was used after mechanical cervical dilators (p = 0.011).ConclusionPGE2 vaginal inserts are relatively effective when the uterine cervical os is ≥2 cm in diameter. However, in cases of extremely immature cervical‐ripening, it was feasible to use PGE2 vaginal inserts before mechanical cervical dilatation.
Transorbital sonography in idiopathic intracranial hypertension: Single‐center study, systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Bakola Eleni , Palaiodimou Lina , Eleftheriou Andreas , Foska Katerina , Pikouli Anastasia , Stefanatou Maria , Chondrogianni Maria , Velonakis Georgios , Andreadou Elissavet , Papadopoulou Marianna , Karapanayiotides Theodoros , Krogias Christos , Arvaniti Chrysa , Tsivgoulis Georgios 
Published: October 2023

AbstractBackground and PurposeTransorbital sonography (TOS) provides a noninvasive tool to detect intracranial pressure by assessing optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) and optic disc elevation (ODE). The utility of TOS in the diagnosis of idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) has been increasingly recognized.MethodsA single‐center case‐control study sought to compare TOS‐acquired ONSD and ODE among IIH‐cases versus patients with other neurological diseases (controls). Furthermore, a systematic review and meta‐analysis was conducted to present pooled mean differences and diagnostic measures of ONSD and ODE between IIH‐cases and controls.ResultsIn the single‐center study, consisting of 31 IIH‐cases and 34 sex‐ and age‐matched controls, ONSD values were higher among IIH‐cases than controls (p<.001), while ODE was more prevalent in cases (65% vs. 15%; p<.001). The receiver‐operating characteristic (ROC)‐curve analysis revealed that the optimal cutoff value of ONSD for predicting IIH was 5.15 mm, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.914 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.861‐0.967) and sensitivity and specificity values of 85% and 90%, respectively. In a meta‐analysis of 14 included studies with 415 IIH‐cases, ONSD and ODE values were higher in IIH‐cases than controls (mean difference in ONSD 1.20 mm; 95% CI: 0.96‐1.44 mm and in ODE 0.3 mm; 95% CI: 0.33‐0.67 mm). With regard to ONSD, pooled sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic odds ratio were calculated at 85.5% (95% CI: 77.9‐90.8%), 90.7% (95% CI: 84.6‐94.5%), and 57.394 (95% CI: 24.597‐133.924), respectively. The AUC in summary ROC‐curve analysis was 0.878 (95% CI: 0.858‐0.899) with an optimal cutoff point of 5.0 mm.ConclusionsTOS has a high diagnostic utility for the noninvasive diagnosis of IIH and may deserve wider implementation in everyday clinical practice.
The distribution pattern of nerve enlargement in clinical subtypes of chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy
Authors: Niu Jingwen , Zhang Lei , Hu Nan , Cui Liying , Liu Mingsheng 
Published: October 2023

AbstractBackground and PurposeWe aim to investigate nerve enlargement patterns and their correlation with clinical subtypes and treatment response using nerve ultrasound in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP).MethodsBetween March 2015 and December 2021, 135 CIDP patients were recruited. Nerve ultrasound and electrophysiological studies were performed on the median and ulnar nerves. The responses to intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) or prednisone were evaluated with the disability score.ResultsThere were 99 typical CIDP cases, 10 Lewis‐Sumner syndrome (LSS) cases, 15 distal acquired demyelinating symmetric neuropathy (DADS) cases, nine pure motor CIDP cases, and two pure sensory CIDP cases. Sixty (61%) typical CIDP and seven (78%) pure motor CIDP patients had moderately increased or normal cross‐sectional area (CSA), and 10 (67%) DADS and seven (70%) LSS patients had significantly increased CSA. The peripheral nerve showed a diffuse enlargement pattern in 46 (51%) typical CIDP, five (50%) LSS, three (25%) DADS, and three (33%) pure motor CIDP patients and a proximal regional enlargement pattern in 11 (12%) typical CIDP, one (10%) LSS, six (50%) DADS, and four (44%) pure motor CIDP patients. Patients with diffusely moderate enlargement patterns and those with proximal regional enlargement showed a higher response rate to glucocorticoids than to IVIg.ConclusionsVarious distribution patterns of nerve enlargement existed in CIDP. Although almost all patterns could be detected in each CIDP subtype, diffusely moderate enlargement was more common in typical CIDP and LSS, while proximal regional enlargement was more common in DADS and pure motor CIDP. Different enlargement patterns might indicate different treatment responses.
Patterns in pro‐gun beliefs and weapon carrying behaviors in rural White adolescent
Authors: Beachy Sara , Liang Christopher T. H. 
Published: October 2023

AbstractWeapon carrying among White rural populations is understudied although evidence suggests that rural White boys have high rates of carriage. This study delineated patterns of weapon use and pro‐gun beliefs using a latent class analysis on a sample of 32,916 White rural adolescents. Five groups were identified (i.e., Low Gun Risk, Naïve, Social Contagion, Independent, Unsupervised) using pro‐gun beliefs, peer risk factors, and weapon carrying items. Multinomial logistic regression analyses revealed that identifying as male, age, housing instability, and victimization consistently differentiated group membership between different classes. These results suggest that rural White adolescents vary in their belief systems about guns and weapon carrying behavior and that this heterogeneity can be differentiated by lived experiences of these adolescents.
Ethics After Comparative Religious Ethics: Rereading Little and Twiss in a Pragmatic Light
Authors: Lee Jung H. 
Published: October 2023

ABSTRACTThis paper presents a rereading of David Little and Sumner Twiss's Comparative Religious Ethics in the context of its initial reception and legacy within the field of religious ethics and argues that we can read it more charitably as a piece of pragmatism rather than as a work of formalism or semi‐formalism. If one does not read Little and Twiss as committed positivists concerned with realizing a specific research program associated with the “twilight of logical empiricism,” then their theoretical and methodological recommendations, illustrated in their case studies, appear more pragmatic in nature and less excessively rigid. By rereading Comparative Religious Ethics in this light, we can see more clearly its relevance for the field today, particularly regarding the fundamental importance of the discursive activity of practical reasoning, or the game of giving and asking for reasons, in the study of religious ethics.