bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Mandatory CSR spending, ESG and firm performance: evidence from Bombay stock exchange
Authors: Dahal Mahesh , Sangma Amit , Das Joy , Ray Paulami 
Published: November 2023

PurposeThe study attempts to examine the impact of mandatory corporate social responsibility (CSR) spending and inclusion of firms into the environment, social and governance (ESG) index of BSE India on the performance of firms constituting firms under the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) 100 Index.Design/methodology/approachThe stock prices of the firms were collected from the official website of BSE India for a total of 32 firms and the System Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) model was utilized for analyzing the data for the present study.FindingsThe study found that the investors in the Indian market do consider the CSR spending and ESG listing as a factor while framing the investment strategy; however, ESG listing is least preferred. Among the other variables, AGE, DPS, EPS and BVPS have a significant positive bearing on the firm's performance, while SIZE has a significant negative impact on the firm's performance.Research limitations/implicationsFurther investigation is needed to understand the factors that influence investment decision-making, including why investors tend to overlook CSR and environmental protection. Future research can identify ways to increase the importance of these factors in investment decision-making. Future research can explore the long-term impact of investing in socially responsible companies, including whether such investments lead to better long-term performance.Practical implicationsThere is a need for increased awareness of the importance of CSR among investors. Educational programs and campaigns can be used to inform investors about the potential benefits of considering social responsibility factors in investment decision-making. Companies that prioritize CSR and environmental protection should distinguish themselves from competitors in the eyes of investors. This can lead to higher investment and potentially higher returns for these companies.Originality/valueSince mandatory CSR expenditure and the launch of the ESG index by the BSE have been introduced in India recently, hardly any study in India has examined the impact of the same on the firm's performance.
Comparison of active and passive back-support exoskeletons for construction work: range of motion, discomfort, usability, exertion and cognitive load assessments
Authors: Okunola Akinwale , Akanmu Abiola Abosede , Yusuf Anthony Olukayode 
Published: November 2023

PurposeLow back disorders are more predominant among construction trade workers than their counterparts in other industry sectors. Floor layers are among the top artisans that are severely affected by low back disorders. Exoskeletons are increasingly being perceived as ergonomic solutions. This study aims to compare the efficacy of passive and active back-support exoskeletons by measuring range of motion, perceived discomfort, usability, perceived rate of exertion and cognitive load during a simulated flooring task experiment.Design/methodology/approachIn this study eight participants were engaged in a repetitive timber flooring task performed with passive and active back-support exoskeletons. Subjective and objective data were collected to assess the risks associated with using both exoskeletons. Descriptive statistics were used for analysis. Scheirer-Ray-Hare test and Wilcoxon signed-rank test were adopted to compare the exoskeleton conditions.FindingsThe results show no significant differences in the range of motion (except for a lifting cycle), perceived level of discomfort and perceived level of exertion between the two exoskeletons. Significant difference in overall cognitive load was observed. The usability results show that the active back-support exoskeleton made task execution easier with less restriction on movement.Research limitations/implicationsThe flooring task is simulated in a laboratory environment with only eight male participants.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the scarce body of knowledge on the usage comparison of passive and active exoskeletons for construction work.
Climate‐associated variation in the drivers of benthic macroinvertebrate species–area relationships across shallow freshwater lakes
Authors: He Hu , Li Yan , Peng Kai , Zhang You , Rutter Robert P. , Jyväsjärvi Jussi , Hämäläinen Heikki , Kelly David , Chase Jonathan M. , Ntislidou Chrysoula , Loskutova Olga , Alcocer Javier , Jovem‐Azevêdo Daniele , Molozzi Joseline , Wang Jianjun , Zhang Min , Li Kuanyi , Liu Zhengwen , Johansson Liselotte S. , Søndergaard Martin , Cai Yongjiu , Wang Haijun , Jeppesen Erik 
Published: November 2023

Abstract

The island species–area relationship (ISAR) describes how species richness increases with increasing area of a given island or island‐like habitat, such as freshwater lakes. While the ISAR is one of the most common phenomena observed in ecology, there is variation in both the form of the relationship and its underlying mechanisms.

We compiled a global data set of benthic macroinvertebrates from 524 shallow freshwater lakes, ranging from 1 to 293,300 ha in area. We used individual‐based rarefaction to determine the degree to which ISAR was influenced by mechanisms other than passive sampling (larger islands passively sample more individuals from the regional pool and, therefore, have more species than smaller islands), which would bias results away from expected relationships between rarefied species richness (and other measures that capture relative abundances) and lake area. We also examined how climate may alter the shape of the ISARs.

We found that both rarefied species richness (the number of species standardized by area or number of individuals) and a measure of evenness emphasizing common species exhibit shallow slopes in relationships with lake area, suggesting that the expected ISARs in these lakes most likely result from passive sampling. While there was considerable variation among ISARs across the investigated lakes, we found an overall positive rarefied ISAR for lakes in warm (i.e. tropical/subtropical) regions (n = 195), and in contrast, an overall negative rarefied ISAR in cool (i.e. north temperate) lakes (n = 329). This suggested that mechanisms beyond passive sampling (e.g. colonization–extinction dynamics and/or heterogeneity) were more likely to operate in warm lakes. One possible reason for this difference is that the area‐dependent intensity of fish predation, which can lead to flatter ISARs, is weaker in warmer relative to cooler lakes.

Our study illustrates the importance of understanding both the pattern and potential processes underlying the ISARs of freshwater lakes in different climatic regions. Furthermore, it provides a baseline for understanding how further changes to the ecosystem (i.e. in lake area or climate) might influence biodiversity patterns.
Albumin use in patients with septic shock—Post‐hoc analyses of an international randomised fluid trial
Authors: Meyhoff Tine Sylvest , Granholm Anders , Hjortrup Peter Buhl , Sivapalan Praleene , Lange Theis , Laake Jon Henrik , Cronhjort Maria , Jakob Stephan M. , Cecconi Maurizio , Nalos Marek , Ostermann Marlies , Malbrain Manu L. N. G. , Møller Morten Hylander , Perner Anders 
Published: November 2023

AbstractBackgroundAlbumin administration is suggested in patients with sepsis and septic shock who have received large volumes of crystalloids. Given lack of firm evidence, clinical practice variation may exist. To address this, we investigated if patient characteristics or trial site were associated with albumin use in septic shock.MethodsWe conducted a post‐hoc study of the CLASSIC international, randomised clinical trial of fluid volumes in septic shock. Associations between selected baseline variables and trial site with albumin use during ICU stay were assessed in Cox models considering death, ICU discharge, and loss‐to‐follow‐up as competing events. Baseline variables were first assessed individually, adjusted for treatment allocation (restrictive vs. standard IV fluid), and then adjusted for allocation and the other baseline variables. Site was assessed in a model adjusted for allocation and baseline variables.ResultsWe analysed 1541 of 1554 patients randomised in CLASSIC (99.2%). During ICU stay, 36.3% of patients in the restrictive‐fluid group and 52.6% in the standard‐fluid group received albumin. Gastrointestinal focus of infection and higher doses of norepinephrine were most strongly associated with albumin use (subgroup with highest quartile of norepinephrine doses, hazard ratio (HR) 2.58, 95% CI 1.89 to 3.53). HRs for associations between site and albumin use ranged from 0.11 (95% CI 0.05 to 0.26) to 1.70 (95% CI 1.06 to 2.74); test for overall effect of site: p < .001.ConclusionsIn adults with septic shock, gastrointestinal focus of infection and higher doses of norepinephrine at baseline were associated with albumin use, which also varied substantially between sites.
Perinatal outcome and long‐term hospitalization of triplets according to birth order
Authors: Sabag David Nadav , Pariente Gali , Sheiner Eyal , Miodownik Shayna , Wainstock Tamar 
Published: November 2023

AbstractPurposeThe association between birth order and adverse perinatal outcomes has been well studied in twin pregnancies. However, little is known about the differences in immediate perinatal outcomes as well as long‐term hospitalization of the offspring in triplet pregnancies according to their birth order. As such, we aimed to assess the differences in immediate perinatal outcomes and long‐term hospitalizations among triplets by their birth order.MethodsIn a retrospective hospital‐based cohort study, immediate perinatal outcomes and long‐term hospitalizations were compared among triplet siblings according to their birth order. Deliveries occurred between the years 1991 and 2021 in a tertiary medical center. The study groups were followed until 18 years of age for cardiovascular, respiratory, neurological, and infection‐related hospitalizations. Generalized estimation equation (GEE) models were used to control for confounders. Kaplan–Meier survival curves were used to compare cumulative long‐term hospitalization incidences and Cox proportional hazards models were performed to control for confounders.ResultsThe study included 117 triplet deliveries. Rates of small for gestational age (SGA) infants increased linearly by birth order (6.0%, 7.7%, and 15.4% for the first, second, and third siblings, respectively; p‐value for trends = 0.035). Using a GEE model controlling for maternal age, being born third in a triplet pregnancy was independently associated with SGA (third vs. first sibling, adjusted OR 3.0, 95% CI 1.38–6.59, p = 0.005). No significant differences in cardiovascular, respiratory, neurological, and infection‐related hospitalizations were noted among the first, second, and third siblings. Likewise, using Kaplan–Meier survival analyses, no significant differences in the cumulative incidence of long‐term pediatric hospitalizations were noted between the siblings. In Cox proportional hazards models, controlling for weight and gender, birth order in a triplet pregnancy did not exhibit an association with long‐term hospitalizations of the offspring.ConclusionDespite the association between birth order and SGA, birth order in triplets does not seem to have an impact on the risk for long‐term offspring hospitalization.
Do you feel up when you go up? A pilot study of a virtual reality manic‐like mood induction paradigm
Authors: Glas Roanne V. F. J. , de Kleijn Roy E. , Regeer Eline J. , Kupka Ralph W. , Koenders Manja A. 
Published: November 2023

AbstractObjectivesIn order to understand the working mechanisms of mania, it is necessary to perform studies during the onset of manic (‐like) mood states. However, clinical mania is difficult to examine experimentally. A viable method to study manic mood like states is mood induction, but mood induction tasks thus far show variable effectiveness.MethodsIn this pilot study, a new paradigm to induce mood through virtual reality (VR) is examined. Both state characteristics, namely changes in emotion, and trait characteristics, such as high and low scores on the hypomanic personality scale (HPS), were measured in 65 students. These students participated in either a neutral VR mood induction or an activating VR mood induction in which excitement, goal directedness, and tension (being aspects of mania) were induced. All participants performed a risk‐taking behavioural task, Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART).ResultsThe experimental VR task induced excitement and tension. In participants with higher sensitivity to hypomanic personality (HPS), irritation increased in response to activation whereas it decreased in the low HPS group, and excitement increased more steeply in the low HPS group. There were no effects on the behavioural task.ConclusionsThe VR task is effective in inducing relevant state aspects of hypomania and is suitable as a paradigm for future experimental studies. Activation of dual affective states (excitement and tension) is an essential aspect in manic‐like mood induction paradigms.
The view of the three monotheistic religions toward xenotransplantation
Authors: Tarabeih Mahdi , Amiel Aliza , Na'amnih Wasef 
Published: November 2023

AbstractXenotransplantation, transplanting animal organs into humans, may offer a solution to the shortage of organs for transplantation. This would increase the chances for scheduled, elective transplantation, even for patients currently ineligible for receiving a human organ. However, xenotransplantation raises specific ethical and philosophical issues, that is, a personal identification of the body parts with the soul and spirit, the relationships between humans and animals, and challenges related to issues of medical and social ethics. The three monotheistic religions have laws and perspectives pertaining to xenotransplantation. This scholarly review examines the theology and viewpoints of the three monotheistic religions and their concerns regarding xenotransplantation (interspecies) in terms of religious‐legal rulings, the ethical considerations related to the procedure, through religious scriptures and rulings of scholars of the three faith communities. This review should be viewed as a continuation of an extensive investigation of these issues, as the field of transplantation advances toward clinical trials. It was found that there are no fundamental religious reasons presented by any of the three religions to prohibit the use of animal organs as a means of treating severe and life‐threatening conditions. However, there are certain limitations prescribed by each religion relating to the treatment of the animals and the choice of organs to be transplanted.
Neglect scoring modifications in the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale improve right hemisphere stroke lesion volume prediction
Authors: Silva Adriana Henriques , Alves Pedro Nascimento , Fonseca Ana Catarina , Pinho‐e‐Melo Teresa , Martins Isabel Pavão 
Published: November 2023

AbstractBackgroundThe National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) does not equitably assess stroke severity in the two cerebral hemispheres. By attributing a maximum of two points for neglect and seven for language, it undervalues right hemisphere deficits. We aimed to investigate if NIHSS equally predicts right hemisphere lesion volumes in patients with and without neglect, and if a modification of the neglect scoring rules could increase its predictive capacity.MethodsWe analyzed a prospective cohort of acute right middle cerebral artery ischemic stroke patients. First, we calculated the correlation between NIHSS scores and lesion volume and analyzed the partial correlation of neglect. Then, we applied different modifications in the neglect scoring rules and investigated how they interfered with lesion volume predictive capacity.ResultsA total of 162 ischemic stroke patients were included, 108 with neglect and 54 without. The correlation between lesion volume and NIHSS was lower in patients with neglect (r = 0.540 vs. r = 0.219, p = 0.004) and neglect was a statistically significant covariate in the partial correlation analysis between NIHSS and lesion volume (p = 0.017). With the neglect score tripled and with the duplication or triplication of all neglect modalities, the correlation was significantly higher than with the standard NIHSS (p = 0.043, p = 0.005, p = 0.001, respectively). With these modifications, neglect was no longer a significant covariable in the partial correlation between lesion volume and NIHSS.ConclusionA modification of NIHSS neglect scoring might improve the scale's capacity to predict lesion volume.
The effects of rivastigmine on neuropsychiatric symptoms in the early stages of Parkinson's disease: A systematic review
Authors: Reilly Siobhan , Dhaliwal Simran , Arshad Usman , Macerollo Antonella , Husain Nusrat , Costa Antonio Da 
Published: November 2023

AbstractBackground and purposeNeuropsychiatric symptoms including depression, apathy and psychosis occur frequently in patients with Parkinson's disease. A subgroup of patients develop cognitive impairment, which may increase the risk of falls due to reduced attention. The acetylcholinesterase inhibitor rivastigmine is beneficial in Parkinson's disease dementia, but whether the use of rivastigmine is effective earlier in the disease course is unclear. The aim of this systematic review was to assess the evidence for rivastigmine in the treatment of neuropsychiatric symptoms in Parkinson's disease without dementia.MethodsEmbase, Medline, PsychINFO, Cochrane CENTRAL, NGLC, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Evidence and medRxiv.org were searched for studies with terms relating to population (Parkinson's disease) and intervention (rivastigmine). Of 1922 references identified, 358 were duplications. Following title and abstract review, 1331 articles were excluded. After full‐text review, nine articles remained.ResultsOutcomes were heterogenous, therefore, the results are presented in narrative form. The articles included six randomized controlled trials, two open‐label trials and one case series. Outcome measures included: time to develop psychosis; frequency of rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder (RBD) episodes; apathy; gait variability; falls; cognitive ability; Neuropsychiatric Inventory score; and regional spontaneous brain activity.ConclusionsThere is evidence that rivastigmine is beneficial for RBD and apathy in Parkinson's disease patients without dementia. There is high level evidence that rivastigmine reduces falls, which may be due to improved attention. The impact of rivastigmine on psychotic symptoms is less clear, but is supported by current theoretical models which involve acetylcholine dysfunction in the generation of visual hallucinations in Parkinson's disease.
Microstructural and functional alterations of the ventral pallidum are associated with levodopa‐induced dyskinesia in Parkinson's disease
Authors: Gan Yawen , Su Dongning , Zhang Zhe , Zhang Zhijin , Yan Rui , Liu Zhu , Wang Zhan , Zhou Junhong , Lam Joyce S. T. , Wu Tao , Jing Jing , Feng Tao 
Published: November 2023

AbstractBackground and purposeThe ventral pallidum (VP) regulates involuntary movements, but it is unclear whether the VP regulates the abnormal involuntary movements in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients who have levodopa‐induced dyskinesia (LID). To further understand the role of the VP in PD patients with LID (PD‐LID), we explored the structural and functional characteristics of the VP in such patients using multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).MethodsThirty‐one PD‐LID patients, 39 PD patients without LID (PD‐nLID), and 28 healthy controls (HCs) underwent T1‐weighted MRI, quantitative susceptibility mapping, multi‐shell diffusion MRI, and resting‐state functional MRI (rs‐fMRI). Different measures characterizing the VP were obtained using a region‐of‐interest‐based approach.ResultsThe left VP in the PD‐LID group showed significantly higher intracellular volume fraction (ICVF) and isotropic volume fraction (IsoVF) compared with the PD‐nLID and HC groups. Rs‐MRI revealed that, compared with the PD‐nLID group, the PD‐LID group in the medication ‘off’ state had higher functional connectivity (FC) between the left VP and the left anterior caudate, left middle frontal gyrus and left precentral gyrus, as well as between the right VP and the right posterior ventral putamen and right mediodorsal thalamus. In addition, the ICVF values of the left VP, the FC between the left VP and the left anterior caudate and left middle frontal gyrus were positively correlated with Unified Dyskinesia Rating Scale scores.ConclusionOur multimodal imaging findings show that the microstructural changes of the VP (i.e., the higher ICVF and IsoVF) and the functional change in the ventral striatum–VP–mediodorsal thalamus–cortex network may be associated with pathophysiological mechanisms of PD‐LID.
Exploring genetic associations between vitiligo and mental disorders using Mendelian randomization
Authors: Wang Yingwei , Yao Tao , Lin Yunlu , Ye Lili , Li Shuting , Gao Yu , Wu Jianming 
Published: November 2023

AbstractAlthough a large number of existing studies have confirmed that people with vitiligo are prone to mental disorders, these observational studies may be subject to confounding factors and reverse causality, so the true causal relationship is inconclusive. We conducted a bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to assess the causality between vitiligo and mental disorders, namely depression, anxiety, insomnia, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, obsessive‐compulsive disorder (OCD) and attention‐deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Summary statistics from large available genome‐wide association study (GWAS) datasets for generalized vitiligo (n = 44 266), depression (n = 173 005), anxiety (n = 17 310), insomnia (n = 386 988), schizophrenia (n = 130 644), bipolar disorder (n = 413 466), OCD (n = 9725) and ADHD (n = 225 534) were utilized. Inverse‐variance weighted (IVW), MR‐Egger and weighted median were employed to estimate causal effects. Sensitivity analysis and MR Pleiotropy Residual Sum and Outliers (MR PRESSO) were conducted to assess heterogeneity and pleiotropy, ensuring the robustness of the results. Additionally, we corrected for estimating bias that might be brought on by sample overlap using MRlap. In our findings, none of the rigorous bidirectional MR analyses uncovered a significant causal association. Even after applying the MRlap correction, the effect sizes remained statistically nonsignificant, thereby reinforcing the conclusions drawn via IVW. In summary, our genetic‐level investigation did not reveal a causal link between generalized vitiligo and mental disorders.