bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Validity and reliability of the Swedish version of the Visual CARE Measure for assessing children’s perceptions of nurses’ empathy
Authors: Wiljén Angelica , Chaplin John , Nilsson Stefan , Karlsson Katarina , Öhlén Joakim , Schwarz Anneli 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
The purpose of this study was to translate and validate a questionnaire to be used by children with chronic diseases during procedures. Specific research questions were as follows: Is the translated versions reliable? Is there a correlation between VCM and another questionnaire measuring discomfort to enhance the validity of VCM? The three versions of Visual CARE measure (VCM) were translated following the principles of good practice for translation and cultural adaptation of patient-reported outcome measures, according to the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Cognitive debriefing interviews with children, parents, and healthcare professionals were carried out. The correlation between empathy and discomfort was evaluated using DISCO-RC. The final versions of VCM were administered to children and their parents after a needle procedure or a nasal tube insertion. The Cronbach’s alpha was 0.89 for the 5Q version, 0.93 for the 10Q version, and 0.96 for the 10Q-Parent version, which implies high internal consistency. The intra-class correlation was 0.623 for VCM 5Q, with a mean difference of 1.35 and an ICC of 0.767 for VCM 10Q, with a mean difference of 1.17. This is considered a good agreement between children’s and their parents’ assessments. A significant difference in the children’s reports could be seen when experiencing high discomfort as opposed to low discomfort.

Conclusion: VCM is a useful Patient-Reported Experience Measure (PREM) that can help enhance the quality of care for children in a paediatric setting by capturing their perception of the empathy shown.

What is known:
• Parents’ by-proxy reports are not always aligned with children’s self-reports. In healthcare situations, children can be hurt when they are ignored.
• Research shows that empathic encounters relieve distress, improve the relationship between the patient (who could be a child) and carer, and create an open, trusting relationship.
What is new:
• This study shows that all three versions of the Visual CARE Measure are valid for assessing children’s experience of empathy shown by nurses during a procedure..
• This is one of the first studies that confirms the correlation between children’s experience of nurses’ levels of empathy and the child’s discomfort.
• This study shows that the Visual CARE Measure can support the evaluation of children’s rights with regards to communication in a clinical context.
Prediction model for severe vesicoureteral reflux in children with urinary tract infection and/or hydronephrosis
Authors: Laleoğlu Pelin , Yildiz Gizem , Bayram Meral Torun , Uçar Handan Güleryüz , Kavukcu Salih , Soylu Alper 
Published: January 2025

Abstract

Background
As voiding cystourethrography is invasive and exposes to radiation and urinary tract infection (UTI), identifying only high-grade reflux is important. We aimed to identify clinical, laboratory and imaging variables associated with high-grade primary reflux in children presenting with UTIs and/or urinary tract dilatation and develop a prediction model for severe reflux.

Methods
Data of children who underwent voiding cystourethrography due to UTI and/or urinary tract dilatation were retrospectively analyzed for demographic, clinical and imaging findings. Patients with severe (grades 4–5) reflux were compared with the rest for these parameters and a prediction model was developed for severe reflux.

Results
The study included 1044 patients (574 female). Severe reflux was present in 86 (8.2%) patients. Age < 2 years, male sex, non-E. coli uropathogens, UTD-P3 dilatation and multiple kidney scars on DMSA scintigraphy were associated with severe reflux. Using these variables a prediction model for severe reflux with a score ranging from 0–7 and accuracy rate of 93.4% was developed. A score ≥ 5 had sensitivity 44.2%, specificity 97.4%, PPV 60.3%, NPV 95.1% and OR 29.5 for severe reflux. Scores ≥ 5 and ≥ 4 catch 44% and 73% of severe reflux, while prevent invasive voiding cystourethrography in 94.0% and 83.6% of patients, respectively.

Conclusion
Age < 2 years, male sex, non-E. coli uropathogen growth, presence of UTD-P3 dilatation on ultrasonography and multiple scars on DMSA scintigraphy are risk factors for severe reflux. A scoring system based on these variables appears to be effective in predicting the presence of severe reflux and eliminating unnecessary voiding cystourethrography.

Graphical abstract
Thanatosis in juvenile notolabrus celidotus, the New Zealand spotty wrasse
Authors: Resende Anna Carolina , Streatfield Jay , Rogers Alice 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
The present study reports a decrease in activity and sudden immobile state, known as thanatosis, in the New Zealand endemic wrasse, Notolabrus celidotus. We observed tonic immobility immediately after wrasse collection in field studies. Escape is the primary defence of juvenile N. celidotus and our observation suggests that thanatosis can be a secondary strategy when the first has failed. The response occurred after N. celidotus was manipulated by being removed from a fishnet and placed into buckets, allowing for the conclusion that N. celidotus may use thanatosis as a secondary defence strategy following physical restraint events.
Assessing the clinical utility of pre-operative neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio as a predictor of clinicopathological parameters in patients being treated for primary breast cancer
Authors: Isik Burce , Davey Matthew G. , Jaffer Alisha A. , Buckley Juliette , Baban Chwanrow , Merrigan Bridget Anne , Tormey Shona 
Published: January 2025

Abstract

Background
There is a paucity of data supporting the role of neutrophil–lymphocyte ratios (NLR) to determine clinicopathological parameters in patients being treated for primary breast cancer.

Aims
To evaluate the association between pre-operative NLR and clinicopathological parameters in patients diagnosed with breast cancer.

Methods
A retrospective cohort study was performed. This included consecutive patients indicated to undergo surgery for primary breast cancer at University Hospital Limerick between January 2010 and June 2017. NLR was expressed as a continuous variable. Univariable and multivariable linear regression analyses were used to determine the correlation between NLR and clinicopathological data. Data analytics was performed using SPSS v29.0.

Results
673 patients met the inclusion criteria. Overall, the median preoperative NLR is 2.63 (standard deviation: 1.42). At univariable analysis, patient age (beta coefficient: 0.009, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.001–0.017, P = 0.027), tumour size (beta coefficient: 0.013, 95% CI 0.005–0.021, P = 0.001), and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 status (beta coefficient: − 0.370, 95% CI − 0.676–0.065, P = 0.017) were all predicted using NLR. However, at multivariable analysis, tumour size was the sole parameter predictable by NLR (beta coefficient: 0.011, 95% CI 0.002–0.019, P = 0.013).

Conclusions
This study demonstrates that pre-operative NLR may serve as an independent predictor of tumour size in patients being treated with primary breast cancer. Ratification of these preliminary findings is warranted before robustly adopted into clinical practice.
Ethanol-Based Transesterification of Rapeseed Oil with CaO Catalyst: Process Optimization and Validation Using Microalgal Lipids
Authors: Ferreira Gabriela F. , Pinto Luisa F. Ríos , Filho Rubens Maciel , Fregolente Leonardo V. , Hayward James , Bartley Jonathan K. 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Microalgal oil has been increasingly studied as a feedstock for biodiesel production through transesterification reactions using heterogeneous catalysts. This route offers several benefits, including catalyst reuse, ease of separation, and improved safety, while addressing environmental and technical issues associated with using homogeneous acids and bases. Most studies use methanol for the transesterification, and few studies have investigated the transesterification of microalgal oil using ethanol. Beyond the environmental benefits of microalgae compared to plant-based biomass, replacing methanol with bioethanol is advantageous due to its lower cost and reduced toxicity. If the emulsion issue between the produced biodiesel and ethanol is resolved, ethanol could be a more environmentally friendly alternative for green fuel production. This study evaluated various metal oxides as catalysts for the transesterification of rapeseed oil using ethanol as both reagent and solvent to improve miscibility. From catalyst screening, CaO showed the highest fatty acid ethyl esters yield and this catalyst was then tested at different reaction times in two systems (round-bottom flask and autoclave reactor) for the transesterification of both rapeseed and microalgal (Scenedesmus sp.) oil. The highest reaction yield was 86.0% for rapeseed oil and 81.3% for microalgal oil using 114:1 ethanol: oil molar ratio with CaO in an autoclave reactor. This work addresses the limited studies on ethanol in microalgal oil transesterification, demonstrating the effectiveness of CaO as a catalyst. It highlights the potential of ethanol as a greener, cost-effective alternative to methanol for biodiesel production.

Graphical Abstract
Spatiotemporal analysis of agricultural drought variability in the uMkhanyakude District Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal
Authors: Mzimela Jabulile Happyness , Moyo Inocent , Tshabalala Thulani 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Exploring drought dynamics has become urgent due to unprecedented climate change. Projections indicate that drought events will become increasingly widespread globally, posing a significant threat to the sustainability of the agricultural sector. This growing challenge has resulted in heightened interest in understanding drought dynamics and their impacts on agriculture. uMkhanyakude District Municipality (UKDM) has experienced substantial drought occurrences, and 95% of rural dwellers within the district depend on small-scale agriculture, social security grants, and remittances for their livelihoods. Hence, there is a critical need for spatiotemporal assessments of drought within the district to fully comprehend the severity and spatial distribution of these events. This study addressed this need by assessing vegetation variability and agricultural drought occurrences across the UKDM from 2002 to 2023, by leveraging key vegetation health indices—namely, the Vegetation Condition Index, Temperature Condition Index, and Vegetation Health Index (VHI). The results identified major historical droughts, including episodes in 2002–2004 and 2015–2016 linked to El Niño events. Moreover, the findings revealed localised vulnerability to drought, although severe drought was limited at the district level. Moderate drought conditions characterised most months across Mtubatuba, Umhlabuyalingana, Jozini, and Big 5 Hlabisa local municipalities, ranging from 40.34% in Jozini to 59.75% in Umhlabuyalingana. No drought conditions occur less frequently across the district, ranging from 0.89% in Jozini to 7.33% in Mtubatuba, indicating limited periods of optimal vegetation health. This pattern suggests that certain areas within the district are particularly susceptible to drought, potentially threatening agricultural productivity and food security. The study highlights the efficacy of vegetation indices in capturing known drought events, underscoring their utility, especially in regions where ground-based data may be scarce. This spatiotemporal assessment provides an enhanced understanding of agricultural drought patterns to inform drought-related decision-making and adaptation in the agricultural sector. Given the consistent vulnerability identified, government support should be directed toward drought-prone areas, particularly through enhanced water resource management and infrastructure investment. Targeted measures are particularly recommended for areas with persistently low VHI values, such as the inland western regions of Jozini. Such efforts will strengthen resilience and sustainability in agricultural practices, safeguarding livelihoods and food security.
Preparation and Properties of Bionanocomposites Based on Aminated Sucrose-Cured Epoxy Resins and Carboxymethyl Cellulose Nanofibers
Authors: Watanabe Jun , Sugane Kaito , Shibata Mitsuhiro 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Bionanocomposites composed of bio-based epoxy resins and cellulose nanofibers are attracting extensive attention as sustainable materials contributing to carbon neutrality and reduced dependence on oil resources. In this study, as a water-soluble epoxy resin system, a mixture of bio-based epoxy resin [polyglycerol polyglycidyl ether (PGPE)] and petroleum-based flexible epoxy resin [polyethylene glycol diglycidyl ether (PEGDGE)] at an epoxy ratio of 2:1 was used. As a bio-based and water-soluble epoxy hardener, 3-[(2-aminoethyl)thio]propyl-etherified sucrose (NSCR) with an amine functionality of ca. 7, which was synthesized by the thiol-ene reaction of cysteamine hydrochloride and allyl-etherified sucrose, was used. A bio-based epoxy network (BEN) was prepared by drying and curing an aqueous solution of PGPE, PEGDGE, and NSCR with an epoxy/NH2 ratio of 1/1. Bionanocomposites of BEN and carboxymethyl cellulose nanofibers (CMCNFs) were successfully prepared by directly mixing PGPE, PEGDGE, NSCR, and CMCNF in water without any solvent-exchange of the cellulosic nanofibers, which is necessary in conventional methods. The BEN/CMCNF bionanocomposites had excellent fiber dispersibility, and the tensile strength and modulus increased with increasing CMCNF content owing to the excellent reinforcement effect of the CMCNFs.
Association Between Persistent Maternal Depression among Japanese New Mothers and their Toddlers’ Behaviors
Authors: Tamura Haruka , Nishitani Naoko 
Published: January 2025

Abstract

Objectives
To determine the association between mothers’ persistent maternal depression and their toddlers’ behavior.

Methods
Online surveys were conducted twice with mothers who gave birth to their first child between March and June 2020. The survey periods were November 2020 and May–June 2022. Measures included baseline characteristics and family environment factors, maternal postpartum depression (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale [EPDS]), maternal lifestyle and mother-reported toddler behaviors, and Internet/media use. Statistical analysis was performed using the χ² test, trend test, and logistic regression.

Results
Of the 339 participants, 82 (24.1%) were in the “persistent maternal depression” group with high EPDS scores (≥ 9 points) at both time points, and 178 (52.5%) were in the “no maternal depression” group with low EPDS scores (< 9 points) at both time points. Persistent maternal depression was associated with sleep, eating behavior, physical activity, parenting emotions, and abusive behavior of mothers. Furthermore, persistent maternal depression may be related to undesirable toddler behaviors such as smartphone overuse and hyperactivity-like symptoms.

Conclusions for Practice
The persistence of postpartum depression is influenced by factors such as mothers’ parenting emotions. Preventing and supporting maternal depression in mothers can foster favorable behaviors in toddlers. In Japan, enhanced individualized, ongoing support for postpartum mothers, tailored in duration and form, could promote both maternal well-being and positive parenting practices.
Emotion regulation frequency and intensity are differently associated with affective well-being in daily life
Authors: Wenzel Mario , Rowland Zarah 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Ambulatory assessment research on emotion regulation (ER) must balance the trade-off between capturing the complex ER process without overburdening participants. One way to reduce survey time would be to use binary rather than ordinal- or interval-scaled ER items. However, this would only capture ER frequency, missing potentially important information about ER intensity. Furthermore, it is unclear whether ER frequency and intensity are differentially associated with well-being in daily life. We addressed these two questions by reanalyzing 12 ambulatory assessment datasets (N = 1674 participants, N = 154,982 prompts) and found that ER frequency explained 10 percentage points less of well-being than the standard ER items, which mix ER frequency and intensity. Moreover, while frequent use of adaptive strategies was significantly associated with poorer affective well-being, intense use of these strategies was significantly associated with better affective well-being. These findings highlight the importance of distinguishing between ER frequency and ER intensity.
Support measures for Austrian households in the energy crisis: an analysis of social effectiveness and implications for energy efficiency
Authors: Kettner Claudia , Wretschitsch Eva 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
During the energy crisis, low- and lower-middle-income households were hit hardest by the surges in energy prices, since they needed to allocate a considerably larger share of their income towards heating fuels and electricity than higher-income households. This short communication summarises the results of a structured analysis of the support measures to reduce the negative impacts of the energy crisis on households implemented in Austria along two criteria derived from the literature: social effectiveness, i.e. the degree to which they are targeted to vulnerable households, and energy efficiency incentives. The support measures implemented in Austria have generally lacked (social) targeting. Broad compensation measures tend to impede price signals that incentivise energy savings and entail higher fiscal costs. In the medium and long run, these measures, like tax reductions, price caps or untargeted lump-sum payments, should therefore be replaced by measures focussing on income support for the most vulnerable households. This would enable a more effective use of resources, improve social effectiveness, and contribute to increasing energy efficiency.
Exploring the Middle Stone Age lithic technology at DGS, Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania
Authors: Solano-Megías Irene , Maíllo-Fernández José Manuel , Marín Juan , Martín-Perea David M. , Gidna Agness , Mabulla Audax Z. P. 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Olduvai Gorge, nestled between the East African Rift Valley and the Mozambique Belt, is key to understanding human evolution. Even though extensive archaeological and palaeoanthropological findings have been unearthed here since the 1930s, the Middle Stone Age in this area has nonetheless received less attention than the Oldowan or the Acheulean. This paper presents the lithic technology analysis of Dorothy Garrod Site (DGS), a newly-documented MSA site located at the junction of the main gorge and the side gorge at Olduvai. DGS provides valuable additional knowledge to our understanding of the MSA groups that inhabited the region, offering insights into the mobility and settlement patterns of human groups in East Africa during MIS 4. This study focuses on the techno-typological characterization of the DGS lithic assemblage through an analysis of the raw material management strategies and knapping methods employed. The presence of discoid and Levallois methods, as well as single platform methods shows DGS to be a ‘typical’ MSA archaeological site, together with its associated fauna. The retouched pieces are scarce and characterized by a high presence of denticulates, retouched flakes and notches, as well as by the low presence of heavy-duty tools and total absence of points. All of these features make of DGS an exceptional MSA site at the heart of Olduvai.
Modelling age at death reveals Nordic Corded Ware paleodemography
Authors: Tornberg Anna , Vandkilde Helle 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Drawing on modelling of age at death in skeletal remains, this article unveils hitherto unrecognized demographic patterns in the Nordic Corded Ware complex. This population formed part of the European Corded Ware complex that has been linked to disruption observed in the archaeological and genetic record. The newly developed methods of transition analysis 3 (TA3) and death rate ratio (DRR) were used to process skeletal data from 67 individuals deriving from single, double, and multiple graves in Scandinavia. The results disclose a high proportion of immature individuals aged less than twenty years. Attrition, however, complies with a demography with high age-nonspecific mortality, and this may connect to stressors such as epidemic diseases and endemic warfare. Compared to the partly contemporaneous Pitted Ware complex and the succeeding Late Neolithic–earliest Bronze Age period, the Nordic Corded Ware burials overall point to robust population growth, especially in the later period. This in turn aligns with a sedentary lifestyle rather than a mobile pastoral economy. Short-distance seasonal movements could fit in but cannot yet be measured. Recent genetics have demonstrated biological input in the female line from populations such as Funnel Beaker, Pitted Ware, and herders of the steppe forest zone: the remarkable tallness of Nordic Corded Ware individuals may well be an effect of such admixture. The burials moreover evidence a distinct adult male sex bias, which diminishes over time along with the growth in the number of buried females and young individuals. Judging from investment in graves and grave goods, immatures were highly valued. The scale of social status operates independently of age. Alongside the revealed Nordic Corded Ware demography and the burial and material record more broadly, this could indicate social inequality based on kinship and warrior values.
A generalized ordinal quasi-symmetry model and its separability for analyzing multi-way tables
Authors: Okahara Hisaya , Tahata Kouji 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
This paper addresses the challenge of modeling multi-way contingency tables for matched set data with ordinal categories. Although the complete symmetry and marginal homogeneity models are well established, they may not always provide a satisfactory fit to the data. To address this issue, we propose a generalized ordinal quasi-symmetry model that offers increased flexibility when the complete symmetry model fails to capture the underlying structure. We investigate the properties of this new model and provide an information-theoretic interpretation, elucidating its relationship to the ordinal quasi-symmetry model. Moreover, we revisit Agresti’s findings and present a new necessary and sufficient condition for the complete symmetry model, proving that the proposed model and the marginal moment equality model are separable hypotheses. We demonstrate the practical application of our model through empirical studies on medical and public opinion datasets. Comprehensive simulation studies evaluate the proposed model under various scenarios, including model’s performance for multivariate normal data and asymptotic behavior. It enables researchers to examine the symmetry structure in the data with greater precision, providing a more thorough understanding of the underlying patterns. This powerful framework equips researchers with the necessary tools to explore the complexities of ordinal variable relationships in matched data sets, paving the way for new discoveries and insights.