bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
How does HbA1c predict mortality and readmission in patients with heart failure? A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Xu Jun-Peng , Zeng Rui-Xiang , Mai Xiao-Yi , Pan Wen-Jun , Zhang Yu-Zhuo , Zhang Min-Zhou 
Published: March 2023

AbstractBackgroundAccumulating evidence suggests that HbA1c levels, a common clinical indicator of chronic glucose metabolism over the preceding 2–3 months, are independent risk factors for cardiovascular disease, including heart failure. However, conflicting evidence obscures clear cutoffs of HbA1c levels in various heart failure populations. The aim of this review is to assess the possible predictive value and optimal range of HbA1c on mortality and readmission in patients with heart failure.MethodsA systematic and comprehensive search will be performed using PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library databases before December 2022 to identify relevant studies. All-cause mortality is the prespecified primary endpoint. Cardiovascular death and heart failure readmission are secondary endpoints of interest. We will only include prospective and retrospective cohort studies and place no restrictions on the language, race, region, or publication period. The ROBINS-I tool will be used to assess the quality of each included research. If there were sufficient studies, we will conduct a meta-analysis with pooled relative risks and corresponding 95% confidence intervals to evaluate the possible predictive value of HbA1c for mortality and readmission. Otherwise, we will undertake a narrative synthesis. Heterogeneity and publication bias will be assessed. If heterogeneity was significant among included studies, a sensitivity analysis or subgroup analysis will be used to explore the source of heterogeneity, such as diverse types of heart failure or patients with diabetes and non-diabetes. Additionally, we will conduct meta-regression to examine the time-effect and treatment-effect modifiers on all-cause mortality compared between different quantile of HbA1c levels. Finally, a restricted cubic spline model may be used to explore the dose-response relationship between HbA1c and adverse outcomes.DiscussionThis planned analysis is anticipated to identify the predictive value of HbA1c for mortality and readmission in patients with heart failure. Improved understanding of different HbA1c levels and their specific effect on diverse types of heart failure or patients with diabetes and non-diabetes is expected to be figured out. Importantly, a dose-response relationship or optimal range of HbA1c will be determined to instruct clinicians and patients.Systematic review registrationPROSPERO registration details: CRD42021276067
Effects of armed conflicts on childhood undernutrition in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Azanaw Melkalem Mamuye , Anley Denekew Tenaw , Anteneh Rahel Mulatie , Arage Getachew , Muche Achenef Asmamaw 
Published: March 2023

Abstract
Background
Undernutrition is defined as not consuming enough nutrients and energy to meet one’s needs for maintaining good health. It is exacerbated by armed conflict. Individuals cannot stick to jobs because of a lack of safety during conflicts, which has an impact on families’ ability to purchase food. However, there is a paucity of evidence on pooled evidence on the impact of armed conflict on childhood undernutrition among children aged 6 to 59 months in Africa. Therefore, this review aimed to examine the effects of armed conflict on the magnitude of undernutrition, particularly stunting, underweight, and wasting among children in Africa.

Methods
A comprehensive literature search was conducted using electronic databases (PubMed, Hinari, and Google Scholar database) to locate potential studies. Heterogeneity between studies was checked using Cochrane Q test statistics and I2 test statistics. Small-study effects were checked using Egger’s statistical test at a 5% significance level. A random-effects model was employed to estimate the pooled prevalence and associated factors of undernutrition among children aged 6–59 months in Africa.

Results
Of a total of 585 articles retrieved from the databases, 12 studies met our inclusion criteria. The pooled prevalence of wasting, stunting, and being underweight among conflict-affected African countries was 20.25% (95%CI = 15.08–25.43), 34.18% (95% CI = 26.34–42.02), and 24.00% (95%CI = 16.35–31.65), respectively. The most consistent factors associated with childhood stunting, wasting, and being underweight in Africa were low mother’s education, prolonged duration of armed conflict, and rural place of residence.

Conclusion
The severity of malnutrition crises will be assisted by a better understanding of the variables associated with child malnutrition, which will improve the effectiveness of development and humanitarian responses. We urge that health planners, policymakers, and the general public prioritize children with acute malnutrition in Africa’s conflict-affected areas.

Systematic review registration
PROSPERO CRD42022367487
A comprehensive introductory course on systematic review and meta-analysis simultaneously delivered in-person and online in Cameroon
Authors: Bigna Jean Joel , Kamgang Willy Steven , Nguefack-Tsague Georges 
Published: March 2023

AbstractThe global increased on research outputs around health research in general and systematic reviews has not left Sub-Saharan Africa indifferent, and Cameroon in particular. Research projects have not only increased in number but also in complexity with a record proportion of systematic review projects. This indicates that there is an unprecedented need to increase knowledge and expertise on systematic reviews and meta-analyses for high-quality evidence synthesis. We plan on associating local and international expertise to strengthen the planning, conduct and reporting of systematic reviews—in and out of academia—through an integrative learning program delivered both in English and French, the official languages in the country. The general of this introductory course was to assess the feasibility of our learning program as well as the extent to which the target audience would be willing to adhere to the program. Overall, there were 148 attendees, with 51 in-person and 97 online. Forty percent of in-person attendees were university lecturers at medical schools in Cameroon. Overall, we noted that the attendees were impressed with the quality of the presentation and the general organization of this pedagogical event, and are looking forward to participating in future courses.
On extensions of the Jack and open-door lemmas
Authors: Alavi R. , Shams S. , Aghalary R. , Cho N. E. 
Published: March 2023

AbstractIn the present paper, we apply the theory of differential subordination to extend the famous Jack lemma for analytic functions. Also, using this extension we will produce new versions of the open-door lemma for analytic functions, and utilizing them some simple conditions for starlikeness of analytic and meromorphic functions are obtained. Our results improve and extend the earlier results investigated in the literature.
Nodal solution for critical Kirchhoff-type equation with fast increasing weight in $\mathbb{R}^{2}$
Authors: Qin Qin , Jie Guo , Suo Hongmin 
Published: March 2023

AbstractIn this paper, we investigate the existence of a least-energy sign-changing solutions for the following Kirchhoff-type equation: $$ - \biggl(1+b \int _{\mathbb{R}^{2}} K(x) \vert \nabla u \vert ^{2}\,dx \biggr) \operatorname{div} \bigl(K(x)\nabla u \bigr)=K(x)f(u),\quad x\in \mathbb{R}^{2}, $$
−

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where f has exponential subcritical or exponential critical growth in the sense of the Trudinger–Moser inequality. By using the constrained variational methods, combining the deformation lemma and Miranda’s theorem, we prove the existence of a least-energy sign-changing solution. Moreover, we also prove that this sign-changing solution has exactly two nodal domains.
Identification of the bulk modulus coefficient in the acoustic equation from boundary observation: a sentinel method
Authors: Elhamza Billal , Hafdallah Abdelhak 
Published: March 2023

AbstractIn this paper, we consider an acoustic equation with incomplete data, where the bulk modulus coefficient and initial conditions are partially known. Our goal is to get information about the bulk modulus coefficient independently of the initial conditions from boundary observations. To achieve this goal, we apply the sentinel method introduced by J.L. Lions, which is a functional that links the solution to the given problem with a control function and a state observation. We prove that the existence of the sentinel functional is equivalent to a boundary-null controllability problem with constraints on the control. We use the Hilbert uniqueness method to study this controllability problem to establish the control of minimal norm.
Existence and uniqueness criterion of a periodic solution for a third-order neutral differential equation with multiple delay
Authors: Taie R. O. A. , Bakhit D. A. M. 
Published: March 2023

AbstractIn this paper, we study the existence and uniqueness of a periodic solution for a third-order neutral delay differential equation (NDDE) by applying Mawhin’s continuation theorem of coincidence degree and analysis techniques. An illustrative example is given as an application to support our results. To confirm the accuracy of our results, we also present a plot of the behavior of the periodic solution.
A kinetic model of rotating galaxies
Authors: Strauss Walter A. 
Published: March 2023

AbstractAlthough I had not previously been aware of Jean Ginibre’s work on random matrices, beginning in 1978 I became an admirer of his many papers on nonlinear waves in collaboration with Giorgio Velo. Their papers were amazingly profound and inspirational. I subsequently met Jean and Giorgio many times. I especially remember the pleasant time Jean and I spent together at a meeting in 2001 at Hokkaido University dedicated to the memory of the great Tosio Kato. The present announcement is a very brief summary of some of my recent mathematical work, joint with Yilun Wu, concerning a simple model of galaxies.
Enriching computing simulators by generating realistic serverless traces
Authors: Sallo Dilshad Hassan , Kecskemeti Gabor 
Published: March 2023

AbstractServerless computing is stepping forward to provide a cloud environment that mainly focuses on managing infrastructure, resources and configurations on the behalf of a user. Research in this field can’t rely on commercial providers such as AWS and Azure, as their inflexibility and cost often limits the required levels of reproducibility and scalability. Therefore, simulators have been opted as an alternative solution by the research community. They offer a reduced-cost and easy-setup environment. To get respectable precision, simulators use real traces collected and offered by commercial providers. These traces represent comprehensive information of executed tasks that reflect user behaviour. Due to serverless computing’s recency, typical workload traces employed by IaaS simulators are not well adoptable to the new computing model. In this paper, we propose an approach for generating realistic serverless traces. We enhance our previous generator approach that was based on the Azure Functions dataset. Our new, genetic algorithm based approach improves the statistical properties of the generated traces. We also enabled arbitrary scaling of the workload, while maintaining real users’ behaviour. These advances further support reproducibility in the serverless research community. We validated the results of our generator approach using the coefficient of determination ($$R^2$$

R
2

), which shows that our generated workload closely matches the original dataset’s characteristics in terms of execution time, memory utilisation as well as user participation percentage. To demonstrate the benefits of the reusability of the generated traces, we applied them with a diverse set of simulators and shown that they offer reproducible results independently of the simulator used.
Towards a sense of urgency for innovation realization: a case study on complacency asymmetries in interorganizational relations
Authors: Mitcheltree Christina Marie 
Published: March 2023

AbstractThis paper seeks to explore the concept of complacency as a barrier to the sense of urgency within product innovation, by investigating the concept on behalf of interfirm project partners. More specifically, the study aims to understand complacency within the context of an industrial research project in Norway subject to material substitution of an energy transmission tower. As such, the study seeks to give a contextual understanding of complacency for innovation realization (e.g., innovation speed) from a single case study. The study identified different complacency mechanism asymmetries on behalf of the actors, as well as the varying reasons (drivers) to why urgency gaps may occur among actors. The urgency gaps were found to impact a sense of urgency and thus innovation speed negatively. The asymmetries are presented from the drivers: role understanding, competence, project intent, risk and trust. Moreover, the urgency gaps’ implications for interorganizational project collaboration, and how they contribute to theory on industrial product innovation, are explained. The findings contribute with new insights on important mechanisms for how a sense of urgency may be enhanced in research projects subject to interorganizational innovation. Theoretical contributions thus relate to enhanced understanding of complacency asymmetry in product innovation collaboration, and how trust is an important dimension for urgency creation.
Knowledge of surgical informed consent and associated factors among patients undergone obstetric and gynecologic surgery at Jimma Medical Center, Jimma, Ethiopia, 2020: an institutional based cross-sectional study
Authors: Kebede Belete Fenta , Tesfa Tsegaw Biyazin , Hiwot Aynalem Yetwale , Genie Yalemtsehay Dagnaw 
Published: March 2023

Abstract
Introduction
Informed consent is the process whereby a patient makes a voluntary decision about their medical and surgical care with knowledge of the benefits and potential risks. Poor informed consent processes may increase potential for medical errors and malpractice. Little is known of the knowledge of surgical informed consent with regard to their surgical treatment in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the knowledge of surgical informed consent and associated factors among patients who underwent obstetric and gynecologic surgery at Jimma Medical Center, Jimma, Ethiopia.

Methods and materials
An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from April 1 to May 30, 2020, among 404 women undergo obstetric and gynecologic surgery at Jimma Medical Center. Data were collected through a face-to-face interview using a structured questionnaire. The collected data were coded, entered into Epi data version 3.1, and analyzed using SPSS version 25. Bivariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed to determine the association between an outcome variable and an independent variable. Tables, pie-charts, and texts were used to report the result.

Results
Of 404 patients sampled, only 372 women were agreed and participated in the study and gave response rate of 92.1%. The respondent satisfaction level (AOR 1.823 (95%CI 1.061–3.134)) and patient to provider relationship (AOR 0.472 (CI 1.217–3.697)) were associated with knowledge of surgical informed consent.

Conclusion
The overall level of knowledge regarding informed consent for surgerywas significantly lower than that of other national and international figures. Patient satisfaction and patientto provider relationships were associated with knowledge of surgical informed consent. Adequate information should provide before surgery to improve patients’ knowledge regarding surgical informed consent and to improve the consent process to make it better suited to fit the needs of all patients.
Disinfection of incubators in neonatal intensive care units: impact of steam pulverization on bacterial colonization
Authors: Reboux Marion , Chavignon Marie , Tristan Anne , Plaisant Franck , Laurent Frédéric , Butin Marine 
Published: March 2023

Abstract
Background
In neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), neonates requiring medical care after birth, including very vulnerable preterm infants, are housed in incubators. Previous studies have reported that the standard chemical disinfection measures used to disinfect these incubators are insufficient to eradicate contaminating bacteria, leading to a worrying infectious risk for preterm neonates. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a disinfection method based on steam pulverization to eradicate the persistent bacterial contamination in such incubators.

Methods
In a tertiary NICU, 20 incubators were monitored qualitatively for bacterial contamination at five different sites (the rubber grommet, the left door handles, the temperature adjustment button, the mattress and the scale) using a culture method at three times: before and after steam pulverization then 24 h after turning on and housing a new neonate. Clinical data of neonates housed in each incubator were retrieved from the medical records to identify potential occurrence of late onset sepsis (LOS).

Results
Just after steam pulverization, only two incubators were free from bacteria. Before disinfection 87% of all the samples were contaminated compared to 61% after disinfection. After 24 h, the proportion of contaminated samples reached 85%. Mattresses and scales were the most frequently contaminated incubator sites with respectively 90% and 80% positive samples after disinfection compared to 100% and 90% before disinfection. Coagulase-negative staphylococci, Enterococcus, Enterobacteria and Bacillus resisted disinfection and were identified on respectively 90%, 20%, 5% and 45% of incubators just after disinfection. Three preterm neonates developed LOS after being housed in a disinfected incubator but the bacterial species involved have not been identified in their incubator after disinfection. In two cases, the bacterium had been isolated from the mattress 24 h after housing the infected patient.

Conclusion
Steam pulverization is not sufficient to eradicate bacterial contamination of incubators. These results highlight the urgent need for an effective disinfection method, especially for mattresses that are in constant contact with patients. In parallel, new incubator designs and mattress protections must be developed.
Multi-omics to predict acute radiation esophagitis in patients with lung cancer treated with intensity-modulated radiation therapy
Authors: Zheng Xiaoli , Guo Wei , Wang Yunhan , Zhang Jiang , Zhang Yuanpeng , Cheng Chen , Teng Xinzhi , Lam Saikit , Zhou Ta , Ma Zongrui , Liu Ruining , Wu Hui , Ge Hong , Cai Jing , Li Bing 
Published: March 2023

Abstract
Purpose
The study aimed to predict acute radiation esophagitis (ARE) with grade  ≥ 2 for patients with locally advanced lung cancer (LALC) treated with intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) using multi-omics features, including radiomics and dosiomics.

Methods
161 patients with stage IIIA−IIIB LALC who received chemoradiotherapy (CRT) or radiotherapy by IMRT with a prescribed dose from 45 to 70 Gy from 2015 to 2019 were enrolled retrospectively. All the toxicity gradings were given following the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events V4.0. Multi-omics features, including radiomics, dosiomics (including dose−volume histogram dosimetric parameters), were extracted based on the planning CT image and three-dimensional dose distribution. All data were randomly divided into training cohorts (N = 107) and testing cohorts (N = 54). In the training cohorts, features with reliably high outcome relevance and low redundancy were selected under random patient subsampling. Four classification models (using clinical factors (CF) only, using radiomics features (RFs) only, dosiomics features (DFs) only, and the hybrid features (HFs) containing clinical factors, radiomics and dosiomics) were constructed employing the Ridge classifier using two-thirds of randomly selected patients as the training cohort. The remaining patient was treated as the testing cohort. A series of models were built with 30 times training–testing splits. Their performances were assessed using the area under the ROC curve (AUC) and accuracy.

Results
Among all patients, 51 developed ARE grade  ≥ 2, with an incidence of 31.7%. Next, 8990 radiomics and 213 dosiomics features were extracted, and 3, 6, 12, and 13 features remained after feature selection in the CF, DF, RF and DF models, respectively. The RF and HF models achieved similar classification performance, with the training and testing AUCs of 0.796 ± 0.023 (95% confidence interval (CI [0.79, 0.80])/0.744 ± 0.044 (95% CI [0.73, 0.76]) and 0.801 ± 0.022 (95% CI [0.79, 0.81]) (p = 0.74), respectively. The model performances using CF and DF features were poorer, with training and testing AUCs of 0.573 ± 0.026 (95% CI [0.56, 0.58])/ 0.509 ± 0.072 (95% CI [0.48, 0.53]) and 0.679 ± 0.027 (95% CI [0.67, 0.69])/0.604 ± 0.041 (95% CI [0.53, 0.63]) compared with the above two models (p < 0.001), respectively.

Conclusions
In LALC patients treated with CRT IMRT, the ARE grade  ≥ 2 can be predicted using the pretreatment radiotherapy image features. To predict ARE, the multi-omics features had similar predictability with radiomics features; however, the dosiomics features and clinical factors had a limited classification performance.
Seroprevalence of hepatitis C virus in Jinan, China, 2008–2020
Authors: Xu Mingjie , Liu Fang , Zhao Qianqian , Zhou Yunying , Zhuang Yuanmei , Ji Mingyu 
Published: March 2023

Abstract
Background
The updated estimates of hepatitis C virus (HCV) seroprevalence are critical for developing strategies to manage or eliminate HCV infection.

Methods
A comprehensive study on HCV seroprevalence was conducted among 365,210 patients at Jinan Central Hospital, China, from 2008 to 2020. The patients were tested for anti-HCV, HCV core antigen, hepatitis B surface antigen, syphilis antibody, human immunodeficiency virus antigen + antibody, antihepatitis A virus IgM, and antihepatitis E virus IgM.

Results
HCV seroprevalence was 0.79% and was related to age. HCV seropositivity was lower in children (aged  < 18 years) than in adults (aged  ≥ 18 years) (0.15% vs. 0.81%). High HCV prevalence was reported in adults aged  ≥ 41 years, and HCV seropositivity in those aged 41–80 years accounted for 74.56% of all seropositive individuals. Notably, the rate of HCV–HIV coinfection was 0. HCV seroprevalence was considerably higher in patients at the Kidney Disease Unit and Dialysis Department than in those at other departments (inpatient or outpatient).

Conclusions
HCV seroprevalence was lower in Jinan region but higher in patients at the Kidney Disease Unit and Dialysis Department, especially in those undergoing hemodialysis.