bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Four Steps To My Future (4STMF): acceptability, feasibility and exploratory outcomes of a universal school‐based mental health and well‐being programme, delivered to young adolescents in South Africa
Authors: Coetzee Bronwynè , Loades Maria , Human Suzanne , Gericke Hermine , Laning Gerrit , Kidd Martin , Stallard Paul 
Published: July 2023

ObjectiveMental health disorders affect many children in South Africa, where vulnerability is high, and treatment is limited. We sought to determine the feasibility and acceptability of a universally delivered classroom‐based programme for the promotion of mental health in young adolescents.MethodWe pilot tested an 8 session, cognitive‐behavioural therapy‐based programme, 4 Steps To My Future (4STMF) in two schools. Participants were grade 5 learners (n = 222; Meanage = 10.62 (Standard deviation = 0.69)). 4STMF was delivered in class time by trained psychology postgraduates. Feasibility (rates of parental opt‐out, child assent, assessment completion at baseline and follow‐up, programme completion, session attendance and programme fidelity), acceptability (teacher feedback and focus groups with learners), as well as demographic data and data on a battery of a psychological measures were collected at baseline, postintervention and at one‐month follow‐up.ResultsMost eligible learners at both schools agreed to participate (85% – school 1; 91% – school 2) with more than 80% completing postintervention measures. Learner session attendance and programme fidelity were high. Teachers rated facilitators highly on confidence, preparedness, enthusiasm and classroom management and observed children to be enjoying the programme. Focus group data suggest that learners liked the programme, could recall the content and had shared some of the content with their family. An exploratory analysis of outcomes showed significant pre–post differences on self‐esteem at school 1 and on emotion regulation at school 1 and school 2, maintained at follow‐up.ConclusionsThis pilot study has shown that 4STMF can acceptably and feasibly be delivered, at classroom level, as a universal school‐based prevention programme to young adolescent learners in South African primary schools. The programme could fit in with school context, could be delivered by nonspecialists, showed significant improvements on self‐esteem and emotion regulation and was liked by the learners.
Review of the international play policies and their contribution to supporting a child's right to play
Authors: Armstrong Fiona , Gaul David 
Published: July 2023

AbstractPlay is recognised as a fundamental children's right protected by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Despite legal and constitutional requirements for ensuring children's right to play, there are few international policies dedicated to play. This paper seeks to use a critical discourse analysis lens to compare the current international policies dedicated to play and identify examples of good practice and perceived barriers to the successful development and implementation of play policies.
Using random forest machine learning on data from a large, representative cohort of the general population improves clinical spirometry references
Authors: Kristensen Kris , Olesen Pernille H. , Roerbaek Anna K. , Nielsen Louise , Hansen Helle K. , Cichosz Simon L. , Jensen Morten H. , Hejlesen Ole 
Published: July 2023

AbstractIntroductionSpirometry is associated with several diagnostic difficulties, and as a result, misdiagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) occurs. This study aims to investigate how random forest (RF) can be used to improve the existing clinical FVC and FEV1 reference values in a large and representative cohort of the general population of the US without known lung disease.Materials and methodsFVC, FEV1, body measures, and demographic data from 23 433 people were extracted from NHANES. RF was used to develop different prediction models. The accuracy of RF was compared with the existing Danish clinical references, an improved multiple linear regression (MLR) model, and a model from the literature.ResultsThe correlation between actual and predicted FVC and FEV1 and the 95% confidence interval for RF were found to be FVC = 0.85 (0.85; 0.86) (p < 0.001), FEV1 = 0.92 (0.92; 0.93) (p < 0.001), and existing clinical references were FVC = 0.66 (0.64; 0.68) (p < 0.001) and FEV1 = 0.69 (0.67; 0.70) (p < 0.001). Slope and intercept for the RF models predicting FVC and FEV1 were FVC 1.06 and −238.04 (mL), FEV1: 0.86 and 455.36 (mL), and for the MLR models, slope and intercept were FVC: 0.99 and 38.56 39 (mL), and FEV1: 1.01 and −56.57‐57 (mL).ConclusionsThe results point toward machine learning models such as RF have the potential to improve the prediction of estimated lung function for individual patients. These predictions are used as reference values and are an important part of assessing spirometry measurements in clinical practice. Further work is necessary in order to reduce the size of the intercepts obtained through these results.
A surprising haven: The biodiversity of an old‐growth forest amidst a scorched landscape in Madagascar
Authors: Otero Jimenez Beatriz , Montaño Ren , Rothman Ryan S. , Williams Rachel C. , Wright Patricia C. 
Published: July 2023

AbstractFor the endemic wildlife of Madagascar, the risk of extinction increases as the island's forest cover decreases. Many of the remaining forests are isolated fragments serving as important refugia for biodiversity. In this research note, we describe the biodiversity of the Ivohiboro Humid Forest (IHF), and its conservation importance in Madagascar. Located in a region dominated by wooded savannah, the IHF represents a very rare vegetation type. We conducted six biological surveys to explore the diversity of vertebrates and vascular plants in this isolated forest. Our results show that the IHF maintains a diverse ecosystem and harbors species of conservation significance. Thirty‐four of the identified species are categorized as Threatened by the IUCN, such as the ring‐tailed lemur (Lemur catta) and Isalo Madagascar frog (Gephyromantis corvus). Furthermore, we inventoried species distant from their known IUCN‐reported geographic ranges such as a species of blue‐nosed chameleon (Calumma sp. aff. boettgeri, linotum) and the Lavasoa dwarf lemur (Cheirogaleus lavasoensis).
Artificial intelligence in a prediction model for postendoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography pancreatitis
Authors: Takahashi Hidekazu , Ohno Eizaburo , Furukawa Taiki , Yamao Kentaro , Ishikawa Takuya , Mizutani Yasuyuki , Iida Tadashi , Shiratori Yoshimune , Oyama Shintaro , Koyama Junji , Mori Kensaku , Hayashi Yuichiro , Oda Masahiro , Suzuki Takahisa , Kawashima Hiroki 
Published: July 2023

ObjectivesIn this study we aimed to develop an artificial intelligence‐based model for predicting postendoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) pancreatitis (PEP).MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed ERCP patients at Nagoya University Hospital (NUH) and Toyota Memorial Hospital (TMH). We constructed two prediction models, a random forest (RF), one of the machine‐learning algorithms, and a logistic regression (LR) model. First, we selected features of each model from 40 possible features. Then the models were trained and validated using three fold cross‐validation in the NUH cohort and tested in the TMH cohort. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) was used to assess model performance. Finally, using the output parameters of the RF model, we classified the patients into low‐, medium‐, and high‐risk groups.ResultsA total of 615 patients at NUH and 544 patients at TMH were enrolled. Ten features were selected for the RF model, including albumin, creatinine, biliary tract cancer, pancreatic cancer, bile duct stone, total procedure time, pancreatic duct injection, pancreatic guidewire‐assisted technique without a pancreatic stent, intraductal ultrasonography, and bile duct biopsy. In the three fold cross‐validation, the RF model showed better predictive ability than the LR model (AUROC 0.821 vs. 0.660). In the test, the RF model also showed better performance (AUROC 0.770 vs. 0.663, P = 0.002). Based on the RF model, we classified the patients according to the incidence of PEP (2.9%, 10.0%, and 23.9%).ConclusionWe developed an RF model. Machine‐learning algorithms could be powerful tools to develop accurate prediction models.
Survival and value: The conglomerate case
Authors: Altieri Michela , Nicodano Giovanna 
Published: July 2023

AbstractThis paper investigates the relationship between default probability and value when there is a selection bias due to missing controls for firm heterogeneous likelihood to survive in the sample. Our model delivers the following implications for the conglomerate case: (a) the sample conglomerate value increases in their default probability, (b) the sample conglomerate discount falls together with their excess default probability with respect to focused companies, (c) both effects disappear when the analyst controls for survival probability. The data support the presence of a selection bias distorting downwards the relative value of sample firms with higher survival probability.
Ecosystem type drives soil eukaryotic diversity and composition in Europe
Authors: Köninger Julia , Ballabio Cristiano , Panagos Panos , Jones Arwyn , Schmid Marc W. , Orgiazzi Alberto , Briones Maria J. I. 
Published: July 2023

AbstractSoil eukaryotes play a crucial role in maintaining ecosystem functions and services, yet the factors driving their diversity and distribution remain poorly understood. While many studies focus on some eukaryotic groups (mostly fungi), they are limited in their spatial scale. Here, we analyzed an unprecedented amount of observational data of soil eukaryomes at continental scale (787 sites across Europe) to gain further insights into the impact of a wide range of environmental conditions (climatic and edaphic) on their community composition and structure. We found that the diversity of fungi, protists, rotifers, tardigrades, nematodes, arthropods, and annelids was predominantly shaped by ecosystem type (annual and permanent croplands, managed and unmanaged grasslands, coniferous and broadleaved woodlands), and higher diversity of fungi, protists, nematodes, arthropods, and annelids was observed in croplands than in less intensively managed systems, such as coniferous and broadleaved woodlands. Also in croplands, we found more specialized eukaryotes, while the composition between croplands was more homogeneous compared to the composition of other ecosystems. The observed high proportion of overlapping taxa between ecosystems also indicates that DNA has accumulated from previous land uses, hence mimicking the land transformations occurring in Europe in the last decades. This strong ecosystem‐type influence was linked to soil properties, and particularly, soil pH was driving the richness of fungi, rotifers, and annelids, while plant‐available phosphorus drove the richness of protists, tardigrades, and nematodes. Furthermore, the soil organic carbon to total nitrogen ratio crucially explained the richness of fungi, protists, nematodes, and arthropods, possibly linked to decades of agricultural inputs. Our results highlighted the importance of long‐term environmental variables rather than variables measured at the time of the sampling in shaping soil eukaryotic communities, which reinforces the need to include those variables in addition to ecosystem type in future monitoring programs and conservation efforts.
Aura phenomena do not initiate migraine attacks—Findings from neuroimaging
Authors: Mehnert Jan , Fischer‐Schulte Laura , May Arne 
Published: July 2023

AbstractObjectives/BackgroundAs cortical spreading depolarization (CSD) has been suggested to be the cause of migraine aura and as CSD can activate trigeminal nociceptive neurons in animals, it has been suggested that CSD may be the cause of migraine attacks. This raises the question of how migraine pain is generated in migraine attacks without aura and has led to the hypothesis that CSD may also occur in subcortical regions in the form of “silent” CSDs, and accordingly “silent auras”.MethodsIn this case study, we provide evidence for common neuronal alterations preceding headache attacks with and without aura in a male patient with migraine, who underwent daily event‐correlated functional magnetic resonance imaging of trigeminal nociception for a period of 30 days. During these days the man experienced migraine attacks with and without aura.ResultsComparing the preictal phases between both attack types revealed a common hyperactivation of the hypothalamus (p < 0.01), which was already present 2 days before the actual attack.ConclusionThe time frame of the central pathophysiological orchestration of migraine attacks, irrelevant of the presence of later aura, strongly suggests that the aura is an epiphenomenon that is unrelated and does not initiate headache attacks.
Pediatric reference intervals for hematology parameters in healthy infants and young children in Iran
Authors: Mohammadi Maliheh , Ghazizadeh Hamideh , Mohammadi‐Bajgiran Maryam , Kathryn Bohn Mary , Yaghooti‐Khorasani Mahdiyeh , Kamel Khodabandeh Atieh , Steele Shannon , Torabzadeh Khorasani Niyusha , Ferns Gordon A. , Boskabadi Hassan , Esmaily Habibollah , Adeli Khosrow , Assaran Darban Reza , Ghayour‐Mobarhan Majid 
Published: July 2023

AbstractIntroductionDefining accurate age‐ and sex‐specific reference intervals (RIs) for hematology parameters, especially for the pediatric population, is important for making an appropriate clinical diagnosis. To address gaps, we established age‐specific RIs for 11 hematologic parameters in Iranian children younger than 30 months for the first time.MethodsFresh whole blood samples collected from a total of 344 participants (males: 158 and females: 186) ages 3 days to 30 months, with a mean age of 12.91 ± 7.15 months, were recruited from healthcare centers in Mashhad, Iran. Hematologic parameters, including complete blood count (CBC), were analyzed on the Sysmex auto‐analyzer system (KX‐21 N). RIs were calculated with 90% confidence intervals using the direct method based on CLSI Ep28‐A3 and C28‐A3 guidelines.ResultsNone of the CBC parameters required sex partitioning. Of 11 CBC parameters, six required age partitions of 3 days–<4 months, 4–<10, 10–<15, and 4–<30 months. Five parameters (i.e., white blood cell count, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, mean platelet volume, red cell distribution width, and platelet distribution width) did not demonstrate age‐specific changes. RIs of red blood cell count and hematocrit, as well as hemoglobin, increased with age, while mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, and platelet count, decreased with age.ConclusionIn this study, we established RIs for 11 hematology parameters in young children. Age partitioning was required for six parameters demonstrating marked changes during the early period of growth and development and necessitating the use of pediatric‐specific reference standards.
Risk of venous thromboembolism in COVID‐19 infection
Authors: Honkanen Meeri , Sirkeoja Simo , Viskari Hanna , Kailankangas Ville , Sinisalo Marjatta , Syrjänen Jaana 
Published: July 2023

AbstractThe incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) for non‐hospitalised patients with coronavirus disease‐2019 infection has not been very widely studied. 13 019 persons with a positive SARS‐CoV‐2 nucleic acid amplification test were identified. In total, 447 (0.2%) VTEs were identified in the study population, 293 (66%) of these were pulmonary embolisms. A positive SARS‐CoV‐2 test did not increase the risk for VTE in the univariate analysis (odds ratio (OR): 1.0, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.69–1.4) or multivariable analysis (OR: 1.36, 95% CI: 0.93–1.97).
Mediators and mechanisms of immune checkpoint inhibitor‐associated myocarditis: Insights from mouse and human
Authors: Gong Jingyi , Neilan Tomas G. , Zlotoff Daniel A. 
Published: July 2023

SummaryThe broad application of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has led to significant gains in cancer outcomes. By abrogating inhibitory signals, ICIs promote T cell targeting of cancer cells but can frequently trigger autoimmune manifestations, termed immune‐related adverse events (irAEs), affecting essentially any organ system. Among cardiovascular irAEs, immune‐related myocarditis (irMyocarditis) is the most described and carries the highest morbidity. The currently recommended treatment for irMyocarditis is potent immunosuppression with corticosteroids and other agents, but this has limited evidence basis. The cellular pathophysiology of irMyocarditis remains poorly understood, though mouse models and human data have both implicated effector CD8+ T cells, some of which are specific for the cardiomyocyte protein α‐myosin. While the driving molecular signals and transcriptional programs are not well defined, the involvement of chemokine receptors such as CCR5 and CXCR3 has been proposed. Fundamental questions regarding why only approximately 1% of ICI recipients develop irMyocarditis and why irMyocarditis carries a much worse prognosis than other forms of lymphocytic myocarditis remain unanswered. Further work in both murine systems and with human samples are needed to identify better tools for diagnosis, risk‐stratification, and treatment.
The Medical Outcome Study Social Support Survey (MOS‐SSS): A psychometric systematic review
Authors: Dao‐Tran Tiet‐Hanh , Lam Le‐Trinh , Balasooriya Namal N. , Comans Tracy 
Published: July 2023

AbstractAimsTo evaluate and synthesize psychometric properties of the MOS‐SSS and to identify quality versions of MOS‐SSS for use in future research and practice.DesignA psychometric systematic review.Data SourcesArticles about the translation, adaptation, or validation of the MOS‐SSS in Medline, PubMed, CINAHL, and Web of Science and their reference lists published before 11 November 2022.Review MethodsThe review followed the Consensus Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement Instruments guidelines.ResultsThe review included 35 articles. Eleven versions of MOS‐SSS (3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 12, 13, 16, 18, 19, and 22 items) have been validated in various populations and 13 languages. Of 14 studies developing a translated version of MOS‐SSS, four studies performed both an experts' evaluation of content validity and a face validity test; two studies reported translation evaluation in the form of a content validity index. Of 35 studies, six performed both exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis for structural validity; hypotheses and measurements for construct validity testings were often not clearly stated; two examined criterion validity; and four assessed cross‐cultural validity. Internal consistency reliabilities were commonly examined by calculating Cronbach's alpha and reported satisfactory. Five studies analysed test–retest reliabilities using intra correlation coefficient. Methodological concerns exist.ConclusionThe English 19‐item, Farsi Persian 19‐item, and Vietnamese 19‐item versions are recommended for future use in research and practice. Italian 19‐item and Malaysian 13‐item versions are not recommended to be used in future research and practice. All other versions considered in this review have potential use in future research and practice. Proper procedures for developing a translated version of MOS‐SSS and validating the scale are recommended.ImpactThe review identified quality versions of MOS‐SSS to measure social support in future research and practice. The study also indicated methodological issues in current validation studies. Application of the study findings and recommendations can be useful to improve outcome measurement quality and maximize the efficiency of resource use in future research and practice.No Patient or Public ContributionThis systematic review synthesized the evidence from previous research and did not involve any human participation.
Morphological variability decreases in populations living in less suitable environments and close to the range edges
Authors: Braz Alan Gerhardt , Figueiredo Marcos de Souza Lima , Weber Marcelo de Moraes , Grelle Carlos Eduardo de Viveiros 
Published: July 2023

AbstractAimGeographical range expansion depends on ecological and evolutionary processes that may hamper local adaptations in populations living at range edges by constraining phenotypic variability. This study investigates the spatial patterns of the intraspecific variability of skull traits throughout the geographical range of a marsupial from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. We aimed to answer whether the distance from the range edge and the environmental suitability explain the geographical variation of morphological variability of the species.LocationAtlantic Forest, Brazil.TaxonMarmosops incanus(Didelphimorphia, Didelphidae).MethodsWe analysed adult specimens deposited in the main biological collections in southeastern Brazil. The morphological variability extent and integration within populations were characterised by 13 linear measures of the skull, using a multivariate approach. Environmental suitability for the species' occurrence was estimated by ecological niche models, using climate variables and vegetation productivity as predictors and three different modelling methods. Distance from the range edge was calculated based on the minimum linear distance between populations and the closest range limit. We fitted linear regressions and selected the best models that explained the spatial variation of morphological variability based on the Akaike information criterion.ResultsThe extent of morphological variability ofM. incanusis positively correlated with morphological integration and increases with local environmental suitability and distance from the range edges. However, the relationship between morphological variability and environmental suitability depends on the niche modelling method.Main ConclusionsUnfavourable environmental conditions constrain morphological variability within populations of the Gray slender opossum and may hamper local adaptation in peripheral populations living in less suitable environments. In addition to environmental conditions, geographical location of populations also plays an important role in phenotypic variability among populations. We stress the boundary effect of the species range on local adaptation of peripheral populations and its possible consequences for the range expansion dynamics.