bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Medium and long-term prognosis in hospitalised older adults with multimorbidity. A prospective cohort study
Authors: Molina Siena , Martinez-Urrea Ana , Malik Komal , Libori Ginebra , Monzon Helena , Martínez-Camblor Pablo , Almagro Pere 
Published: June 2023

Background
Data about long-term prognosis after hospitalisation of elderly multimorbid patients remains scarce.

Objectives
Evaluate medium and long-term prognosis in hospitalised patients older than 75 years of age with multimorbidity. Explore the impact of gender, age, frailty, physical dependence, and chronic diseases on mortality over a seven-year period.

Methods
We included prospectively all patients hospitalised for medical reasons over 75 years of age with two or more chronic illnesses in a specialised ward. Data on chronic diseases were collected using the Charlson comorbidity index and a questionnaire for disorders not included in this index. Demographic characteristics, Clinical Frailty Scale, Barthel index, and complications during hospitalisation were collected.

Results
514 patients (46% males) with a mean age of 85 (± 5) years were included. The median follow-up was 755 days (interquartile range 25–75%: 76–1,342). Mortality ranged from 44% to 68%, 82% and 91% at one, three, five, and seven years. At inclusion, men were slightly younger and with lower levels of physical impairment. Nevertheless, in the multivariate analysis, men had higher mortality (p<0.001; H.R.:1.43; 95% C.I.95%:1.16–1.75). Age, Clinical Frailty Scale, Barthel, and Charlson indexes were significant predictors in the univariate and multivariate analysis (all p<0.001). Dementia and neoplastic diseases were statistically significant in the unadjusted but not the adjusted model. In a cluster analysis, three patterns of patients were identified, with increasing significant mortality differences between them (p<0.001; H.R.:1.67; 95% CI: 1.49–1.88).

Conclusions
In our cohort, individual diseases had a limited predictive prognostic capacity, while the combination of chronic illness, frailty, and physical dependence were independent predictors of survival.
Status exploration and analysis of regional hospice and palliative care networks in Germany: A protocol for a mixed-methods study
Authors: Schwabe Sven , Buck Christoph , Herbst Franziska A. , Schleef Tanja , Stiel Stephanie , Schneider Nils 
Published: June 2023

Background
Multi-professional cooperation between healthcare providers is a key quality criterion of hospice and palliative care. While hospice and palliative care networks can support cooperation on a local level, opportunities for wider cooperation through the establishment and development of regional hospice and palliative care networks in Germany have not yet been explored systematically.

Aims
The HOPAN study aims at: (1) identifying regional hospice and palliative care networks in Germany, (2) analysing these networks using an adapted quality assessment tool, and (3) proposing setting-sensitive recommendations for network development and exploring the benefits of these recommendations.

Methods
HOPAN is a prospective, observational, mixed-methods study comprising three work packages (WPs). In WP1, the stock of regional hospice and palliative care networks in Germany will be identified via database, literature, and internet research. In WP2a, focus groups will be conducted to adapt an existing maturity model for healthcare networks to regional hospice and palliative care networks. In WP2b, a questionnaire will be sent to each identified regional hospice and palliative care network to gain insight into their structure and status of development. In WP2c, group discussions will be conducted to develop setting-sensitive recommendations for these networks. Finally, in WP3, these recommendations will be sent to all participating hospice and palliative care networks, and the benefits of the recommendations will be evaluated via a questionnaire.

Discussion
Empirically developed setting-sensitive recommendations should enable the systematic establishment and management of regional hospice and palliative care networks in Germany, considering the specific needs and potential of each network. The study findings are expected to improve the overall development of hospice and palliative care services.

Trial registration
The study was prospectively registered in the German Clinical Trials Register (Deutsches Register Klinischer Studien) (Registration N° DRKS00030629; date of registration: 02 November 2022). The study is searchable under the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform Search Portal of the World Health Organization, under the German Clinical Trials Register number.
Breast self-examination: Knowledge, practice and associated factors among 20 to 49 years aged women in Butwal sub-metropolitan, Rupandehi, Nepal
Authors: B. K. Manisha , Kaphle Hari Prasad 
Published: June 2023

Background
Breast cancer is the second most common cancer in the world and also among Nepalese women. Breast self-examination is an important, cheap, and easy method for early diagnosis of breast cancer which can be cured in the majority of cases if diagnosed in the early stages. In developing countries like Nepal where the awareness regarding breast cancer and breast self-examination is poor, breast cancers are diagnosed at late stages resulting in a poor prognosis of the disease. The study assessed knowledge, practice, and factors associated with breast self-examination.

Methods
A cross-sectional survey was carried out among 262 women in the Butwal sub-metropolitan adopting multi-stage sampling. A pre-tested structured interview schedule and an observation checklist were used to collect the data. Data was entered in EPI-data and necessary univariate, bivariate, and multivariate analyses were done in SPSS.

Results
The study found that more than half of the participants (55.3%) had poor knowledge of BSE. Only one-fourth (27.1%) of them were practicing BSE and among them, most of them (93.0%) had poor practice. The factors such as ethnicity from Brahmin/Chhetri [AOR = 2.099, 95% CI (1.106–3.981)], use of contraceptive devices [AOR = 9.487, 95% CI (2.166–41.558)], personal history of breast lump [AOR = 12.502, 95% CI (1.639–95.387)], family history of breast cancer [AOR = 5.729, 95% CI (1.337–97.512)], and knowledge of BSE [AOR = 4.407, 95% CI = 2.160–34.650)] were significant determinants of BSE practice among 20–49 years women.

Conclusion
The study concluded that most of the women had poor knowledge and practice of breast self-examination. The study also indicated the influence of ethnicity, contraceptives, personal and family history of cancer/early warning signs, and knowledge for practicing breast self-examination. There is an immediate need to increase the knowledge and practice of breast self-examination to prevent and detect breast cancer in its early stage.
Is anyone truly healthy? Trends in health risk factors prevalence and changes in their associations with all-cause mortality
Authors: Yu Winnie W. , Pooni Rubin , Ardern Chris I. , Kuk Jennifer L. 
Published: June 2023

Objective
The purpose of the study was to determine trends in the prevalence of individual health risk factors across time and to examine if their associations with mortality have changed over time.

Methods
Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES III– 1988–1994 and NHANES 1999–2014; age ≥20 years) was used to examine differences in the odds ratio (OR) of 5-year mortality risk associated with various common health risk factors over the two survey periods using weighted logistic regression analysis adjusting for age, sex, obesity category and white ethnicity (n = 28,279).

Results
Over 97% of individuals had at least one of the 19 risk factors examined with no difference in the prevalence over time (P>0.34). The prevalence of lifestyle, social/mental and physical risk factors (2.2 to 19.1%) increased over time (P<0.0002), while the prevalence of having physiological risk factors decreased by ~6.5% (P<0.0001). Having any lifestyle or social/mental risk factor was significantly associated with a higher 5-year OR for mortality risk in 1999–2014, than 1988–94. In particular, having low education or use of mental health medication were not associated with mortality risk in 1988–94 (P>0.1), but were significantly associated with a higher 5-year OR for mortality in 1999–2014 (P<0.0001). Conversely, physiological risk factors were more weakly related with mortality risk in 1988–1994, than 1999–2014. Having any physical risk factor, and poor self-rated health were similarly related with 5-year mortality risk at both timepoints.

Conclusion
Health risk factors have both increased and decreased in prevalence over time, along with changes in the association between many of the risk factors and mortality risk. Taken together, these changes complicate interpretation of temporal trends and warrant cautious interpretation of population health patterns based on surveillance data.
Implementing metrological traceability of C-reactive protein measurements: consensus summary from the Joint Committee for Traceability in Laboratory Medicine Workshop
Authors: Miller W. Greg , Panteghini Mauro , Wielgosz Robert 
Published: May 2023

Abstract
The Joint Committee for Traceability in Laboratory Medicine (JCTLM) currently lists the secondary commutable certified reference material (CRM) ERM DA-474/IFCC (DA-474) “C-Reactive Protein in Human Serum” and two generic immunoassay-based method principles as the basis for implementing the metrological traceability of C-reactive protein (CRP) measurements by end-user measurement procedures used by medical laboratories. The current metrological traceability has produced well harmonized results for clinical samples among different end-user measurement procedures. New higher-order pure substance and secondary commutable CRMs have been nominated for listing by the JCTLM. However, the data supporting performance of these new candidate CRMs, including use of new mass spectrometry based candidate reference measurement procedures (RMPs), was not clear regarding the influence that introducing these new CRMs would have on the current well harmonized results achieved with the existing metrological traceability to DA-474. The clinically relevant CRP measurand in blood serum or plasma is a pentamer of identical subunits, which adds complexity to the application of higher-order CRMs and RMPs. The JCTLM convened a workshop in December 2022 to review the appropriate implementation of metrological traceability of CRP measurements. The workshop consensus was that the extent-of-equivalence data must include considerations about the impact of a new CRM when used for its intended purpose in the calibration hierarchies of existing end-user measuring systems; and that a new RMP must compare results with another existing well validated candidate RMP or with a globally available end-user measurement system.
Biochemical analysis, antioxidant, and antibacterial efficacy of the bee propolis extract (Hymenoptera: Apis mellifera) against Staphylococcus aureus-induced infection in BALB/c mice: In vitro and in vivo study
Authors: Mahmood Sohail , Haleem Sumbal , Anjum Syed Ishtiaq , Ullah Asif , Alotaibi Amal 
Published: May 2023

Abstract

Background
Antibiotic resistance to Staphylococcal infections has prompted the pharmaceutical and scientific community to consider alternate treatments. Propolis is a natural substance produced by honey bees (Hymenoptera: Apis mellifera) from the exudates of different plants. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the antibacterial activity of ethanolic extracts of Pakistani bee propolis (PBP) against Staphylococcus aureus in both in vitro and in vivo modeling.

Methods
The propolis sample was collected from the Kohat district and dried in the dark until processing. The antibacterial activity of the propolis extract was examined using the agar well diffusion method. The S. aureus culture was incubated on Mueller–Hinton agar media. Five different concentrations of propolis, 100, 200, 350, 500, and 650 μg/ml, were used. Gentamicin disc was used as a positive control. For in vivo assay, BALB/c mice with an average weight of 30 g were purchased. Bacteria were inoculated into mice by the tape stripping technique. After abscess formation, mice were treated with propolis extract.

Results
The mean zone of inhibition and standard deviation for each concentration were 17 ± 0.816 at 650 μg/ml, 14.6 ± 0.471 at 500 μg/ml, 12 ± 1.41 at 300 μg/ml, 9.6 ± 0.942 at 200 μg/ml, and 2.3 ± 0.471 at 100 μg/ml of the propolis extract against S. aureus. It was observed that by increasing the concentration of the propolis extract, the antibacterial and antioxidant activities also increased. The extracts showed less antibacterial potential compared to gentamicin. The abscess size was also decreased in mice groups treated with the propolis extract topically and orally in comparison with the untreated mice group.

Conclusions
To the author’s best knowledge, this study is the first attempt to demonstrate that an ethanolic PBP extract has antibacterial potential against S. aureus-induced infections.
Application of soft computing in estimating primary crack spacing of reinforced concrete structures
Authors: Alomari Omar , Al-Rawashdeh Mohammad 
Published: May 2023

Abstract
The investigation related to the serviceability analysis, particularly in terms of crack spacing prediction, has remarkably increased recently. In addition, the prediction of serviceability analysis is highly dependent and influenced by different physical and material factors that contribute to the crack spacing of reinforced concrete (RC) structures. As a result, the cracking phenomenon has not been fully grasped due to these factors’ wide variety and complexity. Recently, soft computing techniques have gained considerable popularity due to their capability of learning and producing generalized solutions and exhibiting desirable performance in terms of time, effort, and cost. However, the literature on crack spacing prediction using various machine learning approaches is limited and insufficient. Therefore, this article is dedicated to estimating the primary crack spacing of RC structures using different machine learning methods. As a part of the study, the findings of these approaches will be computed and compared to the benchmark experimental results. Besides, the results of the developed models will be compared against that of available approaches in the literature to highlight their reliability. Furthermore, a parametric assessment will be conducted to emphasize the most influencing input parameter on the primary crack spacing of RC structures.
Identification of crack location in metallic biomaterial cantilever beam subjected to moving load base on central difference approximation
Authors: Kunla Nutthapong , Jearsiripongkul Thira , Keawsawasvong Suraparb , Thongchom Chanachai , Lawongkerd Jintara , Saffari Peyman Roodgar , Saffari Pouyan Roodgar , Refahati Nima 
Published: May 2023

Abstract
If not detected early, the cracks in structural components may ultimately result in the failure of the structure. This issue becomes even more critical when the component under investigation is a prosthesis placed in the human body. This study presents a crack location identification method based on the time domain in a cantilever beam of metallic biomaterials (CBMB). The absolute difference between the central difference approximation of the root mean square (RMS) of displacement of points on the cracked and uncracked beams was applied as a cracked location indicator. Captured time-domain data (displacement) at each node of the cracked and uncracked beams were processed into a central difference approximation of the RMS of displacement. Then, the crack could be detected by a sudden change of the cracked location indicator. The feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method were validated by numerical simulations. The finite-element simulation of a CBMB with a transverse notch was analyzed in the numerical study. The notch or crack was detected along the beam under a moving load at various locations. A set of simulation experiments and numerical calculations was performed to determine whether the proposed identification method would accurately detect the location of a crack in a cantilever beam under a moving load compared to the location found by an exact solution method. The results showed that the proposed method was not only as able as the analytical method but also robust against noise: it was able to detect a crack precisely under 5% noise.
Artificial intelligence-based public safety data resource management in smart cities
Authors: Zhao Hang 
Published: June 2023

Abstract
With the development of urbanization, urban public safety is becoming more and more important. Urban public safety is not only the foundation of urban development, but also the basic guarantee for the stability of citizens’ lives. In the context of today’s artificial intelligence (AI), the concept of smart cities is constantly being practiced. Urban public safety has also ushered in some new problems and challenges. To this end, this article aimed to use AI technology to build an efficient public safety data resource management system in a smart city environment. A major goal of AI research was to enable machines to perform complex tasks that normally require human intelligence. In this article, a data resource management system was constructed according to the city security system and risk data sources, and the data processing method of neural network (NN) was adopted. Factors affecting urban public safety were processed as indicator data. In this article, the feedforward back-propagation neural network (BPNN) was used to predict the index data in real time, which has realized the management functions of risk monitoring and early warning of public safety data indicators. The BPNN model was used to test the urban risk early warning capability of the constructed system. BPNN is a multi-layer feed-forward NN trained according to the error back-propagation algorithm, which is one of the most widely used NN models. The results showed that the average prediction accuracy of the BPNN model for indicator prediction was about 89%, which was 16.1% higher than that of the traditional NN model. The average risk warning accuracy rate of the BPNN model was 90.3%, which was 16.5% higher than that of the traditional NN model. This shows that the BPNN model using AI technology in this article can more efficiently and accurately carry out early warning of risk and management of urban public safety.
An Extension of Yang and Rahim’s Model to Determine Design Parameters in Multivariate Control Charts Under Multiple Assignable Causes and Weibull Shock Model
Authors: Shojaei Rahmat , Bameni Moghadam M. 
Published: May 2023

Abstract
One of the most important issues in the operation of any one- or multi-variable control chart is to determine the design parameters. Because in practice, production processes are affected by several assignable causes, several papers have been published to determine the design parameters. In all the papers presented so far, it has been assumed that after the occurrence of one of the assignable causes until the issuance of the true alarm, no other assignable cause occurs. Contrary to popular opinion, this paper argues that the formulas presented under this assumption for the average cost and quality cycle time in previous papers are incorrect and shows how the formula can be corrected. Therefore, this paper theoretically and numerically examines the conditions of occurrence of this assumption and its relationship with the design parameters in the design of multivariate control charts. A new economic model for determining design parameters is also presented. Numerical results show that the old formulas have a significant under-estimation of the average cost per unit time of the quality cycle. Also, a numerical study for economic and economic-statistical design of

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control chart is presented under the proposed model.
Emulsions of cellulose oxalate from Norway spruce (Picea abies) bark and dissolving pulp
Authors: Kwan Isabella , Rietzler Barbara , Ek Monica 
Published: May 2023

Abstract
Tree bark is normally a side-stream product but by an integrated bark biorefinery approach, valuable compounds may be recovered and used to replace fossil-based products. Norway spruce bark was extracted to obtain cellulose, which was chemically treated to produce cellulose oxalate (COX) which was homogenized to yield nanocellulose. The nanocellulose was used to produce Pickering emulsions with almond oil and hexadecane as organic phases. COX from dissolving pulp was used to study the effect of various raw materials on the emulsifying properties. The COX samples of bark and dissolving pulp contained a significant amount of hemicelluloses, which affected the viscosity results. The emulsion properties were affected by the organic phases and the aspect ratio. Emulsions using hexadecane were more stable than the emulsions using almond oil. Since the aspect ratio of bark was lower than that of the dissolving pulp, the emulsifying properties of the COX dissolving pulp was better. It has been shown that nanocellulose from cellulose oxalate of both spruce bark and dissolving pulp is a promising substitute for petroleum-based emulsifiers and surfactants. By utilizing bark, value-added products can be produced which may be economically beneficial for various industries in the future and their aim for climate-neutral products.
Molecular simulations of DEAH-box helicases reveal control of domain flexibility by ligands: RNA, ATP, ADP, and G-patch proteins
Authors: Becker Robert A. , Hub Jochen S. 
Published: May 2023

Abstract
DEAH-box helicases use the energy from ATP hydrolysis to translocate along RNA strands. They are composed of tandem RecA-like domains and a C-terminal domain connected by flexible linkers, and the activity of several DEAH-box helicases is regulated by cofactors called G-patch proteins. We used all-atom molecular dynamics simulations of the helicases Prp43, Prp22, and DHX15 in various liganded states to investigate how RNA, ADP, ATP, or G-patch proteins influence their conformational dynamics. The simulations suggest that apo helicases are highly flexible, whereas binding of RNA renders the helicases more rigid. ATP and ADP control the stability of the RecA1–RecA2 interface, but they have only a smaller effect on domain flexibility in absence of a RecA1–RecA2 interface. Binding of a G-patch protein to DHX15 imposes a more structured conformational ensemble, characterized by more defined relative domain arrangements and by an increased conformational stability of the RNA tunnel. However, the effect of the G-patch protein on domain dynamics is far more subtle as compared to the effects of RNA or ATP/ADP. The simulations characterize DEAH-box helicase as dynamic machines whose conformational ensembles are strongly defined by the presence of RNA, ATP, or ADP and only fine-tuned by the presence of G-patch proteins.
The role of humor in social, psychological, and physical well-being
Authors: Oliveira Raquel , Arriaga Patrícia , Barreiros João 
Published: May 2023

AbstractHumor is a pervasive part of our daily lives that has several important social functions. Although past literature has suggested the existence of a link between certain components of humor and well-being, the extent and specific characteristics of this link are still unclear. To shed light on this issue, we conducted a scoping review of the literature through which we identified 128 publications examining the association between humor components (i.e., styles of humor, coping humor, sense of humor, comic styles, and laughter) and psychological, physical, social, and general well-being. Overall, findings support a clear positive relation between all components of humor and psychological well-being, and a less pronounced positive association between humor and physical, social, and general well-being.