bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Average signal-to-noise ratio maximization for an intelligent reflecting surface and angle diversity receiver jointly assisted indoor visible light communication system
Authors: Yang Ting , Wang Ping , Li Ganggang , Wang Hetong , Li Shuang , Shi Huili , He Huimeng , Shi Fengyuan , Chi Sihui 
Published: November 2022

The intelligent reflecting surface (IRS) and angle diversity receiver
(ADR) jointly assisted indoor visible light communication (VLC) system
is proposed to improve average signal-to-noise ratio (ASNR)
performance. Specifically, to maximize the ASNR at the receiving
plane, the roll angle and yaw angle of IRS and the inclination angle
of the side detector in the ADR structure are optimized simultaneously
as one non-convex problem. With the bat algorithm, the optimal
solution is numerically obtained. Results show that when the transmit
power of the light emitting diode lamp array is 1 W, the ASNRs
of this VLC system optimized by IRS and ADR are approximately
7.89 dB, 3.58 dB, and 2.09 dB higher than those
of the original, IRS-assisted, and ADR-assisted VLC systems,
respectively. Furthermore, the transmission rate and bit error rate
performances of the original, IRS-assisted, ADR-assisted, and IRS and
ADR jointly assisted indoor VLC systems are also simulated and
compared; it is found that the performance improvement of the indoor
VLC system jointly optimized by IRS and ADR is more evident than that
of the other three VLC systems. This study will benefit the research
and development of indoor VLC systems.
Teenage pregnancy and timing of first marriage in Cameroon—What has changed over the last three decades, and what are the implications?
Authors: Fotso Jean Christophe , Cleland John G. , Muki Berienis , Adje Olaïtan Elihou , Ngo Mayack Josiane 
Published: November 2022

BackgroundThe consequences of teenage childbearing on the health of mothers and children, and on girls’ schooling have been documented in many studies. The objectives of this study are to: 1) examine trends and differentials in teenage motherhood in Cameroon, with a distinction between premarital and marital teenage pregnancy; and 2) investigate trends and differentials in the length of time to marriage following a premarital teenage pregnancy.MethodsWe use data from five demographic and health surveys (DHS) conducted in Cameroon between 1991 and 2018. Teenage pregnancy, defined as first pregnancy occurring before the age of 20 years, is recode as a trichotomous variable (0 = No teenage pregnancy; 1 = marital teenage pregnancy; 2 = premarital teenage pregnancy). Time from first premarital teenage pregnancy to first marriage is analyzed as a continuous variable.ResultsThe percentage of women who experienced a marital teenage pregnancy declined from 39.6% to 26.4% between 1991 and 2018. After an initial drop between 1991 and 2004, premarital teenage pregnancy stabilized at about 25%. Women with intermediate levels of schooling were more likely to experience a premarital pregnancy than those with no schooling or higher secondary/tertiary education. The median length of time to first marriage following a premarital teenage pregnancy rose from 16 months in 1991 to 45 months in 2018. Further analysis suggests that marriage may be a more severe barrier to continued schooling than motherhood and that the desire to continue schooling is an important reason for postponing marriage for women who have given birth.Conclusion and recommendationsBesides strengthening interventions to curb adolescent pregnancy, efforts should be made to support families, communities and schools to help adolescent mothers return to school, prevent future unintended pregnancies, and delay further family formation. Accessibility to youth-friendly FP/RH services should be addressed.
Respiratory frequency-tunable dynamic imaging for lung function: New exam method using chest X-ray cine imaging considering various respiratory diseases
Authors: Abe Takehiko , Yoshida Norifumi , Shimada Tetsuo , Nakashima Masanao , Nagai Atsushi 
Published: November 2022

Objectives
A convenient way to conduct pulmonary function tests while preventing infectious diseases was proposed, together with countermeasures for severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The correlation between diagnosis result and diagnosis result was examined for patients with mild chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) of the most abounding as a subject of spirometry, and the possibility of using this method as an alternative to spirometry was examined.

Setting
This study was conducted in Kanagawa, Japan.

Participants
Ten normal volunteers and 15 volunteers with mild COPD participated in this study.

Outcome measures
All images were taken by EXAVISTA (Hitachi, Japan) between October 2019 and February 2020. Continuous fluoroscopic images were taken in 12.5 frames per second for 10–20 s per subject. Images that do not adopt the automatic image processing of the equipment and only carry out the signal correction of each pixel were used for the analysis.

Results
The mean total dose for all volunteers was 0.2 mGy. There was no major discrepancy in the detection of lung field geometry, and no diagnostic problems were noted by the radiologist and physician.

Conclusions
Existing X-ray cine imaging was used to extract frequency-tunable imaging. It is possible to identify abnormal regions on the images compared to spirometry, and it does not require maximum effort respiration; therefore, it is possible to perform a stable examination because the patient’s physical condition and the ability of laboratory technicians on the day are less affected. This can also be used as a countermeasure in examining patients with infectious diseases.

Trial registration
UMIN UMIN000043868.
Effects of Tai Chi and Qigong on the mobility of stroke survivors: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials
Authors: Park Moonkyoung , Song Rhayun , Ju Kyoungok , Seo Jisu , Fan Xing , Ryu Ahyun , Li YueLin , Jang Taejeong 
Published: November 2022

Background
Stroke survivors often experience impaired mobility and physical functions. Tai Chi and Qigong have been shown to have physical and psychological benefits for stroke patients.

Purpose
To summarize the evidence on Tai Chi and Qigong for improving mobility in stroke survivors, specifically the ability to walk, dynamic balance, and activities of daily living (ADL).

Methods
Independent searches of 16 electronic databases in English, Korean, and Chinese from their inception until December 2021 were conducted by two research teams. Methodological quality was assessed using Cochrane’s risk of bias tool 2.0. Comprehensive Meta-Analysis 3.0 software was used to calculate effect sizes with subgroup analysis and to assess heterogeneity and publication bias.

Results
The meta-analysis included 27 randomized trials (18 with Tai Chi and 9 with Qigong) on stroke survivors (N = 1,919). None of the studies were considered at high risk of bias, about 70% had some concerns, and 30% were considered low risk. Meta-analysis of 27 randomized controlled trials with random-effects models indicated that Tai Chi and Qigong effectively improved mobility, specifically on the ability to walk (Hedges’g = 0.81), dynamic balance (Hedges’g = 1.04), and ADL (Hedges’g = 0.43). The effects of Tai Chi and Qigong were significant for short-term and long-term programs (Hedges’g 0.91 vs. 0.75), and when compared with active controls and no treatment group (Hedges’g 0.81 vs. 0.73).

Conclusion
Tai Chi and Qigong performed for 12 weeks or less were effective in improving the mobility of stroke survivors. Further studies are warranted to assess whether Tai Chi and Qigong work best as an adjunct to rehabilitation, an effective alternative to rehabilitation or as a maintenance strategy, and whether the results could be further optimized by assessing different schools of Tai Chi and Qigong, different types of stroke patients, and different points in the post-stroke recovery process.

PROSPERO registration number
This study has been registered on the UK National Institute for Health Research (http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO) PROSPERO registration number: CRD42020220277.
Impact of excessive gestational weight gain on exclusive breastfeeding among women with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes and obesity
Authors: Cordero Leandro , Stenger Michael R. , Landon Mark B. , Nankervis Craig A. 
Published: November 2022

BackgroundPregestational diabetes, obesity and gestational weight gain (GWG) are associated with adverse perinatal outcomes, however, the influence ofexcessiveGWG on lactation at discharge is less known. Our aim is to evaluate the impact ofexcessiveGWG using the LifeCycle project guidelines on exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) and any BF rates at discharge among 171 women with Type 1 and 294 Type 2 diabetes and obesity who intended to BF.Methods and findingsRetrospective cohort study. Obesity was defined by BMI (kg/m2) as grade 1 (30–34.9), grade 2 (35–39.9) or grade 3 (≥40). GWG was categorized asadequate,inadequate or excessiveaccording to the 2019 LifeCycle Project guidelines. Women with Type 1 were younger (30 vs 33y), primiparous (51 vs 32%), delivered earlier (37 vs 38w) than women with Type 2 andwere different in grade 1 (40 vs 26%), grade 3 obesity (19 vs 49%) and median GWG (15 vs 11kg). Of all 465 women with Type 1 and Type 2 combined, 365 (78%) who hadexcessiveGWG and 100 (22%) who had non-excessiveGWG showed similar EBF (27 vs 25%) and any BF (72 vs 72%) rates. Regression analysis showed that after adjusting for potential confoundersexcessiveGWG was not a predictor of EBF or any BF at discharge.ConclusionType 1 and Type 2 diabetes, obesity and excessive GWG are associated with low EBF, however,excessiveGWG is not an independent predictor of low EBF or any BF at discharge.
Relationship between Human Resource Management Practices and Employee Engagement
Authors: MB Kavyashree , Kulenur Sridevi , P Nagesh , TS Nanjundeshwaraswamy 
Published: November 2022

Purpose: Employee Engagement is mainstream attention for organizations in the current business scenario. The purpose of the current research focused on analysing the relationship between HRM Practices and Employee Engagement considering employees working in various IT industries, especially considering employees working in HR Department.
Design/Methodology/Approach: The research was cross-sectional in nature and survey method was employed to collect the data. Exploratory Factor Analysis, Confirmatory Factor Analysis, Structural Equation Modelling were used to analyse the hypothesis. Data was collected among 345 employees employed in the HR department of various private sector organizations.
Results: The model fit indices were adequate and acceptable. The model fit indices obtained were: CMIN/DF = 2.909; Goodness of Fit index (GFI) = 0.945; adjusted goodness of fit index (AGFI) = 0.909; incremental fit index (IFI) = 0.976; Tucker-Lewis index (TLI) = 0.981; comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.966; root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.06.
Findings: The results of the study disclose that HRM practices and Employee Engagement were related to each other. HRM practices in organizations empowered employees and made them more engaged to perform better in their job roles. The study results imply that HRM practices need to be considered as priority in business organizations for the long term success.
Research Limitations: Non probabilistic sample method was adopted and it was possible to gather data only from 345 employees working in the HR Department of various private sector organizations.
Practical Implications: Business organizations are constantly working towards adopting new strategies and programs in the workplace to empower employees and keep them engaged in their work roles and responsibilities. Therefore, organizations to focus on human resource management practices and implement them effectively to make their employees committed and engaged towards their job. In this context, the present research attempts to analyse the association between human resource practices and employee engagement. The results provide insights for business managers on the importance of having effective Human Resource practices to enhance employees level of engagement towards their work roles.
Originality/ Value: Current research contributes to the existing literature on Human Resource Practices and Employee Engagement. While considering the current business scenario, it becomes very important to understand the role of human resource management practices on the engagement level of employees.
An empirical investigation of the impact of social media tool usage on employees work performance among Ghana Commercial Bank Workers
Authors: Mohammed Abubakari Sadiq , Ayambila Sylvester Nsobire , Lukman Sadia 
Published: November 2022

Goal: The motivation of this paper is to forge and foster an insightful and comprehensive understanding of social media potential and its possible impact on Ghana Commercial Bank employees’ performance.
Design / Methodology / Approach: Five cities were strategically sampled using convenient sampling technique to represent the various diversifications in corporate compositions. Data was collected from 249 workers of the Ghana Commercial Bank. The study utilized the structural equation modeling technique to construct and evaluate the proposed research model.
Results: Social media usage had a significant positive relationship with employee engagement and knowledge transfer. Knowledge transfer had no significant relationship with work performance and employee engagement had a significant positive relationship with work performance. Experience with social media had a significant moderating effect on relationship between knowledge transfer and work performance.
Research limitations/implications: The study covered employees from one bank and this has implications on generalization. The study used cross sectional data and employed quantitative analysis. Mixed methods would have added some insights and longitudinal data could further unravel causal relationships among overtime.
Practical implications: Social media platform managers and policy makers within the banking sector should proactively harness social media platform and utilize to benefit corporate bodies. Banking authorities and allied stakeholders should train workers to ensure positive inclination to social media usage.
Originality/Value: Contributes to theory by validating and establishing the theoretical model. The findings provide insights with respect to development and subsequent deployment of practical guidelines for successful integration of social media in enterprise activities.
Sex hormones and the risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality in male and female patients with chronic kidney disease: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Oh Ester S. , Steele Cortney N. , You Zhiying , Nowak Kristen L. , Jovanovich Anna J. 
Published: November 2022

AbstractPatients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) commonly experience sex hormone disturbances, which may be associated with the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality. This review aimed to systematically evaluate current findings on the association of sex hormone levels with the risk of CVD events and mortality (CVD and all‐cause) in the CKD population. Articles were systematically searched in CINAHL, Cochrane, and PubMed. A total of 1739 articles were independently screened by two reviewers and 17 prospective cohort studies were included. The clinical conditions of the patients were those with non‐dialysis CKD [mean/median estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) between 15–51 ml/min/1.73 m2] and those on chronic dialysis (mean/median vintage between 6–125 months). The sample size ranged from 111 to 2419 and the mean/median age of subjects ranged from 52 to 72 years. The sex hormones studied were testosterone, estradiol, prolactin, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, and relaxin. A random‐effects model was used to generate a pooled hazard ratio (HR) to evaluate the association of total testosterone levels with the risk of CVD and all‐cause mortality. Most studies examined total testosterone levels (11 out of 17 studies) and studied only male patients (12 out of 17 studies). A lower total testosterone level was associated with a higher risk of CVD mortality [HR 4.37 (95% CI 1.40–13.65)] and all‐cause mortality [1.96 (1.35–2.83)] in males with CKD. To conclude, there is a strong need for additional studies examining the association of sex hormones with cardiovascular and mortality risk in female patients with CKD.
Ca2+‐activated Cl− channels (TMEM16A) underlie spontaneous electrical activity in isolated mouse corpus cavernosum smooth muscle cells
Authors: Lim Xin Rui , Drumm Bernard T. , Sergeant Gerard P. , Hollywood Mark A. , Thornbury Keith D. 
Published: November 2022

AbstractPenile detumescence is maintained by tonic contraction of corpus cavernosum smooth muscle cells (CCSMC), but the underlying mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. The purpose of this study was to characterize the mechanisms underlying activation of TMEM16A Ca2+‐activated Cl− channels in freshly isolated murine CCSMC. Male C57BL/6 mice aged 10–18 weeks were euthanized via intraperitoneal injection of sodium pentobarbital (100 mg.kg−1). Whole‐cell patch clamp, pharmacological, and immunocytochemical experiments were performed on isolated CCSM. Tension measurements were performed in whole tissue. TMEM16A expression in murine corpus cavernosum was confirmed using immunocytochemistry. Isolated CCSMC developed spontaneous transient inward currents (STICs) under voltage clamp and spontaneous transient depolarizations (STDs) in current clamp mode of the whole cell, perforated patch clamp technique. STICs reversed close to the predicted Cl− equilibrium potential and both STICs and STDs were blocked by the TMEM16A channel blockers, Ani9 and CaCC(inh)‐A01. These events were also blocked by GSK7975A (ORAI inhibitor), cyclopiazonic acid (CPA, sarcoplasmic reticulum [SR] Ca2+‐ATPase blocker), tetracaine (RyR blocker), and 2APB (IP3R blocker), suggesting that they were dependent on Ca2+ release from intracellular Ca2+ stores. Nifedipine (L‐type Ca2+ channel blocker) did not affect STICs, but reduced the duration of STDs. Phenylephrine induced transient depolarizations and transient inward currents which were blocked by Ani9. Similarly, phenylephrine induced phasic contractions of intact corpus cavernosum muscle strips and these events were also inhibited by Ani9. This study suggests that contraction of CCSM is regulated by activation of TMEM16A channels and therefore inhibition of these channels could lead to penile erection.
Application of the patient-reported outcomes continual reassessment method to a phase I study of radiotherapy in endometrial cancer
Authors: Wages Nolan A. , Nelson Bailey , Kharofa Jordan , Meier Teresa 
Published: November 2022

Abstract
This article considers the concept of designing Phase I clinical trials using both clinician- and patient-reported outcomes to adaptively allocate study participants to tolerable doses and determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) at the study conclusion. We describe an application of a Bayesian form of the patient-reported outcomes continual reassessment method (PRO-CRMB) in an ongoing Phase I study of adjuvant hypofractionated whole pelvis radiation therapy (WPRT) in endometrial cancer (NCT04458402). The study’s primary objective is to determine the MTD per fraction of WPRT, defined by acceptable clinician- and patient-reported DLT rates. We conduct simulation studies of the operating characteristics of the design and compared them to a rule-based approach. We illustrate that the PRO-CRMB makes appropriate dose assignments during the study to give investigators and reviewers an idea of how the method behaves. In simulation studies, the PRO-CRMB demonstrates superior performance to a 5 + 2 stepwise design in terms of recommending target treatment courses and allocating patients to these courses. The design is accompanied by an easy-to-use R shiny web application to simulate operating characteristics at the design stage and sequentially update dose assignments throughout the trial’s conduct.
Consolidation of quality control material improves patient safety and supports sustainability
Authors: Menacho-Román Miriam , Ouriach Salma , Arribas Ignacio 
Published: November 2022

Abstract

Objectives
Quality control measurements are a keystone in daily routine laboratory workflows. This study evaluated the use of a consolidated quality control material for increasing efficiency while also reducing costs.

Methods
Quality control materials from two different manufacturers were chosen to evaluate efficiency in a test setting. A total of 23 clinical chemistry tests and 15 immunoassays were performed twice each day under routine conditions over a 10-day time period using an Abbott Alinity system.

Results
The data obtained showed a saving of between 40 and 100% depending on test criteria. The cost savings in waste reduction ranges between a factor of 5.4 for dead volume to 19.8 for consumables. No difference in quality performance were found.

Conclusions
Choosing a consolidated quality control material resulted in a higher efficiency, greater cost savings and higher sustainability while maintaining the same level of performance.
Pain in critically ill COVID-19 patients: An Italian retrospective study
Authors: Petrucci Emiliano , Cofini Vincenza , Pizzi Barbara , Cascella Marco , Marrocco Gioele , Ceccaroni Gianmaria , Necozione Stefano , Vittori Alessandro , Marinangeli Franco 
Published: November 2022

Abstract
We retrospectively analyzed the data from patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of the Hospital of L’Aquila during the first and second waves of pandemic to identify pain related to COVID-19. Pain was evaluated by using the Numerical Rating Scale, and the assessment for neuropathic disturbances of pain was performed with von Frey’s hair and Lindblom tests. Pain increased significantly during hospitalization (from 48% at hospital admission to 94.3% at ICU discharge). Female patients were affected by somatic pain in 32.8% of the cases and by somatic pain and pain with neuropathic features (NFs) in 23.5% of the cases, during the ICU stay. Somatic pain and pain with NFs affected more frequently patients with cardiological and respiratory comorbidities. Patients treated with continuous positive airway pressure via helmet had a higher frequency of somatic pain and pain with neuropathic disturbances (84 and 74%, respectively). The frequency of somatic pain and pain with neuropathic disturbances was lower in patients sedated with propofol combined with ketamine. Females have been associated with a higher risk of somatic pain and pain with NFs. Patients with cardiological and respiratory comorbidities undergoing noninvasive ventilation had higher levels of pain. As conclusion, ketamine may reduce the promotion or the worsening of pain in COVID-19 patients.