bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The Current Practice of Assisted Hatching for Embryos in Fertility Centres: a General Survey
Authors: Liu Yaqiong , Jones Celine , Coward Kevin 
Published: April 2022

AbstractAt present, there is no standardised protocol for assisted hatching (AH) and the field is beset with contradictory data. We hypothesised that such contradiction may be related to inconsistencies in clinical practice. This study aimed to investigate the application, preferences, and variations of AH in current clinical practice prior to embryo transfer (AHpET) and biopsy (AHpBP). An online voluntary survey, consisted of 25 questions regarding different aspects of AH, was circulated amongst different fertility centres via newsletters between October 2019 and March 2020. One-hundred twenty-nine different fertility centres participated in the survey. AHpBP was widely used (90.6% [48/53]) amongst these centres, especially for trophectoderm biopsy (92.2% [47/51]). In contrast, only 64.6% (73/113) of centres administrated AHpET; the application of AHpET was even lower in UK-based centres (36.6% [15/41]). Although laser pulses have become the predominant technique for AH, significant variation existed in the precise strategy. Zona pellucida (ZP) drilling was the main method for AHpBP, whilst both ZP drilling and ZP thinning were applied equally for AHpET. Furthermore, the ZP manipulation varied widely with regards to the size of the ZP opening and the extension of ZP thinning. This is the first representative survey relating to the current practice of AH. Laser-assisted AH is used extensively, especially for AHpBP. However, there is significant disparity in clinical practice across different centres. Future research should aim to create a standardised protocol for AH to help reduce the evident variation in clinical practice and investigate the true value of AH.
Clinical burden of recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection in the medicare population: A real-world claims analysis
Authors: Feuerstadt Paul , Nelson Winnie W. , Teigland Christie , Dahdal David N. 
Published: April 2022

Abstract

Objective:
To describe 12-month outcomes for beneficiaries in the 100% Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) population with primary and recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI).

Design:
A retrospective, descriptive, cohort study of CDI claims from the 100% Medicare FFS population, with a first CDI diagnosis between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2016.

Setting:
Any US-based provider that submitted inpatient or outpatient CDI diagnosis claims to Medicare FFS.

Patients:
The study included patients aged ≥65 years with continuous enrollment in Medicare Parts A, B, and D during 12 months before and 12 months after the index period.

Methods:
The number of CDI and recurrent (rCDI) episodes, healthcare resource utilization, treatments, complications, and procedures were calculated for pre-index and follow-up periods. The data were stratified by number of rCDI episodes (ie, no rCDI, 1 rCDI, 2 rCDI, and ≥3 rCDI).

Results:
Of 268,762 patients with an index CDI, 34.7% had at least 1 recurrence. Of those who had 1 recurrence, 59.1% had a second recurrence and of those who had 2 recurrences, 58.4% had ≥3 recurrences. Incident psychiatric conditions occurred in 11.3%–18.2% of each rCDI cohort; 6.0% of patients with rCDI underwent subtotal colectomy, and 1.1% of patients underwent diverting loop ileostomy. After each CDI episode, ∼1 in 5 patients had a documented sepsis event. Over the 12-month follow-up, 30% of patients experienced sepsis, and sepsis occurred in 27.0% of the cohort with no rCDI, compared to 35.5% of patients in the rCDI cohorts.

Conclusions:
Elderly patients with CDI and rCDI experienced a significant clinical burden and complications.
Experiential learning and mentorship as the foundation of clinical epidemiology training during infectious diseases fellowship: Response to “Training infectious diseases fellows for a new era of hospital epidemiology”
Authors: Day Shandra R. , Sobhanie Mohammad Mahdee , Colburn Nora E. , Liscynesky Christina 
Published: April 2022

Abstract
A specific, clinical-epidemiology, month-long rotation for all infectious disease fellows as well as a 1-year subspecialty track provides education in clinical epidemiology during infectious disease fellowship training. We describe the educational process created at our institution to provide this training.
Securely sharing DSMB reports to speed decision making from multiple, concurrent, independent studies of similar treatments in COVID-19
Authors: Dilts Natalie A. , Harrell Frank E. , Lindsell Christopher J. , Nwosu Samuel , Stewart Thomas G. , Shotwell Matthew S. , Pulley Jill M. , Edwards Terri L. , Serdoz Emily Sheffer , Benhoff Katelyn , Bernard Gordon R. 
Published: April 2022

Abstract

Introduction:
As clinical trials were rapidly initiated in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Data and Safety Monitoring Boards (DSMBs) faced unique challenges overseeing trials of therapies never tested in a disease not yet characterized. Traditionally, individual DSMBs do not interact or have the benefit of seeing data from other accruing trials for an aggregated analysis to meaningfully interpret safety signals of similar therapeutics. In response, we developed a compliant DSMB Coordination (DSMBc) framework to allow the DSMB from one study investigating the use of SARS-CoV-2 convalescent plasma to treat COVID-19 to review data from similar ongoing studies for the purpose of safety monitoring.

Methods:
The DSMBc process included engagement of DSMB chairs and board members, execution of contractual agreements, secure data acquisition, generation of harmonized reports utilizing statistical graphics, and secure report sharing with DSMB members. Detailed process maps, a secure portal for managing DSMB reports, and templates for data sharing and confidentiality agreements were developed.

Results:
Four trials participated. Data from one trial were successfully harmonized with that of an ongoing trial. Harmonized reports allowing for visualization and drill down into the data were presented to the ongoing trial’s DSMB. While DSMB deliberations are confidential, the Chair confirmed successful review of the harmonized report.

Conclusion:
It is feasible to coordinate DSMB reviews of multiple independent studies of a similar therapeutic in similar patient cohorts. The materials presented mitigate challenges to DSMBc and will help expand these initiatives so DSMBs may make more informed decisions with all available information.
Utilizing community engagement studios to inform clinical trial design at a Center of Excellence for Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Stock Miriam R. , Ceïde Mirnova E. , Lounsbury David W. , Zwerling Jessica 
Published: April 2022

Abstract
Despite the disproportionate burden of Alzheimer’s disease in older adults of color, the scientific community continues to grapple with underrepresentation of racial and ethnic minorities in clinical research. Our Center of Excellence for Alzheimer’s Disease (CEAD) collaborated with a local community partner to conduct community engagement (CE) studios to effectively involve our community of diverse older adults in the early planning stages of a clinical trial. Given the COVID-19 pandemic, the in-person studio format was adapted to allow for virtual, real-time participation. Our objective is to describe the process and feasibility of conducting virtual CE studios in an older adult population. Ninety percent of participants were non-Hispanic Black community-dwelling woman aged 60 years and older. The overall background and proposed clinical trial design was presented to the participants who then made recommendations regarding potential recruitment strategies, the use of culturally relevant language to describe the study, and logistical recommendations to improve participation and retention among community members. Our CEAD successfully conducted virtual CE studios during the COVID-19 pandemic, by partnering with a community-based organization, to engage community stakeholders about clinical trial design. CEADs are in a unique position to implement CE studios to better support patient access to clinical trials.
What Explains the Electoral Crisis of Social Democracy? A Systematic Review of the Literature
Authors: Bandau Frank 
Published: April 2022

AbstractWhile there are some signs of revitalization, social democracy has witnessed a deep electoral crisis over the last decades. The causes for the decline of social democratic parties are highly contested among researchers. This article provides a systematic review of the literature which spans several fields such as party politics, political sociology and political economy. Four kinds of explanations (sociological, materialist, ideational and institutional) are distinguished and scrutinized on the basis of empirical studies published since 2010. The findings indicate that there is not one explanation that stands out but that the electoral crisis of social democracy is a complex phenomenon with multiple causes, such as socio-structural changes, fiscal austerity and neoliberal depolarization. In addition, the findings suggest that a liberal turn on sociocultural issues does not necessarily lead to vote losses. Further research should explore more deeply how short-term and long-term factors have worked together in the process of social democratic decline.
Knowledge Is Power: The Staffing Advantage of Parliamentary and Ministerial Offices
Authors: Moens Pieter 
Published: April 2022

AbstractThis article analyses the distribution of staff resources between party offices. While earlier studies have compared central and parliamentary offices, this study also includes ministerial offices. To capture fully the differences in staffing, I examine both the quantity (staff size) and quality (education, experience, tasks) of their staffs. The empirical section is based on a cross-sectional analysis of original survey data collected among political staffers in Belgium and the Netherlands (N= 1,009). While the Belgian cabinet system includes extensive ministerial offices, ministerial staff is limited in the Dutch non-cabinet system. The results show how this institutional difference shapes parties' internal distribution of resources. While the party in parliament does not have a clear staffing advantage over the party in central office in Belgium, they are both eclipsed by the large, highly qualified party in the executive. In the Netherlands, the impact of ministerial offices is negligible and the staff of the party in parliament is both larger and more qualified than the staff of the party in central office.
Aboveground native plant biomass reduces Potentilla recta growth: the role of a productive native plant community to mitigate reinvasion from the seedbank of invaded northern intermountain grasslands
Authors: Juckers Myra , Roozendaal Marc L. , Stewart Katherine J. 
Published: April 2022

AbstractSulphur cinquefoil (Potentilla recta L.) is an invasive plant of concern within grasslands in western North America. To better understand the role of native plant communities and soil seedbank in P. recta invasion within grasslands, we conducted two greenhouse studies to examine (1) P. recta growth response when grown with and without fertilizer in established native plant communities of varying functional groups (grasses, forbs, or grasses and forbs), and (2) the prevalence of P. recta and other species in the soil seedbank at varying soil depths (0 to 5 cm, 5 to 10 cm, 10 to 15 cm) of grasslands invaded by P. recta in southeastern British Columbia, Canada. The growth response of P. recta did not differ between the native plant communities. However, P. recta above- and belowground biomass declined as native plant aboveground biomass increased, suggesting a productive plant community may be important to suppress P. recta. Fertilizer did not affect the growth response of P. recta or native plants, suggesting nutrients may not have been a dominant limiting factor under greenhouse conditions. Nine species were identified in the soil seedbank. Seven were nonnative, which included P. recta, and native species represented less than 2% of the seedbank. Of the average number of emerged nonnative seedlings, more than 20% were P. recta. The number of emerged P. recta seedlings was 69% lower at 10- to 15-cm compared with 0- to 5-cm soil depth, although the successful germination of P. recta at greater soil depths suggests viable P. recta seeds are persisting in the seedbank. Active revegetation may be an important strategy to mitigate P. recta reinvasion or secondary invasion by other invasive species from the soil seedbank.
Occupational stress in clinical and non-clinical staff in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS): a cross-sectional study
Authors: McNicholas F. , Adamis D. , Minihan E. , Doody N. , Gavin B. 
Published: April 2022

AbstractBackground:Previous literature has highlighted high rates of burnout among doctors and nurses in healthcare settings. Non-clinical and support staff such as administrative, housekeeping and managerial staff are also exposed to the stressors of a health care setting, but fewer studies report on their experiences. Therefore, the aim of this research is to examine occupational stress in all staff working in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) in Ireland and identify risk and protective factors.Method:Fifty-nine clinical and non-clinical staff (44% response rate) were surveyed. Participants completed the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI) and the Effort Reward Imbalance scale, as well as survey-specific questions.Results:Both clinical and non-clinical staff were found to experience moderate or high rates of work-related, personal and patient-related burnout (57.6%, 52.2% and 50.8%, respectively). Univariate general linear modelling showed an association between total CBI scores and effort reward index (B = 64 306, t = 3.430, p = 0.001); overcommitment (B = 1.963, t = 3.061, p = 0.003); and an unwillingness to work in CAMHS (B = 28.429, t = 3.247, p = 0.002).Conclusion:Pre-pandemic levels of stress were high among clinical and non-clinical staff surveyed. Given the anticipated increased demand on CAMHS post COVID-19, urgent action is needed to protect all staff from intolerable levels of occupational stress and burnout.
China's pursuit of international status through negotiated deference: an empirical analysis of Italy's parliamentary attitude
Authors: Andornino Giovanni B. 
Published: April 2022

AbstractItaly's controversial decision to sign a Memorandum of Understanding for collaboration on the Belt and Road Initiative with China in 2019 has been widely debated. This article seeks to break new ground by offering a theory-informed contribution investigating the rationale behind Beijing's own commitment in the negotiations leading to the signing of the BRI MoU. It argues that the Chinese government accepted the risks involved in the process for the sake of promoting an accelerated advancement in China's positioning in the international status hierarchy through negotiation of deference against agency with Italy. The article empirically probes the extent to which such a strategy of status enhancement on China's part is sustainable over time. Based on a content analysis of all China-related political stances expressed in ordinary non-legislative policy-setting acts tabled in both Houses of the 18th Italian Parliament, from March 2018 through to August 2021, the article suggests that China's strategy is hardly sustainable. In fact, the steady deterioration of China-related sentiment among Italian Members of Parliament as a consequence of Beijing's policies towards Hong Kong, the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) outbreak, and Xinjiang matches the expectations of previous scholarship on international status as it confirms that social closure mechanisms discussed in the literature prevail over foreign policy consistency when the status-seeking actor is perceived as crossing critical normative thresholds.
Antecedents of risk and uncertainty management capabilities: Insights from multinational enterprises in New Zealand
Authors: Zámborský Peter , Sullivan-Taylor Bridgette , Tisch Daniel , Branicki Layla 
Published: April 2022

AbstractRisks and uncertainties of increasing severity and variety characterise the operating environments of most multinational enterprises (MNEs). Surprisingly limited attention has been given to understanding the antecedents and nature of risk and uncertainty management capabilities. In this study, we contribute to the organisational capability research, by examining the antecedents of risk and uncertainty management capabilities and theorising how MNEs develop and transfer risk and uncertainty management capabilities across borders. By drawing on empirical evidence from MNEs operating in New Zealand, we conceptualise the role of environmental factors – including country risk profile and regulatory environment – in shaping firms' risk and uncertainty management capabilities. We also inductively theorise about the organisational factors that support the development of risk and uncertainty management capabilities in MNEs, and explain which factors influence their cross-border transferability. Finally, we discuss our study's limitations and offer future research directions.
Unidirectional versus bidirectional brushing: Simulating wind influence on Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Zhdanov Oleksandr , Blatt Michael R. , Zare-Behtash Hossein , Busse Angela 
Published: April 2022

Abstract
Plants acclimate to various types of mechanical stresses through thigmomorphogenesis and alterations in their mechanical properties. Although resemblance between wind- and touch-induced responses provides the foundation for studies where wind influence was mimicked by mechanical perturbations, factorial experiments revealed that it is not always straightforward to extrapolate results induced by one type of perturbation to the other. To investigate whether wind-induced changes in morphological and biomechanical traits can be reproduced, we subjected Arabidopsis thaliana to two vectorial brushing treatments. Both treatments significantly affected the length, mechanical properties and anatomical tissue composition of the primary inflorescence stem. While some of the morphological changes were found to be in line with those induced by wind, changes in the mechanical properties exhibited opposite trends irrespective of the brushing direction. Overall, a careful design of the brushing treatment gives the possibility to obtain a closer match to wind-induced changes, including a positive tropic response.
Finding a right place to cut: How katanin is targeted to cellular severing sites
Authors: Nakamura Masayoshi , Yagi Noriyoshi , Hashimoto Takashi 
Published: April 2022

AbstractMicrotubule severing by katanin plays key roles in generating various array patterns of dynamic microtubules, while also responding to developmental and environmental stimuli. Quantitative imaging and molecular genetic analyses have uncovered that dysfunction of microtubule severing in plant cells leads to defects in anisotropic growth, division and other cell processes. Katanin is targeted to several subcellular severing sites. Intersections of two crossing cortical microtubules attract katanin, possibly by using local lattice deformation as a landmark. Cortical microtubule nucleation sites on preexisting microtubules are targeted for katanin-mediated severing. An evolutionary conserved microtubule anchoring complex not only stabilises the nucleated site, but also subsequently recruits katanin for timely release of a daughter microtubule. During cytokinesis, phragmoplast microtubules are severed at distal zones by katanin, which is tethered there by plant-specific microtubule-associated proteins. Recruitment and activation of katanin are essential for maintenance and reorganisation of plant microtubule arrays.
A boson-fermion correspondence in cohomological Donaldson–Thomas theory
Authors: Davison Ben 
Published: April 2022

AbstractWe introduce and study a fermionisation procedure for the cohomological Hall algebra
$\mathcal{H}_{\Pi_Q}$
of representations of a preprojective algebra, that selectively switches the cohomological parity of the BPS Lie algebra from even to odd. We do so by determining the cohomological Donaldson–Thomas invariants of central extensions of preprojective algebras studied in the work of Etingof and Rains, via deformed dimensional reduction. Via the same techniques, we determine the Borel–Moore homology of the stack of representations of the
$\unicode{x03BC}$
-deformed preprojective algebra introduced by Crawley–Boevey and Holland, for all dimension vectors. This provides a common generalisation of the results of Crawley-Boevey and Van den Bergh on the cohomology of smooth moduli schemes of representations of deformed preprojective algebras and my earlier results on the Borel–Moore homology of the stack of representations of the undeformed preprojective algebra.
Does CEO Succession Planning (Disclosure) Create Shareholder Value?
Authors: McConnell John J. , Qi Qianru 
Published: April 2022

AbstractAverage cumulative abnormal returns around proxy statements containing “in-depth” disclosures of planning for CEO succession are significantly positive indicating that succession planning is a value-added undertaking. Exploiting a quasi-natural experiment based on a 2009 SEC ruling that induced more succession planning disclosures, we find that succession planning is not value-adding for all firms. Rather, succession planning is value-enhancing for larger, more complex, and more stable firms. Importantly, CEO succession planning appears to be value reducing for smaller, simpler, and less stable firms.
Have the Welfare Professions Lost Autonomy? A Comparative Study of Doctors and Teachers
Authors: BLOMQVIST PAULA , WINBLAD ULRIKA 
Published: April 2022

AbstractThis article investigates the impact of NPM reforms on two prominent welfare state professions; medical doctors and teachers. The case study context is Sweden, where the impact of NPM led to a series of reforms in health care and education after 1990. The focus in the paper is on professional autonomy, which can be seen as a core trait in professional work. The findings in the article point to both medical doctors and teachers having lost professional autonomy as a result of NPM-reforms, particularly with regards to the dimensions of work organization and evaluation. Autonomy in individual decision-making seems to have been least affected, even if there are indications of this being infringed upon as well. Despite these broad similarities, the loss of autonomy is found to be more pronounced in the case of teachers. One reason behind this difference, which manifests itself in teachers having become subject to higher level of direct administrative control by school managers while at the same time experiencing a more distinct loss of autonomy to evaluate their work, appears to be that medical doctors have been more successful in establishing themselves as experts in relation to new public audit agencies.