bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Uterus didelphys complicated with endometrial carcinoma
Authors: Chen Liang , Zhang Fang , Ma Yue-bing , Chen Jin-long 
Published: May 2022

Abstract

Rationale:
The incidence of uterine malformations is low (4%–7%). Currently, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network clinical practice guidelines in oncology recommend minimally invasive surgery for early endometrial cancer. Minimally invasive surgery for the treatment of uterine didelphys with endometrial cancer is rare due to the large size of the uterus. To date, only 2 such patients have been reported to have undergone laparoscopy. Whether such patients can be treated with minimally invasive surgery needs to be further explored.

Patient concerns:
A 40-year-old woman with uterine didelphys was hospitalized for menorrhagia in the past 2 months.

Diagnosis:
Endometrial adenocarcinoma was found in both the uterus and cervix using fractional dilation and curettage.

Interventions:
The patient underwent laparoscopic surgery. Postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy were administered.

Outcomes:
There was no sign of recurrence during routine follow-up.

Lessons:
The use of a uterine manipulator to lift either side of the uterus could help to expose the narrow ipsilateral para-uterine field. It is difficult to remove the uterus entirely through the vagina, making it necessary to select appropriate cases wherein screening is performed to check if the vagina is loose, and the uterus is of appropriate size. Minimally invasive surgery may be feasible for suitable patients.
Correlations between COMT polymorphism and brain structure and cognition in elderly subjects
Authors: Cha Eunsil , Ahn Hyun Jung , Kang Wonil , Jung Kwang-Ik , Ohn Suk Hoon , Bashir Shahid , Yoo Woo-Kyoung 
Published: May 2022

Abstract
The catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene has been noted to play an important role in individual variations in the aging process. We investigated whether COMT polymorphism could influence cognition related to white matter networks. More specifically, we examined whether methionine (Met) allele loading is associated with better individual cognitive performance. Thirty-four healthy elderly participants were recruited; each participant's COMT genotype was determined, and Korean version of Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores and a diffusion tensor image were obtained for all participants. The Met carrier group showed significantly lower mean diffusivity, axial diffusivity, and radial diffusivity values for the right hippocampus, thalamus, uncinate fasciculus, and left caudate nucleus than the valine homozygote group. The Met carrier group also scored higher for executive function and attention on the Korean version of Montreal Cognitive Assessment. Based on these results, we can assume that the COMT Met allele has a protective effect on cognitive decline contributing to individual differences in cognitive function in late life period.
Prognostic significance of conventional and volumetric PET parameters with and without partial volume correction in the assessment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Zirakchian Zadeh Mahdi , Asadollahi Shadi , Kaghazchi Fatemeh , Raynor William Y. , Mehdizadeh Seraj Siavash , Werner Thomas J. , Seierstad Therese , Korostoff Jonathan , Swisher-McClure Samuel , Alavi Abass , Revheim Mona-Elisabeth 
Published: May 2022

Background
The optimal quantification of PET in assessment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is still under development. The effect of partial volume correction (PVC) on the evaluation of survival in the HNSCC patients has not been investigated yet.

Methodology
Pretreatment 18F-FDG-PET/CT scans of a selected group of 57 patients with advanced stage HNSCC were collected. Conventional (SUVmean and SUVmax) and volumetric [total lesion glycolysis (TLG) and metabolic tumor volume (MTV)] PET metrics were calculated. The ROVER software (ABX GmbH, Radeberg, Germany) automatically applied PVC to the PET metrics. Cox proportional hazards regression model calculated hazard ratio (HR) for assessment of predictive parameters of progression-free survival (PFS).

Results
In multivariate Cox regression analysis, including age, gender, race, human papillomavirus status, and stage, the only significant predictors of PFS were the volumetric PET parameters (TLG: HR, 1.003; 95% CI, 1.001–1.005; P = 0.02), pvcTLG (HR, 1.002; 95% CI, 1.001–1.004; P = 0.01) and MTV (HR, 1.050; 95% CI, 1.024–1.077; P < 0.01). The partial volume-corrected values were significantly higher than the noncorrected values (Wilcoxon sign test; P < 0.05). However, there was not a statistically significant difference between the nonpartial volume corrected and partial volume-corrected PET metrics for assessment of PFS.

Conclusion
Volumetric PET metrics were predictors of PFS in Cox regression analysis. Applying PVC could not significantly improve the accuracy of PET metrics for assessment of PFS.
Usefulness of 18F-FDG PET/computed tomography in differentiating between subacute and chronic aortic dissection: initial investigation
Authors: Higashigawa Takatoshi , Ichikawa Yasutaka , Chino Shuji , Nakajima Ken , Ouchi Takafumi , Kato Hiroaki , Hirano Koji , Tokui Toshiya , Kato Noriyuki , Sakuma Hajime 
Published: May 2022

Objectives
In the selection of thoracic endovascular repair for aortic dissection (AD), it is important to distinguish between the subacute and chronic phases, but there is no reliable way to distinguish between them in patients with unknown onset of AD. The purpose of this study was to assess the diagnostic performance of 2-[18F] fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose (18F-FDG)-PET/computed tomography (PET/CT) for discriminating subacute AD from chronic AD.

Methods
Thirteen patients with AD who were medically treated and followed up for 6 months were studied. 18F-FDG PET/CT images were obtained for each patient in the subacute phase (the first scan) and at 6 months (the second scan) after the onset. Target-to-background ratio (TBR) was measured as the maximum standardized uptake value (SUV) in the dissected aortic wall divided by blood pool SUV.

Results
TBR was significantly higher in the first scan (mean ± SD, 1.97 ± 0.32) than in the second scan (1.69 ± 0.29, P = 0.007). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of TBR for discriminating subacute AD from chronic AD was 0.76. With a threshold of 1.74, the TBR showed the sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive value of 85%, 69%, 73%, and 82%, respectively, for the discrimination of subacute AD from chronic AD.

Conclusion
Metabolic assessment of dissected aortic wall by 18F-FDG PET/CT is useful in differentiating between subacute and chronic AD and can provide important information in determining the appropriate indication for treatment for patients with AD of unknown onset.
Pediatric Softball Injuries Presenting to Emergency Departments
Authors: Lee Alexander , Farooqi Ali S. , Talwar Divya , Maguire Kathleen J. 
Published: May 2022

Introduction
This study sought to characterize the mechanisms of injury responsible for common softball-related injuries in recent years.

Methods
The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System database was queried for all pediatric softball-related injuries presenting to participating US emergency departments from 2010 to 2019. Patients were classified by age as children (7–12 years), adolescents (13–18 years), or young adults (19–21 years). The case narrative of each injury was used to establish the mechanism of injury: hit by bat, hit by ball, sliding into base, collision with another player, catching, running, and throwing. Statistical weights provided by the Consumer Product Safety Commission were used to produce national injury estimates.

Results
There were an estimated 511,117 pediatric softball injuries presenting to the emergency department over the study period, with a mean patient age of 14.3 years (95% confidence interval [CI], 14.1–14.4 years). The head/neck was the most commonly affected body part, making up 30.2% of cases (95% CI, 28.2%–32.2%). Injuries to the head/neck were most often caused by being hit by the ball (78.4%; 95% CI, 76.4%–80.3%) and most commonly resulted in a superficial injury (36.9%), internal injury (22.2%), or concussion (16.3%). Foot/ankle injuries were most frequently caused by sliding into base (51.5%; 95% CI, 47.0%–55.2%) and typically resulted in a sprain/strain (65.5%). The most frequent causes of shoulder/elbow injuries were being hit by the ball (33.3%; 95% CI, 28.6%–38.3%) and throwing the ball (27.6%; 95% CI, 22.8%–32.9%). These resulted most frequently in a sprain or strain (39.5%), followed by a superficial injury (28.2%). The proportion of softball injuries affecting the shoulder and elbow and the lower extremities increased with athlete age, whereas the proportion of injuries affecting the remainder of the upper extremities decreased with athlete age.

Conclusion
Being hit by the ball was the most common mechanism of injury, especially in the head/neck region, and shoulder/elbow injuries increase with athlete age. Coaches and leagues may consider mandating helmets for infielders and pitch counts for pitchers, especially among adolescent athletes.
Tax service quality for enterprises: development of a valid measurement scale
Authors: Au Lien Thi Nguyet , Hoang Hung Trong , Ho Lan Thi Huong 
Published: May 2022

PurposeMeasuring tax service quality is important as it may contribute to sustainable tax management. This study aims to develop and validate a scale that measures tax service quality for enterprises.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses a mixed method consisting of three focus groups with 25 participants in charge of the management of tax service for item generation, a survey of 121 enterprises for scale purification and a survey of 362 enterprises in Vietnam for main study. The scale development is tested through three important steps including exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modeling (SEM).FindingsThe findings reveal that the scale of tax service quality for enterprises is represented by 13 items comprising two dimensions: responsiveness and professionalism.Practical implicationsThis scale can be used by tax management authorities as a convenient tool to understand and measure tax service quality.Originality/valueEmpirical studies on the measurement of tax service quality are scarce. Most studies have focused on tax service quality for individual taxpayers. There is an absence of research on a process for the development and validation of a specific, orthodox scale of tax service quality for enterprises.
The main risk factors for rural innovation in Europe: an analysis of 200 case studies
Authors: Díaz-Puente José M. , Martín-Fernández Susana , Suárez Diego , De Castro-Muñoz Verónica , Bettoni Maddalena 
Published: May 2022

PurposeEuropean rural development programmes are driving multi-actor interactive innovation initiatives and alliances to create an environment in which innovation acts as a tool for accelerating rural development processes. In Europe, where rural areas are facing many challenges, identifying which challenges, difficulties, obstacles or risk factors that interactive innovation projects have had to face in rural areas while being planned and set up would be interesting. The objective of this research work was to, therefore, identify and analyse the risk factors of 200 rural projects and initiatives that were selected as case studies from the whole of Europe.Design/methodology/approachThe employed methodology consisted in conducting interviews to subsequently perform statistical independence analyses of the qualitative variables characterising the found projects and risk factors.FindingsThe findings indicated that most of the risks that rural projects and initiatives faced were related to the social domain which was, in turn, the fundamental pillar of interactive innovation. Dependence was found between social risk factors appearing and the innovation type carried out; the risk factors corresponding to the political–legal risks category and the project or initiative coordinating country; and the economic–technical risks category and the initiatives' geographic magnitude.Originality/valueThis paper exposes the main risks identified within various rural innovation initiatives and projects around Europe. For this purpose, a statistical analysis of independence was performed, allowing us to generate reliable and accurate results of the main risks associated with certain descriptive characteristics (coordinating region, domain, innovation type, gender balance and geographic magnitude) of the initiatives studied.
Jordanian women expatriates: additional challenges for global equality
Authors: Elkouz Rania , Bastida Maria , El-Husseini Rola 
Published: May 2022

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to address the main reasons that limit Jordanian women from undertaking expatriation, based on the assumption that Arab women’s opportunities for international engagement may be compromised by local cultural and institutional issues.Design/methodology/approachA cross-sectoral survey with 60 Jordanian expatriates (30 women and 20 men) located in EU countries and the UK is used to better explore Eastern women perceptions.FindingsCompany’s resistance, a lack of support mechanisms, safety in the destination country and family commitments play a major role in hindering Jordanian women opportunities to be assigned abroad, echoing the commonly recognized barriers identified in previous research. Additionally, the culture of the home country and prejudice toward foreigners act as an additional barrier for women professional development.Research limitations/implicationsThe main limitation of this study lies in the data collection instrument, that is, the survey. Larger samples are needed to extend these results. The second limitation is that the potential effects of gender differences cannot be examined because the number of men in the sample was small.Practical implicationsThe findings bring evidence that could be used by organizations to understand the barriers Jordanian expatriate women face and take informed action to tackle them. Meanwhile, more research on Middle Eastern female roles and views is needed to reduce stereotyping against them. Similarly, regional studies can be an opportunity for future development to identify the impact of the regional context.Social implicationsThis research highlights the intertwining of religious and cultural values in influencing Arabic women’s experience in international assignments and thus, would enhance readers’ understanding of women’s career progression in a new context.Originality/valueThis research shows that socio-cultural and political realities need more space in discussions about expatriation. Specifically, the expatriation literature needs more scrutiny and problematizing of the lived experiences of women expatriates from the Global South.
Can an angry pedagogical agent enhance mental effort and learning performance in a multimedia learning environment?
Authors: Liew Tze Wei , Tan Su-Mae , Kew Si Na 
Published: May 2022

Purpose
This study aims to examine if a pedagogical agent’s expressed anger, when framed as a feedback cue, can enhance mental effort and learning performance in a multimedia learning environment than expressed happiness.

Design/methodology/approach
A between-subjects experiment was conducted in which learners engaged with a multimedia learning material that taught programming algorithms, featuring a pedagogical agent who expressed anger or happiness as a feedback cue in response to the learners’ prior performance. Learners completed a self-reported scale and post-test for measuring mental effort and learning performance, respectively.

Findings
Female learners reported higher mental effort and had better learning performance when the pedagogical agent expressed anger than happiness. Male learners reported marginally lower mental effort when the pedagogical agent expressed anger than happiness.

Originality/value
This study focuses on a pedagogical agent’s expressed emotion as social information to learners. Extending from research advocating a pedagogical agent’s positive emotional expression, this study highlights the potential benefits of a pedagogical agent’s negative emotional expression, such as anger, as a cue for learners to enhance learning effort and performance in a multimedia learning environment.
Expatriate childhood as the first domino: does early international exposure lead to a later international career?
Authors: Caselius Mireka , Mäkelä Liisa 
Published: May 2022

PurposeThis paper looks to study how adult third culture kids (ATCKs) perceive that their childhood international experience is linked to their career interests and choices in later adult life.Design/methodology/approachThis qualitative study is based on 34 semi-structured interviews analyzed using qualitative content analysis. The authors adopted social cognitive career theory as a theoretical framework for the work.FindingsThe findings indicate that regardless of the ATCKs field of expertise, their international childhood links to various international exposures and work experiences already in their early career. ATCK background can also be interpreted as an essential facet that promotes significant interest towards international roles, work tasks and careers because they are familiar with a globally mobile lifestyle. A global childhood was represented as a phenomenon that fosters stress tolerance, and ATCKs' unique international capabilities were perceived as an advantage for employment. The authors also found that they tended to set high goals for themselves in terms of education and career, in order to pursue high-end international positions.Practical implicationsATCKs' value interpretations of their strengths, skills and knowledge highly relate to working in an international setup. When applying for jobs, ATCKs could find it beneficial to highlight their early international experiences and explain why this is valuable experience for organizations that are seeking highly educated, globally competent, and flexible employees. Also, information about ATCKs could be included in international business course curricula, in order to foster an increased recognition of the value and benefits of hiring individuals with a TCK background.Originality/valueThis paper is the first qualitative study which empirically examines ATCKs' longer term career interests and career decisions among individuals with adult work experience. This study contributes to the knowledge about how early life international experiences are interpreted in the context of work-life decisions from a social cognitive perspective.
Dimensional accuracy and surface finish of 3D printed polyurethane (PU) dog-bone samples optimally manufactured by fused deposition modelling (FDM)
Authors: Nugroho Wendy Triadji , Dong Yu , Pramanik Alokesh 
Published: May 2022

Purpose
This paper aims to investigate the dimensional accuracy consisting of thickness, grip section width, full length, circularity, cylindricity and surface finish of printed polyurethane dog-bone samples based on American Society for Testing and Materials D638 type V standard, which were optimally printed by fused deposition modelling (FDM).

Design/methodology/approach
The experimental approach focuses on determining main effects of printing parameters, including nozzle temperature, infill percentage, print speed and layer height on dimensional error and surface finish of the printed samples, followed by the confirmation tests to warrant the reproducibility of experimental results.

Findings
This study shows that layer height has the most significant impact on dimensional accuracy and surface finish of printed samples compared to other printing parameters, whereas infill density has no significant effect on all sample dimensions.

Originality/value
This paper presents a comprehensive study relating to various dimensional accuracies in terms of full length, grip section width, thickness, circularity, cylindricity and surface finish of dog-bone samples printed by FDM to improve the printability and processibility via additive manufacturing.
Functional impact and trophic morphology of small, sand‐sifting fishes on coral reefs
Authors: Brodnicke Ole Bjørn , Hansen Camilla Elisabeth , Huie Jonathan Michael , Brandl Simon Johannes , Worsaae Katrine 
Published: May 2022

Abstract

Oligotrophic tropical coral reefs are built on efficient internal energy and nutrient cycling, facilitated by tight trophic interactions. In the competition for available prey, some small fishes have evolved to feed on apparently barren sand patches that connect hard‐substratum patches in many reef habitats.

One strategy for obtaining prey from a particulate matrix is to sift out small prey items from the sediment (often called ‘winnowing’). Yet, the trophic link between small winnowing consumers and their prey are poorly resolved, let alone the morphological specialisations that enable this foraging behaviour.

We used aquarium‐based feeding experiments to quantify the impact of winnowing by two sand‐dwelling goby species (Valenciennea sexguttata and Valenciennea strigata) on meiobenthos abundance and diversity and examined their actual ingestion of meiobenthos using gut content analysis. To identify potential morphological structures involved in winnowing, we investigated the gobies' feeding apparatus with electron microscopy (SEM) and micro‐computed tomography (micro‐CT).

After 4 days of sifting through the sand matrix, the two species significantly reduced meiobenthic prey abundance by 30.7% ± 9.2 SE (V. sexguttata) and 46.1% ± 5.1 SE (V. strigata), but had little impact on the meiobenthic diversity. The most abundant prey groups (copepods and annelids) experienced the greatest reduction in number, suggesting selection by size, shape and density of prey items. Furthermore, gut content analysis confirmed that winnowing gobies can efficiently separate meiobenthic prey from heavier inorganic particles (sand), likely facilitated by a specialised epibranchial lobe, pharyngeal jaws and highly abundant papillose taste buds in the oropharyngeal cavity.

Our results provide important background on the trophic link between the meiobenthos and winnowing gobies on coral reefs. The revealed specialisations of the goby feeding apparatus facilitate sand‐sifting foraging behaviour and access to an otherwise inaccessible trophic niche of microscopic prey. By having evolved a specialised strategy to obtain nutritious and highly abundant prey from seemingly barren sand, we suggest that winnowing gobies act as an important conduit for sand‐derived energy to higher trophic levels.

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