bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Intrinsic Adrenal TWIK-Related Acid-Sensitive TASK Channel Dysfunction Produces Spontaneous Calcium Oscillations Sufficient to Drive AngII (Angiotensin II)-Unresponsive Hyperaldosteronism
Authors: Gancayco Christina A. , Gerding Molly R. , Breault David T. , Beenhakker Mark P. , Barrett Paula Q. , Guagliardo Nick A. 
Published: October 2022

Background:

Ion channel mutations in calcium regulating genes strongly associate with AngII (angiotensin II)-independent aldosterone production. Here, we used an established mouse model of in vivo aldosterone autonomy,
Cyp11b2
-driven deletion of TWIK-related acid-sensitive potassium channels (TASK-1 and TASK-3, termed zona glomerulosa [zG]-TASK-loss-of-function), and selective pharmacological TASK channel inhibition to determine whether channel dysfunction in native, electrically excitable zG cell rosette-assemblies: (1) produces spontaneous calcium oscillatory activity and (2) is sufficient to drive substantial aldosterone autonomy.

Methods:
We imaged calcium activity in adrenal slices expressing a zG-specific calcium reporter (GCaMP3), an in vitro experimental approach that preserves the native rosette assembly and removes potentially confounding extra-adrenal contributions. In parallel experiments, we measured acute aldosterone production from adrenal slice cultures.

Results:
Absent from untreated WT slices, we find that either adrenal-specific genetic deletion or acute pharmacological TASK channel inhibition produces spontaneous oscillatory bursting behavior and steroidogenic activity (2.4-fold) that are robust, sustained, and equivalent to activities evoked by 3 nM AngII in WT slices. Moreover, spontaneous activity in zG-TASK-loss-of-function slices and inhibitor-evoked activity in WT slices are unresponsive to AngII regulation over a wide range of concentrations (50 pM to 3 µM).

Conclusions:
We provide proof of principle that spontaneous activity of zG cells within classic rosette assemblies evoked solely by a change in an intrinsic, dominant resting-state conductance can be a significant source of AngII-independent aldosterone production from native tissue.
Weaving Systemic Wisdom: Nurturing a Mycorrhizal Learning Network
Authors: Boldon Alan 
Published: October 2022

Abstract
This essay is an assemblage or collage of ideas with a focus on ways of engaging with the complexities of places. The author suggests that engaging complex interwoven features of places requires drawing upon multiple ways of knowing. The author suggests that this is also necessary for the world to pull back from the precipice of many interconnected crises. The essay describes a project to establish a network of places learning together how to engage with complex problems underlying crises. The methods of facilitating the collaboration across this network may have implications for pedagogy and education design.
Managing Our Relationship with Free-Roaming Cats in Zoopoland
Authors: Schaffner Joan E. 
Published: October 2022

Abstract
Debate over the proper management of our relationship with free-roaming cats has escalated based on concerns over impacts on biodiversity and public health, with some calling for their eradication. It is often waged between animalists, primarily focused on the interests of the individual animal, and traditional conservationists, primarily focused on preserving native species and biodiversity. An ethical paradigm that accounts for the interests of all animals and nature to develop a management scheme that promotes interspecies justice is needed. I propose the political theory of animal rights developed in Zoopolis as a fruitful ethical paradigm. Grounded in modern citizenship theory, it defines universal negative rights due to all sentient beings and positive rights due to them based on our relationships to them as citizens, denizens, or foreigners. Application of this political theory in a modern fictional jurisdiction, Zoopoland, is explored to develop a just management strategy for free-roaming cats.
An Information-Theoretic Approach to Reconciling Historical Climate Observations and Impacts on Agriculture
Authors: Mauerman Max , Black Emily , Boult Victoria L. , Diro Rahel , Osgood Dan , Greatrex Helen , Chillongo Thabbie 
Published: October 2022

Abstract
Decision-makers in climate risk management often face problems of how to reconcile diverse and conflicting sources of information about weather and its impact on human activity, such as when they are determining a quantitative threshold for when to act on satellite data. For this class of problems, it is important to quantitatively assess how severe a year was relative to other years, accounting for both the level of uncertainty among weather indicators and those indicators’ relationship to humanitarian consequences. We frame this assessment as the task of constructing a probability distribution for the relative severity of each year, incorporating both observational data—such as satellite measurements—and prior information on human impact—such as farmers’ reports—the latter of which may be incompletely measured or partially ordered. We present a simple, extensible statistical method to fit a probability distribution of relative severity to any ordinal data, using the principle of maximum entropy. We demonstrate the utility of the method through application to a weather index insurance project in Malawi, in which the model allows us to quantify the likelihood that satellites would correctly identify damaging drought events as reported by farmers, while accounting for uncertainty both within a set of commonly used satellite indicators and between those indicators and farmers’ ranking of the worst drought years. This approach has immediate utility in the design of weather-index insurance schemes and forecast-based action programs, such as assessing their degree of basis risk or determining the probable needs for postseason food assistance.

Significance Statement
We present a novel statistical method for synthesizing many indicators of drought into a probability distribution of how bad an agricultural season was likely to have been. This is important because climate risk analysts face problems of how to reconcile diverse and conflicting sources of information about drought—such as determining a quantitative threshold for when to act on satellite data, having only limited, ordinal information on past droughts to validate it. Our new method allows us to construct a probability distribution for the relative severity of a year, incorporating both kinds of data. This allows us to quantify the likelihood that satellites would have missed major humanitarian droughts due to, for example, mistimed observations or unobserved heterogeneity in impacts.
Towards a Definition of Hate Speech—With a Focus on Online Contexts
Authors: Hietanen Mika , Eddebo Johan 
Published: October 2022

As legislators and platforms tackle the challenge of suppressing hate speech online, questions about its definition remain unresolved. In this review we discuss three issues: What are the main challenges encountered when defining hate speech? What alternatives are there for the definition of hate speech? What is the relationship between the nature and scope of the definition and its operationability? By tracing both efforts to regulate and to define hate speech in legal, paralegal, and tech platform contexts, we arrive at four possible modes of definition: teleological, pure consequentialist, formal, and consensus or relativist definitions. We suggest the need for a definition where hate speech encompasses those speech acts that tend towards certain ethically proscribed ends, which are destructive in terms of their consequences, and express certain ideas that are transgressions of specific ethical norms. [Media: see text]
Childhood anaemia levels among under-5 children in Namibia and their associated sociodemographic factors: A multivariate ordinal modelling approach
Authors: Oyedele Opeoluwa 
Published: October 2022

Background Anaemia is a serious global public health problem with high prevalence (>40%) in children particularly in low- and middle-income countries including Namibia with a current 46.1% prevalence rate. Aim This study was aimed at examining the sociodemographic factors influencing the occurrence of childhood anaemia levels in Namibia. Method A multivariate ordinal regression model was applied to statistically identify potential sociodemographic factors associated with anaemia levels among children under-5 years old using data collected from the 2013 NDHS. Results The odds of having mild anaemia level was lower for sociodemographic characteristics such as mother's age, total children ever born, health insurance coverage, child's residency, child's age and main language spoken at home. The odds of having moderate anaemia level was higher for characteristics such as mother's age, place of residence, highest education level and child's diarrhoea status, while it was lower for characteristics such as age of head of household, total children ever born, health insurance coverage and sex of child. Similarly, the odds of having severe anaemia level was higher for characteristics such as region, place of residence, highest education level, number of household members, wealth index, health insurance coverage, child's residency and child's diarrhoea status, while it was lower for characteristics such as total children ever born and sex of child. Conclusion It is therefore recommended that the policies and practices concerning anaemia diagnosis, treatment and prevention in the country be substantially revised by policy-makers, starting with the known prevalent causes and identified sociodemographic factors from this study.
Midwife-Led Continuity of Antenatal Care and Breastfeeding Duration Beyond Postpartum Hospital Discharge: A Systematic Review
Authors: Shipton Emma V. , Callaway Leonie , Foxcroft Katie , Lee Nigel , de Jersey Susan J. 
Published: October 2022

Background: The World Health Organization recommends that infants should be exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months of life and that breastfeeding should continue for 2 years and beyond. Most women initiate breastfeeding, but many do not continue for the recommended duration. While midwife-led continuity of antenatal care is linked to improved mother and infant outcomes, the influence on breastfeeding duration has not been previously reviewed. Research Aim: To critically analyze the literature that compared midwife-led continuity of antenatal care with other models of care where researchers have measured breastfeeding duration beyond postpartum hospital discharge. Methods: A systematic literature review with critical analysis was used to answer the research aim. We systematically searched and screened five databases for quantitative studies where researchers had reported breastfeeding duration beyond postpartum hospital discharge after midwife-led continuity of antenatal care, compared with another model of antenatal care. Methodological quality was assessed using tools from the Cochrane Collaboration (RoB2 and ROBINS-I). In total, nine studies met the inclusion criteria. Results: Clear conclusions about the association between midwife-led continuity of antenatal care and breastfeeding duration were not found. The risk of bias within non-randomized studies ranged from serious to critical, and a judgement of “some concerns” of risk of bias in the one randomized study. Conclusion: To date, the question of whether midwife-led continuity of antenatal care improves breastfeeding duration has not been established. There has been a lack of consistency in definitions of breastfeeding and descriptions of models of care, which has weakened the evidence-based of literature reviewed. Our review protocol was registered with PROSPERO; although due to COVID-19, this registration was not checked for eligibility by the PROSPERO team (CRD42020151276). https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42020151276
Somali Refugee Women’s Experiences and Perceptions of Western Health Care
Authors: Njenga Angela 
Published: October 2022

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to explore Somali refugee women’s experiences and perceptions of Western health care in the United States. This study took place in the Midwestern region of the United States. Methodology: This qualitative descriptive study collected data from 15 participants through in-depth interviews. Results: Six themes emerged: (a) communication and resource provision, (b) participatory decision-making, (c) provider attitudes toward cultural practices, (d) understanding the U.S. health care system, (e) resistance to Western health care and, (f) religious beliefs. Discussion and Conclusion: Accounts of the women in this study ran the gamut from positive views to those that were more critical and replete with complaints about Western health care providers and the system. Somali refugee women need culturally competent health care providers who provide sensitive care, offer resources, and involve the women in decision-making about their care.
Effectiveness and Safety of Direct Oral Anticoagulants in Thai Patients with Atrial Fibrillation: A Real-World Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Srikajornlarp Saowaluk , Amnueypol Montawatt , Vathesatogkit Prin , Numthavaj Pawin , Ungkanont Artit , Likittanasombat Khanchit , Pattanaprateep Oraluck , Angchaisuksiri Pantep , Boonyawat Kochawan 
Published: October 2022

Background Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are commonly used to prevent stroke and systemic embolism in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). However, studies into their effectiveness and safety in the Thai population have so far been limited. Objectives To study the effectiveness and safety of warfarin and DOACs among Thai AF patients Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted on AF patients at Ramathibodi Hospital from 2013 to 2018. All patients were followed for at least 1 year. Relevant clinical information was collected and compared between AF patient groups receiving warfarin, dabigatran, rivaroxaban, and apixaban. The primary outcome was a composite of major bleeding, ischemic stroke, and systemic thromboembolism. The secondary outcomes were all-cause mortality and disease-specific mortality caused by major bleeding, ischemic stroke, and systemic thromboembolism. Results A total of 1680 AF patients were enrolled in the study (warfarin 1193, apixaban 140, dabigatran 193, rivaroxaban 114). The estimated incidence of composite outcome was 16% [95% CI, 14−18%] and 12.4% [95% CI, 9.4−15.3%] in the warfarin and DOAC group, respectively, given a number needed to treat of 28 [95% CI, 3−52]. Compared with warfarin, DOACs were associated with both lower rate of all-cause mortality (4.9% [22/447] vs 8% [98/1193]) and lower disease-specific mortality (0.4% [2/447] and 1% [12/1193]). Conclusions This study suggests DOACs were associated with a lower risk of major bleeding, ischemic stroke, and systemic thromboembolism compared to warfarin in Thai patients with AF. Patients receiving DOAC also had a lower rate of all-cause mortality and disease-specific mortality.
Safety and Efficacy of Drug-Coated Balloons in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndromes and Vulnerable Plaque
Authors: Zhang Yu-Bin , Liu Heng-Dao , Xing Jun-Hui , Chen Bo-Wen , Zhao Yan-Yan , Gu He-Ping , Tao Hai-Long 
Published: October 2022

Background Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is the main treatment option for acute coronary syndromes (ACS) often related to the progression and rupture of vulnerable plaques. While drug-eluting stents (DES) are now routinely used in PCI, drug-coated balloons (DCB) are a new strategy to PCI and their practice in the treatment of ACS with vulnerable plaques has not been reported. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of DCB in ACS complicated with vulnerable plaque lesions. Methods 123 patients were retrospectively analyzed and diagnosed with ACS and given PCI in our Cardiology Department from December 2020 to July 2022. Vulnerable plaques were confirmed by intravenous ultrasound (IVUS) in all patients. According to individual treatment plan, patients were entered into either DCB (n = 55) or DES (n = 68) groups. The results of coronary angiography and IVUS before and immediately after percutaneous coronary intervention were analyzed. The occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and the results of coronary angiography were also evaluated during follow-up. Results There were no significant differences in baseline clinical characteristics, preoperative minimal luminal diameter (MLD), and preoperative diameter stenosis (DS) between the two groups. Also, there were no differences in IVUS plaque burden (PB), vessel area, and lumen area in the two groups before and immediately after PCI. The efficacy analysis showed that immediately after PCI, the DCB group had smaller MLD and higher degrees of lumen stenosis than the DES group ( P < 0.05). However, during follow-up, no significant differences in MLD and DS were seen in two groups; relatively, late loss in luminal diameter（LLL）in the DCB group was smaller ( P＜0.05). Safety analysis showed that during follow-up, 9 patients developed restenosis after DCB implantation while restenosis occurred in 10 patients with DES treatment, no statistical difference in the incidence of restenosis in the two groups. Besides, there was no statistical difference in the incidence of major adverse cardiac events（MACE）during hospitalization and follow-up in the DCB group (7.3% (4/55)) and the DES group (8.8% (6/68)). Conclusion DCB is safe and effective for ACS complicated with vulnerable plaque and has an advantage over DES in LLL.
Assessment of telemedicine versus in-person care in managing abdominal pain in children during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Jazayeri Amir , Dinh Julie V , Eseonu Debra , Hollier John M , Shneider Benjamin L 
Published: October 2022

Objectives The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a dramatic increase in telemedicine care delivery. This raises the question of whether the visit type affects the care provided to patients in the pediatric gastroenterology clinic. The aim of this study is to assess whether diagnostic, treatment, and outcome measures differ between telemedicine and in-person visits in patients seen in pediatric gastroenterology clinics for the chief complaint of abdominal pain. Methods We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients aged 0–22 who underwent their initial pediatric gastroenterology clinic visit, for abdominal pain, between March and September 2020 (n = 1769). The patients were divided into two groups: in-person or telemedicine. Clinical outcome measures were compared from the initial gastroenterology visit and followed for a total of 3 months. Results There was an increase number of images (M = 0.52 vs. 0.36, p < 0.001), labs (M  = 4.87 vs. 4.05; p = 0.001), medications (M  = 2.24 vs. 1.67; p < 0.001), and referrals (M  = 0.70 vs. 0.54; p < 0.001) performed per visit in the in-person group. Electronic communications (3.97 vs. 5.12 p <0.003) was less frequent after in-person visits. There was no difference in number of procedures (M = 0.128 vs. 0.122, p = 0.718), emergency room visits (M = 0.037 vs. 0.017 p = 0.61), follow-up visits (M = 1.21 vs. 1.21 p = 0.922), or telephone encounters (M = 1.21 vs. 1.12 p = 0.35) between the two groups. Conclusion Telemedicine utilizes less resources while having comparable outcome measurements in children with a chief complaint of abdominal pain.
Evaluation of a village-based digital health kiosks program: A protocol for a cluster randomized clinical trial
Authors: Cheng Weibin , Zhang Zhang , Hoelzer Samantha , Tang Weiming , Liang Yizhi , Du Yumeng , Xue Hao , Zhou Qiru , Yip Winnie , Ma Xiaochen , Tian Junzhang , Sylvia Sean 
Published: October 2022

Background To address disparities in healthcare quality and access between rural and urban areas in China, reforms emphasize strengthening primary care and digital health utilization. Yet, evidence on digital health approaches in rural areas is lacking. Objective This study will evaluate the effectiveness of Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital's Digital Health Kiosk program, which uses the Dingbei telemedicine platform to connect rural clinicians to physicians in upper-level health facilities and provide access to artificial intelligence-enabled diagnostic support. We hypothesize that our interventions will increase healthcare utilization and patient satisfaction, decrease out-of-pocket costs, and improve health outcomes. Methods This cluster randomized control trial will enroll clinics according to a partial factorial design. Clinics will be randomized to either a control arm with clinician medical training, a second arm additionally receiving Dingbei telemedicine training, or a third arm with monetary incentives for patient visits conducted through Dingbei plus all prior interventions. Clinics in the second and third arm will then be orthogonally randomized to a social marketing arm that targets villager awareness of the kiosk program. We will use surveys and Dingbei administrative data to evaluate clinic utilization, revenue, and clinician competency, as well as patient satisfaction and expenses. Results We have received ethical approval from Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital (IRB approval number: GD2H-KY IRB-AF-SC.07-01.1), Peking University (IRB00001052-21007), and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (323385). Study enrollment began April 2022. Conclusions This study has the potential to inform future telemedicine approaches and assess telemedicine as a method to address disparities in healthcare access. Trial registration number: ChiCTR2100053872
Breast Self-Examination: Knowledge, Practice, and Beliefs Among Females in Jordan
Authors: Ahmad Suhad , Alloubani Aladeen , Abu-Sa’da Ruba , Qutaiba Yasar 
Published: October 2022

Introduction Worldwide, breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer. It is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among females in Jordan. Objective(s) The current study aimed to evaluate breast cancer knowledge levels and practice and assess health beliefs regarding the model supporting self-breast examination (BSE) in a group of females aged between 20 and 60 in Jordan. Methods Descriptive, cross-sectional, correlational design was used; Two hundred females participated in the study, employing convenient sampling. The adjusted version of the Champion's Health Belief Model Scale (CHBMS) was utilized to collect the data. Results Most participants were married (F = 128, 64%), and the mean of the participants’ age was (36.18, SD = 10.87). About 73 participants (36.5%) don't practice BSE; however, 53 participants (26.5%) plan to practice BSE in the future monthly. The logistic regression model showed that the impact of confidence as positive predictive value on practicing BSE in the last year ( B = 0.141, p < .001) and this year ( B = 0.130, p < .001) was statistically significant. Conclusion Implications for practice include identifying culturally specific barriers and improving health education programs to trigger breast self-examination utilization.