bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Prevalence and factors associated with stunting among children aged 6–59 months in Kabale district, Uganda
Authors: Kasajja Musa , Nabiwemba Elizabeth , Wamani Henry , Kamukama Saul 
Published: August 2022

Abstract
Background
Despite of the global efforts undertaken to improve nutrition, malnutrition still continues to be a serious public health concern. Malnutrition in its various forms has been closely associated to major causes of illness, disability and death. Malnutrition in the form of childhood stunting has therefore been identified as a significant hindrance to human development. The aim of this study was to assess the nutritional status of children aged 6–59 months and determine factors associated with a high prevalence of stunting (48%) among children in Kabale district.

Methodology
A cross sectional study was conducted among 640 children, aged 6–59 months selected using both simple random and systematic random sampling techniques. Interview administered questionnaires were used to collect household data whereas anthropometric data was collected using height boards, digital weighing scales and Mid Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) Tapes. Nutrition status data was analyzed using ENA for SMART, 2011 and then exported to STATA version 12.0 for further analysis.

Results
The overall prevalence of stunting among children 6–59 months was 41.1%. Factors independently associated with stunting included; age of the child (children in the age category of 36-47 months APOR = 0.38; 95% CI 0.18–0.79 and those in the age category of 24-35 months APOR = 0.42; 95% CI 0.19–0.88), major source of food for the household that is children from households in which mothers indicated market as the major source of food (APOR = 0.67; 95% CI 0.48–0.94) and disposal of child stool that is children whose stool was put/ rinsed in a latrine (APOR = 0.41; 95% CI: 0.23–0.74) as well as those that whose stool was thrown in garbage (APOR = 0.29; 95% CI: 0.12–0.72).

Conclusion
The prevalence of stunting among children aged 6–59 months in Kabale district was high. Practices/ factors independently associated with stunting among children aged 6–59 months included; age of the child, major source of food for the household and disposal of child stool. Addressing these factors requires a proper mix of both community and health based interventions. There is also need to strengthen on strategies for reducing stunting like; sanitation and hygiene as well as food and nutrition security within rural households.
A case of COVID-19 vaccination during radiotherapy for breast cancer
Authors: Takahashi Noriyoshi , Takeda Kazuya , Suzuki Yu , Kishida Keita , Teramura Satoshi , Jingu Keiichi 
Published: August 2022

Abstract
Background
The coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) vaccination has been progressing. The safety of vaccination during radiotherapy is not clear.

Case presentation
We experienced a patient who received a COVID-19 vaccine during radiotherapy. A 60-year-old woman with breast cancer underwent postoperative radiotherapy. She received two vaccine doses and she suffered from severe vertigo. Her radiotherapy was suspended for several days and the radiotherapy schedule needed to be changed.

Conclusions
The association between vertigo and vaccination during radiotherapy is not clear. However, if the general condition of patients worsens, suspension of treatment might be necessary. Therefore, attention should be given to COVID-19 vaccination during radiotherapy.
Recent advancements in pediatric cardiopulmonary bypass technology for better outcomes of pediatric cardiac surgery
Authors: Saleem Yasir , Darbari Anshuman , Sharma Rahul , Vashisth Amit , Gupta Anish 
Published: August 2022

AbstractBackgroundPediatric cardiac surgery is in itself very enigmatic and individualized. Presently, there has been a slew of new developments aimed primarily toward pediatric cardiopulmonary bypass for safer, patient-centered pediatric cardiac surgery. Still, lot of technological challenges need to be resolved, and their safer application in pediatric and neonate patients requires further refinement.Main body of the abstractConsidering various significant yet unresolved issues of pediatric cardiac bypass, an exhaustive literature search was done on various internet databases with standard keywords. There are various new recent improvements; as the first oxygenator explicitly designed for neonatal patients; pediatric oxygenators with low prime volumes and surface areas that allow flows up to 2 L/min; pediatric oxygenators with integrated arterial filters; and miniature ultrafiltration devices that allow for high rates of ultrafiltrate removal. These advancements can significantly reduce cardiopulmonary bypass circuit surface areas and prime volumes. These advancements could reduce or eliminate the requirement for homologous red blood cells during or after surgery with reduction or eliminate bypass-related hemodilution, and inflammation. Because of the immaturity of the neonatal hemostatic system, conventional coagulation tests alone are insufficient to guide neonatal hemostatic therapy. Myocardial preservation techniques, safe temperature with duration are still debatable and yet to be fully explored.Short conclusionThis review is based on Standards for Quality Improvement Reporting Excellence guidelines to provide a framework for reporting new knowledge to find better management strategy for pediatric cardiac cases.
Backgrounds and Trainings in Cannabis Therapeutics of Dispensary Personnel
Authors: Braun Ilana M. , Nayak Manan M. , Roberts Jane E. , Chai Peter R. , Tulsky James A. , Abrams Donald I. , Pirl William 
Published: August 2022

PURPOSE: A growing body of scientific research indicates that oncology teams tend to offer individuals with cancer little clinical advice regarding medicinal cannabis (MC) and that individuals with cancer instead turn to cannabis dispensaries for MC guidance. Our objective was to investigate dispensary personnel's backgrounds and trainings in MC advising. METHODS: The study design was semistructured interviews across 13 states with cannabis dispensary personnel in managerial or client-facing positions. Of 38 recruited, 26 (68%) completed interview. The primary outcome was training in MC advising. Researchers targeted thematic saturation and adhered to Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research. RESULTS: Of 26 participants, 54% were female, with an average age of 40 (range: 22-64) years. Half worked in client-facing roles; half worked in managerial ones. Study participants endorsed passionate commitment to their profession, often motivated by personal experience with MC therapeutics. Cannabis dispensaries often privileged sales skills over cannabis therapeutics knowledge when hiring, resulting in uneven baseline levels of cannabis therapeutics expertise among staff. Most participants reported workplace cannabis therapeutics training to be unstandardized and weak. They described dispensary personnel as resourceful in pursuing cannabis knowledge, self-financing learning in off-hours, sampling dispensary products, and exchanging knowledge. Nearly half the participants called for quality, standardized cannabis therapeutics training for dispensary personnel. CONCLUSION: The many oncology teams who defer to dispensary personnel regarding MC advising rely on a workforce who views themselves as unevenly trained. Further research should include a national survey of cannabis dispensary personnel to learn whether these findings hold true in a larger sample. If so, the oncology community must determine the best approach to clinically advising individuals with cancer about MC.
A Shifting Relationship Between Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin and Total Testosterone Across Puberty in Boys
Authors: Liao Zhijie , Vosberg Daniel E , Pausova Zdenka , Paus Tomas 
Published: August 2022

Abstract

Context
Sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) is associated with levels of total testosterone (total-T), and both total-T and SHBG are associated with obesity.

Objective
We aimed to clarify the nature of the relationship between testosterone and SHBG and improve our understanding of their relationships with obesity. We hypothesize that the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis contributes to the homeostasis of testosterone by increasing the production of gonadal testosterone through a feedback mechanism that might operate differently at different pubertal stages.

Methods
We investigated the dynamics of the relationship between SHBG, total-T, and body mass index (BMI) throughout puberty (from age 9 to 17) using longitudinal data obtained in 507 males. The directionality of this relationship was explored using polygenic scores of SHBG and total-T, and a two-sample Mendelian Randomization (MR) in male adults.

Results
Consistent with our hypothesis, we found positive relationships between SHBG and total-T at age 15 and 17 but either no relationship or a negative relationship during the earlier time points. Such shifting relationships explained age-related changes in the association between total-T and BMI. Polygenic scores of SHBG and total-T in mediation analyses and the two-sample MR in male adults suggested an effect of SHBG on total-T but also a somewhat weaker effect of total-T on SHBG. Two-sample MR also showed an effect of BMI on SHBG but no effect of SHBG on BMI.

Conclusion
These results clarify the nature of the relationship between testosterone and SHBG during puberty and adulthood and shed new light on their possible relationship with obesity.
Adrenal Near-Infrared Autofluorescence
Authors: Rajan Neel , Scoville Steven D , Zhang Tong , Dedhia Priya H , Miller Barbra S , Ringel Matthew D , Limbach Abberly Lott , Phay John E 
Published: August 2022

Abstract

Context
Parathyroid tissue is one of the few tissues to have strong near-infrared (NIR) autofluorescence, which has been exploited to improve intraoperative parathyroid identification. The US Food and Drug Administration has approved 2 devices for this purpose. Adrenal glands can be difficult to distinguish from surrounding fat, an issue during total adrenalectomy.

Objective
We hypothesized adrenal tissue may also possess considerable NIR autofluorescence.

Methods
Resected patient adrenal specimens were examined after robotic adrenalectomy with an NIR camera intraoperatively. Patients did not receive fluorescent dye. Images were taken of both gross and sectioned specimens. Post hoc image analysis was performed with ImageJ software. Confocal microscopy was performed on selected tissues using immunofluorescence and hematoxylin-eosin staining.

Results
Resected tissue was examined from 22 patients undergoing surgery for pheochromocytomas (6), primary aldosteronism (3), adrenocorticotropin-independent hypercortisolism (10), and a growing or suspicious mass (3). Normal adrenal tissue demonstrated strong NIR autofluorescence. The intensity ratio compared to background (set as 1) for gross images was 2.03 ± 0.51 (P &lt; .0001) compared to adjacent adipose of 1.24 ± 0.18. Autofluorescence from adrenal tumors was also detected at variable levels of intensity. Cortisol-producing tumors had the highest fluorescence ratio of 3.01 ± 0.41. Confocal imaging localized autofluorescence to the cytosol, with the highest intensity in the zona reticularis followed by the zona fasciculata.

Conclusion
Normal and abnormal adrenal tissues possess natural NIR autofluorescence. Highest autofluorescence levels were associated with cortisol-producing tumors. Confocal imaging demonstrated the highest intensity in the zona reticularis. NIR cameras may have the potential to improve identification of adrenal tissue during surgery.
Development and Application of a Model of Personal Competences in Assessment Public Civil Employees
Authors: Bushueva I. , Doronina I. , Fedotova E. 
Published: August 2022

The personnel policy of state bodies over the years of administrative reform has become an urgent agenda and a key task to improve the efficiency of public administration as a whole.
The development and improvement of the efficiency of the state civil service is inseparable from the improvement of assessment methods that will improve the quality of personnel work [3]. The Decree of the President of the Russian Federation “On the Approval of the Regulations on the Procedure for Organizing Experiments Aimed at the Development of the Federal State Civil Service” notes the importance of the need to implement in the practice of personnel management of state bodies measures to introduce a system of indicators and criteria for assessing the professional performance of civil servants [2]. In this connection, the relevance of developing a model of personal competencies is increasing, which can be used, among other things, to obtain high-quality information on the performance of public civil servants, assess employees in accordance with regulatory legal acts, as well as select methods for capacity development and placement of personnel that reflect employee strengths.
Peak-Load Energy Management by Direct Load Control Contracts
Authors: Fattahi Ali , Dasu Sriram , Ahmadi Reza 
Published: August 2022

We study direct load control contracts that utilities use to curtail customers’ electricity consumption during peak-load periods. These contracts place limits on the number of calls and total number of hours of power reduction per customer per year as well as the duration of each call. The stochastic dynamic program that determines how many customers to call and the timing and duration of each call for each day is an extremely difficult (NP-hard) optimization problem. We design a scenario-based approximation method to generate probabilistic allocation polices in a reasonable amount of time. Our approach consists of three approximations: deterministic approximation of demand, discretization of the expected demand, and aggregation/disaggregation of the resources. We show the relative information error resulting from the deterministic approximation is [Formula: see text], the discretization error is [Formula: see text], and the aggregation/disaggregation error is [Formula: see text], where n represents the length of the horizon. Finally, we show the total relative error is [Formula: see text]. Our error analysis establishes that our approximation method is near optimal. In addition, our extensive numerical experiments verify the high quality of our approximation approach. The error, conservatively measured, is quite small and has an average and standard deviation of 8.6% and 1.4%, respectively. We apply our solution approach to the data provided by three major utility companies in California. Overall, our study shows our procedure improves the savings in energy-generation cost by 37.7% relative to current practices. This paper was accepted by Chung Piaw Teo, optimization. Funding: The authors thank the UCLA Ziman Center’s Howard and Irene Levine Program in Housing and Social Responsibility and the Morrison Family Center for Marketing Studies and Data Analytics for generous funding. Supplemental Material: The online appendices are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2022.4493 .
Association of body composition in early pregnancy with gestational diabetes mellitus: A meta-analysis
Authors: Rahnemaei Fatemeh Alsadat , Abdi Fatemeh , Pakzad Reza , Sharami Seyedeh Hajar , Mokhtari Fatemeh , Kazemian Elham 
Published: August 2022

IntroductionBody composition as dynamic indices constantly changes in pregnancy. The use of body composition indices in the early stages of pregnancy has recently been considered. Therefore, the current meta-analysis study was conducted to investigate the relationship between body composition in the early stages of pregnancy and gestational diabetes.MethodValid databases searched for papers published from 2010 to December 2021 were based on PRISMA guideline. Newcastle Ottawa was used to assess the quality of the studies. For all analyses, STATA 14.0 was used. Mean difference (MD) of anthropometric indices was calculated between the GDM and Non-GDM groups. Pooled MD was estimated by “Metan” command, and heterogeneity was defined using Cochran’sQtest of heterogeneity, andI2index was used to quantify heterogeneity.ResultsFinally, 29 studies with a sample size of 56438 met the criteria for entering the meta-analysis. Pooled MD of neck circumference, hip circumference, waist hip ratio, and visceral adipose tissue depth were, respectively, 1.00 cm (95% CI: 0.79 to 1.20) [N = 5; I^2: 0%; p: 0.709], 7.79 cm (95% CI: 2.27 to 13.31) [N = 5; I2: 84.3%; P<0.001], 0.03 (95% CI: 0.02 to 0.04) [N = 9; I2: 89.2%; P<0.001], and 7.74 cm (95% CI: 0.11 to 1.36) [N = 4; I^2: 95.8%; P<0.001].ConclusionIncreased neck circumference, waist circumference, hip circumference, arm circumference, waist to hip ratio, visceral fat depth, subcutaneous fat depth, and short stature increased the possibility of developing gestational diabetes. These indices can accurately, cost-effectively, and affordably assess the occurrence of gestational diabetes, thus preventing many consequences with early detection of gestational diabetes.
Assessment of hypertension and other factors associated with the severity of disease in COVID-19 pneumonia, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: A case-control study
Authors: Ashamo Andargew Yohannes , Bekele Abebaw , Petrose Adane , Gebreyes Tsegaye , Etissa Eyob Kebede , Bekele Amsalu , Haisch Deborah , Schluger Neil W. , Yusuf Hanan , Haile Tewodros , Deyessa Negussie , Kebede Dawit 
Published: August 2022

Background
Various reports suggested that pre-existing medical illnesses, including hypertension and other demographic, clinical, and laboratory factors, could pose an increased risk of disease severity and mortality among COVID-19 patients. This study aimed to assess the relation of hypertension and other factors to the severity of COVID-19 pneumonia in patients discharged from Eka Kotebe Hospital in June-September, 2020.

Methods
This is a single-center case-control study of 265 adult patients discharged alive or dead, 75 with a course of severe COVID-19 for the cases arm and 190 with the non-severe disease for the control arm. Three age and sex-matched controls were selected randomly for each patient on the case arm. Chi-square, multivariable binary logistic regression, and odds ratio (OR) with a 95% confidence interval was used to assess the association between the various factors and the severity of the disease. A p-value of <0.05 is considered statistically significant.

Results
Of the 265 study participants, 80% were male. The median age was 43 IQR(36–60) years. Both arms had similar demographic characteristics. Hypertension was strongly associated with the severity of COVID-19 pneumonia based on effect outcome adjustment (AOR = 2.93, 95% CI 1.489, 5.783, p-value = 0.002), similarly, having diabetes mellitus (AOR = 3.17, 95% CI 1.374, 7.313, p-value<0.007), chronic cardiac disease (AOR = 4.803, 95% CI 1.238–18.636, p<0.023), and an increase in a pulse rate (AOR = 1.041, 95% CI 1.017, 1.066, p-value = 0.001) were found to have a significant association with the severity of COVID-19 pneumonia.

Conclusions
Hypertension was associated with the severity of COVID-19 pneumonia, and so were diabetes mellitus, chronic cardiac disease, and an increase in pulse rate.
Rehabilitation interventions for persons with hip fracture and cognitive impairment: A scoping review
Authors: Cadel Lauren , Kuluski Kerry , Wodchis Walter P. , Thavorn Kednapa , Guilcher Sara J. T. 
Published: August 2022

Background
Hip fractures are common fall-related injuries, with rehabilitation and recovery often complicated by cognitive impairment. Understanding what interventions exist, and in what settings, for people with hip fracture and co-occurring cognitive impairment is important in order to provide more evidence on rehabilitation and related outcomes for this population.

Objective
To examine the extent, nature, and range of literature on rehabilitation interventions for adults with hip fracture and cognitive impairment.

Methods
Articles were required to: include an adult population with hip fracture and cognitive impairment, include a rehabilitation intervention, and be published between January 1, 2000 and November 19, 2021. Articles were excluded if they were opinion pieces, study protocols, conference abstracts, or if they did not describe the rehabilitation intervention. Relevant articles were searched on the following electronic databases: MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL Plus, APA PsycINFO, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and the Physiotherapy Evidence Database. All articles were double-screened by two reviewers and disagreements were resolved through consensus. Data were extracted and synthesized using descriptive approaches.

Results
Seventeen articles were included in this scoping review. We identified a variety of interventions targeting this population; about half were specific to physical rehabilitation, with the other half incorporating components that addressed multiple aspects of the care journey. Interventions had varying outcomes and no studies qualitatively explored patient or family experiences. All intervations were initiated in hospital, with less than half including cross-sectoral components. About half of the articles described modifying or tailoring the intervention to the participants’ needs, but there was limited information on how to adapt rehabilitation interventions for individuals with cognitive impairment.

Conclusions
More work is need to better understand patient, family, and provider experiences with rehabilitation interventions, how to tailor interventions for those with cognitive impairment, and how to successfully implement sustainable interventions across sectors.
Scorpion Portal Vein Access Utilizing ICE Imaging: A Novel Case of Creating a TIPS Shunt Utilizing a Steerable Needle and US Guided Access System
Authors: Stibbs Peter , Jagannathan Arun 
Published: August 2022

Case study describing the novel use of a steerable needle and cannula system under intravascular ultrasound guidence to create a shunt in a hepatic compromised patient with portal hypertension where traditional access attempts via transjugular access have failed. This is the first case described using new needle technology designed for intra parenchymal steering of a portal vein access system within the hepatic anatomy to create a succesful portal to hepatic venous shunt and reduce patient portal hypertension.
Utilizing the Scorpion X™ portal vein access system in conjunction with ICE imaging, successful hepatic to portal access was obtained in less than 5 minutes in a patient where a prior attempt to establish portal to hepatic shunting had failed.
Quality in laboratory medicine and the Journal: walking together
Authors: Plebani Mario 
Published: August 2022

Abstract
Quality in laboratory medicine is defined as “an unfinished journey”, as the more essential the laboratory information provided, the more assured its quality should be. In the past decades, the Journal Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine has provided a valuable forum for garnering new insights into the analytical and extra-analytical phases of the testing cycle, and for debating crucial aspects of quality in clinical laboratories. The impressive number of papers published in the Journal is testimony to the efforts made by laboratory professionals, national and international scientific societies and federations in the quest to continuously improve upon the pre-, intra- and post-analytical steps of the testing cycle, thus enhancing the quality of laboratory information. The paper appearing in this special issue summarizes the most important and interesting contributions published in the Journal, thus updating our knowledge on quality in laboratory medicine and offering further stimuli to identify the most valuable measures of quality in clinical laboratories.