bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Gender bias in the medical education of obstetrician‐gynaecologists in the United States: A systematic review
Authors: Nguyen Brian T. , Streeter Laer H. , Reddy Ravali A. , Douglas Christopher R. 
Published: March 2022

BackgroundThe number of men entering obstetrics and gynaecology (Ob/Gyn) residencies and general Ob/Gyn practice is decreasing. Gender biases against their participation may affect career decisions.ObjectiveThis systematic review examines: (i) female patients’ gender preferences and perceptions of men as Ob/Gyns and/or medical students; and (ii) the influence of gender on students’ education and career decisions.Search strategyWe identified relevant research via PubMed using variations of three concepts in combination: Ob/Gyn care, gender bias/preference, and medical education or career. We conducted the initial review in 2018 and repeated the search in March 2021, adding additional references via citation review of included research.Selection criteriaWe restricted the review to original research from the United States between 2000–2021.Data collectionFifteen studies met inclusion criteria, categorised into three groups: (i) patient’s gender preference for Ob/Gyns; (ii) patient’s gender preference for medical students during the Ob/Gyn clerkship; and (iii) influence of gender bias on Ob/Gyn career decisions.Main resultsPatients prioritised their physician’s care attributes (eg technical skill, compassion, experience) over gender when choosing Ob/Gyns; however, provider gender was prioritised for medical students. Male medical students more commonly reported exclusion from clinical opportunities, although objective clinical exposure was like that of female counterparts. Despite perceived gender bias, male medical students reported increased Ob/Gyn interest post‐clerkship; interest did not translate into residency applications. These findings are limited by study quality and heterogeneity.ConclusionsReal and perceived gender bias among female patients and male medical students in Ob/Gyn may underlie declining numbers of men entering the field.
Knowledge/Seizure: Debt and Data in Kenya’s Zero Balance Economy
Authors: Donovan Kevin P. , Park Emma 
Published: March 2022

AbstractThis article examines the growth in mobile phone‐based lending in Kenya, where millions now borrow from services that translate digital data into credit scores. Reeling from ongoing retrenchment and marketisation, many find themselves turning to expensive, short‐term credit to “buy time”. We depart from actuarial approaches to the digital economy that foreground the technical analysis of data in order to emphasise the importance of racialised expropriation and rentier capitalism. We focus on Safaricom, the corporation at the centre of the digital data and debt industry, showing how its infrastructural power and absent regulation permit it to seize value from users. Safaricom serves not only its own accumulation, but the fiscal imperatives of a Kenyan state that is, like its citizens, groaning under untenable debt. Citizens and state alike operate within the twinned constraints of illiquidity and volatility, a situation we call the “zero balance economy”. By linking the popular and sovereign debt crises we explore parastatal formations of predatory inclusion—neither market nor state, but an unwieldy amalgamation of the two.
Clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with ventricular arrhythmias after continuous‐flow left ventricular assist device implant
Authors: Gulletta Simone , Scandroglio Anna Mara , Pannone Luigi , Falasconi Giulio , Melisurgo Giulio , Ajello Silvia , D'Angelo Giuseppe , Gigli Lorenzo , Lipartiti Felicia , Agricola Eustachio , Lapenna Elisabetta , Castiglioni Alessandro , De Bonis Michele , Landoni Giovanni , Bella Paolo Della , Zangrillo Alberto , Vergara Pasquale 
Published: March 2022

AbstractBackgroundVentricular arrhythmias (VAs) are observed in 25%–50% of continuous‐flow left ventricular assist device (CF‐LVAD) recipients, but their role on mortality is debated.MethodsSixty‐nine consecutive patients with a CF‐LVAD were retrospectively analyzed. Study endpoints were death and occurrence of first episode of VAs post CF‐LVAD implantation. Early VAs were defined as VAs in the first month after CF‐LVAD implantation.ResultsDuring a median follow‐up of 29.0 months, 19 patients (27.5%) died and 18 patients (26.1%) experienced VAs. Three patients experienced early VAs, and one of them died. Patients with cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT‐D) showed a trend toward more VAs (p = 0.076), compared to patients without CRT‐D; no significant difference in mortality was found between patients with and without CRT‐D (p = 0.63). Patients with biventricular (BiV) pacing ≥98% experienced more frequently VAs (p = 0.046), with no difference in mortality (p = 0.56), compared to patients experiencing BiV pacing <98%. There was no difference in mortality among patients with or without VAs after CF‐LVAD [5 patients (27.8%) vs. 14 patients (27.5%), p = 0.18)], and patients with or without previous history of VAs (p = 0.95). Also, there was no difference in mortality among patients with a different timing of implant of implantable cardioverter‐defibrillator (ICD), before and after CF‐LVAD (p = 0.11).ConclusionsVAs in CF‐LVAD are a common clinical problem, but they do not impact mortality. Timing of ICD implantation does not have a significant impact on patients' survival. Patients with BiV pacing ≥98% experienced more frequently VAs.
Review article: emerging insights into the immunopathology, clinical and therapeutic aspects of hepatitis delta virus
Authors: Usai Carla , Gill Upkar S. , Riddell Anna C. , Asselah Tarik , Kennedy Patrick T. 
Published: March 2022

SummaryBackgroundHepatitis delta virus (HDV), which causes the most severe form of viral hepatitis, is an obligated hepatitis B (HBV) satellite virus that can either infect naïve subjects simultaneously with HBV (co‐infection), or chronically infect HBV carriers (super‐infection). An estimated 12 million people are infected by HDV worldwide.AimsTo summarise the most relevant aspects of the molecular biology of HDV, and to discuss the latest understanding of the induced pathology, interactions with the immune system, as well as both approved and investigational treatment options.MethodsReferences for this review were identified through searches of PubMed with the terms “HDV” “viral hepatitis” “co‐infection” and “super‐infection,” published between 1980 and October 2021ResultsThe limited access to the HDV‐infected liver has hampered the investigation of the intrahepatic compartment and our understanding of the mechanisms of HDV pathogenesis. In the absence of standardised and sensitive diagnostic tools, HDV is often underdiagnosed and owing to its strong dependence on host cellular factors, the development of direct antiviral agents has been challenging. New therapeutic agents targeting different steps of the viral cycle have recently been investigated, among which bulevirtide (which was conditionally approved by EMA in July 2020) and lonafarnib; both drugs having received orphan drug designation from both the EMA and FDA.ConclusionsThe HBV cure programme potentially offers a unique opportunity to enhance HDV treatment strategies. In addition, a more comprehensive analysis of the intrahepatic compartment is mandated to better understand any liver‐confined interaction of HDV with the host immune system.
The effects of livestock grazing on vegetation in a semiarid grassland: a test of three hypotheses
Authors: Vázquez‐Ribera Carmen , Martorell Carlos 
Published: March 2022

AbstractQuestionsLivestock grazing is an important driver of plant diversity in grasslands. Different mechanisms summarized in three main hypotheses have been proposed to explain its varying effects depending on productivity. The insufficient compensation hypothesis (ICH) states that livestock causes the extinction of species that cannot compensate for biomass removal in unproductive sites, reducing species richness. The competitive release hypothesis (CRH) states that livestock increases plant diversity by attenuating competition, especially in productive environments. In the convergent evolution hypothesis (CEH), livestock has minor effects on diversity in unproductive sites because plants that endure stress are pre‐adapted to grazing. These hypotheses have rarely been compared formally, and have mostly been tested on large spatial scales. Here we simultaneously test these hypotheses on a local scale.LocationNatural semi‐arid grassland, Oaxaca, Mexico.MethodsWe performed a long‐term exclosure experiment, recording plant diversity annually over 17 years. In 2017 we measured species richness over a grazing intensity gradient. We used linear mixed‐effects models, nestedness and beta‐diversity analyses to evaluate diversity and composition in relation to grazing and productivity.ResultsPlant diversity generally increased with grazing intensity. In line with CRH, species richness increased as grazing became more intensive due to a progressive incorporation of increasingly poor competitors to the community, with a seemingly stronger effect under high productivity. This suggests that herbivores limit competitive species and prevent competitive exclusion. ICH may play a secondary role because the effect was reversed in low productivity inside exclosures.ConclusionsOur finding implies that in productive sites, the exclusion of livestock can be detrimental to plant diversity as a lack of grazing accelerates competitive exclusion. By contrast, in limiting environments, grazing can preserve diversity if livestock are kept at low stocking densities. Our results show that small‐scale variations in productivity need to be considered when designing livestock management.
Corporate fraud as a negative signal: Implications for firms’ innovation performance
Authors: Ren Ge , Zeng Ping , Song Tiebo 
Published: March 2022

AbstractBased on signaling theory, we explore the impact of corporate fraud on firms’ innovation performance. First, we propose that corporate fraud harms firms’ innovation performance. This is because, as a negative signal, fraud makes it difficult for firms to obtain the policy, funding, and human resources needed for outstanding innovation performance. We further argue that the institutional aspects of the signaling environment (e.g., industrial competition, regional institutional development, and social trust) will influence core stakeholders’ reception and interpretation of fraud signals. These factors, in turn, moderate the signaling effect of corporate fraud on firms’ innovation performance. Our views are supported by empirical and robustness tests using Chinese A‐share listed firms from 2010 to 2019.
Providing a service or seeking a favor? The role of private prenatal care on the continuity of care in Serbian public maternity hospitals
Authors: Pantović Ljiljana 
Published: March 2022

AbstractBackgroundFor pregnant and birthing women, maintaining a relationship with the same health care practitioner is critical to establishing a sense of safety. In postsocialist Serbia, where care is fragmented and depersonalized, this continuity is often missing. Patients are frequently handed over to new practitioners, sometimes without even knowing the name of the person overseeing their care. In response, many women turn to the private sector to keep the same practitioner across their prenatal period and their birth by establishing a personal “connection” within the hospital that they believe will shield them from mistreatment during childbirth.MethodsData presented in this paper were collected through participant observation in one public maternity hospital and one public primary care center in Serbia; semistructured interviews with 14 physicians; and semistructured interviews with 80 women who had given birth in one public maternity hospital in Serbia.ResultsPublic maternity hospital physicians who supplement their income working in the private sector have the power to blur the distinctions between favors and services. They offer continuity of personalized care to their private clients/patients once they enter the public system, and they themselves obtain social and economic security unavailable to those working in only one sector. At the same time, there is evidence that personalized continuity of care does not actually shield women from mistreatment in hospitals.ConclusionsThe private sector is reshaping existing informal strategies and blurring the lines between formal and informal payments. In the postsocialist context, consumer practices are not separate from, but entangled with, informality. Neoliberalism has not brought about empowerment and eliminated informality, but has instead further exacerbated existing inequalities in maternity care in Eastern Europe.
Histone H1.2 promotes hepatocarcinogenesis by regulating signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 signaling
Authors: Wang Qing , Chen Yuchen , Xie Yunhao , Yang Dong , Sun Yuyan , Yuan Yangmian , Chen Hong , Zhang Yu , Huang Kun , Zheng Ling 
Published: March 2022

AbstractLinker histone H1.2 (H1.2), encoded by HIST1H1C (H1C), is a major H1 variant in somatic cells. Among five histone H1 somatic variants, upregulated H1.2 was found in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) samples and in a diethylnitrosamine (DEN)‐induced HCC mouse model. In vitro, H1.2 overexpression accelerated proliferation of HCC cell lines, whereas H1.2 knockdown (KD) had the opposite effect. In vivo, H1.2 insufficiency or deficiency (H1c KD or H1c KO) alleviated inflammatory response and HCC development in DEN‐treated mice. Mechanistically, H1.2 regulated the activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), which in turn positively regulated H1.2 expression by binding to its promoter. Moreover, upregulation of the H1.2/STAT3 axis was observed in human HCC samples, and was confirmed in mouse models of methionine‐choline‐deficient diet induced nonalcoholic steatohepatitis or lipopolysaccharide induced acute inflammatory liver injury. Disrupting this feed‐forward loop by KD of STAT3 or treatment with STAT3 inhibitors rescued H1.2 overexpression‐induced proliferation. Moreover, STAT3 inhibitor treatment‐ameliorated H1.2 overexpression promoted xenograft tumor growth. Therefore, H1.2 plays a novel role in inflammatory response by regulating STAT3 activation in HCC, thus, blockade of the H1.2/STAT3 loop is a potential strategy against HCC.
Application of molecular dynamics simulation in biomedicine
Authors: Wu Xiaodong , Xu Li‐Yan , Li En‐Min , Dong Geng 
Published: March 2022

AbstractMolecular dynamics (MD) simulation has been widely used in the field of biomedicine to study the conformational transition of proteins caused by mutation or ligand binding/unbinding. It provides some perspectives those are difficult to find in traditional biochemical or pathological experiments, for example, detailed effects of mutations on protein structure and protein–protein/ligand interaction at the atomic level. In this review, a broad overview on conformation changes and drug discovery by MD simulation is given. We first discuss the preparation of protein structure for MD simulation, which is a key step that determines the accuracy of the simulation. Then, we summarize the applications of commonly used force fields and MD simulations in scientific research. Finally, enhanced sampling methods and common applications of these methods are introduced. In brief, MD simulation is a powerful tool and it can be used to guide experimental study. The combination of MD simulation and experimental techniques is an a priori means to solve the biomedical problems and give a deep understanding on the relationship between protein structure and function.
PRAME expression in melanocytic lesions of the nail
Authors: Parra Ourania , Linos Konstantinos , Li Zhongze , Yan Shaofeng 
Published: March 2022

AbstractBackgroundSubungual melanoma can be diagnostically challenging. We evaluated the potential of PReferentially expressed Antigen for MElanoma (PRAME) immunoreactivity for differentiating benign from malignant nail melanocytic lesions.MethodsSixty cases were identified (10 invasive melanomas, 8 melanomas in situ, 14 nevi, 12 cases of lentigo, and 16 of melanocytic activation). Percentage of PRAME‐positive melanocytes was evaluated as follows: 0 no staining, 1+ 1%–25%, 2+ 26%–50%, 3+ 51%–75%, and 4+ >75%. A combined score of both percentage and intensity was also evaluated.ResultsThe difference in PRAME expression between malignant and benign lesions was statistically significant (p < 0.0001). The degree of PRAME expression significantly correlated with patients' age and clinical size. When based on percentage score, 61.1% of melanomas showed a 4+ score, 16.7% showed a 3+ score, 11.1% showed a 1+ score, and 11.1% was negative; 69.0% of the benign lesions was negative, 23.8% showed a 1+ score, 4.8% showed a 2+ score, and 2.4% showed a 4+ score. When the cutoff value for malignancy decreased from 4+ to 3+, the sensitivity increased from 61.1% to 77.8%, while specificity remained 97.6%. Combined score results were similar.ConclusionsPRAME is a relatively sensitive and highly specific marker in differentiating benign from malignant nail melanocytic lesions. However, correlation with morphology is imperative.
Effect of a PCSK9 inhibitor and a statin on cholesterol efflux capacity: A limitation of current cholesterol‐lowering treatments?
Authors: Ying Qidi , Ronca Annalisa , Chan Dick C. , Pang Jing , Favari Elda , Watts Gerald F. 
Published: March 2022

AbstractBackgroundCellular cholesterol efflux is a key step in reverse cholesterol transport that may impact on atherosclerotic cardiovascular risk. The process may be reliant on the availability of apolipoprotein (apo) B‐100‐containing lipoproteins to accept cholesterol from high‐density lipoprotein. Evolocumab and atorvastatin are known to lower plasma apoB‐100‐containing lipoproteins that could impact on cholesterol efflux capacity (CEC).MethodsWe conducted a 2‐by‐2 factorial trial of the effects of subcutaneous evolocumab (420 mg every 2 weeks) and atorvastatin (80 mg daily) for 8 weeks on CEC in 81 healthy, normolipidaemic men. The capacity of whole plasma and apoB‐depleted plasma, including ATP‐binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1)‐mediated and passive diffusion, to efflux cholesterol, was measured.ResultsEvolocumab and atorvastatin independently decreased whole plasma CEC (main effect p < .01 for both). However, there were no significant effects of evolocumab and atorvastatin on apoB‐depleted plasma, ABCA1‐mediated and passive diffusion‐mediated CEC (p > .05 in all). In the three intervention groups combined, the reduction in whole plasma CEC was significantly correlated with the corresponding reduction in plasma apoB‐100 concentration (r = .339, p < .01). In the evolocumab monotherapy group, the reduction in whole plasma CEC was also significantly correlated with the corresponding reduction in plasma lipoprotein(a) concentration (r = .487, p < .05).ConclusionsIn normolipidaemic men, evolocumab and atorvastatin decrease the capacity of whole plasma to efflux cellular cholesterol. These effects may be chiefly owing to a fall in the availability of apoB‐100‐containing lipoproteins. Reduction in circulating lipoprotein(a) may also contribute to the decrease in whole plasma cholesterol efflux with evolocumab monotherapy.
Effects of stocking at the parr stage on the reproductive fitness and genetic diversity of a wild population of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.)
Authors: Bouchard Raphaël , Wellband Kyle , Lecomte Laurie , Bernatchez Louis , April Julien 
Published: March 2022

AbstractCaptive‐breeding programs are among the most adopted conservation practices to mitigate the loss of biodiversity, including genetic diversity. However, both genetic and nongenetic changes occurring in captivity can reduce the fitness of supplemented individuals, which complicate rehabilitation efforts. In the case of Atlantic salmon, the intensity of changes that occur in captivity and their impact on fitness will vary with the stocking practice adopted. In this study, we test whether salmon stocked at the parr stage have reduced reproductive success compared with their wild conspecifics and whether they contribute to increase genetic diversity in the targeted population. To do so, we use high‐throughput microsatellite sequencing of 38 loci to accurately assign 2381 offspring to a comprehensive set of possible parents from a supplemented Atlantic salmon population in Québec, Canada. Captive‐bred salmon stocked at the parr stage had fewer mates than their wild conspecifics, as well as a reduced relative reproductive success (RSS) compared with their wild counterparts. Nonetheless, in comparison with previous studies, stocking at the parr stage significantly improved RSS compared with salmon stocked as smolts and they displayed a reduction in reproductive success similar to salmon stocked as fry, which spend less time in captivity than parr. Moreover, supplementation of captive‐bred salmon significantly contributed to increasing genetic diversity. These results should contribute to informing resource managers in determining the best stocking practice to enhance Atlantic salmon populations.
Uniting two disciplines: An innovative partnership between family science and social work
Authors: Radina M. Elise , Roberts Amy R. , Roma Anne , Custer Sharon L. , Kuykendoll Megan K. T. 
Published: March 2022

AbstractObjectiveWe detail a case example describing the uniting of curricula from family science and social work into a comprehensive major that prepares students as both social workers and family life educators.BackgroundAs academic disciplines aimed at preparing undergraduates for careers in human service, family science and social work may compete for legitimacy and resources within higher education.MethodGuided by appreciative inquiry, we first offer our reflections on this case and its processes. In so doing, we discuss how faculty members worked together despite legitimate fears and concerns regarding the potential loss of professional identity to create a shared vision for undergraduate student preparation that honors the origins of both disciplines.ResultsFaculty collaborated to craft an enhanced curriculum that capitalized on collective strengths, overlaps in disciplinary origins and ethics, and market demands for licensed professionals. We provide a brief overview of family science and social work as separate disciplines, including their respective pathways to professionalization, ethical principles, and competencies, and practice guidelines as a way of illuminating commonalities.ConclusionWe conclude with lessons learned and a discussion of the future of family science and social work as partners rather than rivals with complementary disciplines.
Reconciling remote learning with imputed income for custodial parents
Authors: Brittingham Audrey R. P. 
Published: March 2022

AbstractOne of the logical, yet seemingly unanticipated, effects of the COVID‐19 pandemic has been the exodus of parents, primarily mothers, from the workplace. An October 2020 Pew study indicates that as many as 30% of parents reduced work hours or left the workforce all together, with a pronounced burden falling on working mothers. This paper examines one possible consequence of voluntary under‐ or unemployment by these parents: imputed income for the purposes of calculating child support. Forecasters predict that remote learning is now an option schools will likely turn to again to address all sorts of possible problems from environmental disasters to flu outbreaks. Family law practitioners should be prepared to deal with this likelihood, and should be ready to address the possible effects on child support with their clients.