bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The assessment and management of deep neck space infections in adults: A systematic review and qualitative evidence synthesis
Authors: Sheikh Zain , Yu Beverley , Heywood Emily , Quraishi Natasha , Quraishi Shahed
Published: May 2023

Objectives

To summarise current practices in the diagnosis and management of deep neck space infections (DNSIs). To inform future studies in developing a framework in the management of DNSIs.

Design

This review was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42021226449) and reported in line with PRISMA guidelines. All studies from 2000 that reported the investigation or management of DNSI were included. The search was limited to English language only. Databases searched included AMED, Embase, Medline and HMIC. Quantitative analysis was undertaken with descriptive statistics and frequency synthesis with two independent reviewers. A qualitative narrative synthesis was conducted using a thematic analysis approach.

Setting

Secondary or tertiary care centres that undertook management of DNSIs.

Participants

All adult patients with a DNSI.

Main outcome measures

The role of imaging, radiologically guided aspiration and surgical drainage in DNSIs.

Results

Sixty studies were reviewed. Thirty‐one studies reported on imaging modality, 51 studies reported treatment modality. Aside from a single randomised controlled trial, all other studies were observational (n = 25) or case series (n = 36). Computer tomography (CT) was used to diagnose DNSI in 78% of patients. The mean percentage of management with open surgical drainage was 81% and 29.4% for radiologically guided aspiration, respectively. Qualitative analysis identified seven major themes on DNSI.

Conclusions

There are limited methodologically rigorous studies investigating DNSIs. CT imaging was the most used imaging modality. Surgical drainage was commonest treatment choice. Areas of further research on epidemiology, reporting guidelines and management are required.
Spatio‐temporal patterns of eukaryotic biodiversity in shallow hard‐bottom communities from the West Antarctic Peninsula revealed by DNA metabarcoding
Authors: Angulo‐Preckler Carlos , Turon Marta , Præbel Kim , Avila Conxita , Wangensteen Owen S.
Published: May 2023

Aim

We studied molecular eukaryotic biodiversity patterns in shallow hard‐bottom Antarctic benthic communities using community DNA metabarcoding. Polar ecosystems are extremely exposed to climate change, and benthic macroinvertebrate communities have demonstrated rapid response to a range of natural and anthropogenic pressures. However, these rich and diverse ecosystems are poorly studied, revealing how little is known about the biodiversity of the Antarctic benthos associated with hard‐bottom habitats.

Location

West Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetland Islands.

Methods

Using data collected in seven localities along the western Antarctic Peninsula, we calculated spatial patterns of alpha and beta diversities. Furthermore, we analysed temporal changes in benthic composition in one location (Deception Island) over 3 years. We calculated the temporal alpha and beta diversities to reveal changes in this community over time.

Results

We obtained a final list of 2057 molecular operational taxonomic units. We found significant differences in benthic community composition between localities and among years. Our dataset revealed a total of 10 different kingdom‐level lineages and 34 different phyla in the samples. The most diverse phylum was Arthropoda, followed by Bacillariophyta, and Annelida, while the highest relative read abundances belonged to Annelida, Porifera and Echinodermata. Benthic community compositions changed between 2016 and 2018 in Deception Island, and decreasing species richness was the main component of temporal beta diversity.

Main Conclusions

Direct sampling methods are required for monitoring these complex communities. Informative biodiversity patterns can be retrieved even though most of the benthic biodiversity found in Antarctic habitats is yet to be taxonomically described and barcoded. Hard‐bottom assemblages exhibit high spatial variability and heterogeneity, not related to depth, which represent a huge challenge for large‐scale studies in the Southern Ocean. Local patchiness and structure within these communities are probably a consequence of a combination of several biotic and abiotic factors (i.e. ice disturbance, food supply and competition).
Escape from tariffs: The political economies of protection and classification
Authors: Mangini Michael‐David
Published: May 2023

The literature on the political economy of trade protection has focused on how firms lobby for their preferred tariffs, but opportunities to change the tariff schedule in the United States by legislation are relatively uncommon. How can importers lobbying in their private capacity escape from tariffs without relying on Congress? In the United States, products must be sorted into tariff categories by the customs office before the appropriate duty can be determined. This article documents how firms seek to lower their tariffs by strategically requesting product classifications from customs. Firms hire lawyers to make legal arguments to customs officials promoting an interpretation of the tariff schedule which lowers their costs. Lobbying for favorable classification is most important to the firm when similar categories have very different tariffs. The language of product descriptions is political because legal arguments for a particular classification are more persuasive when the descriptions are worded flexibly. Using a data set of over 200,000 classification rulings between 1990 and 2020, I find evidence that firms request classifications in response to certain quotas and the China tariffs. The findings characterize the tariff schedule as a living document and describe how the distribution of tariffs and the language of product descriptions affect the structure of protection.
Diversifying the dental curriculum: A review of the Bachelor of Dental Surgery degree reading lists in aUKdental school
Authors: Scambler Sasha , Ahmed Tasnim Aniqa , Aiyere Jesutomisin , Cheng Emily
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Analysis of the diversity of reading lists on courses offered by universities is one way to assess what is being taught and how it shapes our understanding of the world. Very little work has been carried out so far within dentistry on decolonising the curriculum. Existing work looks at the representation of women or ethnic minorities but not at the dental curriculum per se. This article starts to address this.

Methods

The reading lists within the 5 year Bachelor of Dental Surgery curriculum in a large UK dental school were collected and assessed. A data extraction spreadsheet was developed and journal articles on every course reading list across the 5 year curriculum were read in detail. Information on authorship and author affiliations, alongside patient and population representation within the article itself, were collected and collated.

Results

We found that there are 2.5 times more male authors than female authors, and almost three times more male lead authors in the articles evaluated. The majority of journal articles included in the reading lists are written by academics and/or clinicians affiliated with institutions in the United Kingdom and most articles are from the global north. In addition, 65% of articles do not specify the focus patient or population group studied.

Discussion

It is unlikely that current reading lists within dentistry fully reflect the composition of the profession itself, the variety of knowledge needed to provide evidence‐based practice in a globalised oral health arena or the heterogeneous nature of the patient population.
Work‐from‐home and the risk of securities misconduct
Authors: Cumming Douglas , Firth Chris , Gathergood John , Stewart Neil
Published: May 2023

In the wake of the global pandemic, a challenge for CEOs and boards is to set a stakeholder‐acceptable organizational balance between remote and traditional office working. However, the risks of work‐from‐home are not yet fully understood. We describe competing theories that predict the effect on misconduct of a corporate shift to work‐from‐home. Using internal bank data on securities traders we exploit lockdown variation induced by emergency regulation of the Covid‐19 pandemic. Our difference‐in‐differences analysis reveals that working from home lowers the likelihood of securities misconduct; ultimately those working from home exhibit fewer misconduct alerts. The economic significance of these changes is large. Our study makes an important step toward understanding the link between the balance of work locations and the risk that comes with this tradeoff.
Evidence of inter‐ and intra‐keloid heterogeneity through analysis of dermal fibroblasts: A new insight in deciphering keloid physiopathology
Authors: Serror Kévin , Ferrero Lauren , Boismal Françoise , Sintes Maxime , Thery Manuel , Vianay Benoit , Henry Emilie , Gentien David , DE LA Grange Pierre , Boccara David , Mimoun Maurice , Bouaziz Jean‐David , Benssussan Armand , Michel Laurence
Published: May 2023

Keloid scars are hypertrophic and proliferating pathological scars extending beyond the initial lesion and without tendency to regression. Usually, keloids are considered and treated as a single entity but clinical observations suggest heterogeneity in keloid morphologies with distinction of superficial/extensive and nodular entities. Within a keloid, heterogeneity could also be detected between superficial and deep dermis or centre and periphery. Focusing on fibroblasts as main actors of keloid formation, we aimed at evaluating intra‐ and inter‐keloid fibroblast heterogeneity by analysing their gene expression and functional capacities (proliferation, migration, traction forces), in order to improve our understanding of keloid pathogenesis. Fibroblasts were obtained from centre, periphery, papillary and reticular dermis from extensive or nodular keloids and were compared to control fibroblasts from healthy skin. Transcriptional profiling of fibroblasts identified a total of 834 differentially expressed genes between nodular and extensive keloids. Quantification of ECM‐associated gene expression by RT‐qPCR brought evidence that central reticular fibroblasts of nodular keloids are the population which synthesize higher levels of mature collagens, TGFβ, HIF1α and αSMA as compared to control skin, suggesting that this central deep region is the nucleus of ECM production with a centrifuge extension in keloids. Although no significant variations were found for basal proliferation, migration of peripheral fibroblasts from extensive keloids was higher than that of central ones and from nodular cells. Moreover, these peripheral fibroblasts from extensive keloids exhibited higher traction forces than central cells, control fibroblasts and nodular ones. Altogether, studying fibroblast features demonstrate keloid heterogeneity, leading to a better understanding of keloid pathophysiology and treatment adaptation.
Real‐world analysis of patients with haemophilia A and haemophilia A carriers in the United States: Demographics, clinical characteristics and costs
Authors: Batt Katharine , Xing Shan , Kuharic Maja , Bullano Michael , Caicedo Jorge , Chakladar Sreya , Markan Riddhi , Farahbakhshian Sepehr
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Females with haemophilia A (HA [FHAs]) and HA carriers (HACs) have an increased risk of bleeding and complications compared to the general population.

Aim

To examine the characteristics, billed annualised bleed rates (ABRb), costs and healthcare resource utilisation for males with HA (MHAs), FHAs and HACs in the United States.

Methods

Data were extracted from the IBM® MarketScan® Research Databases (Commercial and Medicaid) for claims during the index period (July 2016 to September 2018) and analysed across MHAs, FHAs and HACs.

Results

Dual diagnosis females (DDFs; both HA and HAC claims) were grouped as a separate cohort. MHAs were generally younger than females (all cohorts) by up to 19 years (Commercial) and 23 years (Medicaid). ABRb >0 was more frequent in females. Factor VIII claims were higher for MHAs versus female cohorts. Joint‐related health issues were reported for 24.4 and 25.6% (Commercial) and 29.3 and 26.6% (Medicaid) of MHAs and FHAs, respectively; lower rates were reported in the other two cohorts. Heavy menstrual bleeding claims occurred for approximately a fifth (Commercial) to a quarter (Medicaid) of female cohorts. All‐cause emergency department and inpatient visits in FHAs and DDFs were similar to, or more frequent than, those in MHAs; bleed‐related inpatient visits were infrequent. In MHAs (Commercial), mean all‐cause total costs ($214,083) were higher than in FHAs ($40,388), HACs ($15,647) and DDFs ($28,320) with similar trends for Medicaid patients.

Conclusions

FHAs and HACs may be undermanaged and undertreated. Further research is needed to fully understand these cohorts' bleeding rates, long‐term complications and costs.
The post‐annealing effect on tribological and corrosion behaviors of CrN/AlCrN multilayered coating applied by CAE‐PVD
Authors: Lotfi‐Khojasteh Erfan , Elmkhah Hassan , Nouri Meisam , Imantalab Omid , Fattah‐Alhosseini Arash
Published: May 2023

The present study investigated the wear and electrochemical behaviors of CrN/AlCrN multilayered coatings post‐annealed at 300, 450, and 600°C temperatures. The cathodic arc evaporation technique has been utilized to deposit the coatings. Scanning electron microscope, field emission SEM, energy‐dispersive X‐ray, grazing incidence X‐ray diffraction, and Rockwell‐C indenter methods were used to characterize the coatings and to investigate the interdiffusion between the multilayered CrN/AlCrN and the H13 base metal. The results showed that the sharp interface of the CrN and AlCrN layers was blurred by the annealing process supporting the interdiffusion of the layers. The reciprocating wear test and the microhardness tester were used to evaluate the coatings’ mechanical behavior. The hardness and roughness of the coatings were increased by increasing the post‐annealing temperature. The smallest wear rates were observed for the samples treated at 300 and 450°C, which were approximately 17 times and 12 times smaller than the wear rate of the sample annealed at 600°C. Electrochemical testing was used to study the corrosion behavior of the coatings. The results showed that by increasing annealing temperature, corrosion resistances of the coatings are improved. As a result, the corrosion current density of the 600°C annealed coating was approximately 434 times smaller than as‐deposited coatings.
Early finishers: How EFL students bring tasks to early completion and what happens next
Authors: Stone Paul
Published: May 2023

In classrooms that use small‐group tasks, some groups may finish earlier than others and there may be concern that early finishers will become disengaged. However, early finishing remains relatively under‐examined. This paper uses conversation analysis to investigate how EFL students in a Japanese university finish tasks early. It describes a set of practices students use to finish tasks and reveals how students orient to the achievement of task outcomes. The study finds that students may have more to say on task topics than a task allows, and early finishers may develop these topics in post‐task talk in the target language. The paper argues that early finishing may lead to useful language practice and teachers should therefore be cautious when assigning extra work to early finishers.
Female patient violence experienced by female qualified nurses working in an inpatient psychiatric department
Authors: Alanazi Badriah , McAndrew Sue , Warne Tony
Published: May 2023

Whilst there is an increasing prevalence of healthcare staff facing aggression, psychiatric nurses are thought to be most at risk; with such events being a hazard to their physical, emotional and psychological health. This study explored how patient violence is experienced by qualified nurses employed in an in‐patient psychiatric facility in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). As male and female patients and nurses are segregated in Saudi healthcare settings, this study focused on female patient violence against female psychiatric nurses. Both the immediate and more long‐term impacts were explored, together with approaches that could potentially facilitate avoiding, reducing and managing aggression within the work setting. The study adopted a qualitative descriptive design and used purposive sampling to recruit nine psychiatric nurses working in an in‐patient setting, from a single KSA medical facility. Inclusion criteria required participants to be licensed, registered nurses, who, during the last 10 years, had worked in an acute in‐patient psychiatric ward for adult females, and to have experienced some form of patient aggression. Semi‐structured, one‐to‐one interviews were used to gather data, which was then subjected to thematic analysis. Two dominant themes were identified: (i) occurrence of violence and (ii) determination of violence. It was concluded that female psychiatric nurses were adversely affected by aggression towards them from female patients. Although the nurses considered this behaviour to be part of their nursing role, they reported minimal support from institutional managers, peers and their relatives.
A critical re‐evaluation of Mohs micrographic surgery for a facial basal cell carcinoma in older adults: Should we waive this treatment in certain patients?
Authors: Van Coile Laura , Brochez Lieve , Verhaeghe Evelien , Boone Barbara , Meertens Annick , Ongenae Katia , Hoorens Isabelle
Published: May 2023

Background

Skin cancer incidences are increasing. Treatment for basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) can be questioned in certain patients. Treatment options are various, but Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) has the highest cure rate. It is, however, time‐consuming and results in high logistical burden and treatment costs for both patients and society.

Objectives

This study critically re‐evaluates MMS for facial BCCs in older adults. The main objective is to examine all clinical, tumour and patient characteristics in relation to safety and survival to detect a subgroup in which MMS was not the best choice. The overall aim is to identify characteristics that support clinical decision‐making in daily practice.

Methods

Patients that received MMS between November 1998 and December 2012 were included. Only patients >75 years with a facial BCC were withheld for analysis. This is a retrospective cohort study, since evaluating the outcome of MMS in accordance with life expectancy is the main objective. Patient charts were evaluated towards comorbidities, complications and survival.

Results

This cohort comprises 207 patients. Median survival was 7.85 years. The age‐adjusted Charlson comorbidity index (aCCI) was divided into low/medium scores (aCCI < 6) and high scores (aCCI ≥ 6). Median survival was 11.58 years in the low aCCI group and 3.60 years in the high aCCI group (p < 0.001). There was a very strong association between high aCCI and survival (HR, 6.25; 95% CI, 3.83–10.21). Other characteristics were not associated with survival.

Conclusions

Clinicians should assess the aCCI in older patients presenting with a facial BCC before deciding if MMS is an eligible treatment option. High aCCI has shown to be an indicator for low median survival, even in MMS patients with usually high functional status. MMS should be waived as treatment in older patients with high aCCI scores in favour of other, less intensive and less expensive treatment options.
Life history of the endemic Hawaiian hogfish Bodianus albotaeniatus: age, growth and reproduction
Authors: Wiley John , Pardee Cassandra
Published: May 2023

Growth rate, longevity, maturity and spawning seasonality were estimated for the endemic Hawaiian hogfish Bodianus albotaeniatus. The sex‐specific von Bertalanffy growth parameters are L∞ = 339 mm fork length (LF) and K = 0.66 year−1 for females and L∞ = 417 mm LF and K = 0.33 year−1 for males. The maximum age is 22 years. Histological gonad analysis and the absence of small and young males indicate a monandric protogynous hermaphrodite. Size and age at maturity for combined sexes are L50 = 238 mm LF and A50 = 1.6 years.
Evaluation of antimicrobial activity and mechanism of Mentha longifolia L. essential oil
Authors: Li Shengjie , Cheng Feng , Cao Xueqin , Mahinur Bakri , Maiwulanjiang Maitinuer
Published: May 2023

As the interest in “natural” and “safe” products grows, the use of natural products instead of synthetic preservatives to combat food spoilage and poisoning caused by microorganisms during processing and storage has become a prioritized option. The present research evaluated the antibacterial activity of the Mentha longifolia L. essential oil (MLEO) against several pathogenic bacteria, and the mechanism of action against methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Gas Chromatography Quadrupole Time‐of‐Flight Mass Spectrometry (GC‐Q‐TOF MS) analysis suggested that main components of MLEO were carvone (47.39%) and limonene (12.48%). The oil showed considerable antibacterial activity with MIC values of 0.394–1.576 mg/mL, and could be a promising bactericide. Non‐targeted metabolomics analysis based on GC‐Q‐TOF MS identified 66 different metabolites, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis of these metabolites revealed that MLEO achieves the effects by affecting amino acid metabolism in MRSA.
It's not the rotten apples!Why family scholars should adopt a structural perspective on racism
Authors: Bonilla‐Silva Eduardo
Published: May 2023

In this article, I urge family scholars to anchor their race work on the structural racism perspective. First, I provide some limitations of the prejudice problematic used by most family scholars. Second, I discuss the basic components of my structural theory, which I call the racialized social system approach. Third, I bolster my original theorization with a new conceptual map to make the structure intelligible—to account for why actors, for the most part, behave in ways that reproduce the racial order. In this discussion, I highlight the importance of the “white habitus” in shaping the lives and behaviors of White people. Lastly, I conclude by summarizing my claims and asking family scholars to continue deepening their work on structural racism and families, as well as on fighting how it shapes their own fields and lives.
Ustekinumab is a promising option for the treatment of postoperative recurrence of Crohn's disease
Authors: Macaluso Fabio Salvatore , Grova Mauro , Mocciaro Filippo , Di Mitri Roberto , Privitera Antonino Carlo , Distefano Maria Emanuela , Vitello Alessandro , Camilleri Salvatore , Ferracane Concetta , Pluchino Dario , Belluardo Nunzio , Giangreco Emiliano , Fries Walter , Viola Anna , Cappello Maria , D'Amato Livia , Bertolami Carmelo , Ventimiglia Marco , Renna Sara , Casà Angelo , D'Antonio Elvira , De Vivo Simona , Orlando Ambrogio ,   Sicilian Network for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (SN‐IBD)
Published: May 2023

Background and Aim

Postoperative recurrence (POR) following ileocolonic resection is a major concern in patients with Crohn's disease (CD). The role of ustekinumab (UST) in this setting is poorly known.

Methods

All consecutive CD patients with a baseline colonoscopy at 6–12 months from ileocolonic resection showing POR (Rutgeerts score ≥ i2) who were treated with UST after the baseline colonoscopy and with an available post‐treatment endoscopy, were extracted from the cohort of the Sicilian Network for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (SN‐IBD). The primary outcome was endoscopic success, defined as reduction of at least one point of Rutgeerts score. The secondary outcome was clinical success, assessed at the end of follow‐up. Reasons for clinical failure included mild clinical relapse (Harvey–Bradshaw index 5–7), clinically relevant relapse (Harvey–Bradshaw index > 7), and need for new resection.

Results

Forty‐four patients were included (mean follow‐up: 17.8 ± 8.4 months). The baseline postoperative colonoscopy showed severe POR (Rutgeerts score i3 or i4) in 75.0% of patients. The post‐treatment colonoscopy was performed after a mean of 14.5 ± 5.5 months following initiation of UST. Endoscopic success was reported in 22 out of 44 (50.0%) patients, of whom 12 (27.3%) achieved a Rutgeerts score i0 or i1. Clinical success at the end of follow‐up was reported in 32 out of 44 patients (72.7%); none of the 12 patients with clinical failure had achieved endoscopic success at post‐treatment colonoscopy.

Conclusions

Ustekinumab could be a promising option for the treatment of POR of CD.
Optimal Sequential Selling Mechanism and Deal Protections in Mergers and Acquisitions
Authors: CHEN YI , WANG ZHE
Published: May 2023

We study the dynamic profit‐maximizing selling mechanism in a merger and acquisitions (M&A) environment with costly bidder entry and without entry fees. Depending on the parameters, the optimal mechanism is implemented by a standard auction or by a two‐stage procedure with exclusive offers to one bidder followed by an auction potentially favoring that bidder. The optimal mechanism may involve common deal protections like termination fees, asset lockups, or stock option lockups. Our proposed procedures resemble sales of targets filing Chapter 11 bankruptcy or M&A involving public targets, and they shed light on how to use deal protections in practice.
The Problem of Inclusion: Feminist Critique in Religious Ethics
Authors: Bialek Fannie
Published: May 2023

Religious ethics was founded on a commitment to inclusion, welcoming projects from and about different religious and philosophical traditions. This paper argues that the increasing welcome of feminist ethics in the JRE also reveals a tension in the field between inclusion and critique: where feminist ethics is included as another tradition of ethical inquiry, its critical claims can be escaped by appeal to difference from the traditions it seeks to engage. The response to feminist critique should not be to applaud its inclusion without responding to its claims. Where this occurs, religious ethicists must renegotiate the terms of inclusion and the borders of difference. Feminist critique thus requires a return to founding questions of this journal, and the field, about the terms on which different traditions can be discussed and engaged in a common, critical conversation of religious ethics.
Genetic variation and identification of Meloidogyne graminis populations from golf fields in Antalya province of Türkiye
Authors: Uysal Gülsüm , Mıstanoğlu Ibrahim , Devran Zübeyir
Published: May 2023

Root‐knot nematodes (RKNs), belonging to genus Meloidogyne, cause economically damage on turfgrasses areas worldwide. Many RKN species have been identified in studies conducted in golf courses around the world. However, no study has been carried out on RKNs in golf fields so far in Türkiye. In this study, root and soil samples were taken from different golf courses in Antalya which has the biggest golf areas of Türkiye. Meloidogyne graminis (Sledge & Golden, 1964) Whitehead, 1968 was identified in six of forty‐five samples by using species‐specific primers. In addition, SRAP primers were used to investigate polymorphism among M. graminis populations and other RKN species. The number of average polymorphic fragments per primer was 10.18. The mean polymorphism information content and coph.corr (r) value is .88 and .88, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis showed that M. graminis populations grouped different distant to other trophic and temperate RKNs. This is the first report on presence of M. graminis in Türkiye.
Trust in God: The COVID‐19 Pandemic's Impact on Religiosity in China
Authors: Ruan Rongping , Vaughan Kenneth R. , Han Dan
Published: May 2023

Emerging research shows the COVID‐19 pandemic has made substantial changes to the religious climate of several nations. Surprisingly, China, the outbreak center of the pandemic, has been scarcely researched. Our study investigates how the COVID‐19 pandemic has evoked new religious disaster responses and provided psychological coping mechanisms during the pandemic. We also explore how the pandemic explains surprising rates of religiosity in China. Scholars have long proposed that religious resurgence in China has been a result of individuals seeking stability in turbulent times. We bridge parallel Literatures in these areas and treat the pandemic as a natural experiment for evaluating religious behavior over time as conditioned by heightened risk perception. Utilizing a difference‐in‐differences estimation strategy with panel data, our study reveals that the pandemic has led to a significant increase in religiosity in China, particularly in religious areas most affected by the pandemic. We propose that even in a highly regulative religious environment, with most of its population being religiously unaffiliated, religion is a significant resource for coping in China. We take an innovative approach to demonstrate this by utilizing online search data. Our research speaks to the sociology of religion, the social psychology of risk perception, and makes application to emerging research on the unfolding COVID‐19 pandemic.
Safety and effectiveness of the sodium‐glucose cotransporter inhibitor bexagliflozin in cats newly diagnosed with diabetes mellitus
Authors: Hadd Michael J. , Bienhoff Stephen E. , Little Susan E. , Geller Samuel , Ogne‐Stevenson Jennifer , Dupree Thomas J. , Scott‐Moncrieff J. Catharine
Published: May 2023

Background

Bexagliflozin is a sodium‐glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor. A pilot study has shown that bexagliflozin can decrease dependence on exogenous insulin in cats with diabetes mellitus (DM).

Objective

To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of bexagliflozin as a monotherapy for DM in previously untreated cats.

Animals

Eighty‐four client‐owned cats.

Methods

Historically controlled prospective open‐label clinical trial. Cats were dosed PO with 15 mg bexagliflozin once daily for 56 days, with a 124‐day extension to evaluate safety and treatment effect durability. The primary endpoint was the proportion of cats experiencing a decrease in hyperglycemia and improvement in clinical signs of hyperglycemia from baseline on day 56.

Results

Of 84 enrolled cats, 81 were evaluable on day 56, and 68 (84.0%) were treatment successes. Decreases in mean serum glucose, fructosamine, and β‐hydroxybutyrate (β‐OHB) concentrations were observed, and investigator assessments of cat neurological status, musculature, and hair coat quality improved. Owner evaluations of both cat and owner quality of life were favorable. The fructosamine half‐life in diabetic cats was found to be 6.8 days. Commonly observed adverse events included emesis, diarrhea, anorexia, lethargy, and dehydration. Eight cats experienced serious adverse events, 3 of which led to death or euthanasia. The most important adverse event was euglycemic diabetic ketoacidosis, diagnosed in 3 cats and presumed present in a fourth.

Conclusion and Clinical Importance

Bexagliflozin decreased hyperglycemia and observed clinical signs in cats newly diagnosed with DM. As a once‐daily PO medication, bexagliflozin may simplify management of DM in cats.
Medical causes of poor performance and their associations with fitness in Standardbred racehorses
Authors: Lo Feudo Chiara M. , Stucchi Luca , Conturba Bianca , Stancari Giovanni , Zucca Enrica , Ferrucci Francesco
Published: May 2023

Background

Poor performance is a multifactorial syndrome of racehorses, commonly associated with subclinical disorders, which can be diagnosed by exercise testing.

Objectives

Describe the prevalence of medical causes of poor performance in Standardbreds unassociated with lameness, and evaluate their relationships with fitness variables measured by exercise treadmill test.

Animals

Hospital population of 259 nonlame Standardbred trotters referred for poor performance.

Methods

The horses' medical records were retrospectively reviewed. Horses underwent a diagnostic protocol including resting examination, plasma lactate concentration, treadmill test with continuous ECG and assessment of fitness variables, creatine kinase activity, treadmill endoscopy, postexercise tracheobronchoscopy, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), and gastroscopy. The prevalence of different disorders was evaluated, including cardiac arrhythmias, exertional myopathies, dynamic upper airway obstructions (DUAOs), exercise‐induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH), moderate equine asthma (MEA), and gastric ulcers (EGUS). The associations of these disorders with fitness variables were investigated individually and using multivariable models.

Results

Moderate equine asthma and EGUS were the most common disorders, followed by EIPH, DUAOs, cardiac arrhythmias, and exertional myopathies. Hemosiderin score was positively correlated with BAL neutrophils, eosinophils, and mast cells; increased creatine kinase activity was associated with BAL neutrophilia, DUAOs, premature complexes, and squamous gastric disease. Treadmill velocity at a plasma lactate concentration of 4 mmol/L and at heart rate of 200 beats per minute was negatively affected by BAL neutrophilia, multiple DUAOs, exertional myopathies, and squamous gastric disease.

Conclusions

The multifactorial nature of poor performance was confirmed, with MEA, DUAOs, myopathies and EGUS representing the main diseases involved in fitness impairment.
Introduction to symposium on Philosophy and the art of writing by Richard Shusterman
Authors: Kramer Eli
Published: May 2023

This introductory piece provides context for this symposium on Richard Shusterman's new book, Philosophy and the Art of Writing. The piece reflects on the symposium genre from Plato's classic dialogue to its form today. It claims that Shusterman's work asks us to take this kind of philosophical writing more seriously, and for that reason the symposium itself has taken on a different structure. The piece discusses how each of the contributors responding to the book (with Shusterman leading the way), Eli Kramer, Randall Auxier, and Charles Johnson, have engaged in practicing, nurturing, and supporting broad modes of philosophical writing, and in turn why they have chosen to do so in this context.
The frequency of sarcopenia has increased in patients with glomerulonephritis
Authors: Isiktas Okay , Guzel Fatma Betul , Ozturk Ilyas , Topal Kenan , Sahin Murat , Altunoren Orcun , Gungor Ozkan
Published: May 2023

Aim

Sarcopenia is defined as the loss of muscle mass and muscle strength, and its frequency increases in kidney patients. However, sarcopenia frequency in patients with glomerulonephritis is unknown. The present study aimed to investigate the frequency of sarcopenia in patients with glomerulonephritis and compare the results with the healthy population for the first time in the literature.

Patients and Methods

A total of 110 participants, including 70 patients previously diagnosed with glomerulonephritis and 40 healthy individuals, were included in the study. The diagnosis of sarcopenia was made based on the EWSGOP 2 Criteria.

Results

The mean age of the glomerulonephritis patients group was 39.3 ± 1.5. In the anthropometric measurements of the patients, walking speed was low in 50 patients (71.4%), muscle strength was decreased in 44 patients (62.9%), and sarcopenia was detected in 10 patients (14.3%) according to the EWGSOP 2 Criteria. Considering the anthropometric measurements of the control group, sarcopenia was not detected in any of the subjects according to the EWGSOP 2 Criteria.

Conclusion

The result of the present study revealed that the rate of sarcopenia was significantly higher in glomerulonephritis patients compared to the healthy population and that sarcopenia can also be observed even in middle age in this population. We think it would be beneficial for clinicians treating glomerulonephritis to be more careful regarding sarcopenia and keep these parameters in mind during treatment.
Doxorubicin inhibits phosphatidylserine decarboxylase and confers broad‐spectrum antifungal activity
Authors: Zhou Yaru , Zhao Juan , Yang Lei , Bi Ruiqing , Qin Ziting , Sun Peng , Li Renjian , Zhao Mengfei , Wang Yin , Chen Guang , Wan Hu , Zheng Lu , Chen Xiao‐Lin , Wang Guanghui , Li Qiang , Li Guotian
Published: May 2023

As phospholipids of cell membranes, phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and phosphatidylserine (PS) play crucial roles in glycerophospholipid metabolism. Broadly, some phospholipid biosynthesis enzymes serve as potential fungicide targets. Therefore, revealing the functions and mechanism of PE biosynthesis in plant pathogens would provide potential targets for crop disease control.

We performed analyses including phenotypic characterizations, lipidomics, enzyme activity, site‐directed mutagenesis, and chemical inhibition assays to study the function of PS decarboxylase‐encoding gene MoPSD2 in rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae.

The Mopsd2 mutant was defective in development, lipid metabolism, and plant infection. The PS level increased while PE decreased in Mopsd2, consistent with the enzyme activity. Furthermore, chemical doxorubicin inhibited the enzyme activity of MoPsd2 and showed antifungal activity against 10 phytopathogenic fungi including M. oryzae and reduced disease severity of two crop diseases in the field. Three predicted doxorubicin‐interacting residues are important for MoPsd2 functions.

Our study demonstrates that MoPsd2 is involved in de novo PE biosynthesis and contributes to the development and plant infection of M. oryzae and that doxorubicin shows broad‐spectrum antifungal activity as a fungicide candidate. The study also implicates that bacterium Streptomyces peucetius, which biosynthesizes doxorubicin, could be potentially used as an eco‐friendly biocontrol agent.
Design thinking and dynamic managerial capabilities: a quasi‐experimental field study in the aviation industry
Authors: Roth Kristiana , Rau Christiane , Neyer Anne‐Katrin
Published: May 2023

Recent academic literature has suggested that design thinking training has a positive impact on dynamic managerial capabilities that are vital for firm performance. However, it is yet not clear how these effects are realized. We suggest that the positive impact of design thinking training on dynamic managerial capabilities can be attributed to changes in two aspects of managerial cognition: creative problem solving as a mental process and creative self‐efficacy as a psychological belief. We test our hypotheses in a quasi‐experimental pretest–posttest field study in the aviation industry among 100 mid‐ and lower‐level managers and a 5‐month time lag. The intervention is a 2‐day design thinking training based on experiential learning. We find that design thinking training realizes its effects on dynamic managerial capabilities rather indirectly through creative problem solving and creative self‐efficacy. Our study provides a more nuanced understanding of the relationship between design thinking and dynamic managerial capabilities and showcases the role changes in managerial cognition play in the dynamic capability development of mid‐ and lower‐level managers. Furthermore, it contributes to the scarce empirical research on the effects of design thinking on individual‐level effects. For practitioners, our research shows how organizations can benefit from design thinking training by boosting their managers abilities to spot and take advantage of new business opportunities.
A framework for the assessment of alternative uses in international water law
Authors: Zheng Chenjun
Published: May 2023

In establishing an equitable and reasonable use of a transboundary watercourse, States are to take into consideration a variety of factors, including the availability of alternative uses. This article seeks to provide a framework for assessing such alternative uses by first exploring treaty practice and relevant cases across the fields of international environmental law and international water law. Three key components are identified: comparable feasibility, practicality and cost‐effectiveness of alternatives. These components are then explored through a case study of Central Asian transboundary waters. The results demonstrate that the use of alternatives after analysing key components would help reduce the hidden cost of low efficiency and assist in finding optimal water use solutions in transboundary water cooperation.
Soil bulk density and altitude are primary drivers of soil water content and soil temperature in the Three Rivers Headwaters Region, China
Authors: Qiao Cui , Zongxing Li , Qi Feng , Baijuan Zhang , Juan Gui
Published: May 2023

Soil water content (SWC) and soil temperature (ST) are important indicators of environmental change in permafrost regions. In this study, we conducted soil sampling at 89 locations in the Three Rivers Headwaters Region (TRHR) to investigate the individual and synergistic effects of environmental factors on SWC and ST. We used multivariable regression and random forest modelling to analyse the data. The results show that SWC and ST were higher in the southeast TRHR than in the northwest and higher in surface layers than deeper soil layers. The most important factors affecting SWC in the 0–20 cm and 20–40 cm soil layers were soil bulk density and precipitation, while bulk density was the most important factor in the 40–60 cm layer, and soil bulk density and steppe vegetation were the most important factors in the 60–80 cm layer. For ST, altitude, temperature and slope gradient were the drivers in the 0–20 cm surface layer, while altitude and temperature were the most critical drivers in the 20–40 cm, 40–60 cm and 60–80 cm layers. Overall, bulk density and altitude were the key environmental factors influencing SWC and ST values, respectively. The outcomes of this study provide valuable insights into the environmental factors that impact the SWC and ST in permafrost regions, which can guide decision‐making processes for sustainable soil management in the context of climate change.
How learners produce data from text in classifying clickbait
Authors: Horton Nicholas J. , Chao Jie , Palmer Phebe , Finzer William
Published: May 2023

Text provides a compelling example of unstructured data that can be used to motivate and explore classification problems. Challenges arise regarding the representation of features of text and student linkage between text representations as character strings and identification of features that embed connections with underlying phenomena. In order to observe how students reason with text data in scenarios designed to elicit certain aspects of the domain, we employed a task‐based interview method using a structured protocol with six pairs of undergraduate students. Our goal was to shed light on students' understanding of text as data using a motivating task to classify headlines as “clickbait” or “news.” Three types of features (function, content, and form) surfaced, the majority from the first scenario. Our analysis of the interviews indicates that this sequence of activities engaged the participants in thinking at both the human‐perception level and the computer‐extraction level and conceptualizing connections between them.
Stable isoperimetric ratios and the Hodge Laplacian of hyperbolic manifolds
Authors: Rudd Cameron Gates
Published: May 2023

We show that for a closed hyperbolic 3‐manifold, the size of the first eigenvalue of the Hodge Laplacian acting on coexact 1‐forms is comparable to an isoperimetric ratio relating geodesic length and stable commutator length with comparison constants that depend polynomially on the volume and on a lower bound on injectivity radius, refining estimates of Lipnowski and Stern. We use this estimate to show that there exist sequences of closed hyperbolic 3‐manifolds with injectivity radius bounded below and volume going to infinity for which the 1‐form Laplacian has spectral gap vanishing exponentially fast in the volume.
TRPA1 channel in the airway underlies protection against airborne threats by modulating respiration and behaviour
Authors: Kuwaki Tomoyuki , Takahashi Nobuaki
Published: May 2023

Transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1), a member of the TRP superfamily of cation channels, is broadly expressed in sensory neural pathways, including the trigeminal neurons innervating the nasal cavity and vagal neurons innervating the trachea and the lung. TRPA1 acts as a detector of various irritant chemicals as well as hypoxia and hyperoxia. For the past 15 years, we have characterised its role in respiratory and behavioural modulation in vivo using Trpa1 knockout (KO) mice and wild‐type (WT) littermates. Trpa1 KO mice failed to detect, wake up from sleeping, and escape from formalin vapour and a mild hypoxic (15% O2) environment. Respiratory augmentation induced by mild hypoxia was absent in either Trpa1 KO mice or WT mice treated with a TRPA1 antagonist. Irritant gas introduced into the nasal cavity inhibited respiratory responses in WT mice but not in the KO mice. The effect of TRPA1 on the olfactory system seemed minimal because olfactory bulbectomized WT mice reacted similarly to the intact mice. Immunohistological analyses using a cellar activation marker, the phosphorylated form of extracellular signal‐regulated kinase, confirmed activation of trigeminal neurons in WT mice but not in Trpa1 KO mice in response to irritant chemicals and mild hypoxia. These data collectively show that TRPA1 is necessary for multiple chemical‐induced protective responses in respiration and behaviour. We propose that TRPA1 channels in the airway may play a sentinel role for environmental threats and prevent incoming damage.

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In-Class Cross-Reactivity among Hospitalized Patients with Hypersensitivity Reactions to Fluoroquinolones
Authors: Shah Sunish , Clarke Lloyd G. , Adams Kathleen K.
Published: May 2023

Results from this large, multicenter study suggest that patients with a confirmed ciprofloxacin, moxifloxacin, or levofloxacin hypersensitivity reaction are likely to tolerate other fluoroquinolones. Avoiding different fluoroquinolones in patients labeled with a ciprofloxacin, moxifloxacin, or levofloxacin allergy may not always be mandatory.
Identification of Capsular Polysaccharide Synthesis Loci Determining Bacteriophage Susceptibility in Tetragenococcus halophilus
Authors: Wakinaka Takura , Matsutani Minenosuke , Watanabe Jun , Mogi Yoshinobu , Tokuoka Masafumi , Ohnishi Akihiro
Published: May 2023

T. halophilus
is a halophilic lactic acid bacterium that contributes to the fermentation processes for various salted foods. Bacteriophage infections of
T
.
halophilus
have been a major industrial problem causing fermentation failures.
Neuroanaesthetic challenges in a pregnant patient with a huge cerebellopontine angle meningioma
Authors: Yeap Tat Boon , Hamzah Nurul Ashikin , Ismail Muhammad Ihfaz , Ab Mukmin Laila
Published: May 2023

Intracranial malignancy among pregnant women is extremely rare. Neuroanaesthesia for such high-risk patients demands extreme precautions. Our patient presented with a huge right cerebellopontine angle meningioma during the first trimester of her pregnancy. We share our valuable perianaesthetic challenges in managing her tumour-debulking surgery and a brief review of intracranial neoplasm during pregnancy.
Flexible extra dimensions
Authors: Petriakova Polina , Popov Arkady A. , Rubin Sergey G.
Published: May 2023

This paper discusses the origin of the small parameters with the aim of explaining the Hierarchy problem. The flexible extra dimensions are an essential tool in the process by which physical parameters are formed. The evolution of a multidimensional metric starts at the Planck scale and is completed with the static extra-dimensional metric and the 4-dim de Sitter space at high energies, where the exponential production of causally disconnected universes begins. Quantum fluctuations independently distort the metric within these universes, causing inflationary processes within them. Some of these universes tend asymptotically towards states characterised by small Hubble parameters. The effective parameter reduction applied to the Higgs sector of the Standard Model is explained by the presence of small-amplitude distributions of a scalar field in a fraction of these universes.