bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The role of fractional laser‐assisted drug delivery in enhancing the efficacy of topical bimatoprost solution in the treatment of alopecia areata: An intra‐patient comparative randomized clinical trial
Authors: Meymandi Simin Shamsi , Safari Alireza , Meymandi Manzumeh Shamsi , Aflatoonian Mahin
Published: February 2024

Background

Transepidermal drug delivery is a novel therapeutic technique to boost efficacy of topical drugs.

Aim

In this clinical trial we evaluate the efficacy of the combination of fractional carbon dioxide (FCO2) laser and bimatoprost solution compared to bimatoprost alone in the treatment of alopecia areata.

Methods

This is a prospective intra‐patient comparative randomized clinical trial on 20 patients with alopecia areata. In each participant two patches were chosen to randomly receive either topical 0.03% bimatoprost solution (twice a day for 12 weeks) alone or in combination with FCO2 laser (every 2 weeks for 12 weeks). Then response to treatment was evaluated by the measurement of the severity of alopecia tool score system (SALT) score, percentage of hair regrowth, physician assessment and patients' satisfaction.

Results

SALT score was reduced significantly during treatment sessions and after a 3‐month follow‐up in both treatment groups (p = 0.000). The mean percentage of improvement in SALT score in the combination therapy and monotherapy groups were 46.43 ± 4.35% and 21.16 ± 4.06% at the end of the study and 46.42 ± 5.75% and16.11 ± 3.10% at the end of the follow‐up period, respectively (p = 0.000). A general linear model of two‐way analysis demonstrated a significantly superior outcome in the combination therapy group compared to the monotherapy group during time (F1.6, 13.2 = 43.8. p = 0.000).

Conclusion

Fractional ablative laser can be considered as an assistant method for enhancing of efficacy of topical drugs especially in refractory cases of patchy alopecia areata.
Promoting sustainable and high‐quality economic development in China via regional innovation poles
Authors: Zheng Yu , Collins Alan , Yao Shujie
Published: February 2024

Using a panel data set comprising 284 prefecture‐level and above cities in China during 2005–2018, this study develops a theoretical mechanism harnessing the spatial Durbin model (SDM) to accumulate evidence and explain how innovation affects China's economic growth. It is found that regional economic growth is facilitated by local innovation activities as well as the absorption capacity of innovation and technology spilled over from other regions. This study also identifies 12 regional innovation poles across the country, which are found to have played a significant role in promoting urban economic development within a physical distance range of 150 km of a given region. This finding attests to the radiation effect from regional innovation poles in cultivating more such poles for China, to promote sustainable high‐quality economic growth, suggesting a route for China to avoid the curse of the middle‐income trap.
Frugivory by carnivores: Black‐backed jackals are key dispersers of seeds of the scented !nara melon in the Namib Desert
Authors: Shikesho S. D. , Midgley J. J. , Marais E. , Johnson S. D.
Published: February 2024

Carnivorous mammals have been reported to feed on fleshy fruits and disperse seeds, but these interactions are seldom observed and are poorly understood in hyper‐arid regions. Scent may play a key role in these interactions, given that most carnivores have sensitive olfactory systems and dichromatic vision. The !nara (Acanthosicyos horridus: Cucurbitaceae) in the Namib Desert produces large (10–20 cm diameter) melons that remain green while undergoing increased volatile emissions with a changing chemical profile as they ripen. Using extensive camera trapping, we found that the fruits are consumed mainly by black‐backed jackals (Canis mesomelas) and rarely also by other carnivores such as cape fox (Vulpes chama) and brown hyaena (Hyaena brunnea). We found that scent cues play a crucial role as jackals mainly sought fruits at night and easily located ripe fruits that were experimentally buried beneath the sand to remove visual cues. Seeds retrieved from jackal scat showed improved germination relative to un‐ingested seeds. This study highlights the importance of fruit scent in mediating seed dispersal mutualisms involving carnivores.
The effects of minimum wages on (almost) everything? A review of recent evidence on health and related behaviors
Authors: Neumark David
Published: February 2024

I review and assess the evidence on minimum wage effects on health outcomes and health‐related behaviors. The evidence on physical health points in conflicting directions, leaning toward adverse effects. Research on effects on diet and obesity sometimes points to beneficial effects, whereas other evidence indicates that higher minimum wages increase smoking and drinking and reduce exercise (and possibly hygiene). In contrast, there is evidence that higher minimum wages reduce suicides, partly consistent with the evidence of positive or mixed effects on other measures of mental health/depression. Overall, policy conclusions that minimum wages improve health are unwarranted or at least premature.
The psychopathology of metaphysics: Depersonalization and the problem of reality
Authors: Billon Alexandre
Published: February 2024

According to a common philosophical intuition, the deep nature of things is hidden from us, and the world as we know it through perception and science is, just like a dream, shadows, or a computer simulation, somehow shallow and lacking in reality. This “intuition of unreality” clashes with a strong, but perhaps more naive, intuition to the effect that the world as we know it seems perfectly real. Shadows, dreams, or informational structures appear too unreal to be identical to the world as we know it! This clash between the two intuitions forms the basis of the “problem of reality.” In the late nineteenth century psychiatrists encountered patients they referred to as “metaphysician doubters” who constantly questioned the reality of the world. This essay draws on studies of these patients in order to reject, and indeed diagnose, the intuition of unreality and recent metaphysical doctrines drawing on it, such as structuralism, digitalism, and virtual realism.
Aquinas on Prayer in the Eternal Trinity
Authors: Higgins Michael Joseph
Published: February 2024

According to Hans Urs von Balthasar and Adrienne von Speyr, the divine Persons eternally pray to each other. According to Thomas Aquinas, they do not. Thomas allows for ways in which the divine Persons worship, glorify, contemplate, and give thanks to each other. Yet he defines prayer as petition, and he teaches that the divine Persons cannot petition each other—which means that They cannot pray to each other. For Thomas, however, Christ's prayer reveals His eternal sonship, and certain terms in which Thomas casts divine sonship recall those in which he casts prayer. Thomas, therefore, can open up certain avenues towards the conclusion that the petitionary prayer, which is limited to creatures, resembles and is rooted in the Son's eternal sonship.
Mutation of OsCDS5 confers broad‐spectrum disease resistance in rice
Authors: Sun Qiping , Xiao Yongxin , Song Le , Yang Lei , Wang Yin , Yang Wei , Yang Qun , Xie Kabin , Yuan Meng , Li Guotian
Published: February 2024

Phospholipids are important components of biological membranes, participating in various biological processes, including plant development and responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. A previous study showed that mutation of the rice OsCDS5 (CDP‐DAG Synthase) gene alters lipid metabolism, causing enhanced abiotic stress responses, yellowing of leaves at the seedling stage and delayed plant development. Here, we observed that the Oscds5 mutant shows enhanced resistance to rice blast, bacterial blight and bacterial leaf streak. Mutation of OsCDS5 promotes production of reactive oxygen species and increases the expression level of multiple defence‐related genes. Transcriptomic analyses indicate that genes involved in responses to stress, biotic/abiotic stimuli and metabolic processes are highly upregulated and enriched in mutant Oscds5. Metabolomic analyses showed that differential metabolites were enriched in the lipid metabolic and tryptophan metabolic pathways. The decreased level of phosphatidylinositol and increased level of serotonin probably contribute to enhanced disease resistance of the Oscds5 mutant. Taken together, mutation of OsCDS5 enhances abiotic and biotic stress responses, and OsCDS5 may be a promising target for genetic engineering to enhance the resilience of rice to abiotic and biotic stresses simultaneously.
Resilience's role in clinical belongingness and presenteeism of new nurses: A moderated mediation model
Authors: Zhang Yuchen , Shen Min , Huang Hao
Published: February 2024

This study explored the mediating effect of resilience on clinical belongingness and presenteeism of new nurses. A total of 271 new nurses completed the Connor‐Davidson Resilience Scale, Belongingness Scale‐Clinical Placement Experience, and Stanford Presenteeism Scale. It was found that resilience correlated positively with clinical belongingness, while presenteeism was negatively correlated with resilience and clinical belongingness. The mediating effect of resilience on clinical belongingness and implicit absence accounted for 42% of the total effect value. Hence, new nurses' resilience plays an intermediary role between clinical belongingness and presenteeism. Nursing managers can develop interventions to reduce the sense of clinical absence by improving the resilience of new nurses.
Automatic adjustment of oxygen concentration during high‐flow nasal cannula treatment using a targeted SpO2 feedback system
Authors: Seo Woo Jung , Kim Eun Young , Seo Ga Jin , Suh Hee Jung , Huh Jin Won , Hong Sang‐Bum , Koh Younsuck , Lim Chae‐Man
Published: February 2024

Background

Patients with respiratory disease often need oxygen supplements through a High‐flow nasal cannula (HFNC), both hypoxia and hyperoxia can be harmful. Proper oxygen therapy requires careful monitoring of oxygen levels and adjustments to oxygen levels. A new automated system called Targeted SpO2 Feedback (TSF) improved the oxygen delivery system compared to manual adjustments. [Correction added on 25 October 2024, after first online publication: Background subsection in Abstract has been added on this version.]

Aim

To test whether targeted SpO2 feedback (TSF), an automatic control system for fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2), achieves more time in the optimal SpO2 range and/or reduces the frequency of manual adjustments to administered FiO2 compared with conventional manual titration in patients with hypoxia on high‐flow nasal cannula (HFNC) therapy.

Study Design

Twenty‐two patients were recruited from two hospitals. For each, two sessions of manual mode and two sessions of TSF were applied in a random order, each session lasting 2 h. The target SpO2 on TSF was 95%. Oxygen monitoring levels were classified into four SpO2 ranges: hypoxia (≤ 89%), borderline (90%–93%), optimal (94%–96%) and hyperoxia (≥ 97%). The two modes were compared based on the proportion of time spent in each SpO2 range and the number of manual FiO2 adjustments.

Results

The proportion of time in the optimal SpO2 range was 20.5% under manual titration mode and 65.4% under TSF (p < .01). The proportions of time in the hypoxia range were 1.1% and 0.4%, respectively (p = .31), in the borderline range 4.7% and 3.5%, respectively (p = .54), and in the hyperoxia range 73.7% and 30.7%, respectively (p < .01). There were statistical differences only in the optimal and hyperoxia SpO2 ranges. During the 8 h, the frequency of manual FiO2 adjustment was 0.7 times for the manual mode and 0.2 times for TSF, showing no statistically significant difference (p = 0.076).

Conclusion

Compared with manual titration, TSF achieved greater time of the optimal SpO2 and less time of hyperoxia during HFNC. The frequency of manual adjustments on TSF tended to be less than on manual titration mode.

Relevance to Clinical Practice

Automatic closed‐loop algorithm FiO2 monitoring systems can achieve better oxygen treatments than conventional monitoring and may reduce nurse workloads. In the era of pandemic respiratory diseases, this system can also facilitate contactless SpO2 monitoring during HFNC therapy.
Nurses' experiences of using a computer‐based triage decision support system in the emergency department
Authors: Bişkin Çetin Songül , Cebeci Fatma
Published: February 2024

Background

Emergency department triage is a vital and complex decision‐making process. There is limited knowledge about nurses' experiences with triage decision support systems in emergency departments.

Aim

This study was conducted to examine nurses' experiences with a computer‐based triage decision support system in the emergency department.

Study Design

This is a qualitative and phenomenological study. Data were collected through interviews from 14 triage nurses who used a triage decision support system in the emergency department of a university hospital. The nurses were recruited for semi‐structured interviews. All interviews were recorded on a voice recorder and then transcribed. Data were analysed with the inductive content analysis method. The interviewer asked comprehensive questions about the nurses' experiences with the triage decision support system.

Results

Three main and 11 sub‐themes were elicited as a result of the analysis of the in‐depth interviews: (a) the facilitating the triage decision theme, which included help in case of a dilemma, team collaboration, monitoring/supervision, and error reduction sub‐themes; (b) the contribution to professionalism theme, which included ease of learning and teaching triage, professional autonomy, creating a database, and evidence‐based practice sub‐themes; (c) the areas that need improvement theme, which included reducing screen clicks, the effect of the hospital automation system performance, and clinical descriptors not included in the algorithm sub‐themes.

Conclusion

Triage nurses stated that the decision support system was beneficial and facilitated decision‐making. The decision support system enabled triage nurses to make their own decisions using their clinical knowledge and experience, without a restriction on their professional autonomy, and this was perceived positively. It was emphasized that this system could be a support tool in educating nurses new to triage. However, nurses stated that the pace of the decision support system was affected by the performance of the hospital automation system and that the large number of steps used for electing items caused a waste of time. They also added that these were technical areas that needed improvement.

Relevance to Clinical Practice

The study provides important data that will help healthcare organizations and professionals better understand the emergency department nurse triage decision support system and gain a versatile, comprehensive, and general understanding.
The association between vitamin‐D deficiency and fecal incontinence
Authors: Neshatian Leila , Grant Gabrielle , Fernandez‐Becker Nielsen , Yuan Ye , Garcia Patricia , Becker Laren , Gurland Brooke , Triadafilopoulos George
Published: February 2024

Background

Vitamin‐D is essential for musculoskeletal health. We aimed to determine whether patients with fecal incontinence (FI): (1) are more likely to have vitamin‐D deficiency and, (2) have higher rates of comorbid medical conditions.

Methods

We examined 18‐ to 90‐year‐old subjects who had 25‐hydroxy vitamin‐D levels, and no vitamin‐D supplementation within 3 months of testing, in a large, single‐institutional electronic health records dataset, between 2017 and 2022. Cox proportional hazards survival analysis was used to assess association of vitamin‐D deficiency on FI.

Key Results

Of 100,111 unique individuals tested for serum 25‐hydroxy vitamin‐D, 1205 (1.2%) had an established diagnosis of FI. Most patients with FI were female (75.9% vs. 68.7%, p = 0.0255), Caucasian (66.3% vs. 52%, p = 0.0001), and older (64.2 vs. 53.8, p < 0.0001). Smoking (6.56% vs. 2.64%, p = 0.0001) and GI comorbidities, including constipation (44.9% vs. 9.17%, p = 0.0001), irritable bowel syndrome (20.91% vs. 3.72%, p = 0.0001), and diarrhea (28.55% vs. 5.2%, p = 0.0001) were more common among FI patients. Charlson Comorbidity Index score was significantly higher in patients with FI (5.5 vs. 2.7, p < 0.0001). Significantly higher proportions of patients with FI had vitamin‐D deficiency (7.14% vs. 4.45%, p < 0.0001). Moreover, after propensity‐score matching, rate of new FI diagnosis was higher in patients with vitamin‐D deficiency; HR 1.9 (95% CI [1.14–3.15]), p = 0.0131.

Conclusion & Inferences

Patients with FI had higher rates of vitamin‐D deficiency along with increased overall morbidity. Future research is needed to determine whether increased rate of FI in patients with vitamin‐D deficiency is related to frailty associated with increased medical morbidities.
Italian position paper (SIPMO‐SICMF) on medication‐related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ)
Authors: Bedogni Alberto , Mauceri Rodolfo , Fusco Vittorio , Bertoldo Francesco , Bettini Giordana , Di Fede Olga , Lo Casto Antonio , Marchetti Claudio , Panzarella Vera , Saia Giorgia , Vescovi Paolo , Campisi Giuseppina
Published: February 2024

Objective

This paper aims to describe the 2023 update position paper on MRONJ developed by the Italian Societies of Oral Pathology and Medicine (SIPMO) and of Maxillofacial Surgery (SICMF).

Methods

This is the second update following the 2013 and 2020 Italian position papers by the Expert panel, which is a representation of the two scientific societies (SIPMO and SICMF).

The paper is based on an extensive analysis of the available literature from January 2003 to February 2020, and the subsequent review of literature conducted between March 2020 and December 2022 to include all new relevant published papers to confirm or modify the previous set of recommendations.

Results

This position paper highlights the main issues of MRONJ on risk estimates, disease definition, diagnostic pathway, individual risk assessment, and the fundamental role of imaging in the diagnosis, classification, and management of MRONJ.

Conclusion

The Expert Panel confirmed the MRONJ definition, the diagnostic work‐up, the clinical‐radiological staging system and the prophylactic drug holiday, as recognized by SIPMO‐SICMF; while, it presented novel indications regarding the categories at risk of MRONJ, the prevention strategies, and the treatment strategies associated with the therapeutic drug holiday.
Porphyromonas gingivalis GroEL exacerbates orthotopic allograft transplantation vasculopathy via impairment of endothelial cell function
Authors: Tsai Chien‐Sung , Huang Chun‐Yao , Tsai Yi‐Ting , Shih Chun‐Ming , Lai Ze‐Hao , Liu Chen‐Wei , Lin Yi‐Wen , Lin Feng‐Yen
Published: February 2024

Orthotopic allograft transplantation (OAT) is a significant approach to addressing organ failure. However, persistent immune responses to the allograft affect chronic rejection, which induces OAT vasculopathy (OATV) and organ failure. Porphyromonas gingivalis can infiltrate remote organs via the bloodstream, thereby intensifying the severity of cardiovascular, respiratory, and neurodegenerative diseases and cancer. GroEL, a virulence factor of P. gingivalis promotes pro‐inflammatory cytokine production in host cells, which assumes to play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. Although the aggravation of OATV is attributable to numerous factors, the role of GroEL remains ambiguous. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the impact of GroEL on OATV. Aortic grafts extracted from PVG/Seac rats were transplanted into ACI/NKyo rats and in vitro human endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) and coronary artery endothelial cell (HCAEC) models. The experimental findings revealed that GroEL exacerbates OATV in ACI/NKyo rats by affecting EPC and smooth muscle progenitor cell (SMPC) function and enabling the anomalous accumulation of collagen. In vitro, GroEL spurs endothelial‐mesenchymal transition in EPCs, reduces HCAEC tube formation and barrier function by downregulating junction proteins, accelerates HCAEC aging by lowering mitochondrial membrane potential and respiratory function, and impedes HCAEC migration by modulating cytoskeleton‐associated molecules. This study suggests that P. gingivalis GroEL could potentially augment OATV by impacting vascular progenitor and endothelial cell functions.
Daily dose–response from short‐term monocular deprivation in adult humans
Authors: Zou Liying , Zhou Chenyan , Hess Robert F. , Zhou Jiawei , Min Seung Hyun
Published: February 2024

Short‐term monocular deprivation (MD) shifts sensory eye balance in favour of the previously deprived eye. The effect of MD on eye balance is significant but brief in adult humans. Recently, researchers and clinicians have attempted to implement MD in clinical settings for adults with impaired binocular vision. Although the effect of MD has been studied in detail in single‐session protocols, what is not known is whether the effect of MD on eye balance deteriorates after repeated periods of MD (termed ‘perceptual deterioration’). An answer to this question is relevant for two reasons. Firstly, the effect of MD (i.e., dose‐response) should not decrease with repeated use if MD is to be used therapeutically (e.g., daily for weeks). Second, it bears upon the question of whether the neural basis of the effects of MD and contrast adaptation, a closely related phenomenon, is the same. The sensory change from contrast adaptation depends on recent experience. If the observer has recently experienced the same adaptation multiple times for consecutive days, then the adaptation effect will be smaller because contrast adaptation exhibits perceptual deterioration, so it is of interest to know if the effects of MD follow suit. This study measured the effect of 2‐h MD for seven consecutive days on binocular balance of 15 normally sighted adults. We found that the shift in eye balance from MD stayed consistent, showing no signs of deterioration after subjects experienced multiple periods of MD. This finding shows no loss of effectiveness of repeated daily doses of MD if used therapeutically to rebalance binocular vision in otherwise normal individuals. Furthermore, ocular dominance plasticity, which is the basis of the effects of short‐term MD, does not seem to share the property of ‘perceptual deterioration’ with contrast adaptation, suggesting different neural bases for these two related phenomena.
Biomechanical Comparison of Anterior Cervical Corpectomy Decompression and Fusion, Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion, and Anterior Controllable Antedisplacement and Fusion in the Surgical Treatment of Multilevel Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy: A Finite Element Analysis
Authors: Kong Qingjie , Li Fudong , Yan Chen , Sun Jingchuan , Sun Peidong , Ou‐Yang Jun , Zhong Shizhen , Wang Yuan , Shi Jiangang
Published: February 2024

Purpose

Multilevel cervical spondylotic myelopathy poses significant challenges in selecting optimal surgical approaches, warranting a comprehensive understanding of their biomechanical impacts. Given the lack of consensus regarding the most effective technique, this study aims to fill this critical knowledge gap by rigorously assessing and comparing the biomechanical properties of three distinct surgical interventions, including anterior controllable antedisplacement and fusion (ACAF), anterior cervical corpectomy decompression and fusion (ACCF), and anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). The study offers pivotal insights to enhance treatment precision and patient outcomes.

Methods

The construction of the cervical spine model involved a detailed process using CT data, specialized software (Mimics, Geomagic Studio, and Hypermesh) and material properties obtained from prior studies. Surgical instruments were modeled (titanium mesh, anterior cervical plate, interbody cage, and self‐tapping screws) to simulate three surgical approaches: ACAF, ACCF, and ACDF, each with specific procedures replicating clinical protocols. A 75‐N follower load with 2 Nm was applied to simulate biomechanical effects.

Results

The range of motion decreased more after surgery for ACAF and ACDF than for ACCF, especially in flexion and lateral bending. ACCF have higher stress peaks in the fixation system than those of ACAF and ACDF, especially in flexion. The maximum von Mises stresses of the bone–screw interfaces at C3 of ACCF were higher than those of ACAF and ACDF. The maximum von Mises stresses of the bone–screw interfaces at C6 of ACDF were much higher than those of ACAF and ACCF. The maximum von Mises stresses of the grafts of ACCF and ACAF were much higher than those of ACDF. The maximum von Mises stresses of the endplate of ACCF were much higher than those of ACAF and ACDF.

Conclusion

The ACAF and ACDF models demonstrated superior cervical reconstruction stability over the ACCF model. ACAF exhibited lower risks of internal fixation failure and cage subsidence compared to ACCF, making it a promising approach. However, while ACAF revealed improved stability over ACCF, higher rates of subsidence and internal fixation failure persisted compared to ACDF, suggesting the need for further exploration of ACAF's long‐term efficacy and potential improvements in clinical outcomes.
A case of atrial tachycardia originating from the left atrial roof successfully ablated via the pulmonary artery approach
Authors: Liu Wenwu , Zhang Qitong , Wu Xiaoyu , Gao Longzhe , Wei Yong , Liu Shaowen , Zhou Genqing
Published: February 2024

A 60‐year‐old male patient suffered from frequent episodes of atrial tachycardia (AT), after the index procedure of catheter ablation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. During the repeat procedure, the activation map showed that the earliest activation site was located at the roof of left atrium. Multiple ablations at the earliest activation site on the roof failed to terminate the AT; however, ablation within the pulmonary artery at an adjacent anatomical site successfully eliminated the AT, even without recording distinct near‐field potential.
Chronic phase subcutaneous implantable cardioverter defibrillator lead dislodgement in a patient with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy
Authors: Chatani Ryuki , Tasaka Hiroshi , Sakata Atsushi , Yoshino Mitsuru , Kadota Kazushige
Published: February 2024

The subcutaneous implantable cardioverter defibrillator (S‐ICD) is often used in young patients such as arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) and Brugada syndrome due to long‐term lead durability issues. Although S‐ICD lead dislodgement is rare, we encountered such an incident in a young ARVC patient during the chronic phase following the two‐incision technique. Remote monitoring system is useful for early diagnosis of electrode movement (Graphical abstract image). When S‐ICD lead dislodgement occurs in active young patients, lead revision using the three‐incision technique may be an option.
Road Access, Fertility, and Child Health in Rural India
Authors: Dasgupta Aparajita , Karandikar Anahita , Raghav Devvrat
Published: February 2024

Expansion in access to public infrastructure can have varied, microlevel impacts. In this paper, we use a discrete and quasi‐random change in the access to paved roads through a large‐scale rural road construction program in India to study how road access impacts fertility decisions and investments in child health. We find that increased access to paved roads at the district level decreases fertility, improves investments in children, and lowers infant mortality. We also provide evidence that highlights the mechanisms that drive this effect. First, we show that local roads improve access to health care facilities and raise immunization rates, which reduces infant mortality. Then, we demonstrate that last‐mile road connectivity has contrasting effects on employment across gender. Overall, the evidence suggests that rural roads can help accelerate demographic transition through their effects on fertility and infant mortality.
Strategies for tobacco‐free survivorship after breast cancer: The possible weaving of preoperative care and public health policies
Authors: Maselli Deborah
Published: February 2024

Among smoker women with breast cancer quitting smoking has been shown to increase survival and surgical outcomes. Where surgery is indicated, the preoperative seems to be a crucial moment for smoking cessation interventions as it enhances recovery after surgery and motivates prolonged tobacco abstinence. Timing and frequency of preoperative quitting conversations were variables associated with quitting. An early, multidisciplinary, and personalized approach is recommended. A solid integration between primary care services and specialized care is challenging but feasible, implementing prehabilitation pathways that include tobacco treatment routinely as an integral part of breast cancer care. Smoking cessation programs before surgical procedures impact recidivism prevention, survivorship improvement, public health, and cost savings. The contribution of healthcare professionals can make a difference in tobacco control, collaborating with organizations, public health, and nursing research. Integrated solutions in oncological clinical care pathways might help patients build and maintain tobacco abstinence after breast cancer. Future research shall study when patients should abstain from smoking before oncological breast surgery.
Interactions of drosophila cryptochrome
Authors: Ozcelik Gozde , Koca Mehmet Serdar , Sunbul Buket , Yilmaz‐Atay Fatma , Demirhan Feride , Tiryaki Busra , Cilenk Kevser , Selvi Saba , Ozturk Nuri
Published: February 2024

In this study, we investigate the intricate regulatory mechanisms underlying the circadian clock in Drosophila, focusing on the light‐induced conformational changes in the cryptochrome (DmCry). Upon light exposure, DmCry undergoes conformational changes that prompt its binding to Timeless and Jetlag proteins, initiating a cascade crucial for the starting of a new circadian cycle. DmCry is subsequently degraded, contributing to the desensitization of the resetting mechanism. The transient and short‐lived nature of DmCry protein–protein interactions (PPIs), leading to DmCry degradation within an hour of light exposure, presents a challenge for comprehensive exploration. To address this, we employed proximity‐dependent biotinylation techniques, combining engineered BioID (TurboID) and APEX (APEX2) enzymes with mass spectrometry. This approach enabled the identification of the in vitro DmCry interactome in Drosophila S2 cells, uncovering several novel PPIs associated with DmCry. Validation of these interactions through a novel co‐immunoprecipitation technique enhances the reliability of our findings. Importantly, our study suggests the potential of this method to reveal additional circadian clock‐ or magnetic field‐dependent PPIs involving DmCry. This exploration of the DmCry interactome not only advances our understanding of circadian clock regulation but also establishes a versatile framework for future investigations into light‐ and time‐dependent protein interactions in Drosophila.
A novel type of neighbour perception elicits reproductive plasticity in an annual plant with a mixed mating system
Authors: Falik O. , Hoffmann I. , Novoplansky A.
Published: February 2024

Plants display various forms of phenotypic plasticity in anticipation of changing conditions, many of which are influenced by information obtained from neighbouring plants. Here, we tested the hypothesis that cleistogamic Lamium amplexicaule plants can adaptively modify production of chasmogamous (CH) and cleistogamous (CL) flowers based on the perception of conspecific neighbours.

The production and proportion of CH and CL flowers was examined in individual L. amplexicaule grown at varying densities or treated with root leachates from plants grown at different densities.

When growing at high density or treated with root leachates from high‐density pots, L. amplexicaule increased production of more expensive, potentially outcrossing CH flowers. In contrast, single plants or plants treated with root leachates from empty pots or single‐source plants predominantly developed cheaper, self‐pollinated CL flowers.

The results demonstrate a novel root‐based neighbour‐perception modality that enables plants to adaptively adjust production of CH and CL flowers in response to the presence of potential reproductive partners. Further research is needed to explore the broader ecological implications of this novel interplant cueing on reproductive bet‐hedging and plasticity in natural settings, as well as to identify the involved cues and their mode of operation.
The development of non‐resorbable bone allografts: Biological background and clinical perspectives
Authors: Miron Richard J. , Fujioka‐Kobayashi Masako , Pikos Michael A. , Nakamura Toshiaki , Imafuji Takatomo , Zhang Yufeng , Shinohara Yukiya , Sculean Anton , Shirakata Yoshinori
Published: February 2024

Bone grafts are typically categorized into four categories: autografts, allografts, xenografts, and synthetic alloplasts. While it was originally thought that all bone grafts should be slowly resorbed and replaced with native bone over time, accumulating evidence has in fact suggested that the use of nonresorbable xenografts is favored for certain clinical indications. Thus, many clinicians take advantage of the nonresorbable properties/features of xenografts for various clinical indications, such as contour augmentation, sinus grafting, and guided bone regeneration, which are often combined with allografts (e.g., human freeze‐dried bone allografts [FDBAs] and human demineralized freeze‐dried bone allografts [DFDBAs]). Thus, many clinicians have advocated different 50/50 or 70/30 ratios of allograft/xenograft combination approaches for various grafting procedures. Interestingly, many clinicians believe that one of the main reasons for the nonresorbability or low substitution rates of xenografts has to do with their foreign animal origin. Recent research has indicated that the sintering technique and heating conducted during their processing changes the dissolution rate of hydroxyapatite, leading to a state in which osteoclasts are no longer able to resorb (dissolve) the sintered bone. While many clinicians often combine nonresorbable xenografts with the bone‐inducing properties of allografts for a variety of bone augmentation procedures, clinicians are forced to use two separate products owing to their origins (the FDA/CE does not allow the mixture of allografts with xenografts within the same dish/bottle). This has led to significant progress in understanding the dissolution rates of xenografts at various sintering temperature changes, which has since led to the breakthrough development of nonresorbable bone allografts sintered at similar temperatures to nonresorbable xenografts. The advantage of the nonresorbable bone allograft is that they can now be combined with standard allografts to create a single mixture combining the advantages of both allografts and xenografts while allowing the purchase and use of a single product. This review article presents the concept with evidence derived from a 52‐week monkey study that demonstrated little to no resorption along with in vitro data supporting this novel technology as a “next‐generation” biomaterial with optimized bone grafting material properties.
The policy feedback effects of preemption
Authors: SoRelle Mallory E. , Fullerton Allegra H.
Published: February 2024

Scholars have charted a dramatic rise in the use of preemption both at the federal and state levels since the 1970s, with courts and politicians from both parties enacting preemptions across a range of contentious issues. Thus, preemption is a critical feature of American policymaking—one that almost certainly shapes the political choices of policymakers, organized interests, and voters across levels of government. Despite its significance to the politics of policymaking, scholars have yet to systematically consider the political consequences of preemption. We apply the logic of policy feedback theory to create a framework for analyzing the political consequences of preemption. Specifically, we detail how the use of both federal‐state and state‐local preemption might produce unique resource and interpretive effects that shape the subsequent political behaviors of policymakers, organized interests, and the public. We then consider two illustrative cases—federal preemption of state consumer financial protections and state preemption of local gender identity anti‐discrimination statutes—to demonstrate our framework's application. The article addresses a gap in the preemption literature and provides a critical extension of policy feedback theory, proposing a research agenda for future work to help better understand the politics of a widely used policy tool.
Effect of reduced glutathione on quality, lipid peroxidation and antioxidant potential of frozen‐thawed ring‐necked pheasant semen
Authors: Zuha Sumiyyah , Rakha Bushra Allah , Akhter Shamim , Ansari Muhammad Sajjad , Waseem Kainat
Published: February 2024

Reduced glutathione (GSH) is a natural redox force immediately consumed by cells to combat toxins. Today's world is shifting towards clean farming practices whence ring‐necked pheasants dependent on croplands are facing threats and sperm‐assisted reproductive techniques become indispensable in preserving this valuable species for game and meat purposes. This study aims at evaluating the cryosurvivability (motility, viability, plasma membrane and acrosomal integrity, DNA fragmentation) and antioxidant capacity (Free radical scavenging activity, LPO detection, Ferric reducing antioxidant power, mitochondrial status) of ring‐necked pheasant semen with GSH supplementation in the extender. Semen collected from ten males was pooled, divided and diluted with Beltsville poultry semen extender (1:5) containing 0.0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6 and 0.8 mM GSH. Samples were cryopreserved, and sperm quality was evaluated post‐dilution, cooling, equilibration, and freeze–thaw. Free radical scavenging activity, total antioxidant potential, mitochondrial action and lipid peroxidation were assessed at post‐thawing. Sperm motility, plasma membrane and acrosomal integrity, viability and DNA integrity were recorded highest (p < .05) at 0.4 mM GSH compared to other concentrations and control at all the stages of cryopreservation. Similarly, sperm mitochondrial action, antioxidant potential and free radical scavenging capacity were recorded higher (p < .05) with 0.4 mM GSH at post‐thaw compared to other concentrations of GSH and control. Lipid peroxidation was recorded as highest (p < .05) in the control compared to GSH‐supplemented groups at post‐thaw. Hence, it is concluded that GSH at 0.4 mM preserves the quality and ROS scavenging capacity of cryopreserved ring‐necked pheasant sperm as an antioxidant.
Invasive alien plant brush piles reduce invasive seedling growth and increase animal abundance
Authors: Mestetsky Evette , Moghtader Donya , Pilaud Nicholas , Willette Demian A.
Published: February 2024

Management of alien invasive species is an essential action necessary to help reverse biodiversity loss. Here, we measure the effectiveness of brush piles constructed from invasive alien plant material to suppress the growth of invasive plant seedlings. We found invasive seedling recruitment was fully suppressed in brush pile plots compared to control plots due to suboptimal growth light and temperature conditions created by the piles. Further, brush piles supported 2‐fold to +7‐fold more animals than control plots. This method offers a promising solution for restoration practitioners' need for accessible, low‐cost management intervention for the on‐site disposal of removed plant biomass, which we demonstrated can also enhance native wildlife abundance.
Use of 6‐minute walk distance to predict lung transplant‐free survival in fibrosing non‐IPF interstitial lung diseases
Authors: Zanini Umberto , Luppi Fabrizio , Kaur Karina , Anzani Niccolò , Franco Giovanni , Ferrara Giovanni , Kalluri Meena , Mura Marco
Published: February 2024

Background and Objective

The identification of progression in patients with fibrosing non‐idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) represents an ongoing clinical challenge. Lung function decline alone may have significant limitations in the detection of clinically significant progression. We hypothesized that longitudinal changes of 6‐min walk distance (6MWD) from baseline, simultaneously considered with measures of lung function, may independently predict survival and identifying clinically significant progression of disease.

Methods

Forced vital capacity (FVC), diffusing lung capacity (DLCO) and 6MWD were considered both at baseline and at 1 year in a discovery cohort (n = 105) and in a validation cohort (n = 138) from different centres. The primary endpoint was lung transplant (LTx)‐free survival.

Results

Average follow‐up was 3 years in both cohorts. Combined incidence of deaths and LTx was 29% and 21%, respectively. No collinearity and no strong correlations were observed among FVC, DLCO and 6MWD longitudinal changes. While age, gender and BMI were not significant, 6MWD decline ≥24 m predicted LTx‐free‐survival significantly and independently from FVC and DLCO declines, with high sensitivity and specificity, in both the discovery and the validation cohorts. Although FVC and DLCO declines remained significant predictors of LTx‐free survival, 6MWD decline was more accurate than the proposed ATS/ERS/JRS/ALAT functional criteria. Results were confirmed after stratifying patients by baseline FVC.

Conclusion

Longitudinal declines of 6MWD are associated with poor survival in fibrosing ILDs across a wide range of baseline severity, with high accuracy. 6MWD longitudinal decline is largely independent from lung function decline and may be integrated into the routine assessment of progression.
Responding to crises in authoritarian environments: Russian think tanks between policy evaluation and state endorsement
Authors: Axyonova Vera
Published: February 2024

In the literature on policy advice and analytical communities in democratic settings, think tanks are often assumed to be carriers of new ideas that serve as an informed and independent voice in policy debates. However, how much intellectual independence do think tanks have in authoritarian environments? This article tackles this question in a case study of Russian think tanks' discursive responses to two protracted crises: the COVID‐19 pandemic and climate change. The study employs a combination of deductive and inductive techniques to identify the discursive strategies used by think tank experts in their publications covering the crises. The findings suggest that there are differences in how think tanks communicate crises, which can be attributed to their institutional structures and position vis‐à‐vis the state. In some cases, the think tanks resort to polarization and discreditation of Western governments' crisis response, while openly endorsing the Russian state. In other cases, they engage in rationalization and more neutral analyses of the pandemic and climate change. However, regardless of these differences, they rarely concentrate on domestic challenges. Instead, they geopoliticize the crises, overemphasizing problematic developments elsewhere in the world, thus shifting attention in the public discourse away from domestic emergencies.
Navigating healthcare systems: A qualitative study on socially marginalised patients' experiences of hospital transition and support by social nurses
Authors: Antonsen Lisa Kvist , Lassen Annmarie Touborg , Nielsen Dorthe , Østervang Christina
Published: February 2024

Background

Socially marginalised patients face many challenges related to their health condition and often have several contacts with healthcare and social service workers. The Danish social nursing initiative, whose nurses have experience and knowledge about marginalisation, aims to support socially marginalised patients during hospital admission and through hospital transitions. However, there is limited knowledge about the hospital transitions of patients being supported by a social nurse.

Objectives

The objectives of this study were to explore (1) the perspectives of socially marginalised patients on the transition from hospital to home and (2) how these patients experience the importance of social nursing on patient trajectories after hospital discharge.

Methods

A qualitative study with a phenomenological and hermeneutic approach was performed at a large hospital in southern Denmark. Adult patients who had contact with a social nurse during hospital admission were purposely sampled. Data were collected between January 2023 and March 2023. Initial patient interviews were conducted during hospital admission with a second interview 7–22 days after discharge. Systematic text condensation was used for the analysis, and Nvivo 12 supported data storage and coding.

Ethical Approval

The study is registered with the Danish Data Protection Agency (22/47509). Informed consent was given by the participants.

Results

Sixteen patients participated in the study. The participants experienced major challenges in their transitions from the hospital, which were generally related to their interactions with many different social and healthcare services. While the social nurses supported the patients and helped facilitate care during hospital admission and after discharge, the participants identified transitional care gaps related to multidisciplinary cooperation and standardised care options.

Conclusions

This study identifies challenges related to the hospital transition of socially marginalised patients, which indicates a gap in healthcare services. Future research should focus on improving interprofessional collaboration with socially marginalised patients across healthcare services.
‘Our Voices Aren't Being Heard’: A qualitative descriptive study of nurses' perceptions of interprofessional collaboration in care supporting older people's functioning during a hospital stay
Authors: Butler Jeffrey I. , Fox Mary T.
Published: February 2024

Introduction

Older people admitted to hospital are highly susceptible to functional decline and related complications. Care supporting their functioning is complex and requires healthcare professionals working in concert, with nurses playing a central role. Yet, little is known about nurses' perceptions of interprofessional collaboration (IPC) in care supporting functioning in acutely admitted older people. To fill this knowledge gap, we elucidate the perspectives of nurses in Ontario, Canada, on IPC in care supporting older people's functioning during a hospital stay.

Methods

We employed a qualitative methodology in conjunction with a qualitative descriptive design. Thirteen focus groups were held with a purposeful, criterion‐based sample of 57 acute care nurses practising in a range of acute care settings (e.g. Emergency, General Medicine, General Surgery, Intensive Care, Coronary Care). Data were thematically analysed.

Results

We identified two overarching themes: (1) IPC is improving, but nurses are excluded from decision‐making and (2) nurse advocacy causes friction with other professionals. The first theme captures nurses' perception that IPC in older people's care is improving, but nurses are marginalised in interprofessional decision‐making. As a result, nurses perceive that their knowledge is devalued, and their contributions to care supporting older people's functioning are undermined. The second theme underlines a tension between interprofessional team practices and patient‐ and family‐centred care, while also demonstrating nurses' increasing willingness to act as patient and family advocates.

Conclusions

Findings can be used to enhance IPC in care supporting the functioning of acutely hospitalised older people. To improve IPC, clinical and administrative leaders should cultivate more egalitarian team relationships that encourage nurses to contribute to decision‐making and advocate on behalf of older patients and their families.