bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influence of local structure on relic neutrino abundances and anisotropies
Authors: Zimmer Fabian , Correa Camila A. , Ando Shin'ichiro
Published: November 2023

Gravitational potentials of the Milky Way and extragalactic structures can influence the propagation of the cosmic neutrino background (CNB). Of particular interest to future CNB observatories, such as PTOLEMY, is the CNB number density on Earth. In this study, we have developed a simulation framework that maps the trajectories of relic neutrinos as they move through the local gravitational environment. The potentials are based on the dark matter halos found in state-of-the-art cosmological N-body simulations, resulting in a more nuanced and realistic input than the previously employed analytical models. We find that the complex dark matter distributions, along with their dynamic evolution, influence the abundance and anisotropies of the CNB in ways unaccounted for by earlier analytical methods. Importantly, these cosmological simulations contain multiple instances of Milky Way-like halos that we employ to model a variety of gravitational landscapes. Consequently, we notice a variation in the CNB number densities that can be primarily attributed to the differences in the masses of these individual halos. For neutrino masses between 0.01 and 0.3 eV, we note clustering factors within the range of 1 + 𝒪(10-3) to 1 + 𝒪(1). Furthermore, the asymmetric nature of the underlying dark matter distributions within the halos results in not only overdense, but intriguingly, underdense regions within the full-sky anisotropy maps. Gravitational clustering appears to have a significant impact on the angular power spectra of these maps, leading to orders of magnitude more power on smaller scales beyond multipoles of ℓ = 3 when juxtaposed against predictions by primordial fluctuations. We discuss how our results reshape our understanding of relic neutrino clustering and how this might affect observability of future CNB observatories such as PTOLEMY.GitHub: our simulation code will be made visiblehere.
The integral Chow rings of moduli of Weierstrass fibrations
Authors: Canning Samir , Di Lorenzo Andrea , Inchiostro Giovanni
Published: November 2023

We compute the Chow rings with integral coefficients of moduli stacks of minimal Weierstrass fibrations over the projective line. For each integer

N
≥
1

N\geq 1

, there is a moduli stack

W

N

m
i
n

\mathcal {W}^{\mathrm {min}}_N

parametrizing minimal Weierstrass fibrations with fundamental invariant

N
N

. Following work of Miranda and Park–Schmitt, we give a quotient stack presentation for each

W

N

m
i
n

\mathcal {W}^{\mathrm {min}}_N

. Using these presentations and equivariant intersection theory, we determine a complete set of generators and relations for each of the Chow rings. For the cases

N
=
1

N=1

(respectively,

N
=
2

N=2

), parametrizing rational (respectively, K3) elliptic surfaces, we give a more explicit computation of the relations.
Outcomes and use of healthcare resources after an intervention for chronic limb-threatening ischaemia
Authors: Saratzis Athanasios , Musto Liam , Kumar Santosh , Wang Jingyi , Bojko Louis , Lillington Joseph , Anyadi Patrick , Zayed Hany
Published: November 2023

Background

The fate of patients with chronic limb-threatening ischaemia undergoing revascularization or a primary amputation is unclear. The aim of this study was to assess the postoperative outcomes and post-procedural healthcare resource use/costs over 1 year after revascularization or a primary amputation for chronic limb-threatening ischaemia.

Methods

The UK Kent Integrated Dataset, which links primary, community, and secondary care for 1.6 million people, was interrogated. All patients with a new diagnosis of chronic limb-threatening ischaemia undergoing revascularization or a major amputation between January 2016 and January 2019 (3 years) were identified. Postoperative events across all healthcare settings and post-procedure healthcare resource use were analysed over 1 year (until the end of 2019).

Results

Overall, 4252 patients with a new diagnosis of chronic limb-threatening ischaemia were identified (65 per cent were male and the mean age was 73 years) between January 2016 and January 2019, of whom 579 (14 per cent) underwent an intervention (studied population); 296 (7 per cent) had an angioplasty, 75 (2 per cent) had bypass surgery, 141 (3 per cent) had a primary major lower limb amputation, 11 had a thrombo-embolectomy (0.3 per cent), and 56 had an endarterectomy (1.3 per cent). Readmissions (median of 2) were similar amongst different procedures within 1 year; bypass surgery was associated with more hospital appointments (median of 4 versus 2; P = 0.002). Patients undergoing a primary amputation had the highest number of cardiovascular events and 1-year mortality. In a linear regression model, index procedure type and Charlson co-morbidity index score were not predictors of appointments in primary/secondary care, community care visits, or readmissions after discharge. There were no statistically significant differences regarding post-procedural healthcare costs between procedures over 1 year.

Conclusion

Revascularization is not associated with more hospital, primary/community care appointments or increased post-procedural healthcare costs over 1 year when compared with primary amputation, in people with chronic limb-threatening ischaemia.
Plastid phylogenomics provide evidence to accept a new genus Pseudopeucedanum (Apiaceae) separated from Peucedanum s.l.
Authors: Liu Chang-Kun , Deng Jiao-Jiao , Song Bo-Ni , Qin Huan-Huan , Zhou Song-Dong , He Xing-Jin
Published: November 2023

The species Peucedanum ledebourielloides, a medicinally important herb, has previously been placed in Peucedanum s.l. based on dorsally compressed mericarps with slightly prominent dorsal ribs and narrowly winged lateral ribs. However, this genus has now been re-delimited in a narrow sense, namely Peucedanum s.s., further recognized by ternate leaves and glabrous plants, so that the taxonomic position of P. ledebourielloides is unknown. To investigate the taxonomic position of this species, we sequenced and assembled the complete plastomes for two samples of P. ledebourielloides. Phylogenetic analyses based on 79 protein-coding genes showed that the samples of P. ledebourielloides formed a separate clade and were distant from Peucedanum morisonii, a representative member of Peucedanum s.s., implying that P. ledebourielloides cannot not be placed in Peucedanum s.s. Additionally, plastome comparisons and chromosome studies indicated the clear specificity of P. ledebourielloides. In particular, pinnate leaves and dorsally compressed mericarps densely covered with forked scabrous bristles, slightly prominent dorsal ribs, narrowly winged lateral ribs, and one vitta in each furrow and two vittae on the commissure clearly distinguished P. ledebourielloides from Peucedanum s.s. and other genera of Apiaceae. Hence, a new genus, Pseudopeucedanum gen. nov., was established to accommodate this species. Our results improve the taxonomy of the family Apiaceae and provide guidance for the taxonomic revision of other taxa that are difficult to place systematically.
Schumpeter’s Gesetz and Gestalt in space: exploring evolutionary economic geographies of money and finance
Authors: Bieri David
Published: November 2023

This paper argues that money and finance are not sufficiently integrated into the research agenda of evolutionary economic geography (EEG). I identify two dimensions of Joseph Schumpeter’s vision of the inherent instability of capitalism as promising for the EEG research agenda: First, the ‘law’ (Gesetz) of a disequilibrating role of credit creation and innovations in financial relations reveals the deeply ‘monetary character’ of his theory of development. Second, Schumpeter’s vision of an evolutionary ‘form’ (Gestalt) of capitalism describes a social process that rests on macro-drivers of institutional change. Money and finance thus simultaneously act as both static indicators and dynamic drivers of economic development in space.
An adjoint-based optimization method for jointly inverting heterogeneous material properties and fault slip from earthquake surface deformation data
Authors: Puel S , Becker T W , Villa U , Ghattas O , Liu D
Published: November 2023

Analysis of tectonic and earthquake-cycle associated deformation of the crust can provide valuable insights into the underlying deformation processes including fault slip. How those processes are expressed at the surface depends on the lateral and depth variations of rock properties. The effect of such variations is often tested by forward models based on a priori geological or geophysical information. Here, we first develop a novel technique based on an open-source finite-element computational framework to invert geodetic constraints directly for heterogeneous media properties. We focus on the elastic, coseismic problem and seek to constrain variations in shear modulus and Poisson’s ratio, proxies for the effects of lithology and/or temperature and porous flow, respectively. The corresponding nonlinear inversion is implemented using adjoint-based optimization that efficiently reduces the cost function that includes the misfit between the calculated and observed displacements and a penalty term. We then extend our theoretical and numerical framework to simultaneously infer both heterogeneous Earth’s structure and fault slip from surface deformation. Based on a range of 2-D synthetic cases, we find that both model parameters can be satisfactorily estimated for the megathrust setting-inspired test problems considered. Within limits, this is the case even in the presence of noise and if the fault geometry is not perfectly known. Our method lays the foundation for a future reassessment of the information contained in increasingly data-rich settings, for example, geodetic GNSS constraints for large earthquakes such as the 2011 Tohoku-oki M9 event, or distributed deformation along plate boundaries as constrained from InSAR.
Effect of a mindfulness training app on a cigarette quit attempt: an investigator-blinded, 58-county randomized controlled trial
Authors: Black David S , Kirkpatrick Matthew G
Published: November 2023

Background

Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable cancers. A majority of the 34 million people who currently smoke report wanting to quit. Mindfulness training apps offer a guided telehealth intervention to foster individuals’ behavioral meditation practice. We present the main outcomes of a parallel-group randomized controlled trial that tested app-based mindfulness training vs attention control on smoking behavior.

Methods

We enrolled adult residents from across California who smoked daily and were willing to make a quit attempt (N = 213). Participants completed daily sessions in 10-minute segments for 14 consecutive days. Participants then started a quit attempt and reported daily smoking for 28 days following the quit date using the timeline follow-back measure.

Results

Seven-day point-prevalence abstinence for each week during the 4-week quit period ranged from 21.8% to 27.7% for app-based mindfulness training and 17.9% to 19.6% for controls. The intention-to-treat sample revealed that app-based mindfulness training outperformed controls on the proportion of abstinence days during the quit period (odds ratio = 2.00, 95% confidence interval = 1.03 to 3.87, P = .041). Although the 7-day point prevalence abstinence for week 4 favored app-based mindfulness training, significance was not reached (odds ratio = 1.65, 95% confidence interval = 0.84 to 3.23, P = .148). The mean number of cigarettes smoked per day among smokers was 4.95 for app-based mindfulness training vs 5.69 for controls (odds ratio = 0.81, 95% confidence interval = 0.71 to 0.92, P = .002), suggesting harm reduction in continued smokers.

Conclusion

A mindfulness training app prescribed for 2 weeks leading up to a quit date showed an advantage over controls for total abstinence days and fewer cigarettes smoked in a diverse sample consisting of urban and rural residents. These findings yield implications for the use of apps to reduce exposure to the carcinogenic properties of cigarette smoke.
S
8 increases with effective redshift in ΛCDM cosmology
Authors: Adil S A , Akarsu Ö , Malekjani M , Ó Colgáin E , Pourojaghi S , Sen A A , Sheikh-Jabbari M M
Published: November 2023

Hubble constant H0 and weighted amplitude of matter fluctuations S8 determinations are biased to higher and lower values, respectively, in the late universe with respect to early universe values inferred by the Planck collaboration within flat ΛCDM cosmology. If these anomalies are physical, that is, not due to systematics, they naively suggest that H0 decreases and S8 increases with effective redshift. Here, subjecting matter density today Ωm to a prior, corresponding to a combination of Planck CMB and BAO data, we perform a consistency test of the Planck-ΛCDM cosmology and show that S8 determinations from fσ8 (z) constraints increase with effective redshift. Due to the redshift evolution, a ∼3σ tension in the S8 parameter with Planck at lower redshifts remarkably becomes consistent with Planck within 1σ at high redshifts. This provides corroborating support for an S8 discrepancy that is physical in origin. We further confirm that the flat ΛCDM model is preferred over a theoretically ad hoc model with a jump in S8 at a given redshift. In the absence of the CMB+BAO Ωm prior, we find that >3σ tensions with Planck in low-redshift data are ameliorated by shifts in the parameters in high-redshift data. Results here and elsewhere suggest that the ΛCDM cosmological parameters are redshift dependent. Fitting parameters that evolve with redshift is a recognizable hallmark of model breakdown.
Modelling the light curves of transiting exomoons: a zero-order photodynamic agent added to the Transit and Light Curve Modeller
Authors: Kálmán Szilárd , Csizmadia Szilárd , Simon Attila E , Lam Kristine W F , Deline Adrien , Harre Jan-Vincent , Szabó Gyula M
Published: November 2023

Despite the ever-growing number of exoplanets discovered and the extensive analyses carried out to find their potential satellites, only two exomoon candidates, Kepler-1625b-i and Kepler-1708 b-i, have been discovered to date. A considerable amount of effort has been invested in the development of algorithms for modelling, searching, and detecting exomoons in exoplanetary light curves. In this work, we incorporate moon handling capabilities into the state of the art and publicly available code, the Transit and Light Curve Modeller (tlcm). The code is designed for the analysis of transiting exoplanet systems with the inclusion of a wavelet-based noise handling algorithm. Here, we present an updated version of tlcm that is capable of modelling a coplanar planet–moon system on an elliptical orbit around its host, accounting for mutual eclipses between the two bodies (and neglecting perturbative effects) – a so-called photodynamic model. The key benefit of this framework is the ability for a joint analysis of multiple planet–moon transits. We demonstrate the necessity of this software on a case study of Kepler-1625b. Similarly to prior works, we conclude that there is no firm evidence of an exomoon in that system, by showing that temporally correlated noise can mimic apparent lunar transits.
Otospermophilus douglasii (Rodentia: Sciuridae)
Authors: Long Douglas J , Smith Jennifer E
Published: November 2023

Otospermophilus douglasii (Richardson, 1829), the Douglas ground squirrel, was first described as a species and then relegated to a subspecies of the California ground squirrel, O. beecheyi (Richardson, 1829). However, genetic data recently were interpreted as indicative of returning O. douglasii back to valid species status. This semi-fossorial, social species is brown with small white spots, a dark dorsal patch, and silvery shoulders. Occupying diverse habitats and elevations, this native species is an important prey species and is most abundant in grasslands and open woodlands. It forages primarily on seeds and vegetation but is also in conflict with humans as a crop pest and disease vector that damages infrastructure through creating elaborate burrow systems. Currently, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has not provided a conservation assessment for O. douglasii.
The association between cortical gyrification and sleep in adolescents and young adults
Authors: Lima Santos João Paulo , Hayes Rebecca , Franzen Peter L , Goldstein Tina R , Hasler Brant P , Buysse Daniel J , Siegle Greg J , Dahl Ronald E , Forbes Erika E , Ladouceur Cecile D , McMakin Dana L , Ryan Neal D , Silk Jennifer S , Jalbrzikowski Maria , Soehner Adriane M
Published: November 2023

Study Objectives

Healthy sleep is important for adolescent neurodevelopment, and relationships between brain structure and sleep can vary in strength over this maturational window. Although cortical gyrification is increasingly considered a useful index for understanding cognitive and emotional outcomes in adolescence, and sleep is also a strong predictor of such outcomes, we know relatively little about associations between cortical gyrification and sleep. We aimed to identify developmentally invariant (stable across age) or developmentally specific (observed only during discrete age intervals) gyrification-sleep relationships in young people.

Methods

A total of 252 Neuroimaging and Pediatric Sleep Databank participants (9–26 years; 58.3% female) completed wrist actigraphy and a structural MRI scan. Local gyrification index (lGI) was estimated for 34 bilateral brain regions. Naturalistic sleep characteristics (duration, timing, continuity, and regularity) were estimated from wrist actigraphy. Regularized regression for feature selection was used to examine gyrification-sleep relationships.

Results

For most brain regions, greater lGI was associated with longer sleep duration, earlier sleep timing, lower variability in sleep regularity, and shorter time awake after sleep onset. lGI in frontoparietal network regions showed associations with sleep patterns that were stable across age. However, in default mode network regions, lGI was only associated with sleep patterns from late childhood through early-to-mid adolescence, a period of vulnerability for mental health disorders.

Conclusions

We detected both developmentally invariant and developmentally specific ties between local gyrification and naturalistic sleep patterns. Default mode network regions may be particularly susceptible to interventions promoting more optimal sleep during childhood and adolescence.
A revised taxonomy and phylogeny of opalinids (Stramenopiles: Opalinata) inferred from the analysis of complete nuclear ribosomal DNA genes
Authors: Li Ming , Hu Guangran , Zhao Weishan , Zou Hong , Li Wenxiang , Wu Shangong , Wang Guitang , Ponce-Gordo Francisco
Published: November 2023

The Opalinida comprise ciliated protists that live as intestinal endoparasites in poikilothermic vertebrates. They are classified as one group of colourless Stramenopiles, the Opalinata, along with Proteromonadida (Proteromonas and Karotomorpha). The validity of certain opalinid genera is questionable, and their genetic relationships remain unclear. In this study, we conducted complete ribosomal DNA gene sequencing of nine opalinid species (belonging to Opalina, Protoopalina, Zelleriella, and Cepedea) from China. We compared the primary sequences, secondary structures, and characteristics of short tandem repeats within the expansion segments of the sequences. Additionally, a TimeTree analysis was performed to estimate divergence times. Our findings suggest that opalinids diverged from proteromonads ~250–220 Mya, with Protoopalina being the ancient genus. There is no genetic evidence supporting the differentiation of Cepedea and Bezzenbergeria as distinct genera, and they have been synonymized: Opalina (= Cepedea) and Protoopalina (= Bezzenbergeria); new combinations of species names are listed. Opalinid rDNA sequences exhibit greater length compared with other groups owing to A-T insertions within the expansion segments. These insertions consist of short tandem repeats and appear to be associated with speciation events that led to genus differentiation.
Creating and Using Poetry to Teach Theoretical and Conceptual Nursing Content
Authors: Metersky Kateryna , Rahman Rezwana , Hoang Christy
Published: November 2023

In nursing academia, educators are faced with the longstanding challenge of bridging the theory-practice gap. In a second-year nursing theory course, students were introduced to poetry on a biweekly basis, written by their educator in response to student needs in understanding complex theoretical and conceptual nursing topics. Through anecdotal evidence from clinical instructors and students, the sharing of poetry and subsequent discussions helped students to develop and enhance their critical thinking and clinical judgment, reasoning, and decision-making skills. This transformative pedagogical approach offers an alternative teaching strategy that can provide the basis for meaningful discussion and bridge the theory-practice gap.
Normative Measurements of L1 to S1 Neuroforaminal Dimensions Derived From Plain Film Radiography, Computed Tomography, and Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Authors: Razzouk Jacob , Vyhmeister Ethan , Carter Davis , Sajdak Grant , Nguyen Kai , Carter Mei , Kagabo Whitney , Ramos Omar , Wycliffe Nathaniel , Cheng Wayne , Danisa Olumide
Published: November 2023

Study Design.

Retrospective cohort.

Objective.

To report normative measurements of L1 to S1 lumbar neuroforamina on plain film radiography (PFR), computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), accounting for patients' sex and ethnicity.

Background.

The quantitative criteria fothe diagnosis of neuroforaminal stenosis remains unknown. Acquiring a thorough understanding of normative foraminal dimensions is a key step in formulating objective parameters for neuroforaminal stenosis.

Patients and Methods.

We measured 988 images from 494 patients between 18 and 35 years old without spinal pathology who received PFR, CT, or MRI within 1 year of each other. Neuroforaminal measurements were defined as the height, area, and sagittal and axial widths. Statistical analyses were performed to assess relationships among PFR, CT, and MRI-derived neuroforaminal measurements, as well as the influence of patients' sex and ethnicity.

Results.

330 PFR, 377 CT, and 281 MRI were measured. Of these, 213 PFR and CT, 117 PFR and MRI, and 164 MRI and CT intrapatient images were compared. Statistically significant differences were observed among PFR, CT, and MRI measurements across all levels L1 to S1. PFR measurements were larger compared with those derived from CT and MRI. Weak-to-moderate correlations were observed between PFR and CT, PFR and MRI, and CT and MRI, with the magnitude of correlation decreasing caudally from L1 to S1. Variations in neuroforaminal anatomy were observed based on sex and ethnicity.

Conclusion.

This study reports 25,951 measurements of normal L1 to S1 neuroforaminal anatomy assessed by PFR, CT, and MRI. The values reported in this study may be used as normative reference measurements of the lumbar neuroforamina. PFR measurements of the neuroforamina are larger compared with those derived from CT and MRI across all levels from L1 to S1. There is a poor correlation between PFR, CT, and MRI when measuring the lumbar neuroforamina. Differences in neuroforaminal anatomy are evident based on patients' sex and ethnicity.
Prior Fragility Fractures are Associated With a Higher Risk of Bone Health-Related Complications Within Eight Years Following Lumbar Fusion
Authors: Zhao Amy Y. , Agarwal Amil R. , Durand Wesley M. , Raad Micheal , Seibold B. Tanner , Thakkar Savyasachi C. , Jain Amit
Published: November 2023

Study Design.

Retrospective study.

Objective.

To determine the 8-year risk of revision lumbar fusion, pseudoarthrosis, mechanical failure, fragility fracture, and vertebral compression fracture in patients with a prior fragility fracture compared with those without.

Summary of Background Data.

Osteoporosis is a known modifiable risk factor for revision following lumbar fusion due to inadequate fixation. Patients with prior fragility fractures have been shown to have increased bone health-related complications following various orthopedic surgeries; however, there is a paucity of literature that identifies these complications in patients undergoing lumbar fusion.

Patients and Methods.

Patients aged 50 years and older who underwent elective lumbar fusion were identified in a large national database and stratified based on whether they sustained a fragility fracture within three years prior to fusion. These patients were propensity-score matched to a control based on age, gender, and Charlson the comorbidity index using a 1:1 ratio. Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards analyses were used to observe the cumulative incidences and risk of complications within eight years of index surgery.

Results.

After matching, 8805 patients were included in both cohorts. Patients who sustained a prior fragility fracture had a higher risk of revision [hazard ratio (HR): 1.46; 95% CI: 1.26–1.69; P<0.001), pseudoarthrosis (HR: 1.31; 95% CI: 1.17–1.48; P<0.001), mechanical failure (HR: 2.08; 95% CI: 1.78–2.45; P<0.001), secondary fragility fracture (HR: 6.36; 95% CI: 5.86–6.90; P<0.001), and vertebral compression fracture (HR: 7.47; 95% CI: 7.68–8.21; P<0.001) when compared with the control cohort.

Conclusion.

Patients who sustain a fragility fracture prior to lumbar fusion have an increased risk of revision, pseudoarthrosis, and mechanical failure within eight years. Surgeons should be aware of this high-risk patient population and consider bone health screening and treatment to reduce these preventable complications.
Vitamin A deficiency with nyctalopia after bilateral cataract surgery with multifocal intraocular lenses
Authors: Beaman Madeleine , Flynn Patrick , Moore Phoebe
Published: November 2023

Introduction:

The purpose of this case study was to report an unusual case of vitamin A deficiency (VAD) with nyctalopia that was diagnosed after bilateral cataract surgery with multifocal intraocular lenses (IOLs).

Patient and Clinical Findings:

After cataract surgery with multifocal IOLs, a 66-year-old man developed progressive intolerable night vision symptoms, requesting IOL exchange.

Diagnosis, Intervention, and Outcomes:

Only careful history and investigation revealed the cause to be VAD secondary to celiac disease, rather than lens-related. The patient was commenced on parenteral vitamin A resulting in a complete resolution of nyctalopia.

Conclusions:

To our knowledge, this is the only reported case of VAD diagnosed in this context. We reflect on the importance of thorough history taking, particularly in patients referred for cataract surgery by their optometrist, where the provided medical history may be incomplete.
OSATS scoring confirms ICG enhancement of performance in laparoscopic radical gastrectomy: A post hoc analysis of a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Huang Ze-Ning , He Qi-Chen , Qiu Wen-Wu , Wu Ju , Zheng Chang-Yue , Lin Guo-Sheng , Li Ping , Wang Jia-Bin , Lin Jian-Xian , Lu Jun , Cao Long-Long , Lin Mi , Tu Ru-Hong , Zheng Chao-Hui , Chen Qi-Yue , Huang Chang-Ming , Xie Jian-Wei
Published: November 2023

Background:

Indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence imaging is effective in increasing the number of lymph node dissections during laparoscopic radical gastrectomy; however, no studies have attempted to explain this phenomenon.

Methods:

This study utilized the data from a previous randomized controlled trial (FUGES-012 study) investigating ICG-guided laparoscopic radical gastrectomy performed between November 2018 and July 2019. The Objective Structured Assessments of Technical Skills (OSATS) scoring system was used to grade videos from the ICG and non-ICG groups. Patients with an OSATS score >29 were classified as the high-OSATS population, while those with an OSATS score ≤29 were classified as the low-OSATS population.

Results:

A total of 258 patients were included in the modified intention-to-treat analysis: 129 in the ICG group and 129 in the non-ICG group. The OSATS score of the ICG group was higher than that of the non-ICG group (29.6 ± 2.6 vs. 26.6 ± 3.6; P<0.001). The ICG group underwent a significantly higher mean total number of lymph node dissections than the non-ICG group (50.5 ± 15.9 vs. 42.0 ± 10.3; adjusted P<0.001). The group assigned to ICG use, better OSATS (high-OSATS) scores were observed, which correlated with greater D2 lymph node retrieval (54.1±15.0 vs. 47.2±8.7; adjusted P=0.039). Finally, the ICG group had a lower rate of lymph node non-compliance than that of the non-ICG group (31.8% vs. 57.4%; P<0.001).

Conclusions:

By applying ICG fluorescence navigation technique, better OSATS scores were observed, which correlated with greater lymph node retrieval and lower lymph node non-compliance rate, as recommended for individualized laparoscopic radical gastrectomy.
Enhanced recovery after surgery for liver transplantation: a review of recent literature
Authors: Crouch Cara E. , Stewart Erin , Hendrickse Adrian
Published: November 2023

Purpose of review

This review was created to highlight important articles from the past year related to the evolving field of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) in liver transplantation that are relevant to the transplant anesthesiologist.

Recent findings

The International Liver Transplantation Society (ILTS) recently completed a landmark project, the ERAS4OLT.org project, which culminated in 80 recommendations for ERAS in liver transplantation. These recommendations encompass management for deceased donor recipients, living donor recipients and living donors. This review highlights selected articles relevant to the perioperative management of deceased donor liver transplant recipients.

Though, there are now published internationally agreed upon recommendations for ERAS topics specific to liver transplantation, there is an obvious need for further investigation into this area to provide high quality evidence to support these recommendations. It is reasonable to utilize these recommendations in ERAS protocols for individual institutions; however, more evidence is needed in several areas to confirm the effects of these protocols on short-term outcomes.
Prevalence of and risk factors for surgical site infections after pancreaticoduodenectomy: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Hu Hongfei , Zhou Ting , Qiu Yijin , Li Yuxin , Liu Wei , Meng Rui , Zhang Xueke , Ma Aixia , Li Hongchao
Published: November 2023

Background:

Surgical site infections (SSIs) are one of the most common complications after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD); however, the global prevalence and risk factors for SSIs after PD remain unknown.

Objectives:

To investigate the prevalence of and risk factors for SSIs after PD.

Methods:

The PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Science Direct databases were systematically searched from inception to 1 December 2022. Observational studies reporting adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of risk factors for SSIs in patients undergoing PD were included. Two independent reviewers in teams performed data extraction, risk of bias assessment, and level of evidence analysis. The pooled results were estimated using a random-effects model. The I
2 statistic and Q χ
2 statistic were used to assess heterogeneity. Funnel plots, Egger’s regression test, and the trim-and-fill method were used to determine publication bias. The primary outcomes were identifying risk factors for SSIs after PD. The secondary outcomes were the pooled prevalence rates of SSIs.

Results:

A total of 98 704 patients from 45 studies were included, and 80% of the studies were considered high quality. The estimated pooled prevalence of SSIs was 23% (0.19–0.27, I
2=97%). The prevalence of SSIs was found to be higher in Japan and lower in USA. Preoperative biliary stenting, higher body mass index (BMI), longer operation time, postoperative pancreatic fistula, soft pancreatic texture, perioperative blood transfusion, and cardiac disease were identified as significant risk factors for the development of SSIs after PD. Additionally, broad-spectrum antibiotics were a significant protective factor against SSIs. Subgroup analysis and sensitivity analysis showed that the results were robust.

Conclusion and relevance:

The prevalence of SSIs remains high and varies widely among regions. It is necessary to take effective preventive measures and carry out more prospective studies to further verify these results.
Analysis of microRNA expression profiles involved oxidative stress in a deep tissue pressure injury
Authors: Wang Xiaoying , Shan Hui , Zhang Ju
Published: November 2023

Objective:

To investigate the association between oxidative stress and the development of deep tissue pressure injury (DTPI) at the genetic level by analyzing microRNA (miRNA) expression profiles in DTPI tissues.

Methods:

A model of DTPI was established in 3 adult mice and 3 elderly mice, whereas another set of 3 adult mice and 3 elderly mice was used as controls. Wound tissues were stained with hematoxylin and eosin to observe the histologic changes, and total RNA was extracted for high-throughput sequencing. Differentially expressed oxidative stress-related miRNAs were screened, and target genes were predicted using TargetScan (v5.0) and Miranda (v3.3a). Enrichment analysis of these genes was executed using the Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes databases. Selected differentially expressed miRNAs were further validated by quantitative real-time–polymerase chain reaction.

Results:

The results showed that 128 miRNAs were associated with oxidative stress, among which 86 were downregulated, and 42 were upregulated in the DTPI-elderly group; 21 were differentially expressed in the DTPI-adult group (P < 0.05). Moreover, the miRNA associated with oxidation stress between the two groups was miR-181a-1-3p. Its target genes mainly regulated MAPK and AGE pathways. quantitative real-time–polymerase chain reaction results showed that miR-181a-1-3p and miR-21a-5p were significantly downregulated in DTPI tissues.

Conclusion:

By analyzing miRNA expression profiles related to oxidative stress through a high-throughput sequencing system, this study sheds light on the potential pathologic mechanisms underpinning DTPI.
Nurse-Administered Propofol Sedation Training Curricula and Propofol Administration in Digestive Endoscopy Procedures
Authors: Minciullo Andrea , Filomeno Lucia
Published: November 2023

Although efficacy and safety of nonanesthesiologist administration of propofol and nurse-administered propofol sedation practices have been amply demonstrated in patients at low American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status risk, they are still severely limited. To date, it is quite difficult to find a protocol or a shared training program. The aim of the study was to verify requirements, types of training, and operating methods described in the literature for the administration of propofol by a nurse. A scoping review of the literature was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA-ScR guidelines and in line with Arksey and O'Malley's framework, within four main databases of biomedical interest: MEDLINE, CINAHL, Scopus, and Web of Science. We selected studies published during the last 20 years, including only nurses not trained in anesthesia. Seventeen articles were eligible. Despite the differences between the training and administration methods, efficacy and safety of deep sedation managed by trained nurses were comparable, just like when sedation was administered by certified registered nurse anesthetists. Training programs have been investigated in detail by only a small number of studies, although its efficacy and safety have been widely demonstrated. It is important, then, to collect evidence that allows developing of unified international guidelines for training methods to offer safe and cost-effective quality sedation.
The Effect on Anxiety and Satisfaction of Video-Assisted Education Given Before an ERCP Procedure
Authors: Çevik Leyla , Rizalar Selda
Published: November 2023

Providing education in medical procedures may ensure patients' compliance, reduce anxiety, and increase satisfaction. This randomized controlled research study was conducted to determine the effect of video-assisted education on anxiety and satisfaction given before an endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography procedure. A total of 70 patients participated between September 2017 and December 2018. Data were collected with the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and the Visual Analogue Scale. Routine education was given to the control group, while routine education and video-assisted education were given to the intervention group. There was no difference between the state anxiety scores of the groups before the procedure (p > .05). The state anxiety level of the intervention group was lower than that of the control group after the procedure (p < .05). There was no significant difference between the trait anxiety scores of groups before and after the procedure (p > .05). The postprocedure trait anxiety mean score of the intervention group decreased statistically significantly compared with the preprocedure mean score (p < .05). The mean satisfaction score after the procedure was higher in the intervention group than in the control group (p < .05). It was determined that video-assisted education decreased state and trait anxiety and increased satisfaction after the procedure.
Extra terrestrials: drought creates niche space for rare invertebrates in a large-scale and long-term field experiment
Authors: Aspin Thomas W. H. , Khamis Kieran , Matthews Thomas J. , Williams Gavin M. D. , Windsor Fredric M. , Woodward Guy , Ledger Mark E.
Published: November 2023

Freshwater habitats are drying more frequently and for longer under the combined pressures of climate change and overabstraction. Unsurprisingly, many aquatic species decline or become locally extinct as their benthic habitat is lost during stream droughts, but less is known about the potential ‘winners’: those terrestrial species that may exploit emerging niches in drying riverbeds. In particular, we do not know how these transient ecotones will respond as droughts become more extreme in the future. To find out we used a large-scale, long-term mesocosm experiment spanning a wide gradient of drought intensity, from permanent flows to full streambed dewatering, and analysed terrestrial invertebrate community assembly after 1 year. Droughts that caused stream fragmentation gave rise to the most diverse terrestrial invertebrate assemblages, including 10 species with UK conservation designations, and high species turnover between experimental channels. Droughts that caused streambed dewatering produced lower terrestrial invertebrate richness, suggesting that the persistence of instream pools may benefit these taxa as well as aquatic biota. Particularly intense droughts may therefore yield relatively few ‘winners’ among either aquatic or terrestrial species, indicating that the threat to riverine biodiversity from future drought intensification could be more pervasive than widely acknowledged.
A molecular perspective on quantum information
Authors: Scholes Gregory D.
Published: November 2023

Some of the fundamentals of quantum information science are described, including the concepts of quantum resources, quantum states and mixedness of states. The explanations are detailed and include a combination of basic facts with fully worked examples, and some more advanced topics. The principles of quantum information are illustrated with chemical examples drawn from singlet fission, photophysics of radicals, molecular excitons, electron transfer and so on. Suggestions for prospects and challenges for the field are discussed.
Benefits and costs of female and male care in amphibians: a meta-analytical approach
Authors: Machado Glauco , Macedo-Rego Renato C.
Published: November 2023

The origin of parental care is a central question in evolutionary biology, and understating the evolution of this behaviour requires quantifying benefits and costs. To address this subject, we conducted a meta-analysis on amphibians, a group in which parental care has evolved multiple times. We found that both male and female parents increase egg survival, regardless of whether the breeding site is concealed or exposed. Parental care also increases survival and growth of tadpoles and juveniles, independent of the caring sex. However, parental care reduces parental body condition, particularly when parents remain stationary near the offspring. Females tend to experience higher reproductive costs, but sample size is restricted to few species. In some frog species, paternal care increases male reproductive success because females prefer caring males. The benefits of parental care in amphibians resembles those reported for arthropods but differ from fish, in which parental care does not improve offspring survival. Moreover, the decrease in body condition, which is not found in fish, is influenced by the form of parental care, suggesting a trade-off between caring and foraging, as already reported for certain arthropods. Finally, the reproductive costs of parental care for both sexes remain unexplored and deserve further research.
Guides and cheats: producer–scrounger dynamics in the human–honeyguide mutualism
Authors: Cram Dominic L. , Lloyd-Jones David J. , van der Wal Jessica E. M. , Lund Jess , Buanachique Iahaia O. , Muamedi Musaji , Nanguar Carvalho I. , Ngovene Antonio , Raveh Shirley , Boner Winnie , Spottiswoode Claire N.
Published: November 2023

Foraging animals commonly choose whether to find new food (as ‘producers’) or scavenge from others (as ‘scroungers’), and this decision has ecological and evolutionary consequences. Understanding these tactic decisions is particularly vital for naturally occurring producer–scrounger systems of economic importance, because they determine the system's productivity and resilience. Here, we investigate how individuals' traits predict tactic decisions, and the consistency and pay-offs of these decisions, in the remarkable mutualism between humans (
Homo sapiens
) and greater honeyguides (
Indicator indicator
). Honeyguides can either guide people to bees’ nests and eat the resulting beeswax (producing), or scavenge beeswax (scrounging). Our results suggest that honeyguides flexibly switched tactics, and that guiding yielded greater access to the beeswax. Birds with longer tarsi scrounged more, perhaps because they are more competitive. The lightest females rarely guided, possibly to avoid aggression, or because genetic matrilines may affect female body mass and behaviour in this species. Overall, aspects of this producer–scrounger system probably increase the productivity and resilience of the associated human–honeyguide mutualism, because the pay-offs incentivize producing, and tactic-switching increases the pool of potential producers. Broadly, our findings suggest that even where tactic-switching is prevalent and producing yields greater pay-offs, certain phenotypes may be predisposed to one tactic.
Isolation and characterization of Pinibacter soli sp. nov., and in silico genome mining of Pinibacter for biosynthetic gene cluster prediction
Authors: Huq Md. Amdadul , Rahman Md. Shahedur , Rahman M. Mizanur , Akter Shahina
Published: November 2023

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, rod-shaped, non-motile and non-flagellated novel bacterial strain, designated MAH-24T, was isolated from the rhizospheric soil of a pine garden. The colonies were observed to be orange-coloured, smooth, spherical and 0.4–0.8 mm in diameter when grown on Reasoner's 2A agar medium for 2 days. Strain MAH-24T was found to be able to grow at 10–35 °C, at pH 6.0–9.0 and in the presence of 0–1.0 % NaCl (w/v). The strain was found to be positive for the catalase and oxidase tests. The strain was positive for hydrolysis of aesculin and l-tyrosine. According to the 16S rRNA gene sequence comparisons, the isolate was identified as a member of the genus

Pinibacter

and to be closely related to

Pinibacter aurantiacus

MAH-26T (99.2 % sequence similarity). The novel strain MAH-24T has a draft genome size of 5 918 133 bp (13 contigs), annotated with 4613 protein-coding genes, 47 tRNA and three rRNA genes. The average nucleotide identity (ANI) and digital DNA–DNA hybridization (dDDH) values between strain MAH-24T and the closest type strain

P. aurantiacus

MAH-26T were in the range of 85.3 and 29.9 %, respectively. In silico genome mining revealed that both novel strain MAH-24T and

P. aurantiacus

MAH-26T have a significant potential for the production of novel natural products in the future. The genomic DNA G+C content was determined to be 41.0 mol%. The predominant isoprenoid quinone was menaquinone-7. The major fatty acids were identified as C15:0 iso, C15:1 iso G and C17:0 iso 3OH. On the basis of dDDH, ANI, genotypic, chemotaxonomic and physiological data, strain MAH-24T represents a novel species within the genus

Pinibacter

, for which the name Pinibacter soli sp. nov. is proposed, with MAH-24T (=KACC 19747T=CGMCC 1.13659T) as the type strain.
Racial Disparities in the Genetic Landscape of Acute Myeloid Leukaemia from The Cancer Genome Atlas: Insights from a Bioinformatics Analysis
Authors: Nkhoma Panji , Dzobo Kevin , Kafita Doris , Kwenda Geoffrey , Munsaka Sody , Musalula Sinkala
Published: November 2023

Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) is a heterogeneous disease with complex pathogenesis that affects hematopoietic stem cells. Ethnic and racial disparities have been reported to affect treatment and survival outcomes in AML patients. Here, we analysed clinical and transcriptomic data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) to investigate potential differences in the genetic landscape of AML between African and European individuals. We found several differentially expressed mRNA transcripts between the AML of Africans and Europeans. Notably, AML in African patients exhibited enrichment for several pathways, including signalling by G-protein-coupled receptors, oncostatin M, and codeine and morphine metabolism. In contrast, AML in European patients showed enrichment for pathways related to the glial cell-line derived neurotrophic factor/rearranged during transfection signalling axis, gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor activation, and ligand-gated ion transport channels. Additionally, kinase enrichment analysis identified shared and distinct kinases in AML among Africans and Europeans: Africans showed an enrichment of cyclin-dependent kinases, while Europeans exhibited an enrichment of ULK2, CSNK2B, and CAMK1. Our study highlights the potential importance of considering race when evaluating the genetic landscape of AML, which may improve treatment strategies for this disease.