bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The gut microbiome is associated with disease‐free survival in stage I–III colorectal cancer patients
Authors: Byrd Doratha A. , Damerell Victoria , Gomez Morales Maria F. , Hogue Stephanie R. , Lin Tengda , Ose Jennifer , Himbert Caroline , Ilozumba Mmadili N. , Kahlert Christoph , Shibata David , Toriola Adetunji T. , Li Christopher I. , Figueiredo Jane , Stephens W. Zac , Warby Christy A. , Hardikar Sheetal , Siegel Erin M. , Round June , Ulrich Cornelia M. , Gigic Biljana
Published: January 2025

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second overall leading cause of cancer death in the United States, with recurrence being a frequent cause of mortality. Approaches to improve disease‐free survival (DFS) are urgently needed. The gut microbiome, reflected in fecal samples, is likely mechanistically linked to CRC progression and may serve as a non‐invasive biomarker. Accordingly, we leveraged baseline fecal samples from N = 166 stage I–III CRC patients in the ColoCare Study, a prospective cohort of newly diagnosed CRC patients. We sequenced the V3 and V4 regions of the 16S rRNA gene to characterize fecal bacteria. We calculated estimates of alpha diversity, beta diversity, and a priori‐ and exploratory‐selected bacterial presence/absence and relative abundance. Associations of microbial metrics with DFS were estimated using multivariable Cox proportional hazards models. We found that alpha diversity was strongly associated with improved DFS, most strongly among rectal cancer patients (Shannon HRrectum = 0.40 95% CI = 0.19, 0.87; p = .02). Overall microbiome composition differences (beta diversity), as characterized by principal coordinate axes, were statistically significantly associated with DFS. Peptostreptococcus was statistically significantly associated with worse DFS (HR = 1.62, 95% CI = 1.13, 2.31; p = .01 per 1‐SD) and Order Clostridiales was associated with improved DFS (HR = 0.62, 95% CI = 0.43–0.88; p = .01 per 1‐SD). In exploratory analyses, Coprococcus and Roseburia were strongly associated with improved DFS. Overall, higher bacterial diversity and multiple bacteria were strongly associated with DFS. Metagenomic sequencing to elucidate species, gene, and functional level details among larger, diverse patient populations are critically needed to support the microbiome as a biomarker of CRC outcomes.
An Ensemble Model Minimising Misjudgment Cost: Empirical Evidence From Chinese Listed Companies
Authors: Yuan Kunpeng , Abedin Mohammad Zoynul , Hajek Petr
Published: January 2025

Predicting corporate financial distress is critical for bank lending and corporate bond investment decisions. Incorrect identification of default status can mislead lenders and investors, leading to substantial losses. This paper proposes an ensemble model that minimises the overall cost of misjudgment by considering the imbalanced ratio weighted loss of the unbalanced ratio of Type I and Type II errors in the objective function. Unlike existing static financial distress prediction models, the proposed model integrates panel data by using time‐shifting to account for credit risk dynamics. To validate the prediction model, data were collected for Chinese listed companies, considering geographic area, ownership structure and firm size. We demonstrate that by weighting predictions from different classification models, the overall misjudgment cost can be minimised. This study identifies earnings per share and the product price index as the most relevant indicators affecting the financial performance of Chinese‐listed companies. Overall, the results indicate that the proposed model has a predictive capacity of up to 5 years, with 98.7% for 1‐year forecasting horizons and 96.8% for 5‐year‐ahead forecasting horizons. Furthermore, the proposed model outperforms existing distress prediction models in overall prediction performance by correctly identifying defaulting companies while avoiding misjudging good companies.
A case of Page kidney due to an encapsulated perirenal hematoma improved by capsulectomy
Authors: Takeda Tomoki , Okada Atsushi , Iida Keitaro , Etani Toshiki , Taguchi Kazumi , Naiki Taku , Nakane Akihiro , Kubota Yasue , Umemoto Yukihiro , Kawai Noriyasu , Hayashi Yutaro , Yasui Takahiro
Published: January 2025

Introduction

Page kidney causes secondary hypertension due to external compression of the renal parenchyma and renal hypoperfusion.

Case presentation

A 21‐year‐old healthy man was diagnosed with hypertension during a medical examination 3 months after he had gotten a bruise at the right lumbar region. The patient's blood pressure was 176/120 mmHg. Computed tomography showed a large encapsulated cystic lesion around the right kidney and severe external compression of the renal parenchyma. Dimercaptosuccinic acid renal scintigraphy revealed decreased right split renal function. Therefore, the patient was diagnosed with a Page kidney. Percutaneous drainage of the hematoma was performed. However, the hematoma enlarged again. Capsulectomy was subsequently performed. The pathological findings revealed capsule fibrosis and hyperplasia of the capillaries in the inner capsule layer. After capsulectomy, the patient's blood pressure normalized.

Conclusion

Blood leakage from the fibrotic capsule likely maintained the hematoma. Capsulectomy is recommended in cases involving an encapsulated perineal hematoma.
Environmental Aromatic Amine Induces Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Associated With Estrogen Signaling and Serpine1
Authors: Harmon Ashlyn C. , Carroll‐Turpin Michelle A. , Jennings Merilyn H. , Jelesijevic Tomislav , Ebenezer Philip , Aryal Ankit , Yu Qingzhao , Francis Joseph , Dugas Tammy R.
Published: January 2025

4,4′‐Diaminodiphenylmethane (DAPM) is an aromatic amine used in the industrial synthesis of polyurethane. In rats, acute DAPM exposure induces biliary epithelial cell injury in the liver, but subchronic exposure promotes a female‐specific pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). PAH in humans is four times more prevalent in women than men. To shed light on mechanisms explaining the female selectivity of PAH in humans, we examined molecular pathways underlying DAPM‐induced PAH in female rats. Intersections between DAPM‐mediated hepatic injury and DAPM‐induced PAH were also interrogated. Intact compared to ovariectomized female rats were gavaged once weekly for 12 weeks with DAPM or vehicle. Morphometric analysis in lung sections was used to quantify PAH pathology. mRNA from liver were assessed for DAPM‐induced alterations in genes associated with aryl hydrocarbon receptor, estrogen response, and endothelin‐1 signaling. mRNA from pulmonary arteries were subjected to transcript profiling, and pathways associated with differentially expressed genes were mapped. First, DAPM‐induced PAH was exacerbated by ovariectomy. Although DAPM‐mediated liver injury per se was not correlated with its induction of PAH, increases in levels of the potent vasoconstrictor endothelin‐1 were exacerbated by ovariectomy and were correlated with increased expression of Edn1 in the liver. In pulmonary arteries, transcript profiling revealed that DAPM and ovariectomy interacted to dysregulate estrogen receptor, VEGF, PI3K/AKT, endothelin‐1, glucocorticoid receptor, IL‐17A, and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis signaling. One of the most dysregulated genes associated with both DAPM and estrogen status was Serpine1.
Lung Ultrasound—A Supplementary Tool for the Diagnosis of Pulmonary Tuberculosis in Children
Authors: Rathi Vinita , Rawat Raveena , Kumar Sumit , Srivastava Amol , Tandon Anupama
Published: January 2025

Background

There are logistic problems in obtaining adequate microbiological samples for the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) in children, globally. Most studies on ultrasound have evaluated mediastinal nodes in children with tuberculosis (TB), but very few studies are available on lung ultrasound (LUS) appearances in proven PTB.

Purpose

To study the LUS appearances in children with microbiologically proven PTB and to assess the inter‐observer agreement.

Materials and Methods

Thirty children with microbiologically proven PTB, were evaluated prospectively on LUS and chest radiograph (CR) in Radiology department of a tertiary care hospital, from November 2019 to November 2021. CR was interpreted by an experienced Radiologist (R2); LUS was conducted by a Radiology resident (R1), who was blinded to CR findings; and findings were recorded. Archived static images/videos of LUS were interpreted by R2 after a month, to avoid bias; and findings were recorded.

Results

Composite LUS finding of either consolidation and subpleural nodule (SUN) was detected in 29/30 (96.7%) children with lower zone predominance (70%). Miliary pattern was observed on LUS in 11/30 (33.3%) children, but their CR was normal. Consolidation was detected on LUS in a significantly higher proportion of children (83.3%) than on CR (43.3%). Inter‐observer agreement calculated for detection of consolidation and pleural effusion was k = 0.88, for B lines k = 0.79, confluent B lines k = 0.75, miliary nodules k = 0.70 and SUN k = 0.57.

Conclusion

We conclude that in low‐resource endemic areas, LUS by virtue of being non ‐invasive and not using ionizing radiation, can be a useful supplementary tool in the diagnosis of childhood PTB.
Post‐operative injection of hydrolyzed collagen peptides shows anti‐inflammatory effect in patients with femoroacetabular impingement improving the early recovery
Authors: Tassinari Enrico , Minerba Andrea , Basile Tommaso , Bucciarelli Alessio , Traina Francesco , Grigolo Brunella , Zaffagnini Stefano , Olivotto Eleonora
Published: January 2025

Purpose

This study aimed to compare the use of cortisone (C), intra‐articular injected at the end of hip arthroscopy in patients with femoroacetabular impingement (FAI), to a new Class III medical device based on hydrolyzed collagen peptides ‘PEPTYS’ (P) and, to investigate potential associations among preoperative symptoms and hip function, outcomes after arthroscopic surgery and presence of inflammatory biomarkers in synovial fluids (SFs) at basal condition.

Methods

The two treatments were administrated to patients scheduled for arthroscopy with simple blind randomization sampling. Based on the sample size calculation, the number necessary to recruit was at least 20 patients for the C group and 20 for the P group. SFs, when available, were obtained by aspiration just prior to surgical intervention. At the baseline, osteoarthritis (OA) severity was assessed with a radiographic scoring system (Tönnis classification). Physical examination and clinical assessment using the Hip disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (HOOS) and visual analogue scale (VAS) score for pain were performed at the time of surgery and at 1 and 6 months of follow‐up. At the time of surgery, chondral (Outerbridge score) and labral pathology based on direct arthroscopic visualization were also evaluated.

Results

Forty‐seven FAI patients were enroled, with a median age of 35 years with a standard deviation (SD) of 10.6 and a body mass index of 24.3kg/m² with an SD of 4.5. 24 patients were treated with C and 23 with P. Both treatments did not show any statistically significant difference in hip function and pain. High expression of inflammatory molecules in SFs was correlated with the worst post‐operative articular function.

Conclusions

Our study showed that the use of P was completely comparable to cortisone. Therefore, PEPTYS might be a valuable candidate to improve early recovery, in terms of pain and function, from arthroscopic FAI treatment.

Level of Evidence

Level III, comparative and randomized study.
Malnutrition and Associated Factors Among Patients With Cirrhosis at a Tertiary Care Center in Addis Ababa Ethiopia: An Ordinal Logistic Regression Analysis
Authors: Melaku Metages Damtie , Yigzaw Aklog Almaw , Kassie Yoseph Gebremedhin , Kedimu Mulugeta Wondmu , Wodajeneh Henok Bahru , Getahun Binyam Melese , Anley Denekew Tenaw , Agidew Melaku Mekonen , Zewde Edgeit Abebe
Published: January 2025

Background

Cirrhosis is an irreversible stage of liver damage that decreases the ability of the liver to store and metabolize nutrients. Malnutrition is a common problem in patients with cirrhosis and increases the risk of mortality.

Aims

This study aimed to assess malnutrition and associated factors among patients with cirrhosis at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Methods

A cross‐sectional study was conducted at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital. All patients with cirrhosis who were admitted to the hospital from August to November were included. Royal Free Hospital Global Assessment tool (RFH‐GA) was used to assess nutritional status. Data were entered in Epi‐data software version 4.6.0.2 and analyzed with STATA version 17/MP. Ordinal logistic regression analysis was fitted to determine factors associated with nutritional status. Statistical significance was declared at p value < 0.05.

Results

The prevalence of moderate malnutrition and severe malnutrition were 36.67% and 14.29%, respectively. Patients with ascites were five times at a higher risk of being severely malnourished (AOR = 5.08; 95% CI = 2.66–9.67). The odds of severe malnutrition decrease by 0.35 times for patients without a history of previous hospitalization (AOR = 0.35; 95% CI = 0.18–0.68). The odds of being in the higher category of nutritional status (severe malnutrition) are 10 times higher for patients with hepatic encephalopathy (AOR = 10.43; 95% CI = 4.66–23.31). As the level of creatinine blood urea nitrogen (Cr‐BUN) increases, the risk of malnutrition increases by 2.57 times (AOR = 2.57; 95% CI = 1.02–5.78).

Conclusion

Malnutrition is high among cirrhotic patients at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital. Ascites, history of hospitalization, Cr‐BUN, and hepatic encephalopathy are significant predictors of malnutrition.
Mother‐child dyads living with HIV in the Western Cape, South Africa: Undetectable = Undetectable?
Authors: Anderson Kim , Rabie Helena , Eley Brian S. , Frigati Lisa , Nuttall James , Kalk Emma , Heekes Alexa , Sridhar Gayathri , Ragone Leigh , Vannappagari Vani , Mudaly Vanessa , Boulle Andrew , Davies Mary‐Ann
Published: January 2025

Introduction

Globally, children living with HIV continue to lag behind UNAIDS targets for viral suppression (VS). Because studies with linked mother‐child data are limited, we describe VS and associated factors among young children in a setting with early infant HIV testing (at birth, age 10 weeks and 6 months) and early protease inhibitor‐based first‐line antiretroviral therapy (ART).

Methods

We analysed routinely collected mother‐child data for children living with HIV born 2018–2022 in Western Cape province, South Africa (followed through mid‐2023). We assessed associations between child and maternal viral load (VL) results at 12 and 24 months after child ART start using logistic regression, adjusted for child sex, birthyear, severity of child immunodeficiency at ART start, maternal age and timing of maternal HIV diagnosis.

Results

Among 2219 children living with HIV; 30% were diagnosed at birth (≤7 days), 41% before age 1 year (8−365 days) and 29% at age >1 year. Overall, 5% (n = 112/2219) of children died, a third of whom had not started ART; 90% of children (n = 1990) started ART, at median age 5 months (IQR 1–16). Median follow‐up from ART start was 26 months (IQR 14–40). Among children with available VL at 12 months (n = 853/1582), 24 months (n = 614/1129) and 36 months (n = 350/658) after ART start, 36%, 43% and 48% were virally suppressed, respectively (VL<100 copies/ml). VS among children at 12 and 24 months was more likely if maternal VL was <100 versus ≥100 copies/ml at 12 months (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 3.5; 95% CI 1.9−6.5) and 24 months (aOR = 6.1; 95% CI 2.8−13.1) after child ART start. Children with no/mild versus advanced/severe immunodeficiency at ART start were more likely to achieve VS at 12 months (aOR = 2.3; 95% CI 1.3−4.2) but not at 24 months. Eligible children with missing VL at 24 months (39%) were more likely to have gaps in care of >6 months than those with VL≥100 or VL<100 copies/ml (84% vs. 28% vs. 14%, respectively; p<0.001).

Conclusions

Less than half of children on ART achieved VS, and children were more likely to achieve VS if their mothers were also virally suppressed. Significant efforts are needed to support mother‐child dyads to achieve optimal VS.
Precipitation Structure and Convective Intensity Over South‐East South Asia During Active and Break Spells of the Indian Summer Monsoon Using TRMM, GPM, Megha‐Tropiques Satellites and Reanalysis Data
Authors: Kumar Shailendra
Published: January 2025

In this study, we investigated the precipitation structure (PS) and convective intensity (CI) of precipitation features (PFs) using the multiple sensors onboard on TRMM and GPM for active and break spells (ACT and BRK‐Ss) during Indian summer monsoon seasons (1999‐2021). Microwave‐based observations showed that during ACT‐Ss, a higher frequency of PFs is observed over the Himalayan Foothills and northern western Ghats (WGs). Eastern Himalaya Foothills (EHFs), southern India, the Indian Equatorial Ocean, and the Arabian Sea (AS) have a higher frequency of PFs during BRK‐Ss. The major differences in PS during ACT and BRK‐Ss are observed over WGs and southern‐western Himalayan Foothills (S‐WHFs). Infrared‐based measurements showed that the Bay of Bengal (BOB) and S‐WHFs have the deepest Cumulonimbus clouds (minimum brightness temperature) during both ACT and BRK‐Ss, but the numbers over BOB are twice as high compared with S‐WHFs. S‐WHFs have the strongest CI (40 dBZ radar reflectivity has the highest altitude) and precipitation tops (20 dBZ radar reflectivity has the highest altitude) during ACT‐Ss. WGs and the Indo‐Gangetic Plain (IGP) consist of intense and larger PFs during the BRK‐Ss. PFs with the highest horizontal extension, and, which are contributing to higher surface rainfall observed over north‐central India and BOB during ACT Ss, but during BRK‐Ss, they shifted to EHFs and the Burma‐Myanmar coast. Lightning activity is higher at S‐WHFs and EHFs during ACT‐Ss but shifted at the eastern longitudes of EHFs and southern India during BRK‐Ss. Relative humidity (RH) profiles are used to investigate the moist and dry atmospheric conditions during ACT and BRK‐Ss. Megha‐Tropiques‐based sounders showed a higher fraction of RH vertical profiles above mid‐troposphere (above 500 hPa) over BOB and S‐WHFs during ACT‐Ss. WGs and IGP have a higher fraction of RH vertical profiles above the mid‐troposphere during BRK‐Ss. The balance between RH and vertical velocity is critical in deciding the PS and CI over the selected areas during ACT and BRK‐Ss. An updraft with higher RH is observed over BOB, IGP, Central‐India, and S‐WHF during ACT‐Ss. The opposite characteristics are observed over WGs, and a higher RH with a higher updraft is observed during BRK‐Ss. The RH‐vertical velocity joint histogram shows a broad spectrum width during ACT‐Ss compared with BRK‐Ss. It shows that even the lower RH can be lifted at higher altitudes due to updraft during the ACT‐Ss compared with BRK‐Ss. A separate analysis of TRMM and GPM shows that in the last decade, there has been an increase in the deep convective systems during the BRK‐Ss, especially over the WGs and Southern India, the Tropical Ocean, and must be investigated in the future.
Trends in the uptake of clinical support pharmacy technician roles in Australian hospitals from 2016 to 2022: a cross‐sectional survey
Authors: Anderson Brett J. , Taylor Simone E. , Travaglia Joanne , Catanzariti Rachelle L. , Pont Lisa
Published: January 2025

Background

A 2016 Australian hospital pharmacy technician workforce survey reported that pharmacy technicians seldom perform clinical support roles. Subsequently, the Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia extended their endorsement of pharmacy technicians performing clinical roles in the Standard of practice for pharmacy technicians to support clinical pharmacy services published in 2019. It is unknown if the roles undertaken by hospital pharmacy technicians have since evolved.

Aim

To compare and contrast trends in the uptake of hospital pharmacy technician roles between 2016–2022.

Method

An electronic questionnaire comprising 97 questions was circulated to Australian hospital pharmacy departments in 2022 and the results were compared to those obtained from the 2016 questionnaire. Hospital pharmacy technicians' clinical support roles were categorised as ‘clinical tasks’ (n = 15) or ‘technical tasks’ (n = 34). Ethical approval was granted by the University of Technology Sydney Human Research Ethics Committee (Reference no: ETH21‐6732) and the study conforms with the National statement on ethical conduct in human research. Informed consent was obtained from all participants via project information distributed to potential participants via email, indicating their participation would be voluntary and anonymous. Participants provided their consent by completing the questionnaire.

Results

Responses were received from 54 of 273 pharmacy departments (response rate 20%) in 2022 compared to 154 responses from 308 pharmacy departments (response rate 50%) in 2016. Hospital pharmacy technicians performed a median of 0.5 ‘clinical tasks’ (interquartile range [IQR] 0–1.25) in 2022 and 1 ‘clinical tasks’ (IQR 0–3) in 2016. In contrast, hospital pharmacy technicians performed a median of 7 (IQR 3–12) and 8 (IQR 3–12) ‘technical tasks’ in 2022 and 2016, respectively. No significant changes were identified in the prevalence of hospital pharmacy technicians undertaking clinical tasks.

Conclusion

Despite publication of professional practice standards endorsing clinical roles for pharmacy technicians, clinical roles are still seldom performed. Interventions are required to address the barriers limiting the expansion of hospital pharmacy technician roles.
Bacterial inoculation prevents cold‐induced electrolyte leakage from tomato seeds and reduces thermal fluctuations in the rhizosphere
Authors: Baidya Shouvik , Biswas Nipa , Chowdhury Bratati , Chakraborty Binayak , Kumar Deepak , Karmakar Kapudeep
Published: January 2025

Background

Low soil temperature and its fluctuation can negatively impact the growth of seedlings. The district of Cooch Behar (India), belonging to the Cwa zone (according to Koppen's classification), receives several cold waves during winter. Our previous study demonstrated that a constant temperature of 20 °C (chilling but not freezing) can cause a loss in the vigor of tomatoes. Since the temperature of the soil is not uniform throughout the day, we hypothesized that the duration of cold exposure can have variable effects on seed vigor.

Results

It was observed that increasing the duration of cold stress can slow down the germination process and reduce vigor. This was due to the cold‐mediated damage to cell membranes (due to dehydration) which caused electrolyte leakage and reduced levels of glutathione reductase. In this regard, biopriming seeds with microbes that produce exopolysaccharide (EPS) can be useful as it can form a protective layer on the seeds. Indigenous EPS‐producing bacteria, Bacillus, Phytobacter and Priestia sp., were used for biopriming. Priestia and Phytobacter sp. not only reduced the electrolyte leakage but also increased the levels of antioxidant genes. This improved the germination speed and vigor. In a field trial, the rhizosphere of the seedlings pretreated with bioinoculants displayed a reduced thermal fluctuation compared with the untreated seeds.

Conclusion

The seedlings treated with bioinoculants grew faster in soil in spite of low soil temperature. This can reduce the nursery time of seedlings. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.
The Cross‐Sectional Areas and Anterior–Posterior Balance of the Cervical Paraspinal Muscles in Dropped Head Syndrome and Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy: A Propensity Score‐Matched Analysis
Authors: Sono Takashi , Ijiri Kenta , Kakehi Kensaku , Masuda Soichiro , Shimizu Takayoshi , Murata Koichi , Matsuda Shuichi , Otsuki Bungo
Published: January 2025

Introduction

Dropped head syndrome (DHS) is characterized by weakness of the neck extensor muscles. However, few studies have assessed the cross‐sectional areas (CSAs) of the cervical paraspinal muscles (CPM) and their anterior–posterior balance in DHS. This study aimed to elucidate the pathognomonic findings of DHS by comparing the CSAs and anterior–posterior balance of the CPM in patients with DHS and cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM), using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Methods

We compared the CSAs and anterior–posterior balance of the CPM in patients with DHS and CSM using MRI. Patients with CSM were selected in an age‐ and sex‐matched manner, using the propensity score. The longus colli (LC) muscle was selected as the anterior muscle; and the semispinalis cervicis (SSC), splenius capitis (SC), and multifidus muscles (MM) were selected as the posterior muscles. We calculated LC/SSC, LC/SC, LC/MM, and LC/(SSC + SC + MM), as indicators of neck muscle balance.

Results

The DHS and the CSM cohort comprised 26 and 52 patients, respectively. Both cohorts had a mean age of 71‐year‐old. There were no significant differences in the CSAs and most of the indicators of neck balance between the two cohorts. However, the LC/SSC was significantly higher in the DHS cohort than that in the CSM cohort (40.3% and 29.1%, respectively; p < 0.01).

Conclusions

Our study highlights a unique anterior–posterior imbalance in the CPM of DHS patients, differing from CSM patients. Strengthening the SSC muscle could be a key to preventing DHS progression.
Outer membrane vesicle contributes to the Pseudomonas aeruginosa resistance to antimicrobial peptides in the acidic airway of bronchiectasis patients
Authors: Xie Yingzhou , Shi Yi‐Han , Wang Le‐Le , Li Cheng‐Wei , Wu Min , Xu Jin‐Fu
Published: January 2025

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the predominant pathogen causing chronic infection in the airway of patients with bronchiectasis (BE), a chronic respiratory disease with high prevalence worldwide. Environmental factors are vital for bacterial successful colonization. Here, with sputa and bronchoalveolar lavage fluids, we determined that the concentration of airway antimicrobial peptide LL‐37 and lactate was elevated in BE patients, especially in those infected with P. aeruginosa. The in vitro antibacterial assay revealed the bactericidal activity of LL‐37 against the clinical P. aeruginosa isolates, which were dampened in the acidic condition. P. aeruginosa production of outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) enhanced in the lactate‐adjusted acidic condition. Transcriptomic analysis suggested that OMVs induce the hyperproduction of the chemical compound 2‐heptyl‐4‐quinolone (HHQ) in the bacterial population, which was verified by high‐performance liquid chromatography. The positively charged HHQ interfered with the binding of LL‐37 to bacterial cell membrane, potentiating the P. aeruginosa resistance to LL‐37. To our knowledge, this is a new resistance mechanism of P. aeruginosa against antimicrobial peptides and may provide theoretical support for the development of new antibacterial therapies.
Wirtschaftlich katalysieren
Authors: Ehrensberger Christian
Published: January 2025

Indem sie die Aktivierungsenergie chemischer Reaktionen senken, helfen Katalysatoren, Energiekosten zu sparen, etwa beim Herstellen von Kunststoffen, Ammoniak oder Wasserstoff. Allerdings ist das Katalysatormaterial oft teuer. Welche günstigeren Alternativen gibt es?
Schritte aus der Komfortzone – mit Mehrwert
Authors: Gutenthaler‐Tietze Sophie
Published: January 2025

Ob beim Tag der offenen Tür der Universität, bei Events wie Soapbox Science oder bei der Sendung mit der Maus – Sophie Gutenthaler‐Tietze bringt die Wissenschaft ins Laienpublikum. Wie sie das neben ihrer Promotion schafft und wie sie davon profitiert.
Vergleichen Sie Ihre Einkommensentwicklung
Authors: Pereira Jaé Angela
Published: January 2025

Durch Fachkräftemangel, hohe Energiepreise und weitere Herausforderungen steht die Chemiebranche vor einem Wandel. Wie wirken sich solche Umstände auf die Gehaltsanpassungen in der Chemiebranche aus? Nehmen Sie an der GDCh/VAA‐Einkommensumfrage für die Chemie teil und gewinnen Sie wertvolle Einblicke.
A Novel Fourth‐Order Scheme for Two‐Dimensional Riesz Space Fractional Nonlinear Reaction‐Diffusion Equations and Its Optimal Preconditioned Solver
Authors: Qu Wei , Huang Yuan‐Yuan , Hon Sean , Lei Siu‐Long
Published: January 2025

A novel fourth‐order finite difference formula coupling the Crank–Nicolson explicit linearized method is proposed to solve Riesz space fractional nonlinear reaction‐diffusion equations in two dimensions. Theoretically, under the Lipschitz assumption on the nonlinear term, the proposed high‐order scheme is proved to be unconditionally stable and convergent in the discrete ‐norm. Moreover, a ‐matrix‐based preconditioner is developed to speed up the convergence of the conjugate gradient method with an optimal convergence rate (a convergence rate independent of mesh sizes) for solving the symmetric discrete linear system. Theoretical analysis shows that the spectra of the preconditioned matrices are uniformly bounded in the open interval . This preconditioned iterative solver, to the best of our knowledge, is a new development with a mesh‐independent convergence rate for the linearized high‐order scheme. Numerical examples are given to validate the accuracy of the scheme and the effectiveness of the proposed preconditioned solver.
A Personalised Caring Approach at Home—Patients, Relatives and Nurses' Experiences of Specialised Palliative Care: An Integrative Literature Review
Authors: Osberg Ferm Liselott , Karlsson Margareta , Kasén Anne , Pennbrant Sandra
Published: January 2025

Aim

This study aimed to describe patients, relatives and nurses' experiences of specialised palliative home care.

Design

Integrated literature review.

Methods

The review was performed using the PRISMA 2020 Statement. The searches were conducted in Cinahl, PubMed and Scopus.

Results

Eighteen articles were selected. An overall theme ‘co‐creation for personalised home care’ emerged, based on three categories: ‘Safe and secure care’, ‘Care based on wishes and needs’ and ‘Relatives' caring role’. Patients, relatives and nurses' experiences showed that co‐creation was an important strategy for achieving goals and enabling patients to remain at home despite illness and limited life expectancy.

Conclusion

Co‐creation becomes a prerequisite for personalised home care and enabled through collaboration and learning between patients, relatives and nurses.

Patient or Public Contribution

This article is an overview of how patients, relatives and nurses experience care at home, supported by a specialised palliative care unit, and the result showed that co‐creation enables personalised care.
The Type‐II g‐C6N6/As Heterojunction for Photocatalytic Overall Water Splitting in the Visible‐Light Region: A Theoretical Investigation
Authors: Yang Jian , Xie Furong , Huang Yuhong , Zhang Jianmin , Wei Xiumei
Published: January 2025

Strategically engineering heterojunctions through the integration of two or more monolayer materials presents a promising avenue for augmenting the efficiency of solar‐driven overall water splitting, which holds the potential for mitigating the escalating environmental challenges. Herein, based on first‐principles calculations, the functional type‐II g‐C6N6/As heterojunction is first constructed by g‐C6N6 and As, then, systematically investigated its structural stability, optoelectronic properties and photocatalytic mechanism and potential for catalyzing water splitting, respectively. Owing to the band‐bending effect and the built‐in electric field induced across the heterojunction interface, the photogenerated electrons and holes on the surface could effectively separate and extend their carrier lifetimes. The heterojunction as a type‐II system photocatalyst with the hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions occurring, respectively, happen at g‐C6N6 and As surfaces. The heterojunction requires only an additional voltage of 0.29 V to ensure the photoinduced holes provide sufficient energy to drive the OER process. The introduction of single‐layer As could effectively adjust the reaction energy barrier of the HER activity for single‐layer g‐C6N6, thus ultimately significantly enhancing HER performance of heterojunction. More significantly, the heterojunction breaks the optical‐capturing obstacle of the g‐C6N6 and exhibits strong optical capture capability in the regions from the infrared to visible light. Meanwhile, the value of the STH efficiency for heterojunction is up to 28.18%, which exceeds the value of the economically feasible requirement (10%). The above results are beneficial for the quantified design and application of photocatalytic heterojunction for overall water splitting and offer valuable insights for potential commercial implementations.
Superior Active and Durable Air Electrode for Protonic Ceramic Cells by Metal‐Oxide Bond Engineering
Authors: Yu Xiaole , Ge Lin , Mi Yaowei , Wu Bangze , Yu Zhexiang , Jin Zhanheng , Zhao Zenan , He Bingyu , Chen Han , Zheng Yifeng , Cui Sheng
Published: January 2025

Protonic ceramic cells (PCCs) have been identified as promising energy conversion devices, offering flexible fuel options and reduced operating consumption at intermediate temperatures. However, the application of traditional cobalt‐based perovskite air electrodes in PCCs is hindered by their insufficient durability and high coefficient of thermal expansion. In this study, a straightforward metal‐oxygen bond engineering is conducted, introducing a single‐phase perovskite, Ba0.95La0.05(Fe0.8Zn0.2)0.9Ni0.1O3−δ (BLFZN0.1), as a substitution for cobalt‐based perovskite. BLFZN0.1 demonstrates superior electrochemical properties, with an area‐specific resistance of 0.015 Ω cm2 at 700 °C, and demonstrates reliable durability over 100 h. The introduction of Ni element increases the concentration of oxygen defects and enhances the oxygen catalytic activity. As a result, a protonic ceramic fuel cell using BLFZN0.1 air electrode achieves the highest peak power density (1353 mW cm⁻2 at 700 °C) yet recorded for cells with BLFZ‐based air electrodes. Furthermore, the single cell with BLFZN0.1 exhibits remarkable current density (1.66 A cm−2 at 700 °C) in the electrolysis mode, highlighting its potential for application in electrolysis devices. This study presents an effective and straightforward strategy for modifying PCC air electrodes with high electrochemical performance and comparable durability, thereby facilitating their commercial application.
Active Water Optimization in Different Electrolyte Systems for Stable Zinc Anodes
Authors: Tian Guoxing , Song Ailing , Liu Ming , Song Yanan , Liu Ying , Tian Ningning , Fan Yuqian , Chen Ling , Shao Guangjie , Ma Zhipeng
Published: January 2025

Zinc (Zn) metal, with abundant resources, intrinsic safety, and environmental benignity, presents an attractive prospect as a novel electrode material. However, many substantial challenges remain in realizing the widespread application of aqueous Zn‐ion batteries (AZIBs) technologies. These encompass significant material corrosion challenges (This can lead to battery failure in an unloaded state.), hydrogen evolution reactions, pronounced dendrite growth at the anode interface, and a constrained electrochemical stability window. Consequently, these factors contribute to diminished battery lifespan and energy efficiency while restricting high‐voltage performance. Although numerous reviews have addressed the potential of electrode and separator design to mitigate these issues to some extent, the inherent reactivity of water remains the fundamental source of these challenges, underscoring the necessity for precise regulation of active water molecules within the electrolyte. In this review, the failure mechanism of AZIBs (unloaded and in charge and discharge state) is analyzed, and the optimization strategy and working principle of water in the electrolyte are reviewed, aiming to provide insights for effectively controlling the corrosion process and hydrogen evolution reaction, further controlling dendrite formation, and expanding the range of electrochemical stability. Furthermore, it outlines the challenges to promote its practical application and future development pathways.
DNA‐based Precision Tools to Probe and Program Mechanobiology and Organ Engineering
Authors: Singh Nihal , Sharma Ayushi , Goel Anjana , Kumar Krishan , Solanki Raghu , Bhatia Dhiraj
Published: January 2025

DNA nanotechnology represents an innovative discipline that combines nanotechnology with biotechnology. It exploits the distinctive characteristics of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) to create nanoscale structures and devices with remarkable accuracy and functionality. Researchers may create complex nanostructures with precision and specialized functions using DNA's innate stability, adaptability, and capacity to self‐assemble through complementary base‐pairing interactions. Integrating multiple disciplines, known as nanobiotechnology, allows the production of sophisticated nanodevices with a broad range of applications. These include precise drug delivery systems, extremely sensitive biosensors, and the construction of intricate tissue scaffolds for regenerative medicine. Moreover, combining DNA nanotechnology with mechanobiology provides a new understanding of how small‐scale mechanical stresses and molecular interactions affect cellular activity and tissue development. DNA nanotechnology has the potential to revolutionize molecular diagnostics, tissue engineering, and organ regeneration. This could lead to enormous improvements in biomedicine. This review emphasizes the most recent developments in DNA nanotechnology, explicitly highlighting its significant influence on mechanobiology and its growing involvement in organ engineering. It provides an extensive overview of present trends, obstacles, and future prospects in this fast‐progressing area.
Accelerating the Zn2+ Transport Kinetics in the Pre‐Solvated Artificial Protective Layer via Preferential Electrostatic Interactions for Stable Zinc Anode
Authors: Zhang Yan , Shi Zena , Liu Ye , He Xiaoxiao , Fu Xianwei , Shi Ruijuan , Jiao Shilong , Zhao Yong
Published: January 2025

The intrinsic safety and cost‐effectiveness of the aqueous zinc ion batteries hold the potential for grid‐scale energy storage. However, the uncontrolled dendrite growth, parasitic reactions, and electrochemical corrosion of the anode due to the random Zn2+ transport near the anode hinder its practical applications. Herein, a pre‐solvated artificial protective layer (ps‐APL) with a nitrogen‐containing functional group is constructed by an in situ polymerization strategy to stabilize the Zn anode via boosted Zn2+ mass transport kinetics and oriented exposure of the Zn(002) facets. The preferential electrostatic interaction between the nitrogen atoms and Zn2+ induces accelerated migration kinetics in the partially solvated protective layer, which homogenizes the ion flux and nucleation sites. Moreover, the optimized adsorption behavior of the polymer on the Zn surfaces facilitates the Zn(002)‐orientated deposition, which substantially suppresses the dendrites growth. Consequently, the ps‐APL‐coated Zn anode delivers a stability for 2200 h at 1 mA cm−2, enabling an 8.8‐time enhancement in comparison to the bare Zn anode. More impressively, the protected Zn anode stably cycles for over 1000 h at a high current density of 5 mA cm−2, displaying a 10‐time enhancement. Consequently, Zn||VO2 full battery exhibits stable cycling for 2100 cycles with excellent safety at 1 A g−1.
New sauropod teeth from the Upper Jurassic of Portugal and their implications for sauropod dental evolution
Authors: Saleiro André , Tschopp Emanuel
Published: January 2025

The Upper Jurassic of Portugal is well known for its dinosaurian fauna, which includes five sauropod species. Although only one of these species preserves associated dental material, isolated sauropod teeth are commonly found in the Upper Jurassic units of Portugal. The morphological diversity of Portuguese sauropod teeth has already been described and attributed to four dental morphotypes. Here, we report an additional 24 heart‐shaped teeth, 9 spatulate teeth, 16 compressed chisel‐shaped teeth and 10 pencil‐shaped teeth of the hitherto unstudied collection of Museu da Lourinhã. All four morphotypes are attributed to sauropod clades known from the Portuguese Upper Jurassic fossil record, based on morphology and tooth slenderness. Although statistical tests show a clear relation between a widely used Slenderness Index (SI) and taxonomy, morphology proves to be necessary to correctly interpret any usage of the SI as a taxonomic tool. As such, when it comes to the Upper Jurassic Portuguese tooth record, we attribute the heart‐shaped teeth to Turiasauria, spatulate teeth to Camarasauridae, compressed chisel‐shaped teeth to Titanosauriformes indet., and pencil‐shaped teeth to Flagellicaudata. A reassessment of sauropod dental evolution shows a general trend of increasing tooth slenderness in all studied taxonomic groups, and a disappearance of broad‐crowned taxa with well developed tooth‐to‐tooth occlusion by the end of the Early Cretaceous. We suggest that this may be correlated with the evolution of dental batteries in ornithischians, which were more efficient in oral food processing.
Piecewise Logarithmic Fitting‐Based Ant Lion Optimizer
Authors: Li Cheng‐ze , Li Geng‐song , Liu Yi , Zheng Qi‐bin
Published: January 2025

The ant lion optimizer (ALO) can address optimization problems by searching for approximate solutions. However, current implementations of ALO are prone to becoming trapped in local optima and exhibit mediocre random search capabilities. To address these issues, this paper introduces the piecewise logarithmic fitting‐based ant lion optimizer (PLFALO). PLFALO initializes the population with Logistic mapping to increase the population diversity, then refines the original contraction of the ants' random walk boundary into a smoother process thereby enhancing random search capability, and finally mutates the ant position with a golden sine strategy to ensure the diversity of solutions. Exhaustive experiments have been conducted using six classic benchmark functions, comparing PLFALO against six state‐of‐the‐art algorithms. The results confirm the superior performance of PLFALO. © 2025 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Enhanced Decolorization of Basic Violet 14 Dye Wastewater and Its Phytotoxicity Assessment: A Green Approach
Authors: Sharma Ritu , Sharma Poonam , Kumar Naveen , Aggarwal Neeraj K.
Published: January 2025

Dye‐polluted wastewater poses significant health risks and necessitates effective management techniques to mitigate its environmental and biological impact. Industrialization, particularly in the textile sector, has led to widespread water pollution as untreated or inadequately treated industrial effluents, rich in toxic synthetic dyes, are discharged into water bodies. These pollutants are not only harmful to aquatic ecosystems but also pose serious risks to human health due to their carcinogenic properties. Addressing this challenge, the current study investigates the use of a bacterial strain, Bacillus subtilis, to degrade the persistent and carcinogenic dye, basic violet 14, found in industrial wastewater. Initial experiments using the one‐factor‐at‐a‐time approach resulted in ∼74% decolorization, which was significantly improved to 84.40% through the use of response surface methodology and the Box‐Behnken design. Under optimal conditions (dye concentration 100 mg/L, temperature 32.5°C, pH 7, inoculum size 10% v/v), the bacterial treatment was highly effective. Advanced techniques like UV‐Visible spectroscopy and FTIR were employed to assess the structural changes in the dye post‐treatment. Additionally, a phytotoxicity assay demonstrated the treated water's potential for safe reuse in agriculture, highlighting this bacterial strain's promise as a sustainable bioremediation agent for dye‐polluted wastewater, benefiting both the environment and industries.
Edward Bryan Davies
Authors: Davies A. Giles
Published: January 2025

A vet who worked in large animal practice before moving into the areas of animal disease, public health and food hygiene. After retirement he pursued a wide variety of interests.
Competition and Markets Authority investigation: next steps
Authors: Findon Amelia
Published: January 2025

Amelia Findon, BVA's director of policy and governance, talks through the latest updates and what happens next.
Weighted LAD-Liu-LASSO for robust estimation and sparsity
Authors: Genç Murat , Lukman Adewale
Published: January 2025

The Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) is widely used for parameter estimation and variable selection but can encounter challenges with outliers and heavy-tailed error distributions. Integrating variable selection methods such as LASSO with Weighted Least Absolute Deviation (WLAD) has been explored in limited studies to handle these problems. In this study, we proposed the integration of Weighted Least Absolute Deviation with Liu-LASSO to handle variable selection, parameter estimation, and heavy-tailed error distributions due to the advantages of the Liu-LASSO approach over traditional LASSO methods. This approach is demonstrated through a simple simulation study and real-world application. Our findings showcase the superiority of our method over existing techniques while maintaining the asymptotic efficiency comparable to the unpenalized LAD estimator.
Telehealth vs Clinic Postoperative Visit After Hysterectomy: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Wherley Susan D. , Sheyn David , Hellerstein Leah H. , Bauer Hope , Mangel Jeffrey , Sears Sarah , Shiber Linda-Dalal , Pollard Robert
Published: January 2025

Introduction and Hypothesis

Telehealth is becoming more common, but there is a paucity of literature investigating the role of telehealth in perioperative gynecologic care. The authors hypothesized that patients evaluated via telehealth 4 weeks after minimally invasive hysterectomy would not have lower satisfaction than patients evaluated in clinic.

Methods

This was a randomized controlled noninferiority trial of patients who underwent minimally invasive hysterectomy at a single academic medical center. Participants were randomized to postoperative clinic visit or telehealth visit 4 weeks after hysterectomy. After the 4-week postoperative visit, patients were sent a satisfaction questionnaire. The primary outcome was overall patient satisfaction on a 100 mm visual analog scale. Secondary outcomes were 90-day postoperative complications and unplanned events.

Results

One hundred one patients who underwent minimally invasive hysterectomy were identified for inclusion. Complete data were collected for 47 in the clinic group and 45 in the telehealth group. Overall postoperative visit satisfaction did not differ between groups (94.3 clinic vs. 92.0 telehealth, p = 0.47). The clinic group was significantly more likely to contact the clinic two or more times (p = 0.02); both groups were similarly likely to contact the clinic at least once (57.4% vs. 51.1%). Postoperative complications did not differ between groups, nor did unplanned clinic visits or emergency department (ED) visits.

Conclusions

Postoperative visit satisfaction of patients evaluated via telehealth was noninferior to the satisfaction of patients seen in the clinic 4 weeks after minimally invasive hysterectomy. Unplanned clinic visits and ED visits did not differ between groups, nor did 90-day postoperative complications.