bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clinical performance of non‐carious cervical lesions restored with using self‐etch mode of adhesives according to the FDI criteria
Authors: Tepe H , Irmak Ö
Published: September 2023

Aim

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the 18‐month retrospective study of self‐etch adhesive (Prime&Bond One Select) and self‐etch mode of universal adhesives (Single Bond Universal, Gluma Bond Universal) applied to non‐carious cervical lesions according to the World Dental Federation criteria.

Materials and Methods

Thirty patients without any systemic disease, good oral hygiene, having at least 20 teeth and six non‐carious cervical lesions treated using a self‐etch mode of adhesives operated between January and March 2017. Accordingly, 335 restorations were evaluated according to the World Dental Federation criteria at 3, 6, 12 and 18 months. Pillai's Trace test was used to determine the interaction of criteria with time and adhesive systems. IBM SPSS Statistics 21.0 program was used in the analysis. Value of P < 0.05 was accepted as a criterion for statistical significance.

Results

At the end of 18 months, participation was 100%. There was a statistically significant difference P < 0.05 between Prime&Bond One Select and Single Bond Universal, Prime&Bond One Select and Gluma Bond Universal in the 18‐month period. In terms of marginal staining, fracture of material and retention, recurrence of caries, erosion and abfraction, tooth integrity criteria at the end of the 18 months, Prime&Bond One Select performed clinically very good, Single Bond Universal and Gluma Bond Universal performed clinically good according to World Dental Federation criteria. Marginal adaptation criteria, Prime&Bond One Select, Single Bond Universal and Gluma Bond Universal performed clinically good. Retention loss rate was found to be the lowest in Prime&Bond One Select and the highest in Gluma Bond Universal.

Conclusion

Accordingly, 18‐month evaluation of all adhesives used in the study showed clinically acceptable results in all of the World Dental Federation criteria.
Increasing the adoption of conservation agriculture: A framed field experiment in Northern Ghana
Authors: Ambler Kate , de Brauw Alan , Murphy Mike
Published: September 2023

Conservation agriculture techniques have the potential to increase agricultural production while decreasing CO2 emissions, yet adoption in the developing world remains low—in part because many years of continuous adoption may be required to realize gains in production. We conduct a framed field experiment in northern Ghana to study how incentives and peer information may affect adoption. Incentives increase adoption, both while they are available and after withdrawal. There is no overall effect of peer information, but we do find evidence that information about long‐term adoption increased adoption, particularly when that information shows that yield gains have been achieved.
Modeling an ascending infection by Ureaplasma parvum and its cell signaling and inflammatory response at the feto‐maternal interface
Authors: Bento Giovana Fernanda Cosi , Richardson Lauren S. , da Silva Márcia Guimarães , Tantengco Ourlad Alzeus G. , Menon Ramkumar
Published: September 2023

Problem

Ascending bacterial infection is associated with ∼ 40% of spontaneous preterm birth (PTB), and Ureaplasma spp. is one of the most common bacteria isolated from the amniotic fluid. Developing novel in vitro models that mimic in vivo uterine physiology is essential to study microbial pathogenesis. We utilized the feto‐maternal interface organ‐on‐chip (FMi‐OOC) device and determined the propagation of Ureaplasma parvum, and its impact on cell signaling and inflammation.

Method of study

FMi‐OOC is a microphysiologic device mimicking fetal membrane/decidua interconnected through microchannels. The impact of resident decidual CD45+ leukocytes was also determined by incorporating them into the decidual chamber in different combinations with U. parvum. We tested the propagation of live U. parvum from the decidual to the amniochorion membranes (immunocytochemistry and quantitative PCR), determined its impact on cytotoxicity (LDH assay), cell signaling (JESSTM Western Blot), cellular transition (immunostaining for vimentin and cytokeratin), and inflammation (cytokine bead array).

Results

U. parvum transversed the chorion and reached the amnion epithelium after 72 hours but did not induce cell signaling kinases (p38MAPK and JNK) activation, or cellular transition (epithelial‐mesenchymal), regardless of the presence of immune cells. The inflammatory response was limited to the choriodecidual interface and did not promote inflammation in the amnion layer.

Conclusions

Our data suggest that U. parvum is poorly immunogenic and does not produce massive inflammatory changes at the feto‐maternal interface. We speculate that the presence of U. parvum may still compromise the feto‐maternal interface making it susceptible to other pathogenic infection.
Improving member satisfaction with cooperatives: The role of participation in governance
Authors: Liu Ziming , Qu Jie , Wu Xinrui , Niu Xing , Feng Shuyi
Published: September 2023

This paper estimates the impact of participation in governance on member satisfaction with cooperatives using survey data from 960 land cooperative members in the Yangtze River Delta. The instrumental variable approach is used to address potential endogeneity. We find that participation in governance increases member satisfaction with cooperatives by approximately 26.2%. In particular, the impact of participation in governance is much higher for elite members with political connections than for ordinary members. The recognition of member rights and duties increases the likelihood of member participation in governance. To achieve the long‐term development of cooperative organizations, policy‐makers should encourage cooperative members to actively participate in governance, for example, by increasing cooperative members’ understanding of their rights and responsibilities.
Letter: long‐term outcomes of patients with acute severe ulcerative colitis after intravenous steroid therapy
Authors: Fábián Anna , Bor Renáta , Farkas Klaudia , Szepes Zoltán , Molnár Tamás
Published: September 2023

LINKED CONTENT

This article is linked to Salameh et al and Salameh and Amiot papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.15751 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.16003
Letter: long‐term abdominal drains in refractory ascites—evolving concept of palliative care in decompensated cirrhosis. Authors' reply
Authors: Macken Lucia , Bremner Stephen , Sheridan David , Verma Sumita
Published: September 2023

LINKED CONTENT

This article is linked to Macken et al and Roy et al papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.15802 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.15944
Letter: gastrointestinal symptoms pre‐admission are associated with greater severity of COVID‐19
Authors: Yu Jiong , Xu Weiming , Ma Jing , Sheng Xinyu , Shi Xiaowei , Wu Jian , Pan Qiaoling , Yang Jinfeng , Cao Hongcui , Li Lanjuan
Published: September 2023

LINKED CONTENT

This article is linked to Tian et al and Tian & Rong papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.15731 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.16045
Editorial: biologics in the therapy of Crohn’s disease—the fog clears
Authors: Laharie David , Riviere Pauline
Published: September 2023

LINKED CONTENT

This article is linked to Bohm et al paper. To view this article, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.15921
Editorial: FAST score‐ a new predictive marker for HCC after SVR
Authors: Joshita Satoru , Umemura Takeji
Published: September 2023

LINKED CONTENT

This article is linked to Ogawa et al and Ogawa papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.15976 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.16032
Editorial: outcome prediction in patients with cirrhosis and acute‐on‐chronic liver failure
Authors: Alexopoulou Alexandra , Vasilieva Larisa
Published: September 2023

LINKED CONTENT

This article is linked to Bernsmeier et al and Bernsmeier and McPhail papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.15932 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.16053
Letter: does early transjugular intrahepatic porto‐systemic shunt really have no effect on survival in high‐risk patients with oesophageal variceal bleeding?
Authors: Liu Jiacheng , Yang Chongtu , Huang Songjiang , Shi Qin , Zhou Chen , Xiong Bin
Published: September 2023

LINKED CONTENT

This article is linked to Dunne et al paper. To view this article, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.15797
Letter: liver involvement and mortality in COVID‐19 patients
Authors: Lv Xiu‐He , Yang Jin‐Lin , Deng Kai
Published: September 2023

LINKED CONTENT

This article is linked to Ponziani et al papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.15996 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.16052
Letter: population mortality from COVID‐19 and latitude—data from China. Authors' reply
Authors: Rhodes Jonathan M , Subramanian Sreedhar , Laird Eamon , Kenny Rose Anne
Published: September 2023

LINKED CONTENT

This article is linked to Rhodes et al and Liu & Li papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.15777 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.16048
Letter: Is female sex an independent predictor of favourable prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma?
Authors: Demirtas Coskun Ozer , Gunduz Feyza
Published: September 2023

LINKED CONTENT

This article is linked to Rich et al paper. To view these article, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.15917
Letter: rationalising aminosalicylates in inflammatory bowel disease
Authors: Nicolaides Steven , Vasudevan Abhinav , van Langenberg Daniel
Published: September 2023

LINKED CONTENT

This article is linked to Chapman et al papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.15771 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.16113
Five‐year comparative risk of hepatocellular carcinoma development under entecavir or tenofovir treatment‐naïve patients with chronic hepatitis B‐related compensated cirrhosis in Taiwan
Authors: Hu Tsung‐Hui , Yueh‐Hsia Chiu Sherry , Tseng Po‐Lin , Chen Chien‐Hung , Lu Sheng‐Nan , Wang Jing‐Houng , Hung Chao‐Hung , Kee Kwong‐Ming , Lin Ming‐Tsung , Chang Kuo‐Chin , Lin Meng‐Chih , Chien Rong‐Nan
Published: September 2023

Background

Comparative long‐term efficacy of entecavir (ETV) and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) for prevention of disease progression to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) among high‐risk patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB)‐related compensated cirrhosis is controversial.

Aims

To compare the long‐term efficacy of ETV and TDF in HCC prevention in patients with CHB‐related cirrhosis, and to evaluate predictive risk factors for HCC development.

Methods

From January 2008 to March 2018, 894 treatment‐naïve patients with CHB‐related compensated cirrhosis on ETV or TDF were enrolled based on the longitudinal cohort study. Data were originally collected for 7.3 years of follow‐up or after the launch of TDF in 2011. Only the 5‐year cumulative incidence and risk factors of HCC were assessed.

Result

Total 678 and 216 patients received ETV and TDF, respectively. The cumulative risk of HCC at 1, 3 and 5 years of follow‐up was 1.6%, 11.3% and 18.7%, respectively, in the ETV group; and 0.9%, 6.7% and 10.7%, respectively, in the TDF group (P = 0.0305). Univariate and adjusted‐multivariable models revealed that platelet count, alpha‐fetoprotein (AFP) levels and upper gastrointestinal (UGI) varices were independent risk factors for HCC development. TDF resulted in risk of HCC development compared to ETV with adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) of 0.66 (95% confidence interval [CI]:0.40, 1.08; P = 0.0971), 0.69 (95% CI: 0.42, 1.14; P = 0.1488) and 0.66 (95% CI: 0.38, 1.14; P = 0.1407) under stepwise selection, propensity score adjustment, and propensity score matching multivariable models, respectively.

Conclusions

For treatment‐naïve patients with CHB‐related compensated cirrhosis with 5‐year follow‐up, after variable adjustments, propensity score approaches and subgroup analyses, TDF showed a lower rate of HCC development that did not reach statistical significance, compared to the ETV.
Review article: liver disease in adults with variants in the cholestasis‐related genes ABCB11, ABCB4 and ATP8B1
Authors: Nayagam Jeremy S. , Williamson Catherine , Joshi Deepak , Thompson Richard J.
Published: September 2023

Background

Children with intrahepatic cholestasis and genetic variants which result in the disruption of the formation and maintenance of bile (ABCB11, ABCB4 and ATP8B1) generally have a rapidly progressive clinical course. Adults with different phenotypes of cholestasis are increasingly being evaluated for variants in these genes associated with childhood diseases.

Aims

To review the literature with respect to the presence of variants in cholestasis‐related genes in adults with various liver phenotypes, and provide clinical implications of the findings.

Methods

A search of the literature on variants in specific cholestasis‐related genes in adults was conducted.

Results

The common variant p.Val444Ala in ABCB11 confers increased risk of drug‐induced liver injury and intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP). Individuals with variants in ABCB4 are at risk of ICP and low phospholipid‐associated cholelithiasis. Variants in ABCB4, and possibly ABCB11 and ATP8B1, can be identified in up to a third of patients with cryptogenic chronic cholestasis.

Conclusions

Individuals with variants in ABCB11 rarely develop cholestasis until BSEP function dips below a threshold, which is also affected by other factors (e.g., drugs, hormones). However, variants in ABCB4 and consequent reduction in MDR3 protein, have a more linear dose‐response curve. In individuals with an ABCB11 variant, medications known to reduce BSEP activity should be used cautiously; they should be monitored during pregnancy for ICP; and first‐degree relatives should be counselled and screened. No proven management strategy exists, although ursodeoxycholic acid may be beneficial. Further work is needed to define the genotype‐phenotype correlation and natural history, and to evaluate the penetrance.
Willingness to pay for credence attributes associated with agri‐food products—Evidence from Canada
Authors: Traoré Ousmane Z. , Tamini Lota D. , Korai Bernard
Published: September 2023

Credence attributes such as environmental impact, origin, fairness/unfairness, and food safety/health are not available with certainty prior to or at the time of the consumer purchase decision. This creates a problem of imperfect or asymmetric information, leading to suboptimal supply and demand for products with these desirable attributes. Using a representative sample of 2001 Canadian consumers, we adopt, within an attribute‐based decision‐making framework, the asymptotically efficient double‐bounded stated preference approach, to estimate Canadian consumers' willingness to pay for origin, fairness, environmental impact, and food safety attributes associated with pork chops and fresh apples. We find that, on average, consumers are willing to pay significantly more for pork chops and fresh apples that are farmers‐advantaged, sourced from their own province, grown or raised under a production system designed to be environmentally sustainable, and chemical‐free. However, these findings differ significantly by the province of origin, gender, age, and income of the respondents, as well as by product type and attributes being valued.
Comprehensive review on sexual dimorphism to improve scalp acupuncture in nervous system disease
Authors: Wang Chaojie , Wang Jiening , Wu Xubo , Liu Tao , Wang Feng , Zhou Huanxia , Chen Chen , Shi Lijuan , Ma Lin , Liu Tiantian , Li Cancheng
Published: September 2023

Background

With the development of modern medicine, the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) combined with western medicine began to be produced and applied. Scalp acupuncture (SA) as a Chinese medicine based on neurological theory, has a great advantage compared with TCM in the treatment of nervous system diseases.

Method

In this paper, we analyze the physiological and pathological manifestations of sexual dimorphism (SD) to illustrate the necessity of SD treatment. In addition, we review the factors that can affect SD and analyze in physiological structure, function, and pathological neurons. Diseases (pathological basis, pathological manifestations, and incidence) and factors leading to gender differences, which to analyze the possibility of gender differences in SA.

Result

Furthermore, we creatively a new insight of SD‐SA and provide the complete SD treatment cases on the basis of the existing SA in different kinds of diseases including stroke, migraine, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and depression.

Conclusion

In summary, we believe that it is feasible to improve the clinical effectiveness of SA, which is able to promote the development of SA, and then provides an actionable evidence for the promotion of precision medicine in the future.
Controlling the input: How one‐year‐old infants sustain visual attention
Authors: Mendez Andres H. , Yu Chen , Smith Linda B.
Published: September 2023

Traditionally, the exogenous control of gaze by external saliencies and the endogenous control of gaze by knowledge and context have been viewed as competing systems, with late infancy seen as a period of strengthening top‐down control over the vagaries of the input. Here we found that one‐year‐old infants control sustained attention through head movements that increase the visibility of the attended object. Freely moving one‐year‐old infants (n = 45) wore head‐mounted eye trackers and head motion sensors while exploring sets of toys of the same physical size. The visual size of the objects, a well‐documented salience, varied naturally with the infant's moment‐to‐moment posture and head movements. Sustained attention to an object was characterized by the tight control of head movements that created and then stabilized a visual size advantage for the attended object for sustained attention. The findings show collaboration between exogenous and endogenous attentional systems and suggest new hypotheses about the development of sustained visual attention.
Clinical characteristics of people presenting with first episode psychosis pre‐ and during the COVID‐19 pandemic in KwaZulu‐Natal Province, South Africa
Authors: Paruk Saeeda , Ntlantsana Vuyokazi , Chhagan Usha , Tomita Andrew , Karim Enver , Thela Lindo , Burns Jonathan K. , Chiliza Bonginkosi
Published: September 2023

Background

The COVID‐19 pandemic and the lockdown experience may have not only precipitated or exacerbated mental illness but also influenced access to care and the nature and content of the psychotic symptomatology of people with psychosis.

Aim

This study aimed to evaluate the association of the COVID‐19 pandemic and lockdown experience on clinical presentation and quality of life of people (QOL) with first episode psychosis (FEP).

Method

Two first episode psychosis cohorts from the same epidemiological area collected prior to, and during the COVID‐19 pandemic and lockdown were compared in terms of clinical symptomatology, substance use and QOL. All adult in‐ and outpatients with FEP at five clinical units in KwaZulu‐Natal, South Africa, aged between 18 and 45 years, were assessed with the MINI interview for psychosis, Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale, WHO Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) and the WHO QOL scales.

Results

Eighty‐eight FEP participants were recruited between 2019 and 2020 (cohort 1) before the pandemic. Study recruitment was suspended in March 2020 due to the pandemic. On study resumption from November 2020 to November 2022, 95 new participants (cohort 2) were recruited. There were no sociodemographic differences between the two cohorts, except unemployment status (57% vs. 65%) and household income. The cohort presenting post‐COVID‐19 pandemic onset had significantly more positive psychotic symptoms (21.9 vs. 23.7), lower PANSS domain depressive score, more lifetime use of tobacco, cannabis and alcohol. However, they reported improved QOL (196 vs. 239).

Conclusion

Following the pandemic and lockdown experience participants presented with more severe psychotic symptoms and concomitant substance use but improved perceived QOL. This suggests the need to explore individual and social factors that may influence the clinical presentation.
Church Fellowship – An Ecumenical Model of Unity?
Authors: Raiser Konrad
Published: September 2023

This article, by one of those involved in the process that led to the 1973 Leuenberg Agreement between Lutheran, Reformed, and United churches, considers the significance of the agreement and its methodology, often described as “differentiated consensus,” for ecumenical efforts aimed at church unity. The article begins by reviewing the Leuenberg Agreement against the background of other models of church unity and the significance of the aim of church fellowship or communion. It then reviews how the agreement stimulated theological conversations between Lutherans and Roman Catholics, and the contribution of the insights of the Leuenberg Agreement to the process of the mutual recognition of churches, in which the communion in Jesus Christ founded in baptism plays a central role. In this process, the churches are on a pilgrimage together whose ultimate goal is the coming of the kingdom of God.
Exploring the role of growth factors as potential regulators in psoriatic plaque formation
Authors: Boonpethkaew Suphagan , Meephansan Jitlada , Ponnikorn Saranyoo , Jumlongpim Onjira , Juntongjin Premjit , Chakkavittumrong Panlop , Wongpiyabovorn Jongkonnee , Morita Akimichi , Komine Mayumi
Published: September 2023

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease in which growth activity is more prominent than inflammatory activity at the centre of lesional skin (CE skin). This growth activity is partly influenced by growth factors (GFs) that play an important role in cell growth and inflammation during the plaque development. In this study, we identified potential GFs in CE skin and predicted their regulatory functions and biological activity in mediating transcripts in the plaques. Samples of uninvolved skin (UN skin) and CE skin were biopsied from patients with psoriasis vulgaris for RNA‐sequencing analysis in order to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Our finding revealed that epidermal growth factor (EGF), fibroblast growth factor (FGF), platelet‐derived growth factor (PDGF) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) signalling were enriched by CE/UN skin‐derived DEGs. Additionally, several EGFR ligands, namely EGF, heparin‐binding EGF like growth factor (HB‐EGF), amphiregulin (AREG) and transforming growth factor (TGF)‐α, as well as TGF‐β1, TGF‐β2, vascular endothelial growth factor‐A, FGFs, PDGF‐B and HGF, were predicted to be GF regulators. The regulatory pattern and biological activity of these GF regulators on mediating the CE/UN skin‐derived DEGs was demonstrated. This study provides a novel hypothesis regarding the overall regulatory function of GFs, which appear to modulate the expression of the transcripts involved in inflammation and growth in the CE skin. In addition, some GFs may exert anti‐inflammatory effects. Further investigations on the mechanisms underlying this regulation may contribute to a deeper understanding of psoriasis and the identification of potential therapeutic targets for patients with psoriasis.
Land use diversification may mitigate on‐site land use impacts on mammal populations and assemblages
Authors: Kuipers Koen J. J. , Sim Sarah , Hilbers Jelle P. , van den Berg Stefanie K. , de Jonge Melinda M. J. , Trendafilova Krista , Huijbregts Mark A. J. , Schipper Aafke M.
Published: September 2023

Land use is a major cause of biodiversity decline worldwide. Agricultural and forestry diversification measures, such as the inclusion of natural elements or diversified crop types, may reduce impacts on biodiversity. However, the extent to which such measures may compensate for the negative impacts of land use remains unknown. To fill that gap, we synthesised data from 99 studies that recorded mammal populations or assemblages in natural reference sites and in cropland and forest plantations, with or without diversification measures. We quantified the responses to diversification measures based on individual species abundance, species richness and assemblage intactness as quantified by the mean species abundance indicator. In cropland with natural elements, mammal species abundance and richness were, on average, similar to natural conditions, while in cropland without natural elements they were reduced by 28% and 34%, respectively. We found that mammal species richness was comparable between diversified forest plantations and natural reference sites, and 32% lower in plantations without natural elements. In both cropland and plantations, assemblage intactness was reduced compared with natural reference conditions, but the reduction was smaller if diversification measures were in place. In addition, we found that responses to land use were modified by species traits and environmental context. While habitat specialist populations were reduced in cropland without diversification and in forest plantations, habitat generalists benefited. Furthermore, assemblages were impacted more by land use in tropical regions and landscapes containing a larger share of (semi)natural habitat compared with temperate regions and more converted landscapes. Given that mammal assemblage intactness is reduced also when diversification measures are in place, special attention should be directed to species that suffer from land use impacts. That said, our results suggest potential for reconciling land use and mammal conservation, provided that the diversification measures do not compromise yield.
Role of mantle carbonation in trench outer‐rise region in the global carbon cycle
Authors: Katayama Ikuo , Okazaki Keishi , Okamoto Atsushi
Published: September 2023

A nearly balanced carbon budget between subduction input and degassing output has likely controlled the long‐term surface environment and habitability of Earth throughout geological history. However, the ongoing extensive hydration and carbonation of the mantle in trench outer‐rise regions may affect the global carbon budget. In this study, we show that the carbon content of the lithospheric mantle can be inferred from geophysical data and thermodynamic modeling. Based on the seismic velocity anomaly in trench outer‐rise regions, we estimated that the total carbon flux due to mantle carbonation is 7–31 Mt C/year, with possible fluid‐to‐rock mass ratios of 250–1000. These values are similar to the carbon uptake by altered oceanic crust, indicating that mantle carbonation has a significant effect on the subduction carbon budget. Although there are large uncertainties on the estimates of the subduction and degassing carbon fluxes, secular cooling of the mantle leads to the development of outer‐rise faults associated with bending of the oceanic lithosphere and increased mantle carbonation, which may disrupt the self‐regulating system of the global carbon cycle on geological timescales.
Impact of splenectomy on circulating microparticles in patients with sickle cell anemia
Authors: Boulassel Mohamed‐Rachid , Al‐Rubkhi Khoula , Al‐Qasabi Jamal , El‐Ghamry Islam , Khan Hammad , Panjwani Vinodh , Qureshi Rizwan Nabi , Al‐Mamari Sahimah , Al‐Qarni Zahra , Al‐Kindi Mohamed , Al‐Nabhani Abdulrahman , Al‐Gharibi Khalaf , Wali Yasser , Pathare Anil
Published: September 2023

Introduction

Circulating microparticles (MP) are being described as potential biomarkers for disease activity in a variety of conditions including sickle cell anemia (SCA). However, relatively little is known about the influence of spleen status on MP levels in patients with SCA.

Methods

Using a prospective study design we characterize circulating MP in 144 patients with SCA in steady state by assessing their cellular origin and their relationships to spleen status defined by clinical and imaging findings. In addition, MP levels were studied according to demographic characteristics, clinical status, treatment modalities, and other hematological and biochemical parameters. Absolute plasma concentrations of MP were determined by flow cytometry.

Results

Patients with SCA displayed a 10‐fold increase in levels of MP derived from red blood cell (RBC) and platelets (PLT) when compared to their healthy counterparts (p < 0.0001). Splenectomized patients with SCA have more pronounced levels of MPRBC and MPPLT, and remained elevated after several weeks of follow‐up. Levels of MP were not significantly associated with spleen removal procedures, age, gender, clinical severity score, hydroxyurea therapy, hemoglobin F, and co‐existence of glucose‐6‐phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency.

Conclusion

Collectively, these results suggest that splenectomy affects circulating levels of MP regardless of the known SCA modifiers and correlates.
Supporting home‐based meal preparation improves lunchtime habits and self‐assessed work performance of interns at a tertiary hospital
Authors: Pham Alec , Dalkic Ahmet E. , Achan Kripa , Gibson Lauren , Limaye Sandhya
Published: September 2023

There is ample evidence that doctors frequently miss meals at work, which negatively impacts concentration, decision‐making and overall patient care. Junior doctors are particularly vulnerable given their heavy workload. We report on the impact of a pilot programme supporting home‐based meal preparation on the dietary habits and energy levels of interns at a tertiary hospital and demonstrate this is one strategy healthcare organisations can adopt to promote a healthier workforce.
The External Incentives Model Embedded: Evidence From the European Union's Eastern Neighbourhood
Authors: Buscaneanu Sergiu , Li Andrew X.
Published: September 2023

The external incentives model (EIM) proved highly compelling in explaining Europeanization and rule adoption in countries from Central, Eastern and Southeast Europe. Building on the EIM, the present article seeks to contribute along three key objectives. First, it proposes to re‐evaluate the EIM for the Eastern European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) region: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. Second, the paper introduces a conceptual distinction between domestic transformation costs and regulatory costs. Third, it integrates and evaluates the EIM in a broader framework, incorporating domestic and alternative international conditions. The paper combines theory‐guided case comparisons and panel data analysis, based on a dataset with evidence collected from the Eastern ENP countries. The study corroborates the EIM and finds that higher domestic transformation costs lead to lower levels of democratic development and a positive cost–benefit balance of transformation, on the other hand, tends to encourage democratic consolidation in the Eastern ENP region.
Capturing Women's Standpoint in EU–Turkey Studies: The Evolution of Gendered Publication and Citation Patterns
Authors: Süleymanoğlu‐Kürüm Rahİme , Turhan Ebru
Published: September 2023

Starting from the ‘gender problem’ in European studies, we scrutinize the gendered knowledge production patterns in a least likely case to be gendered, EU–Turkey studies, due to the overrepresentation of women in the field and its feminine image. We utilize feminist standpoint theory and apply research synthesis and citation analysis techniques to two original datasets comprising 300 articles in 26 Social Science Citation Index (SSCI) journals, published from 1996 to 2020 and involving 8494 citations. Our findings reveal that male‐dominated knowledge marks even EU–Turkey studies with men outnumbering women in authorships and an extremely limited number of articles focusing on gender, whilst ampler disparities transpire in first authorships and citations. Whilst women have progressively disrupted male‐dominated knowledge by surpassing male authorship numbers since 2014, engaging in greater theoretical sophistication and having a greater inclination to cite women, limited incorporation of women's standpoint hinders the field's potential to address gender inequalities and promote gender‐sensitive policies and development.
Conserved satellite DNA motif and lack of interstitial telomeric sites in highly rearranged African Nothobranchius killifish karyotypes
Authors: Lukšíková Karolína , Pavlica Tomáš , Altmanová Marie , Štundlová Jana , Pelikánová Šárka , Simanovsky Sergey A. , Krysanov Eugene Yu. , Jankásek Marek , Hiřman Matyáš , Reichard Martin , Ráb Petr , Sember Alexandr
Published: September 2023

Using African annual killifishes of the genus Nothobranchius from temporary savannah pools with rapid karyotype and sex chromosome evolution, we analysed the chromosomal distribution of telomeric (TTAGGG)n repeat and Nfu‐SatC satellite DNA (satDNA; isolated from Nothobranchius furzeri) in 15 species across the Nothobranchius killifish phylogeny, and with Fundulosoma thierryi as an out‐group. Our fluorescence in situ hybridization experiments revealed that all analysed taxa share the presence of Nfu‐SatC repeat but with diverse organization and distribution on chromosomes. Nfu‐SatC landscape was similar in conspecific populations of Nothobranchius guentheri and Nothobranchius melanospilus but slightly‐to‐moderately differed between populations of Nothobranchius pienaari, and between closely related Nothobranchius kuhntae and Nothobranchius orthonotus. Inter‐individual variability in Nfu‐SatC patterns was found in N. orthonotus and Nothobranchius krysanovi. We revealed mostly no sex‐linked patterns of studied repetitive DNA distribution. Only in Nothobranchius brieni, possessing multiple sex chromosomes, Nfu‐SatC repeat occupied a substantial portion of the neo‐Y chromosome, similarly as formerly found in the XY sex chromosome system of turquoise killifish N. furzeri and its sister species Nothobranchius kadleci—representatives not closely related to N. brieni. All studied species further shared patterns of expected telomeric repeats at the ends of all chromosomes and no additional interstitial telomeric sites. In summary, we revealed (i) the presence of conserved satDNA class in Nothobranchius clades (a rare pattern among ray‐finned fishes); (ii) independent trajectories of Nothobranchius sex chromosome differentiation, with recurrent and convergent accumulation of Nfu‐SatC on the Y chromosome in some species; and (iii) genus‐wide shared tendency to loss of telomeric repeats during interchromosomal rearrangements. Collectively, our findings advance our understanding of genome structure, mechanisms of karyotype reshuffling, and sex chromosome differentiation in Nothobranchius killifishes from the genus‐wide perspective.
Nurses' perceptions of point‐of‐care ultrasound for haemodialysis access assessment and guided cannulation: A qualitative study
Authors: Schoch Monica , Bennett Paul N. , Currey Judy , Hutchinson Alison M.
Published: September 2023

Aim

To explore nurses' perceptions of using point‐of‐care ultrasound for assessment and guided cannulation in the haemodialysis setting.

Background

Cannulation of arteriovenous fistulae is necessary to perform haemodialysis. Damage to the arteriovenous fistula is a frequent complication, resulting in poor patient outcomes and increased healthcare costs. Point‐of‐care ultrasound‐guided cannulation can reduce the risk of such damage and mitigate further vessel deterioration. Understanding nurses' perceptions of using this adjunct tool will inform its future implementation into haemodialysis practice.

Design

Descriptive qualitative study.

Methods

Registered nurses were recruited from one 16‐chair regional Australian haemodialysis clinic. Eligible nurses were drawn from a larger study investigating the feasibility of implementing point‐of‐care ultrasound in haemodialysis. Participants attended a semistructured one‐on‐one interview where they were asked about their experiences with, and perceptions of, point‐of‐care ultrasound use in haemodialysis cannulation. Audio‐recorded data were transcribed and inductively analysed.

Findings

Seven of nine nurses who completed the larger study participated in a semistructured interview. All participants were female with a median age of 54 years (and had postgraduate renal qualifications. Themes identified were as follows: (1) barriers to use of ultrasound; (2) deficit and benefit recognition; (3) cognitive and psychomotor development; and (4) practice makes perfect. Information identified within these themes were that nurses perceived that their experience with point‐of‐care ultrasound was beneficial but recommended against its use for every cannulation. The more practice nurses had with point‐of‐care ultrasound, the more their confidence, dexterity and time management improved.

Conclusions

Nurses perceived that using point‐of‐care ultrasound was a positive adjunct to their cannulation practice and provided beneficial outcomes for patients.

Implications for the Profession and/or Patient Care

Haemodialysis clinics seeking to implement point‐of‐care ultrasound to help improve cannulation outcomes may draw on these findings when embarking on this practice change.

Reporting Method

This study is reported according to the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ).

Patient or Public Contribution

Patients were not directly involved in this part of the study; however, they were involved in the implementation study.

Trial and Protocol Registration

The larger study was registered with Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12617001569392 (21/11/2017) https://anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=373963&isReview=true
Trajectories of discrimination among Chinese American youth: Variation, predictors, and outcomes
Authors: Wei Wei , Witherspoon Dawn P. , Kim Su Yeong
Published: September 2023

Using 3 waves of longitudinal data from 444 Chinese American adolescents (Mage = 13.04 at Wave 1, 54% identified as women), the current study explored if there was variation in discrimination trajectories from early to late adolescence and whether contextual and individual factors predicted trajectories as well as if trajectories were associated with academic achievement and mental health. Three distinct discrimination trajectories were identified: low‐increasing, moderate‐stable, and high‐decreasing. The results also revealed that neighborhood Chinese concentration and adolescents' acculturation predicted discrimination trajectories. Different trajectories were also associated with depressive symptoms; adolescents in the high‐decreasing trajectory reported higher levels of depressive symptoms in late adolescence than in the other two trajectories. The findings highlight the heterogeneity in Chinese American adolescents' discrimination experience.
Lineage‐specific trait variations and plasticity of obligate parthenogenetic animals following the expansion of distribution range to a continental archipelago
Authors: Tian Xiao‐Fei , Toyota Maki , Ohtsuki Hajime , Urabe Jotaro
Published: September 2023

Evolutionary theory suggests the hypothesis that among genetically isolated populations, phenotypic variation should be smaller in populations with smaller ratios of nonsynonymous to synonymous substitutions (dN/dS) because smaller dN/dS ratios occur under greater purification selections. Two distinct lineages (JPN1 and JPN2) of panarctic Daphnia cf. pulex sensu Hebert (1995), invaded independently into Japan from North America, provide an excellent opportunity to test this hypothesis because the earlier invader JPN1 has a lower dN/dS ratio than JPN2. Therefore, we examined phenotypic variations in fitness‐related traits, including digestive, life‐history, and morphological traits, among several genotypes within these two lineages. We found that phenotypic variations were smaller within the JPN1 lineage than within the JPN2 lineage. Furthermore, within‐lineage variation of the phenotypic plasticity to changing food levels was smaller in the JPN1 lineage than in the JPN2 lineage. These results support the hypothesis that the JPN1 lineage has been more efficiently subjected to negative selection. However, the magnitude of the phenotypic plasticity of these traits was, on average, at the same level between the JPN1 and JPN2 lineages and its direction differed among genotypes of these lineages, suggesting that the JPN2 genotypes might have exploited niches that were different from those of the JPN1 genotypes.
Effect of sodium carbonate on the properties of seventy percent of Tartary buckwheat composite flour‐based doughs and noodles and the underlying mechanism
Authors: Qi Yajing , Cheng Jiahao , Chen Yu , Xu Bin
Published: September 2023

The impact of Na2CO3 on the properties of doughs and noodles containing 70% Tartary buckwheat flour was investigated. Low‐field 1H nuclear magnetic resonance showed the mobility of water in the doughs significantly declined with the addition content of alkali from 0% to 0.9%. Na2CO3 promoted the transformation from free sulfhydryl groups to disulfide bonds in doughs because the sulfhydryl groups in cysteine preferred to form thiolate anion and then oxidate under alkaline conditions. As for non‐covalent chemical interactions, a significant increase of hydrogen bonds and a decrease of hydrophobic interactions were observed after Na2CO3 addition. Quantitative analysis of microstructure showed that more uniform and denser gluten networks with higher branching rate and shorter average protein length and width formed in the doughs with 0.3%–0.6% of Na2CO3. The aggregated glutenin macropolymer and enhanced protein structure led to significantly stronger tensile of Tartary buckwheat dough sheets, which could meet the demand of continuous processing in the factory. Dough with alkali had higher swelling power and pasting viscosities, contributing to higher water absorption, and improved textural attributes of cooked noodles. This study demonstrated the possibility of adding Na2CO3 at a moderate level for promoting the sheeting, cooking, and eating properties of high Tartary buckwheat flour composite noodles.
The afterlife of “doing medicine”: Birth planning, chronic illness, and regeneration among the Lisu on the China–Myanmar border
Authors: Lau Ting Hui
Published: September 2023

Between the late 1970s and 1990s, many indigenous Lisu people in the Nu River Valley, an Eastern Himalayan region of China bordering Myanmar and Tibet, underwent what they referred to as “doing medicine”—abortions, vasectomies, and tubal ligations—as part of China's Birth Planning Policy. Lisu, who endured these procedures, struggle with strength loss, nervousness, and pain. Government discourses diminish the Lisu experience, arguing that the policy was lenient toward them. Lisu themselves are reticent to share their experiences but have devised new practices to care for those affected. Drawing on long‐term ethnographic fieldwork, I argue that these chronic illnesses and accompanying care practices constitute everyday forms of remembering through which Lisu give shape to their experiences of cultural loss under Chinese colonization while generating new social relationships. This analysis sheds light on Indigenous experiences of birth planning in China with broader implications for understanding the bureaucratic violence of medicine.
Extensive vascular malformation in the face treated by sclerotherapy with 5% ethanolamine oleate foam
Authors: de Lima Medeiros Yuri , Silva Breno Nogueira , de Miranda Chaves Netto Henrique Duque , de Carvalho Paula Afonso Rodrigues , Fabri Gisele Maria Campos , de Carvalho Matheus Furtado
Published: September 2023

Background and Aim

The approach to vascular malformations in the face is a challenging step for professionals involved in the treatment of these anomalies. The objective is to describe a rare case of extensive vascular malformation in the face in an adult patient who had previously undergone several unsuccessful treatments during childhood and adolescence.

Materials and Methods

A 46‐year‐old female patient reported an aesthetic discomfort in her face due to an increase in the volume of the upper lip and recurrent spontaneous bleeding in the oral cavity. On oral clinical evaluation, a blue‐purple colour, firm consistency on palpation, extension into the oral cavity, and moderate mobility of the incisors in the right hemimaxilla were observed. Angiography, magnetic resonance imaging and cone beam computed tomography were performed to verify the lesion's anatomical limits and hemodynamic properties. Four injections of sclerotherapy with an injection of 5% monoethanolamine oleate foam were performed.

Results

A significant reduction in the extent of vascular malformation was noted. At the moment, the patient had 3 years of follow‐up. She is extremely satisfied with the aesthetic result, and has had no episode of spontaneous bleeding or other complications.

Conclusions

The request for new imaging exams allowed the characterization and precise delimitation of the vascular malformation, guiding the use of a minimally invasive technique using the injection of monoethanolamine oleate foam, providing an effective and satisfactory result for the patient.
Ablate and pace: Comparison of outcomes between conduction system pacing and biventricular pacing
Authors: Palmisano Pietro , Ziacchi Matteo , Dell'Era Gabriele , Donateo Paolo , Ammendola Ernesto , Aspromonte Vittorio , Pellegrino Pier Lugi , Del Giorno Giuseppe , Coluccia Giovanni , Bartoli Lorenzo , Patti Giuseppe , Senes Jacopo , Parlavecchio Antonio , Di Fraia Francesco , Brunetti Natale Daniele , Carbone Angelo , Nigro Gerardo , Biffi Mauro , Accogli Michele
Published: September 2023

Background

Conduction system pacing (CSP), including His‐bundle pacing (HBP) and left bundle branch area pacing (LBBAP), have been proposed as alternatives to biventricular pacing (BVP) in patients scheduled for ablate and pace (A&P) strategy. The aim of this study was to compare the clinical outcomes, including the rate and nature of device‐related complications, between BVP and CSP in a cohort of patients undergoing A&P.

Methods

Prospective, multicenter, observational study, enrolling consecutive patients undergoing A&P. The risk of device‐related complications and of heart failure (HF) hospitalization was prospectively assessed.

Results

A total of 373 patients (75.3 ± 8.7 years, 53.9% male, 68.9% with NYHA class ≥III) were enrolled: 263 with BVP, 68 with HBP, and 42 with LBBAP. Baseline characteristics of the three groups were similar. Compared to BVP and HBP, LBBAP was associated with the shortest mean procedural and fluoroscopy times and with the lowest acute capture thresholds (all p < .05). At 12‐month follow‐up LBBAP maintained the lowest capture thresholds and showed the longest estimated residual battery longevity (all p < .05). At 12‐months follow‐up the three study groups showed a similar risk of device‐related complications (5.7%, 4.4%, and 2.4% for BVP, HBP, and LBBAP, respectively; p = .650), and of HF hospitalization (2.7%, 1.5%, and 2.4% for BVP, HBP, and LBBAP, respectively; p = .850).

Conclusions

In the setting of A&P, CSP is a feasible pacing modality, with a midterm safety profile comparable to BVP. LBBAP offers the advantage of reducing procedural times and obtaining lower and stable capture thresholds, with a positive impact on the device longevity.
Machine learning meets the Journal of Public Budgeting and Finance: Topics and trends over 40 years
Authors: Chen Can , Xiao Shiyang , Zhao Boyuan
Published: September 2023

This research aims to mark the 40th anniversary of Public Budgeting & Finance (PB&F) by providing a retrospective of its journey over the past 40 years using the method of an unsupervised machine learning technique—structural topic modeling (STM). The study identifies 15 key thematic topics that most optimally represent the 1028 articles that were published in the studied period from 1981 to 2020. Furthermore, the study reveals the dynamic changes in the popularity of each thematic topic over time. This research identifies past and emerging research trends in PB&F to help scholars and students keep sight of the overall landscape of public budgeting and finance literature.