bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Biogeographical Origins of Caatinga Squamata Fauna
Authors: Bezerra Castiele Holanda , Ramos Antonio Rafael Lima , Rodrigues João Fabrício Mota , Cassemiro Fernanda A. S. , Ávila Robson Waldemar
Published: November 2024

Aim

Several lines of evidence have noted that open vegetation biomes in the Neotropics are younger than moist forests, leading us to question which historical processes shaped the current species distribution patterns in these new biome formations. Here we investigate the temporal patterns of speciation and colonisation from surrounding biomes (Amazonia, Atlantic Forest and Cerrado) in the Caatinga historical assembly of squamate species, to understand the role of geomorphological events and climate change in driving its diversification.

Location

Neotropics.

Taxon

Squamata (snakes, lizards and amphisbaenians).

Methods

We used a phylogenetic tree and occurrence data for 459 squamate species distributed throughout four different biomes (Amazonia, Atlantic Forest, Cerrado and Caatinga) to reconstruct ancestral geographic ranges using the R package BioGeoBEARS. We used BAMM to estimate the rates of species diversification.

Results

Our results indicate that the current diversity patterns of squamates in the Caatinga were a result of pervasive faunal exchanges from adjacent biomes since the Paleogene, with similar numbers of dispersal events in each source area. The Neogene period was determinant in the diversification process, leading to the current assembly patterns of this group in the Caatinga.

Main Conclusions

The landscape transformation and climate change that increased aridity in northeastern Brazil probably shaped the diversification of dry‐adapted squamates in the Caatinga, like tropidurid lizards. However, the Pleistocene climatic fluctuations associated with the highly heterogeneous gradients of topography, geology, soils, climatic conditions, and different vegetation physiognomies could have facilitated faunal exchange with their neighbouring forested biomes, explaining the current presence of some typical forested lineages inside the Caatinga domain and help us to clarify the current distribution patterns of squamates in this region.
Trends in prescribing sodium‐glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors for individuals with type 2 diabetes with and without cardiovascular‐renal disease in South Korea, 2015–2021
Authors: Ha Kyoung Hwa , Shin Soyoung , Na EunJi , Kim Dae Jung
Published: November 2024

Background

This study evaluates shifts in oral glucose‐lowering drug prescription patterns and the adoption of sodium‐glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2is) in South Korea.

Methods

A cross‐sectional and retrospective cohort analysis of the Korean National Health Insurance database (2015–2021) assessed the prescription patterns of oral glucose‐lowering drugs by therapy level, SGLT2i prescriptions by cardiovascular‐renal disease (CVRD) status, and the mean duration for SGLT2i therapy initiation and intensification.

Results

From 2015 to 2021, the number of individuals prescribed oral glucose‐lowering drugs across all regimen levels increased. However, the proportion of individuals receiving monotherapy or dual combination therapy decreased by 9.2 percentage points, whereas the proportion prescribed triple or more combination therapy increased. SGLT2i prescriptions increased from 2.5% in 2015 to 13.9% in 2021, marking an 11.4 percentage point growth. This trend was consistent among individuals with and without CVRD, with the most significant increase observed in individuals with heart failure—from 2.2% in 2015 to 16.6%. The mean time to SGLT2i initiation post‐diagnosis was shortened from 249 days in 2015 to 158 days in 2019.

Conclusions

The adoption of SGLT2i therapy was on the rise, especially among individuals with heart failure, accompanied by a notable decrease in time to treatment initiation. Despite these positive trends, the overall use of SGLT2i among individuals with CVRD remained limited.
Temperature‐Related Effects on Disease Susceptibility and Immune Response in Redband Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss gairdneri) Following Challenge With Flavobacterium columnare
Authors: Egan Joshua P. , Ma Jie , Myrsell Veronica L. , Chen Zhongqi , Masingale Jonathan , Caudill Christopher C. , Boyle Timothy , Browning Julianna , Narum Shawn R. , Cain Kenneth D. , Hohenlohe Paul A.
Published: November 2024

Heat stress can increase disease risk in fishes by reducing immune function. Interactions between redband trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss gairdneri) and Flavobacterium columnare, a causative agent of columnaris disease, provide an opportunity to investigate the effects of temperature on immune function and disease resistance during periods of thermal stress. We conducted three trials to characterise differences in immune function and mortality between redband trout held at 18°C and 21°C following challenge with F. columnare. In trial 1, cumulative per cent mortality (CPM) was low and not statistically different between 18°C and 21°C. In trials 2 and 2, we administered higher challenge doses and observed increased CPM overall and significantly greater CPM at 21°C than 18°C. Redband trout upregulated il‐8, tnf‐α, igm and igt following infection by F. columnare, suggesting that all of these genes may be involved in immune responses to F. columnare infection. We found no differences in the strength of the immune responses between fish held at 21°C versus 18°C. This indicated that 21°C did not elicit sufficient thermal stress to impair immune function and that increased CPM at 21°C versus 18°C was due to enhanced F. columnare virulence.
Changes in leisure activity, all‐cause mortality, and functional disability in older Japanese adults: The JAGES cohort study
Authors: Masuko Sayo , Matsuyama Yusuke , Kino Shiho , Kondo Katsunori , Aida Jun
Published: November 2024

Background/Objectives

Leisure activities provide various health benefits for older adults. However, few studies have examined changes in leisure activities and health. This study aimed to determine the association among changes in leisure activities, subsequent all‐cause mortality, and functional disability.

Methods

Using a longitudinal, prospective cohort design, we analyzed data from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study (JAGES) in 2010 and 2013 merged with government data on death and long‐term care needs by 2020. Changes in leisure activity were defined as four‐category exposure based on a question about leisure activities: those with leisure activities in both 2010 and 2013, those who started leisure activities in 2013, those without leisure activities in both 2010 and 2013 (reference group), and those who stopped leisure activities in 2013. All‐cause mortality and functional disability were defined as onset during the 6‐year follow‐up from the 2013 survey. We applied the inverse probability of censoring and treatment‐weighted methods for analyses using Cox proportional hazards models, where missingness was addressed using multiple imputation.

Results

The study included 38,125 participants with a mean age of 72.8 ± 5.5 years at baseline, and 46.9% were male. Among those without leisure activities between 2010 and 2013 and those who started leisure activities in 2013, mortality rates by 2020 were 28.6% and 21.1%, and functional disability rates were 24.6% and 18.1%, respectively; and in analyses with the inverse probability of censoring and treatment‐weighted methods, the hazard ratio for mortality was 0.82 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.75–0.90) and 0.89 (95% CI, 0.79–1.01) for functional disability, respectively.

Conclusion

Initiation of leisure activities among the older adults was associated with a lower risk of mortality and functional disability over the subsequent 6 years compared to older adults who did not report initiating any leisure activities.
Characterizing patient portal use of people with cognitive impairment and potentially inappropriate medications
Authors: Green Ariel R. , Martin Daniel , Jessen Andrew , Wu Mingche M. J. , Daddato Andrea E. , Rosado Rosalphie Quiles , Gleason Kelly T. , Wec Aleksandra , Wolff Jennifer L. , Taylor Casey O. , Bayliss Elizabeth A.
Published: November 2024

Background

People with cognitive impairment commonly use central nervous system‐active potentially inappropriate medications (CNS‐PIM), increasing risk of adverse outcomes. Patient portals may be a promising tool for facilitating medication‐related conversations. Little is known about portal use by this population related to medications.

Objective

To target portal interventions, we sought to identify individuals with cognitive impairment and CNS‐PIM exposure who discussed medications through the portal and to determine how frequently their messages described possible adverse effects.

Methods

We used electronic health record (EHR) data from an academic health system in Maryland (Site 1) from 2017 to 2022 and pharmacy and EHR data from an integrated health system in Colorado (Site 2) in 2022 to identify people with cognitive impairment and CNS‐PIM exposure who communicated about medications through the portal. At Site 1, message threads were manually categorized based on content. At Site 2, messages were categorized using natural language processing (NLP).

Results

The Site 1 cohort included 5543 patients aged ≥65 with cognitive impairment and ≥2 outpatient visits from 2017 to 2022. Over half (n = 3072; 55%) had CNS‐PIM prescriptions. Most with CNS‐PIM prescriptions had portal use (n = 1987; 65%); 1320 (66%) of those patients sent messages during possible CNS‐PIM exposure. Coding of a 5% random sample of message threads revealed that 3% mentioned CNS‐PIM and possible adverse effects, while 8% mentioned possible adverse effects without referencing CNS‐PIM. At Site 2, 4270 people had cognitive impairment and CNS‐PIM exposure in 2022; of these, 1984 (46%) had portal use and 1768 (41%) sent medication‐related messages during CNS‐PIM exposure. NLP identified 663 (8%) messages that mentioned CNS‐PIM and possible adverse effects, while 726 (41%) mentioned possible adverse effects without referencing CNS‐PIM.

Conclusions

People with cognitive impairment and care partners frequently send portal messages about medications and possible adverse effects. Identifying such messages can help target deprescribing interventions.
“A world beyond this one”: Sustaining afro‐brasilidade through language, ritual, and culture teaching in a northeastern Brazilian school
Authors: Washington Adrienne Ronee
Published: November 2024

This research advances racioreligious linguistic ideologies as a concept to examine discursive processes whereby language, race, and spirituality become entangled within cultural lenses. It begins by exploring the racialization of Yoruba‐inspired (Nagô in Bahia) spiritualities and linguistic/semiotic practices under colonialism and racial slavery. It continues into the modern context with an extended example situated in a northeastern Brazilian school, where Nagô/Yoruba typifies Blackness. The data highlight how interlocutors in this school, working within affirmative racioreligious linguistic ideologies and the values they assign, engage in education as racioreligious identity work to resist racial, religious, and linguistic prejudices, sustain traditional knowledge, and affirm Afro‐Brazilianness.
Long‐term quality of life and surgical outcome of female congenital adrenal hyperplasia patients
Authors: Leung Ling , Lui Candace , Cheung Ka Li , Chan Ivy Hau Yee , Wong Kenneth Kak Yuen
Published: November 2024

Aim

To investigate the long‐term quality of life and surgical outcome of female patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH).

Methods

Questionnaires for health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) outcome (WHO‐5, SF‐36), lower urinary tract symptoms (ICIQ‐FLUTS) and sexual outcome (ICIQ‐FLUTSsex) were administered to adult CAH patients. Paediatric CAH patients and their parents were invited to complete WHO‐5, PedsQL‐4.0‐SF15‐Generic Core Scales and ICIQ‐CLUTS.

Results

Six (46%) adults and 7 (54%) children with 21‐hydroxylase‐deficiency (age ranged from 8 years to 53 years) were recruited. Eleven (85%) had undergone a feminising genitoplasty. In the adult group, no statistically significant difference was identified in the HRQoL and ICIQ‐FLUTS scores. Mean overall score of ICIQ‐FLUTSsex was lower but not significantly in adult patients compared to controls (7.3 ± 2.9 vs. 2.9 ± 3.4, P = 0.06). A statistically significant negative correlation (r = −0.98, P = 0.02) was found between age at first operation and role limitations due to emotional problems in SF‐36. No statistically significant difference was identified in the self‐reported HRQoL and ICIQ‐CLUTS scores in the paediatric group compared to controls. However, parent's report showed a statistically significant difference in school functioning (73.8 ± 18.9 vs. 91.2 ± 18.7, P = 0.02) and emotional functioning (80.3 ± 15.9 vs. 94.7 ± 12.7, P = 0.007).

Conclusions

Our data did not show an impaired HRQoL nor long‐term lower urinary tract symptoms in CAH patients' self‐reports. Healthcare team should pay more attention to adult patient's sexual function.
Occurrence of protease inhibitors in freshwater cyanobacterium Woronichinia naegeliana (Unger) Elenkin
Authors: Bober Beata , Żmudzki Paweł , Chrapusta‐Srebrny Ewelina
Published: November 2024

Cyanobacteria are known for producing a wide array of secondary metabolites, including non‐ribosomally synthesized oligopeptides, whose functions remain to be determined. Woronichinia naegeliana, a common component of freshwater blooms, represents an under‐explored resource of bioactive oligopeptides. Among these oligopeptides are cyanopeptolin 1081 and anabaenopeptin 899, which have been shown to have adverse effects on zooplankton. The absolute amino acid configuration of these peptides appears typical relative to other cyanopeptolins and anabaenopeptins. To understand their toxic mechanisms, enzyme assays were conducted. The inhibitory activity of cyanopeptolin 1081 and anabaenopeptin 899 was tested against proteases such as chymotrypsin, trypsin, elastase, thrombin, and carboxypeptidase A, resulting in different activities against these enzymes. Cyanopeptolin 1081 inhibited both chymotrypsin and elastase, while anabaenopeptin 899 inhibited carboxypeptidase A but failed to inhibit the other tested enzymes at a concentration of 37 μM. The inhibitory concentration values determined here highlight that these compounds are among the most potent enzyme inhibitors in freshwater‐derived cyanopeptides.
Severe Periodontitis is Associated With Recurrent Cardiovascular Events—A 10‐Year Longitudinal Cohort Study
Authors: Reichert Stefan , Rehm Selina , Schlitt Axel , Schulz Susanne
Published: November 2024

Aim

The study aimed to elucidate a putative association between severe periodontitis and the incidence of recurrent cardiovascular events in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD) within 10 years after their initial hospitalisation.

Methods

A cohort of 1002 stationary patients with angiographically proven CVD was included. They were examined regarding prevalence of severe periodontitis (≥ 30% of the teeth with proximal attachment loss of ≥ 5 mm), probing depth, clinical attachment loss, bleeding on probing, number of missing teeth and oral care habits. Recurrent events were summarised as combined end point (myocardial infarction, stroke/transitory ischemic attack, cardiovascular death and death caused by stroke). Survival analyses were carried out after a 10‐year follow‐up period. Hazard ratios (HRs) were adjusted for known cardiac risk factors using Cox regression.

Results

The follow‐up was completed by 792 patients. The overall incidence of the combined end point was 42.8%. Severe periodontitis was associated with recurrent cardiovascular events (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] = 1.26, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.0–1.58 and Standard error [SE] 0.11), whereas both, tooth brushing more than once a day (adjusted HR = 0.74, 95% CI 0.57–0.97, SE 0.13) and performing interdental hygiene (adjusted HR = 0.71, 95% CI 0.52–0.99, SE 0.16) decreased this risk.

Conclusions

Severe periodontitis is a putative risk factor for recurrent cardiovascular events.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01045070
Hyperglycemia Exacerbates Periodontal Destruction via Systemic Suppression of Regulatory T Cell Number and Function
Authors: Saotome Masami , Kuraji Ryutaro , Numabe Yukihiro
Published: November 2024

Aim

Diabetes is a significant risk factor that exacerbates the pathological progression of periodontal disease. In recent years, attention has focused on the effect of regulatory T cells (Tregs), which play a central role in immune tolerance, on inflammatory processes in periodontal tissue, suggesting a link with diabetes‐associated periodontitis. In this study, we examined the dynamics of Tregs in periodontal tissue of mice with streptozotocin (STZ)‐induced hyperglycemia.

Methods

Eleven‐week‐old male C57BL/6J mice were divided into four treatment groups: Untreated (C group), ligature placed around the maxillary second molars with silk sutures (PD group), intraperitoneal administration of STZ (HG group), and ligature placed after STZ administration (PHG group). Establishment of hyperglycemia was assessed 14 days after STZ administration, and ligation was performed 7 days later. After another 7 days of ligation, the mice were euthanized. The right side of the maxilla was observed histopathologically, whereas the palatal gingiva on the left side of the maxilla was analyzed genetically, and the microstructure of the alveolar bone was also assessed. In addition, lymphocytes from peripheral blood, spleen, and periodontal tissue were analyzed using flow cytometry.

Results

In bone structure analyses, alveolar bone height, bone volume/tissue volume (BV/TV), and bone mineral density (BMD) were lower in the PHG group than the PD group. In the gingival tissue, expression of the Foxp3 gene was up‐regulated in the PHG group compared with the C group, and IL‐17a was up‐regulated in the PHG group compared with the PD group. Flow cytometry analyses showed that the number of Tregs (CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ cells) in the blood and gingival tissue was significantly higher in the PD and PHG groups than the C group. The number of CD4+CD25−Foxp3+ cells, which are reportedly functionally attenuated as Tregs, was increased in blood of the PHG group. Immunofluorescence staining of periodontal tissue showed that the number of CD25+Foxp3+ cells was significantly increased only in the PD group, whereas a trend toward an increased number of CD25−Foxp3+ cells was observed in the PHG group.

Conclusion

The present study showed that STZ‐induced hyperglycemia numerically and functionally attenuates Tregs in a mouse model of experimental periodontitis. Furthermore, impaired immune tolerance capacity appears to be involved in exacerbating inflammation and bone destruction in periodontal tissue.
Empirical likelihood for martingale differences
Authors: Schick Anton
Published: November 2024

In this article, we consider an empirical likelihood with vector observations that are martingale differences and prove a Wilks' type theorem under a conditional Lindeberg condition. We then generalize this result to approximate martingale differences. As applications of the first result we discuss the construction of confidence regions for various time series models, including linear and nonlinear autoregressive models, an ARCH(1) model, and nonlinear autoregressive models with heteroskedasticity. The second result is used to derive a Wilks' type theorem for a blockwise empirical likelihood for Markov chains.
Effect of phenylbutazone administration on the enteroinsular axis in horses with insulin dysregulation
Authors: Kemp Kate L. , Skinner Jazmine E. , Bertin François‐René
Published: November 2024

Background

Phenylbutazone is prescribed for laminitis‐associated pain and decreases glucose and insulin responses to an oral glucose test (OGT) in horses with insulin dysregulation (ID).

Hypothesis/Objectives

Investigate the effect of phenylbutazone administration on the enteroinsular axis in horses.

Animals

Sixteen horses, including 7 with ID.

Methods

Randomized cross‐over study design, with horses assigned to treatment with phenylbutazone (4.4 mg/kg IV q24h) or placebo (5 mL 0.9% saline). On Day 9 of treatment, an OGT was conducted, followed by a 10‐day washout period, administration of the alternative treatment, and repetition of the OGT. Glucose‐dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), and active glucagon‐like peptide 1 and 2 (aGLP‐1 and GLP‐2) concentrations were determined by ELISA. The effects of ID status and treatment on peptide concentrations were assessed using t tests and analyses of variance.

Results

Horses with ID had significantly higher maximum GIP concentrations (Cmax) than controls (median, 279.1; interquartile range [IQR], 117.5‐319.4 pg/mL vs median, 90.12; IQR, 74.62‐116.5 pg/mL; P = .01), but no significant effect of ID was detected on aGLP‐1 and GLP‐2 concentrations. In horses with ID, phenylbutazone treatment significantly decreased GIP Cmax compared with placebo (168.1 ± 59.26 pg/mL vs 242.8 ± 121.8 pg/mL; P = .04), but no significant effect of phenylbutazone was detected on aGLP‐1 and GLP‐2 concentrations.

Conclusion and Clinical Importance

Glucose‐dependent insulinotropic polypeptide, aGLP‐1 and GLP‐2 do not mediate the decrease in glucose and insulin concentrations observed after phenylbutazone administration. Only GIP was repeatedly associated with ID status, calling into question the role of the enteroinsular axis in ID.
Diasporic (Be)longing: Dan Taulapapa McMullin's ‘The Viole(n)t Cat’
Authors: Treagus Mandy
Published: November 2024

This article explores the multiple contexts behind ‘The Viole(n)t Cat’ by expatriate poet, Sāmoan Dan Taulapapa McMullin, now resident in the US. It is especially concerned with the ways in which the poem crosses national and hemispheric boundaries while remaining embedded in multiple instances of the local and translocal. While the poem begins in Turtle Island, it soon considers the twin islets of Ofu and Olosega in American Sāmoa, places of striking natural features. While evoking this beauty, the poem also suggests the significance of the strait between the islands and its notable role as a symbol of the long and intertwined relationship between Sāmoa and Tonga over many centuries. The wider context of ongoing Polynesian longing and mobility, producing not only the Polynesian triangle itself but also its contemporary diaspora, evokes the original homeland, Hawaiki, as both literal origin and ongoing ontological sustenance.
Where We Speak From—Some Global Visions From Oceania
Authors: Makereti Tina , Etherington Bonnie
Published: November 2024

Oceania is always already home to vast global relations. In this introduction we invite readers to navigate literary and other creative expressions emerging from these relations in the 20th and early 21st centuries. Critic Epeli Hau‘ofa (1993) disrupts colonial and capitalist constructions of the Pacific that frame its islands as sparse and isolated, and reminds the world that ‘Oceania is vast, Oceania is expanding’. Prior to Hau‘ofa's assertions, Albert Wendt points out that creative works allow people to engage with the diverse connections and mobility that Oceania makes possible. More recently, Alice Te Punga Somerville reasserts that the beings and lands of Oceania do not fit into the categories forced by colonial borders, as ‘Oceania proposes a dynamic regional sensibility that enlarges and puts pressure on contemporary structures of nature and region’. Yet, there are few publications, especially emerging from UK and European publishers, that prioritise the globality of Oceania expressed through its literatures. Entering the conversations sustained by scholars of Oceania, this special issue on ‘Some Global Visions from Oceania’ asks readers to think about what the ‘global’ looks like when centred in Indigenous Oceania, rather than in a Euro‐American centre.
Tahitian Author Célestine Vaite's Multilingual Writing: A Stitching of Languages and Experiences Across Oceania
Authors: Heinrich Sue Manuia
Published: November 2024

Tahitian author Célestine Vaite's novels Breadfruit (2000), Frangipani (2004), and Tiare in Bloom (2006) are set in 1970s Tahiti and written mainly in English, but they feature numerous occurrences of French, the colonial language of Mā‘ohi Nui (French Polynesia), Tahitian, the most spoken Indigenous language of the region, and Franitian, often referred to as Tahitian‐French, a vernacular born from the cohabitation of French and Tahitian. The literary multilingualism of Vaite's books constitutes an active medium of diasporic and Indigenous identity assertion. Drawing from Pacific concepts of diaspora, Indigeneity, and postcolonialism, I explore how Vaite's languages reflect Pacific connections and actively sustain links between Pacific peoples, notably through colonial critiques and the thematic of movement. Mā‘ohi scholar Kareva Mateata‐Allain uses the metaphor of the va'a (the Tahitian canoe) to posit literature as a tool that enables crossing the invisible, colonial barriers between Francophone and Anglophone regions and peoples (2005, 2008). Considering the isolating power of the French language in a region dominated by English, Mateata‐Allain's approach underlines the wish of Mā‘ohi authors, including Vaite, to prioritize common Pacific experiences. Since Vaite's stitching of languages defies conceptions of linguistic zones in Oceania, I consider her use of English and of her three native languages from Mā‘ohi Nui as a strategy that decentralizes cultural experiences and identities and relocates them in a literary space that is uniquely hers.
The influence of ALH 84001 on our understanding of the origin and evolution of Mars
Authors: Righter Kevin
Published: November 2024

ALH 84001 is an orthopyroxenite that is the oldest known Martian meteorite. Given this rock type and age, and the possible source locations, ALH 84001 represents an opportunity to learn more about basic geologic relations in the Martian highlands in the southern hemisphere. Its orthopyroxene‐rich mineralogy is unique and also includes C‐, S‐, P‐bearing minerals. ALH 84001 can provide constraints on chronology, geology and surface features, crust formation, paleomagnetism, weathering, climate, magmatism, and interior structure. When it was recognized to be of Martian origin (~1994), there were ~12 known Martian meteorite samples. That number is now >150, with only one other meteorite (NWA 7034) having clasts that are similar in age to ALH 84001. Thus, it remains a unique sample and continues to provide opportunities to understand this early period of Martian history.
Genetic Monitoring of a Lethal Control Programme for Wild Canids With Complex Mating Strategies
Authors: Prowse Thomas A. A. , Birand Aysegul , Stephens Danielle , Woolnough Andrew P.
Published: November 2024

Although mammalian carnivores are ecologically important, they also drive human–wildlife conflicts. Managing carnivores using lethal control is controversial, in part because the impact of control effort is often uncertain due to limited abundance monitoring. We used an Australian metapopulation of wild dogs as a model system to investigate the feasibility of monitoring effective population size () to detect reductions in census population size () following control. Based on microsatellite data collected over an 11‐year period, we parameterised an individual‐based spatial population model for wild dogs that integrated demography, genetics, random or hierarchical mating, dispersal between subpopulations and compensatory immigration. and trajectories were simulated under different proportional culling rates and genetic sampling regimes. We also used simulations without culling as null models to define 95% critical values for assessing the significance of empirical changes in over time. We concluded there were significant reductions (39%–62%) in in each subpopulation of the wild dog metapopulation, mostly likely due to control. In simulations assuming a hierarchical rather than random mating system, the impact of control on was weakened because reproduction by subordinate individuals increased as dominant individuals were removed, yet reduced following culling. Sensitivity analyses demonstrated that becomes an unreliable proxy of when compensatory immigration is strong and compensatory reproduction is weak, in which case can increase following culling due to the immigration of new genotypes. Nonetheless, our results suggest can provide information about wild dog over sufficiently short timescales to inform management.
Philosophical challenges of decolonial options, resistance, and combat
Authors: Lacertosa Massimiliano
Published: November 2024

This article examines the benefits and challenges of integrating decolonisation into philosophy. Its thesis is that a decolonial approach must address not only what decolonisation entails but also how to implement it methodologically. While the analysis of ethnocentrism in philosophy is crucial, it is insufficient if it remains confined to internal criticism without leading to a methodological introjection of the unfamiliar and the foreign. A solid methodology is essential to prevent superficial approaches to diversity and inclusion that fail to challenge disciplinary practices. This methodology, however, is not an end but a means to encourage ongoing conversations beyond comparative and cross‐cultural philosophy. Thus, this article proposes methodological syncretism as a critical approach that embraces a variety of methodologies. The aim is to mitigate the risk of neutralizing the active force of decolonisation by reducing it to a mere theoretical abstraction, which could ultimately lead to a reproduction of colonial appropriation.
Acoustic occurrence of deep‐diving cetaceans in the southern Adriatic Sea
Authors: Constaratas Alexandra N. , Holcer Draško , Özgöbek Özlem , Širović Ana
Published: November 2024

Goose‐beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris) and sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) are two deep‐diving odontocete species known to occur in the southern Adriatic Sea, based on intermittent stranding and sighting data. To get a better understanding of their presence in this region, we studied the occurrence of echolocation clicks produced by these species in passive acoustic recordings. Passive acoustic data were collected offshore Dubrovnik, Croatia. Data were collected from October 2018 to December 2019 and from June 2020 to December 2020 using a High‐frequency Acoustic Recording Package (HARP) deployed at approximately 1,000 m depth. To determine the occurrence of echolocation clicks, a two‐step process was used: automated detection followed by manual annotation of the detected clicks. Automated detection was implemented using a low signal‐to‐noise ratio threshold and a broad range of parameters to detect as many clicks as possible. Two click clustering algorithms were evaluated for performance on this data set: an unsupervised clustering algorithm and a filtering algorithm. The performance of the algorithms was compared to the manual annotations to determine a time‐effective method for future monitoring. Both species were found to be acoustically active in the southern Adriatic Sea. Goose‐beaked whales were detected throughout the recording period, with echolocation clicks peaking during the winter of 2018–2019 and in the spring of 2019. Conversely, sperm whales were more acoustically active during short, irregular windows, mostly during the summer of 2019. These results suggest that goose‐beaked whales are residents, and, due to the irregularity of their detection, sperm whales are likely occasional visitors to this region. The unsupervised clustering algorithm performed better than the tested filtering algorithm, with F‐scores of 0.74 and 0.46, respectively. This study provides knowledge that can help with effective conservation efforts and further contribute to our understanding of cetacean occurrence in the region.
Measuring steroid hormone levels in the skin of free‐ranging dugongs: A less invasive way to determine reproductive status
Authors: Smoll Laetitia I. , Keeley Tamara , Burgess Elizabeth A. , Lanyon Janet M.
Published: November 2024

Monitoring hormone concentrations in marine mammals provides valuable information regarding reproductive status and health. Skin is potentially useful for measuring hormone levels and can often be collected without capture. We investigated whether progesterone, testosterone, and cortisol could be measured in skin from dugongs using enzyme immunoassays. Hormones were measured in dorsal skin scrapings from free‐ranging dugongs, including known pregnant females, nonpregnant adult females, reproductively active males, and reproductively inactive males, each identified using fecal progesterone or testosterone concentrations. Progesterone could be detected reliably in skin, with significantly higher mean progesterone concentrations (118.2 ± 6.6 ng g−1) in pregnant females than all other groups (60.8 ± 4.2 ng g−1). Male dugongs had higher skin testosterone concentrations than females, although testosterone levels were not detectable in some samples and could not discriminate reproductively active from inactive males. Cortisol was detectable in 8 of 40 skin samples only. Although refinement of this method is required for improved hormone recovery and additional validation is warranted, our findings demonstrate proof of concept for the use of epidermal skin samples to measure steroid hormones in dugongs and offer a method of diagnosing pregnancy in dugongs without the need for capture.
Fluralaner treatment of chickens kills the southern house mosquito, Culex quinquefasciatus
Authors: Knape Koyle , Tian Yuexun , Durden Cassandra , Adams Dayvion R. , Garza Macie , Carey John B. , Hamer Sarah A. , Hamer Gabriel L.
Published: November 2024

The control of zoonotic and vector‐borne pathogens is challenging due to the limited availability of intervention tools. West Nile virus (WNV) is an example of a globally distributed zoonotic arbovirus that circulates between Culex species (Diptera: Culicidae) mosquitoes and avian hosts, with spillover transmission to humans, resulting in disease cases. Interventions delivering systemic insecticides to vertebrate hosts used by vector species, known as xenointoxication, are potential tools for managing vector populations by creating toxic bloodmeals. In this study, we evaluated the impact of two systemic pesticides (ivermectin; Ivomec® Pour‐On and fluralaner; Bravecto®), and one anthelmintic (fenbendazole; Safe‐Guard® Aquasol) on the mortality of Cx. quinquefasciatus Say (Diptera: Culicidae). We found no significant difference in the feeding rates of mosquitoes that fed on treated chickens compared with those fed on untreated chickens, suggesting that the treatment did not repel mosquitoes. The mortality of Cx. quinquefasciatus mosquitoes feeding on fluralaner‐treated chickens was significantly higher (p < 0.01) than those fed on control chickens at 3 and 7 days post‐treatment, but this effect was not observed in mosquitoes fed on chickens treated with fenbendazole or ivermectin. No differences in mortality were observed among the groups at 14, 26 or 56 days post‐treatment. These data support fluralaner as a xenointoxication tool to control Cx. quinquefasciatus populations and decrease the risk of human exposure to their associated pathogens.
Comparison of vitamin D status in healthy Bangladeshi urban and rural individuals and their association with serum calcium and alkaline phosphatase: A pilot study
Authors: Priyanka Afsana Shahid , Progga Tasnim Tabassum , Nasher Sabekun
Published: November 2024

Vitamin D insufficiency is a worldwide problem that is likely underestimated since physical symptoms may only be apparent in individuals with severe deficiencies. Previously, people in South Asian countries were thought to be vitamin D sufficient because of plentiful sunshine, but vitamin D insufficiency has also been reported in these countries. In a South Asian country like Bangladesh, people living in the rural and urban parts of the country can have considerable differences in their sun exposure, types of clothing worn, and levels of air pollution. This pilot study aimed to explore the vitamin D status (measured by serum 25[OH]D) of healthy urban and rural Bangladeshi people and to examine the association of serum 25(OH)D concentration with calcium and alkaline phosphatase concentrations. A total of 101 apparently healthy adult individuals, aged 20–58 years, were enrolled from both urban and rural areas. The participants were selected from students, staff and patient attendants from the outpatient department (OPD) of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University and Mirsarai Upazila Health Complex, Chittagong. The overall rate of vitamin D insufficiency was 39.6% and of vitamin D deficiency was 51.5%. However, it was observed that the proportion of vitamin D‐deficient participants in urban areas (70.6%) was more than double that of participants living in rural areas (32%) and that serum 25(OH)D concentrations were higher in rural compared to urban participants with similar sunlight exposure times. However, participants aged 50 years or more showed similar concentrations of serum vitamin D levels irrespective of their habitat. This pilot study highlights the need for further larger‐scale studies in Bangladesh to determine the reasons for the high rates of vitamin D inadequacy overall and the differences between rural and urban populations.
Error Traps in Developing a Pediatric Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) Program
Authors: Taylor Christian M. , Weisberg Emily L. , Doyle Nichole M. , Glenski Todd A.
Published: November 2024

Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) pathways have been shown to improve patient outcomes, increase patient satisfaction, and decrease costs. First created and implemented in the adult population, these pathways are now commonplace and continue to expand in the pediatric realm. While there are many proven benefits to ERAS pathways, there continue to be challenges to their proper implementation and long‐term success. This article aims to explore common challenges in pediatric ERAS development and implementation, along with strategies to avoid potential pitfalls. Key themes include departmental and institutional support, stakeholder engagement, awareness of pathways, data management and dissemination, and long‐term maintenance including Plan‐Do‐Study‐Act (PDSA) cycles. Pathway development teams should be aware of these considerations and potential pitfalls, and focusing on them can promote long‐term success for a well‐designed pathway.
Language and democracy in Senegal
Authors: Seck Mamarame
Published: November 2024

Democracy is a Western concept often used to describe certain political regimes around the world, as well as a certain form of governance. In Senegal, this concept of Greek origin is one of the most widely used, even if some Senegalese do not have a clear understanding of it. For some, it means the freedom to give one's opinion without running the risk of being arrested. For others, it's about having institutions that guarantee the rights of all citizens. The paradox, however, is that politicians seek the votes of Senegalese voters in a language they understand but run the country in a language they do not. In this article, we seek to show the dichotomy between the language of the quest for power and the language of the exercise of that power. More broadly, the study addresses the role of Senegalese national languages in the exercise of democracy in the country. This study contributes to the debate on language and democracy in Africa, particularly in Senegal.
Acute normovolemic haemodilution to reduce allogeneic red blood cell transfusion in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. An observational study
Authors: Maheshwari Poonam , Yousuf Muhammad Saad , Zahid Muhammad Arslan , Naqvi Hamid Iqil , Fatimi Saulat , Samad Khalid
Published: November 2024

Background and Objective

Patients undergoing cardiac surgery consume more than 50% of blood transfusions, and such transfusions have been associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Evidence in blood‐saving techniques has increased the use of acute normovolemic haemodilution (ANH) in high‐risk settings. The aim was to determine the incidence of allogeneic red blood cell transfusion perioperatively in acute normovolemic haemodilution (ANH) patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

Materials and Methods

This prospective observational cohort study was conducted in the Cardiac OR and ICU over 6 months, involving elective CABG patients aged 35–70 with ASA status III and IV. Haemoglobin and haematocrit levels were assessed preoperatively, intraoperatively and 24 h postoperatively.

Results

In a cohort of 50 ANH patients, 44% (22/50) required allogeneic blood transfusion perioperatively, with 24% (12/50) intraoperatively, 14% (7/50) in the ICU and 6% (3/50) both intraoperatively and postoperatively. Lower intraoperative haemoglobin levels during CPB were significantly associated with increased transfusion odds in both univariable (OR, 0.25; 95% CI, 0.10–0.49, p = 0.001) and multivariable analyses (Adj. OR, 0.24; 95% CI, 0.09–0.62, p = 0.003), and prolonged surgical duration was a significant predictor in multivariable analysis (Adj. OR, 2.18; 95% CI, 1.01–4.73, p = 0.044). Additionally, prolonged wound healing was significantly more frequent in the patients requiring allogeneic blood transfusions (p = 0.044) highlighting potential postoperative complications.

Conclusion

Our study highlights the varying RBC transfusion rates in CABG patients, with lower intraoperative haemoglobin levels and prolonged surgical duration significantly increasing transfusion needs. These findings emphasise the importance of optimising intraoperative management to minimise transfusions and improve patient outcomes.
bHLH19 and bHLH20 repress jasmonate‐mediated plant defense against insect herbivores in Arabidopsis
Authors: Pang Shihai , Zhai Jiaqi , Song Junqiao , Rong Deqing , Hong Yihan , Qiu Yue , Ma Jingzhi , Qi Tiancong , Huang Huang , Song Susheng
Published: November 2024

Plants are attacked by various insect herbivores. Upon attack‐triggered biosynthesis of the phytohormone jasmonates (JAs), the JA receptor CORONATINE INSENSITIVE 1 recruits the JA‐ZIM domain (JAZ) repressors for ubiquitination, releases the MYC‐MYB transcription factor (TF) complexes, and enhances glucosinolates (GSs) biosynthesis to promote defense against insects in Arabidopsis. However, the negative regulation of JA‐regulated defense remains largely unclear. Here, we found that Arabidopsis IVa bHLH TFs bHLH19 and bHLH20 interacted with JAZs. The bhlh19/20 mutations enhanced defense against the insects Spodoptera frugiperda and S. exigua, while their overexpression inhibited defense. bHLH19/20 repressed defense via at least two layers of regulation: first, bHLH19/20 interacted with the members MYC2/3/4/5 and MYB34/51/122 of MYC‐MYB complexes, and inhibited the interaction/transcription activity of MYC2‐MYB34; second, bHLH19/20 activated the RNA level of nitrile‐specifier protein 1, which converts GSs into the less toxic nitriles. bhlh19/20 exhibited no penalty in JA‐regulated growth inhibition. Collectively, our findings reveal the molecular mechanism for negatively regulating JA‐mediated defense against insects in Arabidopsis without growth penalty by the pair of bHLH19/20 TFs.
Relationships Among Capillary Refill Time, Peripheral Blood Flow Rate, and Fingertip Temperature: Advances in Peripheral Artery Contractility Diagnosis
Authors: Shibata Sorataro , Ujihara Yoshihiro , Nakamura Masanori , Sugita Shukei
Published: November 2024

Capillary refill time (CRT) is a widely used noninvasive measure of cardiovascular health. Despite its widespread diagnostic utility, it has several limitations, particularly its low sensitivity for certain conditions, because factors such as the contraction and relaxation of distal blood vessels can influence CRT readings. This study was performed to explore the relationships between CRT and distal blood flow. The right hand of each of ten healthy adult volunteers was cooled to induce blood vessel contraction. CRT, fingertip temperature, and blood flowrate were measured using a custom device, a thermometer, and a laser Doppler blood flowmeter, respectively, before and after cooling. Hand cooling significantly decreased blood flowrate and increased CRT. A robust inverse correlation was observed between blood flowrate and CRT, supporting a model where CRT is the time required for blood to flow through a cylindrical pipe. Furthermore, CRT showed a significant negative correlation with fingertip temperature. Most participants had high correlation coefficients, although two showed lower values. However, all data points exhibited a linear relationship, with the slopes of the regression lines between CRT and temperature varying among participants. These results suggested that the slope between CRT and fingertip temperature indicates individual differences in arterial contractility. These findings could improve the diagnostic utility of CRT in assessing vascular health, including arterial age and Raynaud's phenomenon, based on the contractility of peripheral arteries.
Experimental and Numerical Study on NOx Emissions Characteristics in a Coaxial Staged Combustor
Authors: Sun Jihao , Zhao Ningbo , Li Yajun , Cheng Xu , Zheng Hongtao
Published: November 2024

A deep understanding of NOx formation characteristics and correlations can significantly enhance the operational adjustment efficiency of gas turbine combustors. To reduce pollutants emissions, this study proposed a coaxial staged combustion technology, experimental and numerical work was further conducted to investigate the impact of fuel stage ratio on NOx formation in an industrial gas turbine combustor operating at different loads. The dome equivalence ratio was ranging from 0.455 to 0.635, the fuel stage ratio was ranging from 0.27 to 3.23. Experimental results show that NOx emissions can be controlled within 25 ppm at 15% O2 with the combustor outlet temperature up to 1673 K. There exists an optimal fuel stage ratio that leads to the lowest NOx emissions. Moreover, as the dome equivalence ratio increases, the optimal fuel stage ratio decreases. Numerical results indicate that NOx generation through the prompt mechanism is negligible. At low-power conditions, NOx is primarily generated at the flame front through the N2O intermediate pathway. In contrast, at high-power conditions, NOx is mainly produced in the burnout and recirculation zones through the thermal pathway. Thermal NOx is highly sensitive to fuel stage ratios, unlike the relatively stable NOx production via the N2O intermediate mechanism. Based on the experimental data, it was found that the inner stage flame temperature has a more significant impact on NOx emissions. Furthermore, a new NOx emissions prediction model within an error of 20% that considers the impact of two-stage swirl flames was proposed.
Quasi-Steady Water Droplet Heat- and Mass-Transfer With Ventilation, Blowing, and Radiation
Authors: Brewster M. Q.
Published: November 2024

A quasi-explicit analytical model of quasi-steady (QS) water droplet heat- and mass-transfer, including radiation, in a prescribed gaseous environment with velocity slip, i.e., gas flow around the droplet, and high mass-transfer-rate blowing effects has been developed. The model is an extension of an atmospheric science model used for cloud and fog droplets in dilute and near-saturation conditions with negligible velocity slip (ventilation flow) and blowing. The new model includes the effects of ventilation flow, blowing, and change in relative humidity or supersaturation across the diffusion layer surrounding the droplet. Comparisons show significant improvement in accuracy over the conventional model, particularly for conditions of low relative humidity, low pressure, and high radiative flux.