bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Coordinating a bi‐level blood supply chain with interactions between supply‐side and demand‐side operational decisions
Authors: Moshtagh Mohammad S. , Zhou Yun , Verma Manish
Published: November 2024

In most blood supply chains, blood centers and hospitals make individual decisions, resulting in an inefficient structure of the blood supply chain, which in turn renders supply and demand matching a challenging exercise. In this work, we make the very first attempt to optimize the interaction between blood centers and hospitals. To that end, this paper investigates collection, production, replenishment, issuing, inventory, and wastage decisions under three different blood supply chain channel structures, that is, the decentralized, centralized, and coordinated structures. We propose a bi‐level optimization program to model the decentralized system and use the Karush–Kuhn–Tucker optimality conditions to solve that. In such a system, hospitals tend to order more than their actual need, resulting in overcollection, overproduction, and high wastage rates. On the other hand, in a centralized system decisions are made by a central decision‐maker, which results in higher performance. Recognizing the challenges of implementing a centralized system, we design a novel coordination mechanism to motivate hospitals to operate in a centralized system. Analysis of a case study in Canada indicates that integration can significantly improve the performance of system; allowing substitution between blood products can decrease the total cost of the blood supply chain by 14.41%; an increase in supply or decrease in demand can be detrimental under inappropriate structure, facilitating coordination mechanism; offering subsidy beyond a threshold is not beneficial to the blood centers.
A practical analysis to predict sample overheating in flash experiments using the current ramp methodology
Authors: Manchón‐Gordón Alejandro F. , Molina‐Molina Sandra , Perejón Antonio , Sánchez‐Jiménez Pedro , Pérez‐Maqueda Luis A.
Published: November 2024

This work presents a straightforward strategy for achieving specific overheating during flash experiments by adjusting the initial electrical parameters. To do that, an extensive experimental analysis was performed to evaluate the temperature evolution of dense ZnO specimens during controlled‐current ramping at different furnace temperatures, which in turn modified the initial electrical resistance of the sample. A detailed electrical explanation of controlled‐current ramp flash processes is provided and, for the first time, a practical equivalence between current‐ramp and temperature‐ramp flash methodologies is established. By parameterizing the experiments in terms of an effective power density, a consistent heating pattern following the blackbody radiation trend was identified, despite the different electrical characteristics of each experiment. Finally, a “flash heating map” is introduced, which can be used to determine the starting electrical parameters necessary to achieve a specific temperature increase, whether employing current or temperature ramps.
Practising Safe Care in Critical Care: A Reflexive Thematic Analysis
Authors: Häggström Marie , Näppä Ulla
Published: November 2024

Aim

To explore the meaning of ‘safety’ as it applies to critical care nurses during daily care practice in the intensive care setting.

Design

A qualitative study design was employed.

Methods

The study enlisted 18 critical care nurses and nurse leaders from three hospitals in Sweden. Interview data were collected in 2017 and in 2024. The data were examined using reflexive thematic content analysis.

Results

The meaning of safety within critical care settings was illustrated by the themes ‘Sustaining a safety mindset’, ‘Fostering commitment to patient safety’, ‘Showing individual accountability and continuous learning’ and ‘Managing complexity while prioritising safety standards’. Safe care practice in daily practice also involved adaptability and resilience in response to changing circumstances or unexpected events, ensuring thoroughness and allowing for a return to regular routines when conditions permitted, thereby preventing incomplete care. Core competencies in safety encompassed both technical and non‐technical skills, such as the ability to assess and use technology, remain vigilant and thorough, plan ahead, prioritise and identify, and follow through on nursing interventions, all while working in a team and allocating sufficient time for patients.

Conclusion

Sustaining a safe mindset over time is both challenging and essential. Further research should focus on how to foster a sustained safety mindset. A more proactive approach to learning may be achieved by reflecting on and discussing things that have worked well even in challenging circumstances.

Implications for the Profession and/or Patient Care

This study enriches our understanding of practising safe care in intensive care. It furnishes the nursing profession with a deeper theoretical grasp of proactive safety efforts, encompassing various factors that can mitigate risks in a technologically advanced environment.
Techniques and outcomes of atrial fibrillation ablation in patients with persistent left superior vena cava
Authors: Liao Ting‐Wei Ernie , Xu Lingyu , Khoshknab Mirmilad P. , Peters Carli J. , Callans David J. , Marchlinski Francis E. , Schaller Robert D. , Frankel David S. , Luebbert Jeffrey J. , Guandalini Gustavo S. , Nazarian Saman
Published: November 2024

Objectives

To investigate tailored approaches, techniques, and outcomes of catheter ablation in patients with persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC) undergoing atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation.

Background

PLSVC presents unique challenges for AF ablation due to its potential as an arrhythmogenic source and the complex anatomical variations it introduces.

Methods

The retrospective cohort included 16 patients with PLSVC that underwent 21 AF ablation procedures between August 1, 2008, and February 14, 2024, at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Procedures involved pre‐ablation imaging, 3D electroanatomical mapping, pulmonary vein isolation, and targeted ablation strategies focusing on the PLSVC‐related ablation. The primary endpoints were procedural safety and AF recurrence postablation.

Results

The cohort's mean age was 51.9 ± 17.9 years, 31.2% of whom were female. Triggers from the PLSVC were identified in 66.7% of procedures. Tailored ablation strategies were employed to isolate PLSVC‐left atrium/coronary sinus connections or directly target the induced triggers, with a success rate of 85% in achieving isolation or targeted ablation once triggers were induced. The recurrence rate of arrhythmia postablation was 46.7% in the patient‐based analysis and 65% in the procedure‐based analysis. No major complications occurred.

Conclusion

This study highlights the significance of recognizing PLSVC as a potential source of AF triggers. The single procedure success rate is low compared to patients without PLSVC. Further studies are warranted to enhance outcomes in this challenging AF population.
A review of migratory Alosidae marine ecology in the northwest Atlantic
Authors: Brown Caliyena R. , Sergio Ava J. A. , Bate Caitlin S. , Koopman Natalie , Roland Joshua B. , Notman‐Grobler Oscar D. P. , Mastrodimitropoulos Paris M. B. , Piczak Morgan L. , Lennox Robert J.
Published: November 2024

Migratory animals play a crucial role in connecting distinct habitats by transferring matter and energy across ecosystem boundaries. In the North Atlantic, anadromous species exemplify this through their movement between freshwater and marine environments. Alosids, including species such as alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus), blueback herring (Alosa aestivalis), and American shad (Alosa sapidissima), exhibit this migratory behavior to maximize growth and fecundity and are, therefore, vital components of Atlantic coastal ecosystems. Despite their ecological importance, these species have experienced considerable population declines. Due to a research focus on dams and the freshwater phase of their ecology, the marine ecology of Alosids remains much less understood, potentially hindering effective management. This paper synthesizes current knowledge on the marine ecology of anadromous alewife, blueback herring, and American shad in the northwest Atlantic, focusing on life‐history aspects, migratory patterns, and foraging behavior at sea. The paper also outlines current fisheries management and the anthropogenic threats these species face during their marine phase. We identified knowledge gaps regarding marine distribution, migration routes, impacts of climate change on movement and behavior, population dynamics, and the identification of gaspereau. By identifying gaps in the literature, we highlight research needs, emphasizing the role of telemetry studies in tracking marine movements and the impact of climate change on habitat use. Addressing these gaps through targeted research on marine ecology and movement patterns is essential for developing informed management strategies aimed at increasing Alosid populations.
Learning curve of colorectal endoscopic submucosal dissection of an endoscopist experienced hands‐on training in Japan
Authors: Pattarajierapan Sukit , Saito Yutaka , Takamaru Hiroyuki , Toyoshima Naoya , Wisedopas Naruemon , Wanpiyarat Natcha , Lerttanatum Nathawadee , Khomvilai Supakij
Published: November 2024

Background and Aim

Colorectal endoscopic submucosal dissection is a technically demanding procedure with a steep learning curve. In Japan, the National Cancer Center Hospital allows overseas doctors to participate in hands‐on training. We aimed to assess the colorectal endoscopic submucosal dissection performance and learning curve of an endoscopist who participated in hands‐on training.

Methods

In this retrospective analysis using a prospectively collected database, 100 consecutive superficial colorectal tumors from 100 patients treated with endoscopic submucosal dissection by a colorectal surgeon between January 2020 and May 2024 were included. The cases were grouped into three learning periods: phase I (the initial 30 cases under local expert supervision before training in Japan), phase II (the middle 30 cases), and phase III (the last 40 cases). The primary outcome was resection speed.

Results

The median resection speed was 5, 11.7, and 13.2 cm2/h in phases I, II, and III, respectively. In matched data, the resection speeds in phases II and III were higher than that in phase I (P = 0.02 and P < 0.001, respectively). En bloc and R0 resection rates were 99% and 95%, respectively. The en bloc resection, R0 resection, and complication rates were not different between phases. Cumulative sum analysis of the resection speed revealed that proficiency was achieved after 36 cases.

Conclusions

An endoscopist who underwent a tutored approach and hands‐on training in Japan achieved the proficiency benchmarks for colorectal endoscopic submucosal dissection after 36 cases. However, the endoscopist's extensive experience before training may contribute to excellent outcomes.
Stress tests and biomarkers of resilience: Proceedings of the second state of resilience science conference
Authors: Colón‐Emeric Cathleen , Walston Jeremy , Bartolomucci Alessandro , Carroll Judith , Picard Martin , Salmon Adam , Suglia Shakira , Whitson Heather , Abadir Peter
Published: November 2024

The “Stress Tests and Biomarkers of Resilience” conference, hosted by the American Geriatrics Society and the National Institute on Aging, marks the second in a series aimed at advancing the field of resilience science. Held on March 4–5, 2024, in Bethesda, Maryland, this conference built upon the foundational work from the first conference, which focused on defining resilience across various domains—physical, cognitive, and psychosocial. This year's gathering centered around three factors: the biology that underlies resilient outcomes; the social, environmental, genetic, and psychosocial factors that impact that resilience biology; and the biomarker testing and imaging that predicts resilient outcomes for older adults. The presentations and discussions around these topics were underscored by considerations around the many impacts of social determinants of health on resiliency interventions, and by advances in the modern training and research methodologies that influence data collection and experiment design.
Denosumab for osteoporosis in older adults in long‐term care: A randomized trial
Authors: Greenspan Susan L. , Perera Subashan , Haeri Nami Safai , Nace David A. , Resnick Neil M.
Published: November 2024

Background

In long‐term care (LTC), the incidence of hip or vertebral fractures are eight times that in the community. Despite the wide availability of osteoporosis therapy, LTC residents are omitted from pivotal trials and not treated. Denosumab is a relatively new, monoclonal antibody therapy for osteoporosis treatment. Via a randomized trial, we sought to determine the safety and efficacy of denosumab in LTC residents.

Methods

We conducted a 2‐year, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, randomized clinical trial in 201 osteoporotic men and women aged ≥ 65 years, living in LTC communities. Participants with multimorbidity, dysmobility, and cognitive impairment were not excluded. The intervention was denosumab 60 mg subcutaneous every 6 months or placebo. Our primary outcome measures were hip and spine bone mineral density (BMD) improvement at 24 months. Secondary outcomes included BMD at other skeletal sites, function, and safety.

Results

We included 123 women and 78 men with a mean ± standard error age of 81.5 ± 0.6. Overall, 83% and 71% completed 12 and 24 months, respectively. Compared with placebo, the women receiving denosumab had a greater 24‐month percent increase in spine (7.41 ± 0.93 vs. 2.15 + 0.56; p = 0.014), and total hip BMD (4.62 ± 0.62 vs. −0.19 ± 0.79; p = 0.007); and men in spine (7.91 ± 0.96 vs. 1.12 ± 1.13; p = 0.002) and total hip (3.74 ± 0.55 vs. 0.48 ± 0.74; p = 0.018). There were no significant differences in safety metrics.

Conclusions

Denosumab was a safe and effective therapy for improving BMD in osteoporotic older men and women with multiple comorbidities in LTC.
The miR3367–lncRNA67–GhCYP724B module regulates male sterility by modulating brassinosteroid biosynthesis and interacting with Aorf27 in Gossypium hirsutum
Authors: Guo Anhui , Nie Hushuai , Li Huijing , Li Bin , Cheng Cheng , Jiang Kaiyun , Zhu Shengwei , Zhao Nan , Hua Jinping
Published: November 2024

Cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS) lines play a crucial role in utilization of heterosis in crop plants. However, the mechanism underlying the manipulation of male sterility in cotton by long non‐coding RNA (lncRNA) and brassinosteroids (BRs) remains elusive. Here, using an integrative approach combining lncRNA transcriptomic profiles with virus‐induced gene silencing experiments, we identify a flower bud‐specific lncRNA in the maintainer line 2074B, lncRNA67, negatively modulating with male sterility in upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum). lncRNA67 positively regulates cytochrome P274B (GhCYP724B), which acted as an eTM (endogenous target mimic) for miR3367. The suppression of GhCYP724B induced symptoms of BR deficiency and male semi‐sterility in upland cotton as well as in tobacco, which resulted from a reduction in the endogenous BR contents. GhCYP724B regulates BRs synthesis by interacting with GhDIM and GhCYP90B, two BRs biosynthesis proteins. Additionally, GhCYP724B suppressed a unique chimeric open reading frame (Aorf27) in 2074A mitochondrial genome. Ectopic expression of Aorf27 in yeast inhibited cellular growth, and over expression of Aorf27 in tobacco showed male sterility. Overall, the results proved that the miR3367–lncRNA67–GhCYP724B module positively regulates male sterility by modulating BRs biosynthesis. The findings uncovered the function of lncRNA67–GhCYP724B in male sterility, providing a new mechanism for understanding male sterility in upland cotton.
Imaging and observation of microcirculation in bowel mucosa using sidestream dark field imaging
Authors: Jiang Keming , Chen Lihong , Zhao Hengyu , Hu Huanxin , Lai Sicong , Zhao Xinzhe , Zhang Hongda , Ke Jia , Hu Qiongyu
Published: November 2024

Sidestream dark field (SDF) imaging is a tool for assessing microcirculation, commonly used for early diagnosis and monitoring of sepsis. In this study, we used SDF imaging to observe and assess the microcirculation of the intestinal mucosa during bowel surgery. We also compared different performance between normal mucosa and diseased mucosa using SDF imaging. SDF imaging was conducted in 13 patients to evaluate microcirculation parameters. All patients were assessed at distances of 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 centimeters (cm) from the edge of the mesentery, respectively. Microcirculatory parameters such as microvascular flow index (MFI), proportion of perfused vessels (PPV), vascular density (VD), total vessel density (TVD), perfused vessel density (PVD) and heterogeneity index (HI) were measured in these patients. Compared to normal intestinal mucosa, the diseased intestinal mucosa exhibited higher values for VD (p = 0.044), TVD (p = 0.006) and PVD (p = 0.007). No significant differences in PPV, MFI and HI were observed between the two groups. The microcirculation parameters (MFI, PPV and PVD) of the intestine at the distal distance of 3 cm were significantly lower than those at a distance of 2 cm (MFI 1.5 (0.75) vs. 3 (0.5), PPV 57.6 (9.1) vs. 97.1 (8.6)% and PVD 11.395 (3.082) vs. 20.726 (4.115) mm/mm2). In conclusion, SDF imaging is an advanced technique that provide real‐time visualization of intestinal mucosal microcirculation. It has the potential to assess the blood perfusion of the intestine during surgery.
Evaluation of anti‐acne activity of human whole saliva against acne vulgaris: An in vitro study
Authors: Coutinho Tyween Jia , Dodamani Suneel , Pai Khot Atrey J. , Kumar Vaibhav , Almalki Sultan A. , Gowdar Inderjit M.
Published: November 2024

Background

Acne vulgaris (AV) is a multifactorial inflammatory skin disorder, affecting 9.45% of the world's population. AV can be painful, discomforting, and disfiguring due to scarring, leading to physiological distress, and economic burden. AV pathogenies can be due to various factors, key ones include follicular plugging, colonization by the microorganism, endocrinological factors, and inflammation. Gram‐positive bacteria Cutibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus epidermidis are the most common pathogens isolated from patients with AV.

Aim

The present study aimed to investigate the anti‐acne activity of whole human saliva against bacteria that cause AV.

Materials and Methods

The saliva sample from four different individuals was collected at three different intervals. These samples were used to perform antimicrobial susceptibility test (AST) against the pathogens. Kirby–Bauer disk diffusion susceptibility test, and Broth dilution method using Resazurin were performed.

Results

The human saliva was effective in inhibiting Cutibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus epidermidis those causing AV. The Minimum inhibitory activity and disc diffusion assay depicted potency of saliva. The pH of the saliva samples was found to be more acidic in the morning samples when compared with the evening samples. The afternoon sample was found to be more effective when compared with the other two intervals.

Conclusions

Saliva shows effective anti‐acne activity by inhibiting the growth and proliferation of acne‐causing bacteria.
Pressure Injuries and the Waterlow Subscales in the Intensive Care Unit: A Multicentre Study
Authors: Tao Hongxia , Zhang Hongyan , Kang Xinmian , Wang Yahan , Ma Yuxia , Pei Juhong , Han Lin
Published: November 2024

Background

Pressure injuries (PIs) impose a significant burden on patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) and the healthcare system. Assessing the risk of developing PIs is crucial for prevention. However, it is unclear whether all subscales of the Waterlow scale can be used to assess PIs risk in ICU.

Objectives

To assess whether all subscales of the Waterlow scale can predict PIs risk in ICU.

Design

Multicentre prospective study.

Methods

A total of 18,503 patients from ICUs in 40 tertiary‐level hospitals in Gansu province of China were enrolled from April 2021 to August 2023. The incidence and characteristics of PIs were recorded. Univariate Cox regression analyses were performed for each subscale as a predictor of PIs development, followed by multivariate Cox regression with covariates for each subscale separately.

Results

Out of 17,720 patients included, the incidence of PIs was 1.1%. Multivariate analysis revealed skin type (HR: 1.468, 95% CI: 1.229, 1.758), sex (HR: 0.655, 95% CI: 0.472, 0.908), advanced age (HR: 1.263, 95% CI: 1.106, 1.442), continence (HR: 1.245, 95% CI: 1.052, 1.473), tissue malnutrition (HR: 1.070, 95% CI: 1.007, 1.136) and neurological deficit (HR: 1.153, 95% CI: 1.062, 1.251) were independently predictive of PIs development for all participants. Skin type (HR: 2.326, 95% CI: 1.153, 3.010) (HR: 2.217, 95% CI: 1.804, 2.573) independently predicted PIs occurrence for high‐risk and very high‐risk group, respectively, while sex (HR: 0.634, 95% CI: 0.431, 0.931) and age (HR: 1.269, 95% CI: 1.083, 1.487) predicted PIs development for very high‐risk group.

Conclusions

This study found that not all subscales of the Waterlow scale are associated with the PIs development in patients in ICU, highlighting the importance of the skin type subscale in predicting PI risk across all patient groups.

Implications for Clinical Practice

Nurses need to focus on patient's skin and related (moisture, pain and pressure) conditions and take measures to promote skin health and avoid the occurrence of PI.

Patient or Public Contribution

None.
The Association of Health Literacy With the Quality of Discharge Planning and Readiness for Hospital Discharge in Jordanian Acute Myocardial Infarction Patients
Authors: Radaideh Ayat , Rababah Jehad A. , Al‐Hammouri Mohammed Munther , Ta'an Wafa'a , Suliman Mohammad
Published: November 2024

Aim

To examine the relationship between health literacy with the quality of discharge planning and readiness for hospital discharge in acute myocardial infarction patients in Jordan.

Background

Acute myocardial infarction is a major heart disease caused by plaque formation in coronary arteries. Complications after acute myocardial infarction include readmission and physical complications such as chest pain, and limited health literacy increases the risk of complications. Improving the health literacy of patients can improve postdischarge outcomes and decrease complications.

Methods

This study was conducted using a cross‐sectional design. Data were collected from 123 patients who were recruited from three hospitals in Jordan. A demographics questionnaire and three valid and reliable instruments (Health Literacy Questionnaire, Readiness for Hospital Discharge Scale and Quality of Discharge Teaching Scale) were used to collect the data. The authors adhered to the STROBE checklist during the preparation of this study.

Results

The results demonstrated that the Readiness for Hospital Discharge had weak to moderate positive correlations with health literacy scales (r = 0.24–0.36, p < 0.05). The content subscale of the Quality of Discharge Teaching Scale showed weak positive correlations with navigating the healthcare system, finding good health information and understanding health information scales of the Health Literacy Questionnaire.

Conclusion

The results reported here indicate that health literacy positively correlates with readiness for hospital discharge and quality of discharge teaching.

Relevance to Clinical Practice

Improving the health literacy of acute myocardial infarction patients can enhance their discharge planning outcomes. The findings of this study are beneficial for healthcare providers in designing targeted interventions that correspond to health literacy among acute myocardial infarction patients.

Patient or Public Contribution

No patient or public contribution.
Presidential Address: Macrofinance and Resilience
Authors: BRUNNERMEIER MARKUS K.
Published: November 2024

This address reviews macrofinance from the perspective of resilience. It argues for a shift in mindset, away from risk management toward resilience management. It proposes a new resilience measure, and contrasts micro‐ and macro‐resilience. It also classifies macrofinance models in first‐ (log‐linearized) and second‐generation models, and links the important themes of macrofinance to resilience.
Negative Emotion (dys)regulation Predicts Distorted Time Perception: Preliminary Experimental Evidence and Implications for Psychopathology
Authors: Napolitano Skye C. , Peckinpaugh Isabella K. , Lane Sean P.
Published: November 2024

Objective

Accurate time perception is crucial to daily life but vulnerable to interference, particularly through negative affect, which dilates individuals' sense of time passing. Regulation strategies like rumination, and disorders like borderline personality disorder (BPD), are linked to time distortion, yet their interrelationships remain untested. We investigated whether rumination and BPD symptoms increase time dilation in negative affective states to understand the clinical implications of time distortion.

Methods

In an online pilot study, we tested whether negative affect (NA) predicts subjective time perception and explored how rumination, BPD symptoms, and their interaction predicted time perception using a between‐subjects online experimental mood induction. Adult participants (Ncombined = 760) were recruited from Prolific Academic and a large, Midwestern U.S. university.

Results

State NA and increased BPD features predicted increased time dilation. The role of trait‐level rumination was nuanced, with individuals low in BPD symptoms and elevated trait rumination exhibiting reduced time dilation in response to NA. Conversely, those with elevated rumination and BPD symptoms reported increased time dilation in the neutral condition.

Conclusion

Findings offer foundational evidence of NA and rumination's roles in time dilation for individuals across levels of BPD symptom endorsement. Subsequent replication and extension could flesh out these relationships and inform psychotherapeutic treatment targets.
Patients' perspectives on key aspects influencing needling for haemodialysis: A qualitative study
Authors: Moore Currie , Ellis‐Caird Helen , Fielding Catherine , Awan Faizan , Paul Tarsem , Flanagan Rebecca , Sharma Shivani , McCafferty Kieran , Veer Sabine N. van der , Farrington Ken , Wellsted David
Published: November 2024

Background

For many patients, cannulation (‘needling’) is essential for haemodialysis. It is associated with anxiety and fear and contributes to the overall burden of treatment. Limited research exists on patient experience of needling and how this might vary by individual and clinical characteristics.

Objectives

To explore and identify key aspects of needling impacting patients' experiences.

Design

Qualitative, multicentre, cross‐sectional, co‐produced.

Participants

Adults on haemodialysis with working fistulae or grafts (n = 41).

Approach

We used interviews to explore patients' experiences of needling and key aspects contributing to this. Interviews were conducted in two sets: unstructured (n = 24, broadly investigated needling experience) and semistructured (n = 17, refined themes and assessed cultural relevance). Thematic analysis was used to identify themes driving experience and examine variation. A Patient Steering Group comprising people with lived experience of needling was integral to the study.

Findings

A thematic framework capturing patients' view of needling was developed. It defined a core theme (The Nature of needling) and five foundational aspects of needling (Health of the fistula or graft, Steps in needling, The needler, The patient, Organisational context). We identified two further themes important to overall experience, Learning from needling experience and Reciprocity (the two‐way interaction between patient and needler). Both interrelated across themes, highlighting the complexity of needling and junctures where patient experience can be influenced.

Conclusions

Needling is shaped by multiple psychological and relational influences. These findings provide healthcare professionals with a basis to improve patient experience as part of a broader drive to enhance quality in healthcare delivery.
Allelopathic activity of cyanobacteria isolated from Lake Tuzkol
Authors: Akmukhanova Nurziya R. , Seiilbek Sandugash N. , Sandybayeva Sandugash K. , Zayadan Bolatkhan K. , Albay Meriç , Kirbayeva Dariga K.
Published: November 2024

Allelopathy plays a crucial role in shaping phytoplankton community dynamics and diversity. It influences competition between photoautotrophs for resources and affects species succession in aquatic ecosystems. This article evaluates the allelopathic activity of cyanobacteria isolated from Lake Tuzkol, Kazakhstan. The allelopathic effects, including growth inhibition or stimulation, were assessed by adding cell‐free filtrates of the cyanobacteria Oscillatoria sp. SS‐9, Nostoc sp. CZS 2205, Synechococcus sp. SS‐5, or Anabaena sp. SS‐8 to the tested microalgae. The most pronounced effect was observed with Nostoc sp. CZS 2205, which reduced the cell counts of Chlorella vulgaris SP BB‐2 and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii CC‐124 by 60% and 57%, respectively, and Scenedesmus quadricauda CC‐1 and Ankistrodesmus falcatus CB‐2 by 55% and 53%, respectively. Synechococcus sp. SS‐5, in contrast, stimulated the growth of Chlorella vulgaris SP BB‐2 and Scenedesmus quadricauda CC‐1 by 11% and 8.8%, respectively. Filtrates from Oscillatoria sp. SS‐9 and Anabaena sp. SS‐8 had no significant impact on microalgal growth. Considering the significant allelopathic activity of Nostoc sp. CZS 2205, an agar diffusion test using biomass extracts confirmed a significant inhibitory effect, with the biomass extracts showing stronger activity than cell‐free filtrates. A detailed analysis of the cell‐free filtrates revealed eight compounds, including methyl heptadecanoate, methyl eicosanoate, tricosane, methyl octadeca‐9,12‐dienoate, methyl 13,16‐octadecadienoate, and 2,2‐dimethoxybutane. Additionally, nostocyclamide, a cyclic peptide, was identified in the biomass extract. The detection of nostocyclamide emphasizes its ecological importance and potential evolutionary role. These results enhance our understanding of the role of cyanobacteria in aquatic ecosystems and lay the groundwork for future research into their ecological applications.
Evidence‐based veterinary medicine—potential, practice, and pitfalls
Authors: Block Gary
Published: November 2024

Understanding and incorporating evidence‐based veterinary medicine (EBVM) into clinical practice and research continues to pose a challenge for our profession despite over 2 decades of increasing awareness of this concept. Reasons for this include a lack of understanding of its importance to the practice of medicine, veterinary literature that often fails to adhere to evidence‐based standards, inadequate attention to teaching EBVM at the university level, and the inherent reluctance of clinicians to alter historical practice styles. For many practitioners, EBVM continues to be an abstract concept they believe requires advanced training in statistics and epidemiology resulting in them relying on less robust sources for clinical guidance. This unfortunately results in suboptimal care for our patients and delayed medical advancements for our profession. As part of the 20th anniversary of the founding of the Evidence‐Based Veterinary Medicine Association (EBVMA), we are refocusing our efforts to highlight the need for dedicated teaching of EBVM at the university level, for rigorous adherence to established research reporting guidelines, for expansion of EBVM infrastructure, and for the provision of easily accessible tools that permit clinicians to incorporate EBVM into their daily practice. As the quality of veterinary literature improves, so too will development of more effective clinical practice guidelines that ultimately can be widely adopted if they are flexible enough to support the triadic relationship between veterinarians, our clients and our patients. Ultimately, EBVM is not an end unto itself, but rather a means to improve the quality of care we provide our patients.
The association between food production, food security, household consumer behaviour and waist‐hip ratio amongst women in smallholder farming households in Kilifi County, Kenya
Authors: Iseme‐Ondiek Rosebella , Mwangi Eunice Muthoni , Riang'a Roselyter M. , Agoi Felix , Khatievi Noveline , Orwa James , Karisa Beatrice Karembo , Bakari Bibi Abdallah , Ogero Morris , Mabruki Mwanamaka , Mostert Cyprian , Ngugi Anthony K.
Published: November 2024

Food insecurity disproportionately affects smallholder farming households and within them women, who bear primary caregiving responsibilities and contend with time and resource constraints that heighten their vulnerability to adverse nutrition‐related health outcomes. This study cross‐sectionally investigates the association between food production practices, household consumer behaviour, and the experience of food insecurity with women's waist‐hip ratio (WHR), a key indicator of abdominal obesity, in a coastal community in Kenya. In total, 394 households were randomly selected from a list of farming households in Kaloleni and Rabai sub‐counties of Kilifi. Trained enumerators administered questionnaires to adult female family members who play a pivotal role in household management. Household dietary diversity scores (HDDS) were computed from 16 food groups consumed in the 7 days preceding the survey. Waist‐hip measurements focused on these females, representing vulnerable populations. Pathway‐based regression models were constructed using STATA version 13 (p < 0.05). Most households practised mixed farming (59.9%) and monocropping (73.2%) and most female respondents were widowed (75.1%) with limited education (73.1% had no formal education) and over 20 years of farming experience. Food insecurity was prevalent, affecting 80.7% of households. Limited dietary diversity was noted with an average HDDS of 9. The most commonly consumed foods were cereals, spices, condiments and beverages, while meat, eggs and fruits were infrequently eaten. An inverse association was observed between HDDS and WHR (standardised regression coefficient = −0.1328; p = 0.026) but while food insecurity was inversely associated with both HDD and WHR, these associations did not reach statistical significance (HDDS‐standardised regression coefficient −0.0294; p = 0.592: WHR‐standardised regression coefficient −0.0155; p = 0.791). Existing research has primarily addressed the undernutrition and hunger‐related impacts of food insecurity. The findings underscore the need to better understand the complex interplay between food insecurity and nutritional health, including markers of adiposity, to effectively promote health.
Intraspecific diversity mitigates the negative soil‐legacy impacts of an invasive plant
Authors: Cheng Cai , Song Wei , Liu Zekang , Li Bo , van Kleunen Mark , Wu Jihua
Published: November 2024

Elton's biotic resistance hypothesis predicts that biodiversity can resist the establishment of invasive plants. However, whether and how within‐species diversity mediates the impacts of successfully established invaders is poorly understood, particularly in the face of climate change.

We used an experimental system to test the effect of intraspecific diversity of a native foundation species, Scirpus mariqueter, on the soil‐legacy impacts of a global plant invader, Spartina alterniflora, under well‐watered and drought conditions.

We found that more diverse populations of the native plant buffered against the negative soil‐legacy impacts of the invader on the native plant. This intraspecific diversity effect was due to a complementarity effect triggered by invader‐shaped soil biota, and emerged in both well‐watered and drought conditions.

Compared with the previous finding that intraspecific diversity of the native plant can reduce the performance of the invader through soil biotic feedbacks, this study provides further evidence that it helps to mitigate the negative soil‐derived impacts of the invader. These findings together emphasize the need for management measures that promote and restore native intraspecific diversity in a changing world.
Protocol development and feasibility of the PEACH in Asia study: A pilot study on PEri‐anesthetic morbidity in CHildren in Asia
Authors: Obara Soichiro , Bong Choon Looi , Ustalar Ozgen Zehra Serpil , Abbasi Shemila , Rai Ekta , Villa Evangeline K. , Ramlan Andi Ade W. , Zahra Raihanita , Kapuangan Christopher , Ferdiana Komang Ayu , Shariffuddin Ina Ismiarti , Yuen Vivian , Varghese Elsa , Tan Josephine S. K. , Kuratani Norifumi ,   Asian Society of Pediatric Anesthesiologists (ASPA) research special interest group
Published: November 2024

Background

Comprehensive data on pediatric anesthesia outcomes, particularly severe critical events (SCEs), are scarce in Asia. This highlights the need for standardized research to assess anesthesia safety and quality in the diverse settings.

Aims

The PEACH in Asia pilot study aimed to test the feasibility of a standardized protocol for investigating SCEs in anesthesia practices across Asia, evaluate the data acquisition processes, and determine the sample size for a main study.

Methods

This multicenter pilot study involved ten institutions across nine Asian countries, including children from birth to 15 years undergoing diagnostic or surgical procedures. Data on SCEs were collected using standardized definitions. The study assessed the feasibility and estimated the sample size needed for the main study.

Results

The pilot study enrolled 330 patients, with a SCE incidence of 12.4% (95% CI: 9.2–16.4%). Respiratory events were observed in 7.0% of cases, cardiovascular instability in 4.9%, and drug errors in 0.6%. Based on the SCE incidence observed in the pilot study, the estimated sample size required for the main study is at least 10 958 patients. The pilot study demonstrated the feasibility of the study protocol but identified several challenges, particularly in resource‐limited settings. These challenges included a significant burden associated with data collection, technical issues with electronic case report forms (e‐CRFs), variability in patient enrollment across institutions (ranging from 4 to 86 patients per site), and incomplete data acquisition (24.8% of height data and 9.7% of disposition data were missing).

Conclusions

The PEACH in Asia pilot study successfully validated a protocol for investigating SCEs in pediatric anesthesia across Asia. Addressing the challenges identified in the pilot study will be crucial for generating robust data to improve pediatric anesthesia safety in the region. Key issues to address include improving data collection methods, resolving e‐CRF technical difficulties, and ensuring consistent institutional support.
Making peace with the past? Applying theater to asylum seekers' trauma
Authors: Majid Asif
Published: November 2024

Asylum seekers—by virtue of their political and bureaucratically structured social positions—carry, negotiate, and rehash traumatic pasts. These pasts are, often, the main way through which they are understood in public and scholarly imagination. Yet, as the author's work of making theater with a group of Washington, DC‐based asylum seekers shows, making peace with the past is less about understanding and packaging traumas endured and more about imagining and envisioning alternate futures. Drawing examples from theater workshops and interviews conducted with asylum seekers, in which the past featured centrally, this essay considers the intersection of peace and art by examining the role of past traumas in imagining alternate futures despite the uncertainty of the present. In so doing, this essay questions public and scholarly narratives that position the figure of the asylum seeker as solely beholden to traumatic pasts, exactly because being compelled to (re)tell one's story to acquire residency and citizenship documentation is a task that is firmly oriented toward the future.
Unlocking the Promise of Liver Perfusion Technologies for Pediatric Transplantation: A State‐of‐the‐Art Review
Authors: Brown Cole S. , van Leeuwen L. Leonie , Akhtar M. Zeeshan , DiNorcia Joseph
Published: November 2024

Background

Outcomes after pediatric liver transplantation are generally excellent, but the limited avavailability of suitable, size‐matched liver allografts remains a significant barrier. Machine perfusion technology has emerged as a promising approach to expand the donor pool, enabling the use of less ideal whole liver grafts, such as livers donated after circulatory death, and enhancing the execution of split liver transplantation.

Methods

This review examines the application of machine perfusion in pediatric liver transplantation, focusing on two primary techniques: hypothermic oxygentaed perfusion and normothermic machine perfusion. These methods optimize storage, resuscitation, and assessment of liver grafts before transplantation, potentially expanding the range of usable donor organs.

Results

The use of machine perfusion allows for the consideration of suboptimal donor livers and facilitates split liver transplantation, both of which could increase organ availability for pediatric patients. Implementation of machine perfusion could also help reduce waiting list mortality by enabling the safe use of a broader spectrum of donor organs.

Conclusions

Adoption of machine perfusion in pediatric liver transplantation will require collaborative, multidisciplinary efforts across transplant centers. By fostering cooperative learning and sharing resources. the integration of machine perfusion into clinical practice has the potential to reduce mortality among children awaiting liver transplantation.
Decoding derogation: The impact of environmental values and political ideology on the effect of persuasive message about recycle and reuse behaviors
Authors: Shah Prerna , Yang Janet Z.
Published: November 2024

Although persuasive messages are designed to motivate individuals to engage in intended behaviors, they do not always work. Often, people follow previously established values and ideologies and dismiss persuasive messages. We examine how participants react to a persuasive message related to plastic pollution and how these reactions shape their willingness to recycle and reuse. Results indicate that environmental values and political ideology are associated with message derogation in distinct ways, which, in turn, affect risk perception, self‐efficacy, and intention to recycle and reuse. Further, past behavior moderates the relationship between message derogation and perceived risk, but not the relationship between message derogation and self‐efficacy. These results suggest that pre‐existing values and ideologies play an important role in message derogation, a hitherto under‐researched phenomenon that has key implications for self‐reported behavioral change. Moreover, past behavior could serve as a powerful lever in steering risk perception and behavioral intent.
Effective warm‐ups in the German‐language classroom: Form and function
Authors: Ross Braden Marie
Published: November 2024

This article explores three questions developed to be central to the creation and implementation of an effective classroom warm‐up: Does it help jumpstart students’ use of German? Can it capture students’ attention? And does it encourage building rapport through providing opportunities for personal expression or relevance? Based on my experience as an instructor for the first and second semesters of the German language sequence at the University of Illinois at Urbana‐Champaign, I argue that a well‐constructed warm‐up in a German language course is more than a low stakes invitation to cultivate a mindset conducive to the demands of language learning; it is an opportunity to begin learning from a place of genuine interest, trust, and confidence. By implementing warm‐ups with the guidelines outlined in this article in mind, mnemonically referred to as JARR (Jumpstarting language use, capturing Attention, and building Rapport through Relevance) warm‐ups, instructors can set students up for success not only for the next hour of learning, but also for their entire language journey—all in the first 5 minutes of class.
Graphemic Variation in Morphosyntactic Context: The Syllable u in Classic Maya Hieroglyphic Writing
Authors: Matsumoto Mallory E.
Published: November 2024

Throughout the long history of Classic Maya hieroglyphs, a logosyllabic writing system used from the late first millennium BCE through the mid‐second millennium CE in southern Mesoamerica, the most commonly recorded phonetic value was the syllable u (/ʔu/). With over a dozen different u hieroglyphs, Classic Maya scribes had more options for recording /ʔu/ than any other syllable or logograph. Cognitive approaches to writing systems typically attribute graphemic variation (i.e., alternation between signs with equivalent linguistic value) to semantic differences like animacy or to non‐linguistic factors like identity. Distribution of Classic Maya u hieroglyphs, however, suggests that morphosyntactic context influenced which grapheme scribes wrote and when. This case suggests that scribal knowledge of Classic Maya hieroglyphs included ideas about writing's relationship to language. It also highlights the cognitive relevance of morphosyntax for a writing system's users as they differentiate among graphic signs with identical linguistic denotation.
Characterisation and Sensitivity of a Canine Mast Cell Tumour Line to Oncolytic Viruses
Authors: Mehrani Yeganeh , Kakish Julia E. , Napoleoni Christina , Thompson Jennifer Jane , Knapp Jason P. , Minott Jessica A. , Yates Jacob G. E. , Stuart Deirdre , Coomber Brenda L. , Foster Robert A. , Bridle Byram W. , Karimi Khalil
Published: November 2024

Canine mast cell tumours (MCTs) are one of the most common skin cancers of dogs. Surgical removal is the primary treatment, but recurrence and metastasis can occur even with low‐grade tumours. As a result, new treatment strategies are being sought. We tested the potential of several oncolytic viruses (OVs) to infect and kill a cell line isolated from a canine MCT. Employing a resazurin‐based metabolic assay and flow cytometry technology, we used recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (rVSV‐Δm51), avian orthoavulavirus‐1 (AOaV‐1), and Orf viruses in our assessment. Our study aimed to evaluate the potential of oncolytic virotherapy in treating canine cancers. We found that MCT‐1 cells showed different sensitivities to the OVs, with rVSV‐Δm51 showing the most promising results in vitro. These findings suggest that further investigation into using OVs for treating canine MCTs is needed, although clinical efficacy is yet to be determined.