bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Alert design in the real world: a cross-sectional analysis of interruptive alerting at 9 academic pediatric health systems
Authors: Kandaswamy Swaminathan , Yarahuan Julia K W , Dobler Elizabeth A , Molloy Matthew J , Knake Lindsey A , Hernandez Sean M , Fallon Anne A , Hess Lauren M , McCoy Allison B , Fortunov Regine M , Kirkendall Eric S , Muthu Naveen , Orenstein Evan W , Dziorny Adam C , Chaparro Juan D
Published: February 2025

Objective

To assess the prevalence of recommended design elements in implemented electronic health record (EHR) interruptive alerts across pediatric care settings.

Materials and Methods

We conducted a 3-phase mixed-methods cross-sectional study. Phase 1 involved developing a codebook for alert content classification. Phase 2 identified the most frequently interruptive alerts at participating sites. Phase 3 applied the codebook to classify alerts. Inter-rater reliability (IRR) for the codebook and descriptive statistics for alert design contents were reported.

Results

We classified alert content on design elements such as the rationale for the alert's appearance, the hazard of ignoring it, directive versus informational content, administrative purpose, and whether it aligned with one of the Institute of Medicine’s (IOM) domains of healthcare quality. Most design elements achieved an IRR above 0.7, with the exceptions for identifying directive content outside of an alert (IRR 0.58) and whether an alert was for administrative purposes only (IRR 0.36). IRR was poor for all IOM domains except equity. Institutions varied widely in the number of unique alerts and their designs. 78% of alerts stated their purpose, over half were directive, and 13% were informational. Only 2%-20% of alerts explained the consequences of inaction.

Discussion

This study raises important questions about the optimal balance of alert functions and desirable features of alert representation.

Conclusion

Our study provides the first multi-center analysis of EHR alert design elements in pediatric care settings, revealing substantial variation in content and design. These findings underline the need for future research to experimentally explore EHR alert design best practices to improve efficiency and effectiveness.
Validating the use of pen scores to capture behaviors expressed by cattle unrestrained in a pen1
Authors: Parham Jamie T , Schmidt Jessica J , Tanner Amy E , Wahlberg Mark L , Grandin Temple , Lewis Ronald M
Published: February 2025

Many subjective methods exist to assist producers in evaluating temperament. Use of a pen test, which allows behavior to be observed in a non-restrained setting, may be an effective method to evaluate temperament by allowing more variation among animals to be expressed as compared to a restrained test. The objective of this study was to analyze video recordings of penned calves to determine whether the repertoire of behaviors they expressed were adequately captured by their individual (IPS) and group (GPS) pen scores. In each of 3 yr, 40 predominantly Angus commercial Bos taurus heifers, 2-wk post weaning, were assessed monthly in 3 consecutive months (recording periods). After routine handling through a weigh crate and squeeze chute, each heifer was released individually into a pen (12 x 6 m). Their response to 30 s of human presence within the pen was evaluated. They were then joined in groups of four in a larger (12 x 8 m) pen and re-evaluated for 30 s in a group setting. An IPS and GPS was assigned using an ethogram ranging from 1 (docile) to 6 (aggressive). This interaction was also video recorded. Using the videos, the explicit behaviors captured by each pen score were investigated using Noldus Observer software. Data were analyzed with ANOVA using SAS. Within each recording period, the concordance of pen scores with the repertoire of behaviors expressed were compared. In the group setting, heifers could not be clearly distinguished on video and were instead assigned the average GPS of the group. Heifers with higher IPS and average GPS categories had larger flight zone sizes and reached faster paces for longer periods of time. Furthermore, heifers with lower IPS appeared more neutral to the presence of a human and moved around less often. Ethograms for pen score successfully delineated the temperament of heifers. The use of such scores can provide a valuable on-farm assessment of cattle behavior during routine handling.
Exploring the effects of dietary lysine and tryptophan on the social behaviour of pigs
Authors: Hewett Eleanor , Zaragoza Luis , Lewis Craig , Houdijk Jos , Wilson Andrea , Turner Simon
Published: February 2025

Negative social behaviours between pigs can cause stress, which can compromise welfare. There has been significant interest in exploring the effect of diet on negative social behaviours and the wider social behaviour repertoire of pigs. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of dietary Lysine (Lys) and Tryptophan (Trp) levels on the social behaviour of commercially housed pigs. A total of 2,293 PIC Camborough barrows with a mean starting weight of 11.87 ± 1.35 kg were used in a randomised complete block design with a 2×3 factorial arrangement, with 16 replicates per treatment, of the following factors: 1) Standardised ileal digestible Lys levels: 100% Lys = diets with 100% PIC requirement at the midpoint of the growth phase (Lys 100) vs 80% Lys = diets with 80% PIC requirement at the midpoint of the growth phase (Lys 80); and 2) Trp to Lys ratio of 0.210, 0.185 or 0.160. Pigs were randomly allocated across the 6 treatments over 2 starting dates. Behaviour and lesion data were collected. There was an effect of Lys (P=0.032) on ear biting behaviour, with pigs on the Lys 80 treatments showing a higher level of ear biting behaviour. We also found an effect of the Lys score week interaction on the proportion of pens showing ear lesions (P<0.001) and an effect of the Lys Trp interaction (P=0.030) and the Lys score week interaction (P=0.0104) on the proportion of pens showing severe ear lesions. In conclusion, the lysine content of feed can affect the social behaviour of pigs, specifically ear biting, in commercial conditions.
Screening of insecticides for management of the invasive Oxycarenus hyalinipennis Costa (Hemiptera: Oxycarenidae) population sourced from urban southern California
Authors: Zilnik Gabriel , Hepler James R , Merten Paul , Schutze Inana X , Hoddle Christina D , Hoddle Mark S , Ellsworth Peter C , Brent Colin
Published: February 2025

Cotton seed bug, Oxycarenus hyalinipennis (Hemiptera: Oxycarenidae), was discovered in southern California in 2019. Surveys have found it within 160 km of cotton producing areas. While often only a minor pest in its native range, there are justified concerns that O. hyalinipennis could become a major pest of US-grown cotton. To proactively prepare for this possibility, 12 US-registered formulations and 1 experimental formulation were assessed in the laboratory for efficacy against O. hyalinipennis, using both contact and ingestion bioassays. Six formulations, consisting of acephate, dinotefuran, flupyradifurone, and imidacloprid with initial efficacy against O. hyalinipennis were used for subsequent dose-response bioassays. These compounds had LC50 values well below maximum labeled rates, although LC99.9 values often exceeded maximum label rates. Results indicate that if O. hyalinipennis infests cotton production regions, both selective and broad-spectrum options will be available for management. These findings establish a baseline for developing an integrated pest management program that can reduce potential damage from O. hyalinipennis, preserve natural enemies, and contribute to resistance management in cotton production areas.
Blastocystis in stool: friend, foe, or both?
Authors: Stensvold Christen Rune
Published: February 2025

Recent research suggests a health-protective role for Blastocystis; still, zoonotic subtypes might play a role in the development of post-travel intestinal upset.
Artemether-lumefantrine resistant falciparum malaria imported from Uganda
Authors: Oliveira Rafael , Nürnberg Michael , Bardtke Lara , van Loon Welmoed , O’Sullivan Niamh , Lingscheid Tilman , Lindner Andreas K , Kampmann Beate , Kurth Florian , Mockenhaupt Frank P
Published: February 2025

After two consecutive AL treatment failures in a non-immune traveller returning from Uganda with Plasmodium falciparum malaria, the parasite showed artemisinin resistance ex vivo and in vitro, but no associated genetic markers in pfK13 or pfcoronin. In vitro evidence for increased lumefantrine tolerance was present, as were associated pfmdr1 alleles.
Severe water stress impact on drought resistance mechanisms and hydraulic vulnerability segmentation in grapevines: the role of rootstock
Authors: Flor L , Toro G , Carriquí M , Buesa I , Sabater A , Medrano H , Escalona J M
Published: February 2025

Severe water stress can lead to hydraulic disfunction, reducing plant conductance or even causing death. Some plants exhibit hydraulic vulnerability segmentation between organs to reduce this risk. However, its role in influencing drought tolerance and resistance in grafted plants, such as grapevine, remains unclear.

This study aimed to evaluate the physiological responses, drought tolerance, hydraulic vulnerability segmentation and xylem anatomy of two-year-old Vitis vinifera cv. Tempranillo scion grafted onto two rootstocks: 110-Richter (110R) and Sélection Oppenheim 4 (SO4). After subjecting the plants to drought conditions until the onset of embolism in the leaf (P12), we analysed the physiological consequences during recovery.

Grapevine exhibits hydraulic vulnerability segmentation not only within scion organs but also between the scion and rootstock. Although no differences in scion drought tolerance and embolism resistance were observed between combinations, Tempranillo-110R exhibited higher leaf minimum conductance, leaf P12 values and root biomass. In contrast, Tempranillo-SO4 displayed larger vessel diameter and higher hydraulic conductance. These differences may explain the slower recovery of Tempranillo-110R compared to Tempranillo-SO4, which showed higher stomatal and root-to-stem hydraulic conductance.

These findings suggest that rootstock selection should consider drought resilience alongside vigour and productivity, especially given the increasing the concurrence of severe drought periods due to climate change.
Testing the wavelength dependence of oscillations and granulation in red giants using Kepler and TESS
Authors: Sreenivas K R , Bedding Timothy R , Huber Daniel , Crawford Courtney L , Stello Dennis , Pedersen May G , Li Yaguang , Hey Daniel
Published: February 2025

Stellar oscillations and granulation in red giants are both powered by convection. Studying the wavelength dependence of their amplitudes can provide useful insights on the driving mechanism. It is also important for plans to carry out asteroseismology with the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, which will operate in the near infrared, to check the dependence of oscillations and granulation on the observational wavelength. In this work, we aim to understand how the oscillation and granulation power in red giants depend on the wavelength and study how existing predictions compare with observations. We measure the mean oscillation and granulation power of 279 Kepler red giants, from the power density spectra derived using Kepler Pre-search Data Conditioning Simple Aperture Photometry (PDCSAP) and TESS-SPOC light curves. We find that selection of light curves is important for the study of amplitudes, since different light curve products from TESS show different values of amplitudes. We show that the oscillation and granulation power ratios between TESS and Kepler match the theoretical prediction, confirming that both decrease as we move to redder wavelengths. We also see that the mean ratios of oscillations and granulation agree, suggesting that oscillation and granulation have the same wavelength dependence. We also find that the mean height-to-background ratio for Kepler agrees with previous results and shows good agreement with TESS. These results suggest that the granulation signals would not severely affect the detection of oscillations. We checked the dependence of these ratio between Kepler and TESS on stellar parameters, and see no trends.
Loss of LDOC1 by chromatin compaction in mesenchymal tumor cells is required for PFA1 ependymoma growth
Authors: de Sousa Graziella Ribeiro , Calzadilla Annaliese J , Grimaldo Enrique , Donson Andrew M , Sobral Lays Martin , Jones Kendra M , Liu Tian , Amani Vladimir , Venkataraman Sujatha , Dahl Nathan A , Levy Jean M Mulcahy , Phang Tzu , Vibhakar Rajeev , Hankinson Todd , Handler Michael , Valera Elvis Terci , Foreman Nicholas K , Griesinger Andrea M
Published: February 2025

Background

Posterior fossa molecular subtype A (PFA) ependymoma occurs in young children and is the deadliest subtype of pediatric ependymoma. High-risk subtypes with chromosome 1q+ and/or 6q- exhibit significantly poorer outcome compared to wild-type PFA. However, 50% of wild-type PFA patients relapse and there is a high risk of gaining chromosome 1q at recurrence. We previously found constitutively active NF-κB, through loss of LDOC1, led to chronic IL-6 secretion and an overall immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment in the higher risk wild-type PFA ependymoma subset (PFA1).

Methods

In this study, we delineate the mechanistic consequences of LDOC1 loss in PFA1, using our PFA ependymoma in vitro and in vivo models under normoxia and hypoxia conditions.

Results

We noted chromatin compaction by H3K27me3 at the LDOC1 loci results in loss of LDOC1 gene expression. Restoration of LDOC1 was sufficient to reduce proliferation, NF-κB signaling and significant decrease in IL-6 secretion. Furthermore, tumors implanted with LDOC1- transduced cells in vivo were out competed by non-transduced cells, suggesting loss of LDOC1 is required for PFA tumor growth.

Conclusion

These findings shed further light on the biology of PFA1 ependymoma and the role LDOC1 loss has on the tumor and immunobiology of high risk pediatric ependymoma.
Who Reads the Trade Marks Register?
Authors: Burrell Robert , Handler Michael
Published: February 2025

This article starts with a question that looks like it has been taken from an introductory legal reasoning class, namely, is coffee a non-alcoholic beverage? It will be seen that from a trade mark perspective there is reason to conclude that coffee is definitely a non-alcoholic beverage in Australia, is definitely not a non-alcoholic beverage under the European trade mark regime and may or may not be such a beverage in the UK. This divergence is itself worthy of attention, given efforts to facilitate cross-border registration using common terminology. More importantly, however, this article argues that the reason why trade mark law struggles with questions of this type is because it has never taken a clear view of the person at whom the trade marks register is aimed—in particular, it has never been clear as to the level of expertise and knowledge of the internal workings of the trade mark system that is to be attributed to the notional reader of the register. This oversight has important implications for matters that someone new to the field might imagine would have been resolved long ago.
Classifiers and Other Grammatical Categories
Authors: Aikhenvald Alexandra Y
Published: February 2025

There may be dependencies between noun categorization devices and other categories: the semantics or form of noun categorization devices may correlate with the choice made in another grammatical category. For instance, there may be fewer noun class distinctions in non-singular numbers than in the singular. The meanings encoded through noun categorization devices in some languages can be realized through different categories in others; for instance, the choice of case marking may depend on the animacy or humanness of the referent even if a language does not have an overt classifier system (see Appendix l).
Quantitative analysis of the molecular gas morphology in nearby disk galaxies
Authors: Yamamoto Takashi , Iono Daisuke , Saito Toshiki , Kuno Nario , Stuber Sophia K , Liu Daizhong , Williams Thomas G
Published: February 2025

We present a quantitative and statistical analysis of the molecular gas morphology in 73 nearby galaxies using high spatial resolution CO (J = 2–1) data obtained from the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) by the PHANGS large program. We applied three model-independent parameters: concentration (C), asymmetry (A), and clumpiness (S), which are commonly used to parametrize the optical and infrared morphology of galaxies. We find a clear apparent correlation between A and S, with a Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient of 0.52 with a p-value of $2\times 10^{-6}$. This suggests a higher abundance of molecular clumps (i.e., giant molecular cloud associations) in galaxies that display stronger distortion or biased large-scale molecular gas distribution. In addition, the analysis of the C parameter suggests high central molecular concentration in most barred spiral galaxies investigated in this study. Furthermore, we found a positive correlation between the length of the bar structure ($R_\mathrm{bar}/R_{25}$) and the C parameter, with a Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient of 0.63 with a p-value of $3.8 \times 10^{-5}$, suggesting that a larger bar structure can facilitate overall molecular gas transport and yield a higher central concentration than galaxies with shorter bars. Finally, we offer a possible classification scheme for nearby disk galaxies based on the CAS parameters of molecular gas.
Oscillating wind accretion due to X-ray inhibition of line-driven mechanism
Authors: Karino Shigeyuki
Published: February 2025

In a high-mass X-ray binary system with a massive donor, the line-driven stellar wind accretes on to a compact object, emitting X-rays in the process. Ionizing the stellar wind matter using X-rays inhibits its acceleration, leading to changes in wind velocity due to X-ray irradiation from the compact accretor. Since the stellar wind velocity influences mass accretion rate and subsequent X-ray luminosity, the inhibiting effect of X-ray ionization on wind acceleration could potentially impact the mass accretion process. This study investigates the correlation between the accretion rate on a compact object and the acceleration process of stellar wind matter by using a simple model. Results indicate that the mass accretion rate exhibits spontaneous oscillations, causing quasiperiodic flares when considering the ionization of wind matter. Such a feedback process of X-ray ionization on the mass accretion rate could be related to the mechanism of flare production in X-ray binaries.
A myriad of melt inclusions: a 3D analysis of melt inclusions reveals the gas rich magma reservoir of Colli Albani Volcano (Italy)
Authors: Jorgenson Corin , Stuckelberger Michael E , Fevola Giovanni , Falkenberg Gero , Kaiser Tizian , Wilde Fabian , Weber Gregor , Giordano Guido , Caricchi Luca
Published: February 2025

Melt inclusions are small parcels of magma trapped in crystals, which hold key information about preeruptive magmatic conditions including volatile content and melt chemistry. We focus here on melt inclusions for a nuanced view of the magmatic pre-eruptive state of Colli Albani, a mafic-alkaline ignimbrite forming system in central Italy. Recent years have seen an increased amount of research surrounding the feasibility of using melt inclusions as tracers of pre-eruptive magma volatile content including, namely the concern about measuring trapped CO2 present in vapour bubbles. Here we present synchrotron 3D tomographic scans of over 2000 melt inclusions from 35 pyroxene and leucite crystals from Colli Albani. We show that incorporating 3D information into melt inclusion geometry calculations allows for the development of a novel classification scheme, which we then use to draw inferences about the pre-eruptive evolution of the plumbing system of Colli Albani. We define six types of melt inclusions based on shape, crystallinity, and the characteristics of their vapour bubble. We also identify a strong variability in melt inclusion type proportions with stratigraphy, which ultimately is a reflection of variation in reservoir residence times, magma ascent rates, and tephra quench rates. Additionally, a large number of melt inclusions have large volume bubbles, suggesting the magma reservoir was bubble bearing at the time of melt inclusion trapping. We suggest this is essential to prepare the eruption of large volumes of the low viscosity magma at Colli Albani.
Mock maass forms revisited
Authors: Li Yingkun , Roehrig ChristinA
Published: February 2025

In this paper, we use theta integrals to give a different construction of mock Maass forms studied by Sander Zwegers. Using this method, we construct new real-analytic modular forms, whose Fourier coefficients are logarithms of algebraic numbers in a real quadratic field.
Circadian phase in high school students: Weekday-weekend shifts and relationships to other sleep/circadian characteristics
Authors: Hasler Brant P , Oryshkewych Nina , Wallace Meredith L , Clark Duncan B , Siegle Greg J , Buysse Daniel L
Published: February 2025

Study Objectives

In a sample of high school students, (1) to characterize within-person changes in sleep and circadian characteristics from school nights to weekend nights, (2) to examine whether later circadian phase relates to weekday-weekend changes in sleep/circadian characteristics, and (3) to examine correlations between biological and proxy measures of circadian phase.

Methods

Sample included 95 high school students reporting at least one drink of alcohol in their lifetime. Participants completed baseline self-report measures, wrist actigraphy for 8 days, and two overnight laboratory visits (Thursday and Sunday) for salivary melatonin sample collection. Circadian phase was calculated as the dim light melatonin onset (DLMO; 4 pg/mL threshold). Proxy circadian phase measures included the Composite Scale of Morningness (CSM), Munich Chronotype Questionnaire (MCTQ), and actigraphy-based midsleep.

Results

Other than nap duration, all examined actigraphy-based sleep characteristics, DLMO, and DLMO-sleep phase angles showed weekday-weekend differences (adjusted p-values <0.05). Later mean DLMO was associated with larger weekday-weekend changes in total sleep time (b=0.39, padjusted=0.010). CSM and actigraphy-based midsleep showed small-to-moderate (rho=~0.3) and moderate (rho=~0.5) correlations with DLMO, respectively, but chronotype based on the MCTQ was not correlated with DLMO.

Conclusions

In the largest published sample to date, circadian phase substantially shifted from the school week to weekend, underscoring the “social jetlag” imposed by early school start times. Similarly, teens with the latest circadian phase exhibited the greatest weekend catch-up sleep. Finally, perhaps due to the instability of circadian phase in this context, self-reported proxies for circadian timing were poor approximations of biological circadian phase.
Ontogenetic development of ponto-geniculo-occipital waves during paradoxical sleep in kittens
Authors: Gao Jin-Xian , Wang Xiao-Bo , Ren Yan-Li , Huang Qin-Lei , Chu Wei-Wei , Xie Jun-Fan , Xie Yu-Ping , Spruyt Karen , Shao Yu-Feng , Hou Yi-Ping
Published: February 2025

Study objectives

Ponto-geniculo-occipital (PGO) waves are a hallmark feature of paradoxical sleep (PS), emerging just before PS onset during the transition from slow wave sleep (SWS) to PS (TSWS-PS) and persisting throughout the PS phase in adult cats. These waves are considered a biomarker for the maturation of PS. However, their developmental trajectory in mammals remains poorly understood. This study investigated the emergence and maturation of PGO waves during PS in developing kittens.

Methods

Electrodes were stereotaxically implanted into the lateral geniculate nucleus, accurately localized using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Recording included cortical electroencephalogram, nuchal muscle activity, PGO waves and rapid eye movements (REMs).

Results

Despite the presence of abundant PS and frequent muscle twitches accompanied by REMs in neonatal kittens, PGO spikes were first detected at postnatal day (PND) 16, with an average onset at PND 19. Initially, these waves appeared with lower density and amplitude during the TSWS-PS and PS phases. Over the following weeks, PGO wave density and amplitude increased, along with prolonged durations during both TSWS-PS and PS. Type I waves (singlet and bigeminy) predominated during TSWS-PS, while type II waves (clusters) were more frequent during PS. The proportion of type II waves and their co-occurrence with REMs increased with age. The adult-like pattern of PGO waves was fully established by PND 50.

Conclusions

The emergence and maturation of PGO waves during PS are closely linked to the development of the sleep-wake cycle and may play a role in learning and memory processes.
Dam break in Japan’s immigration policy: the 2018 reform in a long-term perspective
Authors: Chiavacci David
Published: February 2025

The 2018 reform is a dam break in Japan’s immigration policy. Previously, for decades, the opening of the Japanese labour market for lower-qualified foreign workers was discussed without any comprehensive reform despite far-reaching proposals. This article discusses this change from a persistent standstill to comprehensive reform by analysing comparatively the frames and institutional setting in earlier immigration debates around 1970, around 1990, and around 2005 with the debate in the late 2010s. It argues that the persistent stalemate on the most hotly debated issue of immigration policy was due to the diversity of frames with very different policy implications and an institutional fragmentation in policy-making without any pivotal policy entrepreneur. The comprehensive reform of 2018 is the result of a window of opportunity by the conjuncture of a declining security frame as the main counterargument and by the centralization of decision-making in the core executive in the later years of the second term of Prime Minister Abe Shinzō (2012–20) on the level of institutional setting. Abe and his entourage were reluctant policy entrepreneurs who only realized the 2018 reform because of pressure and the absence of any other policy option. Still, they fundamentally changed the framework in Japanese immigration policy.
Mother’s late return home from work, family relationship, and locus of control of children: evidence from Japanese adolescents
Authors: Seki Mai , Shoji Masahiro , Yamasaki Izumi
Published: February 2025

While previous studies have examined the link between maternal employment status and child development, the results remain inconclusive, and the underlying mechanisms are not yet well understood. A potential explanation for the mixed findings is the omission of mothers’ return home time from work, a factor that has yet to be tested in the literature. To address this gap, this study examines the relationship between mothers’ time of returning home and their children’s locus of control using a nationwide child–parent survey in Japan. The results of the entropy balancing method demonstrate that the daughters of mothers who return after 7 p.m. are more likely to believe that they lack control over their life outcomes, whereas this effect is not observed for mothers who return home by 7 p.m. This relationship is mediated by the deterioration of family relationships. Consistent with prior research, the negative association is more pronounced in households with higher socioeconomic status, while it is mitigated when fathers return home early or when children cohabit with their grandparents, highlighting the importance of caregiving by all family members. Given the increasing number of married women in full-time and managerial positions and the diffusion of teleworking, these findings are relevant for policymakers.
Effects of feeding varying levels of mycotoxin-containing corn fines on diet choice and growth performance of nursery pigs
Authors: Paczosa D B , Chevalier T B , Adedokun S A , Zheng L , Lindemann M D
Published: February 2025

Mycotoxins in feed are known to negatively affect growth and other physiological processes in pigs. Two experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of feeding diets with varying levels of mycotoxins and boron (a nutrient reported to mitigate some aspects of mycotoxicosis). Screenings from the 2020 crop year corn contained mycotoxin levels of 23,038 ppb total fumonisins (FUM), 1,446 ppb zearalenone (ZEA), and 5,032 ppb total deoxynivalenol (DON). The corn fines were added to a corn-soybean meal diet formulated to meet or exceed NRC (2012) nutrient requirements as a replacement for corn at 0, 10, and 20% for Diets 1-3. Diets 4-6 were Diets 1-3, respectively, plus 40 ppm boron from sodium tetraborate decahydrate. Diets 3 and 6 were formulated to approximate the guidance level of fumonisin and the advisory level of DON stated by the FDA. Exp. 1 used 48 crossbred pigs (initial body weight [BW] = 9.18 kg ± 0.12 kg) blocked by sex and BW and randomly allotted to 1 of 3 treatment comparisons: Comparison 1) Diet 1 vs. Diet 2; Comparison 2) Diet 1 vs. Diet 3; and Comparison 3) Diet 2 vs. Diet 3. There were 4 replicates (4 pigs/pen) for the 21-day preference trial. Exp. 2 used 144 crossbred pigs (mean initial BW = 10.20 ± 0.23 kg) blocked by sex and BW and randomly allotted to diets for a total of 6 replicates (4 pigs/pen) for a 21-day growth trial. On d 21, serum was collected from the heaviest and lightest pig in each pen for clinical chemistry assessment. Exp. 1 demonstrated the barrows’ ability to discern between diets in Comparisons 2 and 3 (P < 0.01) for each week while gilts only started to exhibit that ability during Week 3 for Comparison 2 (P = 0.06). Increasing mycotoxin levels in Exp. 2 had no effect on overall ADG, ADFI, and G:F (P = 0.16, 0.53, and 0.92, respectively). The increasing mycotoxin levels affected serum glucose and cholesterol (P = 0.03, and P < 0.01, respectively). There was no effect of boron on the same performance measures (P = 0.81, 0.59, and 0.76, respectively) although it did lower serum glucose (P = 0.02). In conclusion, pigs can differentiate and choose between diets containing these mixed mycotoxins but when not given a choice, the pigs do not necessarily have different growth performance using the particular mycotoxins and concentrations within the framework of this assessment.
Volume, Risk, Complexity: What Makes Development Finance Projects Succeed or Fail?
Authors: Eilers Yota , Kluve Jochen , Langbein Jörg , Reiners Lennart
Published: February 2025

This study presents a quantitative analysis of the determinants of success—and failure—of bilateral development finance projects, based on a unique database covering 5,608 project evaluation results. Linking project success ratings to a comprehensive and partly novel set of explanatory factors along the project life cycle, four research hypotheses are investigated, finding that (I) development finance projects with comprehensive financing are (slightly) more successful, in particular budget funds show a significant positive correlation; (II) the project structure does not significantly influence project success; (III) more-complex development finance projects are less successful, in particular in terms of technical complexity and longer implementation duration; (IV) riskier projects are significantly less successful.
Conducting Intersectional Analysis in Nursing Research
Authors: Oudshoorn Abe , Rabiah-Mohammed Fawziah , Ariba Olayinka , Krywucky Andrea , Annor Bridget , Adu Joseph , Ndayisenga Jean Pierre , Guerrero Danny , Reid Tracy-Ann , Lindsay Sarah May
Published: February 2025

Intersectionality allows nurses to be attuned to the many forms of social marginality present in society that ultimately impact upon health and well-being. However, while intersectionality is often named and well-defined in terms of the theoretical implications, less direction is provided regarding how these principles are actualized in various methodological approaches. This article presents our experiences as a large team of researchers working with a variety of marginalized populations in living out intersectionality in nursing research. We explore a variety of different methods and analysis approaches and how intersectionality is integrated in an authentic and meaningful way.
BRD9 promotes the malignant phenotype of thyroid cancer by activating the MAPK/ERK pathway
Authors: Deng Yingcheng , Li Yilin , Cao Hong
Published: February 2025

Thyroid cancer is one of the most common endocrine gland malignancies in China. During gene transcription, the bromodomain and extraterminal domain (BET) proteins perform epigenome interpretation tasks. Bromodomain-containing protein 9 (BRD9) is one of the BET family members. Increasing evidence has implicated that BRD9 plays significant roles in multiple malignancies. However, its role in thyroid cancer is still not fully understood. In this research, our results demonstrated that high expression of BRD9 can facilitate the malignant phenotype of thyroid cancer cell lines, while low expression of BRD9 can impede the malignant phenotype of thyroid cancer cell lines. Pharmacologically, I-BRD9 treatment inhibits the proliferation and promotes the rate of apoptosis in thyroid cancer cell lines. Moreover, our results also revealed that BRD9 promoted xenograft tumor growth. In addition, our study showed that the expression of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) pathway-related proteins was decreased in BRD9 knockdown thyroid cancer cells, such as Raf, ERK, p-ERK, c-Fos, and c-Myc, which could be significantly reversed by overexpressing the BRD9 in different thyroid cancer cells. After the specific inhibitor of ERK (SCH772984) was applied to thyroid cancer cells (BCPAP cells) overexpressing the BRD9 gene, the results suggested that SCH772984 reverses the high expression of MAPK/ERK pathway-associated protein in BCPAP cells (over-expression BRD9 cells). In conclusion, this study demonstrated that BRD9 was highly expressed in serum and malignant tumor tissues of thyroid cancer patients and further promoted the development of the malignant phenotype of thyroid cancer by activating the MAPK/ERK signaling pathway.
Association between nilotinib-induced hyperbilirubinemia and UGT1A1 polymorphisms in a chronic myeloid leukemia patient
Authors: Alarcón-Payer Carolina , Sánchez Suárez María Del Mar , Roldán Alicia Martín , Morales Alberto Jimnez
Published: February 2025

We present the case of a young woman diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia who began de-novo treatment with nilotinib, which led to increased plasma levels of total bilirubin and QT interval. An evaluation of the genetic profile of uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase was made, as nilotinib inhibits the activity of this enzyme causing hyperbilirubinemia, with higher risk in slow metabolizers, such as those ones with *6/*6 genotype. This type of patient can be identified by genetic profiling, and adjustment in the dose of nilotinib could be made to avoid tyrosine kinase inhibitor switching.
Predicting Sleep Quality in Family Caregivers of Dementia Patients From Diverse Populations Using Wearable Sensor Data
Authors: Park Jung In , Aqajari Seyed Amir Hossein , Rahmani Amir M. , Lee Jung-Ah
Published: February 2025

This study aimed to use wearable technology to predict the sleep quality of family caregivers of people with dementia among underrepresented groups. Caregivers of people with dementia often experience high levels of stress and poor sleep, and those from underrepresented communities face additional burdens, such as language barriers and cultural adaptation challenges. Participants, consisting of 29 dementia caregivers from underrepresented populations, wore smartwatches that tracked various physiological and behavioral markers, including stress level, heart rate, steps taken, sleep duration and stages, and overall daily wellness. The study spanned 529 days and analyzed data using 70 features. Three machine learning algorithms—random forest, k nearest neighbor, and XGBoost classifiers—were developed for this purpose. The random forest classifier was shown to be the most effective, boasting an area under the curve of 0.86, an F1 score of 0.87, and a precision of 0.84. Key findings revealed that factors such as wake-up stress, wake-up heart rate, sedentary seconds, total distance traveled, and sleep duration significantly correlated with the caregivers' sleep quality. This research highlights the potential of wearable technology in assessing and predicting sleep quality, offering a pathway to creating targeted support measures for dementia caregivers from underserved groups. The study suggests that such technology can be instrumental in enhancing the well-being of these caregivers across diverse populations.
Brain metastases during follow-up of patients with resected cutaneous melanoma
Authors: Tas Faruk , Erturk Kayhan
Published: February 2025

Melanoma is among the most common tumors that disseminate to the brain. We analyzed patients with resected early-stage cutaneous melanoma who developed sole brain metastases and brain metastases accompanying other organ spreads and interpreted the clinical characteristics of these patients in this study. A total of 457 patients who developed any organ metastases during or after adjuvant therapy or in follow-up were included in the analysis. A total of 55 (12%) patients had brain metastases (M1d), and 402 patients had other (M1a,b,c) metastases. The majority of brain metastases (n = 36, 65.4%) were accompanied by other organ metastases, only 19 patients had sole brain metastases. Brain metastases were mostly in men (76.4 vs. 61.9%, P = 0.03), and extracerebral dissemination was more commonly associated with acral lentiginous melanoma histopathology (16.7 vs. 4.7%, P = 0.04). Brain metastasis was found to be associated with shorter survival (median survivals were 6.0 vs. 12.45 months, respectively, P = 0.0001). However, there was no difference in survival between patients with isolated brain involvements and patients with brain metastases accompanied by spread to other organs (median survivals were 6.0 vs. 5.85 months, respectively, P = 0.1). In conclusion, brain metastases are a very small portion of relapsed melanoma patients, and the numbers of isolated brain metastases are even smaller, thus the significance of routine brain scans for early detection of brain involvement in the follow-up of patients might be questionable and unnecessary.
Cardiovascular Syphilis
Authors: Kallash Mohammed , Frishman William
Published: February 2025

Syphilis is a disease caused by the spirochete bacterium Treponema pallidum, progressing in 4 stages: primary, secondary, latent, and tertiary syphilis. In the tertiary stage, patients may develop cardiovascular syphilis, which includes syphilitic aortitis, aortic aneurysm, aortic regurgitation, and coronary artery involvement. These cardiovascular manifestations increase morbidity and mortality during this late stage of syphilis. A recent large-scale, population-wide study has built on our knowledge of cardiovascular syphilis by identifying an increased risk for the development of acute myocardial infarction, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, ischemic stroke, hemorrhagic stroke, venous thromboembolism, and cardiovascular death in syphilis patients. This review discusses the incidence and pathophysiology of these various manifestations of cardiovascular syphilis, while also detailing the latest treatment options and the prognosis of these conditions. The clinical significance of this topic stems from the fact that the incidence of syphilis has spiked in recent years after previously reaching an all-time low in 1999. According to the Centers for Disease Control in the United States, from 2018 to 2022, the reported cases of syphilis increased by 80%. However, the incidence of cardiovascular syphilis has remained the same during this period, likely due to the efficacy of penicillin use early in the infection, preventing the progression of the disease to the tertiary stage. As a result, cardiovascular syphilis mostly remains a disease of the past, with only a few sporadic cases being reported in the literature in recent years.
National Trends in Hospital Admissions, Interventions and Outcomes for Early-Onset (Age <50) Diverticulitis From 2005-2020
Authors: Kim Shineui , Kwon Bill , Chervu Nikhil , Mallick Saad , Ali Konmal , Benharash Peyman , Hawkins Alexander T. , Lee Hanjoo , Khan Aimal
Published: February 2025

BACKGROUND:

Little is known about the burden and outcomes of diverticulitis in patients under the age of 50. This knowledge gap hinders the development of effective management strategies and preventive measures for this population.

OBJECTIVE:

This study aimed to analyze national trends in hospitalizations, interventions, and outcomes for early-onset (age <50) diverticulitis in comparison to standard-onset (age ≥50) cohorts.

DESIGN:

Retrospective cohort study.

SETTINGS:

A survey-weighted, national sample extracted from the National Inpatient Sample.

PATIENTS:

All adults (≥ 18 years) hospitalized for diverticulitis between 2005 and 2020.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:

National trends in the proportions of early-onset vs. standard-onset diverticulitis related, along with the rates of colectomy.

RESULTS:

From 2005-2020, 5,239,735 patients were electively hospitalized for diverticulitis. 837,195 (16.0%) were early onset. During the study period, the proportion of Early-onset cohort admitted for complicated-diverticulitis significantly increased from 18.5% to 28.2% (nptrend < 0.001) Additionally, there was a decline in the proportion of early-onset diverticulitis patients needing a colectomy (34.7% to 20.3%, nptrend < 0.001), with a corresponding increase in the proportion of patients needing Interventional Radiology intervention (12.7% to 28.6%, nptrend < 0.001). Compared to standard-onset diverticulitis, early-onset diverticulitis was associated with decreased odds of mortality (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] 0.18, 95% Confidence Interval (95% CI) 0.16-0.20, p < 0.001) as well as decreased length of stay (β -0.28 days, 95% CI [-0.32,-0.24], p < 0.001) and hospitalization costs (β -$1,900, 95%CI [-$2,100,-$1,800], p < 0.001). Additionally, early-onset diverticulitis was associated with increased odds of colectomy (AOR 1.29, 95%CI 1.26-1.31) and percutaneous drainage (AOR 1.58, 95% CI 1.53-1.62).

LIMITATIONS:

Retrospective data collection. Lack of granular clinical data.

CONCLUSION:

There has been a significant increase in the proportion of complicated-diverticulitis related admissions among patients under 50. Patients with early-onset diverticulitis were more likely to undergo colectomy or percutaneous drainage than those with standard-onset (≥50 years) diverticulitis. Future work is needed to determine the cause for these trends and identify public health policies aimed at potential preventing the increasing burden of diverticulitis among younger populations. See Video Abstract.
Deoxycholate for Subcutaneous Fat Reduction: A Review of Current Literature and Potential New Delivery Systems
Authors: Moreira Caetano Pinto Rodrigo , Moreira Caetano Pinto Guilherme , Beltrame Flávio Luís , Colerato Ferrari Priscileila
Published: February 2025

BACKGROUND

Deoxycholate is approved for submental fat reduction due to its ability to lyse cells and reduce fat accumulation, but it is used off-label in aesthetic treatments for subcutaneous fat reduction for several other parts of the body.

OBJECTIVE

Review the clinical evidence supporting using sodium deoxycholate and delivery systems for aesthetic purposes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This systematic review explores the clinical evidence for sodium deoxycholate's efficacy and safety in fat reduction, exploring the use of delivery systems to mitigate adverse effects. A comprehensive literature search across Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed was executed to prepare this review.

RESULTS

Clinical studies confirm that subcutaneous deoxycholate injections effectively reduce submental fat, with long-term results suggesting maintained efficacy up to 3 years post-treatment. However, adverse effects are noted, prompting research into novel delivery systems, which include sustained-release liquid crystal formulations and micro/nanoparticle-based systems, promising to reduce side effects while enhancing efficacy.

CONCLUSION

The findings underscore that deoxycholate is clinically well-established in efficacy and safety, with substantial evidence for treating submental fat. More extensive clinical studies are necessary to establish its safety and effectiveness in larger treatment areas and optimize treatment outcomes using different delivery systems.
Rewarding twenty-year experience with initial and repeat EKG and echocardiographic screening for prevention of sudden death in detecting abnormal findings
Authors: Bates Sharon , Movahed Mohammad Reza
Published: February 2025

Background:

To further analyze the impacts, findings, and modalities of multiple cardiac screenings to answer the question – are multiple screens necessary and useful in youth?

Methods:

Over 20 years, the Anthony Bates Foundation (ABF) has offered free and low-cost cardiac screenings to youth and their families nationwide. The volunteer force has provided blood pressure, and ultrasound tests to participants throughout the 20 years. After year 7, electrocardiograms were added to the screening.

Results:

Over the 20 years, ABF abnormal findings held steady between 10 - 13%, with Potential Life-Threatening (PLT) findings at 2.5%. The participants that have experienced multiple screening tests on average would repeat within 2.5 years, have abnormal findings at 31.84%, PLT at 11.43%, and total echocardiography-related abnormal findings at 16.82%. The variance between male and female attendance by age is also noted during the review of ABF repeat screened data. Male attendance was at 59.65% and female 40.35%. The abnormality rate of males for the first visit was 10.9% followed by the second visit of 18.80%. The abnormality rate of females for the first visit was 12.22% followed by the second visit of 17.09%. A detailed analysis of abnormal findings is presented in this manuscript.

Conclusions:

Cardiac screening involving multiple repeated screenings appears to be effective in detecting increasing numbers of abnormal findings that can be lifesaving.
Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment Following Vitrectomy and Subretinal Tissue Plasminogen Activator for Submacular Hemorrhage
Authors: Safran Jordan P. , Momenaei Bita , Martin Jonathan , Crain Benjamin , Richards Collin , Kaiser Richard , Garg Sunir J. , Sivalingam Arunan , Spirn Marc , Hsu Jason
Published: February 2025

Purpose:

To investigate the incidence and outcomes of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) occurring after pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) and subretinal tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) for submacular hemorrhage (SMH).

Methods:

Charts were reviewed between April 1, 2014 and September 1, 2023 for eyes that underwent PPV/subretinal tPA for SMH.

Results:

Out of 167 eyes, 15 (9%) eyes developed RRD with macular detachment in 12 (80%) and proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) in 9 eyes (60%). The median (interquartile range, IQR) time from PPV/subretinal tPA until RRD diagnosis was 41 (22-81) days. Single-surgery anatomic success was achieved in 11 eyes (85%) at three months and 9 eyes (70%) at the final visit. Four eyes (27%) developed redetachment and three underwent a median of two additional repairs. The final anatomic success rate for reattachment was 92% (12/13). The median (IQR) logMAR [Snellen] visual acuity at the preoperative visit following SMH was 2 (2-2.3) [20/2000], which worsened to 2.3 (2.2-2.7) [20/4000] at the time of RRD diagnosis (P=0.01) and plateaued by the final visit to 2.3 (2-2.7) [20/4000] (P=0.15).

Conclusion:

Postoperative RRD occurred in nearly 1 in 10 eyes after PPV/subretinal tPA for SMH and was associated with a relatively high rate of PVR.