bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A systematic review of evidence that environmental contaminant exposure impedes weight loss and glycemic control during calorie‐restricted diets in humans
Authors: Bennett Kimberley Ann , Sutherland Calum , Savage Anne Louise
Published: December 2024

Calorie‐restricted diets cause weight loss and can drive type 2 diabetes remission. However, many patients struggle to achieve clinically relevant weight loss, and the reasons are not well understood. Chemical exposure is associated with obesity and type 2 diabetes development, and some evidence from preclinical experiments suggests it can limit the clinical benefits of calorie restriction. We systematically reviewed the evidence for the effects of environmental chemical exposure on mass loss and glycemic control during diet‐induced weight management in humans (PROSPERO: CRD42022339993). Of 222 unique citations, only six papers directly examined this question. Only one targeted people with type 2 diabetes. One linked phthalates and parabens, but not bisphenols, with slower fat loss. Two showed per‐ and polyfluoroalkyl substances were not associated with mass loss, but with faster subsequent mass regain. One linked impaired adiposity improvements with air pollutants. Two papers reported weight loss‐induced elevation in plasma organochlorines associated with altered glycemic control. The risk of bias largely arose from the potential for deviation from the intended diet, and statistics and reporting. The role of chemical exposure in impeding the effectiveness of weight management programs needs to be better understood to provide suitable support to people living with obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Impact of Procedural Aspects on Early Complications After Permanent Cardiac Implantable Device Implantations
Authors: Popiolek‐Kalisz Joanna , Chrominski Tomasz , Szczasny Marcin , Błaszczak Piotr
Published: December 2024

Background

Cardiac implantable devices (CIED) such as pacemakers, implantable cardioverter‐defibrillators, or cardiac resynchronization devices are implanted in selected patients with bradyarrhythmia and advanced heart failure. The invasive character of these procedures poses a risk of early complications such as pneumothorax, bleeding, infections, or dislocations.

Aims

There are no available data that analyzed the impact of the organization of procedures on the early complications risk after permanent pacing procedures. The aim of this study was to investigate if organizational aspects can impact early complications risk in CIED implantations.

Methods

This retrospective study analyzed the medical records of 1673 patients who underwent CIED implantation at the Department of Cardiology of Cardinal Wyszynski Hospital in the years 2016–2020 (before the conduction system pacing era).

Results

The regression analysis revealed the predictive value of the number of leads on complication risk overall (β = 0.65, p < 0.001). Even though the significant differences in complications count were also observed for the consecutive days of the week (p = 0.002) and procedure order within the same day (p = 0.01), the regression analysis did not confirm their predictive value on complications’ risk. However, the subgroup analysis regarding the device type revealed the significant predictive value of procedure order on complications in the single‐chamber pacemaker subgroup (β = 1.10, p = 0.01). Moreover, the subgroup analysis confirmed the predictive value of the number of leads on pneumothorax (β = 0.89, p = 0.04) and dislocation (β = 0.67, p = 0.01), age of the patient, and the assist with the less experienced operator on hemopericardium (β = 0.11, p = 0.02, and β = 2.34, p = 0.04, respectively).

Conclusion

The study showed that the number of leads is the main factor of early complications after CIED implantations. In the simplest devices such as single‐chamber pacemakers, the order of the procedure within the same day can also play a role in early complications risk.
Diagnostic Blind Spot: Physicians Overlook Atrial Fibrillation in Pacemaker‐Dependent Patients
Authors: Avidan Yuval , Khoury Razi , Aker Amir
Published: December 2024

Background

Pacemaker recipients demonstrate a higher prevalence of atrial fibrillation (AF), yet the regular ventricular activation in pacemaker‐dependent patients with AF presents a substantial diagnostic challenge.

Methods

A total of 310 medical practitioners completed a brief, validated survey consisting of three electrocardiograms displaying AF with ventricular pacing. Participants were instructed to identify the underlying rhythm.

Results

Cardiologists outperformed all other groups with 69% correct responses, followed by emergency physicians (33%) and internists (24%). The poorest performance was observed among primary care physicians (14%) and medical interns (12%) (p < 0.0001). The comparison between groups revealed a statistically significant difference between cardiologists and non‐cardiologists (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

The detection of AF in patients with ventricular‐paced rhythm remains a significant diagnostic challenge, with notable gaps even among cardiologists. It is imperative to educate physicians that AF in this context may not present with the typical irregular rhythm. Routine interrogation of cardiac devices in cases where the rhythm is unclear can facilitate a timely and accurate diagnosis of this concealed arrhythmia.
Deep Septal Pacing for Pacemaker‐Induced Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Mercé Jordi , Anguera Ignasi , Rodríguez Marcos , Faga Valentina , Rodríguez Julián , Dallaglio Paolo D. , Antonio Rodolfo San , Marco Andrea Di
Published: December 2024

Introduction

Right ventricular (RV) pacing can impair left ventricular function and cause heart failure, known as pacing‐induced cardiomyopathy (PICM). Upgrade to cardiac resynchronization (CRT) is its usual treatment; recently left bundle branch area pacing (LBBAP) has emerged as a potential alternative. Deep septal pacing (DSP), a simplified alternative to LBBAP, is still able to achieve narrower paced QRS than during conventional RV pacing. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of DSP in a cohort of patients with PICM.

Methods and Results

Consecutive patients diagnosed with PICM were included. The aim was to upgrade patients to DSP. The procedure was considered successful if a paced QRS duration ≤140 ms was obtained, in the absence of a terminal R wave in V1. Twelve patients were included. The mean baseline LVEF was 33% (SD 4%), and the mean percentage of RV pacing was 99% (SD 1%). All patients had symptomatic heart failure. The mean paced QRS duration was 172 ms (SD 14 ms) with RV pacing, and 130 ms (SD 7 ms) with DSP (mean difference 42 ms, p < 0.001). At 6 months, the mean LVEF after the upgrade was 46% (SD 9%), significantly superior to LVEF with RV pacing (p = 0.001), a mean improvement of 13% (SD 10%). All patients except one experienced an improvement in LVEF of at least 5%.

Conclusions

Our data suggest that DSP may be an effective and simpler alternative to biventricular or LBBAP in patients with PICM. Narrower paced QRS complexes can be achieved, which may lead to an improvement in left ventricular function.
Transcriptional Reprogramming Deploys a Compartmentalized ‘Timebomb’ in Catharanthus roseus to Fend Off Chewing Herbivores
Authors: Liu Yongliang , Shi Jizhe , Patra Barunava , Singh Sanjay Kumar , Wu Xia , Lyu Ruiqing , Liu Xiaoyu , Li Yongqing , Wang Ying , Zhou Xuguo , Pattanaik Sitakanta , Yuan Ling
Published: December 2024

The evolutionary arms race between plants and insects has led to key adaptive innovations that drive diversification. Alkaloids are well‐documented anti‐herbivory compounds in plant chemical defences, but how these specialized metabolites are allocated to cope with both biotic and abiotic stresses concomitantly is largely unknown. To examine how plants prioritize their metabolic resources responding to herbivory and cold, we integrated dietary toxicity bioassay in insects with co‐expression analysis, hierarchical clustering, promoter assay, and protein–protein interaction in plants. Catharanthus roseus, a medicinal plant known for its insecticidal property against chewing herbivores, produces two terpenoid indole alkaloid monomers, vindoline and catharanthine. Individually, they exhibited negligible toxicity against Manduca sexta, a chewing herbivore; their condensed product, anhydrovinblastine; however, was highly toxic. Such a unique insecticidal mode of action demonstrates that terpenoid indole alkaloid ‘timebomb’ can only be activated when the two spatially isolated monomeric precursors are dimerized by herbivory. Without initial selection pressure and apparent fitness costs, this adaptive chemical defence against herbivory is innovative and sustainable. The biosynthesis of insecticidal terpenoid indole alkaloids is induced by herbivory but suppressed by cold. Here, we identified a transcription factor, herbivore‐induced vindoline‐gene Expression (HIVE), that coordinates the production of terpenoid indole alkaloids in response to herbivory and cold stress. The HIVE‐mediated transcriptional reprogramming allows this herbaceous perennial to allocate its metabolic resources for chemical defence at a normal temperature when herbivory pressure is high, but switches to cold tolerance under a cooler temperature when insect infestation is secondary.
Stomatal Plasticity Maintains Water Potential Homeostasis in Pinus radiata Needles
Authors: Sharma Kritika , Bourbia Ibrahim , Freeman Jules , Jones Rebecca , Brodribb Timothy
Published: December 2024

Vapour pressure deficit (VPD) is a primary determinant of stomatal behaviour and water balance in plants. With increasing global temperature, the accompanying rise in VPD is likely to have a significant impact on the performance of plant species in the future. However, the plasticity of stomatal response to VPD remains largely unexplored. This study examines the plasticity of whole plant stomatal conductance (gc) response to VPD in Pinus radiata plants grown under two temperatures and a water‐deficient treatment over a period of 3 months. The soil–stem water potential gradient (ΔΨ), gc and soil−stem hydraulic conductance (Ks‐s) were evaluated. The different treatment groups showed significant differences in maximum gc relating to differences in Ks‐s, however, gc dynamic response to VPD was very similar in all treatments such that ΔΨ was conserved once VPD increased above an average threshold of 0.64 kPa. The ability to robustly quantify water potential regulation in Pinus presents opportunities to explore variation in this globally important tree genus as well as providing a new approach to characterize the regulation of gas exchange in response to VPD.
Economic Growth Expectations and Corporate Innovation: Evidence From China
Authors: Wang Lujun , Ji Yuyang , Luo Yongmin
Published: December 2024

We take the economic growth target established in the Chinese government's work report as a proxy variable for economic growth expectations to study the impact of economic growth expectations on corporate innovation and its underlying mechanisms using data from Chinese A‐share listed companies for the period 2011–2021. The results show that economic growth expectations are considerably positively related to corporate innovation. This facilitating effect is more significant in the samples characterized by hard constraints on economic growth expectations, non‐state‐owned firms, and the eastern region. A mechanism analysis shows that increased economic growth expectations reduce environmental uncertainty and ease financing constraints, thus promoting corporate innovation. Our study provides an important policy reference for improving firms' ability to innovate by managing economic growth expectations.
Changes in Americans’ Racial Attitudes Have Increased Support for Welfare
Authors: Vilbig Karyn
Published: December 2024

Objective

This article documents changes in Americans’ attitudes toward redistributive policy since 2012 and explores the extent to which we can rightfully credit the increases in support for government aid to shifts in racial attitudes as opposed to other concurrent forces.

Methods

Using the 2016–2020 GSS panel, I employ fixed‐effects models to quantify how within‐person changes in racial attitudes are related to support for redistributive policies in 2020. I then perform KOB decomposition analysis using the 2012 and 2020 ANES to determine how much of the change in Americans’ support for redistributive policies can be explained by changes in the values and/or effects of their racial attitudes.

Results

Americans have indeed exhibited large increases in their support for redistributive policies since 2012, and a sizable portion of these increases can be attributed to changes in their racial attitudes and the effects of these racial attitudes. These changes are strongest among Democrats but can even be found among Republicans.

Conclusion

In the past, many Americans opposed government aid because they believed it benefitted Black people. Today, many Americans support government aid for precisely the same reason.
Origin of the only myrmecomorphic stink bug, Pentamyrmex spinosus (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), in the radiation era of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)
Authors: Luo Jiu‐Yang , Wu Yan‐Zhuo , Kment Petr , Salomão Adriana T. , Damken Claas , Wang Yan‐Hui , Xie Qiang
Published: December 2024

Myrmecomorphy is the most common type of Batesian mimicry in arthropods. In the true bugs (Insecta: Hemiptera: Heteroptera), myrmecomorphy has been recorded in at least seven superfamilies, but not among the stink bugs (Pentatomoidea) until 2014. The only known species that exhibits a high degree of myrmecomorphy during both the adult and nymphal stages within this group, Pentamyrmex spinosus, was reported based on a single specimen, yet little was known beyond its morphological description. In this study, the biology of this species is reported as living in bamboo (Poaceae: Bambusoideae), in close proximity with a highly similar ant species, Polyrhachis dives (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Further, the phylogenetic position and the origin time of this stink bug species were inferred in the context of Pentatomoidea. The dated phylogeny indicates that Pentamyrmex spinosus is the sister group of Phyllocephalinae, a specialized grass‐feeding subfamily in Pentatomidae, and diverged about 42.7 Ma (52.6–33.2 Ma), roughly synchronous with the radiation of the crown group of Polyrhachis ants (42.0–33.0 Ma) and slightly after the early radiation of bamboos (66.9–24.9 Ma). Our results suggest that the origin of this myrmecomorphic stink bug was probably driven by the rapid diversification of spiny ants and bamboo. In addition, our results also provide a reference framework for the phylogenetic and taxonomic systems of Pentatomoidea and Pentatomidae.
Spaces of maps between real algebraic varieties
Authors: Kucharz Wojciech
Published: December 2024

Given two real algebraic varieties and , we denote by the set of all regular maps from to . The set is regarded as a topological subspace of the space of all continuous maps from to endowed with the compact‐open topology. We prove, in a much more general setting than previously considered, that each path component of contains at most one path component of , and for every positive integer the inclusion map induces an isomorphism between the th homotopy groups of the corresponding path components. We also identify several cases where this inclusion map is a weak homotopy equivalence.
Simultaneous Prediction of Multiple Unmeasured Muscle Activations Through Synergy Extrapolation
Authors: Tahmid Shadman , Yang James
Published: December 2024

Estimating muscle forces is crucial for understanding joint dynamics and improving rehabilitation strategies, particularly for patients with neurological disorders who suffer from impaired muscle function. Muscle forces are directly proportional to muscle activations, which can be obtained using electromyography (EMG). EMG-driven modeling estimates muscle forces and joint moments from muscle activations. While surface muscles' activations can be obtained using surface electrodes, deep muscles require invasive methods and are not readily available for real-time applications. This study aims to extend our previously developed method for a single unmeasured muscle to a comprehensive approach for the simultaneous prediction of multiple unmeasured muscle activations in the upper extremity using muscle synergy extrapolation and EMG-driven modeling. By employing non-negative matrix factorization to decompose known EMG data into synergy components, the activations of unmeasured muscles are reconstructed with high accuracy by minimizing differences between joint moments obtained by EMG-driven modeling and inverse dynamics. This methodology is validated through experimentally collected muscle activations, demonstrating over 90% correlation with EMG signals in various scenarios.
Complex Modal Synthesis Method for Viscoelastic Flexible Multibody System Described by ANCF
Authors: Yu Zuqing , Liu Zhuo , Wang Yu , Tian Qinglong
Published: December 2024

The viscoelastic dynamic model of flexible multibody coupled with large rotation and deformation can be described by the absolute nodal coordinate formulation (ANCF). However, with the increase of degrees-of-freedom, the computational cost of viscoelastic multibody systems will be very high. In addition, for nonproportionally viscoelastic flexible multibody systems, the orthogonality and superposition of complex modes only exist in the state space. In this investigation, a systematical procedure of model reduction method for viscoelastic flexible multibody systems described by ANCF is proposed based on the complex modal synthesis method. First, the whole motion process of the system is divided into a series of quasi-static equilibrium configurations. Then the dynamic equation is locally linearized based on the Taylor expansion to obtain the constant tangent stiffness matrix and damping matrix. The initial modes and modal coordinates need to be updated for each subinterval. A modal selection criterion based on the energy judgment is proposed to ensure the energy conservation and accuracy by the minimum number of truncations. Finally, three numerical examples are carried out as verification. Simulation results indicate that the method proposed procedure reduces the system scale and improves the computational efficiency under the premise of ensuring the simulation accuracy.
Simultaneous Mapping of Bubbling Regimes and Thermal Layer During Direct Contact Condensation of Steam Using Gradients-Based Approach
Authors: Singhal Anant , Tom S. , Khan A. A. , Srivastava Atul , Agarwal Deepak K. , Atrey M. D.
Published: December 2024

Direct contact condensation experiments of steam in subcooled water are carried out for subcooling levels of ΔTsub= 20 °C, 30 °C, and 40 °C with a steam injection mass flux of 20 kg/m2 s. Rainbow schlieren deflectometry is employed to visualize the thermal gradients around the condensing steam bubble in a nonintrusive manner. For the chosen flow and subcooling conditions, the bubbling regimes observed are the steam bubble growth stage, the bubble receding stage, and the bubble collapse stage. Two-dimensional images captured during the process of bubble condensation using rainbow schlieren images are presented. The redistribution of color captured through the recorded images directly reflects the thermal gradients present in the test section. Qualitative interpretation of the recorded images reveals that the thermal gradient layer thickness around the condensing steam bubble increases during the growth and receding stages, before the complete breakup of thermal gradient layer at the bubble collapse stage. The local profiles of hue distribution in the direction normal to the thermal gradient layer indicate high temperature gradients in this narrow region. The hue values and the average thickness of the thermal gradient layer were found to be maximum for 40 °C subcooling level compared to the other cases. The rate of growth and thereby the collapse of the thermal gradient layer is slower for low subcooling levels and increases with higher subcooling values. To the best of the knowledge of the authors, this work is one of the first attempts to simultaneously capture the dynamical parameters of the condensing steam bubble as well as the associated thermal gradients field using a single imaging technique, thus making the experimental approach relatively simple and cost effective.
Environmental and Economic Benefits of Harvesting Machine for Magnet-to-Magnet Recycling
Authors: Pérez-Cardona Jesús R. , Mathur Nehika , Deng Sidi , Zakotnik Miha , Oana Tudor Catalina , Sutherland John W.
Published: December 2024

Closed-loop recycling streams are increasingly taking importance on the development of a sustainable future. Neodymium-iron-boron (Nd-Fe-B) permanent magnets are applied in a variety of applications, including direct-drive wind turbines, electric motors for electric vehicles, hard disk drives (HDDs) in laptops, and other electric devices. End-of-life HDDs are available in the United States to be collected and recycled for the production of Nd-Fe-B magnets for the exponentially increasing demand in electric vehicles and other industries. A comparative assessment of the environmental impact of HDD recycling pathways is conducted for the production of Nd-Fe-B magnets in the United States. The results show that the magnet-to-magnet recycling route has the lowest footprint. A techno-economic assessment is conducted to compare the added value of a harvesting process versus shredding HDDs. After conducting an uncertainty analysis with an optimization technique, multiple scenarios for a harvesting facility are economically feasible. Future work will be needed to reduce financial risks.
Force-Motion Coupled Mechanism Synthesis Method of Heavy Load Parallel Kinematic Mechanism for Multi-DoF Forming Process
Authors: Xin Shuai , Zheng Fangyan , Han Xinghui , Hua Lin , Zhuang Wuhao
Published: December 2024

At present, the design of parallel kinematic mechanism (PKM) generally starts from type synthesis based on the motion pattern and then the dimensions are synthesized based on performance requirements. The synthesized type of PKM with optimal load-bearing capacity is hard to determine because the above type synthesis is just based on the motion pattern and the number of synthesized types of PKM is huge. Therefore, this paper aims to investigate a force-motion coupled mechanism synthesis method for heavy-load PKM with optimal motion performance and load-bearing capacity. First, the optimal load-bearing conditions for PKM are derived, namely, the wrench screw of a limb is parallel to the external force acting on the moving platform and is reciprocal with the wrench of the actuator. Furthermore, a novel force-motion coupled type synthesis method is proposed, in which the wrench of the limb is added to the constrained screw system. In this situation, the synthesized PKM is singular. Therefore, dimension synthesis is carried out based on the workspace, and a near-singular 6-PHSS PKM is then synthesized. Finally, a novel multi-DoF forming machine with a forming force of 6000 kN is developed. Compared with the Stewart platform (6-UPS PKM), the maximum forces of the actuator and limb of the new near-singular 6-PHSS PKM were reduced by 80% and 10%, respectively, validating the proposed force-motion coupled synthesis method for heavy-load PKM.
Assessing Hemodynamic Changes in Cerebral Aneurysms Post Coil Embolization: A Preliminary Investigation
Authors: Monfared Mohammadali , Hollingsworth Luke , Gamage Peshala Thibbotuwawa , Taebi Amirtaha
Published: December 2024

A cerebral aneurysm is a weakened area in the wall of a blood vessel within the brain that causes the vessel to bulge outwards. The choice of treatment depends on various factors including the size and location of the aneurysm and the risk of rupture, and should be tailored to individual situations rather than following a universal approach due to their variability among individuals. This approach provides the possibility of choosing precise treatment plans that are proper for each patient’s circumstances. The utilization of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) allows for the prediction of after-surgery hemodynamic changes before any surgical approach. The goal of this research was to investigate the flow characteristics and hemodynamic parameters in cerebral arteries before and after endovascular embolization treatments using CFD in three patient-specific geometries with at least one aneurysm at the middle cerebral artery’s bifurcation. To model the coiling, the computational domain was divided into two fluid domains, a general fluid domain consisting of the parent arteries and a porous domain inside the aneurysm. CFD modeling was conducted to simulate blood flow in pre- and postcoiling scenarios. Results showed that the coiling model with different porosity values led to a redirection of blood flow away from the aneurysm sac. Additionally, changes in shear stress indicated potential alterations in susceptibility to vascular remodeling. In conclusion, these findings indicated that utilizing CFD modeling for simulating blood flow in patient-specific cerebral arteries could be utilized to predict hemodynamic parameters before any treatment.
Modeling scale-up of particle coating by atomic layer deposition
Authors: Yanguas-Gil Angel , Elam Jeffrey W.
Published: December 2024

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) is a promising technique to functionalize particle surfaces for energy applications including energy storage, catalysis, and decarbonization. In this work, we present a set of models of ALD particle coating to explore the transition from lab scale to manufacturing. Our models encompass the main particle coating manufacturing approaches including rotary bed, fluidized bed, and continuously vibrating reactors. These models provide key metrics, such as throughput and precursor utilization, required to evaluate the scalability of ALD manufacturing approaches and their feasibility in the context of energy applications. Our results show that designs that force the precursor to flow through fluidized particles transition faster to a transport-limited regime where throughput is maximized. They also exhibit higher precursor utilization. In the context of continuous processes, our models indicate that it is possible to achieve self-extinguishing processes with almost 100% precursor utilization. A comparison with past experimental results of ALD in fluidized bed reactors shows excellent qualitative and quantitative agreement.
Molecular dynamics investigation of heteroepitaxial growth of quaternary AlInGaN on wurtzite-GaN surface along [0001] direction
Authors: Debnath Anuj , Das Chandan K.
Published: December 2024

We conducted molecular dynamics simulations of heteroepitaxial vapor deposition of the AlInGaN film on the polar [0001] GaN surface to investigate the influence of the substrate temperature and Al/In ratio on the epitaxial film. Time- and position-dependent boundary constraints were implemented to ensure appropriate growth conditions in the vapor phase region, the near-surface solid, and the bulklike solid region of the growing film. The simulation utilized an optimized Stillinger–Weber potential to describe the interactions among Al–In–Ga–N atoms. For the compositional study, the ratios of Al/In used are 1/9, 3/7, 1/1, 7/3, and 9/1. To investigate the temperature effect on the substrate, four different growth temperatures above half of the simulated melting temperature of the GaN substrate were employed. Following the growth of the AlInGaN film, surface roughness, domain structure, crystallinity, and dislocations were analyzed. Our findings indicate that surface roughness and crystallinity increase with higher Al/In ratios as well as elevated substrate temperatures. The domain size was also observed to increase with higher Al/In ratios and temperatures. At lower temperatures and low Al/In ratios, islands of different polytypes emerge with a high height-to-width ratio, resulting in a highly polytypic structure. The annealing process following growth significantly improves crystallinity and reduces surface roughness. From the dislocation study, it was observed that the maximum number of dislocation lines is of type 1/3[11¯00], which relieve the lattice mismatch strain along the x- and y-directions, and dislocations are minimized at 2500 K. The observed trends in the effects of temperature and the Al-to-In content ratio on dislocations, voids, surface roughness, and domain boundary structures closely resemble known experimental observations in AlInGaN/GaN.
British version of the Iowa test of consonant perception
Authors: Guo Xiaoxuan , Benzaquén Ester , Holmes Emma , Choi Inyong , McMurray Bob , Bamiou Doris-Eva , Berger Joel I. , Griffiths Timothy D.
Published: December 2024

The Iowa Test of Consonant Perception is a single-word closed-set speech-in-noise test with well-balanced phonetic features. The current study aimed to establish a U.K. version of the test (ITCP-B) based on the Southern Standard British English. We conducted a validity test in two sessions with 46 participants. The ITCP-B demonstrated excellent test-retest reliability, cross-talker validity, and good convergent validity. These findings suggest that ITCP-B is a reliable measure of speech-in-noise perception. The test can be used to facilitate comparative or combined studies in the U.S. and U.K. All materials (application and scripts) to run the ITCP-B/ITCP are freely available online.
Game Plan Disrupted: Strategic Planning Missteps in Community Soccer
Authors: Morrison Kristen A. , Eddy Terry , Misener Katie E.
Published: December 2024

Harmony Soccer Club, a nonprofit youth soccer club in Summit Ridge, Ontario, has faced declining membership and organizational challenges since 2016, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Sofia Kim, the Executive Director, had only joined the club 2 months prior and was just beginning to get comfortable in her new role. Now, Sofia must make critical recommendations after the club’s recent Annual General Meeting revealed significant discontent with a newly approved strategic plan. Members felt that the strategic plan did not adequately reflect their needs or involve sufficient stakeholder engagement. This discontent resulted in the ousting of the Board of Directors (board) and the election of a new president and directors at the Annual General Meeting. Sofia is asked to lead a comprehensive review of the strategic planning process. Imagining themselves in the role of Sofia, students will examine the implications of the board’s turnover, the failures in the strategic planning process, and the importance of incorporating member feedback. The case underscores the need for a strategic plan that resonates with diverse member perspectives to ensure the club’s future stability and success. This case study is appropriate for both upper level undergraduate and graduate sport management courses, where topics discussed include strategic management, organizational theory, and/or governance.
All the Same? Expectations and Evaluations of Sports Journalistic and Sports Organizations’ Instagram Channels by Young Adults
Authors: Oelrichs Inga , Ludwig Mark
Published: December 2024

Social media is the main source of information for young adults. In networks like Instagram, they encounter a range of information from both journalistic media providers and sports organizations (e.g., clubs and federations). If these two types of channels are perceived as interchangeable offerings, journalistic channels risk losing relevance. Based on the uses and gratifications approach and on models for conceptualizing journalistic quality, the objective of this study was to explore (a) what young adults expect and receive from sports journalistic and sports organizations’ channels and (b) whether their assessment of the two types of channels differ. A survey (N = 687) was used to assess the gratifications sought and obtained, as well as quality expectations of and experiences with sports journalistic and sports organizations’ channels on Instagram in Germany. Results reveal that sports journalistic and sports organizations’ channels are perceived in a similar manner. One major implication for journalism is the need for further differentiation.
Continuous Glucose Monitoring Underreports Blood Glucose During a Simulated Ultraendurance Run in Eumenorrheic Female Runners
Authors: Dole Andrew , Sims Stacy , Gan Han , Gill Nic , Beaven Martyn
Published: December 2024

Purpose: Continuous-glucose-monitoring (CGM) sensors provide near-real-time glucose data and have been introduced commercially as a tool to inform nutrition decisions. The aim of this pilot study was to explore how factors such as the menstrual phase, extended running duration, and carbohydrates affect CGM outcomes among trained eumenorrheic females in an outdoor simulated ultraendurance running event. Methods: Twelve experienced female ultrarunners (age 39 [6] y) participated in this crossover study. Participants completed an ultraendurance simulation run of 4 hours in the midfollicular and midluteal phases of their menstrual cycle, which consisted of a 3-hour fasted outdoor run (FASTED) followed by a 1-hour treadmill run (TREAD), where 3 standardized 20-g oral glucose doses were provided. Results: Using a mixed linear model, the menstrual phase was statistically significant for differences in glucose measurements from CGM compared with capillary glucose sampling during TREAD (P = .02) but not FASTED. Additionally, the CGM sensor reported glucose levels with an average of −0.43 mmol·L−1 (95% CI, − 0.86 to −0.005) and −1.02 mmol·L−1 (95% CI, −1.63 to −0.42) lower in fasted and fed scenarios, respectively, when compared with capillary glucose. Conclusion: CGM underreports capillary glucose during fasted and fed exercise. Factors contributing to this underreporting between the sampling methods (CGM vs capillary) were dependent on a combination of exogenous glucose availability, individual biological differences, and the menstrual phase.
The Future of Our PhD Programs: Are We Giving Our PhD Students What They NEED?
Authors: Braun Barry , Alexander Lacy M.
Published: December 2024

At the 2024 National Academy of Kinesiology meeting, we addressed whether we are giving doctoral students what they need. Information was collected primarily by soliciting answers to open-ended questions from 14 experienced faculty mentors at Research 1 institutions. The strong themes that emerged were that training PhD students has changed and, in general, we have been slow to adapt. Students want training in skills that are transferable across a wide range of career options. Modern students are more likely to have “outside” responsibilities and want better work–life balance to manage them. This generation of students struggles with mental health and requires more flexibility and understanding than the traditional “apprentice model” has often provided. Tools like individual development plans can help establish expectations regarding workload, timeline, productivity, and so on but only if reevaluated regularly. We must maintain our high standards in terms of work quality/scientific rigor, but expecting these things requires building, rather than assuming, mutual trust.
Resistance Training Versus Interval Training in Female Youth Soccer Players
Authors: Lambright Kelsi R. , Bunn Jennifer A. , Figueroa Yvette , Muñoz Mario
Published: December 2024

This study compared the effects of resistance and high-intensity interval training on sprinting, agility, and vertical jumping. Participants included 32 female youth soccer players who were randomly assigned to one of two groups: resistance training group (RTG; n = 16, age: 16.25 ± 1.83 years, height: 164.95 ± 4.22 cm, body mass: 57.21 ± 5.28 kg, body mass index: 21.36 ± 1.34 kg/m2) or high-intensity interval training group (HIITG; n = 16, age: 16.06 ± 1.48 years, height: 163.98 ± 7.60 cm, body mass: 57.63 ± 6.51 kg, body mass index: 21.73 ± 1.75 kg/m2). Pre- and posttesting included a 36.5-m sprint, countermovement jump (CMJ), and Illinois agility test. The participants completed an 8-week training regimen for their respective groups, training 3 days/week, for 1 hr per session. No difference was found in the 36.5 m sprint time between groups, but both groups improved sprint time after 8 weeks of training (RTG: −0.18 ± 0.13 s; HIITG: −0.16 ± 0.16 s). CMJ height improved in both groups, but the improvement was greater for the HIITG than RTG (6.39 ± 3.10 cm vs. 1.19 ± 2.71 cm). For the agility times, RTG improved at −0.75 ± 0.89 s, whereas the HIITG improved at –1.76 ± 1.15 s. An 8-week preseason training period resulted in univariate tests with significant time effect in the sprint time (p < .001), CMJ height (p < .001), and Illinois agility test time (p < .001). A Time × Group effect existed in the CMJ height (p < .001) and Illinois agility test time (p = .009).
Quantifying External and Internal Loads of the Average- and High-Intensity Phase Demands of University Female Footballers
Authors: Hearn Andrew N. , Parker John K. , Hicks Kirsty M. , Fernandes John F.T.
Published: December 2024

The match-play external and internal loads of university female footballers are not well understood. Therefore, the aims of this study were to quantify the average and 5-min high-intensity phase (HIP) match-play loads of university female footballers. With institutional ethical approval granted, 20 trained female footballers (age 20.0 ± 1.3, mass 64.9 ± 12.9 kg) volunteered to take part in the study across six competitive fixtures. Global positioning systems (Catapult) and heart rate monitors (Polar) were used to quantify external and internal loads during match-play. Linear mixed models with fixed and random effects were used to analyze match data and compare between positions. Forty-five and 53 observations were used for the average and HIP loads, respectively. Players covered total distances of 8,160 m, with 456 m covered at high speed and 151 m covered at sprint distance; central defenders completed less high-intensity running than attackers (p < .005). During 5-min HIPs, no differences were observed for accelerations (n) and PlayerLoad (in arbitrary units) between positional groups (p > .05). Attackers covered more high-speed running (p = .005) and sprint distance (p = .019) than central defenders and midfielders (p = .012; p = .017). These data describe average whole match and 5-min HIP external and internal loads of university female footballers. Coaches could use this to inform conditioning practices by exposing attacking players to greater volumes of high-intensity running.
Atypical presentation of tuberculous vasculitis: dual large vessel occlusions leading to malignant ischaemic stroke
Authors: Valliappan Sornavalli , Indiran Mariraj , Mallikarjuna Sathish Kumar , Arumugam Gowri Shankar
Published: December 2024

Tuberculosis (TB) is a significant global health challenge, particularly in developing countries. One rare complication of TB is vasculitis, involving inflammation of the blood vessels byMycobacterium tuberculosis. TB vasculitis typically results from the haematogenous spread of bacteria to the cerebral vasculature or extension from adjacent tuberculous lesions, such as tuberculomas. The pathogenesis includes direct invasion of vessel walls, leading to inflammation, luminal narrowing, thrombosis and ischaemic brain damage. Lesions usually affect smaller vessels or limited brain regions. This case involves a woman in her late 20s who presented with a decline in sensorium and was diagnosed with tuberculomas. Despite starting antitubercular treatment, her symptoms recurred a month later. Repeat imaging showed an increase in tuberculoma size, refractory to treatment, leading to a massive infarction in the region of the middle and anterior cerebral artery and ultimately her death. This case highlights the catastrophic neurological outcomes of TB vasculitis.
Real-world analysis of acamprosate use in patients with cirrhosis and alcohol-associated hepatitis
Authors: Oldroyd Christopher , Wood Jonathan , Allison Michael
Published: December 2024

Objective

Preventing return to alcohol is of critical importance for patients with alcohol-related cirrhosis and/or alcohol-associated hepatitis. Acamprosate is a widely used treatment for alcohol use disorder (AUD). We assessed the impact of acamprosate prescription in patients with advanced liver disease on abstinence rates and clinical outcomes.

Methods

This was a retrospective case–control study. We reviewed data on all patients admitted to a large tertiary centre in the UK with alcohol-related cirrhosis and/or alcohol-associated hepatitis. We used propensity risk score matching to match patients prescribed acamprosate to controls. The primary outcome was repeat hospitalisation.

Results

There were 451 patients who met the inclusion criteria of whom 55 patients were started on acamprosate during their admission. Before matching there were significant differences between the cohorts. Patients who received acamprosate were younger (median age 51 vs 57, p<0.005), more likely to have a purely alcohol-related admission (53% vs 24%, p<0.001), and more likely to suffer from a comorbid psychiatric diagnosis (42% vs 20%, p<0.001). On average patients who were started on acamprosate consumed more alcohol (median 155 units/week vs 80 units/week, p<0.001), were less likely to have a partner (35% vs 54%, p 0.006) and more likely to be unemployed (67% vs 44%, p<0.001). After matching for factors with significant differences between groups, we generated a cohort of 53 patients prescribed acamprosate and 53 matched controls. At 1 year there was a significantly higher rate of readmission (85% vs 57%, p<0.001) in the acamprosate group. There were no statistically significant differences in abstinence rates or mortality at 1 year.

Conclusion

Acamprosate prescription was associated with higher rates of readmission in patients with cirrhosis and/or alcohol-associated hepatitis. This may reflect a greater severity of AUD in those patients or might indicate the limited ability of acamprosate to alter the disease course in this population.
Male involvement in antenatal care follow-up and its determinants in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Abebe Gossa Fetene , Alie Melsew Setegn , Alelign Zewditu , Negesse Yilkal , Lemu Lidiya Gutema , Girma Desalegn
Published: December 2024

Objective

To determine the involvement of males in antenatal care (ANC) follow-up and its determinants in Ethiopia.

Design

A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Data sources

A systematic search was done on PubMed, African Journals Online, HINARI, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar and direct Google up to 20 November 2023.

Eligibility criteria

We included cross-sectional or case–control studies reporting male involvement in ANC service and its determinants in Ethiopia, which were published as full-length articles in English.

Data extraction and synthesis

The Joanna Briggs Institute checklist was used to appraise the included studies, and the I2test was used to evaluate heterogeneity among the studies. We assessed publication bias using a funnel plot and Begg’s test. The forest plot presented the combined proportion of male involvement and OR, along with a 95% CI.

Results

The pooled proportion of male involvement in ANC follow-up in Ethiopia was 43.3% (95% CI 31.7% to 54.8%). Male partners with secondary education or higher (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) 2.72, 95% CI 1.81 to 4.10), government employment (AOR 2.09, 95% CI 1.49 to 2.94), attendance at health education (AOR 3.02, 95% CI 1.39 to 6.54) and knowledge about ANC or pregnancy danger signs (AOR 2.36, 95% CI 1.33 to 4.19) demonstrated a significant association with increased male involvement.

Conclusion

Male involvement in ANC in Ethiopia is low. Recommendations include targeted education for males with no formal schooling, improved health education on ANC and pregnancy risks, and interventions for males in the private sector.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42021258826.
Study protocol for Adaptive ChemoTherapy for Ovarian cancer (ACTOv): a multicentre phase II randomised controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of adaptive therapy (AT) with carboplatin, based on changes in CA125, in patients with relapsed platinum-sensitive high-grade serous or high-grade endometrioid ovarian cancer
Authors: Mukherjee Uma Anne , Hockings Helen , Counsell Nicholas , Patel Apini , Narayanan Priya , Wilkinson Katie , Dhanda Harjot , Robinson Kathy , McNeish Iain , Anderson Alexander R A , Miller Rowan , Gourley Charlie , Graham Trevor , Lockley Michelle
Published: December 2024

Introduction

Adaptive ChemoTherapy for Ovarian cancer (ACTOv) is a phase II, multicentre, randomised controlled trial, evaluating an adaptive therapy (AT) regimen with carboplatin in women with relapsed, platinum-sensitive high-grade serous or high-grade endometrioid cancer of the ovary, fallopian tube and peritoneum whose disease has progressed at least 6 months after day 1 of the last cycle of platinum-based chemotherapy. AT is a novel, evolutionarily informed approach to cancer treatment, which aims to exploit intratumoral competition between drug-sensitive and drug-resistant tumour subpopulations by modulating drug dose according to a patient’s own response to the last round of treatment. ACTOv is the first clinical trial of AT in this disease setting.

Methods and analysis

80 patients will be randomised 1:1 to standard therapy (control) or AT (investigational) arms. The starting and maximum carboplatin dose in both arms is area under the curve (AUC) ×5 according to absolute nuclear medicine glomerular filtration rate. The AT regimen will modify the carboplatin dose according to changes in the serum biomarker CA125, a proxy measure of total tumour burden. Patients will receive treatment intravenously every 21 days for a maximum of 6 and 12 cycles in the control and investigational arms, respectively. The primary endpoint is modified progression-free survival (investigator-assessed using RECIST 1.1 (Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Cancers) compared with the baseline prerandomisation scan rather than the radiological nadir), clinical progression or death from any cause. Secondary endpoints will include acceptability, deliverability, compliance, toxicity, CA125, quality of life and overall survival. ACTOv is open to National Health Service hospitals throughout the UK, recruitment is anticipated to take 36 months across 10 sites and will be managed by the Cancer Research UK and University College London Cancer Trials Centre.

Ethics and dissemination

The trial has been reviewed and received approval from the London—Dulwich Research Ethics Committee (REC). Results of the trial will be disseminated through publication in peer-reviewed journals.

Trial registration number

NCT05080556
.