bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Iterative Method of Modeling Pump‐Treat‐Inject System with “Partial Treatment”
Authors: Zhang Jim , Zhang Yiding , Schwartz Franklin W. , Karimi Massoud
Published: December 2023

Pump‐and‐treat technologies are widely used in groundwater remediation and site cleanup. Such technologies involve pumping contaminated groundwater to the surface for treatment. Following treatment, the water is often reinjected back into the aquifer (referred to as pump‐treat‐inject or PTI) for potential reuse. The treatment system is often designed to remove dissolved‐phase contaminants in groundwater such that water meets applicable cleanup standards (herein referred to as “full treatment”). However, in some cases, the treatment system may not effectively reduce the dissolved‐phase concentrations (herein referred to as “partial treatment”) for some of the contaminants present in groundwater. Modeling PTI under partial treatment conditions is challenging because contaminant concentrations in injected water depend on the pumped water concentrations and the system treatment efficiency. Essentially, the injected water concentration (a transport model input) is unknown prior to transport simulation. This study presents a novel iterative approach to modeling PTI under partial treatment scenarios, where the injected water concentration is linked to the modeled pumped water concentration. The method was developed for a complicated three‐dimensional (3D) flow and transport modeling study conducted for a confidential remediation site where PTI with partial treatment was applied. However, due to the complexity of the 3D model and the confidential information of the site, a simple two‐dimensional (2D) numerical model is presented to demonstrate the iterative method. The 2D model test runs and the 3D model application in a remediation site showed that the iterative simulation results quickly converged to a viable final solution.
The effect of transurethral resection of the prostate on sexual life quality in patient spouses
Authors: Aydin Sayilan Aylin , Kulakac Nursen
Published: December 2023

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) surgery on quality of sexual life in patients' spouses. A pre/post‐operative test, quasi‐experimental design with no control group was employed. The research was conducted in the urology clinics of two hospitals in the west of Turkey between 30 June and 30 September 2022. It was completed with 172 patient spouses recruited using non‐probability sampling. The study data were collected using an individual information form and the Sexual Quality of Life‐Female questionnaire. The preoperative test applied prior to surgery was administered by the face‐to‐face interview method, while the postoperative test was completed by telephone interviews 8 weeks after the initial data collection. The mean age of the individuals undergoing TURP surgery in this study was 62.69 ± 7.98 years (min 40, max 77), and the mean age of the spouses was 57.91 ± 7.46 (min 39, max 73). Sexual Quality of Life‐Female scores after surgery were significantly higher than the pre‐surgical values (p < 0.001). A significant difference in sex life quality was determined in terms of age, education, employment status, presence of chronic disease, number of children, and ‘love marriages’ (p < 0.05). The sexual life quality of the spouses of patients exposed to TURP surgery increased significantly 8 weeks after the procedure. The quality of sex life was higher among individuals with higher education levels, working individuals, and those who ‘married for love’, but decreased in line with age and number of children.
Comparing pre‐war and forced Ukrainian migrants in Poland: Challenges for the labour market and prospects for integration
Authors: Kubiciel–Lodzińska Sabina , Golebiowska Kate , Pachocka Marta , Dąbrowska Anna
Published: December 2023

Before full‐scale war broke out in 2022, over 1 million Ukrainians resided legally in Poland. Within weeks of Russia's aggression, around 1.5 million new Ukrainian forced migrants had arrived, many of whom remain in Poland. As of September 2023, 970,000 Ukrainian refugees were still in Poland, where they enjoyed temporary protection status. This paper analyses data from a 2022 survey of both forcibly displaced and pre‐war Ukrainian migrants with the aim of establishing what measures are needed to facilitate the economic integration of the former group. The two cohorts differ in terms of gender, age, family status, ways of seeking employment, employment situation and aspirations. Although 66 per cent of respondents had completed tertiary education, only 30 per cent of the forcibly displaced group had Polish‐language skills. The paper recommends strategies for the provision of language education along with solutions to enable the labour market participation of this group and otherwise support their integration.
Pyroptosis in glioma: Current management and future application
Authors: Guo Zeshang , Su Zhenjin , Wei Ying , Zhang Xingmei , Hong Xinyu
Published: December 2023

Glioma, the predominant form of central nervous system (CNS) malignancies, presents a significant challenge due to its high prevalence and low 5‐year survival rate. The efficacy of current treatment methods is limited by the presence of the blood–brain barrier, the immunosuppressive microenvironment, and other factors. Immunotherapy has emerged as a promising approach, as it can overcome the blood–brain barrier. A tumor's immune privilege, which is induced by an immunosuppressive environment, constricts immunotherapy's clinical impact in glioma. Pyroptosis, a programmed cell death mechanism facilitated by gasdermins, plays a significant role in the management of glioma. Its ability to initiate and regulate tumor occurrence, progression, and metastasis is well‐established. However, it is crucial to note that uncontrolled or excessive cell death can result in tissue damage, acute inflammation, and cytokine release syndrome, thereby potentially promoting tumor advancement or recurrence. This paper aims to elucidate the molecular pathways involved in pyroptosis and subsequently discuss its induction in cancer therapy. In addition, the current treatment methods of glioma and the use of pyroptosis in these treatments are introduced. It is hoped to provide more ideas for the treatment of glioma.
The two faces of secondary contact on islands: Introgressive hybridization between endemics and reproductive interference between endemics and introduced species
Authors: Reatini Bryan , Vision Todd J.
Published: December 2023

Aim

Hybridization is thought to have played an important role in shaping the evolutionary history of diverse island taxa. Here, we propose an ecological and evolutionary framework for understanding the causes and consequences of heterospecific mating on islands—with and without introgressive hybridization. We use this framework to support our main contention that cases of secondary contact among endemic species should commonly result in introgressive hybridization whereas cases of contact between endemic and introduced species should commonly result in reproductive interference (RIN)—resulting in two qualitatively different faces of secondary contact on islands.

Location

Canary Islands, Galapagos, New Zealand, Caribbean and Hawaii.

Taxa

705 vertebrate, invertebrate and plant species spanning 167 genera and 99 families.

Methods

Using a quantitative analysis of empirical research on secondary contact on islands, we weigh evidence for the causes and consequences of secondary contact and heterospecific mating on islands. In particular, we compare cases of secondary contact between endemic species versus secondary contact between endemic and introduced species.

Results

We find that the drivers of secondary contact and heterospecific mating on islands most frequently reported in the literature are disturbance, long‐distance (e.g. inter‐island) dispersal and compromised assortative mating. We find support for the hypothesis that extensive introgression is a more common outcome between endemic species while RIN is a more common outcome between endemic and introduced species.

Main Conclusions

We conclude that there are biological reasons to predict secondary contact and heterospecific mating to be common on islands for all taxa, but that the consequence of secondary contact is categorically different for contact between endemic species and contact between endemic and introduced species. We conclude that the former likely explains the apparent frequency of hybridization on islands, while the latter presents a cryptic and underappreciated conservation threat.
Factors shaping the abundance of two butterflies sharing resources and enemies across a biogeographic region
Authors: Colom P. , Traveset A. , Shaw M. R. , Stefanescu C.
Published: December 2023

Aim

Intraspecific variation in species relative abundance is shaped by a complex interplay of abiotic and biotic factors, making it both necessary and challenging to assess their combined relative importance in explaining variations across space and time. We used two congeneric butterfly species for which extensive count data and a deep understanding of their natural history is available to test three hypotheses explaining intraspecific variation in their abundance: (H1) seasonal dispersal behaviour driven by climate, (H2) resource availability and (H3) apparent competition mediated via shared parasitoids.

Taxon

Gonepteryx rhamni (Brimstone) and G. cleopatra (Cleopatra).

Location

NE Iberian Peninsula, where both species coexist, and a nearby archipelago (Balearic Islands), where only Cleopatra occurs.

Methods

We analysed spatial abundance variations for both species in the mainland and island–mainland differences in the abundance of Cleopatra. Abiotic and biotic factors, including temperature, host plant and overwintering habitat availability, larval parasitism and density dependence, were tested to explain the observed variations.

Results

H1 can explain variation in butterfly abundance between mainland regions since in warmer summers populations increased in cooler areas but decreased in warmer areas. H2 explains the variation within mainland climate regions with a strong positive relationship between resource availability and abundance but is unlikely to explain the island–mainland variation in the abundance of Cleopatra. H3 could neither explain biogeographical variation in abundance because although richer parasitoid communities were found on the mainland, larval mortality rates were similar or lower on the mainland than in the islands.

Main Conclusions

Climate and resource availability jointly account for variation in butterfly abundance across the mainland, but neither these factors nor parasitism can explain island–mainland differences. Both coexisting butterfly species and their larval parasitoids may have undergone evolutionary processes, resulting in spatial segregation that promotes the coexistence of the two butterfly species on the mainland.
β‐Sitosterol suppresses hepatocellular carcinoma growth and metastasis via FOXM1‐regulated Wnt/β‐catenin pathway
Authors: Chen Yuankun , Yang Yijun , Wang Nengyi , Liu Rui , Wu Qiuping , Pei Hua , Li Wenting
Published: December 2023

β‐Sitosterol is a natural compound with demonstrated anti‐cancer properties against various cancers. However, its effects on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. This study aims to investigate the impact of β‐sitosterol on HCC. In this study, we investigated the effects of β‐sitosterol on HCC tumour growth and metastasis using a xenograft mouse model and a range of molecular analyses, including bioinformatics, real‐time PCR, western blotting, lentivirus transfection, CCK8, scratch and transwell assays. The results found that β‐sitosterol significantly inhibits HepG2 cell proliferation, migration and invasion both in vitro and in vivo. Bioinformatics analysis identifies forkhead box M1 (FOXM1) as a potential target for β‐sitosterol in HCC treatment. FOXM1 is upregulated in HCC tissues and cell lines, correlating with poor prognosis in patients. β‐Sitosterol downregulates FOXM1 expression in vitro and in vivo. FOXM1 overexpression mitigates β‐sitosterol's inhibitory effects on HepG2 cells. Additionally, β‐sitosterol suppresses epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) in HepG2 cells, while FOXM1 overexpression promotes EMT. Mechanistically, β‐sitosterol inhibits Wnt/β‐catenin signalling by downregulating FOXM1, regulating target gene transcription related to HepG2 cell proliferation and metastasis. β‐Sitosterol shows promising potential as a therapeutic candidate for inhibiting HCC growth and metastasis through FOXM1 downregulation and Wnt/β‐catenin signalling inhibition.
CYP4FB1 and CYP301B1 mediate the cross‐resistance of Laodelphax striatellus (Hemiptera: Delphacidae) to three pyrethroids
Authors: Yu Wenjing , Ren Qingqing , Jin Lingyao , Wu Min
Published: December 2023

The small brown planthopper (SBPH), Laodelphax striatellus (Fallén), is an important pest of rice that has developed resistance and even cross‐resistance to insecticides. In a previous study, we found that the resistance mechanism of a deltamethrin‐resistant strain of SBPH (JH‐del) involved the enhancement of detoxification enzyme activity and was unrelated to target resistance. The JH‐del strain exhibited cross‐resistance to fenvalerate. To explore the detoxification enzymes responsible for cross‐resistance to pyrethroids in the SBPH, quantitative real‐time PCR, transgenic Drosophila technology, the GAL4/UAS system and inhibition assays of recombinantly expressed P450s were carried out. Transgenic Drosophila strains da > CYP4FB1 and da > CYP301B1 overexpressing SBPH CYP4FB1 and CYP301B1 showed significantly increased resistance to deltamethrin, fenvalerate and etofenprox. CYP4FB1 and CYP301B1 were overexpressed by 3.41‐ and 4.99‐fold, respectively, in the JH‐del strain. Recombinant CYP4FB1 and CYP301B1 showed good O‐demethylation and O‐deethylation activities on p‐nitroanisole (PNA) and 7‐ethoxycoumarin (EC), respectively. The half‐maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC50) of deltamethrin, fenvalerate and etofenprox on recombinant CYP4FB1 and CYP301B1 were 0.15–1.35 μM, while those of chlorpyrifos and imidacloprid against recombinant CYP4FB1 and CYP301B1 were 6.99–15.91 μM. Therefore, recombinant CYP4FB1 and CYP301B1 have a strong affinity for pyrethroids and a weak binding ability to other types of insecticides. In summary, CYP4FB1 and CYP301B1 are the detoxification enzymes that mediate the cross‐resistance of the JH‐del strain to three pyrethroids. The results revealed the cross‐resistance mechanism of SBPH to pyrethroids and provided a theoretical basis for the resistance management of SBPH.
Interagency deployment of a shared low‐cost flood monitoring system to improve flood resilience across Southeast Texas: A case study
Authors: Adesina Mubarak , Brake Nicholas , Haselbach Liv , Hariri Asli Hossein
Published: December 2023

In 2021, eight counties in Southeast Texas formed a non‐tax authority flood control partnership to provide a forum for communication, create a regional database and improve flood modeling, early warning, and flood mitigation decisions. This partnership is able to successfully deploy and manage an early warning flood system network at relatively low‐cost by: (i) assigning the university as technical expert and general network administrator so that no additional agency workforce is required to operate and maintain the system, (ii) the flood monitoring system is a simple system and (iii) the data was able to be displayed in real‐time using an existing web‐based dashboard owned and operated by another agency within the partnership. The low‐cost sensors are lightweight and easily mountable which allowed them to be rapidly deployed within a short period of time (73 sensor sites installed within 7‐month window) over a 6000 square mile area. The data is shared with the public, and local, state, and federal agencies to monitor drainage infrastructure, and provide the community with flash flood and roadway closure alerts.
Lactic acid sting test and capsaicin test differentially induce facial erythematous reaction in subjects with sensitive skin
Authors: Li Qingwen , Xu Yujuan , Shu Hong , Li Na , Gu Hua , He Li , Tu Ying
Published: December 2023

Background

Sensitivity skin (SS) is a common skin disorders, which have a various of clinical manifestation. Facial erythema is common objective symptom of SS. However, the reasons for the occurrence of erythema in sensitive skin are not fully understood.

Aims

In this study, we preliminarily explain the possible factors inducing erythema of sensitive skin by evaluating facial erythematous reaction to lactic acid sting test (LAST) and capsaicin test (CAT) in subjects with sensitive skin.

Methods

A total of 197 subjects were divided into five groups, that is, normal controls (NC), LAST‐positive (LAST+), both LAST and CAT positive (L+C+), both LAST and CAT negative (L−C−) and CAT‐positive (CAT+). Erythema index (EI), a* value, and tissue viability imaging (TIVI) were measured before and after LAST and CAT, The ΔEI, Δa*, and ΔTIVI before and after LAST and CAT were calculated, and the correlation between the scores of CAT, EI values, a* values, and TIVI values were analyzed to clarify the causes of facial erythema.

Results

Our results showed that EI values and a* values were significantly higher in the L+C+ and CAT+ group than in NC group, TIVI values were higher in the L+C+ group than in NC group. ΔEI and Δa* values after LAST did not differ significantly among five groups. However, ΔEI values in L+C+ group were higher than that in L−C− group, while Δa* values were higher in CAT+ group than in NC. Moreover, ΔTIVI values in L+C+ group and CAT+ group were also significantly higher than that in NC group after capsaicin stimulation. CAT scores correlated positively with EI, a* and TIVI values.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that sensitive skin subjects with positive CAT are more likely to experience erythema reactions, and vasodilation is more pronounced after capsaicin stimulation. Reducing vascular and neural hyperreactivity could be therapeutic target in management of facial erythema in subjects with sensitive skin.
Comparative efficacy and safety of tranexamic acid for melasma by different administration methods: A systematic review and network meta‐analysis
Authors: Liang Rongzhou , Luo Haiyan , Pan Wanwan , Yang Sifen , Peng Xiaoyun , Kuang Baizeng , Huang Hongyin , Liu Chengjiang
Published: December 2023

Background

Tranexamic acid (TA) is a new and promising drug for the treatment of melasma.

Objectives

This network meta‐analysis aims to compare the efficacy and safety of various ways of administration of TA on melasma.

Methods

We collected researches from PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library and Web of Science. Melasma area severity index (MASI) is used to evaluate the severity of melasma. After treatment with different TA administration methods, a difference in MASI is named ΔMASI. We evaluate the curative effect by comparing the ΔMASI of different TA administration methods at a certain time point.

Results

At the Weeks 4, 8, and 12 and the last follow‐up, the ΔMASI of oral TA combined with routine topical agents (oTA + RTA) was higher than that of intradermal TA (iTA), topical TA (tTA) as well as microneedling TA (MNsTA), with statistical significance. At the 8th week, the ΔMASI of oTA was higher than that of iTA, with statistical significance. Compared with placebo, oTA showed statistically significant differences at Week 4, while tTA, iTA, and MNsTA showed statistically significant differences starting from Week 8.

Conclusions

Among various ways of administration of TA, oTA + RTA has the best effect on melasma. In the short term, the curative effect of oTA is better than that of iTA, and the onset time of oTA is faster than that of tTA, iTA and MNsTA. In the long run, the curative effect of TA alone has nothing to do with the mode of administration.
Coping strategies and its relationship with sexual dysfunction in adults receiving haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Ceylan Hatice , Yangöz Şefika Tuğba , Özer Zeynep
Published: December 2023

Aim

To explore relationship coping strategies and sexual dysfunction, and the predictive factors of sexual dysfunction in adults receiving haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis.

Background

Sexual dysfunction is a common problem in adults receiving haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. This problem may be related to psychological and physiological conditions. However, the association between psychological conditions such as coping strategies and sexual dysfunction is not clearly understood.

Design

This study is a cross‐sectional study.

Methods

The data were collected from November 2021 to July 2022 using the General Information Form, Arizona Sexual Experiences Scale: Female and Male Versions, and the Ways of Coping Inventory. Correlation and multiple regression analyses were conducted to investigate the relationship between coping strategies and sexual dysfunction.

Reporting Method

STROBE checklist.

Results

A total of 110 adults, 67 on haemodialysis and 43 on peritoneal dialysis, who met the eligibility criteria were included in this study. The optimistic, helpless and submissive approach sub‐dimensions of coping strategies had positive correlation with sexual dysfunction in adults receiving haemodialysis. Among the sub‐dimensions of the ways of coping inventory, helpless approach was positive predictor and seeking social support was negative predictor of sexual dysfunction in adults receiving haemodialysis. The coping strategies were not predictors of sexual dysfunction for adults receiving peritoneal dialysis.

Conclusions

This study showed that helpless coping strategy increases sexual dysfunction, and seeking social support decreases sexual dysfunction in haemodialysis.

Implications for the profession and/or patient care

According to this study, social support is effective coping strategy for reducing sexual dysfunction. Education and support for effective coping strategies should be provided to dialysis patients by healthcare professionals at the start of dialysis treatment. Effective coping strategies should be integrated into routine care standards and nursing or hospital policies.

Patient or Public Contribution

Adults receiving haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis were involved in this study.
Disclosing to Informed Traders
Authors: BANERJEE SNEHAL , MARINOVIC IVÁN , SMITH KEVIN
Published: December 2023

We develop a model in which a firm's manager can voluntarily disclose to privately informed investors. In equilibrium, the manager only discloses sufficiently favorable news. If the manager is known to be informed but disclosure is costly, the probability of disclosure increases with market liquidity and the stock trades at a discount relative to expected cash flows. However, when investors are uncertain about whether the manager is informed, disclosure can decrease with market liquidity and the stock can trade at a premium relative to expected cash flows. Moreover, contrary to common intuition, public information can crowd in more voluntary disclosure.
The Virtue of Complexity in Return Prediction
Authors: KELLY BRYAN , MALAMUD SEMYON , ZHOU KANGYING
Published: December 2023

Much of the extant literature predicts market returns with “simple” models that use only a few parameters. Contrary to conventional wisdom, we theoretically prove that simple models severely understate return predictability compared to “complex” models in which the number of parameters exceeds the number of observations. We empirically document the virtue of complexity in U.S. equity market return prediction. Our findings establish the rationale for modeling expected returns through machine learning.
Clinical outcomes of fetuses with cardiac rhabdomyoma: A case series from a tertiary center
Authors: Okutucu Gulcan , Tanacan Atakan , Sahin Dilek
Published: December 2023

Aims

The study aims to evaluate the genetic and clinical outcomes of fetal cardiac rhabdomyoma in our tertiary center.

Methods

Data of cases with cardiac rhabdomyoma detected by fetal echocardiography during antenatal follow‐up were analyzed retrospectively.

Results

Nine cases were included in the study. The incidence of cardiac rhabdomyoma was 0.003%. The median fetal diagnosis time was 26th weeks, the most common location was the LV. There was no hemodynamic disorder requiring cardiovascular intervention in any of the cases. Of the eight genetically tested cases, four were tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) gene‐negative, one hereditary TSC2, one de novo TSC1, and two de novo TSC2 gene mutants. Postnatal first‐year survival rate of the cases was 88.8%.

Conclusions

Cardiac rhabdomyoma is a rare fetal and pediatric pathology that generally is a remarkable finding in the clinical process of TSC. Therefore, cases should be evaluated multisystemically and genetic counseling should be given to the family.
How to speak to the masses, part II: Hồ Chí Minh as a moral and linguistic exemplar and the dynamics of register formation in 20th century Vietnam
Authors: Sidnell Jack
Published: December 2023

Hồ Chí Minh's extended essay Fixing the Way We Work, written in 1947 after he and other high‐ranking members of the recently formed DRV (Democratic Republic of Vietnam; Việt Nam Dân chủ Cộng hòa), had been forced to retreat from Hanoi to the uplands of Thái Nguyên province, elaborates on organizational and practical problems within the party and obstacles to mass mobilization. The final chapter describes a way of speaking HCM refers to as ba hoa and which he sees as a “speech sickness” afflicting many low and middle ranking cadres who are in direct contact with the masses. In the first part of this essay, I argued that the largely proscriptive and negatively formulated instructions articulated in this context cohere by virtue of a common focus on problems of action. Specifically, ba hoa names a stereotyped speech register in which the connection between speaking and doing comes undone. In what follows, the second part of the essay, I describe the other, positively formulated half of the larger project of register formation: the elevation of HCM's own mode of expression (phong cách diễn đạt) to the status of an exemplary model that all Vietnamese people are expected to emulate. This involved extensive metasemiotic elaboration and (re)framing which was accomplished, in large part, through the writings of contemporaries and later interpreters. A consideration of this literature along with an analysis of the continued spectral presence of HCM in contemporary Vietnam allows for a specification of the semiotics of exemplarity.
Every action has a reaction: A model of coworker reactions to sexual minority employees' identity disclosure
Authors: Dhanani Lindsay Y. , Totton Rebecca , Hall Taylor K.
Published: December 2023

The current study examines the predictors and consequences of the ways coworkers react following sexual identity disclosure. We propose that employees may experience different reactions following disclosure depending on their social and sexual identities and that such reactions will impact their job attitudes, well‐being, and subsequent identity concealment. Data were collected from 308 lesbian, gay, bisexual, and pansexual employees using a two‐wave field survey design. Results for the predictors of coworker reactions indicate that employees who identified as Black, transgender/genderqueer, or bisexual/pansexual reported they experienced more unsupportive reactions from their coworkers following the disclosure of their sexual identity as compared to White, cisgender, and gay/lesbian employees. Supplemental analyses further indicate that Black bisexual/pansexual employees experienced the least positive reactions from coworkers as compared to the other referent groups. Results examining the outcomes of coworker reactions demonstrate that positive disclosure reactions are associated with decreased job satisfaction and increased turnover intentions, emotional exhaustion, and subsequent identity concealment, whereas negative disclosure reactions are associated with increased depressive symptoms and emotional exhaustion. Findings demonstrate a need to expand on conceptual and empirical work on identity disclosure to consider coworker reactions and underscore that the disclosure experiences of sexual minority employees are not uniform.
Among risks, protection, and lessons learned: Perspectives of Brazilian rural families about work in adolescence
Authors: Santana Ramiro Rodrigues Coni , Ristum Marilena
Published: December 2023

Adolescents working in the Brazilian rural contexts were investigated through participant observation and interviews, aiming at understanding the role played by work in the nurturing of adolescent in these contexts. The qualitative and longitudinal survey involved six participants who were members of two different families, as follows: four female adolescents, one adult woman, and one adult man. It was found that adolescents and their families understood work as a context for nurturing moral values, learning skills, and meeting needs. Observation, however, found that work also involved exposure to risks. The study reviews the role of work in adolescence as a cultural component in some rural contexts and how this should be taken into account to avoid an ethnocentric and universalistic interpretation that divides adolescence between “normal” and “abnormal.”
Clinical relevance of serum ionized magnesium concentration in dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease
Authors: Kim Ock‐Kyu , Kim Keon , Park Sinwook , Yang Hayoung , Kim Hyunwoo , Ro Woong‐Bin , Lee Chang‐Min
Published: December 2023

Background

Hypomagnesemia is associated with a poor prognosis in humans with congestive heart failure (CHF), but studies in veterinary medicine are limited.

Hypothesis

Serum ionized magnesium concentration [iMg2+] would decrease as CHF progresses compared with the initial diagnostic levels and that lower [iMg2+] would be negatively associated with prognosis in dogs with CHF.

Animals

A total of 181 client‐owned dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) were included. They were classified into the preclinical stage (NO‐CHF, n = 108), stage C (n = 42), and stage D (n = 31) based on the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine MMVD classification.

Methods

This is a retrospective study from 2 referral centers. The [iMg2+] was compared among the NO‐CHF, stage C, and stage D groups. Kaplan‐Meier curves and the log‐rank test were used to compare the incidence of death between groups. Multivariable Cox regression analysis was used to estimate the association of hypomagnesemia with the death.

Results

In the stage D group, the [iMg2+] was lower than that in the NO‐CHF (P < .0001) and stage C groups (P < .003). In the Kaplan‐Meier survival analysis, the 1‐year cumulative survival rate in hypomagnesemic dogs was 53% compared with 91.5% in normomagnesemic dogs (log‐rank test, P < .0001). In the multivariable Cox analysis, lower concentration of [K+] and [iMg2+], along with higher Evel, were associated with negative prognoses. Specifically, hypomagnesemia was associated with an approximately 4‐fold increased risk of death (hazard ratio = 4.015; 95% confidence interval, 1.537‐10.488; P = .005).

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

Assessing the [iMg2+] might serve as a potential marker for estimating the severity and prognosis indirectly in dogs with MMVD. Combining [iMg2+] measurement with other diagnostic methods, such as echocardiography, could improve the prognostic evaluation of MMVD in dogs.
Health first, convenience second: Caregiver perspectives of commercially produced complementary foods in five Southeast Asian capital cities
Authors: Walls Helen , Pries Alissa , Chotivichien Saipin , Huynh Phuong , Fahmida Umi , Blankenship Jessica
Published: December 2023

Caregivers in low‐ and middle‐income countries increasingly feed commercially produced complementary foods (CPCF) to older infants and young children—shaped by factors including industry promotion. The dynamics of CPCF consumption and caregiver knowledge, attitudes and behaviours regarding complementary feeding practices are poorly understood in these settings. We examined how caregiver knowledge/attitudes/behaviours about CPCF shape the feeding of older infants and young children in the capital cities of five countries in Southeast Asia (Bangkok, Hanoi, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Manila). An online, web‐based, cross‐sectional panel survey was conducted among mothers of a child aged 6−23 months. One hundred participants were included in each of the five capital cities. Questionnaires were undertaken in the official language of each city. Data were analysed in Stata (version 17.0), using χ2 tests to examine difference between variables of interest. All mothers purchased CPCF for their youngest child aged 6−23 months at the time of survey. CPCF were commonly fed to children at least once per day, and in many of the five cities at most or every feeding. While factors such as convenience and affordability influenced CPCF purchase, mothers primarily purchased CPCF for nutritional reasons. The most common source of feeding information was health care professionals, followed by social media. CPCF are ubiquitous in the diets of older infants and young children of educated middle–upper socioeconomic status mothers in capital cities of Southeast Asia, with perceived healthiness a key driver in selecting CPCF. A strong governmental regulatory response to industry marketing/promotion will be critical to addressing CPCF appropriateness, including health and nutritional claim use.
Ornithomya biloba, Pseudolynchia garzettae and Pseudolynchia canariensis (Diptera: Hippoboscidae): three new United Kingdom colonists and potential disease vectors
Authors: Wawman Denise C.
Published: December 2023

In the northern hemisphere, many species' ranges are shifting northwards with climate change. Here I present evidence, from the first large‐scale citizen science study of the Hippoboscidae in the United Kingdom, for the colonisation of the United Kingdom by three species of Diptera in the family Hippoboscidae, which are obligate ectoparasites of birds. The Swallow Louse Fly, Ornithomya biloba; the Nightjar Louse Fly, Pseudolynchia garzettae and the Pigeon Louse Fly, Pseudolynchia canariensis were previously considered to be vagrants from more southerly latitudes but the presence of a pair taken possibly in the act of copulation, gravid females and the increase in numbers of the various species provides good evidence of local breeding activity. I discuss the potential for further northwards range shift and whether the presence of three new species of parasite may have implications for the spread of avian disease within the region. I also include a concise key to the genus Pseudolynchia and images of P. canariensis, P. garzettae and O. biloba to aid further identification of these species in the region.
Mediator subunit MED8 interacts with heat shock transcription factor HSF3 to promote fucoxanthin synthesis in the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum
Authors: Zhao Hejing , Liu Yan , Zhu Zhengjiang , Feng Qingkai , Ye Yuemei , Zhang Jinrong , Han Jichang , Zhou Chengxu , Xu Jilin , Yan Xiaojun , Li Xiaohui
Published: December 2023

Fucoxanthin, a natural carotenoid that has substantial pharmaceutical value due to its anticancer, antioxidant, antiobesity, and antidiabetic properties, is biosynthesized from glyceraldehyde‐3‐phosphate (G3P) via a series of enzymatic reactions. However, our understanding of the transcriptional mechanisms involved in fucoxanthin biosynthesis remains limited.

Using reverse genetics, the med8 mutant was identified based on its phenotype of reduced fucoxanthin content, and the biological functions of MED8 in fucoxanthin synthesis were characterized using approaches such as gene expression, protein subcellular localization, protein–protein interaction and chromatin immunoprecipitation assay.

Gene‐editing mutants of MED8 exhibited decreased fucoxanthin content as well as reduced expression levels of six key genes involved in fucoxanthin synthesis, namely DXS, PSY1, ZDS‐like, CRTISO5, ZEP1, and ZEP3, when compared to the wild‐type (WT) strain. Furthermore, we showed that MED8 interacts with HSF3, and genetic analysis revealed their shared involvement in the genetic pathway governing fucoxanthin synthesis. Additionally, HSF3 was required for MED8 association with the promoters of the six fucoxanthin synthesis genes.

In conclusion, MED8 and HSF3 are involved in fucoxanthin synthesis by modulating the expression of the fucoxanthin synthesis genes. Our results increase the understanding of the molecular regulation mechanisms underlying fucoxanthin synthesis in the diatom P. tricornutum.
Abnormal tooth maturation associated with port wine stains
Authors: Liu Zhixu , Ying Hanru , Lin Xiaoxi , Wang Xudong , Zhao Jing , Zhu Min , Yang Xiao
Published: December 2023

Objective

This study aims to evaluate the potential impact of port wine stains on the development of permanent teeth in mixed dentition and provide insights for managing tooth abnormalities in patients with port wine stains.

Materials and Methods

A retrospective analysis was conducted on 21 patients with mixed dentition and unilateral maxillary port wine stains. Two researchers concurrently utilized Nolla Analysis to assess the developmental stage of bilateral maxillary and permanent mandibular teeth based on panoramic radiographs. The cumulative developmental values of upper and lower permanent teeth on both sides were calculated, and a comparison was made between the developmental stages of the upper and lower jaws.

Results

Port wine stains can influence the maturity of permanent upper teeth, within the unilateral maxillary port wine stains range, with an early developmental completion observed on the affected side compared to the unaffected side. While the developmental stages of the lower teeth on both sides showed similarities.

Conclusions

Port wine stains can accelerate the maturity of teeth on the affected side, leading to alterations in the order of tooth eruption and subsequent abnormal occlusion in children with mixed dentition. These findings provide a basis for developing appropriate management strategies for addressing tooth abnormalities in patients with port wine stains.
Unanticipated difficult airway after prolonged use of a laryngeal mask airway
Authors: Lorente Claudia , Kiss Edgar , Kastner Galit , Dariya Vedanta Singh , Olomu Patrick , Szmuk Peter
Published: December 2023

The laryngeal mask airway (LMA) is recognized as a safe alternative to endotracheal intubation for short‐term airway maintenance. In this case report we present the case of a term neonate with upper airway obstruction which was managed with a deflated LMA for 7 consecutive days. Despite previous reports of extended LMA use in neonates without complications, this patient experienced significant pharyngeal mucosal injury and edema, leading to difficulty with subsequent intubation attempts.
Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in detection of progressive graft dysfunction in pediatric heart transplantation
Authors: Watanabe Kae , Arva Nicoleta C. , Robinson Joshua D. , Rigsby Cynthia , Markl Michael , Sojka Melanie , Tannous Paul , Arzu Jennifer , Husain Nazia
Published: December 2023

Background

Chronic graft failure (CGF) in pediatric heart transplant (PHT) is multifactorial and may present with findings of fibrosis and microvessel disease (MVD) on endomyocardial biopsy (EMB). There is no optimal CGF surveillance method. We evaluated associations between cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) and historical/EMB correlates of CGF to assess CMR's utility as a surveillance method.

Methods

Retrospective analysis of PHT undergoing comprehensive CMR between September 2015 and January 2022 was performed. EMB within 6 months was graded for fibrosis (scale 0–5) and MVD (number of capillaries with stenotic wall thickening per field of view). Correlation analysis and logistic regression were performed.

Results

Forty‐seven PHT with median age at CMR of 15.7 years (11.6, 19.3) and time from transplant of 6.4 years (4.1, 11.0) were studied. Cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) was present in 11/44 (22.0%) and historical rejection in 14/41 (34.2%). CAV was associated with higher global T2 (49.0 vs. 47.0 ms; p = 0.038) and peak T2 (57.0 vs. 53.0 ms; p = 0.013) on CMR. Historical rejection was associated with higher global T2 (49.0 vs. 47.0 ms; p = 0.007) and peak T2 (57.0 vs. 53.0 ms; p = 0.03) as well as global extracellular volume (31.0 vs. 26.3%; p = 0.03). Higher fibrosis score on EMB correlated with smaller indexed left ventricular mass (rho = −0.34; p = 0.019) and greater degree of MVD with lower indexed left ventricular end‐diastolic volume (rho = −0.35; p = 0.017).

Conclusion

Adverse ventricular remodeling and abnormal myocardial characteristics on CMR are present in PHT with CAV, historical rejection, as well as greater fibrosis and MVD on EMB. CMR has the potential use for screening of CGF.
Changes over time in self‐efficacy and the allocation of responsibility for health management tasks in pediatric liver transplant recipients: Targets to improve the transition process
Authors: Bilhartz Jacob L. , Lopez M. James , Eder Sally J. , Magee John C. , Rea Kelly , Sturza Julie , Fredericks Emily M.
Published: December 2023

Background

The process of transition to adult‐based care encompasses a critical period in the life of an adolescent and young adult living with a chronic illness and one that comes with an increase in the risk of poor health outcomes. As yet, there is a dearth of empirical data to help optimize this process to ensure the best long‐term outcome.

Methods

This study used a principal components analysis to determine specific constructs measured by a revised version of the transition readiness survey used in our clinic. We investigated changes in these constructs over time. We further investigated the relationship between the change in these constructs over time spent in a focused transition program with adherence.

Results

The primary component underlying our transition readiness survey for patients and parents represented self‐efficacy. Time spent in the transition program was an independent predictor of change in self‐efficacy (rho 0.299, p = .015); however, the magnitude of that change had no relationship to adherence. Change in parent‐proxy self‐efficacy was found to have a statistically significant relationship with tacrolimus standard deviation (rho −0.301, p = .026). There was disagreement identified between patient and parent responses on the survey. Neither change in patient nor parent reports of self‐efficacy was found to have a relationship with post‐transfer adherence.

Conclusions

This study reaches the novel conclusion that self‐efficacy and parent‐proxy self‐efficacy are dynamic concepts that change over time spent in a focused transition program. The patient‐parent disagreement and the relationship between parent‐proxy self‐efficacy and adherence stress the importance of involving parents/guardians in the transition process as well.
The safety and effectiveness of a self‐made negative pressure suction device in the treatment of chronic wounds
Authors: Wang He‐Ping , Hu Xiu‐Li , Zhou Hua‐Qin , Chen Xi‐Shan , Wang Meng‐Xin
Published: December 2023

Introduction

Chronic wounds are wounds that are not healed or have no healing tendency for more than 1 month due to various factors. In clinical nursing, chronic wounds are often not properly treated, and the treatment efficiency is low. Therefore, it is very important to explore effective methods to deal with chronic wounds.

Objective

To explore the effect of a self‐made negative pressure suction device (NPSD) in the nursing of chronic wounds in the elderly.

Methods

A total of 50 elderly patients with chronic wounds who were hospitalised in our hospital from January 2020 to December 2022 were selected as participants by convenient sampling. According to the random number table method, they were divided into a control group and an observation group, with 25 people in each group. The control group was treated with chloroplast foam dressing, debridement gel and alginate dressing. The observation group was treated with a self‐made NPSD on the basis of the control group. The wound healing of the two groups was observed.

Results

After the intervention of the self‐made NPSD, the granulation tissue coverage rate and wound volume reduction rate of the observation group were significantly increased (p < 0.05), and the positive rate of bacterial infection was significantly decreased (p < 0.05). After 3 months of intervention, the total effective rate of the observation group was significantly higher than that of the control group (χ2 = 3.869, p = 0.0492).

Conclusion

The self‐made NPSD can effectively promote the healing of a chronic wound.
Exercise intolerance in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: Causes, consequences and the journey towards a cure
Authors: Bunsawat Kanokwan , Nelson Michael D. , Hearon Christopher M. , Wray D. Walter
Published: December 2023

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) accounts for over 50% of all heart failure cases nationwide and continues to rise in its prevalence. The complex, multi‐organ involvement of the HFpEF clinical syndrome requires clinicians and investigators to adopt an integrative approach that considers the contribution of both cardiac and non‐cardiac function to HFpEF pathophysiology. Thus, this symposium review outlines the key points from presentations covering the contributions of disease‐related changes in cardiac function, arterial stiffness, peripheral vascular function, and oxygen delivery and utilization to exercise tolerance in patients with HFpEF. While many aspects of HFpEF pathophysiology remain poorly understood, there is accumulating evidence for a decline in vascular health in this patient group that may be remediable through pharmacological and lifestyle interventions and could improve outcomes and clinical status in this ever‐growing patient population.
Physical Activity and Children’s Episodic Memory: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Schmid Daphne G. , Scott Nathan M. , Tomporowski Phillip D.
Published: December 2023

Purpose: The purpose of this review was to evaluate the effects of physical activity on children’s free recall, cued recall, and recognition episodic memory and to explore potential moderating factors. Methods: The following databases were searched: PubMed, ERIC, APA Psych Info, CINHAL, SPORTDiscus, and Google Scholar. Studies were included if: (1) participants were aged 4–18 years, (2) participants were typically developed, (3) participants were randomized to groups, (4) interventions employed gross movements, (5) sedentary group was used for control, (6) memory tests were quantitative, and (7) employed acute or chronic intervention. Results: 14 studies met inclusion criteria resulting in the analysis of data from 7 free recall, 7 cued recall, and 8 recognition memory tests. Physical activity was found to have a positive influence on tests free (g = 0.56), cued recall (g = 0.67), and no influence on tests of recognition (g = 0.06). While some moderator analyses were significant, the authors do not consider these results to be meaningful in application. Conclusions: The effects of acute and chronic physical activity enhance specific aspects of long-term episodic memory. These findings suggest physical activity interventions developed for children may be expected to benefit some, but not all, types of memory processing.