bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Environmental messaging, corporate values, online engagement and purchase behavior: a study of green communications among eco-friendly coffee retailers
Authors: Suttikun Chompoonut , Mahasuweerachai Patcharaporn , Bicksler William Hamilton
Published: September 2024

Purpose

This study aims to examine the influence of green message types on brand awareness and intention to share, and subsequently how perceived value leads to purchase intentions at green coffee retailers.

Design/methodology/approach

A 2 × 2 between-subjects design was developed, yielding four green advertising messages for the study. The structural relationships between variables were then tested by covariance-based structural equation modeling.

Findings

The most effective green advertising messages combined benefit-based text with images of green materials' benefits. These messages influenced consumers' perceived green awareness, intentions to share online ads and purchase intentions at green coffee retailers. Additionally, awareness of coffee retailers' green practices led to higher emotional value perception compared to other values. Emotional and functional values influenced purchase intentions at eco-friendly coffee retailers.

Practical implications

The results of this study suggest effective ways of designing green advertising messages to increase consumer awareness of green products, sharing online ads and intentions to buy beverages from eco-friendly coffee retailers.

Originality/value

This study contributes to sustainability literature, dual coding theory and consumer value theory.
Exploring the relationship between functional diversity and growth in VC-backed new technology ventures
Authors: Bessagnet Arnauld , Abreu Arnaud
Published: September 2024

Purpose

Despite significant research attention to top management team diversity, the potential influence of other employees’ diversity on venture growth at different maturity stages such as middle management teams and nonmanagerial employees at the base of the organizational hierarchy remains largely overlooked. This study explores this relationship in new technology venture development, with a focus on the influence of functional skills diversity across different organizational levels and maturity stages.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses a linked employer–employee dataset covering new technology ventures in the digital industry that spans from 2010 to 2020. The sample includes 296 VC-backed new ventures located in the greater Paris (France) area. Through a problem-solving lens, the study examines functional skills at various organizational levels, including 5,243 top managers, 10,274 middle managers and 29,306 nonmanagerial employees.

Findings

Results indicate that placing exclusive emphasis on top-level managers could lead to incorrect assignment of diversity effects as such effects are likely shared with lower organizational levels. In addition, the findings demonstrate that the diversity–venture growth relationship varies across new ventures’ funding stages, with a notably stronger correlation in the late stages of financing.

Practical implications

This study demonstrates that promoting functional diversity across all organizational levels, not just top management, may boost firms’ growth. Furthermore, the effectiveness of functional diversity varies depending on the firm’s financing stage.

Originality/value

This study constructs a multilayered organizational framework to explore the relationship between diversity and new technology venture growth, using a fully reproducible skills diversity classification methodology that is applicable for future investigations.
Propofol attenuates prostate cancer progression by upregulating TRHDE‐AS1 expression, and METTL14 could mediate its m6A modification
Authors: Chen Zhuo , Li Quanfu , Li Zhong , Hu Guangjun
Published: September 2024

Propofol has become a microtubule‐stabilizing drug for prostate cancer (PC) therapy, but propofol resistance impairs the therapeutic effect. This study aimed to explore the regulatory mechanism of propofol in the pathogenesis of PC through mechanisms involving N6‐methyladenosine (m6A) modification. The changes in PC cell malignancy were evaluated by means of transwell, cell counting kit 8 (CCK‐8), western blotting and tumour xenograft model assays. Long noncoding RNA TRHDE‐AS1 and m6A methyltransferase METTL14 expression levels were determined via reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‐qPCR). The m6A modification of TRHDE‐AS1 which was mediated by METTL14 was confirmed by conducting methylated RNA immunoprecipitation (MeRIP) assay. We observed that propofol (200 μM) inhibited PC cell malignancy in vivo and in vitro, elucidating that it impaired cell proliferation, migration and tumour growth but induced apoptosis. TRHDE‐AS1 expression was observed to be lower in PC cells and tissues, and propofol induced TRHDE‐AS1 upregulation in PC cells. Propofol was capable of reversing the tumour‐promoting effect of TRHDE‐AS1 knockdown in PC cells. Additionally, METTL14 was upstream of TRHDE‐AS1 to induce m6A modification of TRHDE‐AS1 in PC cells. Collectively, our results show that propofol prevents PC progression by upregulating TRHDE‐AS1 expression and METTL14 is involved in the m6A modification of TRHDE‐AS1. These findings suggest that TRHDE‐AS1 may be a potential therapeutic target for the improvement of propofol's therapeutic effect.
The Slope of the Phillips Curve and the Optimal Average Inflation Targeting Window
Authors: Lie Denny
Published: September 2024

The slope of the Phillips curve has been shown to be flatter in recent years, including in Australia. How does this impact the optimal targeting window for a central bank conducting an average inflation targeting policy? This article shows that, in the face of the flattening of the Phillips curve, it is desirable to increase the targeting window. Doing so would lead to lower inflation fluctuations and to a non‐trivial welfare gain. In a persistently higher‐than‐target inflation, high‐interest‐rate environment, this implies that the central bank should keep the nominal interest rate higher for longer.
Institutional, humane, therapeutic: Towards an understanding of caregiver violence through third sector violence prevention discourse in Finland
Authors: Sointu Liina
Published: September 2024

Violence in family caregiving, once a social taboo, is now emerging as a topic of scientific inquiry. Engaging with a non‐normative approach to care and critical reflection on research of abusive caregiver behaviour and elder abuse, this study argues that as caregiver violence is increasingly addressed in research, it is crucial to understand it as a complex issue within its social context. The study adds to this understanding by conducting a discourse analysis of violence prevention programmes in Finland, where third sector organisations have taken the initiative in addressing caregiver violence. Based on analysis of project materials, media texts and expert interviews related to two such violence prevention programmes, the study illuminates how caregiver violence is made intelligible through a combination of three kinds of understanding: institutional, humane and therapeutic. It is suggested that these understandings offer a way forward in thinking about the complex, sensitive topic of caregiver violence in sociological research on care.
Coaching with care
Authors: Hoey Steve
Published: September 2024

This paper is a blend of my personal narrative and the practical strategies based on theoretical frameworks that I use in my work supporting young people in schools. My work is based on the powerful message from the short story the Starfish Thrower (Eiseley, 1979). The lesson I learned from this lovely story is that I may not be able to save the entire world, but I try to make a difference one young person at a time.
Prolonged exposure of implantable central venous access device salvaged by a simple local flap: A case report
Authors: Chow Tam‐Lin , Yu Peter S. M.
Published: September 2024

Background

An implantable central venous device is often used in patients when prolonged intravenous systemic therapy is anticipated for oncologic treatment. Exposure of a percutaneous implantable venous access device is a known complication that usually requires its removal.

Methods

We report a patient with a venous device implanted in the left arm, which was complicated by device exposure for 4 months. Clinically, there was no evidence of infection. The issue was addressed with a simple local flap for coverage.

Results

A local random fasciocutaneous flap was elevated under local anaesthesia and transferred to cover the exposed device as a day surgery. The wound healed uneventfully, with no recurrence of device exposure at the 3‐month follow‐up.

Conclusion

The reported case supports flap coverage as an effective method for addressing exposed implantable venous devices, even with prolonged exposure, provided there is no infection.
Egg providers in eGoli
Authors: Moll Tessa
Published: September 2024

In South Africa's urban hubs, young women are increasingly participating in the global fertility market by donating their eggs. Egg providers, who supply oocytes for others’ use in fertility treatment, are a key resource in the fertility market, and they are emblematic of new forms of biolabor. Egg markets have tapped into a precariously middle‐class population of young Black women in Johannesburg, where the neoliberal state has largely retreated from fostering social mobility. What role does egg donation play in the social world of young South African women? I approach this question by extending Cohen's concept of “operability,” which can illuminate how egg donation becomes a means for young women to enact modernity, or relationality beyond the postapartheid state and the horizons of their social worlds, structured as they are by the entanglements of race, class, and gender.
Hypeful worlds
Authors: Neumark Tom
Published: September 2024

Contemporary technoscience is rife with hype—inflated claims that rapidly propagate in favor of the next “new thing.” While scholars often strive to debunk and dispel hype, Tanzanian technologists working in health care face a different challenge: navigating hype. As these technologists embark on new projects in machine learning and other forms of AI, contending with hype becomes crucial. These actors operate on the margins of global technoscientific worlds, aiming to create novel African futures that promote technological sovereignty. To do so, they must grapple with hype and its political economy. For anthropologists, merely transforming these technologists’ experiences into an ethnographic object won't teach us much; a much more illuminating task is to examine how their work can provoke us to refine and transform our own knowledge practices. This is especially important because their innovations can seem both inspiring and dispiriting, both entrenched in and opposed to the troublesome technological global order.
Critical care unit bed availability and postoperative outcomes: a multinational cohort study
Authors: Campbell Ruaraidh A. S. , Thevathasan Tharusan , Wong Danny J. N. , Wilson Andrew M. , Lindsay Helen A. , Campbell Douglas , Popham Scott , Barneto Lisa M. , Myles Paul S. , Moonesinghe S. Ramani ,   SNAP‐2: EPICCS collaborators, Harris Steve K.
Published: September 2024

Background

Critical care beds are a limited resource, yet research indicates that recommendations for postoperative critical care admission based on patient‐level risk stratification are not followed. It is unclear how prioritisation decisions are made in real‐world settings and the effect of this prioritisation on outcomes.

Methods

This was a prespecified analysis of an observational cohort study of adult patients undergoing inpatient surgery, conducted in 274 hospitals across the UK and Australasia during 2017. The primary outcome was postoperative morbidity at day 7. Logistic regression models were used to evaluate the relationship between critical care admission and patient and health system factors. The causal effect of critical care admission on outcome was estimated using variation in critical care occupancy as a natural experiment in an instrumental variable analysis.

Results

A total of 19,491 patients from 248 hospitals were eligible for analysis, of whom 2107 were directly admitted to critical care postoperatively. Postoperative morbidity occurred in 2829/19,491 (15%) patients. Increasing surgical risk was associated with critical care admission, as was increased availability of critical care beds (odds ratio (95%CI) 1.04 (1.01–1.06), p = 0.002) per available bed; however, the probability of admission varied significantly between hospitals (median odds ratio 3.05). There was no evidence of a difference in postoperative morbidity with critical care admission (odds ratio (95%CI) 0.91 (0.57–1.45), p = 0.710).

Discussion

Postoperative critical care admission is variable and related to bed availability. Statistical methods that adjust for unobserved confounding lowered the estimates of harm previously reported to have been associated with postoperative critical care admission. Our findings provide a rationale for a clinical trial which would evaluate any potential benefits for postoperative critical care admission for patients in whom there is no absolute indication for admission.
How does fetal inflammatory response syndrome change fetal response to hypoxia? An experimental study in a fetal sheep model
Authors: Chevalier Geoffroy , Garabedian Charles , De Stephano Valeria , Wojtanowski Anne , Ould Hamoud Yasmine , Galan Louis , Sharma Dyuti , Le Duc Kevin , De Jonckheere Julien , Storme Laurent , Marot Guillemette , Ghesquière Louise
Published: September 2024

Introduction

Fetal inflammatory response syndrome associated with acidosis during labor is a high‐risk situation for the fetus. This study evaluated hemodynamic, gasometric, and heart rate variability changes during acute fetal inflammatory response syndrome associated with hypoxia, compared with isolated hypoxia.

Material and Methods

Acute fetal inflammatory response syndrome was obtained via an intravenously injection of lipopolysaccharide derived from Escherichia coli. Hypoxia was induced by repeated umbilical cord occlusions during three phases: mild, moderate, and severe umbilical cord occlusions. Two groups were created with chronically instrumented near‐term fetal sheep: one group with isolated hypoxia, the other with hypoxia and fetal inflammatory response syndrome. Hemodynamic, gas parameters, and fetal heart rate variability were compared between the groups.

Results

The hypoxia and fetal inflammatory response syndrome group had a higher mortality rate (n = 4/9) compared with the hypoxia group (n = 0/9). Gasometric state was altered earlier in case of lipopolysaccharide injection (pH = 7.22 (7.12–7.24) vs 7.28 (7.23–7.34) p = 0.01; lactate = 10.3 mmol/L (9.4–11.0) vs 6.0 mmol/L (4.1–8.2) p < 0.001 after mild occlusions). After mild occlusions, the hypoxia and fetal inflammatory response syndrome group had higher values on seven heart rate variability parameters compared with the hypoxia group. After moderate occlusions, two parameters remained significantly higher.

Conclusions

During fetal inflammatory response syndrome, fetal adaptation to hypoxia is impaired. In case of fetal infection, acidosis during labor is likely to become severe more rapidly, requiring closer fetal monitoring during labor.
Psychological and emotional profiles of Australian uterine transplant potential recipients: A comparison with international trials
Authors: Gerstl Brigitte , Kehag Eva , Mallinder Hayley , Baker Tamika , Arulpragasam Kaushalya , David Catherine , Stone Meredith , Fitzsimmons Elizabeth , Hetherington Kate , Deans Rebecca
Published: September 2024

Introduction

Uterus transplant (UTx) has emerged as a groundbreaking solution for individuals with uterine factor infertility (UFI). This study is the first in Australia to explore the psychosocial functioning of potential recipients assessed for the nation's initial UTx clinical trial and to compare their psychological profiles with those from international UTx trials.

Material and Methods

This is a mixed methods prospective study incorporating standardized psychological measures and semi‐structured interviews. Conducted at a tertiary hospital in Sydney, Australia, the study involved 10 female Australian UTx potential recipients with UFI undergoing assessment for UTx surgery. Participants underwent comprehensive psychological evaluation using validated measures and in‐depth semi‐structured interviews. Quantitative measurement tools included the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Short Form‐36 Health Survey, Fertility Quality of Life, and the Stanford Integrated Psychosocial Assessment for Transplantation. Thematic analysis was conducted on qualitative data from semi‐structured interviews.

Results

The Australian UTx potential recipients reported significantly higher Short Form‐36 (SF‐36) scores compared to the Australian general population in general health (p < 0.04), bodily pain (p < 0.02), social functioning (p < 0.02), and emotional well‐being (p < 0.01). Compared with international UTx cohorts, the Australian UTx group showed comparable SF‐36 outcomes, with minor variations observed for general health and physical function domains. Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale scores revealed lower anxiety, but slightly higher depression levels compared to international UTx trial cohorts. Fertility quality‐of‐life scores were significantly higher in the Australian UTx group compared to women experiencing primary infertility across four domains (p < 0.001). Thematic analysis of interviews highlighted the complex emotional impact of infertility, strong family and social support, and the perception of UTx as a transformative opportunity to achieve wholeness and motherhood.

Conclusions

UTx represents a novel treatment option for women with UFI. This is the first qualitative study in Australia, it demonstrates the connection between women with UFI and their motivations for parenthood. These findings highlight the importance of tailored psychological assessments and establish a foundation for future research exploring the psychological characteristics of patient candidacy for UTxs.
Who tends to be a perfectionistic adolescent? Distinguishing perfectionism from excellencism and investigating the links with the Big Five and self‐esteem
Authors: Bien Kristina , Wagner Jenny , Brandt Naemi D.
Published: September 2024

Striving towards perfection is an important concept of study, given its heterogenous associations with both positive and negative outcomes. To address this matter, recent work has emphasized the need to differentiate between striving towards perfection (perfectionism) and excellence (excellencism). However, the applicability of this differentiation in adolescence remains largely unexplored, despite this life phase being particularly sensitive for the development of perfectionism. To better understand striving towards perfection in adolescence, we examined the psychometric properties of the German Scale of Perfectionism and Excellencism (SCOPE) and evaluated the nomological net with the Big Five and self‐esteem in 788 German adolescents (Mage = 15.49 years; 50% female). The results underscored the distinctiveness of the different strivings in adolescents but pointed to mixed evidence regarding convergent and discriminant validities. Notably, striving towards perfection was related to lower levels of openness and self‐esteem but higher levels of neuroticism, whereas striving towards excellence was related to higher levels of every trait except neuroticism. Finally, most results remained consistent across genders and school types. We discuss how the differentiation between perfectionism and excellencism deepens our understanding of adolescents' perfectionistic strivings and how it might inform future research across different psychological fields.
Detection of the Fatty Acid Metabolism‐Linked Genes in Lung Adenocarcinoma as Biomarkers for Clinical Prognosis and Immunotherapeutic Targets
Authors: Shi Jingwei , Yang Rusong , Jiang Xinyi , Zhu Kangle , Liu Zhengcheng
Published: September 2024

Background

Lung cancer, on a global scale, leads to the most common cases of cancer mortalities. Novel therapeutic approaches are urgently needed to disrupt this lethal disease. The rapid development of tumor immunology combining breakthroughs involving fatty acid metabolism brings possibilities. Directing fatty acid metabolism is supposed to help discover potential prognostic biomarkers and treatment targets for lung cancer.

Methods

Through searching the GSE140797 dataset, we identified genes related to fatty acid metabolism as well as fatty acid metabolism‐related differentially expressed genes (DEGs). We applied various methods to ascertain the independent prognostic value of the DEGs. The methods we utilized entail prognostic analysis, differential expression analysis, as well as univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses. The lasso Cox regression model was utilized in examining how DEGs correlate with the immune score, immune checkpoint, ferroptosis, methylation, and OCLR score. The expression levels of ACAT1 and ACSL3 in tissues derived from normal lung and lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) tissues were compared by qRT‐PCR.

Results

In this study, ACSL3 and ACAT1 were identified as fatty acid metabolism‐related genes utilizing independent prognostic value and as a result, the risk prognostic model was built using these factors. qRT‐PCR results implied that ACSL3 and ACAT1 expressions were upregulated and downregulated, correspondingly in tumor tissues. Additional evaluations suggested that ACSL3 and ACAT1 were affirmed to be remarkably correlated with the immune score, methylation, immune checkpoint, OCLR score, and ferroptosis.

Conclusions

ACSL3 and ACAT1 were effective prognostic biomarkers and potential immunotherapeutic targets in LUAD.
External Validation of a Limited Sampling Strategy for the Estimation of Mycophenolic Acid Exposure Between Different Assay Methods: PETINIA and HPLC Methods
Authors: Doki Kosuke , Yoshida Keigo , Usui Joichi , Takahashi Kazuhiro , Oda Tatsuya , Yamagata Kunihiro , Homma Masato
Published: September 2024

Introduction

A limited sampling strategy (LSS) for estimating the area under the plasma concentration–time curve (AUC0–12) of the immunosuppressant mycophenolic acid (MPA) is used for therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) in clinical practice. Our study delves into the applicability of the MPA AUC0–12 LSS, originally developed using particle‐enhanced turbidimetric inhibition immunoassay (PETINIA) measurements, to those obtained via high‐performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection (HPLC–UV).

Methods

We developed an LSS for estimating MPA AUC0–12 based on PETINIA measurements in 32 adult kidney transplant patients who were receiving mycophenolate mofetil. Validation of this strategy was conducted in an additional 14 adult kidney transplant patients (validation sets) through measurements obtained by both PETINIA and HPLC–UV. Predictive performance was assessed using mean absolute error (MAE), root mean squared error (RMSE), and “good guess” defined as predicted AUC within observed AUC ± 15%.

Results

The three time point equation (0, 2, and 6 h) emerged as optimal for estimating MPA AUC0–12, balancing predictive performance and usefulness in clinical settings. In validation sets, the coefficient of determination for observed versus predicted AUC0–12 was consistent between PETINIA (0.978) and HPLC–UV (0.958) measurements. Comparable MAE, RMSE, and “good guess” outcomes were observed for PETINIA (6.4%, 8.1%, and 85.7%, respectively) and HPLC–UV (7.6%, 9.4%, and 85.7%, respectively) measurements.

Conclusion

Our findings support the application of the MPA AUC0–12 LSS, originally developed using PETINIA measurements, to those obtained via HPLC–UV.
Comorbidity burden and outcomes of endoscopic ultrasound‐guided treatment of pancreatic fluid collections: Multicenter study with nationwide data‐based validation
Authors: Hamada Tsuyoshi , Masuda Atsuhiro , Michihata Nobuaki , Saito Tomotaka , Tsujimae Masahiro , Takenaka Mamoru , Omoto Shunsuke , Iwashita Takuji , Uemura Shinya , Ota Shogo , Shiomi Hideyuki , Fujisawa Toshio , Takahashi Sho , Matsubara Saburo , Suda Kentaro , Matsui Hiroki , Maruta Akinori , Yoshida Kensaku , Iwata Keisuke , Okuno Mitsuru , Hayashi Nobuhiko , Mukai Tsuyoshi , Fushimi Kiyohide , Yasuda Ichiro , Isayama Hiroyuki , Yasunaga Hideo , Nakai Yousuke ,   the WONDERFUL study group in Japan and collaborators
Published: September 2024

Objectives

The appropriate holistic management is mandatory for successful endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)‐guided treatment of pancreatic fluid collections (PFCs). However, comorbidity status has not been fully examined in relation to clinical outcomes of this treatment.

Methods

Using a multi‐institutional cohort of 406 patients receiving EUS‐guided treatment of PFCs in 2010–2020, we examined the associations of Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) with in‐hospital mortality and other clinical outcomes. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted with adjustment for potential confounders. The findings were validated using a Japanese nationwide inpatient database including 4053 patients treated at 486 hospitals in 2010–2020.

Results

In the clinical multi‐institutional cohort, CCI was positively associated with the risk of in‐hospital mortality (Ptrend < 0.001). Compared to patients with CCI = 0, patients with CCI of 1–2, 3–5, and ≥6 had adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) of 0.76 (0.22–2.54), 5.39 (1.74–16.7), and 8.77 (2.36–32.6), respectively. In the nationwide validation cohort, a similar positive association was observed; the corresponding odds ratios (95% confidence interval) were 1.21 (0.90–1.64), 1.52 (0.92–2.49), and 4.84 (2.63–8.88), respectively (Ptrend < 0.001). The association of higher CCI with longer length of stay was observed in the nationwide cohort (Ptrend < 0.001), but not in the clinical cohort (Ptrend = 0.18). CCI was not associated with the risk of procedure‐related adverse events.

Conclusions

Higher levels of CCI were associated with a higher risk of in‐hospital mortality among patients receiving EUS‐guided treatment of PFCs, suggesting the potential of CCI in stratifying the periprocedural mortality risk.

Trial registration

The research based on the clinical data from the WONDERFUL cohort was registered with UMIN‐CTR (registration number UMIN000044130).
Elevated serum circulating cell‐free mitochondrial DNA in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Authors: Li Jieyu , Gao Chao , Wang Qingqing , Liu Jing , Xie Zhiying , Zhao Yawen , Yu Meng , Zheng Yiming , Lv He , Zhang Wei , Yuan Yun , Meng Lingchao , Deng Jianwen , Wang Zhaoxia
Published: September 2024

Background and Purpose

The substantial role of inflammation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is gaining support from recent research. Studies indicate that circulating cell‐free mitochondrial DNA (ccf‐mtDNA) can activate the immune system and is associated with neurodegenerative diseases. This research was designed to quantify ccf‐mtDNA levels in the serum of ALS patients.

Methods

The medical records of ALS patients were reviewed. Serum ccf‐mtDNA levels of patients with ALS (n = 62) and age‐matched healthy controls (n = 46) were measured and compared. Additionally, serum interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) levels were measured using an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay in 26 ALS patients. Correlations between variables were analyzed.

Results

Serum ccf‐mtDNA was notably higher in the patients with ALS. When stratified by genotype, the superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) mutation group showed the greatest increase in ccf‐mtDNA levels relative to other ALS patients. Among all 108 individuals, a cut‐off set at 1.1 × 105 mtDNA copies on a receiver‐operating characteristic curve identified patients with ALS with 80.7% sensitivity and 50.0% specificity; the area under the curve was 0.69 (p < 0.001). Furthermore, serum ccf‐mtDNA levels correlated negatively with the progression rate of ALS (ΔFS; rs = −0.26, p = 0.044), but not the ALSFRS‐R score (rs = 0.06, p = 0.625). Importantly, the correlation between ccf‐mtDNA and ΔFS was more pronounced in the SOD1 mutation group (rs = −0.62, p = 0.018). Lastly, a significant positive association was observed between serum ccf‐mtDNA levels and IL‐6 levels in ALS (r s= 0.41, p = 0.038).

Conclusion

Our study found increased serum ccf‐mtDNA in ALS patients, suggesting a link to inflammatory processes and disease mechanism. Moreover, ccf‐mtDNA could be an indicator for ALS progression, especially in those with the SOD1 mutation.
Efficacy and safety of different oral prednisone tapering courses in adult anti‐NMDAR encephalitis: A multicenter prospective cohort study
Authors: Cai Linjun , Li Gaowei , Abdulaziz Ammar T. , Gong Xue , Liu Xu , Kong Xueying , Guo Kundian , Li Aiqing , Li Jinmei , Zhou Dong , Hong Zhen
Published: September 2024

Objective

In adult anti‐N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis, corticosteroids are commonly used as first‐line treatment. However, the optimal oral prednisone tapering (OPT) following intravenous methylprednisolone pulse therapy remains unclear. We aim to compare the efficacy and safety of different OPT courses in anti‐NMDAR encephalitis.

Methods

The CHASE study, a multicenter prospective observational cohort study, enrolled patients with autoimmune encephalitis from October 2011 to March 2023. Patients were grouped based on oral prednisone tapering course: ≤3 months (Group ≤3 month), 3–6 months (Group 3–6 months, including 3 months), and >6 months (Group > 6 months). Kaplan–Meier plots were used to analyze time to relapse and time to total recovery within 2 years.

Results

Among 666 screened patients, 171 (median [IQR] age 27 [21.0–36.5] years, 55.0% female) met selection criteria. Responders at 3 months were prevalent in Group ≤3 months (OR 7.251 [95% CI 2.252 to 23.344] and Group 3–6 months (OR, 3.857 [95% CI 1.107 to 13.440] than in Group >6 months. Clinical Assessment Scale for Autoimmune Encephalitis (CASE) scores at 12 months were higher in Group >6 months than in Group ≤3 months and Group 3–6 months (β, −2.329 [95% CI −3.784 to −.875]; β, −2.871 [95% CI −4.490, −1.253]). CASE seizures subscore was higher in Group >6 months than in Group 3–6 months (β, −.452 [95% CI −.788 to −.116]). No significant difference in seizure freedom rates among the groups. Adverse events were higher in Group 3–6 months and Group >6 months than in Group ≤3 months (OR 6.045 [95% CI 2.352 to 15.538]; OR 6.782 [95% CI 1.911 to 24.073]).

Significance

Longer oral prednisone courses for adult patients with anti‐NMDAR encephalitis did not show superior effects compared to shorter courses in improving modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores and CASE scores, reducing the risk of relapse within 2 years, or achieving seizure freedom. Instead, extended prednisone courses may lead to more side effects— particularly weight gain. This outcome recommends evaluating the possibility of shortening the duration of oral prednisone after a thorough patient assessment.
Temporal patterns and regional comparisons of recruitment rates of United States fish stocks
Authors: Marshall Rachel C. , Collie Jeremy S. , Bell Richard J. , Spencer Paul D. , Minto Cóilín
Published: September 2024

Several previous studies of marine fish stocks have demonstrated time‐varying recruitment productivity and indicated that including time‐varying parameters can track process variation in recruitment. Few studies have synthesized signal‐to‐noise ratios and underlying reasons for time‐variation across stocks and regions. Using Peterman's productivity method (PPM), we provide a broad synthesis of time‐varying density‐independent productivity in 84 stocks across five regions of the United States. Of all stocks investigated, 50 were found to have time‐varying productivity, challenging assumptions on the stationarity of recruitment parameters and dependent reference points. Our results demonstrate the power of PPM for synthesizing the form and pattern of recruitment time‐variation among regions, including general summaries of directional change over time. Furthermore, our results show regional differences in time‐varying patterns, particularly the signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) of low‐ to high‐frequency variation. The SNR was lower in the California Current region than in two Atlantic regions and two Alaska regions. Generalized linear modelling used to synthesize results suggests that stocks with higher contrast in spawning stock biomass over time, standardized regardless of actual spawning stock size, were more likely to have time‐varying productivity than stocks with low contrast. The likelihood of time‐variation in productivity of a given stock was also found to be closely related to the autocorrelation of the recruitment time series. Such inter‐regional and inter‐stock comparisons of variation are vital in understanding the roles of local and global environmental change on fish productivity.
Physiology, Not Nutrient Availability, May Have Limited Primary Productivity After the Emergence of Oxygenic Photosynthesis
Authors: Grettenberger Christen L. , Sumner Dawn Y.
Published: September 2024

The evolution of oxygenic photosynthesis in Cyanobacteria was a transformative event in Earth's history. However, the scientific community disagrees over the duration of the delay between the origin of oxygenic photosynthesis and oxygenation of Earth's atmosphere, with estimates ranging from less than a hundred thousand to more than a billion years, depending on assumptions about rates of oxygen production and fluxes of reductants. Here, we propose a novel ecological hypothesis that a geologically significant delay could have been caused by biomolecular inefficiencies within proto‐Cyanobacteria—ancestors of modern Cyanobacteria—that limited their maximum rates of oxygen production. Consideration of evolutionary processes and genomic data suggest to us that proto‐cyanobacterial primary productivity was initially limited by photosystem instability, oxidative damage, and photoinhibition rather than nutrients or ecological competition. We propose that during the Archean era, cyanobacterial photosystems experienced protracted evolution, with biomolecular inefficiencies initially limiting primary productivity and oxygen production. Natural selection led to increases in efficiency and thus primary productivity through time. Eventually, evolutionary advances produced sufficient biomolecular efficiency that environmental factors, such as nutrient availability, limited primary productivity and shifted controls on oxygen production from physiological to environmental limitations. If correct, our novel hypothesis predicts a geologically significant interval of time between the first local oxygen production and sufficient production for oxygenation of environments. It also predicts that evolutionary rates were likely highly variable due to strong environmental selection pressures and potentially high mutation rates but low competitive interactions.
Newly established borderline resectable 1 (BR1) category is one of the favorable candidates for selecting the use of multidisciplinary combination therapy in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma treated with systemic therapy
Authors: Kawamura Yusuke , Akuta Norio , Shindoh Junichi , Matsumura Masaru , Okubo Satoshi , Tominaga Licht , Yamamoto Shigeki , Eriksson Yasuka , Hosaka Tetsuya , Saitoh Satoshi , Sezaki Hitomi , Suzuki Fumitaka , Suzuki Yoshiyuki , Ikeda Kenji , Arase Yasuji , Hashimoto Masaji , Kozuka Takuyo , Kumada Hiromitsu
Published: September 2024

Background

The aim of this study was to evaluate the newly established oncological criteria of resectability of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) for selecting suitable candidates for systemic and combination therapy.

Methods

The data of 156 consecutive HCC patients with intrahepatic target nodules who had initially received systemic therapy (lenvatinib and atezolizumab plus bevacizumab) were reviewed. The patients were classified into three groups according to the novel oncological criteria for resectability (R, resectable; BR1, borderline resectable 1; and BR2, borderline resectable 2). The prognostic ability and clinical utility for selecting this population to receive combined use of multiple systemic sequential and locoregional therapy was then evaluated. Combined use of systemic sequential therapy with more than two agents and locoregional treatment was defined as multidisciplinary combination therapy (MCT), while systemic sequential therapy only and repeated locoregional treatment was defined as a single treatment procedure (STP).

Results

Patients classified as R and BR1 had significantly better overall survival (OS) compared with BR2 (R vs. BR2, p = 0.012; BR1 vs. BR2, p = 0.004). However, there was no significant difference between R and BR1 (p = 1.000), in spite of significantly worse oncological status in the BR1 patients. Following a R0 resection and MCT, the BR1 patients had significantly better OS compared with those receiving STP or no additional treatment (median OS, not reached vs. 25.2 months and 20.1 vs. 11.3 months, respectively; p = 0.034).

Conclusions

In patients with advanced HCC with intrahepatic target nodules the BR1 category is one of the favorable candidates for selecting those to be treated with MCT strategies.
Early-phase Clinical Trials in Migraine: Efficacy, Safety and Dose-Finding
Authors: Pilgrim Aj
Published: September 2024

Early-phase clinical trials with any new chemical entity have three main objectives: to establish that the drug is effective in the target disease and patient population; to assess tolerability and safety; and to select the optimum dose or doses for further evaluation. Clinical trials in migraine and other headache disorders pose additional problems because of the lack of specific objective diagnostic tests and the reliance on patient assessments of symptom relief. For these reasons particular care must be taken in selection of patients, design of the trials, choice of end-points and statistical analytical methodology. A wide range of doses must be evaluated to ensure that the dose–response curves for both efficacy and safety/tolerability are fully defined. Successful early-phase trials should then allow the optimum dose or doses of the drug to be identified for further evaluation in large-scale outpatient studies.
How does sumatriptan perform in clinical practice?
Authors: Dahlöf Cgh
Published: September 2024

The patient's opinion on sumatriptan treatment has been obtained from 351 migraineurs (299F and 52M) by means of a telephone survey. The results are based on the patients’ cumulative experience of more than 20,000 subcutaneous injections and more than 2,000 tablet doses. The average period during which subcutaneous sumatriptan (12 mg/ml, 0.5 ml) was used was 19.1 ± 0.4 months and 84% of the patients had used more than 10 injections. The average number of migraine attacks per month was 3.0 ± 0.1, injections per attack 1.7 ± 0.1, and number of tablets (100 mg) per attack 1.8 ± 0.2. Attack duration was decreased from on average 38.4 ± 2.1 h to 2.3 ± 0.5 h by subcutaneous sumatriptan and to 3.4 ± 1.0 by orally administered sumatriptan. The average degree of efficiency at work with migraine was 76.3 ± 1.9% on sumatriptan compared with 26.6% on other treatment options; 85% said that sumatriptan was much better than previous conventional therapies tested. During their experience with sumatriptan, 89% of the migraineurs reported altogether 1,058 adverse events (average 3.6 ± 01, range 1 to 12) in connection with subcutaneous sumatriptan treatment. The three most frequent were drowsiness/sedation (49%), chest symptoms (40%) and injection site symptoms (37%). Among the table users, 87% reported altogether 122 adverse events (average 2.6 ± 0.3, range 1 to 11). Seventy-eight percent of the responders responded to subcutaneous sumatriptan sometimes (22% always, 15% every second attack, 40% seldom) experienced a recurrence of their headache within 24 h. The average number of recurrences was 1.7 ± 0.1 and the average time to recurrence 13.0 ± 0.6 h (range 1.5–24 h). It is concluded that the selected group of migraineurs found sumatriptan to be very effective in reducing the symptoms of their migraine attacks, but also to cause several adverse events, in many cases, with short-lasting effect.
White light emission in Bi3+/Te4+ co‐doped Cs2SnCl6 for adjustable daily lighting and visible light communication
Authors: Chang Jianglong , Xu Sai , Liu Anliang , Li You , Liu Bo , Chen Baojiu
Published: September 2024

ns2 ions‐doped lead‐free perovskites have garnered significant attention for their potential in diverse optoelectronic applications, owing to their broad emission characteristics arising from self‐trapped excitons (STEs). Herein, high‐performance white light‐emitting diodes (WLEDs) for intelligent lighting are developed by Bi3+/Te4+co‐doped Cs2SnCl6. Effective energy transfer between the dual STE emissions results in tunable broadband emissions covering the full‐color region. Adjustable WLEDs containing cold‐ and warm‐white lighting are fabricated. The WLEDs have excellent luminescent performances coupled with adjustable correlated color temperatures of 6417 and 3829 K. This versatility allows them to meet lighting demand for different scenarios, which is essential for future WLEDs to achieve healthy lighting. In addition, the excellent white light emission characteristics can also be applied in the visible light communication (VLC) system, achieving a −3 dB bandwidth of 13.3 MHz and opening eye diagrams in the data rate range of 10–60 Mbps. This work represents a significant advancement toward building intelligent health lighting applications and achieving high‐quality light sources for VLC based on lead‐free perovskites.
Crying wolf, alarm safety and management in paediatrics: A scoping review
Authors: Cole Roni , Roderick Geraldine , Cheema Osayed , Cunninghame Jacqueline , Ullman Amanda J.
Published: September 2024

Aim

To provide a contemporaneous evidentiary overview of neonatal and paediatric studies investigating alarm‐related patient safety and alarm system management. Furthermore, to describe how clinical alarm burden is captured and reported, to identify clinical devices that contribute to alarm burden, to explore alarm‐related and patient safety measures and terminologies and to review alarm management initiatives.

Design

Scoping review.

Data Sources

A systematic search of PubMed, Embase, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Scopus and EBSCOhost was conducted from 2013 to 2023 using predetermined search terms, index terms, medical subject headings and truncation.

Methods

Observational and qualitative studies with neonatal and paediatric populations reporting monitoring and alarm practices; and interventional studies reporting the success of alarm safety interventions were included. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the mixed methods appraisal tool.

Results

The search yielded 37 studies of acceptable quality. The majority explored alarm burden associated with physiological monitoring (n = 35; 95%). Alarm definitions were reported in 46% (n = 17) of studies, and commonly included what constituted actionable and non‐actionable alarms. While 32% (n = 12) of studies considered alarms in relation to clinical outcomes surrounding patient safety, clinician response to alarms was only reported in 19% (n = 7) of studies. Alarm and monitoring interventions were assessed in 51% (n = 19) of included studies, with categorization into six domains: changing alarm parameters, clinician education, communication and planning, technology, alarm ordering and standardization or guidelines.

Conclusion

This review has demonstrated the enormity of alarms in clinical settings, heterogeneity of alarm definitions and outlined interventions associated with alarm burden and patient safety.

Implication for the Profession/Patient Care

Strategies to ensure appropriate alarm limits are set and clinicians are empowered through education to recognize and respond appropriately to alarms can maximize patient safety.

Reporting Method

This review adheres to the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta‐analysis protocols extension for scoping reviews.

Patient or Public Contribution

No patient or public contribution.
Influence of glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor agonists on hepatic events in type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Passos Pedro Robson Costa , Filho Valbert Oliveira Costa , Noronha Mariana Macambira , Hyppolito Elodie Bomfim , Saldanha Erick Figueiredo , Motta Rodrigo Vieira
Published: September 2024

Background and Aim

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is intrinsically linked to various etiologies of liver disease, with 69% of patients having concomitant metabolic dysfunction‐associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). Studies suggest glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor agonists (GLP‐1RAs) can ameliorating liver disease. With this analysis, we address the gap in knowledge about the effectiveness of these agents in preventing different major adverse liver outcomes (MALOs).

Methods

PubMed, Embase, and The Cochrane Central of Trials were searched for articles reporting MALOs in T2DM patients. Publication bias‐identifying methods, quality assessment and sensitivity analyses (subgroup analyses, leave‐one‐out meta‐analyses, and meta‐regression) were employed. Statistical analyses were performed in R using the “meta” and “metafor” packages.

Results

Nine cohort studies from 535 identified articles encompassing 579 256 T2DM patients were included in the main analyses. GLP‐1RA use was associated with reduced risks of hepatocellular carcinoma (HR 0.74, 95% CI 0.56–0.96) and cirrhosis decompensation (HR 0.68, 95% CI 0.65–0.72). Within the latter, variceal bleeding and hepatic encephalopathy prevention were found to be significantly reduced. Egger's test, Begg's test, and funnel‐plot analysis yielded no publication bias. No significant differences were observed in preventing cirrhosis or hepatic failure. Meta‐regression analysis revealed a positive correlation between hepatocellular carcinoma incidence and both male sex and longer follow‐up duration.

Conclusions

This meta‐analysis improves our understanding of the hepatoprotective effects of GLP‐1RAs in T2DM patients and supports existing research, exhibiting superiority over other antidiabetic medications for hepatoprotection in this subgroup. Additional long‐term follow‐up studies are necessary to further validate these findings.