bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
COVID-19 acts like a stress test, uncovering the vulnerable part of the human body: a retrospective study of 1640 cases in China
Authors: He Tian-Yi , Zhou Hong-Yu , Zhu Ming-Hui , Zhang Ji-Li
Published: April 2024

Background

Since the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection exhibits multi-organ damage with diverse complications, the correlation between age, gender, medical history and clinical manifestations of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients was investigated.

Methods

1640 patients who were infected with SARS-CoV-2 and hospitalized at the First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University from 22 December 2022 to 1 March 2023 were categorized and analysed. Normal distribution test and variance homogeneity test were performed. Based on the test results, one-way analysis of variance, Pearson's chi-squared test and logistic regression analysis were conducted in the study.

Results

According to the ANOVA, there was a significant difference in the age distribution (P = .001) between different clinical presentations, while gender did not (P = .06). And regression analysis showed that age, hypertension, atherosclerosis and cancer were significant hazard factors for the development of predominant clinical manifestations in patients hospitalized with novel COVID-19. Additionally, infection with SARS-CoV-2 has the potential to exacerbate the burden on specific diseased or related organs.

Conclusion

The elderly who are infected with SARS-CoV-2 ought to be treated with emphasis not only on antiviral therapy but also on individualized treatment that takes their medical history and comorbidities into account.
The Longitudinal Dyadic Associations Between Social Participation and Cognitive Function in Older Chinese Couples
Authors: Hou Jianhua , Chen Tianyong , Yu Nancy Xiaonan
Published: April 2024

Objectives

Based on the “linked lives” tenant of the life course perspective, this longitudinal study aims to examine the actor and partner effects of social participation on cognitive function in older Chinese couples.

Methods

A total of 1,706 couples aged 60 and older were included in the final analyses. Social participation was measured using 2 questions regarding types of activities and frequency. Cognitive function was measured using a combination of memory, orientation, visuoconstruction, attention, and calculation. The lagged-dependent APIM was used to model the dyadic associations between social participation and cognitive function.

Results

The time-averaged actor effects of both husbands’ and wives’ social participation on their own cognitive function were significant (p < .001 for both). The time-averaged partner effect of husbands’ social participation on wives’ cognitive function was significant (p < .001) but the reverse—the effect of wives’ social participation on husbands’ cognitive function—was not (p = .381). The time-specific actor and partner effects were not significant (p > .05 for all).

Discussion

Our findings indicate an asymmetrical pattern of actor–partner interdependence, where husbands’ social participation may affect their wives’ cognitive function on average, but wives’ social participation does not affect their husbands’ cognitive function. Clinical practitioners should invite both partners, especially husbands, to participate in social participation interventions to facilitate crossover benefits for wives. Moreover, policymakers should build more facilities to encourage older couples to engage in social activities to prevent cognitive decline.
Proteome-wide association study and functional validation identify novel protein markers for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma
Authors: Zhu Jingjing , Wu Ke , Liu Shuai , Masca Alexandra , Zhong Hua , Yang Tai , Ghoneim Dalia H , Surendran Praveen , Liu Tanxin , Yao Qizhi , Liu Tao , Fahle Sarah , Butterworth Adam , Alam Md Ashad , Vadgama Jaydutt V , Deng Youping , Deng Hong-Wen , Wu Chong , Wu Yong , Wu Lang
Published: April 2024

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains a lethal malignancy, largely due to the paucity of reliable biomarkers for early detection and therapeutic targeting. Existing blood protein biomarkers for PDAC often suffer from replicability issues, arising from inherent limitations such as unmeasured confounding factors in conventional epidemiologic study designs. To circumvent these limitations, we use genetic instruments to identify proteins with genetically predicted levels to be associated with PDAC risk. Leveraging genome and plasma proteome data from the INTERVAL study, we established and validated models to predict protein levels using genetic variants. By examining 8,275 PDAC cases and 6,723 controls, we identified 40 associated proteins, of which 16 are novel. Functionally validating these candidates by focusing on 2 selected novel protein-encoding genes, GOLM1 and B4GALT1, we demonstrated their pivotal roles in driving PDAC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Furthermore, we also identified potential drug repurposing opportunities for treating PDAC.

Significance

PDAC is a notoriously difficult-to-treat malignancy, and our limited understanding of causal protein markers hampers progress in developing effective early detection strategies and treatments. Our study identifies novel causal proteins using genetic instruments and subsequently functionally validates selected novel proteins. This dual approach enhances our understanding of PDAC etiology and potentially opens new avenues for therapeutic interventions.
Urban subsurface exploration improved by denoising of virtual shot gathers from distributed acoustic sensing ambient noise
Authors: Ehsaninezhad Leila , Wollin Christopher , Rodríguez Tribaldos Verónica , Schwarz Benjamin , Krawczyk Charlotte M
Published: April 2024

Ambient noise tomography on the basis of distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) deployed on existing telecommunication networks provides an opportunity to image the urban subsurface at regional scales and high-resolution. This capability has important implications in the assessment of the urban subsurface’s potential for sustainable and safe utilization, such as geothermal development. However, extracting coherent seismic signals from the DAS ambient wavefield in urban environments at low cost remains a challenge. One obstacle is the presence of complex sources of noise in urban environments, which may not be homogeneously distributed. Consequently, long recordings are required for the calculation of high-quality virtual shot gathers, which necessitates significant time and computational cost. In this paper, we present the analysis of 15 d of DAS data recorded on a pre-existing fibre optic cable (dark fibres), running along an 11-km-long major road in urban Berlin (Germany), hosting heavy traffic including vehicles and trains. To retrieve virtual shot gathers, we apply interferometric analysis based on the cross-correlation approach where we exclude low-quality virtual shot gathers to increase the signal-to-noise ratio of the stacked gathers. Moreover, we modify the conventional ambient noise interferometry workflow by incorporating a coherence-based enhancement approach designed for wavefield data recorded with large-N arrays. We then conduct multichannel analysis of surface waves to retrieve 1-D velocity models for two exemplary fibre subsegments, and compare the results of the conventional and modified workflows. The resulting 1-D velocity models correspond well with available lithology information. The modified workflow yields improved dispersion spectra, particularly in the low-frequency band (<1 Hz) of the signal. This leads to an increased investigation depth along with lower uncertainties in the inversion result. Additionally, these improved results were achieved using significantly less data than required using conventional approaches, thus opening the opportunity for shortening required acquisition times and accordingly lowering costs.
Social determinants of health Z-code documentation practices in mental health settings: a scoping review
Authors: Hendricks-Sturrup Rachele M , Yankah Sandra E , Lu Christine Y
Published: April 2024

Mental health remains an urgent global priority, alongside efforts to address underlying social determinants of health (SDoH) that contribute to the onset or exacerbate mental illness. SDoH factors can be captured in the form of International Classification of Disease, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM), SDoH Z codes. In this scoping review, we describe current SDoH Z-code documentation practices, with a focus on mental health care contexts. Among 2 743 061 374 health care encounters noted across 12 studies in the United States, SDoH Z-code documentation rates ranged from 0.5% to 2.4%. Documentation often involved patients under 64 years of age who are publicly insured and experience comorbidities, including depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, chronic pulmonary disease, and substance abuse disorders. Documentation varied across hospital types, number of beds per facility, patient race/ethnicity, and geographic region. Variation was observed regarding patient sex/gender, although SDoH Z codes were more frequently documented for males. Documentation was most observed in government, nonfederal, and private not-for-profit hospitals. From these insights, we offer policy and practice recommendations, as well as considerations for patient data privacy, security, and confidentiality, to incentivize more routine documentation of Z codes to better assist patients with complex mental health care needs.
The combined effects of warming, ocean acidification, and fishing on the northeast Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) in the Barents Sea
Authors: Hansen Cecilie , Hjøllo Solfrid Sætre , Skogen Morten D , Mousing Erik Askov , Skern-Mauritzen Mette , Howell Daniel , Ottersen Geir , Browman Howard I
Published: April 2024

With a biomass of ∼4 million tonnes, and annual catches of 900 000 tonnes, the northeast Atlantic (NEA) cod stock in the Barents Sea is the world’s largest. Scientists have been trying to explain the variability in recruitment of this stock for over 100 years, in particular connecting it to spawning stock biomass and environmental factors such as temperature. It has been suggested that the combination of ocean acidification and global warming will lead to a significant decrease in the spawning stock biomass and an eventual (end of this century) collapse of the NEA cod stock in the Barents Sea. We show that a temperature- and OA-driven decline in recruits will likely lead to a smaller cod stock, but not to a collapse. Instead, the level of fishing pressure and, not least, the choice of the recruitment function applied in simulations and how it relates to temperature, is extremely important when making such forecasts. Applying a non-linear relationship between temperature and spawning stock biomass—as has been done in studies that predict a collapse of the NEA cod stock—does not improve accuracy and, in addition, adds a large decrease in number of recruits that is not biologically supported.
Socio-Spatial Multiplicity in World Politics: Non-Western Regional Imaginations of the Indo-Pacific
Authors: Watanabe Atsuko
Published: April 2024

Originally a biogeographic term, “Indo-Pacific” is increasingly replacing “Asia-Pacific” in political discourse. This is not merely a linguistic matter but also has political implications. However, the meaning of “Indo-Pacific” remains unclear, and its implications are contested. While it has attracted the attention of a wide spectrum of political pundits, the regional designation “Indo-Pacific” is used to describe a space of global cooperation and geopolitical competition. This study makes two contributions by reexamining this debate. First, it helps lift the fog around the Indo-Pacific to gain a deeper understanding and encourage reflection on its current rise. Thus, it is situated within a growing body of literature that excavates the complex history of the Indo-Pacific by revisiting its Japanese wartime origins. Second, drawing on the emergent literature on multiplicity, this study shows how the term has historically invoked two different kinds of international relations in Japan. This suggests the importance of examining multiple socio-spatial imaginations internalized by diverse collectivities in the social space of international politics that goes beyond modern European state borders. Introduced by the Japanophile German geopolitician Karl Haushofer, the term was originally used to express the area of the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere, a region that aimed to create a world order that differed from the Western one. This significantly contradicts contemporary usage by the Japanese government, which claims that universal values exist in the region.
Late Modern War and theGeos
Authors: Griffiths Mark , Redwood Henry
Published: April 2024

This article works toward an ontology of war centered on the life of the planet, or geos. Noting a disciplinary tendency to focus on the makers of war, we ask: What if our analyses of war begin not with the technologies of killing but with the life that is targeted? Our response proceeds in four sections. We first identify a “militarized ontology” of war that forms through the ways that militaries figure violence as spatially and temporally “precise” and thus distinct from longer-term environmental effects. We then argue that these ontological bounds persist also in critical scholarship on war. Writing against such ontological contingencies, we learn from feminist IR to set out a theoretical path for knowing war on different terms, from the perspective of the geos. From here, our main contribution forms: Attending to war ecologies and non/human health, war appears in a form that critically contrasts with a large part of current work in IR; it is no longer a primarily accelerated, aerial, or remote activity but rather an enduring, terranean, and proximate intervention in the environment and the life it sustains. We close with explication of the significance of geos-centered study of war in IR and beyond.
Heat stress alters the ovarian proteome in prepubertal gilts
Authors: Roach Crystal M , Mayorga Edith J , Baumgard Lance H , Ross Jason W , Keating Aileen F
Published: April 2024

Heat stress (HS) occurs when exogenous and metabolic heat accumulation exceeds heat dissipation; a thermal imbalance that compromises female reproduction. This study investigated the hypothesis that HS alters the ovarian proteome and negatively impacts proteins engaged with insulin signaling, inflammation, and ovarian function. Prepubertal gilts (n = 19) were assigned to one of three environmental groups: thermal neutral with ad libitum feed intake (TN; n = 6), thermal neutral pair-fed (PF; n = 6), or HS (n = 7). For 7 d, HS gilts were exposed to 12-h cyclic temperatures of 35.0 ± 0.2 °C and 32.2 ± 0.1 °C, while TN and PF gilts were housed at 21.0 ± 0.1 °C. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was performed on ovarian protein homogenates. Relative to TN gilts, 178 proteins were altered (P ≤ 0.05, log2foldchange ≥ 1) by HS, with 76 increased and 102 decreased. STRING gene ontology classified and identified 45 biological processes including those associated with chaperone protein refolding, cytoplasmic translational initiation, and immune activation; with a protein–protein interaction web network of 158 nodes and 563 edges connected based on protein function (FDR ≤ 0.05). Relative to PF, HS altered 330 proteins (P ≤ 0.05, log2foldchange ≥ 1), with 151 increased and 179 decreased. Fifty-seven biological pathways associated with protein function and assembly, RNA processing, and metabolic processes were identified, with a protein–protein interaction network of 303 nodes and 1,606 edges. Comparing HS with both the TN and PF treatments, 72 ovarian proteins were consistently altered by HS with 68 nodes and 104 edges, with biological pathways associated with translation and gene expression. This indicates that HS alters the ovarian proteome and multiple biological pathways and systems in prepubertal gilts; changes that potentially contribute to female infertility.
Anatomical limitations in adventitious root formation revealed by magnetic resonance imaging, infrared spectroscopy, and histology of rose genotypes with contrasting rooting phenotypes
Authors: Wamhoff David , Gündel André , Wagner Steffen , Ortleb Stefan , Borisjuk Ljudmilla , Winkelmann Traud
Published: April 2024

Adventitious root (AR) formation is one of the most important developmental processes in vegetative propagation. Although genotypic differences in rose rooting ability are well known, the causal factors are not well understood. The rooting of two contrasting genotypes, ‘Herzogin Friederike’ and ‘Mariatheresia’, was compared following a multiscale approach. Using magnetic resonance imaging, we non-invasively monitored the inner structure of stem cuttings during initiation and progression of AR formation for the first time. Spatially resolved Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy characterized the chemical composition of the tissues involved in AR formation. The results were validated through light microscopy and complemented by immunolabelling. The outcome demonstrated similarity of both genotypes in root primordia formation, which did not result in root protrusion through the shoot cortex in the difficult-to-root genotype ‘Mariatheresia’. The biochemical composition of the contrasting genotypes highlighted main differences in cell wall-associated components. Further spectroscopic analysis of 15 contrasting rose genotypes confirmed the biochemical differences between easy- and difficult-to-root groups. Collectively, our data indicate that it is not the lack of root primordia limiting AR formation in these rose genotypes, but the firmness of the outer stem tissue and/or cell wall modifications that pose a mechanical barrier and prevent root extension and protrusion.
What Justifies Electoral Voice? J. S. Mill on Voting
Authors: Turner Jonathan
Published: April 2024

Mill advocates plural voting on instrumentalist grounds: the more competent are to have more votes. At the same time, he regards it as a ‘personal injustice’ to withhold from anyone ‘the ordinary privilege of having his voice reckoned in the disposal of affairs in which he has the same interest as other people’ (Mill 1861a, p. 469). But if electoral voice is justified by its contribution to good governance, why would it be an injustice to deny the vote to those whose use of it would disserve this end? I propose the dual justification view to resolve this tension. Mill holds that electoral voice is to be justified in two complementary ways: both as communicating a person’s interests and perspective in order that they be accommodated in policy deliberations, and as advancing a vision of the common good and influencing the policy of the legislature.
The extent and power of ‘maintenance mode’ feedback in MaNGA AGN
Authors: Gatto Lara , Storchi-Bergmann T , Riffel Rogemar A , Riffel Rogério , Rembold Sandro B , Schimoia Jaderson S , Mallmann Nicolas D , Ilha Gabriele S
Published: April 2024

We study the ionized gas kinematics of 293 Active Galactic Nucleus (AGN) hosts as compared to that of 485 control galaxies from the MaNGA–SDSS survey using measurements of the [O iii]$\lambda$5007 Å emission-line profiles, presenting flux, velocity, and W$_{80}$ maps. In 45 per cent of the AGN, a broad component was needed to fit the line profiles wings within the inner few kpc, that we have identified with an outflow. But in most AGN, the profiles are broader than that of their controls over a much more extended region, identified as the ‘kinematically disturbed regions’ (KDRs). We find a positive correlation between the mean $\langle$W$_{80}\rangle$ and L[O iii], supporting that the KDR is due to heating and turbulence of the ISM by outflows and radiation from the AGN. The extent R$_{KDR}$ reaches up to 24 kpc, with a mean ratio to that of the ENLR of 57 per cent. We estimate ionized gas mass flow rates ($\dot{M}_{\rm out}$) and kinetic powers ($\dot{E}_{\rm out}$) both from the AGN broad components and from the W$_{80}$ values, that can be obtained for the whole AGN sample. We find values for $\dot{M}_{\rm out}$ and $\dot{E}_{\rm out}$ that correlate with the AGN luminosity $L_{\mathrm{ bol}}$, populating the low-luminosity end of these known correlations. The mean coupling efficiency between $\dot{E}_{\rm out}$ and AGN luminosity is $\approx$0.02 per cent from the W$_{80}$ values and lower from the broad component. But the large extent of the KDR shows that even low-luminosity AGN can impact the host galaxy along several kpc in a “maintenance mode” feedback.
Phased Assembly of Neo-Sex Chromosomes Reveals Extensive Y Degeneration and Rapid Genome Evolution in Rumex hastatulus
Authors: Sacchi Bianca , Humphries Zoë , Kružlicová Jana , Bodláková Markéta , Pyne Cassandre , Choudhury Baharul I , Gong Yunchen , Bačovský Václav , Hobza Roman , Barrett Spencer C H , Wright Stephen I
Published: April 2024

Y chromosomes are thought to undergo progressive degeneration due to stepwise loss of recombination and subsequent reduction in selection efficiency. However, the timescales and evolutionary forces driving degeneration remain unclear. To investigate the evolution of sex chromosomes on multiple timescales, we generated a high-quality phased genome assembly of the massive older (<10 MYA) and neo (<200,000 yr) sex chromosomes in the XYY cytotype of the dioecious plant Rumex hastatulus and a hermaphroditic outgroup Rumex salicifolius. Our assemblies, supported by fluorescence in situ hybridization, confirmed that the neo-sex chromosomes were formed by two key events: an X-autosome fusion and a reciprocal translocation between the homologous autosome and the Y chromosome. The enormous sex-linked regions of the X (296 Mb) and two Y chromosomes (503 Mb) both evolved from large repeat-rich genomic regions with low recombination; however, the complete loss of recombination on the Y still led to over 30% gene loss and major rearrangements. In the older sex-linked region, there has been a significant increase in transposable element abundance, even into and near genes. In the neo-sex-linked regions, we observed evidence of extensive rearrangements without gene degeneration and loss. Overall, we inferred significant degeneration during the first 10 million years of Y chromosome evolution but not on very short timescales. Our results indicate that even when sex chromosomes emerge from repetitive regions of already-low recombination, the complete loss of recombination on the Y chromosome still leads to a substantial increase in repetitive element content and gene degeneration.
Terrestrial Birth and Body Size Tune UCP1 Functionality in Seals
Authors: Gaudry Michael J , Khudyakov Jane , Pirard Laura , Debier Cathy , Crocker Daniel , Crichton Paul G , Jastroch Martin
Published: April 2024

The molecular evolution of the mammalian heater protein UCP1 is a powerful biomarker to understand thermoregulatory strategies during species radiation into extreme climates, such as aquatic life with high thermal conductivity. While fully aquatic mammals lost UCP1, most semiaquatic seals display intact UCP1 genes, apart from large elephant seals. Here, we show that UCP1 thermogenic activity of the small-bodied harbor seal is equally potent compared to terrestrial orthologs, emphasizing its importance for neonatal survival on land. In contrast, elephant seal UCP1 does not display thermogenic activity, not even when translating a repaired or a recently highlighted truncated version. Thus, the thermogenic benefits for neonatal survival during terrestrial birth in semiaquatic pinnipeds maintained evolutionary selection pressure on UCP1 function and were only outweighed by extreme body sizes among elephant seals, fully eliminating UCP1-dependent thermogenesis.
A mechanistic alternative to minimal sufficiency as the guiding principle for NCC research
Authors: Mckilliam Andy
Published: April 2024

A central project for the neuroscience of consciousness is to reveal the neural basis of consciousness. For the past 20-odd years, this project has been conceptualized in terms of minimal sufficiency. Recently, a number of authors have suggested that the project is better conceived in mechanistic terms as the search for difference-makers. In this paper, I (i) motivate this mechanistic alternative to minimal sufficiency, (ii) develop it further by clarifying debates about the prospects of leveraging mutual manipulability to distinguish constitutive difference-makers from those that are merely causal, and (iii) explore the implications this has for recent debates concerning the status of the prefrontal cortex. I argue that adopting a mechanistic approach to the neuroscience of consciousness suggests that the prefrontal cortex is part of the neural mechanisms underlying consciousness even if it is not strictly speaking a necessary part.
The association of maternal gestational weight gain with cardiometabolic risk factors in offspring: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Wen Jiaxing , Lv Axing , Aihemaitijiang Sumiya , Li Hongtian , Zhou Yubo , Liu Jianmeng
Published: April 2024

Context

Gestational weight gain (GWG) is known to be a risk factor for offspring obesity, a precursor of cardiometabolic diseases. Accumulating studies have investigated the association of GWG with offspring cardiometabolic risk factors (CRFs), leading to inconsistent results.

Objective

This study synthesized available data from cohort studies to examine the effects of GWG on offspring CRFs.

Data Source

Four electronic databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Embase, were searched through May 2023.

Data Extraction

Cohort studies evaluating the association between GWG and CRFs (fat mass [FM], body fat percentage [BF%], waist circumference [WC], systolic blood pressure [SBP] and diastolic blood pressure, high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-C] and low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol, triglyceride [TG], total cholesterol, fasting blood glucose, and fasting insulin levels) were included. Regression coefficients, means or mean differences with 95% confidence intervals [CIs], or standard deviations were extracted.

Data Analysis

Thirty-three cohort studies were included in the meta-analysis. Higher GWG (per increase of 1 kg) was associated with greater offspring FM (0.041 kg; 95% CI, 0.016 to 0.067), BF% (0.145%; 95% CI, 0.116 to 0.174), WC (0.154 cm; 95% CI, 0.036 to 0.272), SBP (0.040 mmHg; 95% CI, 0.010 to 0.070), and TG (0.004 mmol/L; 95% CI, 0.001 to 0.007), and with lower HDL-C (–0.002 mmol/L; 95% CI, –0.004 to 0.000). Consistently, excessive GWG was associated with higher offspring FM, BF%, WC, and insulin, and inadequate GWG was associated with lower BF%, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, total cholesterol, and TG, compared with adequate GWG. Most associations went non-significant or attenuated with adjustment for offspring body mass index or FM.

Conclusions

Higher maternal GWG is associated with increased offspring adiposity, SBP, TG, and insulin and decreased HDL-C in offspring, warranting a need to control GWG and to screen for cardiometabolic abnormalities of offspring born to mothers with excessive GWG.

Systematic Review Registration

PROSPERO registration no. CRD42023412098.
Assessing the profile and utility of diplomates in occupational medicine
Authors: Johnson F , Madan I , Pattani S , De Bono A , Boorman S , Goss C , Parsons V
Published: April 2024

Background

The utility of the occupational medicine diploma in the UK is yet to be explored. The NHS ‘Growing Occupational Health (OH) and Wellbeing’ programme provides opportunities for diplomates to increase their OH work.

Aims

To assess what proportion of diplomates carry out OH work, the type of work being undertaken, to identify obstacles impeding OH work, to capture their interest in future work opportunities and what additional support they require.

Methods

A link to an online questionnaire was sent to diplomates via several professional bodies; we estimate that 2428 diplomates received this. The survey was open from 24 March to 31 May 2022.

Results

Replies were received from 310/2428 (13%) diplomates. Fifty-two per cent of respondents were males and 35% were female. Respondents were diverse in terms of age and geographical region. Main employment settings: 13% primary care, 43% secondary care, 31% private sector, 24% public sector and 20% self-employed. Seventy-two per cent of diplomates had undertaken OH clinical work since completion of their diploma, and 90% of those were undertaking OH clinical work at the time of the survey. Specific obstacles to accessing OH work highlighted included existing workload constraints, lack of employment opportunities with OH providers and lack of time.

Conclusions

Many (126/310; 41%) respondents had considered increasing their OH work in the previous 12 months. Increasing mentorship from senior OH clinicians to diplomates was suggested by 4% of respondents to enhance the utility of diplomates.
Open Questions Self-Administered on the Web versus Interviewer-Administered in Person: The 2016 American National Election Study Mode Comparison
Authors: Antoun Christopher , Presser Stanley
Published: April 2024

Relatively little is known about the performance of open questions in self-administered questionnaires compared to interviewer-administered ones. We examined this issue using the responses to the 2016 American National Election Study’s Web self-administered questionnaires and face-to-face computer-assisted personal interviews (CAPI) from independently drawn samples that asked three sets of open questions: most important problem(s) facing the country; candidate for and against reasons; and political party likes and dislikes. Although Web respondents gave shorter answers with fewer codeable ideas than face-to-face respondents, the two modes produced similar distributions of substantive answers. Despite our expectation that open answers to interviewers would be more civil than those expressed on the Web, there was no difference in civility between the modes. However, the construct validity of the four candidate for and against items (predicting vote choice of Clinton vs. Trump) was higher on the Web than in the interviewer-administered CAPI. These findings call into question the conventional wisdom that open questions are not well suited for self-administration and suggest that researchers should consider more frequent use of open questions in Web surveys.
On some objections to the powers-BSA
Authors: Kimpton-Nye Samuel
Published: April 2024

This paper responds to Friend's (2023) critique of the Powers-BSA, a view according to which laws of nature are efficient descriptions of how modally laden properties (powers) are possibly distributed in spacetime. In the course of this response, the paper discusses the nature of scientific and metaphysical explanation, the aim of science, and the structure of modal space.
Direct acquaintance with intrinsic value
Authors: Dimitrov Martin
Published: April 2024

Upon introspection, we judge that suffering feels bad. I argue there is no appearance-reality gap when it comes to introspective judgments about simple, intrinsic, nonrepresentational phenomenal states like itches, tingling, and suffering's feeling bad. On constitutivism about phenomenal introspection, there is no appearance-reality gap here because these judgments are literally constituted by the phenomenal states they are about. As a result, we are directly acquainted with the intrinsic properties of experience in having these judgments. Reflecting on our direct acquaintance with intrinsic badness, we can know that our suffering instantiates this judgment-independent evaluative property.
Performance of New Kuraray Wavelength-shifting Fibers with Short Decay Time
Authors: Kodama Shoma , Kobayashi Hokuto , Okinaga Wataru , Nakagiri Kota , Nakajima Yasuhiro , Yokoyama Masashi
Published: April 2024

We measure the decay time and the attenuation length of newly developed wavelength-shifting fibers, the YS series, from Kuraray, which have a fast response. Using a 405 nm laser, the decay times of YS-2, 4, and 6 are measured to be 3.64 ± 0.04, 2.15 ± 0.03, and 1.47 ± 0.02 ns, respectively, for a light injection distance of 10 cm. The decay time of Y-11 is measured to be 7.10 ± 0.09 ns using the same system. All fibers are found to have similar attenuation lengths of more than 4 m. When combined with the plastic scintillators EJ-200 and EJ-204, the YS series has better time resolution than Y-11, with light yields of 60–100% of Y-11.
Public research funding and science-based innovation: An analysis of ERC research grants, publications and patents
Authors: Munari Federico , Leonardelli Elisa , Menini Stefano , Morais Righi Herica , Sobrero Maurizio , Tonelli Sara , Toschi Laura
Published: April 2024

This study aims to advance the discussion around the linkages between public funding for scientific research and new technology development. We develop and test a methodology that matches patents to scientific publications, the latter of which stemming from publicly funded research. We specifically focus on projects that were funded by the European Research Council (ERC) in the Life Sciences and Physical Science and Engineering sectors during the FP7 Programme. We also compare this method’s results with the patents directly reported by the PIs of ERC-funded projects at the end of their grants, finding that the two methods are complementary. In addition to documenting important technological diffusion effects generated by ERC-funded research, our results highlight some factors that shape the relationships between patents, publications, and grants, such as project type, age, duration, scientific domain and number and quality of associated publications. Therefore, our findings present significant policy implications for funding agencies, universities, TTOs, and policymakers who want to monitor the technological outcomes of public research investments.
A novel and diverse family of filamentous DNA viruses associated with parasitic wasps
Authors: Guinet Benjamin , Leobold Matthieu , Herniou Elisabeth A , Bloin Pierrick , Burlet Nelly , Bredlau Justin , Navratil Vincent , Ravallec Marc , Uzbekov Rustem , Kester Karen , Gundersen Rindal Dawn , Drezen Jean-Michel , Varaldi Julien , Bézier Annie
Published: April 2024

Large dsDNA viruses from the Naldaviricetes class are currently composed of four viral families infecting insects and/or crustaceans. Since the 1970s, particles described as filamentous viruses (FVs) have been observed by electronic microscopy in several species of Hymenoptera parasitoids but until recently, no genomic data was available. This study provides the first comparative morphological and genomic analysis of these FVs. We analyzed the genomes of seven FVs, six of which were newly obtained, to gain a better understanding of their evolutionary history. We show that these FVs share all genomic features of the Naldaviricetes while encoding five specific core genes that distinguish them from their closest relatives, the Hytrosaviruses. By mining public databases, we show that FVs preferentially infect Hymenoptera with parasitoid lifestyle and that these viruses have been repeatedly integrated into the genome of many insects, particularly Hymenoptera parasitoids, overall suggesting a long-standing specialization of these viruses to parasitic wasps. Finally, we propose a taxonomical revision of the class Naldaviricetes in which FVs related to the Leptopilina boulardi FV constitute a fifth family. We propose to name this new family, Filamentoviridae.
Alcohol-associated liver cancer
Authors: Fu Yaojie , Maccioni Luca , Wang Xin Wei , Greten Tim F. , Gao Bin
Published: April 2024

Heavy alcohol intake induces a wide spectrum of liver diseases ranging from steatosis, steatohepatitis, cirrhosis, and HCC. Although alcohol consumption is a well-known risk factor for the development, morbidity, and mortality of HCC globally, alcohol-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (A-HCC) is poorly characterized compared to viral hepatitis–associated HCC. Most A-HCCs develop after alcohol-associated cirrhosis (AC), but the direct carcinogenesis from ethanol and its metabolites to A-HCC remains obscure. The differences between A-HCC and HCCs caused by other etiologies have not been well investigated in terms of clinical prognosis, genetic or epigenetic landscape, molecular mechanisms, and heterogeneity. Moreover, there is a huge gap between basic research and clinical practice due to the lack of preclinical models of A-HCC. In the current review, we discuss the pathogenesis, heterogeneity, preclinical approaches, epigenetic, and genetic profiles of A-HCC, and discuss the current insights into and the prospects for future research on A-HCC. The potential effect of alcohol on cholangiocarcinoma and liver metastasis is also discussed.
Vena cava replacement and major hepatectomy for liver tumors: international multicenter retrospective cohort study
Authors: Di Benedetto Fabrizio , Magistri Paolo , Marcon Francesca , Soubrane Olivier , Pedreira Mello Felipe , Santos Coelho Joao , Fernandez Andre Renaldo , Frassoni Samuele , Bagnardi Vincenzo , Singhal Ashish , Rotellar Fernando , Hernandez-Alejandro Roberto , Alikhanov Ruslan , de Souza M Fernandes Eduardo , Cauchy Francois , Muiesan Paolo , Di Sandro Stefano , Pinto Marques Hugo
Published: April 2024

Introduction:

Involvement of the inferior vena cava (IVC) and hepatic veins has been considered a relative contraindication to hepatic resection for primary and metastatic liver tumors. However, patients affected by tumors extending to the IVC have limited therapeutic options and suffer worsening of quality of life due to IVC compression.

Methods:

Cases of primary and metastatic liver tumors with vena cava infiltration from 10 international centers were collected (7 European, 1 US, 2 Brazilian, 1 Indian) were collected. Inclusion criteria for the study were major liver resection with concomitant vena cava replacement. Clinical data and short-term outcomes were analyzed.

Results:

Thirty-six cases were finally included in the study. Median tumor max size was 98 mm (range: 25–250). A biliary reconstruction was necessary in 28% of cases, while a vascular reconstruction other than vena cava in 34% of cases. Median operative time was 462 min (range: 230–750), with 750 median ml of estimated blood loss and a median of one pRBC transfused intraoperatively (range: 0–27). Median ICU stay was 4 days (range: 1–30) with overall in-hospital stay of 15 days (range: 3–46), postoperative CCI score of 20.9 (range: 0–100), 12% incidence of PHLF grade B-C. Five patients died in a 90-days interval from surgery, one due to heart failure, one due to septic shock, and three due to multiorgan failure. With a median follow-up of 17 months (interquartile range: 11–37), the estimated 5 years overall survival was 48% (95% CI: 27–66%), and 5-year cumulative incidence of tumor recurrence was 55% (95% CI: 33–73%).

Conclusions:

Major liver resections with vena cava replacement can be performed with satisfactory results in expert HPB centers. This surgical strategy represents a feasible alternative for otherwise unresectable lesions and is associated with favorable prognosis compared to nonoperative management, especially in patients affected by intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.
Effects of methane emissions on multiple myeloma-related mortality rates: A World Health Organization perspective
Authors: Özlü Can , Yalçin Cumali
Published: April 2024

In this research, it was aimed to evaluate effects of methane emissions on multiple myeloma related mortality rates. Two countries in Europe (Germany and Netherlands) and 1 country for each region (Turkey, USA, Brazil, Egypt, and Australia) were selected within The World Health Organization Database. Multiple myeloma mortality rates of countries between 2009 and 2019 were used as dependent variable of the research. Methane emission level and agriculture methane levels of countries were used as independent variables from The World Bank Database. Current health expenditure and healthy life expectancy were used as controlling variables. Multiple myeloma-related mortality rate was the highest in the USA, followed by Germany, Brazil, Turkey, Australia, Netherlands, and Egypt. Difference analysis results were significant (P < .05). Methane and agriculture methane emissions were the highest in the USA. Multiple myeloma mortality was positively correlated with methane emissions (R = 0.504; P < .01), agricultural methane emissions (R = 0.705; P < .01), and current health expenditure (R = 0.528; P < .01). According to year and country controlled correlation analysis results, multiple myeloma mortality (MMM) was positively correlated with methane emissions (R = 0.889; P < .01), agricultural methane emissions (R = 0.495; P < .01), and current health expenditure (R = 0.704; P < .01). Methane emission (B = 0.01; P < .05), Germany (B = 9010.81; P < .01), the USA (B = 26516.77; P < .01), and Brazil (B = 4886.14; P < .01) had significant effect on MMM. Nonagricultural methane production has an increasing effect on MMM. Therefore, by looking at the differences between agricultural methane emissions and general methane emissions, studies can be conducted that allow for more effective global comparisons.
Trends and risk factors for drug-resistant tuberculosis among children in Sichuan, China: A 10-year retrospective analysis, 2013–2022
Authors: Li Maoying , Deng Bin , Huang Yuhong , Li Qiong , Han Jing , Tang Shenjie , Chen Lei
Published: April 2024

To investigate the status of the drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) among children in Sichuan, and to find out the risk factors and high-risk population related to drug resistance among children.

The clinical data of tuberculosis patients ≤14 years old with culture-confirmed tuberculosis hospitalized in Chengdu Public Health Clinical Center from January 2013 through December 2022 were collected. Clinical data such as gender, age, ethnicity, history of anti-TB treatment, history of exposure to tuberculosis, nutritional status, and specific drug resistance of the children were collected and recorded. The drug resistance of children in different age groups (0–4 years old, 5–9 years old, 10–14 years old) and different periods (2013–2017 and 2018–2022) were grouped and compared. Logistic regression analysis was to analyze analysis of risk factors of drug resistance in children.

A total of 438 children with culture-confirmed tuberculosis were screened. Among them, 26.19% (11/42) were 0 to 4 years old, 33.33% (22/66) were 5 to 9 years old, and 36.67% (121/330) were 10 to 14 years old among the resistant children. There was no statistically significant difference in the resistance rate among the 3 groups (P = .385). The proportions of DR-TB, monoresistant tuberculosis, polydrug-resistant tuberculosis were decreased during 2019 to 2022 compared with 2013 to 2017 (P < .0001). The resistance rates of drug resistant, monoresistant, polydrug-resistant, isoniazid-resistant, and rifampicin resistant during 2018 to 2022 were decreased compared with those from 2013 to 2017 (P < .05), but the multi-drug resistance rate was not decreased (P = .131, without statistical difference). The results of logistic regression analysis showed that male gender OR = 1.566 (95% CI 1.035–2.369), a history of antituberculosis therapy OR = 4.049 (95% CI 1.442–11.367), and pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis OR = 7.335 (95% CI 1.401–38.392) were risk factors for the development of drug resistance; but fever OR = 0.581 (95% CI 0.355–0.950) was Protective factor.

The total drug resistance rate of children in Sichuan showed a downward trend, but the rate of multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis was still at a high level, and the form of drug resistance was still severe. Absence of fever, male, retreatment, and pulmonary concurrent with extrapulmonary tuberculosis are risk factors for DR-TB in children.
Effectiveness of an ERAS-based exercise-nutrition management model in enhancing postoperative recovery for thoracoscopic radical resection of lung cancer: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Huang Lingqiao , Hu Yingying , Chen Junxian
Published: April 2024

Background:

To analyze the effect of an exercise-nutrition management model based on the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) concept on patients undergoing thoracoscopic radical surgery for lung cancer.

Methods:

From June 2019 to December 2022, 85 lung cancer patients who underwent thoracoscopic radical lung cancer surgery were randomly divided into 2 groups. The control group, consisting of 42 patients, received routine nursing care during the perioperative period. The study group, comprising 43 patients, implemented an exercise-nutrition management model based on the ERAS concept during the perioperative period. We compared general data, perioperative indicators, compliance, and complications between the 2 groups. Additionally, we assessed the nutritional status using the patient-generated subjective global assessment (PG-SGA), albumin (ALB), prealbumin (PA), and hemoglobin (Hb), as well as lung function, including forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1) and maximum voluntary ventilation (MVV), in the patient population following the Piper intervention.

Results:

In the study group, the times to first defecation and getting out of bed, the duration of thoracic drainage tube indwelling, and the length of hospital stay were shorter than those in the control group. The VAS scores on the 2nd and 3rd postoperative days were lower in the study group than in the control group (P < .05). Medication compliance was higher in the study group compared to the control group (P < .05). Post-intervention, the PG-SGA scores in the study group were lower, while PA, ALB, and Hb levels were higher than those in the control group (P < .05). The MVV, FEV1, and FVC values were higher in the study group than in the control group after the intervention (P < .05). The PFS and mMRC scores were lower in the study group compared to the control group after the intervention, and the QLQ-C30 scores were higher (P < .05). The incidence of complications was 6.98% in the study group, which was not significantly different from 11.90% in the control group (P > .05).

Conclusion:

The exercise-nutrition management model, based on the ERAS concept, exhibits significant perioperative effects in patients undergoing thoracoscopic radical resection of lung cancer, improving their nutritional status and reducing complications.