bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Stability of ternary interfaces and its effects on ideal switching characteristics in inverted coplanar organic transistors
Authors: Murata Keito , Kitahara Gyo , Inoue Satoru , Higashino Toshiki , Matsuoka Satoshi , Arai Shunto , Kumai Reiji , Hasegawa Tatsuo
Published: February 2024

Inverted coplanar or bottom-gate bottom-contact (BGBC)-type thin-film transistors (TFTs) present several advantages for the manufacture and application of organic TFTs, although serious difficulties are encountered when trying to achieve sufficiently high performance. Recently, it was demonstrated that both high mobility and ideal switching are attainable in BGBC-type printed organic TFTs with highly clean semiconductor-gate dielectric interfaces. However, an unknown channel material dependence in the device performance is found. Here, we show that the stability of semiconductor/metal/dielectric ternary interfaces is a crucial factor in the operation of BGBC-type organic TFTs. We fabricate single-crystal organic semiconductor (OSC) films with various numbers of layers using two different materials (phenyl/alkyl-substituted benzothieno[3,2-]benzothiophene and phenyl/alkyl-substituted benzothieno[3,2-]naphtho[2,3-]thiophene) on highly lyophobic Cytop gate dielectric surfaces. The transfer characteristics exhibit notable time-dependent degradation, which clearly depends on the material, layer number, and encapsulation. Kelvin-probe force microscopy measurements reveal that the degradation is ascribed to contact resistance at the source electrodes, while it can be more suppressed in multilayer (two or more layers) OSCs. Atomic force microscopy and in-plane x-ray diffraction profiles present signs of the transformation in single molecular bilayer OSCs laid on the electrodes. The results suggest the importance of the quality of the OSC layer at ternary interfaces, providing a clue for improving the performance of BGBC-type organic TFTs.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Regulating loops in de Sitter spacetime
Authors: Premkumar Akhil
Published: February 2024

Perturbative quantum field theory (QFT) calculations in de Sitter space are riddled with contributions that diverge over time. These contributions often arise from loop integrals, which are notoriously hard to compute in de Sitter. We discuss an approach to evaluate loop integrals that contribute to equal-time correlators of a scalar field theory in a fixed de Sitter background. Our method is based on the Mellin-Barnes representation of correlation functions, which allows us to regulate loop divergences by adjusting the masses of the fields, or by gently deforming the underlying de Sitter spacetime. The resulting expressions have a similar structure as a standard answer from dimensional regularization in flat space QFT. These features of the regulator are illustrated with two examples, worked out in detail. Along the way, we illuminate the physical origin of these divergences and their interpretation with the machinery of the dynamical renormalization group. Our approach regulates the IR divergences of massless and massive particles in the same way. For massless scalars, the loop corrections can be incorporated as systematic improvements to the stochastic inflation framework, allowing for a more precise description of the IR dynamics of such fields in de Sitter.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Virial coefficients of the uniform electron gas from path-integral Monte Carlo simulations
Authors: Röpke G. , Dornheim T. , Vorberger J. , Blaschke D. , Mahato B.
Published: February 2024

The properties of plasmas in the low-density limit are described by virial expansions. Analytical expressions are known from Green's function approaches only for the first three virial coefficients. Accurate path-integral Monte Carlo (PIMC) simulations have recently been performed for the uniform electron gas, allowing the virial expansions to be analyzed and interpolation formulas to be derived. The exact expression for the second virial coefficient is used to test the accuracy of the PIMC simulations and the range of validity of the interpolation formula of Groth [], and we discuss the fourth virial coefficient, which is not exactly known yet. Combining PIMC simulations with benchmarks from exact virial expansion results would allow us to obtain more accurate representations of the equation of state for parameter ranges of conditions which are of interest, e.g., for helioseismology.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Sphaleron Rate of
Nf=2+1
QCD
Authors: Bonanno Claudio , D’Angelo Francesco , D’Elia Massimo , Maio Lorenzo , Naviglio Manuel
Published: February 2024

We compute the sphaleron rate of Nf=2+1 QCD at the physical point for a range of temperatures 200  MeV≲T≲600  MeV. We adopt a strategy recently applied in the quenched case, based on the extraction of the rate via a modified version of the Backus-Gilbert method from finite-lattice-spacing and finite-smoothing-radius Euclidean topological charge density correlators. The physical sphaleron rate is finally computed by performing a continuum limit at fixed physical smoothing radius, followed by a zero-smoothing extrapolation. Dynamical fermions were discretized using the staggered formulation, which is known to yield large lattice artifacts for the topological susceptibility. However, we find them to be rather mild for the sphaleron rate.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
xrdPlanner: exploring area detector geometries for powder diffraction and total scattering experiments
Authors: Krause Lennard , Gjørup Frederik Holm , Jørgensen Mads Ry Vogel
Published: February 2024

xrdPlanner is a software package designed to aid in the planning and preparation of powder X-ray diffraction and total scattering beam times at synchrotron facilities. Many modern beamlines provide a flexible experimental setup and may have several different detectors available. In combination with a range of available X-ray energies, it often makes it difficult for the user to explore the available parameter space relevant for a given experiment prior to the scheduled beam time. xrdPlanner was developed to provide a fast and straightforward tool that allows users to visualize the accessible part of reciprocal space of their experiment at a given combination of photon energy and detector geometry. To plan and communicate the necessary geometry not only saves time but also helps the beamline staff to prepare and accommodate for an experiment. The program is tailored toward powder X-ray diffraction and total scattering experiments but may also be useful for other experiments that rely on an area detector and for which detector placement and achievable momentum-transfer range are important experimental parameters.
Enhancing electrospray ionization efficiency for particle transmission through an aerodynamic lens stack
Authors: Rafie-Zinedine Safi , Varma Yenupuri Tej , Worbs Lena , Maia Filipe R. N. C. , Heymann Michael , Schulz Joachim , Bielecki Johan
Published: February 2024

This work investigates the performance of the electrospray aerosol generator at the European X-ray Free Electron Laser (EuXFEL). This generator is, together with an aerodynamic lens stack that transports the particles into the X-ray interaction vacuum chamber, the method of choice to deliver particles for single-particle coherent diffractive imaging (SPI) experiments at the EuXFEL. For these experiments to be successful, it is necessary to achieve high transmission of particles from solution into the vacuum interaction region. Particle transmission is highly dependent on efficient neutralization of the charged aerosol generated by the electrospray mechanism as well as the geometry in the vicinity of the Taylor cone. We report absolute particle transmission values for different neutralizers and geometries while keeping the conditions suitable for SPI experiments. Our findings reveal that a vacuum ultraviolet ionizer demonstrates a transmission efficiency approximately seven times greater than the soft X-ray ionizer used previously. Combined with an optimized orifice size on the counter electrode, we achieve >40% particle transmission from solution into the X-ray interaction region. These findings offer valuable insights for optimizing electrospray aerosol generator configurations and data rates for SPI experiments.
COVID-19-related accounting disclosures in the financial statements: evidence from an emerging economy
Authors: Karim Md Rezaul , Reza Mohammed Moin Uddin , Shetu Samia Afrin
Published: February 2024

Purpose

This study aims to explore COVID-19-related accounting disclosures using sociological disclosure analysis (SDA) within the context of the developing economy of Bangladesh.

Design/methodology/approach

COVID-19-related accounting disclosures from listed banks’ annual reports have been examined using three levels of SDA: textual, contextual and sociological interpretations. Data were gathered from the banks’ 2019 and 2020 annual reports. The study uses the legitimacy theory as its theoretical framework.

Findings

The research reveals a substantial shift in corporate disclosures due to COVID-19, marked by a significant increase from 2019 to 2020. Despite regulatory and professional directives for COVID-19-specific disclosures, notable non-compliance is evident in subsequent events, going concern, fair value, financial instruments and more. Instead of assessing the implications of COVID-19 and making disclosures, companies used positive, vague and subjective wording to legitimize non-disclosure.

Practical implications

The study’s insights can inform regulators and policymakers in crafting effective guidelines for future crisis-related reporting like COVID-19. The research adds to the literature by methodologically using SDA to explore pandemic-specific disclosures, uncovering the interplay between disclosures, legitimacy and stakeholder engagement.

Originality/value

This study represents a pioneering effort in investigating COVID-19-specific disclosures. Moreover, it uses the SDA methodology along with the legitimacy theory to analyze accounting disclosures associated with COVID-19.
Bibliometric analysis on positive work–family interface
Authors: Mude Mounika , Wesley J. Reeves
Published: February 2024

Purpose

Research on work–family interface (WFI) is almost two decades old. It is widely believed that the archetype of work and family after COVID has changed. Post-COVID emphases and outcomes would be different. Accordingly, a bibliometric analysis of the research would help to understand the state of the research and positive WFI patterns that guide further investigations. The present study used measures such as journals, citations, etc. to determine the bibliometric patterns from 2003 to August 2023 using VOSviewer software.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were obtained from Scopus. 1,601 works were found in the first search. This figure was narrowed down to 525 based on a few conditions. The most commonly referenced journals, sources, authors, etc. were used for the analysis.

Findings

Research on positive WFI has increased in recent years. The total number of articles in positive WFI was 525 between 2003 and August 2023. Greenhaus, Powell and Carlson were the most cited authors in this field. Carlson had produced the highest number of documents in WFI. Most WFI authors focused on antecedents, treating positive WFI as the outcome variable.

Research limitations/implications

This is the first bibliometric analysis conducted on a positive WFI, although there have been a few on work–family conflict. However, other sources such as the Australian Business Deans Council (ABDC) and Web of Science may throw different results on journals, citations, etc. Hence, future researchers might emphasize if the same results originate from data in other databases. Other analytical tools may be used in the place of VOSviewer.

Originality/value

This is the first article on bibliometric analysis of positive WFI. This paper’s primary objective is to understand the patterns of literature available on positive WFI and its significance comprehensively.
An analysis of the inhibitors of resilience in the global value chains of multinational enterprises
Authors: Sindhwani Rahul , Behl Abhishek , Pereira Vijay , Temouri Yama , Bagchi Sushmit
Published: February 2024

Purpose

The COVID-19 pandemic has showcased the lack of resilience found in the global value chains (GVCs) of multinational enterprises (MNEs). Existing evidence shows that MNEs have only recently and slowly started recovering and attempting to rebuild the resilience of their GVCs. This paper analyzes the challenges/inhibitors faced by MNEs in building their resilience through their GVCs.

Design/methodology/approach

A four-stage hybrid model was used to identify the interrelationship among the identified inhibitors and to distinguish the most critical ones by ranking them. In the first stage, we employed a modified total interpretive structural modeling (m-TISM) approach to determine the inter-relationship among the inhibitors. Additionally, we identified the inhibitors' driving power and dependency by performing a matrix multiplication applied to classification (MICMAC) analysis. In the second stage, we employed the Pythagorean fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (PF-AHP) method to determine the weight of the criteria. The next stage followed, in which we used the Pythagorean fuzzy combined compromise solution (PF-CoCoSo) method to rank the inhibitors. Finally, we performed a sensitivity analysis to determine the robustness of the framework we had built based on the criteria and inhibitors.

Findings

We find business sustainability to have the highest importance and managerial governance as the most critical inhibitor hindering the path to resilience. Based on these insights, we derive four research propositions aimed at strengthening the resilience of such GVCs, followed by their implications for theory and practice.

Originality/value

Our findings contribute to the extant literature by uncovering key inhibitors that act as barriers to MNEs. We link out our findings with a number of propositions that we derive, which may be considered for implementation by MNEs and could help them endow their GVCs with resilience.
Work engagement and the impact of a social identity crafting approach to leadership: a case from Africa’s air transport industry
Authors: Theoharakis Vasilis , Wapshott Robert , Cham Lamin
Published: February 2024

Purpose

Managers of public organizations in liberalized sectors face the dual imperative of retaining skilled employees who might be poached by commercial competitors and improving service performance levels without a free hand to invest resources. While employee work engagement (EWE) has been previously suggested as a solution to such management challenges, limitations in its ability to retain employees have been identified. We therefore examine how a social identity crafting (SIC) approach to public leadership that confers a sense of group identity among team members can enhance and extend beyond EWE in addressing this dual imperative.

Design/methodology/approach

We report findings from a survey of employees (n = 199) at “ATCO,” a state-owned national airline that is facing challenges from commercial rivals within a new, competitive environment.

Findings

We confirm previously identified limitations of EWE and, further, demonstrate that a social identity approach to leadership offers a promising avenue for public managers, not only by enhancing employee engagement but, more importantly, by enhancing retention and service performance.

Originality/value

We contribute to studies of leadership, particularly for managers operating in the public sector and resource-constrained environments, demonstrating how SIC, which does not require costly investment to attain, can deliver improved service performance and reduced employee turnover intention, operating beyond EWE, which reaches a plateau in respect of the latter.
Corporate social responsibility and credit rating: evidence from French companies
Authors: Ben Saad Sourour , Laouiti Mhamed , Ajina Aymen
Published: February 2024

Purpose

This study aims to provide further insights into the connection between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and companies’ credit ratings, while also exploring the role of corporate governance as a moderating factor. The hypotheses for this relationship are rooted in both legitimacy and stakeholder theories.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a sample of French non-financial listed firms from 2007 to 2020, this paper uses the ordered probit model introduced by Greene (2000). The issue of endogeneity has also been addressed.

Findings

The study reveals that CSR practices positively impact companies’ credit ratings by enhancing solvency and financial performance. Specifically, firms that prioritize CSR, particularly in the social and environmental dimensions (such as community relations, diversity, employee relations, environmental performance and product characteristics), tend to have higher credit ratings and a reduced risk of default. This suggests that credit rating agencies likely incorporate CSR performance when assigning credit ratings. Furthermore, the quality of corporate governance acts as a moderator, strengthening the relationship between CSR and credit ratings. The findings remain robust even after accounting for key firm attributes and addressing potential endogeneity between CSR and credit ratings.

Practical implications

This research provides valuable guidance for policymakers, corporate managers, investors and other stakeholders, as it offers insights into the influence of CSR activities on risk premiums and financing costs. For financial institutions, expanding credit decisions to encompass non-financial factors such as CSR can result in more accurate predictions of firm credit quality compared to relying solely on financial indicators.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study stands out as the first to systematically examine the relationship between CSR and credit ratings within the French context. Moreover, it distinguishes itself by investigating the moderating influence of corporate governance on this relationship, setting it apart from prior research.
Contingency, crises & disasters: Broadening the research agenda
Authors: Hollis Simon
Published: February 2024

The idea of contingency emphasizes uncertainty, the consequences of choice as well as our dependence on persons and events outside our control and ability to comprehend. The concept is thus integral to how we define and understand disasters and crises. Yet the way in which contingency informs research agendas is often restricted to a dialectic reaction to uncertainty, the unknown, and the uncontrollable. There is a tendency to explain or prescribe solutions based on an underlying impetus that champions certainty over chaos, knowledge over ignorance, and control over disorder. This type of thinking has been influential in shaping normative and epistemological research trajectories in crises and disaster disciplines, but it has also restricted the contours of what counts as acceptable research on disasters and crises. In this article, I demonstrate how alternative modes of inquiry can transcend this dialectic by producing knowledge in reception to – rather than in contention from—contingency. In an effort to find a middle road between overemphasizing contingency or necessity, critical realism is used to illustrate how uncertainty, the unknown and the uncontrollable can be recast as an accepted part of a stratified reality leading towards alternative ways of knowing and researching disasters and crises.
Global, regional, and national burden and trends of early‐onset tracheal, bronchus, and lung cancer from 1990 to 2019
Authors: Ma Jun , Song Ying‐da , Bai Xiao‐ming
Published: February 2024

Background

Tracheal, bronchus, and lung cancer (TBL) is one of the main cancer health problems worldwide, but data on the burden and trends of early‐onset tracheal, bronchus, and lung cancer (EO‐TBL) are sparse. The aim of the present study was to provide the latest and the most comprehensive burden estimates of the EO‐TBL cancer from 1990 to 2019.

Methods

Overall, we used data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study in EO‐TBL cancer from 1990 to 2019. Evaluation metrics included incidence, mortality, and disability‐adjusted life years (DALYs). The joinpoint regression model was used to analyze the temporal trends. Decomposition analysis was employed to analyze the driving factors for EO‐TBL cancer burden alterations. Bayesian age‐period‐cohort (BAPC) analysis was used to estimate trends in the next 20 years.

Results

The global age‐standardized incidence rate (ASIR), age‐standardized mortality rate (ASMR), and age‐standardized DALYs rate (ASDR) for EO‐TBL cancer decreased significantly from 3.95 (95% uncertainty interval [UI]: 3.70–4.24), 3.41 (95% UI: 3.19–3.67), 158.68 (95% UI: 148.04–170.92) in 1990 to 2.82 (95% UI: 2.54–3.09), 2.28 (95% UI: 2.07–2.49), 106.47 (95% UI: 96.83–116.51) in 2019 with average annual percent change (AAPC) of −1.14% (95% confidence interval [CI]: −1.32 to −0.95), −1.37% (95% CI: −1.55 to −1.18), and − 1.35% (95% CI: −1.54 to −1.15) separately. The high and high‐middle sociodemographic index (SDI) region had a higher burden of EO‐TBL cancer but demonstrated a downward trend. The most prominent and significant upward trends were Southeast and South Asia, Africa, and women in the low SDI and low‐middle SDI quintiles. At the regional and national level, there were significant positive correlations between ASDR, ASIR, ASMR, and SDI. Decomposition analysis showed that population growth and aging have driven the increase in the number of incidence, mortality, and DALYs in the global population, especially among the middle SDI quintile and the East Asia region. The BAPC results showed that ASDR, ASIR, and ASMR in women would increase but the male population remained relatively flat over the next 20 years.

Conclusions

Although global efforts have been the most successful and effective in reducing the burden of EO‐TBL cancer over the past three decades, there was strong regional and gender heterogeneity. EO‐TBL cancer need more medical attention in the lower SDI quintiles and in the female population.
Stereological and computed tomography calculation of intracranial volume in Hamdani sheep
Authors: Koçyiğit Ali , Demircioğlu İsmail , Güzel Barış Can
Published: February 2024

The intracranial cavity contains vital organs such as the brain, cerebellum and meninges. The veterinary field employment in this region is limited. For this reason, obtaining information about the intracranial cavity, the operation to be performed on this region and information about the world will benefit our unit. It aimed to examine the width between gender differences and expectations by calculating the intracranial volume stereological and 3D models using computed tomography sections. In the study, 7 male and 6 female adult Hamdani sheep were used. The intracranial cavity was modelled in 3D using computed tomography sections. Intracranial volume was estimated using CT slices according to the Cavalieri principle. Morphometric measurements were obtained from the intracranial cavity. In the study, intracranial volume was calculated as 120.50±7.59 cm3 in females and 137.29±9.79 cm3 in males in measurements made using Computed Tomography. Intracranial volume calculation made using the Cavalieri's principle was calculated as 125.33±5.20cm3 in females and 136.89±9.13 cm3in males. In the configured CT models, a target difference was detected between the male and female volume values calculated on it (p < 0.05). There was a difference between males and females in stereologically viable intracranial volume (p < 0.05). A high level of density was observed between the results of both methods. In the mean of the data, there was no difference between the objectives (p > 0.05). Morphometric measurements determined that the maximum cranial cavity width parameter was between females and males (p < 0.005). In index1 and index2 calculated with the obtained partitions, a circulating difference between genders was observed (p < 0.05). In the resulting state, the 3‐dimensional intracranial cavity models and the intracranial volume fraction estimated by the Cavalieri principle are conserved. There are high limits between the methods. Feeding future intracranial volume and clinical care.
Association of blood lipid profiles and asthma: A bidirectional two‐sample Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Liu Yi‐Shian , Lin Yu‐Chun , Lin Meng‐Chih , Wu Chao‐Chien , Wang Tsu‐Nai
Published: February 2024

Background

Observational studies and meta‐analyses have indicated associations between blood lipid profiles and asthma. However, the causal association is unknown. Therefore, this study investigated the causal relationship between blood lipid profiles and asthma using bidirectional Mendelian randomization analysis.

Methods and materials

Our analyses were performed using individual data from the Taiwan Biobank and summary statistics from the Asian Genetic Epidemiology Network (AGEN). The causal estimates between all genetic variants, exposures of interest and asthma were calculated using an inverse‐variance weighted method based on Taiwan Biobank data from 24,853 participants (mean age, 48.8 years; 49.8% women). Sensitivity analyses, including the weighted median, MR Egger regression, MR‐PRESSO, mode‐based estimate, contamination mixture methods, and leave‐one‐out analysis, were applied to validate the results and detect pleiotropy.

Results

In the inverse‐variance weighted (IVW) analyses, we found evidence of a significant causal effect of an increased level of low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol on asthma risk (βIVW = 1.338, p = 0.001). A genetically decreased level of high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol was also associated with asthma risk (βIVW = −0.338, p = 0.01). We also found that an increased level of total cholesterol was associated with an increased risk of asthma (βIVW = 1.343, p = 0.001). Several sensitivity analyses generated consistent findings. We did not find evidence to support the causality between asthma and blood lipid profiles in either direction.

Conclusion

Our results supported the causal relationship between higher levels of LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol and lower levels of HDL cholesterol with an increased risk of asthma.
Meta‐analysis: Prevalence and impact of alcohol abstinence in alcohol‐associated cirrhosis
Authors: Lim Wen Hui , Tay Phoebe , Ng Cheng Han , Tan Darren Jun Hao , Ong Christen , Koh Jia Hong , Teng Margaret , Chee Douglas , Wong Zhen Yu , Kawaguchi Takumi , Takahashi Hirokazu , Muthiah Mark , Tan Eunice X. X. , Wijarnpreecha Karn , Lee Guan Huei , Noureddin Mazen , Lee Brian P. , Mathurin Philippe , Loomba Rohit , Huang Daniel Q.
Published: February 2024

Background

Although alcohol abstinence may be an effective intervention for alcohol‐associated cirrhosis, its association with prognosis has not been systematically assessed or quantified.

Aims

To determine the prevalence of alcohol abstinence, factors associated with alcohol abstinence and the impact of abstinence on morbidity and overall survival in people with alcohol‐associated cirrhosis.

Methods

We searched Medline and Embase from inception to 15 April 2023 for prospective and retrospective cohort studies describing alcohol abstinence in people with known alcohol‐associated cirrhosis. Meta‐analysis of proportions for pooled estimates was performed. The method of inverse variance, employing a random‐effects model, was used to pool the hazard ratio (HR) comparing outcomes of abstinent against non‐abstinent individuals with alcohol‐associated cirrhosis.

Results

We included 19 studies involving 18,833 people with alcohol‐associated cirrhosis. The prevalence of alcohol abstinence was 53.8% (CI: 44.6%–62.7%). Over a mean follow‐up duration of 48.6 months, individuals who continued to consume alcohol had significantly lower overall survival compared to those who were abstinent (HR: 0.611, 95% CI: 0.506–0.738). These findings remained consistent in sensitivity/subgroup analysis for the presence of decompensation, study design and studies that assessed abstinence throughout follow‐up. Alcohol abstinence was associated with a significantly lower risk of hepatic decompensation (HR: 0.612, 95% CI: 0.473–0.792).

Conclusions

Alcohol abstinence is associated with substantial improvement in overall survival in alcohol‐associated cirrhosis. However, only half of the individuals with known alcohol‐associated cirrhosis are abstinent.
A simulation study on model‐informed precision dosing of amikacin for achieving target area under the concentration–time curve
Authors: Yamada Tomoyuki , Oda Kazutaka , Nishihara Masami , Neo Masashi
Published: February 2024

Aims

Amikacin requires therapeutic drug monitoring for optimum efficacy; however, the optimal model‐informed precision dosing strategy for the area under the concentration–time curve (AUC) of amikacin is uncertain. This simulation study aimed to determine the efficient blood sampling points using the Bayesian forecasting approach for early achievement of the target AUC range for amikacin in critically ill patients.

Methods

We generated a virtual population of 3000 individuals using 2 validated population pharmacokinetic models identified using a systematic literature search. AUC for each blood sampling point was evaluated using the probability of achieving a ratio of estimated/reference AUC at steady state in the 0.8–1.2 range.

Results

On day 1, the 1‐point samplings for population pharmacokinetic models showed a priori probabilities of 26.3 and 45.6%, which increased to 47.3 and 94.4% at 23 and 15 h, respectively. Using 2‐point sampling at the peak (3 and 4 h) and trough (24 h) on day 1, these probabilities further increased to 72.3 and 99.5%, respectively. These probabilities were comparable on days 2 and 3, regardless of 3 and 6 sampling points or estimated glomerular filtration rate. These results indicated the higher predictive accuracy of 2‐point sampling than 1‐point sampling on day 1 for amikacin AUC estimation. Moreover, 2‐point sampling was a more reasonable approach than rich sampling.

Conclusions

This study contributes to the development of an efficient model‐informed precision dosing strategy for early targeting of amikacin AUC in critically ill patients.
Risk of fractures and use of bisphosphonates in adult patients with immune thrombocytopenia—A nationwide population‐based study
Authors: Mannering Nikolaj , Hansen Dennis Lund , Moulis Guillaume , Ghanima Waleed , Pottegård Anton , Frederiksen Henrik
Published: February 2024

Corticosteroids remain the first‐line treatment of immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), but increase the risk of osteoporosis and fractures. Bisphosphonates are used for the treatment of osteoporosis, but their usage among patients with ITP has not been systemically described. We investigated the risk of fractures and the use of bisphosphonates in adult patients with primary (pITP) and secondary ITP (sITP) compared with matched comparators in a nationwide registry‐based cohort study. We identified 4030 patients with pITP (median age 60 years [IQR, 40–74]), 550 with sITP (median age 59 years [IQR, 43–74]) and 182 939 age–sex‐matched general population comparators. All individuals were followed for incident fractures. Bisphosphonate use was estimated for calendar‐years and in temporal relation to the ITP diagnosis. Adjusted cause‐specific hazard ratio (csHR) for any fracture was 1.37 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.23; 1.54) for pITP and 1.54 (1.17; 2.03) for sITP. The first‐year csHR was 1.82 (1.39; 2.40) for pITP and 2.78 (1.58; 4.91) for sITP. Bisphosphonate use over calendar‐years and in the early years following ITP diagnosis was higher among patients with ITP diagnosis compared with the general population. In conclusion, the risk of fractures and the use of bisphosphonates are higher in patients with ITP compared with the general population.
Tectonic control on the palaeogeographic evolution of thrust‐top basins at the active margin of the Guadalquivir Basin (central Betic Cordillera, S Spain)
Authors: Aguirre Julio , Braga Juan C. , Martín José M. , Puga‐Bernabéu Ángel
Published: February 2024

The Guadalquivir Basin is the foreland basin of the Betic Cordillera (S Spain). Closest to the orogen, several thrust‐top basins evolved during the Late Miocene in the central part of the cordillera. Here, we study the Upper Miocene deposits in five of these satellite basins: Montefrío, Iznájar‐Cuevas de San Marcos, Antequera, Bobadilla Estación and Teba, in order to (1) update the stratigraphic framework, (2) infer a depositional model, (3) establish the relationship between sedimentary record and tectonic context and (4) reconstruct the palaeogeography of the area during the Late Miocene. Upper Miocene sediments mostly consist of mixed carbonate‐terrigenous deposits. Facies characterization allows inferring a sedimentary model corresponding to a ramp with foreshore deposits changing to a shoal belt offshore in the inner ramp. Swaley and hummocky cross‐stratified deposits formed in the transition to the middle ramp, and plane parallel carbonate beds in the distal middle‐outer ramp. Factory facies, dominated by rhodoliths and bryozoans, also occur in the middle‐outer ramp environments. Silts and marls formed in the deepest outer ramp and basin settings respectively. Breccias accumulated at the toe of palaeocliffs and conglomerates and massive coarse sands were deposited in fluvio‐deltaic systems. Conglomerates and sands were also reworked as gravity flows and redeposited offshore. Local facies include rudstones‐grainstones displaying large‐scale trough‐cross bedding formed in a strait in Montefrío, and marls with chalky carbonates deposited in a shallow marine, sheltered lagoon with hydromorphic soils in Bobadilla Estación. The study basins evolved in an N‐S compressive tectonic context responsible of the emersion of the main Betic reliefs. Concomitantly, E‐W and ESE‐WNW extension originated the main depocentres. The influence of the tectonic activity on the sedimentary infills is indicated by the presence of synsedimentary deformations and several diachronic unconformities, which are younger westward. Tectonism, in turn, also controlled the palaeogeographic evolution during the late Tortonian‐early Messinian interval.
Language brokering profiles of Mexican‐origin adolescents in immigrant communities: Social‐cultural contributors and developmental outcomes
Authors: Kim Su Yeong , Song Jiaxiu , Wen Wen , Yan Jinjin , Tse Hin Wing , Chen Shanting , López Belem G. , Shen Yishan , Hou Yang
Published: February 2024

This study examines social‐cultural contributors and developmental outcomes of language brokers. From 2012 to 2020, three waves of data were collected from 604 Mexican‐origin adolescent language brokers (Mage = 12.92, SD = 0.92, 54% girls). The study (1) identified four distinct subgroups of language brokers (efficacious, conservative, nonchalant, and burdened) who translated for mothers and fathers, after incorporating objective bilingual proficiency along with multiple dimensions of language brokering; (2) showed that early adolescents' Mexican, rather than U.S., cultural values and orientation were related to later language brokering profiles; and (3) showed that the efficacious group was the most resilient while burdened was the most vulnerable to developmental problems. Preservation of Mexican culture may facilitate language brokering experiences related to more positive developmental outcomes.
Co‐recovery of physical size and cognitive ability from infancy to adolescence: A twin study
Authors: Womack Sean R. , Beam Christopher R. , Giangrande Evan J. , Tong Xin , Scharf Rebecca J. , Finkel Deborah , Davis Deborah W. , Turkheimer Eric
Published: February 2024

This study tested phenotypic and biometric associations between physical and cognitive catch‐up growth in a community sample of twins (n = 1285, 51.8% female, 89.3% White). Height and weight were measured at up to 17 time points between birth and 15 years, and cognitive ability was assessed at up to 16 time points between 3 months and 15 years. Weight and length at birth were positively associated with cognitive abilities in infancy and adolescence (r's = .16–.51). More rapid weight catch‐up growth was associated with slower, steadier cognitive catch‐up growth. Shared and nonshared environmental factors accounted for positive associations between physical size at birth and cognitive outcomes. Findings highlight the role of prenatal environmental experiences in physical and cognitive co‐development.
Exploring potential reach and representativeness of a self‐weighing weight gain prevention intervention in adults with overweight and obesity
Authors: Scotti Kellie B. , Rajoria Melinda , Carrera Seoane Montserrat , Ross Kathryn M. , Muenyi Sofia , McVay Megan A.
Published: February 2024

Most adults with obesity do not enrol in comprehensive weight loss interventions when offered. For these individuals, lower burden self‐weighing interventions may offer an acceptable alternative, though data is lacking on the potential for reach and representativeness of such interventions. Health system patients with BMI ≥30 kg/m2 (or 25–30 kg/m2 with an obesity comorbidity) completed a general health survey. During the survey, patients were given information about comprehensive weight loss interventions. If they denied interest or did not enrol in a comprehensive intervention, they were offered enrolment in a low‐burden weight gain prevention intervention focused on daily self‐weighing using a cellular network‐connected in‐home scale without any dietary or physical activity prescriptions. Enrolment in this program was documented. Among patients offered the self‐weighing intervention (n = 85; 55.3% men; 58.8% White; BMI = 34.2 kg/m2), 44.2% enrolled. Compared to those who did not enrol, enrollers had higher educational attainment (57.1% vs. 42.9% with bachelor's degree p = .02), social anxiety (5.8 vs. 2.8, p < .001), and perceptions of the effectiveness of the self‐weighing intervention (25.8 vs. 20.9 on 35, p = .007). The most highly endorsed reason for not enrolling in the self‐weighing intervention was that it would make individuals overly focused on weight. A low‐intensity weight gain prevention intervention may serve as a viable alternative to comprehensive weight loss interventions for the substantial portion of patients who are at risk for continued weight gain but would otherwise not enrol in a comprehensive intervention. Differential enrolment by education, however, suggests potential for inequitable uptake.
Rescue technique using a novel device delivery system for difficult endoscopic transpapillary gallbladder stenting
Authors: Nakahara Kazunari , Sekine Akihiro , Tateishi Keisuke
Published: February 2024

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A meta‐analysis of diabetes risk prediction models applied to prediabetes screening
Authors: Liu Yujin , Yu Sunrui , Feng Wenming , Mo Hangfeng , Hua Yuting , Zhang Mei , Zhu Zhichao , Zhang Xiaoping , Wu Zhen , Zheng Lanzhen , Wu Xiaoqiu , Shen Jiantong , Qiu Wei , Lou Jianlin
Published: February 2024

Aim

To provide a systematic overview of diabetes risk prediction models used for prediabetes screening to promote primary prevention of diabetes.

Methods

The Cochrane, PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases were searched for a comprehensive search period of 30 August 30, 2023, and studies involving diabetes prediction models for screening prediabetes risk were included in the search. The Quality Assessment Checklist for Diagnostic Studies (QUADAS‐2) tool was used for risk of bias assessment and Stata and R software were used to pool model effect sizes.

Results

A total of 29 375 articles were screened, and finally 20 models from 24 studies were included in the systematic review. The most common predictors were age, body mass index, family history of diabetes, history of hypertension, and physical activity. Regarding the indicators of model prediction performance, discrimination and calibration were only reported in 79.2% and 4.2% of studies, respectively, resulting in significant heterogeneity in model prediction results, which may be related to differences between model predictor combinations and lack of important methodological information.

Conclusions

Numerous models are used to predict diabetes, and as there is an association between prediabetes and diabetes, researchers have also used such models for screening the prediabetic population. Although it is a new clinical practice to explore, differences in glycaemic metabolic profiles, potential complications, and methods of intervention between the two populations cannot be ignored, and such differences have led to poor validity and accuracy of the models. Therefore, there is no recommended optimal model, and it is not recommended to use existing models for risk identification in alternative populations; future studies should focus on improving the clinical relevance and predictive performance of existing models.
Baseline and change in serum uric acid level over time and resolution of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in young adults: The Kangbuk Samsung Health Study
Authors: Cho Yoosun , Chang Yoosoo , Ryu Seungho , Wild Sarah H. , Byrne Christopher D.
Published: February 2024

Aims

To determine the association between: (i) baseline serum uric acid (SUA) level and (ii) SUA changes over time, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) resolution.

Materials and Methods

A retrospective cohort study, comprising 38 483 subjects aged <40 years with pre‐existing NAFLD, was undertaken. The effects of SUA changes over time were studied in 25 266 subjects. Participants underwent a health examination between 2011 and 2019, and at least one follow‐up liver ultrasonography scan up to December 2020. Exposures included baseline SUA level and SUA changes between baseline and subsequent visits, categorized into quintiles. The reference group was the third quintile (Q3) containing zero change. The primary endpoint was resolution of NAFLD.

Results

During a median follow‐up of 4 years, low baseline SUA level and decreases in SUA levels over time were independently associated with NAFLD resolution (p for trend <0.001). Using SUA as a continuous variable, the likelihood of NAFLD resolution was increased by 10% and 13% in men and women, respectively, per 1‐mg/dL decrease in SUA. In a time‐dependent model with changes in SUA treated as a time‐varying covariate, adjusted hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) for NAFLD resolution comparing Q1 (highest decrease) and Q2 (slight decrease) to Q3 (reference) were 1.63 (1.49–1.78) and 1.23 (1.11–1.35) in men and 1.78 (1.49–2.12) and 1.18 (0.95–1.46) in women, respectively.

Conclusions

Low baseline SUA levels and a decrease in SUA levels over time were both associated with NAFLD resolution in young adults.
Bardet‐Biedl syndrome: A focus on genetics, mechanisms and metabolic dysfunction
Authors: Tomlinson Jeremy W.
Published: February 2024

Bardet‐Biedl syndrome (BBS) is a rare, monogenic, multisystem disorder characterized by retinal dystrophy, renal abnormalities, polydactyly, learning disabilities, as well as metabolic dysfunction, including obesity and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. It is a primary ciliopathy, and causative mutations in more than 25 different genes have been described. Multiple cellular mechanisms contribute to the development of the metabolic phenotype associated with BBS, including hyperphagia as a consequence of altered hypothalamic appetite signalling as well as alterations in adipocyte biology promoting adipocyte proliferation and adipogenesis. Within this review, we describe in detail the metabolic phenotype associated with BBS and discuss the mechanisms that drive its evolution. In addition, we review current approaches to the metabolic management of patients with BBS, including the use of weight loss medications and bariatric surgery. Finally, we evaluate the potential of targeting hypothalamic appetite signalling to limit hyperphagia and induce clinically significant weight loss.
Wing lengths of three Arctic butterfly species decrease as summers warm in Alaska
Authors: Daly Kathryn M. , Sikes Derek S. , Mann Daniel H. , Breed Greg A.
Published: February 2024

Climate warming can cause arthropods to express plastic and/or evolved changes in morphology. Previous studies have demonstrated that body sizes of Arctic butterflies are influenced by the temperatures experienced as larvae. To investigate whether this was occurring among Alaskan butterflies, we analyzed temporal trends in the wing sizes of three Holarctic species, Colias hecla, Boloria chariclea and Boloria freija, using museum specimens collected in Arctic tundra regions of Alaska between 1971 and 1995. Wing length was compared to accumulated growing degree days (GDD) during both the spring of the year collected and the previous year's summer during the normal period of larval development. We used mixed‐effects models to test if spring and summer temperatures affected adult morphology. Results show that for every 1°C increase in average seasonal temperature, wingspans decreased between 0.7 and 5 mm, with B. freija the most strongly affected. Our results suggest that the morphological sensitivity of Arctic butterflies to warming is the outcome of interactions between life‐history traits and regional climate, with all species sensitive to warming the summer before the flight year as well as warming the spring of the flight year. Boloria freija, which overwinters as late instar larvae that do not feed before pupation the following spring, was particularly strongly affected by summer warming.
Landscape simplification, urbanization, biological invasions, and climate change: a review of the major threats to native coccinellids in Central Chile
Authors: Grez Audrey , Zaviezo Tania
Published: February 2024

Coccinellids (Coleoptera) are important natural enemies of pests in agroecosystems. However, worldwide, native species face several threats, including landscape simplification, biological invasions, and climate change. In Central Chile, one of the global biodiversity hotspots, coccinellid communities are very diverse and are composed mostly of native species, which are most common in less disturbed habitats. In alfalfa fields, native coccinellids play a crucial role in the biological control of aphids, even when they are less abundant than exotics. However, in the last 2 decades, native species in this crop have declined in abundance and diversity. Our long‐lasting field and laboratory studies have shown that this decline is associated with: (1) the invasion of Harmonia axyridis (Pallas), which has superior competitive abilities and escapes more from parasitism; (2) the simplification of agricultural landscapes, loss of natural habitats, and urbanization; and (3) increasing environmental temperatures and decreasing precipitation. The decline in native coccinellid populations has resulted in a loss of taxonomic and functional diversity of assemblages, which may jeopardize biological control. Alfalfa fields and natural and semi‐natural habitats may offer an opportunity for the conservation of native coccinellids in agricultural landscapes. Such conservation might be achieved with better management of alfalfa fields and surrounding areas.