bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Systematic review and meta‐analysis of the effect of N‐acetylcysteine on outcomes after liver resection
Authors: Koh Amanda , Wong Tiffany , Adiamah Alfred , Sanyal Sudip
Published: August 2024

Background

N‐Acetylcysteine (NAC) is a recognized antioxidative agent that facilitates the conjugation of toxic metabolites. In recent years, NAC has been routinely used to limit ischaemia‐reperfusion injury in liver transplantation. There remains, however, contradictory evidence on its effectiveness in liver resection. This meta‐analysis examines the effectiveness of NAC in improving outcomes following hepatectomy.

Methods

A comprehensive search of the MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases was performed to identify relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published since database inception until November 2023. The outcomes of Day 1 biochemical markers (lactate, ALT, bilirubin, and INR), length of stay, transfusion rates, and morbidity were extracted. Quantitative pooling of data was based on a random‐effects model. The study protocol was registered on PROSPERO (Registration no: CRD42023442429).

Results

Five RCTs reporting on 388 patients undergoing hepatectomy were included in the analysis. There were no significant differences in patient demographics between groups. Post‐operative lactate was lower in patients receiving NAC (WMD −0.61, 95% CI −1.19 to −0.04, I2 = 67%). There were, however, no differences in the post‐operative INR (WMD −0.04, 95% CI −0.19 to 0.12, I2 = 96%) and ALT (WMD ‐94.94, 95% CI −228.46 to 40.38; I2 = 67%). More importantly, there were no statistically significant differences in length of stay, transfusion rates, and morbidity between the two groups.

Conclusion

The administration of NAC in liver resection did not alter important biochemical parameters suggesting any real effectiveness in reducing hepatic dysfunction. There were no improvements in the clinical outcomes of length of stay, transfusion rates, and overall morbidity.
Cesarean section at full dilatation in the first birth is not associated with an increased risk of subsequent miscarriage: A historical cohort study
Authors: Woolner Andrea , Raja Edwin Amalraj , Black Mairead
Published: August 2024

Introduction

Cesarean section at full dilatation has been associated with an increased risk of subsequent preterm birth. We hypothesized that there may be an increased risk of miscarriage in pregnancies that follow cesarean section at full dilatation. This study aimed to determine if a first‐term (≥37 weeks) cesarean section at full dilatation is associated with an increased risk of miscarriage in the next pregnancy.

Material and Methods

A historical cohort study was conducted using routinely collected hospital data within the Aberdeen Maternity and Neonatal Databank (AMND). The population included were women who had a first‐term birth and who had a second birth recorded within the AMND. Logistic and multinomial regression was used to determine any association with miscarriage at any gestation and for early (<13 weeks gestation) and late (13–23 + 6 weeks gestation) miscarriage, with cesarean section at full dilatation defined as the exposure. Miscarriage in the second pregnancy (spontaneous loss of intrauterine pregnancy prior to 24 weeks gestation) was the primary outcome.

Results

In total, 33 452 women were included. Women who had a first cesarean section at full dilatation were no more likely to have a miscarriage at any gestation than women with all other modes of first birth (including all vaginal births, planned CS, and the first stage of labor (<10 cm dilated CS)) [adjusted OR 0.84 (0.66–1.08); p = 0.18]. There was no association with early or late miscarriage after a CSfd, though the sample size for late miscarriage was small.

Conclusions

This is the first observational study to investigate the risk of miscarriage following first‐term CSfd. We found no association between miscarriage at any gestation following a first‐term CSfd compared to all other modes of first birth.
Clinical features and prognostic model for viral encephalitis after allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation
Authors: Wu Jin , He Yu‐Chen , Huang Qiu‐Sha , He Yun , Zhao Peng , Chen Qi , Zhu Xiao‐Lu , Fu Hai‐Xia , Kong Jun , Wang Feng‐Rong , Zhang Yuan‐Yuan , Mo Xiao‐Dong , Yan Chen‐Hua , Lv Meng , Wang Yu , Xu Lan‐Ping , Liu Kai‐Yan , Huang Xiao‐Jun , Zhang Xiao‐Hui
Published: August 2024

The objective of this study was to identify independent prognostic factors of viral encephalitis (VE) after allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo‐HSCT) and establish a prognostic model to identify post‐transplant VE patients with a greater likelihood of mortality. Among 5380 patients in our centre from 2014 to 2022, 211 patients who developed VE after allo‐HSCT were reviewed in this retrospective study. Prognostic factors were selected, and a prognostic model was constructed using Cox regression analysis. The model was subsequently validated and estimated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), a calibration plot and decision curve analysis (DCA). Glasgow Coma Scale score <9, lesions >3 lobes on magnetic resonance imaging and severe thrombocytopenia were identified as independent prognostic risk factors for VE patients who underwent allo‐HSCT. The prognostic model GTM (GTM is an abbreviation for a model composed of three risk factors: GCS score <9, severe thrombocytopenia [platelet count <20 000 per microliter], and lesions >3 lobes on MRI) was established according to the regression coefficients. The validated internal AUC was 0.862 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.773–0.950), and the external AUC was 0.815 (95% CI, 0.708–0.922), indicating strong discriminatory ability. Furthermore, we constructed calibration plots that demonstrated good consistency between the predicted outcomes and the observed outcomes. DCA exhibited high accuracy in this system, leading to potential benefits for patients.
Platelet response to romiplostim amongst patients with newly diagnosed, persistent, and chronic immune thrombocytopenia in routine clinical practice in Denmark, Sweden, and Norway
Authors: Christiansen Christian Fynbo , Risbo Nickolaj , Ghanima Waleed , Linder Marie , Bahmanyar Shahram , Seesaghur Anouchka , Clouser Mary , Nørgaard Mette , Sørensen Henrik Toft
Published: August 2024

Patient characteristics and platelet responses at romiplostim initiation according to the duration of immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) are poorly understood. Amongst romiplostim‐exposed adults with ITP lasting ≥6 months during 2009–2018 in Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, we examined characteristics at romiplostim initiation, romiplostim dosage, and durable platelet response (≥75% of measurements ≥50 × 109/L at 14–24 weeks) for subcohorts with newly diagnosed (duration <3 months), persistent (3–12 months), or chronic (>12 months) ITP initiating romiplostim. The 285 romiplostim initiators comprised 81 (28%) with newly diagnosed, 47 (16%) with persistent, and 157 (55%) with chronic ITP. More patients with newly diagnosed ITP than longer ITP duration, had low comorbidity levels, two or more prior ITP therapies, and previous bleeding requiring hospitalisation. The median romiplostim doses were similar across subcohorts. During treatment, median platelet counts were similar across subcohorts (75–76 × 109/L), and the durable platelet response was 64.6%, 52.9%, and 52.7% for newly diagnosed, persistent, and chronic ITP, respectively. After treatment cessation, the median platelet count was 138 × 109/L, 68 × 109/L, and 71 × 109/L, respectively. In conclusion, newly diagnosed patients, compared with romiplostim initiators with longer disease duration, had more severe ITP, higher frequency of durable platelet response, and higher median platelet count after cessation.
Critical features of ecosystem practice empowering industrial sustainability transformation
Authors: Nuutinen Maaria , Valkokari Katri , Jurmu Marko
Published: August 2024

The pursuit of a sustainable industry is facilitated by the evolution of diverse cooperative networks. There is a limited understanding of how industrial actors can collectively foster the continuity in learning required to address wicked problems of sustainability. This study explores how industry stakeholders collectively address this wicked problem by fostering innovation in ecosystems and identifies the critical features of an ecosystem practice that supports empowerment in evolving multi‐actor network settings. Employing an abductive approach, we integrate insights from the innovation literature with analyses of three empirical industrial ecosystem cases to enhance understanding of the internal dynamics inherent in collaborative innovation. This study elucidates the critical features of ecosystem practice, underscoring four key characteristics essential for empowerment. These characteristics hinge on the adept balance of the four identified critical features throughout the process of continuous innovating in ecosystems. We argue that such practices serve as catalysts for cross‐industry innovation, thus expediting transformation. This research contributes to understanding the self‐organizing dynamics needed for sustained learning in evolving collaboration settings where actors, their motivations and their roles change. It also advances innovation theory by illustrating how wicked problems can be collectively addressed through the continuous exploration and exploitation processes of ecosystems.
Fungal communities associated with Picea abies, Pinus sylvestris and Larix sp. seeds of different geographic origin: Implications for disease management
Authors: Larsson Rebecca , Menkis Audrius , Olson Åke
Published: August 2024

In Europe, Pinus sylvestris and Picea abies are the most common coniferous tree species used in commercial forestry, which rely on high‐quality reproductive material for successful reforestation. Clear‐cut harvested forest sites are often replanted using tree seedlings, which are produced in forest nurseries using seeds from seed orchards. However, incidences of fungal diseases in seedling production show that a better knowledge of seedborne fungi, including fungal pathogens, is needed to manage diseases in forest nurseries. This study aimed to assess seedborne fungal communities associated with commercial seeds of P. abies, P. sylvestris and Larix sp. seeds originated from geographically separated regions in Sweden, Belarus, Finland and Poland. Fungal communities were obtained first from the seed surface and then from the seed tissue. These were analysed using high‐throughput sequencing of the ITS2 rDNA region. The results showed that fungal diversity and community composition differed between the seed surface and the seed tissue. Picea abies accommodated a higher fungal diversity than P. sylvestris. In addition, a strong host affinity of the fungal community composition on the seed surface and a weaker association in the seed tissue was found. Fungal communities on P. abies and P. sylvestris seed surface differed significantly between geographical regions, whereas no regional differences were found in the seed tissue. The seedborne fungal communities included a high proportion of plant pathogens, among which the most abundant were Sydowia polyspora (13.3%), Phoma herbarum (11.2%) and Sirococcus conigenus (3.8%). In conclusion, the results showed (a) characteristic fungal diversity and community composition between the seed surface and the seed tissue; (b) a host‐specific fungal community composition on the seed surface and in the seed tissue; (c) regional difference in fungal communities on P. abies and P. sylvestris seed surface, thus the movement of seeds between different regions can contribute to the spread of fungal diseases; and (d) the presence of a high incidence of seedborne fungal pathogens which suggest a potential need of preventative or control measures to reduce the occurrence of these fungi on the seed surface.
Validation of the Online Test Anxiety Inventory (ON‐TAI) for adult students. The Rasch measurement approach
Authors: Panayides Panayiotis , Papanastasiou Elena C. , Georgiou Katerina , Karekla Maria
Published: August 2024

This study is an investigation of the validity of the Online Test Anxiety Inventory (OΝ‐TAI) for adult students. The scale contained the 20 items of the Test Anxiety Inventory (Spielberger, 1980), together with five computer anxiety items, all rephrased so as to pertain to online test anxiety. The scale was administered to a large sample of Greek and Cypriot postgraduate students and Rasch measurement was used for the investigation of its psychometric properties. After original analyses, one of the computer anxiety items was removed, leaving the final instrument with a total of 24 items. Results showed that the scale is unidimensional thus supporting that computer anxiety can indeed be considered a component of online test anxiety. All evidence collected supports the high degree of construct validity of the scale. Furthermore, results verify that the 4‐point scale used is optimal. Additional research, with adult student populations from other countries, with the use of the OΝ‐TAI is suggested for the purpose of broader use.
Leveraging ecological indicators to improve short term forecasts of fish recruitment
Authors: Ward Eric J. , Hunsicker Mary E. , Marshall Kristin N. , Oken Kiva L. , Semmens Brice X. , Field John C. , Haltuch Melissa A. , Johnson Kelli F. , Taylor Ian G. , Thompson Andrew R. , Tolimieri Nick
Published: August 2024

Forecasting the recruitment of fish populations with skill has been a challenge in fisheries for over a century. Previous large‐scale meta‐analyses have suggested linkages between environmental or ecosystem drivers and recruitment; however, applying this information in a management setting remains underutilized. Here, we use a well‐studied database of groundfish assessments from the West Coast of the USA to ask whether environmental variables or ecosystem indicators derived from long‐term monitoring datasets offer an improvement in our ability to skilfully forecast fish recruitment. A secondary question is which types of modelling approaches (ranging from linear models to non‐parametric methods) yield the best forecast skill. Third, we examine whether simultaneous forecasting of multiple species offers an advantage over generating species‐specific forecasts. We find that for approximately one third of the 29 assessed stocks, ecosystem indicators from juvenile surveys yields the highest out of sample predictive skill compared to other covariates (including environmental variables from Regional Ocean Modeling System output) or null models. Across modelling approaches, our results suggest that simpler linear modelling approaches do as well or better than more complicated approaches (reducing out of sample Root Mean Square Error by ~40% compared to null models), and that there appears to be little benefit to performing multispecies forecasts instead of single‐species forecasts. Our results provide a general framework for generating recruitment forecasts in other species and ecosystems, as well as a benchmark for future analyses to evaluate skill. The most promising applications are likely for species that are short lived, have relatively high recruitment variability, and moderate amounts of age or length data. Forecasts using our approach may be useful in identifying covariates or mechanisms to include in operational assessments but also provide qualitative advice to managers implementing ecosystem based fisheries management.
A review of professional issue papers in FCSRJ: 2009–2022
Authors: DeVaney Sharon A. , Lee Jae Min
Published: August 2024

The Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal (FCSRJ) is a multidisciplinary journal that includes Professional Issues as one of eight topic areas. This paper examined 28 professional issue papers published in FCSRJ between 2009 and 2022. The following eight categories emerged: Early Leaders in Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS); Understanding FCS; Accreditation and Standards; Collaboration, Funding, and Leadership; Current Leaders; Mentoring Students; Mastering the Art of Publishing; and Approaches to Quantitative and Qualitative Research. Overall, this study highlights the potential for diverse voices and formats to enrich the discourse surrounding professional issues.
Oxidative stress‐induced YAP1 expression is regulated by NCE102, CDA2, and BCS1
Authors: Takallou Sarah , Hajikarimlou Maryam , Al‐gafari Mustafa , Wang Jiashu , Jagadeesan Sasi Kumar , Kazmirchuk Thomas David Daniel , Arnoczki Christina , Moteshareie Houman , Said Kamaledin B. , Azad Taha , Holcik Martin , Samanfar Bahram , Smith Myron , Golshani Ashkan
Published: August 2024

Maintaining cellular homeostasis in the face of stress conditions is vital for the overall well‐being of an organism. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are among the most potent cellular stressors and can disrupt the internal redox balance, giving rise to oxidative stress. Elevated levels of ROS can severely affect biomolecules and have been associated with a range of pathophysiological conditions. In response to oxidative stress, yeast activator protein‐1 (Yap1p) undergoes post‐translation modification that results in its nuclear accumulation. YAP1 has a key role in oxidative detoxification by promoting transcription of numerous antioxidant genes. In this study, we identified previously undescribed functions for NCE102, CDA2, and BCS1 in YAP1 expression in response to oxidative stress induced by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Deletion mutant strains for these candidates demonstrated increased sensitivity to H2O2. Our follow‐up investigation linked the activity of these genes to YAP1 expression at the level of translation. Under oxidative stress, global cap‐dependent translation is inhibited, prompting stress‐responsive genes like YAP1 to employ alternative modes of translation. We provide evidence that NCE102, CDA2, and BCS1 contribute to cap‐independent translation of YAP1 under oxidative stress.
A one‐dimensional phenomenological constitutive model of shape memory alloys considering the cyclic degradation of two‐way memory effect
Authors: Zhang Jiacheng , He Yongxi , Zhu Jiang , Zhang Ruixiang , Zhang Yiqun
Published: August 2024

This study introduces a one‐dimensional phenomenological constitutive model designed to describe two‐way shape memory effect (TWSME) and its associated cyclic degradation. The model utilizes the logistic function to formulate the phase transformation equation, incorporates the expansion of key parameters into their respective fatigue functions to characterize the fatigue phenomenon, and integrates a phase transformation rate regulation function into the differential form of the phase transformation equation. This integration facilitates the control over the entire phase transformation process and the simulation of incomplete transformations. The model is distinguished by its comprehensive functionality, simple form, ease of calculation, and the clear and direct influence of key parameters. Furthermore, it offers a degree of flexibility because each function within the framework is replaceable. The simulation of the TWSME strain and recovery stress hysteresis loop deformation has been successfully conducted, enabling the description of internal hysteresis loops caused by incomplete transformation. The validity of the model is corroborated by comparing it with existing experimental results.
Multiaxial fatigue behavior and life estimation of Al‐Li alloy 2099 under strain‐controlled loading
Authors: Merah Nesar , Albinmousa Jafar , Adinoyi Muhammed J. , Ali Usman
Published: August 2024

Aluminum‐lithium alloys are a class of advanced materials designed to reduce weight and improve performance in aerospace and other high‐tech applications. This paper presents a research investigation on the in‐phase and out‐of‐phase multiaxial fatigue behaviors of the third‐generation AW2099‐T83 aluminum‐lithium alloy that have not been addressed before. Additional hardening was observed under nonproportional loading condition at high strain amplitudes. Fatigue lives were estimated using von Mises equivalent strain and two critical plane models: the Fatemi‐Socie (FS) and the Smith‐Watson‐Topper (SWT). In addition, a supervised machine‐learning model (support vector machine—SVM) was employed to predict the fatigue life under the above‐mentioned loading conditions. The FS criterion was found to yield better fatigue life predictions than SWT. The estimations of FS model mostly fall within ±3× scatter bands with some data falling within the conservative and non‐conservative regions. The SVM model resulted in excellent predictions within ±2× scatter bands.
Towards an ecosystem capacity to stabilise organic carbon in soils
Authors: Poeplau Christopher , Dechow Rene , Begill Neha , Don Axel
Published: August 2024

Soil organic carbon (SOC) accrual, and particularly the formation of fine fraction carbon (OCfine), has a large potential to act as sink for atmospheric CO2. For reliable estimates of this potential and efficient policy advice, the major limiting factors for OCfine accrual need to be understood. The upper boundary of the correlation between fine mineral particles (silt + clay) and OCfine is widely used to estimate the maximum mineralogical capacity of soils to store OCfine, suggesting that mineral surfaces get C saturated. Using a dataset covering the temperate zone and partly other climates on OCfine contents and a SOC turnover model, we provide two independent lines of evidence, that this empirical upper boundary does not indicate C saturation. Firstly, the C loading of the silt + clay fraction was found to strongly exceed previous saturation estimates in coarse‐textured soils, which raises the question of why this is not observed in fine‐textured soils. Secondly, a subsequent modelling exercise revealed, that for 74% of all investigated soils, local net primary production (NPP) would not be sufficient to reach a C loading of 80 g C kg−1 silt + clay, which was previously assumed to be a general C saturation point. The proportion of soils with potentially enough NPP to reach that point decreased strongly with increasing silt + clay content. High C loadings can thus hardly be reached in more fine‐textured soils, even if all NPP would be available as C input. As a pragmatic approach, we introduced texture‐dependent, empirical maximum C loadings of the fine fraction, that decreased from 160 g kg−1 in coarse to 75 g kg−1 in most fine‐textured soils. We conclude that OCfine accrual in soils is mainly limited by C inputs and is strongly modulated by texture, mineralogy, climate and other site properties, which could be formulated as an ecosystem capacity to stabilise SOC.
Bright and early: artificial light affects arrival time, but not group size or vigilance in Little Penguins (Eudyptula minor)
Authors: Iasiello Larissa , Colombelli‐Négrel Diane
Published: August 2024

Coastal developments are ever‐expanding and increasing the use of artificial lights within marine environments. Yet there is conflicting research on the impact of artificial lights on seabirds. Here, we experimentally investigated the impacts of artificial white lights on the behaviours (arrival time, group size, number of groups and vigilance) of breeding Little Penguins Eudyptula minor. Little Penguins are central‐place foragers that spend daylight hours foraging at sea and return to their breeding colony after sunset to attend to their chicks or relieve their incubating partners. We exposed Little Penguins returning to their colony at night to either (1) a self‐sustaining white LED floodlight or (2) a control system with a decoy light turned ‘off’. We used two different landing sites (site 1, site 2) that differed in landscape characteristics to assess whether behavioural responses to light were site‐specific. Little Penguins arrived in larger groups at the landing site 2. Regardless of site, we observed fewer groups that arrived earlier when the light was ‘on’. The effects of artificial light (or ‘lack of artificial light’) on the vigilance of Little Penguins were site‐specific, with Little Penguins spending proportionally more time in vigilance when the light was ‘off’ at site 2 compared with site 1. Our results support the idea that artificial lights produced from coastal developments can alter penguin behaviours, but that the effects of artificial lights can be context‐dependent and need to be assessed on a case‐by‐case basis.
Establishing reflex test rules for platelet fluorescent counting method using machine learning models on Sysmex XN‐series hematology analyzer
Authors: Zhou Zhengyu , Guo Mengqiao , Wu Kang , Yue Zhanyi
Published: August 2024

Introduction

The platelet fluorescent counting (PLT‐F) method is utilized as a reflex test method following the initial test of the platelet impedance counting (PLT‐I) method in clinical practice on the Sysmex XN‐series automated hematology analyzer. Our aim is to establish reflex test rules for the PLT‐F method by combining multiple parameters provided by the “CBC + DIFF” mode of the Sysmex XN‐series automated hematology analyzer.

Methods

We tested 120 samples to evaluate the baseline bias between the PLT‐F and PLT‐I methods. Then, we selected 1256 samples to establish and test reflex test rules using seven machine learning models (decision Tree, random forest, neural network, logistic regression, k‐nearest neighbor, support vector machine, and Naive Bayes). The training set and test set were divided at a ratio of 7:3. We evaluated the performance of machine learning models on the test set using various metrics to select the most valuable model.

Results

The PLT‐F method exhibited a high degree of correlation with the PLT‐I method (r = 0.998). The random forest model emerged as the most valuable, boasting an accuracy of 0.893, an area under the curve of 0.954, an F1 score of 0.771, a recall of 0.719, a precision of 0.831, and a specificity of 0.950. The most important variable in the random forest model was mean cell volume, weighted at 15.09%.

Conclusion

The random forest model, which demonstrated high efficiency in our study, can be used to establish PLT reflex test rules based on the PLT‐F method for the Sysmex XN‐series automated hematology analyzer.
Feasibility, safety, and efficacy of a novel external compression vascular closure device: The LockeT® study
Authors: Katapadi Aashish , Pham Nicholas , Chelikam Nikhila , Ghazal Rachad , Mansabdar Aditya , Ehteshamuddin Fnu , Darden Douglas , Gopinathannair Rakesh , Kabra Rajesh , Pothineni Naga Venkata , Bommana Sudharani , Atkins Donita , DiBiase Luigi , Al‐Ahmad Amin , Natale Andrea , Lakkireddy Dhanunjaya
Published: August 2024

Introduction

Hemostasis following large‐bore femoral vein access remains a challenge. Manual compression has been the standard of care but requires bedside staff, prolonged bed rest, and longer length of stay. The LockeT is an external compression device that attempts to address these issues while achieving venous hemostasis.

Objectives

We evaluate postprocedural hemostasis and vascular closure outcomes after using LockeT following cardiac electrophysiologic procedures.

Methods

We performed a single‐center, observational study of patients who underwent vascular closure for electrophysiology procedures using LockeT. Postprocedural outcomes were subsequently analyzed.

Results

We studied 102 patients (N) for whom LockeT was used to close 182 separate vascular access sites (n). Common procedures were atrial fibrillation ablation (56.9%, N = 58) and left atrial appendage occlusion (28.4%, N = 29). Most often, 8‐Fr [48.3% (n = 126)], 11‐Fr [27.2% (n = 71)], and 8.5‐Fr [16.9% (n = 44)] sheaths were used, with an average procedure time of 82.1 ± 29.4 min. Hemostasis was achieved in 97.8% (n = 187) of all LockeT cases. Time to ambulation and discharge were 3.93 ± 1.10 h and 8.1 ± 4.4 h, respectively. No major complications were noted. Postprocedurally, 52% (N = 53) of patients were discharged on the same day. There were no differences in hemostasis (p = .859) or ambulation times (p = .202) between procedure types.

Conclusion

The LockeT can effectively close venous access sites with no major complications.
Drying kinetics (mathematical modeling) and quality evaluation of herbal leaves (Adulsa and Durva) dried in small‐scale greenhouse solar dryer (GHSD): Experimental investigation and comparative analysis
Authors: Dhande Amol , Agarwal Madhu , Agarwal Ghanshyam Das
Published: August 2024

The study presents the performance of a small‐scale greenhouse solar dryer (GHSD) to demonstrate hygiene and superiority over traditional methods for medicinal Adulsa and Durva leaves. The GHSD dryer lowered the initial moisture of Adulsa leaves from 73.99% (w.b.) to the final 10.63% (w.b.) under natural and forced convection in 3 and 2.5 h, respectively. Similarly, the initial moisture of Durva leaves was reduced from 67.33% (w.b.) to 11.65% (w.b.) under natural and forced convection in 2.75 and 2.5 h, respectively. Furthermore, mathematical modeling with non‐linear regression was implemented to characterize the drying of Adulsa and Durva leaves, which showed that Midilli–Kucuk and Modified Midilli were the most superior fits for reporting the drying of Adulsa leaves in GHSD and open sun drying, respectively, whereas Verma and Midilli–Kucuk models were superior fits for characterizing the drying of Durva leaves in GHSD and open sun, respectively. Furthermore, the quality of the dried Adulsa and Durva leaves was evaluated, where total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) values were marked higher in the leaves dried by the GHSD as compared to open sun drying for both Adulsa and Durva leaves. Moreover, during antioxidant analysis, the IC50 values among the leaves dried in GHSD were recorded to be greater for the natural convection greenhouse solar dryer (NCGHSD) for both Adulsa and Durva (40.67 and 122.24 μg/mL) compared to open sun drying (101.88 and 158.20 μg/mL). A quality assessment was performed on dried Adulsa and Durva leaf samples, and they exhibited appropriateness for pharmaceutical industry drug production.

Practical applications

Greenhouse solar dryer is an eco‐friendly, sustainable, clean, and hygienic way to dry herbs and medicinal plants. The greenhouse solar dryer can shorten the drying time by 50%–60% compared to natural stand in the sun (open sun drying) and improve the quality of the dried herbs, medicinal plants, and reduce the decay rate of the dried products. These leaves can be best suited for Ayurveda medicine industries for herbal powder (Churna). Being an economically advantageous greenhouse solar dryer improves the shelf life of the dried leaves, reduces their density, and lower transportation costs, leading to boost farmers' income in herbal farming and nutritional security.
Association of glycosylated hemoglobin concentrations with structural and functional brain changes in the normoglycemic population: A systematic review
Authors: Soleymani Yunus , Batouli Seyed Amir Hossein , Ahangar Amin Akbari , Pourabbasi Ata
Published: August 2024

Optimal glucose control is crucial for maintaining brain health and preventing metabolic and cognitive disorders in the general population. Glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) serves as a key marker for assessing glucose intolerance and its impact on brain structure and function in healthy individuals. However, existing literature presents conflicting findings, necessitating a systematic review to consolidate current knowledge in this domain. This systematic review examines 26 English‐language studies involving participants aged 15 years and above, investigating the relationship between HbA1c levels and brain health. Studies focusing on normal/general populations and utilizing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as the imaging modality were included. Exclusion criteria encompassed review articles, abstracts, letters, animal studies, and research involving neuropsychiatric or metabolic diseases. Data were gathered from PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases up to November 2023. Analysis reveals significant associations between HbA1c levels and various brain metrics, including volume, cortical thickness, fractional anisotropy, mean diffusivity, activity, and connectivity. However, findings exhibit inconsistency, likely attributed to disparities in sample characteristics and study sizes. Notably, hippocampal volume, white matter hyperintensity, and ventral attention network connectivity emerge as frequently affected structures and functions, mirroring trends observed in diabetic populations. Despite inconclusive evidence, glucose intolerance appears to exert considerable influence on select brain structures and functions in individuals without diagnosed metabolic disorders. Understanding these associations is critical for mitigating the risk of cognitive decline and dementia in healthy populations. Future investigations should aim to elucidate the intricate relationship between HbA1c concentrations and brain health parameters in normoglycemic individuals.
Psychometric validation of the FACE‐Q Aesthetics Satisfaction with Temples scale in individuals seeking minimally invasive treatment to improve temple hollowing
Authors: Kaur Manraj N. , Patel Vaishali D. , Leung Kelly X. , Klassen Anne F.
Published: August 2024

Background

The FACE‐Q Aesthetics is used extensively to measure patient reported outcomes for minimally invasive and surgical facial aesthetic treatments. We recently developed a new FACE‐Q scale to assess satisfaction with the appearance of the temples.

Aim

The aim of this study was to field test the FACE‐Q Satisfaction with Temples scale to examine its psychometric properties.

Methods

The FACE‐Q Satisfaction with Temples scale was administered to 171 adults (22 years or older) seeking minimally invasive treatment to improve temple hollowing as part of a clinical trial. The severity of temple hollowing was established through the clinician‐reported Allergan Temple Hollowing scale (clinician‐rated). The psychometric properties of the FACE‐Q Satisfaction with Temples scale were established by testing Rasch Measurement Theory (RMT) assumptions and model fit; unidimensionality by principal component analysis; and construct validity by hypothesis testing.

Results

The study sample consisted of 171 adults (mean age 54.7 ± 9.9, range, 25–82 years). RMT analysis provided evidence for the scientific soundness of a 12‐item Satisfaction with Temples scale. The data fit the Rasch model (χ2 = 20.47, df = 24, p = 0.67), all items had ordered thresholds, and good item fit. Scale reliability was high, with Person Separation Index and Cronbach alpha values with and without extremes ≥0.93. Principal component analysis revealed a single component with high factor coefficients. Construct validity was established as scores for the Satisfaction with Temples and Face Overall scales were correlated (r = 0.623, p < 0.001).

Conclusion

The FACE‐Q Satisfaction with Temples scale is a reliable and valid measure that can be used in clinical practice and research to measure outcomes following treatment for temple hollowing.
Augmenting intensive care unit nursing practice with generative AI: A formative study of diagnostic synergies using simulation‐based clinical cases
Authors: Levin Chedva , Suliman Moriya , Naimi Etti , Saban Mor
Published: August 2024

Background

As generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools continue advancing, rigorous evaluations are needed to understand their capabilities relative to experienced clinicians and nurses. The aim of this study was to objectively compare the diagnostic accuracy and response formats of ICU nurses versus various GenAI models, with a qualitative interpretation of the quantitative results.

Methods

This formative study utilized four written clinical scenarios representative of real ICU patient cases to simulate diagnostic challenges. The scenarios were developed by expert nurses and underwent validation against current literature. Seventy‐four ICU nurses participated in a simulation‐based assessment involving four written clinical scenarios. Simultaneously, we asked ChatGPT‐4 and Claude‐2.0 to provide initial assessments and treatment recommendations for the same scenarios. The responses from ChatGPT‐4 and Claude‐2.0 were then scored by certified ICU nurses for accuracy, completeness and response.

Results

Nurses consistently achieved higher diagnostic accuracy than AI across open‐ended scenarios, though certain models matched or exceeded human performance on standardized cases. Reaction times also diverged substantially. Qualitative response format differences emerged such as concision versus verbosity. Variations in GenAI models system performance across cases highlighted generalizability challenges.

Conclusions

While GenAI demonstrated valuable skills, experienced nurses outperformed in open‐ended domains requiring holistic judgement. Continued development to strengthen generalized decision‐making abilities is warranted before autonomous clinical integration. Response format interfaces should consider leveraging distinct strengths. Rigorous mixed methods research involving diverse stakeholders can help iteratively inform safe, beneficial human‐GenAI partnerships centred on experience‐guided care augmentation.

Relevance to Clinical Practice

This mixed‐methods simulation study provides formative insights into optimizing collaborative models of GenAI and nursing knowledge to support patient assessment and decision‐making in intensive care. The findings can help guide development of explainable GenAI decision support tailored for critical care environments.

Patient or Public Contribution

Patients or public were not involved in the design and implementation of the study or the analysis and interpretation of the data.
Construction and validation of a prognostic model for overall survival time of patients with ovarian cancer by metabolism‐related genes
Authors: Kong Deshui , Guo Hongyan
Published: August 2024

Background

Ovarian cancer is a female‐specific malignancy with high morbidity and mortality. The metabolic reprogramming of tumor cells is closely related to the biological behavior of tumors.

Methods

The prognostic signature of the metabolism‐related gene (MRGs) was established by LASSO‐Cox regression analysis. The prognostic signature of MRGs was also prognosticated in each clinical subgroup. These genes were subjected to functional enrichment analysis and tissue expression exploration. Analysis of the MRG prognostic signature in terms of immune cell infiltration and antitumor drug susceptibility was also performed.

Results

A MRG prognostic signature including 21 genes was established and validated. Most of the 21 MRGs were expressed at different levels in ovarian cancer than in normal ovarian tissue. The enrichment analysis suggested that MRGs were involved in lipid metabolism, membrane organization, and molecular binding. The MRG prognostic signature demonstrated the predictive value of overall survival time in various clinical subgroups. The monocyte, NKT, Tgd and Tex cell scores showed differences between the groups with high‐ and low‐risk score. The antineoplastic drug analysis we performed provided information on ovarian cancer drug therapy and drug resistance. In vitro experiments verified that PLCH1 in 21 MRGs can regulate the apoptosis and proliferation of ovarian cancer cells.

Conclusion

This metabolism‐related prognostic signature was a potential prognostic factor in patients with ovarian cancer, demonstrating high stability and accuracy.
Application of M‐RCNN for prompt segmentation between infected tomato leaves and healthy tomato leaves
Authors: Bondre Shweta V. , Chinnaiah Kotadi , Bondre Vipin D.
Published: August 2024

Plant diseases have become a problem, as both the quality and quantity of agricultural products can be significantly reduced. The goal of the research is to detect the infection in the plant leaf so that it can be cured before spreading of disease to other plants. The aim of the research is to find out the severity of the leaf disease so that it can be cured based on the level of severity. Also, crop loss can be predicted by using the severity loss. For object localization, we utilize 10,640 tomato leaf images of various classes from the PlantVillage standard repository. As a baseline for future work, we propose a model based on the Mask R‐CNN architecture with ResNet‐50 as the backbone that effectively performs instance segmentation for these six diseases. The dataset is annotated by using the VGG annotator tool and this annotated dataset would have been used to train the ‘Mask R‐CNN model’ and the ResNet50 backbone, fine‐tuning the network's weights to accurately detect and segment diseased regions on leaves. The outcomes of the suggested model achieved an average accuracy of 91.3% by using multiple performance indicators like accuracy, precision and F1 score and Recall. Based on the outcome, the severity of the disease is being identified on a scale of 0, 1, 2 and 3.
Gymnosperm collecting in China: Past, present, and future
Authors: Xie Dan , Chen Tian‐Xiang , Du Hong , Wu Hui , Ran Jin‐Hua
Published: August 2024

Assessing sampling biases caused by nonrandom specimen collecting is crucial in systematics, biogeography, and conservation. Nevertheless, research on the collecting biases of vascular plants in China remains limited. Here, we investigated the collecting status of gymnosperms in China using 48 673 herbarium specimens representing 180 Chinese gymnosperm species. The spatial and temporal patterns, collector and determiner biases, and phylogenetic and taxon biases were studied to comprehend the collecting bias of gymnosperms in China during 1900–2021. Meanwhile, we assessed the inventory completeness of gymnosperms to identify collecting hotspots and coldspots. The results showed that gymnosperms predominantly inhabit mountainous areas in China. The historical collecting of gymnosperms in China can be divided into two distinct stages with four peaks of collecting activities. The distribution of collected or identified specimens per individual displays significant skewness, and the collecting of gymnosperms has the issues of overcollecting or undersampling. Inventory completeness remains deficient, and collecting intensity is weak in both northern China and the range of 22°–25° N in the southern region (i.e., central Yunnan, southern Guangxi, and eastern Guangdong). Additionally, observation of the spatial distribution reveals both hotspots and coldspots scattered across mountain regions, lacking clustering. This study revealed a highly polarized collecting pattern for gymnosperms in China. Consequently, we recommend optimizing collecting measures, targeted specimen collecting, and continuous dynamic monitoring of gymnosperms in future collecting efforts. These recommendations hold relevance not only for gymnosperms in China but also for other land plants worldwide.
The Sleep Condition Indicator (SCI): Psychometric properties of the European Portuguese version
Authors: Marques Daniel Ruivo , Clemente Vanda , Allen Gomes Ana , Dias Sofia Fontoura , Miller Christopher B. , Espie Colin A. , de Azevedo Maria Helena Pinto
Published: August 2024

Insomnia is a highly prevalent sleep disorder. It is the most frequent sleep complaint among Higher Education students. The Sleep Condition Indicator is a self‐report tool aimed at assessing insomnia based on the DSM‐5 criteria. The principal goal of this study was to establish preliminary psychometric properties of the European Portuguese version of the Sleep Condition Indicator in a sample of Higher Education students. Data from a diverse pool of Higher Education students (N = 537) were collected online over a month. Most participants were women (75%) and aged approximately 27 years. The Sleep Condition Indicator demonstrated good internal consistency (α = 0.85), with all the items accounting significantly for the scale reliability. The most appropriate factor structure considering the ordinal nature of the items was unidimensional, with all items explaining 64% of the total variance. However, a two‐factor structure (sleep pattern and sleep‐related impact) was also plausible when other statistical estimators were used. The Sleep Condition Indicator correlated significantly with insomnia severity, vulnerability to stress‐related sleep disturbance, and self‐reported daytime sleepiness. The optimal cut‐off point established based on the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was ≤ 16. A short version comprising only two items was also viable as suggested by the literature. The Sleep Condition Indicator is a reliable and valid tool for screening for insomnia. More studies with other groups are now required, specifically with clinical samples.
Is Second Language Attrition Inevitable After Instruction Ends? An Exploratory Longitudinal Study of Advanced Instructed Second Language Users
Authors: Tracy‐Ventura Nicole , Huensch Amanda , Katz Jonah , Mitchell Rosamond
Published: August 2024

Most second language acquisition (SLA) research has documented the processes involved in learning second/foreign languages, with few studies focusing on the durability of attained second language (L2) skills once instructed learners/users are no longer receiving formal instruction. The current study examines the effects of continued exposure and peak instructional attainment on the long‐term evolution of advanced, instructed L2 learners’ skills following a longitudinal mixed‐methods research design. Participants (n = 28) completed an oral proficiency test, an oral interview, and a vocabulary knowledge test at multiple times over an 8‐year period, 6 years of which were postinstruction. Results showed that continued exposure contributes to long‐term retention (and some further development) of oral proficiency and fluency and that peak attainment at the end of formal instruction is also an important variable for some areas of L2 performance. Additionally, even the participants with limited exposure demonstrated little attrition over time.