bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Using external morphology as a proxy for stomach size in Hemigrapsus sanguineus
Authors: Fletcher Laura S. , Blakeslee April M. H. , Crane Laura C. , Repetto Michele F. , Toscano Benjamin J. , Griffen Blaine D.
Published: May 2024

Stomach morphology can provide insights into an organism's diet. Gut size or length is typically inversely related to diet quality in most taxa, and has been used to assess diet quality in a variety of systems. However, it requires animal sacrifice and time‐consuming dissections. Measures of external morphology associated with diet may be a simpler, more cost‐effective solution. At the species level, external measures of the progastric region of the carapace in brachyuran crabs can predict stomach size and diet quality, with some suggestion that this approach may also work to examine individual diet preferences and specialization at the individual level; if so, the size of the progastric region could be used to predict trends in diet quality and consumption for individuals, which would streamline diet studies in crabs. Here, we tested whether external progastric region size predicts internal stomach size across latitude and time of year for individuals of the invasive Asian shore crab Hemigrapsus sanguineus. We found that the width of the progastric region increased at a faster rate with body size than stomach width. In addition, the width of the progastric region followed different trends across sites and over time compared to stomach width. Our results therefore suggest that the progastric region may not be used as a proxy for stomach size variation across individuals.
Sex differences in the prognostic role of achieving target doses of heart failure medications: Data from the Swedish Heart Failure Registry
Authors: Ferrari Amerigo , Stolfo Davide , Uijl Alicia , Orsini Nicola , Benson Lina , Sinagra Gianfranco , Mol Peter , de Vries Sieta T. , Dahlström Ulf , Rosano Giuseppe , Lund Lars H. , Savarese Gianluigi
Published: May 2024

Aims

Guidelines recommend target doses (TD) of heart failure (HF) with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) medications regardless of sex. Differences in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics may explain heterogeneity in treatment response, adverse reactions, and tolerability issues across sexes. The aim of this study was to explore sex‐based differences in the association between TD achievement and mortality/morbidity in HFrEF.

Methods and results

Patients with HFrEF and HF duration ≥6 months registered in the Swedish HF Registry between May 2000 and December 2020 (follow‐up until December 2021) were analysed. Treatments of interest were renin–angiotensin system inhibitors (RASI) or angiotensin receptor–neprilysin inhibitors (ARNI), and beta‐blockers. Multivariable Cox regression models were performed to explore the risk of cardiovascular mortality or hospitalization for HF across dose categories in females versus males. A total of 17 912 patients were analysed (median age 77.0 years, interquartile range [IQR] 70.0–83.0), 29% were female. Over a median follow‐up of 1.33 years (IQR 0.29–3.22), for RASI/ARNI there was no significant difference in outcome for females achieving 50–99% versus 100% of TD (hazard ratio 0.92, 95% confidence interval 0.83–1.03), whereas males showed a gradual lowering in risk together with the achievement of higher % of TD (p‐interaction = 0.030). For beta‐blockers the achievement of TD was associated with the lowest risk of outcome regardless of sex.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that females and males might differently benefit from the same dose of RASI/ARNI, and do represent a general call for randomized controlled trials to consider sex‐specific up‐titration schemes when testing HFrEF treatments in need of up‐titration.
Assessing survival outcomes of patients with oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma: Focus on age, sex, and stage
Authors: Pamulapati Saagar , Abousaud Marin , Li Yixuan , Ekpenyong Asari , Rudra Soumon , Remick Jill S. , Bates James E. , Stokes William A. , McDonald Mark W. , Schmitt Nicole C. , El‐Deiry Mark W. , Patel Mihir R. , Steuer Conor E. , Switchenko Jeffrey M. , Shin Dong M. , Teng Yong , Hammond Anthea , Saba Nabil F.
Published: May 2024

Background

The purpose of this study was to provide further insights into whether age and/or sex are associated with prognosis in oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma.

Methods

This was a retrospective cohort study utilizing hospital registry data from 2006 to 2016 obtained from the National Cancer Database. Identified patients were divided into various cohorts based on age, sex, and staging. A descriptive analysis was performed using chi‐square tests and overall survival rates were estimated using Kaplan–Meier method.

Results

A total of 17 642 patients were included in the study. The 5‐year overall survival rates were 82.0% (95% CI: 79.8%–84.0%) in younger patients versus 67.5% (95% CI: 66.7%–68.3%, p‐value <0.0001) older patients. The median overall survival for females was 143.4 months (95% CI: 133.2–NA) versus 129.8 (95% CI: 125.4–138.7, p‐value <0.0001) in males.

Conclusions

Our analysis suggests that younger age and female sex are both predictors of improved survival in oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma.
Whey protein fouling on polymeric heat exchangers
Authors: Pelz Philipp , Noß Jonas , von Harbou Erik , Bart Hans‐Jörg
Published: May 2024

The fouling behavior of whey protein concentrate (WPC) in food‐grade polyether ether ketone (PEEK) heat exchangers was compared to benchmark stainless steel (SS) to evaluate if fouling can be better mitigated by using PEEK. No research has been conducted on WPC fouling behavior of PEEK at WPC concentrations of 2–6 g/L and heat flux densities of 45–55 kW/m2. It was found that PEEK materials led to a reduction in heat resistance of up to 40%. At WPC concentrations of 6 g/L, a fouling factor of 0.9 m2 K/kW was measured for PEEK compared to 1.6 m2 K/kW for SS. Despite a constant heat flux, fouling curves for PEEK showed an asymptotic behavior, whereas linear fouling was observed for SS. To achieve a comparable heat resistance between PEEK and SS heat exchangers, the operating time could be extended by 9 h when using PEEK materials. Investigations of the deposit mass showed that even though the heat transfer resistance is limited on PEEK, fouling continued to grow at a decreased rate. It was found that the fluid started to evaporate underneath the fouling layer, which led to a partial detachment of the fouling layer and therefore mitigated the heat resistance effects of fouling. To test whether these results are transferable to larger setups, experiments on a scale‐up apparatus were conducted. A very similar behavior was qualitatively observed; however, measured deposition deviated on average by 18%. PEEK surfaces also showed great promise regarding cleanability, with fouling layers detaching completely after drying for 10 min and restarting the process. This restored the heat transfer coefficient to its clean state. A cleaning in place therefore seems feasible. In contrast, fouling layers on SS did not detach through drying and had to be chemically cleaned to restore its heat transfer capacity.
Associations between eosinophils and cancer risk in the UK Biobank
Authors: Wang Jeanny H. , Rabkin Charles S. , Engels Eric A. , Song Minkyo
Published: May 2024

Eosinophils exhibit anti‐tumor cytotoxic responses in the tumor microenvironment and may contribute to tumor immunosurveillance. To assess the relationship between circulating eosinophils and cancer risk, we analyzed data from 443,542 adults aged 38–73 in the UK Biobank, who were initially cancer‐free, had over a year of follow‐up, and baseline white blood cell count measurements. Using multivariable Cox regression, we estimated hazard ratios (aHR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) for each quartile increase in absolute eosinophil count (AEC) across 58 cancer types, adjusting for relevant confounders. During a median follow‐up of 5.8 years, 22,747 incident cancer cases were diagnosed. We observed an inverse association, which met Bonferroni significance, between AEC and overall cancer risk (aHR, 95%CI 0.97, 0.95–0.98). Notably, 16 cancer types showed borderline associations (p <.05) with AEC, with 12 types displaying an inverse relationship. These included four hematologic cancers (acute and other myeloid leukemia, other lymphocytic leukemia, and chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma; aHR range; 0.58–0.87) and eight nonhematologic cancers (melanoma and nose/middle ear, soft tissue/heart, gum/other mouth, tongue, lung, colon, and breast cancers; aHR range: 0.65–0.95). Higher AEC showed a borderline significant association with increased risk for intrahepatic bile duct cancer, Hodgkin lymphoma, diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma, and chronic myeloid leukemia (aHR range: 1.13–1.42). Our study, the largest to date, provides insights into the relationship between blood eosinophils and a comprehensive list of incident cancers. The inverse association between AEC and overall cancer risk suggests a protective role for eosinophils in tumor surveillance.
On modelling non‐performing loans in bank efficiency analysis
Authors: Karagiannis Giannis , Kourtzidis Stavros
Published: May 2024

This paper introduces a methodological framework for the examination of non‐performing loans (NPLs) as reverse outputs under the extended strong disposability assumption, which does not require NPLs to be jointly produced with net loans, as it is implied when they are modelled as undesirable outputs. A directional distance function model with reverse outputs is used and is compared with the models that treat NPLs as an undesirable output under the weak disposability and the constrained weak disposability assumptions with uniform and non‐uniform abatement factors. The model is applied at the case of European banks and for the sample to be representative the banks are chosen based on the European Banking Authority (EBA) stress test of 2021. The results indicate that the reverse output model have greater discriminatory power relative to all other models.
The S&P 500 sectoral indices responses to economic news sentiment
Authors: Madani Mohamed Arbi
Published: May 2024

This study explores the dynamic relationship between economic news sentiment and the US stock market using a non‐linear empirical framework. The analysis focuses on both sectoral indices and the aggregate stock market index from November 2011 to November 2021. Using causality tests and a rolling window detrended cross‐correlation coefficient, the study reveals several key findings. First, the causal effect of investor sentiment on sectoral returns varies over time, with each sector responding differently. Second, while no evidence of dependence exists for time scales less than 2 months, a positive relationship emerges for time scales greater than 6 months, except for the utilities sector, which is found to be negative. Third, the study shows that the relationships between all pairs of variables are time‐dependent. Finally, economic news sentiment might have a varying impact on market inefficiency over different periods, making it challenging to predict market behaviour based on sentiment data.
Double‐blind, randomized, 8‐week multicenter study of the efficacy and safety of STW 5‐IIversus placebo in functional dyspepsia
Authors: Vinson Bettina , Fink Careen , Wargenau Manfred , Talley Nicholas J , Holtmann Gerald
Published: May 2024

Background and Aim

Herbal products are widely used to treat patients with disorders of gut brain interaction but clinical efficacy and safety data for treatments lasting >4 weeks are widely lacking. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of 8 weeks of treatment with the herbal combination product STW 5‐II for patients with functional dyspepsia (FD) meeting Rome II criteria. We also conducted a post hoc analysis including patients meeting Rome IV criteria for FD and evaluated the effect of the G‐protein beta 3 (GNB3) subunit polymorphism (C825T) on therapeutic response.

Methods

This multicenter, placebo‐controlled, double‐blind study included 272 FD patients meeting Rome II criteria in the intention‐to‐treat cohort and 266 meeting Rome IV criteria. We used the validated Gastrointestinal Symptom Score (GIS) to assess GI symptoms, defining response rate as the proportion of patients with ≥50% GIS improvement in at least three of four assessments.

Results

After 8 weeks, the response rate was significantly higher in the STW 5‐II group versus placebo (61.2% vs 45.1%, P = 0.008). Mean GIS non‐significantly improved with STW 5‐II treatment (7.9 ± 4.41 vs 6.7 ± 4.91 with placebo; P = 0.07). In the Rome IV subgroup analysis, STW 5‐II yielded a better response rate (P = 0.01) versus placebo and greater postprandial distress symptom improvement (P = 0.04) versus placebo. Safety parameters did not differ between groups, and GNB3 status was not linked with therapeutic response.

Conclusion

STW 5‐II is efficacious, with no observed safety signals at up to 8 weeks of treatment in patients with FD meeting Rome II or IV criteria.
A rare case of schwannoma of the small intestine discovered during intussusception
Authors: Onishi Sachiyo , Ibuka Takashi , Uno Yukari , Kojima Kentaro , Takada Jun , Kubota Masaya , Shimizu Masahito
Published: May 2024

A woman in her 60s with anemia was diagnosed with a small intestinal intussusception on computed tomography. She underwent a double‐balloon endoscopy, which revealed submucosal tumor in the ileum. Suspected to be the cause of anemia and intussusception, surgical intervention was carried out, revealing it to be a schwannoma. Schwannomas of the small intestine are very rare, and because exophytic growths are common, intussusception due to luminal side development is even rarer.
Prevalence and incidence of anal high‐grade squamous intraepithelial lesions in a cohort of cisgender men and transgender women who have sex with men diagnosed and treated during acute HIV acquisition in Bangkok, Thailand
Authors: Thitipatarakorn Supanat , Teeratakulpisarn Nipat , Nonenoy Siriporn , Klinsukontakul Aphakan , Suriwong Sujittra , Makphol Jirat , Hongchookiat Piranun , Chaya‐ananchot Thanyapat , Chinlaertworasiri Napasawan , Mingkwanrungruang Pravit , Sacdalan Carlo , Poltavee Kultida , Pankam Tippawan , Kerr Stephen J. , Ramautarsing Reshmie , Colby Donn , Phanuphak Nittaya
Published: May 2024

Introduction

Men who have sex with men (MSM), especially those living with HIV, are at an increased risk of anal cancer. The prevalence and incidence of its precursor, anal high‐grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSILs), among MSM who started antiretroviral therapy during acute HIV acquisition are yet to be explored.

Methods

Participants in an acute HIV acquisition cohort in Bangkok, Thailand, who agreed to take part in this study, were enrolled. All participants were diagnosed and started antiretroviral therapy during acute HIV acquisition. Human papillomavirus (HPV) genotyping and high‐resolution anoscopy, followed by anal biopsy as indicated, were done at baseline and 6‐monthly visits.

Results

A total of 89 MSM and four transgender women were included in the analyses. Median age at enrolment was 26 years. Baseline prevalence of histologic anal HSIL was 11.8%. With a total of 147.0 person‐years of follow‐up, the incidence of initial histologic anal HSIL was 19.7 per 100 person‐years. Factors associated with incident anal HSIL were anal HPV 16 (adjusted hazards ratio [aHR] 4.33, 95% CI 1.03–18.18), anal HPV 18/45 (aHR 6.82, 95% CI 1.57–29.51), other anal high‐risk HPV (aHR 4.23, 95% CI 1.27–14.14), syphilis infection (aHR 4.67, 95% CI 1.10–19.90) and CD4 count <350 cells/mm3 (aHR 3.09, 95% CI 1.28–7.48).

Conclusions

With antiretroviral therapy initiation during acute HIV acquisition, we found the prevalence of anal HSIL among cisgender men and transgender women who have sex with men to be similar to those without HIV. Subsequent anal HSIL incidence, although lower than that of those with chronic HIV acquisition, was still higher than that of those without HIV. Screening for and management of anal HSIL should be a crucial part of long‐term HIV care for all MSM.
Population impacts of conditional financial incentives and a male‐targeted digital decision support application on the HIV treatment cascade in rural KwaZulu Natal: findings from the HITS cluster randomized clinical trial
Authors: Inghels Maxime , Kim Hae‐Young , Mathenjwa Thulile , Shahmanesh Maryam , Seeley Janet , Wyke Sally , Matthews Philippa , Adeagbo Oluwafemi , Gareta Dickman , McGrath Nuala , Yapa H. Manisha , Blandford Ann , Zuma Thembelihle , Dobra Adrian , Bärnighausen Till , Tanser Frank
Published: May 2024

Introduction

In South Africa, the HIV care cascade remains suboptimal. We investigated the impact of small conditional financial incentives (CFIs) and male‐targeted HIV‐specific decision‐support application (EPIC‐HIV) on the HIV care cascade.

Methods

In 2018, in uMkhanyakude district, 45 communities were randomly assigned to one of four arms: (i) CFI for home‐based HIV testing and linkage to care within 6 weeks (R50 [US$3] food voucher each); (ii) EPIC‐HIV which are based on self‐determination theory; (iii) both CFI and EPIC‐HIV; and (iv) standard of care. EPIC‐HIV consisted of two components: EPIC‐HIV 1, provided to men through a tablet before home‐based HIV testing, and EPIC‐HIV 2, offered 1 month later to men who tested positive but had not yet linked to care. Linking HITS trial data to national antiretroviral treatment (ART) programme data and HIV surveillance programme data, we estimated HIV status awareness after the HITS trial implementation, ART status 3 month after the trial and viral load suppression 1 year later. Analysis included all known individuals living with HIV in the study area including those who did not participated in the HITS trial.

Results

Among the 33,778 residents in the study area, 2763 men and 7266 women were identified as living with HIV by the end of the intervention period and included in the analysis. After the intervention, awareness of HIV‐positive status was higher in the CFI arms compared to non‐CFI arms (men: 793/908 [87.3%] vs. 1574/1855 [84.9%], RR = 1.03 [95% CI: 0.99−1.07]; women: 2259/2421 [93.3%] vs. 4439/4845 [91.6%], RR = 1.02 [95% CI: 1.00−1.04]). Three months after the intervention, no differences were found for linkage to ART between arms. One year after the intervention, only 1829 viral test results were retrieved. Viral suppression was higher but not significant in the EPIC‐HIV intervention arms among men (65/99 [65.7%] vs. 182/308 [59.1%], RR = 1.11 [95% CI: 0.88−1.40]).

Conclusions

Small CFIs can contribute to achieve the first step of the HIV care cascade. However, neither CFIs nor EPIC‐HIV was sufficient to increase the number of people on ART. Additional evidence is needed to confirm the impact of EPIC‐HIV on viral suppression.
Impact of simplified HCV diagnostic strategies on the HCV epidemic among men who have sex with men in the era of HIV oral pre‐exposure prophylaxis in Taiwan: a modelling study
Authors: Wu Huei‐Jiuan , Shih Sophy TingFang , Applegate Tanya L. , Kwon Jisoo A. , Cunningham Evan B. , Grebely Jason , Gray Richard T.
Published: May 2024

Introduction

Simplified hepatitis C virus (HCV) diagnostic strategies have the potential to improve HCV diagnoses and treatment. We aimed to investigate the impact of simplified HCV diagnostic strategies on HCV incidence and its effect on HCV diagnosis and treatment among men who have sex with men (MSM) regardless of HIV status and use of HIV pre‐exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in Taiwan.

Methods

A compartmental deterministic model was developed to describe the natural history of HCV disease progression, the HCV care cascade and the HIV status and PrEP using among MSM. The model was calibrated to available data for HCV and HIV epidemiology and population demographics in Taiwan. We simulated the epidemic from 2004 and projected the impact of simplified testing strategies on the HCV epidemic among MSM over 2022–2030.

Results

Under the current testing approach in Taiwan, total HCV incidence would increase to 12.6 per 1000 person‐years among MSM by 2030. Single‐visit point‐of‐care RNA testing had the largest impact on reducing the number of new HCV infections over 2022–2030, with a 31.1% reduction (interquartile range: 24.9%−32.8%). By 2030, single‐visit point‐of‐care HCV testing improved HCV diagnosis to 90.9%, HCV treatment to 87.7% and HCV cure to 81.5% among MSM living with HCV. Compared to status quo, prioritized simplified HCV testing for PrEP users and MSM living with diagnosed HIV had considerable impact on the broader HCV epidemic among MSM. A sensitivity analysis suggests that reinfection risk would have a large impact on the effectiveness of each point‐of‐care testing scenario.

Conclusions

Simplified HCV diagnostic strategies could control the ongoing HCV epidemic and improve HCV testing and treatment among Taiwanese MSM. Single‐visit point‐of‐care RNA testing would result in large reductions in HCV incidence and prevalence among MSM. Efficient risk‐reduction strategies will need to be implemented alongside point‐of‐care testing to achieve HCV elimination among MSM in Taiwan.
Urine tenofovir testing for real‐time PrEP adherence feedback: a qualitative study involving transgender women in Uganda
Authors: Mujugira Andrew , Karungi Beyonce , Mugisha Jackson , Nakyanzi Agnes , Nampewo Olivia , Naddunga Faith , Kamusiime Brenda , Nsubuga Rogers , Nyanzi Kikulwe R. , Muwonge Timothy R. , Wyatt Monique A. , Ware Norma C. , Gandhi Monica , Haberer Jessica E.
Published: May 2024

Introduction

Adherence counselling with point‐of‐care (POC) drug‐level feedback using a novel tenofovir assay may support pre‐exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) adherence; however, perceptions of urine testing and its impact on adherence are not well studied. We qualitatively examined how POC tenofovir testing was experienced by transgender women (TGW) in Uganda.

Methods

Within a cluster randomized trial of peer‐delivered HIV self‐testing, self‐sampling for sexually transmitted infections and PrEP among HIV‐negative TGW showing overall low PrEP prevention‐effective adherence (NCT04328025), we conducted a nested qualitative sub‐study of the urine POC assay among a random sample of 30 TGW (August 2021−February 2022). TGW interviews explored: (1) experiences with POC urine tenofovir testing and (2) perceptions of PrEP adherence counselling with drug‐level feedback. We used an inductive content analytic approach for analysis.

Results

Median age was 21 years (interquartile range 20–24), and 70% engaged in sex work. Four content categories describe how TGW experienced POC urine tenofovir testing: (1) Urine tenofovir testing was initially met with scepticism: Testing urine to detect PrEP initially induced anxiety, with some perceptions of being intrusive and unwarranted. With counselling, however, participants found POC testing acceptable and beneficial. (2) Alignment of urine test results and adherence behaviours: Drug‐level feedback aligned with what TGW knew about their adherence. Concurrence between pill taking and tenofovir detection in urine reinforced confidence in test accuracy. (3) Interpretation of urine tenofovir results: TGW familiar with the interpretation of oral‐fluid HIV self‐tests knew that two lines on the test device signified positivity (presence of HIV). However, two lines on the urine test strip indicated a positive result for non‐adherence (absence of tenofovir), causing confusion. Research nurses explained the difference in test interpretation to participants’ satisfaction. (4) White coat dosing: Some TGW deliberately chose not to attend scheduled clinic appointments to avoid detecting their PrEP non‐adherence during urine testing. They restarted PrEP before returning to clinic, a behaviour called “white coat dosing.”

Conclusions

Incorporating POC urine testing into routine PrEP adherence counselling was acceptable and potentially beneficial for TGW but required attention to context. Additional research is needed to identify effective strategies for optimizing adherence monitoring and counselling for this population.
The influence of neighborhood income on healthcare utilization in pediatric liver transplant
Authors: Gutierrez Susan A. , Chiou Sy Han , Rhee Sue , Lai Jennifer C. , Wadhwani Sharad I.
Published: May 2024

Objectives

Neighborhood contextual factors are associated with liver transplant outcomes. We analyzed associations between neighborhood‐level socioeconomic status and healthcare utilization for pediatric liver transplant recipients.

Methods

We merged the Pediatric Health Information System and Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients databases and included liver transplant recipients ≤21 years hospitalized between January 2004 and May 2022. Outcomes were annual inpatient bed‐days, risk of hospitalizations, and risk of liver biopsies. The primary exposure was zip code‐based neighborhood income at transplant. We applied causal inference for variable selection in multivariable analysis. We modeled annual inpatient bed‐days with mixed‐effect zero‐inflated Poisson regression, and rates of hospitalization and liver biopsy with a Cox‐type proportional rate model.

Results

We included 1006 participants from 29 institutions. Children from low‐income neighborhoods were more likely to be publicly insured (67% vs. 46%), Black (20% vs. 12%), Hispanic (30% vs. 17%), and have higher model for end‐stage liver disease/pediatric end‐stage liver disease model scores at transplant (17 vs. 13) than the remaining cohort. We found no differences in inpatient bed‐days or rates of hospitalization across neighborhood groups. In univariable analysis, low‐income neighborhoods were associated with increased rates of liver biopsy (rate ratio [RR]: 1.57, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.04−2.34, p = 0.03). These findings persisted after adjusting for insurance, race, and ethnicity (RR: 1.86, 95% CI: 1.23−2.83, p < 0.01).

Conclusions

Children from low‐income neighborhoods undergo more liver biopsies than other children. These procedures are invasive and potentially preventable. In addition to improving outcomes, interventions to mitigate health inequities among liver transplant recipients may reduce resource utilization.
Preferential Phosphorus Placement Improves the Productivity and Competitiveness of Tropical Pasture Legumes
Authors: McLachlan Jonathan W. , Flavel Richard J. , Guppy Chris N.
Published: May 2024

Extensive grazing systems often receive minimal fertiliser due to the risk associated with using relatively expensive inputs. Nevertheless, nutrient applications are known to improve pasture productivity, and the benefit of applying fertiliser is being more widely accepted. Two tropical pasture mixes (Digit/Desmanthus and Rhodes/Centro) were established in plastic boxes containing phosphorus (P) responsive soil to investigate shoot yield and P fertiliser recovery. The grasses and legumes were planted in separate rows, and three P treatments were applied along with the seed (‘BOTH low‐P’ had 2 kg P ha−1 banded below both components, ‘BOTH high‐P’ had 12 kg P ha−1 banded below both components and ‘LEGUME superhigh‐P’ had 12 kg P ha−1 banded below the legume only). The P applied below the legumes was labelled with 32P‐radioisotope tracer. When P fertiliser was applied below both components, the grasses consistently out‐yielded the legumes (avg. legume content = 29%). Preferential fertiliser application below the legumes increased the average legume content of the two pasture mixes to 66%. Legume tissue P derived from applied P fertiliser increased from 20% to 77% as the P application rate was increased. However, total recovery of applied P by the legumes was relatively low in each of the treatments (≤ 7% of applied P). These collective results demonstrate that a preferential application of P fertiliser can benefit legume productivity, with applied P being a significant proportion of plant tissue P. Although only a small proportion of applied P was recovered within the seven‐week growth period, it is expected that this fertiliser application at planting will remain beneficial for a large proportion of the growing season following pasture establishment.
Suppressing Self‐Oxidation of Eu2+ in Li2CaSiO4 for Full‐Spectrum Lighting and Accurate Temperature Sensing
Authors: Ding Yang , Lu Xinyue , Maitra Soumyajit , Wang Yan , Pei Lang , Mao Qinan , Liu Meijiao , Zhong Jiasong , Chen Daqin
Published: May 2024

Eu2+‐doped phosphors have attracted the great attention of researchers in the past decade. However, Eu2+ dopant in inorganic hosts often suffers from the self‐oxidation effect, therefore causing the attenuated emission intensity and quantum efficiency. In this regard, developing Eu2+ doped phosphors with the prohibited self‐oxidation effect of Eu2+ and increased thermal stability is urgently required. Herein, an innovative cyan‐light emitting Li2CaSiO4:Eu2+/Eu3+, Lu3+ (LCSO) phosphor is designed. Both experimental results and theoretical calculations demonstrate that adding Lu3+ restricts the self‐oxidation of Eu2+ into Eu3+, thus improving the emission of Eu2+. Meanwhile, the Lu3+ introduction brings out excellent thermal stability. Finally, an efficient WLED with a color temperature (CCT) of 4573 K and a high color rendering index (Ra) of 84.2 is obtained using the as‐prepared phosphor due to the perfect compensation of the cyan light. As the introduction of Lu3+ improves the stability of Eu2+, a much greater difference in PL decay rate between Eu2+ and Eu3+ in LCSO is reached, thereby improving their sensitivity in temperature sensing. The strategy of Lu3+ introduction for prohibiting the self‐oxidation of Eu2+ for efficient and stable Eu2+ emission may stimulate some new ideas in designing high‐performance phosphors for more diverse applications.
Layer‐by‐Layer Construction of Antibacterial and Anticoagulant Blood Contacting Materials
Authors: Zheng Zhiwen , Li Xueyang , Dai Xin , Du Chang
Published: May 2024

Vascular transplantation is a common treatment for Cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, the mismatch of mechanical, structural, or microenvironmental properties of materials limits the clinical application. Therefore, the functional construction of artificial vessels or other blood contact materials remains an urgent challenge. In this paper, the composite nanofibers of polycaprolactone (PCL) with dopamine and polyethylenimine (PEI) coating are first prepared, which are further self‐assembled by anticoagulant hirudin (rH) and antimicrobial peptide (AMP) of HHC36 through layer‐by‐layer (LBL) method. The results of FTIR and XPS analysis show that hirudin and AMP are successfully loaded on PEI‐PDA/PCL nanofibers and the hydrophilicity is improved. They also show good mechanical properties that the ultimate tensile strength and elongation at break are better than natural blood vessels. The antibacterial results show that the antibacterial effect is still 93% against E. coli on the fifth day because of the stable and continuous release of HHC36 and rH. The performance of anticoagulant activity also exhibited the same results, which APTT is even 9.7s longer in the experimental group than the control group on the fifth day. The novel materials would be effectively solve the formation of thrombosis around artificial blood vessel grafts and the treatment of inflammation.
In Situ Photoactivated Antibacterial and Antioxidant Composite Materials to Promote Bone Repair
Authors: Ma Yingao , Zhang Yanxia , Osman Henigul , Zhang Dong , Zhou Tianyou , Zhang Yunhai , Wang Yingbo
Published: May 2024

Trauma and tumor removal usually cause bone defects; in addition, the related postoperative infection also shall be carefully considered clinically. In this study, polylactic acid (PLLA) composite fibers containing Cerium oxide (CeO2) are first prepared by electrospinning technology. Then, the PLLA/CeO2@PDA/Ag composite materials are successfully prepared by reducing silver ion (Ag+) to nano‐silver (AgNPs)  coating in situ and binding AgNPs to the materials surface by mussel structure liked polydopamine (PDA). In the materials, Ag+ can be slowly released in simulated body fluids. Based on the photothermal performance of AgNPs, the photothermal conversion efficiency of the materials is 21%, under NIR 808 nm illumination. The effective photothermal conversion can help materials fighting with E. coli and S. aureus in 3 h, with an antibacterial rate of 100%. Additionally, the sustained Ag+ release contributes to the antibacterial in long term. Meanwhile, the materials can mimic the bio‐behavior of superoxide dismutase and catalase in decreasing the singlet oxygen level and removing the excess reactive oxygen species. Furthermore, the materials are beneficial for cell proliferation and osteogenic differentiation in vitro. In this study, a promising bone‐regenerated material with high photothermal conversion efficiency and antibacterial and anti‐oxidation properties, is successfully constructed.
Non‐state shareholder governance and technological innovations of state‐owned enterprises: The moderating effect of executive compensation incentives
Authors: Liu Zhenqing , Li Linjie , Zhang Zhibin
Published: May 2024

This study focuses on the impact mechanism of non‐state shareholder governance on technological innovation in state‐owned enterprises (SOEs) from the perspective of executive compensation incentives, using listed manufacturing companies of SOEs from 2014 to 2020 as research samples. The research findings indicate that the mere ownership of shares by non‐state shareholders has no significant impact on technological innovation. However, the delegation of executives by non‐state shareholders contributes to enhancing technological innovation in SOEs. So Improving technological innovation in SOEs is a crucial objective in the ongoing deepening and enhancing actions of the new round of state‐owned enterprise reforms.
Curvilinear catheter implantation in HDR prostate brachytherapy: feasibility study
Authors: Padasdao Blayton , Imanaka Rex , Podder Tarun K. , Konh Bardia
Published: May 2024

Background

High‐dose‐rate (HDR) brachytherapy (BT) has been acknowledged as a widely utilized treatment for patients with intermediate‐ and high‐risk prostate cancer, despite its side effects such as edema, incontinence, and impotence. Nevertheless, the treatment is consistently limited by the potential danger of excessive irradiation to organs‐at‐risk (OARs) like the urethra, bladder, and rectum.

Purpose

This study aims to introduce curvilinear catheter implantation in the prostate gland for HDR treatment. The objective is to improve the radiation dose distribution by offering access channels conformal to the prostate anatomy. This approach seeks to minimize toxicity to nearby OARs while utilizing a reduced number of needles, potentially leading to improved clinical outcomes.

Methods

Curvilinear catheters were first pre‐planned for an anonymized patient using Oncentra treatment planning system (TPS) and hybrid inverse planning optimization (HIPO) algorithm. The trajectories of the catheters were then analyzed using MATLAB to extract their radius of curvature. Tendon‐driven active needles were then used to implant curvilinear catheters inside an anthropomorphic phantom.

Results

Proposed curvilinear catheter implantation resulted in significant improvement in terms of dosimetric constraints to the OARs and coverage to the prostate. Tendon‐driven active needles were shown to be capable of realizing the required pre‐planned curvatures inside prostate. It was shown that the active needle can realize a desired radius of curvature and a desired trajectory with an average accuracy of 9.1 ± 8.6  and 1.27 ± 0.50 mm in air and inside a tissue‐mimicking phantom, respectively.

Conclusion

This work demonstrates the feasibility of using tendon‐driven active curvilinear catheter implantation in prostate to improve the outcomes of HDR‐BT via improved radiation dose distribution to the prostate and reduced toxicity to the OARs.
Smallmouth Bass and Walleye predation on stocked age-0 Walleye in Lake Oahe, South Dakota
Authors: Olivencia Kyle , Grausgruber Emily E. , Fincel Mark J. , Weber Michael J.
Published: May 2024

Objective

Walleye Sander vitreus are important sport fish that are commonly stocked to supplement populations. Increases in Smallmouth Bass Micropterus dolomieu abundance have prompted concerns regarding potential predation by these and other piscivores on stocked Walleye. Our objectives were to assess the timing and duration of predation on stocked Walleye, the frequency of occurrence and percent composition of Walleye in predator diets, and the percentage of stocked Walleye consumed.

Methods

We collected Smallmouth Bass, adult Walleye, Largemouth Bass M. nigricans, and Northern Pike Esox lucius diets in May (prestocking) and June–September (poststocking) 2019 and 2021 from three bays in Lake Oahe, South Dakota. We stocked two bays with Walleye (30–32 mm; 255–1649 Walleye/ha), whereas one bay was unstocked and served as a reference. We estimated Smallmouth Bass population abundance using Schnabel capture–recapture models, and we used bioenergetics to estimate the percentage of stocked age-0 Walleye consumed.

Result

We found age-0 Walleye in up to 11.4% of Smallmouth Bass diets and 14.6% of adult Walleye diets during the poststocking period. A single Largemouth Bass consumed one Walleye at 3 days poststocking (DPS), whereas we did not identify Walleye in Northern Pike diets. Daily mean percent composition by weight (±95% confidence interval) of age-0 Walleye in diets peaked at 43.2 ± 35.1% at 3 DPS for Smallmouth Bass and 49.8 ± 97.7% at 14 DPS for adult Walleye. Following the peaks, age-0 Walleye percent composition by weight rapidly declined and was generally 0% after 25 DPS. Smallmouth Bass abundance was 0.4–5.6 fish/ha, whereas recaptures of other predator species were insufficient for reliable population estimates. We estimated that Smallmouth Bass consumed 29,930 age-0 Walleye in 2019 and 12,535 age-0 Walleye in 2021 (up to 14.7 ± 4.7% of stocked fish), potentially representing an important source of stocking mortality.

Conclusion

Our research provides insights into the effects of poststocking predation on age-0 Walleye by Smallmouth Bass and, to a lesser extent, Walleye, Largemouth Bass, and Northern Pike. Managers should consider predation on stocked fingerling Walleye from resident predators and should contemplate alternative stocking locations or timing to reduce potential predation.
Genetic predictors of population resilience: A case study of native Brook Trout in headwater streams
Authors: Schwinghamer Christopher W. , Hartman Kyle J. , Welsh Amy B.
Published: May 2024

Objective

Populations of eastern Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis face threats from several sources, such as habitat fragmentation, climate change, and competition with introduced salmonids. As a native species, understanding how these populations will respond to disturbances is paramount to their management and effective conservation. A population's ability to respond to disturbance, its resilience, is influenced by several factors. One such group of factors is population genetics.

Methods

We calculated population resilience metrics based on transient dynamics using population projection matrix models. Long-term demographic data from 23 headwater stream Brook Trout populations were used to parameterize models. Genetic data were collected, and genetic indices were calculated. Partial redundancy analysis was then used to evaluate relationships between resilience metrics and genetic indices.

Result

Inbreeding coefficient, rarefied allelic richness, pairwise genetic differentiation (FST), and effective population size were all found to be important variables in predicting resilience.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that genetic isolation may increase the demographic resilience in Brook Trout through faster generation times and higher juvenile survival, but this likely comes at the cost of increased extinction risk and truncated size structures. Genetic indices can provide insight into gene flow between populations, thus the relationship between population connectivity and resilience. Given the importance of connectivity to population resilience, restoring and maintaining movement corridors could affect resilience in headwater Brook Trout populations.
Role of vacancy defects and nanopumping on drug transport efficiency in boron nitride nanotubes
Authors: Jami Hesamodin , Sabetvand Roozbeh , Singh Gurvinder
Published: May 2024

Boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) are promising nanomaterials for drug delivery due to their remarkable mechanical and electrical properties. BNNTs use nanopumping technique to transport drug molecules to target sites when subjected to an external force, such as an electric field or mechanical forces. Despite numerous efforts to investigate BNNTs/biomolecules interactions, the impact of atomic‐scale intrinsic characteristics of BNNT on drug delivery efficiency and delivery time is not well understood. To investigate this, we use molecular dynamics simulations (MD) to develop two simulation models: one with defective BNNT and another with a non‐defective (pristine) BNNT. Here, the fullerene molecule (C20) is introduced into BNNT and transported towards target cells. Our results show that vacancy defects can significantly impact the effectiveness of the nanopumping process. In pristine BNNTs, drug molecules move primarily by translation motion. However, the presence of vacancy defects and their concentration in BNNTs can affect the translation motion of drug molecules. We show that the judicious selection of oscillation frequency and amplitude of Cu tips is important to achieve efficient drug transport. This work provides new insights into the role of structural defects and oscillation on the drug transport efficiency of C20 molecules in BNNT using the nanopumping mechanism.
Registration of the “Woodies” multi–rust‐resistant barley germplasm
Authors: Massman C. , Hernandez J. , Clare S. J. , Brooke M. , Filichkin T. , Fisk S. , Helgerson L. , Matny O. N. , del Blanco I. A. , Rouse M. N. , Steffenson B. J. , Brueggeman B. , Hayes P. M.
Published: May 2024

Selection for resistance to plant diseases is a continuous effort on the part of plant breeders. Sources of genetic resistance are often limited, despite considerable discovery efforts. Stem rust and stripe rust are two diseases of particular importance in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) production. The present work aims to develop and deploy genotypes with resistance to these diseases that can be used in future breeding efforts. The Woodies, Woody‐1 (DH160733; Reg. no. GP‐218, PI 704479) and Woody‐2 (DH160754; Reg. no. GP‐219, PI 704480), are two doubled‐haploid genotypes produced via F1 anther culture named in honor of the late Lynn “Woody” Gallagher. These two‐row spring habit barley germplasm accessions were released by the Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station in 2023. These genotypes have demonstrated resistance to both stem and stripe rust at the seedling and adult plant stage in trials conducted between 2018 and 2023. The genetic basis of this resistance appears to be a novel quantitative trait locus conferring resistance to both diseases on chromosome 5H that is different from the known rpg4/Rpg5 complex for stem rust resistance found on the same chromosome. Seed can be requested from the Oregon State University Barley Breeding Program or from the NLGRP Germplasm repository.
A systematic review and meta‐analysis of diagnostic test accuracy of chest ultrasound in diagnosing pediatric pulmonary tuberculosis
Authors: Muljadi Rusli , Koesbandono  , Octavius Gilbert S.
Published: May 2024

Introduction

Despite medical advancement, pediatric pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) still has high morbidity and mortality, due to challenging detection in clinical practice. Ultrasound has been touted as the next best diagnostic tool but currently, this claim is unfounded. Therefore, this study aims to systematically review the diagnostic parameters of chest ultrasound in diagnosing pediatric PTB.

Methods

The literature search started and ended on December 23, 2023. We searched MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, Pubmed, Science Direct, and Google Scholar. Our research question could be formulated as “In pediatric patients who present with signs and symptoms of PTB such as fever, cough, and poor weight gain, how accurate is chest ultrasound in ruling in and ruling out pediatric PTB when the diagnosis is compared to culture, PCR or CXR?” This systematic review adhered to the PRISMA‐DTA guidelines while the meta‐analysis was conducted with STATA program using the “midas” and “metandi” commands.

Results

There are five studies included with 137 positive PTB children. The combined sensitivity is 84% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 76–89), specificity of 38% (95% CI: 24–54), and summary receiver operating curve yields an area under the curve of 0.83 (95% CI: 0.80–0.86). The I2 value is 24% (95% CI: 0–100) with a p‐value of 0.13. The combined negative predictive value is 0.68 (95% CI: 0.58–0.79), and the positive predictive value is 0.57 (95% CI: 0.51–0.63). The positive likelihood ratio is 1 with a 6% increase from the baseline while the negative likelihood ratio is 0.43 with a 12% decrease from the baseline.

Conclusion

Chest ultrasound is sensitive but currently could neither exclude nor confirm pediatric PTB.
Controversial issues in crisis management. Bridging public policy and crisis management to better understand and address crises
Authors: Capano Giliberto , Toth Federico
Published: May 2024

The current body of multidisciplinary literature on crisis management still has some unresolved problems. This paper focuses on the following four “controversial issues” in dealing with crises: the usefulness of emergency plans; early signal detection; decision‐making amid high uncertainty; and the centralization/decentralization dilemma. The paper first presents the various, contradictory dimensions of these controversial issues, drawing on different strands of organization research, public policy theory, and crisis management studies. Next, these controversial issues are analyzed through the lens of public policy research, drawing specifically on the literature on policy robustness and policy capacities. This theoretical application shows how controversial issues can be framed differently and thus overcome—at least from an analytical and theoretical perspective—confirming that a bridge between crisis management and public policy can be very fruitful in improving our understanding of how crises can be addressed.