bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Who is suited to work in remote First Nations health? Perspectives of staff in remote Aboriginal Community‐Controlled Health Services in northern Australia
Authors: Bourke Lisa , Merchant Noha , Mathew Supriya , Fitts Michelle , Liddle Zania , Russell Deb , Murakami‐Gold Lorna , Campbell Narelle , Rossingh Bronwyn , Wakerman John
Published: August 2024

Objective

There is a shortage of nurses, Aboriginal Health Practitioners, GPs and other staff in remote Australian health clinics. There is also high turnover of staff, leading to questions of ‘who’ is appropriate for remote First Nations practice? The aim of this paper was to identify the characteristics of staff who are likely to work well in remote First Nations settings, from the perspectives of remote health practitioners.

Design

This is a qualitative study involving content analysis of interviews.

Setting

The study is conducted in and with 11 Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services across northern and central Australia.

Participants

Eighty‐four staff working in these clinics who spoke about staff qualities suited to remote practice.

Results

Participants identified a range of qualities desirable in remote practitioners, which were grouped into three topics: (1) professional qualifications and experience, including cultural skills; (2) ways of working, including holisitic approach, resilience, competence, and being a team player, approachable, flexible and hard‐working; and (3) specific community needs, namely the need for local First Nations staff, male practitioners and returning short‐term staff. The combination of experiences, ways of working, and fit to both the team and community were emphasised.

Conclusion

Identifying the characteristics of staff who are likely to work well in these settings can inform recruitment strategies. This study found that a combination of professional qualifications, skills and experience as well as ways of working, individual characteristics and needs of communities are desirable for working in remote, First Nations settings.
Histone acetylation regulated by histone deacetylases during spermatogenesis
Authors: Ou Xiangying , Yang Juan , Yang Linfeng , Zeng Huihong , Shao Lijian
Published: August 2024

Background

Physical, chemical, and biological factors in the environment constantly influence in vivo and in vitro biological processes, including diverse histone modifications involved in cancer and metabolism. However, the intricate mechanisms of acetylation regulation remain poorly elucidated. In mammalian spermatogenesis, acetylation plays a crucial role in repairing double‐strand DNA breaks, regulating gene transcription, and modulating various signaling pathways.

Results

This review summarizes the histone acetylation sites in the mouse testis and provides a comprehensive overview of how histone acetylation is involved in different stages of spermatogenesis under the regulation by histone deacetylases. The regulatory functions of various class histone deacetylases during spermatogenesis and the crossroad between histone acetylation and other histone modifications are highlighted. It is imperative to understand the mechanisms of histone acetylation regulated by histone deacetylases in spermatogenesis, which facilitates to prevent and treat infertility‐related diseases.
Clinical trial: Effects of treatment with a vibrating capsule in patients with severe chronic constipation
Authors: Lembo Anthony , Simons Madison , Loesch Jack , Hamza Eyad , Graff Erica Loren , Quigley Eamonn , Rao Satish S. C.
Published: August 2024

Background

There is little information on the effectiveness of therapies for severe chronic constipation. In a phase 3 trial, we previously demonstrated that a vibrating capsule was significantly more efficacious than a placebo in chronic constipation.

Aim

To examine the effects of a vibrating capsule and placebo on symptoms and health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with severe chronic constipation.

Methods

We performed a post hoc analysis of phase 3, multicentre, randomised, double‐blind, and placebo‐controlled 8‐week clinical trial of a vibrating capsule to specifically assess outcomes among subjects who reported 0 complete spontaneous bowel movements (CSBMs) during the 2‐week baseline period. We assessed effects of treatment on bowel symptoms, patient satisfaction, and HRQoL. CSBM responders were defined as subjects with increases of ≥1 or ≥2 or ≥3 weekly CSBMs (CSBM1 or CSBM2, CSBM3, respectively) over baseline for ≥6 out of 8 weeks of treatment.

Results

The severe chronic constipation subgroup comprised 175 (56%) of the 312 subjects. Significantly more subjects with severe chronic constipation who received the vibrating capsule than those who received the placebo were CSBM1 (44.9% vs. 20.9%, p = 0.007), CSBM2 (29.2% vs. 11.6%, p = 0.004), and CSBM3 (19.10% vs 6.98%, p = 0.017) responders. Straining effort, stool consistency, patient satisfaction, and HRQoL significantly improved in the severe chronic constipation subgroup. A mild vibrating sensation was reported in 10%.

Conclusion

The vibrating capsule significantly improved constipation‐related symptoms and HRQoL in patients with severe constipation, affirming its efficacy and safety across the spectrum of chronic constipation.
Performance of bowel preparation quality scales in patients with Crohn's disease
Authors: Solitano Virginia , Siegel Corey A. , Korzenik Joshua R. , Maratt Jennifer K. , Rex Douglas K. , Maguire Bryan , Bressler Brian , Grossmann Johannes , Sedano Rocio , McDonald John W. D. , Remillard Julie , Shackelton Lisa M. , Zou Guangyong , Feagan Brian G. , Ma Christopher , Jairath Vipul
Published: August 2024

Background

The performance of bowel preparation (BP) in patients with Crohn's disease (CD) is unknown.

Aims

To evaluate the operating properties of instruments used to assess BP quality in patients with CD.

Methods

We used the Boston Bowel Preparation Scale, modified Boston Bowel Preparation Scale, Harefield Cleansing Scale, Food and Drug Administration Bowel Cleansing Assessment Scale (BCAS), and a 100‐mm visual analogue scale of bowel cleanliness to assess BP quality in 50 videos from 40 patients with CD. We assessed endoscopic activity with the Simple Endoscopic Score for CD (SES‐CD). Assessments were on endoscope insertion and withdrawal. Reliability was quantified using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). We assessed validity by within‐patient correlation between instruments and the visual analogue scale using mixed‐effect models. The correlation between BP quality and SES‐SD scores was assessed using Spearman's rho.

Results

Inter‐ and intra‐rater reliability for all BP quality instruments was substantial (ICC ≥0.61) except for the Food and Drug Administration BCAS on insertion (inter‐rater reliability ICC ≥0.41). The visual analogue scale had substantial inter‐ and almost perfect (ICC ≥0.81) intra‐rater reliability. Correlation coefficients for the validity of the instruments exceeded 0.58. BP quality and endoscopic disease activity scores in the colon were negatively correlated.

Conclusion

Most existing instruments reliably assess BP quality in patients with CD. These results support the use of these instruments in clinical practice, provide a framework for scoring BP quality in CD clinical trials, and support evaluation of novel BP agents in patients with CD.
Dual targeting chimeric antigen receptor cells enhance antitumour activity by overcoming T cell exhaustion in pancreatic cancer
Authors: Ruixin Sun , Yifan Liu , Yansha Sun , Min Zhou , Yiwei Dong , Xiaoli Hu , Bizhi Shi , Hua Jiang , Zonghai Li
Published: August 2024

Background and Purpose

Although our previous data indicated that claudin 18 isoform 2 (CLDN18.2)‐targeted chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells displayed remarkable clinical efficacy in CLDN18.2‐positive gastric cancer, their efficacy is limited in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). The tumour microenvironment (TME) is one of the main obstacles to the efficacy of CAR‐T and remodelling the TME may be a possible way to overcome this obstacle. The TME of PDAC is characterized by abundant cancer‐related fibroblasts (CAFs), which hinder the infiltration and function of CLDN18.2‐targeted CAR‐T cells. The expression of fibroblast activation protein alpha (FAP) is an important feature of active CAFs, providing potential targets for eliminating CAFs.

Experimental Approach

In this study, we generated 10 FAP/CLDN 18.2 dual‐targeted CAR‐T cells and evaluated their anti‐tumour ability in vitro and in vivo.

Key Results

Compared with conventional CAR‐T cells, some dual‐targeted CAR‐T cells showed improved therapeutic effects in mouse pancreatic cancers. Further, dual‐targeted CAR‐T cells with better anti‐tumour effect could suppress the recruitment of myeloid‐derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) to improve the immunosuppressive TME, which contributes to the survival of CD8+ T cells. Moreover, dual‐targeted CAR‐T cells reduced the exhaustion of T cells in transforming TGF‐β dependent manner.

Conclusion and Implications

The dual‐targeted CAR‐T cells obtained enhancement of T effector function, inhibition of T cell exhaustion, and improvement of tumour microenvironment. Our findings provide a theoretical rationale for dual‐targeted FAP/CLDN 18.2 CAR‐T cells therapy in PDAC.
Efficacy, safety, and tolerability of adjunctive Lacosamide therapy for focal seizures in young children aged ≥1 month to ≤4 years: A real‐world study
Authors: Yang Lu , Liu Yuhang , Deng Yu , Peng Xiaoling , Hu Qiao , Jiang Li , Hu Yue
Published: August 2024

Aims

To evaluate the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of adjunctive lacosamide therapy against focal seizures in young children (1 month – 4 years).

Methods

This non‐randomized, open‐label, and self‐controlled real‐world study included 105 children (1 month–4 years) with focal seizures treated with adjunctive lacosamide therapy at Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University.

Results

(1) The 50% response rates at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months of follow‐up were 58.1%, 61.0%, 57.1%, and 56.2%, while the seizure‐free rates were 27.6%, 34.3%, 32.4%, and 37.1%, respectively. The 50% response rate of the first addition of lacosamide for focal seizures was much higher than the second and later added treatment at 3 months (p = 0.038). After 1 year of follow‐up, these children showed an improvement in neurodevelopmental levels (p < 0.05). (2) Lacosamide retention rate was 72.7% (64/88) after 1 year of follow‐up. Lack of efficacy and serious adverse events were independent risk factors for the lacosamide retention rate. (3) During adjunctive lacosamide therapy, 13 (12.4%) patients reported adverse events and five (4.7%) patients withdrew due to adverse events, including vomiting drowsiness, ataxia (0.94%), neck itching with eczema (0.94%), irritability (1.88%), and gastrointestinal discomfort (0.94%).

Conclusion

Adjunctive lacosamide therapy was effective, safe, and well‐tolerated in young Chinese children with focal seizures in this study.
The Litigation Cost of Cross‐Listing Into the United States
Authors: Boyer M. Martin
Published: August 2024

Research Question/Issue

I study the expected liability cost of cross‐listing into the United States by examining the change in the structure of a Canadian firm's directors' and officers' liability insurance contract (D&O insurance) before and after cross‐listing on an exchange located in the United States (NYSE, NASDAQ, or OTC).

Research Findings/Insights

Results show that neither the likelihood of having D&O liability insurance increases significantly only when the NASDAQ is the chosen as the cross‐listing venue nor the amount of coverage changes significantly after cross‐listing. With respect to choosing the NYSE as the cross‐listing venue, results show that coverage does not increase, but the premium does. As a result, the D&O insurance premium per dollar of coverage increases significantly only when the firm cross‐lists on the NYSE. A robust point estimate is that a Canadian firm's D&O liability insurance premium increases by 40%–60% when it becomes listed on a US market.

Theoretical/Academic Implications

D&O insurers adjust their expected litigation costs as a function of where shares are traded not because of the severity of damages paid in the event of litigation, by mostly because of an increase in the frequency of such litigation.

Practitioner/Policy Implications

If D&O premium‐to‐coverage ratio allows one to measure a company's litigation risk, then there would be value to investors to have access to basic D&O insurance information such as the premium and the coverage.
Lamotrigine vs levetiracetam in female patients of childbearing age with juvenile absence epilepsy: A Bayesian reanalysis
Authors: Cerulli Irelli Emanuele , Cocchi Enrico , Gesche Joanna , Peña‐Ceballos Javier , Caraballo Roberto H. , Lattanzi Simona , Strigaro Gionata , Orlando Biagio , Moloney Patrick B. , Catania Cecilia , Ferlazzo Edoardo , Pascarella Angelo , Casciato Sara , Pizzanelli Chiara , Milano Chiara , Giuliano Loretta , Viola Veronica , Mostacci Barbara , Fortunato Francesco , Pulitano Patrizia , Rosati Eleonora , Perulli Marco , Delanty Norman , Di Gennaro Giancarlo , Gambardella Antonio , Labate Angelo , Operto Francesca F. , Giallonardo Anna T. , Baykan Betul , Beier Christoph P. ,   Women with Epilepsy Treatment Options and Research (WETOR) study group, Di Bonaventura Carlo
Published: August 2024

Objective

Women of childbearing age with juvenile absence epilepsy (JAE) face treatment challenges due to limited access to safe and effective anti‐seizure medications (ASMs). In a previous study we compared the effectiveness of levetiracetam (LEV) and lamotrigine (LTG) in women with idiopathic generalized epilepsy (IGE), highlighting a superiority of LEV in juvenile myoclonic epilepsy. In this study, we specifically reanalyzed, through a Bayesian approach and by expanding the previously published cohort, the comparative effectiveness of these ASMs as initial monotherapy in JAE.

Methods

We conducted a multicenter, retrospective, comparative effectiveness study on women of childbearing age diagnosed with JAE and prescribed LEV or LTG as the initial ASM. Inverse probability treatment weighting (IPTW) Bayesian Cox proportional hazard models were employed to evaluate treatment failure (TF) due to ineffectiveness and ASM retention. The patients’ center of provenance and year of prescription were considered as random effect factors. Posterior probabilities and relative log‐risk distribution were computed, and the distribution of posterior draws was analyzed to assess the evidence supporting LTG superiority over LEV.

Results

Of 123 patients, those treated with LTG (n = 67) demonstrated lower TF and higher ASM retention than those treated with LEV (n = 56), with the IPTW‐weighted Bayesian Cox proportional hazards model showing a 99.2% posterior probability of LTG being superior on TF and a 99.5% probability on ASM retention. Additional analyses on ≥50% and ≥75% seizure reduction through IPTW‐weighted Bayesian logistic regression largely confirmed these findings, whereas the two ASMs did not show evident differences in terms of seizure freedom. The two ASMs showed comparable safety profiles, with only a minority of patients discontinuing treatment due to side effects.

Significance

Bayesian reanalysis supports LTG as first‐line monotherapy for JAE in women of childbearing age, emphasizing the importance of individualized treatment strategies in women with IGE. This study underscores the value of Bayesian methods in refining clinical research and treatment decisions.
Evaluating the performance of a system model in predicting zooplankton dynamics: Insights from the Bering Sea ecosystem
Authors: Sullaway Genoa , Cunningham Curry J. , Kimmel David , Pilcher Darren J. , Thorson James T.
Published: August 2024

Understanding how ecosystem change influences fishery resources through trophic pathways is a key tenet of ecosystem‐based fishery management. System models (SM), which use numerical modeling to describe physical and biological processes, can advance inclusion of ecosystem and prey information in fisheries management; however, incorporating SMs in management requires evaluation against empirical data. The Bering Ecosystem Study Nutrient‐Phytoplankton‐Zooplankton (BESTNPZ) model is an SM (originally created by the Bering Ecosystem Study, which initiated in 2006 and was expanded by Kearney et al.) includes zooplankton biomass hindcasts for the Bering Sea. In the Bering Sea, zooplankton are an important prey item for fishery species, yet the zooplankton component of this SM has not been validated against empirical data. We compared empirical zooplankton data to BESTNPZ hindcast estimates for three zooplankton functional groups and found that the two sources of information are on different absolute scales. We found high correlation between relative seasonal biomass trends estimated by BESTNPZ and empirical data for large off‐shelf copepods (Neocalanus spp.) and low correlations for large on‐shelf copepods and small copepods (Calanus spp. and Pseudocalanus spp., respectively). To address these discrepancies, we constructed hybrid species distribution models (H‐SDM), which predict zooplankton biomass using the BESTNPZ hindcast and environmental covariates. We found that H‐SDMs offered marginal improvements over correlative species distribution models (C‐SDMs) relying solely on empirical data for spatial extrapolation and little improvement for most functional groups when forecasting short‐term temporal zooplankton biomass trends. Overall, we suggest that interpretation of current BESTNPZ hindcasts should be tempered by our understanding of key mismatches in absolute scale, seasonality, and annual indices between BESTNPZ and empirical data.
Patterns and Drivers of Taxonomic and Functional Change in Large Oceanic Island Bird Assemblages
Authors: Soares Filipa C. , de Lima Ricardo F. , Rodrigues Ana S. L. , Cardoso Pedro , Matthews Thomas J. , Palmeirim Jorge M.
Published: August 2024

Aim

We map global patterns of taxonomic and functional change between past (pre‐human impacts) and present (after anthropogenic extinctions and introductions) in large oceanic island bird assemblages and investigate if these patterns can be explained by island characteristics and anthropogenic factors.

Location

Sixty‐four oceanic islands (>100 km2).

Time Period

Late Holocene.

Major Taxa Studied

Terrestrial and freshwater bird species.

Methods

We compiled information on extinct, extant native and introduced bird species for all islands and used a probabilistic hypervolume approach to build a multi‐dimensional trait space and calculate several functional diversity metrics before and after extinctions and introductions. We identified which islands are global hotspots of human‐induced transformation by mapping multiple facets of biotic change and investigated intrinsic island characteristics and anthropogenic factors as drivers for these observed patterns.

Results

The Hawaiian and Mascarene islands stand out as hotspots of taxonomic and functional change, but all islands changed taxonomically and functionally, mostly gaining species but losing functional richness. Taxonomic and functional changes vary across islands but are often consistent within the same archipelago. Island isolation and surface can explain some of the observed variations, but anthropogenic factors, namely human occupation, also shaped both taxonomic and functional changes. Islands with higher human pressure, as well as larger islands with high elevation ranges, tended to have greater losses in functional richness.

Main Conclusions

Most biodiversity change assessments are still largely based exclusively on taxonomic diversity, which is particularly worrying in the case of oceanic islands given that the magnitude of functional diversity change is often considerably larger. We call for comprehensive assessments of changes in both taxonomic and functional diversity across oceanic islands in order to better understand the drivers of these changes and, in turn, predict future trends.
Co‐Design Workshops to Develop a Psychosocial Support Service Model for Refugees in Sweden Affected by Gender‐Based Violence
Authors: Pérez‐Aronsson Anna , Inge Elin , Alanbari Heba , Alsalamah Iman , Ghannoum Miras , Mohammad Zozan Abu , Metso Frida Johansson , Holmqvist Frida , Belachew Johanna , Filén Tove , Hennoks Frida Pålsson , Sarkadi Anna , Warner Georgina
Published: August 2024

Background

Experiencing gender‐based violence (GBV) is common among refugees. Intersecting systems of oppression can increase the risk of GBV and of suffering detrimental consequences, while concurrently creating barriers to meaningful support. Despite this, refugees with lived experience of GBV are rarely involved in the development, planning and adaptation of services and policies.

Methods

This article reports on a formative research process that aimed to involve public contributors (refugee victim‐survivors of GBV) and relevant stakeholders in co‐designing a service model aimed at improving psychosocial support in Sweden. Led by a partnership of public contributors and academic researchers, the research process consisted of iterative cycles of co‐design workshops, complemented by scoping of existing literature.

Results

The co‐design process resulted in a characterisation of the psychosocial service system needs, as perceived by the survivor co‐researchers and stakeholders, and a two‐level empowerment and support service model. The model included (i) a community‐based intervention to promote help‐seeking and (ii) psychosocial group support delivered in specialist clinics. Outcomes of the project included perceived benefits for those involved, service‐led direct changes and acquisition of funding for continued research on the co‐designed model.

Conclusion

Improving psychosocial support for refugees in Sweden affected by GBV requires safe spaces to connect with peers and familiarise with available services, laws and rights in the society. Further, strengthened collaborations across sectors are necessary to meet the variety of needs. Co‐design workshops were an effective way to initiate changes in the service delivery model for psychosocial support for refugees in Sweden affected by GBV.

Patient or Public Contributions

This is a participatory reflection on a participatory process. The survivor co‐researchers contributed to designing and carrying out the PPI process and have co‐authored this manuscript.
Enhancing Soil Resilience and Sugar Beet (Beta vulgaris L.) Yield: Mid‐Term Effects of Compost and Glauconite Integration
Authors: Shabana Mahmoud M. A. , AL‐Huqail Arwa Abdulkreem , Alla Hitham E. A. Nemeat , Kheir Ahmed M. S. , El‐Sharkawy Mahmoud
Published: August 2024

Sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) is a globally significant crop, valued for its economic importance in sugar production. Saline‐sodic soil environments negatively impact sugar beet productivity. This study investigates the effects of using compost, glauconite enriched‐K and their combinations in mitigating the saline‐sodic soil environment, sugar beet productivity and extracted sugar quality. A two‐season field experiment in split‐plot design with the main plots is three doses of compost: control (C0), recommended (100%) dose (C1) and 150% recommended dose (C2). Each group divided into four subplots of glauconite treatments arranged according to the recommended dose of potassium (K) as follows: G0 (no glauconite), G1 (50% K), G2 (100% K, 480 Kg glauconite Fed−1) and G3 (150% K). The results showed that compost and glauconite mitigated adverse soil effects caused by salinity and sodicity. The C2G3 treatment reduced electrical conductivity (EC) and exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP), improved organic matter and enhanced soil bulk density, porosity and penetration resistance. This combination also increased soil nutrients (N, K, Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu). Regarding the sugar beet yield, C2G3 improved root yield, top yield, sugar yield and extracted sugar. The application of glauconite increased root diameter by 20% and root length by 23%, enhanced sugar quality with minimal sugar losses to molasses (2.43%), and reduced impurities of K, α‐amino N and Na. Principal component analysis showed positive correlations between root yield and soil potassium, organic matter, cation exchange capacity and soil porosity, with negative correlations to bulk density, EC, pH and ESP. Two‐way analysis of main (ANOM) illustrated significant effects of compost and glauconite on soil–plant interactions. Multivariate analysis indicated that higher glauconite doses significantly enhanced root yield. The Gag run charts confirmed that compost (100%) and G3 levels explored more homogeneity reducing the ESP%, increasing sugar beet root yield, sugar yield and quality.
Removal of leads broken during extraction: A comparison of different approaches and tools
Authors: Kutarski Andrzej , Jacheć Wojciech , Pietura Radosław , Stefańczyk Paweł , Kosior Jarosław , Czakowski Marek , Sawonik Sebastian , Tułecki Łukasz , Nowosielecka Dorota
Published: August 2024

Background

Extraction of a broken lead fragment (BLF) has received scant attention in the literature.

Methods

Retrospective analysis was to compare the effectiveness of different approaches and tools used for BLF removal during 127 procedures.

Results

A superior approach was the most popular (75.6%), femoral (15.7%) and combined (8.7%) approaches were the least common. Of 127 BLFs 78 (61.4%) were removed in their entirety and BLF length was significantly reduced to less than 4 cm in 21 (16.5%) or lead tip in 12 (9.4%) cases. The best results were achieved when BLFs were longer (>4 cm) (62/93 66.7% of longer BLFs), either in the case of BLFs free‐floating in vascular bed including pulmonary circulation (68.4% of them) but not in cases of short BLFs (20.0% of short BLFs). Complete procedural success was achieved in 57.5% of procedures, the lead tip retained in the heart wall in 12 cases (9.4%) and short BLFs were found in 26.0%, whereas BLFs >4 cm were left in place in four cases (3.1%) of procedures only. There was no relationship between approach in lead remnant removal and long‐term mortality.

Conclusions

(1) Effectiveness of fractured lead removal is satisfactory: entire BLFs were removed in 61.4% (total procedural success—57.5%, was lower because five major complications occurred) and BLF length was significantly reduced in 26.0%. (2) Among the broken leads, leads with a long stay in the patient (16.3 years on average), passive leads (97.6%) and pacemaker leads 92.1% are significantly more common, but not ICD leads (only 7.9% of lead fractures) compared to TLE without lead fractures. (3) Broken lead removal (superior approach) using a CS access sheath as a “subclavian workstation” for continuation of dilatation with conventional tools deserves attention. (4) Lead fracture management should become an integral part of training in transvenous lead extraction.
Unclear host taxonomy hinders parasite studies: An up‐to‐date checklist of the protozoan and metazoan parasites of Phoxinus minnows (Teleostei: Leuciscidae)
Authors: Esposito Anaïs , Denys Gaël P. J. , Foata Joséphine , Quilichini Yann
Published: August 2024

Phoxinus minnows are small freshwater fish found throughout Eurasia. The taxonomy of this genus is still under investigation, and new species are regularly described. They are frequently introduced outside their native range due to their use as live bait for angling, and such fish introductions can have diverse impacts on the recipient areas. Before the rise in interest regarding the diversity of this genus in the past 15 years, studies carried out on their biology and ecology reported their findings for the Eurasian minnow Phoxinus phoxinus Linnaeus, 1758, which was then considered ubiquitous. A parasites checklist for Phoxinus minnows has yet to be published, and the recent progress on the taxonomy of this genus has enabled us to propose a reassignment of parasite records to their proper host. The most thoroughly studied potential species were the North European species Phoxinus sp. 7 sensu Palandačić et al. 2017, Phoxinus isetensis, and P. phoxinus. We were able to highlight a gap in knowledge for numerous species that have received little‐to‐no attention in terms of parasitology. Systematic molecular identification of Phoxinus minnows should be conducted when studying their parasites, as a reliable identification of the host is vital in parasitology research. Future research will certainly reveal a species‐specific composition of the parasitofauna occurring in Phoxinus, especially among widespread parasites such as Gyrodactylus and Diplostomum. Such specificities could even become tools for assessing the introduction routes of Phoxinus species.
From hatching to juvenile: Larval development of Vieja fenestrata (Teleostei: Cichlidae)
Authors: Contreras‐Tapia Rubén Alonso , Benítez‐Díaz Mirón Marcela Ivonne , Garza Mouriño Gabriela , Castellanos‐Páez María Elena
Published: August 2024

This study delves into the early development of Vieja fenestrata (Cichlidae), with a specific focus on the description of external morphological and morphometric changes, and growth patterns from hatching to the loss of larval characters under controlled laboratory conditions at a temperature of 28°C. Asynchronous hatching was observed between 58 and 60 h postfertilization, with the posterior body emerging first. Over 14 days, significant morphological, physiological, and behavioral changes were observed, revealing a complex developmental trajectory. The initial developmental phases were characterized by rapid vascularization, fin differentiation, and heightened activity, and the subsequent days witnessed the flexion of the notochord, emergence of swim bladder functionality, and transition to exogenous feeding. Maturation progressed with the absorption of the yolk sac, regression of cement glands, and fin ray development, culminating in metamorphosis by 14 days post‐hatching. Throughout this period, evolving pigmentation patterns and structural adaptations highlight the species' adaptive strategies. During the larval period of V. fenestrata, substantial changes in morphological proportions were observed. Before the inflection, tail length, trunk length, and body depth had negative allometric growth, and head length, eye diameter, and snout length had positive allometric growth. After the inflection, body depth and snout length showed positive allometric growth; head length and trunk length exhibited isometric growth, whereas tail length and eye diameter demonstrated negative allometric growth. These findings contribute insights into the intricate developmental dynamics of V. fenestrata. Moreover, further research may explore these developmental dynamics' ecological and evolutionary implications.
Cost‐effective endoscopic screening for gastric cancer in a cohort with low Helicobacter pylori prevalence
Authors: Ishibashi Fumiaki , Suzuki Sho , Kobayashi Konomi , Tanaka Ryu , Kawakami Tomohiro , Mochida Kentaro , Nagai Mizuki , Ishibashi Yuichi , Morishita Tetsuo
Published: August 2024

Background and Aim

Periodic endoscopic screening for gastric cancer (GC) is widely performed in East Asia; however, the optimal screening strategy remains unclear. This study aimed to determine the most cost‐effective endoscopic screening strategy for the detection and treatment of GC in a cohort with a low Helicobacter pylori prevalence.

Methods

The following data were retrospectively extracted from participants who received screening endoscopy between April 2019 and March 2023: age, H. pylori infection status, presence of intestinal metaplasia, pathological diagnosis of GC, and the interval between the most recent endoscopies. A Markov state transition model was constructed based on the cohort data. The cost‐effectiveness of 15 strategies with different starting ages (40/50/60 years) and screening intervals (1/2/3/4/5 years) was compared. The net monetary benefit (NMB) and incremental cost‐effectiveness ratio (ICER) of quality‐adjusted life‐years gained by treatment were used as outcomes.

Results

A simulation model was constructed based on the cohort data of 94 137 participants (mean age 54.5 years, males 57.9%; 74.4% H. pylori‐naïve, 94.2% intestinal metaplasia‐negative). The results of the base‐case analysis showed that the screening strategy of 4‐year intervals starting at the age of 40 years had the highest NMB (97 401 578 yen). In both the Monte Carlo simulation and one‐way sensitivity analysis with a varying probability of H. pylori infection status transition, the ICER was superior in the screening strategy every 4 years, starting at age 40 years.

Conclusions

Our simulation showed that endoscopic screening at 4‐year intervals starting at the age of 40 years was the most cost‐effective method.
Family involvement in mental healthcare practice: Perspectives of mental health nurses, patients, and caregivers
Authors: Hsiao Chiu‐Yueh , Lu Huei‐Lan , Wu Kuan‐Yi , Li Chia‐Chun , Li Chi‐Rong , Tsai Yun‐Fang
Published: August 2024

Introduction

Family engagement in care has been advocated to promote recovery for patients with mental health conditions. Attitudes of mental health nurses toward the importance of families influence the way they partner with families in mental healthcare. However, little is known about how mental health nurses engage with families and quality of family‐centered care (FCC) perceived by patients and caregivers. The study aimed to examine the mediating effect of family nursing practice on the association between mental health nurses' attitudes toward integrating families into care and quality of FCC perceived by patients with schizophrenia and caregivers.

Design

A cross‐sectional study was conducted.

Methods

A convenience sample of 143 dyads of patients with schizophrenia and their caregivers and 109 mental health nurses were recruited from inpatient wards at two psychiatric hospitals in Taiwan. Demographic and clinical questionnaires, Families' Importance in Nursing Care‐Nurses' Attitudes scale, Family Nursing Practice Scale, and Measure of Process of Care for Adults were used to collect data. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent‐sample t‐tests, one‐way analysis of variance, Pearson correlation coefficients, paired‐sample t‐tests, and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Mediation analyses were performed using Hayes' PROCESS macro in SPSS (Model 4) with bootstrapping.

Results

Mental health nurses exhibited supportive attitudes toward integrating families into care (Mean = 98.96) and greater perceptions of family nursing practice (Mean = 2.44). The concordances between patients and caregivers on perceived quality of family‐centered care were significant (ICC = 0.63–0.77). Attitudes of mental health nurses toward integrating families into care had both the total and direct effects on all domains of quality of FCC perceived by patients and caregivers, respectively. The indirect effects of mental health nurses' attitudes toward integrating families into care on aspects of quality of FCC through family nursing practice were significant for patients (95% bias‐corrected bootstrap CI of 0.015–0.053) and caregivers (95% bias‐corrected bootstrap CI of 0.004–0.041). The magnitude of the indirect effects was medium to large for patients (ES = 0.209–0.257) and caregivers (ES = 0.148–0.221).

Conclusion

Family nursing practice partially mediated the association between mental health nurses' attitudes toward integrating families into care and aspects of quality of FCC from perspectives of patients and caregivers.

Clinical Relevance

Interventions tailoring mental health nurses' practice skills and reciprocity with families have the potential to enhance supportive attitudes of mental health nurses toward working with families and further improve perceived quality of FCC in patient‐caregiver dyads in mental healthcare practice.
Promoting new habits at work through implementation intentions
Authors: Trenz Nina , Keith Nina
Published: August 2024

Habits facilitate automatic behaviours and are resource efficient. Habits at work may be beneficial because they conserve cognitive‐attentional resources, thus fostering work engagement and goal progress. In a diary intervention study (2 daily assessments, 10 work days), we asked 72 employees to establish a new habit at work. Half of them additionally completed an intervention on the correct use of implementation intentions. All participants were given access to a follow‐up survey. In multi‐level analyses, automaticity of the new habitual behaviour predicted work engagement and goal progress at the day‐level. Implementation intentions predicted frequency of the habitual behaviour and in turn increased automaticity of this behaviour. The effects of implementation intentions were still evident at follow‐up. Contrary to expectations, the intervention did not increase participants' daily use of implementation intentions. The results indicate that implementation intentions might be used in everyday work to establish habits at work, thus increasing employees' efficiency and engagement.
Smart agriculture: An intelligent approach for apple leaf disease identification based on convolutional neural network
Authors: Ni Jiangong
Published: August 2024

Plant diseases pose a significant threat to global agricultural productivity and food safety. Early detection and accurate identification of these diseases are essential for effective disease management strategies. Traditional plant disease identification mainly relies on manual observation and experienced expert judgement, which has the disadvantages of being time‐consuming, labour‐intensive and low efficiency. Given the above problems, this study proposes a method for identifying apple leaf diseases based on a convolutional neural network combining hybrid attention and bidirectional long short‐term memory (BiLSTM). Appropriate apple leaf disease samples were selected from multiple public data sets to form an experimental data set. Then, the data set is imported into the improved convolutional neural network for training. Based on the original ResNet18 model, a new convolutional neural network, AppleNet, is constructed by adding a hybrid attention module and modifying the classifier structure. The experimental results show that the average recognition accuracy of AppleNet is 94.66%, which is 2.47% higher than that of the ResNet18 network. In addition, the training time of the model is only slightly increased. The ablation experiment further verified the effectiveness of the model modification. Compared with other advanced models in recognition accuracy and model training time, the superiority of AppleNet is confirmed. This study verifies that deep learning has great potential and application prospects in plant disease identification and provides a new technical solution for intelligent and convenient plant disease identification.
Use of sedation‐awakening electroencephalography in dogs with epilepsy
Authors: Wrzosek Marcin , Banasik Aleksandra , Czerwik Adriana , Olszewska Agnieszka , Płonek Marta , Stein Veronika
Published: August 2024

Background

Electroencephalography (EEG) recording protocols have been standardized for humans. Although the utilization of techniques in veterinary medicine is increasing, a standard protocol has not yet been established.

Hypothesis

Assessment of a sedation‐awakening EEG protocol in dogs.

Animals

Electroencephalography examination was performed in a research colony of 6 nonepileptic dogs (control [C]) and 12 dogs with epilepsy admitted to the clinic because of the epileptic seizures.

Methods

It was a prospective study with retrospective control. Dogs with epilepsy were divided into 2 equal groups, wherein EEG acquisition was performed using a “sedation” protocol (IE‐S, n = 6) and a “sedation‐awakening” protocol (IE‐SA, n = 6). All animals were sedated using medetomidine. In IE‐SA group, sedation was reversed 5 minutes after commencing the EEG recording by injecting atipamezole IM. Type of background activity (BGA) and presence of EEG‐defined epileptiform discharges (EDs) were evaluated blindly. Statistical significance was set at P > 0.05.

Results

Epileptiform discharges were found in 1 of 6 of the dogs in group C, 4 of 6 of the dogs in IE‐S group, and 5 of 6 of the dogs in IE‐SA group. A significantly greater number of EDs (spikes, P = .0109; polyspikes, P = .0109; sharp waves, P = .01) were detected in Phase 2 in animals subjected to the “sedation‐awakening” protocol, whereas there was no statistically significant greater number of discharges in sedated animals.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

A “sedation‐awakening” EEG protocol could be of value for ambulatory use if repeated EEG recordings and monitoring of epilepsy in dogs is needed.
Use of extracorporeal hemoperfusion therapy in an adult horse with Clostridioides difficile colitis and severe systemic inflammatory response syndrome
Authors: Hobbs Kallie J. , Le Sueur Andre N. V. , Hallowell Kimberly , Martin Emily , Sheats Mary Katherine , Ueda Yu
Published: August 2024

An 8‐year‐old American Quarter Horse gelding was treated with extracorporeal hemoperfusion (HP) therapy for treatment of Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) colitis‐induced systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). The gelding developed C. difficile associated peracute colitis and severe SIRS as evidenced by a positive fecal C. difficile PCR and tachypnea, tachycardia, fever, neutropenia, altered mucous membrane color, and hyperlactatemia. Concurrent acute kidney injury in the horse limited the use of routine anti‐inflammatory and anti‐lipopolysaccharide treatments, including flunixin meglumine and polymyxin B, because of potential for nephrosis. Extracorporeal HP therapy was performed twice within 48 hours of the onset of severe SIRS during which the horse's physical examination variables stabilized. The horse was euthanized after 4 days because of laminitis. These findings support further investigation of extracorporeal HP therapy as an adjunctive treatment for severe SIRS/sepsis in horses.
A prospective evaluation of succinct prednisone tapering after brain tumor irradiation in dogs
Authors: Strasberg Jason R. , Rossmeisl John H. , Kelsey Krista L. , Yoshikawa Hiroto , Gieger Tracy L. , Nolan Michael W.
Published: August 2024

Background

To ameliorate anticipated or ongoing neurological deficits, dogs undergoing brain tumor irradiation often are prescribed lengthy courses of prednisone PO during and after radiotherapy (RT). This practice can contribute to unwanted corticosteroid‐associated morbidity and may be unnecessary.

Objective

Determine whether long‐term corticosteroid dependency can be minimized by use of succinct prednisone tapering.

Animals

Fifty‐five pet dogs undergoing brain tumor irradiation.

Methods

Nineteen dogs were treated using a “rapid‐taper” protocol wherein corticosteroid dose reduction began 0 to 20 days after completing RT. Outcomes were compared with a retrospectively studied control group (“slow‐taper”; N = 36 dogs) in which corticosteroids were tapered more slowly according to individual clinician recommendations.

Results

Patient demographics were similar between groups. Mean time to lowest prednisone dose was 41 days postirradiation in the rapid‐taper group and 117 days in the slow‐taper group (P = .003). In the rapid‐taper group, 15 of 19 dogs (84%) were completely tapered off prednisone, vs 18 of 36 (50%) in the slow‐taper group (P = .04). Rates at which corticosteroids had to be reinstituted later were similar for the 2 groups (approximately 1 in 3 dogs). Adverse effect rates were similar for the 2 groups. Although no comparable questionnaire‐derived data were available for the “slow‐taper” group, overall and neurologic quality of life remained stable after RT in the rapid‐taper group.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

For many dogs, lengthy courses of PO prednisone are avoidable after intracranial RT. Future efforts should aim to identify which dogs benefit most from accelerated prednisone tapering.
Tomato NADPH oxidase SlWfi1 interacts with the effector protein RipBJ of Ralstonia solanacearum to mediate host defence
Authors: Su Guan‐Ming , Chu Li‐Wen , Chien Chih‐Cheng , Liao Pei‐Shan , Chiu Yu‐Chuan , Chang Chi‐Hsin , Chu Tai‐Hsiang , Li Chien‐Hui , Wu Chien‐Sheng , Wang Jaw‐Fen , Cheng Yi‐Sheng , Chang Chuan‐Hsin , Cheng Chiu‐Ping
Published: August 2024

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a crucial role in regulating numerous functions in organisms. Among the key regulators of ROS production are NADPH oxidases, primarily referred to as respiratory burst oxidase homologues (RBOHs). However, our understanding of whether and how pathogens directly target RBOHs has been limited. In this study, we revealed that the effector protein RipBJ, originating from the phytopathogenic bacterium Ralstonia solanacearum, was present in low‐ to medium‐virulence strains but absent in high‐virulence strains. Functional genetic assays demonstrated that the expression of ripBJ led to a reduction in bacterial infection. In the plant, RipBJ expression triggered plant cell death and the accumulation of H2O2, while also enhancing host defence against R. solanacearum by modulating multiple defence signalling pathways. Through protein interaction and functional studies, we demonstrated that RipBJ was associated with the plant's plasma membrane and interacted with the tomato RBOH known as SlWfi1, which contributed positively to RipBJ's effects on plants. Importantly, SlWfi1 expression was induced during the early stages following R. solanacearum infection and played a key role in defence against this bacterium. This research uncovers the plant RBOH as an interacting target of a pathogen's effector, providing valuable insights into the mechanisms of plant defence.
Conventionalist Accounts of Personal Identity Over Time
Authors: Kovacs David Mark
Published: August 2024

Conventionalism about personal identity over time is the view that personal identity is in some sense dependent on our beliefs, desires, social practices, or language use (collectively: on our “conventions”). This paper provides an opinionated survey of the state of the art about personal identity conventionalism. First, it offers a taxonomy of possible types of conventionalism along four different axes and discusses weak vs. strong, private vs. public, doxastic vs. non‐doxastic, and realizer‐relative vs. assessor‐relative varieties of conventionalism. Second, it reviews the main sources of motivation for conventionalism about personal identity: methodological, epistemological, and normative motivations. Third, it maps out the place of conventionalism in logical space and distinguishes it from related philosophical theses: personal identity pluralism, indeterminacy about personal identity, revisionism, and self‐concern relativism. Finally, some potential avenues for future research are considered.