bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Examining the impacts of socioeconomic indicators on sustainable customary land secretariats in Ghana
Authors: Kwakye Benjamin , Gyamfi-Yeboah Frank , Afrane Ebenezer , Abbas Jannat
Published: January 2025

Purpose

The primary objective of establishing customary land secretariats (CLSs) is to enhance land governance at the local level. However, many have questioned the effectiveness of CLSs after their establishment and the probable factors accounting for their inefficiencies. In this paper, we examine the impacts of socioeconomic indicators on sustainable CLSs in Ghana.

Design/methodology/approach

We employed a mixture of cointegration techniques namely the dynamic ordinary least square (DOLS), the fully modified ordinary least square (FMOLS) and the canonical cointegrating regression (CCR), contemporaneous with graphical analysis using secondary data from the Duayaw Nkwanta CLS.

Findings

From the Johansen Cointegration test, the study found land transaction recordings to be cointegrated with the explanatory variables. Local demand for land, land access, average land values and the rate of unemployment were discovered as the principal impacting factors on the CLS. Also, evidence from the graphical analysis depicts that there is a significant improvement in the acquisition of land by women: and land transaction recordings have kept rising after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Practical implications

We conclude that to promote local land governance for the rural-urban poor and the underrepresented, sustaining the CLSs post-establishment in the local communities is of utmost importance.

Originality/value

This paper serves as one of the maiden editions to apply econometrics in customary land administration in Ghana for long-term policy directions. Besides, it serves as a reflection on the existing performance of the CLSs based on the available dataset.
Combined influence of percussion and rotation pressures on the performance of drilling steels in granodiorite and sandstone rocks in an underground mine, Peru
Authors: Cotrina Teatino Marco Antonio , Marquina Araujo Jairo Jhonatan , Mamani Quispe Jose Nestor , Arango-Retamozo Solio Marino , Antonio-Araujo Eusebio , Noriega-Vidal Eduardo Manuel , Donaires-Flores Teofilo , Cano-Ccoa Dominga
Published: January 2025

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of percussion and rotation pressure on the performance of drilling steels in different types of rock, specifically sandstone and granodiorite, in an underground mine in Peru.

Design/methodology/approach

The study employed a controlled experimental design, varying percussion and rotation pressures under specific geological conditions. The performance metrics, including wear and efficiency of drilling steels, were analyzed using robust regression methods to address the non-normal distribution of data. Experiments were conducted under pressures of 130 and 160 bars for granodiorite and 80 and 35 for sandstone.

Findings

The results indicated that drilling steels experienced greater wear and efficiency in granodiorite compared to sandstone. In granodiorite, wear on the drill body reached 3.7 mm and 2.4 mm on the inserts, with an efficiency of 2.31 m/min. In sandstone, wear was 2.45 mm and 1.15 mm, with an efficiency of 1.92 m/min. In addition, drilling costs were lower in sandstone (0.35 US$/m) compared to granodiorite (0.40 US$/m). It was concluded that both percussion and rotation pressure significantly influence the wear and performance of drilling steels, increasing wear but improving efficiency with each 1-bar increment in pressure.

Originality/value

The originality of this study lies in its comprehensive analysis of how percussion and rotation pressure affect the wear and performance of drilling steels in two distinct rock types: sandstone and granodiorite. The application of robust multiple linear regression provides a deeper understanding of the relationship between pressure increments and drilling efficiency, offering valuable insights for optimizing drilling operations in underground mines.
Shopping cart abandonment among young consumers: a moderated mediation study
Authors: Sharma Kiran , Srivastava Shalini
Published: January 2025

Purpose

This study examines the associations of a buyer’s online buying intentions, followed by shopping cart abandonment. The objective of the study is to investigate the determinants that trigger a buyer for abandoning the shopping cart, despite the consumers’ intent to buy. This study aims to examine the factors that leads a consumer to abandon the shopping cart, despite the intention to purchase.

Design/methodology/approach

A cross-sectional data from 354 millennials was undertaken for the current study. These young consumers were identified to examine the conceptual model, which was conceived using the theories of planned behavior, expectation disconfirmation, along with a few seminal works of consumer behavior and psychology.

Findings

The results show perceived risk to be a mediator to a buyer’s online buying intention and shopping cart abandonment, and process satisfaction moderates the association among the two variables in the presence of perceived risk.

Research limitations/implications

This study was conducted with a sample of Indian millennial consumers; hence, its findings may not be generalizable.

Originality/value

This study concludes with important implications for both academicians and e-tailers, which could prove useful in reducing cases of abandonment of shopping carts, due to which, e-tailers do tend to lose out young consumers resulting thereby in revenue loss.
Varieties of pro‐Europeanism? How mainstream parties compete over redistribution in the European Union
Authors: FREUDLSPERGER CHRISTIAN , WEINRICH MARTIN
Published: January 2025

Having long shied away from proactively politicizing issues of European integration, the past crisis decade has put generally pro‐European mainstream parties under pressure to spell out more clearly which kind of Europe they support. We distinguish two such fundamental ideas of Europe: the redistributive polity, organizing transnational solidarity and the regulatory polity, strengthening national self‐reliance. Both notions are integrationist, but they come with distinct policy implications. What determines mainstream party support for either of these polity ideas? We investigate this question on data provided by the ‘EUandI’ voting advice application, which contains party positions on core issues of integration for all EU member states for the four European Parliament elections between 2009 and 2024. Mainstream party support for redistribution, we find, is generally driven by their ideological placement on the economic and cultural dimension. While progressive and left parties tend towards EU‐level redistribution, conservative and right parties are wedded to the idea of a regulatory European polity. This general dynamic, however, interacts with parties’ domestic considerations, that is, the public salience of an issue and a country's net‐payer status in the EU. We further find that the effect of mainstream parties’ ideological positioning differs across policy domains. While cultural and economic positions drive support for redistribution in fiscal and taxation policy to a nearly equal extent, support for redistribution in migration policy is driven by cultural factors alone, while in matters of security and defence right mainstream parties are more supportive of European solidarity than parties of the mainstream left. Our analysis demonstrates that mainstream parties now compete visibly over EU‐level redistribution, but that their stances on transnational solidarity differ depending on the domestic situation and the policy domain in question.
Content validation of the nursing diagnosis “Adult Disuse Syndrome”: A quantitative study
Authors: Ardila‐Suárez Edinson Fabian , Sánchez‐Martínez Vanessa , Escalada‐Hernández Paula
Published: January 2025

Purpose

This study aimed to establish the content validity of the proposed nursing diagnosis (ND) “Adult Disuse Syndrome” and all its components.

Method

This is an exploratory descriptive study of diagnostic content validation under Fehring's proposal. Forty three expert nurses with clinical, teaching, and research experience analyzed the components of the diagnosis. The representativeness and relevance of the components of the diagnosis under study were evaluated through a Likert‐type questionnaire. Data distribution analysis was carried out, and the components were validated if their content validity index (CVI) was over 0.80. The overall CVI was obtained for the clinical indicators.

Findings

A total of 12 defining characteristics (DCs) were validated, 3 etiological factors were highly related, 6 risk populations were confirmed, and 11 conditions were considered associated. Most validated DCs refer to the physical dimension, but those focusing on the psychological and social dimensions were also validated. The etiological factors were related to the effects of immobility. The risk populations were validated in different contexts or situations, and associated conditions were mainly oriented toward chronic conditions.

Conclusions

This study validated the content of the elements of the proposed ND “Adult Disuse Syndrome.” These were considered relevant and appropriate by both academic and clinical experts.

Implications for nursing practice

The content validation by experts of the components of the ND “Adult Disuse Syndrome” provides nurses with a tool for the identification of the phenomenon that exceeds the risk and occurs frequently in patients exposed to the effects of immobility. At the same time, it will guide the results pursued in the care plan and the application of the respective nursing and interdisciplinary interventions that favor the reduction of the complications derived from disuse.
Differential Organ Ageing Is Associated With Age‐Related Macular Degeneration
Authors: Papadam Anastasios , Lionikas Arimantas , Grassmann Felix
Published: January 2025

Age‐related macular degeneration (AMD) is a progressive disorder and the leading cause of central vision loss. Age is the most important risk factor, followed by genetics and smoking. However, ageing is a complex process, and biological age can deviate from chronological age between individuals and within different organ systems. Initially, we used machine learning to predict the biological age of the immune, cardiovascular, pulmonary, renal, musculoskeletal, metabolic and hepatic systems by analysing various physiological and physical markers in the UK Biobank cohort. Then, we investigated the association of each organ's biological age with incident AMD derived from electronic health record data as well as with different AMD genetic risk scores. We observed that most organ systems in participants who developed AMD after recruitment showed accelerated ageing compared with controls, with the immune system being the most affected, especially in younger males. Surprisingly, we found that AMD patients showed slower ageing of their hepatic system compared to controls, particularly in female patients. The overall AMD genetic risk score was associated with faster organ ageing across all tissues except cardiovascular and pulmonary, while genetic risk scores stratified by pathways differently influenced each organ system. In conclusion, we found differential organ ageing associated with AMD. Significantly, genetic risk variants of AMD are associated with differential ageing of various organ systems.
High prevalence of alcohol use disorders in 454 young adult offspring from the San Diego prospective study
Authors: Schuckit Marc A. , Smith Tom L. , Mendoza Lee Anne , Danko George , Fisher Hannah , Laurance Camarin
Published: January 2025

Background

Preliminary evaluations of 212 drinking offspring from the San Diego Prospective Study (SDPD) indicated that over 50% developed alcohol use disorder (AUD) by their mid‐20s. The present analysis evaluated if those findings remained robust when the group increased to 454 individuals, a sample size that facilitated a search for potential contributors to the high AUD prevalence.

Methods

Semistructured interviews were used to evaluate lifetime AUD diagnoses in 224 daughters and 230 sons from the SDPS (N = 454) by mean age 26. Analyses compared participants with and without AUD regarding demography, alcohol use, personality, and psychiatric diagnoses. Characteristics associated with AUD were entered together in a backward elimination regression analysis, and the results were entered in a structural equation model (SEM) to evaluate potential mediation of risks for alcohol problems.

Results

Lifetime AUD was documented for 61% of the sons and 41% of the daughters. Offspring with AUD reported averages of 13 maximum and five usual drinks per occasion and endorsed an average of 4 DSM AUD criteria. Even after considering personality characteristics, family AUD histories, and personal psychiatric histories, significant contributions to the regression analysis were limited to lower levels of response to alcohol, higher positive alcohol expectancies, and drinking to cope. Key elements of the hypothesized SEM were supported, and mediation between the low alcohol response and the number of alcohol problems was documented for expectancies, drinking to cope, and peer heavier drinking.

Conclusion

The results support prior high AUD rates in SDPS offspring and demonstrate that the AUD diagnoses were associated with robust alcohol intake and problems. The data also indicated mediation of the impact of the low alcohol response on the development of AUD through several characteristics proposed by prior work in other populations.
Impact of chronic ethanol consumption and SARS‐COV‐2 on the liver and intestine: A pilot dose–response study in mice
Authors: Ghare Smita , Warner Dennis , Warner Jeffrey , Chilton Paula M. , Lee Jiyeon , Zhang JingWen , Wang Min , Hardesty Josiah , Treves Rui , Gabbard Jon , Anderson Charles , Batra Lalit , Sreenivasan Chithra , Kraenzle Jennifer , McCulley Matthew , McCoy Stephanie , Zhang Lihua , Feng Wenke , Gondim Dibson Dibe , Barve Shirish , Zheng Jian , Palmer Kenneth , McClain Craig , Kirpich Irina
Published: January 2025

Background

During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic, there was a marked increase in alcohol consumption. COVID‐19 superimposed on underlying liver disease notably worsens the outcome of many forms of liver injury. The goal of a current pilot study was to test the dual exposure of alcohol and COVID‐19 infection in an experimental animal model of alcohol‐associated liver disease (ALD).

Methods

After 4 weeks of ethanol (EtOH) feeding, C57BL/6 male mice received SARS‐CoV‐2 (SARS2‐N501YMA30) intranasally at 3 × 102, 1 × 103, 3 × 103, and 1 × 104 plaque‐forming units (PFU). Mice were then weighed/monitored daily for morbidity/mortality for 10 days while continuing EtOH consumption. Markers of liver inflammation, injury, and intestinal barrier integrity were evaluated.

Results

A similar gradual weight loss was observed in all inoculated mice (slightly less in the 3 × 102 group) up to post‐infection day 4. Greater mortality was observed in mice receiving the highest viral dose at days 3 and 4 post‐infection. The majority of the surviving mice subjected to EtOH and inoculated with 3 × 103 or 1 × 104 PFU rapidly lost 25% of their body weight and were euthanized on post‐infection day 4. Analysis of liver health in animals that survived to the end of the experiment exhibited no significant changes in hepatic steatosis but had a limited increase in plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels at all viral doses versus EtOH alone. However, the 1 × 104 PFU viral dose exacerbated EtOH‐induced hepatic inflammation characterized by elevated levels of several pro‐inflammatory cytokines, including Il‐6 and Tnf‐α. There was limited effect of viral infection on the intestine.

Conclusions

SARS‐CoV‐2 infection caused a dose‐dependent negative impact on body weight and survival in mice fed EtOH. This pilot study suggests that early mortality observed after high‐dose SARS‐CoV‐2 challenge could be due, in part, to hepatic dysfunction following chronic EtOH feeding.
Skin Tape Stripping Reveals Distinct Biomarker Profiles in Chronic Hand Eczema of Patients With and Without Comorbid Atopic Dermatitis
Authors: Bar Jonathan , Del Duca Ester , David Eden , Bose Swaroop , Chefitz Gabriella , Brunner Patrick M. , Bissonnette Robert , Guttman‐Yassky Emma
Published: January 2025

Introduction

Chronic hand eczema (CHE) is a highly prevalent inflammatory skin condition which is often resistant to conventional treatments. Molecular insights of CHE remain limited. Tape stripping combined with high‐throughput RNA sequencing can now provide a better insight into CHE pathogenesis in a minimally invasive fashion.

Methods

We collected tape strip samples from lesional and non‐lesional skin of 66 patients with moderate‐to‐severe CHE, comprising 33 with and 33 without comorbid atopic dermatitis (AD), and performed bulk RNA sequencing. Results were compared to tape strips from palmar skin of age/race/sex‐matched healthy controls (HC). Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) (fold change/FCH > 1.5 and false discovery rate/FDR < 0.05) were calculated and correlated with clinical severity scores including hand eczema severity index (HECSI) and modified total lesion symptoms score (mTLSS).

Results

Tape strip isolates detected a common phenotype in CHE lesions regardless of AD status, including upregulated type‐1 (IL12RB2, IFNGR1, IFNGR2, MX1) and type‐2‐associated inflammatory mediators (CCL22, CCL24, OX40/TNFRSF4, TSLPR/CRLF2, GATA3), paralleled by downregulated epidermal barrier markers (i.e., FLG or LORICRIN). Non‐lesional skin demonstrated a similar, albeit milder, dysregulation pattern, with additional reduction in type‐17 pathways. Lesional skin of CHE patients without AD showed greater skewing towards type‐1 immunity (IL15RA, CXCL9), while CHE from AD patients showed a more pronounced type‐2 inflammatory pattern (IL13, CCL17) and their gene expression biomarkers had greater and more significant correlations with clinical severity markers.

Conclusion

Tape stripping can capture detailed immune and skin barrier abnormalities in CHE and identify potential novel subtype‐specific treatment targets. Stronger correlations in patients with AD suggest a more homogenous disease phenotype than in CHE non‐AD patients.

Trial Registration: NCT03728504
Trends in comorbidities and complications among patients undergoing elective total hip and knee arthroplasty in the USA
Authors: Reisinger Lisa , Cozowicz Crispiana , Poeran Jashvant , Zhong Haoyan , Illescas Alex , Giannakis Periklis , Liu Jiabin , Memtsoudis Stavros G.
Published: January 2025

Background

Demand for total hip and knee arthroplasty procedures continues to rise. Ongoing changes in surgical care and patient populations require continued monitoring of outcome trends. Using nationwide data from the USA, we aimed to describe updated trends in patient and peri‐operative care characteristics as well as complications among total hip and knee arthroplasty recipients.

Methods

We included patients who underwent elective primary total hip or knee arthroplasty between 2016 and 2021. Trends were reported for a variety of patient and peri‐operative care characteristics as well as complications.

Results

We identified significant trends in patient and peri‐operative care characteristics as well as the incidence of complications. While patient median age increased, demographic composition remained consistent over the time period studied. There was a shift towards outpatient total hip and knee arthroplasty procedures, with one in five performed in the outpatient setting in 2021; the median duration of hospital stay decreased by 1 day over the time period for both procedures. Parallel increasing trends of total procedure numbers were found for patients without comorbidities and those with ≥ 3 comorbidities. Postoperative mortality increased significantly over the time period analysed for patients having total hip arthroplasty but not those having total knee arthroplasty (0.08 to 0.15 events per 1000 inpatient days, p = 0.037 and 0.09 to 0.33 events per 1000 inpatient days, p = 0.149, respectively).

Discussion

Compared with previous trend analyses of patients having total hip or knee arthroplasty, the present study shows: an increasing rate of outpatient surgeries; increasing numbers of arthroplasty procedures in high comorbidity burden groups; and an increase incidence of certain serious postoperative complications.
Barriers and facilitators for female practitioners in orthopaedic training and practice: a scoping review
Authors: Freeman Clara , Evans Rebecca , Drever Natalie , White Jordy , Larkins Sarah , Morrey Christopher
Published: January 2025

Background

Despite advances in medical education and professional opportunities, orthopaedic surgery remains the least gender‐diverse medical specialty, with women significantly underrepresented globally. This scoping review aims to synthesize existing literature to provide a comprehensive overview of the barriers and facilitators encountered by females in orthopaedic surgery training and practice.

Methods

A comprehensive search of Medline (OVID), Scopus, Embase, Emcare, and CINAHL was performed from inception to 14 July 2024. Additional sources were identified via citation searching and Google Scholar. Any primary studies employing qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods approaches to explore barriers and facilitators experienced by female orthopaedic trainees and consultants in high‐income countries. Quality analysis of included articles was conducted using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool.

Results

Seventy‐nine studies met the inclusion criteria, involving over 100 000 participants between 1993 and 2024. Most studies were cross‐sectional surveys. Sixty‐eight barriers and 38 facilitators were identified. Analysis using the Socio‐Ecological Model revealed the complex interplay of factors at the individual, interpersonal, organizational, community, and policy levels. The largest proportion of barriers and facilitators resided at the organizational level.

Conclusion

This scoping review provides a comprehensive mapping of current evidence on barriers and facilitators for female practitioners in orthopaedic surgery training and practice. The findings suggest the need for multifaceted interventions to promote gender equity. Future research should evaluate the effectiveness of specific interventions and develop strategies to support women in orthopaedics, ultimately contributing to a more inclusive and diverse workforce.
Length of hospital stay not affected by empirical treatment with ceftriaxone versus cefuroxime for bacteraemia
Authors: Hetzroni Aviya , Yosef Plia Gillis , Hedar Muna , Ishay Rotem Tal‐Ben , Sharon Nechama , Rubinstein Uri
Published: January 2025

Aim

The preferred antibiotic treatment for bacteraemia in infants continues to be debated. We examined the duration of hospital stays as a surrogate for the effectiveness of initial treatment with ceftriaxone versus cefuroxime.

Methods

This was a retrospective review of the medical records of all infants aged 3–36 months, admitted with suspected occult bacteraemia to the paediatric department at Laniado Hospital, Israel, between 2016 and 2022. The effect of antibiotic treatment, namely ceftriaxone versus cefuroxime, on hospital stays was determined, in both the total study population and population subgroups.

Results

We identified 217 patients (59.0% male) with a median age of 13 months and 12.4% had positive blood cultures. Approximately three‐quarters (75.6%) received cefuroxime as their initial treatment for bacteraemia and the other quarter (24.4%) received ceftriaxone. The median length of hospital stay was 3.0 (interquartile range 3.0–4.0), with no statistically significant difference between the two drugs. However, we did notice a statistically significant shorter median length of hospital stay among fully vaccinated infants treated with cefuroxime rather than ceftriaxone (p = 0.055).

Conclusion

The length of hospital stay among infants diagnosed with bacteraemia was not affected by whether they initially received ceftriaxone or cefuroxime. Further studies in larger populations are needed.
Investigation of the recycling of Han Chinese bronze mirrors into Japanese imitation mirrors
Authors: Pollard Mark , Liu Ruiliang , Zhang Yun
Published: January 2025

We revisit the chemical data on imitation Japanese bronze mirrors of the Kofun period (c. 300–538 CE), which Hisao Mabuchi (馬淵久夫) has used to suggest that these mirrors were made from broken imported Han‐style mirrors diluted with additional copper. Using a different approach, we confirm that the composition of these mirrors is consistent with Mabuchi's suggestion. In addition, we can use data from our model to take this analysis further, by combining the elemental and lead isotope data, determining how much each source contributes to the lead in the mirrors, and calculating the possible isotope composition of the lead in the imported mirrors and in the added copper. This shows that both the mirrors and the added copper are unlikely to contain Japanese lead. As Mabuchi suggested, there appears to have been a trade in both Han‐style mirrors and copper ingots from China to Japan in the Kofun period. Not only does this work support the previous conclusions, but it also sets out a new methodological approach that can be used to further such research.
The developmental changes in the otolith morphology of four members of the family Scorpaenidae from the Antalya Bay, Mediterranean coast of Türkiye
Authors: Koca Habil Uğur , Koca Seval Bahadir , Jawad Laith A.
Published: January 2025

Otoliths from four species of scorpaenids–Helicolenus dactylopterus (Delaroche, 1809), Scorpaena elongata Cadenat, 1943, Scorpaena notata Rafinesque, 1810, and Scorpaena scrofa Linnaeus, 1758–were collected from Antalya Bay along the Mediterranean coast of Türkiye. The fish were captured using a commercial bottom trawl net with a mesh size of 44 mm (22 mm in the cod end). The fishing grounds varied in depth from 40 to 160 meters. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images were utilized to analyse the otoliths’ characteristics. Twenty‐one distinct features were defined to describe their shapes. Among these, 8 characteristics were consistent across both juvenile and adult otoliths, while 13 features exhibited developmental variation. The results reveal four types of variations: ontogenetic, interspecific, intraspecific, and sexual dimorphism. A comparison with previously documented otoliths of these species from different regions indicates a uniformity intraspecifically across extensive geographic ranges, suggesting that these characteristics are valuable for identification purposes. The diagnostic features of the otoliths can aid in confirming species identity. Additionally, a SEM‐based iconography of the otoliths for all studied species is provided.
Unravelling genetic structure of the neotropical freshwater crab Sylviocarcinus pictus (Decapoda, Trichodactylidae) along the rapids‐dwelling Xingu River, Amazon basin
Authors: Mantelatto F. L. , Faganello G. S. , Geremias H. , Robles R. , Magalhães C.
Published: January 2025

Sylviocarcinus pictus is a freshwater crab widely distributed across the Amazon basin and coastal basins of northern South America. In the Xingu River basin, Pará, Brazil, the species is found from its middle portion up to the confluence with the Amazon River. This extensive distribution led to questions about the influence of the Volta Grande do Xingu rapids on genetic diversification between populations above and below this area. To explore this hypothesis, 39 mitochondrial gene sequences (COI and 16S rRNA) from 22 samples collected from both areas were analysed in a phylogeographic context. Bayesian Inference and haplotype networks revealed at least two genetically distinct lineages of S. pictus in the Xingu River. The resulting genetic structure found within these populations raised questions about the taxonomic cohesion of the taxon and the potential existence of cryptic species that warrant further investigation. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first molecular study on the genetic structure of a Sylviocarcinus species from the Amazon basin. Given the novelty and the underestimated diversity in this region, we advocate for additional studies on morphological and taxonomic approaches about this taxon to contribute to a future understanding of the evolutionary history of the genus.
Ghrelin: An Emerging Therapy for Heart Failure
Authors: Theodorakis Nikolaos , Feretzakis Georgios , Kreouzi Magdalini , Anagnostou Dimitrios , Hitas Christos , Verykios Vassilios S. , Nikolaou Maria
Published: January 2025

Objective

Ghrelin is emerging as a promising therapeutic option for heart failure (HF) due to its potent inotropic, anabolic, and cardioprotective properties. This review aims to critically examine the available clinical evidence on ghrelin therapy in HF, while also incorporating key findings from preclinical studies that support its therapeutic potential.

Methods

A comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed and the Cochrane Library up to September 15, 2024, using the keywords “heart failure” and “ghrelin.” From 247 identified records, four randomized controlled trials, one open‐label trial, one observational study, and key preclinical studies were included. Two independent authors performed the screening and quality assessment, with any discrepancies resolved through consensus.

Results

Clinical trials investigating ghrelin's acute effects in HF patients have demonstrated significant improvements in cardiac output, ranging from 15% to 30%. Moreover, one study showed that a 3‐week course of ghrelin therapy significantly increased maximal oxygen consumption, lean body mass, and grip strength in HF patients. Preclinical studies further support these clinical findings, highlighting additional benefits of ghrelin, including modulation of the autonomic nervous system, promotion of vasodilation, enhancement of endothelial function, prevention of myocardial remodeling, reduction of arrhythmogenic risk, and increased muscle mass in HF models.

Conclusions

Ghrelin is a promising therapeutic option for HF, particularly as an inotropic agent with multifaceted benefits, including autonomic nervous system modulation, anabolic effects, and metabolic regulation. However, further trials are required to confirm its long‐term efficacy and safety and assess whether its benefits can translate into reductions in hard clinical endpoints.
Association Between Blood Urea Nitrogen and Delirium in Critically Ill Elderly Patients Without Kidney Diseases: A Retrospective Study and Mendelian Randomization Analysis
Authors: Fang Yipeng , Tang Xiaohong , Gao Ying , Xie Hui , Shen Yuehao , Peng Min , Liu Jie , Zhang Yunfei , Cui Yan , Xie Keliang
Published: January 2025

Objective

This study investigates the association between blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels and the risk of delirium in critically ill elderly patients without kidney disease.

Methods

A retrospective analysis was conducted using data from the MIMIC‐IV database. The relationship between BUN and delirium risk was illustrated through the restricted cubic spline (RCS) method. Patients were stratified by BUN levels and examined for delirium incidence using logistic regression, subgroup analysis, and sensitivity analysis. Mendelian randomization (MR) was employed to explore potential causal relationships.

Results

The maximum BUN level exhibited the strongest non‐linear positive association with the odds of delirium. Compared to the Q1 group, both the Q3 (23–31 mg/dL) and Q4 (> 31 mg/dL) groups consistently showed increased odds of developing delirium. Subgroup analysis identified a significant interaction between BUN and midazolam, with the association only evident in patients not exposed to midazolam. After adjusting for baseline characteristics, the odds ratio for delirium was found to range from 1.35 to 1.39 in those with BUN levels exceeding 23 mg/dL. However, the MR analysis did not reveal any significant causal relationship (all p > 0.05).

Conclusion

In conclusion, elevated BUN may be a risk factor for delirium in critically ill elderly patients without renal dysfunction, with this potential link possibly modulated by midazolam exposure.
Pretransplant Minimal Pleural and Peritoneal Effusion Is a Potential Poor Prognostic Indicator in Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
Authors: Oyama Takashi , Honda Akira , Masuda Yasutaka , Morita Ken , Maki Hiroaki , Masamoto Yosuke , Kurokawa Mineo
Published: January 2025

Background

Pleural effusion and ascites developing after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo‐SCT) are generally associated with inferior overall survival (OS); however, the prognostic value of pretransplant effusion on transplant outcomes remained unclear.

Methods

We retrospectively evaluated minimal pleural effusion and ascites detected by computed tomography in 248 consecutive adult patients who underwent their first allo‐SCT from January 2007 to December 2022.

Results

Forty‐eight patients demonstrated minimal pleural effusion or ascites within 100 days before transplantation (Effusion group) and the other 200 had no effusion (No effusion group). Serum albumin level was significantly lower in the Effusion group than in the No effusion group (median 3.8 vs. 3.4 g/dL, p < 0.001). Performance status (PS) was significantly inferior and refined disease risk index tended to be higher in the Effusion group. The 2‐year OS rate after transplantation was significantly worse in the Effusion group (57.1% vs. 36.7%, p < 0.001). The Effusion group had a significantly lower cumulative incidence of neutrophil and platelet engraftment and higher hepatic veno‐occlusive disease. Moreover, a tendency toward higher cumulative incidence of relapse and non‐relapse mortality was shown in the Effusion group. In multivariate analysis, the Effusion group had a significantly inferior OS with a hazard ratio of 1.848 (95% confidence interval 1.231–2.774), even after adjustment for disease risk, serum albumin level, PS, and Hematopoietic Cell Transplant‐Comorbidity Index points.

Conclusion

Reflecting high disease activity and impaired general condition, pretransplant effusion can be a complementary indicator for poor prognosis in allo‐SCT.
Understanding systemic factors that Lead to high conflict domestic disputes
Authors: Anderson Kelli , Augugliaro Katelyn
Published: January 2025

This research aimed to determine the systemic factors that contribute to custody disputes becoming high conflict domestic disputes (HCDs). In contrast to the large number of studies identifying interpersonal and intrapersonal factors related to the couple, few studies have identified how systemic factors could specifically contribute to HCDs. Systemic factors are those that are not caused by either party but exist due to the circumstances of the situation in which the couple finds themselves. These systemic factors can cause the relationship to fragment and can escalate any existing conflict that may exist. The purposes of this study were, therefore, to (1) explore perceptions about systemic factors and interventions that can cause conflicts to progress to HCDs in couples with children and (2) develop a conceptual framework and theory to explain how systemic factors can create barriers to conflict resolution and describe a process for how decreasing the impact of these systemic factor can decrease the potential for the development or continuation of HCDs in couples with children. Based on the responses of the participants, three concepts were specified: the adversarial nature of the court system, economic considerations, and socio‐cultural influences.
Bottom‐Trawling Footprint Changed as Fishery Shifted From Hake to Shrimp
Authors: Florez Laura C. , Reinaldo Matías Ocampo , Svendsen Guillermo M. , González Raúl A. , Romero María Alejandra
Published: January 2025

Crustacean fisheries have increased worldwide, leading to changes in fishing practices. In San Matias Gulf, Argentina, the Patagonian red shrimp replaced Argentine hake as the main target since 2012. We analyzed this shift from 2004 to 2020 using vessel monitoring systems and landings. Fishing positions were identified using the speed rule. Gravitational centers of fishing intensity were used to assess seasonal spatial changes of the fleet, and bottom‐trawling footprint was used to quantify the area of the seabed affected. Landings were pooled monthly to assess multivariate changes in landing composition. Previously concentrated around a frontal system, the fleet moved northward between 2014 and 2020, while reducing hake landings but increasing shrimp landings. The total area trawled did not change significantly, but the footprint nearly doubled. Our results can be used for fishery management by increasing understanding of spatial and temporal changes in fishing strategies for policymakers.
Apical periodontitis microbiome association with salivary and serum inflammatory burden
Authors: Bakhsh Abdulaziz , Joseph Susan , Mannocci Francesco , Proctor Gordon , Moyes David , Niazi Sadia Ambreen
Published: January 2025

Aims

Apical Periodontitis (AP) involves complex interactions between the root canal microbiome and the host immune response, with potential risk of local and systemic inflammatory burden, however there is no evidence available regarding correlation between microbiome and inflammatory marker levels. This study aims to identify the microbiome of saliva, intracanal and blood samples in AP subjects and investigate the correlation between intracanal and blood microbiomes with serum inflammatory biomarker levels, and salivary microbiomes with salivary inflammatory biomarker levels.

Methodology

Saliva, Intracanal and blood samples were collected from AP patients undergoing root canal retreatment. Following DNA extraction, 16SrRNA gene‐sequence analysis (V1–V2) was performed using Illumina MiSeq 300 platform. Serum and salivary inflammatory marker levels were measured using the magnetic multiplex‐microbead assay. The alpha and beta diversities were tested using the phyloseq package in R (version 4.1). The abundance of the identified phyla and genera were analysed using non‐parametric tests. Spearman´s correlation coefficient was used for correlation between microbial abundance and biomarker levels.

Results

Streptococcus and Prevotella were prevalent in saliva; Enterococcus, Streptococcus and Bacteroidaceae_(G‐1) in intracanal; and Cutibacterium and Staphylococcus in blood samples. Streptococcus, Prevotella, Actinomyces and Rothia were the most abundant common genera among all three sample sources. In saliva, Haemophilus, Gemella, Prevotella, and Alloprevotella were positively correlated with salivary levels of IL‐8, MMP‐2, TNF‐α, and IL‐6, respectively. Intracanal genera, Enterobacter, and Parvinomonas, were positively correlated serum FGF‐23. Finally, the abundance of Novosphingobium, Streptococcus, Bosea, and Corynebacterium genus in blood were positively correlated with FGF‐23, MMP‐9, CRP, IL‐8, and ICAM‐1.

Conclusion

Microbiome in saliva, blood and intracanal samples were correlated with some of the inflammatory biomarker levels of saliva and serum, suggesting that the effect of AP goes beyond a periapical infection and may pose a potential systemic inflammatory burden risk if left untreated.
Study on properties of MAO/PCL composite coating on ZK60 magnesium alloy
Authors: Yang Junwei , Chen Xiaowen , Luo Bin , Tang Song , Xie Wanlin , Zhang Defen
Published: January 2025

Microarc oxidation technology enhances magnesium alloy surfaces but faces cracks and micropores. Adding C6H10CaO6 and Ca(OH)2 only partially solves this. This study used immersion pulling to create a microarc oxidation/polycaprolactone composite film, examining its properties and degradation. The film transitioned from smooth to porous with calcium and phosphorus deposits. After 56 days, the Ca/P ratio approached the ideal 1.67, matching the biological environment. The polycaprolactone layer thinned in corrosive media, with hydrogen bubbles and film detachment. Surface sediments included Ca2P2O7 and hydroxyapatite (HA), important for biocompatibility. Cell experiments showed superior adhesion and proliferation on the composite film compared to controls. A degradation model revealed the film's protective role during three stages. In summary, the composite film exhibits excellent surface morphology and composition, promotes cell growth, and protects the magnesium alloy substrate during degradation.
Protective effects of BCG vaccination against multibacillary disease, reactions, and disabilities in childhood leprosy: Insights from a retrospective observational study from a tertiary care center in India
Authors: Narang Tarun , Sharma Apoorva , Kaushal Ishita , Chatterjee Debajyoti , Dogra Sunil
Published: January 2025

Background and methods

While leprosy primarily affects adults, childhood leprosy poses unique challenges because of its potential to cause lifelong disabilities and stigma. This is a retrospective record review of all patients aged 15 or below, diagnosed with leprosy, who were registered at the leprosy clinic of our tertiary care center from June 2014 to December 2023.

Results

As per hospital records, 1083 leprosy cases were registered at our center during the study period. Of these, 50 (4.6%) were children below 15 years of age. Persistent skin lesions (PSL) were seen in 11 (22%) cases, and the most common spectrum in which PSL were seen was the bordeline tuberculoid spectrum (BT) (7/11; 63.6%). Among these cases, a Bacillus Calmette‐Guerin (BCG) scar was present in only four (36.4%) patients. Overall, a BCG scar was noted in 39/50 cases (78%). The relationship between having no BCG scar and multibacillary disease, lepromatous leprosy (LL), or the borderline lepromatous (BL) spectrum was statistically significant (P = 0.021). Of the six reaction cases, only one patient had a BCG scar (2%). A statistically significant association was found between the absence of a BCG scar and having a reaction (P < 0.01). Of the 11 grade 2 disability cases, nine cases (all within the BL or LL spectrum) had no BCG scar, which was also statistically significant (P < 0.01).

Conclusions

Further research is warranted to strengthen the evidence of the impact of vaccination [BCG/Mycobacterium indicus pranii (MIP)] on the patterns of childhood leprosy, its effect on PSL, and its role in the prevention of reactions and disabilities. Such research would also help in optimizing strategies for the vaccine's universal application.
Integrating Social–Emotional Learning Into Gamified Flipped Classrooms: Impacts on Emotion Regulation, Achievement and Communication Tendency
Authors: Nguyen Vu Thanh Tam , Chen Hsiu‐Ling , Nguyen Van Tran Kieu
Published: January 2025

Background

Social–emotional practices are crucial in today's educational landscape, fostering students' emotional intelligence, resilience and interpersonal skills. Integrating these practices into the gamified flipped classroom approach creates an enriched learning environment. However, there exists a notable research gap regarding the specific implementation and empirical evaluation of social–emotional learning (SEL) strategies within the gamified flipped classroom model specifically tailored for higher education settings.

Objectives

This study examined the effects of integrating SEL practices into a gamified flipped‐classroom approach (GFLA) on students' emotional regulation, learning achievement, communication, and collaboration tendencies.

Methods

A mixed‐methods quasi‐experimental design was employed, involving 36 students enrolled in a study skills course at a university in Vietnam. Participants were assigned to either the SEL‐enhanced GFLA (SEL‐GFLA) group or the GFLA group. The SEL‐GFLA group experienced SEL practices such as meditation breathing, compliment before feedback and optimistic closure.

Results and Conclusions

The findings, analysed using independent t‐tests, ANCOVA and thematic analysis, revealed that integrating SEL practices into the gamified flipped classroom approach positively influenced students' emotion regulation, learning achievement, communication tendency, learning competence support and emotional appraisal support. These results have implications for educators and policy makers, highlighting the benefits of incorporating SEL practices into instructional approaches to enhance students' socio‐emotional and academic outcomes.
The efficacy of facial skeletal treatment options in the management of obstructive sleep apnea
Authors: Gunson Michael J.
Published: January 2025

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is characterized by intermittent cessation of breathing during sleep due to the collapse of oropharyngeal tissues. This review examines the role of craniofacial growth in OSA and evaluates the efficacy of orthodontic and orthognathic treatments. Maxillary expansion and orthognathic surgery have demonstrated significant reductions in sleep apneas and hypopneas, although they do not consistently achieve cure levels, particularly in the presence of obesity and connective tissue disorders. Understanding the multifaceted pathophysiology of OSA and addressing confounding factors such as obesity and muscle tone are essential for enhancing treatment outcomes.
The arguments of El Norte's editorialists on the mandate revocation in Mexico
Authors: Sotomayor Eduardo E. Parrilla
Published: January 2025

This article analyzes a sample of editorial opinions from El Norte newspaper on the mandate revocation of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. In the March 27, 2022 edition, 2 weeks before the consultation, 46 editorialists expressed their opinions on the matter. Through Toulmin's theory of argumentation, this article analyzes the three ideological stances they took to determine whether they incur in fallacies—those who stated they would abstain from participating because they are against the President, those who stated they would participate to revoke his mandate, and those who expressed that the revocation was a valid exercise without stating how they would vote.
Using constructs of ‘good’ writing to develop ‘a voice of one's own’ in the primary school classroom
Authors: González‐Diaz Victorina , Parr Elizabeth , Nourie Kristi
Published: January 2025

Partly as result of the predominant ‘narrow’ view of writing in England's recent school curriculum and assessment, current primary school pupils often hold a skills‐oriented view of ‘good’ writing for a substantially longer period than has traditionally been reported in the literature. This makes it difficult for teachers to promote and engage children with writing in the classroom and—crucially for the present paper—limits pupils' awareness of the wide stock of resources they can exploit in their practice, thus impacting on the development of their writer identity. This paper reports on the pupil impact of a teacher‐led project on ‘good’ writing constructs carried out in Merseyside schools in spring 2023. Results from this mixed methods study suggest that classroom activities aimed at developing in pupils a holistic concept of ‘good’ school writing provides children with greater awareness of the notion of ‘choice’ in the writing process, hence fostering self‐efficacy mechanisms that encourage the resourcefulness, creativity and individuality essential to writer identity creation.