bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Characterizing suburban soil and microbial properties along a soil age chronosequence
Authors: Suratt Andie , Behl Kavisha , Hong Wai Lam , Yoon Yae Eun , Allison Steven D. 
Published: December 2024

AbstractRapid urbanization is drastically altering ecosystem processes in landscapes around the world. In particular, suburban residential neighborhoods comprise novel ecosystems with water and nutrient inputs that differ greatly from the surrounding land area. These impacts generate concern over the sustainability of urban ecosystems, especially whether they will be characterized by net carbon gain or loss over time. To address this knowledge gap, we established a chronosequence of residential yards in Southern California to test how urban soils change after development. We predicted that urbanized soils would experience shifts in physical characteristics and microbial function over time consistent with ecological succession theory, but residential soils would maintain novel moisture and nutrient regimes compared to undeveloped soils, never “recovering” to a pre‐developed state. We compared different vegetation types to quantify impacts of homeowner landscaping choices and characterized yard soils and their microbial communities. We found that yard soils were nutrient‐ and moisture‐enriched compared to an adjacent undeveloped ecosystem, and turfgrass was associated with higher levels of water and nitrogen. Despite high respiration rates, yard soils accumulated carbon and nitrogen over time. We conclude that suburban residential soils comprise dynamic and heterogeneous ecosystems that are highly influenced by landscaping choices and management practices, and warrant closer study at small management‐relevant scales.
Evaluating Sampling Designs to Survey Fish Diversity in Lakes From Northern Temperate Zones
Authors: García‐Machado Erik , Normandeau Eric , Côté Guillaume , Caza‐Allard Isabeau , Babin Charles , Bernatchez Louis 
Published: December 2024

ABSTRACTLong‐term biological monitoring and management depend on efficient protocols and methodology to characterize and precisely describe species distributions and diversity. In recent years, environmental DNA has progressively become a tool of choice in survey programs. However, the effect of variables such as sampling effort and sampling design still requires consideration. Simple random, grid, and transect‐based sampling methods are widely used in ecological surveys to obtain an unbiased estimation of species richness and community structure. However, under certain conditions where spatial information is available, sampling design and sequencing depth can be optimized to reduce effort and cost. Here, we evaluate different subsampling approaches to identify sampling strategies that are both easily implemented in the field and provide optimal recovery of species diversity for a given sampling effort. With a homogeneous grid‐based sampling (25–50 samples by lake) of 12 freshwater lakes in southeastern Québec, and using the 12S MiFish metabarcoding primer set, we demonstrate that random and stratified designs perform similarly to detect 90% and 95% of species. However, we found that, under certain circumstances, stratified sampling outperformed random sampling, requiring lower numbers of samples to detect the same species diversity. We also demonstrate that for the minimum sequence threshold and sample replication used in our study, a sequencing depth of 50K reads per sample is adequate to obtain a reliable portrayal of species richness. In this study, we contribute to the effort of eDNA sampling standardization by providing data for selecting the best sampling design, sequence depth, and sample size to detect 90%–95% of fish species found in temperate lakes.
Synthesis and Biological Activity of 2,6‐Disubstituted 7‐Deazapurine Ribonucleosides
Authors: Šinkevičiūtė Ugnė , Dvořáková Marcela , Tichý Michal , Gurská Soňa , Ječmeňová Kateřina , Poštová Slavětínská Lenka , Džubák Petr , Hajdúch Marián , Hocek Michal 
Published: December 2024

AbstractSeveral series of 2,6‐disubstituted 7‐deazapurine ribonucleosides were synthesized to investigate their biological activities. The key‐intermediate chloronucleosides were prepared by an anion‐base glycosylation with 2‐amino‐6‐chloro‐7‐deazapurine. The target compounds were obtained by diazotation, either Suzuki and Sonogashira reactions in the case of 2‐arylethynyl‐6‐hetaryl nucleosides or two consecutive Suzuki reactions in the case of 2,6‐diaryl nucleosides. The sequence of diazotation and the first Suzuki reaction is flexible and can be changed depending on the target compounds. Some of the final nucleosides showed moderate cytotoxic activity against several cancer cell lines and low antagonistic activity against a panel of adenosine receptors.
Dynamic Residue Behavior and Risk Assessment of Thiamethoxam With Its Metabolite From Tea Production to Consumption
Authors: Wang Xinru , Yu Huan , Wang Zihan , Zha Chengmin , Luo Fengjian , Chen Zongmao , Zhou Li 
Published: December 2024

ABSTRACTThe entire fate of the widely used insecticide thiamethoxam from field cultivation, manufacturing to brewing were studied. A method to simultaneously detect thiamethoxam and its two metabolites, clothianidin and CGA265307, was developed. The field trial indicated a half‐life of thiamethoxam at 3.2 days on tea leaves, meanwhile, generation of clothianidin was observed with the maximum accumulation of 0.0152 mg/kg after 1 day of thiamethoxam application. The processing factors (PFs) during tea manufacturing ranged from 0.16 to 1.36 and 0.72 to 1.27 for thiamethoxam and clothianidin, respectively. Notably, PFs for thiamethoxam and clothianidin were higher during microwave deenzymed green tea manufacturing than pan deenzymed green tea and traditional black tea. Both thiamethoxam and clothianidin showed high infusion factors during tea brewing, whereas the risk quotient indicated an acceptable dietary risk of thiamethoxam with clothianidin through tea consumption. These findings could facilitate a more accurate assessment of safety risks and better protect the health of tea consumers.
Evaluation of the Uricogenic Effect of Hypoxanthine and the Hypoxanthine‐Lowering Process of Shrimp (Metapenaeus ensis)
Authors: Sha Wanqian , xiao Lu , Tao Chunlin , Hou Chuanli , Wang Yanbo , Liu Huilin , Ren Jiaoyan 
Published: December 2024

ABSTRACTOne of the main reasons for hyperuricemia is high purine intake and restricting the intake of high purine food is the main management for avoiding hyperuricemia. This study assesses the uricogenic effect of hypoxanthine and investigates effective physical field processing for reducing hypoxanthine content in shrimp (Metapenaeus ensis). Using mice models, it is demonstrated that hypoxanthine significantly elevates serum uric acid level, highlighting its role as a primary dietary contributor to hyperuricemia. To mitigate this effect, single, dual, and triple processing approaches involving infrared, steam, and microwave heating were evaluated. While single processing methods showed a moderate reduction in purine content, the combined triple processing (high‐intensity microwave + 140°C infrared + 140°C steam) was most effective, achieving a substantial 62.18% reduction in hypoxanthine. This reduction is attributed to the loss of purines during cooking, interconversion between purines, and possible binding of purine compounds to other substances. Further, in vitro digestion experiments confirm that the purine‐reduced shrimp meat exhibits significantly lower uric acid‐raising capacity. Overall, the study provides valuable insights into the development of purine‐reduced seafood options, contributing to healthier dietary strategies for hyperuricemia management.
Sovereign Credit Ratings: A Friend or Foe to Financial Development of African Countries?
Authors: Arogundade Sodiq , Mduduzi Biyase , Naanwaab Cephas 
Published: December 2024

ABSTRACTThis study examined the impact of sovereign credit rating on financial development. Using a sample of 21 African countries from 1995 to 2019, the empirical result indicates a significant and positive link between sovereign credit rating and financial development that is, higher credit ratings are associated with lower borrowing costs, increased access to capital, and increased investor confidence. The study further finds that (1) sovereign credit ratings improve the financial institutions and markets of the selected countries; (2) the magnitude of the impact of credit rating on financial development is greater for countries with very high financial development; and (3) there is bidirectional causality between credit rating and financial development. The empirical results are remarkably robust to different measures of sovereign credit rating (Fitch and S&P), local currency debt ratings, sub‐categories of financial development (financial market and institution), and various estimators such as the two‐step system GMM, JKS Granger non‐causality, and the Machado and Silva quantile regression. In order to improve the financial depth and access funding from local and international markets to finance the sustainable development goals and Agenda 2063, the study recommends that African countries implement the necessary policies to obtain better ratings.
DBE‐Net: A Dual‐Branch Boundary Enhancement Network for Pathological Image Segmentation
Authors: Liu Zefeng , Liu Zhenyu 
Published: December 2024

ABSTRACTPathological image segmentation provides support for the accurate assessment of lesion area by precisely segmenting various tissues and cellular structures in pathological images. Due to the unclear boundaries between targets and backgrounds, as well as the information loss during upsampling and downsampling operations, it remains a challenging task to identify boundary details, especially in differentiating between adjacent tissues, minor lesions, or clustered cell nuclei. In this paper, a Dual‐branch Boundary Enhancement Network (DBE‐Net) is proposed to improve the sensitivity of the model to the boundary. Firstly, the proposed method includes a main task and an auxiliary task. The main task focuses on segmenting the target object and the auxiliary task is dedicated to extracting boundary information. Secondly, a feature processing architecture is established which includes three modules: Feature Preservation (FP), Feature Fusion (FF), and Hybrid Attention Fusion (HAF) module. The FP module and the FF module are used to provide original information for the encoder and fuse information from every layer of the decoder. The HAF is introduced to replace the skip connections between the encoder and decoder. Finally, a boundary‐dependent loss function is designed to simultaneously optimize both tasks for the dual‐branch network. The proposed loss function enhances the dependence of the main task on the boundary information supplied by the auxiliary task. The proposed method has been validated on three datasets, including Glas, CoCaHis, and CoNSep dataset.
Revised minimal important difference values for the visual analogue scale and Foot Health Status Questionnaire when used for plantar heel pain
Authors: Landorf Karl B. , Twyford Georgia N. , Cotchett Matthew P. , Whittaker Glen A. 
Published: December 2024

AbstractBackgroundThe visual analogue scale (VAS) and the Foot Health Status Questionnaire (FHSQ) are patient‐reported outcome measures that are frequently used to evaluate the management of plantar heel pain. This study aimed to re‐calculate (i.e. revise) the minimal important differences (MIDs) of the VAS and the FHSQ when used for plantar heel pain to enhance the validity and precision of previous estimates.MethodsThis study used an anchor‐based method to calculate MIDs and incorporated best‐practice analyses to ensure credibility of the estimates. Data from 369 participants previously recruited from the community into four randomised controlled trials that evaluated interventions for plantar heel pain were used. VAS and FHSQ data from these participants at baseline and follow‐up were pooled to calculate the MIDs (95% confidence intervals). A 15‐point global rating of change Likert scale was used at follow‐up as the transition scale, which was anchored to baseline. For the VAS, MIDs for two distinct types of pain were calculated: average pain and first‐step pain. For the FHSQ, MIDs for two domains were calculated: foot pain and foot function.ResultsThe revised MIDs for the 100 mm VAS were −8.5 mm (95% CI: −12.2 to −4.7) for average pain and −19.2 mm (95% CI: −24.7 to −13.8) for first‐step pain, which represent improvements in pain. The MIDs for the FHSQ were 12.4 points (95% CI: 6.9 to 18.0) for foot pain and 6.4 points (95% CI: 0.9 to 11.9) for foot function, which represent improvements in foot health status.ConclusionsThe revised MIDs from this study for the VAS and the FHSQ when used for plantar heel pain have enhanced validity and precision compared to previous estimates. This is important for clinicians and researchers as it provides a better understanding of how much improvement is required by an individual before an important change is experienced. The revised MIDs will also assist researchers with prospective sample size calculations, so future clinical trials are appropriately powered from a statistical standpoint.
Mitochondrial trifunctional protein deficiency caused by a deep intronic deletion leading to aberrant splicing
Authors: Cassini Thomas , Silverstein Sarah , Behan Molly , Tifft Cynthia J. , Malicdan May Christine , Adams David R. ,   Undiagnosed Diseases Network, Ahn Sun‐Young , Regier Debra S. 
Published: December 2024

AbstractTrifunctional protein deficiency (TFP) is a disorder of fatty acid beta‐oxidation associated with metabolic, cardiac, and liver dysfunction in severe forms. We present two siblings diagnosed by newborn screening and confirmed by biochemical testing at birth. Their clinical course was complicated by recurrent rhabdomyolysis, retinopathy, and hypoparathyroidism. Both siblings were also diagnosed with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) and bone marrow failure and ultimately died of hypoxemic respiratory failure. Initial sequencing of the TFP‐associated genes HADHA and HADHB showed only a paternally inherited variant in HADHB, NM_000183.3:c.1059del (p.Gly354AspfsTer10). Subsequent evaluation by the Undiagnosed Diseases Network with genome and transcriptome sequencing revealed a rare maternally inherited 17 base pair deletion in HADHB, NM_000183.3:c.1390‐515_1390‐499del, located in the final intron and resulting in a pseudoexon that harbors a premature termination codon. Both sisters were compound heterozygous for this and the paternal premature termination codon. No other variants were detected that were potentially causative for the FSGS and bone marrow failure on genome sequencing. A review of the literature at that time revealed several case reports of the uncommon clinical findings of FSGS, bone marrow failure, and pulmonary involvement in patients with TFP, confirming this clinical diagnosis as the complete explanation for these siblings.
Left‐sided gallbladder and Chilaiditi syndrome in an infant
Authors: Bradstreet Laura J. , Chapman Teresa , Swanson Jonathan O. , Furuya Katryn N. 
Published: December 2024

AbstractCongenital hepatic anomalies may be associated with important intestinal abnormalities, vascular anomalies, or may be asymptomatic and discovered incidentally. Uncommon and rare anatomic liver and biliary disorders include left‐sided gallbladder, wandering liver, malrotation of the liver, and hepato‐diaphragmatic interposition of the bowel (Chilaiditi syndrome). This report describes an infant with incidentally discovered malpositioning of the gallbladder to the superior surface of the left hepatic lobe, coupled with Chilaiditi syndrome, a configuration that has not been described in the literature. Management considerations are discussed.
Patient and Surgeon Attitudes Toward Opportunistic Salpingectomy During Nongynecological Surgeries for the Prevention of Ovarian Cancer: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Tymm Carly C. , Vattakalam Reena M. , Flum David R. , Wright Jason D. , Fischkoff Katherine N. 
Published: December 2024

ABSTRACTBackground and ObjectivesOpportunity salpingectomy (OS), or prophylactic removal of the fallopian tubes during an operation for another indication, is broadly accepted as a risk‐reduction strategy for ovarian cancer during gynecological operations. However, OS during nongynecological abdominal surgery is rare in the United States. A better understanding of surgeon and patient attitudes and perceived barriers to OS during nongynecological surgeries may facilitate implementation in the United States.Study DesignQualitative interviews were conducted with general surgeons (n = 10), gynecologic surgeons (n = 10), and patients (n = 20) to assess perspectives and barriers towards OS during nongynecological surgeries. Interviews were transcribed and inductive analysis was carried out to identify themes and categorize responses using NVivo data analysis software.ResultsOS during nongynecological surgery was viewed favorably by most patients and surgeons interviewed. While patients emphasized the importance of raising awareness of OS, both subsets of surgeons highlighted coordination, counseling, and billing barriers that would need to be overcome for efficient implementation.ConclusionOS was positively accepted by both patients and surgeons in our cohort. Improved attention to the shared barriers to implementation from our study may facilitate OS implementation during nongynecological surgery in the United States.
Evaluation of Papain–Urea for Enzymatic Debridement of Coagulation Zones Following Ablative Fractional Laser Treatment
Authors: Glahn Joshua Zev , Wang‐Evers Michael , Carlson Abigail R. , Marks Haley , Karasik Daniel , Hilge Felix , Goverman Jeremy , Manstein Dieter 
Published: December 2024

ABSTRACTBackgroundAblative fractional CO2 laser (10,600 nm) treatment creates an array of microscopic treatment zones composed of an ablation zone (AZ) surrounded by a denatured coagulation zone (CZ). The CZ is believed to play a functional role in skin tightening, posttreatment inflammation, and laser‐assisted drug delivery. This study investigates the viability of enzymatic post‐processing to remove the CZ without affecting the surrounding tissue.MethodsEx vivo skin samples were treated with either control, papain, urea, or papain–urea solutions before being covered with occlusive dressing and incubated at 37°C for 1 h. Tissue viability as well as AZ and CZ geometries were assessed histologically.ResultsTreatment with all three experimental solutions resulted in a decrease in CZ. The largest average reduction in CZ area was observed in the papain–urea group (44%, p < 0.001), followed by the papain (14%, p < 0.001) and urea (11%, p < 0.001) only groups. Only the papain–urea group showed a significant increase in AZ (14%) and changes in lesion geometry.ConclusionThis exploratory study of enzymatic post‐processing with papain–urea highlighted the potential of selectively removing the CZ after treatment with ablative fractional laser therapy. If results can be translated to in vivo studies, these findings could expand the use of high‐fluence CO2 laser therapy with functional implications for lowering posttreatment recovery time, providing clinicians more control over skin tightening, and enabling a broader range of laser‐assisted drug delivery.
On Weighted Fractional Calculus With Respect to Functions
Authors: Zahra Tazeen , Fahad Hafiz Muhammad , Rehman Mujeeb ur 
Published: December 2024

ABSTRACTThis paper aims to further explore the existing theory of weighted fractional operators with respect to functions. This theory extends some fundamental results of classical Riemann–Liouville and Caputo fractional derivatives to their weighted counterparts involving fractional differentiation and integration with respect to functions. By investigating the fundamental principles of these operators, we establish mean value theorems, Taylor's theorems, and integration by parts formulae. The Leibniz rule is extended for weighted Riemann–Liouville derivatives with respect to functions. Also, we present necessary conditions for the existence and uniqueness of solutions for a class of initial value problems, involving weighted Caputo fractional derivatives with respect to functions, in a Sobolev space.
Topology Optimization of Elastoplastic Structure Based on Shakedown Strength
Authors: Huang Songhua , Zhang Lele , Chen Geng , Xu Yugong , Chen Min , Liu Zhiyuan , Lim Eng Gee 
Published: December 2024

ABSTRACTThe traditional approach to structural lightweight optimization design, which is based on the elastic limit rule, often results in a structure that exhibits either weight redundancy or strength redundancy to some extent. This study introduces a novel integration of shakedown analysis with structural topology optimization, departing from the conventional elastic limit rule. Shakedown analysis identifies a non‐failure external load region beyond the elastic limit but below the plastic limit, independent of loading history. The proposed method, for the first time, accounts for the influence of self‐equilibrium residual stress at the element level, redefining effective and ineffective elements in topology optimization. Shakedown total stress replaces elastic equivalent stress, offering a comprehensive measure. Utilizing Melan's lower bound theorem, a gradient‐based topology optimization framework for shakedown analysis is developed, ensuring structures stay within the elastic–plastic range, preventing excessive plastic deformation. The approach, employing the moving asymptotes method after adjoint sensitivity analysis of shakedown total stress, is applied to a three‐dimensional L‐shaped bracket. Even with a remarkable 50% reduction in weight, the maximum total shakedown stress of the bracket reveals that it only increases by a modest 17.20% from its initial value. Moreover, compared to traditional topology optimization methods based on either elastic stress or stiffness, the proposed method based on total shakedown stress leads to a higher shakedown limit. Specifically, the configuration designed using the total shakedown stress exhibited increases of 2.01% and 9.82% in the shakedown limit compared to those obtained using stiffness and equivalent elastic stress, respectively. This suggests that the proposed method can effectively balance the trade‐off between shakedown strength and structural stiffness, achieving a 2.01% rise in shakedown strength with only a 2.24% compromise in structural stiffness. These findings highlight the method's effectiveness and potential, emphasizing the benefit of redefining effective and ineffective elements using shakedown stress in topology optimization.
Evidence‐Based Medicine in Otolaryngology Part 15: Introduction to Peer Review—A Framework for Clinicians
Authors: Morcos Mary , Aguilar Erika Celis , Zhou Allen , Ahanotu Adaobi , Teng Stephanie , Randolph Gregory W. , Schmalbach Cecelia E. , Shin Jennifer J. 
Published: December 2024

AbstractPeer review is an essential cornerstone of scientific advancement. This process involves understanding study design, data analytics, and interpretation of the evidence. For clinicians who are performing their initial peer reviews, and even for seasoned reviewers who assess complex manuscripts, it can be helpful to have a standard approach. We therefore provide a conceptual framework for peer review which builds upon experiences that are already familiar to trainees and practicing clinicians, by drawing parallels between patient encounters and peer review. This framework has been used in successive years as a didactic tool for our trainees who are being mentored toward excellence in peer review.