bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Solar Radiation Modification ‐ A “Silver Bullet” Climate Policy for Populist and Authoritarian Regimes?
Authors: Michaelowa Axel 
Published: April 2021

AbstractPopulist and authoritarian leaders are increasingly coming to power in large countries. They often have a climate sceptic approach and do away with mitigation policies when coming to power. Increasing impacts of extreme meteorological events linked to climate change could lead to a situation where the supporters of the populist leader or elites crucial for the survival of an authoritarian regime are pushing to do something to address climate change. In order not to lose power, the leader may look for quick and cheap solutions. In such a context, solar radiation modification (SRM), for example, by stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI), will become very attractive as it is likely to have low costs and rapid effects. Populist or authoritarian governments are unlikely to care for negative impacts of SRM abroad as they often act nationalistically with an explicit disdain for multilateral solutions. We discuss the incentive structure and political economy that populist and authoritarian leaders may face regarding unilateral use of SRM and elaborate how the international community could try to prevent or at least ‘contain’ such unilateral uses of SRM. Unfortunately, such ‘containment’ is contingent on the most powerful states not being populist or authoritarian regimes.
Addressing power imbalances in biosequestration governance
Authors: Lovera‐Bilderbeek Simone , Lahiri Souparna 
Published: April 2021

AbstractClimate change is a global challenge that requires strong governance on a global scale. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has suggested that large‐scale biosequestration in the form of forest restoration or tree plantation establishment is a potential form of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) that could contribute significantly to climate change mitigation. Yet it has also cautioned that this approach has social and environmental trade‐offs that need to be addressed through enhanced land governance. Land governance, per definition, has a strong local dimension as most lands are inhabited by local communities. Glocal and other multi‐scale governance approaches have been proposed to address potential conflicts between global policies and the rights, needs and priorities of local communities. Yet these approaches often overlook the power imbalances between the actors that design global climate policies and the local, often politically and economically marginalized, indigenous and other forest‐dependent communities that are directly impacted by these policies. The paper will explore to what extent theoretical concepts like rights‐based approaches have been able to address these conflicts and power imbalances, and whether more profound changes in governance systems are required to ensure equitable implementation of CDR.
Quantifying surface topography of biological systems from 3D scans
Authors: Martinez Alejandro , Nguyen Damon , Basson Mandeep S. , Medina Josh , Irschick Duncan J. , Baeckens Simon 
Published: April 2021

Abstract

Understanding the three‐dimensional (3D) surface complexity of biological systems can yield fundamental insights into how organisms interact with their environments. The wealth of current imaging technologies permits detailed 3D visualization of biological surfaces on the macro‐, micro‐ and nanoscale. Analysis of the reconstructed 3D images, however, remains a challenging proposition.

Here, we present QuSTo, a versatile, open‐source program developed in Python to quantify surface topography from profiles obtained from 3D scans. The program calculates metrics that quantify surface roughness and the size (i.e. height and length) and shape (i.e. convexity constant (CC), skewness (Sk) and kurtosis (Ku)) of surface structures.

We demonstrate the applicability of our program by quantifying the surface topography of snake skin based on newly collected data from white light 3D scans of the ventrum and dorsum of 32 species. To illustrate the utility of QuSTo for evolutionary and ecological research, we test whether snake species that occur in different habitats differ in skin surface structure using phylogenetic comparative analyses.

The QuSTo application is free, open‐source, user‐friendly and easily adapted for specific analysis requirements (available in GitHub, github.com/GMLatUCDavis/QuSTo) and is compatible with 3D data obtained with different scanning techniques, for example, white light and laser scanning, photogrammetry, gel‐based stereo‐profilometry. Scientists from various disciplines can use QuSTo to examine the surface properties of an array of animal and plant species for both fundamental and applied biological and bioinspired research.
Influence of ultrasonic activation on antimicrobial activity of a new final irrigant containing glycolic acid: An invitro study
Authors: Souza Matheus Albino , Palhano Huriel Scartazzini , Macci Dierro , Broch Gabriélli Moraes , Tissiani Luanda , Rauber Bárbara Facco , Cecchin Doglas , Bervian Juliane , de Almeida Gomes Brenda Paula Figueiredo , Gabrielli Ezequiel Santin 
Published: April 2021

AbstractThis study evaluated the influence of ultrasonic activation (US) on the antimicrobial activity of a new final irrigant containing glycolic acid (GA). Extracted teeth were used, being 70 to counting of colony‐forming units (CFUs) and 35 to confocal laser scanning microscopy. Samples were inoculated with Enterococcus faecalis and divided into 7 groups: distilled water + US; 17% EDTA; Qmix; 17% GA; 17% EDTA + US; QMix + US; and 17% GA + US and kept in contact with test solution for 1 min in the groups with or no US. In the CFUs, the highest bacterial reduction was observed in QMix + US group, followed by QMix and GA + US. In the confocal evaluation, the lowest number of viable cells was observed in EDTA + US, with no statistical difference from QMix, QMix + US and GA + US (P > 0.05). The use of US improves the antimicrobial activity of EDTA and GA, being statistically different from the isolated use of these final irrigants in both evaluation tests.
Comparison of intense pulsed light and near‐infrared light in the treatment of dry eye disease: a prospective randomized study
Authors: Ren Xiaotong , Chou Yilin , Wang Yuexin , Chen Yanyan , Liu Ziyuan , Li Xuemin 
Published: April 2021

AbstractPurposeTo compare the efficacy of intense pulsed light (IPL) and near‐infrared light (NIL) treatments in alleviating symptoms and signs of dry eye disease (DED).MethodsPatients diagnosed with DED at the Peking University Third Hospital Eye Center from January 2019 to October 2019 were randomized to undergo either NIL therapy combined with meibomian gland expression (MGX; NIL Group) or IPL combined with MGX (IPL Group). Treatments were performed three times at 1‐month intervals. DED signs and symptoms were evaluated before every treatment. We compared the clinical improvement within and between the groups. Additional comparisons were made according to the meibomian gland (MG) dropout grade.ResultsA total of 260 eyes of 130 patients (mean age, 49.68 ± 18.01 years) were included. The dryness and total symptom scores and the MG expressibility and secretion quality (upper and lower eyelids) significantly improved after the three treatments in both groups (p < 0.05). However, IPL had superior efficacy in improving blurred vision, photophobia, burning, increased secretions and the total symptom score at 2 months in patients with more severe MG dropout.ConclusionsBoth IPL and NIL treatments were effective in the treatment of DED, but IPL provided greater symptom improvement, particularly in patients with severe MG dropout. NIL can be a new therapeutic option for the treatment of DED.
Betalactam hypersensitivity: The importance of delabelling in primary care
Authors: Ben Fadhel Najah , Aroua Fares , Chadli Zohra , Ben Romdhane Haifa , Chaabane Amel , Sahtout Mounira , Boughattas Naceur A. , Ben Fredj Nadia , Aouam Karim 
Published: April 2021

Patients and methodsAn allergy work‐up was performed on adult patients with a history of a penicillin allergy seen by primary medical care in Monastir (Tunisia) between July 2016 and February 2018. Patients with negative skin tests were challenged with amoxicillin. Patients who were delabelled were contacted by phone after 6 months to determine outcomes after any therapeutic penicillin‐class antibiotic intake.ResultsA total of 39 patients were evaluated and 33 (84.6%) were delabelled. Five patients were penicillin skin‐test positive and one was oral challenge positive. We succeeded in contacting 33 delabelled patients at 6 months. Twenty‐two patients tolerated a subsequent therapeutic course of amoxicillin, eight patients did not retake penicillin due to a lack of therapeutic indication, and three patients refused an indicated penicillin use fearful of another reaction.ConclusionThis study highlights the importance of allergy work‐up in the diagnosis of beta‐lactam hypersensitivity. Most patients were excessively labelled as beta‐lactam allergic and this mislabelling could increase healthcare costs and lead to the development of drug resistance by the use of wide‐spectrum antibiotics
Immersion experiences and behavioural patterns in game‐based learning
Authors: Hsu Mei‐En , Cheng Meng‐Tzu 
Published: April 2021

AbstractGames have been regarded as a potential vehicle for enhancing student learning. Previous studies mainly focused on learning outcomes; however, the learning processes and dynamic in‐game behaviours of students who are immersed in a game context are relatively undiscovered. The purposes of this study were to develop an educational game, Bio Detective, to facilitate student science learning and to investigate how game immersion experiences are related to in‐game behavioural patterns. The study included 128 7th graders (12–13 years old). A mixed‐method approach collecting both quantitative and qualitative data was employed, and an integration of cluster and sequential analysis was used. The findings showed that the students were able to learn from playing Bio Detective because significant improvements in science learning outcomes were obtained. The students who were totally immersed in Bio Detective acted more like expert problem solvers than their counterparts with no immersion experiences. They had better problem‐solving efficiency, and their behavioural patterns revealed that they had more heuristic and analogical thinking strategies. Interpretations and limitations are further discussed.
Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topic

Games are a potential vehicle for enhancing science learning.
Previous studies about game‐based learning mainly focused on learning outcomes.
Studies aiming to reveal the learning processes and dynamic in‐game behaviours of students who are immersed in a game context are relatively undiscovered.
What this paper adds

Student science learning was significantly enhanced through playing Bio Detective.
The behavioural patterns of the students with no immersion experiences were more inconsistent and complicated.
Students with experiences of total immersion exhibited more effective thinking and had more heuristic and analogical problem‐solving strategies.
Implications for practice and/or policy

Bio Detective can be effective for students to learn scientific concepts.
The behavioural patterns of gameplay can tell us more about individuals’ learning processes behind the scenes.
The in‐situ data collected by the objective methods combined with other instruments would delineate a clearer picture of the gaming/learning processes.
Economic cost of managing patients with oral potentially malignant disorders in Sri Lanka
Authors: Amarasinghe Hemantha , Jayasinghe Ruwan D. , Dharmagunawardene Dilantha , Attygalla Manjula , Kumara Dinesh R. , Kularatna Sanjeewa , Johnson Newell W. 
Published: April 2021

AbstractObjectivesCancer of the oral cavity is the leading malignancy amongst males in Sri Lanka, and eighth amongst women. Almost all malignancies are developed from a clinically visible precursor stage called an oral potentially malignant disorder (OPMD). The objective of this study was to estimate costs of managing patients with OPMD in Sri Lanka for a 12‐month period from diagnosis.MethodsA hospital‐based costing study was conducted in Sri Lanka in the years 2016‐2017. Three selected treatment centres participated. For societal perspectives, healthcare, household and indirect costs were used. Costs to the healthcare system included clinic visits, diagnostic biopsy, consumables and drug costs. Capital costs included apportioned value of land, buildings, equipment and furniture. Household costs consisted of out‐of‐pocket expenditure and indirect costs of lost income.ResultsSixty‐two patients were recruited (39 male and 23 female). The majority had awareness of oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs). Total average cost of managing a single patient with an OPMD for 1 year was SLR 19 547 (US$ 140) which includes a health system cost of SLR 7320 (US$ 52) and household cost of SLR 12 227 (US$ 87). Travel loss and income loss were a substantial burden to patients and their families.ConclusionsManaging patients with an OPMD, even with annual monitoring, is less costly than managing patients with oral cancer. Out‐of‐pocket costs are very high, and these could be reduced by revising the National Management Guidelines to allow care closer to home.
Role of MRI to confirm healing in complex high cryptoglandular anal fistulas: long‐term follow‐up of 151 cases
Authors: Garg Pankaj , Yagnik Vipul D. , Kaur Baljit , Menon Geetha R. , Dawka Sushil 
Published: April 2021

AbstractAimComplex fistula‐in‐ano can recur even after complete clinical healing has occurred. ‘Radiological healing’ of fistula on MRI correlates well with long‐term healing rates but no study has yet objectively quantified this. The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy of anal fistula healing as documented on MRI and to correlate it with long‐term healing as evidenced on long‐term follow‐up.MethodsPatients with clinically healed anal fistulas who also had radiological healing checked by postoperative MRI were included in the study.ResultsThree hundred and twenty‐five patients operated for high complex fistula‐in‐ano were followed up for 14–68 months (median 38 months). Postoperative MRI was done to assess radiological healing of the fistula in 151 patients, and they were included in the study. The mean age was 39.4 ± 10.5 years (116 men). Five patients were lost to follow‐up. The fistulas did not heal radiologically (on MRI) in 20 patients and recurred in all these patients. The fistulas healed radiologically (on MRI) in 126 patients. On long‐term follow‐up, 124/126 patients remained healed while 2/126 had a recurrence. In the first patient, the fistula recurred 40 months after complete radiological healing. In the second patient, the fistula recurred 10 months after complete radiological healing but pus from the fistula tested positive for tuberculosis (by real‐time polymerase chain reaction) and he was excluded from the analysis. Thus, there was only one (1/125) recurrence on long‐term follow‐up.ConclusionsRadiological healing on MRI correlates well with long‐term healing in complex fistula‐in‐ano.
Quantitative relations between BOLD responses, cortical energetics and impulse firing across cortical depth
Authors: Bennett Maxwell R. , Farnell Leslie , Gibson William G. 
Published: April 2021

AbstractThe blood oxygen level‐dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) signal arises as a consequence of changes in cerebral blood flow (CBF) and cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen that in turn are modulated by changes in neural activity. Recent advances in imaging have achieved sub‐millimetre resolution and allowed investigation of the BOLD response as a function of cortical depth. Here, we adapt our previous theory relating the BOLD signal to neural activity to produce a quantitative model that incorporates venous blood draining between cortical layers. The adjustable inputs to the model are the neural activity and a parameter governing this blood draining. A three‐layer version for transient neural inputs and a multi‐layer version for constant or tonic neural inputs are able to account for a variety of experimental results, including negative BOLD signals.
Lack of caste discrimination by males during sexual context in a neotropical paper wasp
Authors: de Souza André Rodrigues , Silva Rafael Carvalho da , Batista Nathan Rodrigues , Antonialli Júnior William Fernando , Nascimento Fábio Santos do 
Published: April 2021

AbstractPotential mates often exhibit strong variation in reproductive quality, so the choice for the best sexual partner is generally adaptive. However, its adaptive value diminishes in cases where potential mates are similarly fit or when mate choice is too costly, leading mate choice to be unusual or absent. “Primitively eusocial” insects have flexible castes. Workers usually behave as “helpers,” but sometimes they mate and lay fertilized eggs. Despite worker totipotence, direct reproduction is, overall, higher in queens. Males of the temperate paper waspPolistes dominulaare able to discriminate castes, preferring gynes (= future queens) over workers, thus assuring more profitable mates. To our knowledge, no study has tested this ability in neotropical paper wasps. Here, we test the prediction that in the congeneric neotropical paper waspPolistes versicolor, male sexual preference for gynes is unusual or absent. We perform laboratory paired mating trials in which a male was introduced to either a gyne or a worker. Caste assigned was confirmed by morphophysiological analysis. As predicted, male sexual interest was similar regardless of female caste. Conducting gas chromatography analysis, we demonstrated that queens and workers have distinct cuticular hydrocarbon profiles so caste‐related cues are available. We discuss the possibility that reduced differences in direct reproductive potential between castes and high costs of caste discrimination account for the absence of mate choice for gynes inP. versicolormales despite its occurrence inP. dominula. Thus, caste discrimination by males during sexual context is not so strict in species in which workers are able to mate and lay fertilized eggs.
Risk‐Based Decision‐Support Groundwater Modeling for the Lower San Antonio River Basin, Texas, USA
Authors: Foster Linzy K. , White Jeremy T. , Leaf Andrew T. , Houston Natalie A. , Teague Aarin 
Published: April 2021

AbstractA numerical surface‐water/groundwater model was developed for the lower San Antonio River Basin to evaluate the responses of low base flows and groundwater levels within the basin under conditions of reduced recharge and increased groundwater withdrawals. Batch data assimilation through history matching used a simulation of historical conditions (2006‐2013); this process included history‐matching to groundwater levels and base‐flow estimates at several gages, and was completed in a high‐dimensional (highly parameterized) framework. The model was developed in an uncertainty framework such that parameters, observations, and scenarios of interest are envisioned stochastically as distributions of potential values. Results indicate that groundwater contributions to surface water during periods of low flow may be reduced from 6% to 25% with a corresponding 25% reduction in recharge and a 25% increase in groundwater pumping over an 8‐year planning period. Furthermore, results indicate groundwater‐level reductions in some hydrostratigraphic units are more likely than in other hydrostratigraphic units over an 8‐year period under drought conditions with the higher groundwater withdrawal scenario.
Factors associated with erectile dysfunction diagnosis in men with HIV infection: a case–control study
Authors: Jansen N , Daniels C , Sunil T , Xu X , Cota J , Ganesan A , Agan BK , Okulicz JF 
Published: April 2021

ObjectivesHIV infection is associated with increased risk of erectile dysfunction (ED); however, factors associated with ED remain unclear. We evaluated the prevalence of ED among men living with HIV and factors associated with ED diagnosis in the US Military HIV Natural History Study (NHS).MethodsA retrospective cohort study evaluated participants in the NHS, a cohort of HIV‐positive active duty members and beneficiaries with HIV infection. Men with a diagnosis of ED after HIV diagnosis were included. Cohort controls without ED diagnosis were matched 2:1 by age at HIV diagnosis and duration of follow‐up. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to identify factors associated with ED.ResultsA total of 543 of 5682 male participants (9.6% prevalence) had a diagnosis of ED, of whom 488 were included in the analysis. The median (interquartile range, IQR) age at ED diagnosis was 43 (37.0–49.0) years and the time from HIV diagnosis to antiretroviral therapy (ART) start was longer for cases (5.0 years, IQR: 2.0–9.0) than for controls (3.0 years, 1.0–6.0; P < 0.01). Cases had higher proportions of multiple comorbid conditions, including depression (33.4% vs. 21.7%), tobacco use (19.7% vs. 9.0%) and sleep apnoea (14.8% vs. 4.2%) compared with controls (P < 0.01 for all). Logistic regression showed increased odds of ED for delayed ART initiation > 4 years [odds ratio (OR) = 2.05, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.56–2.71], protease inhibitor use ≥ 1 year (OR = 1.81, 95% CI: 1.38–2.38) and sleep apnoea (OR = 2.60, 95% CI: 1.68–4.01).ConclusionsErectile dysfunction was common in men with HIV and associated factors included both HIV‐related and traditional factors.
Associations of frailty, loneliness and the quality of life of empty nesters: A cross‐sectional study in rural areas
Authors: Wang Shouqi , Zhao Minghui , Shi Ying , Zhang Meiling , Ying Jie , Li Huanhuan , Li Yuan , Xing Zhuangjie , Zhang Haiyan , Sun Jiao 
Published: April 2021

AbstractAimsTo explore loneliness, in association with frailty, in explaining the quality of life (QOL) of empty‐nest older adults in rural China.DesignA cross‐sectional questionnaire survey was conducted.MethodsData collection was performed from June to August 2017 in Changchun, the capital city of Jilin province, which consists of seven districts and three counties. In total, 304 older adults aged 60 years and above participated. The characteristics of older adults were evaluated in terms of frailty status, loneliness and the QOL. One‐way and two‐way analyses of covariance and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curves were used to explore the relationships of frailty, loneliness and the QOL.ResultsThe one‐way ANCOVA showed a significant difference among robust, prefrail and frail participants for loneliness. Moreover, an interaction effect of frailty with loneliness in determining the QOL was found. The receiver operating characteristic curves showed that loneliness and QOL could distinguish frail older adults, and the best cutoffs were 34.5 and 67.4, respectively.ConclusionThis study demonstrates a close relationship between frailty and loneliness, suggesting the need to simultaneously consider the two with regard to the QOL of empty‐nest older adults in rural China.