bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Cascading effects of sand stabilization on pathogen communities: Connecting global and local processes
Authors: Halle Snir , Garrido Mario , Noy Klil , Messika Irit , Kedem Hadar , Cohen Carmit , Ytzhak Koren , Siegal Zehava , Shenbrot Georgy , Abramsky Zvika , Ziv Yaron , Karnieli Arnon , Hawlena Hadas 
Published: November 2021

AbstractAimTo advance our understanding of the mechanisms that mediate the relationships between global climatic and anthropogenic processes and pathogen occurrence, it is crucial to evaluate the exact pathways connecting the ecological mediators and the pathogen responses across spatial and temporal heterogeneities at various scales. We investigated the pathways connecting these two types of heterogeneities in sand stabilization that were created by contrasting forces of various human activities and long‐term droughts, and pathogen occurrence in host populations. The considered candidate ecological mediators were various components of host community structure, arthropod vector traits, and the pathogen occurrence in these vectors.LocationNorth‐western Negev Desert's sands in Israel.Time period1982–2018.Major taxa studiedGerbillus andersoni, Gerbillus floweri, Gerbillus gerbillus, Mycoplasma, Bartonella, Synosternus cleopatrae.MethodsWe combined information from satellite images, 36 years of rodent censuses, a natural experiment, and causal modelling.ResultsWe found evidence that the spatial heterogeneity in sand biocrusts is largely correlated with structural differences between host communities, especially at medium spatial scales. Pathogen sampling, followed by causal modelling, suggested that the cascading effect of sand stabilization on pathogen occurrence is mainly mediated through changes in host community structure and vector burdens. Importantly, we found that structural changes in the same host community can simultaneously amplify and dilute different pathogens.Main conclusionsThese findings suggest that global processes can translate into local processes, where the importance of the mediation effects depend on the magnitude of environmental heterogeneity. These mediation effects can benefit some organisms while adversely affecting others.
Extreme temperatures help in identifying thresholds in phenological responses
Authors: Askeyev Oleg , Askeyev Arthur , Askeyev Igor , Sparks Tim 
Published: November 2021

AbstractAimThe aim was to investigate temperature drivers of the spring phenology of 12 flowering events and six leafing events. Boreal phenology has previously exhibited only a modest response to temperature, but record‐breaking temperatures in March 2020 led to some extreme phenological timing and provided the opportunity for a more rigorous look at the nature and complexity of the relationship between temperature and phenology.LocationBoreal habitat in the Tatarstan Republic of Russia.Time period1989–2020.Major taxa studiedEighteen plant species.MethodsWe examined changes over time in the timing of phenological events and the relationship with temperature drivers using a range of regression techniques. Extreme temperatures caused some extreme phenology and visually suggested temperature thresholds, which were investigated using segmented regression (broken stick models). The performance of these models was subsequently compared with more complex alternatives based on accumulated daily temperatures.ResultsTemperatures in March 2020 were the warmest for this month in a record covering 200 years and were 5.9°C above the 1989–2020 average. Significant advances over time were detected for only seven of the events, but all events demonstrated significant relationships with temperature variables. Segmented regression identified significant temperature thresholds for 13 of the events with substantially stronger temperature relationships above these thresholds. Segmented regressions outperformed models based on accumulated daily temperatures for 12 of 18 events.Main conclusionsThe threshold models were a significant improvement over a linear response to temperature for 13 of the 18 events. The presence of thresholds explains, in part, why the response of boreal phenology to temperature previously seemed lower than in, for example, Western Europe. Responses to temperature above the identified thresholds were closer to those widely published from milder locations.
Evolutionary assembly of the Arctic flora
Authors: Qian Hong , Deng Tao , Ricklefs Robert E. 
Published: November 2021

AbstractAimThe Arctic is the coldest inhabited region on Earth, and it supports few terrestrial species. The tropical‐climate origin of many angiosperm clades, along with strong phylogenetic niche conservatism, likely constrained colonization of cold environments for many plants. However, invasion of the Arctic by many lineages might also have opened up a new adaptive landscape that facilitated subsequent diversification. We might, therefore, expect species in this biome to be descendants of a few cold‐tolerant lineages. Here, we explore the assembly of the Arctic flora using data on the relationships and distributions of > 80,000 species.LocationThe Northern Hemisphere.Time periodCurrent.TaxonFlowering plants.MethodsThe Arctic was divided into five bioclimate subzones. We assembled a species pool for flowering plants in the Northern Hemisphere, and determined which species of the species pool are distributed in the Arctic and each of its subzones. We used two metrics (the standardized effect sizes of mean pairwise distance and Faith’s phylogenetic diversity; MPDses and PDses, respectively) to quantify phylogenetic dispersion of flowering plant assemblages.ResultsWhen the Arctic species were compared to all the species in the Northern Hemisphere, MPDses and PDses were −12.85 and −27.17, respectively, indicating that the Arctic flora is a phylogenetically clustered subset of the Northern Hemisphere species pool. In general, MPDses and PDses decreased from the south to the north within the Arctic, indicating that some lineages are further filtered stepwise into more northerly Arctic subzones.Main conclusionsThe species of the Arctic flora comprise a phylogenetically clustered subset of the broader Northern Hemisphere flora. The more negative value for PDses compared to MPDses indicates that clustering is stronger towards the tips of the phylogenetic tree. We suggest that the majority of Arctic species are nested within clades having attributes that enabled adaptation to cold climates.
Adverse childhood experiences in relation to comorbid cardiovascular diseases and diabetes among middle‐aged and old adults in China
Authors: Zhang Keqing , Wu Bei , Zhang Wei 
Published: November 2021

AimTo examine whether various aspects of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with comorbid cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and diabetes among middle‐aged and old adults in China.MethodsUsing the 2018 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study survey and the 2014 Life History survey, in total, 17 115 respondents aged ≥45 years were included. Logistic regressions were applied to estimate the relationship between aspects of ACEs and diagnosis of both CVDs and diabetes while adjusting for adulthood demographics, health and health behaviors.ResultsChildhood hunger (OR = 1.75, P < 0.01), childhood socioeconomic status (OR = 1.45, P < 0.05) and abuse from father (OR = 1.50, P < 0.05) were significantly associated with greater odds of comorbid CVDs and diabetes above and beyond adulthood characteristics. In addition, the effects of these ACEs on comorbidity were stronger than their effects on the single chronic condition.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that, for middle‐aged and old Chinese adults, ACEs could have long‐lasting impacts on multiple chronic conditions in later life. Public health interventions should focus on the early life stage as the protective childhood conditions might help in warning of later clustering chronic diseases. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2022; 22: 12–18.
Joined by remoteness: An exploratory comparison of regional board networks in Sweden
Authors: Dahlin Peter , Patel Pankaj C. 
Published: November 2021

AbstractStudies of the global corporate elite have shown how networks of board interlocks form among large companies around the world. With interest in the conditions for businesses in the periphery, this exploratory study describes differences in regional board networks by comparing remote and central regions in Sweden. The regions share national culture, language and legislation and have similar demographics. We study business contexts far from the international spotlight and include all companies, not just the very largest, to capture the diversity of geographically dispersed business communities in Sweden. Findings suggest that being peripheral in a geographical sense can prove beneficial in terms of board network structure. The regional board networks in the remote regions are more inclusive and less fragmented, thus showing structural characteristics associated with the more effective spread of information. The regional networks formed in the geographic periphery thus appear to be beneficial for business. The findings in this exploratory story indicate that companies in the geographic periphery can be joined by remoteness.
Comorbidities and co‐medications among 28 089 people living with HIV: A nationwide cohort study from 2009 to 2019 in Japan
Authors: Naito Toshio , Suzuki Mai , Fukushima Shinichi , Yuda Mayumi , Fukui Nobuyuki , Tsukamoto Shotaro , Fujibayashi Kazutoshi , Goto‐Hirano Keiko , Kuwatsuru Ryohei 
Published: November 2021

AbstractObjectivesComorbidities are associated with a high burden of disease in people living with HIV (PLWH). The objective was to investigate the prevalence of chronic comorbidities and use of co‐medications in PLWH in Japan.MethodsThis study retrospectively analysed clinical information from PLWH receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) between April 2009 and March 2019. Demographic characteristics, numbers and types of chronic comorbidities, and numbers and types of non‐ART co‐medications, were described by age groups. The source of data was the National Database of Health Insurance Claims and Specific Health Checkups of Japan (NDB).ResultsOverall, 28 089 PLWH (male 91.9%) who used ART were identified. Out of 28 089 PLWH, 81.5% had at least one chronic comorbidity. The numbers of AIDS‐defining cancers and non‐AIDS‐defining cancers in this Japanese cohort were 2432 (8.7%) and 2485 (8.8%), respectively. The cumulative burden of comorbidities including non‐AIDS‐defining cancer increased with age. Changes in trend between 2009 and 2019 were observed, including a higher proportion of PLWH diagnosed at ≥ 70 years old [2019 (4.7%) vs. 2009 (2.4%)] and a decreasing percentage of patients with AIDS‐defining cancers (down from 6.3% to 4.8% between 2009 and 2019). The most common co‐medications during the most recent 3‐month period were lipid‐regulating/anti‐atheroma preparations (11.3%), antacids, antiflatulents and anti‐ulcerants (9.6%), and agents acting on the renin–angiotensin system (8.1%). The three most common therapeutic categories of co‐medications during the study period were antacids, antiflatulents and anti‐ulcerants (35.0%), systemic antihistamines (33.7%) and psycholeptics (27.1%). More than 30% of PLWH aged > 40 years used at least one co‐medication in a 3‐month period, while more than half of PLWH aged > 30 years had at least one co‐medication prescribed concomitantly for a total of ≥ 90 days during the study period, and the numbers of co‐medications used were greater in the older age groups.ConclusionsThe burden of chronic comorbidities and co‐medication were found to be greater in older, as compared to younger patients, among 28 089 PLWH in a nationwide study in Japan. This finding suggests the need to identify elderly PLWH and to appropriately manage their HIV and comorbidities.
Leprosy: what is new
Authors: Randhawa Avneet , Kapila Rajendra , Schwartz Robert A. 
Published: November 2021

AbstractLeprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease, is an age‐old chronic granulomatous infection characterized by prominent cutaneous and neurologic findings. Long known to be caused by Mycobacterium leprae, a new etiologic species was identified and linked in 2008, Mycobacterium lepromatosis. The BCG vaccine with highly variable efficacy may soon be replaced by the first leprosy‐specific subunit vaccine LepVax, which has recently moved forward in human trials. Recent evidence supporting theories of zoonotic transmission from armadillos and the less‐discussed Eurasian red squirrels has emerged. Knowledge on genetic polymorphisms that may increase leprosy susceptibility, such as the newly uncovered mitochondrial ribosomal protein S5 (MRPS5) polymorphism in the Chinese population, has provided a fresh perspective and direction. Further, we will delineate the latest information on leprosy, including the possible effects of leprosy coinfection with COVID‐19, HIV, and HTLV‐1, and the shift to newer leprosy therapies and treatment regimens.
America’s Changing God: The Fading of Psychological Trinitarianism in America
Authors: Todd Obbie Tyler 
Published: November 2021

AbstractThe Trinity was a fundamental yet fluid doctrine in the new republic. Three primary movements contributed to the decline of psychological trinitarianism in America: (1) the rise of Unitarianism, (2) the dominance of Scottish Common Sense Realism, (3) and a new‐found resistance to the doctrine of self‐love. These theological, philosophical and moral factors profoundly shaped the way Americans viewed the tri‐unity of God in their post‐Puritan world, explaining why so many theologians departed from the traditional understanding of the Trinity in the Western church.
Imaging the different timescales of germinal center selection*
Authors: Pae Juhee , Jacobsen Johanne T. , Victora Gabriel D. 
Published: November 2021

AbstractGerminal centers (GCs) are the site of antibody affinity maturation, a fundamental immunological process that increases the potency of antibodies and thereby their ability to protect against infection. GC biology is highly dynamic in both time and space, making it ideally suited for intravital imaging. Using multiphoton laser scanning microscopy (MPLSM), the field has gained insight into the molecular, cellular, and structural changes and movements that coordinate affinity maturation in real time in their native environment. On the other hand, several limitations of MPLSM have had to be overcome to allow full appreciation of GC events taking place across different timescales. Here, we review the technical advances afforded by intravital imaging and their contributions to our understanding of GC biology.
International Council of Nurses President Annette Kennedy reflects on her 4‐year tenure as president
Authors: Kennedy Annette 
Published: November 2021

AbstractAnnette Kennedy's four year term as President of the International Council of Nurses ended during the organisation's virtual Congress in November. Here she writes about her time in office and the state of the world's nursing after 2 years of the pandemic. She acknowledges the strains that COVID‐19 has put on nursing but affirms that nurses and nursing have come through the pandemic as a stronger, more influential and more cohesive profession.
Unionization and CEO turnover
Authors: Ursel Nancy D. , Zhong Ligang 
Published: November 2021

AbstractThis article investigates whether unions have power to influence turnover of poorly performing chief executive officers (CEOs). Employing the transparency coalition framework, we develop hypotheses regarding CEO tenure given unionization, performance‐turnover sensitivity, and firm performance following CEO turnover. We use Cox regression and a data set of US firms from 1993 to 2013 to show that CEO turnover is accelerated at firms that unionize. Discontinuity analysis suggests that the relationship is causal. Overall, the results show the significance of unions in the key corporate governance event of CEO turnover and suggest that, though they may proceed independently and for their own traditional goals of good pay and job conditions for their members, unions can be allies of investors and boards or directors when it comes to removing underperforming CEOs.
Efficiency evaluation of healthcare services in China based on stochastic multicriteria acceptability analysis and directional distance function
Authors: Wei Fangqing , Zhang Xiaoqi , Song Jiayun , Yang Feng 
Published: November 2021

AbstractEvaluating the efficiency of healthcare services accurately can help in analyzing the rationality of inputs and outputs in such services. Considering the consistency and equity of assessment criteria, this study conducts the stochastic multicriteria acceptability analysis (SMAA‐2) with a directional distance function to evaluate the efficiency of healthcare services in 31 provincial administrative regions of mainland China, as observed in 2018. We use SMAA‐DDF to explore all the projection directions to the efficient frontier instead of a certain projection direction. We measure the maximum and average efficiencies for each of the 31 provincial healthcare services. Our empirical findings show that only seven provinces achieve optimal healthcare service efficiency; the eastern area performed the best, followed by the central, western, and northeast areas. Furthermore, the path along the projection directions is provided to help inefficient provinces improve their efficiency and obtain the best possible positions.
Interaction between the introduction strategy of the third‐party online channel and the choice of online sales format
Authors: Shi Guoqiang , Jiang Lin , Wang Yong 
Published: November 2021

AbstractOn the online platform of e‐tailers (e.g., Amazon), there are many third‐party retailers who can resell products by paying e‐tailers a platform usage fee. When e‐tailers sell manufacturers’ products through the agency selling or reselling format, manufacturers may also sell the products via the third‐party retailers, i.e., the third‐party online channel. Therefore, in an online retailing supply chain composed of a manufacturer, an e‐tailer ad a third‐party retailer, this paper employs game theory to study the interaction between the introduction strategy of such channel and the choice of online sales format. The results show that under the agency selling format, the manufacturer should always introduce the channel to reduce the loss caused by platform usage fee and the low sales efficiency; under the reselling format, if the platform fee rate is small, the manufacturer will introduce such channel because of benefiting from downstream competition brought by the channel, otherwise, vice versa. When the channel is introduced under both sales formats and the sales efficiency of the manufacturer is not very high or very low, with the discount factor of consumer utility in this channel being large, the e‐tailer should choose the reselling format even if the platform fee rate is large. In case the channel is introduced only under the agency selling format and the sales efficiency of the manufacturer is not very high or very low, even if the platform fee rate is very large, the e‐tailer should also choose the reselling format. These choices always benefit the manufacturer (i.e., two win‐win situations). Under the agency selling format, the third‐party retailer should always improve the utility gained from purchasing from this channel, but it should keep the utility at an appropriate level under the reselling format.
Ablation Index‐guided point‐by‐point ablation versus Grid annotation‐guided dragging for pulmonary vein isolation: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Mulder Mark J. , Kemme Michiel J. B. , Hopman Luuk H. G. A. , Hagen Amaya M. D. , van de Ven Peter M. , Hauer Herbert A. , Tahapary Giovanni J. M. , van Rossum Albert C. , Allaart Cornelis P. 
Published: November 2021

AbstractIntroductionRadiofrequency (RF) atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation using a catheter dragging technique may shorten procedural duration and improve durability of pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) by creating uninterrupted linear ablation lesions. We compared a novel AF ablation approach guided by Grid annotation allowing for “drag lesions” with a standard point‐by‐point ablation approach in a single‐center randomized study.MethodsEighty‐eight paroxysmal or persistent AF patients were randomized 1:1 to undergo RF‐PVI with either a catheter dragging ablation technique guided by Grid annotation or point‐by‐point ablation guided by Ablation Index (AI) annotation. In the Grid annotation arm, ablation was visualized using 1 mm³ grid points coloring red after meeting predefined stability and contact force criteria. In the AI annotation arm, ablation lesions were created in a point‐by‐point fashion with AI target values set at 380 and 500 for posterior/inferior and anterior/roof segments, respectively. Patients were followed up for 12 months after PVI using ECGs, 24‐h Holter monitoring and a mobile‐based one‐lead ECG device.ResultsProcedure time was not different between the two randomization arms (Grid annotation 71 ± 19 min, AI annotation 72 ± 26 min, p = .765). RF time was significantly longer in the Grid annotation arm compared with the AI annotation arm (49 ± 8 min vs. 37 ± 8 min, respectively, p < .001). Atrial tachyarrhythmia recurrence was documented in 10 patients (23%) in the Grid annotation arm compared with 19 patients (42%) in the AI annotation arm with time to recurrence not reaching statistical significance (p = .074).ConclusionsThis study shows that a Grid annotation‐guided dragging approach provides an alternative to point‐by‐point RF‐PVI using AI annotation.
Pharmacist‐led transitions of care between hospitals, primary care clinics, and community pharmacies
Authors: Cossette Benoit , Ricard Geneviève , Poirier Rolande , Gosselin Suzanne , Langlois Marie‐France , Imbeault Philippe , Breton Mylaine , Couturier Yves , Sirois Caroline , Lessard‐Beaudoin Mélissa , Rodrigue Claudie , Teasdale Julie , Turcotte Jean‐Philippe , Mallet Louise 
Published: November 2021

AbstractBackgroundPharmacist‐led transitions of care (TOC) interventions have been described as some of the most promising interventions to reduce medication‐related harm (MRH) in older adults. This study analyzed the feasibility of pharmacist‐led TOC interventions between hospitals, multidisciplinary primary care clinics (PCC), and community pharmacies.MethodsAdults aged 65 years and older at risk of MRH in three regions of Quebec, Canada, with contrasting contexts of care based on university affiliation were recruited in this multicenter, single arm, and prospective intervention cohort. The hospital pharmacist developed the pharmaceutical care plan in collaboration with the hospital physician and transferred this plan with the hospitalization summary, at hospital discharge, to the PCC family physician and to the community and PCC pharmacists. A consultation with the community pharmacist was scheduled within seven days of hospital discharge and with the PCC pharmacist when appropriate. Feasibility outcomes included the time to complete the interventions and their location.ResultsThe 123 eligible patients had a mean age of 78.5 years, and 63.4% were females. The most frequent inclusion criterion was 10 medications or more, including one high‐risk medication for 90 patients (73%). Recruitment in one region was stopped after three months due to unsuccessful recruitment of key PCC. The hospital pharmacist interventions took a median of 165 min. The first consultations of the PCC and community pharmacists took a median of 15 and 50 min. Among the 96 patients with a post‐discharge pharmacist follow‐up, 23 (24.0%) had a consultation with a PCC pharmacist, with 65.2% of the consultations conducted at the PCC. The community pharmacists conducted a consultation with 88 patients (93%), with more than 70% of consultations conducted by phone.ConclusionOur study showed the feasibility of pharmacist‐led TOC interventions between hospitals, PCC, and community pharmacies and detailed the novel role that PCC pharmacists played in optimizing TOC interventions.