bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Subarachnoid anesthesia for sacrococcygeal pilonidal disease treatment: A case report
Authors: Qin Zhengshan , Zhao Xin , Feng Jianguo , Li Jie 
Published: December 2024

Rationale:
Sacrococcygeal pilonidal disease (SPD) is a chronic inflammatory condition primarily affecting young males. This case report details the perioperative anesthetic management of a patient undergoing SPD surgery under subarachnoid anesthesia.

Patient concerns:
A 48-year-old obese male (body mass index 28 kg/m2) presented with recurrent sacrococcygeal swelling, pain, and purulent discharge for 2 months. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a pilonidal sinus in the left subcutaneous sacrococcygeal region, with additional findings of degenerative vertebral changes and left paracentral disc protrusion at the fourth or fifth lumbar vertebrae.

Diagnoses:
SPD with abscess formation.

Interventions:
Following comprehensive evaluation, the patient underwent SPD excision under subarachnoid anesthesia. Lumbar puncture was performed at the third and fourth lumbar vertebrae interspace, and 2 mL of 0.6% ropivacaine was administered, achieving a sensory block up to the eighth thoracic vertebra level. The patient experienced transient respiratory difficulty during positional change from supine to prone, necessitating immediate reassessment of the block level and appropriate management. Vital signs were closely monitored intraoperatively, with meticulous postoperative follow-up.

Outcomes:
The surgery was completed successful with stable hemodynamics. No significant anesthesia-related complications were observed within 24 hours postoperatively.

Lessons:
Thorough preoperative assessment of local and systemic infection status is essential in SPD patients undergoing subarachnoid anesthesia. Intraoperative positional changes may affect the level of subarachnoid block, requiring vigilant monitoring of vital signs and respiratory function. Postoperative care should focus on potential anesthetic complications and wound care requirements. Individualized anesthetic management strategies are crucial for ensuring patient safety.
Impact of different teaching modes on medical students’ performance under the scoring criteria for multiple-choice questions: A meta-analysis
Authors: Zhang Zhaoqi , Zhang Zhuo , Yu Ye , Jiang Mengqi , Deng Lili , Guo Lianying 
Published: December 2024

Background:
Comparing the impact of different educational modes on medical students’ performance under the scoring criteria for multiple-choice questions, would provide a basis for selecting more appropriate and effective teaching modes for talent development.

Methods:
We searched databases such as CNKI, Wanfang, PubMed, and Web of Science to collect publications on the comparison of medical students’ performance under the scoring criteria for multiple-choice questions and different teaching modes, with a focus on studies conducted between 2015 and 2024. Chinese search terms included multiple-choice questions, multiple-choice exam, medical students, flipped classroom, simulation teaching, team-based learning, and blended teaching. Equivalent English search terms were “multiple-choice questions,” “multiple-choice exam,” “medical student,” “flipped classroom,” “simulation teaching,” “team-based learning,” and “blended teaching.” Two researchers independently conducted publications screening, data extraction, and quality assessment, and performed meta-analysis using R 4.3.0 software.

Results:
This study included a total of 24 publications, among them 6 on flipped classroom teaching, 13 on simulation teaching, 2 on team-based learning, and 3 on blended teaching, covering 13 countries and involving 2086 participants in the experimental group and 2113 participants in the control group. Using scores from multiple-choice questions as the criterion, flipped classroom teaching and simulation teaching demonstrated significantly higher scores compared to traditional teaching, with standard mean differences (MDs) of 0.39 (95% CI: 0.14–0.65) and 0.33 (95% CI: 0.18–0.48), respectively. However, team-based learning and blended teaching showed no significant differences in scores compared to traditional teaching, with standard MDs of 0.48 (95% CI: −0.36 to 1.31) and −0.63 (95% CI: −1.85 to 0.59), respectively.

Conclusion:
Compared to traditional teaching, flipped classroom teaching and simulation teaching were more beneficial for students’ performance. It is recommended to continue implementing high-quality flipped classroom teaching and simulation teaching to address the challenges in medical education reform.
Exploring the Impact of a Targeted Positive Psychological Intervention on Healthcare Workers' Subjective Happiness
Authors: Dunn Nancy , Nash Sara , Howard Paul , Whitney Lora Elizabeth , Gau Jeff , Ryan-Anzur Frieda , Halm Margo 
Published: December 2024

OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to generate new knowledge to improve healthcare worker (HCW) happiness.

BACKGROUND
Already trending upward, HCW burnout spiked during the pandemic reaching rates of 49% to 69%.

METHODS
This unblinded randomized controlled trial studied a positive psychological intervention's (PPI) impact on subjective happiness among 183 HCWs in a 644-bed community healthcare organization. The intervention had 2 phases: 1) reading The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor; and 2) participating in a 21-day challenge to adopt evidence-based happiness-boosting practices.

RESULTS
A statistically significant increase in subjective happiness was found in the intervention group compared with the control group over the 6-month follow-up period. Within the intervention group, subjective happiness was sustained by 70% at the 18-month follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS
Offering the PPI may increase HCWs' subjective happiness. The study design should be strengthened and replicated.
Using text embeddings for deductive qualitative research at scale in physics education
Authors: Odden Tor Ole B. , Tyseng Halvor , Mjaaland Jonas Timmann , Kreutzer Markus Fleten , Malthe-Sørenssen Anders 
Published: December 2024

We propose a technique for performing deductive qualitative data analysis at scale on text-based data. Using a natural language processing technique known as text embeddings, we create vector-based representations of texts in a high-dimensional meaning space within which it is possible to quantify differences in meaning as vector distances. To apply the technique, we build off prior work that used topic modeling via latent Dirichlet allocation to thematically analyze 18 years of the Physics Education Research Conference Proceedings literature. We first extend this analysis through 2023. Next, we create embeddings of all texts and, using representative articles from the 10 topics found by the LDA analysis, define centroids in the meaning space. We calculate the distances between every article and centroid and use the inverted, scaled distances between these centroids and articles to create an alternate topic model. We benchmark this model against the LDA model results and show that this embeddings model recovers most of the trends from that analysis. Finally, to illustrate the versatility of the method, we define eight new topic centroids derived from a review of the physics education research literature by Docktor and Mestre and reanalyze the literature using these researcher-defined topics. Based on these analyses, we critically discuss the features, uses, and limitations of this method and argue that it holds promise for flexible deductive qualitative analysis of a wide variety of text-based data that avoids many of the drawbacks inherent to prior NLP methods.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
MoNeRF: Deformable Neural Rendering for Talking Heads via Latent Motion Navigation
Authors: Li X. , Ding Y. , Li R. , Tang Z. , Li K. 
Published: December 2024

AbstractNovel view synthesis for talking heads presents significant challenges due to the complex and diverse motion transformations involved. Conventional methods often resort to reliance on structure priors, like facial templates, to warp observed images into a canonical space conducive to rendering. However, the incorporation of such priors introduces a trade‐off‐while aiding in synthesis, they concurrently amplify model complexity, limiting generalizability to other deformable scenes. Departing from this paradigm, we introduce a pioneering solution: the motion‐conditioned neural radiance field, MoNeRF, designed to model talking heads through latent motion navigation. At the core of MoNeRF lies a novel approach utilizing a compact set of latent codes to represent orthogonal motion directions. This innovative strategy empowers MoNeRF to efficiently capture and depict intricate scene motion by linearly combining these latent codes. In an extended capability, MoNeRF facilitates motion control through latent code adjustments, supports view transfer based on reference videos, and seamlessly extends its applicability to model human bodies without necessitating structural modifications. Rigorous quantitative and qualitative experiments unequivocally demonstrate MoNeRF's superior performance compared to state‐of‐the‐art methods in talking head synthesis. We will release the source code upon publication.
Comparative Analysis of the Therapeutic Potential of Extracellular Vesicles Secreted by Aged and Young Bone Marrow‐Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Osteoarthritis Pathogenesis
Authors: Wakale Shital , Chen Yang , Sun Antonia Rujia , Liyanage Chamikara , Gunter Jennifer , Batra Jyotsna , Crawford Ross , Sang Hongxun , Prasadam Indira 
Published: December 2024

ABSTRACTOsteoarthritis (OA), a joint disease, burdens global healthcare due to aging and obesity. Recent studies show that extracellular vesicles (EVs) from bone marrow‐derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) contribute to joint homeostasis and OA management. However, the impact of donor age on BMSC‐derived EV efficacy remains underexplored. In this study, we investigated EV efficacy from young BMSCs (2‐month‐old) in mitigating OA, contrasting them with EVs from aged BMSCs (27‐month‐old). The study used destabilisation of the medial meniscus (DMM) surgery on mouse knee joints to induce accelerated OA. Cartilage degeneration markers and senescence markers' expression levels were investigated in response to EV treatment. The therapeutic impact of EVs on chondrocytes under inflammatory responses was also evaluated. Despite having similar morphologies, EVs from young BMSCs markedly decreased senescence and improved chondroprotection by activating the PTEN pathway while simultaneously suppressing the upregulation of the PI3K/AKT pathways, proving to be more effective than those from older BMSCs in vitro. Furthermore, intraperitoneal injections of EVs from young donors significantly mitigated OA progression by preserving cartilage and reducing synovitis in a surgical OA model using DMM in mice. These findings highlight that donor age as a critical determinant in the therapeutic potential of BMSC‐derived EVs for clinical use in OA treatment.
Patient Ecosystem Mapping (PEM): Supporting System‐Shifting in Healthcare
Authors: Inns Tom 
Published: December 2024

Many approaches to innovation are active in the health sector, the majority derived from the world of quality improvement. While these methods are potent and can yield significant results, when used in healthcare they frequently concentrate on individual patient pathways or specific components of a healthcare system ‐ yet many of the challenges in healthcare are associated with patient and staff experiences and the poor interfaces between different parts of a service.In the conventional quality improvement (QI) toolbox there are relatively few methods that support exploration of these more holistic challenges. Design and systems thinking, however, have much to offer. Design thinking has methods and frameworks that put the user at the centre, encourage divergent and convergent thinking, promote early prototyping & iteration and support collaboration through visualisation. Systems thinking helps map the complex connections and relationships between different actors and elements within a system, it explores flows & feedback loops and encourages looking at the system in its entirety from the perspectives of events, trends, connections and mindsets.To translate design and systems thinking into action, healthcare professionals need design and systems methods that are framed around their very particular challenges, are described in the vocabulary of health and complement existing paradigms of quality improvement.This paper describes how a Patient Ecosystem Mapping methodology has been developed that enables a healthcare team to build a ‘London Underground’ style map of the patient pathways within which they work and then use this to reflect on potential improvements. The principles of the mapping process are described.Examples of how the Patient Ecosystem Mapping methodology has been used on various projects and Scotland and Northern Ireland are described. The maps have acted as Boundary Objects, breaking down silos and empowering teams to take ownership of their areas of healthcare. The way different frameworks from systems thinking, such as the iceberg model, have been used to help review the maps is also described.The work is a case study in how design and systems thinking principles can be integrated into a working method with real world value. The work is also a case study in how non‐design professionals (from healthcare) can be upskilled in design approaches.
Ideological backtracking in ethnic parties: The case of the Swedish People's Party of Finland
Authors: Fittante Daniel , Himmelroos Staffan 
Published: December 2024

AbstractScholars have examined the effects of mainstreaming on ethnic parties in various geopolitical contexts throughout Europe. These ethnic parties consistently promote socially liberal policies, constrain ‘illiberal’ actors and prevent democratic backsliding. However, the mainstreaming of right‐wing populist (or far‐right) parties in Europe is causing mainstream ethnic parties to change their behaviours in some unexplored ways, too. In this analysis, we argue that right‐wing populists can cause ethnic parties to experience political relapse—that is, to backtrack on non‐ethnic ideological issues, thereby appearing to compromise on socially liberal policies. Political relapse occurs when ethnic and right‐wing populist parties must work together (such as in coalition governments). While political relapse can polarize and fragment ethnic parties, it also yields some strategic upshots—namely, by appealing to more conservative and disaffected voters. Based on the Swedish People's Party of Finland, this analysis explores the aftermath of the political relapse, which occurred as a result of the leadership's decision to form a coalition government with Finland's influential right‐wing party, the Finns Party, in 2023.
Long Term Results of the Use of the Oxygen Carrier M101 as an Additive to Organ Preservation Solution
Authors: Zal Franck 
Published: December 2024

Background: OXYOP was a national multicenter (six participating centers) clinical study investigating the safety and performance of the oxygen carrier M101 (HEMO2lifeⓇ) used ex vivo as an additive to the preservation solution in kidney transplantation. Methods: A total of 60 consecutive grafts treated with HEMO2lifeⓇ were included between March 3rd and December 8th, 2016. Grafts were preserved either in static cold storage (standard donor) or on machine perfusion (extended criteria donor). To evaluate the safety and performance of HEMO2lifeⓇ, we compared the experimental group with a control group consisting of the contralateral kidneys (the paired kidneys that did not receive HEMO2lifeⓇ). Results: This study reports the follow-up results of OXYOP patients after 48 months. We found a statistical difference in terms of patient survival at 48-month post-transplantation (98.3% with HEMO2lifeⓇ vs 86% without HEMO2lifeⓇ, [Formula: see text] = 0.016). Importantly, more patients in the control group were converted from calcineurin inhibitors to belatacept because of poor renal function vs none in the HEMO2lifeⓇ group. Conclusions: These results demonstrated the major benefit of HEMO2lifeⓇin renal transplant preservation. HEMO2lifeⓇis the first hemoglobin-based oxygen carrier whose beneficial effect in organ preservation was established after 1 year and this is confirmed at 4-year post-transplant.
Exercise Stress Testing Enhances Plasma Protein Carbonyl Levels in Patients With Asymptomatic Moderate‐to‐Severe Aortic Stenosis
Authors: Kopytek Magdalena , Kolasa-Trela Renata , Malinowski Krzysztof Piotr , Ząbczyk Michał , Natorska Joanna , Undas Anetta 
Published: December 2024

Background: Exercise stress test‐induced hypofibrinolysis and changes in circulating levels of several interleukins have been observed in aortic stenosis (AS). However, it is unknown whether the pattern of exercise‐induced changes in oxidative stress differs between AS patients and controls and if the differences are associated with changes in fibrinolysis and inflammation.Methods: We studied 32 asymptomatic patients with moderate‐to‐severe AS and 32 controls of similar age, sex, and body mass index. We assessed plasma protein carbonyl (PC) concentrations, a marker of oxidative stress, in relation to interleukin (IL)‐10 and ‐6 levels and fibrinolysis capacity, expressed as plasma clot lysis time (CLT) at four time points: at baseline, at peak exercise, 1 and 24 h after a symptom‐limited exercise test.Results: AS patients had 12.8% and 27% higher PC concentrations 1 and 24 h after exercise than controls (both p  < 0.05), with no differences at baseline and peak exercise. In AS patients, PC concentration was 8.3% higher at peak exercise compared to baseline followed by further PC increase (+12.8% at 1 h and +20.5% at 24 h) compared to peak exercise (all p  < 0.05). In controls, PC concentrations increased during exercise, reaching the highest values 1 h after exercise (+21.9%). In the AS group, PC concentrations at baseline correlated with AS severity measured as peak transvalvular velocity (Vmax: r = 0.49, p  < 0.05), mean (PGmean: r = 0.42, p  < 0.05), and maximal transvalvular pressure gradients (PGmax: r = 0.41, p  < 0.05). PC concentrations correlated with IL‐10 levels 1 h (r = 0.37, p  < 0.05) and 24 h (r = 0.38, p  < 0.05) post exercise in AS patients, whereas in controls only at baseline (r = 0.42, p  < 0.05). No associations between PC levels and IL‐6 or CLT were observed at any time point.Conclusions: Our findings show that AS patients respond differently to exercise in terms of PC compared to controls, which suggests a novel effect of hemodynamic abnormalities in this disease on intensity of oxidative stress.
Variable soil moisture feedback associated with short-spell heavy rainfall events during onset and active phases of the Indian summer monsoon
Authors: Nayak Hara Prasad , Osuri K. K. , Mohanty U. C. , Xue Yongkang , Das A K , Kumar Mukesh , Niyogi D 
Published: December 2024

Abstract
This study investigates the influence of land surface processes on short-spell monsoonal heavy rainfall events under varying soil wetness conditions in India, using the Weather Research and Forecasting model coupled with two land surface schemes: Noah and SLAB. To represent contrasting soil conditions, four rainfall events are chosen, two in onset (June) and two in active (August) month, during the Indian summer monsoon season. The results indicate that rainfall sensitivity differs notably between onset and active cases. Specifically, in onset, the SLAB overpredicts rainfall to the north of the storm compared to the Noah. The northward displacement of rainfall is attributed to the sensitivity of evapotranspiration to the preferential soil moisture regime in onset. Furthermore, the higher surface air saturation deficit in onset favors plant transpiration, resulting in increased boundary layer moisture. This contributes to enhanced moist static energy, thereby affecting potential vorticity and precipitation. In contrast, evapotranspiration sensitivity is modest during active months, under wet soil and lower surface air saturation deficit conditions. The study reveals the distinct soil moisture feedback mechanisms during the onset and active phases, through variations in evapotranspiration sensitivity. Variations in soil moisture and surface air saturation deficit in these phases play a crucial role in modulating evapotranspiration, which in turn affects precipitation. These findings underscore the importance of land surface initialization and land data assimilation in land-atmosphere interaction studies.
Systematic analysis and functional characterization of the chitinase gene family in Fagopyrum tataricum under salt stress
Authors: Li Qingqing , Yang Yongyi , Bai Xue , Xie Lun , Niu Suzhen , Xiong Biao 
Published: December 2024

Abstract
Background
Chitinases (CHIs) are glycosidases that degrade chitin, playing critical roles in plant responses to both abiotic and biotic stress. Despite their importance, the CHI family’s systematic analysis and evolutionary pattern in F. tataricum (Tartary buckwheat) yet to be explored.

Results
This study analyzed their phylogenetic relationships, conserved motifs, gene structures, syntenic relationships, physiological functions, and biochemical properties. This research identified 26 FtCHIs and examined their expression patterns under different salt stress conditions and across various tissues. Differential expression analysis revealed a significant upregulation of multiple FtCHIs in response to salt stress, which RT-qPCR further validated. Additionally, subcellular localization experiments demonstrated that Ft_chitinaseIV-2 is localized in vacuoles. The results of transient·transformation showed that·overexpression of Ft_chitinaseIV-2 could·enhance the salt tolerance of plants.

Conclusions
The findings provide new insights into the role of CHIs in stress tolerance and lay the groundwork for future research on the functional characterization of FtCHIs. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of CHI-mediated stress responses could contribute to developing stress-resistant crops.
Liver abscesses secondary to a non-O1/non-O139 Vibrio cholerae bacteremia acquired in a non-coastal area: a case report
Authors: Veenstra Coen , Kolader Marion , Matamoros Sébastien , Sigaloff Kim 
Published: December 2024

AbstractNon-O1/non-O139 Vibrio cholerae (NOVC) strains are a distinct group of Vibrio cholerae that do not cause epidemic cholera. NOVC infections usually cause mild forms of gastroenteritis, and rarely severe (extra)intestinal infections, mostly affecting immunocompromised patients. Here, we describe the clinical course of a patient with NOVC bacteremia causing multiple liver abscesses, after drinking from a freshwater well in a non-coastal area. This case highlights the potential of a V.cholerae strain, that is phylogenetically distinct from the current pandemic cholera strain, to cause severe extra-intestinal infections, including liver abscesses.