bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Associations between attainment of incentivized primary care indicators and incident sight‐threatening diabetic retinopathy in England: A population‐based historical cohort study
Authors: McKay Ailsa J. , Gunn Laura H. , Nugawela Manjula D. , Sathish Thirunavukkarasu , Majeed Azeem , P. Vamos Eszter , Molina German , Sivaprasad Sobha 
Published: February 2021

AbstractAimTo examine the impact of attainment of primary care diabetes clinical indicators on progression to sight‐threatening diabetic retinopathy (STDR) among those with mild non‐proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR).Materials and MethodsAn historical cohort study of 18,978 adults (43.63% female) diagnosed with type 2 diabetes before 1 April 2010 and mild NPDR before 1 April 2011 was conducted. The data were obtained from the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink during 2010‐2017, provided by 330 primary care practices in England. Exposures included attainment of the Quality and Outcomes Framework HbA1c (≤59 mmol/mol [≤7.5%]), blood pressure (≤140/80 mmHg) and cholesterol (≤5 mmol/L) indicators in the financial year 2010‐2011, as well as the number of National Diabetes Audit processes completed in 2010‐2011. The outcome was time to incident STDR. Nearest neighbour propensity score matching was undertaken, and univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were then fitted using the matched samples. Concordance statistics were calculated for each model.ResultsA total of 1037 (5.5%) STDR diagnoses were observed over a mean follow‐up of 3.6 (SD 2.0) years. HbA1c, blood pressure and cholesterol indicator attainment were associated with lower rates of STDR (adjusted hazard ratios [95% CI] 0.64 [0.55‐0.74; p < .001], 0.83 [0.72‐0.94; p = .005] and 0.80 [0.66‐0.96; p = .015], respectively).ConclusionsOur findings provide support for meeting appropriate indicators for the management of type 2 diabetes in primary care to bring a range of benefits, including improved health outcomes—such as a reduction in the risk of STDR—for people with type 2 diabetes.
Switching to iGlarLixi versus continuation of a daily or weekly glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor agonist (GLP‐1 RA) in insufficiently controlled type 2 diabetes: A LixiLan‐G trial subgroup analysis by HbA1c and GLP‐1 RA use at screening
Authors: Rosenstock Julio , Blonde Lawrence , Aroda Vanita R. , Frias Juan , Souhami Elisabeth , Ji Chen , Niemoeller Elisabeth , Del Prato Stefano 
Published: February 2021

AbstractAimIn people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) requiring intensification beyond glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor agonists (GLP‐1 RAs) and oral antihyperglycaemic drugs (OADs), switching to iGlarLixi was shown to be efficacious and well‐tolerated in the LixiLan‐G trial. This exploratory analysis of LixiLan‐G assessed the efficacy and safety of switching to iGlarLixi versus continuing GLP‐1 RA therapy, stratified by screening HbA1c level (≥7.0 to ≤7.5 %; >7.5 to ≤8.0 %; >8.0 to ≤9.0 % [≥53 to ≤58 mmol/mol; >58 to ≤64 mmol/mol; >64 to ≤75 mmol/mol]) and previous GLP‐1 RA regimen at screening (once/twice daily or once weekly).Materials and MethodsEndpoints for all subgroups included: change in HbA1c, achievement of HbA1c <7 % and hypoglycaemia events. Adverse events and changes in fasting plasma glucose (FPG), 2‐hour postprandial plasma glucose (PPG), 2‐hour PPG excursion and weight were analysed according to previous GLP‐1 RA regimen.ResultsSwitching to iGlarLixi in all subgroups resulted in significantly greater reductions in HbA1c and proportions of participants reaching HbA1c <7 % (including with no documented hypoglycaemia) at Week 26 compared with continued GLP‐1 RA treatment. Switching to iGlarLixi also led to significantly greater reductions in FPG, 2‐hour PPG, and 2‐hour PPG excursion, irrespective of previous GLP‐1 RA regimen. Rates of hypoglycaemia were low, but slightly higher in those who switched to iGlarLixi for all subgroups. Modest weight gain was seen with iGlarLixi, irrespective of previous GLP‐1 RA regimen.ConclusionsSwitching to iGlarLixi improved glycaemic control, regardless of screening HbA1c or previous GLP‐1 RA type, offering a simple, efficacious and well‐tolerated treatment intensification option for people with T2D inadequately controlled by GLP‐1 RAs and OADs.
High microbial diversity stabilizes the responses of soil organic carbon decomposition to warming in the subsoil on the Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Xu Meng , Li Xiaoliang , Kuyper Thomas W. , Xu Ming , Li Xiaolin , Zhang Junling 
Published: February 2021

AbstractSoil microbes are directly involved in soil organic carbon (SOC) decomposition, yet the importance of microbial biodiversity in regulating the temperature sensitivity of SOC decomposition remains elusive, particularly in alpine regions where climate change is predicted to strongly affect SOC dynamics and ecosystem stability. Here we collected topsoil and subsoil samples along an elevational gradient on the southeastern Tibetan Plateau to explore the temperature sensitivity (Q10) of SOC decomposition in relation to changes in microbial communities. Specifically, we tested whether the decomposition of SOC would be more sensitive to warming when microbial diversity is low. The estimated Q10 value ranged from 1.28 to 1.68, and 1.80 to 2.10 in the topsoil and subsoil, respectively. The highest Q10 value was observed at the lowest altitude of forests in the topsoil, and at the highest altitude of alpine meadow in the subsoil. Variations in Q10 were closely related to changes in microbial properties. In the topsoil the ratio of gram‐positive to gram‐negative bacteria (G+:G−) was the predominant factor associated with the altitudinal variations in Q10. In the subsoil, SOC decomposition showed more resilience to warming when the diversity of soil bacteria (both whole community and major groups) and fungi was higher. Our results partly support the positive biodiversity‐ecosystem stability hypothesis. Structural equation modeling further indicates that variations in Q10 in the subsoil were directly related to changes in microbial diversity and community composition, which were affected by soil pH. Collectively our results provide compelling evidence that microbial biodiversity plays an important role in stabilizing SOC decomposition in the subsoil of alpine montane ecosystems. Conservation of belowground biodiversity is therefore of great importance in maintaining the stability of ecosystem processes under climate change in high‐elevation regions of the Tibetan Plateau.
What drives study‐dependent differences in distance–decay relationships of microbial communities?
Authors: Clark Dave R. , Underwood Graham J.C. , McGenity Terry J. , Dumbrell Alex J. 
Published: February 2021

AbstractAimEcological communities that exist closer together in space are generally more compositionally similar than those far apart, as defined by the distance–decay of similarity relationship. However, recent research has revealed substantial variability in the distance–decay relationships of microbial communities between studies of different taxonomic groups, ecosystems and spatial scales and between those using different molecular methodologies (e.g., high‐throughput sequencing versus molecular fingerprinting). Here, we test how these factors influence the strength of microbial distance–decay relationships, in order to draw generalizations about how microbial β‐diversity scales with space.LocationGlobal.Time periodStudies published between 2005 and 2019 (inclusive).Major taxa studiedBacteria, Archaea and microbial Eukarya.MethodsWe conducted a meta‐analysis of microbial distance–decay relationships, using the Mantel correlation coefficient as a measure of the strength of distance–decay relationships. Our final dataset consisted of 452 data points, varying in environmental/ecological context or methodological approaches, and we used linear models to test the effects of each variable.ResultsBoth ecological and methodological factors had significant impacts on the strength of microbial distance–decay relationships. Specifically, the strength of these relationships varied between environments and habitats, with soils showing significantly weaker distance–decay relationships than other habitats, whereas increasing spatial extents had no effect. Methodological factors, such as sequencing depth, were positively related to the strength of distance–decay relationships, and choice of dissimilarity metric was also important, with phylogenetic metrics generally giving weaker distance–decay relationships than binary or abundance‐based indices.Main conclusionsWe conclude that widely studied microbial biogeographical patterns, such as the distance–decay relationship, vary by ecological context but are primarily distorted by methodological choices. Consequently, we suggest that by linking methodological approaches appropriately to the ecological context of a study, we can progress towards generalizable biogeographical relationships in microbial ecology.
Virtual reality in problem‐based learning contexts: Effects on the problem‐solving performance, vocabulary acquisition and motivation of English language learners
Authors: Chen Ching‐Huei , Hung Hsiu‐Ting , Yeh Hui‐Chin 
Published: February 2021

AbstractLearning a foreign language requires interaction with language input while involved in a task. Given that problem‐based learning (PBL) offers hands‐on application in realistic contexts, and that virtual reality (VR) enables learners to interact with multiple modalities of information, this study examines how the integration of VR technology into PBL contexts affects students' motivation for, problem‐solving during, and vocabulary acquisition in learning English as a foreign language (EFL). A total of 84 engineering majors who enrolled in a course of English for specific purposes were randomly assigned to either an experimental group or a control group. Students in the experimental group participated in a VR‐assisted PBL context, in which they were to view a PBL scenario using VR technology and then to create VR videos about solving the given problems. Those in the control group participated in a PBL context without the use of VR technology for viewing and solving the identical scenario. After the intervention, all the students wrote a problem‐solving analysis, took a vocabulary knowledge test, completed a learning motivation questionnaire, and participated in individual interviews. The results showed that the students in the experimental group significantly outperformed those in the control group in terms of vocabulary acquisition, and were more motivated to learn English related to their future careers, whereas there was no significant difference in the problem‐solving performance of the two groups. Implications of these findings highlight the value of engaging EFL learners in immersive environments for contextualized learning through the integrated use of VR and PBL.
Future forward: AGS initiative addressing intersection of structural racism and ageism in health care
Authors: Lundebjerg Nancy E. , Medina‐Walpole Annette M. 
Published: February 2021

AbstractThe American Geriatrics Society is committed to taking purposeful steps to address racism in health care, given its impact on older adults, their families, and our communities. In fall 2020, AGS added a statement to our vision for the future, which reflects that our commitment is central to mission: “We all are supported by and able to contribute to communities where ageism, ableism, classism, homophobia, racism, sexism, xenophobia, and other forms of bias and discrimination no longer impact healthcare access, quality, and outcomes for older adults and their caregivers.” In 2021, we will be working to flesh out a multi‐year, multi‐pronged initiative that addresses the intersection of structural racism and ageism in health care. This will include engaging members in identifying strategies and with the goal of increasing member engagement around the idea that it will take all of us working together to achieve our vision for a collective future that is free of discrimination and bias. The Society has set as the first objective that by 2031, 100% of research presented at the AGS Annual Scientific Meeting and published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (JAGS) will reflect the diversity of the population being studied. Other immediate efforts include undertaking a complete update of the Geriatrics Cultural Navigator, development of corresponding public education materials, and a webinar series focused on helping us all understand our own implicit bias, recognize implicit and explicit bias, and consider actions that we each might take to address bias when we observe it.
Discerning Motivational Interviewing through a spiritual lens—discovering a Christian MI archetype and native MI language
Authors: Butler Mark H. , Gossner Jacob D. , Barham Connor C. , Hansen‐Bethea Madeline C. , Crawford Misha D. 
Published: February 2021

AbstractAn overarching conceptual perspective on motivational interviewing (MI) captures how it evokes intrinsic motivation for change by relying on four key elements: establishing vision, exploring discrepancy, and building efficacy, which coalesce to resolve for change. We suggest that the Christian narrative and doctrines of creation, fall, and redemption, motivating repentance resolve, invoke these same motivating processes. In this paper we explore these parallels between MI and Christian doctrine and use empirical literature to suggest how secular and religious counselors can enhance their efforts to evoke intrinsic motivation for change with religious clients by employing their “native language” within this framework of MI process.
Predictors of Self‐Efficacy Among People With Spinal Cord Injury During Inpatient Rehabilitation: A Cross‐Sectional Study
Authors: Li Yan , Chien Wai Tong , Zhu Bingqian , He Honggu , Bressington Daniel 
Published: February 2021

AbstractPurposeThis study aimed to investigate the predictors of self‐efficacy among Chinese people with spinal cord injury (SCI).DesignA cross‐sectional, descriptive, correlational design was adopted.Methods121 participants were recruited from two rehabilitation hospitals in Shaanxi, China, from August 2016 to June 2017. The Moorong Self‐Efficacy Scale was used to assess participants’ self‐efficacy levels. Participants’ sociodemographic or clinical characteristics, functional independence, coping ability (measured using the Brief Coping Orientations to Problems Experienced Inventory), and social support (measured using the Six‐item Social Support Questionnaire) were assessed as potential predictors of self‐efficacy. A multiple linear regression model was conducted to identify the factors predicting self‐efficacy score.ResultsThe mean age of the participants was 41 (SD 11.9) years and 90% were male. Participants’ mean self‐efficacy score was 53.9 (SD 15.7). Multiple linear regression results indicated that injury type (i.e., paraplegia or tetraplegia; β = 0.290, p < .001) and adaptive coping (β = 0.561, p < .001) were significant predictors, accounting for 62% of the variance in self‐efficacy scores.ConclusionsOur findings imply that psychosocial interventions that target enhancing various adaptive coping strategies could have positive effects on self‐efficacy in people with SCI.Clinical RelevanceInjury type and adaptive coping ability are two key factors related to patients’ self‐efficacy post‐SCI. Psychosocial interventions that target enhancing various adaptive coping strategies could have positive effects on self‐efficacy in people with SCI.
Efficacy and safety of triple wavelength laser hair reduction in skin types IV to V
Authors: Raj Kirit E.P. , Sivuni Aishwarya , Ponugupati Sridevi , Gold Michel H. 
Published: February 2021

AbstractBackgroundLaser hair reduction is one of the most common laser procedures in dermatology. Laser systems available are Ruby at 694 nm, Alexandrite (755 nm), Diode (810nm), and Nd:YAG (1064 nm). Recently, devices presenting a combination of wavelengths have shown to produce high effective hair reduction with no related risks. This study was conducted with the Soprano Ice Platinum (Alma Lasers, GMBH, Germany) that emits a combination of three wavelengths at 755, 810, and 1064 nm in a single pulse.AimsTo establish the efficacy and safety of novel triple wavelength laser hair reduction technology in skin types IV to V.Patients and MethodsThis was an investigator initiated, single‐center, prospective clinical study conducted between December 2017 and June 2019 with a total of 25 patients (23 female and two male) above 18 years with skin types IV and V, areas included are face, beard, neck, chest, and others.ResultsHair reduction was assessed using the physician GAIS (global esthetic improvement scale) score: no results 0% reduction, poor 0%‐25% reduction, average 25%‐50%, good 50%‐75%, and excellent 75%‐100%. All 25 patients (mean age 28 years, range 18‐52 y/o) completed all six sessions of the study.ConclusionObjective clinical assessment of hair reduction using the physician GAIS score in 90 anatomical sites scores an excellent reduction in 95.5% areas and good reduction in 80% areas. This current study shows that a synergistic combination of three diode laser wavelengths used for hair removal (755, 810, 1064 nm) is effective and safe to use in subjects skin types IV and V for facial and body hair.
Effects of plant extracts from Stryphnodendron adstringens (mart.) coville, Lafoensia pacari a. st.‐hil, copaifera spp., and Pterodon emarginatus Vogel on in vitro rumen fermentation
Authors: Lemos Barbara J. M. , Souza Flavia M. , Arnhold Emmanuel , Conceição Edemilson C. , Couto Victor R. M. , Fernandes Juliano J. R. 
Published: February 2021

AbstractThe effects of doses CTL (0 mg), 30, 300 and 3000 mg/L of extracts from Stryphnodendron adstringens (Mart.) Coville (SA), Lafoensia pacari A. St.‐Hil (LP), Copaifera spp. (CO) and Pterodon emarginatus Vogel (PE) on ruminal fermentation were investigated in eight experiments conducted in randomized complete block designs. The in vitro system contained four fermentation vessels. Each treatment was allocated in one vessel in each run. Incubation was run four and five times with diets 50:50 and 10:90 (roughage to concentrate ratio) respectively. Incubation vessel was the experimental unit, and each incubation run was a block. All plant extracts negatively affected DM degradation at 3000 mg/L. In diet 50:50, SA‐3000 increased the molar proportion of propionate (p < 0.05), yet it decreased the concentration of fermentation products (p < 0.05); LP‐300 reduced ruminal ammonia nitrogen (NH3‐N; 98 vs. 120 mg/dl for LP‐300 and average of CTL and LP‐30, respectively) and isobutyrate (p < 0.05); CO‐300 reduced (p < 0.05) NH3‐N (98 vs. 123 mg/dl for CO‐300 and average of CTL and CO‐30, respectively); and P. emarginatus had no positive effects on rumen fermentation (p > 0.05). In diet 10:90, SA‐300 reduced (p < 0.001) NH3‐N and total volatile fatty acids (VFA); LP‐30 increased (p < 0.05) total VFA (85 vs. 63 mM for LP‐30 and CTL, respectively), molar proportions of acetate and propionate, and had lower C2:C3 than CTL (3.6 vs. 4.3, respectively); CO‐300 decreased acetate and increased propionate, reducing C2:C3 (p < 0.001; 2.8 vs. 3.6 for CO‐300 and average of other doses, respectively); PE‐30 and PE‐300 reduced NH3‐N by 14% and increased total VFA by 29% compared with CTL (p < 0.05). Further in vivo investigations may consider L. pacari (LP‐30), Copaifera spp. (CO‐300) oleoresin and P. emarginatus oleoresin (PE‐30 and PE‐300) in diets with high inclusion of concentrate.
Thermal adaptation rather than demographic history drives genetic structure inferred by copy number variants in a marine fish
Authors: Cayuela Hugo , Dorant Yann , Mérot Claire , Laporte Martin , Normandeau Eric , Gagnon‐Harvey Stéphane , Clément Marie , Sirois Pascal , Bernatchez Louis 
Published: February 2021

AbstractIncreasing evidence shows that structural variants represent an overlooked aspect of genetic variation with consequential evolutionary roles. Among those, copy number variants (CNVs), including duplicated genomic regions and transposable elements (TEs), may contribute to local adaptation and/or reproductive isolation among divergent populations. Those mechanisms suppose that CNVs could be used to infer neutral and/or adaptive population genetic structure, whose study has been restricted to microsatellites, mitochondrial DNA and Amplified fragment length polymorphism markers in the past and more recently the use of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Taking advantage of recent developments allowing CNV analysis from RAD‐seq data, we investigated how variation in fitness‐related traits, local environmental conditions and demographic history are associated with CNVs, and how subsequent copy number variation drives population genetic structure in a marine fish, the capelin (Mallotus villosus). We collected 1538 DNA samples from 35 sampling sites in the north Atlantic Ocean and identified 6620 putative CNVs. We found associations between CNVs and the gonadosomatic index, suggesting that six duplicated regions could affect female fitness by modulating oocyte production. We also detected 105 CNV candidates associated with water temperature, among which 20% corresponded to genomic regions located within the sequence of protein‐coding genes, suggesting local adaptation to cold water by means of gene sequence amplification. We also identified 175 CNVs associated with the divergence of three previously defined parapatric glacial lineages, of which 24% were located within protein‐coding genes, making those loci potential candidates for reproductive isolation. Lastly, our analyses unveiled a hierarchical, complex CNV population structure determined by temperature and local geography, which was in stark contrast to that inferred based on SNPs in a previous study. Our findings underline the complementarity of those two types of genomic variation in population genomics studies.
Evidence for ephemeral ring species formation during the diversification history of western fence lizards (Sceloporus occidentalis)
Authors: Bouzid Nassima M. , Archie James W. , Anderson Roger A. , Grummer Jared A. , Leaché Adam D. 
Published: February 2021

AbstractDivergence is often ephemeral, and populations that diverge in response to regional topographic and climatic factors may not remain reproductively isolated when they come into secondary contact. We investigated the geographical structure and evolutionary history of population divergence within Sceloporus occidentalis (western fence lizard), a habitat generalist with a broad distribution that spans the major biogeographical regions of Western North America. We used double digest RAD sequencing to infer population structure, phylogeny and demography. Population genetic structure is hierarchical and geographically structured with evidence for gene flow between biogeographical regions. Consistent with the isolation–expansion model of divergence during Quaternary glacial–interglacial cycles, gene flow and secondary contact are supported as important processes explaining the demographic histories of populations. Although populations may have diverged as they spread northward in a ring‐like manner around the Sierra Nevada and southern Cascade Ranges, there is strong evidence for gene flow among populations at the northern terminus of the ring. We propose the concept of an “ephemeral ring species” and contrast S. occidentalis with the classic North American ring species, Ensatina eschscholtzii. Contrary to expectations of lower genetic diversity at northern latitudes following post‐Quaternary‐glaciation expansion, the ephemeral nature of divergence in S. occidentalis has produced centres of high genetic diversity for different reasons in the south (long‐term stability) vs. the north (secondary contact).