bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Paenibacillus as a Biocontrol Agent for Fungal Phytopathogens: Is P. polymyxa the Only One Worth Attention?
Authors: Dobrzyński Jakub , Naziębło Aleksandra 
Published: October 2024

AbstractControl of fungal phytopathogens is a significant challenge in modern agriculture. The widespread use of chemical fungicides to control these pathogens often leads to environmental and food contamination. An eco-friendly alternative that can help reduce reliance on these chemicals is plant growth–promoting bacteria (PGPB), particularly those of the genus Paenibacillus, which appear to be highly effective. The review aims to summarize the existing knowledge on the potential of Paenibacillus spp. as fungal biocontrol agents, identify knowledge gaps, and answer whether other species of the genus Paenibacillus, in addition to Paenibacillus polymyxa, can also be effective biocontrol agents. Paenibacillus spp. can combat plant phytopathogens through various mechanisms, including the production of lipopeptides (such as fusaricidin, paenimyxin, and pelgipeptin), the induction of systemic resistance (ISR), hydrolytic enzymes (chitinase, cellulase, and glucanase), and volatile organic compounds. These properties enable Paenibacillus strains to suppress the growth of fungi such as Fusarium oxysporum, F. solani, Rhizoctonia solani, Botrytis cinerea, or Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. Notably, several strains of Paenibacillus, including P. polymyxa, P. illinoisensis KJA-424, P. lentimorbus B-30488, and P. elgii JCK1400, have demonstrated efficacy in controlling fungal diseases in plants. Importantly, many formulations with Paenibacillus strains have already been patented, and some are commercially available, but most of them contain only P. polymyxa. Nevertheless, considering the data presented in this review, we believe that other strains from the Paenibacillus genus (besides P. polymyxa) will also be commercialized and used in plant protection in the future. Importantly, there is still limited information regarding their impact on the native microbiota, particularly from the metataxonomic and metagenomic perspectives. Expanding knowledge in this area could enhance the effectiveness of biocontrol agents containing Paenibacillus spp., ensuring safe and sustainable use of biological fungicides.
Reliability, reference values and factors related to maximum bite force measured by the Innobyte system in healthy adults with natural dentitions
Authors: Ustrell-Barral Mireia , Zamora-Olave Carla , Khoury-Ribas Laura , Rovira-Lastra Bernat , Martinez-Gomis Jordi 
Published: October 2024

Abstract
Objectives
We aimed to determine the predictors of maximum bite force (MBF), as measured with the Innobyte system, and to assess the reliability and reference values for MBF in young adults with natural dentitions.

Methods
This cross-sectional test–retest study included 101 dental students with natural dentitions. Participants had their dental occlusion examined and completed three questionnaires: the Temporomandibular disorders Pain Screener, Oral Behavior Checklist, and Jaw Functional Limitation Scale. Body mass index and muscle mass percentage were determined, and handgrip strength was measured with a dynamometer. The MBF was measured with Innobyte, with reliability assessed by the intraclass correlation coefficient, expressing reference values as MBF percentiles. Bivariate tests and multiple linear regression models were used for statistical analysis.

Results
The intraclass correlation coefficient for the MBF was 0.90, with 10th to 90th percentiles of 487–876 N for females and 529–1003 N for males. A positive relationship existed between the MBF and male sex, muscle mass percentage, overbite, handgrip strength, and possible sleep/awake bruxism. Stepwise regression showed that overbite, handgrip strength, and possible sleep/awake bruxism had the greatest effect on the MBF, explaining 27% of the variation.

Conclusions
This study provides reference values for MBF when using the Innobyte system and shows excellent reliability. Overbite, general strength, and self-reported bruxism appear to be important predictors of MBF.

Clinical relevance
Innobyte is a reliable device that can be used to measure MBF bilaterally. Self-reported bruxism is associated with an 8%–10% increase in MBF.
Metabolic impact of low dose IL-2 therapy for primary Sjögren’s Syndrome in a double-blind, randomized clinical trial
Authors: Feng Ruiling , Xiao Xian , Wang Yifan , Huang Bo , Chen Jiali , Cheng Gong , Jin Yuebo 
Published: October 2024

Abstract
Objectives
Low-dose interleukin 2 (Ld-IL2) is increasingly being explored as an immune-modulating treatment for autoimmune diseases which mainly affect T cell subsets. This study investigates the metabolic effects of Ld-IL2 therapy in patients with primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS).

Method
A total of 60 patients were recruited to conduct a double-blind, randomized clinical trial. Of these patients, 50% (30/60) received Ld-IL2 therapy along with standard treatment for 12 weeks, followed by 12 weeks of follow-up. The effectiveness was evaluated by Sjögren's Tool for Assessing Response (STAR). An untargeted analysis was performed to profile hydrophilic metabolites.

Results
Metabolic profiling revealed significant alterations post-treatment, notably in metabolites like acetyl-CoA, ascorbic acid, and glutathione, which are beneficial in managing autoimmune diseases. In addition, the levels of metabolite accumulation were correlated with variations in immune cell subsets (p < 0.05), particularly Tregs. Moreover, patients exhibiting a specific metabolic profile, including lower serum levels of isoleucine, ADP, Thymidine 5'-triphosphate, and other metabolites, had a high response rate (91.7%-98.6%), as indicated by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.

Conclusions
These findings suggest that Ld-IL2 therapy influences metabolic pathways in pSS, offering insights into the systemic effects of Ld-IL2 therapy beyond immune modulation.

Trial registration number
ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02464319.

Key Points• Metabolic alteration in pSS is significantly associated with Ld-IL2 therapy.• Metabolic changes correlate with variations in immune cell subsets, particularly Tregs.• Metabolic profiling could be a valuable tool in guiding Ld-IL2 therapy choices for pSS patients.
Molecular detection of Staphylococcus aureus in urine in patients with S. aureus bacteremia: an exploratory study
Authors: Schuler Franziska , Kaasch Achim J. , Schaumburg Frieder 
Published: October 2024

Abstract

Purpose

Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (SAB) is associated with a 90-day mortality of 28–34%. Many SAB-patients (7.8–39%) have a secondary S. aureus bacteriuria (SABU) mainly without symptoms of a urinary tract infection. Due to high morbidity and mortality, there is an interest in rapid detection of S. aureus bacteremia. Here, we compared a rapid nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) with conventional culture to detect S. aureus in urine and to identify cases with increased risk for SAB.

Methods
In a cross-sectional study, we assessed urine samples (mid-stream, clean catch and catheter urine) of patients with SAB and bacteremia other than SAB (non-SAB). Urine samples were collected ± 3 days to the collection of the positive blood culture and were cultured on a set of selective and non-selective agar plates. NAAT was performed using a commercial test (Xpert® SA Nasal Complete G3, Cepheid) from a sterile swab soaked in urine.

Results
We included samples from 100 patients (68% male, median age: 67.4 years) with SAB and 20 patients (75% male, median age: 65.84 years) with non-SAB. The sensitivity of detecting SAB from urine samples was 47% (specificity: 90%) for NAAT, when applying a Ct-value of ≤ 37.4 for positive results. Urine culture had a sensitivity of 25% and a specificity of 95%. Molecular and culture methods showed a moderate agreement (80%, Cohens kappa: 0.55).

Conclusion
NAAT from urine has a higher sensitivity than culture in patients with SAB and could potentially identify cases with increased risk for SAB. Future studies should investigate whether this characteristic could translate into a clinical benefit through rapid detection of SAB.
Spatial distribution of corrosion products from a bridge pier
Authors: Ikani Nima , Pu Jaan H. , Cooke Kavian O. , Mai Vuong , Pandey Manish , Wood Alastair 
Published: October 2024

AbstractThis paper studies the spatial distribution of corrosion by-products by a bridge pier within a conductive medium. An electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) technique was used to investigate an uncoated metallic bridge pier submerged in static distilled water. An equivalent circuit model, derived from EIS results, served as the foundation for the study. Further, the role of diffusion was analysed, considering its significance in characterising the transfer of particles from the pier into the surrounding water. This exploration revealed the complex interaction between the diffusion processes of various corrosion by-products as a function of distance. In addition, by evaluating the spatial distribution of iron (II) corrosion by-products and modelling nanoparticle diffusion, the research examined the impact of diffusion and concentration on corrosion particle transmission. The findings, analysed via Nyquist and Bode plots, demonstrate significant differences between theoretical and empirical diffusion coefficients. Results indicated that under natural corrosion conditions, the primary product of the corrosion reaction, iron (II), disperses into the medium when oxidation occurs. The elevated resistivity due to the presence of iron (II) underscores the diffusion effect, leading to corrosion product precipitation and reaching saturation level. Additionally, the results demonstrated ideal values for the diffusion coefficient, which are crucial for advanced corrosion modelling. The results emphasised the need for empirical data to improve corrosion prediction models and informed maintenance strategies for submerged structures.
Positive Mental Health Promotion: State of the Field and Next Steps
Authors: Hill Taylor G. , Terashima Mikiko 
Published: October 2024

AbstractThis commentary proposes a step forward in advancing the field of Positive Mental Health Promotion (PMHP). PMHP has the potential to dramatically change the way research informs interventions (e.g., community-level programing) and to create a greater impact on population mental health, but has been slow to come to fruition. This may be because the term mental health is used inconsistently across studies, which blurs the distinction between mental health and mental ill-health. Consequently, many programs have instead aimed to improve individual-level positive feelings only or only measured a reduction in mental ill-health. Standardized measurement can help bridge this research-practice gap.
Research on assessing and enhancing indoor thermal and air conditions within typical elementary school classrooms in southern China
Authors: Sun Yicheng , Ando Wataru , Kojima Shoichi , Nakaohkubo Kazuaki 
Published: October 2024

AbstractThe thermal design of buildings in hot summer and cold winter regions must meet the requirements of thermal insulation in summer and heat preservation in winter. As a vital component of national compulsory education, primary schools must create a good indoor thermal environment for classrooms, which is particularly important for students. Due to the lack of construction standards and limited research on Chinese regions with hot summers and cold winters, policymakers have no comprehensive and efficient approach to creating optimal indoor thermal conditions in primary school classrooms. Therefore, based on the climate conditions of hot summer and cold winter areas, this study conducted field surveys in primary and secondary schools in hot summer and cold winter areas, summarized and analyzed the current situation of the surveyed classrooms and users' subjective evaluation of the indoor thermal environment of classrooms, and summarized the current hot summer and cold winter conditions. Problems in classrooms in primary and secondary schools in the region are clarified, and the research direction of construction strategies is clarified. The study found that most of the school hours in summer and winter were in a poor indoor thermal environment without refrigeration equipment. This study adjusted the school leaving time to 17:20 in summer and 17:00 in winter by adjusting the school leaving time to reduce the time of adverse thermal environment.
The outrage heuristic
Authors: Sunstein Cass R. 
Published: October 2024

Abstract
Many moral judgments are rooted in the outrage heuristic. In making such judgments about certain personal injury cases, people's judgments are both predictable and widely shared. With respect to outrage (on a bounded scale of one to six) and punitive intent (also on a bounded scale of one to six), the judgments of one group of six people, or 12 people, nicely predict the judgements of other groups of six people, or 12 people. Moreover, outrage judgments are highly predictive of punitive intentions. Because of their use of the outrage heuristic, people are intuitive retributivists. People care about deterrence, but they do not think in terms of optimal deterrence. Because outrage is category-specific, those who use the outrage heuristic are likely to produce patterns that they would themselves reject, if only they were to see them. Because people are intuitive retributivists, they reject some of the most common and central understandings in economic and utilitarian theory. To the extent that a system of criminal justice depends on the moral psychology of ordinary people, it is likely to operate on the basis of the outrage heuristic and will, from the utilitarian point of view, end up making serious and systematic errors.
Video Enhanced Didactic Instruction for Mass Casualty Triage
Authors: Berk Joshua , Schwartz James , Garcia Oscar , Givens Melissa 
Published: October 2024

Abstract

Objectives
High-Fidelity training in triage for Mass Casualty Incidents (MCI) is resource intensive and therefore limited in frequency despite knowing that this skill degrades with time. Didactic classroom materials offer a non-resource-intensive introduction to foundational concepts, but the extent to which it can prepare providers for real world scenarios is limited. Virtual reality (VR) is an effective training alternative, but in its infancy of development and accessibility. To bridge the gap between these modalities, we propose a video-enhanced method to didactic training.

Methods
During Uniformed Service University’s (USU) annual Operation Bushmaster field exercise we produced video footage of individual casualties along with multiple casualty scenes consisting of several 5-15 second videos capturing various elements of a primary survey.

Results
The videos offer a higher-fidelity alternative to written casualty descriptions allowing the learner to visually process casualty presentation that is more representative of reality. The video segments facilitate thinking through specific points in the decision-making process for triage and life saving interventions.

Conclusions
Video enhanced didactic training offers a bridge between written didactic training and exercise or VR training for MCI triage skills acquisition and sustainment. Assessment and validation of this training methodology with various MCI responders is recommended.
Issues of Safety Confirmation for Community-Dwelling Older Adults: Experience of a Flood Disaster in Kumamoto, Japan
Authors: Wakui Tomoko , Ohtsuka Rika , Awata Shuichi 
Published: October 2024

Abstract

Objective
Prompt safety confirmations before and after a disaster are key to reducing risks in disasters among older adults. This study aims to reveal issues in contacting fragile older adults once flood disaster strikes to ensure a sustainable safety net.

Methods
Focus group interviews were conducted in three municipalities of Kumamoto, Japan, which experienced a flood disaster in July 2020, with nine care managers, nurses, and center directors of community-based integrated support centers in August 2023.

Results
Communication records of support and lists of older adults requiring support in regular operations were useful, and the safety of those on the lists was first confirmed immediately after the disaster struck. However, confirmation of safety of those who did not rely regularly on public services, those who lived alone, and older couples, was delayed and their safety was determined by their neighbors’ reports.

Conclusions
Prompt safety confirmation system in the event of a disaster is required for, in particular, fragile older adults who do not rely on public services, which lead to early support intervention.
Exploring Ragdoll Physics in Crowd Disaster Simulation
Authors: Chang Alexander H , Ting Aedan , Hsu Edbert B 
Published: October 2024

Abstract

Objective
This study explores the feasibility of applying ragdoll physics, a procedural animation, and related game-engine technologies to create real-time simulations for investigating crowd disasters.

Methods
We harnessed the power of the Unity Game Engine to develop real-time simulation for the dynamics of a crowd disaster with rendering of scene objects and user interface (UI) elements. Humanoid agents with trigger colliders were linked to color schemes representing impact forces sustained with lethal thresholds ranging from 500 to 550 pounds force for males and 450 to 500 pounds force for females. The simulation enables users to manipulate parameters such as population, crowd density, directional movement and forces applied.

Results
Our simulation showcases an animated real-time depiction of a crowd disaster and enables visualization of casualties, both injured and dead, based upon a quantitative evaluation of the forces sustained.

Conclusions
Utilization of the Unity Game Engine for the development of visually-engaging real-time crowd disaster simulation has promising outcomes. This novel approach for modeling and analysis of crowd dynamics may provide valuable insights with applications in mass gatherings, crowd management, safety, and preparedness.
The War in Ukraine: The Deterrent Effect of Weaponized Interdependence
Authors: Kulakevich Tatsiana 
Published: October 2024

Abstract
This article examines Putin’s expectations prior to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and seeks to answer the following question: Why did Russia invade Ukraine regardless of the West’s threats of severe economic penalties raising the cost of an attack? I argue that the confidence in Vladimir Putin to invade Ukraine, despite his awareness that the stakes could go well beyond the borders of Ukraine and increase the cost of war for the Kremlin, was based on Putin’s calculations that the West would be reluctant to change or substantially displace established rich-get-richer economic structures and would not apply high costs on the Kremlin for military aggression against Ukraine in case of a successful blitzkrieg campaign. By utilizing an extended deterrence game analysis, the article demonstrates how Russia, Ukraine, and the West interacted in decision-making, taking into account the reactions and choices of the other players, and adds to the current body of knowledge by introducing an expanded approach to deterrence strategy based on economic interdependence and the scale of the anticipated conflict.
Inside Vladimir Putin’s Hall of Mirrors: How the Kremlin’s Miscalculation of Western Resolve Emboldened Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine
Authors: Polianskii Mikhail 
Published: October 2024

Abstract
Why did Vladimir Putin order the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, despite numerous warnings from Western countries about the consequences of such an action? This article argues that misperceptions about having the upper hand vis-à-vis Western countries, formed and proliferated among the Russian leadership, emboldened the Kremlin to launch the military invasion of Ukraine, assuming that the West would stand down in the face of the attack. Based on a detailed analysis of Russian elites’ discourse through the theoretical lens of interdependence studies, this study demonstrates that Putin miscalculated Western resolve largely because of two key misperceptions. First, Putin’s elites were convinced that the West was asymmetrically dependent on Russia, viewing it as a strategic resource that would tie the hands of Western and EU countries, eventually making them accept the outcome of the war. Second, the Kremlin believed that Ukraine occupied a secondary role in Western interests that would further limit the West’s involvement in the conflict, as it would not risk exposing its dependence on Moscow for the sake of an issue that, in the Kremlin’s eyes, was marginal to European and American security.
Association between nutritional status indices and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in older adults: insights from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2017–2018
Authors: Chai Haisheng , Gao Sicheng , Dai Yaoyao , Dai Jinhua , Zhao Gang , Zhu Junfeng 
Published: October 2024

AbstractWhile previous studies have identified a relationship between dietary intake and the risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the influence of overall nutritional status on NAFLD development has not been thoroughly investigated. This study sought to explore the association between different nutritional status indicators and NAFLD among the older adults. Nutritional status was evaluated using controlling nutritional status (CONUT), prognostic nutritional index (PNI) and nutritional risk index (GNRI), while NAFLD was identified based on a controlled attenuation parameter ≥ 285 dB/m, measured using transient elastography. The analysis included multivariate regression, receiver operating characteristic analysis, eXtreme Gradient Boosting and subgroup analysis to investigate the relationships between nutritional status indices and NAFLD. The study enrolled 1409 participants for the main analysis, with an NAFLD prevalence of 44·7 %. After accounting for potential confounders, a positive association between PNI and NAFLD was observed. Participants in the third and fourth quartiles of PNI showed increased odds of NAFLD compared with the lowest quartile (Q3: OR = 1·45, 95 % CI (1·03, 2·05); Q4: OR = 2·27, 95 % CI (1·59, 3·24)). Similarly, higher GNRI quartiles were significantly associated with greater odds of NAFLD (Q4 v. Q1: aOR = 1·84; 95 % CI (1·28, 2·65)). Conversely, higher CONUT values were linked to a reduced prevalence of NAFLD (OR = 0·65, 95 % CI (0·48, 0·87)). This study highlights that suboptimal nutritional status, indicating overnutrition as evaluated by PNI, GNRI and CONUT, is positively linked with the risk of NAFLD in individuals aged 50 years and above.