bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The distinct roles of two intertidal foraminiferal species in phytodetrital carbon and nitrogen fluxes – results from laboratory feeding experiments
Authors: Wukovits Julia , Oberrauch Max , Enge Annekatrin J. , Heinz Petra 
Published: October 2018

Abstract. Benthic foraminifera play a major role as primary consumers and detrivores
redistributing organic carbon and nitrogen in intertidal environments. Here
we compared the differences of phytodetrital carbon and nitrogen intake and
turnover of two dominant intertidal foraminifera, Ammonia tepida and
Haynesina germanica. Their lifestyles in relation to feeding
behavior (feeding preferences, intake and turnover of phytodetrital carbon
and nitrogen) and temperature adaptations were compared to obtain a closer
definition of their specific roles in intertidal organic matter processing.
For this comparison, we carried out a series of short-term laboratory
incubations with stable-isotope-labeled (13C and 15N) detritus as
the food source. We compared the response of the two species to diatom detritus
at three different temperatures (15, 20,
25 ∘C). Ammonia tepida showed a very high,
temperature-influenced intake and turnover rates with more excessive carbon
turnover, compared to nitrogen. The fairly low metabolic nitrogen turnover in
H. germanica was not affected by temperature and was higher than the
carbon turnover. This might be related with the chloroplast husbandry in
H. germanica and its lower demands for food-derived nitrogen
sources. Ammonia tepida prefers a soft chlorophyte food source over
diatom detritus, which is harder to break down. In conclusion,
A. tepida shows a generalist behavior that links with high fluxes
of organic matter (OM). Due to its high rates of OM processing and
abundances, we conclude that A. tepida is an important key player in
intertidal carbon and nitrogen turnover, specifically in the short-term
processing of OM and the mediation of dissolved nutrients to associated
microbes and primary producers. In contrast, H. germanica is a
highly specialized species with low rates of carbon and nitrogen budgeting.
A giant mite in Cretaceous Burmese amber
Authors: Dunlop Jason A. , Frahnert Konrad , Mąkol Joanna 
Published: October 2018

Abstract. An unusually large acariform mite is described as Immensmaris
chewbaccei gen. et sp. nov. from the Cretaceous (ca. 100 Ma)
Burmese amber of Myanmar. With an idiosoma plus gnathosoma more than a
centimetre long, it represents the largest unequivocal fossil mite ever
recorded and approaches the maximum size of the largest living Acariformes
today. Although some details of the dorsal idiosoma are equivocal, the new
fossil appears to belong to Smarididae (Prostigmata: Parasitengona:
Erythraeoidea) and also represents the largest erythraeoid mite ever
discovered, indicating a clade of giant, possibly arboreal, mites in the Late
Cretaceous of southeastern Asia.
Recent evolution and associated hydrological dynamics of a vanishing tropical Andean glacier: Glaciar de Conejeras, Colombia
Authors: Morán-Tejeda Enrique , Ceballos Jorge Luis , Peña Katherine , Lorenzo-Lacruz Jorge , López-Moreno Juan Ignacio 
Published: October 2018

Abstract. Glaciers in the inner tropics are rapidly retreating due to atmospheric
warming. In Colombia, this retreat is accelerated by volcanic activity, and
most glaciers are in their last stages of existence. There is general
concern about the hydrological implications of receding glaciers, as they
constitute important freshwater reservoirs and, after an initial increase in
melting flows due to glacier retreat, a decrease in water resources is
expected in the long term as glaciers become smaller. In this paper, we
perform a comprehensive study of the evolution of a small Colombian glacier,
Conejeras (Parque Nacional Natural de los Nevados) that has been monitored
since 2006, with a special focus on the hydrological response of the
glacierized catchment. The glacier shows great sensitivity to changes in
temperature and especially to the evolution of the El Niño–Southern
Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon, with great loss of mass and area during El
Niño warm events. Since 2006, it has suffered a 37 % reduction, from
22.45 ha in 2006 to 12 ha in 2017, with an especially abrupt reduction since
2014. During the period of hydrological monitoring (June 2013 to December 2017),
streamflow at the outlet of the catchment experienced a noticeable
cycle of increasing flows up to mid-2016 and decreasing flows afterwards.
The same cycle was observed for other hydrological indicators, including the
slope of the rising flow limb and the monthly variability of flows. We
observed an evident change in the daily hydrograph, from a predominance of
days with a purely melt-driven hydrograph up to mid-2016, to an increase in
the frequency of days with flows less influenced by melt after 2016. Such a
hydrological cycle is not directly related to fluctuations of temperature or
precipitation; therefore, it is reasonable to consider that it is the
response of the glacierized catchment to retreat of the glacier. Results
confirm the necessity for small-scale studies at a high temporal resolution,
in order to understand the hydrological response of glacier-covered
catchments to glacier retreat and imminent glacier extinction.
Reconstruction and simulation of an extreme flood event in the Lago Maggiore catchment in 1868
Authors: Stucki Peter , Bandhauer Moritz , Heikkilä Ulla , Rössler Ole , Zappa Massimiliano , Pfister Lucas , Salvisberg Melanie , Froidevaux Paul , Martius Olivia , Panziera Luca , Brönnimann Stefan 
Published: October 2018

Abstract. Heavy precipitation on the south side of the central Alps
produced a catastrophic flood in October 1868. We assess the damage and
societal impacts, as well as the atmospheric and hydrological drivers using
documentary evidence, observations and novel numerical weather and runoff
simulations. The greatest damage was concentrated close to the Alpine divide and Lago
Maggiore. An atmospheric reanalysis emphasizes the repeated occurrence of
streamers of high potential vorticity as precursors of heavy precipitation.
Dynamical downscaling indicates high freezing levels (4000 m a.s.l.),
extreme precipitation rates (max. 270 mm 24 h−1) and weather dynamics that agree well with observed
precipitation and damage, and with existing concepts of forced low-level
convergence, mid-level uplift and iterative northeastward propagation of
convective cells. Simulated and observed peak levels of Lago Maggiore differ
by 2 m, possibly because the exact cross section of the lake outflow is
unknown. The extreme response of Lago Maggiore cannot be attributed to low
forest cover. Nevertheless, such a paradigm was adopted by policy makers
following the 1868 flood, and used to implement nationwide afforestation
policies and hydraulic structures. These findings illustrate the potential of high-resolution,
hydrometeorological models – strongly supported by historical methods –
to shed new light on weather events and their socio-economic implications in
the 19th century.
The Writing Program Administrator as Interstitial Radical
Authors: Farmer Frank 
Published: October 2018

Drawing upon personal experience as a writing program administrator at a research university, and marshaling a body of critical scholarship that examines how neoliberal ideology in the academy might be opposed, the author discusses interstitial resistance in the form of a curricular alternative--namely, the outsider genre of zines. Because zines typically embody a "worldview dramatically at odds with the [one] cultivated and reinforced by institutions of higher education," zines offer students an alternative point of view not usually found in standard writing curricula.While the author uses zines as a central illustration, the purpose here is to encourage readers to find the "cracks and fissures" in their own institutions so that the insinuations of neoliberal policies might be resisted through teaching and administrative initiatives.
Contribution to the genus Chilocorus Leach, 1815 (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae: Chilocorini), with descriptions of two new species from China
Authors: Li Wenjing , Huo Lizhi , Wang Di , Ahrens Dirk , Wang Xingmin 
Published: October 2018

Twenty species of the genus Chilocorus Leach, 1815 currently known from China are recorded, including two new species described here: C. nigricaeruleus Li & Wang sp. nov. and C. strenotubus Li & Wang sp. nov. Diagnoses and detailed descriptions of the new species are given. Each species is illustrated in detail, including genitalia. Distribution maps, a key to the Chinese species and a world checklist of Chilocorus are given.
Surgical antibiotic prophylaxis use and infection prevalence in non-cosmetic breast surgery procedures at a tertiary hospital in Western Australia—a retrospective study
Authors: Lavers Ainslie , Yip Wai Siong , Sunderland Bruce , Parsons Richard , Mackenzie Sarah , Seet Jason , Czarniak Petra 
Published: October 2018

BackgroundSurgical site infections (SSIs) are a common complication following breast surgery procedures, despite being considered a clean surgery. The prevalence of SSIs can be minimised with the appropriate use of antibiotic prophylaxis as outlined in the Australian Therapeutic Guidelines (eTG). The aims of this study were to evaluate adherence to the eTG for antibiotic prophylaxis in breast surgery procedures at a Western Australian teaching hospital following an update of the guidelines in 2014 and examine the impact of prophylactic antibiotics on SSI incidence and length of hospital stay.MethodA retrospective cross-sectional study which reviewed medical records from a random sample of 250 patients selected from 973 patients who underwent breast surgical procedures between February 2015 and March 2017.ResultsOverall adherence to current eTG occurred in 49.2% (123/250) of operations. Pre-operative and post-operative antibiotics were prescribed in 98.4% (246/250) and 11.2% (28/250) operations respectively. Adherence rates to three specific elements of the eTG (drug prescribed, drug dosage and timing of administration) were 91.6% (229/250), 53.6% (134/250) and 86.4% (216/250) respectively. For the 14.4% (36/250) patients with relevant drug allergies, there was zero adherence to the eTG. Overall recorded SSI prevalence was low at 5.2% (13/250). The mean length of stay in patients (2.3 ± 1.7 days) was not influenced by level of eTG adherence (p = 0.131) or SSIs (p = 0.306).ConclusionThese data demonstrate a significant improvement in overall adherence to the eTG from 13.3% to 49.2% (p = < 0.001). The level of detected SSIs in this study was low. Further improvement is necessary with respect to prescribing appropriate antibiotic dosages and for those with allergies.
The effectiveness of Payments for Ecosystem Services at delivering improvements in water quality: lessons for experiments at the landscape scale
Authors: Pynegar Edwin L. , Jones Julia P.G. , Gibbons James M. , Asquith Nigel M. 
Published: October 2018

BackgroundRandomised Control Trials (RCTs) are used in impact evaluation in a range of fields. However, despite calls for their greater use in environmental management, their use to evaluate landscape scale interventions remains rare. Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) incentivise land users to manage land to provide environmental benefits. We present the first RCT evaluation of a PES program aiming to improve water quality.Watersharedis a program which incentivises landowners to avoid deforestation and exclude cattle from riparian forests. Using this unusual landscape-scale experiment we explore the efficacy ofWatersharedat improving water quality, and draw lessons for future RCT evaluations of landscape-scale environmental management interventions.MethodsOne hundred and twenty-nine communities in the Bolivian Andes were randomly allocated to treatment (offeredWatersharedagreements) or control (not offered agreements) following baseline data collection (includingEscherichia colicontamination in most communities) in 2010. We collected end-line data in 2015. Using our end-line data, we explored the extent to which variables associated with the intervention (e.g. cattle exclusion, absence of faeces) predict water quality locally. We then investigated the efficacy of the intervention at improving water quality at the landscape scale using the RCT. This analysis was done in two ways; for the subset of communities for which we have both baseline and end-line data from identical locations we used difference-in-differences (matching on baseline water quality), for all sites we compared control and treatment at end-line controlling for selected predictors of water quality.ResultsThe presence of cattle faeces in water adversely affected water quality suggesting excluding cattle has a positive impact on water quality locally. However, both the matched difference-in-differences analysis and the comparison between treatment and control communities at end-line suggestedWatersharedwas not effective at reducingE. colicontamination at the landscape scale. Uptake ofWatersharedagreements was very low and the most important land from a water quality perspective (land around water intakes) was seldom enrolled.DiscussionAlthough excluding cattle may have a positive local impact on water quality, higher uptake and better targeting would be required to achieve a significant impact on the quality of water consumed in the communities. Although RCTs potentially have an important role to play in building the evidence base for approaches such as PES, they are far from straightforward to implement. In this case, the randomised trial was not central to concluding thatWatersharedhad not produced a landscape scale impact. We suggest that this RCT provides valuable lessons for future use of randomised experiments to evaluate landscape-scale environmental management interventions.
Medical Devices Applying for Outpatient Medicare Supplemental Payments
Authors: Moneer Osman , Johnston James L. , Rathi Vinay K. , Ross Joseph S. , Dhruva Sanket S. 
Published: November 2024

ImportanceMedicare transitional pass-through payments (TPTPs) provide supplemental reimbursement that is intended to facilitate adoption of new devices in the outpatient setting. The US Centers for Medicare &amp;amp; Medicaid Services (CMS) have historically evaluated manufacturer applications for TPTPs based on newness, cost, and evidence of substantial clinical improvement, ie, the traditional pathway. In 2020, CMS introduced an alternative pathway to allow US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-designated breakthrough devices to qualify for supplemental reimbursement without demonstrating substantial clinical improvement.ObjectiveTo characterize CMS TPTP approval rates and the premarket evidence used by FDA to support authorization of new outpatient medical devices considered for CMS TPTP.Design and SettingThis was a cross-sectional study of TPTP applications for new outpatient medical devices from 2017 to 2023. Using the Federal Register, CMS Outpatient Prospective Payment System final rules for fiscal years 2017 through 2023 were obtained, from which all manufacturer applications for TPTPs were identified. For each application, the CMS TPTP review pathway (traditional/alternative), CMS final decision (award/deny), and FDA authorization pathway were assessed.Main Outcomes and MeasuresCharacteristics of devices considered for CMS TPTPs and design, effectiveness end points, and patient demographic characteristics of premarket clinical studies used to support FDA authorization.ResultsCMS approved 17 of 43 (40%) applications for TPTPs, including all 8 (100%) alternative pathway applications for breakthrough devices and 9 of 35 applications (26%) using the traditional pathway. Devices approved for TPTPs were more likely to have been assessed in premarket clinical studies than devices denied TPTPs (12/17 [71%] vs 2/26 [8%]). Among the 14 premarket studies of TPTP-approved devices, 8 (57%) used surrogate markers as primary effectiveness end points and 5 (42%) did not meet all primary end points. The median (IQR) percentage of female, Black, and Hispanic patients among the trials that reported demographic data was 26% (17%-36%), 6% (2%-17%), and 4% (3%-5%), respectively.Conclusions and RelevanceThe findings of this cross-sectional analysis indicated that CMS more commonly awarded supplemental outpatient payment through TPTPs for devices assessed in premarket clinical studies to support FDA authorization. However, these studies often lacked generalizability to Medicare beneficiaries, used surrogate markers of effectiveness, or did not meet all primary end points. As more breakthrough devices receive FDA authorization and effectively qualify for automatic supplemental payments, strengthening premarket clinical evidence requirements for CMS TPTP approvals would provide better information to guide clinical decision-making and ensure that supplemental reimbursement enhances care for Medicare beneficiaries.
Perspectives on Telemedicine Visits Reported by Patients With Cancer
Authors: Doshi Sahil D. , Charvadeh Yasin Khadem , Seier Kenneth , Bange Erin M. , Daly Bobby , Lipitz-Snyderman Allison , Polubriaginof Fernanda C. G. , Buckley Michael , Kuperman Gilad , Stetson Peter D. , Schrag Deb , Morris Michael J. , Panageas Katherine S. 
Published: November 2024

ImportanceThe COVID-19 pandemic catalyzed rapid adoption of telemedicine visits for cancer care delivery. However, patients’ experiences with telemedicine remain poorly understood.ObjectiveTo understand patients’ satisfaction with telemedicine visits at a comprehensive cancer center.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThis survey study included patients with cancer at a US cancer center between 2020 and 2023. Eligible patients completed surveys in English conducted after their first telemedicine appointment via an online patient portal. Data were analyzed between January and June 2024.ExposuresPatient surveys about telemedicine experiences, with a specific comparison with an in-person visit. Structured items elicited satisfaction with the specific visit, preferences for future use of telemedicine, and technical ease of use; unstructured free-text responses were also elicited.Main Outcomes and MeasuresProportion of patients who indicated that telemedicine visits were superior or preferred to in-person visits. Secondary outcomes included multivariable analysis of barriers to telemedicine use and variations in patient experiences by demographic characteristics over the observation period, and free-text analysis of unstructured responses describing the telemedicine experience using the BERTopic algorithm and a language model.ResultsA total of 27 435 telemedicine users completed surveys from May 2020 to October 2023 (median [IQR] age, 65 [55-72] years; 15 072 female [54.9%]; 1771 Asian [6.7%], 1339 Black [5.1%], 22 742 White [85.9%]). Overall, 18 025 of 24 418 patients (73.8%) rated their first telemedicine visit as good as or better than an in-person visit, and 4606 (18.9%) rated it superior to an in-person visit. The proportion of patients rating a telemedicine visit superior to an in-person visit evolved from 17% in 2020 to 20% in 2023. Structured questions revealed a positive view of telemedicine, while free-text analyses highlighted issues with technology.Conclusions and RelevanceIn this survey study of perspectives on telemedicine visits, a large majority of patients at a comprehensive cancer center expressed satisfaction with telemedicine visits in proportions that remained consistent beyond the end of the pandemic. These findings challenge health care systems to integrate telemedicine into routine cancer care and to overcome remaining technical challenges and barriers to ease of use.
A Novel UBM/SIS Composite Biological Scaffold for 2‐Year Abdominal Defect Repairing and Strength Recovery in Canine Model
Authors: Zhong Weidong , Chen Jinshui , Xie Qifeng , Cheng Wenyue , Zhao Meibiao , Sun Yang , Dai Jing , Zhang Jian 
Published: November 2024

AbstractBiological scaffolds are widely utilized in hernia treatment due to their exceptional pro‐regenerative properties, which mitigate scar formation. However, serious complications occurred, caused by inflammatory response, premature degradation, and mechanical failure. Consequently, improvements of the biological scaffold are necessary to mitigate these risks. In this study, a novel biological scaffold integrating basement membrane‐containing urinary bladder matrix (UBM) and small intestinal submucosa (SIS) is developed, and its safety and effectiveness are assessed in comparison to a commercial SIS (c‐SIS) scaffold. The introduction of UBM as top surface layers significantly promotes cell adhesion, facilitating rapid formation of isolated regeneration zone. Proteomic analysis has demonstrated a more efficient decellularization of the UBM/SIS scaffold, which subsequently mitigates inflammation in murine models, and promotes the polarization of macrophages toward the pro‐healing M2 phenotype in a rat model of abdominal wall muscle defect. Furthermore, a two‐year repair trial is conducted on a full‐thickness abdominal wall muscle defect in canine model and confirmed that the UBM/SIS scaffold exhibits reduced seroma occurrences and enhanced tissue repair performances. Overall, the efficacy of this novel biological scaffold suggests its potential to minimize hernia recurrence in clinical practice and mitigate patient suffering from severe inflammatory responses.
Size and Charge Dual‐Switchable Nanoparticles for Achieving Chemosensitization and Immune Infiltration against Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Song Haolin , Chen Hongyi , Chen Qinjun , Fan Hongrui , Li Chufeng , Wang Yu , Zhang Shilin , Li Xuwen , Su Boyu , Sun Tao , Jiang Chen 
Published: November 2024

AbstractPancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), one of the most challenging cancers, is uniquely characterized by a biological barrier composed of multiple components in the extracellular matrix, preventing penetration of chemotherapeutic agents and hindering clinical drug treatment. Collagen I arrangement is critical. In this study, gemcitabine is chosen as the chemotherapeutic agent and dasatinib as the collagen‐I‐disrupting agent. When collagen I arrangement is disrupted, not only the chemotherapeutic drug enters the tumor area better, but the infiltration of CD8+ T cells into the tumor also increases. Therefore, a hypoxia‐responsive linker‐crosslinked polymer, DGD/L@GBI, is designed, which can be simultaneously loaded with two therapeutic agents, gemcitabine and dasatinib. The polymer is encapsulated by nucleic acid aptamers that target the PDAC stromal microenvironment and shield the surface. The aptamer is removed upon arrival at the PDAC hypoxic microenvironment, exposing the positively charged core to achieve charge reversal. Particle size transformation is achieved using linkers that respond to a hypoxic microenvironment. Increased intratumoral penetration is achieved using the dual transformation capabilities of the formulation. Pairing these two agents can result in a powerful efficacy in chemotherapy sensitization and immune infiltration.