bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Climate Extremes in Consecutive Years Impacted the Number and Fate of Duck Nests on Great Salt Lake Marshes
Authors: Conover Michael R. , Bell Mark E. 
Published: December 2024

ABSTRACTThe number of ground‐nesting ducks in the marshes of Great Salt Lake (GSL), Utah has drastically decreased in the past few decades. One potential cause for this decline is the increase in climate extremes caused by global warming. From 2019 through 2023, GSL marshes experienced 1 year of historic spring rainfall (2019), 2 years of historic droughts (2021 and 2022), and 1 year of record snowfall (2023). We used this time period to test the hypothesis that climate extremes impact both the number of duck nests and their fate (i.e., successful, depredated, or abandoned). We counted 563 nests of cinnamon teal (Spatula cyanoptera), 168 mallards (Anas platyrhynchos), and 220 gadwalls (Mareca strepera). Nest numbers varied among years and were positively correlated with the amount of spring rainfall (April and May). Clutch sizes differed among years and were lowest during the drought years. Raccoons (Procyon lotor) and striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) were the major predators of nests. The percentage of all duck nests that were depredated varied among years and increased from 40% and 46% during the 2 wet years to 75% and 90% during the 2 drought years. The percentage of nests that were successful varied among years and were highest during the wet years. The yearly percentage of successful nests was negatively correlated with the abundance of all predators and positively correlated with snowfall because few skunks and raccoons survived the winter of 2023 with its heavy snowfall. Daily survival rates ( = 0.93), were similar among duck species, but varied among years; DSRs were lowest during the drought years (0.86 and 0.92) and highest during the wet years (0.96 for both years). Our results suggest that climate extremes will have an adverse impact on both the number of duck nests and the percentage of them that are successful.
Cumulative and Lag Effects of Meteorological Drought on Vegetation Cover in the Yellow River Basin
Authors: Zhou Pingping , Wu Hao , Song Xiaoyan , Ma Yuqian , Zhang Junyao , Li Yi , Sun Wenyi , Zhai Jun 
Published: December 2024

ABSTRACTGlobal warming has led to an increase in the frequency of meteorological drought events, posing a significant threat to ecosystem security, particularly in arid and semi‐arid regions. Previous studies have utilized correlation analyses to examine the relationship between vegetation and meteorological drought; however, a knowledge gap remains regarding the causal process between the two. This study investigates the linkage between solar‐induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) and the standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI) in the Yellow River Basin (YRB) from 2001 to 2019 and explores the cumulative and lagged effects of vegetation SIF in response to SPEI. The results indicated that the cumulative and lag effects of vegetation SIF response to meteorological drought varied with the intensity of water stress. Vegetation in arid regions exhibited poor meteorological drought tolerance and high sensitivity, and the cumulative time and lag time of SIF response to SPEI are 6.5 and 2 months, respectively. Forest, compared with cropland and grassland, demonstrated greater meteorological drought tolerance and reduced sensitivity. For forests, the cumulative and lag time of SIF response to SPEI were 8.7 and 7.4 months, respectively. Grassland was more influenced by precipitation, while forests were more affected by temperature. By analysing the response of SIF to SPEI, this study focuses on the cumulative and lag effects of vegetation on meteorological drought, which will strengthen the understanding of the response of vegetation to meteorological drought in arid and semi‐arid areas.
Endomyocardial biopsy in the diagnosis of cardiac sarcoidosis
Authors: Mälkönen Henriikka , Lehtonen Jukka , Pöyhönen Pauli , Uusitalo Valtteri , Mäyränpää Mikko I. , Kupari Markku 
Published: December 2024

AimsWe set out to assess the utility of endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) in cardiac sarcoidosis (CS). Historically, EMB sensitivity in CS is only ≤25%, but comprehensive analyses of its current diagnostic performance are not available.Methods and resultsThe data of 260 consecutive patients with CS (mean age 49 years, 60% female) meeting the Heart Rhythm Society diagnostic criteria were analysed retrospectively. Overall, 216 patients (83%) had undergone EMB, 47 with repeat procedures. EMB overall sensitivity was 38%, rising to 49% after repeat biopsies. On logistic regression analysis, positive EMB was predicted independently by presentation with ventricular tachyarrhythmia with an odds ratio (OR) of 3.8 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.2–12.0, p = 0.021), left ventricular ejection fraction ≤45% (OR 3.7, 95% CI 1.5–9.1, p = 0.004), elevation of cardiac troponins (OR 2.7, 95% CI 1.1–6.4, p = 0.024), and presence of late gadolinium enhancement in left ventricular mid‐apical septal segments on magnetic resonance imaging (OR 4.1, 95% CI 1.2–13.8, p = 0.024). EMB sensitivity, counting in repeats, was 16% in patients (n = 37) without any independent predictor versus 38%, 60%, 79%, and 88% in those with 1 (n = 76), 2 (n = 62), 3 (n = 33), and 4/4 (n = 8) predictors, respectively. The rate of serious complications was 0.7% without mortality or permanent harm. Positive EMB was not an independent predictor of prognosis.ConclusionThe sensitivity of EMB in CS depends on the extent, activity, and location of myocardial involvement, being the higher the more severe CS is. Its use should rely on weighing the pre‐test likelihood and individual value of positive biopsy against the procedural risks.
Nickel Complex Based Electrodes for Li‐ion Batteries
Authors: Pasquini Luca , Beyan Surafel Mustefa , Khamidov Anvar , Jubault Valentin , Munteanu Tatiana , Canard Gabriel , Knauth Philippe , Siri Olivier 
Published: December 2024

AbstractThis work focuses on the development of nickel‐based quinone complexes as electrode materials for next‐generation rechargeable batteries. These complexes were synthesized with different substituents and their potential as anode materials in lithium‐based systems was investigated. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDX) confirmed the uniform distribution and composition of the electrode materials deposited by spin coating. Comprehensive electrochemical testing, including galvanostatic charge‐discharge cycling and impedance spectroscopy, showed that the dinickel complex 2 a present low capacity (10 mA h g−1) while the 2 b presents a maximum specific capacity up to 28 mA h g−1 at 0.4 C and very good stability over more than 200 cycles. Analogue 2 c exhibited a maximum specific capacity up to 25 mA h g−1 at 0.2 C, maintaining high cycling stability across different C‐rates but significantly lower capacity at higher C‐rates, indicating mass transport limitations.
Aggregation Bias and Socioeconomic Gradients in Waiting Time for Hospital Admissions
Authors: Carlsen Fredrik , Holmås Tor Helge , Kaarboe Oddvar 
Published: December 2024

ABSTRACTWaiting time is a rationing mechanism that is used in publicly funded healthcare systems as a mean to ensure equal access for equal need. However, several studies suggest that individuals with higher socioeconomic status wait less. These studies typically measure patients' socioeconomic status as an aggregate measure from patients' residential area and the results are hence vulnerable for aggregation biases. We shed light on the magnitude of the aggregation bias by analyzing socioeconomic gradients in waiting times when education and income are measured on three different levels: the individual level, the population cell level, and the municipal level. Our individual level socioeconomic gradient is modest compared with the literature. When socioeconomic status is measured on an aggregate level, we observe stronger associations with socioeconomic variables and less accurate estimates. A researcher who only has access to the aggregate data runs the risk of overstating the magnitude of the socioeconomic gradients.
ETHos – A Swiss‐Made Open‐Source Modular Photoreactor for Laboratory‐Scale Photochemical Reactions
Authors: Rackl Jonas W. , Müller Alexander F. , Bärtschi Christoph , Wennemers Helma 
Published: December 2024

AbstractThe emergence of photoredox chemistry has enabled the development of previously inaccessible synthetic transformations. Despite the popularity of photoredox chemistry, commercial photoreactors remain expensive. As a result, most academic research groups resort to self‐built, not easily replicable reactor designs, jeopardizing the reproducibility and accessibility of photochemical research. To address these issues, this work introduces an easily replicable and modular open‐source photoreactor optimized for lab‐scale photochemical synthesis. The reactor is operationally simple, operates consistently and reproducibly, and is inexpensive to manufacture. Our design integrates active temperature regulation, an exchangeable vial rack, and customizable light sources into a hybrid structure of machined aluminum, 3D‐printed parts, and commercially available components. The open‐source reactor with detailed 3D CAD files on GitHub is designed to make research in the field of photochemistry more accessible and reproducible.
Inflammatory, Hematological, and Biochemical Biomarkers in COVID‐19 Patients
Authors: Ayako Rebeccah M. , Patel Kirtika , Ndede Isaac , Nordgren Johan , Larrson Marie , Mining Simeon K. 
Published: December 2024

ABSTRACTIntroductionThere are few accurate prognostic indications of the illness's development and severity for COVID‐19, despite certain biomarkers having been investigated. The unexpected nature of COVID‐19's course, which can quickly progress from asymptomatic to life‐threatening symptoms, lies at the heart of the disease's intricacy. Predicting SARS‐CoV‐2 pathogenicity through laboratory biomarkers and as such, identifying the patients’ illness severity at the time of their initial admission would be crucial in improving patient care. In this study, we sought to evaluate the potential of hematological, biochemical, and inflammatory biomarkers in predicting the course of COVID‐19 at a tertiary hospital in western Kenya.MethodsThis cross‐sectional study involved 48 COVID‐19 patients (16 asymptomatic; 16 moderate symptomatic; and 16 severe symptomatic) and 48 age‐sex‐matched COVID‐19‐negative clients attending the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, Kenya. Demographic information, self‐reported chronic illnesses, symptoms, and laboratory results were collected at recruitment.ResultsSignificantly, the severity of COVID‐19 was associated with; hemoglobin (p < 0.0001), white blood cells (p = 0.0022), hematocrit (p < 0.0001), blood urea nitrogen (p = 0.01), blood sodium (p = 0.0002), potassium (p = 0.0483), C‐reactive protein (p = 0.0002), and Lactate Dehydrogenase (p < 0.0001). Regression analysis of CRP revealed a strong positive correlation (p = 0.0006) whereas LDH revealed a weak positive correlation (p < 0.0001) with COVID‐19 disease severity. Discriminative accuracy was highest when asymptomatic was compared to severe COVID‐19 for CRP and LDH (AUC: 0.8867, 95% CI: 0.7532–1.000) and (AUC: 1.000, 95% CI: 1.000–1.000) respectively.ConclusionThe hematological indices, inflammatory and biochemical biomarkers studied have the potential to predict the course of COVID‐19. These parameters may be useful in helping design appropriate care for COVID‐19 patients.
Blocking of Tim‐3 Ameliorates Spinal Cord Ischemia‐Reperfusion Injury Through Inhibiting Neuroinflammation and Promoting M1‐to‐M2 Phenotypic Polarization of Microglia
Authors: Li Zhenxing , Zhou Binbin , Chen Guanghui , Yang Xiangyu , Su Han , Li Bolin 
Published: December 2024

ABSTRACTBackgroundBlocking of Tim‐3 exerts therapeutic effects in a series of ischemia‐reperfusion injury (IRI).MethodsIn this work, a cross‐clamped aortic arch was conducted to establish SCIRI rat model. Besides, rat spinal microglia was subjected to OGD/R to mimic I/R‐like conditions in vitro. The in vivo and in vitro therapeutic effects of Tim‐3 antibody in SCIRI were investigated from these aspects: neuronal apoptosis, neuroinflammation, microglia activation, and polarization.ResultsIt was verified that Tim‐3 was highly expressed in spinal cord tissues of SCIRI rats and blocking of Tim‐3 attenuated SCIRI‐induced pathological injury, neuronal apoptosis, neuroinflammation, and microglia activation (M1 polarization). In addition, it was verified that Tim‐3 was highly expressed in OGD/R‐treated rat spinal microglia and blocking of Tim‐3 attenuated OGD/R‐induced inflammation and spinal microglia activation (M1 polarization).ConclusionsTim‐3 antibody can exert therapeutic effects in SCIRI through inhibiting neuroinflammation and promoting microglia polarization from M1 to M2 phenotype.
Pharmacist‐managed diabetes care and change in A1C: A retrospective matched cohort study
Authors: Meyer Nicholas C. , Younes Fatme , Grindeland Carlina J. , Roemmich Monte L. , Gugel‐Bryant Douglas W. 
Published: December 2024

AbstractIntroductionStudies have demonstrated the positive impact of pharmacist‐managed diabetes care (PMDC) on hemoglobin A1C (A1C) reduction from baseline, but data comparing the pharmacist's impact on usual medical care (UMC) are less robust.ObjectivesThis study compared the A1C reduction in patients with diabetes enrolled in PMDC plus UMC (PMDC + UMC) with similar patients receiving UMC independent of clinical pharmacy services.MethodsThis was a retrospective, matched cohort study conducted at a large, not‐for‐profit healthcare system in North Dakota. Patients with diabetes who received care from an ambulatory care pharmacist in addition to UMC between July 2018 and June 2020 were included in the PMDC+UMC cohort. The comparator cohort included propensity‐matched patients solely receiving UMC during the same period. The primary endpoint was the mean change in A1C at 12 months in both cohorts. The secondary endpoint was the percentage of patients in each cohort achieving an A1C <7% at 12 months. Normally distributed continuous variables were analyzed using the Wilcoxon rank sum test. Categorical data were analyzed using Chi‐square tests.ResultsIn total, 158 patients managed by a pharmacist met the inclusion criteria for the study. A matched cohort of 158 practitioner‐managed patients was used for comparison. Pharmacist‐managed patients achieved a greater mean reduction in A1C (−1.70%) at 12 months compared with those managed by practitioners only (−1.31%), a between‐means difference of −0.39% (p = 0.0073). More patients managed by pharmacists (24.6%) reached an A1C of <7% compared with patients receiving UMC only (22.8%); however, the difference was not statistically significant.ConclusionIncorporation of PMDC for patients with diabetes is associated with a greater improvement in A1C at 12 months compared with UMC alone. Although not statistically significant, more patients referred to PMDC reached an A1C of <7%. Implementation of similar PMDC programs may help more patients reach their glycemic goals.
Hydrogenation of biomass‐derived succinic acid to form 1,4‐butanediol over Co/SiO2 catalyst
Authors: Liu Chenwei , Jing Ran , Li Yue , Sun Daolai , Lv Jianhua 
Published: December 2024

AbstractBackgroundSuccinic acid is a vital platform chemical derivable from lignocellulosic biomass. Various non‐noble metal catalysts were used to hydrogenate succinic acid and produce 1,4‐butanediol in this study. Among them, Co‐loaded SiO2 with a moderate mean pore size of 10 nm exhibited a superior catalytic performance.ResultsThe high catalytic activity of Co‐loaded SiO2, which was prepared by an impregnation method, was demonstrated in the hydrogenolysis of succinic acid to provide 1,4‐butanediol. The Co/SiO2 catalyst reduced at 400 °C and calcined at 300 °C existed in the form of Co2+ and Co0, exhibiting a high catalytic activity. The production of 1,4‐butanediol from succinic acid was significantly enhanced at a temperature of 200 °C and an H2 pressure exceeding 5 MPa. At 200 °C and 7 MPa H2 pressure, a 1,4‐butanediol selectivity of 67.8% and a full succinic acid conversion were obtained over Co/SiO2.ConclusionThe Co‐loaded SiO2 with a moderate mean pore size of 10 nm was conducive to the efficient generation of 1,4‐butanediol from succinic acid. The Co/SiO2 catalyst reduced at 400 °C existed in the form of Co0 and Co2+. It was suggested that the efficient synthesis of 1,4‐butanediol from succinic acid was facilitated by the cooperative action of Co0 and Co2+. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).
Dopamine‐conjugated extracellular vesicles induce autophagy in Parkinson's disease
Authors: Sul Jae Hoon , Shin Sol , Kim Hark Kyun , Han Jihoon , Kim Junsik , Son Soyoung , Lee Jungmi , Baek Seung Hyun , Cho Yoonsuk , Lee Jeongmi , Park Jinsu , Ahn Donghoon , Park Sunyoung , Palomera Leon F. , Lim Jeein , Kim Jongho , Kim Chanhee , Han Seungsu , Chung Ka Young , Lee Sangho , Kam Tae‐in , Lee Yunjong , Kim Jeongyun , Park Jae Hyung , Jo Dong‐Gyu 
Published: December 2024

AbstractThe application of extracellular vesicles (EVs) as vehicles for anti‐Parkinson's agents represents a significant advance, yet their clinical translation is hampered by challenges in efficient brain delivery and complex blood‐brain barrier (BBB) targeting strategies. In this study, we engineered dopamine onto the surface of adipose‐derived stem cell EVs (Dopa‐EVs) utilizing a facile, two‐step cross‐linking approach. This engineering enhanced neuronal uptake of the EVs in primary neurons and neuroblastoma cells, a process shown to be competitively inhibited by dopamine pretreatment and dopamine receptor antibodies. Notably, Dopa‐EVs demonstrated increased brain accumulation in mouse Parkinson's disease (PD) models. Therapeutically, Dopa‐EVs administration led to the rescue of dopaminergic neuronal loss and amelioration of behavioural deficits in both 6‐hydroxydopamine (6‐OHDA) and α‐Syn PFF‐induced PD models. Furthermore, we observed that Dopa‐EVs stimulated autophagy evidenced by the upregulation of Beclin‐1 and LC3‐II. These findings collectively indicate that surface modification of EVs with dopamine presents a potent strategy for targeting dopaminergic neurons in the brain. The remarkable therapeutic potential of Dopa‐EVs, demonstrated in PD models, positions them as a highly promising candidate for PD treatment, offering a significant advance over current therapeutic modalities.
AI Chatbot, Human, and In‐Between: Examining the Broader Spectrum of Technology‐Human Interactions in Driving Customer‐Brand Relationships Across Experience and Credence Services
Authors: Sheng Margaret L. , Natalia Natalia , Rusfian Effy Zalfiana 
Published: December 2024

ABSTRACTAdvancements in artificial intelligence (AI) have driven companies to incorporate AI chatbots into service encounters. However, research exploring how to balance human and AI interactions in service encounters for brand‐building strategies remains limited. Grounded in social response theory and the attachment‐aversion model of consumer‐brand relationships, this study examines the effect of different service chat agent types (substitution chatbot, augmentation chatbot, and human chat agent) on brand usage intention, with brand‐self distance and consumer brand engagement as mediating mechanisms. Service types (experience vs. credence service) act as boundary conditions moderating the relationship between service chat agents and brand‐self distance. Through two experiments involving actual interactions with three types of service chat agents, the results show that substitution chatbots negatively influence consumers' perceived brand‐self distance, engagement, and usage intention across both service types. For experience services, augmentation chatbots lead to a closer brand‐self distance than human chat agents, enhancing consumer brand engagement and brand usage intention. While for credence services, augmentation chatbots perform comparably to human chat agents. The results offer guidance for service managers and policymakers on optimizing the balance between human and technological inputs to enhance customer‐brand relationships.
Spiral cardiac quantitative susceptibility mapping for differential cardiac chamber oxygenation—Initial validation in relation to invasive blood sampling
Authors: Li Jiahao , Villar‐Calle Pablo , Chiu Caitlin , Reza Mahniz , Narula Nupoor , Li Chao , Zhang Jinwei , Nguyen Thanh D. , Wang Yi , Zhang Robert S. , Kim Jiwon , Weinsaft Jonathan W. , Spincemaille Pascal 
Published: December 2024

AbstractPurposeTo develop a breath‐hold cardiac quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) sequence for noninvasive measurement of differential cardiac chamber blood oxygen saturation (ΔSO2).MethodsA non‐gated three‐dimensional stack‐of‐spirals QSM sequence was implemented to continuously sample the data throughout the cardiac cycle. Measurements of ΔSO2 between the right and left heart chamber obtained by the proposed sequence and a previously validated navigator Cartesian QSM sequence were compared in three cohorts consisting of healthy volunteers, coronavirus disease 2019 survivors, and patients with pulmonary hypertension. In the pulmonary‐hypertension cohort, Bland–Altman plots were used to assess the agreement of ΔSO2 values obtained by QSM and those obtained by invasive right heart catheterization (RHC).ResultsCompared with navigator QSM (average acquisition time 419 ± 158 s), spiral QSM reduced the scan time on average by over 20‐fold to a 20‐s breath‐hold. In all three cohorts, spiral QSM and navigator QSM yielded similar ΔSO2. Among healthy volunteers and coronavirus disease 2019 survivors, ΔSO2 was 17.41 ± 4.35% versus 17.67 ± 4.09% for spiral and navigator QSM, respectively. In pulmonary‐hypertension patients, spiral QSM showed a slightly smaller ΔSO2 bias and narrower 95% limits of agreement than that obtained by navigator QSM (1.09% ± 6.47% vs. 2.79% ± 6.99%) when compared with right heart catheterization.ConclusionBreath‐hold three‐dimensional spiral cardiac QSM for measuring differential cardiac chamber blood oxygenation is feasible and provides values in good agreement with navigator cardiac QSM and with reference right heart catheterization.
An Enhanced and Highly Efficient Semi‐Implicit Combined Lagrange Multiplier Approach Preserving Original Energy Law for Dissipative Systems
Authors: Liu Zhengguang , Zheng Nan , Li Xiaoli 
Published: December 2024

ABSTRACTRecently, a new Lagrange multiplier approach was introduced by Cheng, Liu, and Shen, which has been broadly used to solve various challenging phase field problems. To design original energy‐stable schemes, they have to solve a nonlinear algebraic equation to determine the introduced Lagrange multiplier, which can be computationally expensive, especially for large‐scale and long‐time simulations involving complex nonlinear terms. In this article, we propose an essential improved technique to modify this issue, which can be seen as a semi‐implicit combined Lagrange multiplier approach. In general, the newly constructed schemes keep all the advantages of the Lagrange multiplier method and significantly reduce the computation costs. Besides, the new proposed second‐order backward difference formula (BDF2) scheme dissipates the original energy, as opposed to a modified energy for the classic Lagrange multiplier approach. In addition, we establish a general framework for extending our constructed method to dissipative systems. Finally, several examples have been presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.