bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Exploring third spaces during pre‐service teacher online intercultural conversations
Authors: Mesker Peter , de Jager Sarina 
Published: November 2024

AbstractWe examined intercultural conversations in English between South African and Dutch pre‐service teachers during a Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) project. Unlike traditional COIL research, which emphasizes good practices and professional development, our approach explored the significance of everyday conversations in finding common ground. Through video analysis, we explored instances when common ground fostered a third space—a hybrid, in‐between space—with the potential to promote equity and inclusivity. Results highlight how intercultural, professional, and personal conversations created temporary moments of third space. The role of “connection” in a COIL project shows how specific snapshots of intercultural communication and personal and normative conversations give alternative insights into pre‐service teacher professional development. These dynamics suggest the importance of a more humanistic approach through descriptions of small, everyday conversational snapshots. Results in this study confirm that a North‐South COIL project using English as a lingua franca is an effective way to promote inclusion and mutual understanding.
Robust Design Optimization of a Compressor Rotor Using Recursive Cokriging Based Multi-Fidelity Uncertainty Quantification and Multi-Fidelity Optimization
Authors: Wiegand Marcus , Prots Andriy , Meyer Marcus , Schmidt Robin , Voigt Matthias , Mailach Ronald 
Published: November 2024

Abstract
This work focuses on the application of multi-fidelity methods for the robust design optimization of engine components. The robust design optimization approach yields geometric designs that have high efficiencies and are less sensitive to uncertainties from manufacturing and wear. However, the uncertainty quantification techniques required to evaluate the robustness are computationally expensive, which limits their use in robust optimization. Multi-fidelity methods offer a promising solution to reduce the computational cost while maintaining accuracy in both uncertainty quantification and optimization. A Kriging and a multi-fidelity recursive Cokriging framework are developed, implemented, and applied to a test function. In addition, a multi-fidelity super efficient global optimization algorithm is developed. The optimizer is surrogate model-based and can handle constraints. The developed methods are then applied to a compressor test case of a high pressure compressor blade row with 9 uncertainty and 24 design parameters of the geometry. The 2.5% quantile of the stage efficiency is used as a robustness measure and it is therefore optimized. Design bounds and performance constraints are applied. In addition, various uncertainty quantification techniques are analyzed. A multi-fidelity uncertainty quantification approach is developed that combines simplified coarse-grid low-fidelity results with high-fidelity results to reduce the computational cost while maintaining high accuracy. Uncertainty quantification techniques of three fidelity levels are then developed and used for the multi-fidelity approach in the design space. The robust design optimization of the compressor is performed and the optimal designs obtained from the multi-fidelity approach show superior performance compared to existing robust design optima in the literature.
Effectiveness of ultrasound-guided ilioinguinal and iliohypogastric nerve block in pediatric inguinal hernia surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Zhang Ling , Liu Zhina , Guo Jifeng , Jin Hongquan , Zhang Zhimin 
Published: November 2024

Aim: To evaluate the efficacy of ultrasound-guided ilioinguinal and iliohypogastric nerve block (IIHB) in children undergoing surgery for inguinal hernias.Material and methods: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases were searched to January 4, 2024. For continuous data, the effect sizes were presented as weighted mean differences (WMDs), and for categorical data, they were reported as relative ratios (RR), each accompanied by 95% confidence intervals (CIs).Results: IIHB demonstrated a longer duration before the need for the first analgesic compared to transverse abdominis plane (TAP), caudal epidural block (CEB), and pre-incisional wound infiltration (PWI), but a shorter duration than quadratus lumborum block (QLB). The IIHB group had a higher probability of requiring rescue analgesics compared to other blocks or PWI (RR: 1.69, 95% CI: 1.25 to 2.28, p=0.001). Higher FLACC scores were noted at 12 hours for the IIHB group (WMD:0.50, 95% CI: 0.13 to 0.86, p=0.008). IIHB required more intraoperative fentanyl compared to controls (RR: 2.14, 95% CI:1.17 to 3.92, p=0.014).Conclusion: While IIHB may have some benefits, it does not appear to be more effective overall in managing postoperative pain in pediatric inguinal hernia surgery patients compared to other blocks or PWI.
A Potential Mechanism Involved in the Regularity of Center-of-Pressure Displacements During Achieving Unipedal Equilibrium on Stable and Unstable Surfaces
Authors: Promsri Arunee 
Published: November 2024

Sample entropy (SampEn) is a widely used measure for estimating the regularity of center-of-pressure (COP) trajectories, with high COP regularity (low SampEn) commonly interpreted as ineffective postural control. The current study aimed to investigate one possible source of COP regularity—agonist–antagonist coactivation—resulting in joint stiffness or action stability. A cross-correlation analysis was conducted to determine the similarity (coactivation) level of 5 pairs of lower limb agonist–antagonist electromyographic signals. SampEn was applied to anteroposterior (ap) and mediolateral (ml) COP displacements. Electromyographic and COP signals were simultaneously derived from 25 active young adults (25.6 ± 4.0 years) during unipedal balancing on stable and multiaxial-unstable surfaces. Then, the correlation between individual agonist–antagonist cross-correlation coefficients and SampEn-COP was explored. The results show that only the tibialis anterior–peroneus longus (TA–PL) coactivations are negatively correlated with SampEn-COPap/ml (P ≤ .030) in both surface conditions, with greater TA–PL coactivation appearing with lower SampEn-COPap/ml. In addition, sex effects as one factor that might influence postural control were also tested. Women exhibited greater TA–PL coactivation (P = .017) and lower SampEn-COPap (P = .005) than men. Together, TA–PL coactivation could be one possible origin of COP regularity, but its effects might be detrimental to unipedal postural control, especially for women.
Genome sequences of nine
Clostridium scindens
strains isolated from human feces
Authors: Fernandez-Materan Francelys V. , Olivos-Caicedo Kelly Yovani , Daniel Steven L. , Walden Kimberly K. O. , Fields Christopher J. , Hernandez Alvaro G. , Alves Joao M. P. , Ridlon Jason M. 
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT

Clostridium scindens
is an important member of the gut microbiome. Strains of
C. scindens
are model organisms for bile acid and steroid metabolism studies. The genome sequences for nine
C. scindens
strains isolated from human feces are reported. Genomes ranged from 3,403,497 to 4,318,168 bp, 46.5% to 48% G+C content, and 3,386 to 4,137 protein-coding total genes.
New PALM-compatible integration vectors for use in the Gram-positive model bacterium
Bacillus subtilis
Authors: Altinoglu Ipek , Carballido-Lopez Rut 
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT

Improvements in super-resolution and single-molecule techniques, along with the development of new fluorescent proteins and labeling methods, have allowed super-resolution imaging of bacterial cells. Cloning vectors are important tools for engineering fluorescent fusions and perform efficient labeling. Here, we report the construction of four photoactivated localization microscopy (PALM)-compatible integration plasmids for the Gram-positive model organism
Bacillus subtilis
. These plasmids carry genes encoding either the photoswitchable green fluorescent protein dronPA or the photoactivatable red fluorescent protein PAmCherry1, codon-optimized or not for expression in
B. subtilis
. For fast and flexible cloning, multiple cloning sites were added at both the C-terminal and the N-terminal ends of the fluorescent protein genes. The plasmids replicate in
Escherichia coli
and allow integration at the ectopic
amyE
or
thrC
loci of
B. subtilis
via double homologous recombination, for stable chromosomal insertions of single copy number
dronPA
and
PAmCherry1
fusions, respectively. Two-color imaging is accessible with the simultaneous use of both vectors. Insertion of the LacI repressor gene under control of a constitutive promoter in each plasmid yielded four derivative vectors that, combined with an array of
lacO
operator sites, allow fluorescent repressor-operator system localization studies. We demonstrated the effective photoactivation of the LacI-dronPA and LacI-PAmCherry1 fusions, and used them to report with nanoscale precision bacteriophage SPP1 DNA within infected
B. subtilis
cells, both live and fixed, as proof of concept. Our integration vectors provide a convenient and versatile workflow for qualitative and quantitative, single- and dual-color PALM studies in
B. subtilis
.

IMPORTANCE

Super-resolution microscopy techniques allow localization of proteins and cellular components in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells with unprecedented spatial resolution. Plasmids remain a powerful approach to clone fluorescent protein fusions in bacterial cells. In the current work, we expanded the toolbox of vectors available to engineer the Gram-positive model organism
Bacillus subtilis
for PALM studies. Four integrative vectors in total, two carrying the gene encoding the photoswitchable green fluorescent protein dronPA and two carrying the gene encoding the photoactivatable red fluorescent protein PAmCherry1, were constructed and tested by generating translational fusions to the LacI repressor. The LacI fluorescent fusions successfully reported the subcellular localization of viral DNA in infected
B. subtilis
cells, either live or upon fixation, by PALM. Our dronPA and PAmCherry1 integration vectors expand the genetic toolbox for single-molecule localization microscopy studies in
B. subtilis
.
Interspecies interactions alter the antibiotic sensitivity of
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Koumans C. I. M. , Tandar S. T. , Liakopoulos A. , van Hasselt J. G. C. 
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT

Polymicrobial infections are infections that are caused by multiple pathogens and are common in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). Although polymicrobial infections are associated with poor treatment responses in CF, the effects of the ecological interactions between co-infecting pathogens on antibiotic sensitivity and treatment outcome are poorly characterized. To this end, we systematically quantified the impact of these effects on the antibiotic sensitivity of
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
for nine antibiotics in medium conditioned by 13 secondary cystic fibrosis-associated bacterial and fungal pathogens through time-kill assays. We fitted pharmacodynamic models to these kill curves for each antibiotic-species combination and found that interspecies interactions changing the antibiotic sensitivity of
P. aeruginosa
are abundant. Interactions that lower antibiotic sensitivity are more common than those that increase it, with generally more substantial reductions than increases in sensitivity. For a selection of co-infecting species, we performed pharmacokinetic–pharmacodynamic modeling of
P. aeruginosa
treatment. We predicted that interspecies interactions can either improve or reduce treatment response to the extent that treatment is rendered ineffective from a previously effective antibiotic dosing schedule and
vice versa
. In summary, we show that quantifying the ecological interaction effects as pharmacodynamic parameters is necessary to determine the abundance and the extent to which these interactions affect antibiotic sensitivity in polymicrobial infections.

IMPORTANCE

In cystic fibrosis (CF) patients, chronic respiratory tract infections are often polymicrobial, involving multiple pathogens simultaneously. Polymicrobial infections are difficult to treat as they often respond unexpectedly to antibiotic treatment, which might possibly be explained because co-infecting pathogens can influence each other’s antibiotic sensitivity, but it is unknown to what extent such effects occur. To investigate this, we systematically quantified the impact of co-infecting species on antibiotic sensitivity, focusing on
P. aeruginosa
, a common CF pathogen. We studied for a large set co-infecting species and antibiotics whether changes in antibiotic response occur. Based on these experiments, we used mathematical modeling to simulate
P. aeruginosa
’s response to colistin and tobramycin treatment in the presence of multiple pathogens. This study offers comprehensive data on altered antibiotic sensitivity of
P. aeruginosa
in polymicrobial infections, serves as a foundation for optimizing treatment of such infections, and consolidates the importance of considering co-infecting pathogens.
Nitrogen (N) and its isotopes in serpentinized forearc wedges and implications for N cycling across subduction zones
Authors: Bustos-Moreno Juan Felipe , Bebout Gray E. , Savov Ivan P. 
Published: November 2024

Abstract
We investigated nitrogen (N) sources and incorporation in the shallow forearc of an active subduction zone by studying samples from two serpentinite seamounts (South Chamorro and Conical; Ocean Drilling Program Legs 195 and 125) along the Mariana convergent margin. We report N concentrations and δ15N values for serpentinized peridotites, serpentinite muds, and metabasaltic clasts. All are enriched in N relative to likely ultramafic and mafic protoliths. A modest positive correlation between N and δ15N for the serpentinized peridotites could reflect extents of N infiltration by N-bearing fluids. Mixing calculations identify the source of the fluids as dehydrating metasediments and/or altered oceanic crust from the subducting Pacific slab. Such addition is consistent with that of other fluid mobile elements (B, Li, As, and Cs), but their concentrations show little correlation with N. The general lack of correlation in concentrations of N and major and trace elements complicates the identification of mineral hosts and N residency (e.g., loose adsorption on serpentine minerals). The enrichment of N in these samples indicates that serpentinized mantle wedges could be a globally significant N reservoir. If subducted, this reservoir could provide significant amounts of isotopically heavy N to sub-arc depths and beyond.
Variation in organisational factors across high- and low-performing hospitals with regard to spontaneous vaginal birth for Black women in four states: a cross-sectional descriptive study
Authors: Clark Rebecca RS , Boland Mary Regina 
Published: November 2024

ObjectiveTo describe variation in hospital organisational factors across high- and low-performing hospitals with regard to spontaneous vaginal birth (SVB) for Black women.DesignCross-sectional descriptive.SettingWe conducted a cross-sectional study using three datasets in four states from 2016, including the American Hospital Association Annual Survey, administrative discharge abstracts and a survey in which nurses served as informants about the organisational factors in their hospitals. Hospitals were categorised based on whether they achieved (1) the SVB rate target for Black women at low risk for caesarean birth, (2) the SVB rate target for Black women at low risk for caesarean birth and equivalent SVB rates between Black and White women at low risk for caesarean birth, or (3) neither of these metrics. The first two categories above were considered ‘high performing’ and the third ‘low performing’. Analysis of variances were used to compare organisational factors between hospital categories.ParticipantsThere were 257 hospitals in the sample.Primary and secondary outcome measuresOutcomes were meeting the SVB rate targets for Black women at low risk for caesarean birth and SVB rate equivalence between Blacks and White patients.ResultsHigh-performing hospitals had better nurse work environments (2.84 vs 2.695, p =0.04), including better nurse-physician relationships (2.77 vs 2.695, p =0.02). There were statistically significantly more advanced practice nurses (APNs) on average in maternity units in high-performing hospitals compared with low performing (3.51 to 2.76; p=0.003).ConclusionsBetter rated nurse work environments and the presence of APNs were distinguishing characteristics of high-performing hospitals. These organisational factors may be system-level targets for hospital-level interventions to improve SVB rates and equity therein.
Effect of preoperative inspiratory muscle training combined with preoperative education on postoperative pulmonary complications in high-risk patients with lung cancer: protocol for a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Lu Ting , Wang Xichen , Shi Zhixuan , Lv Lan , Huang Shuna , Ma Ke , Ni Jun 
Published: November 2024

Introduction
Preoperative inspiratory muscle training (IMT) is recognised as an important component of the preoperative management of lung cancer, although there is limited evidence for the delivery of a home-based IMT programme combined with preoperative education. We developed a programme combining short-term home-based IMT and preoperative physiotherapy education (‘the programme’). This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of this programme in reducing postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) after lung cancer resection compared with standard care.

Methods and analysis
In this randomised controlled trial, 114 participants scheduled for lung cancer surgery at the First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University will be randomly assigned (1:1) to either receive usual care (information booklet) or usual care combined with the programme, which consist of short-term home-based IMT and preoperative physiotherapy education. The primary outcome measure will be PPCs using the Melbourne Group Score. Secondary outcomes will include health-related quality of life, maximal inspiratory pressure, 6 min walk distance, length of hospital stay, anxiety and depression levels, and hospital costs.

Ethics and dissemination
The study has received ethics approval from the ethics committee of the first affiliated hospital of Fujian Medical University (approval no: MRCTA, ECFAH of MFU [2021]569). Participants will be required to provide written informed consent. The results of the study will be submitted for publication in peer-reviewed journals.

Trial registration number
ChiCTR2300067464.
Efficacy and safety of non-pharmacological interventions for cancer-related insomnia: a study protocol for a systematic review and network meta-analysis
Authors: Chen Qiang , Kan Mengfan , Jiang Xiaoyu , Bi Hongyan , Zhang Linlin 
Published: November 2024

IntroductionCancer-related insomnia (CRI), a significant concurrent symptom of cancer, profoundly impacts patients. Non-pharmacological interventions include cognitive behavioural therapy, mindfulness-based stress reduction programmes, bright light, acupuncture, exercise and music therapies and tai chi. These approaches, unlike pharmacological treatments, exhibit minimal adverse effects, without drug–drug interactions. They are a promising treatment strategy for CRI patients. However, a comprehensive comparative study evaluating the efficacy and safety of all non-pharmacological interventions for CRI is lacking. Accordingly, we aim to conduct a relatively comprehensive systematic review and network meta-analysis.Methods and analysisWe will conduct an extensive search across various databases, including Pubmed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Embase, Google Scholar, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), China Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), Wanfang and Vip databases (VIP). The search will focus on non-pharmacological therapeutic interventions related to CRI in randomised controlled trials published from the inception of these databases until 15 May 2024. The primary outcomes of this study will encompass the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), while the secondary outcomes will evaluate sleep parameters, fatigue levels, anxiety-depressive mood, quality of life and any potential adverse effects. Paired meta-analyses and network meta-analyses will be conducted utilising ADDIS V.1.16.8, Stata V.14.2 and V.R4.1.2. Bias risk will be independently assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool (ROB V.2.0), and the evidence quality will be evaluated according to Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) standards.Ethics and disseminationThere are no ethical issues as this study did not conduct any experiments, surveys, or human trials. We will ensure that the findings are shared through pertinent channels.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42023427752.
Multicenter validation of an RNA-based assay to predict anti-PD-1 disease control in patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: the PREDAPT study
Authors: Flanagan Kevin C , Earls Jon , Hiken Jeffrey , Wellinghoff Rachel L , Ponder Michelle M , McLeod Howard L , Westra William H , Vavinskaya Vera , Sutton Leisa , Deichaite Ida , Macdonald Orlan K , Welaya Karim , Wade James , Azzi Georges , Pippas Andrew W , Slim Jennifer , Bank Bruce , Sui Xingwei , Kossman Steven E , Shenkenberg Todd D , Alexander Warren L , Price Katharine A , Ley Jessica , Messina David N , Glasscock Jarret I , Colevas A Dimitrios , Cohen Ezra E W , Adkins Douglas , Duncavage Eric J 
Published: November 2024

BackgroundDespite advances in cancer care and detection, >65% of patients with squamous cell cancer of the head and neck (HNSCC) will develop recurrent and/or metastatic disease. The prognosis for these patients is poor with a 5-year overall survival of 39%. Recent treatment advances in immunotherapy, including immune checkpoint inhibitors like pembrolizumab and nivolumab, have resulted in clinical benefit in a subset of patients. There is a critical clinical need to identify patients who benefit from these antiprogrammed cell death protein 1 (anti-PD-1) immune checkpoint inhibitors.MethodsHere, we report findings from a multicenter observational study, PREDicting immunotherapy efficacy from Analysis of Pre-treatment Tumor biopsies (PREDAPT), conducted across 17 US healthcare systems. PREDAPT aimed to validate OncoPrism-HNSCC, a clinical biomarker assay predictive of disease control in patients with recurrent or metastatic HNSCC treated with anti-PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitors as a single agent (monotherapy) and in combination with chemotherapy (chemo-immunotherapy). The test used RNA-sequencing data and machine learning models to score each patient and place them into groups of low, medium, or high.ResultsThe OncoPrism-HNSCC prediction significantly correlated with disease control in both the monotherapy cohort (n=62, p=0.004) and the chemo-immunotherapy cohort (n=50, p=0.01). OncoPrism-HNSCC also significantly predicted progression-free survival in both cohorts (p=0.015 and p=0.037, respectively). OncoPrism-HNSCC had more than threefold higher specificity than programmed death-ligand 1 combined positive score and nearly fourfold higher sensitivity than tumor mutational burden for predicting disease control.ConclusionsHere, we demonstrate the clinical validity of the OncoPrism-HNSCC assay in identifying patients with disease control in response to anti-PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitors.Trial registration numberNCT04510129.