bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Measurement and heuristic modelling of nitrogen and salt dynamics under Salicornia growing in a hyper-arid region and irrigated with groundwaters of differing nutrient and Salt loadings
Authors: Al-Tamimi Mansoor , Green Steve , Dahr Wasel Abou , Al-Muaini Ahmed , Lyra Dionysia , Ammar Khalil , Dawoud Mohamed , Kenyon Paul , Kemp Peter , Kennedy Lesley , McLachlan Andrew , Clothier Brent 
Published: October 2024

Abstract
New data highlight the economic value of using nitrogen-rich saline waters, either from groundwater or reject brines from desalination units, to irrigate the halophytic crop Salicornia bigelovii for food, fodder, and fuel in a hyper-arid environment. The greatest benefit was achieved using pressure-compensated drippers. Field measurements of drainage and leaching under the crop showed that all of the salt and nitrogen from the groundwater was returned back to the aquifer as leachate. A simple, heuristic model of groundwater quantity and quality was developed to infer the environmental impacts of irrigating crops with saline and high-nitrate groundwater in a hyper-arid environment. The rise in solute concentration in groundwater is hyperbolic. The parameters needed for this simple model are the fraction of the land that is irrigated, the initial depth of the saturated thickness, the saturated water content, and the annual rate of evapotranspiration. An indicator of the time-rise is the number of years to double the solute concentration. This is Ө
A
h
o /2 ET
C, where Ө
A is the aquifer’s saturated water content, h
o is the original thickness of the saturated layer, and ET
c is the annual rate of crop evapotranspiration. The general model is simple and straightforward to parameterise to predict the evapoconcentration of groundwater salinity.
Environmental efficiency of rainfed and irrigated wheat crops in Spain. A stochastic DEA metafrontier approach
Authors: Lozano Sebastián , Gutiérrez Ester , Aguilera Eduardo 
Published: October 2024

AbstractThis paper studies the environmental efficiency of wheat crops in the different regions of Spain where it is grown. Both rainfed and irrigated wheat cropping systems are considered. Excepting irrigation water consumption, the two groups of observations share the same inputs (namely, N Fertilizers and Non-renewable energy) and outputs (namely, Yield, soil organic carbon, NH3 emissions, NO3− leaching and Global Warming Potential). The three undesirable outputs considered are handled using the transformation method. Given the stochastic character of the variables, a Chance Constrained DEA approach is proposed. A non-radial directional distance function (DDF) model is used. The proposed approach provides deterministic efficiency, stochastic targets and reference units. The two groups of observations are compared using a metafrontier approach and the corresponding technology gap ratios are computed. For each group of observations, the results have identified the best practice regions and those where environmental efficiency improvements are needed.
Interval breast cancer rates for tomosynthesis vs mammography population screening: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies
Authors: Libesman Sol , Li Tong , Marinovich M. Luke , Seidler Anna Lene , Tagliafico Alberto Stefano , Houssami Nehmat 
Published: October 2024

Abstract

Objectives
We aimed to synthesise evidence from prospective studies of digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) screening to assess its effectiveness compared to digital mammography (DM). Specifically, we examined whether DBT reduces interval cancer rates (ICRs) in population breast cancer screening.

Materials and methods
We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of DBT screening studies (identified from January 2013 to March 2024). We included both RCTs and non-randomised prospective studies that used an independent comparison for our primary outcome ICRs. The risk of bias was assessed with QUADAS-2. We compared the ICR, cancer detection rate (CDR), and recall rate of DBT and DM screening using random effects meta-analysis models. Subgroup analyses estimated outcomes by study design. Sensitivity analyses estimated absolute effects from relative effects.

Results
Ten prospective studies (three RCTs, seven non-randomised) were eligible; all had a low risk of bias. There were 205,245 DBT-screened and 306,476 DM-screened participants with follow-up for interval cancer data. The pooled absolute ICR did not significantly differ between DBT and DM: −2.92 per 10,000 screens (95% CI: −6.39 to 0.54); however subsequent subgroup analysis indicated certain study designs may have biased this ICR estimate. Pooled ICR from studies that only sampled groups from the same time and region indicated DBT led to 5.50 less IC per 10,000 screens (95% CI: −9.47 to −1.54). Estimates from subgroup analysis that compared randomised and non-randomised trials did not significantly differ.

Conclusion
This meta-analysis provides suggestive evidence that DBT decreases ICR relative to DM screening; further evidence is needed to reduce uncertainty regarding ICR differences between DBT and DM.

Key Points

Question

Does DBT have long-term benefits over standard DM?

Finding

We find suggestive evidence in our primary analysis and stronger evidence in a follow-up analysis that DBT reduces interval cancers.

Clinical relevance

This meta-analysis provides the first indication that DBT may detect additional cancers that are clinically meaningful, based on suggestive evidence of a reduction in ICR. This finding does not preclude the simultaneous possibility of overdiagnosis.

Graphical Abstract
Diel movement patterns in nominally nocturnal coral reef fishes (Haemulidae and Lutjanidae): Intra vs. Interspecific variation
Authors: Collins William P. , Bellwood David R. , Morais Renato A. , Waltham Nathan J. , Siqueira Alexandre C. 
Published: October 2024

AbstractMovement of animals, habitat connectivity, and nutrient transport are key elements in the ecological functioning of coral reef ecosystems. However, most studies have focused on the diurnal component of these aspects; nocturnal patterns are less known. Our study aims to address this knowledge gap by assessing diel movement patterns in ecologically and commercially important nocturnal coral reef fishes. We evaluate 122-days of acoustic telemetry data from 4 nocturnal species in 2 coral reef fish families (Haemulidae and Lutjanidae) on the Great Barrier Reef. For all species, we found a clear division between daytime resting areas on the reef and a move towards off-reef areas at night. This was highlighted in the low number of detections at night and the high average transitions between receivers at twilight. Over our study period, average nocturnal space use area (minimum convex polygon) of Plectorhincus gibbosus was 328,089 m2, Plectorhincus lineatus 28,828 m2, and Lutjanus carponotatus 20,369 m2. However, results from a Principal Component Analysis revealed that space use, and movement, varied substantially within species; for 3 of the 4 species the main axis of variation correlated with individual-level behaviour. These large differences in individual space use patterns highlight the need for caution when using species averages when considering ecosystem functions. Overall, our preliminary observations provide a glimpse into the large spatial extent, potential habitat connectivity, and intra and interspecific variation in activity patterns among large nocturnal Indo-Pacific reef fishes. This highlights their potential importance in maintaining ecosystem links between coral reefs and adjacent habitats.
Ilizarov fixator as salvage procedure after frustrating arthrodesis using intramedullary nailing - is there a chance of consolidation?
Authors: Brinkemper Alexis , Lülsdorff Raimund H. , Lotzien Sebastian , Kruppa Christiane , Schildhauer Thomas A. , Cibura Charlotte 
Published: October 2024

Abstract
Introduction
Arthrodesis of the tibiotalar and subtalar joints is a salvage procedure that has been used successfully for years. Treatment options include internal procedures and external procedures. Retrograde intramedullary nailing is considered a safe procedure with a high degree of stability and comfort. Nevertheless, there are cases in which this internal arthrodesis fails and another procedure must be considered. Ilizarov fixator treatment could be a solution for those patients in whom intramedullary nailing has failed. Even if it means another surgical revision - is it possible to finally achieve consolidation with this method?

Materials and methods
In this single-center, retrospective study all documents of patients who underwent tibiotalar and subtalar joints fusion using the Ilizarov external fixator at our institution from 2003 to 2023 as secondary treatment after frustrated first arthrodesis using an intramedullary nail were reviewed. Nineteen patients (17 men and 2 women), with an average age of 55.7 (standard deviation (SD) 8.7, range 34–75) years were included.

Results
On average, 1.7 (SD 1.3, range 1–6) arthrodesis attempt were performed before final Ilizarov fixator arthrodesis. The average time spent in the Ilizarov fixator was 19 (SD 4, range 14–29) weeks. In seven cases (36.8%), both the tibiotalar and subtalar joints received bony consolidation in the end.

Conclusion
If patients have undergone fusion of the tibiotalar and subtalar joints with a retrograde nail and this fails, it is difficult to achieve complete consolidation in the further course. A further attempt at arthrodesis using an Ilizarov fixator is possible, but the overall results are also poor. This procedure must therefore be seen as a last resort before amputation.
Butterfly eggs prime anti-herbivore defense in an annual but not perennial Arabidopsis species
Authors: Huve Maryse A. P. , Bittner Norbert , Kunze Reinhard , Hilker Monika , Remus-Emsermann Mitja N. P. , Paniagua Voirol Luis R. , Lortzing Vivien 
Published: October 2024

Abstract
Main conclusion
Unlike Arabidopsis thaliana, defenses of Arabidopsis lyrata against Pieris brassicae larval feeding are not primable by P. brassicae eggs. Thus, egg primability of plant anti-herbivore defenses is not phylogenetically conserved in the genus Arabidopsis.

Abstract
While plant anti-herbivore defenses of the annual species Arabidopsis thaliana were shown to be primable by Pieris brassicae eggs, the primability of the phylogenetically closely related perennial Arabidopsis lyrata has not yet been investigated. Previous studies revealed that closely related wild Brassicaceae plant species, the annual Brassica nigra and the perennial B. oleracea, exhibit an egg-primable defense trait, even though they have different life spans. Here, we tested whether P. brassicae eggs prime anti-herbivore defenses of the perennial A. lyrata. We exposed A. lyrata to P. brassicae eggs and larval feeding and assessed their primability by (i) determining the biomass of P. brassicae larvae after feeding on plants with and without prior P. brassicae egg deposition and (ii) investigating the plant transcriptomic response after egg deposition and/or larval feeding. For comparison, these studies were also conducted with A. thaliana. Consistent with previous findings, A. thaliana’s response to prior P. brassicae egg deposition negatively affected conspecific larvae feeding upon A. thaliana. However, this was not observed in A. lyrata. Arabidopsis thaliana responded to P. brassicae eggs with strong transcriptional reprogramming, whereas A. lyrata responses to eggs were negligible. In response to larval feeding, A. lyrata exhibited a greater transcriptome change compared to A. thaliana. Among the strongly feeding-induced A. lyrata genes were those that are egg-primed in feeding-induced A. thaliana, i.e., CAX3, PR1, PR5, and PDF1.4. These results suggest that A. lyrata has evolved a robust feeding response that is independent from prior egg exposure.
How host ecology influences the parasite communities of three Australian flathead fishes, Platycephalus spp. (Scorpaeniformes: Platycephalidae)
Authors: Bellingham Owen , Leung Tommy L. F. 
Published: October 2024

AbstractThis study investigated the role of host traits, habitat, and sampling season on the prevalence and intensity of parasites in three species of platycephalid fishes. Three host species sampled were dusky flathead (Platycephalus fuscus, n = 3), blue-spotted flathead (Platycephalus caeruleopunctatus, n = 38), and tiger flathead (Platycephalus richardsoni, n = 59). A total of 14 metazoan parasite species were collected over 15 months, between July 2020 and September 2021. The parasites found included a chondracanthid copepod, adult hemiuroidean trematodes, cestode plerocercoids, larval and adult acanthocephalans, larval and adult nematodes, and an unknown species of helminth. General linear models were used to assess the relationship between host traits and sampling season with parasite infection intensity. The infection intensity of an unidentified plerocercoid species in P. caeruleopunctatus was found to be significantly associated with both sampling season and the interaction of host mass with sex. In P. richardsoni the infection intensity of the acanthocephalan, Corynosoma sp. was found to correlate with sampling season. The highest richness of parasite taxa was recorded from P. richardsoni, which may be due to the wide depth range of P. richardsoni, coupled with its generalist diet.
Effect of pyloroplasty on clinical outcomes following esophagectomy
Authors: Doran Sophie L. F. , Digby Maria G. , Green Sophie V. , Kelty Clive J. , Tamhankar Anand P. 
Published: October 2024

Abstract
Introduction
The role of concurrent pyloroplasty with esophagectomy is unclear. Available literature on the impact of pyloroplasty during esophagectomy on complications and weight loss is varied. Data on the need for further pyloric intervention are scarce. Our study compares the clinical outcomes after esophagectomy with or without pyloroplasty and investigates the role of post-operative pyloric dilatation.

Methods
Consecutive patients (n = 207) undergoing Ivor Lewis esophagectomy performed by two surgeons at our institution were included. Data on patient demographics, mortality rate, anastomotic leak, respiratory complications (Clavien-Dindo grade ≥ 3), anastomotic stricture rate, and percentage weight loss at 1 and 2 year post-operatively were evaluated. For weight analysis at 1 and 2 year post-operatively, patients were excluded if they had been diagnosed with recurrence or died prior to the 1 or 2 year timepoints.

Results
Ninety-two patients did not have a pyloroplasty, and 115 patients had a pyloroplasty. There were no complications resulting from pyloroplasty. There was no significant demographic difference between the groups except for age. Mortality rate, anastomotic leak, respiratory complications, anastomotic stricture rate, and percentage weight loss at 1 and 2 years were statistically similar between the two groups. However, 14.1% of patients without pyloroplasty required post-operative endoscopic pyloric balloon dilatation to treat respiratory complications or gastroparesis. Subgroup analysis of patients without pyloroplasty indicated that patients requiring dilatation had greater weight loss at 1 year (15.8% vs 9.4%, p = 0.02) and higher respiratory complications rate (27.3% vs 4.7%, p = 0.038).

Conclusions
Overall results from our study that pyloroplasty during Ivor Lewis esophagectomy is safe and useful to prevent the need for post-operative pyloric dilatation.
Dyadic linear programming and extensions
Authors: Abdi Ahmad , Cornuéjols Gérard , Guenin Bertrand , Tunçel Levent 
Published: October 2024

AbstractA rational number is dyadic if it has a finite binary representation $$p/2^k$$

p
/

2
k

, where p is an integer and k is a nonnegative integer. Dyadic rationals are important for numerical computations because they have an exact representation in floating-point arithmetic on a computer. A vector is dyadic if all its entries are dyadic rationals. We study the problem of finding a dyadic optimal solution to a linear program, if one exists. We show how to solve dyadic linear programs in polynomial time. We give bounds on the size of the support of a solution as well as on the size of the denominators. We identify properties that make the solution of dyadic linear programs possible: closure under addition and negation, and density, and we extend the algorithmic framework beyond the dyadic case.
Evaluating accession decisions in customs unions: a dynamic machine learning approach
Authors: Naeher Dominik , De Lombaerde Philippe , Saber Takfarinas 
Published: October 2024

Abstract
Previous work in the literature on regional economic integration has proposed the use of machine learning algorithms to evaluate the composition of customs unions, specifically, to estimate the degree to which customs unions match “natural markets” arising from trade flow data or appear to be driven by other factors such as political considerations. This paper expands upon the static approaches used in previous studies to develop a dynamic framework that allows to evaluate not only the composition of customs unions at a given point in time, but also changes in the composition over time resulting from accessions of new member states. We then apply the dynamic algorithm to evaluate the evolution of the global landscape of customs unions using data on bilateral trade flows of 200 countries from 1958 to 2018. A key finding is that there is considerable variation across different accession rounds of the European Union as to the extent to which these are aligned with the structure of “natural markets,” with some accession rounds following more strongly a commercial logic than others. Similar results are also found for other customs unions in the world, complementing the insights obtained from static analyses.
How farmers’ self-identities affect agri-environmental transition in Grassland Use: a mixed method study in the Swiss Alpine Region
Authors: Spörri Martina , Haller Maria , Benni Nadja El , Mack Gabriele , Finger Robert 
Published: October 2024

Abstract
Agri-environmental policies programmes mainly focus on economic incentives for the agri-environmental transition in grassland use. However, barriers rooted in farmers’ self-identities, which determine their behavioural intentions toward environmentally friendly practices, are often unaddressed in policy design. We conceptualise two self-identity gradients, productivist–multifunctionalist–conservationist and traditionalist–innovationist, to analyse drivers and barriers of agri-environmental transition processes among farmers. In order to grasp the complex multidimensional and hierarchical concept of self-identity as initially proposed by Stryker (Journal of Marriage and Family 30: 558–564, 1968), our analysis comprises a triangulation of qualitative and quantitative methods on a comprehensive dataset of 75 interviews with Swiss alpine grassland farmers. Through the semi-deductive coding of responses to open questions (revealing hierarchical aspects) and a factor analysis of closed, Likert-scale questions (revealing multidimensional aspects), we positioned each farmer along the conceptualised self-identity gradients. Our framework allows to explain contradictory behaviours exhibited by farmers: Our results revealed a mismatch between the farmers’ prevailing conservationist-innovationist self-identity and their actual intensification behaviour. This mismatch can be explained by the discrepancy between the individual self-identity and the prevailing productivist–innovationist idea of a good farmer, on which farmers continue to base their decisions. Within this discrepancy, however, lies the potential for a shift in the idea of what constitutes a good farmer and a consequential agri-environmental transition.
Improving the Kepler optimization algorithm with chaotic maps: comprehensive performance evaluation and engineering applications
Authors: El Ghouate Nawal , Bencherqui Ahmed , Mansouri Hanaa , Maloufy Ahmed El , Tahiri Mohamed Amine , Karmouni Hicham , Sayyouri Mhamed , Askar S. S. , Abouhawwash Mohamed 
Published: October 2024

AbstractThe Kepler Optimisation Algorithm (KOA) is a recently proposed algorithm that is inspired by Kepler’s laws to predict the positions and velocities of planets at a given time. However, although promising, KOA can encounter challenges such as convergence to sub-optimal solutions or slow convergence speed. This paper proposes an improvement to KOA by integrating chaotic maps to solve complex engineering problems. The improved algorithm, named Chaotic Kepler Optimization Algorithm (CKOA), is characterized by a better ability to avoid local minima and to reach globally optimal solutions thanks to a dynamic diversification strategy based on chaotic maps. To confirm the effectiveness of the suggested approach, in-depth statistical analyses were carried out using the CEC2020 and CEC2022 benchmarks. These analyses included mean and standard deviation of fitness, convergence curves, Wilcoxon tests, as well as population diversity assessments. The experimental results, which compare CKOA not only to the original KOA but also to eight other recent optimizers, show that the proposed algorithm performs better in terms of convergence speed and solution quality. In addition, CKOA has been successfully tested on three complex engineering problems, confirming its robustness and practical effectiveness. These results make CKOA a powerful optimisation tool in a variety of complex real-world contexts. After final acceptance, the source code will be uploaded to the Github account: nawal.elghouate@usmba.ac.ma.
Comparison of online maneuvers by authentic and inauthentic local news organizations
Authors: Lepird Christine Sowa , Carley Kathleen M. 
Published: October 2024

AbstractInauthentic local news organizations, otherwise known as pink slime, have become a serious problem exploiting the trust of local news since their creation ahead of the 2020 U.S. Presidential election. In this paper, we apply the BEND framework, a methodology of classifying social media posts as belonging to sixteen network and narrative maneuvers, to compare and contrast how pink slime sites and authentic local news sites are shared on Facebook Pages. It finds that pink slime sites implemented more positive narrative maneuvers than those of local news sharers. Both news types utilized distraction but to fulfill separate goals—pink slime used it against local and state elections while authentic local news focused on national elections and figureheads. Furthermore, local news employed the neutralize tactic in order to reduce positive sentiment around national politicians.
Tactical decompositions in finite polar spaces and non-spreading classical group actions
Authors: Bamberg John , Giudici Michael , Lansdown Jesse , Royle Gordon F. 
Published: October 2024

Abstract
For finite classical groups acting naturally on the set of points of their ambient polar spaces, the symmetry properties of synchronising and separating are equivalent to natural and well-studied problems on the existence of certain configurations in finite geometry. The more general class of spreading permutation groups is harder to describe, and it is the purpose of this paper to explore this property for finite classical groups. In particular, we show that for most finite classical groups, their natural action on the points of its polar space is non-spreading. We develop and use a result on tactical decompositions (an AB-Lemma) that provides a useful technique for finding witnesses for non-spreading permutation groups. We also consider some of the other primitive actions of the classical groups.