bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Nerve ultrasound in CANVAS‐spectrum disease: Reduced nerve size distinguishes genetically confirmed CANVAS from other axonal polyneuropathies
Authors: Salvalaggio Alessandro , Cacciavillani Mario , Tierro Benedetta , Coraci Daniele , Currò Riccardo , Ferrarini Moreno , Pegoraro Elena , Bello Luca , Fabrizi Gian Maria , Filla Alessandro , Padua Luca , Manganelli Fiore , Cortese Andrea , Briani Chiara 
Published: September 2024

AbstractBackground and AimsUltrasound nerve cross‐sectional area (CSA) of patients affected with axonal neuropathy usually shows normal value. Cerebellar ataxia, neuropathy and vestibular areflexia syndrome (CANVAS) seems to represent an exception, showing smaller CSA, but previous reports did not test for biallelic RFC1 gene repeat expansions.MethodsWe compared nerve CSA from CANVAS patients (tested positive for biallelic RFC1 gene repeat expansions) with the CSA from a group of patients with chronic idiopathic axonal polyneuropathy (CIAP) who tested negative for RFC1 gene repeat expansions, hereditary axonal neuropathy (Charcot‐Marie‐Tooth type 2, CMT2), and Friedreich ataxia (FRDA).ResultsWe enrolled 15 CANVAS patients (eight men, mean age 66.3 ± 11.5 years, mean disease duration 9.3 ± 4.1 years), affected with sensory axonal neuronopathy. Controls consisted of 13 CIAP (mean age 68.5 ± 12.8 years, seven men), seven CMT2 (mean age 47.9 ± 18.1 years, four men), 12 FRDA (mean age 33.7 ± 8.8, five men). Nerve ultrasound was performed at median, ulnar, sciatic, sural, and tibial nerves and brachial plexus, bilaterally. The nerve CSA from CANVAS patients was significantly smaller than the one from the other cohorts at several sites with significant and high accuracy at Receiver‐operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses. RFC1 AAGGG pentanucleotide expansion, disease duration, and disability did not correlate with CSA at any site, after Bonferroni correction.InterpretationDecreased sonographic nerve sizes, in arms and legs, in patients with sensory neuropathy and normal motor conduction studies could point to CANVAS‐spectrum disease and help guide appropriate genetic testing.
Peripheral neuropathy, an independent risk factor for falls in the elderly, impairs stepping as a postural control mechanism: A case‐cohort study
Authors: Kohle Felix , Stark Christopher , Klünter Heinz‐Dieter , Wernicke Daniel , Wunderlich Gilbert , Fink Gereon R. , Klussmann Jens P. , Schroeter Michael , Lehmann Helmar C. 
Published: September 2024

AbstractBackground/AimsPeripheral neuropathies perturbate the sensorimotor system, causing difficulties in walking‐related motor tasks and, eventually, falls. Falls result in functional dependency and reliance on healthcare, especially in older persons. We investigated if peripheral neuropathy is a genuine risk factor for falls in the elderly and if quantification of postural control via posturography is helpful in identifying subjects at risk of falls.MethodsSeventeen older persons with a clinical polyneuropathic syndrome of the lower limbs and converging electrophysiology were compared with 14 older persons without polyneuropathy. All participants were characterized via quantitative motor and sensory testing, neuropsychological assessment, and self‐questionnaires. Video‐nystagmography and caloric test excluded vestibulocochlear dysfunction. For further analysis, all subjects were stratified into fallers and non‐fallers. Overall, 28 patients underwent computerized dynamic posturography for individual fall risk assessment. Regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors and predictive posturography parameters.ResultsNeuropathy is an independent risk factor for falls in the elderly, while no differences were observed for age, gender, weight, frailty, DemTect test, timed “Up & Go” test, and dizziness‐related handicap score. In computerized dynamic posturography, fallers stepped more often to regain postural control in challenging conditions, while the Rhythmic Weight Shift test showed a lack of anterior‐posterior bidirectional voluntary control.InterpretationOur study confirms peripheral neuropathy as a risk factor for older persons' falls. Fallers frequently used stepping to regain postural control. The voluntary control of this coping movement was impaired. Further investigations into these parameters' value in predicting the risk of falls in the elderly are warranted.
Apixaban, edoxaban and rivaroxaban but not dabigatran are associated with higher mortality compared to vitamin‐K antagonists: A retrospective German claims data analysis
Authors: Engelbertz Christiane , Marschall Ursula , Feld Jannik , Makowski Lena , Lange Stefan A. , Freisinger Eva , Gerß Joachim , Breithardt Günter , Faldum Andreas , Reinecke Holger , Köppe Jeanette 
Published: September 2024

AbstractBackgroundVitamin‐K antagonists (VKAs) have widely been replaced by non‐VKA oral anticoagulants (NOACs). This includes Austria, Germany and Switzerland, where as VKA, instead of warfarin, the much longer‐acting phenprocoumon is used, which was not compared to NOACs in clinical trials.MethodsUsing administrative data from a large German health insurance, we included all anticoagulation‐naïve patients with a first prescription of a NOAC or VKA between 2012 and 2020. We analysed overall survival, major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events, major thromboembolic events and major bleeding.ResultsOverall, 570,137 patients were included (apixaban: 26.9%, dabigatran: 4.6%, edoxaban: 8.8%, rivaroxaban: 39.1% and VKA: 20.7% of these 99.4% phenprocoumon). In the primary analysis using a 1:1 propensity score matching‐cohort (PSM‐cohort), a significantly higher overall mortality was found for apixaban, edoxaban and rivaroxaban (all p < 0.001) but not for dabigatran (p = 0.13) compared to VKA. In this PSM‐cohort, 5‐year mortality was 22.7% for apixaban versus 12.7% for VKA, 19.5% for edoxaban versus 11.4% for VKA, 16.0% for rivaroxaban versus 12.3% for VKA (all p < 0.001) and 13.0% for dabigatran versus 12.8% for VKA (p = 0.06). The observed effect was confirmed in sensitivity analyses using un‐weighted and three different weighted Fine–Gray regression models on the basis of the entire cohort.ConclusionsIn this large real‐world analysis, apixaban, edoxaban and rivaroxaban, but not dabigatran, were associated with worse survival compared to VKA. These findings, consistent with a few other studies including phenprocoumon, cast profound doubts on the unreflected, general use of NOACs. Randomized trials should assess whether phenprocoumon might actually be superior to NOACs.
The impact of Streptococcus mutans biofilms on the color stability and topographical features of three lithium disilicate ceramics
Authors: Balhaddad Abdulrahman A. , Al Otaibi Abdulkareem Muneer , Alotaibi Khalid Saud , Al‐Zain Afnan O. , Ismail Eman H. , Al‐Dulaijan Yousif A. , Alalawi Haidar , Al‐Thobity Ahmad M. 
Published: August 2024

AbstractPurposeSecondary caries around ceramic restorations is the most common reason for the replacement of fixed dental prostheses (FDPs). Therefore, it is important to examine the susceptibility of different ceramic materials to biofilm formation. This study aimed to evaluate biofilm development and associated roughness and color alterations in three lithium disilicate ceramics: Emax CAD (EC), Emax Press (EP), and LiSi Press (LP).Materials and MethodsStreptococcus mutans biofilms were grown on the three ceramics (n = 10 per group) for 7 days. Surface roughness values and color alteration were assessed before and after the biofilm using a non‐contact profilometer and spectrophotometer, respectively. Biofilm growth was evaluated using colony‐forming units (CFUs) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) images. The data were analyzed using one‐way ANOVA and Tukey tests.ResultsThere was a significant (p ≤ 0.001) growth of S. mutans colonies on EC (6.75 ± 0.56) and EP (6.72 ± 0.54) specimens compared to LP, which showed no biofilm growth. The change in average surface roughness (∆Ra, nm) was significantly lower (p < 0.001) in the EC specimens (0.029 ± 0.003) compared to the EP (0.055 ± 0.012) and LP (0.041 ± 0.010). When the changes in the Rv and Rt values were investigated, no significant difference was observed among the groups. Following the biofilm challenge, the change in color (∆E00) was significantly lower (p = 0.005) in the LP group (1.68 ± 1.45) compared to the EC group (3.89 ± 1.50) and no significant difference was observed between the EP group (2.74 ± 1.01) and the other two ceramics (p ≥ 0.05).ConclusionLP ceramics exhibited superior resistance to S. mutans biofilm formation and associated changes in surface roughness and color compared to the Emax CAD and Emax Press ceramics. These findings suggest that the LiSi Press material may be more favorable to mitigate the risk of secondary caries.
Determining Potential Pathogens and Endophytic Bacterial Communities in the Twigs of Diospyros kaki Associated With Anthracnose in Zhejiang Province, China
Authors: Ma Long , Yuan Xiaoyan , Wang Yanan , Xia Peng , Zhao Mengting , Zhang Liqin , Wu Xiaoying 
Published: September 2024

ABSTRACTPersimmon (Diospyros kaki) is an important fruit crop that is widely cultivated in China, and its production is severely affected by anthracnose. Endophytic bacterial communities play an important role in the establishment of plant diseases, although little is known about these endophytes in persimmon plants. Fangshan persimmon is well known for its excellent quality in Zhejiang Province, China. The present study demonstrated that the Colletotrichum complex was the causal agent of anthracnose in persimmon in Zhejiang. High‐throughput sequencing revealed that bacterial communities in Fangshan persimmon twigs were dominated by the phyla Proteobacteria, Actinobacteriota, Firmicutes and Bacteroidota. Persimmon twigs infected with Colletotrichum showed obvious shifts in the endophytic bacterial communities, and these shifts in slight infections varied from those in severe infections. For slight infections, the genera Pseudomonas and Burkholderia–Caballeronia–Paraburkholderia were significantly more abundant in slightly symptomatic twigs than in healthy twigs, whereas the genera 1174‐901‐12, Methylocella and Streptococcus exhibited the opposite trend. In severe infections, the genera Curtobacterium, Pseudomonas and Kineococcus were significantly more abundant in severely symptomatic twigs than in healthy twigs, whereas the genera 1174‐901‐12, Lactobacillus and Amnibacterium exhibited opposite trends. The genera Pseudomonas and Curtobacterium showed the strongest positive correlation with anthracnose. This is the first report of endophytic bacterial communities associated with persimmon plants and their interaction with anthracnose disease, and these findings are important for developing biocontrol strategies for persimmon anthracnose.
Household food insecurity and novel complementary feeding methods in New Zealand families
Authors: Katiforis Ioanna , Smith Claire , Haszard Jillian J. , Styles Sara E. , Leong Claudia , Taylor Rachael W. , Conlon Cathryn A. , Beck Kathryn L. , von Hurst Pamela R. , Te Morenga Lisa A. , Daniels Lisa , Brown Kimberley J. , Rowan Madeleine , Casale Maria , McLean Neve H. , Cox Alice M. , Jones Emily A. , Bruckner Bailey R. , Jupiterwala Rosario , Wei Andrea , Heath Anne‐Louise M. 
Published: September 2024

AbstractOptimal nutrition during infancy is critical given its influence on lifelong health and wellbeing. Two novel methods of infant complementary feeding, commercial baby food pouch use and baby‐led weaning (BLW), are becoming increasingly popular worldwide. Household food insecurity may influence complementary feeding practices adopted by families, but no studies have investigated the use of BLW and baby food pouches in families experiencing food insecurity. The First Foods New Zealand study was a multicentre, observational study in infants 7.0–9.9 months of age. Households (n = 604) were classified into one of three categories of food insecurity (severely food insecure, moderately food insecure, and food secure). The use of complementary feeding practices was assessed via a self‐administered questionnaire, both at the current age (mean 8.4 months) and retrospectively at 6 months. Mothers experiencing severe food insecurity had 5.70 times the odds of currently using commercial baby food pouches frequently (≥5 times/week) compared to food secure mothers (95% CI [1.54, 21.01]), reporting that pouches were ‘easy to use’ (89%) and made it ‘easy to get fruits and vegetables in’ (64%). In contrast, no evidence of a difference in the prevalence of current BLW was observed among mothers experiencing moderate food insecurity (adjusted OR; 1.28, 95% CI [0.73, 2.24]) or severe food insecurity (adjusted OR; 1.03, 95% CI [0.44, 2.43]) compared to food secure mothers. The high prevalence of frequent commercial baby food pouch use in food insecure households underscores the need for research to determine whether frequent pouch use impacts infant health.
A double‐blind trial of decoded neurofeedback intervention for specific phobias
Authors: Cushing Cody A. , Lau Hakwan , Kawato Mitsuo , Craske Michelle G. , Taschereau‐Dumouchel Vincent 
Published: September 2024

AimA new closed‐loop functional magnetic resonance imaging method called multivoxel neuroreinforcement has the potential to alleviate the subjective aversiveness of exposure‐based interventions by directly inducing phobic representations in the brain, outside of conscious awareness. The current study seeks to test this method as an intervention for specific phobia.MethodsIn a randomized, double‐blind, controlled single‐university trial, individuals diagnosed with at least two (one target, one control) animal subtype‐specific phobias were randomly assigned (1:1:1) to receive one, three, or five sessions of multivoxel neuroreinforcement in which they were rewarded for implicit activation of a target animal representation. Amygdala response to phobic stimuli was assessed by study staff blind to target and control animal assignments. Pretreatment to posttreatment differences were analyzed with a two‐way repeated‐measures anova.ResultsA total of 23 participants (69.6% female) were randomized to receive one (n = 8), three (n = 7), or five (n = 7) sessions of multivoxel neuroreinforcement. Eighteen (n = 6 each group) participants were analyzed for our primary outcome. After neuroreinforcement, we observed an interaction indicating a significant decrease in amygdala response for the target phobia but not the control phobia. No adverse events or dropouts were reported as a result of the intervention.ConclusionResults suggest that multivoxel neuroreinforcement can specifically reduce threat signatures in specific phobia. Consequently, this intervention may complement conventional psychotherapy approaches with a nondistressing experience for patients seeking treatment. This trial sets the stage for a larger randomized clinical trial to replicate these results and examine the effects on real‐life exposure.Clinical Trial RegistrationThe now‐closed trial was prospectively registered at ClinicalTrials.gov with ID NCT03655262.
How can artists help change the world? The simple question that changed my life
Authors: Black‐Nasta Wendy 
Published: September 2024

AbstractThis article traces the journey of one artist's personal efforts on behalf of world peace. It lays the groundwork for promoting grassroots peace activism, which ultimately leads to the establishment of the peace organization, Artists for World Peace. Creating artistic designs such as the International Peace Belt, and establishing numerous other projects to raise funds on behalf of social justice and humanitarian endeavors, Artists for World Peace remains one of the more distinguished, non‐governmental organizations for peace and justice; its impact has been felt far and wide. Devoid of political intrigues, it tells the story of how creative peacemaking can be effective in changing many peoples’ lives.
The association between Internet use and intrinsic capacity among older adults in China: The mediating role of social participation
Authors: Fu Jianying , Fu Shuxia , Wang Xiao , Wang Xiuhong 
Published: September 2024

AbstractObjectiveThis study aims to explore the relationship between Internet use and intrinsic capability among Chinese older adults, and the potential mediating role of social participation.MethodsWe verified the correlation between Internet use and intrinsic capacity using multiple linear regression and verified the mediating role of social participation using the Sobel and Bootstrap tests.ResultsThe results of multiple linear regression show that there is a significant positive association between Internet use and intrinsic capacity (B = 0.717, p < .001); and social participation plays a mediating role, explaining a total of 20.5% of the association (indirect effect = 0.147, 95% CI: 0.067–0.227).ConclusionOur findings suggest that Internet use significantly improves intrinsic capacity among Chinese older adults, with social participation playing a mediating role. Increasing Internet adoption rates and promoting social participation may help improve intrinsic capacity among older adults.
User acceptance of strategic planning: Evidence from Northern European municipalities
Authors: George Bert , Jacobsen Dag Ingvar , Johanson Jan‐Erik , Johnsen Åge , Pekkola Elias 
Published: September 2024

AbstractStrategic planning is core to public administration at all governmental levels. Evidence suggests that when conducted well strategic planning impacts several performance outcomes. Yet, public administration and strategy scholars have argued that strategic planning is not only a technical procedure. Its success is contingent upon the people involved in strategic planning. This study investigates strategic planning using user acceptance theory. It identifies whether formal and participatory strategic planning associate with ease of use and usefulness of strategic planning and, in turn, whether ease of use and usefulness associate with commitment to strategic plans. Results from PLS‐SEM analysis of survey data from 327 municipalities in three Northern European countries or regions (Flanders, Finland, Norway) corroborate the perspective of strategic planning as organizational behavior where design choices shape attitudes and behaviors. These findings support calls to consider strategic planning from a 3Ps perspective, namely connecting people–process–plan, to achieve outcomes.
Suicide decision‐making: Differences in proximal considerations between individuals who aborted and attempted suicide
Authors: Xu Irene , Millner Alexander J. , Fortgang Rebecca G. , Nock Matthew K. 
Published: September 2024

AbstractIntroductionThe transition from suicidal thoughts to behaviors often involves considering the consequences of suicide as part of the decision‐making process. This study explored the relationship between this consideration process and the decision to either abort or carry out a suicide attempt.MethodsAmong inpatients with a suicide‐related event in the past 2 weeks (suicide attempt n = 30 or aborted attempt n = 16), we assessed the degree to which they considered six domains of consequences, the impact of these considerations on their inclination to attempt suicide, and the duration of their decision‐making.ResultsAll the participants who aborted and 87% of those who attempted considered consequences of suicide. Participants who aborted took longer to progress through decision‐making stages and considered more suicide‐hindering factors, especially interpersonal ones, though these differences were no longer significant after correction. Group status moderated the relationship between the balance of suicide‐facilitating and suicide‐hindering considerations and decision‐making duration. Considering the consequences of suicide more favorably was related to a shorter ideation‐to‐action period before a suicide attempt and a longer ideation period before aborting an attempt.ConclusionThis study highlights the complexity of suicide decision‐making and its role in better understanding the progression from ideation to action.
RETRACTED: A novel Skin lesion prediction and classification technique: ViT‐GradCAM
Authors: Shafiq Muhammad , Aggarwal Kapil , Jayachandran Jagannathan , Srinivasan Gayathri , Boddu Rajasekhar , Alemayehu Adugna 
Published: September 2024

AbstractBackgroundSkin cancer is one of the highly occurring diseases in human life. Early detection and treatment are the prime and necessary points to reduce the malignancy of infections. Deep learning techniques are supplementary tools to assist clinical experts in detecting and localizing skin lesions. Vision transformers (ViT) based on image segmentation classification using multiple classes provide fairly accurate detection and are gaining more popularity due to legitimate multiclass prediction capabilities.Materials and methodsIn this research, we propose a new ViT Gradient‐Weighted Class Activation Mapping (GradCAM) based architecture named ViT‐GradCAM for detecting and classifying skin lesions by spreading ratio on the lesion's surface area. The proposed system is trained and validated using a HAM 10000 dataset by studying seven skin lesions. The database comprises 10 015 dermatoscopic images of varied sizes. The data preprocessing and data augmentation techniques are applied to overcome the class imbalance issues and improve the model's performance.ResultThe proposed algorithm is based on ViT models that classify the dermatoscopic images into seven classes with an accuracy of 97.28%, precision of 98.51, recall of 95.2%, and an F1 score of 94.6, respectively. The proposed ViT‐GradCAM obtains better and more accurate detection and classification than other state‐of‐the‐art deep learning‐based skin lesion detection models. The architecture of ViT‐GradCAM is extensively visualized to highlight the actual pixels in essential regions associated with skin‐specific pathologies.ConclusionThis research proposes an alternate solution to overcome the challenges of detecting and classifying skin lesions using ViTs and GradCAM, which play a significant role in detecting and classifying skin lesions accurately rather than relying solely on deep learning models.