bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Changes in Alzheimer's disease blood biomarkers in kidney failure before and after kidney transplant
Authors: Blankenship Anneka E. , Yoksh Lauren , Kueck Paul J. , Mahnken Jonathan D. , Morris Jill K. , Gupta Aditi 
Published: July 2024

AbstractINTRODUCTIONAlzheimer's disease (AD) blood biomarkers show promise for clinical diagnosis but their reliability in chronic kidney disease (CKD) is debated. This study investigates the impact of kidney transplant (KT) on AD biomarkers in CKD.METHODSWe assessed AD biomarkers in 46 CKD patients pre‐KT, at 12 weeks and 12 months post‐KT, with baseline measures from 13 non‐CKD controls. Using linear mixed models, we examined associations with participant groups, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and cognition.RESULTSCKD patients showed elevated levels of neurofilament light (117 ± 72 vs. 11 ± 5 pg/mL), phosphorylated tau 181 (75 ± 42 vs. 13 ± 8 pg/mL), glial fibrillary acidic protein (193 ± 127 vs. 94 ± 39 pg/mL), amyloid β 42 (17 ± 5 vs. 5 ± 1 pg/mL), and amyloid β 40 (259 ± 96 vs. 72 ± 17 pg/mL) compared to controls. Post‐KT, biomarker levels approached normal with improved eGFR, paralleled by enhanced cognitive function.DISCUSSIONAD blood biomarker elevations in CKD are reversible with improved kidney function through KT.Highlights
AD biomarker levels are extremely high in severe CKD.
AD biomarker levels are higher in patients with kidney failure on dialysis when compared to CKD patients not on dialysis.
These elevations in AD biomarker levels in kidney failure are reversable and decrease dramatically after kidney transplantation.
The change in biomarker levels after transplantation align with changes in kidney function.
The change in biomarker levels after transplantation align with changes in cognitive function.
Dissonance‐Based Eating Disorder Prevention for Body‐Dissatisfied Brazilian Cisgender Gay and Bisexual Men: A Randomized Controlled Trial With a 1‐Year Follow‐Up
Authors: Almeida Maurício , Santos Cleonaldo Gonçalves , de Oliveira Júnior Mauro Lúcio , Resende Thainá Richelli Oliveira , Blashill Aaron J. , Brown Tiffany A. , de Carvalho Pedro Henrique Berbert 
Published: July 2024

ABSTRACTObjectiveGay and bisexual men are at an increased risk for eating disorders (EDs) and muscle dysmorphia (MD) compared with their heterosexual counterparts. Existing dissonance‐based (DB) EDs prevention programs for this population have been evaluated in the United States; however, these programs have not been evaluated in the Brazilian context. Thus, we investigated the feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of a DB ED prevention program (i.e., the PRIDE Body Project) among Brazilian cisgender gay and bisexual men.MethodEligible men were randomly assigned to either a DB intervention (n = 74) condition or an assessment‐only control (AOC) condition (n = 75). Participants completed measures assessing ED and MD risk and protective factors at baseline, post‐intervention, 1‐month, 6‐month, and 1‐year follow‐up. Those in the intervention condition also completed acceptability measures.ResultsFeasibility and acceptability ratings were highly favorable. Regarding efficacy, post‐intervention results were not significant, except for self‐objectification, which showed a significantly greater decrease in the DB condition compared with the AOC condition at all time‐points of follow‐ups (Cohen's d = −0.31 to −0.76). At follow‐up, the DB condition showed significantly greater decreases in appearance‐ideal internalization, drive for muscularity, self‐objectification, ED and MD symptoms at 1‐month, 6‐month, and 1‐year follow‐ups (d = −0.33 to −0.92) compared with the AOC condition. Significant increases were observed in the DB compared with the AOC condition for body appreciation at 1‐month, 6‐month, and 1‐year follow‐ups (d = 0.31–0.81).DiscussionResults support the feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of the PRIDE Body Project up to 1‐year in Brazilian cisgender gay and bisexual men.Trial RegistrationBrazilian Registry of Clinical Trials (ReBEC; available at http://www.ensaiosclinicos.gov.br/) number of registration: RBR‐62fctqz.
BASSA: New software tool reveals hidden details in visualisation of low‐frequency animal sounds
Authors: Jancovich Benjamin A. , Rogers Tracey L. 
Published: July 2024

AbstractThe study of animal sounds in biology and ecology relies heavily upon time–frequency (TF) visualisation, most commonly using the short‐time Fourier transform (STFT) spectrogram. This method, however, has inherent bias towards either temporal or spectral details that can lead to misinterpretation of complex animal sounds. An ideal TF visualisation should accurately convey the structure of the sound in terms of both frequency and time, however, the STFT often cannot meet this requirement. We evaluate the accuracy of four TF visualisation methods (superlet transform [SLT], continuous wavelet transform [CWT] and two STFTs) using a synthetic test signal. We then apply these methods to visualise sounds of the Chagos blue whale, Asian elephant, southern cassowary, eastern whipbird, mulloway fish and the American crocodile. We show that the SLT visualises the test signal with 18.48%–28.08% less error than the other methods. A comparison between our visualisations of animal sounds and their literature descriptions indicates that the STFT's bias may have caused misinterpretations in describing pygmy blue whale songs and elephant rumbles. We suggest that use of the SLT to visualise low‐frequency animal sounds may prevent such misinterpretations. Finally, we employ the SLT to develop ‘BASSA’, an open‐source, GUI software application that offers a no‐code, user‐friendly tool for analysing short‐duration recordings of low‐frequency animal sounds for the Windows platform. The SLT visualises low‐frequency animal sounds with improved accuracy, in a user‐friendly format, minimising the risk of misinterpretation while requiring less technical expertise than the STFT. Using this method could propel advances in acoustics‐driven studies of animal communication, vocal production methods, phonation and species identification.
Evidence that spatial scale and environment factors explain grassland community assembly in woodland–grassland ecotones
Authors: Zheng Cheng , Shi Haijing , Wei Jiaqi , Cui Mengying , Lin Ziqi , Gao Yuan , Yuan Liuhuan , Wen Zhongming 
Published: July 2024

AbstractHow communities of living organisms assemble has long been a central question in ecology. The impact of habitat filtering and limiting similarity on plant community structures is well known, as both processes are influenced by individual responses to environmental fluctuations. Yet, the precise identifications and quantifications of the potential abiotic and biotic factors that shape community structures at a fine scale remains a challenge. Here, we applied null model approaches to assess the importance of habitat filtering and limiting similarity at two spatial scales. We used 63 natural vegetation plots, each measuring 5 × 5 m, with three nested subplots measuring 1 × 1 m, from the 2021 field survey, to examine the alpha diversity as well as beta diversity of plots and subplots. Linear mixed‐effects models were employed to determine the impact of environmental variables on assembly rules. Our results demonstrate that habitat filtering is the dominant assembly rules at both the plot and subplot levels, although limiting similarity assumes stronger at the subplot level. Plot‐level limiting similarity exhibited a positive association with fine‐scale partitioning, suggesting that trait divergence originated from a combination of limiting similarity and spatial partitioning. Our findings also reveal that the community assembly varies more strongly with the mean annual temperature gradient than the mean annual precipitation. This investigation provides a pertinent illustration of non‐random assembly rules from spatial scale and environmental factors in plant communities in the loess hilly region. It underscores the critical influence of spatial and environmental constraints in understanding the assembly of plant communities.
Strengths of fertilizer and litter effects on seedling recruitment and growth of grassland species differ depending on functional groups and seed size
Authors: Martin Sarah , Roscher Christiane 
Published: July 2024

AbstractAgricultural grasslands play an important role in conserving the biodiversity of the European cultural landscape. Both, litter cover and soil nutrient availability, change with grassland management, but it is not well‐studied how seedling recruitment and growth of multiple grassland species are influenced by their single or combined effects. Therefore, we studied the effects of nitrogen fertilization (100 kg N per year and ha) and litter cover (250 gdw per m2) on seedling recruitment and growth of 75 temperate grassland species (16 graminoid species, 51 forb species, 8 legume species) in a full factorial microcosm experiment. Overall, fertilizer reduced seedling emergence, while litter cover increased it even when combined with fertilization. Fertilization increased seedling height and biomass, and the combination of fertilizer and litter resulted in even stronger responses. Litter cover alone did not influence seedling biomass or seedling height. While the overall direction of treatment effects was similar across functional groups, their strengths were mostly weaker in graminoids than in non‐legume forbs and legumes. Positive litter effects on seedling emergence were stronger in large‐seeded species. Positive fertilization effects on seedling growth were stronger in small‐seeded species, while their seedling biomass was negatively affected by litter cover. In summary, our results show for multiple grassland species that the combination of litter cover and fertilization modulates their single effects. The varying sensitivity of how grassland species representing different functional groups and seed sizes respond with their seedling emergence and growth to litter cover and nitrogen fertilization indicates that the consequences of land‐use change on grassland diversity and composition already start to manifest in the earliest stages of the plant life cycle.
Comparing the cost‐effectiveness of drones, camera trapping and passive acoustic recorders in detecting changes in koala occupancy
Authors: Beranek Chad T. , Southwell Darren , Jessop Tim S. , Hope Benjamin , Gama Veronica Fernandes , Gallahar Nicole , Webb Elliot , Law Brad , McIlwee Allen , Wood Jared , Roff Adam , Gillespie Graeme 
Published: July 2024

AbstractQuantifying the cost‐effectiveness of alternative sampling methods is crucial for efficient biodiversity monitoring and detection of population trends. In this study, we compared the cost‐effectiveness of three novel sampling methods for detecting changes in koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) occupancy: thermal drones, passive acoustic recorders and camera trapping. Specifically, we fitted single‐season occupancy‐detection models to data recorded from 46 sites in eight bioregions of New South Wales, Australia, between 2018 and 2022. We explored the effect of weather variables on daily detection probability for each method and, using these estimates, calculated the statistical power to detect 30%, 50% and 80% declines in koala occupancy. We calculated power for different combinations of sites (1–200) and repeat surveys (2–40) and developed a cost model that found the cheapest survey design that achieved 80% power to detect change. On average, detectability of koalas was highest with one 24‐h period of acoustic surveys (0.32, 95% CI's: 0.26, 0.39) compared to a 25‐ha flight of drone surveys (0.28, 95% 0.15, 0.48) or a 24‐h period of camera trapping consisting of six cameras (0.019, 95% CI's: 0.014, 0.025). We found a negative quadratic relationship between detection probability and air temperature for all three methods. Our power and cost analysis suggested that 148 sites surveyed with acoustic recorders deployed for 14 days would be the cheapest method to sufficiently detect a 30% decline in occupancy with 80% power. We recommend passive acoustic recorders as the most efficient sampling method for monitoring koala occupancy compared to cameras or drones. Further comparative studies are needed to compare the relative effectiveness of these methods and others when the monitoring objective is to detect change in koala abundance over time.
Breeding pairs with color aberrations in oriental reed warblers
Authors: Ma Laikun , Pan Peng , Liu Wei , Hou Jianhua , Liang Wei 
Published: July 2024

AbstractIn 2017, one pair of Oriental reed warblers (Acrocephalus orientalis) with color aberrations was found in Yongnianwa National Wetland Park, Hebei, China. The female bird exhibited white feathers on the head, neck, and upper back, and the base of the beak was flesh‐red in color. The male had a few feathers on the outer edges of the left and right primary wing coverts that were white, which was determined to be leucism after analysis. The breeding pairs laid their first egg on May 29, with a clutch size of four eggs. After an incubation period of 13 days, two chicks hatched on June 13, 2017. The nest was found empty on June 20 when the chicks were 7 days old and before fledging age; therefore, it was presumed that the chicks had been predated. A white parrot egg was added to the nest during the incubation period to test the egg recognition ability of breeding pairs and was successfully rejected. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of color aberrations in the Oriental reed warbler, and we found that this color aberrations did not affect some reproductive and antiparasitic behaviors of the birds, but whether it affects their breeding success needs to be further studied.
Prediction of heart failure events based on physiologic sensor data in HINODE defibrillator patients
Authors: Nishii Nobuhiro , Sakata Yasushi , Murohara Toyoaki , Ando Kenji , Ikeda Takanori , Mitsuhashi Takeshi , Nogami Akihiko , Shimizu Wataru , Schwartz Torri , Kayser Torsten , Beaudoint Caroline , Aonuma Kazutaka ,   for HINODE Investigators
Published: July 2024

AbstractAimsHospitalizations are common in patients with heart failure and are associated with high mortality, readmission and economic burden. Detecting early signs of worsening heart failure may enable earlier intervention and reduce hospitalizations. The HeartLogic algorithm is designed to predict worsening heart failure using diagnostic data from multiple device sensors. The main objective of this analysis was to evaluate the sensitivity of the HeartLogic alert calculation in predicting worsening heart failure events (HFEs). We also evaluated the false positive alert rate (FPR) and compared the incidence of HFEs occurring in a HeartLogic alert state to those occurring out of an alert state.MethodsThe HINODE study enrolled 144 patients (81 ICD and 63 CRT‐D) with device sensor data transmitted via a remote monitoring system. HeartLogic alerts were then retrospectively simulated using relevant sensor data. Clinicians and patients were blinded to calculated alerts. Reported adverse events with HF symptoms were adjudicated and classified by an independent HFE committee. Sensitivity was defined as the ratio of the number of detected usable HFEs (true positives) to the total number of usable HFEs. A false positive alert was defined as an alert with no usable HFE between the alert onset date and the alert recovery date plus 30 days. The patient follow‐up period was categorized as in alert state or out of alert state. The event rate ratio was the HFE rate calculated in alert to out of alert.ResultsThe patient cohort was 79% male and had an average age of 68 ± 12 years. This analysis yielded 244 years of follow‐up data with 73 HFEs from 37 patients. A total of 311 HeartLogic alerts at the nominal threshold (16) occurred across 106 patients providing an alert rate of 1.27 alerts per patient‐year. The HFE rate was 8.4 times greater while in alert compared with out of alert (1.09 vs. 0.13 events per patient‐year; P < 0.001). At the nominal alert threshold, 80.8% of HFEs were detected by a HeartLogic alert [95% confidence interval (CI): 69.9%–89.1%]. The median time from first true positive alert to an adjudicated clinical HFE was 53 days. The FPR was 1.16 (95% CI: 0.98–1.38) alerts per patient‐year.ConclusionsResults suggest that signs of worsening HF can be detected successfully with remote patient follow‐up. The use of HeartLogic may predict periods of increased risk for HF or clinically significant events, allowing for early intervention and reduction of hospitalization in a vulnerable patient population.
Haemodynamic contributors to pulmonary hypertension across the spectrum of adult congenital heart disease
Authors: Reddy Yogesh N.V. , Miranda William R. , Jain Christopher C. , Borlaug Barry A. , Egbe Alexander C. 
Published: July 2024

AbstractAimsAdult congenital heart disease (ACHD) includes multiple disease states that predispose to pulmonary hypertension (PH). Haemodynamically, PH depends on abnormalities in three components: pulmonary blood flow (Qp), pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) and pulmonary venous pressure (PVP). We sought to evaluate the prevalence and prognostic impact of individual haemodynamic abnormalities in ACHD.Methods and resultsRetrospective study of ACHD patients undergoing cardiac catheterization at Mayo Clinic between 1999 and 2022 who were followed for the combined endpoint of death/heart transplantation. Among 1005 patients, 37% had mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) ≥25 mmHg with more systemic ventricular disease, cyanotic disease and shunt lesions, highest N‐terminal pro‐B‐type natriuretic peptide and worse right heart remodelling/dysfunction. Among those with biventricular circulation, elevated PVP, PVR and mPAP were associated with prognosis, but not increased Qp >8 L/min. However, risk of death/transplant increased for PVR only at ≥3 Wood units (hazard ratio [HR] 3.00, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.17–4.15; p < 0.0001) and for mPAP only at ≥25 mmHg (HR 3.15, 95% CI 2.17–4.58; p < 0.0001), not at current recommended lower cutpoints. Combined abnormalities in PVP and PVR were associated with worst outcome (HR 5.20, 95% CI 3.55–7.63; p < 0.0001) with intermediate risk with either abnormality (HR 2.11, 95% CI 1.46–3.04; p < 0.0001). Findings were consistent across type of biventricular ACHD. Only with the Fontan (univentricular) circulation was a lower mPAP threshold (20 mmHg) associated with adverse outcomes.ConclusionsElevation of mPAP ≥25 mmHg in ACHD with a biventricular circulation is prognostically important regardless of disease phenotype, but milder PH of 21–25 mmHg is not associated with adverse outcome unless associated with Fontan circulation. Elevation in PVP >15 mmHg and PVR ≥3 Wood units were each individually associated with mortality with combined abnormalities associated with greatest risk. Categorizing PH in ACHD by haemodynamic mechanism (PVR, PVP or Qp) allows meaningful prognostication, and may allow more unified study of targeted therapies across heterogeneous disease states in ACHD.
Structural Consequences of Different Metal Compositions in the Doped Spin‐Crossover Crystals [FezM1−z(bpp)2][BF4]2 (M=Ni, Zn; bpp=2,6‐Bis{Pyrazol‐1‐yl}Pyridine)
Authors: Pask Christopher M. , Kulak Alexander N. , Halcrow Malcolm A. 
Published: July 2024

AbstractVariable temperature crystallographic characterization of [FezZn1−z(bpp)2][BF4]2 (bpp=2,6‐bis{pyrazol‐1‐yl}pyridine; z=0.88, 0.72 and 0.27) and [FezNi1−z(bpp)2][BF4]2 (z=0.83, 0.72 and 0.32) is presented. Comparison with previously published data confirms the isothermal unit cell volume change during spin‐crossover (ΔVSCO) behaves differently in the Zn‐ and Ni‐doped crystals. For the FeZn crystals, the relationship between ΔVSCO and z is continuous for z≥0.3 but is steeper than expected, so ΔVSCO≈0 for z=0.27. In contrast ΔVSCO in the FeNi materials shows only a small variation between 0.83≥z≥0.46, before decreasing more strongly at higher dilution. ΔVSCO in each FeZn crystal is smaller than for its FeNi analogue with a similar composition. As well as the dopant ion ionic radius, the smaller ΔVSCO for the Zn‐doped materials reflects their T1/2 values, which are lower than for their FeNi counterparts. The contribution of T1/2 to this behavior is especially evident at high metal dilution.
Cleaner isolation and application of sustainable new novel source of natural dye from tallow laureal (Litsea glutinosa) for silk dyeing
Authors: Rehman Fazal‐ur , Qayyum Muhammad Abdul , Zainab Kinza , Adeel Shahid , Habib Noman , Mia Rony , Imran Muhammad , Nasir Sidra 
Published: July 2024

AbstractThe utilization of waste plant residues in useful work particularly as the source of green dyes in textiles is now a days welcoming by global community. In this study, brown bollygum chips (Litsea glutinosa) called tallow laurel has been explored for silk dyeing using ecofriendly approaches. Extraction has been done in suitable medium and utilized onto fabric before and after microwave (MW) treatment up to 10 min. Response surface methodology was employed to observe the significant of selected dyeing parameters at which shade development with improved colorfastness was observed. It was found that 2 min radiation to both acidic extract of tallow laureal and silk fabric is the useful condition to get colorfast shade when employed before and after mordanting with iron salt and tannic acid solution as eco‐chemical agent, whereas with walnut bark and pine nut hulls extract as eco bio agents. The highest color strength value of 4.58 was observed using tannic acid as postchemical mordant for silk dyeing. The standard methods for fastness as per ISO to light, washing, and rubbing reveal that using selected shades made under ecofriendly cost time and energy effective conditions, stable colorfast hues were rated good with the value of 4/5. Therefore, it is recommended that MW treatment in addition with statistical approach i.e., central composite design used for exploring new dye yielding plant, then using eco‐mordanting technique will help in getting promising colorfast shades.
The evolution of reaction to fire classification of materials: A case study of Canada
Authors: Sadaoui Amirouche , Dagenais Christian , Blanchet Pierre , Perez Cédric 
Published: July 2024

AbstractCombustible and noncombustible notions have evolved with time, along with the associated fire tests by which legislation classifies building materials. New Zealand, Japan, and Europe are just some of the many legislations that have followed this evolution, except for North American regulations, which remain attached to methods dating back to 1944. To better understand this stagnation in North American practices, this document first traces the evolution of Canadian regulations on fire classification of materials. Then, a parallel is drawn with the evolution of reaction to fire tests mandated in the National Building Code of Canada. Finally, this paper will review the current fire classification of materials concerning the combustibility concept based on the Steiner tunnel test and the flame spread rating criteria. The analysis reveals that the relevance of the test and its results are questionable, and the reciprocity between test measurement and its classification does not always coincide. Despite the revisions made through time, the classification of materials based on their fire properties remains distinctly binary.