bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Variation Between Hospitals in Outcomes and Costs of IBD Care: Results From the IBD Value Study
Authors: van Linschoten Reinier C A , van der Woude C Janneke , Visser Elyke , van Leeuwen Nikki , Bodelier Alexander G L , Fitzpatrick Claire , de Jonge Vincent , Vermeulen Hestia , Verweij K Evelyne , van der Wiel Sanne , Nieboer Daan , Birnie Erwin , van der Horst Daniëlle , Hazelzet Jan A , van Noord Desirée , West Rachel L 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

Background
Data on variation in outcomes and costs of the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can be used to identify areas for cost and quality improvement. It can also help healthcare providers learn from each other and strive for equity in care. We aimed to assess the variation in outcomes and costs of IBD care between hospitals.

Methods
We conducted a 12-month cohort study in 8 hospitals in the Netherlands. Patients with IBD who were treated with biologics and new small molecules were included. The percentage of variation in outcomes (following the International Consortium for Health Outcomes Measurement standard set) and costs attributable to the treating hospital were analyzed with intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) from case mix–adjusted (generalized) linear mixed models.

Results
We included 1010 patients (median age 45 years, 55% female). Clinicians reported high remission rates (83%), while patient-reported rates were lower (40%). During the 12-month follow-up, 5.2% of patients used prednisolone for more than 3 months. Hospital costs (outpatient, inpatient, and medication costs) were substantial (median: €8323 per 6 months), mainly attributed to advanced therapies (€6611). Most of the variation in outcomes and costs among patients could not be attributed to the treating hospitals, with ICCs typically between 0% and 2%. Instead, patient-level characteristics, often with ICCs above 50%, accounted for these variations.

Conclusions
Variation in outcomes and costs cannot be used to differentiate between hospitals for quality of care. Future quality improvement initiatives should look at differences in structure and process measures of care and implement patient-level interventions to improve quality of IBD care.

Trial Registration Number
NL8276
Trade-offs between Winter Survival and Reproduction in Female Insects
Authors: Meuti Megan E , Fyie Lydia R , Fiorta Maria , Denlinger David L 
Published: April 2024

Synopsis
In temperate environments, most species of insects enter an arrested state of development, known as diapause, that enables them to survive the adverse environmental conditions associated with winter. Although diapause is restricted to a single life stage within species of insects, there are examples of insects that overwinter in the egg, larval, pupal, and adult stages. Here we offer a targeted, non-systematic literature review examining how overwintering impacts subsequent reproduction in female insects. Several factors, including the lifestage at which insects overwinter, the type of energy investment strategy females use for breeding, elements of the winter environment, and contributions from male insects can influence trade-offs that female insects face between overwintering survival and post-diapause reproduction. Additionally, climate change and elements of the urban environment, including light pollution and higher temperatures in cities, can exacerbate or ameliorate trade-offs faced by reproducing female insects. Better understanding the trade-offs between overwintering survival and reproduction in insects not only enhances our understanding of the underlying physiological mechanisms and ecological processes governing diapause and reproduction, but also provides opportunities to better manage insect pests and/or support beneficial insects.
Experimental Infections Reveal Acquired Zoonotic Capacity of Human Schistosomiasis Trough Hybridization
Authors: Polack Bruno , Mathieu-Bégné Eglantine , Vallée Isabelle , Rognon Anne , Fontaine Jean-Jacques , Toulza Eve , Thomas Myriam , Boissier Jérôme 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
We are currently witnessing the endemization of urogenital schistosomiasis in southern Europe. The incriminated parasite is a hybrid between a human parasite and a livestock parasite. Using an experimental evolutionary protocol, we created hybrid lines from pure strains of both parasite species. We showed that the host spectrum of the human parasite is enlarged to the livestock parasite after genomic introgression. We also evidenced that the tropism of the parasites within the host changes and that some hybrid lines are more virulent than the parental strains. These results engage a paradigm shift from human to zoonotic transmission of urogenital schistosomiasis.
Serological Profiling of Pneumococcal Proteins Reveals Unique Patterns of Acquisition, Maintenance, and Waning of Antibodies Throughout Life
Authors: He Samantha W J , Voß Franziska , Nicolaie Mioara A , Brummelman Jolanda , van de Garde Martijn D B , Bijvank Elske , Poelen Martien , Wijmenga-Monsuur Alienke J , Wyllie Anne L , Trzciński Krzysztof , Van Beek Josine , Rots Nynke Y , den Hartog Gerco , Hammerschmidt Sven , van Els Cécile A C M 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in children and older adults. However, knowledge on the development of pneumococcal protein-specific antibody responses throughout life is limited. To investigate this, we measured serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels to 55 pneumococcal proteins in 11-month-old infants (n = 73), 24-month-old children (n = 101), parents (n = 99), adults without children &lt;6 years of age (n = 99), and older adults aged &gt;60 years (n = 100). Our findings revealed low IgG levels in infancy, with distinct development patterns peaking in adults. A decrease in levels was observed for 27 antigens towards older age. Adults and older adults had increased IgG levels during pneumococcal carriage and at increased exposure risk to S. pneumoniae. Carriage was a stronger predictor than exposure or age for antibody responses. These findings highlight the dynamic nature of naturally acquired humoral immunity to pneumococcal proteins throughout life, offering insights for age-targeted interventions.

Clinical Trials Registration
Participants were selected from three clinical studies (NTR3462, NTR5405 and NTR3386) conducted in the Netherlands by the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM).
Serum Gasdermin D for Early Diagnosis of Bloodstream Infection and Differentiating Bacterial From Fungal Infections
Authors: Huang Jing , Shi Jing , Zhang Xiuyu , Tian Feng , Huang Juan , Zhao Qing , Wan Ningyi , Zhang Lijun , Hu Ying , Li Pu 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

Background
The role of gasdermin D (GSDMD) in bloodstream infection (BSI) diagnosis is unknown.

Methods
Serum GSDMD levels were measured in patients with BSI. Endothelial cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated and infected with bacteria/fungi, and intracellular/extracellular GSDMD concentrations were measured. An animal model was established to investigate the association between serum GSDMD levels and BSI incidence or progression.

Results
Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis indicated that GSDMD could be a potential early diagnostic biomarker for BSI (area under the curve [AUC], .9885). Combining GSDMD with procalcitonin improved the differential diagnosis of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria (AUC, 0.6699; 66.15% specificity) and early diagnosis of gram-positive bacteria (98.46% sensitivity), while procalcitonin was not significantly elevated. The combined GSDMD and (1-3)-β-D glucan test (G test) had higher sensitivity (AUC, 0.7174) for differential diagnosis of bacterial and fungal infections and early detection of fungal infections (98.44% sensitivity). In vitro and in vivo experiments confirmed that GSDMD levels increased significantly within 2 hours, peaked at 16 hours, and exhibited a time-dependent upward trend.

Conclusions
Serum GSDMD, alone or combined with other biomarkers, has potential for early diagnosis and differential diagnosis of BSI caused by various pathogens. This finding offers a new strategy for early detection and treatment of BSI.
Religion, Race, and Letterpress: Orthodox Christians in Nineteenth-Century New York City through the Lens of Kawkab America
Authors: Durmaz Reyhan 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Kawkab America (Star of America) is the first Arabic-language newspaper in America, published in New York City from 1892 to 1908. Founded by Orthodox Christians from Ottoman Syria, the newspaper reported on historical and contemporary events across the globe. In this article, I analyze the representations of religion in Kawkab to reconstruct the ways a Middle Eastern immigrant community perceived religious diversity in nineteenth-century America. Kawkab engaged the contemporary discourses about “world religions” by expanding this category’s boundaries. And by downplaying the theological distinctions between Christian denominations, it represented Syrians as members of an ecumenical Christianity. To further reinforce the value of the Orthodox community as worthy American subjects, the newspaper also commented on morality and piety as universal, cross-confessional norms, which Syrians abided by and guarded. Kawkab’s use of these literary strategies testifies to Syrian Christians’ negotiation of religion, race, and culture in a transnational, diasporic space.
Population ecology of the intertidal xanthid crab Leptodius exaratus (H. Milne Edwards, 1834) (Decapoda: Brachyura: Xanthidae) on rocky shores in Kuwait, Arabian (Persian) Gulf
Authors: Al-Wazzan Zainab , Giménez Luis , Behbehani Manaf , Le Vay Lewis 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Leptodius exaratus (H. Milne Edwards, 1834) is an exploited species that has been used as bait for recreational fishing in Kuwait. The biological and ecological aspects of the species required to manage this practice are limited. We investigated the life history and population ecology of L. exaratus in the northwestern Arabian (Persian) Gulf. The spawning season of the crab in Kuwait starts in the late spring and continues through the summer and ends in September. Fecundity is highly correlated to female body size and ranges 2,533–11,991 eggs clutch–1, with a mean number of 7,055 eggs clutch–1. Juveniles are generally recruited between July and September, with lower minor recruitment levels occurring in October and November. Growth is highly seasonal, being slow during the cold season (October-February) and high during the warmer season (March and September), with a higher growth rate in males than in females. The seasonality of growth and reproduction of L. exaratus in the region is strongly related to ambient air and water temperatures. Sexual dimorphism is highly significant between males and females with males, reaching reproductive maturity at 17.43 ± 0.53 mm carapace width (CW) and females at 9.58 ± 1.21 mm CW. The overall sex ratio for the species is 0.8:1 (males:females). Furthermore, the life span of 3–4 yr and an overall mortality slightly higher in males than in females. The results of our study could be used to determine fishery management strategies such as minimum catch sizes and closures periods. The results on life history and dynamics of the complex life cycle of L. exaratus contribute to conservation and sustainable exploitation of the species in Kuwait.
Resistance to initial starvation in stage I larvae of the American lobsterHomarus americanusH. Milne Edwards, 1837 (Decapoda: Astacidea: Nephropidae)
Authors: Annis Eric R , Howell Ruth R , Steneck Robert S 
Published: April 2024

AbstractGreater embryo mass confers an advantage in the face of sub-lethal starvation for larvae of the American lobster, Homarus americanusH. Milne Edwards, 1837. We reared larvae in the laboratory and recorded body size, molt increment, stage duration, and mortality during the three larval instars and postlarval stages. Larvae were either fed continuously or subjected to starvation periods immediately after hatching. Larval mass increased with embryo mass suggesting that energetic advantages of heavier embryos are conferred to the larvae. Stage I larvae hatched from clutches with heavier embryos and had lower mortality after five days without food. Stage I duration decreased with increasing embryo mass in treatments with initial periods without food of three, four, and five days. We also observed greater size increase at first molt and larger postlarval size in some treatments. Our results suggest that larger embryos produce larvae that are more resistant to starvation, which may provide a survival advantage when experiencing variable food supply due to the patchy distribution of their planktonic prey.
Lime and lithiasis: a case of choledocholithiasis complicated by limy bile
Authors: Fahrenhorst-Jones Travis , Theodore Jane E , Aseervatham Ratna 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Limy bile syndrome (LBS) is a condition in which the biliary tract is filled with radiodense calcium carbonate rich sludge. This rare condition can complicate the management of commonly encountered biliary conditions such as choledocholithiasis. We present a case of a male in his fifties who presented to hospital with a 12-day history of abdominal pain, nausea and jaundice. Imaging and laboratory findings demonstrated a dependent radio-dense substance within the biliary system as well as an obstructing calculus at the duodenal ampulla. Management with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography alone was insufficient and further surgical management was required. With no clear published guidelines on LBS and associated cholelithiasis, management is variable. We present this case as an addition to the literature on the management of choledocholithiasis complicated by LBS.
From benign to malignant: unveiling invasive squamous cell carcinoma following resection of perianal condyloma acuminatum: a case report
Authors: Ylli Kristali , ElJack Wala , Spillane Chloe , Cotter Mar , Killeen Shane 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
This case illustrates the surgical management of a perianal mass, initially misdiagnosed as condyloma acuminatum in a male patient in his late 50s, later identified as invasive squamous cell carcinoma following excision. Despite extensive preoperative evaluation, the lesion's malignancy was confirmed through histopathology. The significant, fungating mass required a multidisciplinary approach, culminating in a pT3 staging and additional wide excision with inferior gluteal artery perforator flap reconstruction. This case underscores the critical importance of surgical diligence and adaptability, highlighting the role of comprehensive surgery in both diagnosis and treatment of complex perianal malignancies, and reaffirms the value of a multidisciplinary team in achieving favourable outcomes.
The Role of Mental Health Conditions in Early Detection and Treatment of Veterans With Alzheimer’s Dementia
Authors: O’Connor Maureen K , Aguilar Byron J , Nguyen Andrew , Berlowitz Dan , Zhang Raymond , Tahami Monfared Amir Abbas , Zhang Quanwu , Xia Weiming 
Published: April 2024

ABSTRACT

Introduction
The benefits of early detection of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) have become increasingly recognized. Veterans with mental health conditions (MHCs) may be less likely to receive a specific AD diagnosis compared to veterans without MHCs. We investigated whether rates of MHCs differed between veterans diagnosed with unspecified dementia (UD) vs. AD to better understand the role MHCs might play in establishing a diagnosis of AD.

Materials and Methods
This retrospective analysis (2015-2022) identified UD and AD with diagnostic code–based criteria. We determined the proportion of veterans with MHCs in UD vs. AD cohorts. Secondarily, we assessed the distribution of UD/AD diagnoses in veterans with and without MHCs.

Results
We identified 145,309 veterans with UD and 33,996 with AD. The proportion of each MHC was consistently higher in UD vs. AD cohorts: 41.4% vs. 33.2% (depression), 26.9% vs. 20.3% (post-traumatic stress disorder), 23.4% vs. 18.2% (anxiety), 4.3% vs. 2.1% (bipolar disorder), and 3.9% vs. 1.5% (schizophrenia). The UD diagnostic code was used in 84% of veterans with MHCs vs. 78% without MHCs (P &lt; .001).

Conclusions
Mental health conditions were more likely in veterans with UD vs. AD diagnoses; comorbid MHC may contribute to delayed AD diagnosis.
The Portuguese Court’s Acquisition of Musical Scores from Italy in the Late Eighteenth and Early Nineteenth Centuries and the Fundo do Conde de Redondo
Authors: Woolley Andrew 
Published: April 2024

ABSTRACT
The assembling of a library of musical scores of Italian music and libretti was an enterprise undertaken by the Portuguese court throughout the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. The library served a practical need, especially in the wake of the 1755 Lisbon earthquake, and expressed the court’s musical taste; as a result, it received significant investment. Information concerning the growth of the library can be found in previous work on the composer Niccolò Jommelli and his heirs, who were involved in sending scores of the composer’s music to Portugal in the 1760s and 1770s. Drawing attention to evidence in Portuguese royal household correspondence that has not been considered fully to date, as well as some of the scores today preserved in two Lisbon libraries, this article offers a wider examination of how music manuscripts came to Portugal from Italy between c.1770 and c.1820.
Discovery and follow-up of ASASSN-23bd (AT 2023clx): the lowest redshift and luminosity optically selected tidal disruption event
Authors: Hoogendam W B , Hinkle J T , Shappee B J , Auchettl K , Kochanek C S , Stanek K Z , Maksym W P , Tucker M A , Huber M E , Morrell N , Burns C R , Hey D , Holoien T W -S , Prieto J L , Stritzinger M , Do A , Polin A , Ashall C , Brown P J , DerKacy J M , Ferrari L , Galbany L , Hsiao E Y , Kumar S , Lu J , Stevens C P 
Published: April 2024

ABSTRACT
We report the All-Sky Automated Survey for SuperNovae discovery of the tidal disruption event (TDE) ASASSN-23bd (AT 2023clx) in NGC 3799, a LINER galaxy with no evidence of strong active galactic nucleus (AGN) activity over the past decade. With a redshift of z = 0.01107 and a peak ultraviolet (UV)/optical luminosity of (5.4 ± 0.4) × 1042 erg s−1, ASASSN-23bd is the lowest-redshift and least-luminous TDE discovered to date. Spectroscopically, ASASSN-23bd shows H α and He i emission throughout its spectral time series, there are no coronal lines in its near-infrared spectrum, and the UV spectrum shows nitrogen lines without the strong carbon and magnesium lines typically seen for AGN. Fits to the rising ASAS-SN light curve show that ASASSN-23bd started to brighten on MJD 59988$^{+1}_{-1}$, ∼9 d before discovery, with a nearly linear rise in flux, peaking in the g band on MJD $60 \, 000^{+3}_{-3}$. Scaling relations and TDE light curve modelling find a black hole mass of ∼106 M⊙, which is on the lower end of supermassive black hole masses. ASASSN-23bd is a dim X-ray source, with an upper limit of $L_{0.3-10\, \mathrm{keV}} \lt 1.0\times 10^{40}$ erg s−1 from stacking all Swift observations prior to MJD 60061, but with soft (∼0.1 keV) thermal emission with a luminosity of $L_{0.3-2 \, \mathrm{keV}}\sim 4\times 10^{39}$ erg s−1 in XMM-Newton observations on MJD 60095. The rapid (t &lt; 15 d) light curve rise, low UV/optical luminosity, and a luminosity decline over 40 d of ΔL40 ≈ −0.7 dex make ASASSN-23bd one of the dimmest TDEs to date and a member of the growing ‘Low Luminosity and Fast’ class of TDEs.
Evolution of spin in the intermediate polar CC sculptoris
Authors: Paice John A , Scaringi S , Castro Segura N , Sahu A , Iłkiewicz K , Coppejans Deanne L , De Martino D , Knigge C , Veresvarska M 
Published: April 2024

ABSTRACT
We report on spin variations in the intermediate polar and cataclysmic variable CC Scl, as seen by the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). By studying both the spin period and its harmonic, we find that the spin has varied since it was first observed in 2011. We find the latest spin value for the source to be 389.473(6) s, equivalent to 0.00450779(7) d, 0.02 s shorter than the first value measured. A linear fit to these and intermediate data give a rate of change of spin (Ṗ) ∼ −4.26(2.66)× 10−11 and a characteristic time-scale τ ∼ 2.90 × 105 yr, in line with other known intermediate polars with varying spin. The spin profile of this source also matches theoretical spin profiles of high-inclination intermediate polars, and furthermore, appears to have changed in shape over a period of three years. Such ‘spin-up’ in an intermediate polar is considered to be from mass accretion on to the white dwarf (the primary), and we note the presence of dwarf nova eruptions in this source as being a possible catalyst of the variations.
FHL2 in arterial medial calcification in chronic kidney disease
Authors: Liao Yuan-Ru , Tsai Yu-Cheng , Hsieh Tsung-Han , Tsai Ming-Tsun , Lin Feng-Yen , Lin Shing-Jong , Lin Chih-Ching , Chiang Hou-Yu , Chu Pao-Hsien , Li Szu-Yuan 
Published: April 2024

ABSTRACT

Background
Arterial medial calcification (AMC) is a common complication in individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD), which can lead to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The progression of AMC is controlled by a key transcription factor called runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2), which induces vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) transdifferentiation into an osteogenic phenotype. However, RUNX2 has not been targeted for therapy due to its essential role in bone development. The objective of our study was to discover a RUNX2 coactivator that is highly expressed in arterial VSMCs as a potential therapy for AMC.

Methods
We employed transcriptomic analysis of human data and an animal reporter system to pinpoint four and a half LIM domains 2 (FHL2) as a potential target. Subsequently, we investigated the mRNA and protein expression patterns of FHL2 in the aortas of both human and animal subjects with CKD. To examine the role of FHL2 in the RUNX2 transcription machinery, we conducted coimmunoprecipitation and chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments. Next, we manipulated FHL2 expression in cultured VSMCs to examine its impact on high phosphate-induced transdifferentiation. Finally, we employed FHL2-null mice to confirm the role of FHL2 in the development of AMC in vivo.

Results
Among all the potential RUNX2 cofactors, FHL2 displays selective expression within the cardiovascular system. In the context of CKD subjects, FHL2 undergoes upregulation and translocation from the cytosol to the nucleus of arterial VSMCs. Once in the nucleus, FHL2 interacts structurally and functionally with RUNX2, acting as a coactivator of RUNX2. Notably, the inhibition of FHL2 expression averts transdifferentiation of VSMCs into an osteogenic phenotype and mitigates aortic calcification in uremic animals, without causing any detrimental effects on the skeletal system.

Conclusion
These observations provide evidence that FHL2 is a promising target for treating arterial calcification in patients with CKD.