bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The Ne/N ratio in applied conservation
Authors: Waples Robin S. 
Published: May 2024

AbstractRecent developments within the IUCN and the Convention on Biological Diversity have affirmed the increasingly key role that effective population size (Ne) and the effective size: census size ratio (Ne/N) play in applied conservation and management of global biodiversity. This paper reviews and synthesizes information regarding the definition of Ne and demographic and genetic methods for estimating effective size, census size, and their ratio. Emphasis is on single‐generation estimates of contemporary Ne/N, which are the most informative for practical applications. It is crucial to clearly define which individuals are included in the census size (N). Defining N as the number of adults alive at a given time facilitates comparisons across species. For a wide range of applications and experimental designs, inbreeding Ne is simpler to calculate and interpret than variance Ne. Effects of skewed sex ratio are generally modest, so most reductions to Ne/N arise from overdispersed (greater‐than‐Poisson) variance in offspring number (). Even when fecundity changes with age, overdispersed within‐age variance generally contributes most to overall , and both random and deterministic (mediated by selection) factors can be important. Most species are age‐structured, so it is important to distinguish between effective size per generation (Ne) and the effective number of breeders in one season or year (Nb). Both Ne and Nb are important for applied conservation and management. For iteroparous species, a key metric is variance in lifetime reproductive success (), which can be affected by a variety of additional factors, including variation in longevity, skip or intermittent breeding, and persistent individual differences in reproductive success. Additional factors that can be important for some species are also discussed, including mating systems, population structure, sex reversal, reproductive compensation, captive propagation, and delayed maturity.
In adult horses with diarrhoea, does faecal microbiota transplantation in addition to standard treatments improve the outcomes compared to standard treatments alone?
Authors: Smith Ellie , Mair Tim S. 
Published: May 2024

SummaryAcute diarrhoea due to colitis/typhlocolitis is a life‐threatening disease of adult horses that is both a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. Treatments are predominantly supportive, including fluid therapy, colloid oncotic support and nutritional support. There are a lack of specific and effective therapies for equine colitis, providing a challenge in practice for the prevention of serious and fatal complications. Faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) involves the transfer of faecal bacteria and other microbes from a healthy individual into another individual, with the aim of restoring a healthy gut microbiota and is often used as a ‘last resort’ therapy. This procedure has been recommended as a treatment for acute diarrhoea in horses and has proven efficacy in the treatment of some cases of acute diarrhoea in people. This critically appraised topic reviewed the published literature on the outcomes associated with faecal transplantation in adult horses affected by acute diarrhoea/colitis. Only six published studies met the inclusion criteria (including one systematic review). The studies found varying results regarding the efficacy of FMT in the treatment of colitis/diarrhoea in the adult horse but overall there was weak evidence to support the use of faecal transplantation in addition to other standard treatments for the management of adult horses affected by colitis, although further controlled studies of defined categories of disease are required.
Critical Science: A systematic literature review of empirical research (1979–2022)
Authors: Wanago Nicole C. , Alexander Karen L. , Vaterlaus J. Mitchell , Miller Cynthia L. , Roberson Kyle L. 
Published: May 2024

AbstractThe Critical Science Approach (CSA) was developed in 1979 with the intent to create a consistent conceptual identity unifying the Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) profession's philosophy, knowledge, and practice. This systematic literature review examines empirical CSA research published between 1979 and 2022 to better understand what the CSA means for the profession. A total of 71 articles met the criteria with the CSA highly integrated in 22 of those articles. Results illustrate a need for increased CSA scholarship, continuity in keyword usage within the CSA language, and collaboration among preprofessional programs and professional organizations to support and sustain a CSA paradigm shift.
‘Left Behind’ neighbourhoods in England: Where they are and why they matter
Authors: Houlden Victoria , Robinson Caitlin , Franklin Rachel , Rowe Francisco , Pike Andy 
Published: May 2024

AbstractThe term ‘left behind’ has come to connote political disaffection, alongside social and spatial inequalities in wealth and opportunity. Yet the term is also widely contested, often prioritising a regional and economic perspective at the expense of a more local and nuanced approach. In response, we argue that neighbourhood context is integral to understanding and identifying ‘left behind’ places. Building a neighbourhood classification of ‘left behindness’ for England, we evaluate the extent to which the neighbourhood trajectory contributes to our understanding of a range of multidimensional individual‐level outcomes. Our findings reveal a geography of neighbourhoods that are systematically disadvantaged over time, concentrated in major urban conurbations, and post‐industrial and coastal towns. The magnitude and impact is highlighted through poorer economic, health, social and political outcomes for those living in ‘left behind’ areas.
In vitro efficacy of combinations of antibiotics used in clinical practice on clinical isolates of Helicobacter pylori
Authors: Kaouah Zahyra , Buyck Julien M. , Pichon Maxime , Burucoa Christophe , Prouvensier Laure , Moreau Jeremy , Marchand Sandrine , Cremniter Julie , Grégoire Nicolas 
Published: May 2024

AbstractBackgroundThe main antibiotics used against Helicobacter pylori have been chosen empirically over time, with few preclinical studies to provide support. The rise in resistance to some of these antibiotics is prompting a reassessment of their use. This work aimed to evaluate the in vitro efficacy of 2 × 2 combinations of the most widely used antibiotics against H. pylori.Materials and MethodsJ99 reference strains and 19 clinical isolates of H. pylori with various antibiotic resistance phenotypes were used. Minimum inhibitory concentrations were carried out using the microdilution method in 96‐well plates. The activity of 15 possible combinations of two antibiotics including amoxicillin, clarithromycin (CLA), levofloxacin, rifampicin, tetracycline, and metronidazole was determined for all strains by the checkerboard method. A mean fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICmean) was calculated for each combination and strain and the type of pharmacodynamic interaction was considered as synergic if FICmean ≤ 0.5, additive if 0.5 < FICmean ≤ 1, indifferent if 1 < FICmean < 4 or antagonistic if FICmean ≥ 4.ResultsMost of the 285 pharmacodynamic interactions tested with clinical strains were close to additivity (average FICmean = 0.89 [0.38–1.28]). No interaction was found to be antagonistic. When two antibiotics to which a strain was resistant were combined, the concentrations required to inhibit bacterial growth were higher than their respective breakpoints.ConclusionThe present results have shown that in vitro, the different antibiotics used in therapeutics have additive effects. The addition of the effects of two antibiotics to which a strain was resistant was not sufficient to inhibit bacterial growth. In probabilistic treatment, the choice of antibiotics to combine should therefore be based on the local epidemiology of resistance, and on susceptibility testing in the case of CLA therapy, so that at least one antibiotic to which the strain is susceptible is used.
Comparison of Helicobacter pylori eradication rates between 7 and 14 days of tailored therapy according to clarithromycin resistance test: A randomized, multicenter, non‐inferiority study
Authors: Jung Kyoungwon , Jee Sam Ryong , Lee Moon Won , Koh Myeongseok , Kim Su Jin , Lee Jin , Park Moo In 
Published: May 2024

AbstractBackgroundRecently, a simple tailored therapy based on clarithromycin resistance has been implemented as Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication therapy. Nonetheless, despite the tailored therapy and frequent adverse events, studies on treatment period are lacking. This study aimed to compare the H. pylori eradication rates of 7‐day and 14‐day tailored therapy regimens according to clarithromycin resistance.Materials and MethodsThis multicenter, prospective, randomized, noninferiority trial enrolled H. pylori‐positive patients who were randomly assigned to 7‐day and 14‐day regimen groups, depending on the presence or absence of clarithromycin resistance by 23S rRNA gene point mutations. Standard triple therapy (STT) (20 mg rabeprazole, 1 g amoxicillin, and 500 mg clarithromycin twice daily) or bismuth quadruple therapy (BQT) (20 mg rabeprazole twice daily, 500 mg metronidazole thrice daily, 120 mg bismuth four times daily, and 500 mg tetracycline four times daily) was assigned by clarithromycin resistance. Eradication rates and adverse events were evaluated.ResultsA total of 314 and 278 patients were included in the intention‐to‐treat (ITT) and per‐protocol (PP) analyses, respectively; however, 31 patients were lost to follow‐up, whereas five patients violated the protocol. Both the 7‐day and 14‐day regimens showed similar eradication rates in the ITT (7‐day vs. 14‐day: 78.3% vs. 78.3%, p > 0.99) and PP (87.9% vs. 89.1%, p = 0.851) analyses. Non‐inferiority was confirmed (p < 0.025). A subgroup analysis according to clarithromycin resistance (clarithromycin resistance rate: 28.7%) revealed no significant difference in eradication rates between the 7‐day and 14‐day STT (90.0% vs. 90.1%, p > 0.99) and BQT (82.5% vs. 86.5%, p = 0.757). Furthermore, adverse events did not significantly differ between the two groups.ConclusionsThe 7‐day triple and quadruple therapy according to clarithromycin resistance showed similar eradication rates, as compared to the 14‐day therapy.
Population viability analysis predicts long‐term impacts of commercial Sooty Tern egg harvesting to a large breeding colony on a small oceanic island
Authors: Inch Thalissa , Nicoll Malcolm A.C. , Feare Chris J. , Horswill Catharine 
Published: May 2024

The over‐exploitation of wild birds and the products derived from them can be a key threat driving changes in bird species richness and abundance. However, inadequate information on harvest levels combined with irregular population monitoring often means that the role of harvesting in population decline is difficult to quantify. Historically, the pan‐tropical Sooty Tern Onychoprion fuscatus has been subjected to extensive egg harvesting, yet the role of sustained harvesting in population change and future population viability remains unclear. In this study, we used published and new estimates of key demographic rates for a large, harvested Sooty Tern population in Seychelles, western Indian Ocean, to run a series of population viability analyses. We retrospectively assess the impact of historical levels of egg harvesting, and also predict how this population may respond under different future harvesting regimes, assuming no additional environmental change. We provide evidence that egg harvesting has played a substantial role in driving the population decline of Sooty Terns to date and demonstrate that continued harvesting will probably lead to further, possibly dramatic, declines in population size. These results indicate that recent levels of egg harvesting in Seychelles are not sustainable. We also show that the life‐history strategy of Sooty Terns, including a delayed age of first breeding, means the current 2‐year local moratorium on egg harvesting is unlikely to generate an observable population‐level response in Seychelles. Instead, we recommend that the current moratorium is extended at least beyond the age of first breeding (i.e. 5 years) to support appropriate evaluation. We additionally show that harvesting Sooty Tern eggs at much lower levels, i.e. 10% of the population size, is unlikely to reverse population decline. Therefore, long‐term egg harvesting strategies require careful evaluation to maintain a balance between the social, commercial, cultural and biodiversity significance of Sooty Terns in Seychelles.
Egg yolk peptide‐iron chelate: preparation, conformational structure, chelating mechanism and stability in vitro
Authors: Wei Shuaishuai , Huo Jiaying , Lin Jia , Zhang Ziwei , Dong Shijian , Ma Lulu , Li Shugang 
Published: May 2024

SummaryIn this study, a method to produce iron‐chelating peptides derived from egg yolk proteins was developed and optimised. The egg yolk proteins were enzymolysed and ultrafiltered to prepare egg yolk peptide (EYP), and then the EYP was chelated with Fe to produce egg yolk peptide‐Fe (EYP‐Fe). The optimised mass ratio of peptide to iron, pH, temperature and reaction time were found at 8:1, pH 8.0, 40 °C and 30 min, respectively. The mean particle size of EYP‐Fe was 389.2 ± 2.61 nm, and the chelating ratio was 95.38 ± 1.93%. The measurements of FTIR, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and NMR showed that ferrous ions mainly combined with the amino and carboxyl of EYP to form EYP‐Fe. In vitro stability studies have shown that the iron release rate of the EYP‐Fe is maintained at around 5% under alkaline conditions, and there is no significant difference in iron release rate under conditions of 30 °C–80 °C; besides, it has a lower iron release rate (18%) in gastrointestinal digestion compared to FeSO4 (97.93%), indicating that the EYP‐Fe has good heat tolerance, alkalinity and digestion tolerance. The above results provide a scientific basis for the use of EYP‐Fe derived from egg yolk protein as a potential alternative to iron supplements.
Comparison of four D‐dimer assays in the context of venous thromboembolism in the emergency department
Authors: Del Ben Fabio , Fontanini Elisabetta , Azzarini Gabriella , Arini Marina , Marini Christian , Poli Giovanni , Pradella Paola , Parusso Serena , Santarossa Liliana , Targa Federica , Zardo Lorena , Giacomello Roberta , Morelli Benedetto 
Published: May 2024

AbstractIntroductionThis observational study conducted across seven emergency care units compares the efficacy of four D‐dimer detection methods, namely HemosIL D‐dimer HS (HS), HemosIL D‐dimer HS‐500 (HS‐500), VIDAS D‐dimer (VIDAS), and HemosIL AcuStar D‐dimer (ACUSTAR). The primary focus is on patients with a clinical suspicion of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism (PE).MethodsA total of 149 samples were collected from patients with suspected DVT or PE. The confirmation of DVT/PE was based on calf ultrasound or computed tomography‐Angiography. Direct comparisons were made between the different detection methods, considering both their analytical performance and clinical utility. Additionally, the impact of an age‐adjusted cut‐off on the diagnostic accuracy of each method was assessed.ResultsThe results revealed comparable negative predictive value, sensitivity, and specificity across the methods, with a notable exception of increased specificity for HS compared with HS‐500 (50.8% vs. 41.5%, p = 0.03). Further analysis incorporating an age‐adjusted cut‐off demonstrated a significant improvement in specificity for HS. When using the age‐adjusted cut‐off, HS exhibited a substantial increase in specificity compared with HS‐500 (63.1% vs. 49.2%, p = 0.004) and demonstrated significantly higher specificity compared with VIDAS (63.1% vs. 53.8%, p = 0.04).ConclusionThe study emphasizes the nonuniversal effect of an age‐adjusted cut‐off and discusses the potential necessity for different cut‐off values, particularly in the case of HS‐500. These findings contribute to the understanding of D‐dimer detection methods in the context of DVT and PE, providing insights into their relative performances and the potential optimization through age‐adjusted cut‐offs.
The new paradigm in machine learning – foundation models, large language models and beyond: a primer for physicians
Authors: Scott Ian A. , Zuccon Guido 
Published: May 2024

AbstractFoundation machine learning models are deep learning models capable of performing many different tasks using different data modalities such as text, audio, images and video. They represent a major shift from traditional task‐specific machine learning prediction models. Large language models (LLM), brought to wide public prominence in the form of ChatGPT, are text‐based foundational models that have the potential to transform medicine by enabling automation of a range of tasks, including writing discharge summaries, answering patients questions and assisting in clinical decision‐making. However, such models are not without risk and can potentially cause harm if their development, evaluation and use are devoid of proper scrutiny. This narrative review describes the different types of LLM, their emerging applications and potential limitations and bias and likely future translation into clinical practice.
Modulation of multiple sclerosis risk and pathogenesis by the gut microbiota: Complex interactions between host genetics, bacterial metabolism, and diet
Authors: Montgomery Theresa L. , Peipert Daniel , Krementsov Dimitry N. 
Published: May 2024

SummaryMultiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system, affecting nearly 2 million people worldwide. The etiology of MS is multifactorial: Approximately 30% of the MS risk is genetic, which implies that the remaining ~70% is environmental, with a number of factors proposed. One recently implicated risk factor for MS is the composition of the gut microbiome. Numerous case–control studies have identified changes in gut microbiota composition of people with MS (pwMS) compared with healthy control individuals, and more recent studies in animal models have begun to identify the causative microbes and underlying mechanisms. Here, we review some of these mechanisms, with a specific focus on the role of host genetic variation, dietary inputs, and gut microbial metabolism, with a particular emphasis on short‐chain fatty acid and tryptophan metabolism. We put forward a model where, in an individual genetically susceptible to MS, the gut microbiota and diet can synergize as potent environmental modifiers of disease risk and possibly progression, with diet‐dependent gut microbial metabolites serving as a key mechanism. We also propose that specific microbial taxa may have divergent effects in individuals carrying distinct variants of MS risk alleles or other polymorphisms, as a consequence of host gene‐by‐gut microbiota interactions. Finally, we also propose that the effects of specific microbial taxa, especially those that exert their effects through metabolites, are highly dependent on the host dietary intake. What emerges is a complex multifaceted interaction that has been challenging to disentangle in human studies, contributing to the divergence of findings across heterogeneous cohorts with differing geography, dietary preferences, and genetics. Nonetheless, this provides a complex and individualized, yet tractable, model of how the gut microbiota regulate susceptibility to MS, and potentially progression of this disease. Thus, we conclude that prophylactic or therapeutic modulation of the gut microbiome to prevent or treat MS will require a careful and personalized consideration of host genetics, baseline gut microbiota composition, and dietary inputs.
An obituary to Yukio Yoneda (1950–2023)
Authors: Sng Judy C. G. , Wanaka Akio , Lawrence Andrew J. , Johnston Graham 
Published: May 2024

AbstractYukio Yoneda died on 31 December 2023, at 73 years old after a long fight against cancer. He was an eminent neurochemist in academia and industry and also had leadership roles within the International Society for Neurochemistry (ISN) and the Asian Pacific Society for Neurochemistry (APSN) and Japanese Society for Neurochemistry (JSN). Photo credit: Yukio Yoneda provided the APSN with the photo during his service to APSN.image
Parental warmth buffers the negative impact of weaker fronto‐striatal connectivity on early adolescents' academic achievement
Authors: Yang Beiming , Zhou Zexi , Chen Ya‐Yun , Devakonda Varun , Cai Tianying , Lee Tae‐Ho , Qu Yang 
Published: May 2024

AbstractIn past decades, the positive role of self‐control in students' academic success has attracted plenty of scholarly attention. However, fewer studies have examined the link between adolescents' neural development of the inhibitory control system and their academic achievement, especially using a longitudinal approach. Moreover, less is known about the role of parents in this link. Using large‐scale longitudinal data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study (N = 9574; mean age = 9.94 years at baseline, SD = .63; 50% girls), the current study took an integrative biopsychosocial approach to explore the longitudinal link between early adolescents' fronto‐striatal connectivity and their academic achievement, with attention to the moderating role of parental warmth. Results showed that weaker intrinsic connectivity between the frontoparietal network and the striatum was associated with early adolescents' worse academic achievement over 2 years during early adolescence. Notably, parental warmth moderated the association between fronto‐striatal connectivity and academic achievement, such that weaker fronto‐striatal connectivity was only predictive of worse academic achievement among early adolescents who experienced low levels of parental warmth. Taken together, the findings demonstrate weaker fronto‐striatal connectivity as a risk factor for early adolescents' academic development and highlight parental warmth as a protective factor for academic development among those with weaker connectivity within the inhibitory control system.
Overparenting and psychological wellbeing among Chinese adolescents: Findings based on latent growth modeling
Authors: Leung Janet T. Y. , Shek Daniel T. L. 
Published: May 2024

AbstractAlthough overparenting is a growing phenomenon across the globe, there is a severe lack of longitudinal studies examining the trajectory of overparenting and its effects on early adolescent development, particularly in non‐Western contexts. The study collected three waves of longitudinal data from 1328 early Chinese adolescents in Hong Kong with an interval of 1 year to examine the stability and change of perceived paternal and maternal overparenting and their effects on adolescent psychological wellbeing. The results indicated that perceived paternal and maternal overparenting declined over time. Besides, adolescents reported lower anxiety and depressive symptoms when they perceived a steep decline in maternal overparenting. Adolescent anxiety at earlier time points also predicted a steeper decline in paternal and maternal overparenting trajectories respectively. Furthermore, we identified gender differences in the initial level of paternal overparenting and the trajectory of maternal overparenting, as well as the effects of rates of change of maternal overparenting on adolescent anxiety and depressive symptoms. The findings give support for self‐determination theory and the separation‐individuation model, suggesting that changes of overparenting may hinder adolescents' desires for autonomy and self‐direction, which may increase their psychological morbidity. The study contributes to theoretical development of contemporary Chinese socialization models and provides useful pointers for future studies of overparenting.