bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Elevation modulates the impacts of climate change on the Brazilian Cerrado flora
Authors: Silva Mateus C. , Rowland Lucy , Oliveira Rafael S. , Pennington R. Toby , Moonlight Peter 
Published: March 2024

AbstractAimClimate change is causing species distribution to shift across the globe. Lowland taxa are moving upslope with warming, while montane species face extinction. We tested the hypothesis that elevation controls the future distribution of plant species in the Brazilian Cerrado, home of 3.5% of the Earth's flowering plants (c. 5000 endemic species) in just 0.4% of the planet's land surface.LocationCerrado region in Brazil.MethodsWe estimated geographical range shifts of 7398 angiosperm species by 2040 using species distribution models (SDMs). We stacked the SDMs to derive the temporal variations of species richness and composition over the Cerrado.ResultsOur results show that between 50 and 52% of the Cerrado flora will experience net range loss due to climate change. While montane species were more likely to lose range, range gain was more common among lowland taxa. We estimate that 68–73% of the Cerrado extent will face net species losses by 2040. Net species loss was more likely to occur below 743–798 metres above sea level. Virtually the entire Cerrado will experience some level of species replacement due to climate change and species turnover will intensify as elevation increases.Main ConclusionsOur findings suggest that upslope migration allows lowland plants to track climate change (‘winners’), whereas montane taxa do not (‘losers’). As species move upslope, lowlands become local extinction hotspots and mountains harbour novel plant assemblages. Therefore, elevation exerts a central role in shaping Cerrado flora responses to climate change and potentially the long‐term efficacy of conservation and restoration efforts.
Experiences of young adults with cerebral palsy in pediatric care transitioning to adult care
Authors: Sarmiento Cristina A. , Wyrwa Jordan M. , Glaros Chloe , Holliman Brooke Dorsey , Brenner Lisa A. 
Published: March 2024

AbstractAimTo increase understanding regarding the experiences and values of young adults with cerebral palsy (CP), and their caregivers, regarding pediatric rehabilitation‐related care, including perceived barriers and potential facilitators to transition to adult care.MethodThis was a qualitative descriptive study that used 20 semi‐structured interviews (13 caregivers and seven patient–caregiver dyads).ResultsWe identified four major themes: (1) the value and security of long‐term relationships; (2) feeling ‘rudderless’ navigating the logistics of transition; (3) differences in pediatric versus adult models of care; and (4) perceived lack of provider expertise and comfort in adult care settings. Young adults with CP who had not yet transitioned to adult rehabilitation care and their caregivers placed high value on provider relationships and expertise, advanced planning, communication, and coordination of care.InterpretationIdentified barriers and potential facilitators to the transition to adult rehabilitation care reflected the uncertainty that accompanies leaving an established healthcare relationship. Challenges related to the logistics of this transition, differences in models of care, and perceived lack of provider comfort and expertise in adult care settings were also noted. Our findings could be used to develop and study patient‐centered and family‐centered transition processes for individuals with CP to promote age‐appropriate and developmentally appropriate lifespan care.
Standardization and validation of neoLVOT assessment using three‐dimensional trans‐esophageal echocardiography before trans‐catheter mitral valve replacement
Authors: Hekal Soha , Emam Amr Y. , Thabet Nagwa , Shaaban Mahmoud , Bahaa Hesham , Elguindy Ahmed , Mahmoud‐Elsayed Hani 
Published: March 2024

AbstractBackgroundTrans‐catheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) procedures had emerged as an alternative solution for patients who are at high risk for mitral valve surgery. Although cardiac computed tomography (CT) remains the standard method for procedural planning, there is no full agreement on the best systolic phase for quantitation of the neoLVOT. Furthermore, a new three‐dimensional trans‐esophageal echocardiography (3DTEE) based software was developed to serve as filter and or an alternative for patients who cannot have CT due to any contraindication.AimTo determine the systolic phase of the cardiac cycle that shows the narrowest NeoLVOT area in order to standardize the way of using these software and then to validate the 3DTEE‐based software against the CT‐based one as a gold standard, in mitral valve annulus (MA) and NeoLVOT assessment.MethodsA single center, observational, retrospective study. Initially, a sample of 20 patients (age 62 ± 4 years, 70% men) had CT‐based analysis at mid‐diastole (80%), early‐systole (10%), mid‐systole (20%), late‐systole (30%–40%), in order to detect the best systolic phase at which the neoLVOT area is the narrowest after TMVR. Then, the end systolic phase was standardized for the analysis of 49 patients (age 57 ± 6 years, 60% men), using both the commercially available CT‐based software and the newly available 3DTEE‐based software (3mensio Structural Heart, Pie Medical Imaging, The Netherlands). The 3DTEE derived parameters were compared with the gold standard CT‐based measurements.ResultsThe neoLVOT area was significantly narrower at end‐systole (224 ± 62 mm2), compared to early‐systole (299 ± 70 mm2) and mid‐systole (261 ± 75 mm2), (p = .005). Excellent correlation was found between 3DTEE and CT measurements for MA AP diameter (r = .96), IC diameter (r = .92), MA area (r = .96), MA perimeter (r = .94) and NeoLVOT area (r = .96), (all p‐values < .0001). Virtual valve sizing was based on annulus measurement and was identical between CT and 3DTEE. Interobserver and intraobserver agreements were excellent for all the measurements with ICCs > .80.ConclusionsEnd‐systole is the phase that shows the narrowest neoLVOT and hence should be the standard phase used during the analysis. The 3DTEE based analysis using this new software is reliable compared to the CT‐based analysis and can be serve as an alternative analysis tool in patients who cannot have CT for any clinical contraindication or as a screening test and/or filter for all patients before proceeding to a detailed CT scan.
Well‐being of undergraduate dental students: Questionnaire design, findings and future directions
Authors: Chan Charlotte Cheuk Kwan , Fok Elise Hoi Wan , Lo Yan Ting Rosealeen , Ng Wing Yan , Botelho Michael George 
Published: March 2024

AbstractIntroductionThe recent pandemic has highlighted the importance of addressing well‐being in the overall health of students. There is a need for support systems within dental schools to help students demonstrate resilience, adapt to learning environments and thrive in their professional careers.ObjectivesThe main aim of the study was to evaluate Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) students' understanding and experience of well‐being. The objectives were to create a suitable survey to assess students' well‐being, investigate the factors affecting dental students' well‐being and develop a student well‐being action plan based on the analysis of the survey.MethodsA literature review was conducted to identify and critically assess existing measures of well‐being in dental students. Four domains of well‐being (emotional, physical, social, intellectual) relevant to dental students were identified. Through a comprehensive iterative process, a two‐part survey was developed and tested, which measured individual experiences of well‐being across the four domains and collected feedback on proposed initiatives to support student well‐being. The survey was disseminated to all 452 dental students from Years 1 through 6, of which 71% (321) responded.ResultsThe survey revealed low levels of overall well‐being among the dental student population, which worsened with increasing years of clinical study. Fear of failing exams presented the biggest challenge with regard to emotional well‐being, while sleep deprivation and occupational health hazards most affected the physical well‐being domain. Intellectual well‐being was compromised by insufficient free time to pursue extracurricular interests and concerns about achieving the required skills. Despite a majority experiencing positive relationships with their peers and tutors, less than a fifth agreed that the Faculty of Dentistry ‘supported my well‐being as a dental student’.ConclusionAs the first investigation of the well‐being of dental students in Hong Kong, the key stressors identified were examinations, long schedules and the physical burden of dental work, which are consistent with international literature. The findings reveal students' needs and preferences for well‐being initiatives which will be optimized in the implementation of student‐centred curricular activities.
Expert consensus recommendations for improving and standardising the assessment of patients with generalised myasthenia gravis
Authors: Meisel Andreas , Saccà Francesco , Spillane Jennifer , Vissing John ,   the MG Collegium Sub‐committee
Published: March 2024

AbstractBackgroundRegular and consistent disease assessment could provide a clearer picture of burden in generalised myasthenia gravis (gMG) and improve patient care; however, the use of assessment tools in practice lacks standardisation. This modified Delphi approach was taken to review current evidence on assessment tool use in gMG and develop expert‐derived consensus recommendations for good practice.MethodsA European expert panel of 15 experienced gMG neurologists contributed to development of this consensus, four of whom formed a lead Sub‐committee. The PICO (Population, Intervention, Control, Outcomes) framework was used to define six clinical questions on gMG assessment tools, a systematic literature review was conducted, and evidence‐based statements were developed. According to a modified Delphi voting process, consensus was reached when ≥70% of the experts rated agreement with a statement as ≥8 on a scale of 1–10.ResultsEighteen expert‐ and evidence‐based consensus statements based on six themes were developed. Key recommendations include: consistent use of the Myasthenia Gravis Activities of Daily Living score (MG‐ADL) across clinical settings, followed by a simple question (e.g., Patient Acceptable Symptom State [PASS]) or scale to determine patient satisfaction in clinical practice; use of a Quantitative Myasthenia Gravis [QMG] or quality of life [QoL] assessment when the MG‐ADL indicates disease worsening; and consideration of symptom state to determine the timing and frequency of recommended assessments. Expert panel consensus was reached on all 18 statements after two voting rounds.ConclusionsThis process provided evidence‐ and expert consensus‐based recommendations for the use of objective and subjective assessment tools across gMG research and care to improve management and outcomes for patients.
A probabilistic life prediction framework for vibration fatigue of turbine blade based on refined polynomial chaos expansion
Authors: Fang Jie , Liu Chengxuan , Li Kaiyang , Zou Shuang , Sun Bing , Li Yi 
Published: March 2024

AbstractVibration fatigue is a typical form of multiaxial fatigue. In this study, initial vibration fatigue tests were conducted on rocket turbine blades, and significant dispersion in fatigue life was found. Consistent with this finding, a novel probabilistic life prediction framework was proposed. This framework integrates sensitivity analysis and sequential sampling technology and introduces polynomial chaos expansion as a computationally efficient alternative to finite element analysis. And a continuous mechanics‐based damage evolution model was employed to examine the vibration fatigue life of turbine blades. The findings validate the effectiveness of the framework, as no significant difference was found between the experimental results and simulated predictions at the 95% confidence level. Furthermore, comparison with the Monte Carlo simulation indicated that this framework achieves comparable prediction accuracy, while significantly reducing the required samples by 2 orders of magnitude, which effectively addresses the fatigue problem of small sample data. This framework enables rapid and accurate multiaxial fatigue probabilistic life prediction, which holds important implications for the reliability design of reusable spacecraft.
A meshfree approach for analyzing strain fields near crack tips from Digital Image Correlation displacement data
Authors: Gómez Gonzales Giancarlo L. , Camacho‐Reyes Alonso , Ortiz González Julián A. , Díaz Francisco A. 
Published: March 2024

AbstractThe element‐free Galerkin (EFG) meshfree method is employed in this research to compute strain fields based on discrete displacement data obtained from digital image correlation (DIC). To validate the method's accuracy, both simulated images with highly heterogeneous deformations and real tests conducted on notched specimens with known solutions are initially employed. The study then investigates the strain field near the crack tip in an AISI 1020 steel specimen through a multiscale experiment. From the macroscale experiment, the strain data are used to determine the crack‐tip plastic zone size, and the solution is compared with predictions from linear‐elastic fracture mechanics. The stress intensity factor is also determined. Furthermore, the high strain gradient ahead of the crack tip is determined from the microscale experiment and compared against commercial DIC software. Experimental results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed formulation in crack tip analysis.
Neuralgia in the occipital region associated with ipsilateral trigeminal herpes zoster: Three case reports
Authors: Nakaya Akihiko , Kaneko Kimihiko , Miyazawa Koichi , Matsumoto Arifumi , Hisanaga Kinya , Matsumori Yasuhiko , Nagano Isao 
Published: March 2024

AbstractBackgroundNerve fibers related to pain and temperature sensation in the trigeminal nerve territory converge with the upper cervical spinal nerves from the level of the lower medulla oblongata to the upper cervical cord. This structure is called the trigemino‐cervical complex and may cause referred pain in the territory of the trigeminal or upper cervical spinal nerves.Case SeriesHere, we report three cases of paroxysmal neuralgia in the occipital region with mild conjunctivitis or a few reddish spots in the ipsilateral trigeminal nerve territory. The patients exhibited gradual progression of these reddish spots evolving into vesicles over the course of several days, despite the absence of a rash in the occipital region. The patients were diagnosed with trigeminal herpes zoster and subsequently received antiherpetic therapy. Remarkably, the neuralgia in the occipital region showed gradual amelioration or complete resolution before the treatment, with no sequelae reported in the occipital region.DiscussionThe trigemino‐cervical complex has the potential to cause neuralgia in the occipital region, as referred pain, caused by trigeminal herpes zoster. These cases suggest that, even if conjunctivitis or reddish spots appear to be trivial in the trigeminal nerve territory, trigeminal herpes zoster should be considered when neuralgia occurs in the ipsilateral occipital region.
Analysis of changes in high‐mobility group box 1, receptor for advanced glycation endproducts, and T helper 17/regulatory T balance in severe preeclampsia with acute heart failure
Authors: De Chen , Xuan Liang , jingjing Zhang , Honghong Zhang , Kun Zuo , Song Du , Yaqi Song , Ying Jiang , Cheng Cheng , Jian Liu 
Published: March 2024

AbstractWe measured the levels of High‐Mobility Group Box 1 (HMGB1), Receptor for Advanced Glycation Endproducts (RAGE), T Helper 17 cells (Th17), Regulatory T cells (Treg), and related cytokines in the peripheral blood of patients with severe preeclampsia (SPE) complicated with acute heart failure (AHF) to explore the expression changes in these indicators. In total, 96 patients with SPE admitted to Gansu Provincial Maternity and Child‐care Hospital between June 2020 and June 2022 were included in the study. The patients were divided into SPE+AHF (40 patients) and SPE (56 patients) groups based on whether they suffered from AHF. Additionally, 56 healthy pregnant women who either received prenatal examinations or were admitted to our hospital for delivery during the same period were selected as the healthy control group. An enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay was performed to detect the expression levels of HMGB1, RAGE, interleukin (IL)‐17, IL‐6, transforming growth factor β (TGF‐β), IL‐10, and NT‐proBNP in plasma. Flow cytometry was employed to determine the percentages of Th17 and Treg cells. Compared to the healthy control group, the SPE+AHF and SPE groups had higher plasma levels of HMGB1 and RAGE expression, higher Th17 percentage and Th17/Treg ratio, and lower Treg percentage. Compared to the SPE group, the SPE+AHF group had higher plasma levels of HMGB1 and RAGE expression, higher Th17 percentage and Th17/Treg ratio, and lower Treg percentage (P < .05). In patients with SPE with AHF, plasma HMGB1 was positively correlated with RAGE, Th17, Th17/Treg, IL‐17, and IL‐6 and was negatively correlated with TGF‐β and IL‐10 (P < .05). Our findings revealed that patients with SPE with AHF had elevated levels of HMGB1 and RAGE while exhibiting Th17/Treg immune imbalance, suggesting that the abnormal expression of these indicators may be involved in the pathogenesis of SPE with AHF.
NEDD4L is a promoter for angiogenesis and cell proliferation in human umbilical vein endothelial cells
Authors: Liu Binghong , Song Fei , Zhou Xiaoxia , Wu Chan , Huang Huizhu , Wu Weiyin , Li Gang , Wang Yan 
Published: March 2024

AbstractDysregulated angiogenesis leads to neovascularization, which can promote or exacerbate various diseases. Previous studies have proved that NEDD4L plays an important role in hypertension and atherosclerosis. Hence, we hypothesized that NEDD4L may be a critical regulator of endothelial cell (EC) function. This study aimed to define the role of NEDD4L in regulating EC angiogenesis and elucidate their underlying mechanisms. Loss‐ and gain‐of‐function of NEDD4L detected the angiogenesis and mobility role in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) using Matrigel tube formation assay, cell proliferation and migration. Pharmacological pathway inhibitors and western blot were used to determine the underlying mechanism of NEDD4L‐regulated endothelial functions. Knockdown of NEDD4L suppressed tube formation, cell proliferation and cell migration in HUVECs, whereas NEDD4L overexpression promoted these functions. Moreover, NEDD4L‐regulated angiogenesis and cell progression are associated with the phosphorylation of Akt, Erk1/2 and eNOS and the expression of VEGFR2 and cyclin D1 and D3. Mechanically, further evidence was confirmed by using Akt blocker MK‐2206, Erk1/2 blocker U0126 and eNOS blocker L‐NAME. Overexpression NEDD4L‐promoted angiogenesis, cell migration and cell proliferation were restrained by these inhibitors. In addition, overexpression NEDD4L‐promoted cell cycle‐related proteins cyclin D1 and D3 were also suppressed by Akt blocker MK‐2206, Erk1/2 blocker U0126 and eNOS blocker L‐NAME. Our results demonstrated a novel finding that NEDD4L promotes angiogenesis and cell progression by regulating the Akt/Erk/eNOS pathways.
Water‐in‐oil adjuvant challenges in fish vaccination: An experimental inactivated adjuvanted vaccine against betanodavirus infection in Senegalese sole
Authors: Valero Yulema , Souto Sandra , Olveira José G. , López‐Vázquez Carmen , Dopazo Carlos P. , Bandín Isabel 
Published: March 2024

AbstractThe extensive growth of intensive fish farming has led to a massive spread of infectious diseases. Nervous necrosis virus (NNV) is the causative agent of the viral encephalo‐ and retinopathy disease which has become a major threat for fish farming all over the globe. The devastating mortality rates recorded in disease outbreaks, especially when infected specimens are at early stages of development, have a high economic impact on the sector. Currently, vaccines are the most cost‐effective preventing tool in the fight against viruses. Inactivated vaccines have the advantage of simplicity in their development at the same time as present the antigen in a similar manner than the natural infection in the host. Nevertheless, they usually trigger weaker immune responses needing adjuvants to boost their effectiveness. In this work, we have intraperitoneally vaccinated Senegalese sole juveniles (Solea senegalensis) with a previously designed inactivated vaccine against NNV based on binary ethylenimine (BEI), mixed or not with an oil‐adjuvant. Our results demonstrated the potential activation of different immune pathways when the vaccine was administered alone compared to the oil‐adjuvanted vaccine, both resulting in an equivalent partial improvement in survival following a NNV challenge. However, whilst the vaccine alone led to a significant increase in specific antibodies, in the adjuvanted version those antibodies were kept basal although with a slight improvement in their neutralization capacity. At transcriptional level, neither vaccine (adjuvanted or not) triggered the immune system activation during the vaccination period. However, after NNV infection, the BEI‐inactivated vaccines alone and oil‐adjuvanted both elicited the stimulation of antiviral responsive genes (rtp3, herc4), antigen presentation molecules (mhcii) and T‐cell markers (cd8a) in the head‐kidney. Additionally, the oil‐adjuvanted vaccine appears to stimulate mediator cytokines (il6) and B‐cell markers (ight and ighm). Surprisingly, when the adjuvant was administered alone, fish showed the highest survival rates concomitantly with a lack of NNV‐IgM production, pointing to the possible induction of different immune pathways than the B‐cell responses via antibodies by the adjuvant. Since this combined vaccine did not succeed in the full extension of protection against the pathogen, further studies should be performed focusing on unravelling the molecular mechanisms through which adjuvants trigger the immune response, both independently and when added to a vaccine antigen.