bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effectiveness and safety of early treatment with spironolactone for new‐onset acute heart failure
Authors: Huang Cheng‐Wei , Park Joon S. , Liu In‐Lu Amy , Lee Janet S. , Kohan Siamak , Mefford Mathew , Wu Stefanie S. , Subject Christopher C. , Nguyen Huong Q. , Lee Ming‐Sum 
Published: February 2024

AbstractBackgroundThe effectiveness and safety of mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRA) in acute heart failure (HF) is uncertain. We sought to describe the prescription of spironolactone during acute HF and whether early treatment is effective and safe in a real‐world setting.MethodsWe performed a retrospective cohort study of adult (≥18 years) nonpregnant patients hospitalized with new‐onset HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF, defined by ejection fraction ≤40%) within 15 Kaiser Permanente Southern California medical centers between 2016 and 2021. Early treatment was defined by spironolactone prescription at discharge. The primary effectiveness outcome was a composite of HF readmission or all‐cause mortality at 180 days. Safety outcomes were hypotension and hyperkalemia at 90 days.ResultsAmong 2318 HFrEF patients, 368 (15.9%) were treated with spironolactone at discharge. After 1:2 propensity score matching, 354 early treatment and 708 delayed/no treatment patients were included in the analysis. The median age was 63 (IQR: 52–74) years; 61.6% were male, and 38.6% were White. By 90 days, ~20% had crossed over in the two groups. Early treatment was not associated with the composite outcome at 180 days (HR [95% CI]: 0.81 [0.56–1.17]), but a trend towards benefit by 365 days that did not reach statistical significance (0.78 [0.58–1.06]). Early treatment was also associated with hyperkalemia (subdistribution HR [95% CI]: 2.33 [1.30–4.18]) but not hypotension (0.93 [0.51–1.72]).ConclusionsEarly treatment with spironolactone at discharge for new‐onset HFrEF in a real‐world setting did not reduce the risk of HF readmission or mortality in the first year after discharge. The risk of hyperkalemia was increased.
Effect of portulaca (Portulaca oleracea L.) extract on the quality and physicochemical attributes of vacuum‐packed seasoned steaks during chilled storage
Authors: Zhao Zhengshan , Deng Qiuhao , Wang Xin , Xiao Huijie , Fan Xiaojing , Chen Lin , Feng Xianchao 
Published: February 2024

AbstractBACKGROUNDVacuum packaging has the ability to reduce oxidative deterioration and microbial‐induced spoilage of meat. However, in an oxygen‐free environment, it can lead to the development of an unappealing purplish‐red color and a decrease in the water‐holding capacity of meat, thereby impacting the overall meat quality. Portulaca oleracea L. (POL) is a homology of medicine and food known for its exceptional antioxidant and antimicrobial properties.RESULTSThe aim of our present study was to investigate the antioxidant and antimicrobial ability of n‐butanol phase extract of POL and the effect of POL extract incorporation on the quality (water‐holding capacity, shear force, color, and texture) and physicochemical (pH, total volatile base nitrogen, and total viable counts) attributes of vacuum‐packed seasoned steaks at 4 °C over a 15‐day period. Results showed that the POL extract had excellent antioxidant and antimicrobial capacity. Furthermore, the addition of POL extract significantly inhibited protein oxidation and microbial growth of steaks (P < 0.05), and improved the water‐holding capacity, color properties, and tenderness (P < 0.05). Moreover, there were no significant differences (P > 0.05) in the color, water‐holding capacity, or tenderness between the 0.5 and 1 g kg−1 POL extract treatment groups compared to the sodium nitrite control group.CONCLUSIONThese results indicate that POL extract had the potential to replace sodium nitrite due to its ability to hinder protein oxidation and microbial growth of vacuum‐packed seasoned steaks, while enhancing the color, water‐holding capacity, and tenderness of seasoned steaks. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
High‐Resolution Profiling of Human Vocal Fold Cellular Landscapes With Single‐Nuclei RNA Sequencing
Authors: Laitman Benjamin M. , Charytonowicz Daniel , Zhu Ashley J. , Lynch Katie , Varelas Eleni A. , Burton Madeline , Andreou Christina , Kore Pragati , Kirke Diana N. , Chen Ya‐Wen , Beaumont Kristin G. , Sebra Robert , Genden Eric M. , Courey Mark S. 
Published: February 2024

IntroductionThe function of the vocal folds (VFs) is determined by the phenotype, abundance, and distribution of differentiated cells within specific microenvironments. Identifying this histologic framework is crucial in understanding laryngeal disease. A paucity of studies investigating VF cellular heterogeneity has been undertaken. Here, we examined the cellular landscape of human VFs by utilizing single‐nuclei RNA‐sequencing.MethodsNormal true VF tissue was excised from five patients undergoing pitch elevation surgery. Tissue was snap frozen in liquid nitrogen and subjected to cellular digestion and nuclear extraction. Nuclei were processed for single‐nucleus sequencing using the 10X Genomics Chromium platform. Sequencing reads were assembled using cellranger and analyzed with the scanpy package in python.ResultsRNA sequencing revealed 18 global cell clusters. While many were of epithelial origin, expected cell types, such as fibroblasts, immune cells, muscle cells, and endothelial cells were present. Subcluster analysis defined unique epithelial, immune, and fibroblast subpopulations.ConclusionThis study evaluated the cellular heterogeneity of normal human VFs by utilizing single‐nuclei RNA‐sequencing. With further confirmation through additional spatial sequencing and microscopic imaging, a novel cellular map of the VFs may provide insight into new cellular targets for VF disease.Level of EvidenceNA Laryngoscope, 134:3193–3200, 2024
Agroforestry system construction in eastern coastal China: Insights from soil–plant interactions
Authors: Feng Yuanyuan , Liu Jiajia , Hu Haibo , Xu Xiaopeng , Chen Danyan , Wang Xia , Poinern Gerrard Eddy Jai , Jiang Zhong‐Tao , Fawcett Derek , Wu Yonghong , Lu Haiying 
Published: February 2024

AbstractAgroforestry, as a phytoremediation measure, shows great potential for mitigating land degradation by constructing multidimensional and efficient agroforestry composite systems through regulating the microenvironment of agroforestry sites and improving soil properties. However, the effects of different agroforestry composite management modes on saline soils and the interactions between soil–plant systems under salt stress conditions in coastal areas remain largely unexplored. In this study, two salt‐tolerant tree species (Sapium sebiferum (Linn.) Roxb and Zelkova serrata (Thunb.) Makino) and four crop species (Medicago sativa, Sesbania cannabina, Sorghum bicolour, and Avena sativa) were selected for intercropping in eight composite patterns via field experiments, with dynamics of soil physicochemical properties and crop photosynthesis observed. The results showed that treatments intercropped with M. sativa had the highest soil bulk density range (1.41–1.48 g cm−3). The dynamics of topsoil (0–10 cm) chemical properties showed similar change patterns among treatments, whereas those of the 10–40 cm soil chemical properties (especially soil pH, soil organic matter [SOM], and total nitrogen [TN]) showed heterogeneity. Moreover, planting S. sebiferum (L.) Roxb under the same crop conditions increased tree height growth rate and survival rate by 75%–114% and 14%–33%, respectively, relative to planting Z. serrata (T.) Makino. Furthermore, a significant negative correlation was observed between soil moisture with crop intercellular CO2 concentration (λ = −0.77), while significant positive correlations were found between crop net photosynthetic rate (Pn) with soil TN (λ = 0.71), as well as SOM with atmospheric CO2 content (λ = 0.72). Structural equation modeling showed significant direct effects between tree height growth rate with soil TN and SOM. Soil moisture (λ = 0.47) and tree height growth rate (λ = 0.53) were dominant drivers of crop Pn. Our findings provide useful information for the prevention of coastal saline soil degradation and sustainable development of agroforestry.
Scalable Fabrication of Structurally Stable Polymer Film with Excellent UV‐Shielding, Fluorescent, and Antibacterial Capabilities
Authors: Shen Kaiyuan , Liu Hongchen , Qiu Changjing , Yuan Mengzhen , Chen Zhishan , Qi Haisong 
Published: February 2024

AbstractThis research presents a new approach to facilely fabricating a multifunctional film using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as the base material. The film is modified chemically to incorporate various desirable properties such as high transparency, UV‐shielding, antibacterial activity, and fluorescence. The fabrication process of this film is straightforward and efficient. The modified film showed exceptional UV‐blocking capability, effectively blocking 100% of UV radiation. It also exhibits strong antibacterial properties. Additionally, the film emitted bright blue fluorescence, which can be useful in various optical and sensing applications. Despite the chemical modification, the film retained the excellent properties of PVA, including high transparency (90%) at 550 nm and good mechanical strength. Furthermore, it demonstrated remarkable stability even under harsh conditions such as exposure to long‐term UV radiation, extreme temperatures (−40 or 120 °C), or immersion in different solvents. Overall, this work showcases a promising strategy to develop versatile, structurally stable, transparent, and flexible polymer films with multiple functionalities. These films have potential applications in various fields that require protection, such as packaging materials, biomedical devices, and optical components.
A nonlinear optimization method for calibration of large‐scale deep cement mixing in very soft clay deep excavation
Authors: To Thanh Sang , Minh Hoang Le , Huynh Thien Quoc , Khatir Samir , Wahab Magd Abdel , Cuong‐Le Thanh 
Published: February 2024

AbstractThis work proposes a novel technique to conduct back‐analysis of lateral displacement of deep cement mixing (DCM) columns in deep excavation construction. For the first time, we propose a process to investigate both soil and underground structure end‐to‐end automatically. The novel technique is a complex combination of three crucial factors: (1) a nature‐inspired optimization algorithm (O), (2) a three‐dimensional PLAXIS Geotechnical Engineering software (P) and (3) a modern Python language programming (P), hereinafter called the a nature‐inspired optimization algorithm (O), a three‐dimensional PLAXIS Geotechnical Engineering software (P) and a modern Python language programming (P) (OPP) technique. The novel meta‐heuristic algorithm simulated the co‐evolved partnership behavior of shrimps and goby fishes, termed Shrimp and Goby Association (SGA), which plays an important role in complex analyses. A series of exams to determine the SGA's performance is conducted on 38 benchmark test functions (IEEE Congress on Evolutionary Computation 2017 and 2019) and three real‐world engineering design problems to showcase its applicability. The metaheuristic and PLAXIS 3D analysis work well together, which makes the back‐analysis technique powerfully to determinate stiffness parameters instead of the traditional approaches. Based on the optimized parameters, the lateral deflection of DCM and soil are well predicted for excavation. This study proposes a technique to estimate efficiently the stiffness parameter for very soft soil. As a consequence of the optimization process, an equation to determine the stiffness parameter of DCM columns from laboratory test is also proposed. Based on the obtained results, this research provides a comprehensive methodology for predicting risk, enhancing safety, saving time and money, and effectively designing and constructing underground structures.
Future range dynamics of Asian yellow‐legged hornets (Vespa velutina) and their range overlap with Western honey bees (Apis mellifera) reveal major challenges for bee conservation in Europe
Authors: Nie Peixiao , Cao Runyao , Yang Rujing , Feng Jianmeng 
Published: February 2024

AbstractBACKGROUNDThe invasion of Asian yellow‐legged hornets (Vespa velutina) has significantly affected Western honey bees (Apis mellifera) and apiculture in Europe. However, the range dynamics of this hornet and its range overlap with the bees under future change scenarios have not yet been clarified. Using land‐use, climate, and topographical datasets, we projected the range dynamics of this hornet and Western honey bees in Europe and the future overlap of their ranges.RESULTSWe found that climatic factors had stronger effects on the potential ranges of the hornets compared with land‐use and topographical factors. A considerable range expansion of this hornet was predicted, and an increase in the overlap between this pest and the bees was primarily caused by future decreases in temperature seasonality. Additionally, we detected future range expansions of the hornet in the UK and France; future range overlap between this pest and Western honey bees in the UK, Ireland, Portugal, and France; and future overlap between the ranges of this pest and bees but not under recent conditions was mainly projected in Germany, Denmark, and the UK.CONCLUSIONMitigating future climate change might effectively control the proliferation of the hornets and their effects on the bees. Strategies for preventing the invasion of this pest and developing European apiculture should be developed and implemented in these regions where future range overlap between them was projected. Given that climate‐change scenarios may result in uncertainty in our projections, further investigation is needed to clarify future range changes of our target species. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
Education as a necessity of life: An exploration on Ugandan Education System Quality with reference to John Dewey's Philosophical Correlates
Authors: Charles Muweesi , Sarah Namukose , Anthony Muwagga Mugagga 
Published: February 2024

AbstractEvery country desires and aspires for an education system that caters for learners’ physiological needs, belonging, love, self‐esteem, security and self‐actualisation at the top, which are rarely provided by a few countries. With a review focus on the Ugandan education system, several challenges related to the education borrowing suggestions as proposed by John Dewey have been attributed to creating an environment that has seen most graduates ending up unemployed, and with leadership challenges, inadequate funding, poor teacher perception, low research and innovations in higher institutions of learning, less involvement of the informal sector in development, low literacy levels, political interference among others. Thus this exploratory analytical‐qualitative review focuses on John Dewey's teachings in his book Education and Democracy—specifically chapter 1, ‘Education as Necessity for Life’—with attention on how education as an engine that empowers life, ensures independence through self‐reliance, sustenance, freedom, and is syndrome‐free to enhance appreciation of the contemporary trends in education—critical aspects that are extremely lacking within the current Ugandan education system and can impact on the future of education to the future of education as recommended in National Development Plan III (NDP III). Thus the review recommends that while reflecting on the state of the Ugandan education system, there is a need to revitalise the research and innovations in higher institutions, especially catering for an integral‐education system with a focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) from primary school to university, involvement of the informal sector through skills education as proposed by the Ugandan Vision 2040 and NDP III, as well as addressing low literacy levels and providing adequate teaching and learning through quality and balanced funding from all relevant government agencies and development partners.
Impacts of temporal/spatial rainfall heterogeneities on peak runoff distribution and intensities for an urban river basin of south China
Authors: Cai Yanpeng , Yang Yueying , Tan Qian , Dai Chao , Zhu Zhihua , Zhang Xiaodong 
Published: February 2024

AbstractIn this research, a modeling approach of rainfall generator coupled with high resolution rainfall products were proposed to generate designed rainfall events under multiple spatial and temporal distributions, which was then employed to analyze the impacts of spatial and temporal rainfall heterogeneities on peak runoff for watersheds. Three scenarios were developed under multiple degrees of impermeable underlying surface areas within an urban watershed in south China. Detailed runoff processes were analyzed through the adoption of a distributed hydrological model (GSSHA). A covariance analysis method combined with rainfall spatio‐temporal heterogeneity characteristic were used to quantify heterogeneity effects on peak runoff. Results indicated that coupling short period (2008–2016) remotely rainfall data and RainyDay results could successfully reproduce designed rainfall events, spatio‐temporal heterogeneity of rainfall contributed significantly to the peak runoff, which was greater than those by rainfall duration and capacity, and the increase in impermeable underlying surface enhanced the complexities of the effects. Over each rainfall duration with increasing rainfall return period, the indicator of rainfall peak coefficient (RWD) would decrease and then increase. Regarding the total rainfall center (tg), 25 mm/h threshold rainfall spatial coverage (A25) decreased with increasing imperviousness, 1‐h maximum rainfall (Rmax) surged with increasing imperviousness at rainfall duration of 2 and 24 h. Innovations of this research lied in: combination of a rainfall generator model based on a stochastic storm transposition technique and remote‐sensing rainfall data to generate designed rainfall events, a rainfall spatial and temporal heterogeneities index system was developed to reveal how the changing characteristics of rainfall distribution and the impacts on peak runoff, and in‐depth analysis of the impacts on runoff peak under multiple urban development scenarios for increasing capability in flood control/prevention.
Green initiatives and stakeholder engagement: Unveiling the impact of green strategies and CSR on financial performance from descriptive‐normative perspectives of stakeholder theory
Authors: Liao Haojie , Su Lin , Tang Tianyao , Shang Zhaoyan 
Published: February 2024

AbstractIt is vital to bring about sustainable development by incorporating sustainable strategies to drive businesses to align their interests with those of stakeholders. Drawing on stakeholder theory and practices, this study explores the synergistic nexus among green environmental strategies (GES; e.g., energy management, waste management, green procurement, waste conversation, green environment awareness programs, carbon footprint reduction, green data management, and ecological operational strategies), corporate social responsibility (CSR), and financial performance (FnP) of multinational enterprises (MNEs) within the energy and manufacturing sectors of China. A total of seven hundred and forty‐three responses were evaluated by structural equation modeling through SmartPLS software. Findings suggest that GES have a positive connection with FnP. Further, this relationship is positively moderated by CSR. This study contributes to both the theoretical and managerial perspectives. It highlights the notion of GES and CSR by verifying the positive influence of sustainable strategies on FnP.
Role of social capital in agricultural diversification: Implications for sustainable development in rural regions
Authors: Addai Godfred , Guodaar Lawrence , Amponsah Owusu , Ibrahiem Dalia M. , Felix Kpenekuu , Antwi‐Agyei Philip 
Published: February 2024

AbstractStudies have explored social capital (SC) in diverse ways. Still, little is known in the literature about how its functional areas, including bonding, bridging and linking relationships, interact to facilitate sustainable development, particularly in agricultural diversification. We address this gap by using the rural web and the social capital frameworks to (1) analyse factors influencing SC and (2) assess the relationship between SC and agricultural diversification. Drawing on a survey of 600 rural households and 60 interviews with key stakeholders from the Upper West and Ashanti regions of Ghana, we found that socioeconomic factors, including farm size, remittance, household size and education, significantly influence bonding, bridging and linking SC. The findings also show that rural farmers depend strongly on bonding, bridging and linking SC to improve their livelihoods through agricultural diversification. These findings have implications for achieving SDG targets, particularly poverty reduction (SDG 1) and food security (SDG 2), regarding accessibility to resources, market participation, social empowerment, and contract farming. Therefore, agricultural policies in sub‐Saharan Africa should incorporate SC as a critical indicator for achieving agricultural diversification initiatives and sustainable development objectives.
Evaluating end‐users' digital competencies and ethical perceptions of AI systems in the context of sustainable digital banking
Authors: Fundira McArthur , Edoun Emmanuel Innocents , Pradhan Anup 
Published: February 2024

AbstractIn the pursuit of fostering sustainable digital banking (SDB), this study investigates the nexus between end‐users' digital competencies, perceptions of artificially intelligent systems, and sustainable practices. With a focus on addressing inclusivity barriers and promoting ethical considerations, expert interviews were employed to provide nuanced insights. The study's foundation rests on the significance of sustainable development goals, digital competencies, and artificial intelligence (AI) ethics in shaping the future of digital banking. An interview schedule was developed and distributed online to IT experts and researchers in the field of AI. The instrument examined the major challenges faced by customers in accessing digital banking, the expected timeline for the complete digitalization of the South African banking sector, customers' anticipated competency, and comfort levels with a 100% digital banking interface, and their perspectives on the overall impact of such a transition on humanity. The interview gathered participants' views on AI‐based banking systems that determine credit scores and creditworthiness. The study also included questions to obtain expert opinions on customers' digital capabilities, access to resources, and the impact of AI trust issues on financial service customers. The findings of this study provided valuable insights for stakeholders, including governments, NGOs, and financial institutions. Implications derived from expert perspectives illuminate strategies for enhancing digital competencies, addressing inclusivity hurdles, and ensuring ethical AI integration. This study contributes to the sustainable development discourse by offering actionable recommendations for stakeholders in the pursuit of a more inclusive, digitally competent, and ethically responsible digital banking landscape.