bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A Prospective, Randomized, Open-Label Study Comparing Recovery Characteristics between Desflurane and Sevoflurane Anesthesia in Elderly Patients Undergoing Elective Supratentorial Craniotomy
Authors: Sailaja Mallampalli. N. , Lakshminarasimhaiah Geetha , Srinivas Rakshith 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Background Sevoflurane and desflurane are the two commonly used volatile anesthetics and it is mandatory to comprehend their hemodynamic and recovery profiles to ensure safe administration and early recovery in elderly neurosurgical patients. The primary objective of the study was to compare the recovery profiles of sevoflurane and desflurane in elderly patients undergoing supratentorial craniotomy. The secondary outcome measures studied were intraoperative hemodynamic changes, intraoperative brain condition, and early postoperative cognition using short orientation memory concentration test (SOMCT).
Methods The prospective, open-labeled study involving 78 elderly patients undergoing elective supratentorial craniotomies randomized the subjects into sevoflurane and desflurane groups in the ratio of 1:1 (39 each). Pre- and early postoperative cognitive function of the patient was assessed using SOMCT. Time for emergence, extubation, and recovery were also compared between the groups. Hemodynamic parameters during surgery and brain relaxation were recorded. Student's t-test was used to find the significance of study parameters on a continuous scale and chi-squared test to find the significance of study parameters on a categorical scale between two groups.
Results The mean emergence time (minutes) was found to be significantly longer in sevoflurane group as opposed to desflurane (9.44 ± 2.07 vs. 8.28 ± 2.53, p = 0.02). Similarly, the mean recovery time was significantly longer for sevoflurane group than desflurane (17.33 ± 3.36 vs. 15.64 ± 4.63, p = 0.03). A statistically significant difference in pre- and early postoperative SOMCT was observed between the two groups (5.31 ± 2.89 vs. 4.33 ± 1.74, p = 0.04) with better early postoperative SOMCT (p = 0.05) in desflurane group. However, extubation time, average duration of surgery, brain relaxation, and modified Aldrete score were comparable between the groups.
Conclusion Elderly patients who received desflurane had a shorter emergence and recovery time compared with sevoflurane. Improved early postoperative SOMCT scores were noted in desflurane group.
Intraoperative Stimulation Mapping in Neurosurgery for Anesthesiologists—Part 1: The Technical Nuances
Authors: Masohood Naeema S. , Paquin-Lanthier Gabriel , Chui Jason , Lu Nancy , Chowdhury Tumul , Venkatraghavan Lashmi 
Published: February 2024

AbstractBrain mapping has evolved tremendously in the past decade, fueled by advances in functional neuroimaging technology in neuro-oncology and epilepsy surgery. Despite this, wide anatomic-functional interindividual variability and intraoperative brain shift continue to challenge neurosurgeons performing surgery within or near eloquent brain regions. As such, intraoperative direct cortical and subcortical stimulation mapping remains the gold standard for localizing eloquent brain regions with precision for a safe and tailored resection. Intraoperative stimulation mapping (ISM) allows for maximizing the extent of resection while minimizing postoperative neurological deficits, resulting in better patient outcomes. Understanding the technical nuances of ISM is imperative for the anesthesiologist to provide better anesthetic management tailored to the surgery and stimulation mapping planned. A comprehensive search was performed on electronic databases to identify articles describing intraoperative cortical and subcortical mapping, language, and motor mapping. In the first part of this narrative review, we summarize the salient technical aspects of ISM and the common neurophysiological tasks assessed intraoperatively relevant to the anesthesiologist.
Introducing the halophyte Salicornia europaea to investigate combined impact of salt and tidal submergence conditions
Authors: Jordine Angelina , Retzlaff Julia , Gens Lina , Ehrt Brigitta , Fürtauer Lisa , van Dongen Joost T. 
Published: February 2024

Tolerance mechanisms to single abiotic stress events are being investigated in different plant species, but how plants deal with multiple stress factors occurring simultaneously is still poorly understood. Here, we introduce Salicornia europaea as a species with an extraordinary tolerance level to both flooding and high salt concentrations. Plants exposed to 0.5 M NaCl (mimicking sea water concentrations) grew larger than plants not exposed to salt. Adding more salt reduced growth, but concentrations up to 2.5 M NaCl were not lethal. Regular tidal flooding with salt water (0.5 M NaCl) did not affect growth or chlorophyll fluorescence, whereas continuous flooding stopped growth while plants survived. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analysis of plants exposed to 1% oxygen in air revealed induction of selected hypoxia responsive genes, but these genes were not induced during tidal flooding, suggesting that S. europaea did not experience hypoxic stress. Indeed, plants were able to transport oxygen into waterlogged soil. Interestingly, sequential exposure to salt and hypoxic air changed the expression of several but not all genes as compared to their expression upon hypoxia only, demonstrating the potential to use S. europaea to investigate signalling-crosstalk between tolerance reactions to multiple environmental perturbations.
Primordial gravitational waves in non-minimally coupled chromo-natural inflation
Authors: Dimastrogiovanni Ema , Fasiello Matteo , Michelotti Martino , Pinol Lucas 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
We consider inflation driven by an axion-like particle coupled to an SU(2) gauge sector
via a Chern-Simons term. Known as chromo-natural inflation, this scenario is in tension with CMB
observations. In order to remedy this fact and preserve both the symmetries and the intriguing
gravitational wave phenomenology exhibited by the model, we explore the non-minimal coupling of
the axion-inflaton to the Einstein tensor. We identify regions of parameter space corresponding to
a viable cosmology at CMB scales. We also highlight the possibility of a non-trivial chiral
gravitational wave signal at small scales.
Concurrent drought and heatwave events over the Asian monsoon region: insights from a statistically downscaling CMIP6 dataset
Authors: Xu Lianlian , Yu Wei , Yang Song , Zhang Tuantuan 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Concurrent drought and heatwave (CONDH) can cause tremendous ramifications on socioeconomic activities and human health, and the drought-heatwave (D-H) dependence was revealed to be one of the major factors of the CONDH across most global land regions. However, insufficient attention has been paid on the CONDH over the Asian monsoon region, and the impact of the D-H dependence is even more rarely considered. Based on a statistically downscaling the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) dataset, we explore the spatial distributions of the intensity, frequency, and duration of the CONDH. In addition, the qualitative impacts of D-H dependence on the intensity, frequency, and duration of the CONDH have been further investigated via comparing these three metrics of the CONDH with those of heatwave. In the period of 1961–2014, the spatial pattern of intensity and duration of the CONDH bear a large resemblance to that of heatwave, with more severe CONDH (heatwave) occurring over South Asia, and relatively long-lasting CONDH (heatwave) occupying over the low latitudes of the Asian monsoon region. The frequency of the CONDH presents large discrepancies with that of heatwave. East Asia (South Asia) is hit by more frequent CONDH (heatwave) than other sub-regions. The D-H dependence is conducive to the intensity, frequency, and duration of the CONDH, especially over the East Asia, Eastern Siberia, and Western Siberia. In the period of 2015–2100, the intensity and duration of the CONDH and heatwave maintain the historical spatial structures. The frequency of the CONDH and heatwave change remarkably relative to 1961–2014, with largest value over eastern central Asia. The D-H dependence is conducive to the three features of the CONDH, and such positive contributions would weaken in response to global warming, especially under higher emission scenario.
Emergent functionalities enhanced by mechanical stress in SnO2-based flexible devices
Authors: Sakurai Makoto 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Emergent functionalities created by applying mechanical stress to flexible devices using SnO2 microrods and Ga2O3/SnO2-core/shell microribbons are reviewed. Dynamic lattice defect engineering through application of mechanical stress and a voltage to the SnO2 microrod device leads to a reversible semiconductor-insulator transition through lattice defect creation and healing, providing an effective and simple solution to the persistent photoconductivity (PPC) problem that has long plagued UV semiconductor photosensors. Here, lattice defects are created near slip planes in a rutile-structured microrod by applying mechanical stress and are healed by Joule heating by applying a voltage to the microrod. Nanoscale amorphous structuring makes the Ga2O3/SnO2-core/shell microribbon with a large SnO2 surface area more sensitive to changes in temperature, while mechanical bending of the wet device improves its sensitivity to adsorbed water molecules. These results illustrate the potential for developing flexible devices with new functionalities by enhancing the intrinsic properties of materials through miniaturization, mechanical stress, and hybridization.
Evaluating the impact of a pharmacy technician training program within a college of pharmacy
Authors: Wheeler James S , Martin Nicholas , Barenie Rachel E 
Published: February 2024

Abstract

Purpose
Ensuring pharmacy technicians are adequately trained and prepared to enter the workforce is an important first step in addressing technician staff shortages. How pharmacy technician learners perceive their experiences after completion of a training program remains unknown. This study evaluated participant outcomes and self-efficacy ratings for common technician competencies after completion of a pharmacy technician training program.

Methods
Between December 2021 and March 2023, we distributed a survey to participants who successfully completed the program approximately 3 months after their estimated completion date. The survey assessed 6 domains: enrollment and academic progression, utilization of educational resources, self-perceived proficiency on core competencies of a pharmacy technician, employment information, program recommendations, and student demographics.

Results
Thirty-six participants completed the survey, corresponding to a 60% response rate. Participants were attracted to the pharmacy technician program due to its affiliation with a college of pharmacy, online format, and affordability. Half of respondents were actively employed as pharmacy technicians, and the self-reported certification exam passage rate slightly exceeded national averages (78% vs 70% to 71%). Participants’ self-efficacy ratings for pharmacy technician competencies were high (mean rating of 4.12 out of 5). Overwhelmingly, 97% of participants agreed that the program prepared them well for becoming a pharmacy technician.

Conclusion
A pharmacy technician training program housed within a college of pharmacy presents one potential solution in addressing pharmacy technician workforce shortages. Participants positively viewed their training experience, with high self-efficacy ratings for pharmacy technician competencies. Moreover, national certification exam results were slightly better than national averages.
Optimizing representations for integrative structural modeling using Bayesian model selection
Authors: Arvindekar Shreyas , Pathak Aditi S , Majila Kartik , Viswanath Shruthi 
Published: February 2024

Abstract

Motivation
Integrative structural modeling combines data from experiments, physical principles, statistics of previous structures, and prior models to obtain structures of macromolecular assemblies that are challenging to characterize experimentally. The choice of model representation is a key decision in integrative modeling, as it dictates the accuracy of scoring, efficiency of sampling, and resolution of analysis. But currently, the choice is usually made ad hoc, manually.

Results
Here, we report NestOR (Nested Sampling for Optimizing Representation), a fully automated, statistically rigorous method based on Bayesian model selection to identify the optimal coarse-grained representation for a given integrative modeling setup. Given an integrative modeling setup, it determines the optimal representations from given candidate representations based on their model evidence and sampling efficiency. The performance of NestOR was evaluated on a benchmark of four macromolecular assemblies.

Availability and implementation
NestOR is implemented in the Integrative Modeling Platform (https://integrativemodeling.org) and is available at https://github.com/isblab/nestor. Data for the benchmark is at https://www.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10360718.
Navigating Police Contact: How Situations Shape Police–Youth Relations
Authors: Gashi Liridona 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Researchers have increasingly emphasized the dynamics of social situations when investigating, for example, encounters between youth at risk and police officers. Based on numerous field observations of police–youth interactions, this article explores how police–youth relations change during different situations. Using a situational perspective as an interpretive lens, I unpack how the dynamics of police–youth relations are dependent upon: (1) the concrete physical space of the interactions, (2) the audiences present and (3) the emotions that are activated. Typically, street-based interactions with other youth as audiences develop in a different manner to interactions at the police station. More sensitivity to the characteristics of such social situations, I conclude, may prove useful to develop more efficient preventive interventions and policing strategies.
Ethnic Inequalities in Sentencing: Evidence from the Crown Court in England and Wales
Authors: Lymperopoulou Kitty 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
In recent years, there has been considerable policy and academic interest in the existence of ethnic inequalities in the Criminal Justice System. A large body of sentencing research has been dedicated to exploring whether ethnic minority defendants are treated more harshly than similarly situated white defendants. This paper extends this research utilizing Ministry of Justice linked criminal justice datasets and multilevel models to assess the effect of ethnicity and other defendant case and contextual factors on sentencing outcomes in the Crown Court. The analysis shows that legal characteristics such as plea, pre-trial detention, offence type and severity are important factors determining sentencing outcomes although they do not fully explain disparities in these outcomes between ethnic groups. Ethnic disparities in imprisonment persist and, in some cases, become more pronounced after controlling for defendant case and court factors. In contrast, ethnic disparities in sentence length are largely explained by legal factors, and after adjusting for other predictors of sentencing outcomes, observed differences between most (but not all) ethnic minority groups and the white British disappear.
Expectations of journalistic actors in the digital age: A conceptual framework
Authors: Banjac Sandra , Juarez Miro Clara , Hanusch Folker 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Journalists constantly navigate pressures and competing expectations from diverse stakeholders, all of whom have an interest in shaping journalistic work. Scholarship examining the wide range of influences on journalists has often placed the journalist at the center of the inquiry. We further the argument that there is an urgent need to place more emphasis on understanding the expectations that various stakeholders hold of journalists. To do so, we introduce a conceptual framework to (1) explore expectations across a range of modalities, forms and contexts, and map out their diversity across different stakeholders, and (2) to evaluate which stakeholders’ expectations may hold the power to prompt change and conformity in journalism. By triangulating different perspectives, we gain insight into whose expectations journalism may be prioritizing and fulfilling, or conversely, failing to meet.
Threshold nonlinearities and the democracy-growth nexus
Authors: Chen Chaoyi , Stengos Thanasis 
Published: February 2024

Summary
This paper investigates the relationship between democracy and economic growth in the context of a linear index threshold regression model. We first introduce the baseline model with endogeneity and propose a two-step smoothed generalised method of moments estimation method. We establish the consistency and derive the asymptotic distributions of the proposed estimators. We then extend the approach to a dynamic panel context and employ the model to explore the impact of democratisation on economic growth. Our findings reveal that democratisation’s impact on growth is nonlinear and depends on the country’s current institutional quality level. Furthermore, democracy’s impact on economic growth is more pronounced in countries with higher education levels than others, suggesting that education also plays a crucial role in enhancing the positive effects of democracy. Our proposed estimator can be used in other situations that require the use of more than one threshold variable. In these cases, our hybrid estimator has less stringent data requirements than an alternative model where the thresholds would enter separately, especially when the threshold variables are correlated.
Examining the Impact of Long-Term Care Insurance on the Care Burden and Labor Market Participation of Informal Carers: A Quasi-Experimental Study in China
Authors: Pei Xingtong , Yang Wei , Xu Mingming 
Published: February 2024

Abstract

Objectives
Existing evidence from high-income countries suggests that policies aimed at enhancing access to formal care can reduce the burden on informal carers and facilitate their reentry into the labor market. However, there is limited evidence regarding the specific carers who have been most affected by such insurance. This study focuses on China’s long-term care insurance (LTCI) and examines its effects on informal care burden and the labor market participation of different types of informal carers.

Methods
Drawing data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study of 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2018, we employ a staggered difference-in-differences (DID) model with propensity score matching to analyze the impact of LTCI. To explore time-varying DID estimates, we adopted the DID event study design.

Results
Our study demonstrates that LTCI substantially alleviates the burden on informal carers while markedly boosting labor market participation. Notably, we found a more pronounced decrease in care burden among spouses, amounting to a reduction of 8.5 hr per month. Concurrently, LTCI’s impact on enhancing labor market participation was more significant among younger household members, reflected in an average income increase of 4,534 yuan per year. Furthermore, subgroup analysis highlights that LTCI primarily benefits informal carers providing care for older people with low income or those who were farmers or previously engaged in informal sectors.

Discussion
Our study demonstrates that LTCI has led to a reduction in care burdens and an enhancement in labor market participation. The impact is especially pronounced for informal carers of older people with low income or those with backgrounds in farming or informal work sectors.
MdARF3 switches the lateral root elongation to regulate dwarfing in apple plants
Authors: Lv Jiahong , Feng Yi , Zhai Longmei , Jiang Lizhong , Wu Yue , Huang Yimei , Yu Runqi , Wu Ting , Zhang Xinzhong , Wang Yi , Han Zhenhai 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Apple rootstock dwarfing and dense planting are common practices in apple farming. However, the dwarfing mechanisms are not understood. In our study, the expression of MdARF3 in the root system of dwarfing rootstock ‘M9’ was lower than in the vigorous rootstock from Malus micromalus due to the deletion of the WUSATAg element in the promoter of the ‘M9’ genotype. Notably, this deletion variation was significantly associated with dwarfing rootstocks. Subsequently, transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) cv. Xanthi was generated with the ARF3 promoter from ‘M9’ and M. micromalus genotypes. The transgenic apple with 35S::MdARF3 was also obtained. The transgenic tobacco and apple with the highly expressed ARF3 had a longer root system and a higher plant height phenotype. Furthermore, the yeast one-hybrid, luciferase, electrophoretic mobility shift assays, and Chip-qPCR identified MdWOX4-1 in apples that interacted with the pMm-ARF3 promoter but not the pM9-ARF3 promoter. Notably, MdWOX4-1 significantly increased the transcriptional activity of MdARF3 and MdLBD16-2. However, MdARF3 significantly decreased the transcriptional activity of MdLBD16-2. Further analysis revealed that MdARF3 and MdLBD16-2 were temporally expressed during different stages of lateral root development. pMdLBD16-2 was mainly expressed during the early stage of lateral root development, which promoted lateral root production. On the contrary, pMmARF3 was expressed during the late stage of lateral root development to promote elongation. The findings in our study will shed light on the genetic causes of apple plant dwarfism and provide strategies for molecular breeding of dwarfing apple rootstocks.
Mine wind speed sensor location selection based on decision tree theory
Authors: Huang Xu , Lei Wulin 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
In order to realize the scientific layout of underground roadway sensors, based on the information entropy theory, the decision tree algorithm is applied to the location selection of the underground wind speed sensor. Taking the air volume traversing the entire network branch as the goal, the node air volume balance and the characteristic relationship between air volume and wind pressure as the constraints, the conventional layout data of the mine wind speed sensor is selected as the training sample, and the reasonable decision node is selected by measuring the uncertainty of the characteristic attribute. The research shows that the smaller the information entropy of the layout elements, the greater the weight in determining the sensor location. The classification conditions obtained by the wind speed sensor are, in descending, order: airflow disturbance, roadway support, distance from the inlet (return) and outlet, and roadway type. Algorithms are applied to effectively combine downhole sensor siting with historical data containing unambiguous results.