bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Impact of permafrost degradation on the extreme increase of dissolved iron concentration in the Amur river during 1995–1997
Authors: Tashiro Yuto , Hiyama Tetsuya , Kanamori Hironari , Kondo Masayuki 
Published: March 2024

AbstractPrimary production in the Sea of Okhotsk is largely supported by dissolved iron (dFe) transported by the Amur river, indicating the importance of dFe discharge from terrestrial environments. However, little is known about the mechanisms of dFe discharge into the Amur river, especially in terms of long-term change in dFe concentration. In the Amur river, extreme increase in dFe concentration was observed between 1995 and 1997, the cause of which remains unclear. As a cause of this iron anomaly, we considered the impact of permafrost degradation. To link the permafrost degradation to long-term variation in dFe concentration, we examined the changes in annual air temperature (Ta), accumulated temperature (AT), and net precipitation for three regions (northeast, south, and northwest) of the basin between 1960 and 2006. Ta and AT were relatively high in one out of every few years, and were especially high during 1988–1990 continuously. Net precipitation in late summer (July to September) has increased since 1977 and has stayed positive until 2006 throughout the basin. Most importantly, we found significant correlations between Ta and late summer dFe concentration with a 7-year lag (r = 0.54–0.69, p < 0.01), which indicate a close relationship between high Ta in year Y and increased late summer dFe concentration in year Y + 7. This correlation was the strongest in northeastern Amur basin where permafrost coverage is the highest. Similar 7-year lag correlation was also found between AT in the northeastern basin and late summer dFe concentration (r = 0.51, p < 0.01). Based on our findings, we propose the following hypothesis as a cause of iron anomaly. (1) Increased net precipitation since 1977 has increased soil moisture, which created suitable conditions for microbial dFe generation; (2) permafrost degradation during the warm years of 1988–1990 promoted iron bioavailability and led to the intensive dFe generation in the deeper part of the active layer; and (3) dFe took approximately 7 years to reach the rivers and extremely increased dFe concentration during 1995–1997. This is the first study to suggest the time-lagged impact of permafrost degradation on iron biogeochemistry in the Amur river basin.
A ball-jointed tendon-driven continuum robot with multi-directional operability for grasping objects
Authors: Onose Ryo , Sawada Hideyuki 
Published: March 2024

AbstractA continuum robot, inspired by biological features, flexibly bends its body and conforms to various shapes. The high compliance and low stiffness, however, causes low rigidity and ambiguity in control when it is applied to grasping and manipulating an object. In this study, we develop a ball-jointed tendon-driven continuum robot that can bend to arbitrary directions for manipulating and grasping an object. Discs are connected by ball joints, together with coil springs coupled with tendon threads, and form a backbone of the robotic body. The continuum robot is operated to bend to an arbitrary direction by pulling the tendons using three servomotors, and returns to the original straight shape by releasing the pulling force of the contracted coil springs. The robot is constructed by using 3D-printed parts. In the experiment, the ability of the multi-directional operation was tested by bending the continuum body to specific directions, and then performing arc-following motion. Furthermore, the manipulator's grasping performance was demonstrated by preparing five objects that have various shapes, sizes, and softness. The robot successfully grasped all the objects by wrapping around them and adapting its shape to the object's shapes. The experiments verified the satisfactory operability of the continuum robot.
Amino acids to prevent cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Kazawa Masahiro , Kabata Daijiro , Yoshida Hisako , Minami Kimito , Maeda Takuma , Yoshitani Kenji , Matsuda Hitoshi , Shintani Ayumi 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
Background
This study aimed to examine the preventive effect of amino acids on postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI).

Methods
This was single-center, patient- and assessor-blinded, randomized controlled trial. Patients who underwent aortic surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass were included. The intervention group received 60 g/day of amino acids for up to 3 days. The control group received standard care. The primary outcome was the incidence of AKI. We assessed the effect of amino acids on AKI using a Cox proportional hazards regression model.

Results
Sixty-six patients were randomly assigned to the control or intervention group. One patient in the control group withdrew consent after randomization. The incidence of AKI was 10 patients (30.3%) in the intervention group versus 18 patients (56.2%) in the control group (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.44; 95% confidence interval, 0.20–0.95; P = 0.04).

Conclusions
This trial demonstrated a significant reduction in AKI incidence with amino acid supplementation.

Trial registration
jRCT, jRCTs051210154. Registered 31 December 2021, https://jrct.niph.go.jp/re/reports/detail/69916
Expanding a peptide-covalent probe hybrid for PET imaging of S. aureus driven focal infections
Authors: Bhatt Mitra Jyotsna , Chatterjee Saurav , Kumar Anuj , Khatoon Elina , Chandak Ashok , Rakshit Sutapa , Bandyopadhyay Anupam , Mukherjee Archana 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
Background
The urgent demand for innovative theranostic strategies to combat bacterial resistance to antibiotics is evident, with substantial implications for global health. Rapid diagnosis of life-threatening infections can expedite treatment, improving patient outcomes. Leveraging diagnostic modalities i.e., positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) for detecting focal infections has yielded promising results. Augmenting the sensitivity of current PET and SPECT tracers could enable effective imaging of pathogenic bacteria, including drug-resistant strains.UBI (29–41), an antimicrobial peptide (AMP) fragment recognizes the S. aureus membrane through electrostatic binding. Radiolabeled UBI (29–41) is a promising SPECT and PET-based tracer for detecting focal infections. 2-APBA (2-acetyl-phenyl-boronic acid), a non-natural amino acid, specifically targets lysyl-phosphatidyl-glycerol (lysyl-PG) on the S. aureus membranes, particularly in AMP-resistant strains. We propose that combining UBI with 2-APBA could enhance the diagnostic potential of radiolabeled UBI.

Results
Present work aimed to compare the diagnostic potential of two radiolabeled peptides, namely UBI (29–41) and 2-APBA modified UBI (29–41), referred to as UBI and UBI-APBA. APBA modification imparted antibacterial activity to the initially non-bactericidal UBI against S. aureus by inducing a loss of membrane potential. The antibacterial activity demonstrated by UBI-APBA can be ascribed to the synergistic interaction of both UBI and UBI-APBA on the bacterial membrane. To enable PET imaging, we attached the chelator 1,4,7-triazacyclononane 1-glutaric acid 4,7-acetic acid (NODAGA) to the peptides for complexation with the positron emitter Gallium-68 (68Ga). Both NODAGA conjugates were radiolabeled with 68Ga with high radiochemical purity. The resultant 68Ga complexes were stable in phosphate-buffered saline and human serum. Uptake of these complexes was observed in S. aureus but not in mice splenocytes, indicating the selective nature of their interaction. Additionally, the APBA conjugate exhibited superior uptake in S. aureus while preserving the selectivity of the parent peptide. Furthermore, [68Ga]Ga-UBI-APBA demonstrated accumulation at the site of infection in rats, with an improved target-to-non-target ratio, as evidenced by ex-vivo biodistribution and PET imaging.

Conclusions
Our findings suggest that linking UBI, as well as AMPs in general, with APBA shows promise as a strategy to augment the theranostic potential of these molecules.
An unknown wide persistent ductus arteriosus debuting with atrial fibrillation in older adult: a case report
Authors: Pierro Antonio , Totaro Antonio , Colavita Angela Rita , Apollonio Biagio Francesco Pio , Florio Severino , Petrucci Pasquale , Cilla Savino 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
Background
The persistently patent ductus arteriosus represents a well-known common congenital heart defect; it is uncommon in adult patients, and in any case, it debuts with atrial fibrillation.

Case presentation
A 75-year-old woman suffering from persistent ductus arteriosus (PDA) was admitted to the cardiology department because of atrial fibrillation, dyspnea and exercise intolerance. A PDA was detected on echocardiography and globally assessed through ECG-gated CT angiography.

Conclusions
Patent ductus arteriosus is an uncommon clinical finding in adulthood, and atrial fibrillation, as a consequence of chronic, progressive left atrial enlargement, may be the initial symptom. We describe the ECG-gated CT angiography imaging features of unknown patent ductus arteriosus in an elderly patient who debuted with atrial fibrillation.
Evaluation of knowledge of healthcare professionals regarding tracheostomy care: a cross-sectional study at a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan
Authors: Saleem Alisha , Khan Ashar Masood , Dhanani Rahim , Wasif Muhammad , Ikram Mubasher , Shabbir Ruby 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
Background
Tracheostomy is considered the oldest and the most effective operative procedure for patients admitted to intensive care units and in emergencies. The study’s objective was to evaluate healthcare providers’ knowledge regarding tracheostomy care.

Results
All healthcare professionals directly involved in the provision of care to patients with tracheostomy were included and asked to fill out the questionnaire. The response rate was 87.63%. Out of 50, the mean comfort score was 37.69. 70.6% of participants reported having a comfort score equal to or more than 70%. Out of 10, the mean score was 5.29. Only 20.9% of participants were able to score equal to or more than 70%. The results demonstrate that healthcare professionals’ knowledge of tracheostomy care was below par. Only those who were experienced in this field were able to score above average.

Conclusion
The assessment of knowledge in tracheostomy care highlights the significance of ongoing education and training in the healthcare field. As medical practices evolve, it is imperative for healthcare providers to stay updated with the latest guidelines and techniques to provide the highest standard of care.
Blood eosinophil variability in patients presenting with acute exacerbations of COPD within the past year and its correlation with treatment plan
Authors: Fahyim Samir Mohamed Mahmoud , AbdelHalim Hesham Atef , Hassan El Shaimaa Sabry Mohammed 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
Background
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an acknowledged contributor to universal fatality and morbidity. Using biomarkers to pinpoint its phenotypes is crucial, enabling individualized treatment and enhancing prognosis.

Objective
Studying the steadiness of blood eosinophi1s in cases who experienced repeated hospital admissions for acute worsening of COPD during a year and its correlation to the treatment plan.

Methods
A retrospective cohort study includes 270 COPD male patients with acute exacerbations. The patients were divided into three groups: fluctuating (ranges between ≥ 150 cells/ul and < 150 cells/ul), non-EOS (< 150 cells/ul), and Eosinophil (EOS) (≥ 150 cells/ul).

Results
Most patients were in the fluctuating blood EOS group (53.3%). The median length of hospital stay was longer in the fluctuating group (5 days). There was a significant positive correlation between the number of exacerbations and both EOS count and EOS/WBCs. A higher eosinophilic count was associated with an increased risk of eosinophilic exacerbations. Most patients used steroids (higher in the EOS group, 61.6%).

Conclusion
Blood eosinophilic count is promising for investigating acute COPD exacerbations. Peripheral blood eosinophilia is a relevant biomarker for directing the management of COPD exacerbations, including steroids.
The validity of the selection methods for recruitment to UK core psychiatry training: cohort study
Authors: Tiffin Paul A. , Morley Emma , Paton Lewis W. , Chakraborty Nandini , Patterson Fiona 
Published: March 2024

Aims and methodSelection into core psychiatry training in the UK uses a computer-delivered Multi-Specialty Recruitment Assessment (MSRA; a situational judgement and clinical problem-solving test) and, previously, a face-to-face Selection Centre. The Selection Centre assessments were suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic. We aimed to evaluate the validity of this selection process using data on 3510 psychiatry applicants. We modelled the ability of the selection scores to predict subsequent performance in the Clinical Assessment of Skills and Competencies (CASC). Sensitivity to demographic characteristics was also estimated.ResultsAll selection assessment scores demonstrated positive, statistically significant, independent relationships with CASC performance and were sensitive to demographic factors.ImplicationsAll selection components showed independent predictive validity. Re-instituting the Selection Centre assessments could be considered, although the costs, potential advantages and disadvantages should be weighed carefully.
Can Machine Learning Predict Favorable Outcome After Radiofrequency Ablation of Hepatocellular Carcinoma?
Authors: Hamed Amr A. , Muhammed Amr , Abdelbary Ebtsam A.M. , Elsharkawy Ramy M. , Ali Moustafa A. 
Published: March 2024

PURPOSE The standard practice for limited-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the resection or the use of local ablative techniques, such as radiofrequency ablation (RFA). The outcome after RFA depends on a complex interaction between the patient's general condition, hepatic function, and disease stage. In this study, we aimed to explore using a machine learning model to predict the response. PATIENTS AND METHODS A retrospective study was conducted for patients with RFA for a localized HCC between 2018 and 2022. The collected clinical, radiologic, and laboratory data were explored using Python and XGBoost. They were split into a training set (70%) and a validation set (30%). The primary end point of this study was to predict the probability of achieving favorable outcomes 12 months after RFA. Favorable outcomes were defined as the patient was alive and HCC was controlled. RESULTS One hundred and eleven patients were eligible for the study. Males were 78 (70.3%) with a median age of 57 (range of 43-81) years. Favorable outcome was seen in 62 (55.9%) of the patients. The 1-year survival rate and control rate were 94.6%, and 61.3%, respectively. The final model harbored an accuracy and an AUC of 90.6% and 0.95, respectively, for the training set, while they were 78.9% and 0.80, respectively, for the validation set. CONCLUSION Machine learning can be a predictive tool for the outcome after RFA in patients with HCC. Further validation by a larger study is necessary.
The Student Labor Camp Movement, Postcolonial Development, and the Shaping of Citizens-to-Be in Independent India, 1954–65
Authors: Wilkinson Tom 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
The Government of India organized over ten thousand student labor camps for the purposes of village development between 1954 and 1965. This camp movement functions as a key to the novel idealizations of youth in the postcolonial world and the shifting development agendas of independent India. The image of the toiling and vigorous camper committed to serving the newly created nation-state came to be constructed as India's model citizen-to-be, and this figure embodies the emergent forms of postcolonial nationalist politics and ideologies of the 1950s and 1960s. This youthful labor force was depicted in the developmentalist imagination of India as literally building and metaphorically embodying the nation-state and its ideologies of physical fitness, secularism, anti-casteism, and national discipline. This article will argue that camp life negotiated a hierarchy of citizens that made the educated youth the agent of development and the villager the object of development. The running of these camps by volunteer movements such as the National Cadet Corps, the Bharat Scouts and Guides, and the Bharat Sevak Samaj brings to light how the developmental apparatus in India worked or did not work in practice for the students and the poorer classes.
Disputes over Burial Mountains
Authors: Lim Sungyun 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
This article examines legal decisions in lineage property disputes from the Korean Empire period (1897–1910) to the first two decades of the Japanese colonial rule to trace the effect of Japanese efforts to implement property rights reforms in colonial Korea. Lineage properties were heavily concentrated in the mountains in the form of communal burial sites; thus, to ease acceptance of colonial rule, such Japanese objectives as forest cultivation needed to accommodate long-established Korean practices of mountain burial. In addition, Japanese perceptions of Koreans as primitively collective in their property relations led to initial suppression of the rights of heirs over lineage property. The colonial court's subsequent gradual and uneven invocation of the principle of exclusive individual property rights became a source of both legal and physical conflicts. The case of how lineage property rights were reorganized in colonial Korea shows the compromised nature of the colonial property regime as it sought to balance traditional claims and modern concepts of property ownership, with long-term consequences for property rights in Korea.
Diffusion, Polyphony, and Diversity
Authors: Guo Ting 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
This forum explicates Hong Kong's complex religious and ritual landscape and the ways in which it influences social movements and identity making, in response to large forces of religion and protest around the world today, including in Ukraine and places in Asia such as Iran and Myanmar. Scholars have noted how various forms of Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, and popular Chinese religions have been diffused into the secular spaces of Hong Kong's governing state structures, formal and informal economies, and ad hoc protest organizations in civil society. Recent work has also emphasized the ways that race, ethnicity, and gender have been shaped not only by institutions with religious ties but also by theological and cosmological narratives that circulate through the public sphere. Religiosity in the Hong Kong protests might also be conceived as polyphonic, layering over familial practices with structures that have colonial baggage and postcolonial aspirations. Religion, in such senses, tends to be unbound by secular attempts to fence it into private spheres; it might be seen as forging a new civil society and civil identity through recent protests and shaping new theoretical frameworks.
“The Catholic Church Has a Big Structure”
Authors: Herasym Halyna , Tse Justin 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
The general body of literature on the theology of liberation tends to focus either on ecclesiastical debate, theological intricacies, or discussion within the church. Not much attention is paid to the empirical investigation of how civil society members might be influencing the rhetoric of the local church. This article takes a different approach and explores how liberation movements in Ukraine and Hong Kong inform and inspire elements of the theology of social justice within local Catholic communities through bringing to life their social dreams and engaging the churches in action. Looking at how churches and activists interact in the aftermath of the Euromaidan and the Umbrella Movement, we explore how grassroots activists approach religious hierarchies and how, in these circumstances, the clergy of the churches might be pressured into maneuvering between the social dreams of civil society and the Vatican.
Posterior Transdural Approach for Thoracic Corpectomies in the Setting of Complex Spine Deformity Reconstruction
Authors: Brehm Samuel , Ruiz-Cardozo Miguel A. , Cadieux Magalie , Barot Karma , Joseph Karan , Bui Tim , Kann Michael Ryan , Lopez-Alviar Sofia , Trevino Gabriel , Yahanda Alexander T. , LeRoy Taryn E. , Jauregui Julio J. , Pallotta Nicholas A. , Molina Camilo A. 
Published: March 2024

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE:
There are many surgical approaches for execution of a thoracic corpectomy. In cases of challenging deformity, traditional posterior approaches might not be sufficient to complete the resection of the vertebral body. In this technical note, we describe indications and technique for a transdural multilevel high thoracic corpectomy.

METHODS:
A 25-year-old man with a history of neurofibromatosis type 1 presented with instrumentation failure after a previous T1–T12 posterior spinal fusion, extensive laminectomy, and tumor resection. The patient presented with progressive back pain, had broad dural ectasia, and a progressive kyphotic rotational and anteriorly translated spinal deformity. To resect the medial-most aspect of the vertebral body, a bilateral extracavitary approach was attempted, but was found insufficient. A transdural approach was subsequently performed. A left paramedian durotomy was made, followed by generous arachnoid dissection, bilateral dentate ligament division, and T4 rootlet sacrifice to mobilize the spinal cord. A ventral durotomy was then made and the ventral dura was reflected over the spinal cord to protect it while drilling. The corpectomy was then completed. The ventral and dorsal durotomies were closed primarily and reinforced with fibrin glue and fibrin sealant patch. The corpectomy defect was filled with nonstructural autograft.

RESULTS:
The focal kyphosis was corrected with a combination of rod contouring, compression, and in situ bending. During the surgery, the patient had stable neuromonitoring data, and postoperatively had no neurological deficits. On follow-up until 1 year, the patient presented with no signs of cerebrospinal spinal leaks, no motor or sensory deficits, minimal incisional pain, and significantly improved posture.

CONCLUSION:
Complex high thoracic (T3–5) ventral pathology inaccessible via a bilateral extracavitary approach may be accessed via a transdural approach as opposed to an anterior/lateral transthoracic approach that requires mobilization of cardiovascular structures or scapula.
Sample-Path Large Deviations for Unbounded Additive Functionals of the Reflected Random Walk
Authors: Bazhba Mihail , Blanchet Jose , Rhee Chang-Han , Zwart Bert 
Published: March 2024

We prove a sample-path large deviation principle (LDP) with sublinear speed for unbounded functionals of certain Markov chains induced by the Lindley recursion. The LDP holds in the Skorokhod space [Formula: see text] equipped with the [Formula: see text] topology. Our technique hinges on a suitable decomposition of the Markov chain in terms of regeneration cycles. Each regeneration cycle denotes the area accumulated during the busy period of the reflected random walk. We prove a large deviation principle for the area under the busy period of the Markov random walk, and we show that it exhibits a heavy-tailed behavior. Funding: The research of B. Zwart and M. Bazhba is supported by the Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek [Grant 639.033.413]. The research of J. Blanchet is supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) [Grants 1915967, 1820942, and 1838576] as well as the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency [Grant N660011824028]. The research of C.-H. Rhee is supported by the NSF [Grant CMMI-2146530].