bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Diagnostic yield of left‐sided colonic manometry in identifying colonic dysmotility in pediatric patients
Authors: Dorfman Lev , El‐Chammas Khalil , Brijawi Omar , Fei Lin , Mansi Sherief , Kaul Ajay 
Published: February 2024

AbstractBackgroundColonic manometry (CM) is a diagnostic procedure utilized in the evaluation of intractable constipation and involves endoscopic insertion of a manometry catheter with the tip placed in the cecum. Difficulty in advancing the colonic manometry catheter to the right colon and/or distal displacement of the catheter after appropriate placement can result in partial evaluation of the colon. Our study aimed to assess the value of limited left CM in identifying motility disorders.MethodsWe evaluated CM studies conducted at a tertiary pediatric center (2019–2022). Abnormal CM studies with catheter tips located in the cecum or ascending colon were included.Key ResultsOf 161 CM studied, 68 with abnormal CM studies met inclusion criteria (29 [42.7%] females, median age 10.3 years). Pan‐colonic dysmotility was noted in 29 (42.7%) studies and segmental dysmotility in 39 (57.4%) studies. Dysmotility of the descending and/or sigmoid colon was the most common segmental dysmotility (30, 76.9%). Isolated dysmotility of the ascending colon was noted only in patients with a cecostomy (6/13, 46.2%). The diagnostic sensitivity for dysmotility by left CM was 91.2%, which increased to 100% when excluding patients with cecostomy.Conclusions and InferencesLeft CM is a valuable and sensitive diagnostic tool for identifying abnormal colonic motility in most pediatric patients with constipation without cecostomy. Our study results provide reassurance when the manometry catheter becomes dislodged from the cecum and moves distally. Those with cecostomy have a high prevalence of dysmotility in the ascending colon and need a complete CM to identify it.
Effect of Iberogast (STW5) on tolerance to colonic gas in patients with irritable bowel syndrome: A randomized, double‐blind, placebo control clinical trial
Authors: Aguilar Ariadna , Benslaiman Bouchra , Serra Jordi 
Published: February 2024

AbstractBackgroundSTW5 is an herbal medicinal product that, in previous studies, reduced abdominal pain in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The effect of STW5 on gas‐related abdominal symptoms is unknown.AimTo determine the effects of STW5, compared to placebo, on the responses to colonic gas in IBS.MethodsUsing a cross‐over design, two gas challenge tests were performed in 10 patients with IBS and bloating after 2‐weeks treatment with (a) STW5 and (b) placebo. The challenge test consisted in continuous infusion of gas into the colon (24 mL/min for 60 min), followed by a 30‐min free evacuation period. Gas evacuation, symptom perception, and abdominal distension were continuously registered.ResultsColonic gas filling was associated to a significant rise in abdominal symptom perception, that was significantly greater when patients were on‐placebo (score increment 4.0 ± 0.3) compared with on‐STW5 (score increment 3.2 ± 0.4; p = 0.035). Gas filling was associated to a progressive abdominal distension that was similar with both treatments. Opening of the rectal cannula produced a massive gas evacuation, similar after both treatments, associated to a return of abdominal perception and distension to basal levels when patients were on‐STW5 (score increment −0.1 ± 0.4; distension 0.3 ± 0.2 cm; p = 0.399, and p = 0.112 vs. basal), whereas both remained increased on‐placebo (score increment 0.5 ± 0.3; distension 0.8 ± 0.3 cm; p = 0.048, and p = 0.016 vs. infusion start).ConclusionsSTW5 improves colonic gas tolerance in IBS patients with bloating without a significant effect on gas retention and evacuation. This medicinal product can be beneficious for treatment of gas‐related abdominal symptoms in patients with bloating. EudraCT: 2019‐003976‐38.
Placebo response to sham electroacupuncture in patients with chronic functional constipation: A secondary analysis
Authors: Xiong Zhiyi , Ma Peihong , Zhang Haoran , Liu Cunzhi , Liu Baoyan , Liu Zhishun , Yan Shiyan 
Published: February 2024

AbstractBackgroundChronic severe functional constipation is a common disease that requires novel and effective treatment strategies. Acupuncture might constitute a promising therapeutic approach for chronic constipation, but it reportedly engenders an enhanced placebo response. Herein, we aimed to determine the magnitude of the placebo responses to electroacupuncture for constipation and identify its influencing factors.MethodsIn this secondary analysis of a multicenter randomized trial, patients were randomized to a sham electroacupuncture group, which was administered for 8 weeks in 24 sessions of superficial needling at nonacupoints. The placebo response rates were assessed using three responder criteria: ≥3 complete spontaneous bowel movements per week (CSBMs/week), overall CSBM, and sustained CSBM. Logistic regression with backward selection method was employed to identify the potential factors that affected the placebo response.Key ResultsOverall, 539 patients were included in the study. The placebo response rate was 10.58%, 9.46%, and 9.09% according to the three aforementioned criteria, respectively. Those who exhibited more CSBMs/week at baseline were more likely to respond to sham electroacupuncture. Among patients with more than one CSBM per week at baseline, the response rates for achieving the criteria of ≥3 CSBMs per week, overall CSBM, and sustained CSBM were 25.40%, 30.16%, and 22.22%.Conclusions and InferenceElectroacupuncture did not demonstrate a large placebo response in functional constipation treatment. The number of CSBMs at baseline may be a moderator of the placebo response to sham electroacupuncture. Thus, superficial needling sham acupuncture may be considered an ideal sham control for clinical trials of chronic constipation.
The ETI‐dependent receptor‐like kinase 1 positively regulates effector‐triggered immunity by stabilizing NLR‐required for cell death 4 in Nicotiana benthamiana
Authors: Sun Yujing , Liu Fan , Zeng Mengzhu , Zhang Xinjie , Cui Ying , Chen Zhaodan , Wang Lei , Xu Yuanpeng , Wu Jinbin , Guo Shengya , Dong Xian , Dong Suomeng , Wang Yan , Wang Yuanchao 
Published: February 2024

Summary
Leucine‐rich repeat receptor‐like kinases (LRR‐RLKs) comprise the largest class of membrane‐localized receptor‐like kinases in plants. Leucine‐rich repeat receptor‐like kinases are key immune sectors contributing to pattern‐triggered immunity (PTI), but whether LRR‐RLK mediates effector‐triggered immunity (ETI) in plants remains unclear.
In this study, we evaluated the function of LRR‐RLKs in regulating ETI by using a virus‐induced gene silencing (VIGS)‐based reverse genetic screening assay, and identified a LRR‐RLK named ETI‐dependent receptor‐like kinase 1 (EDK1) required for ETI triggered by the avirulence effector AVRblb2 secreted by Phytophthora infestans and its cognate receptor Rpi‐blb2. Silencing or knockout of EDK1 compromised immunity mediated by Rpi‐blb2 and the cell death triggered by recognition of AVRblb2.
NLR‐required for cell death 4 (NRC4), a signaling component acts downstream of Rpi‐blb2, was identified that interacts with EDK1 using the LC–MS analysis and the interaction was further evaluated by co‐immunoprecipitation. EDK1 promotes protein accumulation of NRC4 in a kinase‐dependent manner and positively regulates resistance to P. infestans in Nicotiana benthamiana.
Our study revealed that EDK1 positively regulates plant ETI through modulating accumulation of the NLR signaling component NRC4, representing a new regulatory role of the membrane‐localized LRR‐RLKs in plant immunity.
Adherence and dropout in exercise‐based interventions in childhood obesity: A systematic review of randomized trials
Authors: Guijo Jaddy Antunes , do Prado Wagner Luiz , de Araújo Rodrigo Cappato , dos Santos Ellem Eduarda Pinheiro , Malik Neal , Lofrano‐Prado Mara C. , Botero Joao Paulo 
Published: February 2024

AbstractOur objective was to systematically examine the characteristics of exercise interventions on adherence and dropout in children and adolescents with obesity. PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, Lilacs, Scielo, and The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and reference lists of relevant articles were searched. We included randomized controlled trials with exercise interventions for pediatric patients with obesity presenting data on dropout and/or adherence. Two reviewers screened the records independently for eligibility with disagreements being resolved by a third reviewer. Twenty‐seven studies with 1268 participants were included. Because of high heterogeneity and poor reporting of adherence, it was not possible to perform a meta‐analysis. Dropout prevalence was calculated, and subgroup analyses comparing different types of exercise and a meta‐regression with potential moderators were performed. We found a dropout rate of 13%. Subgroup analyses did not identify significant differences. The duration of the exercise presented a moderating effect on dropout, suggesting that longer exercise sessions may lead to higher dropout in children and adolescents with obesity. Because of the poor adherence data, it is not clear which exercise characteristics may moderate adherence. To improve the quality of childhood obesity care, it is mandatory that future studies present adherence data. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO CRD42021290700.
Forged soft tissues revealed in the oldest fossil reptile from the early Permian of the Alps
Authors: Rossi Valentina , Bernardi Massimo , Fornasiero Mariagabriella , Nestola Fabrizio , Unitt Richard , Castelli Stefano , Kustatscher Evelyn 
Published: February 2024

AbstractTridentinosaurus antiquus represents one of the oldest fossil reptiles and one of the very few skeletal specimens with evidence of soft tissue preservation from the Cisuralian (Early Permian) of the Italian Alps. The preservation and appearance of the fossil have puzzled palaeontologists for decades and its taphonomy and phylogenetic position have remained unresolved. We reanalysed T. antiquus using ultraviolet light (UV), 3D surface modelling, scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM‐EDS), micro x‐ray diffraction (μ‐XRD), Raman and attenuated total reflectance Fourier transformed infrared (ATR‐FTIR) spectroscopy to determine the origin of the body outline and test whether this represents the remains of organically preserved soft tissues which in turn could reveal important anatomical details about this enigmatic protorosaur. The results reveal, however, that the material forming the body outline is not fossilized soft tissues but a manufactured pigment indicating that the body outline is a forgery. Our discovery poses new questions about the validity of this enigmatic taxon.
The legitimacy of local government in the Australian federation
Authors: Brenton Scott , Stein Jonas 
Published: February 2024

AbstractAustralian local government does not enjoy the status of its counterparts in comparable democracies and has long sought acknowledgment in the federal constitution. As these campaigns have consistently failed, this study considers how, and in which forms, local government obtains its own political legitimacy within a governance system centered on the citizen–state relationship, in addition to evaluating the relationships between the different forms of legitimacy. We find that positive perceptions of local government effectiveness are associated with higher levels of support for constitutional change, but that local governments need to pay more attention to systems of accountability and oversight, how building and planning issues are handled, and how they communicate with residents. Generally, and unsurprisingly, local government is appreciated more by those who rely on their services yet who are not always the loudest voices in public debates. Constitutional legitimacy is more likely when other sources of legitimacy are enhanced.Related ArticlesTran, Carolyn‐Thi Thanh Dung, and Brian Dollery. 2022. “Administrative Intensity and Financial Sustainability: An Empirical Analysis of the Victorian Local Government System.”Politics & Policy50(3): 540–61.https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12466.Van Acker, Elizabeth. 2009. “Service Delivery of Relationship Support Programs in Australia: Implications for the ‘Community Sector.’”Politics & Policy37(6): 1307–29.https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1747‐1346.2009.00221.x.Wallis, Joe Tor Brodtkorb, Brian Dollery, and Muiris MacCarthaigh. 2017. “Commissions and Local Government Reform: Expressed Leadership Identities of Commissioners in Inquiries Proposing Municipal Mergers in Northern Ireland and New South Wales.”Politics & Policy45(2): 285–308.https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12199.
Cardiovascular reactivity to acute psychological stress is associated with generalized self‐efficacy and self‐efficacy outcomes during adventure challenges
Authors: Tyne William P. , Fletcher David , Stevinson Clare , Paine Nicola J. 
Published: February 2024

AbstractOutdoor adventure challenges are commonly used to enhance self‐efficacy, but the physiological mechanisms involved remain unexplored. Additionally, while studies have documented the influence of self‐efficacy on stress management, general self‐efficacy has yet to be fully understood in the context of cardiovascular stress reactivity (CVR). This study investigated the influence of self‐efficacy beliefs on CVR during acute psychological stress tasks. Additionally, it explored whether CVR serves as a novel mechanism underlying the outcomes of outdoor adventure challenges. As part of a wider randomized controlled trial, participants (n = 55) were invited to complete a laboratory session to assess CVR to an active (paced auditory serial addition test (PASAT)) and a passive (cold pressor test (CPT)) stress task. Randomized participants (n = 33) to the experimental condition also engaged in a high ropes challenge course after the laboratory session. It was found that greater self‐reported self‐efficacy was associated with larger CVR during the CPT and positively associated with perceived engagement and performance during the PASAT. Secondly, participants reporting positive change in self‐efficacy post‐intervention were associated with greater CVR and greater CVR was associated with higher ratings of intervention engagement and perceived challenge. This study provides preliminary evidence suggesting that greater efficacy beliefs may heighten CVR to passive acute psychological stressors. Habitual stress reactivity may represent a novel mechanism involved in outdoor and adventure‐based interventions. Future research should continue to explore the impact of psychological variables on stress physiology and examine CVR as a potential mechanism in adventure experiences.
Fermentation in aquafeed processing: Achieving sustainability in feeds for global aquaculture production
Authors: Siddik Muhammad A. B. , Julien Billie B. , Islam S. M. Majharul , Francis David S. 
Published: February 2024

AbstractImproving feed suitability and bolstering the global upsurge in fish production is a strategic challenge for aquaculture. The utilization of plant and animal derived ingredients in aquafeed for achieving sustainable in finfish aquaculture is affected by various factors, including the presence of antinutritional factors, lowered nutrient bioavailability, indigestible particles and microbial contaminants. Applying fermentation to overcome these problems in aquafeed ingredients has received considerable attention in recent years as fermentation provides health‐promoting probiotic benefits to host organisms. Fermentation has also been shown in many studies to improve nutrient availability and bioavailability of feed, increased palatability and digestibility and eliminate anti‐nutritional compounds in dietary feed ingredients, making them more easily digestible which eventually improve growth and health performance of fish. Therefore, it is imperative to accelerate the use of fermented feedstuffs as aquafeed if sustainable aquaculture is to be achieved. This review reported the various methods of fermentation, characteristics of fermented feed ingredients, factors that are considered during fermentation and overall nutritional quality of fermented feed ingredients for aquaculture production. The role of fermented feed ingredients for various farmed species in terms of growth, feed utilization, gut microbiota composition, immunity and disease resistance in fish is thoroughly discussed. The possible drawbacks associated with the fermentation process are also discussed in the article.
Fluoroscopically measured bronchial collapse in healthy dogs during cough exceeds 25%, and a cutoff of 60% bronchial collapse can be used to distinguish healthy from chronically coughing dogs
Authors: Blank Carolyn , Granger L. Abbigail , Gaschen Lorrie , Liu Chin‐Chi , Gaschen Frederic 
Published: February 2024

AbstractBronchomalacia, the weakening of bronchial cartilage, is a common cause of cough in dogs. The gold standard for diagnosis of bronchomalacia is bronchoscopy; however, fluoroscopy is often used as a preliminary diagnostic test due to its noninvasiveness. The normal amount of bronchial collapse in healthy dogs using fluoroscopy has not been previously established, with some authors citing <25%. The aims of this prospective and retrospective analytical observational study were to determine the normal amount of airway collapse in healthy animals, the amount of airway collapse in dogs with chronic cough and presumed bronchomalacia, and cut‐off values of airway collapse during expiration and cough to distinguish between the two groups. Thoracic fluoroscopy was performed in right and left lateral recumbency during inspiration, expiration, and cough to evaluate the percentage collapse of the trachea and lobar bronchi in 45 healthy and 76 chronically coughing dogs. The bronchi of chronically coughing dogs exhibited a significantly greater amount of collapse during both expiration and cough compared with healthy dogs. Chronically coughing dogs exhibited up to 31.7 ± 26.6% collapse in expiration and 87.5 ± 23.7% collapse during cough, whereas healthy dogs exhibited 14.9 ± 6.1% collapse in expiration and 35.0 ± 13.7% collapse during cough. Based on ROC curves, the authors suggest using cut‐off values of 30% during expiration and 60% during cough to distinguish between healthy dogs and those with presumed bronchomalacia. Findings suggest that though healthy dogs can exhibit a greater degree of airway collapse than previously thought, fluoroscopy can be used to distinguish between healthy and presumed bronchomalacic dogs.
Quantitative studies on B‐mode ultrasound and point shear wave elastography of kidneys in nonazotemic dogs
Authors: Jena Biswadeep , Mohindroo Jitender , Gupta Kuldip , Singh Navdeep 
Published: February 2024

AbstractRenal diseases in dogs can be diagnosed effectively using B‐mode ultrasound. Point shear wave elastography (pSWE) has demonstrated usefulness in diagnosing renal diseases in human medicine. However, its application in veterinary medicine is in its nascent stage. It was hypothesized that establishing pSWE reference values in nonazotemic dogs would prove valuable in differentiating renal diseases. In light of this, a single‐center, quantitative study with an objective to normalize B‐mode ultrasound parameters and pSWE values of the kidney in nonazotemic dogs was conducted. A total of 198 animals presented with clinical signs of anorexia, vomiting, weight loss, and dehydration were enrolled in the study spanning 2 years. Among them, 52 nonazotemic dogs were included as subjects for the study. B‐mode ultrasound quantitative parameters, including length (L), breadth (B), height (H), cortical thickness (RCT), and medulla thickness (RMT) of the kidneys, as well as the diameter of the aorta (Ao), were normalized. Additionally, calculated parameters such as L:Ao, B:Ao, H:Ao, RCT:Ao, and corticomedullary ratios were worked out. Point shear wave elastography values were obtained from the cranial and caudal poles of renal cortices using ElastPQ stiffness software. The pSWE values of kidneys in nonazotemic dogs were normalized. The mean ± standard error values were 1.04 ± 0.08 m/s (95% confidence interval: 0.88–1.19 m/s) and 4.18 ± 0.62 kPa (95% confidence interval: 2.93–5.42 kPa). In conclusion, B‐mode ultrasound quantitative parameters, ratios, and pSWE values were normalized in nonazotemic dogs, which may prove valuable in differentiating renal pathologies in canine patients.
A Matched-Pair Analysis of Gross Motor Skills of 3- to 5-Year-Old Children With and Without a Chronic Physical Illness
Authors: Bedard Chloe , King-Dowling Sara , Timmons Brian W. , Ferro Mark A. 
Published: February 2024

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the gross motor skills of children with a chronic physical illness with those of their healthy peers. Methods: Data for children with a chronic physical illness come from the Multimorbidity in Children and Youth Across the Life Course study, and data from children without a physical illness come from the Health Outcomes and Physical Activity in Preschoolers study. Multimorbidity in Children and Youth Across the Life Course and Health Outcomes and Physical Activity in Preschoolers included children ages 3–5 years and administered the Peabody Development Motor Scales-second edition. Participants were sex and age matched (20 male and 15 female pairs; Mage = 54.03 [9.5] mo). Results: Gross motor skills scores were “below average” for 47% of children with a physical illness compared with 9% of children without a physical illness (P = .003). Matched-paired t tests detected significant differences in total gross motor scores (dz = −0.35), locomotor (dz = −0.31), and object control (dz = −0.39) scores, with healthy children exhibiting better motor skills, and no significant difference in stationary scores (dz = −0.19). Conclusions: This skill gap may increase burden on children with physical illness and future research should assess gross motor skills longitudinally to establish whether the gap widens with age.