bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Association Between Daily Toothbrushing and Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia
Authors: Ehrenzeller Selina , Klompas Michael 
Published: December 2023

ImportanceHospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) is the most common and morbid health care–associated infection, but limited data on effective prevention strategies are available.ObjectiveTo determine whether daily toothbrushing is associated with lower rates of HAP and other patient-relevant outcomes.Data SourcesA search of PubMed, Embase, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Web of Science, Scopus, and 3 trial registries was performed from inception through March 9, 2023.Study SelectionRandomized clinical trials of hospitalized adults comparing daily oral care with toothbrushing vs regimens without toothbrushing.Data Extraction and SynthesisData extraction and risk of bias assessments were performed in duplicate. Meta-analysis was performed using random-effects models.Main Outcomes and MeasuresThe primary outcome of this systematic review and meta-analysis was HAP. Secondary outcomes included hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) mortality, duration of mechanical ventilation, ICU and hospital lengths of stay, and use of antibiotics. Subgroups included patients who received invasive mechanical ventilation vs those who did not, toothbrushing twice daily vs more frequently, toothbrushing provided by dental professionals vs general nursing staff, electric vs manual toothbrushing, and studies at low vs high risk of bias.ResultsA total of 15 trials met inclusion criteria, including 10 742 patients (2033 in the ICU and 8709 in non-ICU departments; effective population size was 2786 after shrinking the population to account for 1 cluster randomized trial in non-ICU patients). Toothbrushing was associated with significantly lower risk for HAP (risk ratio [RR], 0.67 [95% CI, 0.56-0.81]) and ICU mortality (RR, 0.81 [95% CI, 0.69-0.95]). Reduction in pneumonia incidence was significant for patients receiving invasive mechanical ventilation (RR, 0.68 [95% CI, 0.57-0.82) but not for patients who were not receiving invasive mechanical ventilation (RR, 0.32 [95% CI, 0.05-2.02]). Toothbrushing for patients in the ICU was associated with fewer days of mechanical ventilation (mean difference, −1.24 [95% CI, −2.42 to −0.06] days) and a shorter ICU length of stay (mean difference, −1.78 [95% CI, −2.85 to −0.70] days). Brushing twice a day vs more frequent intervals was associated with similar effect estimates. Results were consistent in a sensitivity analysis restricted to 7 studies at low risk of bias (1367 patients). Non-ICU hospital length of stay and use of antibiotics were not associated with toothbrushing.ConclusionsThe findings of this systematic review and meta-analysis suggest that daily toothbrushing may be associated with significantly lower rates of HAP, particularly in patients receiving mechanical ventilation, lower rates of ICU mortality, shorter duration of mechanical ventilation, and shorter ICU length of stay. Policies and programs encouraging more widespread and consistent toothbrushing are warranted.
Incidence of Colorectal Cancer in Patients Diagnosed With Pyogenic Liver Abscess
Authors: Suzuki Hiroyuki , Kidder Ian , Tanaka Tomohiro , Goto Michihiko 
Published: December 2023

ImportanceColorectal cancer (CRC) can compromise the mucosal barrier and subsequently allow a route for bacterial invasion into the portal system or systemic circulation. Despite preliminary data suggesting that patients who experienced pyogenic liver abscess (PLA) have higher CRC incidence rates, data from outside the Southeast Asian population are sparse.ObjectiveTo investigate whether there is an association between PLA and the subsequent incidence of diagnosed CRC using the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) cohort.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsA patient-level matched retrospective cohort study was conducted at 127 VHA hospitals across the US from January 1, 2003, to December 31, 2020. Patients were followed up to 10 years from PLA diagnosis. Data analysis was performed from April 14, 2002, to October 31, 2023. All patients who were admitted to VHA hospitals with a diagnosis of PLA were included. For each patient with PLA, up to 3 controls without diagnosis of PLA, matching age, sex, and health care facility, were selected.ExposurePyogenic liver abscess.Main Outcomes and MeasuresThe primary outcome was CRC diagnosis during the follow-up period. A multivariable Fine-Gray subdistribution regression model with time-dependent coefficient was used to estimate the time-varying hazard ratio (HR) of CRC incidence while accounting for mortality as a competing event.ResultsA total of 8286 patients with PLA (male, 96.5%; mean [SD] age, 65.8 [11.9] years) and 23 201 patient-level matched controls (male, 96.3%; mean age, 65.3 [11.7] years) were included. A diagnosis of CRC was found in a significantly higher proportion of patients with PLA compared with controls (1.9% [159 of 8286] vs 0.8% [196 of 23 201]; P &amp;lt; .001). The incidence of CRC was significantly higher among patients with PLA during the first 3 years from PLA diagnosis (HR, 3.64; 95% CI, 2.70-4.91 at 0.5 years; HR, 2.51; 95% CI, 1.93-3.26 at 1 year; HR, 1.74; 95% CI, 1.33-2.28 at 2 years; and HR, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.05-1.89 at 3 years), but not significant after 3 years. This association was not observed among patients whose PLA was likely secondary to cholangitis or cholecystitis (HR, 1.78; 95% CI, 0.89-3.56 at 0.5 years).Conclusions and RelevanceIn this patient-level matched retrospective cohort study, a significantly higher incidence of CRC was observed up to 3 years from PLA diagnosis. The findings suggest that offering CRC screening for patients with cryptogenic PLA may be useful, especially patients who have not been screened according to guidelines.
Public Benefit Programs and Differential Associations With Child Maltreatment by Race and Ethnicity
Authors: Puls Henry T. , Hall Matthew , Boyd Reiko , Chung Paul J. 
Published: December 2023

ImportancePublic benefit programs, including state spending on local, state, and federal-state partnership programs, have consistently been associated with overall reductions in child protective services (CPS) involvement. Inequities in eligibility and access to benefit programs may contribute to varying associations by race and ethnicity.ObjectiveTo determine whether associations between state spending on benefit programs and rates of CPS investigations differ by race and ethnicity.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThis cross-sectional ecological study used repeated state-level measures of child maltreatment from the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System and population estimates from the US Census Bureau for all Black, Hispanic, and White children. All 50 US states from October 1, 2009, through September 30, 2019 (fiscal years 2010-2019), were included. Data were collected and analyzed from May 13, 2022, to March 2, 2023.ExposuresAnnual state spending on benefit programs per person living below the federal poverty limit, total and by the following subcategories: (1) cash, housing, and in-kind; (2) housing infrastructure; (3) child care assistance; (4) refundable earned income tax credit; and (5) medical assistance programs.Main Outcomes and MeasuresRace- and ethnicity-specific rates of CPS investigations. Generalized estimating equations, with repeated measures of states, an interaction between race and spending, and estimated incidence rate ratios (IRRs) and 95% CIs for incremental changes in spending of US $1000 per person living below the federal poverty limit were calculated after adjustment for federal spending, race- and ethnicity-specific child poverty rate, and year.ResultsA total of 493 state-year observations were included in the analysis. The association between total spending and CPS investigations differed significantly by race and ethnicity: there was an inverse association between total state spending and CPS investigations for White children (IRR, 0.94 [95% CI, 0.91-0.98]) but not for Black children (IRR, 0.98 [95% CI, 0.94-1.02]) or Hispanic children (IRR, 0.99 [95% CI, 0.95-1.03]) (P = .02 for interaction). Likewise, inverse associations were present for only White children with respect to all subcategories of state spending and differed significantly from Black and Hispanic children for all subcategories except the refundable earned income tax credit (eg, IRR for medical assistance programs for White children, 0.89 [95% CI, 0.82-0.96]; P = .005 for race and spending interaction term).Conclusions and RelevanceThese results raise concerns that benefit programs may add relative advantages for White children compared with Black and Hispanic children and contribute to racial and ethnic disparities in CPS investigations. States’ eligibility criteria and distribution practices should be examined to promote equitable effects on adverse child outcomes.
Microengineering 3D Collagen Matrices with Tumor‐Mimetic Gradients in Fiber Alignment
Authors: Joshi Indranil M. , Mansouri Mehran , Ahmed Adeel , De Silva Dinindu , Simon Richard A. , Esmaili Poorya , Desa Danielle E. , Elias Tresa M. , Brown Edward B. , Abhyankar Vinay V. 
Published: December 2023

AbstractCollagen fibers in the 3D tumor microenvironment (TME) exhibit complex alignment landscapes that are critical in directing cell migration through a process called contact guidance. Previous in vitro work studying this phenomenon has focused on quantifying cell responses in uniformly aligned environments. However, the TME also features short‐range gradients in fiber alignment that result from cell‐induced traction forces. Although the influence of graded biophysical taxis cues is well established, cell responses to physiological alignment gradients remain largely unexplored. In this work, fiber alignment gradients in biopsy samples are characterized and recreated using a new microfluidic biofabrication technique to achieve tunable sub‐millimeter to millimeter scale gradients. This study represents the first successful engineering of continuous alignment gradients in soft, natural biomaterials. Migration experiments on graded alignment show that human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) exhibit increased directionality, persistence, and speed compared to uniform and unaligned fiber architectures. Similarly, patterned MDA‐MB‐231 breast cancer cell aggregates exhibit biased migration toward increasing fiber alignment, suggesting a role for alignment gradients as a taxis cue. This user‐friendly approach, requiring no specialized equipment, is anticipated to offer new insights into the biophysical cues that cells interpret as they traverse the extracellular matrix (ECM), with broad applicability in healthy and diseased tissue environments.
Room‐Temperature Ferromagnetism and Fermi Level Pinning in Multilayer Graphene Films Derived from Ferrocene
Authors: Wu Jun , Jiang Chenghuan , Cui Yunkang , Yao Lin , Tan Yingfan , Xu HaiYing 
Published: December 2023

AbstractSpin polarization is a very important condition for spintronics applications which can easily be achieved by using ferromagnetic materials. Graphene‐based magnetic materials, which have long spin lifetime and diffusion length, are very promising as spin channel materials. In this work, Ferrocene molecules are chosen as the precursor carbon source using the chemical vapor deposition method, facilitating the synthesis of multilayer graphene films decorated with magnetic nanoclusters. This resultant material manifested planar ferromagnetism with a Curie temperature exceeding room temperature (≥300 K) and a saturation magnetization as high as 4.1 × 10−7 emu mm−2. The robust ferromagnetic coupling can plausibly be attributed to the presence of magnetic nanoclusters interspersed within the synthesized graphene, enhancing the localized magnetic moment and promoting ferromagnetic long‐range ordering. Furthermore, the Fermi level pinning at the Dirac point is observed and predominantly ascribed to the pervasive defects in the graphene derived from ferrocene. The oxygen functional groups within these defects act as charge traps, effectively anchoring the Fermi level to the Dirac point, intrinsically suppressing the ambipolar behavior of graphene. This work sheds light on potential avenues for the exploration of novel, high‐performance carbonaceous spintronics materials with economic feasibility.
Probing the Strain Direction‐Dependent Nonmonotonic Optical Bandgap Modulation of Layered Violet Phosphorus
Authors: Wang Huaipeng , Liu Sicheng , Liu Zhifang , Sun Yilin , Xie Dan , Ren Tianling 
Published: December 2023

AbstractRecent theoretical investigations have well‐predicted strain‐induced nonmonotonic optical band gap variations in low‐dimensional materials. However, few two‐dimensional (2D) materials are experimentally confirmed to exhibit nonmonotonic optical band gap variation under varying strain. Here, a strain‐induced nonmonotonic optical bandgap variation in violet phosphorus (VP) nanosheets is observed, as evidenced by photoluminescence spectroscopy, which is reported in a few other 2D materials in knowledge. The optical bandgap variations are characterized to show the modulation rates of 41 and −24 meV/% with compression and tensile strains, respectively. Remarkably, first‐principle calculations predict and clarify the nonmonotonic modulation accurately, highlighting its relationship with the strain direction‐dependent asymmetric distribution of conduction band minimum wavefunctions, demonstrating that this unique nonmonotonic optical bandgap modulation is determined by the distinctive crystal structure of VP. This work provides a deep insight into the design of 2D materials toward optoelectronic and photoelectrochemical applications via strain engineering.
Subcutaneous Administration of a Zwitterionic Chitosan‐Based Hydrogel for Controlled Spatiotemporal Release of Monoclonal Antibodies
Authors: Gréa Thomas , Jacquot Guillaume , Durand Arthur , Mathieu Clélia , Gasser Adeline , Zhu Chen , Banerjee Mainak , Hucteau Elyse , Mallard Joris , Lopez Navarro Pedro , Popescu Bogdan V. , Thomas Eloise , Kryza David , Sidi‐Boumedine Jacqueline , Ferrauto Giuseppe , Gianolio Eliana , Fleith Guillaume , Combet Jérôme , Brun Susana , Erb Stéphane , Cianferani Sarah , Charbonnière Loïc J. , Fellmann Lyne , Mirjolet Céline , David Laurent , Tillement Olivier , Lux François , Harlepp Sébastien , Pivot Xavier , Detappe Alexandre 
Published: December 2023

AbstractSubcutaneous (SC) administration of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) is a proven strategy for improving therapeutic outcomes and patient compliance. The current FDA‐/EMA‐approved enzymatic approach, utilizing recombinant human hyaluronidase (rHuPH20) to enhance mAbs SC delivery, involves degrading the extracellular matrix's hyaluronate to increase tissue permeability. However, this method lacks tunable release properties, requiring individual optimization for each mAb. Seeking alternatives, physical polysaccharide hydrogels emerge as promising candidates due to their tunable physicochemical and biodegradability features. Unfortunately, none have demonstrated simultaneous biocompatibility, biodegradability, and controlled release properties for large proteins (≥150 kDa) after SC delivery in clinical settings. Here, a novel two‐component hydrogel comprising chitosan and chitosan@DOTAGA is introduced that can be seamlessly mixed with sterile mAbs formulations initially designed for intravenous (IV) administration, repurposing them as novel tunable SC formulations. Validated in mice and nonhuman primates (NHPs) with various mAbs, including trastuzumab and rituximab, the hydrogel exhibited biodegradability and biocompatibility features. Pharmacokinetic studies in both species demonstrated tunable controlled release, surpassing the capabilities of rHuPH20, with comparable parameters to the rHuPH20+mAbs formulation. These findings signify the potential for rapid translation to human applications, opening avenues for the clinical development of this novel SC biosimilar formulation.
An Active and Passive Controllable Smart Glass Based on an Eco‐Friendly Aqueous Solution
Authors: Wang Tsun‐Han , Jeng Shie‐Chang 
Published: December 2023

AbstractA smart glass, based on an eco‐friendly aqueous solution, capable of controlling both transparency for privacy and the radiant energy flow for thermal insulation, is demonstrated. The transparency of the glass is self‐adaptive in response to the ambient environment and can also be electrically controlled on demand. The aqueous solution used in this study is composed of water and a non‐ionic surfactant used in the food industry. As the temperature of the aqueous solutions increases above the cloud point, the solution undergoes phase separation into a micelle‐rich phase and a micelle‐poor phase causing the incident light to be scattered by the micellar clusters. Good thermo‐responsive optical properties are achieved with ≈77% luminous transmittance, ≈90% haze, and ≈64% solar regulation. The proposed smart glass fabricated from a biocompatible aqueous solution would be eco‐friendly as well as exhibiting excellent energy conservation performance.
‘Sawfish’ Photonic Crystal Cavity for Near‐Unity Emitter‐to‐Fiber Interfacing in Quantum Network Applications
Authors: Bopp Julian M. , Plock Matthias , Turan Tim , Pieplow Gregor , Burger Sven , Schröder Tim 
Published: December 2023

AbstractPhoton loss is one of the key challenges to overcome in complex photonic quantum applications. Photon collection efficiencies directly impact the amount of resources required for measurement‐based quantum computation and communication networks. Promising resources include solid‐state quantum light sources. However, efficiently coupling light from a single quantum emitter to a guided mode remains demanding. In this work, photon losses are eliminated by maximizing coupling efficiencies in an emitter‐to‐fiber interface. A waveguide‐integrated ‘Sawfish’ photonic crystal cavity is developed and finite element (FEM) simulations are employed to demonstrate that such an emitter‐to‐fiber interface transfers, with 97.4 % efficiency, the zero‐phonon line (ZPL) emission of a negatively‐charged tin vacancy center in diamond (SnV−) adiabatically to a single‐mode fiber. A surrogate model trained by machine learning provides quantitative estimates of sensitivities to fabrication tolerances. The corrugation‐based Sawfish design proves robust under state‐of‐the‐art nanofabrication parameters, maintaining an emitter‐to‐fiber coupling efficiency of 88.6 %. Applying the Sawfish cavity to a recent one‐way quantum repeater protocol substantiates its potential in reducing resource requirements in quantum communication.
Pathology‐specific patterns of cerebellar atrophy in neurodegenerative disorders
Authors: Chen Yu , Spina Salvatore , Callahan Patrick , Grinberg Lea T. , Seeley William W. , Rosen Howard J. , Kramer Joel H. , Miller Bruce L. , Rankin Katherine P. 
Published: December 2023

AbstractINTRODUCTIONAssociations of cerebellar atrophy with specific neuropathologies in Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) have not been systematically analyzed. This study examined cerebellar gray matter volume across major pathological subtypes of ADRD.METHODSCerebellar gray matter volume was examined using voxel‐based morphometry in 309 autopsy‐proven ADRD cases and 80 healthy controls. ADRD subtypes included AD, mixed Lewy body disease and AD (LBD‐AD), and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD). Clinical function was assessed using the Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) scale.RESULTSDistinct patterns of cerebellar atrophy were observed in all ADRD subtypes. Significant cerebellar gray matter changes appeared in the early stages of most subtypes and the very early stages of AD, LBD‐AD, FTLD‐TDP type A, and progressive supranuclear palsy. Cortical atrophy positively predicted cerebellar atrophy across all subtypes.DISCUSSIONOur findings establish pathology‐specific profiles of cerebellar atrophy in ADRD and propose cerebellar neuroimaging as a non‐invasive biomarker for differential diagnosis and disease monitoring.Highlights
Cerebellar atrophy was examined in 309 patients with autopsy‐proven neurodegeneration.
Distinct patterns of cerebellar atrophy are found in all pathological subtypes of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD).
Cerebellar atrophy is seen in early‐stage (Clinical Dementia Rating [CDR] ≤1) AD, Lewy body dementia (LBD), frontotemporal lobar degeneration with tau‐positive inclusion (FTLD‐tau), and FTLD‐transactive response DNA binding protein (FTLD‐TDP).
Cortical atrophy positively predicts cerebellar atrophy across all neuropathologies.
Characterization of structured lipids produced through interesterification of blends comprising beef tallow, milk, and vegetable oil using infrared spectroscopy
Authors: Okcu Busra Nur , Aktas Ayse Burcu 
Published: December 2023

AbstractThis study aimed to restructure beef tallow‐milk‐vegetable oils blends through the chemical and enzymatic interesterifications and to analyze some properties of interesterified lipids including peroxide value, free fatty acid and mono‐di‐triacylglycerol contents, fatty acid profile, and slip melting point. Moreover, the mid‐infrared spectra of the samples were obtained using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acid contents of beef tallow increased by blending and interesterification reactions. The free fatty acid content of the enzymatically interesterified lipids was higher than that of the chemically interesterified fats. The slip melting point of the structured fats decreased after both blending and interesterification. A statistical model showed that infrared spectra combined with analytical data could discriminate the interesterified lipids from binary and ternary blends. It was found out that a 15% milk and 40% vegetable oil ratio in the initial blends yielded as end products which could be an alternative product of butterfat in the bakery industry after chemical interesterification.