bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Comparison of MIC Test Strip and reference broth microdilution method for amphotericin B and azoles susceptibility testing on wild-type and non-wild-type Aspergillus species
Authors: Hermida-Alava Katherine , Pola Santiago , García-Effrón Guillermo , Cuestas María L 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate whether the MIC Test Strip (MTS) quantitative assay for determining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) correlated with the CLSI reference broth microdilution (BMD) method for antifungal susceptibility testing of wild-type and non-wild-type Aspergillus species against antifungal agents known to be usually effective against Aspergillus spp. This study was performed to assist in the decision-making process for possible deployment of the MTS assay for antimicrobial susceptibility testing of Aspergillus species into regional public health laboratories of Mycology due to difficulties in equipping the reference BMD methods in a laboratory routine. For this purpose, a set of 40 phenotypically diverse isolates (27 wild-type, 9 non-wild-type, and 4 species with reduced susceptibility to azoles and amphotericin B [AMB]) collected from clinical samples were tested. MICs were performed by both MTS and reference BMD for AMB and azoles. MTS results for posaconazole correlated well with reference BMD, rendering an almost perfect agreement (kappa value = 1.000) by category interpretation (CI)/category distribution of MICs (CDM) (100%), while voriconazole MTS results yielded a substantial correlation with BMD (kappa value = 0.788) by CI/CDM (97.5%). In contrast, itraconazole and AMB yielded the poorest correlation with BMD, rendering moderate agreement (kappa values of 0.554 and 0.437, respectively) by CI/CDM (87.5% and 85%, respectively). In conclusion, the MTS method represents a valid option for antimicrobial susceptibility testing of Aspergillus species against posaconazole and voriconazole. Itraconazole and AMB MTS results showed some concerning lack of correlation with the corresponding reference BMD results.
Ringworlds and Dyson spheres can be stable
Authors: McInnes Colin R 
Published: January 2025

ABSTRACT
In his 1856 Adams Prize essay, James Clark Maxwell demonstrated that Saturn's rings cannot be comprised of a uniform rigid body. This is a consequence of the two-body gravitational interaction between a ring and planet resulting in instability. Similarly, it is also known that a so-called Dyson sphere encompassing a single star would be unstable due to Newton's shell theorem. A surprising finding is reported here that both a ring and a sphere (shell) can be stable in the restricted three-body problem. First, if two primary masses are considered in orbit about their common centre of mass, a large, uniform, infinitesimal ring enclosing the smaller of the masses can in principle be stable under certain conditions. Similarly, a Dyson sphere can, be stable, if the sphere encloses the smaller of the two primary masses, again under certain conditions. These findings extend Maxwell's results on the dynamics of rings and have an interesting bearing on so-called Ringworlds and Dyson spheres from fiction. Moreover, the existence of passively stable orbits for such large-scale structures may have implications for so-called techno-signatures in search for extra-terrestrial intelligence studies.
A search for close binary systems in the SALT survey of hydrogen-deficient stars using TESS
Authors: Snowdon E J , Jeffery C S , Schlagenhauf S , Dorsch M 
Published: January 2025

ABSTRACT
The TESS periodograms of the SALT survey catalogue of hydrogen-deficient stars were searched for evidence of short-period variability. Periodic light-curve variations were identified in 16 stars out of 153 catalogue objects, of which 10 were false positives. From the remaining 6 identified variables, Ton S 415 is a known close binary system and the sixth close binary containing a hydrogen-deficient hot subdwarf. Radial velocity and SED analyses ruled out the remaining 5 as close binary systems; the causes of their variability remain uncertain. With one or more K-type companions, BPS CS 22956-0094 may be a wide binary or triple. From this SALT + TESS sample, the fraction of close binaries stands at $1/29 \approx 3.5~{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ for intermediate helium hot subdwarfs and $0/124 = 0~{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ for extreme helium subdwarfs.
The NCORES programme: precise planetary masses, null results, and insight into the planet mass distribution near the radius gap
Authors: Armstrong David J , Osborn Ares , Burn Remo , Venturini Julia , Adibekyan Vardan , Bonfanti Andrea , Burt Jennifer A , Collins Karen A , Delgado Mena Elisa , Hadjigeorghiou Andreas , Howell Steve , Quinn Sam , Sousa Sergio G , Keniger Marcelo Aron F , Barrado David , Barros S C C , Bayliss Daniel , Bouchy François , Castro-González Amadeo , Collins Kevin I , Conti Denis M , Crossfield Ian M , Diaz Rodrigo , Dumusque Xavier , Feng Fabo , Lester Kathryn V , Lillo-Box Jorge , Matson Rachel A , Matthews Elisabeth C , Mordasini Christoph , Murgas Felipe , Osborn Hugh P , Palle Enric , Santos Nuno , Schwarz Richard P , Silva Tomás Azevedo , Stassun Keivan , Strøm Paul , Tan Thiam-Guan , Teske Johanna , Wang Gavin , Wheatley Peter J 
Published: January 2025

ABSTRACT
NCORES was a large observing programme on the ESO HARPS spectrograph, dedicated to measuring the masses of Neptune-like and smaller transiting planets discovered by the TESS satellite using the radial velocity technique. This paper presents an overview of the programme, its scientific goals and published results, covering 35 planets in 18 planetary systems. We present spectrally derived stellar characterization and mass constraints for five additional TOIs where radial velocity observations found only marginally significant signals (TOI-510.01, $M_p = 1.08^{+0.58}_{-0.55}{\rm M}_{\rm{\oplus }}$), or found no signal (TOIs 271.01, 641.01, 697.01, and 745.01). A newly detected non-transiting radial velocity candidate is presented orbiting TOI-510 on a 10.0 d orbit, with a minimum mass of $4.82^{+1.29}_{-1.26}{\rm M}_{\rm{\oplus }}$, although uncertainties on the system architecture and true orbital period remain. Combining the NCORES sample with archival known planets, we investigate the distribution of planet masses and compositions around and below the radius gap, finding that the population of planets below the gap is consistent with a rocky composition and ranges up to a sharp cut-off at $10M_{\rm{\oplus }}$. We compare the observed distribution to models of pebble- and planetesimal-driven formation and evolution, finding good broad agreement with both models while highlighting interesting areas of potential discrepancy. Increased numbers of precisely measured planet masses in this parameter space are required to distinguish between pebble and planetesimal accretion.
Simulation of adaptive immune receptors and repertoires with complex immune information to guide the development and benchmarking of AIRR machine learning
Authors: Chernigovskaya Maria , Pavlović Milena , Kanduri Chakravarthi , Gielis Sofie , Robert Philippe A , Scheffer Lonneke , Slabodkin Andrei , Haff Ingrid Hobæk , Meysman Pieter , Yaari Gur , Sandve Geir Kjetil , Greiff Victor 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Machine learning (ML) has shown great potential in the adaptive immune receptor repertoire (AIRR) field. However, there is a lack of large-scale ground-truth experimental AIRR data suitable for AIRR-ML-based disease diagnostics and therapeutics discovery. Simulated ground-truth AIRR data are required to complement the development and benchmarking of robust and interpretable AIRR-ML methods where experimental data is currently inaccessible or insufficient. The challenge for simulated data to be useful is incorporating key features observed in experimental repertoires. These features, such as antigen or disease-associated immune information, cause AIRR-ML problems to be challenging. Here, we introduce LIgO, a software suite, which simulates AIRR data for the development and benchmarking of AIRR-ML methods. LIgO incorporates different types of immune information both on the receptor and the repertoire level and preserves native-like generation probability distribution. Additionally, LIgO assists users in determining the computational feasibility of their simulations. We show two examples where LIgO supports the development and validation of AIRR-ML methods: (i) how individuals carrying out-of-distribution immune information impacts receptor-level prediction performance and (ii) how immune information co-occurring in the same AIRs impacts the performance of conventional receptor-level encoding and repertoire-level classification approaches. LIgO guides the advancement and assessment of interpretable AIRR-ML methods.
Pancreatic β cell-secreted factor FGF23 attenuates Alzheimer's disease-related amyloid β-induced neuronal death
Authors: Yazawa Kyosuke , Nakashima Mieko , Nakagawa Tadashi , Yanase Yuhki , Yoda Yukari , Ozawa Koichiro , Hosoi Toru 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by cognitive decline and memory impairment. The pathophysiology of AD may involve aggregated amyloid β (Aβ) accumulation, which may underlie the disease mechanism. Patients with diabetes exhibit an elevated risk of developing AD, indicating potential therapeutic implications upon elucidating the underlying mechanisms. We hypothesized that pancreatic β cell-secreted factors could protect neurons from Aβ-induced toxicity. Therefore, we established an experimental model to elucidate the communication between pancreatic β cells and neuronal cells. Notably, our findings demonstrate that pancreatic β cell culture supernatant effectively inhibits Aβ-induced neuronal cell death. Transcriptomic analysis showed significant up-regulation of multiple ribosomal protein genes in neuronal cells treated with pancreatic β cell culture supernatant. Fibroblast growth factor 23, a secreted factor from pancreatic β cells, significantly suppressed Aβ-induced neuronal cell death. Our findings suggest that pancreatic β cells may secrete previously unrecognized neuroprotective factors, thereby attenuating neuronal cell death in AD.
The Lives and Futures of Late Adolescent Black Members of the LGBTQIA Population
Authors: Barnes Sandra L 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Studies about young Black members of the LGBTQIA population tend to focus on health disparities related to HIV/AIDS among Black Men Who Have Sex with Men (BMSM). Although important, this emphasis often ignores diverse sexual identities as well as the late adolescent experience, including sentiments about their lives and futures as they navigate dynamics associated with race, sexuality, gender, and age. This mixed-methodological study considers the experiences of 123 late adolescent Black members of the LGBTQIA population 18–22 years old. Informed by emerging adulthood theory, survey and in-depth interview data are examined using content and multivariate analyses. Qualitative themes document the plans, problems, and processes individuals associate with future aspirations and expectations. Quantitative findings show the importance of age and sexual identity, as well as racial and spiritual wellbeing in explaining healthy sexual decision-making known to affect their lives and futures. The importance of multi-faceted developmental strategies, people, practices, and programs to help individuals who embrace varied sexual identities remain adaptive and resilient is discussed.
Civil Lawfare
Authors: Fernandes April D , Friedman Brittany , Kirk-Werner Gabriela M 
Published: January 2025

ABSTRACT
To offset rising mass incarceration expenses, states adopted strategies to increase revenue, including charging incarcerated individuals pay-to-stay fees, a per diem room and board charge for the cost of their incarceration. In several states, the collection of these fees is done through civil lawsuits where defendants are alleged to be unlawful consumers of state goods and resources resulting from their incarceration. We draw on the case of pay-to-stay collection in Illinois using 102 civil lawsuits, focusing particularly on the state’s attempts to collect from the most vulnerable of incarcerated individuals, those with disabilities, to develop the theoretical concept of “civil lawfare.” We argue that civil lawfare describes how the state and legal actors weaponize the strictures and procedure of civil law to leverage an assault against vulnerable, disenfranchised populations facing institutional barriers accessing legal resources. We detail the challenges faced by incarcerated individuals with disabilities in navigating this system and how legal actors wage war to facilitate perpetual indebtedness to the state. We position civil lawfare as an understudied legacy of the twentieth century wars on poverty, drugs, and crime which facilitated the decimation and destruction of predominantly Black communities through deploying racialized sentencing laws, targeted policing, and exponential incarceration rates.
Recruitment and Retention of Social Workers as Research Participants: Lessons from a Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Keemink Jolie R , Stander Willem J , Montgomery Paul , Schaub Jason 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Social work research in the UK has significant challenges in building research capacity due to a lack of funding, austerity policies, and the quality of research training within social work degrees. As a result, the workforce has limited understanding of the value and relevance of research to practice. Indeed, previous studies report a substantial lack of social workers as research participants. Although healthcare research includes a wealth of literature providing guidance on recruitment and retention of participants, these suggestions are not automatically applicable to social work research due to the distinct nature of the sector and the differential understanding and valuation of research. Based on the authors’ experiences from a randomized controlled trial, for which they recruited 614 social workers, this article is the first to offer recommendations for the recruitment and retention of social workers as research participants. The authors describe valuable lessons for future research, including advice on meaningful stakeholder involvement, social media strategies, and emphasizing the value of participation for the advancement of the field and the personal experience of the social worker. The authors conclude with a summary list of actionable recommendations that will improve the research involvement of the social work workforce.
Validation of proximity loggers to record proximity events among beef bulls
Authors: Camargo Vinicius A , Pajor Edmond A , Pearson Jennifer M 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Social behavior in cattle can be measured by how often and for how long they interact with each other. This information can be used to guide management decisions, identify sick animals, or model the spread of diseases. However, visual observation of proximity events is time-demanding and challenging, especially for rangeland cattle spread over a large area. Although proximity loggers can potentially overcome these challenges remotely, it is unknown how accurate these devices are in recording proximity events among beef bulls. The objectives of this study were: 1) to determine the accuracy of Lotek LiteTrack LR collars with built-in proximity loggers to identify proximity events among bulls and 2) to determine the accuracy of Lotek LiteTrack LR collars to identify proximity events between bulls wearing collars and bulls wearing the Lotek V7E 154D ear tag proximity transmitter. Collars were deployed in 12 bulls in 2021 (Experiment 1), and 10 bulls (5 collars and 5 ear tags) in 2023 (Experiment 2). Videos were recorded of bull behavior in both years to compare proximity observed to proximity recorded by the loggers. Sensitivity (Se), specificity (Sp), precision (Pr), and accuracy (Ac) were calculated after computing true positives (TP), false positives (FP), false negatives (FN), and true negatives (TN). The interquartile range method was used to detect outliers. As collars work as both a transmitter and receiver in Exp. 1, reciprocity was assessed by the Concordance Correlation Coefficient (CCC) as an indirect measure of reliability. In Exp. 1, most observations were TN (95.13%), followed by FN (4.11%), TP (0.70%), and FP (0.06%). A high Sp (median = 1.0; 95% CI = 1.0 to 1.0), Pr (1.00; 0.72 to 1.0), and Ac (0.96; 0.95 to 0.97), and low Se (0.10; 0.06 to 0.21) were observed. A high reciprocity agreement (0.93; 0.89 to 0.96) was also observed. Likewise, in Exp. 2 most observations were TN (85.05%), followed by FN (9.94%), TP (4.36%), and FP (0.65%), while high Sp (0.99; 0.99 to 1.0), Pr (0.89; 0.80 to 0.92), and Ac (0.95; 0.81 to 0.95), and low Se (0.35; 0.24 to 0.61) was observed. The Pr of two loggers in Exp. 1 and Pr and Ac of one logger in Exp. 2 were considered outliers. In conclusion, both proximity loggers demonstrated high precision, specificity, and accuracy but low sensitivity in recording proximity among beef bulls. Therefore, these characteristics should be considered when deciding whether to use these devices or not.
Use of Electronic Health Records to Identify Factors Related to Skin Changes in Terminal Patients
Authors: Chan Chia-Jung , Chuang Yeu-Hui , Huang Tsai-Wei , Gautama Made Satya Nugraha 
Published: January 2025

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE
To investigate the incidence of skin changes at life’s end (SCALE) among hospice patients and identify associated factors.

METHODS
The authors conducted a retrospective chart review of demographic data, medical history, Braden Scale assessment scores, Charlson Comorbidity Index, symptom records, and medical treatments of patients admitted to a local teaching hospital’s hospice unit between May 2019 and April 2021.

RESULTS
Most (79%) of the 300 hospice patients included in the study had cancer. Of the 181 patients who died, 49 (60.3%) had SCALE. Logistic regression analysis revealed that greater variations in Braden Scale scores from admission to predeath (odds ratio, 1.188; 95% CI, 1.014–1.392; P = .033), higher Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group grades (odds ratio, 1.965; 95% CI, 1.241–3.109; P = .004), and elevated Charlson Comorbidity Index scores (odds ratio, 1.514; 95% CI, 1.237–1.854; P < .001) significantly increased the likelihood of developing SCALE.

CONCLUSIONS
The findings suggest that the occurrence of SCALE may serve as a valuable clinical indicator for healthcare professionals to recognize that a patient is approaching the end of life. Consequently, the care approach should prioritize pain relief and promote comfort rather than wound healing in this patient population. These results provide evidence to support the integration of SCALE-related training programs for hospice care, which can increase healthcare professionals’ awareness and understanding of SCALE. Ultimately, the implementation of such training programs may lead to more appropriate care for hospice patients with SCALE, enhancing their quality of life at the end of life.
Spectrum of Dermatoses Affecting the Lower Leg and Foot in an Outpatient Clinic at a Tertiary Care Hospital
Authors: Passi Shanta , Uikey Deepika , Kumar Manoj 
Published: January 2025

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND
Infective and noninfective dermatoses of the lower leg and foot can be attributed to factors such as infections, blood stagnation, chemical contact, and abnormal mechanics. These factors make the lower leg and foot more susceptible to microbial infections, contact dermatitis, stasis eczema, ulcers, corns, and calluses.

OBJECTIVE
To identify the patterns of infective and noninfective dermatoses on the lower leg and foot.

METHODS
This study took place between September 2020 and August 2021 at an outpatient dermatology clinic. All patients with lower leg and foot dermatoses were included in the study, irrespective of age, sex, or occupation. Patients with generalized lesions all over the body were excluded.

RESULTS
Of the 42,527 patients who presented to the outpatient dermatology clinic during the study period, 424 patients (1%) had lower leg and foot dermatoses. The ratio of male to female patients was 2.3:1. Patients ranged in age from 4 to 76 (mean, 44.8 ± 15) years. A total of 152 patients had infective dermatoses, and 272 patients had noninfective dermatoses. Fungal infection (21.7%) was most common among patients with infective dermatoses, followed by bacterial infections (8.25%) and viral infections (7.07%). Lichen simplex chronicus (29.3%) and dermatoses due to venous stasis (19%) were most common among patients with noninfective dermatoses. The most commonly involved site was the shin, followed by the dorsum and sole of the foot.

CONCLUSIONS
The identification of high-risk patients is key in taking preventive measures to avoid complications.
The Effects of Hospital Delivery Volume and Travel Time on Perinatal Mortality and Delivery in Transit: Causal Inference with Triangulation
Authors: Asheim Andreas , Nilsen Sara Marie , Opdahl Signe , Risnes Kari , Balstad Magnussen Elisabeth , Carlsen Fredrik , Davies Neil Martin , Bjørngaard Johan Håkon 
Published: January 2025

Background:
Hospital regionalization involves balancing hospital volume and travel time. We investigated how hospital volume and travel time affect perinatal mortality and the risk of delivery in transit using three different study designs.

Methods:
This nationwide cohort study used data from the Medical Birth Registry of Norway (1999-2016) and Statistics Norway. We compared estimates across three designs: (1) Observed confounder adjustment: Comparing women giving birth at hospitals of different sizes and travel times (1,066,332 births), (2) Sibling comparison: Comparing women who moved between hospital catchment areas between births (203,464 births), (3) Neighbor comparison: comparing women living in neighboring municipalities, but in different hospital catchment areas (460,776 births).

Results:
The study population included 5080 (0.48%) perinatal deaths and 7063 deliveries in transit (0.66%). For hospitals with 2000 compared with 500 births/year, observed confounder adjustment showed 1.81 times higher perinatal mortality (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.21-2.73). However, sibling and neighbor comparisons showed a factor 0.64 (95% CI 0.43-0.97) and 0.61% (95% CI 0.43-0.88) lower perinatal mortality, respectively. Increased travel time was strongly associated with higher perinatal mortality using observed confounder adjustment, but this was not supported by the other designs. Longer travel time was consistently linked to an increased risk of delivery in transit.

Conclusions:
Perinatal mortality was higher in high-volume hospitals when adjusting for observed confounders. However, triangulating inferences from the other designs suggested the opposite, estimating that observed confounder control was insufficient. This supports the idea that access to higher-volume hospitals could improve perinatal outcomes at the population level.