bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Interspecific interactions disrupted by roads
Authors: Quiles Pablo , Barrientos Rafael 
Published: February 2024

ABSTRACTRoads have pervasive impacts on wildlife, including habitat loss and fragmentation, road mortality, habitat pollution and increased human use of habitats surrounding them. However, the effects of roads on interspecific interactions are less understood. Here we provide a synthesis of the existing literature on how species interactions may be disrupted by roads, identify knowledge gaps, and suggest avenues for future research and conservation management. We conducted a systematic search using the Web of Science database for each species interaction (predation, competition, mutualism, parasitism, commensalism and amensalism). These searches yielded 2144 articles, of which 195 were relevant to our topic. Most of these studies focused on predation (50%) or competition (24%), and less frequently on mutualism (17%) or, parasitism (9%). We found no studies on commensalism or amensalism. Studies were biased towards mammals from high‐income countries, with most conducted in the USA (34%) or Canada (18%). Our literature review identified several patterns. First, roads disrupt predator–prey relationships, usually with negative impacts on prey populations. Second, new disturbed habitats created in road corridors often benefit more competitive species, such as invasive species, although some native or endangered species can also thrive there. Third, roads degrade mutualistic interactions like seed dispersal and pollination. Fourth, roads can increase parasitism rates, although the intensity of the alteration is species specific. To reduce the negative impacts of roads on interspecific interactions, we suggest the following management actions: (i) verges should be as wide and heterogenous as possible, as this increases microhabitat diversity, thus enhancing ecosystem services like pollination and seed dispersal; (ii) combining different mowing regimes can increase the complexity of the habitat corridor, enabling it to act as a habitat for more species; (iii) the use of de‐icing salts should be gradually reduced and replaced with less harmful products or maintenance practices; (iv) wildlife passes should be implemented in groups to reduce animal concentrations inside them; (v) periodic removal of carcasses from the road to reduce the use of this resource by wildlife; and (vi) implementation of traffic‐calming schemes could enhance interspecific interactions like pollination and avoid disruption of predator–prey relationships.
International trade fluctuations: Global versus regional factors
Authors: Beck Krzysztof , Jackson Karen 
Published: February 2024

AbstractThis paper examines the relative importance of global, regional, country and idiosyncratic factors as well as the determinants that underpin fluctuations in international trade flows across different regions of the world. Our analysis starts by using a Bayesian dynamic latent factor model (BDFM) to simultaneously estimate the four dynamic factors, followed by the application of Bayesian model averaging to identify the variables that explain the shares of variance. Our key findings are: (i) international factors are the most important in explaining fluctuations in international trade, suggesting that the interconnections between economies and policies/shocks at the regional and global level tend to be more important than country‐level factors and (ii) regional integration, particularly when the agreement goes beyond trade in goods, is positively related to the share of the regional factor and inversely related to the importance of the global factor. Furthermore, the regional factor is more important in the case of economically large trade blocks. Overall, our analysis illustrates the usefulness of applying a BDFM model to study the co‐movements of international trade series.
EGFR amplification indicated poor prognosis in EGFR‐mutated lung cancer with leptomeningeal metastases
Authors: Geng Di , Niu Ruina , Li Jinghong , Guo Sanxing , Guo Qianqian , Huang Siyuan , Wang Yurong 
Published: February 2024

AbstractBackgroundLeptomeningeal metastasis (LM) is a lethal complication of advanced lung cancer, and due to limited access to the leptomeningeal lesion, we explored the potential role of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) as a source for liquid biopsy in LM patients of lung cancer with EGFR mutation.Materials and MethodsFrom August 2018 to June 2021, we collected CSF samples of lung cancer patients at First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University. Next‐generation sequencing was performed to detect the mutations in EGFR genes, and 38 patients detected with EGFR mutations were finally enrolled in further clinical analyses.ResultsTP53 missense mutation (50%) was the most frequently detected concurrent gene in CSF. In those 10 patients whose CSF was obtained upon resistance to first TKI, TP53 missense mutation (40%, n = 4) and EGFR copy number amplification (40%, n = 4) was detected with high frequency; meanwhile, T790M mutation was found only in two patients. Known mechanisms of acquired resistance to third EGFR‐TKIs were found in 31.8% of cases. C797S or C797G mutation was identified in three patients. Possible EGFR‐independent resistant mechanism included MET amplification (4.5%), RET gene fusion (4.5%), PIK3CA missense mutation (4.5%) and CDK4 amplification (4.5%). The median OS was 55 months, the median OSLM was 38 months. EGFR amplification was associated with shortened OS in these EGFR‐mutated lung cancer with leptomeningeal metastases.ConclusionEGFR amplification indicated poor prognosis in EGFR‐mutated lung cancer with leptomeningeal metastases, providing a novel pathogenesis and treatment direction of these patients.
Age‐ and gender‐adjusted estimated glomerular filtration rate definition reveals hyperfiltration as a risk factor for renal function deterioration in type 2 diabetes
Authors: Wen Wei‐Lun , Lee Yau‐Jiunn , Hwu Der‐Wei , Chang Yu‐Hung 
Published: February 2024

AbstractAimTo assess the role of hyperfiltration for diabetic kidney disease (DKD) progression.Materials and MethodsA retrospective observational cohort study enrolled type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients with an initial estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of 60 mL/min/1.73m2 or higher. Patients were categorized into two groups: hyperfiltration (eGFR exceeding the age‐ and gender‐specific 95th percentile values from a prior national cohort study) and normofiltration. Rapid DKD progression was defined as an eGFR decline of more than 5 mL/min/1.73m2/year. We used a linear mixed effect model and Cox regression with time‐varying covariate model to compare eGFR changes and identify factors associated with rapid DKD progression.ResultsOf the enrolled 7563 T2D patients, 7.2% had hyperfiltration. The hyperfiltration group exhibited a higher rate of eGFR decline compared with the normofiltration group (−2.0 ± 0.9 vs. −1.1 ± 0.9 mL/min/1.73m2/year; P < .001). During an average follow‐up period of 4.65 ± 3.86 years, 24.7% of patients with hyperfiltration experienced rapid DKD progression, compared with 15.7% of patients with normofiltration (P < .001). Cox regression analyses identified that initial hyperfiltration was a significant determinant of rapid DKD progression, with a hazard ratio of 1.66 (95% confidence interval: 1.41‐1.95; P < .001). When combined with albuminuria, the risk of progression was further compounded (hazard ratio 1.76‐3.11, all P < .001).ConclusionsIn addition to using the current Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes CGA classification system, considering glomerular hyperfiltration status can improve the accuracy of predicting DKD progression.
Disseminated intravascular coagulation score evolution in 48 h predicts early death in acute promyelocytic leukemia patients
Authors: Infante Joana Brioso , Esteves Graça Vasconcelos , Raposo João , de Lacerda João Forjaz 
Published: February 2024

AbstractIntroductionEarly death (ED) is the unsolved issue of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). The disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) score has been proposed as a marker of bleeding and death in APL; whether its temporal evolution predicts outcomes in APL is unknown. We evaluated whether an increasing score 48 h after diagnosis associates with ED.MethodsRetrospective, single‐center study, including patients with newly diagnosed APL between 2000 and 2023, treated with all‐transretinoic acid (ATRA) plus anthracycline or arsenic trioxide (ATO). “DIC score worsening” was defined as ≥1 point increase in the score after 48 h, and ED as death within 30 days of diagnosis.ResultsEighty‐six patients were included, with median age of 46 years (17–82). ED patients (26.7%) more frequently had age >60 years and worsening DIC score after 48 h. These were also the only predictors of ED identified in both univariate and multivariate (OR 4.18, p = .011; OR 7.8, p = .005, respectively) logistic regression analysis.ConclusionThis is the first study on DIC score evolution in APL—a worsening DIC score 48 h after diagnosis is a strong independent predictive factor of ED. We propose a reduction of the DIC score from diagnosis as a new treatment goal in APL care.
Differences in anxiety, depression, and oral health‐related quality of life among dental anxiety patients with and without reported abuse experience
Authors: Aardal Vilde , Willumsen Tiril , Evensen Kjersti Berge 
Published: February 2024

AbstractThis study aimed to explore the differences in anxiety, depression, and oral health‐related quality of life between people with dental anxiety who reported abuse experience (n = 60) and people with dental anxiety who did not report abuse experience (n = 97). Both groups attended a dental service focused on the treatment of dental anxiety intended for people with a history of physiological or psychological trauma, or odontophobia. The participants responded to a questionnaire that included the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Oral Impacts on Daily Performance (OIDP), and the Index of Dental Anxiety and Fear (IDAF‐4C+). The differences between groups were tested for statistical significance using Welch's T‐tests, and linear regression was used to adjust for gender. The participants with reported abuse experience expressed greater psychological symptoms of anxiety and poorer oral health‐related quality of life. The participants with reported abuse experience also expressed a higher fear of losing control, as well as feeling shame and disgust. This study shows that individuals with dental anxiety and a history of abuse may face more complex challenges than those with dental anxiety and no history of abuse.
Currency flotation and dividend policies: Evidence from China's central parity reform
Authors: Luo Yilin , Ni Chenkai , Thewissen James 
Published: February 2024

AbstractExploiting the 2015 central parity reform in China, we examine whether and how currency flotation affects corporate payout policies. The reform shifted China's currency regime from a crawling peg to the US dollar to partial flotation, significantly increasing its currency risk. We find that firms with high foreign currency exposures reduced their cash dividends postreform relative to firms with low foreign currency exposures. The dividend reduction is more pronounced for firms with less financial hedging or less financial flexibility before the reform. Firms display asymmetrical responses to foreign exchange gains versus losses. Specifically, while firms cut cash dividends when experiencing foreign exchange losses, they do not increase cash dividends when obtaining foreign exchange gains. A falsification test shows no changes in firms’ stock dividends that do not involve cash flows. Overall, our study shows that currency flotation, through increasing currency risks, dampens firms’ cash dividends.
Effects of dietary fibre source and content and extrusion conditions on the physicochemical composition and physical quality of fibre‐enriched lentil snacks
Authors: Sinaki Nasibeh Y. , Koksel Filiz 
Published: February 2024

SummaryThe growing recognition of the health benefits associated with dietary fibre and the deficit in its daily intake are propelling the food industry to develop a variety of fibre‐enriched products including puffed snacks. Incorporating rich sources of fibre into pulse‐based foods can supplement the insufficient daily dietary fibre intake. To produce fibre‐enriched puffed pulse snacks and ready‐to‐eat breakfast cereals, three different fibre sources, namely carrot powder (CP), wheat bran (WB) and red lentil hulls (LH), were added to red lentil (RL) flour at 0%, 10% and 20% levels (w/w) and extruded at three extrusion moisture contents (MC), i.e., 18%, 20% and 22% (db). Incorporation of all three fibres into RL flour significantly (P ≤ 0.05) increased the total and insoluble dietary fibre contents and hardness and decreased the expansion index, brightness and crispiness of extrudates. Scanning electron microscopy images revealed that the fibre‐enriched extrudates had thicker cell walls with smaller cells when qualitatively compared to RL extrudates with no fibre addition. CP containing extrudates had significantly (P ≤ 0.05) higher soluble dietary fibre (SDF) content compared to extrudates containing WB and LH. WB containing extrudates were significantly (P ≤ 0.05) harder and less expanded than CP and LH containing extrudates at the same MC. The increase in fibre incorporation level increased the hardness of CP and WB containing extrudates but did not affect LH containing extrudates. Fibre incorporation level also increased the colour differences between RL extrudates with and without fibre enrichment. Increasing MC significantly (P ≤ 0.05) increased the SDF and hardness and decreased the expansion index of extrudates. These results can potentially pave the way for the production of fibre‐enriched pulse‐based puffed products, namely, snacks and ready‐to‐eat breakfast cereals, that are texturally and structurally appealing to consumers.
Uncovering the cause of breakup between species' range limits and niche limits under climate warming
Authors: Sánchez‐Castro Darío , Patsiou Theofania‐Sotiria , Perrier Antoine , Schepers Judith , Willi Yvonne 
Published: February 2024

AbstractAimGlobal climate change has been linked to shifts in species' geographic and elevational distributions, with taxa varying in responsiveness. This variation may be due to a time lag in response or climate alone not being a simple determinant of distribution limits. To tease apart the role of climate in distribution, we compared the temperature response of predicted occurrence revealed by ecological niche modelling (ENM) on historical climate with that of performance in a multi‐population transplant experiment. Congruence would support that climate is a main driver of distribution limits of a species.LocationNorth America.TaxonArabidopsis lyrata subsp. lyrata.MethodsSeeds of 20 populations of North American Arabidopsis lyrata from across the entire range were collected, propagated and then sown along a latitudinal transect across and beyond the species' range. Lifetime performance was related to the main niche‐ and range‐determining climatic variable revealed by ENM.ResultsLifetime performance did not consistently decline towards the high‐latitude range limit, but it did so towards the low‐latitude range limit. This decline was slightly weaker for low‐latitude populations, indicating divergent climate adaptation. The overall performance curve on the field‐measured minimum temperature in early spring was fairly congruent with the curve of ENM‐predicted suitability on this important niche‐determining variable. ENM‐based projections revealed that the southernmost populations were vulnerable under climate warming.Main ConclusionsResults verified that ENM based on species occurrences can well‐predict plant performance under field conditions. Congruence teaches us that with the climate change so far, the species exhibits a colonisation deficit in the north. Furthermore, the southernmost populations are vulnerable to extinction. A likely outcome is the shrinking of the species' range.
Artificial Intelligence: The Future of Pedagogy
Authors: Mattalo Brandon 
Published: February 2024

AbstractWhile it is important to research the negative impact of generative artificial intelligence on academic integrity, academics should focus most of their efforts on the opportunities these technologies present for improving pedagogical practices. In this note, I attempt to flip the narrative from one of fear to one of opportunity. I suggest that academics should research the use of generative AI to improve teaching effectiveness and efficiency. I offer various practical suggestions on how these tools can be used to advance pedagogical practices, with specific business law examples.
Colorblind racial ideology as an alibi for inaction: Examining the relationship among colorblind racial ideology, awareness of White privilege, and antiracist practices among White people
Authors: Collins Charles R. , Walsh Camille 
Published: February 2024

AbstractThis study examines the relationship among White antiracism, colorblind racial ideology (CBRI), and White privilege awareness. We use Critical Race Theory (CRT) to frame the historical context of racism in the U.S. and the emergence of racist ideologies. We examine the extent to which White privilege awareness mediates the relationship between CBRI and antiracist practices among White people. We found that (1) participants’ antiracist practices were increased the more they rejected power‐evasive forms of CBRI, (2) people who were more aware of their White privilege were also more driven toward antiracist practices, and (3) respondents’ awareness of their White privilege was enhanced as they rejected power evasive forms of CBRI. We also found that White people were more likely to participate in antiracist practices when they rejected power evasion CBRI partly because rejecting CBRI enhanced their awareness of White privilege. Our results suggest that the fight against racism requires White people to acknowledge and dismantle the privileges that come with being a member of a dominant group. We contend that CRT is a powerful framework for psychology because it helps resolve the problem of understanding how structural phenomena become ideologies that shape the way people believe and behave.
Comprehensive lipidomic analysis revealed the effects of fermented Morus alba L. intake on lipid profile in backfat and muscle tissue of Yuxi black pigs
Authors: Hou Junjie , Ji Xiang , Chu Xiaoran , Shi Zhuoyan , Wang Binjie , Sun Kangle , Wei Haibo , Song Zhen , Wen Fengyun 
Published: February 2024

AbstractMulberry leaf is a widely used protein feed and is often used as a strategy to reduce feed costs and improve meat quality in the livestock industry. However, to date, there is a lack of research on the improvement of meat quality using mulberry leaves, and the exact mechanisms are not yet known. The results showed that fermented mulberry leaves significantly reduced backfat content but had no significant effect on intramuscular fat (IMF). Lipidomic analysis showed that 98 and 303 differential lipid molecules (p < 0.05) were identified in adipose and muscle tissues, respectively, including triglycerides (TG), phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, sphingolipids, and especially TG; therefore, we analysed the acyl carbon atom number of TG. The statistical results of acyl with different carbon atom numbers of TG in adipose tissue showed that the acyl group containing 13 carbon atoms (C13) in TG was significantly upregulated, whereas C15, C16, C17, and C23 were significantly downregulated, whereas in muscle tissue, the C12, C19, C23, C25, and C26 in TG were significantly downregulated. Acyl changes in TG were different for different numbers of carbon atoms in different tissues. We found that the correlations of C (14–18) in adipose tissue were higher, but in muscle tissue, the correlations of C (18–26) were higher. Through pathway enrichment analysis, we identified six and four metabolic pathways with the highest contributions of differential lipid metabolites in adipose and muscle tissues respectively. These findings suggest that fermented mulberry leaves improve meat quality mainly by inhibiting TG deposition by downregulating medium‐ and short‐chain fatty acids in backfat tissue and long‐chain fatty acids in muscle tissue.
Prevalence of metabolic dysfunction‐associated steatotic liver disease in the Middle East and North Africa
Authors: Younossi Zobair M. , Golabi Pegah , Paik James , Owrangi Soroor , Yilmaz Yusuf , El‐Kassas Mohamed , Alswat Khalid , Alqahtani Saleh A. 
Published: February 2024

AbstractBackground and AimsMetabolic dysfunction‐associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), formerly known as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), is common and closely associated with type 2 diabetes (T2D). We assessed the prevalence of NAFLD/MASLD in the general population and among patients with T2D in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.MethodsWe searched PubMed and Embase for English‐language articles published between 1990 and 2023 according to PRISMA. Each country's NAFLD/MASLD prevalence in the general population and in T2D patients was predicted by using a multivariable meta regression model. Input data were extracted from our systematic review, GBD and NCD Risk Factor Collaboration. Confidence intervals were constructed by using prediction intervals with the delta method.ResultsMeta‐analytic pooling estimated the prevalence of NAFLD/MASLD as 39.43% in the general population and 68.71% among T2D patients. NAFLD/MASLD prevalence has increased from 35.42% (2008–2016) to 46.20% (2017–2020). Using GBD‐2019 dataset, it was predicted that there are 141.51 million cases of NAFLD/MASLD in the MENA region. The highest number of NAFLD/MASLD cases were expected in Egypt (25.71 million), followed by Türkiye (23.33 million) and Iran (19.85 million). Estimated NAFLD prevalence exceeded 40% in 10 of 21 countries with the top countries being Kuwait (45.37%), Egypt (45.0%), Qatar (44.4%), and Jordan (43.3%). Furthermore, it was predicted that there are 24.96 million cases of NAFLD/MASLD with T2D in the MENA region.ConclusionsIn the MENA region, prevalence of NAFLD/MASLD is very high and growing, necessitating an urgent need for regional public policy to deal with this growing burden.