bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Population dynamics of plague vector fleas in an endemic focus: implications for plague surveillance
Authors: Rasoamalala Fanohinjanaharinirina , Gostic Katelyn , Parany Mamionah J , Rahelinirina Soanandrasana , Rahajandraibe Soloandry , Gorgé Olivier , Valade Eric , Harimalala Mireille , Rajerison Minoarisoa , Ramasindrazana Beza 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
Plague is a zoonotic vector-borne disease caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. In Madagascar, it persists in identified foci, where it is a threat to public health generally from September to April. A more complete understanding of how the disease persists could guide control strategies. Fleas are the main vector for transmission between small mammal hosts and humans, and fleas likely play a role in the maintenance of plague. This study characterized the dynamics of flea populations in plague foci alongside the occurrence of human cases. From 2018 to 2020, small mammals were trapped at sites in the central Highlands of Madagascar. A total of 2,762 small mammals were captured and 5,295 fleas were collected. The analysis examines 2 plague vector species in Madagascar (Synopsyllus fonquerniei and Xenopsylla cheopis). Generalized linear models were used to relate flea abundance to abiotic factors, with adjustments for trap location and flea species. We observed significant effects of abiotic factors on the abundance, intensity, and infestation rate by the outdoor-associated flea species, S. fonquerniei, but weak seasonality for the indoor-associated flea species, X. cheopis. A difference in the timing of peak abundance was observed between the 2 flea species during and outside the plague season. While the present study did not identify a clear link between flea population dynamics and plague maintenance, as only one collected X. cheopis was infected, the results presented herein can be used by local health authorities to improve monitoring and control strategies of plague vector fleas in Madagascar.
“A life to enlighten us”: Remembering C. R. Rao, 1920–2023
Authors: O'Grady Cathleen 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
Professor C. R. Rao, the celebrated statistician whose work shaped the landscape of modern statistics, passed away on 22 August in Buffalo, New York, at the age of 102. A true giant in the field of statistics, Rao's monumental contributions have left an indelible mark on both academic and practical spheres. Some of those who knew him best talk to Cathleen O'Grady about his brilliant mind and immense legacy, as well as his famed gentleness and humility
Ensemble methods for testing a global null
Authors: Liu Yaowu , Liu Zhonghua , Lin Xihong 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
Testing a global null is a canonical problem in statistics and has a wide range of applications. In view of the fact that no uniformly most powerful test exists, prior and/or domain knowledge are commonly used to focus on a certain class of alternatives to improve the testing power. However, it is generally challenging to develop tests that are particularly powerful against a certain class of alternatives. In this paper, motivated by the success of ensemble learning methods for prediction or classification, we propose an ensemble framework for testing that mimics the spirit of random forests to deal with the challenges. Our ensemble testing framework aggregates a collection of weak base tests to form a final ensemble test that maintains strong and robust power for global nulls. We apply the framework to four problems about global testing in different classes of alternatives arising from whole-genome sequencing (WGS) association studies. Specific ensemble tests are proposed for each of these problems, and their theoretical optimality is established in terms of Bahadur efficiency. Extensive simulations and an analysis of a real WGS dataset are conducted to demonstrate the type I error control and/or power gain of the proposed ensemble tests.
Exploring urban co-presence and migrant integration on Beirut’s seafront
Authors: Khayat Nadine , Rishbeth Clare 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
This article focuses on investigating how uses and users of Beirut’s seafront spaces reflect city demographics and how these may offer specific affordances to migrant communities. The article documents co-presence and experiences of recreation and interactions to explore whether these can be meaningfully described as integrated leisure spaces. Beirut is a post-conflict, high migration city, and the country of Lebanon hosts the highest number of Syrian refugees per capita globally. The fieldwork and data capture took a multi-scalar approach linking spatial, temporal, and social qualities of using these public spaces through empirical work including a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews, both conducted on site. The triangulation of quantitative and qualitative methods supported a fuller understanding of integration both in terms of physical co-presence and the experiential qualities of spaces used by diverse communities. Our findings demonstrate that though each of the four seafront spaces was used by people from a range of national backgrounds, there were important differences. Income level and gender were important intersecting factors. Time of day and week also shaped who was present in each space. The qualitative data informed better understandings of the experience of the seafront spaces by visitors from migrant backgrounds, finding that time by the sea was highly valued by many, but was not necessarily an escape from some of the prejudices and social inequalities found in Lebanon.
Survival, neurocognitive function, and health-related quality of life outcomes after rituximab—methotrexate, BCNU, teniposide, and prednisolone for primary CNS lymphoma: Final results of the HOVON 105/ALLG NHL 24 study
Authors: Bromberg Jacoline E C , Issa Samar , van der Holt Bronno , van der Meulen Matthijs , Dirven Linda , Minnema Monique C , Seute Tatjana , Durian Marc , Cull Gavin , van der Poel Marjolein W M , Stevens Wendy B C , Zijlstra Josee M , Brandsma Dieta , Nijland Marcel , Mason Kylie D , Beeker Aart , Abrahamse-Testroote Martine C J , van den Bent Martin J , de Jong Daphne , Doorduijn Jeanette K 
Published: December 2023

Abstract

Background
Studies on the efficacy of rituximab in primary CNS lymphoma (PCNSL) reported conflicting results. Our international randomized phase 3 study showed that the addition of rituximab to high-dose methotrexate, BCNU, teniposide, and prednisolone (MBVP) in PCNSL was not efficacious in the short term. Here we present long-term results after a median follow-up of 82.3 months.

Methods
One hundred and ninety-nine eligible newly diagnosed, nonimmunocompromised patients with PCNSL aged 18–70 years with WHO performance status 0–3 was randomized between treatment with MBVP chemotherapy with or without rituximab, followed by high-dose cytarabine consolidation in responding patients, and reduced-dose WBRT in patients aged ≤ 60 years. Event-free survival was the primary endpoint. Overall survival rate, neurocognitive functioning (NCF), and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) were additionally assessed, with the IPCG test battery, EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-BN20 questionnaires, respectively.

Results
For event-free survival, the hazard ratio was 0.85, 95% CI 0.61–1.18, P = .33. Overall survival rate at 5 years for MBVP and R-MBVP was 49% (39–59) and 53% (43–63) respectively. In total, 64 patients died in the MBVP arm and 55 in the R-MBVP arm, of which 69% were due to PCNSL. At the group level, all domains of NCF and HRQoL improved to a clinically relevant extent after treatment initiation, and remained stable thereafter up to 60 months of follow-up, except for motor speed which deteriorated between 24 and 60 months. Although fatigue improved initially, high levels persisted in the long term.

Conclusions
Long-term follow-up confirms the lack of added value of rituximab in addition to MBVP and HD-cytarabine for PCNSL.
Rice ILI atypical bHLH transcription factors antagonize OsbHLH157/OsbHLH158 during brassinosteroid signaling
Authors: Liu Mingqian , Lu Mingmin , Zhao Ziwei , Luo Qin , Liu Feng , Zhao Jing , He Yubing , Tian Yanan , Zhan Huadong 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
Brassinosteroids (BRs) are a group of steroid hormones that play crucial roles in plant growth and development. Atypical bHLH transcription factors that lack the basic region for DNA binding have been implicated in BR signaling. However, the underlying mechanisms of atypical bHLHs in regulation of rice (Oryza sativa) BR signaling are still largely unknown. Here, we describe a systematic characterization of INCREASED LEAF INCLINATION (ILI) subfamily atypical bHLH transcription factors in rice. A total of 8 members, ILI1 to ILI8, with substantial sequence similarity were retrieved. Knockout and overexpression analyses demonstrated that these ILIs play unequally redundant and indispensable roles in BR-mediated growth and development in rice, with a more prominent role for ILI4 and ILI5. The ili3/4/5/8 quadruple and ili1/3/4/7/8 quintuple mutants displayed tremendous BR-related defects with severe dwarfism, erect leaves, and sterility. Biochemical analysis showed that ILIs interact with OsbHLH157 and OsbHLH158, which are also atypical bHLHs and have no obvious transcriptional activity. Overexpression of OsbHLH157 and OsbHLH158 led to drastic BR-defective growth, whereas the osbhlh157 osbhlh158 double mutant developed a typical BR-enhanced phenotype, indicating that OsbHLH157 and OsbHLH158 play a major negative role in rice BR signaling. Further transcriptome analyses revealed opposite effects of ILIs and OsbHLH157/OsbHLH158 in regulation of downstream gene expression, supporting the antagonism of ILIs and OsbHLH157/OsbHLH158 in maintaining the balance of BR signaling. Our results provide insights into the mechanism of BR signaling and plant architecture formation in rice.
The Vernacular Theology of the Old English Advent Lyrics: Monastic Devotion to Mary
Authors: Jones Jasmine 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
The cult of the Virgin Mary in England is typically perceived as beginning in the High Middle Ages and blossoming during the late medieval and early modern periods. Any recognition of English interest in Mary before the Norman Conquest is pushed to the end of the early medieval period (c. 500–c. 1100), with advanced thinking about Mary confined to the mid-to-late tenth century, during the English Benedictine Reform (c. 960–c. 1000). However, material and historical evidence indicates that sophisticated English Mariology dates from much earlier. An important, overlooked, and distinctive piece of evidence is The Advent Lyrics, probably composed by a monastic poet for a monastic audience before the upsurge of writing in Old English prose during the reign of King Alfred the Great (871–99). The work we call The Advent Lyrics is formed of twelve Old English lyric meditations which scholars have considered disconnected and have interpreted within the context of Benedictine Reform; however, this article argues that they form a unified, early composition. The Advent Lyrics demonstrate the complexity and longevity of Mariology in early medieval English culture. By drawing attention to new analogues from diverse traditions such as Syriac, Greek, Irish and Germanic-heroic, this article demonstrates how The Advent Lyrics provide insight to the earliest English poetry as a medium of vibrant vernacular theology.
Energy spectrum measurement of scattered X-rays during IVR procedure
Authors: Oikawa Joma , Sakai Jun , Fujiwara Yusuke , Tsurusawa Kota , Shimao Daisuke , Date Hiroyuki , Sugimori Hiroyuki 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
With the increase of the number of interventional radiology (IVR) procedures, the occupational exposure of operators and medical staff has attracted keen attention. The energy of scattered radiation in medical clinical sites is important for estimating the biological effects of occupational exposure. Recent years have seen many reports on the dose of scattered radiation by IVR, but few on the energy spectrum. In this study, the energy spectrum of scattered X-rays was measured by using a cadmium telluride (CdTe) semiconductor detector during IVR on several neurosurgical and cardiovascular cases. The cumulated spectra in each case were compared. The spectra showed little changes among neurosurgical cases and relatively large changes among cardiovascular cases. This was assumed to be due to the change of X-ray tube voltage and tube angle was larger in cardiovascular cases. The resulting energy spectra will be essential for the assessment of detailed biological effects of occupational exposure.
Application Potential of Extracellular Vesicles Derived From Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Renal Diseases
Authors: Li Enhui , Xu Jia , Liu Ning , Xiong Qi , Zhang Weiwei , Gong Yizi , Zhang Linlin , He Yikai , Ge Huipeng , Xiao Xiangcheng 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
The high prevalence and complex etiology of renal diseases already impose a heavy disease burden on patients and society. In certain kidney diseases such as acute kidney injury and chronic kidney disease, current treatments are limited to slowing rather than stabilizing or reversing disease progression. Therefore, it is crucial to study the pathological mechanisms of kidney disease and discover new therapeutic targets and effective therapeutic drugs. As cell-free therapeutic strategies are continually being developed, extracellular vesicles derived from mesenchymal stem cells (MSC-EVs) have emerged as a hot topic for research in the field of renal diseases. Studies have demonstrated that MSC-EVs not only reproduce the therapeutic effects of MSCs but also localize to damaged kidney tissue. Compared to MSCs, MSC-EVs have several advantages, including ease of preservation, low immunogenicity, an inability to directly form tumors, and ease of artificial modification. Exploring the detailed mechanisms of MSC-EVs by developing standardized culture, isolation, purification, and drug delivery strategies will help facilitate their clinical application in kidney diseases. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of studies about MSC-EVs in kidney diseases and discuss their limitations at the human nephrology level.
Blended Learning for Enhancing Nursing Students’ Confidence in Managing Psychiatric Nursing Problems
Authors: Chen Miao-Chuan 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
The purpose of the study was to understand the effectiveness of a blended learning model for improving nursing students’ confidence in the management of psychiatric care problems. A pretest-posttest design was used with 94 third-year student participants. Students’ self-confidence in managing problem behaviors improved from pretest scores. The experimental group demonstrated significant improvement (p < .05) in areas including distinguishing between delusion and disturbance, distinguishing and controlling behavioral disturbance, practicing gentle and firm interactions, showing empathy, interview guiding, accepting the responsibility of the team, and confidently enforcing constraints. Audiovisual teaching materials provided in the intervention had significant effects.
Pain Management in Patients With Opioid Use Disorder on Extended-release Buprenorphine: A Case Report
Authors: South Anna-Maria , Oller Devin , Lofwall Michelle , Fanucchi Laura C. 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
Persons with opioid use disorder (OUD) are receiving extended-release buprenorphine (ER-buprenorphine) for treatment of OUD. There are no clinical guidelines for management of patients with OUD on ER-buprenorphine experiencing acute or chronic pain. This case report describes 3 patient-involved, multidisciplinary approaches for pain management in various clinical scenarios, including a scheduled knee replacement, emergent surgery for an ischemic limb, and management of chronic pain from metastatic malignancy. These cases illustrate that adequate analgesia for patients who have received ER-buprenorphine is possible, and approaches can be individualized, with shared decision making between providers and patients addressing all barriers to optimize treatment outcomes. Options for acute pain management that can be considered include supplemental sublingual buprenorphine, nonopioid adjuncts, and short courses of full opioid agonists. Potential barriers that impact OUD and acute/chronic pain are provider bias, limited access to palliative care clinicians with addiction medicine training, and payor restrictions to adding sublingual buprenorphine for patients that are on ER-buprenorphine. Additional training for clinicians and other members of the health care team is recommended to improve patient-involved care of persons with OUD experiencing pain.
Focused Cardiac Ultrasound Findings of Fluid Tolerance and Fluid Resuscitation in Septic Shock
Authors: Prevalska Ina G. , Tucker Ryan V. , England Peter C. , Fung Christopher M. 
Published: December 2023

OBJECTIVES:
Compliance with the fluid bonus component of the SEP-1 (severe sepsis and septic shock management) bundle remains poor due to concerns for iatrogenic harm from fluid overload. We sought to assess whether patients who received focused cardiac ultrasound (FCU) and were found to be fluid tolerant (FT) were more likely to receive the recommended 30 mL/kg fluid bolus within 3 hours of sepsis identification.

DESIGN:
Retrospective, observational cohort study.

SETTING:
University-affiliated, tertiary-care hospital in the United States.

PATIENTS:
Emergency department patients presenting with septic shock from 2018 to 2021. The primary exposure was receipt of FCU with identification of fluid tolerance 3 hours from onset of septic shock.

INTERVENTIONS:
None.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS:
Two hundred ninety-two of 1,024 patients with septic shock received FCU within 3 hours of sepsis onset. One hundred seventy-seven were determined to be FT. One hundred fifteen patients were determined to have poor fluid tolerance (pFT). FT patients were more likely to reach the recommended 30 mL/kg fluid bolus amount compared with pFT (FT 52.0% vs. pFT 31.3%, risk difference: 20.7%, [95% CI, 9.4–31.9]). Patients who did not receive FCU met the bolus requirement 34.3% of the time. FT patients received more fluid within 3 hours (FT 2,271 mL vs. pFT 1,646 mL, mean difference 625 mL [95% CI, 330–919]). Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate the association between fluid tolerance FCU findings and compliance with 30 mL/kg bolus after adjustment for patient characteristics and markers of hemodynamic instability. FT with associated with a higher likelihood of meeting bolus requirement (odds ratio 2.17 [1.52–3.12]).

CONCLUSIONS:
Patients found to be FT by FCU were more likely to receive the recommended 30 mL/kg bolus in the SEP-1 bundle when compared with patients found with pFT or those that did not receive FCU. There was no difference between groups in 28-day mortality, vasopressor requirement, or need for mechanical ventilation.
Associations between Alzheimer's disease biomarkers and postoperative delirium or cognitive dysfunction
Authors: Geng Jun , Zhang Yaowen , Chen Hui , Shi Hui , Wu Zhen , Chen Jianqing , Luo Foquan 
Published: December 2023

BACKGROUND
The relationship between Alzheimer's disease biomarkers and postoperative complications, such as postoperative delirium (POD) and postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD), remains a subject of ongoing debate.

OBJECTIVE
This meta-analysis aimed to determine whether there is an association between perioperative Alzheimer's disease biomarkers and postoperative complications.

DESIGN
We conducted a meta-analysis of observational clinical studies that explored the correlation between Alzheimer's disease biomarkers and POD or POCD in patients who have undergone surgery, following PRISMA guidelines. The protocol was previously published (INPLASY: INPLASY202350001).

DATA SOURCES
A comprehensive search was conducted across PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases until March 2023.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
Surgical patients aged at least 18 years, studies focusing on POD or POCD, research involving Alzheimer's disease biomarkers, including Aβ or tau in blood or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and availability of the full text.

RESULTS
Our meta-analysis included 15 studies: six focusing on POD and nine on POCD. The findings revealed a negative correlation between preoperative CSF β-amyloid 42 (Aβ42) levels and the onset of POD [mean difference −86.1, 95% confidence interval (CI), −114.15 to −58.05, I
2: 47%]; this association was strongly supported by trial sequential analysis (TSA). A similar negative correlation was discerned between preoperative CSF Aβ42 levels and the incidence of POCD (−165.01, 95% CI, −261.48 to −68.53, I
2: 95%). The TSA also provided robust evidence for this finding; however, the evidence remains insufficient to confirm a relationship between other Alzheimer's disease biomarkers [β-amyloid 40 (Aβ40), total tau (T-tau), phosphorylated tau (P-tau), and Aβ42/T-tau ratio] and POD or POCD.

CONCLUSION
The study results indicate a negative correlation between preoperative CSF Aβ42 levels and the occurrence of both POD and POCD. Future investigations are warranted to identify the predictive cutoff value of preoperative CSF Aβ42 for POD and POCD.
Refinement of a Preliminary Case Definition for Use in Traumatic Brain Injury Surveillance
Authors: Daugherty Jill , Waltzman Dana , Breiding Matthew , Peterson Alexis , Chen Jufu , Xu Likang , Womack Lindsay S. , DePadilla Lara , Watson Kathleen , Corrigan John D. 
Published: December 2023

Objective:
Current methods used to measure incidence of traumatic brain injury (TBI) underestimate its true public health burden. The use of self-report surveys may be an approach to improve these estimates. An important step in public health surveillance is to define a public health problem using a case definition. The purpose of this article is to outline the process that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention undertook to refine a TBI case definition to be used in surveillance using a self-report survey.

Setting:
Survey.

Participants:
A total of 10 030 adults participated via a random digit-dial telephone survey from September 2018 to September 2019.

Main Measures:
Respondents were asked whether they had sustained a hit to the head in the preceding 12 months and whether they experienced a series of 12 signs and symptoms as a result of this injury.

Design:
Head injuries with 1 or more signs/symptoms reported were initially categorized into a 3-tiered TBI case definition (probable TBI, possible TBI, and delayed possible TBI), corresponding to the level of certainty that a TBI occurred. Placement in a tier was compared with a range of severity measures (whether medical evaluation was sought, time to symptom resolution, self-rated social and work functioning); case definition tiers were then modified in a stepwise fashion to maximize differences in severity between tiers.

Results:
There were statistically significant differences in the severity measure between cases in the probable and possible TBI tiers but not between other tiers. Timing of symptom onset did not meaningfully differentiate between cases on severity measures; therefore, the delayed possible tier was eliminated, resulting in 2 tiers: probable and possible TBI.

Conclusion:
The 2-tiered TBI case definition that was derived from this analysis can be used in future surveillance efforts to differentiate cases by certainty and from noncases for the purpose of reporting TBI prevalence and incidence estimates. The refined case definition can help researchers increase the confidence they have in reporting survey respondents' self-reported TBIs as well as provide them with the flexibility to report an expansive (probable + possible TBI) or more conservative (probable TBI only) estimate of TBI prevalence.