bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Explaining variation in plant‐herbivore associational effects in a tree biodiversity experiment
Authors: Leonard Samuel J. , Dirzo Rodolfo , Eisenhauer Nico , Rebollo Roberto , Schädler Martin , Ferlian Olga 
Published: October 2023

Abstract

Within biodiversity‐ecosystem function research, a major outstanding question is how herbivory, a critical ecosystem function at the base of the food web, changes along gradients of plant biodiversity.

Neighbourhood‐level associational effects are hypothesised to be a strong driver of biodiversity‐herbivory relationships, but we lack a successful framework that explains the wide variation observed in the sign and magnitude of plant‐herbivore associational effects.

In this study, we combine measurements from a tree biodiversity field experiment with simulation to provide a framework for explaining variation in plant‐herbivore associational effects, particularly when herbivores that feed on many different species (e.g. generalists) cause most damage. We show that monoculture herbivory levels of focal species and their neighbours predict the direction and strength of associational effects. We provide evidence that this may be due to a “spillover effect”, in which some insect herbivores attracted to focal individuals ultimately end up feeding on neighbouring individuals.

With an empirically parameterised simulation, we explain how spatial organisation modifies biodiversity‐ecosystem function relationships when associational effects operate. We suggest a set of experiments to test the generality of our conceptual framework, to elucidate the underlying mechanisms that produce the patterns we find, and to ultimately increase the predictability of plant‐herbivore associational effects. We conclude by discussing how our results might inform pest management in diversified agroecosystems and reforestation sites.

Synthesis. Our results provide a potential framework for explaining why positive and negative plant‐herbivore associational effects are often balanced in systems with primarily generalist herbivores and point to a path forward for predicting when increased plant biodiversity will be associated with increased, decreased or unchanged levels of insect herbivory on individual plant species in such systems.
The Speed of the Effects of Publicly Funded Research on Business R&D, Innovation and Innovation Behaviour: Evidence from UK Firms
Authors: Dimos Christos , Fai Felicia M. , Tomlinson Philip R. 
Published: October 2023

AbstractThis study contributes to the understanding of the speed of the effects of publicly funded research – R&D grants – on firm R&D, innovation and innovation behaviour. We argue that while the speed of the positive effects on R&D (i.e. input additionality; IA) tightly relates to public support programmes’ requirement of private contribution in R&D spending, the positive effects on innovation (i.e. output additionality; OA) and innovation behaviour (i.e. behavioural additionality; BA) are temporally delayed, linked to the explorative nature of learning associated with publicly funded projects and obstacles to changes in the innovation behaviour of firms. We empirically test our theoretical framework for a sample of R&D‐intensive UK firms to find that while IA occurs in the year following receipt of R&D grants, BA takes 3 years after receipt of R&D grants to occur. We do not find that grants have a positive effect on either product or process innovation. In measuring BA, we employ a ‘classical’ treatment and control group evaluation without relying on firms’ perceptions of how the receipt of grants affected their innovation behaviour. Our findings have significant implications for both management practice and policy.
Evaluation of changes in glycemic control and diabetic complications over time and factors associated with the progression of diabetic complications in Japanese patients with juvenile‐onset type 1 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Masuda Takafumi , Katakami Naoto , Watanabe Hirotaka , Taya Naohiro , Miyashita Kazuyuki , Takahara Mitsuyoshi , Kato Ken , Kuroda Akio , Matsuhisa Munehide , Shimomura Iichiro 
Published: October 2023

AbstractBackgroundThis study aimed to evaluate the changes in glycemic control and diabetic complications over time in Japanese patients with juvenile‐onset type 1 diabetes mellitus and to clarify the factors associated with the progression of diabetic complications.MethodsWe tracked 129 patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (21.8 ± 4.1 years old [mean ± SD] with a diabetes duration of 12.6 ± 5.7 years) for up to 19 years and analyzed data on glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and indicators related to the severity of diabetic complications (estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR], urinary albumin excretion rate [UAE], carotid intima‐media thickness [CIMT], and brachial‐ankle pulse wave velocity [baPWV]) using linear mixed model and decision tree analysis.ResultsAlthough the HbA1c and UAE levels improved over time, the eGFR, CIMT, and baPWV worsened. Decision tree analysis showed that HbA1c and the glycoalbumin/HbA1c ratio for eGFR; HbA1c and systolic blood pressure for UAE; low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol/high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio, glycoalbumin/HbA1c ratio, and body mass index (BMI) for CIMT; and HbA1c for baPWV were associated factors.ConclusionsIn this retrospective observational study, glycemic control and albuminuria improved; however, renal function and arteriosclerosis worsened over time. HbA1c levels, glycemic excursion, and blood pressure are associated with nephropathy progression. HbA1c levels, glycemic excursion, lipid levels, and BMI are associated with the progression of atherosclerosis.
Distal profunda femoris artery perforator island flap for distal thigh and knee reconstruction: a CT‐based anatomical analysis and a case‐series study
Authors: Finkemeyer James P. , Koehl Emmanuelle M. , Mah Eldon 
Published: October 2023

AbstractBackgroundLocoregional flap options for reconstructing defects of the anterolateral distal thigh/knee region are limited. The distal profunda artery perforator island (PAPI) flap is a local fasciocutaneous propeller‐type flap that utilizes the most distal perforator of the profunda femoris artery. The aim of this study is to conduct a CT‐based angiographic analysis of the perforator system of the profunda femoris artery and present outcomes on the application of the PAPI flap in the management of post‐oncologic defects of the distal thigh and knee.MethodsCT angiograms were utilized on the lower limbs of 25 healthy patients (mean age, 57 years; 76% male) and the number and location of septocutaneous perforators with a diameter greater than 1 mm were measured. A case series of patients undergoing reconstruction of post‐ablative defects which involved the anterolateral and posterior knee performed by the senior author were reviewed.ResultsCT angiography demonstrated a robust collection (mean 3.5, range 2 to 5) of septocutaneous perforators from the profunda femoris artery with the most distal perforator located 3.3 cm from the superior patella border. The PAPI flap was successfully used in 10 patients (6F; 4M; mean age 60.6 years; range 30 to 88 years) with a mean defect size of 87.5 cm2 (range 48 to 150 cm2). Hand‐held Doppler was used to detect the perforator. No flap loss was encountered, and no knee function limitation was noted at follow‐up. Minor complications include seroma (1) and intra‐articular infection (2).ConclusionsWe conclude that the distal PAPI flap is a reliable and versatile flap that has potentially wide applications.
Computational fluid dynamics study in children with obstructive sleep apnea
Authors: Hsu Wei‐Chung , Kang Kun‐Tai , Chen Yunn‐Jy , Weng Wen‐Chin , Lee Pei‐Lin , Hsiao Hung‐Ta 
Published: October 2023

AbstractObjectivesThis study aims to identify characteristics in image‐based computational fluid dynamics (CFD) in children with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).DesignDiagnostic study.SettingHospital‐based cohort.ParticipantsChildren with symptoms suggestive of OSA were recruited and underwent polysomnography.Main outcome measuresThree‐dimensional models of computational fluid dynamics were derived from cone‐beam computed tomography.ResultsA total of 68 children participated in the study (44 boys; mean age: 7.8 years), including 34 participants having moderate‐to‐severe OSA (apnea‐hypopnea index [AHI] greater than 5 events/h), and 34 age, gender, and body mass index percentile matched participants having primary snoring (AHI less than 1). Children with moderate‐to‐severe OSA had a significantly higher total airway pressure (166.3 vs. 39.1 Pa, p = .009), total airway resistance (9851 vs. 2060 Newton‐metre, p = .004) and velocity at a minimal cross‐sectional area (65.7 vs. 8.8 metre per second, p = .017) than those with primary snoring. The optimal cut‐off points for moderate‐to‐severe OSA were 46.2 Pa in the total airway pressure (area under the curve [AUC] = 73.2%), 2373 Newton‐metre in the total airway resistance (AUC = 72.5%) and 12.6 metres per second in the velocity at a minimal cross‐sectional area (AUC = 70.5%). The conditional logistic regression model revealed that total airway pressure, total airway resistance and velocity at minimal cross‐sectional area were significantly associated with an increased risk of moderate‐to‐severe OSA.ConclusionsThis study demonstrates that CFD could be a useful tool for evaluating upper airway patency in children with OSA.
Has Brexit affected employment in Japanese affiliates in the UK?
Authors: Porto Massimiliano , Wierzbowska Agata 
Published: October 2023

AbstractOn 23 June 2016, a referendum was held in the United Kingdom (UK) to decide whether the country should leave or remain a member of the European Union (EU). The ‘Leave’ vote won by 52 per cent to 48 per cent of voters, leading to the EU–UK Withdrawal Agreement that came into force in 2020 and the Trade and Cooperation Agreement that came into force in 2021. Brexit is not exclusively a European matter; it affects third parties as well. In this article we examine the presence of Japanese affiliates in Europe during 2000–21 by analysing data obtained from the Toyo Keizai's Overseas Japanese Companies database. While the UK has been a major beneficiary of Japanese investments in Europe, its share of Japanese affiliates in Europe has decreased, especially during 2000–10. Brexit has had no negative impact on direct employment created by Japanese affiliates in the UK in the short term, but its impact in the long term could be exacerbated by any further policy divergence between the UK and the EU.
The curse of spanning over millennium: Confucian culture and corruption in China
Authors: Zhang Yu , Zhang Wenqi , Cheng Bowen 
Published: October 2023

AbstractOver the past millennium, Confucian culture has prevailed in China as a typical informal institution, especially its emphasis on human feelings and interpersonal connections (guanxi) that coincides with the incentives for corruption. In this paper, we test the hypothesis that Confucian culture can generate positive effects on the formation of bureaucratic corruption in China. Using the variation in the number of jinshi across Chinese cities as a proxy for the degree of Confucian culture, and using the number of bribery recipients to measure corruption, we find that regions with more jinshi are associated with more bribe recipients. To address the endogeneity, we employ the Confucian sages in a given city as our instrumental variable. The instrumented results are consistent with our baseline claim. The findings remain robust after using a variety of tests, including using the percentage of bribe recipients instead of the number of bribe recipients, using the number of Confucius temples, Confucian academies and chaste women as alternative Confucian cultural measures, and controlling the impact of the North–South differences. In addition, we find the shock of foreign culture can mitigate the positive effect of Confucian culture on corruption. Finally, mechanism shows that the effect of Confucian culture on corruption can be attributed to the attitudes towards income unfairness, the excessive pursuit of vanity and the emphasis on interpersonal connections.
Toward Pedagogical Justice: Teaching Worlds that we can Collectively Build
Authors: Hernandez Chrissy A. Z. , Sabati Sheeva , Chang Ethan 
Published: October 2023

AbstractHow can educators create space for students to practice making the worlds we are trying to collectively build? Inspired by genealogies that are grounded in and emerge from social movements, this paper uplifts the possibilities, tensions, and new questions that emerge when we take seriously the role of our classroom pedagogies. The authors offer a reflexive, methodological approach that pushes against the theory/practice divide and that stays with the importance of inhabiting theory through practice. They reflect on the role their classroom pedagogies in enacting their commitments to justice, organizing their offerings around the following themes: (1) Enter, or how their learnings from previous teaching experiences shape praxis through the pauses, recalibrations, and persistent questions they provoke; (2) how they Open and create space in their classrooms through rituals and routines, and toward what ends; and finally, (3) how they aim to Build with their students within and beyond the bounds of the classroom. The authors share the guiding questions that prompted these reflections, as well as the echoes across their offerings, inviting readers to reflect on their own teaching practice in community.
Bill color is dynamic across the breeding season but not condition‐dependent in Atlantic puffins
Authors: Kochvar Katja H. , Wilson Amy C. , Bitton Pierre‐Paul 
Published: October 2023

AbstractSexually monomorphic species have been historically overlooked in the sexual/social selection literature, but there is growing evidence that mutual ornamentation can be driven by selective forces such as mutual sexual selection or selection for individual recognition. Examining the properties of a trait may elucidate which forces most likely play a role, especially when comparing the characteristics of quality and identity traits. Atlantic puffins (Fratercula arctica) are an example of a mutually ornamented monomorphic species, where both males and females display a bright orange‐red bill and orange gape rosette during the breeding season and are ornamented to similar degrees. In this study, we investigate whether the properties of the colorful bill and rosette, specifically lability across the breeding season and condition‐dependence, more closely align with signals of quality or identity. Our findings support prior work that the bill is sexually monochromatic from an avian visual perspective. We also determined that the bill changes in a discriminable way within individuals across the breeding season and is especially dynamic in the fleshy rosette. However, no metric of color on any region of the bill or rosette was significantly related to current body condition. Ultimately, we argue that bill color could potentially function as a quality signal, although further study is needed to determine which aspect of quality coloration signals, if not condition. These results provide a basis for experimentally evaluating the signal value of the colorful bill in Atlantic puffins (e.g., color manipulation experiments), and more broadly, a framework for investigating the properties of mutual ornamentation in avian species.
Long‐term follow‐up of patients with congenital thrombotic thrombocytopenia purpura receiving a plasma‐derived factor VIII (Koate) that contains ADAMTS13
Authors: Chrisentery‐Singleton Tammuella , Boggio Lisa N. , Carcao Manuel D. , Ibrahimi Sami , Khan Osman , Mahajerin Arash , Rajasekhar Anita , Sharma Vivek , Steele MacGregor , Torres Marcela , Rodino Frank J. , Carpenter Shannon L. 
Published: October 2023

AbstractBackgroundHereditary thrombotic thrombocytopenia purpura (hTTP) is an ultra‐rare disorder resulting from an inherited deficiency of ADAMTS13, a von Willebrand factor (VWF)‐cleaving metalloprotease. The plasma‐derived factor VIII/VWF Koate (FVIII/VWFKoate) has been shown to contain ADAMTS13, allowing for its use to treat hTTP at home by the patient/caregiver.AimBased on prior demonstration of safe and effective use of FVIII/VWFKoate in eight patients with hTTP, we conducted a retrospective study to gather additional data regarding the use of FVIII/VWFKoate for hTTP.MethodsThis was a multicentre, retrospective, noninterventional chart review of patients who had received FVIII/VWFKoate for the management of hTTP. Data collected included demographics, medical history, relevant family history, past use and tolerability of fresh frozen plasma, and details regarding FVIII/VWFKoate therapy.ResultsThe cohort included 11 patients (seven males, four females) with hTTP, ranging in age at study entry from 2 to 28 years. The average duration of FVIII/VWFKoate therapy was 4.8 years (range, 0.5–6.5 years). Among nine patients using FVIII/VWFKoate as prophylaxis, the normalized annual rate of breakthrough TTP episodes ranged from 0.2 to 1.1 episodes/year. All nine patients who received FVIII/VWFKoate prophylaxis had thrombocytopenia recorded at baseline, while eight (88.9%) did not have thrombocytopenia after using FVIII/VWFKoate. There was one AE (unspecified) attributed to FVIII/VWFKoate.ConclusionThese data suggest that FVIII/VWFKoate is a safe and well‐tolerated source of the missing ADAMTS13 enzyme in patients with hTTP, producing a marked reduction in thrombocytopenia prevalence, low frequency of TTP episodes, and with the added benefit of self‐ or caregiver‐administration.
Effect of vitamin D supplementation on management of anemia in hemodialysis patients with vitamin D deficiency: A double‐blind, randomized, controlled trial
Authors: Emarah Sameh Mohamed , Ahmed Mohamed Abd El Rahman , El Kannishy Ghada Mohamed , Abdulgalil Ahmed Elsaeed 
Published: October 2023

AbstractIntroductionAnemia and vitamin D deficiency are common problems among hemodialysis (HD) patients. This study aimed to assess the impact of correction of vitamin D deficiency with vitamin D supplementation on the improvement of anemia in patients with end‐stage renal disease (ESRD) on maintenance HD.MethodsThis double‐blind, randomized, controlled study included 100 anemic HD patients with vitamin D deficiency who were randomly divided using the closed envelop method into two groups (1:1). The first group received vitamin D (50,000 IU) monthly for 6 months, and the other group received a placebo for the same period. 25‐Hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels were measured for both groups at the beginning of the study and after 6 months at the end of the study. Hemoglobin (Hb) concentrations were recorded monthly.FindingsVitamin D supplementation during the period of the study increased 25(OH)D levels in the vitamin D group more than the placebo group (p > 0.001). Serum ferritin, serum iron, and transferrin saturation did not differ significantly between both groups during the period of the study. Hb concentration in the vitamin D group increased more than that in the other group over the period of the study, and there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups in all durations of follow‐up. Erythropoietin (EPO) dosage requirements were found to be lower in the vitamin D group than in the placebo group, and this was statistically significant (p > 0.001).DiscussionVitamin D supplementation in anemic ESRD patients on HD with vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency is safe and effective in improving anemia and decreasing EPO dosage.
Association between calcium channel blockers and the severity of actinic keratosis on face and scalp: a cross‐sectional study
Authors: Gioppo Ingrid S. , de Castro Martins Ivanka M. , Santos Stefany S. , Preto João F. R. , Miola Anna C. , Miot Helio A. 
Published: October 2023

AbstractBackgroundActinic keratosis (AK) is a skin condition associated with age, sun exposure, and immunosuppression. Certain drugs, such as photosensitizing medications and calcium channel blockers (CCBs), have been linked to AK. This study explores the impact of individual, behavioral, and exposure factors on the severity of AKs on the face and scalp.MethodsA multicenter cross‐sectional study was conducted on immunocompetent individuals with at least one AK on their face or scalp and assessed demographic factors, sun exposure and protection, history of skin cancer, and medication use within the last 6 months. The primary outcome was the Actinic Keratosis Area and Severity Index (AKASI) score, and a hierarchical generalized linear model was used to evaluate the variation in AKASI scores, adjusting for gender, age, and skin phototype.ResultsTwo hundred seventy subjects between 39 and 92 years were evaluated. The majority had phototype I or II (77%), male gender (51%), personal history of skin cancer (55%), and low adherence to sunscreen use (29%). The use of photosensitizing medications was reported by 61%. Through multivariate analysis, older age (βSE = 0.14; P < 0.01), lighter skin phototype (βSE = 0.15; P = 0.01), history of skin cancer (βSE = 0.12; P < 0.01), sunburning (βSE = 0.12; P < 0.01), and use of CCBs (βSE = 0.11; P = 0.02) were identified as independent risk factors for AK severity. Photosensitizing drugs were not identified as risk factors.ConclusionOlder age, lower skin phototype classifications, and a personal history of skin cancer were confirmed as severity risk factors for AK, while the use of CCBs was associated with more severe AK.
Successful ablation of a right concealed epicardial accessory pathway using ethanol infusion
Authors: Ma Shenghui , Zhu Qifeng , Shu Li , Lu Yi , Liu Chunhui , Cai Zhejun 
Published: October 2023

AbstractIntroductionThis study describes a rare case of concealed epicardial accessory pathway (AP) successfully ablated using ethanol infusion (EI) through a variant vessel connecting the right atrium (RA) and the right ventricle (RV) surface.Methods and ResultsA 58‐year‐old male referred to our hospital for prior failed AP ablation. Cardiac‐enhanced computerized tomography scan showed there was a variant vessel at the tip of right atrial appendage and a pulmonary artery (PA)‐RA fistula at the roof of RA. The earliest activation was present at the site of the PA‐RA fistula. A selective angiography showed that a small branch of the variant vessel covered the earliest excitation site of the AP. EI into this branch successfully repressed the AP without any recurrences within a follow‐up period of 3 months.ConclusionEndocardial ablation is challenging for epicardial APs related to cardiac structural variations. If small vascular branches near the earliest activation site can be found, EI can successfully ablate these types of epicardial APs.