bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
An ethnographic study evaluating emergency obstetric care education and training in a remote, fragile region of Southeast Asia: Study protocol
Authors: Campbell Rachel , Kernohan George , Dornan Lesley , Sinclair Marlene 
Published: October 2023

AbstractAimTo evaluate emergency obstetric care education and training within a medical assistant training program, being delivered in a remote, fragile region of Southeast Asia. This will aid in the identification of potential areas of enhancement to improve the management of obstetric emergencies.DesignAn ethnographic study, adopting a multi‐methods approach.MethodsEmergency obstetric care education and training will be assessed through documentary analysis and interviews (online or face‐to‐face) with educators and trainers (N ~ 6–7). Student experiences will be explored using in‐person focus groups, facilitated by an external trainer involved in delivering the program (N ~ 10–12). A reflective field diary will provide insight into the lived experience of postgraduate students (N ~ 4–5). Data will be collected between May 2022 and May 2023. The full data set will be triangulated and analysed using the READ approach; (1) ready your materials, (2) extract data, (3) analyse data and (4) distil your findings. Institutional ethical approval was obtained from a university in October 2021, and inter‐country regional access was gained following adherence to their local ethical requirements.Implications for the Profession and Patient CareThe findings from this study may help to inform the future design of the medical assistant training program. It is anticipated that the knowledge gained from this study will enhance the education and training of mid‐level health providers at local, national, and international levels. This work intends to contribute to addressing Sustainable Development Goal 3, Target 1 of reducing maternal mortality to 70:100,000 live births in low‐income countries.Reporting MethodThis protocol adhered to the Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research (SRQR) checklist.Patient or Public ContributionNo formal PPI has been undertaken; however, stakeholders involved in delivering the education and training have been consulted.
Associations of daily weight management‐focused social support with weight loss, activity behaviors, and eating regulation in the context of metabolic and bariatric surgery
Authors: Bond Dale S. , Smith Kathryn E. , Schumacher Leah M. , Vithiananthan Sivamainthan , Jones Daniel B. , Papasavas Pavlos , Webster Jennifer , Thomas J. Graham 
Published: October 2023

AbstractObjectiveGreater perceived social support (PSS) is associated with more favorable changes in weight loss, activity behaviors, and eating regulation after metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS). However, studies have relied on generic, retrospective PSS measures, and stability of PSS levels and relations with weight loss and weight‐related behaviors over time is unknown. Using smartphone‐based Ecological Momentary Assessment, this study evaluated pre‐to 1‐year post‐MBS changes in daily weight management‐focused PSS and associations with weight loss, device‐measured activity behaviors, and eating regulation before and during the initial year after MBS.MethodAdult MBS patients (n = 71) received (1) an accelerometer to measure daily moderate‐to‐vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) and sedentary time (ST) minutes/day, and (2) a smartphone to complete morning weight‐focused PSS ratings and eating regulation (dietary restraint/disinhibition) ratings at four semi‐random times daily for 10 days at pre‐ and 3, 6, and 12‐month postoperative. Generalized linear mixed models analyzed the associations of PSS with total weight loss (%TWL) and activity/eating outcomes.ResultsParticipants on average reported relatively stable moderate‐to‐high PSS (3.98 on one to five scale) across assessments. Perceived social support was not related to %TWL, MVPA, or ST. Participants with higher PSS reported lower disinhibition and higher restraint than those with lower PSS (ps < 0.05); however, participants reported higher restraint on days that PSS was lower than their usual levels (p = 0.009).ConclusionsMBS patients on average had stable PSS levels across time. Higher PSS levels were associated with greater resistance to overeating cues (disinhibition) and cognitive control to restrict food intake (restraint) over time. Additionally, participants reported higher restraint when PSS levels were lower than usual. Overall, weight‐focused PSS appeared to hold greater importance in relation to regulating eating behavior than engaging in activity behaviors or weight loss among MBS patients during the initial postoperative year.Clinical Trial RegistrationNCT02777177.
Preparation of GO‐SiO2 three‐dimensional point‐plane nanomaterials and enhancement of epoxy resin mechanical property
Authors: Hao Qiguo , Zhang Xu , Liu Shuang , Peng Hongjun , Zhang Pengyu , Yu Shengyang , Mao Zhiyi 
Published: October 2023

AbstractIn this research, mercapto‐anchoring graphene oxide (GO) and epoxy‐anchoring SiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) were assembled by mercapto‐epoxy click chemistry to form three‐dimensional (3D) point‐plane structure nanomaterials (GO‐SiO2), and epoxy resin (EP) composites were prepared using the auxiliary thermal blending method. The relationships among surface interfacial interaction, dispersion, and mechanical properties of composites were systematically investigated. The Research finding shows that SiO2 NPs covalently bonding with GO increases interface compatibility and dispersion, which explains epoxy composite strengthening. Compared to epoxy resin, 0.1 wt% GO‐SiO2/EP composite has 38.65%, 36.15%, 44.64%, and 61.61% higher tensile strength, flexural strength, flexural modulus, and impact strengths. The enhancement mechanism of GO‐SiO2 toward EP was analyzed.
Current status and reflections on the diagnosis and treatment of respiratory tract infections in children in the COVID‐19 pandemic and post‐COVID‐19 era
Authors: Tang Yuyi , Ren Luo , Liu Enmei 
Published: October 2023

AbstractRespiratory tract infections (RTIs) are common and frequently occurring diseases in children, posing a significant health threat to children worldwide. Viruses are the most important pathogens of childhood RTIs. Since the outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID‐19), a series of nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) have been widely implemented around the globe, and important changes have taken place in the spectrum of respiratory diseases and viruses in children. However, with relaxation of NPIs, there has been a “virus resurgence” in some areas, with multiple viral infectious diseases appearing simultaneously. This review comprehensively summarizes the changes observed in the spectrum of respiratory diseases and viruses in children in the context of the COVID‐19 pandemic, explores possible mechanisms, and presents reflections on the key points of diagnosis and treatment of RTIs in children in the post‐COVID‐19 era in light of recent advances in COVID‐19 in children.
DUF916 and DUF3324 in the WxL protein cluster bind to WxL and link bacterial and host surfaces
Authors: Hassan Mahreen U. , Chaudhuri Roy R. , Williamson Mike P. 
Published: October 2023

AbstractBacterial WxL proteins contain peptidoglycan‐binding WxL domains, which have a dual Trp‐x‐Leu motif and are involved in virulence. It was recently shown that WxL proteins occur in gene clusters, containing typically a small WxL protein (which in the mature protein consists only of a WxL domain), a large WxL protein (which contains a C‐terminal WxL domain with N‐terminal host‐binding domains), and a conserved protein annotated as a Domain of Unknown Function (DUF). Here we analyze this DUF and show that it contains two tandem domains—DUF916 and DUF3324—which both have an IgG‐like fold and together form a single functional unit, connected to a C‐terminal transmembrane helix. DUF3324 is a stable domain, while DUF916 is less stable and is likely to require a stabilizing interaction with WxL. The protein is suggested to have an important role to bind and stabilize WxL on the peptidoglycan surface, via the DUF916 domain, and to bind to host cells via the DUF3324 domain. AlphaFold2 predicts that a β‐hairpin strand from DUF916 inserts into WxL adjacent to its N‐terminus. We therefore propose to rename the DUF916‐DUF3324 pair as WxL Interacting Protein (WxLIP), with DUF916, DUF3324 and the transmembrane helix forming the first, second and third domains of WxLIP, which we characterize as peptidoglycan binding domain (PGBD), host binding domain (HBD), and transmembrane helix (TMH) respectively.
A station‐based evaluation of near‐surface south foehn evolution in COSMO‐1
Authors: Tian Yue , Duarte Julian Quimbayo , Schmidli Juerg 
Published: October 2023

AbstractThis study investigates the skill of the Consortium for Small‐scale Modeling (COSMO) model (v5.7) at 1.1 km horizontal grid size in simulating the near‐surface foehn properties and evolution for five south foehn events and a five‐year‐long climatology. A significant near‐surface cold bias is found during foehn, with an average bias of  K in the Rhine Valley in the five foehn cases and  K in the major northern foehn valleys in the five‐year foehn climatology. The cold bias tends to be larger in the stronger and moister deep foehn events. Sensitivity experiments are carried out to examine the possible causes of the cold bias, including changes to the parameterization of the land–atmosphere interaction, 1D turbulence parameterization, and horizontal grid spacing. Most sensitivity experiments have only a very minor impact on the cold bias, except for the model run with a horizontal grid spacing of 550 m. The 550‐m COSMO run shows a reduced cold bias during foehn hours and also an improvement in the simulated foehn duration and northward foehn extent. By inspecting the vertical dimension, we found that the near‐surface cold bias downstream might partly originate upstream. A further contribution to the downstream cold bias is likely due to insufficient vertical mixing in the foehn flow. The latter is possibly enhanced in the 550‐m model run, leading to a less stably stratified atmosphere in the lower few hundred meters of the atmosphere and a reduction of the reported model cold bias.
Mapping water content in drying Antarctic moss communities using UAS‐borne SWIR imaging spectroscopy
Authors: Turner Darren , Cimoli Emiliano , Lucieer Arko , Haynes Ryan S. , Randall Krystal , Waterman Melinda J. , Lucieer Vanessa , Robinson Sharon A. 
Published: October 2023

AbstractAntarctic moss beds are sensitive to climatic conditions, and both their survival and community composition are particularly influenced by the availability of liquid water over summer. As Antarctic regions increasingly face climate pressures (e.g., changing hydrology and heat waves), advancing capabilities to efficiently and non‐destructively monitor water content in moss communities becomes a key research priority. Because of the complexity induced by multiple micro‐climatic drivers and its fragility, tracking the evolution and responses of moss bed moisture requires monitoring methods that are non‐intrusive, efficient, and spatially significant, such as the use of unoccupied aerial systems (UAS). In this study, we combine a multi‐species drying laboratory experiment with short‐wave infrared (SWIR) spectroscopy analyses to first develop a Random Forest regression Model (RFM) capable of predicting Antarctic moss turf water content (~5% error). The RFM was then applied to UAS‐borne SWIR imaging data (900–1700 nm, <16 nm spectral resolution) of the moss beds at high spatial resolution (2 cm) across three sites in the vicinity of Casey Station, Antarctica. The sites differed in terrain, snow cover, and moisture availability to evaluate method capabilities under different conditions. Optimum RFM parameters and input variables (spectral indices and reflectance spectra) were determined. Maps of moss moisture were validated via acquiring moss spectra and water content (using sponges inserted into the moss turf) collected in situ, for which an exponential correlation (R2 = 0.72) was reported. RFM further allowed investigation of the influential spectral variables to model water content in moss and associated spectral water absorption features. We demonstrated that UAS‐borne SWIR imaging is a promising new tool to map and quantify water content in Antarctic moss beds. Hyperspectral mapping facilitates the exploration of the spatial variability of moss health and enables the creation of a baseline against which changes in these moss communities can be measured.
Solution of trade‐offs between food production, water use, and climate change mitigation in global agriculture
Authors: Kyoi Shinsuke , Mori Koichiro , Matsushita Kyohei 
Published: October 2023

AbstractTrade‐off conflicts among the Sustainable Development Goals have been a challenge. To reconcile frictional relationships among food production security (Goal 2), water use efficiency (Goal 6), and climate change mitigation (Goal 13), an empirical examination using deterministic frontier analysis was conducted globally. A single volume‐based index for each goal is too simple to evaluate the agricultural sustainability of different areas from the nexus assessment perspective. Our major findings are threefold. First, approximately two‐thirds of African countries have suffered from small food production and excess water use. Second, marked contrasts are observed in the possibilities of an increase in food production and reduction in water use and CO2 emissions among regions. Asian countries use water efficiently, whereas countries in the western regions control CO2 emissions. Third, trade‐offs among food production, water use, and CO2 emissions in agriculture are observed. It is almost impossible to reduce water use in Asia and CO2 emissions in the western regions for food production security. Based on the nexus approach, local strategies need to be compatible with global sustainability. Future research should identify the factors that determine the agricultural efficiency to devise local strategies, and develop policies simultaneously pursuing relevant environmental and well‐being goals.
Gating small conductance calcium‐activated potassium channels in the thalamic reticular nucleus
Authors: Silván Ágata , Kohlmeier Kristi Anne , Herrik Kjartan Frisch , Hougaard Charlotte 
Published: October 2023

AbstractSmall conductance calcium‐activated potassium (SK) channels are well‐known regulators of neuronal excitability. In the thalamic hub, SK2 channels act as pacemakers of thalamic reticular neurons, which play a key role in the thalamocortical circuit. Several disease‐linked genes are highly enriched in these neurons, including genes known to be associated with schizophrenia and attentional disorders, which could affect neuronal firing. The present study assessed the effect of pharmacological modulation of SK channels in the firing pattern and intrinsic properties of thalamic reticular neurons by performing whole cell patch clamp recordings in brain slices. Two SK positive allosteric modulators and one negative allosteric modulator were used: CyPPA, NS309, and NS8593, respectively. By acting on the burst afterhyperpolarization (AHP), negative modulation of SK channels resulted in increased action potential (AP) firing, increased burst duration, and decreased intervals between bursts. Conversely, both CyPPA and NS309 increased the afterburst AHP, prolonging the interburst interval, which additionally resulted in reduced AP firing in the case of NS309. Alterations in SK channel activity would be expected to alter functioning of thalamocortical circuits. Targeting SK channels could be promising in treating disorders involving thalamic reticular dysfunction such as psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders.
Recruitment methods and yield rates for a multisite clinical trial exploring risk reduction for Alzheimer's disease (rrAD)
Authors: Szabo‐Reed Amanda N. , Hall Tristyn , Vidoni Eric D. , Van Sciver Angela , Sewell Monica , Burns Jeffrey M. , Cullum C. Munro , Gahan William P. , Hynan Linda S. , Kerwin Diana R. , Rossetti Heidi , Stowe Ann M. , Vongpatanasin Wanpen , Zhu David C. , Zhang Rong , Keller Jeffrey N. , Binder Ellen F. 
Published: October 2023

AbstractINTRODUCTIONThe risk reduction for Alzheimer's disease (rrAD) trial was a multisite clinical trial to assess exercise and intensive vascular pharmacological treatment on cognitive function in community‐dwelling older adults at increased risk for Alzheimer's disease.METHODSEligibility, consent, and randomization rates across different referral sources were compared. Informal interviews conducted with each site's project team were conducted upon study completion.RESULTSInitially, 3290 individuals were screened, of whom 28% were eligible to consent, 805 consented to participate (87.2% of those eligible), and 513 (36.3% of those consented) were randomized. Emails sent from study site listservs/databases yielded the highest amount (20.9%) of screened individuals. Professional referrals from physicians yielded the greatest percentage of consented individuals (57.1%). Referrals from non‐professional contacts (ie, friends, family; 75%) and mail/phone contact from a site (73.8%) had the highest yield of randomization.DISCUSSIONProfessional referrals or email from listservs/registries were most effective for enrolling participants. The greatest yield of eligible/randomized participants came from non‐professional and mail/phone contacts. Future trials should consider special efforts targeting these recruitment approaches.Highlights
Clinical trial recruitment is commonly cited as a significant barrier to advancing our understanding of cognitive health interventions.
The most cited referral source was email, followed by interviews/editorials on the radio, television, local newspapers, newsletters, or magazine articles.
The referral method that brought in the largest number of contacts was email but did not result in the greatest yield of consents or eligible participants.
The sources that yielded the greatest likelihood of consent were professional referrals (ie, physician), social media, and mail/phone contact from study site.
The greatest yield of eligible/randomized participants came from non‐professional contacts and mail/phone contact from a site.
Findings suggest that sites may need to focus on more selective referral sources, such as using contact mailing and phone lists, rather than more widely viewed recruitment sources, such as social media or TV/radio advertisements.
Three decades of EU climate policy: Racing toward climate neutrality?
Authors: Dupont Claire , Moore Brendan , Boasson Elin Lerum , Gravey Viviane , Jordan Andrew , Kivimaa Paula , Kulovesi Kati , Kuzemko Caroline , Oberthür Sebastian , Panchuk Dmytro , Rosamond Jeffrey , Torney Diarmuid , Tosun Jale , von Homeyer Ingmar 
Published: October 2023

AbstractThe European Union (EU) began developing climate policy in the 1990s. Since then, it has built up a broad portfolio of mitigation policy measures and governance tools, including legally binding targets to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and policy measures addressing emissions trading, renewable energy, energy efficiency, and more. In 2019, the European Commission—the EU's executive arm—published the European Green Deal (EGD), an overarching policy framework to achieve the goal of climate neutrality by 2050. The EGD aims to push EU climate policy and governance far beyond incremental policy development. In this article, we ask: does the EGD represent a break from past patterns of EU climate governance? We argue that it maintains several past patterns, but nevertheless breaks from other established policy and governance trends. We review insights from politicization and new institutionalist theoretical lenses to help us understand these findings. We reveal certain tensions and challenges inherent in the EU's climate governance approach—around speed and coherence, effectiveness and just transition—that highlight future research needs, and raise questions about the EU's ability to implement its climate policy goals.This article is categorized under:
Policy and Governance > Multilevel and Transnational Climate Change Governance
Synaptic plasticity and the role of astrocytes in central metabolic circuits
Authors: Ameroso Dominique , Rios Maribel 
Published: October 2023

AbstractNeural circuits in the brain, primarily in the hypothalamus, are paramount to the homeostatic control of feeding and energy utilization. They integrate hunger, satiety, and body adiposity cues from the periphery and mediate the appropriate behavioral and physiological responses to satisfy the energy demands of the animal. Notably, perturbations in central homeostatic circuits have been linked to the etiology of excessive feeding and obesity. Considering the ever‐changing energy requirements of the animal and required adaptations, it is not surprising that brain‐feeding circuits remain plastic in adulthood and are subject to changes in synaptic strength as a consequence of nutritional status. Indeed, synapse density, probability of presynaptic transmitter release, and postsynaptic responses in hypothalamic energy balance centers are tailored to behavioral and physiological responses required to sustain survival. Mounting evidence supports key roles of astrocytes facilitating some of this plasticity. Here we discuss these synaptic plasticity mechanisms and the emerging roles of astrocytes influencing energy and glucose balance control in health and disease.This article is categorized under:
Cancer > Molecular and Cellular Physiology
Neurological Diseases > Molecular and Cellular Physiology
On Some Approximation Processes Generated by Integrated Means on Noncompact Real Intervals
Authors: Altomare Francesco , Cappelletti Montano Mirella , Leonessa Vita 
Published: October 2023

AbstractThe purpose of the present paper is to carry out a detailed study of a sequence of positive linear operators acting on continuous function spaces on an arbitrary real interval and constructed by means of (Borel) integrated means with respect to two families of probability Borel measures on the underlying interval and a positive real parameter. The study is mainly focused on their approximation properties in weighted spaces of continuous functions with respect to wide classes of weights. Pointwise estimates as well as weighted norm estimates are also established. In the final section a weighted asymptotic formula is obtained.