bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
High‐Frequency Ultrasound for Detecting Periodontal Inflammation: A Preclinical Diagnostic Accuracy Study
Authors: Samal Ankita , Majzoub Jad , Rodriguez Betancourt Amanda , Webber Liana , Mazzocco John , Wang Hom‐Lay , Castilho Rogerio , Fenno J. Christopher , Chan Hsun‐Liang , Kripfgans Oliver D. 
Published: January 2025

ABSTRACTAimUltrasonography (US) has shown accuracy in imaging healthy periodontium. This study aims to evaluate the feasibility and accuracy of US for estimating dimensions of inflamed periodontium induced by ligature and bacteria.MethodsPeriodontal tissues of maxillary as well as mandibular premolars and molars in six female mini pigs were treated with ligature and three strains of bacteria for 4–10 weeks. Before euthanization, the periodontium was imaged with US. After euthanization, cone‐beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans and histology were performed. Soft and hard tissue measurements by calibrated and masked examiners from US, CBCT, and histology were statistically compared.ResultsSeventy‐one histological samples with corresponding CBCT and US scans were available for analysis. Overall, there was a good to excellent agreement between histology and US (ICC: 0.77–0.96) for parameters such as Soft Tissue Thickness (STT), Gingival Recession, Crestal Bone Thickness (CBT), and the bone‐to‐cemento‐enamel junction (B‐CEJ) distance. However, discrepancies were observed for STT at 3 mm below the CEJ and Soft Tissue Height (STH) (ICC: 0.44 and 0.54, respectively). CBCT showed lower agreement with histology, particularly for thin CBT (< 1 mm), with an ICC of 0.20, compared to 0.90 for US vs. histology. CBCT failed to identify crestal bone in 14 cases when the crestal bone was thin. Notably, CBCT results differed more from histological measurements than US in assessing B‐CEJ and thin CBT.ConclusionUS demonstrated substantial potential as a transformative tool for periodontal diagnostics, exhibiting high agreement with histology in determining critical parameters. Compared to CBCT, US offered advantages, particularly in cases with thin crestal bone.
Crosslinked Versus Non‐Crosslinked Resorbable Collagen Membranes for Periodontal Regeneration: A Multicenter, Randomized, Double‐Blind, Non‐Inferiority Clinical Trial
Authors: Wang Yiwei , Yan Fuhua , Chen Lili , Zhao Lei , Liu Mo , Ge Shaohua , Chen Chia‐Yu , Kim David M. , Shu Rong 
Published: January 2025

ABSTRACTAimThis study aimed to evaluate and compare the results of combination therapy involving bone grafting and two different resorbable collagen membranes in 1‐, 2‐ and 3‐wall infrabony defects.MethodsA total of 174 patients with infrabony defects (≥ 7 mm periodontal probing depth) were randomized to receive deproteinized bovine bone mineral (DBBM) with either a native porcine non‐crosslinked collagen membrane (N‐CM, control, n = 87) or a novel porcine crosslinked collagen membrane (C‐CM, test, n = 87). Clinical parameters, including periodontal probing depth (PPD), clinical attachment level (CAL), and gingival recession (GR), were recorded at baseline, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks. Radiographic evaluations measured linear bone gain (LBG) and percentage of bone fill (%BF) at baseline and 24 weeks. Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) were used to identify predictors of clinical outcomes. The primary outcome was the total effectiveness rate based on a composite outcome score integrating clinical and radiographic parameters at 24 weeks.ResultsOne hundred seventy three patients completed the study. At 24 weeks, mean improvements in PPD were 4.17 ± 1.48 mm and 4.16 ± 0.97 mm for the control and test groups, respectively, while CAL gains were 3.69 ± 1.32 mm and 3.60 ± 1.81 mm. Radiographic linear bone gain was 3.12 ± 2.19 mm in the control group and 3.00 ± 1.92 mm in the test group. Subgroup analysis showed trends favoring the test group for PPD (p = 0.046) and CAL (p = 0.042) improvements in 1‐wall defects. The total effectiveness rate was 96.55% in the control group and 95.35% in the test group, with a difference of −1.2% (95% CI: −5.88% to 3.47%). Among those with effective results, the test group had a higher proportion achieving significantly effective outcomes compared to the control group (96.5% vs. 86.2%, p = 0.032). Regression analysis identified treatment group, defect morphology, and baseline defect depth as significant predictors of PPD and CAL outcomes.ConclusionThe novel porcine crosslinked collagen membrane demonstrated non‐inferiority to the native non‐crosslinked membrane in periodontal regeneration. Regression analysis highlighted defect morphology and baseline defect depth as key predictors of outcomes, while subgroup analysis suggested potential advantages of the C‐CM in challenging defect morphologies, such as 1‐wall defects. These findings provide valuable insights into clinical decision‐making. However, the findings are limited by the short‐term nature of the study (24 weeks), and further long‐term investigations are needed to confirm these preliminary results and assess their clinical relevance.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04851847
Sarcopenic obesity and brain health: A critical appraisal of the current evidence
Authors: Booranasuksakul Uraiporn , Guan Zhongyang , Macdonald Ian A. , Tsintzas Kostas , Stephan Blossom C. M. , Siervo Mario 
Published: January 2025

AbstractSarcopenic obesity (SO) is a body composition phenotype derived from the simultaneous presence in the same individual of an increase in fat mass and a decrease in skeletal muscle mass and/or function. Several protocols for the diagnosis of SO have been proposed in the last two decades making prevalence and disease risk estimates of SO heterogeneous and challenging to interpret. Dementia is a complex neurological disorder that significantly impacts patients, carers and healthcare systems. The identification of risk factors for early cognitive impairment and dementia is key to mitigating the forecasted trends of a 2‐fold increase in dementia case numbers over the next two decades worldwide. Excess adiposity and sarcopenia have both been independently associated with risk of cognitive impairment and dementia. Whether SO is associated with a greater risk of cognitive impairment and dementia is currently uncertain. This review critically appraises the current evidence on the association between SO with cognitive outcomes and dementia risk. It also discusses some of the putative biological mechanisms that may link the SO phenotype with alteration of brain functions.
The Effect of Nurses' Professional Values on Missed Nursing Care: The Mediating Role of Moral Sensitivity
Authors: Taskiran Eskici Gülcan , Tiryaki Sen Hanife , Yurtsever Demet , Ozer Candan Esra 
Published: January 2025

ABSTRACTThe aim of this study is to determine the mediating role of moral sensitivity in the effect of nurses' professional values on missed nursing care. A descriptive and correlational study was conducted with 640 nurses working in the inpatient units of a public and a private hospital with the MISSCARE Survey‐Turkish, the Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire, and the Revised Nursing Professional Values Scale. Data analyses were performed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences 26.0, Hayes' PROCESS macro for SPSS v4.0, and the Analysis of Moment Structures 24.0. It was determined that nurses' professional values had a significant and positive effect on moral sensitivity, and nurses' moral sensitivity had a significant and negative effect on missed nursing care. In addition, the direct and indirect effects of nurses' professional values on missed nursing care were statistically significant. The research model showed that increasing nurses' professional values and moral sensitivity decreased missed nursing care, and moral sensitivity significantly mediated the interaction between nurses' professional values and missed nursing care.
Second Generation Fiscal Rules, the Swiss Debt Brake, and a US Constitution Article V Amendment Convention
Authors: Poulson Barry W. 
Published: January 2025

AbstractThis essay explores new constitutional fiscal rules and their potential impact on the economy. Solving the debt crisis after many years of debt fatigue is clearly a difficult but not impossible task. The federal government is not likely to default on debt in the short term, but allowing debt to increase at an unsustainable rate exposes the country to increasing risk of default in the long term. Before the country falls off this fiscal cliff, we must enact more effective fiscal rules; and learning to live with effective fiscal rules will require some fundamental reforms in fiscal policy and fiscal institutions.
Engineering an optimized hypercompact CRISPR/Cas12j‐8 system for efficient genome editing in plants
Authors: Bai Shasha , Cao Xingyu , Hu Lizhe , Hu Danling , Li Dongming , Sun Yongwei 
Published: January 2025

SummaryThe Cas12j‐8 nuclease, derived from the type V CRISPR system, is approximately half the size of Cas9 and recognizes a 5′‐TTN‐3′ protospacer adjacent motif sequence, thus potentially having broad application in genome editing for crop improvement. However, its editing efficiency remains low in plants. In this study, we rationally engineered both the crRNA and the Cas12j‐8 nuclease. The engineered crRNA and Cas12j‐8 markedly improved genome editing efficiency in plants. When combined, they exhibited robust editing activity in soybean and rice, enabling the editing of target sites that were previously uneditable. Notably, for certain target sequences, the editing activity was comparable to that of SpCas9 when targeting identical sequences, and it outperformed the Cas12j‐2 variant, nCas12j‐2, across all tested targets. Additionally, we developed cytosine base editors based on the engineered crRNA and Cas12j‐8, demonstrating an average increase of 5.36‐ to 6.85‐fold in base‐editing efficiency (C to T) compared with the unengineered system in plants, with no insertions or deletions (indels) observed. Collectively, these findings indicate that the engineered hypercompact CRISPR/Cas12j‐8 system serves as an efficient tool for genome editing mediated by both nuclease cleavage and base editing in plants.
Korea–China Trade Dynamics: Exploring the Role of Crude Oil Prices
Authors: Baek Jungho , Nam Soojoong 
Published: January 2025

ABSTRACTThis research examines the short‐ and long‐term impacts of macroeconomic variables, such as real income levels and exchange rates, on Korea's trade flows with China, focusing on 33 specific commodity groups. By employing the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) methodology, this study incorporates oil‐related factors – namely crude oil prices and their volatility – into traditional export and import models. The results demonstrate that real income levels in Korea and China considerably influence trade dynamics, affecting exports and imports across various periods. The bilateral exchange rate has a significant impact, with its effects being more pronounced on exports in the long term and imports in the short term. Furthermore, the research highlights that crude oil prices and their volatility significantly, yet varied, affect trade flows, contingent on the trade's nature and duration. These findings offer valuable insights for policymakers, particularly in understanding the recent shifts in Korea's trade balance with China and in formulating economic and trade strategies to manage fluctuations in the trade balance.
Antenatal betamethasone augments lung perfusion but lowers upper body blood flow and O2 delivery with delayed cord clamping at birth in preterm lambs
Authors: Smolich Joseph J. , Kenna Kelly R. 
Published: January 2025

AbstractAlthough the corticosteroid betamethasone is routinely administered to accelerate lung and cardiovascular maturation in the preterm fetus prior to birth, and use of delayed cord clamping (DCC) is recommended at birth by professional bodies, it is unknown whether antenatal betamethasone alters perinatal pulmonary or systemic arterial blood flow accompaniments of DCC. To address this issue, preterm fetal lambs [gestation 127 (1) days, term = 147 days] with (n = 10) or without (n = 10) antenatal betamethasone treatment were acutely instrumented under general anaesthesia with flow probes to obtain left (LV) and right ventricular (RV) outputs, major central arterial blood flows and shunt flow across both the ductus arteriosus and foramen ovale (FO). After delivery, lambs underwent initial ventilation for 2 min prior to DCC. During initial ventilation and after DCC, betamethasone (1) augmented rises in pulmonary arterial blood flow, with this greater increase supported during initial ventilation by enhanced pulmonary distribution of a higher RV output that was largely underpinned by newly emergent and substantial left‐to‐right (L → R) shunting across the FO, and after DCC, by an added contribution from more pronounced L → R ductal shunting; (2) increased a redistribution of LV output away from the upper body region, accompanied by lowering of upper body blood flow and O2 delivery; and (3) accentuated a progressive systemic‐to‐pulmonary arterial shift in the distribution of the combined LV and RV output that occurred in conjunction with more pronounced perinatal L → R shunting. These findings suggest that antenatal betamethasone substantially alters arterial blood flow effects of initial ventilation and DCC in the preterm birth transition.
imageKey points
Betamethasone is given to increase fetal lung and cardiovascular maturation prior to preterm birth, while delayed cord clamping (DCC) is recommended at birth.
Whether antenatal betamethasone alters perinatal arterial blood flow responses to DCC is unknown.
Anaesthetized preterm fetal lambs with or without betamethasone pretreatment were instrumented with central arterial flow probes and, at birth, underwent ∼2 min of ventilation before DCC.
Betamethasone augmented perinatal rises in pulmonary arterial blood flow, related to enhanced pulmonary distribution during initial ventilation of a higher right ventricular output largely underpinned by left‐to‐right (L → R) shunting across the foramen ovale, with an added contribution from more pronounced L → R ductal shunting after DCC.
Betamethasone increased a redistribution of left ventricular output away from the upper body region, with lowering of upper body blood flow and O2 delivery.
Betamethasone accentuated a systemic‐to‐pulmonary arterial shift in the distribution of combined ventricular output occurring with greater perinatal L → R shunting.
The endothelium at the interface between tissues and
Staphylococcus aureus
in the bloodstream
Authors: Speziale Pietro , Foster Timothy J. , Arciola Carla Renata 
Published: January 2025

SUMMARY

Staphylococcus aureus
is a major human pathogen. It can cause many types of infections, in particular bacteremia, which frequently leads to infective endocarditis, osteomyelitis, sepsis, and other debilitating diseases. The development of secondary infections is based on the bacterium’s ability to associate with endothelial cells lining blood vessels. The success of endothelial colonization and infection by
S. aureus
relies on its ability to express a wide array of cell wall-anchored and secreted virulence factors. Establishment of endothelial infection by the pathogen is a multistep process involving adhesion, invasion, extravasation, and dissemination of the bacterium into surrounding tissues. The process is dependent on the type of endothelium in different organs (tissues) and pathogenetic potential of the individual strains. In this review, we report an update on the organization of the endothelium in the vessels, the structure and function of the virulence factors of S.
aureus
, and the several aspects of bacteria-endothelial cell interactions. After these sections, we will discuss recent advances in understanding the specific mechanisms of infections that develop in the heart, bone and joints, lung, and brain. Finally, we describe how neutrophils bind to endothelial cells, migrate to the site of infection to kill bacteria in the tissues, and how staphylococci counteract neutrophils’ actions. Knowledge of the molecular details of
S. aureus
-endothelial cell interactions will promote the development of new therapeutic strategies and tools to combat this formidable pathogen.
Health and economic impact of oral PrEP provision across subgroups in western Kenya: a modelling analysis
Authors: Wittenauer Rachel , Wu Linxuan , Cox Sarah , Pfau Brian , Sharma Monisha 
Published: January 2025

IntroductionOral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a priority intervention for scale-up in countries with high HIV prevalence. Policymakers must decide how to optimise PrEP allocation to maximise health benefits within limited budgets. We assessed the health and economic impact of PrEP scale-up among different subgroups and regions in western Kenya.MethodsWe adapted an agent-based network model, EMOD-HIV, to simulate PrEP uptake in six counties of western Kenya across seven subgroups including serodiscordant couples (SDCs), adolescent girls and young women (AGYW), adolescent boys and young men, women with multiple partners and men with multiple partners. We modelled 5 years of PrEP provision assuming 90% PrEP uptake in the prioritised subgroups and evaluated outcomes over 20 years compared with a no PrEP scenario. All results are presented in 2021 USD$.ResultsPopulation PrEP coverage was highest in the broad AGYW scenario (8.3%, ~2 fold higher than the next highest coverage scenario) and lowest in the SDC scenario (0.37%). Across scenarios, PrEP averted 4.5%–21.3% of infections over the 5-year implementation. PrEP provision to SDCs was associated with the lowest incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER), $245 per disability-adjusted life year (DALY) averted (CI $179 to $435), followed by women and men with multiple partners ($1898 (CI $1002 to $6771) and $2351 (CI $1 831 to $3494) per DALY averted, respectively). Targeted strategies were more efficient than broad provision even in high HIV prevalence counties; PrEP scale-up for AGYW with multiple partners had an ICER per DALY averted of $4745 (CI $2059 to $22 515) compared with $12 351 for broad AGYW (CI $7 050 to $33,955). In general, ICERs were lower in counties with higher HIV prevalence.ConclusionsPrEP scale-up can avert substantial HIV infections and increasing PrEP demand for subgroups at higher risk can increase efficiency of PrEP programmes. Our results on health and cost impact of PrEP across geographic regions in western Kenya can be used for budgetary planning and priority setting.
Stewarding COVID-19 health systems response in Pakistan: what more can be done for a primary health care approach to future pandemics?
Authors: Zaidi Shehla , Zaidi Raza , Hussain Shujaat , Safi Malik Muhammad 
Published: January 2025

We apply a primary healthcare (PHC) perspective to gauge Pakistan’s health systems response to COVID-19, to identify stewardship lessons for integrating the PHC pandemic response. Analysis of Pakistan’s response against the Astana PHC framework shows that the imperative for national survival helped mobilise an agile response across a fragmented health security context. The findings show effective multisector governance in responding to the health and social aspects of the pandemic, as well as the rapid roll-out of several public health functions and emergency care. However, we found weak maintenance of essential health services and ad hoc, short-lived efforts for community engagement.Critical enablers that helped steward the response across complex power-sharing arrangements included solidarity across society, collaborative data-driven decision-making, leveraging of siloed domestic resources and private sector coordination. At the same time, a more PHC-centric response was constrained by weak political prioritisation of essential health services, uneven services, weak direction to civil society volunteerism for community engagement and weak regulation of private sector contribution.We conclude that a mindset shift is required from short-term tactical measures to long-term investment in PHC-oriented transformative stewardship. Future preparedness must build attention to essential service package for emergencies, mobilisation of both private and public primary care providers, effective community engagement vision across societal actors and market regulation, within a collaborative governance framework.
Evolution and effectiveness of bilateral and multilateral development assistance for health: a mixed-methods review of trends and strategic shifts (1990–2022)
Authors: Xie Siwei , Du Sijin , Huang Yuxin , Luo Yan , Chen Ying , Zheng Zhijie , Yuan Beibei , Xu Ming , Zhou Shuduo 
Published: January 2025

BackgroundDevelopment assistance for health (DAH) plays a vital role in supporting health programmes in low- and middle-income countries. While DAH has historically focused on infectious diseases and maternal and child health, there is a lack of comprehensive analysis of DAH trends, strategic shifts and their impact on health systems and outcomes. This study aims to provide a comprehensive review of DAH from 1990 to 2022, examining its evolution and funding allocation shifts.MethodsWe conducted a mixed-methods review, adhering to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. A systematic literature search was performed across PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and the Cochrane databases, yielding 102 eligible studies. Quantitative data were obtained from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation database, covering DAH data from 1990 to 2022. Qualitative data were analysed through thematic synthesis based on the WHO’s six health system building blocks.ResultsThe DAH has predominantly focused on HIV/AIDS and maternal and child health. Despite the increasing global burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), the proportion of DAH allocated to NCDs remained low, increasing only from 1% in 1990 to 2% in 2022. Similarly, the overall funding for health system strengthening decreased from 19% in 1990 to 7% in 2022. Major contributors to DAH included the USA, the UK and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. While associations between DAH and improvements in certain health outcomes were observed, establishing causality is challenging due to multiple influencing factors. The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the importance of robust health systems. However, DAH allocation did not show any substantial shift towards health system strengthening during this period. Economic evaluations calculated the median incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of DAH interventions,ConclusionsThis study reviews DAH trends from 1990 to 2022, showing a predominant focus on HIV/AIDS and maternal and child health, with insufficient attention to NCDs and health system strengthening. Despite the increasing burden of NCDs and the impact of COVID-19, DAH priorities have not significantly shifted, highlighting the need for ongoing evaluation and strategic adjustments. To enhance DAH effectiveness, it is crucial to adopt a more balanced approach and also align interventions with needs from recipient countries and implement evidence-based strategies with continuous monitoring and evaluation.