bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Associations of striatal dopamine transporter binding with motor and non‐motor symptoms in early Parkinson's disease
Authors: Yang Zhengjie , Xie Yijie , Dou Kaixin , Yang Liying , Xie Anmu 
Published: March 2023

AbstractDopamine transporter (DAT) imaging is an in vivo tool to assess presynaptic dopaminergic function in the clinical practices of Parkinson's disease (PD). Current clinical practices focused on qualitatively visual interpretation of DAT imaging, whereas quantitative analyses are potentially more helpful when monitoring the progression of PD. Previous cross‐sectional studies indicated certain motor and non‐motor features were associated with striatal DAT binding, whereas limited data were reported in terms of the longitudinal correlation between clinical features of PD with striatal DAT binding. The purpose of our study is to clarify current and longitudinal correlations between striatal DAT binding and clinical measures. A total of 352 untreated PD individuals and 167 healthy controls with complete baseline clinical measures and neuroimaging data were identified from the Parkinson's Progression and Markers Initiative (PPMI) database. Patients with PD underwent DAT imaging at the screening visit and following months 12, 24, and 48. Multiple linear regression models and linear mixed‐effect models were respectively conducted to investigate the cross‐sectional and longitudinal correlation between clinical characteristics and DAT binding. Associations between changes in clinical characteristics and changes in DAT binding were further evaluated and the Spearman rank correlation coefficients were reported. In the cross‐sectional analysis, baseline striatal DAT binding was significantly associated with the Hoehn and Yahr scale, the Movement Disorder Society‐Sponsored Revision of the Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale (MDS‐UPDRS) scores, the rigidity scores, and the axial scores in PD individuals (false discovery rate [FDR]‐adjusted p = 0.0017 for all above). Patients who developed freezing of gait had lower striatal DAT binding (FDR‐adjusted p = 0.0161). Healthy controls who had higher tremor scores and suffered more severe olfactory dysfunction had lower striatal DAT binding (FDR‐adjusted p = 0.0257 for all above). Longitudinal analysis indicated that baseline severity of rapid‐eye‐movement sleep behavior disorder was significantly associated with longitudinal striatal DAT binding in patients with PD (FDR‐adjusted p = 0.0120). Furthermore, changes in MDS‐UPDRS scores and the State–Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) scores demonstrated significant correlations with changes in striatal DAT binding over 4 years (p = 0.005 and p = 0.032, respectively). Our findings clarified quantitative associations between certain motor and non‐motor features with current and future striatal dopamine binding, suggesting the feasibility of using DAT images as a progression predictive marker for PD. Further studies are needed to investigate correlations between different regional dopamine binding with specific clinical features.
The health needs of people leaving prison with a history of methamphetamine and/or opioid use
Authors: Cumming Craig , Kinner Stuart A. , McKetin Rebecca , Li Ian , Preen David B. 
Published: March 2023

AbstractIntroductionMethamphetamine use is more common than opioid use among prison entrants in some countries, including Australia, yet most research and policy focuses on opioid use. This suggests that traditional opioid‐focused interventions are no longer appropriate for the majority of this group in countries such as Australia. To inform policy and practice, we compared socio‐demographic characteristics and health needs of people leaving prison with a history of methamphetamine use and/or opioid use.MethodsA cross‐sectional survey of incarcerated adults administered the World Health Organization Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test was used to identify moderate‐/high‐risk methamphetamine use (n = 909), opioid use (n = 115) or combined methamphetamine/opioid use (n = 356) before incarceration. We compared groups using modified log‐linked Poisson regression with robust error variance.ResultsCompared to the opioid‐only group, the methamphetamine‐only group were: significantly more often aged <25 years; significantly more likely to identify as Indigenous; significantly less likely to have a history of prior incarceration, drug injection or overdose. A significantly lower proportion of methamphetamine‐only and methamphetamine‐and‐opioid participants self‐reported current hepatitis C infection compared to opioid‐only participants. A majority of participants in all groups screened positive for current psychological distress according to the K10.Discussion and ConclusionsPeople leaving prison with a history of methamphetamine use differ from opioid users with respect to demographics, patterns of substance use and related health concerns. Treatment and harm reduction efforts for people who experience incarceration must respond to patterns of drug use in this population, and invest at scale in coordinated, continuous services for co‐occurring substance use and mental health problems.
Survey of echocardiography practice across five continents
Authors: Sengupta Shantanu P. , Coffey Sean , Whalley Gillian A. 
Published: March 2023

AbstractBackground and AimThe term echocardiography refers to a diverse range of cardiovascular ultrasound imaging methods, both inside and outside specialist cardiology practice. While guidelines exist, we hypothesized that there are significant worldwide differences in the way echocardiography is practiced. We surveyed echocardiography practitioners around the world to characterize the workforce and their practice.MethodSocial media and word of mouth were used in an explosive sampling approach to recruit echo users, who then completed an online survey that included personal demographics and questions about their practice, their resources, and daily use of echocardiography.ResultsIn
total, 594 participants completed the survey: 54.9% sonographers; 30% cardiologists, with the remainder other physicians or trainees. Significant variation in the number of echoes performed and the time allocated to scanning was observed. There were also differences in the gathering of adjunct measures such as blood pressure and body size.ConclusionThere is wide variation in echocardiography practices across the world. Differences are likely to be both clinician‐ and healthcare system‐driven. Guidelines for practice developed in well‐resourced western countries and intended for use in cardiology‐based echocardiography laboratories may not be applicable to other countries or indeed to new echo users.
Towards a safer sport: Risk factors for cross‐country horse falls at British Eventing competition
Authors: Cameron‐Whytock Heather A. , Parkin Tim D. H. , Hobbs Sarah J. , Brigden Charlotte V. , Bennet Euan D. 
Published: March 2023

AbstractBackgroundEquestrian eventing is a dangerous Olympic sport, with 16 rider and 69 horse fatalities at competition in the last 10 years. Despite this, there is limited research that aims to improve safety within the sport.ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to identify risk factors for horse falls, which are the leading cause of rider fatality within the sport.Study designRetrospective cohort study.MethodsCompetition data between January 2005 and December 2015 were analysed. Descriptive statistics followed by univariable logistic regression to identify risk factors for inclusion in a multivariable logistic regression model were conducted. Models were constructed stepwise using a bidirectional process and assessed using the Akaike information criterion. A total of 749 534 cross‐country starts were analysed for association with the risk of horse falls.ResultsSixteen risk factors were identified including: higher event levels, higher dressage penalties and higher number of days since horses' last start. For example, horse and rider combinations competing at BE100 (OR 1.64, confidence interval (CI) 1.37–1.96, p < 0.001), novice (OR 3.58, CI 3.03–4.24, p < 0.001), intermediate (OR 8.00, CI 6.54–9.78, p < 0.001), advanced (OR 12.49, CI 9.42–16.57, p < 0.001) and international (OR 4.63, CI 3.50–6.12, p < 0.001) all had a higher risk of having a horse fall in comparison to combinations competing at BE90 level. Furthermore, for every additional 10 dressage penalties awarded to a horse and rider combination, there was a higher risk of a horse fall (OR 1.20, CI 1.12–1.28, p < 0.001).Main limitationsThe study is not geographically comprehensive (UK only) and does not include any information on training activity of horses and riders.ConclusionsThis is the largest‐scale study ever conducted on horse falls during eventing competition. Study results can be used by sport governing bodies to inform policy which has the potential to reduce the risk of injury and fatality to sport participants.
Treatment of equine sarcoids: A systematic review
Authors: Offer Katie S. , Dixon Claire E. , Sutton David G. M. 
Published: March 2023

AbstractBackgroundThe sarcoid is the most common equine cutaneous neoplasm. Evidence‐based treatment of this condition is often lacking, and selection of treatment modality based on clinical experience or anecdotal evidence.ObjectivesTo assess the quality of the currently available best evidence regarding the treatment of the equine sarcoid.Study designSystematic review.MethodsIn compliance with PRISMA guidelines, literature searches were performed in PUBMED, Web of Science, CAB Abstracts, EMBASE (Ovid) and Scopus in April 2021. Included papers were required to describe an interventional study examining sarcoid treatment strategy, of level 4 evidence or greater. The case definition required confirmation of at least some included lesions on histopathology, and a minimum of 6 months of follow‐up was required on treated cases. Studies were assessed by two independent reviewers (KO, CD). Data extraction was performed manually, followed by risk of bias assessment. Methodological quality was assessed using the GRADE system.ResultsIn total, 10 studies were included in the review. Case definition was confirmed via histopathology in all included lesions in 60% of papers. Time to follow‐up was variably reported. Overall risk of bias ranged from ‘some concerns’ to ‘critical’. Reported sarcoid regression rate ranged from 28% to 100% on an individual sarcoid level, and 9%–100% on a whole horse level. Transient local inflammation was reported following most treatment strategies, with further adverse events reported infrequently.Main limitationsReview methodology excluded a large proportion of available literature regarding the equine sarcoid. Significant heterogeneity between included studies prevented quantitative synthesis and most included papers were at significant risk of bias, indirectness, and imprecision.ConclusionsThere is insufficient evidence currently available to recommend one sarcoid treatment over another. There is an urgent need for sufficiently powered, randomised, placebo‐controlled trials in order to allow more definitive comparison of the efficacy of different treatment strategies.
Biodiversity change under adaptive community dynamics
Authors: Carroll Tadhg , Cardou Françoise , Dornelas Maria , Thomas Chris D. , Vellend Mark 
Published: March 2023

AbstractCompositional change is a ubiquitous response of ecological communities to environmental drivers of global change, but is often regarded as evidence of declining “biotic integrity” relative to historical baselines. Adaptive compositional change, however, is a foundational idea in evolutionary biology, whereby changes in gene frequencies within species boost population‐level fitness, allowing populations to persist as the environment changes. Here, we present an analogous idea for ecological communities based on core concepts of fitness and selection. Changes in community composition (i.e., frequencies of genetic differences among species) in response to environmental change should normally increase the average fitnessof community members. We refer to compositional changes that improve the functional match, or “fit,” between organisms' traits and their environment as adaptive community dynamics. Environmental change (e.g., land‐use change) commonly reduces the fit between antecedent communities and new environments. Subsequent change in community composition in response to environmental changes, however, should normally increase community‐level fit, as the success of at least some constituent species increases. We argue that adaptive community dynamics are likely to improve or maintain ecosystem function (e.g., by maintaining productivity). Adaptive community responses may simultaneously produce some changes that are considered societally desirable (e.g., increased carbon storage) and others that are undesirable (e.g., declines of certain species), just as evolutionary responses within species may be deemed desirable (e.g., evolutionary rescue of an endangered species) or undesirable (e.g., enhanced virulence of an agricultural pest). When assessing possible management interventions, it is important to distinguish between drivers of environmental change (e.g., undesired climate warming) and adaptive community responses, which may generate some desirable outcomes. Efforts to facilitate, accept, or resist ecological change require separate consideration of drivers and responses, and may highlight the need to reconsider preferences for historical baseline communities over communities that are better adapted to the new conditions.
Current situation, future vision and enablers of nursing home oral healthcare in Singapore: Dentists' perspectives
Authors: Tada Sayaka , Lee Gabriel Keng Yan , Koh Sarah Mun Yee , Wong Mun Loke 
Published: March 2023

ObjectivesTo address the following research questions: (i) What is the current situation and future vision on oral healthcare service in nursing homes (NHs) in Singapore? (ii) What are the enablers to achieve the future vision? (iii) How do views differ between dentists with and without clinical experiences in NHs?BackgroundOral healthcare services in NHs need to reflect the perspectives of a diverse range of stakeholders and establish shared goals, however there is scarce evidence of in‐depth dentists’ insights.Material and methodsDentists were purposively recruited. Focus group discussions with 4–5 participants each were conducted via teleconferencing. Data were analysed thematically.ResultsThe participants (n = 19, median 36.0 years) recognised the need of comprehensive reform of the oral healthcare paradigm in NHs: symptomatic care to preventive care, disease‐oriented care to person‐centred care and more active collaborative care. Overall, five domains of enabling factors emerged: (1) to improve general system of oral healthcare in NHs, (2) to increase the number of dentists engaging in NHs, (3) to improve the quality of dental practice, (4) to improve the quality of daily oral care and (5) to promote seniors' cooperative attitude to oral healthcare. There was a noticeable difference in the perception on how to encourage dentists to serve in NHs.ConclusionThere is a need for a comprehensive reform of the oral healthcare paradigm for seniors in NHs in Singapore. A multi‐tiered strategy using both top‐down and bottom‐up approaches is required.
Public sector workers' support for technocracy. Comparative evidence from 25 European countries
Authors: Migchelbrink Koen 
Published: March 2023

AbstractAre public sector workers more supportive of technocracy than people not employed in the public sector? Public sector workers play an important role in the functioning and safeguarding of democracy. However, because of their training as neutral and competent policy workers and implementers, it is often claimed that they hold relatively strong technocratic attitudes. In this study, we compare the support for technocracy of 35,395 public sector and non‐public sector workers across 25 European countries. The results show that on average, public sector workers are not more supportive of technocracy than non‐public sector workers, and that the effect of public sector employment on support for technocracy differs across countries. Furthermore, we find that trust in representative institutions and satisfaction with government can reduce support for technocracy.
Participation in healthcare consultations: A qualitative study from the perspectives of persons diagnosed with hand osteoarthritis
Authors: Magnussen Hege Johanne , Kjeken Ingvild , Pinxsterhuis Irma , Sjøvold Trine Amalie , Hennig Toril , Thorsen Eva , Feiring Marte 
Published: March 2023

AbstractIntroductionScarce health resources and differing views between persons with hand osteoarthritis (OA) and health professionals concerning care preferences contribute to sustaining a gap between actual needs and existing clinical guidelines for hand OA. The aim of this study is to explore the experiences of persons diagnosed with hand OA in their encounters with health services and how those experiences influence negotiations and decision‐making in hand OA care.MethodsData from 21 qualitative interviews with persons diagnosed with hand OA were collected, transcribed verbatim and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.ResultsThree main themes were developed: symptoms are perceived as ordinary ageing in everyday life, consultations are shaped by trust in healthcare and the responsibilities of prioritisation and self‐care govern interactions.ConclusionIdeas of ageing, professional knowledge and self‐management dominate hand OA health encounters and contribute to shaping illness perceptions, preferences and opportunities to negotiate decisions in consultations.Patient or Public ContributionTwo patient research partners with hand OA are members of the study project group. One of them is also a co‐author of this manuscript.
Host–microbiome interactions in apical periodontitis: The endodontic microbiome in relation to circulatory immunologic markers
Authors: Georgiou Athina C. , van der Waal Suzette V. , Buijs Mark J. , Crielaard Wim , Zaura Egija , Brandt Bernd W. 
Published: March 2023

AbstractAimTo explore microbial differences in the endodontic infection of teeth with primary or secondary apical periodontitis (AP), with or without symptomatology. Additionally, to investigate if these differences are depicted in immunologic markers in blood.MethodologyTwenty‐nine teeth with primary or secondary AP were extracted and cryo‐pulverized. Blood was drawn from the subjects at three different time‐points before and three time‐points after the extraction in a time period of four months. The V4 hypervariable region of the 16S rRNA gene was sequenced using Illumina MiSeq. The microbial profiles were ordinated using principal component analysis and tested for differences between groups with permutational multivariate analysis of variance using the Bray–Curtis distance. If significantly different, the microbial profiles were further analysed using the LDA effect size (LEfSe) biomarker discovery tool. A broad panel of inflammatory mediators in blood was examined longitudinally in all subjects during the six visits with mixed models. The Spearman correlation between these mediators and the zOTUs was calculated, and significant correlations (p < .05) were used as input for significant analysis of microarrays (SAM) using MeV.ResultsAfter subsampling, the 467 zOTUs were classified into 9 phyla and 99 genera or higher level taxa. The predominant genus in the entire sample set was Fusobacterium with a relative abundance of 12.3%, followed by Prevotella (9.9%), Actinomyces (7.7%) and Streptococcus (6.7%). The microbiomes of the endodontic infections were significantly associated with endodontic status (primary/secondary infection; p = .015) as well as with the presence or absence of pain (p = .011). There was also a difference in the concentration of inflammatory mediators, namely, C‐reactive protein, Interleukin (IL)‐8, IL‐10, IL‐12p70, RANKL and TNF‐α, depending on the existence of pain. In addition, the presence of specific bacteria (zOTUs) was correlated, positively or negatively, with the expression of several circulating inflammatory markers.ConclusionsThe microbial profiles and the concentration–time relationship of systemic inflammatory mediators of primary endodontic infection differed from those of secondary, and of symptomatic from those of asymptomatic cases. The fingerprint of associations between the immunological and microbiological profiles differed between asymptomatic and symptomatic patients.
Effects of carbothermal prereduction temperature and Co content on mechanical properties of WC–Co cemented carbides
Authors: Deng Xiao‐Chun , Kang Xiao‐Dong , Zhang Guo‐Hua 
Published: March 2023

AbstractWC–Co cemented carbides were prepared via an in situ synthesis method, including the carbothermal prereduction of WO3 and Co2O3 to remove all oxygen and a subsequent carbonization‐vacuum sintering process. The experimental results revealed that as the prereduction temperature increased from 1000 to 1200°C, the grain sizes of WC in WC–6Co and WC–12Co cemented carbides increased from .91 to 1.09 and .97 to 1.19 μm, respectively. Further, the fracture toughness of the sintered WC–6Co and WC–12Co cemented carbides increased from 9.97 to 10.83 and 11.11 to 18.30 MPa m1/2, respectively. In contrast, the hardness of the WC–6Co and WC–12Co cemented carbides decreased from 1477 to 1368 and 1351 to 1184 HV30, respectively. For a given prereduction temperature, an increase in Co content can improve the fracture toughness while lowering the hardness. In addition, an increase in the prereduction temperature or Co content led to an increase in the grain size of WC, which resulted in a transgranular fracture as the dominant mode.
3D printing of honeycomb Si3N4 ceramic
Authors: Ma Siqi , Fu Shuai , Wang Qikun , Yang Hualong , Li Wanlin , He Peigang , Wang Meirong , Cai Delong , Duan Xiaoming , Jia Dechang , Lin Hua‐Tay , Zhou Yu 
Published: March 2023

AbstractIn this paper, a honeycomb Si3N4 ceramic was fabricated by 3D printing with a well‐preserved structure. The effects of Si3N4 content on the rheological properties of Si3N4/sol–silica ink and the printing resolution of products were investigated. The microstructure, phase composition, liner shrinkage rate, and fracture behavior of printed samples before and after sintering were systematically characterized in detail. The results showed that the modified inks had the optimized rheological properties, and the stress–shear rate curves corresponding to each slurry could be well described by Bingham and Herschel–Bulkley fluid models. The corresponding slump rates of the printed samples with different Si3N4 to sol–silica mass ratios were all lower than 4%, and the linear shrinkage rate of all of the samples after sintering was below 20%. The fracture behavior under compressive loading of the honeycomb Si3N4 ceramics tended to be non‐catastrophic fractures both before and after sintering. The compressive strengths of all of the printed samples decreased with the increase of the Si3N4 content, and the highest compressive strength of the honeycomb ceramics could reach 131.2 MPa after sintering at 1600°C, which was about 366.9% higher than that of the samples in green state prior to the sintering.