bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Limited access to liver transplantation and TIPS despite high mortality, healthcare resource use and costs of cirrhosis in Germany
Authors: Lange Christian M. , Trebicka Jonel , Gerbes Alexander , Canbay Ali , Geier Andreas , Merle Uta , Peck‐Radosavljevic Markus , Tacke Frank , Vogelmann Tobias , Theis Sina , Heinze Hartmut , Zipprich Alexander 
Published: August 2023

AbstractBackground and AimsData on number of patients with cirrhosis in Germany are limited. We therefore aimed to estimate prevalence, comorbidities, mortality, utilization of healthcare resources and costs of patients with cirrhosis and incidence of decompensation of cirrhosis in Germany.MethodsThis longitudinal observational study was based on an anonymized representative claims database including 4.9 million persons insured by a statutory health insurance (SHI) between 2015–2020. Patients with decompensated and compensated cirrhosis were selected via diagnostic ICD codes and followed for 2 years.ResultsPrevalence of cirrhosis in 2015 was 250/100 000, resulting in 201 747 (95% CI: 197 540–206 040) patients extrapolated to the German population. Out of all patients with compensated cirrhosis in 2015 who did not deceased, 16.0% developed a decompensation within 3 years. Overall, 978 patients (Ø‐age: 68 years; 60% male) were included in the decompensated, and 5135 patients (Ø‐age: 66 years; 59% male) in the compensated cirrhosis cohort. Patients with decompensated cirrhosis had a higher burden of comorbidities (Charlson Comorbidity Index 7.3 vs. 4.4) and 3 times higher costs per quarter (7172 € vs. 2213 €) than patients with compensated cirrhosis. 1‐year mortality after decompensation was 51% compared to 8% in compensated cirrhosis. Of note, only few patients with decompensated cirrhosis received a liver transplantation or transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts (TIPS) (1% and 5%).ConclusionPatients with cirrhosis have a high healthcare burden in especially decompensated stage. Accordingly, 1‐year mortality of decompensated cirrhosis in Germany is high. Despite high health resource utilization, only few patients have access to liver transplantation or TIPS.
Testing concordance and conflict in spatial replication of landscape genetics inferences
Authors: Wishingrad Van , Thomson Robert C. 
Published: August 2023

AbstractThe degree to which landscape genetics findings can be extrapolated to different areas of a species range is poorly understood. Here, we used a broadly distributed ectothermic lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis, Western Fence lizard) as a model species to evaluate the full role of topography, climate, vegetation, and roads on dispersal and genetic differentiation. We conducted landscape genetics analyses with a total of 119 individuals in five areas within the Sierra Nevada mountain range. Genetic distances calculated from thousands of ddRAD markers were used to optimize landscape resistance surfaces and infer the effects of landscape and topographic features on genetic connectivity. Across study areas, we found a great deal of consistency in the primary environmental gradients impacting genetic connectivity, along with some site‐specific differences, and a range in the proportion of genetic variance explained by environmental factors across study sites. High‐elevation colder areas were consistently found to be barriers to gene flow, as were areas of high ruggedness and slope. High temperature seasonality and high precipitation during the winter wet season also presented a substantial barrier to gene flow in a majority of study areas. The effect of other landscape variables on genetic differentiation was more idiosyncratic and depended on specific attributes at each site. Across study areas, canyon valleys were always implicated as facilitators to dispersal and key features linking populations and maintaining genetic connectivity, though the relative importance varied in different areas. We emphasize that spatial data layers are complex and multidimensional, and careful consideration of spatial data correlation structure and robust analytic frameworks will be critical to our continued understanding of spatial genetics processes.
The War in Ukraine: Risks and Opportunities For the ‘Post‐Soviet South’
Authors: Souleimanov Emil A. , Fedorov Yury 
Published: August 2023

AbstractThe invasion of Ukraine sent shock waves through the South Caucasus and Central Asia, subjecting the eight countries of the post‐Soviet area to economic, political, and social challenges. Refusing to support Russia in circumventing sanctions or taking a stand against the invasion could expose these countries to retaliatory measures. But aligning with Moscow could lead to international isolation and the imposition of secondary sanctions. This article explores the ways these countries are navigating the new geopolitics, with Azerbaijan gaining but Armenia seeking new allies. It then examines the economic benefits to these countries of Russia's desperation, though this leaves them vulnerable to US and European penalties. It concludes with an analysis of how these states are dealing with the tensions caused by migration out of Russia. In all of these areas, the post‐Soviet South must weigh the risks of aligning with the weakening great power or the West.
Moving on: How malaria parasites exit the liver
Authors: Scheiner Mattea , Burda Paul‐Christian , Ingmundson Alyssa 
Published: August 2023

AbstractAn essential step in the life cycle of malaria parasites is their egress from hepatocytes, which enables the transition from the asymptomatic liver stage to the pathogenic blood stage of infection. To exit the liver, Plasmodium parasites first disrupt the parasitophorous vacuole membrane that surrounds them during their intracellular replication. Subsequently, parasite‐filled structures called merosomes emerge from the infected cell. Shrouded by host plasma membrane, like in a Trojan horse, parasites enter the vasculature undetected by the host immune system and travel to the lung where merosomes rupture, parasites are released, and the blood infection stage begins. This complex, multi‐step process must be carefully orchestrated by the parasite and requires extensive manipulation of the infected host cell. This review aims to outline the known signaling pathways that trigger exit, highlight Plasmodium proteins that contribute to the release of liver‐stage merozoites, and summarize the accompanying changes to the hepatic host cell.
Interplay between cell‐surface receptor and intracellular NLR‐mediated immune responses
Authors: Kourelis Jiorgos 
Published: August 2023

SummaryThe functional link between cell‐surface receptors and intracellular NLR immune receptors is a critical aspect of plant immunity. To establish disease, successful pathogens have evolved mechanisms to suppress cell‐surface immune signalling. In response, plants have adapted by evolving NLRs that recognize pathogen effectors involved in this suppression, thereby counteracting their immune‐suppressing function. This ongoing co‐evolutionary struggle has seemingly resulted in intertwined signalling pathways in some plant species, where NLRs form a separate signalling branch downstream of activated cell‐surface receptor complexes essential for full immunity. Understanding these interconnected receptor networks could lead to novel strategies for developing durable disease resistance.
Antibacterial activity of lysozyme‐chitosan oligosaccharide conjugates on two periodontal bacteria
Authors: Takeuchi Yasuo , Nemoto Takashi , Kitanaka Yutaro , Aoki Akira , Izumi Yuichi , Iwata Takanori , Arakawa Shinichi 
Published: August 2023

AbstractObjectiveThis study aimed to evaluate the in vitro antibacterial effects of lysozyme‐chitosan oligosaccharide conjugates (LYZOX) against Streptococcus gordonii and Porphyromonas gingivalis.Materials and MethodsPlanktonic S. gordonii and P. gingivalis were treated with various concentrations of LYZOX for 10 min. The treated bacteria were incubated on trypticase soy agar plates, and colony‐forming unit (CFU) was calculated. The antibacterial effect of LYZOX was compared with that of lysozyme, chitosan, physiological saline, and benzalkonium chloride solution. Cell morphology before and after LYZOX treatment was observed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The antibacterial effect of LYZOX with decanoic acid against the biofilm‐like bacteria was also examined via crystal violet staining. The Kruskal–Wallis test and post hoc Dunn tests were performed to compare the difference in antibacterial activity of each treatment.ResultsBacterial CFU numbers were reduced after LYZOX treatment in a concentration‐dependent manner. The reduction in CFUs was smaller for corresponding concentrations of chitosan or lysozyme alone. SEM analyses revealed bacterial cells shrank following LYZOX treatment. The combined use of LYZOX and decanoic acid yielded an even higher antibacterial effect against bacterial biofilms.ConclusionLYZOX exhibits antibacterial activity against two periodontal bacteria and may be a promising plaque control agent.
Coproduction of core and complementary tasks in times of service decline: Experimental evidence
Authors: Damgaard Peter Rasmussen , Opstrup Niels , Thomsen Mette Kjærgaard 
Published: August 2023

AbstractCitizen coproduction has long been recognized as a lever to maintain service quality in times of service decline, but the key notion that citizens will “pitch in” and coproduce in times of service decline has undergone little empirical scrutiny. Using elderly care in Denmark as empirical setting, we conduct a survey experiment with a two‐by‐two factorial design in a representative sample of elderly citizens (n = 864) to evaluate the effects of a true service decline cue (Treatment 1) and of task‐specific encouragements (Treatment 2) on willingness to coproduce. We leverage the distinction between core and complementary tasks to hypothesize that service decline mostly affects coproduction of core tasks, and that this motivation can be increased with task‐specific encouragement. We find evidence that a service decline cue increases the willingness to coproduce core tasks, but no evidence of an additional effect of the task‐specific encouragement.
Racial and socioeconomic disparities in kyphoplasty among the Medicare population
Authors: Krishnan Sindhu , Brovman Ethan Y. , Jones Mark R. , Manzi Joseph Emanuele , Kim Joshua Seokju , Rao Nikhilesh , Urman Richard D. 
Published: August 2023

AbstractIntroductionKyphoplasty is a minimally invasive treatment for chronic refractory pain secondary to spinal compression fracture. This study investigates racial and socioeconomic disparities in kyphoplasty among the Medicare population.Materials and MethodsThis study utilized data from the Medicare Limited Data Sets (LDS), a CMS administrative claims database. Patients aged 18 and older with ICD code consistent with spinal pathology and compression fractures were included. Outcome was defined as kyphoplasty by race and socioeconomic status (SES) with low SES defined by dual enrollment in Medicare/Medicaid.ResultsThere was a total of 215,502 patients gathered from CMS data, and 717 (0.33%) of these patients underwent kyphoplasty during the study period. Of these patients, 458 (63.8%) were female, the average age was 76.5 years old, 655 (91.3%) were White, 20 (2.7%) were Black, 9 (1.3%) were Hispanic, and 98 (13.7%) were Medicare/Medicaid dual eligible. White patients (32,317/157,177 [20.6%]) were less likely to be dual enrollment eligible in Medicare and Medicaid than Black (5407/13,522 [39.9%]), Hispanic (2833/3675 [77.1%]), Asian (2087/3312 [63.0%]), or North American Native patients (778/1578 [49.1%]). Multivariate regression (MVR) analysis was performed and showed that Blacks were less likely than Whites to have a kyphoplasty performed (OR 0.46 [95% CI: 0.29–0.72], p‐value <0.001). Although Hispanics (OR 0.95 [0.49–1.86]), North American Native (OR 0.82 [0.3–2.19]), and unknown race had a decreased odd of undergoing kyphoplasty, it was not statistically significant.ConclusionOur study showed after adjustment for pertinent comorbidities, Medicare/Medicaid dual‐eligible patients and Black patients were significantly less likely to receive kyphoplasty than White patients with Medicare.
GhXB38D represses cotton fibre elongation through ubiquitination of ethylene biosynthesis enzymes GhACS4 and GhACO1
Authors: Song Qingwei , Gao Wanting , Du Chuanhui , Sun Wenjie , Wang Jin , Zuo Kaijing 
Published: August 2023

SummaryEthylene plays an essential role in the development of cotton fibres. Ethylene biosynthesis in plants is elaborately regulated by the activities of key enzymes, 1‐aminocyclopropane‐1‐carboxylate oxidase (ACO) and 1‐aminocyclopropane‐1‐carboxylate synthase (ACS); however, the potential mechanism of post‐translational modification of ACO and ACS to control ethylene synthesis in cotton fibres remains unclear. Here, we identify an E3 ubiquitin ligase, GhXB38D, that regulates ethylene biosynthesis during fibre elongation in cotton. GhXB38D gene is highly expressed in cotton fibres during the rapid elongation stage. Suppressing GhXB38D expression in cotton significantly enhanced fibre elongation and length, accompanied by the up‐regulation of genes associated with ethylene signalling and fibre elongation. We demonstrated that GhXB38D interacts with the ethylene biosynthesis enzymes GhACS4 and GhACO1 in elongating fibres and specifically mediates their ubiquitination and degradation. The inhibition of GhXB38D gene expression increased the stability of GhACS4 and GhACO1 proteins in cotton fibres and ovules, resulting in an elevated concentration of ethylene. Our findings highlight the role of GhXB38D as a regulator of ethylene synthesis by ubiquitinating ACS4 and ACO1 proteins and modulating their stability. GhXB38D acts as a negative regulator of fibre elongation and serves as a potential target for enhancing cotton fibre yield and quality through gene editing strategy.
Adaptive region aggregation for multi‐view stereo matching using deformable convolutional networks
Authors: Hu Han , Su Liupeng , Mao Shunfu , Chen Min , Pan Guoqiang , Xu Bo , Zhu Qing 
Published: August 2023

AbstractDeep‐learning methods have demonstrated promising performance in multi‐view stereo (MVS) applications. However, it remains challenging to apply a geometrical prior on the adaptive matching windows to achieve efficient three‐dimensional reconstruction. To address this problem, this paper proposes a learnable adaptive region aggregation method based on deformable convolutional networks (DCNs), which is integrated into the feature extraction workflow for MVSNet method that uses coarse‐to‐fine structure. Following the conventional pipeline of MVSNet, a DCN is used to densely estimate and apply transformations in our feature extractor, which is composed of a deformable feature pyramid network (DFPN). Furthermore, we introduce a dedicated offset regulariser to promote the convergence of the learnable offsets of the DCN. The effectiveness of the proposed DFPN is validated through quantitative and qualitative evaluations on the BlendedMVS and Tanks and Temples benchmark datasets within a cross‐dataset evaluation setting.
Region‐centric infrastructure policies and the regional politics surrounding Chinese railway projects: Insights from the East Africa region
Authors: Otele Oscar , Guguyu Otiato 
Published: August 2023

AbstractThe African Union and regional economic communities have identified infrastructure development, not least the enhancement of railway systems, as a key priority to advance regional and continental integration policy. The keen interest of Chinese actors in Africa's railway sector is largely welcomed as conducive to increasing infrastructural connectivity within and between Africa's sub‐regions. This article argues that regional railway projects must be assessed against regional political contexts, which crucially co‐determine the degree of coordination and cooperation in the context of region‐centric infrastructure policies. Competing national political agendas, exacerbated mostly by China's bilateral engagement with East African Community member states, has intensified East Africa's infrastructure race. This has resulted in a poorly coordinated standard‐gauge railway project along the East African Northern Corridor; consequently, its economic viability is in doubt.Related ArticlesIkeanyibe, Okechukwu Marcellus. 2018. “Bureaucratic Politics and the Implementation of Liberalization Reforms in Nigeria: A Study of the Unbundling and Reorganization of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.” Politics & Policy 46(2): 263–94. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12249.Iwuoha, Victor Chidubem, Nneka Ifeoma Okafor, and Emmanuel Ifeadike. 2022. “State Regulation of Nigeria's Maritime Ports: Exploring the Impact of Port Concession on Both the Regulator and the Operators.” Politics & Policy 50(5): 1032–52. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12495.McNamara, Madeleine W., John C. Morris, and Martin Mayer. 2014. “Expanding the Universe of Multi‐Organizational Arrangements: Contingent Coordination and the Deepwater Horizon Transportation Challenges.” Politics & Policy 42(3): 346–68. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12073.
Multiscale temporal and spatiotemporal analysis of wheat blast infection‐like dynamics using vertical plant stratification, regression and Markov chain approaches
Authors: García‐Peña Juan Camilo , Ramírez‐Gil Joaquín Guillermo , Góngora‐Canul Carlos , Calderón Lidia , Cuellar Jorge , Cruz C. D. 
Published: August 2023

AbstractThe spatiotemporal progress of wheat blast (WB) epidemics within the plant canopy remains poorly known due to complex pathogen–host–environment interactions. Although deterministic methods are popular and useful, robust stochastic methods, such as generalized additive models for location, scale and shape (GAMLSS) and probability matrix or Markov transition model (MTM), have seldom been used to analyse plant disease epidemics. Hence, both methods were employed to derive valuable insights into WB epidemiology at the vertical canopy level. We conducted experiments in three climatic zones in Bolivia, using three wheat cultivars, with disease data corresponding to different canopy positions (lower, L; middle, M; flag leaf, F; and spike, S). Using WB severity data (AUDPC, progress rate and maximum severity [Kmax]), we implemented the GAMLSS and MTM to test our hypothesis that WB is affected by host resistance, location and canopy level. Results showed that the AUDPC, progress rate and Kmax differed across sites, cultivars and canopy positions. Clearly, L and M canopies showed a lower progress rate than F and S. The disease showed an ascending movement from L and M canopies to F and S across locations and cultivars. However, descending transitions also occurred from M to L early or F to M canopy later in the season. Both ascending and descending movements can arise at a single state or several recurrent states, indicating indirect evidence of autoinfection within the canopy before and after spike emergence. Our findings contribute knowledge to improve monitoring and managing WB.
Kant and the king: Lying promises, conventional implicature, and hypocrisy
Authors: Sorensen Roy , Proops Ian 
Published: August 2023

AbstractImmanuel Kant promised, ‘as Your Majesty's loyal subject’, to abstain from all public lectures about religion. All past commentators agree this phrase permitted Kant to return to the topic after the King died. But it is not part of the ‘at‐issue content’. Consequently, ‘as Your Majesty's loyal subject’ is no more an escape clause than the corresponding phrase in ‘I guarantee, as your devoted fan, that these guitar strings will not break’. Just as the guarantee stands regardless of whether the guarantor ceases to be your devoted fan, the compliance conditions of Kant's promise are not affected by Kant's ceasing to be the king's loyal subject. For good or ill, Kant made a lying promise to King Friedrich Wilhelm II in 1794.
Regulatory policy choice in post‐reform contexts: The case of industrial safety regulation in Mexico's oil and gas industry
Authors: Elizondo Alejandra , Mejía Luis E. 
Published: August 2023

AbstractHow do the systemic features of a developing country shape regulatory policy choices? This paper examines the rationale behind the regulatory strategy adopted by Mexico's Safety, Energy, and Environment Agency (the ASEA), established after the country's 2013 energy reform to oversee the environmental and industrial safety of the entire national oil and gas sector. Building on the literature on high‐hazard regulation and the necessary conditions for effective regulatory design, we examine 24 core regulatory‐oversight instruments implemented by the agency in its initial years of operation. Our evidence suggests that the ASEA's regulatory strategy was shaped by the disparities in resources across different sectors of the country's oil and gas industry and the agency's limited capacity to oversee every stage of the industrial process systematically. These findings provide a greater understanding of the challenges faced by agencies seeking to oversee high‐hazard industries in post‐reform and developing contexts.
Previous use of statins does not improve the outcome of bloodstream infection after kidney transplantation
Authors: Fernández‐Ruiz Mario , Sánchez Moreno Beatriz , Santiago Almeda Javier , Rodríguez‐Goncer Isabel , Ruiz‐Merlo Tamara , Redondo Natalia , López‐Medrano Francisco , San Juan Rafael , Andrés Amado , Aguado José María 
Published: August 2023

AbstractPrevious studies have suggested that exposure to statins confers a protective effect in bloodstream infection (BSI) due to the anti‐inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties attributed to these lipid‐lowering drugs. Scarce evidence is available for the solid organ transplant population. Therefore, we compared the time to clinical cure (primary outcome) and the time to fever resolution, new requirement of intensive care unit admission or renal replacement therapy, and 30‐day all‐cause mortality (secondary outcomes) between kidney transplant (KT) recipients with post‐transplant BSI that were receiving or not statin therapy for at least the previous 30 days. We included 80 KT recipients that developed 109 BSI episodes (43 [39.4%] and 66 [60.6%] episodes within the statin and non‐statin groups, respectively). The median interval since the initial prescription to BSI was 512 days (interquartile range [IQR]: 172–1388). Most episodes were of urinary source and due to Enterobacterales. There were no differences in the median time to clinical cure in the statin and non‐statin groups (3.4 [IQR: 3–6.8] versus 4 [IQR: 2–6] days; p‐value = .112). The lack of effect was confirmed by multiple linear regression analysis adjusted for confounding factors (standardized β coefficient = 0.040; p‐value = .709). No significant differences were observed for any of the secondary outcomes either. Vital signs and laboratory values at BSI onset and after 72–96 h were similar in both groups. In conclusion, previous statin therapy had no apparent protective effect on the outcome of post‐transplant BSI among KT recipients.
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