bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Methotrexate vs expectant management for treatment of tubal ectopic pregnancy: An individual participant data meta‐analysis
Authors: Solangon Sarah Annie , Van Wely Madelon , Van Mello Norah , Mol Ben W. , Ross Jackie A. , Jurkovic Davor 
Published: June 2023

AbstractIntroductionEctopic pregnancy is an important health condition which affects up to 1 in 100 women. Women who present with mild symptoms and low serum human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) are often treated with methotrexate (MTX), but expectant management with close monitoring is a feasible alternative. Studies comparing the two treatments have not shown a statistically significant difference in uneventful resolution of ectopic pregnancy, but these studies were too small to define whether certain subgroups could benefit more from either treatment.Material and methodsWe performed a systematic review and individual participant data meta‐analysis (IPD‐MA) of randomized controlled trials comparing systemic MTX and expectant management in women with tubal ectopic pregnancy and low hCG (<2000 IU/L). A one‐stage IPD‐MA was performed to assess overall treatment effects of MTX and expectant management to generate a pooled intervention effect. Subgroup analyses and exploratory multivariable analyses were undertaken according to baseline serum hCG and progesterone levels. Primary outcome was treatment success, defined as resolution of clinical symptoms and decline in level of serum hCG to <20 IU/L, or a negative urine pregnancy test by the initial intervention strategy, without any additional treatment. Secondary outcomes were need for blood transfusion, surgical intervention, additional MTX side‐effects and hCG resolution times. Trial registration number: PROSPERO: CRD42021214093.Results1547 studies reviewed and 821 remained after duplicates removed. Five studies screened for eligibility and three IPD requested. Two randomized controlled trials supplied IPD, leading to 153 participants for analysis. Treatment success rate was 65/82 (79.3%) after MTX and 48/70 (68.6%) after expectant management (IPD risk ratio [RR] 1.16, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.95–1.40). Surgical intervention rates were not significantly different: 8/82 (9.8%) vs 13/70 (18.6%) (RR 0.65, 95% CI 0.23–1.14). Mean time to success was 19.7 days (95% CI 17.4–22.3) after MTX and 21.2 days (95% CI 17.8–25.2) after expectant management (P = 0.25). MTX specific side‐effects were reported in 33 MTX compared to four in the expectant group.ConclusionsOur IPD‐MA showed no statistically significant difference in treatment efficacy between MTX and expectant management in women with tubal ectopic pregnancy with low hCG. Initial expectant management could be the preferred strategy due to fewer side‐effects.
Isoflurane impairs olfaction by increasing neuronal activity in the olfactory bulb
Authors: Fu Hanyu , Zhou Jingwei , Li Shan , Zhang Ying , Chen Zhiyun , Yang Yingying , Li Anan , Wang Dejuan 
Published: June 2023

AbstractAimGeneral anesthesia can induce cognitive deficits in both humans and rodents, correlating with pathological alterations in the hippocampus. However, whether general anesthesia affects olfactory behaviors remains controversial as clinical studies have produced inconsistent results. Therefore, we aimed to investigate how olfactory behaviors and neuronal activity are affected by isoflurane exposure in adult mice.MethodsThe olfactory detection test, olfactory sensitivity test, and olfactory preference/avoidance test were used to examine olfactory function. In vivo electrophysiology was performed in awake, head‐fixed mice to record single‐unit spiking and local field potentials in the olfactory bulb (OB). We also performed patch‐clamp recordings of mitral cell activity. For morphological studies, immunofluorescence and Golgi–Cox staining were applied.ResultsRepeated exposure to isoflurane impaired olfactory detection in adult mice. The main olfactory epithelium, the first region exposed to anesthetics, displayed increased proliferation of basal stem cells. In the OB, a crucial hub for olfactory processing, repeated isoflurane exposure increased the odor responses of mitral/tufted cells. Furthermore, the odor‐evoked high gamma response was decreased after isoflurane exposure. Whole‐cell recordings further indicated that repeated isoflurane exposure increased the excitability of mitral cells, which may be due to weakened inhibitory input in isoflurane‐exposed mice. In addition, elevated astrocyte activation and glutamate transporter‐1 expression in the OB were observed in isoflurane‐exposed mice.ConclusionsOur findings indicate that repeated isoflurane exposure impairs olfactory detection by increasing neuronal activity in the OB in adult mice.
Woody plant encroachment in granite barrens on the Frontenac Arch, eastern Ontario, Canada
Authors: Cohen Michelle , Danby Ryan K. 
Published: June 2023

AbstractAimsWoody plant encroachment is a widespread phenomenon affecting treeless or sparsely treed habitats. We aimed to determine the extent and timing of tree and shrub encroachment into rock barrens of eastern Ontario over the last century, and to assess implications for their ongoing management.LocationQueen's University Biological Station in the Frontenac Arch ecoregion.MethodsWe quantified the extent of change in woody vegetation in 290 rock barrens using aerial photography from 1925, 1965, and 2008. Composition and structure of woody plant communities in 10 barrens was subsequently quantified in the field using plot‐based sampling. Cores or cross‐sections were obtained from individuals >1.5 m height and dendrochronological techniques were used to determine their age and identify temporal patterns of any woody encroachment.ResultsAerial photography indicated that the mean proportion of woody plant cover in barrens increased 22.5% from 1925 to 2008. Dendroecological analysis supported this. Few trees were present prior to 1900 and most established since 1960.Fraxinus americana,Juniperus virginiana, andJuniperus communiswere the most common woody species colonizing the barrens. Remnants of largePinus strobusstumps with extensive charring were found in 90% of the sampled barrens at a mean density of 22.6 stumps ha−1.ConclusionsRock barrens on the Frontenac Arch have changed substantially over the past century; gradually being colonized by trees and shrubs and losing their distinctly open character. Active management — including prescribed fire and mechanical thinning — may be necessary if there is a desire to maintain these barrens and the rare species they support as components of the region's biodiversity. However, identification of a reference state for restoration is complicated by the fact that the structure and composition of these habitats were undoubtedly altered by European land clearance in the 19th century, and that some of these areas likely existed as pine woodlands before that.
Human amygdala involvement in Alzheimer's disease revealed by stereological and dia‐PASEF analysis
Authors: Gonzalez‐Rodriguez Melania , Villar‐Conde Sandra , Astillero‐Lopez Veronica , Villanueva‐Anguita Patricia , Ubeda‐Banon Isabel , Flores‐Cuadrado Alicia , Martinez‐Marcos Alino , Saiz‐Sanchez Daniel 
Published: June 2023

AbstractAlzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by the accumulation of pathological amyloid‐β (Aβ) and Tau proteins. According to the prion‐like hypothesis, both proteins can seed and disseminate through brain regions through neural connections and glial cells. The amygdaloid complex (AC) is involved early in the disease, and its widespread connections with other brain regions indicate that it is a hub for propagating pathology. To characterize changes in the AC as well as the involvement of neuronal and glial cells in AD, a combined stereological and proteomic analysis was performed in non‐Alzheimer's disease and AD human samples. The synaptic alterations identified by proteomic data analysis could be related to the volume reduction observed in AD by the Cavalieri probe without neuronal loss. The pathological markers appeared in a gradient pattern with the medial region (cortical nucleus, Co) being more affected than lateral regions, suggesting the relevance of connections in the distribution of the pathology among different brain regions. Generalized astrogliosis was observed in every AC nucleus, likely related to deposits of pathological proteins. Astrocytes might mediate phagocytic microglial activation, whereas microglia might play a dual role since protective and toxic phenotypes have been described. These results highlight the potential participation of the amygdala in the disease spreading from/to olfactory areas, the temporal lobe and beyond. Proteomic data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD038322.
Social identities in conflict: Israeli Palestinians and Israeli Jews
Authors: Ersoy‐Ceylan Tuğçe 
Published: June 2023

AbstractThe Israeli–Palestinian conflict is generally referred as a territorial conflict, but it is also a conflict over the preservation of identity. This study analyzes the relations of Jews and Palestinians in Israel from an identity security perspective. It sheds light on how the communities perceive actions, discourses, and symbols as a mutual threat to their own identity. Adapting the concept of societal security dilemma (SSD), this study seeks to reveal the patterns of feeling insecure between the groups and to put forth the measures and countermeasures taken to secure identity. This approach contends that the measures and countermeasures taken to reduce the perception of threat do not lead to a feeling of security; on the contrary, it creates a cycle of constant threat perception, making the groups feel more insecure in terms of identity. I argue that this is the case for the Jews and Palestinians in Israel. The analytical dimensions of SSD are applied to the case via process tracing and historical analysis. However, I identify a gap unaddressed by these dimensions of the concept. The present study proposes an additional dimension—confrontation—to fill this gap.
Are women more financially vulnerable than men? A tale of missed economic opportunities from Latin America
Authors: Roa Maria Jose , Di Giannatale Sonia , Villegas Alejandra , Barboza Jonathan 
Published: June 2023

AbstractMotivationWomen are especially vulnerable to not being able to cover the costs of living or meet sudden demands for funds to pay for emergencies (financial vulnerability). The COVID‐19 pandemic put additional stress on household incomes and the ability to meet emergency expenses, thus bringing into sharp relief the lack of inclusion of women in formal financial systems and the gender gaps between them and men.PurposeHow financially vulnerable are women in Latin America? What causes vulnerability? How do financial inclusion, personality traits, cognitive characteristics, and financial literacy affect financial vulnerability?Methods and approachUsing Financial Capabilities Surveys, we use regression to model the determinants of an index of financial vulnerability for eight countries in Latin America: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay, and Peru. We use Oaxaca‐Blinder decomposition to establish the extent to which the gender arises from the different characteristics of men and women, or from the way in which such characteristics affect groups.FindingsWe find a gender gap in financial vulnerability in most of the eight countries. Individual characteristics that often explain this gap are socioeconomic, such as belonging to a low socioeconomic class and not having a regular income. In addition to gender and socioeconomic characteristics, the use of savings products, some personality traits (ability to plan, self‐control), economic preferences, and numeracy skills also drive financial vulnerability.Policy implicationsInterventions to reduce financial vulnerability need, first and foremost, to address socioeconomic conditions. People on low incomes will always be financially vulnerable. In addition, programmes to expand financial inclusion and educate people on finances can help. Given the significant gender gaps, more effort must be made to reduce such gaps in education, employment, and social norms.
Adverse selection in the group life insurance market
Authors: Harris Timothy F. , Yelowitz Aaron , Talbert Jeffery , Davis Alison 
Published: June 2023

AbstractThe employer‐sponsored life insurance (ESLI) market is susceptible to adverse selection due to community‐rated premiums, guaranteed issue coverage, and the existence of an individual market. Using payroll and healthcare claims data from a large university, we find that employees with worse health are more likely to elect coverage causing adverse selection in supplemental ESLI. Nonetheless, we find employees typically do not increase coverage following a severe illness even when they can without providing evidence of insurability. Furthermore, demand estimation shows employees are not price‐sensitive and estimated increases in premiums from adverse selection are unlikely to cause significant welfare loss.
Symbiotic status alters fungal eco‐evolutionary offspring trajectories
Authors: Aguilar‐Trigueros Carlos A. , Krah Franz‐Sebastian , Cornwell William K. , Zanne Amy E. , Abrego Nerea , Anderson Ian C. , Andrew Carrie J. , Baldrian Petr , Bässler Claus , Bissett Andrew , Chaudhary V. Bala , Chen Baodong , Chen Yongliang , Delgado‐Baquerizo Manuel , Deveautour Coline , Egidi Eleonora , Flores‐Moreno Habacuc , Golan Jacob , Heilmann‐Clausen Jacob , Hempel Stefan , Hu Yajun , Kauserud Håvard , Kivlin Stephanie N. , Kohout Petr , Lammel Daniel R. , Maestre Fernando T. , Pringle Anne , Purhonen Jenna , Singh Brajesh K. , Veresoglou Stavros D. , Větrovský Tomáš , Zhang Haiyang , Rillig Matthias C. , Powell Jeff R. 
Published: June 2023

AbstractDespite host‐fungal symbiotic interactions being ubiquitous in all ecosystems, understanding how symbiosis has shaped the ecology and evolution of fungal spores that are involved in dispersal and colonization of their hosts has been ignored in life‐history studies. We assembled a spore morphology database covering over 26,000 species of free‐living to symbiotic fungi of plants, insects and humans and found more than eight orders of variation in spore size. Evolutionary transitions in symbiotic status correlated with shifts in spore size, but the strength of this effect varied widely among phyla. Symbiotic status explained more variation than climatic variables in the current distribution of spore sizes of plant‐associated fungi at a global scale while the dispersal potential of their spores is more restricted compared to free‐living fungi. Our work advances life‐history theory by highlighting how the interaction between symbiosis and offspring morphology shapes the reproductive and dispersal strategies among living forms.
Sub‐zero temperatures and large‐scale weather patterns induce tooth damage in Icelandic arctic foxes
Authors: Geffen Eli , Roemer Gary W. , Unnsteinsdóttir Ester Rut , Van Valkenburgh Blaire 
Published: June 2023

AbstractTooth damage in carnivores can reflect shifts in both diet and feeding habits, and in large carnivores, it is associated with increased bone consumption. Variation in tooth condition in Icelandic arctic foxes, a mesocarnivore, was recorded from 854 individual foxes spanning 29 years. We hypothesized that annual climatic variations, which can influence food abundance and accessibility, will influence tooth condition by causing dietary shifts toward less edible prey. We examined tooth condition in relation to four climatic predictors: mean annual winter temperature, indices of both the El Niño anomaly and North Atlantic subpolar gyre (SPG), and the number of rain‐on‐snow days (ROS). We found unequivocal evidence for a strong effect of annual climate on tooth condition. Teeth of Icelandic foxes were in better condition when winter temperatures were higher, when the SPG was more positive, and when the number of ROS was low. We also found a substantial subregional effect with foxes from northeastern Iceland having lower tooth damage than those from two western sites. Contradicting our original hypothesis that foxes from northeastern Iceland, where foxes are known to scavenge on large mammal remains (e.g., sheep and horses), would show the highest tooth damage, we suggest that western coastal sites exhibited greater tooth damage because cold winter temperatures lowered the availability of seabirds, causing a shift in diet toward abrasive marine subsidies (e.g., bivalves) and frozen beach wrack. Our study shows that monitoring tooth breakage and wear can be a useful tool for evaluating the impact of climate on carnivore populations and that climate change may influence the condition and fitness of carnivores in complex and potentially conflicting ways.
Agile 3+ and Agile 4, noninvasive tests for liver fibrosis, are excellent formulae to predict liver‐related events in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
Authors: Miura Kouichi , Hayashi Hideki , Kamada Yoshihiro , Fujii Hideki , Takahashi Hirokazu , Oeda Satoshi , Iwaki Michihiro , Kawaguchi Takumi , Tomita Eiichi , Yoneda Masato , Tokushige Akihiro , Ueda Shinichiro , Aishima Shinichi , Sumida Yoshio , Nakajima Atsushi , Okanoue Takeshi ,   Japan Study Group of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Published: June 2023

AbstractAimThe noninvasive tests (NITs) Agile 3+ and Agile 4 effectively identify patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) complicated with advanced fibrosis (F3–4) and cirrhosis (F4), respectively. Little information is available on associations between Agile scores and intra‐/extrahepatic events. The aim of this study was to determine the predictive performance of Agile scores for intra‐/extrahepatic events in Asian patients with biopsy‐proven NAFLD.MethodsWe undertook a retrospective multicenter cohort study to investigate associations between intra‐/extrahepatic events and two Agile scores, Agile 3+ and Agile 4. The scores were obtained by combining clinical parameters and liver stiffness measurement using transient elastography.ResultsAmong 403 enrolled patients, 11 had liver‐related events (LREs), including seven with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The incidence of LREs and HCC showed a stepwise increase in the advanced fibrosis group (F3–4), Agile 3+ rule‐in (F3–4, highly suspected), and Agile 4 rule‐in (F4, highly suspected) groups, compared to their counterparts. Hazard ratios for LREs in the advanced fibrosis group, Agile 3+ rule‐in, and Agile 4 rule‐in groups were 4.05 (p = 0.03), 23.5 (p = 0.003), and 45.5 (p < 0.001), respectively. The predictive performance results for Agile 3+ and Agile 4 were 0.780 and 0.866, respectively, which were higher than for fibrosis (0.595). Unlike for LREs, Agile scores failed to identify patients with extrahepatic events, including cardiovascular events and extrahepatic cancer.ConclusionsAgile 3+ and Agile 4 scores are excellent NITs for predicting LREs in patients with NAFLD, possibly without histological assessment.
Effects of annealing on the structural and magnetic properties of flame spray pyrolyzed MnFe2O4 nanoparticles
Authors: Ozdemir Erdem Tevfik , Yildirim Serdar , Ozler Berk , Dikici Tuncay , Erol Mustafa , Yurddaskal Metin 
Published: June 2023

AbstractIn this study, manganese ferrite (MnFe2O4) nanoparticles were produced through flame spray pyrolysis (FSP). To investigate the effects of heat treatment, the nanoparticles were annealed between 400 and 650°C for 4 h in air in a comparative manner. The structural, chemical, morphological, and magnetic properties of the nanoparticles were evaluated using X‐ray diffraction (XRD), X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM), respectively. The XRD results showed that the nanoparticles synthesized by the FSP method exhibited the MnFe2O4 spinel ferrite structure. The annealing process led to the decomposition of MnFe2O4 into various phases. According to the morphological analysis, the as‐synthesized particles were hemispherical–cubic in shape and had an average particle size of less than 100 nm. In addition, the chemical bond structures of the nanoparticles were confirmed in detail by XPS elemental analysis. The highest saturation magnetization was recorded as 33.50 emu/g for the as‐produced nanoparticles. The saturation magnetization of the nanoparticles decreased with increasing annealing temperature, while coercivity increased.
Structural and thermodynamic analysis of metal filler incorporations in SiaOb(M)cCd polymer derived ceramics: Ta, Hf, Nb
Authors: Leonel Gerson J. , Scharrer Manuel , Singh Gurpreet , Navrotsky Alexandra 
Published: June 2023

AbstractThis work systematically investigates the thermodynamic stability of SiaOb(M)cCd structures derived from polymeric precursors incorporating metal fillers: Ta, Nb, and Hf, at 1200 and 1500°C. Structural characterization of the polymer derived ceramics (PDCs) employs X‐ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Enthalpies of formation relative to crystalline components (metal oxide, silica, silicon carbide, and graphite) are obtained from thermodynamic measurements by high temperature oxide melt solution calorimetry. The enthalpies of formation (∆H°f, comp) of Ta‐1200, Hf‐1200, Nb‐1200, Ta‐1500, Hf‐1500, and Nb‐1500 specimens are −137.82 ± 9.72, −256.31 ± 8.97, −82.80 ± 9.82, −182.80 ± 7.85, −292.54 ± 9.38, −224.98 ± 9.60 kJ/mol, respectively. Overall incorporation of Hf results in most thermodynamically stable structures at all synthesis temperatures. SiaOb(M)cCd specimens employing Nb fillers undergo the most stable structural evolution in this temperature range. The results indicate strong thermodynamic drive for carbothermal reduction of metal oxide domains. Incorporation of Ta provides the greatest stabilization of SiO3C mixed bonding environments. Ultimately, the choice of metal filler influences composition, structural evolution, and thermodynamic stability in PDCs.
Disciples and Pilgrims, Arusha, and Karlsruhe
Authors: Ross Kenneth R. 
Published: June 2023

AbstractA striking feature of the 11th Assembly of the World Council of Churches (WCC), held at Karlsruhe in Germany in 2022, was its lack of attention to the “Arusha Call to Discipleship” issued by the WCC World Mission Conference held in Tanzania four years earlier. Further ecumenical amnesia was evident in the Assembly's neglect of the centenary of the formation of the International Missionary Council (IMC) in 1921. It is therefore timely to recall the purpose of the integration of the IMC and the WCC in 1961. This was driven, above all, by the theological imperative that mission and unity can never be separated from one another in the ecumenical movement. On the contrary, these two essential evangelical impulses must continuously inform and energize one another. It was in expectation of such synergy that the integration of the IMC and WCC was enacted. Today, a new opportunity to fulfil this ecumenical hope presents itself. Currently, the “unity strand” in the WCC has a preference for the language of pilgrimage when it comes to expressing the nature of the ecumenical journey, while the “mission strand” has opted for the language of discipleship. The opportunity missed at Karlsruhe was to draw the two into conversation with one another. Enabling the two motifs of disciple and pilgrim to inform and enrich one another could prove to be a vital source of renewal for the ecumenical movement in the next phase of its journey.