bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Experimental and theoretical support for costs of plasticity and phenotype in a nematode cannibalistic trait
Authors: Dardiry Mohannad , Piskobulu Veysi , Kalirad Ata , Sommer Ralf J 
Published: February 2023

AbstractDevelopmental plasticity is the ability of a genotype to express multiple phenotypes under different environmental conditions and has been shown to facilitate the evolution of novel traits. However, while the associated cost of plasticity, i.e., the loss in fitness due to the ability to express plasticity in response to environmental change, and the cost of phenotype, i.e., the loss of fitness due to expressing a fixed phenotype across environments, have been theoretically predicted, empirically such costs remain poorly documented and little understood. Here, we use a plasticity model system, hermaphroditic nematode Pristionchus pacificus, to experimentally measure these costs in wild isolates under controlled laboratory conditions. P. pacificus can develop either a bacterial feeding or predatory mouth morph in response to different external stimuli, with natural variation of mouth-morph ratios between strains. We first demonstrated the cost of phenotype by analyzing fecundity and developmental speed in relation to mouth morphs across the P. pacificus phylogenetic tree. Then, we exposed P. pacificus strains to two distinct microbial diets that induce strain-specific mouth-form ratios. Our results indicate that the plastic strain does shoulder a cost of plasticity, i.e., the diet-induced predatory mouth morph is associated with reduced fecundity and slower developmental speed. In contrast, the non-plastic strain suffers from the cost of phenotype since its phenotype does not change to match the unfavorable bacterial diet but shows increased fitness and higher developmental speed on the favorable diet. Furthermore, using a stage-structured population model based on empirically derived life history parameters, we show how population structure can alleviate the cost of plasticity in P. pacificus. The results of the model illustrate the extent to which the costs associated with plasticity and its effect on competition depend on ecological factors. This study provides support for costs of plasticity and phenotype based on empirical and modeling approaches.
The immediate effects of polyploidization ofSpirodela polyrhizachange in a strain-specific way along environmental gradients
Authors: Bafort Quinten , Wu Tian , Natran Annelore , De Clerck Olivier , Van de Peer Yves 
Published: February 2023

AbstractThe immediate effects of plant polyploidization are well characterized and it is generally accepted that these morphological, physiological, developmental, and phenological changes contribute to polyploid establishment. Studies on the environmental dependence of the immediate effects of whole-genome duplication (WGD) are, however, scarce but suggest that these immediate effects are altered by stressful conditions. As polyploid establishment seems to be associated with environmental disturbance, the relationship between ploidy-induced phenotypical changes and environmental conditions is highly relevant. Here, we use a common garden experiment on the greater duckweed Spirodela polyrhiza to test whether the immediate effects of WGD can facilitate the establishment of tetraploid duckweed along gradients of two environmental stressors. Because successful polyploid establishment often depends on recurrent polyploidization events, we include four genetically diverse strains and assess whether these immediate effects are strain-specific. We find evidence that WGD can indeed confer a fitness advantage under stressful conditions and that the environment affects ploidy-induced changes in fitness and trait reaction norms in a strain-specific way.
Short-term physicochemical and biological impacts on soil after forest logging in Mediterranean broadleaf forests: 15 years of field studies summarized by a data synthesis under the meta-analytic framework
Authors: Latterini Francesco , Venanzi Rachele , Picchio Rodolfo , Jagodziński Andrzej M 
Published: February 2023

Abstract
Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) is a key objective of the European Forest Strategy. One of the most important aspects to be considered to achieve this fundamental goal is the implementation of Sustainable Forest Operations (SFOs). This study aims to investigate how and to what extent forest logging and silvicultural treatments affect soil physicochemical properties in the context of Mediterranean forestry by summarizing the results of 55 field studies, performed within the development of Master’s and PhD theses, carried out in Italy over the last 15 years. In order to define reliable and scalable conclusions, and going beyond the typical case-study approach, we applied a data synthesis under the meta-analytic framework summarizing the results of the studies analyzed. The results show that disturbance triggered by the silvicultural treatments (meant as an alteration of canopy cover as a consequence of the removal of some trees) is much lower than that caused by forest logging, in particular passage of forest vehicles and woody loads. Furthermore, as expected, a clear relationship was observed between the impacts on soil physicochemical properties and biological impacts. Based on our results we recommend that ground-based extraction on slopes steeper than 20 per cent should be limited, extending the applications of skyline systems or winch-assisted extraction. Interestingly, different conditions of terrain roughness showed variable effects on the magnitude of impacts, suggesting the need for future dedicated studies on this topic. The application of machineries specifically developed for the forestry sector showed better performance than lower levels of mechanizations, confirming what was reported in previous literature on the topic. However, the major finding from this study clearly shows that the way in which extraction is carried out is the major factor causing soil disturbance.
Following the steps of the Ikhwān al-Ṣafāʾ in the Ottoman world. I: Insights from three universal histories
Authors: Eryılmaz Fatma Sinem , de Callataÿ Godefroid 
Published: February 2023

Abstract
This article is a first step in a project to study the influence of the Rasāʾil Ikhwān al-Ṣafāʾ in the Ottoman world. We argue that, at least from the end of the fourteenth century until well into the second half of the sixteenth, the knowledge presented in the encyclopedic Rasāʾil was a conspicuous scholarly source for the Ottoman cultural milieu, especially at the dynastic court, and played a significant role in forming their epistemological perspective. This argument is developed with reference to three universal histories: (1) in Turkish, the İskendernāme (Book of Alexander) of Taceddin İbrahim İbn Hızır Ahmedi (d. 1413) written between the last quarter of the fourteenth century and the first quarter of the fifteenth; (2) in Arabic, the Naẓm al-sulūk fī musāmarat al-mulūk (The ordering of ways for the conversation of kings) by ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Bisṭāmī (d. 1454), a prominent intellectual and expert in occult sciences, protégé of Sultan Murad II (r. 1421–44, 1446–51); (3) in Persian, the first volume of Shāhnāmā-yi Āl-i ʿUsmān (Book of kings of the house of ʿUsmān) by the Sufi intellectual and litterateur Fethullah Çelebi (d. 1561/62), better known by his pen-name ʿArif. The choice of these three histories enables us to mark the time period for the influence of the Rasāʾil, stretching it (in both directions) further than is accepted in present scholarship. These histories enable us also to draw attention to the proximity to the Ottoman dynasty of the cultural milieu attuned to the Rasāʾil, and highlight the relationship between history and knowledge that is central both for the texts under study here and the Rasāʾil.
The Esophagogastric Anastomosis
Authors: Walsh Thomas N. 
Published: February 2023

Background:
The incidence of anastomotic leakage in gastrointestinal surgery is highest after esophagogastric anastomosis, with leakage rates of 10% to 38% still being reported, but little consensus as to cause or corrective. The role of anastomotic tension from a series of physiological forces acting on the anastomosis from the moment of recovery from anesthesia may be underestimated. It was hypothesized that anchoring the conduit in the mediastinum would provide the greatest protection during the vulnerable healing phase.

Patients and Methods:
A prospectively maintained database was interrogated for anastomotic leakage following the introduction of an anastomotic technique employing anchoring sutures where the gastric conduit was secured to the mediastinal pleura with 3 obliquely inserted load-bearing sutures. A contrast study was performed between days 5 and 7 and all intrahospital mortalities underwent autopsy. Clinical, radiological, and autopsy leaks were recorded.

Results:
Of 146 intrathoracic esophagogastric anastomoses in 144 patients, 81 (55%) of which were stapled, there was 1 clinical leak and 1 patient with an aortoenteric fistula, considered at autopsy to be possibly due to an anastomotic leak, to give an anastomotic leak rate of 2 in 146 (1.37%).

Conclusion:
The low anastomotic leak rate in this series is potentially due to the protective effect of anchoring sutures, the chief difference from an otherwise standard anastomotic technique. These sutures protect the anastomosis from a series of distracting forces during the most vulnerable phase of healing. It is intuitive that the absence of tension would also reduce any risk posed by a minor impairment of blood supply or any imperfection of the technique.
Prospective study of a case-finding algorithm to detect NAFLD with advanced fibrosis in primary care patients
Authors: Fox Rena K. , Chu Janet N. , Goldman Max L. , Islam Kendall B. , Brandman Danielle 
Published: February 2023

Background and Aims:
Primary care providers need strategies to identify NAFLD patients and select for specialty referral, but proposed algorithms have only been studied in established NAFLD patients.

Methods:
We implemented an algorithm for all adults with diabetes mellitus in a large primary care practice and excluded hepatitis B and C or alcohol use. Applying annual Fibrosis-4 Index and NAFLD Fibrosis Score for 5 years, we categorized patients as low-risk, indeterminate-risk, or high-risk for advanced fibrosis. We targeted all high-risk and messaged each primary care provider, recommending hepatology linkage. We collected final diagnosis and fibrosis (F0–4) outcomes. Using multivariable logistic regression, we assessed risk factors for advanced fibrosis stage (F3–4).

Results:
Of 3028 patients, 1018 were low-risk, 577 indeterminate-risk, and 611 high-risk. There were 264 target patients; their 89 primary care providers received a message per patient suggesting hepatology referral. The majority (n=149) were referred; at triage, 118 were deemed likely NAFLD. Of these, 90 completed visits, 78/90 were diagnosed as NAFLD, and 69/78 underwent fibrosis staging, with F3 to 4 in 25/69. In multivariable analysis, hemoglobin A1c ≥8% (OR=7.02, 95% CI: 1.29–38.18) and Fibrosis-4 Index (OR=1.79, 95% CI: 1.07–2.99) were associated with increased risk of F3 to 4.

Conclusions:
This is the first prospective study testing a case-finding strategy in primary care and almost 1/3 of diabetes mellitus were high-risk for advanced fibrosis. When prompted, 73% of primary care providers placed referrals and 76% of patients completed visits, revealing 86% NAFLD and 36% F3 to 4. This study demonstrates the readiness for such a strategy in primary care; integrating hemoglobin A1c into this algorithm may further improve the performance of Fibrosis-4 Index in this setting.
Associations of childhood adiposity with adult intima–media thickness and inflammation: a 20-year longitudinal population-based cohort
Authors: Fujikawa Tomona , Kobayashi Masatake , Wagner Sandra , Duarte Kevin , Scherdel Pauline , Heude Barbara , Dupontd Vincent , Bozec Erwan , Bresso Emmanuel , Zannad Faiez , Rossignol Patrick , Girerd Nicolas 
Published: February 2023

Background:
The associations between childhood adiposity and adult increased carotid intima–media thickness (cIMT) have been well established, which might be corroborated by the association between adiposity in children and inflammation in adults. However, longitudinal data regarding biological pathways associated with childhood adiposity are lacking.

Methods:
The current study included participants from the STANISLAS cohort who had adiposity measurements at age 5–18 years [N = 519, mean (SD) age, 13.0 (2.9) years; 46.4% male], and who were measured with cIMT, vascular-related and metabolic-related proteins at a median follow-up of 19 ± 2 years. BMI, waist-to-height ratio and waist circumference were converted to age-specific and sex-specific z-scores.

Results:
A minority of children were overweight/obese (16.2% overweight-BMI z-score >1; 1.3% obesity-z-score >2). Higher BMI, waist–height ratio and waist circumference in children were significantly associated with greater adult cIMT in univariable analysis, although not after adjusting for C-reactive protein. These associations were more pronounced in those with consistently high adiposity status from childhood to middle adulthood. Participants with higher adiposity during childhood (BMI or waist–height ratio) had higher levels of insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-1, protein-2, matrix metalloproteinase-3, osteopontin, hemoglobin and C-reactive protein in adulthood. Network analysis showed that IL-6, insulin-like growth factor-1 and fibronectin were the key proteins associated with childhood adiposity.

Conclusion:
In a population-based cohort followed for 20 years, higher BMI or waist-to-height ratio in childhood was significantly associated with greater cIMT and enhanced levels of proteins reflective of inflammation, supporting the importance of inflammation as progressive atherosclerosis in childhood adiposity.
Prevalence and clinical characteristics of renovascular hypertension associated with fibromuscular dysplasia in China
Authors: Kang Yuan-Yuan , Chen Yang , Wu Qi-Hong , Dong Hui , Zou Yu-Bao , Gao Ping-Jin , Xu Jian-Zhong , Jiang Xiong-Jing , Wang Ji-Guang 
Published: February 2023

Objectives:
The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical characteristics of renal artery fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD) in patients in China and identify the cure rate of hypertension after angioplasty.

Methods:
Consecutive hypertensive patients with renal artery stenosis caused by FMD who underwent catheter-based angiography, and were followed at two Chinese referral centres, were retrospectively analysed. All patients underwent a detailed investigation, including demographic characteristics, clinical characteristics, biochemical sampling, Doppler ultrasonography of carotid arteries, magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) of the intracranial artery, and CTA or MRA of the abdominal artery and catheter-based renal angiography. Patients were routinely followed up at 1 month, 6 months and every year after the procedure.

Results:
Among 245 study participants, with a mean diagnosed age of 26.9 ± 9.9 years, 137 (55.9%) were women, and 38 (15.5%) were children. All patients were diagnosed with hypertension at a mean age of 23.4 ± 8.4 years. There were 73.5% focal and 15.2% multivessel cases. Aneurysms, arterial dissections and total occlusions were found in 21.6, 4.1 and 12.2% of patients, respectively. Patients with multifocal FMD were older (26.0 vs. 23.7 years, P = 0.021) and more often female (70.8 vs. 50.6%, P = 0.004). Among children with renal FMD, 55.2% were men, and 86.8% were focal. After a median follow-up of 7.0 years, multifocal FMD had a higher cure rate of hypertension than focal FMD after revascularization (71.7 vs. 55.8%, P = 0.032).

Conclusion:
In a cohort of mostly young Chinese patients, the prevalence of hypertension associated with renal FMD is similar in both sexes. Focal FMDs were more frequent than the multifocal ones and, after angioplasty, were associated with a worse blood pressure outcome.
Randomized controlled trial assessing intubation time with and without an aerosol biocontainment device
Authors: Kohanski Michael A. , Ungerer Heather , Xu Katherine , Douglas Jennifer E. , Carey Ryan M. , Rassekh Christopher H. , Chao Tiffany N. , Weinstein Mitchell L. , Atkins Joshua H. 
Published: February 2023

Introduction:
The emergence of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic renewed interest in infectious aerosols and methods to reduce risk of airborne respiratory pathogen transmission. This has led to the development of novel aerosol protective devices for which clinical and aerosol protective features have not been fully characterized. The relative efficacy of these devices for use during airway procedures has not been assessed in randomized controlled trials.

Materials and Methods:
We recruited anesthesiology attendings, residents, and certified registered nurse anesthetists to perform intubations with an aerosol biocontainment device (ABCD). Thirty-seven patients undergoing procedures requiring intubation in the operating room were recruited and randomized (2:1) to intubation with (25) or without (12) the ABCD. Primary endpoints were time to secure the airway and adverse events. Secondary endpoints were a number of intubation attempts, access to the patient and airway equipment through the device ports, user assessment of ABCD function and technical burden, and patient experience in the ABCD.

Results:
Intubation time with the ABCD (46 s) was not significantly different compared to intubation without the ABCD (37 s; P=0.06). There were 3 adverse events with the ABCD (1 claustrophobia, 2 unanticipated difficult airways) that required device removal for intubation. In general, patients tolerated the device well and ABCD users felt the device functioned as intended but increased the technical burden associated with intubation.

Discussion:
It is feasible to use an aerosol protective device for intubation. The introduction of novel devices into high acuity airway procedures should be approached with caution and should account for the risk mitigation gained from the device balanced against the increased procedural complexity and potential safety risks associated with restricted access to the airway.
Quality-of-Life Outcomes in Autologous and Implant-Based Breast Reconstruction Patients Following Post-Mastectomy Radiation to the Tissue Expander: A Propensity Matched Preliminary Analysis
Authors: Polanco Thais O. , Shamsunder Meghana G. , Parikh Rajiv P. , Chu Jacqueline J. , McCarthy Colleen , Tadros Audree , Matros Evan , Disa Joseph J. , Mehrara Babak J. , Allen, Jr Robert J. , Nelson Jonas A. 
Published: February 2023

Background
Tissue expanders (TE) are routinely placed as a first step in breast reconstruction for women who require post-mastectomy radiation therapy (PMRT). The final reconstruction can then be performed with implants or conversion to autologous tissues. The purpose of this study was to compare patient-reported outcomes and surgical complications in autologous (ABR) versus implant-based breast reconstruction (IBR) patients following TE-PMRT.

Methods
We performed a propensity score preliminary analysis (1:1 matching, no replacement) in patients undergoing ABR or IBR following TE-PMRT. Matched covariates included age, race/ethnicity, smoking status, BMI, history of psychiatric diagnosis, and laterality of reconstruction. Outcomes of interest included complications and BREAST-Q scores for Satisfaction with Breasts, Physical Well-Being of Chest, sexual-Well-Being, and Psychosocial-Well-Being domains.

Results
Of 341 patients with TE-PMRT, A total of 106 patients were included in the matched analysis: 53 ABR and 53 IBR. ABR and IBR did not significantly differ in matched baseline, cancer, and surgical characteristics. ABR patients had higher Satisfaction with Breast scores (greater than the 4-point minimal clinically important difference) at all post-reconstruction time-points compared with IBR patients (p < 0.05). There were no significant postoperative differences in other BREAST-Q domains. The incidence of complications after definitive reconstruction did not significantly differ among cohorts.

Conclusions
In this matched preliminary analysis, patients who underwent ABR following radiation to a TE demonstrated superior satisfaction with breast scores compared with IBR patients. Higher-powered matched studies are needed to improve shared decision making for patients who require mastectomy and PMRT as part of their treatment.
Prevalence pattern, phenotypic manifestation, and descriptive genetics of congenital limb deficiencies in Pakistan
Authors: Bibi Anisa , Uddin Sader , Naeem Muhammad , Syed Amman , Ud-Din Qazi Waheed , Rathore Farooq Azam , Malik Sajid 
Published: February 2023

Background:
Congenital limb deficiency (CLD) is a group of very rare disorders characterized by substantial hypoplasia or the complete absence of 1 or more bones of limbs. Congenital limb deficiency has a significant physical, clinical, and psychological burden on the affected individuals and their families. This cross-sectional study aimed to describe the prevalence pattern, phenotypic manifestations, and biodemographic factors associated with CLD in a cohort assembled from the Pakistani population from the Northwestern region.

Methods:
Through a prospective cross-sectional study, 141 individuals having 166 limbs with CLD were recruited during 2017‐2021.

Results:
There were 77 (55%) individuals with transverse defects, 61 (43%) with longitudinal defects, and 3 (2%) with Intercalary defects. Among the patients with transverse defects, 52 had terminal amputations and 25 had symbrachydactyly. Among the longitudinal defects, thumb aplasia/hypoplasia was the most common presentation (20 patients), followed by oligodactyly (18), and radial hemimelia (18). Eighty six percent had upper-limb deficiencies, 83% had unilateral deficiencies, and 92% were sporadic in nature. The parental consanguinity was observed in 33% individuals, and 79% cases had an isolated presentation which may be indicative of the substantial role of nongenetic factors in the etiology of CLD.

Conclusions:
This study demonstrates marked heterogeneity in CLD subtypes in the involvement of limbs and associated variables. There is a need to establish a national registry for CLD, molecular genetic diagnosis, and multidisciplinary medical and social rehabilitation services for these individuals.