bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
BEYOND THE TRIAGING OF NEGLECTED THINGS: Connecting Place and Participation Across an Urban System
Authors: Vlahos Nick 
Published: May 2023

AbstractWhat is the relationship between top‐down governance reform and place‐based participatory and deliberative spaces? In this article I argue that in Toronto, an urban system of public participation and deliberation is intimately interwoven into partisan scalar restructuring processes, as well as enduring tensions over the ways and means by which the public can have authoritative input on solving local issues. Regardless of top‐down political manoeuvring, the public mobilizes in various spaces across the city, but the urban system remains disconnected and geared towards triaging. This means that the public must work autonomously across the city and within the crevices of city processes, prioritizing how to make gains on issues that they feel are important. I discuss how to move beyond this by building on deliberative systems theory and findings from interviews with local city staff and residents, and through an analysis of public deputations at the official Special Committee on Governance. Ultimately, there is a need for spatially integrated opportunities for more people to come together and assemble in different ways. Some of these will align with autonomous activities, some are liminal and woven within institutional partners, and others are more about geographical bridge building.
Death by compaction in a robotic dumpster
Authors: Karakasi Maria‐Valeria , Nikolaidis Ioannis , Pavlidis Pavlos 
Published: May 2023

AbstractRobotic waste management automation systems are increasingly utilized around the globe as a user‐friendly, ecological and hygienic alternative to waste disposal, simultaneously reducing the volume and frequency of waste collection. The present paper aims to report a case of death by compaction in an automated robotic waste management system and review relevant literature on compactor‐related fatalities. The unusual fatal accident involved a 37‐year‐old male citizen who deliberately entered the robotic dumpster to retrieve his accidentally discarded medication. Upon entering the robotic chamber, the compaction system was automatically activated, although all safety measures were in full operation. This paper highlights the lack of standardized reporting on compactor‐related mortality, which however is of importance both in terms of its social impact and public safety. These deaths occur rarely, in scattered areas of the globe, associated with various situations (e.g., occupational fatalities, homeless people, infanticide) and trash compactors of different types, technology, age, maintenance quality, warning signage and safety interlocks. In all previously reported fatalities, the technology involved was considerably older (as in conventional waste containers, garbage compaction trucks, chute‐fed compactors in buildings, etc.). The case described in the present report is a rare event in both literature and international news coverage as it encompasses a fully automated technology intended for unsupervised, direct use by the public being located in public spaces where all citizens can interact with it. The aim of this report is to raise awareness and improve knowledge about safety parameters so that similar incidents can be avoided in the future.
Planning for the next pandemic: Reflections on lessons from the uncontained transmission phases of the COVID‐19 pandemic and their impacts on emergency departments in Australia
Authors: Hsiao Kai Hsun , Foong Lai Heng , Govindasamy Laksmi Sakura , Judkins Simon 
Published: May 2023

AbstractAustralia was a world leader in managing the earlier waves of the COVID‐19 pandemic. Subsequently, three major turning points changed the trajectory of the pandemic: mass vaccinations, emergence of more transmissible variants and re‐opening of Australia's borders. However, there were also concomitant missteps and premature shifts in pandemic response policy that led to mixed messaging, slow initial vaccination uptake and minimal mitigation measures in response to the Omicron variant. The latter marked Australia's entry into a new phase of (or approach to) the pandemic: widespread transmission. This led to an exponential increase in cases and significant impacts on the health system, particularly, EDs. This paper reflects on this phase of the pandemic to urge for system‐level changes that instal better safeguards for ED capacity, safety and staff well‐being for future pandemics. This is essential to strengthening our health system's resilience and to better protecting our communities against such emergencies.
Apatite Geochemical and Nd Isotopic Insights into Trachyte Petrogenesis in the Tianchi Volcanic Area of Changbai Mountain, NE China
Authors: XU Zhitao , SUN Liying , LI Mengmeng , LI Zhongwei , WU Chengzhi , QI Wei , LIU Hongyan 
Published: May 2023

AbstractWe report the oxide, element geochemistry and Nd isotopic geochemical data of apatite in the middle Pleistocene medium‐ and fine‐grained trachyte in the Tianchi volcanic area (TVA) of Changbai Mountain, discussing the relationship between apatite and the composition of the whole rock. The purpose is to use the apatite geochemical data to constrain the evolutionary process of trachytic magma and the petrogenesis of trachyte in the cone‐forming period of the Tianchi volcano. Apatite (Ca5(PO4)3(OH, F, Cl)) is a common accessory mineral that occurs widely in volcanic rocks in the TVA. The apatites in the trachyte are mainly subhedral–anhedral, having the characteristics of magmatic apatite. In terms of oxide and element geochemistry, they have homogeneous Al2O3, SiO2, MgO, P2O5, K2O, CaO and heterogeneous TiO2, with high F content. They are generally enriched in Th, U and LREEs, depleted in Nb, Ta, Zr, Hf and HFSEs, showing negative Ba, Sr and Ti anomalies, similar to those of the whole‐rock host trachytes. The ratios of high (La/Yb)N, low δEu (Eu/Eu*), Sr/Y value and ΣREE content in apatite, and the F, Sr, Y, Th/U, La/Sm, and Nd/Tb with ΣREE and δEu anomalies showed a linear correlation, all of those indicating that the host magma has the characteristic of high differentiation. The apatite grains generally having 147Sm/144Nd, 143Nd/144Nd ratios and εNd(t) values of 0.1072–0.1195, 0.5123–0.5126 and –3.49 to –0.10, respectively, are similiar to those of the host rock. The Nd model ages TDM1 are 949–803 Ma in apatite. Combined with the εNd(t) value of the apatite core (–7.06 to –3.49), we conclude that the initial magma of the host trachyte was derived from the partial melting of Proterozoic crustal material and there was an assimilation of wall rocks during its evolution.
Short‐term outcomes of robotic lobectomy versus video‐assisted lobectomy in patients with pulmonary neoplasms
Authors: Sun Tian‐Yu , Xie Chu‐Long , Tan Zihui , Li Ji‐Bin , Yang Mu‐Zi , Yang Hao‐Xian 
Published: May 2023

AbstractBackgroundTo explore whether robotic lobectomy (RL) is superior to video‐assisted lobectomy (VAL) in terms of short‐term outcomes in patients with pulmonary neoplasms.MethodsFrom January 30, 2019 to February 28, 2022, a series of consecutive minimally invasive lobectomies were performed for patients with pulmonary neoplasms. Perioperative outcomes such as operation time, blood loss, dissected lymph nodes (LNs), surgical complications, postoperative pain control, length of postoperative stay in hospital, and total cost of hospitalization were compared.ResultsA total of 336 cases including 173 RLs and 163 VALs were enrolled. Baseline characteristics were comparable between groups. RLs were associated with shorter operation time (median [interquadrant range, IQR], 107 min [90–130] vs. 120 min [100–149], p < 0.001), less blood loss (median [IQR], 50 mL [30–60] vs. 50 mL [50–80], p = 0.02), and lower blood transfusion rate (3.5% vs. 9.8%, p = 0.02) compared with VALs. More LNs were harvested by the robotic approach (median [IQR], 29 [20–41] vs. 22 [15–45], p = 0.04). The incidences of conversion, major postoperative complications, extra analgesic usage, and postoperative length of stay were all comparable between the RL and VAL groups. As predicted, the total cost of hospitalization was greater in the RL group (median [IQR], $16728.35 [15682.16–17872.15] vs. $10713.47 [9662.13–11742.15], p < 0.001).ConclusionRL improved surgical efficacy with shortened operative time, less blood loss, and more thorough LN dissection compared with VAL, compromised by higher cost.
Age‐related telomere attrition in the human putamen
Authors: Schreglmann Sebastian R. , Goncalves Tomas , Grant‐Peters Melissa , Kia Demis A. , Soreq Lilach , Ryten Mina , Wood Nicholas W. , Bhatia Kailash P. , Tomita Kazunori 
Published: May 2023

AbstractAge is a major risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases. Shortening of leucocyte telomeres with advancing age, arguably a measure of “biological” age, is a known phenomenon and epidemiologically correlated with age‐related disease. The main mechanism of telomere shortening is cell division, rendering telomere length in post‐mitotic cells presumably stable. Longitudinal measurement of human brain telomere length is not feasible, and cross‐sectional cortical brain samples so far indicated no attrition with age. Hence, age‐related changes in telomere length in the brain and the association between telomere length and neurodegenerative diseases remain unknown. Here, we demonstrate that mean telomere length in the putamen, a part of the basal ganglia, physiologically shortens with age, like leukocyte telomeres. This was achieved by using matched brain and leukocyte‐rich spleen samples from 98 post‐mortem healthy human donors. Using spleen telomeres as a reference, we further found that mean telomere length was brain region‐specific, as telomeres in the putamen were significantly shorter than in the cerebellum. Expression analyses of genes involved in telomere length regulation and oxidative phosphorylation revealed that both region‐ and age‐dependent expression pattern corresponded with region‐dependent telomere length dynamics. Collectively, our results indicate that mean telomere length in the human putamen physiologically shortens with advancing age and that both local and temporal gene expression dynamics correlate with this, pointing at a potential mechanism for the selective, age‐related vulnerability of the nigro‐striatal network.
Direct and indirect effects of alcohol and its toxic metabolite acetaldehyde on human esophageal myofibroblasts and epithelial cells
Authors: Khalatbari Atousa , Castle Joshua D. , Li Tao , Shaker Anisa 
Published: May 2023

AbstractBackgroundMechanisms by which alcohol increases the risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma remain undefined. Human esophageal myofibroblasts (HEMFs) subjacent to the squamous epithelium are exposed directly to these agents via epithelial barrier defects and indirectly via factors derived from the exposed epithelium. Our aim was to investigate the cellular biology of HEMFs and HEMF‐esophageal epithelial cell interactions in response to alcohol and its toxic metabolite acetaldehyde.MethodsAn immortalized HEMF and a human esophageal epithelial cell line (Epi) were treated with alcohol (0 to 200 mM) or acetaldehyde (0 to 100 μM) in a cyclic fashion or incubated with supernatants collected from treated cells. Healthy cell %, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and proliferation were assessed via flow cytometry, luminescence, scratch wound, and colorimetric assays, respectively. A 15‐plex multiplex assay was performed on cell supernatants, followed by IL‐6 and IL‐8 qRT–PCR and ELISA.ResultsHealthy HEMF decreased to less than 80% at 30 mM alcohol and 70 μM acetaldehyde, with microscopic changes at 40 μM acetaldehyde. HEMF ROS was detected at 100 mM alcohol and 80 μM acetaldehyde. Supernatants from 30 mM alcohol‐ or 40 μM acetaldehyde‐treated HEMFs increased Epi proliferation more than two‐fold that of lower doses. In the complementary studies, healthy Epi cells decreased to less than 80% at 50 mM and 70 μM acetaldehyde, with microscopic changes at 40 μM. Supernatants from Epi treated with 50 mM alcohol or 40 μM acetaldehyde increased HEMF proliferation more than two‐fold that of lower doses. A multiplex assay of supernatants showed the greatest increase in concentrations of IL‐6 and IL‐8 in HEMFs and in Epi treated with higher doses of alcohol or acetaldehyde. Neutralization of IL‐6 and IL‐8 in supernatants of HEMFS and esophageal epithelial cells inhibited the proliferation of Epi and HEMFs, respectively.ConclusionsAlcohol and acetaldehyde doses in which the majority of HEMFs and epithelial cells are healthy, elicit the production of paracrine mediators with pro‐proliferative effects on neighboring cells. Understanding the effect of alcohol and acetaldehyde on HEMFs and HEMF‐epithelial interactions could help to identify the molecular basis by which alcohol increases the risk for esophageal cancer.
Evaluation of errors in death certification by medical officers in an acute hospital
Authors: Abeygunasekara Avindri , Ramasundara Malith 
Published: May 2023

AbstractObjectivesTo identify the frequency and types of errors in the Medical Certificate Cause of Death (MCCD) completed by hospital medical officers for deceased older patients.MethodsAmong 127 deaths in a tertiary hospital acute geriatric unit between 1 July 2021 and 30 June 2022, a cause of death was documented for 116 patients (mean age 87.8, SD 5.7 years, 47% female, 39% from a nursing home). The MCCD was evaluated for errors as compared to national guidelines based on five criteria: mechanism without underlying cause; competing causes; improper sequencing; incomplete data; and use of abbreviations. The level of training of the documenting medical officer and whether the MCCD was completed out of usual working hours was evaluated with respect to errors.ResultsAt least one error was present in 60 (52%) of the MCCD evaluated, and there were two or more errors in 16 (14%). Most commonly, documenting competing causes of death was found in 45 (39%) of all MCCD, followed by missing data (10%) and improper sequencing (9%). MCCDs were mostly completed by postgraduate year (PGY) 1 or 2 medical officers (78%) and out‐of‐hours (in 72%). There was no significant difference in frequency of errors between junior and senior medical officers (p = 0.52) or if it was completed within or out‐of‐hours (p = 0.14).ConclusionsThe MCCD for deceased hospital patients often contained an error. Major improvement in the quality of death certification is needed among all medical officers.
Arsenic exposure and pruritus: Evidence from observational, interventional, and mendelian randomization studies
Authors: Huang Xiaoyan , Xiao Yi , Jing Danrong , Huang Yuzhou , Yang Songchun , Huang Zhijun , Yang Guoping , Duan Yanying , He Meian , Su Juan , Chen Mingliang , Chen Xiang , Shen Minxue 
Published: May 2023

AbstractBackgroundPruritus is identified as an adverse drug reaction to arsenic trioxide, but the association of arsenic exposure with pruritus has not been investigated.MethodsA cross‐sectional study was conducted in Shimen, China. A Mendelian randomization analysis was conducted to confirm the causal relationship between genetically predicted percentages of monomethylated arsenic (MMA%) and dimethylated arsenic (DMA%) in urine with chronic pruritus in UK Biobank. A case–control study was then conducted to determine the biomarker for pruritus. Arsenite‐treated mice were used to confirm the biomarker, and von Frey test was used to induce scratching bouts. Last, a randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial was conducted to test the efficacy of naloxone in arsenic‐exposed patients with pruritus in Shimen.ResultsHair arsenic (μg/g) showed a dose–response relationship with the intensity of itch in 1079 participants, with odds ratios (OR) of 1.11 for moderate‐to‐severe itch (p = 0.012). The Mendelian randomization analysis confirmed the causal relationship, with ORs of 1.043 for MMA% (p = 0.029) and 0.904 for DMA% (p = 0.077) above versus under median. Serum β‐endorphin was identified as a significant biomarker for the intensity of itch (p < 0.001). Consistently, treatment with arsenite upregulated the level of β‐endorphin (p = 0.002) and induced scratching bouts (p < 0.001) in mice. The randomized controlled trial in 126 participants showed that treatment with sublingual naloxone significantly relieved the intensity of itch in arsenic‐exposed participants in 2 weeks (β = −0.98, p = 0.04).ConclusionArsenic exposure is associated with pruritus, and β‐endorphin serves as a biomarker of pruritus. Naloxone relieves pruritus in patients with arseniasis.
Review article: Functional dyspepsia and pregnancy—Effects and management in a special population
Authors: Liu Benjamin D. , Starkey Morgan , Virani Aleena , Pichette Sandra L. , Fass Shira , Song Gengqing 
Published: May 2023

SummaryBackgroundAround 10% of Americans meet the Rome IV criteria for functional dyspepsia (FD), with a significantly higher rate in women. FD also has a higher prevalence in women below the age of 50, suggesting that women who are affected are likely to be of reproductive age. Unfortunately, there is a lack of research or evidence‐based guidelines on managing FD in pregnancy.Aims and MethodsTo address this issue, we aimed to perform a systematic review of the interactions between FD and pregnancy and managing pre‐existing FD in the peripartum and post‐partum phases using current lifestyle, pharmacological, non‐pharmacological and alternative medicine interventions.ResultsDue to the lack of Rome IV FD‐specific data in pregnancy, we instead performed a narrative review on how existing FD interventions could be extrapolated to the pregnant population. Where possible we use the highest level of available evidence or official guidelines to answer these questions, which often involves synthesising treatment and safety evidence of these interventions in other diseases during pregnancy. Finally, we highlight current substantial knowledge gaps requiring further research for the safe management of a pregnant patient with pre‐existing FD.ConclusionsOverall, despite the paucity of knowledge of treating FD during pregnancy, providers can mitigate this uncertainty by planning ahead with the patient. Patients should ideally minimise treatment until after breastfeeding. However, interdisciplinary resources are available to ensure that minimal‐risk interventions are maximised, while interventions with more risks, if necessary, are justifiable by both the patient and the care team. Future investigations should continue to elicit the mechanistic relationship between FD and pregnancy while cautiously expanding prospective research on promising and safe therapies in pregnant patients with pre‐existing FD.
Neurogenesis in the regenerating tail of tsinling dwarf skinks (Scincella tsinlingensis)
Authors: Yang Chun , Sun Jinyu , Kou Zhaoting , Liu Bo 
Published: May 2023

AbstractSpinal ganglia and peripheral nerves innervate the regenerating tail and muscles of lizards, which provide new opportunities to probe the mechanisms leading to successful functional recovery following spinal cord injury. The regenerated spinal cord and peripheral nerves were detected using immunohistochemistry in original and regenerating tails of Scincella tsinlingensis. Our results showed that positive PCNA, GFAP and SOX2 cells were observed in the ependymal ducts at 15 and 30 days after the autotomy (dpa), with a small number of immunopositive NSE neurons. GFAP and SOX2 positive cells were primarily localized along the regenerated spinal cord after 45 dpa, and the descending nerve of medulla tissue showed positive NSE. Peripheral axons distributed around the muscle and inside the connective tissue and muscle tissue at 15 dpa. The number of axons decreased after 30 dpa. The peripheral axons was mainly distributed between the connective tissue, muscle group and the muscle and epidermis, presenting a radial distribution centred on the cartilage tube at 120 dpa. MBP myelination labelling of the regenerated tail at 30 dpa revealed that the regenerated axons rapidly myelinated along the rostro‐caudal axis. The density of NMJ significantly increased at 120 dpa and 250 dpa. In the second regenerated tails, NMJ density at 250 dpa was still greater than original tails. Overall, these results indicated that neurogenesis was an early event and the ependymal cells were heterogeneous in the regenerated spinal cord of S. tsinlingensis. The regenerated peripheral axons presented a radial distribution centred on the cartilage canal, and the regenerated axons were rapidly myelinated along the rostro‐caudal axis. During the process of regeneration, there were a large number of regenerated neuromuscular joints with high density.
Out of steady state: Tracking canopy gap dynamics across Brazilian Amazon
Authors: Gorgens Eric Bastos , Keller Michael , Jackson Toby , Marra Daniel Magnabosco , Reis Cristiano Rodrigues , de Almeida Danilo Roberti Alves , Coomes David , Ometto Jean Pierre 
Published: May 2023

AbstractCanopy gaps are evidence of disturbances on forest landscapes. A forest stand is in constant flux, with long stretches of biomass accumulation punctuated by episodic disturbances. We used multitemporal airborne laser scanning data to compare the gap dynamics of four Amazon forest sites. We assessed gap dynamics over 1.9–3.8 years between 2017 and 2020 at sites in the central, central eastern, southeastern, and northeastern regions of the Brazilian Amazon, over areas ranging from 590 to 1205 ha at each site. Gap size ranged from a minimum of 10 m2 to a maximum of about 10,000 m2. We analyzed four stages of gap dynamics: formation, expansion, persistence, and recovery based on two consecutive airborne laser scanning surveys. The gap fraction at our study sites varied between 1.26% and 7.84%. All the sites have similar proportion of gaps among gap size classes. What notably differed among sites was not the gap size‐distribution, but the relative importance of stages of gap dynamics. Expansion and persistence rates ranged from 12 to 118 m2 ha−1. The gap formation rate (formation + expansion) was lower than the recovery rate for three of the four study sites. In contrast, the southeastern site has 1.44 times more area in formation and expansion compared to gap recovery. Over the 2–4 years interval of our study, no site was close to steady state. Multitemporal analyses of large areas over many years are needed to improve our understanding of tropical forest dynamics.