bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Mechanism, risk, and solution of cultivated land reversion to mountains and abandonment in China
Authors: Xie Zhen , Fan Shenglong , Du Shaorong , Zheng Yong , Li Chao 
Published: March 2023

The cultivated land requisition-compensation balance (CLRB) system in China has been designed to defend cultivated land resources and grain production functions. Nevertheless, since the addition of a new policy, namely the linkage of increase and decrease (LID) of urban and rural construction land in 2008, a mass of cultivated land has been returning to mountains, sometimes resulting in abandonment. The county of Wannian was investigated from the microcosmic perspective, and we attempted to analyze the causes and risks employing the boosted regression trees (BRT) model and the grain productive capacity assessment model. The results indicate that (1) The compensatory cultivated land (CCL) has shifted uphill, with considerable fragmentation, from 2010 to 2020, and the abandonment rate reached 14.77%. (2) The factors of site condition, including elevation, patch area, and continuity of cultivated land, as well as a series of combinations, can explain the causes of abandonment. (3) The abandonment of these cultivated land areas eventually resulted in the risk of 297.48 t grain production capacity loss. The reason for the return of cultivated land to the mountains and its subsequent abandonment is the lack of consideration for the coupling relationship among site condition, use state, and function requirement, resulting in a spatial mismatch. Based on the findings, we propose a solution of the natural resources requisition-compensation balance (NRRB). To make up for the loss and reduce the risk, a spatial replacement was taken between the abandoned CCL in uphill and cultivable and available forest land (CAFL) in submontane areas CCL, optimizing the spatial pattern of land use toward Von Thunen’s agricultural circle.
Cost-effectiveness of a bone substitute delivering gentamicin in the treatment of chronic osteomyelitis of long bones: Protocol for the CONVICTION randomized multicenter study
Authors: Serrier Hassan , Huot Laure , Brosset Sophie , Batailler Cécile , Ferry Tristan 
Published: March 2023

IntroductionChronic osteomyelitis is a serious osteoarticular infection that most often occurs in the long bones, responsible for significant morbidity with the risk of fracture and amputation. Despite advances in both antibiotics and surgical treatment, the probability of recurrence of infection remains at around 20%. Cerament-G (BONESUPPORT AB, Sweden) is a synthetic bone substitute that fills the bone void left by surgery, prevents infection and promotes bone regeneration within this space. Cerament-G also provides the local delivery of high doses of gentamicin over several weeks. Two prospective observational studies described a number of infectious recurrences of 4 and 5% after the use of Cerament-G. Although available in France, Cerament-G is currently not reimbursed and its high cost constitutes a barrier to its use. We hypothesize that the use of Cerament-G will lead to fewer costs to the collectivity while improving patient utility and, as an innovative strategy, will be superior to standard of care on recurrence of infection.Methods and analysisThe Conviction Study is a prospective, multicenter, randomized, single blind study conducted in 14 French Reference Centers for Complex Osteoarticular infections. The main objective is to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of using Cerament-G in the treatment of chronic long bone osteomyelitis by comparing this innovative strategy to standard of care. A cost-utility analysis from the collective perspective will be conducted over a 24-month time horizon after the initial surgery. The outcome for the main medico-economic evaluation will be Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALYs).DiscussionThe study is being conducted throughout the CRIOAc network in France, in referral centers for the management of complex infections which will facilitate patient recruitment. This study has several limitations: the investigators have to be trained to handle the device, and it was impossible to blind the surgeon.ConclusionIf the use of Cerament-G is demonstrated to be superior to leaving the dead space empty during surgery for patients with stage III chronic long bone osteomyelitis, its use will be recommended to improve the prognosis of such patients, and this device may eventually qualify for reimbursement through the French Health Insurance scheme.Ethics and disseminationThis protocol received authorization from the Ethics Committee CPP Sud Méditerranée V on April 27, 2021 (21.03.10.77652) and the French National Agency for Medicines and Health Products on May 6, 2021 (2020-A02299-30). Results will be disseminated to the scientific community through congresses and publication in peer-reviewed journals.
Association between red blood cell distribution width and all-cause mortality in unselected critically ill patients: Analysis of the MIMIC-III database
Authors: Peng Shixuan , Li Wenxuan , Ke Weiqi 
Published: March 2023

BackgroundAlthough red cell distribution width (RDW) is widely observed in clinical practice, only a few studies have looked at all-cause mortality in unselected critically ill patients, and there are even fewer studies on long-term mortality. The goal of our study was to explore the prediction and inference of mortality in unselected critically ill patients by assessing RDW levels.MethodsWe obtained demographic information, laboratory results, prevalence data, and vital signs from the unselected critically ill patients using the publicly available MIMIC-III database. We then used this information to analyze the association between baseline RDW levels and unselected critically ill patients using Cox proportional risk analysis, smoothed curve fitting, subgroup analysis, and Kaplan–Meier survival curves for short, intermediate, and long-term all-cause mortality in unselected critically ill patients.ResultsA total of 26,818 patients were included in our study for the final data analysis after screening in accordance with acceptable conditions. Our study investigated the relationship between RDW levels and all-cause mortality in a non-selected population by a smoothed curve fit plots and COX proportional risk regression models integrating cubic spline functions reported results about a non-linear relationship. In the fully adjusted model, we found that RDW values were positively associated with 30-day, 90-day, 365-day, and 4-year all-cause mortality in 26,818 non-selected adult patients with HRs of 1.10 95%CIs (1.08, 1.12); 1.11 95%CIs (1.10, 1.13); 1.13 95%CIs (1.12, 1.14); 1.13 95%CIs (1.12, 1.14).ConclusionIn unselected critically ill patients, RDW levels were positively associated with all-cause mortality, with elevated RDW levels increasing all-cause mortality.
Women's reproductive traits and cerebral small-vessel disease: A two-sample Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Wang Zhenqian , Lu Jiawen , Weng Weipin , Zhang Jie 
Published: March 2023

BackgroundObservational studies have suggested that women's reproductive factors (age at menarche (AAM), age at first birth (AFB), age at first sexual intercourse (AFS), age at natural menopause (ANM), and pregnancy loss) may influence the risk of cerebral small-vessel disease (CSVD) although the causality remains unclear.MethodsWe conducted two-sample univariable Mendelian randomization (UVMR) and multivariable MR (MVMR) to simultaneously investigate the causal relationships between five women's reproductive traits and CSVD clinical [intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) by location or small-vessel ischemic stroke (SVS)] and subclinical measures [white matter hyperintensities (WMH), fractional anisotropy (FA), and mean diffusivity (MD)], utilizing data from large-scale genome-wide association studies of European ancestry. For both UVMR and MVMR, the inverse-variance-weighted (IVW) estimates were reported as the main results. The MR-Egger, weighted median, generalized summary-data-based MR (GSMR), and MR-pleiotropy residual sum and outlier (MR-PRESSO) methods for UVMR and MVMR-Egger, and the MVMR-robust methods for MVMR were used as sensitivity analyses. Sex-combined instruments for AFS and AFB were used to assess the impact of sex instrumental heterogeneity. Positive control analysis was implemented to measure the efficacy of selected genetic instruments.ResultsWe found no evidence to support causal associations between genetic liability for women's reproductive factors and the risk of CSVD in UVMR (all P-values &gt; 0.05). Using MVMR, the results were consistent with the findings of UVMR after accounting for body mass index and educational attainment (all P-values &gt; 0.05). Sensitivity analyses also provided consistent results. The putative positive causality was observed between AAM, ANM, and ovarian cancer, ensuring the efficacy of selected genetic instruments.ConclusionOur findings do not convincingly support a causal effect of women's reproductive factors on CSVD. Future studies are warranted to investigate specific estrogen-related physiological changes in women, which may inform current researchers on the causal mechanisms involved in cerebral small-vessel disease progression.
Evaluation of a clinical method for selective electrode deactivation in cochlear implant programming
Authors: Warren Sarah E. , Atcherson Samuel R. 
Published: March 2023

BackgroundCochlear implants are a neural prosthesis used to restore the perception of hearing in individuals with severe-to-profound hearing loss by stimulating the auditory nerve with electrical current through a surgically implanted electrode array. The integrity of the interface between the implanted electrode array and the auditory nerve contributes to the variability in outcomes experienced by cochlear implant users. Strategies to identify and eliminate poorly encoding electrodes have been found to be effective in improving outcomes with the device, but application is limited in a clinical setting.ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to evaluate a clinical method used to identify and selectively deactivate cochlear implants (CI) electrodes related to poor electrode-neural interface.MethodsThirteen adult CI users participated in a pitch ranking task to identify indiscriminate electrode pairs. Electrodes associated with indiscriminate pairs were selectively deactivated, creating an individualized experimental program. Speech perception was evaluated in the baseline condition and with the experimental program before and after an acclimation period. Participant preference responses were recorded at each visit.ResultsStatistically significant improvements using the experimental program were found in at least one measure of speech perception at the individual level in four out of 13 participants when tested before acclimation. Following an acclimation period, ten out of 13 participants demonstrated statistically significant improvements in at least one measure of speech perception. Statistically significant improvements were found with the experimental program at the group level for both monosyllabic words (p = 0.006) and sentences in noise (p = 0.020). Additionally, ten participants preferred the experimental program prior to the acclimation period and eleven preferred the experimental program following the acclimation period.ConclusionResults from this study suggest that electrode deactivation may yield improvement in speech perception following an acclimation period. A majority of CI users in our study reported a preference for the experimental program. This method proved to be a suitable clinical strategy for identifying and deactivating poorly encoding electrodes in adult CI users.
Optimizing culturing conditions in patient derived 3D primary slice cultures of head and neck cancer
Authors: Greier Maria do Carmo , Runge Annette , Dudas Jozsef , Carpentari Lukas , Schartinger Volker Hans , Randhawa Avneet , Mayr Melissa , Petersson Monika , Riechelmann Herbert 
Published: March 2023

BackgroundThree-dimensional primary slice cultures (SC) of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNC) are realistic preclinical models. Until now, preserving structure and viability ex vivo for several days has been difficult. The aim of this study was to optimize cultivation conditions for HNC SC and analyze the added effects of platelet rich fibrin (PRF) on these conditions.MethodsSC were prepared from the tumor biopsies of 9 HNC patients. Cultures were incubated for 1 and 7 days in three different media- Keratinocyte serum-free medium (SFM), RPMI-1640i, and 1:1 mix of both, with and without addition of PRF. After culturing, SC were fixated, embedded, and stained with Hematoxylin-Eosin (HE) and cleaved caspase-3. In addition, triple immune fluorescence staining for cytokeratin, vimentin and CD45 was performed. Outcome parameters were cell count and cell density, viability and apoptosis, SC total area and proportions of keratinocytes, mesenchymal and immune cells. The effects of culture time, medium, and addition of PRF were calculated in an SPSS generalized linear model and using the Wald Chi-Squared test.ResultsNinety-four slice cultures were analyzed. Viability remained stable for 7 days in culture. After addition of PRF, cell viability increased (p=0.05). SC total area decreased (0.44 ± 0.04 mm2 on day 1 (95% CI: 0.35 to 0.56) to 0.29 ± 0.03 mm2 on day 7 (95% CI: 0.22 to 0.36), but cell density and cell proportions remained stable. Differences in cultivation media had no significant impact on outcome parameters.ConclusionHNC SC can be preserved for up to 7 days using the tested cultivation media. Cell viability was best preserved with addition of PRF. HNC SC are a versatile experimental tool to study physiology and drug actions. Autologous PRF can help simulate realistic conditions in vitro.
Fragmentation of the 4He2 dimer with the emission of three or four electrons by fast highly charged projectiles
Authors: Najjari B. , Zhang S. F. , Ma X. , Voitkiv A. B. 
Published: March 2023

We investigate the fragmentation of the helium dimer, 4He2, into He2+ + He+ and He2+ + He2+ ions in collisions with fast highly charged projectiles. We discuss the main physical mechanisms driving these processes. We explore the energy and angular distributions of the ionic fragments produced during collisions of the dimer with 1 GeV/u U92+ and 11.37 MeV/u S14+ projectiles and also present the total fragmentation cross-sections. According to our results, the fragmentation in these collisions is fully dominated by the direct removal of three or four electrons from the dimer by the projectile in a single collision. Our results also suggest that the total fragmentation cross-sections depend on the binding energy IHe2 of the dimer, being roughly proportional to IHe2.
Bottom-up fabrication of FeSb2 nanowires on crystalline GaAs substrates with ion-induced pre-patterning
Authors: Weinert Tom , Hübner René , Facsko Stefan , Erb Denise J. 
Published: March 2023

In recent decades, nanostructuring has become one of the most important techniques to design and engineer functional materials. The properties of nanostructured materials are influenced by the interplay of its instrinsic bulk properties and the properties of its surface - the relative importance of the latter being enhanced by the increased surface-to-volume ratio in nanostructures. For instance, nanostructuring of a thermoelectric material can reduce the thermal conductivity while maintaining constant electrical conductivity and the Seebeck coefficient, which would improve the thermoelectric properties. For that reason, this study investigated the possibility of preparing nanowires of iron antimonide (FeSb2), a thermoelectric material, on single-crystalline gallium arsenide GaAs (001) substrates with ion-induced surface nanoscale pre-patterning and characterized the structure of the prepared FeSb2 nanowires. The GaAs (001) substrates were pre-patterned using 1 keV Ar+ ion irradiation. By using an ion source with a broad, unfocused ion beam at normal incidence, the patterned area can be scaled to nearly any size. The self-organized surface morphology is formed by reverse epitaxy and is characterized by almost perfectly parallel-aligned ripples at the nanometer scale. For the fabrication of FeSb2 nanowires, iron and antimony were successively deposited on the pre-patterned GaAs substrates at grazing incidence and then annealed. They were characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), in particular high-resolution TEM imaging for structure analysis and spectrum imaging analysis based on energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy for element characterization. With the presented fabrication method, FeSb2 nanowires were produced successfully on GaAs(001) substrates with an ion-induced nanopatterned surface. The nanowires have a polycristalline structure and a cross-sectional area which is scalable up to 22 × 22 nm2. Due to the high order nanostructures on the GaAs substrate, the nanowires have a length of several micrometer. This bottom-up nanofabrication process based on ion-induced patterning can be a viable alternative to top-down procedures regarding to efficiency and costs.
Assessment of neutrophil subsets and immune checkpoint inhibitor expressions on T lymphocytes in liver transplantation: A preliminary study beyond the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio
Authors: Riff Arnaud , Haem Rahimi Muzhda , Delignette Marie-Charlotte , Gossez Morgane , Coudereau Rémy , Pantel Solène , Antonini Teresa , Villeret François , Zoulim Fabien , Mabrut Jean-Yves , Dumortier Jérome , Venet Fabienne , Lebossé Fanny , Monneret Guillaume 
Published: March 2023

Background: Advanced stages of cirrhosis are characterized by the occurrence of progressive immune alterations known as CAID (Cirrhosis Associated Immune Dysfunction). In advanced cirrhosis, liver transplantation (LT) remains the only curative treatment. Sepsis, shares many similarities with decompensated cirrhosis in terms of immuno-inflammatory response. In both conditions, the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is associated with poor outcomes. Based on alterations in sepsis, we hypothesized that we could observe in cirrhotic and LT patients more detailed neutrophil and lymphocyte phenotypes. To this end, along with leukocyte count, we assessed immature neutrophils, LOX-1+ MDSC and PD-1 and TIM-3 lymphocyte expressions in cirrhotic patients before transplantation in association with liver disease severity and during the first month after transplantation.Methods: We conducted a prospective monocentric study including cirrhotic patients registered on LT waiting-list. Blood samples were collected at enrolment before LT and for 1 month post-LT. In addition to NLR, we assessed by whole blood flow cytometry the absolute count of immature neutrophils and LOX-1+ MDSC as well as the expressions of immune checkpoint receptors PD-1 and TIM-3 on T lymphocytes.Results: We included 15 healthy volunteers (HV) and 28 patients. LT was performed for 13 patients. Pre-LT patients presented with a higher NLR compared to HV and NLR was associated with cirrhosis severity. Increased immature neutrophils and LOX-1+ MDSC counts were observed in the most severe patients. These alterations were mainly associated with acute decompensation of cirrhosis. PD-1 and TIM-3 expressions on T lymphocytes were not different between patients and HV. Post-LT immune alterations were dominated by a transitory but tremendous increase of NLR and immature neutrophils during the first days post-LT. Then, immune checkpoint receptors and LOX-1+ MDSC tended to be overexpressed by the second week after surgery.Conclusion: The present study showed that NLR, immature neutrophils and LOX-1+ MDSC counts along with T lymphocyte count and checkpoint inhibitor expression were altered in cirrhotic patients before and after LT. These data illustrate the potential interest of immune monitoring of cirrhotic patients in the context of LT in order to better define risk of sepsis. For this purpose, larger cohorts of patients are now necessary in order to move forward a more personalised care of LT patients.
Dendroclimatic response of Pinus tabuliformis Carr. along an altitudinal gradient in the warm temperate region of China
Authors: Ning Peng , Zhang Min , Bai Tianyu , Zhang Bin , Yang Liu , Dang Shangni , Yang Xiaohu , Gao Runmei 
Published: March 2023

IntroductionGlobal climate change can affect the sensitivity of tree radial growth to climate factors, but the specific responses of tree radial growth to microclimate along the altitudinal gradient in the long term are still unclear.MethodsIn this study, the tree-ring width chronologies of Pinus tabuliformis Carr. in Shanxi Province of China were studied at three altitude gradients (1200-1300 m (low altitude), 1300-1400 m (medium altitude) and 1400-1500 m (high altitude)) during 1958-2017.ResultsThe results showed that (1) the climate background could be divided into two periods based on the Mann-Kendall test analysis: 1958–1996 was a stable period (mean annual temperature (MAT)=10.25°C, mean annual precipitation (MAP)=614.39 mm), and 1997–2017 was a rapid change period (MAT=10.91°C, MAP=564.70 mm), indicating a warming and drying trend in the study region. (2) The radial growth of P. tabuliformis at different altitudes showed inconsistent variation patterns. The tree radial growth at low and medium altitudes (CV=27.01% for low altitude and CV=24.69% for medium altitude) showed larger variation amplitudes during the rapid change period than that in the stable period (CV=12.40% for low altitude and CV=18.42% for medium altitude). In contrast to the increasing trend, the tree radial growth rates at the high altitude showed a decreasing trend across years. (3) In the stable period, the radial growth of P. tabuliformis at the low altitude showed a significantly negative response to temperature and a positive response to precipitation in May and June. The tree radial growth at the medium altitude was positively related to precipitation in June and minimum temperature in February. The tree growth at the high altitude was mainly positively correlated with the temperature in May and August. In the rapid change period, the radial growth of P. tabuliformis at the low altitude was affected by more meteorological factors than that in the stable period. Medium-altitude trees were positively influenced by precipitation in June and minimum temperature in January, whereas high-altitude trees responded positively to wind speed in February. (4) Along altitudinal gradients, tree radial growth was more related to temperature than precipitation in the stable period. The tree radial growth at the high altitude during the rapid change period was only affected by wind speed in February, whereas the tree radial growth at low and medium altitudes was mainly affected by temperature to a similar extent during the two periods.DiscussionThe study indicated that tree growth-climate response models could help deeply understand the impact of climate change on tree growth adaptation and would be beneficial for developing sustainable management policies for forest ecosystems in the transition zone from warm-temperate to subtropical climates.