bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Howard, Matthew Owen
Authors: Garland Eric L. , Jenson Jeffrey M.
Published: March 2024

The life of Matthew O. Howard, PhD, an internationally recognized scholar whose work significantly impacted social work, psychiatry, psychology, and the addictions, is described. Dr. Howard’s scientific, policy, practice, and educational achievements are noted. His contributions to advancing the science of mindfulness as well as social work research and education over a 30-year career are outlined.
Robotic Repair: An Alternative Technique for Rectus Diastasis and Abdominal Bulge Following DIEP Flap Breast Reconstruction
Authors: Herold Kaila , Stoddard Timothy , Rodriguez-Unda Nelson , LoGiudice John , Hettinger Patrick , Higgins Rana M , Doren Erin L
Published: March 2024

Background

The deep inferior epigastric artery perforator (DIEP) flap is the gold standard in autologous breast reconstruction. Despite advances in perforator dissection, abdominal morbidity still occurs. Traditional rectus diastasis (RD), abdominal bulge, and hernia repair with open techniques are associated with higher complication rates and recurrence.

Objectives

We present a novel case series of robotic repair of symptomatic RD and/or abdominal bulge with concurrent hernia following DIEP flap surgery.

Methods

A single-center, retrospective review was conducted of 10 patients who underwent bilateral DIEP flap breast reconstruction and subsequent robotic repair of RD and/or abdominal bulge and hernia. Preoperative demographics and postoperative clinical outcomes were reviewed. RD up to 5 cm, abdominal bulge, and any concurrent ventral/umbilical hernias were repaired robotically with retrorectus plication and macroporous mesh reinforcement.

Results

The average age and BMI were 49 years (range 41-63) and 31 kg/m2 (range 26-44), respectively. The average number of perforators harvested per flap was 2.5 (range 1-4). Average RD and hernia size were 3.95 cm (range 2-5) and 5.8 cm2 (1-15), respectively. Eight patients stayed 1 night in the hospital, and 2 went home the same day as the robotic repair. No patients were converted to open technique and none experienced complications within 30 days.

Conclusions

For patients who experience donor site morbidity following DIEP flap breast reconstruction, minimally invasive robotic repair of RD and/or abdominal bulge with hernia can be performed with mesh reinforcement. This technique is effective, with low complication rates, and should be considered over open repair.

Level of Evidence: 4
Sex-specific nest attendance rhythm and foraging habitat use in a colony-breeding waterbird
Authors: Lok Tamar , van der Geest Matthijs , de Goeij Petra , Rakhimberdiev Eldar , Piersma Theunis
Published: March 2024

In most colony-breeding species, biparental care during both egg incubation and chick-rearing is inevitable for successful reproduction, requiring parents to coordinate their nest attendance and foraging time. The extent to which the rhythm of nest attendance is adjusted to temporal and spatial variation in food availability is poorly understood. Here, we investigate whether the rhythm of nest attendance interacts with the spatial and temporal availability of foraging habitats in Eurasian spoonbills Platalea leucorodia breeding on Schiermonnikoog, a Dutch Wadden Sea barrier island. Spoonbills are tactile foragers that forage during both day and night in habitats of varying salinity. GPS-tracking combined with acceleration-based behavioral classification of 9 female and 13 male adult spoonbills between 2013 and 2019 revealed that, despite nearby foraging opportunities following a tidal rhythm, nest attendance followed a sex-specific diel rhythm. During incubation and chick-rearing, females attended the nest at night and foraged during the day, while males showed the reverse rhythm. Females made more and shorter foraging trips to, almost exclusively, nearby marine habitats, whereas the larger males often made long trips to forage in more distant freshwater habitats. Before and after breeding, females as well as males foraged primarily at night, suggesting that this is the preferred period of foraging for both sexes. Nevertheless, foraging habitat use remained sex-specific, being most likely explained by size-dependent foraging techniques. To conclude, the sex-specific rhythm of nest attendance is not shaped by the spatial and temporal availability of foraging habitats.
Multiscale topology in interactomic network: from transcriptome to antiaddiction drug repurposing
Authors: Du Hongyan , Wei Guo-Wei , Hou Tingjun
Published: March 2024

The escalating drug addiction crisis in the United States underscores the urgent need for innovative therapeutic strategies. This study embarked on an innovative and rigorous strategy to unearth potential drug repurposing candidates for opioid and cocaine addiction treatment, bridging the gap between transcriptomic data analysis and drug discovery. We initiated our approach by conducting differential gene expression analysis on addiction-related transcriptomic data to identify key genes. We propose a novel topological differentiation to identify key genes from a protein–protein interaction network derived from DEGs. This method utilizes persistent Laplacians to accurately single out pivotal nodes within the network, conducting this analysis in a multiscale manner to ensure high reliability. Through rigorous literature validation, pathway analysis and data-availability scrutiny, we identified three pivotal molecular targets, mTOR, mGluR5 and NMDAR, for drug repurposing from DrugBank. We crafted machine learning models employing two natural language processing (NLP)-based embeddings and a traditional 2D fingerprint, which demonstrated robust predictive ability in gauging binding affinities of DrugBank compounds to selected targets. Furthermore, we elucidated the interactions of promising drugs with the targets and evaluated their drug-likeness. This study delineates a multi-faceted and comprehensive analytical framework, amalgamating bioinformatics, topological data analysis and machine learning, for drug repurposing in addiction treatment, setting the stage for subsequent experimental validation. The versatility of the methods we developed allows for applications across a range of diseases and transcriptomic datasets.
Effect of colorectal cancer screening on colorectal cancer surgery outcomes: nationwide cohort study
Authors: Dressler Jannie , Njor Sisse H , Rasmussen Morten , Jørgensen Lars N
Published: March 2024

Background

National colorectal cancer screening commenced in Denmark in 2014. Little is known about the effects of organized colorectal cancer screening on intraoperative and postoperative events. The aim of this nationwide cohort study was to evaluate the difference in intraoperative and postoperative outcomes between patients with screen-detected colorectal cancer and non-screen-detected colorectal cancer within the first 90 days after surgery.

Methods

National register data were collected for Danish residents diagnosed with colorectal cancer between January 2014 and March 2018. Outcomes for the two cohorts were reported as relative risk or weighted mean difference. Intraoperative outcomes were blood loss, blood transfusion, tumour perforation, and organ lesion. Postoperative outcomes were complications (surgical and non-surgical) and 90-day mortality. Discrete data estimates were calculated from a general linear model. Analyses were adjusted for potential healthy user bias with respect to sex, age, location of the cancer (colon/rectum), and Charlson co-morbidity index.

Results

In total, 10 606 patients were included. Compared with patients in the non-screen-detected colorectal cancer group (4497 patients), patients in the screen-detected colorectal cancer group (6109 patients) had reduced intraoperative blood loss (−52 mL, 95% c.i. −67 to −37, P < 0.001), a shorter duration of hospitalization (−2.3 days, 95% c.i. −2.8 to −1.8, P < 0.001), and reduced rates of intraoperative organ lesion (0.76, 95% c.i. 0.59 to 0.99, P = 0.042), surgical complications (0.79, 95% c.i. 0.73 to 0.87, P < 0.001), non-surgical complications (0.68, 95% c.i. 0.60 to 0.78, P < 0.001), and 90-day mortality (0.29, 95% c.i. 0.21 to 0.39, P < 0.001).

Conclusion

In comparison with non-screen-detected colorectal cancer, surgery for screen-detected colorectal cancer remains associated with improvement in several intraoperative and early postoperative outcomes after considering healthy user bias.
Timing and location of speech errors induced by direct cortical stimulation
Authors: Kabakoff Heather , Yu Leyao , Friedman Daniel , Dugan Patricia , Doyle Werner K , Devinsky Orrin , Flinker Adeen
Published: March 2024

Cortical regions supporting speech production are commonly established using neuroimaging techniques in both research and clinical settings. However, for neurosurgical purposes, structural function is routinely mapped peri-operatively using direct electrocortical stimulation. While this method is the gold standard for identification of eloquent cortical regions to preserve in neurosurgical patients, there is lack of specificity of the actual underlying cognitive processes being interrupted. To address this, we propose mapping the temporal dynamics of speech arrest across peri-sylvian cortices by quantifying the latency between stimulation and speech deficits. In doing so, we are able to substantiate hypotheses about distinct region-specific functional roles (e.g. planning versus motor execution). In this retrospective observational study, we analysed 20 patients (12 female; age range 14–43) with refractory epilepsy who underwent continuous extra-operative intracranial EEG monitoring of an automatic speech task during clinical bedside language mapping. Latency to speech arrest was calculated as time from stimulation onset to speech arrest onset, controlling for individual speech rate. Most instances of motor-based arrest (87.5% of 96 instances) were in sensorimotor cortex with mid-range latencies to speech arrest with a distributional peak at 0.47 s. Speech arrest occurred in numerous regions, with relatively short latencies in supramarginal gyrus (0.46 s), superior temporal gyrus (0.51 s) and middle temporal gyrus (0.54 s), followed by relatively long latencies in sensorimotor cortex (0.72 s) and especially long latencies in inferior frontal gyrus (0.95 s). Non-parametric testing for speech arrest revealed that region predicted latency; latencies in supramarginal gyrus and in superior temporal gyrus were shorter than in sensorimotor cortex and in inferior frontal gyrus. Sensorimotor cortex is primarily responsible for motor-based arrest. Latencies to speech arrest in supramarginal gyrus and superior temporal gyrus (and to a lesser extent middle temporal gyrus) align with latencies to motor-based arrest in sensorimotor cortex. This pattern of relatively quick cessation of speech suggests that stimulating these regions interferes with the outgoing motor execution. In contrast, the latencies to speech arrest in inferior frontal gyrus and in ventral regions of sensorimotor cortex were significantly longer than those in temporoparietal regions. Longer latencies in the more frontal areas (including inferior frontal gyrus and ventral areas of precentral gyrus and postcentral gyrus) suggest that stimulating these areas interrupts a higher-level speech production process involved in planning. These results implicate the ventral specialization of sensorimotor cortex (including both precentral and postcentral gyri) for speech planning above and beyond motor execution.
Probing polymorph binding preference of CaCO3 biomineralization peptides through machine learning
Authors: Nidoy Andre Leopold S , Janairo Jose Isagani B
Published: March 2024

An exploratory machine learning (ML) classification model that seeks to examine CaCO3 polymorph selection is presented. The ML model can distinguish if a given peptide sequence binds with calcite or aragonite, polymorphs of CaCO3. The classifier, which was created using SVM and amino acid chemical composition as the input descriptors, yielded satisfactory performance in the classification task, as characterized by AUC = 0.736 and F1 = 0.800 in the test set. Model optimization revealed that tiny, aliphatic, aromatic, acidic, and basic residues are essential descriptors for discriminating aragonite biomineralization peptides from calcite. The presented model offers valuable insights on the significant chemical attributes of biomineralization peptides involved in polymorph binding preference. This can deepen our understanding about the biomineralization phenomenon and may be deployed in the future for the creation biomimetic materials.
Anti-coking Ni-La2O3/SiO2 catalyst prepared by using a glycine-assisted impregnation method for low-temperature dry reforming of methane
Authors: Liu Yuanqiao , Jin Huiyao , Huang Lizhi , Liu Yali , Cui Sha , Liu Hui , Zeng Shanghong , Wang Luhui
Published: March 2024

The development of efficient Ni-based catalysts for low-temperature (≤600 °C) dry reforming of methane remains a challenge because of their susceptibility to carbon deposition. Herein, we report a Ni-La2O3/SiO2 catalyst prepared by using the glycine-assisted impregnation method. Small Ni nanoparticles were confined by La2O3 on the SiO2 support in the catalyst, which exhibited remarkable resistance to carbon deposition for the dry reforming of methane at 600 °C.
A case report of sodium azide-induced myopericarditis
Authors: Tarabanis Constantine , Banco Darcy , Keller Norma M , Bangalore Sripal , Alviar Carlos L
Published: March 2024

Background

Sodium azide exposures are rare but can be lethal as the substance inhibits complex IV in the electron transport chain, blocking adenosine-triphosphate (ATP) synthesis. Sodium azide is mostly used as a propellant in vehicular airbags but is also used in laboratory, pharmacy, and industrial settings. No known antidote exists and its cardiotoxic effects are poorly described in the literature.

Case summary

We describe the case of a 31-year-old patient with major depressive disorder presenting with altered mental status after ingestion of an unknown amount of sodium azide. Although initially chest pain free, she developed pleuritic chest pain 48 h after ingestion. This was accompanied by new diffuse ST elevations on the electrocardiogram and serum troponin elevations concerning for myopericarditis. Treatment was pursued with a 14-day course of colchicine resulting in complete symptom resolution within 4 days of treatment initiation. The patient’s transthoracic echocardiogram was only notable for a preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF).

Discussion

Cardiac toxicity after sodium azide ingestion usually occurs days after ingestion and has been previously described in the forms of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction complicated by cardiogenic shock. We describe the first case of sodium azide-induced myopericarditis with a preserved LVEF treated with colchicine. Colchicine is an established treatment for pericarditis, but its inhibition of endocytosis, an ATP-dependent cellular function, could be mechanistically relevant to this case.
Evolution of alternative reproductive systems in Bacillus stick insects
Authors: Lavanchy Guillaume , Brandt Alexander , Bastardot Marc , Dumas Zoé , Labédan Marjorie , Massy Morgane , Toubiana William , Tran Van Patrick , Luchetti Andrea , Scali Valerio , Mantovani Barbara , Schwander Tanja
Published: March 2024

Reproduction is a key feature of all organisms, yet the way in which it is achieved varies greatly across the tree of life. One striking example of this variation is the stick insect genus Bacillus, in which five different reproductive modes have been described: sex, facultative and obligate parthenogenesis, and two highly unusual reproductive modes: hybridogenesis and androgenesis. Under hybridogenesis, the entire genome from the paternal species is eliminated and replaced each generation by mating with the corresponding species. Under androgenesis, an egg is fertilized, but the developing diploid offspring bear two paternal genomes and no maternal genome, as a consequence of unknown mechanisms. Here, we reevaluate the previous descriptions of Bacillus lineages and the proposed F1 hybrid ancestries of the hybridogenetic and obligately parthenogenetic lineages (based on allozymes and karyotypes) from Sicily, where all these reproductive modes are found. We generate a chromosome-level genome assembly for a facultative parthenogenetic species (B. rossius) and combine extensive field sampling with RADseq and mtDNA data. We identify and genetically corroborate all previously described species and confirm the ancestry of hybrid lineages. All hybrid lineages have fully retained their F1 hybrid constitution throughout the genome, indicating that the elimination of the paternal genome in hybridogens is always complete and that obligate parthenogenesis in Bacillus hybrid species is not associated with an erosion of heterozygosity as known in other hybrid asexuals. Our results provide a stepping stone toward understanding the transitions between reproductive modes and the proximate mechanisms of genome elimination.
Rhizoctonia solani disease suppression: addition of keratin-rich soil amendment leads to functional shifts in soil microbial communities
Authors: Russ Lina , Andreo Jimenez Beatriz , Nijhuis Els , Postma Joeke
Published: March 2024

Promoting soil suppressiveness against soil borne pathogens could be a promising strategy to manage crop diseases. One way to increase the suppression potential in agricultural soils is via the addition of organic amendments. This microbe-mediated phenomenon, although not fully understood, prompted our study to explore the microbial taxa and functional properties associated with Rhizoctonia solani disease suppression in sugar beet seedlings after amending soil with a keratin-rich waste stream. Soil samples were analyzed using shotgun metagenomics sequencing. Results showed that both amended soils were enriched in bacterial families found in disease suppressive soils before, indicating that the amendment of keratin-rich material can support the transformation into a suppressive soil. On a functional level, genes encoding keratinolytic enzymes were found to be abundant in the keratin-amended samples. Proteins enriched in amended soils were those potentially involved in the production of secondary metabolites/antibiotics, motility, keratin-degradation, and contractile secretion system proteins. We hypothesize these taxa contribute to the amendment-induced suppression effect due to their genomic potential to produce antibiotics, secrete effectors via the contractile secretion system, and degrade oxalate—a potential virulence factor of R. solani—while simultaneously possessing the ability to metabolize keratin.
Social innovation in health training to engage researchers in resource-limited settings: process description and evaluation
Authors: Tao Yusha , Tan Rayner Kay Jin , Wohlfarth Megan , Ahumuza Emmanuel , Aribodor Ogechukwu Benedicta , Cruz Jose Rene Bagani , Fajardo Marvinson See , Magista Malida , Marley Gifty , Mier-Alpaño Jana Deborah , Ogwaluonye Uchenna Chukwunonso , Paipilla Kathleen Agudelo , Scott Charlotte Pana , Ulitin Allan , Chen Elizabeth , Wu Dan , Awor Phyllis , Tang Weiming , Labarda Meredith , Tucker Joseph D
Published: March 2024

Research on social innovations in health has increased in recent years. However, little training is geared toward enhancing social innovation research capacity. Most health training for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is developed by individuals in high-income countries, disregarding LMIC researchers’ wisdom and insights and the communities’ needs. Our team organized a multi-phase investigation involving a series of surveys and co-creation group discussions to assess individuals’ training needs that directly informed a subsequent co-created training workshop series. We conducted a Hennessy–Hicks Training Needs Assessment among the Social Innovation in Health Initiative (SIHI) network and formed a co-creation group comprising SIHI fellows to design related training workshops. We ran a final evaluation survey and analyzed the workshop series’ strengths, weaknesses and threats. Descriptive and thematic analysis were employed to analyze survey data and open-ended responses. The final evaluation survey captured data from 165 learners in 35 countries, including 26 LMICs. Most participants (67.3%, 111/165) rated the training workshop series as excellent, and 30.3% (50/165) rated it as good on a five-point scale. The need for writing research grants and manuscripts was rated the highest priority. Learners were interested in community-engaged research and diversity, equity and inclusion. This workshop illustrated how co-creation could be an effective tool for developing training materials tailored for LMIC researchers. We also offer a template for conducting a needs assessment and subsequent training workshops for LMICs. The ground-up, locally developed courses may be more effective than externally developed training programs intended for LMICs.
PHARE: a bioinformatics pipeline for compositional profiling of multiclonal Plasmodium falciparum infections from long-read Nanopore sequencing data
Authors: Hosch Salome , Wagner Philipp , Giger Johanna Nouria , Dubach Nina , Saavedra Elis , Perno Carlo Federico , Gody Jean-Chrysostome , Pagonendji Marilou Sonia , Ngoagouni Carine , Ndoua Christophe , Nsanzabana Christian , Vickos Ulrich , Daubenberger Claudia , Schindler Tobias
Published: March 2024

Background

The emergence of drug-resistant clones of Plasmodium falciparum is a major public health concern, and the ability to detect and track the spread of these clones is crucial for effective malaria control and treatment. However, in endemic settings, malaria infected people often carry multiple P. falciparum clones simultaneously making it likely to miss drug-resistant clones using traditional molecular typing methods.

Objectives

Our goal was to develop a bioinformatics pipeline for compositional profiling in multiclonal P. falciparum samples, sequenced using the Oxford Nanopore Technologies MinION platform.

Methods

We developed the ‘Finding P. falciparum haplotypes with resistance mutations in polyclonal infections’ (PHARE) pipeline using existing bioinformatics tools and custom scripts written in python. PHARE was validated on three control datasets containing P. falciparum DNA of four laboratory strains at varying mixing ratios. Additionally, the pipeline was tested on clinical samples from children admitted to a paediatric hospital in the Central African Republic.

Results

The PHARE pipeline achieved high recall and accuracy rates in all control datasets. The pipeline can be used on any gene and was tested with amplicons of the P. falciparum drug resistance marker genes pfdhps, pfdhfr and pfK13.

Conclusions

The PHARE pipeline helps to provide a more complete picture of drug resistance in the circulating P. falciparum population and can help to guide treatment recommendations. PHARE is freely available under the GNU Lesser General Public License v.3.0 on GitHub: https://github.com/Fippu/PHARE.
Magnitude and persistence of higher estrus-associated temperatures in beef heifers and suckled cows
Authors: Mills Megan D , Pollock Abigayle B , Batey Ian E , O’Neil Michael A , Schrick F Neal , Payton Rebecca R , Moorey Sarah E , Fioravanti Pablo , Hipsher Will , Zoca Saulo M , Edwards J Lannett
Published: March 2024

Higher estrus-associated temperatures (HEAT) are a hallmark feature in sexually active females. The overarching aim of this study was to characterize the variability, magnitude, and persistence of HEAT in heifers and suckled beef cows as well as identify associated factors when occurring during thermoneutral conditions at the onset of the spring breeding season. In both heifers and cows, estrus was induced using a 7-d controlled internal drug release (CIDR)-PGF2α protocol. Vaginal temperature after prostaglandin F2α administration was recorded every 5 min using a Thermochron iButton affixed to a blank CIDR (containing no progesterone). Estrus was defined as when a heifer first stood to be mounted or when a cow had an Estrotect patch score of 3 or 4. Level of HEAT varied among individual animals. When comparing common HEAT variables using a mixed model with date nested within a year, maximum HEAT (39.9 ± 0.1 and 40.0 ± 0.1 °C) and duration (15.5 ± 0.8 and 15.4 ± 0.7) were similar in heifers and cows, respectively. However, the magnitude and persistence of HEAT differed. Total area under the HEAT curve was 117.1 ± 13.5 and 158.7 ± 12.3 for heifers vs cows, respectively (P = 0.0571). Further, 42.9% of heifers and 49% of cows had maximum HEAT ≥ 40 °C which persisted up to 6.5 and 10 h, respectively. When ambient conditions were predominantly thermoneutral, temperature humidity index had minimal impact on HEAT (mixed model, repeated measures over time). Toward identifying associated factors with different aspects of HEAT using best fit hierarchical linear regression models, baseline vaginal temperature and baseline duration were the most highly associated independent variables. Follicle size, estradiol and progesterone levels, and other available animal-related variables (e.g., age, weight, hair coat score) explained only a small amount of variation in HEAT. In summary, level of HEAT varies in estrus females even under thermoneutral conditions. Because HEAT can persist for an extended time, direct effects on fertility important components are unavoidable. Whether HEAT is a good or bad component of the periovulatory microenvironment is the basis of ongoing and future studies.
Green Analytical Toxicology procedure for determination of ketamine, its metabolites and analogues in oral fluid samples using dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction (DLLME)
Authors: Oliveira Juliana Ribeiro Ibiapina Leitão , Rodrigues Leonardo Costalonga , Kahl Júlia Martinelli Magalhães , Berlinck Débora Zorrón , Costa Jose Luiz
Published: March 2024

New psychoactive substances (NPS) are often synthesized via small changes in the molecular structure, producing drugs whose effect and potency are not yet fully known. Ketamine is one of the oldest NPS, with therapeutic use in human and veterinary medicine authorized in several countries, being metabolized mainly into norketamine and 6-hydroxy-norketamine. Furthermore, two structural analogues of ketamine have recently been identified, deschloroketamine and 2-fluorodeschloroketamine, marketed as drugs of abuse. To comply with Green Analytical Toxicology (GAT) fundamentals, miniaturized techniques such as dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction (DLLME) were employed to determine toxicants in biological fluids. An analytical method for determining ketamine, its metabolites and its analogues in oral fluid was fully developed and validated by using DLLME and liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS). The extraction parameters were optimized by multivariate analysis, obtaining the best conditions with 200 μL of sample, 100 μL of methanol as dispersive solvent and 50 μL of chloroform as extractor solvent. Linearity was obtained from 10 to 1,000 ng/mL, with limit of detection (LOD) and lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) at 10 ng/mL. Imprecision (% relative standard deviation) and bias (%) were less than 8.2% and 9.5%, respectively. The matrix effect did not exceed 10.6%, and the recovery values varied from 24% to 42%. No matrix interference and good selectivity in the evaluation of 10 different sources of oral fluid and 42 drugs at 500 ng/mL, respectively, were observed. The method was applied in the analysis of 29 authentic oral fluid samples and had its green characteristic evaluated by three different tools: the Green Analytical Procedure Index (GAPI), the Analytical Eco-Scale and the Analytical GREEnness (AGREE) metrics.
Phylogeography of the freshwater crab Potamon persicum (Decapoda: Potamidae): an ancestral ring species?
Authors: Amir Afzali Yaser , Naderloo Reza , Keikhosravi Alireza , Klaus Sebastian
Published: March 2024

The Zagros Mountains, characterized by complex topography and three large drainage systems, harbor the endemic freshwater crab Potamon persicum in Iran. Our study delves into the evolutionary history of P. persicum, utilizing two mitochondrial and one nuclear marker. We collected 214 specimens from 24 localities, identifying 21 haplotypes grouped into two major evolutionary lineages. Substantial differentiation exists between drainage systems and lineages. Historical demographic analysis revealed a significant decrease in population size during the late Holocene, accompanied by a recent population bottleneck. Species distribution modeling has revealed eastward shifts in suitable habitats between the last glacial maximum and the present day. Following the last glacial maximum, habitat fragmentation occurred, resulting in the establishment of small populations. These smaller populations are more vulnerable to climatic and geological events, thereby limiting gene flow and accelerating genetic differentiation within species. Historical biogeographic analysis traced the origin of P. persicum to the western Zagros Mountains, with major genetic divergence occurring during the Pleistocene. Our genetic analyses suggest that P. persicum may have shown a genetic pattern similar to a classical ring species before the Pleistocene. The Namak Lake sub-basin could have served as a contact zone where populations did not interbreed but were connected through gene flow in a geographic ring. Currently, genetic separation is evident between basins, indicating that P. persicum in the Zagros Mountains is not a contemporary ring species. Also, our biogeographical analysis estimated that range evolution may have been driven initially by dispersal, and only during the late Pleistocene by vicariance.
Revisional surgery for persistent dysphagia plus Roux Y gastric bypass robot-assisted in a patient with obesity. About a case
Authors: Muñoz-Palomeque Santiago A , Guaicha Máximo V Torres , Cevallos Glenda Y Herrera , Ortiz Tábata Lissette Tinoco , Cevallos Amílcar O Herrera
Published: March 2024

This case study presents a female patient with progressive dysphagia for solids, heartburn, and obesity that proved refractory to clinical management. Imagenological diagnosis revealed esophageal stenosis and achalasia. Furthermore, metabolic syndrome was established. We proposed intervention through esophagogastric reconstruction due to stenosis, revision of cardiomyotomy and robotic gastric bypass revealing scar tissue and fibrosis on the anterior aspect of the stomach resulting from prior fundoplication surgery. The patient underwent esophagogastric reconstruction due to adhesion bands which conditioned partial angulation of the gastroesophageal junction, cardiomyotomy revision, anterior and posterior hiatal plasty, and Roux Y Gastric Bypass assisted by a robot without complications. The intervention resulted in significant improvement in postoperative symptoms. This case highlights the importance of considering the probability of mechanical obstruction due to postsurgical adhesions in the initial evaluation of recurrent and persistent dysphagia, with surgical reintervention being the ideal option for resolution.
Right atrial tumor revealing intravascular leiomyomatosis: about a case and literature review
Authors: Bahlouli Nourrelhouda , Chait Fatima , Laasri Khadija , Allali Nazik , Chat Latifa , El Haddad Siham
Published: March 2024

Intravascular leiomyomatosis (IVL) is a very rare extension of uterine leiomyoma through the pelvic vessels. It is a benign pathology with malignant potential with a possibility of intra-cardiac extension and metastases (cerebral, pulmonary, lymph node); early diagnosis is very difficult. Prognosis depends on involvement of the inferior vena cava and extension to the right cavities. We report a case of complications of IVL, precisely the extension in the right atrium, in a 49-year-old woman. The objective of our work is to highlight the importance of imaging in the diagnosis of the vascular extension of leimyomatosis.
Definition and classification of ‘travellers’ in research: a bibliometric analysis
Authors: Shiferaw Wondimeneh , Dean Judith A , Mills Deborah , Lau Colleen , Furuya-Kanamori Luis
Published: March 2024

Despite the growth in the volume of vulnerable travellers globally, there has been limited research attention, underscoring the need for more evidence as these individuals are susceptible to various travel-related health risks. Additionally, we observed inconsistencies in the definition of travellers and discrepancies in travel-related publications compared to the actual travel volume.
Conserved intronic secondary structures with concealed branch sites regulate alternative splicing of poison exons
Authors: Li Hao , Ding Zhan , Fang Zhuo-Ya , Long Ni , Ang Hao-Yang , Zhang Yu , Fan Yu-Jie , Xu Yong-Zhen
Published: March 2024

Alternative splicing (AS) generates multiple RNA isoforms and increases the complexities of transcriptomes and proteomes. However, it remains unclear how RNA structures contribute to AS regulation. Here, we systematically search transcriptomes for secondary structures with concealed branch sites (BSs) in the alternatively spliced introns and predict thousands of them from six organisms, of which many are evolutionarily conserved. Intriguingly, a highly conserved stem–loop structure with concealed BSs is found in animal SF3B3 genes and colocalizes with a downstream poison exon (PE). Destabilization of this structure allows increased usage of the BSs and results in enhanced PE inclusion in human and Drosophila cells, leading to decreased expression of SF3B3. This structure is experimentally validated using an in-cell SHAPE-MaP assay. Through RNA interference screens of 28 RNA-binding proteins, we find that this stem–loop structure is sensitive to U2 factors. Furthermore, we find that SF3B3 also facilitates DNA repair and protects genome stability by enhancing interaction between ERCC6/CSB and arrested RNA polymerase II. Importantly, both Drosophila and human cells with the secondary structure mutated by genome editing exhibit altered DNA repair in vivo. This study provides a novel and common mechanism for AS regulation of PEs and reveals a physiological function of SF3B3 in DNA repair.
Molecular insights into the fine-tuning of pH-dependent ArsR-mediated regulation of the SabA adhesin in Helicobacter pylori
Authors: Åberg Anna , Gideonsson Pär , Bhat Abhayprasad , Ghosh Prachetash , Arnqvist Anna
Published: March 2024

Adaptation to variations in pH is crucial for the ability of Helicobacter pylori to persist in the human stomach. The acid responsive two-component system ArsRS, constitutes the global regulon that responds to acidic conditions, but molecular details of how transcription is affected by the ArsR response regulator remains poorly understood. Using a combination of DNA-binding studies, in vitro transcription assays, and H. pylori mutants, we demonstrate that phosphorylated ArsR (ArsR-P) forms an active protein complex that binds DNA with high specificity in order to affect transcription. Our data showed that DNA topology is key for DNA binding. We found that AT-rich DNA sequences direct ArsR-P to specific sites and that DNA-bending proteins are important for the effect of ArsR-P on transcription regulation. The repression of sabA transcription is mediated by ArsR-P with the support of Hup and is affected by simple sequence repeats located upstream of the sabA promoter. Here stochastic events clearly contribute to the fine-tuning of pH-dependent gene regulation. Our results reveal important molecular aspects for how ArsR-P acts to repress transcription in response to acidic conditions. Such transcriptional control likely mediates shifts in bacterial positioning in the gastric mucus layer.
Distinct and overlapping RNA determinants for binding and target-primed reverse transcription by Bombyx mori R2 retrotransposon protein
Authors: Rodríguez-Vargas Anthony , Collins Kathleen
Published: March 2024

Eukaryotic retrotransposons encode a reverse transcriptase that binds RNA to template DNA synthesis. The ancestral non-long terminal repeat (non-LTR) retrotransposons encode a protein that performs target-primed reverse transcription (TPRT), in which the nicked genomic target site initiates complementary DNA (cDNA) synthesis directly into the genome. The best understood model system for biochemical studies of TPRT is the R2 protein from the silk moth Bombyx mori. The R2 protein selectively binds the 3′ untranslated region of its encoding RNA as template for DNA insertion to its target site in 28S ribosomal DNA. Here, binding and TPRT assays define RNA contributions to RNA–protein interaction, template use for TPRT and the fidelity of template positioning for TPRT cDNA synthesis. We quantify both sequence and structure contributions to protein–RNA interaction. RNA determinants of binding affinity overlap but are not equivalent to RNA features required for TPRT and its fidelity of template positioning for full-length TPRT cDNA synthesis. Additionally, we show that a previously implicated RNA-binding protein surface of R2 protein makes RNA binding affinity dependent on the presence of two stem-loops. Our findings inform evolutionary relationships across R2 retrotransposon RNAs and are a step toward understanding the mechanism and template specificity of non-LTR retrotransposon mobility.
Clinical and Demographic Factors Associated With Kaposi Sarcoma–Associated Herpesvirus Shedding in Saliva or Cervical Secretions in a Cohort of Tanzanian Women
Authors: Mertelsmann Anna M , Mukerebe Crispin , Miyaye Donald , Shigella Peter , Mhango Loyce , Lutonja Peter , Corstjens Paul L A M , de Dood Claudia , van Dam Govert J , Colombe Soledad , Maganga Jane K , Aristide Christine , Kalluvya Samuel E , Ward Maureen M , Cordeiro Alexandra A , Lee Myung Hee , Changalucha John M , Downs Jennifer A
Published: March 2024

Background

Reasons for the high prevalence of Kaposi sarcoma–associated herpesvirus (KSHV) in sub-Saharan Africa, and risk factors leading to viral reactivation and shedding, remain largely undefined. Preliminary studies have suggested that schistosome infection, which has been associated with impaired viral control, is associated with KSHV. In this study we sought to determine the relationship between active Schistosoma mansoni or Schistosoma haematobium infection and KSHV shedding.

Methods

We quantified KSHV DNA in saliva and cervical swabs from 2 cohorts of women living in northwestern Tanzanian communities endemic for S mansoni or S haematobium by real-time polymerase chain reaction. χ2 and Fisher exact tests were used to determine differences in clinical and demographic factors between those who were and were not shedding KSHV.

Results

Among 139 total women, 44.6% were KSHV seropositive. Six percent of those with S mansoni and 17.1% of those with S haematobium were actively shedding KSHV in saliva and none in cervical samples. Women from the S mansoni cohort who were shedding virus reported infertility more frequently (80% vs 19.5%, P = .009). There was no difference in frequency of KSHV salivary shedding between schistosome-infected and -uninfected women.

Conclusions

In an area with high KSHV seroprevalence and endemic schistosome infections, we provide the first report with data demonstrating no association between schistosome infection and salivary or cervical herpesvirus shedding. KSHV salivary shedding was associated with infertility, a known effect of another herpesvirus, human herpesvirus 6.
Shared Decision-Making for Partial Oral Antibiotic Treatment of Infective Endocarditis: A Case Series
Authors: El-Dalati Sami , Castillo Marice Ruiz Conejo , Strnad Luke , Reda Hassan , London Tessa , Sekela Michael , Stoner Bobbi Jo
Published: March 2024

Although literature has demonstrated the noninferiority of oral antibiotics in the treatment of infectious endocarditis, widespread adoption of this practice has yet to occur in the United States. We report on 32 patients with infectious endocarditis treated by a multidisciplinary endocarditis team and a standardized approach to partial oral antibiotic therapy with a high rate of clinical success.
Edith Landmann-Kalischer (1877–1951)
Authors: Dahlstrom Daniel O.
Published: March 2024

This chapter aims to begin remedying the lamentable neglect of the philosophical contributions of Edith Landmann-Kalischer (1877–1951). The first part introduces readers to her life and major works before 1925. The second part reviews central insights in three of those works: her attempt to demonstrate “the cognitive value of aesthetic judgments” by paralleling them with sensory judgments, her argument for “artistic truth” consisting in the representation of the life of the mind, and her account of “the essence of the poet” as the true educator of a people, thanks to verses that, through an inspired and harmonious marriage of form and content, fashion the ideal of a complete humanity. The final part chronicles her work during the last twenty-five years of her life, including her responses to the tragic events in Germany as the Jewish “evangelist” for Stefan George, deemed by some the prophet of the National Socialist revolution.
The Emergence of a Phenomenology of Spirit: 1910–1922
Authors: Tolley Clinton
Published: March 2024

This chapter charts out the contributions by Margarete Calinich, Else Voigtländer, Edith Stein, and Gerda Walther to the transformation of “early phenomenology” from a philosophy of “consciousness” and to a philosophy of “spirit.” The first two sections focus on how Calinich and Voigtländer broadened phenomenology to incorporate aesthetic and affective dimensions through their investigations of various forms of feeling. The later sections trace the path from the phenomenology of feeling to the emergence, in Stein and Walther, of a phenomenology of intersubjectivity and sociality. This was achieved via reflection on the nature and function of “Einfühlung” (“feeling into,” often translated as “empathy”), which was crucial for the foundations of “objective spirit” within phenomenology. The chapter concludes with remarks on the ways in which Stein and Walther expanded phenomenology in the early 1920s to include explicit reflection on the relation between consciousness and “absolute” spirit.
Spinozism around 1800 and Beyond
Authors: Yonover Jason Maurice
Published: March 2024

The main purpose of this chapter is to show that the engagement with Spinozism among modern women philosophers in the German tradition is as strong as in the case of canonical figures. More specifically, the chapter explores the apparent significance of the ethical, liberatory dimension of Spinoza’s thought among several women thinkers in the long nineteenth century. It begins with brief discussions of Elise Reimarus and Charlotte von Stein. It then proceeds to more in-depth treatments of Caroline Michaelis-Böhmer-Schlegel-Schelling and Karoline von Günderrode, in both cases stressing not only that we may learn about each in drawing out the link to Spinoza, but likewise that we may learn about Spinoza in bringing him into dialogue with each (regarding, for instance, the importance of others for self-understanding, as well as the metaphysical and ethical status of death, respectively). The chapter concludes with shorter treatments of several later nineteenth century (or earlier twentieth century) philosophers: Lou Salomé, Resa von Schirnhofer, Anna Tumarkin, and especially Elisabeth Schmitt.
Two Female Pessimists
Authors: Beiser Frederick C.
Published: March 2024

This chapter treats two female philosophers who were active in the pessimism controversy in late nineteenth-century Germany: Agnes Taubert (1844–1877) and Olga Plümacher, née Hünerwadel (1839–1895). In this controversy Taubert and Plümacher defended the pessimism of Eduard von Hartmann, which he had developed in his Philosophie des Unbewussten (1869). They defended Hartmann’s contentions that the value of life should be measured in the quantitative terms of pleasure and pain; their pessimism was founded on their claim that suffering in life far outweighs its pleasures. Their main contribution to the controversy was extending the topics it covered; they maintained that the controversy should consider such topics as love, work, beauty, and nature. Taubert was especially important as the historian of the controversy.
The American Reception of German Women Philosophers in the Nineteenth Century
Authors: Rogers Dorothy
Published: March 2024

This chapter explores the impact of women in German philosophical thought on the development of women’s philosophy in the United States. Margaret Fuller introduced German romantic thinkers to the American reading public in the 1840s. This was followed by explorations of then-new developments in pedagogical theories between German and American women, largely in a process of mutual exchange and adaptation in the last half of the century. Concurrently, German progressives influenced and were influenced by the American feminist movement, also in the second half of the century. In the last decades of the century, a number of American women explored German philosophy, idealist thought in particular. This development helped shape academic philosophy, particularly among women, in the early twentieth century. The century closed with an increasing number of collaborations among women, for political rights, social concerns, and peace.
Karoline von Günderrode (1780–1806)
Authors: Ezekiel Anna
Published: March 2024

This chapter considers philosophical contributions by Karoline von Günderrode (1780–1806) to German Idealist and Romantic traditions. Günderrode’s work adds to debates regarding free will, the nature of the self and consciousness, what happens to us after we die, the human vocation, the relationship between the self and nature and between these and the Absolute or divine, gender roles, politics, and the pursuit of virtue and beauty. Her writings provide a rich and relatively unexplored perspective on these topics. After a biography and overview of Günderrode’s work, the chapter summarizes key areas of Günderrode’s thought. These include Günderrode’s metaphysics, accounts of love, death, consciousness and identity, political theory (especially regarding revolution), thought on gender, and nascent ethics and aesthetics. The last section considers how Günderrode might have influenced nineteenth-century thinkers including Clemens Brentano, Georg Friedrich Creuzer, and Bettina Brentano von Arnim—and, through the latter, the Young Hegelians and American transcendentalism.
Worker Health in Modern Agriculture
Authors: Aso Michitake
Published: March 2024

From 1800 to the present, agriculture has grown increasingly reliant on chemicals, machines, and capital. Adopting the lens of structural vulnerability, this chapter gives an overview of the health risks, from malaria infection to pesticides exposure, that farm workers face in modern agriculture. Drawing on primary sources and secondary literature on worker health ranging from Southeast Asian plantations to California family farms, the chapter argues that as agricultural labor has become a more specialized job it has also become a more hazardous occupation. Farm worker vulnerability to occupational hazards has depended on many factors, including race, class, gender, nationality, and environment. Worker activism and at times government regulation have mitigated some of the greatest dangers to worker health, while agricultural medicine has played an ambiguous role as it has mostly served the needs of capital. Climate change will most likely exacerbate the insecurities inherent in agricultural labor.