bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Case of Severe Lethal Allergic Reaction Caused by Iodixanol After Digital Subtraction Angiography
Authors: Xie Yu , Xiong Xuan , Li Bujun , Hu Kai , Yin CaiXia
Published: May 2024

Background:

Severe lethal allergic reactions triggered by iodixanol following digital subtraction angiography (DSA) are rare. The majority of skin reactions associated with iodixanol were mild, and the prognosis was favorable. Moreover, a case of serious skin adverse events caused by iodixanol has been documented.

Methods:

A 61-year-old woman underwent surgery for a cerebral hemorrhage in another hospital. Upon the surgery, the patient’s state of impaired consciousness did not show any improvement. Head computed tomography angiography on admission: right middle cerebral artery M1 segment enlargement, left posterior cerebral artery P2 stenosis. Following undergoing DSA with iodixanol, the patient experienced severe and fatal drug eruptions, which represents a serious and uncommon complication associated with iodixanol.

Results:

This paper describes the experience in the treatment and nursing of severe allergic reactions. Despite the fact that the patient was discharged automatically and eventually died, there are valuable lessons to be learned from this case that can inform and guide future clinical practices.

Conclusions:

Iodixanol adverse reactions were rare, and severe fatal adverse reactions were seldom reported. Consequently, the authors conclude that the potential adverse reaction risk of iodixanol contrast agent should be taken into consideration in future endeavors, and the skin and allergy of patients should be monitored following DSA. In an allergy, prompt and proactive treatment is essential to prevent worsening and dissemination.
Risk Factors for Major Pregnancy Complications in Female Cardiothoracic Surgeons
Authors: Olds Anna , Hirji Sameer , Castillo-Angeles Manuel , Kane Lauren , Romano Jennifer , Herrington Cynthia , Rangel Erika
Published: May 2024

Objective:

To describe the incidence of and risk factors for pregnancy complications in female cardiothoracic surgeons compared with women of similar sociodemographic profiles.

Background:

Female cardiothoracic surgeons often postpone childbearing, but little is known about their pregnancy outcomes.

Methods:

In 2023, a self-administered survey was distributed to US cardiothoracic surgeons/trainees. Surgeons with ≥1 live birth were queried on maternal work hours during pregnancy and major antenatal pregnancy complications. Male surgeons answered on behalf of non-surgeon childbearing partners (female non-surgeons).

Results:

The study included 255 surgeons (63.53% male; 36.47% female). Compared with female surgeons, male surgeons more often had partners who were not employed outside the home (25.64% vs 13.33%, P<0.001). Female surgeons were older than female non-surgeons at first live birth (34.49±4.41 vs 31.45±4.16, P<0.001), more often worked >60 h/wk during pregnancy (70.33% vs 14.08%, P<0.001), and more often had pregnancy complications (45.16% vs 27.16%, P=0.003; operating room (OR): 1.78, 95% CI: 1.01–3.13). Among female surgeons, 18.28% reduced work hours during pregnancy. During their third trimester, 54.84% worked >6 overnight calls/mo, and 72.04% operated >12 h/wk. Age ≥35 years (OR: 3.28, 95% CI: 1.27–8.45) and operating >12 h/wk during the third trimester (OR: 3.72, 95% CI: 1.04–13.30) were associated with pregnancy complications.

Conclusions:

Female cardiothoracic surgeons are more likely to experience major pregnancy complications than non-surgeon partners of their male peers. Long operative hours during pregnancy and older maternal age are significant risk factors for pregnancy complications. To advance gender equity, policies to protect maternal-fetal health and facilitate childbearing during training and early career are needed.
Marinicella meishanensis sp. nov., a novel Marinicella member isolated from coastal mudflat sediment of Meishan Islandin the East China Sea
Authors: Liu Xinyu , Chen Yaqin , Guo Yifan , He Shan , Zhang Weiyan , Ding Lijian
Published: May 2024

A Gram-negative, rod-shaped, non-motile and strictly aerobic strain, designated NBU2979T, was isolated from a coastal mudflat located on Meishan Island in the East China Sea. Strain NBU2979T grew optimally at 32 °C, with 2.0 % NaCl (w/v) and at pH 7.0–7.5. The predominant fatty acid (>10 %) was iso-C15 : 0. The major polar lipids included phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidyldimethylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine, an unidentified glycolipid, two unidentified aminophospholipids, an unidentified phospholipid and an unidentified lipid. The only respiratory quinone was ubiquinone-8. Comparative analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain NBU2979T exhibited highest similarity to Marinicella sediminis F2T (98.0 %), Marinicella marina S1101T (97.5 %), Marinicella litoralis KMM 3900T (96.6 %), Marinicella rhabdoformis 3539T (95.5 %), Marinicella pacifica sw153T (95.2 %) and Marinicella gelatinilytica S6413T (94.9 %). Phylogenetic analyses indicated that strain NBU2979T clustered with the genus Marinicella and was closely related to strain M. sediminis F2T. The average nucleotide identity and digital DNA–DNA hybridization values between strain NBU2979T and related species of genus Marinicella were well below the threshold limit for prokaryotic species delineation. The DNA G+C content of strain NBU2979T was 51.6 mol%. Based on its phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and genotypic data, strain NBU2979T (=KCTC 82911T=MCCC 1K06402T) is considered to be a representative of a novel species in the genus Marinicella, for which the name Marinicella meishanensis sp. nov. is proposed.
Red knots in Europe - a dead end host species or a new niche for highly pathogenic avian influenza?
Authors: King Jacqueline , Pohlmann Anne , Bange Andreas , Horn Elisabeth , Hälterlein Bernd , Breithaupt Angele , Globig Anja , Günther Anne , Kelm Angie , Wiedemann Christian , Grund Christian , Haecker Karena , Garthe Stefan , Harder Timm , Beer Martin , Schwemmer Philipp
Published: May 2024

The 2020/2021 epidemic in Europe of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) of subtype H5 surpassed all previously recorded European outbreaks in size, genotype constellations and reassortment frequency and continued into 2022 and 2023. The causative 2.3.4.4b viral lineage proved to be highly proficient with respect to reassortment with cocirculating low pathogenic AIV and seems to establish an endemic status in northern Europe. A specific HPAIV reassortant of the subtype H5N3 was detected almost exclusively in red knots (Calidris canutus islandica)in December 2020. It caused systemic and rapidly fatal disease leading to a singular and self-limiting mass mortality affecting about 3.500 birds in the German Wadden Sea, roughly 1% of the entire flyway population ofislandicared knots. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that the H5N3 reassortant very likely had formed in red knots and remained confined to this species. While mechanisms of virus circulation in potential reservoir species, dynamics of spill-over and reassortment events and the roles of environmental virus sources remain to be identified, the year-round infection pressure poses severe threats to endangered avian species, and prompts adaptation of habitat and species conservation practices.

One-Sentence Summary

High red knot mortality in Europe (December 2020) was associated with infection of a unique genotype of HPAIV H5N3 clade 2.3.4.4b.
Domesticated cannabinoid synthases amid a wild mosaic cannabis pangenome
Authors: Lynch Ryan C. , Padgitt-Cobb Lillian K. , Garfinkel Andrea R. , Knaus Brian J. , Hartwick Nolan T. , Allsing Nicholas , Aylward Anthony , Mamerto Allen , Kitony Justine K. , Colt Kelly , Murray Emily R. , Duong Tiffany , Trippe Aaron , Crawford Seth , Vining Kelly J. , Michael Todd P.
Published: May 2024

Cannabis sativais a globally significant seed-oil, fiber, and drug-producing plant species. However, a century of prohibition has severely restricted legal breeding and germplasm resource development, leaving potential hemp-based nutritional and fiber applications unrealized. Existing cultivars are highly heterozygous and lack competitiveness in the overall fiber and grain markets, relegating hemp to less than 200,000 hectares globally1. The relaxation of drug laws in recent decades has generated widespread interest in expanding and reincorporating cannabis into agricultural systems, but progress has been impeded by the limited understanding of genomics and breeding potential. No studies to date have examined the genomic diversity and evolution of cannabis populations using haplotype-resolved, chromosome-scale assemblies from publicly available germplasm. Here we present a cannabis pangenome, constructed with 181 new and 12 previously released genomes from a total of 156 biological samples from both male (XY) and female (XX) plants, including 42 trio phased and 36 haplotype-resolved, chromosome-scale assemblies. We discovered widespread regions of the cannabis pangenome that are surprisingly diverse for a single species, with high levels of genetic and structural variation, and propose a novel population structure and hybridization history. Conversely, the cannabinoid synthase genes contain very low levels of diversity, despite being embedded within a variable region containing multiple pseudogenized paralogs and distinct transposable element arrangements. Additionally, we identified variants ofacyl-lipid thioesterase (ALT)genes that are associated with fatty acid chain length variation and the production of the rare cannabinoids, tetrahydrocannabinol varin (THCV) and cannabidiol varin (CBDV). We conclude theCannabis sativagene pool has only been partially characterized, and that the existence of wild relatives in Asia remains likely, while its potential as a crop species remains largely unrealized.
Cellular and molecular characterization of peripheral glia in the lung and other organs
Authors: Hall Shaina , Liu Shixuan , Liang Irene , Schulz Shawn , Ezran Camille , Tan Mingqian , Kuo Christin S.
Published: May 2024

Peripheral glia are important regulators of diverse physiologic functions yet their molecular distinctions and locations in almost all visceral organs are not well-understood. We performed a systematic analysis of peripheral glia, focusing on the lung and leveraging single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis to characterize their cellular and molecular features. Using in vivo lineage studies, we characterized the anatomic, cellular, and molecular features of theSox10+glial lineage of the mouse lung. Using high-resolution imaging, we quantified the distribution and cellular morphologies of myelinating, non-myelinating, satellite, and terminal glial cells with their intricate extensions along peripheral nerves, including terminals at specialized neurosensory structures within the lung. Spatial analysis of selectively expressed myelinating (periaxin/Prx, claudin 19/Cldn) or non-myelinating (sodium channel/Scn7a) glial cell genes identified by scRNA-seq analysis revealed molecularly distinct populations surrounding myelinated nerve fibers in the lung. To extend this analysis to primates and other organs, we extracted rare peripheral glial cells in whole organism scRNA-seq atlases of mouse lemur and human. Our cross-species data analysis and integration of scRNA-seq data of ∼700 peripheral glial cells from mouse, mouse lemur, and human glial cells identified conserved gene expression of molecularly distinct peripheral glial cell populations. This foundational knowledge facilitates subsequent functional studies targeting molecularly distinct subsets of peripheral glia and integrating them into organ-specific disorders of autonomic dysregulation. In addition, our cross-species analysis identifying conserved gene expression patterns and glial networks in extrapulmonary organs provides a valuable resource for studying the functional role of peripheral glia in multiorgan human diseases.
“Rapid SARS-CoV-2 Detection Using High-Sensitivity Thickness Shear Mode Sensors”
Authors: Saleh Sahera , Alkalamouni Habib , Antar Karen , Karam Pierre , Muthuswamy Jit , Zaraket Hassan , Khraiche Massoud L
Published: May 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, has emphasized the urgent need for accurate and readily available diagnostic tools. Conventional diagnostic methods, such as reverse transcription real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), are often labor-intensive and time-consuming, which highlights the necessity for rapid point-of-care diagnostic solutions. This study introduces an innovative, low-cost, and highly sensitive diagnostic platform for swift COVID-19 detection. Our platform utilizes the mass sensing properties of thickness shear mode (TSM) transducers to detect and quantify the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein through polyethylene glycol (PEG)-based chemistry (1). To confirm surface functionalization and evaluate the effects of the virus lysis buffer, we employed surface characterization techniques including Digital Holographic Microscopy (DHM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) with Energy-Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and Raman spectroscopy. Sensitivity tests with heat-inactivated SARS-CoV-2 samples demonstrated a sensitivity of about 0.256 Hz/TCID50/mL and a limit of detection (LOD) of roughly 150 TCID50/mL. Specificity was verified through cross-reactivity testing. Our detailed characterization and sensitivity analysis underscore the platform’s reliability, making it a promising candidate for efficient and accessible COVID-19 diagnosis at the point of care.
CRISPR-RfxCas13d screening uncovers Bckdk as a post-translational regulator of the maternal-to-zygotic transition in teleosts
Authors: Hernandez-Huertas Luis , Moreno-Sanchez Ismael , Crespo-Cuadrado Jesús , Vargas-Baco Ana , da Silva Pescador Gabriel , Santos-Pereira José M. , Bazzini Ariel A. , Moreno-Mateos Miguel A.
Published: May 2024

The Maternal-to-Zygotic transition (MZT) is a reprograming process encompassing zygotic genome activation (ZGA) and the clearance of maternally-provided mRNAs. While some factors regulating MZT have been identified, there are thousands of maternal RNAs whose function has not been ascribed yet. Here, we have performed a proof-of-principle CRISPR-RfxCas13d maternal screening targeting mRNAs encoding protein kinases and phosphatases in zebrafish and identified Bckdk as a novel post-translational regulator of MZT.BckdkmRNA knockdown caused epiboly defects, ZGA deregulation, H3K27ac reduction and a partial impairment of miR-430 processing. Phospho-proteomic analysis revealed that Phf10/Baf45a, a chromatin remodeling factor, is less phosphorylated upon Bckdk depletion. Further,phf10mRNA knockdown also altered ZGA and Phf10 constitutively phosphorylated rescued the developmental defects observed afterbckdkmRNA depletion. Altogether, our results demonstrate the competence of CRISPR-RfxCas13d screenings to uncover new regulators of early vertebrate development and shed light on the post-translational control of MZT mediated by protein phosphorylation.
A proteogenomic atlas of the human neural retina
Authors: Riepe Tabea , Stemerdink Merel , Salz Renee , Duenas Rey Alfredo , de Bruijn Suzanne E. , Boonen Erica , Tomkiewicz Tomasz Z. , Kwint Michael , Gloerich Jolein , Wessels Hans J.C.T. , De Baere Elfride , van Nieuwerburgh Filip , De Keulenaer Sarah , Ferrari Barbara , Ferrari Stefano , Coppieters Frauke , Cremers Frans P.M. , van Wyk Erwin , Roosing Susanne , de Vrieze Erik , 't Hoen Peter A.C.
Published: May 2024

The human neural retina is a complex tissue with abundant alternative splicing and more than 10% of genetic variants linked to inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) alter splicing. Traditional short-read RNA-sequencing methods have been used for understanding retina-specific splicing but have limitations in detailing transcript isoforms. To address this, we generated a proteogenomic atlas that combines PacBio long-read RNA-sequencing data with mass spectrometry and whole genome sequencing data of three healthy human neural retina samples. We identified nearly 60,000 transcript isoforms, of which approximately one-third are novel. Additionally, ten novel peptides confirmed novel transcript isoforms. For instance, we identified a novel IMPDH1 isoform with a novel combination of known exons that is supported by peptide evidence. Our research underscores the potential of in-depth tissue-specific transcriptomic analysis to enhance our grasp of tissue-specific alternative splicing. The data underlying the proteogenomic atlas are available via EGA with identifier EGAD50000000101, via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD045187, and accessible through the UCSC genome browser.
Biochemical reconstitution of a major age-related cancer mutational signature by heat-induced spontaneous deamination of 5-methylcytosine residues, repair of uracil residues, and DNA replication
Authors: Sugiyama Tomohiko
Published: May 2024

Non-enzymatic spontaneous deamination of 5-methylcytosine, producing thymine, is the proposed etiology of cancer mutational signature 1, which is the most predominant signature in all cancers. Here, the proposed mutational process was reconstituted using synthetic DNA and purified proteins. First, single-stranded DNA containing 5-methylcytosine at CpG context was incubated at an elevated temperature to accelerate spontaneous DNA damage. Then, the DNA was treated with uracil DNA glycosylase to remove uracil residues that were formed by deamination of cytosine. The resulting DNA was then used as a template for DNA synthesis by yeast DNA polymerase δ. The DNA products were analyzed by next-generation DNA sequencing, and mutation frequencies were quantified. The observed mutations after this process were exclusively C>T mutations at CpG context, which was very similar to signature 1. When 5-methylcytosine modification and uracil DNA glycosylase were both omitted, C>T mutations were produced on C residues in all sequence contexts, but these mutations were diminished by uracil DNA glycosylase-treatment. These results indicate that the CpG>TpG mutations were produced by the deamination of 5-methylcytosine. Additional mutations, mainly C>G, were introduced by yeast DNA polymerase ζ on the heat-damaged DNA, indicating that G residues of the templates were also damaged. However, the damage on G residues was not converted to mutations with DNA polymerase δ or ε. These results provide biochemical evidence to support that the majority of mutations in cancers are produced by ordinary DNA replication on spontaneously damaged DNA.
Loss of a conserved C-terminal region of theAspergillus fumigatusAtrR transcriptional regulator leads to a gene-specific defect in target gene expression
Authors: Ror Shivani , Stamnes Mark A. , Moye-Rowley W. Scott
Published: May 2024

Treatment of fungal infections associated with the filamentous fungusAspergillus fumigatusis becoming more problematic as this organism is developing resistance to the main chemotherapeutic drug at an increasing rate. Azole drugs represent the current standard-of-care in treatment of aspergillosis with this drug class acting by inhibiting a key step in biosynthesis of the fungal sterol ergosterol. Azole compounds block the activity of the lanosterol α-14 demethylase, encoded by thecyp51Agene. A common route of azole resistance involves an increase in transcription ofcyp51A. This transcriptional increase requires the function of a Zn2Cys6 DNA-binding domain-containing transcription activator protein called AtrR. AtrR was identified through its action as a positive regulator of expression of an ATP-binding cassette transporter (abcC/cdr1Bhere calledabcG1). Using both deletion and alanine scanning mutagenesis, we demonstrate that a conserved C-terminal domain inA. fumigatusis required for expression ofabcG1but dispensable forcyp51Atranscription. This domain is also found in several other fungal pathogen AtrR homologues consistent with a conserved gene-selective function of this protein segment being conserved. Using RNA-seq, we find that this gene-specific transcriptional defect extends to several other membrane transporter-encoding genes including a second ABC transporter locus. Our data reveal that AtrR uses at least two distinct mechanisms to induce gene expression and that normal susceptibility to azole drugs cannot be provided by maintenance of wild-type expression of the ergosterol biosynthetic pathway when ABC transporter expression is reduced.

Importance

Aspergillus fumigatusis the primary human filamentous fungal pathogen. The principal chemotherapeutic drug used to control infections associated withA. fumigatusare the azole compounds. These drugs are well-tolerated and effective but resistance is emerging at an alarming rate. Most resistance is associated with mutations that lead to overexpression of the azole target enzyme, lanosterol α-14 demethylase, encoded by thecyp51Agene. A key regulator ofcyp51Agene expression is the transcription factor AtrR. Very little is known of the molecular mechanisms underlying the effect of AtrR on gene expression. Here we use deletion and clustered amino acid substitution mutagenesis to map a region of AtrR that confers gene-specific activation on target genes of this transcription factor. This region is highly conserved across AtrR homologues from other pathogenic species arguing that its importance in transcriptional regulation is maintained across evolution.
Survival benefit of adjuvant therapy following neoadjuvant therapy in patients with resected esophageal cancer: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Jia Weiyi , Li Chao , Liu Can , Hu Renwang
Published: May 2024

Background

There is controversy about the benefit of administering adjuvant therapy to esophageal cancer (EC) patients after preoperative neoadjuvant therapy and surgical treatment. This study aims to investigate the impact of postoperative adjuvant therapy in EC patients with neoadjuvant therapy and surgery.

Materials and methods

The study included EC patients diagnosed from 2007 to 2020 in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Patients who received neoadjuvant therapy (NCRT) were defined as those who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy or neoadjuvant radiotherapy before surgery, while patients who received adjuvant therapy (ACRT) were defined as those who underwent adjuvant chemotherapy or adjuvant radiotherapy after surgery. Propensity score matching (PSM) method was employed to establish matched cohorts, and Kaplan-Meier analysis, COX regression model, and Fine-Gray model were used for survival analysis.

Results

The study included a total of 5805 EC patients, with 837 (14.4%) in the ACRT group and 4968 (85.4%) in the no-ACRT group. After PSM, a cohort of 1660 patients who received NCRT was enrolled for analysis, with 830 patients in each group. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed no significant differences between the two groups in terms of median overall survival (OS) (34.0 vs. 36.0 months, P = 0.89) or cancer-specific survival (CSS) (40.0 vs. 49.0 months, P = 0.16). Multivariate Cox models and Fine-Gray models indicated that ACRT was not a predictive factor for OS or CSS (P > 0.05). Subgroup analysis for CSS suggested a protective effect of ACRT in the N2 (Cox model: HR = 0.640, P = 0.090; Fine-Gray model: HR = 0.636, P = 0.081) and the N3 subgroup (Cox model: HR = 0.302, P = 0.018; Fine-Gray model: HR = 0.306, P = 0.034).

Conclusions

Only for esophageal cancer patients with a more advanced N stage, postoperative adjuvant therapy after completing neoadjuvant therapy and curative surgical treatment may be beneficial.
Stakeholder’s perspective on Brain-Computer Interfaces for children and adolescents with quadriplegic cerebral palsy
Authors: Branco M.P. , Verberne M.S.W. , van Balen B.J. , Bekius A. , Leinders S. , Ketelaar M. , Geytenbeek J. , van Driel-Boerrigter M. , Willems-op het Veld M. , Rabbie-Baauw K. , Vansteensel M.J.
Published: May 2024

Communication Brain-Computer Interfaces (cBCIs) use neural signals to control a computer and are of interest as a communication tool for people with motor and speech impairment. Whereas the majority of cBCI research focuses on adults, the technology may also benefit children and adolescents with communication impairments, for example as a result of cerebral palsy (CP). Here we aimed to create a solid basis for the user centered design of cBCIs for children and adolescents with CP and complex communication needs by investigating the perspectives of their parents/caregivers and health care professionals on communication and cBCIs. We conducted an online survey on 1) current communication problems and usability of used aids, 2) interest in cBCIs, and 3) preference for specific types of cBCIs. A total of 19 parents/caregivers and 36 health care professionals who live(d) or work(ed) directly with children and adolescents (8-25 years old) with quadriplegic CP participated. Both groups of respondents indicated that, of 12 potential communication-limiting factors, motor impairment occurred the most frequently and also had the greatest impact on communication. The currently used communication aids included mainly no/low- tech aids (e.g., letter card) and high-tech aids (e.g., tablet or computer). Mid-tech aids (e.g., systems with static displays) were less frequently used. The majority of health care professionals and parents/caregivers reported an interest in cBCIs for children and adolescents with severe CP, with a slight preference for implanted electrodes over non-implanted ones, and no preference for either of the two proposed mental BCI control strategies (visual stimuli and imagined/attempted movement). These results indicate that cBCIs should be considered for a subpopulation of children and adolescents with severe CP, and that in the development of cBCIs for this group both P300 and sensorimotor rhythms, as well as the use of implanted electrodes, should be considered.
QRS prolongation is associated with structural remodeling in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Authors: Vera-Sarmiento Hernan L. , Tanriverdi Talha , Hurtado-de-Mendoza David , Sivalokanathan Sanjay , Ketty Dolores , Lu Daiyin , Zimmerman Stefan , Sinha Sunil , Scheinman Melvin , Abraham M. Roselle
Published: May 2024

Background

Signal-averaged electrocardiogram (SAECG) records myocardial depolarization, and can detect inhomogeneous/slow conduction in fibrotic myocardium, which promotes reentrant ventricular arrhythmias (VAs). Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is associated with a high prevalence of cardiac fibrosis and VAs, but abnormal SAECG has low predictive power for VAs. We hypothesized that HCM-specific structural/electrical remodeling underlies this result.

Methods

We tested our hypothesis by retrospectively studying HCM patients (n=73) who underwent transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging within 12 months of SAECG and 12-lead ECG. Patients were divided into 2 groups (normal-SAECG, abnormal-SAECG) based on filtered-QRS duration (fQRSd), root-mean-square-voltage (RMS40) and low-amplitude (<40μV) signal of terminal 40ms of filtered-QRS (late potentials). Abnormal SAECG was defined asfQRSd>114ms, RMS40<20μVorLAS40>38ms.

Results

Abnormal SAECG was seen in ∼50% of HCM patients (37/73). In the abnormal-SAECG group, 78% (n=29) only had prolongedfQRSd, and 22% (n=8) had prolongedfQRSd plus late potentials (RMS40<20μVorLAS40>38ms). MeanfQRSd andLAS40were significantly higher in the abnormal-SAECG group. The abnormal-SAECG group had significantly larger LA size, lower global-LV longitudinal systolic strain/strain rate and early-diastolic strain rate by TTE; higher LV-mass index (LVMI) and LV-scar burden by CMR; higher prevalence of repolarization abnormalities on 12-lead ECG. LVEF and adverse outcomes (VT/VF, heart failure, death) were similar in the 2 groups. Univariate analysis showed thatfQRSd is positively correlated with LVMI, LV-scar mass, and negatively correlated with global-LV early diastolic strain rate.

Conclusions

In HCM, abnormal SAECG is associated with greater structural/electrical LV-remodeling, reflecting a severe global myopathy.
Human neural dynamics of real-world and imagined navigation
Authors: Seeber Martin , Stangl Matthias , Vallejo Mauricio , Topalovic Uros , Hiller Sonja , Halpern Casey H. , Langevin Jean-Philippe , Rao Vikram R. , Fried Itzhak , Eliashiv Dawn , Suthana Nanthia
Published: May 2024

The ability to form episodic memories and later imagine them is integral to the human experience, influencing our recollection of the past and our ability to envision the future. While research on spatial navigation in rodents suggests the involvement of the medial temporal lobe (MTL), especially the hippocampus, in these cognitive functions, it is uncertain if these insights apply to the human MTL, especially regarding imagination and the reliving of events. Importantly, by involving human participants, imaginations can be explicitly instructed and their mental experiences verbally reported. In this study, we investigated the role of hippocampal theta oscillations in both real-world and imagined navigation, leveraging motion capture and intracranial electroencephalographic recordings from individuals with chronically implanted MTL electrodes who could move freely. Our results revealed intermittent theta dynamics, particularly within the hippocampus, which encoded spatial geometry and partitioned navigational routes into linear segments during real-world navigation. During imagined navigation, theta dynamics exhibited similar, repetitive patterns despite the absence of external environmental cues. Furthermore, a computational model, generalizing from real-world to imagined navigation, successfully reconstructed participants’ imagined positions using neural data. These findings offer unique insights into the neural mechanisms underlying human navigation and imagination, with implications for understanding episodic memory formation and retrieval in real-world settings.
Pseudomonas fluorescens 15small RNA Pfs1 mediates transgenerational epigenetic inheritance of pathogen avoidance inC. elegansthrough the Ephrin receptor VAB-1
Authors: Seto Renee , Brown Rachel , Kaletsky Rachel , Parsons Lance R. , Moore Rebecca S. , Murphy Coleen T.
Published: May 2024

C. elegansare exposed to a variety of pathogenic and non-pathogenic bacteria species in their natural environment. Correspondingly,C. eleganshas evolved an ability to discern between nutritive and infectious bacterial food sources. Here we show thatC. eleganscan learn to avoid the pathogenic bacteriaPseudomonas fluorescens 15(PF15), and that this learned avoidance behavior is passed on to progeny for four generations, as we previously demonstrated forPseudomonas aeruginosa(PA14) andPseudomonas vranovensis, using similar mechanisms, including the involvement of both the TGF-β ligand DAF-7 andCer1retrotransposon-encoded virus-like particles. PF15 small RNAs are both necessary and sufficient to induce this transgenerational avoidance behavior. Unlike PA14 orP. vranovensis, PF15 does not use P11, Pv1, or a small RNA withmaco-1homology for this avoidance; instead, an unrelated PF15 small RNA, Pfs1, that targets theC. elegans vab-1Ephrin receptor gene is necessary and sufficient for learned avoidance, suggesting the evolution of yet another bacterial sRNA/C. elegansgene target pair involved in transgenerational inheritance of pathogen avoidance. As VAB-2 Ephrin receptor ligand and MACO-1 knockdown also induce PF15 avoidance, we have begun to understand the genetic pathway involved in small RNA targeted pathogenic avoidance. Moreover, these data show that axon guidance pathway genes (VAB-1 and VAB-2) have previously unknown adult roles in regulating neuronal function.C. elegansmay have evolved multiple bacterial specificity-encoded small RNA-dependent mechanisms to avoid different pathogenic bacteria species, thereby providing progeny with a survival advantage in a dynamic environment.
NMDA receptor activation drives early synapse formationin vivo
Authors: Leibold Noah S. , Higgs Nathalie F. , Kandler Steffen , Khan Adil , Donato Flavio , Andreae Laura C.
Published: May 2024

The rules governing neural circuit formation in mammalian central nervous systems are poorly understood. NMDA receptors are involved in synaptic plasticity mechanisms in mature neurons, but their contribution to circuit formation and dendritic maturation remains controversial. Using pharmacological and genetic interventions to disrupt NMDA receptor signaling in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neuronsin vitroandin vivo, we identify an early critical window for a synapse-specific function in wiring Schaffer collateral connections and dendritic arborization. Throughin vivoimaging, we show that NMDA receptors are frequently activated during early development and elicit minute-long calcium transients, which immediately precede the emergence of filopodia. These results demonstrate that NMDA receptors drive synapto- and dendritogenesis during development, challenging the view that these processes are primarily mediated by molecular cues.
A genome-scale screen identifies sulfated glycosaminoglycans as pivotal in epithelial cell damage byCandida albicans
Authors: Lin Jianfeng , Miao Jian , Schaefer Katherine G. , Russell Charles M. , Pyron Robert J. , Zhang Fuming , Phan Quynh T. , Solis-Swidergall Norma V. , Liu Hong , Tashiro Masato , Dordick Jonathan S. , Linhardt Robert J. , Yeaman Michael R. , King Gavin M. , Barrera Francisco N. , Peters Brian M. , Filler Scott G.
Published: May 2024

Candidalysin is a cytolytic peptide produced by the opportunistic fungal pathogenCandida albicans.This peptide is a key virulence factor in mouse models of mucosal and hematogenously disseminated candidiasis. Despite intense interest in the role of candidalysin inC. albicanspathogenicity, its host cell targets have remained elusive. To fill this knowledge gap, we performed a genome-wide loss-of-function CRISPR screen in a human oral epithelial cell line to identify specific host factors required for susceptibility to candidalysin-induced cellular damage. Among the top hits wereXYLT2,B3GALT6andB3GAT3, genes that function in glycosaminoglycan (GAG) biosynthesis. Deletion of these genes led to the absence of GAGs such as heparan sulfate on the epithelial cell surface and increased resistance to damage induced by both candidalysin and liveC. albicans.Biophysical analyses including surface plasmon resonance and atomic force and electron microscopy indicated that candidalysin physically binds to sulfated GAGs, facilitating its oligomerization or enrichment on the host cell surface. The addition of exogenous sulfated GAGs or the GAG analogue dextran sulfate protected cells against candidalysin-induced damage. Dextran sulfate, but not non-sulfated dextran, also inhibited epithelial cell endocytosis ofC. albicansand fungal-induced epithelial cell cytokine and chemokine production. In a murine model of vulvovaginal candidiasis, topical dextran sulfate administration reduced host tissue damage and decreased intravaginal IL-1β and neutrophil levels. Collectively, these data indicate that GAGs are epithelial cell targets of candidalysin and can be used therapeutically to protect cells from candidalysin-induced damage.
Seasonal and spatial transitions in phytoplankton assemblages spanning estuarine to open ocean waters of the tropical Pacific
Authors: Tucker Sarah J. , Rii Yoshimi M. , Freel Kelle C. , Kotubetey Keliiahonui , Kawelo A. Hiilei , Winter Kawika B. , Rappe Michael S.
Published: May 2024

Islands in the tropical Pacific supply elevated nutrients to nearshore waters that enhance phytoplankton biomass and create hotspots of productivity in otherwise nutrient-poor oceans. Despite the importance of these hotspots in supporting nearshore food webs, the spatial and temporal variability of phytoplankton enhancement and changes in the underlying phytoplankton communities across nearshore to open ocean systems remain poorly understood. In this study, a combination of flow cytometry, pigment analyses, 16S rRNA gene amplicons, and metagenomic sequencing provide a synoptic view of phytoplankton dynamics over a four-year, near-monthly time-series across coastal Kāneʻohe Bay, Hawaiʻi, spanning from an estuarine Indigenous aquaculture system to the adjacent offshore environment. Through comparisons with measurements taken at Station ALOHA located in the oligotrophic North Pacific Subtropical Gyre, we observed a sharp and persistent transition between picocyanobacterial communities, from Synechococcus clade II abundant in the nearshore to Prochlorococcus HLII proliferating in offshore and open ocean waters. In comparison to immediately adjacent offshore waters and the surrounding open ocean, phytoplankton biomass within Kāneʻohe Bay was dramatically elevated. Members of the phytoplankton community revealed strong seasonal patterns, while nearshore phytoplankton biomass positively correlated with wind speed, rainfall, and wind direction, and not water temperatures. These findings elucidate the spatiotemporal dynamics underlying transitions in ocean biogeochemistry and phytoplankton dynamics across estuarine to open ocean waters in the tropical Pacific and provide a foundation for quantifying deviations from baseline conditions due to ongoing climate change.
Sex and the facilitation of cued fear by prior contextual fear conditioning in rats
Authors: Vazquez Katherine , Cole Kehinde E. , Parsons Ryan G.
Published: May 2024

Previous studies have shown that the formation of new memories can be influenced by prior experience. This includes work using pavlovian fear conditioning in rodents that have shown that an initial fear conditioning experience can become associated with and facilitate the acquisition of new fear memories, especially when they occur close together in time. However, most of the prior studies used only males as subjects resulting in questions about the generalizability of the findings from this work. Here we tested whether prior contextual fear conditioning would facilitate later learning of cued fear conditioning in both male and female rats, and if there were differences based on the interval between the two conditioning episodes. Our results showed that levels of cued fear were not influenced by prior contextual fear conditioning or by the interval between training, however, females showed lower levels of cued fear. Freezing behavior in the initial training context differed by sex, with females showing lower levels of contextual fear, and by the type of initial training, with rats given delayed shock showing higher levels of fear than rats given immediate shock during contextual fear conditioning. These results indicate that contextual fear conditioning does not prime subsequent cued fear conditioning and that female rats express lower levels of cued and contextual fear conditioning than males.
Complete tree-level dictionary between simplified BSM models and SMEFT
d≤7
operators
Authors: Li Xu-Xiang , Ren Zhe , Yu Jiang-Hao
Published: May 2024

Finding all possible UV resonances of effective operators is an important task in the bottom-up approach of effective field theory. We present all the tree-level UV resonances for the dimension-5, -6, and -7 operators in the Standard Model effective field theory (SMEFT) and then obtain the correspondence between the UV resonances and the effective operators from the relations among their Wilson coefficients, through the functional matching and operator reduction procedure. This provides a cross-dimension UV/IR dictionary for the SMEFT at tree level, and the methods used here, especially the on shell construction of general UV Lagrangian and the systematic reduction of operators, are extendable for UV resonances of d≥8 operators in SMEFT and other effective field theories.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Role of influencer–follower congruence in influencing followers’ food choices and brand advocacy: mediating role of perceived trust
Authors: Verma Simran , Kapoor Deepa , Gupta Ruchika
Published: May 2024

Purpose

This study attempts to encapsulate the idea of influencer marketing in the food sector and the vital role played by food influencers in shaping the dietary preferences, tastes and decisions of their social media followers and turning them into brand advocates.

Design/methodology/approach

An online survey of 383 social media users, utilizing a self-administered questionnaire, was undertaken to validate the proposed research design. The partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) methodology was used to analyze the data and test the relationships between the constructs.

Findings

The results confirm the validity and reliability of the research model. The research revealed the positive influence of influencer–follower demographics and attitude congruence on followers’ food choices, which in turn leads to followers’ delight and significantly impacts their brand advocacy. It also depicts how followers’ perceived trust in an influencer mediates the relationship between their similarity with the influencers, their food choices and brand advocacy.

Originality/value

The study proposes a new theoretical framework and empirically tests the effectiveness of influencer marketing in influencing social media users’ food choice behavior and brand advocacy through the medium of followers’ congruence with social media influencers. The findings offer noteworthy theoretical and managerial implications for academicians as well as marketing practitioners.
The bright side of flight delay: How do flight delays affect auditing quality?
Authors: Cheng Silu , Hu Wenyao
Published: May 2024

Purpose

This study explores how auditors' emotions, specifically negative moods triggered by flight delays, impact auditing quality.

Design/methodology/approach

Utilizing flight delays during audit assignments as a mood indicator, weather conditions at departure airports serve as an instrumental variable to provide a robustness check between flight delays and audit outcomes, employing a two-stage least squares model.

Findings

The findings suggest that such negative moods improve auditing effort and quality, as evidenced by reduced future accounting restatements and increased audit fees. The positive effect of flight delays on auditing quality is consistent across different tests and measures.

Originality/value

This study highlights the significance of auditors' emotional states on their professional performance, indicating a unique angle on auditing quality research by focusing on the emotional well-being of auditors as influenced by external factors such as flight delays.
Do personality traits affect entrepreneurial intention? The mediating role of the theory of planned behavior
Authors: Tsaknis Panagiotis A. , Sahinidis Alexandros G.
Published: May 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to determine the factors affecting entrepreneurial intention by combining the big five personality traits with the theory of planned behavior (TPB).

Design/methodology/approach

The study was conducted with the use of an online questionnaire. The sample was comprised of 257 students from the business department of a public university in Athens.

Findings

The results of this study indicated a statistically significant and positive relationship of openness, extraversion, attitude, and perceived behavioral control to entrepreneurial intention. Furthermore, there is a positive relationship of openness, conscientiousness and extraversion towards entrepreneurial intention through perceived behavioral control. Finally, the findings indicated a positive relationship of extraversion with entrepreneurial intention through attitude.

Research limitations/implications

The findings are limited to a specific student environment and should be replicated across various university settings to reach generalizable conclusions. The sample consists of only Greek students, which is another limitation of the study. The effects of entrepreneurship education vary with different ethnic backgrounds as seen in other studies. Finally, the research did not address the issue of gender or work experience among other variables discussed in other studies.

Practical implications

Several practical aspects of entrepreneurial intention can be considered, including entrepreneurship education, strategic investment, government and business organizations, mentoring issues and policymaking. This research can assist in various ways, enabling educational institutions to customize entrepreneurship courses, helping students choose suitable courses, aiding policymakers in developing supportive policies, and allowing organizations to identify employees with an entrepreneurial mindset.

Originality/value

Although the big five personality traits and the Theory of Planned Behavior have been combined in numerous fields such as behavioral economics, psychology, and health behaviors, their integration in studying entrepreneurial intention remains scant. With this approach, researchers can gain a deeper understanding of the factors that affect entrepreneurial intention.
Innovation strategy, digital transformation and competitive advantage of manufacturing enterprises: evidence from China
Authors: Xue Fang , Tan Yunqing , Anwar Sajid
Published: May 2024

Purpose

This study aims to integrate the concepts of digital transformation, innovation strategy, and competitive advantage, into a novel research model in an effort to identify a more competitive path for digital transformation within manufacturing enterprises.

Design/methodology/approach

The research model was tested through multivariate hierarchical regression analyses, and Hayes’ PROCESS for SPSS, utilizing survey data collected from 183 manufacturing enterprises in China.

Findings

The results indicate that, in comparison to research and development (R&D) and production, digital transformation in service and organizational activities exert a more significant impact on competitive advantage. Conversely, digital transformation in sales does not exhibit a significant impact on competitive advantage. Furthermore, in contrast to exploratory innovation and ambidexterity, exploitative innovation has a more pronounced influence on digital transformation. Additionally, digital transformation has been confirmed as a mediator in the relationship between innovation strategy and competitive advantage.

Originality/value

These findings expand our comprehension of digital transformation as an evolving process and shed light on the relationship between digital transformation and competitive advantage across various value-creating activities. This research serves as a valuable resource for decision-makers in selecting the most suitable path for digital transformation and configuring innovative resources.
Employee job security and job performance: the mediating role of well-being and the moderating role of perceived organizational support and psychological capital
Authors: Al Nahyan Moza Tahnoon , Al Ahbabi Jawaher Majdi , Alabdulrahman Mesheal Abdulmohsen , Alhosani Ibrahim , Jabeen Fauzia , Farouk Sherine
Published: May 2024

Purpose

Grounded in social cognitive career theory, this study investigates how employees' perceptions of job security and well-being affected their performance during the COVID-19 pandemic. It also examines the moderating effects of perceived organizational support and psychological capital on well-being and performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a two-wave time-lagged design, data were collected from 279 frontline employees in public service organizations in Saudi Arabia.

Findings

The study’s results show that perceived job security significantly affects job performance. Employee well-being significantly and positively influences job performance and partially mediates the relationship between perceived job security and job performance. Additionally, perceived organizational support and psychological capital positively moderated the relationship between employee well-being and job performance during the pandemic.

Practical implications

This study suggests that policymakers and practitioners need to prioritize addressing the job security concerns and well-being of frontline employees during a pandemic to enhance employee performance.

Originality/value

Our findings present significant implications for policymakers in the context of job security and performance within public organizations in emerging countries.