bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of injectable vitamin C at weaning and prior to transit on growth performance of early-weaned beef steers
Authors: Beenken-Bobb Aubree M , Dornbach Colten W , Deters Erin L , Shike Daniel W , Hansen Stephanie L , McCann Joshua C
Published: January 2023

This study investigated the effects of injectable vitamin C (VC) at weaning and prior to transit on growth performance and immune function in early-weaned beef steers. On day 0, 91 Angus × Simmental steers (92 ± 4 kg) were weaned (65 ± 11 d of age), given vaccination boosters, blocked by age, and randomly assigned to weaning (WEAN) treatments: intramuscular injections (20 mL per steer) of VC (250-mg sodium ascorbate per mL; 5 g per steer) or saline (SAL). From days 0 to 48, steers were housed at the Dixon Springs Agricultural Center (Simpson, IL) in pens (six pens; N = 14 to 16 steers per pen) equipped with two to three Vytelle bunks to measure individual daily feed disappearance. On day 49, half of the steers in each WEAN treatment were randomly assigned to an additional injection treatment (20 mL per steer) of VC or SAL prior to transport (TRANS). After administering pretransit injections, all steers were loaded onto a commercial livestock trailer with equal representation of treatments across compartments. Steers were transported for 6 h (approximately 480 km) to the Illinois Beef and Sheep Field Laboratory (Urbana, IL). Upon arrival, steers were sorted into pens (six pens; N = 13 to 17 steers per pen) with 2 Vytelle bunks per pen. Steers were weighed on days 0, 1, 14, 48, 49, 64, 78, 106, and 107. Blood was collected (WEAN = 24 steers per treatment; TRANS = 12 steers per treatment) on days 0, 1, 2, 14, 49 (pre- and posttransit), 50, and 51. Data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS 9.4 with fixed effects of age block, WEAN, TRANS, and WEAN × TRANS. Plasma ascorbate concentrations were greater (WEAN × time P < 0.01) on days 1 and 2 for steers that received VC at weaning. Similarly, for steers that received VC on day 49 pretransit, ascorbate concentrations were greater (TRANS × time P = 0.04) on days 49 posttransit, 50, and 51. Treatments did not affect (P ≥ 0.13) body weight, average daily gain, or gain to feed throughout the trial. Serum Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus type 1 and 2 antibody titers on days 14 and 51 were not affected (P ≥ 0.32) by treatment. Injectable VC administered to early-weaned beef steers at the time of weaning or pretransit increased plasma ascorbate concentrations but did not improve growth performance or antibody response to vaccination booster.
A review of the effect of nutrient and energy restriction during late gestation on beef cattle offspring growth and development
Authors: Waldon Naomi , Nickles Kirsten , Parker Anthony , Swanson Kendall , Relling Alejandro
Published: January 2023

Changes in the environment, including nutritional changes, can influence fetal and postnatal development of the offspring, which can result in differences in growth, metabolism, reproduction, and health later in life. In beef cattle research on energy and protein restriction during late gestation appears to be contradictory. Therefore, in this review, we will examine the nutrient requirements recommended for this period. We are summarizing contradictory data on effects on offspring performance with possible explanations of the reason for why the data seems contradictory. We will finish by discussing some areas that we consider important for further research to increase the knowledge on how maternal nutrition influences offspring development. In particular, suggestions are provided on the need for more accurately measuring nutrient and energy supply and use and the impact on subsequent epigenetic effects. This will improve understanding of nutritional effects during gestation on offspring performance.
Effects of injectable vitamin E before or after transit on receiving phase growth performance, health, and blood parameters of beef steers
Authors: Dornbach Colten W , Beenken-Bobb Aubree M , Shike Daniel W , Hansen Stephanie L , McCann Joshua C
Published: January 2023

The objective was to determine the effects of injectable vitamin E (VE) before or after transit on feedlot cattle receiving performance, health, and blood parameters. Angus × Simmental steers (n = 196; body weight [BW] = 163 ± 29 kg) were utilized in a randomized complete block design. Steers were blocked by BW and randomly assigned to 1 of 3 treatments: intramuscular injections of saline pre- and post-transit (CON), intramuscular injections of VE (2,000 mg d-α-tocopherol) pre-transit and saline post-transit (PRE), or intramuscular injections of saline pre-transit and VE (2,000 mg d-α-tocopherol) post-transit (POST). Pre-transit injections were administered on day 0, and steers were transported on day 7 for approximately 4 h (348 km). After arrival, steers were fed a common corn silage-based diet in GrowSafe bunks. Final BW tended to be greater (P = 0.08) for CON steers compared with POST steers while PRE steers were intermediate. From days 7 to 63, treatment affected average daily gain (ADG) with PRE and CON steers exhibiting (P = 0.04) greater ADG compared with POST steers. Dry matter intake (DMI), water intake, and gain to feed from days 7 to 63 were not affected (P ≥ 0.17) by treatment. Day 0 serum α-tocopherol concentrations were considered marginal (2.3 ± 0.2 mg/l). A treatment × day interaction (P < 0.01) was observed for serum α-tocopherol concentrations. Serum α-tocopherol concentrations were greatest for PRE steers on day 7 (prior to and post-transit), but greater for POST steers on dys 10 and 14. Plasma ferric-reducing antioxidant potential concentrations increased (P = 0.04) for POST steers compared with CON steers and PRE steers being intermediate. Plasma non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) concentrations exhibited a treatment × day interaction (P = 0.04) with CON and POST steers being 16% and 14% greater than PRE steers on day 14, respectively. On day 21, NEFA concentrations were greatest for POST steers compared with PRE steers and CON steers being intermediate. There was no main effect (P ≥ 0.14) of treatment on the number of bovine respiratory disease morbidity treatments. Hair cortisol concentrations were decreased (P < 0.01) 14 days after transit for PRE and POST steers compared with CON steers. Overall, injectable VE administered before or after transit increased serum tocopherol concentrations while reducing stress, but did not improve the growth performance of beef steers during the receiving phase.
Effect of substitution of distillers grains and glycerin for steam–flaked corn in finishing cattle diets on growth performance and carcass characteristics
Authors: Larson Haley E , Jaderborg Jeff P , Paulus-Compart Devan M , Crawford Grant I , DiCostanzo Alfredo
Published: January 2023

An experiment was conducted to determine the effect of substituting modified corn distillers grains with solubles (DGS) or crude soy glycerin (CG) for steam–flaked corn (SFC) in finishing diets on growth performance and carcass characteristics. Treatments were arranged as a 2 × 2 factorial with DGS (0% or 40%) and CG (0% or 10%) replacing dietary SFC in a basal diet. Growth performance and carcass traits were measured on 48 individually fed crossbred yearling cattle (21 steers and 27 heifers; 380 ± 37 kg). Cattle were randomly allotted to 48 Calan gate bunks. After the first 28 days, nine animals were removed from the study for health reasons or observed confirmation of consumption of feed from unassigned Calan gate bunk (n = 39). After the feeding period, cattle were harvested in two groups on day-124 and day-173. No DGS × CG interactions were observed (P > 0.10) for any dependent growth performance or carcass characteristic variable tested. Cattle-fed DGS as 40% of diet dry matter (DM) had greater (P< 0.01) dry matter intake (DMI), while CG inclusion at 10% of diet DM did not affect DMI (P = 0.16). Carcass–adjusted average daily gain (ADG) was not affected by DGS (P = 0.73) or CG (P = 0.28). Decreased (P = 0.03) carcass–adjusted gain-to-feed (G:F) was observed as the main effect of DGS. Greater DMI resulting from feeding DGS as 40% of diet DM appears to have driven the tendency for reduced G:F. Hot carcass weight, longissimus muscle area, 12th rib fat depth, yield grade, and marbling score were not (P> 0.10) influenced by DGS or CG. However, kidney, pelvic, fat (KPH) was increased (P = 0.01) when cattle were fed DGS as 40% of diet DM. Based on the findings presented, it is concluded that CG can substitute up to 10% of SFC in the diet without negatively affecting cattle growth performance or carcass characteristics, regardless of DGS inclusion as 40% of the diet DM.
Pooled analysis on the effects of inclusion, moisture, and oil removal from distillers grains on cattle performance and economic returns in diets with different corn processing
Authors: Troyer Braden C , Dennis Elliott J , DiCostanzo Alfredo , Erickson Galen E
Published: January 2023

A synthesis of data including over 9,300 head of cattle and over 980 pen means was conducted to evaluate the effect of corn processing method, distillers grains type, oil removal from distillers, and dietary distillers concentration on cattle performance and total feeding costs under different historical price scenarios. The corn processing method was either steam-flaked corn, high-moisture or dry-rolled corn or a blend of the latter two and their effects on performance with and without distillers grains. Wet, modified, and dry distillers were analyzed as either full fat or de-oiled products in diets at various dietary concentrations with either corn type to determine cattle performance. Performance estimates were used to determine the inclusion level that minimized total finishing costs ($/head) for each diet given various assumptions on corn price, corn-to-distillers price ratio, supplemental protein cost, and steam flake processing cost. Feeding distillers grains in steam-flaked or high-moisture and dry-rolled corn diets resulted in improved feed conversion and reduced cattle feeding costs, including lower supplemental protein costs and lower total feeding costs compared with a diet without distillers. However, feeding diets with steam-flaked corn improved feed conversion regardless of distillers type or level of inclusion. Feeding full fat distillers improved feed conversion relative to de-oiled distillers. Cattle fed de-oiled distillers were more efficient than those fed diets containing no distillers grains. At all corn price and corn-to-distillers price ratios examined, feeding some level of distillers of any type produced a lower total feeding costs relative to a diet without distillers. Different robustness tests were conducted to determine the impact of varying steam flake corn processing costs and the cost of supplemental protein on the optimal level of distillers inclusion level. The break-even cost a producer could pay for steam-flaking corn varied but was significantly higher when corn price was high. Feeding distillers grains in steam-flaked or high-moisture and dry-rolled corn diets resulted in improved feed efficiency, reduced cattle feeding costs, including replacement of other supplemental protein and associated costs compared to a diet without distillers grains.
Epidemiological and Clinical Characteristics of 471 Elderly Burn Patients in China: A Burn Center-based Study
Authors: Qu Yirui , Liu Tian , Chai Jiake , Hu Fangchao , Duan Hongjie , Chi Yunfei
Published: January 2023

Burns are characterized by difficult treatment, poor prognosis, and high mortality especially in elderly patients. The aim of this paper is to study the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of elderly burn patients admitted to a major burn center from 2016 to 2020. The data of 471 elderly burn patients admitted to our burn center from January 2016 to December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Demographic and clinical variables of different age groups were statistically analyzed, and variables related to length of stay (LOS) and hospitalization costs were analyzed through linear regression models. The mean age of included patients was 69.03 years. Scald injuries accounted for 42.7% of all burns with the extremities being the most commonly affected anatomic site (46.5%). Approximately 67.5% and 5.9% of all patients suffered from full-thickness burns and inhalation injuries, respectively. These patients required more surgical procedures, longer operation durations, and higher costs compared with other burn patients. The mean LOS was 17 days with a mortality rate of 2.1%. There were statistically significant differences in the etiological characteristics and clinical manifestations of burn patients in different age groups. Individualized targeted prevention and treatment strategies should be performed according to the clinical characteristics and relevant risk factors of each patient.
Climatic influences on survival and reproductive transitions of big-eared woodrats in California oak woodland
Authors: Tietje William D , Merriell Brandon , Oli Madan K
Published: January 2023

It is known that climatic factors can influence the reproductive performance of small mammal populations. However, this information has not been available for the big-eared woodrat (Neotoma macrotis), a keystone species that inhabits the California central coast ranges south to Mexico and the oak woodlands (Quercus spp.) of the western Sierra Nevada foothills. From 2002 to 2014, we livetrapped woodrats on 1.1-ha study plots in coastal-central California and recorded their age and reproductive status. We analyzed these data by a capture-mark-recapture (CMR) framework to estimate state-specific recapture probability (p) and monthly apparent survival (S) of juvenile, non-reproductive, and reproductive adult female woodrats, and the influence of rain and temperature on S and transition probability (Ψ) of the three states. Rainfall from the previous season did not markedly affect survival rates of the states, with one exception: it decreased the survival of nonreproductive woodrats. Nearly all breeding occurred during the cool, wet winter season. Juvenile woodrats had at least a 0.55 probability of breeding by their first winter, conditional on survival. Temperature during the breeding season had a marked negative influence on transition probability. During winter, survival of nonreproductive adult females was significantly higher than for juvenile and reproductive females, indicating a cost of reproduction. Physiological effects and diminished diet quality due to further climate warming could reduce the reproductive success of female big-eared woodrats with negative consequences on population growth and persistence.
The Bardeen–Petterson effect, disc breaking, and the spin orientations of supermassive black hole binaries
Authors: Steinle Nathan , Gerosa Davide
Published: January 2023

Supermassive black hole binaries are driven to merger by dynamical friction, loss-cone scattering of individual stars, disc migration, and gravitational wave emission. Two main formation scenarios are expected. Binaries that form in gas-poor galactic environments do not experience disc migration and likely enter the gravitational wave-dominated phase with roughly isotropic spin orientations. Comparatively, binaries that evolve in gas-rich galactic environments might experience prominent phases of disc accretion, where the Bardeen–Petterson effect acts to align the spins of the black holes with the orbital angular momentum of the disc. However, if the accretion disc breaks, alignment is expected to be strongly suppressed – a phenomenon that was recently shown to occur in a large portion of the parameter space. In this paper, we develop a semi-analytical model of joint gas-driven migration and spin alignment of supermassive black hole binaries taking into account the impact of disc breaking for the first time. Our model predicts the occurrence of distinct subpopulations of binaries depending on the efficiency of spin alignment. This implies that future gravitational wave observations of merging black holes could potentially be used to (i) discriminate between gas-rich and gas-poor hosts and (ii) constrain the dynamics of warped accretion discs.
The recognition of structured elements by a conserved groove distant from domains associated with catalysis is an essential determinant of RNase E
Authors: Clarke Justin E , Sabharwal Kiran , Kime Louise , McDowall Kenneth J
Published: January 2023

RNase E is an endoribonuclease found in many bacteria, including important human pathogens. Within Escherichia coli, it has been shown to have a major role in both the maturation of all classes of RNA involved in translation and the initiation of mRNA degradation. Thus, knowledge of the major determinants of RNase E cleavage is central to our understanding and manipulation of bacterial gene expression. We show here that the binding of RNase E to structured RNA elements is crucial for the processing of tRNA, can activate catalysis and may be important in mRNA degradation. The recognition of structured elements by RNase E is mediated by a recently discovered groove that is distant from the domains associated with catalysis. The functioning of this groove is shown here to be essential for E. coli cell viability and may represent a key point of evolutionary divergence from the paralogous RNase G family, which we show lack amino acid residues conserved within the RNA-binding groove of members of the RNase E family. Overall, this work provides new insights into the recognition and cleavage of RNA by RNase E and provides further understanding of the basis of RNase E essentiality in E. coli.
Association Between Rheumatic Autoantibodies and Immune-Related Adverse Events
Authors: Mathias Kristen , Rouhani Sherin , Olson Daniel , Bass Anne R , Gajewski Thomas F , Reid Pankti
Published: January 2023

Background

Side effects of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), called immune-related adverse events (irAEs), closely resemble primary autoimmune or rheumatic diseases. We aimed to understand the clinical utility of rheumatic autoantibodies (rhAbs) for diagnosing irAEs.

Patients and Methods

Patients without pre-existing autoimmune disease (pAID) who had cancer treated with ICI(s) treatment from 1/1/2011 to 12/21/2020 and a rhAb checked were retrospectively identified. Logistic regression assessed associations between autoantibodies and irAEs, cancer outcome, and survival. Specificity, sensitivity, and positive/negative predictive values (PPV, NPV) were estimated for key rhAbs and ICI-arthritis. Kaplan-Meier analyzed objective response rate (ORR) and overall survival (OS).

Results

A total of 2662 patients were treated with≥1 ICIs. One hundred and thirty-five without pAID had ≥ 1 rhAb tested. Of which 70/135(52%) were female; median age at cancer diagnosis was 62 years with most common cancers: melanoma (23%) or non–small cell lung cancer (21%), 96/135 (75%) were anti-PD1/PDL1 treated. Eighty had a rhAb ordered before ICI, 96 after ICI, and 12 before and after. Eighty-two (61%) experienced an irAE, 33 (24%) with rheumatic-irAE. Pre-ICI RF showed significant association with rheumatic-irAEs (OR = 25, 95% CI, 1.52-410.86, P = .024). Pre– and post–ICI RF yielded high specificity for ICI-arthritis (93% and 78%), as did pre– and post–ICI CCP (100% and 91%). Pre–ICI RF carried 93% NPV and pre–ICI CCP had 89% PPV for ICI-arthritis. No variables were significantly correlated with ORR. Any-type irAE, rheumatic-irAE and ICI-arthritis were all associated with better OS (P = .000, P = .028, P = .019).

Conclusions

Pre–ICI RF was associated with higher odds of rheumatic-irAEs. IrAEs had better OS; therefore, clinical contextualization for rhAbs is critical to prevent unnecessary withholding of lifesaving ICI for fear of irAEs.
Posterior sampling for inverse imaging problems on the sphere in seismology and cosmology
Authors: Marignier Augustin , McEwen Jason D , Ferreira Ana M G , Kitching Thomas D
Published: January 2023

In this work, we describe a framework for solving spherical inverse imaging problems using posterior sampling for full uncertainty quantification. Inverse imaging problems defined on the sphere arise in many fields, including seismology and cosmology, where images are defined on the globe and the cosmic sphere, and are generally high-dimensional and computationally expensive. As a result, sampling the posterior distribution of spherical imaging problems is a challenging task. Our framework leverages a proximal Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithm to efficiently sample the high-dimensional space of spherical images with a sparsity-promoting wavelet prior. We detail the modifications needed for the algorithm to be applied to spherical problems, and give special consideration to the crucial forward modelling step, which contains computationally expensive spherical harmonic transforms. By sampling the posterior, our framework allows for full and flexible uncertainty quantification, something which is not possible with other methods based on, for example, convex optimization. We demonstrate our framework in practice on full-sky cosmological mass-mapping and to the construction of phase velocity maps in global seismic tomography. We find that our approach is potentially useful at moderate resolutions, such as those of interest in seismology. However, at high resolutions, such as those required for astrophysical applications, the poor scaling of the complexity of spherical harmonic transforms severely limits our method, which may be resolved with future GPU implementations. A new Python package, pxmcmc, containing the proximal MCMC sampler, measurement operators, wavelet transforms, and sparse priors are made publicly available.
Eye Movement Abnormalities Can Distinguish First-Episode Schizophrenia, Chronic Schizophrenia, and Prodromal Patients From Healthy Controls
Authors: Lyu Hailong , St Clair David , Wu Renrong , Benson Philip J , Guo Wenbin , Wang Guodong , Liu Yi , Hu Shaohua , Zhao Jingping
Published: January 2023

Background

This study attempts to replicate in a Chinese population an earlier UK report that eye movement abnormalities can accurately distinguish schizophrenia (SCZ) cases from healthy controls (HCs). It also seeks to determine whether first-episode SCZ differ from chronic SCZ and whether these eye movement abnormalities are enriched in psychosis risk syndrome (PRS).

Methods

The training set included 104 Chinese HC and 60 Chinese patients with SCZ, and the testing set included 20 SCZ patients and 20 HC from a UK cohort. An additional 16 individuals with PRS were also enrolled. Eye movements of all participants were recorded during free-viewing, smooth pursuit, and fixation stability tasks. Group differences in 55 performance measures were compared and a gradient-boosted decision tree model was built for predictive analyses.

Results

Extensive eye-movement abnormalities were observed in patients with SCZ on almost all eye-movement tests. On almost all individual variables, first-episode patients showed no statistically significant differences compared with chronic patients. The classification model was able to discriminate patients from controls with an area under the curve of 0.87; the model also classified 88% of PRS individuals as SCZ-like.

Conclusions

Our findings replicate and extend the UK results. The overall accuracy of the Chinese study is virtually identical to the UK findings. We conclude that eye-movement abnormalities appear early in the natural history of the disorder and can be considered as potential trait markers for SCZ diathesis.
Strawberry Cultivar Susceptibility to Neopestalotiopsis Leaf Spot in Indiana
Authors: Guan Wenjing , Bonkowski John , Creswell Tom , Egel Daniel S.
Published: January 2023

In June 2020, a leaf spot caused by Neopestalotiopsis sp. in Indiana strawberry production was confirmed to be the same disease recently found in Florida strawberry production. Differences in cultivar susceptibility were observed in the field. Greenhouse trials using either bare-root or plug plants were conducted to explore possible differences in host resistance to the foliar phase of the disease caused by Neopestalotiopsis sp. Clear differences in cultivar susceptibility were observed. Florida Brilliance, Florida Sensation, Camino Real, and Florida Radiance were among the most susceptible cultivars evaluated in these trials. Several short-day cultivars, including AC Valley Sunset, Darselect, Earliglow, Flavorfest, Galletta, Honeoye, Jewel, and Sonata, remained asymptomatic in the trials. Because many of the abovementioned asymptomatic short-day cultivars are commonly used in matted row systems typical of Indiana strawberry production, future field trials with the matted row system could demonstrate that the foliar phase of the disease caused by Neopestalotiopsis sp. may be less common in Indiana than in other areas of the United States.
Cross-Resistance of Succinate Dehydrogenase Inhibitors (SDHI) in Botrytis cinerea and Development of Molecular Diagnostic Tools for SDHI Resistance Detection
Authors: Alzohairy S. A. , Heger L. , Nikzainalalam N. , Miles T. D.
Published: January 2023

Succinate dehydrogenase inhibitors (SDHIs) are keystone synthetic fungicides used to manage Botrytis cinerea in several hosts. In this study, we investigated the cross-resistance between five new SDHIs (pyraziflumid, isofetamid, benzovindiflupyr, fluxapyroxad, and pydiflumetofen) with commonly used SDHIs boscalid and fluopyram. Different mutations were detected in the sdhB gene in B. cinerea collected from Michigan grapes, and their frequency and EC50 value were determined. Among 216 B. cinerea boscalid-resistant isolates, five different mutations were detected, including H272R/Y, P225F/H, and N230I, at frequencies of 82.6, 4.3, 11.5, 0.4, and 5.3%, respectively. Five isolates of each genotype were used to screen the cross-resistance of the SDHIs. We classified the resistance profile of our mutants into five patterns. We report that all tested mutants were sensitive to benzovindiflupyr, indicating that it can be used as an effective fungicide against all B. cinerea mutants identified in this study. In addition, fluopyram, pydiflumetofen, and isofetamid can provide effective control according to which type of mutation is present in the field. We also developed and compared two molecular diagnostic tools, rhAMP and TaqMan assays, for rapid detection of SDHI resistance-associated mutants in B. cinerea. We report that the TaqMan assay was more successful than the rhAMP assay in detecting the B. cinerea mutant DNA at ≤10 pg and in a single assay was capable of monitoring two amino acid positions. Our results provide essential information about new SDHIs and provide molecular tools for monitoring SDHI resistance mutations, which will assist in gray mold disease control.
Three-Year Follow-up of Biomechanical Changes in Very Asymmetric Ectasia
Authors: Koh Shizuka , Inoue Ryota , Maeno Sayo , Maeda Naoyuki , Ambrósio Renato , Jhanji Vishal , Nishida Kohji
Published: January 2023

Purpose:

The purpose of this study was to assess longitudinal corneal biomechanical changes in fellow eyes with normal topography in patients with very asymmetric ectasia (VAE) for 3 years.

Methods:

Clinical records of 30 patients with VAE who met the inclusion criteria were retrospectively reviewed. Patients with VAE were defined as having clinical ectasia in 1 eye and normal topography in the fellow eye. Patients were subdivided into 2 groups based on baseline corneal tomography data: fellow eye with normal topography/tomography (fellow eye with NTT) and fellow eye with normal topography and not normal tomography (fellow eye with NT). Corneal biomechanical assessment with high-speed dynamic Scheimpflug-based corneal imaging was performed at baseline and each follow-up visit on each eye. Longitudinal changes in biomechanical parameters were also investigated. Linear mixed-effects models were used to evaluate changes over time in 2 groups.

Results:

Significant changes in the Corvis Biomechanical Index and the stress–strain index (SSI) (P = 0.023, P = 0.034, respectively) were observed during the 3-year period in fellow eye with NT group, and only SSI showed a decreasing trend over time. A significant association between the SSI and age at the initial biomechanical assessment was observed (P < 0.001). No significant changes during the 3-year period were found in any parameters in fellow eye with NTT group.

Conclusions:

Based on biomechanical evaluation of the cornea over a 3-year period, possible corneal softening in fellow eye of VAE having normal topography and not normal tomography was observed, highlighting the characteristics of progressive ectatic corneal disorder even in a subclinical status. Future studies with a longer follow-up period are required.
COVISHIELD Vaccine–Induced Ocular Stevens-Johnson Syndrome: A Case Report
Authors: Singh Shweta , Gupta Nidhi , Sangwan Virender
Published: January 2023

Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) is an acute inflammatory vesiculobullous reaction of the skin and mucosa. The involvement of the ocular mucosa in these cases leads to ocular SJS. The most commonly reported etiological agents for SJS are drugs, viral infections, and vaccination. Here, we present the first ever reported case of ocular SJS occurring secondary to COVISHIELD vaccination, wherein a 62-year-old had an episode of acute SJS within a week of the COVISHIELD booster dose. She presented to us 6 months after the acute episode with infectious keratitis in the right eye and descemetocele in the left eye in chronic SJS with severe bilateral lid keratinization in all 4 lids and healed skin pigmentation typical of SJS sequelae.
Factor Structure of the Agitated Behavior Scale in Traumatic Brain Injury During Posttraumatic Amnesia
Authors: Phyland Ruby K. , Ponsford Jennie L. , Gwini Stella May , McKay Adam
Published: January 2023

Objective:

To investigate the factor structure of the Agitated Behavior Scale (ABS) in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) in posttraumatic amnesia (PTA).

Setting:

Inpatient TBI rehabilitation ward in Victoria, Australia.

Participants:

A total of 364 patients aged 16 to 92 years meeting diagnostic criteria for TBI and PTA admitted between September 2013 and October 2020.

Design:

Retrospective cohort study utilizing electronic medical record data.

Main Measures:

The ABS and the Westmead Post-Traumatic Amnesia Scale (WPTAS).

Results:

Exploratory factor analysis uncovered 2 moderately correlated underlying factors (0.52), labeled Restlessness and Aggression/Lability. Two items failed to demonstrate sufficiently large loadings on either factor. Both factors demonstrated adequate reliability (Cronbach α = 0.87 and 0.81 for Restlessness and Aggression/Lability, respectively). Linear regression indicated that higher WPTAS scores were associated with lower levels of Restlessness (β = −.14, P < .001), supporting construct validity. Conversely, WPTAS scores were not significantly associated with Aggression/Lability (β = −.12, P = .08). Subgroup analysis indicated that a history of mood disorder was associated with greater severity of Aggression/Lability (P = .02). Confirmatory factor analysis indicated superior fit of the identified 2-factor solution when compared with previously explored 1-, 2-, 3-, and 4-factor structures.

Conclusion:

This study suggests that the latent structure of the ABS is best explained by a single construct of agitation with 2 discrete facets reflecting Restlessness and Aggression/Lability. These subscales may be used in clinical practice to evaluate the severity of different aspects of agitated behavior, inform treatment decisions, and judge the efficacy of interventions over time. Further research is required to explain low factor loadings demonstrated by 2 items.
INCOG 2.0 Guidelines for Cognitive Rehabilitation Following Traumatic Brain Injury, Part V: Memory
Authors: Velikonja Diana , Ponsford Jennie , Janzen Shannon , Harnett Amber , Patsakos Eleni , Kennedy Mary , Togher Leanne , Teasell Robert , McIntyre Amanda , Welch-West Penny , Kua Ailene , Bayley Mark Theodore
Published: January 2023

Introduction:

Memory impairments affecting encoding, acquisition, and retrieval of information after moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) have debilitating and enduring functional consequences. The interventional research reviewed primarily focused on mild to severe memory impairments in episodic and prospective memory. As memory is a common focus of cognitive rehabilitation, clinicians should understand and use the latest evidence. Therefore, the INCOG (“International Cognitive”) 2014 clinical practice guidelines were updated.

Methods:

An expert panel of clinicians/researchers reviewed evidence published since 2014 and developed updated recommendations for intervention for memory impairments post-TBI, a decision-making algorithm, and an audit tool for review of clinical practice.

Results:

The interventional research approaches for episodic and prospective memory from 2014 are synthesized into 8 recommendations (6 updated and 2 new). Six recommendations are based on level A evidence and 2 on level B. In summary, they include the efficacy of choosing individual or multiple internal compensatory strategies, which can be delivered in a structured or individualized program. Of the external compensatory strategies, which should be the primary strategy for severe memory impairment, electronic reminder systems such as smartphone technology are preferred, with technological advances increasing their viability over traditional systems. Furthermore, microprompting personal digital assistant technology is recommended to cue completion of complex tasks. Memory strategies should be taught using instruction that considers the individual's functional and contextual needs while constraining errors. Memory rehabilitation programs can be delivered in an individualized or mixed format using group instruction. Computer cognitive training should be conducted with therapist guidance. Limited evidence exists to suggest that acetylcholinesterase inhibitors improve memory, so trials should include measures to assess impact. The use of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is not recommended for memory rehabilitation.

Conclusion:

These recommendations for memory rehabilitation post-TBI reflect the current evidence and highlight the limitations of group instruction with heterogeneous populations of TBI. Further research is needed on the role of medications and tDCS to enhance memory.
INCOG 2.0 Guidelines for Cognitive Rehabilitation Following Traumatic Brain Injury: Methods, Overview, and Principles
Authors: Bayley Mark Theodore , Janzen Shannon , Harnett Amber , Teasell Robert , Patsakos Eleni , Marshall Shawn , Bragge Peter , Velikonja Diana , Kua Ailene , Douglas Jacinta , Togher Leanne , Ponsford Jennie , McIntyre Amanda
Published: January 2023

Introduction:

Moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) results in complex cognitive sequelae. Despite hundreds of clinical trials in cognitive rehabilitation, the translation of these findings into clinical practice remains a challenge. Clinical practice guidelines are one solution. The objective of this initiative was to reconvene the international group of cognitive researchers and clinicians (known as INCOG) to develop INCOG 2.0: Guidelines for Cognitive Rehabilitation Following TBI.

Methods:

The guidelines adaptation and development cycle was used to update the recommendations and derive new ones. The team met virtually and reviewed the literature published since the original INCOG (2014) to update the recommendations and decision algorithms. The team then prioritized the recommendations for implementation and modified the audit tool accordingly to allow for the evaluation of adherence to best practices.

Results:

In total, the INCOG update contains 80 recommendations (25 level A, 15 level B, and 40 level C) of which 27 are new. Recommendations developed for posttraumatic amnesia, attention, memory, executive function and cognitive-communication are outlined in other articles, whereas this article focuses on the overarching principles of care for which there are 38 recommendations pertaining to: assessment (10 recommendations), principles of cognitive rehabilitation (6 recommendations), medications to enhance cognition (10 recommendations), teleassessment (5 recommendations), and telerehabilitation intervention (7 recommendations). One recommendation was supported by level A evidence, 7 by level B evidence, and all remaining recommendations were level C evidence. New to INCOG are recommendations for telehealth-delivered cognitive assessment and rehabilitation. Evidence-based clinical algorithms and audit tools for evaluating the state of current practice are also provided.

Conclusions:

Evidence-based cognitive rehabilitation guided by these recommendations should be offered to individuals with TBI. Despite the advancements in TBI rehabilitation research, further high-quality studies are needed to better understand the role of cognitive rehabilitation in improving patient outcomes after TBI.
Comparison of Laparoscopic Versus Robot-Assisted Surgery for Rectal Cancers
Authors: Park Jun Seok , Lee Sung Min , Choi Gyu-Seog , Park Soo Yeun , Kim Hye Jin , Song Seung Ho , Min Byung Soh , Kim Nam Kyu , Kim Seon Hahn , Lee Kang Young
Published: January 2023

Objective:

To evaluate whether robotic for middle or low rectal cancer produces an improvement in surgical outcomes compared with laparoscopic surgery in a randomized controlled trial (RCT).

Background:

There is a lack of proven clinical benefit of robotic total mesorectal excision (TME) compared with a laparoscopic approach in the setting of multicenter RCTs.

Methods:

Between July 2011 and February 2016, patients diagnosed with an adenocarcinoma located <10 cm from the anal verge and clinically rated T1-4aNxM0 were enrolled. The primary outcome was the completeness of TME assessed by a surgeon and a pathologist.

Results:

The RCT was terminated prematurely because of poor accrual of data. In all, 295 patients were assigned randomly to a robot-assisted TME group (151 in R-TME) or a laparoscopy-assisted TME group (144 in L-TME). The rates of complete TME were not different between groups (80.7% in R-TME, 77.1% in L-TME). Pathologic outcomes including the circumferential resection margin and the numbers of retrieved lymph nodes were not different between groups. In a subanalysis, the positive circumferential resection margin rate was lower in the R-TME group (0% vs 6.1% for L-TME; P=0.031). Among the recovery parameters, the length of opioid use was shorter in the R-TME group (P=0.028). There was no difference in the postoperative complication rate between the groups (12.0% for R-TME vs 8.3% for L-TME).

Conclusions:

In patients with middle or low rectal cancer, robotic-assisted surgery did not significantly improve the TME quality compared with conventional laparoscopic surgery (ClinicalTrial.gov ID: NCT01042743).
Risk Factors for Traumatic Brain Injury in Men and Women
Authors: Marzoog Basheer Abdullah , Vanichkina Ekaterina
Published: January 2023

Objectives

The study covers the current status of TBI and provides a statistical recommendation to health organizations in the world.

Design

A retrospective analytical study. The descriptive results showed that a difference exists between males and females and for these reasons the sample was divided into two groups according to the primary descriptive statistics. The first group included 212 (31.59 %) females, while the second group included 459 (68.40%) males.

Setting

Assess the risk factors for TBI in both sexes and compare them with the results of international studies.

Participants

The study involved 671 patients for the period from 07/01/2017-17/12/2018. The primary data were collected from the republic hospital.

Interventions

Retrospectively analysed these patients using T test, one- and two-way ANOVA test, and the Pearson correlation test using the Statistica 12 program. The study divided into male and female by using the ROC and AUC values.

Main Outcome Measures

The most frequently reported cause of TBI in men and women is domestic accidents. Men are affected by TBI in early life compared to women.

Results

The mean age of the men is 44.41 years (Std. error 0.75). The mean age of the women is 49.50 years (Std. error 1.38). In the male group, 354 (77.12 %) patients live in the city and 105 (22.87%) live in the village. However, in the female group, 170 (80.18%) patients live in the city and 42 (19.81%) live in the village. In the men group, 172 (37.47%) patients had TBI due to domestic accidents. The most frequently reported etiology of TBI in women is domestic accident, reported in 122 (57.54 %). In female group, the mean age of patients with domestic accident associated TBI is 53.76 years (Std. error 1.85). In male group, the mean age of patients with domestic accident associated TBI is 50.74 years (Std. error 1.09). Total hospitalization days of the patients were associated with the age of the patients, r= 0.12. Where men are hospitalized longer than women, t value -2.261, p < 0.024. In the male and female groups, there is a direct correlation between age and the total hospitalization days in the male group, r=0.173; r=0.148, respectively.

Conclusion

The most frequently reported cause of TBI in men and women is domestic accidents. Men are affected by TBI in early life compared to women.
Prediction of Polygenic Risk Score by Machine Learning and Deep Learning Methods in Genome-wide Association Studies
Authors: Öztornaci R. Onur , Coşgun Erdal , Çolak Cemil , Taşdelen Bahar
Published: January 2023

Polygenic risk score (PRS) is a method that using multiple SNPs simultaneously and can be calculated as a typical disease risk score. It is useful method for precision and personalised medicine. Calculating PRS with the classical method, it is frequently used to use two different data sets which are training and testing sets. It is a disadvantage for the classical method. By using a single data set, machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) methods both avoid the problem of overfitting and can be used as a good alternative method. Genome-wide Association Studies (GWAS) data were generated with the PLINK Program by replicating a hundred times at different allele frequencies and different sample size. We applied two different ML algorithms which are Support Vector Machine (SVM) and Random Forest (RF) as well as DL approach. ML methods can obtain more consistent results in terms of case-control separation compared to PRS calculated with the classical method (PRS). The use of ML and DL methods as an alternative to classical methods to calculate PRS has been suggested.
Nomogram for the Prediction of Shunt-Dependent Hydrocephalus in Patients with Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A Single-institute Experience
Authors: Wu Chia-Ryo , Chen Jin-Shuen , Chen Yao-Shen , Yin Chun-Hao , Liao Wei-Chuan , Wu Yu-Lun , Hsu Yu-Hone
Published: January 2023

BACKGROUND

This study is focused to identify the risk factors of shunt-dependent hydrocephalus (SDHC) after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) and develop a model to predict its incidence.

METHODS

Medical records of 118 consecutive patients with aSAH treated in our institution from January 2013 to October 2021 were reviewed retrospectively, 109 of them were enrolled in this cohort, the following data were analyzed based on presence or absence of SDHC: age, gender, body mass index, Fisher grade, Hunt and Hess scale (HHS), aneurysm location, treatment modality, new neurological deficits after aneurysm treatment, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and platelet-neutrophil ratio (PNR). We conducted univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses to illustrate a nomogram for predicting SDHC risk.

RESULTS

The stepwise logistic regression analysis with backward selection revealed three independent predictive factors of SDHC: age ≥65 (odds ratio, 3.94; 95% CI, 1.4–11.00;p= 0.009), treatment modality (odds ratio, 4.36; 95% CI, 1.81–10.53;p= 0.001), and HHS ≥3 (odds ratio, 3.59; 95% CI, 1.50–8.61;p= 0.004). A nomogram for SDHC risk prediction was developed based on the weight of these 3 factors.

CONCLUSIONS

Age, treatment modality (clipping vs coiling), and HHS are predictive for SDHC after aSAH. Endovascular embolization of aneurysm plays an important role in reducing risk of SDHC after aSAH.
Cannabis-Microbiome Interactions in Varied Clinical Contexts: A Comprehensive Systematic Review
Authors: Thu May Soe , Ondee Thunnicha , Hall Szaye Rawicha , Nopsopon Tanawin , Jagota Ananya , Hirankarn Nattiya , Fothergill Joanne L. , Campbell Barry J. , Pongpirul Krit
Published: January 2023

Background

With cannabis legalization spreading to more countries for both medicinal and recreational use, grasping its effects on the human body is vital. The endocannabinoid system, governed by natural and external cannabinoid compounds, significantly impacts host metabolism. Working alongside the host’s immunomodulation, it shapes the gut microbiota, yielding benefits for the GI and immune systems.

Objective

To assess the link between cannabis treatment and the gut/oral microbiome.

Methods

We extensively searched PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library’s CENTRAL until December 9, 2023, for English studies involving adults with clinical abnormalities. Identified studies were analyzed, categorizing by different clinical aspects. Data was then qualitatively and quantitatively synthesized.

Result

The study involved 10 studies encompassing 2511 participants, comprising 2 clinical trials and 8 observational studies. The review provided a range of microbiota by the influence of cannabis usage within different clinical contexts: HIV infection, pain/inflammation, systemic aspergillosis, obesity, cognitive deficits, and oral diseases. Users with anhedonia and HIV infection showed lower α-diversity, but those with knee arthritis showed higher α-diversity. According to research, 21.4% of MJ cigarette users experienced adverse outcomes; however, these lessened once they stopped smoking.

Conclusion

These findings shed light on the complex effects of cannabis use on the human microbiota, underscoring the need for future research on the therapeutic potential of cannabis. This review provides valuable insights to guide future investigations in this field.

Registration ID

PROSPERO 2022 CRD42022354331

Short Summary

With the global expansion of cannabis legalization, understanding the effects of cannabis on the human body, particularly among individuals with diverse clinical conditions, is of paramount importance. Through a meticulous systematic review utilizing comprehensive data, our findings uncover that cannabis consumption in adults with varied clinical conditions leads to discernable alterations in the human microbiome. These noteworthy modifications necessitate careful consideration in future investigations exploring the potential beneficial or adverse effects of cannabis treatment on patients.