bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Aberrant Mesenteric Adipose Extracellular Matrix Remodelling is Involved in Adipocyte Dysfunction in Crohn’s Disease: The Role of TLR-4-mediated Macrophages
Authors: Zuo Lugen , Li Jing , Zhang Xiaofeng , Geng Zhijun , Song Xue , Wang Yueyue , Ge Sitang , Shi Ruohan , Zhou Yueqing , Ge Yuanyuan , Wu Rong , Hu Jianguo
Published: June 2022

Background and Aims

Hypertrophic mesenteric adipose tissue [htMAT] is involved in the disease progression of Crohn’s disease [CD] through expressing proinflammatory adipokines from dysfunctional adipocytes by unknown mechanism. Adipocyte function is affected by dynamic adipose tissue extracellular matrix [ECM] remodelling that is mainly mediated by macrophages, and our study aimed to reveal whether aberrant ECM remodelling was present in CD-htMAT and its effects on adipocyte dysfunction, as well as the mechanism.

Methods

ECM remodelling was examined in MAT samples from CD patients and controls. Mice with dinitrobenzene sulphonic acid [DNBS]-induced colitis were used in vivo study, and lipopolysaccharide [LPS]-induced remodelling behaviour in macrophages was examined in vitro. Macrophages or TLR4 inhibition were used to analyse ECM remodelling mechanisms and their effects on adipocyte function.

Results

Aberrant ECM remodelling: was observed in CD-htMAT, which was characterised by a widened and deformed ECM structure accompanied by dysregulated matrix synthesis and degradation; served as a reservoir for inflammatory factors/cells dominated by macrophages; and was involved in adipocyte dysfunction. In addition, macrophages were the main source of ECM remodelling regulatory factors with activation of Toll-like receptor 4 [TLR4] in htMAT. In vivo, macrophage depletion or TLR4 inhibition largely attenuated mesenteric ECM remodelling while improving mesenteric adipocyte dysfunction during chronic enteritis. In vitro, antagonizing TLR4 significantly inhibited LPS-induced macrophage ECM remodelling behavior.

Conclusions

The aberrant ECM remodelling in CD-htMAT contributed to mesenteric adipocyte dysfunction, which may be caused at least partly by TLR4-mediated macrophage remodelling behavior. Inhibiting ECM remodelling may be a potential therapeutic strategy for CD.
Functional stress imaging to predict abnormal coronary fractional flow reserve: the PACIFIC 2 study
Authors: Driessen Roel S , van Diemen Pepijn A , Raijmakers Pieter G , Knuuti Juhani , Maaniitty Teemu , Underwood S Richard , Nagel Eike , Robbers Lourens F H J , Demirkiran Ahmet , von Bartheld Martin B , van de Ven Peter M , Hofstra Leonard , Somsen G Aernout , Tulevski Igor I , Boellaard Ronald , van Rossum Albert C , Danad Ibrahim , Knaapen Paul
Published: June 2022

Aims

The diagnostic performance of non-invasive imaging in patients with prior coronary artery disease (CAD) has not been tested in prospective head-to-head comparative studies. The aim of this study was to compare the diagnostic performance of qualitative single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), quantitative positron emission tomography (PET), and qualitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with a prior myocardial infarction (MI) or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods and results

In this prospective clinical study, all patients with prior MI and/or PCI and new symptoms of ischaemic CAD underwent 99mTc-tetrofosmin SPECT, [15O]H2O PET, and MRI, followed by invasive coronary angiography with fractional flow reserve (FFR) in all coronary arteries. All modalities were interpreted by core laboratories. Haemodynamically significant CAD was defined by at least one coronary artery with an FFR ≤0.80. Among the 189 enrolled patients, 63% had significant CAD. Sensitivity was 67% (95% confidence interval 58–76%) for SPECT, 81% (72–87%) for PET, and 66% (56–75%) for MRI. Specificity was 61% (48–72%) for SPECT, 65% (53–76%) for PET, and 62% (49–74%) for MRI. Sensitivity of PET was higher than SPECT (P = 0.016) and MRI (P = 0.014), whereas specificity did not differ among the modalities. Diagnostic accuracy for PET (75%, 68–81%) did not statistically differ from SPECT (65%, 58–72%, P = 0.03) and MRI (64%, 57–72%, P = 0.052). Using FFR < 0.75 as a reference, accuracies increased to 69% (SPECT), 79% (PET), and 71% (MRI).

Conclusion

In this prospective head-to-head comparative study, SPECT, PET, and MRI did not show a significantly different accuracy for diagnosing FFR defined significant CAD in patients with prior PCI and/or MI. Overall diagnostic performances, however, were discouraging and the additive value of non-invasive imaging in this high-risk population is questionable.
A recursive matched-filter to systematically explore volcanic long-period earthquake swarms
Authors: Wimez M , Frank W B
Published: June 2022

The matched-filter technique is an effective way to detect repeats, or near-repeats, of a seismic source, but prior identification of an event from that source to use as a template is required. We propose a recursive matched-filter approach to systematically explore earthquake swarms, here applied to a swarm of volcanic long-period seismicity beneath Mount Sidley in Antarctica. We start with a single visually chosen template event with a high signal-to-noise ratio. We then extend our template database by selecting new templates to use in a subsequent matched-filter search from the newly detected set of events, allowing us to recursively expand the number of templates. We demonstrate that each iteration of the matched-filter search progressively extends the spatial coverage of our set of templates away from the original template event. In such a way, our proposed method overcomes the matched-filter search’s strictest constraint: that an event must already be identified to detect other similar events. Our recursive matched-filtering approach is well suited for the systematic exploration of earthquake swarms in both volcanic and tectonic contexts.
An enigma in rock magnetism: can microstructures in magnetite cause a threefold increase in the efficiency of NRM acquisition in the Stardalur Basalts?
Authors: McEnroe Suzanne A , Church Nathan , Fabian Karl , Stange Marianne F , van Helvoort Antonius T J
Published: June 2022

Quaternary lavas of the Stardalur Caldera, 20 km northeast of Reykjavik, Iceland, create a 27 300 nT magnetic anomaly visible in both ground and aeromagnetic surveys. Here, we provide a comprehensive mineralogical and rock magnetic data set to analyse NRM intensities and Koenigsberger ratios of 57 drill-core samples from the critical zone (CZ) of the anomaly high at depths between 41 and 131 m. This extends previous studies and verifies that the anomaly is due to an unusually high intensity of remanent magnetization carried by magnetite. The NRM of the CZ samples was acquired during the Olduvai subchron in a field of at most today’s strength. NRM intensities range from 20 to 128 A m–1 with a median of 55 A m–1, and an average of 61 A m–1, respectively, approximately 13–15 times higher than in typical Icelandic basalts (AIB) with an NRM intensity of 4 A m–1. Our new data set shows that the magnetite concentration throughout the CZ basalts is at most twofold higher than in AIB lavas. New data on domain state and TRM efficiency prove that these properties account for an additional factor of at most 2.3. Because magnetite is the most abundant remanence carrier in rocks on Earth, and its remanence acquisition is considered to be extremely well understood, we assert that the remaining discrepancy is a critical enigma in rock magnetism. Results from scanning electron microscopy show that a significant fraction of all CZ magnetite particles have dendritic shapes with grain sizes <1 μm, indicating rapid crystallization. Most large magnetite grains are heavily subdivided by very fine oxidation-exsolution lamellae of ilmenite, and subordinate amount of exsolved spinel as needles, blebs and blades. These common microstructures found throughout the CZ subdivide the initially homogeneous mineral into separate cubicles, here denoted as compartments. The magnetite compartments then have sizes below 1 μm. Hysteresis data, Preisach maps and FORC data consistently confirm that the coercivity distribution is dominated by values above 10 mT, such that multidomain behaviour is of little relevance in the CZ. Between 5 and 20 per cent of the IRM is carried by coercivities above 100 mT, which for magnetite indicates unusually high anisotropy effects in the individual particles. Based on the quantitative analysis of all magnetic contributions to the NRM, we can demonstrate that the average efficiency of NRM acquisition in the CZ Stardalur basalts must be at least a factor 3 higher than in typical basalts. We speculate that this is related to the observed focused compartment size distribution <1 μm, and indicates thermochemical remanence acquisition below the Curie temperature of magnetite. Yet, a detailed physical mechanism for the extreme overefficiency of NRM acquisition remains enigmatic.
An efficient method to propagate model uncertainty when inverting seismic data for time domain seismic moment tensors
Authors: Poppeliers Christian , Preston Leiph
Published: June 2022

We present a computationally efficient method to approximately propagate uncertainty when linearly inverting seismic data for point source, time variable moment tensor components. The method is based on the assumption that the data residual, given by the difference between the observed seismic data and the data predicated by a linear inversion, contains the effects of both data and model uncertainty. Our method uses a distribution of data residuals, added directly to the data, in a pseudo-Monte Carlo scheme. Using the assumption that the data residual is a stochastic process, we use the well-known Karhunen–Loève (KL) theorem to construct a distribution of data residuals, where the required basis functions are constructed using Fourier series. The Fourier series are scaled by a product of a random variable and the real-valued spectral amplitudes of the original data residual’s spectrum. Thus, the Fourier series and spectral amplitudes are eigenfunction-eigenvalue pairs used in the KL-based construction of data residual distribution. Using tests with synthetic data, we show that our method compares closely with a Finite Difference Monte Carlo (FDMC) method that we presented previously. More importantly, the method presented here is computationally several orders of magnitude faster than our previous FDMC method, and requires no a priori assumptions of model and/or data uncertainty.
Cerebellar contribution to threat probability in a SCA6 mouse model
Authors: Bohne Pauline , Rybarski Max , Mourabit Damian Boden-El , Krause Felix , Mark Melanie D
Published: June 2022

Fear and anxiety have proven to be essential during the evolutionary process. However, the mechanisms involved in recognizing and categorizing threat probability (i.e. low to high) to elicit the appropriate defensive behavior are yet to be determined. In this study, we investigated the cerebellar contribution in evoking appropriate defensive escape behavior using a purely cerebellar, neurodegenerative mouse model for spinocerebellar ataxia type 6 which is caused by an expanded CAG repeat in exon 47 of the P/Q type calcium channel α1A subunit. These mice overexpress the carboxy terminus (CT) of the P/Q type calcium channel containing an expanded 27 CAG repeat specifically in cerebellar Purkinje cells (CT-longQ27PC). We found that our CT-longQ27PC mice exhibit anxiolytic behavior in the open field, elevated plus maze and light/dark place preference tests, which could be recovered with more threatening conditions such as brighter lighting, meowing sounds and an ultrasound repellent. Their innate fear to find safety in the Barnes maze and visual cliff tests was also diminished with subsequent trials, which could be partially recovered with an ultrasound repellent in the Barnes maze. However, under higher threat conditions such as in the light/dark place preference with ultrasound repellent and in the looming tests, CT-longQ27PC mice responded with higher defensive escape behaviors as controls. Moreover, CT-longQ27PC mice displayed increased levels of CT-labeled aggregates compared with controls. Together these data suggest that cerebellar degeneration by overexpression of CT-longQ27PC is sufficient to impair defensive escape responses in those mice.
A natural mutation of the NST1 gene arrests secondary cell wall biosynthesis in the seed coat of a hull-less pumpkin accession
Authors: Lyu Xiaolong , Shi Lu , Zhao Meng , Li Zhangping , Liao Nanqiao , Meng Yiqing , Ma Yuyuan , Zhou Yulan , Xue Qin , Hu Zhongyuan , Yang Jinghua , Zhang Mingfang
Published: June 2022

Hull-less pumpkins (Cucurbita pepo L.) are naturally occurring novel variants known as oilseed or naked-seeded pumpkins, and are characterized by the absence of a normal lignified seed coat. Due to a specialized seed coat structure, these variants serve as a good model for studying seed coat formation and simplify the processing of pumpkin seeds. However, causal genes for this hull-less trait still remain unknown. Here, by bulked segregant analysis and fine mapping, we found that mutation of a single gene, NAC SECONDARY WALL THICKENING PROMOTING FACTOR 1 (NST1), accounts for the hull-less trait. A 14-bp sequence insertion in the CpNST1 gene causes premature termination of CpNST1 translation, leading to lack of secondary cell wall (SCW) biosynthesis in hull-less seed coats. In situ hybridization analysis provided further evidence for the role of CpNST1 in pumpkin seed coat SCW biosynthesis. Interestingly, through secondary cell wall compositional analysis, we found that the main SCW components differed among cell layers in the seed coat. RNA-seq analysis indicated an upstream role of CpNST1 in the SCW biosynthesis network. Collectively, our findings provide mechanistic insight into seed coat SCW biosynthesis, and a target gene for breeders to introduce this hull-less trait for commercial exploitation.
Social Work Leadership Competencies for Practice amid Crisis: A Scoping Review
Authors: Hussain Amina , Ashcroft Rachelle
Published: June 2022

Leadership skills are a critical component of effective social work practice in interdisciplinary healthcare and mental healthcare settings. Over the last two decades there has been increased attention to the importance of social work leadership skills for clinical practice. Moreover, social workers display essential leadership skills when supporting individuals and communities amid large-scale crises such as pandemics, natural disasters, wars, and other sociopolitical crises. Currently, there is an absence of literature on social work leadership skills for effective practice in healthcare and mental healthcare settings during times of crisis. To bridge this knowledge gap, this scoping review aimed to synthesize and map the current literature on social work leadership competencies in healthcare and mental healthcare amid crises. Arksey and O’Malley’s five-stage framework for scoping reviews guided this project. Six academic databases were searched, and a total of nine articles met inclusion criteria. A thematic analysis was conducted to identify recurrent themes among these articles. Results highlight that leadership was defined as both a role and a skill set, and identified collaboration, connection, and shared learning as key leadership competencies for social workers. Implications for social work practice, education, and research are discussed.
Security cooperation in the Pacific Islands: architecture, complex, community, or something else?
Authors: Wallis Joanne , McNeill Henrietta , Batley James , Powles Anna
Published: June 2022

In the 2018 Boe Declaration, Pacific Islands Forum leaders recognized that the region is facing ‘an increasingly complex regional security environment’ and committed to ‘strengthening the existing regional security architecture’. Given uncertainty about the existence and nature of this architecture, we address the question: is there a security architecture in the region, or does security cooperation take a different shape? We find that security cooperation in the Pacific Islands does not constitute a security architecture, as there is no ‘overarching, coherent and comprehensive security structure for a geographically-defined area’. We also find that the region is neither a security complex nor a community, due to the extensive involvement of metropolitan powers and external partners. Instead, we argue that security cooperation in the Pacific Islands is best described as a patchwork of bilateral, minilateral, and multilateral, formal and informal agencies, agreements, and arrangements, across local, national, regional, and international levels
High prevalence of blaTEM-135 and genetic epidemiology of blaTEM-135-carrying Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates in Shandong, China, 2017–19
Authors: Zhao Lihong , Liu Aihua , Li Ruiying , Zhang Zhijun , Jia Ying , Zhao Shuping
Published: June 2022

Background

Only one additional specific SNP in blaTEM-135 in penicillinase-producing Neisseria gonorrhoeae (PPNG) isolates is required for TEM-135 to evolve into an ESBL that is capable of degrading all extended-spectrum cephalosporins (ESCs).

Methods

Identification of the blaTEM-135 gene was achieved by performing a mismatch amplification mutation assay PCR. PPNG isolates were then genotyped using MLST and N. gonorrhoeae multiantigen sequence typing (NG-MAST) techniques. Finally, phylogenetic analyses based on MLST and NG-MAST were performed on all of the PPNG isolates, and genogroups were classified according to the phylogenetic relatedness on the basis of each MLST and NG-MAST gene typing and the blaTEM allele varieties.

Results

Among the 197 PPNG isolates, one (0.5%) isolate possessed the blaTEM-220 allele, 90 (45.7%) possessed the blaTEM-135 allele, and 106 (53.8%) possessed the blaTEM-1 allele. Among the blaTEM-135-carrying PPNG isolates, MLST ST8109 (n = 30) and NG-MAST ST12199 (n = 5), ST12754 (n = 5) and ST15073 (n = 5) were the most prevalent in the Shandong province of China. The phylogenetic analyses revealed that MLST ST8109, ST8140 and ST14417, mainly carrying the blaTEM-135 allele, belonged to the same genogroup, G1, while NG-MAST ST12199 and ST15073, mainly carrying the blaTEM-135 allele, belonged to the same genogroup, Ga.

Conclusions

This study has shown that the molecular epidemiology of PPNG isolates carrying the blaTEM-135 allele in Shandong has a dynamically changing status. Therefore, it is very pressing to continuously monitor the prevalence and mutation of the blaTEM-135 allele and the genetic epidemiology of PPNG isolates carrying the blaTEM-135 allele in this district.
Left-sided appendicitis in intestinal malrotation: a minimally invasive approach
Authors: Feeney Gerard , Hannan Enda , Alagha Mohammed , Abdeldaim Yasser
Published: June 2022

Intestinal malrotation is a rare clinical entity that occurs in 1/6000 live births. Acute appendicitis (AA) is commonly recognized clinically by migratory right iliac fossa pain. We present a rare case of AA in a patient with previously undiagnosed IM that posed a diagnostic challenge due to abnormal caecal location, which was managed by a laparoscopic approach. The presence of undiagnosed congenital anomalies such as IM can render diagnosis of even seemingly straightforward conditions such as AA challenging, meaning that the presence of classical clinical findings cannot always be relied upon. One should have a low threshold for performing cross-sectional imaging in cases where clinical findings do not yield a satisfactory diagnosis. The adult patient with AA in the context of incidental type 1 IM can be managed laparoscopically by a simple modification of standard technique, without the need to correct malrotation, thus allowing the patient to benefit minimally invasive surgery.
Risk factors for COVID-19 associated mucormycosis in India: A case control study
Authors: Patel Atul K , Bakshi Harsh , Shah Kahaan , Patel Saloni , Patel Tushar , Patel Kamlesh , Patel Ketan K
Published: June 2022

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic had led to an increase in a surge of mucormycosis in COVID-19 patients, especially in India. Diabetes and irrational usage of corticosteroids to treat COVID-19 were some of the factors implicated for COVID-19-associated mucormycosis (CAM). We designed this case-control study to identify risk factors for mucormycosis in COVID-19 patients. The study was conducted at a private tertiary care center in western India. Data were extracted from records of COVID 19 patients (January–May 2021) and divided into two groups: Those with proven or probable mucormycosis, and those without mucormycosis with a ratio of 1:3. A binary logistic regression analysis was done to assess potential risk factors for CAM. A total of 64 CAM and 205 controls were included in the analysis. Age and sex distribution were similar in cases and controls with the majority of males in both the groups (69.9%) and the mean age was 56.4 (±13.5) years. We compared the comorbidities and treatment received during acute COVID-19, specifically the place of admission, pharmacotherapy (steroids, tocilizumab, remdesivir), and the requirement of oxygen as a risk factor for CAM. In a multivariate analysis, risk factors associated with increased odds of CAM were new-onset diabetes (vs. non-diabetics, adjusted odds ratio [OR] 48.66, 95% confidence interval [CI] 14.3–166), pre-existing diabetes (vs. non-diabetics, aOR 2.93, 95%CI 1.4–6.1), corticosteroid therapy (aOR 3.64, 95%CI 1.2–10.9) and home isolation (vs. ward admission, aOR 4.8, 95%CI 2–11.3). Diabetes, especially new-onset, along with corticosteroid usage and home isolation were the predominant risk factors for CAM.

Lay Summary

This study revealed new-onset diabetes, pre-existing diabetes, corticosteroid therapy, and home isolation as risk factors for COVID-19-associated mucormycosis. Avoiding the use of corticosteroids in non-severe COVID-19 disease coupled with proper blood sugar monitoring and control will help to reduce the CAM burden.
Measuring lens dimensionality in extreme scattering events through wave optics
Authors: Jow Dylan L , Pen Ue-Li
Published: June 2022

Compact radio sources have been observed to undergo large, frequency-dependent changes in intensity due to lensing by structures in the interstellar medium, in so-called ‘extreme scattering events’ (ESEs). While the study of astrophysical plasma lensing has primarily focused on the geometric limit of optics, coherent radio sources such as pulsars exhibit wave effects when lensed. The additional phase information provided by interference effects in the wave regime may yield more information about the lens than could be obtained in the geometric regime. In this paper, we show that, using wave effects, one can potentially distinguish a one-dimensional lens (where ‘one-dimensional’ includes both highly elongated lenses, as well as perfectly axisymmetric lenses) from a fully two-dimensional lens, with minimal assumptions on the form of the lensing potential.
The black hole population in low-mass galaxies in large-scale cosmological simulations
Authors: Haidar Houda , Habouzit Mélanie , Volonteri Marta , Mezcua Mar , Greene Jenny , Neumayer Nadine , Anglés-Alcázar Daniel , Martin-Navarro Ignacio , Hoyer Nils , Dubois Yohan , Davé Romeel
Published: June 2022

Recent systematic searches for massive black holes (BHs) in local dwarf galaxies led to the discovery of a population of faint active galactic nuclei (AGNs). We investigate the agreement of the BH and AGN populations in the Illustris, TNG, Horizon-AGN, EAGLE, and SIMBA simulations with current observational constraints in low-mass galaxies. We find that some of these simulations produce BHs that are too massive, and that the BH occupation fraction (OF) at z = 0 is not inherited from the simulation seeding modelling. The ability of BHs and their host galaxies to power an AGN depends on BH and galaxy subgrid modelling. The fraction of AGN in low-mass galaxies is not used to calibrate the simulations, and thus can be used to differentiate galaxy formation models. AGN fractions at z = 0 span two orders of magnitude at fixed galaxy stellar mass in simulations, similarly to observational constraints, but uncertainties and degeneracies affect both observations and simulations. The agreement is difficult to interpret due to differences in the masses of simulated and observed BHs, BH OF affected by numerical choices, and an unknown fraction of obscured AGN. Our work advocates for more thorough comparisons with observations to improve the modelling of cosmological simulations, and our understanding of BH and galaxy physics in the low-mass regime. The mass of BHs, their ability to efficiently accrete gas, and the AGN fraction in low-mass galaxies have important implications for the build-up of the entire BH and galaxy populations with time.
On the simultaneous modelling of dust and stellar populations for interpretation of galaxy properties
Authors: Jones Gareth T , Stanway Elizabeth R , Carnall Adam C
Published: June 2022

The physical properties of galaxies are encoded within their spectral energy distribution and require comparison with models to be extracted. These models must contain a synthetic stellar population and, where infrared data are to be used, also consider prescriptions for energy reprocessing and re-emission by dust. While many such models have been constructed, there are few analyses of the impact of stellar population model choice on derived dust parameters, or vice versa. Here, we apply a simple framework to compare the impact of these choices, combining three commonly used stellar population synthesis models and three dust emission models. We compare fits to the ultraviolet to far-infrared spectral energy distributions of a validation sample of infrared-luminous galaxies. We find that including different physics, such as binary stellar evolution, in the stellar synthesis model can introduce biases and uncertainties in the derived parameters of the dust and stellar emission models, largely due to differences in the far-ultraviolet emission available for reprocessing. This may help to reconcile the discrepancy between the cosmic star formation rate and stellar mass density histories. Notably the inclusion of a dusty stellar birth cloud component in the dust emission model provides more flexibility in accommodating the stellar population model, as its re-emission is highly sensitive to the ultraviolet radiation field spectrum and density. Binary populations favour a longer birth cloud dissipation time-scale than is found when assuming only single star population synthesis.
Monitoring observations of SMC X-1’s excursions (MOOSE)–I. Programme description and initial high state spectral results
Authors: Dage Kristen C , Brumback McKinley , Neilsen Joey , Hu Chin-Ping , Altamirano Diego , Bahramian Arash , Charles Philip A , Clarkson William I , Haggard Daryl , Hickox Ryan C , Kennea Jamie
Published: June 2022

SMC X-1 has exhibited three superorbital period excursions since the onset of X-ray monitoring beginning with the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer's launch in 1995. TheNeutron star Interior Composition Explorer has recently probed a fourth observed excursion beginning in 2021 with our programme monitoring observations of SMC X-1’s excursions (moose). These sensitive new moose data probe different superorbital periods and phases within them. Spectral fits to the high-state continuum during 2021 April to 2022 January show that the intrinsic spectral shapes are characterized by a soft (kT ∼ 0.19 keV) disc component and a hard (Γ ∼ 0.7) power-law tail. When the 2021–2022 NICER observations, taken during an excursion, are compared to 2016 XMM–Newton observations (outside of an excursion), we find little evidence for intrinsic spectral variability across the high states, but find evidence for a >3σ change in the absorption, although we caution that there may be calibration differences between the two instruments. Thus, over different lengths of superorbital periods, we see little evidence for intrinsic spectral changes in the high state. Upcoming studies of the pulse profiles may shed light on the mechanism behind the excursions.
On the trail of auxin: Reporters and sensors
Authors: Jedličková Veronika , Ebrahimi Naghani Shekoufeh , Robert Hélène S
Published: June 2022

The phytohormone auxin is a master regulator of plant growth and development in response to many endogenous and environmental signals. The underlying coordination of growth is mediated by the formation of auxin maxima and concentration gradients. The visualization of auxin dynamics and distribution can therefore provide essential information to increase our understanding of the mechanisms by which auxin orchestrates these growth and developmental processes. Several auxin reporters have been developed to better perceive the auxin distribution and signaling machinery in vivo. This review focuses on different types of auxin reporters and biosensors used to monitor auxin distribution and its dynamics, as well as auxin signaling, at the cellular and tissue levels in different plant species. We provide a brief history of each reporter and biosensor group and explain their principles and utilities.
A Standardized Emergency Department Order Set Decreases Admission Rates and In-Patient Length of Stay for Adults Patients with Sickle Cell Disease
Authors: Wachnik Anthony A , Welch-Coltrane Jena L , Adams Meredith C B , Blumstein Howard A , Pariyadath Manoj , Robinson Samuel G , Saha Amit , Summers Erik C , Hurley Robert W
Published: June 2022

Introduction

Pain associated with sickle cell disease (SCD) causes severe complications and frequent presentation to the emergency department (ED). Patients with SCD frequently report inadequate pain treatment in the ED, resulting in hospital admission. A retrospective analysis was conducted to assess a quality improvement project to standardize ED care for patients presenting with pain associated with SCD.

Methods

A 3-year prospective quality improvement initiative was performed. Our multidisciplinary team of providers implemented an ED order set in 2019 to improve care and provide adequate analgesia management. Our primary outcome was the overall hospital admission rate for patients after the intervention. Secondary outcome measures included ED disposition, rate of return to the ED within 72 hours, ED pain scores at admission and discharge, ED treatment time, in-patient length of stay, non-opioid medication use, and opioid medication use.

Results

There was an overall 67% reduction in the hospital admission rate after implementation of the order set (P = 0.005) and a significant decrease in the percentage admission rate month over month (P = 0.047). Time to the first non-opioid analgesic decreased by 71 minutes (P > 0.001), and there was no change in time to the first opioid medication. The rate of return to the ED within 72 hours remained unchanged (7.0% vs 7.1%) (P = 0.93), and the ED elopement rate remained unchanged (1.3% vs 1.85%) (P = 0.93). After the implementation, there were significant increases in the prescribing of orally administered acetaminophen (7%), celecoxib (1.2%), and tizanidine (12.5%) and intravenous ketamine (30.5%) and ketorolac (27%). ED pain scores at discharge were unchanged for both hospital-admitted (7.12 vs 7.08) (P = 0.93) and non-admitted (5.51 vs 6.11) (P = 0.27) patients. The resulting potential cost reduction was determined to be $193,440 during the 12-month observation period, with the mean cost per visit decreasing by $792.

Conclusions

Use of a standardized and multimodal ED order set reduced hospital admission rates and the timeliness of analgesia without negatively impacting patients’ pain.
Voluntary Disclosure and Personalized Pricing
Authors: Ali S Nageeb , Lewis Greg , Vasserman Shoshana
Published: June 2022

Firms have ever-increasing access to consumer data, which they use to personalize their advertising and to price discriminate. This raises privacy concerns. Policymakers have argued in response that consumers should be given control over their data, able to choose what to share and when. Since firms learn about a consumer’s preferences both from what they do and do not disclose, the equilibrium implications of consumer control are unclear. We study whether such measures improve consumer welfare in monopolistic and in competitive markets. We find that consumer control can improve consumer welfare relative to both perfect price discrimination and uniform pricing. First, consumers can use disclosure to amplify competitive forces. Second, consumers can disclose information to induce even a monopolist to lower prices. Whether consumer control improves welfare depends on the disclosure technology and market competitiveness. Simple disclosure technologies suffice in competitive markets. When facing a monopolist, a consumer needs partial disclosure possibilities to obtain any welfare gains.
Identifying SARS-CoV-2 regional introductions and transmission clusters in real time
Authors: McBroome Jakob , Martin Jennifer , de Bernardi Schneider Adriano , Turakhia Yatish , Corbett-Detig Russell
Published: June 2022

The unprecedented severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) global sequencing effort has suffered from an analytical bottleneck. Many existing methods for phylogenetic analysis are designed for sparse, static datasets and are too computationally expensive to apply to densely sampled, rapidly expanding datasets when results are needed immediately to inform public health action. For example, public health is often concerned with identifying clusters of closely related samples, but the sheer scale of the data prevents manual inspection and the current computational models are often too expensive in time and resources. Even when results are available, intuitive data exploration tools are of critical importance to effective public health interpretation and action. To help address this need, we present a phylogenetic heuristic that quickly and efficiently identifies newly introduced strains in a region, resulting in clusters of infected individuals, and their putative geographic origins. We show that this approach performs well on simulated data and yields results largely congruent with more sophisticated Bayesian phylogeographic modeling approaches. We also introduce Cluster-Tracker (https://clustertracker.gi.ucsc.edu/), a novel interactive web-based tool to facilitate effective and intuitive SARS-CoV-2 geographic data exploration and visualization across the USA. Cluster-Tracker is updated daily and automatically identifies and highlights groups of closely related SARS-CoV-2 infections resulting from the transmission of the virus between two geographic areas by travelers, streamlining public health tracking of local viral diversity and emerging infection clusters. The site is open-source and designed to be easily configured to analyze any chosen region, making it a useful resource globally. The combination of these open-source tools will empower detailed investigations of the geographic origins and spread of SARS-CoV-2 and other densely sampled pathogens.
Characteristics and Effectiveness of Postoperative Rehabilitation Strategies in Ankle Fractures: A Systematic Review
Authors: Plinsinga Melanie , Manzanero Silvia , Johnston Venerina , Andrews Nicole , Barlas Panos , McCreanor Victoria
Published: June 2022

Objectives:

To explore the characteristics and to report on the effectiveness of postoperative rehabilitation strategies for people with an ankle fracture.

Data Sources:

PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Web of Science, and CINAHL were searched to identify studies published from January 2010 to November 2021.

Study Selection:

Studies that described or evaluated postoperative rehabilitation strategies for surgically repaired ankle fractures were included.

Data Extraction:

Data on postoperative rehabilitation were extracted in accordance with the Template for Intervention Description and Replication guide. Quality was assessed using the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's Study Quality Assessment Tools.

Data Synthesis:

Meta-analysis was planned to look at the effectiveness of postoperative rehabilitation strategies. Forty studies described postoperative rehabilitation strategies without evaluating effectiveness, whereas 15 studies focused on evaluating effectiveness. Because of the large variety in postoperative strategies and outcomes, narrative synthesis was deemed most suitable to answer our aims. Characteristics of postoperative rehabilitation strategies varied widely and were poorly described in a way that could not be replicated. Most of the studies (48%) used a late weight-bearing approach, although definitions and details around weight-bearing were unclear.

Conclusions:

Late weight-bearing has been the most common postoperative approach reported in the past 10 years. The variety of definitions around weight-bearing and the lack of details of rehabilitation regimens limit replication and affect current clinical practice. The authors propose to adopt consistent definitions and terminology around postoperative practices such as weight-bearing to improve evidence for effectiveness and ultimately patient outcomes.

Level of Evidence:

Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Treatment of Diaphyseal Tibial Fractures Distal to a Total Knee Arthroplasty by Intramedullary Nailing Is Safe and Effective
Authors: Shaath Mohamed Kareem , Avilucea Frank R. , Kerr Matthew , Young Everett , MacKenzie Ronald , Langford Joshua R. , Haidukewych George J.
Published: June 2022

Objectives:

To report the clinical result of a series of patients who underwent intramedullary nailing (IMN) of tibial shaft fractures distal to a total knee arthroplasty (TKA).

Design:

Retrospective case series.

Setting:

Level-1 trauma center.

Patients/Participants:

Patients who sustained a tibial shaft fracture distal to a TKA treated with an IMN.

Intervention:

IMN of tibial shaft fractures distal to a TKA.

Main Outcome Measurements:

Postoperative weight-bearing status, readmissions, and complications or failure of treatment within 90 days; Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Scores at the final follow-up; failure of treatment; and revision surgery.

Results:

Nine patients were included. The average age was 71.4 years (range 55–87 years). All TKAs were cemented. The average distance between the tibial keel and the cortical density of the tibial tubercle was 24.1 mm (range 19.5–26.7 mm). Six nails were inserted using an infrapatellar portal, 2 were inserted using a suprapatellar portal, and 1 was inserted using a lateral parapatellar approach. The median nail diameter was 10 mm (range 9–12 mm). All fractures were healed at the final follow-up. There were no infections or arthroplasty-related complications. Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Scores ranged from 100% to 74% (median 82%).

Conclusion:

Overall, we report on the largest cohort in the literature undergoing IMN of a tibial shaft fracture distal to a TKA. We demonstrate that IMN of diaphyseal tibial fractures distal to a TKA can be performed safely. We additionally demonstrate that this treatment is highly effective in achieving fracture union with no arthroplasty-related complications.

Level of Evidence:

Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Auricular Acupressure for Improving Sleep Quality in Patients With Lung Cancer
Authors: Lu Han-Bing , Ma Rui-Chen , Yin Ying-Ying , Song Chun-Yu , Yang Ting-Ting , Xie Jiao
Published: June 2022

This meta-analysis was conducted to systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of auricular acupressure on sleep quality in patients with lung cancer. Nine articles with a total of 802 patients were retrieved after searching on 11 electronic databases. Results of the meta-analysis showed that auricular acupressure improved sleep score (standard mean difference: −0.80, 95% confidence intervals: −1.30 to −0.30, P = .002) and reduced sleep disturbance rate (risk ratio: 0.65, 95% confidence intervals: 0.51-0.84, P = .001) and sleep medicine usage (risk ratio: 0.26, 95% confidence intervals: 0.11-0.65, P = .004) significantly. Our review suggests that auricular acupressure is effective and relatively safe in improving sleep quality among patients with lung cancer.
A 2 and 5-Year Longitudinal Analysis of 671 Consecutive Patients Diagnosed with Unilateral Vestibular Schwannoma
Authors: Tan Neil C.-W. , Macfarlane Robert , Donnelly Neil , Mannion Richard , Tysome James R. , Jefferies Sarah , Bance Manohar , Axon Patrick R.
Published: June 2022

Objective

To analyse the 2 and 5-year outcomes of a cohort of patients with newly diagnosed vestibular schwannoma patients.

Study Design

Longitudinal cohort study.

Setting

Tertiary skull base referral unit.

Patients

Six hundred and seventy-one consecutive patients referred to the Cambridge Skull Base Unit between 2005 and 2010.

Main Outcome Measures

1) Treatment outcomes, 2) hearing preservation, 3) facial nerve function, and 4) gross tumor control.

Results

At initial diagnosis, 440/671(65.6%) of patients entered a watch, wait and rescan (WWR) pathway, 208/671 (31%) underwent primary microsurgical excision and 23/671 (3.4%) primary radiotherapy. Of patients who entered WWR, 144/440 (32.7%) exhibited tumor growth necessitating secondary intervention at a mean of 22.7 months; 67.4% had radiotherapy and 32.6% surgery. Radiotherapy was successful at achieving tumor control in 95% of cases. Primary surgery via the translabyrinthine route was performed in the majority of cases allowing for a radiologically clear surgical resection in 93% of cases.

Conclusion

The Cambridge philosophy of treating the newly diagnosed vestibular schwannoma aims at preserving functional status where possible. In patients with small tumors it is recommended that they are placed on to a WWR pathway, of which 67.3% will not exhibit any growth by 5 years. If small tumors grow more than 2 mm by serial scanning, radiotherapy offers a high rate of tumor control. In patients with larger tumors more than 20 mm we would advocate microsurgical excision by the translabyrinthine route which offers excellent functional outcomes and gross tumor control.
Routine Histology-Based Diagnosis of CMV Colitis Was Rare in Pediatric Patients
Authors: Buck Quentin , Cho Stanley , Mehta Walsh Seema , Schady Deborah , Kellermayer Richard
Published: June 2022

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) induced or complicated colitis is important to identify, yet its incidence is unknown among pediatric patients. We aimed to establish the incidence of routine histology-confirmed CMV colitis among pediatric patients with colitis. Pathology reports at Texas Children’s Hospital (TCH) between January 1, 2011 and November 6, 2019 were reviewed. Of 1801 cases of histologic colitis, 11 patients had CMV found by histology (mean age 15.4, 72.7% female), with an incidence of 0.6%. Nine out of these 11 (81.8%) patients were immunocompromised and 4 (36.4%) had inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) as an underlying diagnosis of whom 2 had new-onset ulcerative colitis. At an average follow-up of 3.7 years, none of the CMV colitis cases experienced recurrence or severe complications (such as colectomy). An independent analysis of 54 consecutive IBD-associated colectomy cases at TCH showed no histologic evidence of CMV. We conclude that routine histology proven CMV-associated colitis in pediatric patients and IBD-colon explants was rare.Key Words: cytomegalovirus; colitis; children; histopathology; ulcerative colitis
Association of adverse childhood experiences with subsequent kidney disease among middle-aged and older adults in China: A national analysis
Authors: Shi Wenming , Huang Yonggang , Jin Changbo
Published: June 2022

Objective

Few studies have been performed to address the impacts of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on kidney function in later life. We aimed to investigate the association between ACEs with subsequent kidney disease among middle-aged and older adults.

Methods

This national population-based study used data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) 2015 and the life history survey in 2014. A total of 10102 participants aged ≥ 45 years from China were included. A wide range of 11 ACE indicators including childhood hunger, child’s poor health, physical abuse, emotional neglect, loneliness, peer bullying, domestic violence, household mental illness, household substance abuse, parental death, and incarcerated household member were measured by validated questionnaires. The cumulative number of ACEs was summed and and classified into four subgroups: ≤ 1, 2, 3 and ≥ 4. Glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was estimated by serum cystatin C concentration and chronic kidney disease (CKD) was defined as eGFR < 60 ml/min/1.73m2. Multiple regression models were used to explore the relationship between accumulated ACEs and individual ACE indicator with subsequent kidney function.

Findings

Of the 10102 participants, 46.8% were males, and 16.0% reported exposure to four or more ACEs. Compared those with ≤ 1 ACE, participants who experienced four or more ACEs have a higher risk of decreased eGFR (β= -1.169, 95%CI: -2.113 to -0.225) and CKD (adjusted odds ratio, aOR=1.35, 1.04-1.75), after controlling for confounders. Exposure to specific ACE indicators of childhood poor health, physical abuse and household mental illness presented significant associations with reduced eGFR. The effects were more evident in men aged ≥ 60 years, with lower education or worse financial status.

Conclusions

Our study suggests that higher ACEs exposure increased the risk of subsequent kidney disease. The findings provide implications for mitigating the adverse effects of early-life stress and promoting kidney health by reducing ACEs.
A Population-Based Study of Plasma Metabolomic Profiles of Persistent Tinnitus Identifies Candidate Biomarkers
Authors: Zeleznik Oana A. , Welling D. Bradley , Stankovic Konstantina , Frueh Lisa , Balasubramanian Raji , Curhan Gary C. , Curhan Sharon G.
Published: June 2022

Tinnitus, the perception of sound without the corresponding external stimulus, currently affects 15% of the US population. There is a critical need to unravel the heterogeneous etiologies underlying tinnitus and identify tailored treatment targets. Metabolomic studies have elucidated biological pathways underlying several neurodegenerative disorders and could identify metabolic perturbations that influence tinnitus development. We conducted the first large-scale metabolomic study to identify novel tinnitus biomarkers. We cross-sectionally evaluated plasma metabolite profiles and persistent tinnitus among 6477 women (488 with daily tinnitus ≥5 minutes and 5989 controls). A broad array of 466 metabolites was measured using liquid-chromatography mass spectrometry. Logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (OR, per 1 SD increase in metabolite values) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for each individual metabolite while Metabolite Set Enrichment Analysis (MSEA) was used to identify metabolite classes enriched for associations with tinnitus; all models were adjusted for multiple comparisons. Compared with controls, homocitrulline (OR(95%CI)=1.32(1.16-1.50), C38:6 phosphatidylethanolamine (PE; 1.24(1.12-1.38)), C52:6 triglyceride (TAG; 1.22(1.10-1.36)), C36:4 PE (1.22(1.1-1.35)), C40:6 PE (1.22(1.09-1.35)), and C56:7 TAG (1.21(1.09-1.34)) were positively associated, whereas alpha-keto-beta-methylvalerate (0.68(0.56-0.82)) and levulinate (0.60(0.46-0.79)) were inversely associated with tinnitus (adjusted-p<0.05). Among metabolite classes, TAGs, PEs, and diglycerides (DAGs) were positively associated, while phosphatidylcholine (PC) plasmalogens, lysophosphatidylcholines (LPC), and cholesteryl esters were inversely associated with tinnitus (false discovery rate <0.05). This study identified novel plasma metabolites and metabolite classes that were significantly associated with persistent tinnitus. These findings extend our current understanding of tinnitus and could inform investigations of therapeutic targets for this challenging disorder.