bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prenatal vitamin intake in first month of pregnancy and DNA methylation in cord blood and placenta in two prospective cohorts
Authors: Dou John F. , Middleton Lauren Y. M. , Zhu Yihui , Benke Kelly S. , Feinberg Jason I. , Croen Lisa A. , Hertz-Picciotto Irva , Newschaffer Craig J. , LaSalle Janine M. , Fallin Daniele , Schmidt Rebecca J. , Bakulski Kelly M.
Published: August 2022

Background

Prenatal vitamin use is recommended before and during pregnancies for normal fetal development. Prenatal vitamins do not have a standard formulation, but many contain calcium, folic acid, iodine, iron, omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, and vitamins A, B6, B12, and D, and usually they contain higher concentrations of folic acid and iron than regular multivitamins in the US Nutrient levels can impact epigenetic factors such as DNA methylation, but relationships between maternal prenatal vitamin use and DNA methylation have been relatively understudied. We examined use of prenatal vitamins in the first month of pregnancy in relation to cord blood and placenta DNA methylation in two prospective pregnancy cohorts: the Early Autism Risk Longitudinal Investigation (EARLI) and Markers of Autism Risk Learning Early Signs (MARBLES) studies.

Results

In placenta, prenatal vitamin intake was marginally associated with −0.52% (95% CI −1.04, 0.01) lower mean array-wide DNA methylation in EARLI, and associated with −0.60% (−1.08, −0.13) lower mean array-wide DNA methylation in MARBLES. There was little consistency in the associations between prenatal vitamin intake and single DNA methylation site effect estimates across cohorts and tissues, with only a few overlapping sites with correlated effect estimates. However, the single DNA methylation sites withp-value < 0.01 (EARLI cordnCpGs = 4068, EARLI placentanCpGs = 3647, MARBLES cordnCpGs = 4068, MARBLES placentanCpGs = 9563) were consistently enriched in neuronal developmental pathways.

Conclusions

Together, our findings suggest that prenatal vitamin intake in the first month of pregnancy may be related to lower placental global DNA methylation and related to DNA methylation in brain-related pathways in both placenta and cord blood.
The mismatch-repair proteins MSH2 and MSH6 interact with the imprinting control regions through the ZFP57-KAP1 complex
Authors: Acurzio Basilia , Cecere Francesco , Giaccari Carlo , Verma Ankit , Russo Rosita , Valletta Mariangela , Hay Mele Bruno , Angelini Claudia , Chambery Angela , Riccio Andrea
Published: August 2022

Background

Imprinting Control Regions (ICRs) are CpG-rich sequences acquiring differential methylation in the female and male germline and maintaining it in a parental origin-specific manner in somatic cells. Despite their expected high mutation rate due to spontaneous deamination of methylated cytosines, ICRs show conservation of CpG-richness and CpG-containing transcription factor binding sites in mammalian species. However, little is known about the mechanisms contributing to the maintenance of a high density of methyl CpGs at these loci.

Results

To gain functional insights into the mechanisms for maintaining CpG methylation, we sought to identify the proteins binding the methylated allele of the ICRs by determining the interactors of ZFP57 that recognizes a methylated hexanucleotide motif of these DNA regions in mouse ESCs. By using a tagged approach coupled to LC–MS/MS analysis, we identified several proteins, including factors involved in mRNA processing/splicing, chromosome organization, transcription and DNA repair processes. The presence of the post-replicative mismatch-repair (MMR) complex components MSH2 and MSH6 among the identified ZFP57 interactors prompted us to investigate their DNA binding profile by chromatin immunoprecipitation and sequencing. We demonstrated that MSH2 was enriched at gene promoters overlapping unmethylated CpG islands and at repeats. We also found that both MSH2 and MSH6 interacted with the methylated allele of the ICRs, where their binding to DNA was mediated by the ZFP57/KAP1 complex.

Conclusions

Our findings show that the MMR complex is concentrated on gene promoters and repeats in mouse ESCs, suggesting that maintaining the integrity of these regions is a primary function of highly proliferating cells. Furthermore, the demonstration that MSH2/MSH6 are recruited to the methylated allele of the ICRs through interaction with ZFP57/KAP1 suggests a role of the MMR complex in the maintenance of the integrity of these regulatory regions and evolution of genomic imprinting in mammalian species.
PFKFB3-mediated glycometabolism reprogramming modulates endothelial differentiation and angiogenic capacity of placenta-derived mesenchymal stem cells
Authors: Zhang Yang , Zhong Yanqi , Liu Weifang , Zheng Fanghui , Zhao Yin , Zou Li , Liu Xiaoxia
Published: August 2022

Background

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have a great potential ability for endothelial differentiation, contributing to an effective means of therapeutic angiogenesis. Placenta-derived mesenchymal stem cells (PMSCs) have gradually attracted attention, while the endothelial differentiation has not been fully evaluated in PMSCs. Metabolism homeostasis plays an important role in stem cell differentiation, but less is known about the glycometabolic reprogramming during the PMSCs endothelial differentiation. Hence, it is critical to investigate the potential role of glycometabolism reprogramming in mediating PMSCs endothelial differentiation.

Methods

Dil-Ac-LDL uptake assay, flow cytometry, and immunofluorescence were all to verify the endothelial differentiation in PMSCs. Seahorse XF Extracellular Flux Analyzers, Mito-tracker red staining, Mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), lactate secretion assay, and transcriptome approach were to assess the variation of mitochondrial respiration and glycolysis during the PMSCs endothelial differentiation. Glycolysis enzyme 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase 3 (PFKFB3) was considered a potential modulator for endothelial differentiation in PMSCs by small interfering RNA. Furthermore, transwell,in vitroMatrigel tube formation, andin vivoMatrigel plug assays were performed to evaluate the effect of PFKFB3-induced glycolysis on angiogenic capacities in this process.

Results

PMSCs possessed the superior potential of endothelial differentiation, in which the glycometabolic preference for glycolysis was confirmed. Moreover, PFKFB3-induced glycometabolism reprogramming could modulate the endothelial differentiation and angiogenic abilities of PMSCs.

Conclusions

Our results revealed that PFKFB3-mediated glycolysis is important for endothelial differentiation and angiogenesis in PMSCs. Our understanding of cellular glycometabolism and its regulatory effects on endothelial differentiation may propose and improve PMSCs as a putative strategy for clinical therapeutic angiogenesis.
An (un)healthy social dilemma: a normative messaging field experiment with flu vaccinations
Authors: Mussio Irene , de Oliveira Angela C. M.
Published: August 2022

Background

Influenza seasons can be unpredictable and have the potential to rapidly affect populations, especially in crowded areas. Prior research suggests that normative messaging can be used to increase voluntary provision of public goods, such as the influenza vaccine. We extend the literature by examining the influence of normative messaging on the decision to get vaccinated against influenza.

Methods

We conduct a field experiment in conjunction with University Health Services, targeting undergraduate students living on campus. We use four posters, randomized by living area clusters to advertise flu vaccination clinics during the Fall. The wording on the posters is varied to emphasize the individual benefits of the vaccine, the social benefits of the vaccine or both benefits together. We collect survey data for those vaccinated at the vaccination clinics, and for those not vaccinated via an online survey.

Results

We find that any normative message increases the percentage of students getting the flu vaccine compared with no message. In terms of the likelihood of getting the flu vaccine, emphasizing both the individual and social benefits of vaccination has the largest increase in the vaccination rate (19–20 percentage point increase). However, flu vaccinations did not reach the herd immunity threshold (70% of students vaccinated).

Conclusions

This study provides evidence that there is a pro-social component that is relevant in individual vaccination decisions which should be accounted for when designing vaccination campaigns. The results of this normative, pro-social messaging experiment could be extended to other at-risk communities where the number of background risks is much larger. This is especially relevant nowadays, as other seasonal vaccines are being rolled out and younger adults are the ones with the lowest uptake.
Plant growth-promoting effect and genomic analysis of the P. putida LWPZF isolated from C. japonicum rhizosphere
Authors: Jin Tingting , Ren Jiahong , Li Yunling , Bai Bianxia , Liu Ruixiang , Wang Ying
Published: August 2022

Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria are a type of beneficial bacteria which inhabit in the rhizosphere and possess the abilities to promote plant growth. Pseudomonas putida LWPZF is a plant growth-promoting bacterium isolated from the rhizosphere soil of Cercidiphyllum japonicum. Inoculation treatment with LWPZF could significantly promote the growth of C. japonicum seedlings. P. putida LWPZF has a variety of plant growth-promoting properties, including the ability to solubilize phosphate, synthesize ACC deaminase and IAA. The P. putida LWPZF genome contained a circular chromosome (6,259,530 bp) and a circular plasmid (160,969 bp) with G+C contents of 61.75% and 58.25%, respectively. There were 5632 and 169 predicted protein-coding sequences (CDSs) on the chromosome and the plasmid respectively. Genome sequence analysis revealed lots of genes associated with biosynthesis of IAA, pyoverdine, ACC deaminase, trehalose, volatiles acetoin and 2,3-butanediol, 4-hydroxybenzoate, as well as gluconic acid contributing phosphate solubilization. Additionally, we identified many heavy metal resistance genes, including arsenate, copper, chromate, cobalt-zinc-cadmium, and mercury. These results suggest that P. putida LWPZF shows strong potential in the fields of biofertilizer, biocontrol and heavy metal contamination soil remediation. The data presented in this study will allow us to better understand the mechanisms of plant growth promotion, biocontrol, and anti-heavy metal of P. putida LWPZF.
Puhals: Outlining the Dynamics of Labour and Hired Herding among the Gaddi Pastoralists of India
Authors: Malhotra Aayushi , Nandigama Sailaja , Bhattacharya Kumar Sankar
Published: August 2022

Pastoral practices throughout the world are in a state of flux, and Gaddi pastoralism in India’s Western Himalayas is no exception. Often in literature and common parlance, these practices are predicted to end with the current generation of practising pastoralists. For Gaddi, an agro-pastoral community located in the hill state of Himachal Pradesh in India, these gloomy predictions have remained persistent over decades. Irrespective of these claims, pastoralism continues to remain a viable livelihood option for many within the community even today. However, the institutional dynamics in which these practices are embedded have undergone several changes.

In this paper, we discuss the changes in Gaddi pastoralism and its resilience by stressing a critical aspect of labour, often referred to as puhals in their vernacular dialect. Out of the various contextual meanings, we adopt the applied translation of this term as hired herders to understand their role in the larger socio-ecological system amidst the on-going livelihood shifts and declining interest among the Gaddi youth to pursue pastoralism. The data presented in this paper was collected through ethnographic fieldwork conducted during 2018–2019 at Bharmour region of Chamba district in Himachal Pradesh, India. Qualitative tools including in-depth interviews, focus group discussions and participant observations were administered. We discuss various aspects of puhal practices among the Gaddis including their recruitment process, need for hiring, involved negotiations over remunerations, skill sets and access to the resources, to highlight the institutional dynamism. Our findings suggest that hiring herders remains a crucial adaptation for the continuation and sustenance of pastoral practices that are facing contingent external pressures. It also facilitates transmission of local knowledge, livelihood and income diversification, accumulation of wealth, social mobility and cultural continuity. We conclude that hired herding, in the face of increasing labour shortages among the Gaddis, offers an innovative proposition to halt the decline in pastoralism and shape its future.
Tick-borne encephalitis affects sleep–wake behavior and locomotion in infant rats
Authors: Chiffi Gabriele , Grandgirard Denis , Stöckli Sabrina , Valente Luca G. , Adamantidis Antoine , Leib Stephen L.
Published: August 2022

Background/Aims

Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is a disease affecting the central nervous system. Over the last decade, the incidence of TBE has steadily increased in Europe and Asia despite the availably of effective vaccines. Up to 50% of patients after TBE suffer from post-encephalitic syndrome that may develop into long-lasting morbidity. Altered sleep–wake functions have been reported by patients after TBE. The mechanisms causing these disorders in TBE are largely unknown to date. As a first step toward a better understanding of the pathology of TBEV-inducing sleep dysfunctions, we assessed parameters of sleep structure in an established infant rat model of TBE.

Methods

13-day old Wistar rats were infected with 1 × 106FFU Langat virus (LGTV). On day 4, 9, and 21 post infection, Rotarod (balance and motor coordination) and open field tests (general locomotor activity) were performed and brains from representative animals were collected in each subgroup. On day 28 the animals were implanted with a telemetric EEG/EMG system. Sleep recording was continuously performed for 24 consecutive hours starting at day 38 post infection and visually scored for Wake, NREM, and REM in 4 s epochs.

Results

As a novelty of this study, infected animals showed a significant larger percentage of time spend awake during the dark phase and less NREM and REM compared to the control animals (p < 0.01 for all comparisons). Furthermore, it was seen, that during the dark phase the wake bout length in infected animals was prolonged (p = 0.043) and the fragmentation index decreased (p = 0.0085) in comparison to the control animals. LGTV-infected animals additionally showed a reduced rotarod performance ability at day 4 (p = 0.0011) and day 9 (p = 0.0055) and day 21 (p = 0.0037). A lower locomotor activity was also seen at day 4 (p = 0.0196) and day 9 (p = 0.0473).

Conclusion

Our data show that experimental TBE in infant rats affects sleep–wake behavior, leads to decreased spontaneous locomotor activity, and impaired moto-coordinative function.
AKT phosphorylation as a predictive biomarker for PI3K/mTOR dual inhibition-induced proteolytic cleavage of mTOR companion proteins in small cell lung cancer
Authors: Hung Ming-Chun , Wang Wan-Ping , Chi Ya-Hui
Published: August 2022

Background

Constitutive activation of PI3K signaling has been well recognized in a subset of small cell lung cancer (SCLC), the cancer type which has the most aggressive clinical course amongst pulmonary tumors. Whereas cancers that acquire a mutation/copy gain in PIK3CA or loss of PTEN have been implicated in enhanced sensitivity to inhibitors targeting the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, the complexities of the pathway and corresponding feedback loops hamper clear predictions as to the response of tumors presenting these genomic features.

Methods

The correlation between the expression profile of proteins involved in the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling and cell viability in response to treatment with small molecule inhibitors targeting isoform-specific PI3Ks, AKT, and mTOR was assessed in 13 SCLC cancer cell lines. Athymic nude mice were used to determine the effect of PI3K/mTOR dual inhibition on the growth of xenograft SCLC tumors in vivo. The activation of caspase signaling and proteolytic cleavages of mTOR companion proteins were assessed using recombinant caspases assays and Western blot analyses.

Results

Our results indicate that the sensitivity of these SCLC cell lines to GSK2126458, a dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitor, is positively correlated with the expression levels of phosphorylated AKT (p-AKT) at Thr308 and Ser473. Inhibition of pan-class I PI3Ks or PI3K/mTOR dual inhibition was shown to induce proteolytic cleavage of RICTOR and RPTOR, which were respectively dependent on Caspase-6 and Caspase-3. A combination of a clinically approved PI3Kα-selective inhibitor and an mTORC1 inhibitor was shown to have synergistic effects in inducing the death of SCLC cells with high p-AKT. We observed no clear correlation between PTEN levels and the survival of SCLCs in response to PI3K/mTOR dual inhibition; however, PTEN depletion was shown to increase the susceptibility of low p-AKT SCLC cells to dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitor-induced cell death as well as the proteolytic cleavage of RICTOR.

Conclusions

These results suggest the level of p-AKT can be a companion diagnostic biomarker for the treatment of SCLC involving the combinational use of clinically approved isoform-specific PI3K and mTOR inhibitors.
Infected pancreatic necrosis complicating severe acute pancreatitis in critically ill patients: predicting catheter drainage failure and need for necrosectomy
Authors: Garret Charlotte , Douillard Marion , David Arthur , Péré Morgane , Quenehervé Lucille , Legros Ludivine , Archambeaud Isabelle , Douane Frédéric , Lerhun Marc , Regenet Nicolas , Gournay Jerome , Coron Emmanuel , Frampas Eric , Reignier Jean
Published: August 2022

Background

Recent guidelines advocate a step-up approach for managing suspected infected pancreatic necrosis (IPN) during acute pancreatitis. Nearly half the patients require secondary necrosectomy after catheter drainage. Our primary objective was to assess the external validity of a previously reported nomogram for catheter drainage, based on four predictors of failure. Our secondary objectives were to identify other potential predictors of catheter-drainage failure. We retrospectively studied consecutive patients admitted to the intensive care units (ICUs) of three university hospitals in France between 2012 and 2016, for severe acute pancreatitis with suspected IPN requiring catheter drainage. We assessed drainage success and failure rates in 72 patients, with success defined as survival without subsequent necrosectomy and failure as death and/or subsequent necrosectomy required by inadequate improvement. We plotted the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve for the nomogram and computed the area under the curve (AUROC).

Results

Catheter drainage alone was successful in 32 (44.4%) patients. The nomogram predicted catheter-drainage failure with an AUROC of 0.71. By multivariate analysis, catheter-drainage failure was independently associated with a higher body mass index [odds ratio (OR), 1.12; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 1.00–1.24; P = 0.048], heterogeneous collection (OR, 16.7; 95% CI, 1.83–152.46; P = 0.01), and respiratory failure onset within 24 h before catheter drainage (OR, 18.34; 95% CI, 2.18–154.3; P = 0.007).

Conclusion

Over half the patients required necrosectomy after failed catheter drainage. Newly identified predictors of catheter-drainage failure were heterogeneous collection and respiratory failure. Adding these predictors to the nomogram might help to identify patients at high risk of catheter-drainage failure.

ClinicalTrials.gov number: NCT03234166.
Blow-up of solution to semilinear wave equations with strong damping and scattering damping
Authors: Ming Sen , Du Jiayi , Su Yeqin , Xue Hui
Published: August 2022

This paper is devoted to investigating the initial boundary value problem for a semilinear wave equation with strong damping and scattering damping on an exterior domain. By introducing suitable multipliers and applying the test-function technique together with an iteration method, we derive the blow-up dynamics and an upper-bound lifespan estimate of the solution to the problem with power-type nonlinearity $|u|^{p}$

|
u
|

p

, derivative-type nonlinearity $|u_{t}|^{p}$

|

u
t

|

p

, and combined type nonlinearities $|u_{t}|^{p}+|u|^{q}$

|

u
t

|

p

+

|
u
|

q

in the scattering case, respectively. The novelty of the present paper is that we establish the upper-bound lifespan estimate of the solution to the problem with strong damping and scattering damping, which are associated with the well-known Strauss exponent and Glassey exponent.
The number of risk factors increases the recurrence events in ischemic stroke
Authors: Juli Cep , Heryaman Henhen , Arnengsih  , Ang Eng-Tat , Defi Irma Ruslina , Gamayani Uni , Atik Nur
Published: August 2022

Purpose

Stroke is a significant cause of disability worldwide and is considered a disease caused by long-term exposure to lifestyle-related risk factors. These risk factors influence the first event of stroke and recurrent stroke events, which carry more significant risks for more severe disabilities. This study specifically compared the risk factors and neurological outcome of patients with recurrent ischemic stroke to those who had just experienced their first stroke among patients admitted to the Hospital.

Patients and methods

We observed and analyzed 300 patients’ data who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. This retrospective observational study was conducted on consecutive acute ischemic stroke patients admitted to the top referral hospital, West Java, Indonesia. The data displayed are epidemiological characteristics, NIHSS score at admission and discharge, and the type and number of risk factors. Data were then analyzed using appropriate statistical tests.

Results

Most patients had more than one risk factor with hypertension as the most frequent (268 subjects or 89.3%). In patients who experienced ischemic stroke for the first time, the average National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score was lower (6.52 ± 3.55), and the alteration of NIHSS score was higher (1.22 ± 2.26) than those with recurrent stroke (6.96 ± 3.55) for NIHSS score and 1.21 ± 1.73 for alteration of NIHSS score). We processed the data with statistical analysis and showed a positive correlation between age (P < 0.05) and the number of risk factors (P < 0.001) in the recurrent ischemic stroke group.

Conclusions

Age and the number of risk factors correlate with recurrent ischemic strokes.
Assessing and projecting surface air temperature conditions required to sustain permafrost in Japan
Authors: Yokohata Tokuta , Iwahana Go , Saito Kazuyuki , Ishizaki Noriko N. , Matsushita Taiga , Sueyoshi Tetsuo
Published: August 2022

Permafrost covers a wide area of the Northern Hemisphere, including high-altitude mountainous areas and even at mid-latitudes. There is concern that the thawing of mountain permafrost can cause slope instability and substantially impact alpine ecosystems, and because permafrost in mountainous areas is difficult to observe, detailed analyses have not been performed on its current distribution and future changes. Although previous studies have observed permafrost only at a limited number of points in Japan (e.g., Daisetsu Mountains, Mt. Fuji, and Mt. Tateyama in the Northern Japan Alps), we show that permafrost potentially exists in nine domains in Japan (Daisetsu Mountains, Mt. Fuji, Northern and Southern Japan Alps, Hidaka Mountains, Mt. Shiretokodake, Sharidake, Akandake, and Yotei). In the Daisetsu Mountains and Mt. Fuji, the environmental conditions required for maintaining at least some permafrost are projected to remain in the future if a decarbonized society is achieved (RCP2.6 or RCP4.5). However, if greenhouse gas emissions continue to increase (RCP8.5), the environmental conditions required for sustaining permafrost are projected to disappear in the second half of the twenty-first century. In other domains, the environmental conditions required for maintaining permafrost are either projected to disappear in the next ten years (Hidaka Mountains, Northern Japan Alps) or they have almost disappeared already (Southern Japan Alps, Mt. Shiretokodake, Sharidake, Akandake, and Yotei). Our projections show that climate change has a tremendous impact on Japan's mountain permafrost environment and suggests the importance of monitoring the mountain environment and considering measures for adapting to future climate change.
Analyzing the 27 July 2021 rainfall-induced catastrophic landslide event in the Kutupalong Rohingya Camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh
Authors: Kamal A. S. M. Maksud , Hossain Farhad , Ahmed Bayes , Sammonds Peter
Published: August 2022

This article critically investigates a catastrophic rainfall-induced landslide event that occurred on 27 July 2021 in the Kutupalong Rohingya Camp (KRC) in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, from geological and geomorphological perspectives. Large-scale anthropogenic interventions mainly caused the disastrous landslide event in the KRC in addition to intense rainfall. Before the landslide occurrence, about 300 mm of cumulative rainfall was recorded in the previous seven days and 120 mm of rainfall during the landslide event. A preliminary investigation was conducted to understand the extent, causative factors, and landslide characteristics. The landslide is of mud-flow type, but on the nearby slope, slumping was also visible. The landslide length was about 33 m, width 31 m, and area 612 m2. The approximate volume of slope materials displaced during the landslide event was about 2450 m3. The displaced slope materials mainly were silt and sand. The landslide event caused five fatalities and damaged nearly 5000 shelters in the KRC area. The devastation from such a small landslide event was attributed to dense households on the slope’s hilltop, slope, and toe. The camp areas and host communities are subjected to frequent and fatal landslides in the years to come due to intense human interventions and climatic conditions. The modifications of the slopes have been reducing the cohesion and the shear strength of the slope materials. Therefore, it is recommended to undertake proper mitigation and preparedness measures, including developing and implementing a landslide early warning system to address the emerging humanitarian crisis in the KRC and its surroundings.
Intrapulmonary solitary fibrous tumor coexisting with lung adenocarcinomas
Authors: Kuroki Shoei , Ayabe Takanori , Gi Toshihiro , Sato Yuichiro , Nakada Hiroshi , Maeda Ryo
Published: August 2022

Background

Solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) is a rare tumor of mesenchymal origin and accounts for < 2% of all soft tissue masses. Although SFT has been identified in multiple anatomic locations and can grow anywhere in the body, intrapulmonary SFT are rare.

Case presentation

In this report, we presented a rare case of intrapulmonary solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) coexisting with lung adenocarcinoma in a 74-year-old man. Chest computed tomography showed a well-defined nodule with punctate calcification and measuring 2.3 × 2.1 cm and two ground-grass nodules with solid component. To obtain a definitive diagnosis and achieve complete resection, surgery was performed. The postoperative diagnosis was intrapulmonary SFT coexisting with lung adenocarcinoma. After surgery, he survived for 6 months without any signs of recurrence.

Conclusion

Complete resection may be the best treatment for intrapulmonary SFT. Careful follow-up of the postoperative course is important, because differentiating between benignity and malignancy is difficult by histologic findings alone.
Coordination of Oral Anticoagulant Care at Hospital Discharge (COACHeD): protocol for a pilot randomised controlled trial
Authors: Holbrook Anne M. , Vidug Kristina , Yoo Lindsay , Troyan Sue , Schulman Sam , Douketis James , Thabane Lehana , Giilck Stephen , Koubaesh Yousery , Hyland Sylvia , Keshavjee Karim , Ho Joanne , Tarride Jean-Eric , Ahmed Amna , Talman Marianne , Leonard Blair , Ahmed Khursheed , Refaei Mohammad , Siegal Deborah M.
Published: August 2022

Background

Oral anticoagulants (OACs) are commonly prescribed, have well-documented benefits for important clinical outcomes but have serious harms as well. Rates of OAC-related adverse events including thromboembolic and hemorrhagic events are especially high shortly after hospital discharge. Expert OAC management involving virtual care is a research priority given its potential to reach remote communities in a more feasible, timely, and less costly way than in-person care. Our objective is to test whether a focused, expert medication management intervention using a mix of in-person consultation and virtual care follow-up, is feasible and effective in preventing anticoagulation-related adverse events, for patients transitioning from hospital to home.

Methods and analysis

A randomized, parallel, multicenter design enrolling consenting adult patients or the caregivers of cognitively impaired patients about to be discharged from medical wards with a discharge prescription for an OAC. The interdisciplinary multimodal intervention is led by a clinical pharmacologist and includes a detailed discharge medication reconciliation and management plan focused on oral anticoagulants at hospital discharge; a circle of care handover and coordination with patient, hospital team and community providers; and early post-discharge follow-up virtual medication check-up visits at 24 h, 1 week, and 1 month. The control group will receive usual care plus encouragement to use the Thrombosis Canada website.

The primary feasibility outcomes include recruitment rate, participant retention rates, trial resources management, and the secondary clinical outcomes include adverse anticoagulant safety events composite (AASE), coordination and continuity of care, medication-related problems, quality of life, and healthcare resource utilization. Follow-up is 3 months.

Discussion

This pilot RCT tests whether there is sufficient feasibility and merit in coordinating oral anticoagulant care early post-hospital discharge to warrant a full sized RCT.

Trial registration

NCT02777047.
In vitro evaluation of antibacterial nanomaterial-induced anaphylactoid reaction for indwelling catheters
Authors: Umeda Koji , Tachikawa Masaji , Azuma Yoshinao , Furuzono Tsutomu
Published: August 2022

Background

To prevent tunnel infection of indwelling catheters, impregnation with antiseptics or antibiotics is effective. However, 13 patients using chlorhexidine–silver sulfadiazine-impregnated catheters experienced serious anaphylactic shock in Japan. Thus, it is necessary to select a suitable evaluation method for allergic reactions and develop a novel antibacterial coating material that does not cause anaphylactic reaction.

Methods

Two types of highly dispersible and antibacterial nanoparticles—fluorine (F)-doped hydroxyapatite (HAp) and zinc (Zn)-doped HAp—were tested using of the system and compared with compound 48/80 (c48/80) as a histamine releaser and chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) as an anaphylactic inducer.

Results

The histamine concentrations secreted from HMC-1 cells remained mostly the same even with the addition of F-HAp and Zn-HAp. On the contrary, the levels of the chemical mediators from the cells by the addition of F-HAp and Zn-HAp were significantly lower than those of only c48/80 and CHG without the addition of HAp.

Conclusions

The assay was a well-evaluated method for quantifying histamine concentrations released from HMC-1 cells. Our study induced HMC-1 cells accompanied with and without the nanomaterials; the potential of F-HAp and Zn-HAp to induce allergic reactions was found to be quite low. Therefore, the antibacterial nanomaterials are expected to hardly induce anaphylactoid reactions.
Context modulates the impact of auditory information on visual anticipation
Authors: Cañal-Bruland Rouwen , Meyerhoff Hauke S. , Müller Florian
Published: August 2022

Research on the impact of auditory information on visual anticipation in tennis suggests that the intensity of racket-ball-contact sounds systematically biases estimates of the ball’s speed, thereby influencing anticipatory judgments. Here we examined whether the effect of auditory information on visual anticipation is dependent on the sport-specific context in two separate experiments. In Exp. 1, participants watched short videos of tennis rallies that were occluded at racket-ball-contact. Racket-ball-contact sounds of the final shot were either present or absent. Participants faced different tasks in two counterbalanced blocks: In one block they estimated the ball’s speed; in the other block they indicated the ball’s landing location. Results showed that participants estimated longer ball flight trajectories and higher ball speeds in the sound present condition than in the sound absent condition. To probe whether this effect is dependent on the sport-specific context, Exp. 2 introduced an abstract (i.e., context-free) version of the previous stimuli. Based on the ball locations in the original videos used in Exp. 1, we rendered new videos that displayed only a moving circle against a blank background. Sine tones replaced the original racket-ball contact sounds. Results showed no impact of sound presence on location anticipation judgments. However, similar to Exp. 1, object speeds were judged to be faster when the final sound was present. Together, these findings suggest that the impact of auditory information on anticipation does not seem to be driven by sound alone, but to be moderated by contextual information.
On building machine learning pipelines for Android malware detection: a procedural survey of practices, challenges and opportunities
Authors: Mehrabi Koushki Masoud , AbuAlhaol Ibrahim , Raju Anandharaju Durai , Zhou Yang , Giagone Ronnie Salvador , Shengqiang Huang
Published: August 2022

As the smartphone market leader, Android has been a prominent target for malware attacks. The number of malicious applications (apps) identified for it has increased continually over the past decade, creating an immense challenge for all parties involved. For market holders and researchers, in particular, the large number of samples has made manual malware detection unfeasible, leading to an influx of research that investigate Machine Learning (ML) approaches to automate this process. However, while some of the proposed approaches achieve high performance, rapidly evolving Android malware has made them unable to maintain their accuracy over time. This has created a need in the community to conduct further research, and build more flexible ML pipelines. Doing so, however, is currently hindered by a lack of systematic overview of the existing literature, to learn from and improve upon the existing solutions. Existing survey papers often focus only on parts of the ML process (e.g., data collection or model deployment), while omitting other important stages, such as model evaluation and explanation. In this paper, we address this problem with a review of 42 highly-cited papers, spanning a decade of research (from 2011 to 2021). We introduce a novel procedural taxonomy of the published literature, covering how they have used ML algorithms, what features they have engineered, which dimensionality reduction techniques they have employed, what datasets they have employed for training, and what their evaluation and explanation strategies are. Drawing from this taxonomy, we also identify gaps in knowledge and provide ideas for improvement and future work.
Pre- and postoperative physiotherapy using a digital application decreases length of stay without reducing patient outcomes following total knee arthroplasty
Authors: Hardwick-Morris Max , Carlton Simon , Twiggs Joshua , Miles Brad , Liu David
Published: August 2022

Introduction

Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA) for both patients and the surgical team is a journey spanning many months, rather than purely a hospital episode of care. To improve patient outcomes and reduce costs in TKA, greater emphasis should be placed on the pre- and postoperative periods as, historically, innovation has focused on the intraoperative execution of the surgery. The purpose of this study was to determine if a pre- and postoperative physiotherapy program delivered via a digital application could reduce hospital length of stay (LOS) without compromising patient outcomes.

Methods

A retrospective series of 294 patients who underwent TKA from a single-surgeon in a single-centre was examined. This included 232 patients who underwent a pre- and postoperative physiotherapist-led program delivered via a digital application and 62 patients who underwent a conventional pre- and postoperative protocol. 2:1 nearest neighbour propensity score matching was performed to establish covariate balance between the cohorts. Data collected included pre- and postoperative Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), KOOS for Joint Replacement (KOOS, JR), and acute, rehabilitation, and total LOS.

Results

No significant difference in KOOS or KOOS, JR scores was observed at 12-month follow-up. A significantly reduced rehabilitation (P = 0.014) and total LOS (P = 0.015) was observed in the patients who received the digital physiotherapy program.

Conclusions

There may be significant economic benefits to a pre- and postoperative physiotherapy program delivered via a digital application. Our results suggest that a digital physiotherapist-led patient program may reduce the need for inpatient rehabilitation services without compromising patient outcomes.
Correlative study between apparent diffusion coefficient value and grading of cervical cancer
Authors: Ghardon Sally Safwat Lotfy , Hemida Reda , Borg Mohamed A. , Sallam Hany F. , Ahmed Hala Maher
Published: August 2022

Background

Studying cervical cancer is critical as it is the third most common gynecological malignancy. Therefore, a precise preoperative evaluation of the characteristics of the disease as well as prognosis may significantly aid in the diagnosis of cervical carcinoma as well as planning of its treatment.

The purpose of the study

To investigate if the value of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) could be interpreted as a prognostic indicator to predict cervical cancer aggressiveness prior to management.

Results

The value of ADC for high- and low-grade cervical cancer was statistically significantly different. Patients with histological grade I had significantly higher ADC in comparison with those with grade II (1.04 ± 0.07 vs. 0.82 ± 0.02 × 10−3 mm2/s; p < 0.001) and those with grade III (1.04 ± 0.07 vs. 0.67 ± 0.05 × 10−3 mm2/s; p < 0.001). In addition, patients with grade II had significantly higher ADC in comparison with those with grade III (0.82 ± 0.02 vs. 0.67 ± 0.05 × 10−3 mm2/s; p < 0.001).

Conclusions

Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) is one of the non-contrast imaging modalities which is identical for quantitative as well as morphological information. Combined DWI with apparent diffusion coefficient value can perform better in detecting cervical cancer and grading.
Role of interventional radiology in management of post-liver transplant anastomotic complications
Authors: Maaty Mohamed El-Gharib Abo El , Ibrahim Ayman Mohamed , Soliman Ahmed Hassan , Mohamed Alaa Hamdy
Published: August 2022

Background

Liver transplantation is considered to be the treatment of choice in cases of end-stage liver disease; however, as a major procedure, the operation is fraught with complications. The etiology, symptoms, and diagnostic methods for arterial, portal, and biliary issues are thoroughly discussed. Interventional procedures such as balloon angioplasty and stent placement in the arterial and portal systems, as well as biliary interventional procedures, are described.

Results

In our study, we reviewed 25 cases of post-living donor transplanted liver, with anastomotic complications including biliary stenosis 40%, hepatic vein stenosis 20%, portal vein stenosis 16%, biliary leakage 16%, and hepatic artery stenosis or pseudo-aneurysm 16%. We had 10 cases of biliary stenosis, 7 of which were successfully treated with the insertion of an internal/external drain, and one case failed. Two patients died. We had four cases of hepatic venous obstruction with successfully implanted stents and a perfect outcome, efficacy, and patency rate of 100%. We also had two cases of hepatic artery stenosis that were perfectly managed by stent placement, with a patency rate of 100%. We came across two cases of hepatic artery pseudo-aneurysm. One case failed due to large sac size, while the other was successful. Finally, in our study, we had a 100% success rate in 5 cases of portal vein stenosis in the early postoperative period.

Conclusions

Percutaneous IR was effective treatment for hepatic vein occlusion, portal vein stenosis, hepatic artery stenosis, and anastomotic biliary stricture after living donor liver transplantation. The interventional radiology team is now an integral part of the multi-disciplinary care of transplant patients. As new interventional instruments are developed and experience is gained, the outcomes of interventional treatments will continue to improve.
Diagnostic validity of serum YKL-40 as a non-invasive diagnostic marker of oesophageal varices in cirrhotic hepatitis C virus patients
Authors: Hanno Abdelfattah , EL-Kady Ali M. , Bedewy Essam , Abo Elwafa Reham A. , Ahmed Mohammed S.
Published: August 2022

Background

Liver cirrhosis is the last phase of chronic hepatitis C virus infection. During the compensated phase, portal pressure is still below the point where varices start to form. On the contrary, decompensated individuals have clinically significant portal hypertension. YKL-40 protein is categorized as an inflammatory protein and is related to various different variables in expressing the severity of hepatic fibrosis, including hepatic venous pressure gradient. The objective of this research was to evaluate the diagnostic validity of serum YKL-40 in cirrhotic hepatitis C virus patients as a predictive non-invasive marker for the diagnosis of oesophageal varices and to compare it to other non-invasive clinical, laboratory, and ultrasonographic parameters, as well as endoscopy with and without treatment modalities.

Results

The present research was done on 80 participants visiting the Tropical Medicine Department at the Main University Hospital in Alexandria; they were divided into four groups, group I (n = 20) cirrhotic patients with no oesophageal varices, group II (n = 20) with small varices, group IIIa (n = 20) with large varices, and group IIIb same patients of group IIIa but after disappearance of varices by band ligation and medical treatment with carvedilol and group IV as apparently healthy control. YKL-40 in serum was evaluated using ELISA. Serum YKL-40 was statistically significantly higher in all cirrhotic patients than healthy controls (p = <0.001). Furthermore, it was statistically significantly greater in patients with small varices compared to those without varices (p = <0.001) and in large varices rather than no varices or small varices (p < 0.001) and (p < 0.001) respectively. However, there was no statistically significant difference between IIIa and IIIb (p = 0.881). In all tested groups, there was no correlation between serum YKL-40 and FIB-4 or APRI. However, only participants in group I exhibited a significant negative correlation between serum YKL-40 and AST/ALT ratio, whereas subjects in groups II and IIIa exhibited no significant correlation.

Conclusion

Serum YKL-40 could be used as a sensitive non-invasive predictor for diagnosis and grading of oesophageal varices but not for follow up after treatment.
Agents that can be used in medical treatment of meconium ileus and comparison of their efficacy
Authors: Madenci Hasan
Published: August 2022

Background

Aim: This study was conducted to determine the efficacy of medical agents currently used or potentially used in the medical treatment of meconium ileus and to contribute to the medical treatment of meconium ileus.

Materials and method

In our study, meconium causing meconium ileus or normal meconium obtained voluntarily from healthy newborns at birth was used. A total of 2 g meconium sample was placed in each test tube. Six experimental groups were formed by adding saline solution, N-acetylcysteine, amidotrizoate, pancreatic enzymes, fibrinolytic enzyme, and probiotic bacteria on the meconium samples. All experimental groups were kept at 36 °C and over 90% humidity for 6 h. The resulting mixtures were centrifuged at 2500 rpm for 5 min.

The solid gel-like part and the liquid part were separated. The volumes of the liquid portions and the weights of the gel portions were measured. Gels were placed on a glass substrate to compare the flowability of the gel portions. After 30 min, how much the gel-like meconiums moved from the starting point was recorded. Liquid volumes were measured in milliliters (ml), weights in grams (g), and distance in millimeters (mm).

Results

It was determined that the solid part weights of N-acetylcysteine and amidotrizoate groups increased, while the solid part weights of the other groups decreased. It was determined that the decrease in solid part weights was mostly in the probiotic bacteria group. Test correlation between liquid fraction volume and solid weight was statistically determined. The group that moved the most on the glass substrate was the N-acetylcysteine group.

Conclusions

Our study also showed that the gastrographin and NAC groups do indeed attract liquid to solid meconium. They cause an increase in solid part weight. Probiotic bacteria and pancreatic enzymes were found effective in terms of movement on the glass surface in the meconium samples they were applied to. The fibrinolytic enzyme produced for in vivo environment was found to be ineffective in the in vitro environment in our study.

We think that pancreatic enzymes and probiotic bacteria can also be used in the medical treatment of meconium ileus.
Avoiding electromechanical instability or loss of tension of dielectric elastomer generators with position-controlled cycles for enhanced energy harvesting
Authors: Fan Peng , Zhu Zicai , Lu Tongqing
Published: August 2022

The maximum energy density of a dielectric elastomer generator (DEG) represents the potential energy harvesting capacity, which is determined by the material failure modes. The maximum energy density and the failure modes of DEGs in a force-controlled energy harvesting cycle have been evaluated. However, the position-controlled energy harvesting cycle that is widely used in DEGs has not been investigated. This paper explores the energy harvesting capacity of DEGs with rigid and flexible connections in a position-controlled cycle. The failure modes in a position-controlled cycle are analyzed and the electromechanical instability of DEGs with rigid and flexible connections is mainly focused on. On this basis, we study the maximum energy density of DEGs with diverse connections under different loading configurations. The results show that, compared with the force-controlled cycle, the position-controlled cycle can enhance the energy harvesting capacity of DEGs due to the avoidance of electromechanical instability or loss of tension. The conclusions and methods can help to evaluate the energy harvesting capacity and provide a safe region for the optimal design of DEGs in a position-controlled cycle.