bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The impact of colonic allograft inclusion on intestinal transplantation outcomes: Results from UNOS/OPTN database analysis
Authors: Matsushima Hajime , Sasaki Kazunari , Nair Amit , Tajima Tetsuya , Soyama Akihiko , Eguchi Susumu , Hashimoto Koji , Fujiki Masato
Published: December 2023

Background

Outcomes of intestinal transplantation with colon allograft (ICTx) remain controversial. We aimed to assess the outcomes of ICTx in comparison to intestinal transplantation without colon (ITx) using the UNOS/OPTN registry database.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed 2612 patients who received primary intestinal transplants from 1998 to 2020. The rates of acute rejection (AR) within 6 months after transplant were compared between ICTx and ITx. Risk factors of 6‐month AR were examined using logistic regression model by era. Furthermore, conditional graft survival was analyzed to determine long‐term outcomes of ICTx.

Results

Of 2612 recipients, 506 (19.4%) received ICTx. Graft and patient survival in ICTx recipients were comparable to those in ITx recipients. White ICTx recipients had a higher incidence of AR within 6 months compared to ITx during the entire study period (p = .002), colonic inclusion did not increase the risk of 6‐month AR in the past decade. ICTx recipients who experienced 6‐month AR had worse graft and patient survival compared to those who did not (p <.001 and p = .004, respectively). Among patients who did not develop 6‐month AR, Cox proportional hazard model analysis revealed that colonic inclusion was independently associated with improved conditional graft survival.

Conclusions

In the recent transplant era, colonic inclusion is no longer associated with a heightened risk of 6‐month AR and may provide better long‐term survival compared to ITx when AR is absent. Risk adjustment for rejection and proper immunosuppressive therapy are crucial to maximize the benefits of colonic inclusion.
The motivation and process for developing a consortium‐wide time and motion study to estimate resource implications of innovations in the use of genome sequencing to inform patient care
Authors: Hoban Hannah G. , Yip Tiffany A. , Chau Joanna C. , Bensen Jeannette T. , Desrosiers Lauren R. , Finnila Candice R. , Hindorff Lucia A. , Kelly Nicole R. , Lynch Frances L. , Rolf Bradley A. , Smith Hadley S. , Wasserstein Melissa P. , Hassmiller Lich Kristen
Published: December 2023

Costs of implementing genomic testing innovations extend beyond the cost of sequencing, affecting personnel and infrastructure for which little data are available. We developed a time and motion (T&M) study within the Clinical Sequencing Evidence‐Generating Research (CSER) consortium to address this gap, and herein describe challenges of conducting T&M studies within a research consortium and the approaches we developed to overcome them. CSER investigators created a subgroup to carry out the T&M study (authors). We describe logistical and administrative challenges associated with resource use data collection across heterogeneous projects conducted in real‐world clinical settings, and our solutions for completing this study and harmonizing data across projects. We delineate processes for feasible data collection on workflow, personnel, and resources required to deliver genetic testing innovations in each CSER project. A critical early step involved developing detailed project‐specific process flow diagrams of innovation implementation in projects' clinical settings. Analyzing diagrams across sites, we identified common process‐step themes, used to organize project‐specific data collection and cross‐project analysis. Given the heterogeneity of innovations, study design, and workflows, which affect resources required to deliver genetic testing innovations, flexibility was necessary to harmonize data collection. Despite its challenges, this heterogeneity provides rich insights about variation in clinical processes and resource implications for implementing genetic testing innovations.
Community‐informed design: Blending community engagement and museum design approaches for sustainable experience development
Authors: Callahan Schreiber Robby , Goeke Megan , Bequette Marjorie
Published: December 2023

The museum field currently and historically has centered on the needs of White, educated, privileged, and affluent people, and changing that reality requires new ways of conceptualizing, organizing, and assessing our core practices. Practice‐based models—including specific stories of how museums and communities work together—are still needed in our field, both as guidance for structuring future projects and as inspiration for what is possible. We share a case study of a 10‐year makerspace design process and identify key features for sustaining community–museum relationships over an extended period of work, which we call community‐informed design. We describe five key aspects that promote sustainability in terms of community–museum relationships and the creation of high‐quality experiences: naming values and assumptions, emergent planning, flexible and distributed staffing, organization‐to‐organization relationships, and layered data.
Evaluation der Hautkrebsfrüherkennung in Deutschland – Teilnahme, Tumordetektion und Intervalltumoren auf Grundlage von GKV‐Daten
Authors: Garbe Claudia , Augustin Matthias , Augustin Jobst , Baltus Hannah , Eisemann Nora , Hübner Joachim , Katalinic Alexander , Wolf Sandra , Hagenström Kristina
Published: December 2023

Hintergrund und Ziele

Die steigende Hautkrebshäufigkeit in Deutschland hat den Bedarf an sekundärpräventiven Maßnahmen erhöht. Hierfür wurde zum 01.07.2008 ein gesetzliches Hautkrebsscreening für Versicherte ab 35 Jahren eingeführt. Ziel dieses Arbeitspakets im Innovationsfonds‐Projekt „Perspektiven einer multimodalen Evaluation der Hautkrebsfrüherkennung“ (Pertimo) war die Erprobung einer Evaluation des Hautkrebsscreenings anhand von Sekundärdaten.

Patienten und Methodik

Datengrundlage waren gesetzlich Versicherte der DAK‐Gesundheit ab 35 Jahren, die zum 31.12.2010 versichert waren und bis Ende 2015 nachbeobachtet wurden. Die Raten der Teilnahme sowie der im Hautkrebsscreening entdeckten Hauttumoren (Tumordetektionen) und der Intervalltumoren, welche innerhalb von zwei Jahren nach einem befundfreien Hautkrebsscreening auftraten, wurden berechnet.

Ergebnisse

Die zweijährliche Hautkrebsscreening‐Inanspruchnahmerate in 2014 und 2015 lag bei Frauen bei 33,6% und bei Männern bei 32,6%. Von den Gescreenten hatten 4,2% im Zuge des Hautkrebsscreenings einen Hautkrebsbefund (Tumordetektion). Von allen inzidenten Hautkrebsdiagnosen (2012–2015) wurden 50,1% im Hautkrebsscreening entdeckt. Bei 1,5% der Versicherten mit Hautkrebsscreening ohne Befund wurde in den folgenden zwei Jahren ein inzidenter Hauttumor diagnostiziert (Intervalltumor).

Schlussfolgerungen

Die Daten der gesetzlichen Krankenversicherung bildeten das Hautkrebsscreening‐Geschehen in Deutschland ab und verdeutlichten die Wichtigkeit von Dermatologen im Screeningprozess. Die Analyse lieferte wichtige neue Erkenntnisse.
Towards predicting responses to an extreme event: traits that influence ground‐dwelling beetles' susceptibility to volcanic ash
Authors: Elizalde Luciana , Baudino Florencia , Werenkraut Victoria
Published: December 2023

Extreme events are important determinants of environmental changes at multiple geographical and temporal scales, influencing the ecology and evolution of species. Volcanism in particular can modify entire landscapes through ash deposition, affecting the survival and abundance of susceptible species and favouring tolerant ones. However, there is still a lack of information for predicting which species will be more or less affected by volcanic disturbances. We test the hypothesis that the effect of volcanic ash will differentially affect taxa according to their morphological traits. We used a ground‐dwelling beetle community that was sampled before and immediately after the last eruption of the Puyehue‐Cordón Caulle (PCC) volcano. We measure traits that might help predicting responses to the ash deposition in insect species susceptible to the PCC volcanic eruption – i.e., their abundance decreased considerably – and compared them to others that were tolerant. We examined cuticle thickness, its structures (i.e., hairs) and microsculptures, and body size. We found that traits associated with smoothness of the cuticle (fewer hairs and microsculptures) and a small body enables species to better tolerate the negative effects of volcanic ash. These results are the first to explicitly test for traits that could help to predict which species will be more tolerant to volcanic ashes, a widespread disturbance associated with volcanism.
Spawning cohort trade‐offs of reproductive time and output in cyprinid fish along an elevation gradient
Authors: Liu Xingchen , Ding Chengzhi , Bond Nick , Sun Jingrui , Ding Liuyong , Chen Jinnan , Tao Juan
Published: December 2023

Understanding environmental requirements for fish reproduction in natural habitats is crucial for population conservation and restoration. However, such information is extremely scarce for the highly threatened schizothoracine fishes that cover large elevation ranges on the Tibetan Plateau. This research investigated the spawning time, output and environmental conditions of wild Schizopygopsis thermalis along an elevational gradient (i.e., from 1766 to 4372 m) in the upper Nu‐Salween River. It found that the spawning grounds of S. thermalis were mainly located at elevations between 3600 and 4372 m, and spawning habitats mostly consist of still marginal areas (still water <10 cm deep) with gravel substrates. Otolith microstructure analysis revealed, for the first time, that S. thermalis spawns in two seasons (i.e., winter: from December to next February, and spring: from April to May), with the winter spawning period generally longer than the spring spawning period. Winter spawning started earlier and ended earlier at higher elevations, while spring spawning occurred earlier at lower elevations but ended simultaneously at higher elevations. As elevation increases, reproductive output also increases, and spawning cohorts shift from winter‐dominant to spring‐dominant. Winter spawning cohorts were associated with lower water temperatures but higher discharges than the spring spawning cohort, and both cohorts showed elevation‐related environmental preferences. Our results suggest that schizothoracine fish can adapt spawning strategies to elevation‐related environmental conditions, which fill the gaps in the reproductive characteristics of schizothoracine fishes, and highlight the importance of conserving schizothoracine habitats at high elevations in the Qinghai‐Tibetan rivers.
Pulmonary arteriovenous malformations in patients with previous brain abscess: a cross‐sectional population‐based study
Authors: Bodilsen Jacob , Madsen Trine , Brandt Christian Thomas , Müllertz Katrine , Wiese Lothar , Demirci Semra Turan , Suhrs Hannah Elena , Larsen Lykke , Gill Sabine Ute Alice , Hansen Birgitte Rønde , Nilsson Brian , Omland Lars Haukali , Fosbøl Emil , Kjeldsen Anette Drøhse , Nielsen Henrik ,   DASGIB Study Group
Published: December 2023

Background and purpose

Pulmonary arteriovenous malformations (PAVMs) may cause recurrent brain abscess. The primary aim was to determine the prevalence of PAVM amongst survivors of brain abscess. The proportion with cardiac right‐to‐left shunts was also assessed post hoc.

Methods

This was a cross‐sectional population‐based study of adult (≥18 years) survivors of cryptogenic bacterial brain abscess in Denmark from 2007 through 2016. Patients were invited for bubble‐echocardiography to detect vascular right‐to‐left shunting and, if abnormal, subsequent computed tomography thorax for diagnosis of PAVM. Data are presented as n/N (%) or median with interquartile range (IQR).

Results

Study participation was accepted by 47/157 (30%) eligible patients amongst whom two did not appear for scheduled bubble‐echocardiography. The median age of participants was 54 years (IQR 45–62) and 19/57 (33%) were females compared with 59 years (IQR 48–68, p = 0.05) and 41/85 females (48%, p = 0.22) in non‐participants. Bubble‐echocardiography was suggestive of shunt in 10/45 (22%) participants and PAVM was subsequently confirmed by computed tomography in one patient with grade 1 shunting. The corresponding prevalence of PAVM was 2% (95% confidence interval 0.06–11.8) amongst all examined participants. Another 9/45 (20%) were diagnosed with patent in persistent foramen ovale (n = 8) or atrial septum defect (n = 1), which is comparable with the overall prevalence of 25% amongst adults in the Danish background population.

Conclusions

Undiagnosed PAVM amongst adult survivors of cryptogenic bacterial brain abscess is rare but may be considered in select patients. The prevalence of cardiac right‐to‐left shunts amongst brain abscess patients corresponds to the prevalence in the general population.
A multi‐center comparison of surgical techniques for corpus Callosotomy in pediatric drug‐resistant epilepsy
Authors: Hansen Daniel , Shandley Sabrina , Olaya Joffre , Hauptman Jason , Auguste Kurtis , Ostendorf Adam P. , Depositario‐Cabacar Dewi F. , Wong‐Kisiel Lily C. , Reddy Shilpa B. , McCormack Michael J. , Gonzalez‐Giraldo Ernesto , Sullivan Joseph , Pradeep Javarayee , Singh Rani K. , Romanowski Erin Fedak , McNamara Nancy A. , Ciliberto Michael A. , Tatachar Priya , Shrey Daniel W. , Karakas Cemal , Karia Samir , Kheder Ammar , Gedela Satyanarayana , Alexander Allyson , Eschbach Krista , Bolton Jeffrey , Marashly Ahmad , Wolf Steven , McGoldrick Patricia , Nangia Srishti , Grinspan Zachary , Coryell Jason , Samanta Debopam , Armstrong Dallas , Perry M. Scott
Published: December 2023

Objectives

Corpus callosotomy (CC) is used to reduce seizures, primarily in patients with generalized drug‐resistant epilepsy (DRE). The invasive nature of the procedure contributes to underutilization despite its potential superiority to other palliative procedures. The goal of this study was to use a multi‐institutional epilepsy surgery database to characterize the use of CC across participating centers.

Methods

Data were acquired from the Pediatric Epilepsy Research Consortium (PERC) Surgery Database, a prospective observational study collecting data on children 0–18 years referred for surgical evaluation of DRE across 22 U.S. pediatric epilepsy centers. Patient, epilepsy, and surgical characteristics were collected across multiple CC modalities. Outcomes and complications were recorded and analyzed statistically.

Results

Eighty‐three patients undergoing 85 CC procedures at 14 participating epilepsy centers met inclusion criteria. Mean age at seizure onset was 2.3 years (0–9.4); mean age for Phase I evaluation and surgical intervention were 9.45 (.1–20) and 10.46 (.2–20.6) years, respectively. Generalized seizure types were the most common (59%). Complete CC was performed in 88%. The majority of CC procedures (57%) were via open craniotomy, followed by laser interstitial thermal therapy (LiTT) (20%) and mini‐craniotomy/endoscopic (mc/e) (22%). Mean operative times were significantly longer for LiTT, whereas mean estimated blood loss was greater in open cases. Complications occurred in 11 cases (13%) and differed significantly between surgical techniques (p < .001). There was no statistically significant difference in length of postoperative stay across approaches. Mean follow‐up was 12.8 months (range 1–39). Favorable Engel outcomes were experienced by 37 (78.7%) of the patients who underwent craniotomy, 10 (58.8%) with LiTT, and 12 (63.2%) with mc/e; these differences were not statistically significant.

Significance

CC is an effective surgical modality for children with DRE. Regardless of surgical modality, complication rates are acceptable and seizure outcomes generally favorable. Newer, less‐invasive, surgical approaches may lead to increased adoption of this efficacious therapeutic option for pediatric DRE.
Utility of parentage‐based tagging for monitoring Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) in the interior Columbia River basin
Authors: Horn Rebekah L. , Nuetzel Hayley M. , Johnson Becky , Kamphaus Cory , Lovrak Jon , Mott Kraig , Newsome Todd , Narum Shawn R.
Published: December 2023

By the 1980s, after decades of declining numbers in the mid‐1900s, Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) were considered extirpated from the interior Columbia River. In the mid‐1990s, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, and the Nez Perce Tribe began successful reintroduction programs of Coho salmon upstream of Bonneville Dam, but which were initially sourced from lower Columbia River hatcheries. Here we present the first Coho salmon parentage‐based tagging (PBT) baseline from seven hatchery programs located in the interior Columbia River basin, and two sites at or downstream of Bonneville Dam, composed of over 32,000 broodstock samples. Analyses of baseline collections revealed that genetic structure followed a temporal pattern based on 3‐year broodlines rather than geographic location or stocking history. Across hatchery programs, similar levels of genetic diversity was present. The PBT baseline provided multiple direct applications such as identification of origin for Coho salmon collected in a mixed stock at Priest Rapids Dam and the detection of the proportion and distribution of hatchery‐origin fish on the spawning grounds in the Methow River basin. The PBT baseline for Coho salmon is freely available for use and can be downloaded from FishGen.net.
Agroforestry enhances biological activity, diversity and soil‐based ecosystem functions in mountain agroecosystems of Latin America: A meta‐analysis
Authors: Visscher Anna M. , Meli Paula , Fonte Steven J. , Bonari Gianmaria , Zerbe Stefan , Wellstein Camilla
Published: December 2023

Mountain agroecosystems in Latin America provide multiple ecosystem functions (EFs) and products from global to local scales, particularly for the rural communities who depend on them. Agroforestry has been proposed as a climate‐smart farming strategy throughout much of the region to help conserve biodiversity and enhance multiple EFs, especially in mountainous regions. However, large‐scale synthesis on the potential of agroforestry across Latin America is lacking. To understand the potential impacts of agroforestry at the continental level, we conducted a meta‐analysis examining the effects of agroforestry on biological activity and diversity (BIAD) and multiple EFs across mountain agroecosystems of Latin America. A total of 78 studies were selected based on a formalized literature search in the Web of Science. We analysed differences between (i) silvoarable systems versus cropland, (ii) silvopastoral systems versus pastureland, and (iii) agroforestry versus forest systems, based on response ratios. Response ratios were further used to understand how climate type, precipitation and soil properties (texture) influence key EFs (carbon sequestration, nutrient provision, erosion control, yield production) and BIAD in agroforestry systems. Results revealed that BIAD and EFs related to carbon sequestration and nutrient provisioning were generally higher in agroforestry systems (silvopastoral and silvoarable) compared to croplands and pasturelands without trees. However, the impacts of agroforestry systems on crop yields varied depending on the system considered (i.e., coffee vs. cereals), while forest systems generally provided greater levels of BIAD and EFs than agroforestry systems. Further analysis demonstrated that the impacts of agroforestry systems on BIAD and EFs depend greatly on climate type, soil, and precipitation. For example, silvoarable systems appear to generate the greatest benefits in arid or tropical climates, on sandier soils, and under lower precipitation regimes. Overall, our findings highlight the widespread potential of agroforestry systems to BIAD and multiple EFs across montane regions of Latin America.
Life after a fiery death: Fire and plant biomass loading affect dissolved organic matter in experimental ponds
Authors: Spiegel Cody J. , Mladenov Natalie , Wall Christopher B. , Hollman Kelly , Tran Cindy H. , Symons Celia C. , Shurin Jonathan B.
Published: December 2023

Drier and hotter conditions linked with anthropogenic climate change can increase wildfire frequency and severity, influencing terrestrial and aquatic carbon cycles at broad spatial and temporal scales. The impacts of wildfire are complex and dependent on several factors that may increase terrestrial deposition and the influx of dissolved organic matter (DOM) from plants into nearby aquatic systems, resulting in the darkening of water color. We tested the effects of plant biomass quantity and its interaction with fire (burned vs. unburned plant biomass) on dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration and degradation (biological vs. photochemical) and DOM composition in 400 L freshwater ponds using a gradient experimental design. DOC concentration increased nonlinearly with plant biomass loading in both treatments, with overall higher concentrations (>56 mg/L) in the unburned treatment shortly after plant addition. We also observed nonlinear trends in fluorescence and UV‐visible absorbance spectroscopic indices as a function of fire treatment and plant biomass, such as greater humification and specific UV absorbance at 254 nm (a proxy for aromatic DOM) over time. DOM humification occurred gradually over time with less humification in the burned treatment compared to the unburned treatment. Both burned and unburned biomass released noncolored, low molecular weight carbon compounds that were rapidly consumed by microbes. DOC decomposition exhibited a unimodal relationship with plant biomass, with microbes contributing more to DOC loss than photodegradation at intermediate biomass levels (100–300 g). Our findings demonstrate that the quantity of plant biomass leads to nonlinear responses in the dynamics and composition of DOM in experimental ponds that are altered by fire, indicating how disturbances interactively affect DOM processing and its role in aquatic environments.
Gender, vulnerabilities, and how the other becomes the otherer in academia
Authors: Franken Esme , Sharafizad Fleur , Brown Kerry
Published: December 2023

This article draws on the work of Judith Butler, particularly the notion of vulnerability in/as resistance, to explore the gendered experiences of women in Australian academia. Through employing an arts‐based research method, Draw, Write, and Reflect, with women academics in Australia, we explore the ways in which vulnerabilities are identified and navigated in the context of academia. Our study identified three key forms of vulnerabilities: the expectation paradox, the body, and age and experience. Such vulnerabilities appeared to be navigated through acts of othering, denying, and overcoming. We return to Butler's call for the creation of gender trouble in making sense of these findings but find that what is instead occurring is within‐gender trouble. We then explain how this aspect is shaped by the masculine and highly individualized structures of academia. Our findings extend Butler's notions of vulnerability in/as resistance by offering insights that capture a fragmented and sometimes impermeable space between vulnerabilities and resistance.
Implementation of frailty screening for older people living with HIV in Brighton, UK
Authors: Clair‐Sullivan Natalie St , Bristowe Katherine , Khan Inayat , Maddocks Matthew , Harding Richard , Bremner Stephen , Levett Thomas , Roberts Jonathan , Adler Zoe , Yi Deokhee , Vera Jaime H.
Published: December 2023

Objectives

To evaluate the implementation of frailty screening in people living with HIV (PLWH) in a large urban cohort of patients in Brighton, UK.

Methods

Focus group discussions with HIV professionals and PLWH interviews helped inform the design and implementation of the frailty screening pathway in the clinic. Data were collected from PLWH aged over 60 years attending their HIV annual health check from July 2021 to January 2023 (n = 590), who were screened for frailty by nurses using the FRAIL scale. We assessed the proportions of PLWH who screened as frail, prefrail or robust and compared patient characteristics across groups. All PLWH identified as frail were offered a comprehensive geriatric assessment delivered by a combined HIV geriatric clinic, and uptake was recorded.

Results

A total of 456/590 (77.3%) PLWH aged over 60 years were screened for frailty. Median age and time since HIV diagnosis (range) for those screened were 66 (60–99) years and 21 (0–32) years, respectively. In total, 56 (12.1%) of those screened were identified as frail, 118 (25.9%) as prefrail and 282 (61.8%) as robust. A total of 10/56 (18%) people identified as frail declined an appointment in the geriatric clinic. Compared with non‐frail individuals, frail PLWH had been living with HIV for longer and had a greater number of comorbidities and comedications but were not chronologically older.

Conclusions

Implementing frailty screening in PLWH over 60 years old is feasible in a large cohort of PLWH, as recommended by the European AIDS Clinical Society. More research is needed to determine if frailty screening can improve clinical outcomes of older PLWH and the use of the comprehensive geriatric assessment within HIV services.
Effects of particle size and content of cladding powder on in situ synthesized WC‐reinforced Ni‐based cladding layers
Authors: Zhang Cong‐xiao , Sun Wan‐chang , Liu Er‐yong , Liu Yu‐wan , Liu Jing‐pei , Zhang Bo , Zhou Meng‐ran , Xu Yi‐fan , Jia Ya‐peng
Published: December 2023

Laser cladding technology can obtain a cladding layer with good metallurgical bonding with the substrate and excellent performance. In situ growth of hard phase can effectively solve the problem of uneven distribution of reinforcements directly doped with hard particles. In this paper, 45# steel was adopted as the matrix material, WO3, B4C, Al, and Ni60 powder were used to prepare laser cladding and in situ synthesized WC (Tungsten Carbide) hard phase reinforced Ni‐based cladding layers. The effects of different laser cladding parameters, powder particle size, hard phase content on the microstructures and electrochemical properties of in situ synthesized WC hard phase reinforced Ni‐based cladding layer were analyzed. The results revealed that when the (WO3 + B4C + Al) mixed powder content was 25%, the bulk particles of WC phase in the cladding layer were most uniformly distributed in the cladding layer, which enhances the mechanical properties of the cladding layer. When the B4C particle size was 5 μm, the microhardness of the cladding layer was significantly higher than other cladding layers, and the enhancement mechanism of hardness by B4C is due to the Orowan strengthening caused by too small particle size of B4C.
Arteriolar hyalinization at 0‐hour biopsy predicts long‐term graft function in deceased kidney transplantation
Authors: Murata Masaki , Tasaki Masayuki , Saito Kazuhide , Nakagawa Yuki , Ikeda Masahiro , Akiyama Masato , Imai Naofumi , Narita Ichiei , Takahashi Kota , Tomita Yoshihiko
Published: December 2023

Objectives

Regarding the relationship between donor kidney quality and renal graft function after deceased kidney transplantation (KTx) following donation after cardiac death (DCD), the evaluation timing varies depending on the study. Evaluation of histology and changes in long‐term renal graft function is limited.

Methods

A retrospective single‐center study included 71 recipients who underwent 0‐hour biopsy for KTx from DCD. The recipients were divided into two groups to evaluate factors related to renal graft function (study1). The two groups were categorized as stable graft function and poor graft function with the change of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) after KTx. The recipients were then divided into four groups to assess whether the factors identified in study1 were related to the change in long‐term renal graft function (study2). They were categorized as follows: Improved, Stable, Deteriorated, and Primary non‐function with the change of eGFR after KTx.

Results

In study1, donor age ≥ 50 years (29.5% vs. 65.2%; p = 0.09), banff arteriolar hyalinosis (ah) score (0.66 ± 0.78 vs. 1.2 ± 1.0; p = 0.018), and presence of glomerulosclerosis (43.2% vs. 76.2%; p = 0.017) were significant risk factors for poor long‐term graft function. When the recipients were divided into four groups, the severity of ah correlated well with changes in long‐term renal function.

Conclusions

We can predict the shift in long‐term renal graft function after KTx from DCD according to the severity of ah by 0‐hour biopsy.
Sickle cell disease in Australia: a snapshot from the Australian Haemoglobinopathy Registry
Authors: Nelson Anna , Ho P. Joy , Haysom Helen , Waters Neil , Wellard Cameron , Chee Melissa , Teo Juliana , Greenway Anthea , Mason Kylie , Kidson‐Gerber Giselle , Kaplan Zane , Carter Tina , Cole‐Sinclair Merrole F , Barbaro Pasquale , Wood Erica M. ,   the Haemoglobinopathy Registry investigators
Published: December 2023

Background

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is the most common monogenic disorder worldwide. In deoxygenated conditions, the altered beta chain (haemoglobin S [HbS]) polymerises and distorts the erythrocyte, resulting in pain crises, vasculopathy and end‐organ damage. Clinical complications of SCD cause substantial morbidity, and therapy demands expertise and resources. Optimising care for patients and planning resource allocation for the future requires an understanding of the disease in the Australian population. The Australian Haemoglobinopathy Registry (HbR) is a collaborative initiative of specialist centres collating and analysing data on patients with haemoglobin disorders.

Aims

To provide a snapshot of SCD in Australia over a 12‐month period based on data from the HbR.

Methods

Patients with a clinically significant sickling disorder across 12 clinical sites were included for analysis. Data include demographic and diagnostic details, as well as details of the clinical management of the condition over a 12‐month period.

Results

Data on 359 SCD patients demonstrate a shift in the demographic of patients in Australia, with a growing proportion of sub‐Saharan African ethnicities associated with the HbSS genotype. Acute and chronic complications are common, and patients require significant outpatient and inpatient support. Prevalence of disease complications and therapeutic trends are in keeping with other high‐income countries.

Conclusions

This study provides the first national picture of SCD in Australia, describing the characteristics and needs of SCD patients, elucidating demand for current and novel therapy and facilitating the planning of services for this vulnerable population.
Inborn errors of immunity: A field without frontiers
Authors: Bucciol Giorgia , Delafontaine Selket , Meyts Isabelle , Poli Cecilia
Published: December 2023

The study of primary immunodeficiencies or inborn errors of immunity continues to drive our knowledge of the function of the human immune system. From the outset, the study of inborn errors has focused on unraveling genetic etiologies and molecular mechanisms. Aided by the continuous growth in genetic diagnostics, the field has moved from the study of an infection dominated phenotype to embrace and unravel diverse manifestations of autoinflammation, autoimmunity, malignancy, and severe allergy in all medical disciplines. It has now moved from the study of ultrarare presentations to producing meaningful impact in conditions as diverse as inflammatory bowel disease, neurological conditions, and hematology. Beyond offering immunogenetic diagnosis, the study of underlying inborn errors of immunity in these conditions points to targeted treatment which can be lifesaving.
Strain‐induced effects on thermoelectric performance of layered LaCuOSe
Authors: Feng Shan , Zu Xiaotao , Qiao Liang , Xiao Haiyan
Published: December 2023

In this study, the strain‐induced effects on thermal and electrical transport properties of LaCuOSe are studied by combining first‐principles calculations with semi‐classical Boltzmann transport theory. The results show that external strain affects the crystal and electronic structures of LaCuOSe significantly. It is interesting to find that the electrical conductivity of n‐type LaCuOSe is improved by the tensile strain. In addition, the tensile strain also has positive effects on the Seebeck coefficient of p‐type doped LaCuOSe. Consequently, the power factor of p‐type doped LaCuOSe is enhanced by 18.2% under 10% tensile strain at 800 K. However, due to the obviously affected mechanical properties of LaCuOSe under external strain, the decreased Grüneisen constant and reduced Debye temperatures are resulted, and the lattice thermal conductivity of LaCuOSe at 300 K increases from 2.91 to 5.95 Wm/K with the tensile strain increasing from 0% to 10%. The sharply increased thermal conductivity finally results in the optimal ZT value of 0.076 and 0.417 for ideal p‐ and n‐type LaCuOSe at 800 K being reduced to 0.048 and 0.286 under 10% tensile strain, respectively. These results suggest that the thermoelectrical properties of LaCuOSe need to be further improved for its application under stress.
Structural and psychological empowerment among newly graduated nurses and related factors: A mixed methods study
Authors: Sarıköse Seda , Çelik Sevilay Şenol
Published: December 2023

Aims

To discuss the levels of structural empowerment (SE) and psychological empowerment (PE) and the factors that influence perceptions of empowerment among newly graduated nurses (NGNs).

Design

Mixed methods study.

Methods

The quantitative part of the study was conducted with 220 NGNs with <1 year of job experience. The study was conducted between February and May 2023. Focus group discussions were conducted with 30 NGNs. Data were collected by using the Conditions for Work Effectiveness Questionnaire (CWEQ‐II), the Psychological Empowerment Scale (PES) and a Semi‐Structured Interview Form. Quantitative data were analysed using stepwise regression analysis. Content analysis was used to analyse qualitative data.

Results

CWEQ‐II and PES were moderate. The regression analysis showed that NGNs' SE scores increased in association with the following factors, including an increase in the total score on the PES, being married/having a partner, working a day shift, having career planning, increased satisfaction with the orientation programmes of the institution and increased satisfaction with the employing institution. As a result of the descriptive analysis of the focus group interviews conducted to determine the empowerment perceptions of NGNs, we identified three contexts along with the associated themes and subthemes. These three contexts were the ‘concept of power’, ‘professional impression’ and ‘empowerment process’.

Conclusion

The results of this study indicate that the SE and PE levels of NGNs are moderate, and their empowerment perceptions are influenced by many factors that can be individual, organizational and work environment relevant.

Impact

This study's findings will guide policymakers, educators, researchers and administrators in empowering NGNs essential to the healthcare workforce.

Reporting Method

The paper adheres to the COREQ checklist.

Patient or Public Contribution

No patient or public contribution.
The association of adverse family experiences, physical activity, and depression in a national sample of US adolescents
Authors: Dong Fanghong
Published: December 2023

Problems

Sufficient engagement in physical activity could foster resilience in adolescents and help alleviate the impact of adverse family experiences (AFEs), such as depression. However, the association between cumulative AFEs exposure, physical activity, and depression remains unclear. The aims of this study are to determine the relationship between AFEs and adolescent depression and whether physical activity moderates this relationship.

Methods

Secondary analyses were conducted on 29,617 adolescents aged 12–17 years from the 2016–2017 National Survey of Children's Health. Binomial logistic regression was used to examine the relationship among AFEs, child depression, and physical activity. Covariates include individual‐level, social‐level, and societal‐level factors.

Findings

This study reveals that 7.3% of US adolescents had a depression diagnosis. The odds of having a depression diagnosis among US children were 1.6 times (adjusted OR: 1.6, 95% CI: 1.37–1.86) greater for adolescents with one type of AFEs, and 3.4 times greater (adjusted OR: 3.39, 95% CI: 2.78–4.13) for adolescents with three or more AFEs, compared with children living without AFEs. Physical activity for 1–3 days per week remained a significant, substantial protector of childhood depression among children with at least one type of AFEs (adjusted OR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.62–0.87).

Conclusions

These results suggest a clinical concern for adolescents with more AFEs. Trauma‐informed care to address multiple types of trauma and physical activity interventions to reduce depression symptoms may be particularly important.
Recurrent hypoglycemia induced by clopidogrel: A case report and mini review
Authors: Du Weiguan , Wang Haining , Liu Ye , Hong Tianpei
Published: December 2023

This report describes a patient who developed recurrent hypoglycemia episodes after 23 days of antiplatelet therapy with clopidogrel for left subclavian artery stent implantation. The patient suffered from palpitation, profuse sweating and weakness on the 23rd day of clopidogrel treatment. The minimum plasma glucose was 2.2 mmol/L, and the hypoglycemia was associated with significantly elevated levels of insulin. A diagnosis of insulin autoimmune syndrome (IAS) was made with the presence of insulin autoantibody and a comprehensive differential diagnosis of other conditions related with hypoglycemia. Clopidogrel was stopped, and the patient was treated with acarbose and had frequent low‐carbohydrate meals; his hypoglycemia did not occur within 10 days. To date, seven cases of IAS induced by clopidogrel have been reported. Most reported cases were male aged in their 70s, and the hypoglycemic attack appeared 1–4 weeks after exposure to clopidogrel, characterized by severe hyperinsulinemia hypoglycemia with high titers of insulin autoantibodies. Most IAS cases can resolve spontaneously when they stop using the trigger medicine. Severe cases had been treated with drugs that reduce pancreatic insulin secretion (such as somatostatin and diazoxide), immunosuppressants (glucocorticoids, azathioprine and rituximab) and even immunoadsorption to remove the insulin autoantibody from the body. Considering the hypoglycemic attack might increase the risk of cardiovascular events among patients taking clopidogrel, we recommend that doctors should be aware of IAS as a rare severe adverse effect of clopidogrel, and be vigilant for the symptoms related with hypoglycemia in clopidogrel users.
Altered brain activity and cognitive impairment in patients with psoriasis
Authors: Yi Xiaoping , Wang Xueying , Fu Yan , Luo Yan , Wang Jing , Han Zaide , Kuang Yehong , Chen Xiang , Chen Bihong T.
Published: December 2023

Background

Patients with psoriasis may have cognitive impairment. However, there is limited information regarding intrinsic brain activity and cognitive function in patients with psoriasis.

Objectives

This study aim to assess alterations of intrinsic brain activity and its association with cognitive function in patients with psoriasis.

Methods

A total of 222 patients with psoriasis aged 18–70 years and 144 age and gender‐matched healthy controls (HCs) were enrolled into this study. All subjects underwent brain resting‐state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs‐fMRI) and neuropsychological testing. The rs‐fMRI data were analysed for both intrinsic brain activity as indicated by amplitude of low‐frequency fluctuation (ALFF) and seed‐based functional connectivity (FC). Correlative analysis of brain activity with cognitive assessment was performed.

Results

Compared with the HCs, patients with psoriasis had worse cognitive performance in the Trail Making Test, Digit Span Test and Stroop Color‐Word Test (p < 0.05). Patients with psoriasis showed decreased ALFF in the left superior frontal gyrus, the left medial superior frontal gyrus and the right precuneus gyrus; as well as enhanced ALFF in the left paracentral lobule (pFWE < 0.05). Significant correlations were noted between the altered ALFF in the four brain regions and cognitive assessment (p < 0.05). Moreover, patients with psoriasis had increased FC between the four brain regions with altered ALFF (seeds) and the left prefrontal gyrus, the left anterior cingulate gyrus, left superior parietal lobule and default mode network (DMN) regions such as the right precuneus gyrus, left inferior parietal lobule, right angular gyrus and bilateral inferior temporal gyrus (pFWE < 0.05).

Conclusions

Patients with psoriasis had altered brain activity and connectivity in the key brain areas within the DMN–prefrontal circuit. These brain changes may be the underlying neural correlates for cognitive functioning in patients with psoriasis.
Clinician approaches to new spine pain cases in primary care: Balance of opioid prescribing and early linkage to exercise therapy and spinal manipulation
Authors: Bauer Mark R. , Richard Patrick , Ritter Grant , Yoon Jangho , Larson Mary Jo
Published: December 2023

Rationale, Aims and Objectives

Spine pain (SP) is common and often disabling. Clinical practice guidelines discourage opioid treatment and outline the value of varied nonpharmacologic therapies (NPTs). This study elucidates the amount of variability in primary‐care clinicians' (PCPs') prescribing of opioids and in their cases' receipt of the two most common NPTs (exercise therapy and spinal manipulation).

Method

The design was a retrospective cohort study examining variation in the treatment of PCPs' new SP cases, classified by receipt of (a) prescription of an opioid at the initial visit; (b) exercise therapy and/or spinal manipulation within 30 days of initial visit. The study was set in the primary care clinics at military treatment facilities of the US Military Health System in the period between October 2011 and September 2016.

Results

The majority of cases did not receive a study treatment (66.3%); 19.6% of cases received only NPT within 30 days of initial visit; 11.5% were prescribed only an opioid at the initial visit with receipt of both NPT and opioid during early treatment rare (2.6%). Exercise therapy within 30 days exhibited more than a twofold difference in interquartile percentile rates (IQR) (median provision 15.8%, IQR 9.8%−22.1%). The other treatments exhibited even greater variation; specifically, spinal manipulation (median 8.5%, IQR 3.3%−15.8%), and opioid at initial visit (median 10.3%, IQR 4.4%−18.2%). The availability of physical therapists and doctors of chiropractic had significant association with several clinical provision rates.

Conclusion

Among providers of spine care for a sample of Army soldiers, there was substantial variation in the early provision of exercise therapy, spinal manipulation, and opioid prescriptions. The magnitude of the case‐mix adjusted variation and its association with facility availability of providers suggests that quality of care initiatives may help reduce this variation.
In memoriam: Thomas Cavalier‐Smith (1942–2021)
Authors: Langlois Gaytha A. , Rueckert Sonja
Published: December 2023

Thomas Cavalier‐Smith, born in London, U.K., on October 21, 1942, was a Professor of Evolutionary Biology in the Department of Zoology at the University of Oxford at the time of his death on March 19, 2021. Credited with at least 235 research works and over 20,000 citations, Cavalier‐Smith was a well‐known and widely respected scientist who took a bold and detailed approach to understanding major transitions in evolution, including the role of endosymbiosis. He was noted for his willingness to question theories and constantly accumulate and evaluate data, motivated by science for the sake of science. This paper reviews Thomas Cavalier‐Smith's major accomplishments, examines his theoretical approaches, and provides highlights from the “Tree of Life Symposium” sponsored by the International Society of Protistologists (ISOP) and the International Society of Evolutionary Protistology (ISEP) on June 21, 2021, to celebrate Tom's life and work.
Covalent immobilization of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida albicans cell walls for aflatoxin M1 bio‐detoxification
Authors: Teymourlouei Solmaz Moradi , Khiabani Mahmood Sowti , Mokarram Reza Rezaei , Ghiasifar Shiva , Kafil Hossein Samadi
Published: December 2023

The study compared the bio‐detoxification capabilities of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida albicans cell walls for aflatoxin M1 (AFM1). The yeast cell walls were disrupted using thermal shock‐ultrasound, resulting in 75 nm particles, as confirmed by dynamic light scattering. These disrupted cell walls were then immobilized on nano‐zeolite and entrapped in ca‐alginate. SEM, FTIR & XRD confirmed their physical absorption on the nano‐zeolite and entrapment in ca‐alginate. Samples were exposed to AFM1 for 15 min and 24 h, either in combination or free, before or after immobilization. HPLC analysis revealed significant variations in AFM1 reduction. The highest reduction of 89.49% was observed after 15 min with alginate treatment, while the immobilized‐entrapped C. albicans cell wall showed the lowest reduction of 24.77% after 24 h. Both free Candida cell walls and immobilized‐entrapped Saccharomyces cell walls showed impressive detoxification abilities. Additionally, immobilized‐entrapped cell walls are reusable and a sustainable choice for industrial use.
Artificial intelligence‐aided diagnostic imaging: A state‐of‐the‐art technique in precancerous screening
Authors: Lu Yang‐Bor , Lu Si‐Cun , Li Fu‐Dong , Le Puo‐Hsien , Zhang Kai‐Hua , Sun Zi‐Zheng , Huang Yung‐Ning , Weng Yu‐Chieh , Chen Wei‐Ting , Fu Yi‐Wei , Qian Jun‐Bo , Hu Bin , Xu Hong , Chiu Cheng‐Tang , Xu Qin‐Wei , Gong Wei
Published: December 2023

Background and Aim

Chromoendoscopy with the use of indigo carmine (IC) dye is a crucial endoscopic technique to identify gastrointestinal neoplasms. However, its performance is limited by the endoscopist's skill, and no standards are available for lesion identification. Thus, we developed an artificial intelligence (AI) model to replace chromoendoscopy.

Methods

This pilot study assessed the feasibility of our novel AI model in the conversion of white‐light images (WLI) into virtual IC‐dyed images based on a generative adversarial network. The predictions of our AI model were evaluated against the assessments of five endoscopic experts who were blinded to the purpose of this study with a staining quality rating from 1 (unacceptable) to 4 (excellent).

Results

The AI model successfully transformed the WLI of polyps with different morphologies and different types of lesions in the gastrointestinal tract into virtual IC‐dyed images. The quality ratings of the real IC‐dyed and AI images did not significantly differ concerning surface structure (AI vs IC: 3.08 vs 3.00), lesion border (3.04 vs 2.98), and overall contrast (3.14 vs 3.02) from 10 sets of images (10 AI images and 10 real IC‐dyed images). Although the score depended significantly on the evaluator, the staining methods (AI or real IC) and evaluators had no significant interaction (P > 0.05) with each other.

Conclusion

Our results demonstrated the feasibility of employing AI model's virtual IC staining, increasing the possibility of being employed in daily practice. This novel technology may facilitate gastrointestinal lesion identification in the future.