bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Capsular Contracture Rate in Augmentation Mammoplasty With Motiva Breast Implant Insertion: A Single-Center Experience in Korea
Authors: Lee Sangdal , Kim Minkuk , Kim Mi , Ryu Woosang , Back Seunghee
Published: May 2023

Background

Capsular contracture is the most common complication following breast implant surgery, and the implant shell characteristics are important in preventing this complication.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to evaluate the capsular contracture rate for SmoothSilk Motiva implants (Establishment Labs Holdings Inc., New York, NY) in females who underwent primary and revisional breast augmentation over a 3-year period.

Methods

A total of 1324 cases that took place from 2017 to 2020 were retrospectively analyzed, with 1027 being primary surgeries and 297 being revisional surgeries.

Results

In the 1324 cases of augmentation mammoplasty with SmoothSilk Motiva implants, the overall capsular contracture rate was 1.8% (n = 24). The capsular contracture rate in the 1027 primary surgery cases was 1.07% (n = 11), and the capsular contracture rate in the 297 revisional surgery cases was significantly different at 4.39% (n = 13, P = .0001). More specifically, the capsular contracture rate in 182 revisional surgery for cases without capsular contracture was 1.12% (n = 2), and it showed no statistically significant difference from the rate in primary surgery cases (P = .965). However, the rate in 115 revisional surgery for cases with capsular contracture was 9.57% (n = 11), and it showed a statistically significant difference from the rate in primary surgery cases (P = .000) and the rate in revisional surgery for cases without capsular contracture (P = .001).

Conclusions

Augmentation mammoplasty with SmoothSilk Motiva implants demonstrated a lower rate of capsular contracture than traditional smooth or textured implants. Revisional surgery for cases without capsular contracture showed a similar rate of capsular contracture to primary surgery cases, but the rates were higher in revisional surgery for cases with capsular contracture.

Level of Evidence: 4
Precision oncology: a review to assess interpretability in several explainable methods
Authors: Gimeno Marian , Sada del Real Katyna , Rubio Angel
Published: May 2023

Great efforts have been made to develop precision medicine-based treatments using machine learning. In this field, where the goal is to provide the optimal treatment for each patient based on his/her medical history and genomic characteristics, it is not sufficient to make excellent predictions. The challenge is to understand and trust the model’s decisions while also being able to easily implement it. However, one of the issues with machine learning algorithms—particularly deep learning—is their lack of interpretability. This review compares six different machine learning methods to provide guidance for defining interpretability by focusing on accuracy, multi-omics capability, explainability and implementability. Our selection of algorithms includes tree-, regression- and kernel-based methods, which we selected for their ease of interpretation for the clinician. We also included two novel explainable methods in the comparison. No significant differences in accuracy were observed when comparing the methods, but an improvement was observed when using gene expression instead of mutational status as input for these methods. We concentrated on the current intriguing challenge: model comprehension and ease of use. Our comparison suggests that the tree-based methods are the most interpretable of those tested.
Nonlinear data fusion over Entity–Relation graphs for Drug–Target Interaction prediction
Authors: Mazzone Eugenio , Moreau Yves , Fariselli Piero , Raimondi Daniele
Published: May 2023

Motivation

The prediction of reliable Drug–Target Interactions (DTIs) is a key task in computer-aided drug design and repurposing. Here, we present a new approach based on data fusion for DTI prediction built on top of the NXTfusion library, which generalizes the Matrix Factorization paradigm by extending it to the nonlinear inference over Entity–Relation graphs.

Results

We benchmarked our approach on five datasets and we compared our models against state-of-the-art methods. Our models outperform most of the existing methods and, simultaneously, retain the flexibility to predict both DTIs as binary classification and regression of the real-valued drug–target affinity, competing with models built explicitly for each task. Moreover, our findings suggest that the validation of DTI methods should be stricter than what has been proposed in some previous studies, focusing more on mimicking real-life DTI settings where predictions for previously unseen drugs, proteins, and drug–protein pairs are needed. These settings are exactly the context in which the benefit of integrating heterogeneous information with our Entity–Relation data fusion approach is the most evident.

Availability and implementation

All software and data are available at https://github.com/eugeniomazzone/CPI-NXTFusion and https://pypi.org/project/NXTfusion/.
The COVID-19 Pandemic’s Impact on UK Older People’s Social Workers: A Mixed-Methods Study
Authors: MacLochlainn Justin , Manthorpe Jill , Mallett John , McGrory Susan , Ravalier Jermaine , Nicholl Patricia , Schroder Heike , Currie Denise , McFadden Paula
Published: May 2023

The social work profession was heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In this study, we examined the well-being, working conditions and intentions to leave the social work profession among a sample of UK older people’s social workers. This was a cross-sectional mixed methods study analysing data from 426 social workers who worked in older people’s services in the UK at five time points of the pandemic spanning 2020–2022. Data were collected using anonymous online surveys which included both quantitative and qualitative questions. The mental well-being of participants decreased as the pandemic progressed and this decline was associated with intentions to leave the profession. Thematic analysis of qualitative data revealed two major themes: Practice challenges and Staff well-being. The findings highlight the nature of stressors related to internal related practice demands, and external health and social care service stressors encountered during the COVID-19 pandemic and have implications for policy, practice and research in older people’s social work.
The functional role of the precuneus
Authors: Dadario Nicholas B , Sughrue Michael E
Published: May 2023

Recent advancements in computational approaches and neuroimaging techniques have refined our understanding of the precuneus. While previously believed to be largely a visual processing region, the importance of the precuneus in complex cognitive functions has been previously less familiar due to a lack of focal lesions in this deeply seated region, but also a poor understanding of its true underlying anatomy. Fortunately, recent studies have revealed significant information on the structural and functional connectivity of this region, and this data has provided a more detailed mechanistic understanding of the importance of the precuneus in healthy and pathologic states. Through improved resting-state functional MRI analyses, it has become clear that the function of the precuneus can be better understood based on its functional association with large scale brain networks. Dual default mode network systems have been well explained in recent years in supporting episodic memory and theory of mind; however, a novel ‘para-cingulate’ network, which is a subnetwork of the larger central executive network, with likely significant roles in self-referential processes and related psychiatric symptoms is introduced here and requires further clarification. Importantly, detailed anatomic studies on the precuneus structural connectivity inside and beyond the cingulate cortex has demonstrated the presence of large structural white matter connections, which provide an additional layer of meaning to the structural-functional significance of this region and its association with large scale brain networks. Together, the structural-functional connectivity of the precuneus has provided central elements which can model various neurodegenerative diseases and psychiatric disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease and depression.
Microglial extracellular vesicles induce Alzheimer’s disease-related cortico-hippocampal network dysfunction
Authors: Falcicchia Chiara , Tozzi Francesca , Gabrielli Martina , Amoretti Stefano , Masini Greta , Nardi Gabriele , Guglielmo Stefano , Ratto Gian Michele , Arancio Ottavio , Verderio Claudia , Origlia Nicola
Published: May 2023

β-Amyloid is one of the main pathological hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease and plays a major role in synaptic dysfunction. It has been demonstrated that β-amyloid can elicit aberrant excitatory activity in cortical-hippocampal networks, which is associated with behavioural abnormalities. However, the mechanism of the spreading of β-amyloid action within a specific circuitry has not been elucidated yet. We have previously demonstrated that the motion of microglia-derived large extracellular vesicles carrying β-amyloid, at the neuronal surface, is crucial for the initiation and propagation of synaptic dysfunction along the entorhinal–hippocampal circuit. Here, using chronic EEG recordings, we show that a single injection of extracellular vesicles carrying β-amyloid into the mouse entorhinal cortex could trigger alterations in the cortical and hippocampal activity that are reminiscent of those found in Alzheimer’s disease mouse models and human patients. The development of EEG abnormalities was associated with progressive memory impairment as assessed by an associative (object-place context recognition) and non-associative (object recognition) task. Importantly, when the motility of extracellular vesicles, carrying β-amyloid, was inhibited, the effect on network stability and memory function was significantly reduced. Our model proposes a new biological mechanism based on the extracellular vesicles–mediated progression of β-amyloid pathology and offers the opportunity to test pharmacological treatments targeting the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.
Imaging the columnar functional organization of human area MT+ to axis-of-motion stimuli using VASO at 7 Tesla
Authors: Pizzuti Alessandra , Huber Laurentius (Renzo) , Gulban Omer Faruk , Benitez-Andonegui Amaia , Peters Judith , Goebel Rainer
Published: May 2023

Cortical columns of direction-selective neurons in the motion sensitive area (MT) have been successfully established as a microscopic feature of the neocortex in animals. The same property has been investigated at mesoscale (<1 mm) in the homologous brain area (hMT+, V5) in living humans by using ultra-high field functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Despite the reproducibility of the selective response to axis-of-motion stimuli, clear quantitative evidence for the columnar organization of hMT+ is still lacking. Using cerebral blood volume (CBV)-sensitive fMRI at 7 Tesla with submillimeter resolution and high spatial specificity to microvasculature, we investigate the columnar functional organization of hMT+ in 5 participants perceiving axis-of-motion stimuli for both blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) and vascular space occupancy (VASO) contrast mechanisms provided by the used slice-selective slab-inversion (SS-SI)-VASO sequence. With the development of a new searchlight algorithm for column detection, we provide the first quantitative columnarity map that characterizes the entire 3D hMT+ volume. Using voxel-wise measures of sensitivity and specificity, we demonstrate the advantage of using CBV-sensitive fMRI to detect mesoscopic cortical features by revealing higher specificity of axis-of-motion cortical columns for VASO as compared to BOLD contrast. These voxel-wise metrics also provide further insights on how to mitigate the highly debated draining veins effect. We conclude that using CBV–VASO fMRI together with voxel-wise measurements of sensitivity, specificity and columnarity offers a promising avenue to quantify the mesoscopic organization of hMT+ with respect to axis-of-motion stimuli. Furthermore, our approach and methodological developments are generalizable and applicable to other human brain areas where similar mesoscopic research questions are addressed.
Early Flexible Sigmoidoscopy Improves Clinical Outcomes in Acute Severe Ulcerative Colitis
Authors: Sharma Shreyak , Li Darrick K , Levine Louis J , Chaar Abdelkader , McMillan Chandler , Gaidos Jill K J , Proctor Deborah D , Al-Bawardy Badr
Published: May 2023

Objectives

Guidelines recommend performing a flexible sigmoidoscopy in patients hospitalized with acute severe ulcerative colitis (ASUC). However, it is unclear if time to sigmoidoscopy affects relevant clinical outcomes. We aimed to assess the impact of early sigmoidoscopy on clinical outcomes using a well-characterized cohort of patients with ASUC.

Methods

This is a single-center, retrospective study of all patients hospitalized with ASUC from January 1, 2012 to November 1, 2021. Early sigmoidoscopy was defined as occurring within 72 hours of admission while delayed sigmoidoscopy was defined as occurring >72 hours after admission. Primary outcomes were cumulative days of intravenous (IV) corticosteroid (CS) use, length of hospital stay, and colectomy rates. Secondary outcomes were time to infliximab (IFX) rescue and inpatient opioid medication use.

Results

A total of 112 patients hospitalized with ASUC who underwent sigmoidoscopy were included in the analysis. Eighty-seven patients (78%) had early sigmoidoscopy and 25 (22%) had delayed sigmoidoscopy. Patients in the early sigmoidoscopy group were exposed to significantly fewer days of IV CS (4.5 vs 9.2 days; P < .001), had shorter hospital stays (6.4 vs 19.3 days; P < .001), and shorter time to IFX rescue (3.5 vs 6.4 days; P = .004). Rates of colectomy in the early and delayed sigmoidoscopy groups were 17% versus 28%, respectively (P = .23). Longer time to sigmoidoscopy was associated with a 16% increased risk of colectomy (HR = 1.16, P = .002).

Conclusions

In this well-characterized cohort, early sigmoidoscopy in ASUC was associated with favorable clinical outcomes. These findings highlight the benefits of early sigmoidoscopy in patients with ASUC. Larger prospective studies are needed to corroborate these findings.
Coronary microvascular health in symptomatic patients with prior COVID-19 infection: an updated analysis
Authors: Ahmed Ahmed Ibrahim , Al Rifai Mahmoud , Alahdab Fares , Saad Jean Michel , Han Yushui , Alfawara Moath Said , Nayfeh Malek , Malahfji Maan , Nabi Faisal , Mahmarian John J , Cooke John P , Zoghbi William A , Al-Mallah Mouaz H
Published: May 2023

Aims

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is associated with endothelial dysfunction. We aimed to determine the effects of prior coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on the coronary microvasculature accounting for time from COVID-19, disease severity, SARS-CoV-2 variants, and in subgroups of patients with diabetes and those with no known coronary artery disease.

Methods and results

Cases consisted of patients with previous COVID-19 who had clinically indicated positron emission tomography (PET) imaging and were matched 1:3 on clinical and cardiovascular risk factors to controls having no prior infection. Myocardial flow reserve (MFR) was calculated as the ratio of stress to rest myocardial blood flow (MBF) in mL/min/g of the left ventricle. Comparisons between cases and controls were made for the odds and prevalence of impaired MFR (MFR < 2). We included 271 cases matched to 815 controls (mean ± SD age 65 ± 12 years, 52% men). The median (inter-quartile range) number of days between COVID-19 infection and PET imaging was 174 (58–338) days. Patients with prior COVID-19 had a statistically significant higher odds of MFR <2 (adjusted odds ratio 3.1, 95% confidence interval 2.8–4.25 P < 0.001). Results were similar in clinically meaningful subgroups. The proportion of cases with MFR <2 peaked 6–9 months from imaging with a statistically non-significant downtrend afterwards and was comparable across SARS-CoV-2 variants but increased with increasing severity of infection.

Conclusion

The prevalence of impaired MFR is similar by duration of time from infection up to 1 year and SARS-CoV-2 variants, but significantly differs by severity of infection.
A gene risk score using missense variants in SLCO1B1 is associated with earlier onset statin intolerance
Authors: Bigossi Margherita , Maroteau Cyrielle , Dawed Adem Y , Taylor Alasdair , Srinivasan Sundararajan , Melhem Alaa’ Lufti , Pearson Ewan R , Pola Roberto , Palmer Colin N A , Siddiqui Moneeza K
Published: May 2023

Background and aims

The efficacy of statin therapy is hindered by intolerance to the therapy, leading to discontinuation. Variants in SLCO1B1, which encodes the hepatic transporter OATB1B1, influence statin pharmacokinetics, resulting in altered plasma concentrations of the drug and its metabolites. Current pharmacogenetic guidelines require sequencing of the SLCO1B1 gene, which is more expensive and less accessible than genotyping. In this study, we aimed to develop an easy, clinically implementable functional gene risk score (GRS) of common variants in SLCO1B1 to identify patients at risk of statin intolerance.

Methods and results

A GRS was developed from four common variants in SLCO1B1. In statin users from Tayside, Scotland, UK, those with a high-risk GRS had increased odds across three phenotypes of statin intolerance [general statin intolerance (GSI): ORGSI 2.42; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.29–4.31, P = 0.003; statin-related myopathy: ORSRM 2.51; 95% CI: 1.28–4.53, P = 0.004; statin-related suspected rhabdomyolysis: ORSRSR 2.85; 95% CI: 1.03–6.65, P = 0.02]. In contrast, using the Val174Ala genotype alone or the recommended OATP1B1 functional phenotypes produced weaker and less reliable results. A meta-analysis with results from adjudicated cases of statin-induced myopathy in the PREDICTION-ADR Consortium confirmed these findings (ORVal174Ala 1.99; 95% CI: 1.01–3.95, P = 0.048; ORGRS 1.76; 95% CI: 1.16–2.69, P = 0.008). For those requiring high-dose statin therapy, the high-risk GRS was more consistently associated with the time to onset of statin intolerance amongst the three phenotypes compared with Val174Ala (GSI: HRVal174Ala 2.49; 95% CI: 1.09–5.68, P = 0.03; HRGRS 2.44; 95% CI: 1.46–4.08, P < 0.001). Finally, sequence kernel association testing confirmed that rare variants in SLCO1B1 are associated with the risk of intolerance (P = 0.02).

Conclusion

We provide evidence that a GRS based on four common SLCO1B1 variants provides an easily implemented genetic tool that is more reliable than the current recommended practice in estimating the risk and predicting early-onset statin intolerance.
Need for improvement of cardiovascular health: a clustering method to identify cardiovascular health profiles.
Authors: Soyer Jessica , Gabet Amélie , Grave Clémence , Piffaretti Clara , Verdot Charlotte , Salanave Benoit , Deschamps Valérie , Fosse-Edorh Sandrine , Carcaillon-Bentata Laura , Olié Valérie
Published: May 2023

Background

In France, the overall trend in the incidence of cardiovascular disease is unfavourable, especially in young subjects. This highlights the need to promote cardiovascular health by targeting the main risk factors. Social marketing campaigns to improve cardiovascular health should identify unhealthy behaviour and understand the target audience. The objective of this study was to identify poor cardiovascular health profiles in the French population using a clustering method.

Methods

Subjects aged 18–74 years with no history of cardiovascular disease were included from the Esteban cross-sectional survey (2014–16). To evaluate cardiovascular health, seven items were considered as defined by the American Heart Association: blood glucose, blood cholesterol, blood pressure, body mass index, cigarette smoking, diet and physical activity. Cardiovascular health profiles were identified from these seven items by combining multiple correspondence analysis with hierarchical clustering and partitioning.

Results

A total of 1673 subjects were included in the main analysis. Five cardiovascular health profiles were identified: two profiles corresponded to subjects with poor cardiovascular health (mainly older men with a low socioeconomic status), two to subjects with intermediate cardiovascular health (one mainly comprised of young women with a low socioeconomic status and the other of young subjects with a high socioeconomic status) and one to subjects with good cardiovascular health (mainly older women).

Conclusion

This description of cardiovascular health profiles, which led to the identification and characterization of target audiences for future population-based prevention campaigns, should be the starting point for improving cardiovascular health in the French population.
ERK inhibition aids IFN-β promoter activation during EV71 infection by blocking CRYAB degradation in SH-SY5Y cells
Authors: Chen Dengming , Chen Cheng , Tan Jingyu , Yang Jing , Chen Bangtao
Published: May 2023

Enterovirus 71 (EV71) can cause severe hand-foot-and-mouth disease with neurological complications. It has evolved multiple mechanisms to compromise the host type I interferon (IFN-I) response. In neuronal cells, EV71-mediated IFN-I antagonism may be associated with neural precursor cell-expressed developmentally downregulated 4-like (Nedd4L), the E3 ubiquitin ligase that can interact with alphaB-crystallin (CRYAB) in the regulation of Nav1.5 stability. Here, we investigated the effect of CRYAB stability on IFN-β promoter activity in neuronal SH-SY5Y cells infected with EV71, and its relations to Nedd4 L and extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK). Results showed that EV71 infection significantly caused CRYAB degradation via the Nedd4L-proteasome pathway, which required ERK-mediated phosphorylation of Serine 45 in CRYAB. Subsequently, it was observed that siRNA- or EV71-mediated CRYAB reduction limited Poly(dAT)-activated IFN-β promoter, and CRYAB stabilisation by U0126-mediated inhibition of ERK activation remarkably enhanced the activity of IFN-β promoter upon EV71 challenge. Collectively, we elucidate a novel mechanism by which ERK activation contributes to EV71 immune escape via CRYAB/IFN-β axis in SH-SY5Y cells, indicating that perturbing ERK activation is desirable for anti-EV71 therapy.
Inequality, Social Context, and Income Bias in Voting: Evidence from South Korea
Authors: Han Seungwoo , Kwon Hyeok Yong
Published: May 2023

The effect of inequality on income bias in voting is a contentious topic in the literature. In this article, we explore the effect of inequality in terms of social context. We argue that perceptions of inequality and regional economic inequality provide a social context in which citizens form relative class identity and shape their political behavior. We analyze individual-level surveys and administrative district-level data consisting of 252 South Korean administrative units in 2012–2020. The findings of the individual-level analysis suggest that perceptions of high inequality boost voter turnout, and that this effect is stronger among citizens with low incomes. As lower-income earners recognize themselves as being at a greater distance from the higher-income group, it activates a grievance effect and increases their incentive to participate in voting. The results from the district-level analysis suggest that the participation of lower-income individuals is more likely to increase in response to local inequality than the participation levels of their higher-income neighbors. Our findings suggest that the mass public utilizes their perceptions of inequality and the degree of intra-regional economic inequality as a heuristic to decide whether to turnout to vote, and that this occurs among both the rich and the poor.
Evaluating Whether an Inpatient Initiative to Time Lab Draws in the Evening Reduces Anemia
Authors: Zaretsky Jonah , Eaton Kevin P , Sonne Christopher , Zhao Yunan , Jones Simon , Hochman Katherine , Blecker Saul
Published: May 2023

Background

Hospital acquired anemia is common during admission and can result in increased transfusion and length of stay. Recumbent posture is known to lead to lower hemoglobin measurements. We tested to see if an initiative promoting evening lab draws would lead to higher hemoglobin measurements due to more time in upright posture during the day and evening.

Methods

We included patients hospitalized on 2 medical units, beginning March 26, 2020 and discharged prior to January 25, 2021. On one of the units, we implemented an initiative to have routine laboratory draws in the evening rather than the morning starting on August 26, 2020. There were 1217 patients on the control unit and 1265 on the intervention unit during the entire study period. First we used a linear mixed-effects model to see if timing of blood draw was associated with hemoglobin level in the pre-intervention period. We then compared levels of hemoglobin before and after the intervention using a difference-in-difference analysis.

Results

In the pre-intervention period, evening blood draws were associated with higher hemoglobin compared to morning (0.28; 95% CI, 0.22–0.35). Evening blood draws increased with the intervention (10.3% vs 47.9%, P > 0.001). However, the intervention floor was not associated with hemoglobin levels in difference-in-difference analysis (coefficient of −0.15; 95% CI, −0.51–0.21).

Conclusions

While evening blood draws were associated with higher hemoglobin levels, an intervention that successfully changed timing of routine labs to the evening did not lead to an increase in hemoglobin levels.
A method for characterization of stress concentration degree of coal mine roadway surrounding rock
Authors: Zhan Kai , Wen Xiaotao , Wang Xuben , Kong Chao
Published: May 2023

An accurate assessment of the stress concentration of the surrounding rock is crucial for ensuring safety in underground coal mines with a high potential for rockburst accidents. Traditional methods for measuring the stress of the surrounding rock use borehole stress-monitoring equipment and drilling and cutting methods. However, these methods do not always yield accurate and reliable data. In this study, we aim to explore the feasibility of a novel approach for characterizing stress concentration in surrounding rock using monitoring while drilling technology during large-diameter drilling. This study combined microseismic monitoring to collect vibration signals during the drilling process and collection of pulverized coal samples at each drilling stage. We analyzed the amplitude, number of coal vibration events and proportion of coarse pulverized coal. By integrating these indices, we characterized the stress concentration in the surrounding rock. Our approach was validated by comparing accurate, stable and representative data from deep- and shallow-hole stress gauges installed in similar locations and data from the conventional drilling cutting method. Our findings indicate that the proposed method provides a reliable and effective alternative to traditional techniques during large-diameter drilling. The proposed approach can significantly enhance safety management in underground coal mines prone to rockburst accidents.
A Primer on the Data Cleaning Pipeline
Authors: Steorts Rebecca C
Published: May 2023

The availability of both structured and unstructured databases, such as electronic health data, social media data, patent data, and surveys that are often updated in real time, among others, has grown rapidly over the past decade. With this expansion, the statistical and methodological questions around data integration, or rather merging multiple data sources, have also grown. Specifically, the science of the “data cleaning pipeline” contains four stages that allow an analyst to perform downstream tasks, predictive analyses, or statistical analyses on “cleaned data.” This article provides a review of this emerging field, introducing technical terminology and commonly used methods.
Observations of the planetary nebula SMP LMC 058 with the JWST MIRI medium resolution spectrometer
Authors: Jones O C , Álvarez-Márquez J , Sloan G C , Kavanagh P J , Argyriou I , Law D R , Labiano A , Patapis P , Mueller Michael , Larson Kirsten L , Bright Stacey N , Klaassen P D , Fox O D , Gasman Danny , Geers V C , Glauser Adrian M , Guillard Pierre , Nayak Omnarayani , Noriega-Crespo A , Ressler Michael E , Sargent B , Temim T , Vandenbussche B , Marín Macarena García
Published: May 2023

During the commissioning of JWST, the Medium-Resolution Spectrometer (MRS) on the Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) observed the planetary nebula SMP LMC 058 in the Large Magellanic Cloud. The MRS was designed to provide medium resolution (R = λ/Δλ) 3D spectroscopy in the whole MIRI range. SMP LMC 058 is the only source observed in JWST commissioning that is both spatially and spectrally unresolved by the MRS and is a good test of JWST’s capabilities. The new MRS spectra reveal a wealth of emission lines not previously detected in this planetary nebula. From these lines, the spectral resolving power (λ/Δλ) of the MRS is confirmed to be in the range R = 4000 to 1500, depending on the MRS spectral sub-band. In addition, the spectra confirm that the carbon-rich dust emission is from SiC grains and that there is little to no time evolution of the SiC dust and emission line strengths over a 17-year epoch. These commissioning data reveal the great potential of the MIRI MRS for the study of circumstellar and interstellar material.
Restriction-modification systems have shaped the evolution and distribution of plasmids across bacteria
Authors: Shaw Liam P , Rocha Eduardo P C , MacLean R Craig
Published: May 2023

Many novel traits such as antibiotic resistance are spread by plasmids between species. Yet plasmids have different host ranges. Restriction-modification systems (R-M systems) are by far the most abundant bacterial defense system and therefore represent one of the key barriers to plasmid spread. However, their effect on plasmid evolution and host range has been neglected. Here we analyse the avoidance of targets of the most abundant R-M systems (Type II) for complete genomes and plasmids across bacterial diversity. For the most common target length (6 bp) we show that target avoidance is strongly correlated with the taxonomic distribution of R-M systems and is greater in plasmid genes than core genes. We find stronger avoidance of R-M targets in plasmids which are smaller and have a broader host range. Our results suggest two different evolutionary strategies for plasmids: small plasmids primarily adapt to R-M systems by tuning their sequence composition, and large plasmids primarily adapt through the carriage of additional genes protecting from restriction. Our work provides systematic evidence that R-M systems are important barriers to plasmid transfer and have left their mark on plasmids over long evolutionary time.
ncOrtho: efficient and reliable identification of miRNA orthologs
Authors: Langschied Felix , Leisegang Matthias S , Brandes Ralf P , Ebersberger Ingo
Published: May 2023

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are post-transcriptional regulators that finetune gene expression via translational repression or degradation of their target mRNAs. Despite their functional relevance, frameworks for the scalable and accurate detection of miRNA orthologs are missing. Consequently, there is still no comprehensive picture of how miRNAs and their associated regulatory networks have evolved. Here we present ncOrtho, a synteny informed pipeline for the targeted search of miRNA orthologs in unannotated genome sequences. ncOrtho matches miRNA annotations from multi-tissue transcriptomes in precision, while scaling to the analysis of hundreds of custom-selected species. The presence-absence pattern of orthologs to 266 human miRNA families across 402 vertebrate species reveals four bursts of miRNA acquisition, of which the most recent event occurred in the last common ancestor of higher primates. miRNA families are rarely modified or lost, but notable exceptions for both events exist. miRNA co-ortholog numbers faithfully indicate lineage-specific whole genome duplications, and miRNAs are powerful markers for phylogenomic analyses. Their exceptionally low genetic diversity makes them suitable to resolve clades where the phylogenetic signal is blurred by incomplete lineage sorting of ancestral alleles. In summary, ncOrtho allows to routinely consider miRNAs in evolutionary analyses that were thus far reserved to protein-coding genes.
Transformation of CO2 and H2 to C2+ chemicals and fuels
Authors: Qian Qingli , Han Buxing
Published: May 2023

This perspective highlights the progress of CO2 hydrogenation to multicarbon (C2+) products, by discussing some typical related works, future opportunities and challenges.
Multi-omics for COVID-19: driving development of therapeutics and vaccines
Authors: Guo Mengyu , Xiong Muya , Peng Jinying , Guan Tong , Su Haixia , Huang Yanyi , Yang Cai-Guang , Li Yang , Boraschi Diana , Pillaiyar Thanigaimalai , Wang Guanbo , Yi Chengqi , Xu Yechun , Chen Chunying
Published: May 2023

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 has raised global concern for public health and economy. The development of therapeutics and vaccines to combat this virus is continuously progressing. Multi-omics approaches, including genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, epigenomics and metallomics, have helped understand the structural and molecular features of the virus, thereby assisting in the design of potential therapeutics and accelerating vaccine development for COVID-19. Here, we provide an up-to-date overview of the latest applications of multi-omics technologies in strategies addressing COVID-19, in order to provide suggestions towards the development of highly effective knowledge-based therapeutics and vaccines.
Entertainments from a Medieval Minstrel’s Repertoire Book
Authors: Wade James
Published: May 2023

National Library of Scotland, Advocates’ MS 19.3.1 (the Heege Manuscript) is a large, late-fifteenth-century English miscellany manuscript from the border of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. Its first booklet, which existed independently of the manuscript’s other eight booklets throughout much or all of its medieval life, contains three texts: the tail-rhyme burlesque romance The Hunting of the Hare, a mock sermon in prose, and the alliterative nonsense verse The Battle of Brackonwet. This essay proposes that Richard Heege, the booklet’s scribe, copied these texts from the repertoire of a local entertainer, be that a gifted amateur or, very plausibly, a travelling minstrel working a regular beat. In this light, the booklet’s comic, crude, and sometimes frivolous contents take on new significance in the history of English literature, as they provide close evidence for what made up the entertainments of English oral culture—or minstrelsy—at the end of the Middle Ages.
Mapping the fraction of dwellings exceeding radon level thresholds in the Lazio region, central Italy
Authors: Salvi Francesco
Published: May 2023

The risks arising from exposure to radon in buildings call for the planning of actions to reduce indoor radon levels. Maps of the fraction of dwellings above a threshold make it possible to identify areas where actions can be concentrated to optimize resources. The grid square method was applied to data collected in the radon survey carried out in the Lazio region, located in central Italy, to estimate the fractions of dwellings with radon concentrations above 100, 200 and 300 Bq m−3. Spatial correlation between radon measurements was used to improve the estimates. Depending on the threshold, selecting areas where >10% of dwellings are above, the territory covered varies from about 100% to about 20% of the entire region.
Comparison of sleep parameters from wrist-worn ActiGraph and Actiwatch devices
Authors: Liu Fangyu , Schrack Jennifer , Wanigatunga Sarah K , Rabinowitz Jill A , He Linchen , Wanigatunga Amal A , Zipunnikov Vadim , Simonsick Eleanor M , Ferrucci Luigi , Spira Adam P
Published: May 2023

Sleep and physical activity, two important health behaviors, are often studied independently using different accelerometer types and body locations. Understanding whether accelerometers designed for monitoring each behavior can provide similar sleep parameter estimates may help determine whether one device can be used to measure both behaviors. Three hundred and thirty one adults (70.7 ± 13.7 years) from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging wore the ActiGraph GT9X Link and the Actiwatch 2 simultaneously on the non-dominant wrist for 7.0 ± 1.6 nights. Total sleep time (TST), wake after sleep onset (WASO), sleep efficiency, number of wake bouts, mean wake bout length, and sleep fragmentation index (SFI) were extracted from ActiGraph using the Cole–Kripke algorithm and from Actiwatch using the software default algorithm. These parameters were compared using paired t-tests, Bland–Altman plots, and Deming regression models. Stratified analyses were performed by age, sex, and body mass index (BMI). Compared to the Actiwatch, the ActiGraph estimated comparable TST and sleep efficiency, but fewer wake bouts, longer WASO, longer wake bout length, and higher SFI (all p < .001). Both devices estimated similar 1-min and 1% differences between participants for TST and SFI (β = 0.99, 95% CI: 0.95, 1.03, and 0.91, 1.13, respectively), but not for other parameters. These differences varied by age, sex, and/or BMI. The ActiGraph and the Actiwatch provide comparable absolute and relative estimates of TST, but not other parameters. The discrepancies could result from device differences in movement collection and/or sleep scoring algorithms. Further comparison and calibration is required before these devices can be used interchangeably.
Restricted- and over-feeding during gestation decreases growth of offspring throughout maturity
Authors: Tillquist Nicole M , Reed Sarah A , Kawaida Mia Y , Reiter Amanda S , Smith Brandon I , Jang Hyung , Lee Ji-Young , Lee Elaine C , Zinn Steven A , Govoni Kristen E
Published: May 2023

To determine the effects of poor maternal nutrition on the growth and metabolism of offspring into maturity, multiparous Dorset ewes pregnant with twins (n = 46) were fed to either 100% (control; n = 13), 60% (restricted; n = 17), or 140% (over; n = 16) of National Research Council requirements from day 30 ± 0.02 of gestation until parturition. Offspring of these ewes are referred to as CON (n = 10 ewes; 12 rams), RES (n = 13 ewes; 21 rams), or OVER (n = 16 ewes; 13 rams), respectively. Lamb body weights (BW) and blood samples were collected weekly from birth (day 0) to day 28 and then every 14 d until day 252. Intravenous glucose tolerance test (infusion of 0.25 g dextrose/kg BW) was performed at day 133 ± 0.25. At day 167 ± 1.42, individual daily intake was recorded over a 77 d feeding period to determine residual feed intake (RFI). Rams were euthanized at day 282 ± 1.82 and body morphometrics, loin eye area (LEA), back fat thickness, and organ weights were collected. The right leg was collected from rams at necropsy and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry was used to determine bone mineral density (BMD) and length. Averaged from day 0 until day 252, RES and OVER offspring weighed 10.8% and 6.8% less than CON offspring, respectively (P ≤ 0.02). When adjusted for BW, liver and testes weights tended to be increased and decreased, respectively, in RES rams compared with CON rams (P ≤ 0.08). Additionally, RES BMD and bone length were less than CON rams (P ≤ 0.06). Treatment did not influence muscle mass, LEA, or adipose deposition (P ≥ 0.41). Rams (−0.17) were more feed efficient than ewes (0.23; P < 0.01); however, no effect of maternal diet was observed (P ≥ 0.57). At 2 min post glucose infusion, glucose concentrations in OVER offspring were greater than CON and RES offspring (P = 0.04). Concentrations of insulin in CON rams tended to be greater than OVER and RES ewes at 5 min (P ≤ 0.07). No differences were detected in insulin:glucose or area under the curve (AUC) for glucose or insulin (P ≤ 0.29). Maternal diet did not impact offspring triglycerides or cholesterol (P ≤ 0.35). Pre-weaning leptin tended to be 70% greater in OVER offspring than CON (P ≤ 0.07). These data indicate that poor maternal nutrition impairs offspring growth throughout maturity but does not affect RFI. Changes in metabolic factors and glucose tolerance are minimal, highlighting the need to investigate other mechanisms that may contribute to negative impacts of poor maternal diet.
Tectorigenin relieved sepsis-induced myocardial ferroptosis by inhibiting the expression of Smad3
Authors: Fang Xiaowei , Fu Wei , Zou Bing , Zhang Fei
Published: May 2023

Background

Myocardial injury is a serious consequence of sepsis that contributes to high rates of death. Currently, the pathophysiology of cardiac damage in sepsis is still unknown, and treatment approaches are limited.

Methods

The sepsis mouse model was established inducing by Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in vivo and Tectorigenin was pretreated to explore whether it contributed to alleviated myocardial injury. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) stain was employed to evaluate the myocardial injury severity. TUNEL assay measured the number of apoptosis cells and the levels of B-cell lymphoma-2 associated X (Bax) and Cleaved Caspase-3 were assessed by western blot. The contents of iron and related ferroptosis molecules (acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family (ACSL4), Glutathione Peroxidase 4 (GPX4)) were assessed. Then, interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-18, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and other inflammatory-related cytokines were detected by ELISA. The expression of the mother against decapentaplegic homolog 3 (Smad3) in heart tissues was evaluated by western blot and immunofluorescence.

Results

Tectorigenin alleviated myocardial dysfunction and myofibrillar disruption in LPS-related sepsis groups. Tectorigenin ameliorated cardiomyocyte apoptosis and myocardial ferroptosis in LPS-stimulated sepsis mice. Tectorigenin reduced inflammatory-relevant cytokines in the cardiac tissues of LPS stimuli mice. In addition, we further confirm that Tectorigenin relieved myocardial ferroptosis by inhibiting the expression of Smad3.

Discussion

Tectorigenin ameliorates myocardial damage stimulated by LPS and this effect exerts by inhibiting ferroptosis and the inflammation of the myocardium. Furthermore, the inhibitory effect of Tectorigenin on ferroptosis may deregulate Smad3 expression. Taken together, Tectorigenin may be a viable method for alleviating myocardial damage in sepsis.
Harnessing the Potential of Older Workers Through Relationships at Work: Social Support, Feedback, and Performance
Authors: Marques Tatiana , Ramos Sara , Patient David , Bobocel D Ramona
Published: May 2023

With the aging of the global workforce, it is crucial to deepen our understanding of how to keep older workers healthy, motivated, and productive. In this research, we integrate job design with socioemotional selectivity theory to propose that social job characteristics relate to employee performance differently for older and younger workers. Specifically, in a 3-wave survey (N = 454), we tested employee age as a moderator of the relationships between receiving social support and feedback at work, and performance, as well as giving social support and feedback at work, and performance. The results showed that, in general, both receiving and giving social support and feedback are associated more strongly with the performance of older than younger workers. The findings provide important theoretical implications for the study of aging and work; they also offer practical applications for creating workplaces in which older workers can reap the benefits of social relationships to remain productive.
Strategies to Support Faculty Caregivers at U.S. Medical Schools
Authors: Cutter Christina M. , Szczygiel Lauren A. , Jones Rochelle DeCastro , Perry Lydia , Mangurian Christina , Jagsi Reshma
Published: May 2023

Purpose

To describe the policies, processes, and programs at U.S. medical schools to support faculty caregivers before and in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Method

In 2021, the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and founding members of the COVID-19 Fund to Retain Clinical Scientists (FRCS) Collaborative launched and supported the COVID-19 FRCS program to recognize medical schools and their efforts to strengthen policies, processes, and programs supporting biomedical faculty with family caregiving responsibilities in the context of COVID-19-related impacts. The authors conducted a qualitative conceptual content analysis of the deidentified, open-ended responses submitted by institutions in their applications to the COVID-19 FRCS program and summarized the reported strategies using recurring patterns and common approaches.

Results

Fifty-four institutions applied to the COVID-19 FRCS program in 2021 and were included in this study. COVID-19-related impacts on biomedical faculty included stymied career progression and academic productivity, exacerbated career-caregiving time conflicts, adverse effects on family and personal well-being and mental health, increased financial hardships, and amplified faculty caregiver stigma. The described policies, processes, and programs to support faculty caregivers fell into 4 domains: support for dependent care, career and workplace flexibility, career development support, and institutional culture change to reduce stigma. COVID-19-related modifications spanned these domains with remote and flexible work manifesting as disruptive changes. Strategies to support women and underrepresented in medicine faculty, who bear a disproportionate burden of caregiving responsibilities, centered on career development support and institutional culture change. The projected durability of the enacted changes varied by institution and across strategies.

Conclusions

The COVID-19 pandemic presents a disruptive opportunity to translate lessons learned into positive change to better support faculty caregivers, particularly women and underrepresented in medicine faculty. This study’s findings provide a framework to guide sustainable change to support equity, diversity, and vitality in the academic biomedical workforce.