bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Genome sequences of Rhizopogon roseolus, Mariannaea elegans, Myrothecium verrucaria, and Sphaerostilbella broomeana and the identification of biosynthetic gene clusters for fungal peptide natural products
Authors: Vogt Eva , Field Christopher M , Sonderegger Lukas , Künzler Markus
Published: April 2022

In recent years, a variety of fungal cyclic peptides with interesting bioactivities have been discovered. For many of these peptides, the biosynthetic pathways are unknown and their elucidation often holds surprises. The cyclic and backbone N-methylated omphalotins from Omphalotus olearius were recently shown to constitute a novel class (borosins) of ribosomally synthesized and posttranslationally modified peptides, members of which are produced by many fungi, including species of the genus Rhizopogon. Other recently discovered fungal peptide macrocycles include the mariannamides from Mariannaea elegans and the backbone N-methylated verrucamides and broomeanamides from Myrothecium verrucaria and Sphaerostilbella broomeana, respectively. Here, we present draft genome sequences of four fungal species Rhizopogon roseolus, Mariannaea elegans, Myrothecium verrucaria, and Sphaerostilbella broomeana. We screened these genomes for precursor proteins or gene clusters involved in the mariannamide, verrucamide, and broomeanamide biosynthesis including a general screen for borosin-producing precursor proteins. While our genomic screen for potential ribosomally synthesized and posttranslationally modified peptide precursor proteins of mariannamides, verrucamides, broomeanamides, and borosins remained unsuccessful, antiSMASH predicted nonribosomal peptide synthase gene clusters that may be responsible for the biosynthesis of mariannamides, verrucamides, and broomeanamides. In M. verrucaria, our antiSMASH search led to a putative NRPS gene cluster with a predicted peptide product of 20 amino acids, including multiple nonproteinogenic isovalines. This cluster likely encodes a member of the peptaibols, an antimicrobial class of peptides previously isolated primarily from the Genus Trichoderma. The nonribosomal peptide synthase gene clusters discovered in our screenings are promising candidates for future research.
The Effect of Support From Secondary Caregiver Network on Primary Caregiver Burden: Do Men and Women, Blacks and Whites Differ?
Authors: Liang Jiaming , Aranda María P , Jang Yuri , Wilber Kathleen , Chi Iris , Wu Shinyi
Published: April 2022

Objectives

Many older adults receive informal care from multiple caregivers, including support from a primary caregiver and a secondary caregiver network (SCN). This study examined the association between SCN support and primary caregiver burden, and whether the association varies across women and men, Black and White.

Methods

Data came from the 2015 National Health and Aging Trend Study and the National Study of Caregiving, including non-Hispanic White and Black men and women who were identified as primary caregivers (n = 967) and their secondary caregivers (n = 2,253). SCN support was indicated by (a) care domain overlap and (b) proportion of caregiving by SCN. Multiple regression models were estimated for the analyses.

Results

Both SCN support variables were found to reduce primary caregiver burden, and the effect of proportion of caregiving by SCN was found to vary by gender–race groups. With the increase of the proportion of caregiving by SCN, both Black and White women caregivers tend to experience faster decrease in caregiver burden than Black men.

Discussion

Our findings support the role of SCN in reducing primary caregiver burden and demonstrate that the benefit of SCN support varies across the 4 gender–race groups. The results indicate that it is imperative to further examine caregiving experience and protective mechanisms of SCN support using an intersectional perspective.
Advocacy organizations and nutrition policy in Nigeria: identifying metrics for enhanced efficacy
Authors: Resnick Danielle , Anigo Kola , Anjorin Olufolakemi Mercy
Published: April 2022

Advocacy organizations have played a significant role in the field of nutrition in recent years. However, why are some advocates viewed as more effective than others? This paper derives metrics for assessing advocacy efficacy by first drawing on key insights from the nutrition and public policy scholarship. A set of metrics is proposed to capture the constitutive elements of three concepts that often emerge as critical from that literature: organizational capacity, strong networks and external outreach. Based on a survey of 66 nutrition stakeholders in Nigeria, including at the federal level and within the states of Kaduna and Kano, the metrics are then applied to a set of advocacy organizations within the country. We show that the metrics can provide insights into why some advocacy organizations are perceived as more effective than others by policymakers. Specifically, we find that geographical reach, the share of budget allocated to advocacy, action plans with clear objectives, large networks that include government and non-governmental policy champions, multiple media and dissemination outputs and numerous training events collectively increase nutrition advocates’ visibility to, and influence on, policymakers. Although the metrics are subject to further testing in other country settings and need to be interpreted based on a country’s underlying policy system, they offer a useful starting point for more systematic, comparative advocacy analysis and learning within the nutrition field and beyond.
Time-varying association between fetal death and gestational exposure to ambient fine particles: a nationwide epidemiological study of 49 million fetuses in the contiguous US from 1989 to 2004
Authors: Tong Mingkun , Li Pengfei , Wang Meng , Sun Yilun , Han Yiqun , Liu Hengyi , Li Jiajianghui , Li Jiwei , Wu Fei , Guan Tianjia , Xue Tao
Published: April 2022

Background

Gestational exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) has been reported to be associated with an increased risk of fetal death in recent studies, but earlier studies in the past century have usually reported a non-significant association. As such, it remains unknown whether this adverse effect of PM2.5 exposure varies with time.

Methods

Nearly 49.2 million eligible birth and fetal death records from 1989 to 2004 were selected from the United States (US) birth and fetal death certificate datasets. For each record, the level of prenatal exposure to PM2.5 was taken as the average concentration in the mother’s residential county during the entire gestational period, according to well-established estimates of monthly levels across the contiguous US. We first stratified the dataset by the month of the last menstrual period (LMP) and then independently evaluated the nationwide association between PM2.5 exposure and fetal death within each stratum using five typical logit models: unadjusted, covariate-adjusted, propensity-score, double robust, and diagnostic-score models. Finally, we conducted a meta-analysis to pool estimated LMP-specific associations and explored how the overall association varied by LMP month.

Results

Different models showed temporal heterogeneity in the estimated association between PM2.5 exposure and fetal death. According to the meta-analysis, double robust model estimates were more homogeneous than the rest, and thus the model outcome was recognized as the main result. For each 1-µg/m3 increase in prenatal exposure to PM2.5, the pooled odds ratio (OR) of fetal death was estimated to be 1.08 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.05, 1.10]. The LMP-specific ORs exhibited a slightly increasing trend and a significant seasonal pattern. Compared with the pooled OR among samples with the LMP in spring, the estimates for summer, fall and winter were higher by 11.1% (95% CI: 6.2%, 16.3%), 27.8% (95% CI: 22.1%, 33.8%) and 28.8% (95% CI: 23.7%, 34.1%), respectively. We also found that temporal patterns in the association between PM2.5 exposure and fetal death could be explained by several population-level indicators or modifiers (i.e. ethnicity, maternal age, gestational weight gain, previous pregnancy of abnormal termination and diabetes).

Conclusions

Prenatal exposure to PM2.5 can increase the risk of fetal death. The effects of PM2.5 exposure may be modified by complex factors, which leads to a time-varying association.
Is the Public Backlash against Globalization a Backlash against Legalization and Judicialization?
Authors: Voeten Erik
Published: April 2022

Many of the most visible examples of the backlash against multilateralism, globalization, and democracy do not target free trade, investment, or elections directly, but the judicial institutions that were created to protect the rights of traders, investors, and citizens. Is the backlash against globalization and democracy really a backlash against the growing ideological convergence on rule of law principles as appropriate standards for both international and domestic governance? This essay suggests that this might be so by highlighting that the rule of law does not just constrain the powerful, but also majoritarian politics. A new domestic ideological cleavage permeates many liberal democracies that is in part about liberal conceptions of justice. An illustrative empirical analysis shows that illiberal views about justice are negatively and significantly correlated with trust in European institutions.
Beyond return and resettlement: The impact of exposure and interactions on the post-conflict development of North Waziristan
Authors: Bakare Najimdeen , Khan Faryal , Akash Syed Ali
Published: April 2022

This article shares empirical data about the returned and resettled natives and communities of North Waziristan Tribal District in Pakistan, which are undergoing the processes of post-conflict reconstruction and development. In order to present an analysis of the impact of prolonged conflict-induced displacement on the spatially excluded (or bounded) communities of North Waziristan, an inductive approach utilising qualitative methods and semi-structured interviews has been adopted to establish detailed accounts of the ‘networks of interactions’ and ‘displacement-induced exposure’. The findings further suggest that these interactions and networks are transcending and redefining the margins (viz. material space), and the social space of North Waziristan since the natives have expressed growing inclinations towards movement in mainstream Pakistan. The aforementioned arguments establish new perspectives—admittedly controversial—where prolonged conflict-induced displacement has attributed to unintended ‘development’ for spatially excluded communities. Essentially, this article argues that the subject of displacement and post-conflict societies deserves further scrutiny beyond resettlement and return.
SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine Acceptance Disparity Among Israeli Defense Forces Personnel
Authors: Shapiro Galina , Bez Maxim , Talmy Tomer , Shakargy Josef Daniel , Furer Ariel , Karp Erez , Segal David
Published: April 2022

Introduction

Promoting severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccine acceptance and uptake became necessary to achieve a high vaccination rate and subsequently herd immunity. Although the Israeli population has been largely acceptant of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, vaccine hesitancy has remained a major concern, especially in younger adults. We hypothesized that young adults who refused SARS-CoV-2 vaccination differed from those who have been adherent and could be characterized. Studying this specific population and recognizing individuals within this group who might be more probable to refuse vaccination can enable to target measures to further promote vaccination acceptance.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional comparison in a study population comprised of 17,435 Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) personnel who were SARS-CoV-2 vaccine eligible. This group included 14,834 vaccinated and 2,601 nonvaccinated individuals. Patient characteristics including occupational parameters, demographic features, psychotechnical grading (an intelligence assessment score), education level, and medical background were collected.

Results

The median age was 20.57 years and almost 80% were males. At the time of data collection, most individuals (85.1%, n = 14,834) have been vaccinated. Officers and noncommissioned officers were more likely to be vaccinated compared with regular soldiers (96%, and 90.2% vs. 83.3% respectively, P < .001), as well as combat battalions stationed personnel compared to their peers in rear and administrative units (89.4% vs. 78.4%, P < .001). Socioeconomic clusters were also associated with vaccination adherence, with 92.9% vs. 79.5% vaccination rates in the highest and lowest clusters, respectively (P < .001). Younger age, no previous immigration status, higher education level, and higher psychotechnical grades were also found associated with an increased likelihood of being vaccinated (P < .001).

Conclusions

In a large cohort of enlisted IDF personnel, disparity in SARS-CoV-2 vaccine adherence was found to be related to multiple socioeconomic, educational, and military service-related variables. Although some differences were substantial, others were small and of questionable public health significance. Acknowledging these differences may enable community leaders, health care providers, and administrators to target specific populations in order to further promote SARS-CoV-2 vaccination acceptance.
Determination of optical markers of cyanobacterial physiology from fluorescence kinetics
Authors: Courtecuisse Emilie , Oxborough Kevin , Tilstone Gavin H , Spyrakos Evangelos , Hunter Peter D , Simis Stefan G H
Published: April 2022

Compared to other methods to monitor and detect cyanobacteria in phytoplankton populations, fluorometry gives rapid, robust and reproducible results and can be used in situ. Fluorometers capable of providing biomass estimates and physiological information are not commonly optimized to target cyanobacteria. This study provides a detailed overview of the fluorescence kinetics of algal and cyanobacterial cultures to determine optimal optical configurations to target fluorescence mechanisms that are either common to all phytoplankton or diagnostic to cyanobacteria. We confirm that fluorescence excitation channels targeting both phycocyanin and chlorophyll a associated to the Photosystem II are required to induce the fluorescence responses of cyanobacteria. In addition, emission channels centered at 660, 685 and 730 nm allow better differentiation of the fluorescence response between algal and cyanobacterial cultures. Blue-green actinic light does not yield a robust fluorescence response in the cyanobacterial cultures and broadband actinic light should be preferred to assess the relation between ambient light and photosynthesis. Significant variability was observed in the fluorescence response from cyanobacteria to the intensity and duration of actinic light exposure, which needs to be taken into consideration in field measurements.
Arabidopsis RNA processing body components LSM1 and DCP5 aid in the evasion of translational repression during Cauliflower mosaic virus infection
Authors: Hoffmann Gesa , Mahboubi Amir , Bente Heinrich , Garcia Damien , Hanson Johannes , Hafrén Anders
Published: April 2022

Viral infections impose extraordinary RNA stress, triggering cellular RNA surveillance pathways such as RNA decapping, nonsense-mediated decay, and RNA silencing. Viruses need to maneuver among these pathways to establish infection and succeed in producing high amounts of viral proteins. Processing bodies (PBs) are integral to RNA triage in eukaryotic cells, with several distinct RNA quality control pathways converging for selective RNA regulation. In this study, we investigated the role of Arabidopsis thaliana PBs during Cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) infection. We found that several PB components are co-opted into viral factories that support virus multiplication. This pro-viral role was not associated with RNA decay pathways but instead, we established that PB components are helpers in viral RNA translation. While CaMV is normally resilient to RNA silencing, dysfunctions in PB components expose the virus to this pathway, which is similar to previous observations for transgenes. Transgenes, however, undergo RNA quality control-dependent RNA degradation and transcriptional silencing, whereas CaMV RNA remains stable but becomes translationally repressed through decreased ribosome association, revealing a unique dependence among PBs, RNA silencing, and translational repression. Together, our study shows that PB components are co-opted by the virus to maintain efficient translation, a mechanism not associated with canonical PB functions.
Global public policy in a quantified world: Sustainable Development Goals as epistemic infrastructures
Authors: Tichenor Marlee , Merry Sally E , Grek Sotiria , Bandola-Gill Justyna
Published: April 2022

Despite the multiplicity of actors, crises, and fields of action, global public policy has known one constant, that is, the ubiquity of indicators in the production of governing knowledge. This article theoretically engages with the phenomenon of hyper-quantification of global governance in the context of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), debated and introduced in 2015. Increasingly metrics—such as indicators and quantified data to monitor targets and goals—are no longer just tools of governance but rather are emblematic of the new types of political cultures, enabling an interplay of material, techno-political, and organizational structures within which (statistical) knowledge is produced, disseminated, and translated into global public policy. The paper unpacks this complexity by proposing a new theoretical approach to quantification as an “epistemic infrastructure,” which emerges across three levels: materialities (such as data and indicators), interlinkages (such as networks and communities), and paradigms (such as new ways of doing policy work). Using the lens of the “epistemic infrastructure” on the SDGs, this article and the others in this special issue analyze the ways that quantified knowledge practices—in widely varying policy arenas, scales, and geographic regions—are at the heart of the production of its global public policy.
1Affect Theory: Omnibus Review
Authors: Mathes Carmen Faye
Published: April 2022

This chapter surveys important studies in affect theory published in 2021. In contrast to earlier scholarship that sought to define affect by debating now-standard genealogies—Spinoza to Deleuze; Tomkins to Sedgwick—this snapshot of affect theory’s development reveals myriad approaches bookended by an epistemological divergence. On one end are studies that embrace affect as an umbrella term for moving beyond emotions in a normative key. In these studies, what affect does eclipses what affect is. On the other end are studies that assert dissatisfaction with the world as ‘given’ in theoretical models of affect, particularly as that world is always already colonial, patriarchal, white, and so on. In these studies, neither what affect does nor what affect is dismantles a world that precludes decolonization, Black flourishing and the flourishing of other minoritized subjects. In between, a number of the studies surveyed here lean in one direction or the other, suggesting that this divergence is nascent but influential. I position these studies along a tentative spectrum, from affect’s embrace to its dissatisfactions, while also noting other scholarly conversations into which affect has lately entered, notably autotheory and the emergent idea of ‘vibe theory’. The review is organized into the following sections: 1. Introduction; 2. Affect’s Embrace: Staging Feeling; 3. Intimacy, Pleasure, Skin: What Is the Scale of Affect?; 4. The History and Poetry of Public Feeling: Two Eras of Revolt; 5. On Refusing the World: Yao’s and Palmer’s Dissatisfactions; 6. Reflections.
Usability Experience of a Personal Sleep Monitoring Device to Self-manage Sleep Among Persons 65 Years or Older With Self-reported Sleep Disturbances
Authors: LeBlanc Raeann G. , Czarnecki Paige , Howard Jordan , Jacelon Cynthia S. , Marquard Jenna
Published: April 2022

Increasingly, persons with self-reported health symptoms are using mobile health technologies to better understand, validate, and manage their symptoms. These off-the-shelf devices primarily utilize actigraphy to estimate sleep and activity. The purpose of this study was to describe qualitatively the experience of using a personal sleep monitoring device for sleep self-management in adults 65 years or older with self-reported sleep disturbances. This study followed a hybrid qualitative design using deductive and emergent coding derived from open-ended interviews (n = 25) after a period of 4 weeks using a wearable personal sleep monitoring device. Results expanded existing theoretical models on usability with the theme of personal meaning in the interaction between health and self-monitoring technology that were associated with age and technology use, privacy, and capability. Future studies for sleep health self-management and personally tailored interventions using personal sleep monitoring devices should continue to collect qualitative information in extending the understanding of user experience across different symptom clusters, such as sleep disturbances, that manifest more commonly in older age populations. This research is important for application in the use of mobile health technologies for nursing led health self-management interventions.
Subcutaneous Panniculitis-Like T-Cell Lymphoma Revealed By Immunophenotyping of Necrosis
Authors: Bellahsen-Harrar Yaëlle , Badrignans Marine , Cherif Khadija , Papouin Barbara , Ingen-Housz-Oro Saskia , Ortonne Nicolas
Published: April 2022

Subcutaneous panniculitis-like T-cell lymphoma (SPTCL) is a rare but well-defined entity, often associated with autoimmune manifestations, generally with a good prognosis unless associated with hemophagocytic syndrome. Typically, the lymphoma cells rim the adipocytes and are characterized by a CD8+ cytotoxic phenotype. We report 2 cases of SPTCL where the first biopsies only showed subcutaneous fat necrosis without any lymphoma cell visible. The diagnoses were allowed by immunophenotypic markers which characterized necrotic neoplastic T cells and confirmed on further biopsies with a typical pattern of SPTCL. These observations should prompt dermatologists to perform as large biopsies as possible, and pathologists to perform immunophenotyping in all suspected cases even if only lobular necrosis is seen morphologically.
Associated Factors and Distribution of Peripapillary Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness in Children by Optical Coherence Tomography: A Population-based Study
Authors: Hashemi Hassan , Khabazkhoob Mehdi , Heydarian Samira , Emamian Mohammad Hassan , Fotouhi Akbar
Published: April 2022

Purpose:

To determine the distribution of peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness and its association with different demographic and ocular parameters in adolescents.

Methods:

The present study is part of the second phase of the Shahroud Schoolchildren Eye cohort study, which was conducted in 2018 by re-inviting the participants in the first phase. First, preliminary ocular examinations were performed, including measurement of uncorrected and best corrected visual acuity, auto-refraction, and subjective refraction.

All study participants underwent corneal imaging using Pentacam to measure central corneal thickness and corneal radius of curvature (keratometry), ocular biometry using Allegro Biograph to measure anterior chamber depth, crystalline lens thickness, and axial length, and finally OCT imaging to measure RNFL thickness as well as macular thickness and volume.

Results:

The data of 4963 right eyes were analyzed after applying the exclusion criteria. The mean age of the study participants was 12.41±1.72 (9 to 15) years. The mean total, superior, inferior, temporal, and nasal RNFL thicknesses were 98.93 (95% CI: 98.61-99.25), 122.84 (95% CI: 122.31–123.37), 129.17 (95% CI: 128.63–129.7), 68.02 (95% CI: 67.65–68.38), and 75.69 (95% CI: 75.3–76.07), respectively. According to the results of the multivariable regression model, macular volume (β=9.81,P=0.001] had a significant direct association, and macular thickness (β=−0.01,P=0.046) had a significant inverse association with the average RNFL thickness. In addition, axial length (β=−3.14,P<0.001), mean keratometry (β=−1.38,P<0.001], and central corneal thickness (β=−0.01,P=0.011) were significantly inversely related to the average RNFL thickness.

Conclusion:

We report the distribution of peripapillary RNFL thickness using SD-OCT and identify macular volume, axial length, and mean keratometry as significantly associated factors in children. Our findings may serve as a database to interpret RNFL thickness results in children aged 9 to 15 years with suspected ocular disease.
Extended Versus Standard Antibiotic Course Duration in Children <5 Years of Age Hospitalized With Community-acquired Pneumonia in High-risk Settings: Four-week Outcomes of a Multicenter, Double-blind, Parallel, Superiority Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: McCallum Gabrielle B. , Fong Siew M. , Grimwood Keith , Nathan Anna M. , Byrnes Catherine A. , Ooi Mong H. , Nachiappan Nachal , Saari Noorazlina , Morris Peter S. , Yeo Tsin W. , Ware Robert S. , Elogius Blueren W. , Oguoma Victor M. , Yerkovich Stephanie T. , de Bruyne Jessie , Lawrence Katrina A. , Lee Bilawara , Upham John W. , Torzillo Paul J. , Chang Anne B.
Published: April 2022

Background:

High-level evidence is limited for antibiotic duration in children hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) from First Nations and other at-risk populations of chronic respiratory disorders. As part of a larger study, we determined whether an extended antibiotic course is superior to a standard course for achieving clinical cure at 4 weeks in children 3 months to ≤5 years old hospitalized with CAP.

Methods:

In our multinational (Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia), double-blind, superiority randomized controlled trial, children hospitalized with uncomplicated, radiographic-confirmed, CAP received 1–3 days of intravenous antibiotics followed by 3 days of oral amoxicillin-clavulanate (80 mg/kg, amoxicillin component, divided twice daily) and then randomized to extended (13–14 days duration) or standard (5–6 days) antibiotics. The primary outcome was clinical cure (complete resolution of respiratory symptoms/signs) 4 weeks postenrollment. Secondary outcomes included adverse events, nasopharyngeal bacterial pathogens and antimicrobial resistance at 4 weeks.

Results:

Of 372 children enrolled, 324 fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were randomized. Using intention-to-treat analysis, between-group clinical cure rates were similar (extended course: n = 127/163, 77.9%; standard course: n = 131/161, 81.3%; relative risk = 0.96, 95% confidence interval = 0.86–1.07). There were no significant between-group differences for adverse events (extended course: n = 43/163, 26.4%; standard course, n = 32/161, 19.9%) or nasopharyngeal carriage of Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Moraxella catarrhalis and Staphylococcus aureus or antimicrobial resistance.

Conclusions:

Among children hospitalized with pneumonia and at-risk of chronic respiratory illnesses, an extended antibiotic course was not superior to a standard course at achieving clinical cure at 4 weeks. Additional research will identify if an extended course provides longer-term benefits.
Croup as a Previously Unrecognized Symptom of COVID-19 in Infants
Authors: Dasdemir Sevgi , Uysal Yazici Mutlu , Gudeloglu Elif , Akkuzu Emine , Tezer Hasan
Published: April 2022

Although the most common symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in children are fever and cough, cases of croup associated with COVID-19 are reported in the literature and have increased sharply with the Omicron variant. We present severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 as a viral agent in an infant presenting with croup.
Inverse Association Between Persistence With Antidepressant Medication and Onset of Chronic Pain in Patients With Depression
Authors: Higa Shingo , Nakamura Toru , Ohwaki Kazuhiro
Published: April 2022

Purpose/Background

Despite the known involvement of depression in chronic pain, the association between persistence with and adherence to antidepressant medication and onset of chronic pain in patients with depression remains unclear.

Methods/Procedures

This retrospective cohort study used a Japanese claims database to extract data for adult patients with depression who were prescribed antidepressants between April 2014 and March 2020. Patients were divided into groups according to duration of continuous prescription of antidepressants (≥6 months [persistent group] and <6 months [nonpersistent group]) and medication possession ratio (≥80% [good adherence group] and <80% [poor adherence group]). The outcome was onset of chronic pain, which was defined as continuous prescription >3 months of analgesics and diagnosis of pain-related condition after discontinuation of the first continuous antidepressant prescription. The risk of onset of chronic pain was compared between the paired groups.

Findings/Results

A total of 1859 patients were selected as the study population and categorized as the persistent (n = 406) and nonpersistent (n = 1453) groups, and good adherence (n = 1551) and poor adherence (n = 308) groups. Risk of onset of chronic pain was significantly lower in the persistent group than in the nonpersistent group after controlling for confounding via standardized mortality ratio weighting (hazard ratio, 0.38; 95% confidence interval, 0.18–0.80; P = 0.011). There was no significant difference between the good and poor adherence groups.

Implications/Conclusions

Antidepressant persistence for ≥6 months is recommended and may reduce the onset of chronic pain in patients with depression.
Potential of sphingosine-1-phosphate in preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection by stabilizing and protecting endothelial cells
Authors: Zhang Rongzhi , Wang Qiang , Yang Jianshe
Published: April 2022

Coronavirus disease 2019, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has spread worldwide, resulting in over 250 million infections and >5 million deaths. Most antiviral drugs and vaccines have shown limited efficacy against SARS-CoV-2. Clinical data revealed that except for the large number of self-healing mild cases, moderate and severe cases mostly survived after supportive treatment but not specific drug administration or vaccination. The endothelial system is the first physiological barrier, and its structural stability is of critical importance in conferring disease resistance. Membrane lipid components, particularly sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), play a central role in stabilizing the cell membrane.

Here, we used “Boolean Operators” such as AND, OR, and NOT, to search for relevant research articles in PubMed, then reviewed the potential of S1P in inhibiting SARS-CoV-2 infection by stabilizing the endothelial system, this is the major aim of this review work.

Reportedly, vasculitis and systemic inflammatory vascular diseases are caused by endothelial damage resulting from SARS-CoV-2 infection. S1P, S1P receptor (SIPR), and signaling were involved in the process of SARS-CoV-2 infection, and S1P potentially regulated the function of EC barrier, in turn, inhibited the SARS-CoV-2 to infect the endothelial cells, and ultimately has the promising therapeutic value to coronavirus disease 2019.

Taken together, we conclude that maintaining or administering a high level of S1P will preserve the integrity of the EC structure and function, in turn, lowering the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and reducing complications and mortality.
Safety and efficacy of auricular acupuncture in patients with depression after percutaneous coronary intervention
Authors: Lu Ruozhu , Shi Rui , Zhang Miao , Shao Xiao , Xue Wen , Guo Qian , Wang Cheng , Deng Yue
Published: April 2022

Background:

With the advantages of miniature damage and optimal effectiveness, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has been performed in a large number of coronary artery disease patients. However, recent studies have indicated a higher incidence of depression on post-PCI patients. Acupuncture therapy is effective for depression. As a form of acupuncture, the auricular acupuncture has been used to relieve symptoms in patients with post-PCI depression, but its effectiveness and safety have not yet reached a definitive conclusion. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis protocol is planned to evaluate the efficacy and safety of auricular acupuncture for depression in post-PCI patients.

Methods:

Six English databases (PubMed, Web of Science, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Springer Cochrane Library, and WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform) and 4 Chinese databases (Wan Fang Database, Chinese Scientific Journal Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database, and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database) will be searched normatively according to the rule of each database from the inception to February 1, 2022. Two reviewers will independently conduct article selection, data collection, and risk of bias evaluation. Any disagreement will be resolved by discussion with the third reviewer. Either the fixed-effects or random-effects model will be used for data synthesis based on the heterogeneity test. The change in the scores on the Hamilton Depression Scale and the Self-rating Depression Scale will be used as the main outcome measure. All-cause mortality, cardiac mortality, major adverse cardiovascular events, rehospitalisation rate, and Quality of Life Scale as the secondary outcome. Treatment Emergent Symptom Scale, general physical examination (temperature, pulse, respiration, blood pressure), routine examination of blood, urine and stool, electrocardiogram, liver and kidney function examination as the security indexes. RevMan 5.3.5 will be used for meta-analysis.

Results:

This study will provide high-quality evidence to assess the efficacy and safety of auricular acupuncture for depression in post-PCI patients.

Conclusion:

This systematic review will explore whether auricular acupuncture is an effective and safe intervention for depression in post-PCI patients.

INPLASY registration number:

INPLASY202230003.
Tuberculous polyserositis in endemic areas with an emphasis on empiric therapy
Authors: Munguti Jeremiah , Mutua Victor , Cheruiyot Isaac , Csefalvay Chris von , Opare-Addo Paul , Kiko Nduku , Wanjiru Rosemary
Published: April 2022

Rationale:

Polyserositis describes contemporaneous inflammation of multiple serous membranes accompanied by effusions in serous cavities. It has been associated with different aetiologies, including autoimmune diseases, endocrine diseases, neoplasia, drug-associated cases, and infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis.

Patient concerns:

We report the case of a 34-year-old woman who presented with abdominal swelling for 8 months, fatigability, and shortness of breath for 2 months. She denied a history of lower-limb swelling, orthopnea, paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnoea, or right upper quadrant pain. She had no history of cigarette smoking, prior treatment for tuberculosis, malignancy, or contact with someone known to have tuberculosis (TB). On examination, she had a weak pulse, muffled heart sounds, and ascites.

Diagnosis:

Polyserositis was suspected following visualization of fluid in the peritoneal, pleural, and pericardial cavities on imaging.

Interventions:

The patient underwent pericardiocentesis and ascitic taps. The patient also received spironolactone, prednisolone, and paracetamol. Despite repeated ascitic tapping and use of diuretics, fluid continued to accumulate until the initiation of empiric anti-TB drugs (rifampicin, isoniazid, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol), as noted from the elevated levels of adenosine deaminase (pleural fluid-46.30U/L) and living in an endemic area for tuberculosis (Kenya).

Outcomes:

Three weeks after the initiation of anti-TB drugs, the ascites and pericardial and pleural effusions resolved. Two months after discharge, the patient showed marked improvement, with no residual fluid noted in the serous cavities on imaging.

Lessons learnt:

We report a case of extrapulmonary TB presenting with polyserositis (pericardial, pleural, and ascitic fluid) with elevated adenosine deaminase levels when the traditional Ziehl Neelsen staining yielded negative results. Good clinical judgment and more novel diagnostic tools are necessary to avoid unnecessary delays in initiating definitive management.
Liposarcoma With Hibernoma-like Histology
Authors: Kojima Naoki , Komiyama Motokiyo , Shinoda Yasuo , Watanabe Shun-ichi , Yatabe Yasushi , Kawai Akira , Yoshida Akihiko
Published: April 2022

Hibernoma is an uncommon benign tumor of brown fat cells that consistently expresses uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1). Herein, we clinicopathologically characterized 16 liposarcomas, for which histology, at least focally, closely resembled that of hibernoma, including sheets of brown fat-like, finely multivacuolated-to-eosinophilic tumor cells with no or minimal nuclear atypia. The cohort consisted of 4 well-differentiated liposarcomas (WDLSs), 6 dedifferentiated liposarcomas with a concomitant WDLS component, and 6 myxoid liposarcomas (MLSs). For all dedifferentiated liposarcoma cases, hibernoma-like histology was present only in the WDLS component. All tumors presented as large, deep-seated masses. Hibernoma-like histology resembled the pale cell, mixed cell, eosinophilic cell, or spindle cell subtypes of hibernoma, and it was a focal observation, with conventional liposarcoma histology coexisting in all cases. However, a few biopsy samples were predominated by hibernoma-like patterns, and 1 case was initially interpreted as hibernoma. Hibernoma-like components in WDLS immunohistochemically coexpressed MDM2 and CDK4 in most cases and harbored MDM2 amplification in tested cases, whereas half of the cases expressed UCP1. The hibernoma-like components of MLS expressed DDIT3, and DDIT3 rearrangements were present in the tested cases, whereas only negative or equivocal UCP1 expression was observed. In summary, WDLS and MLS focally demonstrate hibernoma-like histology on rare occasions. These elements are neoplastic, and some such areas in WDLS likely represent true brown fat differentiation, as supported by UCP1 expression. This pattern requires recognition to avoid the misdiagnosis as hibernoma, especially in biopsies. A careful search for classic liposarcoma histology and additional work-ups for the MDM2/CDK4 or DDIT3 status will be helpful for an accurate diagnosis.
An Unusual Cause of Sudden Bilateral Lower Extremity Weakness
Authors: Steffens Sarah , Yaffee Anna Q. , Krakow David , Patel Dhruv
Published: April 2022

Acute bilateral quadriceps tendon rupture is a musculoskeletal injury that requires urgent orthopedic surgical evaluation. Bilateral quadriceps tendon rupture is exceptionally rare, yet a missed diagnosis can result in long-term disability for the patient. This article presents a patient's case including the history, physical examination, key imaging findings, and management. This article emphasizes the importance of a detailed physical examination in patients presenting with musculoskeletal complaints as well as maintaining a broad differential diagnosis, which will assist the advanced practice provider in recognizing both the common and rare diagnoses in the emergency department.
Recognizing Recurrence of Melanoma in an Emergency Department Patient
Authors: Culbertson Amy , Huey Sally
Published: April 2022

Malignant melanoma incidence is rising faster than any other malignancy. Recurrent disease can occur in as many as 10% of patients diagnosed with primary malignant melanoma. In-transit melanoma is a type of locoregional disease that materializes when the cancer recurs as dermal and subdermal nodules found between the primary site and the lymph node drainage basin. Patients may not recognize the lesions as in-transit melanoma, and they may present to the emergency department for another matter completely. Ultimately, once recurrence is suspected, there must be a swift referral to oncology. Lack of recognition of this unique skin lesion could prove to be fatal. As frontline providers of care, emergency nurse practitioners should be alert to the characteristics of these lesions and the history that supports this dermatological condition.
Being Part of the Solution
Authors: Denno Jennifer , Burns Sheri , Rucker-Christopher Zachary , Suriano Dominique
Published: April 2022

The current literature on the management of opioid use syndrome includes methods to prevent opioid use, complementary therapy for acute and chronic pain, and outpatient services to assist patients. This article contributes to a method of medication-assisted treatment that can be initiated from an emergency department visit. Key implications for emergency nursing practice found in this article include understanding medication-assisted treatment principles, pathophysiology of opioid use disorder, and pharmacology of buprenorphine.
Descriptive Epidemiology of Women in the Emergency Department With Gonorrhea and Chlamydial Infection in the United States
Authors: Sheele Johnathan M. , Bragg Kara J. , Bragg Bradley , Campos Santiago Cantillo , Elkins Justin M. , Niforatos Joshua D. , Thompson Cheryl L.
Published: April 2022

Demographic characteristics, risk factors, and clinical variables associated with gonorrhea and chlamydial infection in women being treated in emergency departments (EDs) in the United States are incompletely characterized. We used univariable and multivariable regression analyses on 17,411 encounters from women 18 years and older who presented to EDs in northeast Ohio and were tested for gonorrhea or chlamydial infection. There were 1,360 women (7.8%) who had Chlamydia trachomatis infection and 510 (2.9%) who had Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection. Those infected with C. trachomatis or N. gonorrhoeae were younger (23.8 vs. 29.2 years), unmarried (97.7% vs. 90.1%), Black (93.3% vs. 88.0%), infected with Trichomonas vaginalis (39.9% vs. 27.2%), diagnosed with urinary tract infection (15.7% vs. 10.6%), and treated for gonorrhea and chlamydial infection during the ED visit (31.6% vs. 17.4%) (all ps < .001). Women infected with C. trachomatis or N. gonorrhoeae had more urine white blood cells (WBCs) (23.9 vs. 16.4 cells per high-power field [HPF]) and leukocyte esterase (1.2+ vs. 0.8+) on urinalysis. They had more WBCs (18.5 vs. 12.4 cells/HPF) and odds of having T. vaginalis infection (12.8% vs. 8.2%) on vaginal wet preparation (all ps < .001). Women infected with C. trachomatis were more likely to be younger and not Black; they were less likely to be treated for gonorrhea and chlamydial infection in the ED and to have lower levels of urine WBCs, leukocyte esterase, and blood than those infected with N gonorrhoeae (all ps ≤ .05).
Predictability of thermal fluctuations influences functional traits of a cosmopolitan marine diatom
Authors: Gill Raissa L. , Collins Sinead , Argyle Phoebe A. , Larsson Michaela E. , Fleck Robert , Doblin Martina A.
Published: April 2022

Evolutionary theory predicts that organismal plasticity should evolve in environments that fluctuate regularly. However, in environments that fluctuate less predictably, plasticity may be constrained because environmental cues become less reliable for expressing the optimum phenotype. Here, we examine how the predictability of +5°C temperature fluctuations impacts the phenotype of the marine diatomThalassiosira pseudonana. Thermal regimes were informed by temperatures experienced by microbes in an ocean simulation and featured regular or irregular temporal sequences of fluctuations that induced mild physiological stress. Physiological traits (growth, cell size, complexity and pigmentation) were quantified at the individual cell level using flow cytometry. Changes in cellular complexity emerged as the first impact of predictability after only 8–11 days, followed by deleterious impacts on growth on days 13–16. Specifically, cells with a history of irregular fluctuation exposure exhibited a 50% reduction in growth compared with the stable reference environment, while growth was 3–18 times higher when fluctuations were regular. We observed no evidence of heat hardening (increasingly positive growth) with recurrent fluctuations. This study demonstrates that unpredictable temperature fluctuations impact this cosmopolitan diatom under ecologically relevant time frames, suggesting shifts in environmental stochasticity under a changing climate could have widespread consequences among ocean primary producers.
Human adults prefer to cooperate even when it is costly
Authors: Curioni Arianna , Voinov Pavel , Allritz Matthias , Wolf Thomas , Call Josep , Knoblich Günther
Published: April 2022

Joint actions are cooperative activities where humans coordinate their actions to achieve individual and shared goals. While the motivation to engage in joint action is clear when a goal cannot be achieved by individuals alone, we asked whether humans are motivated to act together even when acting together is not necessary and implies incurring additional costs compared to individual goal achievement. Using a utility-based empirical approach, we investigated the extent of humans' preference for joint action over individual action, when the instrumental costs of performing joint actions outweigh the benefits. The results of five experiments showed that human adults have a stable preference for joint action, even if individual action is more effective to achieve a certain goal. We propose that such preferences can be understood as ascribing additional reward value to performing actions together.
Phenological sensitivity and seasonal variability explain climate-driven trends in Mediterranean butterflies
Authors: Colom Pau , Ninyerola Miquel , Pons Xavier , Traveset Anna , Stefanescu Constantí
Published: April 2022

Although climate-driven phenological shifts have been documented for many taxa across the globe, we still lack knowledge of the consequences they have on populations. Here, we used a comprehensive database comprising 553 populations of 51 species of north-western Mediterranean butterflies to investigate the relationship between phenology and population trends in a 26-year period. Phenological trends and sensitivity to climate, along with various species traits, were used to predict abundance trends. Key ecological traits accounted for a general decline of more than half of the species, most of which, surprisingly, did not change their phenology under a climate warming scenario. However, this was related to the regional cooling in a short temporal window that includes late winter and early spring, during which most species concentrate their development. Finally, we demonstrate that phenological sensitivity—but not phenological trends—predicted population trends, and argue that species that best adjust their phenology to inter-annual climate variability are more likely to maintain a synchronization with trophic resources, thereby mitigating possible negative effects of climate change. Our results reflect the importance of assessing not only species' trends over time but also species’ abilities to respond to a changing climate based on their sensitivity to temperature.